SHIPPING.

PORT OP LYTTELTON. Arrived. Saturday. Westfa, schooner, from Mauritius. Yesterday. Rachel, schooner, from Port Cahners. Sailed. Saturday. Comet, ketch, for Wellington. Cleopatra, schooner, for Auckland. Columbia, schooner, for Auckland. lington, a ad. Poston. Hawip, ,s.>/iqr Wellington.. 1 Yesterday. Wellington. Saucy Lass,, schoonerJ for Wellington. - To-day. i ri>lOreti,' as.-, for Timaru, 1 iDimedihl H } SHIPPING TELEGRAMS.

\f>l •{’ ■, , . ; Saturday: . Arrived —Ship, 0 5 ford i from- London, with 100 passengers, all well; Edith, from Friendly Islands;’ Toongana, from Hobart. .Sailed —Julia Price, for Norfolk Inland ; Helena, for Oamaru. Wellington, Yesterday. AmVf»I —Alastor. from London.

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian Office, Monday A r ternooD. Mr. Alfred. Harrison reports of hip Saturday’s sale as follows :—The weather - ibeingso very-wet, but few farmers came d in,-consequently the yards were a trifle Iras busy than usual; however, two hacks ; .were sold at low prices. One sow brought 24s 6d ; 2 do. 27s 6d each. Two barrows . fetched 27s 6d. A few pairs of fowls were sold at 2s Bd. Produce sold as ■ follows :—Apples, 5s ; potatoes, L 3 to L 4 :10s per ton ; chick wheat, Is 6d to 2s per bushel; cheese, 3ld to 5d per lb ; oats, Is 3d to Is 6d per bushel; bacon, 9d per lb ; ; onions, 4d to per lb ; tea, 24s per 121bs ; bottled stout, 9s per doz. A large quantity of harness and sundries were of.'at fair prices; a’so, a quantity of goods given to the Exhibition The attendance was good in , the rooms and selling was brisk through out.

MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close at the Chief Post Office for the following places (subject to the neces sary alterations) as under : T Tuesday, April 5. For Northern Ports, per Penguin, at 1.40 p.m. ; .late fee letters at 2 p.m.; - guard’s van, 2.50 p.m. train. 1 For Otago and Austrahan Colonies, per Roiorua, at 1.40 p.m. ; late fee letters at 2 p.m.; guard’s van 2.30 p.m, ; ; train. - The next mail for the Unit 3d King dom (via San Francisco) will leave on April 23rd. ► Mails close at the Ashburton Post Office, follows i '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 Dynedin, Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Co’dslream, Rangitata, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10 a.m. daily. For, Temuka, at 6 aim. and 10 a.m., daily. For Timaru and South, at ,6 a.m., 10 a.m., and 420 p.m., daily. . For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and , Ashburton Gorge, on Tuesdays and Fridays, at J 0.30 a. m. For Ashton, Waterton and Longbeach, 4,30 p.m. daily. Fpr Wakanui, Elgin, Seafield, New ]and, and Kyle, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at 6 a.m.

’ Mails arrive at the Ashburton Post Office — t ] From Christchurch and Rakaia at 10,25 ri.nri, 435 p.m., and 7.50 p.m. 'From Chertsey, &c. at 10.25 a. m. daily, -i From Dunedin and intermediate places at 5,35 p.m. daily. From Temuka and Timaru at 10,15 a.m. 5.85 p m., and 8.15 p,m. daily. Front 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 E'gin, Wakanui, Seafield, New larid, anid Kyle, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at 4 p.m. W. St. G. Douglas, • ‘ Postmaster,

DAILY MEMORANDA.

AUCTION SALES. Wednesday, April 6. Mr. Allred Harrison, at Mount Somers— Implements arid Stock ; 12 o’clock. ' l Tuesday, April 12. JJr, -Alfred Harrison, at his rooms—Farm ; rind Town. Properties ; 12 o’clock. : ' MEETINGS, AMUSEMENTS, &c. ' J ' ' ' .To-night, ... : Monday, April 4. Borough Council, at Borough Council Chambers, at 7 o’clock. To-jioerow, . " . ' Tuesday, April 5. Ashburton Permanent Building and In vestment Society, Monthly Meeting, .from 6,30 to 8.30 p. m. " Wednesday, April 6. County Council, at the County Council . Chambers, at 11 o’clock. Templar Hall Company Meeting of P-m. - ' ‘ ' Thursday, April 7. Wakanui Road Board—Monthly Meeting, Road Board Office, Moore street. Wednesday, Apc.il 13. Presbyterian Church Gift Auction, Town Hall.

TRAVELLERS’ GUIDE.

Trains Leave Ashburton for Chbist- CH URCH and intermediate stations at 6 a.m., ,10.30 a.m., and (Express) 6.48 p.in. Trains Leave Ashburton for Timaru and South/ at 7 a. m., 10.36 a.m. (Ex press), and 450 p.m.—the latter pro ceeding no farther than Timaru. Trains Arrive at Ashburton from Christchurch at 10 24 a.m. (Express), ,435p.in. r and 7.50 p.m. Trains Arrive at Ashrurton from Timaru and South at 10.15 a.m., 5.34 p.m. (Express), and 8.16 p.m.

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas, et Prevalebit. MONDAY, APRIL 4, 1881. Wellington Lunatic Asylum Inquiry.

TOWN EDITION. [lssued at 4.30 p.w.'J

The disclosures which have now come to light in reference to the management of the Wellington Asylum must' cause great uneasiness in the minds of our colonists, who, lake any interest in our public institutions. That such a state of affairs should have been found existing in one of our principal cities is a disgrace to those connected with the inspection or management of an institution of this nature. It was hardly to be expected that an asylum, directly under ihe eyes of the legislators of our adopted country could possibly be conducted in such a manner, as the evidence which has been given for some lime past proves. Serious as the charges are against all concerned, whilst the case is sub judice, we will re frain from making comments on the evidence of any particular witness. These comments, however favorable or unfavorable, must not prevent us from drawing the attention of the public to the now existing necessity of demand ing our Government to place upon a proper basis, the efficient working of our various hospitals for the insane, so that we shaU not again have them con ducted in such a manner as to remind us of one of those saddest chapters in human history, which describes the cruel manner in which the insane were treated in the Old Country in times past. Siluated as we are in a new country, it is a difficult thing, perhaps, to get qualified public men to give an opinion regardin'* the management of hospitals o( this nature, or to take a greater in 'erest in their working, than to find that they are supported by the Govern ment, and as long as the usual vote for their maintenance is forthcoming, no thing f irther is required. It is a well known fact that with the public gene rally, insanity is looked upon as a calamity of a special kind, and such, they try all they can to conceal it, and invariably treat it as a crime. This is not as it’should be. We should en deavor to treat the insane in the same sympathetic way that vve treat those who suffer ordinary bodily disease. Now that our members in will have matters of ibis kind brought prominently before them, owing to the Wellington inquiry, we hope that steps will be taken to place our various insti tutions for the insane on a par, at least, with those of our sister colony, New South Wales. There, they have Iwo or more large hospitals for the insane. One ofthemisat Paramatta, and another at Gladesville. Both these inslitufions ate marvels of systematic working, and thanks to an efficient head, are a credit to that colony. In one of these hos pitals there are 600 inmates, and no serious complaints have ever been made in reference to its management. How is .it that we cannot have similar institu tions managed with such creditable re sults? The whole organisation of the present asylums throughout New Zea land require remodelling, and the sooner it is done the better. It is certainly a disgrace to us to learn that the afflicted ones in the Wellington Asylum have been so inhumanly treated, but are we sure that this is the only case demanding an enquiry ? Large sums of public money are ex pended ; n the erection of suitable buildings, increasing annually are the expenses connected with the so-called management; therefore, the public must demand from the Government immediate action to prevent the cruel treatment of the insane. The inquiry now held will do a great deal of good— its publicity more, inasmuch that the public will see for themselves the necessity existing for reform, and that those who occupy our asylums shall not be treated by paid officials in a manner akin to that which is displayed by any of the lower animals to one of their kind that has fellen ill. Pending the result of the inquiry, we shall let the matter rest ;■ but sball return to the subject in a future article.

Evangelism.—Mrs Hampton, Evan gelist, comes South in the Rotorua, to commence missions in Dunedin.

Chess.—The meeting of chess players desirous of forming a club in Ashburton, convened for Saturday la-t, fell through. This is to be regretted in more ways than one.

The Weather. The wet weather, which gave signs of termination last even ing, recommenced to-day about noon, the downpour throughout the afternoon being very steady.

Borough Council. — A special meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council will be held this evening, to confirm the resolutions passed at the special meeting held last Monday. An Improvement. —The return of arrests and cases reported in the Otago district for the year ended December 31 last, just completed, shows a decrease of 1316 cases on the corresponding period for 1879.

District Court.—A sitting of this court, before his Honor Judge Ward, will be commenced at 11 a.m. to-morrow. The cause list contains five civil plaints and three applications in bankruptcy and appears in another column.

Compensation Cohet. —A sitting of this court to enquire into the particulars of the claim made by Christopher Robert Leadley, against the Wakanui Road Board, for illegal seizure of land and damages attendant thereon, was held to day before his Honor Judge Ward. “ Doa Bite Dog?” —Rumor hath it, says a southern exchange, that two gentle men of the long robe, practising in Timaru, have had a quarrel—one of them going so far as to strike his “learned friend ”in his own office. This has re sulted in a writ to the tune of LSOO being issued in the Supreme Court for damages. Should the matter eventuate, there will be food for the newspapers. Sudden Death at Cheistchdech. —On Saturday afternoon a man named Richard Sydney Williams, in a restaurant in Manchester street south, just after finish ing his dinner, was found lying'on the floor, apparently trying to relieve his stomach. He was raised up by the pro prietor of the restaurant and the waiter. A cab was procured, and ho was taken to the hospital, but he died before reaching that institution. Deceased had only recently been discharged from the gaol, where he had been imprisoned for six months; and on Friday last he was brought up at. the Police Court on a charge of drunkenness, but was dis charged on his promise to go to work.— Lyttelton Times.

R.M. Court.—There was no business at this Court this morning.

Burglary in Wellington.—A man was arrested on Friday night for burglar iously entering Messrs Johnston and Co.’s store. A box of tobacco was found in his possession. •

The Crops in Otago.—Most favorable accounts of the crops have been received from the country districts. Saturday’s rain, which was general, was most welcome to the farmers.

Death at Cape Campbell.—The Stella has returned to Wellington from Cape Campbell, bringing the body of Mr W. Hendall, lighthouse keeper, who died from heart disease.

Journalistic Difficulties.—The diffi culties attending the first production of a newspaper, especially in a country town, are proverbial, but those encountered by the proprietors of the Western Grenier (N.S. W.) were extraordinary almost enough to dishearten them. The printing plant took three weeks a to accomplish the journey by water ; then it was entrusted to a bullock dray, which was bogged and lost sight of for a month. It was brought on board another team, in which the bul locks died one by one, and a team of horses had to be sent out to supply the place of the defunct bovine. Afterwards it was upset into the river, and a black diver had to rescue the packages piece, meal. Finally, it reached its destination at Wilcannia.

A Strange “ Whitewashing.” A somewhat extraordinary “meeting” of creditors was held to-day (says the Even ing Post of the 25th), at the Supreme Court. Richard Leman was the debtor, and his statement of liabilities and assets showed that he only had two creditors in the world, to whom he owed collectively Ll2 10s B£d, while his assets were valued at Ll 5. The largest creditor resides in Dunedin, and had a claim of L 9 against the debtor; the other creditor is a Wel lington resident, who was admitted to bo entitled to the receipt of L 3 10s B|d. At the hour fixed for the meeting, the debtor and this solitary creditor were the only persons present, and they at once sat at each end of the table, and silently eyed each other while they awaited the arrival of the principal creditor from Dunedin, probably by telegraph. In this position the Deputy Registrar still found them sitting an hour later, the Dunedin man not having been “wired” up. Words were few, but the eyes of both parties were eloquent to the last degree'. At length the creditor gave up in despair, and left the debtor for the time being the victor. The latter then triumphantly remarked that he had “ sat that creditor out,” and went away rejoicing. Sinnday School Anniversary Ser vices.—Notwithstanding the very un favorable state of the weather yesterday, the services in connection with the Primi tive Methodist Sunday School were very well attended; in fact, at the evening service some difficulty was experienced by the church stewards in providing sufficient sitting accommodation for the large con gregation assembled. A special children’s service was held during the afternoon, at which a number of recitations were given by the following scholars : —Esther Gates, Mary .Crumb, Lizzie Nicholson, Sarah Jones, Fanny Hardley, Robert Rook, Annie Phelps,|Elhel Gates, Lucy Dally, Rose Rook, M. A. Addis, L. Addis, Rose Beavan, Eva Hoare, Owen Jones, and J. A. Jowsey. A dialogue between Masters T. Nicholson and Joe Dally was veiy well gone through, and was repeated at the evening service, when Misses M. Jones, M. Tresize, Emma Elston, and Kate Legget recited suitable pieces. The Rev. A. J. Smith preached both morning and night, his sermon in the evening being taken from Revelation xxi., 2. In the course of a very animated and eloquent sermon, Mr Smith made passing reference to his labors in Ashburton, briefly touch ing upon the chequered career through which the church had passed, and to the trying circumstances experienced by individual members of the congregation. He had been a partaker with them in their sorrows, and their joy was his also While conscious that his ministry in their midst had not been without some degree of imperfection, mistake, perhaps want of judgment, yet he had conscien tiously endeavored to seek their highest interest, and all had been done with the object of doing good and bringing glory to God. The rev. gentleman, in conclud ing his sermon, appealed to his hearers most affectionately to embrace religion, so that, after all the partings experienced in this world, there might be a happy re union in the “Temple not made with hands.” The children of the Sunday School rendered some appropriate pieces of music during the day, in a manner which showed that no effort had been spared in their training by Miss Jowsey. The collections for the day amounted to L 3 16s.

Messrs On* and Co. advertise arrivals of new goods. Tenders are invited by the South Rakaia Hoard for erecting fencing; to be sent to the Board’s office not later than the 7th hist. Attention is drawn to the advertisements of Mr W, H. Gnndry, wlvch appea s in another column. A meeting of the St. John's Lodge will he held to morrow evening at the Masonic Hall, to which visiting brelhern are invited. A notice of the insolvency of Quinton Bros, appears in another column. Mr W. R. Boyle has been appointed creditors’ trustee in the estate of James Scott.

LAW NOTICES.

DISTRICT COURT.—To-morrow.

(Before His Honor Judge Ward.) civil cases. C. Lake v. McKerrow—Claim L 55 16s 3d; work done and buggy hire in curred therein. Messrs Foster and Wild ing for the plaintiff, and Messrs Branson and Purnell for the defendant. Michael McAvey v. Mount Somers Road Borrd. —Claim, LIBB JBs; work and labor done. Mr. O’Reilly for the plain tiff, Messrs Branson and Purnell for the defendants.

E. Lucas v. Sutherland.—Claim L2OO ; value of horses sold under agreement. Mr Burgess for the plaintiff, and Messrs Branson and Purnell for the defendant. Trustee in Harold’s estate v. Bluett.— Claim, LIOO ; damages for illegal seizure of cattle. Messrs Branson and Purnell for the plaintiff, and Mr Izard for the defence. Freidlander Bros. v. H. Mbffatt Claim, LlB5 4s ; goods sold and delivered. Messrs Branson and Purnell for the plaintiff. In Bankruptcy. In re H. C. Williamson. —Mr O’Reilly to make application for an order on the debtor to show cause why he should not be adjudicated a bankrupt. Messrs Branson and Purnell opposing. In re Mr Pauling.—Application for an order of discharge. Messrs Branson and Purnell representing the debtor. In re H. McCutcheon. —Application for an order of discharge. Mr Crisp re presenting the debtor.

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE

{Per Reuters Agency .) Wheat and Tallow. ' London, April 1. The total quantity of wheat float for Great Britain is 2,330,000 quarters. The total stock of tallow in London to-day is 10,400 casks. ' - Bank Dividend. The Oriental Bank pays a dividend of 2 per cent, for the half-year ended December 31st last, and carries for ward Li 7,000 to the reserve .fund.

The Illness of Earl Beaconsfield- • Lon ooN, April 2. The latest bulletin reports that the state of weakness to which Earl Beaconsfield has been reduced remains unaltered, and he can only obtain sleep occasionally. The spasms from which his Lordship has been suffering have, however, subsided. Standing Amy for the Cape.

In the House of Commons last night Mr Childers, Secretary of Stale for War, announced that it is intended to keep a British force of 12,000 troops permanently stationed at Natal and the Transvaal. " Will Try it Again.

Mr Bradlaugh, in consequence of the decision of the Court in the action brought against him by Mr Clark, has resigned his seat for Northampton, but announces his intension of seeking re election.

Turkey and Greece. The offer of the Porte to cede an extension of territory in Thessaly for the settlement of the frontier question has been under the consideration of the Greek Government. The latter, after deliberation, has instructed its envoy at Constantinople to inform the Ambassa dors of the Powers that it must insist upon the town of Pervisa, in South Kpirius, and situated on the northern shore of the Gulf of Arts, being ceded by Turkey in addition to the territory in Thessaly, which is offered by the proposal of the Ottoman Government.

Commercial. Consols remain at par. New Zea land securities rema’n at last quota tions viz:—5 per cent. 10-40 loan percent 1879 —1904 loan, Adelaide wheat, ex warehouse, 50s; New Zea’and, ex ship, 465; Adelaide flour, ex warehouse, 345; Australian tallow, best beef, 32s 6d ; best mutton, 30s 6d; selected transparent kauri gum, quoted at L 9 5s per ewi.

Terrorism in South Africa.

Natal, April 2,

Intelligence has been received from the Transvaal stating that numbers of Boers who were prominent in the late rebellion, and are opposed to a peace settlement, arrived at Haul (?) and commenced a system of terrorism over those of their fellow-countrymen who have remained loyal and refused to take up arms against the British.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Per Reuter's Agency.) Burglary. Melbourne, April 3. The premises of Messrs Webster, jewellers, Swanson slieet, were entered by burglars last night, and watches and jewellery to the value of Li,ooo ab stracted. Lady Gordon. Melbourne, To-day. Lady Gordon is a passenger from England by the Orient company’s Lusi tania. An Improvement. The revenue of Victoria for the past quarter amounted to 1,1,428,000, being an increase of Li 70,000 compared with the March quarter of last year. The railway revenue shows an increase of 459,000, and the Customs an increase of L 550,000.

NEW ZEALAND

(Per Press Association.) Broaching the Cargo. Auckland, To-day. Several sailors by the ship Oxford were charged at the Police Court to-day with broaching the cargo, and remanded. More German War Ships. The German warships Habischt, Captain Ruhn, And More, Captain Yonkykloush, are expected to arrive at Auckland shortly, to relieve the Nautilus and Hyone now at Samoa. Auckland is thus practically made the principal naval station for the German war ships in the Pacific. Criminal. At the Supreme Court, Judge Rich mond’s charge to the jury was very brief. Referring to the Te Aroha murder, he said there was no technical difficulty in any way. It was for the jury to say whether the accused had been rightly placed on his trial. Presuming he was rightly charged, this was a case of crime coming to us from without, it not be : ng comnvtted by any regular resident. The first case called was a charge of uttering a forged cheque, brought against Topario Rawiriri, a Maori, and it is now pro ceeding.

Retrenchment. Wellington, To-day.

The C.G. 8.8. Hinemoa is to be practi cally laid up and will only be used on special occasions, when Capt. Johnston, of the Marine Department, will take charge of her. Capt Fairchild, is to be trans ferred to the Stella, and Capt. Grey to the new revenue cutter Hawk. The Drama.

Mr Walter Reynolds opened a new season here to an excellent house, in his own piece, “ Lost and Won.”

Rainfall.

There was a heavy fall of rain during the forenoon yesterday and last night. It has done great good, but the quantity is insufficient. Man and Wife. The Resident Magistrate to-day de cided, in the case of Hill v. Hill, that a woman having a protection order could not be sued by her husband for property of his alleged to be in her possession. Slightly Injured. Nelson, To-day.

By telegrams from Pataiaruuum, Golden Bay, it appears that Mr Gibbs, M. H. R., fell from a scaffold, slighty injuring his spine, but it is not believed to be serious. Pall of an Embankment.

Dunedin, To-day. There was a heavy rainfall yesterday. The only damage done in the city was the fall of a large stone embankment in Dundas street, which fell on and com pletely destroyed the back part of Mr. James Whitelaw’s residence. The Justices’ Protest. The Star learns that the visiting Justices of the Dunedin Gaol sent the Minister of Justice a strong protest against certain extraordinary doings in the Dunedin Gaol. The matter is likely to be brought before Parliament if it is not satisfactorily dealt with by the department.

ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRAN CISCO MAIL.

(6s? Telegraph.) * Auckland, To-day. The P.M. s.s. Australia, with the San Francisco mail, is signalled. She will arrive at the wharf at about four p.m. ■

COMPENSATION COURT.

ASHBURTON.— To-Day. (Before His Honor Judge Ward.) C. R. LGADLBV V. WAKASDI ROAD BOARD. This was a case in which the plaintiff sought to recover the sum of L3OO, for damage sustained to property by action of the defendants, through their servants. Mr Thomas appeared in support of the claim, and Mr Branson, on behalf of the Road Board, objected to same. Mr Cox, on behalf of the Wakanui Road Board, and Mr Flesher for Leadley, occupied seats on the Bench as assessors. The evidence shewed that in A-pril, last year, the Wakanui Road Board served on the plaintiff a notice of their intention to appropriate a portion of land, his pro perty, bordering on what is termed Butter rick and Leadley’s road, for drainage purposes. This was only received by him on a Sunday night, and the morning fol lowing the work was commenced, thus giving him no time to object thereto. A drain, half a chain in width and lo£ chains in lengih, was constructed through a corner section of plaintiffs land, and this being done was left unfenced or bridged, thus isolating a portion of the property. Plaintiff assessed his loss, in the deterio ration of the value of his land, at L 5 per acre, making a total of Ll5O, the balance of the cla'm being made up in items for the erection of a bridge over the drain, gates, fencing, &c. The Court assessed the loss sustained by the p’aintiff at L 63 10s., and a judg ment for that amount, without costs, was entered against the Wakanui Road Board. The Court then rose.

ANOTHER FIRE IN CHRIST CHURCH.

At ten minutes past twelve last night (says the Press ) a fire broke out in an unoccupied building at the corner of Si. Asaph and Durham streets. The building which had formerly been used as a boarding-house, had been vacant for some months, and so far the origin of the fire is unaccountable. The flames spread with great rapidity, and long before the arrival of the brgade, the principal portion of the building fronting on Durham street was beyond saving. The smaller part which ad joined in St. Asaph street was plastered, and owing to the dampness of the shingle roof, withstood the flames for some time. When it did ignite, it burned slowly, and the water soon took effect. Three rooms were occupied by a mechanic and his family, the apartments having recently been fitted up for them by the owner at con siderable expense. The boarding house, which was a two-storey one, was insured for L 250 in the Victoria, but it is needless to say that Mr Pengelly[s loss will be considerably over this amount.

Rapid Telegraphy.

Mr Collins, Reuter’s agent in Mel. bourne, sends to the Argus the follow ing memorandum ; —“ As an instance of rapid telegraphing, it is perhaps worthy of being noted that the news of the assassination of the Czar was generally known in the Australian colonies several hours before it could appear in print in the English journals. Reuter’s telegram containing the announcement was despatched from London at twenty five minutes to 9 p.m. on Sunday. It reached the Melbourne telegraph office at four minutes past 9 am. on Mon day, thus occupying two hours, forty nine minutes only in transmission, allowing for the difference of time. It was published or posted outside the offices of the Melbourne papers by a quarter past 10 a.m., equivalent to twenty-five minutes to 1 a.m. in Lon don. As no paper is published in England on Sunday night, it thus appears that the news was made known in Australia at least four or five hours before it could be read by the public at home.” [The same message appeared in the Gauriian and the other evening journals in New Zealand before it was published by our contemporaries in the Old Couni ry.— Ed. G.]

A TIGER LILY: A GOLDEN ROD.

CHAPTER ll.—Touch and Go. [continued.] All at once he passed from the rambling, reckless, unrighteous, soft hearted, dawdling way in which he was

confessing himself to Lauderdale for her enlightraent, into the white heat of concentrated wrath and malice. ■ I beg your pardon for talking so of a woman to a lady j but she was not a wom?n—she was a hyena, a wolf. What she made a poor lost devil do for her and her insolent cubs of children ! What she made me suffer to leave me to a debtor’s gaol, a whitewashing which is no whitewashing, but a tar and feathering in a bankruptcy court, to the lowest shabbiness, want, vice, an outcast’s, death after all.” He clenched his hands as he thought of her, ‘See,’,he cried huskily, ‘I don’t care though you know, she in duced me to take lodgings here on her account, and she has left me—and she knows it, but she does hot mind so long as the law does not make her answerable —without a pound to pay for them. My landlord has bis eye on my traps, and is keeping watch at the railway station; but he may spare him self the trouble, I have not the shillings to pay for a third-class ticket to London or Edinburgh, and if 1 at tempted to walk the distance, I should drop down at the end of the first ten miles, for my landlady has grown saucy, and did not'prepare a breakfast for me which I could eat to-day, though she is aware I have gone without dinner once or twice within the last week. If you please—you, madam, the photo graphic artist’s 1 sister,’ he pleaded half wildly, ‘ I had rather make short work of it among the shy game creatures here, with the gun I’ve bo'Towed, than ’ drag myself into the shelter of a hedge and die by inches, snapped at by carters’ dogs, and punched and pulled about by the carters themselves on a public road. As to your having any dependence on the penny post, and trust in the appeals to friends, dismiss the notion at once. I have tired out all the friends I ever had, an age ago. I have no near relati ons tc be scanda-

lized by the melodramatic mode of exit from the world.which I take the

liberty to prefer.. ’ My death in any way will be the gladdest news o f me which my friends have heard for a long; lime ; and as for her, I shall haunt and 1 tor ment her if I can. ?

Lauderdale had been lodking and ; istening with her whole original sagaci ous face and earnest heart. She con

tinued to gaze at him, with ’eycji getting larger and larger, and her mouth' more spasmodically contracted and tremulous, in spite of herself. ‘No, you shall not,’ she forbade him posi tively ; ‘ you shall not kill yourself, when there was one killed for you eighteen hundred years ago. Is He no more than a dead man to you ? I tell you that you are not your own, to kill yourself or another. Do you not believe that, though you may have slept over the words in many a matter of-course, drowsy, decent, infidel church attendance?’ ‘Now you are coming it strong again/protested Hopkins. Even’ as he spoke, Lauderdale gave a writhe and start of sudden pain. ‘ I think I have hurt myself against a stone,’ she said confusedly in explana tion, stooping and putting her hand to her foot.

He thrust her hand back, pulled her up, dragged her a side and caught up his gun. ‘ You are bitlen by an adder,’ be cried 3 ‘I got a glimpse of its snake’s head. There it is,’ as a glistening coil rustled and slid with marvellous rapidity through the heather at a few paces’, distance. ‘I shall despatch it in a moment, but don’t stir from that spot till I look for its fellow; adders always hunt in couples,’ He destroyed the first gruesome reptile with a blow, and detected and killed the other after a few minutes search, while Lauderdale stood smarting with pam, and shivering, in spite of her defiance of nerves, at the unexpected contact with the shiny coat and trail, the prismatic hues, and the ! subtlety of motion of the serpent breed.

Mr Hopkins was not efferainite in the matter of destruction, it seemed; and as if it were the peculiar line of vagabonds, in the dearth of all other tastes and interests, he had developed a sporting element. It was part of a gentleman’s education, to be sure, like a scientific knowledge of cookery and skill in billiards.

‘Does it hurt much?’ asked the scamp kindly. ‘We must make haste and get down before the swelling begins and stiffens the limb. It will be no more than a trifle after all, I assure, you; you know the adders’ biles are; only sharp flea-bites compared with the serpent’s bites of tropical countries, but it may pain you and incapaciate you from walking in the mean time. Do me the favor to take my arm till we. come in sight of St. Boville at least. Fancy I am your brother for a few minutes, or, though it is a preposterous supposition, that I am old enough or you are old enough for us to be father and daughter, or mother and son. Why is it that I am always thinking of you in a family light, madam, I wonder, unless there is virtue in necessity ?’ He actually forgot what he had come to Heathery Haugh to do —to take that leap into a gulf from which no man has come up to tell what ground he has found —to dare to face his Judge at the with all his sins unrecalled, unrepented cf, una'.oned for; if faith in an awful Judge and great assize sur vived in his hazy, shaken mind, or if his desperate purpose lingered in his facile memory, it was but as the murky and lurid background of a hideous dream. He conducted her carefully and gently, far more gently than Gregory would have done. If Gregory had, not been alarmed for his sister’s safety:—and he was very far from being easily alarmed-he would have been tempted either to crow over her in his superior hardihood, or to twit her with her imagined terrors. But this man was solicitous to soothe her, even to divert her mind from her accident With this end he talked fluently on various subjects. ‘And what do you think of negatives on talc ? I used to have a hand in them,’ he said, with a brightening up which was almost more piteous than anything that had gone before; it seemed to bear reference to such a far-off time, when life had had hope and heart in it. Near to the town the couple en countered Mr Hopkins’s wary, pursy landlord panting out the Heathery Haugh road. He paused when h e saw them, wiped bis face, and drew a sigh of relief. He was a man with a constant eye to the main chance, but he had not calculated on having any thing to do with so staggering a subjece as death. He looked hard at th walkers, walked by them without speak _ mg, then turned and followed them at a respectful distance. Close to St. BoviUe’s, Lauderdale did not dismiss her companion. She said a httle awkardly, like one unaccustomed to give invitations, ‘Mr Hopkins, would you mind coming in and seeing my brother, and telling me what to do with my foot? Ido not care to have much to do with doctors, particularly ofj the watering-place type. ‘ If you will give me any simple directions, I shall follow them.’

Mr Hopkins raised his hat, as he had not found time to do lately (but Richard was himself again), his eyebrows also, at being expected to act the quack to a hard favored, eccentric, aging artist, but his good nature, which had served him in bad stead many a day, seemed to awaken to remorse for its evil deeds, and served him in good stead now.

CHAPTER III — Redeemed With a Price. Lauderdale told Gregory faithfully every particular, sitting on the single lobby chair in one of the bare, echoing, chill-even-in summer-time lobbies of old St. Boville’s House, while Mr Hop kins reclined, much at his ease—in one sense, if not in another—on one of the hard; couches in the great drawing room.

* What might have been expected,’ commented Gregory, bending his brows and drawing together his short-sighted eyes till his screwed-up chrome-yellow face was uncommonly like the figure head of a gurgoyle. * These weak sinners are always the fools to go at last, and make a sounding report by little life that has ever been in a splutter of fire and fury. You ain’t much hurt, Laud ?’. . ‘ No, Greg; but couldn’t you speak to his landlord not to tholest him for a few days ? Resources might cast up for t a human being, don’t you think ? Couldn’t you allow him to come here, and let him see some of the tricks of the trade, which are not secret works, since he has not- a trade of his own that he ean put his hand to ? ; You re member he showed some notions of and grouping, he ; came y with the women ana. he? dbliiiren ; and

as if he had been familiar with the earlier experiments, and good models. He may not con sent, but since I saved the man’s life as I did (and you need not try to put it out of my head), you have no idea how queer it feels to let him out again into the darkness, as he said.’ ‘ Good heavens, Laud, you are not going to adopt the man, the widow’s relict ? ’ remonstrated Gregory in the liveliest manner. * All the appropriate stories I ever read took their. riß».fram the opposite starting-point., , -T A man saves a woman frdta a.foaming torrent, a cracklingijre, ora soaring JhaHji ■aad she is grateful to him, apd. adgrfgjrim for ever afterwards, naturally. BulJ should not wpnder thgujdv there is something to be said "on the t&Hrary side of the question, particulaHywbtere such odd fish as women are concerned. I trust the old superstition rescuing drowning men was a sujwsfi tion, that’s all; and Coleridge’s “ Christabel ” a poetical figment For mercy’s sake, Laud, be reasonable' ; pause, and think what an incumbrance even a reformed rake, would be on our hands, and how we might be raising up a stick to break our own heads. There are, secret lights and shades even in the fair, ingenious face of my mistress art—God bless her—and the knave might steal them, first, and opr sitters afterwards.’

But, in the end, the iVVainwrights, poor artists as they were, played the rare part of good Samaritans, to Mr Hopkins; and some people may think it was a specid interposition,; of.'Pro vidence on their behalf, that they did not warm a serpent in their bosoths*; that the only serpents in the business were the adders slain by the slim, frail Hercules at Heathery Haugh. ’ 'The Wainwrights were sufficiently known, and sufficiently esteemed at St, BovHle’s, to be able to free Mr Hopkins tem porarily and partially from his extremity of difficulties; to countenance Mm; to offer him another chance, and a way of doing. {To he continued.) _

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, MONDAY, APRIL 4,188 L



Donald williamson is a cash PURCHASER of good clean samples of'RYE GRASS. ! 23 O. Carstens & Co., (Late Weston’s), prospect Buildings, fancy i goods, and stationery. Meerschaum Pipes, G.B.D. Pipes Nailrod, Twist, and Yamty Fair i -Ml '&i '-I A nice assortment of Accordions, Con certinas, Flutes, Mfuth Organs, » n d Toys of evefy description, direct from Home. y rj 7f }} -p, J_ Hairoutting, Shaving and Shampooing. EAST STREET ASHBURTON. I 527 a* J



Wanted. WANTED— A 'General SERVANT. Apply to Mrs George Jameson, Tancred street. 376 a WANTED— Immediately, a NORSE GIRL. References required. Apply, Office of this Paper. WANTED— An Active LAD, to sell The Ashburton Guardian on the Ash burton-Winalow Line. None but smart Boys need apply. WANTED to PURCHASE—BONES, in any quantities. Apply, Mayo and Hunt, Beach road. 130 a XTANTED—A Family’s WASHING. 'Y Apply, Office of this paper. 178* MdanniP -ST. JOHN ’ S > E - a » iViaSOlllC. ments to-morrow NIGHT, at the Somerset Hall, Tancred street. Visiting brethren are invited. 480 a WANTED TO SELL Twenty-five SECTIONS, Wakanui Road. Apply to Patching, Tent-maker, East Street. 898 WANTED KNOWN That the undersigned will sell BREAD, during the month of April, at 6d. per 41b. Loaf. THOS. TAYLOR, Ashburton Bakery. 4fißa WANTED KNOWN—That O’Connor’s four-wheeled covered WAG GONNETTE runs between Ashburton railway station and Scott’s Tinwald Hotel at intervals every day. 441 a ANTED TO SELL PIANOS. H. J. WEEKS, Teacher of Music, Tuner, &c., has for sale the following Secondhand Piano fortes : 1 full-sized Brinsmead, £45; Bord, £25; Eroadwood, £26; also, American Organ, 5 stops, £3O; 1 Church Harmonium 14 stops, £3O, a bargain. Pianofortes of any kind can be obtained on deferred pay ments. Address: Cameron street west. 86a



'ITT ANTED KNOWN. Ashburton W REGISTRY OFFICE for Male and Female Servants.—L. F. Andrewss begs to inform the public of Ashburton and surrounding districts that he has opened the above. Male and Female Servants of all classes provided. Em ployers requiring servants, and all persons with good recommendations, who are in want ot situations, are requested to apply to.L. F. Andre wes, Labor Book seller, and Stationer, East street, South. 208 a ” 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. 852 IXTANTED KNOWN—That Visiting YV Cards, plain or mourning, can be obtained printed in various styles, at the “‘Guardian” office, opposite the Rail‘“ny Station. Special Advertisements. Encourage local enter prise, & KEEP THE MONEY IN THE PLACE. WANTED —10,000 customers to Pur chase 100,000 Envelopes and upwards (jcist arrived). 1,000, 7s Cd ; 6,000, 6s 9d per 1,000, for Cash. Pianos, Harmoniums, and American Organs for sale on deferred payments, from 30s per month. H. M, JONES, Stationer and Bookseller, East street and Baring Square. 365 a



JgREAD ! BREAD ! ! BREAD !! ! A. Thiele’s BEST BREAD, First Award of Merit, Ashburton Industrial Exhibition, 6d DELIVERED CASH ON DELIVERY 470 a



W. H. SPACEMAN’S Offices are now in Canterbury Chambers, Here ford street, Christchurch, next Miles and Co., having REMOVED from Messrs Wynn, Williams, and Deacon’s. 335 a rp H E NEW ZEALAND Clothing Eactory. ASHBURTON BRANCH.



THE Buy and sell for NEW ZEALAND Cash only CLOTHING FACTORY NOTE THE' BRANCH ADDRESS— i East Streets W-SPARROW, 25ga*’ Branch Manager.



The Newest Out. —The deliverance of the jury at the trial of Irish political prisoners was the chief joke when the mail left. The foreman, addressing his Honor, said : “We are all agreed, your Honor, that ,we cannot come to any agreement



An Unwelcome “Bite.” —Angling on the West Coast is sometimes htt6nd|d by perils of a very extraordinary charac ter. According to the Kumara Tittiii/■& well-known angler, fishing in the Tere makau, drew up what he. at first supposed to be a splendid fish. He was "grievously disappointed and somewhat alarmed to find that his “ prey ” consisted of a charge of dynamite, with a long piece of fuse attached. The fuse had evidentlylbeen fired with the intention of destroying fish, but had not ignited the charge. The fisherman lost no time in throwing back his dangerous haul into the riv Cr. Holloway : s PIL7.S.— At the change. of seasons many persons feel oppressed without knowing why they are so—they arc aware something withm them.is wrong, though;they cannot detect the defected orgaht A few doses of these powerfully purifying, --ud eminently cooling Fi'fs w : ll restore regularity to .every part of the system—will cast out afi iimpSrfiifei lurk'ng in the frame, and will throioughly [ expel the last 7 traces of disorder, hoivavpr obscure its cause. With HblldWay’s metficife j be'ief is insured without risk: erroneous actiofi is rectified without disturbing natural regularity, health is re-instated, and with it return the cheerful feelings which unmistakably tell the invalid that all within is right aga'ii. _ n



Ecclesiastical. , ' r » r ' .. . :■ h Poyntz & ;Cp.;-vji HAVE FOR SALE, on advantageous and easy terms of payment, 41m following A HiaHLY-IMPROVEI) o 7( r ' Farm of 600 Acres,' Within easy distance of Ashburton. r „ Large Dwelling-house, Stable, and all necessary Outbuildings. Running Greek through the property^ MONEY for investment, on approved ecurity, in sums of £6O and at current rates ,696



Gazette in Bai&ruptcy. y. R. IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF ASHBURTON, HOLDEN AT ASHBURTON. ' la the matter of the Debtors and Creditors Act, 1876, and the Acta amending the same, and of the bankruptcy of SAMUEL QUINTON and FREDERICK RICHARD QUIN-' TON, trading together in . c<V 1 partnership as bottlers,'at Ashbdrt6ny v under the Firm of Quinton Brothers. This is to notify that the abovenamed Samuel Quinton and Frederick Richards Quinton, trading at Ashburton in co-partnership under the firm of Quinton Brothers, have this day filed a declaration of bankruptcy. The first meeting of creditors will be held at the Courthouse, Ashburton, on FRIDAY, the 1 Bth instant, at 12 o’clock noon. Dated this 4th day of April, 1881. ■. ’ W. MARTIN, $ Clerk of the. Court. ’ F. P. O’Rbiilt, V 4 Solicitor for the Debtors. 481 a) V. R. IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF ASHBURTON, HOLDEN AT' ASHBURTON. In the matter of the Debtors and Creditors Act, 1876, and the several Acts amending the same; .and the bankruptcy of JAMES SCOTT, Ashburton, Farmer, adebtor. The Creditors of the 'above-mined James Scott having failed ;to elect a i Creditors’ Trustee, I hereby ' that I have this , day appoir ted • WshUUiH i s RiCha»dßoN Botub, Of ;■ Ashburton,.;* v Certificated Accountant; in. Banjoupteyv fs as. and to be Creditors’ Tmstee Jin .itinaA bankruptcy, and : that > the .mid WiUnaoiß Richardson Boyle haa filed in the above Court h& acceptance of thesaid ofßbe.l, Dated this 4th day of April, 1881. 483 a.. Clerk of the Court.