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Ashburton Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 2446, 28 August 1891, Page 2

The Tasmauian Alinistes of Lands has' announced his public works proposals, which involve a total expenditure of £420,926. Professor Muson's lecture last night on " The J<]ye and the Ear " was largely attended and the whole entertainment quite aa enjoyable as its predecessors. To-night, the public may be reminded, the Professor delivers-what is said to be his best, and is generally his most successful lecture, on "'Love, Courtship, and Marriage."' The admission to this lecture is one shilling—all the others of his course ;ire free. The veteran aboriginal cricketer, Johnny Mullagh, was found dead at Harrow, m the western district of Victoria, on Friday. Mullagh was the principal hat m the famous tetm, of blacks that visited, England some years ago, aim his cricketing powers were known all over Australia. Mullagh had been ■ the mainstay of the Harrow Cricket Club for many years, and of late, though weak and stiff from age and exposure, he was a. keen batsman up to the last. Although he had been ailing for some weeks nothing serious was anticipated. A meeting of shareholders m the Ashburton Working Men's Co-operative Society, Limited, was held on Tuesday evening last. There was a very good attendance of members and as the meeting was agrecab'e, all persons interested, although not members, were admitted." Mr T. Scott occupied the chair. The secret lry intimated that the Society was registered on Ist of August. Fifty-six new ■ applications for shares were received, after which the meeting adjoined for a fortnight, to enable members and others to hecome acquainted with the rules, before the election of the Official Committee. A remarkable freak of nature has been brought to light m this district, says the Wairampa Daily. A settler m Mangamahoe has sent to Dr Hosking a iully developed lamb which he discovered on his property. It is a veritable monstrosity. The body and legs are m themselves perfect, but the head is hardly recognisable as that of a sheep. In: the centre of the forehead is one; large and beautiful eye. Depending from the nose is a miniature trunk, like that of an elephant, whilst two large ears hang from the lower part of the neck. Between the two ears is an orifice serving as a mouth, the whole constituting one of the strangest looking creatures oh earth, r .Writing' of the hurried manner In which Ministers m the House of Commons are obliged to take refreshments, ah English Parliamentary writer says...:—l have seen Mr Salfour take the floor m about three strides, hungrily devour a bun, gulp down a glass of something, and m! aboi.it two strides be back m the House. To see Mr Balfour munch a bun is a study. He is thorough in'everyl ■things' While the bun is m hand it is the main question, and no side issue is suffered to interfere with its absorption int6 the Minister's internal economy. If Mr Balfour Were not so perfectly finished a gentleman his mode of devouring a bun might be pronounced savage. The air of refinement jbhap environs the'man, however, enables one to say that he eats his bun ehthusk astically. One of the best tributes we ("Manawatu Standard ") have heard paid .to the retrenchment policy of the Government is that many residents of Wellington are abandoning the idea of bringing up their youths ; to a life of gilded ease as civil servants, and are enquiring for situations for them m the country where they can gain experience m farming. For years the ambition of proud Wellington parents has been to see their offspring elevated (o a position m the largest wooden building m the world, from whence they could shed the refulgent gleams of intellect over the toilers who provide the needful. ■But such careers only exist m dreamland just ! now, and instead of joining, the ranks of those who " toil not, neither do they spin," the ranks of the producer will be augmented „ the aggregation of population m the towns ' discontinued, and the training of useful members of the community instead of drones will bo the result. The ways of women are past finding out . The ot her clay Sarah Ann went into a draper's shop and asked the price of a plush jacket, ■■ but on hearing the price she simply sighed i and said, "That's too high for me, but put , it m.the window."-"She was courting, and . her inamorata, like herself, was no chicken, • although they billed and cooed and strolled about of a night, lovingly, like two turtle doves, m the sequestered thoroughfares. How it came about will never be known, but a few days afterwards an elderly iran stepped into tho draper's shop, and timidly inquired, "What's the price of that plush jacket m the window V" The price was named. "All right," said he, and it was his, A few evenings afterwards the shopkeeper noticed the loving couple walking past his premises m the moonlight, but what attracted his attention most of all was that plush jacket decorating tho ample proportions of .Sarah Ann. Then it to came him as a revelation, " Put it m the window." , For tfic moment, writes our Melbourne correspondent, the political issue between Munro and Gillies and Shiels and Speight is quite overclouded by the shadow of impending commercial disaster;: Ifot even at the end of 1879 when the "Berry Blight" had brought things to the bedrock did they look so bad as they -do to-day. Hot one tut numbers of conimercial firms who are simply kept going because their creditors are afraid \ that the first move m the direction of pressure will bring them down and so shake I their own position* A wholesale house which ' loses £20,000 by the failure of a retail house is likely io be subjected to great pressure by its bankers who know well enough that m commerce the actual loss, of' £20,000 may force a millionaire i.ito a corner for the moment. Unhappily there are always a few. creditors who put on pressure at these identical times. Their aim is not. to get their money already due but to bring down some big house that they may buy choice' lines at low rates- They of ten succeed. They are on the war path now andhence the difficulties.

Tne Russell Prospecting Company have discovered a find of antimony and traced it for more than a mile. They have taken up a claim" and .paid the Warden £60 for it. The specimens are good, and it is proposed to gat out five tons of ore for treatment. T. Sullivan, the sculler, was entertained at& baurjL^ at Wellington on W-idi c d y evening by'his old comrades of the torpedo orps. Among the visitors were Sir <i. ;Whitmorc, And several members of Parliament. Sullivan statos that he has received no reply lo his challenge to Stansbury to ioiv for the ch.unpi inship of t!ie world, but he is m daily expectation of information. Several new and important mining dia" coveries have been marie at Reefton lately, lodes having been found m the Golden Hill, Wellington, and Pi!grim leases, all situated m the Big River District . A new lode was found m the low level of the Sir Oaarles Russell lease m Painkiller District. It is too soon yet to ascertain the exact value of the finds, but there is good reason to believe them payable. Mining matters m consequence have assumed a brighter aspect. The New South Wales Railway Commis" sioners lately imported some'bogie passenger engines from America, weighing ninety-five tons each, or thirty tons heavier than any before m use m the colony. One of them was sent on a trial run a few days ago and took four days to reach Albury, so many delays taking place through the engines being too vride for the old track and platforms. When the engine did arrive at Albury six wheel spokes shewed signs of giving way, and a complete breakdown took place when thirty miles of the return journey had been covered. As a result of a meeting of fishermen at Dunedin, the .Chairman communicated with the Hou J. G. Ward and the city and suburban members asking that the proposed Bill be not passed, and challenged the correctness of the statement that flounders were getting scarcer.- A reply has been received from Mr J. Mills, stating that the Fisheries Bill cannot come on this.session, but the matter will be dealt with by the Minister by regulation, and most likely the limit will be raised to ten inches. The fishermen are advised to state their case to the Minister. Professor Hutton has been asked to say whether he referred to Otago when he was making his statement, and the Chairman of the meeting offers to prove to him that flounders are more plentiful than ever m the season, speaking from his experience of thirty years. The Literary Society m connection with the- Presbyterian Church devoted its meeting last evening to music. The church was about half filled with members and friends of the Society, and an excellent programme was provided. Mr W. Craighead occupied the chair. The items of the programme were as follows : — Miss Grubb, piano ; Master R. Cullen, violin solo, "The Harp that once," with. variations * Mr Kersall, song, "The meeting of the waters;" Miss Wildsmith, song, "The song that reached my heart;" recitation by Mr Sawle; Mrs Flower, song, "The cricket on the -hearth;" piano duet, Mastei* and Miss Kiile; cornet solo, Mr Tyrreli-Baxter ; Mr C. M. Brooke, song, " Qixi vire j" recitation, i "The wake of Tim O'Hara,";by Mr Potter ; piano selections, Miss Rule; Song, Mr Kersall; Scotch reading* by the Chairman ; violin and piano duet, Master and Miss Cullen ; Mrs C. M. Brooke, song, "Angels ever bright and fair," with " Ye banks ami braes," as an encore; Mr H. G. Flower, song, '' Alice, where art thou V After gome formal business, the meeting closed m the usual manner. At a meeting of the shareholders of the Farmers*' Union Grain,'{[Produce! and Finance Company, held at Christchurch, yesterday, it. was decided that the Company should go into liquidation. Owing to the directors not being able to give: fourteen days' notice, by the articles of the Association the meeting was not a legally constituted one, but the Directors trusted to get an expression ot. opinion from those present as to the reas6ns why shareholders declined to pay up their calls, and an expression of opinion, also, as to what steps the Directors should takes. The balancesheet showed chat the receipts had amounted fco £1358 15s, including £1220 paid up m calls. The working of the store m Manchester street for six months was £659, preliminary expenses were £232, Baylies Bros, on account of land £100, furniture; &c, £45, brokerage £93, then there were incidentals which were necessarily very heavy m connection with the floating of the Coiipany. There was £470 owing to the Company, whose stock-in-trade was estimated at! d|2()o. The liabilities were m respect of "the trade accounts,' £338 ; interest, say £100; shareholders' deposits, £S8 15a ; rent due next month, £40; total liabilities (exclusive of a writ for £261 los issued by Mr Marks) £690. The amountof calls'unpaid was about £1191. The Bank overdraft of the Company was about £50, which was met by a shipment of goods sent away that day. ■ The secretary assumed that the Company had lost £700 during the time it had lem working. Mr Baynes said-he was willing to deal/with the bill m Marks' hands (which was for part of the purchase money of Mr Baynes? property) • but not with the present directors, and after-'the resolution to go into liquidation had been carried, he lodged a protest against the whole proceedings as illegal.