The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1892. THE FRUIT GROWING IN DUSTRY.

During the recent visit of the Minis ter. ,d£?Agriculture and some of his colleagues to the Auckland .district, the fruit-growing industry, which has obtained great dimensions there, came m fora considerable share of atten tion. • Mr McKenzie was very favor ably impressed with the excellent pros pects of the cultivation of the finer kinds of fruit, and undertook, to con sider m what way the industry could be best encouraged. Of course the fruit-growers were, not backward m their requests for support and en couragemont, and their: ideas as to the manner and extent of the assistance that they considered they were entitled to claim from the Government were as Various as they were comprehensive. A substantial measure of protection against imported fruit was one of their demands, a^d it was snpported by very mighty argument. It is unfortu nately a fact that the rate of inter colonial freight affords no protection, to the native grown ; fruit is brought from Sydney and Tasmania to Wel lington and Southern ports at a lower freight than is charged from Auck land. The inland railway rates, too, are prohibitively high, and must be re formed if fruit-growing is to prosper. This it is within the power of the Go vernment to effect, Commissioners not withstanding ; but the coastal rates are beyond the control of the Government, and the only hope m that direction is from the promised competition of the new Australasian shipping company. Protection by a heavy tariff upon i foreign fruitwiil not be tolerated by the. consuming as distinguished from the: producing districts. With the ex-1 ception of apples, which are cheap enough everywhere for a month or two m the year, all kinds sof fruit are at present retailed at prices which place it beyond the general reach, and the public will not submit to the price being made still higher by a heavy import duty. It is contended that a protective duty would encourage the systematic culture of fruit on a large scale, but this is a process which is working itself out under present conditions. The Minister has already acceded to the request that an officer skilled m fruit culture should be em ployed to visit the fruit-growing dis tricts and instruct the growers as to the best sorts to grow, the best method of culture, the different systems of stor ing preserving fruit, and so on, and the effect of this will be that instead of the tnarkets being glutted with common fmits for a «ow ™-00lr S anc \ bare for the rest of the year, there will be regular supplies of good fruit all the year round, at prices which, while profitable to the grower, will be within the reach of all classes of consumers. The taxa tion of fruit trees, to which we recently made reference, should be removed. It is universally recognised that any body who plants a tree and tends it to maturity deserves well of the country, and it is certainly inequitable that he should be taxed on his good act. The plea for a bonus on the planting of fruit-bearing trees, while not likely to be favorably entertained, is more worthy of consideration than that for a protective duty. The English market has been opened to our apples with a certain degree of success, which will be increased as a better knowledge of the most suitable sorts to ship is obtained and acted upon, but the greatest desideratum is a reduction of the inland and coastal rates of freight, so that when fruit is sold away from the place of production the whole proceeds may not be eaten up by charges. Then the fruit-growing industry may be carried on with success.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The vital statistics tor the Aghburton district for January are:— Birfcha, 17 ; deaths, 8 j Marriages, 2. Competent authorities assert that tea is the beat restorative for horses, the animals being quit* revived after a drink of weak tea with milk and gugar. Two boys named James Jackson and W. P. Brown, have escaped from the Burnham Industrial School, and the authorities will be glad to hear of their whereabouts. Floriculturists will be interested m hearing that half a million pansies, one hundred thousand roses, and a million other flowers will be seen at the Chicago Exposition. Signalling by jewellery is the latest fashion. Brooches, pins, and other articles will signify such questions as ♦'•Shall we keep company ?" and are said to open un funded prospects for the non-proposing sex, A medicament more powerful than quinine m counteracting fevers is «aid to have been discovered m Mexico; it is a plant called the pompolano, the root of which contains a substance analagous to qui nine. The Wellington Rifle Association have decided to abandon their annual prize meet iug this year, so as not to interfere witli the canvassing for the larger gathering of the JSTew Zealand Rifle Association, which takes place m March. Among a multitude of good things Pr Wendell Holmes has said pone better than this—" The human race is divided into two classes—Those who go ahead and do some thing, aud those who sit still and inquire " Why wasn't is done the other way '!" According to the " M'opdville Examiner," the search for missing stock m that neigh bourhood lias revealed a branding j/ard m an isolated spot m the Alangahao Valley. Muph stock has been iriteed m the district, -md it is supposed they have been rebramled there and sold. i The "Wairarapa Daily" declines to exonerate the police from blame for the de plorable failure of justice which it says feas taken place m regard to the Pa,hiatua poisoning ease. It urges Government to appoint a special Commission of competent pefs'ofls to conduct a further enquiry.

The Hoitiguttural Society's Committee meets to-morrW (Tuesday) evening at eight o'clock at theArcade',Cham 1-><!'■", and, m this connection, we are requested t\> remind mem- ! tiers that it is, especially desirable, m view of ( the approaching date? of tlie Show, that all subscriptions and money prizes should be pnid m before the meeting. ' The ups and clowns of colonial life are exemplified m the experience of towns as well as of individuals. A place called Silver ton, m New South Wales, m October 1886, had over 3000 inhabitants, and m that year it raised itself into a municipality and elected a mayor and nine aldermen. Nowit his only 600, and the number is still dwindling. The nine aldermen still remain however. ' • ; The postal authorities notify that oti and after Monday next, Ist February, the tariff for ordinary telegrams will be one shilling for the first twelve words and one penny for each additional word, only six words will be allowed free for address anri signature. Delayed telegrams half theou rates; that is to say twelve words for sixpence, and a halfpeny for each additional word. At the Police Court this morning, before Messrs Reesi and Harrison, Justices of the Peace, Henry Cavell, who had been guilty of disorderly conduct while drunk m Cass street on Saturday, was fined 103, or forty eight hours' imprisonment, with costs. Mr Harrison remarked strongly on the indecency of the man's behaviour, and said that had he been alone on the bench lie would have sent prisoner to gabl for seven days. On Saturday mornuigMr Harriaon.fined two first offenders 5s each for drunkenness. James -Sterek, a labourer on the Otag» Central Railway near Taieri Lake Station, committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor on Friday night. The deceased appeared to have suffered great pain inter nally, and had expressed a wish that God would take his life! While being attended to by his mates he seized a razor and cut his throat, pointing to that part of his body where the pain was. Death was almost instantaneous. The deceased was married, a native of Sweden, about forty-seven years of age, and had been m the colony some twenty years. He had no children. His wife resides at Balfour, Southland. The proposal made by the Postal Depart ment as to the methoi of carrying on the English mail services has met with the approval of the London Post Office autho rities, and is now being acted upon. Mails are therefore being despatched via Sydney from Auckland and Wellington, and brought from Melbourne to the Bluff by such of the Union Company's steamers as will conve niently connect with the Orient and P. and O. vessels that carry on the Australian Federal Service. 1 Specially addressed cor respondence can be sent by the direct steamers as long as they keep up their present arrangements as to length of voyage; but the monthly San Francisco service and the mails sent by way of Australia will be those mainly depended upon by the Depart- | ment for ordinary purposes. * One of the most noted women of the Dominion, of Canada has recently died. Cleophee Tefcu, or Sister Therese, as she was commonly called, was the daughter of a French-Canadian notary. She entered the Order of Sisters of Providence when twenty, m 1844. Eight years later she was sent with another nun to relieve the spiritual and temporal wants of Indians m the Far West, her travels on that occasion including a journey on horseback almost to the Pacific coast, m a region where no white woman had been before. In 1866 she was made general treasurer of the whole Order, and soon after laid the foundation of the immense insane asylum which was burnt down, with one hundred of its inmates, early last year. Sister Therese waS mother superior 0f... this establishment till her death. Among her. patients atone time was the famous Louis Riel, afterwards hanged for the North-west Rebellion of 18S5. There was very nearly a case of premature cremation m Kulu a few days back, (says an Indian paper.) A Hindoo had to all appear ance died, but as it was getting late his relatives delayed burning the corpse until nest morning. As the corpse was being carripol to the river side to burn, it suddenly sat bolt upright on the V»lcr, demanded its clothes, and wanted to know where it was being carried. The bearers, believing that an evil spirit had reanimated the body, dropped it, and fled panic-struck, In fact, the whole funeral procession resolved itself into an impromptu cross-country scurry chat was not included m the original pro gramme. The corpse at last succeeded m unwinding itself, and walked off home m search of its raiment. The mourners, who had looked on from a *ale distance, at last began to think there might have been some mistake, and followed. Much to their horror, the ex-corpse refused to have any thing more to do with them, and then and there renounced. Hindooism and all its works, and declaring itself Mahomedan m future, walked off to make its formal profession of Islam, A truly wonderful case has just been placed on record by a. surgeon (says the London correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian"). A boy was shot with a revolver, the bullet entering the forehead just above the left eye, and he was believed to have been killed. However, the surgeon on being summoned probed the wound, and detected plainly the presence of the bullet. As soon as the latter was touched it could be felt to move backwards. This was followed by a twitching of the limbs, respira tion, and signs generally of returning life. The third day afterwards the boy became conscious, but he had no recollection of, what had happened. Within three months he was able to be up, and some paralytic symptoms which had resulted from the accident had to a large extent disappeared. Before the injury he was able to read, write, and do ordinary sums m arithmetic, but on recovery he had lost all recollection of the alphabet, and had to learn it over again. Remarkable, however, as it may seem, his capacity fop calculation has increased ten fold. Ultimately he made a perfect recovery, his health being completely restored. He lived for nine years aijd a half with the bullet lodged m his brain, and then died m consequence of a blow received on the opposite side of the head to that of the original accident. On examination after death the bullet was found embedded, m h*B brain.

From places beyond the cosay letters ( addressed as follows were received at the Ashburton Post Office daring the month of December, *nd were still unclaimed on February 1:--E. W. Newman, Mrs Sargent, Arch. MoConnick, Curton, Sarney, and (Jo,, Mrs R. Capon, J. Ctissell, and W. G. Ross. While returning home from Ashburton lo Lagmhor on Saturday evening, Mr Donald McLean and Bruckshaw, the groom who was driving him, met with a rather serious accident. Some part of die harness of tlte horse and gig gave way and the gig upset, throwing both heavily out. Mr McLean fell on his head and was rendered insensible for some time, and the driver sustained dislocation of one of his shoulders, both sufferers being severely shaken. Bpth are progressing favourably. The Napier "News" says :— It is positively lamentable tbafc no interest seems to be shown m the matter of r,he taking of stops to stamp out the codlin moth m this p-ovince. The apple crop this year is simply rained, and all because nothing m the shape of combined effort > has been made to deal with the scourge. There is no use iv one or two orchardists making efforts. One neglectful creature can breed enough of the pest to supply all his neighbours. Legislation is the only thing for it, and we hope to see some of our members moving m the matter next session. With reference to the Pahiatua poisoning case the " Woodville Examiner " under stands that the police have m their posses sion further very important evidence which did not come out at the inquest last night, but which will be available m the event of a Magisterial enquiry being held. It is now almost certain that there was more than one' person m the diabolical business, but of course it is not yet definitely known who these people are, though the police have strong suspicions, grounded on a chain of circumstantial evidence. The chain of evidence is not yet complete enough to warrant an arrest, but it is understood that the matter is steadily being cleared up, and the police are gaining grotmd. ; It has been finally settled by the Court of Cassation, the highest tribunal m France, that a priest summoned as a witness m a criminal trial is not bound to give evidence as to matters which have come to his know ledge through the confession of members of his, flock, even though the confession is not made m the regular way at the confessional. Last August a man shot another m the village of Pont Farcy, m the Department of the Calvados, from motives of jealousy." The vicar of Pont Farcy was asked at the Assize Court whether it was not a fact that before the crime was committed the wife of the murderer went to him, told him that she had confessed her infidelity to her husband, and asked him to use his influence with the latter to induce him not to leave his home. On the, priest refusing to answer, he was sentenced by the Judge to a fine of 100 francs. It is this condemnation which has been reversed on appeal. ;. Hollo way's Ointment and Pills.—The combined ill effects of over-crowding, seden tary 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, in digestion, and various forms of skin diseases. Holloway's remedies are of priceless value ro persons ot this class, for they cari be used without entailing loss of work, being purely vegetable m their compositions, and conse quently act without harshness on *;he most delicate system. The experience of more than forty years proves that no means surpass Holloway's remedies for curing bad legs, bad breasts, piles, and wounds of all kinds.

LATEST GABLE NEWS.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

(per press association.)

(Received February 1, 10.20 a.m.)

THE AUSTRALASIAN SQUADRON.

London, January 30. Tbe " Observer" advocates handing over the Colonial fleet to the Aus tralian Colonies at an earlier date than now intended, also recommends the addition of a junior naval establish merit to the Sydney station.

MAN OF WAR ASHORE.

The ironclad Victoria, 10,470 tons, flagship of the Mediterranean squadron, is ashore near Platea, on. the Greek ooast, A warship and several lighters have left Malta for the scene of the disaster.

GERMAN EDUCATION.

Berlin, January 31. After the scene m the Prussian Diet, Herr Yon Caprivi assumed a more conciliatory tone, and the Education Bill was referred to a committee.

LABOR QUESTIONS.

The Berlin printers have resolved to join the social democrats, owing to the failure of their own organisation to relieve them from the shackles of capital.

ELECTION RIOTS IN HUNGARY

Buda Pesth, January 31. Six persons were killed and thirty wounded m riots during the Hungarian elections.

PORTUGUESE FINANCES.

Lisbon, January 31. Fresh taxation will be introduced to provide for the deficit shown by the Budget, It will m all amount to five millions sterling. The King foregoes one fifth of his civil list.

RUSSIAN AFFAIRS.

St. Peteksburg, January 31. The Temstros (provincial assemblies) have issued a manifesto denouncing the indifference of society m general to the ravages of the famine. It accuses the Government of filling the gaols and Siberia with suspects, and robbing the country to benefit Alexander 11. They demand a conference of elected representatives of the country, as the only means of averting a revolution.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Received February 1, 11.30 a.m.)

OBITUARY.

Sydney, February 1. Lady Hay, widow of the late Sir John Hay is dead.

FORGERIES BY NOUMEAN CONVICTS.

A series of clever forgeries p^rpe tuate.d on residents of Noumea by liberated convicts have come to light. Large sums of money were obtained from the victims. Three of the con victs escaped to Australia; one wa§ arrested here fpd anqther m Mel bourne

THE TEKAPO.

The Tekapo was not injured by her a.ccident.

THE VICTORIAN RAILWAYS.

Melbourne , January 28, Jj:, j.s believed the railway revenue Will'fall £80f1,090 beW the expendi ture, Further reductiqnsf will b,e ?»acf§ m the staffs »nd it is possibly rates will Jmve to be increased.

TELEGRAPHIC.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

PBK, PRESS ASSOCIATtOiI

LABOR QUESTIONS.

London, January 7. Before the Royal Commission of Labour, Mr S. Plimsoll, President of the Seamen's Union, gave evidence of a sensational .character regarding the deck loading of ocean going Vessels. He also declared that the rood sup plied to the sailors on,.board ships was unfit .for consumption, and that m case of " ocean tramps," not only was the food bad, but fraudulent insurances were often effected; on both vessel and cargo. Tom McCarthy, of the 'Dockers' Union, also gave evidence of an im portant nature, m the course of which he assured the Commission that if the introduction of the eight hours prin ciple failed to absorb the unemployed, the labor party would use every endeavour to have the length of the day's work reduced to-six, four, or even two hours if necessary. ' ; Six thousand engineers on the Tyne and Wear have struck work m order to support the Jarro'w engineers m their demands with regard to payment

THE NEW SOUTH WALES LABOR PARTY. London, January 29. Writing to the Cdntemporary Re view," Sir Henry Parkes says that the Labor party in New South Wales Par liament is demoralised and shattered under the tutelage of the Protectionists, and the party, as it was understood at the time of the general elections, no longer exists in the House. PRINCE GEORGE'S HEALTH. The state of Prince George's health occasions some uneasiness. THE NEW ZEALAND COM MANDANT. Captain Francis Pox, the newly appointed Commandant of the New Zealand forces, is suffering from in fluenza. It was originally his inten tion to sail for the colonies by the Arcadia on February 5, but his illness has compelled him to await the depar ture of the Ballarat. : COLONIAL FINANCE.

W estgarth s circular states that the New South Wales Government made a mistake m placing their Treasury Bills privately and expresses the opinion that they would have realised more if they had been offered publicly. The term of the Queensland Treasury Bills has been altered to one year, so that they may yield- a per centage of: 4^. ; City bankers declare that many in investors instructed the brokers to dis pose of their colonial stock, but there were no buyers. Denial is given to the statement that the South Australian Government are offering bonds, and it is explained that the arrival of Sir J. C. Bray, the new Agent-General for the colony, is awaited before any decision, will be come to m the matter. The " Statist." declares that the only way m which the Australian colonies can i^tnove the suspicion of improper expenditure is by abstaining from borrowing for two years.

AUSTRALIAN CULTURE. Professor Strong contributes an article to the " Pall Mall Gazette," in which he defends the cultured classes of Victoria from the attacks of Mr Francis Adams of Melbourne. COLLAPSE OP A FASTER. Sueci, the Italian faster s has failed in his self-imposed task of fasting for fifty days. He collapsed on the forty fourth day. IMPERIAL POLITICS. The Gladstone Party ate arranging to refuse to vote Government supplies beyond a short- period with a view to compelling them to fix the general elections for midsummer. Mr Morton, Secretary of the Home Rule Union, writing to the " Con temporary Review," declares that the Colonies are unreservedly in favour of Home Rule being granted to Ireland.

THE AUSTRIAN MURDERS.

Vienna, January 29. The Schneiders, man and wife, have been sentenced to death for murdering a number of servant girls under revolt ing circumstances.

TUB JESUITS.

Berlin, January 29. Prussia has refused to readmit Jesuits into the country. EDUCATION IK GERMANY. Excited debates have taken place in the Prussian Diet on the Education Bill, which, if passed, the Government propose to use as a weapon against the spread of atheism. The National Liberals and Radicals are opposed to | the measure. Count Caprivi, the Imperial Chan cellor, made a powerful speech in sup j port of the Bill. He was loudly hissed on resuming his seat, whereupon Ministers withdrew from the Chamber, and the sitting of the Diet was brought to an abrupt termination.

HUNGARIAN POLITICS.

Buda Pesth, January 29. The Hungarian general elections have scarcely altered the political situ ation.

THE POPE.

Rome, January 29. A semi-official announcement states that the Pope is over-worked, but his health is fairly good.

MENACING A BRITISH GUN BOAT.

Hojsg Rono, January 2.9. A Chinese Brigadier, while reviewing troops at Tchang, kept a battery turned on the British gunboat Esfe, and so menacing was his attitude that the commander of the vessel reiqoustr^cd with him through th,e Odnsul.

AUSTRALIAN.

THE LABOR MEMBERS.

Sydney, January 3G. The Laboy Electoral Conference has 1 cfecitfed to recommend the various branches to call upon the members who were recalcitrant during the recent crisis to resign their seats, THE TEKAPO AGROUND. The, Tekapp remained hard/a.n4 f¥^ at high tide, 1 and Her parget i$ being dis

•■• ..:■" j Sydney, January 31. The Union Company's ss. Tekapo, which went ashore near Newcastle, has been floated ofF. It is believed she has ) not sustained any injury. LOST AT SEA. z/Jlelandei1,. mate of the Welcome, which has arrivecl; from Kaipara, was I washed overboard during a £ale on I Friday night and drowned. He was' well known in the New Zealand steam trade. THE NEW HEBRIDES. Sir Samuel Griffiths has interviewed Mr Dibbs on the New Hebrides ques tion. Both agreed that the' Presby terian authorities'should-appeal to the President of the United States, and induce him to come tb an understand^ J ing with the other .Powers iniorder to ' stop the practice of making spirits and, firearms the medium of exchange be tween traders and natives. The French and German Governments have intimated their willingness to adopt a similar regulation to the one suggested by the British, but the United States has declined to concur, and while this is so Germany and France hold back.

THE ROTOMAHANA.

Laiisceston, January 30. The liotomahana, which went ashore m the river Tamar, has been floated off uninjured.

THE BANK OF VAN DIEMAN'S LAND.

Hobart, January 30. At a meeting of the creditors of the Bank of Van Piemen's Land, the chair man intimated that the creditors would, be paid m full.

SIR W. ROBINSON.

Perth (W.A.), January 30. Sir W. Robinson, the Governor, has accepted the Agent-Generalship of Western Australia at a salary of £1500 per annum.

WEST AUSTRALIAN PROS PERITY. The Treasurer's Financial Statement is of a glowing'description, the;revenue for the year exceeding the estimate by £53,000, and the expenditure being less by £10,000 than the estimate. The balance to credit at the end of the year was £109,000. The estimated balance for the current year is £40,000. It is intended to raise the balance of the loan as soon as possible and prose cute the construction of public works.

ENGLAND v. AUSTRALIA.

CRICKET.

(PER PRBSS. ASSOCIATION.)

Sidney.' January 31. In their first innings, Lord Sheffield's team pub together 306. Grace, one of the not out men of 1 the previous day, only added 1 to his score, making *i total of 20. Abel, who had 15 to his credit when stumps were drawn on Friday, carried his bat out for 132. The other principal scorers were—Sharpe 26, StoddarL 27, Briggs 28. Turner took two wickets fur 90, two for 45, Tiott two for 42. Giffen four for 88: At the close of the day's play the Australians had lost one wicket for one run. There was a very large attendance of the public during the daj.

THE WEATHER.

ALB'ORI) STATION.

The following is the Meteorological report for the" week ending January 31, 1892:— ;

Rainfall during January :—Alford Forest, 7"52 inches; Alford Station, 326 inches.

SPORTING.

C.O.C. MIDSUMMER MEETING.

RicdAjiTON, January 3<X The following events'were decided after we went to press on Saturday :—,". r'' Midsummee Handicap, of 200 * soys ; second horse 20 soys from the stake; :j One mile and» half. : : Cruchfield, 7st 131 b ... (Derrett) ,1 Merrie England, 9st lib... (Clark) 2 Prime Warden, Bst 71b ... (Allen) 3 Morpheus Bsc 31b,Palliser Bst'2lbv TKe Dreamer 7st 101 b, Bay Kini,' 7st 71b, Ilium 6stl3lb, Coinage 6stl2lb, Tassy 6st 101 b, and Tom Field 6st 71b (car. 6st 91b) also started. Cruchfield won all out by three-quarters of a length from Merrie England, Prime Warden the same distance away third, Ilium fourth. Bay King fifth, and Tassy last. Time—2min ' 39sec. ; Dividend —£4 ss. ■ Selling Race, of 50 soys. ; Six fur longs.-Missile, 7st7lb, l;GHenlora, 7sfc, 2; Dialetera, 6st 121 b, 3. Dandenong, EuphrOsyne, Erin*go-Bragh and Cocks foot also started, Euphrosyne was left at the post, and Missile won very easily. Time—lmiii 16|secs. Dividend—£6 6s 6d. The winner was not sold. Craven Plate, of 100 soys. Seven furlongs.—Heather Bell, 7st 91b, 1; Ilium, 7st 4lb, 2 j Prime Warden, Bst 121 b, 3. Cajolery, Ruby, Regina, Breadalbane, Carronade, May, and Lady Sockburn also started. Won by three-quarters of a length. Ruby broke down during the race. Time—limn. 29f-sec. Dividend— £4 2s 6d. Interval Stakes, of 30 soys. One mile.—Fairchild 1, Dialetera 2, Lady Stockburn 3. Truro, and Glenlor» a 2 SO started. Won easily. Tinig-»l m m 4435w Dividend-£lloa • Post Stakes!, of 50 soys. One mile.— May, 6st 71b, 1; The Dreamer, Bst 91b, 2- Quibble, Bst 31b, 3. Bay King, Inez, Yon Tempsky, Cocksfoot, Dandenong, and Corn Rose also started, . A goocl laoe. ,May won all o^t by half a length; Quibble a g<x>d third. Time—lmin 45sec. Dj,viaend-~£lo. The totalisator investments for the day amounted to £3269.

The Best Remedy fob Indigestion — Norton's Camomile. Pills are eonfidenty ; recommended s$ a simple remedy for I Indigestion, which is the cause of nearly all the diseases to which we are subjects ; Norton's Pills, with justice ca]kd the 'Natural Strcngthencr of the Human ; Stomach," act as a powerful tonic and gentle perient, are ijaild m their operation, and safe under airy, circumstances. Sold m hottles, at Is ljd, 2s 9d, 11s, by all medicine vendors throughout the world.* "Keating'a Powdek" destroys Bugs, Fleas, Motha, Beetles, and all other insects whilst quite harmless to domestic animals. In exterminating Beetles the success of this powder is extraordinary. It is perfectly clean m application. See the you purchase is " Kkatin^'s,"' as imitations are ' odious and inelieetual. Sold m Tins, 6d, Js ajid 2s %l each, by- all chemists. ! Ask for Uinian, Hyslop, and Co. s! Imperial new seasons Pure Ceylon, and j TudiwTMWi Special pio««,~.(A4\'t,) '

COUNTY COUNCIL.

WATER SUPPLY MEETING.

A meeting of the Ashburton County Council av;ih held on Thursday last to consider applications for water aer'vice.s. Present —Mesars Wright, Friedlander, Coster, McMillan, and Brown—-Mr Wright presiding, who apologised for the Chairman's absence. TON!) SEUVICES. The following wore granreil fond services, on tho usual condition", and Hmr thi si-rvices commence on April I next, 1 soven NJiiliiugs and sixntmeo each to ho[ ; charged fuv the remainder'of tho year for j maintenance charges: —Messrs Duncan Cameron, Climes; Methven ; MoTlraith Bros, Methven ; R. Alcorn, Dromoro. | loop lim:k. i Loop lines were granted as under : — Messrs P. Cunningham, Cherlsey ; M- Griffin, sseafield (fo he closed when found necessary by the Council); Harry Smith ; George Harrison, Kyle (subject to con-' sent of neighbors—the Council to canvass those interested ;)W. O'Grady, Lauriston; E. M. .Jackson, Chortsey; Fox and others, Mount Somers (subject to appli cants signing agreement to pay all costs, rates, and maintenance, whether the races bo on the road, or en their respective properties); Methven township and Morton's block, Menhven. The applica tion of Mi'-T. Carroll, Chertsey, was not granted. HOtTSB SERVICE. A house service was granted to the Rev John Holland, Rakaia. POSTPONEMENTS. The application of Messrs Todd and others, Seafield, and .John Holmes, Meth ven, were postponed until, next meeting. WATER BACK DISTRICTS. A special order to form water race dis tricts as at presenb was agreed to. NOTICE Otf MOTION, Mr Coster gave notice to move on February 5, —"That the auxiliary main from Winchmore to Drcinore, as recom mended by the Engineer, be undertaken, and the cost thereof be charged to the Rakaia plains water supply district." HAMFHTEAO WATER SUPPLY. The Engineer was instructed to report to the next meeting of the Council, on the question of a water supply for Hamp stead, as requested by Mr Brown ; and it was decided fco make application to the Borough Council for permission to take che necessary supply from race at north east corner of Town Belt. This was all the business.

FATAL ACCIDENT.

THE INQUEST.

Ah the inquest on Saturday afternoon, held m the house of MrW. J. Crooks, on the body of the lad William Crooks who lost his life by a fall from a cart he was driving on Saturday morning, Mr W. G. Rees, J.P.. was Coroner, and Mr W. de B. Cotnpton, foreman of a jury of six. The ..facts adduced m tho evidence were m the main similar to those given m our account of the accident. The witnesses examined were Messrs William John Crooks, father of the deceased ; William Miles, a young man who saw the accident occur, and who gave his evidence with much clearness ; F. B. Wilmshurst, who assisted the lad to the side walk ; and Dr Tweed who stated that death had been caused by internal hemorrhage, proceeding from rupture of the liver or kidneys—perhaps both. The jury returned a vfcrdict of 'accidental death. v

The Victoria Agent- Generalship.

The intended appointment of Mr Munro as Agent-General is hot viewed with favor (says the Dunedin " Star "correspondentl, and m certain Melbourne circles feeling runs very tn>h on the subject. Indeed, it is quite possible that before the ap pointment is made on February 16; when Sir Graham Berry's term expires, an in dignation meeting of the public will be held. It is urged that the disqualifications of Mr Munro loom larger than his quali fications for the post. As Treasurer he has done his best to damage the credit of the colony by insisting on a distorted view of the financial position, and by con tinually harping on the depleted condi tion of the. Treasury. . He has acted the part of the bird which fouls its own nest, and he is, therefore, not likely to figure well as an emissary from the colony specially charged to obtain money from the English lender, at a low rate of interest. Then he is man awkward posi ; tion so far as his private affairs are con -1 cerned. He has been prominently associated with financial and other institutions which have turned out con spicuous failures; and his financial posi tion is such that it is necessary for certain people to come to his assistance to enable him to leave the colony. If his affairs were wound up he could not pay anything like 20s m the £, and he is, to all intents and purposes, bankrupt. Is it likely that such a man will stand well m the eyes of (he English people ? 'Moreover, will there not be a strong temptation continually before him to 1 get money to bolster up the various institutions with which ho is connected. Exception has been taken to Sir Graham Berry playing the role of." guinea-pig," which means j allowing his name to be associated with directorates for the sake of the fees payable to, him. Is Mr Munro likely to stand aloof from private speculations, and devote his attention solely to his legitimate duties as Agent-General? These are the thoughts which naturally arise m connection with Mr Munro's nomination for the appointment, and when it is considered that from a social point of view he has. no advantages on his side, the feeling of indignation which has arisen can well be understood. Of oourse there would be dissatisfaction on the part of' some-sections of the'..eommunity no matter who was seleoted for the position ; but the proposed appointment of Mr Munro meets with wholesale condemn* tion. Tho manner m which th» nomina tion has been brought ab^ - freely criticised. It is ff>;; en oufc that Mr Mimro I never thou* at of taking tne p oS ition until' s''l*oflgly pressed by his colleagues to do so j but there is every indication that he . has bad it "m his eye" for some considerable time back.,

Dead Two Days a Week.

In a humble cottage situated m the picturesque suburbs*of Tiflis lives and dies one of the most eccentric human beings whose shadows have ever darkened the terrestrial sod. He is a bedridden young man of ordinary education, who, for years unable to leave his house or his room, has lately taken to dying regularly every Saturday of his life, and returning to this vale of tears on the following Monday morning a wiser and a sadder man. The sources. of his increased wisdom are the sights and sounds of i:'" the other world," m which he passes days out of his seven m mysterious ■ occupations, the nature of which he has j not yet thought proper to divulge j and ! the foundation of his sadness is the fatal I Book of the Recording Angel, m which he reads the names of the sins committed by all his friends and acquaintances. The latter allegation, (says the correspondent of the" Telegraph ") is, of course, oapablo of being verified, and, unfortunately for the young man's friendsand! acquaintances, has been verified often enough to establish his reputation'; and to blast theirs, for theirs is a subject on which he is more communicative or talks with greater unction th»R that of the sins T ' '■ ......

and peccadilloes of his neighbors/- The most, curious pare of the story is that, accused us some of them have been, not so much of grievous sins m of heinous crimes which may send them fco Siberia, they all fearfully plead .guilty ,to the charges and beseech liira to pray 'fur for giveness for them. Nor is tins all. To persons whom he sees for the first time m his life he also makes known the long CcUaldtruo of their sins and iniquities, ■indent-, 'mil ineent, without over seeming lo nrnkp tho .slightest mistake. Nothing 'ike it h-.s been seen m tho Caucasus wnce tho romol^ days of Si,. Nina. The houso of hi. Tatmrcili (so this "dying :prophet 'is called) has become a sort o*f Christian Mecca, to which tens, niiy scores of thousands aro wending their way from all corners .of. the Caucasus— Armenmnrt, Georgians, Ossentianian*, 1/ezghians—all curious, and many re ■penifinh. .Tho local authorities, whom no mn-ncle would surprise, "look rather | {■youmbly on the young man ; but visit Him only..one -by ono after his weekly return from the shades. Even a Russian newspaper correspondent who visited him latejy m a cynical mood came bnck with the cold perspiration standing m large beads on his brow, a firm believer m tho hebdomadal death and resurrection of the Dying Prophet of the Caucasus.

THE CROPS.

(BY OTJR SPECIAL RKE3RTER.) From Tinwald to Longbeach a visitor passes through very varied qualities of land m.many forms of cultivation, and m sorae instances non-cultivation. There are a number of small paddocks of o-rain this year near the Tinwald township* and they, generally speaking, carry from fair to heavy crops, but none of them equal the show of grain m Mr Gates' Grove Farm paddocks, which are now nearly all m stook. The period of very dry weather that' occurred just before Christmas made a mark m these luxuitant crops that will not be effaced m the threshing tallies, but still there is evidence enough m the stooks of a grand return for the genial proprietor of Grove Farm. A large area of wheat and oats have been grown this year on the land long known as Graham's farm, cut up not long ago into several blocks, and now held by various owners. These crops will perhaps give an average of 30 bushels all round. Down Graham's road to Wheatstona most of the land on both sides is under grain, and Messrs Strange, Small, Bishop, Lysaght, Hayman, and Prebble have very good looking paddocks m stook and standing. Lower down, Mr J. Shearer has quite an array of stacks of oats, and his wheat is rapidly going .down before the machines. . In the vicinity of Ashton and to the beach below, the crops are not so heavy looking as those nearer Ashburton, and the country generally has a more dried up aPPear. a, nce» but the heads of grain are well filled, and farmers this year will probably secure all they have grown, no losses having taken place from wind so far, but the inroads of the grub are plainly visible m most crops, both m heavy and light lands. The. land known na Gidding'a Swamp is.now leased to several farmers, whn this year have some fine craps thereon. Wheat may thresh from thirty-five to forty bustiels, and oats up to seventy bushols per acre there, the season having suited this land very well. ° About' Waterton, water . seems very scarce, and the settlers are full of com plaints of the non-completion of a con tract made with the County Council for a fresh supply, which it was hoped would have been available before this summer was so far advanced, Mr McLachlan, who recently purchased the block of land between Waterton and the sea, has a fine crop of. wheat on the greater part of his 600 acres—nearly all cut and stooked. Mr A. Dawson has over 700 acres of wheat and oats, and but for the grub, would have a big average all over his farm this year. Mr Grigg has three sets of traction threshing plant busily engaged on barley and oats threshing from the stooks, and some of his 5000 acres of wheat are m stook, but a great area of it, and very heavy crop, is not yet ready for the reapers. There are some fine paddocks of wheat about Eiffelton, and Messrs Luscombe and Fechney are expecting an average of fully 40 bushels. Some fields of turnips m this locality are very forward, and very healthy looking also. Past the pipe works, which are now large permanent buildmgs(and shall have a detailed descrip tion later on), along Surveyor's road, on both sides are very fine paddocks o£ Longbeach grain, so heavy m places, as to be rather badly laid, but not so fw down that the clever harvesters will not be able to cope with the cutting of it. There are some grand crops of oats turnips, and rape oa the Lowcliff pro perty this year, and the stock are nearly all fat. Lambing has given an averaza of 120 per cent, and the weaners am now fit for freezers, £oing from 50 to. 60 pounds each. Seasons like the pre* sent suit such land exceedingly, butiusti now water for stock is very scarce. The; Hinds river has been dry for some time and also nearly all the drains and \rater courses m the locality.. Mr Brodie has tried growing apples at the homestead, with great success. By scooping the ground up into wide ridges he gofc good drainage and has his young, trees, only two years m bearing, loaded with fine clean fruit, the branches breaking down with their loads. He got these trees from Mr Scaly, and they are now m striking contrast to those planted years ago. The fruit on the latter is much smaller and the trees aro not healthy looking, no doubt having suffered from the want of drainage m wet seasons. Mr Inwood has some heavy swamp land cropped with dun oats this season, and the heavy ram storms m December ha- 1. .. sad effect on them. They are k,i tangled and twisted m all directs and tl^re must be great loss m £«& harvest ing ; but Mr Inwood esti- nates their yield at 80 bushels per acre. His experience, and that of others, is that these oats are not the best sort for heavy reclaimed swamp land, The crops on the farms of Messrs Robertson, Hawke, Withell, and MoKeage are all looking well, and some iv stook. Threshing grass seed is finished m this part of the district, and the yields have been heavy. The flax mill established near the heaoh, below Mr McKeage's, by Mr Chinnery, of Rangiora, to work up the heavy flax from the Coldstroam estate, is now again m full work, running by steam power ; as the- pfcsent water supply m the. locality is only sufficient for the washing of the milled fibre. The Coldstreara estate' has a largo area of grain crop this year m forward con dition generally, with promise of good yields. The turnip crop also is veiygoo«i here, and covers a large quantity D f ground. The paddocks m wheatj near the Hinds township, belonging to the estate, are carrying wy heavy yields,, and stacking is busily going on. There are some very fair crops of wheat m the Hinds district and Mr William Angove had about 130 acres of white Tuscan, a very even paddock that has filled very well, and will reward the grower with fully thirty bushels per acre. The reclaimed swamp land below Hinds has given heavy yields this season,, which has just suited thiß block. ft£»» Chisnall has oats that will thresh sixty t». seventy bushels, barley as much/md wheit fifty and upwards. Hisneighbour?,. Messrs Cass and Holmes, Els^ : ard; Horsey are m the same happy position. The. Wmderniere and <&*&{ ■>

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1893.



Date.

Shi

,de.

High in Sun.

State of Weather

Low.

[High

I

Monday ... Cuesday ... Wednesday rhursday... Friday Saturday ... Sunday ...

50" 50 --- 5-- 0-- -4- 7--4-3-48-47'

81 --- 8-- 1-- -6- 5-- -9-1--73-

150 --1- 6-1- -1-09-161" 155 --1- -14-585-

Fine, XE. E. Overcast, S. Fine, N.W. „ S.W. Ram,- E. toS. Fine, calm.



SANDER AND SONS EUCALYPTI EXTRACT. —In protection of the world wide fame our manufacture has acquired all over the globe, we publish the following: — Hazard, M.D., Professor of General Patho logy aud Diseases of the Mind and Nervous System, says m an editorial published m tne "Clinical Record ";■—•'Wo have examined half-a-dozen specimens of different manufac tures ; fch« preparation of Sander and Sons was the only ono that proved to be reliable and corresponding to soioutih'c tests.' Another concoction called "Refined Extract of Eucalyptus" has made its appearance since. This product stands, according to Dr Owen, foremost m causing injurious effects. That gentleman communicates, at a meeting of the Medical Society of Victoria, that a child living at f itaroy became most seriously indisposed through its uso. In another case a lady states oa the strength of statutory declaration that she Buffered cruelly from the effects of the same concoction. To guard the hifh reputation of our manufacture we feel warranted m exposing the above facts, and desires the public to exercise care and precaution when buying, SANDER aud SONS.'—(Advt,* 7 Don't be D'ecbivkq !—p you want the best Medicine the world has ever pro duced, try CoiiBMANE and Sous Eucalypti Extract. For all affections of the chest au4 Jungs, consumption, asthma, coughs, colds, gravel, and kidney complaints. For influenza it h^s \}Q equal. Under thp distinguished patronage' of Earl .Jersey, Governor of New South Wales, Lo£-d Garrington, and the Emperor of Germany. Awarded medals at Sydneyi Melbourne, and Adelaide, all competitors, and is the only pure Extract fnfche world. See that the label bears our trade marji tree of jife pid signature Golemane and Sons, Oootamundra, Eew South Wales) without this it ie * fraud. Price, Is §d and 2s 6d.' WholesaU* Dep^b top New Zealand: Lichffeld street, Ghrjstchurch «.)le Agents for Ashburfcon; The Ash burton Drag Company.--Advt. _ I M&iap Hyslopand Oo.'s " Imperial pure Ceylon and Indian Teas are the



The folitf^iwg peculiar advertisement WlDewk-^ recently iv tte Sydney " Eveniue '^ B 7«,^ t^wt ed inimeTUately a medical lt> «to<* » tM& from Mr JF- Maxlow s living alttmtin; ?<\»e f^* $n exper>e»ced hand need apvty. Square a^\<f Compass, | George Street, V. M^Jow, Propne,tpr. ' I Ninian Hyslop and C©/« "Jmp.riaV 'j ' Coylon and Indian Teas are direct from t\p PJwtetjonn -(Ajjyt,) I



i'-v IM^IJL, NOTICE. -j WEDNESDAY, February 3. Ficfr.tHeUnited I^ngd^dni and Contincntof Europe, via Brindisi (specially addressed correspondence only), Point de,Galle, India, China, Japan,, etc., and also fqr' the Austra lian colonies,;: ,per express (to ponneet /with ■is. Hauroto atPort Chalmera), at 155.30 X>.m.



The world is ever otoying on towards j perfection, but seldom wfctttiwfi j.t, Constant I improvement is bemg maiile m every j branch of industry, but m JBak^ng j Powders Perfeefckwa has been inched ,i« WMburfcoii'e Cftirt »« B§afe



BOT_JPIiir. CARBOLISED GLYCERINE DIP IS » certain perventative against this Fly. It is also the best preparation on the farm yard for general use m de stroying Fleas, &c, or when properly dilated to be used as a lotion for barbed wire cuts, sores, &c. MIXES BEADILY WITH COLD WATER. TESTIMONIAL. Window, December 12, 1891. Mr Brooke.—Dear Sir,—l am very pleased with jour Carbolised Glycerine Dip. I have ifted it for my little white dos,', and I find ifc iiestroys the fleas, and does not discolour the coat as other dips did.—Yours truly, : , J, A, Mim»s. Sold m bottles, Is 6d enfifc J <*»«* tins, 2s €d; half gallon, 4s ; gallon, 7*' Manufactured by C. M. BROOKE. CHEMIST, ASWBUETON.



STOCK-TAKINGS BEBUCTIOKS HAVE BEEN MADE IN • ■" ; ALL DEPARTMENTS. Inspection Invised. NEW ZEALAND Clotbin? Factory. W. H. WEBBER Manager.



ALL Wool Colonial Tweed Suits to measure ';• fit and workmanship guaranteed; iron! 60s cash. Robert Amorn, Ashburton Clothing Mart, Sftunders' Buildings. WANTED Known.—^or first-class Drapery and Millinery go to Melford House ; cheapest shop m town. (See windows.) Beautiful Xmas present s being given away.—H. C. Skgkrs. mO Meet the Tiraesi—t am oupplying X Galvanised Iron Tanks from 30s upwards, warranted for twenty years, Force pumps, deep well cylinders of »U dessription3. Inspection invited.— J 4 W. Hardiby, Eas street. 6J201 WANTED Known—That you will make no mistake for quality and variety m English and Colonial Boots, and Jiis hiehly reputed make by calling at J. Moxson's. During coming holidays dis count for Cash. Repairs done at once. A staff of men always kept aijid best material and workmanship guaranteed. ) WANTFVD K.iown.- -ii. i»4ikstow 1 has opened those premises m. East street nextJ. Orr and Co., a« a Furniture Warehouse. Latest designs ii Vienna Chairs, and Iron Bedsteads on view. Having a good stock of well seasoned figured "Rimu and Kauri, he is prepared to take orders for Furniture to ny design. Inspection invited. Ilt6l



WANTED Known.—Great Bargains ill Ladies' Cashmere Hose, Under dovhing, Pinafores, &c. Come and see them. Handsome Xmas presents now giving away*—U. <a Sbobrs, Melford House. _____*___..—_ BOOTS, Boots.—lnfants Boots 9d, six Dozen Ladies' Elastic Side Boot?, 6s W, Gents' Boots 8a 6d, Mens' Blucher Boots 5s 6d, Stanley Shoes Is lid.— Akprkw Obb b Sale. 1 WANTED KNOWN, a special lot of Hearth Bugs at Is lid, 2s 6d and 2s lid ; worth about double. W. H. Colubr. ■ W~~ ANTKDRiiown.—At "The Corner' now selling Ladies' French Shoes. .$4 lid; See them.—W. H. Oolmer, •\TTANTED Known*—l have a large W stock of Tin and Ironware Goods So select from. Register Grates, Stoves, Portable Boilers, Spouting and Ridging kept m stock.-^J. W. Hardley, East ♦ treet. ; «t»» SHEE? SHEARS. Having secured a Stock of the celebrated 8.8.A., and as there are very few m the Colony, Shearers are requested to call early.— Kobrrt Aujorn, Saunders' Buildings.



Wanted. ( ~CASH Advertisement* unger this heading not exceedirtg SIXTEEN WORDS 1/-. Addresses may be h»ftat this Office. ' _J__i_J. ;■ WANTED, a Boarder, comfortable home, five minutes* walk from Railway Station. Apply K.M., office o" this paper. _ 2 1 TOOTHING will Cool you so quickly and U* invigorate the system so much as Ice Cream.—H.G. Flower, Confectioner, East Street.^ ■ . ,■. - ; : :.i___^___ •\ITANTED KNOWN,—A great pur VV chase of Kid Gloves, £135 10s 6d- Florencia Kid Gloves, all sizes, 4 and 6-Clasp, usual price 6s lid and 8s 6d, now sold for 4s lid and. 5s lid.-A. Orr's .;«»::■:■ •• ■ ■■• ■■ ;' "\T7 AN'iED Known.—Great Barerains | W now ori at Melford House. Beautiful Cashmeres at Is 6d ; usual price 3s.—H. C. Seoers. ;; £ ftiHIRTY Pieces Dress Goods at 6d; 60 A Pieces French Cashmere at Is 6d, worth 3s 6d ; 1000 Yards French Tweed, double width, at Is 9d, worth 3s 9d. AH Dress Goods greatly reduced.— Andrew Orr's Cheap Saldi 1 J 1 106