THE Marlborough Express Published Every Evening. MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1881. LOCAL AND "GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XVI, Issue 61, 14 March 1881, Page 2

THE Marlborough Express Published Every Evening. MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1881. LOCAL AND "GENERAL NEWS.

+. Fukmxuke Hale.—At the sale of W. Davidson's stock of furniture, held by Mr Evans on Saturday last, everything was sold at prices highly satisfactory both to the vendor and auctioneer. The Sheep Department—We learn that Mr Blundell .Sheep Inspector, of the Amur! will replice Mr Sutton as Inspectorin the Bleuheiin District. His place m the Amari will bo taken by Inspector Knyvett who is ail; present stationed m the Awatere. Nothing respecting the Awatorc Sub-divi-sion has transpired.

Entertainment. — There is every probabi* lity of the Lydia Howard Opera Bouffe Burlesque Company paying Blenheim a visit at the early part of next month, for a short season of two nights, at the Lyceum Hall. The Company will appear m some of their star pieces such us " H.M.S. Pinafore" " Robinsong Crusoe " and " Ivanhoe " &c, which they hare produced with marked success m all parts of the ci.louy where they have been. Drapery. —We perceive by the manifest of the s.s. Napier that our enterprising tradesmen, W. B. Girling and Co, have received the largest shipment of general drapery goods for their autumn and winter trade that has at any time come into Blenheim. It speaks well for the trade of the place when one firm can import so largely. Such a venture deservets success, and we sincerely trust Messrs Girling and Co will meet with their reward m the^shape of plenty of buyers and no bad debts. j Court Scandal. — Eecently the proceedings of the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, were interrupted by an incident which is doubtless unparalleled, at least m the annals of the Dunedin Courts. A solicitor m one of the cases elected to give evidence, but whilst on his way from the bar to the box, either from bodily infirmity or more questionable causes, he exhibited a desire to quarrel with the chairs. His Worship, evidently desiring to maintain etiquette m Court, indignantly exclaimed : " Mr , you are not m a fit state to plead, and you are even m a less fit state to go into that box and give evidence. I will not take you or your oath— you are intoxicated. I warn you again&t ever making your appearance m this Court m the state you are now m. I shall bring the matter before the Judge of the Supreme Court m some way." The case was then adjourned for a week. New Zealand Parliament. —Of the seventy-six members who took their seats m the first session of the fifth Parliament of New Zealand, which was opened by His Excellency Sir George Bowen on the 14th August, 1871, only twenty-one hold seats at the d resent time. Mr Macandrew is the "father of the House, " having been elected previously to any other member, but is closely followed by Sir W. Fox and Sir O. M. O'Borke. No less than eighteen of the aeventy-six members m August, 1871, have joined the great majority, and five hold seats m the Legislative Council. The Tararua Gold Robbery The Wellington correspondent of a Southern paper telegraphs :— "1 hear from a most reliable source that a substantial clue has been obtained to the manner m which the gold was stolen from the Tararua, and as to the identity of the persons implicated. The clue might have been obtained long ago, but for the red tapeism which exists m connection with communications between different , branches of the Government Service. From certain facts that have come to my know* ledge, I am convinced that if one Government department had communicated to the police certain information which it had m its possession, the robbery would have been explained long ago, and the perpetrators probably arrested. The detectives are engaged following up the clue." Meat Export. — The calculations made by the promoters of the Central Queensland Export Company of the quantity of meat available for export annually m Australia put the figures at 90,000 tons, viz,, <i gross production of 04,000 tons from Queensland, and 72,000 tons from New South Wales, less a deficiency m Victoria and South Australia of 4(j,000 tons. The Strathleven cargo realised a gross price of £17 per head for cattle, and 27s for sheep. The prices which would gladly be accepted m Queensland arc +'"> for cattle and 10s for sheep. A Hige Rks*.u\ oik. —Baltimore has just finished at Lake Montibello, the huge reservoir that is to store 500,0U0,00U gallons of the Gunpowder water supply, soon to be brought to the city through seven milts of tunnels. The lake covers sixty acres, and is a mile and a half m circumference.