LOCAL & GENERAL HEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 103, 2 May 1908, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL HEWS.

Owing to Wednesday next being race day the usual stock 'sales at Blenheim on that day will commence at 9.30 a.m.

The local office of the Union Company is in receipt of a fine etched picture of their turbine steamer Maheno, under way. The fine lines of the shipwrights', art with which tho Maheno abounds are fully brought out.

By some' mistake it was made to appear yesterday that the name of the defendant m the indecent exposure case was John Nicoll. llie name should bave been Gr. Nicaolls.

During the month of April the slaughtering- and inspection fees derived from the abattoirs amounted to £60 7s 6d, as against £56 17s 6d for the month of March.

' The Borough foreman, who returned from Weld's Hill yesterday, the Council last evening that there ,were no horses offered' which would suit the requirements of the Borough.

.MAttentioniiis.drawnto the fact that ;thjerskating .-sink, will .be- opened at the Town ■ Halt' this afternoon at 3 o'clock,'. and. also in the evening at 8 o'clock.; A' hand; will be in attendance.' >;U.<

Councillor , Brown gave notice of motion at the Council meeting last evening "That in the event of,the £3000 loan being granted, the Council purchase a combined traction engine and roller."

At the '/meeting of the Borough Council last night Councillor Carr handed in a list of things which it was necessary to purchase for the Fire Brigade. , It was resolved that the articles be

Ai the',,porjpugh Council's meeting last evening, Councillor Patehett asked for the use of the room for the Harbour Board to hold their meetings in. On the motion of Councillor Carr the request was granted.

At the 'meeting of the Borough Council last night Councillor Macey gave notice' to move " That the Council obtain'the services of an assistant impounder, the pay to be the driving fees, the agreement to be terminated by one month's notice on either side." "It was resolved at the meeting of the Council last evening that the installation of the Mayor take place on *riday night, instead of Wednesday, although' the latteV . was (the proper day.■ TUT Mayor ' jocularly remarked ■that ■he'w^vild risk another contest. ( , Vlt 13."understood, that' a prosecution is pending against a resident of Urovetown for the alleged shooting of imported game, to wit, Californian .quail, during the close season. ' The birds are at present hanging up at the police, station. For obvious reasons the prosecution should be brought on as soo«as possible.

, A meeting of the Committee of the Marlborough branch of the Farmers' Union was held in the A. and P. rooms this morning. The annual report was adopted, and it was resolved to refer it to the annual meeting which took place in' the afternoon. The subscription for the ensuing year was fixed at 10s.

A Press- Association telegram from Palmerstoh North says:—The name of John Burke O'Brien, a well-known character, will be missing from the Police Court records for some time, the old man> who is over 60 years of age, haying been committed to the Inebriates' Home at Pakatoa, Auckland, for two years by Mr Thomson, S.M., to-day.

When the accounts were presented at, the (meeting of the Borough Council last evening Councillor Macey mentioned, that there' was an account for £1 15s, repairs to foreman's bicycle, which was out of the ordinary run. He mentioned that the bicycle was used in the service of the Council, and that if the foreman did not use the bicycle. the ( Council would have to pay trap hire." The account was passed.

There was..only one case sot down for hearing ut the Police Court today, before Mr Scott Smith, S.M. A young man was charged with committing an indecent act in a public place. Accused pleaded guilty, and elerted to be dealt with summarily. Eiis counsel pleaded in extenuation of his offence that the place where the act occurred was a quiat thoroughfare, <md accused had taken the precaution to see tnat no oitiens wfi're'ab:mt There was no proper accommodation in the town, and the accused was a respectable resident or the district. The Sergeant-Major stated that tho man had been arrested- jnpre. as a warning ths.n ■because his was a flagrant act, and the Magistrate, taking this into consideration, inflicted a fine of 10s and costs.

Pearson's Pepto-chlor is a safe and sure cure for indigestion., All chemists, Is, 2s 6d, and 4s. 1 The renewed' fighting between our troops and the warlike Afridis brings to mind. an> incident of an el campaign. An officer of the British force pointed, out to one of the friendly Afridis bearing arms; with his men a black fellow skulking round the fort, obviously with evil intent., I see him, sar," replied the Afridi sentry, pointing with his finger at the Afridi enemy. '"I.see him, sar; had two shots at him already. Him bery hard to hit: him he hardest man to hit I know/ "Ah, then, you know him, do you?" said the officer. "Yes, sar, I know him—great rascal; been tryin' shoot him all de week." "Well, who is he? What's his name?" "Oh, bery great rascal, sar—he my father!"

Thus '-Athens" in the Melbourne Leader: —Archdeacon Hindley has been asking, in the course of a sermon at St. Paul's, "What is the matter with the Church of England?" The j Archdeacon recited the many dissensions and disturbances that have occurred within tho Church recently, and provided what some persons may think a wholly satisfactory explanation of the trouble when he said: — "The devil appears to have been loosed, and' is making his presence felt iri many centres." I have understood fioni tho first that the devil was'ahvays loose; but let that pass. Mr Hindley implies that Satan is going to church these times, and since it is the bitter complaint of clergymen that men refuse to go ito church, surely Old Nick ought to get the credit of setting mortals a good examule! '

The shipping service in connection with jjjjie Tasmanian-New Zealand timber* trade appears to be the outstanding grievance in Tasmania (says the Dxtnedin Star). ' The . Hobart Merciiry deals trenchantly Hvith the business, and says, in the issue of April 21st, that " for years the shipping companies have shown no desire to foster the trade, but,, on the contrary, have treated the industry as beirfg of no importance, and traders have been shown no consideration." The statement published in The Star, and subsequently cabled to Tasmania, to the effect that the Union Company were prepared to send a cargo vessel whenever there was a full load for one, is interpreted by the Hobart Mercury as "practically telling the merchants that their trade is not wanted." The article discussed also states ..that - "it is estimated that there are quite 200,000 ft of timber on the wharves waiting shipment to New Zealand, and the harbour-master has stopped any more being brought up on account of. there being no guaranty cwhen steamship owners will condescend to take it. Some of it was put down over a month ,agp.'* The Merciiry is of opinion that merchants, both, in T^astiiania and Zealandy will doubtless negotiate for outside tonnage. It is stated that the Union steamer Hawea has been fixed to load timber at Hobart about May 14th. :