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South Canterbury Times, Issue 8777, 12 March 1897, Page 3

Particulars of a railway excursion to Christchurch from Timaru is advertised this evening. We take the following from the Otago Daily Times of yesterday The Union Steam Ship Company will increase freights from Ist April on certain classes of produce. This is presumably due to the increases in pay. A charge of shooting with intent to do grievous bodily harm is to be enquired into at the Geraldine Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday next. The parties implicated are well-known residents, and the dispute which led to the alleged shoooting is said to have arisen over the question of the ownership of a trotting horse.

The royal coat of arras at present being erected on the new Government Life Insurance Building at Dunedin, was imported from Italy, and weighs over two tons. It is made of marble, says the Star, and is a splendid piece of work. It is to be placed in a conspicuous position, and should add considerably to the ornamentation of the building, which is now almost completed.

It is seldom that such a remarkable spell of fine weather falls to the lot of passengers as that which marked the voyage of the steamer Gothic from London to Wellington. During the whole trip the sea was almost as calm as a millpond, while there was a total absence of rain. This fortunate circumstance allowed (says the Fast) deck games and improvised entertainments to be carried on without interruption. The run from Hobart was accomplished in the splendid time of 3 days 15 hours. A London correspondent of the Dunedie Star says that a novel suggestion was put forward by the Financial News , in connection with Mr Seddon’s request that the name of the gentleman whom it is proposed to appoint as the new Governor of New Zealand shall be submitted to the Colonial Ministery before the appointment is confirmed. It says: “New Zealand is anxious to have a voice in the selection of the next Governor of the colony. Suppose there were to be a little reciprocity, and that New Zealand let ns have some say in the choice of Colonial Treasurers.” The first lots of “ workmen’s homes ’ sections to be opened in Canterbury are to he offered for selection near Christchurch this month. They are in two localities, 26 allotments of from two to three acres between the Riccarton Road and Middleton Railway Station, and seven allotments of from five to seven acres at Fendaltown. The Government will, if necessary, make advances tqwai’ds the cost of a dwellinghouse, or for fencing and planting the land; married men are granted an advance of not more than £2O, and single men £lO, but no advance must exceed onehalf the value of the building or fencing and planting actually erected or done by the lessee on the land. A new orchard pest called silver blight has appeared about Christchurch. It at first was confined to the plums, but is now attacking all fruit trees and even small fruit bushes. When it makes its first appearance generally only a single branch is affected. The leaves of the affected branch gradually assume a conspicuous, lustrous light silver-coloured

appearance, which extends downwards to the junction of one branch with another, below the affected parts the leaves hav_ ing their normal healthy appearance. Above the healthy leaves the disease soon kills the inner bark and cambian layer of the affected limb; the cellular substances of the leaves thickens and dies, and the upper surface of the leaves in places comes ruptured and the leaves turn brown and gradually shrivel up and fall off. The disease spreads downwards and if it becomes fixed it destroys the whole tree. So far the only remedy found for it is to cut off and burn every affected branch. Has this disease been noticed about Timaru ?

1 The 27th annual meeting of shareholders m the Timaru P.M.8.8. and I, Society will be held on Friday. March 19 th, at the office of the manager Mr Allan, Arcade Cliambers, at 8 p m. A school excursion was run from Ashburton to Lyttelton yesterday, a train of 32 carriages and a load of about 2500 passengers. The excursion was marred by the death of a man who fell off the train in the tunnel on the return journey. The durability of different timbers for wharf piles has often been debated, and a variety of experience is called into requisition in favour of one or another kind of timber. A special examination was lately made of the pile work of the Auckland wharves by the chairman, harbourmaster, and foreman of works. One result of the examination was the discovery that of two piles driven side by side, in the oldest part of one of the wharves, which is about 20 years old, a stringy bark pile was riddled by teredo, while the heart of totara pile beside it was untouched except that it had lost some of its sap wood.

From all accounts Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy is a Godsend to the afflicted. There is no advertisement about this ; we feel just like saying it.— The Democrat, Carrollton, Ky. For sale by J. O. Oddie, chemist, Timaru.

- The Barnard Street Hall was crowded to excess last evening on the occasion of a concert which was held in aid of the funds of the Protestant Brass Band. The chair was filled by Mr James Hilton, who in a short opening address expressed his pleasure at seeing so many present, and said that the concert was held in aid of the funds of the band. The opening selection was creditably played by the hand., after which a very good programme of vocal and instrumental music, funny sketches by a minstrel, and other items were gone through. The audience was a very appreciative one, and applause was hearty, several of the singers being encored, A good concert was wound up with a dance, which was also well attended.

Messrs Ballantyne and Co. make their first season’s show of the latest fashionable novelties on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next, March 15th, 16th, and 17th, when all their latest importations from London and Paris will be on view. They will be open on Wednesday, and closed as usual on Thursday afternoon.

An encouragement to the South Canterbury Charitable Aid Board to persevere in their system of boarding-out indigent children on their hands may be found in a statement in the Christchurch Star that the North Canterbury Board has between 80 and 100 children boarded out. “ This boarding-out plan was begun seven years ago, and the results have proved exceedingly satisfactory. The principle adopted is to select country homes—the further removed from towns the better —and to preferably select such foster-parents as have a freehold property and no family of their own. Each child, on being sent out, is provided with an outfit, and thereafter the sum of six shillings a week is paid by the Board. The foster-parents must feed the child well, clothe it decently, give it the customary State school education, and a suitable up-bringing. Lady visitors report at frequent intervals on every case seeing that all the conditions are fully comnlied with.”

Several years ago I was taken with a severe attack of flux, I was sick in bed about ten days and could get nothing to relieve me until I used Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy, which cured me and has been a household remedy with us ever since. J. C. Marlow, Decaturville, Mo. For sale by J. C. Oddie, chemist, Timaru.