LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXI, Issue 195, 10 August 1895, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

♦ Reunion.— Readers are reminded of the ueaal Saturday night eooial, musioal and entertaining, m the W.C.T.U. Booms, whioh ia open to all free of charge. Statistics. — A general abstract of marriages, births, and deaths registeiel m England m 1894 haß been issued as a Parliamentaly paper. It gives tbe fo'lowing totals: — Population, estimated to the middle of 1894, 30,060,763 ; number of marriages, 226,103; number of birth?, 889.242 (males 452,700, females 436,542) ; number of deaths 498,515 (males, 254,896, females, 242,619). A DieoLUMfiß.— Archdeacon Grace writes to us as follows : — " lour issue of yesterday contains an aooount of a clergyman m the Old Country named Graoe, who, having become a viotim of the demon drink, fell into Bins that are its oonoomitants, for which be had to appear before a London Magistrate. As you give but the bare surname, and as the scenes of your subjeot's j evil practices are enacted m the County of Suffolk, I think it is due to tbe Bey G. F. Grace, late of Blenheim, who, as appeared m your columns awhile back, has at the present time a onre m Suffolk nnder the Bishop of Norwich, it slnuld be pointed out that the subject of your article and our Blenheim acquaintance are not one aod tbe same peison. Crookford's clergy list informs me that tbe quondam Vioar of Wellington Salop referred to by you is the Bey Allen Zechariah Graoe, B D., a totally different individual to my relative, Rnd m no way related to the family of Graoe known m olerioal circles m New Zealand." [The article published yesterday was taken from one of our exchanges, and we were under the impression that the fact that the clergyman m question was Btated to be an elderly | man with a grown~np Bon aoting as tutor, was suffioient to disassociate him from being mistaken for our esteemed friend, the Bey G. P. Grace.— Ed, M.E.I The Tbuck Act.— At Wellington tbe other day, Mr Martin, Stipendiary Magistrate, delivered judgment m a oate under the Truck Act, m which F. Cole sued Stewart and Co. for £9 15j, a olaiin for a deduotion made by the firm from plaintiff b wages. His Worship said that he was sorry to be compelled to give judgment for tbe plaintiff. The facts were that a quantity of building and glazier's material bad been sold to pl>intiff on the understanding that payment might be made by Cole at the rate of 5s a week, or suoh other Bum per week as Cole could pay, and deductions from hiß wages were only made, on the weeks that plaintiff used these materials m the decoration of his own house, and m doing work for other persons', for whioh he received payment. After thirteen years' employment ha left the employ of Stewart and Co., and when they sued for payment for their aooount he pleaded the Truok Act, and now brought an action for tbe amount deduoted from bis wages with his consent, though he had bad the use of the proceeds. On the authority of a recent English case, he (Mr MartiD) was compelled to give judgment for the plaintiff, considering that he had no right to exeroise tbe powers oonferred by the "equity and good conscience" olauses of the Magistrates' Court Act m order to override the express provision of a recent Aot of Parliament. A Stbono Man.— Tbe following is culled from an American ezohange :— "Lee Bing NuDg, a Chinese strong man, gave two pern formances at his home for the benefit of the Celestial residents of Boston. The room m whiah tbe exhibition was given was thronged with Chinamen, who came from all eeotions of the city. Nung ib of a medium height, but of powerful proportions. His arms and legs look like bundles of twisted rope, and hia baok is a network of musoles. A number of Baltimore Chinamen say they knew Nung when they were boys m China, and that his strength was so marvellous that he was suspected of having powers of witch« oraf t. Nung is now 60 years of age. This Chinese prodigy oan move a sand bag weighing 6001bs with a single blow of bia fist. When seated on a chair, he extended one foot, and two ordinary strong men were unable to move tbe foot m any direction. He bared bis left leg, and then beat it with three iron rods, eaob a half iooh m diameter, until tbe leg was blaok and blue and terribly swollen. Then he applied some liniment lo the leg, and m ten minutes all visible signß of the beating bad disappeared. Nung also gave exhibitions of heavy weight lifting and other feats of strength. A " Gbace"foli Tbibute.— The London Daily Telegraph's National Shilling Testimonial to Dr W. G. Graoe amounted, on the 28th June last, to 48,088 shillings, and contributions were" pouring m freely from all sides. This paper, commenting on the Bubßoription, mentions that one of tbe most prominent and gratifying features of the movement was the extent to whioh tbe national defence servioe, both army and navy, were responding, instancing also a large subscription from tbe London Sohool Board as a praotioal proof of the sense of tbe value of orioketin eduoation entertained by " tbe largest eduoational body m tbe world." An Incident.—" Woomera" m tbe Australasian tells the following tale:— The local football club had scored a viotory, and the players that eveniDg having spread themselves unduly over the footpath, one of them was brought before the court obarged with " loitering" as well as the inevitable equel "resisting tbe police." Tbe second Justice on tbe Bench was a member of the committee of the football club, and the oase having been beard, the chairman remarked " I think we'll have to fine him ten shillings." "No, no," eaid tbe seoond J.P. exoitedly, " that would be punishing me, not him ; I'd have to pay tbe fine : give him twenty four hours, if you like." SLEEP IS DIFFICULT Of attainment to those subjected to excessive mental strain. Wolfe'e Schnapps soothes the brain and promotes nerve invigorating {slumber.

Meteorological.— Cap t. Edwin wires at I p.m. as follows : - " Glass rice and weather moderating, but continue cold. Illness.— Captain Betnecb, of the s.s. Corinna, is still confined to his bed m Dunedin by a severe attack of pleurisy. Death.— Mr Alfred Scott, an old resident of Akaroa, who arrived m the oolony m 1838, died suddenly from apoplexy on Thursday. Conference.— The date for holding the proposed Conference on the frozen meat industry has been fixed for the 37th inst. It will take place m Wellington. The Commander m chief.— A London oable sayß :— The Duke of Connaught baß intimated that he does not desire to succeed the Dube of Cambridg3 as Commander-in-Chief. Ad jodrned.— Owing to the funeral of the late Mr Fulton taking place this afternoon, the Committee meeting of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association was adjourned to Saturday afternoon next. Steamers. — Tbe river boats are still detained m Wellington by the heavy southerly sea running outside the Heads. They may be expeoted to arrive m Blenheim to-morrow. Leonard Habfeb.— A London cable of the 6th ioßt. says :— The order of the extradition m the case of Leonard Harper has been granted. He professed himself to be anxious to return to New Zealand and answer every charge. Mrs D.fan. — The Southland Times states that tbe doomed woman Mrs Dean was in* formed of the decision of the Exeoutive on Saturday afternoon. She exhibited no eigns of violent emotion, and appears to be quite resigned to her fate. She passes her time principally m devotional exercises. Compensation.— The report of the Publio Petitions Committee of the Legislative Council on tbe petition of Gerald Fitzgerald for compensation m lieu of retiring* allowance, is to the effeot that, inasmuch as certain correspondence is embodied m tbe petition, it is not m order, and no recommendation can be made. Fibs Alarm. — Mr W. Litchfield, the looal Bgent of the Norwioh Union Insurance Company, has handed us a copy of the II Fire Alarm Signals" for Blenheim, which bis company have had printed for gratuitous distribution. Anyone desiring a copy can obtain same on application to Mr Litchfield, or at the Fire Brigade Station. Am Incident.— Sir Bobert Stout— "Tbe Premier broke his word." The Speaker— "The member must really admit I am oorreot m Oilling him to order." Sir Bobert—" Very well, sir, I will withdraw that phrase, and say the hon. member gave a pledge wbioh be didn't keep." (Laughter.) The Premier (angrily)—" The hon. member never did keep a pledge." An Eastern Rbp. — A Japanese commercial traveller is at present touring the West Coast of tbe South Island. Naturally the doings of the fir6t commercial representative of tbe progressive Eastern nation have exoited muoh interest wherever be has been. The gentleman m question is highly educated, and speaks English with remarkable fluenoy. At a recent meeting of tbe debating eooiety m Westport to discuss the Chinese question, tbe Japanese visitor spoke, displaying marked oratorical abilities. He was very emphatic m bis denunciation of tbe flooding of New Zealand and Australia with Chinamen, and expressed the opinion that a heavy poll-tax should be enforoed. Magisterial — At tbe Magistrate's Oourt ihia morning before Messrs T. Horton and W. Maoey J.P.'e. Jim Cum and Hugh Jeffs were charged with creating a disturbance of tbe peacs by fighting on the 7th inst. After evidence had been given by Jim Cum, Bailiff. (2), and H. Jeffs. Tbe bench said that they were of opinion that tbe offence had been proved against both defendants though m a lesß degree against the Chinaman. They therefore fined Jim Cum 53 and 6s costs and Jeffs 203 or m default 48 hours. The Chinaman paid his fine. Mr J. O'Leary appeared for Jim Cum. Arthur Vorbaoh was charged with shooting a fowl, the property of E. Martin at Benwick. The case waß dismissed plaintiff having failed to prove his oase, as the fowl was shot while trespassing and Mrs Vorbaoh had advertised that fowls trespassing would be destroyed.