The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1883.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1052, 19 September 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1883.

The Industrial Exhibition Executive Committee have resolved to recommend that tenders bo called for the erection of an exhibition building. More than half the available space has been applied for. An elderly man named Alexander, a baker of Christchurch, committed suicide by taking spirits of salts yesterday.

About twenty applications for small farm sections on deferred payment, were made yesterday at the Land Board Office, Christchurch. The farms are mostly at Annat, near Sheffield. There was a very good attendance at the uld Men’s Home last evening, to witness a conjuring entertainment given in aid of the piano fund of the institution. The various tricks were vry deftly performed, and caused great amusement. The intervals were filled up with some excellent music by Mr Baddeley, jun., and a couple of recitations. Great attention had been paid to the arrangement of the stage, which looked very pretty, several Chinese lanterns lending to the effect, but some colored fire burnt at the commencement of the entertainment affected the atmosphere to such an extent that some of the inmates were well nigh asphyxiated. A collection was made at the conclusion towards the purchased of the piano for the Home. The Presbyterian tea_ meeting, held in the Town Hall last evening, was in every sense of the word a success. The attendance was large, the refreshments provided excellent, and both the speeches delivered and the musical selections were heartily enjoyed. The Rev. A. M. Beattie took the chair. The following ladies presided at the various tea tables :—Meadames Baxter, A. Orr, McKenzie, Lamb, D. Williamson, O’Caliaghan, Johnson, Mullens, and McOoll, and Misses Green, Houston (2), Gavin, Smith, Jamieson (2), and McDonald. The bachelor 1’ table was under the charge of Miss Brown, and the Misses Archer. Among the speakers who addressed the meeting were the Revs. Scott, Standage, Gordon (of Temuka) and McLennan. Mr Scott’s subject was “Tea meetings and Tolerance,” and Mr Standage’s “ • haracter. ” A humorous recitation by the Rev. McLennan was well received, and Mr Gordon’s racy address on Revivals and how to promote them took immensely with the audience, his remarks being greeted with laughter and applause at frequent intervals. Several chornses were excellently rendered by the choir, under the direction of Mr Savage, and the programme was diversified by the introduction of solos and recitations. Miss Kidd acted as accompanist. There was a sale of ladies’ wo k held during the evening under the direction of Mrs Kidd and Mrs Robertson. At the conclusion a vote of thanks was accorded, on the motion of Mr Hogg, to theladiesforpresiding.andsimiiar compliments were accorded to the choir and the speakers, at the instance of Messrs McLennan and A. Orr. The tea meeting was certainly one of the most successful ever held in this town, and all present evidently enjoyed themselves heartily.

The Committee of the Ashburton Racin' Club met last evening at the Club’s room. Present—Messrs Stitt (in the chair), Pooks, Carter, ■ Purnell, Thomas, Bozenberg, M. Friedlander, Denshire, W. launders, Drs Ross and Leahy. The Secretary reported that the caretaker appointed at last meeting had resigned, and after re-consideration of the other applications Mr S. A. Lay was appointed to the vacant office. It was determined to purchase a horse and necessary implements to keep the training course in oruer, and the Secretary was instructed to caution owners against infringing bylaws framed by the Improvement Committee. Mr Thomas called attention to a letter which had appeared in the Ashburton Guardian shined “ An Owner,” which he characterised as a foolish, unsportsmanlike effusion. Dr Ross had also noticed the letter, which he thought required no reply, but as a matter of interest to the Committee he assured them that the training course even in its present half-formed condition was superior to the accommodation in Christchurch. iVhen the work now being pushed on was complete, it would be equal to anything in the colony. Mr Friedlander having spoken to the same effect, the matter was allowed to drop. The Secretary was directed to communicate with the Railway Department with a view to the introduction of a siding to the grand stand now in course of erection.

The professional scull race, postponed from August the 19tb, took place at Fall River, Massachusetts, on August 20th. A start was not made till nearly 6 p.m. Hanlan took the load and turned the buoy, followed closely by Rosa and Hoaraer; the others not far off. An excursion steamer from Providence ran among the boats, and the swell from her paddle wheels swamped Hanlan, Elliott, and Hostner. Darkness coming on rapidly, it was almost impossible to distinguish the contestants. At the finish Lee upset after crossing the line. At the close dozen oarsmen surrounded the judge’s boat, several of them claiming first position. This was given to Teenier, who made two and a half miles in 18min 26 sec; Horne was second, 18min 30sec; Ross, 18min 35seo. Hanlan said he was beaten, but “ did not feel badly about it. Did not cut his boat; was not struck on head. He was glad of one thing ; there was no money bet on ihese remarks were reflections on his old antagonist Courtenay. The other oarsmen claim that Hanlan was really outrowed. The great oarsman subsequently acknowledged this, and said his experience in regattas had always been fatal. He was satisfied he could beat any of his antagonists singlehanded. Ross thinks Teemer is the coming sculler of America.

The Rangiora Licensing Committee, in obedience to a mandamus of the Supreme Court, sat yesterday to hear the application for a renewal of the license of the Royal Hotel, Woodend. After taking evidence for and against, the application was adjourned till Tuesday next. A petition is being prepared by Mr J. A. Tole, M.H.R., for transmission to Samoa, for signature by the Samoans, the prayer of which is that the islands be annexed to New Zealand.

King Kalakua, of Hawaii, will visit the Australian colonies next June. His Go vernment has sent a protest against the Polynesian annexation scheme to all the European Governments as well as to America. It lays stress on the results that have been achieved through the islands being guaranteed in their political independence by England, France, and America, and claims for kindred people of Polynesia a similar opportunity. Mr Wm. Redmond, M. P., and Mr J. W. Walsh, left Auckland yeiterday by the Taiaroa en route to 'the West Coast, where they will deliver their first lecture on the Land League as conducted in Ireland.

If the performance in aid of the Poultiy Association to be given in the Town Hall to-morrow evening at all fulfils its promise, it will be thoroughly enjoyed by those who patronise it. The programme includes the names of our best local amateurs, and especially we are glad to see that Mr Branson is to sing, as his absence for so long has been a distinct loss. Some sleight of hand feats will be performed, and the evening will conclude with a farce, so that there can be no grumbling at the quantity of entertainmeat to be provided, while the names of those taking part are sufficient guarantee of its quality. Among the horses to travel this district during the ensuing season, not the least noticeable is Kingfisher, who is to come down from the Wairarapa to this part of >.he colony. Kingfisher’s record both as a racer and a prize-taker at agricultural shows is a first-class one. one of his latest

achievements being the obt lining of principal honors at the Masterton show, beating Premier and other well-known entires. Mr Cookson will have charge of Kingfisher during his stay in this d.strict. Action is at last to be taken by the Auckland footballers in reference 10 the disputed result of the Wellington match. A meeting of the Association is to be held to-day to consider the subject, and to decide upon the steps to be taken. It is intended if possible to force the Wellington Rugby Unian to refer the dispute to the Otago and Canterbury Unions for settlement.

The immigrants by the Doric are spoken favorably of as healthy and respectable. There are no complaints by the immigrants as to the treatment on board. The single young women are of good stamp, and over half their number were engaged yesterday at wages from 8s to 10s a week, cooks 15s. Others are holding out for situations as parlor or housemaids, but the demand is only for general servants. Warned by the discreditable scenes in connection with the Westmeath girls, the immigration authorities have taken special care and supervision of the single women, and a married police constable will he posted day and night at the Immigration Depot till the girls have got places. New Zealand frozen meat, purchased in London, was issued to the passengers of the Doric throughout the voyage, and there is some still on board in excellent condition. The cargo is being discharged day and night, the electric light being used at night.

A reporter of the Dunedin Star was assaulted last night ; it is understood in connection with a paragraph recently inserted about a horsewhipping case. Law proceedings will probably eventuate. The Master of the Ashburton Home desires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of some plants and a small parcel of seeds from Mr Smith, gardener, East Belt. Mr Harris would also gratefully acknowledge any donations of books or other reading matter for the use of the inmates, as the small library at the Home has been re id over and over again by most of the inmates, and a little change of reading wnuld be an inestimable boon to them. s 'i he other day we published a telegram f rom Masterton t© the effect that the Volunteers in that town had resigned in a body on account of the action of Major Bunny towards them on the occassion of the" Governor’s visit. From the subjoined extract from the Wairarapa Star it would appear that the amateur soldiers in that district may be said to rival the ragged regiment which Falstaff refused to march through Coventry with, and that the gallant Major had some reason to act as he did. Our contemporary says : —Of course they were not responsible for the different moulds in which Nature had cast them; but when, added to the fact that their shoulders rose and fell like pyramids, it is considered that some of them wore beards like Druids, and their coats were of all the shades of the rainbow, and when they were exercised they seemed to bo at sixes and sevens, it will be seen that Major Bunny was not without some slight excuse if he exercised the Englishman’s traditional privilege. The Cadets, dressed in their blue and red facings and Glengarries, turned out over forty strong, and made a capital impression by their erect, martial bearing, and the way in which they went

through their evolutions, under the command of Captain Grundy and Lieut. A. Thompson. Sergeant-Major Bezar said he was proud of them. Major Bunny confessed there was not such another lot of boys in the Wairarapa, and as praises fell thick on the juveniles, the seniors became the recipients of invidious comparisons. Rough weather supervened when the Major, to the evident astonishment of Captain Donald and sub-Lieut. Williams, dismissed the squad, with some withering references to their want of uniforms and miserable turn-out. Lieut. Williams remonstrated, and the men looked daggers, but the petit Major was not to be moved. “Go !” he exclaimed theatrically. “ Stand not upon the order of your going, but go at once. ” Never were Masterton’s defenders in such fight-

ing trim as at that moment, when, with teeth clenched and hair on end, they descended the steps leading to the horse manure. They could have fought the Russians out of pure spite, and emulated the deeds of the Light Brigad j , but unfortunately there was no enemy in sight to be revenged upon save the aforesaid petit Major and the tramps in the stables, all of which they vowed beneath contempt.