The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1890. THE DIVORCE LAWS.

Though we have every eympathf with those who regard the institution of marriage as the very foundation stone of society, and jealously oppose any attempt to derogate from its sacredness, we have no sympathy with the ecclesiastical bigotry which refuseß a means of escape to the unhappy husband or wife to whom the bonds of matrimony are in the most literal sense bonds of slavery and of life-long misery. Despite the proverb, not all marriages by any means are made in heaven—indeed there are some whose origin if it be extra mundane at all are apparently traceable rather to a locality the road to which is said to be paved with good intentions. Do we not all know of many cases where "married" and "mated" instead of being interchangeable terms are the very antithesis of each other, where there is no union of hearts attending (he union of hands ? Happy marriages, or at least marriages the result of which is gener ally speaking a contented jogging along together of husband and wife are doubt less the rule—and well it is that it is so—but there are thousands upon thou sands of instances in which there is not only not contentment, but not even toleration, and in many downright enmity, strife and misery. There ia a proverb that teaches that those who make their beds ill should not grumble at having to lie upon them, and up to certain point it is just that those who have made ill-assorted mar riages should bear the consequences of their own folly, but there is a point be yond which endurance should not be insisted|upon and at which itis best for the individuals themselves, and for the good of society at large that a means of re lease Bhould be provided. There ia one offence against the marriage contract which cmnonically as well as by the civil law entitles to release, bat even in this respect the law is faulty and unjust, for while as regards tbe man that offence alone on the part of the wife entitles him to seek and obtain the absolute dissolu tion of the marriage bond, in that of the wife there is no such remedy unless the erring husband be guilty also of cruelty or desertion. This is manifestly unequal, and is logically as well as morally in defensible, and it is ho wonder that in the colonies, which have taken the lead of the Mother country in the Deceased Wife's Sister question , attempts have been made to secure reform in this par ticular. But the efforts of their Marriage Law Reformers are not con fined to this one object, it has been sought in Victoria, in j-Sew South Wales and in New Zealsnd to grant the right of divorce to either party for other ,causes, as for example long-continued desertion, offences against the law in volving imprisonment for seven years or more, chronic drunkenness, and incur able insanity. We do not hesitate to say ihat we concur entirely with the proposal to amend the law in this direction, and re gard it as a scandal to civilisation that it should be possible for an abandoned wretch who has it may be even attempted the murder of his wife to claim her companionship^after.perhapßjen years spent in prison as the punishment of his crime. Even in the caße of incorrigible drunkenness, surely either husband or wife forfeits the right to the maintenance of a contract, which he or she has broken in spirit if not in letter. Bills to enable either party to claim release under euch circumstances (if he or she so desire), have been passed by the Victorian and New Sonth Wales legislatures, and now await Her Majesty's assent, which there is every reason to hope will be given, although we notice that, «s in the case of the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill certain members of the episcopacy are putting forth every effort to prevent it. This opposition we regard as the outcome of a narrow ecclesiasticism which refuses to discuss social problems in a common sense fashion, and it is certain that in the long run the general sense of justice must prevail. To the action of Her Mai'esty's advisers in this matter con siderable interest attaches as well for New Zealanders aB for our cousins across the water, for if the Queen's assent be given to the Australian Bills it may safely be predicted that it will not be long before Mr bamuel, or some other member upon whom his mantle may fail, will succeed in carrying similar legislation through our own Houses of Parliament.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Some very large salmon, were taken by anglers out of the Scotch rivers the last Bea son, fish ranging from 431b to 551b. Tenders are invited in this issue (to be sent in by the 27th inst.) for the leasing of the Temperance Hall, Tinwald, for one year from Ist March next.

The following turf news is oabled from Sydney;— The racehorse Oranbrook has been sold to Mr H, White, of Mudgee, for a thoua and guineas.

The Dunedin correspondent of the " Press " telegraphs that a case of leprosy at St. Clair has been reported. The victim is a Portuguese, who haß been located in hia present abode for aboat three years.

It is aaid to have been demonstrated at tbe Paris Exhibition that, by a combination of oompreßsed air and water, it will be poßeible to drive a train on elides at over a hundred miles an hour. There is no smoke, no noise, and soaroely any peroeptible motion.

Captain Pownall, of Masterton, was putting some raw reoruits through their facings the other evening. Approaohing a promising youth he asked, " Have you ever served in any naval or military corps? " " Yeß, sir," was the innocent reply, " I wan once in the Salva tion Army."

The "Napier lelegraph" writes :—Mr J. Elliot, of Ardlussa, on Saturday, while travelling between Puketapu and Eonini Baw a fight between two shags for the possession of an English trout. The birds dropped the gsh and Mr Elliot secured it. The trout weighed two pounds.

An Amerioan who has spent muoh time in Italy tells us that we cannot conceive the terrible poverty of the people of Italy— that great numbers of them have nothing to eat but routed chestnuts, and that they Buffer keenly from the cold in winter, from which they have no suitable protection*.

The Wellington correspondent of the >f Lyttelton Times " writes:—l hear that in Wellington there are orders for J?aw Zealand flax from Frenoh manufacturers who uaa it for carpet baoking, an! in numerous ways work it up with woollens. The probability ia that there will be a development in this direction.

The high wind op Sunday did some damage to the standing corn, which had ripened very rapidly during the preceding week, a considerable proportion being abaken put. Great progress with the harvest was made last week, and if the weather continue fine there will be very little com in the fields, except Qloae up to $9 bills, by tbe e»£ ofjttie week,

A oonoert in aid of the treat fund of the Borough School will be held this evening.

It is officially Btated that no calls will be made to the Legislative Council this reoeaa.

A lad named Herbert Goldie, nephew of Mr D. Goldie, M.H.R., fell from a horizontal bar, and reoeived.injuriea whioh resulted in death.

The Evangelißt, Mr Henry Varley, at present in Australia, has aooepted an invitation to hold a series of meetings in Auckland during Maroh,

The exhibition haß now been open eleven weeks, and the attendance has now reached 344,228, inoluding 217,110 who paid cash at the doors. The receipts now exceed £15,000.

The Hon. J. White sends Home four more youngsters thia year to take part in the olassio raoes of England and Franoe. They are Nepean, Wentworth, Mona Meg, and a half brother to Oranbrook.

A ghastly relic in the shape of the complete ekin and finger nailß of the hands of an adult human being has been found in Auokland harbor and brought to shore. There is no clue by which the remains can foe identified,

The analysis of the stomach of the Native child who died suddenly a week ago near Gisborne and of the medioine given it by Palmer, a herbalist, disolosed no poison. A verdict was returned that the oause of death was not shown.

It is said on good authority that in Bhelton' Pomerania, a syndicate has been formed to open a trade with Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and other islands, by means of a direct shipping •mice via New Zealand and Australia, Some of the proprietors are expeoted to arrive in Auckland shortly on their way to the islands.

The antimony lodes at the great Barrier Islands discovered some time ago, are to be worked by Mr W. F. Buokland and a syndi cate, who will Bhortly Bend a staff of miners from the Thames. The syndicate have eeoured seventy-four aores of land near the highest point of the ialand.

Mr W. Zander has brought to our offioe a curious lusus naturce, in the shape of a large sunflower blossom, whioh has grown in a very singular form, presenting all the appearance of a blossom of the ordinary shape doubled over and united to the stalk at the opposite edges of the circumference;

It may not be generally known that all newspaper reports of speeches made by Ministers, and also all newspaper articles commenting on Ministers' aotions, are daly out out and pasted in books specially bound for the purpose with a view to future refer ence. The joke of the thing ia that these books have distinctive titles- The one devoted to Ministers' speeches is called "Broken Promises," while those Bet apart for leading articles, etc., are known as " Ananias, vol 1,, 11., or III.," as tbe case may be.— 1' Welling ton Press."

A Special summoned meeting of the Loyal Aahburton Lodge of Oddfellows was held on Friday evening in the Oddfellows' Hall. There was a large attendance of members and visiting brethren. The ordinary routine busi ness having been disposed df, important alterations of district rules were discussed, and the results were recommended to the District Lodgo for its approval. The business and balance sheets of the district were re oeived, and it was resolved that the delegates to attend same be appointed next meeting* Siok pay and other aaoounta being passed, the Lodge was closed in due form. The re* mainder of the evening waß spsnt in harmony.

Writing on Deoember 6th, the London correspondent of the " Argus " says :—Winter has descended upon the Continent as upon Great Britain with great Buddenness, We have lately had an Arotio temperature, But in and around Vienna things have been terribly trying. Snows of great depth out off the suburban districts by destroying all com munioation, and there has been a great amount of suffering oaused by the failure of looal supplies. The railway servioe East towards Hungary has been quite suspended, and it may be days before it can be properly reaumed. Yet a few days ago only, in Vienna as elsewhere, we were having phenomenal mi'dnes?, in which the birds were building their nests.

The following simple receipt for pickling onions may be useful to some of our lady readers:—Take Borne small spring onions, as nearly the.same siza aa~possible. a»a throw them into sonic water, to prevent them affect ing the eyes so much while peeling them. When peeled, put them into a strong brine of ealt and water, with a small bit of alum; let them remain in the brine until the next day, then put them on the fire, and boil them for a minute. Cover them closely avd set them aside until the next day, when they must be drained and dried in a cloth. Then put them in jars with a few blades of bruised ginger, some whole pepper, a little mace and sliced horse-radish; pour cold vinegar upon them, cork the jars close, and put them away in a cool dry plaoe.

The Governor of Victoria, Lord Hopetoun' in the course of an address at the Scotch College, Melbourne, speaking of modern languages, said they were every day becoming more and more a necessary part of every man's- education. He considered that a thorough grounding in the claeeios was a necessary part of every gentleman'^ eduoa tion ; but in all professions and pursuits wbioh men were likely to follow after they left aohool French, German, and Italian were daily beooming more and more necessary. In commeroe, in military matters, in soienoe, and in art, French, German, and Italian were absolutely necessary, and he would reepeot fully ask the teaohers and parents whether inoreased attention might not be given to those subjeats.

The "New Zealand Times" (Wellington) Bays:—By the last three Direct steamers leav* ing this Port Mr G. H. Scales, the well-known produce merchant of this city, made the highest shipments ot butter ever recorded in the Colony, namely, 1750 packages by the Kaikoura, 2250 paokages by the Aorangi, and 1450 paokages by the Rimutaka. The Kaikoura shipment was, at the time it was made, the largest for which a bill of lading had been given, and has each package would average from 60 to 80 pounds, it will be evident that the export was a very large one indeed, All the butter, it may be mentioned, was produoed in the Wairarapa and Taranaki, and it is exceedingly gratifying to find those districts able, not only to produce the artiole, but also to find a good market for it.

Referring to the prospects of the wool market the Melbourne '■ Leader " calculates that the advance means a gain of five millions sterling to Australia and New Zealand, the total output being set down at 1,400,000 balee and the inoreased value at £3 10s. per bale, and says :—There are fair expectations that the present rise in value is founded on more than passing influences, and henoe may prove of a permanent oharaoter. The reasons for arriving at this oonolusion are numerous ; tbe most important, perhaps, is the fact that the demands for consumption have at length touched the point of supply, noinoreaße being shown this year in the world's production, whilst from all manufacturing centres demands for the staple are expanding rather than contracting. Again another cause for the immediate advance may to some extent be attributed to the large reduotion this season in the River Plate wools, owing to the heavy loas of sheep during the last few months in the Argentine Republic. Its special London correspondent 3tates that the clip in some of the Plate districts will show a falling off of no less than 25 per cent.

The best medioine known is SANDER and SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT. Tests its iminent powerful effects in coughs, colds, influenza, etc.—the relief is instantaneous. Thousands give the moat gratifying testimony. His Majesty the King of Italy, and medical syndicates all over the globe, are its patrons, Read the official reportß that accompany eaob bottle. We have no oooasion to offer rewards in proof of the genuineness of our references. The official reports of medical clinics and universities, the official communication of the Consul-General for Italy at Melbourne; the diploma awarded International Exhibition, Amsterdam—all these are authentic docu ments, and, as such, not open to doubt. We add here epitome of one of tb.6 various cases treated by Siegen, M.D., Professor, etc, Burning of the right hand through the ex plosion of a small oil stove. The epidermis on the yolar and palmer side of the hand of the thirty-year-old patient was completely separated and lifted up as far as the joint of the hand. The likewise lifted nails were hanging loose, and half of the phalanx« , the nail o! the middle finger was coaled. 7he wounds thus contracted healed in three weeks under aily applications of Eucalyptio Extract dressing. The patient baa retained the full useof Ui9hftQd,-(AdYt 1

In the coarse oi his evidence before the ' Sweating Commission " in Dunedin, Mr S' Spragg, who had conduoted the enquiries made by the " Daily Times," and which led to the publication of a series of articles by that journal, said that he had found very little of what he called " sweating " that is sub-letting by a person reoeiving a fair remu neration to people in distress at starvation rates. He found any quantity of work let cut at first hand at such rateß that when the people worked until ten o'clock at night they | earned 12s a week. Ha put down the primary cause to reokless competition—that was reok lessness on the part of employers as to whether the work people oould live honestly or at all on the rates given. Some thought the evil was due to the love of the publio for oheap things. The l£d or 2d leas per shirt I was no inducement to the publio and very little to the retailer. He thought the fault 1 lay with the wholesale people who made the profit, and they should bear the blame as long as they retained the profit.

Those who are students of the aoienoe of phrenology and those who are willing to give some attention to this interesting subjeot are reminded that Mr Artemas Golledge announces the first of a aeries of three leaturea thereon for this evening in the Orange Hall. Mr Golledge, whoae membership of the British Phrenological Association dates from its eata* lishment, has praotißed his pwfessio* as a practical phrenologist in England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and in the Australian colonies, and sinoe his arrival in New Zealand

has given leotures and oharaoter delineations in Dunedin (where the Rev Dr Stuart took the ohair), Oamara, Timaru, and other towns, and has submitted to us undeniable credentials as to his ability from leading men at Home and in the colony, most of whom are known to us by repute and many of them personally. There aan be no doubt, therefore, that Mr Golledge ia thoroughly master of his eubjeot, and we advise our readers to pay the Orange Hall a vißit. The charge for admission to tns lecture is one shilling, and for character delineations from 2s 6d upwards. It may be added that each lecture will be illustrated by

publio examinations (for which no charge is made), drawings, and anatomical platen. The ohair will be taken this evening by Major Steward.

THE DUC D'ORLEANS

'PIB PBISB ASSOCIATION.

Pabis, February 9.

The Duke of Orleans has appealed to President Garnot. The city has re covered from the temporary excitement caused by his arrest.

SPORTING

TRAINING NOTE 3.

[Pkr Pbbss Association]

Dunbdin, February 11 At the Forbury thia morning, Occident did a strong gallop of a mile and three quarters, Don Ceeaar was bin companion for a mile and a half, Both well and Ixlon had Trimmolite for a companion: In an easy mi.c and a half gallop. Bt. James put in a use rul spin alone, going two miles Gipsy Prince did serviceable work, with Mon Loup, going a mile and three quar ters strong. The others that shaped beet were Apres Moi, Wolverine, Miss Ann, Dispute, Ml«s George and Qiickstep.

THE LABOR TROUBLES

(PsbPbiss association,)

Pabis, February 9.

The French Press declare that it is impossible to co-operate with the Em peror of Germany on the labor ques tion till Alsace is ceded to France. Washington, February 10. It is reported that a Labor Alliance is. projected in the United States to accumulate funds for the purpose of assisting any trade strike. London, February 10. ~~The DockTmners arc ceasing to em ploy Unionists only. Burns threatens to consolidate the Ucions and strike for another advance of a penny.

THE SWEATING SYSTEM.

When Tom Hood wrote the " Song of the Shirt" he did more to lay before the English-speaking people the state of affaire existing in Great Britain and America in regard to the terrible life of misery and starvation led by the seam stresses of London and New York, than columns upon columns of descriptive prose could ever have accomplished. His sounding, yet crisp and incisive verse, raised a storm throughout the British Islands, and people who had never previously given a thought to the! life led by the London poor were im pelled on reading the terrible picture he drew in such soul-harrowing verse, to turn their attention to the condition of the poor women who had to toil-—not from morning to night, but from such hour as exhausted Nature would allow them to make a starting time of, after a few minutes' respite, until such other hour as Nature would permit them to continue their weary toil. Hood's poem set other writers to work both in verse and prose, and from those writings good and philanlliiop.u men were able to learn that the labors of the poor fingers that made the handsome and well laundered shirts they themselves wore had only been rewarded for their toil by the miserable pittance of about 2^d per garment. An outcry immediately arose, and the condition of the shirtmaker was in consequence to some extent ameliorated. But not for long. Wherever capital in the hands of grasping and unprincipled men holds sway, the very poor—whose struggle is not for comfort, but for bare bread— must revert to the old toil so terribly described by Hood, and so universally condemned by every Christian reader of Hood's immortal '• Song cf a Shirt." In London, in Paris, in New York—in fact in all the great cities of present day civilisation — notwithstanding liberal legislation to prevent it, the faces of the very poor are ground by the evils of what is known as the sweating system. For a time we had thought that in these Islands of ours the sweating horrors had not reached us ; but recent labor move ments have shown us that in this sweet " Britain. of the South " of ours, the daily and nightly toil of the poor seam stress is not unknown, and hardly better requited than in the cities of the Old World. It was with pleasure then that we hailed the appointment ot a Commis sion to inquire into the true facts of the case, and we are more than pleased to find that Commission sitting in Dunedin, and taking, evidence on the subject of how the system of giving out work to private houses acts, and how the workers are paid. Let us trust that out of the j evidence laid before this Commission legislation will take its rise calculated to protect, by firm restrictions, the unde fended and poverty-stricken from the grasping avarice of men who would willingly batten on their flesh and blood.,

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

(PHK PBHS3 ASaOOIAriOS.)

Auckland. February 10

The Auckland owned sohoooer Da'ap was wreokeft at Haipal, In the Friendly Group, on January 18tb. Tbe vessel was driven onto the Konto reef in a fieroe squall and shortly afterwards broke up. Tdose on board and the Oaptain and six men who comprised the crew were saved, and readied Hatpal in a wbaieboat.

The Auckland Minister*' Association intend to petition the House to empha sise the celebration of the jubilee by granting pardon to those deserving it amongst the prisoners at present In tho giols of the colony.

As a result of the negotiations between Sir J, Thurston and tbe TTnlon S.S. Company the oontraot for steamer communication with Fiji, wbloh explced In December, has been renewed.

The Boating Clctb'a crew who are to compete In tha champion gig raae at Danedin Regatta, left to day by the Takapuna from Manukau.

&bi.son, February 10 The Pflmtta has received a letter •lgnedby the whole of tbeolergy of the diooeae expressing sympathy with him In the position bo unfair to him In whioh he has been plaaed by the aotlon of others in reference to the Primacy. Thoy regret that he is exposed to bo maob misunderstanding and misrepresentation, and they exprean appreciation of his sympathy, unselfishness, generosity and kindly supervision. The address ,ood olndes as follows :—" We feel deep satisfaction that the Ohnroh of the Peovl&oe of New .Zealand will for the present be presided over by a Peimate saoh as yourself and we trust that the high office to whloh you hare succeeded you may long retain." The Primate in reply says he la endeavoring to aot aooordlog to the directions of the laws of the Ohmoh and hopes to continue to do so, although it Involves maoh of the annoyance alluded to in tbe address. OHUsTCffIUKOH Feb 10.

Ex-Mayor Ohailea Loalaaon was t o-d .y presented with » itlver epergne by ibe oltiians, in reoognltloa of hii eervioea dating hi* Mayora ty. Tha preaeatation was made by the Mayor, Mr S. Manning, In preaaLca of sovetnl ie»dlug oaiz na. \ An elderly man named Nionoll, night watohmtn to the l>ytteltoa Hatb>r Board, hai been mtitlng alace 3 thla morning. Hl< lAntetn wu lound oapdzad on the wharf, bat no trace can be foand of cae body, though the harbor has been dragged all day. Nloholla formerly commanded ■everal ooastera, Inoindlng the ateamer Mallofch and theechooner JannleDanoan.

CRICKET.

NEW SOUTH WALES V. CANTER-

BURY.

(FSB PBES3 ASSOCIATION.;

Oheistohurch, February 10

. The latorcoiuoui or^oKot maioa was ie ■amed at lpm, to-day, aud reanlted Id the collapse of the Canterbury team, whose aeoond Jnniuga closed for 118 leav ing New South Wales victorious by 109 tana. Da M*ua and O.ier, were the otly two who made reapeotabie aaoree, the former play lug a good tunings without | giving a chance. Ogi&i also played good cricket. Following ara the acorea :— Gahtebbusy.—Second liming*. Wheatley, c Davis b MoGUnohy ... 9 Helmore, ran oat ... 1 Labatt, b McGlincby 9 JJe Maus, b McGliaohy 23 Asbby, b Caiiawtty ... ... ... 12 Wilding, b MoGllucby ... ... 1 .Barnes, Ibw b MoGiluohy 0 rioJley, run oat 18 Ogier, o »ad b MoGlincay ... .« 27 Miiis, not oat ... ... ... ••• 4 Extras ..» ... 9 Total ... 118 Bowling Analysis. McGilncby, 190 Dalle, 62 tana, 6 wickata.' Oaliawayi 175 bails, 43 tana, 2 wiokgca. JSewtili', 10 calls, 4ruua. The vidito>a leave for the Sooth on Wedaeid &y.

THE WEATHER

It is now fifteen years sinoe the North Ashburton could have been said to be dry. Twenty-two years ago not a drop of water flowed down the bed of the north branch. That was an unconscionably hot summer; but there were but few Bettlera about then to note the fact. Not a drop of water was to be iiad for either love or money; but in those times it wsb only a case of shifting the mobs of sheep—few and far between in those days, and not a very great deal of value attached to them—to a more moist distriot, wherever that was to tie found., Fifteen years »go, things had altered a little as regards population, and a drought, similar to what we are experiencing now, waa the experience of the county. Scook failed to be able to slake their thirst. The boundary keepers were at their wits' end, for most of the oreeks were dry and all the pastures were withered up. The poor sheep, following the teachings of their instinots, made in a body for the best pastures, and, without the aid of a Caliban to shown them where the " sweet freshes " were, made at once for the land that held the flowing oreeks and the Rater holes. Naturally the shepherds, like those of the patriarch of old, strove together for the use of the " wells" for their atock, and many a good tale is told of battles fought on suoh oooasions and victories won. Perhaps we are taking an undue liberty in telling an old story, buc we soaroely think the hero of it will find fault with us, when we do so. Mr James Reid, one of the best kilt makers in the colony, and a workman that even our own superior tartan plaider (Mr James McDonald) will allow knew what was what in kilt making, was in the early days a boundary shepherd in our distriot. The work was new to him, as indeed shepherding in those days was new to most men who tried it, whether they were shepherds bred or otherwise. The extreme drought was a new experience to all the shepherds, and for the first time perhaps in bis quiet, staid existence, Mr Reid had to hold his own in the interest of bia flook against a class of men who were none too particular as to how they obtained the necessaries of existence for the flocks they tended. Mr Reid, however, showed when the trouble came that he oould hold.his own with the best of them. That' was fifteen years ago. Sinoe then he has seen fit to leave the tending of sheep and to take up the treatment cf their product. Mr Reid is at this moment one of the leading tailors of Wellington, and we dare Bay, recounts' occasionally to a eeleot few his experiences on the Canterbury Plains. Not sinoe that terribly dry year when Mr Reid was shep herding on the Plains, has the North Aehburton been known to be thoroughly dry. To-day the drought is Buch that only the merest trickle is flowing down the bed of the stream. The Wakanui Creek is receiving no water ; the Ashburton Domain supply simply is not, and in the main bed itseJf fish are dying by the dozen. Who is the man that will try to fix the blame upon the water raoes? We would be glad to see him. He must be a bush lawyer who is capable of finding a reason for anything extraordinary, and a oause of prooedure against the powers that be. The fun of the thing is that all along the line of the races supplied from the north branch there is such a soaroity as never has been before experienced. The wants of the town oannot be blamed for absorbing the supply for not a drop is running down the channels, and the boys are not allowed to bathe in the Domain for the simple reason that we oannot spare what they would oarry away to the bank with them. We would advise owners of dogs tq keep them out of the Domain as both Mr Oharlton and Mr M. Smith have registered vows Bgainat the life of any canine that would dare to indulge in a prohibited swim and go on the bank to shake himself,

"THE HOME OF THE BRAVE AND THE FREE."

("Nanqum," in the Manchester "Sunday

Chronicle.")

I olftlm the reader's favor. Last spring i I wrote a long series of article* oo the slums cf Manchester. I kept as oalm as I could while I did the work, and I made the work as practical and as exhaustive at possible. And when I had done the work I expressed my feßlfngs strongly and— I let the matter diop. I ask you now for the credit doe to my forbearance, Have I bored you sinoe about the slums 1 Have I kept harping on that painful subjeot t. 1 olalm that I did my work honeitly, and that I rellnqalshed It modestly, I hoped to have roused some of the gentry and clergy of this otty to a senae of their doty. I resolved that I would not we*ry yon by repetition of the appeal; I have kept my reaolatloo, bat—— ' ' But, oh 1 A few days since, I wag obliged to go again icto the slums, and now lam obliged to tail yon what I saw. The firßt houso was that of a poor old widow. Gentlemen of the Oity Council, priest* of God, when will you do your duty. The woman earai a scanty pittance as a laun dress. Bhe pays 2s 9d a week rent. She irons her bits of ljnen on »% boalfd placed acroes two chairs. She fetches her water from " the end of the street" Her kitchen —her house—is about lift, long and $ft. 9n. wide. A mere cupboard with a cracked stone floor and a mouldering roof And ifs he shuts her door the place is filled with smdke; and If she opens it the fire goes out. And for this accommoda tion the widow pays seven pounds a year. The second noose we went to was that of a widow—old, and HI of bronchitis. It was a mere dog-hatch; bat for that dog hutoh the woman haß paid 3i a week for forty years, and now she taya the landlord talks of evloting her. She baa paid in rent for the bonce £310. The boose when new waa not worth £50, and Is : not now worth £5. She has bought the plaoe lome teven times over, and now the must be turned oqt. And If the place Is wanted by the Corporation, the landlord will get compensation. In another home the hatband was dying of consumption. The wife, who bai nursed htm with soarcely any rest aod scarcely any food for seven weeks, fainted with exhaustion daring oar visit A wretched hovel la a wretohed street; and the rent was 3j weekly. In yet another house I found a prema turely aged man ; pale, sickly, starring. He said he owed' three weeks' rent at 3s 3d, and was expecting the bailiffs every minute to come and turn him out. There was a boy in the house, his head tied op la bandages* "Abscesses : want of proper food." Father got his living by chopping sticks. Could not keep a stock of wood. No money j no food ; no work. Asked how moeh a " stock " wonld coat, he said " Five shillings." Asked how muoh he oould dear out of It, be said "Four shilling*." Asked how long It «oald take him to earn four shillings, he laid " A week." A week to get four shillings oot of a capital of five? And his rent is 3s 3d a week 1

Now, ladies and gentleman, this kind of thing makes me miserable. It makes me wild. It makes we want to bite my flesh and swam every time I hear a church celt olang to see a cushioned carriage drive up to the porch of the " most magnificent town hall In England." It makes me want to go Into the houses of these people and tell them what religion Is worth, and what honesty means. It makes me burn to rouse these serfs to mutiny and incite them to aot out the noble words of the noble old heathen—

Take ye death in preference to slavery, I begged yon, ladles and gentlemen, to go and see these houses. I begged yon to help these people. And y<u have not seen the house 3, and yon have not helped the people. And I tell yon again this thing Is a thing accursed. It Is a barbarism. It Is daylight robbery; it la legalised murder. Now gentlemen of the Council, and ploua owners of slam property, attend to this. This la practloal. It would appear that it la the law that any private oitizan nuy summon any landlord to abow otuae before a magistrate why bia property should not be condemned and closed as unfit for habitation, And this has been tried in London bat a few weeks ainoe : and the honsea were oondemned. -Do you understand 1 any private oltfzan may do this, Bo now then which of you heartless, godless, pitiless robbers who own the In famous dens of Manchester vaya "First "1 Speak up that I may hear yon. Which peat-house shall I strike at first ? Or will the Oouuoil and the Church come forward now at the eleventh hour and show that their honor Is not wholly a He, ani their religion not entirely * sham ? I pause for a reply.

TELEGRAPHIC.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

[PIB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] \

COLONIAL MARRIAGES.

London, February 8 to 10. A Bill validating colonial marriages

will be introduced again this session.

PARNELL COMMISSION.

The sum of is being placed on the estimates for the expenses of the Parnell Commission. j

BENZON PENITENT.

Benzon was remanded for a week on a charge of forgery. The, young man is overcome by the position in which he has plunged himself and weeps freely.

A PROTEST.

Sir S« Samuel, Agent-General for New South Wales, has written to Sir C, Dilke, protesting against certain references in bis book to the colony of New South Wales.

REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

The Earl of Rosebery, in an article in the "Scottish Liberal," proposes that the House of Lords should be replaced by a body elected for seven years by Boroughs and County Councils.

CANADIAN INDEPENDENCE.

MoNtkeat^ February 9

Meetings are being held in this city to insist on Canada becoming a free nation.

PLOT IN CONSTANTINOPLE

Constantinopie, February 7' A plot . has been discovered, by the Turkish authorities with the object of restoring Midhat Pasha, insisting on various reforms, and fomenting risings in Macedonia, Crete and Armenia.

THE SWITCHBACK IN DUNEDIN

*' Teiem«ctiuß," writing from the Dan* edin Exhibition to the 'Australasian*.' s*ya :—" The switchback Is here roaring along gloriously. It is a maohfoe for producing new sensations beyond doubt. As In Melbourne, it onuses every girl to •cream on her first ride, but that Is not fftir evidence of originality. The revela tion oomes In when some douce old Scotch body from the Talerl or the Olutha appears, fall of interest and wonder, poorly cloaked with' an affaeted contempt. ' And what's yon V says the old lady to her daughter. • That I Ob^ that V the switchback. It'a delijfbifol, granny, Ojme and have a ride V * Indeed I'll do nothing of the sort. Td have little ko do,' rid no mnokle self-respect, when I'd allow mysel to be birled In the Hko o' that.' ' Oh, bat It is fanny and nice, tiki only, costs three pence.' ' Tak the lasote, John • shVs daft after it,' (Tak her yecsel I dldna come hare to, make a laughlng-ftoek o' myael'.' 'I wonldn^ralad^to gO wlyye.' ■ Weel, weel, I'll jast hamor ye 1' And io they mount to thi stalatiead and seat themselves la th,e oari, .and whirr—they are away. I suppose l£> would, be Im possible to get au Instantaneous photo graph of the: faces on the'switchback ; If It werepoislble there would be a fortune in It.. The lassie the anld wife prays,, the gudeman looks unoo dour till a couple of grades are paisedV««d then brightens up m If warmed by wWsky. 'Do you like It, mlther? 1 ' I'm.- no for laying that, but it's awfn' like.' '.Well, try anlther. Come aw»'.' They try two or three, or four, or five before they are oontent, and the iuld nan' Is only Hl oontent when h' comes to oouut his tiller, He ne'er knav slzpenoti jo bug 'at thatpade btifore." m^*" a»^

A ROMANCE OF GOLDMINING

A fortnight ago, we published • telegram from Dunedln that Rabeitson Bros. Oar drooa, obtained 100 ounces for 18 dayi sinlolog. The "Southland Times" tells us thereby hangs *tile. : Messrs Robert son hold some 12 acres of, ground, of which area about a qaartoi of an aeie has been operated upon, the total yield of gold therefrom befogs fully 2000 ojoneea, of an approximate value, of. £7500^ The result of the laat washing, up was rery mioh admired; the uamples of goUl being perhaps the best eves seen in Duoedin, It waa almost totally composed of heavy nuggets, with cnly » very snail portion of me fine partloUs, The tale Is this. Everybody in/ the Lakes dlstrfet, from Martin's Bay to Oaidona, la acquainted with the Robertson family. They 4 have lived there for yeart; and have: b«en en gaged in ,a ' varleliy T of' occupations,, always turalngj, whenever, opportunity offered to the fasointitlng pursuit cf garth's golden treasures. Their experience of mining was generally unhappy. < Some members of the family, however, kept oofn f and In the courae of tlmanudetthela way to'Oardrona, whete they took op ■ piece of ground' that. promised wall; It, however, did nothing more thin "pay," Indeed it Boarcsly enabled the brothers to make ends meet, but they pegged away In the hope that "njmethlog would turn up." And so it did, and in a fashion most unexpaoted. One day the tollers stopped for their mid-day maaJ, and one of them want,: a ehbrt dtatanos'to gat some sorub with which to boll the *<bllly," aa the miners c»U the useful utentil that takes the place of a kettle. Oor friend had to go off his own area for the purpose. As be palled the needfal aorab, musing the'while oa his cwn and his brother's prospects, he encountered"* rabbit hole—• not an uncommon night In that qaattet. In idle cariosity be poked with his finger the ground at the aide of bunny's home, and dhoovered—a cogget I Luck at laat 1 The nugget hud a number of companions, and these were of oourst qulokly aeoored. He had indeed found a billy, or "potboiler." A new claim was qalokly marked out, and the value of it has been stated above. Whea the Robertsons retire from' 1 the field and get up an armorial badge they should certainly adopt " Brer Rabbit" ai their oreat.

THE PUHIPUHI SILVER FINDS.

In the course of conversation with, Mr D. Wilson, surveyor, Wbangarei, wa (" N.Z. Herald") ascertained some particu. lars regarding the Phhlpnhi reefi. Ha paid a visit to the district for the purpose of laying oft the course of the reefs, and for his tjcaerity im entering the forest without, a permit he Is In the unhappy position of being; one of those*who are to be prosecuted for trespass. The orime (?) and its penalties, however, appear to sit lightfyon Mr Wilson's broad shoaldera and he hardly refers to the matter except with a laugh. However, with regard to the proipeota of the district as a mining district he gives no uncertain sound. Ha is thoroughly confident that a rich mining district haa been. discovered, and this opinion, coming from a gentleman who has had a very large experience m mining and mineralogy in Victoria; phoald cany ■ome weight. Mr Wilson gave par re porter an interesting; deporip'tion of hli visit, and wh»t he saw. He said that he visited the No, % Prospector's, claim to make a miaing aarvey of the reefs, the first that has been made. He found the prospeotofa potting la a drive to out the No.' 1 Bllret lode at the depth of 100 feet from the surfaoe. The drive was it? about 60 feet^ut will!have to be* extended 130 feet farther to meet the reef.. AMr Wllsomsxtmlned the reef In several places, and having oompared the ore with the specimens at- the Museum from the Golden Ourrle \ and Oomstook silver reefi) of Nevada and Nebraska, be Is convinced .that the ores are similar, ot that, if anything, the comparisonl would be In favor of Pahipnhl ore. The reef Is about two feet nine- iooheiV'or three feet In width, at a depth of eight feat from (he sat face—the greatest depth to which It has yet been opened, and it appeared to be Increasing In ufase' downwards. The four prospectors ate working two shifts to put in the drive, and the rook through which they are "driving It a rotten sand' stone, verf similar to some of the for<na< tions at the Thstnos In whloh the best reefs are found. In fast, said Mr Wilson, I believe if a man from the Thames was dropped down unexpectedly a^'j ihe pro spector's whare In Puhipubi, be oould fancy himself at the Thames. The pro spectors have left off all other work to open np this reef, and thera it Very little done on Wilson's raef, or ■< any, of ;the, others' which have been discovered, and 4tne work now going on in elruplp that of driviog to oat the No 1 reef at the low'level. There are four or five parallel- reefs, of whloh No 1 silver lode Is one'," and Wilson's reef another, whioh rnn In a N.N E» direotlon, that Is to say,' they seemed Jo be guided 'by the strata towards Oape Brett, bnt 'there are twol whlc'H trendltf a"I#.N.W. dlreotlon, but the probability UWfct these have either been displaced, by .some ooavul tion, or that they will join 4 the others. On Wilioo'4 reef, which watt the first In whloh silver ore was dlecovotedj; there has been very little work done. It Is in the face of a ollfi, and when H was discovered the prospectors were not looking foe silver. they were searching for gold. So fat ac other proapsots were concerned, Mr Wilsonwaacotvery oommunloatlve. He admitted tfast ho knew of silver,'copper, and nickel silver, being fonnd in other. 1 portions of the district, but he did not feel* at liberty to say much about them. He had nofc boea to the placer, Bb't'^e knew the man, and had soen the speelanns, In acpwdr; to a.qnesticin how far these sr»entifornuß diacoverlea extended, Mt "Wlton oad bo couid not positive.; cay that »ny K<-'od specimens had beaa foond oatsido the boondsries of the Puhlpohl Foctft, «t tU QT«nti h« wm mt 4hl| thf

TSE ASHBURTOM GUAftftlAN, TUESDAY tfEMUAftY 11, 1896.



T BVIATHAN RAILWAY TEHk-iiR- Ij ANCE HOTEL (Opposite the Railway Station), DUNEDIN. ÜBS SILK, PROPRIETRESS. Read the following taken from a news paper:—" During the holidays, a friend who spent the Christmas in Dunedin says : 'The Bite for the approaching New Zealand Exhibition was the ohief subject cf •onwiatton. Having heard much of tho Leviathan, he stayed there, and was greatly surprised to find the oity possessed raoh a very excellent Temperance Hotel, •Obtaining as it does 110 rooms, all well and comfortably furnished, and scrupu lously dean. In addition to this, he aatares us that the board, he is quite confident, is not surpassed at any house (no matter of what kind) In the Colony and questions very ranch if it mi equalled *"*>■'" 6 71 m W. W. SPENCERS II the CHEAPEST House in Ashbarton for DRAPERY, CLOTHING AND BOOTS. We sell for CASH. Small profits and quick returns, and we give sterling value. White Oallco* 3s 61 a dos?n Grey 0*;looi 2a lid » ckzen A Splendid Turkish Towel foe 7£d Flanelettes 4a lid a dozen Summer Dress Goods 6££ Tbe beit quality of PRIMS for the least money; Blankets 9a 6d a palf Ginghams in plain Colours 3s lid a doss. Double Width White Twill Sheeting li Men's Tweed Suits 18* 6d Saddle Tweed Salts 39i 6d ' , A case of Men's Ool'd Moles just to hand, ■lightly damaged by water; worth 9» 63, for 7s lid Boy's Ool'd Moles 2s lid, THE CHEAPEST HOUSE FOR MEN'S CLOTHING IN ASHBUBTON. BOOT STB 0 0 T S Men's Shooters 10s 6d, Blnohers6B lid. A really Rood pair of WonWe Kid Boot! for 6s lid, No second-hand stock. A SPLENDID ASSORTMENT of Children's Patent Leather Slippers and Boots at W. W* Spencer's THE ABCADE. ABHBUBTON COUNTY STOCK AND BALEYABDS CO., LnoiKD. AS the requast of several Farmers the Company has decided to hold a Special PIG- FAIR For the Sale of STORE PIGS, AT THE Tinwald Yards Early In March Farmers will oblige by letting the Caretaker have particulars of their Entries iarly as possible. GEO. JAMESON, jg —Chairman. ■ '" ' ' QUOD FAOMUB YALDB FAOIMU ("Wbatwedo we o well." rTIiLB OHBIBTOHUBOH DB NTAL j; SUBGERy, Oaahel street, Ohristchnrch, Bart Boljja- j ißoot Store,and at the Octagon, Dunoiain. ' A i jperationa at strictly uniform and moderate Oonsoltatioa free. 3. MYEES~AND CO., SURGEON DENTISTS; NITBOU& OXIDE GAS tdmlnlstered IWs Auwsthetlo leaves no unple»eant effects, and by Its use the extraction of Bad Stumps and Teeth Is rendered per 'eotly Painless *nd Effective. Ad nlntstered dMjy. Fee for administration of Gas, ss. Ertrwtlon, 2« 6d • tooth. Hoars of at.enrian^, 9 am. to 8 p m. Prlvata reeldenoe, 93 fca. M B*l', , . The .nkDowlMd^d bup^ol".l^ of AMERICAN DBNTISTKY In tuT «°n ■trnotlon of Artificial Te^th, the mo" £nl<ibed workmanehtp, and replaclog tbe ' ost teeth TEMPORARILY ALMOST MMEDIATKLY after extraction, have stabllshed our reputation. A single Artlficla Tooth, 10s, complete at, Upper and Lower, Temporary and Permanent £10 10s ; Artificial Teatb and Dentures made by other iientiate re noddled at small costs, Stopping, So»l ---jg Perfeot and Palnlesc. SPBMG & SUMMER, 1889 WM. SPARROW, TAILOR AND MEBCER, JUST OPENED, * LARGE and Varied Assortment of _/V. Gentlemen's Shirts. Hate, Scarfs. NEW SEASON'S TWEEDS AND COATINGS, large «n* well seleoted Stook to oaoos» ! *m. /HK TAILOBING DEPARTMENT inder the M g igement of Mb T. Kkbb has had Luge experience as CUTTER prlcolpal Tailoring Establlhraents tohutoh. Fit and Worhmanship Guaranteed WM. SPARROWJ EaitSiltict



Wanted Known j Cash Advertisements under tht4 head-1 ing, not exceeding 16 words, On£ Shilling. Addresses may Deleft at this Office. WANTED to rent House with pad decks adjoining, or near, la tbe [ neighborhood ot Ashburton.—Apply to J. B Bland. 2 41 * JirAiSTBD Known—Borough School ,vV Co o-jcl in aid of Treat Buud This Evemvg Gre.it, Talent engaged. Conductor, floraoe Ga^ea 2 39 MANILLA. Binder Twine, machine oil, and wlra. Tims la money on the barva^t field—the beat Is the cheapest. -—R. Aioob.v, Saaoderj tJnildlußa. WAWtJoID Known. --'• Strong- *e»r Boots for L<*dtae, Meu and Children o»u oniy ba obtained at W. il O.llikb's. OTTANTED Known that Ajndrew Okb's Wf half-yearly sale of Sutpiue Stock of Drapery Olothiag and Uooia In now going on, • 1 141 •TITA..:TBD KJISOWN —My Special YV Make of Ladies' 4-olasp Kia Gloves, "The Anhburtonian," braided backß, 3s 6d per pair.—W. H, Oollieb. WANTED every mau in the County . to have a Salt of the Ashbarton Tweeds.—Robebt Aloorn, Aahborton Clothing Mart, Saandere' Buildlogs. WEDNESDAY Half-Holiday. Please tbop early. Wednesday we oloa* at 1 p.m.—H. 0. Ssgbrs, Melford House. Tjl&lßßolDfißlEß—Fejgood Embroty f*J deties marked oheap to Melforti Home. We have a large ana splendid assortment to choose from.—H, 0. Skgeb's Melford Home. WANTED Known koe oartalns 3j 114, tow oia 4£J, umbrellas la lOd prints 2£d. eklttp la, kid gloves li, 12i02 dress buttons for I*, embroidered ooatumee 10a.—Andbkw <)r ß 'b Sale. 1 150 THE Jubilee Sale. Andrew Obb U selling oaens boots 9s 6 i, ladies E.S. at 4a 6d, laoe up boota 5a 6J, girls boots 3a 9d, men's shoes 6a lid. evening sheet 2s 6i. Sale dow on. . 1151 MBS KRNMttDV and Mies Cameron, Moore Street—Teachers of Scientific Dress-cutting. Bodies cut and fi ted. Dressmaking in all ita branches. Riding habits a spebiaiity. 12 69 MILLINERY— If you want o choose from a large stock of trimmed anc untrimmed hats and bonnets go te Mel ford House. A lot of children's Oalatea straws from 6d to 2s, very cheap'-—fl. 0. Ssobrs, Melford Hoase. \\r ANTED,Everyone to Know—That YY J. MOISON has now in stock * arge and varied assortment of BOOTS AMD SHOES for the Spring and Summer Season, Gentlemen's, Ladies', aud Chil dren's, both imported and Oolonial; also HIS OWN MAKE, which OANN )T BE SURPASSED fur Style, Fit, Qtul ty, and Neatness, combined with VERY RSASONABLE PRICES. All repairs executed prompt y and wltb neatness. lOtl Public Notices. ~~ TfIBESHING BOOKS. fpHREbHING Machine Books of _|, improved design printed with despatch at " Mail"" and ♦ Uuardian " Offioe. HALF-HOLIDAY — Bicycle —Races TO-MORROW 2 43 mENDKRB are invited for Leasing the i Temperance Hall, Tinwald, for one year from Ist March next. Particulars of Lease may be obtained at Mr GudseH'a Store, or from J. A, Clothier, Secretary, Tenders to be sent in to the Secretary be'ore 27th February, 1890. 2 33 "TTAIjENTINES ! Valentines—Newest V and most Elegant Designs In boxes. Silk-? th ged Love Cards and Perfomed Sachets, etc. Largest Variety In Oomfo Va'ontlnsß, L. F. ANDREWES & Co, Stationers' Hall, kStiBTJRTON CA6H (^ TiIACK In returning thnnka for T, \) lhe support he has received since coming to Aehbcrton, bees to annouuoe that be hsa now a well Selected i-I BOOTS and SHOES to chootip from oi" eßt Q uslUy' Oid^Wo^ fl«d Repslra Promptly Executed.-A Trial .^iol'ed. —Note ihb ADe?.BSS— Next Mr Randell, East Stree*. G. DT.ACK, Proprietor. "oommer iß9b~~~iß9o qumM".b J^ HO W 1890 1890 OflOW ALL DKPAKTMENTB OF OUR BUSINESS REPLETE WITH CHOICE GOODS FOB THIS SEASON. fj-PRIOES BIGHT, For Juvenile's Olothltij Try the N.Z. Clothing Faotory For Boys' Clothing Try tbe N,Z. Clotnlng Factory For Youths' Clothing Try the N.Z. Clothing Factory For Men's Olothin? Try theN.Z. Clothing Factory For Men's Measure KnUs Try tbe N.Z. Clothing Factory For Mercery and Hoeiory Try the N.Z. Clothing Factory For Blankete, Rugs, and Flanne's Try tbe N Z. Clothing Factory For Hats in the newest shapes Try the N.Z Clothing Factory For the best v*lue for Ready Money Try the N.Z. Clothing Factory | ENCOURAGE LOCAL INDUSTRY i AND BUY FBOM THE NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory. INSPECT7)UK STOCK Aud draw your own conclusions. W.IT WJffIBBBB, M»D«goe,



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Holloway's Ointment and Pills.—ln all outward complaints a desperate effort should be made to at once remove these annoying infirmities, and of establishing a cure. The remarkable remedies discovered by Paofessor Holloway will satisfactorily accotn* plish this desirable result, without any t)f those dangers or drawbacks which attend the old method of treating ulcerative inflammations, scrofulous affections, and scorbutic eruptions. The most timid invalids may use both, the Ointment and Pills w th the utmost safety with certain success, provided a moderate attention be bestowed on their accompanying " Directions." Both the preparations soothfe.i heal and purify. The one assists the other | materially in effecting cures and renewing strength by helping exhausted nature just when 6heooc<tasuc&rocc(wr.t t : rtmiitA £SS£SEi