LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1570, 28 May 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tha debate on the No<Gon£denee Motion flame to a conclusion m iho House early this morning, the Government being. defeated by a majority of iour.

The Druids contemplate holding a.v rente*tainment on June Ist. Two nieces have been m active rehearsal lax some time past, «nd the assistance ot three profeßßional aotresses having been eeourod, the affair should be a success.

The first of a Beriea of social gatherings, the proceeds of which will be devoted towards defraying the cost of new badges, etc, was given by the Ashburcon Guards m the Oddfellows' Hall last evening. There was a very large attendance, the hall being quite crowded) the uniforms of the voluntoen present lend* ing animation to the scone. A moat enjoy* able programme had been prepared, consist* ing ol eongs, dances, military exorcises, and so forth, while at intervals the assembled company had an opportunity of " tripping the light fantastic." The entertainment was very much on the lines of the Ingkaides, held undor the auspices of the Caledonian flooiej;y> < and all present enjoyod tbemtwlves id tba most thorough manner. If tha management for future gatherings are as happy m their ohoioe of programme, there is no doubt that they will merit a get ftt sueQegg.

rh« •' London Daily Telegraph " Paris oorreipondent, writing on April 5, gave ourrenoy

to the following extraordinary story:— "l bear on what I consider to be excellent authority that the German Embassy was actually on the point of being broken op'here Iwt week. lam assured that on Wednesday the question of asking for the passports for the military attaches was not only seriously disoussed, but that certain members of tbe Embassy were aotually on the point of making preparations for leaving Paris. On the following day all wbb amioably arranged. This

itatement will doubtless be denied, but I have reason to believe that the situation was m truth most serious. There is no question I that the Frenoh Government was to blame m giving publicity to the remarks on the duties and privileges of military attaches. If they obtained information from the Frenoh officials

it is quite olear that they were quite justified m making use of any opportunities that offered of doing their duty to the Governments whom they were paid to serve. If any Frenoh [officials proved themselves unworthy of trust it was for the Frenoh authorities to discbarge and punish them, and it would havo been wise to keep quiet about the affair." Some amendments to the Volunteer Regulations are gazetted. Amongst other things these provide that captains of Volunteer foroes for ten years' continuous service as such, will, on application and passing a qualifying examination, be promoted to the rank of major. Captains commandant and oaptains of naval artillery oorps of similar service will have equal relative rank and command m the volunteer force without the title of major.

Another fond delusion destroyed 1 Every*

body knows that m cases of infectious disease it is the custom of most housewives to swamp their entire premises with carbolic acid. Now Dr Alfred Carpenter has informed the Association of Sanitary Inspectors that he

doeß not "reoommond^carbolio acid as a dis

infeotant, for it is found that the acid preserved tbe dormant germ from decay." In future we are to use biobloiide of mercury.

.Borne time ago we published a paragraph regarding the defeotiveness of the °s*ord-

bayonets supplied to the British army, and we now observe from the London " Times," of March 18th, that a teat has been made of these weapons. The " Timeß/' says :— •• It is stated that the .final test whioh induoed the Committee enquiring into the issue of defeotive sword-bayonets to'oondemn the whole of | those of the pattern mentioned by Captain Rawflon, 0.8., of Her Majesty's ship Indus > was made at Enfield. Some of the bayonets from the Indus were taken to the Small Arms Faotory and tried on the oaroaae of a sheep dressed m soldier's clothes with a great ooat on. A thrust was made at the objeot, with the result that the bayonet bent m two places without there being any penetration of the animal." The " Times " also says that if this kind ot thing goes on the War Office will be overhauled, supervised, and administered by Bomo independent committee or commission. The largest birds' egga .m existence old found on the Island of Madagascar belong* ing to an oxfcinot speoiea known among naturalists as the Epinornis. The discovery of these eggs were made by a sea captain, who Stopped at a port m the southern part of Madagascar to trade with the natives. During his stay there the ourioua dishes whioh tbe natives used to carry food and water m Attracted Mb attention, and npon inveßtigation be found thoy were egg-shells oat m halves, and, upon being questioned, the natives informed him that they obtained them from tho great sandbanks some distance from the interior. An offer to purohase some

soon resulted m the discovery of others, and

also m finding the bones of the birds whioh laid them. Tbe latter established the fact

that the Epinornis was a giant among birds, some of the species attaining the stature of 12 feet or 13 feet. The cumulative vote is vigorously condemned by the "Tuapeka Times," whioh says : — " It has been instrumental m doing more injury to the cause of education than it could evor have done good. It has enabled men to find their way on to committees who know as much about education and respeot its influence as muoh as do a tribe of New Guinea Bavages. Any low vagabond who tabes a faa«y to sit oa a school committee can get himself elected without the slightest difficulty by bringing to the meeting a few droughty plumpers ; and it is very often the case that men such as this head the poll* Respectable men hover take advantage of the cumulative vote by putting the full number opposite their own names; they are more likely to divide their favors over the other candidates, and trust to the good opinion of their (fellow-townsmen for their own return. One vote for one householder ought to be the limit ; and the man who cannot get returned under .this arrangement has no business on the committee at all. By abolishing the cumulative vote we would put an end to the practice which now obtains of dragging to the poll Chinamen, bar loafers, parasites — a reform muoh needed m many a distriot."