Local and General.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 914, 30 May 1891, Page 2

Local and General.

Seventeen new Jastices have been appointed m Canterbury. The list ino'udes Mr William Holley, Leeston, Mr William Coop, Little River, Mr B. W. Adams, Greendale. Constables Warring and Simpson yesterday received their warrants under the hand of His Excellency «he Governor, of their appointment as Clerks of the Bouthbridue and Leeston Resident Magistrate's Courts, respectively. Their dnties commence on the Ist June. Air American paper tells of a divorcee with two girls, who- married a widower with two boys, and had a second family by her new husband. One day when there was a storm m the nursery, the lady remarked to her husband, ' It's only my childreu and yonr children having a row with our children, dear.' Thb late Earl Granville was one of the keeiesi and most polished wits of the day as well as an unrivalled raconteur. One of his happiest jeux d' esprit was his remark m the House of Lords thirty years ago, m opposing the Light Weight Racing Bill. 11 ' De minimis van cu*at Zea?,' " quoted his Lordship, " which we may not inaptly render,—you cannot legislate for the feather weights."

Among the many good stories told by oensua collectors, is one that an old man refused to sigD, saying that he had never voted, and dirt not want a vote nohow and was convinced th»t we would never have a good government until it was compulsory f>r every member of parliament to have first reached at least ihe rank of sergeant m the Salvation Army before he was eligible for election.

This is a true story from beyond Woodville. A popular clergyman was to preach one day at a place where men of his cloth ware not plentiful as the mosquitoes. The rev gentleman was not so punctual m pan king an appearance as the occasion deserved and the building was full of anxious and expectant worshippers. W'jen ho hitched up his horse and was walking piously towards the door he was greeted with 'D — a it man, hurry up, we've been waiting half an hour for you !'

Before the first Bishop of New Zealand left England, Sydney Smith, m taking leave, affeoted to impress upon his friend the dangers of his mission. 'You will find, 1 he said, ' m preaching to cannibals that all iheir attention, instead of being occupied by the spirit, will bt concentrated on the fleah ; fo p lam told that they never break • fast without a cold missionary on the sideboard-' In shaking hand a with the new prelate as he wan leaving the house Smith added :• Good-bye. We shall never meet again ; but let us hope that you may thoroughly disagree with the savage that eats you. 1

The Springston Races were held on last Thursday, the following being the results: — Handicap Hurdle?, Polly. District Haok Hunilee, Folly. Div. £4 17«. Open Trot Young Irvington. Div. £4 4s. Spriog--Bton Cup, Lightnmg, 1, Lady Sockburn, 2 Div. £2 11h. District Hack Flat, Nightingale. Div. £2 14?. Farmer's Plate, Chester L"»d. Div. £3 9s. District Trot, Shuffler. Hunters Flat, Lyndoora Div. £5 9a. Harry Scurry, Lady Sockburn, Div. £2 "4s. Out of seventeen itvestors on Iho first race none were on the winner. There were sevonty eight m the District Tro', but the winner here too waa friendleßH. At a mealing nf the parishioners of Ceeston. held on Tuoßday afternoon, Uia Lordship the Bishop prank l eil. It wufi unnnimuusly decided that a parsonage was require i, and it was resolved to purchase >i house, instead of building one. A ewm of about Riz hundred pounds will be roquireH, of which the Synod will find two hundred and fifty pounds. The remainder will be rained, if possible, m the district • It is understood that negotiation* are pending for the pur«huie of the reaidejjoe

|\ Thbee years ago John Boarke, then the Town Clerk of Gißborne. Huccessf-'lly pro r eecuted John Baldwin for oritninal Mb©?. The libel consisted m a statement made by Baldwin to the effect thatßourke was misappropriating public funds. Bourke han since beon found guilty of embezzlement of public money, but curiously enough, he did not .begin peculating until three months after Baldwin was sent to gaol. Baldwin was evidently one of thoae prophet* who have no honour. A charming story is told by Woman of the generosity of the German Empress. Upon the day of the birth of her yonngeat son her Majesty sent to the hospital m the Dorotheemtrasse to know how many babies were born there upon the same day as the little prince. The five children born on that day received, by the Empress's orders each a oomplete outfit of clothing, and the only fault that the babies' mothers had to find H with the baby. clothes was that they : were far too good for their children.