Ashburton Grardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1908. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7391, 22 January 1908, Page 2

Ashburton Grardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1908. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The way in which a number of cyclists disregard the ho rough by-laws by riding on footpaths and without lights has called for much comment, and the active measures taken by the police have resulted in a number of convictions. The prosecutions that have taken place so far have not, however, had that wholesome effect upon others that might have been expected, and another batch of these troublesome law-breakers will be cited to appear at the Magistrate's Court on Friday. A continuation of the vigilance on the part of the police should not be without its effect, and cyclists when about to ride on a footpath in future may, in view of the probable sequel, have more hesitation about doing so—out of consideration for themselves; so far, they have shown little consideration for the persons who alone have a right tp use the sidewalks —women and children on foot, and all other pedestrians.

The Hon. H. Wigram, M.L.C., passed through Ashburton by this afternoon's express.

At the mouth of the Rakaia on Saturday, three Ashburton anglers landed' 29 fish in three hours. The fish averaged from 51b to 12£lb in weight.

Large numbers of stock are being trucked daily at Waipukurau for southern pastures, owing to the scarcity of feed. Factory managers report that the dry spell has decreased the milk supply 25 per cent.

The recent run on the American banks is reminiscent of the commercial panic in England just 60 years ago, when the tension was so great that Lord John -Russell authorised the Bank of England to issue notes far beyond its gold reserve —an expedient which, however, it was not necessary to carry through.

The Bank of New York has vaults with walls of steel a foot thick. The doors are. very sensitive, and give an alarm on the slightest jar.

Lord Strathcona has, says the Canadian Courtier, recently given £10,000 towards supplying every school in Canada with a Nelson shield made from the copper of Nelson's flagships.

Experiments are now being made in Now York with a new type of steamer to run 60 miles an hour. The keel is practically one huge,, propeller, with flanges working up and down, enabling the vessel to travel at a great speed.

Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. Dr. Findlay passed through Ashburton on their way (to Wellington yesterday. The Premier expects to return south in about six weeks' time, while the Attorney-General will be the Minister stationed in Wellington for the next month. Sir Joseph, in the course of an interview with a Guardian reporter, made a very strong statement in regard to the volunteer system of defence. This is reproduced in another column.

It is said that a perfect mania for shopping has seized Queen Victoria of Spain. She spent £2000 in jewellery in Paris alone, and she has spent as much again in London on a new trousseau for herself and baby. (Pity Her Majesty does not spend some of this in buying comfortable clothing for the poor children of Madrid, or of the other cities of the country which supplies her with the money!)

Adolph Felder, of Chicago, was sentenced by-the Justice on the Bench to talk for half an hour to his wife every day. Next day he defied the Court by cooking his own breakfast and leaving the house without saying a word.' Mrs Felder does not want a divorce. She only wants her husband to talk to her. As he refuses, the onus is on the judge either to make him talk or send him to gaol.

Because a Limerick employer refused a man money, the latter drew forth a razor and threatened suicide. The employer a few minutes afterwards produced a loaded revolver and told the man to take it outside and do tjie deed, if at all, decontly. The grim humour displayed at once sobered the erring workman, who flung down the razor and dashed out of the house.

Mr G. P. Donnelly, of Otatara, Taradale, has, through the Minister for Agriculture, presented to the dominion twenty-five purebred shorthorn heifers (Bates' strain), carefully selected from his Hawke's Bay herds for their prospective ' value as dairy cows. Their destination' is the Ituakura experimental station, in the Waikato, where they will be mated with imported bulls from the most approved milking strains. Mr Clifton, Chief Inspector of Stock, arid Mr D. M. Ross, Inspector in Charge of Hawke's Bay, who recently inspected the animals, have expressed themselves to tho Minister in terms of highest appreciation of their quality and appearance. :

Napoleonic relics are afc present attracting considerable interest in England. ' A correspondent of the London Times wrote: "About the .rear 1850 Mr John Tiuline, one of the early pioneers of New Zealand, sailed from England, nud the shin, requiring water, put into St. Helena. Mr Tinline took several weeping >yi!low slips front trees round Napoleon's gravo and kept them alive during the voyage by sticking them into potatoes. He planted them at Nelson, New Zealand, and there are some wonderfully fine trees growing there, I believe, one or two of the original blips' still existing." The Nelson Evening Mail, referring to the letter, states that there are now several large willows in the Maitai, which grew from slips taken from Napoleon's grave at St, Helena,

At a meeting of the committee. of the South Canterbury Caledonian Society on Monday evening, the secretary submitted an estimated balance sheet for the New Year's meeting as follows: Receipts—Gates and grand stand, £412 11s 2d; privileges, £114 15s; entrances, £91 12s 2d; programmes, £39 6s 2d; training fees, £5; rents, £26 6s; donations, £7 4s; total, £696 14s 6d. Expenditure—Prizes, £325; wages, £31 10s fid; printing and advertising, £25 17s fid; programmes, £18; band, £16; handicapper, £6 63; badges, £1 3s; judges' expenses, £2i 2s 6d;'sundries, I £1 6s; total, £440 14s 6d. Profit (estimated), £250. Last year the balance was £210, and the previous, the record year, £290.—At Ashburton, it is difficult to get a gate-taking to meet the •expenses of a meeting. As a matter ioi iidii, &i>yeral clubs have had to at>a»cioii iibjdjng j-heir annual meetings, on account of tiiese having been 1 run at a loss, Whc'- is the cause of this? ) I

A petition requesting the Borough Council to again consider the question of a hiah-gressur© water supply is now in circulation, and is being freely signed by ratepayers.

A large number of people in Ashburton are suffering from a form of English cholera.

Dr Hunter, who has been absent from ,Ashburton for some weeks on a holiday, has completely recovered from _ tho effects of his recent illness, and is at present in Christchurch. He will shortly return to Ashburton.

Some good baskets of fish have been taken at the mouth of the Ashburton river during the past week. A few dnys ago Mr Snadden landed seven fish averaging slightly over 31bs. Mr John Thompson, Wakanui, who has been fairly successful this season, landed, with the artificial fly bait, 18 fish averaging 31bs.

Owing to the presence of silveries at the mouth of the Ashburton river, herrings and kawhai have been fairly plentiful of late. Several fishermen and picnickers, who happened to be on the spot when the fish came up the mouth, succeeded in catching over 150 herrings each. In past years residents at Riverside have been in the habit of salting the herrings down, and treated thus they are said to provide a tasty dish during the winter months.

The Catholic Literary Society met last evening, when there was a good attendance of members. The chair was occupied by Mr T. O'Carroll, and the programme took the form of an Editor's Box. Two questions, which took up the greater part of the time, and were very keenly discussed, were: "Would a high-pressure water' supply be beneficial to Ashbiyrton?" and "Is a subway under the railway necessary?" The feeling of the meeting was fully in favour of the former, but decidedly against the latter.

It is reported that Mr Walter Parkinson, of Kaituna, has sold 8000 bushels of barley at 5s 9d. The variety was Malster, Mr Parker having changed the seed last year from Chevalier, which he had been accustomed to grow. The crop, which was very even and heavy, was grown with the aid of artificial manure.

Notice is given by advertisement in this issue that Mr H. G. Berryman having withdrawn from the firm of Craighead and Berryman, the business will in future be carried on by Messrs H. C. and E. G. Craighead, under the style of Craighead and Co. '