LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 139, 10 June 1909, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

.At the Lyttelton Licensing Committee yesterday the police compMired of the increase In drinking, and the,

The duplication of the railway line between Christchurch and Rolleston is completed, and is now in use. Mr G. Maitland has been appointed Assessor on the Assessment Court for the Picton Borough. A Napier telegram states that a great number of people were present at the tangi over Mrs Donnelly. The Bishop of Waiapu will conduct the funeral. The steamer lonic, which arrived at Hobart yesterday afternoon and left for Wellington at 9 o'clock this morning, brought 11 passengers for Australia, and has on board 398 for New Zealand. Councillor Fredericks gave notice at i the Picton Borough Council meeting last night that he would move at the next meeting that the Council meet fortnightly in place of monthly as at present. Mr T. W. Kirk, Government Biologist, states that the introduction of ladybirds had averted a loss of £.1,000,000 at least by destroying the blue gum blight. The gardens, etc., of the Dominion covered an area oi: 48,572 acres, and the estimated loss from insect pests affecting these is £384,000 per annum. A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that Sir Joseph Ward was presented with an illuminated address by the citizens of Wellington last night. In thanking the donors the Prime Minister dwelt on the naval crisis and the necessity for an unconquerable Navy. Tne address contained 5000 signatures, and is handsomely bound in Russian maroon leather, tooled in gold, and with silver mounts on the cover. The N.Z.C. Factory, in order to popularise their Tailoring Department, are offering the residents of Blenheim a suit to measure at 57s 6d. The firm turn out suits at lower prices also, but inspection of the tweeds shown in their window will convince one and all that the quality is right and the value such as never before offered in Blenheim. Orders for this special line will be booked only on Saturday, June 12th, from 12 noon till 9.30 p.m. Friends in the country mean well, but they do not always take into consideration the high cost of carriage when they make gifts to friends in town. A Case of apples, for example, was sent by a gentleman in the Nelson district to a friend in Wellington recently. They cost the recipient about 3:1 per lb all round. A City Council official has an admirer in the country who recently forwarded him a pumpkin of portly proportions. The act was a kindly, thoughtful one, but it cost 3s 9d to have the vegetable delivered at the official's house.

100 ladies' and girls' jackets and skirts, just arrived. Must go at sale prices. These are a bargain; 5s in the £ discount.—At * Smith's Bank emand Sale. £3000 worth must go. *

What is believed to be a world's angling record this season has been established by Mr Charles Fitton, of I Rotorua (says the New Zealand Herald). Fishing in the lakes of the thermal district between. November Ist and May 31st Mr Fitton landed 2256 fish, of which 2241 were taken with the fly. The heaviest fish was 16£lb, the average over 2|lb, and the! total' weight 63441b,; or tw^-ttos 16cwt i 721b of trout. Mr Fitton states' that 90 per cent, of fish were in good condition, "slabs" numbering only one in ten. During May Mr Fitton took 600 fish from the Ohau Channel. Most of the fish were taken from Rotorua, though Rotoiti, Rotoehu, Tarawere, and Taupo were also visited. Steams' Headache Cure comes in a tasteless wafer that gets right at the ache. Rarely does an ache.withstand the use of a wafer longer than twenty minutes to one-half hour. At Christchurch last week Mr Clement Wragge paid an enthusiastic tribute to Professor Bickerton ; who promulgated the theory of partial impact. Mr Wragge was telling of an imaginary conversation between anangel.and a Hindoo child, who was seeking Truth, and the angel referred to Professor Bickerton's theory. "I see a man who went to England seven years ago," Mr Wragge made the angel say, "and propounded the theory of impact—a man who lived in New Zealand, in a cathedral city, where the people did not understand him and laughed at him and ridiculed him. But now the great astronomers of Europe and America are hand in hand with Bickerton and accept the truth and actuality of the law. Professor Bickerton's dictum is true. The time will come—Bickerton has lived a hundred years before his- time—the time, will come when that cathedral city will erect a monument to his memory. Honor to Bickerton! Honor j where hondf is duel The people of Christchurch will erect a monument to tell those who/ shall come after that a man named Bickerton lived there."

See the gents'; boot window for special offer Saturday, June 12th. The N.Z.C. Factory offer gantlemen the pick of any boots in their window at 18s 6d per pair. Call and inspect the remarkable value offered in this line. Remember, the offer is. for one day only, so be in time to secure a pair. .. . *

Our, common law-makers have re-, farded it as a fit and proper thing to o to preserve the sanctity, of the British Sabbath, and accordingly any over-industrious Chinese gardener who puts in a quiet Sunday amopg his "lettisehe or eabbagee" has occasionally to be reminded by a magistrate that such things must not be. The law, of course, makes no distinction of color: white and yellow have to obey it. But sometimes, it is put into operation by. people who nnd much joy in setting the police on to anybody doing a little bit of surreptitious gardening. This happened on Sunday at Brooklyn (states The Post). A well-known citizen was putting -his newly-acquired garden in order, ' and between the thrusts of spade he smoked, planted out some promising young taupitau, or gave his ampelopsis veitchii a little assistance to wind round the chimney. He was seen. The police were informed, and next day a constable called. The officer was. diplomatic—one of the old school—and he put the position very nicely. Having ascertained that the Sabbath-breaking gardener was not working from commercial motives, he left with the assurance that the' gardening would go on just the same —Sunday or no Sunday. The next step for^ the informer appbars/to be the obtaining of a mandamus. ■- I've hunted tigers in Bengal, And lions at Zambesi's, jfall, The elephant and- hippo« too, The rhino, and the, kangaroo; But though lam a hunter bold, ..' I must confess I funk a cold, So when I'm hunting, I make sure ; Against such li^ks by Woods' Pepper-

During the hearing of the assault case yesterday his Honor Mr Justice Cooper laid down the law that if one man saw another man using unlawful force against a third party, the first party was right in defending the third party by force, but he must not use more force than was absolutely necessary. A man was not justified, however, in striking another man because he thought lie was going to commit an assault. The district manager of the 'Westport Coal Company reports that the j demand for coal is brisk, but the I available tonnage is not at present ' adequate to supply the demand. This undesirable state of affairs (says a Press Association telegram) is credited to the untoward delay of boats at East Coast ports, resulting from a shortage of railway trucks. In consequence of this adverse condition it is seriously contemplated to shorten | the hands at the mines. A meeting of the Committee of the Harmonic Society was held last night. The resignation ai Mr T. Riggs Miller a<? Secretary and Treasurer was accepted, and Mr L. C. Bartlett was appointed to the position. Arrangements were made for holding the next concert about the end of July, when "May Day" will be produced, miscellaneous items forming the first part of the programme. Details will be announced in due course. A sub-com-mitee was appointed to prepare rules. It was decided to make an energetic canvass for members, and in view of the approaching concert it is expected that working members will attend rehearsals in full force. m For Influenza take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. Never fails; Is 6d wad 2s 6d.

Last evening the Church of the Nativity Christian Endeavour Society gave a social to welcome Mr de Lambert, who has come as assistant to Archdeacon Grace, and invited the members of the Men's Bible Class to meet him. A very enjoyable time was spent with music and also com- | petitions, which caused considerable amusement. During the evening Mr Girling made » short speech of wel- ' come to Mr de Lambert on behalf of the young people, to which.he briefly.] responded, and said that he hoped I the young men would rally round the Bible Class. He also announced that the Rev. Mr Russell, of Petone, Wellington, was coming to Blenheim to help to inaugurate a branch of the Church of England Men's Society, which is doing grand work in other places. After some remarks by Archdeacon Grace on the same subject, supper was handed round, and soonafter the pleasant gathering dispersed. A rather amusing incident occurred at a wedding one day not so very long ago. The best man,, evidently feeling rather excited 'and flustered, forgot all about his hat until he discovered the fact # during a shower of confetti. Asking the bridesmaid to wait in the carriage, he bolted back into the church for his head covering, and just at the door ran into the arms of the officiating minister. This, reminded him that he had also forgotten to pjay the wedding fee, and bringing it out of his pocket he tendered it with the re-;, mark: "Here's" your fee—here's the organist's fee—but where's my hat?" After a considerable search he obtained his top-piece, and, dashing out of the church, he discovered to his horror that during the interval the bridesmaid had departed and left him all by. his", little self. Fortunately all of the wedding party had not left, and a motor-car just on the eve of starting carried him safe and sound to the reception held afterwards at the home of the bride's parents, where he quite 'recovered his equanimity. The residents of Blenheim and surrounding districts should make a point of inspecting the nice assortment of tailor-made costumes, which are now on view at Kirkcaldie und Stains', Ltd., showroom in Charles Street. The most prominent of our j citizens' wives, those ladies that- api predate gooa taste in dress, unite in their verdict that "Kirk's" ready-to-wear costumes are perfect. *

The Masterton correspondent of The Dominion says: "The fact that not a member of the Opaki Rifle Club has been selected to go with the New Zealand team to Australia has been very adversely commented upon. It is felt that the performances of at least half a dozen members of this club would bear favorable comparison with that of. any-of the selected men, and nd; team can be truly representative of the best shots of the Dominion without the inclusion of one or more of them." Mr G. W. Russell, M.P., at last week's meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board, observed an account of 18s 4d for whisky. He did not, he said, object to the Board buying twenty-five cigars, or a bottle of constantia at 3s, or even to a charge for two dozen of ginger-ale, but he drew the line.-at whisky. The chairman said that as he was riot the auditor, he could not inform Mr Russell if the charge would be passed. To appreciate music, you need to form a daily intimate companionship with it. You need a piano im the home. The Dresden Piano Company will provide you with a perfect piano, or an excellent organ, on terms so easy that you'll pay without noticing the outlay. It is the safest of investments, if only because it is of incalculcable benefit to your children. Mr M. J. Brookes is manager for the North Island. But why not see the local representatives, Messrs Griffiths and Son. . *

Pianos and Organs.—Dresden Annual Sale now on at Wellington and at all branches.