LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1695, 26 October 1887, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the R.M. Court this morning, before Mr R. Aloorn, J.P., and Mr H Friedlander, J.P., Andrew Fames, for having been drunk m Tanorod street, was fined 5s and costs, with the usual alternative. James Bradley for having been illegally on the premises of Mesara Craighead Bros, was convicted and discharged with a oaution, and for having been drunk was fined 10a and costs, with the alternative of 21 hours' imprisonment. gj| r J.'he lawn tennis champion meeting haß been fixed for December 22nd, 23rd, and 24tb, at Lancaster Park. The Ohristohuroh Champion Cup value 50 guineas, with prize value ten guineas added, is offered for men's singles, The date has been altered from November m deference to the wishes of the Auokland, and Hawke's Bay players. The Mount Somerea Tramway will be probably opened noxt week. The excursion projeoted on the day of opening has been postponed till Deo. 20th, Anniversary Day, it being thought that more people could take advantage of the holiday to go to Mount Somers than if the exoursion waa held on an ordinary day. On Sunday tho Rev Father Ohastagnon will celebrate Mass at Rakaia at 10.30 a.m. Vespers at Ashburton at 7 p.m. On the Ist of Nov., the Feast of All Saints, Macs will be celebrated at Ashburton at 10 a.m. The usual weekly dance of tho Summer Assembly will be held on Thursday, Oot. 27. afternoon Mr John Ollivier cele j brated his golden wedding by a garden party at which several hundreds of persons repre. senting all classes, were present, The City Council and the Canterbury Club presented valuable gifts, and a large number of presents from private individuals testified to the general respeot m which Mr Ollivier is held. A house at East Oxford belonging to Mr Arthur Stubbs, was destroyed by tire. It is insured for £400 m the New Zealand office, The oaußa of the tire is unknown; Frog spearing is a questionable kind of amusement whioh, it appears, is at present indulged m by Frenoh aristrooratio idlers who are trying to kill the long summer days m country seats. The lateßt instance of this peculiar kind of sport says tho Paris correspondent of the " Daily Telegraph," took plaoe m the grounds of the Chateau of Bellanoourt. After, lunoheon a party of 11 ladies and gentlemen," armed with weapons resembling crossbows, the arrows being of hazel-wood with iron lance heads, and attacked to the bow by Bilken strings, so as to enable the trogs to be hauled m, proceeded to the banks of a pond. Then there waß a great deal of unceremonious Btooping down as the Iroga appeared, alid arrows were let off m all directions, the Blaughter being con? siderable on the part of those who pursued the sport for the purpose of bagging game. The impaled batrachians were m all oases oarefally collected and handed over to the cook. The Melbourne Cup trophy this year will be a full-sized gold horseshoe. General Boulanger's daughter is about to beoome a nun. The "Oamaru Mail" recently stated thatthe intelligence that the Guiding Star would shortly arrive at Oamaru from Hobart has oreated some little uneasiness from the faot that smallpox exists at Launoeston. It states however, that tho neoessary precautions wil] be taken to preclude the possibility of the infection being communicated through the arrival of the vessel. A telegram received on Monday stated that no disease existed on board that vessel, whioh is to be admitted to pratique on Friday. A Bill introduced this session into the Houßß of Lords (sayß the " Speotator ") for the further revision of the Statutes, and for the repeal of " spent," " suspended," and obsolete laws, serves to remind us of some very curious pieoes of legislation. In the third year of Edward I. was passed what m efleot is a primitive PreßS Law. It is directed against " the Devisors of Tales whereby Disoord or occasion of Disoord hath arisen between the King and his people or great men of this Realm ; " and, under it, it is oommanded that " henoeforth none be so hardy " as to publish false news. The penalty under this Aot is an extremely amußing one* The publisher of the false news it to be put m prison ant. kept there " unil he hath brought him into Court whioh was tho first author of the tale." This sort of " Arabian Nights " justice would hardly suit the editors of our evening newspapers. This enaotment proved, bowevor, not strong enough ; and m the second year of Richard 11. a freßh Act, , directed against " Horrible False Lyes," had to be passed. In treating a negro at Leipsio for an ulcerous infection, it was found neoessary to replace portions of the skin with pieces taken from one or two white persons. The latter pieces gradually grew darker m color, and finally as black as the patient's own skia. This singular faot led to an experiment being made of transferring portions of blaok skin to a white patient, and it was found that after a few weeks these began to grow pale. In less than 14 weeks they had, m fact, grown bo white as not to bo distinguishable from the patient's natural skin. A most curiouß oorrespondonco took plaoe recently between the authorities of the city of Yierna, latoly destroyed by earthquake, and the St. Petersburg authorities. The question ia whether this city is to be rebuilt on the old site, or transported seventy versts east, on a spot said to be less exposed m case of a repetition of the earthquake. A commission of soientifio men was appointed to inquire into the question, and it unanimously deolared the old Bite to be perilous, all the probabilities being m favor of frequent future shocks. But the Vierna authorities, having an interest to Btay where they are, have cent a petition to St. Petersburg to ask permission to rebuild the town of wood upon the same place, wooden houses having proved less dangerous than solid stone buildings. Almost all the remaining inhabitants of the doomed town have appended their named to this strange petition. After some hesitation the authority has been granted. The Warrego river blaokg, m New South Wales, had ft fight on a recent Saturday near Wallal, whioh resulted m two being killed and several severely wounded. Drink was the cause of the quarrel. Knivos and tomahawks wero used, and the bodies of tho dead and those who were injured presented a horrible U'gty bating b««n ibookipgly hacked. an,d. put,