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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1656, 7 September 1887, Page 3

An inspection parade of the Ashburton Volunteers was held at the drillahed last evening. Major Douglas being the Inspecting Officer. The Riflea (Uapt. Dolman) numbered 46, and the Guards (Oapt. Sparrow) 43. The Corps were exercised m battalion drill, after which Major Douglas addressed the men, and said that m view of the field day on the 9th November every member of the corps should attend the weokly drills regularly " Chambers 1 Journal " thus describes a new method of burning gas, whioh has lately been introduced m London. It ia an incandescent burner, invented by Dr Aver von Welsbach. It consists of a so-called 'mantle' of muslin, whioh has been impregnated with certain incombustible oxidee produced from the rare mstals ziroonium and lanthanum. -This cap or mantle is supported by a platinum wire m the flame of a Bunaen burner, with the result that the delicate incombustible network is brought to a white heat. The flams gives out an intensely white light, whioh is perfeotly steady and of high value, for a light of twenty candles is obtained from burning only two and a half feet of gas per hour. " Lloyd's Weekly " has .the following :— George William Niohollß left England for New Zealand m 1875, and has not been heard of for five years. His laßt address was the Poit Office, Chriatohurch, New Zealand. His father ia anxious for news. Franois Albert Sjmonds left England for Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand, m the ship Waimate, m Sept. 1875. He subsequently went to Sydney, from whenoe ha wrote m Feb. 1877. Ha has not been heard of since, and his aged parents are very anxious concerning him. A new musioal toy, called the " bigophono, ' after tho name of the inventor, M. Bigot, has become a rage^atjthe looal fatoß so numerou around Paris. It is a cardboard horn of some fantastic shape, requiring no knowledge of musio to play it, and only requiring that the air to be played should be known by ear to the performer, who hums it through the mouthpieoe. According to the voice of the exeoutant, the instrument becomes a bassoon, oornet, and trombone, flute, flageolet, eto., and complete bands are formed with it, and oompeto with each other, like the orpheonio sooieties. A grand festival of " bigophonists" has just been held at a fete on the banks o the Marne, near St Maur, when medals and prizes were distributed, the affair passing off amidst great enthusiasm.