LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6730, 27 February 1900, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Waifeare, from Melbourne and Ho■barfc, arrived at the Bluu this morning. iHer mails should reach Christchurch to-mor-fcow evening. Ladies' reception day will be celebrated at the Worcester Street green of the Christchurch Bowling CJub on Saturday after•noon, when, given fine weather, there.should ' be*a large attendance. • As a gentleman was reading this morning ton one of the seats overlooking the riper near the City Council buildings, he was approached by a black swan, and compelled to beat a hasty rjetreat. He retired for a time, niter which he* again occupied his old position, hut again- was obliged to retire when the inquisitive swan once more came up. The anmial general meeting of members of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral iAsßooiatjon will be held at the Hereford Street rooms of the Canterbury Caledonian Society ab 8 p.m. on Friday, March 16, when ■the election of officers and General Committee will take place, dominations for office will be received up to 5 p.m. on Thursday, If arch S. ■ . Lieutenant. H.D. Buchanan, of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, having undertaken fche *iuby of purchasing remounts for South Africa on behalf of the New Zealand Government, will attend the various Canterbury centres for that purpose during the text fortnight. A complete list of his fixtures is advertised. i Considerable dissatisfaction is expressed with the erratic running of the workmen's train which leaves the Chrjstchurch station for Lyttelton at 7.20 a.m., and which is popularly supposed to arrive at Lyttelton at 7.45 a.m., thus giving the workmen a quarter of an hour in, which to reach their work. The train in question is' drawn by a •mall shunting-engine, which, although powerful enough to run to time with the carriages containing the workmen, cannot do s6 when a loaded truck' is added. And this is frequently done, with the result that the train often arrives in Lyttelton some seven or eight minutes late. Seeing that the workmen's train is immediately followed ky a goods train, it has been suggested that the haulage of heavy trucks might well ba confined to the latter. As a warning to young men not to purchase low-priced guns of inferior make,, a snuzzle-loader — new so far as actual use goes —has (says the Wellington "Post") been forwarded to Inspector fender, through Constable W. D. Thompson, who is doing relieving duty in Greytown. The barrel, is completely shattered at the brea«h, and portion of the stock is also blown away. The weapon belonged to Frank Lepinsky, who bobght it for 21s, and on Wednesday [ in company with two friends, went out rabbit shooting with it. When he fired the first shot the gun burst, blowing off the first two fingers of the,left hand, and shattering another. It is understood that the gun had been in stock for four years before being sold, and. was allowed to go at cost price.