LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXII, Issue 163, 13 July 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Bobough Council. —ln order to consider the gas works question, the Borough Council will meet to night at the usual hour, m Committee of the whole. Meeting of Householdebs.— The aettiers of Springlands are reminded of the pnblic meeting of householders to be held at 730 to-flight, at Mr Balty's cottage, for the purpose of electing a School Com* mittee. By-Law Case3.— The Justices of the Peace ' will have before them to-morrow three prosecutions against drivers for not carrying lights. On the following Wednesday there will be a batch of cases against owners of unregistered dogs. Thb 'Fhisoo Mal'.s.— Tbe Mararoa' with the June English mails, left 'Fiis'.o fnr Auckland on the 3rd insfc., time-table date. Vli e Alame.la, with the Jnnn colonial mail, arrived at 'Frisco from Auckland on the 11th inst., one day ea:)ier than time-table date. F<m*ball. — The Matlborough team sustained a second defeat yesterday at, jFelson, the Stars beating them by a try to nothing, after a good game. Onr local men return by tonight's steamer, ou the arrival of which at Picton they will at once be driven through to Blenheim m Messrs Earll anil M'Kenzie's four-in-hand. Wharf Light at Picton.— The Secr^ laty of the Marine Department ha 3 received a telegram from the harbor master at Pic lon, stating that the harbor light at that port had been moved on to the new part of the wharf, it being now about 80 feet further seaward, but m the same line as bifo'rp. Accident to the Neptunb.— As the B.s. Neptune was gnmt down the river yesterday, when near the malt shed, she .struck against the bank m a bend of the rivf r, an I snapped her propellor shaft. The engineer left for Wellington to-day, and on his return a ncv shaft will be fixed. The repairs are expected to ba completed at the end of the present week. A bit of hard luck for genial Capt. Eckford. The Gas Works.— We find we were misinformed as to an active oanvas for shares m the new Gas Company going on m Wellington; We understand that the whole of the .shares will be offered m the first place to the townspeople of Blenheim and surrounding districts. Mr Pritchard is willing to sell the Works to the Corporation, after completing the erection of the new gasometer, for £11,000, and to allow that offer to remain open for six weeks. Fire BnidAnE.— Both fire bells were rung by way of "false alarm " at 7 o'clock last night. It was a still night without any wind, and m some of the outskirts of the town the new hull (which we must adnci o is far deeper m touo) almost drowned the other. In Sontlmde, however, the big bell was scarcely hoard above the shrill tones of the smaller one. Both were rung m a fitful and irregular way, so that last night, all Liangs considered, cannot be. regarded a.s n tale to-tt. In nine minutes from the first elan j of the bells steam was got up m the Pira Q'leen, and water from two leug'hs of hose played upon Market Square. The Brigade mustered well, and got the reel ont smartly; Lieut. Falconer aud Acting-Lient. McArtney were m command, and Engineer Carr was at hi? placj at the engine. P>ranchmen Taylor and Watson directed two splendid streams of water m the S>ju ire, aud on the Government Buildings and the Club Hotel. Few (ire 3 could have stood long last night against the promptitude of the Brigade and the pressure of the water. The idea of the false alarm was that a fire had broken out m the Bank of New Zealand. A large crowd witnessed with intere.it latt night's movements. Rai Vaij;&y Line.— Our Havelock correspondent writes :— lt iscartainly a matter for regret that there are certain persons m Blenheim and the Wairau who are opposed to having the line of railway from Nelson to Blenheim via Rai and Pelorns Valley?, It may be m the recollection of many m the Wairau, when the ronte over the Maungatapu monntaiu was first discovered, some time m 1851, this was then supposed to bs the connecting link between the two districts, as prior to its discovery every, means of ?cbmmunioa J i.jh was via Taphouse. We all know that separation between Nelson and Wairau (now M«l---horough) took plaoa m November, 1550, ' and that has. proved to have been a separation m more ways than one. Since then the Rai Villi-y lus been more or 1-ss developed, and (pending a better) may be looked upon as the legitimate highway between the two provinces, Cable B<ty has also become an important ■> place, and, as Blenheim is certainly the most important telegraph station on this portion of the island, communication by rail between Blenheim and Nelson, with a branch to Cable Bay, will eventually become a necessity. Is is only a matter of time, and that may be very short. The Priob of Bread. —When it is retnemhtred that bread m Blenheim is a penny a pound more than the. dearest bread m Wellington and twopence more than the cheapest m that city, the following remarks of the New Zialan I Times will be read with interest:— *' The recent pise m the (nice of bread is a serious matter to a great part nf the population. In a bouseliol.l where there is a large family <vf children the. hiker's bill is one of the hpaviest of t the week or month, and the addition af & penny to the price of a -fi'iir-pound lonf is a. matter of considerable consequence. There seems hardly to be justification for the late step on the part of the bakers who have shown themselves remarkably smart m taking the fullest advantage of what may turn out to be only a temporary increase m the price of Hour. In any case the old price of bread appears amply sufficient to give a good profit to the bakers even if they had more to pay for their flour than they have had yet, In one respect purchasers can do something to protect themselves. Complaints of shortness of weight are not infrequent, aud the law makes provision for tho punishment of offenders m this matter. Now that people have to pay so much f.ir their f jod some of them will perhaps take tho trouble to weigh what they get, and see that they are not defrauded." Poon Fellow ! — Dr Newman, m the course of his speech on Wednesday night, referred to the unfair way m which contributions are at present levied m aid of charitable aid, and told a good story which has been current down South. A gentleman of considerable means, on being asked for a subscription towards the charitable institutions, replied : " I have £10,000 at present lying idle, for which 1 can only get Bank interest; How can yon, m the [ace of that, ask me for a subscription '!" GnsY's Last Move.— lt is rumonred m llie lobbies (says the Poal) th.U Sir George Grey has m contemplation some motion praying the Imperial Parliament to consent to an alteration by the people i Df New Zealand of their present Constitu- j Lion Act-, so that they may be enabled to determine for themselves the form of Government under which they shall live. The main object of the motion is un lerstood to bo to abolish or alter the conUituliou of the Lofiiclittive Council.

..Vqlustbkh Uhikoiuh,— Onr friends of I t the '-Blenhsira Rifle 3 will read the following extract from Hansard of the '2sth June with interest :— Mr Loake (for Me Fisher) asked the Defence Minister, Whether the Volunteers, having taken the oath of allegiance to- serve Her Majssty, form part of Her Majesty's •'• land " or "sea forces," or not ? If they do, is it not contrary to the provisions of pection i)G of " The Custotnß Laws Consolidation Act, 1832," to charge duties on Volunteer uniforms ? (2.) Whether, under the circumstances, the Government; will give instructions for Ihe refund of duty, as heretofore? Mr Ballance replied that the Law Officers had always put a construction on the clause m the Act that it applied not to Volunteers, but to the Imperial army and navy. The duty had always been enforced and always collected, but the Defence Department had repaid it m certain cases where the articles were such as could not be obtained m the colony. There weie facilities io the colony now for manufacturing material suitable for uniforms ; but, m cases where orders had gone Home '.for accoutrements which could not be made m tlie colony, the department had repaid the duty, As the honorable gentleman no doubt was aware, very good and cheap material could be made m the colony, and the Government did not think that hr respect to clothing the Volunteers should he m a different position from those who were > not Volunteer*. The KnnRRLRT GoLDFrELDK.— We olip the following from the Melbourne Leader :— Mr Turnbull, the Secretary of the Adelaide Steamship Company, has received the followinc; telegram from Cossack, dated 22nd June :— "The s.s. Prrfch arrived from Derby this morning. Great delay discharging steamer at Derby. The, Garabier,. Afghan, Natal, and Airlie, jitfre lying there, and the Victoria at tJambvidge Gulf." Another message says that diners are strongly advised not to leave Derby for the fhlds till the September rains, as water is very scarce. David Collie, an old min*r, telegraphs to the Silver Age from Cossack, Western Australia, to the eff.ct that the patches have beftn worked out. No lield found. Mr I. .1. K. Colin also telegraphs to the Silver Age :— " No fresh news from diggings. No gold brought m list four weeks. Strongly advise peojile nottocomo For those who will not take advice, Cambridge Gulf is the best porr. I positively assert the whole field has not produced 000 oz." These correspondents are reliable men. Snowballing a Bisnop.-The Southland News statc3 that Bishop Neville, who gooi-natnredly interfered with some Chinamen who were being snowballed by a group of small boys on Sunday at Invereargill, found that (lie offices of the Church proved of no effect, for the youngsters forthwith turned from the Chinamen and started on the Mishap, contenting themselves, however, with only throwing four or five missiles just as a hint of what might be expected |if further interference took plaoe. The Bishop saw that little good could be done with such material, and went on his way, satisfied, no doubt, and certainly not without reason, that colonial youths are no rc?pectors of persons. Goon RKmnTiosrs.— At the commencement of every new year hundreds and •thousands of onr young men— anil old as well— form resolutions for their guidance for the coming year. Many keep them, while others hreik them. To siifih we wish to gis'e a word of advice. In order to sustain your determination of leading a better life m the future you shoul 1 use Hop Bitur?. This judicious use of Hop Bitters strengthens, cleanse?, anl purifies the stomach, howrls, blond, liver, nerves, and kidneys, au<l In just what you want to bmld np and invigorate yourself.— Givenhihh ('..S'.-1., Dem. Head Owing to the depression m trade, t will offer at less than half wholesale prices, some special Hnc3 I have been enabled to secure. I beg to append a few qnotatious, About 800 felt ant stiaw hats, trimmed and nnirimmed, v.ry cheap. Pelt hats from Is Gd each, usual price 7s Gd. Straw hats from CA each. About 500 dozen of the latest shades and designs m lace from lid per yard. A large and varied stock of dress goods from 4.U per yard. Ladies' ulsters, dolmans, and jackets m great variety. Tinsel laca for evening wear. Dressmaking on the premises, under efficient management. A large stock of Singer's Sewing Machines always on hand. Inspection invited and a trial solicited.— T. Smale, Wairau Store. Our annual Cash Clearing Sale, prior to stock-taking, cnmme.ces iS.vroßmv, July 3, and will be continued during the pr snt month. Great reductions m Mill nery, Jackets, Dalnnna, Lidica'aud OiiUren'n Ulsters, Wool Goods, Dress Materials, &■;. On all other goods not spr dully marked a discount of 3* m the £ wi Ihe allowed for. cash. A lot of remnants and 1 samples at very large reductions. An early inspection solicited. Smalk A Hay, London ffoii3e.