LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2909, 27 February 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

MSr B. L- Stevenson, the well-known novelist, was a through pas&enger by the Mariposa from Samoa to Sydney, with his family. The "North Otago Times" says that a number of small strikes are taking place in the North Otago district owing to the difference between the farmers and the men as to whether the amount to be paid the latter shall be 9d or lOd per hour. The Salvation Army are giving their quota to the Queensland Floods Relief Fund by a performance of the musical poem -Coster Joe," at the barracks, on Thursday evening. Admission will be by silver coin, and a large attendance is looked for. , The expenditure for the month of January in connection with the North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board, is as follows :— Institution relief: Orphanage, 41 inmates £66 5s Yd | A/jh. burton Home, 53 inmates, £88 05 Id ; Memorial JJome, 36 inmates, £97 2s 6d ; Female Beftige, 0 Initiates, £25 16s 8d; total number of persons relieved, 147; total £277 10s JOd. Out. door relief: Number of cases' relieved, $99 including 1357 persons, at a total expenditure pf £472 I? 3 2d. Maintenance of destitute children, gfc.; Eifty three individuals, £57 12s; [mainfcehanae of chil4ren at industrial sehoools, 5§ lndiyiduali, £282 9s jLld. G^eral expenses, £88 14s lid; total number of persons relieved, 1618, at an annual expense qi #980 5s lQd.

The Fey G. W. Chiislian, ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Nevill in Duaedin last Friday, in the first young man born m the diocese whom the Bishop has been able to admit to the ministry. The Rev Mr Christian has relations in Canterbury, and is a nephew of Mrs George Lea, Ashbur}«n. The meeting of the Queensland Relief Fund Committee at the Borough Council Chambers to-night takes place at seven o'clock—not 8.30, as stated in Saturday » advertisements. The members of the promenade concert committee are requested to n-eet at the same place and time (sharp) to receive report and statement of executive committee. A District Order i«sued on Saturday 6xed the parade of tht Ashburton Rme Volunteers for inspection by Colonel Fox for next Monday, March 6. To-day, however, Captain Doln,an received a telegram troin Colonel Bailey cancelling the District Oorder, and stating that Colonel Fox's inspection has been put off till after Easter. The rapidity with which hares have iv- ' creased in some localities has often beeu i mattei for remark. A North Otago sliep herd states a circumstance which throws some light upon the subject. On hfc rouuds the other day he came upon a hare.wcicu had died in the beginning of parturition. Curiosity led him to open the animal, when he found that she contained no fewer than six young. This is a noteworthy fact, and it is generally supposed that hares give birth to only two young at a time. The following are the handicaps compiled by Messrs Denby and Broad for the 75yds Amateur Flat Foot Race on the Domain on Wednesday, comprising fdur heats, starting at 4.30 p.m. :—O. Chapman, scratch ;A. J. Daly, lyd; S. Salek, lyd; H. Curtis, 2yds ; R. Shearman, 2yds; E Clowes, 2y<is; J. Mitchell, 3yds; W. Shearman, 3yds; H. Stewart, 3yds; R. Frizzell, 3yds ;A. Huanibell, 4yds; J. Shearman, 4yds: W. A. Saunders, 4ydß; R. Curtis, syds; J Hefford, syds; H. Tucker, syds ; G. Cromie, syds; P, Cookson, 6yds; W Murray, Byds. We learn that the present season has been very unfavorable for young sheep in some parts of North Otago. The lambs have ecoured very badly, and the portion which farmers have been able to sell for freezing has been very small. The produce ofc stud flocks have suffered very severely, and by nearly every train for some days past tracks of ram lambs have been sent to various parts of Canterbury for change of feed, and arrangements have been made to continue seuding as many as the railway can take for for some days to come. A general meeting of the Amateur Cycling and Athletic Club was held in the Templar Hall last Fridiy evening. There was a good attendance of members, and C jtptain Stephens presided. It wai decided to hold a 75 yards flat handicap in the Domain on Wednesday next at 4.30 p.m., for which about eighteen runners have entered. The programme for the forthcoming race meeting on Easter Monday was finally adopted. A subscription list was opened in the room in aid or the Queensland flood sufferers, and was well supported. A sum was also voted from the Club's funds. Six new members were elected and some routine business disposed of, after which the meeting adjourned. A meeting of, landowners interested in the Wakauui Creek question was held in the Wakanui Schoolroom on Friday evening. There was a large and representative attendance. Mr Purnell, county solicitor, and Mr Baxter, county engineer, were present, representing the County Council, and the former was elected chairman of the meeting. The question was thoroughly discussed aud fully explained, the meeting lasting from eight o clock till long p isb eleven. The proposals of the Council, which were printed and circulated at the meeting, were sub. st&ntially agreed to, and ultimately a resolution was passed objecting to pay water charges. The Channel tunnel scheme is again before Parliament (the "Argus" correspondent writes), and with it a scheme for the construction of & bi idge over the Channel. This last is influentially backed by France, and Lord Wolseley hx% jwrjtten to say that he finds it much less open to objection than the tuunel. Concerning this letter there was a meeting lately, r.nd Sir Edward Wat kin seems to think that the Govern ment of Mi- Gladstone will favour his project. What they will do, perhaps, is to leave the House of Commons free to vote on the bill whw it comes forward, but. that means little. The borings in Folkestone have been carried to a length of 2,220 yards under the sea, the tunnel being seven feet in diameter. The same amount of work has betn done on the French end, but there things are now at a standstill, and Sir tidwar'l Watkin is talking of floating a new company to work the coal found during the borings, the shareholders in the tunnel scheme to have the first ofter of the colliery shares. A meeting of the Committee of tb,e Horticultural Society to settle up matters iv connection with the recent show took place on Saturday evening in the Arcade Chambers. Hie hon secretary, Mr Ltcchner, preseutei a rough balance-sheet showing that after collection of some £5 of members' subscriptions due and outstanding, the receipts f;om this source and from gatemoney at the show would suffice to meet all charges, and leave a balance of a few shillings to credit, so that the credit balance with which the Society commenced the year would not be encroached upon. Much satisfaction was expressed at so pleasing a state of affairs—the more so that it had been expected by some of the members that this year's operations would have resulted in a deficiency. It was resolved that prize-money be paid on Thursday next between the houi a of seven and nine p.m. in the Arcade Chambers. Also, that Messrs Craighead and Berryman's prize for best collection of plums be awarded with their consent, notwithstanding that the exhibitor showed one too many plums in oiie variety. The secretary was instructed to convey the S.ociety'isi thinks to the judges for their services, to Mr p, Thomas for the use of the Arcade for the show, and to Mr Bullock for the use of a room for the meetings of the Committe«\ Thanks of the Society were also minuted to the donors of special prizes and to the exhibitors generally, An nono= rarium of £5 5s was voted to the hon secretary with thanks for his services, and the next meeting having been appointed for Saturday, March 11, at eight p.m., the Committee adjourned.