LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 3051, 14 August 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The OhrUtehurch Official Assignee advertises that a fiaal dividend of 5s in the £, making 20a in the £, is now payable ia the estate of Dr J. D. Prankish. The Ageat-Geneiral has wired to the Government praising the qualifications of Mr Valentine, who has been appointed dairy expert for New Zealand, especially regarding cheese. Mr Valentine leaves Home immediately for this colony. Captain Edwin telegraphed on Saturday the following prediction — " According to present indications hard gales with rain, generally from the westward, will be prevalent in most parts of the colony, especially south of New Plymouth and E*afc Cape until August 16. " There were crowded congregations both! morning and evening at St. Stephen's Church on Sunday, when the services were conduetod by the Bey E. A. Scott, formerly incumbent of this parish. As an instance of the rev gentleman's popularity no lers than fifteen children wens presented for baptism. During a division in Committee, ontfie Wellington City Bill an incident occurred that provoked much merriment tvnong hon members. Mr Fergus had left the floor of the House, and had apparently joiqeda friend in the Legislative Council gallery. I Presently Mr Buckland directed the attention of the Chamber to the presence of an hon member in the Houss who had not voted—tho member for Wakatipu. All eyes turned to the gallery, whence Mp Fergus, with seeming diffidence that tickled members hugely, caid, *' I have paired, sir." The Chairman ruled that, being in the House, he must vote. " Then I vote with the ayes," said Mr Fergus. But just thare the chairman's ruling was questioned by Mr Rolleston from his seat with uncovered head. Thia was out of order, for oddly enough a member must be covered in addressing tb# chairman under such circumstances; but Mr Bolleston had no hat, which, the merry members quickly perceiving, they chorused, "Order, order." Ifow the rules of the House are more sacred to the leader of the Opposition than any other member, and he looked much concerned at finding himself out of order, until with his usual fertile resource*, Sir John Hall perched his his very small silk hat upon the very big head of his friend and colleague. The House laughed hugely, and for once at least in his dignified career Mr Rolleston waa a ludicrous figure, conscious the while that he must be laughed at or knowingly violate the ! sacred rules of Parliament.

Twenty acr«s in two sections of ten acres each, in reserve 1769, Ashburton'County, have been set aside for village settlement purposes. Both sections are in the Chertsey village settlement and are weighted with the cost of improvements—£ll 53 for fencing in one instance and £24 16s fencing and a dwelling house in the other. Japan has erected at the Chicago Exhibition three remarkable buildings. One will represent Japanese architecture of 800 years ago, and will be wonderfully plain. Anpther will represent the buildings of 400 years ago, and will be plain in design, though slightly more ornate than that of eight centuries ago. la the centre will be a modern building, which will be very elaborate, and will bo finished with most exquisite care and skill. The Colonial Treasurer, who returned to i Wellington from the South on Saturday, is suffering from a swollen kneecap caused by a knock against the iron railing of a railway the carriage when j umpio g on to the platform of carriage at Kakaia station, on his way to Invercargill. Dr Cahill says that a fortnight's rest is necessary. Mr Ward will be able to attend the House, but, as was the case with Sir Julius Yogel in 1884, he will , have to ask permission to address the House ' while seated. The latest discovery about cancer is that it is an organic growth, and almost certainly liable to the attacks of another parasite. A Paris telegram on May 31 reported the Dr Patscheff, a well-known medical man at Moscow, who (claims to have discovered a cure for cancer, will visit Paris at an early date. He is to read a paper on the subject of his cure before the French Medical Academy. His mode of treatment is said to b« very simple, and to consist mainly of baths of sulphur vapours. Dr Patscheff has asserted that he has cured several patients with a course of ten baths each. At the Magistrates' Court, Methven, on Friday, August 11—before Messrs Chapman and Morgan, J.P.'s—several residents were fined Is and costs for cattle at large on the roads.—James Quinn, for refusing to leave the Methven Hotel, was fined £1 and costs. An information against him for abusive language was dismissed, as were also informations tor abusive language and assault against Mrs Nee. Mr Cuthbertson appeared for Quinn. —In Shanks, v Nee judgment was given for the defendant.—ln the cases Stone v Beckett, Nee v Tomlinson, Wrathall v Huston, judgment was given for the plaintiffs. Once upon a time Mr Bracken delighted the House of Representatives by pinging a song, and a somewhat similar incident excited much amusement in the House of Commons* Mr Campbell-Bannerman, in replying to a question as to why the Coldstream Guards Band was not allowed to play "Bouse ye, Ulster ! " said he himself had no knowledge of the song, but the officer commanding the regiment had forbidden it as it had a political significance. Mr W. Johnston excited uproarious laughter, and crie3 of "Sing it," and "Encore," by reciting, with much elocutionary gesticulation, the chorus oi " Bouse ye, Ulster I " to let the Secretary for War know what a loyal song it wag. Another of the country popular concerts wad given on Friday in Greenstreet School. Mr Bowler was chiirrnan, and there was a crowded house, thanks to a good programme and fine weather. The singers were Messrs Broad, Burns, Begg, Fiizzell, Stratford, Rickznan, Shearman, and Burgess ; and Missel Batterick, Rickman, Wiikie, and Vessey.—Misses Rickmin and Wiikie playing the accompaniments. Recitations were given by Miss Shirt elide and Messrs Begg and Stratford, and a very amusing farce by Messrs Burns and Shearman was highly appreciated. Mr Stritford gave a magic lantern entertainment, and there was a recitation competition by tho school children. After an amusing mock law court in which Beveral of the geatlemoa abovenamed took part, the concert closed.