MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close at the Ashburton Post Office, as follows: — For Christchurch and North at 6 a.m. 9. a.in., and 5 p.m., daily. For Chertsey Rakaia, &c., at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. For Dunedin, Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstream, Rangitata, Crari, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10.15 a.m. daily. For Tcmuka, Timaru, and South at 6 a,ni. and 10.15 a.m. daily. / For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge, toil Tuesdays and Fridays, at 10.30 a m. , For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, lit 3.15 p.m. daily. ,* For Wakanui, and Seafield, on Tues days and Fridays, at 6 a.m.

Mails arrive at the Ashburton Post Office— From Christchurch at 10.35 a.m., 455 p;tn., and 8.15 p.m. daily. From Chertsey, Rakaia, &c. at 10.35 «.m. daily. From Dunedin and intermediate places at 5,25 p.m. daily. From Temnka and Timaru at 9.25 a.m. And 5.25 p.m. daily. ' From Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge bn Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3 p.m. From Ashton, Waterton, and Long beach at 10 a. m. daily. From Wakanui and Seafield on Tues days and Fridays at 2.30 p.m. W. St. G. Douglas, Postmaster. Mails close at the Chief Post Office, Christchurch, for the following places (subject to necessary alterations) as finder:— Thursday, April 2'J. For Northern Ports, per Ringarooma, at 3.15 p.m. The next mail for the United Kingdom via Brindisi (for correspondence specially addressed only), will be closed at Christ church on May 6th, and will be due in London on June 26th. SYDNEY J. DICK, Chief Postmaster.

MEMORANDA.

AUCTION SALES. Friday, 30th April. Messrs. Matson and Co., at Mr. Frishy’s Farm, Winslow—lmplements, Horses, &c. Sale at 12 o’clock. Monday, May 3. J. E. Buchanan and Co., at the yards, close to Mr. John Hood’s, Mount Somers—Horses, Cattle, Pig?, and Sun dries. Sale at 1 o’clock sharp. Tuesday, May 4. Messrs. Edmiston, Gundry, and Co., at the Ashburton Saleyards—Great Clearing Sale of Farming Implements, Horses, Farm, etc., in the estates of Edwin Watkins, Risely Bros., and others. Sale at 12 o’clock. Wednesday, May 5. A’fred Harrison, at his rooms, Havelock street.—The Farm at Seafield, now in the occupation of Mrs. Dannihy. Sale at 2 o’clock. Also, at the same time and place, 14 Suburban Sections. Saturday', May 8. J. E. Buchanan and Co., at their rooms, Havelock street.—l 6 Splendid Suburban Sections. Sale at 2 o’clock. Wednesday*, May 12. Alfred Harrison, on the premises of the late Mr. Janies Cairns, Waterton.— Compact little Farm of 100 Acres. Sale at 12 sharp. Thursday’, May 13. Edmiston, Gundry, and Co., at their rooms, East street.—3s Sections in the Township of Tinwald. Sale at 2 o’clock.

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS.

All orders for insertion of advertise ments must be written legibly on the face of the advertisement. When no order is given the advertisement will be inserted until countermanded, and charged accord ingly. All notices of Births, Marriages, or Deaths must be accompanied by the sig nature of the sender, as a guarantee of good faith. All advertisements and business letters to be addressed The Manager ; literary communications should be addressed to fus Ewxok.

The Ashburton Guardian. COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & SPORTING RECORDER THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1880.

Jusl at a time when farmers’ attention is directed to the export of frozen meat to Europe we find that a- dangerous disease is gaining ground am mgs Seattle in the North Island, and that the steps taken to confine “the scourge within such limits as will prevent its spreading over the Island, and possibly threatening the whole colony, are very unsatisfactory in deed. We find the Auckland Cattle Boards discussing what they should do in the matter : we find owners of stock dis puting the symptoms their ailing beasts exhibit: and little or nothing at all done to stay the progress of pleuro-pnenmonia. And while these discussions go on, and the people interested stand idly by, the disease itself keeps on its course, and another, and another, and another herd are added to the list of infected ones! There can be no doubt about how pleuro arose in the Auckland province—that it w r as imported from New South Wales ; neither can there be any doubt that, had prompt and proper steps been taken to stamp it out when it was first discovered, it would never have reached the cattle in the surrounding bush, and we would not now be hearing of its ravages amongst the herds of the North Island. There are people who fancy that Cook’s Straits are a sufficient safeguard to the Middle Island against any possible infection. Were every infected beast in the infected district known to the authorities, and the latter had power to stamp out the disease by the death of the animal and the deep burial of its carcase, we would have no hesitation in saying that the safety of cattle lay in the isolation that the Straits give us. But while wo see a cargo of cattle infected with pleuro pneumonia able to find their way to Auck land auction marts, sold to the settlers in open market, and spread amongst many herds before a single word is said of the existence of disease ; and while wc have reason to fear that there are many cattle in the Northern bush affected by the disease, and roaming about perhaps unknown to the owners, as well as to the Cattle Boards ; and while ignorance of the symptoms of the disease is displayed, both by the settlers themselves and. the inspectors to whom they look for protection---there is some cause for alarm lest the scourge should find its way to this province. It came from New South Wales to Auckland, and penetrated from the sea-board to the interior. Who can say that, when it has attained strength enough, it will not work its insidious way South, and ultimately find a lodgment amongst the cattle of the Middle Island ? As yet, no sign of pleuro pneumonia has made its appearance in the Middle Island, and the whole colony lias been remarkably free from disease, but while it has secured a hold on the Northern herds, there is no assurance that immunity from infection is secured to the Southern. We remember during the ravages of tiro rinderpest at Home, that the greatest difficulty the inspectors ex perienced in their work was with farmers themselves, who did their very best to conceal, as long as they could, the exis tence of any disease amongst their cattle and sheep. Tiie fanners knew that a heavy loss would be entailed upon them by the slaughter of their beasts, and they preferred to treat them themselves with a view to saving them if they could, and have them sound and well if possible against the visit of the inspector. With rinderpest this was a hopeless task, and in the end the beasts had to be sacrificed. But the attempt to save them only helped to spread the evil, and while the farmer was pottering away with such remedies as lay to his hand, and pretending ignorance of the nature of the disease he was treat ing, his conduct was only endangering the unaffected beasts of his neigh bors, and the whole district ultimately suffered. It is just possible, when we find the manager of the Waikato Com pany’s estate parleying with the Cattle Board, and trying to make them believe that the symptoms of disease exhibited by his cattle are not those of pleuro—it is just possible that he is not alone in the course he is following, but that there are many stock-owners who are following the same course, and nursing a viper that may eventually use its sting in every part of the colony. The Auckland people arc now beginning to use the only effective remedy—the axe. This is the cure that should have been adopted from the first, and had it been so, the infection would not have spread beyond the sale yard. But the measures used to bring the infected cattle to the slaughterman should bo prompt and unwavering. No infected beast should be spared, and no consideration of individual loss should be allowed to weigh, for it is better that the cattle of a small district should be sacri ficed than that those of the colony should bo jeopardised, nor should the compensation offered be insufficient. A fanner should be placed in a position as regards compensation that would induce him to report his cattle affected at once, if they are so. He ought to receive for eaclx beast a fair price—not, to be sure, the price of a sound and healthy beast, but a fair price all things considered, and then doubtless lie would prefer to bring them to the slaughter for the colony’s safety and bis own. Wc hope the disease will bo prevented from travelling south ; as yet it is only in the northern districts of the North Island ; but we have no guarantee that it will remain there, and should it do so, wo hope steps will be taken to arrest its further progress. We do not know if any provision lias been made by legislation for giving compensa tion to owners of stock slaughtered in the interests of the common good. Cir cumstances have not until now arisen calling for procedure of this kind, but doubtless the House of Representatives will this session have the matter brought before it, and will probably frame a mea sure whereby funds for this purpose will be provided in the future, should such an exigency arise. The Gazette of April 17, just to hand contains the notice of the Canterbury Cattle Board appointment, and also the appointment of Cattle Inspectors and Deputy-Inspectors.

The year 1879 was the most disastrous one to commercial and farming interests within living memory. Disastrous ones we have had before, but none in which every branch of trade and agriculture was so generally and deeply depressed. This depression has been attributed to a variety of causes, commercial, political, meteorological, and even astronomical, but whichever is the correct one, there is no doubt that in our own neighborhood the difficulties of the position wore much ag gravated by the complete absence of pre paration for such a period. From this unreadiness we must not hastily assume that our farmers and, commercial men were less provident than their contem poraries in other districts ; but as pioneers to an unsubdued country, a largo expendi ture was demanded from them, and this expenditure was undertaken with every reasonable hope of a profitable return in due course. But the anticipated return was denied, and as a consequence many estimable men found themselves in em barrased circumstances. To review the commercial casualties of the past twelve months would indeed be a pain ful task, and one which would serve no useful purpose, but it is of the most vital importance that any lessons taught by these sad experiences should be care fully noted, and studied as a safeguard against their repetition. We think many

of our readers will be with us when we say that one of the necessities recently made apparent in our midst, is the re-adjust ment of the relations existing between landlord and tenant in this country. Led away by the prosperity which buoyed up the whole colony sonic time ago, tenants have entered upon land and assumed obligations which completely cripple them, and in the interest of the community at large and themselves in particular, it is absolutely imperative that landlordsshould promptly and liberally remodel their leases. We know of a number of instances where men have undertaken to pay a yearly rental of five, six, seven, and more shillings per acre for very light land, and in addition to this, to pay one pound each year off the purchase money. To discharge the conditions of such a lease, a farmer requires five or six years of uninterrupted good for tune, and it is well known that none of those in our midst have experienced this. As a consequence main' excellent hard working men just now find themselves crushed by the demands of those who have induced them to occupy the land. In this predicament it behoves every land lord to exercise the utmost leniency, as any other course must compel many holders to abandon their farms, and lose to the district a number of very desirable settlers. To avoid such a catastrophe we must all unite, and as landlords are chiefly interested in the adoption of the course wo advocate, and they have every thing to gain by a liberal policy, we shall leave the question to their good sense, calling to their recollection the fact that Princes and lords may flourish, or may fade ; A breatli can make them, as a breath hath made. But a bold peasantry, their country’s pride,

When once destioyed can never be supplied,

Westerfield Mill. —We learn that the Westerfield estate changed hands y'esterday, C. S. Howdon, Esq., Christ church, being tire purchaser. A notice appears in our advertising columns respect ing the mill.

The Coleridge Electoral Roll.— The office of the Registrar of Electors, Ashburton, and the Post-office, Sheffield, have been gazetted as the places at which the electoral roll of the Coleridge district shall be open for inspection.

Officiating Ministers under tee Marriage Act. —The following Ministers are announced as being authorised to soleminise marriage under The Marriage Act, 1854 : —Roman Catholic Church ; Rev. J. P. Cassidy ; Church of England : Rev. A. W. Hands and Rev. L. C. Brady ; Baptist Church : Rev. A. W. Webb. Bar Framed Bee Hives. —We had thought that 15s. per hive and 2d. each for frames was about the minnhnum price at which bar-framed bee hives could be produced, but a Thames saw-milling Com pany offer to fupply the Christchurch Bee keeping Association at a cheaper rate still, believing they can undersell Christchurch in its own market. Canterbury Cattle Board and In spectors. His Excellency' has been pleased to appoint Messrs. Robert Wilkin, F. J. Kimbell, Charles Newton, J. T. Peacock, and John Studholme members of the local Cattle Board for the district of Canterbury', Mr. Robert Wilkin to be Chairman. A Cattle Inspector, with three deputies have also been appointed as follows : —lnspector—Philip Baker Boulton ; Dcputy'-Inspector Reginald Poster, R. T. Holderness, James Mac donald. The Express. —We didn’t hear of the incident referred to in the following para graph from the Sydney Town and Country: —A.inan fell off the platform of one of the carriages of an express train in New Zea land last week. It was thought he was killed, but lie wasn’t. He was not hurt at all, but pursued the cxpioss train, and wasn’t far behind it at the next station. Falling off railway trains, though doubtless as easy' as “ falling off a log,” is not there fore recommended as profitable or even desirable physical exercise. It is apt to prove trying to the nerves

Season for Shooting Game. A Gazette, just to hand, contains a proclama tion declaring the period within which im ported game may be hunted, shot, taken, or killed, within the several districts of the colony. The part more particularly referring to Ashburton, intimates that the Ist to the 30th June is the season during w'hich cock-pheasants are at the sports man’s disposal, and hares may be bunted (coursed) from the Ist May to the 31st July. It is, however, added that it is illegal to attempt to take or kill such game at any other time than between the hours of sunrise and sunset. The Chertsey Land Sale. —On Tues day last, the well-known property of W. A. Brown, Esq., Chertsey, was submitted to public auction. Mr. John Matson officiated, giving a glowing description of this splendid property, referring more par ticularly to its close contiguity to the rail way station. The land, as a block of 1100 acres, was passed in at L 7 10s. per acre, and the homestead section was passed in at L 9 10s. The sale of implements, machines, etc., being proceeded with, realised oidy ordinary rates. The stock was sold at a low average rate, and the sale on the whole, must have been a loss to the owner.

“Ashore and Afloat.” —The final per formance of the drama “ Ashore and Afloat” was given in the Town Hall last night by tho Amateur Dramatic Club. There was a very 7 fair attendance of the public, and tho play went on with far greater smoothness than it did on either of the two former representations, and the several players appeared to be a good deal nearerto perfection in the texts of their various part. The winding np was somewhat altered to got rid of a scene for which the stage appliances were not suited, and the change was a marked im provement. We understand that towards the close of the present month, “Black Eyed Susan ” will be placed upon die boards by 7 tho local company.

What a Teacher Should he. — Inspector Lee, reporting on the Welling ton district schools has the following to say regarding teachers ; “ How much depends on the character, disposition, education, and example of the teacher ' Every school differs in some respects from all other schools—the difference being mainly attributable to the individual character of the teacher. The position of the teacher, both in relation to his scholars, and in his social relation to the people amongst whom he labors, is veiy much of his own making, and depends for the most part on his own personal worth. If teachers fail in producing good results, it is not from idleness, but from want of judgment, want of training, or from sheer incapacity. Teachers are, however, to be mot with who have loose notions of their own, and think that such matters as excesses in their habits, and living beyond their means, arc to be thought nothing of, if they do their duty in their school. Parents who en trust their children at an impressionable time of life to the school teacher, in loco parentis, will naturally look for good example of life and manners in those who have the care of their offspring. The teacher, then, if he wishes to win the respect of his pupils and their parents, will be a bright and honest example, and, in all his acts an honorable man, sensible of his responsibilities, and mindful of his influence.”

South Australia’s Wheat. —The South Australian Register estimates the average yield of wheat at 11 bushels per acre, making a total yield of 16,300,000 bushels, of which 13,375,000 bushels, or 361,500 tons will bs available fop sale or expert,

Town Hall Fees. —At the entertain ment which was given on Monday in the Primitive Methodist Church, one of the speakers, in his remarks on the Waiinatc Town Hall, remarked that they had been able to obtain that building for the moderate sum of LI per night. Had the promoters of the entertainment been able to procure the Ashburton Town Hall for anything near that amount they would have done so ; but the amount asked was L2 25., with cost of gas, and so any thought of holding the meeting there had to be abandoned. Perhaps it might be as well for the directors of the Town Hall to revise their scale of charges, with a view to reducing them, and thus inducing more business.

A Joke. —Some joker at Masterton recently telegraphed to . a Wellington paper that the Maori King, Tawhiao, had abdicated in favor of Sir George Grey ! O amabu Harbor.— The LIOO,OOO loan of the Oamarn Harbor Board having been successfully floated, another wall to the northward of the present one will be run out, and the harbor will be dredged to a depth sufficient to admit of the largest Home vessels ly'ing alongside the break water.

The Work of Destruction. —The slaughtering of cattle infected with pleuro-pneumonia is still going on in Auckland. Mr. Fantham’s pure-bred shorthorn bull, Lord Darlington, was killed on suspicion. The post mortem examination showed that the animal was suffering from tuberculosis.

A Rude Wakening. —A man went to sleep with his head on the lines of the Port Pirie Railway, S.A. A vigorous kick turned the current of his thoughts, and his body off the line at the same time, just before a train sought an interview. He said the boot was more emphatic than the circumstance warranted.

ik Warning. —The following adver tisement appears in a Sydney paper : “ John Turner, native of Glasgow, who married Martha Riley, 17 y'ears of age, at Richmond, I give you notice that having for seven years made every effort to dis cover y'ou, I intend to get married again. —Martha Turner, Montefiores. ”

Who are the Imbibers I —Which is the drunken department of the Civil Ser vice ? The A Tew Zealand Times says that all the empty beer bottles brought to light during the late shifting of the Govern ment buildings “ wore found in the rooms of a single department, the gentlemen en gaged in all the others being apparently water drinkers.” Death from D.T. —On a wharf in one of the cities of the North Island, a short time ago, a larrikin mosquito, after doing a buzz in and out of a crowd there con gregated,’alighted for a moment on the

highly-colored nose of a Government official. The ill-fated insect presently fell down dead at the feet of its victim. On being picked up an examination was held, the verdict returned being—“ Died from delirium tremens. ”

Steel Firkiross. —A simple and effec tive way of polishing steel lire irons, is by rubbing them with sweet oil, and then vigorously applying building lime. Rust spots may be erased, by allowing the lime to remain on the irons a day or so, then rubbing briskly with oil and lime, a bril liant polish will be effected. Bronze fenders should be well brushed, to clear off every particle of dust, then with an ordinary paint brush, sweet oil applied. A Hang?,ian’s Wealth. —According to the Neio York Herald, Oalcraffc, the Eng lish hangman, died worth L 20,000. He was, say's the Herald, very sensitive, and was looked upon with reverence in the neighborhood in which he lived, and respect by his relatives. This is not sur prising when wo consider he was worth L 20,000. It is only a wonder there were not more persons who, for the sake of notoriety, did not want the exalted hom-r of being “ strung up” by a hangman worth L 20,000.

Faggot Voxel This is how the Liberals in the old country' work the oracle. As a sst-off to 100 faggot voters created by' the Duke of Buccleugh, Lord Roseberry has, as if by a sudden touch of enchantment, thrown up 100 cottages near Edinburgh, on the Tyne side, to house 160 working men and add 160 to Liberal constituency. The work was pushed on in a most picturesque and energetic man ner, four contractors taking each forty tenements, and a force of 500 masons, bricklayers, laborers, and so forth, re lieving each other in relay's night and day.

Forgiving and Forgetting. —Prince Bismarck was once asked by Count Enzen berg, formerly Hessian envoy' at Paris, to write something in his album. The page on which he had to write contained the autographs of Guizot and Thiers. The former had written: “I have learnt in my long life two rules of prudence. The first is to forgive much ; the second is never to forget. ” Under this Thiers had said : “ A little forgetting would not de tract from the sincerity of the forgive ness.” Prince Bismarck added : “As for me, I have learnt to forget much, and ask to bo forgiven much.”

Sudden Death at Dunedin. A woman named Esther Teague died very suddenly on Tuesday at Dunedin. She had been residing with a Mrs Atkinson at the corner of Cargill and Scotland streets, and, after partaking of lunch, went to her room to dross. Mrs. Atkinson not hear ing her moving looked into the room about a quarter of an hour later, and found her lying dead on the floor. Dr. Murphy -was immediately sent for, and lie attributed death to heart disease. The deceased, who was about 40 years of age, had fre quently complained of coldness and a pain in her side, but was not considered suffi ciently unwell to render it necessary to summon a doctor.

Bottled Lightning. —A shocking story comes from Birmingham, which shows how careful people ought to be in using the electric light. It appears that at the Holte Theatre several designs are lighted by a number of electric lamps. A M. Bruno, one of the orcliostia, although warned not to do so, took hold of the brass connections when the lamps were not in use, and thus received the full force of the current generated by a power ful battery, which supplies all the lights in the buildings and grounds. He was unable to disengage himself, and pulled the wire down. When released he was insensible, and though restoratives were

applied, lie died in about half an hour. London gas is certainly bad enough, but it is better than what an irreverent young man called bottled lightning.

A Eailkoad that Really Pays. —The idea of a railway paying the cost of go vernment if a novelty that could only oc cur in America. It is not yet an accom plished fact, but it is put forth in an American paper with all the gravity of possible realisation. The paper says :—“The debt of Illinois has been reduced to 800,000 dollars, and will be extinguished, it is claimed, within a year by the payment to the State of the dues of the Illinois Central Railroad. This railroad has proved a perfect Bonanza to the State. When the Bill for the creation of this road was be fore the Illinois Legislature, Senator Douglas affixed a provision by which, in stead of paying taxes, it should pay in lieu thereof seven percent of its gross receipts every year. The sum received by the State from the railroad has been yearly increasing, and has gradually wiped out the State debt. When this is gone, as it will be within a year, it is thought that the road will yield a sufficient revenue to carry on the ordinary expenses of the Government, thus doing away with the necessity of levying any State taxes.” When shall we have a New Zealand rail way to put by the side of this 1

FIRE BRIGADES.

For some time back there has been an awkwardness existing between the Wel lington Fire Brigades and the bodies to whom they looked for their support—viz, the City Council and the Insurance Com panies. The fire brigades alleged that the funds supplied to them for their support in efficiency by the Council and the Companies were not enough for the pur pose, and failing to come to any satisfac tory arrangement, they did what seems to us a very sensible thing—they laid up their engines, locked their sheds, and disbanded. The Council did not relish the prospect of seeing a large city like Wellington left entirely without means of fire exti notion,and they appointed a Committee to consider the matter. The report of that Committee was submitted, and it contained a sugges tion to organise a fire brigade, the officers and men of which should he paid salaries for their services. This suggestion was adopted, and will probably bo acted upon. In most of the Now Zealand towns the services of the fire brigade members arc rendered voluntarily, and it is a well known fact that these volun teer firemen show' a remarkable degree of efficiency', and a keen enthusiasm. Their discipline is about perfect, and as their officers are elected by the members, and usually have to stand a stiff contest for their positions, they command the re spect of those whose votes placed them in command. In most cases, too, the gene • ral public contribute largely to the ex penses of the brigades, while subsidies are paid by the various local bodies. Though the colony has thus enjoyed the services of a very large number of volunteer fire men, wc regret to say that their value lias not-always been appreciated to the full, and not seldom the brigades have found themselves crippled for funds. The action of the Wellington City Council seem to us to be a very proper one to follow, and puts in practice a principle which has long seemed to us to bo the one upon which brigades ought to exist—viz., on the sup port of the Corporation of the township in which they work. In this young colony hitherto, if we were to have fire brigades at all, it was almost a matter of necessity that they should be volunteers ; but it stands to reason if they are to be retained in efficiency, their expenses must be borne by some one, and their services are too valuable to risk the loss of from want of support. Whenever difficult times come, and money becomes scarce, public contributions fall away 7, and we find the brigades poking up the In surance Companies .and the public bodies for more money 7. If the brigades are a valuable institution, and ‘here is no one will deny their value, then xve can see no reason why they should be allowed to get into a crippled state for want of funds. It is no use depending on the Insurance Companies— they command the situation and will give no more than they' have a mind to ; and wo think the duty of the brigades’ sup port clearly lies with the public bodies, and provision Ought to be made accord ingly'. At Home the Corporations of the various towns support the Fire Brigades, and every' member is a paid servant, so that his attendance at a fire is compul sory, and he is specially remunerated for it. We de not suppose our Volunteer Brigades desire to he remunerated for their work like ordinary day laborers, but most of them do take a pride in the efficiency of their corps, and would like to bo supplied with the best appliances. The difficulty in Wellington will have the effect of virtually' eliminating the volun tary element from the brigade, and this wc think will be a loss ; but if a means of support could be devised that would re tain the volunteer character of the brigades while it maintained them in effi ciency and relieved the members of all cost, a long step would be taken in re moving the discontent that at present exists amongst the members of very many good corps, and at the same time to wards ensuring their permanency.

THE BOROUGH WATER SCHEME.

The following correspondence appears in the last two issues of the Ashburton Herald ;—

To the Editor

Sir—Through die medium of your columns, I wish to congratulate the bur gesses of Ashburton on the very marked improvement in their town’s financial pro spects, if I can take as a criterion their illustrious town Council’s action at its special meeting held to accept tenders for a water scheme.

As a contractor of about three years’ standing in Ashburton, and against whom I challenge anyone to bring any of those “ unfavorable experiences ” urged by Mr. Saunders agahist Mr. John Black’s tender, my tender should have been taken notice of, being more than L4O loss than the one that was accepted. I felt a little bit slighted in the matter, more especially as I have failed to elicit from the “ genial ” Town Clerk or Borough Engineer the reason why. But (to quote “Faithful George”) the fact is “insignificant.” L4O in these times of plenty is not too high a premium to pay to “practical knowledge” of this groat ditch and hank scheme. There is one very significant fact in connection with these tenders. Mr. J. Black, who was disqualified by previous “unfavorable experiences,” and want of “practical knowledge ” is, I am informed, the very man who is praotioaly doing the work. I take it, sir, that henceforth in your Borough, at the hands of tlie Council, “ merit (when known), shall reap its own reward,” and with them, ‘ knowledge shall be power. ” —I am, &0., W. J. Silcock. April 2G. ■ To the Editor. Sir, —In your last evening’s issue I notice a letter from Mr. J. Silcock, who appears to bo considerably distressed at the action of the Borough Council re the waterworks. Mr. Silcock, being a disappointed tenderer, may be forgiven for his bilious ebullition,' and as I am not sufficiently acquainted with classic authors and news paper correspondence to enter the arena of public argument with a writer of Mr. Silcock’s calibre I will not trouble you with such an array of inverted commas as he has done. Mr. Silcock’s letter, did it state facts, would be a eery nice readable piece of news for the ratepayers ; but as he has drawn upon his imagination for his facts I now beg of him to state what work he tendered for and at what prices. If he does not, I intend publishing the whole thing as an advertisement in your columns. As for Mr. Jolm Black being practically the contractor, that is about as true as the rest of Mr. Silcock’s letter I am at liberty to employ what labor I like, and being solely responsible to the Borough Council, I don't suppose it would much matter to them if 1 employed Mr. W. J. Silcock’s teams, whether they bo or be not as good as John Black’s. That is my affair. If Mr. Silcock wishes to have his work criticised in a manner like.to that in which he has undertaken to criticise the Council, probably room can be found in your columns for some remarks on a certain 30b he has on hand at present. However, I won’t rush into print any further unless compelled. Meantime I should like your correspondent to give your readers something definite to read ; and not such a vague statement that his tender was L4O less than the accepted one. Well, it might be ! Mr. Silcock did not tender for the most important part of the work, which was let in three sections, and he only gave a price for two.—l am, Ac., James Wilkie. April 87. j

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents. - —'h

THE LONGBEACH VALUATION.

To tub Editor.

Sir —The ratepayers of Lougbeach road district cannot but congratulate their Chairman on the stand taken by him in throwing out what with propriety may be called a farce at valuation. The result of Saturday last, shows plainly how much a man may aspire to a work which he is totally untit to carry out. Mr. Leach may or may not'be 3 valuator. It is quite evi dent, however, that his knowledge of country districts is meagre in the extreme. The extraordinary mistakes, added to the confused way in which the whole rate payers’ list was made up, could not but convince the most sceptical, that to up hold such a valuation roll as was presented before the Assessment Court on the 17th, would be a gross injustice to two-thirds of the ratepayers. Consider a farmer as sessed with live hundred acres, which lay perhaps ton miles from him, and of 'which he knew nothing whatever, and the right ful owner thereof rated with a hundred and fifty acres belonging to the party thus assessed with the five hundred. In ray own case, I had a valuation notice which was a fac simile of that for last years’ roll, and to which I raised no objections ; but Mr. Leach was not satisfied with such plain work, and so had me assessed with an imaginary hundred acres (as it was put down) at the very modest annual value of a LlO9. I have no doubt but it formed part of the famous Longbeach district, but I knew it not.

I mention those two out of a large num ber of similar cases which, although not brought before the Assessment Court, can be easily adduced, and show plainly that the valuator, even in his amended roll, knew little of the work before him. Had Mr. Leach considered the magnitude of the work that was involved in undertak ing to give a proper valuation of the largo and important districts included in his tenders, he would certainly have given the matter more thought, and arrived at a more accurate estimate of the remunera tion required for carrying the work out satisfactorily. This lam afraid he hasnot done, and the natural consequence is an attempt to confine or rather reduce the whole system of valuation to the pleasant shade of an office and map room. In this particular, I am inclined to the belief that Mr. Leach has only followed in the footsteps of past valuators. Year after year men have been appointed, new rolls have been made out, but no one has ever seen those men asking for information ; then the grand announcement is made that a rate has been struck, and that money is required. It requires no great stretch of imagination to see that such a system is extremely faulty, and the result is that whilst some may be rated to their full value, and perhaps over, others may be much under. So far as the present valuation is concerned, it has been hinted that Mr. Leach was actually aeon once in the flesh on the Longbeach road. How far this rumor is correct, I can’t say ; only' I have not met with any who have seen him in any other part of the district. As ratepayers, our protection was in the As sessment Court, and the Chairman of our Road Board, and it is certainly well for every community that the law provides for checking such gross blunders as defaced the late rate roll of the Longbeach district. —lam, &c., G. Gilmour.

THE CZAR’S MISTRESS.

It may be perhaps well to explain at once who is the lady that is exciting the discontent of the secret, as well as the ordinary society of Russia. The present Emperor had three mistresses acknow ledged in the course of his life,, and all the three were Princesses Dologoroaky. The first of them, being a woman of superior abilities and intellect, had a groat and beneficial influence over the Emperor in first period of his reign, and many of the best reforms introduced in Russia at that time—chiefly the emancipation of the peasants—arc universally attributed to her influence. The said Princess Dolgo rouky behaved extremely well, never boasted of her influence over the Czar, and was subsequently married to Count Albedinsky. To her succeeded her neice, another Princess Dolgorouky, and was in the course of time—some seven y'ears ago —replaced by her own sister, the present favorite, who by no means follows the?ex ample of her distinguished aunt. She has three children from'the Czar, the last of whom was born quite lately at Talta, in the Crimea. She does not make any mystery whatever of her relations to the sovereign, and acknowledges her children in an open way, taking them with herself every time she drove out in company with the Emperor in the Crimea. She is, moreover, always intruding on the privacy of the Empress, trying to annoy her as much as possible. The Empress could not, of course, patiently bear the presence of that woman in her immediate surrounding, but was unable to get rid of her ; the Czarewena, however, managed the matter in a more resolute manner, and positively shut her doois to the obtrusive beauty. As to the Czar, he is so much taken up by' his favorite that he allows her to do very much as she pleases, having besides taken it into his head to ensure to her children a name that may suit their high origin. The family of the Princess Dolgorouky 7 , as well as rhe reigning family of the Romanoffs, counts its lineage fioin Rurik, one of the three- first Princes called in from abroad, in order to govern Russia, in the year BC2. Row the Minister of War, Miloutine, and other fervent supporters of the Princess Dolgorouky;, have been instructed to try and find some ancient name of other descendants of Rurik, be longing to some family extinct- already, as there is no possibility of giving the chil dren of the Princess either her own name or that of any other family belonging to the old nobility of the Empire. The chronique scandaleme say's that Miloutine has consented to do the service asked of him, and is now reported to be seriously engaged with the affair. Whether ho will persevere is nevertheless to be doubted, as, notwithstanding the support of the Czar, the circle around the Princess Dol gorourky is somewhat widening, since her provoking attitude has set the heir apparent against her. The Cznyowitch himself is by no mean a man to overlook such scandals. It is a matter upon which he is most severe, oven in relation to his uncles and brothers, setting himself with his consort the example of a simple and faultless family life. But besides all above stated, the Princess Dolgorourky enjoys the worst possible reputation even among the less scrupulous part of society, as it is a well-known fact she is bribed by many financial people here, and uses her in fluence over the Emperor in order to make him grant financial concessions to the gentlemen who offer her the largest sum of money'. The Princess Dolgorourky is yet only 24 years old, and the Emperor is so much taken by her, that her opinion prevails in the Courtjfircles of Bt. Peters burg to the effect that as soon as the Em press dies, the Czar will contract a mor ganatic marriage with the Princess.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Tuesday, April 27. (Before Mr. F. Guinness, R.M.) CIVIL CASES. Mutch v. Hudson.—Claim L 4. Judg ment for plaintiff, by default, with costs ss, Mutch v. Dudley.—Claim Lo. Judg ment for plaintiff, by default, with costs 65.. Arnold v. Gardiner. —Claim L 6 ss. 6d. Judgment for plaintiff, by default. James v. Leggett.—Claim L3O 10s. Adjourned for a week. Duffy v. Smith.—Claim L 24 13s. Mr. Branson for plaintiff. Judgment for plain tiff, with costs L 5 ss. Lacey v. Baldwin.—Claim L 43. Mr. O’Reilly for plaintiff, Mr. Branson for defendant. This was an action to recover money, which it was alleged had been lent by' the plaintiff to the defendant at a time when the latter was in financial difficulties. It was contended by Mr. Branson that the action was one in which partnership matters were involved, and therefore his Worship had no jurisdiction. The Bench concurred in this view, and Mr. O'Reilly accepted a nonsuit with costs L2 2s. . The Court then adjourned.

THE ARSON CASE AT NAPIER.

By Telegraph,

Napier, April 27. William Henry Shaw, late rate collector, was charged at the R.M. Court to-day with setting fire to the Government Build ings, and was remanded fer eight days. The'police having'set to work to make inquiries,found that it was the annual audit day, and the fact that a number of rate-book counter-foils had been pulled down from a shelf and ranged round Shaw’s books after oil had been poured over them in open order, so that they would readily, burn, directed suspicion to him. Ho was in the office, and was most active in suggesting theories to account for the fire, pointing out footprints on a table below a window, which nobody else could see. At last he seemed to become con scious that suspicion pointed to him, and at once he wont to the Mayor and con fessed that he had embezzled money be longing to the Corporation, and had falsi fied the books to hide defalcations, but he denies having set the place on fire. The police have since discovered that Shaw purchased kerosene iu the bottles which were found in the room, from Messrs. Money and Go’s, on Saturday. Shaw is well connected, and has hitherto borne a good name. He was at one time a runholder in the country, but for several years past has been in the employ of the Corporation. About six months ago he was appointed rate collector, and it is sup posed that the defalcations have occurred since then. He stales that ho has no idea how much he lifts embezzled, and it will take several days for the auditors-to find it out, though several specific embezzle ments have already been d’seovered. Shaw has a wife and large family, and much sympathy is expressed for them. He has never lived in a fast manner’, and nothing occurred to arouse suspicion before the fire. The general belief is that he got gradually into debt, and on being pressed by tradesmen, took the money from the rates, and then altered the books to cor respond with the amounts he paid in. His salary was over L2OO a year..

A CURIOUS PICTURE.

Danouvy News.

A curious picture was sold a few days since at the auction rooms in the Rue Drouot. It was purchased for eleven thousand francs by a well-known Parisian amateur. The peculiarity connected with the picture was the strange fact that it is painted upon human skin. Its origin is attributable to a shipwreck which occurred on a savage coast, and which led to the capture of a number of the victims by a party of Indiana. One of the shipwrecked was an artist, and as the ceremony of ta tooing was being proceeded with by the Indians, the artist, who had saved his painting utensils and colors, volunteered to paint the grand chief. The offer was accepted, and the French .artist at puce painted a magnificent view of the harbor and the king’s palace on the breast of the savage. Towards the end of 1870 some of the Indian tribes revolted, and pursued by the Americans, several of thorn were killed or made prisoners ; one of the lat ter died in the hospital, and when his chest covering was withdrawn, the land scape in question, in an excellent state of preservation, was discovered on the breast of the Indian. A Frenchman purchased the body, took off the skin of the chest, bad it framed, and brought it to Paris, where it has been knocked down to the highest bidder by a tap from the auc tioneer’s hammer.

TERRIBLE ENCOUNTER.

A sad occcurrenca is reported at Port Blair: “On the evening of Christmas Day one of the 80tli Regiment, named Kenny, went out to the bay to have a swim—a daily recreation between five and six p. m. When he was out a distance of about 150 yards from the jetty, he found himself attacked by a small shark, which bit off one of the fingers of his left hand, and lacerated another and the

thumb. The man being a good swimmer bravely resisted the attack, and had nearly succeeded in checking, it is said, his enemy, when he found himself attacked by a larger monster, which siezod him below the cap of the right knee, causing an incision of about four inches long by two deep. The wounded man still fought his way bravely, swimming towards the shore with his right hand, while with his other mutilated one he defended himself. While doing so the second and fiercer antagonist managed to sieze his wounded leg just behind the knee-cap, rendering it perfectly useless. Life, however, is sweet, and notwithstand ing his ciippled condition Kenny struggled on towards a Ooat he saw com ing to his aid, when a third shark attacked him from behind and tore off nearly the whole of the flesh from his back. Even in this dreadful state he managed to swim some fifty yards further and to reach the boat before-mentioned, when he was picked up. He was immediately conveyed to the shore, laid in a doolie,' and carried to the hospital, where he received every care and attention ; but after lingei’ing for thirty hours, and suffering the great est agony, he expired. When the corpse was examined the intestines were plainly visible through the exposed ribs, three or four of which were broken. The di mensions of the last bite were seen to bo 14in by 12in. The deceased was only 231? years of age.”

KILLED BY HIS OWN DEVICE.

George Barr, a tinsmith, aged 66 years, living at Strausbnrg, Lancaster, met with a strange accident, which caused his death on January 10. Barr was very ec centric, and was troubled by a gang of boys, who loitered around his house,- and to get rid of them Barr took a hub of a carriage wheel, plugged one end up, and filled it with powder. He then laid a train of powder to the place where the boys usually came, and concealed himself. When the boys appeared ho applied a match to the powder, which caused an ex plosion of the machine, but instead of tire boys the old man was himself the victim. His legs and body were terribly mangled. He was carried to the county hospital, where he died.

TELEGRAPHIC.

LATEST .FROM EUROPE. (Per Renter's Agency.) London, April 26.

Adelaide flour, per 2501b3., ex ware house, 635. At the wool sales to-day 9300 bales were catalogued, making a total of 51,000 bales since the opening. Prices were firmly maintained. Pig iron— is quoted at 515., in consequence of the Jf depressed state of trade. v Mr. Gladstone is engaged in the forma-

tion of anew Ministry, and has already filled the following offices : —Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Earl Granville ; Secretary of State for India, The Marquis of Hartington ; First Lord of the Admiralty, Earl In orthbrooke.; Lord High Chancellor, Lord Selborno ; Secretary of State for War, the Hon. Mr. Childers ; Chief Secretary for Ireland, the Hon. W. S. Forster. Mr. Gladstone, as previously telegraphed, will hold office as First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The remaining portfolios iu the new Ministry have not yet been filled; but it is expected that Earl Kimberley will accept that of Secretary of State for the colonies.

The following further additional ap pointments to the new Ministry have beau announced : —Sir William Vernon Harcourt becomes Secretary of the Homo Department, and the Duke of Argyle fills the position of Lord President of the Council; Mr. Goschen and Lord Rose berry were offered, but decline portfolios in new Ministry. Mr. Gladstone experiences a difficulty in the formation of the new Ministry, owing to some prominent radicals having claimed portfolios. Diplomatic correspondence between Lord Salisbury and' Secretary Evarts, of the United States Government regarding the Fortune Bay outrage, has been pub lished in the papers.. It shows that Lord Salisbury refused to give any compensa tion in the American fisheries question, and the dispute thereover therefore re mains unsettled. :

Constantinople, April 26.

News has been received of hostilities between the Montenegrins and Albanians, The former were proceeding to avail them selves of their territorial rights under the treaty of Berlin, when the Albanians entered the country before their arrival. Shots were exchanged between the con tending parties, but the Montenegrins eventually retired.

Calcutta, April 27.

Latest news from Afghanistan announces further fighting at Ghuznee. Hostile tribes were again assuming a threatening aspect, and General Stewart consequently attacked and dislodged them from the heights surrounding Chuzneo. The enemy have retreated to the mountainous country beyond the city. Intelligence has also been received, of the resumption of hos tilities at Cabul. The Afghans attacked Generals Jenkins and Macpherson but after heavy fighting were repulsed with severe loss. The British loss during the action was trifling.

AUSTRALIAN. {Per RctUets’ Agency.) Melbourne, April 27- The Colonial Bank of Australasia has declared a dividend at the rate of sis per cent, per annum. Measles are spreading in Melbourne. Tin; Banks have reduced their rates for trade discounts.

There is little inquiry for milling'oats. Melbourne, April 28.

The Customs revenue for last year amounted to L 150,000, being a decrease of L 60,000 compared with, the-previous year, notwithstanding the increase of taxation. The total value of imports ■ for the year shows a decrease exceeding LIOOjOOO, and the exports show a falling off of 1/250,000. I ■ Mr. Childers has resigned his position as Chairman of the Board of Advice of Agents-General for Victoria in London, owing to his acceptance of the Secretary ship of State for -war in the new Ministry. Sydney, April 26.

The associated miners have unanimously declined to accept the terms offered by the masters, and have now struck. It is not likely that the miners who do not belong to the association will follow. Sydney, April 27.

Messrs. Goodlet and Joseph have been elected directors of the Australian .Mutual Provident Society. Adelaide. April 28. Owing to the prevalence of diphtheria and measles in Victoria, passengers arriv ing here from Melbourne are placed in quarantine for 24- hours.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Auckland, April 28. Sims, the contractor of the Kawakawa railway, starts works immediately. Mounted Constable Bullen goes Home, having inherited considerable property. The house of Mr. E. 0. Shephard, Whatawhata, has been burned down. It was insured in the Hew Zealand Insurance Company for Ll5O.

The final instalment of , LlO3 to the Irish relief fund was sent by the San

Francisco niail, making a total of L 1,666 for Auckland and the neighborhood. John Pound, arrested on the mail steamer, at the instance of the Timaru police, was brought up charged with leaving his illegitimate children unprovided for in Timaru, and remanded to Timaru. Hear Petetere, Joseph Howard and James Dillworth are negotiating a 10,000 acre block. As to the Petetere block, the Government claim to have paid L 15,000 on the land. The natives deny that a tithe of the amount ever reached their hands. The Petetere Company are urging on Government to withdraw the proclamation, and they will repay the L 15,000, deducting the amount from pay ments still to bo made to the natives. Auckland, April 27. Arrived—Te Anau. The Supreme Court civil sittings opened ? to-day. The case of Alex. Smith v. Henry Palmer, 'an action to recover L 3,000 for non-performance of contract, is proceeding. At a meeting of the St. Stephen’s Orphan Home last night, the report showed that there were sixty-one inmates, with a total income of L9GI, and expenditure of L 959. The contributions from Govern ment amounted to L 233. Hatvera, April 27. By direction of the Royal Commission, Mr. Parris is carefully including in the Hative Reserves all the native settlements, cultivations, and burial grounds used and occupied by them. Statements published to the contrary are incorrect. Haweka, April 28. Mr. Hursthousc, engineer, in charge of the road works, has returned from ex ploring and cutting a track from Stratford to Opunake, along the foot of Mount Egmont. He describes the country as very level, the rivers running over the surface are easy to cross, and the land is of very rich quality. The constabulary at Oeo shift to-day ten miles further north. The road works are now ad vancing rapidly towards completion, and all unnecessary clearing has beexi put a stop to. Ifc is reported that the constabu lary.at Werekino will also advance to-day a few miles south. x Wellington, April 28. The Magisterial enquiry as to the acci dent to the steamer Manavvatu will be held to-morrow afternoon. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning the proprietors of the Prince pf-v Wales Hotel, Tory street, and the WhifS Swan, were fined L2 for Sunday trading. The annual meeting of the Patent Slip Company was held this afternoon. The' balance sheet showed a profit of £225.

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1880.



MESSRS. H. MATSON AND CO., «r AUCTIONEERS, &c., Hold fortnightly stock SALES at Ashburton and Tinwald. Next sale at the TINWALD YARDS, on TUESDAY, April 27, 1880. C. PERCY COX, 27g* Agent, Ashburton. NOTICE TO FARMERS. f | undersigned will be prepared to treat with farmers and others in Ashbur ton, every Wednesday and Saturday, for the PURCHASE of GRAIN, or SHIP MENT on ACCOUNT of GROWERS. JOSEPH CLARK. February 28, 1880. 550g* fJIHE NEW ZEALAND CLOTHING FACTORY’S GARMENTS FOR MEN’S AND BOYo’ WEAR. Fit Better Look Better Wear* Better Are Better Cut Are Better Made Are Better Shrunk, And therefore give more satisfaction than any other goods offered to the public. Testified to by their Thousands of Cus tomers who purchase constantly at the NEW ZEALAND CLOTHING FAC TORY’S BRANCHES, Now Established in Dunedin Invercargill Oamaru Timaru Ashburton Lyttelton Christchurch Wellington Nelson Wanganui New Plymouth Napier Thames Auckland A SINGLE GARMENT AT WHOLESALE PRICE. N.B.— Our New Winter Manufactures are now ready. “ TRY THE N.Z. OVERCOAT.” SHIRTS, HATS, and HOSIERY, of every description at WHOLESALE Prices. ASHBURTON BRANCH— East Street. Wm. SPARROW, Manager. 1



Mb. Hislop, M. H. R.—A rumor is cur rent that Mr. W. L. Rees, of Napier, will stand for the seat for Waitaki, vacated by Mr. Hislop, who has just announced his esignatipn. ] Convbrtsd.— -Government have re ceived advices from London that L 1,100,000 of the L 5,000,000 loan has been converted into 4 per cent, inscribed stock, under the Consolidated Stock Act, 1877.