LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 3082, 19 September 1893, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There aie thirty-two cases of measles en [ board the steamer Jroya at The prosecution of the directors and officials of the Mercantile Bink has begun. It is reported that the Indian Government-, are issuing £5,000,000 of Treasury bills, At the Auckland Charitable Aid Board a Setter was read from Inspector Hickson, who desired to have nine children placed in Industrial Suhools through the neglect o* parents. The Chairman said that the Bsard were paying £1000 a year for the maintenance of children. The Board could no) stand increasing the expenditure which should be borne by the consolidated revenue Fresh legislation was necessary to punish parents who shunted their children on the Board. The Bjard decided to opposed the action of the, inspector, j The enormous profits accruing from a successful illustra<ed journal are suggested by the results of a sale the other day at the Mart. Sir" J. Whittaker Ellis was the auctioneer. It appears that the executors of the Hon A. G. Tollemache had put on the market Nos. 197 and 108, Strand. These premises, leased to the proprietors of the "Illustrated London News," were now bought in by them for £20,000. No. 194, Strand, now occupied by the "Daily Graphic," was bought by the proprietors for £11,650. In Maorilard, nowadays, an economical I Government lets out the back of postage stamps for advertising purposes. The gummed eide of the stamp (says the " Bulletin ") doesn't hold ink very well, and if you lick it too carefully the advt. comes off. Recently a patient, while waiting his tata to sea a doctor concerning some chest affection, employed himself abstractedly in linking a stamp ard putting it on a letter. Then he was called in and promptly instructed to put out his tongue. He did so, ani oo it the doctor deciphered with some difficulty, printed backward in blue ink, the word* ' • Stop that cough ! Use -, 's pectoral." Then the doctor sized him up as a particu " larly offensive bagman in the drug business, and rushed him downstairs into the street with violence and actionable language. Miss Braddon has turned upon her re viewers at last. In some notes on " Furniture in Fiction" in"Silas Journal," she declares that there is perhaps no subject; in which the superior critic and the average novel reader are more widely opposed than in their appreciation of detail in fiction. The critic considers all still life in a Hovel as superfluous and impertinent; he cannot tolerate on occasional page devoted to buhl cabinets (Mr Sala himself would say boule cabinet 3), Indiau dcapories, Dresden china, and Axminster carpets. He perceives innate vulgarity in the writer who expatiates on the rich surround nga of a millionaire commoner, or who tries too conscientiously to paint the rural manor house, the nobleman's Elizabethau mansion, the snug and well- j formed rectory, or the shabby Bloomsbury lodging. All this bore 3 and angers the fin,-de-sieclo reviewer. This is not literature, he declares. Miss Braddon is of a different opinion, and she quotes Homer, Richardson, Misa Austea, and Balzac in support of hep view.

It ia stated that the Powers interested ia j Samoa have decided to transport Mataafa to the Marshall Group. I At a meeting of the Auckland University Council on the motion of Miss Edgar, Professor Aldjs' engagement was extended for six months, Sir M. O'Rourke being the only dissentient. Mr McKellar declined to vote. Rumoura have been current that tke New South Wales Government intended to make further appointments to the Upper House, but at a Cabinet meeting, it was announced that they had no such intention. | Captain Elwin reports that indications show heavy gales, with rain in most parts of the country between September 21 and midnight on September 24. The equinox occurs about midnight on the 21st, The case of blood poisoning and erysipelas, which we mentioned a few week* back, has been successfully treated in the hospital, and the patient, Mr Sturgeon, of' Tinwald, is now convalescent and has left the hospital. On Friday next there will be a social and dance in the Kyle Schoolroom in aid of the School fund, and aa our Kyle frienda have prepared one of those excellent musical programmes for which they are so celebrated, the affair should meet with general support. The latest development of newspaper enterprise is a return of the old coaching days. It appears that the proprietors of the "Weekly Telegraph," a Sheffield journal, have arranged to run a coach to be called the " Weekly Telegraph," three days per week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from Sheffield to Manchester, by way of Ashopton, Snake, and Gloasip. The opening meeting of St Andrews Band of Hope was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Rakaia, on Monday evening, the Rev. P. J, Riddle presiding. The hall was packed to the door. The chairman st ted briefly the object of the Society, and gave a short address. Ac excellent programme of recitations, songs, etc., was gone through and several hymns were sung and at the close ot the meeting a number signed the pledge. The opening ruin of the Ariel Bicycle Club takes place to-morrow. The Club will assemble at the post office at two o'clock, and, after the usual opening ceremonies, will proceed to Tinwald, where the Club's road race will start. Unattached riders are invited to take part in the run. The following are the handicaps for the road race— F. Clarkson, scr.; J. Forbes, 4mins ;£. J. Craighead, smins; A. Craighead, 7mins; J. Wilson, 7mins; A. MacKay, lOuiins j C. Henry, lOmins; J. Burn?, 13mins. Mr Uenniker Heaton, M.P , has done a service, by a letter he has written to the papers, letting this little cat out of the bag, viz: —Don't register your letters, but post them without prepaying the postage ; but mind and enclose the 2d they will be surcharged to your correspondent; The G.P.O. will take every care that your letter is delivered safely to the right addre3B, for the sake of the 2(3, and you will save » penny. The anniversary services in connection with the Wesleyan Home Mission and Church Extension Fund of New ZeaHnd were held at Ashburton and surrounding districts'ou Sunday last. The Rev. C. E. Beecrof t, of Timaru, preached three sermons, and is holding a series of meetings during kthis week. Cn Monday evening a large and enthusiastic meetiug was held at Willowby. ihis evening at eight o'clock a public meeting is to be held in the Baring square Church, when addi esses will be given by Mr Beecrof I; and olhera. Mr Beecrofb has a considerable reputation as a speaker, and on mission work is able to Epsak from experience The Gnirlay-Walton company's " line " k laughter, and for those who go to the theatre to be amused, their bill cf fare ie sure to bo the right thing They open on Thursday in the Oddfellows' Hall in 11 Skipped by the Lighbbf the Moon," which has been described by an Auckland contemporary as a very skilful combination oi highly farcical comedy, clever burlesque, and elevated variety entertainment,.with a constant supply of airy and lively music. There is not much of plot, but what little is lends itself to fun, and the laughter begins within five minutes of the curtain's rising and never stops. The two principals are highly spoken of as entertainers. Mr Gourlay toured New Zealand many years ago as a member of " The Gourlay Family;" the rest of the company we believe are strangers. Mr Gourlay is described as a comedian of ineffable humour, and Mr Walton is also excruciatingly funny, and moreover ia a remarkable dancer.