LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1674, 28 September 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Eight informations for alleged assault have been sworn by a local business man, and will oome on for hearing at the B.M. Court to-morrow. The affair of which this is the out-come took place on elcotion night, A very successful entertainment took plaoo at the Weßleyan Churoh last evening, both m regard to attendance and the satisfactory efforts of the choir and scholars of the Sunday Sohool who rendered Bradbury's service of Bong " The River Singers " m a manner whioh evoked well-merited commendation. Each of the children had a bouquet of flowers, and the effect produoed was most pleasing. The narrativo was read by Key D. McNicoll, and bis happy rendering of this important feature of the entertainment was very effective. Mr Gambit, conducted with his well-known tact, and Misa Clara Steel manipulated at the organ with good taste. Preoeding the entertainment Mr W. H. Collins (Superintendent) read a brief report of the Sunday Sohool's position and work for the past year, from which it wae gathered that the institution was m a fairly prosperous condition. HMore discoveries of gold are reported at Capetown. The Frenoh Government will endeavour to reduce the oonßumption of spirits m France by imposing higher taxes upon alcohol. The Colorado beetle is devastating the potato crop m Prussian Saxony. The will of an old lady who reoently died < m Vienna loft all her property, valued at £2000, to her nineteen-year-old niece, on ' condition that the latter would never wear I clothes of any other out than thoße worn by ' her aunt,, and (be oieco aeocpted the oon- ; ditioui. I

It is estimated that there are more than 50,000 families m London with only, one room each to lire m. The following alterations m the olassificft* tion of goods are gazetted:—Butter, paoked, consigned to Bhip for export, m consignments of not less than 10 owt, class D ; tea, packed, beyond 140 miles (minimum rate as class A for 140 miles), owners' risk, olaas B. A drought prevails all over Europe, and there is much injury to crops. The water supply of the great cities is seriously affected, being tainted and very scanty. Steel-framed cabs are now being manufactured m England, with a view to lightness and greater duarability than if wood were used for the purpose. All the leading papers of Berlin have published apparently inspired articles, advising the financial world to stop lending money to Rusßia, and follow the example of England and Holland, which have unloaded their Russian securities. Ordered to clear the Court, an Irish orier at Ballinasloe did so by thiß announcement: ~" Now, then, all ye blackguards that isn't lawyers must lave the Court." It is understood that Mr Moody has been urgently pressed to plan an evangelical tour m India, and the English friend who suggeited the same haß shown bis sinoerity by lending a oheque for 25,000 dollars towards the expenses. ' "The problem of ferial navigation is to be. attaoked by means of a balloon of colossa ■ize, which ia said to be nearly oompleted m Berlin. It 2b to be 500 feet m length, 50 feet m diameter, and to weigh 43,0001b5. Two steam engines of 50-hdrse power each are to furnish propelling power. Owing to the large number of destitute ohtldren m Sydney, a few philanthropic persons have undertaken to start a children's home, and undertake a special mission to waifs and strays. A friend has placed a large house and grounds, containing three aores and valued at £1500, at the disposal of the committee m charge of the movement, and this it is intended* to utilise as a home for girls, The Japanese, viewed from the historical standpoint, are not an ancient people; but beyond the certainty that they are not the aborigines of the land they govern, and strong evidence that their antecedents were those of barbarous races, we only know that we know nothing. Wa are profoundly ignorant as to whence they came and when they came. A pickpocket relieved P. T. Barnum of a wallet containing £50 while he was on a train at Bridgepoit, Conn. A correspondent of the " Western Star,'» writing from Sydney, says :—'• Agriculturists are benefiting by the good seasons, and I am under the impression that New Zealand will have to look elsewhere for an outlet for her oats until there is a ohange m the seasons here." An English paper relates of a certain colonial judge who is now, on a visit to London, that one day he tendered a oheque for a rather large amount at a certain bank for which he wanted cash. The teller questioned and cross-questioned him as to his identity at great length, until the judge losing his temper f aid " Why I've hung a man on lees evidence." •♦Likely enough, likely enough," was the reply, " but you ace we have.to be'oareful over ready money." And now everybody is wondering where that judge hails from. Ah anecdote wa3 related by Sir Julius Yogel last, evening apropos of the recent rumours of] disloyalty on; the part of his colleagues. Ministers, he baid, generally carried cypher codes with them when travelling about the country,\for use m oommuni. eating with eaoh other. On one oooasion when Major Atkinson^happened to be In the same town as Mr Bryce, he received a telegram m cypher from Sir John Hall. Not having his code with him, he asked. Mr Bryce to translate* it for^him. That gentle, man did so, and the subitanae of the message, as given him by] a member of the Ministry, was as follows: —" Major |Atkinson —Look after Bryce. He is not to be trusted." The story was reoeived by the audience with roars of laughter. A singular revelation wan made at an inquest held at Wolverhampton the other day on the body of Susannah Vernon, a married woman, who after cutting her throat with a razor, was removed to the hospital, where she died. Upon her admission to the hospital the woman was found to have a sum of £48 7s sown up between two pieces of linen, which she tied to the sole of her foot. The husband of the deceased, who said ha waß unaware that his wife possessed so much money, on the money being handed over to him, gave £5 to the funds of the hospital. A lady of charitable disposition asked a tramp if she oould not assist him by mending his clothes. " Yes madam," he replied, " I have a button, and if you would sew a shirt on to it you would greatly oblige me." At a dinner party m Boston, a young man, who was visiting from the West, was asked if he waß fond of ethnology. •• Well, ye-es,' 1 bo replied at a venture ; " but I don't think I'll take any to-night." " Figaro" relates the following true cricket story ;—" At a match played on Jubilee day m the park of a well-known baronet m Sussex, as there was a scarcity of available talent, it was necessary to seoure the services of one of the footmen of the hall as umpire. In due course the baronet, his master, went m, and best village bow.ler was at once put on. The second time he bowled the ball the baronet stopped it with his leg, and the ory of " How's that ?" was at once raised. It was the footman who had to answer, and, turning to his master, the baronat, he exolaimed m a halfapologetio tone, " I am afraid that I must say not at home, Sir George." "Not at home 1" retorted the baronet, " whatever do you mean, you idiot?" "Well, then, Sir George," Jeames made answer, "if you will have it, I mean that you're hout." Germany having by means of a drawbaok put a bounty on the manufacture of German spirits, France has now increased the tax on foreigu spirits to 190 per cent •ad valorem, thus more than extinguishing the advantage the bounty would have given the German distillers m Frenoh markets. < , | . ' '