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Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1281, 6 July 1886, Page 2

In the House of Representatives last night the Counties Bill passed through Committee and was reported with numerous amendments at 2 o’clock this morning. The nature of the various amendments may bo ascertained on reference to our Parliamentary column, Wo notice that Messrs Ivess and Wa'ker took a prominent part in the debate* but Dig former gentleman was disappointed in I his effort to exempt Town Districts from the jurisdiction of County Councils. He sue* cccded, however, in introducing a clause to give any County Council power to contribute from the general funds of the Council money that may bo necessary for checking the spread of noxious weeds.

The Dunedin City Council have decided to resist the claim made by the husband of Mrs Finch, killed by the blasting accident. The compensation so far paid amounts to £1762, and the total amount, independent of Finch’s I claim, is not expected to exceed £2OOO.

A petition to the Governor is in course of segnature by ratepayers of the Hakatere Town District praying His Excellency not to allow the name of the district to be changed from Hakatere to Hampstead. Correspondence and, i leading matter on the subject are crowded out of this issue.

Owners are reminded that nominations for the third meeting of the Ashburton Coursing Club close at the Central Hotel this evening.

Notice appears in the Gazette that Reserve No 1769, near Chertsey, has been set apart apart for a village special settlement, and it is also announced that the same reserve has been withdrawn from the small area leasing system.

A gentleman in Edinburgh, acknowledging the receipt of a frozen lamb from Timaru, gives some information regarding the prospects of the frozen meat trade, and we extract the following from the Timaru Herald as of interest: —“ The fact is that the prejudice which existed hero for so long against New Zealand mutton is fast dying out. The cooperative stoic now supplies it to its customers, and at least one butcher advertises regularly that he will supply it. The price would appear, however, to be about 2d a pound under the price of Home Mutton, and there is thus a distinct margin for possible improvement or net result to growers supposing prices otherwise remain where they are. You have already found in New Zealand I see, a distinct improvement in the not price obtained. I think you may count upon a steady and gradual appreciation of the meat hero. I think all that can bo done is being done to open up the trade, and could not advise you to risk money in developing it on your own

account. The market is so vast that the moment you pass the point where prejudice vanishes oven in a comparatively limited area (and that point must bo nearly reached now) i here will be an outlet for all sheep that a cUzc-u New Zcalands can produce. Keep up the quality. That is the real thing to do, and let each shipper look well to his brand. Then just as the champagne or claret sell in virtue of tho ‘ growth ’ and ‘ vintage,’ so will your muiton bo known by its brand.’, A tender has boon accepted by tho Public Works Department for a section of the Otago Central Railway, which is expected to give work to sixty unemployed.

Tho United Fire Brigades have accepted the invitation of tho Dunedin Brigade to hold the next demonstration of the Brigades in Dunedin, and the southern brigade have umhriaken tho task of making the necessary

The Mayor of Christchurch has decided to call a meeting to consider what steps shall be taken towards affording relief to the distress Occasioned by Iho recent eruption in tho North Island. Sir Julius Vogel advised him that Government will only relievo urgent cases of distress, and private benevolence must do the rest.

A decision was given by the Dunedin Resident Magistrate yesterday in a peculiar ease, where the Harbor Board sued fora harbor improvement rafo on horses shipped. The Board’s by-laws only provide for charging for goods by measurement or weight. The horses were charged by measurement, which with their legs extended, made them equal to two tons, His Worship thought that mode of measurement unsatisfactory, and allowed one ton for each horse.

An inmate of tho Hospital named Peter Copeland, died from consumption last evening.

At the 11. M. Court this morning before Mr 11. Friedlander, J.P. Patrick O’Connor was brought up charged with assaulting his wife, Mary Ann O’Connor. The case was remanded until to-morrow.

Our Mount Somers correspondent writes— Messrs Bignall and Co. are well forward with their contract for tae railway extension, trucks arc now brought across the bridge. The statioumoster's house and two other cottages are almost entirely completed, and the frame of the station is erected. Farmers are busy skimming their fields prior to spring ploughing. A now porch is being added to the Mount Soin r v: j’.joi. Among the passc-v- , Janet Niooll

avrived at Auckland was Mr T. Bell, the gentleman to whom t’n Premier referred in his speech on the Kermadec Islands as having resided lor many years on .Sunday island. The steamer is to call at the group for tho purpose of landing Mr 8011, who intends to form a company to develop the resources of Sunday Island.

A lire on board the steamer Glenelg, at Auckland yesterday, caused by the explosion of a gangway kerosene lamp, was discovered by lads last-night, and suppressed before any serious damage was done.

Tensors have been called for launching the Wallabi, which ia ashore near Greymouth. She was surveyed yesterday by Captains Turnbull and Allardyco, who pronounced her uninjured. The cargo of coal ia being jettisoned.

An enterprising Maori at tho recent gathering at Parihaka set up tho popular game of chance, “ bird on the wing,” and drew £OS from the pockets of his dusky brothers and sisters. We hear that he presented tho wholeamount to Te Whiti, so ns to help the latterin defraying the cost of tho food eaten at the meeting. The generous Maori ia a resident! of Mangahona, and goes by the nautical name of ,l Skipper.”

Vestiges of a former ago are (says the Wmtiwt Times) frequently being met with during the quarying operations at Cape Foulwind. Recently a Maori adze was brought to light, and a few days ago a skeleton was discovered in a limestone cavo. The appearance and structure of tho bones leads to the

The resignation ol his commission by [ Lieutenant J. H. Clayton of the Quards is gazetted.

The subject of the meeting of the Debating Society to be held to-morrow evening is Land Natibnalizition.”

The Land League at Oamaru, which has been formed to support the resumption of land, as proposed by Sir George Grey, |haa commenced to receive the names of those requiring land andj.the extent Jof land they require.

The usual quarterly meeting of the Star 0 Ashburton Lodge, U.A.0.D., was held in the Arcade Chambers last evening. There was a large attendance of members. After the usual business > ihad been transacted, Bro Beckingham, D.P.,lJwith' BtoKaitb, P.D.P. of Timaru, installed the following officers for the ensuing • term :—P.A.D., Bro Wall! A.D., Bro Steele; V.A., Bro Pauling; Seoro- | tary, Bro' Ward; Treasurer, Bro Potter ; 1.G., Bro Hughes; 0.G., Bro Brown; A.B.’a Bros Clark and Pickford, senr,; V.B.’s, Bros Spicer and Jeff; Minute Secretary, Bro Norrish; Auditors, BrosiUndrill and Salek. The ceremony of installation having' been concluded, the D.P. presented Bro Nokes with a P.A. diploma, accompanying

the presentation with a suitable* speech, Bro Nokes responding in appropriate terms. On behalf of the Lodge Bro Potter presented P.D.P. Bro Keith with a very handsome picture, “ Loch Earn,” as a mark of the esteem and regard in which the recipient is held. Bro Keith feelingly responded. The meeting of theXodge was followed by a banquet.

A curious chemical phenomenon was, according to a science contemporary, lately disclosed in Paris. It appears that a celebrated Parisian belle, who had acquired the habit ol whitewashing herself, so to speak, from the soles of her feet to the roots ol her hair, with chemically-prepared cosmetics, one day took a medicated bath, and, on emerging from it, she was horrified to find herself as black as an Ethiopian. The transformation was complete, not a vestige of the “supreme Caucasian race ” was left. Her physician was sent lor in alamr and haste. On his arrival he laughed immoderately, and said, “ Madame, you are not ill; you are a chemical product, You are no longer a woman, but a ‘ sulphide.’ It is not now a question of medicinal treatment, but a simple chemical reaction] I shall subject you to a bath of sulphuric acid, diluted with water. The acid will have the honor of combining with you, it will take up the sulphur, the metal will produce a ‘ sulphate,’ and we shall find as a ‘precipitate’ a very pretty woman.” The good-natured physician went through with his reaction, and the belle was restored to her membership with the white race.

The monthly meeting of the Winslow District School Committee was held in the schoolroom on Saturday last. Present— Messrs Drennan (Chairman), Molvor, Hayman, Grace, and Bellamy. Messrs A, Wilson and F. M. Foster were elected to the two vacant seats upon the Committee. Correspondence was read from the Board of Education with regard to gymnastic apparatus, and also enquiring as to whether the school had a library. It was decided in reference to the latter to reply that there was no library in connection with the school, and that the Committee did not see their way to establish one. The Master reported that the number on the roll was 39, and that the average for the past week was 29 6. The report also stated that the Inspector paid his annual surprise visit on June 30. The Secretary was instructed to write to the AshburtonJEoad Board, and request that a footbridge be placed over the water race on the Vrinalow-Mount Somers road, as it was now impossible to cross. Mr P. M. Foster was elected Chairman of the Committee for the remainder of the year in place of Mr Drennan, resigned, and the Committee adjourned.

The returns of land in "cultivation in the colony are published in the current number of the Gazette, together with a comparison of the results of last season with the preceding one. We find that the increase in the total number of holdings over one acre in extent has been 1946, the increase in freehold being 1*201; rented, 704; and part freehold and part rented, 44. The extent of land broken up but not under crop is greater than in 1885 by 59,946 acres, while the amount of land under wheat has decreased by 96,152 acres, with a total estimated yield of 2,624,492 bushels. The extent of land under oats for green food or hay shows an increase of 12,287 acres, but that under oats for grain has decreased 25,306 acres, which it is would have produced 3,756,747 bushels. Barley shows a decrease in acreage of 5100, and in yield, 302,190 bushels. The area under potatoes is greater by 3475 acres, but the production is estimated to be 9751 tons short of that of 1885, Turnips and other crops not specified also show a decrease, and the total number of acres under crop exclusive of land nnder grasses deoreasedjby 147,748.

The famous volcano of Kilauea, in the Sandwich Islands, is again threatening. On the Ist June a very bright reflection was seen shining up from the crater, which lighted up the whole chasm and surroundings, -and on investigation it was found to from molten lava. The manager of the volcano house reports that the place where the volcano has broken is to the right of Halemaumauj proper, from one of the holes which has been emitting heavy columns of smoke for the .last two months. The molten lava, being a little below the edge of the rent, could not be] plainly seen; The opening, which was only four or five feet in diameter, has increased to about 50 feat. The reflection is plainly seen from the volcano house, and it appears to be very steady. One of the guides, an authorityl(on\volcanio’aotion, says the fire is too great to disappear again, and he is confident of an increase.

Soma recently published articles on

; “ Society in St. Petersburg” have attracted great attention in Paris, according to a correspondent of the Daily News :—“ According to Oount.'Paul Vassali (the£anthor),|tho Czar is not a popular sovereign; that is to say, he is powerless to excite the enthusiasm of the masses. He is, above all, frank, honest, and straightforward, but lacking deplorably in regal qualities, being shy, diffident, end afraid of being brought under the influence of interested people. He wastes his energies in bureaucratic details, has bound himself round with red tape, and is unable to form a rapid judgment on anything. Ho is behind the age, and is ignorant of his country’s needs. A sort of Chinese wall separates him from all who could inform him of the wishes of his people, and of the reforms which the Government is in need of. With tall his defects, he is gifted with a sound judgment, is a sincere patriot, and has the dignity of true honesty. He will resolutely, should ooaasion offer, defend the national honor, and will never bend before his enemies. In the Afghan question he showed a strength of ■will, we are told, which surprised everyone, especially because it was unsuspected. He would have gone to war had the necessity been apparent, and he will go to war without hesitation if it Kn In InfAVAof If