The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1886. NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3519, 8 January 1886, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1886. NOTES.

" Who is to blame ? " That was the question asked by some hundreds of people yesterday afternoon, when there was no sign of the Royal Mail Steamor Kaikoura putting in aa appearance. We ourselves were considerably blamed, and blanked too, as if we had any control of the vessel's movements ! We are not going to publish all that wa3 said to our disparagement, for it would take up too much space. At the same time our natural modesty prevents us from printing the kind excuses urged on our behalf. It is sufficient to say that we naver asked the New Zealand Shipping Company to Bend the Kaikoura here, and though we did state she was to honor the port with her presence, or vice versa, we did not intentionally tell a crammer. We never have been given to that sort of thing, and havo no intention of beginning now. We are not going to give up the name of the real culprit, but must leave it to those who feel aggrieved to find it out for themselves. Wo believe he intends to take a trip to the North Island in the course of a day or two, and in the interim will not bn "at home." It may be some poor satisfaction to Timaru folk to know that the Kaikoura did not stop at Oaraaru, that she never went within a mile and a half of the place, and that the rumor which was flying about that b!io was deliberately run on a mud bank insido the harbor there and kept hard and fast for several hours so as to prevent her coming here, is totally devoid of foundation. A German astronomer has discovered, as others in the same line of business havo professed to do before, that the Moon is inhabited, and he says that it only needs a sufficiently large telescope to distinguish tho towns. What have hitherto been taken for extinct volcanoes are lakes, while fertile plains exist where extensive lava beds were formerly located. Instead of there being little or no atmosphere surrounding our satellite, according to Professor Von Krauf, it is even more dense than that of the earth. The worthy man appeals to all who take an interest in bringing the Moon nearer to the earth by means of more powerful instruments to communicate with him at Berlin, either directly, or through German Consuls. It is hardly necessary to add that communications, to be interesting, should contain a few pfennige. The long-continued drought is seriously affecting all parts of the Colony, and the damage already done can hardly be estimated. So far as we are aware, such a dry season has never been experienced since it was settled. Portions of it have, no doubt, suffered quite as severely, but not the whole at one and the same time. From tho North Cape to Invercargill comes news day after day of conflagrations of a more or less alarming character and of fears being entertained that the worst has not yet been seen. The insurance companies will Buffer heavily, but the risks will far from cover the private losses. What is to bo regretted aa much as anything is the large extent of native buah which has been burned in the North Inland, for there is but faint prospect of its ever being replaced. Some of the most valuable forests are now being consumed, and should the weather not soon change, the consequences cannot fail to prove fearful, and a source of national wealth greatly reduced. But there is this to be thankful for, that up to the present time there has been comparatively little loss of human life, only one or two instances having come under notice. The wave of heat would appear to be sweeping over •he whole of Australia as well as New Zealand, and the only fear is that when a reaction Bets in the ill effects of too much moisture will be equal to those of the drought. In the early part of the summer numerous complaints reached our ears about insect pests, and now we have them again. Roses seem to have suffered most, though not so much as last year. We have been shown several buds which were completely destroyed when on the eve of opening by a fly which "blows" them in the same manner that the bluebottle does meat, or, in many cases, blankets. The maggot makes at once for the heart of the bud, which it eats up, but in what state it emerges therefrom wo do not know. There is another very unwelcome insect — a stranger to far as we are

aware — which attacks currants, gooseberries, cherries, and so forth. It is a threadlike worm abnut half an inch in length, and when put under the microscope is seen to possess a head very much lika that of the teredo. Professional gardeners and others who ought to be authorities on the subject, aver that every year new peats are, or rather pests hitherto unknown, are making their appearance in New Zealand. Where they come from is a mystery. Possibly like the kea they are cultivating tastes which they did not previously possess, and bo they were not observed. The fact remains, however, that they are not desirable acquisitions, and if they continue to increase at the present rate our orchards and flower gardens will stand a fair chance «.f suffering to the same extent as those in parts of the United States.

Sheet Almanac.— With this issue of the paper is published our sheet almanac for 1886. It contains a large amount of useful knowledge and should bo pasted up for reference by all our readers. Educational. — Hiss Forbos notifies in another column that her schoul for ladies will open again on February 2nd. Miss Forbes, aa the majority of our readerg must be aware, possesses exceptional quali6cations for the position of Superior of a school, and if parents are at all in doubt, we would suggest they should glance over the names of those gentlemen who have given her permission to refer to them. AcciDßjfT. — A very painful accident ooeurred to a man named H. Scott on Wednesday evening. Whilst attempting to catch a horse that was running loose in Messrs Mundell and Co.'s stock yard, it turned round and struck him in the face inflicting a nasty gaßh on hiß lower lip ; his left arm was also hurt. Dr Fish was at once sent for, and after dressing the wounds, the injured man was taken homo. Bebidbnt Maoisteate'b Coubt, Tisi&ntr. — J. S. Beswick, Esq., R.M., presided at this Court yesterday, and fined a first offender 6s for drunkenness. Deniß McGrath and Sarah Low were each fined ss, and 7s costs, for allowing horses to wander at large, and Maurico O'Connor was fined in a similar amount for having two head of cattle at large. Alexander White, and the Royal Flouring Hills Company, were each fined £10 and coats 7s, for having false weighing machines in their possession. Mr Lynch appeared for the former defendant. The case Catherine White v. Charles White, for failing to support, was again brought on, when tho complainant applied for an adjournment of the case till the 12tb, which was granted. There was no evidence offered by the prosecution in the perjury case Sanderson v. Hansen, and Mr Whito was granted leave to withdraw tho case. Watee Supply fob Shadows. — We learn thnt Messrs Meason and Marchant have completed the surrey of the Seadown water supply district on which they have been engaged for some weeks past, and that very general satisfaction has been expressed in the district at the manner in which they have laid off the works so that water will be carried into every holding. , Could the work have been done six months ago what a boon it would havo proved during the present drought for the amount of labor necessary to pump oven an insufficient supply of water for the stock just now is very great some farms having to koep a man doing nothing else. The area watered will bo 17,i'00 or 18,000 acres, and it is confidently expected that this acreage will be increased in value by tho water works to tho extent of at least £1 per acre. The Loxa DEOranT.— Tho continued dry weather has caused a number of wells in Geraldine to go dry, and we cannot say what the result will be. All tho crops on light lands will suffer ; in fact, they have suffered already, and there will be but very little to harvest upon these farms unless the farmers have rain soon. We are glad to state, howover, that some crops on the heavier land in the Eakuhu and Pleasant Valley districts are looking very well bo far. But rain is needed to cause the grain to fill out, otherwise the sample wilt be light. AH root crops have almost come to a standstill with the long spell of dry weather. Passing clouds have indicated rain several times, but up to the present we have had none to speak of. It has become a very serious matter with the farmers, who have hod their lands well ■tocked with cattle and sheep thinking that the prospects were very good some two months ago, but now that the grass is all dried up thero is a great demand for feed, and as a consequence many will be compelled to sell their sheep and cattle at such prices that will be far from remunerative. Sutbeblands Schooli. — Tho annual distribution of prizes at the "'iitherlands School took place on December 26th. The children assembled at the school about 10 o'clock, accompanied by a considerable number of their parents and friends, and a livoly interest was taken in tho proceedings. The prizes, which consisted of books, desks, workboxes, cabinets, 4c, wero distributed by the Chairman of Committee, the successful pupils being heartily cheered by their schoolmates. Three cheers were given for the donors of tho prizes, including Captain Sutter, Mr Pearson, and others, also, cheers for the toachers, the Committee, ic, winding up with three cheers for everybody. Tho following is the prize list : — Standard IV. : Ellen Keane 1, Jane Cleland and Elizabeth Tate (equal) 2 ; Standard 111. : Wm. Robinson 1, Jaa. Mat-hows 2 ; Standard II. : Archd. Chisholm and John Chisholm (equal) 1, Agnes Qammie 2; StanI. .- Annie O'Donnell 1, Donald Fraser 2, Clara Dixon and John Hawkins (equal) 3. All the pupils in the infant classes received a small prize. Good attendance (Mr Pearson's prizes): Girls— Ellen Keano j Boys — George Proundwater. Sewing — Ist Class, Lucy Sutherland ; 2nd Class, Lily Ann Mathows ; 3rd Class, Lydia Elliott 1, Elizabeth Tate 2. Prize for darning, given by Miss Sutherland — Jane Cleland. Most popular girl in the School (Miss Moßeth'a prize) — Jano Cleland. Most popular boy (Mrs Samme' prize) — Archibald Elliott. Otaio Fbstital. — The annual parish festival of the Otaio and Bluecliffs parochial district took place yesterday in one of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's large paddocks on tho seaward side of the main line of railway, and about opposite the St. Andrew's railway station. The paddock was hardly well suited for holding a picnic in, but the reason the festival was held there this year was to enable tho management to use the large buildings erected thereon for bazaar purposes, ete. The building in which the bazaar was held was kindly placed at disposal by Messrs Bruce and McLaren, and the one in which refreshment tables were laid out in, by Mr Macpherson, Manager of the Pareora estate. In the bazaar were several largo stalls presided over by Mesdames Armitage, McLaren, Alexander, J. B. Brown, the Misses Thierens and Holmes, and both tho stalls and interior of the room generally were profusely and beautifully decoratod with evergreens and flowers. The articles on the Btalls were as numerous as they were diverse, and were contributed by numerous ladies representing oil parts of tho district. The financial results of the bazaar must be very gratifying, for soiling was going on briskly all day, the ladies mentioned beiag most ably assisted in disposing of goods by a very large army of young ladies, who all worked zealously for the good of tho cause. Miss Lovegrove (of Timaru) achieved a great success as a gipsy, and told tlu fortunes of " fair maidens, stately dames," and tho various memborsof the uterncr box with great empresstmenl, and which seemed not only to please her clients, but to afford un almost endless fund of amusement to the large circle of admirers standing about her. For the refreshment room, trays wore supplied by Mesdames Boyle, Armitage, Pigeon, Childs, Palmer, Swanßon, McLaren, Phillips, Lovegrove, Alexander, Dodd, and J. R. Brown, and the Misses Thierens, and they proved so bountiful that the large number of visitors — estimated at 700 — were able to more than refresh themselves, and the assortment of good things was so varied as to almost satisfy, the most fastidious epicurean. The Incumbent, the Bev. L. Carsley Brady, was Chairman of the Managing Committee, which consisted of Messrs Armitage, Boyle, Childs, Lindsay, Bruce, A. Pigeon, Lovegrove, Tescho maker, and J. O. Thierens, and they all worked hard in getting off races among the young people and adults. Messrs McLaren, Laurie, Macpherson, Rhodes and others also ably assisted, and helped most

m terially in making the festival the success it turned out to be. The sale of stock implements, &c, turned out a great succcs, and Mr Teschemaker deserves specinlly complimenting for so efficiently acting as auction er. The Timaru City Band, under Mr Wood, played during the day, the music being greatly enjoyed, and advantage was taken of the danoo music to trip it gaily on the grass. Tho weather up to four o'clock was very good, but at that hour a stiff cold breeze from the southward sprang up aHd made matters so unpleasant that nearly everybody turned towards home at six o'clock. Those who stayed, chiefly young people, enjoyed a dance in one of the large buildings, the music being discoursed bv the Cilv Band.

Delicatb and Bicklt Children. — For those children who do not seem to thrive upon the nourishment giren them, there is nothing that will build them up and give them health and strength so quickly as Scott's Emulsion of Pure Cod Liver Oil with Hypoposphites. This romedy is very palatable and exceedingly nutritious, and not only gives strength and increases tho fleeh but creates an appetite for food. It is also the finest remedy known for Consumption and General Debility. — [Advt.J An Alab&steb Box. — Young girls finding their complexion growing sallow, and their skin becoming rough or freckly, resort to perfumed ointments for a restoration of their bloom. AH such should use American Co.'s Hop Bitters, which will restore bloom to I cheeks, whiteness and beauty to their complexion, making rich blood, good health, and happy smiles. Bead [Advt.] Wobkino Men. — Before you begin your heavy spring work after a winter of relaxation your system needs cleansing and strengthening to prevent an attack of bilioue or spring fever or sickness that will unfit you for a season's work. You will save time, sickness and expense if you will use one bottle of American Co.'s Hop Bitters in your family this month. Don't wait. Bead [Advt.] The Bad and Woethlkbs are never imitated or counterfeited. This is especially truo of a family medicine, and it is positive proof that tho remedy imitated ie of tho highest value. As soon as it had been tested and proved by the whole world that Hop Bitters was the purest, best and most valuable family medicine on earth, many imitations sprung up and began to steal the notices in which the press and the people of the country had expressed the merits of H. 8., and in everj way trying to induce suffering invalids to use their stuff instead, expecting to make money on the credit and good name of H. B. Many others startvd nostrums put up in similar style to H. 8., with variously devised names in which the word " Hop " or " Hops " were used in a way to induce people to beliove they were tho eamo as Hop Bitters. All such pretended remedies or cures, on matter what their style or name is, and especially those with the word " Hop " or "Hops" in their name or in any way connected with them or their name, are imitations or counterfeits. Beware of them. Touch none of them. Vee nothing but genuine American Uop Bitters, with a cluster of green Hop* on the white label, and Dr Soule's name \)-rn in tho glass. Trust nothing else. «td?~ Druggists and Chemists are warned cust dealing in imitations or counterfeits. — [Advt.] " Buchu-Paiba." — Quick, complete cure, all annoying Kidney, Bladder and TJrinarj Diseases. Druggists. Moaea, Moaa and O Sydn."» Oonnral Apnnta. — TAtxtt . That Husband of Mine is three times th€ man he was before he began nsing " Wells Health Renewor." Druggists. Moses, Moss anfl C!n., Svrtrnv. Oonornl A (rente.— TAr.VT.l (2 j Don't Die in the Hoote.— " Rough on ' Bats " olears oat rata, mice, beetles, roaches, bed-bugs, flies, ants, ineoote, moles, jockrabbits, gophers. Moaea, Moss and Co., Svdnov. trnnnral atrnntfl — (Anvr. I Wells' " Eouoh on Coens."— Ask for Wells' " Bough on Corns." Quick relief, complete permanent core. Corns," warts, bunions. Moaea, Moss and Co., Sydney, general aconta. — lAijvt 7 (1) SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. James A. Gracic and Co., through D. Maclean— Sell sheep and cattle at Makikihi on Monday ; hold second wool sale of the season on Tuesday. Jonas and Bourn— Sell horse*, etc., to-morrow ; sheep and cattle at Makikihi on Monday. W. avidson— Has properties for sale. James Parr, Tntara Valley— Has a farm for sale. Mrs Mason, Elizabeth street — Has vacancies for ladies or gentlemen. Timaru Sea Bathing Company— lnvite tenders for lease of baths. James Granger— Has a workshop to let. Miss Forbes' School— Will re-open on the 2nd prox. T. Amos— Has Florence cherries and early plums for sale. I Stewart, Dawson and Co.— Special notico re their watches. I Funeral notice— One.