LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mataura Ensign, 24 February 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dr. J. \V. Day reported live cuses of measles in one lamily at -Mataiim to the Borough Council at its meeting' last night. The plateluyiiig on the Switzcrs railway is complete as far us Muddy Creek. The bridge over t,hc creek is almost completed, and in the course of this week, it is expected, the rails will be laid on it. The work will be continued with all haste as far as .Muddy Lane. The following- is Captuin Edwin's weather forecast, to 3 p.m. to-day:— Southerly winds, moderate to strong, north ol Hokitika and Lyttelton; strong northerly winds probable, Willi falling barometer, elsewhere. There are indications for rain in the southernmost districts.

The men engaged in demolishing the Crown Hotel made a rather curious liud (states the 'Clutha Leader'). li, ihe ceiling iu the portion over tin billiard room they caiue across a sack I'ouiaining a set of completely new carpenter's tools. There was no communication between the ceiling ami the rooms below, and how amt ivhPn the tools got where they were luumi is a mysterv.

A serious accident occurred at the Uceau Beach railway station yesterday morning. .Mr James Archer, 70 > oars of age, a retired sawiuiller regaling at Cliitou, and a .well-known identity, was stepping off the train 't'liile u was iu motion, when tic slipp . i falling- down between the kerbing and train, striking- Ms forehead with considerable force against the kerbing. I'he train was quickly pulled up. -Mr Archer received two serious injuries to his forehead above oae'll eye, besides injuries to liis back.

Thi.' Gore High School .Board of Governors had rather a long sitting yesterday afternoon. The meeting commenced at li.yo li.iu., and continued, after an hour's adjournment for lea, to 10.15 p.m. There. were prestuit:—Messrs A. Martin (chairmaii), Li, ,1. Anderson, M.i'., I). Gilchrist, Thos. Mac Gibbon, John Mac Gibbon, J, Lowden, J. Milne, and licv. Goo, Ilerve3\ An apology for lion-al tendance from Air K. if, ItowJer .was received, Thu business was the consideration of applications for tile positions on the teaching stall. There .were, 25 applications lor the position of headmaster, la I'm- that, of lirst assistant, and ai» lor that of female assistunt. The applicants hail from all parts of the -Dominion. The Board accepted the application of Air John Brunton, ji.A., at present acting as headmaster, for the position of first assistant. A number of applicants for the position of headmaster and second assistant female were selected, from which a llual choice will be made alter certain inquiries have been made. The Board adjourned until Friday, March 5, when it is expected the necessary information will be forthcoming..

At. a meeting of ihu Citizens' Tennis Club held jn Air Latham's iiooms last night, Mr A. A. MucGibbon presiding, it was resolved that « bazaar be after the Methodist Church bazaar, so that it would in no way clash with the interest of the latter. It was also resolved, if possible, to hold ;tlio bazaar some time early in July. A committee of five was formed, with power to add to their number. Mr J. R. Stevenson was appointed secretary. and Mr (!. Donaldson assist-ant-secretary.

A petition under .section 17 of "Tho Shops and Otlices Act, 1007," and section lo of "The Factories Act Amendment Act, 1908," signed by, eighty electors, was presented to the Ala t aura Borough Council at its meeting last night, asking that the statutory closing day for the shops and factories in the town be determined by a poll of the electors for Saturday, in lieu of Wednesday, as at present. It was decided to refer the petition to the Borough Solicitor, and if iu order, a poll will bo taken on tile lust Wednesday, in. April. It is seedine time with the Canadian thistle, the chief of our noxijus weeds, just now, and on Saturday in portions ol' the Stirling unil Kaitangata -neighborhood, where the thistle is in an exceptional state of prolusion this season, the sky in places was obscured by the clouds of thistle-down driven on the strong gale (says the 'Clutha Free Press'). Agriculturists find it a very hard matter to adequately deal with the pest, and they do not seem to be much helped by the officers of the Agricultural Department. One of these gentlemen, it is stated, whs unreasonable enough to tell a farmer the other day that lie would have to destroy the thistles in a crop of wheat. Potato disease has made its appearance on most of the crops in this district (says the 'Clutha Leader'). When the disease made its appearance a few years ago, the practice was to lemore all the haulms and burn them. This was done by instruction of tile Department. It'was found that- this did not save tho crop, and that potatoes that were left alone were just as sound, more so, in fact, than those that had the "shaws ' carelully gathered. Now, as a rule, the crop is left alone, and when digging time conies the tubers aie found to lie in a better order than where tho shaw s had been alll gather-