The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1890. AHMED PEACE.

The old Latin motto Si vis pacem para helium is all very well, but if the thing is to develope as it has been deve loped in Europe into a rivalry of pre paiedness which involves the main tenance of armies numbering millions it becomes a question whether a war would not after all be cheaper than the enormous armaments kept np professedly for the purpose of staving it off. What an enormous strain the present armed peace must involve upon the resources of the three great military nations will be seen when it is stated that Germany, France and Busßia together have at the present moment no less than 1,848,658 men actually under arms and maintained at the cost of the taxpayers, while their aggregate available military strength in case of war breaking out is something like five or six times that number. The Almanack de Qoiha for 1890 which em braces the mobt accurate information, accessible gives the peace estab lishments of the three powers as follows :—"Germany, 884 battalions, 465 squadrons, 364 batteries, 1500 mounted gnns, 19,457 officers, 468,409 rank and file. France, 26,764 officers 534,100 rank and file, 480 field batteries, with 2060 mounted guns. Russia 848 battalions, 386,312 infantry, 328 squadrons of cavalry with 57,416 men, 344 batteries of field artillery with 1542 mounted guns 61,880 men, 33£ battalions of engineers having 18,977 , men, besides 31,130 men of the • Train' 'service, making a total of 562,500 men. To these should be added 288 squadrons of Cossacks numbering 51,944 men, 112,850 local troops, and 72,634 reserve men, which will bring up the strength of the Russian peace establishment to 799,928 men. Ihe Russian forces, when on a wsr footing are estimated as f0110w5:—994,460 men of regular troops, with 4030 pieces of artillery ; 280,810 reserve men, with 649 guns ; 137,780 Cossacks, with 240 gnns of their own ; and 189,500 supplementary reserve men, with 384 pieces of artillery. This estimate is exclusive of local troops." The war footing strength of France is estimated by the " Almansch" at "about" the following :—Active army about 2,000,000, divided into 10 classes, according to age ; 1,022,000 of the territorial army, divided into five i classes, according to age ; and reserve troops, divided into six classes, number ing 762.000 ; the total amounting to 3,784,000. It appears that it is practi cally impossible to ascertain the fighting strength of the German army when placed on a war footing, on account of the complicated arrangements by whioh portions of the territorial, forces are worked into the strength of the regular corps, but it may be safely assumed that in time of need the Kaiser can call to his standards fulJy as many—probably more than can the President of the French Republic, and if so ihe actual fighting strength of Russia, Germany and France combined, must be as we have said not less than from ten to twelve millions of men.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the Besident Magistrate's Court this rooming, before Major Steward, J.P., Alfred B°ck ey, for disorderly conduct in the Somerset Hotel, was sentenced to forty-eight hours' imprisonment.

Mr E, MeOonnel, the solioifor against whom en order of imprisonment in default of pay ment of a oertain sum of money to the Deputy Offioial Assignee in Bankruptcy was reoent'y made by Judge Ward has filed his schedule in bankruptcy.

It is stated that the sandbank at the New J?ll mouth breakwater is decreasing and that the water over it has therefore deepened con eiderabiy since the last survey. The "H attributes this to the io'iun of the rubble groyne.

According to Secretary Noble's report there are about 250,000 Indians in the United State , and they ocoupy or have control of abut 116,630,103 ooresofland. That means on an average 466 aores—a pretty good-sized farm—for every man, woman, and child in iha lodi-.n tribes.

In consequence of (he death of the Hon Robert Campbell, the Oroua Downs property ia iha Manawatu district, was reoenlly put in the market and 5500 acres have been Bold at prices from £6 7s 61 to £14 53 per aore, the total Bales amounting to £52 000. One block of 2200 acres vat sold at £12 an sere. There are 22,000 aores of property still for sale. The Committee appointed by the County Council at the meeting on Saturday, yesterday visited the oountry lying between ihe North and South branohes of the Ashburton river, and inspected the land with a view to the advisableneßß of making a ooaneotion between the two branohes, and so supplying from the South Branch the deficiency in the Norih Branch caused by the drought. A .pen-and-ink sketoh of the fleet, whioh, under the command of Admiral Lord Hood, was engaged in the taking of Toulon in 1793, was exhibited by Mr O. Hulke at a reoent meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Booietv, The names of the various men-of war, with their oommanders, were attached, The @ketoh was executed by a relative of Mr Hulke, and was reoognised by the members of the Society as a deoided ourioßity. Aubmatio banking is the latest novelty of the too utterly clever automaton business. Mr John Hope, meohanioal engineer, Watter street, Liverpool, has invented an automatio machine of a wonderfully ingenious kind. This automaton reoeives cash, plaoes it to the depositor's credit, aud gives a receipt for the amount thus lodged. The transaction seems to be carried out with the greatest preoision and correctness, the precautions against fraud being very complete. On Saturday night just before dusk two fires were started in the Domain, but were very fortunately discovered before they ad done any damage to speak of, and their ex tinotion rapidly followed their disoovery. One of theiires was just outside the running track —caused evidently by a lighted match having been thrown down by a careless smoker. The other took its rise about a chain or so northwards from the entrance ftt the reservoir. It i; conjectured that a matoh bad been thrown carelessly over the fenoe from outside the Domain.

Save death, there is bo such leveller as mal dp vier, and the stewards are masters of the situation. The starch is taken out of the I supercilious masher; the flowers fade fast from the cheek of beauty; enamels oraok and ' oosinetios evaporate. The great statesman who governs the deetiny of nations lies gro velling on his back; the orator who charms senates into rapt attention strives vainly to gain the ear of the flying stewards; and it is possible that an archbishop or a oardinal seeks consolation in the off-hand ministra tions of a mooking cabin-boy,—"B'aokwood." The following strange avertiament appears in the " FeildiDg Star ": Notice : Yet forty days, Feilding and the near districts shall be overthrown for their much sin and cruelty, Change ye your life for the better, Many were drowned in the flood of Noah. When Lot went out of Sodom, then rained it fire and brimstone, and many were killed. Those days are ready to come baob at any day; people aave neither love nor faith for God. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, my Master ; through Him I have power to forgivo I eiu upon earth to whom I like, Now is your I time, now do what you can do, to be fared for i | eternal happiness before it is to We, '

his understood that the Yen. Arohdeaoon Julius will leave Bdlem next month, but intends to spend some time at Lake Wakatipu before bis consecration.

The deaf-mutes of Frarjoe are preparing to celebrate the centenary of the Abb 6de 1' Epea, the inventor of the deaf and dumb alphabet, who died on December 23, 1789. They have presented a petition to the French Parliament asking to have bis remains placed in the Pantheon*

The followiag appears in the " Times " of this morning:—A Wellington gentlemau interested in a beaoh claim near Greymouth has reoeived the following in a letter f 10m one of his partners at the claim: —''There is quite a boom among the beach claims juat now. Acoording to the newspapers the blankets in the boxes at Webb's claim look a perfect "oloth of gold. 1' This is a Ohriituhurch olaim seven miles North of Greymouthi If the report is true, the result will, of course, be beneficial to all the claims in the district. It is certain that five pounds weight of retorted gold was got out of Taylor's olaim on the North beaoh last week."

At a recent meeting of the Victorian Medioal Board Miss E. Constance Stone was registered (says the " Argus'') as a medical practitioner, beiDg the first Australian lady doctor who has been granted registration in the Australian oolonies. This young lady, whose parents reside at St Kilda, left Mel bourne some six years ago to follow out a medioal oourse of study. Dr Stone first graduated at Philadelphia, obtaining the M.D. degree, and after. being assistant medioal physician at the Women's Hospital, Staten Island, New York, she proceeded to Canada, and at Toronto obtained her M.D. and CM. degree. She next sailed for England, and succeeded in carrying off the L.M.S. diploma, aftyr whioh Bhe was assistant physioian at the New Hospital for Women, London.

The marriage of the eldest daughter of the Duohesee d'Uzes, with the youug Due de Luynes and de Onevreuse wsb the grandest event of the kind that had taken place in Paris for some years. It united two of the noblest and of the moat historio of families in France. The present Duo de Luynes was an infant when his father died, nineteen years ago, on the field of Eatay- Loigny, righting under General de Oharette. The body of the late duke was so mutilated as to be unrecognisable except by a ring on his ringer. The widowed Duchesse d'Uzes, apart from her rank as first duohess in France, has acquired for herself a distinct place in sooiety. She is allowed to be the first horsewoman in Europe, not even excepting the Empress of Austria. More than this, she acts the part of a lay Sister of Charity, and is often to be seen by the bedsides of the poor.

A few days ago, in a railway carriage, an old settler administered an antidote to the ory of bad times whioh. some people indulge in at all seasons. Something had been said by the other passengers about bad times, when our sturdy settler chipped in by telling them that they did not know anything ebout bad times in this country, and recited some of his own ezperienoes in Canada just after the rebellion. The -farmers then, he said, were selling oata at sd, and wheat at Is 6d. He had taken the first pork from Qaebeo to Liverpool, buying bis pigs in Canada for |d per lb. There was no money scarcely, and nearly all trade transactions were carried on by barter. "But," said one of the listeners, "if everything was so chenp how did the farmers pay for labor?" " They did not hire any labor," was the reply, " they got up themselves aad did the work. People here are too dashed lazy. Talk about bad times and depression," he oontinued, waxing warm, " why any fool oan make a living in this country 1"—" Rangitikei Advooate."

One has to eat a peek of dirt, it is said, in the oourae of a lifetime. The proverb cays nothing about bowmuoh dirt we have to drink —but evidently a good deal more is taken than the orthodox peck, considering what men pay at the rate of 6d a pint for and swallow. But this by the way. We have. always understood that our artesian water ■upply was about as pure as could be obtained; but reoent disoov-.ries have shown that it is not by any means ao. We have been shown by Mr W. E. Dolman, jun,, a sample of what we blindly bwailow every day. Mr Dolman picked from a glaas of water raised from an ordinary pump ■vrel)rH~apßuk-of "s~lf»lUg"iurmg about the size of a pin's head, and almost as white as a oheese muggot. Placing this under the mioroscope he found an animal moon resembling a lobster in shape, and presenting a most alarming pair of jaws and fangs to the view. In another glass pumped up from a well ha had a worm four inohes long, and of the thickness of strong sewing tbrsad. We have heard of a good many very ugly looking tilings coming up the wells reopntly, some of them as large as one's finger nail. I; would be as well for housekeepers to Bee that all fresh water used be filtered or at least boiled. If this excessively dry weather continue?, we ehall find ourselves in the position oE the Ancient Mariner, who found that "slimy tbirjgs did crawl with legs, over a slimy Bea."

| Statutory Deqlaration.—l, Franz Eabbi, | Ironbark, Sandhurst, in the oolony of Victoria, Australia, do solemnly and sincerely declare that on the 25th June, 1877, my son Alfred, six years of age, was accidentally hurt with an axe on his knee. lat once took all pains to seoure medical assistance. However, in i spite of all efforts, on the 27th August, 1877, | the opinion was given by Dr Maogillivray ; that an amputation of the injured limb had i become imperative, in order to save life. At 1 this juncture I called on Messrs Sander and j Sons, proouring some of their Extract of the Eucalyptus Globulus, and by the application of the same I had the satisfaction of seeing my son within v fortnight out of all danger [ and to-day he is recovered. I may just add > tha it was when the orisis had been reaohed I that the Extract 'eferred to was first applied. and I make this solemn declaration, etc.— Fbakz Baabe. declared at Sandhurst, in the colony of Victoria, Australia, this seventeenth day of October, one thousand eight hundred find seventy-seven before me, Moritz Conn, J.P.—(Advt.) 6

LATEST CABLE NEWS.

IBY ELfIOTBIO TELEGKAPH—OOPYBIQHT,]

[Per Press Aesociation]

THE AUSTRALIAN FLOODS.

Sydney, February 25.

The Hunter river has risen thirty feet above its ordinary level, and the Maitland people are leaving their homes. Business is paralysed, and reports are continually coming in from the country, telling of the loss of stcck, and great damage done.

SUGAR BEET.

(Received February 25, U 35 p.m.)

London, Fehiuary 24. Herr L'cht estimates the European beet surplus at 764,000 tons, The production of the past five months shews an increase ol 700,000 tons.

THE LABOR CONFERENCE.

It is expected that the Emppror William's Conference will assemble in April,

FREE EDUCATION.

Mr Morley resumed the Free Educa tion debate in Mr Gladstone's absence. He promised endowments to Catholic schools, but intimated that these would be witheld from the Established Church and dissenting schools. The bargain causes much comment.

[The foregoing is a shot at the meaning of the message which reads as received •• Morley free Education debate Gladstone's absence promised endowments Catholic schools but withheld Churoh dissenters where latter educated other scots bargain causes muoh comment,"]

RUSSIA AND BULGARIA.

Russia is demanding the payment of all Bulgarian arrears. The Lander bank of Vienna has offered Bulgaria a loan of 15,009 000 francs.

MUSEUM BURGLARY.

PKS PB3S3 ASSOCIATION.]

Wblmngtom, February 24 The younT man Jansen who is charged with the Museum burglary was before the Court this morning but the case will not be finished to day. The principal evidence against him his offering melted gold and silver for sale in a jeweller's shop. He was arrested while doing so, and when asked where he got the bullion said from an electroplater at Mas terton, but could not give his name, nor does there appear to be such a person at aIL Mr Jellicoe solicitor, who is defending the accused said he was advised that it was an outrageous case of wrongful arrest

SPORTING

MELBOURNE TRAINING NOTES.

[BY BIiBOTBIO TELEGRAPH—OOPTBIGHX]

(PBB PBXSS ASSOCIATION.)

(Received February 25 11 50 p.m.) Melbourne, February 25.

Soots' Giey defeat d Don Giovanni In a sir fadongH gallop, and Oorunna bad th? best of Medallion for the same dle taooo, palling op in lmin. 19*6011. Radclpb, ltnln. 18£iec3, Fishwife gave a bestlnjz to ftfonng* acd Victor Hugo by a length. Carbine and Oakletgh did a mile and a quarter fa 2arm. 19ieo. DreadDOUght beat Singapore badly In a mile and five furlongs la 3aa!nn 2s«oi. Gladstone finished like a lion lv a clx furlongs cplg in lcnln. i!osseo. Spec lnaln. 20aao. Boz, lmta 19saoi, beating Deception with lots 'n band. Ailitoorat did a mile in loam. 50seci.

LAND TENURE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Mr H. W. Farnall, author of " The Industrial Depression of New Zealand: its Cause and its only Core," has just issued in Auckland another remarkable pamphlet on the subject of Land Tenure in this colony. Mr Farnall challenges the statement, so frequently made by certain newspapers and public men,that there is no country in the world where land is so equally distributed as in Now Zealand, and characterises the assertion as " atrociously false." He shows that on the contrary land monopolies prevail to a surprising extent, and quoting from the official returns, Bays :—There are, it appears, in this colony 346 private owners and 16 banks and companies, who own between them 7,348,718 acres of land, the unimproved value of which, according to the same Government returns, is £15,158.630 sterling. Each estate averages 20,300 acres. It must be remembered that these are all free hold properties; how acquired does not matter, although some of them have passed into the owner's hands without his parting with a sixpence on account of their purchase. Of these holders 34 are permanent absentees. They own between them 721,897 acres of an unimproved value of £1,041,984. Thirteen companies own 1,070,900 acres of land of an unim proved value of nearly £2,000,000 sterling, and one bank, the Bank of New Zealand, owns a quarter of a million | acres of an unimproved value of con siderably over half a million pounds sterling. Forty-eight of these holders have their properties still in a state of nature, they have spent no money on them whatever. They hold amongst them 1,400,663 acres of an unimproved value of nearly a million sterling. To go a 4ittl«_farther—into—detail,—we—find-that there are 24 holders of land, the unim proved value of the holdings of each of which is from £100,000 to £200,000 sterling. There are three holders the unimproved value of whose lacd is between £90,000 to £100,000, there are six between £80,000 and £90,000; there are eleven between £60,000 and £70000 ; and twenty one between £50,000 and £60,000 ; or a total of 76 persons who own between them land of the unimproved value of £8,498,541. Now the value of the im provements made upon these valuable properties is in many cases of a very trifling character. We have seen that 48 are still absolutely in a state of nature, although their actual value is over a million pounds sterling. But on looking through the return we find that one owner acknowledges having spent £75 upon an estate of 7000 acres, and another has spent £450 on an estate of 68,000 acres. This latter is an absentee, and draws £650 a year rent from a tenant. Another draws £1000 a year rent from a property on which he has only spent £40. But, as I said before, the above only represents the large free holds of over 5000 acres. If to these we add the leaseholds, we at once be come acquainted with a fact that every one must acknowledge throws a lurid light upon the cause of the poverty, want of employment, and low wages in this country, and practically explains the whole position. The total freehold and leasehold properties of over 6000 acres, held in New Zealand at the present moment, are as follows :—

Freehold Leasehold Auckland 1,664,415 119.743 1,785,158 Hawke'sßay 1,429 770 130,339 1,560,108 Wellington 1,014,260 26,249 1,040,509 Nelson 89,702 811,170 900,890 Marlborough 522,011 1,627,323 2,149,334 Canterbury 1.253.063 2,869,000 4,122,063 Otago 1.243,070 5,187,386 6,430,456

The total number of these freeholds and leaseholds, comprising in the aggre gate, nearly eighteen million acres, is 1615." Then turning to the agricul tural returns Mr Farnall goes on to show that the largest number of settlers living and supporting themselves on their own land are actually existing upon from 1 to 10 acres 6ach, and they number in all 9172 families ; then come a smaller number, 7507, who are existing upon plots of from 10 to 50 acres, or a total in all of 36,679 families, and these represent the bulk of the settled popula tion of this colony. These 16,679 families represent, as he points out, some 80,000 soulb all told, and the total area of their holdings amounts to less than 300,000 acres, less than the area of one of our largest sheep-runs. Thus while 17,000 families or 80,000 souls are "vegetating on 300,000 acres, 1600 persons monopolise between them nearly 18,000,000 acres." As regards the question of taxation Mr Far nail points out that these 1600 large landowners contribute to the national revenue barely one-tenth of the amount contributed by the 80,000, and he attributes to the condition of the land tenure and the consequent unsettled condition of such vast areas of the colony the. inequality of wealth, and the un certainty of employment—in a word the depression which has so long existed. The facts: brought out in the pamphlet are certainly well worthy of careful study.

SUPREME COURT.

(PXB PRESS ASSOCIATION.) I Chbistchtjbch, February 24 I

At the Supreme Court criminal sittings true bills were found in all cases on the calendar. The following prisoners were coa yicted and sentence! :—Ernest Robson, break ing into and stealing, and larceny as bailee, 18 months hard labor: Maurice Fitzpatrick, larceny, three years' penal servitude; Charles Leslie Fleming, forgery and ottering, 9 moiths hard labor; Henry Bedford, larceny from a dwelling, 9 months, hard labor ; James Cotter and George Alexander, robbery with, violence, 3 years'penal servitude; James King, robbery from the person, 18 months' hard labor; John Kemp, larceny, six months' hard labor. Wm. O'Brien pleaded guilty to larceny from a dwelling and his sentence was deferred. There are three more prisoners to be tried.

TELEGRAPHIC.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

[Pjtb Pbess Asbooiatioic,]

A HANDSOME WINDFALL.

LoNDOff. February 23 to 24 The Treasury windfall mentioned by Mr Goschen amounts to ,£600,000.

THE PORTUGESE IN AFRICA.

A despatch from Major Pinto, dated January Bth, states that the whole of he iShire district is again under Portu guese rule.

DISASTROUS FIRE.

During a fire at some chemical works, Greenwich, a thousand casks of petroleum were burned, and great dam age was done.

THE GOLDFINCH.

The Goldfinch, which is to replace the Raven on the Australian Station, has passed inspection, and will go on a tea days' cruise before sailing.

PROPOSED RAILWAY IN PALESTINE.

A powerful American syndicate is promoting the construction of a rail way to connect Jerusalem and other parts of Palestine with the sea coast.

DEATH OF A MILLIONAIRE.

N»w Yoek, Fet.rmry 23. The death is announced of W. H. Astor, the millionaire, of heart disease.

THE OBERAMMERGAU PAS SION PLAY.

Pabis, Febrntry 23. A great outcry is being raised at the proposal to engage Sara Bernhardt to represent the Virgin Mary in the next Passion play at Oberammergau. The date of the representation is fixed lor May 26th.

WHOLESALE INFANTICIDE.

Wabsaw, February 24.

A systematic practice of baby farm ing has been discovered in this city. It is alleged that seventy-six cases of infantcide have been unearthed.

THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IN CANADA.

Ottawa., Pabroary 23

A proposal to discountenance the use of the French language in Canada was defeated by a large majority. The question was referred to the local Parliaments of the different provinces,

AUSTRAIAN

[PBR PNESS ASSOCIATION.]

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Sydney. February 24

The man, Andrews, reported to be the son of an English Earl who shot a clothier named Bartlett, in King street last November, has been sentence to death.

QUEENSLAND.

Brisbane, February 24. Rain is general over the greater part of the colony. Flour is selling at per ton at Croydon.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

(PBR PfiBBS ASSOCIATION.)

Auckland, Februtry 25 In rep'y to a deputation from tha Wnt • kato Farmers' Qlnb to-day, Mr McKerrow said he could hold out no hope of a re daction of freight charges, bat he pro raised to consider toe question of carrying store cattle to tha Waikato at the lowest rates on certain days.

Wellington, Febuaey 24 Mr Robinson, R.M., to-day fined a fish monger for selling oysters imported from Sydney during this close the aepfcon In New Zetland. H<i Worship aald he was at first Inclined to believe the oaßs did not come within the regulations, bat on con sideration had altered bis views.

Ministers sat In Cabinet moat of the day dl>ca«slng preliminaries of tha oomlag session. They do not at present ace any necesilty for holding another session immediately after the elections, unless a political crisis happens which may came a change. It bas been already stated that scmawhera abut the end of May or the beginning of Jane Parliament will meet and ran its ordinary oonrse. The Representation Oommitslon will be set to work to re-arrunge boundaries at once, to whloh latent the necessary proclama tion will be fended forthwith.

The Federated Trades Council Is pub lishing lists of what are called fair employers, whom they ask people to patronlss Id preference to thoae not on the list. They hare dealt with the bakers and grocers, and apparently propose going through all ehopkeepeiß In the tame way.

Ohbistchuboh, February 24

Tbla afternoon Stephen Barrett and Obadeß Fisher were brought before Mr Caleb Whitefoord at the Magistrate's Ooart, charged with ihootlng at Henry Ford with Intent to do him grievous bodily harm and wonndlng him. Mr Hoban appeared for defendant! and gild the aff*lr was purely an accident. The Magistrate commented severely on the carelessness of the lade, and remanded them for a week, allowing bill in one surety of £50 for each.

The Board of Governors of Canterbury College to-day decided to Inoreaie the annual vote fro the Pabllo Library from £600 to £900.

Timaru, February 21

Three Levels Plaint farmers have been fined 201 and cos!a for obstructing the water raoea. In one cite the water was caused to overflow by oarelesnen. In the other two, the wa*er w&b taken purposely tor Irrigation,

Dunediit. Fdbruary 24. The eeoord annual oonferenos of dele gttes of Mining Associations was opened fn-chy. Representatives from Loburn, Maerewbenua, St Batban*, Kyeburn, Round Hill, and Waiporl were praeent, also Messrs Scoble MoKeti'e and Jas. Allen, M.H.R.V. The first business was •he dtaeusalon of a r^BotuMon, —"That Government bo requested to give effaot to the reflations re abolition of gold tiaty, and other proposals brought before the last Conference "

THE MUIRS' FATE

A PERTfISEIRS LEGEND.

A few summers ago I spent a very pleas mt holiday In fcampiog throngh Perthshire. I had as companion a nttlvo of Perthshire, who had a fa ad of stories, tjaolnt and queer, about every other spot wo pieced, One d-y we found ourselves In a witd and picturesque e)en, through which rushed a very rapid stream between high find rocky banks. Half-w*y down the glen by the side of tbe stream was seen a rising ground with a sheer precl ploa of 160 ft or so to the water beneath Whenever I saw this I exelalmed—'Jaet the place for a castle, but I see do rains. My friend answered—' You are right; It Is jjst the place for a castle, end though no ruins are now seen tradition cays there was once a castle standing on that height, and m lth that oistle ts connected one of tbe weirdest stories I know,'

Legends are not, aa a rale, noted for oleorness of detail, and oertalnly the story of 'The Moire' Fate' is no exception. However, it would seem that a good few oanturies ago the family of tbe Molrs held possession here known aa ' the Mulr,' and they kept watch over these possessions from a castle bdllt on yonder knoll. They were a strong, brave and numerous race,, and all went well with them until the then head of the house by some means or other ehanoed to incur the enmity of one of those old women who saem to have been so plentlfaJ In the olden times—the witches.

This old bag !n her raga and hate onned the family root ano branch, declaring that It would dte out and leave no trace of Iti power aDd strength, and adding the horrlbl« propheoy that the last heir would ba killed by its own mother. Sorely enough, as time went on, the fomlly de creased (n numbers, In possessions, In powei, and It wai quite evident that the wltoh'a curse was having Its effect, bat woald that terrible crime foretold by the wtfoh take place!

In the latter half of the seventeenth century the Und of ' The Mulr' was held by Sir Alstalr Mulr, who had received a baronetoy from Oharlea for services ren dered to his eauae. Though he wu the lest of the Maira, the drooping fortunes of bis raoa nesmed to revive with him, for all bin übdertaklDga prospered ; but it was only the last flicker before tbe lamp went out, Sir Alsalr had mauled » beautiful lady, who was aa good »s she was beautiful, but who for a long time had no children. At last she gava birth to a handsome boy j in this child were centred all their hopes, and we may im agine bow carefully be was tended. On the night of the ohlld's first birthdaf Lady Mulr dreamed that she took her Infant son out of his cot, and threw him j from a window of the castle into the stream beneath. Next morning sbe re counted her strange dream to her husband who, knowing as be did tbe witch's prop hecy, conld not help feeling a foreboding of evil. The months, however, flaw past, anA no harm oame to the child, who grew dftil? dearer and dearer to his parents, and gradually Lady Muir forgot her strange dream. On the night of the ohild's secood btrtbday, however, sbe dreamed the stma dream, with this slight difference—ibe needed two attempts before she managed to destroy her soo. She awoke ecreamlng and told her terrified husband of her dreadful ulght-mare. They both remem bered that tbis wsa now the reoond time of Its occurrence, and Sir Alstalr felt it same as a warning. Re save strict orders, therefore, that the old story of the gipsy's prophecy should never be alluded to it; the presecoa of Lady Mulr, who as yet knew nothing of it, and whose nervous, fine - strung temperment would un doubtedly have suffered from the know ledge, And so the second year pained away. The cHUd grew up strong, aod be»lthy, winning all hearts by bis manly aud fearless, yet loving, disp sltion ; but the dream was not forgottm—it still haunted the mind of tbe loving mother.

The young heir's third blr.hdty w«s a day of grett disquiet and uoresc. Tr.eair was close and oppressive, the sky b'sok und lowering, while the thnnder, whlob mattered now and ibeo among the hill lope, betokened a onmlDg storm. Lady Mulr was uneasy aod resties* all the day !oour, and was glad when night came on, and with It the Rtorm that had been brewing so long. The lightning flished and the 'hunder roared without cessation, while the rain descended in torrents. Late at night all retired to reat, bat for long Lady Mair tossed restless and Bleep lew upon her bed. Da what she would th»t horrible dream hannted her still.

At last she fell into a troubled drs j, and bgatn o»me that gruesome dream. She aeemed to le»va her couch, take up her sleeping boy, and wend her way to the tot?er of the oastle. Here she opened a casement acd endeavored to thruat her son fotth, Twice she essayed to do this and could not; the third time she made a stren uous exertion, and down foil her only ohild on the cruel rooks beiow ! With that very tffjrt ehe awoke, and found herself standing by an open casement, while the storm raged without. She re membered her dream, as she thought, when suddenly the truth bent upon her —she h»d killed her boy while walking in her sleep I—and with a shriek that awoke the household she fell to the fl >or

What happened then, do yon say 1 Oh, well, there is little more to add. Neither Sir Alstslr not his Udy long inrvlved — the latter oODtlnulog deiirioaa to the time of her death. He was the last of hie rsop, and his possessions were but small, bo "The Mnlr"becam9 part of a larger property. Iti otitle wai neglected, end, being co exposed, soon fell away, and now tbo only thing that tells of the existence of'TheMuir" la the itory I have joit narrated.

TO THE "QUIET LIFE."

Been m ono In city pent Dizad with the stir and din of towt, Drams on the p%ne la dlaoontent.

And sees the dreary rain come down, fat, throagh the dimmed and dripping glass, - Beholds, In fancy, visions piss Of spring that breaks with all her leavst, Of birds that build in thatoh aßd cares, Of woodlands where the throstle calls, OC girls that gather cowslip balls, Of. klne that low and )&mba that cry O£ trains that jolt and rumble by, Of brooks that sing by brambly w; yj, OE sanborabd folk ihtt stand at gars Of all the dreams with which m<>n cheat The stony sermons otiln street— So, in Its hoar, the artlat bralA, Weary of human ills and woes, Weary of pieston and of pain, And vaguely craving for repose, Deserts a while the stage of strife. To draw the even, ordered life ; Th« careful day?, the dreamlefs nlghtSj The homely round of plain delights, The calm, the unambltloned mind, Which all men seek and few men find. Let the dream pass, the fanoy fade I We olatch a shape, and hold a shade. la Peace bo peacefal ? Nay, who knows ! There are volcanoes under aaows. Austin Dobson,

THE GERMAN ELECTIONS

(P«B PBBBB A88OOUnOIT.)

Berlin, February 24 The number of the Cartel party in the new Reichstag will probably not exceed 160. They are appealing to the Clericals and Radicals to unite againßt the Socialists, whose poll in the Kingdom of Saxony has increased by 87,000. Herr yon Pattkammer has been returned.

BURSTING OF A RESERVOIR

LOSS OP POBTY LIVES. T™

(pkb PEias Assooimotf.j

Washington, February 24 A reservoir, three miles long and three-quarters of a mile broad, bant at Prescott, in Arizona, and forty people r , were drowned. It ig feared (hat the ~ town of Wickenburg, thirty miles away, io in danger of being overwhelmed. (Received February 25, 11.30 a.m.) \Z t Washington, February 24. c -. By the giving way of the Presoort "(Arizon) damWickenborg haa been aob* merged and the whole of the townsfolk - perished. -:/X

SOME OF OUR MIGRATORY FISHES.

(" Otigo Daily Times ") thb JROBT ran.

A vary peculiar fish, somewha* Ilk* the barr*coatft In appearenoe, bat a muoh loDger and more deligate fish, is the hUra ~ of the Maori*, or frosi fish (Lapldopai csudatus). A splendid ipeolmeo of the frost fish will be eean In the owe of stuffed fiab In the Fisheries ooait. It U • bright blalflh silvery colored fish, usually aboat 4 ft ia length. Next to nothing Is known of the habit* of the frott fish, wbloh Is very highly esteemed as a food fUb, being sometimes sold afc prices up to 2s 0d per lb. It is subject matter of dispute whether It Is a deep set fish, dwelling only In the darkaoma depths of the ooeao£or merely a wide ooean-ranglog fish. Th«; " frost fish Is never taken by hook sndline, but is found stranded on some sandy beach on a frosty morning. During the ■ winter months considerable numbers are -- found on the beaoh between Otaki and.. Bfanawatn, Wellington ; they are fre quently found at Purakanul and on all the beaches northward to Moeraki. Ml' 0. H, Robinson throws some light on tba « stranding, or rather landing of tha ,fro*t V fish. He writes : "It Is true the froit fiih': usually oomea on shore during iheoold, " moonlight nlgbti of winter; but It also > frequently laadei In Clifford Bty,near Oape Oampbbll, during the dayl'ght, alwaya : when.lt it calm, or with a southerly wind and smooth water. It has been my goad ~>' - fortune to witness aevnral aaoh laQdis|aV-*^ and, though enable to determine th» raatea of them, I c»n state positively that' tb« - fish is not oast up by the sea, but that Itr' deliberately foraes Itielf on shore, seledt* Ing a shallow Bandy beach for the purpose. On two occ»elons I stood between a froit fish and the beach, end, as he cams on, turned him with a long atlok head to sea, maklog him swim out, but In a minute or -; two he turned again for the shore, going - up high and dry as fast as possible. So, er be seemed to have «et bis mind upon landing, I gave up -he attempt to in fluence hii deciilon, and took him boaac for breskf«t, AU the front fish whloh , oome on shore here are In fine condition J \ they seem to be In perfect heal' h, and ' their landings appear to be dellbeme aoti of eelf-imiool«tlon Their food I believe to be the young of the pilchard or the sprat, butT only fooni one speoimmwlth food In Its gu'let auffiol-ntly perfect for identification." According to the testi mony of the fishermen who live at Pura kanui, froet fish have been washed ashore on the rooks at Purakanui in December, and one was netted on the Uroper reef in: February 1882. Several othera have been bo netted during the summer months. Nona of the fish picked up or caught were ever eeeu to contain roa. These fishermen aeser; that they have seen the young fish ranging from 3ln to 15in In length, while the adult fiau feed greedily on sprats which they follow oloae in shore, even among the turf. There eeomi good reason tr> believe that the maoh prised frost fish |is a constant dweller on oar coasts, to lowing up the sprats whioh coma Booth in the end of summtr/ and return by the beginning of winter.

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the

opinions expressed by our correspondents

THE DOMAIN BICYOLE TRACK.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, —Will yoa kindly grant me ipaee ■ in your afternoon'a lisoe -to ezpren my opinion respecting the looal In yooi Saturday's "Guardian" and headed " Horse v Wheel." Yoa must have been very fortunate In obtaining an Interview, > with those gentlemen, bat yoa mast bavi ' forgot that there are a few more about who occasionally mount the wheel, bat -• not a "spider" one, so that may aeaount for yoa omlttiog them from your categary. However, you h»va had their opinion about the Domain track time after time, and which la to a very large extent:^ identical with your great revelation;^ namely that the track required renovaW 1 * iug before being anything like rldeable, and if yoa would but have pushed • your researches a lltt!e farther and vlstteid the scene of contention m yoa aaiettf -, you would have seen (heir oonolnitoni'

fully botne ont by observing • hott of om s'alwart OoodoU men with all thtlateat appliances commended by oor respected engineer dlreoUng all their vigor and da-

termination at Its lamented surface, and judging from Its sandy nature It most ~ have by this time underwent a most re- 1

markable change bat If- my memory ':~ ■eivloei me oorraotly tbli U jask what oui^£ local men advocated, bat. ■ deaf ear mi, lent to th l« reqoeiti. Ai the track vu already perfeot la the estimation of .pat cffiolsls and wanted nothing mote aottl iome ashes strayed along that way which would be strewn.along Its ■orfaee bat only to be blown biok from whenoc they oame by the nogritefal nor -welters. Yoa must also not loie eight of the faot that the terms arranged by our looal men were maoh more stringent; . I; 0 wish to add that I am very sorry In being v obliged to cross words with the ex amateur ■ ohamplon, respeotlng hli theory aboat a- s. vlrgi j olay track, and I think It li olear to -.; anyone with an ordinary amount of ./: common sense and do not reqalre explain ing that a olty p»th li simply a sammet day one, and la nothing more or leu, ■nd fa therefore la no way adapted "for"*"" o'nb'a training field as It ooold never; be mcd unless perfectly dry, bat T opine this jast ano-her golden feather so profaself conspicuous amongst oar travelling pto fessionth. However, I have no desire toT speak unkindly of those gentlemen, bat O wish them every sooeess fiaanchly and otherwise at their projaoted meeting and •% farther hope the element! will not poaf i> oat its wrath by blessldg them with a wet day and will thas gave the generous act oontemplaied by tome of onr (Signatories working op the deficiency if there be any, bat should this event not ttke placs I wish to remind them our local o'ab Jllll sarvivoß.—l am, etc., OHE OF TH« BOTS.

THE DOMAIN BICYCLE TRACK.

TO THE GDITOB.

£i&,—3o thing exc.ue the anger of ihf mfcmbeta of tat Ashbartoo. Of ding Olrt

frHS ASHBimTQK GtfARPJAiM, X*J;. n *;Y FFft nti * feY &5, 1800.



'Though Imitated by many, uurpeßied by none " UEVIATHAN RAILWAY TEMPEB-- ANCE HOTEL (Opposite the Hallway Station), ' DUNEDIN. MBS SILK, PROPBIETBESS. ffIHIS very popular EsrabHshmatit con- X tinues to afford very superior accom modation to tourists and others who desire th« 00MKOBT8 OF HOME, combined with VBBT MODERATE CHABQE3. Th« sole management of tb*j house, as wall ai the cnisine affairs, are under the menoßal iupervidoß of Mrs Silk, The Home ,1b Situated within a few rain "tea walk of the Exhibition, Post Office, Steamboat Landing*, and other placas. fffOD FAOMUB YALDB PACIMU ("What we do we o weil." rw\a* oheistoh'uroh db ntal |. SUBGEBY, Oaakel tttreet, Ohriitcbnrch, next Robin* Boot Store, and at the Octagon. Dnnedin. A i Mentions at strictly nnif ora ana moderate GonralUtion free. 3. mybrTand co., BUBffiBOB DBNTIBTB. *^a /v\ •'•■■. NITBOD& OXIDE GAS administered This Aiwesthetlo leaves no unpleteant cfleets. and by Its use the extraction of Bad Stomps and Teeth Is rendered per-, •eotly Painless find Effective. Ad alnlstered dally. Fee for administration of Gat, si. Bxtraotlon, 2s 6d a tooth. Hoars of attendance, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Private residence, 93 East Belt. The acknowledged (superiority of AMERICAN DENTISTKY in the con straotlon of Artificial Teatfa, the most Bnlshed workmanship, wa»pl|J«f*J oit teeth TEMPORARILY ALMOST MMBDIATELY after extraction, have j ■tabllsbed oar reputation, A slDsle Actlfiola Tooth, 10s, complete ; At. Upper and Lower, Temporal and Penaaneat £1010s; Artificial Tenth and Dentate* made by other <ienti«ts re. noddled at small oosts, Stopptog, So»l ---3g Patfee. and Palnlear.



WI. SPABBOW, TAILOR AND MEN'S MERCER EAST STREET.



ABHBUBTON COUNTY STOOK AND dA.LEYA.tJD3 00., Limited. AS the reqa-jst of several Farmers the Company has deoided to hold a Special PIG- FAIR Fo* the Sale of STORE PIGS, AT THE Tinwald Yards Early la Maroh. Fannetß will obl'ge by letting the Oaretaker have particulars of their Entries ssrJy an poseible. GEO. JAMESON, 75 Chairman, THE CHEAPEST SALE NOW GOING ON IN ASHBUBMON IB AT "The Corner," Children 1* Hats half price Flowers at half pries Prints at half prioa Ladles' Jackets at half piice 17 doz Men's Box (beat made) half price r i ? "" oa INSPEOTJTHE S T o<o X IHS»if(IT TflE STOOK W. H. COLLIER



Wanted Known Oasli Advertisements under this head ing, not exceeding 16 words, O«B Shilling;. Addresses may beleftat this Office. |>ÜBLIO NOTIOE—AII *ood wi ß herß ZT of the WednefcUag- Half-Bo'iday. l Jleaee chop early, 1 o'cloois. H. O. SisaERS, Moifo'd Hoosh. MANILLA Binder Twine, rosohlue oiK and viiry. Time in money_oii the barve-t field—the boab is the cheapest. —R. Aioorn, Saundera Buildings. WANTED KNOWN—If you want good value for your money go to Melford House, Besides our ordinary presents an additional one of a good useful basket to every purobaser of 20a and upwards, H. C. Segues, Melford House.



"TTTANTJBD Known " Strong-wear VV Boots for Ladlei, Meo and Children ooti ouiy hj obUlced at W. H O( llier's V"s*~ 4.NTEDKnown 'i>at AkdkewOeb's *' i half-yearly salo of Surplae Stock of Dcapery Clothing and Boots Is now goingl on. 1 141 WANTED Known—ln addition to our ordinary presents, we aha'l give an extra one of a Rood useful basket to every pnrohtser of 20s and upwards. H. 0. Sxgbbs, Melford Honae, KNOWN —My Special W Make of Ladles' 4-claep Kid Gloveßj " The AehburtoniaD," braided backs, 3s 6d per pair.—W. H, Oollieb. WANTED every mail in the County to have a Suit of the Aahbarton Tweedei—Robhbt Alookn, Anhborton Clothing Mart, Satmdere' Buildings. WANTED Known lace oorfainu 84 ll<\, towels 4&d, umbrellas 1b lOd prints 2£d. aklrte Ib, kid gloves Is, 12Joz dress buttons for 1«, embroidered ocstumeß 10a.—Andbbw Obb's Sale. 1 160 rpHE Jubilee Sale. Andbkw Obb le J_ selling menu boots 9s 6d, Indies E.S. •t 4s 6d, laoe op boots 5s 6d, gir's boots 3a 9i, man's sboei 6a lid. evening she ea 2s 6d. Sa'e now on. 1 151 MBS KENNUDF and Miss Cameron, Moore Street—Teachera of Scientific Drete-catdng Bodies cut and fitted. Dressmaking in all its branches. Biding habits a speciality. 12 69



WANTED, Everyone to Know—That J. MOISON ban now In stock • arge end varied »ieorttn?nt of BOOTS AJSD SHOES for the Sprim? and Summer Season, Gentlemen's, Lsdlea', nud Chii drenV, both imported »nd Colonial,; lee HIS OWN MAKE, which CANN )T BE SURPASSED for Style, F.t, Qibl ty, snd combli'ed with VERY REASONABLE PRICEB. All repairs executed prompt y and with nefttneiß. lOtl Putl\c Notices TO LEND, on Freehold BeoarJt?.— £250 £300, and £600 io separate sums. Apply to— JOHN 0. CORK, Bntlnt^t end Solicitor, Burnett Street. Aohburt n (Next Bank o* New Soath Wales) TTAtiENTINES ! V«Uht-uM— Nevrett V and most hilpgant Dejigca in boxee. Silk-Brlr ged L >ye o<rds and Pcrfnmed Saoheta, etc Lsrfießt Vir tMy in Oomio Valentlcsß li. F, ANDEBWKS & 00, St»tion«<a' Hail, BICYCLES VMSSVS TROTTfiRS Under tho patronage of tha Aahbarton Raoing Olab, A TEN MILES m^toh for £50 will Uko pi&oo on tha IOMAItS TR4.OK on WiLDiT*SDAY EVENING NEXr, Febro-»'y 26th, a 630 o'clock bjtweew J, X, Fbnlon aad &. May£S ; the Austrs -1 3nOb«u»plon Bicyclists and MbOotavics PIRBY on hlaoslebratedl ttottei"Mareugo" acd two otbera. A rooit excitingßsoe Is expaoied. -Ad ffliCßton Is. '. 2§87



D.B.S. CO. JIHW u's's' C 0 TTSJON STKAMSHIP COMPANY OS 1 U NifiW ZEALAND, Limited. Steamers Ball as under : - From LVT rJEf,TON TO Wellington ... Daily, except Sunday (Tuesdays and Saturdays 10 p.m.; other days, 5 p.m, I Ounedia ... Tues., Thurs., and Sat. SJeleou ... Tuea., lhare., and Sat, Onehmga .. Fri. and alternate MoXjS. ! Auck'and vU Past Coast . Thursday Melbourne... Tuesday Sydney via Auckland ... Every altercate Thursday Sydeey via Oook's Strait-... Fortnightly Paaaeogars may be booked to Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, aud all New Zealand ports at the office of GEORGE JAMESON, 2J91 Agent, Ashburton. SUMMER 1890 1890 CfUMAf-CR HOW 1890 1890 OH 0 W ALL DEPARTMENTS OF OUR BUSINESS REPLETE WITH CHOICE GOODS



FOB THIa SEASON. 0* PRIOE~BIGHT. £* For Javenile'o UlctWng Try the N.Z. Clothing Paotory For Boyß'Clothing Try the N ,Z, Olotcing Factory For Youths' Clothing Try the JN.Z. Oiothicg Factory For Men's Clothing Try the N.Z. Clothing Factory For Men's Measure Try the N.Z. Clothing Faotoiy ?cr Mercery aad Hotiory Try the N.Z Clothing Factory For Bhnkofs, Bugs, and Flanne'a Tiy the N.Z. Clothing Factory For Hats in the newest ehapea Try the N.Z Clothing Factory the best vslne for Ready Money Iry the N Z. Clothing Factory ENCOUBAGE LOCAL INDU3TST AND BUY F&OM THE Clothing Factory^ X^SPECT^TUK STOCK And draw yonr own conoluaioriß. W»E, VY&Biitfiß,



_ Rough Cn Catarrh.—Corrects offens"b todors at once. Complete cure of worst chron cases; also unequaledas par7le|for|dli anther throat foul breath



Owing to the intense heat in Melbourne on the 7th instant, 150 men employed at the Newport railway workshop! knocked, pfl work.



A Sydney cable Bays that the steamer Sikh has arrived from China with four oases of modified smallpox on board. Thej ship has N«b placed in quuiQtiaq,~ teiWWJ||ii



Holloway's Pills. — Nervousness and Want of Energy.—When first the nerves feel ynstmng, and Ustlessness supplants energy, it is the right time to take some alterative as Holloway's Pills to prevent disorder running into disease. These excellent Pills correct all irregularities and weakenesses, lliey act so kindly and yet so energetically on the functions of digestion and assimilation that the whole bo 'y if revived, the blood is rendered richer ana purer, the muscles become firmer and stronger, and the nervous and absorbent systems are invigorated. These Pills are Buitable for all classes and all ages. They have a ny st marvellous effect on persons who are out of contrition ; they soon rectify what ever is in fault, restore strength to the body and. confidence to the mind,