LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxii, Issue 6457, 29 December 1904, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Reading matter will ba found on the first and fourth pages. Drunkenness.—At fcbe Police Court this morning, before Mr W. H. Rule, J.P., a first offender was'fined 53 for drunkenness and ordered to pay 2s tor cab hire. Angling Licenses.— Ingling licenses I for the half season ara now available, and may be obtained atreduoed prices. Weather Fobkuast. — Captain Edwin wires:—Strong winds to a gale from batween north and west and south-west; glass fall; rain probable. River Repout — The Telegraph Department advises as.follows:—The Rakaia is not fishable, the Rangitata is not fishable, but will probably be in fair order to-morrow, the Waitaki is in good order. N

Angling.—Messrs Carney 8r03., during twenty-four hours fishing at tne mouth of the Ashburton river recently, landed 52 trout, the heaviest of which weighed 101b apiece. The river is said to be very muddy.

County Hospital.—The inmates of the Hospital were treated to a special Christmas dinner on Boxing Day. Miss Maoandrew, the matron, paid marked attention to the scarlet fever patients, besides giving each a present on Christmas morning. To the matron and Nurse Grant the. fever patients are particularly desirous of expressing their appreciation of the constant attention and kind treatment they have received during the recent epidemic.

Koab Race.—The following handicaps have been declared for the road race to be run to-morrow evouiug to Digby's Bridge and back, under the auspices of the Hakatere Club:—C. Baker and G. Watson, scr; W Langdon, 153 e c; J. MoGee, 20 sec; M. Seger3, A. Walsh, and H. Smith. 30sec; W. Childs and J. Langdon, 45sec; G. McKeig and W. Page, lmin; C. Brady, D. Brown, and H. Brader, lmin 15seoj V. McKeague, lmin 3O3ee.

The Reported Cancer Cure.—lv connection with the report of the discovery by Dr D jyen of the cancer bacillus and a serum cure, a correspondent write 3to the Nelson Evening Mail:—-"My brother's wife was operated oa for cancer in the breast, and afterwards a second operation was advised, the cancer being malignant and far gone. The best London doctors thought she might after tha operation, live a few months. My brother took her to Paris, and Dr Doyen said, 'No operation.' He injected serum about six times in as ma-iy weeks, and then pronounced the cancer to ba d^ad. My brother's wife lived two or three years after that without any retnru of thedisease, and fur hetbar general h9ilth than Bhe had before. She diel afc last of parib onitis. t Lave made inquiries as to whether the serum could bo sent here, and Dr Doyen is willing to do so on oertain conditions. You can refer anyone who wishes to inquire to me, and I shill br* happy to put them iv communication with Dr Doyen."

Thb Scenery Prrskrvation ComjiisS [ON--Mr W. W. Smith, Hocretary of the Scenery Preservation Commission, who has been spending a few days in Ashburton with his family recently, leases for Rotorua to-day per the afternoon express. Interviewed by a representative of this paper yesterday Mr said he could say noth ing about the past work or present intention of the commission, The Commissioners will arrive in Canterbury in about a month's time, and will then inspect any sites recommended for reservation by residents or local bodies, and will report as to the advisability of the Government acquiring pjtes for scenery preservation purposes. The Commission are at prosent inspecting the upper reaches of the Wanganui River from Pipiriki to Taumarauui. Mr Smith goes to Rotorua to report on some urgent cases, and will rejoin the Commission on January 11th, The annual report of the Commission will be ready in about three months, and as it will be illustrated with good photoengravings of Bomejof the finest scenery in New Zealand it should be greatly in demand. Mr Smith is in the best of health, and states that he waa greatly impressed by the magnificent scenery in many parts of the North Island and in the Taieri Vallay.

1 Russian Soldiers and the Comvassms.— From Russia comes an amusing anecdote. It is said that Japanese soldi- rs are provided with a'pocjiefc compass, generally attached to the wrist; Hundreds of these have naturally fallen into the possession of Russian soldiers utterly ignorant of matters connected with the sea. Thus they cannot understand what use to make of them. A correspondent met one man who had no fewer than four on a string. " What are you going to do with those?" he asked. " I shall make a necklace," was the answer. " But what use are they ?" asked another soldier, curiously. "To discover the stars,'* replied the first, with an air of superiority. "And can you find them when it is cloudy even ?" ',' Ceytaicly. And the moon also. You see this'little" iieedlo;? It is always turned towards the moon,; and, of course, when you know where the moon 13 you can And the stars." The discussion continued t'oralong time, and eyeritually the conclusion arrived at was that the instrument had been invented by the 1 F'^Kshto enable the Japanese tg find their way home, cv.52 J2 the darkest nights.