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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 792, 14 November 1882, Page 2

Mount Somers Railway Extension.— The Minister for Public Works will visit Ashburton in about a fortnight’s time re the Mount Somers railway extension. Oamaru Races. A telegram from Oamaru states that it has been raining heavily there all the morning, and the races have been postponed until to-mor-row and the following day. Borough Council, The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the above was held last night, and the proceedings were enlivened by an animated discussion over an account which was introduced for payment, but to which several Councillors objected. It is a long time since such a battle raged in the Council Chamber, A full report appears elsewhere.

The Comet. —The telegram respecting the comet and the terrible consequences which its re-appearance in 1883 is likely to entail, seems to have produced a sensation. For the comfort of those of our readers who may bo nervous we may mention that Professor Piazzi Smith has got rather a hobby for prophesying that the end of all things is at hand. His last prediction was that the world would cease to exist in May, 1882. The professor is really becoming as celebrated for his prophecies as Dr Gumming or Mother Shipton.

Sudden Death. Bernard Evers, years of ago, died suddenly at Christchurh yesterday. He complained on the previous day to « neighbor, Mrs Campbell, of acute pains in the region of the heart, and consequently she sat up till four o’clock yesterday "morning, at which time, as Evers felt easier, she left him, telling him to knock if he felt worse. At about half past five he rose and dressed himself, when, feeling worse, he gave an alarm, and died shortly after th* neighbor’s, re* turn.

Tenders. —The Upper Ashburton Road Board invite fresh tenders.

A Dangerous Plaything. — A boy at Wellington, named James G. Carter, amused himself on Saturday by applying a light to a flask of powder on his father’s premises. His right thumb was nearly blown off, and his eyebrows were singed.

The Late Case op Drowning at Auckland. —At the inquest at Auckland yesterday on the body of Mrs Letitia Bryan, drowned on Saturday night, the evidence was very conflicting. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death. ” Memoranda. —Messrs R. Wilkin and Co., notify their first wool sale of the season 1882-83 will be held on the 28th inst., at the New Zealand Wool Stores, Christchurch. —Mr John Beecher, of the Central, announces more loose-box accommodation for r..cers and entires.

A Dainty Dish. —Some French gourmets have been experimenting in the cookery of worms. The worms were put in vinegar to clean themselves, then rolled in batter and baked. They acquired a bright golden tint, and gave off a most appetising smell. Fifty guests who partook “ rose like one man and asked for more.”

Ada Mantua. —The Auckland admirers of Miss “ Ada Mantua,” a young lady who receives more letters from male adorers in the course of one year than fall to the lot of most girls during their lives, have been sadly sold. Ada has distinctly refused many times, for reasons best known to herself, to accept registered letters, and therefore money for tickets has to be sent in ordinary envelopes through the post in the usual way. The postmaster, however, acting under instructions, registered all letters addressed “Ada Mantua, Dunedin,” and when they reached their destination the addressee would not take delivery. The consequence was that the missives wont to the Dead Letter Office, where the Li’s were carefully taken out and paid into the colonial exchequer. The “ sweepists” are now engaged in the pleasant pastime of “ whistling for their money.”

Philadelphia Religion, —The Brooklyn E tgle's Sunday folly shots contain the following charges : —“ There was a man from Pike county who happened to be in Philadelphia over Sunday. Not knowing what to do with himself, he visited one of the churches, and listened to a sermon on the fateful words, “ Mem, mene, tekel upharsin.” When he returned home he gave his wife a full account of his adventures, and among other things the impression which the sermon had made upon him. “1 think,” said he, “that I’hiladelfy hain’t got no rale, true religion, Jane.” Jane expressed her surprise by elevating her eyebrows and regarding him intently, while the Pike county man continued —“ But what kin wo expect where a preacher, without enny one siyin’ a word agin him, stan’s up, an’ starin’ at a gal in one of the nigh pews, hollors out every now an’ then, ‘ Minnie, Minnie, tickle your parson I' ”

Wife- Hunting in Tasmania.— ln Tasmania the female population greatly exceed the males, and hence gentlemen are in a position to be rather “cheeky” in their matrimonal demands. Here is a sample of how some of them proceed in seeking wives. It appeared in the advertising columns of the Hobart Town Mercury, of October 24 ; —Wanted, by two young gentlemen No. 1, tall, dark, good position, first-class residence, servants kept; No. 2, squatter, tall, fair, commanding appearance, affectionate disposition, with good income —to correspond with two young ladies. No. 1 must be musical, domesticated, fond of children and lady-like ; No. 2, tall, dark, affection - tionate, with an income, domesticated, and accomplished in riding. No Ginger need apply. Photos, exchanged, with confidence. Addres', Nos. 1 and 2 respectively, “ Financial,” P. 0., George’s Bay.

They Fled Before the “Pipes.”—A correspondent of the Dunedid Star, referring to the report that the Highlanders before they charged the Egyptians at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir gave a “ wild cheer,” says the statement is a misconception. He quotes from a letter written by an eye-witness of the attack, and gives the “ true” version, as follows:—“ When the Highlanders were about 1,000 yards from the Egyptian entrenchments every bagpiper in the brigade simultaneously struck up a pibroch. The effect on the Egyptians was like that of an electric shock. Officers who were giving the word of command suddenly became speechless; soldiers who were in the act of taking aim let their muskets fall from their hands; horror and dismay sat on every countenance; and then along the line the cry burst forth ‘ The Evil One ! the Evil One ! God has forsaken us !’—and, throwing their arms to the ground, and sticking their fingers in their oars, the pell-mell rout began.”

A Warning to Young Ladies.—A Melbourne correspondent writes :—A case has just occurred in Geelong which exemplifies the great danger of the very prevalent practice of fondling and kissing dogs and cats. A young lady was supposed by her friends to be suffering from consumption. Many of the symptoms which developed themselves were closely allied to those which are prevalent in phthisis. The death of a pat cat, which had been allowed to sleep on the same bed as its mistress, afforded a clue by which the observant m dical man was enabled to trace the origin and cause of the disease from which his patient was suffering. On examining the interior organa of the animal, a number of hydatid systs, varying in size from a pea to a marble, were found, and the examination of the patient's saliva disclosed the presence of a number of hydatids of the same class as those which had caused the death of the cat. Young ladies will doubtless bo able, from the above case, to draw the moral that it is less objectionable and less dangerous to indulge in the osculatory practice with members of the human family than with those of either the feline or canine races.

East and West Coast Railway. —An adjourned special meeting of the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of further considering the question ot the East and West Coast railway. The following resolutions were carried:—“That the extension of the Middle Island main trunk line to Blenheim by either of the three routes known respectively as the Coast line, the Amuri coast line, and the inland lino, more particularly specified in the engineers’ report in the Public Works Statement, is not a work that should be undertaken in the interests of the colony, but that if the Government determine to proceed with their borrowing policy the LIBO.OOO allocated for the trunk line extension northwards should be spent only in such direction that the railway works therewith constructed should eventually be available for an extension of a line to th • West Coast, while still forming pare of tho Middle Island maintrunk line northward to Cook's Strait.” “ That the President, his Worship the Mayor, and Messrs Pavitt, Macphers m, Richardson, Chrystall, and Inglia be requested to wait upon the Minister for Public Works when in Christchurch, and present the foregoing resolution to him, and at the same time request him to lay the line ef route via Amuri and Reefton to Nelson and Blenheim before the Commission as one of the routes of the main trunk line, to be reported upon by it. ”