LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 151, 1 July 1902, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

_—.—^s^Dkedging. •— The wolden Point Dredging Company's returns for the week ending 30th June was 27 ounces of gold fof 104J hours dredging.

Mutual Improvement Society.—At to-night's meeting of the above Society the evening's subject set down on the syllabus is that of " impromptu speaking."

Threshing.—Mr A. W. Jackson

notifies that Mr Jas. Fulton will be in charge of his threshing plant for the coming season's operations, and all orders left with him will receive prompt and careful attention.

Meteorological. — Captain Edwin wires as follows:—" Strong winds to gale from between northeast and north and west; glass further fall; poor tides ; indications for rain."

Wellington Steamer. —Passengers for Wellington via Picton will do well to note that the Penguin sails on Wednesday next, in connection with the 10.30 a.m. train.

Nectar Teas. —These favorite teas aro now being introduced to the Marlborough public, and may be obtained of Messrs D. R. Nevison, Blenheim, and H. A. McCormick, Picton. They are pure Ceylon teas, and it is claimed for them that they are "delicious, fragrant, and economical, and every tin a prize in itself."

Deceased Wife's Sisteu Bill. —A somewhat new departure has been taken in the letters addressed by a sort of " Council of Churchwomcn " to those members of Parliament who voted for or not at all on the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill. A pathetic remonstrance is made with the latter and a "serious call" is issued to the former—on the ground that the women of England are against the measure. Among the signatories are those staunch Cliurchwomen the Hon. Mrs Arthur Lyttelton, the Hon. Victoria Grosvenor, Lady Laura Ridding, Mrs Temple aud Mrs Sumner.

Wesley CHOECH.--The Rev. G. W, Spence on Sunday night delivered the last of the scries of character sketches of " Notables of the Old Testament," the subject for the evening's discourse being "Belshazzar, the sacrilegious king." Bekhazzar, he said, was the successor of the great Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned 50 years over the great Chaldean Empire, and had seen many a province added to his fair kingdom After describing the glories of ancient Babylon, the preacher said that in the raidsfc of all his glories God was not acknowledged by Nebuchadnezzar, so tho Almighty smote him, and drove him out into the wilderness until he became contrite. Though Belshazzar know all this he did not profit thereby, but became more profligate than Nebuchadnezzar ever dreamt of. When Jerusalem was ravaged by the Chaldeans the sacred golden vessels of the ark were carried off, and were stored away in the heathen temple of Baal, the national god of Babylon, but were treated nevertheless with a certain amount of veneration. Belshazzar, however, in the midst of a great national banquet, decided to mock the God of Israel by using the sacred vessels for profane purposes. Even whilst so doing, the hosts of of Cyrus, king of Persia, wero besieging the city, tho ruler of which thought himself secure from invasion; but the Persians, by diverting the river Euphrates obtained an entrance into the supposed impregnable city, and captured the Empire. During the banquet the mystical handwriting appeared on the wall " Mene, inene, tekel upharsin," which Daniel, on being called in, interpreted to mean the utter and irretrievable ruin of the Babylonish empire, and that Belshazzir had been weighed iv the balance and found wanting. From this stirring chapter of ancient history the preacher drew many an illustration of the necessity of using our powers for good to the best advant age, showing that each one, when weighed iii the balance, will be judged according to the powers and privileges bestowed upon them, The weights used will bo absolutely correct, just, and impartial. The fact of being brought up in a religious atmosphere and home-life would be of no account unles.s used as a means of advancement along the right path. Like Belshazzar, many will cry " peace and safety "at the very moment when sudden destruction coireth. During the course of a most interesting discourse, the preacher referred to the excessive indulgence in strong drink during the last week. He had never seen more drunkenness in his life than during the last three days, when reverent thankfulness for God's mercies ought to have been the predominant feeling. He failed to see why devotion to the Royal Family should by some be exhibited by lowering their manhood in this manner.

The Founder of Arbor Day.—By the death of Mr Sterling Morton, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture under President Cleveland, the United States has lost one of whom posterity will owe much. Mr Morton was possessed of a passion for the planting of trees, and he inoculated a nation with his enthusiasm. He instituted "Arbor Day," that useful annual holiday on which every rightminded citizen of tho " prairie States " puty an acorn or seed into the ground ; and he did much to teach the timber States to appreciate and preserve their heritage, so that now each has its trained foresters and its scientificallytaught corps of wood rangers. Every letter that Mr Morton wrote from his estate in Nebraska had the words "Plant trees" engraved at the top, and he never wearied of talking of the future years in which the thousands of miles of prairie land beyond the Mississippi should be shadowed and diversified with foliage.

Second Sight.—ln connection with the cable reporting the illness of Captain Taranaki and Lieutenant Uru, of the Maori Contingent for the Corona tion, the Hawke's Bay Herald says it is a strange coincidence that about a month ago the Maoris near Hastings had a matakito (second sight), and they, so it is stated, conversed amongst themselves to the effect that something was wrong with Taranaki. It was just about then that Taranaki must have been taken ill, on the voyage from the Cape to England. At the request of tho natives a cable was to be despatched through the Acting-Premier, enquiring as to the exact state of Taranaki's health.

Poor Clergy.—" It is better," said the Bishop of Sfc. Albans lately, " that tho clergy should be poor than rich ;" but he went on to point out that the larger half of the clergy are not poor in tho ordinary sense, but a;most destitute—so greatly have their emoluments shrunk. The bishop was plead ■ ing at St. Paul's for the " Sons of the Clergy" fund—an institution which is the oldest largest, and most comprehensive of the clerical charities. It annually disburses about £25,000 to the families of tho clergy, and nearly 2000 recipients receive its help every year.

IfusuAND.s. —With 0000 lusty young men gone to South Africa, thoro must ho a dearth of marriageable bachelors in Now Zealand. An Anglo Indian residing at Nelson has given Indian officers a hint in a letter which the Pioneer lias just; published. "There aro, ho .says, but few eligible young men in tho upper grades of society, and there aro fine handsome girls here galore, who have, T fear, but a poor chance of getting husbands in their own rank in life. An Indian officer on tho look-out for a wife could not do better than come here, if. ho does jiot require money."

Status ov Licensing Committees. — The status of members of Licensing Committees was briefly discussed in. the Supreme Court at Wellington during the hearing of the Blenheim Central Hotel case. Mr Skerrett thought it a mistake that members of a judicial body with important judicial duties to perform should be elected to that position. Mr Justice Edwards remarked that that was a question of policy. The Chief Justice said he had expressed his opjnion long ago that members of Licensing Committees should not be treated as judicial officers at all. The law, however, said otherwise. Mr Skerrett pointed out that in the matter of predetermination, any person could try to disqualify a member by " drawing" him, with insulting remarks thab would be most likely to make him say something that would apparently commit him. Mr Skerrett submitted, however, that any statement so "drawn" could not be treated as showing predetermination. Mr Justice Denniston remarked that a member could say, " I am a judicial officer, and I canuot discuss the matter," but he was afraid they had not reached that stage yet. The Chief Justice added that in the first place the members were elected as the result of a contest between opposing parties, and they were bound, even unconsciously, to be biased when they came to form a judicial instead of a merely administrative body. They must strive when they came to deal with matters brought before them to get rid of all bias.

American Evangelists.—Last week a letter signed by most of the dissenting clergymen in Wellington was despatched to Melbourne, inviting a visit to this city of the American evangelists whose "simultaneous mission" has for some weeks past created such a sensation in the Victorian capital. A letter received there indicates that at least the Rev Dr Torrey, leader of the mission, and Mr Alexander, who conducts the musical portion, are willing to visit New Zealand, so it is anticipated that the invitation will be acceded to. The mission in Melbourne has been cjiiite unprecedented, both in its character and results, so far as these colonies are concerned. Enormous audiences have attended the meetings, and recently an invitation to "converts"—people who professed themselves to have been converted as the outcome of the mission—resulted in 8500 people assembling at the Exhibition building.

A BOON TO BUSY MEN. Business men are busy men, and in the rush of business, in the anxiety and worry of keeping pace with the swiffc march of progress, the proper nourishment of the body is too often neglected. Irregularity and the disobedience of Nature's laws produce malnutrition of the body, aud the busy business man finds himself a semiinvalid, suffering from chronic constipation, dyspepsia, biliousness, depression, insomnia, torpid liver, and weakened kidneys. The business man and the businesswomen need health, energy and good spirits to succeed, and to such, as suffer Impey's May Apple, the ideal family medicine, is a boon. It acts gently and painlessly, and aids Nature. It is mild in its operations and certain in its effects. It is a pure vegetable compound, and is the greatest scientific discovery of the age, and absolutely the safest and most reliable remedy for all stomach ailments. Sold by chemists and stores at 2s Cd per bottlo, or post free from the wholesale agents, Sharland and Co.