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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 831, 2 January 1883, Page 2

Wesleyan Sunday School. —The usual annual treat in connection with the Wesleyan Sunday School was held in the mill paddock yesterday, where the juveniles, with their teachers and many visitors spent a most enjoyable holiday. Before returning to their homes at night each scholar received a small memento of the festive occasion, the usual method of giving prizes for races and the like, being dispersed with. Sommer. Flower Show. —This Show takes place to-morrow in the Town Hall, and promises, from the number of entries received, to be a decided success. To prevent disappointment, entries will be taken by Mr I’oyntz up to nine o’clock tomorrow morning. We are requested to intimate to intending exhibitors. in the bouquet class for girls under T 5 that flowers will be provided or exhibitors can bring their own. A band will’performin the Hall daring the evening, and the admission will be one shilling from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

p auction Sale. —Messrs J. T. Ford will hold aw Important clearing said or stock and, implements at Mr Black’s farm, Wak'antti, to-morrow (Wednesday). v, 1 Ashburton Countv Council. —Tn consequence of the opening of the Lyttelton Graving Dock the usual monthly meeting of the County Council has been adjourned until Wednesday, January 10th.

The South Canterbury Caledonian Spouts. —Mr H. Stephenson represented the Ashburton Quoit Club at these sports yesterday, and succeeded in getting the second prize of L2 for quoits. Six others competed.

Phrenology. Professor Lio Medo notifies in another column that he has taken offices in East street, where the curious in such matters can be furnished either with phrenological clu. is or verbal descriptions of their mental qualities as exemplified by their “ bumps.”

Tub Orange Concert. —The hon secretary informs us that after payment of all expenses there will be upwards of L3O in hand, which will be placed to the credit of the Orange Hall Building Fund. This is very satisfactory when the state of the weather during the late entertainment is taken into consideration.

Vital Statistics. Ashburton’s record for the month stands at 25 births, 6 deaths, and 6 marriages. From Christchurch we learn that the statistics for the month of December compare unfavorably with those for the same month last year. The births were 145, showing a decrease of 21, while the deaths have increased from 55 to 65. Marriages also show a decrease, being 45 against 49. The figures for the past two years were--Births : 1881, 2,056 ; 1882, 2,029. Marriages : 1881, 414; 1882, 467. Deaths : 1881, 680; 1882, 663. Returns from other parts of the colony give the following—Timaru ; births, 30 ; deaths, 13 ; marriages, 7. Dunedin ; Births, 1,871 J deaths, 585 ; marriages, 430.

: Methven.— A concert and ball, in aid of the Library funds, was held last evening, in the railway shed, Methven, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion. The building was very well filled, and Mr Thomas Jackson occupied the chair. Mr Murray sang “ The midshipmite,” accompanied on the piano by Miss Boyle. Mr Coward followed with the song, “The great musician,” and Miss Patterson rendered the song, “ Juanita” with taste, and received an encore, and in response she gave, “ Why those pearly tears ?” Mr Piischell sang in his usual style the songs, “ Tell me, Mary, how to woo thee” and “ Rocked in the cradle of the deep.” Mr Rentoul gave an amusing recitation, “The wedding of Shon Maclean.” Mr (Grant sang two of his comic songs in his accustomed happy style, and Mrs Patton rendered'' “ Good bye at the door.” Messrs Cookson, West, and Middleton amused the audience with humorous songs. After a recitation from Mr Claridge and singing the “ National Anthem” the ball was held, and was kept up till four o’clock this morning. The receipts were about L3O.

Ushering in the New Yeab. —The members of the Volunteer Brass Band assembled at Baring Square on Sunday night, shortly after eleven o'clock, and played, with remarkably good effect, a number of sacred airs. A good number of the towns-folk promenaded the vicinity of the Square, and evidently appreciated very highly the unique manner in which Mr Hoskins’ little company sought to wile away the closing hour of 1882. Some of the pieces were executed with excellent taste, and had it not been Sunday night, the crowd would not have been slow to show their appreciation in a marked manner. It is a pity that the larrikin element of the community could not suppress their exuberance and postpone their mischievousness and tomfoolery until Monday morning, instead of offending the good taste of more serious and sober-minded people by letting off crackers and overturning outhouses on the otherwise quiet Sabbath night. The usual watch-night service was held at-the Wesleyan Church, commencing at eleven o’clock, concluding just after midnight. In addition to members of the Wesleyan body, other congregations in the town were well represented, there being an unusually large number of persons present who chose in the most solemn manner to usher in the New Year. The Rev. C. H. Standage delivered an impressive discourse ;apnropriato to the occasion.

Sunday School Gathering. The united Sunday School gathering which took place on Sunday last was certainly the most successful demonstration of the kind yet held in Ashburton, and must have been extremely gratifying to the : promoters. Between 800 and 900 scholars, with the teachers and office-bearers of the various schools represented, were present in the body of the hall, in addition to which a large number of parents and others interested in the Sabbath School institution were assembled in and beneath the gallery. The meeting was presided over by Mr C. E. Fooks (superintendent of the Ashburton Anglican Sunday School), and on the platform were also the Revs A. M. Beattie, A. E. Scott, C. H. Standage, and J. Nixon, with the superintendents of the town schools, viz. —Messrs A. Orr (Presbyterian), C. Ray (Wesleyan), R. Bovan (Primitive Methodist). Tinwald, Elgin, Greenstreet, Rowlands, and W illow by schools considerably helped to swell the numbers present, and it is seldom the Town Hall is so closely packed as it was last Sunday afternoon. Addresses were given by the' Revs A. E, Scott and J. Nixon, the opening devotional exercises being conducted by Rev. C. H. Standage, and a tew introductory remarks were given by the chairman. Suitable hymns were sung with much spirit and precision by the youthful audience, Mr Weeks, the conductor, having the young folks well in hand, and contributed, with the aid of Miss Kidd at the piano, to make the musical portion of the proceedings most successful.

Fatal Accident. —An accident is reported to have ocouired yesterday on the railway near Christchurch. It appears that after the train which had left Lyttelton at 12.20 p m. had passed Hillsborough,' the stationmaster noticed something which he at first took to be a swag lying on the line about 200 yards in the direction of Christchurch, Examination showed that this was the body of a man fearfully mangled, the skull split open and crushed at the back, both legs cut off belo w the knee, and, cut to pieces by the wheels of the train. The stationmaster had the body removed from the rails, and sent a message of the occurrence to Christchurch. A truck was sent down and the body taken to the morgue, where it awaits identification—the only clue to the deceased's name being that given by a bill found in his pocket and made out to James Thompson. The unfortunate man, it appears, tgot into the train at Lyttelton, and was the only occupant of one of the carriages, being there when the guard collected his ticket at Heathcote. The probability is that the man met his death in endeavoring to step from one carriage to another while the train was moving. There are marks between the rails, with occasional patches of blood, for a distance of about a chain below the spot where the body was found, evidently showing that after falling from the platform, deceased had been dragged along by the train before he was finally disengaged. The body, which now lies in the police morgue, is dressed in a dark coat, light tweed trousers, and black wideawake hat. Deceased was, according to the Lyttelton Timet, evidently a working man, and is supposed to have been employed in one of the Christchurch breweries.

Death oe Leon Gambbtta. —Our telegrams contain i the intelUgfepco of the death of the late Premier of Prince, M. Leon Gambetta. His death will be a great loss to the French nation.

: R.M. Court. —At the Police Court this morning before Mr Thos. Bullock, .< I\, John. Crawford, for being illegally on the premises of Mr Andrew Orr, was fined 10s or 24 hours. J. Wilkinson, for being drunk, was fined 6s or 24 hours, and Edward Albert; for being intoxicated in a public place, was fined 10s and 10s costs. Joseph Brennan, for the alleged larceny of a tent, the property of Wm. Patching, and a ham, the property of Mark Scott, Tinwald, was remanded until Friday next. -

i Old Men’s Home.— The master of the Ashburton Home desires to acknowledge with thanks, : the receipt (through Mr H. Y. Chichester), of a quantity of cakes, etc, kindly sent by a number of ladies m Tinwald, for the inmates. In compliance with “ Farm Labourer's ” request for an account of his donation the master wishes to state that he is sorry “Farm Labourer” should think he had neglected to acknowledge the gift, and in explanation he begs to confer him to The Guardian of December 22nd, in which he will find his donation duly acknowledged.. Tinwald —Mr Joseph Clark’s grain shed, at Tinwald, was the scene last evening of happy festivity, some sixty couples or more taking part in a ball held under the auspices of the Tinwald School Committee, the proceeds of which, amounting' to Ll 5, beinr devoted to the treat fund. The shed, wh ; ch is very roomy, is admirably adapted for tripping the “ light fantastic ” dance, and a profusion of evergreens with other decorations, had the effect last evening of giving an air of; cheerfulness to the building, as well as conveying the idea of coolness on an otherwise warm evening. The affair was carried out with the utmost decorum, and much praise is due te the ladies and gentlemen who carried out the arrangements in which there was not the slightest hitch. Refreshments were provided during the evening, and a capital band contributed the necessary music. Lyttelton Regatta. The Annual Lyttelton Regatta was held yesterday, and was most successful, several thousand persons being in Port. The weather was Very fine, but there was not enough wind for the sailing races. The coasters’ sailing race was won ky The Catherine of Lyttelton, in a field of four. The yacht race was taken by the Zephyr of Akaroa, The'is of Wellington being second, the Dove of Lytielton third. ' The champion international four-oared outrigger race, prize £125, resulted in Kaiapoi beifig first, Lyttelton second, and Wellington third. In the sailing.race, open boats, Dauntless of Lytteltoh was first, Dream of Akaroa second. Four competed. In the double sculling race, Timaru was first, Kaiapoi second, and Lyttelton third. The Ladies purse race, in four-oared outriggers was won by the Canterbury Rowing Club, Kaiapoi second, Union Rowing Club third, Lyttelton fourth. In the pair oared race Lyttelton was first and Timaru second. There were five entries. The single sculling race was won by Kaiapoi, Lyttelton second, Canterbury Rowing Club third. “Child Life in London.”— We are pleased to hear that Ashburton will receive a visit from Dr Stephenson, who is advertised to lecture in the Town Hall on Thursday, 4th inst. Dr Stephenson is Principal of “The Children’s Home,” East London, and is visiting the colonies for the double . purpose of recruiting his health and urging the claims of the Home upon colonial support. His ability as a lecturer is world-famed, and wherever he has recently been—in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania—large numbers have gathered to hear the interesting account, replete with both humorous and pathetic illustrations of the doctor’s experience of child life in London. Among the many distinguished men who have commended and advocated the Home are mentioned the Right Hon. W. E. Forster, the Lard Bishop of Manchester, Dean Stanley, Canon Farrar, Sir Charles Reed, Mr Samuel Morley, and Sir Wm. Mc Arthur (late Lord Mayor of London). As the work is of a national character we hope the public of Ashburton will accord the doctor such a welcome as his mission merits. In addition to his ability as a lecturer, Dr Stephenson is famous as a vocalist, and will illustrate his lecture by singing several pieces. Dr Stephenson recently lectured to a large audience in Dunedin, Bishop Nevill being in the chair, and the Southern Press have given most favorable accounts of his reception wherever he hns been.