LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 115, 13 May 1909, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

The Picton Swamp is at present covered with water conseqxient upon the recent heavy rains. The Auckland Board of Education has accepted the tender of Stanley Jeffreys (£20,889) for the .erection of the Technical College. The Picton Borough Council intends further improving .the Domain in order that it will become attractive to tourists. Last night a man walking along in front of The Express Office tenderly lifted the sacking off the kerbing and then replaced it, exclaiming : "The frost's got 'em all!" A Wholesale Purchase ! Magnificent carpet squares, will fit any room, richly designed in lovely colorings, to clear at 21s each; worth double the money.—R. Allan. * I The Tennis Club dance, which was to have been held next Friday night at Upper Spring Creek, has been postponed, as a mark of respect to the late Mr A. Gifford. An ex-member of the Picton Borough Council is reported to have said that the present drainage scheme of the Council will drain the "humerea," whatever that might be, probably some technical term for a portion of Picton. For Children's Hacking Cough, at mght-T-Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, Is 6d and 2s 6d. An Express representative, while travelling from Picton tp Blenheim on the train this morning, overheard a gentleman in a first-class compartment express an opinion to the effect that if the Railway Department would let 'him work the engine, the train would go a, lot faster than it did at present. Perhaps so! ■'; Carty a box of:Zymole Trokeys in your pocket. They are a good thing to have about you, dfttimes preventing a little hoarseness from result- | ing in a hard cough. * Job Printing, any style or color. At Express Office.

A meeting of the Arapawa Maori Council wil lbe held in the Courthouse, Blenheim, on Saturday morning. The Superintendent of the Council has convened the meeting for the purpose of electing a chairman and transacting general routine business.

Fit for a queen to wear! Beautiful real silk pile corduroy velveteen, in cream and white, at Is 6d per yard, 30 inches wide.—R. Allan. *

One of the most beautiful sights to be seen anywhere is that of the hills on the eastern side of the town of Picton. At an early hour of a fine morning, as the glorious orb of day throws its rays upon them, the aspect that meets the eye is magnificent, and the spectator is reminded of the early summer mornings as the sun plays upon the green hill tops.

For Winter W,ear! All-wool New Zealand flannel, 32 inches wide, at ll£d per yard, in pink, natural and cream.—ll. Allan. • *

Our correspondent writes that the Marshlands Cricket Club were favored .with an ideal dancing evening for their annual social which was held on

Wednesday night in the hall, Spring Creek (Lower). There were about 50

couples present, many having come a distance to be- there. The room was decorated with a plentiful supply of bunting; an energetic committee having worked hard to make the affair asuccess. The music was supplied by Mr H. Robinson (Upper Spring Creek), extra waltzes being played by Mrs S. Jellyman, and Miss Branton. The duties of M.C. were ably carried out by Mr R. Drew. The catering left nothing to be desired, supper being served at 11.30, after which dancing was again indulged in until about

2 a.m.

A Few Days Only! Magnificent carpet squares, in art shades, will fit the largest room, 21s each; worth £2 10s.— R. Allan.

No one, presumably, is longing for the sound of Gabriel's last trump to be heard in Blenheim, but Dr. Nairn has a very passable imitation attached to his Argyle motor-car. It is guaranteed for the horn that it will shift anything on legs within one hundred yards, and the excuse "cannot now be offered that "I did not hear the horn." The fixing is an unobtrusive brass cylinder afhxed to the exhaust pipe and connected therewith by a pedal worked from the controlling seat. When the pedal is hard down and the car moving at a fair rate of speed the sound is like unto all the Eolian harps that ever were or ever will be. The sound is not

unmusical, being a play upon three perfectly attuned notes; and by the action of the pedal can be graded from the excess of noisy reverberation to a whisper of sweet and soothing cadence.

New Arrivals! All-wool satin face cloths, the newest thing in dress wear, at 9<5 the dress length, in lovely colorings.—R. Allan. ■ *

The secretary of the Marlborough Education Board has received from Lieut.-Colonel Allen Bell, of Hamilton, leaflets for distribution to all the schools on the "Cecil Rhbdes Patriotic Competition." Among others, the objects of the competition are stated to. be "To assist in developing a spirit of patriotism in the youth attending our public schools." The proceeds from the sale of Lieut.-Colonel BelFs military lectures and speeches on national defence are being devoted to providing trophies for competition amongst school children iiil ;ther Dominion for the best essays on patriotic subjects. The subject for 1909 will be "Patriotism and what it' has done for the British Empire in: the past." The trophy is valued at £10, and competitors must be under 16 years of age on December 31st next, and must beattending a public school.

The Colonial Sugar; Refining Company has this day advanced the price of all grades of sugar five shillings per ton. *

His Worship, Mr T. Scott-Smith, mentioned this morning the question of publishing names of those against whom prohibition orders were granted. It would serve as a deterrent, he thoxight, if the newspapers published these names. Then, turning to the Sergeant-Major, his Worship asked if the police could not advertise the . names of persons against whom a prohibition order was granted. It would serve to notify the public generally that such persons were prohibited, and no one then could come to the Court and plead ignorance of the_ fact that an individual was a prohibited person. Sergeant-Major Mason said that it

was a very good idea, and would probably work very well, but the police had no power or authority to so advertise. We may state that the rule followed by The Express is to

refrain from publishing the name where an order has been issued for the first time. This is done not only out of consideration for the relatives of the efring one, but from a feeling that the knowledge that publication would take place would deter people from obtaining orders in many cases where such a course is clearly desirable in the interests of the unfortunate dipsomaniac, as well as of others concerned in his welfare. With regard to those case-hardened individuals against whom orders. are repeatedly issued we have, however, no scruples as to publication.

The residence of Mr W. H. Aubry, at Mount Pleasant, was. on-Tuesday night completely destroyed by fire, at about seven o'clock. It appears that the family were engaged in the sitting room at an "evening,'' when they were startled by a loud noise resembling an explosion,, which;-came from the rear of the dwelling. Upon an investigation being made it was discovered that the; kitchen was in flames, and it was; concluded that a kerosene lamp that occupied a position on the table had exploded,, and had^ caused the conflagration, the being aided by the wind coming in through the open doors and windows. The flames spread quickly until every room in the house was ablaze. Repeated efforts were made to save por- j tions of the furniture, but to no avail, I and the only articles ( saved were the i piano and a few chairs. With these j exceptions everything in the house was lost, the members of the household escaping only with what they wore. A considerable sum of money was also lost, the building being burned to the ground within thirty minutes after the outbreak. The dwelling and fur- ; niture were, it is reported, by the Press, only insured- in the New Zealand office for £250, and therefore the loss will be great. The. residents of Mount Pleasant were very consider"ate| arid did all in their power to assist the,victims of the fire. ;.

Pallid, thin, and passing weak, Shivering in the cold wind bleak, Coughing till 'he scarce can .speak, This is man without it! Laughing alt each cough and cold, ; What is this that make® him bold? Stuff that's worth its weight-in goldWoods' Peppermint Cure —don't doubt it. 3

A committee meeting of the Marlborough Horticultural Society was held in Mr J. Conolly's office last night, when there were present: — Mesdames Fryer, Clarke, Clouston and Aberhart, and Messrs Smale, Aberhart and Whiting. All accounts in connection with the recent show were passed for payment. Prize-win-ners are requested to call at Gibbons and Cos. Children's prizes may be obtained from the Education Office. It was resolved that in future, as soon as a date for a show was decided upon, the Picton Society should be notified. The children's concert in connection with the Society will be held in the Town Hall early in June. The Society intend holding a floral fete during Carnival Week if such can possibly be arranged.

5s in the £ discount at Smith's Bank Demand Sale of Drapery, now on, opposite Criterion Hotel.

The post office, by means of a conspicuous notice placed over every posting-box in the Dominion, cautions the public against sending money and valuable articles in unregistered letters. Notwithstanding this warning, money continues to be sent by post in unregistered letters in the most careless manner. It is a common thing to find in the post office letters crammed full with bank notes, very often in the flimsiest of covers. Frequently the contents protrude from, the envelopes, or are found loose in the mail bags, having burst their envelopes, and as frequently letters filled with notes are carelessly thrown loose, into railway vans for the guard to deliver with the mails. When an unregistered moneyletter, alleged to have been sent by post, is reported missing, it may happen that suspicion is cast on everyone concerned—viz., on the person supposed to have posted the letter, the officers of the post office through whose hands the letter would: pass, and the person who would in the ordinary course receive the letter from the post office, either from a street-door letterbox or a private letter-box, over the post office counter, or from the hands of a letter-carrier. No record is kept of unregistered letters, and persons who post such letters containing money expose to temptation everyone through whose hands they may pass, and in the event of non-delivery suspicion is cast on many innocent persons. The public are again earnestly requested to register all letters containing money or valuables intended to be sent by post. Letters can be registered at every post office in the Dominion, and the fee for such registration is only twopence. The Department sells registered letter envelopes, at all post offices. These are made of paper of good quality, and are embossed with a 3d stamp representing postage of Id, and registration fee, 2d. Receipts are given for registered letters. The letters are traced from hand to hand, and a receipt obtained on delivery; therefore it is very rare that a registered letter is lost.

For Chronic Chest Complaints— Woods' Great i/cppermint Cure, Is 6d and2s6d.

Verily, owing to the keen competition- at present existing between* the various cycle firms in Blenheim, cyclists are on a far better" purchasing footing in this town than inr most other parts of the Dominion:. Messrs Wintringhani and. Deug&rde, unr doubtedly the most progressive firm in this line of business in Maiiiborough, are to the fore again with a fresh lot of good and cheap second-hand cycles. As we stated-some little time back, this firm make a..rule of never (selling a second-hand cycle until (they have thoroughly overhauled it, and stoveenamelled it so that to all intents and purposes it is'practically as good as new. They have just (treated the fresh lot in this manner, and are now offering (them at prices ranging from £4 10s to £8 10s, according to make, age and wearing quality of the bicycle. In sundries they will also be found the cheapest firm to deal with; for instance, they offer a : really good acetylene lamp for 4s 6d, and oil lamps from 2s upwards. Address: Alongside Blenheim Town Hall. *