LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7331, 18 February 1902, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

■■ - ■ • •- ---^ ♦- — — , • ■ ■- ■ It has been arranged to hold the Raagiora Borough School Excursion to Summer on Thursday, March 6. '-*■'' Nominations' for the General Committee of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association close on March 1. The annual picnic of the employees of the Ghristclrurcb. City "Council will be held at MrR. H'i.Rhodes's Otahuna Estate, Tdi Tapu, on Thursday. • The Mokoi*i from Melbourne and Hobart, arrived at the Bluff .this mornIng. Her mails will probably reach Christchurch to-morrow-, evening. ' A new large double-faced clock has! been erected on the Ohristehurch railway station, and the old one is to be taken down and sent to a country station. The Gisborne Freezing Works have been purchased by a newly-formed Sheep Farmers' Co-operative Freezing Connpnay,\ and will 'be re-opened on Monday next. To-morrow, at 11 a.m., 'his Honor Mr Justice Denniston will give judgment in the cases Hall v. Hall (inyjivorce), Livingstone v. Livingstone (in divorce), and Pratt v. Bailey. , A special meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association will be held in the- Hereford Hotel on Friday, to consider the question of sending W; F. Simpson and G. W. Smith to England to represent the colony at the (English Championships which are to be he,ld in July next. In dealing with an application for tt& discharge of a bankrupt this morning, hia Honor Mr Justice Dennistotf said thatf though the- law would not allow him td do so, he would like, in small bankruptcy cases, to make a distinctioni between tradesmen's debts, incurred in living, at)d other debU. It will be remembered that a few weeks ago the police made a raid upon the premises of Messrs* -Barnett and Grant, bookmaker*, Hereford. Street. This morning, at the Magistrate's Court, Matthew Barnett was charged with using his office as a bet-ting-house. On the application of Mr -Stringer, the case was adjourned for a weeE by Mr Beetham, S.M. The Minawatu Railway Company recently refused to give the Government permission to inspect its line in connection! ■with the proposed purchase of its pf operty. The Government has decided to avail itself of other powers, and on its behalf Mr Ooom, the Chief Engineer of the Working Railways, and Mr Hales, Engineer-in-Chief, •re now making an inspection. In the course of his remarks on the Sun. day trading case, heard at the. Magistrate's Court this morning, Mr Beetham saift that b» was rather surprised to find what risks hotel-keepers were ready to run in the evasion of the law. During his recent travels he had on one occasion called on ji friend jn a certain hotel in. a northern town after eleven o'clock at night, the statutory closing time. He was admitted to the house by the landlord, and found a number of men drinking inside. The landlord, who was, no doubt, acquainted with the Magisrate's brother, said, " You are -Mr W. Beetham." When Mr Beetham explained hia identity, the landlord's face w*as a perfect study, and in about two minutes' the house was empty. The publican's fears were somewhat dissipated when Mr Beetham explained that he was not a policeman.

The valuation of Dunedin city property for 1902 shows an increase of £8200 over the values in 1901. Seventy new houses were erected during the year. .1. At Rangiora, to-day, Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., renewed five old age pensions for £18, two for £15, two for £14, two for £13, and one each for £12, £10, £9, £4, and £1. A new application was adjourned for proof of age and residence. An interesting gathering took place at Taihape recently (says the Taihape " Post ") to bid farewell to Mr H. J. Woodward prior to his departure for Sandon. Mr Woodward was one of the first of a number of people who went from Christchurcb to settle down in the Taihape district seven or eight years ago. There were also pre>sent Messrs Woodward Jackson,- M'Cornish, Shute, Osier, Grieves, White, Cryerj *and Gawly, all of whom are old : Canterbury ' residents. A progressive eudhre match, for the members of Lyttelton Chlb and their lady friends took place last -night at the club's rooms. The Attendance was large. The ladd«s' prise -was won by Miss E.'Ooote, and that for gentlemen by Mr E. Weastall. Refreshments were provided by the ladies, aad songs and ipiamofoTte selections were given during ifrhe evening. At t*he close the prises -were ipTeaerated by 'Mr J. T. Brioe, president of the club, and c vote of thanks was passed to the ladieSi on the motion of Captain Murray. ,~ . Townend's Sulphur Hair Restorer will positively restore grey or faded hair to its natural colour; is not a dye. Price 2s per bottle ; by post, securely packed, 2s 9d Townend, Chemist. Christchurch. 2521