LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1692, 21 October 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

\Ye understand that, as a consequence of the experience gained through the nor'-wester and the accompanying clouds of dust during the last few days, it is likely that several trade 8 people will requisition the Borough Oounoil to urge upon the Railway Department to plant the railway reserve with a belt of trees. This matter, if we mistake not, came before the Council about a year ago, when, m reply to its representations, the objeotion was made that to plant the reserve with trees would hide the approach of trains and accidents at crossings might thus be caused. A good many people think, however, that all liability of accident would be avoided if some of the hands at the local station were told off, to guard the orossinga when trains were about to pass.

The weather during tb^p last few days has been very boisterous. Yesterday a strong nor'-wester was blowing, and m the evening there was a heavy thunderstorm at the hills. The flashes of lightning and the rumbling of thunder were very diatinot, even m Ashburton, where rain fell for several hours. Mounted Constable Casey, who was at Mayfield inspecting the Burnham Boys, who have been licensed out to settlers m "that vioinity, had a very rough experience while returning home •oross the plains m the evening. The river rote rapidly and tnußt have occasioned oongiderable overflow »t Wakanui, when it hat been vary threatening lately. The river w&b down this morning, bat the north-west gale was blowing neatly as strong as ever.

Daring the hearing of an application for a prohibition order m the Court yesterday one of the witnesses suggested that it might be advisable for the friends of the man against whom the order was sought to take him before a Judge of the Supreme Court m order that he might be committed for a term to the Asylum, there to reaeive treatment for bis habits of dipsomania. The Magistrate said that m the old days of Provincialism there bad been an institution whioh he very much regretted had been abolished, viz., ft separate ward for the reception of men of this olass, It might be m the remembrance of old settlers that- a Ohristoburoh lawyer placed himself voluntarily m this ward for twelve months m order that he might be able to oonquer a craving for liquor, that wat leading him on to his ruin. He (the Magistrate) knew of many people, now m good positions, who had been saved from irreclaimable degradation through the beneficent influenoo of this institution. As matters stood now* however, any person sent to the Aaylum for dipsomania had, during his stay there, to mix with ordinary oaees of lunaoy, and this prevented man; from seeking curative treatment, a state of affairs wbioh the Magistrate thought oould only be overcome by a return to the system of a separate ward for the reception of those unfortunate persons who were the viotims of a most horrible vice.

The companions of the Ashbartoa Kil» winning Royal Arch Chapter, 187 S.O. assembled m full muster on Friday evening,

23rd ult., m the Masonic Hall, for the

purpose of witnessing the installation oJ prinoipals and officers for the ensuing year,

After the election M.E. Comp. Henry Zander installed M.E, Comp. J. Scaly as Z, M.E. Comp. A. Harrison as H, and M.E. Oomp. H. W. Felton as J. ME. Comp. Jubal

Fleming, from Christohuroh, then delivered proper addresses to the principals, and conoluded the ceremony by installing RLE.

7 Oomp. Charles Braddell as S.E., Oomp. J. Tait as S.W., M.B. Oomp. H. Zander as i Treasurer, Comp. W. Anderson as P.S., Oomp. S. Nelson as S.S., Oomp. J. Qorbitt as J.S., Comp. K. Cullen as Janitor. The . retiring principal, M.E. Oomp. D. McFarlane acted aa M.0., and the whole of tho cereL mony was performed m the usual perfeot manner, M.E. Comp. A. Harrison presiding at the organ. The M.E.Z. m choosing his • officers for the Excellent Lodge, said that he would act as R.W.M., M.E Comp. Zander ' kb S.W., M.E. Oomp. Braddell as J.W., Oomp. Anderson as I.G. He also appointed M.E. Comp. Felton as R.W.M. of the Mark Lodge, and selected the following officers : — Brd. J. : Scaly, S.W. ; Bro. Charles Braddell, J.W. ; Bro. S. Nelson, Registrar ; Bro. A. Harrison, : M.0. ; Bro. D. MoFarlane, 5.0.; Bro. J. Tait, J. 0 .; Bro. W. Anderson, conductor ; Bro. W. Pattman, I.G. M.E. Comp. Scaly > returned thanks to the companion!, and - specially thanked the risitors, Gomps. i Fleming, Elvig, and Stephenson for their I attendance. After oloaing the Chapter, the : companions retired to the banquet room, : where they participated m * sumptuous supper givtn by the Chapter. The usual loyal and other toasti were duly honored and the companions separated, having spent a rery pleasant ereoing. The new fashions are • revolt against sesthetioiini, the brightest colors being worn recklessly. The New South Wales GoTernnaent have offered £25,000 for an effectual scheme tf rabbit extermination. The rioheat oolored woman m the world ia Amanda Eubanks. She pays taxes on £80,000. The Queen is said to have a remarkable memory for names, laoeß, dates, plaoes, and faots. When the Queen goes to Crathie Kirk she sits m an ordinary plain-looking pew, and pots on no side at all. New shades of old standard colors are ooming m; p ale delioate apple, willow, green* gage, rifle absinthe, and chartreuse groan. Kangaroo skins were recently Bold at auction m Sydney up to 12s 8d per skin, the highest price yet realised m that market.. It is said that £100,000 has been offered to the Government of JCew South Wales for tho monopoly of the telephone business m that colony. The •• Vienna Frembenblatt " says that the heir to the Russian Crown has a magnificent tenor voice, whioh is undergong careful nurture. Japanese printers are said to have reproduced m excellent stylt a number oi American publications vied as text-booki m tho schools j of Japan, The most handsome barber's shop m the world is said to be m St. Louie, snd is owned by Mra James Thomas, who is worth £16,000.

The total cost of the new Town Hall at Manchester — said to be the moat important monioipal building m the kingdom, if not m Europe — waß £1,053,264, inclusive of £201,925 for interest. The edifioe covers more than 8000 square yards.

The following practical experiment (says an American contemporary) confirms the theory that cream ripening is an oxydising process : — Two jars of cream of equal eon. tents, ast Bide by side, and the one frequently stirred while the other was not, were churned after ripening. The quantity of butter yielded was praotically the same, the difference being only ljoz; but the flavor was decidedly m favor of the stirred cream, which thereby got the benefit of being more exposed to the atmosphere, from which it could absorb oxygen. A sentence of two years' hard labor passed on an Adelaide carter named Burford, for overcharging the Government £1 m his accounts,* has excited intense indignation. The matter was brought up m the Legislature, and the Bcntenoe is likely to be remitted.

The results which have been obtained by Dr Freire, of Rio de Janeiro, m inooulating againat yellow fever, give another striking influence of the power of the method of inooulation m preventing contagious diseases. While the mortality m the whole community is lin less than a 100, amongst Dr Froire'a Inoonlated subjects it is only 1 m a 1000.

The Kav T. J. Willis and the Rev Oliver Dean, formerly Wesleyan Ministers, were on Snnday September 25, at Napier, admitted to holy orders m the Ohuroh of England.

Skinny Men. — " Wells' Health Bennwer, ' restores health and vigor, ourei Dyspepsia, impotence, Sexual Debility. At chemists and druggists. Keinpthorne, Prosser, Rod Co ents, Ohristohuroh . 2 - Keating's Powder destroys bothmotbg, fleas beetles, and all other insects, while quite harmless to domestic animals. In exterminating beetles the success of this powder is extraordinary. It is perfectly dean m application. See the article you purchase is Keating's, as imitations are noxious and ineffectual. Sold m tins, 6d, Is. and 2i 6d eaoh by all chemists