LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2802, 18 October 1892, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

„, ♦ The total number of telephonic connection^ 'in the Oqlony is Ss4s. '"' A special general meeting of the Cycling and Athletic Club will be held to-morrow evening to consider the cash prize question. Among the list of applications for letters patent lapsed appearing in the "Gazette " is , that of Messrs F. W. and ,V. C. Page, Chertsey, for a wire staple. The United Insurance Company having commenced business in Aahburton under the management of Mr William Home, formally notify the same in our advertising columns. A concert and 'dance in aid of the vSeaiew School Prize Fund will be held in the School on Tuesaay, 25th instant, this date having been fixed so that some first-class Ashburton talent may take part in the programme. "i'he School tjotamissianeri oi' Canterbury advertise for lease 650 acres of reserve 1115, between Doric and Rakaia, particulars of which are given in advertisement. A private letter received in Dunedin states that there is no truth in the report current that Mr Thomas Bracken was an inmate of one of the hospitals, in Melbourne. The New Zealand Clothing factory was tho centre of attraction in l^st street all ifaj- ai^cT evening qn Saturday. The extensive and brilliantly lighted windows and interor excited great admiration, The river wa3 on Sunday in higher flood than it hq,s been since July, 1888, but on Monday it was subsiding. No damage has been done to the bridges, but some of the 1 lowi"°r^ IIP *ne r*ver rePorc encroachments. The parade of the Ashburton Rifles for Divine Service on Sunday was attended by thirty-five of all ranks. Hearted by the 4.Bhbnrfcon Band the corps ffiareh?«i to the Oddfellow?' HaU» were they were welcomed by the &cv Mr Lasfi-y, fad fHe Key Mr ijTewb'old preached an appropriate sermon. MrE, B. Deacon, solicitor, Christchurch, has issued a writ against the Rev L, M, Isitt (editor) and F. E. Frasflr (printer) of "Prohibitionist," claiming £750 damages for alleged libel on H. S. Drummoiid, landlord of the Waltham Arms Hotel. The alleged libel was contained in an article entitled " Abuse of Government clemency," in the "Prohibitionist " of August 27. A d-ess rehearsal of the Kinderspiel "Playmates," which is to be performed by the Hampstead School children at their prize fund concert on Friday evening, took place yesterday afternoon. The piece went very smoothly throughout, the solos and choruses being given efaectively, and the dances with spirit and accuracy The costumes are remarkably pretty forming ciuite a prominent feature in the "game." The teachers and Committee ™»h it to be known that the concert will be held «on one ilight only."

The halt-yearly meeting of the members of the Ashbuvton Club will be held tomorrow evening. In response to the communication from the Lord Mayor of London, the Mayor of Christchurch has opened a subscription list | in aid of the sufferers by the So John's, Newfoundland, fire. The gHon J. McKenzie is seriously ill at Wellington, having broke a blood vessel in the stomach. The latest news} says that Mr McKenzie is much better, but the doctors say that he requires rest to ensure complete recovery, The following team have been selected to play for the Ashburton Cricket Club against the Albion Club to-morrow, namely :—Lane, Dixon, Denshire, G. Andrews, Pilbrow, J. Sawle, Cuthbertson, Black, Simpson, Fooks, and Bundle; Emergencies—Makeig L. F. Andrewes, Broad. Though there were other special services in the town on Sunday and the weather was unfavorable to church going, there was a very good attendance in the evening in the Primitive Methodist Church to hear Mrs Wright, of Wellington, the popular and successful evangelist. The meetings are to be continued all through the week, when Mrs Wright will be assisted by Mrs Harris, of Waimate, and the Bey Mr Cocker. A meeting of the Ashburton branch of the New Zealand Farmers' and County Settlers' League was held on Saturday last, when the following resolution was carried unanimously :—" l'hat in the opinion of this meeting it is essential to the interests of the farmers of this colony that the affairs of the New Zealand railways should be managed by a non-political Board, free from Ministerial interference, and only subject to Parliamentary control." It is probable that a general meeting of the branch will shortly be held for the purpose of discussing the Government proposal to again place the railways under the management ot a Minister. : In our advertising columns will be found an announcement of two concerts to be given by the celebrated Jubilee Singers, in the Oddfellows' Hall, on Saturday and Monday next. Since in New Zealand the Company has travelled nearly all over the world, and spent as long as nineteen months in Africa, where they played in every civilised town. Thepersonnel of the Company is considerably altered since last here, but the press generally give them credit for being even superior to formerly. Coming as they do with such a splendid reputation w« would not be surprised to find the Hall too small to contain their patroas. The weather last night was again against Mr R. T. Booth, who has been unfortunate in this connection with both his visits to Ashburton, and for his lecture on "The Magic Orowd," there was not anything like the audience, that the merits of the speaker deserved. Mr Booth's lecture was made up of a most racy account of what he had seen in England, Scotlaud, France, and Germany, and the scenes depicted, the men pourtrayed, and the anecdotes told were given as only R, T. Booth can paint in words. It was announced that he would speak in the Oddfellows' Hall to-night, and again on Wednesday evening. Mr R. Alcorn was chairman, and there was an excellent choir in attendance, a solo being sung by Miss Kingston, a lady whose round mezzo-soprano voice we hear only too seldom. The services in commemoration of the | fifteenth anniversary of the Ashburton Wesleyan Sunday School were held on Sunday In spite of the very disagreeable weather there were large congregations at both afternoon and evening services. The Rev T. W. Newbold was the preacher on both occasions as well as at the morning service. The children, to the number of about 130, were seated on a gallery erected on the stage of the Oddfellows' Hall, in which worship is now being conducted, pending the re-building of the Wesleyan Church, and an orchestra of seven violins (including Mr Bateman, of Wakanui), one cornet, a double bass, piano, and organ held a place below. The choir, over thirty strong, was also present, and took part with the children in the singing of hymns, etc., that had been specially practised for the occasion under Mr Gamble's able training. The singing, aided by the orchestra, was very effective, and went with a grand swing, the children evidently taking great interest in their work and entering into it with spirit. The children will again sing with the choir and orchestra on Tuesday evening, why.) th;) ;ri'iml soisve is l.c.d. The Shops and fcsliop Assistants Act came into force last Tuesday, October 11, and thenceforward every employee in a shop must be given a half-holiday once in every week. The Act does not specify any particular day for the half-holiday, or even that every employee shall have it on the same day; but Mr Tregear, Chief Inspector of Factories, to whom the carrying out of the Act has been entrusted, has found that in Christchureh it is the desire of traders to close on one afternoon a week. With the view of bringing about the adoption of a similar arrangement in Ashburton, Mr Tregear paid a visit to the town yesterday, and found the leading traders in general accord with him, so that the long wishedfor weekly half-holiday may be said to be within view. There are great advantages in observing one afternoou as the halfholiday j firstly, visits of Inspectors under the Act n.eod then be made on that afternoon only, instead of every afternoon as would be necessary were no stated day fixed; and, secondly, unless one day is fixed assistants will have little opportunity to engage in athletic sports. Our Melbourne correspondent writes:— All Melbourne is marvelling over the miraculous cures of drunkenness effected at the Tys.ori Sanatorium, where drunkards of the iflost hq'peless, kind are, in a very few days, permanently cured of al\ 'lesire for liquor"auddischarged, sound and vigorous in mind and body, many of them far better men, physiqially and mentally, than they had been for half a life time. The oures have been demonstrated in the best possible manner by the redemption of sundry drunkards of the vilest sort, remitted to the Sanatorium by the Magistrates at the request of the " Evening Standard." One of these was a howling, violent inebriate, suffering from delirium tremens, who had generally drunk twenty pints of beer a day, and even more when he could get it. Another was so far gone as to have suicidal j tendencies, and both were picked out) by Mr Panton, P.M. as about the w_.orst that came before him at time.. 'In Wo days the twelity, p.inV many had lost all desire for liquor 1, arid could not hear the smell of it, while the would be suicide is quite rational, and both declare that they are going to work and make money. The sanatorium is a large and handsome building of forty rooms, in St Kilda, formerly the St Kilda Grammar School. It is surrounded by pleasant gardens, is furnished every comfort, lr/j!"Cuhg a library and a billiard room, and is as pleasant a hom,e $a a, ma,n need' wish for, 0| course i^ isj not intended for pauper prisoners, but fqr paying patients, who a,re restored to the world, perfectly reo.Qverod, in twenty-one days. Boring that time the kindly, genial physician actually allows them to have drink if they 'want it, but after the first day they do not express the east desire for it. The cure is, erf course, a ecret, but it is evidently a powerful tonic, ather bitter, and producing a wonderful