BLENHEIM TABLE TALK.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 20, Issue 70, 3 September 1909, Page 7

BLENHEIM TABLE TALK.

NEWS FROM ACROSS THE RIVERS. (From our Correspondent). Wednesday. “Dido" is still making her unwelcome presence felt in these regions. The oldest inhabitant is beginning to cudgel his brains over the wettest winter he can remember, but this one would be hard to beat, not so much for the quantity of rain as for the number of days on whicn rain has fallen. Saturday and Sunday were shamefully wet, Monday was not so bad, but Tuesday dawned too beautiful to last, and last the sun did not, for last night the rain teemed down continuously, and all the rivers were very high this morning. The Taylor was coming down in a heavy volume of thick yellow pea soup, and both the Opawa and Wairau gave striking evidence of the storm, though the latter was not so bad as to make the Spring Creek punt unworkable. Speaking of the punt reminds me that the first trap to cross the new bridge got over yesterday, being one driven by Mr D’Arcy Chaytor. The decking has yet to be spiked down, and the rails have to be erected, and then the structure will be open for traffic. Passengers through from the Kaituna to-day tell me that there is a very bad wash out on the KaitunaTna Marina track, the road having been entirely washed away in one place, and recourse having to be had to a Jneighbouring ploughed paddock to effect a passage. The boo's of one of the travellers gave evidence of the depth of the mud, which was over his boot-tops. He stated that Gibson’s Creek was very high, and some trouble was occasioned in crossing it, the swifty running stream entering the trap. When he came to speak of the Kaituna Road words failed him, and at latest advices he was still suffering from paralysis caused by his attempt to express his feelings. Last nigbi the choir of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church gave the sacred cantata “ Ruth,’’ before a rather poor audience, numbers of people having been prevented from attending by the wretched weather. I understand that the effort is to be repeated next week, when the choir and its conductor may well expect a full church. The Commercial Institu'e held its fortnightly meeting last evening, the weather again accounting for a smaller assembly than usual. The absentees were the losers, however, for Mr B. A Moore’s excellent lecture on balance sheets, illustrated by sample sheets, was a grand education in reading these “ bird’s eye view ” statements of financial position, as they have been called. A company of ladies and gentlemen who have been assiduously practising and rehearsing the humorous piece "Pacing the Music” for some time past will give the public the fruits of their labours on two nights next week. It is some considerable time since of the kind was attempted in Blenheim, and the Amateur Dramatic Society should have bumper houses when they face the footlights on Thursday and Friday week. I have been privileged to see the plans and some of the patterns of a new marine oil-engine which has been designed and is being constructed locally. The engine is to be one of four large cylinders, the castings for which will be made in Wellington. It will be the most powerful marine motor in Marlborough, and should prove of great interest to many motor enthusiasts in the Sounds. I hope to give a fairly full report, together with particulars of the engine, and perhaps the fruits of a conversation with the designer and builder, next week. It is quite the biggest thing of the kind, so far as I know, that has been attempted in New Zealand so far, while it is said to be so simple in design that a child could run it.

Wednesday,