LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 6083, 2 October 1903, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Weathes FoBKCAs'f.-^OaptaJu „ Kdwin wired to-day: Moderate to strong southerly wiiids,. glass rise. - .

Boxing. —It is intended to start an Asfefeurton centre, of the N.Z. Boxing Association at aja .early date.

Vandalism in Tut Doijajln.—The Ashburton Domain Board offer a reward of .£lO to anyone who will give information thafc will lead to the conviction of the person or persons guilty of stealing flowers or plants, damagipg the |;rees or shrubs, or injuring the water fowl In bh§ #omajn.

Person ax.-— Mr A-lex T hcmpson, of "\*/aterton, who has recently disposed of his farm, and also held a clearing sale of hi* personal effects, U leaving the district, and will probably settle in the North Island.—^ Nurse Dennison, who has severed her connection with the Ash'mrton Ilo»pitil, left by the express yesterday morning for her home at Oamaru.

Mortality in Sheep.—A farmer at Wat* erton complained bitterly to a representative of this journal yesterday of the mortality in his lambing flock. Several merino ewes had dropped twins and triplets and had then died, the lambs soon after following; other ewes having dropped their lamfcsi, ,^es/?pfcs(J them, and these also succumbed.

A Dastardly Act.—r't'he bi/iyci^ i^ejQcging to Mr R. Kerr, and which was reportiecj missing on iTednesday evening, has bern found in the lower lake of ihe Ashburton Domain with the handles taken off and the tube screwed out of the pump. Mr Iferi? states that he left the machine, which is practically a new one, outside the CJub at half-past seven on Wednesday evening, and came over to his shop to work. The bicycle was thereat a quarter past ton, but on the owner looking for it Inter, to ride home, he found it was gone. Mr Kerr thinks that it was taken by someone who must ; have kept watch on his movements, as there were qjjjjfcg twenty other machines outside the Club as well as £iis. The police have the matter in hand," an,d' jgs k9B Q c offender will be brought fco jugtice!' '".

Euchre Party.—A very enjoyable progressive euchre party was held at the Fire Brigade station last even'ng' between 6jf£te,on aside teams representing the Fire Brigade and the Ashburton Club, and resulted in a' victory for #ie Brigade by the narrow margin of two games ; Brigade |6, Club 44. The rest of the evening was spent harmonioußly.songs being contributed ijy lA©ut. Baker, Foreman J. Dorm, Fireman IJillgroyfl, M^gerg E, Rudkin and W. Brooking. LJr W." Hartley a recitation, Refreshments were subsequently handed rojjqd,

Write to the New Century Typewriter Co., 117 Colombo Street Cimstcfrurcfo, for catalogue.

Our Supplement.—To-morrow's Guardian will consist of eight pages as usual, the supplement portion being full of interesting matter, with the usual share of notion and articles of scientific moment.

A Forward District. —Gra-s and vegetation generally at Waterton are in a very forward state, much more so than in Ashburton, and in consequence thereof the farmers round about are unusually jubilant.

The Farm Servant Question. ~An essay on " How farm servants may become farmers," by "Coulter," appears on the fourth page of this issue. " Coulter" advocates a Co-operative Land Association, and his views are well worth consideration by the farming community.

STAVBLEt Methodist Chuech. — The tenders for the new Staveloy Primitive Church are all in, and will be submitted to the Church trustees in due course. The building will be 32 x 22 when finished.

Grigg Memorial Committed—The meeting of the Grigg Memorial Committee fixed for to-morrow, has been postponed till Saturday, the 10th inst.

Passed In.—After the Rakaia stock sale yesterday the National Mortgage and Agency Company offered on account of Mr E. Richards, his Beach Fariu, comprising 1,200 acres in the Dane district. The property was bid up to £3 5s per acre, and at that figure was passed in.

The Waterton Hotel. —The Waterton Hotel has had all its windows boarded up. The Waterton residents think there will be some trouble in letting the building, as the township is far too small to run a boarding house, and the hotel is not suited for any other purpose.

Anniversary Febtivai,. —As already announced the Sunday services connected with the Baring Square Sunday school are to be held in the Oddfellows' Hall. The childrens' iinal rehearsal takes place this ..evening, but all interested are reminded that the rehearsal will be held at Baring Square Church, a notice concerning which appears in this issue.

Fishing.—The fishing season opened very auspiciously yesterday. Several members journeyed to the mouth of the Ashburton river, but beyond a stray fish or two, nothing was taken there with the minnow. Just above the traffic bridge Mr Bowman (37) and Mr Church (30) toppod the list with the worm, while at Corbetts' Mr William 3, of the Drug Company, landed 15 with the fly.

The Excelsior Dance.—About 100 couples participated in the Excelsior F. C. Ball la«it evening in the Oddfellows' Hall. Terris 1 *?and discoursed the music, and Mr H. P. Madden, gave his usual satisfaction in catering. " Extras " were played by MiBB V. Johnston, and Messrs Bert Shearman, and I. A- Baigent. The floor was in excellent condition, and the decorations were in good taste. TLe proceedings reflected great credit on the management of the Committee with Mr M, I. Buchanan, the energetic Secretary, at their head.

Alleged Tuef Swindle.—A man named George Wood, recently of Ashburton and formerly of Sydney, was arrested on Tuesday night at Oamaru by Detective Fitzgerald on a charge of theft of £14, money received as dividends at the Geraldine Spring Meeting. It is alleged that accused was given £7 to put on a horse, and that he cleared out with the dividends.

Death by Drownmng.—Yesterday afternoon the b'>dy of Dugald Shaw, formerly a bacon curer, was found lying on the rubWe beneath the sea clilFnear the Dairy Factory, Tjmaru, the death having obviously been caused by drowning, and the body left on the rubble by the tide.. An inquest was held, and 4Q open verdict of "Found Drowned " was returned.

Sons oj> Temperance,—The quarterly meeting of the Helpmate Division was held iv the Templar Hall on Thursday night. Bro. T. S. Kil worth, W P., who presided, was elected as representative to the National Division annual meeting, and Bro. C. Dixon F.S., wns appointed substituto representative. The routine business of the evening occupied only a short time, and at an early hour, members betook" themselves to rejjreafcjqn and refreshment, the former being chiefly ia the jjirecfiion. of a P* n £ Pon£ tournament. The tablo had no, pretensions to regulation size, and, as a whole, there was move fun than skill in evidence during the games. In an interval, whGn, through the hospitality of Bro. Kilworth, membei'3 partoak of gupper, an epidemic of storytelling ensued. la this d<jpartme.nt, tho Worthy Patriarch scored heavily, but was run close by some others. As it is intended to give greater prominence to the social element at the "Division's meetings, the ofilcbrs'hQpo to secure better attendance of niemlWk,'un4 ( t6ajajjaiij l jj decided increase of numbers on fcfjo iq\)'! " 'l

Cantebbusy CQijLEc*E,-n-Professor Sco.tfc, in presenting the estimates of the School of Engineering to the Canterbury College Board of Governors on Wednesday recommended an increased grant of .£751 to &i&ictain progress. He remarked that this £'moijnt waG for wprk which was national Fsj;her i^an p'royiftci&l, as par cent, of the maMouJated students "paafeT fron? districts outside Canterbury, such as Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Tarinaki, WoHiugton, Nelson, Westland, Otago, and Southland. He considered that the school deserved an annual Government subsidy, the same as ihs Otago School of Mines, and was consdeut ,£haji; .fcUe Minister of Education would make a graniL The !]sbojfes§'or's scheme" for increasing the efficiency of th© Hchcolj including t^e appointment of a demohstrator 'jn electricity at !£3o^ayear, was 'apprpyQ^ \,j ibh.e.Bflard.

The- Bavtist MA.rourrY.-rIO was 21 years yesterday since the first Baptist service was conducted in Asbburfcon, on the initiative of Mr GK Meddins, who informs us that the late Eev. T. Bray, of Qreendale, prea,phe4 for the first time on that occasion to an Ashburton audience, in the old Good Templar's Hall, which was then located in Moore jjfcrget. Services were conducted there for a timd, uttil £be formation of the church in February, ISB3, «>heii the Oddfellows' Hall was used for the Sunday services, Thg Peter Street church (now used as the schoolroom) wa3 built about six ypars later, the present Tabe'rnacl^, 'which fronts the old church being a inucti newer erection. Jn yiew oi thje church its majority, the deacons have decided to; cl,ear off the dgbt of 4350 still remaining on the church property, beforp the anniversary gomes round in February next,

Mrs Colonel Gihnour and Captain Bycroft will conduct services in the Salvation Army barracks on Sunday.

The metnbers of the Ashb,urton County Brass Band are requested to meet at tho Band room on Sunday, at 10.15 a.m., to attt.nl the Church parade,