LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 13 April 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Accounts from tho Croixelles state that fully 300 or 400 acres of bush in the vicinity of Whangarei were, devastated by the recent fires, and* burnt clear. Ordinarily grass-seed-ing might convert tho wasted area into useful land, but little if any attempt to sow seed is being mado by tho Maoris. It is feared that tho result may be tho spread of blackberries, alroady ono of the greatest pests in tho district. Tho Agricultural Department should see to the mattor. A meeting of the Committee of the Nolson Jockoy Club was hold in Mercer's rooms on Saturday evening, Mr C. J. Harley presiding. An apology for absence was received from the President (Mr W. N. Franklyn). Tho following new members were elected: —Messrs S. D. Levien, L. Sheathor, •T. Swindale, C. F. Eagar, and J. E. Barham. One resignation from membership was received. Accounts in connection with the recent race meet- i ing wero presented and passed for payment. The Secretary (Mr Glen) was instructed to make representations to the A. and P. Association Oommittee regarding a reduction in the rent of Richmond Park. Easter Camp. — Eegulation "Kit" Bags, made of waterproof canvas, 8/9 each. OrdeT quielt.— - ¥. N. Jones, Saddler.*

The golfing season was opened on the Nelson Golf Club's links, the Wands, on Saturday afternoon, in the presence of :i good gathering of mem- t Ih( rs and friends. A new lSliole ( course lias been laid down, and Mr If. , ('. (.'ock, President of the Golf Ground ( Company, in the absence of Mr A. P. < Bunies. Captain of the Club, made the ( first stroke, aud in a brief pleasant . speech declared the course and the , season open. Mr Cock referred to the , improvements that had been carried { out on the grounds, und said that ( -when the club obtained possessiou of , the property, as it would do shortly, ' better arrangements for the members could probably be made. The course was laid out under the direction of Mr R. Fell (Hon Secretary) and Mr Prie.£ (Hon. Treasurer). Tho latter lias "had charts of the new course mimeographed, and these proved very useful to members playing over it on Saturday. The arrangements at the Golf House for the opening ceremony were also under the suporintencTcnce of Messrs K. Fell and Price and refreshments, dispensed hy the ladies, were much ajireciated. Although the weather was uncertain, light showers falling at intervals, the afternoon was very enjoyable. Mr H. C. Tewsley, the New Zealand director of Messrs Saigood, Son and Ewen, is at present on a visit to Nel son. Inspector Ellison is at present in Nel son on police business. The Garrison Band gave an enjoyable concert in the Botanical Reserv c yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering of the public. A public gathering will be hclj in tli; Rech'abite Hall on Saturday evening next when Mr J. J. Wasney, D.D.R., of Invercargill, will give an address on the working of no-license at InveiL-aigill. At the same meeting Bro. J. J. Fianklyn will be given a farewell. Musical items will be rendered and refreshments will bo dispensed. At the Rechabite Hall last evening addresses on labour and wages questions wore delivered by Messrs Hulbert and Whitaker. The former chose as his subject "The Evolution of Wage Slavery." Taking his auditors back to the earliest period of his torie time, he traced the origin if the present system of production, lducing examples from each period to show that with few exceptions the UU-. -..'■iiig classes ne --or i-.-c/my.hl -i ' smaller share' of the total wealth proluced than they do today. He urged , that no final reform was possible, as a complete revolution of society alone , could place the working classes once again in full possession of the whole of tho wealth they created. Mr . Whitaker spoke on "Unemployment: ■ Its cause aud cure." He charactered the various charitable and benevolent institutions as mostly organisations for the rendering of tardy jus- . tice to the exploited classes. Adducing facts and figures taken from _ '.he records of various nations he asserted that tariff reform, emigration, , technical edrcalion, Arbitration Acts, nnd the various other reforms advocated by professional politicians were but local aud temporary expedients, ' romlting in a mere shifting of the volume of trado from one country to ' another. il' said the whole of the causes of unemployment received their power from one determining factor in civilisation, the production of commodities not to satisy needs, but for individual piofit. The only permanent and universal remedies for unemployment were organisation and co-operation. , An extraordinary accident happened recently ad Waihi. A young man, who ' was driving a cart, left the horse and ; vehicle standing on the main road while he entered a house on the opposite side of the road. In his absence it is suri mised that the horss must- have backed the cart across the road, over the embankment and into the river, which was . much swollen by the recent heavy rains, and both must have bs.cn carried clown [ stivani, as neither horse nor cart has since been seen. A scratch hockey match between the 1 Federal and Nelson clubs was played at tho Botanical Reserve ou Saturday af- • ternoon. After a keen contest tho game ejid^d iv a draw — 2 goals each. , Millar shot both goals for the Federals • and Taylor .".nd Hurst scored for the , Nelson. Mr S. Wimsett refereed. ! The cancelled bank notes scattered - broadcast after the fire on the New Zea • land Shipping Company's steamer Tv 3 rakina last year, are again in circula i tion. Two cases of the notes success . fully passing within the past few day.' ! have been brought under the notice of , the Wellington police. The valueless , notes can be detected owing to the word ' "cancelled" that is stamped across the face, and the right-hand bottom corner '. being cut off. I A peculiar case of hallucination oc , currea in Napier last week. A resident i \ of the town was a bachelor for the time ■ , being, having sent his wife away on a holiday. The following day he was absent from the house, leaving it lock ed and hiding the key in a supposed ' safe place. On returning home late in ■ the evening he found the house lighted up, and an elderly woman in charge. 1 Naturally, ho was amazed at this un '. expected development, and, on hi: • knock being answered, he asked what ; the intruder was doing there. She re , torted by asking what her questioner ! wanted ; the building had been given , to her, she had taken possession that afternoon, and was going to stay [ there. A little persuasion succeeded ir. her giving her name, and she was re turned to the bosom of her family. The ; remarkable feature of the affair "is that the woman had not been in the vicinity of the house she took possession of since it was erected. By some instinct ' she discovered the key, and she went about the house as if she had been accustomed to it all her life, having ■ made use of tho cooking utensils, the : wardrobes, and various other parts of • the residence. Once previously she i took possession of a house where she was unknown to the occupants. I

Grinding Down the Price of Blankets.—The Auckland Clothing and Drapery Coy. are creating a sensation in the Blanket trade. They are offering large sized double-bed " white colonial Blankets at 15s a pair. This is the greatest: bargain ever seen in the Dominion * The greatest bargains in Blankets ever seen in the Dominion aro now being offered by tho Auckland Clothing and Drapery Coy. Great big heavy white English Blankets at 8s 6d a pair.— The Auckland Ciothing and Drapery Coy.* A Sonsation In the Blanket World.— Tho Auckland Clothing and Drapery Coy. are clearing large doublo-bed size white colonial Blankets at 15s a pair. — The Auckland Clothing and Drapery Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co., at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow, will sell the household furnitnre and effects of Mr W. Short, senior, on the premises, corner of Tasman and Weka-streets; on Wednesday, 2000 sheep at their Richmond yards; on Saturday, 18th, stock sale at Murchisoon. With the current number, the "Triad" celebrates its fifteenth anniversary. The April number also contains further s.rietures on Madame Clara Butt, and lively passages at arms with correspondents, in addition to other matter. lt is satisfactory to know that during the sojourn of Mr Lock (the Universal Provider and Complete and Cheapest Furnisher) in the great cities of the world, the business connected with bis extensive emporium will be carried on as usual, and the public can depend upon getting tho advantages, for which this establishment is famed and which has . made the name of Lock a household word, viz., largest and most up-to-date stock, lowest prices, easiest terms, and fair and square de*. : ug. At Lock's you get everything u> make tho home eomfortablc and attractive. Sole agency for Harland's oelebrated pianos, Car- . ficnter's organs, and the marvellous At- J . as Sewing Machines, Easibak Lino. | Polisher, and other good things.*