LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Western Star, Issue 2218, 1 July 1898, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A quantity of stone from a reef at Merrivalc has been sent away to be assayed. Wrey’a Bush Ploughing Match on the 13tb July, and the Drummond match on the lsih.

Coins bearing the names of emperors who existed over 2000 years ago are still in daily circulation in China. The Rev. R. McColly preaches a special sermon to young men in the Riverton Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening. The ladies of St. Mary’s Guild hold a sale of work at Orapuki to-day in Sorenson’s Hall. A social will be held in the evening. The wool outlook for the fourth series, which opens on Tuesday, is distinctly more hopeful. There is a strong demand, and an advance is expected in merino wools. The sa’c of part of the late Capt Stevens’s Gummie’s Bush estate, advertised to take place on July 9th, has boon withdrawn in the meantime.

The wire rope for the Waiau bridges is on its way out from Home, and the contractors are pushing forward with the concrete work.

As the result of a fight between two men at Collingwood, Nelson, one man aged 24, came to his death owing to tho bursting of a blood-vessel in the lungs. An instance of the value of potatoes this year is contained in the fact that a young mac employed on a farm has made a profit of about £4OO from a section of six aorta just outside of Blenheim. It is stated (says the Nelson Mail) that by the death of his father the family of Mr M’Kellar Wix, lafe of Nelson, but now of Wellington, has oome in for a fortune—a fourth share of £150,000.

The present year is eventful as being the centenary of Nicolas Louis Roberts’ great discovery in connection with the manufacture of paper. It was in 1798 that Roberts conceived tho idea of making paper by means of an endless wire.

The debate on the Abbrcss-in-Reply is proceeding in Parliament. The Opposition have moved an amendment traversing the action of the Government in expending more than was authorised in the additions to the Parliamentary buildings. Messrs Wilson and paity, of Orepuki, have about finished their wat>r race, and a few days should see the nozz'o at work in their claim. Most of the miners in ordinary sluicing and driving claims are making good wages. Good gold is being obtained at Klondyko and in the vicinity of Camp Gully. Owing to the numerous places at which the stipendiary magistrate has to hold court sittings in Southland, the time devoted to the Warden’s Court is not sufficient to permit of all the business being disposed of. Out of several complaints set down for hearing last court day only one was partly heard. A limelight entertainment, in aid of the Riverton Presbyterian Ohuroh Sunday school library, takes place in the Victoria Hall on Wednesday next. The limelight is a splendid one, and will bo manipulated by the Eev Et MoCully. The views to be shown will comprise scenes in Egypt, Palestine, New Zealand and Europe. There will also bo musical items.

The Spanish-American war still drags on without any decisive engagements being fought. The landing of American troops in Cuba is to be vigorously pushed on, so that any day may bring news of a great battle. In a few preliminary skirmishes which have already taken plaoe, the Americans mot with slight reverses.

Although it has been raining for throe days, says the North Otago Times, the Camara O'Cek has not risen half a foot above its ordinary level. This is accounted for by the dryness of the ground, and its ability to absorb moisture. The rain has fallen so softly that very little has run off into the creeks or rivers.

While the warship Albion was being launched on the Thames 30 persons were drowned. At the inquest on the victims of the accident the evidence showed that 30,000 nersons wen- pres nt, and that thousands of spectators jeered the police and completely disregarded their precautionary warnings.

Tha West Coast Warden has ruled that an application for a special claim may he objected to any time before the hour of hearing, but it was necessary that a deposit should be lodged as required by the Act and Eegnlations.

An armless man, nod therefore incapable of doing much work, applied to tho Mayor of Christchurch the other day for relief, and in reply to questions stated that ho had come from New South Wales, where a number of ladies bad paid bis passage to New Zealand. He will probably be returned.

One of the heaviest downpours of rain experienced for years occurred in the southern portion if this district on Tuesday night. Several of the streets in North and South Riverton presented tho appearance of lakes. Owing to tbo sandy nature of the soil, however, it quicklv passed away. Wednesday was a very mild day.

A peculiar case cconpied the Dunedin Police Court on Monday. Samuel Buaheil, a railway guard, was charged with the theft of a purse containing money and jewellery valued at £7 7s, belonging to Mrs Cantrell, who lost her purse in a train 14 months ago. On the 17tb inst., the prosecutrix claimed to have seeo her ring on accused’s finger, but when arrested at Waitati, Bushel! had no ring. The Bench unanimously dismissed tho charge. A “Poor Cookie ” writes to tbs Southland Times complaining of the north ror.d leading into Invercargill. The tramway, he says, is a perfect canal, and the rails in many places allowed to be from two to six inches above the road. The thing is a disgrace, and it would seem as though the road in question was only for the tramway to run on and not for the use of the public. It is time the company were made to lower the rails. A largely attended meeting was held at Drummond on the 24th (reports the Southland Times’ correspondent) to promote the construction of tho proposed railway from Wrights Bush to Heddon Bush. The chief engineer for the South Island, Mr Ussher, is to make a Hying survey and a rough estimate of tho probable cost to submit to the Government. The settlers are almost unanimously aggreeing to give the land required. Those whose land it will not pass through—to a depth of about three miles on either sideare giving an equivalent in cash proportionate to their distance, Tha settlers of Heddon Bush are also working in harmony with those of Drummond. “ A life on the ocean wave and a home on the rolling deep” can now be scoured at cheaper rates than a life on tbo ocean shore and a home on the solid land. When we see steamers advertised at 10s each it seems to be a sinful waste of money to live ashore. The voyage from Melbourne to Sydney occupies, roughly, two days and two nights, and equal accommodation and food to that offered on a good intercolonial steamer conld not be proonred in Melbourne for less than £1 for two days. A very easy arithmetical calculation brings out the result. One can save 10s by travelling to Sydney, and get all the scenery and the poetry of the motion thrown in.

Ac the Police Commission now sitting in Wellington, Cbeoketts, who was a fireman in the employ of the Union Steamship Company and had been in and ont of Wellington for eight years, gave a quantity of evidence relative to alleged drinking and gambling by police in hotels ; also as to members of Par liament drinking in hotels on Sundays. He bad been threatened if he gave evidence, and attempts had been made to induce him to leave town. He knew a licensed house in Wellington which was in the habit of squaring the police by giving them free drinks. The Premier is to be called to give evidence. Hollo way’s Ointment and Pills.—Coughs Influenza etc. —The soothing properties os those medicaments render them well worthy of trial in all diseases of the lunss. In common colds and influenza tha pills taken in ternally and tha Ointment ruhbod externally are exceedingly efficacious. When influenza is epidemic this treatmei t is easiest, safest and surest. Holloways pills and Ointment purify the blood remove all obstructions lo its free'■irculalion through the lungs, reljevef thovergorged air tabes, and render respiration free without reducing the strength, irri at fig the nerves or, or depressing the spirits Such are the ready means of saving suffering when afflicted with colds, coughhs and branch itus and other complaints by which so many are seriously and permanently afflicted most countries.

Bogus companies dealing in various ar tides want rooting out cf tho country. Thei r method is to advertise extensively, but it will generally be noticed that the advertisement does not contain the name of the manager or any responsible person, but sininly the name of the company. All companies who do not give the names of their responsible officers are frauds, and it is about time Parliament interfered and passed a law making it an offence for any company to advertise its business without snob advertisement containing the name of the company duly certified by a Justice of the Peace. The aim of bogus coropaoies is to extract money from the people through the post and give nothing in return.

The Evening News, Sydney, says in regard to the application of Eucalptus iu influenza:— "We have to exercise caution,to get an article freed of its astringent constituents or else it will prevent tho excretion of the disease-pro-ducing germs. A preparation known as Sander & Sons Eucalypti Extract was found to bo the only refined' one, and proved to be possessed of the highest porm-killing qualities Dr H. H. Hart, New York, says:—lt goes without saying that Sander and Son’s Eucalypti Evtract is the best in the market. It is an excellent local application in inflammation of mucous membranes and will cure influenza, diarrhoea, dyphtherio, infeotous fevers, oto.

Messrs MoLean and party have almost completed their valuable water race. This race, which is lifted from the Waimeamea River, is eight miles in length, being cut through the forest and some very rough and mountainous country. It Is capable of osiry. ing 20 Government heads of water. There are several largo tannele, one being nine chains in length through sold rook. _ The Tuanoa Gully is crossed by a long line of pipes 15in in diameter and of lG gunge iron made by Messrs Johnson and Sons, of Invercargill. The cost °f constructing the race was £3OOO, Tho Waiau Beach Hydraulic Sluicing Company have bottomed their paddock, audit ie reported they have struck payable gold. The manager, Mr N K McLean, deserves great praise for the able way in which he has overcome so great a difficulty in setting up the plant—Witness correspondent.