LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 58, 4 March 1909, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

A Christchurch telegram states that the Addington railway inquiry is expected to open on the 10th instant.

Captain Edwin telegraphed at noon at follows:—-"Strong northerly winds to gal©; tides good; sea considerable on coast; rain probable; glass fall soon after sixteen hours."

Messrs Niven and Co., of Napier, have secured the contract for the installation of electrical equipment in the Southland Company's freezing works atMataura.

The Junior; crickot match between Marshlands and Tua Marina, fixed for Saturday next, 6th inst., will not be played, Tua Marina being unable to get a team together.

i Mr T. Scott-Smith, Registrar of the Supreme Court, formally opened,the Supreme Court this morning, andjadjouriied the sitting till the 9th June next. There was no business set down for hearing.

8d per yard for lovely Jap silks, in all colors, ,23 inches wide, absolutely the greatest offer in the Dominion, and worth, three times the money.—R. Allan, Cash Draper. *

The Mayor of Feilding has received a petition (says a Press Association telegram) asking that a poll be taken on the question of the day for the weekly half-holiday. The poll will be taken on April 28.

At last" night' s meeting of the Lower AVairau River Board Mr McCallum gave notice that he would move at the next meeting of the Board that the secretary's salary be increased to £120 per annum.

The annual picnic of the Blacksmiths' and Coachbuilders' Association will be held on Satiuday next. A train will leave Blenheim for Picton at 8 a.m., and on arrival at the seaport the members'of the party will be taken down the Sounds.

The thermometer readings at the principal ports in the Dominion at nine o'clock this morning were: Auckland 65, Taiiranga 61, Gisborne 66, Napier 60, New Plymouth" 65, Wellington 62j Blenheim 65, Westport 65, Lyttelton 64, Port Chalmers 60, Bluff 59. The sea generally is smooth.

The supplementary roll (No. 2) of persons entited to vote at Parliamentary and Licensing Elections has been issued. It contains 66 names, while 65 names appearing on the main roll or previous supplementary roll have been deleted.

The Auckland Education Board has decided to interview the Minister for Education to protest against the capitation grant /being paid on the average attendance for the last quarter of 1908, which involved a loss to the Auckland Board of £638 as compared with the system hitherto in force.

Thousands and thousands of bargains at R. Allan's sale of_ newly arrived winter goods, including ladies' black and navy vicuna dress iskirts, nicely trimmed in the latest style,, at 5s 9d each; worth 12s 6d.—R. Allan.*

"The Sounds" shows no sign of waning popularity. Scores of bays are occupied by campers, country folk especially being keen after rusticating by the seaside. Last night two large parties returned home—one from Ship Cove, the other from Endeavor Inlet. Their places were filled this morning with further contingents of "gypsies."

The annual distribution of prizes in connection with the Presbyterian Sunday school will take place in ; St. Andrew's Hall to-morrow evening. There will be an attractive programme of music rendered, and parents :md friends of the scholars will be cordially welcomed. A collection will be made in aid of the Sunday School funds.

Post-marking machines are now in use at the more important post offices in the Dominion. The impression of the die m these machines appears along the top, the whole length of the front of the envelope. To avoid the cancellation of any portion of the address of letters, senders are recommended to write the first line below the level of the bottom edge of |the postage-stamp. It is not generally known that good money can be made at stonebreaking. One man employed by the Eltham County drew for last month's work a cheque for £28 at 3s 6d per yard. This means that 160 yards were broken. The Hawera Star's Kaponga correspondent is informed that this same man has drawn the sum of £35 for one month's work, all for stone-breaking except about £4, which was for picking up and breaking road.

Maskelyne and Devants' wonder workers dre\v another good house to the Town Hall last night, when their short season terminated. The clever conjuring and balancing feats, the cabinet and box tricks served to amuse and mystify the audience 2 who were not entirely satisfied, but wished for more. Mr Barclay Gammon's nonsense is beyond criticism,- and his music something to be remembered. To sum up, the show-is an excellent one, and will live in the memory of those whose -.good fortune allowed them to be present. I

It is as well to guard against the coming winter by re-stocking the wardrobe with underclothing, but the reprehensible methods of replenishment which roused the ire of housewives last autumn is.beyond a joke. The night sneak thief is about again, and various goodwives have lately awakened in the morning to the fact that their clothes lines have been s deplenished of their garnishings. Last night the thief got away with a stock' of underclothing. from a clothes line in Whitney Street.. This midnight marauder has been successful for,some considerable time in getting; clean away, but the residents of. that part of the town, at all events, are taking concerted action to effect a capture.

One of the candidates for the licensing bench, Mr G. T. Corbett, whose advertisement appears elsewhere, is well known to the ratepayers as a resident of the district for a quarter of a century, during which time he has filled positions which should admirably fit him for the one he now seeks. He has been Chairman of the Pelorus Road Board, and an hotel proprietor in. that district, and has also been steward "of .the Marlborough Club. But it is as a temperance worker in later years that Mr Corbett is best known, he having been actively connected with that interest for a considerable time past. He, however, announces that he is not standing in the interests of any party, but will do his duty fearlessly and impartially.

Some of the members of the Maskelyne and Devant Company will have cause to remember Blenheim. An adverrture befell Mr Gintaro, his wife, and Mr Owen Clark on the Palace car to the Hospital yesterday. The car was proceeding up Howick Road, a motor-car, driven by Mr t J. Barton, manager of Leafield Station, and having as passenger Mr C. Waddy, of Barker's Creek, coming up behind. The driver of the motorcar says he endeavoured to sound his horn, but it was punctured, and in passing, the petrol-driven vehicle collided with the car. There were a number of passengers in the Palace car, and some of the ladies received a great fright. Mr Clark was thrown out and his coat torn. Fortunately the Palace car was not jerry-built,and stood the shock, and, as far as can be ascertained, no damage of any consequence ensued. Mr Gintaro took advantage of the opportunity to "snap-shot" the car and the motorcar and occupants. Mr Poppleton had his horses well in hand, and managed to quieten them and save a runaway, and what might have proved an awkward accident ended in nothing material being damaged, with the exception of Mr Clark's coat and the ladies' nerves.