THB ASHBURTON GUARDIAN.

From and after tbe 30th November, 1886, tbe terms of Subscription to this journal will be follows, viz. : — IF PAID IN ADVANCte : Per Quarter.. 6s 6d, by post, 9s 6d „ Half-year 12s 6d, by post, 18s 6d „ Year .. 24b Od, by post, 87s Od r booked; Per Quarter. . 7s 6d, by post, 10a 9d „ Half-year 15s Od, by post, 21s 6d „ Year .. 30s Od, by post, 43s Od Birth, Marriage, and Death Notices, if paid for at the time of insertion, 2s 6d eaoh (stamps may be sent as payment) ; if booked, 4s eaoh. Announcements of Births, Deaths and Marriages sent for publication from the country districts require to be verified by the signature of the erson sending the notice.

DIARY.

Moonlight Evenings.

The Moon at 3 days old shines till about 8 o'olook. Tbe Moon at 6 days old shines till about half-past 10 o'olook. The Moon at 8 days old shines .till nearly 1 o'clock m the morning. The Moon at IS days old shines from sundown till about 4 m the morning. Tbe Moon at 15 days old is full, and shines all night. The Moon at 18 days old rises about 9 p.m. and shines till morning* The Moon at 21 days old hbos about 11 a.m. and shines till morning. The Moon at 24 days old rises about 2 a.m. and shines till morning, The Moon at 27 days old rises about 4 a.m. and shines till sunrise.

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1887. CYCLING.

Among the many inventions of modern times, not the least wonderful is that of the bicycle. If our fore fathers had been told, a hundred years ago, that it was within the range of possibility that a man perched on a wheel some four feet m diameter, and with a tire of about an inch, could, by his own muscular aclion, travel about from place to place, they would have have given a grim smile of incredulity. Buj 'he then apparently impossible has now been converted into a certainty, and the popularity of this method of locomotion is increasing every day. AU sorts and conditions of men use it, from lhe parson and the doctor to the rent collector and the bailiff. It is used not only for business purposes, but also for pleasure, and we frequently see notices of journeys extending over thousands of miles, having been per formed on the wheel. Improvements haye of lale been made m its construc tion, by means of which the rider is enabled to travel on the water as well as on the land. Great as have been tbe improvements m tbe construction of the machine itself, the skill of lhe cyclists themselves has not failed to keep pace with them, and we fre quency reas of marvellous and daring feats being performed by some of the " upper ten " of these gentlemen. Tbe speed attained is something that was never drsamfof m the early days of the art and matches between horses and cycles are now of eo)flji}Qn pccutrence. One of the chief recommendation^ of this means of loco motion i•, that beyond the first cost of the machines, it involves no further ex penditure for feed,slabling,orgrooming. Thi§, we fancy, is one of, if not the chief ireason, of it's popularity. So rapidly is this increasing that the chief firm of manufacturers m the Old World have been compelled to convert their business into a joint stock company. During the last three months of i88<? the firm had to refure orders for 2000 machines. No industry thai we are aware of bas made such gigantic strides, during tfje last lew years, as tjhat of the Cycling factory,

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An accident oocurred to Mr J. Ward last evening. While driving a trap • the horse suddenly started kicking and smashed the shafts and other portions of the vehicle. Mr Ward sustained some injuries, but not of a Borious nature, and this morning he had almost completely recovered from tho ac cident. The horse was injured severely by oneof the broken shafts. i Mr Henry James' Annie Laurie, 5 years, was accidentally omitted from the entries for the Tinwald Maiden Plate. Mr A, E, Merewether'a br g Piokwick is scratched for the Tinwald Hurdles. At theR.M. Court this morning, before Mr D. Williamson, J.P., and Mr T. Bullock, £P., Thomas Wilson, for having been drunk on the Railway Station, was fined ss, and for having resisted Constable Smart waa fined 203 with the alternative of 3 days' imprisonment. A first offender was fined ss. James McNeill, for wilfully exposing his person, was ordered to be imprisoned for one oalendar month with hard labor. Some three yeara ago Messrs Anketell and Burrup, of tbe Union Bank of Roeburne, Western Australia, were murdered, and up to the present the murderers have not been dis. oovered. Three men were arrested for the orime but were discharged. One of these, named Bevan, was arrested lately on a charge of attempted wife murder. He tried to cut her throat, and stabbed her twice m the side. She is m a very precarious condition, but may possibly recover. An instance of the rapid strides made m the cyole business is to be found m the pro spectus issued by Budge and Co., Coventry, who now" propose to merge their ooncern into a limited liability company. In tbe pro speotus it is stated that the business done by the firm during tbe second quarter of 1881 waß £6185 ; for the same period of 1885 it had increased to £51,163; orders for 2000 maohioes bad to be declined during the : present year, The net average profit on each machine is said to exoeed £12 ; the promoters hold out the tempting bait of 12 per cent, tc intending shareholders. Mr Molntosh, of Inveroargill, is urging the desirability of establishing a National Indus. : trial Bank of New Zealand. He proposes tc start a concern with a capital of twelve and a half millions m 600,000 shares of £25 eaoh, , the object being to obtain money m England at three and four per cent., and lend it oui here at an advance of one per cent., to do the business of building and land societies oe a large scale, and assist the development oi manufactures and local industries with chest, money* We (" Otago Daily Times ") have been shown a very ingenious oontrivance for brand. I ing sheep, woolpaoks, eto., whioh is at presenl 1 being infroduced to the notioe of Otagc flookowners. It is known as " Bowern'f [ eleotric sheep brand," and it is claimed thai ' it will brand 1000 sheep with one filling. The 1 oontrivance is remarkably simple. The brand , has only to be filled with tar or paint and adjusted to the clip to make it ready for use, It was recently tried at Burnside, when a pen of 40 sheep was branded m two minutes, j The brand is the invention of Mr Bowern, ol the North Island, and Mr H. Young is the agent for the South Island. Speaking at Newcastle recently, Sir H Parkes said that it would be very easy by one stroke of the pen to wipe out the New South Wales deficit, by breaking up the land into blocks of 1000 and 1500 acres, and offering them m tbe English market. He waß not altogether against such a method. They ' must either employ some such method, oi . gradually wipe oif the deficit by the surpluses, whioh they hoped to show m future, and oi ' whioh the late Financial Statement gave promise. It is stated that out of some 40,000,000 I gallons of brandy produced and sold m France annually, a large quantity of whioh finds its way into foreign markets, not more , than 12J per cent is made from the grape vir c The remainder is produoed from rice, beet * root, maize, molasses, and fruit moats, the quantity of wine grown m France being entirely inadequate for distillers' require • ments. Here is a chance for California, Australia, the ' Cape, and other countries, ambitious to enter the field, to make a big [ trade by supplying pure wine brandy to the - world's markets. ' Hannah More had a good way of managing talebearers. It is said that whenever she was told anything derogatory of another, her " invariable reply was, " Come, we will go and ask if this be true." The effect was some. 1 times ludicrously painful. The talebearer was taken abaok, stammered out a qualifica tion, or begged that no notioe might be taken of the statement. But the good lady was . inexorable ; off she took the scandalmonger to the Boandalised, to make inquiry and compare aocounts. It is not likely that F anybody. ever a seoond time ventured to [ repeat a gossip story to Hannah More. One . would think her method of treatment would , be a Bure cure for scandal. F On Saturday afternoon a little boy named Quick was playing near Buchanan's paddook i and was engaged m that popular but most dangerous diversion of riding on the tail of a cart, when he suddenly fell m front of an express The driver made frantic efforts to stop, but he could not do so until the wheels had passed over the boy's chest crushing him terribly. He lay, by last accounts, m a most preoarious state. His mother was within two yards of the scene at the time.—" South Canterbury Times," There is, remarks the " Wanganui Herald," m the Caversham Sohool a bright-faced oherry-looking damsel who has made what we should think may be regarded as a cham pion record m respect to atteadanoe, Jane Leal, that ie her name, has never once been marked as an absentee during the eight years she has been on tho roll, and for about five years of thiß period she has had to walk three miles to tbe school and three miles home aga>n. The teachers have subscribed for a medal to be presented to " Jenny " as a tokon of their appreciation of her zeal and general good behavior.

THE RAKAIA TRAGEDY.

Regarding the shocking ooourrenoe which took plaoa In the Rakaia river, and brief details of which were given In our issue of yesterday, addltlonalpartlculafsare supplied by our South Rakaia correspon dent. Shortly after midday on Thursday : a report gained currency In the township ■ that a woman had baen seen throwing her ohildren from the Kakaia bridge Into the river. Numbers of persons rushed to the ep Aand It waa found tbat the rumor was not qalte eorreot. The real facts of the oase were : — Mr Thompson's children observed a woman wulk into the river with a little boy some 4 or 5 years of age aod the child was heard to cry out " Don't drown me, mother." The ohildren who were witnesses of the affair gave the alarm and assistance was sent for to the township. The mother, m the meantime took off some of her underclothing and tying the boy to herself again went into the wa'er. The water m the river just now (s rather low, bat there are many deep pools. Io consequence of tho alarm that had been given, Constable Blaok and a number of others, Immediately proceeded to the scene of the shooking aff&lr. No traos of the woman or child was to be seen though the stream where the woman was ■eon to enter, wps minutely examined. It wa9 then deolded to drag the pools, and for- this purpose boys were sent to cut some long flax stloks. On reaching a sand hiilook, where the fljx grew, the buys found the mother and child lying there m an unconscious state, the child being secured to its mother's body, with the l&tter's underolotbing. Tbe spot where the pair was found waa some thirty yarda from the stream, bo the unfortunate wrman mast have altered her purpose and oraw'ed away as far as Bhe waß able from the water, In which she evidently designed to put an end to her own life and that of her child. Mother and boy were at onoa taken into the township, and Dr Withers, who was In Rakaia at the time was sum moned. Unfortunately, too great a time had elapsed, to resuscitate the boy, even had there been a chance from the first of lfe being restored. The mother was brought to, but she ha? remalaed In a semi-conscious state. She la evidently about 30 years of age and was recognised aa Martha Dalzlel, widow of the late Mr T Da'ziel who was barman at Rakaia some years ago, and who had died ! at 'Ohrlstchuroh recently. It is stated that she has only recently been discharged from the As>lum, where ahe has been ■ oonfined on account of illness, it is also > said, more than onoe. The poor child who had been drowned was a fine ( little follow. A Ohristohurch paper aays : — Mrs Dalzlel is the widovr of Mr Tom Dalaiel, who at one time was ' lloensee of '.he Oxford Hotel, Ohriatchuroh i Ria death oocurred somewnat suddenly ) about three months ago. Mrs Da'z'el was ; of rather intemperate habits, and about , ten days ago was before the Police Oourc I m Obristobnrob on a charge of stealing a . diamond m* atd a pair of boot?, the property of the lioeneee of the Darfield iloiol. It was apparent the theft bad > been committed while the woman was , under the it.fluenoe of drink. She was ; placed under probation for a term, and ( she went to Dunsandel after her release from custody. A telegram was received iv town this morning stating that the woman h*d been i m a state of ooma since she had been i fouud. Dr Tweed was sent for and left , for Rakaia by the eleven o'clook train.

CORN EXCHANGE

The Corn Exchange report for the week ending Friday* December 30th, 3887 :— Favorable weather for farming etill oontinnes, and the work of hay-gathering Is being fast completed, crops of which are reported heavy and well saved Grain cropß are healthy, and give promise at present of giving a fair average return as far as regards yields. Tho harvest, . however, will be later by some ten days to a fortnight. The market for all cereals is languid, and it will be with difficulty tbat a clearance can be made before the new grain is to hand. This aB regards wheat will ohufly be owing to the difficulty In obtaining freights In London, whioh are still scarce and range from 2ta to 30s Wheat, — Millers have been operating to a limited exteut In Pearl and Hunter's at a prioe equal to 3a 3d f.o.b , but, Tuscan does not command more than 3j Id to 3s 2d for shipment, second quality ia weak at 2s Hd to 3s, and chioken wheat Is slow of sa'e at 2s 6i to 2s 8d for broken and 2s 9d for whole. OATd. — Looal buyers are still purchasing at their own prices, vi_ , Is 81 to Is Bfcd for good short feed and Is 63 to Is 7d for long descriptions. Milling aro very qnlet, »nd when wanted oommand Is 9d to la 103. _Ja„l_y. — None offering. Grass Sekd. — There are now several buyers m the markot for farmers' lined, but. the prioos offering do not tend to business. We, however, do not (m the face of tbe large stocks of old seed on hand) see muoh chance of better prices for some timo to come Present prices range from la 91 to 2j 6i for medium aaod, and up to 2a 9J for well dressed paroels. Machirj<s dressed has no market at present. Cccksfoot is now m small oompass, and is quoted at 4d to 4&d for the bost seed. The advloos from the Peninsula report a late harvest, good prospects of yield, but a good deal mixed with foreign seeds. Dairy Produce. — Butter has been slightly better m demand, and may now be quoted at 6i for pvlme tub, second quality almost unsaleable. Cheese Ib very quiet, and quality very irregular. Values vary from 2£d to 41. The above pripita aro those paid to farmers, and delivered f.0.b., Lyttelton, aaoks extra.

PATENTS

The following patents have been applied fo? during the week — G. Goodlet, of Ravensbourne, for converting malleable oast Iron into malleable cast steel ; Emanuel WooffindiD, of Temuka, for making pipes by roller pressure j John Rose, of Oaversham Rise, for straining . and holding wire ; Frank Oakden, of Dunedin, for straining wire fences ; I Thomas Ferguson, of Melbourne, for an apparatus for drawing aerated liquids from fonts or reservolra ; Walter Cole, of Wellington, for fixing block for use ln brlok, atone, or conorete buildings ; T. G. Stevens, of Kent, Englnnd, for apparatus for controlling ships' rudders; SaulJosbua, of Melbourne, for an improved compound to be used aa a substitute for methylaced spirits ; B. T. Lacey, of San Francisco, for Improvements ln orushing rolls • D. B. Bite, of Auckland, for the electrical combination machinery plant ; Arthur Houghton, of WolHngton, tor an Im proved method of advertising ; R. S. Smith, of St Albans, Canterbury, for a telephone or microphone relay ; R. N. Cowan and R. A. Hern, of Wellington, for an automatic water flush for closets, etc, ; W. M. Taylor of AshburtoD, for an improved fire escape ; P F. M. Bui rows, of Auokland, for "The Novelty Folding and Adjusting Step-iadder" : E. T. Firth of Auckland, for ,the Eone Star eleotrlo light mast arm. .'

"Hough on Itoh.?'— ' Ifough on Itoh' cures' skin fhumors, eruptions,' ring worm, tetter, salt rheum, - frosted' fast,' objlblalnß, itoh, ivy poison barber's iiok.J 3 '

SPORTING.

THE AUOKLAND OUP

Auckland, December 29. The following are the final acceptances for the AUCKLAND OCP, Nelson I Victoria Cioga Sextant I Friendship Gannon Leorina | Betting on tho Oop is paralysed, Nelson being quoted at 2 to 1 on.

CRICKET.

THE ENGLISH TEAM.

[REUTffiE'S TELEGRAMS — COPYRIGHT.]

Adel_t.de, December 29.

The orloket match, Adelaide v. Mr Vernon's Eleven, was resumed to-day. The Home team had nine wickets doira. for 489 runs, plaviDg one ma : short. This closed the Inning, The Englishmen then commenced their second innings, and had put together 62 runs without the loss of a wicket, wheu play was stopped, owing to the visitors beln^ unable to continue the matab, they having to leave for Melbourne In order to oommence a match against combined Australia on Saturday. The local match waa deolarwd a draw.

THE NEW ZEALAND SCULLER

Wellington, December 29

The Sjdney «' Evening News" of the 22ad nays it was thought that Hearn, the New Zaaland scalier, would go to Graf ton and meet Hanlau there, Mr Oam mins, his backer, however, bas Bent a telegram to Grafton, saying that Hearn will not visit that place unless he Is allowed expenses- Whether this will be arranged or not It Is hard to say at present, but even m the event of tha New Zealand man not going to Graftou, a match will most probably be arranged between Hanlan and the New Z «aland man.

FATAL ACCIDENT IN WELLING TON

Wellington, D comber 29.

George Brown, aged about eight years, son of Mr Samuel Bro»n, Mayur of Wel lington, was killed this afternoon. He was riding m a cart opposite his father's residence when the horse baoked over a uteep cutting, the poor lad receiving suoh Injuries that death resulted In a few minutes. The driver of the cart escaped with a few bruises. Mr and Mrs Brown are absent m the South, having gone down yesterday with the intention of asoendlng Mount Cook.

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS

Auckland, December 29.

Serious robberies have been reported to the police as having taken plaoa last night m the harbor. The yachts Rita and Maritana were looted and a quantity of silver pate stolen from the latter, whilst the y&oht Malua Is missing, and believed to have been taken by the robbers. A party has gone out to search for tbe latter veasul. Wellington Deoember 29. The proposal to bring a team of English footballers to New Zealand will be further considered by tho Wellington Rugby Union after the holidays. The Wellington Cricket Association will send a team to Chrlstohurch about the 20th January. They are also endeavoring to arrange a match v»ith Otago. Oama.ru, Deoember 29. A four-roomed cottage at Kakanul was destroyed by fire on Wednesday night. The insurance was £70 m the National offioe on the houso aud furniture.

RUSSIAN IMPERTINENCE

(" Home News," November 4th.) The late editor of tha " Moscow Gazette " was an Inveterate enemy of England, and his hatred of this oountry knew no bounds. But be was a shrewd, far-sighted man, and would never have been guilty of the silly, presumptuous article which appeared m that paper a few days ago. Tho new journalism, as it has been oalled, consists ohiefly ln meddling with other people's affairs, and the present editor of the " Mobcow Gazette " has succeeded m carrying this to a length hitherto unattempted. With an impertinence which after all Is amus ing, be makes the cool suggestion that Gibraltar should be neutralised as well as the Suez Canal. Not content with this, he also expresses his opinion that If all the Powers interested were to Insist, Englaud would yield m tbe matter. In the eyes of this ingenuous person Great Britain has evidently progressed far 7 on the downward path of national abasement. Eagland has come so low In his opinion, that at the mere bidding of a meddle, some editor she is to give up without a word a fortress colony won by the prowess of her sons, and since guarded with jealous watchfulness, At thla rate Malta should also be neutralised, and Horg Kong »ni m fact any and every one of this country's possessions. The enemies of England are always devising schemes for her humiliation, and they are un happily at the prdsent momout aided and abetted by a renegade claes of our own politicians, who aro devotion; their best energies to compass the disintegration and ruin of the Empire. The preaent Govern' ment, whatever its weakneae, is little likely to be influenced by the vaporings of the "Moscow Gazette."

A SHYING HORSE.

To the enquiry. " Why does a horse shy V the " National Live, Stock Journal " replies : Becauso he sees something he does not understand, and is filled with a greater or less degree of fear, something as the boy feels when he shie3 dt the burying ground, and goe3 round to keep clear of it. J$ may bo equip new or some unusual object that the horso sees, or it may be an imperfect view of it Even a fami'iar object, if it oomea to view suddenly and unexpectedly, will cause a horsa to shy or jump just as an unexpected object or sound causes a nervous person to start. Whon a person is so startled, how much would it improve the matter to be scolded at or given a cut with a whip ? Just as much us tho samo treat ment would m the cnso of a horso. Harshness only aggravates tho matter. The more the horse is soolded and whipped, the more nervous he gets ; and every time he passea the plaoe where th 6 fright and whipping occurred, ho will recollect the unpleasant affair, and ho will begin to prick up his ears and fidget, ready for another jump, Give him the lines and he wil go by m a hurry. The proper way is never to etrlko or Boold a horse that is startled or frightened. Speak to him coolly, calmly, and kindly ; give him time to eea and collect his scattered Benses, and make him feel that you are his friend and protector. When he sees that all la right, there ia an end to all further trouble. Wo have Been a horse refuse to cross an unsafe looking bridge ; but when the driver took him by tbe bits he cautiously followed. Next time he required no coaxing or urging to oroaa the bridge. He might have been whipped into it at first, but was not the milder course, although a little trouble, the better one ? The horse showed his confidence m the driver ever Afterwards.

Mr Valentine, M.H.R., oalled attention m the House to tho extortionate rate charged m this colony for obtaining probate of & will. It seems that tho total cost of obtaining probato of a will m England where 'tho amount involved does not exceed £300 is only £2 6s, whoreas m this oountry it generally, including lawyers! okpeopee, amounts to AM £39

THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION.

. «_ BEPRRSENTATION OP NEW ZEALAND.

Wellington, December 30. The Royal Commission for the repre sentation of IS'ew Zealand at the Mel. bourne Centennid Exhibition has been issued Th 9 Commissioners are : — Tbe Governor (President), Sir Jas. Hector (vice President), Hona T. . W. Hislop and Waterhouse. the Mayor of Wellington, Messrs W. H. Levin, A. K. Newman, W. Peed. <i. E. Tolhurst, W. Cable, and O J. Forward. Mr Ohas. Oallis haa been appointed Secretary to tho Commissioners, Ihe first meeting was held yesterday. It was determined that 8000 ft of space should bo applied for, and the Commis sioners ask for a complete and thorough representation of exhibits of raw pro ducts _ skilled industries, and arts. The attention of flock- owners is also directed to the faot that two wool shows will be held, oue of the 1887 clip, and subse quently the clip of 1888, the two shows to be judged separately.

BUTTER PRESERVING

.At a recent meeting of the Freuob Soolety for the enaourag*ment of Industry, M.GroßUls of Vervlers, described a new method for preserving butter. He takes 98 parts of water, 2 parts of laotlo add, and 1-5000. h of salicyllo aold and pre vents Its crystallisation, Tbls solution la to be beaten up with the butter, which, on taking up about five per oent., will contain 1 part of salicylic aoid In 100,000 M. Grosfils says that good buttßr may thuß be preserved indefinitely even In hot climates* However efficient this may be, it is too complex and refined for ordinary domestio use, and 13 not required, In my own small housahold we adopt a muoh simpler method, A supply cf butter is purchased m the autumn or latter part of the summer, wh«n genuine f^ab butter Is oheap and good, the cows beinj; then fed on the aftermath ; this butter is mad 6 Into rolls of one or two pounds esoh, and placed m strong brine, a piece of wood being; employed to keep the rolls im mersed. They remain qaite sweet all the winter. The salt penetrates to a depth of about £ of an inoh, and thus eaoh roll has a dating of salt butter, but all remains fresh within. — " Hardwlcke's Science Goßsip."

THE DANGER OF INFECTION

A medical man, writing to an American paper, says :—

A 8 a stranger m your city one is struok with the extensive uso of the telephone — even to the extent of creating a new word, ' phoning ' or * phone,' to express the aot of using the instrument as a meanß of intercommunication.

But m the contaot of the breath with tbe diaphragm m speaking, a deposit of moisture containing animal matter lodges upon the parts, which is largely increased by tho use of the concentrator or cup used by many, and as the telephone is often Bituated m a dark place, where no sun or air can come m contact with it, to retard, tho growth of germs m this constantly increasing deposit ; and the decomposition of this animal matter produces a foetid odor, which is sickeninsdy disagreeable to eensltive persons using the instrument and may be the medium'of circulating theinfeotion of certain diseases communicable through the breath of others, where an instrument is pro miscnonßly used and no attention is paid to cleansing it with pure alcohol or a disinfecting solution containing perman ganate of soda, carbolic acid, vinegar or tho like. Neglect m this matter is only second to neglect of cleansing table ware after übo by one before allowing it to be used by another. The ' British Medical Journal ' points out the danger m large cities of infection arising from the promiscuous uso of the mouthpiece of a public telephone by numbers of persons, and recommends that the mouthpiece be disinfected evory time it is used to prevent accidents.

A solution of alcoholic spirits m water, carbolic acid (1 to 300), permanganate of soda or r iuegar should be kept always at hand and the mouthp : ece cleansed after each v ing.

A word to the wise ehould be sufficient

A HORRIBLE OCCURRENCE.

The " New York : lerald " gives the fol lowing account of a horrible occurrence wbich took pane on October 26tb, when James E. Hamilton, the mail-carrier between M'aimi and Lake Worth, on the South Atlantic coast, was devoured by man-eaters at Hillsboro Inlet. He was a stout, athletic young man, and oirried the mail between the two places, a distance of seventy five miles,, ou hia baok, walking on the beach most of the way. The inlet is a. dangerous crossing, the back watera of tho Everglades meeting the tides and producing heavy and da-geroua Sdas, Sharks of the most ravenous kiod abound there. An old fkherman, who was within holf-a mile ot Hamilton when he bogan crossing, describes the tragedy as a horrible occurrence. When Hamilton reached tho middle of the in,et the sharks flocked about hiß boat, leaping ton f.et or more out of the water m their eager ness to. get at human flesh, Humilt -n foiight them with his oaw, but soon both wera bitten off and dashed" out of his hands. Thon they assailed tbe boat, tearing huge pieces offitko gunwale, fr'oon it began to sink, aud Baraiiton boemme stupefied with fear. Another qlqw on the frail boat and ho wss thrown headlong into the masses 0 f fieroe sea'wolves. One shriek of agony and all waa over. The sea waa dyed for yards around with bis life blood. Searching parties wore sent out, but nothing found. Qamilto.n's death waa such ft horrible o.ne that no mau%canrie? over the route haa yet been secured.

INFANT MARRIAGES IN INDIA

We commend to Professor Max Muller another Infant marriage" case which the 11 Indian Spectator" (a well-knowu native journal rightly says is worse than that of Eukhlnabhi. A little Indian girl, whoße parents died during the Bambay famine of 1876-7, was at that time placed m an orphanage, and subsequently sent to the Poona Training College, to be qualified for the office of schoolmistress. AJter she was admitted into the college it was discovered that when an infant she had been married to her maternal uncle. The girl, it appears, had no renoileotlon of the ceremony, and only knew that she was married beoause she had heard her parents talk about it. Nevertheless, bofore she oouhj be trained as a schoolmistress, the consent of the man — who iB poor, Illiterate and already married — had to be obtained, and when Bhe has completed ber educa tion she will ba in hia power unless indeed sooiety or the Government should Inter fore. Mr Malabari, editor of the •' Indian Spectator," Is willing to. pay the husband a few hundred rupees if he will consent to release the girl from the contract which has been made m her name, but clearly this is a caao m whioh relief should be fouud for the victim of a oruel custom by j more satisfactory means thau the payment of a bribe. — Exchange. I

Sour stomach, sick headaohe, and dizziness, Amerloan Co.'s Hop Bitters cures with a few 0 es. See

Keating'sPowder destroys both moths, flea beetles, and all other insects, while quite harmless to domestic animals. In' external nating beetles, the Buooess of this powder is extraordinary. It is perfectly olean m appli cation. See the article you purohab Koating's, as imitations are noxious and neffeotual. Sold n tins, 6d, le, and 2s, fid aaob, by 8,11 obemißta,

MANURES AND SEEDS EXPERIMENTS

An interesting series of experiments relating to manures and seeds are being € carried out on Lord Egerton'a estate. Qpo field whioh had been regularly mown and manured at intervals with farmyard manure, besldeß having had, three yeara ago, a dressing of road sorapingi and gas lime. The field his a strong though not deep soil, and a clayey subsoil,, and Is . well drained. It is divided into eight ono-acre plots and treated as follows :— A, ka'nit, 4jwt ; B, sulphate of ammonia, 2_cwt ; O, farmyard maaare, 15 tons } D (uo manure); E, lime, 4 tons j P, boiled boue, Bcwt ; G. lime, 2 tons ; H, half an aore with liquid manure, quarter aore ploughed and sown with permanent grass seeds, and quarter acre not manured. The result of the experiment bas been reported on by Mr Smetham as follows : — The grass was mown on July 4 and the different plota converted Into bay, the weather being fairly good for tha purpose. On July Bih the bay was carted and weighed, tha weights and tares being carefully checked.

The result of these weighings are m« struotive, and show dearly the influence of the manures upon the yield of grass, the ammoniaoal manures particularly giving an immense inoreaae over the un manned plot. The following were the weights obtained :— A, kalnit, 20owt 3qra; B, sulphate of ammonia, 39 owt O, farmyard manure, 20owt 3qra 91bs; D, nothing, 17c wt 3qrg 191bs j E, lime (4 tons)J9o(rt 3qrs24lbs; F, bones, 22owt lqr 61bs; G, lime 2 ton, 20owt 2qn 4lbsj H, liquid manure, 62owt 2ara I4lbi. Although the grass was out and made Into hay as nearly as possible under the same conditions, it was found that, owing to the different quantities to be operated upon, the percentage of water left ln tha resultant hay varied to suoh an extent aa to make a oorreotlon neoessary, and to iff;ot this the moisture was accurately ascertained m samples taken from each plot, with the following results :— Plot A, 16-40 moisture per oent ; plot B, 1780 : plot O, 15-00 ; plot D, 14 20 : plot B, 16-40 ; plot F, 16 00 ; plot G, 16 40. According to the analyses, the aotual dry matter yield per aore was— Plot |A (kalnit). I7cwt lqr llibs ; plot B (sulphate of am monia), 32cwt 61bs ; plot O (farmyard manure), 17owt 2qr 231bs j plot D (no thing), 15owt lqr Ulbn ; plot B (lime 4 tonB), 16owt lqr 26!b8 ; plot F ( bones), 18 owt 3qrs 23Iba ; plot G (lime 2 tons), 17 cwt 191bs. The sulphate of ammonia plot has yielded a crop which will far moro than cover the cost of the manure, bnt this result will have been brought about to some extent at the expense of the land, and to repeat the experiment, without tbe addition of other fertilising agents, would be to injure the land, and doubtless also ruin the pasture. The largo increase m the yield, due to the sulphate, shows that, properly applied, and In conjunction with other elements of plant food, the manure is exceedingly beneficial and remunerative ; but, like all highly stimulating manures, It mutt be used with discretion. It is curious to note that the larger dressing of Ifme appears to have had a leas beneficial effaot than the smaller quantity. The difference is not great, but 1 believe it to be due to the iojurouß effect of larger quantities on the herbage. Efefore tbe iime oan act it ranst be washed into the soil j but all the proportions of caustlo lime coming m contaot with the blades of grass must cause damage to a greater or less extent Doubtless next year the results will be reversed. The verysfclma lating effect of the liquid manure haa been largely due to the ammonia whioh it ooutains, but the beneficiil effects must be partly ascribed to the water it con tained, which, m a dry season like the present, oould not fail to inorease the yield. The experiment m converting the quarter acre without growing a oorn crop proved a failure, the annual weeds killing the permanent gras whioh waß sown there. The second field which was divided Into ten equal plots, varied somewhat m soil, two diSerent mixtures, both for per man=mt grass and two and threo yeara* ley, both with wheat and oata. The field waa inspected with interest, but no definite result oan be attained till after the lapse of two more yeara. There was a small plot devoted to potatoes. • Buttons,' ♦ Spencer • and « malncrop ' gave the best reaulta —" N.Z. Agriculturist."

ANTS ON FORAGING EXPEDI TIONS.

I do not know whether others have studied the way a nest of antß la made aware that a certain place there is something good to eat. However this may be the following observation may be of Interest to Btndenta of ant habits. On one ocoaslon I killed a wasp— the small yellow wasp that Is so common In India. Soon after I observed an ant moving about on the sill of a window. It atruok me as a good opportunity to observe what Bteps this ant would take If brought Into contact with the dead wasp. I placed the wasp In the path of the ant, and watohod the result. The ant, on finding tbe wasp, climbed over tt and explored it thoroughly m all directions. Having satisfied itself that this was a good fiDd, it descended* and ran down the wall of the window and aoroßs a very rough grass mat made of the saccyarum moo?ija (the moonjt or surpui m^itiug of India). £t galloped across the room over this rough surface as hard as It could go iq a particular direction, and dis appeared under the wooden sill of a door. 1 still watched to see what would happen. Presently a long string of ants In single file oame out and followed the exact course that the foraging ant had taken. They crossed the mat m the same course and went np the wall straight to the wasp, I left them m peaoe, and some time after I found only the shell of the wasp ; they had eaten Up all Us interior, and returned home. It Is evident that single ants leave the nests as acoata or explorers on foraging expeditions, and go to long distances. By some scent, left on their course, tbey are able to retrace their steps to their neat. The ants m the neßt, probably by some ecentof the body found, whioh the exploring ant brings with It, are made to understand that something good to eat hts been found. Guided by tbe exploring ant, or by the aoent it may have left m its track, the whole neßt, or a portion of it, sallies out, and goes straight to the find. If the body ia easily dragged home, tbe column does ao, m procession, Borne preceding, oome dragging, and some following tbe treasure ; otherwise, they set to and eat up what portions they can of the thing found. This trait ia ants ia most Interesting. Solitary ants are seen m all directions exploring and careering . up and down the stems and leaves of plants. If tbey oome aoroßs a flower With its nectar approachable, that Sower quickly becomes crowded with other ants. Their feeling organs aopear to be their antenrse. As they move about and ex plore, their antencse are always very aotive, and pre jocted before them. They stop here sad scjp there, and move these sensitive organs na if their whole attention were directed to tho impressions received by them, and It appears they deoide what course to take, Recording to the imprea aions conducted by their antenr •&, When two auta of tho same kind are going m op poslto direotlonß they never "cvt ,v each other and pass on, but invariably stop and bare a chat, so to. speak, and communicate to each other the news. How they do this exactly I cannot tell, nor oan I tell exactly how light communicates to our own brain the presence of objeola outßide of -us, and at a distance from uo,—- Ei Bonavla, M.D.

"Rough on Cokns."— Ask for Wells 1 "Rough on Corns." Quiok relief, complete, permanent oure, Corns, W«ts, bunion?. 4$ chemists aud druggists. §

JHE ABHBUBTOIN GUARDIAN, FBI DAI, DECEMBER 30, 1887.



Moon s Sun San Moon Moon ago at Rlees. Sets. Rues bets, noonday p.m. a.m. 24 Saturday ... 4.20 7.38 1.32 0.57 9 25 Sunday .. 4.20 7.39 2,30 1.22 10 23 Monday .. 4.21 7,39 .SO I.i. U 27 Tuesday .. 4.22 7.39 4.28 2.1G 12 58 Wednesday . . 4.22 7.40 627 2.49 13 29 Thursday .. 4.23 7.40 6.26 3.26 14 80 Friday.. .. 4.24 7.41 7.21 4.0 15



TO OUR BAKAIA SUBSCRIBERS. "Tl 7~£ desire to intimato that from nnti VV aftor Ist Jauuary, 1888. HUB- BCRIBERS to this journal will OBTAIN THEIR COPIES AT THE STORE OF MR C. HABDY.



SANDER and SONS' EUCALTPTIEX- TBACT— Cure Of Skin Diseases. Interoar. gill, N.Z., 3rd of July, 1880. Messrs Sander and Sons, Sandhurst,— Gentlemen,— Having Buffered from ecjsenia (a skin disease which is very prevalent m this colony) for about nine ' yoars, I had consulted numerous medical men here and m Australia, and had takon arsenio, i strychnine, iodide of potassium, etc., inter- , nally, and bad used preparations of zinc and r lead externally. In fact, I had tried all the remedies known to the faculty, and what ' between travelling, -dootors', and druggists' bills, had spent a small fortune, almost, if not wholly, without results, except to injure my constitution. During a recent visit to '. Hokitika I was recommended 'to try your Extract Eucalyptus Globulus by a brother Who had experienced great benefit from it m alleviating a very sevoro cold, ahd no less to my surprise and satisfaction, I found tbe disease whigb troubled me so long was oon- quered, and the skin resumed its normal condition. This was effected by tho external übq of less than two two-ounce bottles. You j are welcome to make any use. you please of I th;s letter, and I subscribe myself —Yours', I et,c (Signed), John U. J\Epp, Manager Union P»D^pfAH^o^ #njiM,- r fAdyt.) I |



WantecL. WANTED Known.— Celery and Win- ter Plants, Gooseberries, and Black and Red Currants, Raspberries — Henry 1 Javhs, Hampstead Garden, near Convent. 1- 170 "TTTANTED Known.— That HAVES W and CO. havo a splendid lot of White Embroidery Robes at 14s, worth 2U. Segers' Great Sale.— Melford House. WANTED Known.— For Sale, Blue Gum, Stringy Bark, Peppermint Gum, Red Gum, and Silver Wattle Tree Seeds, locally grown, and saved this Season ; also Turnip Seeds, just arrived, ex s.b Rimutaka.— J. Scaly and Co., Seedsmen, Eaet Street. 11+61 Melford House Sale.—H. O. Segers. WANTED CASH — Moir's Oatmeal 251bs, 2s 6d ; Sperm Candles, 5d ; Coffee and Milk, Is por tin; Coooa and Milk, Is per tin ; Vestas, 5d per doz ; Cornflour, 41 per Ib ; tin Fruits, Is ; Crookery, Ironmongery, eto. — At James McGregor's, Tancred Street, opposite Arcade. I r|T ANTED KNOWN — Oleographs VV Scenery, and Catholio Subject ■ Catholio Cards, good variety m Scrarg Novelties m Penwipers, Crewel Wools ar d Silke, Knitting Cotton, iColored Crotchet Cotton, Transfer*, Tinsel Balls, 4c, &c.i at Mrs Manhibb's Fancy Repository, Saunders' Buildings} Sale at Melford House.— H. O. Segera. WANTED Known— To the Ladies of Ashburton and surrounding dlstrloti, that an experienced monthly Nurse is desirous of engagement. Good references oan be given. Address — Mrs Hill, Peter Street, Aabburton. 11 18 \ \ 1 ANTED Known— Wells sunk, with W pump and pipe found and fixed, from £2 10s upwards. All kinds of pumps, Ranges and house-smith work fixed or repaired. Chimneys Bwept and ranger cleaned, 33. Registers Is 6d each. All orders punctually attended to. Note address, H. Dudley, Moore street, Ash- barton. 11 22



JOHN ORR & CO.'S GREAT CHEAP SALE —OF— SUMMER STOCK, DEAPERY, CLOTHING, MILLINERY, MANTLES, &c. Commences on WEDNESDAY, December 28th. ASTONISHING BARGAINS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. NOTE !— The Great Sale for the Season I is at John Orr and Co.'s J. G. RESTELL & CO. j (LATE TUCKER & RESTELL), Timber and Coal Merchants, WEST STREET, HAVE made fresh arrangements for supplies of all olaaaes of TIMBER Requisite for Building Purposes of Ashburton. Regular Deliveries from Southland, con- ! eist'ng of— Red and White Pines, And from Thames, Havelock, and other Northern Porta of Best Dressed Floorings and Linings, The Quality of the Milling being such as will pive entire satisfaction. A Cargo of ASSORTED TIMBER, RED AND WHIT PINES and MATAI, just received ex " Alert." A LARGE ASSORTMENT OF KAUKI, FLOODING. LINING, SHEi/VINGS, MOULDINGS, SKIRTINGS, ARCHITRAVES. Kept under cover and m good order, dry and seasoned. TOTARA and BLACK PINE of nil tizeß—the very best— coming from tbe 1 erawer.l Saw Mills. Just taken into ptock ex " Langstone" — GALVANISED I K«>N, Orb Brand, SHEET LEAD, ZINC, CEMENT. Fencing Wire, (barbed and p'a : n), Boiled Raw Oil fl»d Castor Oil, Red and Whito Lead. NEWCASTLE, WESTPORT AND MOUNT SOMERS COAL Always m stock and delivered at any Railway Station at lowest possible quotation*. Town Orders Rbobivk ?;.o«:t Attention. AGENTS FOR ■ Northern Fire Assurance Go i Colonial Mutual Life Association ' Mr£« F. Wright's Mount Somers coal J. C, RESTELL & GO.



GREAT SALE OF Bankrupt Stocky or Drapery, Clothing, AND BOOTS. ANDREW ORR having f_cure_ the Stook of A. C. PRIOHARD at a great reduction from Invoice Cost, will offer it to tbe Publio on WEDNESDAY, DEC, 28th, At Unheard of Prices. «-R< member TUESDAY, the 27th DEC. UWB ANDREW ORR. i - .____________—_—__—_ TRY KIRKPATRICK'S JAM. CAUTION. NONE iiTgenuine unless our name ie ■tamped on each tin, and has our Registered Traded Mai-, " Lora Nelson, . •n the label, TRY KIBKPATEICK'SJ TOMATO SAUCE. THE most delicious flavor'ng'for Cold Meats, Chops Steak s^ Soups Gravies czo &c. Wool Season, 1887-88. WE are prepared' to make LIBERAL OABH ADVANCES against Large or SMALL Clip* of Wool, whether In- tended for Sale lc ASHBURTON OR ELSE- WHERE. , We c have'made most satisfactory arrange ments for SHIPPING CLIENTS' WOOL, If "prices realised In Aohburton aro not ooniidered satisfactory. It is our Intention to hold PERIODICAL WOOL SALES Throughout the Season, Of which due notice will be given, and •sour GRAIN STOKE, which was con- structed with duo regard to LIGHT, will be BMPTY, we sbnll have an opportunity of displaying tbe Wool to tbe very best •dvanta_e. which should be a dislderatum to the Seller Charges exactly the samo ai Cbrißtchurch: .Farmers, consult your best interests, and Sell locally, thereby saving Railway Frelgh, WOOLPACKS AND TWINE Of TA i'EST QUALITY SUPPLIED li, MATSON & CO, TO TfJ- 815 IN WANT OF REAPERS AND BINDERS, Don't purchase until you see tho Buckeye, CHAMPION OF AUSTRALIA, Tine lightest and Best MooßKe yet before the Pubrc. Vide account of Public Trials, STYX AKD ASKBURTON. P. THOMAS, 12,151 4»**Bff Aibburtonf



ALBERT ROBERTS HAS FOR SALE,— Clovers, — RED, "WHITE, COWGRABS, ALSYKE, and TREFOIL. RYEGRASS, COCKSFOOT, ajtb RAPE. golden Tares, Cape Barley, r>EBD PEAS, BEED OATb (varioua kinds), CRUSHED BEANS PLOUGHSHARES COOPER'S SHEEP DIP, Acknowledged to ba TBE BEST IN TEE MARKET'