LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1838, 11 May 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is reported that Bobertg, the escaped Timara convict, has been ssen near Mayfield, Three constables were out on Wednesday night, but their searoh was a failure. The Chinese, by the Te Anau, contributed £1000 by way of Poll tax to the general Revenue before they were allowed to land. At the inquest on the body of (be late Mr William Moody, of Timaru, the jury examined the place where Mr Moody waa found drowned,- and after heariug evidence returned a yerdiot of accidental death by drowning. It is considered moat likely that Mr Moody while crossing the railway bridge had slipped and fallen through the sleepers into the water below. The weather on Wednesday morning wag damp and foggy, and the timbers would be slippery. Deceased was a temperate man, but was nervous from some affection of the heart,

] It is reported that Captain Russell, of Hawkea Bay is ill m England. i It is probable that the Victorian Assembly Buildings will shortly be lighted by eleotrioity. Sir G. Grey is indisposed and will not leave Auckland for the Beat of Government for some days. A correspondent inquires if the reason that so many corporations are on their uppers nowadays is beoause they have no soles. By the recent oensus the population of Madrid is shown to be 475,300, whioh is an inorease of 77,500 inhabitants m ten years. Typhoid fever is raging at Viotoria. 200 patients have died from the epidemio within the last few months. The Primate is to be asked to re-oonßider his intention of resigning the Bishopric of Canterbury. A petition is being signed m different parts of the Diooese to this effeqt. The Young Men's Christian Association seems to be flourishing m Melbourne. It is about to ereot a building oosting, with site, £65,000. It is stated that the Episcopal Church of Ireland has 640,000 members, while the Freßbyterian has 471,000 and the Methodist 49,000. The boy Studholme, who fell over a precipice, at Pembroke the other day, was the eldest son of the curator of the Lake County nursery. Mr D. G. Stewart, late with the Equitable Insurance Company, Dunedin, has been appointed manager of the Jubilee Shipping Company. ! "%t the Dunedin City Polioa Court on Thursday, James Hooper was committed for •trial for attempting to murder Thomas Black, at the Peninsula a few days ago. Mr . Noble, a bicyclist m Nelson, reoently rode from .that town to Foxhill and back, a total distanoe of 42 miles, m 3 hours 22 minutes, whioh is regarded as a capital performance. We had the astonishing news telegraphed from Auckland to us yesterday, that "Philips Town Clerk, left to-day on a tour of the colony." Who is Philips that such a fuss should be made over his movements. The Auokland agent was pressed for matter when he Bent Buoh a ridiculous mesaage. Messrs H. Piper and Dan O'Brien, the well-known sportsmen, met with an aooident on the Bicoarton road, near Ohristohuroh on Wednesday evening. It seems that while driving along a trap coming m an opposite direction collided with their vehicle, and both men were thrown out and bruised. The " Timaru Herald " m an artiole yesterday on Major Steward's Eduoational Franchise Bill, hopes that he will succeed m placing his amendment on the Statute Book, and further hopes to see the member for Timaru supporting it m its passage through the House. A farmer at Pukurau, near Gore, named MoPhail, lately worried himself so much over his monetary troubles that his mind became unhinged and when going to meet his creditors he donned a complete suit of saokoloth and handed over all his belongings, He has since been removed to the Asylum. Parliament was opened by his Excellency m person, yesterday afternoon at two o'olcck with the usual ceremonies. The Governor's speech which we gave m full last evening was telegraphed through very promptly, and oredit is due to the officials at the Ashburton office for the promptitude and olearness with which they took the message. Fifteen bands have entered for the band, contest at Queenstown on the 7th and Bth November next as follows : — Stanmore (Ohristchurch), Addington, Oamaru City, Port Chalmers, Dunedin Ordnance, Eaikorai, Caversham, North -East Valley, Mosgiel.lnvercargill City, Inveroargill Blue Ribbon, Orepuki, Quoenstowr, Timaru, and Dunedin Engineers. At Wafmate, Timaru, Oamaru, Temuka, and Goraldine all business places close on Thursday afternoons. It is surely time that some such movement were initiated m Ashburton. Trade would not suffer by it, and the health of the employees would be greatly banefited by an afternoon per week tp breathe the fresh air. It would also tend to give an impetus to outdoor sports whioh seem to be at a very low ebb m Ashburton just at present. A recent Hawera— visitor to Wellington, to the " Hawera Star " an aooount of what lie saw here, gives the following piece of news : — " The 'bus company was Btarted by the Good Tempers, m opposition to the tram, beoause the tram oompany advertise m great flaring letters all along the side of the tram cars, Wolfe's Sohiedam Schnapps, and consequently the opponents of the liquor traffio could not conscientiously travel m them." Mr Hood, of Mount Somers, who has come to Christohuroh to have a few games of draughts with the Herd Laddie, commenced play on Wednesday afternoon, and lost the first game, a " single oorner " one. The second and third games, a Bristol and a " single oorner," were played yesterday afternoon, and were also won by Mr Wylfie. In the evening Mr Hood showed up much better, and succeeded m drawing both the games whioh were conte«ted, though he still adhered toihe •' single corner " and the Bristol. The matoh will be continued this afternoon and evening, as to-morrow Mr Hood has to return to his home. ("Press") The South Canterbury Hospitals and Charitable Aid Board intend taking proceedings every month against those who are able to pay their hospital bills and will not do so ; and further the Board has decided that every applicant for relief, or every one treated, at the hospitals must sign a declaration stating that m the event of their being unable to pay when treated, they are willing to pay when th«y are able to do so. The Board passed a resolution at their meeting on Wednesday as follows : — " That the monthly returns laid en the table of both .hospital and charitable aid cases give names, the district from whioh they come, and whother paying or not paying ; that copies be forward to all public bodies paying rateß to the Board, requesting them to return the list after inserting information, remarks, or suggestions, regarding individual oases opposite their names," At the same meeting attention was drawn to the f aot that a ticket labelled " pauper " whioh was stuok up over some beds m the Hospital was not m accordance with any decree of the Board. A preliminary meeting wa3 held m the Templar Hall, Tinwald, on Thursday evening, to consider the advisability of forming a Band of Hope m connection with the Wesleyan Sunday School at Tinwald. There wore about 60 present, and the Rev. J. N. Buttle presided. After the meeting had been opened the Rev. Chairman gave a short address, and called on Mr Caygill who made a few appropriate remarks and proposed the following resolution •' That a Band of Hope be now Btarted m oonneotion with the Wealeyan Sunday School, and that the teachers meeting be a Provisional Committee to act until the proper inaugural meeting." Mr Smith seoonded the motion whioh was oarried unanimously. The programme was then prooeeded with and songs, reoitationß and musical selections, were very pleasantly rendered by the young folks and friends. Miss Bishop presided at the harmonium, whioh has been kindly Bent from Christohurch by a friend for the use of the Wesleyan services, Sunday Sohool and Band of Hope. Mr Shearer also rendered good service with the clarionet. It was decided to bold meetings fortnightly, and to haye a . formal inauguration m about a month's time, and to celebrate the event with something speoial. At the meeting of the Chrislohuroh Presbytery on Wednesday, the Revs A, Blake, and M. Finlayson, and Mr J. MoPherson were appointed Commissioners to visit the Rakaia. The Rev W. West stated that the Rakaia congregation were prepared to offer £200 a year and a manse to a minister, with a prospeot of raising the stipend to £250 if times improved. The debit of the district had been reduoed to £300, and the oongregation had two small sections m the township, on one of whioh it was supposed to build a church. The district had prospered greatly under Mr Stewart's ministrations, and the congregation wished- it to be raised to the status of a sanctioned] charge. The Rev A. M. Beattie moved— "That the request be granted, and that the Rakaia distriot be f raised to the position of a sanctioned charge." The Rev A. Blake seconded the motion, I whioh was carried nevi con. The Presbytery I reoorded its high appreciation of the services ; of Mr Stewart, and Messrs Orr and Thonap- j Bon were appointed to aot with the Moderator, the Rev W. West, as an interim session for t&9 distriot.

By raferenoe to the cable news it will be seen that the Australian Mutual Provident Spoiety has had a moat sucoessfal year, despite the general tone of depression wbioh has prevailed. A peculiar and important oase has just been decided m Napier. Mr Hoadley desired to erect a certain building, and engaged Mr Lamb as architeot. The latter drew the plans for a building m wood, as was permitted by the by-laws then m force. Mr Lamb, however, neglected to get his plans signed by the Borough Inspector, and before they were carried out the by-laws were altered, and Mr Hoadley was obliged to build m brick. He sued Mr Lamb for the difference between a wooden and a brick building, and recovered judgment for the amount, the Court holding the architect liable for his neglect to get the plans signed. Mr J. D. Foley, of ".Festivities" fame, re-appeared m the Oddfellows' Hall last evening m his drawing-room entertainment. There was only a moderate attendance, but those present thoroughly appreciated Mr Foley'e efforts to please. The first parteonsisted of char aoter sketches — the prinoipal ones being those of a country yokel, m whioh he introduced a song with looal verses, an Old German, and an Irish Sohoolmaster with two pupils. The seoond part consisted of ventriloquism, lightning changes, and a very clever ! overture on ordinary glass bottles. Taken altogether the performance was a really good one, and it seems a pity that it was not better patronised. During an interval Mr Foley announced that he would appear at Tinwald this evening, and that on Saturday afternoon he would give a performance for children m the Oddfellows' Hall. Mr Foley's entertain/nent was altogether worthy of greater support from the publio than that given last evening, and we can recommend the performance to residents of Tinwald.