RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Friday, 7th November. (Before Mr F. Guineas, R.M.) FURIOUS RIDING. William Lindsay and James Tindall were charged with furious riding in East street on Saturday evening last. They were fine! £1 each and costs. A “ ROUSE-ABOUT. ”

Smith v. Corsbie.—£l4 for wages.

Mr Purnell appeared for defendant. Plaintiff deposed to having been cook for defendant at 25s a week. Defendant, who is manager of Alford Station, told him after some time to go fencing but he refused to leave the kitchen. The R.M. here remarked that the sum mons had been addressed to Mrs Corsbie.

Witness continued —He had not re ceived any money. Cross examined by Mr Purnell—Gave Mr Corsbie notice on Monday night and left on the following Thursday. Was em ployed on July' 21st at £1 a week as “ rouse -about.” Was engaged as a general station hand, and worked four weeks as such ; then went on as cook. Mr Corsbie said he would give him 25a. a week then. Witness worked 8 weeks as cook.

Two different accounts were here read out to witness, showing various discrep ancies. In one case that plaintiff claimed £ll 5s 3d, and in the other £l4. Witness admitted having received goods to the amount of £4 14s 9d from Mitchell and Turner. Admitted having received 16s worth of stores. Asked Mr Corsbie for payment when leaving, but never gave him a bill. Knew that £6 5s 6d was paid into Court as payment in full last week, and was willing to take that as payment in folk

Lewis Corsbie, Manager Alford Station, engaged Smith at 20s per week as station hand. Did not promise him any advance in his wages when he put him on as cook. The men complained of plaintiff being dirty, and when witness said so to him he gave a week’s notice. After some conver sation with him he used some strong lan guage, and left at once. Would have paid him if he had asked. When lie sued wit ness a week ago, witness paid the amount due into Court. Cross-examined by plaintiff—You did not ask me for wages and I did not tell you to go to the devil. Judgment for £5 10s 3d, without costs. UNPAID ADVERTISING. Weeks and Dixon v. Harris. Mr Harris applied for a nonsuit on the ground that no date was attached to the summons. Granted. In the case of the same plaintiffs v. Harris and Ireland, Mr Harris claimed a nonsuit on the ground that neither the plaintiffs or defendants were described to disclose any averment of partnership. His Worship considered it to be a pity that the plaint contained technical errors, which rendered the summons of no avail The objections were trifling and frivolous, but being legal, plaintiffs must be non suited. a neighbors’ disagreement. Beckett v. Cass.—Claim £2l9s 9d. Mr Harris for plaintiff, and Mr Purnell for defendant.

Henry Beckett, farmer, Wakanui, de posed to having grazed sheep for defen dant. The charge of l£d per head is a fair one. Also lent mm a roller, for which plaintiff charged 2s 6d per day rent. _

Cross-examined by Mr Purnell —Bought the sheep on May 23rd from Cass at the same price as he had paid for them, and was to pay after harvest. Cass sued me for the sheep in May, and I confessed judgment. 1 did not put in any set-off at f.W. time. I did not know the rules of the Court. I did not know what a set-off was. I have let the case wait so long be cause I had not the money to take legal proceedings. Francis Cass—Soldßeckett the sheepat a cheap rate, as they bad the grazing, and I v, lambs in, with time to pay MV.- t-vu-e. ■ A.-kr.nvlcdicc' ! - 10 charge for tvoil'-v. Baskott main no claim for r.-iinr until 1 sued l;im. I chr-rgc him in \.>v {ii-t oil for hire oi harrows, dray and tank, at what I consider a fair charge. I looked upon the loans of the plant as neighbourly actions. Cross-examined by Mr Harris—The money for the wool from the sheep was divided; they were shorn in November. His Worship struck out both' sum monses, the claims for hire of rollers, etc., and gave judgment for £ll6s 9d. Each to pay his own costs. DISPUTED FENCING. Wm. Deaton v. Henry Moffakt. —Claim £8 9s fid, balance for repairing fences and sowing grass seed. The case had been adjourned at the reques of the defendant for the produc tion of evidence. Mr Liddle stated he had examined the work, and estimated that the repairs done should be performed in three weeks ; and 8s per day would be a fair remuneration. [Plaintiff had claimed 6 weeks days at 34s per week —£11 9s 6d, and gave credit for £3 paid on account.] Could repair 6 chains per day himself of such a fence. Nine chains were washed away and about 60 damaged. Tyson Hodgson—Had inspected the fence. Should say a fortnight or three weeks would do it, and I would give 7s a day for such work. The original value of such a fence is about 3s 6d per chain. About 60 chains were repaired, and should say the average vale of the work would be Is 3d per chain. Wm. Bennison—l engaged Deaton to do the work. There are about 300 chains in the fence altogether. The time charged was actually put in by Deaton. Wm. Deaton deposed to having done the repairs. Tried to plough furrows for sods for the fence, but in some places had to carry the sods some distance. Judgment was given for £3l2s, and £3 18a.

a “ competent” ploughman. Demuth v. Leahy.—Claim, £lO. Mr Purnell for plaintiff; Mr O’Reilly for defendant. Plaintiff deposed to having worked for defendant. Did not go on to learn plough ing, but was' a competent ploughman. Was there eight weeks and three days, John Leahy stated that plaintiff had engaged with him on the understanding that he was to work three or four weeks f jr nothing, to learn ploughing. He did not know when left alone how to set his plough. Good ploughmen’s wages are 25ar per week. He left without notice, ap4 faf Thought it would take

a man 12 months to learn to be a fair ploughman. L. E. Corsbie—Have seen plaintiff at work. Am sure he is not a good plough man. Present wages for good ploughmen, and since June Ist, have been £1 per week.

Wm. Revans deposed to being present when plaintiff offered to go to work for a month or so for nothing to learn plough ing. Plaintiff went to Watkins after wards, flax cutting. J. Rappingdale said Demulh had done ploughing on his farm and to his satisfac tion. It took witness six months to learn ploughing. Judgment for £4 without costs. HE WASN’T A SUNDOWNER.

Madden v. Leahy.—Claim, £l9, for wages. Mr Purnell for plaintiff; Mr O’Reilly for defendant.

A set-off was filed of £7 7s 3d, of which £3 7s 3d was admitted.

Plaintiff deposed having gone to work for Leahy. No agreement was made as to wages. Worked 19 weeks, and had received Is 6d on account. Had been there in three previous winters. Did not demand wages before. Did not loaf about. Was fetched from Morgan’s to do fencing. Nothing was said about wages. Did not ask for any, and was ordered away from the farm. John Leahy—Defendant stopped at my place for two winters previous to the last one, and I generally gave him him a few pounds when he went away. I consider his board and cb/thes, &c., were sufficient payment for his labor. Plaintiff has done some gorse sowing and fencing, for which lam willing to pay him, Mr Corsbie deposed that he had seen plaintiff stopping at Leahy’s for three winters, he went there for his winter quarters. Thought 10s per week as much as he was worth.

Judgment for £l4 ss; less set-off £4 17s 6d—£9 7s 6d and costs. Friedlander Bros v. Findlay.—Claim £8 3s. Judgment for amount claimed with costs.

Lancaster v. Bullen.—Claim £l7 9s 9d, Judgment for plaintiff. Miller v. Carlton —Adjourned till 21st,

MR LEAHT’S FENCES.

Cross & Jenkins v. Leahy—claim, £6 11s 8d for fencing. Plaintiff Cross deposed that he had erected about 40 chains of sod fencing. After we had worked a day or two Leahy said he would not bind us. but that if we liked to go on he would not be particular to another shilling a chain, and we went on and finished the work. He. made no complaint. He has not paid any money to me.

Cross-examined by defendant—You told us that the land could be dug anywhere. You sent us back over the work, and showed us how to strain the wire. You told us not to mind making the ditch on one part of the fence. John Leahy said he had not paid the men because the work was not completed, and as he wanted the ditch more than the fence, for the purpose of getting soil to grow gorse on. The bank itself was made in a very slovenly manner. The ordinary price of such a fence could be done for 6s per chain. Told them if they did not like to go on with the work they could knock off.

Mr Rippingdale gave evidence that the work was done well at first, but afterwards in a slovenly manner. As no backing had been put against the bank it had fallen down. I don't call a fence finished without backing. 1 could make 10s a-day at the work, and am 60 years of age. Mr Wilkie gave evidence as to the value of work of this nature. Had known a similar fence put up at 3s 9d per chain, but in good times such a fence would be put up at 6s, and a good workman could do two chains a day. The magistrate said he could not form an idea as to the value of the work done, as no evidence pointing to that had been given. Judgment would be given for the full amount and costs—in all, £9 14s Bd.

The Nihilist Organisation.

letter from St. Petersburg says that people in Europe have no idea of the de velopment and power of ihe Nihilist or ganisation. For instance, it is a mis take to believe it is a superficial move ment, and that it has not taken deep root in the Russian nation. It is true that the chiefs come from the middle classes, and it is a significant fact that these men should discover no other means of obtaining liberty than that of force. A plan has been hit upon and already applied for a long time of pro pagating their doctrines among the masses, and more especially among the peasantry, under the very eyes of the police, without awakening suspicions. Their system is this : —None of their proselytising agents are allowed at first either to show that that they are skilled workmen or to profess to understand agricultural matters. Poorly clad, these men are sent to settle in out-of-the-way villages, to work away at their trade for years without giving the least hint as to what is the bent of their political principles. They are extremely diligent at work, and preach by word and example the greatest moderation, especially in respect to the use of intoxicating liquors, and usually marry in the place. It it only when they have thoroughly estab lished their position, and gained a certain amount of influence over their neigh bors that they begin slowly and unos tentatiously to promulgate their doctrines. It is asserted that in this manner a net has been spread over the whole of the Russian Empire, the meshes of which are ever thickening, so that it is even now impossible to say how deeply this Nihilist organisation has taken root in the land, and how widespread is its development. Naturally the preference is given to those places far from any of the great thorough fares and railways. The Nihilists, with prudent foresight, have chosen for their principal field of action those places which are the least liable to the supervision of the political agents of the Government. It is thus that silently this active revolu tionary party proceeds with its develop ment, wl ich sooner or later must end in an irresistible erruption. For the present it only produces spasmodic outbreaks, ending in high-handed and arbitrary re pression, which only increases the evil in stead of exterminating it. The Nihilists arrested already number tens of thousands.

WAKANUI ROAD BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Thursday, at the Board’s office. Present—Messrs Fried lander, Saunders, Hunt, and Wilson. Mr Friedlander apologised for the absence Mr Winter, and the chair was taken by Mr Friedlander. UNPAID RATES. The rates still due amounted to £284 It was stated by some of the members chat they had not been served. Corbett’s road, &c. A petition was presented from Thomas Walsh and others, to the effect that the cutting .was unsafe, and that Corbett’s road required shingling. Referred to the surveyor. stagnant water.

Mr Thcmas Covill complained of stag nant water near cottages on Wakanui road. Referred to the surveyor. SUBSIDIES. A circular was read from the Secretary to the Treasury stating that the sum of £760 15s 4d had been paid to the Board’s credit. alteration of name. From the County Council stating that the Government had consented to alter the name of the district to Wakanui. petitions. A petition was presented from a number of ratepayers in the Seafield district ask ing that Denihay’a road be formed to the Rakaia boundary. Referred to the surveyor. GRAVEL PITS.

From Saunders Bros., stating that the price required by Mr Denshire for one acre of land for a gravel reserve would be £lO. The offer was accepted. Also from Mr W. Smith, offering one acre on same road for £SO. This offer was refused.

From Mr J. V. Ross, offering one acre on rural section 26,526, for £ls, and the Board must fence it. Accepted. The surveyor’s report was then' read. report.

“ Ashburton, Nov. 6, 1879. “ To the Chairman and members Waka nui Road Board.

“ We beg to submit the following re port: — “ Chertsey Road.—The contract for metalling this road has been completed. “ Gibson’s Road.—Part of the contract for formation and metalling of this road has been done, as it is difficult to get shingle out of the pit the Board have secured, on account of water, it would be as well to let the contract stand over until such time that it can be conveniently worked. “Butterick’s Road.—The contract for metalling this road has been completed satisfactorily. “ Mill Road by Holmes’.—The contract for metalling this road has been com pleted. We would recommend that the contractor be required to metal a fui’ther portion about twenty chains towards the Wakanui Creek—which would connect this road with a good metalled road to the town.

“ Maintenance of roads.—Mr SiTcock is at work repairing the roads in the Waka nui district.

“Road to Kennedy’s.—We have in spected this road, and estimate the cost of making road fit for traffic at about £25. It is difficult to determine where the north western end of this road is, as all pegs have been removed, and existing fences evidently cross the road, thus making it necessary that the road should be re surveyed. “ According to instructions, we have prepared plans &c, and have called for tenders for works authorised at your last meeting, which will be laid before you to-day. “ We have the honor to be, “Yours Obediently, “ C. E. Fooks, & Son, “ Surveyors, &c., to the Wakanui Road Board.”

The report was received, and it was de cided to request the Chief Surveyor to have the road to Kennedy’s defined. Re Gibson's road. The surveyor was instructed to see Mr Bennett re gravel, and the contractor be requested to let the contract stand over. It was resolved that Fletcher’s contract for metalling Mill road be extended to Bruce’s road.

The following tenders were accepted : No. 7. Beach Road—Charles Smithel, re-formation, per chain, 9s 6d ; metal, per yard, Is 4d. No. 8. Supply of 3000 yards metal to Beach Road.—John Gritfen, per yard, Is sd.

No. 9. Drain on Leadley’s road.—The tenders for this work were held over until Messrs Winter and Hunt had waited on the County Council with a view to obtain ing a grant in aid. 10. Shingling Denshiro’s Road. —John Boyle, ll£d per yard. 11. Shingling Rule’s Road. John Black ; drain, per chain, 3s ; shingle, per yard, llid. 12. Sliingling Butterick’s Road, not to be done.

The pay sheet was then passed and the Board adjourned.

SOUTH RAKAIA ROAD BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the South Bakaia Road Board was held on Thursday at the Board Room. Present: Messrs C. N. Machie (Chairman), Coster, Lambie, and Gordon Holmes.

The Engineer reported on the works in progress. Along with Mr Coster he had gone to pass a hundred chains for plough ing out on Murdock’s contract for metal ling the Bushy Park road. They found that the stacker had collected earth and placed it in the middle of the stack. The work was passed conditionally on 200 cubic yards of metalling being put on after the other had been ploughed out. The quality of the gravel now being used on this contract was inferior, and contained a large percentage of sand. The con tractor was cautioned against using the inferior gravel. A progress payment of £IOO had been passed on the work leaving a balance due on the contract of £145 17s lid. Bruce, the contractor for the lower end of the Boundary road had finished his work satisfactorily, and a cer tificate f«>r payment had been passed. Mangbam’s contract for forming the road from the Bushy Park to the Boundary

road was just about completed, only re quiring a few lumps to be taken off. The work had been well done, and a progress payment had accordingly been passed. On his Bushy Park contract for shingling no thing as yet had been done. Progress was being made by Messrs Fraser and Gregg with shingling the River road, and forming roads to the river. The Engineer drew the attention of the Board to Jones’s road from the ford to the corner of the Back road. There were about 30 chains of the road, and it had been in a very bad state ever since the flood. It required re forming and remetalling. CHOPPING OFF. The Resident Railway Engineer wrote to say that only £3B 14s 7d of a bill re cently rendered to the Board by the rail way authorities for £7O 17s 9d was payable by the Board. The account arose out of the removal, for a short distance, of a house. The railway had in error charged the cost of painting, &c., porch, locks, glass, and fencing against the Board. MAPS OF THE DISTRICT. Mr Ward, Survey Office, Christchurch, wrote, stating the price of a district map to be £lO 10s. The Secretary was instucted to procure a new map. RIGHT OF WAY. The ferryman at Dobbin’s Ford wrote, stating that the Acton Station Com pany had closed the road on the south side of the river, and taken down the signal pole. Another right of way was at once required, as also a signal pole. The matter was referred to the Engineer and Mr Lambie to consider the advisable ness of purchasing land to make a new road. POUND. The County County Council wrote, ad vising the Board that Mr Marshman had been written to endorsing the Board’s recommendation, and requesting the Com missioner of Lands to give effect to the Board’s application. ALLEGED OVERCHARGE. Lake and Beard wrote, stating that they would leave the price of work done by them last winter for the Board, to be fixed by the Board themselves, though the writers were of opinion that the price they had charged was not too high. The work was the repairing of roads after the flood. It was resolved to hold over this account until the roads had been repaired—a deputation bringing complaints regarding the roads had appeared at last sitting of the Board. TENDERS. The tender of R. Patton for forming a road near Irish Town was accepted at 7s per chain, as also metalling 155 chains at Is Id per cubic yard, and metalling 70 chains on Duncan’s road at Is l|d. MOUNT HUTT BOUNDARY. The Engineer stated that with regard to the boundary road between the Rakaia and Mount Hutt districts, he had attended at the road itself, by appointment with the Mount Hutt Surveyor, but that gentleman had not put in an appearance, so that there was nothing to report.

It was resolved that the Chairman write to the Chairman of the Mount Hutt Road Board with reference to the creek on the boundary road between Messrs Jackson’s aud Irwin’s.

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents. To the Editor. Sir, —Seeing in the “ Ashburton Mail ” of Tuesday last remarks reflecting on the management of the Ashburton Racing Club Committee, and having been a member of that Committee for the past three years, I should like to answer a few of the points raised in the letter signed “ A subscriber to the Racing Club.” Ist.—So far as regards the young men of the Racing Club requiring any training, they are probably as well up in sporting matters as any contributor to the “Mail,” is. 2nd.—Regarding the Scientific Cadger mentioned in the leading article in the “ Mail” of the Istinst., if the writer means the Secretary to the Club (Mr Wilkie), I am quite certain that our forth coming Ashburton meeting will turn out quite as successfully as did last year’s. 3rd.—As far as cadging for subscriptions, there has not been a penny subscribed by, nor asked for from non-members, as there are are 86 members in the Club who are fully able to manage their own affairs without the advice of critics in Burnett street.

Sir, had the proprietor of the “ Mail,” acted fairly in the past by the Club, in his charges for printing and ad vertising, he would still have had his share of the Club’s money, but the Club could not afford to pay the exorbitant piices charged by the “ Mail,”. If “Sub scriber ”is so hard up that he cannot afford to purchase a copy of the “Guardian” for the purpose of seeing the race pro gramme, he will, by calling at our store, or on any member of the Committee, ob tain a programme gratis, and any other information he may be in search of. When the present Committee took the Club matters in hand two years ago, there were debts owing to the amount of over £SO, and as the following figures will show, there has been a wonderful dif ference in the financial state of affairs in the Club since Mr Wilkie has held the Secretaryship. 1877 1878

Cost of Improve ment effected to course ... ... 15 IO o HO 11 I Paid in Stakes ... 242 Io o 352 o o Received for nomi nations accep tances &c. ... in 12 o 195 o o Subscriytions col lected 93 1 3 212 17 o Sale of privileges 44 12 o 207 10 o Outstanding liabili ties of proceed ingmeetingspaid 25 O O 72 O O Grant made to Steeplech a s e Committee ... 25 o o Grant received from Steeple chace Commit tee 24 10 II The proceeds of the sale of privileges on Thursday realised £lßl, and two of the items were still left to dispose of. This is another proof that the management is not what the “Mail” would like its readers to believe. I am, Sir, Yours, &c., Max Fiuedlandee. Member of the Ashburton Race Club Committee.

THE FARMER.

What is a Small Farm ?

(From the San Francisco Bulletin.)

In some of the older States twenty acres is sometimes called a small farm ; and on such small areas a family might be sup ported. The question is frequently raised, “What is a small farm in California ?” The answer in a general way is that 160 acres is a small farm, and 80 acres a very small one, if the one point is kept in view of the capacity of such a farm to support a family. Smaller tracts might do it if devoted to some specially, an orchard or a market garden, for instance. Aside from such specialties it will require a larger area of land to support a family in comfort here than in the Atlantic States. The greater number of these small tracts will be cultivated without irrigation, especially where the rainfall is sufficient to produce a crop. There will, therefore, be no succession of crops in a given year. The hay and the grain will be cut in their season. There will be little or no after math. The one crop of fruit will be gathered, and so of all other products. The twenty-acre farm, in the hands of an old-fashioned farmer, will turn out to be something of a delusion. Some account must be taken of climate, of the capacity of the land to produce, proximity to markets and the prices which the surplus produce will bring. The ten and twenty acre farms appear very well on paper. As surburban tracts they may be very desir able. But when a man goes into the country with his family to live by agricul ture, he needs more room if he is not to devote his energies to a few specialties. He will find the 160 acre tract small enough when ho comes to segregate fields for pasture, forestry, orchards, grain and so on. Relatively, it might be said that the average farm of this size is something like a 40-acre farm in some of the Atlan tic States. The ten and twenty-acre farms sketched on paper are very pretty ; de voted to market gardening they are some times very profitable, But for the sale of garden truck to any advantage one must live near the city or large town. Now, most of the farms for sale are w-> remote for such purposes. A twenty-acre tract devoted to gardening would supply a small country town. A small farm in California is one with a sufficient area to support a moderate-sized family in comfort, with the possibility of laying up a little money ; and that at present is about as much as can be done in this State on a turn of 160 acres. Still it must bo said that this need not always be true in this State, and the course of events is towards smaller average farms than those of 160 acres. Where water for irrigation can be pro cured the best of our lands will bear as minute a subdivision as any land in the world, and / will nevertheless support a family in comfort. So long, however, as wheat-growing is our chief occupation and source of revenue, 160 acres will not be called a large farm. But, as our popu lation increases, new industries and pro ducts will become naturalized among us, and we may confidently expect that men will live here, as in other places, on very small tracts of land.

It happens, in many cases, that twenty acres of good land near a market is worth, so far as the ease and comfort of living is concerned, more than a whole section further off. An emigrant who has not means enough to purchase the 160 acres which makes a small wheat farm, need not despair, but let him buy what he can afford, cultivate it in corn, vegetables and fruits, raise all the water he can by means of a windmill or horse-power, and so toil upward by degrees. We have seen a success made on ten acres, even when the produce had to be shipped forty miles to a market. It is better, though, that a man should, if possible, struggle through, and, for his children’s sake, win a larger tract, say the typical 160 acres of which we have spoken.

Encouragement of Mutton Eating.

The Chicago “ Live Stock Journal ” thinks that mutton is too much neglected as an article of food, saying : Americans are not mutton eaters to any such degree as they are beef and pork eaters. There is often good demand for mutton or lamb, but it is a comparatively limited one. At the great live stock markets, as Chicago, where there are receipts of thousands of cattle and hogs, there are but hundreds of sheep. In many a village meat market, mutton is rarely to be fouud. There has been gain in this direction ; mutton is eaten more commonly than was the case a few years ago ; there is an increasing ap preciation of good qualitjr in the flesh of sheep, as there has been in the flesh of the ox. But the best interest of American sheep rearing would bo much advanced if the mass of the people could be induced to become habitual mutton eaters, as they nowarebeef and pork consumers. Reliance upon wool as the only source of profit in sheep rearing is to become a thing of the past in all the older settled portions of the country. No rapid change of habit in such matters is to be expected ; but the sheep growers can help—first, by having sheep of good quality with which to supply whatever demand exists : by themselves practicing what they preach, and by en couraging the butchers in the neighboring town or village to keep mutton in their shops and call attention of their customers to it. The export demand for American sheep is very encouraging. In 1879, the United States and Canadas shipped 84,000 sheep to Great Britain, almost as large a number as was that of the cattle exported. Since the restrictions placed on the exportation of live fat cattle to Great Britain, the number of sheep sent over is much greater than that of cattle. Thus the arrivals at Liverpool, the first week in May, were, 370 cattle, 2308 sheep and 1050 pigs. The same week, 1529 carcases of mutton were landed at Liverpool.

Butter Making in Fresno County.

From the Fresno Expositor. It is but a short time ago, less than eight years, when very nearly all the butter used in Fresno county was brought in kegs from Chicago, and retailed at from four to six bits per pound. It was poor at best, and was generally reduced to oil. It was then thought to bo impossible to make butter on the plains in summer, and those having cows usually settled

in the mountains during the summer months to engage in butter and cheese making. But with the population came the necessity for a change, and by a little effort it was found that good butter could be made anywhere in the county in sum mer, and as a consequence there is always home-made butter in market, sweet and fresh, and selling at from fifteen to thirty cents a pound, according to- the season. It is brought to market as solid and nice as one could wish, and is easily kept so by keeping it covered with wet cloths. Last Friday, when the thermometer marked in the coolest places over 100 degrees in the shade, parties brought butter to town in an open wagon, from a distance of 16 miles, and it was as cool and hard as one would desire. With a suitable dairy house, such as the Washington Colony people propose to put up, and the abun dant yielding fields of alfalfa, there is no reason why a large amount of first-class butter should not be shipped from here to San Francisco for sale.

The Lay of the Hunted Pig.

(From the Scouring of Ike White Horse.) “ Vathcrs, mothers, mothers’ sons ! You as loves yer little wuns ! Happy pegs among the stubble, Listen to a tale of trouble ; Listen, pegs, in yeard and stye, How the Barkshire chaps zard I.

“ I wur barn at Kingstone-Lisle, Wher I vrolicked var a while, As vine a peg as e’er was zeen (One of a litter of thirteen) Till some chaps wi’ cussed spite Aimed ov I to make a zite, And to have a • hit o’ van’, Took I up to Uflington.

Up, vorights the Castle mound . They did set I on the ground ; Then a thousand chaps, or nigh, Ruuned and hollered arter I Ther, then, I, till I wur bio wed, Ilmiucd and hollered all I knowed, When, so zure as pegs is pegs, Eight chaps ketched I by the legs, Two to each—’tis truth I tell eo— Dree more clasped I round the belly ! Under all they fellers lyin’ Pegs !•—I thought as I wur (lyin’.

‘ But the Squire (I thonks I zee un), Varmer Whitfield riflin’ wi’ un, Fot I out o’ all thuck caddie, Stretched athurt the vartner’s zaddle— Bless ’em, pegs in yeard and stye, Them two vrends as stuck to I.

“ Barkshire men, from Hill and Yale, All as ever hears this tale, If to spwoort you be inclined, Plane to bear this here in mind— Pegs beant made no race to win, Be zhart o’ wind, and tight o’ skin, Dwont ’ee hunt ’em, but instead At backswyrd break each other’s yead Cheezes down the manger rowl— Or try and dim the greasy powl.

“ Pigs in stubble, yeard, and stye, May you be never zard like I, Nor may wi’ greasy ears and tail, By men, and bwoys drough White Horse Vale. ”

The Fire at Sarajevo.

The latest accounts of the disaster at Serajevo, which occurred on the 9th Aug , represents that 760 houses, exclusive of side houses and shops, have been burned down. The rich Servians are leaving the town with their families for the country. To provide room for the homeless the militia have left their quarters, which are now filled with the poor panic-stricken sufferers. Two explosions followed the outbreak of the fire, supposed to be of spirit casks. One man was killed. The house which first caught, as well as those in its neighborhood, was very favorable to the spreading of the flames, having felt the intense heat of the two preceding months. A high wind was blowing during the time the fire lasted. One hour after the fire started three gunshots from the Gastello called the attention of the inhabi tants to their imminent danger. Mean while all the ten streets of the Tinman Catholic quarter were on fire, including the Homan Catholic Church, the nuns’ school, and the German school. The fire advanced to the bridge and street known as Tschumurija, and reached a mosque filled with State provisions. On other sides the fire was half an hour later— namely, half past six—before reaching the Latin Bridge and Franz Joseph street, which it immediately swept over, proceed ing thence to Tschlihan and the Great Bazaar. It was only at this juncture that the inhabitants gained an idea of the terrible danger which threatened the whole city. The hastened to their dwell ings, crying, “ Sanve qui pent.” The soldiers were all this time working inde fatigably, but it was found impossble to limit the range of the fire. The commer cial quarters called Tschrschiga, then began to burn, and at 8 p.m. Serajevo was one great furnace, extending from Miljas karivier to Ferhadia street, and from the Great Servian Church to the Begova Mosque. The engines and water supply were totally in adequate to the occasion. The Spanish quarter, with all its wood houses, was set on fire ; also Tschmaltusha street, with the officers’ hospital, the German Consulate, and the Turkish Bath, at 10 p.m. the fire stood at Careva Bridge. From time to time the explodings of car tridges and sharp detonations were beam, but nothing interrupted the gallantry with which the soldiers worked. At midnight the fire reached the Italian Consulate, near Mountainsloles, where it wasstopped, but on the other side it went on to Tsch crncrlanira and Liurawina streets. At 3 o’clock in the morning the commercial quarter could not yet be passed being still partly burning and partly glowing after the expiring flames. The Great Bazaar, in these portions not made of wood, had resisted the flames, as well as the Great Mosque Begovadshamija. Two other mosques were, however, burned. The storm having ceased and the mill-rivulet being led into the streets the fire was limited and more easily extinguished. The next day there were only some little outbreaks, and the chief danger had been overcome, but the interior of Serajevo, which was its most interesting part, exists no more. The danger threatening the Mijaska, on the left bank of which the State buildings are situated, was averted by the cessation of the storm. The relief committee is doing its work energetically, I and its quick help is certainly wanted

Professor Blackie on the' Land Laws.

(From the S.otsman.)

The eighth annual assembly of the Gaelic Society of Inverness took place recently. Professor Blackie discoursed on the depopulation of the Highlands, and a need of a reform of the land laws. On this latter subject he argued that we must buckle ourselves to the readjust ment of these laws, and ho contended that by universal admission they were in some respects the worst possible, and directly calculated to keep up rather than to break down the unnatural antagonism of interests between the lords of the land and-the occupiers of the soil to which our present abnormal agrarian condition was mainly attributable. We must, said the Professor, look upon the accumulation of large estates in the hands of a few as an exceptional phenomenon, which a wise legislature will think it a plain duty to counteract rather than to encourage ; and this can easily be done when the duty is once clearly acknowledged, by modifying the law of succession, by rendering illegal all testamentary dispositions of land under whatever guise to persons not yet living, by declaring war, root and branch, against the entail system, by re moving without mercy the artificial hindrances which our system of con veyancing lays on the transfer of landed property, by adjusting our laws of land tenure, so as to make them always lean with a kindly partiality to the weaker rather than to the stronger party in the contract, by setting a strict limit to the spouting propensities of idle gentleman ship in every case when it tends to en croach on the industrial use of soil by im posing a swinging tax on all absentee proprietors, as persons who, while they drain the country of its money, make no social return to the district from which they derive their social importance ; and finally, if it should be necessary, by es tablishing a national fund for assisting small tenants and crofters in favorable situations to buy up their tenant-right and constitute themselves into peasant proprietors with absolute ownership. In the natural course of things, if Britain is not to be ruined, these changes must come; and it were the wisdom of our aristocracy, than whom as a whole a more respectable body does not exist in Europe, to take the lead in a series of well-calcu lated reforms tending to give more in dependence and manhood to the cultiva tors of the soil, rather than by opposing them to fan the flame of a great agrarian revolution which may break out vol canically, and overwhelm them perhaps at no distant date.

The Borrowing Powers of New Zealand.

The London “ Times ’’ prints in its city article the subjoined complaint about the borrowing propensities of most of the colonies, and adds the remark that this complaint is only too well founded ; 30th August, 1879. Sib, —It is discouraging to holders of Colonial Bonds to see the apparently reck less fashion in' which the Australian and New Zealand Governments apply for and obtain fresh borrowing powers. It is only three or four months since New South Wales raised a large loan here (some £3,000,000, I think, though I have not the figures at hand), and in a recent tele gram it was stated that yet another £7,000,000 had been authorised; while New Zealand, already too deeply in debt, follows suit with £5,000,000 more ; and South Australia, I understand, will again be in the market towards the close of the year. The result is the New South Wales Pour per Cents, which in May last were worth lOli, are now under 97, or, allowing for the accrued interest in each case, a fall of over per cent. I am aware that some of the rise was due to the glowing accounts of New South Wales

finance circulating prior to the issue of the last loan. But we have since heard that the revenue for the year is £50,000 under the estimates, and for many reasons it seems to me that present holders and intending future subscribers have some right to know to what extent this system is to be carried, or otherwise we are likely to see history repeating itself, in a series of disasters similar to those caused by the superabundance of foreign loans a few years since. I am, sir, Your, obedient servant, Pktjdentu.

The Holidays.

“ All work and no play makes Jack' a dull boy. ” So says an adage as old as it is true, and in this spring season of the year, when ail nature is putting on holiday attire, it is only natural that humanity too should disport itself and enjoy the well earned recreation it deserves. Wherever the Anglo-Saxon race is collected together, something in the shape of horse, boat, or foot racing is indulged in, and no matter whether the stakes on an event be a couple of thousand pounds or two drinks, the colonial population, as a rule, look upon it as a duty to attend, and absence from sports or races is considered more unusual than non-attendonce at church. Ashbur ton is in no way behind other portions of the British dominions in enjoying holidays, and plenty of them at that. In fact the days set apart for enjoyment are, we think, rather numerous this year. There are the Prince of Wales’ Birthday on the 10th inst., the Show and Races on the 18th, 19th, and 20th, Caledonian Sports on Boxing Day, and Winslow Races, Warter ton Sports, and Rakaia Sports on New Year’s Day—so that the sport-loving public will have quite a choice of places at which to enjoy themselves. That money is available even iirthese bard times, is evi dent from the prices realised at the sale of privileges yesterday, and although a few growlers exist in the community, who delight in finding fault with the exertions of public spirited bodies, we are glad to find that their narrow-minded ideas are not believed in beyond a very limited section of the public at largo. As a matter of fact a very small amount of the money run for at the Racing Club’s meeting is subscribed by the outside public, the owners of horses finding nearly the amount run for themselves, in the shape of entries and nominations; and the sport itself at country meetings has generally less, of the betting element about it that obtains at the larger metropolitan races.

4

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

Sati rcay, Novemeer 8, 1870



The late Baron Rothschild left £SOOO for Christian charities. The Grand Hotel of Paris is to be put up for sale for 27,700,000 f.



"’"A woman was recently fined in London for creating a nuisance by keeping nine cats in one room.