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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 803, 27 November 1882, Page 2

Another Cheese and Butter Factory. —Cheese and Butter Factories are becoming fashionable. A factory has just commenced operations at Te Awamutu, Manawatu district. More Big Gooseberries.— Still they come ! We have been shown some gooseberries grown by Mr Allen, North-east Belt, of an inch and a quarter in length. Can anyone boat that ? Awkward Predicament op a “ Drunk.” —lntelligence reached the police this morning that a man was hanging head downwards under the bridge, and no time was lost in despatching a constable to ascertain the state of affairs, which proved not to be quite so serious as was reported. The man was very drunk, and had managed to got himself entangled in the wires of the fence leading up to the bridge, and there he hung feet uppermost. ■ He was extricated with some trouble and removed to the lock-up. Canterbury Comic Almanac. —We have to acknowledge the receipt, from Mr J. 0. Duncan, general agent, East street, of a copy of his “ Canterbury Comic Almanac” for 1883. In addition to the usual calendar this little volume, which is very attractively gut up, and is published at the modest price of sixpence, contains a quantity of amusing matter, contributed by a number of local authors. Foremost ameng the good things is a comic history of Ashburton, from the pen of “J. W.,” and interspersed through the hook will be found a variety of articles, every one of which are good in their way. One paper is descriptive of the joys and sorrows of canvassing for advertisements, in which the author seems to write from sad experience. Then we are told “ All about Kissing,” treated to a dissertation on “ Winks and Winkers,” learn the “ Adventures of a Wallaby,” and become acquainted with that remarkable individual “Mr Five-per-Cent Commission.” Even the ghost of Douglas Jerrold seems to have been raised for the occasion, for we find an account of “ Mr Caudle at the Ashburton Debating Society.” The “ Worldly Maxims,” and “Dream Interpretations” will repay perusal, and the uninitiated will be interested to learn “How wo dun now.” Altogether the little volume is a decided novelty, and probably the first thing of the kind published in New Zealand. We understand it is to be had “everywhere.” Mr Duncan has certainly taken a new depsrture in “ almanac making,” and his venture appears to have been well supported by the advertising public.

Gun Accident. -dpT lad at Kamo (Auckland) was accidentally killed while cleaning a’loaded gun. 'V- \ A ; Good Two Days. —Five hnftdred pounds 'was taken in two days .at' l five Dunedin Benevolent Institution carnival. A Collision. —The down Waikato tjraih had a narrow escape from an accident at Newmarket, near Auckland, on Saturday., The points had been altered, and the train ran on the siding, colliding with and damaging some trucks. Cricket. The match Auckland v. Dunedin Suburban Association resulted, on Saturday, in a win for the Aucklanders by one innings and 45 runs. The Aucklan 3era fielded splendidly, very few mistakes indeed being made. Hardly had the play ceased when a heavy hai’storrn fell. The Suicide in a Lock-up. —An inquest was held at Dunedin on Saturday on John Gordon, who' committed suicide in the lock-up on Friday. On being brought in he told the police that drink had brought him into trouble. The verdict was—“ That the deceased committed suicide in a state of temporary insanity, and that the usual search in such cases was made.”

“The People’s William. —“ Grand old libeller, unscrupulous old antagonist, bitter and malicious roviler, speedy retribution awaits thee ! Thy sin has found thee out ! ” “ There is not the least chance of his making his last speech on Tower Hill, much as he may’deserve to do «j.” These are spe linens of thn language used in Blackwood’s Magazine ■about Mr Gladstone. On this Truth observes, “Conservative editors are always such gentlemen ! ” New Zealand Beef for the Navy.— The Admiralty authorities have determined upon inviting tenders for the supply of New Zealand salt beef to the British navy, and therefore are calling for preliminary experimental shipments of 10,0001bs, in casks, from each of the principal ports of this colony. If the expert meat proves satisfactory as regards quality, when compared with the American meat, the Admiralty will make a second trial on a large scale, and will invite a supply of 12fi,6001bs annually.

The Willmott Combination. Mr Frank M. Willmott’s Company performed the capital farce of the “ Young Widow” to a most appreciative audience on Saturday evening. The entertainment concluded with the laughable burlesque r,f “ Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper,” in which the company were quite as successful as on the previous occasion. The applause and laughter were continuous, and encores were the order of the night.—To-night will be performed, by special request, “East Lynne,” and, as this is the last appearance of the company in Ashburton, we would advise all who have not yet seen them to go to-night. They leave to-morrow for the West Coast. The Cattle Nuisance. - Complaints reach us of the nuisance occasioned by the number of stray horses and cattle which are constantly allowed to wander about Burnett street.and its neighborhood. We are told, indeed, that the Borough by-laws are so openly set at defiance in this quarter ,of the town that the people may even be seen coolly driving two or three horses at a time on to the publio thoroughfares for the purpose of permitting them to graze, here and there at their own sweet will, heedless of the inconvenience which the ■ animals may cause'to pedestrians or passing vehicles, or of the chance of their trespassing upon the gardens in. the vicinity. Horses and cattle wandering about the streets are, of course, a real danger to children who may be playing there or passing by. Where are the police and the poundkeepera I How he Recognised Him. —Ab nit six weeks ago a distinguished Chinaman was travelling in England, but, like most Celestials, he had a very faint idea of men and manners in England. He had no

chaperone, as some of these gentlemen have, but in course of time he found his w,iy to the House of Commons, and he sent in his card to Mr Bright, The exChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at once responded to the call, and in the course of the conversation, which was conducted in English, for the Celestial was a good English scholar, Mr Bright asked of him, “How did you know me?” The Celestial confessed that his knowledge of the “ Tribune of the People” was derived from his effigy in Madame Tussaud’s. And such is fame ! The story must be true, for Mr Bright tells it himself. Too Real. —During the performance of “ Aurora Floyd ” at the Town Hall the

other night by Mr F. M. Wilmott’s company, an awkward accident occurred. Mr Wilmott, who was enacting the part of Jem Conyers, was struggling with “ Softy” (Mr Hesford), the ■ latter being armed with a formidable pruning knife. In the

scrimmage, Mr Wilmott received a cut with the knife which nearly severed two of his fingers. Very soon after the scuffle he is shot by the treacherous “Softy,” and on this occasion enough blood flowed from the wounded hand to represent the gore from the imaginary bullet. As soon as the curtain fell, the sufferer got away and had his wound bound up. Such are the little incidents that enliven the life of the actor. We are glad to see Mr Wilmott has recovered from the effects of the cut sufficiently to appear as usual. The Railway Agi i'Ation. —A meeting of the Railway League was held at Greymouth on Saturday night. Mr George Thornto i, engineer, was present. A long communication from the Westland Railway League, in support of the Arthur’s Pass route, was read. Attached was a tubular statement purporting to give the distances and grades of both routes. Mr Thornton, who advocated the Ada Pass

route, denied the accuracy of the figures given, and said the route marked on the plan was not correct. After a good deal of discussion the following resolution was carried unanimously:—“That the Greymou h League co-operate with Reefton and Christchurch, and use all legitimate measures in advocating the construction of the line to the West Coast, and that in the opinion of this meeting any line to this coast should include Reefton, which should certainly be connected with Greymouth either direct or by a branch line.” Police. —At the Court this morning, before Air Thomas Bullock, J. P., and Air R. Alcorn, J. P., a first offender for drunkenness was fined ss. A man named Galbraith was then charged with drunkenness and indecent exposure, and was fined 10s on the first, and 40s on the second charge, with the alternative of seven days’ imprisonment. The money was paid. William Fisher was then charged with indecently assaulting a little girl under the age of ten years. Sergeant Felton said the case was a bad one, and asked that the Court might be cleared. This having been done, the evidence of the little girl and that of her mother was taken, and two other little girls were a Iso examined. It appears that on Saturday afternoon the children were playing in Cass street when the accused came up and entered into conversation with them. He presently assaulted three of the little girls, one of them being too small (according to Sergeant Felton’s statement) to give evidence, she being only five years of age. Complaints having reached the police on Saturday afternoon about the conduct of the man, he was arrested later on by Constable Hicks and removed to the lock-up. The evidence is unfit for publication. The little girls being too young to bo sworn, the Bench decided to treat the case as„one of indecent exposure, and a previous charge of indecent assault having been proved against accused, he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment withjhard labor.

sider.jpjirißabil tyj j® eVyiMta special rate cost jf ■ *^HipfßA.—Ohtjmsa hiring appeared at res to prevent the importaSpain. It is officially stated thaf the deaths from cholera at Manilla average 300 daily: and at'yibfib; have dpaths in twprweßks. Be*er at the' Show. —"We are informed, onr beer, at the:SK<iw were--incorrect. Forj best five gallons of ale the Lion' Brewery took a first, and Moore and Sons a second; prize. For best five gallons of porter the. Lion Brewery took a first and second prize. The error has already been recti-• fied by our publication of the prize list. i Wakanui Wesleyan Chpkch.— Rev. W. Keall, of Leeston, conducted-’ the opening services of the new church atWakanui yesterday afternoon and even-; mg. To morrow night a tea and public', meeting will (as previously announced)! take place. We understand a conveyance; will run between Ashburton and Waka-, nui, for the purpose of taking intending 1 visitors f om town to and from the tea meeting.

Superstition in England. — A some-; what novel case came before the Ipswich, magistrates recently. A woman was charged with obtaining 10s by witchery. : The prosecutrix and her daughter both' firmly believed that the prisoner exerted a bewitching influence over the latter, and ; they gave her this sum to remove the i spell. The case is interesting, as illustrative of the superstitious ignorance which! still exists in some of the provincial dia-; tricts in England. Going from Home to Hear News. —j To-day’s Press says, speaking of the Ash-i burton Che.se Factory—-“ Encouraged byj the success so far attending the establish- 1 ment of this industry, the directors have 1 resolved to increase the capital of the company from L 5,000 to L 15,000. Thisstep is being taken with a view of starting other factories in the various parts of the county, and a meeting will be held in a

few dayaiffor the .purpose Of 5 fully-Idiaous-sing the matter.” Aa the directors hav.e no power to increase the capital of the company without the sanction of the shareholders this is rather startling. We understand that a motion re increase of capital will be brought forward at the next general meeting of the company, but that rneeting cjoes not. take place .until 13th 6f next month. ' The Young Princes. —Interesting personal announcements as to the immediate future careers of the two young princes recently returned' from the Bacchante cruise are now being made, and of Prince Albert Victor of Wales it is said he will be appointed to a commission in the army for a short time, at first as a--duty Officer, by special wish of the Prince of Wales. One >Of ) theft regiments Of "the Household Cavalry, whereof his Royal father i? Cblodel-im-Chief, is- mentioned* to receive the young recruit. On the other/hd, rid,. it is: ruraored-fromiPorts-mouth that Prince George will, in continuance of his naval career, serve his next commission in the Canada, screw corvette, he- flitted out foe so«*j,aricbaßnt'to the Mediterranean station some time next year. ■ T

Superstitions About Eclipses.—According to Oldmixon’a Annals of George I, on the occasion of the total eclipse of the sun, the darkness was so great that the stars were seen shining with great brightness, and the’birds went to roost at noon. The eclipse of the sun has always been looked upen with.,awe_ by tl^.,;ignorant, and in the tenth century there was a prevalent, nay almost ~universal idea, that the end'of the world was approaching when, an eclipse occurred. > .Ikfapjrftyuptera began With'these words—“ As the world is now Rawing tp itp close, V, It isrelated that an army marching under the Emperor Otho I, was so terrified by an eclipse of the sun, which it conceived to announce this consummation, as to disperse hastily on all sides. As this notion seems to have been founded on some confused theory of the Millennium, it died away when the seasons proceeded to the eleventh century With their usual regularity. - iThe -theory of eclipses is said to have been known to the Chinese 120».c. '.i '' l The Bank of New Zealand. —We clip from the Auckland Weekly Neivs the following interesting extract from a sketch of the history of the Bank of New Zealand from its opening in 1861 to the present time To show the giant strides made by the institution during the past two ddofidds of itsf history, s we 'nUy-con-trast the figures exhibited in the first half-yearly balance-sheet and that for the last half-year, ending 30th September, 1832, omitting shillings and pence. Paidup capital, L 108,785, now L 1,000,000 ; notes in circulation, L 62,914 ; now L500,5Q7.5 bills in circulation,. L 6.288 ; now L 2,118,074 ; deposits, L 334,197 ; now L 7,915,446 ; profit and.loss account, L6i‘o97now LlO6 003. On‘the credit side we find the figures—cojp,and bullion —L‘26i,512," now L 1,235,121 j’ hills receivable and all other advances, L 162,164; now bills receivable and securities in London, LX,£95,999 ; balance due ,_by other bahts, L 117,475 ; how bills discounted and othgr debts due to landed property, banking premises, etc , L 9.960, now L 236,699; reserve fund, L 3,000, now L 575,000 ; rate of dividend on paid-up capital, 6 per cent., now 15 per cent. ; total transactions, L 567,979, now L12,195,97L The day after the molding of that first half-yearly meeting, it may be noted, the New Zealand Govern m’ent.transfeired the colofria'l account from the Union Bank of Australia to that of the Ban.k' of New Zealand, and which account it has kept ever since. Why He was Promoted.—A correspondent, writing from that part of Queensland “where the pelicans build

their nests,” tolls the “ Intelligent Vagrant,” 'in. the Tribune, of a promising young Englishman who thus showed his fitness to command native troopers! Ha had n ;t long arrived in the country, and his sole ambition was to be an officer of the black police. He made a friend of, and communicated his desire to an officer already distinguished in the service, and that gallant man took him on an expedition by way of testing his fitness, or breaking him in, or “ blooding him,” as the say-

ing, is.j'P.ne matter .was strictly impressed orTliim namely, the necessity'for preserving presence of mind in encounters with ! If warrigals,” and of ; Carrying out orders at all risks. Well, the police party flushed a covey of wild blacks, and the officers pointin i out to the aspirant a particular black, who broke away to the rkdit, cried, “Shoot that fellow.” When the chase had ended, and the troopers had drawn together, it was some time before the volunteer came up, and as soon he did the oflicor asked him if he had shot the black fellow who had been pointed out to him. He replied that he had, and, the officer not seeming satisfied, he added, “ I’m quite sure of in, for it was with the last barrel of my revolver that I hit him in the hip and brought him to a standstill, so I dismounted, .and got him to hold my horse whilst I re-loaded, and then I finished him.” Such a favorable report was sent in by the officer that the volunteer got an appointment at once. *