TOWN & COUNTRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3557, 2 May 1901, Page 2

TOWN & COUNTRY.

Three inches of snow fell at Oxford last Saturday night. Captain Edwin advises indications for frost to-night; glass rise, poor tides. The annual ball given by the bachelors of Studholine Junction took place last Friday evening, and although the weather was very severe it was largely attended. As usual it was a| great success. The Timaru Football Club will hold a practice on the High School ground to-day, play to start at 3 p.m. Every member is requested to put in a®, appearance so as to give the selection committee a chance to pick their teams. The following gentlemen were nominated for the Temuka Road Board yesterday,' and were declared duly elected:—Messrs John Talbot, John Maze, A. Bisset, P. Coira, and James Airay. The first three were Members of the late Board. It may be of interest to those who were shooting on the Milford Lagoon last season to learn that the " lagoon was permanently reserved in 1898 as a sanctuary for wild fowl." We may add that this information is from official headquarters at Wellington. The certificates and prizes recently gained by the Timaru Main School children will be distributed in the infant room this afternoon at 3 o'clock. The programme will bo distribution of shorthand certificates, prizes won at the Christchurch Exhibition, shooting prizes to cadets, arid prizes gained at the recent school sports. "yrhe shooting season for native game opened in South Canterbury yesterday. Sportsmen report very poor sport. There were a good many guns on the Washdyke lagoon, and though there were numerous birds to be seen on the wing, they were exceedingly shy, and flying very high over the heads of sportsmen. No big bags were recorded. The weather was too fine for good sport. Now that the Duke ol Cornwall is coming, says the "Hot Lakes Chronicle," the price of a single huia leather is 10s, and a whole tail is worth £5. The denland, as usual, creates a supply, and artists are said to be busily preparing huia tints from the plumage of less noble birds. Even tin old hen's wing can be made to resemble the aristocratic huia's, and the feathers thereof can be sold for more than their weight in gold. Intelligence of a very sudden death comes from Waimate. Mrs William Evans, of; that locality, retired to rest at about midnight on Tuesday, being apparently in; good health. During the night Mr Evans: was awakened by his wife coughing, and she suddenly expired while he was speaking to her. Mr Coltman, J.P., held an inquest yesterday afternoon, a report of which will be found in another column. Great sympathy is felt in the town and district for Mr Evans and his two little motherless I children.

The " Weekly Press" this week, in its pictorial supplement, introduces its patrons very fully to the North Island Borough of Patea, by means of three pages of pictures and descriptive letterpress. There are two pages full of groups of the Federal Contingent, a mixed lot of half-a-dozen or more uniforms. A view is given of Mr A. E. G. Rhodes' house, where the Duke and Duchess will sojourn whilst in Christchurcli, and some portraits of members of the Royal party. Some groups are given of a naturally " royal family" at Hokianga, a Mr and Mrs Mackenzie with 18 children, and 125 descendants in all. There are enough children to fill a school. The " Tyrone Constitution," of February Ist, has the following :—" Her Excellency the Countess of Ranfurly and her daughter Lady Constance Knox have just concluded a visit to Dungannon Park. Lady Ranfurly, who looks remarkably well, will, with her two daughters, the Ladies Constance and Eileen' Knox, return lo New Zealand to join His Excellency the Governor about the latter end of March. Lord Northland, Lord Ranfurly's son and heir, with Lord Dunsany, enjoyed a few days' shooting over the Ballyaiorthland preserves, and had good sport. Lord Northland, who holds a commission in the Coldstreams (his grandfather, Viscount Cliarlemont's, old regiment) has grown quite a giant in stature, being 6ft' in height, and weighing sixteen stones, although he is not yet nineteen years of age." Mr McLaren, as member of tho Levels County Council for Otipua riding, requests us to publish a statement of the receipts and expenditure of his riding for last year." The receipts were: Rates, £847 12s 4d; share oli subsidy £l6O ss, of licenses £27 16s, of dog tax £7 7s 6d, of sundries £7 ; total, £IOSO 0s lOd. The expenses were : Share of office expenses £lO2 10s lid, of Harbour Board levy £204 15s, of Hospital levy £73 18s, of destruction of small birds? £IOB 16s, of tools and materials £26 5s Id, of mairJtenance of main roads £343 10s. These items amount to £859 ss; leaving only £l9O 15s for "district roads," which include the Main South road. Mr McLaren wishes this point especially brought out, that out of a riding revenue-of £loso' only £l9O was available for roads other than the Otipua road, which is treated as a "main road." The expenditures on district roads was £268 Is lid. The riding was in debt at the beginning of the year £124 7s Id, and at the close £202 3s 2d. The funeral of the late Mr George Lawl'ie, which took place at St. Andrews yesterday, was largely attended, especially by old residents and representatives of the farming and pastoral industries. The late Mr Lawrie had been a resident of South Canterbury for about 23 years. He landed in the colony about 1869, coming out from Scotland as engineer for the Now Zealand and Australian Land Company when they first took up vast estates in Southland. He had the chief supervision of the steam ploughs which broke up tho land on the Edendale, Woodlands, and other estates in the south. He remained in tho employ of the company till 1878 when he moved north to the Pareora estate, South Canterbury, eventually taking up land on that estate, near the Otaio and Bluecliffs road. He married the eldest daughter of Mr Young, St. Andrews, and leaves a widow and two sons to mourn his loss. Tho late Mr Lawno was ;i( veiy clever mechanic, and took a very lively interest in the township of St. Andrews, and was a most kind neighbour. He wast a keen sportsman, and was one of the first to follow coursing in Southland, and later on at Pareora, wlieu tho meetings were vevy popular, Of lato yoars, owing principally to bad health, lie found tho work of tho farm very arduous, and lie took up threshing in which bis eiigineeriii;.* skill stood him in good stead, and be did woll in this line. He was a man of whom it can be truly said he never made an. enemy, and besides being highly thought of by many old Southlanders he mado a wide circle of friends hero, who deeply sympathise with Mrs Lawrio and her family in their sad loss.. Tho light of day is what the shrewd piano purchaser wants upon the instrument tlinb is to grace, or disgrace, his; drawing room for years to come. A new edition of that littio book describing how pianos are made can be had free for the asking from Begg and Co., next Theatre,' Timaru.—

The annual business meeting of subscribers to the Pleasant Point Library will bo held on Saturday evening next at 8 o'clock. Mr John Williams, who has been railway ganger at Studholme for many years, has recently been promoted to Timaru. Mr and Mrs Williams were much respected members of the Studholme Junction community, and many friends regret their departure. The " Sportsman" this week has a specially valuable art supplement, a portrait of His Majesty the King, to be followed on May Bth with a portrait of Queen Alexandra. These beautiful art portraits are most suitable for framing, .and should be found in every loyal household. Mr E. B. Cooper, overseer of the Te- ' muka Road Board, has been granted one month's leave of absence on account of illhealth. The Board deeply regretted Mr Cooper's continued ill-health, and expressed the wish that he might return fully recovered. Several new buildings are in course of erection at Studholme Junction, one of them being intended for a large grain store and another a saddler's shop. The railway buildings have recently received a good coat of paint, which was greatly required, and has improved the appearance of the local Btation. It is stated that New Zealand is the first country in the world to abolish the system of piece-work, and the consequent log of prices, in the bootmaking trade. This course was adopted at the Arbitration Court in Cliristchurch on Monday by the mutual consent of employers and workers representing the industry throughout the colony. The weekly (ordinary) meeting of the Hibernian Club was held last evening. Mr P. Kane, the club's president, presided over a good attendance of members. Seven young-men having been proposed for membership were duly received into the club. The members intend holding a social evening on Wednesday next by way of welcome to the inew members; also, a social on the 23rd instant. Last evening songs by Messrs Mara, Fitzgerald, and O'Connor, and stepdancing, boxing, physical exercises, made | up an interesting evening. An event that took well was the introduction of Sandow's " combined developer," which was easily used in the room, and a good many members had a real good practise with it. SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Farmers' Exchange Co.—Sell effects in late R. Drysdale's estate on Saturday. Guinness and LeCren—Sale of hut, tanks, etc., on Saturday; building sites at Waimate on 11th inst. Maling and Shallcrass—Clearing sale at Dinder farm on the 10th inst. Canterbury Fanners' Co-operative Association—Sell land at Waimate to-morrow. Penrose's Drapery Establishment Important shopping news for ladies. Commissioner of Crown Lands Small grazing run for lease on application. G. Robinson, Gleniti—Wants tenders for cutting gorse fences. Pleasant Point Library—Annual meeting of subscribers on Saturday next. R. Smith, Winchester—Warning to trespassers. Madr and Co.—Details of boot shipment just landed. " The Sportsman"—Special art supplements this week. Wanteds—Four notices.