LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 264, 7 November 1912, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

On the 11th of December a bazaar will be held in the Coronation Hall, Grovetown, in aid of the funds of the Wairau Rowing Club.

In the Magistrate^ Court to-day, Mr R. S. Floranoe, S.M., fined William Orr and Joseph Barnes each 10s on charges of drunkenness. Both men were arrested in Wynen Street yesterday.

Five dozen colored print and zephyr blouses at 2s lid, 3s 6d each; splendid value.—H. F. Hall.—Advt.

Five new King's Counsel have been appointed—viz., Mr J. W. Salmond (Solicitor-General), Mr A. Gray, and Mr C. B. Morison (all of Wellington), and Mr F. Earl, and Mr J. R. Reed (of Auckland). The new King's Counsel in Wellington were formally sworn in to-day before the Chief Justice and Mr Justice Edwards.

The opening of the Springlands tennis courts was performed yesterday afternoon in gloomy weather. Mr F. W. Smith, chairman of the School Committee, handed over the courts to the club, and Mr J. Conolly (president) declared the season open. Afternoon tea was dispensed by the ladies. The inauguration of the club promises to be a boon to Springlands enthusiasts and school-children.

The following tenderers have secured inland mail services for the years 1913, 1914, and 1915 in the Marlborough district:—F. Francis, Blenheim-Havelock, tri-weekly:Wads-worth and Sons, Blenheim-Wairau Valley, twice Weekly; McCormick and Dawkins, Pioton and Portage, daily; J. F. Michalan r ney, Renwicktown-Benhopai, biweekly; F. Francis, Ward-Kai-koura, tri-weekly; J. W. Taylor, Portage-Crail Bay, weekly; J. W. Taylor, Portage-Kenepuru extension. The disposition of the remaining services is not yet known.

The Blenheim Amateur . Dramatic Society is again about to give a performance. The last one, "Facing the Music," which took place some two years ago, will doubtless be re^ membered. The play selected is an up-to-date comedy by R. C. Carton, performed with great success by the Brough Thatrical Company, and called "Lady Huntworth's Experiment." Ib is to be produced shortly in His Majesty's Theatre, under the management of Mr C. j. W. Griffiths, who was well-known here years ago as associated with amateur theatricals.

The New Zealand Jersey Breeders' Association has resolved to submit the following to the Minister for Agriculture: "Seeing the economic production of butter-fat is the fundamental principle of successful, dairying, the council of the New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association ask the Minister for Agriculture to arrange that the department in charge of the experimental farms institute a system of records for purebred dairy stock, whereby not only a milk and butter-fat record is kept, but also the cost and the class of food consumed is stated. That the details be published in the journal of the Deriartment of Agriculture."

Mr L. P. Bonvillain, directeur in Australia and New Zealand for Messrs Pathe Freres, is expected to arrive in New Zealand this . month. He is bringing with him Messrs Pathe Freres' latest invention, the Pathe Home Cinematograph, and he will at onoe commence making arrangements for the distribution of the machine and films to the public of New Zealand. The Pathe Home Cinematograph can be used anywhere, as it makes its own light without cost. No electric attachments, oil, or gas are needed. Another advantage is that the films are non-inflammable, and in Australia the insurance companies make no extra charge for insurance if the Pathe Home Cinematograph' is in use in the house. The variety of picture subjects is already large, and is increasing in number week by week. Letters to Mr Bonvillain may be addressed care of the Bank of $ew Zealand, Wellington.

_ The secretary of the Marton Chamber of Commerce has written to the Wellington Chamber as follows: "At a meeting of the Marton Chamber of Commerce, it was resolved that Mr Newman, M.P., be asked to inquire the reasons why the postal regulations prohibit the disclosure of addresses of people who have intimated to the Post Office their subsequent addresses. Mr Newman replies as follows: ' I have the honor to inform you that the regulation in question was made under ■ the authority of the Post Office Act, and it is held by the Department that as information as to a person's address is acquired by the address on postal packets, the absolute property of the addressee, it is quite right that information so obtained should not be divulged to any person' without the consent of the addressee.' " The Chairman (Mr A. E. Mabin) at a meeting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce held on Monday, said the Post Office took the attitude that their business was to deliver letters, not to divulge information, and he thought the Post Office was quite right. They could not turn the Post Office into a detective agency. No action was taken.

At the Wellington Synod; of the Methodist Church it was unanimously resolved that the Synod expresses its hearty sympathy and co-operation with the Bible-in-schools movement, and expesses its gratification at the engagement of Canon Garland as organiser of the campaign in its favor, and is encouraged by the general agreement of the churches.

The warmth to-day was of an almost tropical nature, but despite the fine weather there was a suspicion of rain in the accumulation of clouds at several stages. After yesterday's drizzle, the outlook brightened last night, and there was every appearance of a severe frost. However, rain supervened, a particularly heavy fall taking place early this morning. Thirty-two points have been recorded since yesterday morning. The sea was rough- at Cape Campbell at 9 o'clock this morning, but generally the water was smooth.

To meet with an increasing business demand, Messrs Hodson and Patchett, builders and undertakers, imported from "Wellington last week an up-to-date hearse. The vehicle is constructed on most modern lines, and has one great mprovement in that it has a roller and small trolley to facilitate the conveyance of comnis to the interior. The firm state in an advertisement to-day that they make a specialty of undertaking, and as they have a large quantity of appropriate furnishings on hand their enterprise should be rewardeh by publio patronage.

Describing the dresses worn at Riccarton on Cup Day, a lady contributor to the Lyttelton Times says: —"There were quite a number of the new half and-half _ dresses. Indeed, one of these, in pink and red, caused much interest all day; It was in closefitting princess style, with long train. One half, from the neck to the tip of the train, was of ruched material in pink, and the other half was in red figured silk. Throughout the toilette the half-and-half idea was strictly observed. One shoe, one stocking, one glove was of pink, the other of red. Parasol and hat matched to perfection. Many pretty frocks had the odd sleeve effect, and a few had the idea carried out on the skirt as well as the bodice."

It is stated by an Auckland, paper, oil the authority of a man of long experience in the timber business, that from 600,000 ft. to 700,000 ft. of good kauri is concealed among the bush of. onie of the most desirable of the Awakiiio sections disposed of at the recent ballbt at Te Aroha. The timber is said to have been missed,, not only by the Crown lands ranger, but by the successful applicant himself when going over the land. :' m There being no reservation on the timber, it will, if rumor speaks truly for once, mean a windfall of £2000 or so for the lucky drawer of the section.

A remarkable case of juvenile cruelty came before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S,M., in the Christchurch Magistrate's Court last week. On the information of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, two boys, aged seven and ten years respectively, were charged with illtreating and. killing a cat. It was stated that the boys, while coming home from school, caught a cat, and tietl it to a fence. Then they stood back and stoned it to death. The Magistrate severely admonished the boys for the gross cruelty which they had inflicted on the animal, and discharged them. - .

The first Greek to leave Auckland for the purpose of returning to the land of his birth to defend it in time of war was a passenger by the Main Trunk express for Wellington, en route for Athens,.on Wednesday. The man in question, who bears the name of Polieandriotis, is a Greek naval reservist, and for the past two years has been in Auckland, engaged in the fishing trade (says the Herald). In all, there are about 200 Greeks in New Zealand, about 30 of whom are at present in Auckland. They are raising fund's^ among themselves for the purpose of aiding their countrymen in their struggles. .

A somewhat belated answer to a % ■ t 1- whlch appeared in the columns of this journal some months ago, and was copied into many other papers, is fortlicoming in the Agricultural Department's journal for October. The item in question stated that Mr Irancis Auchinleck, of Wairere, near Ivaikoura, had, by using seaweed as a fertiliser round the stems of his fruit trees, prevented "blight" of any kind attacking plums, apricots, pears, j apples, nectarines, or peaches. It was also stated that Mr Courtier, Government Orchard Instructor, had frequently inspected the orchard, but could find ho trace of blight of any bind. Mr Courtier was asked by the Director of the Fruit Division for a report on the matter. From this, says Mr Kirk, it would appear that the writer of tho newspaper article in question has evidently made some mistake. Mr Courtier states that he has inspected the orchai-d on two ! occasions, and found trees infected with red spider, mussel scale, and shot-hole fungus, while some of the potatoes were suffering from Irish blight. It also appears that other orchards in the immediate neighborhood where seaweed has not been used are almost, if not quite, as free of woolly aphis.

A Wellington Post Office official informed a Times representative on Tuesday that the number of fcelegrames handed m in Wellington equals those of Christchurch and Dunedin combined, and is much in excess of the Auckland total.

Tired and worn out after your trip? Take a dose of Steams' Wine of Cod Liver Extract-^relieves all fatigue; imparts a feeling of freshness and energy.—Advt.

In the course of his speech on th© Public Works Estimates on BViday evening, the Minister (the Hon. W. Eraser) dealing with the railways, said that there were twenty sections, in hand. He contended that for the time being work would be stopped on the Waihi-Tauranga line, the NapierGisborne line (at the south end), the Foxton-New Plymouth deviation, the South Island Main Trunk (north and south end) —and in this respect he contended that the land to be opened up should be purchased by the Grown before the line was gone on with the Midland Railway, which, however, he thought should be carried on to Murchison; the Reefton end of the* same railway, which ought to be stopped when it reached, Inangahua; th© Ross-Inangahua line,,and the Catlin's East line. He proposed to visit thevarious localities during the recess and see for himself the condition of things.

Of an unsual character indeed was--the record of an aged housebreaker, Oreorge Lee, who came up for sentence at the Supreme Court in Wellington on Monday (reports thePost). Though 75 years of age, helooked younger, and appeared to' retain yet' much of his youth; with reason, too, for his life had been rigorously regulated. Since the age of 28 he had probably not had a year out of gaol; and certainly not a year at one time. He had been convicted on eighteen occasions, and sentenced, to terms of imprisonment aggregating fifty years and six months, thi» total being subject, of course, to deductions for good conduct. His, principal sentences had been: One of fourteen years, two of seven years,three, of five years, and one of three years. He was recaptured after a house-breaking attempt on ;' Sunday, 27th October, and he remarked to his. captor: "If I'd been a younger man. you'd never have got me."