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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 943, 15 May 1883, Page 2

At a meeting of the Baptist Church at the Thames last evening a unanimous call was given to the Rev. W. C. Spencer, of Lincoln. Fifty-one members .united in it.

The supposed Canterbury diamonds forwarded to Auckland were given to Mr Dansford, lapidary, for the purpose of testing their hardness, but they rubbed away like glass and did not bear the test.

The Blue Ribbon movement was successfully inaugurated at Christchurch last night. A meeting in the Oddfellows’ Hall in connection with it was attended by 700 persons, 115 of whom signed the pledge. Mr Aoroyd has returned to Gisborne from the South Pacific Oil Springs. He speaks hopefully of the ultimate success of the present operations. The indications were most encouraging, and a new bore is down 120 ft. A shift of men is working day and night. Owing to the severe illness of Judge Ward he has obtained two months’ leave of absence, which he will spend in the North Island. During his absence his circuits will be filled by Acting District Judge Harvey. It is stated at Auckland that Bishop Luck, in concert with the other Catholic Bishops throughout the colony, intends to prepare and invite the Catholic laity to sign a petition to the Assembly re the amendment of the Education Act, either in the way of payment by results with Government inspection, or a denominational subsidy in the proportion of the Catholics to the whole population.

The three men who were mulcted in penalties amounting to L4oosome months ago for illicitly distilled spirits at Porirua, and who were formally taken into custody on Friday owing to non payment of fines, were lodged in gaol on Saturday afternoon by order of the Sheriff of the Supreme Court, where they will rem dn until the return of Mr Edward Shaw, their counsel, from Reefton. Application is to be made in Chambers some day this week for an order compelling accused or their sureties to pay fines and costs. The concert given in the Town Hall last evening, in aid of the Catholic School, was very fairly attended, and judging from the applause, the audience seemed to be satisfied with the entertainment. As those who took part in the performance were for the most part children, criticism would be obviously out of place, but we may mention that if the glees and choruses given by the youngsters had been accompanied by the piano, a good deal of unpleasant discord might have been avoided. On the whole, the children seem to have been carefully trained, and rendered their songs and recitations with considerable self-possession. Several encores were insisted on, the most deserving of that honor being the song “ Eileen Alannah,” which was very nicely sung. The entertainment closed with a farce, in which all the characters were played by children, those present evidently appreciating the. performance to the full.

The passengers -among whom the measles broke out on board the British Queen have been landed at the Quarantine Station. All cases are of a very mild nature. The single women, whose destination is Canterbury, have also been landed at Soamea Island, and will remain there until the steamer takes her departure for Lyttelton. A narrow escape from a fatal accident occurred alongside the steamer on Sunday night. The butcher’s boat with fresh provisions went off. and when getting alongside swamped and capsized. The occupants were hauled on board by the orew in a very exhausted condition. The British Queen it is expected will leave for 4 Lyttelton on Wednesday night or Thursday morning. The British Queen reports that oh the ssth April, in 40.40 E. and 64.42 E., she spoke the barque Euryppes, 60 passengers, from Natal to Adelaide, short of provisions, and bordering on starvation. She put provisions on board, and then cameos.

The master of the Ashburton Home desires t... acknowledge, with thanks,ithe/ - receipt of a quantity of jam, &0., from Mrs H. Briitan, for the inmates.

The, police have taken samples of liquor from public houses at Hastings, Kawianga, Puriri, Wereaville, Whangamata, Hikutaia, Kerikeri, which have been handed over to the provincial analyst to test for adulteration, asbushmen and gum diggers complain uf the stuff as sold to them.

At the Christchurch Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Thomas Allen, 21 years of age, was sentenced to two months for vagrancy. He had been well off a year or two since. When arrested, he was so filthy that he had to be “ scrubbed down with a long handled broom,” and his clothes burnt. He had ruined himself by gambling and drinking. Mr Feldwiok, member for Invercargill, addressed his cou • tituents last night in the Theatre Royal. The attendance wae very meagre, and there was a palpable lack of enthusiasm on the part of the audience. Mr Feldwiok spoke over two hours. At the conclusion a vote of thanks and confidence was proposed, but an amendment thanking him for his address, but declining to accept his explanation of his views re the education question, was carried.

Joseph Aronson, a young man who it is stated demonstrated hie affection for May Sheedy, his fellow-servant at Christchurch, by pouring scalding hot tea down her back the other day, again appeared at the Wellington R.M. Court yesterday morning, on an information charging him. with having inflicted grievous bodily harm upon that person. Chief Detective Browne stated that since the adjournment of the case the warrant had arrived from Christchurch. A remand to that place was now applied for. His Worship granted the application.

Several changes in the personnel of the detective force of the colony are now taking place. Detective Tuohy, who has been stationed at Wellington for the past six or seven months, has received instructions co proceed to Auckland, and Detective Brennan, of Dunedin, has been appointed his successor. The vacancy created by the removal of Detective Brennan to the empire city will he filled by Detective Strathearn, who passed through Wellington yesterday on his way from Auckland to Dunedin. Detective Sullivan has resigned his position for the purpose, it is stated, of entering upon commercial pursuits.

At the Holiness Council of the Salvation Army held in Dunedin yesterday, Captain Pollard said that another station would shortly be established in Dunedin, officers being now on their way out. The theatre at Wellington had been engaged for one year ; the theatre at Christchurch for two; and a beginning was also to be made at Invercargill. He said funds were coming in fairly, but these engagements had been made entirely in the hope that funds would be subscribed to meet them. - The Daily ' Times in a recent leader having stated that the funds of the Salvation Army belonged to General Booth and were settled on his family, Captain Pollard, the officer commanding in New Zealand, has written to deny that this is the case. The funds are held under trust, the deed enrolled in Chancery, and are not available for the general’s personal or family use. General Booth’s support is provided for from an entirely independent source.

News is to hand of a destructive fire at Riverton. It broke out yesterday morning in a stable attached to Mr Morgan Hayes’ Caledonian Hotel, and, despite all efforts, spread from thence to the south end of the block, where its progress was stopped by a cross street. On the other side of this was Clapp's Commercial Hotel, which at times was in great danger, but was saved by the application of wet blankets to the exposed surface. The County Council offices narrowly escaped, but being of brick the fames failed to gain a hold. The Caledonian Hotel, Bacon, shoemaker, Campbell’s butchery, Pattiaon’s Globe Hotel, Soobie draper, Hancock shoemaker, Willett storekeeper, Price and Bulleid drapers, premises all destroyed. The estimated damage is LIO,OOO. All were insured except Bason. The amounts are not known, but the offices principally interested are the New Zealand, Union, and South British. The insurances were,'as far as known, as follows :—Mr Hayes, L3OO in the New Zealand and Ll6O in the Victoria; loss, LI,400; Mr Pattison, L7OO in the New Zealand and Union; Messrs Pride and Bulleid, L7OO in the South British ; Mr Willett, L6OO in the Victoria ; Mr Hancock, LfOO, and Mr Campbell, L 126, in the Union; Mr Scobie, L4OO.

As there seems to have been some fastidiousness (says the Law Journal) about names at the Kilmainham Courthouse, it may be as well to point, out that the position in which Mr James Carey figures is not technically that of an informer. Ah Informer is a person who, generally for reward, accuses others and not himself. Mr Jamas Carey holds the much lower step in the ladder of baseness, in that he accuses his own confederates, impartially including himself in the charge. In times gone by he would have been called an approver, or prover—a person who, if he succeeded in convicting his accomplices, was entitled to his acquittal; but who, if bis accomplices were acquitted, was immediately hanged. Nowadays he is properly called Queen’s evidence, and is allowed to step from the dock into the witness box in the hope that his life will be spared. It has happened before now that Queen’s evidence at the trial refuse to repeat what they told the magistrate, whereupon they may be put on their trial, and convicted on their own confession. Although the admission as witnesses *of “ approvers ” who were entitled to an acquittal as of right has been abandoned for the use of Queen’s evidence, who are only entitled to favor out of grace, it is still usual to give Queen’s evidence a free pardon, on the analogy of the previous practice ; but this will depend on the hopes which have been held out to them on behalf of the Crown.

According to the local Watch, a rather smart recovery of money was accomplished on board the Rotomahana last week by Constable Moore at Port Chalmers. Prior to leaving Wellington, a female steerage passenger took occasion to change L 47 in notes into gold at the counter of the National Bank there, receiving from the too confiding teller 57 sovereigns in lieu thereof. Naturally, his cash did not balance at night, and suspecting where the ten sovereigns had gone, he telegraphed to Mr Baldwin, manager of the Bank at Port Chalmers, a description of the woman, with a request to recover the cash if possible. The matter was placed in the hands of Constable Moore, who proceeded on board and shortly spotted his victim. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he quietly remarked, “ Touching those fifty-seven sovereigns you got at Wellington for forty-seven pounds.” The lady, who had been interviewed at Lyttelton without result, could not resist Moore’s insinuating mannei, and at once handed over the pieces of precious metal. No sooner, however, were they transferred to the constable’s keeping than she seemed to think she had done a foolish thing, and remarked; “ If I find any error in my accounts I will oome back on you for the money." Oh, certainly, madam, certainly. Good afternoon," was the reply, as ha turned on his heel and made tracks for the Rational Bank to de-i liver the regained ten sovereigns to the custody of their legal owner. s

The Oddfelld&i* Halt will be opened fo ihorrow evening, with a grand concert and ball. As that universal favorite, Miss Amy Horton, will take part in the entertainment, together with the most prominent of our local amateurs, there will no doubt be a large attendance.

Mr Walter Sykes, dentist, telegraphy thaturgent business detains him in Christchurch, and that he cannot possibly arrive in Ashburton till Wednesday morning, 16th inst., when he may be consulted at Mr Cambridge’s.—: [Advt.J ■' .--L :

[Correspondence. ] AM EVIL AND ITS REMEDY.—To the Editor, —It is a healthy sign of the times when our local papers are beginning to deal in a fearless manner with bankrupts andjthe bankruptcy laws. The time has come when something must be done either by the legislature or by business men themselves to put an end to a state of affairs which is n disgrace to our boasted civilisation. We (.lie undersigned) have been doing business in Ashburton about s}4 years, and the money we have lost during that period by bankrupts, levanters, and blacklegs generally amounts ,to a great deal more than the margin usually allowed for bad debts. If the law cannot protect us then we must protect ourselves, and there is only one way to do so, viz., to abolish the credit system altogether. This system has been the curse of other countries besides New Zealand, and past experience has proved it to be rotten to the core. Owing to recent heavy losses we have resolved, to sell for cash only in future. The honest man who is willing to pay his 2os in the £, and pay as he goes, will find this no disadvantage but a great gain, as he will be able to obtain a first-class article much cheaper than he would under the old system. We shall exert ourselves to the utmost as heretofore to give our customers full satisfaction, and every order will be executed in our usual first-class style—but we shall no longer run any unnecessary risk. Under the cash system we arc prepared to offer a special line of tweeds -at the following unusually low prices Gentleman’s; suit made to order, £2 18s' 6d; ladies’ tailor made ulster, £2. All other goods in proportion, for cash only. Craighead and Co.,‘.tailor!j and clothiers, Tancred street.

Holloway’s Pills. Liver Complaints.—The digestion, cannot be long so seriously disordered without the derangement being perceptible on the countenance. These pills prevent both unpleasant consequences ; they improve the appetite and with the increase of desire for food, they augment the powers of digestion and assimilation in the stomach. Holloways Pills Ideal most satisfactorily with deranged or diseased conditions of the many organs engaged in extracting nourishment for our bodies from our various diets—as the liver, stomach, and bowels, over all of which they exercise the most salutary control. By resorting at an early stage of this malady .to these purifiying and laxative Pills, the dyspeptic is speedily restored to health and strength, and his sallbwness gradually vanishes.—[Advt.] ,