LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1468, 28 January 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A social gathering will be held m the St. Stephen's Sohoolroom, on Tuesday evening next, at 8 o'olock, for the purpose of bidding farewell to the Bey E. E. Ofcwaj, who has been m charge of the parish for the past twelve months, during the absence the Rev Mr Scott, who is expected to return m about a fortnight. <

The Lyttelton Times says Sir Andrew le Fleming gate a second highly successful exhibition of his skill as a horse tamer at Rangiora on Tuesday. The animal operated upon was a young filly belonging to Mr A. Ivory, and although it hal never previously been handled, within two hours Sir Andrew had it under such complete control as to be able to do almost anything with it.

A wealthy reporter has been discovered. The British Zoological Society are making preparations to oatoh him,

When the Hon P. T. Barnum was younger than now, he was infeoted with political aspirations, and secured a seat m the Legislature of Connecticut. His efforts as an orator were less successful than his essays m the show business had been, and the Legislature could not be made to yield him a heari D g, What do you suppose is the reason," some one asked Mr Whipple, «' that Mr Baronm could not obtain the ear of the House ? " "Ob, nothing is Bimpler," wbb the ready response ; " they wera afraid he'd exhibit it m a museum."

A young citizen calls his wife Bevenge because she is sweet ; and the young married man opposite calls his motherrin-law Delay, because she is dangerous.

A young gentleman recently solved the conundrum, " What's m a name ? " He piesented a oheque with another fellow's name attached at the bank, and the Judge answered the question with "Five years m State prison."

A New Jersey editor having announced tbe death of his unole m Australia, leaving him a gold mine and 400,000 dollars, a village contemporary professed to regard the matter as a cunningly devised plan to obtain credit for a box of paper collars and a straw hat.

Ladies are very scarce at Tuakau, North Island. A correspondent of the Auckland Free Lanv informs it that at the dances held m that township the gentlemen " drew the ladies m sweeps," there not being enough of the dear creatures to go round.

Wife (reading the paper) : '« Well, I declare, if that isn't the queerest thing I ever heard of." Hußband : •• What's that ? " Wife : " Why, here is an announcement of a wedding, and among the wedding-presenta was a bullterrier, given to the bride by her father." Husband : " I don't see anything odd about that; she was the old man's youngest daughter, wasn't she ? " Wife : " Yes ; but what's that got to do with it?" Husband: " Why, of course, if she and all the rest were married, he had no further use for the dog."

General Boulanger is determined to keep himself en evidence. He has called upon the Treasury for the sum of £48,000 for the purpose of having painted a series of battle piotures, wherein the past glories of 240 regiments are to be limned to order. Each corps id to have its principal battle scene framed and hung m the mess room or its equivalent. These works of arts are intended to act as an inoentive to future valour, and, as artists are not doing well just now m Paris, the War Minister's inventive genius will confer a great boon upon the impecunious painters.

Writing of the verdict of the jury m the Great Barrier case the New Zealand Times says :— " A theory has been set np that the senseless and scandalous recommendation was agreed to as a compromise to secure unanimity, there being the one traditional obstructive juryman who persisted m •• stick, ing out ; " but that is only to say m other words that the remaining eleven jurors broke their solemn oaths to " well and fully try " the case, and •• a true verdict give according to the evidenoe." Whether the outrageous recommendation was thus due to perjury on the part of the jurors or not, the faot remains that a New Zealand jury have deliberately pronounced their opinion on oath that two most villainous and brutal murderers are fitting subjects to eDJoy the clomenoy of the Crown. We fear that this is another instance of that morbid sympathy with orime and oriminals which seems to be growing as a pestilent blight m these Australasian colonies, and which threatens to defile their good name and to deteriorate the moral sense of their population.

The annual meeting of the Ashburton Fire Brigade will be held this evening. The Captain requests a full attendance of members as important business will come up for consideration.

The Christoburoh members of the Committee of Management of the^Old "Men's Home, Messrs Jones and White, were to-day shown over the Hospital by their local oolleagues. . Both gentlemen, who have bad much experience m hospital management, expressed themselves favorably as to th c efficaoy of the alterations and additions whioh are now being carried out at the infllitution. They also highly complimented the matron, Mrs Mackay, upon the handsome collection of growingjferna and flowers whioh she has both within and without the building. Having left the institution the members of the party were the recipients of Mr Harrison's hospitality.

This morning the Committee of Manage, ment of (the Old Men's Home paid a visit of inspection to that institution, m order to decide upon what stepa should be taken for the extermination of the vermin with which the place is swarming. Messrs Jones and White, the Ohristchuroh members, arrived by the express train, and were met by Messrs A. Harrison and T; Scaly, Ashburton members, and Mr Mainwaring, Seoretary. Mesßrs W. 0. Walker and R. Friedlander were.un* avoidably absent. From the Btation the party went to the Home, where they were oonduoted through the building by Mr Fox, the Master, and shown on every side the traces of the unpleasant insect, the presence of whioh is the souroe of great annoyanoe to the inmates. When the inspection of the various parts of the institution had been concluded, Mr Jonea expressed the opinion that as a temporary measure of relief fumi. gation would be found effeotive. ' Suoh questions as those of erecting a new building, or of establishing ga system of boarding out, were too large for .hasty [consideration, and the Home as it was at present would answer for some time yet if the vermin were got rid of. After a long '.conversation between membeVß of the Committee, it was deoided that fumigation be resorted to, the wings being treated m succession, the matter of disposing of thejnmatcs for whom room could not be found, being left m the hands of the local members. Before the Committee left the premises an old man made his appear* ance, holding a cup whioh contained 18 remarkably well grown,.. besides numerous small specimens of the insect upon which naturalists have bestowed the name of oiinex k'GttUarin.f, one, it must be confessed, which is infinitely more prepossessing than the creature's appearanoe. The inßeots, he informed the Committee, had dropped into the cup during the night; he had not oaugh t them. This was a praotioal demonstration of the swarma of these vermin which infest the Home.

A cricket matoh between teams selected respectively from the Herald effiea, at Timaru, and the Press office, Christchurch will be played at Ashbuiton to-morrow.

The Irrigation Committee of the Ashburton County Council met yesterday and decided to recommend the circulation of the requisite petitions m Districts Nob, 1 and 2.

Great interest has been exoited among the juveniles of Ashburton during the past day or two by the antics of a performing bear, which, under the tutelage of three Frenchman, has been walking on his hind legs, balancing a pole m his forepaws, turning Bonierßaults at the word of command, and when treated thereto tossing off glasses of beer with evident gusto. Bruin is one of a pair of oubs captured by one of the party m the Pyrenees Mountains, and brought cut, after training, to the Australian ooloniee, where the pair were exhibited m a large tent at all the principal towns, their performances having even reoeived the distinguished patronage of Vice-Royalty. The owners were, we understand, offered £700 for them for the Sydney Zoological Gardens, but deolined to sell, and brought them on to New Zealand. At Inveroargill they had the misfortune to lose the male, whioh was the larger of the two, standing 8 feet high when erect on his hind legs and weighing over 7 owt. Indeed, his demise is said to owing to his having been too fat. After leaving Ashburton the Frenchmen and their queer companion proceed northwards. We understand that they are open to receive a good offer for Bruin, bo that there is a ohanco for any one desirous o' owning an animal of the kind. She is of the color of a grizzly, stands about 6 feet high, and weighs 4 owt.