Page 1 Advertisements Column 8

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5, 6 January 1900, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES. ♦ The Borough Council did not meet last night. At the last meeting, an ad> jiurnment was made till next Friday, A good deal of interest is beiog taken ia the election of tbe Lower Wairau Kiver Board. The old Board met for the last time yesterday evening, and wound up their business with a few pleasant words. : According to a letter received from a nheait-r at tbe Mutti Sbed, Longreaoh, Queensland, prospects are terribly bad m tba back-blocks. He writes J— " What a season it has been out here | There has been no rain, and not even tbe sign of it. There is starvation everywhere. Ten weeks ngo I started from a station with 15,700 sheep, and arrived l*f>t week at our station with 7000. We have lost 21 horses, . , . All the station owners are cutting scrub m order to' try and keep the itpr sheep tbat are left alive. In the worjt of years I have Been nothing co bad as tbiß season." Ar extraordinary duel, whioh at the same time created an immense sensation, was one m wbiob tbe deoisipn w_as arrived at, not by swords or pistols, but by means of a deadly poison. The men — who, it is hardly necessary to say, had fallen out over a lady— had left tbe arrangements of details to their seconds, and until they faced each other they did not know by what method they were to settle their differences. One of tbe seconds was a doctor, and he had made up for. the occasion four pellets, all identical In shape and size. "In one of these," he said, " I have placed a sufficient quantity of prosaic acid to oiuse tbe almost instantaneous death of anyone who swallows it. We will decide by the toss of a coin which of yon is to have the fir gt choice, and you will alternately draw and swallow a pill until the poison shows its effeots." Two of the pellets were then taken as the toss had decided, but without effect m either case. " This tioie," said tbe doctor speaking of the two pellets remaining, " you must b >th swallow the pill at the same instHnt." The choice was made, and m a few seoouds one of the men lay dead on the grass. A shocking acoident occurred at Oorindhap, Victoria, a few days ago to Thomas Murpby, aged 14 years. The boy, who lives with bis patents m that neighborhood, went out fossicking for goW, and m attempting to desoeni an old ebaft on which a windlass with a rope attached bad been left standing, be fell to the bottom, a distance of 70ft, There was no one near, ani as both legs bad been broken by tbe fall be was m a terrible predicament. He fell into the hole at about nine a.m., and it was not till seven p.m. tbat a fossicker, who was passing, was drawn to the spot by the sufferer's cries for assistance. The lad bore up bravely under hiß misfortune. The shaft wbb fortunately dry, or the lad would probably have been drowned. He was conveyed to tbe B illarat Hospital, and according to tbe latest information' was progressing favorably. An accident of a somewhat sensational nature happened on the Petone road (says the Napier HeraM). Messrs E. xtile) and S. Renouf were driving to Petone m a spring car, when tba horse attached to the vehicle got the bit beween ite tt-eth and became uncontrollable. The animal mad« a bold dash for the inner harbour, and swam about a quarter of a mile out, drawing tbe c-<rt behind it. The occupants found it impossible m deep water to extricate tbe horse, which was drowned, those m the cart swimming ashore. The vehicle was subsequently brought m. The monthly meeting of the Walran Road Beard was held yesterday. Pre« sfnt— Messrs Richardson, Watts, and O. De Vere Tesohemaker. The aetlcn of Messrs Hammond aud Tesohemaker m passing aooounts last month was confirmed. Tbe slaughtering license of A. Oes Forges was renewed. It was resolved tbat tbe Secretary to tbe Treasury be requested to reply to the Board's application re tbe Avon bridge and be informed of tbe desirability of the work being carried out before winter, as when tbe Waihopai is m floud settlers are entirely cnt off from Blenheim, Bnd by tbe erection of this bridge the difficulty will be removed. The dog tax for 1900 Vas fixed at 2s 6d per head, except m the case of sheep, cattle, aod rabbit dogs, ' the charge on which will be Is 6d. A number of alterations m the valuation roll were made. It was resolved tbat Mr Seymour be inforcibd that the question of compensation to the V&Heyfield Estate having yet to be settled, it would be best to arrange with Mr Busby as to site for the bridge, settle that matter, and, tbe amount of compensation having been obtained, to again bring the matter before the Board. It was decided to call for t u nderß for a bridge on Dog Point Road. The Inspector was instructed tbat all notices to the public be painted In black on white boat da at least one foot wide. It was resolved tbat the extra cost inourred through Mr Riokets abandoning his contract be recovered ; that m future m all contracts of £25 or over the deposit money be £6, under that amount £2 ; tbat the attention of the Inspeotor be directed to tbe necessity for the maintenance of the contract Bans House to Lower Traveroe being ooutinued ; that a wooden culvert be placed opposite Mrs Scotts' on the Wairau Valley Road ; tbat the nutter of dosing roads referred to by Mr A. Monro be deferred for the present. Before passing accounts, it was rieoided tbat ten per cent, ba added to all rates not pujd by January 31tt. C O UnERCIA L. ♦ LONDON MARKETS. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, has received the following cablegram from its London office, dated 3rd January :— Tallow is ready of sale. New Zealand 6ne mutton is worth 28a 3d per owt"; New Zealand good b^ef. 26s 9d per cwt. Wheat maiket is st adv. New Zealand average is worth 28s per 4961 b; New Zealand long-berried, 29s p3r 4981 b. Oats.— Market quiet. New Zealand fine are worth 23s per 8 bushels m gianary ; New Zealand ordinary, 21s 6d ; New Zealand duns, 18s 6d. Mutton. — Market quiet. Canterbury mutton is worth BJ3 per lb; Otago, 2|d per lb; Wellington, 3d per lb. Beef —New Zealand: There is a good demand, Arrivals of 4 American beef are light. New Zea» land forequartera are worth 3£d per lb ; New Zealand hindquarters, 3Jd per lb. iohiiid! raise asbooutior.l London, January 4. At the tallow sales 1426 oasks were offerei and 925 sold. Mutton, fine, 28s 3d per ow'; medium, 27a« Baef, fine, 27s 3d ; medium, 26a,