GENERAL ITEMS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 550, 21 October 1881, Page 3

GENERAL ITEMS.

Small-Pox is sensibly decreasing in the city and suburbs of Sydney. The English democrats denounce the course being pursued by the Government in Ireland. Miss Pomgroy's representation of Pauline, in the " Lady of Lyons," is said to be one of the most marvellous performances ever seen in Christchurch. Eight New York ladies, whose husbands are estimated to be worth £60,000,000 dined together at a Saratoga hotel recently, and gossipped like ordinary folks. Mr Fantham. at present a resident at Hamilton, but formerly residing on the Lincoln road, and well-known as one of the best cattle breeders, is bringing three pure bred bulls from the north for exhibition at the next Christchurch show. The Presbyterians of San Francisco have found Mrs Cooper, sister of Colonel Robert Insrersoll, guilty of heresy. The trial and its termination created great excitement in religious circles and contempt amongst the unorthodox. A breadseller, in Syrlnej', was prosecuted for having in his possession at his place of business a number of loaves upon which there was found to be an aggegate deficiency of fifty-seven ounces. This is an offence in which, on conviction, tho justice have no il discretion" as to the penalty. The defendant was called upon to pay at the rate of 5s per ounce, amount ing in the whole- to £14 ss. The proposed Industrial Exhibition in Chriechurch, under the auspices of Messrs Joubert and Twopenny, is being opposed by the Christchurch Industrial Association. At a meeting on Monday night it was resolved "That this association being formed for the fostering , and encouragement of native industries and production, cannot assist or support any exhibition of products which do not come within the objects of the association."

At a meeting of the creditors in the estate of Wilkin and Davidson, cordial manufacturers, Dunedin, some peculiar facts came out as to the plant, which comprised steel dies and brands, which were used to manufacture forged labels, &c. The Chairman intimated that this precious plant of brands and dies was the back bone of the business. Mr Jngo, a creditor moved—" That the dies be presented to the Otago Museum as an illustration of how cordials were manufactured in Dunedin." The motion failed to find & seconder.

The following is the list of candidates for the General A-setnbly, for the various electoral districts of Canterbury, who have already announced themselves:—Cheviot, W. C. Fendall, Alfred Saunders, J. M'llraith ; Ashley, W. F. Pearson, J. W. Ellen, M. Dixon ; Kaiapoi, Isaac Wilson, J. H Lee; Avon, Hon W. Eolleston ; St Albans, J. Rvans Brown, J. L. Wilson : Stnnmore, H. Toomer, sen., W. J. Cowlishaw, W. ■ Flesher, W. H. Pilliet; Christchurch north, S. P. Andrews, 11. Thomson ; Christchurch south, J. Anderson, John Holmes ; Sydenham, J. W. Tread well, C. Clark, J. R, Andrew ; Heathcote, J. T. Fisher ; Lyttelton, Hon E. Richardson, S. R. Webb, H. Allwright; Lincoln, H. W. Peryman; Akaroa, W. Montgomery ; Selvryn, Hon J. Hall; Coleridge, D. M'Millan; Ashbiirton, E. G. Wright;. Wakanui, C. W. Purnell, J. Ivess, J. C Wason; Geraldine, E. Wakefiold, W. Fostlethwaite, J. Hayhurst; Timaru, R. Turnbull; Gladstone, J. H. Slitter; Waimate, none.

How to print initials on fruit, or a short name (peach or pear, but especially apple), as a curious novelty, is told in the following, which we cut from «i Canadian paper : " While the fruit yet hangs green upon the tree, make up your mind which is the very biggest and most promising specimen of all. Nest, cut from thin, tough paper the initials of the name of your little brother or sister or chief crony, with round specks for the dots after the letters, and the letters themselves plain and thick. Then paste these letters and dots on the side of the apple which is most turned towards the sun, taking care not to loosen the fruit's hold upon its stem. As soon as the apple is ripe take off the paper cuttings, which, having shut out the redden ing rays of the sun, have kept the fruit green just beneath them, so that the name or initials now show plainly. After that bring the owner of the mine to play near iho tree, iind say presently, ' Why, what ;.!i-o tho.r-c qii'jer mark.i on that apple up there r' You will iind Una quite a plea" sant way to surprise the vorv little ones."

A Mexican boy has been scourged to death in Husechera on the complaint of a white girl to her father that he had insulted her. Afterwards the girl confessed that she had only told the story just " for fun," and now the white men justly fear Mexican retaliation.

The Wostphalian papers give an account of a terrible catastrophu whk'h occurred in the north-western part of that province , . There has been for some time in operation in the nnighborhod of Solingen, not far from Barmen, a strange phenomenon. A. part of the soil of a hilly heath became exceedingly hot, so much so that some people living close by availed themselves of th-j heat for domestic purposes. The explanation suggested that some inflamable subterranean gas, or perhaps petroleum, had been accidentally set on fire. Some water had been brought to the spot Vy an artificial channel; but its contact with the burning soil had only produced violent explosions, which seemed to shatter all the ground around. Shortly afterwards some persons drove out in a carriage from Remscheid to inspect the spot. When arrived at a distanco of about a quarter of an English mile, they heard a strange rumbling noise, which so terrified the horses that they had to alight, and send the carriage back some distance. They walked on, discussing the likelihood of any danger, when suddenly a space of the hillside about ICO metres square opened, disclosing a gulf of liquid fire, and throwing up flames. The house where the family mentioned above lived was at once surrounded by the flames, and was, before their eyes, swallowed up in the liquid fiery caldron at their feet, apparently feeding the flames. It is known that several persons were in the house at the time ; none were saved, but it has not been ascertained how many perished.