LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1646, 26 August 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Our readers are reminded of the benefit to be tendered to Mrs Willmott at the Oddfellow's Hall this evening. The bill of fare, whioh has been prepared, is a good one, and we hope to see a large audience assembled.

A Church Parade cf the looal Volunteers, Bifles and Guards, will take place on Sunday morning next, and the service will be held m the Presbyterian Cburob, where the pulpit will be oooupied by the Rev A. Blake, of Flemington Presbyterian Church.

We have been requested to draw attention to the sale to-morrow of the Clydesdale stallion "Conqueror" and the pedigree mares, the property of Mr Robert Gawn, of Timaru. The horses, which are equal to anything ever seen m thiß district, are now Ideated at the Somerset stables, whore they may be inspected to-morrow morning.

The Hotel Victoria, opened m Northumberland Avenue, London, is quite a palace co far as marble and gilding, painting and "carving, with fine architectural proportions, can make one. The furnishing is being carried out with taste and a seeming disregard^ .cost. One item m the Jbill is 30,000 yards— about 17 miles— of carpet. There are nine floors m the hotel, sleeping accommodation for 700 person, k and offices, eta., far about 150 servants.

Mr Purnell announces that he will speak at Hampstead on Wednesday evening, when he will reply to the speech ot Sir Julius Yogel.

At Havre a fencing j match formed one of the attractions of a charitable fete given at the oirouß, at whioh some 2000 persons were present, and M. Granier. a military fencing maßter, was handling the foils with M< Tenuux.. During the contest the button dropped from the foil used by Mr. Ternaux, and M. Granier was mortally wounded. When the unfortunate man fell lifeless on the floor the scene was terrible, many women fainting, and a panic ensuing. It was, however, happily controlled by Gen Duguiny, who was present, and who ordered the performance to bo stopped m sign of mourning. A correspondent of an American paper — presumably a doctor—advises those who wish to gain flesh and strength to assimilate oil through the pores of the 'skin, instead of by the stomaoh. The patient is to take a warm bath, so as to thoroughly open the pores of his skin. He must then be rubbed dry with rough towels m a heated atmosphere, after which any pure oil is rubbed into the skin* Cod-liver oil is said to be the best ; but olive oil will do. By this means it is said that an invalid will be able to assimilate ten times more oil than his weak stomach could possibly digest.

Mr C. A. Bell has taken out another patent for transmitting and recording upeech and other sounds m which he makes 92 claims. The number is 2268 ol 1886. A glass tube >a fastened on a vibratory support or soundboard, and pure water is passed through it> the jet playing on the diaphragm of a transmitting telephone. On talking to the tonndboard the sound waves throw the jet into vibrations, wbicn are thus transferred to the telephone diaphragm and transmitted as alectrioal undulationß.

A " Jubilee " river is the latest discovery m New Guinea, where an Australian Expedition m the .Victory has been making some valuable explorations. The Victory found two large streams — the " Douglas," which is reached by the so-called " Aird River," which is only one of the mouths of the vast Douglas, and a still wider river further east, which the expedition duly christened " Jubilee " m honor of the Queen. Both|streams were explored by the steamer for fully a hundred miles, and five new tribes were found.

It is almost impossible foifoountrr people to realise the dense IgnoranceQas to matters agricultural and rural from which the children of the London poor suffer. A day or two ago the parson of a London parish asked one of the ohildren who had boarded out under the Poor Law regulations how he enjoyed the change of air and scenery. "Please, sir," said the urchin, " I don't like it all ; instead of giving me milk out of a nice clean tin, they squeeze .it out of a nasty cow — I seed 'em a doing it ! "

The French Senate has disoaeged the report of the Committee on Consumption of Spirits. M.Slaado said that the Committee had come to the conclusion that drinking spirits m France had reached euoh a height as to be a social danger. Alcohol was essentially a dutiable artiole, and it behoved the State to prevent its exoeßsive consumption, at the same time scouring the utmost profit to the Treasury by the suppression of adulteration and other frauds. Mr Rouvier approved the Committee's report. He said that the Govern* ment would proeeoute fraud wherever discovered, and that the revenue collectors would be instructed to take vigorous aotion against the imposition.

The experience of " An ex-Milk Carrier," is given m the " London Globe," ought to prove of the greatest interest to every house* holder. He stated that he engaged himself as carrier to a large suburban firm, supposed to keep 300 cows. Before starting on his round m the morning a oertain quantity of milk was measured out to him- and entered •gainst him m a book. On his return he had to aooount for more than the quantity served out ; for it was, he states, the practice of the firm to require their oarriers to " book over." For instance, if he received 60 quarts he would be required to " book m " 66, and he explains with charming brevity that m order to carry out his instructions " You may either water the milk or give ahort measure."