LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1742, 17 January 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual congregational meeting m eon* neotion with the Presbyterian Ohuroh will be held on Wednesday evening at half-past aix.

There was a very remarkable sky at sunset last evening, the western horizon beiag of a peculiar f age-green hue. What this unusual appearance may betoken we leave to the weathtr-wise.

The ABhburton County Council notify that the Upper Rangitata traffic bridge is unsafe for heavy loads, also that traotion eDginea and portable engines are prohibited from orossing the bridge.

In the R.M. Court this morning before Major Steward, J.P., two first offonders were eaoh fined ss, with the usual alternative, for being drunk and disorderly m a pablio place.

On Friday evening, 18th inst., a most successful and enjoyable ball was given by the young ladies residing m Lauriston, Dancing oommenoed at 9 o'clock, and was kept ap with unabated energy until the small houra of the morning. Mr Curtis supplied the musio m his usual excellent style. Every praise is due to the young ladies for the

abundant supply of refreshments provided and for the manner m which the sohoolroom was decorated.

gJA Berlin newipaper claims to have dig. covered the longest word m any laaguuge, bat it is only a line and two* thirds m length. The longest word that has ever pome under oar notioe is the clergyman's ' One word more, and I will close. 1 It would make about a eolamn.

A Mr Meyergang bas left at the offioe 0* the "Tat»n&ki Herald" some heads of a grass growing m his garden, which are a great cariosity. These heads resemble grasshoppers, and if dipped into water and placed on a table jump about m a most extraordinary manner. The "Herald" understands that the need was brought from Egypt to Nelson many years ago, and the grass growing m Mr Meyergang's garden was obtained from the latter place. "

At Oroydon, Viotoria, one day last week, Julius Clare, a miner, fifty-two years of age, placed a plug of dynamite m bis mouth attached to a two feet fuse, which he set on fire and blew his head o!ean off. His neok and cheat were split right down, and tha sides and end of the tent were blown out. The remaining portion of the tent was b«« spattered with blood, hair, brains, and bits of skull. Clare had been drinking, but a few minutes before conversed with a miner named Grieve, who lived within a few feet of him. The deoeased said that he bad been robbed of £160 during the holidays, but this statement is generally disbelieved.

Mr William Montgomery (aayi a writer ia the ''European Mail "), who has now retired from politioal life, and, it will be remembered, was formerly a member of the New Zealand Parliament, is now among us, and has, I understand, with his family, settled down at Eastbourne. In this connection it may be interesting to not* that his son is a leading student at Oxford, and has had the honor of being selected to lead off a discussion on Imporial Federation at a meeting of the well, known Oxford Debating Soeiety. Mr Mont, gomery, jun., by the way, it a New Ztalaqder by birth.

The question has often been raised what proportion of balls exohaoged by hostile armies will hit their mark and kill. Difficult as it ifl to solve it correotly, aome approxima. tion may be arrived at from the number of ballß— estimated at 20,000,000— whioh were fired by the Germane m the war of 1870-71. The French army lob^, m dead and wounded, about 140,000 men. According to thig only one ball out of 143 fired hit its man, and assuming that on an average one man out of eeven hit was actually killed, it would stem that only one ball m 858 proved fatal.

At Heanor, Derbyshire (says an English Paper), a young man named Henry Houseley was bound over to keep the peace for sending the following letter to a female " Captain " m the Salvation Army, named Eliza Elliott : — •• Dear Captain,— l just write to ask you a favor. I want to know if you will marry me, an I have taken a fanoy to you. If you do not agree with my favor it will be worse for you. I either mean to marry you or murder you. If you cay no I mean to do for you j bo you can order your coffin at onoe. I know I chall have to be hanged for it, but I don't want to go hell myself. I want you to go with me. Prepare to meet your God. —From your comrade, Haimy Houseley." j