LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1908, 16 March 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-morrow being St. Patrick's Day will be a Bank holiday.

A sitting of the Assessment Court for the Borough of Ashburton was held this morning before Mr H. O. S. Baddeley, judge. Mr J. H. Home (the valuer), Mr T. Sealey (Mayor), and Mr Braddell (Town Clerk) appeared to uphold the valuation roll. About a dozen objections were received, but m only two cases were reductions made, amounting to £16. A fow alterations m the names of ownera were made. The Judge of the Court highly complimented Mr Home, the valuer, on the trouble he had taken m the compilation of the roll. There had been fewer objections than m any previous year, and the reductions made were very small indeed.

The population of Ashburton by the census return is shown to be 1769, and that of the adjoining town distrusts of Hampstcad and Tinwald 1003 and 345 respectively ; the aggragate population of the borough and the town districts mentioned being thuß 3117. The population of the county, exolusive of the two town districts, wa5. 6679; the total for county, borough, and town districts being 07i<6. The population of the electoral districts is given as follows, viz, : — Ashburton, 4316 ; Wakanui, 4980.

The Bight Hon H. Cecil Baikes, PostmasterGeneral, who is spoken of m London ai likely to suooeed Sir W. Jervois as Governor of New Zealand, was born m 1838 at Chester, and educated at Cambridge. He is a Conservative, and was returned to Parliament for Chester m 18G8. He was appointed Chairman of Committees and Deputy-Speaker m 1874-80, He is a (barrister and director of numerous companies.

A huge reservoir is being built at a remote apot m the outer harbor of Amsterdam for the storage of petroleum. It will be nearly 33 feet m diameter and of the same depth, aid is calculated to hold nearly 1,740,000 gallons. The petroleum will be brought direot from Russia m vessels specially constructed.

The electric-light installation on the heights of Siddul Bahar, at the entrance of the Dardanelles, has been completed, and has given so much satisfaction to the military authorities that further apparatus of a similar kind has been ordered for the other fortresses which command the different bends of the channel up the Nagara.

It is announced that an extensive plantation of olive-trees is to be established m Solano County, Cal. Tho growing of olives and the manufacture of oil have already passed beyond the experimental Btage. In San Diego and Santa Barbara counties, m particular, olives have been grown for several years at a handsome profit, while the Califor* nia olive-oil is noted for its excellent quality and freedom from adulteration.

A newly-discovered Mexioan flower is quite a wonder, if reports are true. It is said to be white m the morning, red at noon, and blue at night ; and is further oroditcd with emitting perfume only at the middle of the day. It grows on a tree on the isthmus of Tehuantepeo.

A telegram from Melbourne, dated 15th inßtant, says that the Committee of Experts who have been appointed to report on the working of Wolseley's sheep shearing xnaobine states that the quality of the work done is all that could be desired, and the speed of the machine is about equal to that of a fair average shearer.

Referring to the forged notes of the Bank of New Zealand now m circulation, the " Press " supplies the following useful hints for their detection :— ln counting a bundle a spurious note would very easily pass unperceived ; but a single one oan be detected as false with very little difficulty. In the first plaoe it is nearly an eighth of an inoh smaller than the genuine note ; the green letters of " One Pound " come out very indistinctly, and are hardly preceptible when looking at the baok ; the signature is a really bad one, and the illustrations on the right hand side are but indifferently finished, and the paper used is rather coarse. Altogether the imitation is clumsy, and but one or two glances are required to decide whether or not a note bearing the impress of the Bank of New Zealand is genuine or not.

At the B.M. Court this morning' before Mr H. C. S. Baddeloy, 8.M., Donald MoKenzie, a shepherd, was charged with illtreating a dog by striking its head on the ground, and trying to choke it. The e\ idenoe of the police having been taken, the defendant was asked if he had any questions to put. He replied that he could not speak the English language very well as he was a Highlander. The Magistrate saw no reason why the defendant should not make nse of the Highland tongue. The defendant began glibly to put questions m Gaelio fo Sergt. Felton, but the language being an unknown one to that officer, Mr A. Macfarlane vai sworn m as an interpreter. The evidence for the detenco was that the defendant hai b?en tasked to hold the dog for a friend. Ho held the animal m his arniß, but as it commenced to struggle he had to catch hold of the collar. As thero was a likelihood of the collar slipping over the animal's head, the dofendaut lowered the dog to the ground, at the same time twisting the collar. These aotions, it was alleged, were the explanation of the charge of the prosecution that the defendant had tried to ohoke the dog, and had struck its head on the ground. The defen dant was given a very good character. Tl.* Magistrate inflioted a fine of 60s and costs, m default 14 days' imprisonment. The fine was paid.

11 Eouon on OiTAnnn." — Corrects offensive odors at once. Complete cure of worst chronic cases ; also unequalled as gargle for diphtheria, sore throat, foul breath. "Bouan on Piles."— Why suffer Piles? Immediate relief nnd complete cure guaranteed. Aak for "Rough on Piles." Sure euro for itching, protruding, bleeding, or any form of Piles.

HoLIiOWAV'B PILL 3 AND OINTMENT. — The combined ill effects of over-crowding, sedentary occupations, and monotony of life are only too well-known to thoso who have to pass the best part of their lives labouring m factories and crowded workrooms. The compulsory confinement weakens the general health and induces obronio constipation, indigestion, and various forms of skin diseases* Holloway's remedies are of priceless value to personß of this alasfe, for they can be used without entailing lots of woik, being purely vegetable m their composition, and oonse* quently act without harshness on the most delicate system. The ezperienoe of more than forty years proves that no means surpass Holloway'a remedies for curing bad legs, bad breasts, piles, and wounds ol tl) kiodl.

At the B.M. Court this morning, be/ore Me H. C. S B'.cHclry'.'B.M., a number of by-law cases wero heard. A. Cookson and A. Orr were fined 7s 6d and costs eaoh for allowing horses to Wander. William Nioholas was obarged by tho collector for the Hampstead Town Board witjjv being the owner of an unregistered dog. The defendant satisfactorily proved tftat the dog was under six months of age and' the case was dismissed.

The Evangelistic Service conducted by Mr Duncan Wright fn the Presbyterian Church was again well 'attended last night, and great interest appeared to be taken by the whole congregation m the various portions of the service. Mr Wright continued his address on the subjeot of " Blind Bartimeus," and also sang a solo, No. 400 m Sankey's Hymns, " Como," the ohorus being taken up very heartily by the people present. The Riva Blake and Bnattie offered prayer, and Mr Buohanan a' so took part m the same way. Several hymn 3 from Sankey's collection were sung, and tho after meeting, to whioh a large number stayed, was again very earnestly addressed by Mr Wright, and special prayers o Sored by request for a family of 7 ohildren tad also for the Evangelist's own family of same number m Dunedin. These services are increasing m interest and earnestness as they proceed, and no doubt, for the rest of the week the members attending them will increase.

News from Sydney under date the 10th inst contains the remarkable intelligence of a olergyman having been committed for treason. His name is given as Bey F. H. Britten, incumbent of Byde.

The Wellington correspondent of the 11 Lyttelton Times " says that the 21st April ha? been fixed as the date for the assembling of Parliament.

The Wellington correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times " saya that :— There is a nice little social soandal going on m the oity at present, and it is more than likely it will be brought before the La# Courts.

•'Noblesse oblige" seems to have lost its force as- applied to the British aristocracy m view of the numerous recent scandalous causes eclebrcs. It is now >aid that another great divorce case will shortly come before the Divorce Court which will east the ColinCampbell case into the shade. Three co-re-spondents are named, one a well-known politician, another a gentleman who has already made his appearance m the Divorce Court, and the third a personage whose name will make the sensation of the case.

The usual monthly meeting of the Tinwald School Committee was held on March 4th Present: Messrs Jepbson (ohairman), Btll' Shearer, Jeff, and O'Brien. The Chairman stated that the report of the Inspector had come to hand. It was resolved to ask the master for an explanation of certain matters mentioned therein, his report to be m by the 12th inst. Accounts were passed for payment and the Committee adjourned to the 12th inst., when a special adjourned meeting was hold to consider the explanation of the master. Present: Messrs Jephson, Bell, O'Brien, and Jeff. It appeared that the whole question was the matter of irregular attendance, which was the cause of failure on the part of many of the children m the 2nd and 3rd Standards. The following resolution was oarried :— " Thai the compulsory Clause of the Act be put m force, and that returns of each month's attendance of every child m the school be laid before the Committee at their monthly meeting, and those children who attend less than two-thirds of the possible number of times be made examples of " The Chairman was directed to get forms printed for circulation. The explanation of the master was directed to be forwarded to the 1 Board of Education. It was resolved to give | tho pupil teacher a conduot certificate. It was resolved to expend £6 m prizes for the I children, the Chairman and master to select tho same. The meeting then adjourned.

At the B.M. Court this morning, before Mr H. 0. S. Baddeley, 8.M., W. Chisnall was oharged with oruelty to a dog. W. Sutton and Constable Bemer gave evidence for the proseoution. ~ From their evidenoe it appeared

that the animal was a boundary dog, that

insufficient shelter was provided for it, and that it was found dead on Feb. 16, its ohain being entangled around portion of the

carcase of a sheep intended for food ; and

there not being sufficient water. Tbo weather at that time was very hot, and the Constable aaid the dog's konnel, which bad an iron roof,

was like an oven. Tho defendant said he was absent from home from Feb. 4 to Feb. 16, and during that period he paid a neighbor to look after his boundary dogs. He asked for an adjournment m order to secure the attendance as a witness of that neighbor, because his testimony would go to show that the dog had been well cared for. The Magistrate said that the case chiefly rested upon the faot that insufficient shelter had been provided for the dog, and for that the neighbor would not be responsible. The defendant decided cot to apply for an adjournment. He said that it had never ocourred to him that the kennel was a bad one for the dog. The Magistrate infiioted a fine of £5 and costs. In doing so he said that he did not think Mr Chisnall was naturally cruel, bat as it was hard to fheet home cases of cruelty to boundary dogs, it was neoessary to make an example when a case of neglect came bofore him.

A well-attended meeting of the Ashburton Guards was held last evening at the old Borough Counoil Chambers, ' The business was the eleotion of Captain and Lieutenant, rendered necessary m consequence of the resignation of Captain Beatell. The mem* bars expressed general regret at the step taken by Captain Beatell, who was unanimously elected a life member of the corps. Lieutenant Sparrow was elected Captain, and Corporal Cookburn was elected to the vacant Lieutenanoy. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to all those who had contributed towards the funds of the" Company, and routine business having been transacted, the meeting adjourned. A charge of crossing the linn while an approaohing train was within a quarter of a mile, was heard at the B.M. Court this morning. The defendant was a lad, apparently about twelve years of age, and named Francis McToague. The information was laid under Section 156 subseotion 4 of the Public Works Act. The facts of the case were

as follows:— On February 5 the defendant was driving a mob of cattle over the Kermode street oroasing. Tho train from Mount Somers was coming into Ashburton at the time, and one of the herd was struck by the cowoatoher of the engine and thrown off the line though not injured. The day m question was a very windy one, a strong nor' wester blowing, and young MoTeague alleged that the wind prevented his earing the engine's whistle and the dust getting into his eyes prevented bis seeing the train. — Tho Magistrate said that he would not inflict a fine m the present oaao, but he cautioned the defendant to be very careful m future. We understand that the Fisk Jubilee Minstrels ar« likely to give an entertainment m Ashburton; at an early date, should sufficient iodaaement offer.

There are more cures made wiih American Oo.'a Hop Bittern than all other uodjewoe. Bw flags aod |U