Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2436, 8 January 1881, Page 3

No answer (says the Wellington “ Post”) has ever been vouchsafed to the query which we put very earnestly some little time ago: What becomes of the condemned kerosene ? We pointed out that the quantity must by this time have accumulated to an enormous volume, sufficient to be a source of serious peril wherever it might be stowed. But we know of no building in town which could ever hold the number of cases that have been condemned by the inspector, and we are forced to the conclusion that it is not stored at ail, but in many cases at any rate has been sold in wilful defiance of the law, and without the precautions which the law rigidly prescribes. For instance, kerosene which flashes at a temperature below that fixed as the standard of safety (llOdeg. Fah.) is forbidden to be sold, unless expressly and distinctly marked “ dangerous.” It is needless say this amounts practically to a prohibition of its sale, for the obvious reason that no sane person would purchase kerosene for domestic use if it were plainly ticked as “ dangerous ” — i.c., liable at any moment to explode in use and blow him and his family “ to bits.” An evangelist in petticoats named Mrs Hampson has lately been lecturing or rather “ sermoning ” for the benefit of the Auckland heathen. Tte Auckland Observer which at first fell foul'of the clergy says of her evangelistic services :—“ She has no doubt accomplished much real and tangible good. In one case a man came to Auckland from Canterbury a few days ago who had deserted his wife, and left his children unprovided for. He attended her services, became ashamed of his mean conduct, changed his ways, and returns shortly to his fr mily.” The return of runaway husbands may be a sign of conversion, but if so with all due deference to 1 Mrs Hampson and the Observer, we must confess that the orthodox police warrant is an evangelist that will need some rubbing out. An energetic canvasser is wanted for the Sickness and Accident Insurance Associa-. tion.