The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1891 LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Sweet Girl—" I wish you woulcln to to the races with papa, George,' Her Devoted _'' Why; not ?" The Sweet, Girl—'' lam afraid he is not a proper person for you to be associated with." " Whatever became of that greyhound you had V " Killed himself." ' Really ?" " Yes, tried to catch a fly on the small of his back and miscalculated. Bit himself m two." During the last agricultural year the wheat yield of New South Wales was 3,(549,216 bushels, leaving a deficiency of three bushels per head on the consumption of the whole population. A number of communications have been received by the society of Agriculture m Victoria, from farmers m different districts of the colony, ot the success attending the efforts m the cultivation of the fodder plant Lathyrus silvesttris. Over 66,000 people were present at the Salvation Army anniversary held at the Crystal Palace last July. This is several thousands m advance of last year. In spite of wet weather it was a very successful affair. The Union Steamship Company of New Zealand has kindly placed at the disposal of General Booth an all round ticket from Sydney to Melbourne via New Zealand. The Company has also recently donated half a dozen lifebelts to the Salvation Army officers stationed on the Wanganiii river. The " Feildiug Star " is responsible for the assertion that the careless application of the branding iron is often the cause of cancer m cattle by so much pre&sure being applied that the skin is burned through. When this happen!) (says the "Star") there is afterwards a collection of matter which invariably ends Li cancer. General Booth has made a triumphal progress through South Africa. At Cape Town he was received with unparalleled enthusiasm, the Governor, several judges, military commanders, and many members of Parliament joined m the welcome accorded him. The Hon Sir J. Gordon Sprigg, ex-Premier, presided at the meeting. All classes and creeds endorsed the General's proposal for the establishment of Salvation colonies m South Africa. While m Cape Town the general was the guest of Sir J. Gordon Sprigg. At the sale of cattle and sheep from the Prince of Wales' herd and flock last July fairly good prices were made. forty-six shor'ohorn cows and heifers averaged £44 Mis lOd each, and sixteen bulls £35 0 10 I; w'lile 100 ewes averaged £4 12s, and twelve rams £11 2s Bd. The Prince has been very I successful at shows with his Southdown sheep, but less so with his cuttle. He keeps two herds, one of Booth and the other of Bates blood. "Mercutio" tells of an amusing blunder m connection with a municipal contract which occurred m a Southern birough. The contract was to conduct an asphalt pavement, and the contractor got some "cement" from a store m furtherance of the job. It was noticed that it would not set, and on making further investigations it was found that what had been taken from the store, under the impression that it was cement, proved to be bonedu&r. There was nothii g for it but to start afresh. A poor woman, having only one arm (says the Wellington Times) whose husband had deserted her, appeared before the benevolent Trustees for help. She said she only required assistance for a week or so, after which time she could look out for a situation. "A situation!" said Mr Van Stavern, "why whatever could you do with only one arm'? You could not peel a potato." "Oh, yes I can," replied the applicant, " and cook them, too. I can do washing, and almost anything that another woman- can do with two arms." The woman said she was a native of Sydney, and about ssven years ago she was thrown from a horse, which had the effect of smashing the bone m her arm. Ultimately the limb had to be amputated. The trustees decided to grant the rations as asked for. The quarterly social gathering of the Primitive Methodist congregation was held last night, and was largely attended. After tea, Rev Mr Woollass took the ohair and introduced the pastor of the church, Rev J. Cocker, who gave a most interesting descriptive account of his voyage out to New Zealand, dwelling at some length on the historical, scenic, climatic, and productive sides of most of the places of note lie visited. The lecture was much enjoyed, as was also the work during the evening of the excellent little cl or, of which Mr Smith is conductor. The choir on Friday last, gave a family social at Greeristreet, taking with them all things necessary for a tea meeting. Mr Knox was chairman, and a programme similar to the one given by the choir at the gathering held a few nights previously was gone through, to the satisfaction of all present. In reference to the statement made by Mr Spackman, at the meeting of the Christchurch Acclimatisation Society last week, that the Ashburton Society spent nothing m acclimatisation, a vice-president of the latter society, m a letter that has b^n published, says :—" Of the £50 or £00, onr.income for last year, we paid the North Canterbury A.S. £20 for fish and the Nelson Society £10 for quail. We also voted the N.C.A.S. £10 to contest the Maori Fishing case, or if they liked to give us £20 worth of fish at the proper season we would pay them £20 down. They chose the latter, and we paid them the cash. Now what I should like to Juiow is, what have they done with the £20, an 4 all the other subscriptions they received ? No one seems %q hear anything of the Maori fishing case now—but th^s is a digression." A story that is very well authenticated comes from Devonport (writes the Lauriston correspondent pi the Hobart ''Mercury") with reference to tha closing of V.D.L. Bank. An elderly woman by dint of hard saving had amassed the sum of £200 which she had pa. ;ed on fixed deposit m the bank. On the ni"lit of July 31 she dreamed that the bank manager had levanted and taken all the gold of the Bank with him. This had such an effect on her that when the bank opened on the following morning (August }) she was at the door, and made a request fqr ljep money stating that she would willingly forfeit any interest due. Pressed for reasons she declined to give them, and being very persistent the money was handed to her m notes. These she declined, and the sum was counted out m gold. On being asked what she would put it m she took off her apron and laid it on the counter, and the 200 sovereigns were gathered up m it, And now comes the sequel. On her way home she came to the conclusion that as the bank manager was still m his place, and the gold was there also the old adage, that " dreams go by contraries," was true, and, afraid of being Pflbbed if it became known she had the gold by her, ahe took it back again, told her reasons for withdrawing jt ? and redeposited it. Now, doubtless, she regirete ignoring the warning conveyed, and is a firmer Lttiever In dreams than ever. Countess 2s, Duchess 2s 4d, Princess 2s $d, }_n)pre,s.s 3i. These Teas are free from y 97C6SS of astringency Teas free from any excess of as,tringency South Biifcish Tea Coiupmiy's pure blentll A}) Store Wi»J»H»:

Scientific Information.—Scientist—"Professor, is it possible to annihilate anything?" Professor —"Have you never heard what the last Congress did with the surplus ?" While Mr J. G. llestcll was harnessing his mare m tho Arcade yesterday, she took offence at her surroundings, and played up somewhat, the result being a smash of tine shafts ot the trap, m which she was being put. The Salvatiou Acrny will keep their animal week of prayer and self-denial m Now Zealand from October 4to October 10. Lust year the Army's funds were supplemented from this source to the tune of over £30;000. Of this amount Hew Zealand contributed over £1000. Thia yea* it is anticipated; ijhat £1500 will be contributed. On Monday evening; 1 at five o'clock,'""a sitting of the Police Court was held-f Messrs Harrison, Thomas and Alcorn being the presiding justices—to hear a charge against M. Mahouey, farmer, Elgin, of working three horses m a plough team while the animals were suffering from sore shoulders. The, sores were just m the way of healing; up, but the Court considered it was far too: premature to put the,torses to work as thdy could .not fail to suffer iuuch pain. Accused was fined £1 arid was reproved by the bench. The hour, five o'clock m the evening, at which the Court was held, may seeui somewhat unusual to some, but the provisions of the law m such cases are that the case must be heard as soon after it takes its-rise as arrangements can be made for the hearing. At the Police Court thismomingj before Messrs \V. G. Rees and Alfred Harrison, Justices of the Peace, 'CjifL. Mordaunt pleaded guilty to the larceny of a greatcoat. It appeared that accused had beejn very drunk the night before, and had taken the coat from the boarding-house he had been staying at. He said he had no intention of stealing the coat, and pleaded guilty to the larceny simply because it had been found m his possession. He was a remittance man and therefore had means, but he had been working on a farm at Willowby, had come m $q the races, got drunk, and this had happened. The owner of the coat did not wish to push the case, and the Bench severely reprimanded the accused, recorded a conviction against him, and he was dismissed ; but he would have to pay all costs incidental to the case. The charges made against some Paris surgeons of engrafting cancerous tumours on living, though doomed, patients for the purpose of experiment have been brought also against two famous Berlin practitioners —Dr Eugene Holm and Professor Yon Bergmann. Dr Holm is the most famous operator m Europe for the removal of the larynx, and Yon Bergman was the great opponent of Sir Moreli Mackenzie m the case of the Emperor Frederick. It is remarkable that the allegations made against these practitioners are admitted. They say that it was necessary for them to have human beings for experiment, inasmuch as none of the lower animals would have been suitable. But this will hardly console the poor patient who has to go hospital with an incurable disease, and we may hear a good deal concerning the ethics of thase German professors. Wine is steadily taking an important place m the export trade of South Australia, and the shipments m this line have grown to fair dimensions. The intercolonial sale is by no means unimportant, and there is always a demand for South Australian wines m the eastern colonies. An opening was found m Melbourne during the month of July for 369 cases, four quarter-cask*,' and 41 quarters ; but Sydney "was even a better customer, that city consuming 428 cases, 12 quarters, and 15 quarter-casks. The trade with London promises soon to be the most important. Already shipments are of considerable bulk, for during the last month 323 hogsheads, 52 puncheons, and twelve cases were despatched, the whole of it being conv< yal by steamer. Experimental shipments were sent toother extra-Australian couutries, small parcels of South Australian wines being forwarded to Bremen, Bombay, Mahae, Kiobe, and Thursday Island. West Australia and the Northern Territory are also small consumers. Dealing on Monday with a case against a publican for supplying liquor to a drunken person named Hart, Mr Beetham asked a witness who had spokmi of a'man being '' under the influence." '' Every one is under the influence of liquor when he takes it, or what's the use of taking it. When do yon consider a man so far advanced as to be drunk?" Witness: "When he docs not know what he is doing." Mr Beetham : 4' Then you and I differ." Witness :'' That is as far as I understand the Act allows." Mr Beetham : "Some have an idea that a man is only drunk who has to hold on to the ground, but that is not my view." In giving his decision the Magistrate said : " A publican had great responsibility m this matter. There were many ways of describing a man's condition under the influence of drink, but publicans should have their minds sharpened m such a way as to dtjtect where the line should be drawn. It had been said this man was excited', m a merry mood, and so on, and he had no right to be supplied. It was always the last straw which overweighted the camel, and it was the licensee's business to see that men did not get too merry, or into the state which it was clear Hart had rjached when he was struck, and afterwards supplied with more drink. The fine on the ft/.'st case would be £5, and on this case £5 with costs to eleven witnesses." Mr Stringer asked to have one fine remitted, m consequence of the heavy costs, but Mr Beetham replied it was no use playing with these matters to reduce fines. Publicans must be aware of their responsibilities.