LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1562, 19 May 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr D. Ross, a salesman who has acquired a great reputation, and who has been holding Bales m Ashburton for the last few evenings, has an advertisement m this issue regarding an entertainment to be held m the Oddfellows' Hall on Friday evening. The competitions which are announced, are not yet quits filled up, and further entries will be received by the manager. In addition to other attreotionß, several members of the Roselle Bros.' Surprise Party have been engaged to perform. ■ The Ashburton Bifies and Guards will parade at the Diillshed m "review order" (full dress) at 10.30 on Tuesday next, Her Majesty's birthday, when hjeu dejoic will bfl fired and sundry evolutions executed. On an occasion of thisikind there should be a full muster. We understand that the members of the band have reoeived their new uniforms from the New Zealand Clothing Factory.

Dr Lynn, the famous wizard of the Egyptian Hall, London, has been appearing at the Theatre Royal, Chrißtohuroh, during the week, m his marvellous magia working entertainment. " The Vanishing Lady " mystery is one of the most ingenious, and puzzling, and surprising feats which have been par* formed here ; but wonderful though it be, it pales before the startling and astoundingly realistio feat of cutting a live man to pieces before the dyes of the audience, I have seen nothing like it. It eolipses everything of the kind ever attempted by illusionists, and entitles the Doctor to be ranked as the Prince of Wonder Workers, The Dootor himself is almost as wonderful as his feats. He is an ex-naval officer, a qualified medical man, a Shaksperian scholar, a Biblical student, and one of the most accomplished polygot linguists of the day. Besides knowing and speaking fluently most of the Continental language^ he is a master of Greek, Hebrew and Latin, m addition to I know not how many Oriental iialects. A very remarkable man is the Doctor.— " Lyttelton Timeß." .A meeeting of the Ashburton Fire Brigade will be held at seven o'clook this evening, when, as the business is important, the Captain desires a full attendance, Sergeant Felton received the following telegram from Timaru on Wednesday :— " A fisherman from Oamaru was blown out to sea m a four-ton boat about seven p.m. on Tuesday; last seen going north; an oar belonging to the boat was picked up on the beach near Waitaki thi3 morning." At the I .R.M. Court this morning a lad named Alfred Burmeister, 15 years of age, who is licensed out from Burnham Industrie] Sohool to a family m Ashburton, was brought up charged with having indecently assaulted a little girl, four years of age, with intent to commit a rape. The acoused was, on the application of the police, remanded til] Monday; Some misconception appears to exist will: regard to the bearing of the resolutior passed at the meeting of the Jubilee Com tnittee on Tuesday. It is as follows :— " Tha the present Library building be extended for the purpose of establishing an Industrial Museum to be devoted to the exhibition of the geological and other specimens already m the hands of the custodian, also for displaying samples of the agricultural and pastoral, mineral, and other productions of the town and country, as well as providing meeting accommodation for farmers and others interested m the development of the resources of the district, and that a clock be erected if funds permit." There was an unusually good attendance at the Weßleyan Band of Hope and Temperance Society fortnightly meeting on Wednesday evening. The Church choir rendeted some selections from the Fisk Jubilee Melodies m a pleasing manner, Miss Potter accompanying on the organ. Recitations were given by Miss Maggie Meyenberg and Mr G. W. Andrews, while Messrs Beamont, F. Steel, and C. Dixon contributed suitable readings. During the evening Rev D. MoNicoll gave an address on the respective merits of temper* ance and total abstinence, and held that, generally applied, the former was the higher platform ; but when a man became a total abstainer, not from any personal benefit, but denied himself as an example to, and for the good of others, then, the rev gentleman ! argued, the case was altered, and the palm must be awarded to theleetotallor. Several members spoke on the subjeot, and the proceedings, as a whole, were entertaining and profitable. The Canadian thistle, which has made its appearance m several parts of New Zealand, Is spreading rapidly m Yiotoria. The Bungaree Shiro Council have recently taken the matter up, and have obtained a report from the Government Agricultural chemist on the thistle. This gentleman recommended the application of half a ton of chloride of lime to the acre as a remedy. A manufacturer offers to supply the chloride at £8 or £9 a ton, so that it is apparently a rather expensive thing getting rid of the Canadian thistle. A motion was passed by the Council urging the Government to supply the chloride of lime at £4 per ton to farmers. A short time ago we drew attention to the necessity for farmers m this district destroying the weed wherever it made its appearance. It is much worse than the Scotch thistle, and judging from the steps that have had to be taken m Victoria a rather expensive process has to be followed to secure its eradication. The arrangements for fitting up and decorating the interior of Westtminister Abbey for the jubilee services on June 21 are to be on Buch an elaborate and extensive soale that the dean and chapter are to give possession of the building to the Lord Chamberlain on Monday May 2. It is intended to arrange the seats m the nave and transepts on much the same system as was adopted at the coronation. Every place will be numbered and booked to the person who is to occupy it, and there is to be a plan showing each seat and the name of its occupant. There will be a wide passage up the nave from the west door to the choir gates, along whioh the Queen, the Royal Family, the great officers, and the representatives of Foreign courts will pass m procession. The difficulty of finding places for all the representative personages who must be invited is so great that the clergy are to be all paoked together is the sacra rium, and room will have to be found for the choir m the organ loft. The whole service is to be comprised within an hour, by the Queen's command, and this sharp-time limit makes the selection of the musio a very difficult business, and is calculated considerably to embarrass the Arohbishop of Canterbury. A coroner's jury at Adelaide recommended that the bravery of Thomas King, caretaker of Willis's Company's works, should be handsomely rewarded, because he by bis conduot had saved the property from total destruction; but though eleven companies were m tereated to the extent of over £20,000 they have declined to give him any reward. In New South Wales the other day amongst the applicants for work by the unemployed were a barrister of the Inner Temple, an Oxford 8.A., and an M.D. from Aberdeen University, a baritone singer, a water color painter, and a once famous platform orator m Manchester.