MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close at the Ashburton Post Office, as follows: For Christchurch and North at 6 a.m. 9. a.m., 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, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10.15 a.m. daily. For Temuka, Timaru, and South at 6 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge, 6& Tuesdays and Fridays, at 10.30 a m. For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, at 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., 4.55 p.m., and 8.15 p.m. daily. From Chertsey, Rakaia, &c. at 10.35 a.m. daily. From Dunedin and intermediate places at 5.25 p.m. daily. Fr»m Temuka and Timaru at 9.25 a.m. and 5.25 p.m. daily. From Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3 p.m. From Ashton, Waterton, and Long beach at 10 a. in. daily. From Wakanui and Seafield on Tues days and Fridays at 2.30 p.m. The outward mails for the United Kingdom via San Francisco, will close at tha Ashburton Post Office, on Saturday, the 22nd inst., at 9 a.m. W. St. G. Douglas, Postmaster. Mails close at 'the Chief Post Office, Christchurch, for the following places (subject to necessary alterations) as under: — Thursday, May 20. For Northern Ports of New Zealand and Australian Colonies, via Sydney, per Tararua. The next mail for the United Kingdom via Brindisi (for correspondence specially addressed only), will be closed at Christ church on June 3rd, and will be due in London on July 24th. SYDNEY J. DICK, Chief Postmaster.

MEMORANDA.

AUCTION SALES.

This Day. Alfred Harrison--At the Tinwald Sale] yards—Stock and Implements in the estate of Henry Thomas, Waterton. Sale at 12 o’clock. Saturday, May 22. Alfred Harrison—At his rooms, Steeple chase privileges. Sale at 2 o’clock. Tuesday, May 25. Mr. J. L. Wilson, near to the Chertsey Railway Station—Sale of stock and im plements. Sale at 12 noon. Wednesday, May 26. Alfred Harrison —On the premises, at the corner of Tancred street, Furniture and effects of S. J. Zander. Sale at 12 o’clock. Tuesday, June 1. J. E. Buchanan A C 0.—33 building allot ments. Particulars in future advertise ment.

The Ashburton Guardian, COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & SPORTING RECORDER THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1880.

In a cablegram which reaches us amongst a budget of news sent to the Australian papers, but which have only this week found their way to New Zea land, by the Wakatipu, the information is conveyed that iron and steel have fallen in price in England 30 per cent. If this statement is a fact, it is not a welcome one to the Ashburton Municipal Council, who have now on hand over £4,000 worth of iron pipes, of all the dimensions need ful for the laying down of a large and and complete system of water supply. The pipes, as our readers are aware, were pm-chased when the Borough had in view the construction of a scheme of water supply that was to cost £15,000 ; and but for the want of funds there was sufficient enthusiasm to carry the scheme to com pletion. But, however enthusiastic the Councillors may have been on the more expensive scheme, there intervened that terrible commercial depression, which stopped all the money supplies, knocking every idea that meant giving away cash out of people’s heads, and damping effect ually the ardor of our municipal magnates on the question of the larger water scheme. Leave was obtained from the ratepayers to raise a loan of £15,000, but owing to the untoward state of the money market, action has not yet been taken on the floating of it, and it is questionable now if it ever will bo- The hard times sharpened the wits and cleared the eyes Of all who had to engage in business trans actions, and the pressing need for a water supply and a drainage system, and the absence of funds to provide these, gave fruitfulness to necessity, the mother of in vention, in the minds of the Borough councillors, so that they were constrained to turn practical eyes to a simple scheme that had often before been spoken of, but because of its modest simplicity was ne glected, if not pooh-poohed. It was a scheme that Nature showed to be prac tical, for during one flood she sent a sup ply tearing down exactly the same course that has now been adopted by the Council as their water supply route. For many days “ dubs ” of water lay along the side of the railway line ; and while they lay th ej they were not altogether useless. A fire occurred in a cottage in Moore street, and the presence of one pool in the near vicinity, a remnant of the flood, showed how valuable to Ashburton might become the course from the river the water filling that pool had followed to reach the depre sion in the ground it so opportunely filled on the occasion io which we refer. That pool was pumped almost dry by _ the Fire Brigade, and for a time, as the financial squeeze had not yet been felt, it was thought that no more would be heard of the modest idea of bringing the water through the Domain. Now, however, that scheme has been fixed upon, and is being carried out; and a few days will see its completion. It is called_a temporary scheme, to be sure ; but we feel certain that it will not be tem porary, and will supply all Ashburton’s wants for a long time, notwithstanding such sneers as are occasionally thrown at it. Meanwhile the pipes, costly pipes, that were procured for the more elaborate scheme, lie useless by the side of the rail way, while the Council and the County differ as to whether the special fund set aside by the latter for a water supply for the Borough shall absorb what profit may arise from the sale, or it shall go to the funds of the struggling Municipality. The Chairman of the County, with his usual acumen, holds that the profit of the sale, if the sale is to take place, ought to go the special water fund, while the Borough Councillors believe they have a right to it. And while the question is undecided the iron market has fallen, and fallen considerably. But were prompt action taken to find a market in the colony, we believe prices would yet be ob tained that would leave a broad margin on the original costs of the pipes,— bought as they were at an exceptionally advantageous time—and yet make it worth the candle for colonial purchasers to deal with the borough for such pipes as they require. It is to be hoped that, when a thousand, or perhaps two thou sand pounds are to be made out of the sale, the opportunity will not be lost of disposing of them at a profit before the market falls—and whether the special fund or the borough derive the benefit, it ought by all means be made a point to secure the profit. While the two bodies dispute over its disposal the opportunity for gaining it may slip away and the pipes will remain useless to the bprough, useless to the county, deteriorating in value as they lie unused, while they may now be converted into money and represent a great advance on the figure that was paid for them.

The G RaND National Steeplechase. —The railway arrangements for the Grand National Steeplechase Meeting, at Christ church, on the Queen’s Birthday, are advertised in this issue. Pigeon Match. —“ Mine host,” Philipp Tisch, of the Spread Eagle Hotel, has made arrangements for holding a pigeon match on Queen’s Birthday, and as a wind up to the day’s sport a ball is an nounced to take place in the evening. Bailway Notice. —An announcement from the General Manager, Mr. Back, in another column, intimates that on Monday next, May 24th, the officer in charge of the Belfast Station will be withdrawn, and the station in future treated only as a flag station. The Bailway Depot.— The railway offices in Dunedin having been recently the scene of a fire, which had the effect of temporarily dislodging the staff, the Christchurch City Council have taken oc casion to urge upon Government the ad visableness of bringing back the staff to Christchurch, and to ask that the promise made not to remove them from Christ church should be redeemed and a great injustice to Christchurch thus rectified. A Precise Witness. —Mr. Alfred Harrison, in the course of his evidence in a case on Tuesday, in which he was the defendant, detailed a conversation which ho had with the plaintiff, and in his anxiety to give a correct account of what took place, endeavored, in a somewhat amusing style, to imitate the voice and style of the plaintiff, upon which Mr. O’Reilly reminded Mr. Harrison that he was not in a theatre, the former evidently forgetting that though no tragedy is en acted in our Court, comedy is not alway s absent.

Perjury. —At the Christchurch E.M. Court yesterday morning, Henry Davis, for perjury, and Frank Itaner, for horse stealing, were both committed for trial.

Ashburton Steeplechases. —Mr. John Lloyd Crawley has, we understand, been appointed to collect subscriptions for the Ashburton Steeplechases, to be run on the 29th.

Sir George Grey. —Sir George Grey, who addressed his late constituents in Christchurch on Tuesd ly passed through Ashburton yesterday with the express m route South. Raymond’s Dimoraa. —There was a full house attheTown Hall on Tuesday, and the audience, especially the juveniles, who formed no inconsiderable portion of it, gave frequent expressions of their ap proval of the exhibition. Walking Match. —A walking match for LIOO a side, between Messrs. Bowley and O’Connor, to take place at Christ church to-morrow, is exciting a groat amount of interest in that city. O’Connor arrived there from Timaru yesterday, and both men are in excellent condition; Bowley is the favorite. Wool. —ln Sydney the rise in the price of wool has affected values of woolen goods, and merchants announce an ad vance on blankets, &c., of 20 per cent. In explanation of the recent fall in wool as compared with the opening sales, the Syd ney Morning Herald states that it is due to the decrease in the French demand in consequence of strikes in France. A Bad Cold. —One inebriate, who was locked up on Monday, had to give an account of himself at Court this morning, and in an innocent way told the Bench that having had a bad cold, he had taken a little brandy so as to effect a cure, an ex cuse which his Worship did not entertain, and the delinquent had to forfeit LI, or go to gaol for 48 hours. Serious Accident. —On Tuesday fore noon, during the strong gale that was blow ing, the brick gable of Mr. Lancaster’s slaughter-house was blown in, and the debris falling upon Mr. Lancaster and one of his men, some severe injures were in flicted upon them. Both are a good deal cut about the head, and badly bruised otherwise. A medical man was at once called and attended to the wounds, which, though severe, are not dangerous.

A Lively Witness. —ln the case of Stokes v. Harrison, at the Court on Tuesday, Mr. Purnell, who appeared for the defendant, mot with his match in the person of the plaintiff. While Mr. Stokes was giving his evidence, he was verging on matters of a secondary nature, when Mr. Purnell got up to object, upon which the plaintiff in very deliberate tones, drawled out “ Sit down, sir ; sit down, sit down.” Mr. Purnell persisted in his objection, and amidst the continued com mands of the plaintiff to resume his seat, characterised the conduct of Mr. Stokes as extremely impertinent, and his Wor ship eventually had to request the latter to be silent.

A Hard Case. —A very respectable looking man was charged at the R. M. Court on Tuesday with being drunk and disorderly. Constable Smart said that about one o’clock this morning the prisoner had accosted him in East street, and re quested to bo locked up, and as he was apparently intoxicated he had complied with his request. Prisoner stated in defence that he had walked from Long beach yesterday, and arrived in Ashburton late in the evening. He had no money, and had sought a night’s lodging at various boarding-houses, but had been refused. As it was a bitterly cold night, he had asked the police if they could get a night’s lodging for him, which they had tried to do, but without success. He then re quested them to lock him up for the night, upon which he was told that such a course could not be followed unless ho was arrested for drunkenness, which they im mediately did. Prisoner stated that not a drop of liquor had passed his lips on Mon day, and if his Worship would let him off, promised to make tracks for his home in Christchurch forthwith. The man’s state ment bore evidence of sincerity, but Mr. Guinness mulct him in a sum of ss. or 24 hours imprisonment. Drunk in a Railway Carriage.— John Angel was brought before Mr. Guinness on Tuesday, charged with being drunk in a railway carriage, and refusing to leave when requested to do so by the station master. Mr. Pilkington gave evidence to the effect that Angel had applied at the ticket office for a ticket, but had been refused on account of his being intoxi cated. One of his mates, however, had obtained a ticket for him, and had managed, while he (Mr. Pilkington) was engaged elsewhere, to get Angel into the train. The stationmaster found him lying in one of the carriages, and on re questing the offender to quit he had refused, and his mates had tried at the same time to detain him. For his un angel ic conduct his Worship fined the offender L2, 20s. for being drunk in a railway carriage, and 20s. for neglecting to leave when ordered to do so by the stationmaster. His' Worship told the prisoner he ought to be very grateful to Mr. Pilkington for not allowing him to travel while in such an intoxicated state, in which state no doubt his life was in danger. A Drunken Driver. —AsDr. Trevor was coming home, about grey dusk on Tuesday night, from Alford Forest, he encountered on the road a dray, laden with bar iron. It stood in an awkward position, and seemed to bo without a driver, as horse, dray, and loading together obstructed the road. On examination, the doctor found the driver lying drunk near the wheel, and certainly in anything but a safe posi tion. Drawing the cart to one side, so as to prevent anyone being impaled in the dark on the projecting iron that formed the dray’s load, and stowing the drunk man out of harm’s way, the doctor came home, and gave information to the police. A constable was at once sent up to clear the road of the obstruction, and bring down the Jehu, whom he found lying where the doctor had left him, near Mr. Williamson’s homestead. Yesterday the man, whose name is William Madden, was charged before the Mayor with being drunk in charge of a horse and dray, and also with obstructing the public road. His Worship sentenced him to eight days in Addington Gaol in default of paying a fine of three guineas. Social Gathering. —A gathering of a very interesting character was held on Mon day evening in the premises of Messrs. T. R. Hodder and Company, on the occasion of Miss Smith, the forewoman of the dress making department, vacating her position in the establishment, to enter the more attractive and congenial state of matri monial life. The affair was got up at the sole expense and trouble of Mr. Hodder, who is noted fop his endeavors to combine pleasure and recreation along with the more sterner engagements of business. The whole of the employees in the estab lishment were present, and they also were not behindhand in their expressions of good-will towards the lady whose com pany they were so soon to lose. The evening was spent in the enjoyment of various recreations, in which singing and music formed no inconsiderable part, the piano being presided over by the Misses Hodder, who, along with Mi’s. Hodder and other members of the family, were present. During the evening, Mr, Ruxton, on bshalf of the employees, in an appropriate and pleasing speech, pre sented Miss Smith with a handsome writing desk, Mr. McLaren responding on behalf of the lady. We have the more pleasure in recording this very in teresting gathering, inasmuch as such events in connection with business firms are so rare.

Diptheria is raging in Dunedin. Church Lakhs. —The New South Wales Assembly have decided that it is undesirable to give further grants of land for church building or religious purposes. The Missing Manager. —lt is tele graphed that the Dunedin Building Society will not suffer any loss through the disappearance of the manager, Mr. J. S. Webb. Wooden Hotels. —Most of the second rate hotels in Brisbane are built of wood. By a resolution of the Licensing Bench all applications for licenses to buildings of that description will be refused. Temperance for Schools. —The tee totallers in Dunedin have succeeded in getting the City School Committee to recommend the adoption of Dr. W. B. Richardson’s book on temperance as a class bock. Religious Freedom. —A company of Old Believei’s, dissenting sect of Russia, having been guilty of putting up a new church in Butkoff, have been sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, and the church has b«!pn confiscated. The Manawatu Steamer. —The charges against the purser, captain, and agent of the Manawatu steamer came on for hear ing at Wellington on Tuesday, but were adjourned, owing to the vessel’s absence. They will be called again on the 25th. Railway Theft. —The railway station at Pokeno, in the Waikato district, was broken into on Monday night, and LlO stolen, the station-master having left the key in the safe. A sum of money lying on a chair was not touched. More Railway Agitation. —The settlers of Wangarei, at a meeting, resolved to urge the Government to set aside land in the Forth Auckland districts for the construction of a trunk railway north. It also decided to frame a memorial from the local bodies to Parliament. The Ne\v Rolls. —Notwithstanding the agitation on the subject of an extended franchise, the public generally are display ing great apathy in regard to registration, and some constituencies show a decrease on the new rolls as compared with those previously in force. Another use for It. —The South Australian Agricultural and Pastoral Asso ciations have decided to request the Orient and P. and O. Companies to pre pare specific compartments in their vessels for the reception of shipments of fruit for the English markets. The Richest Man in Australia. —lt may safely be said that George Lansell, of Sandhurst, is the richest man in Austra lia. Ten years ago he made soap and candles, and had’t a second pair of boots. He liberal, even in the selection of a wife. He owns numberles rich claims of his own, and one fortnight lately received L 13,000 in dividends from two claims in which he has recently purchased an interest. The Shipping in Port. —At present there is a large tonnage at the Lyttelton wharfs, from homo, Australian, and costal ports, and the harbor is very busy. The New Zealand Shipping Company alone have at present ten ships in port, their aggregate registered tonnage being 10,092 tons. This represents a carrying capacity for wheat of quite 14,000 tons, the wdiole of which is alongside, the vessels being either busy discharging or loading. Nearly Poisoned. —A woman named Agnes Hurst, wife of a carpenter, was admitted to the Dunedin hospital on Mon day afternoon. She was suffering from the effects of poison, having taken about three parts of a packet of Battle’s vermin killer with some meat a few minutes before. Emetics w r ere at once supplied, and she was soon pronounced out of danger. Hurst states that his wife had been in a desponding state for the past few days. The parties were married last February, and it is stated that they had not lived happily. The Totalisator. —Advices from South Australia, per the Wakatipu, say that the totalisator went wrong last race meeting. One machine the first day registered only seventy pounds received, instead of five hundred. On the second day all the totals were disconnected, and an incorrect dividend -was issued, the machine register ing only one hundred and thirty-six pounds for the winner, whereas more than a hundred and seventy-four tickets had been issued. At the Morpethville races the derangement of the instrument caused a mistake costing the club a hundred and fifty pounds. Te White —The Government have re ceived very satisfactory telegrams regard ing the Parihaka meeting which took place on Tuesday. There was a very large attendance at the meeting, and To Whiti spoke at some length. He denied having said at a former meeting that the roads would never meet, and declared that what he really said was that the roads should “ have no end.” He continued to preach peace and forbid resistance or interference on the part of the natives with the Con stabulary or road making or surveys, and reiterated bis assurance that no more trouble (war) should come on the land, and that no more “ water ’’(blood) should be spilt. The result is looked on as en tirely satisfactory and favorable to the maintenance of peace. Singular Case of Lightning Stroke. —A paper was read at a late meeting of the Clinical Society, London, by Dr. G. Wilks, of Ashford, on a remarkable case of lightning stroke, which occurred on June 8, 1878. A farm labourer was struck by lightning whilst standing under a willow tree, close to the window of a shed in which his three fellow-workmen had just taken shelter from a violent storm of rain. His companions found the tree partly denuded of its bark, and the patient’s boots standing at its foot. The patient himself was lying on his back two yards off, and though ho was fully clothed previously, he was now naked, with abso lutely nothing on except part .of the left arm of his flannel vest. tie was con scious, but much burnt, and his leg was badly broken. The field around was strewn with fragments of the clothing, the clothes were split and torn from top to bottom, the edges of the fragments being often torn into shreds or fringes; they only showed evidences of fire where they came in contact with metal, such as his watch and the buckle of his waist-belt. There were no laces in the boots. The left boot was torn and twisted into fan tastic shapes, but the sole was uninjured, and there were no signs of fire upon it; the right boot had the leather much torn and the sole rent and burnt. The watch had a hole burnt through the case, and the chain was almost entirely destroyed. The stockings wore split down the inner side ; the hat was uninjured. The patient stated that he was struck violently on the chest and shoulders, became en veloped in blinding light, and was hurled into the air, coming down on his hack, “ all of a crash,” and never losing con sciousness. The hair of his face was burnt, and the body was covered with burns. Down each thigh and leg was a broad crimson indurated band of burning, passing along the innerside of the knee, and ending below the left inner ankle and the right heel; a lacerated wound, with a comminuted fracture of the oscaleis. The bones of the right leg were fractured, and the tibia protruded through the skin in the course of the burn. He was dis charged healed twenty weeks after the occurrence. Dr. Wilks remai-ked on the almost complete exemption of the nervous system and on the probability that the clothes being wet acted as good conduc tors, and so diverted the electric current from the great nervous trunks, thus saving the man’s life. You never see a woman button any thing she can pin, and you never see a man pin anything he can tie with a String.

SIR GEORGE GREY AT CHRIST CHURCH.

Sir George Grey is in one sense very like the great tenor Sims Reeves. Let Sims get ever so much “ indisposed,” and disappoint his audiences ever so often by bis non-appearance, when be is at last able to shake himself together and sing, the crowd “ cannot choose but hear ” and must perforce listen to his enchanting music. So in a certain degree with Sir George Grey’s oratory. No matter how effectually his political chimeras are ex ploded, and his effete notions laughed at, when he comes before a great crowd of people he has such a knack of honeying his words, stroking his hearers with the hair, and ringing the changes so cleverly on the standing grievances that have been the stock-in-trade of demagogues since the time of Jack Cade, that the gaping multi tude, ever ready to bo swayed by an able and pleasant speaker, are bound to gape and claw the elbow, and “ toss their greasy nightcaps ” in applause of the great man who can so cleverly tickle their weaknesses. And this is just what Sir George did with the populace of Christchurch on Tuesday evening. He poured out column after column of his old grievances against all and sundry who do not agree with him. He was as lavish of his condemnations and as wild in his accusations as ever; and he failed not to administer his bunkum with all the grace and polish of which he is so well-known a mister. He extracted from the crowd the usual shouts of applause that follow his rhapsodies, and if one were to judge of his political popularity by his reception with the Christchurch mob, there is no other man in INew Zealand worth hearing, or capable of holding and guiding the destinies of the colony. But Sir George played the same role two years ago that he is now assuming, and the popular voice, charmed and won to his side by his enticing flow of graceful talk, declared loudly in his favor, and gave him the highest and strongest position ever Premier held in Parliament. But once in power, it was soon plainly evident that Sir George’s talents existed on’y from the teeth forward—that in reality he was but a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal —and that behind all that power of graceful words and honeyed sen tences there was the greatest failure as a statesman that New Zealand has yet been unfortunate enough to place in power. In proof of which we yester Jajjfound the great man—great in his one talent —once more on the stump to win back again if he can, by that same talent, the position it once gained for him, but could not maintain for him without the others he did not pos sess. Sir George’s political sands are run. He has danced out his little day in power, and now ho figures before the colony, trading as the great tenor, on the power of a melodious voice, and the memories of a by-gone greatness.

THE MOUNT SOMERS RAILWAY.

Owing to e misunderstanding the report of a meeting, which, had our arrangements not miscarried, should have reached us on Monday at least, did not arrive at our office till Tuesday evening, and we are therefore only able to publish it now. It was held in the Mount Somers schoolroom, on Saturday evening, and was called by advertisement to express the indignation of the inhabitants of the district through which the proposed Mount Somers rail way line ought to pass, at the conduct of Government in altering the course of the line.

There was not a very large attendance at the meeting, but considering the dis trict, the meeting may be said to have been a fairly representative one. The Chairman of the County Council sent a letter of apology for his absence on ac count of having to attend pressing busi ness, and Mr. Isaac Taylor also sent an apology. Mr. B. A. Peache was Chairman, and read the advertisement calling the meet ing, as also the address, on the subject of the lino and this meeting in connection with its alteration, of Mr. E. G. Wright, which appeared in the papers of that morning. Mr. Wright’s address ran as follows :— £tr Do Residents of Mount Somers. —The section of Railway now advertised does not extend beyond the neutral point at which the Railway may be turned across the Ashburton to the North Bank and through the Mount Somers Township. This is the route which was advocated when the line was first marked off by the County Council, and I shall endeavor to see it carried out. The deviation you de sire can be made in the next section, whereas any agitation on the question now will greatly retard the entire work,.—• Edward G. Wright.” The Chairman further stated that the Road Board felt deeply interested in the question of the railway, and had been moving in the matter, and it was felt by those calling the meeting that an expression of the resi dents’ minds on the subject would afford the Board material support in any proceed ings they might take. Regarding Mr. Wright’s address as published, he wished those present to compare it with a letter sent by the Resident Engineer to the Road Board in reply to one they had written to him. The letter ran as fol lows :—“ It is not intended that the ex tension of the Mount Somers line shall cross the Ashburton Rivex-. The last two or three miles of Mr. Triphook’s survey has been abandoned, and the line pegged out for contract is a little to the south of his line.—(Signed) A. D. Austin, Resi dent Engineer.” The Chairman said that the desire of the residents was to have the original line adhered to, and the railway carried out in accordance with it. Mr. Wright’s address did not throw any light whatever on the question of why the line had been altered from the line of Mr. Triphook’s survey, and it was the line as he surveyed it that was wanted by the people most interested in the railway’s construction. Mr. Triphook’s line was far less costly than that proposed by the altered route. Ho was not aware whether any recommendation on the subject of the deviation had been made by the Railway Commission, and when the first inkling of the change had been obtained the Road Board wrote to Mr. Austin, asking for in formation.

Mr. McFarlane went hack to Mr. Wright’s first solicitation of the suffrages of Mount Somers electors, and jsaid that on that occasion Mr. Wright had ex pressed himself as favorable to the Trip hook line, and had pledged his support to it. Now, here he was, a member of the Railway Commission, and he must know that the alteration is meditated, and that to carry out the altered line will be ad verse to the interests of both Alford Forest and Mount Somers. The coui’se for that meeting to follow now ought to be to at once memorialise Government not to deviate from the line originally surveyed by Mr. Triphook. Mr. Edson counselled the preparation of a requisition bearing the signatures of as many ratepayers as possible, to be for warded to the member for tlxe district, asking him to adhere to the promises he had made to them to look after their in terests in this matter, and see that they obtained what they desired. If he re fused, and played fast and loose with them, he should be asked to vacate the seat he held as their representative. With out any reason being given for the devia tion, they found that the line was to be altered from the course they all under stood it was to take when they bought their land, and the value of that land would be seriously affected by the change. Mr. Daniel Henderson said the pro posed alteration would just bring the rail way to the land of Mr. E. G. Wright, and it would go no further, but he (Mr. Henderson) and many others had bought their land in the assurance that the line

would be taken on to Mount Somers, Mr, Wright had made much of the bridge difficulty with the Oxford and Tepiuka line, remarking that if the taken along the other side of the ,rjver the same bridge would do for both lifies, whereas if the original line were followed it would be necessary to build two bridges —one for each line, and that would en tail an extra cost of perhaps LIO,OOO. But it was the common belief that before the Oxford and Temuka line was con structed the bridge required for the Mount Somers line would be worn out. The Chairman said that for Govern ment to alter the railway to a line to the Anama Downs was to take a liberty with a vote of Parliament, who had set aside a large sum for a line to be constructed on Mr. Triphook’s survey. Mr. Henderson urged the preparation, and signature of a petition to the Public Works Minister asking him, from the in justice of the alteration,"to revert to the original course in the line’s construction. A copy of the petition should also be sent to Mr. Wright, asking him to support it, as he had promised to do when ho sought their votes. Mr. M‘Par lane then moved a resolution to the effect that a petition protesting against the alteration because of its injus tice to Alford Forest and Mount Somers should bo prepared, signed by the ratepayers, and forwarded to the Minister for Public Works ; and a copy also sent to Mr. E. G. Wright, along with an urgent request to him to use his influence to carry out the line as surveyed by Mr. Triphook, in fulfilment of the pre mise Mr. Wright had made to the electors at his meeting in Mount Somers school room. The motion was seconded and unani mously carried. A petition was then prepared by the Chairman, which all those present signed. The petition ran ; —“We, the undersigned residents and landowners of the Mount Somers District, representing acres, beg to protest against the proposed altera tion in the line from Tinwald to Mount Somers and Alford Forest, whereby very great injustice will be done to us.” A resolution to forward a copy of the petition bo the County Council was also carried.

On the suggestion of Mr. McFarlane Mr. Oookson, Clerk to the Road Board, was requested to fill in after each signa ture the number of acres the name repre sented, so that the power of those memo rialising the Government would be at once and accurately shown. The proceedings then terminated.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Tuesday, May 18. (Before Mr. F. Guinness, R.M.) UNSERVED SUMMONSES.

Passmore v. Johnson. In this case there was a difficulty in serving the sum mons, and Mr. Purnell obtained an en largement of the summons until the 4th J une. Hewitt v. Bates and Baldwin. One of the defendants in this case had gone to Wellington, and Mr. Purnell asked for house service, and an enlargement of the summons for a fortnight. His Worship granted the application ; but an application for costs by Mr. O’Reilly on behalf of Baldwin, who had appeared several times already to go on with the case, was refused. THE BAILIFF CASE. Meehan v. Friedlander. His Worship said that in giving judgment in this case last sitting day, he had inadvertently made use of the words “ case dismissed.” He- had rectified the error on that occa sion, making it “judgment for defendant,” upon which Mr. O’Reilly had asked that it should be altered to “ plaintiff non suited.” The case had.been adjourned to allow of the point being argued. Mr. O’Reilly argued that if his Wor ship had power to alter the judgment in the first instance, it was quite competent for him to alter the j udgment to ‘ * plain tiff nonsuited. ” And if it was wrong for his Worship so to do, it would be a better course to allow the judgment to stand as it was—as “ case dismissed. ” Mr. O’Reilly contended that his Worship had done a very unfair thing. Mr. Purnell pointed out that Mr. O’Reilly had not given any authority as to the application put in. Mr. O’Reilly relied only on the dilemma in which his Worship was placed. If there was wrongfulness in the alteration of the judgment in the first instance, it would be equally wrong to make any farther alteration. If the action was right, it would be equally proper to alter it again. In reply to his Worship, the Clerk of the Court stated that he had at the time entered up judgment for the defendant. Mr. O’Reilly’s application was refused. Later on, in the afternoon, Mr. O’Reilly applied for a re-heaxing in the case of Meehan v. Friedlander, on the ground that the verdict was against the weight of evidence.. His Worship agreed to hear the argu ments for such a course being taken on Friday next. A BOARDING HOUSE BILL. Lucas v. Hey land. Judgment sum mons for L2 7s. 6d. In reply to his Worship, plaintiff said he knew that defendant had two hounds, and from the fact of the defen dant being frequently intoxicated, he cal culated he had the means to pay. The debtor was living at Baldwin’s Hotel ; he must be paying his way there. The debtor had neglected to pay the money. His Worship said that nothing adduced by the plaintiff proved that the debtor was in a position to pay the amount. There was no proof if a man became in toxicated that it was at his own expense ; his friends might have treated him. The defendant stated that he was not in a position to pay, nor had he any means whereby he could discharge the claim. The dogs which had been referred to were not his. He had to receive money from Friedlander Bros, and from Mr. Hayes, at Wairaate. His Worship made an order that such an amount of Friedlander Bros.’ debt as would discharge the claim of the plaintiff should be given. A DISPUTED LEASE. Stokes v. Nealas.—Mr. O’Reilly for defendant. This was an action to recover the sum of L 5. 55., being the balance of thirteen weeks good will of premises and cost of shop fixtures disposed of by the plaintiff to defendant. The sum of L 3 had been paid. An agreement had been drawn up which plaintiff stated had been signed both by himself and Nealas. The agreement had been lost, and though searched for could not be found. Under the agreement, plaintiff said, Mr. Nealas was to pay L 5 for the shop fixtures and ss. a week for the goodwill of the lease. Mr. Nealas had paid L 3, but had bluntly refused to pay any more. Alex. Buick was present when the agreement was made, and knew its con tents. Wrote the document, which was signed by both Stokes and Nealas. A verbal agreement was made that the ss. a week be paid to Mr. Bullock to liquidate a claim he had on plaintiff. The money has not been paid to me, Mr. Stokes explained that he had simply placed the matter in Mr. Bullock’s hands for collection, he being a general agent. Mr. Nealas admitted an agreement, but said that under it Mr. Stokes was to leave the premises on a certain date, and had not done so. That portion of the agree ment broken, he considered the whole in valid. A subsequent agreement had been made with Mr. Bullock, under which L 3 had been paid. Plaintiff was non-suited, on the ground that the suit should have been brought by Mr. Bullock. Costs, LX Is.

A VAGRANT PLOUGH.

Stokes v. Harrison. —Claim, L 6, fo r value of a plough. In this case on Kennedy was a tenant of Mr. Stokes who distrained a plough which was on the land, taking it to Mr. Harrison’s yard in mistake for Mr. Buchanan’s. Mr. Har rison, on Stokes discovering the mistake, refused to give up the plough, as Stokes did not give him satisfactory evidence that the plough was his own. S. Stokes deponed that ho had found a double-furrow plough on laud which he had let to John Kennedy, in the Waka nui district. A half-year’s rent, amounting to LlO, was due. Kennedy had left the district, and I distrained the plough for rent. Took the plough to Harrison’s in mistake for Buchanan’s. When I found out my mistake I asked Hai-rison to allow me to take it away. He asked me if the plough was mine. I said it was “ mine in a measure.” He presumed I should not want a plough, being a tailor, but I told, him I owned 80 acres of land, and he said he did not know that. Ho then asked how I had got the plough, and I told him that I had distrained it. He then said he could not admit the claim, but after some conversation told me I could have it. 1 went to dinner, and when I returned for the plough Harrison told me that a party had been and claimed the plough, and I could not have it. The defendant charac terized me as a thief, when I told him I was quite willing for the public of Ash burton who were acquainted with me to judge cf the the truth of such a charge. At this stage, Mr. O’Reilly wished to alter the summons to make the action one for detention, to which Mr. Purnell objected, but was quite willing to test the case on its merits. His Worship decided Ttliat if the sum mons were amended it would alter the cause of action altogether. Mr. Purnell here consented to the alteration so as to decide whether the plough be returned, or its value paid to Stokes. S. Stokes, cross-examined by Mr. Pur nell, said that rent was not due till the 17th instant. Witness admitted seizing the plough before the rent was due. Mr. O’Reilly objected to this evidence being given. On the witness continuing to give his evidence, Mr. Purnell arose and re quested him to stop speaking. Witness—Sit down, sir ; sit down. Mr. Purnell characterised the conduct of witness as impertinent. His Worship ordered witness to he silent. Examination continued—l took the plough to Harrison’s at nine o’clock at night. My son Henry was with me. I know a man named Evans, and remember him telling me that a plough he lent to Kennedy had been taken away. I did not tell him I had taken it. I think Orr and Co. are Evans’ trustees. The first time I spoke to Mr, Harrison I told him the plough ivas mine in a measure. Mr. Purnell remarked that it would have facilitated matters had Mr. Stokes made a plain statement of facts to Mr. Harrisor. Alfred Harrison, sworn, said —I found a plough in my yard. Mr. Stokes came and told me he put it there in a mistake. He said it was his '■ in a sort of way.” I told him that unless he could prove ownership he would have to go away with out it. I refused the plough, because I wished the proper owner to get it. At a later period of the day Stokes came and told me the plough Washis. I remarked upon the strangeness of his not saying so before at once. In the interim I had seen Mr. Evans, who said the plough was the pro perty of Mr. Davis, at Waterton, from whom he had borrowed it. I showed him the plough which Stokes claimed, and he identified it as Davis’s plough. When Stokes came back I told him what had transpired, and refused to give up the plough. He said he would sue me, I told him if he did not clear out, I would pur sue him. I value the plough at 50s. at the outside. By Mr. O’Reilly—l refused to deliver up the plough because Stokes could not prove ownership. In consequence of the owner claiming it, I would not allow the plough to go. Evans claimed it on behalf of one Davis. The plough was not left at my place in the ordinary way. This plough was not entered in my books for sale. David Evans—l saw a plough at Mr. Harrison’s, and recognised the plough as one which 1 had borrowed Last winter. I knew the plough by certain marks on it. There were certain parts of the castings cut off. It belongs to Mr. Davis, of Waterton. Mr. Kennedy, Stokes’ tenant, borrowed the plough from me, but did not return it. The first time I saw the plough after I had lent it to Kennedy was when it was in Mr. Harrison’s yard. By Mr. O’Reilly-—No one told me the plough was there. It is about six weeks since I lent the -plough to Kennedy. It is about twelve months since Davis lent it to me. I made an arrangement with my creditors before borrowing the plough. Mr. Purnell submitted that judgment must be given for defendant. The plough was not Stokes’ property, and he had seized it before the rent was due, which did not accrue till the 17th May. Mr. O’Reilly argued that the plough came into Harrison’s possession by mis take. He should have delivered it up on demand. Even supposing that Stokes held the plough illegally, there was no excuse for Harrison detaining it. Stokes was entitled to distrain any property which was on the land, and Mr. Harrison had no right to detain the plough, it having been left there in mistake for Mr. Buchanan’s. In conclusion, Mr. O Reilly cited cases to prove points which he had raised. In giving judgment, his Worship said that the case was one in which the issue rested on the question of possession, and the evidence certainly proved that Har rison was in possession of the plough, and he had a right to retain the same until it was claimed by the rightful owner. Judgment would be given for defendant, with costs for one witness, and profes sional fee, a guinea—L2, Is. in all. A CASE OF DAMAGES. J. Ward v. Orr and Co.—Claim L 5, for damages sustained by the collision of defendant’s spring cart with the plaintiff s buggy on the Ashburton Bridge. Mr. Crisp for plaintiff; Mr. Purnell for de fendant. James Ward said he remembered driv ing a double-seated buggy across the rail way bridge on the 24th April last. My buggy was being driven on the near side of the bridge. I followed the train across thebridge,and at the south end, directly the train passed, there was a great rush of people to get on the bridge. I pulled up as close to the near side as I could, which brought the off side wheel on the near side rail. Could not get any closer. I pulled up my horse when I saw the rush of horsemen, passengers, aud vehicles, among the latter being defendant’s spring cart, driven by Messrs. Orr and Co. ’s man. On the collision occurring the driver said he was very sorry, it could not be helped, but that Mr. Orr would have' to _ pay for the damage. Mr. Orr’s horse shied, and the spring cart struck my hind wheel. The horse swerved in such a way as to lead me to conclude that the animal was not under the control of the driver. There was plenty of room for the vehicle to pass. There was at least 2 feet 6 inches clear between the two conveyances if the driver of the spring cart had kept close to the other side. My buggy was damaged and I had to hive another to take my family home to Waterton. I have lost two days over the affair. The cause of the accident, in my opinion, was through the driver of the spring cart not having the horse under his control. The axle and one wheel of my buggy were broken. ieocwSa

By Mr. Purnell —I have never sent in a bill to Orr and Co. for the damages claimed. Have never demanded the money. Never had any conversation with the defendants with respect to the damages. Ido not know what the width of the bridge is, but should think it was 20 feet. The width of my buggy would be about 4 feet, and the spring the same. When we met, the of the spring cart was about 2 feet 6 inches off my buggy. I may have had one or two glasses of beer during the day, but no spirits. The horse of Orr and Co. may have shied from the commotion caused by the rush of vehicles and horsemen coming on the bridge. I have seen Orr’s man driving before, and consider him to be a competent driver. James Mullaney, bridge keeper, said— On the day in question he saw, Mr. Orr’s man drive on to the bridge, at the rate of about four miles an hour. Mr. Ward was also on the bridge, pn his own side, and I do not think he could have done more than he did to prevent the occur rence. The affair, in my opinion, was purely an accident. The buggy was smashed and two men were employed to remove it. The driver of the spring cart was standing up at the time the niishap took place. By Mr. Purnell—The man was ap parently driving with care. It is not easy for a vehicle to travel between the near rail and the side of the bridge. Cates was quite close to the side of the bridge when he went on. George Cates deponed that he was in the employ of Orr and Co., and on the day in question was driving a spring cart over the bridge. Kept as close to the side as possible. If Mr. Ward had exer cised a fair amount of care the mishap might have been avoided. It was on account of the noise caused by Mr. Ward’s horse troting that made my horse shy, , which is, as a rule, very quiet. I have been accustomed to driving for the last ten years. By Mi\ Crisp—The wheel of Mr. Ward’s buggy was on the inside of the rail. My horse did not ' exactly shy, but gave a slight baulk—a mere swerve of the head. I was driving at a dog-trot, about four miles an hour. By Mr. PurreT —It is quite customary to stand up while driving, and a driver has more control over his horse than if sitting down. Thomas Scott, sworn—l was in the cart with Cates at the time the accident occurred. The gate was closed on account of the train going over, and Cates being near the gate got on first -when the. train had passed. He kept close to his own side, and his wheel was within the track. I believe Cates was driving very carefully, and I attribute the affair only to an accident. By Mr. Crisp—The reason I was in the trap was because Mr. Cates had kindly offered me a ride from Tinwald. Andrew Orr deponed to Cates being in their employ for two years, and said that during that time the firm had never found fault with his driving. His Worship thought that the evidence proved there had been no careless driving, and the affair occurred through a pure accident, and he should give judgment for the defendants, but without costs. AN UNSTAMPED DOCUMENT. Roberts v. Hellens.—Mr. O'Reilly for plaintiff. This was an action to obtain possession of property held by the defen dant, but on account of a deed being put in which was insufficiently stamped, the Bench ordered the case to be adjourned for a fortnight to allow time to get the document properly stamped. The Court then adjou4^pk

APPARITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

The Dublin Nation newspaper having sent a reporter to Knock, county of Mayo, where apparations of the Virgin Mary are said to have appeared, and where pilgrims are now in large numbers congregating, gives an account of his inquiry and its result. The witness on whose testimony he relies, said : —“He and the other persons who were with him saw a large space of soft white light on the gable of Knock Chapel, the rest of the gable being quite dark at the time. In the midst of this light, which was not exactly in the centre, but towards the left hand side of the gable (as he stood facing it), he saw three figures; to his left, in a bending attitude, with hands clasped, was a figure of St. Joseph ; in the middle a figure of the Virgin, her eyes raised, her hands raised to about to the level of her 'shoulders, and their palms turned outwards; to his (the, wit ness’s) right, a figure of a bishop, which the people said was St. John, holding in his left hand an open book, which he ap peared to be reading, his right hand ele vated, the thumb placed on the third and and fourth fingers, the first and second standing erect. Further on to his (witness’s) right appeared an altar with a lamb on it as represented in Catholic pic tures, and a cross standing on the altar. All about the group were twinkling or flashing lights, like stars ; they were not steady ; they seemed as if they used to come nearerand then retire again, or to go in and out through the gable. ” The Nation supplies a woodcut of the chapel to show where the vision became apparent, and adds: —“ At present the wall as high as the hand can reach is denuded of its coat ing of cement, and even the mortar from between the stones has been scraped out by visitors to the scene who wish to carry away with them some relics-of that por tion of the building. A number of sharp stones which had been used by the people in hammering off the mortar and cement were lying about the ground at the time of our visit. Against that part of fthe wall on which the vision of the Virgin was seen a little wooden tablet has been set up and a small shelf, on which are placed two candles in candlesticks, and two statuettes ; under these is a box with a slit for offerings, and around it a rough wooden paling, Githin which are placed the crutches and sticks .of persons who have there being cured of their ailments. A number of sticks ani one pair of crutches were within this enclosure at the time of our visit. On the tablet I have just mentioned the following inscription is painted—‘lt is important that any mira culous cures wrought here would be made known to the parish priest.’ When I visited the place ten or twelve, including som e well-dressed women, were outside praying before the scene of the appari tion ; two or three, bareheaded in the cold winter wind, were walking round the church, praying as they went, some one having told them three ‘ rounds ’ of this sort ought to be performed ; and one poor cripple performing those penitential circuits, toiled his way painfully on hands and knees.” ,

TRAINING NOTES.

(by telegraph.) Christchurch, May 19,

At the training ground this morning. Grey Moraus, and Loch Lomond per formed their best, both doing a great deal of jumping. Miss Hungerford, Black Prince, Satellite, Micky Free, and Blue Bell also did good work. T'Lonehand did a little walking exercise. JSgnt, Lonehand and Royalty are Handi cap and Cup.

'MU AyMJri LJliiOx'sl GUARDIAN, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1880.



NOTICE TO FARMERS. 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* MESSRS. H. MATSON AND 00., AUCTIONEERS, &0., TTOLD FORTNIGHTLY STOCK |~| SALES at Ashburton and Tinwald. Next sale at the TINWALD YARDS, on TUESDAY, May 25, 1830. 0. PERCY COX, 270* Agent, Ashburton. rpHE NEW ZEALAND CLOTHING FACTORY’S GARMENTS FOR MEN’S AND BOYS’ WEAR. Fit Better Look Better Wear Better Are Better Gut 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 Oamaku Timaru Ashburton Lyttelton Christchurch Wellington Nelson Wanganui New Plymouth Napier Thames Aucexand 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, 588 g Manager.



c O T T 0 N & CO., HORSE CLIPPERS, 24 Years’ Colonial Experience. HORSES BROKEN IN TO SADDLE AND HARNESS. Moderate Charges. Apply Baldwins Hotel, or Brighton Boarding House, Triangle. 842g-450c 0 000 T 0 LEND, in sums to cvXsmt borrowers, at lowest rate of interest. F. P. O’Reilly, Solicitor, Ashburton. 424c-835g NEW ZEALAND TRUST AND LOAN COMPANY (LIMITED). CAPITAL £1,000,000. SUMS OF £BOO t ° £20,000 READY TO BE ADVANCED UPON FREEHOLD SECURITIES. Information can be obtained upon appli cation to J. C. M‘DOWALL, Manager, 578 g Hereford street, Christchurch.



with heels on each end of his feet. A young lady, a member of a temper ance society, says cider is a necessity for her, and if the society will not allow her to drink it, she’ll eat apples and get some young man to squeeze her, for she can’t do without tho juice of the apple.