General News

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 1, 7 April 1894, Page 8

General News

The monthly stock sale at Winton on Thursday was very well attended, and marked by spirited competition—the best sale held for months, especially for sheep. A line of two-tooth ewes and wethers ready for turnips, sold for 12s 6d each, while a small pen of crossbred store lambs brought 9s 3d each.

The first instalment of a '• Yisitor’s Impressions of Queenstown ” will appear next weel£ It is reported that Sir W. V. Harcourt’s Direct Veto Bill does not provide compensation for publicans. The Governors of Canterbury College, Christchurch, having learned that a.lady attended the lectures in a knickerbocker costume, have decided that the ordinary dress must be worn.

Britain’s navy is to be strengthened by the addition of 120 war ships. Kennedy-Deering Company open in the Theatre lloyal on Monday night. Good company, good plays. A Wesleyan preacher at Tapanui recently sandwiched a solo in between the first and second divisions of his sermon.

We have to acknowledge receipt from the Chief Postmaster of a copy of the Postal and Telegraph Guide for April. The schooner Grecian Bend, from Newcastle to Napier with coal, has been lost with all hands.

The Star Sailing Club held their sixth annual regatta on Wednesday afternoon, and enabled a very large number of holidaymakers to spend a few hours very pleasantly by the sea-shore. Mr James Mackintosh, JM.H.R., was yesterday elected Chairman of the Southland Education Board for the current year. Mr Trask, mayor of Nelson, who went to Onehunga to interview the lady mayor of Onehunga, Mrs Yates, states he found her well versed in municipal matters, most amiable, and well fitted to carry out the duties of mayor with the support of the council.

Miss Jeannie Russell has been appointed. head teacher of the Gx-oper’s Bush school, and Miss J essie Cameron temporary head, teacher at South Forest Hill.

Mr W. A. McCaw, recently appointedinspector of works for the Southland Education Board, was entertained at a farewell social in Gore on Thursday night by his-fellow-workers in the Presbyterian Church.

At the close o£ the civil action J. Mouat r James McKechnie, heard in the Gore Court on Tbui’sday, and in which the plaintiff was non-suited, the Magistrate (Mr R S. Hawkins) committed McKechnie for trial on a charge of perjury, alleged to have been committed dui'ing the hoai'ing of the case,. Defendant has been admitted to bail.

In an article on “where the money goes ” in the Insurance and Mining Jouimal for the current month, the editor complains that ISTew Zealand is made the happy hunting' ground, for Australian banks, and the statement is made that in 1893, no less than £1,244,403 was received by three institutions as excess of deposits over advances. This sum was sent across Tasman Sea to be used in Australia. To this cause restriction of trade is attributed. Ho wonder Money is. tight.

“One man one run ” has almost passed into a proverb. That the limit of the area of a run has scarcely yet been defined xnay be seen by an advertisement which appears in another column. Mr C. W. Brown calls fortenders for the pui’chase of goodwill of a leasehold run of 76,000 acres on the West Coast. For anyone who wishes, Robinson Ciaisoe-like, to be “ Monarch of all he surveys,” this is a splendid opportunity for realising his wish.

A correspondent writes : —I enclose this slip, as you may not hare previously seen it. It refers to a matter of intense importance to the numerous “ cocktail ” population of our colony, and'-mo doubt many others besides myself have oftenvvished poor Bunny could be kept in check by less painful means than those at present in use : —“ The Vermin Trapprizes : First, £SO ; second, £25. The committee of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have much pleasure in renewing their offer of premiums for an improved vermin trap calculated to supersede the cruel steel trap at present used in game preserves. The improved trap must be portable, ineexpensive, weather-proof, easy of adaptation to the various requirements of trapping, simple in manipulation, effectual and humane, billing instantly, or capturing without giving pain. Drawings cannot be accepted. Models or perfected samples must be delivered here on or before July the 2nd next. Further particulars may be had of John Colam, Secretary, 105 Jermyn Sti’eet, Loudon, S.W.

The fancy fair and carnival to be held in the Zealandia Hall in aid of the instrument fund of the Garrison Band opens on Monday, 30th April. Great preparations are being made for the event, which bids fair, in point of attractiveness, to surpass anything of the kind yet held here. Musical and other programmes are in course of preparation, and no effort will be spared to amuse the patrons of the carnival. The attention of donors of contributions is invited to the notice appearing elsewhere.

“ Gars auld claes look maist as weel as new” is a quotation that aptly applies to an article recently brought under the notice of the Southland public. We refer to Mr G. T. McKenzie’s “ Safe Cloth Cleaner,” which has now established a reputation and a market for itself from Auckland to the Bluff. Numerous testimonials as to the efficacy of the preparation, which is cheap and simple of application, have been published, and in this issue another is added by Mr W. Lewis, the well-known draper. Convincing proof of its quality is also given by the eagerness with which certain people have endeavoured to take advantage of the popularity of Mr McKenzie’s specific. The public will do well to note that it is not hawked about for sale, and that Messrs W. Guthrie & Co. are the only wholesale agents in Southland.

The post office clock and chimes were set agoing with due form by his Worship the. Mayor (Mr A. Raeside) on Wednesday afternoon. An old identity called on Thursday to remind us that a good many years ago heassisted to put up the scaffolding for a clock on the old iron building in Dee street where the Theatre Royal now stands. In leaving he fired of a parting joke to the effect that soon after the clock was set going times got very bad, and that the Government first lost its tick, then the merchants lost theirs, and finally things got so dull that even the clock lost its tick, and suspended operations. He hoped history wouldn’t, in this case, repeat itself. Yet another little reminiscence has reached us on the same subject. The old Royal Exchange in London, burned down many years ago, had a clock and chimes. Just as the flames seized on the chimes they played their last tune, and it happened, oddly enough, to be—“ There’s nae luck aboot thehoose !” Let us hope that no such fate will overtake our chimes.