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Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1325, 26 August 1886, Page 2

Mails for the Australian colonies, United Kingdom, and Continent of Europe, via Hobart, close at the Bluff, per Manapouri, at noon to-morrow. This mail is due in London on October 12. Mr S. Saunders having resigned the agency of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, the directors intend to close the local branch, and make all Ashburton premiums payable in Christchurch. Arrangements will be made which will entail no inconvenience upon shareholders in this district.

A seven-roomed house belonging to Mr J. Nicholson, and situate in Hampsted, on a road off the Wakanui road, was burned down about midnight last night. An alarm was given by both bells, and the Ashburton and Western Fire Brigades turned out, but by the time they arrived on the scene there was nothing to be done beyond quenching the burning embers. We understand the house has been 'unoccupied for about four] weeks, the last tenant being Mr Eevell. It was insured in the Liverpool, London and Globe office for £IBO. Messrs Duncan and Orawshaw, who have recently commenced business as auctioneers, will hold their opening sale at the Boyal Saleyards on Saturday next. Both the partners in the new firm are well known and highly respected in this district, and anything we might say in their commendation would be quite superfluous. The opening sale, as will bo gathered from an advertisement in this issue, will be a large one, and we hope to see a corresponding attendance of buyers to welcome Mr J. C. Duncan upon his debut with the hammer.

A singular death occurred at Tapanui yesterday, where a boy, while going through a paddock, fell down dead. A,'medical examination showed that bis neak was dislocated and fractured. The boy whose name was Thomas Ilaugh, was with a companion at the time, and they were being threatened

by the owner of the land at the time of the occurrence. At the Resident Magistrates’ Court this morning, before Mr R. Alcorn, J.P., Robert Smyths, for leaving a horse and cart unattended in a public place, was convicted and ordered to pay costs. A first offender for drunkenness was fined 5s and costs, with the usual alternative. The weather turned intensely cold at an early hour this morning, and at 3 o’clock this afternoon snow commenced to fat heavily. At a meeting of the Council of the Christchurch Acclimatisation Society held yesterday a letter was read from Mr Spackman, stating that the trout in Lake Heron were very largo and numerous. A man had speared over a hundred fish in a few hours. The letter a l so suggested that the right of netting

the lake might be granted to Mr Merewethei on payment of a oartain sum, and that h should be appointed as a ranger. It was resolved to recommend Mr Merewether for appointment as a ranger, but consideration of the remainder of the letter was deterredThe annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Club was held last night. The balance-sheet, which was adopted, shows that £3303 were paid away in stakes, being an increase of £6OO on last year. There is a debit balance of £l2 3s 81, but as against this it may be stated that the Club reduoed tne entry fees by £IOO and also increased the stakes as mentioned above. The New Zealand rules of racing were adopted, the Province being divided between the W.R.C. and Wanganui J.C., the former having control os far north as the Manawatu river, and the latter the remainder. The Spring Meeting’s dates were fixed for September 27 and 30. A special meeting |of the Auckland Federated Ironworkers was hold on Tuesday evening. It was resolved—“ That any mechanic

required to work oa the new ferry boats

exact the highest wages, proprietors having imparted plant they onght to have been employed to make." It was also resolved—- “ That every effort be made to oust all members representing us in Parliament at the nest general elections for all the electoral districts of Auckland, except Mr Moss, they not having supported him in bis motion in the House to impose a tax on imported machinery.” The Wellington correspondent of the Prt\vt telegraphs :—The Evening Emu gives currency to a rumour that an interesting breach of promise case will soon be on the boards.

The plaintiff is an old gentleman residing in another part of the country, and the defendant is a brisk widow carrying on business in

Wellington. The revelations in Court, it is

said, will show the romantic disposition of the plaintiff, whose affections have been sacrificed. It is a’so reported that the plaintiff not only sought to become the lady’s protector till death did them part, but entered into an agreement to assist her in carrying I on her business, and he therefore proposes I seeking damages against the widow for failing to keep even this portion of her engagement. "Extraordinary waterspouts have visited Austria and Hungary, but the crops suffered only very slightly. In Vienna and the sijrrouuding'district, however, the storm caused great injury to the fields, houses, and parks. Many bridges were carried away, and roads and railway embankments destroyed. In the public parks, and on the Ringstrasso hundreds of trees were blown dowa.or severelylshaken iby the atom.