LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 67, 21 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

The Borough Council last night decided to compel the owners of overhanging hedges in the Borough to cut them back.

A Timaru telegram says that a farm of 150 acres at Kingsdown, five miles from Timaru, offered at auction, was passed in at £23.

Permission was granted by the Borough Council last night to Mr E. Parker to alter what are known as Clouston's buildings, in High Street.

The town lamps in future will not be extinguished until 11 o'clock at night, a resolution to this effect being passed at the meeting of the Council last night.

A Wellington telegram states that so great is the demand for berths by persons going Home that 120 passengers were crowded out of the last two boats for Sydney.

An effort is to be made by the Blenheim Borough Council to induce the Hon. J. A. Millar to have the Blenheim railway station altered in order to cop© with the ever-increasing traffic on the railway.

The Council' agreed last night to allow the Wairau Cricket Club a rebate on their rates*. This was.in consequence of a request made by Messrs S. P. McNah . and J. A. Bottrell, who waited on the. Council,

A Dunedin telegram says that the thousandth baby was born at St, Helens Hospital to-day since the hospital opened five years ago, and only one mother had died in that period.

Those interested in the Cooperative Drain, have agreed to share the cost of cleaning out the outlets. The Borough will contribute onethird, the Omaka Road Board onethird, and the settlers one-third of the cost of this work.

A Wairoa telegram says that tho premises of Dalgety and Company at Nuhaka were broken into between Saturday and Monday, and £30 taken from a tray of the cash-box. Under the tray was £60, which was untouched.

The Borough Council last night voted £5 towards the cost of a banquet to be held in honor of the opening of the Seddon-Ward railway this month. , This was in response to a request for a donation made by the President of the Marlborbugh Land and Railway League.

The abattoir manager reported to the Council last night that during the month 65 cattle, 693 sheep, 190 iambs, and 57 pigs were .slaughtered at the abattoirs. Three cattle, three pigs, and three sheep were found to be diseased, and were condemned. The report was received.

The Government has subsidised the Canvastown- Literary and Debating Society to the extent of £100 on the building and £7 on the book fund. A meeting of members of the society is to be held on Saturday evening for the purpose of arranging for the expenditure of these amounts.

The Town Clerk has been instructed to obtain from the Pelorus Road Board the names of the persons who crossed the ford at Renwicktown during the time the recent tally was taken. The Council last night decided to take a separate tally of the traffic over this ford, with a view to minimising the borough's contribution towards the proposed bridge.

When you have been working too hard—strain of the steady grind telling on you—weak and nervous—take Steams' Win© of Cod Liver Extract and gather renewed energy.

A report has gained currency locally (reports the Golden Bay Argus) that the Puponga coal mine has been purchased by a West Coast syndicate. But the paper states that although negotiations are in progress no definite sale has yet taken place."

At last night's meeting of the Borough Council it was decided on the motion of Councillor Girling that in future the chairman of each committee be required to certify that the accounts of his department are m order by. attaching his signature to the vouchers before the accounts are handed to the Finance Committee.

Every male inhabitant of New Zealand who, on the first day of March, 1911, is between the ages of 14 and 20 years (inclusive), and who is a British subject and has resided in New Zealand for at least six months, will shortly be required to fill in a prescribed form of registration in respect of military training under the Defence Acts. Forms of application are being issued, and may be obtained at any post office or police station. There is a penalty of £5 if steps are not taken to secure registration within 60 days after the issuing of the notice.

The Borough Council last night refused Messrs Adams Bros', request to lease the Town Hall every Thursday afternoon and evening for skating purposes, and decided to rent it to them on Thursdays when it was not required for any other purpose. Messrs Adams Bros., when using the Hall for skating, will be charged £2 10s per day. This firm offered to pay £3 for the hall if anyone else wanted it, but this was refused, Councillors being of the opinion that it would have the effect of shutting out any other form of entertainment. Messrs Adams Bros, were granted permission to hang an advertising drop-screen on the stage.

The Mahakipawa correspondent of the Picton Press writes as follows:— The overgrowth of years.at the Cullensville mines is now being destroyed, and bush-fires are clearing the hillsides for action. Within a short time twenty or more men will be engaged in erecting the necessary appliances for working the mines. Meantime, all the old whares and the deserted school are being surveyed with the intention of providing quarters for the men.

The fire at the shop in Alfred Stree* was a good opportunity for bargains in damaged 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 first-class 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.

The Golden Blocks Mine (Taitapu) cleaned up early last week with the handsome return of 246 ounces ot gold from 70 tons of stone treated. Sinking on the reef to lower levels is still proceeding briskly. The annual meeting of the Marlborough Referees' Association was held on Saturday evening, when Mr J. H. Morrison was elected Marlborough's Vice-Presiaent on the NewZealand Referees' Association. It was decided to ask the New Zealand Association to classify this Association as a Metropolitan Association.

A Masterton youth took to his home what he imagined to be a kit of handsome mushrooms. Ihese he fried himself, and ate with relish. Alarming symptoms presentel themselves and he was seized with violent paroxysms, and vomiting. Emetics were given, and he recovered. He had gathered and eaten the poisonous toadstools.

An Auckland telegram states that Thomas Mac Donald, 41 years or age, employed as a clerk at the Bank ot New Zealand for the past four years, and previously a resident iof iJalclutha, was arrested bit a charge or misappropriation of £24 14s 3d, the moneys of the bank. He appeared at the police court and was remanded. The abattoir manager reported last night that as the result of a conference with the butchers m tiie town the cool store had been closed. This was approved of by the Council despite the fact that the weather just now is more sultry than it has been the whole season. For what purpose was this cool store erected.'' ib the question that is being asked; and at what period of the year will it be open if it is to be closed down under present climatic conditions.

It is reported, that a number of the settlers who own property close to Lake Grassmere state that the land' at present covered by the lake will be worthless as soon as the salt is worked out of it. It is composed of papa formation, and will, it is said, be of little value when once it has bean worked a little. Mr T. Hall;, who was formerly manager of the Richmond Brook station, is .firmly .of the opinion that the drainage of Lake Grassmere will prove a waste of money.

Two tenders were received by the Borough Council last night for the supply of 80 tons of three-inch pipes, nine feet long, for the gasworks. These were Messrs Briscoe and Co.. (Wellington) at £6 16s per ton clear of the ship's slings, Blenheim, and Messrs Clouston and Co. (Blenheim) £6 los 6d ship's slings, Blenheim. Embodied in. the latter tender was a clause freeing the tenderers from all breakages. Messrs Clouston and Go's, tender was accepted.

The mention of water and drainage Has the effect of a pin-prick upon Councillor Adams. Last night, when an application was being considered for permission to connect house drainage water with one of the borough drains, Councillor Parker remarked that this was an argument in favor of drainage. •■ Councillor Adams, who occupies the next seat to Councillor Parker, ■ immediately turned sharply towards Councillor Parker as though he had suddenly been pricked, and said : "It is not."

The spell of dry weather experienced here during the past two months, with the exception of two days' rain which fell a month ago, continues, • and consequently the farmers throughout the district are commencing to cry out; in fact there is a general fear expressed by those on the land that there will be a shortage of feed for stock this winter. The Flaxbourne settlers have been more fortunate than most of the other farmers, as they have had a good deal of rain at intervals since Christmas. This has given the winter feed a good start, and the stock will be well cared for. Some farmers in the Flaxbourne district who occupy low-lying land complain that there has been too much rain. Of course, it is not to be expected that everyone would be satisfied with climatic conditions, no matter how favorable; but the general impression is that the farmers in whose district rain has fallen freely are to be enyied.

A day or two ago (states The Colonist) it became known that persons had seen a skeleton under a manuka bush on the Rabbit Island, and eventually the news reached the ears of Sergeant Mullaney, who sent out Constable Townsend on Friday in company with two young men who were aware of the matter. The remains were found some 200 yards beyond high water mark, and they .were carefully gathered and brought to the morgue in town, where Dr Gibbs saw them, and pronounced them to be those of a female over middle age, and stated that they must have lain for a long number of years, and that they were probably those of a Maori. It is known that the Maoris had a burying ground in the vicinity towards the western entrance, in the olden days, and the fact that the constable found evidence of other bodies in the neighborhood, charred and very old, lends color to the conjecture.

The usual fortnightly excursion to Picton and the Sounds will take place to-morrow. Trains will leave Blenheim at 8.40 a.m. and 12.40 p.m.

The Canterbury Trades and Labor] Council decided in connection with the Coronation medals that at the election of school committees a protest be made against the action of the Government in having the medals manufactured out of the Dominion.

Mr J. Duncan, M.P., has received! the following telegram from the Minister for Public Works:—"The Ward section of railway is expected to be finished at the end of the present month." Mr Duncan has replied as follows:—"Am I to understand that the Ward section will be opened on the 31st March; if so, will you be present?"

High temperatures are still being maintained throughout the Dominion, according to the weather report telegraphed at 9 o'clock this morning, when Blenheim and Gisborne each recorded a temperature of 74, the highest reading for some time. Auckland and Farewell Spit were next with! 73, while Cape Maria van piemen, Russell, Napier, Wanganui, and Oamaru each reported 70 or over.. Dunedin, Queenstown, and New Plymouth were lowest with 60. Strong north-westerly winds1 were still in evidence; and good tides were running. The sea was smooth at the Wairau Bar, as it was everywhere else, with the exception of Cape Campbell, where it was rough, and East Cape, where it was considerable. .Blue skies still prevail, the only indication of rain being at New Plymouth, Wanganui, and Bealey. Rain has already fallen at Russell.

A Dunedin telegram says that a Star reporter to-day was shown some Oamaru potatoes, which were fairly riddled by a grub now ravaging the North Otago district. These potatoes came in five-truck consignments by rail to Dunedin and are now lying at one of the railway, sheds. They were originally packed to be shipped in centals to Rio De Janeiro, but were condemned for shipment and ultimately found their way to Dunedin. _ The "grub is very active, white, with a black head. Specimens, with cocoons, have been sent to Mr T. W. Kirk." This grub is evidently identical with the unfortunately too well-known "wire Worm" scourge, which has made its appearance in various of the Marlborough potato crops. . The egga are laid in the ground, and only a liberal application of lime will cleanse the soil. One infected! potato will spoil a pit full.

Apropos of last night's discussion in the Borough Council on the question of pounds, the pbundkeeper, and the impounders, there is a good story from Picton. Ascertain ex-Mayor and ex-Councillor was the owner of a fin© old colt, yclept "Ginger." Whether this name was given to the colt because of his association with "ginger-pop,", his color, or his gay and festive habits is immaterial: but certain it is that "Ginger" and many other quadrapeds were frequently in the borough pound, in fact so frequently that "Ginger's" owner devised a remedy which was thus: The ex-Mayor systematically, on releasing "Ginger," gave him a most awful "lambasting." Result, that whenever "Ginger" was driven to pound, he led a wild escapade round the town, ,the fear of the whip giving him the wings of the wind. But alas! after many days, a new poundkeeper and impounder, who answered to the name of "Tommy," was appointed, and "Ginger" and every other horse in Picton was found in the pound daily. The boss could not make this out, but the result was that the streets were freed of the nuisance. Many months after the boss inquired of "Tommy" how it was done. "Tommy" replied: "It Avas all along of yourself in getting that nice stack of clover hay from Tua Marina. I used to annex a couple of bundles every night, and put one under each arm. The horses used to follow me into the pound, and all I had to do was to put the rails up." This story contains a moral.

Riots are produced in China in more ways than in any other country in the world. A man broke some street lamps recently in Konmoon, and the idea got abroad that there was danger of fire. The local soldiers, who are really policemen, were asked to prevent the spreading of any outbreak. They declined, and were soundly abused by the people. On this they entered a shop and dragged off an employee to the guard-room. . Presently came the employee's master, asking that he should be released; he was refused admittance. He promptly went off and gathered a mob, and the soldiery were stoned. In retaliation they drew their revolvers and fired right and left into the crowd, killing one man and wounding eight others. Life, in China, is cheap.

After the mare which Mrs Westropp Dawson was riding when hunting with the South Oxfordshire hounds had fallen, and her rider "been thrown and badly kicked, the animal sprang to her feet again, and bolted along the road. She met a motor-car belonging to the Rev. A. J. Nettlebed and leaped on it, smashing the glass wind-screen and steering gear, and falling on the driver. The car ran on for a dozen yards and then stopped, and the mare was flung with great force into the roadway. In spite of her extraordinary adventure the animal escaped with a few cuts and bruises, and the chauffer was not hurt. Mrs Dawson, although hurt, walked a long way with the mare to Nettlewood Inn, and stayed with the animal for two hours until a veterinary surgeon arrived.