LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 9 August 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Practically the whole of the 40,000 acres of land at Mid-Mnriua anil adjoining blocks, to be thrown open next Wednesday, has been applied for, and by Wednesday it is .anticipated that every section Will be either applied for <)>• disposed of. For some of the sections there are between 20 and 30 applicants., and altogether the applications run into hundreds, making the selection probably IFie most, successful yet recorded in t-Kc Dominion: Yesterday the absentees at the city schools numbered between 200 and 300. The reason for so many children being kept from school is an outbreak of influenza nmoilgst the pupils. The School Committee considered the advisxuleness of dosing the schools for a timo, but did not decide to take this extreme step if it could bo avc'dcd. Yesterday being a wet day, it was thought probable that this would have kept a number from school, and no decision in regard to dosing the schools wag, arrived at. This morning, however, tho Committee decided to keep open, in the hop? that by Monday most of the scholars would have recovered. The, introduction of foot -warmers into the local railway carriages h?£ been immensely appreciated. Probably few of those using them have any idea of the expenditure entailed in providing the warmers, and it will doubtless be news to learn that the total cost, including warmers, buildings ataNelc'Jii and Belgrove, am) necessary plant, ran into mauy hundreds of pounds. Alterations have been made in connection with the Nelson-Tudmor railway by which it is hoped to more efficiently meet the needs of the travelling public. For some time there has been congestion in the smoking compartments, especially the second -class. Mr Kdwards, to overcome the difficulty, has now arranged for additional smoking compaitments, and it is hoped that there will be no further congestion. One hundred and fifty tons of ra-ils arrived here from Wellington by the Echo tlvs morning, and will be used on the Kiwi section of Ihe Midland railway. At the District Meeting of Oddfellows vest -day the following resolu tion was I'-'inimoiisly carried : — "That this inectin ; urgently calls upon t!>c Government to extend the present railway communication with the West Coast, inasmuch as the usefulness of the Friendly Society movement in the Nelson district is great.lv retarded owing to the lack of means cf railway communication with the more distant parts of the provincial district." There was a great increase in the number of passengers carried on the Nelson-Tadmor section of the railway during last month, as compaord with ! July 1906. The difference between the t-otnl.s for July of the two years discloses an increase of close on 1000 passengers for 1907. There were no holidays during July, and the increase must therefore be due to a move gen?ral users of t.he. lino. Doubtless the new trimctahle ,'s responsible for a considerable portion of Mie increase, but the introduction of the fpot-warin-ers has in some degree helped, many having travelled by train since the.v were placed in the carriages who previously did not. travel except when absolutely necessary in the winter. The section is feeling the benefit of the new settlement in Wangapeka, a mnsiderable. quantity of material having been conveyed by rail for use in the settlement. The Garrison Band (weather permittngl will give a promenade concrrt in Trafalgar Park next Sunday'aft^rnoon. commencing at 2.30. A specially selected programme of music will be. discoursed. A silver coin tol!«i-t:on will be taken. The usual weekly meeting of the \.M.C.A. Literary end Debating Pr>'■iMy was hold' at the Association's rooms hst evening. The subject for debate was "That England Must Shortly Evacuate India." Mr Grant presided. Mr M. Bisley led off in the affirmative, Mr Symons taking the negative. The latter having had Indian experience, gave an interesting account of the native troubles in that country, and he made a good case lor his side of the question. After a vigorous debate (he question was put to the meeting, and decided in the negative. Tho next meeting will be spent with humorous readings and recitations. A form of influenza is prevalent in Nelson at present. Several people are ibsent from business in conesqupnee, nid the attendance at the schools is ilso affected. Three informations for having exposed at Richmond Sale, Yards sheep infected with lice, were dealt with at She Magistrate's Court this morning, hi Wo instances A. H. Bisley was the Jefendajit,.and the dates in respect of ivhich he was proceeded against were July 3 and July 24. The defendant ■v.-i:. fined 10s and 7s with respect to ■nch charge. The third information .v.is laid against Wm. Heslop, who amended and pleaded guilty, stating that le had bought the. sheep on June sth 'the offence was conniv't^d on July !4th) and understood that they had jeen dipped. In this case, also, a fine >f 10s was imposed, with costs 7s. Fhe informations were laid 'by the lnipector (Mr G. H. Jenkinson). The fortnightly meeting of the Nelon City Council* will be held this eveling. The Aiavor left for Wellington ■esterday to attend a meeting of the j I •".xecutive nnd Legislative Committees I if thr. Mimi-inn! Association. He will jrobably be absent from 10 to 12 days.

Although comparatively little rain has fallen snro** at the streets are in n vl'r'y muddy state. Among the highways'in the heart of the city the , stretch of Bridge-street between Wai- ( mea and Trafalgar-streets is about the * worst. The mud is lying in pools, ! and it is obvious that matters will be. much worse unless attention is now paid to the locality. The services of lhe mud scrapers would be of value in. many directions just* now. Mr A. J. Washbourno yenterday applied to the Nelson Land Board for a rehearing of his appliaction for a mineral lease over section 322, square 14, Waitapu district. The Board decided to grant n rehearing, and ultimately resolved, having ascertained further facts in connection with the Application, to reverse, its rM'ciiion and renew the mineral leaso for a term of 21 years, as provided in section 21 of the Third Schedule of the Land Act 18*17, Amendment Act.. IRB2 Mv *-ft;«s appeared for llv it I^l'. caul and .Mr Harley for tne Public Trustee. ! It is learnt that two or three houses are already in course of erection ou the Wangapeka Estate, and that the timber for six or seven more residences is now being carted on to the new spttlement. This estate, which formerly found occupation for three people, will very soon carry a population of abut 10. A school is to be provided, and will be attended by over 20 children,. Those Who look up the Wangapeka land were almost wholly from other provinces, so thai Nelson has benefited, in respect to the \Va;igJ.pekn. luzitl-? (xl'on^. *•• lilt:, i-xtent of a dozen or so of now settlers of the light class. Great inconvenience was caused to some hundreds of people. yesterday by the sudden and uiu'.oViiltd removal of th-" jj":ailk crossing that has done duty for th? dismantled Normauby Bridge, in Bridge-street, before temporary provision was made for people to cross the river. Many had come into town iv the afternoon, and on reaching the bridge homewards found it impossible lo got! across. Complaint is made that no notice was given to the public that the bridge would be entirely closed. To-day a temporary footbridge has been completed to the South of the old bridge. It is ill three.sections, and has been so, const ritcterl,. as to allow of it being 'rlr.iW'rt iiilo the banks in case of a. heavy flood, but the structure is. not likely to affected by an ordinary fresh. Further entries of sheep are invited by Mr Higgs, for his sale at Wakefield on Friday next.