LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 3034, 25 July 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Twenty members of the House have yet i to air their oratory m the shape of Budget speeches, so that the financial debate is not expected to close until Friday. Measles have much to answer for. From a Southland paper we leatn that the Birchwood Hunt Club bad to expunge the meet at Want wood from their list of fixtures, owing to an outbreak of measles at the latter ' place. Threepence halfpenny per gallon is now the price paid for milk supplied to the Woodlands Dairy Factory Company, Southland. The Directors have also declared a dividend of eight per cent to the shareholders. V , The American Salesman's levee m the Oddfellows" Hall on Wednesday evening will take the form of an entertainment, not a sale, and he advertises the engagement of a special company of artistes for the occasion. The sixth country " people's popular concert" will be held m the Eiffelton schoolroom on Wednesday evening. For the evening's entertainment, besides an abundance of musical talent, there will be a number of magic lantern views and a plumpudding eating competition. The Mayor of Christchurch introduced another of his so-called reforms m the Christchurch City Council on Monday evening. He moved for the passing of a by-law to compel all newsboys and news runners m the stree' sto be licensed. The motion could only get a pro forma seconder, and fell to the ground. The New Zealand Cyclists' Union are making an attempt to grapple with the color difficulty amongst cyclists. To this end their energetic secretary, Mr Walter Thomson, has compiled a registered color book foi the Union, m which nearly 4000 distinctive colors have been arranged and printed. EaOh competitor will be required to register his color, and must wear a silk or satin jacket, long sleeves, plain white knickerbockers, and black socks or stockings. By these means uniformity of costume will be secured, and the public wi 1 be enabled easily to distinguish one competitor from another m cycle tacing. To-night the direct veto war will be renewed m our local Bunnymede the Oddfellows' Hall, when Mr T. E. Taylor, another champion of the direct veto cause, will reply to the lecture of Mr W. W. Collinß delivered m the same hall last Tuesday evening. The promoters of this meeting invite—nay urge—all and sundry to attend this 1 lecture, at the close of which discussion will take place,— " reasonable discussion siys the advertisement —and a vote. In the last there seems to be a challenge thrown out to the other aide to a trial of strength. If the challenge should be accepted the result will be interesting. A Wellington telegram says :—With reference to the statement published m the colony, accredited to Sir William Jervois, that the Atkinson Government m 1887 had under consideration the question of offering a portfolio to the Hon W. P. Beeves, the Hon Mr Mitchelson writes to the "Press" denying it, and says :— " I have no hesitation m sayiug there is no truth m it. I was m the late Sir H. Atkinson's confidence from the beginning, and among the names of those considered that of Mr Beeves was never mentioned. It is, of course, possible that Sir William Jervois may have suggested something of the sort to Sir H. Atkinson, but if so it could never have been entertainsd by h:m." Dr Grace writes to the '* Press " as follows ;—Sir William Jervois was strongly of the opinion that it would be wise for Sir Harry Atkinson to offer Mr W. P. Reeves a seat m the last Ministry. Sir Harry, after his first interview with the Governor, called on me to ask me to help to disabuse Sir' William Jervois' mind of this idea. Advance programmes and news notices have reached qb of .Fitzgerald Brothers' circus, now performing m Sydney. The circus will close m Sydney about the end of this rronth, and immediately thereafter start for New Zealand. We should have a visit from it about September or October. The Sydney " Bulletin,'' writing on July 8, has the following characteristic chat about a change m the programme :—Fitzgerald Brothers' circus aw some more new programme this week, and the business m the region down by the Sydney Benevolent Asylum is good. A prospective sensation is a kangaroo-hunt, which is m active preparation, and will be put on as soon as the kangaroo has learned his part, and can be relied upon not to turn upon the firm m anger and rend it with his hind claw. Pa massive kangaroo lands his back olaw just where jt would be most effective, it generally wrecks so muoh of the defendant's anatomy that his digestion is exposed. Captain W. E. Humphreys, who describes himself on the card as" elephant subjugator" — what's the matter with " hywna paralyser,'' or M bison petrifier ? " —is training Fitzgerald's lions to various exercises, and they and the if su^Jugatop " will probably make a joint appearance next Saturday, Work is proceeding vigorously m Baring Square west. This is aspo 1 that has been i much neglected m the past, ri the uiievfn j eharagter of the ground, overgrown with rank grass and other vegetable growths that would have made the hair of the fpamer of the Noxious Weeds Bill stand on end, all tended to make the Western Square any? thing but a beauty spot, Now, however, Mr Fooks evidently means business and the borough staff are working at the square '•eyes but," levelling down and up its many inequalities with a view to providing a nice lawn m the centre and a shrubbery border all round the margin. A short time ago a fence uniform with that round Baring Square east was erected all round, and when the work inside the enclosure has been completed, and the " thistly curse repealed " of the land the men are engaged upon, the coming Spring and Summer shoiild bring to the square a sweet and cheerful appearance that ought to be refreshing to everybody, but especially tQ the members of the Borough Council, more especially those of them who pride themselves on punctuality m attending at the proper time for opening business—7.3o p.m. To sucli members tfce improved Bquare will afford a pleasing prospect for the eye to rest on, as the patient punctual ones stand and gaze upon it on the Sumwet flyfjnjngs, waiting for the laggards to come m an 4 make fhs indispensable quorum.