SHIPPING.

PORT OP LYTTELTON. Arrived. Yesterday Takapnna, u.s., from Manukau and way b.b., from Sydney and Wel lington. Waihora, s.s., from Melbourne v;a aoßtfwwportn^-f-H 7 ?''/*-;-.:: :T;V Marmion, schooner* from Kaiprra to Timaru; put in wind bound. - Pfinno Alfred, barquentine, from Felo mSound. Sailed. Yesterday. Oroydon Lass, Bchooner, for Poxton. Grafton, 8.8., for Wellington and West Coast ports. , Wakatipn, s. b. , for Port Chalmers. Waihora, s.s., for. Sydney, via Auck land and way ports. . Taktpunsi b.#., for Manukau and way PRfte- . ' ' ' SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. Auckland, Yesterday. Attived —Alcestis, from Noumea. Wellington, Yesterday. Arrived—-Hawea, from the South j Wa* kitti, from Kaikoura and Lyttelton ; Wal laeo, from Nelson ; Kentish Lass, barque, loin Hokianga. . Sailed—Ha wea, for the North; Taiaroa, for the South ; Wallace, for Nelson ; Wa kata, for Kaikoura and Lyttelton. V DtrNKMN, Yesterday. ; Arrived Omapere, from the West Coast ; Hugh Ewina, from Port McKay. Tbi% vessel brings the first direct cargo of aunV'&bfh Queensland. Star of the South, for Grey modth; Tarawera, for Melbourne via the Bluff.

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian Office, Friday afternoon. Messrs Miles and Co. report upon the live Btftck market for the week ending I2th De cember as follows Addington—We have again to record a very light entry of fat sheep at this market on Wednesday last, which was no doubt greatly owing to the fact that stock owners are compelled to make the best use of ihe very little fine weather we are experiencing. Shearing has been both protracted and hue, and in addition to this the bay harvest has now commenced, and fanners will, have their hands fhll for a time. The attendance at the yards was anything but good, and notwithstanding the em «ti quantity under offer (following the short supply of last week) Jprices showed but little improvement. We quote mutton at from 2%d foro per lb; Fat cattle—A fair quantity on hflfc; recent prices were, however, not main tained. One or two specially good lines were notably a draft from the Messrs May Brothers* Pigeon Bay estate, which were a splendid line. We quote beef at from ißs to ais, according to, quality. Fat Lambs—A large quantity was penned, the quality being ,-uneveni Recent : prices were fairly maintained, ranging from 6s to 13s 3d, 'Tatter price was obtained for ii‘ consignment f: from Mr James Holmes, Riccartori. Pig?—A very small number yarded. Competition good, and prices fully up to recent quotations. Store Sheep—A small number comparatively came to hand, but such as were submitted realised prices which must have been extremely satisfactory to vendors. For shorn 'crossbred ewes tip to 14s 6d, and wethers 15s, Was obtained without difficulty, and for cross bred hoggetts, for which class of stock there is now considerable enquiry, we sold up to 14s 3d, the highest price for the season. Store Cattle—A large entry, with a decidedly good enquiry, the presence of a large buyer from the rSptith causing a decided improvement in prices, theiulkof the two and three-year-old steers falling to his bid. Our entries were on account of the Chatmoss Estate, Lowcliffe Estate, Messrs J, T. Rudd, T. Patterson, Charles Mitchell, J- Holmes, J. Hart, W. B. Clark son,, the Cashmere estate, and others. Our principal sales comprised 34 Southdowns at 14s 64, ,74 crossbred wethers 14s, 66 at 16s 3d, 20 at ,165 atYSs, 20 at 18s 3d, 19 at 16s 63, 69 at 17s; merino wethers, from 11s; hog gets, 10s 9d to 14s 3d; 100 crossbred ewes, shorn, 14s 3d. Privately we have sold, ac count Chatmoss estate, for freezing purposes, a lin<- of splendid quality wethers at equal to 175, —Ashburton County Saleyards: At these yards on Tuesday last, there was a large entry of .store stock, comprising 4,185 sheep and 118 cattle. The sheep were mostly crossbreds and merino ewes and lambs. The prices, with a few, exceptions were scarcely up to Christ ehtyrch rates. Merino ewes, with a fair per- Smkge of lam 1 s, realised up to 12s (in the wool); crossbreds, from nsto 14s; crossbred hoggets, from 10s to 12s pd. Messrs Matson, Cox and Co. report upon the Live Stock Market for the Ashburton Dis trict for the week ending Dec. 12th, as fol lows :—On Tuesday, at the Ashburton Yards, we field our usual weekly sale of cattle, sheep and pigs. The attendance of fanners, dealers and others was good, and the catalogue for the day’s business was a large one, both in sheep and cattle, no pigs being offered. In fat sheep the entry consisted principally of fat ewes, which did not realise in proportion to the prices paid for stores. In fat cattle the entry was small, and the quality indifferent We quote mutton, 2d to per lb; ditto in wool, 3d per lb; beef, lßs to ais 6d per loolb. In store sheep the catalogue was both large and varied, and prices obtained compare favorably with any sale held this season. In store cattle the entry was fair, iatfd several lines of good steers were quitted at a slight advance upon late rates. We consider the sale to have been one of the most satisfactory held in the district for months, as oat of our very large entry in both sheep and cattle everything was sold, except one old cow. In sheep we sold 51 fat crossbred ewes, I2s 9d; 27. do, 13s 6d ; 50 do, 13s 4d; 19 shorn merino wethers, 7s ; 72 cull shorn cross , bred hog gets, lis ; 174 crossbred hoggets, Its 8d -isSshom four-tooth wethers, 13s 3d; 254 merino ewes in wool and lambs, 10s 6d; 237 ditto ditto,' 10s ; 239 ditto ditto, 11s ; 394 merino wethers in wool, 9s 3d ; 50 ditto ditto, 8s ;'*2s ditto ditto, 7s 6d; 471 ditto ditto, lis 2d; 259 crossbred hoggets, 12s, and 264 crossbred hoggets, 14s sd; 412 merino wethers, shorn stores, sound mouths, 7s 3d, etc., etc. ID.cattle we sold lat L 4 ss; lat Li 75; 2at Ls IOS; 2atLs Ss 6d; 3 cows at Ls3s ; 25 at L4S 3d; sat L 4 15s ;Bat Li 15s fid; 4at L 4 '4S,, ;: etc,, etc; During the week we have' sold 310 merino ewes with lambs, 10s 3d ; J9B ditto ditto, ns 3d; 400 ditto ditto, 9§ ! do shorn, at 8s id; also for delivery within fourteen days, 1,100 crossbred hoggels, at 12s todj a grand line. In cattle we have sold privately 20 fat cattle, L 6 17s 6d; 41 for ward steers, L 5 8s; and 112 2 and 3-year-old at Lj 2s 6d, etc. Farms in good positions are daily being more sought aftefa and. we could place a dozen such in a the land and- price suited. We have sold diving’the week 969 acres of land near Geraldine'at L 6 10s per acre ; 200 acres near Westerfield, at L 5 10s an acre ; and 16 acres near Ashburton at L 25 an acre. a?.VOil . i -.‘o ■ ■ r~r- ■■ ■ ’ ~Thj» following s the Christchurch Com Ex cßtinge report' for the week ending Friday evening, the I4th>inst: —Very little has tran spired during the past week in the grain mar ket, tfio demand reported in last week’s quota tions for Wheat and oats has been of a tempo rary i nature, with the exception of a fair de mand fot;,.first-class milling wheat there may be aid to be no inquiry. Holders however maintain prices, looking forward no doubt to the probability of a late harvest. The follow ing are the latest quotations:—Wheat : Sound nulling, 33 lod to 4s 2d per bushel f.o.b. ; seeoq&fluality, 35 3d to 3s 6d ; chick wheat, IS iOoiO' 3s 3d per bushel. Oats; Prime milling; 3s Id to 2s 2d per bushel f.o.b. ; brightsEort fecd, is nd to 2s; inferior i-nd dis- to is lod. Barley: First-class malting, 4s to 4s 4dper bushel; second quality, 3Sj 3d. tp .34 fid ; feed, is nd to 2s 2d per Pcitatoes : Li 7s fid to Li 10s at country stations. Cheese and butter : 4’Ad to 4d for the former,- and 6j£d to 7d for the utter, kegs extra.

DAILY MEMORANDA.

AMUSEMENTS, Etc ; ' • This Evening. Town Hall —Court Minstrels, at 8 p.m. Monday, Dkcbmbbb 17. Athletic Sports, on the Cricket and Ath

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1883.

The inquest on George Scott, of Lake County, resulted in au acquittal of his mate Thompson, it appeared that the two had a drunken squabble, and Scott died from injuries received, but Thomp son was completely cleared of all suspicions of foul play. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following telegram, dated Loudon, 11th Dec.:—“ Wool : Market unchanged. Wheat: Market quiet. New Zealand is worth 43s per 4961b5. Tallow : Market firm. : Mutton tallow, 43a per cwt; beef tallow, 39s 6d per cwt.” The following regulations under the Inspection of Machinery Act, 1882, are gazetted:—“That from and after the Ist day of January, 1881, all portable boilers used solely in connection with threshing machinery, and all boilers used solely for boiling down purposes, shall only be in spected once in every two years, provided that to entitle such boilers to exemption from annual inspection they shall not be us sd for any purpose any period exceed ing six calendar months in any one year, and nothing herein shall restrict the in spection of any such boiler at any time if the Inspector shall see fit to do so for any alleged sufficient cause; provided further that this provision shall not re strict or prohibit the inspection of the certificate granted in respect of any boiler in such class shall be for a less period than two years.” Regulations respecting the sale of strychnine and arsenic, which were gazetted on Nov. 2nd, are now revoked. A number of complaints have been made recently in reference to some petty thefts which have been committed in the Ashburton Cemetery within the past few weeks. Some residents are in the habit of placing choice flowers over the graves of relatives, generally on Sunday, and it has been noticed that before the following day they have all disappeared, and in some cases if not altogether removed, the plants over the graves have been disarranged and the flowers all strewn about. One family informs as that on several occasions' they have placed jugs filled with flowers over a child’s grave in this cemetery, and both the jugs and the flowers have always dis appeared. It is to be hoped that ihe cemetery authorities will at once take steps to stop this nuisance, and also pro secute those persons wfio repeatedly allow their greyhounds to course over the ceme tery ground after hares. Now that wo have drawn attention to the matter per. haps these uncalled-for practices will be checked'. To produce real genuine sleep and childlike repose all night, take a little Hop Bitters on retiring. Look for.—[Advt.]

Our attention has been drawn to an error in our report of Mr Bowron’d speech a at the Cheese and Butter Factory meet- n ing. That gentleman did not say that n I'.b of cheese could be obtained from 11b I of curd, but from 101 b of milk. t Through the hospitality of Mr John g Grigg the choir and Sunday School I teachers of St Stephens will be enabled to hold their annual picnic at Longbeach on t Monday next. Should the weather be t propitious no doubt oil concerned will t have an enjoyable outing. ( The medical authorities at the Auck- 1 land Hospital are unable to state as yet I whether Mrs Wilson, who attempted sui- ' cide yesterday afternoon by swallowing a 1 large quantity of heads of lucifer matches, will survive. Her husband is a plasterer or bricklayer, not long from Dunedin. Her alleged cause of the attempt is domes tic unhappiness arising out of drink. At the Directors’ meeting, held yester day, of the Wellington Woollen Manufac turing Company (Limited), the brokers (Messrs Williamson and Co.) produced applications for upwards of 10,009 shares, representing L 50.000, on which deposits had been paid. Great satisfaction was ex pressed, and operations will be promptly commenced. 'i he Dunedin agents of the Shaw, Savill- Alhion Company have received advices by the mail that the Company have con tracted with Denny Bros., of the Clyde, for the building of two steamers for the New Zealand trade. These will J each be 420 ft long, with 46ft beam and 32ft deep, a gross tonnage of 5,350 tons, and an average speed at sea of 12 1 knots. They will be provided with refrigerating ma chinery and all the latest improvements At a meeting of Masonic officers, held yesterday evening, it was resolved to hold a Masonic service in the Hall, Tan cred street, on Sunday, the 13th January, when the D.G.M., Bro the Rev J. Hill, of Lyttelton, will deliver an address, and will be assisted by other rev. brethren. The musical portion of the service will receive special attention. The service will be held at an hour that will not in terfere with the various church services, and the public will be invited to attend. The Otago Harbor Board dredge has been on the bar only one day since oc.. 27th, the weather having been unfavor able. On Nov. Bth the lowest depth at hgh water was 25ft, but the bar has since sho/led 18in, owing to the easterly swell. The Board at its meeting yesterday de cided to raise the dues on all imposts 50 per cent, and on wool exported to 9d per ba'e. They also passed a resolution re cognising the great services rendered by Captain Thimson, the late Harbor Master during his twenty-four years’ term of office. Letters received by the mail from Eng land about the frozen meat shipments per British King and Catalonia, which ar rived about the same time, and were sold at small rates, give the reason of the low price to the existence of a divided agency. Each salesman was trying to get rid of his sheep before his neighbor. Mr John L Beid, of Blderslie, writes strongly to the Now Zealand Refrigerating Company on the subject, and asserts that the want of 0 united action in placing the mutton on „ the Home market entails a loss of for £d g to Id per lb, which means 3s to 6s per j head. The New Zealand Refrigerating Company have received a cable that the Fenstanton’s meat is selling at 6£d per lb. y The President of the Christchurch 3 Chamber of Commerce telegraphed to Mr Rolleston the resolution passed at a public > meeting, with comments on the latest > telegrams from Wellington. He has since 1 received from Mr Rolleston a telegram h stating that the Stella leaves Wellington on Saturday for Campbell Island, and Government will contribute to send a steamer from Lyttelton or Dunedin if it ; is thought time will thus be saved. The President replied that Captain Miner will join the Stella, and he leaves by theTaka „ puna to-night. The Union Steamship j Company offers to send the Taiaroa from Dunedin on Monday, but the President urges sending the Stella at once as a certainty. A deputation from the Dunedin ;1 Chamber of Commerce waited on Mr y Mitchelson yesterday re the light on the Waipapa, the new railway station, Otago o Central, differential harbor dues, railway e charges on the carriage of grain, etc. He replied that the light would be finished as r quickly as possible ; the Otago Central was to be proceeded with with the great f est possible dispatch; the matter of ar ranging harbor dues was for Parliament, s and if properly laid before Parliament Y would be satisfactorily arranged; with re -0 gard to the station, only L 20.000 was to he spent on the buildings, and he did not . think that too large a sum for a city like " Dunedin. Tenders would be out this week for the foundations, and the struc • ture would be proceeded with without delay. The Southland A. P. Show at Invercar - gill yederday was spoiled by a heavy rainfall. The show was successful in = point of number of exhibits and the 3 quality of stock, and implements were very fully represented. Heid and Gray did not compete, although they were large t exhibitors. The following are the princi pal prize takers : Draught horses, Mr ' Bussell’s Just the Time o’Day; thorough breds, Mr Warnock’a Dundee; short horns, Mr G. Printz ; Ayrshire bull and * cow, Mr Rankie; polled Angus, N.Z. 1 Agricultural Co. Sheep —Merinos, Mr 1 A. D. JoKnston; Lincolns, Messrs J. B. and P. Sutton; Leicesters, R. Grieve ; 1 ten sheep for freezing purposes, cup by j N.Z. M. and A. Go., Messrs Cargill and Anderson. There was a falling off of 1000 in the attendance of the public. The 1 weather cleared up just as the exhibits 1 wexe being removed. At a meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board yesterday, a letter was read from the local agents of the Equitable Insur ance Association, Dunedin, enclosing an extract of a letter from the Head Office, as follows :—“lt is stated here that the Association’s surveyor has reported that the shingle has-silted up the inside of the breakwater, and that there is now less water than formerly. It is also stated that there is so much haste iu loading that the cargo is improperly stowed, and the vessel, consequently rendered unsea worthy. The last vessel for the United Kingdom, which loaded inside the break water, is reported to have had only six inches under her keel.” The agents asked for definite information. The Sur veyor (Capt. Bussell) was at once declared to be ready to swallow any yarn he might hear. The Harbor-master’s usual report stated ‘ ’ There does not ap pear to be any alteration in the jdepth of water.” The Chairman remarked there could be only one answer as to shingle, and the Board had nothing to do with stowing. The Harbor-master was called in, and assured the Board there was no diminution in the depth of water. The last vessel for the . United Kingdom was the Aranco; she drew 17ft, and never had less than 3ft under her. Her captain, who was part owner, took soundings frequently, and was thoroughly satisfied, and hoped he could come, back again. It was unani- 1 mously resolved to reply to the agents that no shingle drifted inside the break- 1 water; that the Board had no information 1 of hasty loading, and that the Surveyor, i Capt. Russell, had been singularly misin- - formed. The Harbor master was re- j quested to furnish a written report on the t Surveyor’s statements, a copy to be seat { to the agents of the Insurance Assoeia- 1 tions. Ifc was .decided to order a 60-ton steel lighter from England. Mr Goodall, r Engineer to the Timaru Harbor Board, a left, for Napier to-day to design harbor g works there. 4

The fishing season is now in full swing and many of the disciples of Izaak Walton A may - be seen plying the rod in the Do- s main every evening. Yesterday Mr li Arthur and Mr Farley each hooked a trout of two pounds weight, and the latter 8 gentleman caught a perch weighing one 8 pound. £ This evening the Court Minstrels will c appear for the first time in Ashburton at \ the Town Hall, and if report is to be c trusted playgoers may expect a genuine < treat. In all the lirge towns they have j drawn together crowded houses, and the < press has in every instance been lavish in \ praise of the entertainment. We j expect to see a crowded house. i The terrors ot the law as foreshadowed i in the now Adulteration Act do not ap pear in every instance to frighten the bakers of Ashburton into giving fair weight. A resident tested the weight of six two pound loaves this morning and found them eleven ounces lighter than they should have been. The rise in price, by the way, is made not only upon batch loaves, but also upon what is called “ fancy” bread, and as the latter class is not affected by the Act, and the bakers can work their own sweet will as to weight, it is scarcely consistent to increase the cost of that kind of bread. The Melbourne correspondent of the Napier Herald says:—A young man mar ried a wife about whose progenitors he was ignorant; and, doubtless from the drift of his better half’s conversation, he was led into a quest similar to that of Captain Marryatt’s renowned “Japhet,” but in this case the object of the “search” was his “ father-in-law,” who, the yoUng man believed, had defrauded his daughter of her fortune. After a time the research i seems to have become a monomania, and , 1 the young man adopted a father-in-law who refuted to acknowledge the relation i ship, and who finally gave his tormentor p into custody for accosting him as the long l lost relative. When before the Court, the young man acknowledged his mistake, and I oftered to apologise, but the Bench were 3 inexorable, and ordered him to find such ■ heavy sureties that he would keep the > peace that he has practically been impri aoned for twelve months, s The death is announced of the once well known op-ra singer Mario. His real • name was the Marchese di Candi-i, and, t after receiving an excellent musical educa s tion, he entered the Sardinian army as . an officer in 1830. He did not hold his commission long, however, but proceeded, 3 according to “ Men of the Time,” to r Paris, “ where his admirable tenor voice - gained him his first engagement at the y Opera, at 1,500 francs per month. The r Marchese di Candia, on accepting it, f changed his name to Mario, and, after two years’ study at the Conservatory, . came out, Dec. 2, 1838, in the opera of j ‘ Robert la diable.’ His career was most triumphant; he took a principal part in (j all the great operas of the time, and be y came extremely popular in England, as well as on the Continent. Signor Mario ’ took his final farewell of the London stage n July 19, 1871, and it was soon afterwards e announced that , he would appear ,at n Madrid, in the spring of 1872, to sing in opera. Afterwards he had the misfor a tune to fall into distressed circumstances, and in May, 1878, a concert was given in r St. James’ Hall for his benefit, the gross receipts of which animated to L 1,160. ® He was the husband of Madame Grisi.” , “ Distressed circumstances ” hardly i'e scribe Mario’s pitiable condition of late h years, which was one of bit er poverty, r This was not very creditable to his ■0 family, one of whom at least was in an it excellent position, and could easiy have e helped the old man. Mario was born at n Turin in 1808. n “ Anglo-Australian ” in the European d Mail, writes Large quantities of a frozen mutton from New Zealand, t amounting altogether to over 3,000 car -0 cases, were, on October 6, destroyed by II order of the London port sanitary authori i- ties. The meat came by the Mataura, p and I am informed, on behalf of the Haa n lam Foundry and Engineering company, t that the cause of the meat turning bad a was that it had not been carefully frozen before being packed in the freezing cham n ber. The refrigerating apparatus worked r well during the voyage, and a portion of e the cargo was landed in good order. To 0 lose three or four thousand sheep after y sending them to England is a serious mis e fortune for anybody, and the London l 8 public may claim a share of the misfor j tune as theirs, for they have lost the op portunity of buying the finest mutton in .. the world at a low price. Ic wi 1 be a national misfortune if this mishap t should check the enterprise of colo nial breeders and shippers. Fortu r> nately, against this isolated mischance may t be placed the succession of successful e ventures of the same kind, while almost 3 simultaneously with the failure of this shipment of mutton occurred the success* t ful importation of fish from New Zealand to which we referred in our last. On this subject a correspondent writes that he bought some of these fish, although pre- judiced against them by the warnings of 1 a jealous fishmonger, who looked un -3 lovingly on this fresh nail in the coffin 3 of the * fish ring,’ and found them ‘ most delicious.’ A well-known correspondent 3 of the Field, we observe, writes to say ’ that he will be only too glad to have the 1 chance of buying some of the ‘ next lot ’ at double the price which he paid for I samples of the last. This is most cheer ing, and will go far to remove the effects ’ of the failure of the mutton cargo per Mataura.” The mysterious case of shooting at ’ Wellington mentioned in our telegrams | the other day, has been explained to some . extent by a report forwarded to the Police Office. The old lady who died in the 1 hospital, says the New Zealand Times, appears to have been wounded accident ally. A boy was playing with a gun, at Stokes Valley, Upper Hutt, on the 30th ult., and as Mrs Hsmmling was passing through a doorway the boy discharged the gun towards her house, the blank cartridge grazing her arm and making a surface wound, in which some powder lodged. The wound was not considered serious at first, but it soon became so painful that the woman was brought to the Wellington Hospital for treatment. It was deemed necessary to amputate her arm, though her great age, 68 years, made the operation critical, and she died from exhaustion on Monday afternoon. How a boy could be allowed to play with a loaded gun at the door of a house remains to be explained. Charles Hamm ling, the husband of the deceased woman, who is a person of about 83 years of age, last night informed Sergeant Anderson that at about 8.30 a.m. on the 30th ult. a boy, about 16 years of age, whose name he did not recollect, but who resides at Silverstream, called at his house for the purpose of getting a grand son of the deceased to go shooting. The lad went into the kitehen, having a gun in his hand, the hammer of which was down on the nipple. Hammling remon strated with the boy for having the ham- * tner down on the cap, and advised him to 1 have it half-cock. The lad then lifted the * hammer, which, apparently, slipped 1 through his fingers, and the gun went off, ’ the charge entering the deceased’s arm. } Deceased was only a few feet from the * muzzle of the gun at the time it was dis- 1 charged. Dr Wilford was sent for and a dressed the wound, and sent deceased, 8 who was at the time in delicate health, to 1 the hospital. The gun was loaded with f shot. The age of the deceased was sixty- 8 eight years. It is not known whether e the corone r will deem an inquest necessary, t “ Rough on Rats. ’’—Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, ants, bed-bugs, beetles, insects, I skunks, jack-rabbits, gophers. 7 J£d. Drug- P gists. Moses, Moss and Co., Sydney, General d Agents. z ;l

The meeting of ’theyGomhiftleo of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral As s elation convened for this afternoon lapsed for want of a quorum. The Manawatu Times, alluding to the sittings of the District Court at Palmer ston lust week, says that a jury were en gaged dealing with an assault, and one question they had to determine was whether the prisoner had committed a common assault or an aggravated one. One juryman boldlydeolaced-in his opinion it was an aggravated assault. ‘ ‘ And why do you think so ?” said one of the opposite view,, Why, because-the-other man aggravated him, of course,” said the jury man. A faint smile shook the building at this point, and the judge wondered why the jury were so noisy.

£9 17 6

NOTES ON FARMING OPERATIONS

[*Y ODB SPECIAL BBPORTEB,] In making a tour of the country to en able me to place before the public the progress of farming operations generally, I was much surprised to note the back wardness of some of the crops in the Wheatstone and Fjemingtoh districts which I visited yesterday, but no doubt this can be partially accounted for by the light nature of the soil atid rapid growth in the spring, being succeeded by such cold inclement weather we are now ex periencing, Passing through Wheatstone I called first at ■ Riversdalo, and there found a large number of acres of imadow laud, which when out and made will pro duce some very 'excellent hay, to the acre age of about 5 or 6 tons per acre for the winter feed;, there is also a considerable area under turnips tot the same purpese. The lambing time of this well known flock, Hampshire down?; was very 1 good this year, there being a percentage of over 80, but unfortunately during September several valuable sheep and lambs were drowned when the river was injflood; the shearing is just finished, and owing to the superabundant feed here, stock of all descriptions look remarkably well. Leaving Messrs Dudley and Northey’s, I passed a splendid field of oais belonging to Mr Woods, which is certainly the most forward in the district. The next farm I visited belongs to Mr Jas, Bishop, whose farm is about equally divided between grazing and tillage ; his percentage of lambs is also large, and his loss from weather and other causes very small, a few hoggets from bronchial worms, and a few early lambs; : There are 100 acres on this farm under turnips, which this damp weather is very favorable for. Mr Small’s farm is one kept exclusively for grazing cattle. There is here a fine paddock of about 25 acres of rye grass for seed, which looks very well, and when threshed will yield a splendid sample of good clean seed. On this farm is the heaviest crop of hay in the district, which was being cut yesterday j and meet yield'at) least 8 tons to the acre. Leaving Wheatstone I went through the Plemington distri'-t; The pasture lands in the immediate vicinity of the Cheese Factory look rather bare, being heavily stocked with cows, farmers finding a ready and profitable sale for their ; rnilk for cheese; While on the sub ject of dairy cows I should like to suggest to the farmers tha great desirability to yearly closing more fields f r hay, as cows calving daring the winter months require good feeding to enable them to keep up their full supply of milk, for although they will for a short time be in full profit, they must without extra feeding soon fall off in their milk, there being not suffi cient grass for them, whereas by giving them a little hay night and morning as well as some mangolds, they will not only keep up to their standard quality of milk, but if their owners wish to dispose of them towards the end of the winter they will undoubtedly realise their value in the County Saleyards. I missed a good many from among my farmer friends since I, visited them last year, several having gone to'Southland, tempted by the cheapness of the land in that part of the colony, but I was informed that several wished themselves back again. On the rich land through the swamp tha vegeta tion is very luxuriant, arid the store cattle grazing thereon seemed in a very forward condition. ;

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

ASHBURTON. — To-day. I* ™ (Before H. 0. S. Baddeley Esq, R.M.) p CIVIL CASES. , Ashburton County Council v. Jones, claim of lls Bd, for rates.—Mr Purnell p appeared for plaintiff. The defence was ] that the defendant had left the district t nearly two years ago, but as he had taken 8 no steps to have his name taken off the . rate roll of the Road Board, judgment j was given for the amount claimed. 3 Leesk v. Maclean, claim of L 5 2s 6d, 3 for work done.—Mr Crisp appeared for . plaintiff, and Mr Branson for defendant, f —The plaintiff gave evidence to the effect . that he entered into a contract with Mr 3 Maclean to stump a quantity of gorse t hedge at a certain price, and had received t a cheque less the amount claimed, which 7 was disputed. Witness was cross-ex , amined as to the correctness of the ’ measurement of the work, and after fur r ther evidence, judgment was given for . L 3 16s. , Smith v. Hoathen, claim of L 3 15s, for . goods supplied.--This was a claim for the price of a range, and the defendant said i he was willing to pay if a defective oven , door was repaired. The case was ad , journed for a week to enable the repairs , to be effected. , Fleming v. Bolton and Addis, claim of L 22, for shares.—Mr Wilding . appeared ! for plaintiff, and Mr Branson for Bolton. —The plaintiff gave evidence that he sold t ten shares in the Flemington Factory to defendants. ;Vddis had paid for four, hut was also interested in the other six. The transfers were made out and signed and stamped by plaintiff, Addis also signing. Bolton did not sign, and when asked afterwards, said he would do so at some other time. In October, Bolton said he had not got his wages, but would settle for the shares in three weeks. On November 26 he refused to carry out the transfer, — Cross-examined : Bolton agreed to take the shares under any circumstances, and not if he had the money to pay for them.-—Stephen E. Poyntz, secre tary of the Cheese ’ and Butter Factory Company, gave evidence that the plaintiff was registered proprietor of six shares. The document produced was an transfer form of shares, and was prepared by witness. Had never seen Bolt n to his knowledge.—John Bell deposed that Bolton had been in his employ, and remembered hearing plaintiff asked for the money which was refused, but said something to the effect that when he received his wages he would settle up. —Cross-examined: Bolton refused an ad vance of L 5 offered by witness towards the purchase of the shares.—For the de fence, Mr Branson said that his conten tion was that there was no contract bind ing on his client to purchase. The matter was left in abeyance, and whsp the value , of the shares went down Bolton refused to invest.—The defendant, Bolton, deposed that Fleming asked him to purchase the shares, and he (witness) consented to do so if he had the money. Subsequently he met plaintiff at Mr Bell’s stables. Re- 1 fused to take the sh^S-—j-His Worship ‘ said that no doubt a contract had been 1 entered into, and judgment would be for * the amount claimedi with costsi L 4 7s. * Sealy Bros v Bosenberg, claim of L 5 J 14s, for goods supplied. Mr Crisp ap peared for plaintiff, and after hearing evi dence his Worship gave judgment for the £ amount claimed and costs. a

SPORTING

ASHBURTON SOMMER MEETING.

The following handicaps have been de clared for this meeting :

Counties Handicap.

CONNTIES HUEDLRS

Acceptances close with the hon. Secre tary, Beecher's Hotel, Ashburton, at 9 p.m. on Saturday, 22nd inst.

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE

[rbotkk’s TfiLBOKAMS copyright.] The Mails. London, Dec. 12. The Australian mails per Orient steamship John Elder, dated Mel bourne, Nov. 3, were delivered, via Naples, yesterday. A Ship on Fire. The steamship Kent, outward bound from London to Melbourne, was found, on arrival at Port Said, to be on fire in the hold. The fire was extinguished soon after it was discovered. Some slight damage was done to the cargo. Monetary and Commercial Consols remain at ioo}4, and New Zealand securities at last quotations. The-tnarket rate of discount has further risen to 2%, and is now % below the Bank rate. The markets for colonial breadstuff's and tallow are without quot able change. Copra, Sydney sun-dried, remains at Ll 9 10s; Australian leather, best sides have fallen to nd. Disastrous Hurricane. A destructive hurricane of unprece dented violence passed over England to : day. Several persons were killed, and, others seriously injured. A large amount , of property was destroyed along the path of the storm. Parliamentary Election. The election to the vacancy in the representation of Ipswich in the House of Commons resulted to-day in the re turn of Mr West by a large majority. The War in Upper Egypt. Gaiko, Dec. 12. Latest despatches to hand from Soudan state that Egyptian garrisons at Duem and Shat {sic) were being massed at Khartoum in view of an attack which was expected to be made upon the town by the Arab rebels. It was also stated that El Mahdi was sending a force of 1,000 men into the Darfour district. Shipping. New York, Dec. 12. Arrived—Ship Parnell, from Auck land (August 27 th).

AUSTRALIAN.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS—COPYRIGHT.] Earl Rosebery. ;Melbourne, Yesterday. Lord Rosebery arrived here to-day from Sydney. The Wool Sales. At their wool sales this week the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, submitted a fairly representative catalogue, com prising 4,000 bales. There was a good attendance of foreign buyers, and an active competition was experienced j 3,540 bales sold at about the level of late prices. Inferior crossbreds and faulty merinos are still somewhat de pressed ; scoured wools are in active demand, and realised up to 22j/d; a parcel of fleece passed in at 2i%d. Stonewalling. Sydney, Yesterday. The Land Bill was brought up for discussion in the Legislative Assembly last evening, and met with persistent stonewalling from the opposite benches. The Government was equally deter mined to carry the measure through, and the House has now been sitting for twenty-four hours continuously. [Received Dec. 14, 12 20 pm.] The Opposing Force. Cairo, Dec. 12. Baker Pasha is now engaged in or ganising an expedition against the Soudan rebels. His force will be com posed of Egyptian Gend’armes, negro troops, and a contingent of Bedouin troops. A Protest. London, Dec. 13. A meeting of persons interested in the late International Fisheries Exhi bition was held at the Cannon street Hotel last night. Much dissatisfaction was expressed at the awards of the International Juries, and it was resolved that a deputation should wait on the Government to protest against the same. [Received Dec. 14, 12.20 p.tn.] Land Bill. Sydney, To-day. The Debate on the Land Bill con tinued in the Legislative Assembly until an early hour this morning, when the motion for the second reading of the Bill was carried on a division by 76 votes to 16.

TELEGRAMS.

[per press association.] A Home Vessel. Auckland, To-day. The ship Piako has arrived from Lon don after a passage of 114 days. The Triumph. The purchaser of the Triumph has com menced to remove the refrigerator. Attempted Suicide- Kumaea, To-day, Mr Berkley Murseli, a Government Insurance Agent, cut his throat at Dill man’s Town last evening- He was in a desponding state of mind owing to the illqesa of a child of whom he was very fond. He was brought to the hospital. His condition is very precarious, h|a wrists being also cut badly. Inquest. At the inquest on the body of Felix McCann yesterday afternoon, a verdict of accidental death was returned.

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1888.



at lb Digby Grand ... 10 C Merma d ... 9 6 Steel Duat ... 9 1 Lady Florence ... ... 9 0 Taipo ... 7 12 Polly ... 8 9 fiinerua ' ... 8 9 Idalia ... 8 5 Selim ... 8 5 Eoseneath... ... 7 12 Mokhanna ... 7 3



Why Not at. lb. ... 11 3 Tam o’ Shanter ... ... 10 10 Brenda ... 10 0 Andy ... 9 7 Cigarette ... 9 3 Kahikatea ... 9 0



Wanted WANTED —A strong BOY who can milk and drive a cart to the Factory occasionally. Apply to James Oboy, Ashton. 12 1063 WANTED Known—That Hayes and ( Co. have about 196 pairs of 1 Ladies’ Cashmere Boots, splendid value, i at 3s 6d. * WANTED Known —For Sale, two COTTA-.-ES on East Belt. Cheap, easy terms. Apply W. C. Davis or Ward and Sons. 12 1012 WANTED KNOWN— Robert Elston, Bill Poster, Theatpical Agent, etc., Town Hall, Ashburton. Theatrical companies and others visiting Ashburton should communicate with the above. Orders by post or telegram promptly attended to. 760° WANTED— A MASTER and MIS TRESS for the Springburn School; a married man preferred. Wife as mis tress, Number on roll, 56; salary, as per scale. None but a temperate man need apply. Duties to commence on January 1,1884 Applications, with references, will be received by the undersigned up to the 18th December,(lßß3. —T. E. Mcßae, Chairman of Committee. 12 1017 WANTED Known—. That in conse quence of the rapid increase of business, John Moison, Impermeable Bootmaker, has been compelled to get a large stock of Boots of a superior quality in the town in order to meets the demands of his customers, and those who may pur chase from him will find no deception as to price or quality. As J.M. gained the public trust in the past by doing best i work and fit, combined with neatness and style, he intends even to make greater I exertions in the future. Fowler’s Build ings, Tancred street (opposite Arcade), Ashburton. 7 207 WANTED KNOWN—That Mr Dan Lea’s Gymnasium is the only ' place for real amusement; admittance ‘ free. Every kind of amusement to be ob : tsined on the premises calculated to please ~ the general public—American Bowls, . Skittles, Shooting, Boxing, Fencing, f Horizontal Bar, Trapeze, etc. Temper ance Drinks, Cigars, etc. Tickets— , monthly 2s 6d, for use of Horizontal Bar, t Trapeze, Single-sticks, Dumb-bells, Indian s clubs, etc. Dan Lea ix always at his s post to give lessons in Boxing, lesson £1 - per mop*h, or according to arrangement. * K* 44 Special Advertisements. BAT.T. PROGRAMME CARDS in very neat styles, with Pencils and Ribbons, printed at the Guardian Office, Wist street n io .2 «- •v 5 O U O o * H S -Q W co M Offl 05 CSSg I >-3 op O so O -C T 3 fe rn q d Sp? O 3 3 . ® fti; k tf OQ « ® sw S 3 -a S'® 3 a. won H *, B 0 U u-i 3 O 0* es BO JS ® > a •= M *2 A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL. Bazaar AND Fancy Fair ANDREWES BROS., East Street South, IS NOW OPEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR GIFTS in great variety. ; -rNTBNDING PURCHASERS OF s X CLOTHING j FOR THE * SPRING AND SUMMER SEASON j Should visit the i NEW ZEALAND l Clothing Factory’s i BRANCH, £ Where they can select from the s LARGEST VARIETY OF FASHION -1 ABLE GARMENTS, , Manufactured from sound and reliable | New Zealand Tweeds. j The well-known reputation enjoyed by ■ the Firm of Selling a J GENUINE ARTICLE [ WHOLESALE PRICE | Has resulted in an increase of Business during the past season, and they can now 1 boast of having Twenty - One Retail Branches in New Zealand, thus enabling them to increase the Factory produce, . economising both material and labor, and ensuring to their patrons a fa thcr benefit in the shape of a still Lower Rate of Wholesale Prices. SHIRTS, UNDERCLOTHING, HATS &. CAPS, PORTMANTEAUS, And every requisite at Wholesale Price. Asbhurton Branch : EAST STREET. YOU WANT GOOD AND STRONG FURNITURE, GO TO DAVIS’S JHEAP, FURNITURE AND BED DING MANUFACTORY, EAST STREET SOUTH, ASHBURTON. EVERY article Sold at Christchurch Prices and guaranteed bes. of material and workmanship. FUNERALS CHEAPLY & COMPLETELY FURNISHED



Special Advertise; [NTRODUCTION OP T SYSTEM. Fashion Cashel street, 0 Great success has been £ )ld Country by the intro ‘ Numbered Parcel Syst upply ard purchase of us Irapery, thousands of pan warded to the order of dial ipon the distinct understa irticle not proving satisfact jhaser, the money in all < ;urned. This system is n iuccd by E. 0. Brown FASHION H( Christchbrc The splendid stock of G in all departments has bee B. 0. Brown and Co., fro in the Estate of the late fir Smyth, at a very large d for cash. Thus articles i price leave a good margin vendor, while giving unsui the purchaser. In all parcels we stake on the values, and, as sugg turn the money in all c article is not satisfactory. Our No, 1,20 s Dress contains— -1 dress piece (12 yds) any i French costume cloth good velveteen to matcl 3 yds silesia, for linings 2 doz new oxydised butto match ... 1 pair warm lined fur-top cuff gloves Our No. 2,30 s household ] contains — 1 pair good medium size kets ... ... ... 1 good honeycomb quilt... 8 yds good wincey 1 pair good strong corset size ... Our No. 3, dress parcel 1 contains — 1 dress piece (10 yds) cel« Empress black velveteei 3 yds good silesia for linin 2 doz new style oxydised 1 1 handsome striped wintei 1 durable silk umbrella, p frame ... 1 choice silk chenille scarf Our No. 4, Ladies’ parcel contains 1 dress piece (12 yds) check costume cloth ... 3 yds silesia lining for sane 2 doz choice buttons, to dress 1 good warm Ladies’ tweei 1 black quilted alpaca ski 1 white or colored wool w 1 pair lisle lined fur-top cuff gloves Our No. 5, household pai £2 10s, contains— -1 pair large size good blankets 1 nice large size good horn quilt ... 1 pair good heavy white e 6 good value honeycomb 6 yds heavy Welsh flanne Our No. 6, family parcel contains — 12 yds super Roslyn flanni wool) ... ... 24 yds splendid white heavy make 24 yds good strong brown wincey ... 6 yds tartan plaid 6 yds good brown holland 12 yds hemp carpet, dark 6 pair Girls’ or Women’i winter hose 4 large unbleached 'I towels .... Our No. [7, mourning pai £2 10s, contains— -10 yds good black Frencl mere 2 yds 4x4 celebrated ra crape 1 good black alpaca or skirt ... ... ... 2 pairs Ladies’ black hose 1 pair Ladies’ two-button black kid gloves £ doz Ladies’ cambric hi



Special Advertisement. STOP THAT COUGH! DON'T DELAY.—Hon’ can you stop it? Where, s the Remedy. Bonnington’a PECTORAL OXYMEL OF CARRA GEEN or IRISH MOSS (registerl), can produce more evidence of real merit than any other article for the purpose. Sold everywhere. G Bonnington, Christchurch. Reward Books, Presents, Prizes, Toys, Dolls, &c. H. M. J O N E S ; East street. 11 877 0 T I 0 E. BANK HOLIDAY, Pursuant to the terms of the Banks and Bankers’ Act, 1880, and the Bank and Bankers Act Amendment Act, 1882, MONDAY, the 17th day of December, 1883, is hereby appointed a SPECIAL BANK HOLIDAY at offices of the undermentioned Banks in Canterbury : Union Bank of Australia, (Limited) JOS, PALMER, C, O. for N.Z. ; Bank of New South Wales, W. G. RHIND, Inspector; Bank of Australasia, E. W. MORRAH, Inspector; National Bank of New Zealand (Ld.), D. HEAN, Interim Inspector ; Colonial Bank of New Zealand, G. COWIE, General Manager ; The Bank of New Zealand, W. L. MURDOCH, 12 1051 General Manager.



>*—a



Milner & Thompson Ashburton, H. M. JONES, Agent. PIPE ORGANS.—Especially suitable for Churches. Far superior to any Reed Organ near the price for richness and purity of tone, volume of sound, and durability of construction. Price—Ll2o. REED ORGANS.—By Smith and Co., Mason and Hamlin, Wood and Co., Easby and Co., New England Company and Clough and Warner—from Ll2 12s. PIANOS. Brinsmead and Sons, BroadAVood, Collard and Collard, Erard, Pleyel and others. Dresden Model, and German and French manufacture, with test improvements. DEFERRED PAYMENTS Wholesale and Retail. NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. Advertisements for The Ashburton Guardian must be sent in not later than 3p. m,, with the number «f insertion, written plainly on the copy, otherwise they will be inserted until counter manded, and .charged accordingly. Re place Advertisements must bo supplied the day previous to that on which they are to be inserted. Special notices can bo 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 letttis to be addressed The Manager ; literary communications should be addressed to The Editor.