COMMERCIAL.

Monday Evening. Alfred Harrison reports as follows his Saturday sale, at his yards ; Hranghts and Hacks, L 5 50., Ll 4, Ll 5, Hi? 10s., and LlB ; pigs, 15s. to L 3 2s. ■d.; fowls, 2s. Gd, to os. 3d. per pair ; Cambridge rollers, L 6 15s. and L 9 10s.; marrows, L2 to L-4 10s.; ploughs, L2 11s. *° Lll. A quantity of harness sold' very well indeed. Oranges brought Bs.; tol- jlps. per case.potatoes, L2 10s. per ton - ; carrots; ’LI 16s. per ton ; b&rieyf*l Si-6 duper bushel ; wheat, Is., 3d. iper bushel ; cheese, sd.’ to ojd. per lb. A ■uantity of sundries, &c., was also dis ■esed ’of. " There was a large attendance, Kl the bidding was spirited, all lots a fair price, considering the Wellington, July 5. Zealand Loan and Mercantile under date London, 3rd —Off coast cargoes have de quarter since last report, 49s. per 4961b5. New per

MAIL NOTICES.

at the Ashburton Post Office, mails for the United Kingdom, Francisco, will close at Ash- HRon on 31st August. Christchurch and North at 6 a. m. I a.m., and 5 p.m., daily. ■ For Chertsey Rakaia, &c., at 9 a.m. Bid 5 p.m. daily. , ■ For Dunedin, Tihwald, Winslow, Hinds, Uoldstream, 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 Grecnstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge, on Tuesdays and Fridays, at. 10.30 am. 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.-tiv. daily.- ; From Temuka and Timaru at 9.25 a.m. and 5.25 p.m. daily.. ; From Grecnstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mourit ’Bbhiers; arid : 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. W. St. G.. Douglas, Postmaster.

The Ashburton Guardian, COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & SPORTING RECORDER TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1880.

The Borough Council of Ashburton docs not seem to be the most energetic public body under the sun. Notwith standing that the Messrs. Saunders Bros., while willing to fulfil the promise made by Mr. Edward Saunders to allow the Council a supply of water from their mill race, prevented any interference with the face until the deed of easement was signed, no steps have been taken in the matter. It is fully a week since the Borough. Council were told that until the conditions under which they were to take the water were.agreed to, and bore the Council’s signature, no water could be taken from the mill-race. Yet there the matter rests, and a most culpable apathy is manifested by the representatives of the burgesses. Surely, if the privilege of taking water from the race is worth having, it is worth fulfilling the not very onerous conditions that are attached to it. With a view to urge the affair to a con clusion, we hear that Mr. S. Saunders has nailed up the floodgate, and notified the Council that any interference with it until the deed of CAsement is completed will be treated as a trespass. We hear of no steps being taken by the Agricultural and Pastoral Association to arrange for a ploughing match. We scarcely think the time has yet come when agriculture, even in an advanced county like Ashburton, can afford to drop from amongst its institutions one that tends to tho encouragement of skill in one of the first necessities of cultivation, the guiding of the plough. We hear farmers of experience—men who have been born on tho homestead,* and whose whole life, from youth to manhood, has been spent in agriculture—speaking in very critical language of some of the specimens of farming they see in this colony. We hear a gentleman of Mr. John Grigg’s standing gomewhat roughly, if traly, setting down not a few farmers as only camp-followers of Sir Julius Vogel's army of road-makers, and possessing only a very parrot-like knowledge of the business they have undertaken. But while we hear these condemnations, ought we not als© to hear of something being done to remove, as far ae can be removed, all ground for com plaint in regard ■ to practical work ing. We fancy that ability to plough well is just as much a necessity to the farmer as is a knowledge of how profitably to stock his farm or regulate the rotation of his crops. But while every thing that an Association, anxious for the farmers’ success, can do for the farmer is being done, nothing seems to be under taken for the ploughman. Many of the ploughmen on these plains have taken to the work they now follow since they came to this colony, and we think it would be in their interests if opportunities were afforded them of looking upon work that practical judges are willing to consider and award prizes to as patterns —models of ploughing. Then we have young men growing up whose practical training should not be neglected, and just as the competi tion at school tends to healthy emulation and secures excellence, so we should imagine ought competition at the ploughing match promote healthy emulation in good ploughing amongst the lads who are to he our future farmers. “God speed the plough,” is a holy and righteous prayer, but then, “ the gods help those who help themselves,” and if the ploughmen are deprived of all chance of measuring their abilities with the standard of excellence which our farming leaders swear by, then little excuse is left for condemning them if they remain stagnant, and plough as well or as ill to day as they did last year. * That the publication of Hansa/rd is a gross waste of public money, is an asser tion not very difficult of proof, and we are pleased to see that certain of our legisla tors are seriously thinking over the question of Hansard’s abolition. It may be particularly gratifying to the members of both Houses of the Legislature to see the language credited to them in the official chronicle of the “ Parliamentarir Debates” as their utterances in the Legis lative Council or the House of Represen tatives ; but it is a luxury very expensive to the colony, and, at the same time, a luxury which is not genuine, inasmuch as thoso'speeches that we read in Hansard are just as often as not very widely differ ent from the speeches that actually fall from the lips of the speakers who are credited with them. Numerous and -very highly qualified phonographic reporters are retained by the Go vernment for the purposes of taking down the words of wisdom and grace as they fall from the lips of the chosen of the people and the chosen of the Governor, and it is not an extraordinary supposition on tho part of a Hansard reader that, with such a staff of highly competent reporters as those who do the Parliamentary reporting, tho speeches printed in the official pages are the bona fide utterances of the men against whose names they are set. We say it is not an extraordinary supposition—it is a very natural one ; but it is also a very erroneous one. With scarcely a single exception—only one that vie know of, the Hon. W. B. D. Mantell —members of both Houses of Parliament demand proofs of their speeches after they have been put in type by the printers in tho Government printing office from the manu script of the Hansard reporters ; and when these proofs are returned tho speeches are found to have undergone a moat wonder ful transformation. They have been subjected to infinite elaboration and end less metamorphosis, and the poor reporters are often unable to discover any resem blance between the harangues they were at so great pains to take down with tho accuracy of a machine, in shorthand, and reproduce with equal accuracy in longhand, withperhaps the added virtue of corrected grammar. When we know that the speakers are thus permitted to overlook tho publication of their speeches, and enjoy the liberty of having printed for public perusal, not the speeches they did make, but those they wish their con stituents to believe they made—the gilt if taken off the gingerbread, and we may as well have no Parliament in Wellington at all, so far as the debates are concerned, for tho political essays thus disseminated as the actual speeches of members may just as well be written at their own firesides in the several districts of the colony from which they hail, as at the firesides of Wellington by which during session they are sojourn ers. This farce which purports to be a faithful reproduction of our legislative oratory is an expensive one. For report ing alone, it. costs £2,500 a year, and for printing £2,700. The cost for reporting, we presume, could not well be reduced ; but wo know sufficient from our own ex perience with this journal that the cost of printing would be reduced by perhaps one half did members allow the admittedly able reporters to reproduce, with the necessary grammatical amendments, the speeches they deliver. While a luxury like this is being enjoyed by the members of tho Legislature—and it is almost ex clusively for their benefit, for few indeed of the people ever see Hansard, and not a small proportion have but a hazy notion of what it means,—while this luxury, costing L 5,200 annually, is enjoyed, that could very well bo done without, is it fair to say that all the oppor tunities for retrenchment have btea taken ? We say this thing could be* very well done without; but we know well also, that if reports of Parliamentary

debates, of a more exhaustive character than that now given by the 1 newspaper press were really wanted, and a public de mand made for them, such a demand would very soon be supplied by private enterprise, and at a cheaper rate than it costs Govern ment. Blit then only such speeches as really were delivered would find their way into the hands of the public, and all chance would be lost to hon. members of inter fering with’ and elaborating the shorthand writers’ reports. Supreme Court. — ; The criminal ses sions of the Christchurch Supreme Court opened yesterday morning. There were 19 cases set down for hearing. Obstructing the Railway. —The two boys—H. Mason and W. Palmer—who were charged at the Supreme Court yester day with obstructing the railway line, got six weeks’ imprisonment. Mount Somers Building Stone.—A sample of the Mount Somers quarry stone is to be sent to the Melbourne Industrial Exhibition. Mr E. A. Peach being the exhibitor. The Christys. —The Amateur Christys repeated their entertainment on Saturday evening. Again, however, the weather was against them, and the house was thin. In spite of this discouragement the pro gramme was gone through with spirit, and hearty applause was frequently elicited. London Art Union.— Mr. J. Stanley Bruce, the local agent for the Art Union of London, has furnished us with the list of prize-holders for the present year,; from which we observe that two prizes have fallen to New Zealand colonists, one of the lucky individuals being our respected townsman, Mr. J. Sealey. The Hospital. —Dr. Trevor, who has been appointed medical officer to the Hospital, announces that the building is now available for the treatment of cases of emergency. This will remove the necessity for taking cases of accidents, &c., to Christchurch, as has hitherto been the custom when anything serious occurred. The New Courthouse, Christchurch —The new Magistrate’s Courthouse at Christchurch was opened yesterday morn ing. It is a commodious stone building near the Supreme Courthouse, and at the opening there Were eight magistrates present. Mr. Perceval, as representing the bar, congratulated the Bench on the transition from the old building to one so much superior. The Methten Line Flooded. —Our Rakaia correspondent writes : The heavy rain which has fallen during last night and yesterday has flooded the Methven line near the Cairnbrao station so much that it is not known whether the line there has been damaged or not ; there is quite two feet of water on that part of the line. The train did not leave Meth ven this morning, but the guard rode into Rakaia. Inquest. —An inquest was held at the Courthouse, Temuka, on Thursday, before Mr. F. Guinness, on the skeleton of a man found in the Rangitata riverbed some weeks ago. The evidence of the constable who found the remains was taken, but there was no means of identifying them, neither was there any report made to the police that any person had been missing. The jury therefore returned a verdict to the effect that there was nothing to show how 7 the man came by his death. Accidents. —On Friday last, while Mr. John Helford was carting shingle from the river bed, his horse be came a little restive and kicked. Mr. Hefford received a kick on tbs right hand which dislocated two of his fingers, one of which was also fractured.—On Saturday, while Mr. George Eagle was opening a bottle of soda-water the bottle burst, and fragments of the glass striking one of his wrists severely lacerated the flesh,- and severed some of the arteries. Mr. Eagle lost a large quantity of blood, and it w'as only with great difficulty that Dr. Stewart ivas able to staunch the wounds. “Wicked Marks.” —The adjourned 1 a e against Henry Mark*, fruiterer, for having, on Sunday, the 10th June, sold a quantity of fruit, the same not being a work of necessity or charity, came on for hearing at the Christchurch R.M. Court yeaterdav. The fact of selling, &c. , being admitted by defendant’s counsel, the prosecution did not produce witnesses, and the solicitor for the defendant had merely to bring before the Bench the legal arguments bearing on the case. Finally the Court inflictrd the nominal penalty of 55., on the understanding that a case should be stated for the Supreme Court. Trotting Match. — A trotting match took place on Saturday on the racecourse. Four horses entered —Mr. J. W. M'Bae’s Brandy, the same owner’s bay mare, Mr. O. Digby’s bay horse Bijou, and Mr. D. M'Kenzie’s roan mare. Bijou, ridden by Mr. Physick, took the lead and kept it throughout, winning by about two chains, hands down. The distance was 2f miles, and the time lOmins. IDsecs., no very great performance, but this may be excused as the ground was very heavy and the winner was never asked to go. The man of medicine contemplates earning an honest living by trotting Bijou for the future. About sixty persons assembled on the ground, and, although betting was slack, everybody seemed pleased with the diversion provided for them. The Weather.— Since Saturday night we have had an almost continuous down pour of rain, the intervals of cessation having been few and far between. As a result the rivers are running high, and creeks that have been dry for months are carrying substantial streams. As yet no tidings have reached us of any damage having been done, and the trains have run without any interruption. There has been such a long stretch of dry weather that it w'ill take a somewhat persistent and heavy wetting to do much mischief, but should the copious rainfall continue that wo are now having we may look out for reports of flooding. On Sunday morning the congregations at the various churches in town were very sparse, owing to the damp ; but in the evening, when the rain was falling in real earnest, and the wind had risen to the force of a gale, the at tendances were a good deal more at tenuated. One congregation numbered four besides the choir, while none could count more than twenty. The Want of Work.— The following story, told by the Christchurch Fress, shows to what straits some men are re duced by the want of employment : —“An apparently deliberate instance of a man choosing dishonesty and the shelter of the prison rather than liberty, houseless and hungry, came before the Lyttelton magis trate on Saturday. The circumstances, as related by the man, were—That his name was Alexander Simpson, about twenty-six years of age, and he came to New Zea land from Adelaide about two years ago. He had lately been swagging, looking for work, sleeping out at nights, exposed to cold, wind, and rain, and, being penni less and hungry and in this condition on Friday, he went to G. B. Philp’s shop, on London street, and took an oilskin coat from a number there hanging outside the shop. With this he went over to the police station and gave himself into cus tody. This was tho story ho told the constable, and so told it, with apparent emotion, to the magistrate on Saturday. In reply to the Bench, ho said he was a laborer, and willing to work at anything for wages. The police said the man was unknosvn to them, and the magistrate, un willing to enter up a conviction until further inquiries were made, remanded him for a week.

Bigamy. —A butcher named Lawlor has been committed for trial at Auckland, on a charge of bigamy. Sparrows. —Mr. Merrin, of Kaiapoi Island, has this season reduced the spar rows in his neighborhood by half a cart load. A Good Figure. — A lot of greasy merino wool, belonging to Mr. G. W. H. Lee, The Warren, Oxford, brought Is. 6 J,cl per lb. at a recent wool sale in London. Loyal Contracting, — A portion of the Timaru breakwater recently slipped out. It was found that it had been propped up with bags of concrete instead of resting on solid blocks. Stonebreaking. With a view to alleviate in some measure the distress ex isting in Wellington, the City Council are to provide work at stonebreaking for the unemployed. The city finances will not admit of any greater effort. Duty. —An Italian organ grinder re cently proceeded to Albury (N.S.W.), with organ and monkey, for the purpose of crossing into Victoria. The Custom house authorities on the Border stopped him, and demanded L 6 10s. for duty. Hibernian.- —The Auckland Herald is responsible for the statement that when Mr. Reader Wood was talking about Sardanapalus, and Irish member thought he was referring to a Hibernian celebrity —Sir Daniel O’Phelus. A Works Committee. —One of the Kaiapoi Borough Councillors evidently fancies that the Works Committee of the Council is a farce, and he is to move their discharge and the paying of an extra LSO a-year to the Town Clerk to do the Com mittee’s work. Greymouth. —The commencement of work on the Greymouth breakwater was celebrated on Saturday by a demonstra tion. Since the protective works were first commenced, the export of coal from Greymouth has quadrupled, and the com pletion of the works now undertaken will enable the Greymouth mine to supply 60,000 tons of coal per week. Retrenchment. —With a view to economy, we understand that directions have been given by the Postmaster- General forthe discontinuance of the special trains which the Suez mail has hitherto been sent from the Bluff to Christchurch. The number of letters expedited by this special train is considered quite insuffi cient to justify the expense which it en tails. Coal. —The Orepuki (Southland) Coal Company have forwarded to the Mel bourne Exhibition a column of shale the full thickness of the seam, viz., some five or six feet. The seam descends through tho coal at an angle of forty-five degrees to unknown depths. The company have sunk into the coal seam about eighteen feet, and have not yet passed through it. The coal improves in quality as they go ■ deeper. Burglary. —The Chief Post Office at Timaru was burglariously entered on Saturday night, but the would be thief was scared by a telegraphist who slept on the premises. The safe had been at tempted unsuccessfully, and several drawers were rummaged. The culprit escaped. An unsuccessful attempt was also made to break into Messrs Halleustein’s establishment in Timaru. Ministerial Justices. —There is one odd thing about the roll of Justices (ac cording to the Hawke’s Bay Herald ) which is worth noticing. All the “ continuous Ministry ” are Justices, so are all the present Ministry. But of Sir George Grey’s colleagues only Mr. Gisborne is on the roll. We look in vain for the names of Sir George Grey, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Ballance, Mr. Sheehan, Mr, Stout, Mr. Fisher an I Mr. Thompson. The Kelly Rewards.— The persons instrumental in the destruction and cap ture of the Kelly gang become entitled to large rewards, amounting altogether, we believe, to about LB,OOO. In April last it was notified that the rewards would be withdrawn at the end of three months, but that term has not yet expired. There is also a standing promise of a pension for the children of men killed or injured in attempting the capture of the bush rangers. Larrikinism. The Wesleyan soiree, which was held on the 15th ult. in the Ponsonby Hall (Auckland), was charac terised by a novel feature, gratuitously supplied by the “ idle vagabond boys” of the district. A select band located them selves in the porch, and willingly fur nished all the applause that was necessary for the various speakers and singers. They also kindly varied the proceedings by re producing, with artistic fidelity to nature, the many variations of the feline voice, relieved at frequent intervals by capital, though of course dissonant, imitations of canine cacophony. At one period a lively duet between an enormous tom and a co quettish tabby broke shrilly upon the ear, and fetched the enraged doorkeeper ; while at another stage of tho proceedings, the snapping bark of a human terrier was wafted gently round the hall. This mis chievous band concluded their night’s per formances by loudly applauding the rev. gentleman who rose to pronounce the benediction. Bret Harte in Glasgow. —The many friends of Bret Harte will be glad to learn of his promotion from the compara tively insignificant and inadequately paid office of commercial agent at Crefeld, Germany, to the highly important posi tion of Consul at Glasgow—the second city in point of population in Great Britain, and next to London and Liver pool in point of consular en: olument, the salary being 3,000d0l a year, and the duty not too great. When Nathaniel Haw thorne was Consul at Liverpool, one of his most uncongenial duties was the taking of depositions of sailors—swearing them, as ghe says, “on the office Bible, greasy with perjuries.” Doubtless Mr. Harte will have more or less of the same irk some duty to perform, but he will have the compensating comfort of being in a city where the American language is spoken with some degree of purity, and where he will be received with the cor diality that is always extended to success ful authorship, especially when supple mented, as in his case, by exceptionally rare social powers.— Harper's Weeldy. The Future of the Great Eastern Steamship. —Now that it is known that the City of Borne steamship is to he within a few feet of the length of the Great Eastern, and to draw about as much water, the latter huge vessel is to be set at work again. • For several years the Great Eastern has been lying idly at Milford Haven, in England, a constant expense to her owners, who how ever, have been persuaded that it would prove less costly to let the ship lie at anchor than to send -her to sea. This seems a sorry end for what was once ac counted a masterpiece of marine archi tecture, and it is gratifying to learn that another effort—stimulated, perhaps, as we have hinted, by the bulling of other monster steamships —is in progress to make the Groat Eastern comparatively profitable. Her paddles are to be removed and screws are to be substituted, and the vessel is undergoing preparations to be put in the American cattle trade. She is also to be redecorated as far as h'er cabins are concerned, But we imagine that her most lucrative trade westward will consist in the transportation hither of emigrants. The demand for this kind of accommoda actnally gives token that before long it will outstrip the supply ; and the Great East ern may come in at tho nick of time and drive a tine business in consequence. The ship can easily carry 3,000 persons at a trip, and it would not be at all surprising if, in a few months, she were call upon to do so.— N. Y, Evening Post,

Run Down. —The Invercargill Working Men’s Club has been closed for “ financial reasons. ” They Share Profit— Why not Share Loss ?—A firm stand has been taken by the licensed victuallers of Sandon with regard to the Beer Tax. They have resolved to deal with no brewer who re fuses to undertake to pay half the rate imposed by that tax, and the publicans throughout the district are invited to sign a bond to this effect. Three Millions’ Worth. —The Prus sian capital, it appears, has, long contained a jewel of quite fabulous value, although the news of its existence was first made known to tho general public by the reports of the last session of the Polytechnic So ciety. This noble stone is a sapphire, and is the property of one of the members of that learned body. It weighs “ 12£ loth ” —a little more than six ounces. The jury of the Polytechnic Society have settled its value at the frightful sum of 64,000,000 marks, or L 3,200,000 of Eng lish money. It need hardly be said that such a treasure is not very likely to find a purchaser at such a price. It is contended by some of the adepts that the do le it not perfectly pure, but it can never be so far lowered as to tempt the richest and most eccentric collector in the world to give anything like the sum which must be asked for it. The Liquor Trade at Home. —The outcry against strong drinks from some of our most eminent doctors and scientific men seems to be exercising a very marked effect upon the liquor trade of the country (remarks the European Mail). Last year the consumption of wines, spirits, and beer showed a falling-off to the extent of over L 14,000,000, thus reducing the drink bill to an amount below that of .any year since 1871. Doubtless some of the de crease is owing to the badness of the times, but it is not wholly attributable to this cause, as some people have suggested. If it was, the consumption of other things, such as tea and coffee, would also have shown a decrease ; but, while in toxicating drinks fell off to the extent of 9'B per cent., the consumption of tea, coffee, and cocoa increased 2"3 per cent., clearl} 7 proving that the reduction in the former case did not arise from the crippled resources of the people, but from a change in their habits, due to the spread of temperance truth, to the establishment of coffee-houses and to improvements in the genera] legislation of the country. Fish-freezing. —Fish-freezing is the newest form of the preservation of fresh food. It is already being practised in India. Fish are frozen up in solid blocks of ice, and can then be delivered in any part of India, while the surrounding ice can be used for the ordinary purposes of cooling drinks. The fish are suspended in wire nets in the freezing water, and are found in excellent condition after five or six days of sucli enclosure. The same treatment has been tried and found successful with flowers. In this way fish are now being sent from Bombay to Lahore and other parts of India. The experiment is novel as to frozen fish, but it was tried some time ago at Glasgow with salmon eggs, when two million salmon eggs were frozen up with three feet of ice round them, and arrived ready for hatching in New Zealand after 110 day’s voyage. As some hundreds of thousands of those eggs were actually hatched, the Glasgow experiment may be held to prove that the fish frozen in Bom bay undergo no physical change whatever. But it is seen that it may be possible to give another development to this process, and to equalise the supply and the price of fish by storing the surplus stock of one time when fishermen are fortunate, for the demands of those days in which the fresh supply is so insufficient as to com pel a considerable rise in price. Horrible Affair in Russia. A terrible story reaches the Petersburg Herald from Samara. A few clays ago the wife of a skilled artisan named Schmid of that town, was brought to bed of a child while her husband, who was a confirmed sot, and spent all his wages for many previous weeks in liquor, was away from his home upon a drunken frolic. Two days after tier confinement Schmid staggered in about noon and began to shout, with horrible threats and curses, for his dinner. There having been neither food nor money in the house since he had last left it, the unfortunate woman had no nourishment for herself or her babe since its birth, and the latter had died of exhaustion but a few minutes before its heartless father made his appearance, intoxicated and blaspheming, in a room where a son had been born to him while he was squander ing bis wages in drink. To Schmid’s brutal menaces his miserable wife made no answer. Silently she rose from her sordid pallet, wan and emaciated, a mere spectre, of a woman, crept across the room to the dresser, took thence a large dish, which she carried ’ back to the bed, and placing her baby’s corpse upon tho dish, set it down on the table before her husband, with the simple but awful words, “ There is nothing else to eat in the house !” Schmid sat gazing with a glassy stare at his dead child for some time. Presently a neighbor came in and spoke to him, but he utttered no word and made no sign. Upon closer examination he was found to have entirely lost his reason, and he was conveyed to the Samara Madhouse, where he still remains a hopeless lunatic.— London Telegraph.

RAILWAY REFRESHMENT ROOMS.

We remember in the old country that at every licensing day a strong force of reformers rose in arms against the grant ing of licenses to railway refreshment rooms. The chief reason advanced for the opposition was that they were too great a temptation to railway servants, and by their existence on the railway lines drunkenness was increased amongst the officials, to the detriment; of efficiency in the service, and to the danger of human life. These refreshment rooms gave facilities for getting drunk to guards, drivers, and firemen, and men have been known to join the train at its first stint ing, perfectly sober, and yet be reported drunk before they had reached their destination. Human nature is human nature all the world over, and we do not suppose it differs in New Zealand from what we knew it to be at Home. If the railway refreshment room encouraged intemperence amongst the railway em ployees in the old country there is every chance that it does so here, and therefore we do not object to the action of Parlia ment on Friday night in striking out the clause in the Licensing Bill which pro vides for granting licenses to these rooms. There are few railway stations that have not in their immediate vicinity hotels where the thirstiest may quench, and the travelling public wanting liquor can always supply themselves at these hotels.

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, July 2. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed a 7.30. THE LICENSING BILL. The Licensing Bill was again resumed in Committee. Sub-scction 1, clause 18, was amended, on the motion of Sir W. Fox, to read “ one half,” instead of “ two-thirds.” Mr. Macandrew moved that the whole of sub-section 2, clause 25, be struck out. It proposed to do away with the bottle licenses. These licenses had been tried in Otago and found to work very well. Members who took an interest in the point were absent, under the impression that the Bill would not come on that night. On the suggestion of Mr. Be Lautour the motion was altered to a postponement of the whole clause. The Hon. T. Dick said he had reason to believe that a number of petitions were in course of signature in Otago against the retention of the bottle license. He would not oppose the proposal for postpone ment. Mr. Bowen objected to the postpone ment. The objections came only from Otago and Nelson, where this class of licenses had been in force. This was another instance of .vested interests clashing with what was for the general good, Mr. Moss said that it was against the will of many parts of the colony that they had not this form of license. In Auck land they could not get a bottle of liquor or less than two dozen unless they went to a public-house, and liquor there was dearer there than in any other establish ments. He had seen the working of the system in Otago, and despite all that had been said against it he was favorably im pressed with its operations. Messrs. Fulton and Andrews objected to the postponement. The latter said that the Good Templars were well pleased with the Bill as it stood. They were impressed with the idea that the Govern ment in this matter was legislating for the good of the country. The motion for the postponement was put and carried. Sir W. Fox objected to clause 26 pro viding that the Minister for Public Works may grant licenses at the Railway Stations. It was a temptation thrown in the way of guards ; and drivers,.,.tt) whose care and management life and property were en trusted. It was both a bad and a dangerous system. • Mr. Macandrew hoped the Committee would agree in striking the clause out. These places were quite unnecessary, as public houses were always erected near these stations. The Hon. T. Dick said that a good number of leases were in existence at present for railway stations refreshment rooms. . The Hon. E. Richardson trusted that the clause would not be struck out. He argued that they were a great convenience for the travelling public. If they com pelled passengers to go from a station to got reasonable refreshments, it would entail extra delay for trains, and make the journey more tedious than it was. It was bad enough as it was, and he hoped nothing would be done to make it worse. Mr. Thomson spoke against the system. Mi-. Bowen said that these places were greatly abused. Persons, not travellers frequented them. They were, unneces sary, and hotels were generally erected close to the railway station. Mr. Saunders said that they were making efforts to prevent licenses being granted for the establishment of public houses. H&lt was to be regretted that this power should be vested in the Minister for Public Works. Its effect would be in many instances to neutralise the effects of the proposed local option. He hoped that the power would not bo granted. Mr. Andrews also supported the motion for striking out the clause, stating that an engine-driver and railway officials had been seen rolling drunk in consequence of the facilities afforded by these places. The amendment for striking out the clause was, put and carried on the voices. The Hon. T. Dick moved, on clause 27, to omit the first two paragraphs thereof, and to substitute in lieu thereof the following:—“No brewer or spirit mer chant shall be entitled to carry on his business of brewing or the sale of spirits, notwithstanding he may be registered under the Distillation Act, 1868, unless he shall obtain a wholesale license under this Act. The license fee payable under the Distillation Act, 1868, in respect of the registration of brewers and spirit merchants is hereby abolished. Hence forth spirit merchants shall not be re quired to register themselves under the said Act, but brewers shall be registered thereunder as heretofore, except that no fee shall be charged for male registra tion. ” And in paragraph • 3 to omit the words “ or spirit merchant.” Thei clause was passed as amended. The House rose at 12.30.

VERDICT OF MANSLAUGHTER AGAINST A DOCTOR.

Invercargill, July 3.

An inquest was commenced at Winton yesterday, and terminated to-day, touch ing the death of a woman maned Cameron, wife of a labourer at Winton. The evi dence shows that on Monday last, de ceased was taken in labour, and that on the evening of that day Dr. Moffatt was called in to attend upon her. He remained with her until Tuesday morning about two o’clock, by which time the woman had reached an exceedingly critical stage. At this hour he threw up the case, saying he must have some rest. He carried out this resolve and never went near the house again and the case was attended to by Dr. Hannan of Invercargill. A post mortem examination on the body of the unfortunate woman revealed the fact that death had primarily resulted from a rup ture, but when the rupture occurred the medical witnesss could not say. The jury, after hearing a lot of evidence, re turned a verdict of “Manslaughter” against Dr. Moffatt, on the ground that Mrs. Cameron’s death had resulted from his gross criminal neglect and unskilful ness.

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

[By Telegraph.] Auckland, July 5. The Supremo Court sittings commenced thip morning before Judge Richmond. There are twenty-six names on the calen dar, against which thirty-three charges are made. The majority of cases are of an ordinary description, but there are one or two notable ones, including a charge of embracery against Samuel Ooombes. There are seven charges of forging and uttering, and two more of an analogous character. The Judge, in his charge, deplored the readiness with which publi cans supply blank cheques, it being only necessary for a man to get a nobbier to obtain a blank form. With regard to the embracery case, his Honor said the law looked with extreme jealonsy on any at tempts to influence a jury. Wellington, July 5. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened this morning. The Chief Justice, in his charge to the' Grand Jury, said that the calendar was an average onej and briefly referred to the cases. A charge against Gen. Bickerstaff, for larceny, is proceeding. A true bill was found against Thomas Williams, for larceny.

Bickerstaff has been sentenced to twelve months’, and Williams .to eighteen months’ imprisonment. A true bill was brought in against Robert Littleijott for injury to property at the Eosideht Magistrate’s Court. ' Patrick Re ary was sentenced to twelve months’ hard labor. J. T. Thomp son, on two charges of forgery, was found guilty and remanded for sentence. The bill against Devereaux for arson, was thrown out. In all the other cases true bils were found. Dunedin, July 5. The Judge’s charge was merely a con gratulation to the jury, on the lightness of the calender. George Joseph Alexan der pleaded guilty to a charge of larceny and got six months. The Grand Jury threw out the bill against Mrs. Fergusson, for child aban donment. The Crown declined to give evidence against William Roberts, for forcible entry, and John Thomson, for breach of Arms Act.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

(Before Mr. F. Guinness, R.M.)

Saturday, July 3, drunkenness.

Henry Dudley was brought up on a charge of being drunk and disorderly the previous day. Accused pled guilty, adding that he was very sorry for. having indulged too freely, and begged the Court to be lenient with him, in which case, a repetition of the offence would not occur again. Fined 20s:, or the, usual alterna tive. , EXPLANATIONS. Mr. Joseph Baldwin stated that the reason he had not appeared at the Court on the previous day when called upon was purely through inadvertence, and not by any means intentional. The subpoena had been served, upon one of his employees,; and, as a matter of fact, he had never seen the Summons. He had been making preparations for attending the Court at 10 o’clock, when his barman told him .not to hurry, as the Court sat at eleven. His 1 Worship told Mr. Baldwin that,’while’ac cepting the explanation, he must remind him that it was a serious matter to dis obey a subpoena of the Court, and advised Mr. Baldwin to be more careful in future with such matters. However, as there had been no intentional disrespect; to the Bench, his Worship accepted the apology. At a subsequent period, Mr. Bayliss, the other defaulting witness, also tendered an apology to the Bench, which his Worship accepted. A FRIENDLY WRESTLING MATCH. Tyson Hodgson, charged with being drunk and creating a disturbance in a licensed house, admitted having had a little drink on the occasion referred to, but the alleged disturbance was merely a case of wrestling with another man. Ac cused was fined 20s. —Another charge was laid against Hodgson, for a similar offence being committed in the public streets. Sergeant Felton said that the second in formation was for the continuance of the disturbance outside the hotel; but, as he knew accused to be a respectable farmer when sober, he would only ask for a light penalty to be inflicted. Fined ss. and costs. Mr. Bayliss, who was to have been a witness in this case, applied for his ex penses ; but, in consequence of his failing to be in attendance on the previous day,- his Worship refused the application. Mr. Baldwin, the, other witness, did not apply : for expenses. ' The Court then adjourned.

TELEGRAPHIC.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

(Per Reuter's Agency.) London, July 1,

News from Buenos Ayres confirms the previous announcement of the closing of the rebellion. The city had to submit to the insurgent troops, but peace is now signed. Five per cent. New Zealand 10.40 loan, 104}; 5 per cent. New Zealand loan, 1889, 104; 4} per cent. New Zealand loan, 1879 to 1904, 99}. Adelaide wheat, per 4961b5., ex warehouse, 475. fid. The total reserve in notes and bullion in : the Bank of England is L 17,000,000.

Arrivals of wool to date for the next auctions amount to 270,000 bales, and probably the quantity to be offered, in eluding that left over from the last auctions, is 330,000 bales. The cricket match Australians v. 18 of Newcastle-on-Tyne was commenced to day. The home team went in first, and were all out for 115. The Australians went in for their first innings, and when the stumps were drawn had lost two wickets for 101 runs, Murdoch being not out for G 5. Arrived—Scottish Prince from Wel lington, |Euterpe from Lyttelton, Loch Fleet from Napier. London', July 2. In the House of Commons last night a resolution 1 was introduced by Government in favor of permitting members to make an affirmation instead of the customary oath of allegience. It was under discus sion and debated at some length, and fi rally agreed to by the House omdivision by a majority of 54 votes. The total quantity of wheat afloat for Great Britain is 1,650,000 quarters. The market rate of discount is | below the Bank rates. The total stock of tallow in London on July Ist was 16,000 casks. The cricket match between the Austra lians and Newcastle was continued to-day. The former in their first innings scored 222 runs. Murdoch made 117 before he , was given out leg before wicket. Mr. Bradlaugh has taken his seat in the House of Commons. Colonel. Sanford represents the Royal Commission to the Melbourne Exhibition, and starts on July 21. London, July S. Consols 98}; New Zealand securities, 5 per cent. ; 10.40 loan, 104} ; 5 per cent. 1879 loan, 104;, 4} per cent. 1879- 1904 loan, 99}. New Zealand wheat, ox ship 475. ; Adelaide wheat, ex ware house, 475. fid. ; Adelaide flour, ex ware warehouse, 365. Australian tallow, beat beef, 335. fid. ; best mutton, 355. The cricket match Australians v. Eighteen, Newcastle-on-Tyne, was re sumed and concluded to-day. The Home team being 105 behind their opponents, went in for their second innings, and making a good stand, were not disposed of until their score had reached 202 runs. The Australians, then requiring 96 runs to enable them to win the match, went in for their second innings, but want of time prevented its completion, and when the stumps were drawn, they had scorced 68 runs for the loss of four wickets. The match was therefore drawn, the Austra lians requiring 38 runs to make, and hav ing six wickets to fall. . An action has been brought in the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice against Bradlaugh to test tha legality of permission granted him by the House of Commons to make an affirma tion instead of the customary eath. , Paris, July 3. A Bill has been introduced by the French Government for granting a plenary amnesty to Communists, founded upon a resolution recently passed in the Chamber of Deputies. It came under discussion in the Senate to-day, but the measure, as it stood, was rejected by a small majority, but an amended Bill was subsequently passed granting an amnesty to all Com munists with the exception of those who have been guilty of assassination or in cendiarism. Mauritius, June 18. Sailed—Tonnage amounting to 700 tons, and 200 tons more are chartered. The sugar crop accounts are now less unfavorable.

Berlin, July 2,

1 The European Conference has come to a final decision on the questions which it has had under its consideration, and has presented its collective note to the Great Powers, notifying the result of its deliber ation for the settlement of the Turkish affair. The Conference has now closed its sittings.

St. Petersburg, July 2. An official denial is published of the news recently received that the Russians have been twice defeated by the Chinese in Central Asia, and that the latter have advanced and occupied Eastern Khohand. Constantinople, July 3. The Turkish Government has deter mined upon resisting the decision arrived at by the European Conference, and ex tensive military preparations are being made for mobilising the army corps. Caxcutca, July 2. Authentic intelligence has been received that Ayoub Khan, Governor of Herat, who for some time past has been supposed to be making warlike preparations to wrest Candahar from Shere Ali, the newly-ap pointed ruler of that province, has now actually left Herat and marched south! wards with a considerable force to Ferrah, a place aboul 250 miles from the city of Candahar. In consequence of this informa tion, a British column has been; despatched . from Candahar to Girishk, on the road' to Ferrah, to support Wali Mahomed, who commands the Candahar tribes, and is preparing to resist the advance of Ayoub Khan.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Per Reuter's Agency. ) Melbourne, July 2.

: It is now believed that the platelayer whose body was found at Glenrowan was murdered by Ned Kelly. Mr. Service speaking at Malden' last! night repeated his previous statement that; he would adhere to his Reform Bill, and ridiculed the inconsissency of Mr. Berry. Mr Service announced that he feared there would be a deficiency of L 650,000 at the end of the present year. , . .. The revenue for the quarter amounts to L 1,104,000 being an increase of L 32,000 compared with last year. : ;/; - Melbodriiß, July 3.

It is now doubted whether the plate layer whose body was found at Glenrowan was murdered by Ned Kelly, as at first supposed.

Sydney, July 2. Hennessy’s brandy in bulk, quarters, 10s. 3d.: kerosene—diamond, Is. Id. per gallon, Devoe’s, Is. 2£d. to Is. 6d. per gallon ; New Zealand wheat, 3s. 7d. to 4s. per bushel ; New Zealand oats, Is. sd. to 2s. per4olbs.; maize, per 601b5., 2s. to 2s. 3d.; candles, D.R. J’s, 6|d. per lb. Sailed—Tararua, for Auckland..

July 3. Arrived —Wakatipu, from Wellington, - Brisbane, July 3, The Queensland revenue returns to 30th June have been published, and-show the revenue last quarter to be L 409,000, being an increase of L 58,000 as compared with June quarter of 1879. The total revenue for the 1 year 1879-80 was L 1,482,000 against L 1,461,000 in 1878- 79 ; expenditure for June quarter ' was L 538,000, being an increase of L 15,000 compared with last year. The tr’.al ex penditure for the year was L 1,673,000 against L 1,678,000 in 1878-79 ; the total deficit 30th June, 1879, was L 177,000, but ■ it now stands at L 239,000. Adelaide, July 2, Adelaide wheat, 4s. per bushel, with' a ; downward tendency; and expected to be 2d. to 3d. lower. INTERPROYINGIAL. (Per Press Association.) Gkahamstown, July 3. . A man named Francis James Shine died / last evening in the hospital, from injuries ■ received while prospecting in Hape Creek." ; An inquest will be hold. I Auckland, July 5. J A lad named Burton had; his ankle di- / vided by a turntable on the wharf yester-| day.' ■''■'■V-ij''' WEllington, July 6. /' No particulars have been received in' connection with the missing schooner Poneke. The following is a list of her crew -James Lee, captain ; Willian| Young, mate ; Andrew Lillybed, James Grant, Edward Doile, and Paul Sappho. I The continuous rain of yesterday cause! • heavy floods in the Hutt river, the water being level with the banka. The low lying parts of the town were flooded, hut very slight damage has been done. - The gale has driven one or two yachts ashore. A southerly gale blew with unabated s fury throughout the.day, but no damage is reported. A brigantine, which ran in for shelter during the night and brought up at the far side of the harbor was seen drifting towards Petone beach. ’ However ‘ <t is expected her anchors will get firni' hold and the vessel will weather the storm, - No steamers have been able to leave port,- Heavy rain still continues and no sign of the gale moderating. ,■ Captain Peterson, of the ; Union:.' Company’s steamer Taiaroa, died at Dunedin to-day. Captain Sharp, an old settler, aged 74, , died this morning. Bronchitis was the cause of, death. ' ' . , . : Timaru, July 3. - , An amusing race of a hundred yards’ between the landlord of the Grosreiior'’ Hotel and a veterinary surgeon;/both i weighing over eighteen stone, for LlO a side, resulted in the latter winning by s A stride. , j _ ■ ,r* Henry Davis, one of the unemployed, after walking overland from the Weka Pass to kelson, and back to Timaru, had to break a tobacconist’s window in order to obtain admission to the gaol. The Bench gave him fourteen days. J Dr. Murdoch was rendered insensible by falling from his horse last evening, . while crossing the railway line. j Considerable sensation has been jCaused by a discovery that the portion of the Breakwater which recently slipped out, necessitating the breaking. of the mono lith, had been propped up with -bags- of concrete, instead of resting oh | solid blocks. j,, The steady fall of rain during the past few days has filled the wells and tanks in town, just as a water famine was begin ning to cause complaints. .■. > i:. f ; L Timaru, July 5/ One hundred and thirty men, forty eight of whom were married, attended at the Town Hall this morning, at tie invita tion of the Mayor, and offered td proceed to the Albury railway works, on the terms offered by the Government for the relief - of the unemployed. The names of the applicants were taken for submission to - the District Engineer, who had: promised, employment for forty—the married men to have the preference. The secretary to t the unemployed urged the necessities of the single men, but was informed that nothing could be done beyond forwarding represent ations to the Government officer. Heavy rain has fallen for forty-eight hours continuously, the H vers have been ~ much swollen, but no flood damages are reported. Forty Orangemen, wearing yellow rosettes, held their annual church parade yesterday. The procession was ' un molested. • ■ i Dunedin, July 5. A three-roomed cottage, at the back of George street, was burned down this morning. The Star states that Messrs. Stout and Bastings intend to offer themselves as can- - didates at the next general election. Tnvekcargul, July 5. A man was found dead this morning at New River, near the Elbow. , .It is sup posed he had fallen from his horse when' under the influence of drink, and died from exposure. ' v

:• THE ASHBUETON GUARDIAN, TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1880.



AUCTION SALES.' This Day. K. F. Gray, at Ins salerooms, ■Temuka — Freehold Town ..Sections. Sale at 1 o'clock sharp. Wednesday, July 7. Alfred Harrison, .at the Temperance Hotel, Havelock S'r'sfit—'Furniture and Effects, •Sale at il o’clock sharp. Fi:xi.i.\y, July IG. VViikiv. t?w\ o*'*., at. Crawley House [’arm, nmv miles from the Hinds Rail way Station—Horses, Sheep, Imple ments, &c. Sale at 12 o’clock sharp. NOTICE TO FARMERS. PjpHE 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* NOTICE OF PARTNERSHIP.. MATSON, COX, & CO. Messrs, h. matson & go. ; having taken Mr. 0. PERCY COX, who has lately been acting as their agent at Ashburton, into partnership, their business at Ashburton will for the future be conducted under the management of Mr. Cox, under the style of MATSON, COX, & CO., And they hope by erecting large business premises, and thus giving increased facili ties to their clients, to merit and obtain a fair share of the business hitherto so liberally accorded to them by the public. MATSON, COX, & CO., Ashburton. June Ist, 1880. 936 g MATSON, COX, & CO. will hold Fortnightly Sales of Stock at Ashburton and Tinwald alternately. Next Sale at ASHBURTON, TUESDAY, JULY. 6th. 910 g MATSON, COX, & CO. MOUNT HUTT ROAD BOARD. NOTICE mHE ROAD leading through Sections J- No. 15380, 7325,.-2C6OS, 1324, and 7245 is CLOSED against all Traffic from this date. W. B. COMPTON. June 10th, IBSO. 94D TO A. HARRISON, Esq., Deaii Sip.— W r E, the undersigned Burgesses of Ash burton, respectfully request you to allow yourself to be nominated for the seat li'i the Borough Council, vacated by Ed Saunders, Esq. , and in the event of your complying with our request, we pledge ourselves to use our best endeavors to secure your return. Yours faithfully, George St. Hill J. M. Cambridge J. Tucker Thomas Taylor Wm. Anderson J. R. Chapman O. Digby John Orr Andrew Orr William Sparrow T. Chambers E- A. Garnett W. T. Davison James Bradley John W. Baker Baker and Brown And 25 others. •' ,T Havelock street, July 29th, 1880. Gentlemen — TYERidii me to thank you for the J_ above kind • expression of your wishes, in answer to which I simply say •—PUT ME IN —and I will endeavor to act to the best of my ability for our Borough. And beli©v© me. faithfully yours* 611 c ALFRED HARRISON.



The man who is always as ‘ ‘ cool as a cucumber ” is frequently as green. According to Cocker, the more debts are contracted the more they expand. Thin man : “ Boy, what’s that hungre dog following me fori” Boy: “Hy thinks you’re a bone, I s’pose. ” A little girl being asked on the first day of school, how she liked her new teacher, replied—“l do not like her; she is just as saucy to me as my mother.” A little boy in Troy, fatally ill with scarlet fever, was told the doctor’s opinion that he must die, and replied —“ Well, this world does not amount to much any way. lam going up, and up where I am going I can look down and 39c this world not bigger than a pin’s head,”



Another Fact. —The farrier may be slow, but he is shoer.