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Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1030, 20 December 1883, Page 2

Seventeen Chinamen, recently employed as firemen on the Triumph, left Auckland by the Ringarooma yesterday for Sydney, en route for Hong Kong, their passage money having been paid hither by the local agents of Shaw, Savilland Co. The jubilee choir gave their entertainment, “ An hour with the Jubilee Singers,” in the Wesleyan Church at Wakanui last evening. There was a fair attendance, and the audience appeared to thoroughly enjoy the entertainment, which was carried out with great success. The musical portion was well rendered, and the descriptive reading was given bv Mr U. Brown in an interesting and instructive minner. x\t the conclusion it was announced that the entertainment would probably be repeated in a few months time. Mr Bryce has held a meeting at Kihikihi with opp"&i')g Ngahihauaa. They object to the survey being carried on, and ho.d by document signed at the Kuitui meeting of 1881, in which the land was assigned over to Tawhaio. Mr Bryce said the paper by which these lands are handed over to Tawhaio is waste paper. “ My march,” he raid, “ is onwards, and the sooner this is understood the better for the Maoris. I am speaking in your interests. There is no such authority in this country as that put forward ; it never existed in my eyes, and does not now.” The lawn tennis match played on the Sports Ground court yesterday between Ashburton and Lowcliffe, resulted in the defeat of the visitors after a very closely contested game. Messrs Curtis and Dignan did battle for Ashburton, while Lowcliffe was represented by Messrs Maberlay and Boyle. The first set was won by Ashburton by 3 points, and Lowcliffe won the second by two. In the final set the opposing sides played their best, and long rallies were the order of the day, Ashburton eventually coining off the victors by one point. The court is in admirable condition just now, and played splendidly. What the Herald terms an unusual case came betoro the Timaru Police Court yesterday, when a man named Peter Robertson was brought before E. G. Sterioker, Esq., J.P., charged under the Prisons Act, 1882, with loitering on the prison grounds after being ordered to leave. Robertson was a few weeks ago committed to Sunnyaide fro n Timaru as of unsound mind, and being discharged from the Asylum he returned to Timaru, and apparently with the idea of obtaining admission, he being penniless and unable to obtain work, he loitered about till he was taken into custody. He was remanded till the 24th instant for medical examination. At a meeting of the Otago Rugby Union last night, it was explained that the English Union contemplated revising the whole of their rules, and the question of affiliating was left over pending the receipt of the amended rules. A letter was read from the Canterbury Union in regard to a trip next season to Sycney, and suggesting the following basis for the choice of a New Zealand team —the team to consist of nineteen men, eight backs and eleven forwards; Auckland to send three backs and two forwards ; Otago, two backs and three forwards; Wellington, five men, not more than three focwrrds, leaving Canterbury to send the remaining four players. The letter proposed the team should leave about the middle of June. The proposal was favorably discussed, and it was ultimately agreed to co-operate upon the basis specified. A destructive fire occurred in Upper Symonds street, Auckland, at one o’clock yesterday morning, and eight houses were destroyed before the fire was arrested. The block was built on a level a little below the Kyber Pass reservoir, and a good pressure of water could not be obtained. It began in Fotheringham’a, saddler, and also took the premises of Ryan, hairdresser; Young, plumber; Holloway, chemist ; Derry, bootmaker ; Halliday, fruiterer ; and also the dwellings of Messrs De Jongh, Harris, Cavanagh and Mrs Plumridge The total damage exceeds L 5,000. The insurances are—South British, L 1,200, the loss being LI.OOO, a pare being reinsured ; Victoria, L 700; Imperial, L6OO ; New Zealand, L 312, less L2OO ; North British, L2OO ; Norwich Union, L2OO, less LSO ; Standard, Ll5O ; Phoenix, LIOO. Dr Jessop tells a story in the Nineteenth Century which deserves a larger audience: —“ Somewhere in the neighborhood of Aylsham lived a certain Jerry Eke, whose appetite was said to bo superhuman, and whose prowess at harvest sappers was the boast and wonder and envy of the villagers around. It came to pass that at a farmers’ market dinner, the talk turned upon Mr Eke’a performances, when someone present protested that what had been narrated was impossible. * Impossible,’ said another, ‘ I’ll bet you L 5 that Jerry Kke will eat a calf at a sitting.’ The wager was taken, and the preliminaries were arranged. The calf—let us hope it was only a baby calf was killed ; the bones were cut out, the flesh was chopped into minute particles, and apportioned into seventeen enormous pasties, whose outer crust was a thin film of batter, made lovely and tempting to every sense, but carefully kept from any ingredients that could cloy the palate. Jerry was called in, he having agreed to the wager with evident delight, and was told he might fall to. He did so, and steadily gorged. He had made no difficulty of the first nine pasries, but when a tenth was brought in he seemed to flag. To the horror of his backers he sighed and looked perplexed. It was but for a moment; he only desired to expostulate. ‘ I say, mas’r, I aint got nuthin' to say 1 agin them poys; I loik 'em amazin,’ but 1 I’m a-thinkin’ et’s aoout time as I should I begin on that that calf !’ ” 1

Yesterday afternoon, after the installation of the Mayor of Christchurch, Mr t John Ollivier suggested that a public lun- 3 cheon should be given to the promoters t of the Industrial ExhibiMui. The sug- t gestion found great favor, and LBO was ( guaranteed on the spot. 1 The Now Zealand Shipping Company | are advised by cable that the lonic 1 reached Rio Janeiro on the 15th and sailed on the 17th. Her passage from Lyttelton was, th 1 fastest on record, viz, only twenty-one days. Her frozen meat - is reported to be in prime condition. The ex-Muyor of Christchurch has telegraphed to the Government the refusal of the unemployed to accept “so mean a pittance ” as 4s 6d a day, weather permitting, and their determination “ to ute every lawful and constitutional means to shame them into hnding reasonable work at reaaonab'e wages for the unemployed of Christchurch.” They propose to form a Working Men’s Association. Amongjthe many designs |' : or Christmas cards this year we have seen none so artistic as those to be found in the shop of Mr T. F. Farley. They are hand painted on ivory tablets, and' some of them are beautifully mounted in plush, and are excellent specimens of art workmanship. They have the further advantage of being fitted with cords, so that they will furnish very pretty wall ornaments for those who are lucky enough to receive them. 1 he toothless biped of the future is no mere idle dream of the speculator. Mr Spence Bares, F. R. S., has lately shown that the average tooth of the modern European shows under the microscope a distinct deterioration of structure and loss of substance as compared with the tooth of the Esquimaux, the Red Indian, and the Ashantees, as well as with those found in the ancient barrows of England. And not only is the quality degenerating, but there is a tendency likewise towards diminution of quantity. The cranium develops at the expense of the face and jaws, and as the space required for the teeth diminish© ■, their number likewise decreases, While the lower vertebrates have four ganders on each side of each jaw, the higher have three, whilst in man their number is reduced to two. Nor is if, expected that the diminution will stop here, if the average size of the human skull goes on increasing as it is now doing. Fortunately, the question dues not press. Some months ago (says the Sydney Morning Herald) the attention of the Hon J. P. Abbot, Minister for Mines, was drawn to an extract from a Melbourne journal which pointed out the groat value of the catalpa speciosa as a timber tree, and, judging from what was stated, that the tree would be a very useful addition to the limber treas of this colony. Mr Abbott called for reports upon the subject from the inspector of forests and the director of the Botanic '-ardens, with tuo result that a plantation of catalpa trees has bean formed on the railway reserve at Cootatnundra. The tree is indigenous to North America. It is of largo size, txceedingly durable, and so impervious to damp that logs have been known tc remain in water uninjured for very many years. In ica growth it attains a height of 50ffc and a diameter , of 3ft or 4ft before it throws out any branches, and generally it is said to equal, if not surpass, the jarrah of Wes--1 tern Australia. It is one of the most valuable trees of the American forests, 1 and grows in a damp rich deep loam in a low-lying sheltered situation. Near the Cootamundra railway station a block < f land has been closed with a fence, and within this enclosure 50 catalpa plants have been placed. The work of feuc ng, 1 trenching, and planting has been care--1 fully carried out, and the plants are ’ healthy, and show indications of making vigorous growth. Last year the director of the Botanic Gardens ordered from 1 America seeds of the catalpa speciosa and of the catalpa syringte folia,, and the plants from these seeds will probably be 1 ready for distribution for next year. ! We have been shown by Dr Monokton, who is at present staying in Ashburton, a , working model of an invalid bed recently , invented by him, and for which letters , patent have been taken out both in New , Zealand and England. The contrivance , is exceedingly simple, and has the great [ merit of being easily worked. On the lower part of the bed is a frame with an arrangement attached similar to a parallel | ruler. By means of a lever and crank , this frame can be raised sufficiently to allow of the mattrass being removed from under the patient without inconveniencing him in the least. Indeed, so simply is it worked that the invalid can raise himself with the greatest of ease, thus affording himself relief as the ventilation obtained pi events bed-sores. In cases of fractured limbs the invention is invaluable, and wherever Dr Monclcton’a bed has been submitted to experts the verdict h is been universally favorable. Another important feature is that the weights on the lever can bo so adjusted that the doctor is able to determine exactly whether his patient has lost or gained in flesh. The principle for raising a patient off the mattrass which has been in vogue for many years is by means of a winch underneath the bed, worked with cranks. This necessitated foundry castings which were both expensive and cumbrous, while the sick person was put to considerable pain, besides having no means afforded of raising himself. Dr Mtonckton’s invention is so incomparably superior and is hygienioally so important that we have great pleasure in calling attention to it. The coat of the bed is very trifling as compared with the benefit gained by its use ia the case of invalids, that there is little doubt that it will be generally adopted in hospitals both here and in England. The manufacturers are the Woodware Factories Company at Dunedin, where they can be obtained. The New York Herald writes as follows on the deficiencies of the United States navy:—On the exaternand western shores of the Pacific Ocean in South America and Asia there appears to be a call for a display of naval force by our country as a reasonable safeguard for American residents in China and at the same time in Peru. The imminence of war between France and China, the riots which have already occurred in Canton, the announced antipathy towards the residents of every foreign nationality which is charateristio of the lower order of the Chinese to display whenever their country is embroiled with any foreign power, the very important American interests at stake in half a-dozen great Chinese ports, the prejudices against our people which the persecution of Chinese in California and the anti-Ohiueso legislation at Washington have intensified, not to speak of other considerations, require a powerful naval representation of our country on any great field of military and commercial commotion- These all demand the immediate reinforcement or our Asiatic squadron. There are three Chinese ironclads, any of which, in speed, armament, and impenetrability by American guns, is more than a match for Admiral Hughes’ whole wooden squadron, which is armed with antiquated smoothbores. The motive we have for naval domination in the North Pacific is to protect our coast-line, our great seaports, and vast interests. Is it respectable that, contrasting the United States with this gallant and enterprising little South American State, we should find ourselves inferior to her in naval power ? Is it prud nt I la it decent ? This very day it is ] clear that the Chilian nation, with a population just about that of the state of Missouri, if she had interests in China to protect, has a stronger disposable naval force I for their protection than have theJUnited 1 Stales. 11

Soma evilly-di'posed larrikins were up to th sir games last night at the County Saleyards. It appears that they had tied back the paddock gates so that the sheep (to the number of 400) which were enclosed could stray out on the roads. Fortunately the game did not succeed as it was found out in time. vVe believe that the parties are known. Wells’ “Rough on Corns.”—Ask for Wells’ “ Rough on Corns.” Q uick re ‘ lief, complete, permanent cure. Corns, warts, ..bunions. .Moses, Moss and Co., Sydney, eneral Agents.

Holloway s Ointment and Pills combinboth sanitive and sanative powers in a high degree—by the former term is understood their ability to preserve health, by the latter their capability to restore health. With these remedies at h«nd no invalid need be at fault to guide himself or heiself safely through the many trials to which everyone is subjected during our long and ofttimes inclement winters. Coughs, colds, ulcerated throats, diptheria, whooping cough, can be successfully treated by well rubbing this Ointment upon the chest, and by taking the Pills. During weatherasthmaticalsufterers will experience the utmost possible relief from the inunction of the ointment on all tenderchested persons will save endless misery by adopting this treatment.—[Advt.]