PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

In the House to-day the Hon E. Mlt ehelion, Minister for Pabllo Works, de lirered the Pabllo Worki Statement, fie mid :- Ms Speaker : At the qaeatlon of the Public Works of the colony Is becoming, m comparison wl h other questions, of leas importance as time goes 00, and as I think that this ia as it ■honld be. T propose to oonfiae my re marks on the tub j sot to day* within much narrower limits than has been the case hitherto. lAILWAYS IN COUBSE OF CONSTRUCTION AND PROPOSED RAILWAYS INCLUDING ADDI MOHB TO OPENED UNBB : — On the snbjeot of the railways m coarse ef oonstraotlon and proposed It will only be necessary to s»y a Tory few words The Government is dltt'.notly of opinion that the present finanolM poiltlon of the colony does not warrant the undertaking of any wilway works other than suoh as will be of an immediate productive oha raoter, and we hare therefore, deolded to teoommend that with two exceptions only loch amount should be voted this year as will enable us to meet the liabilities of thote lines already In oonstruotion with a ■mall ran to cover supervision and con tingencies. The two exceptions are the Woodvllle to Palmerston North railway and the Qtago Central railway. On the Woodville to Palmerston railway, In addition to the amount required for existing liabilities, authority will be asked for £18.000 to enable a oontraot to be let for the Pohangina bridge ; and for the Otago Central railway, m addition to ex'stl~g liabilities authority for £35,000 will be Mked for,, of which £30,000 is for the completion of the requisite bridges •nd other works up to and across tbe Button Stream, and the balance, £6009, for the formation of a portion of the Mddlemaroh section. Tae completion of the Woodville to Paluierston railway is considered by tbe Government to be a work of the utmost Importance, and a larger appropriation would now be asked for if It were not that nothing would be gained by undertaking any otber workß. The Pohaoglna bridge has been pat m hand. It Is proposed, however, to ask for another vote next session for the whole balance of the loan allocation, and to th?n pot all the works m hand which are re quired for tbe completion of ttm railway •t suoh times as will emore their com pletion, contemporaneously with the Pohangina bridge and the tnnnel oon traot. It Is also Intended next year to a«k for a vote for the whole balance of loan allocais^k for the Otago Oentral railway, so as to enable the line up to Mlddlemaroh to be completed m about two years from now. '. The total length of railways opened on 31st Maroh last was, m the North Islend, 643 miles, and m the South Island, 1108 ; total, 3751 miles. There were also at that date 164 miles of railway m course of construction, of wbih 80 were In the North Island, and 84 In the South Island. The total expenditure on railways, including cost of Provincial lines and purchase of district railways up to tbe 31st of March last, was £14,466,705, and the liabilities on the 31<t Mnrch were £161,577, making In all £14,728 282 for railway works m course of construction, as a whole. The Amount voted last year was £460,000, of whloh £365,449 iras expended ; and for this year with liabilities at end of March last amounting to £247,951, we propose to ask for votes to the extent of £338,900, leaving £829,508 for future appropriation. To proceed now to deal with the exist ing condition of each several line as has usually been done In the past would, I think, under the present circumstances be •Imply tedious. That this should be done where works are proposed Is no doubt very desirable. In order to enable hon membera who may not all be acquainted with the several localities to understand the existing condition of things. As a first step towards realising what Is pro posed to be undertaken when nothing Is proposed to be done, however (with the two exceptions already mentioned), be yond making progress and final payments oo account of tbe works already con structed, for It seems scarcely necessary to weary the House wfch a recital of what these lines consist of In eaoh several instance. Besides this, too, the Interval between this and my las* Public Work* Statement Is so short that the acope of the undertakings on various rail* ways I described has not materially altered. In the meantime it Is no doubt desirable, however, for record purposes that a brief summary of the condition of «aeh railway should be embodied m the Pabllo Works Statement. As usual I have, therefore, had one prepared, which will be appended to this statement as a supplement Thsre will also be found ■ome remarks whloh I would wish to bring under the notloe of hon members subject relative to railways generally, retrospeo ttve and prospective. In the case of all works other than railways, I propose to state the details In this manner. The expenditure on additions to opened lines hai been steadily decreasing and the amount expended during the year ended Slst March last is a farther illustra tion m the same direotion. The amouuts for the last few years were m round numbers ai follows :— IBB4 85, £140,000; 1885-86, £91000; 18&6 87. £80,000 j 1887-88, £38,000. This is exclusive of permanent way, and if permanent way 1b Included the amounts are — for 1884-85, £103,000 ; 1885-86, £109,000 ; 1886 87, £91,000 : 1887-88, £41,000. The item of rolling stock I have not taken into aocount. Tbe proportion of rolling stock added was little. If anything, more than equivalent to the length of new lines opened during these years. For additions to opened lines the amount voted last year was £40,000, of whloh £38,277 was expended, and for the present year with liabilities at end of Maroh amounting to £13,625 we propose to aak for a vote of £66,000. Up to about five years ago the undertakings of this obaraoter were undoubtedly rather lavish. No separate account had until that time been kept of works done In the shape of additions to the opened portions of railways as distinct from new extensions « Towards the dose of 1883, however, the matter engaged serious consideration of Govern. ment, and steps were taken to curtail the expenditure of this class as muoh as possible. With that object accounts were opened In the books of the Public Works Department In order to show exaotly how matters stood, and my successor m office carried this reform a step further In 1884 by bringing down separate estimates and taking separate vouohers for this class of works. By this means It was possible for the first time to merely rerllse what was being expended from year to year on snob undertakings, : end to keep c proper check on them, it ' was not, of course, possible to counter mand undertakings whloh had already been entered on, but great care was exerolsed to avoid any unneces sary expenditure In the future, and I oan vouoh for It that certainly no expen diture of this class has reoently been undertaken which did not promise an immediate return for the capital Invested. The vote proposed for the present year Includes the sum of £25,000 for tie purohase of stock of permanent way to be fceld In hand for working ratlway require ments. This Is Intended to be drawn upon from time to time as may be neces sary to provide for requisite renewals and as eaob draw is made there wil be a corresponding payment out of the votes fot working expenses Into a Suspecse Fund, end purchases will thereafter be pnede cut of that fund, to restore the stock of rail*. The £25,000 will always be represented partly m .rails and partly Jfl »on»y, By ftfe arrangement two

considerable advantages will be retained 1 —(1) That the Working Railways Depart ment will always have an assured stock of permanent nay located iv the most convenient manaer to meat the r< qalre mente whloh they cm look upon with certainty, and without the inconvenience of cost attending upon transhipments which have often been rcquiulte m the psst ; and (2) That the oonstruotion, stocks, and votes will not b.e complicated and disarranged by having to provide an indefinite quantity of permanent way at uncertain periods to meet the Working Railways requirements. WORKISO RAILWAY? As regards the Working Railways, the annnal report of the Goceral Manager will be found to give fnll details of the trßffio revenue and expenses, and It Is satisfac tory to find that the efficient administra tion of the railways during the past eight years has by gradual improvement m permanent way, structures, appliances, and organisation led to corresponding economy m working. The total expen diture last year was less than that for any of the three preceding years, and the average cost of working pir mile was the lowest that it has ever besn. For these results, there oan be no doubt that the Railway Department deserves a great deal ot credit, as h y could only have been brought about by careful organisa tion and patient supervision, extending over a series of years, Still further Improvements are expsoted during the ourrent year, but it must not be supposed tbat eonomy oan be Indefinitely extended, as we have already arrived at fairly good results m view of the relative situations of our various lines, the character of tb.6 traffic on some of them, and the extent of the requisite renewals. This year the ratlway from Ljttelton to Selwyn will have been opened 21 year;, and on this and others of the older litres rebuilding bridges and structures and paying for new rails and sleeper* Is a heavy Item of expense. The average cost of keeping lines m order is under £70 a mil 3, apart from actual rebuilding of structures and bridges, purohase of new rails acd sleeperr, and other new works. The whole coat of maintenance, Including such it 3ms, Is only £141 per mile. The -average grass charge per ton of traffic on i the New Zjaland lines is the lowest In tbe Australian oolonfei, being only 63 lOd. This fact Is not co much to our mileage rates being low, as the average distance carried being shorter m New Zealand than In the other colonies m consequence of our numerous ohlef towns and por ( s. Be the cause whatever it may, hovevever, the producers In this oolony must as a whole derive an advan* tage bb compared with producers m other colonies from this low average rate of oarriage from the place of production to a point, and the consumers m the ohtef towns as a whole must have a corres ponding advantage compared with consumers m other colonies In the low average rate of oarriage from tbe place of production to the plaoe of consumption, At the same time it has to be remembered that our railways cannot make as muoh net profit out of this lowar average rate as the railways of the other colonies oan make out of their higher average rate, even though tbey may have io carry goodß a somewhat longer distance for the average rate which they get The reason for this is that a larger proportion of the cost of performing eaoh transaction is a constant expense, irrespective of the distance oarried. Nevertheless, If we are not getting 20 large a revenue as we might do with higher rates, we gain a corresponding advantage In other ways by fostering production and industries of all ; klndß. We must, however, await the ( growth of population before we can gain 1 •ny large increase m traffic Our railways 1 m many oases have been oarried into the ■ oonntry without sufficient population, and < cannot pay expenses m tmh p!aceß until 1 Battlement and production have advanced. ( The next subject Is . . ROADS OF ALL GLASSES. | The length of rondß and bridges con- ( struoted and Improved out of the Public , Works Fund last year was 8478 miles, j The total bridge work m both islands is 1 771 bridge?. Under the head of main ro&ds the work required to be done which practically means the m%ln- , tenanoe of arterial lines of comma* nlcation passing through uninhabited ] districts, is being gradually reduced to . lowest possible Hmlto. Under the votes \ of last year twelve of these roads were j provided for, but m the votes proposed for this year the number is reduced to six. The amount voted under this heading last , year was £18 650 of whloh £13756 was j expended, and for this year with liabilities , to the end of Maroh last amounting to . £6311, we ask for a vote of £15,000, the \ whole of whloh, however, will not be ■ expended. ' MISCELLANEOUS ROAD 3 AND BRIDGES ; The amount voted last year was £34.000 1 of which £25,989 was expended. For 1 this year witb. liabilities at the end of , March amounting te £12,642 we propose , to ask for a vote for £34 354. SUBSIDIES TO LOCAL BODIES. As regards subsidies to local bodies under the Bodies Finance and Powers Aot, it has now been decided that If these subsidies are to be continued they must be oharged to the Consolidated Fund and no provision has therefore been made for them In the Public Works Esti mates of this session. WOKK FOB UNEMPLOYED. Under the heading, work for unem ployed, the sum of £10,000 was voted last year and we propose to BBk for the same amount for the current year. Of £10,000 voted last year £5361 was expended and we had liabilities existing at the end of Maroh amounting to £1863. The £10,000 proposed for this year may possibly be more than will be required but it Is thought better to provide sufficient i for emergencies which may arise. KOADS TO OPEN DP CROWN LANDS. On the very Important work of clearing and farming pioneer roads through Grown lands preparatory to settlements, the expenditure last year was £61,488 and the vote proposed for this year la £50,000 leaving £33,612 for appropriation m succeeding years. VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS, For village homestead settlements last year the sum of £72,200 was allocated under the loan funds to meet then existing engagements and of this sum £12,053 was expended leaving a balance of £60.147. Of this sum however only about £45,000 will be required to meet engagements now found to be due. This will leave £15,000 dear which we propose to ask Ptr'lament to authorise Government to expeod on new settlements The vote proposed for this year is £20,000 of whleh £12,000 is required for expenses incurred In locating and for ooni inning the stipu lated advances to the present settlers and £8000 for f nrther extension of the system if authorised to be expended as I have suggested. The settlers have had the benefit of expenditure on roads la their district, but this expenditure which was frrm the vote for roads to open up Grown lands for sale cannot continue to be reasonably applied for the benefit of the village settler*. It '■ proposed therefore m the Sapp'euentary Estimates, to enable the assistance to be continued, and In asking for this vote the Minister of Lands will make a statement to the House of the condition of the several settlements and the amount of help that they severally require. BOADS OK QOLDFIELDS. The expenditure daring tha five years ending March 31st last, has been m round numbers £131,000, and of this amount about £25,000 was expended during last year! The amounts required for the pre sent and following year are £35,000 and t £11,707 respectively, and this will exhaust ' Loan Funds at present available for this » olih Of workfi

WATERWORKS ON GOLDF.ELDS. On acoount of waterworks on the gold fields the expenditure during the five years ending Maroh 31 last was In round numbers £42,000 of whloh about £10,000 was expended during last year. It is not proposed to undertake any new works of this character, and the amount required to be provider) for the present year is £765, leaving £229 for next year. EXPENDITURE ON BOADS OF ALL CLASSES. On acoount of roada of aU classes the amount voted out of the Public Works fund last year was £263,620, and the amount expended was £219,519. For tUs year, with liabilities 8t the end of Maroh last amounting to £150.670, we propose to BBk for a vote to the extent of £168,€54. Thla will leave under the present loan allocations £151,741 available for appropriation for road works m suc ceeding years PURCHASE OF NATIVE LANDS. Under tbe heading of purchase of Native lands m the North Island generally as distinct from purchases out of the loan for the North Island Trunk Railway, I find that during tbe year ending 31st Maroh last the purobase of 210,000 acres m whloh large turns had previously been advanced, w&b completed at a total cost of £40,000 equivalent to about 3s 9d per acre. This area includes some valuable antifer otxs land »t Corona a del. The expeaditare during last year, inoludlog £15.073 recovered from the vote of purchase of lands along the North Island Trunk railway, was £16,587 and the balance remaining for expenditure under the loan allocation of last session is £14,485 Of this amount £9000 is proposed to be voted for expenditure during the current year, leaving £5484 for next year Coming now to the land purchases out of the lorn for the North Island Trunk Railway, we completed dariug last year the purohase of 100,000 acres, at a total cost of £8000, or about Is 7d per aore. The sum of £5571 still remains available, and it is proposed to be voted for expen diture during the current ytar, and by the 31st March next, as the reeult of the expenditure of tie £KiO,ooo, it U esti mated a total area of 700,000 acres will have been acquired. This would mean an average prloa ter aore of about 2a 10 i. No further land purchases along the line of the railway oan with advantage be gone on with at prtsen*, but we propose next session to ask for authority to devote a further sum of £50,000 out of the North Island Trunk Rail way loan to this purpose, and If this ia approved of by the HoU3e further desirable land purchases oan then probably be made. IMMIGBaTION, As regards immigration, as hon. mem bers are already aware, the acoeptanoe of nominations within trie colony for pas sages was stopped on December 22, 1887 After that date no nominations were entertained, and the services of the Immigration officers and their staffs have been dispensed with. Since the date up to which information was given m my last Public Works Statement, namely since the 30th November, 1897, 623 eouls have arrived who had been nominated for pse sagea prior to December 22, and towards the ooat of whose passage tbe Bum of £1522 has been contributed by their friends iv the colony. Since the same date 47 small farmers have also arrived, with a know n cat Hal of £5630. The total number of this class introduced Blnoe the commencement of the system on the 98th September, 1885, Is 397 with a known capital of £43,785. The standing liabili ties m tbe colony and m London on March 31, 1888, including cost of passage and expensed, was £8,000. Some small con tingencies In connection therewith will amount to £110, and a contribution proposed to be made towards the passages of some persons m England who are separated from their families here will amount to about £1000 making In all £9110 for which we now propose to aek for a vote: The total number of immi grants, Inclusive of small farmers Intro duced. Blnoe the Inauguration of the Immigration scheme by the Colonial Government, Is 104,576. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION, On aooount of telegraph and telephone extension the amonnt expanded last year was £22,984, and the amount proposed to be asked for this yea; is £20,000 leaving £8370 for future appropriation. Of the expenditure last year, £13,029 was on acoount of telephone exchanges. PUBLIC BUILDINGS The amonnt voted for buildings last year was £109,105, of whioh £90,529 was expended, and for the year with liabilities at the end of Maroh amounting to £29,610, we propose to ask for a vote of £52,244. This will leave a balance of £69,637 of loan allocations for appropria tion m succeeding years. As promised m my Statement of last year, the coat of the re-erection of the Wellington Post Offioe has been provided for out of the consolidated fund as has also the oat of Bohool buildings for this year. A beginning haß also been made towards gradually throwing the whole coal; of public buildings on the Consolidated fund. LIGHTHOUSES AND HAB 808 WOBXB. On account of lighthouses the amount voted laat year was £4,300 of which £2866 was expended. For this year we propose to ask for a vote of £3750 leaving £1684 for n6xt year. No provision is made m this year's estimates for harbor works, the loan allocation for that class of work having been exhausted. HABBOR DEFENCES. Coming now to the subject of harbor defences I find tbat the total cost of the harbor defences of New Zealand up to the 31st March, 1888, has been £392,286, of whioh £52.231 was spent on 04 pounder and 7 ton guns, torpedo boats, and reports by military engineers, etc., prior to the war scare of 1885, leaving m round numbers £340,000 aa the total cost on all accounts of land defenoea and I submarine defences, equipments, arma ments, and material of war since the actual construction of the defence works began. The vote for the year 1887r88 waa £80,000, and the expenditure £73,459, with liabilities at the end of the year £36,422, of whloh £3145 was for works and £3377 for war material Of tbe total sum of £130,000 provided for harbor defences m the loan allocations of last session there remained on tbe 31st March last an unexpended balance of £56,541, which is proposed to be expended during the present year m discharging the liabilities already referred to, and carrying on the works- It la hoped by the end of March next both the land and submarine defences may be made effeotlve against any sudden emergency. To oomplete the works, however, to auoh a stage as wo hid enable all the guns and other material of war obtained at large expense from England to be barely utilised would, making allowance for prisoner labor, entail an expenditure of about £9000, m addition to the amount already provided, while to place them m a state of fairly complete equipment would entail a further expenditure of about £2000, that would ba In all about £11.000 In excess of the BjXiount already provided. BATES ON NATIVE LANDS. The amount required as an advance for the payments whloh fall due during tbe current year Is £11,500, and a vote for that sum will be asked for, EXPENDITURE ON PUBLIC WOBKS OF ALL CLASSES. On aooount of publlo works of all claaies tha amount voted last session was £1,128,077, of which £066,189 was expended during the year. Of the amount thus expended £440,854 was under part 1 of the fund for the various works and services therein provided for ; £162,31$ t waa uacfcr part 2

of fond for North Island Trunk railway including road works and Native land purohnre ia connection therewith ; and £372 990 was under pa.t 3 of the fund on acoount of the various railways comprised. In part 1 of the fond we had at 31st Maroh laßfc the sum of £50,392, and to this there is to be added amounts- due to it, making In all £652.126. As against this amount the liabilities at end of March tact were £374,555, wbloh will leave £277,571 available for appropriation m bucceeding years. Ia part 2of the fund, taking credit for tbe £1,000,000 loan recently fl i&t"d the amount available for expen- j penditnre from the 31st March last was £522,000 with liabilities at the end of March amounting to £75 904. We prc pose to expend £135,711 during the present year, leaving £386,289 for ap propriation m succeeding years. In part 3 of the fund taking oredlr for the additional £600,000 recently floated.we bad available for expenditure from 31at March last, the sum of £896,245 with liabilities amounting to £190,668. We propose to expend dnrlng the present year the sum of £352,541 leaving! £543,704 for appropriation m succeeding years, THE PUBLIC WOBKS FUND. Asa whole therefore we had available for expenditure from 31st March last the sum of £2,070,471, with liabilities at the end March last amounting m all to £471,695. We p opose to expend during the present year the sum of £862,807, leaving £1,207,664 available for appropriation io succeeding years / f ter a lengthy refer ence to tbe figures given as coßt est mated, tbe Minister stated that it was not likely to be so great as Bet forth; It was necessary to provide for the maximum amount of liabilities which may acorue, and on this baeii be estimated that the actual total expenditure during the current year may probably be ) ept within £750,000, tbat is only m round numbers about £280,000 m excess of the liabilities existing at the end of Maroh het, If those anticipations as to th<) probible aotuil expenditure are fulfilled the amount remaining unexpended nt the end of March noxt will be about £1,320,000 PROPOSAL TO DO AWAIt WITH THS PUBIIO WOBKS DEPARTMENT As indicated m the Financial Statement of my colleague the Colonial Treasurer, the Government proposes during the recces to take etepa towards tbe early abolition of the Fublio Works Depart ment. BAILWAY OOMMISSIONffKS On the subject of the Ohlef Oommls eloner for Railways, communications with the Agent General have not yet been brought to a close, but we hope to hear fully from him very shortly, and will then set up the Commission without delay. CONCLUSION. I have now, Sir, ooroe to tbe end of my ntatement, and I would wish to thank the House for the patient hearing which It has vouchsafed, While my t*s& has not been tho pleasant one of proposing an active prosecution of pabllo undertakings suoh as a condition of general prosperity would demand and jastlfy, I have at least the satisfaction of feeling that our proposals are founded on. a careful and well-considered view of the necessity of the undertakings pro posed, and I am at the same time oonfident that one means of securing a sound condition of affairs will be found m bringing the public works expenditure within reasonable oompaps and conducting it on a so«le In proportion to the means of the oolony. [The usual reports by the several permanent officers of the Department attached to the Statement and also the usual tables showing the ooat of workß and result of working railways we have been compelled to hold over.l

THE EGG PUZZLE.

Anthony Lee says 28 Is tho correct answer, He has figured It out. A correspondent wrlteß In a contem porary ;— " In my humble opinion, the reason that so many smart editors and correspondents have hitherto faded to give the true answer — laughably simple though it be — is that none as yet seem to have caught the true meaning of the question. Instead of trying to find how many eggs a oartaln cumber of tans oou'd or wonH l*y m a given time, they have gone Into all sorts of figures, and found out to their own entire satlifacUon not what the hens would do, but what they ought to do. Question : ' If a hen and a b »lf lay an egg and a half m a day and a-half, how many eggs will six hens lay m seven days V Answer : Twenty-four. I arrive at that number thus : — As three half hens take three half daya to lay three half eggs, one whole hen will lay one whole egg m the same time. Therefore one hen will lay four eggs m the same time— i c., m six days. That beiog undoubtedly so, how many will the cix lay In Beven days ? Why, twenty-four of course. Perhaps they ought to lay more, but as they oannot they won't. They have all laid an egg on the sixth day, and on the seventh day they won't lay at all, for the simple reason that the eggs are not ready — their day and a-half is not up. — Uurekal" Robert W. Oroy, Ashton, writes : — ln answer to the egg problem, I beg leave to send you the following answer : For instance, a heu and a half lay an egg and a half m a day and a half is exaotly an egg for eaoh hen per day ; consequently six hens m seven days would lay forty- two egga. This problem reminds me cf the half-psnny problem, which Is as follows : Halfpenny wet, halfpenny dry, fourpenoe halfpenny and a halfpenny by, halfpenny behind, halfpenny before, fourpenoa half* penny and a halfpenny more. Another correspondent writes :— "There la a catch m this puzzle. Six hens will lay twenty-four eggs m six day, bnt as they do not lay again for a day and a half, of course they do not lay more eggs In seven daya than they do m six. Twenty four eggs Is therefore the answer. They only lay at the rate of twenty-eight In seven days." Another puzzle solver puts It this way : — " At tho end of six days the six hens will have laid twenty four eggs, and unlf si four of the hens have premature deliveries there can be no jnew arrivals on the night of the seventh day, as a hen only lays one egg In a day and a-half ; therefore it would be on the first half of tho eighth day before there' were any more eggs, and I think it Is here where the puzzle oomeß m," "Twenty-four complete eggs and six eggs without shells " Is given by another as the answer. H. Dudley, Ashburton, gives 21 egga as the answer.

IN DEATH THEY WERE NOT DIVIDED.

The Fjl " Times " of July 28 gives the following particulars of tho drowning of Mr Alexander Gray and his wife :— Mr Gray left the Rarawal Mill at about 5 p.m on Monday, 16th lnst., and about' half an hour later went out with his wife duck shooting. Shortly afterwards two ehots were heard, and it Is supposed from the surrounding circumstances that they anchored their boat at a small Island about a quarter of a mile above Vunlsa maloa, and walked to the npper end of a clump of trees, from whioh Mr Gray fired ; that having only wounded the duoks, he took off his boots and Books — whioh were subsequently found at the upper end of the island— and waded In to seoure the birds, and so got out of his depth. Mrs Groy must have taken the gun and cartridges and followed her husband down the island, as gun and ammunition were found at Its lower end It is conceived that, perceiving that her husband could not get on shore and reognising the peril he was In, Mrs Gray, who was a remarkably good swimmer, must have gone to his assist* anoa, and tbat she was dragged down by Mr Gray In his struggles. Being fully dressed, she was unable to rise, and the two met death together. Next morning it sear oh was instituted, and with the | assistance of a number of F'jians the bodies were found In about 20ft of water, clasped In eaoh other's arms. Mr Gray was about 27 years of age ; his wife, 21 They were married only In February last.

A JODGE ON PUNISHMENTS

Mr Juatioa Matthew, m opening the Bristol Asstess commenting on Mr Justice Dsy's viow that for mluor offences against persons or property sen tences of long Imprisonment were Inexpe dient and impolitic, said he was happy to think that view was beginning to spread largely amonp aU those charged with the exerolse of judloal daties m orimlnal matters. There was at one time an Im pression, originating, he believed, with a distinguished recorder of Birmingham, that the pruper way of dealing with criminals was to go on accumulating tbe punishment m cases where a person might be oharged with subsequent trlval effjnoes after having been once convicted, Bat it was forgotten that m these days we far less required to iofl ct heavy punish ment for minor offdnoes than was the case formerly, because we had an extremely able and vigilant police, who had tbe means of identifying pri soners, which did not exist m former times. So that a person who had once gone wrong was generally known, and his movements were constantly watched by the police. He was led to make these observations by noticing a case on the oalendar where a person sixt>-aight years of age was oharged with a email c fiance, and for a previous offence equally trivial the wretched creature was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. He trusted that the remarks that h»d fallen from the Bench generally on the snbjeot would be attended to throughout the country, In subsequently sentencing Jalla Donovan, aged sixty-sevan, for stealing a pair of stockings, he said she had tejn previously convicted several times for petty larcenies, and, betides other punishments, had been sentenced to two terms of seven and eight yeara' penal servitude for little offences. Ho thought these sentences were both unjust and absurd, and ought never to have been passed ; and he only senteoodd her now to one days' Imprisonment.

THE ASHBURTON GtJABDIAN, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, • 1888



D. Thomas. rnHE next Ohertiey Sale will be on i. Bth October. Wool. Wool. Wool. D THOMAS (late of Matsor, Cox, • and Co ,is prepared to mako LIBERAL OABH ADVANCES At low rates of Interest upon the ensuing CLIP OP WOOL, Placed m his hands for Fale ia New Zea« ' land or elsewkore. . No charges for Offering WOOL m Ashburtoo. Penodioal Sales will be held thtoughoat the Season' m my Store*, West Street, As. barton, which, having been boiltfor the purpose, are admitted to be the belt lighted m the disriot. No Commiesion on Advacoss. D. THOMAS, -■■ Ashburton^ TO LET., i QAA ACRES of Land, utuatei at •1.01/1/ Mayfield, Hinds, and known as Burgess Farm. D. THOMAS, 6°164 -n Asbburtcn, FARMERS, BUY BOOTH and MACDONAtD'S Sheep Feeding Racks. vVlll pay for themselves In fa BeMon, ~~ D. THQMAB, FOR SALE. ; QEVERAL GOOD FARMS CHEAP TO LET.| OAfl(\ ACRES ALFORD FOREST. 4±\J\J balf EoglUh grass, 3s pec Aore D. THOMAB, . Ashbuxton, LONDON AND LANCASHIRE FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY. f HAVE been appointed Agent for •*- the above Company, and am now prepared to take risks on Buildings, Stock and Gi ops at current rates. D. THOMAS, Ashburton; Skin Sales. s - I shall hold FortnightlylSalea of the |above throughout the Season, at my WOOL STORES, West Street, Aihburton commencing * FRIDAY, 29ih ""JUNE, , ■ ' at 12. o'olock, D. THOMAB. 1 have oeen appointed Agent FOB THKJ2I Mercantile Finance Co., WHBISTCHUROH, Who are prepared to advance Money 7 BILLS OF SALE, MORTGAGE OF STOCK j CROP LIENS, or other Security* D. THOMAS. Agricultural Implements. I AM APPOINTED- SOLE AGRNT IN ASHBORTOA |yob Messrs;BOOTH MoDONALD A j Cv OarlyleQlmplement Works, Chrletohioh,. JSaMJ W iHPLXMEIfIB ON JfilTD 1 Inspection lavited. P. THOMAS.^ I «S(A>teofMAIBON,' i Coxf4il C 0,,) Aihburtoa^



Fublic Notices. and ofcher T ? DtIT FDKD! c&tjyjyjij rQ idy for mv. stment oi First class Fr ehold secur ; (ies. Apply t H. WYNN.WILLIAMS, Soli itor, 211, Hereford street, 6 163 Christchuroh. FOR upwards of a Quarter of a Centarj the Publlo h»?e known and appre elated * W- GKEGG & COS •«olub, m ♦•ixaißiriON," « eagle, AND "CROWN" BRANDS OF COFFEE. The PopnUr .Blendi of TEA are GREGG and 00,'S CROWN, 2s per lb. EAGLE, 2S 4d per lb. EXHIBITION, 2s 8d per lb. CLUB, 3s per lb. Net Weigh ta— ln £lb and lib Packet*. 21b Fancy Oanisten, and slb and 101 Tins. These TEAS are Blended by an experi- enced Blender from one of the leading London Houses. ONE TRIAL WIITTeNSURE THEIR CONSTANT USE. The sbove Teas snd Coffees are to be obtained from JOHN ORR AND CO., Whom we have appointed our Agents for 8*72 ASHBURION. Ex "Rimutaka." THE NEWEST STYLES AND LATEST NOVELTIES ■;■■■ . ■ ' m. ;■■■;■ ■■ ■ ■ CORSETS Per above Steamer are now on view m our Windows. Mitchell & Turner Drapers and Clothiers TANCRED STREET. THE McOORMIOK BINDER. MESSBS MOBROW, BASSETTj & Co., having appointed us Sole Agents for the County, for the Sale of this moßt popular Machine, we an now booking orders for the coming Season, and as the supply is limited in* tending purchasers should place their orders without delay. Advices from America state that the McCORMICK Is a wonderful success. This will be accounted for when you have Been the new Machine. Do not fail to see the McCORMICK KNOTTER, A Marvel of Simplicity, oonsiating of only SEVEN parts. : Haying now the Sole Agency for the Machine, we will always keep a Very large Stock of EXTRAS on hand,' which will be a great convenience to the Farmers of the County. JOHN ORE &B



T Fpplic Notices. FOR SALE PRIVATELY. fT^HE well-known Dr.ught Entlve Horse A "RANTIN KOBIJV' For par- ticulars apply Wm, WRATH ALL, 8t99 Methvan WESLEVAN CHURCH. Social Evening with Popular Lecture. TUESDAY, AUGUST 21st. Subject — • The Maori Race." Lecturer— j Rev J. Newman Buttle. To commence at 730 p.m Admission : One Shilling ; light iiefresbment. 8 75 THE ABHBURTOJST DISPENSARY 0. M. BROOKE, Pharmaolst, DISPENSES the Ashburton Doctors Prescriptions with the best Drugs for One and Sixpence per bottle, Adults, One Shilling Children. DBUGS: Finest Oed Liver Oil, Is 6d per half- pint bottle, 8 1 6 i per half -gallon Beit Linseed Mccl, 4i per pound Pure Glycerine, 2j per pound bottle, and other Household Drags at -reduced rates. SURGICAL APPLIANCES : Single Trusses £s eaoh, double 6a Slik Klaslio Stockings, 8a eaoh India Rubber Bandages, 6) to 10s Elgglnson's lodiarubber Enemas, 6s eaoh Bjßt Heamless Rubber Enemas, 8 s eaoh Bilk Elastlo Belts to order at lowst price Chest Protectors, Respirators. Sponglo* plllne, Oil Silk, etc. 4 GALVANISM s The medical application of Electricity, and the various Batteries m use, I thoroughly understand, hiving been two years Scientific Assistant to Professor Swan (inventor of the Incandescent Sleo* trie Lamp), Newcastle-on-Tyns. Galvanlo Batteries on Sale or Hire. VETERINARY MEDIOINES : Physio Balis, 9i each ; Gripe Drinks, etc., Is 6i ; Horse Blister, Is Condiiion Powder, Is per lb] 9d by Ulbs Cleansing Drinks, Is each ; Cattle Spice 6d per lb Cattle Salts, Epsom or Glauber, 6d per lb Private Reolpes made up At lowest rates All Patent Medlolnes at usual prices. Homeopathic Medioines kept m stock. Teeth Extracted, Adults 2a, Children Is, Sunday Houbs : 10 to 11, 2 to 3, 8 to 9. For Mediolneß after dosing, epply at first private house, Burnett street East (formerly Bank of New South Wales J. IVBSS AND CO., AUCTIONEERS, GRAIN & PRODUCE MERCHANTS, SHIPPING AND FORWARDING AGENTS, SBAREBROKERS, HOUSE, LAND, & ESTATE AGENTS, Liohfield Street, OHRISTOHUROH, BEG to Inform the Inhabitants of the Oonnty of Ashbnrton, that they aye made arrangements with one of the leading Grain Merchants m Sydney, to reoelve consignments on their behalf, and are now prepared to mtke liberal Cash advances on all kinds of Dairy and Farm Produoe, for Sale In the New Zealand, Sydney, or English markets. In all oases the original aooount Sales will be attaohed to their reports, and their Clients may rest assured that no unnecessary charges will be debited against their consignments. Mb Ohaeles Bbaddell ha« been ap- pointed to act as their Ashbarton agent, and all business entrusted to htm will reoelve his best attention* Sample* of Grain, etc, may be left at his office, where latest New Zealand and Inter- colonial market quotations may be ob- tained. The Shipping branoh of the basinets will be conducted by «3 experienced Clerk, and business men and farmers re- ceiving goods at Lyttelton will find their charges inoßt moderate. Mining, Insurance, and Bank Shares bought and sold at highest market prices* Dountry Sales undertaken. Furniture and Produce Sales held every Saturday. Loans negotiated. J, Ivess and Co., LIOHFIELD STREET, CHRISTCHURCH. 6 17 I « ZEALANDIA" BOOT STOKE, EAST STREET. OH WE are still Selling at the Cheapest Prices the best Brands of Ladies and Gentlemen's BOOTS, SHOE?, AND SLIITERS; Also,— HEAVY WATERTIGHT^, THIGH & KNEE GUM BOOTS, And everything else suitable for the Season, THE " Zealandia " Brand always m Stock. Repairs of every description executed a shortest possible notice, "ZEALANDIA" BOOT STOBI' EASTSTBEET, j f ASHBURTON-



nhlic Notices. HAVING sold my Business to Mr J. Ranobr, I request all persons owing money to me to pay at onoe. A. IRELAND, 8 43 Saddler, ABhburton, FOUND. A GOOD SWAG found. Owner can have aarne by describing contents and paying expensed Apply R. KBNNINGTON, 8 100 Wlnslow. NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS. mENDERS will be received at Long- JL lands for a Large Drain (ploughing and scooping) on August 21it. Specifica- tions to be Been at the " Guardian " Office, ABhburton, and at Mr Norrieh, Blacksmith, Hinds. O. H, DOWDING, 8 91 Manager. WHAT WILL IT COST TO PRINT ?~ fHE Centennial Printing and Publish- ing Company, Limited, undertake to royifie and prepare Manuscript for Publi- cation either m serial or book form, Es- tionutoa and Designß furnished; GARNET WALOH, Editor, NAT. J. BARNETT, Manager, Melbourne TO THE LADIES OP ASHBURTON. Misses Morrison & Holloway DRESS AND MANTLE MAKERS Tanobed Street ASHBURTON. 6 169 A OARD.J Miss Carson, TEACHER OF MUSIC, (PIANOFOBTE AND OtfGAN), Burnett Btreet, 12 101 ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. To the Ratepayers of Hampetead Town District, riENTLEMEN,— The Hampstead Town \J Board having reiterated their refusal to refund the unavoidable expenses in- curred. by the Ashburton Fire Brigade, m attending fires m your district, this Coun- cil has no alternative but to request the Brigade NOT to attend any fire that may occur m the Hampstoad Town District, until the Board shall refund the expenses already indurred, arid shall make an equitable arrangement for any future services of the Fire Brigade? The Town Board haying been notified of the Council's intention, and repeated their refusal, must now accept the re- sponsibility. By order, CHAS. E. FOOKS, •■••-• Town Clerk. Borough Oounoil offioe, , A.ib.burtoß, WtU August, 1888. B*5Q



There were 450 competitors for the prize offered by an English journal for the longest twelve-word telegram, and the winner put the following, whioh was accepted by the tele- graph officers for transmission for sixpenoe, the regular rate : — " Administrator-General's oounter-revolutionary inter-oommunioations, unoircumstantiated. Quartermaster General's diaproportionableness characteristically con- tradistinguished unoonstitutionaliste's incom- prehensibilities."



It is stated that by the time the next fruit season has arrived a gentleman will have visited the Australian polonies with the object of purchasing colonial fruit for introduction into the English market. " Rough on Catarrh " corrects offensive odors at once. Complete cure of worst chronic cases ; also unequaled as gargle for diphtheria, sore throat, foul breath. 4 Holloway's Ointment and Pills.— Ohest and Stomaoh Complaints. — The source and centre of almost every ailment is impurity of the blood ; dislodge this poison and disease departs. Holloway'a Pills exeroise this in- estimable power of thoroughly cleansing each component part of the blood, and rendering the fluid fit to perform its important furic- , tiona. They cope most suooessfully with ohest diseases, stomaoh oomplaints, liver complaints, and many other maladies whioh were onoe the besetting danger of mankind] at certain seasons m town and country. The directions" for use enablo everyone to regulate the operations of these pills with the greatest nicety. Obronio invalids, valetu- dinarians, and all whom other treatment has failed to relieve, are respectfully inyited to , try Holloway'B cpjebratefl m.aditfqe, which. w » u , gtwDjtUoij iad wit tup, T ... . :, ;