LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2902, 18 February 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

As the result of a harried canvass yesterday afternoon over thirty of the shopkeepers in Ashburton will close their places of business at eight o'clock this evening, in order to afford their employees an opportunity of visiting the flower show. Yesterday Mr P. Cunningham, Christchurch, received a cable message from Shaw SaviU Company, dated London, February 17, slating that the lonic arrived at Capetown on the 15th with a broken shaft, and could not sail until about the end of next month. The passengers will be sent on by the Ruahine. The many friends in Ashburton district will be glad to learn that the Rev Dr Stuart, of Dunedin, continues to improve in health. He is at present residing with Mr R. Glendining, in north-east Valley, says yesterday's " Otago Daily Tithes." Mr F. V. Seideberg, chess champion of New Zealand, was entertained by the Otago Chess Club at their rooms, High street, Dunedin, on Thursday evening. The champion is on the eve of departure for Germany. The harvest thanksgiving services in connection with the Primitive Methodist Church are to be conducted to-morrow by the Rev. J, Cocker. The singing will be suitable to the occasion and the church will be tastefully decorated. A social gathering is to be held on the following Monday. For the Dunedin races the railway authorities have made special arrangements both as to fares and trains. Return tickets, available for return up to March 4, will be issued from February 20 to February 24, at 32s 6d and 22s 6d from Ashburton, and 363 and 25b from Rakaia. A special night train for returning excursionists will leave Dunedin for Christchurch at 9.45 p.m. on February 25. A Hereford farmer says:—l told the cook to at.ye the potato parings for two <Kys, not stating the purpose for which they were required. These were in due course laid in a trench, side by side with some early potatoes. They came up well, running rather to haulm $ but when we /dug them up we found we had an abundant crop of remarkably good potatoes. Tipperusalem, so we learn from an American contemporary, is the name of a town in Oklahoma. Tipperusalem was the happy compromse between one promoter who wanted to name the place Tipperary, and another who desired to call it Jerusalem, This open? up (says the "Glove," in alarm) quite a new field ot town nomenclature. We may expect to hear in time of Drumjerico, Ballarathens, and Rotterdair&scus. The V Woodville Examiner" says:—Mr Tansey had eighteen fullgrown turkeys, valued at £5, killed by stoats and weasels the other night. Yet the Wairarapa sheep farmers are spending another £500 in importing more of these vermin which are becoming the curse of the settler. If the Government would have this shipment of stoats and weasels sunk in Wellington Harbour they would earn the giatitude of the settlers. The Wairarapa sheepfarmers are only making a rod for their own backs. A trial of the stone gathering and rutfilling machine, patented by Mr John Anderson, of Rangiora, was held on the roads in the Rakaia district yesterday morning, and the members of the Road Board present were highly pleased with the work done. The | machine was tried under most unfavorable circumstances, as there was a heavy nor'wester blowing at the time. The members of the Board were so pleased with the work done that they purchased the machine, and it is possible that another one will shortly be obtained. The work done was of such a satisfactory nature that it would be worth the while of all such local bodies in the county to procure similar machines and thus clear the roads of small and large loose stones. The new yards of the Rak&ia Saleyards Company will be opened on Thursday next, February 23, instead of March 2, as was at first intended, the latter date having been chosen for the Christchurch ewe and ram fair. At present the entries for the opening sale number 2000 sheep, with other stock and sundries. The new yards are very commodious, affording pens for 5000 sheep, besides horses, cattle, and the other et ceteras that auctioneers are asked to dispose of at country sales. In addition to the yards, the company have eight acres of land available for the accommodation of travelling stock. From the stock already advertised for sale at Thursday's fixture, ana what is known to be coming forward in addition there is every promise of a big day, and we wish the new company an auspicious opening and a prosperous existence. A Mongatinoka correspondent writes to the Pahiatua "Star":—A very narrow escape from drowning occured on Saturday afternoon between tour and five o'clock. A child of Mr H. Stenberg's, a lictfe boy about eighteen months old, fell into a well about eight feet deep, and would have certainly been drowned but for a cat, who was the onlymember of the household that had seen the child fall in. The cat was observed by Mr Currie (who happened to come into the yard just about the time) intently looking down the well as though some mouse had made its escape. He went at once to look, and to his surprise saw the child with its head downwards and the feet only visible. As quick as thought he let himself down as well as he could by himself, ! shouting at the same time to those inside the house. Fully half an hour elapsed l)cfof:; breathing was restored. The child appeals now none the worse for his ducking.

Iv P-ilmerston North the police are insisting that publicans shall give their barmaids the benefit of t he statutory half-holiday in each week. Congratulations were cabled Home on Wednesday from the "Dunedin Tablet" office to Mr Gladstone on the occasion of the introduction of the Home Rule Bill. The Dunedia " Star's " Wellington correspondent saya Sir Robert Stout will probably re-enter political life at next election, and MutMura will likely be the seat he will stand for. At the R.M. Court, Christchurch, *o-day, the hearing of iho charge against Kiiz* Savage, for alleged cruelty to her stepson, was concluded, after four adjournments. The accused was sentenced to tire weeks' imprisonment without haid labor. Leave to appeal was given ami bail was allowed. The Germans are said to be asing aluminium as a substitute for slate pencil', aud it in stated that " sticks " of it are being manufactured by a German flrni. The writing is Haiti to be as clearly marked and as rapidly removed as the ordinary lines made with tlvte pencils, but a little more pressure ia needed. The amateur pair-oar championship, left over at Lake Forsyth regatta owing to rough weather, was rowed on the Waimakariri at Kaiapoi this morning. The result was—Union Rowing Club, 1; Wellington, 2; Canterbury, 3. Wanganui was scratched. Owing to a protest entered by Wellington against Canterbury for fouliig, it waa decided to row the race over again at four o'clock in the afternoon. We regret to learn from the " Akaroa Mail" of the death of Madame de Malimnche, one of the original French emigrants who arrived at Akaroa by the Cunite de Paris. The only other survivor of that famous party of settlers, we believe, is Mr Waeckerie, of Akaroa. Madame de M*lmanohe, who had been ill for about four months, had attained the ripe old age of eighty-two years. In connection with the clearing sale of stock, &c, at Cheviot, v the trustees of the estate announce that they will allow purchasers of sheep to graze them on the estate free of charge, but at buyers' risk, from date of delivery under conditions of sale until April 17, the day prior to that appointed for the Government to take possession. The Flower Show which opened to-day was very well attended indeed, and the ample Arcade gave plenty of room for the visitors to examine the exhibits and enjoy the display in comfort and with pleasure. The exhibits are numerous, considering the ravages of the recent gale, shown in fine condition, admirably staged, and the whole exhibition is a delight to visit. There is bound to be a tremendous gathering this evening. Before Measrs Alcorn and Sawle, Justices of the Peace, this morning, two first offend- ( era were dealt with in the ordinary way, and William O'Brien, whose last appearance was a month ago, was fined 10s and costs for drunkenness. This man had a considerable sum of money in his possession when locked up. Stephen WelcL, ufc answering to so many other names that he hardly knows now which is the one his father gave him, was sent to gaol for seven days as a vagrant and for twenty fqur hours for drunkenness. Welch hus had very considerable experience of gaol routine. A serious accident tappened'on Thursday at Lake Forsyth. As the train was leaving after the regatta, a man named Abraham Bowley, crossing the rails in front of the train was caught by the engine and had his right foot cut off, the right knee smashed, and a large flesh wound in the thigh. The train was pulled up, and the man was brought to Cbristchurch and taken to the hospital. No blame is attached to the engine driver, who as soon as he saw the man on the line blew the whistle and reversed the engine. The mau is a school teacher and married. Mr T. E- Kilworth has under construe tion a steelplate fireproof door for the strong room of tha new suite of offices now in course of erection in Tancred street for the Ashburton Building Society. The front of the door is of half inch steel plate, is backed by two-inch fireproof stuffing, and has a solid iron frame, all made up from designs iv Mr Kilworth's workshops. Iv fact, with the exception of a Chubb's patent detector lock, the whole door will be turned out of the rough iron and steelplate by the local workmen. Mr Kilworth has lately added to his plant, and now runs three turning lathes, slotting machine, large drill of one ton weight, an emery grinding machine, and several other labor saving pieces of machinery, all run by handy steam power. ________^__ -