LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2899, 15 February 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A public meeting will be held, summoned by the Mayor, on Saturday next at three o'clock, in the Orange Hall, to consider the question ot affording relief to the sufferers by the disastrous floods in Queensland.

The re-opening of the Wiilowby Wesleyan Church after its enlargement will be marked by special services conducted by Rev W. G. Parsonson on Sunday. The accommodation of the church has been increased by sixty sittings.

G. S. Rickman, late clerk of the Avon Road Board, was committed for trial on Tuesday on two further charges of embezzling small sums of money, the property of the Board.

At the first rehearsal by the Musical Society last night of Bennetc's "May Queen,'there was a large attendance. On Monday evening the Committee enrolled twenty-four new members, and three new honorary members have been secured.

Entrieß for the Ashburton Horticultural Society's show close on Thursday, February 16. Entries may may be left till five p.m. of that day with Mr VV. C. Davis, East street, and after that hour with the secretary, who will be at the Arcade Chambers from six till eight o'clock.

Mr McGurva, the well-known and popular foreman of works on the Canterbury section of the railway, has been transferred to Otago. He held the Canterbury position for twentyone years, and on Saturday last his fallow workmen at Qhristohurph presented him with hi gold watch, etc., and an illuminated address.

The following are the handicaps for the Fire Brigade competitions, to be held next month:—Manual engine (dry) for two men Pauling's and Barbel's teams, scratch; Comptoira, 2aecs; Donna, Ssecc. Ladder rescue for two men—Pauling's and Dorm's teams, scratch; Barber's and Compton's, 1 second each.

It is reported in Chriptchurpn that the Mount Possession Run has been sold by Messrs J. £. Ford and Co to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, who are acting for a client, The price for the station and 20,000 sheep in stated to be £12,000.

Ihe Wellington "Times" contend* that New Zealand should find no difficulty in sending £50,000 to the sufferers by the floods in Queensland, and adds:—"The country sends as mnch every year to support gambling. Surely we can do at least as much for humanity as we do for gambling.

Before Mr J. W. Sawle, J.P., this morning, two first offenders—one who had been found drunk on the Ashburton station —was dealt with in the usual way, and a charge of have been illegally on the premises of the Somerset Hotel, laid against John Cook, was dismissed, but he was fined 5s or twenty-lours in gaol for drunkenness.

A Ballarat lady (says a Sydney contemporary) recently advertised for a first-class governess. She received the following reply, which is worrth framing :—Madame. —I hear that yo»f h«.ye a vaicenay in your school 1 would like very much to get it. Although I have nut actually Weft t£i^hing J have had a good deal of experience among children. I was four years assistant domestic with M in Sturfc Street. There J had to assemble the children for breakfast-^to call thp.rool to see if they ■were all there. There wu seventeen of them. If anyone was absent mine was the i duty to go out mustering, and' bring hiw i !in to his meals. I have great command over children, and none ever dare to resist me. lam 5 feet 11J iowhea in my bare feet and measure 14 in arm, so gau have no fear, but tbat I can keep discipline #11 right, j could teach general subjects-r writing, sums, sowing and ceteree. At a pinch 1 could teach musio. Although I have not practised for five years, I have been through Zurqey'e Btudys, and oould brush it up tf ntedttf,

The Hon Messrs Seddon and Cadman are on a visit to New Plymouth. ■An Auckland settler, named William Robinson, was thrown twioe from his horse near Waiuku on Monday, and died next | day. The following is the calendar of tha Christchurch Supreme Court sessions^ which open on Monday:—Thomas Downs and Henry Jensen, burglary; Fred Cooper, alias Cameron, forgery and uttering; Charles Allen, wsault with intent; Margaret Isles, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm*.; M. Corcoran and John Howard, larceny from the person ; Elizabeth Whittle, alias Taylor, larceny.

The Canterbury athletic team were met at the Christchurch railway station on Tuesday and accorded a very hearty reception from leading members of the Canterbury Athletic Club and other enthusiasts. They were driven to Warner's Hotel, and their healths honored very warmly. They accepted an invitation to attend a performance bj Holloway's Dramatic Company in the evening, when the banner was unfurled on the stage.

At the Christchurch Police Court on Tuesday, Samuel Findley an old man, was charged with attempting to commit suicide at Spreydon. Accused pleaded "guilty." Inspector Broham said accused was found by Constable Drake with his throat very baldy cut. He was taken to the Hospital in a very weak state, and was discharged only on Monday. It was statedthat accused's sons were living in Aathburton, and the police were requested to communicate with them with a view to their taking care of accused, who was ordered to appear on Monday next.

A fanner correspondent of the "Press" points out that a simple method of preventing stack tops being blown off is to " place a hoop of wire round the roof of the etock, between the top and the eaves, and to this attach four dropping wires, to which may be attached weights of any sort that are handy—either large atones, old iron, or rough boxes or old sacks filled with shingle. 1' If all the weight of the national debt of Great Britain had been on the plains stacks last Monday, the anchors would have dragged.

On Monday, before the high wind reached Kaiapci, an enterprising cheap medicine venflor, who had pitched his stand on a vacant section near High street, was standing back surveying the richly-ornamented canvas when the first dust cloud came along. He was seen screening his eyes to protect them, and upon turning again in the direction of his gay signs, they had disappeared, the stand h*d collapsed, and the rest vanished. As he is supposed to have recently extracted about £100 in hard cash from Rangiora, it should not be long betore the elegant structure is replaced. This, v c fancy, is our old friend Bryant, of Good Samaritan fame.'

Mr Martin Sutton, of Suttou Bros., of Reading, has been conducting a series of experiments to ascertain the relative feeding value of grass cut at different periods of growth. The results of these investigations establish the fact that an early cut aftermath is as good as an early first cut, but that a late aftermath is inferior to a late first cut. Therefore the earlier the aftermath is cut the better it is. Then with regard to meadow grass the experiment teaches that the earlier the meadow is mown the irore and better produce it will yield throughout the year ; and the later it is left, on the other hand, the smaller and poorer will the yield of hay be. Lord and Lady Hopetoun, Lord Ncrthesk Mr Ralston, and the viceregal paity from Victoria, arrived at Christchurch station by the seven o'clock train from Ashburton on Tuesday. They were met by the Mayoi and Mrs George, who introduced them to Mr A. Jfi. G. Rhodes, the Hon W. C. Walker, Colonel Gordon, and many leading citizens, and officially welcomed his Excellency to Christchurch. In reply Lord Hopetoun expresbed pleasure at such a reception personally, and as the representative of her Majesty. The party then drove to Coker s Hotel, where tbe> are staying. A guard of honor was formed by the Christchurch and College, Rifles, with the Garrison Band, which played the National Anthem. At the Supreme Court at lnvercargill on Tuesday no bill was presented in the Lora Gorge murder case. His Honor said that the course taken was justifiable, as it was evident from the depositions that no jury could have convicted the accused. It was very much to be regretted that no evidence was forthcoming to bring to justice the perpetrator of such an atrocious crime. Lucy Poole, for forgery, was ordered to come up for judgment when catled upon. Frederick Charles Clarke got three years for embezzling funds of the "Southland Times." Michael Sheehy, for house breaking got four months. Henry Budd, convicted of stealing a watch at VVyndham, which he afterwards disposed of to a Chinaman in Christchurch, was admitted to probation. A curious dispute baa vexed Victoria and

South Australia for some years, and lately the sore place has been rawed by both sides In the early days the boundary between the two colonies was fixed at a certain meridian of longitude. The position of this line was fixed by an early survey, and the line so fixed was accepted as the boundary. Later and more accurate surveys have proved that the line is two miles west of the meridian named. South Australia claims that two miles' strip, given to Victoria in error; Victoria says " No, we have both accepted the line so long, let us stick to that; besides look what an immense territory yon have and how little we have. Don't be greedy." There is some talk of appealing to the Imperial Government, but the colonies cannot agree to the terms of the reference.

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