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Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 41, 30 December 1879, Page 3

, n The Post and Telegraph Offices.— . Cta New Year’s day, Sunday hours will be observed at all telegraph stations throughr out thecolony, and post-offices will be en- . tirely closed. Thx San Francisco Mail. —The next . mails for the United Kingdom, America? &e. , via San Francisco will close at Ash--0 : burton on Saturday morning at 10.20. Thx Land I ax. —A notice appears in . our advertising columns calling the attention ol land owners to the fact that all persons liable to pay the tax must do so ' forthwith, or proceedings will be taken for the recovery of the same. It is payable at the Poet Office. ' ' Chkxstmas Services. —The Church of St. Mftrhi Bahaia, was. very prettily decorated by the ladies for the service held qn Christmas Eve. The usual morning service with the celebration of Holy Couir nrauion was held on Christmas Day at which there was a very good attendance. The service was choral, Mrs. C. H. M'Lean officiating as organist. That Well Again. —The Havelock street well caused some discussion in the Borough Council last night, A lengthy letter from Mr. Hardy led on a still,, lengthier argument as to the merits and /demerits of the well and to the question of what body had the onus of passing it , . .and taking it off the contractors hands. , It. was finally decided that a Committee : of the Borough Council should attend the next practice of the Brigade and satisfy themselves as to the usefulness or otherof the tube well in question. ? ...KEqual to the Occasion.—Because he viand, to oust from office a man who so ; > l-ritr'forgot, his duty to the law of the land ,'ijps-to stand for the Mayoralty of , Dunedin - fiffcite he held what the law reads as a ‘i .S'mention of profit under tfeo.'Citv Council, , Mr. ,Walter has incurred the wrath of the A ; spiall souled, individuals who < odcupy fbe beuchpsof the Diinedin City .'Council, and they have allowed their .small-mindedness to appear in their con,t, ■ duct They, passed a petty resolution /r. ■ nduslngtbs Mayor’s salary to LI. To ■i . this the Mayor delivered the following b scathing .reply:—Gentlemen, I beg to thankthe Council for voting no salary—--1 because 1 look oh a pound as no salary. 1 > > Can assure the Council that daring the •tp-.bomber.of.-years I have been associated * •; with it X have never, either as Gduficillor ;-,or Mayor, looked upon it as a source' T pf o■; income tQ me. 1 can assure you, gentleF£>.,;men, that the duties of tins Council, the w-l-i duties of this seat, will bp carried out as S'sjsjHß;, 1 .received LIO,COO a ycai - . in not the matter of the salary voted: me. ns Mayor that will cause me to m&f/'Aflfd.evioik n.efficiently ; the work will ne as efficiently without salary as

Australian Mail. —On Wednesday morning supplementary mails for Australia will be despatched per express train to connect with the Tararua at Port Chalmers. Bishop Redwood. —Bishop Redwood conducted two services in the Catholic Chapel on Sunday. On both occasions all the available space in the building as well as the temporarily added accommodation was fully occupied. School Treat. —On the 2nd of January, the scholars attending the Presbyterian Sunday Schools in the district will enjoy a treat in the Manse grounds. The band will be present, and complete arrangements have been made by the Rev. Mr. Beattie and the teachers for the children’s amusement. Amongst the attractions will be Mr. Steele’s two white asses, which he has kindly lent for the entertainment of the girls. Processions. —The procession mania seems to have affected the Borough Council, or to speak more correctly a limited section of it. Last night Councillor St. Hill dilated at length upon the propriety of all municipalities calling upon Government to prohibit processions in townships. This idea would not work very well in Ashburton, as to get uj) a march (if such a law were passed) it would only be necessary to assemble at the north end of the bridge, and then to ‘ ‘ pvocesh ” to Tinwald or Winslow, and we have no doubt the folks on the other side of the river would give a hearty welcome to the visitors.

The Masonic Hall. To-day the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Masonic Hall will take place. The Masons will assemble in full masonic costume at the Town Hall at 12.30, and march in procession to the site of the Hall at half-past one. At 2 o’clock the ceremony will commence, being performed by he R. W.D.D. G.M.. assisted by the Grand Lodge Officers. Hie installation of the officers for next term of the Somerset Lodge will take place in the Town Hall at 5 p.m., and a banquet will be given in the Lodge-room at 7. 30. At the site of the hall a platform has been erected for the accommodation of ladies desiring to witness the ceremony. Who Did It ?—Referring to the shindy in Timaru, the “ South Canterbury Times " thus tells who the lot were who came down upon the Orangemen—“lt would be a gross libel on the law abiding and peaceably disposed inhabitants of this town to say that the disturbance had any local significance. The rowdies, or at least the majority of them, were not men, but overgrown boys ; they did not belong to the civilized community of Timaru, but they were the gatherings—shall we say the off-scouringa and dregs—of the country. We will not insult any religious denomination by suggesting that these untamed semi-savages, were inspired by anything approaching Christian zeal in interfering as they did with a harmless display, ruining a public festival, and robbing one of the chief holidays of the year of all its enjoyments.

The Caledonian Society. —The settling, over the late sports, took place in Quill’s Hotel last night, and we understand there will be a good balance in hand after all liabilities are paid. Considerable dissatisfaction has been, expressed by several of the competitors who came from a distance, at the prizes not being paid over on the ground, as is usual at other places, or at any rate on the same evening the events were run off. Another grievance was the deduction of five per cent, from the amount of all prizes. This deduction was not named on the programme, and the infliction of it is rightly considered a hardship by the winners. However, we must “ creep before we gang,” and the infant Society will learn all. the wrinkles as it gets older. Special Constables. —On Saturday afternoon the police, having the experience of the - rows in Christchurch and Timaru before their eyes, and having heard reports of a proposed demonstration in the shape of a similar shindy in Ashburton on Sunday, took timely precautions, and requested a number of burgesses to assemble at the Town Hall at 9 p.m. At the hour appointed Mr. Guinness, R.M., and Mr. Hugo Friedlander, Mayor of the Borough, were in attendance, and 55 “specials” were sworn in. The resident contingent of the cavalry were also ordered to be in attendance. We are glad to state, however, that there was no necessity for either constables or troopers, as the good sense of those in town, now enjoying their holidays, prevented any demonstration, and the streets of Ashburton were both nippe crowded and more orderly than we have ever known them on ft (Sunday, and we trust that our reputation for good behaviour will be retained throughout the present season, and Ashburton be made an example to other parts of Canterbury. Bishop Redwood preached most impressive sermons to large and appreciative audiences, both morning and evening, and gpfifep In raMi fetll telling terms, of Jhft Wlshes and opinions on the late disturbances elsewhere.

Wild Beast Show. —Our juvenile population will have a practical means afforded them of studying natural history this week, Messrs Higgins and Co. having arrived with their celebrated African wild beast show. Among the exhibits is the “ largest Hon in any show,” stated to weigh 8001 b. Having interviewed him we can assure our young readers that he would not be a desirable animal to have for a pet. A most interesting operation was performed on him yesterday, just before leaving Timaru. It seems that the animal had one of his claws growing into his paw, and for some two years his proprietor has been making liberal offers to medical men in various parts of the colonies to exti-act the claw, but up till now no medical man could be persuaded to pluck up the courage to tackle so refractory a patient. Dr. Maclntyre, of Timaru, pluckily undertook to perform the operation, and Leo, having been duly lassoed, and tied and strapped down safely, the doctor, after two or three attempts, succeeded in cutting out the claw, and dressing the wound. The roars and yells of the lion are described as something terrific, and in his struggles a heavy iron crow-bar, which Mr. Higgins uses as a persuader, was bent by the brute's jaws as if it had been a sheet of paper. The operation was, however, successful, and Dr. Maclntyre’s courage was highly applauded. The only recompense he would accept was the claw, which he retains as a trophy. Amongst other animals in the show is a beautiful

specimen of a cheetah, a couple of Russian bears, and other wild beasts 'which are worthy of a visit.

Telegraphic Invention. Professor Klinkerfues, the d/ -•* >r of the Observatory at Gottingen, lias patented a new telegraphic inventioi, by which it is said to bepossiale to send : :s many as eight messages simultaneous]} along the same wire. A portion of the invention is,an apparatus which simultaneous!’--writes down all the messages as they av. ive at the station to which they are addressed. A Chilus’ Good-Bye. —“Atlas,” the well-known contributor to the London “ World,” supplies the following to that journal: —“A family is leaving town. After the usual evening ceremonies, baby is being put to bed. She says carefully her prayers, and then adds of her own accord; ‘ Dood-b} , : ' >d, lam going into the country. ’ ” A Shabby Theft. —A Wellington paper says : —One of the meanest petty thefts recorded for some time has occurredin connection with the fire-escape, stored in the Corporation yards. The canvas shoot attached to the escape was stolen a short time since, but the matter is now in the hands of the police, and we trust to see the thief brought before the Resident Magistrate in a very short space of time.

The Potato Bug.— The “ Southland News ” notices that in one or two gardens about Invercargill, a large grub has made its appearance among the potatoes. This unwelcome visitor is described as being of a dark green color, nearly two inches in length, and about the thickness of an ordinary lead pencil. It goes to work on the potato stalks, which it cut s through. In one garden from twenty to thirty wore found within a very small area. Well Paid. —I have been told (remarks ‘ Atlas ” in the London “ World ”) that the Attorney-General had no less than two hundred guineas marked on his brief for attending at the Guildhall Police Court on behalf of Mr. Levy Lawson the other day. This, with “ refreshers ” for each subsequent attendance, and merely for a preliminary inquiry, strikes me as being pretty well. It seems that barristers’ fees keep up, notwithstanding the depression in trade.

A Delicious Pudding. —Take a deep pudding dish, and butter it ; cover over the sides and bottom with thin slices of bread (white or brown) ; then a layer of pared or cut apples or pears, or both, mixed with any other fruit you like; then sprinkle some sugar ; then a layer of bread in slices or bits ; then fruit, and so on until the dish is full. Lay thin bread over, then fill up with any fruit juice, or water lacking this ; cover with a plate or dish, and bake in a slow oven four hours. Hot or cold, it is simply grand. Any sauce would spoil it. Convict Treatment in French Colonies.—An immense sensation has been caused in Paris by the assertion of M. Humbert, the returned Communist, that in the penal colon} where he was a convict, he had seen men held up by the legs, and in that position flogged ; that he had seen men beaten with the knout, and after eveiy blow a hot iron passed over their wounds ; and fingers cut off by torturing pincers. When these things had been said in the tribune of the Chamber, they had always been denied by the Ministry, but be could bring overwhelming proof that they were true : he had not only seen the wounds caused by torture, but had tended the victims.

He Still Loved Her. — A man named Worsley was killed a few weeks ago in the Wairarapa, and upon searching his effects a will was found leaving all he was pospossed of to his wife Eliza Jane Worsley. There is nothing very singular in his action so far (says the “ Manawatu Times ”), until it is stated that the woman to whom he has bequeathed LOO in cash and other property, deserted him in 1863, and during the sixteen years which have elapsed since she absconded, she has been living with another man. The police have received information that she has been living iq Palmerston for some time under an assumed name, and we have been requested to make the fact of the legacy known, so that she may come forward to claim it.

“Mrss.” —A woman who opened a small millinery store in the western part of Detroit engaged a painter to paint her a sign. When it came home the other day she saw that it read, “ Mrss. J. Blank, &c.,” and she called out, “You have an extra ‘ a’ in ‘ Mrs.,’ and you must paint the sign over again. ” The painter saw the error, but he did’nt want the job of correcting it, and lie replied, “ Madame, haven’t you had two husbaqds V “ Yes, sir.” “You were a Mrs. when you lost the first V' “I was.” “And do you think a woman can go on marrying for ever, and not lengthen out her title ? Mrss. means a woman who has been married twice, and is young enough to marry again ; and only yesterday a rich old ’coon was in our shop and said, if he had any idea that you were heart-free, he’d come up ——“ Oh, well, you can nail up the sign !” she interrupted ; and it is there to-day. Babies’ Cauls. — It is a queer testimony to the enlightenment and progress of the time that we find this week that a judicial authority in Victoria has fixed the commercial value of “ babies’ cauls” at at LlO a pair as “ charms against drowning.” The circumstances were that an action was brought in the Melbourne County Court to recover damages for the loss of some property, in which two babies’ cauls were included, The plaintiff valued these articles at something near LfiO, and considered them “ valuable, as he had sepp them frequently advertised for at a price c>f L 10.” The judge, in dealing with the claim, “ said ha con sidered such things as cauls w-ere only rubbish, but they appeared to have a marketable value, and therefore he must allow somethin;* for them. He estimated their value at 14Q,” This, (hen, (says the “ Australasian) in ay we suppose, be fairly takep fia an average commercial quotation for this class of goods. What inalght little instances of this kind gives gives us from time to time of the primitive superstitions dating from an immeasurable antiquity which linger in the lower strata of society, wholly unaffected by the influence of science and enlightenment. which we aye offep tflld is supreme pvpp men’s thoughts at tho present day. After all, intellectual enhghtenment, like social civilisation, only influences a portion of the community, and leaves whole classes utterly untouched, and a prey to the stupid superstition on which their minds have been nourished from time immemorial.

An Ocean of Wheat.—A correspondent of the “Chicago Tribune,” writing from the Dalrymple farm, says:— “Jnst think of a sea of when; containing twenty square miles —13,000 never,— rich, ripe, golden ; the winds rippling over it. As far as the eye can reach these is the same golden sunset rule In all there are lit) self-binding reapers at work. During the harvest about 4000 men are employed, and during threshing GOO—their wage being 2 dels, a day with board.”