Local and General News.

Marlborough Press, Volume XXVI, Issue 1769, 4 May 1886, Page 2

Local and General News.

Two stacks, one of wheat and one of oats, the property of Mr George Macdonald, who resides near the Wairau Pah, were destroyed by Are on Friday night. The origin of the fire is unknown. The stacks were insured for L 75 in the Equitable Office. Jl \ J.. Messrs Redwood Bros are contemplating the,extension of the premises now used by them as a flour mill at Spring Creek. The additiom will provide for a large room for storing purposes. From a traveller we learned on Friday that a very heavy sea was breaking on the coast near the scene of the Taiaroa wreck, and that the ill-fated vessel had almost broken up. The engines were standing in about seven feet of water, and an attempt was to have been made yesterday morning to drag them ashore with fifteen or twenty teams of bullocks. Whether the attempt has been successful or not, we have not heard. The other day a correspondent mentioned that a fish-curing industry was likely to be soon established in the Pelorus Sound through the instrumentality of an enterprising firm in Blenheim. We understand that the firm of Messrs Watson and McKenzie is the one alluded to, and that a meeting of those interested will probably be held in the course of a few days to discuss matters Considerable interest was manifested on Saturday in the polling for the election of three members for the Omaka Road Board, Renwick Sub-division. There were five candidates and the polling was as follows James Sinclair, 98 ; W. B. Parker, 71 : A. J. Litchfield. 62 ; H. Fraser, 61; A. W. Jackson, 59, The first-named three members are therefore elected. Full particularsappear elsewhere of a sale of furniture &c., to be held on Thursday May 13th at|the residence of the Rev. W. A. White, Picton, by Mr Wm Syms, auctioneer. The furniture is all of the best possible description and includes an upright iron grand piano in black and gold by Hoelling and Spangenburg, nearly new. Intending purchasers from Blenheim and along the line are reminded that- they can return by the late train on the day of the sale. A correspondent writes:— At the householders’ meeting on Tuesday last at Waitohi. Mr Simmonds, chairman of the School Committee, read the repoit and balance sheet. The expenditure had beenUarger thau usual, as L4O had been fpent in buying, gravelling, and fencing a playground; notwithstanding this there was a balance in hand of L 8 15s. The following gentlemen were elected a committee for the ensuing twelve months: —Messrs Simmonds, T. Gledhill, A. Woolley, J. Horn, George Horn, E. Neal, and W. Aubry. Mr Simmonds, the re'* tiring chairman, was re-elected. Mr Henry Redwood has a number of two-year-olds and yearlings in work this season and they are remarkably fine specimens of that gentleman’s well-known stock. A visit to Mr Redwood’s hospitable farm at Spring Creek is always a pleasure ; just now such a visit is exceptionally interesting, and the genial proprietor is ever most willing to show visitors over his stable and dilate on the merits of his beautiful stud. Mr Redwood’s record of winners is already a large one, and judging from the quality of his <• infants, ” it should be greatly increased during the next few seasons. We wish the enterprising breeder much success. Mr S. Macalister, Chief Postmaster, received a telegram from Kekerangu on Saturday morning stating that the missing bag of the Taiaroa’s mail lad been picked up on the beach, about three miles south of Kekerangu, and conveyed to the post office at that place. The conteuts of the bag, by long immersion in the water, were almost, worthless, and had been formed into a hard mass almost as round as a ball. The contents wire part of a Wellington mail to southern ports. A registered bag was found inside, and in this bag was a pound note in a fair state of preservation- Mr Thomas Watson, who left Kekerangu yesterday morning, brought the bag on to Blenheim, All the Taiaroa’s mail bags have now been recovered. Some time ago it was rumored that Mr Henry Redwood, of Spring Creek, intended to come forward as a candidate, for the representation of the Picton seat, at the next General Election, but an impression was lately obtained that he bad abandoned the idea. We have authority foi stating that Mr Redwood has definitely decided upon contesting the seat when the first opportunity offers, Mr Redwood, when a resident of Nelson, took a prominent part in politics, having been a member of the Nelson Provincial Council and a member of the Executive of that body for some years. Although Mr Redwood has entered for many a race he has never yet run for Parliamentary honors, and, as the oldest living member of one of the representative families of Marlborough, and a very old resident of the district, his candidature should be a very popular one. At Blenheim’on Saturday J. O. Walshe was brought up before Mr Allen, R. M. to answer a charge of absconding from his creditors, brough; under the Bankruptcy Act. Mr McNab appeared for the prosecuting creditors, and Mr Rogers for Walshe. The petition and affidavit set forth that Walshe had committed an act of bankruptcy by leaviog the district on the sth of April, after judgment had been given against him, and execution returned •SUilla bona. The petition and affidavits were signed by Messrs Andrew Casey, W. B. Earll, W. E. Simmonds, and W. R. Clark, and the total amounted to L 72. After hearing the evidence Mr Allen granted the petition and adjudicated tho debtor a bankrupt. Sergeant White asked if the debtor was to be discharged. Er McNab asked that he should be bound over in sureties or he might abscond tmd put the creditors to oil the trouble again. Mr Rogers sud that when the debtor absconded before he was not committing a criminal action as he would be if he absconded after the adjudication. Mr McNab said he would not press the matter as the sittings of tho Supreme Court were so near, and the debtor could be arrested on a warrant if he attempted to abscond. The debtor was then discharged, and the Court adjourned.

We learn that while at Havelock the Premier was spoken to about various local requirements, amongst them, being the formation and metalling ofparts of the main road between Nelson and - Havelock wharf, an accomodation road..to,.Mahakipawa and a road from Kiituna to Tua Marina. The advisability of connecting Blenheim with Nelson by railway via the Rai Valley was also brought under his notice. On the 24th May next, at the Renwick public hall, a bazaar is to held iu aid of the Presbyterian Church, latejy erected in that town, and on which there is still a debt of LlO5. The ladies of the congregation are working heartily to secure the success of the undertaking, and iu auoh a goood cause they, will Have the good wishes of the community. Any desiring to help in money or kind may communicate with Mr, J- M. Hutcheson or Mr G. Bury who will thankfully receive contributions- >i > - i .<' The Rangiora Standard says Few statistics are more interesting than those giving the result of the amouqfc.of frozen mutton shipped from New Zealand, which the New Zealand Loan and .Mercantile Agency Company give in their monthly report ou the Produce Markets of this Colony. 4 ‘ The growth of the trade has been rapid, and presents a pleasing thing to think about. It can hardly fail to interest readers to learn that in the past six months there has been exported from the Colony and at present being shipped something like 100,000 carcases of frozen mutton; besides these,there was a quantity of frozen bief sent away also, Taking the lowest figure for the mutton fetched iu the Home country this represents over L 134.000, the greater portion of which it may be assumed comes to the Colony. The following is from the Post of Tuesday : —All lovers of a good horse will rejoice to hear that Nelson has already covered himself with glory in Australia. His victory of yesterday was a much greater performance in some respects than he is asked to accomplish in the Sydney Gold Cup to-morrow. The Autumn Stakes is a weight-for-age race and in it he met the best horses in Australia on level terms. In the Gold Cup, although he has to concede weight to a large number of horses of inferior repute, he/ himself receives weight from Sheet Anchor, whom be beat yesterday. Malua’s weight in the Gold Cup was 10st 51b, whereas Nelson’s is only 9st. Malua won the Austra* lian Cup with 9st 91b, and had heaccepted would have been backed for the Gold Cup with all his weight. It is said that Nelson has been backed something like L 20,000, of which Major George, the owner, and Colonel Fraser, M.H.R., have nearly LIO.OOO between them. The form lie displayed yesterday will put his backers on very good terms with themselveß,