LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1447, 4 January 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It will be noted by an announcement m our advertising columns that Mr Alexander Oraighead, so loDg and favorably known as a skilful builder of gentlemen's apparel, is retiring from business, and has transferred his establishment to his brother, Mr Hugh Oraighead, who comes to New Zealand with thirtnen years' practical experience at Home, and who will doubtless deserve and achieve success.

At the B.M. Court this morning, before Mr P. Williamson, J.P., James Furn, for drunkenness, was fined 10s and costs, with the alternative of 48 hours' imprisonment.

We (Evening Belt) have been credibly informed by a gentleman who has travelled over the North of this colony, that he has, m the inland distriots, eaten Oiroular Head potatoes, borne all the way by steamer from Tasmania, sent up to Whangarei by Bteamer and then parted inland by bullock dray ; that colonial babies, the offspring of farmers, are being brought up on Swiss milk ; tbaj tinned salmon are consumed on the banks of the estuaries and rivers m the North that are literally alive with fish.

Liddy, the enterprising agent for Messrs Williamson, Garner, and Muagrove's Oomedy Company, writes to say that the Company wii* make their appearance m the Oddfellows' Hall, Ashburton, about the end of this month, when the comedy of " The Magistrate " will be put upon the boards. The Company has been showing to orowded houses m the South and elsewhere, and the pieoe ohosen for production here is one of the most successful comedies of the day.

The usual monthly meeting of the South Rakaia School Committee was held on Monday evening. Present— Messrs Hardy (ohairman), Cox, Broadbent, iVlakeig, and Oxley. The Master reported a very marked increase m the attendanoa during the past twelve months. The strict and working averages for the past quarter were, m each oaae, 165*6. The average for the past month was 172-4 ; for pa*t week, 1762. The highest attendance was 193, and the number on roll 199. The Master pointed out that another teacher was muoh needed to do justice to the ohildren. The examination had taken plaoe daring the previous week. The Master expressed his thanks to the Committee for the uniform courtesy extended to himself and his assistants. The aotion of the Ohairman m granting holidays from December 24 to Monday, January.24, was approved. Tha Chairman was requested to write to the Board of Bduoation and ask for a new bell; also, urging that an assistant. taacher be provided. It was reported there was a balance m hand of £13 12s sd. The amount expended during the year m salaries was £418 7s 4d, and m incidentals £64* 14s sd. It was resolved to give the ohildren a treat on opening day, and it was 'decided that no adults should be allowed m the ichool until the ohildren had been attended to, with, of ooufse, the oxception of the attendants appointed by the Com- • mittee. Lei .: . •'. -un the Board of Eduoation on routine subjeolu were read and dealt with. Accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting adjourned. Shareholders m the Union Insurance Co. will notice by an advertisement m this issue that a dividend of 10 per|cent. is now payable at Meßsrs Matson and Co.'s office, a ciroum. stance that, m these times of depression, is very satisfactory. The usual monthly meeting of the. Upper Ashburton Road Board took place yesterday. Present : Messrs Harper, Sarjeant, and Foster. Apologies were received for the absence of Messrs McLean and Stitt. Correspondence was read (1) From Mr C W. Purnell re road at Dromore. (2) From Chairman Coldstreum Road Board, enclosing aoount, for payment. The Board resolved (1) To request Mr Purnell to complete transfer of road at once. (2) To request the Coldstream Road Board m future to give this Board proper notioe of its intention to do boundary work. The account was passed for payment on the certificate of the surveyor. The Clerk's report was read and adopted. Tenders were ordered to be called for the work of ereoting fence on Reserve 1122, Alford Forest Road, by Saturday next. The Chairman's action re Reserve at Sawle's was approved. Other matters of an unimportant nature were discussed. The usual accounts were passed for payment, and the Board adjourned till the last Monday m March. We observe that it is stated that Mr Mitoholeon is about to resign his seat for Marsden. * Entries close on Friday next, at 9 p.m., for the principal event" at the Timaru Raoing Olub's Summer Meeting, to be held on Feb. 10th. Particulars are given m another column by the Hon Secretary, Mr W. Collins. By a fire wbioh took place last week 2000 acres of tussock feed at tho Coldstream estate and a considerable extent of Mr Wheelband'B plantation were destroyed. The Minister for Public Works is to turn the first sod of the Midland Railway at Brunnerton m about three weeks time. The Wairarapa Star reports that a fine little girl, daughter of Mr T. B. Hitchings, of Whareama, was bitten by a katipo or some other poisonous inseot. Her symptoms becoming serious, the parents drove into Masterton with her for medical advioe, Dr Hosting prescribed for the little patient, but without avail, death ensuing at 3 a.m. the following day. The number of landed proprietors m Franca before the Revolution was 4,000,000 ; m 1825, 6,500,000; m 1850, 7,000,000 to- 7,500,000 ; m 1875, 8.000,000. Sinoe the last date the number has diminished and still tend* to do so. There ii a brave and polite young man m the gaol m the City of Mexioo, who is awaiting exeoution for the murder of his mother. The other day several of his friends received nicely printed cards worded as follows : — " Francisco del Moral has the pleasure to invite you to be present at his exeoution, so that you may be able to judge how a man should die." The strength of the New Zealand Volunteers on December 31st, 1885, was as followerCavalry, 594 ; mounted infantry, 150 ; naval artillery, 1851 ; artillery, 872 ; engineers, 175 ; riflos, 5520 ; cadets, 1704 ; total, 10,366. The Provincial Districts most strongly represented are :— Otago, 1914 ; Canterbury, 1741 ; Auckland, 1441. The following 'statistics will interest some of our readers : — Of persons married m New Zealand m |1885, 75 males and 1010 females were under twenty-one years. Of the brides 13 wore between fifteen and sixteen years. Tha proportion of men and women married at eaoh period out of every 100 for tha year 1885 were — Under twenty-one, 1*97 and 26-40 ; twenty-one and under * twenty.fi ve, 27 30 and 43 33 ; twenty -five and under thirty, 35-54 and 17*44 ; thirty and under forty, 2386 and &1$; forty and under fifty years, 8-16 and 3-16; and so on till only decimals remain* After the eruption of Tarawera, m June last, it waa feared that the grass lands on the East Coast settlements whiah were covered with the shattered dibris of Tarawera Mountain and the bed of Rotomahana Lake would be destroyed for a long time to oome. These fears have been falsified by the result. On several occasions we (Auckland Herald) have pointed out that the grass lands appear to have been benefited by the topdressing of volcanio dust, and a correspondent, writing from Maketu, on the 10th instant, says:— " The graqs is better all along this coast, especially hare and at Matata, than I have seen at this time any other year. All the oattlo are rollin fat. The To Puke oanibe seen from hire quite green. The olover is growing so fast that the oattla oannot keep it down." After the following it need hardly be argued that there is no sense of humour m the girl that marries a fakir. One of these Wat brought up before a Chioago Justice the ether day for misdemeanour. "Do you know the nature of an oath, madam ? " inquired the Judge. " Well, I think I oughtnr," was the reply, f my husband is a variety aotor." Tha Empress of China has reigned twenty years, and will resign next February m favQt of her son. She is said to be exceedingly progressive, and but for the men who formed bartounoil would have had railroads through* Olt the Empire.