LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2911, 1 March 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Rais is pretty frequent ajb Methvenjusti now, and is delaying sotng of the farmers who have late crops. At the Petty Sessions recently, Lord Qaa\ow, V»t© Governor of New Zealand, w»a fined £2. aqd costs, for allowing a farmhouse to be occupied without first obtaining a water certificate. It will be noticed, on reference to our advertising columns, that Mr C. Hawkins, o £ has completed arrangements for carrying oii * g«?er»l _}""* a"d drapery bu>i'ess in that rising ?«bwb v Mr Hawkins is veil $nd favorably known in vie and we dogb. t not will do a good business. Probably o»e of oje m/fti startling unanticipated replies on reoord was ttyafc of the mother's help, a young lady versed ia all present-dey temale attainments, who, in reply to the address, " I want a person of some experience in the nursey—do you know much about children ?" cheerfully retorted, " Oh, dear yes, I've dissected a baby." English Freemason^ during the past year eclipsed all their previous efforts i# a£d of charity. The chree principal institutions— the Royal Benevolent, the Boys' and the Girls' Schools—received the enounous total of £90,465 3s SJ. rlhe first received £$1,819 2$ 6J, the second £15,837 18s lOd, and the third £12,778 23 Id. When the s.s. Ruahine's freezing chamber was opened at Townsville, says the Sydney "Bulletin," the apparently dead body of a fine collie dog was found lying against the door, at which, in life, it had vainly scratched to attract attention,- It was dragged out and thrown on the wharf, where in the tropical heat, it soon thawed, and to everyone's astonishment, after being in the sun for about an hour, the dog feebly raised its head and began to moan. Restoratives were applied, but poor Tyke died of exijattf tipn iv a few hours afterwards. The dog belonged t£ Brisbane, and had accidently been shut i»,'

Bntrips for. the Ashburton Swimming Club's tournament, on March 8, close tonight at nine o'clock with the Secretary, Mr W. A. Saunders, at Mr D. ThomaB 1 Arcade office. ■ "An entertainment,; >with magic lantern views, was given attbe public school, Metbven, on Friday evening, in aid of the funds of the Sunday school library. The slides were manipulated by Mr Stratford, and there was affair attendance, considering (he shoro notice given and the wet night. At Christchurcb last evening, a marriedwoman named 'Elizabeth Jeffs, late of Dunedin, died somewhat suddenly. She was taken ill on Monday and obtained some medicine from a cnemiet, bufc gradually sank. She was suffering from heart I desease. Another woman, Mrs Scully, was found-lying drowned in a large bath. Her husband states she suffered from heart desease, an< I probably while filling the bath she fell in. Inquests will be held. A well attended meeting was held in the Mou3y Club Hall, Rakaia, on Tuesday evening, when it was decided to form a club to be called " The Rakaia Football Club," the colors to be cardinal and bhuv Mr W M. Lyttelton was elected President, and Mr J. R. Sharp, Secretary and Treasurer pro teni. An influental Committee was formed, the election of field officers being left to a future meeting. A large number of members have joined, and judging by theenthusiasm shown at the opening Jtneetihg the Club should be very successful. We hope to hear great thinsja of the Kakai* Football Club during the coming saMcua. The Registrar-General's -statistics show that during 1892 there were eixty-eighc violent deaths in New, Zealand, an increase of fourteen on the previous year. Fifty - seven of these cases were accidental. Sixteen persons were killed by falls, and fourteen by drowning; eight by bums and scalds, three by fractures, three by suffocation, and. three infants by injuries received at birth: One death was a case of "run over by tramcar," and another " killed by railway engine.l". From poison there were two deaths, and from sunstroke one, which, with five others, completes the number of fatal accidents. ; The "Bradford Observer " estimates the weight of the 1892 clip of British wool at 153,380,3001b, against 147,474.200 ib in 1891; and the average value of Lincoln washed fleeces at B|d per lb, against 9fd in 1891. This is the lowest ever known. The present values are 9d to 9Jd for wethers and hoggets, or slightly higher than a year ago. At the end of 1872 the prices were 26d and 28d respectively. .For the past ten years or so the normal price has been between 9d and lOd, apart from a little spurt in the spring of 1890. The British farmers thus only get about the same price for their washed wool as the colonial growers get for greasy fleeces of similar quality when well got up and in Hghb condition. The poll <n the question of raising a loan of ±31,000 for irrigation purposes in the Waimakariri-Ashley district was taken on Monday and resulted as follows:—lota) number of votes on roll, 612: rateable value of" property, £736,357. Votes recorded for the loan 349, representing £419,820; against f 20, representing £33,350 ; informal 3, representing £1130: unrecorded votes 240, representing £252,057. It was therefore declared that as there was a majority of ratepayers in favour of the ban, and the value of property represented was above the three-faftha required, the Board's proposal was carried. It is the intention of the Board to push on with the scheme as rapidly as possible, and from offers already received no difficulty is apprehended in raising the £31,000 required for the work at a low rate of interest, At the quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce the president (Mr E S, Hariey) said:—" Though the wheat market has opene I at an abnormally low level, as a mild set-off against the unsatisfactory results of wheat-growing this year farmers are doing well by their stock,' a circumstance due entirely to the stability of the frozen meat market, and so long as the freezing companies rigidly adhere to a strict system of grading for quality and weight, I be.ieve that we shall continue to enjoy the cream of this trade, Now that grading cau be relied on forward business is more feasible, and It is satisfactory to learn that sale* on c.i.f. terirs tre steadily increasing. We cannot shut our eyes, to the fact that Austialia will shortly become an important competitor with us in this trade, but I doubt it their shipments will affect the value of our prime brands any more thaa Dutch mutton affects quotai764i3 of prime Scotch in the London market." He fuiher said lie considered customs reciprocity would be advantageous to New Zealand, and that trade here generally was in a sound condition. Befoie putting the Cheviot Estate up to auction, on Tuesday, Mr John T. Mat son read the following estimates, prepared by a practical man, qf g9St of working the lease, and the probable" results. l)r.— To. rent; £9000 j 80,000 ewes at 7s, £2fi,000: 16000 rams at 60s, £4800 j 10,000 dry sheep at 10|rt £5000; horses and plant, £500. Working expenses :—Manager, £300 ;Jdve shepherds £500 ; extra hand and cook, £200; shoeing] feed, tools, etc., £500; commission and driving, £500; interest, average on rent, £300; interest, 7 per cent,on i 40,300, £2821; total, £52,421. Cr.—Bv wool, 76,000 fleeces, at 2s 6d, £9500; 9800 at 4s, £1490; 80,000 ewes, less 5 per cent, at ss, £19,000; 10,000 dry sheep, less 2 per cent, at 12s, £5880; 70 per cent of lambs (53,200) at 9s, £38,940; plant, £4000; total, £60,680 Credit balance, £8259, If 10 per cent more lambs are gained add'£342o; and if ewes and letribs realise Is per head" more add £6466', which will make a grand total of profit of £18,139. Another gentleman had estimated the profit at £17,75 Q. 4 good story is current jn the Agricultural Department (says the "Post") in reference to the Bathursfc burr, the officers of the Department vouching for its truth, Some little time back the local newspaper in' an up'OOuntry township published a statement to the effect that a strange plant was growing on a certain -">r>aat section, and that this was said to be Batharst «" rr« ft»# th. c editor called u P°n the authorities to exarri:!?" tile plant, and if it proved to be the burr to have it eradicated. The local .quid nunce, Board members, and Councillors fort&witji #e&t |o t|ie section, and there saw the little stranger growingand at once began a controversy as to whether it was or was not the Bathurst burr- While the question was being argued the little plant was allowed to continue growing/and throve space, and now tha,t Jftwuship js over run with unmistakable iburrsV The jQovenm^ni; are being asked to take steps to eradicate it. A step of the editorial heel when the original plant was first found would have saved all trouble. "''" ' i A general meeting of the Ariel Bicycle' Club was held in the Arcade Chambers op Thursdag evening. There was a large attendance, and Mr J, Forbes presided? Aletter was read from Mr E. Gates accepting the position of president of the Club; a»*3 enclosing a subscription of £1 Is Mr Joseph Scaly also wrote, enc'osing a similar sum for the prize fund. Officers for the ta.cn meeting on March 15 were appointed as follows :—Keferee,... Mr W. E. Thompson, Christchurch; judges, Messrs Gates, Scaly, and D. Zander ; lap keepers, Messrs Clark, C. Henry, Smith, and Cuthbertson ; record board keeper, Mr F. Mainwaring; starter, Mi? A. J. Miiller; clerks of the course, Mfegsra #• @" ¥lowet> J< !«wis, and F. talker, and"a ground Copiniitt.ee. A subCommittee was appflinJ;iedf^fn,teyvk*7 the band on the question of terms. Twelye new members were elected. It'wag desided that, seeing that half the net proceeds of the ajeoting 'were to go the Queensland Relief Fund, w jppH be necessary to collect gate money from 7al}( membra of the Club seeking admission to the meeting, " The colors of. the flu* 1 * w«« fooM«l upw—rose and t)Fack big chosen. It was:^™*t^tbe dav'a proceedings be wound, up with a s';n? ke .concept. The Treasurer reported that the Club numbered feveoty irembers, and that for the meeting about Wi gate tjctets bad already been sold. Handicapped w^i'e appointed as follows ir- Foot races, Messrs C. Ried, W. Anderson, and Merchant Eigby ; bicycle (members' events), Messrs J. Miiller, F, Clark, and T. Hancox. The N.Z.C.A. clyclis^s at Chriatqhurch had under con" sideration the holding pi a meeting aj; Easter but decided not to do so in view of the Ashburton meeting. About twenty-five competitors aiein training for the Ashburton meeting in Chrutchurch. a)o)}e,