LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVII, Issue 3, 5 January 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

-it The Hospital.— The* Matron of the: i hospital acknowledges with thanks the ■ receipt of the following New Year's gifts ' a cake from Mr Wilkins,' and games; an 4 books from Mr A, % Card..

Evangelical Pbayeb Meetings. — It was announced m the variou3 churches m town last night that during this week morning meetings for prayer will be held daily m the Church of the Nativity, and on several evenings m the different churches. Parliamentary. — MrT. L.Buick, M.H.R., leaves Blenheim next Monday for Kaikoura, to confer with his committee and supporters m that part of the electorate. From thence he proceeds by steamer to Wellington, to be present at the assembling of Parliament on the 23rd inst. Prices for Mutton. — On the We3t Coast of the other island Nelson Bros, are offering a four year's contract to give for prime wether mutton between 551 b and 651 b 2£d per Ib. Heavier or lighter wethers, aged ewes, and other sheep would be bought at 2£d per lb, and prime lamb at 3£d per lb. Personal.— We understand that Mr M. O'Flaherty, late of the Club Hotel, leaves Blenheim to-morrow m search of fresh fields and pastures new. — It is rumored that a wedding, m which the newly -elected member for Wairau will play a promineut part, will take place m Blenheim before Parliament meets. New Racing Club. — We hear that a second Jockey Club is about to be formed m Blenheim, and that sixty names have already been placed on the list of members. There is a feeling that of late the management of the Marlborough Racing Club has not been all that could be desired, and hence the movement for a change. Aquatics. — Thematch which Stephenson, champion of New Zealand rowed with Dutch on January 2nd was for £50 a-eide. He is matched against Bubear for a similar stake on Januury 14th. Sullivan, the ex-amateur for New Zealand has bsen doing work under Matterson and McLean, and is now prepared to make a match against some of the minor professionals. Wairau River Board.— At the meeting called by Mr D. Dobson on Saturday night re the election of members on the Lower Wairau River Board, there were about a doaen ratepayers present. W e understand that nothing definite was arrived at, but it is probable that before the date of the election a public meeting will be called, and the views of the candidates elicited. An Exceptional Record.— lnsurance Companies should begin ' to think now of reducing their rates m Blenheim, as during the whole of last year there was not a single fire m town. This news will be satisfactory to others as well as Insurance Companies, and we hope now that Blenheim will soon outlive its unenviable reputation m the matter of conflagration. Personation.— As the result of a trip to Picton for the identification of an alleged personator, John Sullivan, who is now m Picton gaol, will be arrested on his release to-morrow on a charge of personation at the general election, and brought up for trial on Wednesday morning. The accused, voted at Mr W. Nosworthy's booth at Marlboroughtown. Detained Papers.— A great many people are under the impression that newspaper postage to Australia is at the same rate as between towns m this Colony, whereas it is a penny per paper. For insufficient postage papers addressed as under are detained at the Blenheim office :— Mrs James Doherty, Meadows, S.A.; Mr W. G. Joyce, Ryde, N.S.W. ; Richmond Hope, Power's Creek, Victoria ; and T. D. Richards, Sydney. R.M. Court Returns.— For the quarter ending December 31st, the R.M. Court returns were as follows : Number of sittings 33, presided over by R.M., 25, and by Justices 14; summonses issued 137, summonses served by bailiff at a distance not exceeding 2 miles 106, summonses served at distances exceeding 2 miles 41, distress warrants 17, warrants of commitments nil., criminal cases 45, discharged 10, suram irily convicted 28, committed . for trial 1, otherwise dealt with 6; amount of civil fees £67 Bs, amount of criminal fees £47, total £114 Bs. Teachers' Classification Examination. —For the "D" examinations which open here, under Inspector Smith, on Monday : Harold Lewis Ellis (Reef ton), Mary Farmar (Blenheim), Laura Matthews (Uenwick), Mary C. Williams (Picton), and Mary Jessie Matthews, for completion (Picton). For "E" class, which starts on Tuesday morning, the candidates are, Harry J. Howard (Picton), Lily M. Logan, Herbert J. Robinson, Alice M. K. Williams, and Annia Wrigley (Blenheim) ; for completion, Frank B. Dobson of Bishopdale, Nelson. River Board Nominations. — The following'are the nomioations received to day for the Lower Wairau River Board by Mr R. D. Nosworthy : -F. Adams, E. Bylhell, W. Carr, J. Coleman, D. Dobson, J. Lees, A. J. Litchfield, B. McArtney, P. Meighan, and J. O'Sullivan. It will be noticed that Mr Chas. Redwood, who has been a member of the Board from its inception is not among the candidates. We believe he intended to stand, and we presume his name is absent through an oversight on the part of some one. His disappearance is to be regretted, as he has always taken a great interest m river matters, and at the present time his experience would be of much value. 11 In Darkest England." — Reading General Booth's book " Darkest England " is a work of pleasure because of the excellence of its style, and one or two Blenheim people have made to us the same remark, that Booth has an excellent style. It seemed familiar, and yet, not having read very much of the General's War Cry literature, this appeared strange. Id tbe preface the author gives credit to some journalistic friand for "assistance" rendered, but he does not say, what is now known to be a fact, that Mr W. T. Stead wrote a great part of it— "licked it into shape," as it were. This accounts also for the eulogistic notices given of it m the Review of Reviews. Mr Galvin's Paper. — We have received a copy of the Yea Chronicle, a weekly published at Yea, Victoria, by Mr Patrick Galvin, who at one time occupied the editorial chair of the Express. The Chronicle is well got up, and substantially supported by advertisers. We cannot exactly gather from its leading columns what its political views are, as it seems to think that the Gillies-Deakin Government have not been bad, and the Monro Cabinet which supplants it will be good. Among other tbiDgs m its columns wa notice an item which indicates that Yea is like Blenheim m one respect — its library is not well sapported. Civil Service Examinations. — To-day tha Civil Service Examinations begin throughout the Colony. There are no candidates m the Senior division from Marlborough, but m Junior Class, which commences on Thursday at 2.30, there are the following candidates ; — N. S. Barnett, A.H. Casey, W. E. Green, A. js|. Hqstwick, W. A. Litchfield, C. E. Powell, A, W. C. S.tace, H. Stratford from Blenheim, and R. Wanden from the Uelson College. Mr John Smith, Inspector of Schools, will act as supervisor, and the examination will bo held m the Borough School. The compulsory subjects are English, arithmetic, and geography, and the whole of the candidates but one are j taking up history and algebra as optional subjects, the one exception being the Nelson candidate, who takes algebra and euclid. Larrikinism. — We mentioned last week the fact that some members of the Educa- I tion Board were much concerned at the damage done to the boys' school, and at that time the girls, school was virtually intact. It appears, however, that since then every one of the iron air bricks m the girls' end have been broken, and most of them bodily removed. It should be the duty of someone to" look after the schools, even at holiday time, and we commend the matter to the attention of the School Committee when it meets on Friday night. If possible the act should be traced home to the offenders, whom we can hardly believe to be girls. ' % Police Offences Report.— The yearly return for Blenheim by the Police shows that there were 141 offences reported; as against '£50 for 1889. In 1889 there y/ere 128 summary convictions,' and for 189Cptho number was 113. ' The total number of persons apprehended m 1890 was 131 as against 150 for the previous yenr. Drunkenness shows a decrease from 75 to 55 during the year, but on the other hand laroenies have been much mc.ro numerous; m 1889 there were only five cases, and last year there wero no £? flr thai i 17 convictions. Lunatics show a decrease o* C"?; *^ c nuttibc;-g bping 7 for 18S9 and 6 for 1800. Other figure's a»e_, breaches of the Licensing Aot 1089 nil, m 1890 two oonvijjtiqns ; common assault 10 m 1889 and 4 m 1890; obscene language 4 m 1889 and 6 last year; obstructing the police one m 1889 and four m I§9^. T&kina crime all round there is an increase of 47 m seme J|nes, but there is also a decrease of' 56 on othevs.so thj^xj© show a moral improvement so far as police records can be utilised as a proof.

'Frisco Mail Contract. — The departure of the Hon. George M'Lean for San Francisco, and the Zealandia apparently running against the Monowai are circumstances which have naturally excited some gossip m connection with the new San Francisco mail contract. Nothing definite seems known but rumor ha sit that there is some friction betwepn Messrs Spreckles and Co. and the Union Company relative to the employment of the Monowai m the service. Bishop Soter's Health.— The Mail of a lale date had the following :— We are glad to b-3 able to report a very decided improvement m the health of the Bishop of Nelson, who is now progressing as favourably as could possibly be wished. Yesterday he was able to sit up for nearly five hours, and wag very cheerful, displaying an active interest m all that is going on m the town and district. New Tear at HAVEiiOCir.— The weather on New Year's Day m the morning turned out very unpropitious or as one gentleman expressei it " very unprodigious," consequently the Land Sports Committee very wisely decided not to have any sports on the ground viz : m Messrs Header's paddock, situate about 1| mile from the town. The weather cleared up about noon, and m the afternoon a skating rink was held m the Town Hall, and foot races were improvised m the main street for boys and girls, also a tug of war and a series oi Maori war dances. The Nelson Bijou Band was m attendance and gave some exoellent music. The annual New Year s night Ball was held m the Town Hall when there was a very large attendance. The Bijou string band played and their music was much appreciated. Dancing was kept up with great spirit until after daylight of the 2nd inst. — The Roweua sorew steamer arrived here yesterday (Friday) afternoon from Wellington, she brought a number of excursionists, several of whom were left down the Sound fishing, botanising and rusticating. A Pattern Absentee. — Mr Isaao Holden, M.P. for Keighley, Yorkshire, is an " absentee," who, as such, would be taxed out of his New Zealand possessions, or made to live m the colony, if scallywag politicians had the ruling of this country. Mr Holden had the audacity to buy a thousand acres m New Zealand upon which he has spent £10,000 on improvements. A Glasgow paper tells U3 that he has lately given £1000 to the Irish Home Eule fund. He is believed to be the richest M.P. m the House of Commons, his income being £200,000 a year. It takes 30,000,003 sheep, or about double the number m all New Zealand, to keep his wool combing mills going, yet at one time his income was not 5s a week, and he managed to live within his means. Even now his tastes are as simple as those of a clerk on 303. He has made most of his money by inventions. — Napier Telegraph. Sib George Grey's Record. — The other day we (Anckland Herald) referred m a paragraph to Dr. Laishley's interesting sketch of Sir George Grey, and quoted a passage m which that gentleman discusses the question, •' Is He a Great Man ?" There are some facts m the article not generally known, and which will bear further reference : — That Sir George was lately offered the Presidency of the Orange Free State, and that on declining it, his suggestion a3 to who should be appointed was forthwith adopted. A comparison of his colloquial attainments with those of Emm Pasha shows Sir Goorge'.s to be French, English, German, Dutch, Flemish, Kafir (m various dialects), Maori, and Australian spoken m the Northern and Western territories ; that the Cape and Auckland collections df philological works are the first and second best respectively m the world ; the renowned philosophers, statesmen, literati, explorers, and other eminent personages whom Sir George included amongst his friends i the causes of his recall from the Cape, and the ciroumstances surrounding his reinstatement; hi 3 remarkable recent discovery m electricity, written of by scientists as one of the discoveries of the age ; and the real value of his donations to the Cape and Auckland. We have a grand selection of Kaiapoi Tweod Suits, especially adapted for school wear, from 9/6 to 12/6; a superior lot of ICaiapoi Suits with pleated fronts, from 10/6 -to 15/8 ; and an immensb variety of other Colonial Tweed Suits m plain, pleated fronts and Norfolk shape 3, from 11/6 to 21/- at Te Aro House, Wellington. There are also large quantities of English Tweed Suits for Boys' wear, from 4a lid, 5s lid, 6s lid, 7s lid, 8s lid, to 10s lid. Velveteen Suits m three colours, and m the Patience and Sailor shapes ; as also an immense variety of Boys' Jersey suits, at prices ranging from 5s lid to 7s lid and upwards, at Te Aro House, Wellington. Mr G. F. Ferguson, late of Wanganui has now charge of our Clothing Department, and from his intimate knowledge of the requirements of the country districts will be able to execute all orders promptly and satisfactorily. He requests his numerous friends to forward them with every confidence to Te Aro House Wellington. It should also be remembered that all purchases m our Clothing Department whether for Boy's or Men's wear, will entitle the Customer to a Christmas Present at Te Aro House, Wellington. We make a special study of how to clothe the rising race, and we keep the largest and best selected stock of any one house m tht colony, at Te Aro House, Wellington. Wolfe's Schnapps. Beware of dangerous counterfeits. Ater's Hair Vigor improves the baauty of the hair and promotes its growth. It prevents dandruff, cleanses the scalp, and restores, natural qolor to grey hair. Have you received Ayer's Almanac for the new year. Wells' Hair Balsam. — If gray, restores to original color. An elegant dressing, softens and beautifies. No oil nor grease, A tonic restorative. Stops hair coming out, strengthens, cleanses, heals scalp. "Bough on Catarrh. "■ — Corrects offensive odors at once. Complete cure of worst chronic cases; also unequalled as gargle for diptheria, sore throat, and breath. To Overcome Weakness. — Pepper's Quinine and Iron Tonic gives New Life, Appetite, Health, Strength, and Energy, cures Indigestion, Nervous Debility and Neuralgia. — Half-crown bottle's. Everywhere. Insist on having Fibbers. To Darken Grex Hair. — Lockyer's Sulphur air Restorer is the quickest, be3t, safest, and cheapest. — Large bottles 2s 6\. Everywhere J Hollow ai's Pills. — In the complaints peculiar to females these Pills are unrivalled. Their use by the fair se3f have become so constant for the removal of their ailments than rare is the household that is without them. Among all classes, from the domestic servant to the peeress, universal favour is accorded to these renovating Pills : their invigorating and purifying properties render them safe and invaluable m all cases ; they may be taken by females of all ages for any disorganisation or irregularity of the system, speedily removing the cause and restoring the sufferer to robust health. As a family medicine they are unapproachable for subduing the maladies of young and old.