LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1736, 10 January 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

# We hear that the Mount Somers coal is coming steadily into demand for maohinery purposes, tho latest direotion m whioh this is the case being at Timaru, to which place a consignment of ten tona per week is going forward for uho at the freezing works, as it is found that a mixture of this with Westport ooal effects a direct saving as compared with the use of the latter coal only. In the Resident Magistrate's Oourt this morning, before Major Steward, J.P., Donald Gallic, a well-known competitor at Caledonian games, was charged with inflating j grievous bodily harm on one Kountree, by striking him with a bottle on the.Caledonian sports ground. The oasa arose out of a disturbance whioh took place when the polioe were arresting a drunken man. Two bottles were thrown at the polioe ono of which struck Kountree. On the application of tbs polioe the case was remanded till Thursday* bail being allowed aooused m £100 and two sureties of £50 each. The annual meeting of the Loyal Ashbur* ton Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., was held m the Lodge Room on Friday evening. There was an unusually large attendance of members and visiting brothers, between Beventy and eighty taking seats. The outward and inward correspondence having been dealt with, several small acoouats were passed for pay* ment. Candidates certificates of health were read, and being bailotted for, they were duly elected and initiated into the order by Bro Willcox, L.M. Several important questions came up during the evening, which were fully discussed and settled satisfactorily. P.GBro J. Tucker explained to the Lodge its financial position, whioh was considered satisfactory. Bro Tucker received a vote of thanks. The eleotion of officers for ensuing term was prooeeded with, and tho following were declared elected :— N.G., Bro T. Jones ; V.G., Bro J. Keir; G.M., Bro. J. ElUolt; Lecture Master, P.G. Bro G. P. Scott ; E.S., Bro Burgess. The minor offices were also filled. The officers eleot were installed into their variona chairß by P.G. Bro G. F. Sootfc, who went through the ceremony m a very impressive manner. The Lodge was closed m due form at 10.30 p.m. Receipts, £105 6a lOd ; expenditure, £7 16s 6d. A mathematical calculation baß shown that if the muaolen of a man were relatively an strong as those of a flea, he could throw a book-agent two miles. Nervous old lady (on the fifth floor of a hotel)— Do you know what precautions the proprietor of this hotel has taken agatnit fire ? Porter— Vis, mum ; he has the house inshoored for twice woit it's worth. Strong indications of the existence of a mineral oil spring have been found m a well m Denbigh street, Feilding. A professional Bword swallower was taken to one of tho Sydney hospitals the other day, Buffering from the effeotß of having ! swallowed a two-foot sword. He made a bad shot, and punotured Borne internal organ, but i ho eventually recovered. The " Telegraph " yesterday published the i following from its Wellington correspondent . —It is reported here that the Government are considering a plan for doing away with the Volunteer force of the colony and getting the Imperial Government to provide a battery for eaoh of the four fortifications at Auckland* Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin, and a regiment of rifloa to divide amongat them. It is thought that this would be cheaper than maintaining a colonial force. MrGarwood, of Akaroa, received by last mail a letter from Mr Montgomery, m whioh the writer says : " I advocated retrenchment for many yearß, but that was unpopular. Even some few, very few I am happy to say, of my supporters on tho Peninsula thought I should have supported the Government polioy, and bo have got some of the plunder for the district, but I tbink they will see now that the fearless advooaoy of the right is better than "holding the candle to the d ." At all events lam proud of having taken the course I did, and I was conscious that euch was not the method of advancing my political prospects. I am somewhat better, owing to oare, and freedom from worry and politioal excitement. I know I did not give up a moment too soon. I and my son intend to start for the south of Franco on Deoember 14th. Keating'e Powder destroys both moths, flea beetles, and all other insects, while quite harmless to domestic animals. In exterxni nating beetleß, the euooesa of thie powder is sxtraordinary. It is perfeotly clean m appljcation. See the article you purohaa r< Heating's as imitations are noxiooi and Ii aeflectual. Sold n tinfl, 6<J 1 >( a »d ? a <tf di laob, by til obflmistP. .

I Mra Dalzell, who drowned her boy, under very tragical circumstances, m the Rakaia rivar reoently, otill lies m a Btate of oatalepsy at the hospital. - i After the ordinary meeting of the Bangitata Road Board on the 9rh inst, a meeting of the ratepayers was held to take into consideration tha question of olosing a road and exchanging the same for another near Anama. Mr 0. J, Harper, Chairman of tho Road Board, presided, and informed the meeting that all the formalities required had been complied with and that thia ezohange was desired by the Board as a great public convenienoe. The road which was now made use of by the publio was on private property, the owner of which was agreeable to the ezchango for another road of no publio convenience. After a short discussion m favor of the exchange, it was unanimously agreed to reoommend it to the County Oounoil for the purpose of confirming the wishes of the ratepayers. BA special wire to yesterday's Ohristohuroh "Telegraph" Bays that the Minister for Lands has been advised that the Puhipuhi forest, m Auckland, is on fire, Tim is the most valuable kauri forest m the colony ; but, so far, no serious damage has been done. Later news states that a change of wind combined with rain has confined the fire to tho fallen timber, and that up to Saturday night the magnificent forest was m no way injured. la referenoe to the new oil company being formed at Giaborne the following Sydney telegram appears m the "Poverty Bay Herald " :— "Great interest is taken here m consequents of the overflow at the South Paoifio Petroleum Company's well. An entirely new company haa beon formed with ft oapital of £300,000. A large inquiry is already being made for shares, and no diffi. culty it is thought will bo experienced m allotting the full number." The word •• dengue," dosoriptiva of the sort of low fever which has reoently been very prevalent, is said to bo a corruption of " Aden ague." There was a great outbreak of it at Cairo m November last. Wo learn from a Christohuroh paper that recently, an English olergyman visiting that city, and finding that the German Church was diverted from its original use to that of a Freathought Hall, and that the bells presented by the Emperor of Germany hung silent m the tower, addressed a letter to His Majesty calling attention to the facts. Tha matter has been referred by the German Government to New Zealand, m order to ascertain if the allegations made m the letter are correot. Military Examiner: "What must g man be to ba buried with military honors?" Recruit: "Dead." A new process has been discovered by whioh the most delioate patterns, even of lace work, oan be reproduced m iron by casting the metal on fabrio after the fabrio has been carbonised. Molten iron oan be run on the most delioate fibre m the carbonised state without injuring or affecting it. The olose of the Viotorian Legislative Begsionwas noticeable for tho most brutal behaviour on the part of Mr Gaunson of whioh he has ever been guilty. In reply to a remark by Mr Walker, the Commissioner of Customs, he sneeringly remarked that no one took any notice of what was said by a dying man. Mr Walker is believed to have disease of the heart ; at any rate he is m extremely delicate health, and since the session has gone to Tasmania for a two months' spell. Mr Gaunson's unfeeling romark was unanimously reprobated m the House, and he was driven to apologise, but Mr Walker was so much hurt and incensed that he would not re-enter the chamber to hoar the apology. "Exchange."