South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, FEB. 16, 1880. NEW'S OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2156, 16 February 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, FEB. 16, 1880. NEW'S OF THE DAY.

At a meeting of County IMcpaycrs, held at Geraldine on Saturday evening, the following resolutions were passed : —“That a petition be circulated here and at Mount Peel, calling Ml' Tripp’s attention to the desirability of his voting for the County Council’s meeting being held at Geraldine, when the alteration of place of meeting comes before the Council.”

Mr J. E. Hawley, Officer in charge of the Timaru telegraph station, has been presented with a gold albert by his fellow employees as a mark of their esteem, on the occasion of his departure for Grahamstown.

The question of making some provision for the Wellington unemployed is receiving the careful consideration of the Government. The establishment of soup kitchens in Government house has been seriously suggested. With a failing revenue, the outlook for indolent and uncivil officials is growing serious.

Sunday was one of the wannest days ever experienced in Timaru within the recollection of its oldest inhabitants. At midday the thermometer registered 98 in the shade and 180 in the sun. The congregations in the churches were thin and scant, the population keeping religiously within doors. Windows and doors were thrown open but for several hours their was scarcely a breath of wind to arrest the melting process. In the afternoon a warm nor-wester set in and continued for several hours, raising clouds of dust in every direction. Towards evening it became cloudy, and rain was threatened but the showers were insufficient to lay the dust, and the weather to-day was again bright and warm although the heat has not been oppressive. As our weather guide, which so far has proved remarkably correct, indicates a change on Wednesday, farmers whose crops arc ripe will do well to be as expeditious with their harvesting operations as they can.

Although Corporations may alter streetlevels without any great risk, householders altering their house-levels are not quite so fortunate. At New Plym mth on Saturday the wife and family of Sergeant Ryan, of the Armed Constabularly were nearly exterminated through their Iwelling collapsing, after it had been elevated about four feet upwards to the W°l of a newly formed road.

Although vegetables and cereals have thriven immensely this season, the orchards have not escaped. Within the past few days, many of the fruit and Howcr gardens in and around Timaru, have been literally eaten up by caterpillars. The presence of these destructive insects was indicated first by the curling up of the leaves, which speedily withered. Inside the folds small grevn caterpillars could be found, carefully wrapped up against the sun and cold, and devouring the ])lant at their leisure. Gcraniwms, rose hushes, and ornamental shrubs, which a fortnight ago were covered with blossom, have been stripped of neatly every leaf and rendered most unsightly. Fruit trees have been denuded of fruit as well as leaves, and even hedges have been eaten up in a wholesale manner. No sparrow pest could commit even a fraction of the ravages which the caterpillars arc guilty of, and gardeners who were inclined to distribute poisoned wheat, have suddenly changed their opinions about the mischievous propensities of small birds. In the vicinity of Wai-iti, some of the lincst gardens have been all but ruined and the proprietors arc at their wits’ ends. An immense hnsh-iiro passing over the gardens and orchards in this part of the suburbs could hardly do more damage than this invasion of caterpillars has caused. The plague is almost phenomenal,for nothing to approach it has ever been experienced in tins neighbourhood, since gardens began to be cultivated.

The Koval Hotel, Tomuka, has changed hands, Mr Peter Coira being the incoming landlord. The change takes place on April 5. The funeral of the late Rev. Mother Susannah Boudreau took place yesterday. The remains were interred in the grounds of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, and a large number of persons of all denominations were present. Their Lordships Bishops Redwood and Moran officiated, The ceremony was most imposing.

Attention is called to the published programme of the forthcoming South Canterbury Jockey Club Races. The races come off on April 8 and 9, and the money offered will, we have no doubt, induce some of the best blood in this part of New Zealand to contest the different events. In this instance the Committee have taken time by the forelock, and owners of horses will be unable to complain that they have not had sufficient time for training and making necessary a rran gemen ts.

By an advertisement in another column it will be seen that Pastor Chinujuy will lecture in the Presbyterian Church to-mor-row evening, at 8 p.rn. San key’s Hymn Boole will be used. Our readers are reminded that to-morrow evening the Opera Bouffc and Comedy Company open for a season of four nights at the Theatre Royal. Messrs Jonas, Hart, and Wildic will sell to-morrow, at the rooms, household furniture and effects, fancy goods, Ac. .Sale to commence at 2 o’clock.