LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIII, Issue 2506, 6 November 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The meeting called for Wednesday night at Wakanui, re holding the annual sports, lapsed for want of attendance. The hotel at Hilton, Mr Homes licensee, was burned down at two o'clock this morning. The back part of the premises was burned a few weeks ago. Before Mr W. G. Rees, J.P., this morning, a man named John Clifford, charged with drunkenness, was remanded to November 13, to be sent meanwhile to the hospital, having sustained an injury to his hand.

It is estimated by the "North Otago Turns" that between' £600 and £ 700 left OxiTiam for the consultations oa the Mflboume Cup, ami about JCIOO came back again m the shapa of prizes. This is a high price to pay for so little. • The"Mataura Ensign" says that Mr John Watt, of the Cave, has not lost faith m his gas-making process, as he has been experimeuting ever since the Gore works closed, and last week he succeeded m producing gai of sixty-uvo-cand'.e power. A freak of nature U reported to the "Ensign" from East Chatton. One liight .ast week a cat gave birth to six kittens— one oi the ordinary kind (it is now alive an I doing well), and the remaining five joine I together by the hind legs, from tue-h/.ck downwards. Three faoed. m one directiQii and two m the other. Unfortunately biie did), and the owner of the balance decid d to destroy and bury the four remaining. The London correspondent of the Duhedin .*' Star" writes :--New Zealand premises to get a large share of our better class Emigrants during the ensuing six months. Tho tide has already set m towards the colony, and bids fair to continue. Enquiries about; New ZeaJand are rmade at the Agent-General's, Asliby's, and other Australasian pasiage agencies every day; and during the past week saloon an 4 second-class bookings have been rather heavy. ',

The Rev T. Jasper Smyth suggested, at a. meeting of the South Canterbury Board of Education yesterday, that schools m low swampy districts always .show poorer re suits at examination than those on drier ground. He named two schools* m the district, so situated, wlrch have had successive bad reports, no matter who was master. He was not prepared to uphold this connection between low levels and low percentages yet, but was collecting statistics on the subject.

Another engagement of cosmopolitan interest ia announced (says the "Star" correspondent) between Mr Herbert Gorsf-, son of S r John Gorat, and Miss Nina Kennedy, the "inspiratioaist" whose mysterious seances recently aroused '* Truth's " indignation. Miss Kennedy looks a very charming person, and certainly her guesses at talks' futures are surprisingly shrewd. .Nevertheless, I think we may take it for granted that Mr floret's engagement lias not overjoyed his family.

Parliamentary language m "New South Wales is at a low ebb. The other day Mr Crick, M.L.A., on a motion for adjournment, returned to the attack on the Chicago Exhibition appointments of the late Ministry, and said if the House affirmed the appointments he would resign. The men appointed were, he said "rascals" and "cubs,"-whose infamy and villainy was only excelled by the infamy and villainy of those who appointed them. He was Hot called to order by the chair, iior even contradicted by any of his fellow- members.

Laura Flavell, a lieutenant m the Salvation Army, reported to the Cliristchrirch police .last night that Elizabeth Jane Be!],aninnuiteof the Army Rescue Home, had attempted to take her own life by eating a box of wax matches* The police and a doctor proceeded, at once to the Home m Carlyle street, Sydenhata, and a strong etnetic was administered to the woman, whoso resistance <mader it necessary to perform the operation by force. She assured the visitors that she had not swallowed the matches. She was,; however, removed to.. the police station, and 1 thia morning Was charged with attempted suicide, and sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. * ; ; ; On Thursday morning Mr James Dixon, farmer, eldest; son of the Jate Mr James Dixon, died at hig residence, Ashley, and his rather premature decwg will be generally lamented owing to his having begn a general favorite among his neighbors, Some weeks Ago Mr Dixon, while lifting a child from hjs dray to whom lie had givan a ride alo)ig the road accidentally strained hiiriself, and a surgical operation became necessary, but the skill of jtljo surgeons failed to save his life. Mr Dixon, some yc.ars: ago, was ai noted champion plouglnuan, and Ifell-knqwn m •Canterbury. He leayes a widbjy and four children to lament his decease,' If is brother, Mr William Dixon, is master of the Bakaia school. . ■ |

5 Many exhibitors at the late Ashburton Show; were doubtless disappointed m not •>vini,;ng prizes. A picture value 10s is ,'iven away with every Fifty Shillings' worth of Warburton's Can't Be Beab Ba k iiig Powder, t-Fact.

At Timaru to-day the R.M. gave judgement m a customs case. A customs officer founU on the barque Ganymede, from Newcastle, a box containing 401bs of tobacco not mentioned on the, papers, and nob mentioned m the inward entry. The master desired to add it before signing, but the collector refused, permission. The defence proved that the tobacco was bought duty paid m Newcastle as stores, and it was sworn there was no intention to land it. Counsel argued that the law diclnot apply to dutiable goods nob to be landed. On the facts two informations were laid—illegally importing, and false declaration. Both were dismissed, and a third charge, of breaking the customs' seal, was also dismissed as it had been done unwittingly. The bench deemed the circumstances suspicious, and on section 198 ordered the tobacco to be forfeited. Defendants counsel intimate;! that he might proceed for wrongful conversion if the commissioner disposed of the tobacco.

The ninth anniversary of the Loyal Ti a wald Lodge,! 0.0. F. M. U., was celebrated by a ball on Friday last, m the Temperance Hall, Tinwalcl. The hall was elaborately decoraUd .with evergreens, flowers, and flags, the latter kindly lent by Messrs \V. Patching and T. Stone for the occasion. The ball was an unqualified success, upwards of seventy couples being present, and at times the floor was inconveniently crowded; however, the utmost good humour prevailed. Fxcellcnt music was supplied by Messrs Fiogini and Colbert, and Air S. Rouudtree discharged the onerous duties of M.C. m a satisfactory manner. Refreshments were kindly provided by several married members of the Lodge. Several songs were given during the evening. Dancing was kept up with unflagging spirit until daybreak, when the company dispersed, terminating one of the most successful anniversaries ever held by the Lodge.

The " Waimate Times" says—" It is not often that we see a man lying asleep m broad daylight on the top of a verandah, but the passers by m Queen street were yesterday witnesses of that unusual spectacle. Ail elderly man was observed lying asleep m the glaring sun, about mid-day, on the top of the verandah over the shop of the newly opened Co-operative store, reclining with his head against the wall of the building, apparently as comfortable a3 if he had been reposing on a feather pillow—the cynosure of all eyc3. It was apparent from his surroundings that he had been engaged m painting the sign of the new store, and that after putting the finishing touches upon "Co" and a hyphen, he had yielded to the overcoming influence of balmy sleep, apparently induced by the warm day; or waa it the potent refreshments supplied from the store below ? We may add, however, that the sleep acted as a rare refresher, and m the afternoon rapid progress was made with the sign writing he was so skilfully executing."

The ''St. James's Gazette" has the following: — " Sir (?eorge Grey's protest against the appointment of English peers as colonial Governors may ha»Je been received with some applause m the New! Zealand Legislative- Assembly, but there was noi; nuictt sense m it. No doubt there are peer 3 of the realm who would be very indifferent Governors ; and m the old days appointments were made which it would be impossible to fief end. Something more i lian a peerage, however, is requisite to" qualify a man for such high positions now. Many recent instances; might: be. quoted of peers who have oeen and are admirable Governors —who do their work well and are liked by their subjects. Men like Lords Onslow,. Carrington, or Kin tore have done far more for the colonies than the ordinary stamp of Colonial Office Governors, who sometimes manage to combins incompetence with unpopularity. The difficulty is to find peers who can afford to undertake responsible duties for a salary which does not pay them their expenses. When the colonists do get a peer to rule over them, he has either to spend rather more tlrm his pay on their entertainment or to be denounced as haughty and parsimonious." We clip the following important te^tisno , nial from the "Ilia warra Mercury " (N. S. W. of the 30th March. It needs no comment: — " Mr John Loveday, of the Bulli Mountains writes to us th»t after suffering for four years with a?ute gravel, he. has experienced almost complete relief by using Sander and Sons' Eucalyptic Extract. He says : —" Seeing the said Extract advertised m the 'Iliawarra Mercury,' his intense suffering induced him to obtain a bottle of the medicine from Mr Hosking, chemist, of this town, ami that the use of it gave him great relief at once. He states that between 10th March inst., when he obtained' the first bottle of the extract, and the 19th, the use of that medicine continued to afford him relief, to which he hail been a stranger for four yeaiH. Mi Loveday writes also that he has found the Eucalypti Extract -i cure for rheumatism as well as gravel. He requests us to publish this information through the ' Mercury.' We have much pleasure m complying with Mr Loveday's request, whose word cannot be doubted, iind who can have no object m view other than a pure desire to benefit suffering humanity."—(Advt,) \ 2