LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1460, 19 January 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A correspondent writes :— A raoe oame off on Monday evening, at Flemington, between H. Milner, junr., and W. Young ; £1 aeide ; distance 100 yards; About fifty persons witnessed the contest, including a few of the fair sex. A splendid start was effected by |Jr W. Andrews. Th« men ran locked together for ?Q yards ; but Milner, who finished the stronger, finally won by a yard. Meeiro J; Cowpn. and W. Gray acted as judges.

Mr Alan MoDonald, forme:'; me <nb<« for the JSaefc Coast, has been seriously injured by jffaiU^ his horse, and is now at Te Aroha Moruiting hia fae&ifcy. 4 house m ijiirnet't street had a very narrow escape from destruction by fire this morn* ing. The grass m front was set on tire by a flhild, who was playing with ma'ohes, and had it not been for the timely arrival of assistance to subdue the flames the house aauet iaivitibly have been baraod,

At Rikaia on Saturday night there was a

narrow esoape from serious damage by fire. 1 5 appears that a boy tried to burn some birds by lighting the tussocks on the west side oi the township. Fortunately the littio breeze there was oame from the north-east, had it been nor'-west nothing could have saved a number of buildings. At one time it was feared the fire would reaoh an extensive blook of wheat belonging to the Aoton Estate, but a number of willing hands were soon at work with sacks and water and oonfined the fire to some five or sis acres. A heap of Beds aud earth was not quite extinguished, r.nd on Sunday morning it burst out again nnd the fire travelled nearly across the road before being put down. It is understood tho police will take aotion, and it is to be hoped an example will be made, as the praotioe of boys lighting fires m the Rakaia township is a common one.

The potatoes m the New Plymouth distriot are a failure this season.

An eel was caught m the Waipawa Mate river lately, and brought into town, when it was found to weigh 18}lbs.

The following advertisement lately appeared m a country paper :— " Wanted, a steady young man to look after » horse of the Methodist persuasion."

A marriage party at Thames were kept waiting the other day, the bridegroom being absent. Saareh being made for the laggard, he was found fast asleep m bed.

A woman who died at Home the other day left £10,000 to the Dogs' Home, at Battersea, while to herexeoutor, a poor parson with a large family, was left £100 as a legacy. There is no mistake m the figures— £lo,ooo.

A strange case of suicide ooourred lately near Maitland, New South Wales. A boy, 14 years of age, was acoused of improper conduct towards his cousin, a girl of 5 years. The boy denied the accusation, and later m the day took a gun and shot himself m the head, completely shattering his skull.

A apacial meeting of the South Rakaia Sohool Committee was held on Monday night, all the members being present. The Inspector's report was read, and it was rtsolved to forward the same to the Master ■for his remarks thereon, to be returned for the ordinary meeling. Mr Hardy was requested to interview the Board of Education and endeavor to obtain the services of an additional male teacher. The Sports Committee forwarded £5 towards the children's pionio. Acoepted with thanks. Mr Murray's tander for refreshments was accepted. Messrs Hardy, Oxley, and Dixon were appointed to arrange a programme for the children's sports, to be held on the 24th.

He sent- two shillings for a " lightning earwig-killer," and received by return mail two blocks of wood, with directions printed on them as follows:— •• Take this blook, No. 1, m the right hand ; place the earwig on No. 2, and press them together. Remove the insect (tnd proceed as before."

An inscription on a monument winds up with the following touohing obituary : «« She lived a life of virtue, and died of the cholera morbu3, caused by {eating green fruit, m the hope of a blessed immortality, at the early ag« • of 21 years, 7 months, and 15 days 1 ' Header: ' Go thou and do likewise.' "

In the middle of a fast thing with one of thfl Surra* ranks, on Tuesday, one of tho field, who was well up in|the first flight, went a tremendous oropper into a broot. The master heard the noise, looked round, Baw that a disaster had |happened to] somebody, and, turning to the first whip who was close behind him, B aid, " Who's that, Will ? Hadn't we better help him up ? " " Oh," returned Will, coolly, •• its only the parson, air, and we shan't want him till Sunday. 1 '

At the annual meeting lof subscribers to the South Bakaia Public Library there was only a moderate attendance. Mr Hardy occupied the «hair. The^minutes of the last meeting having been^conirmed, the following report was read :-— The Committee have during the past year endeavored to keop up tha efficiency of the Library by supplying new works as far as the means at its disposal would allow. ■"' During the past year 42 new volumes have been purchased and admitted, and we are now advised of the arrival of another 150 purohased m England. VEfae*

number of books and periodicals taken out during the year is 2462. The number of subscribers during the year has been 68. The rules have been revised, anl tha Committee have pleasure m reporting thai everything is working Bmoothly7i\The treasurer's balance-sheet which was adopted shewed the reoeipts to be £105 2s lOd; expenditure, £98 6s lOd, and cash on hand! £6 16s od.— On tha motion of Mr Pyke, seconded by Mr Tucker, a vote of thanks to the outgoing committee was passed. The Chairman spoks m high terms of the faith, ful and" unremitting attention of the librarian to hia duties, and hoped he would be re-appointed. The following Co-nmift-.-o was appointed for the coming year : — Messrs A. Blackburn, jnnr., W. Cox, 0. Hardy, B. H. Hughes, L. Oxlay, J. Liddy, V. A. Pyke, and Rev. R. Stewart. — The Committee then met, all the members being present. Mr Hardy was eleated chairman, Mr Pyke, treasurer, and Mrßroadbent, librarian, on the same terms as for last year. — It waa resolved, "That meetings be held at eight o'olook on the first Mondays m January, April, July, and October.— Th« new books from Home were examined and gave general satisfaction. — Messrs Hardy and Oxley were appointed a sub-committee to have carried out some improvements to the building. Accounts were passed for paymont, and the j meeting adjourned.

The New Zealand Herald, says that drunkenness is greatly on tl>e decrease m Auckland, and that it will soon be known as the most sober town m the colony.

A grand hotel on the American system, to oost £50,000 or £60,000, is about to be ereoted m Auckland.

The best medioine known is Sander and Sons' Euoalypti Bxtraot. Test its eminent powerful effsots m coughs, colds, influenza, eto. — the relief is instantaneous. Thousands give the most gratifying testimony. His Majesty the King of Italy and medical syndicates all over the globe are its patrons. Bead the official reports that accompany each bottle. We have no oooasion to offer rewards m proof of the genuineness of our references. The official reports of medioal clinios and universities, the official oommunica'ion of the Consul-General for Italy at Melbourne ; the diploma awarded International Exhibition, Amsterdam — all these aro authentic doouments, and, as such, not open to doubt. We add here epitome of one of the various oases treated at the olinio of Sohultz, M.D-, Professor, etc:— "C.B., 24 years old; oongestional abaoess on the thigh. Inoisicns njade Jn i\io places. Although Jvistor'p dressing vjas applied, the secretion became two days later, very J"*"'"" 8 ' » n( * fla(J adopted a foetid, decompost character. T^ temperature rose enormously. In consequence, the ureßbxu" was removed, and on its place were made | during the daytime repeated irrigations with Buoalypi Extract. The offensive foeter dJßappeared very soon, 'the fever aWed wUtVii} a few days, and the jJalient re'ebvered nsfet the lapse of several weeks. In this instance we must not lose sight of the faot that the latter treatment saved the patient's life—

A eummoncd meeting of the Help-mate Division, Sons and Daughtars of Temperance, was held last evening. There was a largo attendance of members, and after the transaction of the usual routine business, and one member having been re-obligated, the W.F.S. gave his report which showed the Division had made great progress, both financially and m point of numbers. Dr Trevor was elected medical offioer. The following officers were installed by Bro. J. Caygill, Cr.W.P., asßißted by Bro. Siloock, a.W.C. :— Bro. A. Cook, W.S., (re-elected) ; Bro. Colyer, W.A. ; Bro. Duncan, B.S. and F .S., (re-eleoted) ; Bro. Mullaney, W.T., (re-elected); Bro. W. T. Kingston, W. 0.; Bro. T. Kingston, W. Con.; Bro. Yapp W.A.C. ; Sister F. Edwarda, 1.5. ; Bro. J. Gamble, Assistant Recording Soribe. The ceremony of installation was oondnoted m a very impressive|manner. The W.P. returned thanks for the honor conferred on him by his re-eleotion, and congratulated the meeting on the progress which had been made sine* the establishment of the Division. Votes of thanks to the installing officers brought the proceedings to a close.

At two o'dook this afternoon a thermometer und« a verandah m East street registered 100.

The treat m connection with the Ashburton Borough School will be held on Friday m one of Mr D. H. Brown's paddooks. The School Committee deßire to express their thanfcs to the following gentlemen for the assistance they hava given towards the oarrying out of the objeotin view :— Messrs D. H. Brown, W. Bayliß, J. McGregor, D. MoFarlane, J. Orr, 0. Hogg, J. W. Sawle, H. M. Carson, Hayeß and Co., J. Canning, and the Roaella Bros.

We are sure that, our Timaru contem* porary, the Smith Canterbury Times, is above the paltry praotioe of picking and stealing indulged m only by ill-oonduoted journals. But we draw its attention to the faofc that, doubtless through an oversight, an artiole headed "The locust m Australia," written by one of our staff, who is " an old Australian,'* has been taken from our columns without ackmpvWV'no't.

A meeting of the Committee of the Ashburton Oointy Hunk Club was held at Whittle's Commeroial Hotel last evening. Present— Messri Allen, Milner, Russell, Alington, Rouse, Wroughton, Oorbett, Cookson, Upton and Russell. Tenders were opened for hunting the hounds. A ballot was taken with the result that Mr Boyer's tender wai accepted. The amount was £75, the next tender being £100. The question of holding steeplechases was discussed, and the opinion was expressed that a ooursa must be ob> tamed at a considerable reduction upon last year. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Wroughton, that m the event of a steeple* ohase meeting being held, members be admitted free as hitherto. The question of distriot for steeplechases was then discussed, but ultimately the matter waß left over to & Bpecial general meeting, to be held on April 13. It was determined to have the first meet on that day.

Purify the blood, oleanse the stomach, and Bweoten the breath with Hop Bitters. Armeioan Go. make the genuine. Head.