LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1328, 30 August 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It would seem that {some individuals last Friday carried snowballing to excess, as we hear that one gentleman contemplates laying a batch of informations against certain persons (for the manner (in which (he was treated by them.

A very painful accident happened on Saturday to a five year old son of Mr Tbos. Woolley. Mr Wco’.ley, who is a farmer at the Hinds, was ohaffcutting, whoa his son, who was standing near him, got caught in the cogs of the machinery. Three of the fingers of bis left hand were taken {off, and. the fourth so severely mangled that its amputation was necessitated. Dr Boss was sent for, and attended to the sufferer's hurts.

A young man who was proud of his atheism was once ridiculing the story of David and Goliath, asserting that it was impossible for a small boy to throw a stone with force enough to break the skull of a giant. He appealed to a Quaker in confirmation of his theory. “ Well,” said the man of broad-brim prejudices, “it all depends. IE the giant’s head was as soft as thine appears to be, it could be dona easily.” The Premier received by the San Francisco mail the following letter from the Hon W. E.

Gladstone, in reply to his covering the reso-

lution of the 50 members of the General Assembly cabled to the right hon gentleman immediately after the defeat of bis Home Rule Bill:—“ 10 Downing street, Whitehall* London, June 18, 1886. Sir, —I am desired by Mr Gladstone to express his* best thanks for the gratifying message which he bad the honor to receive .by telegraph from 50 members of the General Assembly of New Zealand. —I am, Ac., G. W. Spencer Lyttelton.

On Friday the captain of the steamer Akaron, when passing the headland between Port Levy and Pigeon Bay, discovered a big slip on the northern face of the mountaing i extending from summit to base, a height of 1000 feet. A strange rumbling noise, beard in Lyttelton on Friday morning, is supposed to have been caused by this slip. The Temnka correspondent of a Dunedin paper says—At the Linseed Company’s works the erection of the new twine-making machinery is being rapidly proceeded with, and work will be re-commenced in about a fortnight. The Company will then be in a position to manufacture a very good article in binding twines. There have recently been made at the works a number of clothes-lines, such as are in general household use. These can be manufactured of a better quality and at a lower price than the imported article.

Australian coal is being sold in Oregon (United States) at ICs 6d per ton. Is is conveyed as ballast, or at a merely nominal charge.

A meeting of the Chertsey Farmers’ League will be held on Wednesday next, in order to receive delegates from the Christchurch Cooperative Association. The Hinemoa left Wellington yesterday for Tauranga and other East Coast ports, taking provisions, &0., to the Natives who are suffering from the late eruption in the Hot Lake district. After her return she will proceed with prospectors to Big Bay.

The Southland Hussars are fortunate in possessing a commanding officer who Is evidently thoroughly in earnest, as we learn from the European Mail of 9th July last, that Major Burnett of that corps, who is in England, is carrying out his expressed intention of acquiring all the military knowledge he possibly can for the benefit of his corps. For the purpose of studying military taotiod he has applied to be attached to some regiment at Aldershot.

Spring this year is very backward. The cold weather during the last few weeks has kept the grass very short, and weeping willows which, at this season, generally present a fresh green appearance are but showing the merest sign of bursting into leaf The snow storm of Thursday last has occasioned a few losses among stock. A few fine days, how ever, would have the effect of inducing a rapid growth on the part ol dormant vegetation,

Mr S. Saunders, who, for the last two years has occupied the position of editor of this journal, left Ashburton on Saturday evening tor Christchurch he having received the ap-

pointment of sporting editor of the Canterbury Timex. During his residence here Mr Sannders has made a very large circle of friends by whom he will be greatly missed. The Premier, Sir R. Stout, passed through

Ashburton by the express on Saturday evening en route to Wellington. An English paper, The Democrat, thus re-

fers to one of the members displaced at the

re coat general election, a gentleman who, if we

mistake not is a brother of Mr Alfred Sanders so well known in this district:—“ln the shock of battle many good men and true have fallen. Among others, Democrats have to deplorethe loss of Mr Saunders, the Treasurer of the English Land Restoration League, who, as Member for East Hull, did such yeoman service in the lata Parliament for the good cause. Mr Saunders, notwithstanding the novelty of the ideas—novel and alarming to a degree in St. Stephen’s—of which he was the exponent, was rapidly becoming a Parlia-

mentary authority by reason of the solidity of his business judgment, and the known integrity of his character. Parliament, with all its faults, is ever ready to acknowledge genuine parsonal merit. Mr Saunders’ absence from the House will be sinoerley regretted by many who have no special 'sympathy with his enlightened views on the Land Question.’’ The last'of the series of winter entertainments will be held in St Stephen’s Schoolroom {fr-morrow evening.

dominations for three Borough Councillors, in place of Councillors Thomas, Sealy and Caygill, who retire by rotation, but who are eligible for re-election, close to-morrow at noon. An election if necessary will be held on September 9. Another “ pig and dog story ” has reached ns—this time from Methven. A well-known farmer in that locality is the owner of some greyhound paps, the mother of which, a short time ago,]’oame untimely end. The pups associated themselves with a litter of pigs and the sow bestowed on them as much care as on her own offspring. We are told that the young greyhounds have thriven exceedingly well and are quite as strong and healthy as if brought up by their own maternal relative.

The Bruce Herald some time ago suggested that the local Farmers’ Club should apply to the Victorian Minister for Agriculture for a sample of a new Mexican wheat, which among other special features is noted for its early ripening qualities. The supply is now exhausted so that if application has not been made it will be too late this season. The Minister will, however, do his best to {attend to applications which may be forwarded early next year, when they will be supplied from the new harvest. A startling incident is reported from America. A young man’s funeral took place in Toledo, Ohio. He had belonged to Detroit and thither the coffin containing his body was taken. An uncle visited the vault in which the body was temporarily placed to arrange for its final burial, and was astounded to find the young man sitting up in bis coffin, the glass covering the faoe being broken. The “ corps ” was weak and pale ; his hands were lacerated and bleeding, but he was alive. He was taken to Toledo. His wife was terribly frightened, but was delighted to see him after mourning for him as dead. A gentleman in Napier has received a letter from a brother at the Barberton goldfields, Transvaal, in which he gives rosy views of the future, but, like a sensible man, he adds the

field is no good for a poor man. He says the company in which be is interested has got a reef of 80 feet broad, and the mining consists in putting in a shot, and down comes immense masses of mountain, the quartz running eight ounces to the ton. They recently crushed 316 tons for 2550 ounces of gold, and they hope soon to have 60 head of stampers at work, when they intend to put the Garden Gully and Long Tunnel—the gentleman is an old Victorian miner—in the shade. They have a tough job ahead, seeing the last-named mine has already divided one million sterling in dividends among shareholders. The enterprise has not been without its romance. Ha was willing to sell his shares at £1 apiece at one time, but could find no buyer. Since then he refused £9 apiece for all he had, and at the date of writing the shares were freely saleable at £3O each, but the writer says they will be at £IOOO before the end of next year.