LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2912, 2 March 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Horticultural Society's prizes will be paid at the Arcade Chambers this evening between seven and nine o'clock. The Salvation Army musical recital in aid oi the Queensland Floods Relief Fund takeß place this evening, beginning at 7.45. The clearing sale of stock and plant on account of Mr D. Brick, at Tara, takes place to-morrow. Mr D. Thomas is the auctioneer. The following are »he vital statistics for the Ashburton district for the month of February:-—Marriages 7; births 20; deaths 7. . It is stated that Mr Stephen Boreham, of the Oamaru Shearers Union, has definitely detided to stand for Timaru, which electorate is at present represented by Mr W. Hall Jones. Mr George Osborne, Willowby, Announces that he is prepared to cut chaff with one of Messrs Andrews and Beaven's Canterbury chaff cutters and baggers, and also wush corn with the same firm's improved machine. Nearly 84 tons of ostrich feathers! That is the weight already disposed of this year at Market auction sales in tile United Kingdom. The amount realised was over £430,000. The man Colemaß, who was in custody on suspicion of being concerned in the alleged fire raising at the farm of dunes, Methven, haa been dismissed, the evidence not being sufficient to warrant proceeding with the case. Letters from places beyond the colony, addressed as follows, were received at the Ashburton Post Office during the month of December, 1892, and were unclaimed on March 1 1893:—'Ihomas Ruane, Joseph Pristidge. v In consequence of the date previously announced, March 23, clashing with that of the Ashburton ram fair, the r»tn fair at the South Canterbury yards will be held on March 16, a week earlier. Mr Fish, M.H.8., managed'to quarrel with another person in a meeting called at Dunedin in aid of the Queensland sufferers, | and gathered up his hat, his umbrella, and , hi* dignity, and turned his back on Queens- j land. The monthly meeting of the Ashburton Volunteer Fireßrigade was hera on WednesLsr evening. It was decided to hold the ! compWw* on Wednesday afternoon, March 22: Several teams are m training, and a very intereeting afternoon's enterSmntenSlooWJprwWfo.. Jhsiuinual SJtion of the brigade by the Borough Si will take place ne*t Thursday. ,

In the Supreme Court, Christchurch, in Chnmbers, on Wednesday, an order was made in Drummond v Isitt and others to quaah the proceedings in which they declined to grant a liceu ue to the Waltham Arms Hotel, defendants to pay costs £4 4?, and disbursements, Mr Caygill, for the defendants offering no objection. The "OUgo Daily Times" says :—Great damage has been done to the crops in many portions of South Ot<igo and Southland by the small birds. These pests have visited many farms in swt*nrs>, and in some instances have stripped ripening fields to such an extent as to make it scarcely worth while cutting the crop. The rabbits are in several districts unusally numerous and destructive. Iv addition to the consignment of lobsters which is coming to the colony by the lonic, now delayed at Capetown with a broken shaft, the "Pout" learns that there are 'on board. 100,000 young salmon, which I are being imported at the instance of the New Zealand Government, and thirty Virginian quail and twenty mallard wild duck, -for the Wellington Acclimatisation Society. The 75yds flat race handicap arranged by the Ashburton Amateur Athletic aud Cycling Club was run off on Wednesday afternoon. The weather being fine there was a large attendance. There were splendid finishes in each heat, which speaks well for the handicapped. The winners of of heats and final were as follow :—First heat—W. Shearman, 3yds; tune Bsecs. Second heat—H. Cu-itis, 2yds; time 8 l-sth sec. Third heat—E. E. Clowes, 2yds; time 8 loth sec. Fourth heat— F. Shearman, 2yds; time 8 2-sth sec. B'ioal—Curtis 1, W. Shearman 2, B. Shearman 3.—Time 8 2-sth tec. | Writing on January 21 the London cor-1 respondent of the " New Zealand Herald " says : —Messrs Nelson Bros have received a large number of cases of fhh from New Zealand. A good many of them are moki, or blue fish, or blue cod. They seem to be a very good-conditioned fish, belonging to the cod species. If it be possible to sell them as cheaply as English haddocks they may find a market here, but it is feared they will not come much in competition with the better class food fishes of this country. ■