LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2104, 11 April 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In Russia, where blinkers are 06? It used on horses, a shying horse is almOit Unknown.

Nearly fifty-two the PBIncI immigrants from Sweden and Norway IftQied at New York lldt year, seven thousand more than from Ireland,

An ingenious Inventor has devised a new eorew— half nail and bait Borew j two Mowb of the hammer, two turns of tha Bflrewdriver, and it is m. Mr Frederick Bryant (of Bryant and JAay, ■ the matobtnakerp), who died the other day at ' the comparatively early age of forty-five leaves personalty to the value of £272,000. The spread of leprosy m Jndia haa oon» vinoed the natives that it is contagion*, . India has about one hundred and thirty flve ' thousand of the sufferers, and the Hat is swelling at a tremendous rate. The Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association have resolved to prepare a programme at onoe for the Exhibition Show m November, so as to allow breeders m various parts of the oolony to be represented. The "Railway Commissioners have fully «Jefliu"d to shorten the time of the express train** feAt^en Ohristohuroh and Dunedin, untss unforeaaea *™^f? "^ . f L ° o e a ] officers have been rwiuVC d to e P ort " the y see any difficulties m the m^Upw The little German kingdom of Sa&ny famishes the largest peroentage of suicides of any oivilised state. The number last year was 1104, or one to about every 3000 of the population. In 1981 tho total number was 1213. Russell Sago, the well-known American, is anid to be worth £12,000,000, and spends only £2000 a year. He is over 70 years of age, but with his dear complexion, bright eyes, and aotivo ways, he soaroely seems more han 50. The Marquis of Lome, son-in-law of Queen Viotoria, is the latest recruit to the bioyoliata, and his wife, the Princess Louise, is also tho possessor of a safety machine, and contemplates aooompanyiDg her husband on his I Mrly netting spias,

At the Rink this evoning the quarter mile race for ladies takes plaoe.

The New Zealand Tweed Co oommenoe a sale of the drapery stook m J. Russell's eßtate to-morrow. We are glad to see by the local papers that the repairs to the Oamaru breakwater have been completed. The " North Otago Times " says that it is intended to remove the remains of the late Earl of Seafield to Sootland, and a warrant is now m Oamaru authorising the Oamaru Cemetery Trust to allow this to be done. As an illustration of the voraoious habits of hawks the " Timaru Mail " states that, on

Mr Rhodes' Hadlow Estate, reoently, a oouple of hawka' noßt waß found, and a further examination of the spot revealed the skulls of no less than 56 hares, the bones bearing the appearance of having been newly diseoted.

The Druids anniversary sooial, as already announced, takkes plaoe m the Oddfellows' Hall to-morrow evoning, and this popular reunion is sure to be carried out as Buooess-

fully as m former years, all preparations being now made, and a large attendance confidently expected.

During Maroh outdoor relief was given by tbe North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board m 468 different oases, _ being seven less than m February, but eighteen more than m March, 1888. Thirty-three whioh were relieved m Maroh had not been aßßisted m February, and 40 of the February 1 cases did not ooour m Maroh,

The " Oamaru Mail " Bays :— •• We learn from good authority that Mr Larnaoh is about to return to New Zealand. It is therefore, probable that he will take his seat m Parliament next session. Mr Pym, who entered into partnership with him on the other side, will also return and establish a business m Wellington." X The other night some young men ooming up Queen-street, Auokland, were surprised to find a large ring-tailed opossum disporting itself by moonlight, They gave ohaae, and suooeeded m killing it with stioks. How the animal came to be m Queen street is a mystery, but probably it esoaped from some vessel whioh had brought it from Australia.

The looal "Herald" says that a rather novel plan of forcing the growth of kumikamis has been Adopted by a gardener not far from Taranaki, who is also a member of the Salvation Army. A person visiting the garden the other day notioed a number of white patohes on the kumis, and on enquiring what they were, was told that they were Scripture texts pasted on to make the vegetables grow better. Aooording to a correspondent of the " New Zealand Timeß" an Australian oompany, with a capital of £2,000,000, a large proportion of which is English oapital, has started, and within a comparatively short time will oonduot its operations throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand, recognising our colony as chief m the Australasian group for the production of dairy produce and grain.. We learn from the " New Zealand Times " that judgment was given by Mr Jußtioe Biohmond, m Chambers, on Saturday laßt, m a oase againßt Mr Charles Cook, solicitor, of Wanganui, against whom a oomplaint had been made by Mrs MoGregor, that he had failed to account for certain moneyß entrusted to him. Hi 3 Honor ordered that a writ of attachment should forthwith ibbub against Mr Oook, m order that he may be rendered to prison at Wanganui for his contempt of Court ia disobeying an order of the 28th Nov. last, whereby he was direoted to account for oertain moneys belonging to Mrs MoGregor, a client, and he was also ordered to pay the coals of the motion, amounting to £9 18s. We would remind our readers that the Bey Mr Rooney will arrive m Asbburton to-morrow evening, and will leoture m the Weileyan Church on mission work m Fiji and New Britain . Mr Booney has been on the mission fieldß for twenty-three years, and brings « vast amount of information concerning the islands where he has lived and the inhabitants. From Southern files we learn that Mr Booney's meetings have been most suooessful, the presence of the native convert, who assists Mr Booney, adding greatly to the interest. No oharge ib made for admission, but a collection will be taken up m aid of the mission fund. Matters m connection with the headmastership of the Aahburton Sphool have at last come to a head, and * the Board have enforced their decision oome to after the recent Inspectors' examination. The protest of the Committee failed m induoing the Board to alter their determination, and the master has now received three months' notice. Those of the Committee who are m favor of the master's retention have no option but to aooept the Board's mandate, and the matter must therefore be considered as finally settled. The Committee at their meeting on Tuesday evening deoided to BBk the Board, m fairness to the headmaster, to direct that an examination of the sohool be held before he quits his post, A serious aooident happened near Waimate on Wednesday morning to James Patterson, who was working at a threshing mill on Mr Brinkman's farm. It appearß that the mill had just finished threshing a staok, and was opening out another, when Patterson stepped from a newly built stage on. to the mill, and missing his footing fell. His right leg went into the drum of the machine. The moment the man fell into the maohine the belt went off, and when Patterson was taken out it was found that his right leg was completely smashed to a pulp up to the top of the thigh. Tbe sufferer was brought immediately to the hospital, where everything possible is being done for him, but his injuries are bo great that he is not expected to reoover. On Wednesday last (says the " Southland News ") while the cutter Bravo was at one of the mutton bird islands a sensational incident ocourred, A number of birdß had been secured, and the crew having returned to the cutter a start was made for home. One of the erew — Frank Arnett, of Biverton— was struck by the boom and knocked overboard. The accident was not notioed by his mates, and Arnott was not missed till the vessel had gone some distance. When the alarm was given Arnett was seen m the water a good way off. Ho was apparently about as muoh at home there as on the deok of the outter, diving occasionally to got out of the way of the heavy seas. A boat was promptly lowered, and one of the orew pulled off and resoued Arnett from what most men would oonsider a dangerous position. He. however, waß m no wise oonoerned about his own safety— his anxiety taking the form of fear lest the boat would be swamped, or tbe outter— only one man having been left on board — come to grief. The vendetta between the Donnelly and Broughton factions m Hawkes Bay is still smouldering: The •« Napier Evening Newß," m its Friday's issuo, hat the following regarding it '—"The trouble at Omahu still continues, Mrs Donnelly and her followers obstructing Mr Waterworth's men m their work. They did so again this morning,- and a threat was used that if they did not stop operations a large body of natives would be sent, and they would be compelled to do so. Ql course, Mr Waterworth is m rather an awkward position, he having to oarry out bis oontraot with Mr Broughton and have the tombstone erected by a oertain date, There are two polioeman on the ground, but they cannot do anything unless a breaoh of tho law is made. It Booms a disgraceful thing for natives to cause trouble m a oonseorated graveyard, and prevent a tombstone being placed over a ohief who, when alive, was respeoted by all. The only way m wbioh to put a stop to all this nonsense would] be for a body of polioe to go to Omahu and arrest all whose actions might provoke a fight with the opposing faotion and plaoe them m prison.