LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1518, 28 March 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A somewhat extraordinary soene is said to have occurred recontly at tbe morning service at Staplegrovo Church, near Taunton, the whole of the congregation becoming asphyxiated by the gasses from the heating apparatus. About the middle of the service people felt a peculiar faintness, not sufficient to make them leave their places, but by the time the sermon was drawing to a close they are described as falling h'ke "ninepins" •bout the church. Tbe lady organist, being near the stove, feeling it stronger, than others, and trying to esoape, fell flat on her face m the aiile. Four or five others followed suit, and were at once oarried off to the rectory. The rest of the congregation made for the doors, feeling faint and overcome.

Wwim' Haib Balsam.— lf gray, restores to original color. An etegant dressing, sofiens and beautifies. No oil nor grease. A Tonic Restorativo. Btopß hair coming ont; a rengthcoß, olaamae, heals scalp. ?

Tbe usual mon 1 j meting of the HampMead Town Board was held at the Board's office on Friday last. Present— Messrs Mayo (.Chairman), (#r, and Fawcett. Coerespondenoe was received from the County and Borough Councils. In connection with an account reoeiVed from the latter body, an accompanying letter, wbioh tbe Board considered impertinent, was ordered to lie on the table. Tbe Clerk was instructed to thank the Chairman of tjhe County Counoil (Mr W. 0. Walker) for fifa courteous letter. The Clerk was also instructed to proceed rigorously against owners of unregistered dogs A large quantity of routine business having been disposed of, tbe Board adjourned.

During the last two or three weeks Mr A. W. Randcll, fruiterer, East street, has had a Bulondid snow of apples m bis shop window. XHese were all irom bis own orohard at Aainton. Mr Baodeil has about three acres under fruit treus, and tbe trees, although young, have borne exceedingly welt this season. Tbe quality ofjbe fruit may be Ascertained by an inspection of that exhibited iv Mr RandeU'a shop.

At tbe B.M. Court ibis morning, before Aiajor ateward, J.P.,i?atriok O'tfhea, who uaß ottn betora the Court several times dunug Mti last nix montbß, was ordered to ba imt*iißoned for Boven day* on a cnarge of baviug peen drunk m Havelook streut. James MoLaughlin, another old offender, was fined '20a and coata, with tbe alternative oi 48 hours' imprisonment, on a similar obarge.

The first eleven of tha Ashburton High Bcbool played the second eleven of the Christqhuroh High Sohool on Saturday on the ground of the latter m Hagley Park. Tbe visitors won on the first innings by 28 runs, Boores: — Aebburton, first innings, 57, E. Buchanan 25 ; second 28 for four wioketa, A. Buobanan 14. Chriatohuroh, first inuiugs, 29 ; ueoond 58, Maogregor 13, Dauka 11.

Major Wolfe, the senior Mujjr of the Firm Canterbury Battalion, has resigned.

We do not know if tbe members of the Auoliuiatieatiou Society of Chriutohurch tako any interest m preserving imported bird* from aesttuution, but if ihey ao we would recont* nibiidtheni to get one of iheir ranger* to visit •mi plantations between iho Ctirlton Mill road aud the Biucarton road on tiunaays. Yfcßifciuay people were blowing away wiib BUotgaua at the blackbirds fciihout let or hindrance.

Tbe ordinary monthly meeting of the Tinwuld Town Board was held on Friday eveuibg. Frtqem— Messrs J. Clark (chairman), M. Scott, and 0. Jephoon. The Chairman informed the meeting that he baa interviewed Mr B. Ennis with regard to hiß onfinihhed contract, and he (Mr Ennis) bad prouiisud to finish the work alter harvest. Tbe Surveyor reported that the repairs to approach to Grove Btreet bridge had been attended to ; that . the oraok m the parapet wall was not of a serious oharacter, but was caused by tbe wall being too tbin for itß height. He recommended that (he opening be carefully filled up with oement, and should it extend or get wider afterwards, recourse may be had to iron cramping. It was resolved to take no further action m the matter for tbe present. The Surveyor was tostruoted to call for tenders for forming footpath aioug Great South Road from Johnatou aireot to Carter terraoe, and also for raking large stones off centre of Great South liottd, tenders to be ia by the next meeting ..{<Obj-JB.oM.tiL. --Th'} ■ frUmasoE vvqß instructed, iv conjunction witn Mr Jephsonjj loaßC^rtsmif water fiom tbe creek m tbe Domain could lie brought into the town for flushing the aide channels and fire prevention purposes, and report, with esumaie, at next meeting of .he Boaiu. Afier passing the accounts and iransaotiog a quantity of routine business, ibe Board adjourned.

We were to-day shown by Mr B. Hampton a gigantic pumpkin, grown by him on hit farm at Newlands. It turned tlie scales at 116ibd. Mr Hampton has several others l.tle inferior m Bize and weight to the specimen above referred to. Tbtse are a practical example of what might be expected from a system of irrigation as they were grown close to a water race.

Thn " Fun on the Bristol " Company made vbeir appearance at the Oddfellows' Hall on Saturday evening, when, m spite of the Bhort notice whioh had been given, there was a fairly good house, and the audience seemed very much pleased with the bill of fare which had been provided them. The caste was as follows:— The Widow O'Britn, Mr John Collins ; Bella Thompson, Misa Bella Per man Dora McAlister, and Nora O'Bree-on, Miss Laura Roberts ; John Waffles, Mr John L. Hall ; Captain Oranbury, Mr H. Smith ; Richard Farkes, Mr T. Ferman ; Jerry; Thompson, Mr Willie Ferman ; John Jones, Mr H. Williams ; Pinkerton Hawkshaw, Mr J. Smith. A ipeoial feature was the statue clog dance by the Australian Yokes family, with varegated lime light effects. This item was greatly applauded by the audience. The Company appears again to-night when, no doubt, there will be a good bouse.

Captain Drake, of the steamer Norman ton, through the foundering of wbioh, on the coast of Japan, a number of lives of Japanese passengers were lost, has been found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

In the " Soientifio American" of February 16th, 1878, is a novel seggestion from a wellknown German pomologist as to a simple method of guarding against tbe ravages of tbe Codlin moth. It ooourred to the discoverer of the remedy to try tba effect of cutting off tbe calyx quite low down at its base, as soon at the apple should have attained tbe size of a hazel or walnut. The prominent situation of the oalyz at this stage of the fruit's growth greatly facilitates its removal, and m the oase of some hundreds of apples experimented on — several hundreds oan be done m an hour— none appeared afterwards to be m the leaßt injuriously affeoted by tbe operation.

Somewhere m the " black country " (Staffordshire), the Bißhop of the diocese happened to come across a number of laborers standing round t & kettle ; and on asking what they were doing, he was informed that the kettle was to be presented to tbe man who could tell the biggest He 1 The Bishop remonstrated with them on tbe impropriety of lying, and said that auoh bad always been his averson to thai sin that he did not think he had ever told a lie m his life. . Upon this, one of tha party immediately said to the arbiter, " Give him the kettle, Bill 1"

Kidney and Urinary troubles are universal, and the only safe and sure ours is American Hop Bitters— rely on it. Bead,

Hollowat'b Pillb and OiNTMENi.-^Soldiera and Bailors. — These well-known and easily nsed remedies are especially serviceable and convenient for those who, like soldiers and Bailors, are exposed to great changes of climate, and tbe hardships inseparable from tbtir calling. Many of the diseases engendered m the system from these and other untoward causes oan be checked and controlled by attention at thoir onset, ana m Hollo way's remedies will be found a ready means of relief, without hindrance from duty. Many a manis invalided and rendered more or less a burden to himself and friends from neglecting the early symptoms of bis complaint, which c&lajsity might be averted by timely resort to Uio 9 m UQlloway'e Pills aod Oiotweot,

1 TraTellera by rail have causa to complain, and do complain very loudly, of a most disgusting nuiaance enooantered a mile or two north ef Templeton. Here there is a large beUing-down or meat-prcsenring establishment, or something of that «ort, and about a hundred yards or bo from the works an immense heap of bones and animal refuse m a highly puteeueent state from whioh an odoorof the most vile and penetrating kind diffuses itself far and wide. While passing this tainted spot, or worse still, while waiting at the station hard by, passengers are nearly stifled, even though every door and window be closely abut. The pdonr is uimply siokening, and it is high time something were done to remedy so disgusting a state of affairs,

To-day the Rakaia ii m very high flood, tht immense volume of mow water malting from the thaw about the snowline caused by the hot weather of the latter part of last week and the heavy thunderstorm on Sunday morning, stretching almoit aorom from bank to bank.