Moonlight Evenings.

The Moon at 3 days old shines till about 8 o'olook. The Moon at 6 days old shines till about half-past 10 o'clock. The Moon at 8 days old shines till nearly 1 o'clock m the morning. The Moon at 12 days old shines from aundown till about 4 m the morning. The Moon at 15 days old is fall, and ihinet all night. The Moon at 18 days old rises about 9 p.m. and shinea till morning. The Moon at 21 days old rises 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. TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1888. THE FROZEN MEAT EXPORT.

We have frequently called attention to the fact that the present position of the New Zealand frozen meat trade is m the highest degree unsatisfactory. We have pointed out that the lion's share of the proceeds of shipments of New Zealand mutton goes, not to the producer, but to the middleman, and that if this state of things were reversed an enormous impetus would be given to production, and many hundreds of thousands of pounds woutd find their way to the pockets ol our flockmasters which are now bagged by people at Home. And when we know that the consumer of our mutton pays on an Average not less than sixpence a pound —probably mere— it is marvellous that our runholders and large sheepfarmers should remain inert and accept from jd to 4d per Ib, less expenses, amount ing to something like 2j£d, when it appears to us quite possible for them to obtain at least s^d gross, leaving them a clear 3d per lb, which would mean from 15s to 17s 6d per carcase of 60 to 70 lbs and would pay hand somely. Mr C. G. Tripp, who takes a great interest m this matter, has recently been advocating the formation of a Colonial Company having its own freezing chambers and cooling houses m the large centres of population m Great Britain, from which meat could be forwarded to smaller places. He says:— "lt is solely our interest from this side of the world, to put our hands into our pockets and have it done here, and have, by this means, our own meat consigned to our own stores for redistribution. We do away with the middle-man to a great dxtent. But we must go even farther than having these chambers ; we must rent stores and shops m the various villages and towns, and as we do so, sell our own interest as fast as we can, binding the purchaser to buy our mutton, and sell nothing else but our mutton. The public ihen can depend upon getting whit we profess to sell really good mutt6a, and not such stuff w if bow fold under the n«me of ftw

Zealaud mutton, thereby giving us un justly a bad name. The whole matter rests with us here. You require one head man from the colonies, with a board of directors m London as well | as here, who will meet once a month j i and I feel sure it will pay far better than any gold mines, and grow m time to an enormous trade, and be a grand success." We entirely concur with Mr i Tripp, indeed we have urged the aelf-same thing over and over again, and we are delighted to find others working with the same object m view. And it is heartily to be hoped that ere long we shall be able to chronicle the formation of such a Company as is proposed. Meantime the success which awaits operations on a large scale is being abundantly demonstrated on a smaller m more than one instance. One of these is that referred to by Mr Tripp, who says — " I know of one case of a gentleman who went to England some months since and started a New Zealand meat shop m a provincial town m June last, and he is now selling seventy sheep a week and io cwt of beef, and clearing £6 a week after paying all expenccs. Surely this is encourage - ment enough to any company." There is plenty of room for others to follow this example, indeed we know of nc more promising opening for enterprise than is now afforded m this direction,

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual congregational meeting m eon* neotion with the Presbyterian Ohuroh will be held on Wednesday evening at half-past aix.

There was a very remarkable sky at sunset last evening, the western horizon beiag of a peculiar f age-green hue. What this unusual appearance may betoken we leave to the weathtr-wise.

The ABhburton County Council notify that the Upper Rangitata traffic bridge is unsafe for heavy loads, also that traotion eDginea and portable engines are prohibited from orossing the bridge.

In the R.M. Court this morning before Major Steward, J.P., two first offonders were eaoh fined ss, with the usual alternative, for being drunk and disorderly m a pablio place.

On Friday evening, 18th inst., a most successful and enjoyable ball was given by the young ladies residing m Lauriston, Dancing oommenoed at 9 o'clock, and was kept ap with unabated energy until the small houra of the morning. Mr Curtis supplied the musio m his usual excellent style. Every praise is due to the young ladies for the

abundant supply of refreshments provided and for the manner m which the sohoolroom was decorated.

gJA Berlin newipaper claims to have dig. covered the longest word m any laaguuge, bat it is only a line and two* thirds m length. The longest word that has ever pome under oar notioe is the clergyman's ' One word more, and I will close. 1 It would make about a eolamn.

A Mr Meyergang bas left at the offioe 0* the "Tat»n&ki Herald" some heads of a grass growing m his garden, which are a great cariosity. These heads resemble grass hoppers, and if dipped into water and placed on a table jump about m a most extraordinary manner. The "Herald" understands that the need was brought from Egypt to Nelson many years ago, and the grass growing m Mr Meyergang's garden was obtained from the latter place. "

At Oroydon, Viotoria, one day last week, Julius Clare, a miner, fifty-two years of age, placed a plug of dynamite m bis mouth attached to a two feet fuse, which he set on fire and blew his head o!ean off. His neok and cheat were split right down, and tha sides and end of the tent were blown out. The remaining portion of the tent was b«« spattered with blood, hair, brains, and bits of skull. Clare had been drinking, but a few minutes before conversed with a miner named Grieve, who lived within a few feet of him. The deoeased said that he bad been robbed of £160 during the holidays, but this statement is generally disbelieved.

Mr William Montgomery (aayi a writer ia the ''European Mail "), who has now retired from politioal life, and, it will be remembered, was formerly a member of the New Zealand Parliament, is now among us, and has, I understand, with his family, settled down at Eastbourne. In this connection it may be interesting to not* that his son is a leading student at Oxford, and has had the honor of being selected to lead off a discussion on Imporial Federation at a meeting of the well, known Oxford Debating Soeiety. Mr Mont, gomery, jun., by the way, it a New Ztalaqder by birth.

The question has often been raised what proportion of balls exohaoged by hostile armies will hit their mark and kill. Difficult as it ifl to solve it correotly, aome approxima. tion may be arrived at from the number of ballß— estimated at 20,000,000— whioh were fired by the Germane m the war of 1870-71. The French army lob^, m dead and wounded, about 140,000 men. According to thig only one ball out of 143 fired hit its man, and assuming that on an average one man out of eeven hit was actually killed, it would stem that only one ball m 858 proved fatal.

At Heanor, Derbyshire (says an English Paper), a young man named Henry Houseley was bound over to keep the peace for sending the following letter to a female " Captain " m the Salvation Army, named Eliza Elliott : — •• Dear Captain,— l just write to ask you a favor. I want to know if you will marry me, an I have taken a fanoy to you. If you do not agree with my favor it will be worse for you. I either mean to marry you or murder you. If you cay no I mean to do for you j bo you can order your coffin at onoe. I know I chall have to be hanged for it, but I don't want to go hell myself. I want you to go with me. Prepare to meet your God. —From your comrade, Haimy Houseley." j

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

(PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

THREATENED RISING OF CROFTERS.

London, Janmry 16 A general rising of crofters m the Highlands is feared.

THE MOONLIGHTERS

Eleven Moonlighters and eight prisoners charged with being concerned m political outrages have been con victed at Cork. Mr Wilfrid Blunt has resisted the endeavors of the gaol officials to make him wear the prison garb. The gaoler succeeded m remov ing his overcoat from the cell, and Blunt declared to the justices who visited him, that Mr A. J. Balfour, Irish Secretary, had told him that the Government' intended to solve the Irish difficulty by imprisoning the the leaders of the National party, and treating them as criminals. Already six of those now imprisoned are re ported to be m ill haalth, and it is alleged that some of them will not survive the treatement they are sub jected to m prison.

SUFFERINGS OF THE RUSSIAN TROOPS.

St. Pmbbsbctjro, January 16. Typhoid fever has broken out m the army m Poland, and forty men have been frozen to death.

ANOTHER FRONTIER INCI DENT.

Pams, January 15. A French sentinel on the frontier reports that he has been attacked by Germans and his rifle stolen from him.

RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

The Comte de Paris, m the course of a speech, said that Lord R. Churchill's visit to St. Petersburg has led M. Flourens to believe that an ar rangement was possibla between Eng land, France, and Russia, and that he was now considering terms on which such an arrangement might be effected.

OPENING OF THE PRUSSIAN LANDTAG.

BcßiiN, January 14. The Prussian Landtag was opened to-day. The Emperor's speech antici pates that financial equipoise would be upheld unless anything unforseen hap pened. The depression on the Bourse was adversely commented upon.

THE EMPEROR WILLIAM.

The Emperor William has completely recovered from his recent indisposition.

BASS' BREWERY.

London, January 16. A Company is to be floated to take over Bass' Brewery.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Pjer Pbbss Association.)

VICTORIA.

Mblbogknb, January 16. The barque, Edinburgh Castle, has gone ashore at Warrnambool and now is m a critical position.

The cricket match between Vernon's team and Northern Eighteen, resulted m a draw. Vernori's team made 195 m their first, and 27 runs for 3 wickets m their second innings.

NEW WALES SOUTH.

Sydney, January 16. A fire broke cut m the monkey house at the Zoological Gardens yesterday, and resulted m its total destruction. A number of monkeys, rare birds and snakes belonging to the valuable col lection were destroyed.

The activity m mining stocks stil continues here and at Melbourne, bu prices are receding.

The cricket match, Shrewsbury's team v New South Wales, was con tinued to-day. The following are the principal scores, New South Wales second innings : — Garrett 18, Burton 12, Moses 109, O'Donnell 16, Allen 14, Ferris not ont 18. The total was 315* The Englishmen require 283 runs to win;

The City Corporation have deter mined to carry out large retrenchments and 250 men have already received notice that their services will be dis pensed with. An annual saving of will thus be effected. It is expected that further reductions will follow.

There have been large arrivals of New Zealand bran and oats, the latter being of prime and stout quality, and quoted at as id to as sd.

TASMANIA.

Hobart, Jinoar? 16 Sir Samuel Griffiths, Premier, of Queensland, has been elected Presi dent of the Federal Council, the actual business of which commences to-day. Peet's flour mill was destroyed by fire yesterday. The buildings were in sured, but the amount is not yet known* The loss is estimated at \u25a0£500 above the insurance.

THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD.

A native of Hesao-Darmstadt if now exhibiting his extraordinary muscular powers nnder the assumed name of Samp \u25a0on. Amongst hia most interesting feats are the following :— He takes an iron rlDg fin thick, which he slips over hie app«r arm after robbing the latter with oil. He then distends the muscles of his arm, and the ring assumes an oval form, aad m handed roond among the spectators to eonvinoe them that "there Is no deoep- Uon." He next takes an Iron ohain, the links of which are § n la thickness, and after waving it two or three times m the air, snaps it asunder with • jerk The i pieoes are shown round. He afterwards take three chains, one m the left hand, the sec and over the neok and the third round the right wrht All three are secured to the floor. Suddenly, springing up from a stooping position, he breaks I all three of them amid the plaudits of the crowd. Two other Instances of his Herculean strength may be of interest. Last year Herr Sampson entered a faotory where a small engine wab at work.., He entered Into a wager that he could stop It with his arms. Everybody laughed at him. However, he made the attempt, And won bis bet. Not long ago be was taking several ladies home from a party, when they encountered a group of rowdies who made some offensive remtrki. Samp son struck four of the fellows to the ground, and their yells attracted the polios who, taking him foi the agressor, pro. eooded to handcuff him, to which tie quietly submitted. Bat no sooner had he been tbns secured than be snapped the ohain and pat the policemen to flight After a fraltleefl endeavour to eonvinoe the « of tfas nil itttQ 9t tb| our.

A VESSEL ON FIRE

HARDSHIPS OF THE' CREW.

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH — COPYRIGHT.]

(PRR PBESS A8S00IASI0X.)

(Received Jauaary 17 12 45 p m.")

JtYDNBY,. Jauuary 17. The American ship J. T. Berry, bound from Philadelphia to J^pan, took fire at sea on tbe 9th inst. The fire spread over the vessel so rapidly that the crew had barely time to escape, which they did m two boats. One ot the boats, containing the captain, mate and twelve of tbe crew, was picked up by a passing vessel and last night was towed into the heads at Nambucca river, 341 miles north of here. The occupants of the boat suffered great hardships and encountered very rough weather before being picked up. The second boat, which had eleven men 00 board, is missing but it is thought pro bable that they would make for New Zealand.

INTERPROVINCiAL NEWS

PCB PABSS ASSOCIATION.]

WaMQaHUI, January 16. A well-known atook-doaler, Joho Davidson, fell down dead this morning Id hta hotu* while being washed. Tbe deoeaaed had been ailiag ioma time. He i» Bupposed to have died from heart disease, from which he had been Buffering. Wellington, Janaeif 16 \u25b2 traok attaohed to the down train from the Wairarap* Vat blown off tbe raili thia afternoon at Pigeon Bash, about eight milei this tide of Faatheratone. The wind was blowing with erriiio foroe. Fortunately no damage was done.

A valuation of rateable property In the city for the year 1888-89 has just been completed The tout amounts to £290,834 as against £275,851 last year, bding an Increase of £14 943 ; the numbet of buildings In the oity is 6442. la reply to a oable message trona the Pre mier of New Zealand, the Premier of New South Wales states that the 300 Martint- Haory riflas required for tha next meet ing of the New Zealand Rifle Association oaa be supplied from that colony at £3 5s each.

At a maeting of the Cabinet io-day it wasdaoided that In future officers ot the Civil Sarvioe would ba required t:> attend batwean 9 am. and 5 p.m. The Govern ment also deolded that owlog to (the waste of time of cffiiers m interviewing private friends, steps will be taken to prevent persons on private business Inter viewing any officer daring business hours In what manner the publio are to be kept out of Government balldlngs has not been arranged, but a ciroular will probably be issued io heads of departments to the fcffeot mentioned l

Gebtmooth, January 16 The oatpat of coal during 1887 from the Westport Goal Company's Greymonth mines was 80.000 tons.

Ikvbroirghlj, JiDnary 16 A farther eeotion of the Seaward Bash railway, whioh has been constructed entirely by the unemployed class, wae opened today. The railway is now ex tended into the open country m the Otera mika district, whiob, although the earliest settled locality m Southland, and only twelve mile* from town, has hitherto been isolated. It is intended for the present to ran train* twine a week.

NOTES FROM SOUTHLAND.

(?BOM OUR OORREBPONDINT.)

On Thursday, the 6;h last., it blew a terrific r»u *"»m~th&-N. W... doing im mense damage to the fruit, and on the following day the rain came down m tor rents, so heavy that the rivers which were up tp that tim« very low, overflowed thtif banks m less than twelve houra, doing much more damage to the fruit than thai done by the wind of the previous day. But the damage does nob end here ; it is now bay harvest with u»,»ndneirly all that was out on the river flits has been washed away, and what was standing rendered almost useless. On the Jaoob river flit I noticed large paddooks of wheat and oats entirely covered with water, and as the onrrent is similar to that of the Ashbur ton, your readera oan easily imagine the damage that has resulted. Most of the dairy faotor!en had to cease operations owing to the impassable state of tbe . roads, and partly owing to the homesteads being submerged, rendering milking im> possible, and I am told that a very large number of oattle have either got drowned or gone astray. Mr Meek, of Fairfax, brother to Meek Bros., Timaru, suffers heavily, having, m addition to losing a number of valuable sheep, had his fences j \u25a0wept away and bis wheat orop destroyed. The fences had only been recently done up after the flood of last May twelv* 1 months. Railway traffic was entirely \u25a0topped throughout tbe western distriol, owing to the line being washed away. Maoh damage has been done to country roads. Culverts have been torn up and •everal bridges washed away, including tha iron suspension bridge over the 'Jacob river, which 1 was only ereotedafeir months a^o. The town of Otautau was again submerged, and notwithstanding the foot that. the station master's house was lifted four feet slace last flood, the water was again running swiftly through the rooms. Had it not been for the valuable assistance rendered by Mr Wni. Sauoders, late of Canterbury, who owns the only boat m the looallty, somecerloas results might have happened. Beyond a ducklne or two, I heard of no mishap here, but about twelve miles higher up the river, near Wray's bush, a well-known settler named Frank Oassidy, was drowned. Both the horse and man'o body have since been found.

Notwithstanding the hot that there is anjftbandance of feed for stock everywhere, the crops now coming out m ear are very short, and appear to have suffered from the lack of moisture, but as the ground has now bad a thorough good soaking, the orops may yet be fully up to the average. The area under wheat is very limited, not enough, I should say, for our cwn ate.

The small birds are now getting very troublesome, and no preparation seen>a to effect them to the same degree t>a one consisting of poisoned groats, and made by Mr J. W. Bridge. aßlverton ohemlst. January 11th, 1888. D.ti,

HE HADN'T THE RECEIPT

A poor Irish mn passing a butcher's shop one day observed some liver for sa'e. Not knowing what it was, ho inquired of the butcher whether it was cheap and good to eat? Receiving an anwor m the affirmative, he said he would bay, but his old woman knew only how to boil praties, whereupon the butcher good naturedly offered to write him a receipt for preparing the savory dish. With this and hie purchase dangling conspicuously m his hend, Pat sallied forth m triumph He had not proceeded far, however, before a lean and hungry cur of a dog, which bad been prowling around, snatched the tasty morsel m his jaws, and made tracks as fast as his legs would carry him. Our Hibernian friend, m nowise disconcerted ntjtb,B mishap, turned round with a broad gria on his countenance, and ohaking his Bat at the canine thief, who was fast disappearing m the distance, said : " Arrah, ye dirty blackguard, yer eowld this time. You've got the liver, bat you can't cook it, for I'Togot tjje rt»to m my pooktV

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

WAR IMMIMENT.

THREATENING MOVEMENTS OF RUSSIA.

[by blbctrio tjslbgraph-copybight]

(PER PRESS A6SOOIA7XON.)

(Raoaived January 17, 2.30 p.m.)

SoriA, J&nu*rj 15. Russia is massing troops' at KtevJ"'* Odessa, and Kishinev, Other corps nave been ordered to proceed further-, along the AusLro-Hungarian and Roumanian frontier.

Bebliit, January IS. There is feverish activity among the Russian troops m Poland, with the commissariat, hospital and railway^ staffs. The latter are making large" additions to their plant and rolling \u25a0 stock. In many towns foreign mer chants have been ordered by Russian . officials to close their premises and leave the country.

Vxbmka, January 15, Frequent meetings of the Austrian Military Council have been held during the past (ew days. The alarmist feeiihg prevalent some time ago has been thUji I revived. The Hungarian press ii dis^l trustful of Germany. ; \u25a0 o* : • Lobdon, Jannarj 16. The "Daily Telegraph" states: that Italy will send 200,000 troops to \u25a0'-'• Galicia m the event of an outbreak of war; • :: " :

BANK RATE OF INTEREST

The following is the oommaaloatlon re ceived by tha Waimate County Ootraeti from the local manager of the Unloa Baas-, on the sa^jeofc of interest upon J overdraft referred to m the sftlole oil " County matters," which appears en tha fourth page of this Issue :— . , To the Chairman Waitnste County Council. Sir. — In answer to the Committee* application of 28 h Deo, last, with regard to the rate of interest chargeable on m overdraft to the extent of £5000 (five thousand pounds), I have now to advise you that I am willing to allow tbs Waimate Oonnty Council an overdraft to the extent of £5000 (five thousand' pounds), at 7 per centum per annum, on the Oooooil undertaking to levy a rat* sufficient to extinguish the debt within a year from date. And I will agree to advance the same amouut for 3 (three) ' consecutive years from date at the same \u25a0, rate of Interest (7 per cent) and on the same terms,-- 1 am, Sir, yours faithfully, r e ~ James S. D'Emdik, , Manager. \u25a0"•

AUSTRALASIAN STATISTICS.

MrH.H. Hay tor, Government Statist of Victor! h, has issued a brief snmmary of the statistics of Australasia for 1886. he states that the figures are compiled from 'official returns," and though hill; information is rather moie than a yeai old, it is still interesting. The total population at thafc date is set down at 3,426,562, the colooies of Victoria and New South Wa'ea being each slightly above a million. For long there has been a hard^ce between these two colonies as to which of them should first contain a million inhabitants. The boast of being , the most populous colony m the group has ' now forever passed away from Victoria ; for while New South Wales has a vast extent of country to fill up, the area of Victoria is comparatively restricted* New/ \u25a0 Zealand, some sis or seven years heaoe, '• : will doubtless be the next m the group which will, have a million or upward! settled wthio her borders. The dispro portion- at - » h» i«wi. otill HPonsiderablej^ for at the close of 1886 it has been | ascertained that tbere were 118 81 mates to every 100 females m the noun. The total Hrths m the group m 1886 were 116,259, and the deaths 48 265. The exoass of births over deaths varies greatly m etch of the colonies. New Zealand being at the top of the tree In this respect, with 13,164 excess of births over deaths m that year, against Viotorla 15,872 from nearly twice the total of population. The total length of railways open at that date waa 8881 miles, with 1992 miles m course of construction. The length of eleotrio telegraph In opera* tion was 38,688 miles, with 70,311 miles of wire m nse for telegraph and about 5000 miles for telephone purposes. The total area under tillage was 8,307,437 , acres, equal to 2*42 sores per bead of population. Wheat and hay were tbs two orops to whloh the largest areas of land were devoted, being 3,652,045 •ores and 1 ,147,254 acres respectively. An are* of 22,906 sores wan devoted to vineyard purposes. The returns of stock assumed large figures. Horses numbered 1,372.756; oattle, 8,264,778; sheep, 86,352,020; and pigs, 1,143 966,— making a grand total of farm stock of 97,133.620. The wool production m 1886 was 398,54l > 8261 b, of a total value of £16,218,846, equal to an average of £4 16s 4d pet head of the population.

HOW TO MAKE PRIZE BUTTER

B (By Mary S. Oonnell, Nanfcwloh). j At soon sb the milk 1b drown from the . B cows It is brought gently to the dairy aad ' 3 straiaed Into a largo milk cooler or r&t. ! after which it la put through the Laval j separator, which ia worked by \u25a0team , power. The cream Is reoeired ia Urge tin s vested whloh, on being fall are im> , mediately plunged la a olstern of cold , water and brought to a temperature of 60 , degrees, at which It is desirable that It , should be kept to ripen ; ft la generally i ready to churn m two or three days. The , churn used is 'Bradford's Diaphragm,' , which is driven by steam, ohorniog about ; 401bs of batter at. a time. It fs workejtl , at a speed of forty-five revolutiooi pel minute, the temperature of the cream i being 57 degrees. Churning, Is generally completed m thirty to forty minute* ; a ] smaller oburn Is also used for pupils who wish to learn to churn by hand. When the butter appears m very emsll particles, about the aiss of pin heads, a quantity of cold water . (about four gallons) at a temperature of about CO degrees Is added, and dhurning ia oontlnued until tho butter appsars In grains about the sfza of large shot ; when the churn is stopped the buttermilk is then drawn off through a strainer. When the grains are firm the butter Is never washed (as I I am nnder the. impression that washing frequently Id j ores or spoils the flavor), but left 1 3 drain m the ohurn for ten minutes. The butter la then oarefuliy lifted out of the ohurn with a wooden scoop into a small tab while In grains, after being weighed m bulk upon the maohlne : the buttermilk Is well pressed out upon the. butter-worker, and a quarter of an Qauge , of salt added to every pound of butter. When the batter- worker is passed over the butter five or six times/ it Is then put away for three hours, after whloh it is again put on the butter- worker and worked until it is seen to be quite free from moisture. This is facilitated considerably by the butter-worker being wiped dry with a naualin oloth each time the batter Ii passed over if. The butter is then neatly made up Into lib rolls, and stamped wftH the initials '0,0. D.1. Go. Limited, 1 wrapped m grease proof paper, and put into cardboard boxes ; these are again packed Into large wooien boxei of 241bi each and sent to various customers. The butter made on this system is waxy and oloae m texture, clear )n color, and dietlootly pure In flavor, an.d VtlDI Wll| tod Qonmaadj t high priej,

\u25a0CHE ASHHORTON GUARDIAN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, i««8.



THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN.



From »nd after the 80th November, 1886, the terms of Sabgcriplion to this journal will be follows, Tiz. : — Vf PAID I!» ADVANCI : Per Quarter. . 6i d, by post, 9a 6d {„ Half-year 12s 6d, by post, 18a 6d „ Tear . . 24s Od, by post, 37s Od t booked: Per Quarter.. 7a 6d, by poit, 10a 9d „ Half-year 15e Od, by post, 21a 6d i „ Year . . 30a Od, by post, 48a Od Birth, Marriage, and Death Notices, if paid for at the time of insertion, 2a 6d «aoh (stamps may be sent as payment) ; if booked, 4b each. Announcements of Births, Deaths and Marriages sent for publication from the country districts require to be verified by the •ignatore of the ereon sending the notice.



DIABY.



Moon'f Sun Sun Moon Moon Age at January. Rlsu. Sate. Rises Sets, noonday n.m. pm. 14 Saturday ... 4.41 7.58 S.lO B*l6 0 15 Sunday .. 4.42 7.38 0.14 8.58 1 16 Monday .. 4.43 7.87 7.17 9,31 3 17 Ineeday •• 4.4S 736 8.20 10. « S 18 Wednesday.. 4.48 7.3$ 8.20 10.84 4 19 Thnraday .. 4.47 7.35 10.21 10.5* 6 30 Friday.. .. 4.48 7.34 11.19 11.31 6



I The Emperor of Brazil is said to be intend- ing to visit the colonies incognito. The fungus blight has appeared on the pear trees m the orchards of the Waikato. The parents of a pair of twins named one , Simul and the other Taneoaa. A aplendid wheat yield is reported from al 1 quarters of Queensland, and millers are giving 4s per bushel. It is said that mustard plasters, if mixed with the white of an egg instead of water, will not blister the most delioate skin. A very fine speoimen ol rye grass over 7ft m height, grown on Mr James Bell's land at , Kairanga, Manawata district, has been ex- : hibitsd m Wellington. The officers of the Victorian Rabbit Depart, tnent are opposed to ths experiment! pro* posed by M. Pasteur. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agenoy Company, Limited, has received the following oable message from London, dated 18th January:— Tallow— The market has an upward tendenoy. Good mutton and beef tallowl are worth respectively 25s 6d and 24a 6d per owt. The "Press" says that m a ease wbiehi was being heard before Hie Honor Mr Justioe Ward, it cams out m evidence that at the Chatham Islands there is the nearest approaoh to Utopia that one can look for m these , degenerate days. It was stated that there are no lawyers there. His Honor, with a smile, suggested that they could very well spare a few lawyers from New Zealand if i* were necessary. In the peninsula of Abeheron, m the pro* vince of Shirwan, there is found a perpetual, ' or, as it is hero called, an eternal fire. It has ' risen from time immemorial from an irregular ' orifloe about 12ft m depth and 120 ft m width* I The flame rises to a height of from 6ft to i Bft, is unattended with smoke, and yields no I smell. The inhabitants have a veneration i for this fire, and worship it with religious ceremonies.



>* The Jew's-harp has never been an essential! y c Jewish instrument, and it is a mistake to a imagine that ho name shows it to hava a originated with the Jews. This people have nothing whatever to do with the invention or c aie of the instrument. The correct name for c it is jaw-harp, beoause when played it is held ir between the jaws. A Bio de Janeiro joarnal| announces that, lt on a large hemp farm m Brazil, twenty y monkeys have been taught to out the hemp , and prepare it for sale. It is added that the J animals are preferred to negroes, beoause they I] work muoh faster and the cost of feeding g them is trifling. y The " Manawatu Daily Times " records an c imtanoe of liberality on the part of the d National Mutual Life Association. A young a man namod William Arthur Collins who died recently had been insured m that offioe for , the sum of £200, tho policy having been m I existence a year only, but being taken ill 8 during the days of grace, he had unfortu- r nately not paid the renewal premium. Not- l( withstanding this, the directors have paid to I the widow the handsome sum of £100. A recent visitor to the capital of the Argan* line Bepublio says:— One of the curious customs is the manufacture of butter. The dairyman pours the milk, warm from the cow, Into an inflated pig or goat akin, hitohes it to the saddle by a long lasso, and gallops five or six miles into town with the milk sack pound, ng along on the road behind him. When he reaches the city hia ohurningisover, the butter is made, and he peddles it from door to door dipping out the quantity desired by oaob fatnlly with » long wooden spoon. Dealers m produce declare that the present season offers a good opportunity for colonial and New Zealand butter and cheese (remarks the London corespondent of the " LytUlton Times.") Several small paroela of New Zealand ebeest bare been sold m tha London market at from 48s to 5Si, which is the average price of American ohetso. Through* aut the summer Cork batter has maintained the price of 108s to 120s, the average price being 70s to 80s, and it is considered that prioes are not likely to recede before next spring. A Wanganui man who has just returned 'rom a visit to Auckland gives anything but a favorable report of the otate of affairs m tha northern city. Large numbers of unemployed were to be seen perambulating the streets, and work; was difficult to meet with. Carpenters, he was told, readily accept 5s a day, and a rumour was current, so our informant tells as, that laborers were* willing to work for Is day. The industries established were not by any means m a flourishing state, and the outlook altogether was not particularly promising. Tho " New Orleans Picayune " tells the following story of a mother's heroism. There has just been entered as a student at one of the great colleges of this city a young lad whose education is to be paid for by the proceeds of the labors of a heroine. This boy came from the oountry, and when his mother wrote to enter him at college she said b her letter :— •• At last I can give my son tha blessed privileges of education. The money has been hardly earned. I earned every penny of it walking m the ootton fields picking ootton." Before the war thiß Spartan mother was a great lady. She owned many slaves and rode m carriages and had a box at the opera, with jewels and fine clothes m plenty. To-day she walks down the ootton fields that onoe were hers, and patiently picks off the fleece, for which she is paid for piok. ing co muoh a pound. . The monthly meeting of the Tinwald Die. triot School Committee was held on Friday last. Present— Messrs J. Oaygill (chairman), W. H. Smith, S. Corrigan, M. O'Brien, and W. Bobinson. Correspondence from the Boerd was received and dealt with. The In. speotor's report was also received, and was considered satisfactory, Tha Master's usual report of attendance showed the average at- tendance during the last quarter to have bae» —Boys, 45 5; girls, 3 I'D; total, 77.8. The , average attendance for December had been— , Boys, 48 ; girls, 33 ; total, 81. It was agreed 1 that the neoessary repairs to fence and pump ' be attended to by the Visiting Committee. ' Mr O'Brien was present, and reasons given ( for his non.attendance were considered and ! accepted, and it was reßolved that he be al» j lowed to retain his seat on the Committee, t Mr Jephson did not reply to his notice for i non-attendance, consequently his Beat upon • the Committee was deolared vacant according x to the Education Act, and Mr John Fergie J was eleoted to fill tho vaoanoy. It was do- j eided to issue subscription lists for the colleo- 1 tion of funds for prizeß and aohool treat, such i lists to be returnable at next meeting of the « Committee. Messrs Corrigan and Smith ' were appointed Visiting Committee for next h quarter. • There are more cures made with American * Co.'s Hop bitters than all other medioines. v See flags und all. Heating's Powder destroys both moths, fleas „ beetles, and all other insects while qoite harmless to domestic animals. In oxtermi " Bating beetles, the Buooesa of this powder is c extraordinary. It is perftotly olean inapnli. q cation. See the artiol* you purohas is n Heating's .as imitations are noxious and (1 ineffectual. Sol* n tint, 64, If, a ß d ?i «d SI ticb, by ill ibewiu. 1



The best medioine is Sander and Sons' Euoalypti Extraot. Teat its eminent power- ful effeots m coughs, oolds, influenza, etc. the relief is instantaneous. Thousands give the most gratifying testimony. His Majeßty the King of Italy and medioal syndioatea all over the globo are its patrons. Read the offioial reports that acoompany each bottle. We have no oocasion to offer rewards m proof of the genuineness of our references. The offioial reports of medioal clinics xnd univer- sities, the oflloioial oommunioation of the Consul-General for Italy at Melbourne ; the diploma awarded International Exhibition, Amsterdam — all these are authentio docu- ments, and, as such, not open to doubt. We add here epitome of one of the various oases treated at the olinio of Sohulte, M.D., Pro- fessor, etc.—" 0.8., 24 years old ; conges- tional abscess on the thigh. Inoieions ia made m two places. Although Lister's dressing was applied, the secretion became, two days later, very copious, and had adopted a foetid, decomposed oharaoter. The temperature rose enormously. In oomequenee the dressing waß removed, and on its plaes were made during the day-time repeated irrigations with Euoalypti Extraot. The offensive foeter dis. appeared very soon, the fever abated within a f#w days, and the patient recovered After the lapse of several weeks. In this instanea we must not lose sight of the faot that the tottw .jwttowot tiTi4 «bi piUral'i lilt."— VWTI.) I







TO OUR RAKAIA SUBSCRIBERS. "TirJEdosire to intimate that from and VV after Ist January, 1888. SUB- SCRIBERS to this journal will OBTAIN THEIR OOPIBB AT TflE STORE OF MR C. HaBDY.



FOR SALE. ON Acoonnt of the Trustee! of tee late WiLTiB Habthill,— B.S. 15486, South Rakals, comprising 400 acres. Inoladtng the growing orop of Wheat. > Further particulars may be obtained froa OHAB. W t TURNER, Land and Eatete Agent, 12 28 Sonth Rakala. Proctor & Co., WHOLESALE AND RETAIL OA»H GROCERS, &a , BE9 to announce to the inhabitants of Anhburton and Sunounding Dis- tricts, that we have just landed our Christmas Goods, and as we buy largely for C&BH, we are m a position to SKLL Cheaper than any of tbe other Houses m Town. We have also a large and varied Hrock of CROCKERY and IRONMON- GERY, which we are disposing of lat PRIOEB that will defy competition. N.B.— See windows for Presents to be given away at XMA& Please note tbe AddrefS,— BULLOCK'S ARCADE, Burnett Street* m ADYERTISEBEKT. THE COMING E 1 49 GBEAT SALE 0» Bankrupt Stock. OF Drapery, Clothing, AHD BOOTS. ANDREW ORB having secured the Stock of A. O. PRICHARD at a great reduction from Invoice Cost, will offer ' i it to the Public on i WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28th, \ i At Unheard of Prices. 1 s9*. tamember TUESDAY, thef 27th,DEO. \ \u25a0 .» 1 i ASOBEW 088. i



VICTORIA HOUSE. DIMANT AKD COE fTATB extreme gratification n announcing their Third Annual Distributioa of XX Beaßtifnl, Useful, Bars and Valuable Works of Art, whioh comprise,— GLASS SUGAR BABINB, COLORED, PLAIN, AND ENGRAVED WATER jTJGB, BDTTEB DIBHES, &c. t fto., to Cash Parohassnof Parcels to tho value of tOs\4os, and apwards. COUPONS ABE NOW BEING IBBUED. GIFTS ARE EXHIBITED IN WINDOWS. DIMANT & COE General Drapers and Clothiers, EAST AND TANCBED STEBETS. 12 22 ALBEKT ROBEETS HAS FOR SALE,— COfllB&CkS LARqB SIZB AND PULI » WgIGHT. BXAMXNCr TWINE IK ANT QUABTItT. Clovers, — KBD, WHITE, 00WGKASS, ALSYKE, and TREFOIL. RYEGBASBaCOOKSFOOT, akb RAPIs. ANCHOR Bkdittg Wire *nd rcry best] Binder Golden Tares, Cape Barley, I COOPER'S SH^EP DIP.



F. H. Ton SCHOENEBERG, FRENCH POLISHER, CABINETMAKER, UPHOLSTEREB, AND UNDERTAKER, HAS opened In Premises (next W. Fatobisg) East street, md hopes to receive a fair share of public support, being prepared to MAKE FDRNiTURB any design to order at OHBISTCHUKCH BATES. Pianos and Farnitnre re- polbhsd at very low rates. WANTED KNOWN. AT L SALES AND COs., XaetMti Pawnbrokers, East Street, A FIBST-CLASS Watchmaker and A, Jeweller t* employed on the PremfcH. Watches cleaned and repaired, and every description of Jewellery made and repaired at LOWEST CHRISTOHURCH PRICES. OS WATCHES CLEANED OS GLASSES, 6d; HANDS', 9d. WATERBDBI'S repaired from 2s 6d. F.B.—Waterbary's reduced from 13s 6d to 12b. II 12g MANILLA BINDER TWINE I HAVE secured a quantity of the same make of Twine as gave so much satisfaction last Season, and as is the true Economy m the . amat Field, farmers will consult their vn interests by securing a sufficient apply early, mit is likely to be 4 scaros ate Season. - ROBERT ALCORN, Importer and General Merchant. TO FARMERS AND OTHERS The Chrlstchnrch Finance CO (LIMITED.) CAPITAL £50.000 REGISTERED OFFICE — 8 Cathedra Square, CHRIBTCHUROH. THIS COMPANY is making CASH ADVANC 8 on GROWING OROPF, WOOL, LIVE AND DEAD STOCK, FARM PRODUCE of every description, and any other Class of Security For particulars apply to THOMAS BULLOCK, 1| 86 Auctioneer, Ashburton. FAPEBHANGINGS r PAPEBHANGINGS !! THE Undersigned have justjopened up a splendid assortment PAPEBHANGINGS, SCBIM, TAPES, TACKS, Auso,— WINDOW GLASS (all sizes). W & R LEAD, PAINTS, OILS VARNIbHEB, COLORS, DRYEBS, TURPENTINE Jtist landing, a splendid lot of Hcaoe Coal l «x (< Bauroto. n McCallum & Go , BON. TTMBER, AND COAL MER- CHANTS, A IMPORTERS. Agents for TITAN and TBIPLFA' SIRAJNER& l?* 103