LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1377, 22 October 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There seems to be reason to fear that for some reason or other we are in danger of losing some of our best imported forest trees. The pinus insignis, in this district at anyrate, is dying off in a great many instances from the effects of a species of blight, and now we read that in Wellington the cupreseus macrocarpa is dying off from some unexplained cause.

A lino grizzly bear arrived lately in Sydney from London by the steamship Delcomyn. It is intended as an addition to the attractions of the Zoological Society’s Gardens in Moore Park. Three other animals were dispatched by the same steamer for the gardens, viz., a wolf, a jaguar, and a monkey, but they all died on the voyage.

A German newspaper gives some statistics as to the railway enterprise of the world. At the end of 1884 the aggregate mileage was 200,750, of which there were in Europe 117,604 miles, in Asia 12,757, in Africa 4075, in America 148,738, and in Australia 7480 miles. Of the total mileage, not less than GO per cent, is in English speaking countries.

An idea may be gained of the effect of the depreciation of silver in India when we say that a fall of a penny in the value of the rupee is equal to a loss of one million sterling to the Indian Government. Now, the rupee was quoted at a reduction, or falling off, of two pence during one week on the StockExchange, thus causing a direct loss of two millions to the Indian Government.

The greatest appetizer, stomach, blood and liver regulator on earth—American Oo.’s Hop Bitters. Look for and read

1 Our readers are reminded that the Wesleyan bazaar will be opened in the Town Hall tomorrow. Intending exhibitors are reminded that entries for the A. and P. Show close at B;p.m this evening with the .Secretary, Mr H. H. Secretan. It is notified in the Gazette that the Governor has accepted the resignation o* George Edward Northey as a trustee for the Ashburton drillshed and rifle range, and appointed in his place, under clause 33 of the “ Special Powers and Contracts Act, 1885,” John Gifford Eestell, Captain of the Ashburton Guards Rifle Volunteers. One person in every thirty-five in England and Wales is a pauper. The forthcoming wheat crop in America is estimated at 00 million bushels over last year’s. Nearly fifty tons of snails, which are called the “ poor man’s oyster,” are daily consumed in Paris.

An exchange says:—“ In an inland town in New South Wales, the Salvation Army issued the customary notice to the Devil to clear out within 24 hours, and next morning the Mayor took the first train for Sydney.” In some places in New Zealand (writes the Marlborough Press) there is no daily murder for the benefit of the troubled journalist. In one paper an editor is reduced to telling how the pup stole the sausages while Mrs Brown was spanking the baby.

A search at the Probate Office has shown that the thirty-nine bishops who have died since 1854 have left personal property to the amount of two millions, or an average of £54,000 each. The largest amount was £140,000, and the smallest £12,000. According to a report just forwarded to the French Government by a representative of it in London, the prospects of the coming harvest ” are gloomy in the extreme, there not being a single crop that is expected to be for the entire country an average.” Messrs J. F. Stratz and Co., jewellers, of Christchurch, have an advertisement in this issue. They announce that they have just received a consignment of English lever clocks, which are a novelty, being the first of the kind that have been brought into the colony.

The Kiakoura Star of the 12th reports that on the previousjday Mr Paget caught a fine fish, unknown to him, but which he assumed to be a salmon. It was taken to the Pier Hotel, and there examined by Mr H. Ingles and Mr Meclean who at once pronounced it to bo a Californian salmon. It is a beautiful fish, about twelve pounds. It is not unlikely that this may be the issue of some Ca’itornian salmon liberated in the Clarence River some years since by Mr Walter Gibson.

Something-more than a “ripple of laughter,” says the Napier Trlrgraph, passed over those assembled on the Hastings show ground yesterday, when it was discovered that a third prize in class 07 —“ ewe thirty months and upwards with lamb at foot ” —had been awarded to a ram. By some accident this ram, which was not intended for the show, had been put in one of the pens set apart for class 97, and had boon judged along with the other exhibits, and with unblushing effrontery walked off with a prize without disclosing his

In unloading a vessel at Chicago a barrel of kerosene dropped and burst, and the oil spread (over the surface of the water clear across the river. After the vessel left the dock a stevedore threw a lighted match into the stream jto “ see if the stuff would burn.” There |was a flash, and a sheet of flame and smoke rolled across the stream and toward Clark and State street bridges. The excursion boat Albert J. Wright was in the midst of the fire, and everybody in the vicinity set up the cry that the river was on fire. The oil burned out without doing any damage beyond singeing the piling of the docks on each side of the river.

The public have often had brought under their notice the ignorance displayed by common juries in civil and criminal cases, but we (Wellington Post) doubt whether the following incident relating to the recent bank embezzling case can be excelled. It is stated as a fact that wben the jury, in the case referred to, had retired to consider their verdict, one of their number asked to have a look at the “bills,” meaning the promissory notes given in evidence. On their being shown to him exclaimed, “ That man’s not guilty. Why they don’t even show in the bills the amounts embezzled, this is pretty carelessness on the Bank’s part. I for one won’t find him guilty—whenever I have a bill from any tradesman, every item is set out showing what I buy ; there is nothing here to show he’s guilty,” and “ so they all said.” The danger of bathingjamong the rooks round the Peninsula?,iajwell known to most people who have resided there (says the Kdihoura S tar) for any length of time. Strangers are, however, not aware of the risk they run in disporting ([themselves in the placid and inviting reaches fringing our shores. 1 A few days ago Mr Hills, of Messrs Pearce and Tyrell’.s employes, had just gone into the water, in South Bay, when he saw an octopus moving slowly but stealthily towards him. Mr Hill at once vacated his bath, and called his companions’ attention to the '.matter, and they got a lot of long rods which they induced tire octopus to seize hold of. After some difficulty they succeeded in landing the fish and found it to be a very large one, the arms measuring over seven feet in length, Mr Hill will long remember his interview with the octopus. For close confinement, want of air, sedentary habits, and brain and nerve tire, trust in Hop Bitters (American Go’s.,'! Read