LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6136, 24 March 1898, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ministerial Movements. — A telegram from Dnnedin states that Ministers left there for the south this morning. Societe Francaise. — The fortnightly meeting of the Societe Frangaise will be held at Girton College at 8 p.m. to-'^rrp«;;C^::-::r-^;...:^>>^;:^;->^;^;: v.>.^..;; ; ; SAiLOßsVH6^^T£e;Superitit^ndentrof the Ly ttelton ; Sailors' Home . desires : to acknowledge the receipt Vof three guineas fromMr Adam^ Chalmers per Mr J/G. T. Wood. Personal. — Mr A. G. Ashby, late assistant clerk at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court, left by the express to-day to take up his new duties at the Kiverton Court. The Hon Captain Brand and Dr Ned will arrived from the north by the b.s. Tarawera, this morning. Valedictory. — Mr H. Taylor, late of the D.1.C., who is leaving Christchurch to take up the management of a business in Wanganui, was entertained by his friends .and fellow-employes at a. social gathering in the Clarendon Hotel last evening.! There; •was a musical programme, and complimentary speeches were made, all joining in wishing Mr Taylor success in his new venture. Rangiora Fire Brigade. — After the fortnightly practice of the above Brigade last evening, the medals, won at the Auckland competitions • were pinned; to 'the tbreaats of Branchmen C. du Moulin and W. Jordan, Secretary W. T.. Wilson and Firemen G. Jordan and J. Thompson, the Brigade's representatives, by Superintendent Smith. Three-years members' certifi- j cates were presented to Firemen A. Shank- j land, A. Birss, J. Thompson, D. E. Blake, S. Ogden and G. S. Jordan. The Baptist Indian Missions.— Dr North, who is to join the Baptist Indian | missions in October, as a medical mission- j ary, is just now visiting the Baptist churches in Canterbury to make the acquaintance of the congregations. Last evening he addressed a meeting at Eahgiorain the -Presbyterian Church, the Baptist Church being in course of enlargement. The Eev A. Doull, and the Bev W. Lamb, who presided, also spoke on mission work. Tfe Mill Island. — It is the intention of the City Beautifying Association to start work on the island formerly occupied by Lane's mill as soon as the next spell of wet weather has rendered the ground suitable for the commencement of operations. • The fir3t task to.be taken in hand will be the planting of the retaining walls, which are to be covered with various flowering •plants which will thrive in such a situation. Work on the surface of the island will be undertaken next season, as the present time of year and the condition of the ground are unsuitable, „...■[■■ ■ As" Unintentional Tributk.— A gentle^ man of the " Vf&isy r Willie" fraternity; recently paid a high, thoxigh unintentional; tribute to the efficacy of the work of the City Beautifying Association in improving the banks of the Avon. He remarked to a member of the Association, " You beautifying blokes soon won't leave a feller a place to smoke his pipe along here." The citizens generally should rejoice exceedingly that the margin of their beautiful river is no longer merely a place for loafora to smoke in. The Shooting Season. — The North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society recently -wrote "to the Government recommending that April 1 to June 30 should be the season for the shooting of native and imported game in the North Canterbury district, also that the hare Bhooting season should be extended until July 3J. A reply has been received by the secretary, stating that the U3ual warrant embodying tho rocommendatiooa of the Council of tho Society will be duly gazetted. The Intent Gazette contains no notice of thoaltomtion but wa3 probably published boforo the above decMon had been arrived at. OsrrxAßT. — A nonagenarian and an old colonist died at Sydenham to-day, when Mrs Catherine Fraser passed away at hor con'= residence, Milton Street, at the great jj2e "of ninety-two years. She was a native of "Scotland, and came to iNew Zealand in the ship Boberfc Anderson in 1862, landing at the Bluff. After residing for two years in Invercar«nH she came to Canterbury and lired for several years oa Bants Peninsula SVtp- afterwards went to live with her son tSr?^, at Sydanham. Mn Fraser was much respected on account o! and kindly deposition. Sh< leases f onr sons and three daughters. One of toe moat precocious explorers ii history is young Mr Cavendish who ha; r>su* t SjH thirteen or fourteen years ha aemor.

City Nuisances.— A long-needed sanitary reform is at present being put into . force within the city. Those who are in the habit of draining offensive matter into } the side-channels are being prevented from doing so. The result is that a large number of connections with the main sewers have lately been made. The City Council intends that the side-channels shall be kept free from pollution, and people who are in the habit of using them as sewers will do well to take this hint.