LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume v, Issue 1533, 15 April 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We remind our readers that the harvest thanksgiving service m St. Stephen's Church will take plaoe this evening at 7.30 p.m. In the weights for the Ashburton Autumn Meeting, Sir John, 9st, was omitted from the list for the District Hurdles. Mr Ivesa has issued the prospeotus of a new daily paper to be published by him m Timaru under the title of the " Timaru Daily Mail." A novel sort of protective duty is being advocated m England, and it is stated that it may possibly be adopted. It is proposed to impose a tax of £0 a year upon an loreignera working m England. It is estimated that the tax wou'd yield about £500,000 a year, and would fall principally upon Germans. It is reoorded that Pr Kinsman, of the Free Church of England, Melbourne, has married 4000 couples. Dr Stuart, of Dunedin, haa also a splendid record m this line. His Lordship the Bishop of Wellington continues to make steady progress towards recovery. He leaves almoat immediately for the North to try the effioaoy of the hot springs. Mr T.^Power, well known at one time as a favorite whip from Christchurch to the West Coast, died recently at the Prince Alfred Hospital, Melbourne. Latterly he was a martyr to rheumatism. Australian papers say that tho barque Southern Belle, on her voyage from New Zealand, collided with a whale " about 100 feet long," whioh, on being Btruck, lost its temper, and let out at the ship with its tail, nearly ainking her. Thia completely beats the sea-serpent business. The "Lyttelton Times" reports that on Friday last a child resident m the Christohurch district was stung on the hand by a katipo, and was laid up m consequence for nearly a week. Not long ago an American inventor discovered how to make artificial eggs. A Frenchman of equal, or even superior, ingenuity is now manufacturing artificial oysters, whioh, until they are subjeoted to a chemical or a miorosoopio examination, cannot be distinguished from genuine ones. Natural shells are used. Australian horses and cattle appear to be having a hard time of it. The latest trouble ia an eye complaint, supposed to be of miasmatic origin, whioh has appeared m parts of Victoria. The discharge of matter is said to give the animal a pitiable appearance. It was not love whioh actuated Mose Schaumburg, when he plunged into the briny waves to rescue his wife. When Mose was subsequently asked how he came to display suoh heroism, he solved the mystery by saying : " Vat you dinks, vould I let Rebeoca trown pefore mine ewn eyes, yen those diamonds vat she had on vas alone wort more ien two tousend tollars, eh ? " Miss Mary Tyner, two years ago, was rowing on a Wisconsin lake when one of her oars broke. Professor J. Frank Barr, rowing m anothor boat, saw her plight, and lent her a pair of oars. An acquaintance followed, and a few days ago a wedding. Among the floral decorations was a boat with a broken oar. Speaking of the probable oauses of bush firea, Mr Alderton says, m the " Otago Witness," that an old -bushman assured him he had seen a swinging vine rubbing against a tree, and the friction oaused a tree to tako fire.

The revision of the Kaffir Bible has just been oompleted, after eighteen years' labor. At the Police Court, m that City, on Wednesday, Ohristopher Greenway, reputed to be the rioheat man m Auckland, was fined £2 and oosts for beating a boy with a stick. His income while m Court is said to have exceeded £20. The Plumpton Park, near Christchurch, comprising 198 acres, with fenoes, grand stand, and other improvements was offered for sale on Thursday by order of the mortgagee. Only a bid of £1000 for tho mort--1 gagee was offered, who thus secures the property. Martin Taylor, the well-known coursing trainer, has secured the leaße of it for racing and coursing. From the " Kaikoura Star " we note that a trial shipment of butter has been sent by Mr S. Warren to Rio de Janeiro. It is made up m two-pound tins, the packing having been done at Mr Maw's preserving factory. The butter has been shipped by the mail steamer Kaikoura. Within five weeks the butter should be sold, and we hope to hear that the venture is a success, as it will open a new market for a oommodity which ia largely made m New Zealand. jgfFor general debility and prostration Hop Bitters (American Co.'s) will do wonder*. Prove it by trial. See