Untitled

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 950, 23 May 1883, Page 2

Five candidates have been nominated for the Borough auditorship, and a poll will be taken on the Ist prox.

We would remind those interested that the draws in connection with to-morrow’s coursing meeting take place at the Somerset Hotel to-night.

Major Wilson, of the Waikato, an old settler, died from cancer of the jaw, having sunk under the operation of the doctors for its removal.

We are pleased to learn that the Government has decided to go on immediately with the extension of the Mount Somers Railway, which has been too long delayed. A reference to our advertising columns will show that tenders are called for the work.

We have received a copy of the “ Volunteer Manual,” just issued from the Government press. It is a handy little volume, well printed and strongly bound, and its contents give full particulars concerning squad, company, musketry drill, rifle exorcise, etc. The book is compiled from the latest publications, and should be in the hands of every volunteer. Copies can be obtained at the office of this paper. The funeral of Major Withers took place yesterday, military honors being accorded. The volunteers mustered well, and, with the spectators, 2000 to 3000 persons were present. The coffin was placed on a gun carriage, which was drawn by a detachment of Waiuku Cavalry on foot, under Captain Hamlin, M.H.R. Captain Wildman, Lieut. Potts, and Adjutant Grant represented the Thames Volunteers. A number of the old 65th Bengal Tigers followed in the procession. The force was commanded by Captain Leroy, of the Naval Artillery. Bishop Cowie officiated at the grave. An official inquiry was held yesterday by the Auckland Collector of Customs and Captain Fraser, Nautical Assessor, as to the abandonment of the schooner May Agatha, the crew of which were picked up by the ship.Rangitikei. The evidence of Robert Owens, master of the May Agatha, showed that the vessel was dismasted, and as she had 2£ tons of dynamite on board, there was risk of explosion. She could not float twenty-four hours after abandonment, and was insured for L 2,000 in the Port Madock Insurance Company, and was valued at L 2,500. The master could not tell the value of the cargo. The owner was John Roberts, of Port Madook, ship builder. Thoa. Francis Milman (master of the ship Rangitikei), Hsnry Evans (mate), and Augustus Bartlett (an A.B. of the May Agatha) also gave evidence corroborative of that given by the master of the schooner. The crew of the last vessel, except the mate (Henry Evans), being ail single men, have decided to remain and try their luck in New Zealand. The mate, being married, is anxious to return Home, and with that object in view is trying to obtain a passage by either the Mataura or some other vessel leaving early for London. “ /Hgles,” in the Australasian, says A Sydney litterateur, I am told, reaching his rooms very late one night (having admitted himself with a latch-key) found the house in darkness, a id no lucifers where he sought them. He had an article to write, felt brim-full of brilliant ideas, and groped about in every likely, and many unlikely places, in the hope of obtaining a light, but in vain. He had removed his boots in the hall, so as not to disturb the household, and in his stockinged feet desperately explored to touch eveiy piece of furniture in or on which Fate, in the shape of the parlormaid, might have mislaid the tnatches. Just as he was about abandoning the search, his ears caught the sound of passing footsteps. “Surely,” he mentally said, “ this late wayfarer may peradventure, supply me with a match !” Hastening to the front door, he found that the wayfarer was about twenty paces down the street; yet, in his shoeless condition, he gave chase. The stranger suddenly became aware that a man was rapidly and noiselessly approaching him, gave vent to a yell of terror, and made off at the rate of fourteen miles an hour, dropping en route an excellent umbrella and barrister’s bag, of which the sole contents were a pound of sausages. Next day’s evening journals contained paragraphs headed, “Robbery with Violence,” and one of them an editoral, advocating the lash for the garotter. At a Blue Ribbon demonstration at Wellington on Saturday last, Sir William Fox made an interesting, facetious, and characteristic speech, which he described as intended to “touch them up with a few matters of fact on the drink question.” Seeing so many empty seats, he a-ked where ware the professed members of the various temperance societies in Wellington—they who were fond of wearing medals, and sashes, and blue ribbons when inside their Lodge-rooms with the door locked, but who were so wonderfully shy in showing their colors outside 1 Sir William had walked the whole length of the main street in Wellington without seeing a single blue ribbon as a profession of teetotal faith. Nay, he had seen just one blue ribbon champion—in a tramcar. It was not to the credit of the large number of temperance professors in the city that they did so little to set a bold Christian example to others, by wearing the blue ribbon emblem on their coats, as he did, where it would be a dainty little adornment, and on those other garments worn by lady members of the temperance faith. Sir William said he felt ashamed of so much bashfulness in a good cause. How different was it in the Old Country, where this blue-ribbon disease had infected all ranks of society, and seemed as catching as the smallpox or cholera morbus ! (Laughter.) A temperance sentiment had taken possession of Great Britain ; yet here, in the Empire City of Wellington, they could get only a thinly-attended meeting on a Saturday night. He had addressed an audience of 6,000 persons oh the temperance question in the Free Trade Hall at Manchester; but now be had to tell a small meeting of temperance friends in Wellington that they were too slack in the good cause; that it was their duty to show the.r colors and thereby encou age others to array themselves on the right side in this universal war against the drinking customs of society. •

Mr Isles, manager of the South Pacific Petroleum Company, has returned to.Gisborne from the works. He repprti* the bore down on Friday 160 ft, going well through soft sandstone. The use of pipes has been resumed. The shares (contributing) are tight at 4s; paid up shares are quoted at 8s 6d. This is a description given by the New Zealand Times of a gentleman well-known in this district: —“ Mr Bowron, who has just been appointed by .Government to give instruction in the starting of cheese and dairy factories wherever required in the colony, is a young man of considerable intelligence, who has had experience in the wholesale butter trade in England, and came to this colony three years ago.” We do not know if Mr Bowron will feel flattered at being called a “ young ” man, but it would be interesting to learn at what particular age our contemporary considers that youth departs. For ourselves, we have for some time drawn the line at several years before sixty. A fatal railway accident is reported from Invercargill It appears that while uncoupling a waggon which was being shunted on to Buxton’s siding on the Northern line, on Saturday, a young man named John Tomlinson got thrown down in such a way that a boot was torn from oft one foot, and one of his knees was severely jammed. The injury, at the Hospital, was found to be severe, the joint being laid open and much lacerated. The guard being at the time engaged at the points on the opposite side of the line, so as to let the trucks through, could not see what Tomlinson was doing, and was unaware of the accident in time to take steps to prevent it. On Monday afternoon it was found necessary to amputate the leg at the thigh, and Tomlinson, whose condition was critical from the first, gradually sank and died the same night. An inquest is probable. “ Yoltigeur,” writing in this morning’s Timaru Herald of the Grand Na ional Meeting, which takes place to-morrow, says:—“l was on the course yesterday, and fancy the going will be semewhat holding. It was deeper than I expected to find it, and at the end of four miles it will be a case of ‘ bellows to mend,’ and want of condition will tell its tale. The fences are pretty well known, and cannot by any means be called too big for aspirants to Grand National honors. The sod wall (you could not call it a bank) has been removed, and a niceish gorse fence substituted. The stone wall opposite the stand remains, and a very nice fair wall it is—about 4ft Sin. There is only one innovation —a park-paling fence with a sft ditch on the taking off side—an importation from Melbourne, I believe. The fence is a goodish height, but it is a bad color for the horses to see ; still, if a horse stands off well and does not gat too close under it, there is nothing in it. It is a fair hunting obstacle, but may to morrow bo productive of a little refusing on the part of horses and jocks not accustomed to such impediments. The cap rail of the second fence from home is more like a telegraph wire, and should be replaced by another. On the whole the course has evidently been laid out with great pains, and although it will be rather heavygoing, there is nothing that I can see to stop a horse of the class we look for tomorrow.” It will be seen from our advertising columns that the Railway Department has made special arrangements for visitors to Timaru from Ashburton. Holloway’s Pills.— The sudden changes, frequent fogs, and pervading dampness sorely impede the vital functions and conduce to illhealth. The remedy for these disasters lies in some purifying medicine, like these Pills, which is competent to grapple with the mischief at its source, and stamp it out without fretting the nerves or weakening the systeml Holloway’s Pills extract from the blood al, noxious matters, regulate the action of every disordered organ, stimulate the liver and kidneys, and relax the bowels. In curing chest complaints these Pills are remarkable effective, especially when aided by friction ol the Ointment on its walls. This double treatment will ensure a certain, steady, and beneficent progress, and sound health will soon be re-established.—Advt.