NEW ZEALAND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 207, 3 December 1880, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND

(Per Press AsoociaUon.) Floated. ' Gisborne,- To-day. ; The Lochnagar was successfully floated last evening, and is now anchored in the bay. Unstamped Beer. ’ Wellington, To-day. At the Magistrate's Court this morning William Donald, brewer, was fined L2O for neglecting to aihx and have cancelled a stamp on a barrel of beer sent out of the brewei-y. Cole’s Circus. An immense crowd attended Cole’s circus last night. Hundreds were turned away. Giving Drink to a Drunk Boy. Dunedin, Yesterday. At the City Court, the Bench dismissed the information against James Muir, publican, Caversham, who was charged with supplying liquor to a boy who was intoxicated. It is said the evidence was flat perjury on both sides. : Prize Brewers. Speight Bros., brewers, Dunedin, to-day received a - telegram from Melbourne, stating, they had Taken first and second prize for-strong ales. West Coast Coal. The gas engineer has reported strongly in favor of Westport and Grey coal for gas making purposes.

A Clever Cabul 'Gsneral. —Here is an extract from a private letter from the Punjab :—There is a very'fine fellow here, a sort of State prisoner, Daood Shah, who, they say, tried to stop the massacre of poor Cavaguari. He is six feet four inches high, and a handsome Jewishlooking man like all Afghans. The officer in whose charge he is brings him to the club to read the papers to him sometimes, for he is' a most interested student of events, and even eager for telegrams. His comments on European politics are amusing, though it is hard to make him’ fairly understand Radical and Tory and Russian .Nihilism. Still, ,he is wonderfully well informed, and a striking contrast for mental activity and general vigor to Indian swells. We want to get him a Kr icy spiel, or war game, for he is an enthusiastic soldier, and a great student of battles and, plans : thereof. We made a mistake in under-rating opponents like these. He is out of it now, of course ;. but he freely criticises Gen. Roberts,'and points out his mistakes. It is a pity to keep a mountaineer like him down here in the heat. We . all , say ho should be sent to Simla to teach our Commander inChicf the art of war. These Afghans are queer folk. He is the mildest-mannered man that ever cut a throat, and yet

throat-cutting would come as easy to him as saying h/s prayers. He prays devotedly five times daily.”— London World.