LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVII, Issue 236, 17 October 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

D.I.C. — Mr Charles J. Maney, representative of the D.I.C. Co-operative stores, is at present m Blenheim, and notifies elsewhere that he will show samples of the Company's stock m the shop lately occupied by Mr B. S. Penney, Alfred-street, commencing on Monday next. Furniture Sale. — Mr C. M. Brewster notifies elsewhere that he has for sale a large quantity of valuable furniture removed from the Commercial Hotel, Wellington, and now on view m the premises lately occupied by Messrs Holmes and Bell, Grove Road. Persons m want of furniture are invited to inspect. Garden Party. —Fully a hundred sat down to tea at Mr Girling's yesterday evening, despite the unpropitioua character "of the weacher. The Garrison band later on attended and discoursed sweet music for some time. The promoters, however, not being yet quite satisfied, have determined to have another party. On Monday night there will be an ©pen air concert, admission to which will be one shilling, refreshments free. Speing Cbeek Road Board. — Only formal business was transacted at the meeting o£ the Spring Creek Road Board and River Boards last Wednesday. Mr Murray occupied the chair m both boards. Three tenders were received for forming and ditching Vickerman street viz., Au^rell Bros. 17s 3d per chain, W. Crafar £1 2s and H. Plimmer £1 7s Cd Andrell Bros, tender was accepted. Mr Southebn's Death. —Wednesday's Post says :— Australian papers which came to hand by to-day's mail contain particulars of the' railway accident by which Mr John Southern, late of Wellington met his death at Perth, Western Australia. A telegram to the Sydney Morning Herald states that on the night of the 6th instant Mr Southern left the hotel where he was staying to go to the railway station to meet a friend with his letters. He was somewhat deaf, and did not notice the approach - ing train as he crossed the line. He was run over and killed, the night being very dark. He leaves a wife and four children. We learn from Mr J. McDowell, who was trustee for Mr Southern when he lived ia Wellington, that the widow and family of deceased are fairly provided for, as his life was insured m four offices, vizi, the Liverpool London and Globe, Australian Mutual Provident, Colonial Mutual', and New Zealand Government, Obituary. — Our Havelock correspondent writes:— Mr John Davis, who was burnt out of house. and home on the evening of the sth inst., died on Friday morning at the. Masonic Hotel, where every care and attention has been paid him. Deceased was an old Nelson identity, and for some considerable time, back m the fifties, worked at the Dun Mountain mine, from which so rnuoh was expected. Mr Davies was a man of a kindly disposition, but of late years he h&s had hard luck. He bore up bravely to the last ; but having to be removed as he was from his bed when the house was on fire, proved too much for his then precarious Btate of health. We often read, and hear a deal of tall talk about the- evils of public houses, but very seldom of any good done. As an old colonist I have quietly taken Btock, and m justice to the " trade" I must say I., have never known a single instance where practical aid and assistance were required (pay or no pay) were it has been refused by any publican, male or female; and the case above quoted is another proof of the good done by that often maligned and misrepresented body of men. Social Gathering.— At the invitation of Mr and Mrs Gould, the residents of Flaxbourne assembled on the evening of Friday, 9th inst., to celebrate, by a social re-union, the advent of Mrs Gibson m their midst. "The spacious dining hall was made available for the occasion, and, when dancing commenced at 9 o'clock, presented an attractive appearance. At 12 o'clock refreshment.was announced, and the guests retired to partake of a sumptuous spread. The elegance and taste displayed m the culinary arrangements were well worthy the endeavours of Mr and Mrs Gould to render the repast as inviting as possible. In the course of a well-delivered speech, the health of the host and hostess was proposed by Mr Weld, who also proposed the toast of the " Ladies," and m eulogistic terms and gallant manner referred to the youth and beauty of Flaxbourne aa personified m the fair sex ..present. Mr Gould suitably responded amid much applause ; and Mr McKusker replied on behalf of the ladies m concise and appropriate terms. Ample justice being done to the good things provided, dancing wa3 resumed an^ indulged m with renewed spirit through- the small hours ; the happy, smiles of the ladies and the hilarity-of the gentlemen being a sufficient guarantee that everybody thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The programme was varied and select, the music being effectively supplied ' by Messrs Gould and Palmer (violin), with reed instrument accompaniment. Mr Ryan acted efficiently as M.C. During intervals the amusement was diversified by songs, those contributed by the Misses Rodgerson and Messrs Talchel and Hornby being worthy of special mention. The pleasures of the evening drew to a close about 4 a.m., and the company reluctantly separated for their respective homes, evidently well please i with the success of the entertainment, and anticipating the renewal of a similar social festivity m the near future. — Contributed. Missing Fkiends.— Enquiry is made m Lloyd's Weekly for the following:— Jane Goscoinb seeks news of her brothers, George, of Bornwapd, Glos. (supposed to be m New Zealand),^' James, supposed to be m Liverpool. (Father is dead.) George Maloney, stoker, Bailed from England m the Virago m May, 1869, and was last heard of m New Zea'and. Sister Eliza. Louie* Mary Forman (Wharram) went to Lyttelton, New Zealand, about 1871, and was last heard' of m 1884. Brother Edward. Charles Atyeo (James) was at Wanganui, Wellington, New Zealand,' m 1880. His widowed mother wishes to hear of him. Thomaß Cowley m 1868 was managing a baker's business for Mrs Symes at Panama, New Zealand. Sister Caroline. Herbert Edward Cox m April, 1890, arrived from New Zealand m the Waipa, again sailing for Ceylon m the Knight of St. George the following month. Mrs Henry Dyke (Eliza) left Nortbfleet, Kent, on 29th July, 1864, and settled at Wanganui, N.Z. Sister' Mary Ann. Too. Good To Live:— "Your Honour," said a proseouting attorney m an Ahabama backwoods court, " the prisoner at the bar ia .charged with killing one "of the most exemplary citizens of this country. Andrew D. Boyaon, your Honour, was m every respect a model man. He was a beloved nlember of the church, and was never known to be guilty of an unchristian act. Why, your Honour, he was never known to bet on horses, play poker, drink whisky, or use tobacco. He—" "Hold on a minute," the judge broke m; "you say he didn't bet on horses?" "That's what I say, your Honour." "And he didn't play poker?" "Never was known to play a game." *" And he never drank liquor?" "Never drank a drop, your Honour." " And he didn't chew tobacco?" " Never took a chew m his life,". " Well, then," said the judge, leaning back with a sigh, " I don't see why he ain't about as well off dead as alive. Eek.ise the prisoner, Mr Sheriff, and call .the next case." American Ideas of Justice. — A Daiziel telegram, dated New York, August 18th, states : — Great indignation has been excited all over America by the conduct of Thompkins, the Private Secretary of the Governor of South Carolina, who reprieved a condemned couple on tha scaffold on Friday, after legs and arms had been pinioned and the nooses adjusted. It appears that Thompkins travelled leisurely for half a day with the reprieve m his pocket, it having been given him days before by the Governor, to be used or not, as his judgment dictated. He arrived at the gaol on Friday, and was present at all the arrangements for the execution, and m the condemned cell urged the two victims to confess. He was present when the miserable mother bade her last farewell to a prattling three-year-old daughter. He followed the procession to the scaffold, stood at the foot of the flairs, and beard the last words said, and when all hope of a confession was past and the trap was about to be sprung, presented his papers to the sheriff. Had the condemned under the terrible Btrain uttered a word which could have been coustrued as a confession, they would now be dead. Their sentences have been commuted by the governor to imprisonment, with hard labor, for life. " A Drink for tiie Gods," so ?aid a great Prophet- Mahomet, when taking his cup of coffee uuder the fig tree. I£ you would enjoy such, drink Crease's Al Coffee. Sold only m 1 and 2 lb. tins.

The Gas Report. — In response to a motion, the Manager of the Gas Works ha 3 supplied a return to the Borough Council, which show 3 that 385,600 feet of gis are made monthly, which is distributed as follows:— By meter 308,900, street lamps 24,000, gas engine 21,000, retort house 11,800, office 800, house 21,000, total 368,700. This leaves a loss o£ 16,900 feet monthly. Mr Muir adds that several years before the Borough purchased the Gas Works he was induced to put m a setting of West Coast retorts and fire goods, and he declined to stand this responsibility a second time to please any one. He was now making inquiry from works where the English, West Coast, and Auckland retorts were being experimented with, and the results he would make known when received. It was resolved to ask the Gas Committee to inquire as to the cause of the gas leakage. Austrian Gum Diggers. — It is stated that there are over 200 Austrians at work on the gum fields north of Auckland. The Herald says they are quiet, sober, industrious men, and, unlike the average colonial guradigger, hank or save their money instead of drinking it. One man m six weeks banked £30 as the result of his labours m gumdigging. They are sending home remittances to Austria, and bringing out more of their friends, considering that it will be belter for them to come out to the colony than to remain m the Old World. Obstinate Jobies.— The tendency to bring m verdicts m direct contradiction to the weight of evidence has been specially marked during the present sittings of the Sydney Court of Quarter Sessions. Last week (says the Sydney ' Daily Telegraph 1 of 25th August) two tuch verdicts were recorded, the fortunate prisoners being a well known Victorian felon and a boy. In the latter case Judge M'Farland specially pointed out, after the jury had given their decision, that the lad had virtually pleaded guilty, but to no purpose. Again, yesterday, a man named Archibald M'Millan, charged with attempting to steal a purse and money from W. Davies, pleaded not guilty. Daviea went to sleep m a lane off Castlereagh street, and Constable Fullerton swore to seeing the accused standing over him, as if m the act of going through his pockets. M'Millan's defence was that he merely intended to awake Davies, and that he considered his doing so would have been an act of charity. The jury were an hour considering their verdict, and then they returned into Court with a verdiot of " Not guilty." " Not guilty !" exclaimed Judge McFarland. "Is that really your verdict, gentlemen ?" " Yes your Honor, " answered the foreman. " The jury gave the benefit of the doubt to the prisoner." His Honor replied :"I am exceedingly unwilling to make any observation on the verdict of the jury, but the constable had sworn so distinctly and positively to the circumstances of the case — and he is one of the best men I have ever seen m the witness box — while not a particle of evidence has been given the other way. I will say nothing further, but I receive the verdict with great regret, and I must state that m the discharge of my duty. :i M'Millan was then released from custody. An Eminent Physician says if the public would drink less tea and more Coffee there would be a great many less sufferers from that troublesome complaint — indigestion. Crease's AI Coffee is the best, Sold only m 1 and 2 lb. tins.