LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1640, 19 August 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The date on which the writs will bo issued has been definitely fixed as the 26th instant. The polling day ib not yet fixed. Mr Walter B. Moss, of this town, advertises m another part of this issue a sure cure for a very distressing ailment. The following team play for the Aahburton Football Club against Geraldine to-morrow afternoon, on the eporta ground ; — Backs, H. Moore, Thompson, D. Moore, Broadley, Graham and Oliver ; forwards — Leohner (Gaptain), Stewart, Fooks, A. Patterson, Hargreaves, Simpson, Fearoo, Pauling and Foley ; i emergencies— Outhbertson, Clark, and H. 1 Fooks. Mombers are requested to bo on the ground punctually, as play begins at 2 p.m. sharp; The Alford Forest riokerg case is again beforo the courts. At the civil sessions of the Supreme Court, at Timaru, yesterday, Jas. Bullivant BUed Edward Herring for £500 damages for alleged malioious proseoution. It will be remembered that a short time ago Bullivant and Toner were criminally pro* 'deeded against by Herring for alleged perjury m oonneotion with an action for libel, Toner y. Barring, heard last year, but no bills were found against the ; accused by grand jury. The present action occupied the Court the whole of yeßterday m hearing the case for the plaintiff, and to-day that for the defeadant will be gone into. " Pa," inquired an up-town boy, " what is a sage?" "A sage, my eon," replied tho father, gloomily, " a sage is a man who never marries." A collootor at Bombay has among his curioßitieß a Chinese god marked " Heathen Idol," and next to it a gold dollar marked " Christian Idol." At Napier Mr Ivoss was asked the following question :— •• Will you tell us how Sir John Hall gridironed his run ? " He replied, '• In Canterbury a regulation was passed that go blocks of land under 20 aores should be sold. Sir John Hall had it surveyed into 19 and 20 aero blocks, and took up the 20 acre blocks, and no one oould buy the intervening 19 aores. At least that was how the story was told m the Canterbury papers." The "New Zealand Times" says: — "Aa showing the durability of the native silver pine, we may mention that Dr Lemon has now on view m his office a pieoe of the abovenamed timber, part of a telegraph pole, which has been fourteen years m the ground, and is still quite sound, and as hard as a Btone. He has also a piooc of a log of the same Bpeoies of timber, which has been unearthed, having laid under ground to judge by the age of the birch trees growing over it, for upwards of 100 years. This specimen is also perfectly sound, and is capable of reooiving a beautiful polish. Both pieces come from Hokitika, whence the department is now getting its telephone poles of silver pine." A remarkable literary partnership has been formed between Julian Hawthorne and Inspector Thomas Byrnes, chief of tho New York Detective Bureau. The result will be a series of tales founded on facts, for which Mr Byrnes will furnish the material and Mr Hawthorne the literary workmanship. The history of literature does not furnish Buoh unother instance of collaboration m fiction. About half-past five o'clook on Thursday morning an epileptic patient of Sunnyside Asylum was found lying dead on the floor of the ward. An inquest was held m the afternoon. The evidence proved that he had received all due attention. It appeared that Dr Levinge, the present medioal superintend dent, does not give medicines except under special oiroumstanoeß to prevent epileptic fits, considering that suoh treatment only aggravates the fits. Dr Hacon, tho former superintendent, habitually treated epileptics with bromide of potassium. Two of the attendants stated that the result of the new treatment wbb that epileptics m tho Asylum had fits more frequently now than formerly. One of these attendants, however, is under notice to leave, and has been Boveral times reported for not being sufficiently oareful. It also appeared that since June Ist three epileptics have died, while m the previous six months no death of an epileptic patient was reported. The attendants had noticed a slight inorease m Matthews' fits, but had not verbally reported it to the doctor, all the fits being entered m a book whioh he saw every morning. Matthews' death was reported to the doctor shortly after six o'clook, and he did not see the body till 9.30, considering he could do nothing by going at once; The jury returned a verdict that deceased died from anffooation caused by an epileptio fit. I You can't tell anything about a man by his tombstone. Bheumatism is a drug m the market jus* now. Almost everyone has more than he wants. Blobbs says he can Bee no earthly reason why women should not bo allowed to become medical men. It is never too late to mend ; but a man oannot expoot to have a button sewn on much after mid-night. Mica Parkes, the daughter of tho Premier of Now Sonth Wales, who is shortly to turn tho first sod of a railway lino, will be presented on the oaoasion with a spade worth £200. It will' Contain lOoz of gold and 80jz of silver, the handle being wreathed with native roses and branches of gold. Tho "Wanganui Herald" says:— Athh a mooting m Dunedin, Mr Larnaoh, referring to the defeat of tho Government said one Maor gontloman who came into tho House reoently v»as induced to change his mind very suddenly, and if rumor spoke truly, sonio coin of the realm passed m that direction, but he (Mr Larnach) did not say such a rumor was true* A curious swindle was perpetrated m New York recently. A well-known and wealthy gentloman of the city doposited m the United States Assay Office four large bars supposed to bo of gold, to be refined and made into standard gold bars. They were valued at 40,000 dols. When the assayer chipped them the bars were found to be of ooppor, with a thin wash of gold, and worth about 4dola. The King of Holland received, on his 70th birthday, a very remarkable gift from his Queen. Her Majority, upon congratulating the King, told him she had a large bouquet of fiowera for him, but it was bo heavy that she had asked the Udies-in- waiting to bring it m. The door was opened, and several ladiee enterod carrying an immense bouquet, whioh they placed beforo tho King. His Majesty was greatly surprised when suddenly (he top of tho bouquet openod, and tho head of his infant daughtor peeped through the flowers. The Kin;; was delighted with this protty surprise, whioh has not been oquallod ■ince the days of the " four-aqd- twenty bUok birds/