LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIX, Issue 182, 25 July 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Loss of Sheep.— As a result of the severe weather m the Awatere, great mortality is reported to have occurred amongßt sheep m that district. Meteorological.— Captain Edwin wired at 11.27 a.m. to-day :— North to West and Southwest heavy gale with very heavy rain and high tides within ten hours from now Glass fall. Rugby Union.— The Committee appointed to make arrangements for the forthcoming football social, meet at the Grosvenor Hotel to-night. Any other footballers taking an interest m the affair are invited to be present. The Schools. — The attendance at the town schools ha 3 been materially affected by the prevalence of measles m the district. A great many of the pupils are absent fiom j this cause, and Miss Morgan, head mistress of the Girls' School, has also been laid up. We notice that as the measles epidemic has seriously affected the school averages throughout the Colony, the Minister for Education intends to obtain estimates of the fall m revenue from this souroe, and some of the schools may receive Government assistance.

Sydney Quotations.— At Sydney N.Z flour is selling up to £8 ; local potatoss at L 5 ss ; ciroular heads, L 6, firm ; factory butter, Is 3d ; baoon 6d to Bd. City Rifles.— Owing to the Drill Shed being occupied the examination for noncommissioned officers will bs held at the Captain's office. There will be no parade of the corps until August Bth. Blenheim Rifles. — The next parade of this Company takes place on Thursday evening at the Drill Shed, when opportunity will be iaken to present the prizes won at the last shooting contest. Arbor Day.— The Government having appointed the fourth of August as Arbor Day, the Mayor requests the burgesses of the Borough of Blenheim to celebrate the occasion, and invites donation? of suitable trees to complete the planting of Seymour Square. Appointment. — The appointment of Sidney Weetman to be a Commissioner for the Provincial District of Marlborough, under " The New Zealand Land Claimant's Ordinance, 1851," for hearing and deciding claims to land by persons claiming title from, through, or under tne New Zealand Company, is gazetted. Sale of Australian Furs.— Mr Branson has just received a consignment of Australian furs, which will be auctioned on Thursday, the 27th inst, .at Litchfield's Sample Rooms, Wynen Street, at 2.30 p.m. Tha goods, which are now on view at the rooms, consist of black and gray opossum rugg, silver wallaby, bear skins, etc, etc. The consignment is a valaab c one, and all new. The rugs are guaranteed moth and weevil proof. Dairying. — We learn that Mr Marshall, the manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Dairy Factory, who has been making enquiries throughout the district a3 to the support likely to be given by farmers, is well satisfied with the result of his labours. A permanent site for the erection of the factory will be chosen m v few days, and there is every probability that operations will be commenced m September next. Lecture. — Captain Jackson Barry, the " much travelled," is announced to deliver hia first lecture m the drill shed to-night. Captain Barry is not unknown m Blenheim, he having lectured here about eight years ago. Since then he has spent a good deal of time m the King Country exploring and collecting minerals. Ho ia a man of versatile attainments, and a most entertaining evening should be spent m his company. Licensing Law. — It is rumored that the Premier and Mr Fish have entered into a compact by which the latter will, with the knowledge and covert support of the Government, bring m a Bill which, while sustaining the existing licensing law, will make it operative for one year only, pending the au horitatively-expressed opinion of the country upon the whole question. This is a sort of compromise that might be expected to obtain much mixed support. Commuted for Trial. — Ernest Gundlach, who was on trial m Blenheim at the last Supreme Court session, on a charge of aiding and abetting a forgery, has been committed for trial m Wellington for stealing a clock from a hotel there. The alleged offence was committed m November, 1892, but the property was only recently discovered m a suburban hotel, and was proved to have been sold by the accused, wbo is at present serving a sentence on another charge. Rumored Intrigue. —There is a rumour current to which we are loth to give any credence, although we feel bound to mention it. The story runs that an intrigue is bein^ carried on to oust Mr Seddon from the Pr tniership and leadership of the Liberal Party m favour of air Robert Stout, Mr Seddon being compensated by appointment aB Chief Commissioner of Railways for five years, at a salary of £1000 a year. Such an arrangement would be utterly discreditable to all parties concerned. — Post. Coloseii Fox. — The Buddenness with which celebiity has come upon Colonel Fox is impressive. A week ago, says Civis m the Otago Witness, I was not even aware that Colonel Fox existed. There must have been a good many other paoplo m the same state of ignorance. But there are not many now. Yi,u can't take up any newspaper without encountering m its columns Colonel Fox ; you can't spend two minutes m the society of any citizen-soldier without hearing Colonel Fox blessed or blasted through all the moods and tenses. t Sheepßetorn3. Some sheep~own9ra aro m the habit of omitting from the returns sheep sold but not delivered. Mr Duncan Gillanders, of Waikaia, has just baen fined £10 and co9t for so omitting 1600 sheep, which, m consequence, were not m any returns. Though the tax on Mr Gillanders 1 sheep only amounted to 325. yet the praotioe, considering there are 16,000 sheep-owners m the colooy, would result m large loss to the Agricultural Department if not checked, and the Department is determined to put a stop to it A Chase.— The police at Napier are giving truants a thoroughly lively time of it, and the other day Constable Strickland had a regular turn at " bare and hounds" after one boy, wbo is a regular desperate young vagabond, who dodged the constable and led him a tremendous chase. There wa3 great excitement as Constable Strickland kept up the chase over fences and m and out of yards tind through paddocks, till he ran down his "man." The lad was taken to the main school and handed over to the head master. Poultry Show. — Active preparations are going on m Swarfs Hall m connection with the annual Poultry Show, to be held to-morrow and Thursday. At an early hour this morning several members of the Committen commenced erecting the pens, and by six o'clock this evening everything will be m readiness to receive the exhibits. A number of birds arrived from Nelson by the Wainui last night, and the balance will come by the Penguin to-day. The officers of the Bociety look forward to a very successful show. Rainfall. — The rainfall for the month of June is published m last week's Gazette, Puysegur Point, on the S.W, Coast, as usual, holding the pride of plaoe with 24 04 inches, and Inglewood, m Taranaki, a good second with 1612 inches. In both instances rain fell on 19 days. Moisture is the prevailing characteristic of both these places at any season of the year. The rainfall m Blenheim is not shown, as since the death of the late Dr Muller no register haß been taken,- or at any rate has not been supplied to the Wellington Meteorological Department. Football. — The following picked eighteen will play against the fifteen next Saturday : —Browne, full back; R. Pugh, Conolly, Driscoll, three-quarters ; Prebble, W.Fulton, halves ; F. Dodson (Captain), Greenfield, Newth, W. Baillie, Horton, Shaw, Mclver, S. Griffiths, Tetley, Greig. Stratford, Wan« den, forwards. The Selection Committee have chosen as two substitutes H. Redwood and C. Cribb for Marshall and Griffiths, who may not be able to play on Saturday, so as not to weaken the eighteen, Blake, T. Pugh, and R. Pugh are the only Picton men wbo are coming through for Saturday's match. The Committee would like any member who ia chosen to communicate with them if unable to play. Little Lord Fauntleroy. — Ewart'fl Hall was filled last night by a thoroughly enthusiastic audience, assembled on the occasion of Ruby Kennedy's benefit, her first appearance after her illness of a week's duration. The little lady appeared as Cedric Errol, the hero of Mrs Hodgson Burnetts poetio story, and charmed all present with the ohildish grace and loving pathos that pervades the character, entering also with great gusto into the humorous scenes that are interspersed with the grave portion of the story. It, is a performance which will live long m the mimory of those who witnessed it, baing far and away beyond the ordinary run of so-called child prodigy's acting. Mr Kennedy, of course, was the life and soul of the drama as Hobbs the unsophisticated American grocer. Miss Lily Hill played Mrs Errol with delicacy and pathos, while Miss Millie Collier exemplified the scheming adventuress to the life. Mr brank Norton m the difficult role of the irascible old earl was highly acceptable to his audience, and received a warm recepion The other parts oall for no special attenMr * g a al w « I . an^ oarefully performed. Mr Kennedy and his abla coadjutors have experienced hard luck during thoir sojourn Of his httle "Btar." but we trust ample amends await him m the future, and we can safely promise him a hearty welcome should he again visit U3, as he leaves behind him a host of friends who will be glad to hear of his future well doing,

The Sydenhah Casks. — The Government, after consulting the Law Officers, baa deoided not to interfere with what those officers oonsider the functions of the police m prosecuting the hotelkeepers affected by the recent deoisinn of the Supremo Court respecting the Sydenham licenses. The Inspector of Police at Christchurch is said to have consulted a leading solicitor, whose opinion is rather more favourable to the position of the hotelkeepers than that which the Law Officers of the Crown are understood to have given. The Championship Eegatta. — Thus the Wellington Press on this subject : — A movement is on foot, at the instance of the Blenheim Bowing Club, to hold the annual championship regatta m Picton harbor thia year. No better place exists m the colony for the events to be oontested m, it being landlocked, usually smooth, and the course well m view of the epeotatorß for any reasonable distance, besides occupying a central position with regard to the rest of the colony. The New Zealand Amateur Bowing Association has been approached on the subject, which has, for the present, been postponed fur consideration. Picton Koad Board. — The adjourned meeting of the above Board was held at Tua Marina last Saturday evening, when there W6re present Messrs N. Bragg, Chairman, H. Lankow, J. C. Chaytor, G. Randall, and W. Beeves. Mr M'lntire wrote at length on the question of this Board delegating certain powers and liabilities to the Pukaka River Board. His- opinion was that this Board would not incur any liability by so doing. A petition signed by 20 ratepayers of the Pukaka River district requesting the Board to make the special order of which notice has been given was received. After some discussion on the question and perusal of portion of the River Boards Act, bearing on the matter, it was resolved to make the special order accordingly. Resolved that the Inspector visit the Elevation and see what may be required to be done to a culvert there, and call for tenders for the work, to be mby nest meeting, The Board then rose. The Bank op New Zealand. — The declaration of the now usual dividend of the Bank of New Zealand will be hailed with pleasure by all, and, with the very satisfactory amounts carried forward and placed to reserve, will tend to entirely dissipate any latent fears as to any effect the supension of the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company might have had on the Baok. "When it is remembered that during the recent banking crisis m Australia the Bank of New Zealand neither took advantage of the fire days' holiday m Victoria, nor desired its notes to be made legal tender m New South Wales, but calmly pursued the even tenorof its way, transacting a very large business without any indication of timidity or alarm, the stability of the Bank may fairly be taken as assured- Since the rearrangement of it 3 affairs some time ago the Bank has pursued a steady prosperous course, and it now well deserves tbe confidence reposed m it by the public— Post. Ooa Member. — The New Zealand Times thus reports Mr Buick'e speech m the Financial Debate : — Mr Buick regretted the personalities which had occurred during the debate. He had little doubt that the policy of the present Colonial Treasurer would be to secure sound finance. There was nothing of an alarming character m the Budget, and this Act, together with the utter failure of the prophecies of the Opposition concerning the Government policy, proved that the Colony waa entirely safe m tb.B hands of the existing Ministry. The Government had shown every disposition to relieve taxation, and had not starved public works ; with this, they had a surplus, and, therefore, their finance was sound. As to the Co- operative worka, the system, excellent m theory, might m practice, like everj other good eystem, bo ruined by bad administration. A great deal more depended upon the engineers m charge of the works than anybody else. He supported tbe remission of improvements from taxation. He opposed the graduated tax m principle, but as the large landowners would still have to pay less than under the property tax, he supported the proposed increase, especially as they had escaped their fair share when the property tax was m force, and ought not to object to compensate for that now. He heartily congratulated the Minister for Lands on the zeal and zest with which he had prosecuted land settlement. Mr Buick spoke at some length m support of the action of the Government m purchasing the Cheviot estate. The Robbgry at Judge Conolly's. — The audacity of the predatory gang now operating m the city and suburbs (says the Auckland Herald) i 3 reaching a climax. On Tuesday afternoon they ran through Mr Justice Conolly's residence, Remuera, took a small sum of money and some jewellery, and carried off some plate, which was afterwards found planted behind a fence m the garden. It seems that a member of the Judge's family was down m the stable, and on returning to the residence noticed the door of his sister's bedroom, which opened on the verandah, open. On going to ascertain the cause be noticed that the room had been overhauled and searched, and he went from thence to the dining room, where some plate was found to be missing. On a searoh being made it was found that 17s 6d and some jewellery had been taken from Mi3s Conolly's bedroom, and certain articles of plate from the bedroom. The plate was, as already stated, found m a sack behind a fence m the garden, the thief or thieves having apparently, been disturbed during tbeir operations. The police authorities were horrified on learning the tidings that the light-fingered gentry had commenced to rob the very Judge himself, and Chief Detective Grace was despatched to Remuera to make investigations, but, so far, he has not succeeded m discovering the perpetrator of this impudent robbery. A Narrow Squeak.— The Wanganui Herald is responsible for the following : — Several people of opposite sexes were observed yesterday going into a certain ohurch m town, and the conclusion was immediately jumped to by many that it was another quiet wedding — we do these things so quietly m Wanganni, don't we ? But as it happened this wasn't; tbe two people mostly interested bad ggna to the ohuroh for the express purpose of being married over again, it transpiring that tbe oeremony of some few weeks back was not strictly legal, owing to one of the contracting parties having signed the wrong name— and it wasn't the groom thia time either. The '• happy couple" emerged from the edifice with the same amount of blush on their cheeks, though, as if they had just gone through the oeremony for the first time, Beavjlt? Hit. — Among3k the severest Bufferers by the recent bank failures is Sir George Bowen, whose confidence m the stability of financial institutions m Victoria has received a rude shock. The blow comes specially hard on the ex- Viceroy, as he was also severely hit by the depreciation m Bank of New Zealand shares a few years back. The well-known tap of exuberant enthusiasm with which Sir George was wont erstwhile to turn on at the mere mention of the Australias is now " off — very much off." Energy will do almost anything, but it oannot exist if the blood is impure and moves sluggishly m the veins There is nothing so good for cleansing the blood and imparting energy to the system as Ayer's Sarsaparilla. T. Shale has received instructions to sell the balance of the stock of the late J. Godfrey, consisting of grocery, drapery, ironmongery, fancy goods, eic, amounting from a needle to an anchor. These goods must be sold and no reasonable offer will be refused, at the shop adjoining his old stand next to Litohfleld's sale. — Advt. The New Zealand Clothing Factory have BUCcesßfully run the Wertheim Sewing Machine since starting here. Customers are pleased with the machine, and satisfied with the firm with whom they have done business; arid especially m buying a sewing maohine oustomera want to know they are doing business with a steady firm who are not likely to be here to-day and away to-morrow. So try the New Zealand Clothing Factory for a good sewing maahine. Special value m Boots, Bluchers from 4s 9d upwards at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, — Adyt. Mahomet said—" The ink of the wise is worth more than the blood of martyra." Perhaps all do not agree with thia ; but everyone acknowledges that Crease's aI. Coffee when once tried ia always uaad. It is wise to provide against emergencies which are liable to arise m every family. In sudden attaoks of cold, croup, asthma, etc, a bottle of Ayer's Cherry Pectoral will prove a never-failing remedy.