LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume X, Issue 2407, 15 June 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mr f. E. Matthews, who has, for the last twelve 1 months, been on the telegraphic staff a; Ashburton, left to-day to join the staff «; Christchurch. His place in the Ashbiuton office will be taken by Mr A. E* Williaiisi, son of Mr Peter Williams, of tin's town. Mr A. E. Williams has for "some time ,fMt been a cadet in the Wellington office.

1 A cargo of over 300 half-bred horses has been sent to England from the Argentine Republic. The recent Chief Commissioner' of Land at Southland, Mr Speiice, has resolved to go to South Africa. The " Woodville Examiner " says :—" According to the census returns, the North Island is entitled to another member of Parliament. The Forty-mile Bush will have a big gay in locating the additional seat." A Masterton paper proudly boasts that not a resident in that township has been convicted of drunkenness during the last twelve, mouths. The Carterfcon caustically asks, who is to blame ? Somebody accused Mr Ballance of placing a blind man in charge of a snagging party on the Wangauui river. It turns out that the blind man and his sons took the work by contract. Proud father (showing off his boy before company)—"My son, which would you rather be, Shakespeare or Edison ?" Little son (after . meditation): "I'd rather be Edison !" Proud father: "Why ?" Little son—-"Because he ain't dead.' Judgment was given for the Farmers Union Grain, Produce, and Finance Company, Limited, in two claims for application, allotment, and call moneys on shares in the 'Company,'before'the R.M. at Christehurch on Friday. The Earl of Lonsdale has sold at auction the horses used by him in his recent driving match with the Earl of Shrewsbury. The animals fetched 1359 guineas. A Russian stallion brought 200 guineas and a pair of American trotters 350 guinea-?. The Somerset County Council has voted the sum of £11,000 fjr technical education in the county, and out ot this sum £1000 goes to tha Bath and West of England Agricultural Society, to be expended in connection with training in the production of butter and cheese. Mr Jackman, the excise officer who has made himself such a " terror" to careless and evasive brewers and publicans throughout New Zealand, paid a surprise visit to .Ashburton a. few days ago. The usual inspection of breweries and hotels was made and everything was found to be in' order. Mr J. E. March, Superintendent.of Village Settlements, gave an address in the Oddfellows' Hall, Christchurch, on Friday even- 1 ing, on the subject of the land available in the North Island. The hall was crowded, and a large number of persons remained after the lecture to obtain further information. There is erery probability of an association being formed to send delegates to select land. Informations having been sworn by the Wellington Customs authorities against Fong Kum, a Chinese merchant, charging him with -having:committed two breaches of the Customs Consolidation Act. The irifbrma-' tious allege—(l) that he, on May 18, imported thirteen boxes of Chinese wine, which were discovered to be Chinese spirits ; and (2) on May 19, he attempted to pass thirteen packages of Chinese spirits as Chinese still wine. Mr James McGregor, tobacconist, has jnst Opened a large case of sample pipes, which can be commended to the inspection of smokers.. The pipes include meeisohaums, briar and myal wood pipes, and pipes composed of other materials. They are all cased, some mounted in silver, others plain, but all amber tipped, and form really a handsome collection. The Borough and Hampstead schools reopened this morning. Less than one-third of the number of scholars on the rolls were present, but no doubt the attendance will aoon improve. It has been found impracticable to insist on medical certificate being produced by those who have been ill or in infected households, but Ihe masters, teachers and committees are taking all possible precautions against infection being iutroduccd into the schools. Mrs James Suisted, of Wcstport, has been paid the compliment ot being selected by Mr Walter.. Besant, the celebrated novelist, to contribute a paper on " The growth of a School of Literature in New Zealand,*' to "The Author," the journal of the Society of Authors in London. Over the initials of " L. J. S." Mrs Suisted has long been a general favourite with readers of the " Witness," and Otago people particularly will be pleased at the distinction conferred upon her by the choice of the conductors of "The Author." The "Press" understands that it is the intention of those applicants wiioss licenses were refused by the Sydenham Licensing Bench to bring separate actions in the Supreme Court against th,e individual members of the Commit tee with the object of recovering damages for the loss which they have sustained by r?nson of such refusal, the ground of the action being that the cir- j cumstances attending their election and administering of the licensing Act prove that the Committee did not bring an impartial or judicial mind to bear on the question, but were actuated by bias, prejudice, and prohibition considerations. Itjs said (that experts estimate the depreciation in value of the property affected at close on ten thousand pounds. Professor Mosso, an Italian physiologist of repute, has demonstrated by experiment that thinking causes a rush of blood to the brain, which varies with the nature of the thought. This has long been believed by students and Jiterary men, but Mosso prdved I it by balancing the Hying subject in a horizontal position so delicately that when he began to think the accession of blood to; his. head turned the scale. When the subject' was asleep the thoughts :or visions ovhich came to him in dr«ams were sufficient to I gink his head below his feet, and the same thing took place when the sleeper was disturbed by a slight sound or touch. Mosso's balance even allowed him to tell when his friend, the subject, was reading Italian, and ■ when Greek; the greater mental exertion required in the latter case producing a greater fjow 0$ blood fa the head. Professor Edward Caird, of the Glasgow Universily, was rung up late • uj ovfsuing recently by an old student, who desired to talk with him. The Professor took him into his study, surprised at the lateness of the hour of calling, and to his dismay soon discovered that his quondam student had lost his reason with religious mania. Professor DrYoungand a cab were soon secured. The two professors and the subject departed outwards for Gftrtnatel Lunatic Asylum, arrived there, and threw some gravel at Dr Yellowlee's (the supyientendent) window. The doctor put out his head and inquired who vras there, " Caird and Young," was the reply. " Oh, indeed, Which of you is bringing the other ?" was Hie query which followed. It is said that both the professors forgot the gravity of the sit uation sufficiently to laugh heartilyThe "Wellington Post" is a puzzle to political readers. One day lately it said apropos of the Hon Mr M'Kenzie's persona] enquiries into a case of dumyism :—" We venture to think the Hon Minister for Lands might be better engaged in his office attending to his legitimate work. He is no more likely to shine as a personal investigator than as q, satirical l'stter writer, an example of official courtesy in his mannpr of dealing with his subordinates, a pi'udeht, impartial administrator, or a just distributor of patronage, The Jf°n Jqhn M'Kenzie appears to be one of those men who, Vh'pu drossod in brief authority, immediately takes to play-1 ing pranks. He has suddenly grown too big for his boots, and if his colleagues do not take care he will involve them in the destruction he is courting for himself. No Minisfcay will be strong enough to hold him an* |his vagaries." A few days afterwards our contemporary wrote as follows:—-" We have never known the Opposition Press— ajui we speak from a somewhat long experience—so £! aUe:aantry bitter and unscrupulous as it is atpresenl. T!iis ?"pcsitioi), so far as this place is concerned, culminated in an attack on Mr M?J£enzie apropos of the Spence racket; but the speech at palmerston set that right. The truth is that the Opposition fee's at last that it is in the presence of a Government of resources and courage, which cannot be lightly attacked, and cannot be attacked at all with impunity. Ihi? leadership not being settled, it is, on the [face of it; idle to. sneak of organism" votes of uorganfidence." Teas free from any excess of a&trin gency. South British Tea Companyjs pure blends, AJI storekeepers