LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 63, 15 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

' The Hibernian Band will render a programme of music from the "Seymour Square rotunda at 8 o'clock tonight. A gelding and a mare have been impounded at Spring Creek, and must be claimed before March 27.

Train arrangements in connectipn with Mile Dolores' concert to-morrow night and the grand national concert on Friday are advertised in this issue. , '

Three defended orchard pest cases which were called on this morning at the Magistrate's Court were adjourned to enable the Magistrate to . inspect the orchards.

A fine of £1 and 7s costs was imposed by Mr Florance, S.M., this morning on' Hugh Gee for failing to eradicate pests such as codlin moth and mussel scale from his orchard.

On Monday (states' the Nelson Colonist) the level of the water in the new weir had dropped to six feet below the crest of the wall. In order to conserve the supply as far as possible, pumping from the Maitai was recommenced on Monday for streetWatering purposes.

The Timaru Borough Council on Monday night resolved to submit to the ratepayers a proposal to borrow £50,000—£27,000 to complete the drainage of the extended borough, £10,000 for new streets, and £4000 for municipal offices. .The Mayor said that this extra burden could be carvied without increase of rates.

A Masterton applicant for. an oktage pension met with a serious rebuff. He had lived for ovor 40 years in the Dominion, and had served1 in the Maori War. He was a native of the United States, however, having been born there of English parents. He had not been naturalised in New Zealand, and consequently the pension could not be granted. The difficulty hns since been overcome by the issue of naturalisation papers.

The warm weather that has been experienced all over the Dominion for the last few days is still continuing, and if anything, is becoming warmer. Gisborne, 72, recorded at y o'clock this morning the highest temperature for over a month, while Auckland and Capo Maria Van Dieman were over 70, Nuggets being coldest with 57. The seas, still continue -to be smooth, while the tides are good. A northerly wind is prevailing, except at Gisborne and the Canterbury Province, where there is an absence of wind.

When the Pateena left for Wellington at 7.30 on Saturday morning (states the Nelson Mail) there was a small scene of excitement where the gangway was, or rather, ought to have been. When the time oame for the vessel's* departure the gangway was hurriedly drawn on board, and1 several people., found themselves on the wrong side of it There was a scramble to get on board, and then a lady bad rather an exciting jump, which she took in preference to being carried on to Wellington. Those people who prido themselves on remaining either on shore or on board to the last minute should watch carefully the handling of cargo in order that they might not find themselves in unfortunate circumstances. On Monday everything was on board and the steamer was waiting simply for the berthing list, and as soon as this arrived no time was lost in the departure being effected.

The fire at the shop in Alfred Street was a good opportunity for bargains in damagedl goods, but now they are all gone, and there is nothing in the shop but new and fresh goods. There are, however, still bargains to be had from 300 "Best" high-grade Englishbuilt cycles at £6 10s, £8 10s, £10 10s, £15 10s. Second-hand cycles can be had at £1 10s to £5 10s, all in nrst-clsss order. All accessories at lowest prices in Blenheim. I buy direct, and can afford to sell at a minimum of profit. I have also roller skates, fishing tackle, guns and ammunition—E. H. Best Alfred Street

Arrangements have been made for a train service from and to Ward on St. Patrick's Bay.

Wo close at 12 o'clock on St, Patrick's Day.—H. F. Hall.

The Agricultural Department gives the grand total of the principal products exported during the twelve months ending February, 1911, as £20,128,096, compared with £19,/68,----830 for 1910.

Blackberry bushes are springing up at a great rate in various parts of the East Coast, and the matter is considered so serious that the Haw.cc s Bay Land Board has decided to obtain a report as to the best means of coping with the pest.

It is understood (says the Press) that Picton's new wharf is now to be 616 feet in length, _and that it will be placed in a position a chain or two closer to the town than was previously intended. An additional 90ft of sea front is at the present time being , reclaimed with huge masses of rock, the depth of water necessitating a very solid foundation.

At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr Florance, S.M., R. G. Holcroft was' fined os for failing to register a death on December 24th. The Registrar said that he had great difficulty in securing the registration of deaths occurring at the Wairau Hospital. He did not know who was responsible for it, but it should be rectified.

Mr Eyre waxed exceeding wroth at the Magistrate's Court this morning when referring to the failure of those responsible to register deaths at the Wairau Hospital. He struck the solicitors' table with his clenched fist and said: , "It is abominable and scandalous; the callousness shown at the Wairau Hospital over this matter, and I only wish. Iliad power to cite those responsible1 for this heartless and inhuman practice." Mr Eyre subsequently asked his Worship to excuse his getting heated over this matter, saying that lie could not help it.

Two passengers in a taxi-cab had an exciting experience and a narrow escape from serious accident on Saturday night when returning to Wellington from Paekakariki (states The Post). When at Pahautanui the car came up to a cow grazing on the roadside. The chauffeur endeavored to avoid the animal, but it charged the car, with the result that the vehicle left the road and fell a distance of 20ft into the river. The driver had a luck 3' escape from injury, and it was with some difficulty he released his passengers. The motor car was hauled back to the roadway on Sunday by willing helpers. ' ■ .

"We have heard a good many complaints about empty houses* in the city," said the Mayor of Wellington at a meeting of the City Council on Thursday evening. "I have made inquiries, and asked the owners where the people have gone, and I find, in nearly every caso, that they have gone to -acquire homes of their own in the suburbs. The growth of the suburbs has been enormous." "What about the empty houses, in the suburbs?" asked <& voice. Mr Wilford replied that there was at one time a large amount of speculative building in the suburbs, quite in excess of the real needs of the people.

"Churchman" writes to the Ta'ranaki Herald as follows:—"The Synod of the diocese of Wellington may be congratulated and complimented upon its action in electing one of its owr clergy to the office of Bishop. Its decision stands out in marked and agreeable contrast to the reiterated opinion of the Auckland (and Taranaki) Synod, that no good thing can come out of Nazareth, and will go far towards heartening up our clergy, who, from.what has happened in. the past, hare- got to feel that preferment must not be looked for in this diocese, no matter how faithful the work done All honor to Wellington."

On a special occasion—a nice dinner—you eat a little too much topped oft with too much smoking—the head I&5 Steams' Headacfie Cure re

w itl? gl£. affair is sported by the Waikato Times. As a wind-up to the Waipapatomri A. and P. Association's annual show l ast we ek, a ball was* Robert W? th°Se Plesent w™£Robert Williams, aged twenty-one son ot a well-known settler. \ t +h« conci usi Qf a dance At the partner to a seat and was talking to

The chairman of the producers* meeting recently held in Wellington, has asked the Hon. T. McKenzie to cable to London and ask if the million to be spent on the West India dock includes improvements for the handling of frozen meat.

The Pop© is ci edited with having expressed his strong disapproval of the harem skirt. According to one of the Rome dailies, the Osservatore Romano, he regards the new bifurcater garment as one seriously calculated to diminish the wearer's self respect and to abolish sex distinctions. The paper declares that any women wearing the objectionable skirt will bo excluded from Catholic churches.

Myriads of small flies filled the air in the P&lmerston North, and Manawatu districts the other day. These are said to bo the flies which are affecting the turnip crops. In one locality a field of turnips had been absolutely destroyed.

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On a farm on the hill of Tara, Meath > which is announced to be sold, is the, fort. Rath of the Synods, under which tradition says the Ark of the Covenant lies buried. A former owner commenced excavations in search of the ark, but only discovered some gold coins and ancient weapons.