The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, MAY 27, 1890. OUR MEMBERS.

Mr "Walker's speech at the Odd fellows' Hall, on Friday evening, will have been read with much satisfaction throughout the Ashburton electorate, as proving not only, what was well known before, that we have in him a hardworking, conscientious member, but also one who is quite aware of what measures are necessary to restore to the colony that progress which it once knew, but which has, through maladministration and other causes, received so severe a check. His story of the past session was an intelligible resume of its actual transactions, and ! though Mr Walker, is a party whip, was almost devoid >of party color, so eminently fair was he to Ministers and I their party. ■ Some of his criticisms of the Government were, no doubt, severe, but their severity' consisted chiefly in their unexaggerated truth, and if he had to tell a tale of abortive attempts at legislation, of ; general failure all along the line, well then the fault was not with M.v Walker, but with those who suffered these things to become facts. His defence of the proposal of the Opposition for an appeal to the country,immediately after thepassing of the new Representation Bill, was logi cal and complete, and time will yet show that that is the step which ought to have been taken. As regards his views as to what measures are required i at the present time and for the imme diate future, he is, doubtless right in saying that the Property-tax cannot be forthwith abolished and replaced by a Land and "Income-tax, but we think that the latter should be imposed nevertheless, and the Property tax retained as a tax upon property other than land, and other than that from which income is derived; while as regards the impost upon land and income it should be differential without being oppressive. There should also be not only (as Mr Walker suggests), an exemption for improvements upon land, but the land itself up to a value of say £1000 should also be free of tax. With regard to land settlement, Mr Walker is evidently desirous of seeing this pushed on and widely ex tended, but it was not for him as a semi-official member of the Opposition to indicate how this can and should be done, though, doubtless, if opportunity be afforded he will be quite prepared to do so—physicians are not expected to prescribe till they are called in. Alto gether the tone of the speech is that of a sound and loyal adherent of liberal principles and of the hardworking, honest and intelligent servant of the electorate, and o£ the colony, which the member for Ashburton admittedly is.

LOCAL AND GENERAL

I Bishop Selwyn is recovering from his i She (at the piano)—" Listen ! How do enjoy this refrain?". He—"Very much. The more you refrain the better I like it."

Owing to the Queen's Birthday holiday there was no meeting of the Borough Council last night. The ordinary meetiug will take place this evening.

According to the " Otago Daily Times " it is stated that Sir Walter Buller has decided to become a candidate for the Bruce seat at the coining general electicn.

The canal through the Isthmus of Corinth, which is only now nearing completion, was begun during the reign of the Emperor Nero, over 1700 years ago.

An attempt is being made by Russia to lift two Euglish steamers sunk in Balaclava Bay during the Crimean war. One is said to contain £40,000 in gold.

An English company has been formed in London to purchase the fossil ivory which'is obtainable in Alaska. Fossil ivory hunting is a big business in Siberia, and this company has equal hopes in Alaska.

A lady appeared the other night in a Sydney theatre in a white satin ulster, with collar and cuffs of white velvet. The tout ensemh'e brought down the ' house, who thought the fair one had just got out of bed and forgotten to dress.

The Ashburton Rifles held their annual social iii the Oddfellows' Hall last night, and quite 200 persons were present, includiug members of the corps, past and present, and friends with wives and sweethearts. Danc ing was engaged in with great heartiness, and other amusements were provided as well as refreshments.

A correspondent of the' " Press " records that a traction engine passed through Spring field on Saturday morning, en ro-ute. to Mr Dalgety's Glrasmere Station, near Cass, with material for a woolshed and other goods. This is opposition with a vengeance, when such an expensive mode of haulage can compete with forty-four miles of railway.

When the steamer Moray shire leave- Wellington (her final port of departure for London), she is expected to have on board 45,000 carcases of frozen sheep. This will be the largest number of sheep carried Hcmo by any vessel. The majority of the New Zealand runs do not carry as many sheep as this vessel is taking away.

The " Mount Ida Chronicle " says that two rather intelligent young men recently passed thiough Naseby who stated that although they had travelled from as far as Quecnstown they had been unable to obtain employment. At one station where they asked for work, but were refused, two Chinamen were employed as shepherds, one as cook, another as muse, and still another as "rouse-about."

The Crimiual sittings of the Christchurch Supreme Court opened yesterday. True bills were found in all the cases except that of the girl accused of stealing a ring from a photographer's shop. Mary Butler was convicted of arson, Alexander Turner, of perjury, and James Henry Roberts pleaded gnilty to four cliai'ges of false pretence^. Sentence was deferred in all cases.

A somewhat rare operation, trephining, was successfully carried out at the Ashburton Hospital a few days ago by Dr Tweed, the medical attendant of the patient, assisted by Drs Trevor and Leahy. The case was that, of a, young woman, 22 ycaFt) of age, who suffered from epilepsy as the result of an injury to the frontal, bone caused by a fall during her childhood, and trephining was resorted to for the purpose of removing the pressure of the bone on the brain. Some months ago portions of the bone Avere thus removed, and last week the operation was successfully completed. The patient is recovering rapidly, and it i 3 hoped that the, result will bs the entire cessation of her: epileptic troubles.

I >■ In an Omaha Church recently, Sam Jones shouted; "Is there a man present who never sppke a cross word to his wife ?" The silence was becoming oppressive. People looked here and there. JSvery husband present wanted to get up but did not dare to, But the sadness that had possession of Jones's face vanished a moment later when a round-faeod, good-natured man rose from his seat. "Thank £*od ;" exclaimed Sam, " there is one man who never spoke a cross word to his wife !" The good-natured man smiled a bland smile and said : '-'No, sir, I uevcr did. I'm a bachelor." Then he put on his b>t and calmly walked out of the door,

A limited liability company is advertised in a weekly journal in 10,000 snares of £10 each. Truth will out.

It is notified by advertisement that the Rink will be open to-night and Saturday, next, after which it will be closed for, a week, owing to the Hall being otherwise engaged.

We notice by advertisement appearing elesewhere that Mrs Baeyertz, who recently held services in Ashburton, and has since been preaching to overflowing congregations in Christchurch, purposes to hold a week's mission at the Oddfellows' Hall, commencing Sunday, Ist June. All persons interested in and- desirous of helping this mission are invited to meet at the Baptist Church on Wednesday evening at eight o'clock.

On the Ferry Road Tramway, Christ church, on Monday evening, Hugh Milner, a boy .of twelve years, was" kilted. It is supposed he had been riding on the draw bar at the end of the car, and had either jumped or been knocked off when the tram was backing. The brake gear appears to have naught his back, and broken it. He was the son of Edward Milner, wheelwright, Sydenham.

Mr R. Tapper, junr., in a letter to Mr R. H. Brodrick (late secretary to the Southland ' Acclimatisation Society) says.that the other ' week he noticed fish, which he believed; to be salmon, going up the Aparima river, near Fairfax !■■ '■';■■. Tl> v.-,— led'to this belief by the ■■ • i^. ■ \ ■■!■!». .■• i. • of the fish, which were in large numbers, and by their jumping clean out of the water and for some little distance ahead as well. He describes them as quite different in appearance to trout.

There has been '"caught at Lofodden, Norway, a cod weighing fully 681b, "and measuring sft., 4in.. This beats the; longest on record—4ftllin. The cod is a cannibal, and this Lofodden cod had in it the remains of another cod of no mean dimensions. The fish must have been of a great age* to attain' that size. Whereas (says the "Newcastle Chronicle ") other animals cease growing at a comparatively early period of life, it is the nature of a fish to keep growing until death overtakes it. Hence the size of a cod, as of a carp and a salmon, is a measure of its age.

M. and Mmc de Lesseps held a reception recently, where the chief attraction was the presence of all the old. man's children, the two by his first marriage and the eleven by his second. His eldest " boy "is about forty-five years of age, and his youngest child, a daughter, Gisele, is four years old,; the age of the eldest of the eleyen children is sixty-seven. Comte de Lesseps is him self now in his eighty-fifth year; he is rapidly breaking up—or down, but still re tains a good flow of animation for a gentleman never at auy time mercurial. They say the failure of the Panama Canal has never affected him; he believes that his scheme is being victimised, by a conspiracy.

Saturday's Oamaru " Mail" reports that the result of the trial of the Howard digging plough, which took place on Mr Borton's estate on the previous day was a great surprise even to the agent. The land given to him to work upon was a hillside well sprinkled with small boulders of limestone, just such a place where double furrows are made to dance on their ends occassionally. The digger turned up 9 inches of soil and left it in splendid, form and without any extra strain on the horses. Afterwards a piece of atubble land was operated upon and there the work was done just as satisfactorly as on the hillside. A number of farmers came on to the ground during the day, and all ex pressed satisfaction at the work done.

At a meeting held at Clinton last week it was decided to form a company, with a capital of £5000, to start a rabbit tinning and meat preserving factory, and provisional ! directors were appointed. In a letter read ■ from Mr Heath, manager of the Marborough factory, he statfcd:—"We are paying 3s per dozen for full-grown rabbits, trapped only, and we are now receiving 3000 daily, which, with 150 sheep, wo pivserve daily. I have managed here since the factory started, and am glad to inform you with excellent returns for our goods. The rabbits iii manufacturing cost 5s 6d per dozen, whilst our returns last season were 11s 6d. Our rabbitskins brought Is 4d per lb, We our return for mutton in 21b tins was usu perlb." An exciting scene took place on Sunday, March 30th, at the wedding in Berlin of M.' Probst to Miss Frohmann. Just as the bride was about to have the ring pladfed on her finger, a woman named Hermann with dis hevelled hair, rushed at her and tore the wreath of orange-blossom from her head; j then seizing the bride by the throat, almost strangled her before the astonished witnesses recovered sufficient presence of mind to separate the two women. It seems that M. Probst lived.at Miss Hermann' 3 house, and became ihe. object of her affection: Miss Frohmann was introduced to Probst at the house, and when Miss IT- ■: ■ •v.:'-V:-■:-•■---- 1, that her lodger was in.L- 1 ■ ■•■.■. i;. , ■■ ■ : '. her reason began to give way, and her mental distress culminated in the attack at the wedding. She is now completely insane. The Right Rev, H. M. Turner, colored bishop of Georgia, has written a letter to the ' American Government advocating the adop tion of Senator Butler's Bill for colonising Africa with American Negroes. He says a million blacks have discovered io their cost that, as far as they are concerned;; the American nation is a failure. He adds:— "Either this nation cannot or will not protect a man who is not white. No court in America has given a decision in, favour of a Negro in 12 years. The Supreme Court is an organised mob against him. Senator Butler's Bill will enable 1,000,000 Negroes to go where they can work out their own destiny. Africa, is the future home of, the elevated and cultivated Negro.' It is' a giant continent, and an Eden on earth, and it will become the sanitary, commercial, and evan gelical heart of the globe. - • : The "Otago Daily Times" of Friday says: —A beautiful meteoric display was. observed over the city yesterday morning at about 4.30 o'clock. Attention was drawn to the meteor by the siidden burst of light from it, by which the outlines of things were niade quite distinct, and shadows almost as well defined as in clear moon-light were cast by intervening objects. The meteor seemed to start from about the meridian, and shoot with great velocity in a S.E. direction until within something like 30 degrees of" the horizon, when its progress gradually ceased 1, and at length it became stationary in the form of a long incandescent ,rod; it then slowly waned in its brightness, the material expanding in width and contracting in length until it formed a large gobular mass, with a more solid or dense head of nucleus on the south-western side. It fjien commenced to travel in a S.W. direction, at what appeared to be a right angle to its original course, in the form of a comet, gradually fading from sight. It must have been visible to the eye about four or five minutes,

THE PRONUNCIAMENTO.

Mb Fergus has once more been deputed to be the mouthpiece of the Ministry, and Queenstow.n has again been selected as the platform from which to make known thY intentions of the Government; but as usual the " pronuriciamento" as it is, we see, termed in Wellington, has been uttered

in such a way that his astute chief can identify himself and his "Cabinet "with only just so much as he pleases, and throw upon the shoulders of his mag nificently-bearded colleague, as being merely his (Mr Fergus') own views and opinions, all that does not appear to be readily assimilated by the public. Indeed,,throughout the whole deliver ance there is one prominent charac teristic, namely, a desire to see how the cat jumps—-to ascertain what the people of the colony desire, with a view to .shaping Ministerial policy, so as to meet their wishes. •In a word, it is a case of " them's my sentiment's, but if they don't suit why then they kin be altered." Mr Fergus lets the cat out of jthe bag by naively confessing, almost in. so many words, that Ministers would have gone in for a borrowing policy had the feelers recently put out shown that the country was ready to sanction another loan, but that they do not intend- to propose one, because "it has u been decided for them" by public opinion that it is not desirable further to increase the indebtedness of; the colony. Not, however, that Ministers are willing to do without borrowed money—they mean to have it if they can without apparently running counter to the. tide of public opinion. They mean "to keep the promise to the ear, and break it to the sense." And it is to be done, or pro posed to be done, in this way. While abstaining from asking authority to raise another loan in London, they have in contemplation to invite per mission to issue land debentures and road debentures to. be floated in the colony, and to be' redeemed -when the money derived from the sale of the Native lands, which it is proposed to purchase, comes in. It is also suggested j that funds raised in this way may, to the advantage .of the .colony, be employed in the re-purchase of areas of land required for settlement and now held in large blocks by companies and other , mortgagees to the detriment and hindrance of the progress of the Colony. Now we do not find fault with the proposal to acquire these lands itself, for we have long insisted upon the necessity of the Native lands, and the big estates being turned to better account, but we do find fault with the way in which it is put forward. In stead of a timid attempt to find out how the wind blows by casting up a straw there shouid be a bold declara tion of a determination to attain the object in view, and an equally bold stand upon the measures put forth as the means to that end. It may be that some scheme of differential taxa tion might be devised which would effect the desired object without any borrowing at all, that is in so far as regards the big block evil, but if Ministers think otherwise and mean to j go in for a policy of expropriation, let !':!.in ...-. . . !■..• ':'■., :.ij>.| ■:',and by-the* I*■■.'■1 *- ■■.'■i 1 ;■■ ■■.■' .>i . .■■. What we

dislike is this timid fishing for a policy, this feeling of the public pulse with a view to adapt Ministerial proposals to outside opinion. As regards the ap parent intention of Ministers to pro pose to repurchase lands required for settlement it has our entire approval, but in regard to the £10,000 vote for an experiment in this direction, which Mr Fergus takes credit to the Govern ment for having proposed two sessions ago, and which, "having been carried in Committee of Supply,: was only struck .jaut by a cmaj6rity.of two on the resolu tion.being reported, it is only fair to remind, that gentleman'that, the vote in question was placed 'dn fthe Estimates in consequence of .tfre.iurgeiit repre sentations of a number of honorable members, including many prominent members'of the Opposition; and that it might and could have been carried' had Ministers insisted upon it. ' Proof of that is afforded by .the fact that one of the Government. Whips, the late Major Jackson voted against Ministers on the final question, whereas had only his' vote been cast the other way the - item would undoubtedly.have btood. Next in importance to the matter to which we have alluded is .t-liat part of the Queenstown speech/ which refers to the consolidation of local loans. It is un questionably greatly to be deplored that the ratepayers of localities which have obtained loana in the - London market should have to be taxed to pay interest running up to, in some in stances, as much as 6, 6^ and even 7 per cent, when the money could have been; or could at least now be, bor rowed by the Colony at 4 per cent, and it-would' be a great boon indeed if those localities could be relieved of the amount of burden represented by this wide difference."* But while we would gladly see this done, we fear that it is not possible .to make such a measure apply to all local' loans. There are some, for example the New Plymouth Harbor loan, which ] have been raised for works which have proved 1 a dead failure, and the liability for whicli must ,in no case be trans ferred the colony. . It therefore follows that any scheme of consolida tion will require to be very carefully considered indeed, and none certainly 1 can be accepted whicli, under cover of consolidation,; really inpans ,the placing of additional burdens upon the backs of the colonial taxpayers. The only other ' important feature of the " pronunciarnento " which remains to be noticed is the reference made to the "local government" question. -• Mi- Fergus thinks (and we presume we are to infer that the 1 Government as a whole thinks so too) that there is too much local government at present—to use his owu words that "local self government is grossly overdone " —that it has "to a certain extent broken down." His remedy is it seems a scheme of amalgamation, to be tried in the first instance on the West Coast, by making "three counties into one, and sd with other "institutions." Whether or not such a scheme would be acceptable we can scarcely judge till we are informed of its details, but of one thing we are assured, and that is that while the public generally might be content to accept some such scheme of doing away with a multiplicity of governing bodies, it would only be on the condition that to the substituted local bodies were given wore yeal and:

extensive self-governing power than local bodies at present possess,

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[per press association.]

Wellington, May 20,

The Federated Trades Council discusses the question of early closing on Wednes day.

One of the tailoring establishments in town declines to accept the new tailoresses log, and notice has been given to a number of their female employees, as ifc is stated the firm intend to employ men in their place. r

TELEGRAPHIC

HOME AND FOREIGN.

(Per Press Association.)

London,' May 24.

M. Pasteur's chicken cholera has failed to destroy. marmots in Russia, "but the invention of an Ou»--'i engineer.has 'Been successful, <m>l ii N hoped it will be made applicable to "rabbits in Australia." ' /.'■■

It is understood thafethe,Great Euro pean Powers will not consent to duties being imposed; in Congo'should King' Leopold sell the cquntry;t6 ; Engl&nd. j: j • Mr Terriss, an actor, has recovered £200 from Miss Cornwell for publish ing a statement in the "Sunday Times" that Terriss was coldly received .in America. . • V " / '

: . ■ ■*?' May. 26. '*•. A meeting' at Tiperary was" pro claimed by. the authorities../ Messrs JDillon and W. O'Brien addressed a meeting outside the town. . A lead pipe filled with explosives was thrown at the police while they were engaged in dismissing the crowd in the town.

Chicago, May. 26; An infernal machine has been found at the base of the police monument. The heavy rain which fell damaged the fuse before it took effect.

New York, May 24,

The sentence of death by electricity, passed on Kremmler, has been con-

firmed,

Sullivan and Jackson, have been threatened with arrest In Virginia.

-. A large majority of those -returned at Nova Scotia elections are in fayor of commercial union with America and Newfoundland.

It is rumored that the Mexicans o Lower California will proclaim a Re public.

Brussels, May 24,

. As the majority of English delegates at the Miners' Conference dissented from the proposed general strike of colliers on the Ist June, an amendment was ultimately carried to l-efer the question to a plebiscite.

St Petersburg, May 24,

The Czar has reasserted that Russia will remain neutral in the event of a war between France, and Germany. Russian Jews have been forbidden to edit or publish newspapers.

AUSTRALIAN.

[per press association.]

Melbourne, May 26

Captain McMeckan, of the well known firm of Messrs McMeckan Black wood and Co., is dead.

Art ovfvaArflinorp-flvpin<2i/A«_nf-

gas occurred at Collingwood on Sunday night. Reports resembling the firing of heavy guns were heard m Welling ton and Yere streets, and showers of silt water were thrown from the street traps. Two narrow escapes from fatal accidents occurred.

Horse Market.

MR T. BULLOCK,

. Mr T. Bullock reports for the week .ending Saturday, May 24th :—There was again a large number of horses brought forward for the clay's sale, viz. 62, but biddings throughout were extremely languid. Nevertheless, by auction and privately afterwards, 20 changed hands at the following prices, viz.:—A pair of draughts, 6 and 7 years old, together with collars, hames, and blinkers, £33; 6-year-old draught, £16 10s; do. of a lighter stamp, £12; inferior, £7 15s; 4-year-old of a light stamp, £10 ; aged, of a light description, £5 ss, £7 10s, £7 15s'; inferior, £3 10s, £315s ; 3-year-old, "unbroken, £5 stf; unbroken-hacks, 2 and 3-years-old; £4 15s, £6 ; aged, £1 10s, £3 ; light harness horses, £6 ss, £7 155.; i weeds, £1, £110s.

Sundries.—Farm dray, in good order, brought £15 10s ; set of harness, £1 10s ; double-furrow plough, £7 ; dray, £6 2s 6d; j trap harness, £210s; saddles, £1 3s, £1 10s j cart, saddle,- ; and, breeching, £110s ; horse covers from 9s to 14s eacli ; collars, [hanjes, and blinkers, 16s to 23s per set. country: clearing sale. , On Thursday, 'May 22nd, I held a* clearing sale on account of the Executrix' of the late E. Monson, Biddings "were spirited, and a ; most successful sale was draught horses realising the following prices:—s-year T old,. £20; 7-, year-old mare, of a' superior stamp, brought £29; 6-year-olds of a lighter description, £13 to £17 10s; aged, £16 10s to £18 ; drays and frames, £8 2s 6d, £1015s ; tip dray, £9. , Harrows, plough, harness and sundries brought full values AND SUBURBAN LANDZT PROPERTIES. Since my last report I have sold by auction and privately the following properties :—Lots 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 each ' containing half-acre, part of R.S. 7767, | fronting :Trevor's Road; Hamps'tead Town Board district, at £22 10s each ; town sections 677, 678, 679, 690, each contain ing quarter-acre, fronting Cameron and Havelock streets, £94 10s the lot ; R.S. 28561, 29241, containing 229 a. Or. 32p, light plains land, situated near Winslow, 25s per acre ; R.S. 20296, 20297, 20211, 20417, containing 276 acres, near Waters ton, Longboaoh Road Board district, at £1400; lots 199, 200, 211, 212, each con. taining 1 acre, fronting Archibald and Thompson streets, suburb of Tinwald 'and adjoining Mrs Carter's residence, at £210 the lot; 5. acres 2 roods 13 perches, -parti ofR.S. 6572 Oxford street, Hajnpstead, at' £50 per acre.. -

THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY.

Ohkistchtjruh, May 26. To-day was observed as the Queen's Birthday holiday. The weather was fine, The Volunteers mustered 410 strong and had, a sham 'fight on the New Brighton road. The Lower Heathcote trotting races were fairly well attended. About 5000 people went to Lancaster Park to the spdrts 1 'in aid of the funds of the Catholic Church. The Salvation "Army gave a free tea to nearly three thousand children in the Drillshed. *

The Markets.

[PElt PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

London, May 24. The English wheat market is lifeless, the Continental is firm, and the Ameri can is advancing. Adelaide wheat is quiet at 39s 6d. Victorian is also quiet at 38s 3d. New Zealand, long berried, 37s 6d. For cargoes on passage sellers ask 355, buyers offer 34s 6d. The market rate of discount for three months' bills is 1§ per cent.

Miss Gracie Hopkins.

(Dunedi?i " Evening -Herald.") , Miss Gracie Hopkins,; the; little lady who shares ,the 'Fauntleroy' honors with Miss; Olive Berkley, is just four months the junior of' that young lady, Having been born on the 14th September, .187,9, at Gardener, .Arkansas. Her father is a doctor 'practising, his profession in Kansas City. Her parents ,Bnortly; after mpved to Cherryvale, and .there for a few months she attended the public 'schools; iviV rhm:i~h iU-heaJth, this'-hadjjtSSbe <ii- -.inir.;i vl. and'a private governess en gaged. -^W hun^raciie; was five years old, she went wiftr* herfHparents to Kansas City,- ancTthere she soon began to display an ap.titud^for declamation."": At childr^srus parties she* would £recifce,3 a'ndj^cajsryi ajl ;befoTji^her, and He^falnet spread" i^^thit at eighfeyearq&old she was v<mgaged to'give public-|readiiiigs in the? various: public ;halls.and|theatres throughout' Kansas juid J.Missouri. "^ During the- same^pe^pd*«he also dieha lot in t|»e V&y^frf/readings and recitations /on behalf of churches and charitable institutions. Clfrwas in Septem ber, of.last ;year that this-little genius •firsti .saw the"i star, of a bright future shine for, her.' ,„ In that month Mr Sisson, of New York, engaged her to come to Australia to assist Miss Olive Berkley as Little Lord Fauntleroy. At the same time an offer came to alternate with, Miss Gertrude Holman -in ' Bootle's Baby,' now touring in the States, but ' Faunt leroy' was preferred. Miss Gracie and her mother, who, by,,thd "way, goes everywhere -with her, accordingly came out in the Zealandia, and arrived in 1 Melbourne in time to make a first appear ance on October 26th. Miss Berkley had then been playing the part seven days. Miss Gracie s reception was a most gratify ing one, and justified her friends in build ing high castles for the reception of her future professional greatness. She has since theni.travelled everywhere with the company, appearing ■ as... Fauntleroy on alternate rights. As at child Gracie's great delight was to read the lines^ allotted to Prince Arthur inKing John,'and she has appeared in that part several times in amateur shows, and has also given the reading in character costume. Her success on those occasions was undoubted, and the critics all seem to have been enchanted by her. During the present trip Miss Gracie is the ouly one of the company who has been able to come up to scratch every night she was called, and oh one occasion she played nine out of a season of 11. nights,» a truly wonderful thing -in; a' child, : and a fact which marks her 'pluck. Gracie is passion ately fond of her new calling, but says ' "You must forgive my slips because I am only an amateur yet — I hope one; day to be an actress. 1 We vouch for this, and for ourselves we feel sure that the world will never be without at least, one first water actress while she lives. . Speaking of Fauntleroy she says she loves the part for the sake of the sweet nature it pourtrays. When the swork first appeared in 'St. Nicholas,' lome five years ago, she fell straightway in ove with it, and began to act all to her 1 self in her own little room at home.' Her doll was her audience, and she made a stage and appointments of anything that -came—nr"Ti(jr»-way^—-crracre—nas ueeir blessed with extraordinary talent in more, than one direction. For one so young and with such little tuition as she has had, she is a marvel in music. Her touch is delightful, and the feeling imparted' to the notes is wonderful. Her small hands can just stretch air octave, and yet she plays such - difficult' selec tions as Leybach's .' Fifth nocturne,' Gobbsert's 'Serenade,'op. 110.. W-here ever she has gone Miss Gracie has worked her way into the hearts of those she has met- and -all speak in terms of enchantment of her. Charles Warner writes her that he trusts one day to see her astonish the world, and Dr Neald, of the Australasian, cannot find words warm enough to express his delight. Lady Loch, too, has marked her appreciation of thejchild's talent. While in Sydney many valuable little presents fell to her share, amongst others there was a beautiful edition of Shakespeare, bearing the motto, ' God keep her all the night, God bless her all the day,' and a gold bangle- with the inscription, '^VTien'tto^yo'fcUsee member m'e'A: - i; - Xfli ,':-&J';> Ji V

To look ab Gracie is to be struck with her ; to qonverse mth her is to be charmed. She is of fair size for her years. Her head is crowned'^ith^ajbeaijtiful golden crop, and her eyes are most remarkable, .being as black as sloes with a depth of expression, when in repose, that is en .chanting. \When ; excited her eyes flash arid she then "is^ the v incarnation of wild beauty. Her forehead is of remarkable breadth and pure as Carrara marble, and beautified by .deeply .pencilled jblack eye brows, while the black? eyes we fringed with longjashes of an impenetrable black. It is a most striking face. Her manner is like her faoe—perfect, , She,is not shy, neither is 1 slie forward; She converses staidly," yet like a child, and is diffident of speaking'of Herself. '-^ - ' *

Mrs Hopkins is at present in corres pondence with an American manager for Grade to give a series of recitations and readings throughout; 'tse' States, but her great ambition, in consonance with that of the child, is to go tcEngland and study., Alexander Grahtham xorke, one of the gentlemen;in-waiting on the Queen, has offered .to assist Mrs Hopkins in the matter, so that probably-Miss Gracie wijl be able to take advantage of her oppor tunity.

Fisheries Dispute.

[pee press association.]

St. John's, May 25. A French warship ordered British fishermen to remove their nets in St, George's Bay, situated on the west coast of Newfoundland, and landed a party of marines to see that the order w^s complied with. A. British -war ship was present, but did not interfere. New York, May 25. - American cruisers have been ordered! to seize and dismantle any sealers in fringing the Behring Sea fishing regula tions. The sealers, it is said, will resist this action, and it is rumored they are arming.

MURDER BY A MAD MAN.

Advices from Melbourne State' that a singular case of murder occurred on ( Sunday morning (18th insblj. in Flinders. • street, near, Princes Bridge* Railway Station! It was committed by a religious lunatic, and arose out of the accidental meeting of this man with another half-demented creature. Shortly after two o'clock on Sunday morning, which _was wet and raw,' 1 Constable Mullens heard cries for help j coming from'near the Princes Bridge Railway Station. He hurried over and .saw a man lying on the footpath near the entrance to the station, and another man standing over him braud.

ishing a long stick in one hand, and a heavy iron door scraper in the other, and shouting in a wild manner " Arise, ye Catholics." The man on the ground was groaning piteously, and it was evident that lie had been seriously hurt. As soon as Constable Mullins appeared on the scene, McGrath, who was the assailant, turned upon him, and having thrown away the stick made.a savage lunge at the constable;* withthedoor scraper. Mullins narrowly escaped serious injury. McGrath fought, viciously, and it. was „ some v > time before he could; be handcuffedjr even with a good deal of assistance. The attention of the little crowd which had gathered was then_ directed tb''th:e-'* injnred man. As they liftedliirii from the ground,, they saw , that the back portion of his head had been smashed in in a horrible manner./ He was still. > alive, however. ;The ambulance litter which: was. kept 1! at < tHe station,' f -wa* o brought into requisition^ ' and he 1 rV*i^ taken to tHe r Melbourrie f HosjSiti*^; but^ before the institution""^^, 're^j*es''. .he' 1. r was .dead? McGrath, 1 wjio fis twenty sevenfyears;of age, had come from -* Queenscliffe,- where -he—had-^jeen*-** coach driver, and a good one, but latterly he n^» fceen sUghtlyf affected in his mind'on religious subjects. He ■ came to Melbourne r about ten days ago, but his 'movement? ujs ' to ,(|Batvirday night have"not' 1 been traced;; 'On that night he went, -to ,a ,lodging T hoj«se,in« Little Collins street >,kept-.by ; a Mrs Humphries, and took, a "bed for the i~ night, -.'for- which he paid Is. •<{ Thjs was shortly after -IT; o'clock; and'-;h'e^ was at once shown to the '^Tdoin^ which- he was to''-share with two men named-. ; Henry : . „ Chiles: and James "Williams. 'He ''then" appeared right enough, but about one o'clock on ; Sunday morning he rose and dressed himself: While r so dom^^ni^^' much noise' that: He aroused%is^r6om mates, and they discovered that he wag,* conducting himself like a madmaiu-■* Finding that/^eyi'werer,a^akejJMi' rushed at them, ■brandishing jone oi his boots in his hand.- —They considered that discretion iwas: the * better part' of valor and fled down.stairs.to tb^bash^ room< wherein j they rbarncaded- them»\ selves. McGrath followed tiiein, ]&tj when he found that he could not get into the bathroom lie';pifcke&J up the door scraper, whichTw£s standing in, the passage and left the housed' He seems to have gone straight to Princes Bridge Railway Station; and had. ithe ill-luck to meet another madman in the man he murdered, who was Conrad, Retaz^ laff. He was a German; and a plumber by trade, a resident'of adistant suburb^ He was very eccentric, and"had been examined for lunacy hy medical men, but they would not certify that he was insane, and he^was'sentitb gaol for six months. It is supposed. that being . in town on Saturday night he missed liis train, and was waiting about, till th.c ; morning. What passed when the. twoi? men met is not known, but a porter heard an altercation going on, and one saying to the other, "You* are-no Roman Catholic, you're an, Australian > : gossoon." In the watch-house McGrath: 1, had to be put in a straight' waistcoat, k> and he passed the night in alternate ':" raving and praying.. , . ' ,' ;/' >'i

Too Old to Learn.

lam surathin' of a vet'ran r jusfc ■ a turnin ' eighty year,' : • . : : ': ■ "-:'■' A man that's hale and hearty and'a'-' . stranger to all fear ;* ' ■!•■'.< ■'^■•; But I've heard, some. newar this indrnin* ' that has made my.old head spin.»-"-'' • '-"•

And I m going to ease my consh'uiVs "if T. i never-speak agin. ■■'".} '- \ I

I've lived my. four-score years of life/ and ] never 'till to-day, Was I taken for a jackas^, .prjan; ign'ranfc kind o' jay, _. '„

Tew be. stuffed; :"ntfth f such. duraedljnWrX - . sense 'bout r them- ; ,CTa\r^n- r hugß,fan3j_ : vroTxap,- - < :; i'V'-v.-'T 'V-X\:'■'■! "I:JJ^ That's a killin 1 fiuinan, bein's, -with thejSnH ■ .microscopic,gerriip.-.,, _-,', ' .- 3 .^irAO

They jsay,there's.;V micwbMr",;all arouji^r ■ a-huntin' for their,p~rey^ no rrt .jj- -.nur.fjsfl There's npthinj pure, to, eatipr drink, nor> ,f, ] /J,^ d ;&ifsi# There's "miasmy" in thed«w-fall and

J m "malary'-' in if the-sun ; s^ori O i\ Tamt safe to be out-doors at |ipp^;^or ' when the day is^dpnei^j^' -" -

There's ''bacteryr" in ; tbewaterand "trich« eeneyf" in the,meat} -■> ..W-•!...<-. ,^ " Ameeby " in the atmosfcor, " uiloiy "' \in the heat;/-r rr LA 'Jl^ C? 1- There's ''coirpu^els andjpignMntSi 11 in a • human beins^blopid,^ .;,[,•>* irrs* A Arid eyery, ,other. ? k^d .of(tftijQg j.^^fcin*;» siiice the flood, ""!_„'"

Terbacker's full of nickerteen," whatever ' that maybe,- r..- >■ u -y r^r, cr:i)hnu r$ And your throat will all get guckeretl jus.i -& ', with " tannin "in f the jbea,r^.._ The butter's " oily-margareen ;it never

; saw a cow, jr -^ \> (T j.r ;' o % .a. [J And tilings is gettin. was And wus from what theytbe-jus.tnow^, u 0

Them bugs is all about us, jest.«cwait£n r , for 1/7 '«/> '-.: H L? J. UA Tew navigate our vitals and to 'naw us off Lj like plants. /' ;O'■"■-> |~ There's men that spends a.lifetime hunt* in' worms-jest.like a g005e,.,,: ,r<:/ /*\ And tackin*, Latin, names to. fern £ »nd\ | lettin'on em loose;

]■! '. T'MX

Now, I don't bellere sech nonsense, andr.

don't Intend to try j ■>, ; .j : >n'-\ ,- •j, > 1-; 0 If things has come to'su^i satisfied to die. 'J,, ■ } . '\ ; ( " I'll: go hang me in thtf sellar, for I won't be sechafool vx ,',"'**'- f .. • - 7 f As to- wait until I'm, pizejied by ':&w&S.<\,'„„ . maUy-cool. : *&Z^ f.»-,v* 0.T0.f <U /

CRICKET.

[per press A^pciATiQJt]

.. (Received Ma^ 27,12.15 p-paA ,": , .'• i ) J, LblO>ON, Mjl^.OT., A start was. madej withAthq. match • Australians v "'Yorkshire aY Sheffield to day. -won .the;, fcwa/au^flei&iiTg his j men ' to, rP?<yggtß ? '/, Thej igra^ga closed for the small score of 87, to which Lyons contributed e -23,| and Blackliata 14. When stumps were drawn. for ..the My 7 tbe )r^pxka^rpf- eleven had on*^ick^t t aow^ 7 fcr^.^wiß*( | ,

..Says tfhe \V;Wi&^Ws*2W ff~lii' Jkl''™ 'Faulknej?j;.a rfSettier. in: the LWdQihgtoii; Moii,i 2 Speci4 S*tjtlejnegtt, S'earJ>Eket»h imia > r 'Jurffiico a rather, r experience aJettrrdW'.-oH ago. He had invited a couple -, of gpntjltsfsn^ to come up from Wellington for" a :i?ew flayV *. shooting, ..and J haying- set\ ,hj& Jioiis^, vo. iP order to receive" company,; he,rprooeedet^tfl-f j^ Eketahuna'to meet his friends. On o return^ JT " t ing| however, to whero his residence »MM , , J  havSp been (a spot some "ten miles.in tfa*'J'Sm:, heart of the forest) he found to his disgust 1 "-'-'^ that it had vanished in smoke.' - A-- careleatf bush whacket/.who had taken bush loave, ana occupied Mr Fniulkner.'s wharc in his absence, had thoughtlessly left a totaia log on # the j fire, wliicli doubtless had cast a apwrk WtO some loose chaff near at hand w4 MtVf 1 avw4 tbe dywwtert

THE ASKBtJRTON GUARDIAN, TPESDAY, MAY 27, 1890.



Public Notices. ~ THE MIRROR? A HIGH-CLASS Weekly, Social Political, Literary, and Dramatic paper, to be published every FRIDAY, price 3d, by the Centennial Printing and Publishing Company, Limited, Melbourne Plaop, Russell Street, Melbourne low virai n. DR CHURCHILL'S Syrup of Hypophosphite of Lime prescribed by the faculty for the cure of Consumption, Chronic Cough and General ~ , Debility. It contains two of the principal ingre dients necessary for building up the Human Frame, and which are considered deficient in the above corn-plaints, viz., }'hvsphorus and Lime. It cannot be too highly recommended for Delicat Childre Dr Churchill's Compound Syrup o hy£ophosphites Is real Brain Food, and in cases of Muscular and Nervous Exhaustion has acquired a world-wide reputation. Each bottle bears Dr Churchill's signature Price, 4fr. Prepared only by i 8; 'WANK riHEMIST WANN L/HEMIST, Pue Castiglione, Paris. WfTHQUTTEELTtt WITM-TEETy THE CHRISTCHURCH DENTAL SURGERY, Corner of Cashel and High streets. Q HV/TYERS AND /^O. SURGEON DENTISTS. And at Dunedin and Westport.



WE have gained the FIRST AWARD at the Dunedin Exhibition for Artificial Dentures and Mechanical Appli ances for the Mouth, and it is with the greatest confidence that we guarantee the highest class work and perfect fit at the most moderate cost. A Single Artificial Tooth, 10s. Complete Set — Upper and Lower— temporary and permanent, £10 10s. Natural, Durable, Comfortable Artificial Teeth Replaced Temporarily al most immediately after the extraction of decayed teeth or stumps without extra fee or charge. Arrangements can be made for part or monthly payments. ADMINISTERING NITROUS OXIDE GAS several times daily for the past ten years, we fearlessly assert that extraction of teeth under its influence is perfectly painless and positively safe Fee for Administration, ss. Artificial Teeth and Dentures made by other dentists repaired or remodelled at small cost. "ETonra of attendance —9 a.m. to C p.m.



WM. SPARROW TAILOR AND MEN'S MERCER EAST STREET MITCHELT JL> rpURNE O jtohelJLj 05 XurneXv DEA PEES CLOTHIER ETC., EC. HAVE very great pleasure in dir ecting the attention of their numerous friends and customers, to their very fine Stock of Winter Drapery, now fully opened out. BLANKETS FLANNELS WINTER DRESSES HOSIERY and GLOVES MEN'S and BOYS' OVERCOATS TWEEDS SUITS SHIRTS PANTS and SOX In endless variety. PRICES will bevr comparison with any quota tion, and as for QUALITY it is an undisputed fact that M. & T. keep a first-class article.



MITCHELT a, mURNEF) ITCHEIL & 1 URNEIi AIAPOI HOUSE, .



Wanted. ] Cash Ado ftisemenis under this heading no [ exceeding 16 woHs, ONE BHILLIA G Addresses may he h-jt at thin Offict WANTED,— Two Boarders in private family. Terms, 15s per week. Apply "A.0.," Mail Office. INE BRANCHES (for firewood) 5s a load on the ground or 7s 6d dPi Tr« prf —H SiGEBS, "> \ / AJN r Jlil .Known.—A special pur- V V chase of choice Ladies' Hats at a . desperate price.—W. H. Collier. 4+130 OTOP THAT COUGH! By using kJ Flower's Cough Drops. Guarantee efficacious. Can only be obtained at H G. Flower's, Confectioner, East Street. 3 191 WANTED every man in the County to have a suit of the Ashburton Tweeds.—Robert Alcorn, Ashburton Clothing Mart, Saunder's Buildings. » a, ANTED KNOWN—The "Strong VV Wear " Boot is the best for Men, Ladies, and Children. —W. H. Colliek, 'The Corner." ANTED KNOWN.—The Cheapest House in Ashburton to buy Drapery, Millinery, Clothing, Boots, etc., is H. C. Segers, Melford House. ANTED Known — One .hundred and fifty Ladies' and Children's Ulsters bought a great bargain (good qualities), now sellingvery cheap—H. C. Segers. Melford House. r I THE Patent Candle Extinguisher; can JL be Set to Extinguish at any time required ; it will save insurance premiums your house and your life, price Is ; Sole Agent for Ashburton.—R. Alcorn, Saunders' Buildings ANTED Known —The Cheapest Shop to buy Tinware and Gal vanised Iron goods in Ashburton, is at W. F. Hannaford's, Burnett Street. A large stock kept on hand. Tin and Iron ware goods made and repaired with dcs patch



'_ Public Notices. ME 8. B. SEYMOUR SURGEON-DENTIST WILL VISIT ASHBURTON ON ' THURSDAY, 29th MAY, 1890. And may be consulted at Mb Cambridge, Chemist, until 4 p.m. 5 177 "^TTOTICE— All persons found Trespas- JJN sing in pursuit of game or other wise on the Riversdale Estate on and after this date will be prosecuted, J. R. WILLIAMS, Riversdale, 24th May. 5 176 THE UNDERSIGNED having secured a large block of Good Bush Land afc . Alford Forest, are now prepared to , supply Farmers, Contractors and others i with any quantity of fencing materials, . viz : Heart Posts, Heart Stakes, Sheep yard Rails, Straining Posts, and also Firewood. Delivery can be had at a very convenient place, or Orders may be sent by rail from Springburn Railway Station. GREEN BROS., 5+173 Springburn Pot Office. /^ HARLES "ORADDELL Licensed Landbroker and Valuator nder "The Land Transfer Act, 1885. ESTATE, HOUSE, LAND, AND GENERAL COMMISSION AGENT. Office—Burnett Street, Next to "Mail' . Office. NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. OWING to the earlier hour at which it is now necessary to go to press, __ ,A f3irf»T»t.lunTVljaJ-^C4 fc-*v,_-3—o irr* (attip £*~rX CIITT " FIRST EDITION of the •' Guardian," must be delivered at the Office not later than 2 p.m. REPLACE Advertisements cannot be guaranteed insertion, unless sent in on the day previous to that on which they are intended to appear. i MPORTANT XTO T 10E Important i_N otice MESSRS HALLENSfEINBROS & CO, Proprietors of the NEW ZEALAND CLOTHING FACTORY AT ASHBURTON Invercargill, Gore* Milton, Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin, Christchurch, Hoki tika, Greymouth, Reefton, Westport, Nelson, Wellington, Napier, Hastings, Waipawa, Gisbome, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Hawera, New Plymouth, Thames and Auckland, Have arranged to FLOAT THEIR BUSINESS INTO A COMPANY, be registered im^er "The Companies Act 1882, It is a part of the arrangement that STOCKS shall be REDUCED by £50,000 before the 15th of June next To effect this the Managers of the vari ous Branches throughout the colony have been instructed, in addition to marking out the Goods at Low Prices, to allow 5 per cent on all cash sales amounting to ■ £1 and upwards. This excellent opportunity of buying goods should not be overlooked, especi ally as it is a well-known fact that the Manufactures of the New Zealand Cloth ing Factory are Superior to Anything in the Market, The sale at the Ashlmrfcon Branch is under the management of Mb- W. H Webber.



JOHN ~h A' OIS O N OHN JYJLOISON HAS NOW REMOVED to ' the TOWN HALL BUILDINGS, ncl having had considerable Alterations made, the premises arc now Complete for , is business. STOCK is large and seasou ! able and for sa^ at his usual Low Rates. fj£2P Repaid Promptly Attended To JOHN MOXSON 1 ASHBURTON COAL & FIREWOOD DEPOT. EQ X> EA N, . D * J3 EA N, OAL & FIREWOOD MERCHANT - 3 • OATS BEAN CHAFE ETC ETC.



T OST in Ashburton on Saturday Night I 1 a Diamond Brooch. Finder re warded on leaving at " Mail" Office. 5 186



Statutory Declaration. —I, Franz Raabe, Ironbark, Sandhurst, in the colony of Vie. tona, 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 s.<3cur.e medical assistance. How ever, in spite of all efforts, on the 27th August, 1877, the opinion was given by Dr Macgillivray that an amputation of the injured limb had become imperative, in order to save life. At this juncture I called on Messrs Sander and Sons, procuring some of their .Extract of Eucalyptus Globulus, and by the application of the same I had the satisfaction of seeing my son within a fort night out of all danger, and to-day he is recovered. I may just add that it was when the crisis had been rea'clied that the Extract referred to was first applied, and I make this solemn declaration, etc. — Franz Raabe. Declared at Sandhurst, in the colony o, Victoria, Australia, this seventeenth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, before me, Moritz Colin, J.P. —(Adyt.) •,/'.■ ; ,6



. ■ Holloway's Pills—The stotnacli and its troubles --cause more discomfort and bring more iinhappiness than is commonry sup posed. The thousand ills that settle,there may be prevented or dislodged by the judici ous use of these purifying pills, which act as a sure, gentle antUacid aperient,,- without annoying the nerves of -the susceptible or irritating the most delicate- organization. Holloway's Pills will bestow' comfort, and confer relief on every headache, dyspeptic, $nd sickly sufferer, whose tortures make him a burden to himself and a bugbear to his friends. These pills have long been the popular remedy for a weak stomach, for a disordered liver, or a paralysed digestion, which yield without difficulty to their regu : J#ting, purifying, and tpnic qualities,



There is now to be seen in the shop window of Messrs J. Scaly and Co., East street, a collection of apples showing some of the sorts grown at the nurseries, Riverbank, that will repay inspection by any one who contem plates planting fruit plants. There are upwards of fifty different kinds shown, all valuable, long keeping sorts. . For size, color, and general excellence they are by far the finest that have been shown in Ashburton thjs season.—(Advt.),