Local news: Lord and Lady Minto, accompanied by Princess Aribert, (the Queen’s granddaughter), have been visiting the Chats Falls.

A number of our citizens were awakened from their beds between one and two o’clock on Friday morning by the prolonged blowing of the steam whistle at McCredie and Hodgins’ factory, which in some mysterious manner got started. The first impression was that a fire was in progress in some part of the town and that the whistle had been sounded as a note of alarm, but a short investigation soon allayed any fears in that regard.

The picnic and shooting match at Richardson’s Lake on Thursday last ranked as one of the most successful events of the season. There was a large attendance and delightful weather prevailed. After tea, a canoe race was arranged between Messrs. Sam Ralph and John Stewart, against Messrs. Hamilton Stewart and R.W. Ralph and proved to be rather an exciting event from the fact that the canoe (an old one) occupied by the first named, collapsed while in the lead and only about 100 yards from the winning flag. Under the circumstances, the referee decided to equally divide honours between both contestants; but the crowd enjoyed a good hearty laugh at the expense of the occupants of the ill-fated craft, who were brought to shore by a neighbouring boat, none the worse for their involuntary immersion.

It was a large, orderly representative audience of Pontiac’s electorate that assembled in Shawville at the exhibition hall on Saturday last to hear the veteran leader of the Conservative party, Sir Charles Tupper, discuss the political questions of the day.

When the venerable chieftain alighted from the train that morning, he was escorted to the carriage in waiting by Mr. W.J. Poupore, member for the county. On the way thither, he was met by Mayor Hynes who extended him a cordial welcome on behalf of the village.

Every municipality in the county was represented but in some instances, especially from the rear townships, the turnout was not so large as we would like to have seen; however the old stalwarts of the party from all corners of the county did not let the opportunity pass to hear the grand old man, whom they are proud to recognize as their leader and what was especially noticeable, a large number of the leading Liberals of the county, occupied seats in the hall when the meeting was called to order by President Graham.