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Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1611, 16 July 1887, Page 2

There was ft sharp shook of earthquake at J 9.35 o'clock last evening. It was accompanied by a rumbling sound. At the Waterloo meeting yesterday, a report was circulated that Haroun-al-Raschid had been got at. Mr JRoss, the owner, comI plained to the Stewards, who held a meeting. | In the eridence, aoousaticns were made that Mr W. F. Buckland's dog, Nassau, had been bought by Mr Howe, the owner of Killarney, and had been "stiffened." The Stewards deoided that there was not enough evidence to warrant them m taking aotion. I In the course of hie remarks to a deputation I tthioh waited upon him at Christohurch o 5 ester day, the Hon. Mr Richardßon stated that Canterbury was now the only part of New Zealand m whioh there were unemployed. In Auokland the epeotal settlements, and m Otago the Labour Bureau, had practically disposed of the difficulty. Here it was expected, m a Bhort time, that the efforts of the Labour Bureau would result m the total disappearance of the unemployed. The following from a Melbourne paper, dated June 11th, will show that New Zealand ia not alone m feeling the depression: — "To show how deep and widespread the distress m Melbourne is, it may be mentioned that one day this week the Gag Company advertised for a man to priok up a ceiling, merely a few hours' work. One hundred and twenty-sevdn men applied for the job." The second of the series of the eooial gatherings organised by the Ashburton Guards for the benefit of the funds of the corps took place m the Oddfellows' Hall last evening. The attendance waa extremely good, and the room presented a very pretty appearanoe. The whole affair was characterised by the greatest of sueoess throughout, and the organisers, particularly the Seoretary, Sergeant J. Purchase, on whom devolved the largest share of the work, are entitled to credit. The proceedings were of the same oharaoter as at the former entertainment, the dances being interspersed with songs and instrumental music, the Ashburton Band contributing its quota. Several songs were sung, and an espeoial item was a violin duet by Messrs E. and 0. Wood. The sword exercise by a team of the Guards was a noticeable feature, and ColocSergeant Eeir mast be complimented on the Btate of efficiency to whioh he brought the men m the short space of time he had at command. A negro song and dance by Mr Ryan was redemanded, and Captain Dolman had to respond to an encore for his song. A song was also given by Mr Simpson, and a recitation by Mr Minnis, both items being greatly applauded. Pipe musio for the Scotch danoes was sapplied by Mr Mabin, and Messrs H. Gates, Wood, Mayo, Hosking, and others saw to the other musio that was required. Taken altogether, the affair was a great success, and it is to be hoped a good substantial balance will result. One of the newest idiosynorasies m New York city is parasols for pet dogs. The Emperor of Austria spends over £200,000 a year on the Vienna Opera House. At the annual parade of the polioe of New York there were about three thousand men m line. A oountrj paper contains the following satisfactory announcement :— A number of deaths are unvoidably postponed." The ostrich feathers sold at public auction m Port Elizabeth (South Afrioa) during Maroh realised £26,245. One of the latest devioes is a hinged lamppost. Its chief advantage is that bo ladder is required to enable it to be cleaned and rathe lamp-lighter -carrying a key for that purpose. At a two days' sale of orchids wbioh has just oonoluded at Dorneide, Leetherheadrenormoui sums have been realised. One plant was bought by Messrs Veitch and Sons, of Chelsea, for 310 guineas, the highest price ever ob« tamed for a single orchid. The most destructive epidemio that has occurred m the world's history was the Blaok Death, whioh appeared m the sixteenth century. It is impossible to properly estimate the number that died ia this plague, but it can hardly have fallen short of 70,000,000 of people. It waß calculated that China lost at least 13,000,000 of her inhabitants, and m Europe the total loss probably exoeeded 25,000,000. A fidgety old gentleman at a railway station was terribly afraid that he would lose the run of his trunk, and constantly worried the basy porter about it somewhat as follows: — "Porter, be sure that raj trunk is gafe." A moment later, "Porter, don't forget my trunk." Shortly again, " Porter, now are you quite Bure my trunk is safe ?" The Porter answers, " Arrah, and be jabers it's a pity you wasn't an elephant instead of an ass, and then you would always have your trunk under your noae." It is Btated that the Pope and the Czar are negotiating through a noble monk with a view to the reunion of the Greek and Latin ohurohea. Recent visitors to the Rotoiti distriot state that Lake Rotoiti has become of a very pretty blue color, like Late Tikitapu, and its appear, •noe from the back of Tikitere is very pic turesque. Dress suita made m one piece are now worn m Paris; The waistcoat has no back, the shirt consists of front, the ouffa are Btitohed into the coat sleeves, and a single set of buttons fixes the whole contrivance. Goltz Pasha, a Prussian colonel, who holds the post of instructor m the Turkish army, was jireaent recently at the outpost exeroisea of a rifle corp3 at Lubben, where some very interesting experiments were made with doga trained for keeping np communications m time of war. Goltz Pasha was surprised and pleased at the performances of the dogs, and expressed a conviction that the introduction of -such a service m the Asiatic mountain district of Turkey would be most advantage, ous. He considers the Asiatic shepherds' doga especially fitted for this servioe m places where horses cannot be need. According to the German census, there are 72 male and 162 female centenarian» m that oountry. There are nine persona over 110 years, of whom five are women and four are men. The oldest woman ia 117, and the oldest man 120.