LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 74, 29 March 1902, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS.

Non-Publication. —There will be no issue of the Express on Easter Monday.

Stock Sale.—Messrs Griffiths and Son will hold a sale of stock in the Charles Street yards on Saturday next.

Racing.-—Owners and trainers are reminded that nominations for the Marlborough Racing Club's autumn meeting close this evening.

Tennis Club.—A special general meeting of the Marl borough Lawn Tennis Club is convened for the evening of Friday next, at 7.30 o'clock, to consider special business.

Poultry INDUSTRY.—The poultry export industry is growing so rapidly in Christehurch that new premises for the Department of Agriculture's depot have been taken in Bath Street, off Colombo Street.

Timber Duty.—Sawmilltrs in various parts of the colony have been urging the Government to impose an export duty on round or squared logs. The Government has the matter under consideration.

Road Work.—Tenders are required by the Spring Creek Road Board for forming and metalling the Sand Hill Road, Grovetown. The work will be shown on the Ist April at 9 a.m., and tenders close next day.

The Weather.—There was a fine weather record throughout the colony this morning. The heavy fog which prevailed in Blenheim was also experienced in the Far North, and at many South Island towns.

Chukch Anniversary. — Special sermons will be preached to-morrow in Wesley Church in connection with the anniversary. The Rev. W. O. Robb will occupy the pulpit in tho morning, and the Rev. G. W. J. Spence in the evening.

Tenth Contingent. — Applicants for enrolment in the Tenth Contingent must attend this evening at the Drill Shed to be examined by the Recruiting Board. Sergt.-Major Healy, one of the members of the Board, arrived last evening from Nelson.

Entertainsient. — A reminder is given of the entertainment to be given in Ewart's Hall on Monday evening next by the Wellington Edelweiss Company. The Company is a good one, and a pleasant evening is assured to those who attend.

The Squadron.—We learn that the warships in Picton harbor take their departure at 6.30 on Monday morning. H.M.S. Royal Arthur proceeds direct to Auckland and the other three vessels call at Wellington Heads to obtain mails, and then proceed to Auckland also.

Wairau Regatta.—The regatta to be held at Spring Creek on Easter Monday promises this year again to be a very successful affair. Pretty picnic spots are available adjacent to the river, and the committee provide hot and cold water free. A band will be in attendance, and, given a lino day, there should be a large number of people present. Tho railway tiraetablo appears in our advertising- columns.

Personal.—Dr. Nairn leaves on his trip to England on Monday next. His many friends in Blenheim and district wish the esteemed medico and his wife a pleasant voyage and an enjoyable stay in the Old Country, and look forward to seeing them return with renewed health and happy memories of their holiday. The general esteem and goodwill that Dr. Nairn has earned during his residence in Blenheim ensures these good wishes on the eve of a well deserved rest, making the first break in the period of 18 years during winch ho has been practising |n Blenheim. Dr. Nairn, for whom Dr. Kennedy is acting as locum tenens, intends to return here in about six months.

Weslet Church Tea. — Tho ten which took place last evening was tastefully spread in the hall. There was a very Jarge attendance. The following ladies gave trays and presided at the tables :—Mesdames b\ Smith, W. B. Parker, R. W. Parker, F. Hammond, Holdaway, W. D. Pike, T. Pike, Freeth and Jordan, assisted by a number of young ladies. A public meeting \va3 held in the church. A full report of the proceedings will appear in our next issue.

"To.mmy" and the Preachers.— Soldiers are compelled to go to church ; but some of them take their revenge, Mr W. Grinton Berry tells us in the British Monthly, by resolutely refusing to listen to the sermon unless it. interests them : —" If a preacher is lengthy or,tedious, the soldier protests again st his behavior by allowing Iris sword !:o clang on the floor, or by being suddenly seized with a violent congh. Presently there is an epidemic of clanging or of coughing throughout the entire congregation, a signal that no preacher can misunderstand." Clanging and coughing' cannot, of eom\se, be made military offences, because ii' the soldier moves just a little in his seat, his sword clangs, and he is not responsible at law for the state of his bronchial tubes.

Methodist Preachers and Sunday Travel. —How far a preacher can, with Scriptural privilege, ride in a Sunday train or occupy a seat on the horse-cars, was a much-debated point at the South Australian Methodist Conference. The question rose over a Sunday picnic arranged ender Government auspices. A doctrine of wonderful elasticity was presented. The Rev. W. Reed had "always fulfilled his appointments on foot," and the Rev. Brian Wibberley, who once " tramped" to Unley, never preached worse in his life than that Sunday. " When I was at Port Adelaide I always rode my bike," said the Rev. S. Cuthberfc, while the Rev. J. Berry used the train and the tramcar, " because everybody is not capable of balancing a bicycle." This prominent Methodist preacher was once "an enthusiastic rider—on three wheels." The Rev. O. Lake dealt with the religious proclivities of the members of the South Australian Ministry. The Premier was "an Independent," the Treasurer "a young man of the Anglicans," tho Minister of Education a member of the Christian Disciples, and the Commissioner of Public Works, "who could have stopped the whole business," was a Methodist. Amotion deploring the holding of the picnic was carried unanimously.

The Coronation. — The precise route for the Coronation procession has now been approved by his Majesty. The pageant will pass out of Bueldngliara Palace by the Sovereigns' Gate, turn short to the left at the head of the Mall, pass up Constitution Hill to Hyde Park corner, along Picadilly to the top of St. James' Street, down the thoroughfare to St. James's Palace, then to the left along Pall Mall past the National Gallery, and , through Duncannon Street to the Strand, along that street and Fleet Street, up Ludgato Hill, round the south side of St. Paul's to Cheapside, down King William Street, across London Bridge to the south side of the Thames, then through Borough High Street, Borough Road, and Westminster Bridge Road to St. Thomas's Hospital. Crossing Westminster Bridge (and making a possible halt at St. Stephens for a ceremony at Westminster Hall), the procession will go by way of Parliament Street and Whitehall to the Horse Guards, whence the route to the Palace will be that followed on the recent opening of Parliament— under the arches at the Horse Guards, across the Parade, and along the Mall.

Adventure with A Shark.—Messrs Todd Bros, had an exciting" adventure with a shark on Tuesday (says the North Otago Times). The shark, which is estimated at about 20f fc long, has been frequently seen at the inner reef, opposite Awamoa, and has often stood in the way of a successful day's fishing. On Tuesday it enveloped itself in Messrs Todd's moki net. The net was a new one, and stood the strain, but as there was no way of getting rid of the shark but by towing it into the harbor or cutting the net adrift, it was decided, so as to save the net, to tow the shark into the harbor. For four hours the " towing" went on, but often there was a difficulty in tolling whether the boat or the shark had command of the tow-rope. Eventually the neighborhood of the breakwater was reached, but the shark took a strong pull backwards, and in order to obviate going ashore the fish was cut adrift, still with the greater part of the net wrapped around it.

Only One Week More.—Two years ago the most powerful paper in the world, the London Times, relying on its circulation amongst the English-speak-ing races, determined to re-issue the Encyclopaedia Britannica at a price which would bring it within the means of a large number of readers. Instead of costing £37, the price was reduced one-half, with the additional advantage that on payment of one guinea the books would become the property of the intending purchaser, and the further payments made by monthly instalments of one guinea each. This plan has placed the books in thousands of houses, giving opportunities for gaining knowledge and elevating the mind that were formerly unavailable. The Daily Mail has taken up the sale of these books on similar conditions, except that the first payment is only ss, with 12s monthly ;payments; it is an example of journalistic enterprise, quite unique in its way, which will commend itself to every educated man in New Zealand. The publishers announce in our columns to-day the withdrawal of the offer on April sth.

A Large Cheque.—By the death of Mr Frank H. Peavey, a draft for £200,000, said to be the largest single cheque ever paid out for life insurance, has been handed to the executors by the Mutual Life Company, of New York. A London paper believes that no British company will take so heavy a" risk, and indeed in the present case no doubt a large portion of the amount was underwritten. The premium was 45,:390f101s (rather under £9700), and the policy was issued April 28th, 1900, so that only two annual payments had. been made. Mr Peavey was fifty, and appeared to be an excellent life to a special Board of Physicians who were appointed to examine him. But he went to Chicago on a business trip, caught cold, and died in a few clays of pneumonia. He made his fortune in wheat, but on tho death of Ms H. D. Cable, the piano maker, he bought a controlling interest in that firm.

One oi< the Lords.—A few days ago (writes a London correspondent) long accounts appeared in the papers of some theatricals at a lordly mansion, the object being apparently to show how many diamonds and other gems a silly bounder who happened to be a peer of the realm could crowd upon his inane person, and how absurd an ap ■ pearanco ho could possibly complete without making the spectators absolutely ill. Yet this effeminate simpleton is one of our hereditary legislators, and his vote in the House of Lords is as good as that of Lord Salisbury or Lord Rosebery, or Lord Roberts or the Archbishop of Canterbury! Surely ono of these days wo shall muster up courage to purge our Upper House of such imbeciles, as well as of other peers who have demonstrated the'r utter unflfcness for so important a public trust v ;

Maids' and Waitresses Caps, beautiful goods. As this line of goods we do liofc keep, we will clear them at the ridiculous price of 2d each 5 they are honestly woytU Is 6d.<-'R. Allen*

The Argentine.—-A New JZealander who has gone to the Argentine, and has taken up land there, writing to a friend in Christchurch, speaks enthusiastically of this colony's rival in the Home markets. "We are doing fairly well here," he says, "and have great promises of a brilliant future. Two-thirds of our 'estancia' have been let to Italian colonists, who put ib in wheat, for three years, then return it to us in alfalfa (lucerne), which means that tho land has doubled in value, and in the meantime we get up to 12 per cent of their crops for rent. This is a good business, and, with the price of wool and mutton so low, pays us better than ploughing and sowing alfalfa ourselves. It is pretty hot here for December, January, and February; in fact the shade temperature at midday is seldom under 90 Fahrenheit, and remains at about that until evening; it is often over 100. The system here is to get up ab daybreak, 4.30 a.m., get through most of the work in the morning, come in at 11.30 to lunch, and have ' siesta' until '3 p.m., then out again until 7. In harvest and shearing time, ' siesta,' of course, has to be dispensed with. This is the only way of getting through with the work. From the number of New Zealanders and English who come here from New Zealand looking for land, I should say that half the population of New Zealand will soon be over here."

The Independent American Girl. —The American damsel who comes and conquers in the English matrimonial market seldom loses any time in securing her jjrize. Her decisiveness is proverbial, and a source of admiring wonder to the irresolute. As indicating her independence of parental judgment in such matters a story is told of a wedding that took place a few weeks ago in tho West End of Londou. At the breakfast, given subsequently in a fashionable hotel, the bride was handed a telegram addressed to her in her maiden name. It was from her mother in New York, and read, " All loving wishes. May luck and happiness attend you. Kindly cable name of husband." This recalls another typical story of friendly neutrality on the part of an American parent, told, I think, by Mrs Everard Cotes. A girl sent a message to her father in New York as follows: —" Am engaged to be married to Mr —-." Her father replied: "Hearty congratulations." Some weeks later the girl telegraphed again: "Engagement with Mr broken off." The father promptly answered: " Bti 11 congratulate you,"

AN IMPORTANT "IF."

If you don't have a healthy movement of the bowels once a day, you are ill, or will be very soon. This is a provision of nature- If the bowels are clogged, the whole system is soon thrown out of condition. The foundafcion of disease is constipation, and truly constipation kills more people than all other diseases put together. The foetid matter throws off poisons which get into the blood, the digestive organs become impaired, and one thing leads to another. If . Take Impey's May Apple and there will be no doubt. This ideal family medicine acts promptly but painlessly, keeps the bowels open and regular, stimulates the liver, and aids digestion. It does good all the way. Chemists and stores, 2s Gd.