LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1368, 12 October 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There was no business in the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning. The Standard Comedy Company appeared at the Oddfellows’ Hall last evening. The attendance was small. The comedy, “ Little Sentinel,” was presented, but was not altogether a success. Several songs and step dances followed, which were very well received, and the entertainment was concluded with the farce “Mistakes,” which was, perhaps, the best feature of the evening. The third anniversary of Brighter Prospects Lodge, 1.0.G.T., No. 286, was celebrated by a tea (and concert in Mr Spencer’s house, Mayfield, on Thursday night last. There was a fair attendance. The tables were tastefully laid out, and presided over by Mesdames Doyle, Burgess, and McLaughlan, assisted by Misses (J. Kellahan, (a), and McLaughlan (3). After ample justice had been done to the good things provided, the tables were cleared and the concert was pro* oeeded with, Bro Soott, of Ashburton, presiding. The concert was opened by singing the usual opening ode, “ Come friends and brethren all unite,” after which songs, readings, &0., were given jby (MissesjDoyle (2), Corbett, and McLaughlan (4), Bros Dellow, Bray, J. Burgess, Trethewey, and Master Doyle. The terminated by votes of thanks to. the ladies who bad presided over the tables and the Chairman. All dispersed to their several homes thoroughly pleased with their night’s amusement.

Wa understand that Messrs Friedlander Bros, have accepted the tender of Mr J. Brown for a grain store at the rear of their present premises in West street. The building be three stories high, and will be fitted with machinery for grain cleaning and grinding, also for cleaning seed. The electriO'light apparatusjfor tho defence of Lyttelton harbor has just been received and put together. It is less powerful than the Wellington and Auckland lights, as the area it is required to;oover ( is considerably less, but situated as it is to be on Bipa Island, it will make very small objects distinct at a distance of 3000 yards. The reflector is a beautifully arranged piece of mechanism, which can be .worked by one man so as to search for or follow any object. The dynamo is a Brush patent, and the motive power is supplied by a powerful Tangyo engine. The first time the Hinemoa leaves Wellington for the South she will take the whole apparatus to Lyttelton. Exclusive of personal property, the assets of New Zealand in the shape of real estate held by the Crown and private individuals, railways, telegraphs, and live stock, are estimated at about £300,000,000. Sir William Clarke has given no less than £9OO for three panels of tapestry made at the Boyal Tapestry Works, Old Windsor, for the decoration of his residence near Melbourne. They are magnificent specimens of art needlework.

An Arkansas farmer reports that last year, when coons made havoc in his cornfields, he went to the drug store to buy strychnine with which to kill thorn. By mistake the druggist gave him morphine, and next morning he found bis field full of sleeping coons. He advises the use of morphine instead of strychnine. This may be a hint to rabbit catchers.

Yesterday’s Oamaru Mail says :—Shortly before the sitting of the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Mr Tail, having occasion to go into the court-room found, in possession of the magisterial chair, a tall imposing individual who, he concluded, must be none other than Judge Broad, the newly appointed District Judge. But his Worship, the Resident Magistrate, after taking a peep, held a different opininn, feeling assured that a person having such imposing presence could be none other than the Minister of Justice himself. The problem was, however, soon solved, when the writing at which the person had been so busily engaged had been inspected. It was found that a full and free pardon had been extended to Thomas Hall and Margaret Graham Houston for attempted murder, and that be, William Marchant had endorsed the same on all the books at his command lying on the bench of the court at Oamaru. The man, a recent arrival at the port proved to be a lunatic and was brought up and remanded forjmedical examination. The “ Gazette ” notifies the appointment of Mr Lowther Broad as District Judge for the dis'ricts of Timaru, Oamaru, Ashburton, Otago Goldfields, and Western Otago.

Our native army in India numbers only 130,000 men out of a population of 200.000. ; while the combined forces of the native princes amount to some 315,000, including police, out of a population of some 60.000.

An American savant, having discovered that apes exhibit a taste for music, has taught one in 48 lessons to execute the scales in major and minor keys with wonderful dexterity. The beast being quadrumane, is able to play four-handed pieces. This culling from a Parisian paper sounds tall, but it is not stated whether the savant is Barnum.