LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6291, 23 September 1898, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A heavy nor'-west gale was blowing in North Canterbury this morning, but towards mid-day the wind moderated.

Police Sergeant M'Leod severs his connection with the force to-morrow, wheu he will retire on his service alloAvance.

His Honor Mr Justice Denniston, accompanied by his associate, arrived; in town .at 2.20 this afternoon. Mr H. G. Thomas, who has performed the duties of Registrar of the Sirnreme Court during the absence of Mr A. R. Blo.vim, will arrive by the express this evening.

a man has been arrested by Detectives Marsack and Chrystal on a charge of having, on or about Sept. 22, forged a cheque on the Union Bank of Australia, Christchurch, for payment of £12, purporting to be signed by Jane Mary M'Dowall, and uttered the same to Thomas Calvert.

The 'Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral Association lias arranged for another general meeting of members and the public on Thursday next, in the Leeston Town Hall, when addresses will be given by Mr Gharlton on heredHja'ry diseases of horses, and by Mr Reakes on tuberculosis in cattle. If arrangements can be made to secure a diseased animal, it will be slaughtered, and a practical demonstration given on the carcase.

At the meeting of the Land Board, held yesterday, it was resolved that the burnt bush country at Oxford should be offered for pastoral licenses in three blocks, for a term of seven years, at an upset rental of 9d per acre per annum, Messrs Millton and Fisher to have their runs extended to the top of the range. It was further decided that- similar steps should be taken with regard to Blocks XIL and 11., Oxford Survey District, consisting of unselected Crown land, the upset rental to be Is 9d per acre.

The following resolution with regard to. the surrenders of leases and reductions of rent, w^s passed by the Land Board at its meeting yesterday: — "That the Board cannot recommend) the Hon the Minister of Lands to entertain any application either for surrender or for reduction of rent, which necessarily involves surrender, while there are any arrears of rent owing, since such reduction .cannot be retrospective ; and that applicants who owe more than two payments be- notified that' unless all ar r rears are paid within one month, their interests will be forfeited, with a view to the lands being re-offered before the end of the year. The Board authorised the Commissioner of Crown Lands to notify defaulters as to payments of rents and instalments that unless the arrears are paid within a specified time the Crown solicitor will be instructed to proceed for the recovery of the same.

In a. great number of the cases in which proceedings are taken against persons in the Magistrate's Court for not registering their dogs, the defence put forward is that the dogs are stray ones, and although they loiter round their houses, do not belong to the occupants. This is no valid excuse, as the Act provides that any one keeping a do^ over sis months of age for a period of fourteen days without registering the same, is liable to a fine. Harbouring a stray doc or allowing it to be on premises for the same period also makes a person liable for its registration. A man who was brought before the Court this morning chxrged Ttfth failing to register a dog, however, upon representing that the animal was a stray one and had not been on bis premises fourteen days, was rather astonished to find himself fined 10s and costs with the remark from the Chairman that they could not »rgue that point there.

Two young felloes who were . charged at the Magistrates Court this morning with riding a tandem bicycle on the footway in the borough of Sumner, caused some astonishment by one of them admitting the offence and the other denvincr it. But the look of ■wonder with which these conflicting pleas -was greeted soon gave way to smiles when the latter defendant set out his defence. It was a very ingenious one, his contention being that although he was riding the tandem when it was on the footpath, he was on the back seat, and therefore tad no control over the guidance of the machine. He had to go on the footpath whether he liked it or not. As an instance in supnort of his plea, he drew the attention of the Bench to the fact thafc where a vehicle is being driven furiously, although it may be full of peon c, only the driver is proceeded against for the breach of the by-laws. An unsympathetic Bench, however, held the offence to be clearly proved, and inflicted a fine of lUs> »nd costs in efich ca.se.

The- Saturday edition of the " Star," containing: sixty-four columns, will include the following special features : —Tales and , Sketches— ln the Grip of Hate, Closing '' Scenes of the War, The Golden Trap, an Interesting Character, Stories of Queensland Blacks, Strange Uses of the Rontgen Rays. Ladies' Page — Husbands who Ruin thueir Wives, Gambling, a Lady's Experiences in West Africa, at Buckingham Palace, House- I hold Hints, Women's World. Reading for j Everybody— Fun and Fancy, Notes and ; Notions, Brief Mention, Band Gossip, etc., I and all the latest Telegraphic and General News. Messrs E. G. Kerr, A. C. Pringle, J. Grigg, W. Grant and Turton were passengers for the south by the express this morning. Mr Gilbert Anderson, managing director of the Christchurch Meat Company, leaves on a trip to the Australian colonies by the Talune to-day. The services of the common jurors summoned to attend the Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court on Monday, will not be required. A man was arrestedl this morning by Chief Detective Chrystal and Detective Marsack on a charge of forging a cheque for £12 and uttering the same to a tradesman in tlie city. At a meeting of the Land Board yesterday the Board, acting on a report from the Stock Department, resolved to recommend the Governor, in terms of Section 207 of the Land Act, 1892, to approve of runs 61 and 61a, Hakateramea, being weighted with the certified cost of the erection of a rabbit fence, the Stock Inspector to certify to the effectiveness and cost of the fence. Three consignments of Canterbury dairy : produce, including cheese, butter, hams, etc., have been forwarded to Singapore and the Straits Settlements by a local merchant, to fulfil private orders. Judging by the increasing amounts of the orders, it is to be inferred) that the residents in the East are at last waking up to the good things which lie so handy to their doors, and there is every prospect of a lucrative trade being opened between Canterbury and Singapore. IA meeting in connection with the Chinese mission on the West Coast was held at the Sc Asaph Street Methodist Church last night. The reports, which were considered very satisfactory, and the balance-sheet, which showed a small credit, were read and adopted. < Addresses were delivered by the Revs Dr Erwin, W. J. Gow and C. Porter, while ; Miss Voak, from China, gave several interest- : ing reminiscences of her life while there. ] and aptly described the character of the : Chinese as she had known them. During < the evening hymns were sung by the Chinese ] class. An itinerant photographer, who, with mis- j guided zeal, was anxious to secure a good negative of the "driving" in the semi-final ( of the Golf Championship yesterday, stationed both his camera and himself in a , position of extreme jeopardy, that he might ' the better accomplish, that on. which, his heart was set. Unmoved by the indignant shouts of " 'Fore " by the golfers, who are of all people the most unlikely to brook obstruc- , tion in their game, he was ultimately per- "; suaded by a continuous and highly effective J application of " shooing " to withdraw from his obstructive and perilous position. * The funeral of the late Mrs W. Carey Hill c took place at the Papanui Cemetery yesterday afternoon, and was largely attended, i nearly every profession and business in the f city being represented. The Church of v England' burial service was read by the Rev ,H. Airay Watson. Among a large number ( of beautiful wreaths were. one. senVby, the 3 of the Canterbnry.Club, one* by the t 'employees of 1 . Manning's . : Brewery,-..who,,at-. . tended' the funeral; in a body, and another by r< the maids who had been in the employ cf . the [ deceased lady. ' t