Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1893. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 3109, 20 October 1893, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1893. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

" Kinderspiel" again to-night. At the R.M. Court this morning, before Mr Alfred Harrison, J.P-, a first offender was convicted and discharged on a charge of drunkennesi. The " Gazette" contains a notification that the Hon Mr Ward ia now Minister in charge of the Marine Department in place of Sir P. Buckley. The weather in Bisbane ia very hot, and the thermometer recorded 101 in the shaae on October 18, the highest temperature reached since 1887. A heavy gale was experienced in Sydney on October 18. The storm commenced afc Albany, and passed Tasmania, having travelled 2000 miles in forty-eight hours. A warning has been sent to New Zealand where the storm may be expected to break shortly. Mr Smalley has been describing an incident in one of his London letters, which tends to confirm, he says, the theory now strongly held that Mr Gladstone is immortal. He was at Dollia Hill from a Saturday to Monday, and his physician, Sir Andrew Clark, had been invited to meet him. Sir Andrew arrived shortly before dinner, saw Mr Gladstone, thought him looking white and tired, and proposed a walk. "Yes," said the Prime Minister, and they left the house together. When the old man's foot touched the turf and a breath of the open air had filled his lungs, he turned to Sir Andrew and said "Why not make it a run 1 " and off he went. He will be 84, Mr S>nalley reminds his readers, in December. They tell a good, and probably true story from Pontypridd, where Welshmen congregate for the Eisteddfodd. It seems that some ignorant Englishman or Scotsman addressed a telegram " Jones, Pontypridd." Some thousands of Joneses are still fighhing for this message. Ie is odd that the most imaginative population in these Islands have invented so few surnames. " Have you a corporal here," asked an enquirer at the barracks gate at Welshpool, "called Evans?" " Sir, we have no corporal in the regiment who is not called Evans " It is currently reported that when private Jones was ordered to fall out of the ranks of the same regiment, three hundred and thirty-three full privates obeyed the command. A meeting of the United Friendly Societies Demonstration Committee was held in the OddMiowe' Chambers on Tu-siay evening. Da'rgates were present from the Druid?, Foresters, find Oldfe'lowu. Th-3 foilowiup; _ appointments were umcJe:—Ohafraian, MrG T. Neiil; Treasu'er, Mr J imes Biker; Seoretarj, Mr Arthur Pateraon ; Assi-stsnt.Secretary, Mr P. O'Connor. I; was decided that the Dai omtration be held on December 18, and 'he Seer tiry was instructed to a* p'y to the Djmiin Board for the use of the Djinain on hit day for the purpose of holdin] the sporlF. It w-is decided to include bicycle racts, fjot races, swimming races, fira brigade compelitioi s, etc., in the program-Be, whioh a com-!, rrufctee was appointed to draw up and subaji to a general meetieg. I was decided that a monster prccaasion prccedo 'he ?ports, and (o wiod up the day with a grand united Fiiendly Sjcieties' social. Is is expected that abour six or seven hundred members will take part in tho p-ocssslon. The " Leader ;> leports that on last Monday evening delegates from various branches of the Direct Veto Association assembled in Temukaand selected tho Rev George Barclay as the Temperance can,ildate for the district of Prtreora. A deputation of the delegates waited on Mr Twomey at about eleven o'clock at night, and informed him of the result. Mr Twomey said jhe was fully prepared for the information, and had made up his mind to retire in favor of the Rev Mr JJarplay. The fact was that during the previous week there was nothing troubling him only the fear that he would be selected by the Direct Veto people as he had realty no|des;.re to contest the election. He hid, however, learned that evening that the Rev George Barclay wjs not a supporter of the present Government and that he had deseribsd bjmseH as an Independent Liberal. That settled the question. No candidate who was not a Government supporter would have his support. He meant now te contest the election to the bitter end on the Government ticket; that ticket must te repre- , aented in the contest, and if no better man could be got to represent jt he would do it.