LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1605, 9 July 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

ThQ "Times" BfcrHn anrra™™* — * -pS -•• ««• <«ue contemplated inoreaseof the Gorman grain duties, some organs of the S*. Petersburg papers reoommend the imposition of a retaliatory poll-tax on all German workman who cross the frontier, ■ The Special Mission Servioes wore continued last evening at the Salvation Army Barraoks, at which representatives from nearly every denomination m town tookßome active part. Major and Mrs Barritt, who were present, gave stirring addresses, and the meeting was what our cousins m Amerioa would term a " Jive " one. The mission has been bo decidedly successful and suoh interest excited, that it is not improbable that the maetinga will be continued next week. Tonight we underutand that Rev D. MoNiooll Will take charge of the proceedings, and a visitor from the Cathedral oity is expeoted to give an address. The usual meeting of the South Rakaia Sohool Committee was held m the Library, on Thursday. Prosont— Messrs Pyke (chairman), Broadbont, and Johnston.. The minutes-, being confirmed, the Chairman apologised for the unavoidable absenoe of Messrs Oxloy and Turner. The Master reported iho attendanoo as follows :— Striot avorago per quarter, 1305 ; working, 137-2 ; highest attendanoo, 158 ; number on roll, 200. The small attendance was owing to Biokness and the wet weather ; some small improvements were required m the grounds* The Master rooommended the addition of two rooms to his house. The Chairman stated that, as requested, he had prooured copies of. the Education Act and distributed them. On the motion of Mr Broadbont, seoonded by Mr Johnston, a hearty vote of thanks was aooordod to Miss Young for her kindness m accompanying the ohildren to Ashburton on Jubilee day. Messrs Pyke and Broadbent undertook to see after the required improve" monts m the grounds. Consideration of the Master's application for addition to his house was deferred. Correspondence and reports were dealt with, aooounts for £5 16s 9d were passed for payment, and the meeting adjourned. An entertainment was given m the Seafleld Sohoolroom on Thursday evening. Thb room was well filled, and Mr Parsons oooupied the ohair. After the Chairman had briefly stated the objeot of the entertainment, a very good programme was gone through, the following ladies and gentlemen taking part :— Mesdames Parsons, Rodmayno, and Lambio ; the 1 Misses Lambio and Lunt ; Messrs Lambio, Parsons! Johnson, Jamieson, English, Wilkinson, Carr, and Adams; nearly all were encored. The songs m eharaoter given by Mr English, Mr Wilkinson, and Mr Adamfc were muoh appreciated. Several «eleotions of instrumental musio wero played by the Kyle Band, and groat oredit is due to Mr Lambio for the effioient manner m which the musioal part of the performance was oarriod out. Tea, ooffeo, and refreshments were provided by 'ho ladies of the distriot, and danoing was kept up till the morning. The Committee havo the sum of £7 7a for the piano fnnd, and desires to thank all thpse who helped to make the entertainment a sucoess, The Wellington correspondent of an exjhange wives :— "Efforts ara ;boing |made to jffeol aa amalgamation between the " New Zealand Timoa " and the " Evening Presa " md to float the joint concern as a limited iability company, but tho proposal is not neeting with muoh public support as yet. Tho oommissary (-general m chief of the 'orces m India has written to the Queensland 3 ovornmont that he is about to send, to Aus. tralia for 200,0001 bof preserved meat, and if latisfaotion iB given, probably all the tinned neat required for tho forcos will bo prooured ! rom Australia and|New Zealand m jjcefeteuci© ' 0 Amerjoftq m.ea(,

The Aehburton Lodge of Oddfellows celebrated the anniversary of their Lodge by a oonoert and ball m the Oddfellowa' Hall last evening. The proceedings wore of a very enjoyable nature, and there was a fairly numerous attendance, m Bpite of the very unfavorable weather. The programme was of a mixed oharacter, the dances being interspersed by songs, reoitatione, sailors' hornpipes, etc Songs were given by Messrs Lewis, Toppin, Tregonin, and Ryan, and reoitations by Messrs Minnis and Dunn. Alj these were very muoh appreciated, while a sailor's hornpipe contributed by Mr Ryan was so inimitably performed that it received an imperative re-demand. Several gentlemen, whose names were not obtainable, also rendered yeomen service m contributing to the enjoyment of the evening, and when the assemblage broke up everybody was thoroughly satisfied with the amusemene that had been provided for them. Mr G Scott made an efficient M.C., and tha musical portion was looked after by Messrs Mayo, Andrews, and Leitoh. The catering was m the hands of Mr Ranger, and the Committee who had oharge of the affair worked hard to promote the general enjoyment. ; We observe from the tabulated figures given m the annual report of Inspectors oi Mines that the output of native coal from the Otago ooal measures for the year 1886 reached a total of 107,000 tons. This does not inolude Blaok, of which the total was about 30,000 tons, nor, of course, the produce of Southland fields, the figures above' given being for Otago proper. The total is interest>ing as indicating that there is sufficient demand for the native produot to afford good prospects for the development of the coal measures of our own provincial district. The following preparation applied to the surface will prevent any rusting on ploughs or any other metal surface. Melt one ounce of resin m a gill of linseed oil, and when hot mix with two quarts of kerosene oil. This can be kept on hand and applied m a moment with a brush or rag to the metal surface -of any tool that is not going to be used for a few days, preventing any rust, and saving muoh ivexation when the time comeß to use it again. A resident m Ohristchurch has received a letter from a friend at Home which contains the information that Mr Archibald Forbes says ' that he places Ohristohuroh at the head of New Zealand civilisation." A boy, whilst playing on the beaoh at Largs Bay, near Adelaide, nnearthed two oash boxes from the sand, whioh proved to be the ones stolen from the Largs Bay Hotel over four years ago ; £49 m money and other valuables were also discovered with the boxes. The Tauranga Acclimatisation Society have just sooured a very rare and valuable animal* namely, a pure white phantom buck deer. It is about seven years old, and was captured by some Nativeß m a river running through a ravine. , The " Press " states that the paternity of one of the prisoners (a Maori girl) on trial at Ithe Supreme Court Christohuroh on Monday is somewhat remarkable. Her father married his granddaughter, and therefore ha is both father and great grandfather to his daughter. The " Tuapeka Times " states that the owners of the Greenfield station have sent 7000 fat sheep to Dunedin this year for shipmeat, and m no oase has the railway carried one of them. They have all been sent by the road m droves of about 2000 at a time. In the course of another week or so a , further oonsijmmenJi_Qf_B.bput 4000 will be aoopatOuod by rand. 7 T.™ — — —