The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1891. THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSION.

The first session of the now Parlia ment is at an end. Summoned by the late Government m defiance of the understanding arrived at with their opponents, that it should not meet until April, it has been prorogued with out th« transaction of a single item of public business which could nob have been deferred for the nextthree months. Unnecessary, inconvenient, and un called for, the only result of its meeting has been to saddle the country with the expense of a second session, and to add to the disctedit which surrounds the expiring actions of the Atkinson Ministry. The specious excuse—it cannot be called a reason—given to his Excellency the Governor for sum moning Parliament—namely, for the purpose of ending the uncertainty which Sir H. Atkinson professed to feel as to the strengthjof parties m the House of Representatives—has been aliowed to drop without the slightest endeavour being made to justify it; indeed, by their subsequent action the late Ministry gave a direct contradic tion to their implication that they were m any doubt as to their having been defeated at the General Election, and that the Liberal party possessed a sub stantial majority. Let us look at Sir H. Atkinson's course of conduct —for although before Parliament met he had ceased to be a Minister of the Crown. There can be no doubt that he directed the actions of his late associates until their final resignation. There was no appeal to the, House on the question of the election of Speaker—the crucial test of strength that has so often told which party was m the ascendant—to decide the fate of the Atkinson Government. Far from it. Firstly, the attempt was made to avoid a party vote on this question ; and, secondly, the resignation of the Ministry was actually placed m the Governor's hands before Parliament had " met, and on the advice of Sir H, Atkinson Mr Ballance had been sent for. A subsequent opportunity of proving the good faith of the Atkin sonian repi'esentations to His Ex cellency was afforded by Mr Rolleston's amendment to the Address-in-Reply, but the present Government's challenge to treat the amendment as a vote of no-confidence was declined. The late Ministry thus stand self-confessed of having induced the Governor to sum mon Parliament by representations which were without facts to support them. The country has been put to the expense and its representatives to the inconvenience of a meeting of Parliament at this most untimely season. What would be thought of an English Ministry, defeated m an appeal to the country, that summoned Parliament to meet on the twelfth of August for the sole purpose of hearing the announcement of their resignation, and that the leader of the opposing party had been sent for to form a Cabinet 1 Yet that would be an exact parallel to the course taken by the late Ministry. Nobody is a whit the wiser for the meeting of Parliament; the Government are as absolutely un fettered as to their action as they would have been had the ex-Premier carried out his engagement and handed over oilice after the elections, Parliament meeting m April m terms of the same engagement. The Governor, Parlia ment and the country will know from recent events what value to place upon the representations of the leaders of the Conservative party.

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The highest rainfall during "December wa=s at Inglewood 11 "12 inches, and Bealey 10 inches. Auckland was P9B, Wellington 5*07, Liueoln (near Christchurch) 52, Dunedin 4-05J Frequently telegraphic messages are sent to _ Australia, Mr Henniker Heaton says, costing £1000, and one sent a short time ago by a Londoner cost £320. The "Taranaki Herald " gives currency to a report that Mr R. Bullen, ex-Inspector of Police, who has been m trouble m Melbourne through threatening his landlady, has made a sum of £10,000 through speculating m silver mines m Australia. Silverstreanj, which, it is believed, will be chosen for the permanent site of the ranges for the Rifle Association, lim between the Taitai and Upper Hutt, is on the Govern ment line of railway, and about sixteen miles from Wellington, It seems that oidy two officers of the Salva tion Army m New Zealand are empowered to celebrate marriages. The Army now desire that this right should be extended to kkg> six divisional officers m New Zealand. •Mr Gojdje is moving the matter m Parlia ment. The Committee oC the Christchurch Trades Council appointed to as&wjtain the opinions of the unions with regard to ihe proposed jiatii&iiiaj council scheme is meeting with a v"*-ry fatfOFafoip reception ; many unions have alreau v »W^ d »PI» 10to1 of the Pr °- no<ril J I'll?- W>te °n c «»bjject will be com pleted by the riddle of February, The following recipel for making tomato pickle lias proved very sucT-wfiu:—Green tomatoes, sliced, 201 b ; green appie3 sliced, slbs; salt, sufficient; sugar 21bs; cayenne", •^oz j mustard, |oz; ground cloves, loz; vinegar, 2 quarts. Slice the tomatoes and put them m a large bowl with a little salt between each layer ; let them stand JL2 hours then strain off the liquor and throw it aw»j^ mix all together, and boil one hour. This morning, Mr R. Alcorn, J.P., sent John O'Brien to gaol for seven days, m default of a fine of 40s, for having been drunk on Saturday last. O'Brien is tip man who, having twenty-four previous convictions against his name, was dismissed wiiii a caution on Saturday by Jlessrs Alcorn .md ; Thomas. It is but fair to the prisoner to : say fclwit no charge of theft,or any repj. crime, ■ h;iH even been laid against nim, and itis^jdy his lust for lK([Uor that brings him into the hands of the polwe, Afc Leeds Assizes recently, Dr. Dacre For, of Leedsj, obtained a verdict for £1000 for a libel published by the proprietors of a patent medicine. T.ho libel consisted m the de fendants publisUy.g m one of their pamphlets a statement that ,2^ plaintiff had wrongly treated a patient, thatV a(l a 1 lost llis life under tlw treatment, ;<,u* /:.hat his life had been saved .by taking th^s patent medicine. : Mr ]<]. M. Smith, member for *$w\ Plymouth, is a great on tfjej subject of t!ie mineril r«stnjjecps of his. province, especially m the jßiaJten" at aoal and I ifou. He has a number of specimens <rf >%)al I from UreniiJ, awl iron from -the Isa\v\ ; Plymouth ironsand, aixd with theaid/ofa; ncuiber of maps and s-tatiafciaß, he is doing his best to convince member s .ef %\x> ad visa-, bility of buildisfig a railway soui.e 49 i»iles ' m length from New Plymouth to tajp the \ Urenui coal deposits. A further e-xteosioii j of this line through the Mofcui country wotijld , connect with the Auckland line. $x Huiith i felaves that there is autticient jTUUeH^ vVQ^ti/ m the Taranaki district to py off the •psiibljc rjfbt .of the colony. j

General Boulanger will spend the winter m Egypt. He returns to the island of Jersey n the spring, to take charge of the manage nont of a daily newspaper which will be published m Paris. The following ia a list of letters received from places beyond the colony during the month of November still remaining un claimed at the Ashburton Post Otiiue :— Mr John O'Connor, — Perrett, Esq., Walter ?->taff, Mr James Taylor, and Mrs Jas. Taylor. Admiral the Hon A. Dennison has returned to New Zealand after an absence of nearly thirty years. This officer served m the New Zealand war as lieutenant m the Pelorus under Admiral Seymour. Ho has comes on a visit for the benefit of his health to the North Island Lake District. ■ - The " Post" understands that the .Com missioner of Police, Lieutenant-Colonel Hume, has refused to grant leave of 'absence to Constable Malcolm, who is a champion athlete, to attend the athletic meeting m Auckland. The newly-gazetted Lieutenant Hume, who is also a represntative athlete, has, however, had no difficulty m obtaining 14 days' leave of absence to attend the same meeting. The usual monthly meeting of the People's Political Association was held on Saturday evening. Owing to the Rev Mr Clark's lecture the; attendance was limited, Mr J. Kilgour was voted to the chair. Corres pondence was read from the Political Asso ciations of Christchurch, Doyleston, and Waiuiate relative to the forming of one Grand Liberal Asso.ciation with branches through out the colony, but the matter was left m abeyance until the next meeting. It was resolved that a letter of congratulation be forwarded to the Hon J. Ballance and colleagues on their accession to office, and to canvey to them the best wishes of this Asso ciation for the future success of the Liberal party m New Zealand. Negotiations with the Heathcote Racing Club having been broken off, the lease of seventy-five acres of land, admirably situated within a hundred yards of the Sookburn railway station, has been secured by the Canterbury Metropolitan Coursing Company for a term of fourteen years, with option of purchase. Immediate action will be taken to enable the first meeting to be held m April, and the Waterloo to lake place the same week as that m which the. Grand National is run m July. The Dunedin Club ! has already announced the Waterloo Cup to be run at Forbury on July 9, 10, and 11. A poor woman at Auckland, a tailor's wife lias had a terrible experience. Her husband had suffered from melancholia and for a few months back she had to watch him to pre vent him from doing himself an injury. Last Friday morning about five o'clock she woke up and found he was not m bed, and hearing a noise downstuirs she went down, and found him with his large shears open, and one of the blades m his breast, and he trying to force it m further by knocking it against the irantlepiece. She took the shears from him and also a second pair which he then picked up. The man then fe'l and never rose again The question of who can be given the title of colonel with propriety m Kentucky has at last been settled by a competent authority. By the latest rule every man who conducts a large distillery is ipxo facto a colonel. Every prominent railroad official is also a "oloncl. Every Congressman is a colonel. Every man with a Government office is a colonel. .Every great editor is a colonel. The Chief of the Police Depart ment is ade facto colonel. Then there are other gentlemen who are colonels because no other title fits them. It' a man has been a captain m the war, never call himJJcaptain ; call him colonel. He is entitled to his promotion twenty-four years after the* Avar lias closed.—ColwnMts {Go.) Enquirer Sun. The Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, Bro the Rev W. Ronaldson, has received the following resolution passed by the Grand Lodge of Montana, m recogni tion of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand:— " That the Grand Lodge A.F. and A.M. of Montana, unhesitatingly and unreservedly at this first opportunity extends across the Pacific expanse its full fraternal recognition to the Grand Lodge of Anticnt, Free, and Accepted Masons of New Zealand as en titled to the rank, powers, and privileges of a legitimate Masonic Sovereign, co-extensive •with the bounds of its insular empire, and may the union thus formed from three Con stitutions and the three islands prove typical of the three-fold cord that everywhere unites good Masons m the bonds of friendship, morality, and brotherly love." The following story ia told by a writer m m the "Sporting Standard":—When the Maori King Tawhino, made his first trip to Auckland he was taken to Sylvia Parkas one of the sights, and here he met Musket, and had his great racing qualities explained to him. After a few moments reflection. Tawhiao, turning to Major Wahnsley, said, " Friend, I'll buy your horse; name your price." The major jokingly asked the King if he would give £100 for him. "Oh ! no," said Tawhiao, surprised at the largeness of the figure. " I could buy two English wives for that." The major asked him if £50 was within the limit of the royal treasury ; but the keeper of the exchequer said tha" he could only muster £26. The King for a while was perplexed. At last, turning to the major, he said, "Friend, do you like my wife there " (pointing to Pohaere, who was of the company)? "Here are £20; take Pohaere, and give me your horse." But the queen declined to be bartered away, and so the bargain was never closed. Holloway's Ointment -and Pills. — The combined ill effects of over-crowding, sedentary occupations, and monotony of life are only too well known to those who have to past the best part of their lives laboring m factories and crowded workrooms. The compulsory confinement weakens the general health and induces chronic constipation, indigestion, and various forms of skin diseases. Holloway's remedies are of price less value io persons of this class, for they can be used without entailing loss of work, being purely vegetable m their composition, / and consequently act without harshness on the most delicate system. The experience of more than forty years proves that no means surpaßS Holloway's remedies for curing i bad logs, bad breasts, piles, and wounds of all kinds. At the recent examination of the Mel' bourne Church of England Grammar School a long list of the most coveted distinctions was curried off by a Chinese youth named Cheong. The institution is one of the oldest and most successful of the gieat collegiate schools <?f Victoria. This year it won the blue ribbon oi the University matriculation exams., find both its standard and record are very high. A special prize, presented by the proprietors of the ''Argus" to the head of the school who takes the highest place m school work during the year ■; the Speaker's prize—a gold medal presented by Sir M, H. Davies—for the fir.it place m classics: special prizes for the best English essay; original Greek prose, and Greek Testament, were all «<KWcd by Cheonc, besides others of minor import^- This youth is the son of a Chinese mW^ry at litzroy, and Ins Chinese wife. He i« *iuc blooded, has no ,p:cial advantages of m»k or w<*At«j, but is .aid to have an ambition to enter the *ros i byterian ministry. His case illustrates what hasottw been said about the intellectual possibilities oi ibfl bettor class of the Chines© Their average weigh* tf brain is next to that, of the Anglo Saxons, and *W have at leasi i us much of qualification to excel m ajl .tijat | rcrjuiws wetttal ability and

THE CROPS.

'A drive from Ashburton to the hills and back takes one through a great variety of crop, and also many sorts and qualities of land ; therefore no wonder the results are very dissimilar at harvest. The farms in the Forks district are of, superior quality, and in ordinary seasons carry heavy crops of grain, and even now, after the exceptional and long continued dearth of moisture, they have fairly good paddocks of cereals in a 'good many places, and on such blocks an Messrs R. Mclii tyre's, .). Corbett's, A. Frisby's, and I. Sargent's, the return,-; of wheat and oats will probably be from 25 to 30 bushels per here. For, although the straw is short the heads are fairly good and well filled, the probability being that more Idsa Ims been sustained by grain growers in the county from the strong and almost con tinuous nor'-westers than from the absolute shortage ot rain. At Green street there are some very good crops harvested, Mr Weldon having oats that will thresh perhaps 40 bushels and wheat from 35 to 50 bushels per acre, but it is not likely that these figures will be realised further up the road, although Messrs Green, Buckley, Church, and Good have some nice paddocks of grain cut and stacked safely. After passing Mr Good's farm, and keeping the road to the Spread Eagle, the land rapidly deterior ates in both quality and depth of soil and the crops sufter proportionately. In fact in the vicinity of the site of the old hotel shingle altogether takes the place of soil, and so not even gras3 is growing there with such a season as the present. There are some patches of fair land, how ever, even in this part, and on these where cropped the returns are iair. As high as 30 bushels of oats may be threshed from some paddocks of Messrs McCormick, Ryan, Rippingale, &c. Crossing the Ashburton river above Valetta homestead, and leaving the cultivated portions of the Alford, Roxburgh, and Buccleuch estates on the right hand, there is a long stretch of dry, stony, tussock country passed over until one arrives near Mount Somers, when a great change takes place, both in the nature of the country and in its appearance, Here are green fields and luxuriant pastures, oats, turnip, and clover paddocks looking as though drought was a word not known to their owners ; even the water races running full and over, and the roads showing plain traces of recent rain, and thus much more plea sant fnr travelling on. The Mount Somers and Alford Forest districts are perhaps a month later than the plains near Ashburton, so thore no grain crops are yet ready for the harvest, but still a good idea can be got of their probable return. Oats are the main grain crop towards the hills, and from Mount Somers through Springburn and to Alf©xd Forest these will give good yields—from 30 bushels upwards —and there are here also some very nice patches of barley which may well reward the farmers, for this crop is not nearly an average one on the plains, either in acreage or yield. The grass and clover paddocks on the road from Alford Forest towards Winchmore i carry very good fodder—thanks to the frequent shoAvers which fall trom the north-west, as these were almost of daily occurrence lately near the hills. Most of the land in this locality is in grass.

Electric Toothpick.

"These look like toothpicks, don't they? "said a young lady to a "Repub can" reporter, holding oufc two slender pieces of. wood m one of her lilj white hands. The reporter replied that such was their appearance. ".Well, what do you think they are 'I " she asked. " Why, toothpicks, of course," was the answer. "Just ordinary toothpicks, eh ?' "Yes." " Don't look as if they had any peculiar properties that toothpicks never Iwd, do they ?" The reporter looked at them well, and said, "IVo." "Wouldyou believe that they cure the toothache 'I " "If you Slid so, I would, because T know you are not a fair deceiver." '■ Then," said the young lady, " I will toll you what they do. You see, they were made from a tree that was struck by lightning, A man who owned the tree happened to put a couple of the splinters m his mouth, and a tooth ache that he had instantly stopped. As soon as he took them out it began again. He replaced them and it ceased once more. I have tried these and find that they do cure the toothache. Other people have done so also. It's marvellous, but it's wue. One of these pieces is put between the teeth on one skle of the mouth and the oohor on the opposite side, and the thing is finished."

Dr. Koch's Discovery.

(FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT.)

■ Dr. Koch's discovery is attracting great interest m France, and especially m Paris. Drs. Baratoux, de Backer, and Emile Piogey have been deputed by a group of French doctors to go to Berlin with the view of studying Dr. Koch's paraboloidin, with the view, m the event of a'favorable report., of immediately introducing th« treatment m Paris. The Assistance Publique has. through the us.ual diplo matic channels, applied to Dr. Koch for a certain quantity of his lymph, with the view of carrying on experiments with it at fche Lnennec hospital by Drs. Ferraud, Corail, Strauss,and Ball. Dr. Filleau, of Paris, has had an interview with Dr. Koch. He asked him whether he could spare him two small bottles of the lymph, but the great German savant replied, "1 have only two myself, and I am going to send rhem to .TVI. Pasteur. I cannot do less for the illustrious French savant whom I admire as a master. He stated that he would publish a complete history of the discovery m the "Medical Gazette," but &aid he could nob foretell whether it will be m twelve or eighteen months hence. Dr. Filleau then asked, '' Will your remedy be applicable to leprosy and glanders?" "I believe so," was Dr. Koch's reply. "I have even asked that a leper be sent to me. I wish to experiment upon him, and I am m hopes of succeeding." " And what of other infec tious diseases '{■" ' ' lam confidpnt as re gards a ffny .of them, butnotall." '"Is your method of treatment based on known principles m bacteriology, or is it absolutely new?" "Itifj absolutely new." Mean while Gorman medical organs arc specu lating on the thing iteelf, and the majority appear to think that the lymph is pro duced m a furnaco by the .slow and sterilising liquefaction through a porcelain filter of a gelatinous.'' culture " containing the bacillary germs. M. Pasteur, ques tioned by the "Temps " the other day m regard to his opinion concerning Dr Koch's discovery, replied :— "If you inquire m regard to f-he technical question I can scarcely answer, J am reduced to con jectures, like everybody else. D,r Koch, .from it feeling which it does not behove tf f e to judge, h'^s not dpemedtit to describe, as \vo ijixe jn the habit of doing m France, jn presence, fif oiu" brethren of the Academy, tho path which he fqljqwed m attaining a gi'oa,fc scientific end, But the results achieved are such as to command admiration." He has received the following telegram from St. Petersburg, dated. November 23rd :—"After the first experiment afc the Institute to-night of fche.treafcinent of lupus, ordiu2 c method of Dr Koch, we are happy m exprosj^ij^ pur fueling of deep veneration for you," the illustrious originator of studies which have been fruitful m the domain of science, which is to-day celebrating its victories." This is signed i by Prince Alexander of Oldenburg, ; Princess Eugenic of Oldenburg, Prince Peter of Oldenburg, I)r Sperk, Professor Aurep, .and Drs Khigine, Helmann, and J£vaiouohtin§t

TELEGRAPHIC.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

[l-EK I'ltTiSS ASSOCIATION.]

j ' London, January 31. The statement that a conference of Labor delegates had resolved to take immediate-steps to paralyse the; shipr ping trade until the Shipowners' Federation abolished free labor agencies is denied. • The Caledonian Roil way Company has offered the strikers the same terms ais the North British Company, and the men have agreed to accept them. The appeal case of Duncan v. Knowles was argued to-day. In August last Miss Gladys Knowles, twenty-one years of age, and of at tractive appearance, was awarded £10,000 damages at the Lewes assizes against Mr L. F. Duncan, editor and proprietor of the " Matri monial News," aged between sixty three and sixty-four, for breach of promise of marriage, and it was from this decision that the latter appealed. The Court, ordered that th« amount of damages be reduced to £6500, on con dition that the costs m the action were paid by Mr Duncan within one month, otherwise the verdict of the jury- vas to remain intact. It is reported that Sir F. IT. Browne, formerly Governor of Western Austra lia, will temporarily replace Sir Walter Tindall as Governor of Barbadoes. It is believed m financial circles that the public will freely subscribe to the South Australian Three and a Half Per Cent Loan of £1,200,000, for which tenders will be opened on Wednesday next. Paris, January 31. Jean Meissonier, the famous painter, is dead, aged seventy-eight. The Supreme Colonial Council has decided m favor of recognising colonis ing trading companies, but rendering them directly responsible to the Home Government.: Lisbon, Jauuary 31. Three regiments stationed at Oporto, the second city of the Kingdom, have i broken out m revolt, demanding the establishment of a Republic. A sharp engagement has taken place between the rebels and the loyal troops. Rome. January 31. The House of Deputies has, by a large majority, rejected the Govern ment proposals for an increase of the duties on spirits, and hi consequence Signor Crispi, the Premier, has an nounced that he will resign. Natal, January 31. A discovery has been made of fresh alluvial deposits extending over a large area m Mashonaland. Valparaiso, January 31. • It is reported that Iquique has been re-captured from the insurgents and that the latter have suffered defeat at several places. The attempted media tion of the British Minister has failed. Manilla, January 31, A fresh ambuscade lias taken place m the Caroline Islands, resulting m a great massacre of Spanish troops, the commanderof whom committed suicide.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Auckland, February 1. Lucy May Woodruffs, aged soven years, n-daughter of Mr E. F. Wnodruffc, for merly a draper m Queen sv.veot, but now of Mount Albert, was killed by swallowing {» shirt stud to-day. Westpoiit, -January 31. The coal export for tho week ending to day wan 5973 tons. .This is tho largest weekly report up to tiie present, the pre vious record being 5800 tons. Dunedin, January 31. A very exhaustive inquiry was held before Mr Carew, the coroner, and a jury, touching tho'death of William ,Guy, who died owing to an injury alleged to have been received m an affray with Chinamen m Chalmers' Place. King, who was with Guy, said that he was the worse of liquor at, the time of the occurrence, and that Guy also had had a good many drinks. He did not remember giving "any provoca tion to the Chinese. Dr Coughtry, m his evidence, said that an operation was Guy's only chance. He died from trau matic peritonitis accompanied by a breach m the continuity of the bowels, the breach being a hole m the bowel. The causes of death had been going on from tho time he met with the injury. The most important witness was Adam Scott, aged 14, and his brother. They saw Guy and King speaking to the Chinamen and afterwards following them into their i house. Then then saw the Chinamen' being slung out of their own house, and a fight started, during which Ah Yam rushed into his house and coming out with a bamboo bib Guy with it. Guy then went away limping. The jury found that Guy died as the result of an injury in flicted by Ah Yam who acted under ex treme provocation. Ah Yam was found guilty of manslaughter, and was com mitted for trial, but admitted to bail. Gee Loy was discharged. Invercargill. January 31, William Brown, landlord of the Gover nor Grey Hotel, Avenel, died suddenly m (own to-day. He had called on Mr John Dalgloisb to settle some business, and was standing beside him while he wrote a cheque, when he suddenly staggered and died immediately. He was a man of about forty-five years, and is said to have been recently subject to fits.

Rev. Charles Clarke.

The Rev. Charles Clarke delivered his second lecture m the Oddfellows' Hall on Saturday night. There was a, f^ir atten dance, but not by means what might have been expected, considerin° the reputation of the lecturer, and the excellence of the entertainment be provided. The lecture was the now well-known and popular historical one on "The Tower of London," and the rev. lecturer kept his audience almost spell bound under the magnetic infmenco of his eloquent description of the pile itself, and his graphic telling of its history. The associations of the Tower of London are the history of Eng land, and the word pictures of the scenes that had been enacted within its walls, and the. men and women whq had taken part m; them, werb given by the lecturer m that style which is §o peculiarly his own, the charm of. which is irresistible to his hearers, AH the stornijer times of British history were called up, and scenes from them depicted ; the humorous aides of these were also shown giving opportune ties for thedisplay of the rev. gentleman's abilities m this direction, and while he was able to play upon the finer feelings of v!^ >Bft before him, he failed not by his lively w^ am * -lumor to tickle their risible (faculties.. He closed his lecture with a comparison between the times m Britfsli history during which the Tower of London played Jjbß gloomy part with dungeon, axe, and headsman, iwid the blissful time."! of our own Victoria die Good, concluding with a grand peroration on her reign of freedom and O.tiir liberty wider her benign rule, . ■•■■■' )

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do .not hold ourselves'responsible for the opinions expressed,ljy our correspondents.)

LIMING.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin, —When m the middle of .spring we look over the young wheat and notice watches by the fences,, where gorse lias been burnt, head and shoulders iibovs the surrounding portions, we at once assert that the land is deficient m mineral con stituents, and that lime, phosphate.'!, and ■nitrates must be obtained and spread. In the same way the extraordinary effect of aimnoniacal manure on rye-grass is seen m the rank luxuriant patches where horses have staled ; and finally on the country grassed roads where gorse has been burnt clover springs up miraculously. In the spring, therefore, this land is enormously benefited by artificial manure. Now what is before us m the dry summer —rather a bad summer this year 'I Those fine wheat patches withered before the ear had much more than come from the sheath, and those clover patches on the roads now bare soil. Hence the ash fertilizers have been more than useless —though this may not be the case with the clover patches if they spring up m the autumn. However, we are led to ask if those wheat patch as would have remained luxurious and ripened up to fifty bushels per acre under irrigation? and also we ask whether the seasons are not usually good enough to make limed pasture very profitable even before irrigation is accomplished ? In thinking; these questions over the conclu sion has always forced itself on me that with regard to cereals the use of fertilizers must go along with irrigation; and with regard to pastures I think the fine addi tional 'spring yield produced by fertilizers will more than pay for their use before irrigation is managed. Liming is the kind of fertilizing I specially refer to. The soil of the Canterbury plains is deficient m lime, and lime is one of the essentials of plant growth. If it is quite absent plants will not grow. If it is deficient plants will be f eebleancl m some cases clovers will not grow at all. If lime is m sufficient quantity the addition of more will not help the plant; but m swampy soils the addition of more will have good effects, besides supplying food to plants. Lime has three stages ; first, burnt or quick-lime ; second, slaked linn 1, —which is quick-lime plus water ; third, carbonate of lime —chalk or lime stone, which is slaked lime that has given up its waoer and taken m carbonic acid from the air. Hence when quick lime is thrown upon the ground it is first slaked by combining with the moisture of the air or soil, then quickly turns into car bonate of lime. Now it is not advisable to put quick-lime or slaved lime on our light soils, because it drives out their ammonia, which cannot at all be spared. Mr George Grey m a paper on lime m recent numbers of the " New Zealand Country Journal " thus gives his opinion on this point:—"lt is very questionable whether it is a good practice to apply lime m the caustic state to light soils at any time.. The small amount of organic matter present, and the light open texture of such soils, seem to indicate that lime m its natural condition of carbonate, such as chalk, shellsand, or burnt lime that has slaked and been freely exposed to the atmosphere for some time, would be far preferable." If any one has used quick or slaked lime on grass, and found it unprofitable, the reason may be found m the above. I may mention one instance of marked effect; from carbonate of lime. We used a rather played out lawn for tennis some years ago. The lines were marked out as usual with wlritning, which I suppose is carbonate of lime, and wo noticed that for three or four years, in deed to the present time, the lines of that old tennis court came out m strong green growth of grass every spring, while the rest of the lawn was devoid of growth. Hence it often seems to me that the crushed limestone of Mount Somers, imburnt, would be the right thing for these light soils. I should like to know Mr E. F. Wright's opinion on this point. The practical outcome is - why do not farmers m some way or other lime the land if Whenever I have asked this question the answer has always been '"We can't afford it." Must, then, we go on m a struggling and profitless way, while our wealth i? lying unused m the hill sides, because we cannot get lime, paying for it out of increased yield. Scientific farming, a thing no longer derided, demands, and the sooner the better, irrigation and the even distribu tion of the Mt. Somers limestone over the county. That the Council should attend to the one and neglect the other seems not quite thorough, and of the two I think that liming, at any rate for pastures, should take precedence, especially since it is so much the easier to accomplish. With respect to the formation of Farmers' Associations m every school district throughout the county, a step that I suggested last winter, there is every reason for believing it the right thing to do. Quicker than ever before the science of agriculture is running ahead at the ex perimental farms, and one can safely say that few farmers get full information about these discoveries, much less discuss them, and still less see tested their application to the county. The ishburton County is large enough and good enough to sljpport its own agricultural good things of all sorts ; its own farm schools for all children passing Standard IV or V, and its own farmers' associations m every district ; and without these last named advantages I do not think any of the others can become successes. There are plenty of ideas m the air at the present time. Indeed the agricultural outlook with its irrigation, artificial maAuring, steam cultivation creameries and Railway Commissioners, is a very lively one ; and if an association formed itself, and arranged for the receipt of agricultural reports of various Govern ments, and for agricultural magazines and papers, there is not the slightest chance that it would decay and come to an end. Of course it cannot be denied that a single club m a country district .could easily make a flare at the start and then run itself out, but with clubs m every district, connected as they certainly can be, there will be no probability of decay. I think something should be done m a gradual sort of way, and if I can I will write to the various school committees of the County m the interests of agricultural education ; and it may be advisable also to suggest a farmers' congress, consisting of district representatives, chosen at public meetings under the auspices of the Committees., to meet at AshburLon to wards the end of June next-. We are falling behind Victoria and New South Wales m agricultural matters- They have a Royal Agricultural Society, a Council of Agricultural Education, a Minister of Agriculture, various Govern ment scientists and experts, and are very evidently m a state of rapid progress. l is quite time New Zealand went into, th running,—l am etc., J. R. Wilkinson. Ohertsey, 28th January, 1891,

The Markets.

[per press association.] , Lonoon, January 31. Ihe butter market is drooping. Danish has fallen 10s per cwt., and Australian and New Zealand 6s. At the wool sales crossbreds were -Jd per lb, and good combing merinos slightly dearer as compared with prices at tho December series. Medium and inferior merinos are quoted at the same price as last sales; butbwo lots sold at slightly Jowei'rates. 1' < -■ = •■• ■ ■* ■■ -

Six thousand quarrers o*f New Zealand ' wl'tan on passage haus been sold at 37s fkl. Silver has fallen to 40£ d. The New ZeaLmd Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have rereh'dd the following cable' maksacje, dated, London, 30i;h 'January* 1891 :— Froxen Meat—Market quiet. Since last report the; price of mutton has declined -'.d per lb, and thp price of beef ha:-; aba iced jd per lb. Tallow—There is a fair demand. Quotations unchanged since last telegram. New Zealand Hemp — For medium quality thcie is more inquiry, but questions unchanged.; Inferior quality has fallen 110s per ton. [Received February 2, 11. a.m.] ■ '■...■ • London, February 1. Tallow, medium mutton, 26s (id. The English wheat market is changing t a little for the worse ; the Continental ia i declining, but the American shows a general advance. The total quantity of wool catalogued up to date is 65,600 bales, of which 62,800 have been sold. . \ Australian leather, best sides, 9d to 9£d; basils, strained, best quality, Is 3jd.

POLITICAL.

(PEE PEJSSS ASSOCIATION.)

EDUCATION.

,■■■.. Wellington, February 2. The Minister of Education intends to enquire iutends to inquire into the rela tions of Industrial Schools to Charitable Aid Boards, and into the present position of Native Schools. Complaints have also reached him regarding the inconvenience and expens&bf arbitrary changes m school books, which will engage his attention alohg with the question of a uniform system of books for the whole colony.

THE BANKS' PENINSULA PETITION.

Lyttelton, February 2. In the Akaroa Election petition their Honors gave judgment this morning. They came to the conclusion that the case of the petitioner failed. Mr Joyce, there fore, was declared properly returned. The petitioner was ordered to pay costs.

THE TE AROHA SEAT.

Wellington, February 2. The "Post" draws attention to the fact that during the session leave of absence was not asked for Mr W. S. Allen, who was returned for the Te Aroha seat while m England, and is on his way out. It contends that thereby the seat is now vacant. Subsection lof Clause 58 provides, that the seat of any member of the House of Representatives shall be come vacant, ." Jf for one whole se so of the General Assembly he fails, without permission of the House, to give his attendance, m the House."

SPORTING.

C.J.C. SUMMER MEETING. [per' press association,] Racecourse, January 31. The following is the conclusion of the report of Saturday's racing : — Graven Stakes, of 1 soy each, with 80 soys added ; seven furlongs. Mr Webb's Ruby, Bst Gib... (Derrefct) 1 Mr Murphy's Yon Tempsky,' 7st 21b (Ray) 2 Mr Stead's Carronade, 6st 21b (Press) 3 Nine started. Time—-Imm 31|sec. Dividends—£s 11s 6d and £6 3s.' Scurry Stakes, of 20 soys. One mile. Rose of Cheviot ... (F. Kingan) 1 Chester Lad ... (Ray) 2 Loiter ((T. Holmes) 3 Time—ltnin 48sec9.- Dividend—£2 9s and £2 11s. Consolation Handicap, of 50 soys. One mile. Hazel, 7st 31b... ... (W. Holmes) 1 Dragon, 7st 21b ... ... (Thomas) 2 Yon Tempsky, 6st 71b ... (Cusdin) 3 Sevan started. Time—itnin 46scc. Dividends—£4 4s and £4 14s 6d- The tofcalisator investments amounted to £3516.

Melbourne, February 1. Mr D. S, Wallace's colt Megaphone is reported to be amiss, and not likely to fulfil his autumn engagements.

The Australian Shearers' Union.

The business sheet to be presented at the. annual conference of the Amalgamated Shearers' Union of Australasia, to be held m Adelaide this month, contains, the following among other proposals to be considered :—l. Admission of members of kindred societies without fees upon the production of clearance* or pence cards. 2. If it be found that sheepowners intend to oppose the shearers next season all en gagements to be made through the union office, and the men to stay at home till sent for. 3.. That aboriginal natives of the colonies be allowed to join on payment of half the usual fees and participate m all benefits ; all other colored labor to be ex cluded. 4. That the funds of the union be available to prevent union strikes and lock-out by establishing co-opera tive , producing and distributing agencies. 5. With a view to reform many laws and the composition of Parlia ment, shown to be necessary during the recent -great .strike; the union adopt a political platform, and that all branches' join with kindred organisations to or ganisea labour vote, union and non-union, m the respective districts, with a view to returning men at the next elections who will support their platform. 6. That capable men be appointed to travel m the different centres during the off season and hold public meetings, m order to neutralise the efforts of the pastoralists unionsto injure the Australasian Shearers' Unions, 7. That sheepowners who have withheld any portion of the earnings of the members during the season 1890 be notified that unless these be paid previous bo the next shearing season members of the Union will not shear for them. 8. The entrance fee to remain at 10s as at present. At the Labourers' Union conference, to be held at .Adelaide at the same time as the shearers' ?onferenoe, a proposal it to be submitted that the former union and all other unskilled labor organisations throughout the colonies be amalgamated under ono head and be known as the "Amalgamated Labourers' Union of Aus tralasia "

Latest Cable News

HOME AND FOREIGN

; [per, press association,] (Received February 2, 10.20 a.m.) HOME POLITICS, .. LoxDpy, February 1. Captain A. -A.. Hood, aide-de-camp to the Governor of Victoria, has been chosen the Unionist candidate for West Somerset.

MORE PENSIONS.

Political pensions have been granted to Sit- M. Hicks Bench and Viscount Cross, but payment is suspended for the present.

BOOTH'S SCHEME.

General Jsooth ifttencfe tq open $

receiving house ajid building to s«rve Vi a probationary institution, where per.sons of botli sexes will be trained fov employment m factories, and afterwards assisted to emigrate A gentleman named Fleming, who had subscribed £1000, died suddenly while congratulating the Salvationists upon the funds now amounting to £100,000. (Received February 2, 10.40 a.tn ) OBtlLi. ■Valparaiso, February 1. The rebels have captured Ancud. ... 'President Balmacade is willin<r to retire if the blockade of Iquique °and Valparaiso is raised; otherwise a decisive battle is imminent. New York, February 1. It-is rumored here that the English and Italian fleets have made a demon stration before Valparaiso. The loss to British commerce by the interrup tion of trade is set down at one million sterling. The American minister,to Chili has been ordered to withdraw if satisfaction is not given. The Government have re-captured Pisagua.

DR KOCH'S SPECIFIC.

Vienna, February 1. Dr Schroecler, after many tests, denies that Dr Koch's lymph will even enable a correct diagnosis of consump tion to be made, and on the other hand it often extends the operations of tubercules. -He. admits, however, that it will cure lupus and testinal ulcers.

THE OPORTO RISING.

Lisbon, February 1. The rebels at Oporto failed to capture the telegraph office, but suc ceeded m seizing the Town Hall, which was immediately re-taken by the loyalists, and the rebels had to surrender. Fifty persons altogether were killed. The country is tranquil.

AUSTRALIAN

[Received February 2. 11 a.m.] FEDERATION. Sydney, February 2. The "Sydney Morning Herald," commenting on Sir G. Grey's speech on Federation, says his views commend themselves to the soberminded as a possible, if not the most probable evo lution of the political and social forces moving m all countries occupied by the' English speaking race.

LABOR QUESTIONS.

Melbourne, February 2. The Strike Committee's report re commends that trade unions should form an Australian federation of labor, establish a defence fund, and abolish exclusive entrance- fees.

San Francisco M ail.

• [pee, press association] Auckland, February 2. The Mariposa, from San Francisco, ar rived at 11.30 to-day. Her passengers for New Zealand, are—Messrs 0. Sisseny aid wife, C^ Wild, F. Merrie, C. Longfellow, M. Green, J. Desborough and wife, D. Wilkinson, G. Cooke, 'Rev Mr Silver, Mrs Davis,- and eleven steerage. The steamer had splendid weather on her pas sage. At Samoa she landed Dr Fslip Hampberg, Secretary to Chief Justice Cederkrantz. On 24th ult, Arnold Durer, a steerage passenger, a Swiss, died of acute rheumatism, and was buried at sea.

The Weather.

ALKORD STATION The following is the Meteorological report for the week ending February Ist ■ 1891:—

Mr E. G. Stericker, Timaru, reports .< as follows:—The weather during January has been " freaky," hot and cold,by turns for short spaces. The warmest day wa"s the 6th, when the thermometer rose to 80 deg. m the shade. It is a number of years since we had so much rain m January ; rain fell on ten days, a total of 5"85 inches, on the 26th 2-86 inches fell. This abundance of rain has set up the pastures, and given promise of a fine turnip crop. In January last year rain, fell on 12 days, a total of 1.04 inches.

The Rifle Champion.

Mr Charles Kruse was born m Germany m the year 1853, and commenced his shooting career when eighteen years of age, being connected with rifle clubs ever sinc3. In the years ,1872-^ he.attended the great annual prize firing competitions m Switzerland, the last year with some success. He served through the Franco- Prussian war, and was present at the battles of Worth and Sedan, the fall of Metz, and the siege of Paris, being under fire on many occasions. After that he went to Africa, and while m British Kaffraria did some excellent shootins, winning about £37 m prise money and the district championship- He came to New Zealand m 1874, landing at Wellington, and the first meeting there was his first 1 success with the Martini-Henri rifle. Some time after this Mr Kruse came to Wanga nui, and from 1885 up to the present time he has been most assiduous m practice, never missing an opportunity of putting m an appearance at the range, and always i shooting consistently and with accuracy m \ the different local company competitions. One of his best performances of late, pre- I vious to attending Napier, was making a score one morning at long range • equal to the possible on the Wimbledon target. He is the eighteenth winner of the Champion Belt, and is entitled to hold ife for one year. In demeanour ib would be hardly possible to. imagine a more un assuming man than the champion, and' this, together with the fact that he is always willing to impart knowledge to young and aspiring marksmen, has in deared him to hosts of friends.—"Wan ganui Herald "

Cocoanut Butter.

Success appears to have followed the in troduction of this new food, as the demand for itin Germany is greater than the supply from the factory at Mannheim, the only one which has produced ithitherto. So profit able has its manufacture proved that it is said that the shareholders have received a dividend of 56 per cent, on the first year's business. Another factory is to be started at once m Belgium, and before long, if thte supply ofi cocoanut oil proves sufficient, this vegetable, butter is likely, to i!ie ujade, on an extensive kg^o- For, nwnyiyearsj the c.ocoanut* oil has been se,nt froih th» Inches and, 4,frJQa, £0, JJuroDe pn, a^

THF ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1891



• feiaade. |

i High in Sun.

Date.

Low. High 41- 56' 35- TO SS- 85 --- 76 --33.' 83 --43. 73 --- 60.'

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Monday ...

Cuesday . Wednesday Lhursday... Friday ... Saturday ... Sunday .!

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Rainfall during Jam '©rest, 7'2oin ; Alford Stai

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apP^{«'^ 'Ke b«st nseaicm? known is SANDER and SONS' WaLYW WWT. Test its eminent powerful S<fc«te W W«gH C(?ld? iuHuenza, etc.-the relief is «?? tanlanpous, TlJLwids give the most «^,f™ t<*ta mony. His Majesty the King ot Italy, and medical aynfltefttes all over the globe are Us ritr n s head the official reports thataccoin bottle. Moslem M.D., Professor University, Griefswald, repot* tj- The Eucalypti Extract proved magnificently sue, U m very severe contusions, bruises. BFtil «, *yWls, scaWmga, broken ribs and lini'M ' ('*AM»(*J Journal," Nov., ISBI. Tn diseases of .tl'ip-ktfiMW,^tbev actl™ COIV "ostion or suppresaiQ.il, (»««* «jr albunn Sum dropsy, lithargy, notmng wltt oq^l Kwtioil Eucalypti E*'™* ive tosix d«,p«. Hosier, M.D.,'Professor, ■University, <irioh»v*M, reports :—Diphthe ria Tonsils continually oolicrout presenting ulcers with white exudats. (jurea m four teandays, Surgical Clinic of Prof. M'ln.tyre, College of Physicians and Surgeons, St. Louib-^Sciurhus' vt Breast-Excision fcuca ivwtj Extract employed. No swelling, heat, 4^fe<><>lwa:tjo», . Cured m fourteen days; -AttY* 1 '. .- - - f



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Wanted < CASH Ad erfcisetne-ats under this heading not exceeding SIXTEEN WORDS 1/-. Addresses tnay be Irft atjhip 01^22 -TTNOTT I T7"KOTT I TT^NOTT I J\.NOTT 1 JIVNOTT I I\.NOTT 1 Mr J. Rnott is coming. 2|l STEPHENS' BROS.' Market House 3 have secured for this district the iol« riyht of selling the JJangra Valley Company's Tea. 1 166 MRS F. MAKEIG, Wnkanui Road West, Resume* Lessons inPiano forte and Singing, on MONDAY, Feb. 2nd. 1t166 the Great Drapery Sale now on X «t H. C. Seoekx. P" R^SEN^/r-AlTnoWera of Tickets will oblige by bringing them m as soon ns possible. - H. C. Segeus, Melford House. ■ /POOLING and invigorating Ice Cream V_/ as made by H. G. Flower, Con fectioner, East Street. WANTED Known—Some special lines m choice Dress-Goods at very low prices showing at " The Corner." "\T7 ANTED Known—The "Strong VV wear " Boot is the best for Mens .'ladies and Children. —W. H. Collier. QHGERS' Clearing Sale m all Depart O ments now on. One trial solicited. —Melford House. ANTED Known - The Cheapest Shop to buy Tinware and Gal vnnised Iron goods m Ashburton, is at "VV. F. Hannaforij's, Burnett Street. A arge stack kept on hand. Tin and Iron Ware goods made and repaired with des 'fttCA. : __ j . WANTED every man m the County to have a suit of the Ashburton Tweeds. —Robert Alcorn, . Ashburton Clothing Mart, Saunder's Buildings. BOOTS, BOOTS. " Keep you/ feet Dry and save Doctor's Bills, have a splendid Stock m now. Try my Double-soled Shooters. Every pair Guaranteed. Robert Alcorn, Ashbur ton. TTALENTINES fVALENTINES ! at V L. F. Andrewes & Co. Just opened up a Large and Varied ment to suit everybody. Sale of surplus Sto«k shortly when Books, Stationery, Fancy Goods, &c, &c, will he offered at GREAT REDUCTIONS. L F. ANDRE WES & Co.