LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 3052, 15 August 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Messrß W. H. Collins and Co. advertise new furnishing goods, garden tools, paperhangings* and timber. Attention is directed to an alteration in the advertisement of Mr William Williamson, who has removed to the premises next door to Mr Hoult's, East street. The banks of the colony have raised the rate of interest on fixed deposits one half per cent all round, so that now the rate of interest for three months is three per cent; for six months, four per cent; and lor twelve mouths, five per cent. At Coalgate yesterday in a case under th« Factories Act, heard before Mr Bishop, R.M., J. A. Mcllraith, proprietor of a brick yard, appealed against the decision of the inspector in declining to give a certificate to a boy under sixteen years who had been engaged to work in the yard. The Magistrate reserved his decision. To-day, August 15, is the fourteenth anniversary of the Ashburton Rifles. Of the names on the first roll of members only two now remain on the active list, viz. :— Captain Dolman and Sergeant Dee. Captain Dolman was from [the first a non-commis-sioned officer—that is, he was among the first batch promoted, and was the first colorsergeant. Sergeant Dee was also an early promotion, but he became a sergeant some y cars after the cotps had been established. The ABhburton Hunt Club's Point to Point Steeplechase will be held on Friday next, and entries must be made with the Secretary at the Commercial Hotel by noon on the day of the race. The fancy dress ball will be hold tha same evening, tickets for which may be had of Mr H. M. Jones, and of the members of the Committee— Messrs G. A. M. Kuckley, R. Curtis, J. C. N. Grigg, S. H. Graves, E. Saunders, F. Russell, P. P. Ciaridge, and Dr. Leahy. The Committee of the Ashburfon Liberal Association has decided to send a telegram to Hon W. C. Walker, asking him to move in the Council for the insertion of a clause in the Electoral Bill giving shearers the same voting facilities as commercial travellers and seamen. The Committee also passed a r< solution that " This Association has no confidence in the Hberalhm which distinguishes between the intelligence and property of the commercial travellers and those of shearers." At a meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council last night a letter was veceived from the chairman of the Hospital Board ttating t&Wtfie charges made by Councillor TAylor at the last meeting of the Council, that a large quantity of stimulants sent to the hospital did not reach the patients, were absolutely untrue. Cr lnylor adhered to his statement, and made further charges against the institution, and on his motion a resolution was carried regretting that the Board's published accounts should have been compiled in such a manner as to be misleading to the public as to the actual expenditure in medical comforts. The '• Melbourne Argus " has the following complimentary notice of the Bank ot New Zealand in its commercial column :— " The continued recovery shown by the Bank of New Zealand since the re-settlement of its affairs gome three or four years ago is decidedly in favor of the principle of banking reconstruction as the best possible expedient for tiding over a time of exceptional difficulty. The Bank of New Zealand has up to date accumulated a new reserve fund of £45,000, inclusive of a transfer of £10,000, j recommended by the board to the shareholders for their approval at the annual meeting to be held in London. The dividend for the past year is at the rate of 5 per cent, aud absorbs £45,000, half of which was paid ou February 3 last. The paid-up capital of the bank ,i 3 £900,000, and the reserve liability of the shareholders is £1,500,000. The steadily growing prosperity of New Zealand is proving a safer basis for banking business than the borrowing and booming of flome years ago. The Bank of New Zealand, throughout the troubles which it successfully surmounted, w<u> supported by the practical sympathy and loyalty <?f the colonists, in a rare degree. Panic influents neverprevailed in New Zealand."