LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVI, Issue 150, 1 July 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Eestoked. — Battambang notifies that the Saigon-Bangkok line is restored. Ploughing Match. — A ploughing matoh is to be held m Batty's paddock on Wednesday, July 9. Vital Statistics. — The following are the returns for June : Births, (borough 9, district 18), 27 ; marriages (Wesleyan 1, Registrar 1) 2 ; deaths (females 3, males 4,) 7. Catholic ScHOOLS.—The boys' school opened yesterday. Fifty of the 94 boys on the roll presented themselves. The attendance at the Convent Schools is good. Police Court. — At the Police Court ,this morning, before Mr J. E- Hodson, J.P., Daniel O'Brien was fined 60s, m default 14 days, for drunkenness. A further charge of refusing to leave a licensed house was dismissed. Convicted Prisonbhs. — The Inspector of Prisons, m his report, referred to the fact that m the last five years there has been a decrease m once convicted of 74 males and 3 females ; a decrease of twice convicted of 27 males, with an increase of 21 females ; and m those thrice or oftener convicted an increase of 12 males with the large decrease of 167 females. Ocean Mail Subsidies. — The Government have received a cable message from the Agents-General to the effect that the Imperial authorities have as yet come to no decision on the question of osean mail service subsidies, but that he (Sir Dillon Bell, is m communication with the Treasury on the subject. Committed.— The horse stealing case against Eddleston, yesterday, was not finished till • late m the afternoon. The Bench said they were unable to accept the ingenious defence set up by accused, who would accordingly be committed for trial at the ensuing session of the Supreme Court. Customs Duties.— The following are .the returns at the Port of Wairau for the month of June :— Customs dues £502 17s sd; beer duty, £68 12s lOd. For the corresponding month of 1889 the figures were, customs £567 2s Id, and beer £70 17s lid. For the quarter ended June 30th the respective figures were, £2117 17s 5d and £256 13s lid. For the corresponding quarter of 1889 £1863 17s 9d and £274 11s Id. A New Designation. — The Secretary of the Blenheim Borough School to-day provided the Education Board with a joke. In the course of an official letter to the Board, the worthy Secretary referred to them as the " Communication Board." Whether this was intentional humour or not, we cannot say, but there is a certain fitness about the term. Knights op Labor.— A good number of persons assembled m the social hall of the Working Men's Club last evening, for the purpose of forming a branch of the Knights of Labor m Blenheim. Mr Purser was voted to the chair, and after a few remarks upon the necessity of such an organisation, he called upon Mr Connell to explain the aims and object of the Knights of Labor. Mr Connell briefly reviewed the history and the political platform of tbe organisation, and stated that the chief end for which they were established was the advancement of the interests of the working classes. After some further discussion, it was resolved, " That a branch of the Knights of Labor be formed m Blenheim, and about 30 persons gave m their names for membership. The meeting then adjourned until Saturday evening, when Mr Walter Hill will deliver an address on the subject of <« Wages." A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings. A Suggestion. — Now that the proposed Southern tour of a Wellington representative football team has been abandoned, it has been suggested to us that the Marlborough Union again communicate with the Wellington Union, with the view of arranging an interprovincial match before the end of the season. We have reason to believe that if: sufficient inducements were offered, a fairly strong Wellington team could be prevailed upon to visit Blenheim, and as the teams from the two : provinces have not yet measured capabili- , ties, more than an ordinary amount of interest would be shown m the match, ' both here and m the Empire City. Judging by their achievements last season, our boys would be able to give a very creditable account of themselves, and any but a very strong Wellington team would have its work cut out to lower their colors. We trust that our suggestion will be acted on, 1 and that ere long we will have the 1 honor of welcoming the first representative i Wellington fifteen to Blenheim. 1

In the Wrong Box.— Just as the Havelock member of the Education Board was to-day addressing the Board, a group of the nondescripts who are wont to gather m the Courthouse when there are cases on, made a rush at the Borough Council door thinking no doubt that, as yesterday, some poor devil was protesting innocence, and were about to troop m when, seeing the grave and intellectual countenances of the Board, they beat a hasty retreat. " The Letter of the Law." — At the Education Board meeting to-day, the expediency to which we have frequently alluded,. of having all motions written out and signed by the mover, and also signed by the seconder, and initialed by the Chairman, wa? once more shown. A doubt arose as to whether the word "hearing" or "conclusion" had been used by the mover of the resolution, and as there was no such record of the mo;ion as we have referred to, the question remained unsettled. It would save trouble ifthe Board would take this simple pre caution, which is religiously observed by other Boards. The Opposition. — All that is absolutely certain at the present moment as to the intentions of the Opposition (says Monday's Post) is that some amendment traversing the financial policy of the Government will be moved by Mr Ballance tomorrow evening m leading off the financial debate. It is understood, however, that the amendment will bear upon the necessity for the reduction of taxation m view of the surplus shown, and the absence of any retrenchment proposals (m the way of amalgamation of offices) from the Ministerial programme. Whether it will be couched m such terms as to cause the Government to raise the question of confidence remains to be seen. Everything Cheap. — Speaking at Temuka, Bishop Julius said there was a mania now for cheapness. -Everyone liked to have things cheap, and they got them cheap — and nasty. Whatever they wanted done must be by contract, and he believed a man would, if he could, save his soul by contract. They could not carry this spirit into the church. If there was any meaning m the cross of Christ it was sacrifice. They thanked God jthat tithes were done away with, that no one could say to them, "Build a cathedral or grill!" and yet they grumbled at having to give 3d on a Sunday, and dodged it then when it was wet. That was religion nowadays, and a pitiful sort of religion too. A New Steamer. — The New Zealand Shipping Company, Limited, have-received advice from London, say 3 the Lyttelton Times, that their second new steamer will be ready to follow the Tekoa m about three months' time. She will be a large steamer of the most approved modern type, and of 4000. tons register. Her capacity will be about 50,000 sheep and 5000 bales of wool, besides a fair provision - for dairy produce. Triple expansion engines will drive her at the rate of over 10 knots per hour on a consumption of 30 tons of coal per diem. These two grand steamers should be available for the height of the wool, mutton, and butter season, and prevent the slightest fear of an insufficiency of Bteam tonnage for the refrigerated exports of the colony during the ensuing season. The Calcutta Trade. — The Union Steam Ship Company have takan a npw departure m connection wiih their shipping arrangements. The Melbourne Argus of 12th June says m connection with this matter :— " A new development has occurred m connection with shipping arrangements m the colonies. We understand that m future the Union Steam Ship Company will run steamers regularly between Calcutta and New Zealand. The first vessel to leave Calcutta under the new arrangement will be the Bhurdara, which, although owned by the BritishIndia Steam Navigation Company, will fly the Union flag. The Bhundara will sail early m July, and will be succeeded m due course by the Cairnbulg. The directorate of the British-India Company has, we believe, S.me connection with that of the Union Company. One effect of the determination of the Union Company to institute a regular service between New Zealand and Calcutta will be to cut off the remainder of the transhipping trade m Indian merchandise until lately carried on from Melbourne. Various influences, some general and one or two local, combine to restrict Victorian trade more and more within Victorian borders, and merchants find themselves more hedged m than formerly. To a great extent this was inevitable, but it is regrettable that the gradual weakening of our relations with other colonies has been contributed to by our protective system j and by our high port charges." j A slight cold often proves the fore- I runner of a complaint which may be fatal. 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