LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1779, 29 February 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Rev Father Cummins will open a mission at Ashburton next Sunday. Writing of the Rev Father an Australian paper sayß : —Father Cummins, S M., the eloquent preacher, who has conducted so many retreats and missions m this colony, is about ' to proceed to New Zealand, to join his brother Marists there. Father Cummins, apart from his private zeal and davotedness, has distinguished himself as a preacher on several ocoasions, notably at the opening of the Redemptorist Monastery at Waratah. The good Father haß been recently giving retreata to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Perth, and the members of the Apostleship of Prayer m Bathurst.

At the R.M. Court this morning, before Mr D. Thomas, J.P., two first offenders for drunkenness were muloted m the usual penalty.

The usual monthly meeting of the Acton Sohool Committee was held m the Doric Sohoolroom on Saturday. Present — Messrs McLean (chairman), F. Wilson, and W. Stewart. The Chairman reported that the school was opened on Monday, Feb. 2lßt, by Miss E. Fisher, the newly appointed mistress. The attendance was only small, but he hoped it would very soon increase. The Teaoher's report and other correspondence were considered and attended to. It was resolved to support the nominations of Messrs Anson, Booth, and Wright for the Eduoation Board.

A meeting of the South Rakaia Licensing Committee was held m the Town Hall. Present — Messrs 1). G. Holmes, Lyttelton, and Oxley. Mr Lyttelton was elected chairman for the next term. There being no other business the meeting adjourned till noon on March 9tb.

A meeting of the Committee of the Bible Society was held on Monday night m the Presbyterian Church, when some business was transacted, and the depositary, Mr Flower, reported on sales. The visit of the agent of the Parent Society, the Rev H. T. Robjohns, was fixed for Friday, March 28rd, and the meeting adjourned for a fortnight to make further arrangements.

Anniversary sermons m connection with the Wesleyan Sunday School, Tinwald, were preached on Sunday last, afternoon and evening, by Mr Buxton, to large and appreciative congregations. In the afternoon the service was one more particularly for the children, the speaker's remarks being based on the life of Joseph. In the evening Mr Buxton preached a very eloquent sermon from Hebrews iv., 15 ana IG*. which waa listened to with rapt attention. During both services several anthems were very pleasingly sung by the ohildren and friends, Miss Bishop presiding at the organ. On Monday evening a social gathering was held. There was a large attendotioo presided over by tha Eev Mr McNicol. Able and interesting addrasses were given by the Rev Chairman, the Superintendent (Mr Caygill), Capt Harvey and Mr Buxton. Refreshments m abundance were handed round during the interval, after which the prizes were distributed, every child receiving a handsome book. The Secretary's report was read, whioh showed veryenoourap* ing results. The school opened m February, 1887, with 20 scholars and 6 teachers ; during the year 39 children have been admitted, 19 have left owing to removals and other causes, leaving 40 still on the roll. The condition of the school was shown to be m a highly satisfactory state, both spiritually and financially. Durinp the evening solos, duets, and anthems were sung by the choir and friends. After the usual vote of thanks, a most highly, enteresting, and profitable meeting was brought to a close with the bene. diction,

Oatnaru papers report that £28 has been taken as the result of exhibiting the shark recently captured there, which has been handed to Mr David Grant, who waa attacked by one of these wolves of the sea — it is thought by this identical fish. Subscriptions aised for Mr Grant's benefit bring up the total to £70.

Nathan, the bookmaker, who recently sued the Island Bay Racing Olub for the return of money he had loat on the totalisator, has already reaped the reward of his. action, and was removed from the raoeoourse at Dunedin laßt week by order of the stewards.

We (" Wellington Press ") don't vouoh for the truth of this, but give it as we got it, fully aware there are brilliant imaginations m the rising suburb m question. Scene : Sunday Sohool, Newton. Teacher to class : "What is the meaning of Lent ? ' ' Scholar, promptly. "If it's a rumbereller, miss, it generally means lost 1" The acourate though juvenile observer of natural phenomena is at once sent home m disgrace,

Government have caused enquiries to be made as to the spread of the Californian thistle, and find that the weed is unusually thick m the Glutha district, where a large quantity of cultivated land is affected Government have deoided that the settlers themselves" mußt bear the expense of eradicating the peat.

A Rangitikei resident who was m town last week (says the " Wanganui Herald ") informed Mr J., Laird that he had seen the fly that bo much fues is now being made about m the Eangitikei district years ago, and that it did not do much damage. We notice that last night's " Advocate " mentions a similar faqt, Mr C. F. Hanneke having informed our con. ! temporary that he saw the fly 20 years ago, and that it only worked m low-lying and illdrained patches, doing but little damage. At the annual meeting of the Lyttleton Harbor Board yesterday Mr Peter Cunningham was ra-elocjted chairman. The question of dredging the harbor to accommodate men oi war was deferred for the present. The Canterbury Chamber of Coinineroe have passed the following resolution:— " That the Government be requested to oause experiments to be made with various rabbit diseases on Borne of the islands on the New Zealand coast, so that by next Bpring the moßt effectual may be ascertained] also whether it iB safe and desirable to introduoe disease m any form."

The number of female physicians m New York is something over 160. The receipts from their praotice range from a small sum to £3000 a year. Half-a-dozen of the number enjoy incomes of over £2000 per annum, $

At the adjourned inquest held yesterday on the body of Robert Wallace, who died on the 14th February, it is supposed from injuries received on the 19th January m a scuffle at a hotel after the Kowai races, the jury found that death had resulted from blood poisoning.

Yesterday afternoon an address was presented to Sit Julius Yogel from the electors of Christoburoh North, asking au expression of his intention as -to his Beat m Parliament, and wishing him bun voyage. Sir Julius Yogel replied that ho had received a pai r from Government for the ensuing session, and bad placed it m the hands of Mr W. C. Walker. He did not think it necessary that he should resign. Ho expressed gratitude to the Canterbury members, also to Sir John Hall, Sir Harry Atkinson, and Messrs Oliver and Samuels for services rendered last session m regard to the Midland Railway. He warmly thanked the electors for their continued confidence.

The Canterbury Cricket Association last night deoided to play 18 against Lilly white's tearnon March 22nd and 24th at Lancaster Park. It was resolved to play the return matoh on Hagley Park on March 29th and 31st.

Mr C. Hill, of Wakanui, had four stacks of wheat totally destroyed by fire at an early hour this morning. The stacks contained m all about a thousand bushels of grain, aad were not covered by insurance. There is no definite clue to the origin of the fire, but it is 'suspected that some swagger who had made his bed among the Btraw is at the bottom of the affair

The seven-year-old daughter of Mr Crow, of Makarewa, Southland, had an almost miraculous escape on Thursday. Her mother had Bent' her and another child to the well to draw a buoket of water, and while they were engaged m doing so the cover of the well gave way and the girl fell m. She supported herself m the water until her mother and father arrived, and a resoue was effected by means of the buoket. In the act of falling the girl must have gone m contact with the lid, a8 it was found that one of her legs was broken above the knee.

The "London Times" announces that John Walter; editor of the "-London Times," haß been admitted to the peerage m oommemoration of that journal's centenary.

Professor Mallet has analysed a speoimen of volcanio ash, colleoted on the Pacific coast m Eouador, 120 miles west of the voloano of Ootapasi, and finds it to contain a small proportion of silver, probably m the form of silver chloride. The ash fell on July 23, 1885, and formed a deposit of several inches m thickness. Experiments shewed that it contained one part of silver m 83,600 of dross. This is believed to be the first time that silver has been identified, m the analysis of volcanio ash.