LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIII, Issue 226, 26 October 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

County Council. — An eteotion oi two members to a ata in th^ Marlboroufib County Council will be held in fche Fairhall School on the lGoh November Notninationß, addressed to the Returning Officer (Mr C. J. W. Griffiths), are to be lefc at tqe above Schoolbouae boforo noon of the 4oh November. Annivebsaiiy. — The good folk of Koromiko intend to celebrate the anniversary of the Sunday School by a pionio on the let November. The gathering will ta fc e plaoe in Mr Reid's paddock at Waitohi. Children cot belonging 1 1 the sohool will be charged sixpence for admission and adults one shilling. Tendebs. — Tenders are invited by Mr W. Sinclair up to 4 p.m. on Friday next for clearing fourteen acres of land. Tandera will be received by the Hon. W. Clifford tiU the 2ud November for the construction of a road through Redwood Pasa Vernon Enu. Tenders will, also, be again reoeived by the Boga Factory for the auppiy of 2000 white pine boxes. Particulars of all the above works will be found in our advertising columns to-day. Five Shillings ANdCosts. —An inebriate (Brat offence) waa this morning; lined live shillings, and co3ta o three shillings, for drunkenness. This same individual had a narrow escape from drowning yesterday in the Omaka Eiver. He wai "holding up " the b Mge in an intoxicated condition, when hia hat blew ofi into >.he water. On attempting to regain it from the bank at the end of the bridge he fell in. Constables Stuarfc and Franklin suoceeded in getting him out of the water and he was inarched off to the Police Station. Garden Robberies. — That noxious riight animal, the " garden-thief, "ia again on the move. We have heard of gardens having been robbed within the last few week of choice anemones, tulips, hyacinths, and other early spring flowering plants ; the latest victim beiDg Mr John Kwart, whose place was visited on Sunday or Monday night, and a bed of hyacintha despoiled. Mr Ewart offers, in another CDlumn, a reward of £5 ior the conviction of the offender. It is sincerely to be hoped that someone will be able to aecjre the £5, and that the raean thief will be. brought to justias. Adjutant's Parade.— T ere was a good muster of Volunteers at the annual inj spection held last evening ia Seymour Square by the District Adjutant. There I were present : Staff, 3 — Major Baillie, 1 Major Webb, and Captain Coleman ; Blenheim Rifles, under Captain Rogers, 49 ; City Rifles, under Capoaia Griflnh3, 52; Blenheim Cadets, under Captain Lucas, -17; total, 151. The three companies were put through a number of battalion movements, manual, bayonet, and firing exercises, and also the four-deep attack forma' ion. At the conclusion of the parade, the Officer Commanding, and the Distr ct Adjutant, express d their general satisfaction with the efficiency cf tbe men. Marlborough Racing Clue. — A meeting of the Maryborough Raoing Club to receive applications for the Secretaryship was held at the Club Hotel last night. There were sixteen members present, and Mr W. B. Girling (President) occupied the chair. The names of the applicants were Messrs S, J. Macalister, H. B. Huddleston. T. Hunt, J. Nancarrow, C. J. W. Griffiths, A. McGee, J. Ward junr., W. Gillespie, J. Millington, J. Old, H. A. W. McKenzie, and A. Redwood. A ballot was then taken, with the following result :— Alphonso Redwood 8, H. A. W. McKenzis 4, C. J. W. Griffiths 2, A. MeGes I, and S. J. Macalister 1. Mr A, Redwood wats declared cieutat}. A Committee meeting of the Club will be held on Friday evening n.xt to draw up the programmes for the Boxing Day and the February meetings. An Election Ikciuenx. — A Southern paper tells the following yam ;—" One candidate in a Southland constituency, was promised by each of the six men who constituted the entiie number to be found in a certain district, that be should have their votes. Only one vote was given in the particular locality, and each of tbe ais jirivately expressed their regret nt the duplicity of the other live in not fulfilling then- prrjrnisea ,as }je had done. Ultimately the candidate met all six together, and informed them that they 'were" all liara, eiuce he, the candidate, had given the ons Yote himself,"

Inquest. -An inquest on the body of the child, Sydney Burns, who was drowned in the Omaka River yesterday, waa held this morning, before Mr J. Allen, Coroner, and the following jury :— Messrs George Patchett (foreman), P. Maher, A. Geeson, J. Geeson, J. P. Bevan, and M. Rushton. Evidence was taken as follows: — Dr Cleghorn deposed that he saw the child at his parent's house at quarter to two o'clock yesterday. His heart had stopped beating, and he was not breathing. There was still a little warmth left in the body. Carried on artificial respiration for about an hour, but without the least signs of life. — James Henry Burns, the father of the child, deposed that he last saw him alive at about a quarter to one p.m., when he left home, Hearing that the boy had fallen into the river, he ran down to the old wharf. Saw Mr Mitchell in a boat, and got in with him. Mitchell was fishing with a boat hook, aud after a time he brought up the boy. Tried all . means to bring him round and restore animation, without success. Everything was done that could be done to restore life. His children, with others, were in the habit of playing near the river, without any one in charge of them'.— Emily Dawes, servant at Burns', said that she was outside the house with I the children yesterday a little after oneo'clock. The baby began to cry and sho took it in, leaving the deceased at the gate. Ten minutes after Mr Burns told ber that Sydney had fallen into the river. The deceased was in the habit of being out. by himself. Palmer Mitchell deposed that at about half-past one yesterday he saw a man on the old wharf . Thought he /said there was a clog overboard. He looked and saw something splashing in the water. Then he heard the man say that it was a child. Ran round by the bridge, but could not see the boy. The water was thick and discoloured. Got 'a boatho k. and after trying for about five mioutas succeeded in banging the child to'the surface. Got hiin into the boar, and tried for. ten minutea to restore animation, but did not sacked. It there had be n a boat on the opnosite side of the river he mi/ht have saved the child. Ho consideied the place very dangerous for children.— Bert Penney d p^sed thic he waa near Pick-r---ina'fl store at about half-pas •, 1, and saw a child fdl intu the water. He had been pulling a rope a - tached to a boar, and fe.l in. He tol • a man at Picke ing'B about it icauie iiate'y he Baw the accideut, and he went over the bridge to the place. T- e jury returned a verdiofc of " accidentally drowned" Te Kooti.— There ia again a minor from the Poverty Bay district that the exrebel chief Te Kooti intends 10 viait the scone of tbe massacre, and great p r e pir>itions are being made by the Natives to receive him. A Pre^a As3(joia.io:> 'e'.epram saya that great indign<uioa is expressed by settlers whose relatives were the viotimß of the never-to-be-forg tten masstC'-e. For tbe last three or four years Te Kooti lias frequently given bints oE his m e»ded visit to Gisborne, and throughout the whole of that locality the settlers have not been afraid to express thar v.ews wijb regard to bis appearance among them. Often has the expression oeen heard from the lips of some of the most peaceful eettlers of that now peaceful district. "If Te Kooti comes here he will be shot." Some time ago when Te K' oti was in the Rotorua districi the threat of the Poverty Bay settle s was conveyed to him by some Natives from that quarter, and this no doubt prevented him from carrying out his then threatened visit. A Magmmcent Sight.— A correspondent of the Auckland HeraM writing from Rotorua says :— The few favoured ones who happen to be ia the vicinity of Waak<«rewarewa during the last two or three days have had the cood fortune to witness some fine exhibiiious of the wondrous working of nature. The geysers there showed unusual signs of ac ivity, and a fresh outburst occurred close un^er the Native bouses at the Creek crossing, which threw up to a great height tmmense volumes of black liquid mad. Another one, called Wairoa, broke out in a magnificent column, ejecting masses of stones, watflr, and steam to a beighth of over 100ft, continuing to play with varying activity for nearly two hoars. The sight was indeed grand, find one never to be f orcotten. Even now they ara to be seen spouting up at intervals. Visitors will be amply repaid by making a short sojourn in this interesting and accessible locality. Sunday Gardening.— We commond the following paragraph, from the Wellington papers, to the attention of those " wicked " people in B enheim who assi-t nature in their garden son Sundays. The Post of Monday last says : — A oase was heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday which was infinitely more discreditable to the prosecutors than to the prosecuted, although the latter were convicted and fined. We are sorry to say thai the police were the prosecutors. The prosecuted were two Chinese market gavdenera, who had committed the heinous offence of doing a little weeding in their garden of a Sunday. It is true tbat the law makes this an offence on the part of the professional gardener who oommitß it ia the sight of the public. This precious law is areviralof a provision ptosed upon tbe statute book in the reign of that most pious and exemplary monarch Charles 11, and singularly enough its revival in New Zealand is attributable to Sir Robert Stout, whose re3pect for all forms of religious dogma is as well known as the Merry Monarch's virtues. But the New Zealand statute makes au enormous number of exceptions, so that it tqay not unduly touch tha bmioess or eDJoyment of any very large section of tha community. Ita terrors a e reserved for those naughty psople who sell fruit, Mowers, or cigarettes jn a shop on Sunday and Chinese gardenera, •who, of course, »ye supposed to. specially venerate the Christian Sabbath. The poline might really find some much more useful occupation than trying to enforce on Chinamen a Puritanical observance of the Sabbath. For instanca, a little attention to the gambling dens, or to tha bands of larrikins of both sexes, who congregate at street corners and in by-strests, engaged in anything but leliijious conversation or devotional exercises. There is plenty for the police to do to render the observance of Sunday more dect-i; 1 ; and edifyina than it now is, without their taking cognizance of such technical infringements of the law as they have recently prosecuted. If no greater sin is committed ia Wellington on a Sunday than a little gardening, even if tbe offender bo a • heathen Chinee,' thera will not He much reason for lament." The New Zealand Times of the came date remarks : f ' Things are coming to a pretty pass indeed in Wellington when men are hauled up to the Police Court, placed in the dock as common criminals, and mulcted in a fine and costs for doing a little weeding in their gardens on a Sunday. Yet this outrage on common senaa and common propriety actually occurred in Wellington 'yesterday. Two respestable citizens were caughc by the police red handed in the very act of pulling up a faw weeds in their own garden. They were drasged before three Justices of the Peace, and confessed their hideous crime, whereupon tbe Bench condemned them to pay a fine, as well as the costs of Court. . . The publio temper will not tolerate this rampant Sabbatarianism nowadavs, Such proceedings as that of yesterday are simply a reversion to the Durk Ages. The f ?.et that the two pursons subject to this outrageous treatment were Chinese in do way mitigates the impropriety of the transaction. The whole affair is calculated to bring ibe law and the adininisif-ation of just jee into contempt, and to inspire a very poor idea of the discretion oi tbe police. ''

The Hussar Camp.— The last two days have been as fine as could be desired and the comfort of the camp is much improved. Yesterday the troop was instructed in the s<*ma order as on the previous day, the only diffarence being that the m vements were more advanced and done in quicker time. The evening parade was commanded by Lieut. Hutchison, who is to be examined ia field work on Thursday evening by Capt. Coleman. The moveman ts wire performed at the wa'k, trot or canter. In the evening, after work was done the "boys" adjourned to the mess-room, and soon rousiDg chorasoa were heard to the accompaniments of piano, cornet, picaalo and an occasional blast from a trumpet ; anon there Mi ould be a step danoing ootnpetiti >n on, the table end a friendly interchange of badiaage, Th« new " cook," who by the bye is a Blenheim Hifla Vol., and a soldier, has worked w< niers, an! the m^ala are well cooked and punctual and the quarters clean. The canteen is nnder toe management of Mr M, Faharty, of the Masonic Statel, who h a Blenheim City Eifleman, and an old A.('. It is needless to say that he is a favorite, and tbat the canteen is well managed. This morniag there was two hours and & half squadron drH by (Japfc. Podson. The men and horses are already showing improvement from the regula routing of drill. At 9.30 Staff Se_gt- Major Lums instructed tbe men in ri Jing-scbool drill. A shooting match has been arringed between the Right and Left Troops to take place on Friday ; but the present and j most engrossing topic is the evening's inspeotion ; and cleaning gear is the order of the day. The total number in camp yes erday was thirty-sis all ranks, besides staff. Volunteer Review. —A review of the Marlborough forces will beheld to-mon-ow afternoon, the locality ohosen for the operations being the mound, near the Vernon Butts. A half holiday has been proclaimed by the Mayor, and there will in all probability be a large attendance of spectators. A Remzdy roK Diphtheria. - A correspondent from Mastorton reading that diphtheria is prevalent in the Hutt district, sends the New Zealand Times the following recipe, whioh ho has found very efficacious in his own case : " one pint of vinegar, a large handful of sago leaves, a cupful of honey. Boil and simmer for 20 minutes, strain, aud when cold add a large teaspoonful of oayenne pepper. Take a tablespoonful every quarter of an hour if the oase is a bad one for about five doses : then afterward one dose every hour till cured. Wheat Growing. — A gentleman in Melbourne, formerly holding a prominent position in the wheat trade in < hristchurch, who has been to India and 6tudied the wheat question, holds gloomy views with respect to the prospects of wheat growing in New Zealand, Australia and America when brought into competition with the Indian wheat producers, who get labor at almost a nominal figure. He says that what India wants is better methods of agriculture, and then the colonies can say ' Good-bye ; to wheat-growing for export. One may read for a lifetime about India, but, understand it, one cannot till one visits it and goes well up into the Upper Provinces and Native States. Retrenchjient.— ln these daya of retrenchment, the question of payment of members in other countries may be interesting to our readers ; —France —Senators and deputies, £1 a clay. Belgium — Ll7 a month. Denmark -15s a day. Portugal— £67 a year. Sweden— £66 psr session of four months ; 12s a day fine for absence. Switzerland— National Council 10s, Council of State 6s to 10a a clay. United States— Congressmen, £208 a year and travelling oxpenses. Norway —14s a day for a session of about 6 weeks. Italy — Only travelling expenses and certain other priviliges. Spain -No pay, _ but certain advantages and immunities. Greece— Senators £20, and deputies £10 a month. Germany — About 10s a day. Austria— £l a clay. England— No pay nor privileges. Insulting Germans. — The Samoan correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes : —Two of the officers of the German squadron have gained rather an unenv^ able notoriety here lately, It appears that one of them, a doctor, went into a hotel in this town, and while sitting with the fair Hebe who presides there, addressed some very obscene and insulting remarks to her. She naturally resented this, and told him that no British officer would speak to her in that waj\ The fellow then asked her if she dared to compare him with an Eoglish officer, and struck her on the face, and knocked her off the chair on which she was sitting. The other officers present being inferior in rank, did not dare interfere. They begged her not to say anything about the affair, especially to any of the Britishers. The officer came in nest day and humbly apologised^ The German Consul's sister also called upon her, all for the purpose evidently of hushing the matter up. It, however, got wind, and- is now tho talk of the town. I had the facts as related from the girl's own statement. In the other case the officer made use of some nasty remarks to the same young lady, aud sho took the riding whip from him that he had in his hand and horse-whipped him in the bar. 1 hopo they behave better when they are iu tho colonies lh.au; they have done here. The Postal ConvuKESCE. — The result of the elections in New Zealand may affect somewhat seriously the success of the Postal Confereuco which is to be held in Adelaide in November. The wish of tho New South ami Victorian Governments has been that iho Conference should consider the question of subsidies to cable companies, with the object of apportioning the payments among the whole of the colonies on a more equitable basis than is now the case. The determination by Sir Julius Vogol not to provide for auy future contribution io the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, in consideration for the maintenance of tho cable between New South Wales and New Zealand, relieved his Government from the responsibility oi" .subsidising any oi' the Australian cable sovvices although tho Colony continued to benefit by their existence. The greatest fhare of tli9 cost now falls npon New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, and these colonies are anxious for some adjustment of the burden. With thia e^d in view eiforts werp wade to induce 'Sir Julius Vogel to attend the proposed conference, and as he was strongly desirions of advocating the scheme f r tUe purchase by the colonies of tka whole of the cables, he gave a promise to be present. The defeat of the late Government, ancl his consequent loss of office, rendo? it impossible tor him to kosp iiis'promisa, and it is doubtful whether his successor will care to attend. It is understood, however, thau the South Australian Government will make special efforts to pursaade the New Zealand Ministry to send a delegate to Australia. — Melbourne correspondent. " Hour."— During a recent cricket match at that well known "centre," West Mailing, a batsui&n ran a very smart run. The wicket-keeper pub down the wickat, but uot before tho bataman j had go'c well home, " Uout ."' aaid the umpire, without waiting to be appealed, " Why, I was in," protested the batsman. " And now you'ie hout," retorted the umpire, " But I had been in some time." " Well ami you diin't expect to stay in all clay, did yeV Eifcherway, now ye're hfiiitj'' ''' What' for '•" " Cos I ,wya it, < There yo are," Anil he had to go,

Queer Consistency. — Mr Goschen, in submitting his Budget, rejoiced that there was such a fall in the Excise Revenue, because it was in favor of national temperance. Shortly afterwards it appeared in public that Mr Goschen's name was down on Mess a Guinness' share list for £1000 worth of Bhares. Councillors' Honorarium. — The Hon. R. Pharazyn writes thus to the New Zealand Times on the subject of the honorarium to the body of whioh he is a member :— lf lam inclined t~> agree with yoor opinion that the real obstacle to any re form in the direction of the redaction or abolition of the hcnorarinm to Legislative Connoil ors lies not so much with the Council 39 with the Lower House ; and that if nothing is done it will be the fault of the latter. Personally (following in the foot-steps of my father) I should prefer, to see the honorarium to members of oar Bou-e done away with altogether; but at the same time I am free to admit that so radical a reform is open to many objections, the prinoipal one being that we might in conaequencQ lose the services of gentlemen who, though poor in money, are rioh in character, knowledge, and intel'ect. Looking at the question as one of practical politics, I think an effort should ha made n°xt session to reduce what is now (in all but name) payment to members to one-h >lf of what it is a present in both branches of the Legislature, and I should cordially support any Bill having that object in view," SiCEiiY Pabsors. - The Bev. T. De Witt Taluiaue one-- said :— " w e Axneiioins are becoming a nair 'W-ohested w< ak-armed, feeble voiced people. Just when God has wrkfor us to do that needs physical as well as spiritual athle ics, our ministers go in for seven years' hard study, End then oojne on. wih bronch tia, dyspepsia, and liver oomplaint. Th-y crawl into the pulpit, and people say, ' Don't they look heavenly '/' when they should say. * Don't they look sickly?' The mission of the Cliarch is not to suppress, but to direct a desire f r smuaement.'' The Foture of the Colony. — Judging by the tone of Mr J. T. Matson's address the other day in Christahuroh inoonnotion with the coming wo>l sales, tha" gentleman has liaie <>r no doubt as to the future orosperity of the Colony. He says : — "Why not try? Is New Zealand to remain in the background forever? Jn trnu'nli'g you with these retna<*kß we do go ip the interests of many wool-growers, who, f 'om habit ia the good prioes of the past have become oarele*s, aad the taste of adversity of late should acb as an in-c-n'iveto use every care and caution in the ' get np ' of the clips, to secure all the advantages of the ri&e. ' Collar every dollar ' is an old but very true saying. Values in wool are mado cr marr-d by care or carelessness." And in conclusion he expresses the opinion " that the dull clouds of the past will shortly become obliterated in the rapidly approaching sunshine and prosperity our Colony is about to inherit." Mr Matson no doubt is right ia ono part of his address, and we hope right all through. Producers, whether of wool or butter, cannot be too particular with the quality of what they send to market. Prance and German?.— A very remarkable article appears in the September 'Blackwood,' dealing with the comparative military streogth of Pranoeand Germany, and their respective chances in the war which most people think inevitable. The writer, whose anonymity mii3t be respected, bat who (says the World), is kuown to be an artillery officer of repute, demolishes Sir Charles Dilke's theory that Germany cannot attack Fnnce'a " frontier of fire." and can only invade by violating the neutrality of Belgium. Tha Frenoa fortresses are only a new Chinese Wall, the whole value f which is lost when pierced at one point. Germany, unlike Frac.ce, has devoted all her energies to the perfection of the mobilisation system, and could be so much the sooner in the field, in overwhelming numbers,' that she could break through whete she pleased, of course at an enormous sacrifice, but buoC683 would be worth it. As to the two armies, the writer believes that of Germany maintains ita superiority — ia arms, aeaing that it is already armed with magazine rifles ; in discipline, which is admittedly bad with the French, especially as regards the relations between oflicerß and men ; and, last of all, iu the prestige that atill hangs round the viators in the last campaign, A Dog Story.— According to an American paper, a dog-loving family in Staten Island, New York, has a remarkably intelligent pet. Disoussing his wit one day it was proposed to send him upstairs for his mistress's wrap. Bub first one of the ladies went upstairs, laid the wrap on the floor and sab dowa on it with her sewing. The dog was sent and quickly found the wrap. Vainly he tugged at it, first on one side and then on the other. Discouraged but not dismayed, he paused for a moment. wheD, suddenly making a dire, he seized the sewing in his teeth and ran towards the fire. His opponent, now off her guard, ran after him to rescue her work. This was enough ; the dog dropped the sewiuc;, ran for the wrap, and boro it j in triumph to his mistress. " Hough on Catarbh " corrects offensive oiirs at once. Complete cure of worst chronic caßes ; al*o unequalled as gargle for diptheria.aore throat, foul breath. We have received our n'rst shipment of Spring Goods ex e.s. Arawafrom London, consisting of Prints, Zyphers, Lace Stripes Galateas, Beiges, Cashmerca, Cashmere Serges, Gloves, Hosiery, e'u. A largo assortment of Juvenile Clothing. In the Tailoring Department we have to hand a splendid variety of new L^ced Patterns from the varioua New Zealand Factories, Garments made to measure on the shortest notice. Inspection solicited — SauiiE and Hay, London House