LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1498, 4 March 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We have to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt from the Postal Department of a very neat and useful littie time table of the Ocean Mail Services. Algernon : "Do you think, my love, your father will consent to our marriage ? " Angelina : "Of course, papa will be very, sorry to lose me, darling." Algy: "Bat I Will soy to him that instead of losing a daughter he will gain a son." Angelina: "I wouldn't do that, love, if you really want me. Papa has three such sons boarding here now, and he's a little touchy on the point." At Dunedin recently there were between 60 and 70 entries for a baby show, whioh, caused a good deal of exoitement among mothers. By .far the vastest and most influential temperance sooiety m the world is the Methodist Episcopal Churoh of the United States. The law and discipline of the I Methodist Episoopal Church, with nearly 13,000 ordained ministers, nearly 2,000,000 of communicants, and many millions of adherents, are positively and unequivocally directed against the moderate use of intoxicating drink. The largest bells m the world are:— Moscow, 202 tons ; Burmah, 117 ; Pekin, 53 ; Novgorod, 31 ; Notre Dame, 18 ; Rouen, 18 Olmulz, 18; Vienna, 18; St. Paul's, 16 Westminßter, 14 ; Montreal, 12 ; Cologne, 11 Oxford, 8; St. Peter's, 8. Bell metal should have 77 parts copper and 23 of tin. The freezing works at Waitara ore to be abandoned. The maohinery oonneoted with the tinning and freezing will be removed to Auokland, where work connected with the company will be carried on m future. The " Kaikoura Star " gives it as an on dit that Hall is dying, and that even should the point reserved for consideration by the Court of Appeal be deoided against him it is not likely that he will go to the gallows. He eats little or nothing, and never utters a word, even when spoken to. The " Wanganui Herald " mentions that at a meeting of fruit growers, Mr Field exhibited a Cape oreeper wbioh haß been introduced into that part of the colony by Major Lockett. The plant has a small white flower, Bhaped like a bell, and m nearly every one was a moth, which had apparently been caught while attempting to extract the neofcar from inside the flower. Mr Field ventured the suggestion that the creeper indiscriminately planted about fruit trees would possibly assist m ridding the orohard of a troublesome and annoying pest.

The news that a Russian squadron was massing m Japanese waters created a great stir m Melbourne, where it was rumoured m high military circles that the squadron had left its place of rendezvous under sealed orders. The " Age " pointed out, m connection with the matter, that warlike aots had been committed before war was officially declared, and added that if a Russian squadron paid a visit to Hobson's Bay it would be difficult to deny it admission if peace still reigned. London is growing m population at the rate of 64,000 a year. Lord Randolph Ohurohill deolares that at Sixty years oi age he expects to lead Europe. Spurgeon's health is failing, but he continues to preach every Sunday to overwhelming congregations. The Germans are making piano oases of paper. They are creamy white, and are said to improve the tone m quality, though diminishing its volume. M. Dauphin, the New French Minister of Finance, stands six feet six inohes m hiß l bookings, and is said to have marched to fame by this. The Duke of Oonnaught, who has recently been mado a member of the Counoil of the Presidency of Bombay, and Princess Beatrice, will, it is said, be the heirs to Queen Viotoria'6 immense fortune. Consul Tanner, of Chemnitz, reports that the beer production of Germany m 1885 was 1,100,000,000,000 gallons, enough «« to make a lake more;thnn a mile square and six' and a half feet deep, or it would make a running stream as large as some of our rivers,