The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1888. THROUGH THE TOTALISATOR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1935, 4 September 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1888. THROUGH THE TOTALISATOR.

The amount of money annually passed 1 through the totalisators at race meetings m New Zealand is, m proportion to our ' population, ver> large indeed. A sporting writer m the " Utago Witness" has been at some pains to work out, for the racing year 1887-88, the amounts of . money which passed through the totali ■ sators, and as far as can be seen the figures exceed those of the previous year. The writer says : — " Comparing , the figures with those of previous seasons the totals of the several clubs vary considerably, one club now losing, and anon i gaining, and perhaps losing again m a different years as compared with other f clubs ; but speaking generally the 1 season of 1887-88 is characterised by this peculiarity : that as a rule the r larger clubs are losers and the smaller 1 clubs gainers as compared with the 3 previous season. This will partly account f for the general rise ia the total, for the m 9 many have gained and the few have lost ; ■ and it must also be taken into account • that the number of meetings has slightly - increased during the past season. lam I not prepared with the full details — it i seems impossible to make such a list ii absolutely complete — but bo far as I can I estimate, the total sum passed through I the machines during ] 887-88 is about I £515,000, as against £509,000 odd m 7 the preceding season. r lhe season of I 1885 86, however, remains the chame pion so far as a total is concerned, the t sum passed through that year being only » a trifle under £560,000. For 1884 r 85 " the estimate was £470,600, and l - for the 1883-84 season it came to \ £330,000." Of the total for last year i Christchurch was at the head of the list , with £55,956, as against £55,848 of I the previous year. JJunedin and Aucki land were not far behind. In the J vicinity of the City of the Plains no less i than 25 race meetings were held during , the season just expired, and theaccumul lated total passed through the machines ■ at these comes to the not inconsiderable sum of £42,715. These figures may bo > presumed to bo fairly correct, and they 3 afford food for reflection when the cry j of dull times is heard resounding on 1 every side, and when bankruptcies are 1 of daily occurrence.

LOCAL AND GENERAL. « The present ia the coldest season that has )een known m Tasmania for seven years. Attention is directed to a prioa list oiroulated with this issue by Prootor and Co., grocers, etc., Aroade. The leading railway oontraotors of Viotoria have resolved that the standard rate of pay for navvies shall be 7s a day. A splendid supply of fresh water, struok at Mount Margaret, Thargomindah (Q.), has caused a great deal of excitement m the distriot. The word " Colony " is beginning to jar on the nerves ol Victorians. They would prefer to say " State," " Nation," or, better still, " Empire." It is said the appointment of a Judge to the Supreme Court, m place of the late Judge John b ton, will not be made for a few weeks yet. An exchange says that oysters are unknown m Wanganui. The inhabitants of that depot of lunacy know them as " bivalvular testaceous molluscs." The name " Good Friday " is almost exolusively English. In France it is " Adored Friday," m Germany, "Still Friday" or "Blaok Friday;" m Denmark, "Long Friday." Count Euroda, the new Prime Minister of Japan, is a member of the great Satsuma clan and has played an important part m military affairs. He is little known outside of his own country. The following ate the Hospital returns for the month of August : — Number m Hospital on Ist August, 11 ; admitted during month, 9 ; discharged, 10 ; remaining m Hospital on Ist September, 10. The Matron of the Hospital desires to acknowledge, with thanka, books from Mrs Twentyman, papers, from Mr Paul and Postmaster, and flowers and fruit from Mrs Lee, for the use of the inmates. Two of the most beautiful and most admired figures at the opening of Messrs Halle and Oarr's new art gallery m London were Mise Mary Anderson, m a plain dark blue gown, and Lady Colin Campbell m an Arcadian oostume of blue and red. Enthusiasm m the temperance cause, judged by monetary results, is at a very low ebb. At Mr Glover's meeting last evening, taking the lowest estimate of the attendance, via., 500, the collection amounted to less than three ha'pence a head. The following gentlemen have been nominatod for the vacancies on the Wakanui River Board : — Messrs Jas. Brown, S. Brown, T. Clephane, D. Fitzgerald, D. Ledd.y, E. Thomas, M. Wilson, D. Wilson, Jas. Wilson. A meeting m connection with River Board matters will be held at Wakanui to-night. It is noted as a ourious coincidence which has seldom or ever been equalled, that the Emperor William's age at the time of his death (91) was exactly that of the united ages of his son Frederiok (56), his grandson William 11. (29), his great-grandßon, the present Crown Prince (6). The Tasmanians are becoming alarmed at the decrease m the number of sheep m the colony which has been going on now for eleven years and is going on still without any prospeot, apparently, of the decline being stopped. In ten years the decrease has been 284,036, the number of sheep m the colony m 1888 being set set down at 1,547,242. Mr John W. Mackay, the bonanza king and husband of the society lady so well known m fashionable oiroles m London and Paris, has a dinner service worth £20,000. The silver was furnished from his own mines, and upon the completion of the set he bought the dies outright, m order that the set might never be duplio&ted. Thus " Puff " m the " Evening Press "on the rise m the wheat market : — " Wheat's going ahead finely 1 Cargoes to arrive have been sold for 40s ! It's quite like old times 1 --Except that we hav'n't got the wheat to sell 1 Great traots of land that should oarry 30 bushels to the aore have produoed nothing for years paßt, except four orops of promissory notes a year • " A man named Robert Woods was brought up m ou9tody from Rakaia on a charge, laid under Seotion 44 of the Laroeny Act, of demanding goods and money by a letter of menace. He was brought up at the B.M. Court this morning, before Mr R. Aloorn, J.P., and remanded till Thursday, bail being allowed, himßelf m £200 and one sprety of £200, or two sureties m £100 eaoh. At the oonolußion of Mr T. W. Glover's meeting last evening the following gentlemen were eleoted as members of Committee of the Ashburton Auxiliary for the ensuing year :— Messrs John Oaygill, A. Orr, T. M. Jones, D. H. Brown, R. Alcorn, J. Hardley, G. W. Andrews, H. M. Jones, and the clergymen of the respective denominations m the town and suburbs. Mr D. H. Brown was eleoted President and Mr Hardley Secretary. Owners are reminded that entries for tiho Point to Point Steeplechase close with the Secretary at 9 o'olock to-night. The oontestants will meet at the Commercial Hotel to-morrow (Wednesday) at 1.30 to weigh out, and will then prooeed to the starting point. We hear the sub-Committee have arranged for a grand bit of country for the raoe, and it only remains now for the owners to roll up with their entries to make the affair a suooass The Rink de Paris— Mr Robert Elston, lessee and manager— will be opened m the Oddfellows' Hall on Thursday evening. It is confidently expeoted by the management to be a suooess on account of the attractions which are to be brought forward 1 at each session. The full strength of the Ashburton Brass Band has been engaged for the opening night, and it will be seen from our advertising columns that arrangements have been made for the introduction of a novelty on the reopening of the Hall as a rink. At a meeting held last evening at the Royal Hotel it was agreed to form a Lodge m connection with the R.A.0.0. Buffaloes. Several gentlemen who belonged to the Home and Colonial Lodges spoke highly m favor of the Buffs, and Bteps were taken by those present :to obtain the neoessary dispensation for opening the Lodge. Mr H. Davis was appointed Treasurer pro tern, and persons wishing to join can obtain particulars on. applying to that gentleman at the Royal Hotel. Says the "New Zealand Times":— Mrs Karenapu, the last original Native of D'Urville Island, whose death is announced, was supposed to be about 112 years of age, and probably might have lived a few years longer had it not been for a fall whioh she got about 18 months ago, causing dislocation of both hip joints, which were never put m again. She has left four generations behind her. She escaped the pursuit of hostile tribes several times during her lifetime, and on one occasion, while nursing twins, she was pursued by the Ngnatikoatas, on whose near approach she threw her children under a tutu busb, and got away without them. Tbo monthly general meeting of the Ashburton Cyoling Club was held m Gamble's rooms, Baring Square, on Friday evening. There was a good attendance of members. Mr Miillor m the chair; An apology for absence was received from the Capt Mr J. A. Olliver, Mr J. A. Brown tendered his resignation as sub-Captain, on account of his inability to attend regularly. Mr H. H. Stevens was unanimously eleoted to fill the offioe. It was deoided to open the Oyoling season on September 12th, by a procession of oyolists through the town to be followed by a run into the country. Satisfaction was expreesed at She new caps and badges whioh were shown by some of those present. Two new members were eleoted during the evening, and the Chairman took occasion to congratulate the Club on the growing interest taken m oyoling sinoe the starting of the Club.

THE CHINESE QUESTION. J (PER PRESfI ASSOCIATION,) { London September 2. The Press generally consider that it is reasonable on the part of Australians to restrict the inevitable flood oft Chinese by any means m their power. \ The rumor that China intends to invade Australia m 1891, when her armaments are completed, is being circulated m England. ' Melbourne!. September 3. The case Ah Foy v Collector of Customs, m which the plaintiff, a Chinaman, claimed damages for not being allowed to land recently was heard to-day before the Court of Appeal and a verdict was returned for the plaintiff, damages to be hereafter assessed. The contention for the defence that the ratification by Government of the powers of the Collector of Customs was equal to a ratification by the Queen or that the power of the Victorian Government to advise the Queen m matters of State was held to be untenable. An appeal to the Privy Council is regarded as certain to follow. The "Pall Mall Gazette," m an article on the Chinese question, expresses the the opinion that the difficulty bars the way to Imperial federation, and that it may probably lead to the political severance of the Australian Colonies and Great Britain. A correspondent writing to "The Times " says the arrogance of Sir Henry Parkes m dealing with the Chinese difficulty m Australia has led to the rejection by China of the American Treaty. - The writer further expresses the opinion that Chinese emigration from Hong Kong would be checked if the pauper laws were enforced m Australia. New Yobs. September 2. The opinion obtains here that the rejection of the American-Chinese treaty by China is due to the amendments made by the Senate m the original