Established 1866. The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Friday, June 28, 1901. LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXV, Issue 147, 28 June 1901, Page 2

Established 1866. The Marlborough Express PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. Friday, June 28, 1901. LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Cash Boot Makt. —Attention is drawn to Mr Morris's new advertisement in this issue.

Met eokolog ioal. —Captain Edwin wipes as follows: — "Moderate to strong easterly winds, glass fall, poor tides, frost to night."

Auctions.—To-morrow, at 2 p.m., Messrs Green and Co. will sell, at their yards, fat sheep, cattle, and pigs. At 2.30 the same firm will offer, at their rooms, a line of assorted drapery.

Sale ov Stock. —The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company announce- an important sale of live stock and farm requisites, which will take place at St. Leonards on the 10th July. Flood Relief.—Wo again remind the residents of the North Ward that the public meeting in connection with the Hood relief scheme for that wa-d takes place in the Good Templars' Hull to-night at 8 o'clock. Property Sale.—lnstructed by the mortgagees, Messrs Horton and Co. will bring under the hammer, at their rooms, at 11 a.m. to-morrow, a property at Blind River, consisting of 100 acres, held under lease in perpetuity from the Crown. Licensing Committee. —At the adjourned meeting of the Wairau Licensing Committee, held to dsi,y x the application of Mr F. Adams for a license for the Reefer's Rest, Wakamarina, was granted. Our extended report of tho proceedings is crowded out.

Civil Business. —The transacts n of civil business this morning at th' 3 Magistrate's Court occupied but a very short time. Lower Wairau River Board v. James Lees was adjourned until July sth, as was also the case Directors Wakamarina Flat G'oldmin ing Association v. G. M. Matuioson. Two other cases were struck out.

Roots. —There are now on exhibition at the office of the Christchurch Meat Company in Blenheim, a very fine collection of roots—red and yellow mangolds, carrots and turnips. They were grown iu-Canterbury, the Company's well known fertilisers being employed in their production. The red mangolds turn the scale at 281 bs and the yellow at 25lbs, while the carrobs weigh between four and five pounds each. Farmers iv town tomorrow should make it a point to inspect the roots.

Outward 'Frisco Mail.—Owing to the sailing of the sJs. Wainui from Picton having been altered from Monday July Ist, to Satgßday, July 29, hero by tho Opawa on Tuesday, July :2nd. As the 'Frisco mail is leiving Wellington for Auckland on Wednesday next, business people should see cor rcspondonce goes forward per Wainui on Saturday evening in case .any unforscen circumstance should interfere with the Opawa's sailing.

Australia's . Danger.—Commander Tiekell, of tho Victorian Naval Contingent., says :—Few people realised that China, Japan, and Russia, from the furthest east point to which her influence extended, were within ten days' sail of Australia, and that the centre of international interest had shifted from the Mediterranean to the North Pacific. Australia would have to play an important part in international dealings, and the sooner Australians realised that the sooner would they see the necossity of adequate land and sea forces for their defence.

The Investiture of Sir John McKenzie. —At Shag Point, where the Pacific rolls along tho splendid Kartigi beach (writes the Post's special correspondent), the Royal train pulled up and a pleasing ceremony, which is probably unique in the annals of the British Empire, took, place. On the platform was seen the Hon. John M'Kenzie, an ex-Minister of the Crown,, sore stricken in health, and his wife and daughters. They were conducted into the Duke's carriage, and the Duke with his own hands presented Mr M'Kenzie with the Order of Knighthood. It was a novel and at the same time a most pathetic investiture, and New Zealand will certainly nob forget the, kindly feeling of the Duke who could so far throw oil tho trammels of a Royal Court of Investiture as to make the presentation to a man in John M'Kenzio's plight in such a manner. Though worn out to a shadow, poor John (New Zealanders will always know him as John M'Kenzie) comported himself with calmness and dignity, though his Highland blood must have been coursing faster through his veins as he received his wellmerited reward at the hands of his King's son. Mrs M'Kenzie (now Lady M'Kenzie) and her two daughters were also presented to the Duke and Duchess.

The President of the Steel Combine. —Mr Charles M. Schwab, president of tho United States Steel Corporation, is thirty-nine years old. At the age of fifteen he drove a mail waggon ; at eighteen he served as grocer's clerk at 10 dollars a month with board. As stake-driver to the Edgar Thomson Steel Works he earned 30 dollars a month, and when he entered the drafting ofiice he spent his nights in an improvised laboratory, studying chemistry, His present salary—concerning which there are innumerable guesses — is certainly greater than any ever paid before, to a single individual, and his workpeople, not reckoning several thousand clerks, numbering about 50,000.

Examination Coaching.—The Masterton School Committee is taking stops to prohibit state school 'teachers from " coaching" pupils for civil s<»"g vice and other examinations, and al'tf^ receipt of a letter from tho Education Board, in which the latter stated it did not .sec its way to take any steps in the direction indicated by a resolution of tho ccfiHUjittee in this connection, it was decides? by five votes to three that tho attention: of tho Minister of Educa tion be drawn to the fact that paid teachers of State sohools in large centres are entering into what the eqs&£ mitteo considers unfair competition with private and qualified individuals in "coaching" pupils for civil service I and other examinations, and that the Minister bo requested to have such regulations framed by the Education Department as will rondei* such competition impossible,

A Millionaire Draper. —Mr Thomas Robert Roberts, of Islington, London, died'on tho 25th Apvil. When only thirteen years of age, Mr Roberts and his brother John travelled' to London to try their fortune. They entered the metropolis without a penny, but both managed to obtain situations as errand boys at a drapery establishment. In a few years the brothers had saved enough money to open a small business of their own. By dint of hard work this developed into the present wellknown establishment in Islington. The deceased gentleman was sixty-four years of age, and he is stated to have been a millionaire.

Tolstoi and the Czar.—Tolstoi has written a remarkable letter to the Czar, says tho Vienna correspondent of tho Daily Telegraph. "Instead of covering your name with imperishable fame by treading in the way of Justice," writes the reformer to the Czar, "you protect injustice. Sire, free the peasant from the brutal tyranny of the officials; give him his equal rights with other ranks; do away with the present police system, which demoralises society, degrades the Empire, and breeds spies and informers. Do away with the restraints on education, so that the road to enlightenment may lie open to all. Prohibit v.o man from having his free belief, even if the Stundists and Molokanists should build their chapels at pleasure; only let religious persecutions cease." The letter created a groat sensation.

A Millionaire's Freaks*.—The late "Jimmy" Tyson, tho sheep millionaire, of Queensland, was never happy iinless he was reducing the expenditure on his " rims," or making his hands "sit up." There was nothing distinguished looking about "Jimmy," and to observe him taking a 'mob of "fats" on the rivers in the greasiest of moleskins was a common sight. One of the millionaire's dodges to cut down expenses was to take his swag and " hump it" to some of his oatstations. His properties—about the size of the British Isles—were- looked after by men who had never seen the boss, and tho said boss would arrive at sundown and ask for the usual" pannikin of dust and a shakedown." If he succeeded in extracting tho pennyworth of flour, so much the worse for the station hand. He received his discharge there and then, "Jimmy" camping in the place till morning. Before the millionaire's death a lady collecting for charities approached tho great man in his Melbourne lair. " Can you give us a subscription, Mr Tyson?" Tyson could, and he wrote out a £100 cheque. Tho lady was so surprised at the munificence of the notoriously mean one that she asked him if he had made a mistake. " Ye?," said " Jimmy," and his language was largely interspersed with great Australian adjectives, "I have,', and he tore the cheque into smallest pieces, and dismissed the fair canvasser.

A Matrimonial Incident. — The Gippsland Mercury reports an incident which Occurred in the Meredith Presbyterian Church recently. "Before the completion of the ceremony the brido was subjected, to rough handling by the best man and the bridegroom in an efforfc to secure the first kiss. She was also showered with rice to such an extent tiiat she rushed towards the door to escape. The rest of the party followed but wore called back by the minister, who reminded them of the fact that the ceremony was not quite finished, and remarked upon the manner in which tho bride had been treated. The best man took umbrage at the remarks, and commenced arguing the point with tho minister,, who asked him lo sit down, and then told him to leave the church. By this time the ire of the bride's brother was aroused, and he called out to the person who had caused all the trouble (who is his brother-in-law): ' Como out of the church ; there are plenty of

UuliOi' CffUrcfles in the ■■bxyvrnahhpr 1 ¥1;^ reojticst Avas complied with, but when tlu-y reached the door they attempted to ro-ontep. A general scuffle ensued, resulting in the offenders being ejected from the building, amidst the cries of the female portion of the wedding party, including the bride, who had become hysterical. As soon as poaeo was restored the necessary signatures were obtained, and the party left the church.

Oil Shipments.—The Standard Oil Company, of America, has chartered the steamer Knight Errant and four barques to carry its oil to Melbourne or Sydney between and including the mouths of June and September. The Knight Errant will take 200,000 cases, and the barques 330,000 cases. The chartering of these vessels is some indication of the big fight which is to take place between the American Company and the Russian company (the Shell Transport Company) which has just inauguarated the shipment of petroleum in bulk to Australia. The . intention of the latter company may be judged from the following extract of a letter received by a Wellington merchant from a Sydney firm: —"The Shell Transport Company started its new business this week on the arrival of one of its tank steamers from Baku, with one million gallons of kerosene, which it poured from its steamers into reservoirs. This company has opened similar places in Melbourne, and in tends to have its reservoirs in all the principal cities of Australia and New Zealand." Another steamer is on the way down to an Australian port with a second cargo of Russian oil, and so. we are given to understand, the future colonial supplies of the Shell Transport Company wilf be drawn from the Borneo wells, in which the Russian company is largely interested. Colonial Imports axd Exports.— The Cape official siatement of imports and exports for 1900 is instructive. The figures given are exclusive of specie, gold, and diamonds. The Old Country loads, oi" course, with tho big figures of £11,052,428 and £0,854,175 ■respectively, America coming next £1,77M80 and £22,420. Then follows tho Atnrralasian group of colonies with £1,331X00 and £2273, made up as follows :— Imports. Exports. £ £ Victoria ... ... 735,522 1,565 South Afeitoalia ... 234,722 32 New SoipßVales... 210,698 453 West Arlfcralia ... 89,700 188 New Zefand ... 56,289 35 QueenslJ^, ... 11,847 TasmaniL ... 6,173