LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1933, 1 September 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

4» The first eclipse upon reoord was a lunar one, and was observed at Babylon 721 B.C. There is an Indian tribe m California consisting of one man. When he dies hiß language will cease to be spoken. A meeting will be held at the Royal Hotel on Monday evening to consider the advisableneßs of forming a lodge of the R.A.O. Buffaloes. In Japan every unmarried woman wears a scarlet Bkirt. This she discards and stains her teeth black when she marries. There was completed recently m Paria an artesian well twenty-four hundred feet m depth whioh it has taken twenty-two years to sink. A Melbourne correspondent says that Sir William Jervois won golden opinions on all sides, and was very popular there. Sir William knows the value of the soft soap "business." There is said to be an excellent market for lemons m New Zealand, and it is stated that one Auckland chemist waDts consigments of 1000 dozen at a time for manufacturing purposes. The Rev W. S. Green, the Alpine climber, is still hale and hearty, and as great a climber as ever. The Geographical Sooiety has just seleoted him as the fittest person to explore the glaoier regions of British Columbia. A ball m oonneotion with the Ashburton Orange Lodge was held m the Orange Hall last evening. There was a large attendance and the whole affair passed off most successfully. The musio was supplied by Messrs H. Gates and Ward. A coroner's jury near Fernmounfc, N.S.W.. has returned a verdict of manslaughter against two aboriginals who killed another m a tribal fight, but recommended them to meroy m oonsequence of their ignoranoe of British law. Complaints are made of the change of oolor m the New South Wales postage stamps. The new " centennial stamps " bear the legend " 100 years," and, m place of the Queen's bead, a " libellous mioroscopio view of Sydney harbor." Sir John Hay says he ia not sure the exertions of the Commissioners for the Melbourne Exhibition have been fully met by the publio, and he fears that the tendency to throw the expense of these exhibitiona on the Government is inoreasing, and will render the results less and less satisfactory. Sir Henry Parkes says he has no sympathy with the opinion that the New South Wales Assembly ia too large ; but he considers it ' quite large enough. Numbers are necessary for " a fair and searching debate," to prevent the formation of small and mischievous oliquea, and to enable a variety of human power to be brought together. We understand that a line of 40,000 bushels of wheat have been sold ex store m Ashburton at 3a per bushel on trucks. Besides the quantity held m store farmers have large Btooks on hand. As the prioe is still rising there is a tendency to hold on yet awhile, but the rising freight will be an awkward thing for shippers. The red bandana has been adopted as the badge of the Democrats. A curious feature m the seleotion is that when the self-same badge was first introduced as a party emblem at the Demooratio Convention m 1884, it was distinctive only of those who opposed Mr Cleveland as a candidate. It is now mounted m his favor, A few weeks ago, it will be remembered a good deal of public interest was taken m the 1 position of school matters at Greenatreet, the relations between the Committee and Master being somewhat strained. The Committee oalled on the Master, Mr Hale, to resign, the latter refused to do so, with the reault that the whole question was taken before the Board of Eduoation. It may be of interest to our readers to learn that the Board does not think the matters at issue between the Master and the Committee are suoh as to call j n en< J uir y» but as evidently the Maßter and Committee oannot get on well together, the former is advised to try and obtain another school, towards whioh the Board will i offer all praotioable faoilities. 1

At the R.M. Court this morning, before Mr DThomas, J.P., a first offender was fi n ed 5a and oosta for drunkenness. The services m St. Stephen's Church tomorrow will be conducted by the Rev Walter Harper, incumbent of St. Michael's Church, Chriatchusoh. A meeting of ratepayers m the Wakanui River District is called for Tuesday evening next, to consider matters m connection with the resignation of members of the Board. The snow storm experienced the other day at Mounnt Somers had the effect of blocking up the tram line, and jtraffio was stopped m consequence. This accounted for the usual supply of coal not being forthcoming. Owing to the rise ia freights and a difficulty to get shipp ; ng, 500 tons of Mount Soraers stone ready for export to Melbourne, cannot leave the quarry. This is rather unfortunate under the present circumstances. A parcel of wheat mostly Hunters' white representing 10,000 bushels was sold m Ohtistchnrch on Friday at a figure of 2s ll^d, less storage and freight. Free on board at Lyttelton, this would mean 3s 4^d per bushel. Letters for the following persons from places beyond the colony were received at the Ashburton Post Offioe during the month of July, and are now lying unolaimad :— F. Hall, George Fred Hall, M. Howlan, John R. Gilchrist, and George Gidding. Lady Bell is, her friends m New Zealand will be glad to hear, m better health than she has been for some time. She was able to be present at the wedding of the great Antipodean heiress Miss Henty to Captain Starkey The Bowons, the Samuel Wilsons, the Bright?, |and most of the Anglo-Victorian set were amongst the guests, and Bishop Moorhouse performed the ceremony. The Rev R. Coffey of St Mark's Anglican church, Wellington, as reported by the "Post," oomplaina that owing to the deterioration m morals among the young people, he has been obliged to.suspend a parish society rather than bring children out at night to attend its meetings. And this ooours after some ten or eleven years of secular education —"Tablet." Five bagß of Chinese-grown oabbagee imported from Wellington, were despatched by mail coach to Havelock and Hastings. Hawke's Bay gardeuers say they oannot grow cabbages ; if not too ptoud, why not get a Ohinaman to teach them ? The Chinese market gardeners at the Hutt pay a rental of £10 an aore for their land.— " Napier Telegraph." Mr T. W. Glover arrived m Ashburton by the express this morning, and was met by members of the Alliance Local Committee and other temperance workers. Mr Glover prooeeds to Mount Somers this afternoon where ,he will address a public meeting, and will conduct services m Aahburton to-morrow as intimated m a previous issue. During Mr Glover's visit to Aahburton he will visit the surrounding districts. Arrangements are being made for his speaking at Flemington. The final coursing meeting of the United Canterbury Coursing Club will bo held at Pareora St. Andrews, near Timaru, on Thursday next, September 6th. A number of entries have already been promised, and the Club is confident that they will have a very successful wind up to what has been a remarkably good season. Entries for the champion stakes and the sapling stakes must be made at or before 9 o'olook on Tuosday next at the Shamrock Hotel, Timaru, where the draw will take place. Says an exchange :— The chairman of the Pioton Road Board made a mistake the other day. He commanded the press representatives to withdraw — but they didn't. Then he threatened them with a policeman, and still they refused to budge, He left to get a man m blue, but some of his friends cautioned him against suoh an aot, and the reporters were allowed to stay. It is astonishing what fools some publio men make ot themselves at times. The Bishop of Sydney, speaking at the annual meeting of the White Cross Society lately, waxed enthusiastic about the morals of Young Australia. In a congregation of 600 or 700 young men m Sydney Cathedral, there were, he said, hundreds of voluntarily enrolled members of the Church of England Purity Society engaged assisting its noble work. The Bishop of Nelson also bore witness to the improving tone of morality amongst young men m the colonies. The Government of New South Wales have had struck a bronze medal commemorative of the Cantennial, which they have sent to the publio institutions throughout the colonies. On the one side the medal oontains a figure of Britannia, with the date of the foundation of the colony, and on the other a oross with the stars of the constellation on it, and the legend "Orta receus guam pura nites" —Recently born, how bright thou shinest ; " or, perhaps more colloquially " What a wonderful ohild you are for your age 1 " We learn from the " Viotorian Engineer" that the Victorian irrigation movement is likely to clash with mining interests. Rivers like the Goulbourn and Loddon are becomiug polluted to such an extent that it may beoome impossible to utilise their water far irrigation purposes. On the other hand, to interfere with the flow of sludge m oertain localities would seriously hamper mining, Our contemporary predicts that Mr Gillies would find that it requires all his diplomacy to satisfy both interests. _ " Truth " says :— lt looks as if the Circassian were played out m the Inns of Courts, if nowhere- else. Mr Chan-Loon, a Burmese gentleman, who was called to the Bar recently, has, during his career at the Middle Temple, taken every prize that was open to him, to the number of eight m all. The Oriental phenomenon so astonished the Benchers that they have passed speoial resolutions, congratulating him on his distinpuished success. It seems to me a pity that Western civilisation could not do something better for this talented Burman than make a prize lawyer of him. The weekly session of the Dawn ol Peace Lodge, No 164, 1.0. G.T., was held on Friday evening, Brother T. M. Jonea m the chair. There was a good attendance of members and visitors. Among other business, a letter was received from the Ashburton branch of the New Zealand Alliance asking the Lodge to take part m a procession on Monday evening next. It was decided to do so. After the disposal of the business, refreshments were Berved round, kindly provided by the ladiea of the Lodge, for which they received a hearty vote of thanks. Songa were given by Misses C. Andrews, Campbell, Undrill, Mrs G, W. Andrews, and Mrs Washington, and a very pleasant evening was brought to a close m the usual manner. A pleasant hour was spent last evening by the Ashburton Presbyterian Church Choir, the opportunity being taken after the praotioe of saying farewell to Mr James Lamb, who has aoted as oonductor of the choir for &ome time past and is now leaving the district, probably for South America. Several friends were present by invitation, including those who had so willingly helped m the production of the cantata " David." the Rev Mr Beattie was also present. Refreshments catered for by Mr J. Ranger was handed round, and several musical items were rendered, Mr Flower singing "O Shepherd fair," and Mrs Flower " The Harp song " from " David," by speoial request. The absenoe of Meßdames Crisp and Gamble waß regretted, they being unable to be present through illueas. ' Mr W. Simms was unanimously appointed oonduotor of the choir. Several members stating that requests had been made them for a repetition of the oantata " David," it was arranged that it Bhould be given m a fortnight's time. Full arrangements will be made m the meantime to secure all tho principals, inoluding Messrs Lamb and Lindsay, from Ghristohuroh, so that the Becond performance may be looked forward to as likely to be a greater success than the firßt