LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1954, 26 September 1888, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr Charles Braddell, sole agent for Aahburton, is anxious that householders should inspect the new patented cinder sifter and fuel economiser wbioh is on view at his office.

Robert Garrett, the millionaire railroad man, has become insane, and is always talking of and dreading Jay Gould. He has to be constantly guarded to prevent violence.

Charles Croker, one of the Oalifornian railroad kings, haß died rather suddenly from diabetes, at the age of almost sixty years. His property is. variously estimated at from thirty to seventy-five million dollars.

We would remind our readers that the Rev 0. 0. Brown, of Timaru, leotures to-night and Friday m tho Orange Hall. The fact of the subject of the looture being an interesting one, and Mr Brown being a good exponent of bis views, should command a large attendance.

Mr and Mrs J. Rogers, who announce themselves as of " The New and Latter House of Israel," advertise that they will address a publio meeting at tbe Templar Hall to-morrow evening on "The universal salvation of all boulb " and " The faith once delivered to the Sainta."

Tho " North Otago Times " Bays that the runhoiders m that distriot are going m largely for Wolseloy'a sheep-shearing machines. It understands that about twenty of these maohines will be fitted up at Benmore, and forty between Station Peak and Otekaike. Mr Borton and Mr Reid will also use them.

The Persian creditor having once determined to get hiß money oallß for it early m the morning, and oannot be persuaded to go away till it is paid. He brings his carpets with him, and Bits down m his debtor's room eating, drinking, sleeping, and smoking there till he is bought off.

An instrument oalled the osteotonje has bnen invented as an improvement over the tedious and olumsy surgical methods of cutting through bones by means of saws and ohisels. It is praotioally a circular saw rovolved at a very high spoed by an clootrio motor. An ingeniously devised shield, whioh passes round the bone to be oporated upon, proteots the surrounding flesh from injury,

A new departure m the way of raoing took plaoe at Kurow raoes last week. A horse called Wallace was entered f t the trot, and his owner informed some of the bystanders that his horse would win " if he didn't atop to soratoh |his ear." This was lookod upon by those present as a joke, but when the horses started Wallaoe went away at a smart p&oe, and looked like winning, until, all of a sudden, he stopped short, and began ecratohing his eft with hia hind leg, and despite the jookey's best efforts with whip and spur Wallace would not start, until the operation was completed. Ho then went off m his usual good stylo. It is needless to add he didn't win.

By the Argentine journals tho season of Madame Adelina Patti m South America is deeoribed as a aeries ol triumphs. Her benefit at the Politeatna, Buenos Ayres, at whioh the whole of fashionable society, hoaded by tho President of the Eepublio, assisted, was, it is stated, without parallel m the country. At. the end of the third aot of " J/uoia di Lammortnoor " the stage was con. verted into a garden by the large and beautiful bouquets, wreaths, and crowns, while at side of the Btage was a row of liveried footmen bearing valuable presontß. Suoh was the enthusiasm that tho great singer found herself virtually compelled to appear m three additional representations beyond the original programme— Lakinfl, I Puritani, and Semiramis.

Maaini, the Jtalian tenor, when travelling for pleasure, sang recently to the {Sultan's harem at Oonstantinople. The ladies, aa ia usual on suoh oooaßiona, wero hidden from the view of the artist by high soreonß, Masini pang the aria from the •• Huguenots." As ha finished, bo was astonished to hear a voice from behind the screen sing m a marvellously finished style m Italian, tho song of Valentina, whioh m the opera follows the tenor aria. Struok by the exceeding beauty of the voice, Masini instituted inquiries, and discovered that the mysterious singer waß the daughter ot a high official of the Turkish court, who had studied m Home, with the intention of going on tho operatio stage, but upon her return to Oonstantinople had been forced, maoh against her will, to enter tho harem of tho Sultan. .

An American paper says that the new magazine rifle, with whioh tho British Iroopa will Boon bo armed, is the invention ofa Canadian, Mr James P. Lee, formely a resi dent of Gait, but who has for some years past lived at Utica, N.Y., where he has. boon employed at the arms foundry of tho Romingtons. Mr Lee haß invented many patterns of both military and Bporting rifles, but the British magazine ride is b;s latest product and tho outline of it was perfeoted while he woa on a visit to his frienda m Gait a few ye»ra ago. The "London Echo" cays the build of the Lee rifle is stronger than any other pattern of its olass hitherto constructed. The bore is small and the trajectory low, and if neoeßsary 40 shots oan be fired m a minute. Ibis riilo has pJbo been adopted by the Governments of China, Spain, Denmark, and Mexico.

An apitation is reported from Cuba, instigated by American planters, m favour of annexation to the United States.

Tho Rink will be open to night as usual and closed to morrow to allow the Hall to b 9 fitted up for ihe Carnival, which tnke place on Friday evening.

"Stockings? Yes, ma'am. What number do you wear ? " Oustomor— " What number? Why, two, of oourse. Do you take me for a centipede?"

Some Indies were disoußsing m the presence of a well-known financier, the difference between tho real and the ideal, and he wae appealed to for his opinion. " The real," said the financier, " is a Spanish coin ; the ideal is the Spanish bond."

Wednesday, July 25th, was the anniversary of the birthday of Her Royal Highness tho Duohess of Cambridge, who completed her ninety-first yoar, she having been born July 25, 1797.' The Prince and Prinoess of Wales, with their daughters, the Princesses Louise, and Maud, wero early visitors to offer their congratulations to the venerable Duoheßs.

In the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before Major Steward, J.P , Robert Woods was charged with sending a threatening letter demanding money and valuables of one Mary Lookhead. The same aooused already stands committed upon a similar oharga. Sergt Felton asked for a remand for the production of witnesses. Remanded accordingly until Friday at 10 am. Bail allowed, aooused m £100 and two sureties of £100 eaoh.

The members of the U.A.O.D. held their quarterly meeting m the Templar Hall last Monday evening. There was alarge attendance. After the usual routine business had been transacted and a deal of correspondence dealt with, the Lodge considered matters of vital importance to the Order. A Druidioal social was then indulged m, and after- spending a most pleasant evening, the Lodge dosed shortly before midnight. The amount taken for contributions only for the quarter amounted to £66 5s 6d.

Careful preparations are being made for the sooial gathering m St. Stephen's schoolroom to-morrow evening. The room will be decorated with pictures of more than usual excellence, and books of photographs, etc., will be on the table for inspection. Mrß Olaridge will preside at the pianoforte, and refreshments will be served at 9 p.m. The gathering will take plaoe whatever the weather may be.

London police records show that the parentß of the girl Eliza Armstrong have gone to the bad sinoo the "Pall Mall Gazette" proßeoutionß brought them into prominence. In the course of that case it was suggested that Mrs Armstrong had really sold her daughter for £5 ; their neighbors, or Borne of them, believed it, and have continually perseouted them about it. The husband was so worried that he lost his reason and is now m an asylum, and the wife is frequently m trouble through drink.

A passage m the Consular report on San Franoisoo just issued oxceoda all that has hitherto been reoorded of the rapidity of the growth of American cities. It is Btated that upwards of a hundred towns and settlements have been laid out m the Consular distriot within tho past year. In May and Juno last there was a "boom" m the founding of oitios, and people wait day and night m front of the places for sale for the privilege of buying lots. Eligible sites for new cities were well advertised, and founders were informed that " In God'a all-seeing eye there is no place like ," or that "A lot m is better than being m Abraham's bosom." The boom has now abated, and while many of the new-born cities aro flourishing, others aro (destined to revert to the empire of the plough. On the whole it seems easier to found new cities than to supply them with suitable inhabitants. The young Englishman of what it pleases us to oall eduoation, who is sent out oontinues to be as great a failure as ever. He ultimately finds his level, however, as a farm laborer or as a waiter m the restaurants.

M. Joyia still persists m hia intention of attempting a Transatlantic voyage m the monster balloon whioh he haß planned, and whioh he has already ohriatened "L'Atlantique." An aerostat measuring 83 feet m oircumforenoe, and with a oapaoity of 75,000 cubit feet, will dwarf all other balloons almost as completely as "the " Tour Eiffel " will dwarf all other towers. M. Jovia propoßeß to start from tbo other side, and cross m one of the storms whioh corao periodically sweeping over Europe from that quarter. Nothing Bhort of a cyclone travelling at the rato of sUty or seventy miles' an hour will enable him to reaoh terra jirma, as he oannot count upon the balloon maintaining tho requisite buoyancy for more than some seventy-two hourß or so. The oar will not only be made seaworthy, but it will be decked ; and, as an additional guarantee of safety, a steam launch will be swung In the rlgging'of the balloon, ready for use at the shortest notice.

That " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing " i« a frequent quotation, but not necessarily a universally true one. A Bmall modioum of practical knowledge is, m Borne cases, worth a great deal, as the following incident proves : -—Three gluziers were en. gineering a large plate of glass down a London street, when the foot of one of them slipped, and, m his effort to avoid a smash, he out his wrist on tho edge of the glass, severing an artery. His companions did not Know what to do, and the man was losing blood rapidly. A lad about fourteen years of age who caw the aooident modestly remarked that he thought he know what to do, and he was invited to do what he could as soon as possible, as the viotim of tho aooident was beginning to show signs of failing strength. Pioking up a Btone and obtaining a pieoe of Btiok, the boy, with a hahdkerohief, improvised a compress on the upper joint of the arm, and Btoppod the bleeding. The man waa got into a oab and driven off, and the boy toddled away as if he had dono nothing m particular. The boy had been attending the ambulance drill m oonneotion with one of the companies of tho Boys' Brigade.