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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 846, 19 January 1883, Page 2

Countv Council, —A special meeting of the Ashburton County Council is to take place on Wednesday next, at 11 a.m., following which a meeting of the Water Supply Committee will be held.

Evangelistic. —Mrs Hampson, who has lately been taking a rest for the benefit of her health, intends to resume her evangelistic work at Lyttelton. She will hold services daily, commencing on Sunday next in the Oddfellows’ Hall.

Drunkenness, —At the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day the following crses were decided by Mr I. N. Watt, R. M. :

Henry Walfords, Win. Jones, Alexander Rugg, and Kennedy were fined ss, and Win. Cole, 10s. Rugg and Kennedy Wire each fined 20s for obstructing the police in the execution of their duty.

United Sunday Schools —At a meeting of the United Sunday School Committee, held to-day, various matters referring to the recent successful gathering at the Town Hall wore considered, and before the proceedings terminated a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Thomas Bullock for his kindness in defraying the hall expenses on the occasion.

Collision. — A slight accident happened to the Union Company’s a s. Taiarua at Lyttelton yesterday. When approaching the wharf she made rather too much headway before the fender was dropped over, the result being she collided with the corner pile of the jetty, which stove in one of the deadlights on her starboard bow, and gave the loungers on the jetty a good shaking. Fraudulent Bankruptcy. —Among the cases brought on for hearing at the Supremo Court, Christchurch, yesterday, was that of William Brown, who was indicted for fraudulent bankrupt y. He pleaded “ Not guilty,” and was defended by Mr Wilding. Mr J. C. Martin, who appeared for the prosecution, said that after making further inquiries into this case, he found it would not be possible to support a conviction, and therefore did not propose to offer any evidence. His Honor therefore directed the jury to return a verdict of “ Not guilty,” and the prisoner was discharged. Old Men’s Home. —A very pleasant evening’s entertainment was given to the inmates of the above institution on Wednesday night, by the choir of St Stephen’s Church. Besides the inmates, there were present about thirty visitors. The chair was occupied by the Rev. E, A. Scott. The contents of the programme were of the usual description, and the various items were well received, one or two being encored. Misses Gates and Permain presided at the piano. At the conclusion, one of the inmates made a neat speech, in which he expressed the thanks of his companions for the very enjoyable evening that had been accorded them. A collection was afterwards made for the benefit of the organ, and resulted in an addition of Ll 3 to the fund.

Pke.sbvterian.— The annual meeting of members of the Ashburton Presbyterian congregation was held on Wednesday evening last, in the church. Ihe ordinary business of the evening was preceded by a tea meeting, which was well attended, and at the after meeting the Rev. A. M. Beattie presided. The balance-sheet for the year showed that L 602 9s 11 had been raised, and LSHB 2s 3d expended, leaving a credit balance at the bank of L 34 7s Bd—a statement which was considered eminently satisfactory. Mr Barrett was re-elected secretary of the Finance Committee, and Mr A.. Orr elected treasurer. Daring the evening several solos were contributed by Mesdames Dunn, Craighead, and Nixon, and the choir lent valuable aid by singing several pieces in a highly creditable manner, the organ being ably manipulated by Mr Quinlan. |

Trade Match.—A meeting will be held at jSuill’s hotel this evening for the purpose of arranging a cricket match between the butchers and bakers o c Ashburton.

Sp •ktxng .—There are forty-three nominations for the Auckland Derby of 1884-5, the Middle Park Stud Company contribating eleven, and the Auckland Stud Company eight.

Our Resident Magistrate. We learn that it has been decided that Mr Watt, R M., does not leave this district until the 31st, instead of the 22nd of the month as originally arranged. Waterton. — Our local correspondent informs us that a strange occurrence took place on Wednesday at Waterton. It appears that Mr Mow Fan had stopped at the hotel for the purpose of giving his horse a feed. He had been absent about twenty minutes, and on returning he found his cart in a blaze, the flames rising quite six feet. Some bags and two coats were destroyed, and had it not been for the assistance of Mr Carlile, who took the horse out of the vehicle and emptied the contents on the road, more damage wnuld have resulted. As it is Mr Mow Fan will lose from Ll2 to Ll 3 by the accident. The fire is supposed to have resulted from a spark from a pipe falling among the bags in the cart. Lecture. —The Town Hall was crowded last evening on the occasion of Professor Fraser’s first lecture in Ashburton. The subject chosen was “ The Temple of Life,” and the lecturer described the structure of the human body. Professor Fraser has evidently studied physiology, and his explanations were given in such plain language that the least enlightened on such matters c mid understand them. A number of anatomical diagrams were shown and the details fully enumerated, and sev ral hints as to the proper observance of the laws of health were thrown out than could not fail to be useful if rightly observed. Another lecture will be given by the Professor this evening.

A Missing Schoonbr.--H.M. survey schooner Lark, which will probably stay at Auckland till March, and then leave on a surveying cruise among the South Sea Islands brings news that fears are entertained for the safety of a three-masted schooner called the Redcoat, which is reported overdue at Levuka. Recently a lifebuoy, marked “ Tavona, Auckland,” was found near Fly river, New Guinea, and it is thought this may h ivo belonged to the Redcoat, as both she and the Tavona belong to the same firm. The Lark reports that a sunken vessel was observed in that vicinity during her cruise. It is therefore feared that the Redcoat’s crew may have been set upon by the natives and the vessel plundered and sunk. After leaving Auckland the Redcoat changed nearly the whole of her crew. Captain Wait, who took her home, died shortly after reaching the Islands, so that most probably the vessel was wholly manned by islanders.

South Rakaia. Our own correspondent sends us the following items : A little excitement was shown in this rising little township yesterday evening when the large store situated in Rolleston street, and occupied by Messrs Montgomery and Co., was removed with the aid of a traction engine to the railway siding occupied by the same firm. This makes a very decided improvement in the appearance of the main street. —At the Government land sale the attendance was poor and the bidding slow, in only two cases was the upset price exceeded. —The weather is most excellent for harvesting, which is now general in this district. For the last fortnight a very large number of men have been stayingj at the hotels or have camped round the township, waiting for harvesting. A goodly number have now found work, and there should be no scarcity of labor here as is the case in other districts. Of course it is scarcely necessary to mention that there are lots of men who are looking for work, and at the same time praying that it may not be found.

France and Madagascar. —The Mornihy Advertiser, in discussing the question of a French annexation of Madagascar, says:—“lt might not at first sight be apparent why people in England should concern themselves with what the French may or may not be doing in an island in the Indian Ocean, but there is a very oractical reason all the same which cannot

be too generally understood. Closely contiguous to Madagascar is situated the island of Mauritius, an English colony, the importance of which lies in the fact that it contains the only harbor and only repaiiing docks between the Cape and India. Mauritius without Madagascar would starve. Mauritius produces nothing but the sugar-cane. With the exception of water, everything the inhabitants eat, drink, or wear has to be imported. The fresh meat and vegetables are brought almost daily from Madagascar; there is, in fact, no other place from which they can be procured, and therefore it follows that, with Madagascar under other than native control, our fel-low-countrymen in Mauritius might be placed in a very awkward position, and our repairing docks rendered useless.” Female Larrikins. —Speaking of the strike of tailoresses, the Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald writes “Possibly out of this strike will

come a discussion of the whole question of the employment of young women. It is quite certain that a totally mistaken estimate has been formed by these latter of their relations to society, and that domestic servitude is looked upon by them as

degrading. If the only bad result of this error were the inconvenience it occasions to those who keep servants, it might be not over, but there is the much more serious outcome of utterly undomesticated wives and mothers. The homes of the class to which these girls belong are depressing in their comfortlessness. It is not the comfortlessness of poverty, but of ignorance of what should make a house bright and cheery. They are untidy and slatternly, and the untidiness and slatternliness do not appear to produce any feeling of dissatisfaction in the minds of those who live in their midst. The result of homos such as these is the larrikin of both saxes,for although familiarity with domestic unloveliness may cause no apparent discontent, it offers no attractions. The consequence is that the young people who live in such homes get out into the streets as much as they can of an evening, and wo know very well what this facility of intercourse has led to. The ideal homelife of the well-to-do working man has no existence in this city,”

Holloway’s Pills. —The sudden changes, frequent fogs, and pervading dampness sorely impede the vital functions and conduce to illhealth. The remedy for these disasters lies in some purifying medicine, like these Pills, which is competent to grapple with the mischief at its source, and stamp it out without fretting the nerves or weakening the system. Holloway’s Pills extract from the blood all noxious matters, regulate the action of every disordered organ, stimulate the liver and kidneys, and relax the bowels. In curing chest complaints these Pills are remarkably effective, especially when aided by friction ol the Ointment on its walls. This double treatment will ensure a certain, steady, and beneficent progress, and sound health will soon be re-established. —Advt.