NEWS AND NOTES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 179, 29 July 1905, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Haupiri takes the Wainni's rnn to Westport and Grey month, but does not call at Nelson. This is owing to the Wainni having been detained on the Coast by bad weather.

Forty-one Chinamen have petitioned Parliatn: nb to suppress the gambling that goes on io the Chinese quarter in Wellington. They say the gambling evil is demoralising the Chinese and also the white man.

An inquest was held in the Courthouse yesterday afternoon concerning the death of the infant, child of Herman and Annie Wybrott, a certificate of death haviDg been refused by the doctor in attendance. Evidence having been given by the mother of the child and others, a verdict was returned that death was due to natural causes. °

When H.M.S. Challenger was in Vladivostocksome time since, a Russian man-of-war asked her to go out and see some of its target practice. So she went out to sea with the Russians,, who fired two broadsides at a target as big as a house, 1500 yards away, missed it completely, and injured 40 of their own men, through the deck collapsing from the concussion. Then the Challenger took a hand, and smashed the target with one shot.

The status of old age pensions at the Ohiro Horce was discussed at this weak's meeting of tbe Benevolent Trustees. It was decided that in future eight shillings a week sbould be charged for maintenance against all old age pensioners in the home, and that the balance of the pensions sbould be deposited in a trust account to tbe credit of each pensioner, the money to be paid to the pensioner on leaving the home.

The following have bean selected to represent the South Island in the hockey match North v. South:—Rowland! (Nelson), P. Campbell (Rangiora), G, Ford (Sydenham), J. Maher (Lyttelton), R. Biddy, H. Egglestoce (Chmtehureh), R. Rankin(Addingtoo), W. Harrington (Sydenhatn), G. Luxton (Lyttelton), J. H. Jacotnbs (Sydenham), McDonald (Christchureb), The match will be played in Obristohurch on Augnsfc 3rd.

A London paper, dated May 15tb, states that in the course of excavations in the neighborhood of Breslau 400 graves and 150 prehistoric dwellingplaces have been brought to light. The oldest of the graves contained bones dating from a period previous to the Bronze Age, and in other graves near; by were found urns showing that they had contained bodies interred five centuries later. The excavators have been able to traoe the site of a village: of the Bronze Age. About a dozen huts are clearly recognisable. A whole collection of spinning and weaving appliances has also been dug up. '

The New Zealand Shipping Com-; pany, Shaw, Savill and Albion Com* pany, and Tyser line have reduced tbe freights on grain shipped to London to** 15s per ton for wheat, beans, and peas, and 20s per ton for oats. The news of the reduction (says the Christohurch Press) was received with much satisfaction among merchants in Tlmaru, and it is estimated that it will at once unlock for shipment Home from that port, at least £0,000 sacks of grain. One firm has been holding 50,000 sacks for some little time in the hope that reduced freights would soon be ofte/ed.

What is probably the greatest sub ; marine explosion ever caused by human1 agency occurred off Aboukir, near Alexandria, early last month. It bad become necessary to destroy no leas than sixteen and a half tons of powerful dynamite. This enormous mass of explosives was placed in the sea, at a safe distanca» and connected with an electric battery on shore. All being ready, a button was pressed, and the sixteen and a half tons of dynamite exploded with a deafening roar that; shook the air and was heard for miles around. Something like a submarine earthquake followed, the sight being one ot magnificent grandeur. A water-; spout shot into the air to a height of about 2000 ft, and fell back in dazzling spray. Simultaneously the sea became: a whirlpool of seething water, asif agitated by a hurricane. The operation was a complete success. ; Have you got a thorough chill Goose all over, really ill; ' Wheezing, sneezing, shrill and high, Furry tongue, and watery eye; : Oblivions' to the world's affairs, ' All its sorrows, pleasures, cares, : Useless suffering, why endure ? Take Woods' Great Peapermint Cvbe* 9 Some idea of the expedition with which the contractors for the King: Edward Barracks at Christchurch have done their work may \ c gathered from the facts tint the first steel grinder; was placed in position on June 30tb, and that between that date and the, present, an area of 36,000 square feet has been covered in. At times there; have been over two hundred men working on the building at one time. It is stated that for every nine square feet of area there is one square foot of glass in the structure. In addition to the barracks proper, the contractors have bad in hand at the same time the mobilisation store and officers'rooms. This building is now practically finished, all that is required to npmplete being the furniture. The rapid construction of the barracks is (says the Press) generally conceded to have no parallel in local building annals. To enable the work of construction to go on uninterruptedly night and day, the interior of the building has been brilliantly illuminated by a number of gas lamps, ranging iv power fro n 400 to 1000 candles, and suspended from the roof by wire ropes. By means of flexible steel tubing the men were enabled to bring the light to the exact point required.