The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas, et Prevalebit. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1882.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 791, 13 November 1882, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas, et Prevalebit. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1882.

Good News for the Rabbits.—The Piako had seventy-two ferrets on board, but all died off with the distemper. Looks Like Business.—Sixty cases of machinery for the Auckland Fibre Company arrived by the Loch Urr. The machinery comprises all the latest improvements for handling the fib e and spinning yarn for the binding machinery. 1.0.G.T. —The elect on and installation of the officers of the Star of the East Lodge took place on Saturday evening. Bro. Vaughan was appointed W.C.T., Bro. Leeston W.V.T., Bro. D. Ross W. S , and Bro. Cook was recommended as Lodge Deputy After some routine business the Lodge adjourned. A Trout in the Gutter. —There is no doubt about the Domain water being plentifully supplied with trout. On Saturday night a fine fish of over a pound in weight was caught in the gutter opposite Hayes’ saw-mills in East street. It was being carried down the channel at a good rate when it attracted the attention of a passer-by, who promptly secured the prize.

The Sinking of the Austral. —Later telegrams to hand respecting the sinking of the Orient steamship Austral state that the cause of the sinking of the vessel is now doubtful. The theory that the portholes were opened is not believed. It is deemed most probable that a large valve near the bilge was left open. Divers have been at work, and have recovered the bodies of five persons who were on board when the vessel sank. Mr Perkins, purser, and one of the engineers were among the number. The other three whose bodies have been recovered were seamen.

A Horse Hunt. —lnformation having reached the police that a wounded horse was wandering in the river bed, Constable Hicks proceeded on horseback on Saturday evening in search of the animal, which he found, after a bit of a hunt, near the island. The unfortunate horse strayed on to the railway line a few days ago, and was caught by a passing train, as is supposed, the flesh being torn from its hindquarters, and leaving the bone exposed to view. It must have suffered great agony, as the wound was a large one, and had festered, presenting a shock ng spectacle. The constable put the poor beast out of its misery with a bullet from a revolver. The police were unable to learn to whom the horse belonged. A Hint for Ashburton. —The Waira-rap-i Star in referring to the newly-formed project for establishing a theatre at Masterton, an up-country township about the size of Ashburton, and about the same distance from Wellington that Ashburton is from Christchurch, says:—“The probabilities are that the theatre will prove a moat reproductive concern, for it will induce large companies, who confine their attention to Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, to visit this part of the colony. We need not say wnat an impetus a commodious and suitably arranged theatre will give to a local trade. Our dull, monotonous, yokel life will give way to periodical carnivals and pleasure, and gaiety will take the place of morbid inactivity. A little recreation will throw new life into this part of the district, and apart from the enjoyment that it will confer, it will operate like a magnet on commerce, keeping the money that is earned within the district flowing steadily in its native channels, and gradually raising the town of Masterton to the position of an inland metropolis. A good theatre is calculated to attract both population and wealth, and whether it is immediately reproductive to shareholders or not, it will undoubtedly give Masterton a good pall up the hill, and improve the value of property all over the borough. It appeals to the mott powerful instincts of those who hold a stake in the place, and if they are alive to their beat interests, the shares will be taken up rapidly.”

Gaming and Lotteries Act Prosecution. —Henry Money was charged before the Christchurch Bench on Saturday with having gambled with a box and dice on the Chriitchurch racecourse on the last day of the late Spring meeting. Detective Hughes, who had made the arrest, showed the apparatus, which he had seized, and explained the modus operandi. A board is divided into seven numbered compartments; stakes in shillings were laid on the numbers. Three dice being thrown, if any of the numbers backed turned up the accused would add that number of shillings to any winning number. Three dice wore seized on the table, on one of which only was marked the highest number, and in the pocket of the accused was one similar in appearance to the others, but differently marked. The chances of the game, if fairly played, were much in favor of the banker. Witness on previous years had seen accused gambling on the racecourse. Detective Neil gave similar evidence as to the nature of the game. He had warned prisoner on a previous day. He had known prisoner as frequenting rac courses with games of chance for many years. The dice were not loaded, but the withholding of one of them would greatly favor the banker. Mr Holmes, who appeared for accused, addressed the Bench, expatiating on the inconsistencies and injustice of the Act. The Magistrate said that however the Act may be decried it was quite certain that the present was a case which ought to be met by some Act. He fined accused L 5, and ordered the apparatus to be destroyed.

Telephonic—A telephone office has bean opened at Upper Mantere, County Waimea. .

A Respectable Sum.—The total amount pissed through the totaliaatora during the three days of the C. J.O. Spring Meeting was L 19,855. Primitive Methodist Church.—Anniversary sermons in connection with the above are announced for Sunday next, to be preached by the Rov. JosephJSharp, of Timaru. On Thursday, 23rd inst., the usual tea meeting will bo held. Dunedin Totalisator Proprietors in Hot Water. —The proprietors of the totalisators, of which there are two kept going in Dunedin on almost every racing event, have been summoned to the Police Court for Tuesday over the Melbourne Cup.

Accident to a Steamer. —The steamer Kakanui, a costal trader, in going on to the slip on Friday night at Port Chalmers, had a hole run through her bottom, through part of the giving way. A good deal of the cargo was damaged. The repairs will occupy nearly a fortnight. The Row at Makakihi.—The disturbance reported at Makakihi, near Timaru, on Friday arose out of the disputed ownership of some c ittle. Both parties were well armed, but, owing to the timely arrival of the police, nothing worse than a stand-up fight between two men, and an unlimited amount of abusive language occurred.

An Exciting Chaee.—Mounted Constable Neill had an exciting chase on Saturday. He went to Seafield for the purpose of arresting a man named Jack, “wanted ” for disobeying an order of the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court, enforcing the payment of maintenance of a step-child, an inmate of the Burnham Industral School. On reaching the mud whare occupied by Jack and his wife, the constable perceived his man exercising a racer in an adjacent paddock in readiness for the approaching Ashburton Racing Club Spring Meeting. Jack took in the situation at a glance, and abandoning his charge he bolted helter-skelter over hedges and ditches right across country. He got well away before the constable gave chase. After an exciting race of a mile and a half the fugitive was run to earth and secured. He was a good deal exhausted and quite breathless. He was brought into town and taken before Mr Alcorn, J.P., this morning, who remanded him to Christchurch.

An Extraordinary Case. —An extraordinary case of alleged conspiracy has been heard at the Campbell Town Police C urt, Tasmania. Melmoth Fletcher, senior, of Young Town; Melmoth Fletcher, junior, of View Point, Isis; Thomas Fletcher and George Fletcher, of Young Town; and Sydney John Fletcher and Leslie Fletcher, of Campbell Town, were charged, at the instance of Thomas Emerson Headlam, with having on 10th Sept., 1882, conspired together to unlawfully assault, injure, and annoy him. The evidence went to show that the defendants went to the house of Mr Gibson, of Esk Yale, on October 10, between six and seven in the morning, and asked to see the prosecutor, who was then asleep in bed, he being a guest of Mr Gibson. When the prosecutor got up the defendants handcuffed him, and took him to their residence at Campbell Town, and there insisted that he should marry Emma Fletcher, whom it was alleged he had seduced. The plaintiff promised to return next day, but ho entered proceedings instead. The accused were all committed for trial.

A Rough Diamond.— The Hobart Mercury of a recent date remarks that in their obituary of the 29th September, appeared a notice recording the death of an old colonist, Robert Warrior, brickmaker, of the Cascade road, at the advanced age of 78 years. By thrift and steady attention to business, Warrior accumulated a considerable sura of money, possessing, besides the property upon which he resided, the brickyard adjoining the Cascade grant, as well as several houses occupied by people in his employ, some of whom had been in his service for nearly 20 years. Warrior was the subject of a long and painful illness, and for some time pr vious to his demise, having no relations, carefully thought out the beat method of distributing the competency In had obtained by many years of patient toil. He was an unlettered man, straightforward in all his dealings, and a good

friend. During his illness he hadfrequently given expression to a sentiment that is worthy of imitation, viz., “ Those had the best right to his money who had helped him to get it." Acting upon the principle enunciated, he left to his servants, independently of a bequest in money, the houses and grounds occupied by them. He left various legacies to industrial schools. He also settled a very handsome annuity upon his adopted daughter, and ordered the residue of his estate to be divided between three of his personal friends, one being his medical attendant.

A Very Hard Case —On Wednesday last a respectable married woman, named Symes, wa; sentenced at the Wellington R. M. Court to r ourtaen days’ hard labor, for larceny of an umbrella, on what is usually regarded as most unsatisfactory evidence. The Wellington Post of Saturday says, in reference to the case :—“Another curious case of alleged unjust conviction has come under our notice. On Wednesday last a woman named Symes was accuse I of stealing a green silk umbrella, the property of Mrs Brighton, who had left it at the Wellington Hospital, where the defendant was a patient, and whoso husband swore that he subsequently found it in the possess! n of the latter, recognising it bv certain particular patches. For the defence it was deposed by s,'Veral witnesses, friends of the accused, that the umbrella found in her possession was purchased s veral yearj ago at Christchurch, the names of the vendors and the circumstances of the transaction being distinctly remembered and stated. The defendant’s witnesses also identified the umbrella by certain marks. It further appeared that there was no hesitation to produce the disputed umbrella when asked foi by the police, and in short that nothing seemed to favor the assumption of guilt, save the possession of the umbrella, while that was claimed by both parties on apparently equivalent proof. The reasonable supposition would seem to be that it was a case of mistaken identity as regards the umbrella, but to the general surprise of those who.heard the case, Mr Hardcastle, R.M., pronounced the charge proved, and sentenced the defendant, who is said to be a respectable woman, in delicate health, to fourteen days’ imprisonment. It seems to us that this involves much danger of grave wrong being done. The testimony looked at in the most favorable light for the prosecution was equally balanced, and therefore the accused should have received the benefit of the doubt, but in view of the fact that the whole question turned on the of an old umbrella, we cannot help thinking that the presumption is greatly in favor of the defendant’s version, and that of her witnesses, while we attribute to the other side nothing worse than mistake of memory. We believe it can be proved that the defendant was not in the hospital within some weeks before or after the umbrella being left there by Mrs Brighton, and that Mrs Symes has been in continuous possession of the umbrella, which she claimed to be hers, ever since purchasing it in Christchurch. It is clear, too, that the inability of the accused or her husband to give evidence in the case must have seriously prejudiced her chances. We are glad to hear that the matter is likely to be further investigated.”

Church of . England Temperance Society. — The Church of England Temperance Society will meet to-morrow evening at Saunders’ Buildings, when Mr S. E. Poyntz will read a paper on “ Moderation.”

Insurance. —The Australian Mercantile Union Insurance Company have an announcement on our first page, from which it will bo observed that Messrs Orr and Co have been appointed the Ashburton agents for this popular company. L2OO Reward. —The Canterbury Fire Insurance Association have offered a reward of L2OO to any person who shall give such information as shall lead to the conviction of the person or persons who set fire to any or all of the following hotels on the Peninsula, viz.;—Bruce’s Hotel, Ritchie’s Hotel, Bayley’s Hotel, at Akaroa; the Somerset Hotel, Head of the Bay; and the Little Akaloa Hotel. The Coming Show. —Everyone interested in the forthcoming Show, to be held on the 23rd inst.,[should peruse the list of private prizes published in this issue, there will be, we should imagine, some keen competition for the various classes, and our local merchants and tradesmen deserve praise for their liberality in offering such substantial prizes as are published in another column.

The South Express. —The express train from Christchurch was about twenty minutes late in arriving at Ashburton this morning, somewhat to the dissatisfaction of those waiting on the platform. A rumor that Woodyear and Ross’ circus was on board went round, and when the train arrived the delay was explained. There were eleven carriages, ten horseboxes and trucks, containing horses, and the guard’s van, and the whole was drawn by two engines. If the express goes in for such loads as this, it will soon become an “ express ” only in name. The circus opens at Waimate today.

Hatchets and War Whoops to be Left Without. —It appears that Sydney Taiwhanga and his coadjutors are finding that they are not going to get all the Native mission buainessto themselves. The London correspondent of a contemporary says :—“ It was only last week that a number of Canadian aborigines might have been seen in the lobbies of the House of Parliament. I have not heard what they wanted; but they wore their native dress, and carried tomahawks and scalps. It wts proposed that one of them should stand for an Irish borough in the Home Rule interest He declined the honour on being told he would have to leave his hatchet and war-whoop in the dressing-room. He said he could do nothing in Irhh politics without these implements.”

“ Oa, Gemini!” or the Twins.—A middle-age ■ Irishwoman, pushed a pair of shock-headed boys about eleven years of age into the witness box (at the Thames Police Court London) before her, addressing Mr Lushi gton as follows: — “ ■ here, your worship, ain’t they an gant couple ? two as nice little divils as you’d find in a day’s walk. It’s disgracing their family they are every day of their blessed lives ; tearing their clothes off their backs, and their boots off their feet. This one (putting her hand on the head of the taller and more ragged looking of the two) is worse than his brother, and taches him to run away from school ; its twins t hey are, and no one ever saw such ; it’s little they care for the School Board, though he’s after them everyday.” Mr Lushington (to the biggest boy)—Why don’t you go to school and take your brother? —The boy—l don’t know, sir. Mr Lushington—Well, if you don’t you will get your father and mother into trouble, and then I hope that he will thrash you. The boy—Thank you for nothing, sir, and I hope he won’t. (Laughter.) His Worship (to the mother) —Take them home and give them both a good shaking. The mother—And faith I will, your Worship. I'll shake the life out of ’em.

Holloways Pills,— Nervous Debility.— No part of the human machine requires more watching than the nervous system—upon it hangs health and life itself. These pills are the best regulators and strengtheners of the nerves, and the safest general purifiers. Nausea, headache, giddiness, numbness, and mental apathy yield to them. They dispatch in a summary manner those distressing dyspeptic symptoms, stomachic pains, fulness at the pit of the stomach, abdominal distension, and overcome both capricious appetites and confined bowels—the commonly accompanying signs of defective or deranged nervous power. Holloway’s Pills are particularly recommended to persons of studious and sedentary habits, who gradually sink into a nervous and debilitated state, unless some such restorative be occasionally taken.—[Advt.]