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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1010, 1 August 1883, Page 2

An excellent floor will be prepared for the Rink Club Ball which takes place to-morrow evening at the Oddfellows’ Hall. It is stated that some Christchurch capitalists have purchased fifty acres at Alford Forest, intending to lay out a township should the diamonds prove genuine. Additional applications have also been made for prospecting licenses in the supposed diamond fields. The Christchurch Hunt Club Steeplechases, which take place at the end of the present week, promise to be very successful should the weather be fine. The Railway Department has made special arrangements for visitors coming from Ashburton and other parts of the province—particulars of which are notified in an advertisement appearing in another column. A meeting of gentlemen was held in the office of Messrs Tucker and Restell yesterday afternoon for the purpose of discussing the advisability of despatching a party to prospect among the ranges for minerals. It was decided that a party should be sent as soon as the weather was favorable, and more than L4O was collected in the room in furtherance of the object. A very sudden death of a child occurred at the Binds this morning. It appears that Mrs Nicholes, the wife of a farmer weli known in the district, retired to rest last evening, her infant six weeks old sleeping in the same bed. On waking this morning Mrs Nicholes found that the child was dead, although it seemed to be in perfect health on the previous day. Mr hi icholes was away from home at the time. ' An inquest on the body will be held to-morrow.

Mr Walter Miller, of Roxburgh station, Otago, some time ago sent 145 sheep to a local refrigerating works. He got 4s 3d each for the skins, an advance at the rate of 2|d per lb on the carcases, and if the Horae market remains as at present when his sheep arrive, will get 2d per lb more. This will bring the net return per sheep up to 29s after paying all expanses, and at local yards the price they would have brought would have been only 13s or 14s. The Committee of the Ashburton Racing Club held a meeting at the Club’s room last evening, there bging a very good attendance. The draft programme was submitted, and after a few alight alterations was approved of. The Improvement Committee brought up their report, and it was resolved that the sum of LSOO should be expended in the erection of a grand stand and other works necessary to the racecourse. The Secretary was instructed to advertise for a caretaker to reside on the course. The other business transacted was of a routine nature.

The Wanganui Education Board yesterday resolved unanimously, on the motion of Sir William Fox, that before any teachers are appointed they shall obtain satisfactory testimonials as to sobriety, and that where any applicant shall previously have been in the employment of any other Board in New Zealand inquiry shall be made as to the circumstances leading to the discontinuance of such employment. No permanent appointment to be made till such information be laid before the Wanganui Board. It was also resolved to ask the co-operation of other Boards in carrying out this system. The entries for the Poultry Show, to bo held in the Town Hall on Friday and Saturday next, closed last evening, with the respectable total of 336 exhibits, being an increase of G 1 over lost year. The following shows. the comparative numbers 1882: 152 poultry, 54 pigeons, 69 canaries, etc. ; 1883 : 144 poultry, 82 pigeons, 110 canaries, etc. Should the weather prove fine a good attendance should result as the exhibits will be found above the general average. We are requested to state that tickets for the prize distribution can only be purchased up to to-morrow night, and as the prizes are valuable application for tickets should bo made without delay. Our local correspondent writes : —The usual fortnightly meeting of the Mount Somers Mutual Improvement class was held in the library on Saturday evening last, the President in the chair. After the usual routine business the debate on the constitution of the Legislative Council took place. The subject was opened by Mr Williams advocating the elective system in a very able manner. Mr Easton advocated nomination; he also fought well, but like a bravo man gave in, acknowledging with the rest of the meeting that the elective system was best. The meeting was unanimous on the subject. Mr J. McLymont gave a reading on “The horse most suitable for farm -work,” ho read in a very interesting manner, the meeting was very much pleased with him. The subject for debate at next meeting will be an attack on Sir F. D. Bell s paper on the colonies, by Mr fi-aston and Mr Williams. Mr W. Annott has also promised to give a reading. In the Timaru Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday a point was raised which is said to affect a practice common throughout the colony, of a solicitor taking affidavits for use in the Resident Magistrate’s Courts. An affidavit of jurisdiction under section 34 of the Resident Magistrates Act, 18G7, had been sworn before a solicitor for the party making the affidavit, and Mr Perry for the other side contended that the proper person to take this affidavit is the Cierk of the Court, that official being specially authorised by the Resident Magistrates ’Act of 1872 to do so, and generally that a solicitor qua solicitor has no more power to take affidavits for the Resident Magistrate’s Court purposes than any other person. Solicitors are authorised by rules of the Supreme and District Courts to take affidavits for use in those Courts, except when acting as agent for the party making the affidavit, but Mr Perry contends that no such authority has been given them in regard to the Lower Court, The Magistrate reserved his decision on the point. Bad dreams, disturbed sleep, indigestion, stomach gas, all vanish before Hop Bitters. Read and ponder.— [Advt.] 6 Mother Swan’s Worm Syrup. —lnfallible, tasteless, harmless, cathartic ; lor feverishness, restlessness, worms, constipation, is at druggists. Moses, Moss and Co., Sydney, General Agents. 2|