LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1781, 5 March 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A gentleman writiDg from Noradjuha to the " Argua " cays that a number of cats were let loose m the ftf allee Sorub around that distriot, under tho impression they would wipe out the rabbits m next to no time. What wag the result? Why, shortly after, the cats and rabbits were living m happy families m tho Bamo barrows and rearing op a progeny of hybrids, having the worst qualities of both animals. They are oarnivorous, like oate, and graznnivorous, like rabbits, and will eat anything from grass to a rooster. A curious piece of scandal is just now diverting Adelaide sooiety. Lady Robinson, wife of the governor, en'rusted a young official with a precious ring to have it re.act at a jeweller's. The young masher, however, , instead of taking the ring straight to the tradesman, wore it during the evening, and, | happening to be m the company of some unmentionable female, the syren -slipped it off his finger, and as she had some grudge against the young simpleton, she revenged herself by writing to Sir William Robinson that the gets belonging to the Governor's wife was m her possession. 01 oouieq there was a tremendous eoene. Ob, how refreshing, palatable, and reviving is a draught of 000 l water with AmerioaQ Hop pittem io it to ft fever patieqt, . Bee

The monthly meeting of the Winslow District Sohool Committee was held m the Sohool on Saturday, Maroh 3rd. Present — Messrs A. Wilson (chairman), Grace, Molvor, and Drennan. The Chairman reported that a more satisfactory examination than tbat recently held oould not have taken plaoe, for every child m the sohool passed. As the time einoe the last examination was very short the result was most oreditable to the teaching staff. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Mclvor, that the children's treat and the dig. tribution of prizes should be held on Easter Monday m tho Winslow Sohool Grounds. It was resolved to open a subscription list m Bid of tho prize fund, and the meeting adjourned. The Crown Prince of Germany is apparently a great favourite with the Catholics of tho Empire, and though he differs from them m religion, their prayers for his recovery are incessant. Recently about 5000 of them went on a pilgrimage to the celebrated shrine at Moraenet, Aix-la-Ohapelle, the city m which the Emperor Charlemagne held his. court, and there offered their supplications to God for the restoration of his health through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. A photograph, representing the pilgrimage on its arrival at Morsenet, has been presented to the Grown Prince. Among the expenditures on Recount of the Panama canal is the sum of 11,000,000 dollars for quinine. A London Sooiety lady enquired of a friend, " Who is this Dean Swift they were all talk, ing about ? " adding, « l should like to invite him to one of my rooeptionß," "Alaa, madam," replied the other, " the Dean did something tbat has Bhut him out of society " c« Dear .me 1 what was that ? " " Well, about a hundred years ago he died." It is said that the tusks of no fewer than 50,000 elephants are used annually for piano keys. Armour, the big meat paoker of Chicago employs five thousand persons. Here is a Biblioal conundrum :— When is crioket Erst spoken of m tha Bible ? Answer When Peter stood up with the eleven and was bold (bowled). The " Wanganui Ohrom'ole " understands that Mr John Stevens, of Eangitikei, acting m conjunction with a gentleman m the South Island, is engaged m making extensive pur» ohases of horses for India. Mr Stevens will go to Calcutta m sharge of thfl shipment. A young lady who was fond of singing the song beginning " I am saddest when I sing," was disgusted when the neighbors, who had got tired of the doleful ditty, struck m "So are we ; so are we 1 " The youngest daughter of Sir John Hall died at Horotata on Friday last. A rather serious shook of earthquake ooourred at Wolumbi, N.S.W., on Sunday, Februarys. It resulted m opening at Ellalong a chasm some eighteen or twenty feet m depth and a quarter of a mile m length. I The absence of inhabitants only averted a oatastrophe. But of course the cause was quite sufficient. King Humbert of Italy, one day, m speaking of the beat form of monarchy, said: " Gentlemen, the best of all monarchies is the one where the king is felt everywhere without being observed." "And the best form of a Republio?" asked a certain ambassador, j •« It ia that one," was the reply «• where, as m America, tho genius of the people has so deeply penetrated every fibre of the social fabric, that no place remains for a king." ' It is rumored (says the " Hawera Star") that Sir Juliua Yogel, when at Home, is $0 endeaver to make arrangements for the sale of frozen meat on terms more advantageous to the produoer than those at present obtaining 5 and that m this matter he is aoting principally m tbe interests of Messrs Pharazyn and Buchanan, and others m the Wairarapa. Oneflook.owner, at least, m tho Manawatu district has bad a lively experience of epeou. lation m the frozen meat trade. Reoently he received the gratifying, or rather mortify, ing, intelligence that he had netted the hand* some (?) sum of 19a for a consignment of 170 sheep. It is rumoured m Vienna that the Duke of Sparta, the heir-apparent to the throne of Greece, is about to be betrothed to one of the daughters of tbe Prince and Prinoega of Wales, and also that Prince Albert Viotor of Wales is about to be betrothed to the Princess Alexandra of Greece. The " Lyttelton Times " says that the propoaal for the establishment of a butter f aotory at Oxford is beiDg thoroughly ventilated by those who have the matter m hand. It has been ascertained that the yearly value of a cow is about £4, whereas with the proposed aotory it would be at least £6, and as a large number is kept m the dintriot, this means a very considerable increase m the yearly income. Tbe American woman is marohirig on from victory to victory. Mrs Ada C. Bittenbilder, who waa the first woman admitted to the bar *n Nebraska, is now running for Judge of the Supremo Court. She is said by a local paper *o be "magnetic impressive, courteous, and conciliatory," A Bingular affair is reported from Sardinia. In the presence of the authorities the members of two families, numbering 670 persons, who had been at enmity for years, assembled m the parish church, and took oatha to pardon all offences and live m peace and harmony. The next day a banquet was given by the parties, for which had been ordered 10 oxen, 13 pigs, 60 Bucking-pigs, 2 cwt of macaroni, 3 owt of bread, and five of fruit, with 10 hectolitres of wine. 11 Rough on Itch."— " Rough on Itch » oures akin humors, eruptions, ring worm tetter, salt rheum, frosted feet, chilblains tob, ivy poison, barber's itch, 3