THE FARMER.

AGRICULTURAL PAPERS. No. m. By J ames Gammack, Esq. “ The Influence of Trees on Climate.” On Tuesday, 15th February, 1872, Mr. Gammock read his paper as follows on the above to the Lincoln Farmer’s Club ' Two months ago we were congratulat ing ourselves on the prospect of an abun dant harvest, from one end of the pro vince to the other all accounts agreed that the crops never looked better ; that feed was plentiful, and that the high price of wheat in England would cause a good de mand for ours at a remunerative price, but the long continued drought with con tinual nor’-westers so witheredup the grain, especially on the light land, that a great part of both oats and wheat was scarcely worth cutting; and the violent winds on the 18th and 23rd ultimo shook so much of the standing crop that I consider my self under the mark when I estimate our loss from both these causes at 20 per cent, of the total crop. Now, when we consider that owing to the low price of wool, cattle, and dairy produce last year a great deal of English grass land was broken up and put under grain crops, we may safely estimate the land under crop as larger than in any former year. According to the statistics of the harvest of 1870 our produce was estimated at 3i millions of bushels and valued at half a million of money. Now 20 per cent, deducted from that would amount to one hundred thousand pounds as the loss sustained by the farmers in grain alone, to which must be added the loss on stock through scarcity of feed and water on both farms and runs, also the damage sustained by bush and grass fires, probably the loss would amount to as much as that sustained on grain crops. Now this severe drought, though worse than we have had for several years, is not unusual ; nearly every year we have a long spell of dry scorching weather, sometimes in the spring, sometimes in summer, and at other times after harvest checking vegetation, the young grass and clover, and rendering the call ing of both farmers and graziers very un certain.

A great deal of discussion has been going on lately in Australia, India, and America, regarding the clearing of large tracts of forest land. It is alleged that where the hill-sides have been cleared of timber, the springs have dried up, and less rain has fallen than formerly, and that the country is more subject to long droughts and heavy floods ; that the rain, instead of falling among the trees and being there partly absorbed, now falls on the parched hill sides and runs off at once, thereby causing heavy floods. Hum boldt says that “trees exhale fluid from their leaves, in the first place for their own benefit, but various important second ary effects follow from this process ; one of them is, maintaining a suitable portion of humidity in the air, not only do they attach and condense the moisture sus pended in the air, and borne by the wind over the earth’s surface which, falling from their leaves, keeps the ground below moist and cool, but they can by means of their roots, pump it up from a very consider able depth, and raising it into the atmos phere diffuse it over the face of the coun try. Trees, by their perspiration from their leaves, surround themselves with an atmosphere constantly cool and moist.” Dr. Schomburgh says “ trees exhale humidity on a large scale. As a rule, humidity surrounds them. In the same manner, the lightning conductor attracts the electric fluid, the forests attract and draw down the rain clouds, which benefit themselves and likewise the neighbouring agricultural land.” I could give hundreds of facts in sup port of the foreging opinions, but will con fine myself to a few. Egypt, well known for its dry climate, had formerly about six rainy days on an average per year, but since the last and present Viceroy planted many millions of trees there are now on an average twenty four rainy days re corded.

The Emperor Napoleon convinced of the great benefit the barren and swampy districts of France would derive if planted with trees commanded many millions of them to be planted in these portions of the empire. He also planted thousands of acres of the desert in Algiers with suitable forest trees, and three years ago some of these plantations, especially the Austra lian species, had reached a growth of 12 and 15 feet, and already a great change of the climate is observed, and twice as much rain falls about these plantations than for merly. The Island of Mauritius has been settled by Europeans for the last 250 years, and being in the heart of the In dian Ocean, and the centre of the island covered with forests such a thing as drought was unknown, but during the last forty years a great change has been going on, the greater portion of the timber has been cut down, and the land appropriated to sugar plantations, and since then they have had several seasons of excessive drought. Belts of trees across our bare and naked plains would cause many a passing shower to fall on them, which now draws away to the hills. Trees act as regulators and distributors of moisture ; they stop and retain much that would pass over a bare country. A belt of trees ten chains wide, from Templeton to the Rangitata along the lino of railway would do an immense deal of good, by attracting passing showers, and in some measure breaking the force of the wind driving over the plains. If the contemplated irrigation of the plains is carried out, it will no doubt exer cise a very beneficial effect on this part of the country. The hot nor’-westers blow ing over the hot and parched plains, col lecting heat as it comes along, arrives here like the breath of a furnace, spread ing destruction and death to vegetation wherever it goes, would, if those works were carried out, strike on a wide expanse of water and rich vegetation, promoting a large amount of evaporation, and arriving here cool and loaded with moisture. It is well known that the cold of Canada would be unbearable if the winds were usually high ; but the days and nights are gene rally calm for months in winter, thereby rendering the cold out of doors, in spite of the temperature, far from being disagree i.bJo. bo it is with the nor’-westcrs. Though only showing on the thermometer £0 or 90 degrees, the force of the wind

renders them more disagreeable and hurt ful to animal and vegetable life than if the heat were 15 or 20 degrees higher, with only a moderate breeze. Now if these plains were irrigated or interspersed with large baits of forest trees, the leaves and vegetables would , absorb part of the heat, and thereby deprive it of its dis agreeable qualities. I tliink we are greatly indebted to the Hon. John Hall for the introduction of the “ Planting of Forest Trees Act,” which I think will exercise a very benefi cial effect in this province. There is no part of the Australian colonies where so much has been done in the planting of trees and hedges in so short a time as there has been done in Canterbury, and in no country is it more wanted. Already it is saiil to have affected the climate round Christchurch, and more rain falls there now than formerly. I will now' say a few words on trees as a means of shelter. It is astonishing to what extent a good gorse hedge will give shelter on these plains. Last month I saw stooks of corn a chain off from a low fence standing without a sheaf displaced by the wind, while elsewhere every one was levelled and tossed about. Now, a belt of trees, say a chain wide, would in a very few years reach a height of thirty or forty feet, and afford shelter the width of an ordinary sized paddock. It would also be of great advantage to the grain crops, as the sheltered side of a fence is always earlier and better than the rest of the field. In winter and early spring it would be of much advantage to stock of all kinds, and a great saving would be effected in the lambing season of the lives of both ewes and lambs, and all kinds of stock would thrive better in well sheltered fields, though bare of feed, than in good feed in badly exposed situations. Good shelter is both meat and drink, and a well-sheltered paddock will yield more grass in summer, because protected to some extent from the burning sun and the scorching winds, and will also grow more feed in winter, being defended from the cold blasts so prevalent that season. I would therefore strongly urge on every member of the club to plant as many trees as possible during the coming winter. A great many in this district have now passed through the struggle for existence, which all settlers must experience for the first few years, and any farmer with a large balance at his banker’s cannot in vest his money to better advantage than by planting a few acres with forest trees. Hitherto we have been too anxious for an immediate return, but I am confident that what I recommend, though slow, will give a far surer return than any kind of grain crop. On nearly every farm there are a few nooks and corners which, at very little expense, might be fenced off and planted with such kind of trees as are suitable to the locality, and at the end of a few years the fence might be removed and the stock allowed to feed among the trees, which would afford them splendid shade from the heat of the summer and the cold of winter.

The Government might also do a great deal more than they have done. We are paying upwards of £SOOO a year for charit able aid, a great part of which is to able bodied men out of work. Now, instead of keeping them loafing about the Christ church plantations, let them be sent up to plant trees along thepresentlire of railway, where a belt of trees is much more required than round Christchurch. The Govern ment is also erecting a reformatory at Burnham, where the boys will bo edu cated and taught different trades ; I hope they will also make it a rule that the boys be compelled to plant trees a certain number of hours every day and convert the country around into a large forest, which will not only be a profitable specu lation to the Government, but largely as sist to ameliorate the climate of the coun try. It is highly probable that the pre sent year will commence a new era in the planting of trees in Canterbury, and with the experience of the past to guide us, and a bonus of £4 per acre, it is to be hoped that there will be application for thousands of acres of land under the “ Planting of Forest Trees Act,” and that the growth of the trees so planted will so improve the climate, that in a few years drought and hot winds will be things of the past.

From the Pall Mall Gazette

The great States which once filled the valley of the Euphrates have ceased to ex ist, and extinction is a fate which has for centuries been threatening some modern States. Spain, for instance. Man has stripped the soil of trees, the absence of trees has brought droughts, droughts have slowly diminished the productive powers of the ground, and finally destroyed them, the population in the meantime dwindling in numbers and vitality. Spain had forty millions of people in time of the Romans, and flowed with milk and honey ; it is now an arid region, only half of it is under cultivation, with only sixteen millions of inhabitants, and if modern science had not come to its aid, would probably go the way of Babylon. Persia was one of the most powerful States of antiquity, and even in the fourteenth century was able to sup port the army of Tamerlane, who marched without commissariat or baggage during the bloody contest. It is now almost a wilderness, with a population of two mil lions—about half of them nomads— who are rapidly perishing from famine brought on by three years’ drought. The worst of it is that, owing to the absence of either common roads or railroads, it seems to be impossible for the charity of the rest of the world to reach the suf ferers, so that there is really a strong pro spect of the depopulation of the country. The motto of this horrible story is—look after your trees. The “ Nation ” hopes that before long some organised attempt will be made in America to deal with this momentous question of forest preserva tion, which is daily becoming more press ing. Zoroaster, the great Persian legisla tor, was wiser than he knew when he put planting a tree among the most merit orious of acts.

The Shorthorn. By dint of vigorous writing in agricul tural journals, a concert of vigorous talk ing by breeders, and by some rather questionable practices at public sales (says an American paper), the fancy prices of shorthorns were kept up considerably longer than many shrewd men expected that it could be done ; but the days of yo,ooodol. cows and 15,000d01. bulls, are at last numbered in this country, for the present generation at least. And this is

nothing against the brood as such. It is too late in the century to say aught against these as beef-producers. Their record is a long and most honorable one. Short horns have simply got down to prices to which intrinsic merit entitles them. And now is the time for farmers to invest in them for the purpose of improving their herds of ordinary cattle. When good youna bulls can be purchased at from 50 dols. to ISOdols. no better investment can be made.

Breeding Farm Horses. Healthy, vigorous, well-shaped parents usually have healthy, well-shaped off springs, and in the same manner the im perfections and diseases of the parents are prone to appeal 1 in the progeny. A cart stallion, himself symmetrical and sound, leaves a largo proportion of shapely, sound, and serviceable stock. A draught stallion with round, gummy legs and coarse hair (a type of too many of the ordinary horses travelling) as he advances in years, is pretty certain to become affected with in fiannnation of the lymphatic glands and vessels of his hind limbs, or weed, and of congestion of the sebaceous glands of his heels, or grease, and with equal certainty his faulty conformation and consequent tendency to disease re-appear in his pro geny. Equally hereditary are those ring and side bones which so materially lessen the value for work of so many big, and otherwise good cart horses. How con stantly the weak narrow hocks, which predispose to spavin, and the straight small hocks that are subject to curb, con tinue unsatisfactorily to mar each suc cessive generation. Some thoroughbred sires are roarers ; in other words they have wasting of the muscles of the larynx, and this serious shortcoming diminishes the value of a large proportion of their progeny. Habits, longevity, temper, and vices, are all transmissible, and so in a marked degree are the imperfections and weaknesses which constitute disease or predispose to it. The practical deduction from this inexorable law of like producing like is, to use for breeding purposes only serviceable sound materials, to eschew starved, narrow, ill-favoured, weakly sub jects, and to realise that it is about as fruitless to endeavour to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear as to produce superior from inferior animals. Some breeders believe, or act as if they believed, that the sire has the chief influence in deter mining the health and usefulness of the offspring, and that the dam might be re garded merely as a kind of passive in strument, or a sort of hatching machine. This is a mistake. Parents impress their physical and other qualities tolerably equally on the offspring. Virtually, the progeny should be the mean of the two parents; but they are not always so. Much uncertainty of result occurs when dissimilar parents are mated. Other modi fying circumstances also intervene to render the offspring more like the sire than the dam, or vice versa. The best bred parent, that is, the parent whose family has been longest bred from similar sti’ains, perpetuates most strongly its cha racteristics. Thus a well-bred Shorthorn bull leaves very prominently his mark on ordinary dairy cows. His calves, even from mongrels of endless variety, are often tolerably like himself in shape, style, and even in colour. The parent which at the period of copulation happens to he in the highest state of health and vigor often makes the greatest mark upon the pro geny, and this forms a strong argument for maintaining all breeding stock in a sound and vigorous state. Observation, extending over all descriptions of stock, demonstrates that the male parent contri butes more notably the size and external farm, the bony skeleton, and the skin and its appendages ; whilst the internal organs, and hence the constitution, more espe cially follow the female parent. A horse with a tendency to splints, spavins, ring bones, and other diseases of the bones, transmits these defects with greater cer tainty than the female parent, who on her part is more likely to perpetuate a tuber culous or weakly constitution, or a slug gish or vicious temper, qualities which mainly result from the internal organisa tion. Reversion, atavism, or calling back frequently intervenes to modify the pro geny and makes them resemble their grand-parents, or even their more remote ancestors, rather than their immediate forebears. From this law good and bad points alike crop up unexpectedly in all animals. A remote cross of a soft or non staying sort has sometimes marred the prospects of many of the progeny of a Derby winner, himself above the average in speed and endurance. Professor Wil liams, in his work on veterinary medi cine, records the case of a cart stallion which, although sound and serviceable himself, left many rick or jiuked-back colts, the explanation being that his dam had suffered from this serious hereditary malady. Those accustomed to look care fully at animals will frequently trace the lineaments of a famous sire in Iris progeny three or four generations removed. Something Like Raspberries.

We learn form the “ Tasmanian Mail ” that Mr. Hull, secretary to the Sydney Exhibition Commission in Tasmania, has had presented to him an exhbit in the shape of two-rooted plants of raspberries, the canes of which are upwards of 10ft. long and of proportionate thickness. These plants are from the farm of a Mr. Poole, who resides at the back of the Brighton Ranges, where he cultivates fruit trees extensively. Mr. Poole says that he has twenty acres of raspberries, which produced him 40 tons of fruit, real ising in the market £37 10s. a ton. He has also a red currant tree of the enor mous height of 26ft., from which he is said to have plucked 10 bushels of fruit. His black currants are reported as being as large as damsons, and his raspberries rival mulberries in size. In Mr. Hull’s Tasmanian experience as a colonist of 60 years and for the last 40 years a practical gardener, he says he has never seen rasp berry canes within a yard as tall as those now in his office, and he hopes, when he can get a day’s relaxation, to visit Mr. Poole’s farm, and report on his prolific fruit trees for the information of the “ Gardener’s Chronicle ” in England, where such gigantic growth of otherwise small fruit trees will scarcely bo believed.

Working Eutter. A writer upon butter-making in a lead ing English Agricultural Journal, strongly

condemns the common practice of work ing by band in Ihe following words : One fact should over be borne in mind ; the “ human hand ” should never touch the butter in the process of its manufac ture. This is the invariable rule in the best batter-producing countries ; indeed, so strictly is it observed in some places, that a dairy-maid would he instantly dis missed if it were known that she touched the butter with her hands. No matter how clean or carefully it may he done, it injuriously affects the butter, and hence the advantage of a machine which renders this unnecessary. One thing is absolutely certain ; some improvement in the manu facture of our butter is imperatively neces sary, and must bo made. The present system (or want of system) cannot con tinue, for it won’t pay. Dining the last season a well-known and respected mout her of our agricultural society, received 7s or 8s more per e\vl. for his hotter than tiny other person in our local market ; but this is not all, he has been offeree 10s per cwt. more than the highest price in the Clonmel market, if he puts his butter into white lirkins each to contain about 4(ilbs.

Tips. We do not care how short a horse’s hack is ; for it is a sure evidence that he can carry or drag a heavy weight a groat dis tance and not tire ; neither, if he he speedy, will two or three seasons of turf experience break him down, as is the case with so many of our speedy long-hacked horses.

Some authorities state that a plumper grain can be obtained by cutting the wheat in a partially green state, while others hold a different opinion. Farmers seem to forget that a little additional hay and oats, a little more ex penditure on the first colt of the mare, £5 for a sire quite good enough to get fine draught or carriage horses—instead of £1 to some wretch of a sire who will begot stock good for -nothing—and a little ad ditional care and attention, will just make the difference of possessing an animal, at four years old, worth from £7O to £IOO instead of one whoso value at the same age will range from £ls to £2O. Save eggs from the best hens for setting, many poultry-keepers do not know which me the boat layers, but this may he dis covered by a little attention. Old hens lay larger eggs than pullets, and the chickens hatched from two-year old hens, mated with a vigorous one-year old cock, will be larger, more thrifty, and fledge hotter, than chicks from pullets’ eggs. In selecting eggs to hatch, take those of a fair average size ; reject the small or ill shaped ones, or the very large ones. There is no way to determine the sex of a chick by an examination of the size, shape, or other external appearance of the egg.

AT THY GRAVE.

Waves the soft grass at thy feet ; Dost thou feci me near thee, sweet 1 Though the earth upon thy face. Holds thee close from my embrace, Yet my spirit thine can reach, Needs betwixt us twain no speech, For the same soul lives in each.

Now I meet no tender eyes Seeking mine, in soft surmise At some broken utterance faint, Smile quick brightening, sigh half spent Yet in some sweet hours gone by, No responding eye to eye Needed we, for sympathy.

Love, I seem to see thee stand Silent in a shadowy land ; With a look upon thy face As if even in that dim place Distant voices smote thine ears, Memories of vanquished years, Or faint echoes of these tears.

Yet, I would not have it thus. Then would bo most piteous Our divided lives, if thou An imperfect bliss shonldst know Sweet my suffering, if to thee Death has brought the faculty Of entire felicity.

Bather would I weep in vain, That then canst not share my pain, Deem that Lethean waters roll Softly o’er thy separate soul, Know that a divided bliss Makes thee careless of my kiss, Than that thous shonldst feel distress.

Hush ! I hear a low sweet sound As of music stealing round. Forms thy hand the thrilling chords Into more than spoken words ? Ah ! ’tis but the gathering breeze Whispering to the budding trees, Or the song of early bees.

Love, where art thou I Canst thou not Here mo, or is all forgot \ Seest thou not these burning tears ? Can my words not reach thine ear’s 1 Or betwixt my soul and thine Has some mj’stery divine Sealed a separating lino !

Is it thus then after death, Old things none remoiubereth ? Is the spirit henceforth clear Of the life it gathered here ? Will our noblest longings seem Like some dim-remembered dream In the after world’s full beam ?

Hark ! the rainy wind blows loud, Scuds above the hurrying cloud ; Hushed is all the song of bees ; Angry murmurs of the trees Herald tempests. Silent yet Slecpcst thou—nor tear nor fret Troubles thee. Can I forget ?

THE UNEMPLOYED.

The present is a critical time for men in | the Borough of Ashburton and surround ing districts, upon whom the dull state of trade is inflicting severe hardships through the inevitable want of employment that follows commercial depression. At this juncture—when all public works in the Borough have been suspended, when the Road Boards, with one or two exceptions, arc not expending their funds at a rate proportionate ‘to the state of the labor market, and the County Council, though holding a hu'go amount of money do not seem prepared to put it in circulation by a channel that would enable it to benefit tin laboring man, and when private employers of labor have nut yet sulliciently recovered from the recent shook their financial confi dence received to allow their enterprise full sway and find employment for the hands now forced to he idle—the district >s threatened with an efflux of the popula tion it was our pride to see congregate within our boundaries. The sufferings of the population are not just now com mencing, but we would fain hope that the present is the darkest hour of night that comes before the day dawn. All the winter through want lias hold a threaten ing finger over the doors of our cottage homes, and the entrance of real distress was only averted by the laudable efforts of the Road Boards ami the Corporation, who, to their credit did their very utmost by putting works in hand to relievo the glut in the labor market. But the funds of the Borough were not sufficient to hear the strain put upon them, and now when the last available copper lias been spout upon work that our unemployed could do, the labor gang has had to bo reduced to the neucleus represented by the foreman. One Road Board in the immediate vicinity of the Borough has reached the point in the length of its tether beyond which it is unsafe to go with any assurance of avoiding disaster, so that unless the well-

found County Council can set free a por tion of its funds at once, or Government do more in the same direction than it is doing, the future must remain as difficult of realisation for the toiler as over.

The County Council were willing enough to advance to the Borough a sum of £2,000 to assist the latter body to tide over their financial difficulties, but as it ap peared that in consequence of the Borough not being within the boundaries of the County, the Act would not permit of any County funds being expended in the Borough, and wo believe the Chairman and members were sincere when they ex pressed their regret at their inability to assist the municipality in its distress. The County, however, can, if so disposed, render assistance to another local body which requires funds to carry out a large number of necessary works, such as would give employment to manual labor. The Longboach Road Board have spent all their moneys and their district is still in want of considerable expenditure on drains, and as this district is within the County’s boundaries, the latter body will not have any legal difficulty in the way of advancing funds to prosecute the neces sary works. “ Bis dat qui cito dat,” and any advance made now would he of greater value than one made at a future time.

Wo hear much of the duty of the General Government in the matter of finding employment for idle men. We hear it asserted that it is no more the duty of the Legislature to provide work for the labfiring population at a time when work is scarce than it is their duty to pull pri vate firms through in a time of financial difficulty. The principle is sound enough from one point of view, and would, per haps have been a fair one to act upon had t!ie Legislature acted upon it throughout. But they have not done so. In response to the colony's demands a public works and immigration policy was inaugurated, with the result that thousands of human beings—all workers —were poured upon the shores that now refuse to find them food. Those workers came here at the in vitation and at the expense of the Govern ment, induced to emigrate from their na tive land by representations made by paid agents of the Government, that the land was a very Canaan flowing with milk and honey. Once on these shores, to leave is a matter almost impossible to the vast majority of those who have chosen them as their adopted home. We do not claim for the working men that they should be supported like so many paupers, but we do claim for them that having been brought here by the Government, Government should stand in the gap made by the present financial depression, and create, as far as lies in its power, new out lets for the toilers’ labor to supply the place of those that have closed through the difficulties or caution of private em ployers and the impecuniosity of public bodies. The district represented by Mr. E. G. Wright has been singularly unfor tunate in the share of public works that have fallen to it, and beyond the through railway, the so-called Mount Somers lino, and the extension of the Malvern line known as the Springfield contract, now in progress towards the Kowai Pass, nothing whatever has been done for it. For the through lino we have to thank the desire of Dunedin and Christ church to he connected by T railway, and not any goodwill towards ns by the powers that be, and as for the Mount Somers line it is still incomplete, not only in con struction but in plan. It is impossible to say whether or not the Mount Somers line will be extended as we all desire*; and wo would certainly have wished, in the interests of the unemployed that the County Council had made very strong re presentations to Government on the sub ject. But we are glad to learn that strong private influence is now being brought to bear upon the authorities to make the ex tension required. Wc do not wish to raise any false trust as to the success of that influence, but we are not without a faint hope that the repsesentations made will not he without their weight in the matter.

PARLIAMENT.

Per our Special Wire. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, October 9. The House met at 2.30. AN UNKIND OUT. Me. M'Lean gave notice that he would move at next sitting day that the Island of Kiuviui lie included in a Comity, for the purpose of making it liable to taxation. NO CONFIDENCE. Mr. Macandrow gave notice that he would move—“ That Government docs not possess the confidence of the House.” With a view to enable him to make some explanations, he would move the adjourn ment, of the House. He then proceeded to remark upon the announcement he had just made. lie took it, for granted that the usual com;r:iui ional course would be

adopted on (his occasion, and that Govern ment would refrain from going <>n virh public business imrll ihe molimi was dis posed <‘.f. Ho wished in say lh.it tlio Opposition was most, desirous to get on with the business of the country, and that they desired to bring this question to a filial issue at as early a date as possible. If Government wore so disposed they (the Opposition) -were prepared to go to a divi sion on the question at once, and they would bo prepared to abide loyally by the result. For his own part he was pre pared to .say that if the motion was dis posed of to-day, and the vote given in the affirmative, he would be prepared on Tuesday to bring down the names of a new Government which would command the confluence of the House, and so g t on with the business of passing these consti tutional measures that were so urgently demanded. He did not of course expect the Government to go <m with the debate to-day, but ho would ask them an assur ance that it would he gone on with as a first Order of the Day next week. si-;.XTLEMKNT ON WASTE BANDS IN OTACiO. Replying to Mr Finn, The Government stated they wore de sirous of giving all the facilities they could for thro ring open land for settlement, and that they had under consideration the question of throwing open all available agricultural land at the head of Lake Wakatipu, Otago, and that an explicit answer would he given that day week. WEST COAST NATIVE AFFAIRS. Replying to Mr Tainui, it -was stated the report of Mr Commissioner Young on native reserves on the West Coast, together with all correspondence and minutes, would be produced. RAILWAY TICKETS AND UNIFORMS. Replying to Mr Andrew’s, Mr Oliver said the question of causing all passenger tickets to have the value of the same printed on thorn had been re ferred to the Railway Commissioner, but as yet no answer had been received ; and that uniforms for railway officials were provided for many places, and that it was under consideration to adopt the same in the North Island.

IN VKIU' ARCiILL RAILWAY. Replying to Mr Hurst, ]\[r Oliver said the Riverton and Inver cargill railway was in course of being rc laid with 401 b. rails. COLLECTION OF LAND TAX. Replying to Mr Johnston, Major Atkinson said the land tax in each county would be paid by post-office orders, and that such orders would bo issued free of charge. the mi'muck’s statement. Mr. Hall said that iu not gutting his Government sworn in so as to ho ready to take their soaks on Wednesday, ho had been blamed for attempting to delay the business, and prevent the want of con fidence motion coming on. Such was not his intention, he had been told hy Sir G. Grey that it was absolutely necessary that the Imprest Supply Rill should bo passed at once, the Government had no repre sentative iu the Upper House, Mr. Whitaker not having arrived in Welling eou. He was therefore anxious the bill •should pass through tho Upper House be fore the late Government left tho benches, as otherwise lie knew it would not be allowed to go through until Mr. Whitaker took his seat, and thereby a whole week would have been lost. Regarding tbe course proposed to be taken, he said he could not yet give a full statement in con sequence of Mr. Whitaker’s non-arrival in Wellington. Furthermore the Treasurer had not yet succeeded in investigating the usual state of the finances, although ho had been industriously engaged in the work on Tuesday ; however, he expected being able to lay before them the result of the Treasurer’s labors. At all events, no time would be lost, and actual financial position of tbe colony would bo laid be fore them at tho earliest moment. The Native Minister had also been busily en gaged with the affairs of his department, hut in consequence of the peculiar man ner iu which affairs of tho department had been conducted hy tho late Government, it was not by any moans easy to obtain, full and correct information. The Native Minister was therefore not yet in a posi tion to make any definite statement. On Tuesday, however, they expected to he able to state what they believed to bo the position of affairs on the West Coast, and what steps they thought should bo taken in the circumstances. Also, as to the maimer iu which the alienation of tho Native land question ought to be dealt with. The question of the purchase of land from natives was also being carefully considered, and the views of the Govern ment on the subject would then he given in tho matter. On political reform their sincerity had been questioned hy the other side. They proposed to at once dispel all doubts on that point, and proceed with the Electoral Rill ; and he hoped mem bers on the other side would not obstruct the passing thereof. Ho did not agree with the Government measure of last session, hut proposed rather to frame it on tho measure introduced by Mr. 'Whitaker last session. Ho hoped to he able to submit a Native qualification that would he more fair and more reasonable than those contained in late Government measures. ’file next Rill to which he would refer was tho Triennial Parliaments Rill, which was down on the Order Paper for its second leading that day. They be lieved fhat Rill to bo inquired hi (he ce.’oovy. The measure as prepared, by (ho lain G.ovcrn.meuf, piopo.A-:l that if. slu.nid not come info operation until after tho dissolution of the present Parliament. The third matter alluded to was tho Re

distribution of So,-its. They agreed a measure was necessary ; still, it was a work of 'difficulty, and it would have to be carefully considered what they should do, and that was that all parts of the Colon}’ should be fairly represented, and no portion of it disfranchised. Laud legis lation was next referred to, and in framing a measure on that subject the Government would be guided by the principle that it was absolutely essential for all classes that the land should be settled upon, and facil ities for that purpose would be provided. All the questions they would bring down would be not only liberal but likewise well considered. His colleague, Mr. Whitaker, would arrive to-morrow, when they would devote themselves to the work with energy, so that business might be gout into with as little delay as prac ticable. tkienni al parliaments bill. Mr Hall, in moving the second reading of the Triennial Parliaments Hill, said that since the previous Hill had boon dis cussed a considerable change had taken place in the position of affairs. His own opinion had been that a four years’dura tion ought in the first place to have been attempted. The difference, however, was not very lai-ge, and on this part of the question he was the more ready to give wav.

Mr Sheehan said that Government’s silence on the notice of a motion of want of confidence was extraordinary. He challenged them to go on and take the vote on tiio proposed motion at once. If they would take a fair and short fight the Opposition would bo prepared to abide the , issue and go 'on with business at once. Ho had heal’d that an attempt was to be made to burke the question, and that it would not be allowed to come on on Tuesday. If they succeeded in that he would find other ways to test the strength of the Government party. He moved the adjournment of the debate on the second reading of the Bill till Tuesday. Mr. Whitaker said that they had heard both inside and outside the House that the Government did not intend to carry out the Liberal measures. Now what did they find ? The very party responsible for these reports attempting to obstruct them in their endeavor to go on with the very first of these measures. He con tended that fact alone went to prove that the Opposition was not sincere in its pro fession about getting these measures passed. The Premier had told them that the Electoral and other measures de manded by the country would be brought down with the least possible delay. The motion as put by Mr. Sheehan was in the worst possible taste, and showed palpably that no confidence was to be placed in their professions about getting on with the business and carrying out the Liberal measures asked for by the country. He called upon all independent members to take a side against such a proposal, and negative the motion for adjournment. Mr. Turnbull argued that the real ques tion at issue was not the passing 'of the ’Triennial Parliament Mkor any other Bill. It was simply asToflfcither or not the business should proceed’ until the notice of motion given by Mr. Macandrew. had been disposed of. Mr. McLean said Government would stay on their benches till they had told the House about the finances of the colony, or he would have nothing more to do with them. The state of the finances was most deplorable, and it would take the very best men in the House to eluci date the present condition of these finances. It was unfair of the Opposition to offer to go to a division to-day, seeing that four of the Government supporters wore away. A motion for delay was a mere subterfuge on the part of the Oppo sition to shelve the Bill altogether. The truth was they did not want it, and they are now voting against it. It was apparent from the last Bill that it was not to ap ply to the new parliament, but thenext par liament. Let them if they were honest pass a Bill to affect themselves, and not make a sham of passing a Bill which will only affect future Legislatures, Mr. Swanson urged the importance of going on with the Bill, leaving the whole question between the parties on the want of confidence motion to be passed at once. Mr. Bowen said it had been’ over and over again stated that Ministers had a right to have fair warning before a vote of want of confidence was taken. The proposal was a most unconstitutional one, and one he hoped the House would not commit itself to.

Mr Reader Wood contended that the ■ late Government had not had a fair trial. Immediately the Governor’s Speech was brought down they were attacked and displaced. He blamed Government for not having attempted a re-constructiofa of the late Government and then the Premier would not have placed himself on the benches with colleagues even more objec tionable than any members of the Govern ment they had displaced. No reason had been shown why the proposed want of confidence motion should not be gone on with at once if either had a majority. It was put forth that the want of confidence motion and the motion for adjournment had been moved by members who per- „ sistently voted against the Bill on various*! occasions. If it was a fact that after two years of office not a single Liberal measure of which they had talked so much was in a fit state to be presented to the House, he would also be able to show that the finances of the country were in the same condition. If this Government was turned out, and another put in, it would be a Ministry put in by the will of the late Premier, despite all they had heard of that hon. gentleman's unfitness to be leader of his party. He would ask new members to give the Government an opportunity of placing their measures before the House, and judge for them selves how far that confidence could be extended. He could tell the House they were determined to go into the whole question of finance, despite the anxiety shown to prevent their doing so. Mr. Macau drew denied he had opposed the Triennial Parliaments Bill in the past. Ho disclaimed all intention of attempting to defeat the passing of the Bill. It was in reality their Bill, and they were deter mined to get it passed. His idea in sup porting the motion for adjournment was to force the Government, to accept his pro posal—the want of confidence rhotion— in a regular and constitutional manner. Iho Hon. John Hall maintained that to ci y ne w Government was entitled to,a ta n' hearing, and that was in effect whip.

v ;u before them. Ho would ask inein to tlo themselves the justice to oil 0 '*? Ihjvornmcnt to state of nfikirs. h l ll til tliat was doneJSky would not accept

4

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

{Saturday, October 11,1879.



Sudden Death at Oxfoud.— Mr R. Perliam died very suddenly on Thursday afternoon, at about 4 o’clock. He had resigned his seat in the Road Board, and an election was taking place to fill the vacant seat. He drove down to the poll ing booth to record his vote, and when trying to get into his buggy he gave a heavy sigh, fell back, and expired. He had been suliering from heart disease for some time past. His death will cast a gloom over the place for a while, as he was very much respected in the district, where ho has acted for many years as manager for Mr N. Ellis. The deceased gentleman leaves a young family to deplore his loss. Faiimino in a Xutshkix.— A Kentucky farmer is said to have condensed his practical exp'-rimmo into these rules : “ Feed your land before it is hungry, rest it before it is weary, and weed it before it is foul.”



A CHKEum, I'nmor is i>roviilent ilia the “ Bulletin” has decided tu have all its original articles hereafter printed in red. This will save its alleged readers no end of time and trouble. Apropos of this, we see by a poem published by that reliable journal last week, entitled “An Incident of the French damp,” and signed Julius ller<dn, that the poet Browning has opened a branch office on this coast.—“ San Francisco Post. ”