LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XIX, Issue 187, 24 August 1883, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Blenheim Bokouoh ConKcrL.-Tendew are invited by the Blenheim Borough Council for filling up Market-place and Market-street North from High-street to Alfred-street, and forming and metalling Gonlter-ztreet.

The Picton Seat.— Our Pioton contemporary m its last issue Btates as follows: — " No less than five persons are said to be sonnding the electors, and behind these there is at least one other who will make a move whenever cirounutonces warrant, so that if none of them alter their minds there will be a good ohoioa when a vaoanoy takes place. " The public will, no doubt, be curious to know who the person alluded to as the "one other" is, and after carefully weighing the matter we have arrived at the conclusion that it is a well-known professsional gentleman residing m our midst, who, although new to politics, has had considerable official training, and who, at a publio meeting recently held at Pioton, exerted himself towards moving the Government m the matter of obtaining additional whatf aooommodation at that port. This may be looked upon as the initiatory steps towards an active canvas of the electorate. Of course we cannot vouoh for the acouracy of this, but porhapg our Pioton contemporary con throw some new light on the subjeot.

Picton Boßotmn Cooncil. — Tho nomination of candidates to fill the three annual vacancies m the Ficton Borough Council will take place on Thursday next, the 30th inst. The election is fixed for September 10th. /* The Nelson Match.— Our correspondent with the Maryborough team wires to as to-day : —The footballers arrived this morning and were met by the Nelson kickißts and driven to M 'Gee's. No one is the worse for the trip. We are having beautiful weather, and expeot to get gome practice this afternoon. A very strong team has been picked to oppose 1 eipbut the boys are m grand spirits.

St. Andrew's Church.— Great efforts arc being made to complete the fitting up of this Church with gas m order that it mpy be lighted for public worship on Sunday evening next. A preliminary trial of the fittings and effect of the plan of lighting will take place to-morrow evening, between 7 and 8 o'olook, when all persons interested m church lighting will have an opportunity of being present and forming an opinion thereon. Tlio plan of lighting is one of Mr Hutohison'a own suggestion, whereby brilliancy and economy fire alike 1 sought to be attained.

Auotios Sale.— The ouly auction salo to-morrow 13 that advertised by Messrs Parkisa and Ncsworthy, to commence at 1.30 p.m., of a number of sections of land iv the immediate vicinity of the town. The sale is held under instructions from tho^llortgagee. yifißß.— Tho unusual sound of the firetoll was heard at midnight last night, and on enquiry it was found that Mr Phillip Vercoe'a flaxmill was the scene of the conflagration. Constable Brand, who was the first to give the alarm io town, was m the Market Place, when he noticed a glare at the top of High-street, and perceiving that its source woe within the town boundary, at once rang the fire-bell. Mr Vercoe states that at a few minutes to 12 o'clock he was awakened by cries of " Fire 1" and on 'getting up found that the mill was ablaze. As to the origin of the fire he can give no account. Richard Vercoe, a son of Mr Vercoe, states that he wa3 at work m the mill with two other men scutclu'ng at about five minutes to midnight. Jnst (19 they were knocking off work, he happened to look out of the door at the back of the mill, and saw that some tow thrown aside from tno stripper was on fire. AH three did everything m their power to prevent f the spread of the fire, but their efforts proved unavailing, m ao far as saving the scutching-house and some belting, besides about five tons of flat, all of whioh were destroyed. Fortunately, the wind changed about th'iß time, and itr consequence the water wheel whioh was kept working, and the stripping machinery, escaped damage. The damage done is estimated by Mr Verooe at about £150, and being totally uninsured, he will be a loser to this amount. Richard Vercoe further adds that there had been no naked lights m the mill, and he can arrive at no idea how the fire broke out. Shortly after 11 o'clock he and the other two men went across to the dwelling house, and had something to eat and a smoke. On returning he heard no one about nor anything suspicious. The men, John Mean aud John Taylor, have made statements to a similar effeot.

•Me Horsbt's Sawmill.— The whole of the machinery and plant used by Mr Hornby at his sawmill, at Anittiwa, has been successfully removed and re-ereoted at Mr Hornby's new Bite m the Kaituna Valloy. The proprietor of this mill deserves snooess, which he will must probably achieve, as he has an immense quantity of virgin bush to out, and his well known enterprise and business capabilities will ejiable^him to do this .with good results to hinuelf, and we have only to wish him every success m bis new venture. The mill will not be iv full work for some days, and when io full; operation it will be employed for sum's time m outting timber for tho new hotel to be opened ia Blenheim by Mr G. C. Carter. This structure has been commenced and will before long take the appearance of the largest and moat complete hotel m the district, and as the proprietor ia energetic and widely known, will donbtles? secure a share of support. — Picton papor.

The Clarence Bridge. — Thanks to the courtesy of Mr FitzGarald, the Resident Engineer, we have been able to inspeot the plans of the bridge to be constructed over the Clarence River. The bridge will have a total length of 540 feet, covered bj five spans, the first from the side of the river of 60ft, and. the remaining spans of 120 ft each. The width of tho bridge between the wheel guards is to be 14ft, which appears to be just too narrow to permit of two carts passing one another. The upper structure will be supported on piers, consisting of two cylinders each 60ft long, Bft wide at the baao and 6ft wide at the top. The sinking of these cylindera will be conducted on what is known as the pneumatic process. The cylinders are m Bft joints, with the exception of one eaoh of 4ft. The joints will be fitted on as the cylinders are sunk, a cap meanwhile being kept closed over the top of the jointed portions ; and, air being constantly pumped m, the water is kept out of the interior of the cylinder, thus enabling men insido to piok away at the river bottom and excavate a hole for the oylinder, which gradually sinks as the work progresses until the required depth is attained. This done, the oylinders will be filled up with concrete, bo that, m the event of the iron rotting, a substantial stone pier is left. Eaoh oylinder will be driven to a depth of 33ft below water level, and will hive a minimum depth m the ground of 30ft. Excepting iv the case of the 60ft span, m whioh the floor beams are to be of timber, the lower chord aud floor beams of each span will be of wrought iron. The bridge is what is known amongst engineers as a Howe-trass bridge, the principle upon whioh the Clntha bridge is constructed. We may .mention that the hmght of the trusses of the bridge will be :— For the 60ft span Bft, and for the others 16ft. A rather sharp approach of 1 m 12 will lead on to the bridge on either side. The earth ap. proaah on this side of the river will be protected by heavy fascine work, 10 designed as to render it impossible for the river to raise it. The contract also includes' some protective works. At about a quarter of a mile above the bridge on this side, where at present, m time of freshes, there is an overflow, a stop bank either has been or will be put up, and to protect this again a large stone and timber groin. These steps are taken, as unless the overflow is stopped, there would always be the risk of its outting a channel through the road to the bridge. The bridge is certainly one whioh, when completed, will have no superior m this island.

The Cost of Electric Liohting,— a return laid on the table of the House shows that the oost of lighting Parliament Buildings by electricity np to the 31st of Tuly waa £2363 16a lid. This amount, of course, includes the oost of purchasing machinery, &o. It is eitimated that nearly £200 more will have to be spent m maintaining the light up to the end of the present month.

Sir Arthur Gordon. —Lord Ronald Gower, m his " Reminiscences, " has the following concerning an old acquaintance of New Zealanders whom he met m Sydney :—" What psiuts Sir Arthur Gordon to the ground is a story told of him when ho was Governor ot New Brnnswisk, where he is said to have reproved the clergyman for not substituting m the prayer for the Queen 'Thy servant Arthur !' for ' Thy servant Victoria !' I can hardly imagine anybody quite' such a superior pereon as Sir Arthur appears to think himself. ' Thy servant Arthur ' shakes your hand aßif it were truly ' trop d uonneur, 1 m a limp fashion, which, were llnofc so comical, would be almost insulting."

SBAR«mNo tor tub Dead. -The Mail Sir ? f£ y mT : ~ The Bearon for the bodies of the p.lot orew is being continued to-day, one boat being under command of Captain Levy, and another m charge of Mr Noble, second mate of the Hawea, the Union Company having very considerately granted this assistance during the steamer s stay m port. Yesterday afternoon the Naval Brigade tried the effect of firing their big guns on the Boulder Bank m tne hopa that the conoassion might ieafl to the '> lies rising to the Burfow,

and parties were on the look out for them from tho Boulder Bank, but the attempt waa unsuccessful.

The Kaxoaroo Pest.— Paring the past 18 months no less than 20,000 kangaroos hivebeen destroyed on the Glencoe estate, South Australia, by parties of hunters who are there working under a contract, at a cost of £500.