LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 83, 10 April 1917, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

A large quantity of interesting war. news received during the weekend will be found on pages 2, 3, and 7 of this issu&. " The returned soldiers of Napier have decided to celebrate Anzao Day on' April 25. They will take no part in proceedings held on any other day.

Fullers' Country Pictures will show ] at Tua Marina 'this, evening. Grove- , town to-morrow night, Ward on Thursday, Seddou on Friday, and Ren wick" on Saturday.

The only piece of blue sky appearing over New-1-Zealand at 9 o'clock this morning was , reported by # Gisborne. Overcast weather prevailed, with lutfit i-rtinivat" r ; Oainaru, Bluff, and Westport R<ain would bo generally welcomed'locally.

TUtt Fk-st Division will be further encroached upon to tho ext«qt of some 3000 named this week, the ballyi. for the • shortage in the 30th Reinforcements commencing this afternoon. The shortage is about 1000, ;md so as to allow for rc-jects, etc., the number of names to be drawn will be about 3000.

The drawing .of the Marlborough Land Art Union, fixed for March 31st has now been postponed until at least June 30th. The Minister has given his consent to the committee to advertise the arb' union in Nelson and on the West Coast. The public who are willing to help are requested to write for more books, and thus help the Wounded Fund. Though npw the right is granted1' to advertise in the above districts, it docs not prevent the private pending out of books to other parts of the Dominion.

Tho current Monthly Abstract of Statistics states that the returns of actu.il ', threshings received until March 19th from threshing-mill owners showed thnt, so fnr. 1,320.000 bushoh of wheat and 782,511 bushels of oats had boon threshed out. Tho average yields per acre in case^ whore" partionlnrq wero furnished worivfld out at 23.73 bushels for wheat and 2«.."J2 bushels for oats. W lowest ayerajTo yield per aero was 10 bushels in tho Auckland district, and the* highest 36.76 bushels in Southland. Of oats the lowest average viold per acre wa* 20.70 in Hawke's Bay, and the' highest, again in Southland, 40.32 bushels.

. Tt will be remembered that at the lr.st sitting of tlio Military Service Boird :'n Blenheim the chairman (Mr J. S. Evans, S.M.), mentioned the case of a competent farmer with n, Lincoln College training who Kid vainly tried for pome considerable time to obtain a responsible position. The paragraph reporting this remark reached the subject of tho allusion, ;iTid he has .written to the editor of The Express asking for tho name and address of the farmer attending the sitting w}to intenected "I will take him." The Marlborough, farmer has agreed to enter into correspondence with tho Canterbury .".grieulturist, and the particulars have been forwarded.

When the steamer Tarawera was \ abreast, of White Island at 5.30 o'clock on Sunday morning, the chief officer observed a volcanic eruption. Flames were shooting skyward, accompanied by flying stones and debris which were soon enveloped in a dense cloud of vapor.

"When I visited the Thames this trip," said aa ex-resident of the Auckland district who lias just returned.to Wellington from a holiday visit to the North, *'I hardly recognised the old place. The recent floods have wrought tremendous havbe all ov«r the district, and the damage is estimatod at thousands of pounds."

The Easter holiday season locally ' was of a quieter description than usual. A considerable number of ! soldiers spent their camp leave at home. Easter Monday broke with a threatening aspect from a weather point of view, and no doubt the rain clouds checked many excursion intentions. Nevertheless many proceeded to Picton, the Cloudy Bay seaside, and in other directions. Only a few spots of rain fell in Blenheim, and the holiday passed off pleasantly for those who took the risk and went away from home.

Mr A. E. Tyer, of Motueka, is in Blenheim for the purpose of erecting an up-to-date fruit .preserving and rabbit canning factory. He is surprised that the industry has not been started before, but he hopes, with the co-operation of the growers, to make it a success. The season 'is rather late, but apples, pears,, etc;/ and rabbits, can (be tackled this season. Mr Tyer has appointed Mr Gosling to look after his interests until he has the new factory erected. If the industry gets a " good footing it will mean further prosperity to Marlborough, which in the pa£t lias been neglected as regards the capabilities of its pr6duccs. Mr Tyer will be glad to get into communication with any grower of fruits, nu^s, and owners of benzine cases and tins.

The somewhat novel competition announced last week by the R^d Ci-oss shop was judged last Thursday by Miss Walton, to whom tho thanks of- the i-ommittee are due for undertaking this rather difficult task, and also foi- donating a prize to the competition. VaVied nnd ingenious were most of the articles received. Among them wero slippers, a child's dress and coat, a blotter, a hat, a mop, a . cushion, a crochet bag and slippers, ; a holder for newspapers, in addition to the :nore ordinary peg bags, kettle holders, kihohen aprons, and ovencloths. Mrs Hill and the pupils ! of tho Grovetown school had ■evidently worked very busily, with the 1 result that they forwarded a large 1 parcel of most saleable articles, all 1 made from sugar-bags, one of which ' (a. g.irden, hat) received a specialP'ize. In addition, to a. welcome gift ' of fruit and vegetables from the harvest thanksgiving at Rapaura i Church, a splendid contribution of .fruir., vegetables, sweets, cakes, and Gowers was sent last week by the boys and girls of tre Springlands ' juid Redwobdtown schools. The com- ' mitten wishes to thank most heartily tho above contributors, as well as all others who helped towards a most suocessf-il day. Prizes were awarded 1 as follows:—lst, Mrs Humphreys 1 (crochet bag and slippers); 2nd, Mrs 1 A very (holder for newspapers); 3rd, ' Miss Botham (tidy)-, 4th, Mrs G. ' Botham (boy's school bag); special - prize to a pupil of Grovetown school 1 (garden hat).' Those who have not yet received their prizes are asked to * apply to the shop for them.

* Furniture, floors, and linoleum " look like new when, rubbed with ' TAN-OL. Brings up wood-grain and pattern—gives a lasting polish. In - tins—liquid Is; paste Sd.—Advt. 1 Letter-paper and memo, forms now require tho number of the business man's letter-box if correspondence is , to be expeditiouslv handled, at the Post Off.cc. Save delay in delivery by I new memo, forms printed at ''The Express" Office *