LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2905, 22 February 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We regret to learn from the " Oamaru Mail" that Mr Vincent Pyke has had a slight shock of paralys s, and has been unable to use his right hand for the purpose of writing. This evening Mr H. A. Gates will be "at home " at the School of Music to receive and attend to intending perforators at the Queensland promenade concert on Thursday evening. As full a rehearsal as can be obtained is desired for this evening, and all concerned are requested to be present. The following, which we cull from an exchange, is about the neatest Roland for an Oliver which we have ccme across for some time. Recently at a gathering of clerics in London a clergyman of the Church of England was introduced to a minister of a dissenting chuich, Extending his hand to the latter, the scion of the Apostolic Church remarked, "I am happy, Sir, to shake hands with you as a gentleman, but it must be understood that I cannot- recognise you as a clergyman," to which greeting his brother cleric responded with the remark, " Sir, I am happy to shake hands with yon as a clergyman, but it must be understood that I cannot recognise you as a gentleman." The police of Gympie (Queensland) lately received a report of a horrible case of cruelty on the part of a man towards his stepson, aged fourteen. The latter, when examined by a Groverment medical officer, stated that; his step-father stripped him nearly naked, I tied his wrists together over a beam nearly | eight feet from the floor, and then got. a i,nTiber of bush canes and beat- him for a quarter of an hour. The flesh was out i. several places, and blood ran down his legs. Three canes were destroyed during the flogging, which only ceased upon the mother's interference. The wounds were quite raw a week afterwards, and the back and front of the body and legs and wrists were terribly cut. A summons has been issued against the lad's assailant.

Mr G. P. Milsom, having purchased a large business in Tasmania, proved* there very shortly, and in consequence offers to the public to-morrow (through Mr D. Tnomas, auctioned on the premises, Wi Is street east, till his household belongings,which are of a very superior and varied character. Amongst them may be mentioned two pianos, one an upright grand, drawing room suite in walnut and tapestry, o-er mantel, \aluable pictures and orniments, clocks, brass feuder an 1 irons, cane chairs and couch, brass beadsteads, bedroom suite in rimu, book cas«s, carpets, dinner service, sewing machine and mangle —in fact the whole contents of a well appointed i:ome are there for sale. A nice buggy, harness and horse are also to pass under the hammer, and sundries innumerable. The sale begins at twelve o'clock. At the Couference of Labour delegates i now sitting in Sydney reaolutions were adopted as follows:—" That the advice of the Conference to all its branches is that the efforts at the next parliamentary elec- '< tions should be primarily directed towards securing land for the people. That on the various branches be urged the necessity of punning forward the principle of voluntary village settlements. That this conference views with extreme regret the contemplated departure from Australia of many worthy citizens, and that it is the duty of the Australian Legislature to provide means I whereby these people, and others who may ! desire it, may settle upon the lands of this j country, without charge to them, and under i no conditions other than to pay the dtate an annual rental." Mr Andrew Orr and his staff have been i busy this week moving his stock of drapery, ' etc., from the " Old Bank " establishment to the Old Town Hall, which Mr Orr is to use temporarily during the re-building of the (*Old Bank" premises. The hall will be ready for business to-morrow, and meanwhile Mr Orr is conducting a cheap Bale, at which, in salesmen language, the stock is undergoing "great slaughter," Mr Orr assures us the bargains are botia 6de, as not a thread that can be got rid of at all in the hall will go back to the new building, which Mr Orr purposes op mug if possible with perfectly new stock. The business will be carried on in the hall until the new premises are ready, and although lor a day, or perhaps two, the A)usia«as arrangements will be somewhat disorganised the ample space afforded by the floor room of the hall will enable the staff to settle down very soon into a comfortable business groove. The Present Premier of Victoria holds the portfolios also of Cnief Secretary and Minister for Railways, and is, moreover, Lord dhamberlain. He is supposed by the law to protect the morals of theatre-goers, and the law also supposes that he must be Qualified to discover any impropriety in stage dialogue and to be able by instinct to determine the precise length of a ballet skirt. It maybe imagined (the "Argus" remarks) that he must sometimes be placed in a difficult position. A few days ago a travelling showman—as will appear hereafter, no uoubt, c, travelled showman —wrote for a license for an entertainment. He was asked for particulars, lest Mr Patterson might in the hurry of the moment commit a grave mi&take, audpromply complied with the request in the following terms :—"_Sir, —Tn reply to your letter asking me to forward you the nature of my show, I beg to state it comprises dwarfs, giants, skeletons, gipsies, electric ladies, sharpshooters, dancers, and any curiosities I can catch. I do not have boxers or women in tights that may bring a blush to the moral public. Shipwreck crews find a home in me, while the tinny shank occasionally entangles itself in the harpoon of destruction. Battles and Queensland floods generally afford a magnificent panorama, and an earthquake, combined with some sensational murder, make up a yearly programme for my innocent patrons." Il is now a good many years since Little's fluid , (non-poisonous) sheep dip was Crst introduced in New ZeaUud. It was the only dip used to any extent at the time when the scab was raging, and it was largely due to its efficacy that this pest was so soon got under. Since that time many other dips have been put upon the market, but Little's fluid has a much larger saltj in the colony to-day than when it had a virtual monopoly. Ifc is. stated that the sales have increased tenfold in the last five yeais, and that a sufficient qnautiry is now annually Sold to dip mure than 5,000,000 sheep iii New Zealand alone, and many millions throughOut the world. Three or four years ago Little's firm introduced a poisonous powder dip, which cm either be ÜBed separately or in combination with the non -poisonous fluid. The great secret of the new dip is that glycerine is combined with the powder, in a dry state, by a patent process. This prevents the minerals from setting together into hard masses, renders the substances readily mixable with water, and has no harsh effect on the wool. The agents state that the sales of Little's powder dip in the present season are already over twenty times in excess of last season's sales, and the demand still continues.