Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 1, 1893. LQCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2961, 1 May 1893, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 1, 1893. LQCAL AND GENERAL.

A notice in another part of this issue announces that Mr J. 0. Bell, late Deputy Official Assignee in bankruptcy for Ashburton, has joined the commercial staff of the Ashburton Publishing Company. rlh fl present is a convenient opportunity to mention that the columns of the Mail and | Guabdian will shortly be much improved in contents and appearance, arrangements having been made to largely increase the space devoted to news and literary matter. Articles referring to agriculture, and other topics of interest to our readers, together with serials and short stones, will be published regularly, adding many columns of reading matter to the paper daily. The proprietary has felt for some time past that the advertisements were encroaching upon ' the news space, and the largely increased circulation now warrants the above course being taken in the interest of readers. The present state of affairs renders it impossible for the (jlovernment to consider the case of Scott, lying under sentence of death for the Waikomaiti murder, and it will probably be thflstatter end of next week before it is discussed. A youth named Whitney Griffiths was shot dead at Blenheim on Thursday. He jumped from a window with a loaded gun in his hand to shoot a bird, the concussion of the jump caused the gun to explode, and the charge lodged in his forehead. At a meeting held at Christchutch on Friday evening, a motion was passed pressing upon the Government the necessity, in j view of the scarcity in Canterbury of Crown lands suitable for tillage, the taking of steps to reclaim the EUesmere lake lands and render them available for agricultural purposes. The female Orange Lily Lodge, No. 5, held their usual monthly meeting in the Orange Hall on Thursday last. The Lodge was opened indue form by the President, Sister Bennett. Two ladies were proposed for membership. The usual routine busiueas being done, the Lodge closed until the last Thursday in May. On Saturday at the R.M. Court, South Rakaia, Aaron Withell was charged before Messrs Hardy and Oxley with committing an assault on his son Richard on Friday evening. Accused pleaded not guilty. Evidence was given by Mary Withell, wife of Richard Withell, that the assault had been committed, and that accused had bitten the thumbs of both wife and son, and that ha was continually drunk. Accused was sent to gaol for fourteen days, and a prohibit iou order issued against him for twelve months to have effect in the South Rakaia licensing district. On March 10, in tlie Queen's Bench Divi sion of the High Court of Justice, Lord Justice Bowen, sitting without a jury,settled a lawsuit between the Bank of New Zealand and the London Bank of Mexico and South America. The former institution complained that the defendant bank had not accepted a draft of the Hon W. H. Keynolds for £15 000, and sought to recover damages. The correspondence, both by letter and telegram, was read, as well as evidence taken on commission in Ounedin and Lima. At the conclusion of the arguments of counsel, the Court gave judgment for the plaintiffs for £15,000, with interest from due d*te of the bill, December 19,1891, at 4 per cent Execution was stayed till the first day of next sitting, with a view to consider an appeal. At Marton, the other day Mr Brabanti R.M., imposed fines totalling £176 with costs on sly-grogsellera, their aiders and abettors, eveu the " bit servant lassie " of sixteen being fined 20s; in default, seven days' imprisonment. The principal offenders, a family named Finlay, are supposed to have left the colony. The Paraekaratu Express publishes columns of description of the Court proceedings, of hostile demonstrations made by the public towards the "informers " Gough and Southerland, and of the*dramatic scenes in court as one of the accused, in affectionately bidding farewell to his wife and child, declared that he would rather «• do ten years than the informers should gain one penny of his money by his conviction." The teacher* of the Sydeaham school met on Friday afternoon to present Mr W. Brock, who is leaving for Hampstead, with a handßome bronze lamp and & paic of field glae«es. The presentation was made by Mr J, Forrester, a member of the Committee, who apologised for the absence of the Chairman, Mr E. Jones. He expressed the deep regrot of both. Committee <*nd teachers at Mr Brock's departure, and wished him every success in his new school. Mr J. Baldwin, the head master, alaa expressed his sorrow at losing go able an assistant, Mr Brock suitably repHed. Master Rupert Burnham, on behalf of the pupils of Standard V. and VI,, presented Mr Brock with a silver mounted ebony walking-stick, accompanied with a suitable address. After the recipient had thanked cbe boys, they called for three cheers for him, which were heartily given. The London correspondent of the Auck* land "Herald" writes:—"Do you know any Australian heiress with £19,000 a year, and over a quarter of a million cash ? I have not heard her name, but she has coutrived to create a sensation over here, or rather an unknown ' colonel,' who claims to represent her, has done so for her. This gentleman has addressed a communication to Lord Teynharo, an irascible septuagenarian peer, bringing under his notice that a splendidly endowed young lady desires alliance with a man ot title. Lord Teynham did not geceive the pioposal in a gracious spirit. So far as he himself is concerned he is married already ; but possibly the agent or the young lady, or both, had an idea that the son and heir—a young gentleman of six and twenty, might be more susceptible : for the heiress is described as possessing an irreproachable character, personal attractions, and as being amiable and highly accomplished. Lord Teynham has been ungallant enough to publish the gist of this splendid offer in the columns of the press, in order, as he says, to give ' men of title' who are in search of a wife the opportunity he declines himself. Iho » colonel' has not taken the disclosure kindly, but has neyortheless stuck to his guna. He evinces no false shame, but rather poses as a benefactor of ' poor famileapf title.' He declares that great English a»d Continental houses have been indebted to such marriages for their wviQur— firepdoro from debt,'' 1

Mr W. WuoldiMgo advertises that he in again in Ashlnu'ton on one of his periodical piano tuning visit*. The third fortnightly paj-ments to the Asljbu'Uin Industrial Building Society are due to-night at the secretary's office, from 7 to 8.30 Directly the weights for the Anhburton Racing Club's Autumn Meeting appeared, Mr B.uanh wrote scratching Foresight for all her engagements. The members, of the Kennedy Faunt'eroy Dramatic »"d Comedy Company passed through to-day by the midday train north. The Company opens here on Monday next, •'A. Tramp, Esq." writing fiom a Ranftitik^i township aaya :—The surrounding district appeals to be peopled principally by Canterbury. In this it is nob singular. Upon the North Island Canterbury eruption her redundant population of farmers' sons, bu«hmen, and navvies—for whom ths^o is ho room on the sheep-covered province-—and pours the living stream alon« this coast, filing up the back bush settlements from Wellington to Taranaki with an industrious, energetic, and thrifty class that must prove a most valuable increment to the wealth and power of the North Island.