Untitled

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1266, 18 June 1886, Page 2

This evening—lngleside meeting, Oddfellows’ Hall, at 7.30; Sixpenny entertainment, St Stephen’s Schoolroom, at 8. Three distinct and sharp shocks of earthquake Jwere felt at Springfield at 3,55 a.in. on Wednesday.

At the llesident Magistrate’s Court this morning Mr Baddeley said that two members of the legal profession, Mr White and Mr Wilding, had made a request to him that he should discontinue the Tuesday sittings of the Court, and transact all business on Fridays. He had given the matter consideration, and had decided to make no"alteration; but continue to hold the two sittings of the Court each week as at present. Five thousand of the young salmon ova 1 received from England in the lonic placed in a large race at the Acclimatisation Gardens, Christchurch. They are doing well, being strong and healthy. The annual meeting of the Mount Somers Presbyterian Church Committee was held on Wednesday. Owing, doubtless, to the unfavorable weather there was only a small attendance. The Jltev. D. McNeill presided. Mr J. Hood, the treasurer, read the annual report and statement of accounts, which were considered satisfactory and adopted. A cordial rote of thanks was accorded to Mr J. Price for his valoabla assistance in the musical services of the church. The following committee for the ensuing year was elected : —Messrs J. Hood, A. Buechler, J. Harvey, W. McLynsont, J. Brown, G. Lambie, and J. Carleton. The new committee then held its first meeting. Mr Buechler was elected chairman pro tan, and Mr J. Hood treasurer. It was resolved that] the next meeting of the committee ilould take place oo Wedßflldsy* Jfll

The management of the “ Weekly Press” i® to be congratulated on the very excellent paper issued this morning. In addition to an eight page supplement, containing a most interesting and connected narrative of the great disaster that has taken place in the North Island, the “ Weekly Press “ publishes four very superior specimens of lithography, illustrating the White Terraces, the Pink Terraces, Mcßae's Hotel, and a general view of hake Botomahana. As a memento of the terrific volcanic outbreak this week’s issue of our contemporary is well worth preserving. Mr E. J. Paul, the local agent, '.informs us that notwithstanding the fact that he received a large number of extra copies he sold quite out in an hour, and had to telegraph for more to supply a large number of orders for the { mail, which closes to-morrow.

The North Canterbury Board of Education yesterday declined to allow the students of the Normal School to have a dance in the drill ball of that institution at the close of the term. The use of the hall was granted for an entertainment, but the Board thought they would set an example to School Committees by not permitting dancing in the only school over which they had direct control. The consideration of the report of the special committee on defects in the working of the education system was postponed till next meeting.

Mails lor the Australian Colonies, India, and China close at Wellington, per Wakatipn, on Saturday, at 5 p.m. Mrs Woodley, late of the Ashburton Hotel and now of the Bank Hotel, Wellington, has brought an action for slander against Mr George Leslie, claiming £SOO damages for slanderous statements made regarding her character.

A meeting of the Hakatere Town Board was held last evening, Present —Messrs F. T. Mayo (Chairman), G. W. Andrews, and B. Carter. The business transacted was of a routine nature.

It is reported that a contract for the first thirty miles of the Midland Railway has been virtually let.

The “Gazette” notifies the appointment of Mr Wm. A. P. Sutton as Inspector of Sheep at Ashburton.

Our cablegrams this evening announce a substantial rise in the value ol wool.

Inspectors’ reports upon the Alford Forest, Springburn, Mount Somers, and Methven schools wore submitted to the North Canterbury Board of Education at its meeting yesterday. The special correspondent of the “ Press ” sends the following with regard to the Eruptions :—I have made a careful estimate ol the stuff ejected during the eruption. It amount* in round numbers to 5,000,000,000 cubic yards, weighing 0,000,000,000 tons, which is after all not cjuite one cubic mile. It seems a small cavity, but it wduld take more than the amount of the of England to excavate it. It would take one good workman one million years to shovel the stuff from the ground into carts, yet all was done in four hours. The stuff, when washed, show* glittering particles of mica and little pieces of transparent white crystals. Sanguine people imagine they have found gold and diamonds, and are anxiously awaiting analysis. The Auckland correspondent of the “ Otago Daily Times "writes : —Baoing gambling is eating into the very heart of the community and affecting every class. There is scarcely a meeting at which soma reputation is not blasted and some clerk in difficulty with his accounts, or some employe who does not do "the Pacific slope.” Every twopenny-half-penny township around Auckland is getting up its race meeting, the Alpha.and Omega of which is simply the totalisator. There is reason to believe that one leading member of the Legislative Council, from the Auckland district, is so deeply impressed with the nuisance and evil of " totalisator race meetings ” that ho intends to bring in a measure for their regulation, if not total suppression.

The London correspondent of the Evening Star writing on April 22, says:—“lt is a delicate matter to refer to, but it would be futile to conceal that there has been alarmist talk in the city over the heavy fall in the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company’s shares. Through the directors would probably pooh-pooh the motion, I can quite believe what I am told—viz., that an article appearing in the “Financial News’’ about two months ago, which pointed out that the management of.the leading tinancial institutions in New Zealand was in the hands of the same halfdozen men, first created uneasiness. I should not be surprised if this uneasiness increased, as 1 hear that a gentleman from Melbourne now over here has in preparation a pamphlet attacking the financial operation ß of the Bank of New Zealand, and averring that an altogether rotten system of ‘ mutual bolstering’ prevails between the Bank of New Zealand, New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company and the New Zealand Insurance Company. The following good story has reached us (“Taranaki News’’) and our informant vouches for its accuracy—“A few days ago a local butcher was attempting to make ou t his half-yearly balance-sheet, but, after numerous attempts he had to give up in disgust. He went to the shop door and hailed a passer-by, who was a stranger to him, and asked the stranger 'if he was any good at figures ,’ The stranger hesitated for a moment, and replied—‘Yes I think I can do something at figures. Why?’ Butcher —‘Because I’m puzzled over my balancesheet; I can’t get it right. Do you mind helping me?’ Stranger—' Oh yes I’ll try what I can do.’ They antered the shop, and after about an hour’s hard work, the balancesheet was brought out right. The grateful shopman asked the stranger how much be was in his debt, and received the reply—‘Nothing whatever. I ,have sometimes been in difficulties with figures myself. Good day.’ And with that the stranger departed. The shopman, pointing to the retreating figure of his benefactor, asked an aquaintance who the stranger was, and was dumbfounded at the reply, ‘Why, that’s Major Atkinson 1 ?’ " Referring to the birth of the Queen’s thirtyfourth grandchild, the progeny of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught,“Modern Society’ says:—By a happy chance the new baby of the Irish peoplo’siown Prince was born on St, Patrick’s Day. Paddy is delighted, of course, and not a few simple souls in Erin’s Isle credit the Duchess of Connaught with having wrestled in prayer with Holy Virgin that it might be so. The Irish are as quick at appropriating |a compliment as they are at scenting an insult. Small attentions please them mightily. When the Queen was in Dublin in the autumn of 18IG, the Royal children were objects of universal notice and admiration, and one stout old lady screamed out to her Majesty, “Oh Queen, dear ’ make one of them Prince Patrick, and all Ireland will die for ye !” Nine months afterwards Her Majesty was delivered of her seventh child, and, remembering the old Irishwoman’s words she included Patrick baptismal names and later on made him Duke of Connaught. If he has neglected the country to which ho was dedicated by his mother, his wife -has surely purged him of his offence in the eyes of Erin’ sons and daughters by giving birth to a child oa “ St. Patrick's Day ia the awraiag ”