NEWS OF THE DAY,

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7082, 2 March 1893, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY,

The following are the vital statistics registered in the Geraldine district for the month ended February 28tb, 1893 t —Births, 4 j marriages, 1 ; deaths, I. Mr W. Hall*Jones, hna received a telegram from the Hon, It. 3. Sedclon to the effest that the Tirasru Volunteers will take pari in an encampment at Faster. Ko further information is yes to haari, but from the tanour of our Wellington telegrams a few days back, we expect that a camp for the whole of Canterbury will be held near Christ* ohurch or Lyttelton.

An error in our report of the Borough Council’s proceedings, ia Tuesday's issue, ha? been pointed out. with a request for a correc tion. It was reported that the cost of the sft wide asphalt “ crossings ” made this you’’ was£3 15a each, nncl the cost of the last 4-i. store crossings put down over £4 each. The latt«r should have been “ over £5/’ their coat being £5 11s 6d each.

I , A curious legal argument took place oeforo the Besident Magistrate yesterday, on the question of “ fixtures.” The subject of the suit was a kitchen range and washing copper, valued at £4 10s, sold by the vendor of a freehold aftersale of the,laud, and claimed by the vendee. The argument by Mr Kay* mond on one side, and Mr Postloth waite, on the other, took the court on a mental grand tour of the world, to inspect, with the mind’s eye, a weighbridge pit in an English factory, a kitchen range in a Scottish castle a telescope on a stone pedestal at a gentleman’s house, somewhere in England, a general sweep of the statuary in France, some brewer’s mashtubs and furnaces elsewhere, a handsome “ Gothic structure," with statuary in niches, and an imposing sundial in the adjoining yard in America, and the operation of sotting Zoalandia ranges, with a sweeping glance over all kitchen fire-places in the colony where ranges are used. His Worship took time to make this grand tour of inspection, and to peruse the" jurist’s remarks upon the items, at bis leisure.

A meeting of the Waimate Football Club was held on Monday evening. The attend* anoo was good, there being about twenty members present. last year’s balance-sheet was road and confirmed, and showed 16s lOd to the club’s credit. The following officers were elected i-President, Mtvjor (steward, M.H.R; Yiee-Presidents, Messrs Graham Begnault, Toohere, Richards, B. Mann, Philipson, and A, S. M. Poison ; Captain, G, Dash; Deputy-Captain. 0. Henson; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, R. Ridsdalo ; General Committee, H. Archer, M, McLeod-

Hughes, and Toohers ; Selection Committee, Brinkman, Archer, Hughes, Dash, Hensen and Kidedale. It was resolved to compete for the Benlor Flog this year. After arranging for)Thursday week as the opening day the meotingitemnnatod.

A Government parade of the O Battery N.Z A. was held on Tuesday evening, Captain Jackson in command, 'ihe muster was a very good one. After inspection and the performance of the manual exorcise the men were marched to the guns and the remainder of the evening devoted to gun drill. Before distai-sal Captain Jackson at the request of the shooting committee presented Messrs J. Ballantyno and Go’s prize to Bombardier Oreemor. Permission to resume practice with the guns has been received from Wellington, and the Government ordnance prize bold over from December will be fired for early on Tuesday morning next. A number of men have resolved to qualify themselves as " layer?,” hmi several practices have been held lately to enable them to work up this impor. fcant branch of a gunner's duty. Bombardier On-emer has been appointed to take charge of the arms and stores vice Q, M.S. King, who has applied to be placed on the battery reserve, and Corporal Green has been placed in charge of the No. 3 subdivision vice Sergeant Turnbull who has left the district.

The ordinary monthly masting of the Parcpra School Committee was hold on Vlonday last. Members present ; Messrs J. Anstoy (chairman), T. Stouyer, T\ M Mitchell, A. Caldwell, and H. Ohivers The headmaster reported that the school bad reopened after (.he holidays wi'h an attendance of 38. Applications were received from the Rev. L. O. Brady for the use of Ihe school for Divine rervioo on Good Friday morning, and from the trustees of tbs Wesleyan Church for Mm afternoon and evening of the same day. Both were granted. On the motion of Mr Caldwell, seconded by Mr Mitchell, the Committee’s vote was given for Messrs Graham, Balfour, and Storey, an members of the Board. An account of Ila 6d was passed for payment. Mr Caldwell sms appointed visitor for the month. At the close or the meeting Mr Caldwell gave notice that at the next meeting he would move “That in the interests of education in the district it is desirable tha‘.“the school be removed to a mere centra! situation,”

Tbe Otago Daily Times says-Great damage has been done to the crops in many portions of South Otago and Southland by the amdl birds. These peats have visited ! many farms in swavms, and in atima instances have stripped ripening fields to such an extent as to make is scarcely worth while cutting the crop. The rabbits are in several districts unusually numerous and destructive. In tbi-i connection a farmer writes to complain o? tbe action of some of tbe rabbit agents in laying poisoned grain on the roadside. Ho alleges that exporters ce has shown conclusively—in the Valley of the M&taura at any rate —that tbi-j course of action is the moat foolish and mischievous which could have been adopted, and that the department I supposed to exist fur the benefit of farmers I* and pastors lists has inflicted an injury which will b» felt severely next winter. One day’s sun, ho contends, is sufficient to render the grain harmless to the rabbits, fan* it ia certain as the sun shiaea that not one of the rabbits which tasted the grain will partake of it again when poisoning starts at the proper season. He also states that he has made enquiry from » number of persons in ah extensive district in which poison has been laid and found that scarcely a solitary carcass hos been seen. This, he says, is only one more proof ia support of the conclusion arrived at long ago by those interested—namely, that to lay poison, except during the winter, is not only wasting time, money, and grain, but is "actually mischievous.

A special meeting of the Timaru School Oommifree was held at the board room, Main school, last eveing. Present —Mr A. Mills (chairman), Messrs Qrandi, Hill, Burford, Starrier, and Wp.rburton, The business was to select a candidate for recommendation to the South Canterbury Board of Education for the position of third master of the school vice Mr Meagher resigned. Twenty-eight appli cations were received, and fourteen of them were placed in two groups for the guidance and convenience of the committee. Over an hour was spent in going through some of the applications. Mr Hill then moved, and Mr G-ninrli seconded “That Mr Hugh G. Wake be recommended as third mastesqof the Main School." Mr Hill in moving this said that he was upholding an opinion ho had long ago expressed : circumstances being equal they should promote their own staff; and Mr Gruucff seconded and supported the motion because ho knew what Mr Wake could do. A “breeze” followed, first of all by a remark by Mr Storrier on looking over Mr Wake’s testimonials, that it was bad taste of Mr Hill as “ ex-chairman ” to give Mr Wake a testimonial, and thus let other members infer that ho had made up his mind beforehand. ’’v Hill resented this ; the testimonial had been given in 1891 whan he was “ chairman," and was given to Mr Wake when ho was applying for an outside post. On hearing this Mr Storrier at once apologised to Mr Hill, Mr Burforch who objected to the motion, as he had not had time to look over the applications, nest remarked that he had heard of outside influence being brought to bear, and of “ phanoodling ’’ in favour of a certain candidate. Mr Kill strongly resented such insinuation, and notwithstanding Mr Burford’s denial that he referred specially to Mr Hill, the latter called Mr Burford a scandaliaer and loft the room, remarking that he would not stay there any longer to be insulted by either Mr Burford or Mr Storrier. Mr Hill had previously remarked that up to nn hour before the meeting he was not aware that they were to moot that night, nor was he aware that Mr Hugh Wake was an applicant. He supported his recommendation solely on the ground spoken of above After Mr Hill loft the motion was put and carried, Messrs Storrier and Burford voting against it ns a protest that they had not been given time to go through the various applioa- I tiona. The meeting thou closed. [

The Hatocra Star regrets to hear that the prospective trade in frozen poultry for the Loudon market has received a shook from “ charges.” The cost is said to be Is per bird.

PUBLIC OPINION. The opinion of the leading akin authorities of the world, viz., the lato Professor’ Sir Kraamns Wihon. F.RS,, Dr Bed wood, Ph; F.I.C., Mr John L. Milton, Senior Surgeon St. John’s Hospital for the Skin, London, etc., unanimously agree that Peaks’ Soap is the best soap for the skin and eo m plexion— [Advt] .