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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 949, 22 May 1883, Page 2

The tea and public meeting to celebrate the anniversary of the Wesleyan Church, Ashburton, takes place this evening. It wilt be remembered that this meeting was postponed recently on account of the excessively wet weatlier. Tickets issued for the former gathering will, of course, be available for to-night. A largo number of members attended the usual meeting of the Debating Society at their new room in the Arcade Chambers last evening, the President Hogg) being in the Chair. The subject chosen for discussion was “Is Capital Punishment Justifiable 1” Mr Craighead starting the debate by taking up the affirmative side of the question. Mr Farley led the opposing forces, arguing against the mover, and after a long and animated discussion, the voting was declared to be in favor of Mr Craighead’s view of the question. A motion was carried to the eSeot that the nominator of any' new member ihould deposit the sum of 2s 63, and it was also decided that the Secretary should prepare a programme of subjects to be discussed during the session, and to have it printed for distribution amongst the members. The subject for debate next meeting will be, ‘ ‘ Should the Land .be Nationalised,” Mr Hdghes commencing in the affirmative.

Two members of the Dunedin Bicyicle Club yrhile racing round the Oval‘‘on Saturday night, were vio’ent’.y thrown to the ground by a young man deliberately standing in the middle of the track. At the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting on Saturday, some malicious person altered a stiff fence which had been lowered and raised it higher than it was originally. The escape of the huntsman and another riler, who were not anticipating such a jump, was wonderful. The body of Mathew Clough, who was drowned a week ago whilst crossing the Mongonui river, was recovered on Monday morning. Two ,divers were engaged in the work, which was rendered extremely dangerous on account of the quicksands. At the inquest a verdict of “ Accidentally drowned ” was returned. The Union Steamship Company announce that the Rotorua having completed an extensive overhaul will replace the Penguin on the West Coast under. Captain Anderson, Captain Cromarty taking the Penguin to Fiji. The interrolonial boats will call at Gisborne on alternate weeks, and the Taiaroa resumes her special East Coast service on the Ist. At the Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday a young woman, named Alice Carlyle, alias Edwards, was charged with larceny of jewelleiy and clothing, to the value of L 9, from the dwelling of W. H. Pilliet, Bingsland, Christchurch, and remanded to Christchurch. On another charge, obtaining a lady’s jacket by means of false pretences, she was also remanded to Christchurch.

The mining manager of the Ross United Goldmining Company telegraphed to Hokitika on Saturday :—“ Just got on to fifth bottom of wash, prospect quarter pennyweight to dish 5 improving as we go down.” The shaft is now down 260 feet. The next bottom to be met with is the famed Gassin’s level, when the company will commence opening out and washing. The proprietors of the Neto Zealand Herald have been endeavoring to get an explorer through, the King Country to Taupo for some time past. They sent a party with a letter of introduction from Sir G. Grey to the Waikato, but the natives declined to allow it to proceed. The party was then sent to Tauranga and succeeded by that route! as already telegraphed. A full account of the journey, with maps of the country, is shortly to be published by the Herald.

At a meeting of the Dunedin School Committee last evening, a motion was carried unanimously :—“ That it be an instruction to the Chairman and Clerk to' enforce the attendance at a public school of the children of school age now playing in the ‘ Pinafore ’ Troupe. ” The deputation appointed by the Ministers’ Conference waited on the Committee, and after discussion it was resolved to grant the use of all the school buildings for religious instruction between the hours of 9 and 9.30 a.m. for five days in the week. The Committee refused to alter the present school hours, and expressed no opinion as to whether the teaching should be denominational or undenominational.

The concert of the Orchestral Society, to be given in the Oddfellows’ Hall on the 12th June, promises to be a decided success. The orchestra have been assidu-

ously practising for some time past, and a commendable effort is being made by the honorary secretary, Mr J. Mac Lean Dunn, to get together an unusually large glee party, so that the choral selections may be done full justice to. Already a goodly number of local musicians have promised their assistance, and those who are willing to join will do well to communicate with the secretary or the vocal conductor (Mr H. A. Gates) as soon as possible.

Although we have recently been visited by several opera troupes it is some time since a theatrical company gave an entertainment in Ashburton. This will make the appearance of Miss Amy Horton at the Town Hall on Thursday evening next doubly welcome, and we feel certain that she will be accorded a crowded house on

each of the three nights of her short season. The comedy of the “Little Treasure” and the laughable farce “Turn him out ” will constitute the programme, and in both these pieces Miss Horton will sustain the principal part, while the minor characters will be played by capable performers. There is every evidence that the Ashburton Coursing Club’s meeting will be a

great success; that is, of course, providing the weather is favorable. The events, which are confined to loml dogs, will probably extend over two days, as there will be a large number of entries both for the Puppy and All-Aged Stakes, a good many coming from the Rakaia district. The Hon. John Maclean has again kindly permitted the coursing to take place on his Lagmhor estate, and sport will commence at about half-past nine on Thursday morning. Mr Chatteris will officiate as judge, and Mr Mcßae will have a conveyance in readiness to take visitors to the ground, starting from Ashburton at nine o’clock, the return fare being fixed at five shillings. A meeting of the Mount Somers Road Board was held yesterday, when there were present —Messrs A. E. Peache (Chairman), Walker, Ede, Edson, and McLymont. Mr E. B. Cooper, overseer of the roads, attended. The former minutes were read and confirmed. A letter from the Ashburton County Council was read re the sale of poisoned -jrain for small birds, and it was resolved that the, matter be banded over to the Chairman of the Sparrow Club at Mount Somers. Several tenders for repairs to the fords having been received and considered, that of D. M'Kenzie was accepted. The overseer’s report was read, and it was resolved that tenders be invited for the necessary works required. Several accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting then adjourned to Monday, the 11th June, at 1 p.m. An adventurous walk across the entire continent of Australia has just been completed by Mr Gaerge Ernest Morrison, a son of the' principal of the Geelong College. He started from the Gulf of Carpentaria, leaving Normanton the week before Christmas. After passing Cloncurry, he followed the courses of the Diamantina and the Thomson, striking the Bulioo at Thargomindah, and the Paroo at Hungerford. Following the Paroo through a country inundated by the enormous rainfall that characterised this season, he encountered the most dangerous part of his route, having for nearly 350 miles to wade almost daily considerable distances, and to swim swollen creeks. He crossed the Darling at Wilcannia, the Lachlan at Booligal, the Murrumbidgee at’Hay, and the river Murray at Ecbuca. The whole distance traversed from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Melbourne exceeded 2,000 miles, and this was covered in 120 days. Passing through uninhabited wastes, where sometimes intervals of over 100 miles intervened between human habitations, he had to carry a swag with provisions and apparatus for cooking, and this, of course, materially impeded his rate of travelling. He had to carry a supply of water in some part of his route, where water could only be found at very long intervals. Part of his way led. through a district, inhabited by hostile blacks, who, in revenge for being so mercilessly hunted down by the remote settlers, show little mercy to any white man who comes in their way. He walked every inch of the distance alone and unharmed, cooking for himself such provisions as he could secure by the way,- and generally sleeping in the open air, muffled up in the blanket he carried in his swag. Notwithstanding the hardships he endured, he finished his toilsome march in robust health.

Colonel Xyons has been appointed to succeed Major Withers, as Officer Commanding the Auckland Volunteers. A requisition is being signed requesting Mr Donald Reid, solicitor, to allow himself to be nominated for the Bruce constituency. Mr Stout positively decided not to stand.

A special meeting of the Southland Farmers’ Co-operative Association was held on Saturday afternoon. The following resolutions, agreed to by the commutes of management, were submitted : —(1.) ‘‘To the effect that, in the present circumstances of the it would be advisable to voluntarily wind up its affairs.'’ After some discussion it was agreed to, and Mr Gardner then moved—“ That the Association be re-or-ganised unde’ i’ie Joint Stock Companies Act, the title Kie the Southland Farmers’ Grain and .Produce Export Company (Limited); capital, L 50,000, in shares of L 5 each. ” This was agreed to, and before the meeting closed between 700 and 800 shares were taken up.

The Wellington Post says :—A leading firm of solicitors in this city are in a quandary. About two years ago they were favored with instructions from a young married lady residing here to institute proceedings for divorce from her husband, who, it was alleged, had been guilty of gross breaches of the marriage vows, having; on several occasions, cruelly ill treated her, and committed adultery with another person. The firm of legal luminaries at once took steps in the matter, but, before the preliminary arrangements could be completed, the erring husband had taken his departure .for a more congenial clime, and the solicitors were unable to serve'him with a copy of the petition for a dissolution of the marriage. Inquiries as to his whereabouts were made all over the colonies, and he was traced to several places, but, before the document could be placed in his hands, he had flitted to some other part, and in this manner the firm has been chasing him for the past two years. Abundant testimony as to his cruelty and desertion can be obtained, but on these grounds a divorce cannot be obtained, and the firm are now hesitating whether to incur considerable expense in bringing witnesses over from Australia to prove adultery on the husband’s part —no witnesses fact being procurable in this colony, or to throw up the case, Holloways Pills.— Nervous Debility.— No part of the human machine requires more watching than tke nervous system—upon it hangs health and life itself. These pills ar- . the best regulators and strengtheners of the; nerves, and the safest general purifiers. Naue sea, headache, giddiness, numbness, and mental apathy yield to them. They dispatch in a summary manner, those distressing dyspeptic symptoms, stomachic pains, fulness at the pit of the stomach, abdominal distension, and overcome both capricious appetites and confined bowels—the commonly accompanying signs of defective or deranged nervous power. Holloway’s Pills are particularly recommended to persons of studious and sedentary habits, who gradually sink into a nervous and debilitated state, unless some such restorative be occasionally taken.-r-[Advt.]