SHIPPING.

Lyttelton, To-day.—Arrived ; Edwin Bassett, barque, from Newcastle ; Wanaka, from North.

THE CHURCHES.

SUNDAY AND WEEK NIGHT SER-

VICES AND MEETINGS,

EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH.— Tancred Street, West. Rev. A. W, Hands, Incumbent. Sunday. Morning, at 11, Mr. J. Ward. Evening, at 6.30, Rev. A. W. Hands. Wednesday. Evening Service at 7 p.m., Rev. A. W. Hands. Choir Practice at 8. Thursday. Sunday School Teachers’ Meeting, at 7.30 p.m. Country Services —To-Morrow. Windermere, 11 a.in., Rev. A. W. Hands. Tinwald, 3 p.m., Rev. A. W. Hands. Greenstreet, at 3 p.m., Mr. J. Ward.

RAKAIA PARISH. Rev. W. H. Elton, Incumbent. Sunday. St. Mark’s Church, Rakaia.—Morning at 11, Lay Reader. Evening, at 7, Rev. W. H. Elton. St..John’s, Barrhill, 3 p.m., Lay Reader. Kyle, 11a.m. , Lay Reader. All Saints, Sherwood, 3 p.m., Rev. W. H. Elton. St. Barnabas, Methveu, 11 a.m., Rev. W. H. Elton. _ Communion.—First Sunday in the month at St. Mark’s. Second Sunday at St. John’s. Fourth Sunday at St. Barna bas’. Fifth Sunday at St. James’. Baptism in St. Mark’s, and Children’s Service at 3 p. in., second Sunday in the month, Sunday School. St. Mark’s, St. John’s, and Kyle, at 2.30 . every Sunday. Friday. Evensong and Choir Practice at 7.30. — St. Mark’s. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.—Have lock.Street, West. Rev. A. M Beattie, M.A., Minister. Sunday Services. Morning at 11, and Evening at 6.30, in the Church. —Rev. A. M. Beattie. Wakanui School, at 3 p.m., Re r. A. M. Beattie. Sunday School in the Church at 2.30 afternoon. —Mr. W. Gavin, Superinten dent. Tuesday. Finance Committee—First Tuesday of every month, in the Church at 7-30. S. S. Teachers’ Association—Second Tues day' of every month, in the Church at 7-30. Wednesday. Pastor’s Bible Class in the Church Yestry—Weekly at 7. Week night Service at B—Rev.8 —Rev. A. M. Beattie. Thursday. Tinwald School— Weekly service at 7.30. Friday. Choir Practice at 7.3o—Mr. Savage, con ductor ; Mr. A. Stott, organist. RAKAIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. —Town Hall, Rakaia. Rev. B. J, Westbrooke, Minister. Sunday. Rakaia Town Hall at 11 a.m. Kyle School, at 3 p.m. WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH. —Cameron Street, East. Rev. W. Keall, Pastor. Sunday. Morning, prayer meeting at 10 ; service at 11, Mr. H. M. Jones. Evening, at 6.30, Rev. W. Keall. Sunday School—Afternoon, at 2.30. country services. Old Men’s Home—Afternoon, at 3, Mr. H. M. Jones. Tinwald—Evening, at 6.30, Mr. J. Olsen. Seafield—Afternoon, at 2.30, Rev. W. Keall. Sunday School at 1.30. , Monday. Cameron Street Church—Prayer meeting at eight o’clock. Tuesday. Class Meeting at 7.30. Thursday. Preaching Service at 7.30, Rev. W. Keall; Class at the conclusion of the service. Friday. Choir Practice at 7.30. PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH. —Wills Street, East. Rev. Arthur J. Smith, Pastor. Sunday. Morning School at 10 a.m. Morning Service at 11 a.m., Rev. A. J. Smith. Afternoon School at 2.30 p.m. Evening Service at 6.30 p. m., Rev. A. J, Smith. Monday. Ladies’ Class—ln the Church at 7.30 p.m. . Tuesday. Divine service at 7.30 p.m,, Rev. A. J, Smith. Thursday. Class Meeting at 7.30 p.m, Friday. Choir practice at 7.30 p.m. Saturday. Young Mens’ Bible Class at Mr. Smith’s, at 7 p.m. NBWLANDS PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH. Sunday. Morning School, 9.30. ASHBURTON FORKS. Divine Service at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m., Mr. J. W. Parker. Sunday Afternoon Service at 2.30, ROMAN . CATHOLIC CHAPEL. Burnett Street West. Rev. Father Chervier. Mass at 11 a.m. on the second Sunday of every month. Benediction service in the evening of the same day at 6.30.

MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close at the Ashburton Post Office, as follows ; For Christchurch and North at 5.30 a. m. 10 a.m.,. and 5 p.m., daily. For Chertsey Rakaia, &c., at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily.

For Dunedin, Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstream, Rangitata, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10 a.m. daily. For Temuka, at 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., daily. For Timaru and South, at 6 a.m., 10 a.m., and 4.20 p.m., daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, - and Ashburton Gorge, on Tuesdays and Fridays, at 10.30 a m. For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, at 4.30 p.m. daily. For Wakanui, Elgin, and Seafield, on Tuesdays and Fridays, at 6 a.m. ■ Mails arrive at the Ashburton Post Office— From Christchurch and Rakaia at 10.25 a.m., 4.35 p.m,, and 7.50 p.m. From Chertsey, &c. at 10.25 a,m. daily. From Dunedin and intermediate places at 5.35 p.m. daily. Fr«m Temuka and Timaru at 10.15 a. m. 5.35 p.m., and 8.15 p,m. daily. From Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3 p.m. From Ashton, Waterton, and Long beach at 10 a.m. daily. From Wakanui, Elgin, and Seafield on Tuesdays and Fridays at 2.30 p.m. W. St. G. Douglas, ~. Postmaster.

DAILY MEMORANDA.

AUCTION SALES. Tuesday, November 2. T. Bullock, on the homestead of Mr. George Lea Farm, House, Farm Stock, Furniture, &c.

Monday, November 1. Alfred Harrison, at Mount Somers—Sale of Bankrupt Stock. Eleven o’clock.

MEETINGS, AMUSEMENTS, Ac. Tdesday, October 26. Amateur Dramatic Club, Town Hall, at 8 sharp.

TOWN EDITION. [lssued at 5 p.m.]

The Ashburton Guardian. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1880. Flemington School.

In this issue we publish a letter from a member of the Flemington School Committee, in which the writer makes out a severe case of neglect against the Education Board. The letter tells its own story, and shows how in the scramble for favors the Flemington district has been chucked aside by the Board. We confess, after reading the Committee member’s letter, to feeling that the Flemington district has certainly been ill-used by the powers that be, and that it is now the duty of the Board to make what reparation lies in its power. We of course look now for the usual answer to applications for new schools —that the funds ot the Board will not permit expenditure on new buildings. But really after the manner in which the unfortunate Flemington Dis trict has been dealt with, the Board ought to make some effort to plant an educational institution in the locality. We know of several places in the County where schools and schoolhouses have been erected at almost extravagant cost, and where the need for them was not nearly so great as in the Flemington district. Those of our readers who have tra velled along the road from Tinwald to Ashton know how long that road is, and the Tinwald school, in the west, and the Ashton School, in the east are the nearest seminaries to Fleming ton —and a journey to either means many miles travelling to a great num ber of children. After the apparently fast and loose way the Board has dealt with the Committee (which exists as will be seen from the letter, only in name) it appears to us the Board ought to make one last effort to give Flemington a decent school.

Oats foe. England.— The Lurline at Oamaru is loading up with 12,000 bags of oats for the United Kingdom.

Holidays.— His Worship the Mayor has declared the two days of the Ashbur ton Racing Club’s annual meeting half holidays from noon. The dates of the race meeting are the 17th and 18th November.

The Knife. —A solicitor in Palmerston North named Madden is accused of mis appropriating money belonging to a client, and the Law Society is applying to the Supreme Court to have him struck off the rolls. The case is still pending.

Caledonian Society. — A meeting of the Caledonian Society was held last night, at which it was decided to take no steps at present for the purchase of a sports ground, but the duty of looking out a site was entrusted to a committee. A meeting of Directors will be held on Tues day to arrange a programme of events for Boxing Day. Fatal Result. —Yesterday Mr. John MacLauchlin, who a fortnight ago sus tained a wound in his leg while chopping a black birch post, died at Tinwald from the effect of the wound. Mr. MacLauch lin was to have been buried on Sunday, but it has been decided to hold an inquest on the body on Tuesday, so that the funeral has necessarily been postponed.

Recovering. — A young man named Fearon, recently went into a state bordering .on insanity, the result of mental strain put upon him while prepar ing for examination as a solicitor. He had to be sent to the Wellington Asylum for a time, but has now been released. Since he took ill his success in his examination has been published.

Mail Services. —lt is understood that some further reductions in the cost of mail services are in progress, by which a con siderable saving of expense to the Colony will be effected, while the convenience to the public, Judging from the extent to which the services about to be curtailed have hitherto been used will not mate rially suffer. Blum Pasha, one of the Prussian officers long in the employ of the Porte, has stated, in a report to the Sultan, his deliberate opinion “ that even in their present condition the Dardanelles and Bosphorus could not be forced by any number of ironclads without the most terrible loss. The Prussian Pasha adds that, by sinking torpedoes and submarine mines the Straits might be rendered im pregnable.

Tinwald Temperance Hall. The Tinwald Temperance Hall is in an ad vanced state of progress, Mr. Tippett, the contractor, having got the frame erected, and partly covered in. The late wet weather has delayed the outside work a little, but it is expected that in about three weeks the hall will be completed. In connection with Tinwald, we may add that the township is steadily forging ahead. We notice three new cottages have just been added to the list of tene ments, and two more are in course of erection.

A Railway Romance. —The Dunedin police are investigating what at present seems a strange affair. The driver and con ductor of the 9.30 a.m. train from the Ocean Beach, yesterday, reported that just before reaching Jones’s Hotel, a shot was fired at the car. Their statement is so far backed up that a window in the car was found to be broken immediately after wards. There were no passengers in the car, and the conductor, who appears to bo of a romantic turn of mind, thinks that the shot was fired by a jealous rival in a love affair.

Tinwald School; —The alterations and improvements that have been for some time in progress at Tinwald have been completed this week, the contractors, Messrs. Bailloy and Co. having finished their work on Wednesday. The improve ments consist of a new class room, 22 feet by 21 feet ; new infants’ room of the same dimensions ; a gallery calculated to hold sixty children ; a new corridor, 20 feet by 8 feet; and a lavatory. These have all been added to the old building, which has undergone thorough repair and renovation, and altogether the school now presents quite an imposing appearance from the outside. Inside the walls have been plastered, etc., while a four-feet dado runs round each room. The whole alterations have been made with a view to the children’s comfort, - as well as to in creasing the accommodation, and we think the ends aimed at have been fully achieved. Several outbuildings have also been added. The extensive planting operations that have been undertaken in the school grounds will also help, in con junction with the additions to the build ing noted above, to make Tinward School one of the most attractive school buildings in the county. It may be noted that the ceilings of the new rooms are considerably higher than the general run of school rooms, being 20 feet high, thus securing greater ventilation, and, consequently, a purer atmosphere for the scholars.

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE

(Per Reuter's Agency.)

Arrival. London, Oct. 21. Arrived—Or’ari, ship, from Lyttelton, June 24th.

England will not play a Lone Hand. London, Oct. 22. The Times in a leading article to-day, referring to the Turko-Greek frontier question, says that England will not bo prepared to assist Greece alone to obtain the required extension of territory, should the other Powers decline to force Turkey to agree to the line of demarcation fixed by the Berlin Conference. The Cession of Dulcigno. Constantinople, Oct. 21. There are hopes that a satisfactory settlement may be arrived at by the dele gates of the Powers and Turkey, now deliberating at Cettinge, regarding the cession of Dulcigno. The Porte’s dele gate has proposed that Dulcigno should be evacuated by the Turkish troops now in occupation three hours before the time fixed for the Montenegrins to enter the town. It has not transpired whether the delegates of the Powers have accepted this proposal. The Porte has, moreover, with drawn its demand that the status quo should bemaintainedasregards territory to the east of Scutari, and the doubts which existed as to the sincerity of the Ottoman Government are thus removed. Diplomatically Done For. Constantinople, Oct. 22. Information has been received that four chiefs of the Albanian league, who have taken a prominent part in the agita tion against the cession of Dulcigno have died at Scutari. It is believed they have been poisoned. The Pound of Flesh. The Montenegrin authorities have in formed the delegates of the Powers at Cettinge, that they cannot consent to the Porte’s proposal that the Montenegrin troops should enter Dulcigno three hours after it had been evacuated by the Turks, but that they must insist on the formal transfer of the town. The Porte has been informed of the Montenegrin de mand, and is now further considering what steps should be taken in making the ces sion.

Earthquake in Spain. Madrid, Oct. 22.

A heavy shock of earthquake was ex perienced throughout Spain and Portugal to-day, but no damage to property was caused.

The Greek Government. Athens, Oct. 21. The Greek Parliament was opened to day by the King in person. His Majesty in his speech on the occasion, said that the execution of the decisions of the Groat Powers for the rectification of the frontier imposed action on the part of Greece, and rendered it necessary that her armaments should be increased. With this object Parliament -would be asked to sanction the necessary loans being raised. His Majesty added that the regiments forming the ad ditions now being made to the army would not be disbanded until the object for which they were being mobilised had been attained. The Bear Gets Better.

St. Petersburg, Oct. 21. His Majesty’ the Czar is recovering from his illness.

A Great Storm.. Neiv York, Oct. 21.

Intelligence has been received that a storm of a most severe character has passed over Lake Michigan, and caused a great loss of life and shipping. Nine vessels have become a total wreck, and a number of others have suffered severely. Over a hundred persons have perished. Yankee Electioneering.

Commissions supervising the election now proceeding have discovered gross bribery on the part of several candidates. Sitting Bull Caved In. New York, Oct. 23. H The Indian Chief, Sitting Bull, lias sur rendered to the American troops. The Basutos.

Capetown, Oct. 21

Telegrams have been received announc ing that the force under Colonel Clark, which was sent to the relief of the Cape Rifles at Mafeting, has arrived there, and, after severe fighting with the Basutos, who had invested the place, a junction of the two forces was effected. austrXlTXn^ {Per Realty's Agency.) The Strauss Brass. Melbourne, Oct. 22. It is stated that the celebrated Strauss band will very shortly visit New Zealand. A Present. The German Commissioner to the International Exhibition has presented New Zealand with two groups of statuary. The Rotorua. Melbourne; Oc f . 23. Arrived yesterday—The Union Com pany’s Rotorua from the Bluff. Put up Again. Benjamin Berry has been reinstated to the position in the Civil Service from which he was removed by the Service ministry. Scratched. Fau Bias has been scratched for the Cup. The Markets. Sydney, Oct. 22. Henuessy’s brandy, case, 35s 9d to 36s : kerosene, Diamond, per gallon, Is 9Jd; Devoe’s Is Bd. There is no wheat in the market. New Zealand oats, Is lOd to 2s. The Zealandia. Sydney, Oct. 23. Arrived—Pacific mail steam ship Zea landia, from Auckland. Denounced. The Commission of Enquiry which was appointed some time ago to examine into the charges against the District Court Judge Weymott, has brought up its report, and now requests Judge Weymott to show cause against his removal from the posi tion. Paper. Brisbane, Oct. 23. A Bill has been introduced by the Go vernment in Parliament to provide for the issue of treasury bonds. The Transcontinental Railway. An excellent road lias been formed to Port Parker, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, together with a splendid site for a town ship at the terminus of the proposed rail way. NEW ZEALAND (Per Fresss Asoociation,) The Steamer Taupo. Auckland, Oct. 23. The gentleman who inspected the Taupo at Tauranga, says the Woodwork is completely worm eaten. En Route. Inspector Emerson passe/l through on his way to Nelson. In Recess. Mr. Moss, M. H. R., addresses his con-

stituents on Tuesday. Another Warlike Visitor. Advices state that the French warship Guicon will shortly visit How Zealand. Worked Too Hard. Wellington, Oct. 23. An information has been laid against Wakley, proprietor of the Cricketers’ Arms Hotel, for a breach of the Licen sing Act, by keeping his house open after hours. Fatal Fall. A fatal accident accurred at Wadestowh yesterday. A lad named Geo. ' Heighten was riding into town, when he was thrown from his horse. His foot caught in the stirrup, and he was dragged fora consider able distance. He received fearful in juries to his head, and was taken to the hospital, where he expired.; An inquest will be held. Started Again. The amalgamation of the Wellington Coal Company with the Koranni Coal Company has been completed, Work will be resumed immediately. Assault. Dunedin, Oct. 23. At the District Court, Lawrence, Ah Tong, charged with indecent assault on a child, was convicted of a common assault, and sentenced to seven days imprison ment. Child Drowned. Invercargill, Oct. 23. A little girl, two years old, daughter of Mr. Templeton, a settler at Dipton Flat, disappeared from her mother’s side, and when missed, after a few minutes was found drowned in a creek near the house. A Waif. Yesterday morning a resident in the suburbs found an infant two or three weeks old lying outside his door wrapped in a blanket with a feeding bottle. It is believed the mother is a stranger.

GHISPA’S LETTER.

“I am not yet so bald that you can see my brains.” —Longfellow.

The papers have been somewhat lively this week. My friend Joey has again been to the front. My other friend Mar tin, the photographer, tired of law, espec ially’ of being a subject for Joey to prac tice his “prentice hand” on, paid the money, the L 6 odd he allowed was owing to Joey, out of the L 27 Joey claimed, and that done, Joey set up such a joyous cackling as a hen would that had laid an egg. He made a mistake that time, and he is beginning to find out that running a “ rag ” of which he was top sawyer is a totally different thing from chopping logic with barristers as a humble law clerk, and amateur advocate. He has evidently got into trouble ; trouble that will teach him that when men cleverer than he go into'competition with him for honors in the art of which he has hitherto con sidered himself the only fully qualified professor—abuse—he has every chance of being bested. I like to see a good fight, especially when Joe puts on the gloves, so I will take a back seat during the shindy. Only the mill is’nt with gloves, but with muckrakes —proper weapons for the work, you know, considering who began.

If the shareholders in the Ashburton Gas Company don’t look spry and put the break on Councillor St. Hill, there will be a hole in the dividend, and E. G. Wright’s election “ plume of feathers ” will be one quill less. George Herbert sees his way to stick up forty lamps lit with kerosene for the cost the Borough has now to bear for making the town’s darkness visible with only twenty twinklers. There are two sides to this proposition of George Herbert. One side is that twenty out of his forty lamp posts will be made of timber. Ha is a carpen ter, and consequently be will favor great lumbering logs that no drunk can embrace and hang on to. He is also a Good Templar, and will have'no consideration for a poor unfortunate who has had his intellect temporarily run over by the Englishman’s Juggernaut. From this point of view - the change will be bad, but then, on the other side, a bump against a wooden post is not so severe a concussion as would arise from the impact of a human head against an iron pillar. Timber against timber doesn’t matter so much, you know; but timber against iron leaves a dent. One can comfortably clutch the slim iron post, but he would have to take an armfull of George’s wooden log. If George goes on like this be will encounter the same antagonism that poor Edison met when the distinguished electrician put the gas shareholders of England in such a stew over the electric light. Don’t be angry, George, because I have compared you to a humble individual like Edison ; he is a great man in his w r ay, though he didn’t pull off the electric light idea as he ex pected. You pull off your kerosene con ception with a wooden elevation, and your 40 v. 20 idea will be a better one for Ash burton than Edison’s notion would have been for the world.

In a recent Graphic some amusing pictures are given—sketches from the Caledonian sports at Lillie Bridge. The one that amused me most was the repre sentation of a piper in full Highland rig out—the usual super-abundance of tartan, with the usual want of tartan, or any other fabric, on the nether man. He was play ing to some ladies and gentlemen who may or may not have enjoyed his music, or they may or may not have been suffer ing from ear-ache and a shock to the nervous system. I have known bad cases of the latter ailment result from too slight a dose of pipe music. I say too slight, because to be proof against the bad effects of the pipes upon the system one must be born a Highlander, and hear the pipes about umpteen times a day. The screech of a Fairlio locomotive has about the same effect on a Highlander when he hears it for the first time that Mony musk played on the pipes has on the innocent ears of a Sassenach. What brought the Graphics picture to my mind so vividly this week was seeing one of the most well made of our firemen arrayed in all the newly arrived glory of helmet, tomahawk, whistle, chain, epaulettes, etc. that is henceforth to surround the large-hearted and public-spirited men who have enrolled themselves in the noble corps whose duty it is to save life and property from fire. This fine specimen of Ashburton manhood took a few dignified paces back and forth to show how the uniform would look, and at once the inscription written under the Graphic s picture by the Graphic's artist arose to my mind —‘ e He wass a prood man that day. ” It only wants the long promised steam squirter to make the Ash burton Brigade the proudest and happiest men in the village, and the village the possessor of as good, efficient, and enthu siastic a corps of firemen as ever pumped water on a burning building. CuiSl'A.

A Wellington Publican and His Holi day.

(From Wednesday’s Post).

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court to day, Mr. Stafford, on behalf of Messrs. Donald and Pascoe, brought before the attention of Mr. G. B. Davy, as Chairman of the Licensing Bench, the following singular circumstances :—Mr. Charles Martin, the licensee of the Albion Hotel, of which Messrs. Donald and Pascoe are the joint proprietors, obtained from Mr. Mansford permission to be absent from the hotel for the space of six months, he (Mr. Martin) being desirous of paying a visit to Sjnlney. The application was not objected to by the police authorities, and Mr. Mansford granted it. The proprie tors of the hotel, being acquainted with the circumstance, were averse to Mr. Martin’s proposed holiday, and their solicitor brought the matter forward with a view of ascertaining whether Mr. Mans ford had really the power to grant such application. Mr. Stafford said the pro prietors’ interest in the hotel would bs seriously affected if Mr. Martin wore allowed to leave the colony, and he con tended that such a long period of leave should not be granted on a merely ex parte application. In Otago, he explained, the Licensing Bench liad the power to grant leave for 14 days, and if at the expiration of that term the licensee failed to return his license would be instantly cancelled. Mr. Davy, 11. M., remarked that he was unaware of any authority here for grant ing leave of absence to licensees, and he failed to see what he had to do with the matter at all. What the consequences would be if Mr. Martin took it upon him self to. leave the colony he was not, under the circumstances, prepared to say. At this stage Mr. Martin said he wished to make a statement. Entering the witness-box he stated that the whole matter arose purely out of “spite, wickedness, and vindictiveness,” and that the solicitor on the other side had bullied him to such an extent as to cause him much annoyance, expense, and vexation of spirit. Mr. Davy said that, so far as he knew, nobody had any right to give Mr. Martin leave of absence, and if the licensee left Wellington it would be en tirely at his own risk. Mr, Sandilands, who, represented the licensee, said there was nothing to prevent him from ' taking his departure, and, haying obtained per mission from Mr. Mansford, he could go if he wished. The matter then dropped.

CORRESPONDENCE.

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

FLEMINGTON SCHOOL.

To the Editor.

Sir, — As you are always ready to publish in the interest of the public, I will ask you to favor me with space in your journal for the following letter concerning our grand system of education, and the way in which it is carried out—at least in the Flemington School district. About three years ago the inhabitants of the now. Flemington School District made applica tion to the Board of Education for a school. At the same time we forwarded a _ list of between forty and fifty children within school age ; we also urged the necessity for a school upon the Board, showing, as I do now, that the greater number of these children had not (neither have they yet) a school within three miles. The Board seemed to acknowledge the justice of our application. However, I must say, they shelved it, and took no more notice of it. Well', we thought of the good old rule, “try again.” About two years since we sent a deputation to wait on the Board, but the worthy gentle men who compose that body seem to know their business. They rubbed our men over with soft soap to such a degree that we really thought wo would see the school up directly. But, alas, the surplus in the hands of our Board was wanted to heap some luxury on the schools in and about Christchurch. In fact, we must pay for the loaf, stand by hungry, and see our neighbors eat it. About fifteen months ago, by order of the Board, our Committee was formed, the district defined, a site chosen and approved of. What a ray of hope now began to dawn, and the gloom and suspense disappeared. Fathers who had hitherto mourned the loss of education to their children now began to hope, even at the eleventh hour, they might get alittle. What a delusion, amounting I should say to insult ! We have got a Committee of fifteen months’ standing, but we have got no school. lam sorry to say we have got nothing to do. Onr Chairman has written often to the Board, urging them to work ; but in all their reports I see no notice taken of the letters. Is this not insult on the top of injury! If the Board of Educa tion are not in fault who is ? It is their privilege to show us and .make it public, so that the blame may not rest on their shoulders. To cry out want of funds is absolutely absurd. I can see large sums 'of money lavishly spent in districts where it could have been done * without since we have applied for this urgent necessity. I have been told the fault does not rest with the Board alone, but that some difficulty has beefi ex perienced in getting the site conveyed. If so, something must be wrong on the' part of our Government. Should not the Government have power to erect a school on any site chosen and approved of, and ■ cause the owner, mortgagee, or lessee to convey the same by paying a fair price for it. Our system of education is called compulsory. How can it be, so long as any one individual or company can prevent our Government from erecting a school on , their land? No doubt we are compelled to send our children to school, but the Government cannot compel a school to be built where it is wanted. I would like to know how it is we have been so neglected. If the Board had told us W’e could not get a school, we might have sent some of our , children to friends in some other district where a school is within reach. I dare say we may do so yet; for I see no signs of a , school hero more than I did three years ago. I would like to know how long previous i to the erection of a school must the Com , mittee be in existence. We have had two elections, and in a short time we must ■ have another. I suppose we must meet l in the Wheatstone Hotel. We ought to i have a lot of business to do when we meet; we have had no meeting since the last election. This is the way business is done in this grand district of Flemington.— Yours, &c., , A Member of Committee. October 20,1880.

Strange Scene in a Church.

(Otago Daily Times.)

An extraordinary incident occurred on Sunday, the 18th July, in Irvine Parish Church (Scotland), during fore noon service. While a hymn was being sung, immediately before the sermon, a singular elderly man entered the church and forced his way into the minister’s seat, obliging one of its

occupants to seek another seat, and himself declining offers of accomoda tion elsewhere. As soon as the hymn was finished he began reading a docu ment, which purported to be an inter dict forbidding certain lawyers in Irvine from selling some property. To aid in the understanding of the document, the reader gave illustrative measurement with “ an extremely long handkerchief.” By this time many were laughing, in cluding the Militia and Volunteers, who crowded the building, but the man steadily read to the end of his paper, and was then removed from the church, but refused to leave the churchyard, and was ultimately taken to the police office, where he gave the name of PI ugh Gibson, of Fergushill, and alleged that what he had done was in accordance with the provisions of an old eccles iastical law entitling persons to claim in church property of which they were likely to be dispossessed by legal action.

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1880.



Special Advertisements. THE BEST VALUE FOB. READY MONEY IS THE MEN’S) CLOTHING (AND BOYS’) manufactured by The NEW ZEALAND CLOTHING FACTORY, which, can be purchased at their Retail Branches, now established all over New Zealand. The Garments are thoroughly shrunk. The Fit and. Style are perfect. The Workmanship i? equal to bespoke. The Trimmings are of superior quality and strength. The Tweeds are of the very best descrip tion. The Stock is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The tall, short, lean, and stout can be equally well fitted. The Goods are all marked in plain figures. The system of business is to exchange every article that does not give satis faction. And, in addition to all these advantages, you can purchase A SINGLE GARMENT AT THE WHOLESALE fP f R ICE. JSffr- Mercery, Hats, Shirts, Ties, Scarfs, Bags, Portmanteaus, Rugs, and Blankets at Wholesale Prices. THOUSANDS OF DISCERNING CUSTOMERS Testify that the New Zealand Clothing Factory’s Garments are the Very Best Value for Ready Money. Ashburton Branch : EAST STREET. . WM. SPARROW, 910 c Manager. THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, Price One Penny, GAN be obtained from the following Agents, who will receive orders. '• - Intending Subscribers will please fill up forms, which can be obtained from any of the above Agents. They will also oblige by stating on the back of the order tc which agent they pay their subscriptions. MR. CAYGILL, of Walker street, Christchurch, is AUTHORISED to CANVASS for Advertisements for The Ashburton Guardian.



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



Property Tax.— We would remind those of the public who have not yet sent in their property assessment returns that Monday is the last day of grace, and that the returns will have to be posted by ten a.m. on that day. Failing compliance— pains and penalties too fearful to mention.



Fish v. Mutton. —A salmon weighing Gllbs. was' lately caught in the Tay, and was sold for 3s per lb., making a total of L 9 125., or three times the price of a sheep. How Many wilt. Keep It I— Mr. Matthew Burnett, the temperance lec turer, claims to have induced .13,000 people to join the temperance ranks in Adelaide and the districts during the past few months. Pattern for Europeans.—lt is re ported that the Chinese city of Hangchow, which has three quarters of a million in habitants, has no policemen, nor does it feel the need of any.



Stkong Man. —A Fingo laborer in Cape Colony astonished his fellow-men by carrying a 24ft. steel rail, weighing some 3Golbs., on his shoulder a distance of 50 yards, repeating the feat on three succes sive occasions.



Found. OUND.—A FIVE-FEET RULE. Owner can recover it by applying at the Guardian office, and paying cost of advertisement. 384 Board and Residence. BOARD and RESIDENCE can be obtained in a private family. Posi tion central. Address, M. W. C., Guardian Office. 365 Gazette in Bankruptcy. J^OTIOE —The Ashburton Guardian is a Gazette for all notices under the Debtors and Creditors Arts WANTED KNOWN. SOMERSET LIVERY AND BAIT STABLES. JW. M'RAE begs to inform the , public that he has taken the above Stables from. Mr. Bossenberg, and is making extensive repairs. Buggies and saddle horses on hire. Lowest prices and best attention. T>ALL PROGRAMME CARDS in ,0> very neat styles, with Pencils and Ribbons, printed at the Guardian Office, East street, near Railway Station, V. 908c—280a



Matson, Cos, and Co. Matson, Cox & Co., STOCK AND ESTATE AGENTS, LAND & MONEY BROKERS, AUCTIONEERS AND COMMISSION AGENTS, ASHBURTON. Their business will include the manage ment of Estates, Investment and Pro curation of Money, Valuation of Px’o perties, Stock, &c., and General Agency. They will hold throughout the District Public Auction Sales of Land, Live and Dead Stock; also on Market Days at Ashburton and Tinvvald, Pat and Store Stock. They are also prepared to make Liberal Cash Advances on Properties, Stock, Wool, &c., placed in their hands for sale. MATSON, COX, & 00., Agents for Robey & Co.’s CELEBRATED THRESHING MACHINES • 44a For Sale. Poyntz & Co. HAVE FOR SALE, on advantageous and easy terms of payment, the following TOWN AND SUBURBAN PROPERTIES A good five-roomed House, on quarter acre of land, within three or four chains of the East Town Belt. A splendid six-rooraed House, with a good lawn and well laid-out flower garden, fronting on East Belt and close to the Wakanui Road. A compact four-roomed House, with one acre of land, well fenced. Three quarters of an acre laid down as a paddock. A nice four-roomed House on half acre of land near the Gas Works, well finished throughout. Town Sections, 742, 743, 465, 466, 467. Town Section 711 upon which is erected a capital four-roomed House fitted with every convenience. A two-roomed House, with outbuild ings, on a quarter acre, well fenced and planted, on N.E. Belt. 4. Mid HCPI Public Notices THE Tender of Isaac Osborne for the Ploughing at Coldstream is accepted. 377 C H. DOWDING. Ashburton, October 21st, 1880. To His Worship the Mayor, Ashburton, SIR, —I have the honor to request (by instructions from the Committee of the Ashburton Racing Club), that you will proclaim WEDNESDAY and THURS DAY,NOVEMBER 17 th and 18th, HALF HOLIDAYS, from 12 noon on the occa sion of the annual Spring Race meeting. I have the honor to be, sir, ' Your obedient servant, SAM. SAUNDERS, ( Acting Secretary), Ashburton Racing Club. To Samuel Saunders, Esq., acting Secretary Ashburton Racing Club. SIR, —In accordance with the above re" quisition, I hereby request the Bur" gesses to observe WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY, the 17th and 18th of No vember, HALF HOLIDAYS from 12 noon. HUGO FRIEDLAN DER, Mayor. Ashburton, October 23rd, 1880. 378 ALL DEBTS due to Ashbukton Herald and Guardian business must be Paid to Mr. S. E. Poyntz, on behalf of the Assignees, at the Guardian Office, East street, Ashburton, and his receipt alone will be a sufficient discharge. S. SAUNDERS, For Self and Co-Assignees. ASHBURTON AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION. rjTHE ANNUAL SHOW OP STOCK, PRODUCE, IMPLEMENTS, &c., WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, IGth NOVEMBER. Entries must be made with the Secretary not later than Tuesday, 9th November. Members will oblige by forwarding their Subscriptions at an early date. GEORGE JAMESON, 326 Secretary. ASHBURTON WOOL - SCOURING WORKS. •JjILEECE WOOL, LOCKS, and Pieces scoured at lowest current rates. 316 CYRUS HOMERSHAM. THE NATIONAL MUTUAL LIFE ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRAL ASIA (LIMITED). Established 1860. Actuary and Secretary—J. M. Templeton, F.I.A. The MOST LIBERAL and EQUIT ABLE OFFICE for Life Assurance in the Australasian Colonies. The best office for young men. Profits divided every three years. Offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Wellington, and Hobart Town. The New Zealand Branch—A LOCAL INSTITUTION, investing all moneys in the colony. Resident Secretary—Thomas Swain, Temple Chambers, Featherston street, Wellington. Agent for the County of Ashburton — S. SAUNDERS (of the firm of Saunders Bros.), Ashburton. Note the name—The National Mutual. I 169-218 ca ! THE NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MERCANTILE AGENCY COMPANY (LIMITED). WOOL SEASON—IBBO-1881. SPECIAL NOTICE TO SHEEP FARMERS. THE Company makes LIBERAL CASH ADVANCES on WOOL entrusted to its care for sale in the London market. This being one of the leading depart ments of the Company’s business, and an _expert and practical staff being employed by its London House especially to superin tend the classification, valuation, and dis posal of wool consignments, growers may rely upon their clips being carefully handled and placed to the best advan tage. Further information may be obtained upon application at the Company’s office, Cathedral Square, Christchurch. 283 a BRANSON & PURNELL, BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS . EAST STREET, 391



Alfred Harrison. GREAT SALE Bankrupt Stock AT MOUNT SOMERS. MONDAY, NOVEMBER i. ELEVEN O’CLOCK ALFRED HARRISON has been favoured with . instructions from Messrs. Orr and Co. to sell BY PUBLIC AUCTION, AT MOUNT SOMERS, Hie whole of the S T O C K-I N-T R A D E OF MESSRS. JOHN FRASER & CO. Consisting of — GROCERIES : Teas, Sugars, Coffees, Jams, Candles, Tobacco, etc. ! etc. ! ! etc. ! ! ! DRAPERIES : Clothing, Boots, Shoes, Carpets, Blankets, Dress Stuffs, etc. ! etc. ! ! ! IRONMONGERIES : Carpenters’ Tools, Spades, Shovels, Locks. Also, an enormous quantity of valuable and useful Goods too multitudinous to particularise. This Sale is worthy of special attention, seeing that the whole stock is in excellent order, and having been purchased by the successful tenderers at a low figure will be disposed of WITHOUT RESERVE, MONDAY, ist NOVEMBER, And following days, until cleared. 376 ALFRED HARRISON, Auctioneer. Money. MONEY TO LEND. TRUST MONEYS—£2,OOO, £4OO, and £250. These sums are now ready for investment on real- security, at current rates of interest. F. P. O’REILLY, 899c-226g Solicitor, Tancred street. Tenders mENDERS WANTED for PULLING JL DOWN and RE-BUILDING a BRICK CHIMNEY. Particulars may be learned at the house now : undergoing alteration, behind Mr. Charles Braddell’s residence, Ashburton, and tenders to be sent in to Mr. T. Williams, Tinwald, by 7 o'clock on MONDAY night. . 383 TENDERS. mENDERS WANTED, at once, for X PLOUGHING, HARROWING, and ROLLING 400 Acres of Tussock Land for Turnips, on Westerfield Estate. Tenders to be opened at Westerfield on the 30th October. The whole of the work to be finished by the 20th December (or as may be agreed on). Breadth of furrow, 10 inches ; depth, 4 inches. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. For particulars, apply at the Station. 363 D. OLIVER. MOUIsT SOMERS ROAD BOARD. mENDERS are invited for the foliow- X ing WORKS:— No. 28. —Re-formation and re-metalling 37 chains Hewsdn’s.road. No. 29. —Formation, Metalling, etc., 200 chains; erecting concrete bridge Cameron’s road. No. 30.—Re-formation and re-metalling 40 chains Alford Forest road. No. 31.—Cuttings, etc., 11 chains Morris’ road., .. No. 32.—Cuttings, etc., North Hinds road. . Specifications of the above works can be seen at the Road Board office, Mount Somers, on and after the 22nd inst. where tenders will be received until noon on MONDAY, Ist November, 1880. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. No cheque will be recognised as a deposit unless marked by Bank. C. J. WENTWORTH COOKSON, Jun., Surveyor to the Mount Somers 356 Road Board. Saunders Bros. SAUNDERS BROS., MILLERS, GRAIN MERCHANTS, AND COMMISSION AGENTS, ASHBURTON. AGE N:T S. FOR THE LONDON AND LANCASHIRE FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, AND THE NATIONAL MUTUAL LIFE ASSOCIATION ' ■ ..OF AUSTRALASIA (LIMITED).