The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 1888. NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1881, 30 June 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 1888. NOTES.

Our local Salvation Army seems bent on making itself known within the precincts of the R.M. Court, and though the officers have twice within a few weeks had charges brought against them for obstruction dismissed, it cannot be denied that they presume too strongly upon their privilege m parading the streets to the strains of their music. The simple marching and music playing we do not take much exception to, but when they halt at a street corner and shout forth their melancholy dirges and religious fervid ejaculations, we think religion is being travestied. So long as they conduct themselves like Christians they are at liberty to march to any class of music they care to, but they should have some respect for peoples' feelings, nevertheless, and not go the length of abusing what is clearly a privilege. To stand m a street before anyones place of business or private residence shouting and singing and playing their instruments and by such conduct drawing a crowd, of by no means desirable persons, is going too far. They abuse their right and annoy respectable people without any necessity for so doing. Complaints are not confined to a few* There are many^indeed, who have had great cause for complaint, particularly on Saturday nights, when the crowd m attendance on the Army procession, is far from a pleasant one for ladies to encounter should they have occasion be out m the evening. Tho Army may keep within tho limits of law by their exhibitions, but they approach the limit too often to be comfortable, and they might take a hint to be less obstructive and annoying m their movements and people m the main would think more of them as a class m the religious community and less of the methods they employ to secure converts to their fold. A speciman of the "dreadful example" came to his death near Chriotchurch the other day. ]t was shown at the inquest that h« was given to drinking all his life, and had been on " the drunk " for tbyeo weeks past. Whenever he got money he spout it m drink. He went into a hotel as soon as it was opened, and left only when it closed, and then left with a bottle of whisky to last him all night. He always drank out of the bottle. When he became really bad they gave him an egg beaten up, with whisky, and put him to bed, and he was dead an . hour after. A bottle with a little raw whisky was found under his pillow, and an empty whisky bottle, marked " Heather Dew," was beside him m the bed. The jury said that " death was caused by the 'jeKCfispjye drinking of ardent spirits." T}iis case is pe^h^pp ppj; an exceptional one, but it affords food for puch eerioaa reflection, and zealous temperance aqVopates will not overlook it. Wi,th or or without embellishment tho case is rather a sad one. ■Jonathan .Roberts seems to have disappeared entirely from tho view of police humanity, and paragraphs ap to his probable whereabouts are now very few t There was a talk of bis being seen near Timaru but perhaps this was a guy. A man answering his description was said to have been seen at St Andrews, but the io^al police were unable to get GH any freen trail. vessels, trains and roads are being ( eaj',efally looked to. If it should happen' th'a.t Roberts yets clean away, it will bo bad Cor the credit of the colonial police force.