TOWN & COUNTRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4543, 20 May 1889, Page 2

TOWN & COUNTRY.

Sparrow and Co, Dunedin, have just dolivered for the Onmaru freezing works a pair of steel boilors, each 40ft long and 7ft in diameter, among the largest in New Zealand. They weigh 20 ton3 a piece. At the Waimate Residont Magistrates Court on Saturday, before Hia Worship tlio Mayor, Mr F. Slee, Francis Henry wan charged with being drunk whilst in charge of a horso on tho 17th inst. He vras fined lCs, or in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Tbo harbour seems to bo becoming more and more full of fish. Cod are now caught in great numbers, and what with long rows of I cod and tubs and boxes of Bprals the vicinity of the breakwater is becoming quite a fish | market. Fish aro so plentiful that they aro lo bs seen thrown away in all directions. Sergt. Major Mason received on Saturday afternoon a telegram from Pleasant Point stating that Mary Amy Laura Shepherd, nged one year and eight months, daughter of George Shepperd, farmer of (ho Point, was found drowned in a tub of water at noon on Saturday. Tho coroner has decided to hold an inquest to-day. Kapier, — built, tho business portion of it, behind a shingle spit, ai it were on thn safer side of the Wnshdyko spit-has ju«t completed the erection of o eca wall and esplanade along the town front. The heavy tea of Sunday week capsized some of tho parapet, and a good deal of water landed on the Csplon;ule, but no great damage was doue. Launceston hospital contains about the eame number of patients as Dunedin hospital. At the former drugs and drencho3 cost about £12R, at Dunedin over £1000 a year. The death rate is about the samo at both places. A member of the Dunedin Board thinks may be the patients aro over-dosed at one institution aDd under-dosed at the other. Dr Barclay, house surgeon at Dunedin Hospital, reported tho other day that he had on his hands seven members of one family, down with typhoid fever, and it frequently happened that two or three members of one family were on tUs out-patients list -with typhoid. He thought the drug bill would bo a good deal reduced if the dwellings of the poor were subjected to sharper sanitary inBpoetion. Tho second term cou!menco3 at the Timaru High School to-morrow. New pupils are. requested to present themselves at the school between 10 a.m. and noon to-day. The fers are, senior department £4 6s 8d per terra, and junior £3 18s 4J, and if puid within 14 days from the commencement of the term a reduction of £1 will be made in each department pur term. The headmaster is Mr George Ilogben, M.A., formerly scholar of St. Catharino'e College, Cambridge. The Dunedin Hospital Trustees recently hnd an " operating theatre " constructed, which cost over £1000 when it was furnished for nso. For a room and n few fables, washbowls, and other conveniences for taking a fellow's leg off, this soerns a atiff price. At the City Council, spo'iking of hospital matters, a councillor said (hero was a tendency in Dunedin to imitate the examplo of Melbourne, where the hospital was so luxurious that there were no beds for the poor, only for the rich people who could afford to pay for their accommodation. Another councillor remarked that the trustees wero going in the direction of impoverishing tho hospital by constructing luxurious and unnecessary conveniences. Joseph Eoberts hasbeenjcominitted for trial at Waipawa, Hawke's Bay, for stealing a pocket book and £20 in notes from a man named McKerra. It appears that tho two nion stayed atan hotel together one night and occupied tho samo bedroom. The pro?ecutor missed his monoy next day, suspicion fell on Boberts, and the police got hold of a letter which had been placed in the letter-rack at tho hotel, addressed to Roberts, and which, by the feel of it, was supposed to contain b.?nk notes. Such proved to ho tho case, and when Roberts inquired for a letter he was referred lo the Sargonnt-Major of PolicO. It is alleged that Roberts got up early in the morning, wrote a letler, and addressed it to himself, enclosing tho money in tho some envelope. At a meeting of tho Wellington Road District Board of Reviewers under tho Property Aesessmcnt Act on Wednesday, Mr Travers appeared for the Company, and objected to the valuation of the Wellington-Manawutu Railway Company's properties, on the ground that they had been assessed on a wrong principlo. Ho contended that tho purposes for which the property was lo bo used wcro not to be takon into consideration when assessing tho value, and that the proper basis to be adopted in dealing with the railway was tho mero valuo of tho land wilh what was upon it. The local bodies interested in tho valuation were not represented, and the chairman said it was unfortunate for tho board that they should have bucli an able advocate on one nirle and no one on the other in such an important matter. riventually it was docided that tha matter should bs adjourned until noxt wock, Mr Sporrey undertaking to arrange for counsel to appenr. The casn will probably come on agaiu on Monday. Tho assessment on the company 1 ! properties total £185,059. A meeting of the South Canterbury Rugby Union was held at tho Ship Hotel on Friday evening. Present : Messrs Flint, (chairman) Volvin, Goodall, MoLoan and A. 0. Perry. Correspondence was road from tho Otngo Rugby Union re advisability of sending a Now Zealand team to England this season, from tho Nelson Bnghy Union asking what terms they might expect should they play a match witli tho Union and from Iho Cuuterbury Hugby Union stating that any date in July would suit them for a match in Sonl.li Canterbury. It was agreed that the South Canterbury Union coincides with tho Otngo Union in tho opinion that it is not desirable in tho interests of Rugby Football in Now Zonland that a team should visit England this season, and tho English Union bo requested to refuse its patronage to any team from this colony visiting England this year, not aecroditod by the variouß unions in Now Zealand. It wub also decided that 75 per cent of tho gross takings bo offered the Nolson Union to play a match hero ; and that Saturday, July 20th, will bo tho most convenient dato for tho matoh with tho Canter' bury Union. Mr Volvin guvo notice that he would move at noxt mooting that tho constitution of tho (election committee be altered, anil that only nou-plnyiug members bo elcuted ou that committee. It was agreed that tho next meoting bo hold at Tcaiuka. The mooting then adjourned wilh a vote of lhauk.9 to tho cbairraau.

1 Messrs A. Grant, R. Smith, W. Suell, tir.d P. Wareing, wore on Saturday nominated 3B candidates for the Temuka Hoad Board. A poll for the election of two of the candidates Batned is to be held on the 28th inst. The following cablegram appeared in the Australia j papers : — "Tho trial of tho Zulu chiefs, Undabaku and Dinizuluwas concluded to-day, when tho former wns sentenced to fifteen years' and tho latter to tcu years' imprisonment, without hard lnbour, for treason against tho British Government." On Juno Ist the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company will sell by unction at Oatnaru 1193 acres of that magnificent farming land on the Tables known as the Ngapara estate. Tho laud is of limestone formation, is among tho very best in tho Oamaru district', and will be sold on very reasonahlo terms. The usual weekly session of the Lifeboat lodge waa hold at (he Oddfellows' Hall, Barnard street, on Friday -evening, when, in the absence of the C.T., Brother A. D. Bloomfield, L.D., took tho chair. Thero was a good uttendanco of members. After all tho business had been fiuisLed, tho lodge went into harmony, when sonic very good sones, readings, and recitations werc'given bv members. It.was a'.so moved by the lo:lgo that a juvenilo lodge be started in Timaru, and Brother Mills, D.D., was instructed to apply for a charter, after which the lodgo was closed by the C.T. at 9.30. Amongst tho more important Bills to bo brought before Parliament thiß session will be tho now Bankruptcy Bill, which aims at assimilating to a great extent the New Zealand bankruptcy laws with thoso of England. It is proposed to give Resident Magistrates jurisdiction in bankruptcy cases up to £100, which will not only relieve the Supremo Court of tho duty of dealing with email CBtates, hut will enable them to be more cheaply and expeditioiisly wound up, to the great relief of creditors. It . is considored that the present pyetero is too cumbrous and costly, and to obviato this is one of the chief objects of tho proposed new Act. The funeral of tho late second ofiicoi' of tho barque Einelunc, Mr G. W. Robertson, who met his death by drowning in the harbour on April 27th, and whose body was found lloating near the main wharf on Saturday, took place yesterday afternoon, and was attended by a very largo number of people, tbo majority being tlioee hailing from the TCast Cosßt of Scotland. The unfortunate officer had made many friends during his brief stay in Timaru, and mueb sympathy is extended to his friends at his sudden death. The service at the grave was read by the Eov. Mr Austin, Congregational minister, and was most impressive. Mr B. Thompson, the member for Maraden, when addressing his constituents at Dargaville Bald : — "Abußes existed among tho village settlers, great, favouritism was shown, and the truck sjstem was carried on. Tho Gove.rnuiont settlers darei not raako complaints for fear of the officials. Ihe settlements were kept going for the benefit of the Queen street (Aueklaud) merchants. Tho late Government hod pnid £10,000 to toadies and crawlers after Ministers. Ho complained (hat the Property Tax Commissioner can reduco the property tax at will. Tho District Railways Bill was passed for the boneGt of capitalists and speculators. He charged an Auckland ring with being the cause of the stoppage of the North of Auckland railway, bo as not to bring the kauri forest into the market against the timber mouopoly. Writing to the New Zealand Herald Mr S. Vaillo Bays " Dover Express " wants to know what, in my opinion, is the reason that, while there rrore 133 applicants for (ho position of Queensland Railway Commissioner, there was no application for a similar post in this colony, even at a salary of £3000 per nnnum. WoII, my opinion is this, which I wish It stato clearly, distinctly, emphatically— that it never was intended to import a Commissioner. Tho wondorful " experts " who were to make our railways a success, had already been discovered iu Now Zealand. It is my honest, dclibcrato opinion, tbat the whole aim, object, and intention of tho Government Railways Act of 1887 vrns to provide permanent billets for certain people, tc prevent any real reformation in tho sy«tom of working our railways being carried out, and to throw the control of the trade, couiwercr, and land values of tho colony into the hands of a certain ring. And such will undoubtedly be its effects. lam acquainted with a good deal of railway legislation, and I bavo no doubt whatever that tho New Zealand Act is the only railway Act in tho world that does not contain ono clause, one subsection, one lino, ono word, to protect public interosts. It is impossible to imagine that such a piece of legislation was intended for the general good. It is simply a disgraceful handing over of all public rights to servo ihe interests of a few. ]f allowed to continue in operation its effect will be to build up a few immense fortunes and reduco multitudes to tho verge of starvation." We need scarcely eay that wo do not endorao all Mr Vailo's remarks, but ho may possibly be right in thinking that tho Government had no intontion of getting an export from Home. An ordinary meeting of the committee of the Geraldine Literary Instituto was held on Thursday evening lost, there being present Messrs A. Whito, A. E. Hawkins, F. W. Smith, H. W. Moore. Tho secrotary and treasurer were oleo in nltendanco. MiHawkins was voted to the chair. Tho secretary stated thai since tho reduction from £1 to 10s iu the annual subscription to the Instiluto had been decided upon by the committee, it had proved a most satisfactory step, as tho number of subscribers had in-croa-ed from twenty-fivo to forty-tcven, and six or scve'.i mora individuals had promißod to become members. Tho liabilities at present amounted to about £18. The subscriptions wero being moro regularly paid, and the proceeds of tho lecture? enabled tho committee to havo a credit balance of £12 I,'la lOd. Ho had also to etato that twenty oubeoriptiono had now fallen duo for the year. This stato of the loitituto'i finances was considered very satisfactory. Accounts amounting to £10 8» 3d wero passed for payment. It was also decided to purchase obout £3 worth of new books, and Major Mooro was requested to obtain them. It was resolved that Mr J. Ailken be requested to givo n lecture on chemistry, accompanying it with practical illustrations, during the next fortnight, for tho benefit of the Institute, and Messrs 11. W. Moore and A. B. Hawkins npro appointed it conimiltec to carry out tho necessary iirrangemonts. Tho question of adding n room to tho inslitule was revived, for young men to meet in for tho purposo of conversation, smoking, &c. Tho matter wub hold over for tho present for tho committee to ascertain what support will bo given. Tho secretary wub instructed to get iu tho tubturiptiuu6 still outstanding as quickly as )ioE:ible. Tliu Oii'Olilig tlluU UrißiU'iteJ,

A meeting of tho South Canterbury Acclimatisation Soejtty will bo hold nt Mr Granger's oflice at 11 o'clock this morning for the purpodo of euKgoe!in« to the Government alterations in The Animals Protection Act, and of considering tho advisability of landing a delegate to attend the meeting of acclimatisation societies at Christchurch on Saturday next. At tho football match on Saturday between the Wnihi and Timaru Clubs, tho attendance was fair and weather fine. Tho game wbb played nnder the new rules, and resulted in a draw. Somo very fair individual play wbb shown, bnt as a wholo the game was not so interesting as usual. On Friday next tho Sydenham tenm will arrive in Timaru from Christchurch by the excursion train, and try conclusions with the local men. One of tho Homo pipera refers to tho recent To Kooli trouble in the following extraordinary terms :— " No more abominably ill-treated and abused man than poor Te Kooti exists, and all this trouble, this expenditure, and this shedding of blood, is tho result of tho cruel way in which that most noble-hearted ssvage has been treated by tho pettifogging and unscrupulous colonial underlings who have made the name of Englishmen detested by tho Maoris." 1 he Kaitangata correspondent of the Clutfia Leader reports that in their now drive the Kaitangata Coal Company hare struck a new seam of coal, into which they had tuen driven Bft. He says tho quality is superior to any conl previously discovered in (ho district. The eeam is 150ft below that at present being worked by the company. Itß existence was cot preciously known, and its thickneei has not yet been ascertained, but tho discovery is undoubtedly a very important one, both for the company and the public generally. At a enle of unclaimed goods at "the Government .Railway Station, Wellington, a day or two ago, tho curiosity of the cunning was excited with veferenco to the contonts of a mysterious-looking sack. In due time the sack was put up and was knocked down to » particularly knowing individual for four shillings. The purchaser indignantly resisted all efforts to find out his reason for buying the sack, and hating unctuously stated that "Three pounds couldn't buy it," ho thenceforth preserved a judicious and ostentatious silence. When ho left the station he was followed bf acrowd partly envious snd partly curious, of whom ho took no cognisance, but proceeded through the town staggering underneath the ireighfc of unknown weolth. Hot. ing arrived at a suitable spot he put down the bng and cut it open. He then discovered that it contained neither jewels nor nuggets ; neithor clothes of extra finish. What it did contain was bottles which had been used many years ago, and smelt accordw 6 lj. she Cbinoio team to hare different ideas from ours regarding the relation of the dead to properly they leave behind them. At the Duiicdin City Court on Thursday two Chinamen wero charged with keeping & gaming houee. Ono of them when arrastod iaid the place was not his, ho was only the manager for Mco Wah,— a Chinaman who is dead. The " childlike and bland " had another defence and innocent explanation of the by-lhe-policountranslateable signs on a euspocted gambling board and tickets. Through an interpreter be said he wns a Chineie doctor, fortune-teller, and professional writer. He had two rooms at Mee WafcV, and all the things produced belonged to him, the accused. The board was used for fortune-tell-ing and advising peoplo in their actions in life. The characters on the tickets wore about heaven, earth, sun, moon, stars, mountains, tea, and advice to children. He knew nothing ofjthe game of pak-a pu, end board and tickets had nothing to do with any game. Defence disbelieved ; fined £20 or three months. The Tprdict of all who have used the "Jumbo " brand Baking Powder, is that it makes light, nutiitous and digestive bread, cukes, pastry, etc. As tho ingredients are of tho finest qualities, and no injurious elements are used in (he preparation, bread, etc., made with this powder will keep fresh and moist longer than with any other powder. Ask for Anderson's "Jumbo" brand Baking Powder. — LAdvt.] D. McQuinncEsbegs to inform tho public that ho has sold out his interest in the Club Hotel, but still carries on the business of tho Eailway Refreshment Rooms. First-class luncheon? supplied daily from 12 noon till 3 p.m. Price, ono shilling. Early breakfast* in time for first trains. Is 6d each.— [Adtt.] SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVEUTISEMENTS. Gracie, Mfujlean and Co—Sell implements and furniture at Pnirlio Crock on stb Juno. S.C. Hunt Clnb — Hound3 moot on Qaeon's Birthday, at Kingsborouch. N.Z. Loan, Oauiaru — Sell farming laud on Ist Juuo. K. Campbell— Calls for tenders for diffgin? potatoes. Teranka Koad Board — Klection notice- : poll on 2Sth iust Opiln— Tcuders. invited for paiutiug the sohool bnildinps. In Bankruptcy— Re J. McKobbie and Philip Stratford, Timaru Wool Works Company— Share list closes on 25th May. Funeral Notico— Of lato Miss Shepherd ;J. Eider, undertaker.