LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 215, 18 September 1911, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

The sum of £725- was placedl jon the -Estimates to defray the cost of issuing Coronation medals to the schoolchildren,

An amount of £1650 is on the mates to defray the expenses ; incidental to sending the New Zealand rifle team to Bisley;

,On September.lß, 1840, the British flag was hoisted at Auckland, andi the LieutenantjGrovernor' s residence established there.

The Arotea Hockey Club will \ hold a social in the Tua Marinai Hall on Friday evening, when the presentation of trophies will take place. An enjoyable evening is promised.

Last session a vote of £1500 was placed on the Estimates in connection'with the expenses of the Hme allegations inquiry. Of this sum £549 has been expended. ;

Attention is drawn to the advertissr ment in this issue relating to the Clydesdale stallions. Highway and King's Record, recently imported from the Old Country by Mr J. Dollar. These horses will be at the service of Mariborougb.' breeders this season.

The value of Pioton as a naval base was touched upon by the president of tha Marlborough Chamber of Commerce at the annual meeting on Friday. It was decided to co-operate with the Picton Chamber of Commerce in urging the claims of the port for this purpose on the Government and the Admiralty.

The thirty farmers who went to Wellington in the early part of the week in pursuit of a promise from the Prime Minister to authorise the Cul-verden-Waiau railway are well pleased with the result of their mission (states the Kaikoura Star). The deputation has gone back secure in. the knowledge that the railway will be undertaken either this year or next year.

One of the candidates for the Nelson seat is Mr George Bishop, an hotelkeeper, who is standing in the Opposition interests. In the courso of an address the other night he said that under the present law, before a man coudj get a license to sell alcoholic liquors he had to produce credentials that almost entitled him to preach in the Church of England. Many a clergyman couldl not produce the testimonials of character required of an hotel-keeper. The audience laughedl at Mr Bishop.

"You may take a- horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink. Offer your friend a drop of "Martell," and you will have no difficulty. *

At a meeting of the Nelson Lan;l Board on Friday 185 applications were received for land opened in the Buller County, of which 152 were situated in the Brighton block, opened under the pastoral regulations (21 years' lease); but of a total area of 9484 acres in this block, over 4000 acres were disposed of, and no doubt the unsuccessful applicants at the ballot will now make application for the balance of the area, lying open for selection. The rent of this land ranges from 6d to Is per acre per annum. There is a keen demand1 for land; on the West Coast, and land settlement is making good progress. Another block or 5000 acres adjoining the Brighton block will probably be opened for selection when the wholo of the other block isl taken up.

Hemsley Burnet, Limited, hair specialists, Royial Exchange, Christohurch, will open up a complete stock of hair goods at Criterion Hotel, Blenheim, on Tuesday next, 19th. SoY agents for new American "cap chignon" hair frame. Miss Barrett a proiessional ladies' hairdresser, will teach ladies how to dress their hair in becoming styles.. Private room, No. 2. * '

Mr H. H. Sharp, Public Works Engineer for Marllwough, arrived1 m Kaikoura from Blenheim on Wednesday evening (reports the Star), and is in company with Mr Browne, County Inspector, engaged in going over the roads damaged by the July flood's, in accordance with -she promise made by the Minister for Public Works to the Council deputation that visited1 Wellington recently.

Albert Sims, who escaped from the prison gang at Invercargill on Monday, was recaptured by Sergt. Burrows and Constable Schruffer on, the farm of David Purvis, near Kaiwara, IB miles from Gore. He had been working there since Tuesday as a farm ha gnd at a wage of 25s 6d per week. On Tuesday a strange man attempted to sell a bicycle at.-Gorp, and this led to inquiries and the arrest of the prisoner. .

Mr J. Graham, M.P. X?™*™^ announcing his retirement tostosconstituents, expresses his gratefur tpprecation of %heif «nmteiTupted^*np-, port and confidence 'during six success five Parliaments; covering a period ol eighteen years and twenty-one sesS, from 1893 to 1911. I also beg to state, with regret, that owing to expected' absence from New Zealand I will not be a candidate jor re-elec-tion " It is understood! that Mr Graham intends visiting Great Britain nest yoar, accompanied by Mrs Graham and his daughters. It is a sign that you appreciate and want good plumbing if you sendtqr. us to equip your house or to mal?e repairs. We use only the very best fixtures and pipe, and employ only skilled, workmen. You will find our prices very reasonable and1 our work absolutely ■ reliable.—P.' W. Adams, Market Street, Blenheim. The steamer Gertie, bound from Eoxton to Greymouth with a load of cattle, put into Nelson on Thursday morning (reports the Colonist). She left Foxton on Monday night, and experiencing a northerly • gale, sought shelter at Port Hardy. Of the forty head! of cattld, seventeen died1 and were thrown overboard;, while thireeothers, which were injured1, were slaughtered; _on the Nelson wharf. Three others were also in a bad'state, and unless they showed signs of irh» provement would probably also be despatched. The Gertie left the remainder of the cattle at Nelson, and returned1 to Foxton.

On the Church Hill and1 in other parts of the city (reports the Nelson Colonist) the wattle blight, as it is popularly known, or to use the technical name, Icerya Purchasi, is attacking the native shrubsl very severely, and' unless prompt measures are i/aken s to check it much harm will be don^V A few years ago, when; this blight appeared, ladybirds were liberated' with good effect, the pest soon disappear^, ing. It is understood that application has been made for ladybirds, so far without result, but perhajps if the local Beautifying Society were to bring pressure, to bear a sufficient number would be forthcoming to be of practical use.

The President of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce stated on Friday last that the dairy industry was making good' progress in this district. Cheese factories were recently erected at; Rai Valley and t Linkwater (The Grove) and were being well supported, and the returns were satisfactory. He also said that there was a good, healthy inquiry for land and persistent agitation for the cutting up of our large estates, and it was satisfactory to know that some station owners wer© sub-dividing their properties for sale and offering the freehold on very easy terms. ■-..■■

It is announced from--, Copenhagen that the Royal Geographical Society of Denmark have cancelled' JOr. Cook's nomination for the honor of its gold medal given to the world's* greatest exploreis. This is a justly j severe commentary upon an audacious fraud (writes Sir Henry Lucy in the Sydney Morning Herald). Dr. Cook will, however, be able to bear the reproach with equanimity, since he has also got the medal. I think I mentioned at the time a little story told me by Sir Ernest Shackleton. Shortly after his return from the Antarctic region, he received a'communication from the ■ Danish society informing him that they had unanimously conferred .upon' him their prized gold medal. ■ Correspondence i followed, in which a date was fixed I for a visit to Copenhagen of the ! British explorer. In the meantime I Dr. Cook arrived with the announcement that he had discovered the i North Pole. Copenhagen went nearly mad with pride and joy at the reflection that their city was the first visited by the hero. He was feted by the Geographical Society, honored b'v the Kins;, and applauded by the population. The Geographical Society or-1 thusiastically voted him their o- o ld ' medial. But gold medals with suitable inscriptions are not struck in a day, and the doctor's stay in Copen'- ' hagen was necessarily brief. Fortu- I nately there was the one prepared for j Sir Ernest Chackleton's acceptance in ' an unfinished state that would make ! possible inscription to Dr. Cook Ac- ' eordingly, the medal was transferred ' to him, Sir Ernest Shackleton stand- I ing aside till, after considerable in- ! terval, another medal was struck. | She didn't belong to the "Sm-irt i Set," But she turned night into day, i And smoked, while others were sleeo- ■ ing, I Cigarettes, I'm sorry to say. I She tried some Woods' Great Pepper- ' mint Cure, > Her asthma- to forget, J And now she's a brand " New ! Woman, And an ardent Suffragette! 2

It is stated that some opposition to the proposed visit of the Marlborough. football team to Auckland will be forthcoming at the Rugby Union meeting to-night.

News by the 11.M.5. Zealandia, which arrived at Sydney from Vancouver on September 4th, shows that' hnrd times are at present being experienced m Canada. Among themail steamer's passengers were a number of returning Australians. They state that almost all the large towns' iii' the Dominion are overrun by men who are unable to get work, and as winter is now fast approaching they are in danger of having to put up with terrible privations. As the cold weather draws nearer thousands more are losing their jobs in the' country, and are trekking towards the cities. It is not these men, however, who have the most to fear, as they have had an opportunity to save money to tide them over the winter. But hundreds, of immigrants who are pouring into tEe> country are in sorry straits. "

A suspicious-looking bundle was found in the hold of the steamer llimutaka at Auckland on Saturday during the discharge of the cargo (says the Herald). Ifc was investigated by the officer who was on duty in the hold, and he found that while it consisted outwardly of a macintosh it contained some skirts ' and singlets that looked as if they ought to go ashore in a more substantial package, distinctly marked and branded. As the macintosh bore ho marks or. address they decided to wait and see what became of it> and when woik was stopped they saw it go up the ladder accompanied by a laboring .man. . When the man reached the- deck he was grabbed. He at once, threw the bundle over-* board, and tried to follow, but theship's, officer jerked him back, and a boat picked up most of the,goods,' A few had sunk. The water police had been told of the occurrence, and were on board, and the mail left them a lively chase about the ship's decks before he was caught. The accused, whoso name is John Buchannn, will come before the Court in dr.e course on a charge of, stealing from a vessel. There was another parcel contajning boots in the hold, also in a macintosh, but it was not claimed.

At Rotorua, a unique, sight can be offered-to visitors and fori i many have never seen it (says the ' Auckland Star). Strolling along the banks of the' TJtuhina-, for. an, afternoon walk, past Sheriff's farm, and1 inspecting the stream as one goes, hundreds and thousands of trout will be seen,at the bottom. There they are, rangedf by companies, and battalioias1, like soldiers on review. The •headS; a-re all upstream, and the tails " are gently waving <■ to keep them in: their position in, the ranks. They, have com© from the lake $o spawn in shallow water, where there is a sandy or shingly bottom. It is a beautiful and wonderful sight, especially to those.from the Old Country accustomed to half and three-quarter pounders; for here can be seen many trout that would tip the scale at ten pounds. At thisi time of year the fish, are somewhat lethargic and not difficult to catch by hand, affording an! opportunity to those in authority to' weed out the thin, diseased, arid useless. A visit to Utuhina will prove delightful. The only wish that must be left ungratified is the desire to drop a "Marsh. Brown" or a "Blue Doctor" over one of the leaders of the piscatorial army. • .. A FORTUNE AWAITS THE MAN

who will give the world something novel. If you have an idea worth patenting, write for free booklet "Advice to Inventors"—or, better still, consult Henry Hughes-, * Ltd., 3.57 Featherston Street, Wellington.