LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1861, 7 June 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Wesleyan Church Choir give an enter* tainment at the Old Men's Home this evening, In the oathedral at Kirkwall a couple whose united ages amounted to 140 years, were married, the bride being a grandmother. The alimony distributed by the Kaitangata Belief Fund Committee for the year ended February 24th was £972 11s 4d. "Puff" m the "Press" says it wouldn't suit Germany to carry on a long war. It musk be short and Bharp] Smash, dash, bash, gapb, flash, .crash, and have done with it. Aqcording to the " Timaro Herald Messrs Evans and Co., of Timaru, will have to pay duty under the new tariff on milling machinery, now on its way, of about £1200 : a similar case oooura m the North Island: Acoording to a Chinese paper the — ' Kwong Po ' — the proposal to increase the poll tax on Chinese coming to Australia is dishonouring Jo q great country, and wholly unworthy of oonsfderation by jjn enlightened Government, A oensus has been begun of the Frenoh carrier pigeons. They are regarded froy/ as of Buoh importance m the event of war that all owners are obliged to report their pigeoiiß under a penalty of a maximum fine of 200f. The aldermen, otherwise town councillors, of Hew - Zealand do not emulate the gasttonomio propensities, of their brethren at Home. Last year only one turtle was imported, valued at £5. ..This would be a pooryear-'s supply for the London Mansion House feasts. Keatino's Cooan Lozenges cures Coughs, Asthma, and Bronchitis. Medical testimony states that go other medioine is so effectual m the cure of tb^se 4 a ngergus maladies. Oae Lozenge alone gives ease, ono qi? .ftp at bedtime encures rest. For relieving difficulty of breathing they are invaluable. They contain no' opium o? any violent drug. Sold by all ohem'm> jo Hob }b J^d god fs W each. -

While out shooting at Selwyn yes'erday a boy Darned noll.y Rimbcr had his ankle Bhattered through the explosion of a gun. The Dunedin High Sohool Board do not approve of Major Steward's Endowment Re«erves Administration Bill, and have appointed Professor Shand and the Eey Mr Fitohett to draw up a petition against it for presentation to the House. Notwithstanding the frequent enlargements of existing sohool buildings and tho building of new ones, there aotually exists throughout the colony accommodation for 37,472 children more than there are ohildren to be accommodated. Unfortunately the additional Bpace is where it is not wanted, And now the rabbit-plague has extended even to Germany. A large number of landowners m the Liiben and Steinan distriots have engaged a rabbit-oatoher from Magdeburg distriot, who, with a trained set of ferrets and two badger dogs, has done excellent service. Thousands of rabbits are killed off m a few days' hunt. Sir Charleß Dilke, m an artiole m the " University Review," declares that the real danger ia England lies m the fear that Russia and France m alliance might attaok England. Both France and Bussia, he deolares, are building an enormous number of fast cruisers, with the intention of crippling the trade of Great Britain. Hardware importers complain of the olassi» fioation m the new tariff as vexatious, and likely to oause muoh trouble m dealing with invoices. It is also alleged tbat the alteration of the duty on plain galvanised iron will have the effect of completely crushing the firms m Auokland and Wellington, whioh have recently erected extensive machinery for corrugating iron. George Routledge, at the dinner given him on his retirement from business said tbat he had frequently issued 10,000 oopies of "Unole Tom's Cabin" m one day; tbat it was a common thing to see all the oocupants of a first olass railway oarriage reading this book, and that his house alone had printed 500,000 of it. He had sold of two other American books 80,000 oopies of "The Wide, Wide World," and 14,000 oopies of '• Queeohy." A valuable disinfeoting oompoundfor purify, ing the atmosphere is described m a Berlin journal. Oils of rosemary, lavender,, and thjme, m the proportion of ten, two and onehalf, and two and one-half parts, respectively, are mixed with nitrio aoid m the proportion of thirty to one and one-half. Simple as it is the vapour of this compound is aaid to possess extraordinary properties m controlling the offensive odors and effluvia. Says the " Marlborough Express " :—Mr George C. Dewdhey, who lives close to the Yernon Hills, had a viat last night from a blaok and whito ferret whioh killed eight of his fowls and also a duok. Tbe rabbits are more numerous than they have been for many years, past, but the ferrets and the stoats and the weasels prefer the delicacy of a fowl to the more common plaoe flesh of a rabbit, of whioh they can have a plethora at any time. From our correspondent at Lauriston we learn that the Bey Gordon Maopherson's leoture there on Monday evening was muoh appreciated. The lecturer, m returning thanks for a motion, moved" by Mr Johnatonß, expressing the pleasure of the audienoe, said that the only feature iv the affair, that was ta be regretted, was the absenoe of the ladies, who he supposed had been frightened by the title of hia leoture. They missed a treat, however, m not hearing his very far from political discourse. At the opening session of the Wesleyan Chuch Bible Instruction Class, held last evening, the Rev J. N. Buttle delivered an instructive address on "The Bible: its value, and how to understand it." Several members took part m the conversation that followed, and the meeting, as a whole, did not lack interest. The attendance was good* and as soon as the syllabus for the ensuing quarter is issued it is expected that still greater enthusiasm will be manifested. The distributing and genera Death Retailing Company do not appear to be getting on well with their microbes. Perhaps the spirits, savage at seeing the pastoral interests rejuvenated by liberal doses of physioal demoralisation, have shyly translated the immortal portions of the microbes to another and a hottor opbo*o, wherejcuore nßeful work than killing can be done. It is to be hoped that something like this has happened, for as the disease distributors are now playing with the germs of a most virulent, foul, and fatal disorder— anthrax, otherwise oarbuncle- unless these pranks are stopped the hospitals may have to be enlarged, and the undertakers become'millionaries. Exohange. At tho Palace Skating Bink last evening, the first heats for the half-mile championship were run. In the first round Mr Clarke beat Mr Strange by two laps rather easily. In the Becond heat Mr Karl Zander had an easy viotory over Mr Leohner, who fell, and gave up after the third or fourth round. In the third Mr W. Zander had his work out out to beat Mr Eden George, the race between the two being very exciting. In the last round Mr Moss met Mr Blake who olaimed a foul, and m the run off Mr Mobs won the heat. The time for the first and last heats was much better tban the intermediate ones. A very large crowd of spectators were present, who enjoyed the oontests. The final heatß will be run off on Friday night, Ham and bacom curing is an industry whioh is making some headway m Ashburton, and we are pleased to see tbat the quality of the prepared artiole is of the highest order. The mode of curing the best dairy fed : pork has much to do with its ultimate acceptance . by the oonnoisseur m these matters. Wa have seen on exhibition at Mr Henry Zander's establishment, m East street, a very fine lot of hams and bacon cured to hia order by Mr Viokery, the well, known pork butcher of the.,same street. Mr Viokery has fyeen very successful m his efforts to turn out a really good article, and while he had good carcases to operate on he brought to bear on hjs work_ a good deal of skill, knowledge, and praotioal experience, and the result is most satifaotory. Mr Viokery has all the appliances to turn out extensive orders, and the trade is growing, for, m addition to the looal consumption, a good line of hams and baoon are sent to other centres. i On Sunday night at St. Andrew's Church. ! Dunedin, the Bey Mr Waddell said he had for, some time a growing feeling that there wag a certain want of community between the thought of the pulpit and the pew. Very Often clergy and people were dissooiated from each pther with regard to the things that were largely occupying each others' minds. There was no doubt that m all congregations there was a multitude of thoughts and problems simmering m poople'a minds of whioh the olergy were largely ignorant, and with regard to whioh their mindß might be enlightened if they made enquiries. He therefore intended on every first Sunday m tho month to hold an inquiry service. If members of the congregation or others had any questions to ask, or wished any text of Soripture explained, they would be invited to put their written requests m a box at the church door, or post them to him. He would not premise to answer all questions, but would do his best to oomply with the requests of the writers where possible. On tbe second Sunday of the month he would invite persons to make an " out-and-out " decision for Christ, ' and on the remaining Sundays be would preabh on sooial subjects;