LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXII, Issue 28, 3 February 1897, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Police Removal.— Sergeant O'Malley, who has been m charge of the local police staff during the past few months, has received notice of removal to Masterton, and will take bis departure, very shortly, Although his stay here has been brief, the Sergeant is popularly esteemed, both personally and m his official capacity. His administration of police affairs has n?et with the approval of all sections of the community, and everyone will regret the departure of the capable officer. It is understood that Sergeant Kiely, who was soma years ago stationed m Picton as a constable, will succeed Sergeant O'Malley. Lower Wairau River Board.— The first meeting of the newly elected Lower Wairau River Board will be held to • night. The initial business will be the election of a Chairman for the ensuing year. This is an important position, requiring ability and experience; and the members of the Board will no doubt exercise due discretion m miking the appointment. Membership of the River Board is very far from being a sinecure ; but the chairmanship is a particularly exacting office. There is more routine, and more responsibility, attached to the post than the general public might suppose. We understand that Mr Oarr has been nominated for the position. Mr Oarr has been on the Board for nine years, being the oldest member by six years ; and he not only possesses seniority, but also an intimate knowledge of the topography of the district, the action of the rivers, and River Board matters m general. His experience will be of good service m the Board's future administration, aud it would come well from the Cb>»ir. Obitdaby.— A very old settler has passed away m the person of Mr Samuel Eves at 'the ripe old age of 89 years. Deceased was one of the expedition men, having arrived m Nelson m the first of the expedition Bhips m 1842, and has thus been resident m the oolony for 55 years. He remained m Nelson for some years, finally settling m the Wairau about 40 years ago. Up till very lately he had eojoyed good health, his decease being due to senile deoay. Two sons, Messrs G. and W. Eves, of Renwicktown, and four daughters, Mrs F. Mitohell, Mrs Joseph Taylor of this town, Mrs Newman, of Cowslip Valley, and Mrs J. Mitohell, and a number of grandohildren are left to mourn their loss. The funeral will leave the residence of Mr G. Eves, Renwioktown, at 2 p.m. on Friday. Yachting.— The yaoht Waitangi arrived at Pioton at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. She left Wellington at 5 a.m., and had a lovely trip across the Straits. The vesEel is m oharge of Mr Kirker , of the Telegraph Department. They anohored m Tory Channel for an hour or two, then beat up against a southeast wind.

Punoh and Judy— A Punch' and Judy Show and Puppet Entertainment opens m Ewart'B Hall on Friday evening next. 'Fbisoo Maid.— The 'Frisoo mail Bteamer Zaalandia arrived at Auckland at 8 30 this morning; Telephone.— A telephone office is now open at Eaineaka, Auckland. The usual hours of attendance are observed. Inebriate. — A firßt offender pleaded guilty this morning before Mr J. Allen. S.M., with having imbibed too freely yes« , terday, and was fined 53 and 2s costs. Auction.— To-morrow at 2 o'clock Messrs Green and Go. will sell by auction, at the residenoe of Mr J. H. Boundy, Hawkeshaw Street, household furniture and effects. Pastoral Lands.— Particulars of the pastoral lands m Marlborough to be offered for sale by auction at the Crown Lands office on the 25th and 27th instant, appear m our advertising columns. Meteorological —Captain Edwin wired at noon as follows : — " North-eaet to north and west gale with raiD, and heavy sea. Glass fall Boon. Indications for high tides." Unsafe.— The inepsotor of the Wairau Road Board notifies that the bridge over Mill Creek, on the Dog Point road, is uneafe for traffic, travellers will therefore need to be oarefnl. Chequb Melting.— The good old days of knocking down cheques are not yet over. A ehearer oame into town about twelve days ago with a oheque for £40, and during that time he has managed to get rid of the whole of it, with the exception of a few shillings. Disohabgikg FiBEABMS.— At the Magis« trate's Court this morning, before Messrs J. Allen, S.M., and W. Avery, J.P., James Meagher pleaded guilty to a breach of the Borough Bye-laws by discharging firearms m Peroy Street. Defendant pleaded extenuating oiroumstacoes, W. Noßworthy, Town Clerk, and Fred. Brown gave evidenoe, and defendant made ft statement on his own behalf. A fine of 203 and 19s oosts was inflioted for the offence. Fibe.— The Pioton fire-bell rang out at mid-day on Tueeday. It turned out that a Bhed — used for various purposes— at the rear of Mr Webster's house, m High Street, was on fire. A very high wind was blowing at the time, and a little anxiety was felt for the safety of the Mechanic's Institnte. The Fire Brigade, however, was Boon on the spot and though the building was demolished the fire did not spread. A spark from a fireplace m the Bhed was the oause of the conflagration. Occupations of Chinese.— There is a Chinese woman m New Zealand who is teaching music. There is one Chinese chemist, one schoolmaster, one dentist, five medical men, only one hairdresser, one draper, one opium-seller, one laff-olerk, one ship's steward, one baker, one slaughterman, three farmers, 24 farm laborers, four carpenters, seven of independent means, ■656 market gardeners or assistant gardeners, 32 greengrocers, and 2162 gold miners. Just about 4000 too many of the unsavoury and unsatisfactory creatures. Against the Law.— Two small boys were oharged this morning, before Mr. J. Allen, S M , and W. Avery, J.P., with wilfully and malioiously damaging the handrail of the Beaver Boad bridge, the property of the Borough Council, by outting it. One lad pleaded guilty to cutting his name out and the other not guilty. Two of the Borough workmen, G. Marks and Mr Muir gave evidence. The father of one of th 9 boys attended m oourt. The Benoh fined eaoh of the boys Is damages, and divided the oourt costs, 18 j, between them. Mr Allen said he wished it to be clearly understood that if another case of the kind was proved against anyone the punishment would be Flax Growing. — In the course of an interview>ith a Wanganui Ohroniole reporter, Mr Holmes, the flax expert, said— Flax will grow on most of tho swamp lands m the colony. At present the best districts are Otaki, Levin, Shannon, Manukau, Palmerston North, Bulls and Rangitikei generally, Opunake and Blenheim; there are also large flax districts m Auokland and parts of the South Island, but the Manawatu, Rangitikei and Wanganui distriots, extending to Patea m the latter oase, are eminently Buited m many places for the cultivation of flax. Goldminikg Act, 1896.— We learn that the oase whiob occupied the Warden's Oourt here on Bth ultimo, m which Mr D. A. Douglas applied for a prospecting license on Mr J, Humphrey's freehold at Onamalutu, under the provisions of the Goldmining Aot Amendment Act, 1896, and whioh was adjourned by the Warden to allow him to inspeot the ground, has now been satisfactorily settled by the parties themselves, who have arranged suitable terum far working the section. In oonsequenoe of this arrangement, proooeedings m the Warden's Court on this matter have been cancelled. M.B.C. — A committee meeting of the Marlborough Baoing Club was held at the Club Hotel on Monday evening. Several trainers and jookeys licenses were granted. The secretary reported that programmes for the forthcoming autumn meeting had been distributed and that the credit balance at the bank was £200. He also reported that the trainers and jookeys provident fund now amounted to £65 10a. It was resolved that the totalisator at the forthcoming meeting be conduoted by Mr F, N. Joneß m oonformity with his tender of 15 per oent. and half fractions, After passing aooounts the meeting adjourned. Shocking Death. — A terrible fatality ocourred on the Sandy Creek road, between three and four miles from Molong. A young man named Robert George Hyland, 20 years of age, son of Mr William Hyland, J.P., of Marraville, was driving a team oontaining two horses from his father's farm into Molong, The dray was loaded with wheat, and after travelling about four miles the deoeased went to jump from the dray on which he was riding, when his right foot caught m the reins, whioh were tied to the Bide of the dray, causing him to fall under the wheel, whioh passed over his head, killing him instantly. A youDg sister of the deceased, who was travelling with him into Molong, was the only one who witnessed the aooident. Teachers as Returning Officers. The question of school teaohers acting as deputy returning offioers at Parliamantary elections, says tha Poat, oropped up at a meeting of the Wellington Education Board last Wednesday. The Masterton School Committee wrote on the Bubjeot, expressing the opinion that teaohers should not be so employed. Mr Buohanan quite canourred m this opinion. As sohool teaohers were paid out of the publio moneys, he thought that they and all other persons m the employ of the publio should not take any aotive part m the elections. Dc Newman could see no objeotion to the praotioe. Messrs MoCardle and Youug agreed with Mr Buohanan, Mr Young stating that he thought it not only unwise, but wrong for teaobers to mix up m politics. Mr Buohanan pointed out that there were ocr» tain publio positions that should b 9 free from partisanship of any kind, The Board decided to endorse the opinion of the Mas* tertoa Committee.