should require an order. He said no. I had some of the material left. I left it oa the school premises. The reason V.113' I did not take it away was that 1 knew it was not my property. Ne 'er received a bill for the goods till I got the summons. Mr. Smith called rne in about two months ago and asked what about that school bill. I tokVnm the committee must pay the bill. I gave him the names of the the members of the committee. Ho said he would write to them about it. His Worship called for the books of the committee when no records of the transaction could be found. There was a resolution to the effect that work be done, but there was no date to the m' antes, the books appearing to have beeStoiat very irregularly. After argument onmotn sides his Worship de cided to nonsuit the plaintiff with costs. Mr. Sharp applied for his expenses, which were granted. The Court then adjourned to Thursday, March 11.

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.

VERMIN.

To the Editor. Sir, —I am the father of a rising famil}', and as a £eod citizen and vise parent, am anxious to give my children the benefit of a sound education. I have also a profound respect for the efficiency and general management of our public schools, and therefore would like to see my offspring educated in one of these establishments. In course of conversation, however, with a friend, I was somewhat surprised to learn that one of what I should consider the most necessary qualifications for ad mittance in the school was not insisted on —cleanliness ; my informant insinuating that a class of insect which our dusky friends the Maoris esteem as a dainty, was the constant companion of some of the scholars. Now, sir, while this is the case, you will not wonder if parents, who have some regard for the health and comfort of their children, prefer for them ' an inferior education in preference to having their homes overran with such un- " desirable tenants as the species insinuated ‘ at above. If our local public school is to retain its hitherto deserved popularity, the sooner the newly-elected School Com mittee take this unpleasant subject in ‘ hand the better for all. PATERFAMILIAS. THE COMPLIMENTARY CONCERT. } To the Editor. Sir, —ln your Thursday’s issue you j seem to express regret at the smallness of £ the attendance at the above concert. Now j as one of the Ashburton public, I not £ possess the same feelings as yourself on the matter, but 1 am rather inclined to the reverse. When I read the advertisement in your cslumns, the question rei’y naturally ( arose in my mind, as to who Mr. and Mrs. Florence were that they should lay claim j to the support of the Ashburton public. Were they residents in the place 1 Had , they conferred any benefit on the town or district I Had they benefitted any of , its inhabitants or anybody else from a public point of view. With these j questions before my mind, I resolved to ask a few persons whom I thought could give me a little information on the matter. I did so, and I was rather surprised to find ‘ that they were just as much in the dark J on the subject as myself, and so, failing to * obtain answers to my questions otherwise ‘ vtbari in the negative, I was about to come ; to the conclusion that it must be some | private individual trying to raise the wind. But then I was confronted with the fact ‘ that it was to be under the patronage of > his Worship the Mayor and Councillors. , I thought surely oursage Councillors would not lend themselves as tools to aid such exclusively private^Y 6 ' ests. It, however, j appears that sucuvras the case, and it is a poor pitible position for our leading men of the town to bring themselves into, 1 to allow themselves in their public - capacity as a corporate body to become patrons of private benefit concerts, which have no public significance whatever. It ‘ is much to be regretted that a number of * our Councillors could patronise such a benefit concert, and yet, when it came to a question of feeding the hungry thou- n sands who are mw starving in Ireland, ' and by whom they are appealed to for ‘ help, made themselves conspicuous by their absence fr'" a the public meeting ! called for that fjfcpose last night. I think sir, the sooner the public of any place set there faces, and shut their ' pockets, against such private complimen- ' tary benefits, the better it will be for ' themselves, the place in which they live, ; and other objects more deserving of public ' support. —I am, &c. , ■ Observer. -- - 1

THE BELL-COLEMAN EXPERI MENT.

Recent cablegrams gave us the news that many have been anxiously waiting for. Newspaper readers not specially interested in stock rearing have observed at intervals telegrams regarding the Strathleven and her voyage, but perhaps took no particular notice of her beyond what they would have taken of any other vessel. To the stock rearer in these colonies the voyage of the Strathleven was one of much im portance, and many owners of extensive facilities for rearing have watched her pro gress from point to point of the passage with much anxiety. To them especially will the news of her safe arrival, with her cargo of meat in excellent condition, come as an evangel their ears have long itched to hear, and we may safely date from this week the commencement of a new era in the history of the pastoral and crazing interests in all the Austral asian colonies. Already a fresh impetus has been given to stock rearing, and the increased attention the subject demands is now being given. From these colonies we have no doubt that millions of carcases could annually be exported; and now that the Bcll-Coleman system of freezing meat has been found to be successful, and Aus tralian meat can be landed amongst the millions of London months requiring to be fed, and landed as fresh as when the meat came smoking from the anti podean slaughterhouses, a new market has been opened up to us. The great metropolis of England and the other Home cities are great consumers of meat—as great consumers as wc on this side are producers ; but the barrier of the sea seamed an insuperable obstacle to the Southern stock-raiser. Now, however, the Bell-Coleman system of preserving meat by refrigeration has virtually brought London as near to us as it is to York, and Cockneys will be able to eat steaks cut from Australian fed “rumps. To a certain extent this trade will affect the trade in tinned preserved meat, but the army and navy, and the mercan tile marine, will still demand a supply of the latter, and the trade will go on as usual We are almost afraid, however, to study the effect of the Bell-Coleman meat process upon the prosecution of war, for mow that its success has been proved there is no saying where the frozen meat may not penetrate, and it is quite possible that these carcases may yet find a place on the commissariat list of a campaign and form part of the daily rations of the camp. In any however, England may now certainty to her Australian her daily food, and be almost independent of the aid of an ally or neighbor.

THE FARMER.

AMONG THE FARMERS. (By Gun Rambling Reporter.) WaKANUI. CONTINUED. Before going into particulars about any body’s farm, I intend to say a few words about the slip shod way in which some of my farming acquaintances do their work, and prominently among their many failings is the manner in which they work, or rather murder, their machinery and implements. A reaper and binder means an expenditure of some L7O, and with duo care, a little knowledge of machinery, sufficient oil, and some common sense one of these machines ought to last, with some few extras, for at any rate four or five seasons. Like most Yankee notions they are gingerbread in construction, but capable of doing their work if the instructions sent with the machines are attended to. But when I find that they are worked as fast as the horses can travel, without the driver ex amining the wearing parts to oil them, or the manifold nuts to tighten them up occasionally, one cannot wonder at hearing complaints to the effect that the Osborne is a duffer, the Wood is no good, and the M'Corraack has always a trap in attendance to go to town for an extra. My bucolic friends, take my advice ! Drive slow, give your machines lots of oil, and recollect that it is better to lose five minutes occasionally in tightening up your nuts, than a day in going for some broken or worn out fitting, which with ordinary care would have stood you thi’oughout the season if you had not been in such a hurry. “ More haste, less speed,” is a proverb more applicable to American reapers and binders than to anything else I know of. I saw on one farm a couple of machines which had a number of bolts and nuts missing alto- , gether, and the horses travelling along, ( the driver being perfectly satisfied with his work so long as the grain was cut and j the sheaves tied. The good man did not count the cost of the damage ho was ( doing his machine. He will probably j have his grain down a day sooner, but . at the end of his harvest his M'Gormack j will be worth the price of old iron. ( Seafield this year shows a great improve- , ment upon its last year’s record, and f although two bad seasons wore the cause y of several good men having to go to the * wall their places have been filled, and r those wh -> were able to weather the storm £ will now reap the reward of their perser- t veranCe and pluck. j Prominent among the farms here is the land owned by Messrs. Hooper and Dod- p son, a Nelson firm, who purchased the J. land originally selected by Mr. Prouder- q gast, and some other holdings adjacent— • altogether some 900 acres—and under the ( able superintendence of Mr. James Bra tie, £ the farm is one of the most notable in the c district, the improvements being worthy r of imitation by the neighbors. An Alt- y house windmill rears its lofty proportions t near the stable, and the avenue, a chain y wide, with a healthy growth of gums on „ each side, promises to make an enticing “lovers’walk ” for whoever may become ‘ the fortunate residents in a few years ; hence. On this farm there were no idlers ( about on my visit. Reaping, stooking, f carting in, stacking, and thrashing were t all going on simultaneously, and ap- £ On this block there are T about 320 acres of wheat, and Messrs Hooper £ and Dodson will have to pay for carting J some 9000 bushels of grain off it when the p thrasher is done. 100 acres of oats will j give a yield of 35 bushels to the acre ; j and a small field of barley, which will j yield about 22 bushels, will bo at once despatched to the owners’ brewery in Nelson, to be converted into harvest ale, where that article is brewed to perfection. Adjoining, this farm Mr. E. A. Field’s holding is the next at which I made a call, and I was sorry to see that the rust had played havoc with the wheat ; and a j. paddock of 100 acres is actually not worth y the trouble of cutting. The balance is, £ however, a very fair oyop. Ho has p altogether 210 acres in wheat, ISO of oats, ‘ t a fair 20 bushel crop, and 170 in grass, j On the opposite side of the road 1 found a busy scone on the education reserve, of 1 which Messrs. Saunders Bros, arc the lesees, y Mr. H. Parsons being the directing genius j of the harvesting operations. Ho is the f machine doctor of the district, and when a M'Conmfck gets sick he is sent for as ’ being equal to any emergency in such j canes of illness. He has no sinecure, , as the bare bones and worn out look ‘ of one of the best horses I ever , knew will testify, but when a , farm steward lias the overlooking of so much as Mr. Parsons has it is to be ex- ( pected that horse flesh must suffer. Rust 1 has made au alteration in the crops here , too, and a paddock of 450 acres of wheat, ) which a week ago promised to yield 25 , bushels per acre, will now do well to j thresh out half that quantity. About 1 300 acres in another part ought to give 22 . bushels. Mr. Osborne, a sub-tenant on . this block bad a splendid crop of barley, . which was just about finished threshing ( when I passed and it has managed to give . something like 25 bushels. Besides, he ■ has a few acres of very good oats. Mr. Murdoch Bruce, who is looked upon as the “ oldest inhabitant,’ and is consequently the chairman of the School Committee, and. a good one at that, is also a “ cropper ” on the reserve, besides having a considerable block of freehold adjoining. He can’t complain this year —having 140 acres of wheat equal to 20 bushels ; 50 of oats, about 35 bushels ; a little barley ; and a hundred acres ready for next season. (to be continued ) IMPORTED PESTS. The sparrow is by no means ikely to have things his own way, or remain “ monarch of all he surveys” (says the “ Waipawa Mail ”). At present there is every appearance that the linnet is to dispute with him, and not unsuccessfully, the right to be regarded one of the first of acclimatised pests. Whether linnets are any use, as grub and insect destroyers or not we know not, certain it is they are very destructive to grain. We lately saw a small field of oats, and through the ravages of these birds it presented the appearance of having been threshed. The best grain bad been eaten out, and nothing but empty husks left, and at the time we saw it almost every stalk of grain had one or more birds perched upon it, and so tame had they become that they paid hardly any atten tion to our presence. It is only now that we shall reap the fruits of our folly in in troducing such posts, and bet'.veen spar rows, linnets, rabbits, and rust, the future prospects of agriculturists are not over cheering. The first three arc the pro ducts of our own thoughtlessness ; such bcimr the case, acclimatisation societies woufd do well to see that all future intro ductions, if neither useful nor ornamen tal, at least possess the virtue of being harmless.

THE DUNEDIN CITY COUNCIL.

The Dunedin City Council have bcetmn famous, or rather notorious, of late. Tin present Mayor of the city—Mr. Walter— it v\ ill be remembered, took advantage o a lan* designed to prevent jobbery ii public bodies, and to render it impossible as far as law can, for a member of sue! body to use his position as a member foi the purpose of making pecuniary profit tt himself. The advantage of this law taken by Mr. Walter was the ousting fron the Dunedin Mayoralty of the nc.vlj elected Mr. Fish, who had a persona interest in a contract for building a Town Hall. The snobs of the City Council were meanly spiteful enough to try tc annoy the man who was courageous enough to fight for the honor of the law, and fortunate enough to ho successful. The species of annoyance to which the smail miuded dolts of the Dunedin City Council descended was such as might have been ex pected from a ‘‘bested” black-leg, but was altogether unworthy of men holding to he the representative men of a large and important city, that claims to the seat of How Zealand’s learning, and the chief emporium of her commerce. The Fathers of this great city, in high dudgeon at Mr. Walter’s success —we will not insinuate that they felt they themselves might some time be in similar danger with Mr. Fish —voted the abolition of the salary that had hitherto been paid to the sitting Mayor, and left Mr. Walter to discharge the duties and bear the honors of his position on an allowance of £1 per year. To this act the reply of Mr. 'Walter was simply grand. It was short, but it ought to have been iron in the souls of the Councillors that is, if they had any souls to pierce. It was as follows Gentlemen, I beg to thank the Council for voting no salary because I look on a pound as no salary. I can assure the Council that during the number of years X have been associated with it I have never, cither as Councillor or Mayor, looked upon it as a source of income to me. I can assure you, gentlemen, that the duties of this Council, that the duties of this scat, will bo carried out as if I received £IO,OOO a year. It is not the matter of the salary voted me as Mayor that will cause me to do tho work ine'liciontly ; the work will be done as efficiently without salary as with it. Gentlemen, I thank you.” But the Dunedin City Councillors did not stop at a reduction, or rather abolition of salary. They now seek to secure to themselves the right of electing the Mayor, and have put the matter to the vote of the people. But they might have saved themselves the trouble. The elec tion of tho Mayor by the ratepayers has been the ratepayers’ right since 1875, and just as Dunedin is not all Otago, nor Otago all New Zealand, so one Town Council will not be able to deprive the colony’s municipal ratepayers of their right to elect their own chief man. No where else has any objection been raised to the system of popular election, and we only know that a law is oppressive or objection able when wo hoar the popular voice raised against it. The best efforts of the Dun edin parochial magnates were unsuccessful in galvanising the ratepayers into getting up the faintest show of enthusiasm on the question, and when the subject reaches the House of Representatives—if it ever does reach it —the question that will natu rally be asked will bo—“Who wants tho change 1” To this question can only bo replied—“ The Citj' Council of Dunedin ?” and the fogies of the southern metropolis being only a small item in the list of New Zealand municipalities will get quietly laughed at.

A REVOLUTION IN STEAM NAVIGATION.

Q, (A 7 ew York Herald .) Professor Edison, the celebrated elec trician, has just made a discovery of such vast importance that it is believed it will cause a complete revolution in navigation, and in a few years place the magnificent steamers of the present day as much behind the times as the Chinese junk is now. Professor Edison, as our scientific readers know, has devoted his wonderful talents almost entirely to “ exploration ” in that mysterious power, or fluid as it is sometimes called, electricity, and its twin sister galvanism. Many of his discoveries are already before the world, but the latest is the most startling. _ The groat aim Professor Edison has had in view" for many years is to discover the manner in which to make the most use of electricity as a motive power, and his laborious and patient researches have at last been crowned with success. Last year he made and completed a morking model which thoroughly appeared to meet the most sanguine expectations of its con structor ; by repeated trials the Professor was so thoroughly convinced he had at last been permitted by the Almighty to pene trate one of the most mysterious secrets of nature for the purpose of adding to the welfare of his fellow creatures, that he determined at his own expense to make a practical experiment in such a way as to convince the most sceptical that he was in possession of an invention such as tne world had never even dreamt of. The Professor drew designs himself of a beautiful launch of about one hundred feet in length, and handed his plans in to a Boston Arm of shipwrights for comple tion. The little vessel was built of wood, and sheathed beneath the water-line with very heavy sheets of copper. At the same time that the vessel was in course of construction the machinery for the mechanism was also being built. In order to jealously preserve his secret Professor Edison did not give all his designs to one firm. Ho drew the particulars of the whole of the machinery in separate parts, and gave the Orange Plough Company the work of preparing a portion, the Boston Cutlery Company another portion, whilst Laird,' of Birkenhead, .prepared the balance. Tbe hull when completed was sent to the Professor’s residence on the banks of tbe Hudson river, and shortly after he was also in receipt of the machinery. Professor Edison, with the help of his assistant, Mr. O. Wendell, fitted the ves sel up and found the various contractors had completed their work most excel lently, and that with the exception of a few alterations everything fitted perfectly, and the vessel generally came up to his expectations and desires. Professor Edison being now practically convinced of the value of his invention, determine to a certain extent to make his discovery public, and to this end invited a number of distinguished and scientmc gentlemen to witness the trial trip of his now launch, which was appropriately named the (< Lightning.” -Amongst those invited was a member of our staff, on the condition that ho published nothing ex cept such particulars as the Professor de sired. On arriving hy special train at the Pro fessor's mansion, the company prococdec on board the launch. Amongst those pre sent wo noticed Mr. Richard A Proctor Professor Tyndall, the Hon. Mr. Seward ■ Senator Chase, Professor S. Ofthed, Hon Chas. Magniac, and many other distin . guished passengers. In appearance, tin i ‘ ‘ Lightning” did not differ materially fron • the general run of launches, except in th [ extreme beauty of her lines, and that sh ; had no funnel and no masts or rigging i The signal for starting was given by th i Professor, who touched a small ivory knob , and instantly two large electric bells fille - the air with harmony. All being ready 3 the Professor pressed a small lever and th 3 boat moved slowly ahead—until clear c t the rocks about the shore, when anothc f touch caused the little vessel to rus - ahead like a racehorse. Newbourg, a dii tance of. 45 miles, was reached in thre

hours. On the return journey the Pro fessor showed us how easily the vessel was handled, for with one small lever, ihoviik e it more or less one way or the other, the 0 launch went ahead or astern, slowly or nl “ full speed, almost instantly. Professor Edison courteously showed 11 our reporter over the boat, and explained ;> to him the various arrangements. In the - 1 centre of the ve'scl was a tank Idled with r a solution of sulphuric acid and a large 3 number of zinc plates connected with *■ wires ; the opposite metal for completing 1 the battery was made by connecting witii f the copper sheathing of the vessel outside. 1 The manner in which this was done to pre -1 vent the fluid passing off was one of the I secrets of the invention. 3 On proceeding into the engine room 3 the sight was very novel—instead of 1 being met by a hot oily smell, nothing of 1 the sort was experienced. There was no ‘ heat, no smell, no dirt, no oily engineers, I merely a beautiful clean little compart • ment, and in the centre a number of ; npysterions bright steel cranks and wheels > whizzing to and fro or round and round at ! an incredible speed. The professor cx ; plained that a further motive power was : used, namely functional electricity, gene > rated partly by applying the force from the engine and partly hy the vessel her -1 self as she rushed through the water. ! “ How is that done V innocently asked our reporter. “That is another secret,” said the professor. The vessel’s screw was a double one, working in opposite , directions, the angle of the fans being reversed. They were worked on one shaft, which was hollow, with another shaft passing through the centre, the ex terior shaft working one screw, the in terior one the other. Professor Edison informs us that his invention can lie applied to the largest vessels afloat, and at only about half the cost of ordinary engines and boilers, and ho would guarantee a speed of twenty knots at least. The working expenses arc trifling, as a thousand ton vessel might be worked for five hundred dollars a year, leaving ant the wages of two engineers and the chance of any accidents. The chief ex penses would be for oil for the working parts and renewing the zincs in the battery. We hear some steam companies have been so impressed with the import ance of the discovery that the Gunard Company, that had just ordered a magni ficent steamer of 7QOO tons, called the “ Sahara,” have told the 'builders to suspend operations, and the Inman Com pany, who had ordered (to rival the Canard) to be built by the Barrow Ship ping Company a steamer to be the fastest and most superior in the world, have also stopped the contract in the meanwhile.

A PATERNAL GOVERNMENT.

mp, ‘ Tiic Act in force in Great Britain by which landowners are loaned money by the Government at a long credit and low interest for land improvement purposes is being utilised to modify the distress in Ireland. A public notice lias been issued from tlxo Board of Works, 1 ) uI; lid , em bodying the intentions of the Govern ment. In view of the anticipated distress during the approaching winter amongst the laboring population, the Board of Public Works is authorised to offer to landowners in cases falling within any such unions as may be advertised from time to time by authority of the Lord Lieutenant in the “Dublin Gazette,” the following facilities and advantages in obtaining loans under the Land Improvement Acts with a view to early application for the same, so as to afford immediate employment for the laboring class within reach of their homes, viz. :—l. The proceedings, in cluding plana, &c., which the owner ap plying for a loan has now to undertake at his own expense, will so far be put on the same footing as those which the Board of Public Works are authorised to under take. The Board will provide surveyors, Ac., where they are requested to do so, and will defray the expense out of the vote of credit on account of loans for pub lic works, Ireland. All moneys so ad vanced will be added to the principal of the loan, subject to the paragraph next hereinafter following. 2. The postpone ment of the first instalment of repay ment of the loan for two years from the advance, the interest accruing during that period being made an addition to the principal. 3. The extension of the period for repayment from twenty-two to twenty four years reckoned from the date of the advance, in cases now limited to that period, and to thirty-seven years in those other cases in which thirty-live years is allowed. 4. The advantages will not be extended to loans sought for in respect of buildings, but only to loans for drainage, planting, and other works calculated to afford general employment io unskilled labor which can be immediately set on foot in unions in which a want ot employ ment shall be declared to prevail, and car ried out with the energy which the urgency of the circumstances demand, and to which the advantages offered arc solely due. So far as the advan tages offered by this notice reepuro legisla tive sanction, it is the intention of her Majesty’s Government to apply for it as soon as Parliament re-assembles.

THE SUCCESSFUL HOUSEWIE.

* J The first step towards success must oo „ learning to love the work. If a girl brought r up in the city and used to the ways of ( c city life marries a thrifty young fanner and undertakes to do the housework necessary for her to do, or to oversee it done, she may be astonished to find it disagreeable. Thinking, in her innocence, - thatsho is willing to do anything for him she loves, she by degrees finds she is not. - Tired, discouraged and heart sick, she ) longs for her old home, but knowing she has°chosen her lot and must abide by her , choice, she assumes an indifference to her , work, which soon becomes a reality, and she plods around as a machine might, could one bo invented to do housework. Her husband knows things do not go right in the house but can devise no means to bettor them, and also grows indiffer ent and when children begin to add their noise to the general confusion, he flees to I the field by day and the village store by . night, and the poor wife has another grief to* add to her catalogue of woes. By learning to love her work the young house- ' wife (and old ones too, perhaps) may avoid mneh misery of miud, ; aud body—i say of body—for we well know that the body sympathises with the mind, and often one feels sick when one is only worried. The farmer's wife has much , work to do that the mechanic’s wife knows nothing of. It amuses me to hear women toll how much work they have to do, and w hen yon get at the root of the matter, they hire their washing done ; hire their dresses cut, and perhaps made, and no milk to take care of!! ! I sometimes wonder what some of them would do if the care of the milk of half-a-dozen cows was added to their work. We fanners wives have one advantage. We can sea nature in all its beauty. Our work re quires us to be up in the morning with the birds, and we step about skimming milk, working up butter, washing and scalding pans and pails, no one can hin der our drinking in the beauty of the morning ; but when tired (and shall I say ! it cross) we wilfully deny ourselves a s glance out of the open door, and when husband comes in fresh from the dewy s fields and while tracking our floor woe , fully, speaks of the fineness of the morn l ing, we see only the dirty boot mark, and , answer accordingly, we have not learned 3 to love our work. There is nothing that f will help us so much as a hearty, genuine r love for what we are doing, and I believe i that love may be born, reared, and ma - tured wherever we find our life work. If e yco consider ourselves martyrs, drudges,

over-worked women etc., etc., we cannot bo successful. Our work requires an car nest, thoughtful, loving spirit, a patient but energetic persevering hand, and a pleasant, smiling face.—S. B. Sawyer in the “Itural Now Yorker.”

COMMON SENSE IN DRESS.

* Within the last few years considerable advance in the way of taste lias boon made in dress ; but still one sees such preposterous results from the anxiety some people have to be “artistic” and aesthetic in their costumes, that one can not but feel that their zeal would be well tempered with discretion. It is an ex cellent thing that many women have emancipated themselves from the tyranny of dressmakers ; but let them beware of falling into an even worse bondage under the leaders of the so called “ art” school of dress, because it is very rare that peo ple exercise their own unbiassed taste with regard to their costume, and as a rule follow, though, perhaps, uncon sciously, the stylo adopted by somebody whom they regard as the model of good taste. Lot every body bo fully persuaded that their dress is suitable for the occasion on which it is to be worn, as there can be no beauty without fitness. A stir has been made lately about reviving the Greek costume ; but the difficulty of a hat or a bonnet with such a costume seems insuper able. We have to take it for granted that Greek women looked beautiful and picturesque in their flowing robes. As suming that such was the fact, we cannot blind ourselves to the fact that among English women Greek heads and features are exceptional. In a drawing-room, long flowing robes look well enough upon a person whoso form and figure arc statu esque and finely moulded. With regard to “ artistic ” dressing, it really seems ! . that the shorter and stouter the wearer, j the more extravagant the style of costume ■ worn. How often do wo see little fat women with dresses made of soft, thick stuff of a highly unbecoming “ art ” shade puffed on < shoulders an 1 elbows in a manner that 1 increases Ilnur apparent width tenfold. ( Mow often do wo see such people walking - in the Loudon streets with their skirts caught up in the most (inartistic manner, wiih large illumed hats, often crushed 1 into the must bizarre ” shapes, and the roughest hair imaginable. And yet * these ladies consider themselves far superior in taste to the prosaic creatures who prefer to be neat, clean, and tidy in closely lilting short costumes, with tidy hair, hats, boots, and gloves, and who can walk with comfort to themselves and I others ; and who arc not ridiculous, be cause they are fit for what they are ■“ about.—“Bogina,” in the “Queen,”

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1880.



Masonic.— A Lodge of Mark Masters, under the English Constitution, is shortly to be opened at Port Chalmers, while ap plication for tlie establishment of a District Grand Royal Chapter Arch Chapter for Otago has been sent in.



A Fooi.—ln the good old days when gold was plentiful and diggers were flush of money, it was no_ unusual thing for them to invent expedients for getting rid of their easily earned accumulations, and it has remained for these hard-up days to prove that men can be found who squander money as foolishly as those in the Good old times.” ’On Saturday last (says the “ Press”) there was a visitor in Picton in search of a new sensation, aim he hiicd a man to wheel him about in a wheelbarrow, paying for this primitive mode of convey ance Is. per hour. The laborer and his hirer agreed amicably together for some time, but the engagement did not last long, the rate of progress not exactly agreeing with the rapid ideas of the capi talist.



A Help to the Coal Trade.— A gentleman recently arrived from London, and who is travelling through the colonies on a pleasure trip, informs us (says the “ Otago Daily Times) that his firm who are engaged in the coal trade, have two steamers running between London and Sunderland, and has given us the following particulars, which will be interesting to those desirous of developing the West Coast coal trade. These steamers carry a cargo of about 750 tons of coal, besides the contents of their bunkers. They occupy about 36 hours in doing the journey of 300 miles. One of them has made 52 round voyages in the year ; and at 4s. 9d. per ton freight, has cleared L 2500 over and above running expenses, but not in cluding depreciation. They draw 14 to .15 feet of water, and have accommodation provided for 250 tons of water ballast for the return trip. They have hatchways with very high combings running the entire length of the ship, and shoots for distributing the coal in the blinkers. The result is that no trimming whatever with the shovel is required. As the coal is put in from staiths it distributes itself in the hold without any labor being required —a very important point. Wc understand that such a vessel could be delivered in the colony at a cost ('including first-class outfit) of about L 16,000, and we cannot help thinking that the time is coming when it would pay to put one on to run between West Coast ports and Welling ton, Lyttelton, and Dunedin—of course one adapted by tonnage, draught of water, Ac., to the trade. Holloway’s Pills. —-These celebrated Pills arc essentially useful in purifying the blood, cleansing the stomach, gently stimulating the kidneys, and acting as mild aperients. A few doses of this purifying medicine set the foulest stomach right, lemovc all bilious symptoms, steady the circu’ation, give strength to the muscles and composure to the brain and nerves. The Pills ate so innoxious that they may be taken by persons in the most delicate state of health, and with marvellous effect. When the system has been enervated by over-indulgence, or exhausted by mercurial preparations, these Pills are excellent restoratives, they expel the



poison and enrich the blond.— Found. £1 REWARE T OST, from Mr. Hay T. JU on Monday night, On nut DRAUGHT GELDI like J on near shoulder. Light Brown Dll AUGHT No visible brand. Hind f above reward will be paid restoring to Mr. Hay T. Si Saunders’ Mill. 10th February, 1830 £1 BEWARE OST—A dark GELD] old, 2 white spots c saddle ; white star on forcli P.R. on rump. Any pe same, or giving informatio recovery, will receive abovi ole 5010 A. TO FARMERS AND CO] mENDERS WANTED f Reaper and Binder 100 Ai once, THE undersigned has PROPERTIES to L jhasing clause, or FOR S. terms of payment— -1 A ACRES good W] all ploughed and T. Bullock. THOMAS



Wanted. TTTANTED IMMEDIATELY A VV BED-ROOM and SITTING ROOM, with or without Board and atten dance, for a gentleman. Apply to oflice of 0. Percy Cox, East street. 4910-43 c ANTED, by a Young Widow, a y y SITUATION as Housekeeper to a gentleman, or Housekeeper and Gover ness to a widower with children. She teaches thorough English, French, Music Singing, and Needlework, is a good Cook and understands a dairy.—Apply to Mrs C., West Oxford. 444 g SHEEP. WANTED— To PURCHASE 5000 Sound Mouthed Merinos or Cross breds, in lots. . Apply to SAUNDERS BROS. 313 Ashburton. TANTED Known, thO TWENTY Words are inserted in this Column for ONE SHILLING prepaid, and FORTY Words for TWO SHILLINGS prepaid. TITANTED KNOWN—That we are now \ V Selling 250 Cream Laid Commerciat Envelopes for 25., cash ; 500 ditto, 3s. 6d. cash ; and 1000 ditto, Gs. Gd., for prompl cash only. Weeks & Dixon. TTTANTED KNOWN, that Envelopes VV and Notepaper can be obtained, wholesale or retail, at unusually low rates at the “ Herald ” Oflice, East-street North. 642 WANTED KNOWN—That Money can be saved by purchasing your Sta tionery and Account Books, for cash, at the “Herald” and “Guardian” Whole- ( ! sale Stationery Dep6t, Saunders’ Build ings, near Station. WANTED KNOWN—That Visiting Cards, plain or mourning, can be obtained printed in various styles, at the “Herald” and “Guardian” offices, near the Rai '"'ay Station WANTED KNOWN—That the cheap- i est z.nd neatest CARDS may bo *' had. at ■* he ] “GUARDIAN OFFICE.” < Amusements. < POSITIVELY ONE NIGHT ONLY. Town hall, ashburton. . SATURDAY, 14th FEBRUARY. , ENGLISH OPERA BOUFFE AND , COMEDY COMPANY. r Acknowledged by the Press to be the ] most complete Company travelling. ; PROGRAMME— i ROSE OF AUVERGNE, s SCENES FROM MARITANA, , MUSICAL MELANGE t AND SOLDIER’S RETURN. ] Prices : Reserved seats, numbered, 4s ; ( Back seats, 2s. i ROARING FUN. FITS of LAUGHTER. HAL GRAY, 52c-502a Advance Agent. / Lecture. PASTOR CHINIQUY IN ASHBUR TON. OTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Rev Mr. Chiniquy will (D.V.) preach in the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH On SUNDAY MORNING, 15th INST., And in the WESLEYAN CHURCH on the Evening of the same day. The Rev. Gentleman will deliver a Lecture in the TOWN HALL ON MONDAY, IGth INSTANT., At 7.30 Sharp. Tickets to be had from Messrs. St. Hill, Robinson, and Nelson, or at the door. 404g-43c Meetings.- GOOD TEMPLAR HALL COMPANY, " LIMITED. fTTHE annual general MEETING of the jL Shareholders of the TEMPLAR HALL COMPANY (Limited), will be held in the Templar Hall on THURSDAY, February 19th, at 7.30 p.m. Business : Adoption of Report and Balance sheet ; Election of Directors, in place of Messrs. Charles Brad dell and Thos. Williams, whose seats hav e become vacant, and Messrs. Scott and Andrews, who retire by ballot. By order. W. H. ZOUOH, 500 g Secketaky. UPPER ASHBURTON ROAD BOARD. MEETING OF RATEPAYERS. IN consequence of the sitting of the Assessment Court on the 27th inst., the Meeting of the Ratepayers for the election of a member in the place of the late Mr. Charles Reid has been POST PONED till the day following (28th instant). ROBT. D. PULLAR, 589 a Clerk. UPPER ASHBURTON ROAD BOARD. MEETING OF RATEPAYERS. A MEETING of the Ratepayers of this Road District will take place on FRIDAY, the 27th inst., at 10 o’clock a.in., in the Road Board Oflice, for the purpose of electing a member in the room of the late Mr. Charles Reed. A Poll, if demanded, will be held the same day, and close at 4 o’clock p.m. DONALD McLEAN, Chairman. Road Board Oflice, 487 g Wcstcrfield, 10th February, 1880. DISTRESS IN IRELAND. A MEETING of the COMMITTEE will be hold in the Borough Council Chambers, on MONDAY next, the 16th inst., at 7 p.m. By Order, CHARLES BRADDELL, Secretary of Committee. Ashburton, 13th February, 1880. 28 —5Gc— 506g ASHBURTON CALEDONIAN SOCIETY. 3 LITHE ANNUAL GENERAL MEET- I ING will be held at Quill’s Hotel, 3 on FRIDAY", 20th February, inst., at 8 1 o’clock, p.m. Business— -1 To receive Annual Report; Election t of Directors and Officers for en i, suing year. y All members requested to attend. J. E. HYDE HARRIS, 47c-499« Hon. Secretary.



Tenders. CARTING. rSIENDSRS are invited for Carting X 100,000 bushels grain. Particulars can bo obtained from MR. K SAUNDERS, Dundas ; MR. 11. W. PARSON, Seafiold; Or 4GI« SAUNDERS BROS. Y. •■a. e tfc a R. COURT HOUSE, ASHBURTON. Public Works Office, Christchurch, February 10th, 1880. fTnENDERS are invited for the Erection B of a Court House at Ashburton. General conditions, specifications and drawings may be seen at the Public Works Office, Christchurch, «aud Post Office, Ashburton. Tenders addressed to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works, and marked outside “ Tender for Court House, Ash burton,” will be received at this office up to noon on TUESDAY, March 2nd, 1880. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. By command, A. D. AUSTIN, 53c-503g District Engineer, P. W. Y. rfyiSß- E NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. KAWAKAWA RAILWAY. TAUMARERE CONTRACT—FORMA TION ONLY. LENGTH ABOUT t ONE MILE. i Public Works Office, t Wellington, loth January, 1880. i TYTRITTEN TENDERS will be received ** at this office, until NOON on g WEDNESDAY the 25th February, 1880, 1 for the above contract. They must be addressed to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington, and marked outside “ Tender for Taumarere Contract.” - Plans and specifications may be seen at ] the Public Works Offices, Wellington, after the 21st instant, and at Auckland, Grahamstown, KawaKawa, Christchurch, and Dunedin on arrival of first mail after f that date. Telegraphic tenders, similarly addressed and marked, will be received if t presented at any telegraph office by f 'ICON of the same date, pro- i vided that written tenders in due form ] are lodged at a District or Resident r Engineer’s Office by the same hour, and g accompanied by a cheque on some bank p in the town where the tender is lodged ; t such cheque to bo specially marked by a banker as good for twenty-one days, and to be in favor of the Receiver-General’s Deposit Account only, and not to bearer or order. The lowest or any tender will 4 not necessarily be accepted. By command, JOHN BLACKETT, 4390 Engineer in Charge, North Island. Gazette in Bankruptcy. V. R. THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN (County Agricultural and Sporting Recorder) is a GAZETTE for all Notices under The Debtors and Creditors Acts, Public Notices. NOTICE. I will not bo responsible for any DEBTS contracted by my wife after date, she having left my home of her own will. £ T. P. GLEE SON, Hinds River, Feb. 12, 1880. 5040-54 c<, GRAIN. jy-'ESSRS. ROYSE, STEAD, & CO. j are prepared to ] PURCHASE GRAIN I or to make * ADVANCES ON GRAIN < consigned to them for sale or ship ment. C. PERCY COX, Agents for ROYSE, STEAD, & CO., 493 g Ashburton. RATING ACT, 1876. NOTICE. npHE ASSESSMENT COURTS for the § Road Districts of Wakanui, Long beach, South Rakaia, Mount Hutt, Upper Ashburton, Mount Somers, and the Borough of Ashburton, for the purpose of hearing and determining all objections to the valuation list or lists of the said districts and borough will be Held on the dates and at the places following, viz. Borough of Ashburton, on 17th Febru ary, at the Town Hall, Ashburton. Road District Wakanui, 19th February, at the Town Hall, Ashburton. Road District Mount Hutt, 20th Feb ruary, at the Methven Road Board Office. Road District South Rakaia, 21st Feb ruary, at the South Rakaia Road Board Office. Road District Mount Somers, 23rd Feb ruary, at the Mount Somers Road Board Office. Road District Upper Ashburton, 27th February, at the Wester Held Road Board Office. Road District Longbeacli, 28th Febru ary, at the Willowby Road Board Office. All Courts will open at 10 a.m. By order, C. CAVENDISH HURRELL, Clerk to the Assessment Court. Resident Magistrate’s Office, Ashburton, 6th February, 1880. 472 a W. R. BOYLE, Moore street, Ashburton, Accountant, land, estate, and GENERAL AGENT. Loans negotiated. Absentees represented. Agent for the Victorian Insurance Com pany. Certificated Accountant in Bank ruptcy. 458 g i jyj'R. FRANCIS PHILIP O’REILLY, i Barrister, Solicitor, & Conveyancer, TANCRED STREET, ASHBURTON, Next Messrs. Orr and Co.’s. 362 g



Public Notices. ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.. INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES. ATOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at J3| a meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council held on the 9th day of February, 1880, Mr. WILLIAM BROWN was AP POINTED Inspector of Nuisances for the Borough of Ashburton. CHARLES BRADDELL, Town Clerk. Borough Council’s Offices, 12th February, 1880. 27—57c—5070 ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. IVTOTICE is hereby given that Mr. Charles Braddell, Town Clerk, has been gazetted Registrar of Dogs for the Borough of Ashburton. All dogs must be Registered at once, or proceedings will be taken against the owners. Signed HUGO FRIEULANDER, Mayor. Ashburton Borough Council Chambers. 13th February, 1880. 29—58c—508g ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL. EXTRAORDINARY VACANCY. [N pursuance of the provisions of the Regulation of Local Elections Act, LB7C, I HEREBY GIVE NOTICE that m ELECTION to fill an Extraordinary Vacancy in the Ashburton County Council, for the Biding of UPPER ASH 3URTON, caused by the death of Charles leed, Esq., will be held on TUESDAY, he second day of March next, at the rVESTERFIELD SCHOOLHOUSE. NOMINATIONS in the form pre cribed by the above Act, and addressed o the Returning Officer, will be received ,t the Westerfield Sclioolliouse, up till welve o’clock noon, on FRIDAY, the 'Otli February. Forms of nomination maybe obtained t the office of the Returning Officer, Ash burton. CHARLES BRADDELL, Returning Officer. Ashburton, Fob. 11,1880. 496 a >UBLIC NOTICE OF OBJECTION TO THE WHOLE OF VALUATION LIST. rAKE NOTICE—The South Rakaia Road Board intend to OBJECT to he whole of the VALUATION LIST for South Rakaia Road district now open for uspection at Road Board office, South lakaia, at the next sitting of the Assess icnt Court, for the said district, upon the round that the rateable value of the pro erties therein named is greater than in lie said list set forth. Dated this sth day of February, 1880. By order of the South Rakaia Road Boaid. A. MAKEIG, 97a Clerk. NOTICE. MOUNT SOMERS ROAD BOARD. VTOTICE is hereby given that the lN Mount Somers Road Board pro ose to stop a road from the south-east orner of section 23518 to south-east cor er of section 19975, and to take in ex hang’o thereof a road from the aforesaid outlx-east corner of section 23518 to the outh-east corner of section 24989, join ig Government road at south-west corner f section 25614. Plans of the above arc ow deposited at the Road Board Office, lount Somers. Dated this 2nd day of January, 1830. By order, JAS. FRASER, 43 Clerk. SOUTH RAKAIA ROAD DISTRICT. NOTIFICATION OF VALUATION LIST. fUTOTICE is hereby given that the VALUATION LIST for 1880 is low OPEN FOR INSPECTION at the load Board Office, South Rakaia, up to FEBRUARY 10 next. All OBJECTIONS hereto must be left at the Road Board iffice, South Rakaia, on or before FEB RUARY 15,1880, addressed to the Judge >f the Assessment Court, and a copy of ;very such objection shall be sent to the Chairman of the South Rakaia Road Board not less than SEVEN DAYS be :ore the next sitting of the said Court. A. MAKEIG, 121 a Clerk to the Board. MOUNT SOMERS ROAD BOARD. NOTIFICATION OF VALUATION LIST. Take notice—The valuation LIST for the Mount Somess Road District for the year 1880 will be OPEN FOR INSPECTION from 15lh January to 15th February, 1880, at John Hood’s Hotel, Mount Somers. All OBJECTIONS thereto must be left at the Road Board Office, Meant Somers, on or befox-e the loth day of February, addressed to the Judge of the Assessment Court; and a Copy of every such Objection must be left at the Road Board Office, Mount Somers, adclsessed to the Chairman of the Board, not less than Seven Days before the next sitting of the said Court. JAMES ERASER, Clei'k to the Mount Somers 404 g Road Board. WAKANUI ROAD BOARD. RATE NOTICE. THE Rate for 1879-80 will be COL LECTED FORTHWITH and not in April as previously notified, and all over due rates for 1878-9 will be sued for at once. Rates to be paid at my residence, Great South Road, next the Gasworks. JAMES WILKIE, 477g-34c Collector. v - JiilE- R DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION, SUMNER, CANTERBURY. THE Government having secured suit able accommodation at Sumner, Canterbury, for the proposed Institution for the Education and Training of Deaf mutes, Mr. and Mrs. Van Asch will be prepared to receive pupil boarders at the Institution on the Ist March, 1880. Full information may be obtained on applica tion to the undersigned, or to the Secre taries of the several Education Boards. By order, JOHN HISLOP, Secretary. Education Department, Wellington, 2nd February, 1880. 485 g REAPERS AND BINDERS. EMPLOYMENT for any number of machines. Apply 4G3g SAUNDERS BROS. ADVERTISEMENTS received for the GUARDIAN up to 9 p.m. at the scale charges, afterwards at double rate* for insertion over the leader