SHIPPING.

PORT OP LYTTELTON. Arrived. Yesterday. t Alice Jane, ketch, from Akaroa. ‘Great of the Wave, schooner, fromKai* para. Olio, schooner, from Waitapu. Clematis, ketch, from Pelorua Sound. To-day. Taisroa, a.a., from Port Chalmers and Oamaro. Botomabana, e.s., from Auckland. ; Wakato, a.?., from Gore Bay. Sailed. Yesterday. . Alexander, ship, for Queenstuun or Falmouth, for orders. Linnet, ketch, for Le Bon’s Bay. SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. Auc eland, Yesterday. Arrived—Noiderhoff, from Dunedin ; Seabird, Reliance, Mary Baunatyne, from Lyttelton. Sailed—lndia, for Rose Island. Wellington, Yesterday. ArriTod—Grafton, from Nelson and the West Coast; Kiwi, from the East Coast; Jane, ketch, from Kaiapoi. Sailed—Wanaka, for Picton and Nel son ; Botomahana, for Melbourne, via the South. Dunedin, Yesterday. Arrived —Gleaner, from Greymouth ; Northern Monarch, ship, Captain Wick man, from Calcutta. Bluff, Yesterday. Arrived—Arawata, from Melbourne.

DAILY MEMORANDA.

AUCTION SALES Saturday, May 12. Mr Alfred Harrison, at the yards— Horses, Pigs, Produce, &c. ; at 12 noon. Ur T. Bullock, at the Arcade—Landed Properties, Horses, Buggies, etc.; at 12 o’clock. Ur W. B. Moss, at his Yards—Produce. MEETINGS. AMUSEMENTS, &c Wednesday, May 9. Horticultural Society—Annual Meeting, tit the Arcade Chambers. Monday, Mat 14. Borough Council, at Borough Council Chambers, at 7 o’clock. Thursday, May -22. , Tea and Public Meeting Wesleyan Church, at 6.30 p.m.

MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close at the Ashburton Post Office as follows: For Christchurch and North at 6 a.m. 10.30 a.m., and 5 p.m., daily. For Chertsey Bakaia, &c., at 10.30 a.m. sad 6 p.m. daily. . For Dunedin, Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstream, Eangitata, Orari, Winchester, snd.Geraldine, at 10 a. m. daily. For Temuka,.at 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., daily. ForTimarn and South, at 6 a.m., 10 A.m., and 4.30 p.m., daily. For Greenstreet and Ashburton Forks, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at 3.30 p.m. ; For Mount Somers, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, at 6 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. For Mayfield, on Tuesdays and Satur days, at 6 a.m. . For Ashton, Waterton and Longbeach, St 4.30 p.m. daily. ; For Remington, on Mondays, Wednes days, and Fridays, at 4.30 p.m. For Wakanui, Elgin, Seaview, Seafield, and Kyle, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at 6.30 a.m. . For Rowlands, on Tuesdays and Fri days at 10.30 a.m.

Mail« arrive at the Ashburton Post Office— . , prom Christchurch and Rakaia at 10.15 fcnL, 4.35 p.m., and 7.20 p.m. From Ohortsey, &c. at 10.15 a,m. and 4.36 p.m. daily. From Dunedin and intermediate places at K3O p.m. daily. Prom Temnka and Timaru at 10.40 a. m. 6.30 p.m., and 8 p.m. daily. ■ Brom Qreenstreet and Ashburton Porks, Wednesdays and Saturdays, at 10 in.' •Prom Mount Somers, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, at 10.5 a.m. and 8.15 p.m. . From Mayfield, on Tuesdays and Satur days, at 10.5 a.m. From Ashton, ‘ Waterton, and Long heach at 10 a. m. daily. Prom Elgin, Wakanui, Seafield, and Kyle, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sat urdays, at 4 p.m.

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS.

Advertisements for The Ashburton Guardian must be sent in not later than 3 p.m , with the number ef insertion, written plainly on the copy, otherwise they will be inserted until counter manded, and charged accordingly. Re place Advertisements must be supplied the day previous to that on which they are to be inserted. Special notices can be received up to 3.30 p.m., but will be charged double rates. All notices of Births, Marriages, or Deaths must be accompanied by the sig nature of the sender, as a guarantee of good faith. All advertisements and business letters to be addressed The Manager ; literary communications sheuld be addressed to The Editor.

BIRTH.

Segers—May 6th, at Moore street, the wife of H. C. Segers, of a son.

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1883. Our Bankruptcy Laws.

The search after a good bankruptcy law seems almost as hopeless as the search after the Philosopher’s Stone. Neither in the Mother Country nor in New Zealand is the mercantile com munity satisfied with the law as it stands. The Bankruptcy Acts in force in the two countries vary materially in their provisions ; but in either case the same complaint is made, that the law is used as a cloak for fraud, and that when once an estate gets into the Bankruptcy Court, the creditors receive but a small share of what is their due. It we cast our eyes over the experience of past years, we shall find that pre cisely the same objections were urged against former bankruptcy statutes; and that while under some Acts the debtor found his path through the Court made easier than it was under others, in no case have the creditors, as a body, admitted that justice was done to them. Hence we do not feel any lively hope that if the Bankruptcy Bill which we are promised for next ses sion passes through the ordeal of the General Assembly and becomes law, if will produce such a change in bank ruptcy proceedings as will afford com plete satisfaction to all classes, and render debtor and creditor alike satis fied. The fact is, people do not like to lose their money. The feeling is a very natural one ; but it obviously stands in the way of making things pleasant to all parties. When a trades man gets half-a-crown in the pound in stead of twenty shillings, or perhaps no dividend at all, which is quite a com mon occurrence in this colony, he is prone to think himself hardly dealt with, and to blame everybody con cerned in the administration of the estate, the Court, and the law gener ally. The debtor is characterised as a swindler, and possibly a lawyer’s advice is taken as to a criminal prosecution, when some unpalateable knowledge of the peculiarities of the law relating to fraudulent bankruptcy is usually ob tained. Were the luckless creditor, indeed, in a fit state to review the whole matter calmly, he might be able to perceive that while the bankruptcy law is far from perfect, and much too lenient to the spendthrift and dishonest debtor, yet its defects are intensely aggravated by the reckless credit system, arising from over-competition in business, which too often leads the trader to sell and the purchaser to buy goods on credit, which the former ought never to sell to the latter except for cash. Every new-comer to New Zealand is struck with the facility with which credit is given to all and sundry. Men who apparently have not a five pound note to bless themselves with go into a store and order pounds’ worth of goods at a time, giving to the storekeeper, with the utmost sangfroid, a direction to “ chalk them up,” and the storekeeper “ chalks them up,” as a matter of course; for he knows full well that if he were to refuse the ordinary credit, some rival storekeeper would be found to be more accommo dating. In due season the gentleman who has had his goods “ chalked up ” in a variety of stores files his schedule, in which the word “ nil ” appears be neath “assets,” or possibly he may admit the ownership of £lO worth of furni ture : the tradesmen lose their money, and the business of “ chalking up ” begins afresh, with the Bankruptcy Court again as its termination. The system is injurious and demoralising to the last degree. It is mischievous to the tradesman, because being compelled to give such extensive credit, he requires to invest a proportionately large amount of capital in his business, while he is constantly making losses, sometimes of a serious nature. To pay interest on the undue amount of capital so locked up, and to compensate for his losses, he is compelled to raise his prices, especially to those of his customers who require long credit j while, after all, his business rests upon an unstable foundation, and he may, at the close of a bad season, find himself involved in ruin, through no want of business capacity on his part, but simply because he is a victim to a bad system of trading, which singly he is powerless to resist, although he may altogether dis approve of it. We venture to say there is not a tradesman in Ashburton who would not prefer the “ small profits and quick returns ” of a cash business to

the apparently larger, but very uncer tain, gains of the system of lavish credit which prevails here as well as in other parts of New Zealand. • While cus tomers are thus forced to pay dearer for their goods than would be the case under a more wholesome system, it has an obvious tendency to confuse people’s ideas of right and wrong when they fall into the practice of incurring debts on the mere chance of something turn ing up in the shape of ways and means to pay them. Extravagance of living arises, and when the portals of the Bankruptcy Court appear in sight the Court is apt to be viewed as a haven of refuge rather than as a place to be avoided. It is not so long ago since bankruptcy was looked upon as a dis grace : a man who was unfortunate enough to figure in the Gazette had little chance of ever establishing him self in business again. That useful sensitiveness is rapidly passing away; there are many persons in the colony who have become bankrupt two or three times without apparently suffering more than temporary inconvenience in their business relations; and year by year the feeling seems to be growing that no man need be ashamed of becoming a bankrupt. We freely admit that, from the manner in which business is con ducted now-a-days, a man may find himself insolvent through no fault of his own, and it is necessary to be cautious before condemning anyone because he has sought shelter in the Bankruptcy Court; still we cannot but regard it as a vicious state of feeling which leads men to view lightly the obligation of paying their just debts, and, without compunction, to ask a Court of Law to release them from the liability to do so. We may amend and improve our bankruptcy law ; we may protect the honest debtor and provide more effective machinery for punishing the dishonest; we may secure, or do our best to secure, economy in the administration of estates, but until the reckless credit system now prevalent in the colony is abolished and trade con ducted on a sounder basis, we shall always find the Bankruptcy Court a gigantic sore on the body politic.

The Auckland Education Board has re solved to pay the expenses of country members.

Up to the present time forty-one ohi 1 - dren have been boarded out from the Dunedin Industrial School. These are all under six years of age. “Captain” Ted Wright, of the Salva tion Army, is about to leave Auckland for Christchurch to open one of the theatres there for services.

It is stated that an official inquiry is about to be held into the circumstances connected with the burning of the Waihengo Hotel about two months ago. Facts which have transpired are said to bo of a suspicious nature. The repairs to the Ashburton bridge are being pushed forward, and at present the men are engaged in re-planking certain portions of the decking. This prevents dray traffic passing over, and it is notified that at nights the bridge will be entirely closed until the 12tb inst. The Governor left Auckland for the Waikato yesterday, accompanied by the Hon. Thomas Bussell. He first visits Taupiri and Woodlands, the Waikato Land Association Station, then Hamilton and Te Awamutu, and possibly Cam bridge. The visit will extend to Friday. Shortly after midnight on Saturday, whilst a number of men belonging to the various ships in Dunedin harbor were pro ceeding down the export pier, John Abbott fell overboard. The police hear ing the cries proceeded to the spot, and alter some difficulty Constable Fleming rescued]Abbott, who commenced an assault on the constable, for which Abbott was fined at the Police Court yesterday morn ing.

The New Zealand Shipping Company has been advised of the arrival of the British King at Rio Jauiero on May 2, all well The frozen meat was in fine order. The company has chartered the Cunard steamer Catalonia, of 4,851 tons, 4,0C0 horse-power, to sail this month, fol lowing the lonic. She is 430 feet long, 43 feet beam, and was built on the Clyde in 1881. She is of great speed. The saloon accommodation of the British Queen is being rapidly taken up, several through passengers from Sydney going by her. Anumber of berths by the lonic are already taken. George W. Minter, who was charged at the last criminal session of the Supreme Court at Dunedin with embezzling funds of the New Zealand Insurance Company, his employers, and was acquitted, was brought up at the Dunedin Police Court yesterday morning on some fresh charges. It was stated by the prosecution that since his former trial Minter has been given every opportunity of explaining the irre regularities appearing in his books, but he had not attempted to do so, and the com pany therefore felt compelled to proceed further in the matter. The accused was committed for trial.

Writer a London correspondent:—The criminal libel action which Lord Lonsdale is bringing against Mr Yates of the World tor hinting that he had run away from his wife with the daughter of a popular peer will, people think, end rather seriously. No names were men tioned in the paragraph, but at the pre liminary proceedings the Judges showed they considered that his lordship was sufficiently clearly indicated The person who sent the item to the World is a lady of title well known in society, and as Mr Yates has in a most cowardly manner given up her name, she will certainly bo called at the trial. Lord Lonsdale, it is understood, would prefer accepting an apology to the esclandre of public pro ceedings, but the father of the lady implicated declines every description of compromise.

Sir Arthur Gordon is not the onl> un popular Governor. The Whitehall lleview says :—“ The year of grace 1832, will henceforth be known as a jubilee year in the British colony of Hongkong, because towards its close an announcement was issued that Sir John Pope Hennessy was to be removed from what we hold to be his misgovernment of that colony, and given an opportunity of rightly governing Mauritius. It was n->t thought likely— despite all assurance to the contrary— that Sir John Pope Hennessy would re turn to Hongkong to take leave of the colonists. Had he done so, he would only —such is the disfavor in which he is held out there —have had the chance of shaking hands with himself, and his hench man, Mr Tonnochy, who has “ acted ” in every official capacity in which it was possible for him to act. Whether Sir John will in future try to hand back Mauritius to the French, as he has tried to hand back Hongkong to the Chinese, remains to be seen. But it is clear that there must have been some very wicked fathers in Mauritius three or four genera tions ago, that their sins, by this new appointment should be visited on the children. Sir John Pope Hennessy has not been a colonial success. As a Governor he has been a failure. He was a hapless failure at Labuan, a helpless failure at Bahama, and a hopeless failure at Hong kong-

The Ashburton Debating Society held a meeting in their room in the Arcade Chambers last evening, whan the Presi dent, Mr C. Hogg, gave his opening ad dress, which was listened to with interest, and was afterwards criticised by several of the members present. There was a good attendance, and there is reason for believing that this session of the Society will be a successful one.

The Directors of the Woollen Factory desire it to be known that as the building is now completed, money is wanted to liquidate the debt in connection with the contract. It will be necessary, therefore, that calls for shares in arrears should be paid off forthwith, as otherwise the Directors will be compelled to take legal proceedings to enforce payment. The Nelson Colonist says: —It appears that the Canterbury m’.' u erß, Minis terialists as well as those of the Op position, are joining together on the question of the West Coast railway. A resolution in which these members con cur has been passed, affirming in effect, that the vote for the extension of the Main Trunk railway to this part of the colony should be perverted from its pur pose ; that the northern portien of the colony is to be left without public work# or railways to develop its resources, and that the trade of the interior of the coun try, and a portion of the West Coast shall be diverted to Christchurch by the con struction of a line the expense of which is to be borne by those it injures equally with thoso who are to derive an advantage from its completion. Our worst predictions of an unholy alliance for objects of greed following the passing of the wretched Representation Act are likely to be verified. Might is pitted against Right, and thero is danger that it may prevail. The Government are show ing a disinclination to proceed with the works in the Nelson district, and Major Atkinson has been bidding amongst the larger towns of the south, and it seems that he has been successful. At the pre sent time Nelson is powerless to thwart the attempts to rob her of her birthright, but it is devoutly to be desired that an opportunity may arise, and that speedily, for turning the tables on her despoilers. Our Alford Forest correspondent writes, under date of Saturday :—“I hear from all sources that since 1868, no such flood as that which has just taken place has been experienced in onr district. The rain began to fall on Saturday last, at 9 a.m., and came down in torrents, without any intermission, for five days. Taylor’s stream and Boyer’s stream soon over flowed the low-lying land, causing much damage to fences and roads. For two days the weather cleared, gradually giving us hope of our having a chance of ascer taining the extent of the damage done, and of drying our clothes ; but on Friday evening the rain began again, and there is no sign at present of it clearing up. The land being so thoroughly soaked, wa can expect nothing but another heavy flood if the weather do not clear soon. The bridge which connects Springburn and Alford Forest has suffered, two or three of the piles having been damaged and their packing washed away, and all traffic over it is suspended. The trains have been stopped between Methven and Rakua, the mails having to be carried by coach. The farmers in our district are much to be pitied, as so much grain was already threshed and bagged, and on the ground ready to be carted away. The stacks not yet threshed must also have suffered much, and as for the straw, little indeed will be left of good quality for cutting into chaff. The soaking rain will no donbt make sad havoc among the root crops. It is true that most of our land having a good fall, should the rain cease it would dry quickly, but where the land is flat and there is no fall I fear the root crops will suffer much. The prospects of a plentiful harvest were so good, and our farmers looked a few months back so hope ful, that it is disheartening for them to realise the wreck of their hopes, and I fear that in many instances 12 months’ hard work will give very little return.”

Holloway’s Pills. —The sudden changes, frequent fogs, and pervading dampness sorely impede the vital functions and conduce to ill health. The remedy for these disasters liss in some purifying medicine, like these Pills, which is competent to grapple with the mis chief at its source, and stamp it out without fretting the nerves or weakening the systeml Holloway’s Pills extract from the blood al, noxious matters, regulate the action of every disordered organ, stimulate the liver and kidneys, and relax the bowels. In curing chest complaints these Pills are remarkable effective, especially when aided by friction of the Ointment on its walls. This double treat ment will ensure a certain, steady, and bene ficent progress, and sound health will soon be re-established. —Ad vt.

FATAL ACCIDENT.

When this morning’s train from Timaru was .about a mile and a-half north of the Hinds station, an accident occurred which resulted fatally to the fireman. From what we have been able to gather it appears that at the spot indicated the couplings which unite the tender with the engine broke, and the unfortunate man, who was en gaged in firing at the time, tell through, the carriages passing over the body. It is stated that the engine went off the line, but the system which prevails in the railway department prevents us obtaining any definite information on that point. News of the accident was telegraphed to Ashburton, and Con stable Smart was immediately dispatched to the scene, on board an engine which brought the train here and took it on to Christchurch. Cn the arrival of the train at Ashburton at 1.15, the body was conveyed to Quill’s Hotel, where an inquest will be held to-morrow. To all appearances, death must have been instantaneous, the neck being broken, and one of the arms, and one of the feet being cut off, while the body is otherwise mangled. The de ceased was evidently a man of about twenty-five years of age, ; his name is Samuel Chesson ; and, we believe, he belongs to Timaru. It was reported that Bowles,hhe engine driver, was also injured, but, this proved to be incor rect. He was left at the Hinds station, and came on soon after.

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbourne, May 2,

The Harbor Trust has decided to float a loan of a quarter of a million at five per cent, in London. Mr Ford, the secre tary, goes Home to give all information, and to superintend the arrangements The case against Elizabeth Taylor and Jeanne Monichon for unlawful practice in procuring abortion was tried on Thurs day. The jury ware again unable to agree, and the prisoners were remanded till next session.

At an examination in the insolvency case of Henry Winter, well-known in New Zealand, as the great Indian corn doctor, insolvent, stated that when he commenced business in Prahran last year as store keeper he had L 2,000 in cash and diamonds. During seven months he lost L 4,000. He could neither read nor write and kept no books showing his receipts and disbursements. In February he sold a quantity of goods at auction at Bathurst, which he had not paid for. The creditors’ opinion was that the case was of an unsatisfactory nature. Another case of insolvency is exciting a good deal of comment. William Ernest

Petty borrowed money from Aaron Wax man and others on the security of money receivable under his father’s will on attaining the age of 25. Waxman ad vanced L 4,000 at 25 per cent, interest; if not paid quarterly, compound interest to be charged. A clause was inserted in the deed preventing the repayment of principal until the borrower came into the property. Waxman also caused Petty to insure his life. An Argus article states that Waxman is unfit to continue to hold the Commission of the Peace.

The Murray wine-growers have pre sented Dr L. L. Smith with a model champagne bottle of gold and a diamond cork in recognition of his services to wine culture in Australia.

A serious accident happened on Friday Two men under the influence of liquor started to walk on the railway line be tween Sandridge and Melbourne. While crossing the Falls bridge a train came by and struck them into the water. Freder ick Turner swam ashore, and was found and taken to the Hospital. His com panion is missing, and the police are searching for his body.

Mr Redmond continues hia lecturing tour through New South Wales, and finds difficulty in securing the use of halls for meetings, which are generally orderly.

Great interest was taken in the boat race at Sydney on Saturday. The victory of the Melbourne crew was cordially ac knowledged, and the utmost good feeling prevailed. The Melbourne Hospital Committee, being desirous to remove the building, asked the Government for a grant of a reserve; but no suitable sites are avail able. The present building is saturated with erysipelas, and its removal is very desirable.

The Sydney Chamber of Commerce on Monday snggested that in view of the Postal Conference, renewed application should be made to obtain cheaper rates for intercolonial and foreign telegrams.

EUROPEAN ITEMS.

Loktdon, April 23.

The forces of Mahdi, the Falls Pro phet, recently attacked one of the cities of the Soudan, but they were successfully repulsed by the Egyptian troops which, however, were compelled to retire to ob tain fresh supplies, and are now making active preparations for a renewal of the contest with Mahdi. It is rumored that Mr Forster will suc ceed the Marquis of Lome as Governor- General of Canada. The Irish National Convention held its first sitting yesterday at New York. Looney was elected President, and in the course of his opening address upheld the action which the Irish had taken all through the agitation, and refrained from saying a word which might be considered a condemnation of dynamite outrages. The excitement attending upon proceed ings of Convention has led the United Government to take action regard ing the matter. A Cabinet meeting was held yesterday in Washington to consider the subject, and a discussion took place as to the beat means of suppressing the Fenian head centres, and of preventing the leaders of the party from stimulating their agents to farther dynamite outrages. Representatives from Canadian land companies have waited upon the Dominion Government and proposed that Parlia ment shall vote the sum of one million dollars for immigration purposes, and en able 10,000 persons to 'settle upon the land.

Earl Dufferin haa found it necessary to draw the attention of the Turkish au thorities to the disgraceful manner in which Armenia is being governed at the present time. It is reported that Sir John Macdonald, Premier of Canada, has been accused of having committed perjury. It has been ascertained that Guy, the clerk in the Telegraph Department, who asserted that he had been kidnapped by Fenians and kept in confinement for several days, is suffering from mental aberration, the result of injuries he re ceived to his head about Easter last.

The Czar has definitely reaolvedj to abandon all idea of coronation.

Considerable excitement prevails in London over the proposed duplication of the Suez Canal, the necessity for which was recently urged by a deputation of merchants upon Earl Granville. A secret meeting of the promoters of the dynamite policy has been held in New York. O’Donovan Rossa, who was pre sent, announced that ho still had an un shaken belief in the value of dynamite as an agent for obtaining their demands, and that he was prepared to continue its use until those demands have been conceded. The German Government has entered a protest against the manner in which the Porte is carrying on the administranon of Armenia, and strongly advises the Sultan to introduce a number of necessary re forms.

It is reported that a crisis in Egypt is imminent, the Khedive having refused to accept the reforms proposed by Lord Duf ferin.

The affairs of Egypt, it is said, are in a highly unsettled state, and British troops are constantly kept on patrol. A number of Arabs recently attempted to destroy a Greek Church, and a serious conflict fol lowed in the course of which several Greeks wore killed. The British troops eventually came upon the scene and put an end to the disturbance.

PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFF.

Prince Gortschakoff died in the house of his mistress, a lady whose acquaint ance he made at the time of the Berlin Conference, at Baden-Baden, on Sun day, March ir. He had attained the age of eighty-five, and the immedi ate cause of his dea.th is said to have been the old disease—gout. For some years he had been an illustrious super numerary on the stage of European politics. His mission was accomplished more than a decade ago, and he had neither sympathy with, nor insight into, the new era which then began. Kau nitz, Talleyrand, and Metternich were his diplomatic teachers. The first in dependent office in diplomacy which he held was that of Minister at the Court of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He had formerly served as Attache to the Russian Embassy in London. During the greater portion of the Crimean War he was Ambassador at Vienna. It was then he discovered that his idea of an enterprise against Turkey, supported as Turkey was by France and Great Britain, was impossible. The attitude of Austria convinced him at the close of the war that Russia would commit a grievous mistake, and would provoke a severer reverse if she were not to agree to the terms of the Peace of Paris, and it was owing to his repre sentations that the Russian Govern ment were induced finally to accept the famous “ four points.” In 1856 he succeeded Nesselrode at the St. Petersburg Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and on the occasion of assuming his new office he issued a circular which showed how thoroughly he understood the temper of Russian officialism, and which im mensely strengthened his own au thority, and was extremely gratifying to Russian pride. Gortschakoff indeed embodied Russian aspirations as com

pletely as did Thiers those of France. He was a typical representative of the old school of Muscovite Conservatism, hostile to reform of any kind. He made the acquaintance of Prince | Bis marck at Frankfort thirty years ago, and conceived for him the highest ad miration. But, instead of using Bis marck, he was consistently used by him. He declined, though pressed, to interfere in the interests either of Austria or Den mark, and he negatived the proposals, both of Count Beust and of Lord Gran ville, foran understanding between Great Britain and Russia which might afford, a basis for an appeal to Germany during the war with France. To a certain ex tent Prince Gortschakoff reaped the re wards of his services to Germany in the permission accorded him by Prussia to tear up the Black Sea Clauses of the Treaty of Paris, But when after this he endeavored to assert himself as the arbiter of war and peace in Europe he found that he had been checkmated by Bismarck, and that the Austro-German alliance was a fatal check upon Rus sian ambition. Then followed the war between Russia and Turkey, and hence forth the German Chancellor was master of the situation.

AN ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Nature gives, on the authority of Dt Oscar Dickson, the following particulars of the programme of Nordenskj old’s pro posed expedition The expedition will leave Sweden early in May next, in all probability in the Government steamer Sophia, and if the state of the ice is favorable to a landing on the east coast this will be effected ; but as this is not ex pected to be the case until later in the season, Baron Nordenskjold will proceed to the west coast, not for geographical discovery, but to study the appearance and extent of the inland ice on this side before attempting to penetrate from the eastern side. There are also known to. exist on the west coast some very large blocks of ironstone, perhaps of meteoric origin, which a party of the expedition will be despatched to examine. When these researches are finished and the state of the ice more favorable, the vessel will make her way from Cape Farewell along the eastern shore in the open channel, which is generally found between the coast and the drift ice. With regard to the “break” or oasis, be lieved by Baron Nordenskjold to exist in the interior of Greenland, to which we have previously referred, the ex plorer has been led to this conviction during his wanderings on the inland ice on a former occasion. He maintains that not only the constant advance of the ica maas, but the fact that the country does not rise continually in the interior, show that the whole land is not covered with perpetual suow and ice ; and this theory, he states, has been further corroborated by the studies made by him and others of the temperature and moisture of the air on the inland ice. The expedition, which will be accompanied by, a complete scientific staff, will also aim at studying the conditions of the drift-ice between Iceland and Gape Farewell, the fossil re mains in Greenland, as well as the appear ance and quantity of the cosmic dust there. One object will also be, if pos sible, to recover traces of the former Norse settlement. It is expected that the party will return in September next. Wa understand that the reason why Baron Nordenskjold has not issued any official programme concerning his expedition is that, being occupied with preparations for his journey and public duties, he would not be able to enter into any critical con troversies as to his plans and theory.

AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY.

Mr Archibald R. Colquhoun, C.E., lectured recently at the Edinburgh Literary Institute on his recent adven turous journey, made in company with the late Mr C. Wahab, from Canton, by the Sikiang river, and Yunnam to Bhamo, on the Irrawaddy. The country to the north of Siam, he said, he had discovered to be a wonderful mine of interest; and that both geo-, graphically and ethnologically this was one of the parts of the world which re mained untouched and unknown. He had, therefore, a longing to explore it. The main objects he had in view when he started on his journey were to test the present condition of the Shan States, and Yunnan, and the prospects of future trade extension there. In sail ing up the Sikiang he was struck with three things—the large amount of piracy on the river; the number of ruined cities, denoting a vast affluence and prosperity, which was destroyed by the great Mahommedan revolt; and the unfriendliness of the people to strangers. Both the provinces of Kwangtun and Kwangsi are very poor. As to the province ct Yunnan, it had been tra versed by Europeans, but little really was known of it. It was of large size, being larger than Great Britain. In Yunnan tney were received with a great amount of kindness and hospitality by the people. They had, however, not a few difficulties to contend with on the march —chiefly caused by the defection of servants and interpreters, and how they finally struck work at Su-Mao, and refused to proceed further south ward, was briefly narrated. This cir cumstance made the travellers strike northward lor Talis on the old travelled route, instead *f finding -their way to Burmah through Shan territory. What struck him in travelling through Yun nan was the great difference between the south and the north. Hitherto Yunnan had been depicted to the European world as a wild, barren and thinly-populated country, offering few : inducements to trader or traveller. But such a description did the south t an in justice. The valleys and plains, and also the plateau part, were most fertile, covered with luxuriant crops. The val leys and plains were studded with in numerable villages, and having large cities with good houses and hostelrys, and the people were kind, civilised, and friendly. In the north the climate was inclement, in the south the reverse was the case —the climate being probably one of the most charming in the world. Every where in this region the poppy was grown for the manufacture of opium— about one-third of the whole land being devoted to its cultivation. In the large towns there was a considerable Ma hommedan element; in the country the inhabitants were all aboriginal hillmen, non-Mahommedan, and non-Chines& Mr Colquhoun acknowledged the great kindness they received from several missionaries, particularly at Tali and Bhamo, without which they should have been badly off indeed. In all, the travellers had a journey of 2,000 miles, 1,300 of which were through un known country. A very interesting series of photographs and sketches were shown by the oxy-hydrogen light, which included views of Chinese tern*

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, TUESDAY. MAY 8, 1888.



TRAVELLERS’ GUIDE. Jbums Leave Ashburton fob Christ church and intermediate stations at 7.10 a.m., 10.55 a.m., and (Express) 5.39 p.m. Trains Leave Ashburton fob Timaru and South, at 6.50 a.m., 10.25 a.ra. (Express), and 4.46 p. m. —the latter pro ceeding no farther than Timaru. Trains Arrive at Ashburton from Christchurch at 10 20 a.m. (Express), 4.35p.m., and 7.20 p.m. Trains Arrive at Ashburton from Tdcabu and South at 10.45 a.m., 5.2 S p.m. (Express), and 8 p.m.



BRIGHT MILLING Gats, ... IN . AN Y QUANTITY. ALBERT ROBERTS, 763 West street. TATIONERY of eyery de scription. ‘Account Books Ink—horn small to largest jars School Books—School Committees sup plied at lowest rates Latest Novelties in all kinds of Fancy Goods, Toys, &c. All the Home Journals, Magazines, and Papers by every mail. Subscribers wanted for any Magazine or Paper published. Andrewes Bros., BOOKSELLERS, STATIONERS, &c., East street Sooth. Ashburton. n!5 "P YOU WANT GOOD AND STRONG FURNITURE, GO TO DAVIS'S CHEAP, FURNITURE AND BED DING MANUFACTORY, Cast STREET SOUTH, ASHBURTON. B VERY .article Bold at Christchurch Prices and guaranteed bes. of Hatexial and workmanship. F XT N EKALS aaaumt & completely rcxmsHßD



Wanted WANTED— A good general SER VANT. Apply, Office of this Paper. 1024 WANTED, at once, a good HOUSE MAID ; also, good COOK. Apply at once to Butler’s Family Hotel. 1032 WANTED, Contract HANDS for Hedge-trimming, Fencing, Drain ing and Rush-cutting; also, a good Fencing Hand accustomed to timber work. —Apply to B. H. DOBSON, 938 Manager Lowcliffe Estate. WANTED KNOWN— Hates and Co. hare a lot of EMPTY CASES for sale. Arcade Shops. aul2 ANTED KNOWN-A NIGHT SCHOOL will open at Tinwald, Particulars on application to W. G, Wallace, schoolmaster. 1031 ANTED KNOWN—NEALAS and CO! have given up business, and are Selling Off Stock at HALF PRICE for a few days. 1035 'fTT’ANTED KNOWN—That Robert y f Elston, Burnett street, Ashbur ton, having procured the newest appara tus, is prepared te Sweep Chimneys at very low rates. Any orders left at the Town Hall will receive prempt attention. Terms cash. 760 c ANTED KNOWN. That BONEDUST, specially prepared for drilling with carrots, mangolds, etc., can be obtained from the undersigned. F. MAYO, Hampstead Bone Mills. WANTED KNOWN—J. C. Duncan Agent, East street, Ashburton, begs to inform everybody that he is now a Licensed Broker under the Land Transfer Act, and is prepared to com plete transfers, execute mortgages, etc., at schedule rates, and with every possible despatch. INVESTED. 285 LOANS NEGOTIATED.



TX7ANTED »»tionoi STED KNOWN—Every descrip tion of Plain and Fancy Pointing executed on the shortest notice, at the Ouardian Office, next Matson, Cox, and Co.’s, West street Special Advertisements. Money ! Money! ! The equitable investment COMPANY OF NEW ZEALAND, limited, are prepared, through their agent, J. C. Dunoan, Bast street, to LEND MONEY on Ashburton approved free hold or leasehold property, repayable by either monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly instalments, or for a fixed period. The Company are also open to DIS COUNT BILLS, 883 J. 0. DUNCAN, Agent, East street.



H. M. Jones’ COUNT BOOKS. NEW VOLUMES— Boys’ Own Annual Girls’ Own Annual Chatterbox Child’s Companion Infants’ Magazine, &c., &c. POETS— VARIOUS Authors ; Sir Walter Scott’s Works, new edition, complete. TOYS ! TOYS !! TOYS !!! GREAT VARIETY—in Wood, Tin, China, GOOD BUSINESS Envelopes. SIX SHILLINGS PER THOUSAND CASH. A Bargain. Good Second-hand PIANETTS, £2 0. FANCY GOODS ! FANCY GOODS ! A NICE SELECTION of the above now in stock. ALL the above Goods are offered at the LOWEST Possible Prices for CASH. A LIBERAL DISCOUNT allowed to schools on parcels of Toys, Books, etc. , SECOND-HAND Pianos. In good order, £ls, £2O, £ 22 10s, 25. H. M. JONES, BURNETT ST. & BARING SQUARE. 13d



n peoial notice. TO THE INHABITANTS OF ASH BURTON AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS. GL R. West and Co., MUSIC AND PIANOFORTE WAREHOUSEMEN, Peincis street, Dunedin Have great pleasure in announcing that it is their intention to cater for the Music loving population of Ashburton in such a manner as has never before been at tempted. Messrs G. R. West & Co. are the Largest Direct Importers of FIANOS, ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, BRASS, WIND, AND STRINGED INSTRUMENTS In the-Colony, and a large and varied stock of the above can always be found. Mr G. R. West, being at present in England, is shipping direct to Dunedin all the latest novelties in MUSIC ! MUSIC ! ! MUSIC !! ! And the firm respectfully solicit a call from their friends, teachers, and the public in general to inspect their magnifi cent stock of Music, personally selected. d!4



Roberts, Paxton & Co. CHRISTCHURCH, CASH PURCHASERS OF WHEAT BEANS BARLEY PEaS OATS COCKSFOOT AND RYE GRASS SEED. They supply farmers with the best quality LARGE CORNSACKS, at the Lowest Market Rates, AND WILL MAKE LIBERAL CASH ADVANCES against grain placed in their hands for shipment to London or elsewhere. ROBERTS, PAXTON & CO., 13T, Manchester street, Christchurch Or their Agent,— ALBERT ROBERTS, 278 _ Ashburton.



Special Advertisements. THE NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory HAY HI spared no effort to place before the public a MOST COMPLETE ASSORTMENT OF NEW WINTER MANUFACTURES Comprising all the latest styles in MEN’S & BOY’S CLOTHING Manufactured from the best qualities and newest Designs in COLONIAL, SCOTCH, BRITISH, AND CONTINENTAL TWEEDS. The large and increased trade has en abled the Proprietary to offer their cus tomers still further advantages than hitherto, and THIS SEASON’S GOODS, upon inspection, will be found CHEAPER THAN EVER.



A SINGLE GARMENT AT WHOLESALE PRICE. SHIRTS, HATS, HOSIERY, and every requisite at Wholesale Prices. Nineteen Branches now open in New Zealand. Agents for the Unrivalled wertheim SEWING MACHINESS Ashburton Branch : EAST STREET. AND TOWNSHEND ARE CASH BUYERS OF WHEAT OATS B\RLEY GRASS SEED Agents for A. Moore & Co, ROBINSON AND TOWNSHEND, Havelock street. 229 IVTATIONAL MORTGAGE AND AGENCY COMPANY OF NEW ZEALAND (LIMITED). TO FARMERS AND OTHERS. We are prepared to receive Wheat, Oats, Barley, Beans, Peas, Bye Grass, Cocksfoot, and Dairy Produce for ship ment to London, Continental, and Aus tralian markets, or for disposal in local markets, and where required will make Liberal Advances against same. Farmers and others who favor us with their business may depend upon the utmost care and attention being exercised in handling their produce, and also upon receiving prompt returns. In all the Aus stralian Colonies we have made special and complete arrangements for the disposal of Grain and Produce generally, and wo shall be glad to furnish full information to any of our friends who think of trying those markets. Freights to the United King dom have been arranged by us on favor able terms, and shippers will receive full benefits of the lowest ruling rates of freight. We have made large additions to our Commodious Stores at Addington, where we are prepared to receive Grain, etc., on Storage at lowest current rates, making Liberal Advances if necessary. Cornsaoks, large size (48 by 26), full weights, supplied, on application, at cur rent prices. Full information obtainable at our offices, 214, Cashel street, Christchurch. 269 GEORGE KING, Manager.



gPORTING. I have just received my season’s" stock of (runs of every description, and respectfully invite an inspection. Double Breech-loaders from L 5 ss. Double and Single Muzzle-loaders at all prices. Decoy Ducks. Duck Calls. Game Bags. Cartridge Belts and Bags. Field Glasses. Loading Machines, etc., etc. New Season’s POWDER, Curtis and Harvey’s, and Pigou, Wilkes and Lawrence’s—very best quality. Newcastle Chilled Shot, all sizes. Cartridges, Cartridge Cases, Wads. And every shooting requisite. Being the largest importer of Guns and and Ammunition in New Zealand, and every Gun being made to my own order, intending purchasers cannot do better than communicate with me. THOS. G. ROWLEY, 630 . Gunsmith, Timaru.



A N D FOR SALK The UNDERSIGNED have received instructions from the Owner to SELL BY PRIVATE TREATY, All that COMPACT BLOCK OF LAND on the Acton Station ESTATE, SOUTH RAKAIA, Being SECTIONS 31757, 31758, and 31759, Containing 1099 acres. The block has been SPECIALLY SELECTED by the Proprietor, and ia thoroughly adapted for farming purposes, the adjoin ing sections having this season grown some of the HEAVIEST CROPS ON THE PLAINS. Only a small instalment on the pur chase is required to be paid, the balance to remain on mortgage at 6£ per cent, for a term of years as may be agreed on. We have also FOR SALE an Improved Farm Containing 1026 ACRES. Situated close to Ealing Rilway Station, and well watered. For further particulars apply to THE NEW ZEALAND GRAIN AGENCY AND MERCANTILE COM PANY, LIMITED. Christchurch or Ashburton. 12au ATEW WORK “THE ROYAL i>| PATH OF LIFE; or, Aims and Aids to Success and Happiness,’' illus trated with Steel Engravings, ia differ ent bindings. Also, a beautiful selection of EASTER CARDS. Andrbwes Bros., Booksellers and Stationers, East street South, Ashburton. 77 MR LAURENCE OXLEY has been 1 Appointed Agent for the Ashbur- , ton Guardian at South Bakaia. ]



Corn Sacks, lowest market rates. Special Aevertisemeats. J AM A CASH PUR CHASER, AT HIGHEST MARKET RATES, of WHEAT OATS GRASS SEED BARLEY Farmers wishing to SH LP ON THEIR OWN AC COUNT can get information as to Cost, Freight, etc., by applying to JOSEPH CLARK, 267 Ashburton & Tinwald. Corn Sacks, lowest market rates.