Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 125, 11 July 1868, Page 3

Local and General News.

/['HE Blenheim School will re-open on Monday niext. Thk Auckland Provincial Council have passed an Act for the relief of the sick and destitute, which authorises a poll-tax of ten shillings per annum on every male adult of the population. A Snake has been picked up in the Auckland streets, it is alleged alive. The Evening News seems to doubt this, remarking that it had a very druggists’ shop kind of look about it. The Breach. —A meeting of persons interested in this question is called for this day at 1 p.m., at the school-room, Big Bush. The object of the promoters —who are chiefly resident in Spring Creek —is to open a bar at the Breach, which prevents the water passing down the Wairau channel. Mutual Improvement Society. —We are requested to remind members that the usual meeting will take place on Tuesday evening next, when Mr. J. B. Willuvms will read a paper on Marriage. We understand that the daring essayist will maintain the negative side of the question, and it is to be hoped the married members will attend in numbers, and come prepared to defend the other against this attack.

/ Board of Works. —We learn that the Board is literally defunct at last ! A meeting was held on Thursday last, when all the members resigned their seats, except the chairman, who follows their example by a notice elsewhere. He also calls a meeting of the ratepayers for Tuesday next, when they will have the opportunity of electing successors if they see tit, or accept the alternative of the roads becoming worse, if possible, than at present. We find that the clerk, Mr. Robinson, resigned his office sometime in .flay last.

the passage of the Charles Edward ''from the West Coast to this port, a fireman

named Jones was assaulted by another fireman named M‘Kay, who, it is alleged, struck him with a fire rake; Jones then fell under the machinery, and sustained a fracture of the collar bone, and several of his ribs were broken, Jones was conveyed to the hospital, and is now in a very critical state. M‘Kay was brought before the Resident Magistrate, J. Sharp, Esq., yesterday, and remanded until to-day, in consequence of the uncertain state of Jones.— Colonist. /

/ The Wairau Ferry. —We are informed that fa difficulty has arisen with respect to the Ferry, between the Provincial Government and Mr. ; Hathaway. It appears that the lease held by Mr. Hathaway expired about a year ago, but as possession was not claimed, Mr. Hathaway cons tinned to hold it. Some few mouths since he ! received notice to quit, and on its expiring last | week, a person was sent on behalf of the GovernIment to take possession, which was refused by .’Mr. Hathaway, who is advised that he holds as pyearly tenant. How the matter will end remains do be seen, but it is most likely that litigation will ensue at no very distant period.

Here is an instance of journalism extraordinary, well worth quoting The Ex-King of Hanover, not unlike many another amateur journalist, has found that journalism is an expensive luxury. The Situation, a newspaper established by him at Paris, has cost him £OO,OOO in ten months. He was even deprived of the satisfaction of knowing that his money had been spent to any purpose, for the paper had no circulation. Notwithstanding, such are the contradictions of human nature, he contemplates starting another. It looks as if bis Majesty placed more faith in the influence of the Press, than he had when he was in possession of his own throne.” May our noble brother-in-trade at last attain the long sought for desiratum, success.— Post.

A very successful bazaar was held in Adelaide dufing the lirst week in June, in aid of the Church which is being erected by the Wesleyan body in memory of the late Rev. D. J. Draper, formerly Chairman of the Adelaide District, and who, it will be remembered, was lost in the ‘ Loudon’ on his return to Australia. The Acting-Governor, Lieut. Col. Hamley, was present at the opening of the bazaar, and delivered a speech, in which he alluded to the labors of the lamented minister after whom the Church is to be named, and to his heroic conduct on board the ‘London.’ £I,OOO was realised by the undertaking, and this without the aid of raffles and postofflees. The Church will be a very handsome edifice, in the First Pointed style of Gothic architecture.— Mail. | Flour Mill at Kaikoura. —From the He{raid we learn that a very successful meeting had fbeen held when the project was discussed. Mr. ' Harris as chairman, explained the cost of the i machinery, fee. He is reported to have stated ■ that “the farmer could grow wheat at a cost of |about 3s. per bushel; and as the proposed price sfor grinding and dressing was put dovvn at Is 3d. per bushel, the farmers here could grow their pwn wheat and have it converted into flour at £he nominal cost of 10s. per ton. On the other hand, if wheat is sent over to Wellington to be ground into flour the freight alone would Amount to £4, on its return, exclusive of cartage 'fee.” It was ultimately resolved that the Com■pany should be incorporated under the Jointstock Companies’ Act, and Messrs. C. Evans, J. Gray, Clemett, Chrisp, and Palmer, were appointed a provisional committee ; Mr. Harris, (Marks and Harris,) treasurer; and Mr. W. W. Grajjf, secretary. y*UUR Cadets — A match came off at the target ( /on Saturday last between four English, represented by Messrs. Wall, Rayner, G. Eyes, and Chuck; and four Scotch, Messrs. Hutcheson, MTver, J. Tait, and Jas. Sinclair, for a small stake. The following was the score :

Foley’s Menagerie is exhibiting at Nelson, where Signor Fernandez amuses the visitors by daily visiting the lion in his den. The County of Westland. —Mr. Fox justly described this creation as “ a hollow pretence of conferring local government,” and again as “a feeble parody on self-government. ” From papers to hand, we notice that the County Councillors are being covered with ridicule in’ their own locality this -session again, as they were in the last, when they voted themselves salaries of wicktow x.— A meeting was held in the Schoolroom, Renwiclctown, on Wcdnesd. y last, to take into consideration the advisability of continuing the school. H. (Godfrey, Esq., occupied the chair ; the attendance was pretty numerous, and the following resolutions were passed unanimously :—On the motion of Mr. Thomas O’Sullivan, seconded by Mr.H. Simmons, “That Messrs. MTsaac, M Iver, and G. Watson be requested to get all information as to the amount of all funds recoverable under the Act; together with what amount of fees or voluntary subscriptions can be raised for the purpose of continuing the Eenwicktown School; and to report to the meeting to be held on the 15th instant.” —On the motion of Mr. T. O’Sullivan, seconded by Mr. G. Watson, “That this meeting appoint a committee for the purpose of petitioning the Nelson and Marlborough Governments for a suitable sum of money as a stipend to Air. Moore, for his long terra of service as scnooi-teacher in both rrfownmesT*’— Proposed by Mr. T. O’Sullivan, seconded by Mr. J. IX Macaulay, “That the following be a committee to carry out the foregoing resolution : —Messrs. M‘lsaac, M'lvor, G. Watson, H. Godfrey, J. D. Macaulay, and J M ‘Allister.”

100yds 200yds 300yds Total. Pri. J, Tait... 44443 . .. 40333 .. . 23444 ... 49 Pri. Jas. Sinclair42333 . ., 33334 .. . 30332 ... 42 L.-Cor. M ‘Iver .. 33233 .. . 04022 ... 42 Sgt. Hutcheson 33442 . .. 20220 .. . 00000 ... 22 155 L.-Cor. Eyes 33443 . . 23440 .. 34420 ... 43 Sgt. Eayner 33244 . .. 03033 .. . 02300 ... 30 Cor. Chuck .. 44332 . . 32232 .. . 02000 ... 30 Ensign Wall 33322 . .. 42043.:.. 30000 ... 29 132 The Scotch beat the English by 23 points.