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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 812, 7 December 1882, Page 2

From Melbourne to Adelaide. —The colonies of Victoria and South Australia have agreed to complete the overland railway which will connect Melbourne and Adelaide. The cost will be about L 1,000,000, and the work will occupy more than a year. Beware op Colored Stockings.—A very bad case of blood poisoning has occurred in Greymouth. A girl named Whitmore cut her foot, and the wound became poisoned by her stockings, which were of a brilliant color. Her head and limbs are swelled abnormally, and her life is despaired of.

Memoranda. —Messrs Robert Wilkin and Co. notify their second wool sale of the season, to take place at their New Zealand Wool Stores at 11 a. m., on Tuesday, 19th inst.—The N.Z.L.M.A. Company will hold its second wool sale on Wednesday, 20th inst., at the Christchurch Wool and Grain Warehouse. Illicit Distillation. —The Wellington illicit distillation cases were concluded in the Magistrate’s Court last evening. William Thompson and Thomas Morgan, who were arrested in town with forty gallons of whisky in their possession, were each fined LIOO, or in default two months’ imprisonment. George Taylor, upon whose farm at Pahautanui the still was discovered, was mulcted in a fine of L2OO, or six months’ imprisonment. The charge against Thomas Taylor, a part owner of the farm was withdrawn. Tinwald School Committee. —A meeting of the above was held on Tuesday evening last. Present—Messrs Clark, Lewis Ennis, Tep -ett, Smith, Jones, and Jephson. The inability of the Committee to defray the incidentals and expenses this quarter was apparent, and it was thought advisable to petition the Board of Education again to pay some part of the heavy expenses incurred during the change of masters. The master reported that the children throughout the school were most irregular, and he hoped that after the holidays a decided improvement would take place. The holidays were fixed for four weeks, dating from December 21st, 1882, to January 23rd, 1813. On the ending.of 21st inst., the Committee intend holding an entertainment, consisting of the following :—Distribution of prizes, concert, and entertainment, in which the Georgia Darkies will take part. A ball, at which a full band will attend, and refreshments be provided. The proceeds will be devoted to the Treat and Prize Fund.

A Comedian’s Reminiscences. —Johnny Hall, the popular comedian, has been amusing the Wellinsrtonians with his reminiscences. the Wellington Times describes the lecture as irresistibly funny. “ Talking to his audience in a conversational style,” says our contemporary, “ he told them that he was born in Liverpool, and left the parental roof at the early age of nine to join an opera company, his principal duty being to blacken his face and carry on a casket in one of the pieces produced by them. He then joined a company of strolling players, who played at the various fairs, performing fi.-e-act drsmas in twenty minutes and pantomimes in a quarter of an hour. He afterwards found his way to America, where he had a very varied experience, and then visited Sydney, where he arrived with three halfpence, but made a big “ rise ” by dancing jigs in publichouses. He then related his Victorian and New Zealand experiences, the narration being rsplete with humor from beginning to end. Several old identities among the audience enjoyed the story of how he appeared as the “Fire King” at an entertainmert given at Mansill's Gardens, Wellington, in 1859.

Accidents. —Thos. Stanton, employed on Longboach Station, met with a painful accident on Sunday. He was returning from church with a friend, both being mounted, when the friend’s horse suddenly kicked out, striking Stanton on the shin bone causing him intense pain. It seems marvellous that he escaped without a broken leg. He was brought into town and is now an inmate of the hospital where he is making satisfactory progress towards recovery.—Jas. Duckworth, a shepherd, also employed at Longbeach, was thrown from his horse on Tuesday, and dragged for some distance by the stirrup. He was insensible when picked up, and remained unconscious for twenty hours. He was found to have sustained a severe cut across the temple. He is now in the hospital doing well.—On Tuesday evening a little boy seven years of age, a son of Mr Davis, farmer, Lismore, fell off his brother’s back while playing, and dislocated his elbow. He was taken to the hospital yesterday, and will soon, it is hoped, bo able to return, cured, to his home. Fortunately none of these accidents are very serious, although doubtless they all occasioned much pain and inconvenience,—Mr Moses Hamilton, farmer, near Anama, who tumbled into the riverbed near his place some weeks ago and btoke his thigh, and who has been in the hospital ever since, is rapidly approaching convalescence, we are glad to learn, and will soon be about again as usual. '

Edgin'. —At the fclose .of the School Committee meeting held last night at ■Elgin a discussion tdok place in reference to the starting of a cheese and butter factory in the district. Mr Letham was appointed to wait upon Mr James Brown, of Wakanui, and ask him to call a meeting at an early date to consider the advisability of taking the necessary steps to further the object in view. Hunt v Sir Arthur Gordon.—Application was made to Mr Justice Richmond in Chambers at Wellington yesterday by Mr H. D. Bell, counsel for the defendant, for the appointment of a commission to t;:k<! the evidence of the British Consul at Samoa in the case of Mr W. J. Hunt v Sir Arthur Gordon. Mr Edward Shaw appeared on behalf of the plaintiff and opposed the granting of the application. After argument on both sides, his Honor agreed to the appointment of a commission, on condition that Mr Shaw was allo wed the liberty of reviewing the order made by producing evidence.

The Minister for Public Works.— Th Son. Walter Johnston, Minister for Public Works, is expected in Ashburton on Saturday morning, when he will proceed to Mount Somers with a view to determining the route of the remaining portion of the line He will be accompanied by the members of the County Council and a number of leading residents. The party will probably leave by a special train for the hills, quitting Ashburton shortly after 11 a.m. Mr Jonnston can only pay us a flying visit, for we observe that he is due in Christchurch on Monday, where he will attend a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. Elgin School Committee. The monthly meeting of the Elgin School Committee was held last night. Present —Messrs John Cochrane (Chairman), Lotham, Scott, D. Cochrane, and T. Trevurza. The Chairman stated that Mrs King had commenced her duties as misiress on the 2nd November, and that he had obtained the articles asked for at the last meeting. It was resolved that Christmas, Boxing, and New Year’s Days be observed as holidays, and that the Inspector be asked to grade three or four of the children in each class for awards of prizes. The teacher was granted the use of the schoolroom for the meeting in aid the Sunday school. Salaries amounting to L2l 3s 2d were passed for payment and the Committee adjourned. A Prison Holiday. —On Thursday last, in commemoration of the Prince of Wales' Birthday (says the Argus), a general holiday was granted to the prisoners at the penal establishment, Pentridge, and in the afternoon a musical entertainment, lasting over two hours, was given by them in one of the large messrooms. The progrMinme comprised about thirty-four selections of popular glees, ballads, comic songs, and recitations, which were all given by amateur performers, selected from amongst the prisoners, of whom about 400 were present. Accompaniments on the organ were played by a prisoner. The glees were rendered by the Church of England, Wesleyan, and Roman Catholic choirs. The performance concluded with “ God Save the Queen,” sung by the whole assemblage, and before the prisoners dispersed to their cells the Inspector-General, who, together with the Assistant Superintendent and members of ther respective families, were present throughout, spoke in complimentary terms of the perform-

ance. A Pleasant Place. — A letter from an outlandish place named Bourall, a short hundred miles from Sydney, gives a rather striking account of the state of matters in that locality. It is a township of some 500 inhabitants, who, it would seem, have at least their fair share of disagreeables. Lizards and a legion of other harmless creeping creatures, are perpetually getting into everything, and making one shudder at every step. But there are besides snakes in abundance which are not harmless ; indeed, unless prev mtive measures are instantly adapted, a bite from one of these means a certain and horrible death. To provide against such a contingency every household has in readiness a sha l p knife, a bottle containing a certain lotion, and a good supply of brandy. The first is to cut out immediately the part bitten ; the second to rub into the part after the knife has done its duty ; the third is to be drunk of until intoxication supervenes. If this speedily takes place the sufferer is saved ; if not, he dies inevitably. These nice creatures (the snake >, not the inhabitants) are sometimes as much as seven or eight feet long. Bourall,

we should say, is one of the places not to go to. Caledonian Society. — A meeting of directors of the above society was held last, evening, at Quill’s Hotel. Present— Mr M. Stitt (in the chair), and Messrs M. Friedlander, R. Friedlander, C. Reid, VV. Anderson, D. McKenzie, J. Wilkie, G. Kidd, S. Saunders, and the secretary, Mr J. 0, Duncan. It was moved by Mr 0. Reid, seconded bv Mr VV. Anderson, and carried—“ That Mr R. Friedlander be appointed a director vice Mr J. Stanley Bruce, left the district.” It was resolved that the privileges in connection with the ensuing annual sports meeting be disposed of as follows: —Gates to be held by the society, the secret .ry to arrange to have the right of erecting publican’s booth, confectioner’s booth, sports and cards sold by auction. It was then moved by Mr Sam Saunders, seconded by Mr D. McKenzie, and canied —“That Messrs C. Reid, VV. Anderson, and G. Kidd be appointed a sports ground committee.” The advertising of programme was left in the hands of the secretary and treasurer. The charges for admission were fixed as follows; —Foot passengers, Is each; horse and trap, Is; two horses and trap, 2s; saddle horse, Is; passengers. Is. It was further resolved that members, together with trap and horses, be admitted free. A sum having been voted, on the motion of Mr Wilkie, seconded by Mr Anderson, to provide sports for children, and several accounts passed for payment, the meeting terminated. Interesting Bankrupts. —Mr Wra, A. Berry, who filed his schedule a few days ago, says the Wanganui Chronicle, called a first meeting of creditors on Wednesday afternoon last. The debtor (who is, we believe, a carpenter) filed 1 is liabilities at L3O 13s fid, and his assets at nothing whatever. His creditors, evidently not wishing to waste time as well as lose moir y, did not attend the meeting, and the District Court has now to appoint a trustee. If there can be found a certificated accountant in bankruptcy to whom it is easy to extract something from nothing, no doubt Mr Berry’s assets will be administered—otherwise there will be no trustee as well as no estate, and the debtor will wait the throe years named in the Act and be fully discharged as a matter of course. Mr Berry is well acquainted with this mode of freeing oneself of liabilities, having gone through it at least once before. As the circumstances illustrate the beautiful Bankruptcy law of ■ ew Zealand, we will record them. This debtor filed his schedule on the 6th October, 1879, returning his liabilities as L 234, and his assets at nothing. He discreetly avoided applying to the Court for his discharge, and quietly waited the three years, becoming a free man quite as a matter of course. Encouraged by the success of that experiment he is now trying it again, and there can be liotle doubt that he will attain to the same result, and that as easily. Another carpenter, one Thomas Eastbury, has recently taken the benefit of the Act, and, while ho shows the large sum of Lll7 duo to his creditors, the assets are nil in this case also. There will not be much competition among the commission agents or accountants for poor Mr Eastbury’s estate.

V'tx —• ■ % Wae#noi Spißteow Club —A meeting of thej members of the above Club is called, for Saturday, at 4 p.m., at the Mail office. , Mtt Archibald Fobs; 3. —Mr Smythe, the agent for the grdat wait correspondent, has telegraphed that Mr ‘Forbes w. >jt be'able £0 lecture here «n the 15th inst., butf intendß giving a course of two lectures directly after his visit to the Cathedral City. This will probably make h s visit to Ashburton a'Week or so later than originally intended.

Holloway’s Pills. —lnvalids distracted by indigestion and discouraged in their search for its remedy should make trial of this neverfailing medicine. A lady, long a martyr to dyspeptic tortures, writes that Holloway’s Pills made her feel as if a burden had been taken off her. Her spirits, formerly low, have greatly improved ; her capricious appetite has given place to healthy hunger ; her dull, sick headache has departed, and gradually so marvellous a change has been effected, that she is altogether a new creature, and again fit for her duties. These Pills may be administered with safety to the most delicate. They never act harshly, nor do ,they ever induce weakness ; they rightly direct deranged, and control excessive action.