LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1773, 22 February 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Stirling " character," Andrew Oarruthers who combines the callings of tailor and town guide, and who claims to be 96 years of age, has been married to a bride of " at least 70* The provost of the burgh aoted as best man and the wedding madeco small stir m the neighbourhood. _■ :■ Recently the Ameer of Afghanistan seized thirteen men of the Mungal tribe, and had them killed at Cabul. They were shaved and a cirole of mud was made on their heads, m whioh oil was put and burnt. j A Leap-year Ball was given by Napier ladies I on St. Yalentme's Day. One baohelor attended I with the label "Prioe £7000" on his ooat. iNo proposal was made for him at that figure. A seleot man who boasted of " moving iv circles " was afterwards ascertained to be the olown m a circus, Tbe three proudest moments m a man's life are :— The first time he wears a tall hat ; the first time the girls call him " mister; ", and when the doctor tells him " it's a boy." - ■ An English tourist sought refuge m anlrish cabin m a heavy shower, and, finding it about as wet inside as out, said to the -owner: "You have quite a pond on the floor.'' " Yes ; ahxvt* we have * great lake m the roof" was the owner's reply. It was very careless leaving the parrot m the parlour on Sunday evening ; but she never thought anything about it until Monday morn* ing, when it roused the whole house by making a smacking noise and crying, " Dar« ling Katie I darling Katie 1" It kept it np all day, too, and the old folks are much interested m the case. An esohange says '• A certain minister who shall be nameless recently preached a very eloquent sermon on the hard times, and dealt with much earnestness on tbe duty of retrenchment and economy. His powerful dia. course had a swift and unexpected effect. Immediately after the service the congregation held a ohuroh meeting and reduced the minister's salary from £400 to £300,

During a severe thunderstorm near Geelong] on the 12th inst. a fellomonger named Richard Holohan, 33 years of age, when driving home' m a spring oart accompanied by his wife and three children, was struck on the back of the head by the lightning and killed instantly. Tbe back of his collar and a portion of his ooat were burnt, and the hair on the back of his head was singed. A distinct impression of a tree was made upon his cheat. His wife got a shock also, but was not seriously injured. ' A young man named Darran, living m the i same locality, when forking up some hay, had the fork oarried away by the lightning without injury to himself. ' A Wellington constable proceeded to arrest a woman named Mary Jane Collier on Monday morning. When he opened the door she rushed upon him with afire shovel and struck him on the head, smashing his shako; a second blow out open the constable's hand Then she set four dogs upon him, whioh tort, bis unmentionables and bit him. Another constable arrived upon the scene, and even then their united efforts were only juat sufficient to get the woman into a cab. One of the dogs was so vicious that it was nearly killed before it would yield to the constable, At the court the accused was sentenced to three months' hard labor and has to pay for the oonstabiti'a shako and tor a cab window whioh she smashed. Mounted sword contests are becoming fashionable m Australia and will soon degene. rate into the brutal cruelty of the prize ring* ' The laßt contest was between Donovan and Meats at Budi, N.S.W., for the ohampion«ship Of the world BUU £100, BUU It, war. wlhiudboiJ by a very large number of people. We read that after fighting eleven attaoke, Meats, who was wounded m two places, dismounted, and gave up his sword to Donovan, who wai declared the winner. Immediately Meats got off his horse he showed Bigns of profuse bleeding. Senior-conatable Griffiths intimated his intention of stopping the combat, but the interference was unnecessary, as Meats was unable to continue. The Baptist Missionary Sooiety are about to purchase, premises m Rome at a cost of £10,000. Lady Augustus Loftus has entered the com* meroial world, and is engaged m manufacture ing seeihts from old recipes contained m the archives of the family. The " Oamaru Mail " chronicles the sale of 98 bags malting barley, of this season's growth, raised at Kurow, to a Dunedin firm at 3s 6d per bushel, at Straohan's railway siding. Referring to the rumour that Sir Harry A. Atkinson ia liksly to go Home as AgentGeneral, the " Hawera Star " remarks that it has good authority for saying there is no foundation for the statement.

The Catholic Ohuroh m the United States is going thoroughly and systematically into the matter of assisting m the amelioration of the laboring classes within its own pale, and to inaugurate a chain of organisations that will have for their objects the assistance of the working man.

The following is from Tuesday's "North Otago Times " f— An instanoe of noteworthy generosity has happened m connection with the disablement of Mr David Grant, carter, one of whose arms has had to be amputated m consequenoe of the attaok made upon him *ast week by a shark. On hearing of Mr Grant's injuries, Mr Hislop, the Colonial Seoretary and member for Oamaru, very con* siderately telegraphed from Wellington that Mr Grant's cart should be kept on at work, m the interest of Mr Grant's family, and at Mr Higlop's expense. Sympathy expressed thus must be as helpful to the recovery of him who rsoe/ves it as it is oreditable to the humanity of him who giyes it,

Ths inquest was resumed at Ohrigtohproh on Tuesday on the body of Mrs Walsh, which was exhumed last week. The jury returned a verdiot that there was no evidence to show that death resulted otherwise than from n'aWai ca'iises. A child named Whittington was drowned at the Wharf Hotel, Woolaton, by falling into a tub of water. A verdiot pf found drowned was returned at the inquest.

I he cheap ezoureion to Christohuroh toay was largely patromaed. The train wbh oonaiated of eighteen carriages brought up crowds of passengers from Timaru, Tanks, and other Southern stations, and ws joined here by fully 200 more, tbe streets ! dung the day bearing witness to she exodus of opulation. Fortunately the exoursionists arfavored with magnificent weather. 'he " New Zealand Herald" thus ohronioles th modest beginning of another looal ipflstry :— Some time ago we drew attention ft the establishment of a factory for the -reparation of soda crystals m Auokland. We rere shown on Tuesday a sample of the looal nanufaoture. It is superior iv quality, and ' a prepared by Messrs H. H. florrooks and Co., at the Mersey Chemical Worka. The establishment at present is an unpretentious one, m the Arohhill district, near the publio sohool there, and it is to be hoped that the looal support accorded will be such as to necessitate an early enlargement. The " Bay of Plenty Times " states that there will be some difficulty m providing permanent shelter trees on the sanatorium grounds at Rotorua. A great many trees bave been planted out and have grown very well, but some of the larger ones are showing signs of decay. This is accounted for by the fact that the soil is very hot underneath the grounds, and when the roots get down a certain depth they become soorohsd, and the trees die. A movement is on foot among footballers m South Canterbury and North Otago to have a Bugby Union to embrace North Otago and South Canterbury, extending probably from Ashburton to Palmerston. Messrs Woods and Goodall, of Timaru, are working the matter np, and it is probable that something ■definite will be before the publio m a few days, f Mrs M'Donald, the wife of a San Franoisoo banker, is suing her father-in-law, for 500,000 dollars for alienating the affections of her husband.