LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2238, 27 September 1889, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ireland has a prospect of the most abundant harvest for years.

Dr Nansen, the explorer, says tbe ioe m Greenland'ia 6000 ft thiok.

A few Sundays ago the young Earl of Dudley lost £10,000 at cards m Paris.

Monaignor Fava, Bishop of Grenoble, has acoepted the Patriarohal See of Jerusalem.

The prize for shorthand writing at the Vienna competition was taken by a woman.

Nominations for the handioap events at the Spring meeting of the ABhburton Raoing Olub close to-morrow evening at 9 o'clock,

There are Frenchmen who say the close of the Exposition m Paris will be the beginning of a " Boulanger revolution."

The name of Mrs John Williams was unfortuna.ely omitted m the list of ladies providing tables at the Willowby tea meeting whioh appeared m yesterday's issue.

FranoQ has some of the oldest trades unions m the world. The Paris Carpenters' Union, for instance, has been m existence for 600 yearsj

A number of young women m Outhberi, Ga., have organised an Anti-Kiaßing Society. Those who have seen the members say that suoh a preoaution was not necessary.

Mrs Booth, of the Salvation Army, has undergone a third eleotrioal operation for canoer. She is m a very preoarious «tate, but with a slight improvement,

Last year the Argentine Republia shipped 1,045,000 tons of corn. This year it will go above 2,000,000 tons. This is owing to the rapidly increasing immigration.

There are m the Treasury vaults at Wash* ington nearly a pint of diamonds and other precious Btonea that were presented to various Freßidentß by admiring friends.

It is said that Dr Honeyman.and Mr John Hay, two well-known residents of Auokland, are the chief legatees ox an estate valued at £3,000,000, left by a relative, Mr Berry, who died m Sydney recently.

A certain oountry newspaper has a oom* poßitor who is a treasure. "They would strain at a gnat and swallow a camel," waß tbe expression he had to set a short time ago. and ihis is how it appeared m print ; " They would strain at a goat and swallow a oanal."

A hailstorm m Villafranoa, Piedmont, was of suoh enormous stones that more than one hundred persons were badly hurt, and a boy and a girl had their skulls fractured. The weight of some hailstones was estimated at two pounds.

Mr Turnbull, M.H.R., for Timaru, who had been suffering from oalou us underwent a delioate operation at the Wellington hospital on Monday last. We are glad to learn from the " Post " that the patient is doing well.

Tbpnks to his friendß, General Boulanger's house m Portland plaoa ia assuming the ap> pearanae of a vast oonaoryatory, Every day plants and flowers of all kinds arrive, and are disposed about the rooms m euoh quantities that almost every part of the house is invaded.

A South Afrioan prospeotor m exploring the oountry north and went of the Transvaal found, besides plenty of good prospects, anoient ruins and working? whioh must have been operated centuries ago by oiyilised people, The natives wero ignorant of gold and its value,

It has been calculated that the railroads of the world are worth nearly £60,000,0001000 or about one-tenth of the wealth of the civilised nations, or more than a quarter of their invested capital. At this rate all the ready money m the world would buy only about one. third pf thorn.

It 18 believed by the Moslems that at the Judgment Day painters will be required to furnish with souls all the representations of human beings whioh they have made. Failing m this ordeal, they will lose their own souls as a forfeit for their presumptuous imitation of the work of their Creator.

An Oklahoma hack driver purohased two lots on the day after the opening from men who decided there never would be a pity, and who were going away m disgust, for one he paid 10 dollars, and for the other be traded a well worn eix-Bhooter. One of the lots he has since sold for 1100 dollars, and he is holding the Bix-shooter lot for lSOO.dollare.

A Southland paper says :— " The Sydney Jookey Turf Club " man is again throwing out his bait m tha shape of a oonaultationion the Melbourne Oup. yerdant New Zealanders will " oonsult " their own pockets by giving t£r Walter Graham — that is bis name this year— the go by, As we have previously stated, there ia no snob olub m existence— it is merely a jangle of words to patch the unwary.

A process has been invented by meaps of which photographs can be printed off almost as fast as a newspaper, and without dependence en sun or light. Some of these prints are of exquisite quality, and tone, m appearancemuohresembling platiootype. As a Home paper says that it can be adapted to all forms of photography, it is probable enough that before long the bpst portraits, if ordered m quantities, will be extremely oheap.

Qlevor Labby, m the bitterness ol his oupor eition to the Jioyal Qrants, unearthed a te?t of Sroipture eingolarly apro'po to the .question. He says m " Truth ";-^lt is curibuß than Ezekiel seems to have had Boyal Grants ip his prophetic eye. Chapter xlvi., v. 8, is as follows :— " Moreover the Prinoe shall not take of the people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possesions ; hytt be sl^alf give bis son inheritance out of his own jpoB8«Jl8«iow^'

A neat story is told of a Eonjan Gatboljd prioßt m Viotoria, whose serraonß are ÜBually of a practical kind. On entering the pulpit one Sunday he took with him a walnut to illustrate the oharaoter of the variousOhtißtian ohnrohes. He told the people the shell was tasteless and valueless— that was the Wesleyan photoh. The skin was nauseous, disagreeable, and worthless— that was the Presbyterian Ohuroh. He then said he would show them the Holy Ijloman Apostolic Ohuroh. He oraoked the nut for the kernel aijd— found to bis dismay that bis praotioal illustration did not quite pan out as he hsd expected, for alas 1 the walnut wap rottefl.

Sir Edward Denny, Bart., of Tralee Gastlfl? who died recently unmarried at the great ago of 92 years, had lived a remarkable life for an Irish landlord with a rental of £13,000 a year. Most of hiß life was passed m a dingy oottago m College street, Islington, an 4 the whole of iiis irjioope, except what was given to bis poor relations, was epppt among the Plymouth Brethren, one S^ob ojf whloh acknowieufisd him aS ieaoher and leader, The spoons and forks m the College street establishment were of horn or wood, and the late baronet's personal expenditure was m keeping with the arrangement,

Forty Russian peasants, cornnrfsing all the inhabitants of a small yillago m the government of Kursk, have been arrested for burning the whole village to the ground to obtain the insuranoe. The curious feature of the oaao is the evident innooence of these simple villagers of any wrongdoing. They made no seoret of their plans, gathered together and placed m a safe plnoe auoh of their effects as they wished tq save, waited a favourable opportunity, and applied a toroh to these homes. These villagers explnjn that their houses were old and they were anxious to improve the town by eroding new ones m their stead with the insurance money they r expected, They are entirely it ft loss to

Our cablegrams announce tbe death of Eliza Cook, tbe poetess, at the age of 71.

The Rink will be open to-morrow for skating as ÜBual. The carnival whioh is to take the shape of a fanoy paper dress one is m preparation.

At tbe annual meeting of the Ohrißtohuroh Anglers' Sooiety it waa decided to hold another competition on Deo, 16th on similar lines to that of last yean

Mr Eioketts, optioian, will bring his visit to Aahburton to a close to-morrow, and persons dtisiring to consult him should do so at onoe.

Mr T. Lindsay Buiok will leoture on Irish topioa m the OJdfellows' Hall on Monday and Tuesday evenings. On Tueftday the chair will be taken. by the Mayor.

The many friends of Mr H. H. Seoretan will be sorry to learn of the death of his wife, whioh ooourred at Ohrißtohuroh yesterday. The deoeased lady, who was a daughter of Mr R. B. Martin, of Dunedin, waß only 29 years of age.

The remainder of the Hon W. Robinson's racehorses were sold at Christohurch on Thursday, Ohainshot to Mr R. Ray for 450 guineas, Exchange and Heather Bell to Mr T. Hungerford, of Greymouth, for 150 guineas and 75 respectively. Mr Pyne, the auctioneer, explained that he had sold Merrie England privately by order of the exeoutors, but greatly against his advioe.

The Dawn of Peaoe Lodge, 1.0. G.T., held its regular weekly session m the Templar Hall on Thursday evening. The Lodge was opened with, the uiual oeremony by Bro Mulford, O.T. Three candidates were initiated and three proposed for membership. The usual routine business having been gone through, Bros Pearson, Rook, and Clark contributed to the evening's enjoyment by rendering . several aongs. The meeting was closed m due form by the O.T. at 10 p.m.

The Diooesan Synod held a special sitting at Obristohuroh on Thursday for the purpose of eleoting a Bishop. Dean Jaoobs made a long speeoh, principally on the method of eleotion. At the evening Bitting the President intimated that the public and the Press would be exoluded from the disouaaion. The clergy and laity separated to disouss the question, bnt arrived at no decision. The oaly person nominated at present is the Yen Ardeaoon Julius, of Ballarat*

The Rev O. O. Brown, of Timaru, delivered another of his leotures on Conditional Immortality m the Orange Hall last evening. There was a good attendance and the chair was taken by Mr H. G, Flower. Mr Brown's leoture was listened to with great attention, and at its conclusion a number of questions were asked and answered, apparently to tho satisfaction of the questioners. Mr Brown leotures again this evening, and the subjeot not being a dootrinal one there will no doubt be a large attendance.

Although people talk glibly about 1,000,000 bushels of wheat, but very few of them (says " Iron ") realise what a vast amount that represents If 1,000,000 bushels were loaded on American freight oars, 500 bushels to a oar, it would fill a train over 15 miles long ; if transported by waggon, 44 bushels per waggon, it would mske a line of toamß 142 miles long. If made into bread, reckoniog a bushel to 601 b of flour, it would give eaoh man, woman and Ohild m the United States a 21b loaf of bread. With the above m mind, the reader can better appreciate the following brief statement. There are used annually m the United States about 15,000,000 bushels of wheat m various manufactures, suoh as starch, food preparations, sizing for oloth and paper; 50,000,000 bushels are required for seeding and 285,000,000 for food consumption, whioh leaves about 50,000,000 bushels for export.

A happy event m whioh great local interest was evinced took place at Hinds yesterday, being the firßt marriage whioh has baen solemnised m the Wesleyan Ohuroh at that place. The contracting parties were Mr Duncan MoKenzie, farmer, late of Woodend, and Miss Bessie Robertson, daughter of Mr John Robertson, L -.woliffe. Shortly after 2 p. DO: the bride with her many friends, m prooession, left the house of Mr MoDowell and proceeded to the Ohuroh where the ceremony waa performed by the Rev J. N. Btittle, the little ohuroh being orowded. The bride who was given away by her brother, Mr Dunoan Robertson, was attired m blue with the usual wreath and veil, her sister Miss Marion Robertson offioiatiDg as bridesmaid and Mr Charleß Storricr as groomsman. After the ceremony the happy oouple were presented (m aooordanoe with the oustom of the Wesleyan body on the nooasion of the first marriage m a ohuroh) with a nicely bound copy of the Word of God, and left the build? ing amid showers of rioe, and the hearty good wishes of all for their long life and happiness, thenoe proceeding to the residence of Mr Robertson, where the wedding breakfast took plaoe. We clip the following important testimonial from the " Illawarra Mercury " (N.S.W.) of the 30th March. It needs no oomment:— 41 Mr John Loveday, of the Bulli Mountain, wr 1 j«8 to us that after suffering for four years who aoute gravel, he has experienced almost complete relief by using Sander and Sons' Eucalypti Extraot. He says seeing the said Extract advertised m the 'Illawarra Mercury, ' his intense suffering induced him to obtain a bottje of the medioihe from Mr Hosking, chemist, of this tqwn, and that the use of \t gave him great relief at once. He states that between the 10th Maroh instant, when he obtained the first bottle of the extraot, and the 19th, the use of that medioine oontinued to afford him relief, to whioh he had been a stranger for four years. Mr Loveday writes also that he has found the Euoalypti Extraot a oure for rheumatism as well as gravel. He requests us to publish this information through the 'Mercury.' We have muoh pleas'aria m obriiplying w;th Mr Loveday's request, whose Word cannot be doubted, and who can have no object m view other than a pure desire to benefit suffering humanity."— JAdyi, ' ?