SHIPPING.

PORT OP LYTTELTON. Arrived. Yesterday. Dido, schooner, from Foxton. Grafton, s.s., from Wellington and West Coast. Bee, schooner, from Foxton. Telegraph, schooner, from Patea. Elizabeth Curie, schooner, from Picton. To-day. Ringarooma, s.s., from Melbourne, via the South. Wanaka, s.s., from Wellington. c..,.....5ai1ed. Yesterday. .Star of the South, s.s., for Westport. Grafton, s.s., for Wellington. Elihank Castle, schooner, for Gatlin’s River. Speedwell, barque, for Kaipara. Esther, brigantine, for Pelorus Sound. George Thornton, brigantine, for West port. Fawn, brig, for Newcastle. To-day. Wanaka, s.s., for Akaroa and Port Chalmerk’ Ringarooma, s.s., for Sydney, via Northern ports. SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. . Wellington, Yesterday. Arrived—-Fleet wing, schooner, from Greymouth ; Mary Bannatyne, brigantine, front Lyttelton ; Hannah Barrett, from Kalpdra ; "Wanaka, from Nelson and Picton ; Hawea, from the South ; Timaru, Yesterday. Arrived — Adieu, from Greymouth ; Enterprise, from Stewart’s Island. . 1 : Port Chalmers, Yesterday. Arrived—Rotomahana, from the North. ” ■ Dunedin, To-day. At the Heads—Palala, barque, from London; Canterbury, ship, from Glas gow* * 1; ; Melbourne, Yesterday. Sailed—Te Anau, s.s., for the Bluff. . ' Sydney, Yesterday, Arrived—City of New York, P.M. s. s.,

from Auckland

COMMERCIAL.

The-English Com Market-

From New Zealand Loan and Metcan tile'Agency Company’s circular of 2nd Decem ber, we take the following corn report During the last few weeks prices of wheat have advanced,in sympathy with those current in America, where, consequent upon the sud den stoppage of internal navigation, a consider able supply of grain had been locked up and a sharp rise in value had ensued. A reaction has, -however, since set in,-an.d the top rates of a week ago are now no longer quotable. There Is Very little! Continental demand, and the greiti bulk of the, quantity on the way, viz., 2,073, Sob quarters, will be taken for home consumption. Several cargoes arrived off coast'remain unsold. Recent transactions in Australian! wheal, on passage, include a cargo of 8,0c.3t .quarters,, August bill of lading, sold on the 'aoth ultimo, at 50s, and another of like date on, 23)7! .ultimo, at 51s 3d, The Golden Fleece, bill, of lading, 2nd October, was placed on tbe-26th at 51s, and a few parcels for Lon donMireet.have found buyers at 48s 6d to 493. The Polly Stott arrived at Falmouth and wait ing orders is said to be held for 51s 6d, but that,price is. not forthcoming. On the spot prices of Australian wheat have been irre gular, and the recent arrivals having been somewhat in exiess of the demand, sales are slow. ; Flour of good quality is dearer. New; Zealand.Lwheats,have not varied greatly in value, but the best demand has .been for the finer and brighter parcels,-which are scarce. Songe long berried samples,; clean and sound, have touched 535, and for.similar qualities the same price could no doubt still be obtained. Oats are rather weaker, .recent imports having been on.'a large scale.' Barley of fine malting quality is saleahle at about 41s to 425, but in ferior sorts are not in request. Beans have been shown limited quantity, and, being of very fine growth, have sold readily at full rates, ranging from 45s 10:47s per 504 lbs. Current quotations, ex granary, are as follows :—South Australian wheat, 50s to 51s 6d per 496 lbs ; Victorian, 50s to 51s do.; New Zealand, long berried,i49s to 52s do.; average,.46s to 48s do.; inferior, .42s to 45s do.; Australian flour, 35s‘to 37s per 280 lbs.; New Zealand, 33s to 35s ' do. ; : NejV Zealand oats, superior, 28s to 34s; per Imperial qr,'; common feed, 33s to 27s do.;* barley, 35s 1042 s per 44B lbs.; beans, 45s

BIRTH.

Francis. —On January 19th, at Chcrtsey, the wife- of H. Francis, of a son. 968

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

The Ashburton Guardian. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1881. Orange v. Green.

The sentence of Judge Ward last Saturday on the Timaru rioters, whose case has been hung up since Boxing Day, 1879, was one worth noting, both as regards judiciousness of the sentence itself, and the wise counsel the Judge gave in passing it. In passing sentence, His Honor made full allowance for the general good character of the prisoners, for the time they had been suffering suspense while their case was in the higher Court under appeal, and for the fact that but little actual violence took place during the riot in which the prisoners took a leading part. He gave these considerations full weight, and virtually “ dismissed with a caution ” five of the prisoners, but the man who was really the ringleader of the whole, and whose possession of both means and influence gave him great power amongst the members of the faction who were the aggressors, his Honor fined O’Driscoll the Judge considered -to have been the Jons et of tgo of the whole concern. “The riot was plotted at his house; he wrote to summon the Waimate con tingent'; and his house was the ren dezvous of the rioters on the day t|ie offence was committed.” In vie.w of these facts, his Honor considered that, had blood been shed on the the riot, the law 7 .would have held C’Dris coll responsible, and the trial would have taken another color altogether, and the crime would have been called by another and more' serious name. Tracing thus the riot back to its real source, the judge was wise in fining the originator in a smart sum, a sum quite within his means of paying, but suffi ciently heavy to show that the daw looks upon the crime he committed in organising a dangerous riot as one of great heinousness ; and the wisdom in letting off the others, who were tools in O’Driscoll’s hands, is equally apparent. If the lesson of the trial is of any service at all it ought to have the result of making the riot of Boxing Day, 1879, the Jast in which either of the six men who have figured in the case before his Honor shall ever take part. We hope it will have this effect, and that both the orange side and the green will lay seriously to heart the words Judge Ward addressed to the prisoners. He regretted that we had no legislation on the subject of those party processions, which were so many provocations to break the peace. But while the pro cessions are legal, those who join them are entitled to the protection of the law 7 , and whether the processionists wear orange badges or green, those who differ from them in religious belief have no right to attack them murderously, and attempt their dispersion by brute force. These processions themselves ought to be perfectly harmless, and to right-minded men tliey are so ; but to men who have forgot to leave behind them when they left Ireland the pre judices that have held root there for centuries, they are a medium for stirring what ought, in this happy and contented colony of ours, to be a deeply buried strife. We have written often before on this subject of the faction processions, and do not wish to dwell on what we hope is the last ebullition of the old faction feeling that has been the cause of so much strife in the Old Country, to which we firmly trust it will now in the future be limited; so we will content ourselves with quoting the Judge’s words to the prisoners, and hope they will be laid to heart by every member of the Orange Society, and by every Irishman who feels antagonism to that Society’s principles : —“ I know 7 o no British colony where Irish, without distinction of party, meet a more cordial welcome than in New Zealand, and no men deserve it more at our hands, or make better colonists. We have all equal rights ; we have also all certain duties; and the first duty of the Queen’s lieges is to keep the peace Therefore, while we meet our Irish fellow-settlers with frank cordiality, we meet Irish faction fights with prompt repression. Let both parties understand this, that they will not be allowed to fight out Irish feuds on New Zealand soil. Doubt less, as your counsel urged at the trial, these feuds are the legacies of hundreds of years of raisgovernment, and of outrage and spoliation on both sides, and though the penal laws that disgraced the Statute-book of England had long since been swept away, yet ‘ the evil they did lives after them.’ No country can show 7 a more brilliant roll of warriors and statesmen than Ireland ; no country can boast of a finer race of men ; and in no country in Europe are life and property so insecure at the present time. We may well bew r are of importing among us the intestine broils that have brought Ireland to this pass.”

“ Sitting on a Rail.” —“ Squareseat’s” letter will appear to-morrow. Evangelistic Address. —We would remind our readers of the Rev. Melville Pym’s address to-night, in the Town Hall. Mails for Australia. —Mails for the Australian colonies and Tasmania, per s.s, Rotamahana, close at the Bluff at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday next. The Town Hall. —A meeting of share holders in the Town, Hall Company was held last night, when the resolution authorising the borrowing of L 1,600 was passed. The meeting then adjourned, and a meeting to confirm the resolution will be held in a month. Correction. —By a typographical error in our report yesterday of the re-opening of St. Marks, Rakaia, it was stated that the centre panel of the reredos is sur mounted by a massively “ carved cross.” It should have been “ moulded roof.” In the account of the Sunday School treat, the name E. Winter, appears instead of E. Bowler. Farmer’s Co-Operation, -i- Mr. W. Bateman, of Christchurch, has delivered a course mf lectures in Oamaru on the subject of Farmer’s Co-operation, with such a largo measure of success that a society has been formed to carry on grain dealing transactions on the co-operative principle. Larger numbers of farmers have joined it, and a provisional Direc •torate will.he appointed this week.

The Wellington Got.—The name of Luna was omitted from the list of iinal payments for the Wellington Gup, pub lished by us on Tuesday.

The Industrial Exhibition. —A meet ing of the Committee, to carry out arrange ments for the proposed Industrial Exhibi tion, is to be held in the Borough Chambers to-night. Many offers of support have been received, and, so far as the number of exhibits is concerned, enough have been promised to ensure a splendid show. Capture.—On Saturday afternoon, _ a man named Claude Downing, a lunatic, escaped from the Sunnyside Asylum. He was at liberty till yesterday, when ho was recaptured at Chertsey, by Constable Neill, of Ashburton, and taken back to the Asylum after the arrival of the oven express train from the South. The High School. —The High School, the building for which will be finished in a day or two, is announced to be opened on the 7th 'February, for the reception of pupils. Mr. Hogg, the principal, is now in Ashburton, and will be prepared to meet intending pupils, parents, or guar dians at the County Council Chambers, any clay after the 24th instant, at hour's stated in an advertisement appearing elsewhere, in which also are given the terms of the school year, and the fees chargeable. , Amateur Dramatic Club. —At the meeting of the Amateur Dramatic Club last .night, the following officers were elected for the year : —President, Mr. H. C. Jacobson ; vice-president, Mr. Henry Zander ; secretary, Mr. .S. E. Poyntz ; treasurer, Mr. R. Felton ; stage manager, Mr. H. O. Jacobson ; .scenic artist, Mr., C. Bourke ; property manager, Mr J. Page. Committee—Messrs. Boston, Tep pett, 1 iggins, Cook, and Leitch. 1 ■ was decided to have the next performance in about six weeks from date, and Mr. Jacobson was requested to select a drama for performance, and report to a meeting to be held on Thursday, January 27t;i. The Weather and Grots.—The rain of the early part of this week appears to have been pretty general, anclforthfe time brought the reaper to a standstill. ..How ever, beyond delaying cubing, it has done no harm, but rather otherwise. Fine warm weather has succeeded the shower, and grain is now sufficiently ripe every where for cutting. There are a fe>v patches of late grain, of course, that will not l?e ready for the reaper for perhaps a week orso,but, takingit all round, harvest operations may now be said to be very general, and already a large area of corn is in stook. Still, the extent of cutting going on does not seem to have greatly affected the labor market, for the number of men wanting work docs not appear to lessen.

Elgin School.—The Committee met yesterday evening. Present—Messrs. J. Stanley Bruce (chairman), J. Cochrane, S. Scott, J. Keir, and P. Lines. It was agreed that the statement brought up by Messrs. Cochrane and Lines should be considered at the next meeting, and that, during the interim, some further parti culars be obtained by the Sub-committee. A draft of the annual report was sub mitted and agreed to. Mr. P. Lines pro posed, Mr. J. Cochrane seconded, and it was carried—“ That the general holidays commence on Tuesday next, the 25th instant, and terminate on Friday, the 18th February. Mr. J. Cochrane proposed, and Mr, T. Greenaway seconded —“ That, in accordance with the Chairman’s state ment that Mrs. Proudlock has been teach ing since the 20tli ultimo, the Board of Education be requested to- sanction her salary, commencing from that date.” Carried. Ap account for L 3 7s. 10d,. being passed for payment, the Committee adjourned.

Poultry and Canary Show. —Of poultry, pigeons, and pet birds this dis trict can boast the possession of a fairly good stock, and it is with pleasure that we welcome a proposal to add a poultry and canary show to the attractions of the Town Hall on the sth of March, on which date the hall will be gay with the floral display of the Horticultural Society. Ashburton has put in no insignificant ap pearance at shows of this description held in Christchurch, and our own Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s annual shows have given evidence that the breeding of first-class poultry is a pursuit not at all neglected here. It would certainly give an impetus to it, hawever, were a poultry and bird show an annual institution in the district. In the matter of pigeons, for instance, wo have already given evidence of how useful “ carriers” can be made in the transmission of messages; and the rearing and training of birds that can heat the telegraph on a fifty miles flight is surely a recreation from which some en joyment may he obtained. Then there are canary-keepers about too, and parrots of gay plumage are here and there to be seen. By all means let us have a bird show, and we feel sure that the doors of a hall in which such an exhibition is being held have only to be opened to admit a great crowd of patrons. It would also he a very great addition to the attractiveness of the Flower Show.

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

(Per Reuter's Agency.) The Turkomans. London. Jan. 19. Further intelligence to hand from Central Asia stales that the Turkomans have made a fresh sortie from Geok Tepe. They were again unsuccessful and were repulsed by the Russians, who are now bombarding the town.

AUSTRALIAN

(Pet Reuter's Agency.) Additional Awards- Melbourne, Jan. 19. The following Exhibition awards are announced to-day:—Third prizes— Thomas J. Harbutt, for brushware ; Michael Sullivan, of Dunedin, for bas kets. Fifth pri.zer-rProfessor Parker,. Otago Museum, for specimen of sea crayfish, prepared in spirits ; also fifth prize to A. Melville, Dunediri. The Conference. Sypnev. Jan. 19. ■ The Intercolonial Conference met again to-day. The question of securing uniformity as to the regulations for the admission of barristers in the various colonies was considered, but no decision was arrived at. A committee was ap pointed to enquire Into the recent massacres in the South Sea Islands, and also; to investigate the powers possessed by the High .Commissioner for the Western Pacific, with a'view, if' necessary, to memorialise the’Home Go vernment on the.subject.: A resolution .was, favor pf* the construc tion of railways to connect the variorus capitals in Australia, and it Was further decided :to purshe identical 1 Action in regatd to legislative measures for the regulation of Chinese immigration. The Hon. Thomas Dick, the New Zealand delegate, arrived by the City; of New York, and joins in, the, .deliberations of the Conference tp-morrow. The Sttez Mail. 1 Albany, Tuesday. Arrived, in King George’s Sound—the P. and O. Company’s steamship Pohilla, with the inwdrd Suez mail, dated London, December IstJ i . , > r

NEW ZEALAND

(Per Press Association .,) Fire. Nelson, To-day. A fire occurred at Dixon’s cordial factory at eight o’clock this morning. The building was greatly damaged, but the,; machinery was not injured. The fire occurx-ed in the office, but the books were saved. The office and the building were completely gutted, but the business can be carried on. The building was insured in the South British for L4OO, and the stock for LSOO, but in what office is not known. Wool. Dunedin, To-day. At Donald Reid’s wool sale yesterday several greasy lots fetched the highes prices yet obtained in the local market. They brought from Tjjl to 12;Jd. ; washed, to 19d. ; scoured, 19|d. The Colonial Bank. The profits of the Colonial Bank for the half year amount to L 13,862, which, with a balance from the previous half j'ear; makes a total of L 16,836 Os. lid. divisible, Of this, the director’s recommend the carrying of LI,OOO to 'the roScrve fnnd, which will then stand at L28;0OO ; the payment of a six per cent, dividend ab sorbing L 12,000 ; and the carrying for ward of L 1,943. 1 • ' ''

THE LATE STACK FIRE AT MOUNT HORRIBLE.

Arrest of the Supposed Incendiaries. ’ [By Telegraph.] i■ ’ Timarly To-day; 11 •• Two swagmen, named James Com-’ misky : and Patrick Egan have been arrested for burning the haystack belonging to Mr. Gosling, farmer, Mount Horrible. The accused were brought up before the Court this morn ing, and remanded till Monday next.

SEVERE SNOW STORM IN EUROPE.

The Thames in F100d £2,000,000 of Mischief Done. London, Jan, 19. A very severe hurricane, accompanied by an exceedingly hertvy fall of snow, has been experienced throughout nearly' the whole of England. The railway’ lines in many places have been blocked, and traffic suspended. At several coast ports many vessels have become total wrecks owing to the fury cf the gale. , Owing to the recent heavy falls iqf snow the Thames lias risen several feet, and has overflowed . its banks. Fully "dne hundred barges have been sunk, and great damage has been done to stores arid other establishments near the river. The total loss of pro perty is estimated at fully two millions sterling. - Later. The storm which was experienced throughout England yesterday extended to Western Europe, .without losing its severity- In many parts Oi the Con tinent telegraph lines were blown down, mail traffic stopped, and considerable destruction- done to property.

The Australian Cricketers v. Twenty two of Otago.

[by telegraph.] Dunedin, To-day. The match between an Otago Twenty, two and the Australian Eleven commenced on the Caledonian Grounds this after noon. The weather was lovely, and Murdoch, winning the toss, took advan tage of the capital wicket prepared. About 400 people were present. At the outset some difficulty was experienced as to settling the number of runs to be allowed for boundary hits. Jarvis and Spofforth first represented the visitors, Cook bowl ing from the north end, and Moore from the opposite. When the score stood at 10, Spofforth would have lost his wicket to a certainty had Parker returned the ball properly. . Runs came very slowly, the field being so well placed that it was difficult to get the ball away for more than a single, except for hits to the fence. After half -an hour's play, the score stood at only 16. Macneil then took the ball from Moore, and the change soon proved effective. Spofforth, ‘ who had been troubling the field most, put one high up in slips, Paramour taking it. ‘ 24— 1— 12. Murdoch supplied Spotforth’s place, and was received with cheers from the spectators and field. Dawes supplanted Cooke, hut the change, did not prove altogether beneficial, Murdoch putting him past the scorer's tent for three, and several singles being got off him. At two o’clock, when the lunch adjournment was made, the score stood ;—Australians Jarvis, not out, 12 ; Spofforth, caught Paramor, b Mac Neil, 12 Murdoch, not out, 9; wides,T ; no hall, 1 ; total, 35.

THE LAND LEAGUE.

Justin Macarthy’s Amendment Rejected. Counties Clare and Sligo Proclaimed Disturbed. Precautions Against Fenian Attacks [By Cable.] London, Jan. 18. In the House of Commons to-day, the debate on the Address in Reply, and Mr. Justin Macarthy’s proposed amendment on the same, was resumed. After further discussion, the amendment was put to a division and rejected by a large majority. The debate on the Address was again further adjourned. • Owing to the increase of agrarian : out rages in County Clare and-part of County Sligo, in Ireland, both districts have been proclaimed disturbed. In consequence of the renewed rumors of Fenian activity, and possible attacks on various Government and establishments, magazines at Woolwich Arsenal are very strongly guarded by detachments of troops and every preparation made against any assault.

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.

A Father Drowned While Attempting to Rescue his Son. (By Telegraph.) Nelson, To day. Mr, H. Buckeridge, J.P. (of the firm of E. Buxton arid Co., merchants) was drowned at Moutcre yesterday morn ing. The deceased, together with his wife and family, had been staying out of town, and went boating. On their return, all had landed but deceased’s eldest son, when the dingy broke loose, and the strong wind drove her out to sea. Mr. Buckeridge, seeing his son’s danger, sprang in to smim to the dingy, but was unable to overtake it, and, his strength failing him, he sank and was drowned, his body being recovered two hours later. A message arrived at Nelson, and the steam launch went in search of the dingy, which, along with young Buckeridge, was brought in safely this morning.. The melancholy cir cumstance took place in sight of Mrs. Buckeridge and her family.

FIJI NEWS.

[by telegraph.]

Auckland, To-day. The brigantine Flirt brings Fiji news to the Bth. Two laborers who arrived from the Solomon Group at Levuka, have been identified by Mr. Ward, a survivor of the massacre on the Borealis, as having been on board the vessel on that occasion.

A European hks been barbarously murdered at Verbe.se Attan. The report says that the victim ot this outrage, having pulled the head-dress from off a chief, was immediately struck down with'an axe by the offended native, and killed on the spot. The, f'iji Gazette^ strongly opposes the subsidy, of aline of steamers between New Zealand arid Fiji.

Mount Hutt Road Board.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Board took place in the office, Mdthven, on January 15th. Present—Messrs. Jack son, Alington, Pannett, and M'Millan. Mr Julian Jackson was unanimously elected chairman for the year. The over seer’s report was read - and considered. Correspondence was read. Fi’om- Mr. John Devery, one of Mr, Arthur Devery’s sureties for shingle con ! tract on Urrall road, asking for an ex tension of time of one month 'lf this wore granted he would complete the contract 'himself without any further delay. Granted. From Mr. Christopher West, objecting to the closing of road leading through sections No. 32001, 31196, and 25152. The: clerk was'instructed to in form. Mr. West that he could object at a meeting of ratepayers, which would be held for the consideration of closing of said road, due notice .of which would be given. From Messrs. Mason & Struthers, 're price of safes. It was left to the chairman to select one. From Messrs. Gould and Cariierion; stating that a por tion of the Mount Somers Road Board district wished to join the Mount Hutt district, and giving their reason for doing so, and wishing to; know if this Board wore disposed to view the matter fa vorably. Tire clerk was instructed to reply to Messrs. Gould and Cameron, ac knowledging receipt of their letter, and asking for information. as to the area of the portion wishing to join, the number of miles of road formed arid unformed in Said portion, and what amount of money it was likely to bring into the district. From the Ashburton County Council, re railway tariff, requesting the Board to asfist the Council in protesting against the present railway tariff. The Clerk was in structed to ■ write. to the County Council and thank them for their letter, and to infor the Council that they would do all in their power to assist the latter in pro testing against the tariff. ' From Mr. Arthur Devery, • requesting an extension of time for his Urall contract. The Clerk to, reply that one of- his sureties had already been granted an extension. Mr. Alington reported that he had let a con tract for cutting thistles on nine miles of road in his ward, • Approved. Mr. Pan nett also reported that he had put on riien to cut the thistles on the roads in his part of the district. Approved. The Over seer was instructed to have the surface stones on Oairnbrae and Lyudhurat roads broken by day labor. After passing ac counts amounting to L 356 18s. 7d., the Board adjourned to Thursday, 10th Feb ruary.

THE CHIMNEY CORNER.

THE MILLER’S WILL. ' i rf? ■ : - .

Bedford-row is a spot that everybody knows, but no.one,knows it better than Mr. Manby,’ the family solicitor. People meeting him only on legal business consider him a dry, cautious man, far more;;disposed to rquestion than answer or pass an opinion ; but at iris own home, where I see him at times, he is very different. If on a quiet even ing there are only a comfortable pair, or, at most, a trio of friends present, Manby unbends, and at once becomes the most genial and frank of hosts. He can tell many stories of his curious experiences and difficult cases.

“ About the neatest and most curious case of fraud I ever handled,” he said, “ was that in connection with a testy old client of mine, a miller by trad£. He had made a deal of money, and didn’t know what to do with it. The man’s name was Stokes—Matthew Stokes.

“ One day he called upon me, and said he wanted to ask my opinion upon some matter, but I soon fpund he had 'made up his mind what to do, and the asking, my opinion was only his way of getting me to carry out his ideas. He went into his story with great energy and bitterness. He was worth thou sands, he said that I knew —all securely invested, and his only heir was his daughter, an only child, who had aggravated him by eloping, and marry ing one of his clerks, named Morley. ‘ The clerk was one of those good- Iqoking whipper-snappers,’ the old man said with passion. ‘ Never coqld see anything in him but impudence and tallf—a kipd of cleverness that would have helped to make him a gopd show man— but she thought he was'heavenly; and after they got to love .eacji other, as lie said, if his impudence didn’t write to pie, asking me tq give him my daughter in marriage ( I gave him his nqtice at once,‘and a fortnight’s Wages ; but that didn't cure the silly girl. She' took to moping and melancholy, ‘“One day I found that ‘ hkd eloped, and the next, he sent me wprd that they were ' married. I felt it lawfully;. J itplV;-you, aud could have him if I had met him that day, and her .toQ}, alpipst/ Theylre raises ably poqr, that ? 9 one; 1 comfort, though he’s*in a place and does copying at

night, and they’ve some children and lots of trouble; so I ought te be happy, if I ainh. But here’s the danger. I’m getting old, and my. doctor says I might be taken off suddenly, so I want you to make my will, strong and firm as you can make it, doing her out of the least chance of getting my money —cutting her off with a shilling, as it is called.’

“ ‘ Seeing you have no other rela tions for whom you care, do I under stand you wish the monejf. to be left to charities ?’ I said, not liking my task over well, for I had no doubt that, if the poor daughter, had been there, she could have given quite a different look to the love story. “ ‘ To’charity ! No, hang charity!” he cried, with a snort. ‘ I want it all given to Henry Gunson, a cousin of mine in the city. I don’t care twopence for him, and know little about him, but he once did me a kindness. It’s all the.same to me who gets the money, sa as they don’t get it. See ?’ “ I did see perfectly, but thought I would try to alter his determination, for, if one thing displeases me more than another, it is to be the means of carrying dissension and hatred beyond the grave. Could he not, instead of trying to crush the young man who had married his daughter, try and lift him up ? From his own account it ap peared that he was a hard-working, dilligent fellow, toiling hard for his wife and children.' What more could a father wish for his. son-in-law ? In a word, I tried to pour oil upon the waters, but I might as well have poured it upon fire. The fury of the old mam increased, and was even turned upon me when I pointed out that in com mercial circles the cousin, Henry Gunson, of whom he had 'spoken, was 1 looked' upon with strong" suspicion, owing to an ugly bankruptcy case with which ' I had to do. He remained un moved. f

“‘ I tell you it’s all 'the same to me who gets it,’ he persisted. It’s nothing to me whether the man’s good or bad. Disobedience in children must be punished, and I can’t do better than enrich my own cousin.’ “ Finding him so firmly resolved, I promised to have a draft of his will prepared, and to send it to him for perusal by my confidential clerk, which was . done. the following week. The will, being read to him, was approved, and as soon as a fair copy had been made he came to my office and signed it, The witnesses were clerks ot my own. When signed I was about to place it with the other papers con nected with his business, when the .old man snappishly told me that he meant to keep that himself, and accordingly it was handed to him.

Two or three years passed, during which I made large and frequent in vestments for him, but no further mention was made of his will. One morning I received a note from his housekeeper, tellmg me of his some what sudden death, and shortly after reading the note I was called upon by his cousin, Henry Gunson. “I am a good judge of faces, and disliked the man the moment I saw him. He was not a hypocrite, and made no show of sham grief at the death of his relative; on the contrary, he smiled and appeared perfectly jubilant at the stroke of good fortune. “ ‘ You have heard,’ he said,' ‘.of my cousin’s death, and I came here because he one told me that, three or four years since, you had drawn up a will in my favor.’

“All this was natural enough, but there was something in the man’s manner that made me study his face closely.; It seemed to me that under'an appearance of simplicity he was playing a deep game. Yet what game could he be playing ? I was forced to dismiss the thought, and turned my attention to business. “ ‘lt is true that Mr. Stokes did en-‘ trust me to draw up such a will, but he did not entrust the , keeping of the document to me.’ I answered. ‘ J have the draft of it, and that is all.’ ~ ■; . “ ‘ The man looked startled, but the look< was not one of genuine surprise, and only made me suspect him more strongly than ever. . “ ‘ Where in the world can the will be, •then ?’ he said. ‘Perhaps you could go out with me and take charge of things, and see if.it can be found.’ “This Was said with a curiops look into my face, as if he had been saying to himself, ‘I wonder if he suspects me ?’; Andj, r contrary . .to ,my usual practice, I resolved to go in person, instead of sending a clerk. “ A cab which he had kept in waiting took us to the house, in which we found the nurse who had attended’the old man in his last illness, and an .elderly woman who had acted as his house keeper. The nurse was not so; stupid as many old-fashioned nurses, and took occasion, during the momentary absence of Gunson, to draw me aside and say, ‘ I hope the old man’s money won’t go to that man. He was here ever so often before Mr. Stokes died, and they quarrelled hot, I can tell you.” “ ‘ What did they quarrel about ?’ I asked with much interest.

“ ‘ I. think that man asked for money, for I heard bim say : “ I shall be ruined if I cannot pay.” I did not hear all that was said, but it was bitter while it lasted, and the old man had me in with a fearful ring of the bell, ■ and told me to show that villian out. ‘“I sayy murder in his eye,” he said, ‘ and not a penny of my money shall he ever: finger. I wish I knew where my poor girl lives. She should have all, poor thing.’ Then he ordered me out of the room, and I heard him shuffle across to the fire, and when I came back I pould see he had burned some, thing in the fireplace—which I believe sir, it was the will.

“No doubt the old man’s days had been shortened by the excitement from those frequent quarrels. When;a man pf no moral principles, like Gunson, is given an interest in another’s death, it is not at all unlikely that he will try . to hasten the removal of all that stands between him and a fortune —especially when he thinks it can be done without danger of discovery. I felt, however, as the man rejoined me, .a thorough re-' pugnance.to him,,’and was very near telling him not td'trouble to look for the will, as I had, reason to believe it bad been destroyed, 1 blit I conquered the feeling as well as I could arid in deed, I had no evidence to prove the will had been destroyed. , ; ? r . “ t'lie housekeepkf'theti trunk in which old Stokes had kept all

his paper. I opened it, and at the top’-) I found a little packet of letters from his daughter. I glanced at one. It was lull of sorrow and tenderness, ask ing so earnestly if she might show him their boy. The letter went on : ‘We call him Matthew, father ; and when we were without bread the little fellow said he would come to you and ask for some for mother. He was sure you would not say no; but now my dear husband has work, and although it would not be to beg we should come, yet I do want, dear father, to see you once more.’ Over the next few words the ink had run, or the paper had got so wet that I could not read them. Per haps, if the miller had been alive he could have told us how this happened. “ I folded up the letter, and turning suddenly to Gunson, who had been looking over me, I saw a sardonic smile on his face, which did not improve my opinion of him. We went over all the papers, hut could not find the will. “Just as 1 was about to close the trunk, Gunson said, ‘We have not looked in the pocket inside the lid.’ I did so, and to my surprise came upon a folded paper, which appeared to be the will, or so exact a copy of it that 1 was not prepared to deny its identity. It was written on a kind of paper that I have used for half a lifetime,, and the writing was unmistakably that of a clerk of; mine, named Peter Phipps. 'I he signatures, too, were all right, so far as I could see, but yet I had a doubt. I caught myself taking the valuable paper out of my pocket and scanning it j closely when Gunson was not by, as if j ■ half expecting the senseless paper to reveal some subtle treachery. I got back to my office as soon as pos sible, and read the will carefully through ; then I hunted up the original draft, and found that it agreed per fectly. “For some two or three days the matter stood over, for I was called out of town on urgent business, but the morning of ray return I was told that an old woman —the nurse of Matthew Stokes —bad called to see me during my absence. She would not leave any message, but said she would call when I returned to town. That day, as I was leaving the office, the nurse came, full of apology, and hoping I should not think any worse of her for what she had to tell. ■ ‘ You know,’ she said, ‘ I told you that I believed Mr. Stokes burnt his will, and my reason for think ing so is this : When he was asleep I picked out two little bits of paper from the ashes, and I kept them in my pocket ever since, and here they are.’ “ Hastily taking them frotn her, I could see from these scraps that it must have been the will that Matthew Stokes had destroyed, for they read : My real and personal Henry Gunson

j ——the testator in— ; —; his presence and in ’ “ I compared the scraps of paper with the copy found in the trunk, and it was, without doubt, the same hand writing. I. would have turned to the clerk, whose name stood first as a wit ness, but he was dead; or to the one who had written and witnessed the original will, and who at this moment, I felt sure, must know something of this fraud, but he had gone all to drink a year or two before, and I had been re luctantly compelled to part with him. I asked if anyone had got his addess, and by a strange coincidence a letter ■had come from him that very day to one of my clerks, asking for him to call, for he was very ill. The moment I got that I started for Peter’s lodgings in a cab. I found him in bed,' evidently in a rapid consumption, and had only to hold up the forged will and say signifi cantly, ‘ How on earth did you come to do this ? ’ to make the blood leave his face. He would not confess, however, until I gave him a pledge that he would not be punished for his share in the forgery, and that was more than 1 could take upon me to promise; so I left him and made my way to the miserable home of the Morleys, in Golden Lane. By miserable I don’t mean unhappy, but poor. When I was admitted to the house, I found they occupied two rooms on the second floor The heiress of Stokes’ large fortune was busy on her knees be fore : the fire, toasting bread for her husband’s tea, and her own rosy cheeks at the same time, and Morley himself seated in a corner of the room, writing with a swift hand at the law papers he spent his evenings in copying. Mrs. Morley was quite a young thing, and so good-looking that I could scarcely be lieve her the daughter of my deceased client. “When I told them of the death of old Matthew Stokes, anyone would have thought they had lost their kindest friend. His daughter was overcome with grief. I assured her that, from what I had heard, her father had for given her, and that if he had known their address he certainly would have sent to them Both listened breath lessly to my story, and then, when I gave my opinion that nothing now could stand in the way of her inheriting her father’s wealth, she simply went up to her husband, clasped him tight in her arms and kissed him, and then burst into tears. But when I spoke of prosecuting her father’s cousin, she, with, the true tenderness and tact of a woman, said, ‘ No, my poor father would not have disgraced a relative, | even though he deserved it. Perhaps if you wrote to him telling him what you have discovered, he will trouble us no more.’ “ It was hard to let the rascal slip, but I wrote to Gunson accordingly, and if my pen had been dipped in acid I could not have written stronger. He needed no second dose. Without even having the politeness to reply, he was off to America by the quickest route, fearing every inch of the way, I expect, that the police were in his wake. I got the whole-of the, details .of the plot out of Peter Chipps, from which it appeared that Gunson no sooner discovered that his cousin had really burnt the will formerly executed in his favor than he sought out my late clerk as a. fitting tool to produce a duplicate from the draft. The price given was a mere trifle—some L 5 or L 6 3 but Peter had resolved to bleed his employer without mercy the.moment he got possession of the old man’s money, by means of the forged, document. Peter was dying when he made the confession, but Mrs. Morley was at his'house next day, and took the-poor fellow’s breath away by tellirtg Hihv she would see that his ' wife and cbildreiu were, cared for. The stricken man stared at her some

~'r - - at/Sgfm momenfsin deadsilence, and then he feebly snatched at her hand and burst into tears. He couldn’t speak, but the simple gesture said more than a thou sand words could have conveyed. “ Mrs. Morley has not been spoiled by her good fortune. She is the same loving and generous-hearted woman that she was in poverty. She declares to this day that she is not a whit more happy in her grand house that she was in the two-pair back in Golden lane. And I believe she speaks thetruth.”-

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1881.



- Special Advertisements. BHBURTON HIGH SCHOOL. NOTICE IS-HEREBY GIVEN, that this School will be OPENED for the Reception of Pupils on MONDAY, 7th February, 1881, at 9 o’clock. The School year will be divided into three terms. Fees -£3 3s. for one child per term ; for .two: or'more children of one family, pef:ierm, £2 12a. each, to be paid in advance.: Mfe Hooo, the Principal, will be glad to see intending Pupils, and their Parents or Guardians, at the County Council Ohambers/any day after the 24th instant, between’the hours of 10 and 12 a.m. and 2 and 3 p.m. : ; . By order. : F. MAINWARING, Secretary. Ashburton, Jan. 20, 1881. THE BEST VALUE FOE ' READY MONEY MEN’S IS THE , AND BOYS’ CLOTHING MANUFACTURED BY THE NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory, Which can be purchased at their Retail Brandies, all over New Zealand. A SINGLE GARMENT AT THE WHOLESALE PRICE. Thousands of the discerning customers testify ; that the New Zealand Clothing Factory’s Garments are the Very Best Value for Ready Money. '; ; ! ‘ AsttBUHTON Branch I EA & T STREET. 76i* WM. SPARROW, Manager. /ifGMMERCIAL AND FANCY v STATIONERY. The Undersigned has opened up a NEW ASSORTMENT, of the above. Cream, Blrie, j and Hand - made Notepapers ; Rul^7-'Pliinj : Fancy, and Repp ditto. Good Busing Envelopes, No. 7, Court, Albefy,' ;, 'Qtie6n, Tinted, Repp, and otBSfls; !!J! ' ; Perts ; Gillott’s, Mitchell’s, Brandauer r and Co.’s. Inks—Stephen’s Blp#Black, Walkden’s Black and Colored, AiitbnLne, Copying, &c. Workboxes, Albums, Books, &c. H. M. JONES, STATIONERY ANDj FANCY GOODS DEPOT, Eaj* Stbeex and Baring Square. ■ 710



Ov ■ Garstens & Co. ” r f ‘(Latb Weston’s), WetepECt BUILDINGS, [MJitCQTitI&T, FANCY GOODS, - ,G.B ; D. Pipes r , .Twist, and Vanity Fair etc., etc. and-Shampooing. ASHBURTON. , ,



To Correspondents. —‘ ‘ Youngmother” wants to know if green apples are healthy,' ■ Yea, they are generally healthy,, but. th>a people who eat them are not. ' A Rise in Prices.— An Irian, agent, having been instructed to raise the-rants, called a meeting of the tenants, and ap-. j ■ prised them of his intention. “ You can afford it,” said he ; “see how.priees,have risen.” Silence was bro ten by an'old -i farmer, who said, “ Yes, there is no deny- K , ? ing that; it used to cost lil *to ; get an anent shot ; but now, be jabers, it can’t be done under L2.” The rents hive riot ‘ been raised. . Holloway s Pills.—The blood being the ery essence of health and life it is most essen tial that it should be thoroughly purified,before the depressing influences of winter display them selves. These Pills will accomplish, this puri- , t fication in a safe and satisfactory manrtfer,' arid' 1 out the circulation in that desirable condition, which alone can rightly form flesh, bone, mus :le, nerve, and skin. ■ Capricious : appetites, weak digestions, torpid livers,.: and irregular bowels are corrected by this potent medicine, which may be truly said to induce “a sane " mind in a sound .body,” Pills possess the remarkable property ofl aerinsing without weakening, : While ptfrifyiilg :are 4 strengthening and adding to of life which ’ health and . vigor can alone bes to w. —• Ad vt.



Wanted. Wanted, a master teach Main SohopJ.sahwyi aego ing to average attendance tor : quarter, £137 155., less 10 percentlrer —1 duction. Applications to be sent in.pn.QT before SATURDAY, 296 h insla|t. W JOHN GRIGG, —.. ~f. Longbeach, 17th January, 1881. 052 ij[ rrroA a WANTED, Immediately, a gooi General SERVANT. ..Apply, Office of this Paper. ; 1 ■■■''■B64; WANTED, an Intelligent YOUTH. Apply, Office of this Paper. 966- ‘ ANTED. ’ for the ' couhtrf t YOUTH that can milk. Apply, . Guardian Office; •'"• J ' ' - A *~ '96Sf ; ‘: TT7ANTED—STATION Gppd V \ Baker indispensable., Refereh<ie»o Apply at once. required. Station Auoap ■ v : .968 WANTED, a Girl as General SER- , VANT ; must be able to milk., j- Apply, Office of tbi4 Paper. X f ('} S. f £ CL WANTED, a Good accustomed i to work: a •’MachineqJ Apply, Office of this Paper. 885 WANTED, TENDERS for. CROSS PLOUGHING 800 Acres Stubble Land. Apply, in person, at on SATURDAY, 22nd January. - 955 JOHN GRIGG. w ANTED TO SELL—Twenty-five SECTIONS. Wakanai road. Apply, street.' Patching. Tent,-linker-, 'jEsst.; T) UNNER—WANTED, « Smart LAD lii to run the 'Guardidn l on the Ash burton-Winslow line every evening. Good Wages to be made by an energetic. ... Apply, Office of this Paper. ■ 967’ : ' youth. WANTED KNOWN, That HENRY’S , PORTRAIT ROOMS, .Saunders’.... Buildings, East .street,! Jatra J > open DAILY, from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Portraits taken in any weather. .Great Reduction in Price. J ” HIM WANTED KNOWN—The Lamest and Best Stock of Saddlee? in ■ to be found at the shop of S,. STEPHENS, » ■ Tinwald. Good strong Cairo Collars from fX. 155.; Cart Winkers, Bs. ,6d.; Plough ; Back-bands, 6s. cash; Cart Saddles and Breechens, from 50s. - K ReapingMachjjie, Pole Straps, 2s.’ Farmers will • make'- 1 a great saving by buying of S. Stephens, Saddler, .Tinwald. * / f T£ WANTED KNOWN. Ahburton REGISTRY OFFICE for Mai® and Female Servants. — L. F. Andbbwbs begs to inform the public of Ashburton and surrounding districts that he has opened the above.. Male, and; - Fejnale Servants of all classes provided. Em ployers requiring servants, and all persons, with good: who Pi J want of situations, are requested to apply to L. F. Andkbwes, Labor Agent, Book seller, and Stationer, East street, South. .627 WANTED KNOWN—That a Church of England minister’s: wife writes that she saves Ten Shillings a Fortnight by using Harper Twelvetrees’ Villa Washer, Wringer, and Mangier, com bined ; and, although she permits no rubbing, the clothes are beautifully and much cleaner than _ whea .dQnO; by hand, while the saving in mending "haa , been astonishing. Sold by J. HERN, Range Maker and Importer,; cornetNof Manchester' and Tuam strefefs, OhrfSt /.ViiiTvti • Pru»fl —£.o 10a. 700



Economy ob Worms.lf I have ever used, any unkind words, Hannah,” said Mr. Smiley, reflectively, “I take them all back. ” “Yea; I suppose yon wapt to Use them all over again,” was the not very soothing reply. • ~ ' Bmoks.—“Yoii get lip . ail kinds of brickf here,, don’t .you 1” inquired a man at ope'of opr leading brickyards. ‘‘Yes,' about. kll. ' ; Ydiai, do you want ?,”• • The jh&n edged toWaras the front of the ‘yard as he replied, “ Cambrics would do, ’’ and then cambricks at his head in every direc tion 68 he took to flight/' •*.( *' ;UT i - Setting the Styie.. —Tender wife; “Say, look here ! Tfe got to have a new velvet skirt right off. Cot to have it. This old thing is all worn out—actually threadbare down the front. ” Brute of-a husband; “ Just tile thing, my deaf. All! the rage. Fashion items say velvet skirts will be very much worn this' season. Sandpaper the back of your dress and you’re setting the style.” : .



WANTED KNOWN. SOMERSET LIVERY AND STABLES. BAIT JW. M‘RAE bogs to , public that he has taken the \Mrer Stables from Mr. Bossenberg, and is making extensive repairs. . '!' l s ” Buggies and saddle horses on hire. vl Lowest prices and best attention. 852 , VT7ANTED KNOWN—That Vnsilmg W Cards, plain or mourning, can,.bp obtained printed in various styles, at.the. ....... '•Guardian’ 1 office, opposite the Railway Station. O’l .M 0 - ——■ —,r \\l AMONGST the questions at present J agitating the public mind stands the very important one—“Ts it. possible to obtain GOOD TEA? If not,'why not ?” Echo has been answering Hl®orto ’ —“ You can’t: get it .for love or; ! And the ladies appear tu hare become apathetic or despairing in consequence^ But a new era has dawned on Ashburton, and the question, so ihtereMng ' To all, especially to ®e : fema|e portion-of k community, is 1 happily settled in 1 ®ei f, affirmative. Joy will spring up in many a fair b*som, on being’ credibly informed that, now, at length, r the, possession ,of i really GOOD TEA may be aufait accompli in the short space of time it will, take tot, go or send to H. M. “GARSON’S'.NSW * FRUIT'ANDITAIMA'N i WARE^<WjSB r , i; EasY street, appointed sole agefit " the sale of Nelson t Moate and Co.’s, now celebrated; , .pachpt TIMS, i i selected,'properly blended, and last, not* least,' always the same. -See adiertisb:* A ment and handbills.' 1 1 -' . 1 . . . V / _• . —j- j - - ii _' j _■ j. * 1 *■“ —*■ ; "£* ■' 1 J 1 kl f I HE GUARDIAN is i. eyeipng,, giyipg up to tjhe Hour of going to press. This is better than buying a sixpenny weekly.