The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1892. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIII, Issue 2738, 5 August 1892, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1892. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Ashburton Lodge of Freemasons meets at the Masonic Hall, Tailored street, this eveping. Professor o armor, who hopes to produce some day » dictionary and grammar of the monkeys' language, beiieye* %ls# m the possibility of employing monkeys a* domestfp servants. He lias many friends who ate monkeys, and is lure of their capacity lor devoted service. A postcard was posted m London on March h»d r*ache<J Hongkong, via Vancouver, on April 2s, Three hours afterwards an answer *as written on tjje" reply'/ por ion of the cayd and posted by the F. and 0, mail, It W«* delivered m London on 30, h&ymg been round the world m ... -»*vg. vTbißfee»fc9f»iprecor4. seventy w.. «-.«.« t^k fcen days fenger Jules Verne's uw ■* than this. ' ' .11,. A judge m a remote part of Austra... recently had a painful case before him. It was that of a man unlawfully selling liquor. The judge said that he was there to administer the law and the man must be fined ; but as he himself had the pleasure of sampling his whisky, and as he saw many persons m court who had done the same, perhaps the officer would'kindly pans his hat around to see if the place contained thirty shillings. It did. ' A youth named Baron Raphael, fiom New Zealand (writes the "Otago Daily Times" correspondent) rushed into the Melbourne detective office about one o'clock the other morning, and reported that he had been stuck np m the Fitzroy Gardens by two armed men, who robbed him of his gold watch and chain, valued at £40, and seventeen £1 notes. Event mlly he admitted that he had lost his money m playing cards, and had left his watch as a pledge for a gambling debt* English papers are poking a good deal of fun at the Grand Duke Alexis for telegraphing to the stewards to postpone the Derby for an hour because he had missed his train. A Royal Prince of a Russian house is apt to believe that even the stars m their courses might be altered to suit his convenience. In this case, however, the stewards but smiled; and the stars had run their courses when the Grand Duke appeared. Notice has been given m the Victorian Legislative Assembly of the following motion: —" That m view of the recent investigation into the affairs of the Real Estate Bank of Victoria, together with a statement made therein by Jessie Woods reflecting upon the Hon James Munro, Agent-General for Victoria, it is expedient tlwt the Government should consider the gravity of the charge and the influence the said charge may have upon the credit of the colony if not disproved, and, m fairness to the Agent-General, temporarily relieve the Hon Jomes Munro from his duties to give him full opportunity to rebut the statement made m reference to the investigation and the charge contained m the said statement." The " Argus " declares it to be the duty of the Government to make a full and fair investigation of its own into the scandal, and to give the House the result. The "Age" and also the "Sydney Morning Herald" have both expressed the opinion that Mr Munro's proper place is m Mel. bourne. The world is ever moving on towards perfection butseldom attains it. Constant improvement is being made m every minch of industry, but m Baking Powders Perfection has been reached m JB^}|rton's Cm t Be Beat.

The first, foal of the Beaton, as far as we have heard, is that of Mr L. Markey's Authentic, sire Johnny Faulkner—a fine colt —which was dropped at six o'clock on Monday morning, August 1. At Christchurch to-day George Howard, charged with forcing and uttering a cheque, was committed lor trial. He was arrested on Thursday on the Kaikoura, just as she was leaving for London. The death of Mrs Alice Cox, widow of the late Samuel Cox, of Fendalton, is recorded | m our obituary column. The deceased lady came to Camerbury ia 185], and was a resident of Fendalton tor over thirty-five yeurs. She leaves five sons and one daughter, one of her sons being Mr J. G. Cox, of Racecourse road, Asliburton, and another Mi' Samuel Cox, of Lyndhurst. Theri is now on view m the window of Mr R. Murray, jeweller, etc., of East street the magnificent challenge cup of the South Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club, now held by Mr 0. G. Rees, son of Mr W. G. Reeves of this town. The trophy is of solid silver and some idea may be had of its massive and imposing appearance when we say that its weight, with the massive silver salver up which it stands, is slightly over one hundred and fifteen ounces. The cup was first offered for competition m 1872, when it was won by Mr W. G. Rees, father of the preaent holder. The fortnightly meeting of the Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society was held on Wednesday evening m the Templar Hull. There was a large attendance of members and friends, and the President, Rev 8. Liwry, occupied the chair. Two new members were elected. The evening was devoted to elocution. The following members couttibuted items —Miss Shirtcliffej Messrs Booth, Oaborne, H. Brown, R. Clark, £. Meyenberg, and l. Buchanan, and a short address bearing on the subject by the Chairman. The criticism! on each item were varied and impartial, and contributed greatly to the success of the meeting. Mr Osborne was elected journal editor.. The English " Labour World " received by last mail says:—The condition of the skilled labour market is slightly more favourable; there is a firmer tone m several industries, the employment of skilled labour at the majority of centres is more regular, and outlooks are becoming more settled. But this improvement, really the recently reported improvement accentuated by an additional advance m activity, is very restricted ; and, although there are signs which proclaim it founded on a firm basis—namely, genuine advancement—may be but one of the fluctuations which are to be expected at the time when trade is, or has been on the decline, but when advantage is taken of the slightest spurt to prepare for returning prosperity. The steamer Bancoora had an unusual cargo on her last trip from India to Australia. A Colombo paper says:—"The British-Indiasteamerßincoora, from Bombay arrived, having left Kurrachee on the 3rd of June with a consignment of camels, shipped by one Zamadar Taz Mohamed, who is a merchant m Australia carrying on a large transport business. The camels on board number 349, one having died during the passage down, while the rest are all m good health. With the exception of about twenty-six they are all kept m the hold, the animals being well look after, and fed with Indian grass and water. Taz Mohamed has already taken 700 camels to South Australia, where he he is doing business with his brother Zamadar Paiza Mohamed, on a large scale, m the tamo line. The present consignment will be taken to Fremantle and Geraldton." "Mercutio" m the Auckland "Herald" gives the following chatty account of the delegate who is on a general enquiry tour through the Australian colonies : — Major Calhoun, our American visitor, who has gone on to Australia to fulfil his mission for the American Government, has had an adventurous life, and comes of a fighting family. He lost his father at Atalanta, m the Civil War, and will himself carry to his grave a Cork leg as a souvenir of his own share m the strife; while his cousin, Tom Calhoun, fell with General Cutter,-in the massacre pf Ouster's command at Big Horn by fitting Bull. Major Calhoua was captured by the Confederates at the action of Mission Ridge, but succeeded m effecting escape afterwards. He is, I understand, the author of the famous marching songs, "Tramp, Tramp"and •• Marching Through Georgia.'' The music for the former song was composed by Roit, who served m the 18th Kentucky and the music for the latter song, composed by Henry C. Work, a compositor. The Northerners "caught on" to the stirring music of the songs, and they became immensely popular. They were witten to be introduced into a play, which Major Calhoun sketched out, entitled " The Color Guard," illustrative ot scenes of the Civil War, and which was staged by ap extofllcer of onp of the Kentucky regiments, who, after the war, took to the stage, Qn the pasaage down m the Monowai from San Frapcispo Major Calhoun gave a lecture on "A Prisoner of War," m which was embalmed some of his reminiscences of his enforced stay among the "ComVTs." He also gave one on "Myths among the Red Indians," the traditions of aboriginal raoes being one of the questions that interest him.