LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2895, 10 February 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On his return to Melbourne, Mr Munro said:—"lf you want to know what they think of the colonies in London, I will tell you. They think them a set of thieves." Seats on the Stock Exchange, Sydney, | have dropped from £1000 to £350. In Melbourne the decline in value is equally great—namely, £8250 to unde' L7OO, and, no buyers a,t this figure. DuriLg the month of January eighteen estates of deoeased persons were placed under the charge of the Public Trustee, their value 3 ranging from LI to LflOO. The return of the number of tonnage, and crews of vessels cleared inwards and on . wards at the several ports of the colony during the year 1892, shows a substantial increase on the returns for the previous year. Mr Henry Zander, local agent for the Society, calls our attention to the following paragraph in the "Sydney Morning Herald" : "Lord Jersey has shown confidence in the colony and its institutions by effecting an insurance of LIO,QOO on the life of hjs eldest son ? and an insurance of 12000 upon the life of each of his (laughters, with the Australian Mutual Provident Society." *■ This week's ?' Gazette "contains a copy of regulations for' the preservation of Seaceand good ,qr4er in 8;unoa» *P<* °f a espatch with reference tio the protection of Bfitish subjects and their interests in the JjTew Hebrides and the Western Pacific. The tQtg,l estimated population qf colony, ejcelueiye" of Maori?, on the 31st frwemW,' W% was ffi&42(f. The jiicfea^ during 1892 was 10,375, the excess of births over deaths being 11,417, and the excess of arrivals over departures 4,958. A series of important meetings are to be held by the Salvation Army at the Ash burton Barracks, on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Upwards of fifty officers from various parts of New Zealand, including commandoes 8-ftd gtaff officers, will be present. Ifull particular* ef the weetfugs will be found in another column. ! The Onhlow Biscuit. The latest and most delicate biscuit »»nuMtuwd by

It ia announced that Sir Walter Buller, who had been appointed a Governor of the Imperial institute, will be pleaaed to give every information to intending exhibitors. The Committee of the Ashburton Amateur Swimming Club met on Thursday evening, when it waß decided to hold a final 50 yards handicap race on Wednesdy, February 22, lat 5.00 p.m. Entries close on Saturday, | February 18. The Committee reported that the subscriptions were coming in very well. A large number of members ate in training with a view to the animal meeting on March 8. Charged with unsoundness of some kind in the matter of doctrine, Professor Briggs, ■a Preabytemn minister of New York, has ' (says the " Daily News ") addressed to the presbytery of his church a letter, in which the following alarming passage occurs: — " Have you considered what will be required of you if you consent to tliis proposal of the prosecution ? It will be necessary for you to employ a reader to read to you all the contents of the standards of the church, all of the Holy Scripture, the entire inaugural adOress, and all of my writings referred to therein. You are requited by law to have all the proposed evidence before you." The New York " Nation " is vi opinion that if this accurately describes the position of affairs the threatened prosecution is likely to be dropped. [Liter American files state that after nearly two months of acrimonious debate, much subtle argument, and a ponderous display of theological wisdom and learning, the bew York Presbytery vpted upon the various charges. The vote on all the charges, six in number, was averse to sustainiug the charges, and, therefore, a complete surprise to outsiders, many of whom had looked upon Brigg's conviction of heret.cal teaching as certain. 'J he Presbyfcey will Appeal to the (jeneral Assembly.]

rlhe sort of thing that public men are sometimes liable to was ins canoed (says the Wellington "Post") on Saturday afternoon, when a man of about forty years of age forc<d him into the Premier's residence and demanded to see the Premier, as he wanted to obtain a pass to Lyttelton, where, he said, he was going to work. As there was no messenger available on the premises, Mrs Ballance not knowing how to dispose of the man, who made himself quite at home, sent him to the residence of a Government officer. The man went there, and without more ado marched into that gentleman's drawing-room, seated , himself comfortably, knocked out the ashw of his pipe on to the carpet, and had a quiet smoke while the male meirbers of the household were being hunted up. On the arrival of the official himself he sent the man en to an officer of the Ltbor Bureau, and when he got to (he residence of the Litter, without • a word of explanation, he marched straight for the drawiug-rooin, where he made himself coinportab c, to the alarm of an invalid lady. Finally he was made go away from there, and has not been heard of since.