LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1429, 11 December 1886, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A rehearsal ofjthe “ Recruiting Office,” the piece tj be performed at the Borough School entertainment, will be’heli in the Oddfellows’ Hall this evening at 8 o’clock, Mr D. McFarlane, grocer, of East and Burnett streets, wishes the public to read bis new price list in this paper, also look at the windows of his shops for Christmas goods.

The Hon J Ballanoe will leave Christchurch for the South on Monday, and will arrive in Ashburton by that morning’s express. While here be will be the guest of Major Steward, M.H.R.

The Ashburton Borough Council meets on Monday nest. At the E.M. Court this morning, before Mr T. Bullock, J.P., a first offender for drunkenness was fined 5s and costs, with the usual alternative.

The North Otago Times has the following : —“ A farmer has left at our office a plant of the Canadian thistle, which is one of the latest pests introduced to our country. It is a fibrous-rooted plant, each plant sending up many flower stems. Probably it is a hybrid between the field burr thistle and the .soft sow thistle, and if so, it resembles both the parent plants in many respects. It is a nuisance, and should be eradicated as soon as it makes its appearance.” It, as we imagine, the plant here referred to as the “ Canadian ” thistle is the same thing as that known in Tasmania as the '■ California j,” there can be no question as to the danger which threatens cur farmers, and every effort should be put forth to ensure its extripation before i spreads, as it otherwise soon will do, far and wide.

The usual monthly meeting of the Winslow District School Committee was held in the Schoolroom on Wednesday, Deo. Bth. Present —Messrs F. M.jFoster (chairman), J. Dayman, A. Wilson, and O. Drennan. ' The Master reported that the average attendance was 30 1; number on roll 36; also, that the caretaker’s duties lor the past month had been satisfactorily discharged ; and in view of the school not been examined before Christmas it would be inadvisable to close the school, excepting for a day or two, until after the examination. The Master’s report was considered satifaoiory. In was resolved, on the motion of Mr Dayman, seconded by Mr Wilson, that the 27th inst. and the 3rd pro*, be holidays, this arrangement to be subject to any alteration the Chairman may deem fit to make, after conferring with Mr Culver* house. Moved by Mr Dayman, seconded by Mr Wilson, and carried, “ That the Secretary endeavour to collect all outstanding accounts owing for hire of room at once.” After passing accounts for payment to the amount of £l2 6s 4d, the meeting adjourned. The Daily News in the course of an article on the condition of the agricultural population of Scotland, says:—“ On many Lowland farms the ploughman only obtains possession of one of the cottar houses on condition that he provides a certain amount of female labor to be available in the harvest field, or at other times when outdorr work becomes urgent. The ploughman who has not grown-up daughters gets this requirement by lodging in his house one or two young women, and the testimony is universal that in many cases the moral results are most disastrous. A similar arrangement is in operation in dairyfarming districts, where every ootman is bound to supply one or more good milkers. This evil, the existence of which many of the farmers sorrowfully admit, has been repeatedly condemned; but under existing conditions of the agricultural labor market, the system is excused as a necessity, and it seems to be extending.” Possibly this is the explanation of certain very remarkable result 9 shown in the late published vital statistics of Scotland. Statutory Declaration.—l, Franz Raabe Ironbark, Sandhurst, in the colony of Victoria, Australia, do solemnly and sincerely declare that on the 25th June, 1877, my son Alfred, six years of ago, was accidentally hurt with an axe on the knee. I at once took all pains to secure medical assistance. Dowever, in spite of all efforts, on the 27th August, 1877, the opinion was given by Dr Macgillivray than an amputation of the injured limb had become imperative, in order to save life. At this junction I called on Messrs Sander and Sons, procuring some of their Extract of the Eucalyptus Globulus, and by the application of the same I had the satisfaction of seeing my son within a fortnight out of all danger, to-day he is recovered. I may just add that it was when the crisis had been reached that the Extract referred to was first applied. And I make this solemn declaration, etc., —Franzßaabe. Doo’a. edat Sandhurst, in the colony of Victoria, Australia, this seven teenth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven before me, Moritx Cohn, J.P.—Advt.