The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1883.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1072, 12 October 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1883.

Last night at the usual monthly meeting of the teachers of the Wesleyan Sunday school, amongst other business the election of officers for next year took place, resulting as follows :—Mr O. Ray, superintendent; Mr W- Sparrow, secretary; canvassers, Messrs Beaumont and G. Andrews ; librarian, Mr 0. Dixon ; all of whom were ro-elected. Several teachers gave very gratifying reports of visible improvement in members of their classes, and the institution is considered to be in a fairly efficient state. During the hearing of a case in the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day some amusement was caused by the production of a specification for the building of a house on a long strip of wood, A good deal had been said about the documentary evidence, and one of the witnesses; who was interested in the decision offered to prbducn it. Mr Reatell, in whose charge it was, accordingly came into Court armed with the piece of wood aforesaid, but the Bench ruled that it could not under the circumstances be accepted. A general meeting of the Ashburton Rifles was held last night to consider the advisability of offering greater inducements to recruits, with a view to bringing the Company up to its maximum strength. After a lengthy discussion it was resolved to furnish recruits with helmet, tunic, trowsers, leggings, glengary, etc., for the small sum of LI, which is about a fifth of the actual cost, and this very liberal concession will no, doubt have the desired effect. Before dismissing the men Captain Douglas read a challenge from the Kaiapoi Kifle Club to fire a match on alny convenient Saturday afternoon, and we understand the Committee will meet tomorrow evening to select a team and arrange matters. At the Dunedin Police Court yesterday in the change brought by Gaoler Philips against the prisoner Tait (for whom counsel appeared) for insu ordinate conduct, Mr Watt, R.M., dismissed the case, on the ground that, the conduct of the prisoner could not he regarded as aggravated. His Worship, addressing prisoner, said, ‘‘lt is my opinion that, as a matter of law, I must dismiss the information, but if you had appeared before me in my capacity of Visiting Justice, I would have thought .it my duty to punish you at once. As you are before an’open Court, where I can only hear an aggravated offence, which is not disclosed in the charge, I dismiss the case, not on its merits, but because the charge is not sufficient to give a Resident Magistrate jurisdiction in the oase as an aggravated prison offence.”

A manufacturers’ league has been formed in Dunedin. The following are its objects(l) Encouraging the development of the natural resources of New Zealand, and diffusing information thereon. (2) Fostering New Zealand manufactures and developing industries, so as to afford increased and steadier employment of labor. (3) Obtaining the removal of revenue duties from raw mate-' rial, and also from goods which cannot be profitably made in this colony, and placing moderate duties upon all articles which can be so made that a*e now admitted free. (4) Discouraging the suicidal policy of purchasing out of the colony, whether by Government, or by municipal or by other bodies, goods which can be advantageously produced in New Zealand. (5) Keeping before the Government the advantage of giving their work to firms provided with suitable plant, instead of expending revenue in adding to the Government workshops and machinery, thereby needlessly increasing the present heavy burdens of the taxpayers, and hindering the due development of trade—a course which tends to the continuance of the present commercial depression. Some aenstation was caused in Auckland yesterday afternoon by an assault on Mr J. D. Wickham, proprietor of the Free Lance, by Dr Harrison, agent for Mrs Dr Potts. Wickham was in his office shortly before four o’clock, when Dr Harrison came in and enquired if he published the L’FJntr’ Acte in connection with the theatre, and being answered in the.affirmative, enquired the price per inch of an advertisement. Some conversation ensued concerning the insertion of the notice in question, and Dr Harrison then asked the name of the writer of a letter signed “ Figaro,” published in L’Entr' Acte. Wickham declined to furnish the information required, when Dr Harrison recommended him to take off his coat, as he would have to fight him. Mr Wickham explained thatj he had no desire to make a blackguard of himself, when he was the recipient of a sadden blow from his ’interviewer, and nsxt moment his face was covered with blood, Wickham immediately looked the door, and sending for a policeman, gave Dr Harrison in charge of Sergeant McMahon. The scene had attracted numbers of the friends of both parties, and they proceeded together to the police station. Wickham got a nasty cut on his head, white his hair, face and clothes were bespattered with blood. The facts having been placed before Superintendent Thomson, he ordered the assailant into custody, and George Edward Harrison, Richard Cole Aspinall and James Millet were accordingly locked up on the charge of unlaw • fully assaulting John Dickson Wickham by striking him on the head on the 11th inat. Aspinall and Millet, it is assarted, kept the door closed and held Wickham while Dr Harrison assaulted him.

Remember Hop Bitters never does harm to the smallest child but good, always and con* inually. See and read—[Adtt.]

The following selections will be given to morrow evening, should the weather, prove fine, by the Ashburton Volunteer Brass Band, in Baring Square Qu'ck march* “Orinthia” (Smith); quadrille, ‘•String of pearls” (VYiight) ; schottische, “FUrrie” (Seaman); fantasia, “ A string of pearls” (Lavelledien) ; quick march, “ Brave old oak ” (Lenter); valse, “Mountain and glen” (Ricmo) ; galop, “ Sparkling wine ” (Vogt). Writing of the Flemington Cheese Factory, th e*North Otago Times says:—Thera can be little doubt, however, that while all these several matters may have contributed to the Ashburton factory’s temporary discomfiture, the chief cause of its trying experience has been the price it has been paying for milk. At the same time we daresay that the company pays away a good deal in interest on money borrowed to erect buildings and buy plant, as the directors have made themselves responsible fot the payment of L 5,003 to the bank. With leas expensive plant and buildings, less of course would have had to be paid in interest, but it is probable that that would have been no real gain. It is at all events clear that the directors and shareholders themselves are of opinion that their sole immediate remedy is a reduction in the price given for milk, and they have accordingly resolved to change 'he price from 4d per gallon of lOlbs to 3|d per gallon of lllba of milk delivered and accepted at the factory. Even at this rate, however, “ the farmers” and “the district” are not likely to suffer grievously, for we are assured that the factory has already increased the value of adjoining land from 30s to L2 an acre; while we are told of such charming little incidents as one farmer getting L3O a month for milk supplied by him to the factory, and of another with 50 acres of , rented land getting his total yearly I rent. LSO, from the factory in eight weeks, for milk supplied to it by him during that brief period. At anyrate, the prime lesson which the experience of the Ashburton cheese factory teaches is, that all other dairy factories and all other local industries should be started and carried out on strictly business principles, and their sole object should be to make money legitimately for their shareholders. Starte I and carried out on any other principle they are likely—nay, certain—ere long to prove positive losses to their promoters, and really more hurtful than helpful to the community which happens to be blessed with their presence. Purify the blood, cleanse the stomach, and sweeten the breath with Hop Bitters. Read —[Advt.] Thick Heads, heavy stomachs, bilious conditions—Wells’ May Apple Pills—antirbiliouscathartic. $d and is. Moses, Moss and Co., Sydivty, General Agents. I