MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close for the following places as under, subject to the necessary altera tions :— SATURDAY February 27. For Northern Ports, per Penguin, at 6.20 p.m.

ENGLISH MAILS.

HOMEWARD —DIRECT MAILS. Coptic, left January 9, due London | February 18. lonic, left February 6, due London March 17. , T i Tainui, leaving March 5, duo London • Aoril 14. "Doric, leaving April 2, due London May 12. SAN KRANCISCO MAILS. Mariposa, left January 30, due London March 2 Monowai, leaving on February 2t, due London March 30. Alameda, leaving on March 26, due London April 27. OUTWARD —DIRECT MAILS. Kaikoura, due colony February 24. Ruahine, due colony March 21. SAN FRANCISCO MAILS. Alameda, due colony February 28. Mariposa, due colony March 23 ,

Notice to Correspondents

Correspondents are requested to forward their communications in unsealed envelopes, °rinWnSK AT BOTH ENDS, as required by the postal regulations. No words that are not intended for publication must be written either on the manuscript or on the cover of the letter. Letter rates of postage must be paid on advertisements.

BIRTH.

Brown.—Oii February 24, the wife of Samuel Brown, Melross Farm, Waka nui, of a daughter.

MARRIAGE.

Tykkell-Baxter— Boyle. — On February 25, at the Presbyterian Church, Ash burton, hy the Rev. A. M. Beattie M.A., Alfred John, second son of I. Tyrrell-Baxter, Patea, Taranaki, to Mary Campbell (Minna), second daughter of Samuel Boyle, Ashburton.

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1892. CURRENT TOPICS.

Most of the farmers in this district have recovered from the shock which they suffered on seeing their splendid crops being soaked by rain. They soon found that the damage, except in very few cases, was only partial, and set to work with more energy than they usually display to secure their grain from risk of further damage. Nearly all the grain is now stacked, and the farmers are waiting the action of time » the great healer " —before thresh ing, confident that in due course they will have saleable samples to show to merchants and millers. Down South the farmers are in much worse case. They had suffered from an even longer period of drought than that by which Canterbury was afflicted, and it was certainly hard upon them that the complete break up of the drought should occur in the midst of a bounteous harvest. There have boen floods before in Central and Southern Otago, but never was the devastation of the harvest fields so serious as that which has just been uouasionea. Tiie crops in some places are completely buried under the silt brought down by the immense volume of flood water; in other places the stooks have been washed out to sea ; and worst of all there has been loss of life. There is consolation, however, even for the Taieri sufferers. The. subsoil has been thoroughly soaked, and the farmers, ever hopeful, are already looking forward to the in creased fertility thus supplied to the land to compensate them next season for the losses of this. The case of Mr James Robertson Scott, of Dunedin, whose arrest a few weeks ago, at the instance of the Lands Department, was made so much noise about by the Tory press, as an instance of " tyrannical oppression by an iniquitous Government," has resolved itself in a very pretty quarrel between Mr Scott and the National Mortgage and Agency Company. An outline of the case appears in another column, dnd will be found very interesting and instructive reading. The Judges' decision being still withheld it would obviously be improper for us to com ment upon the ease.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is stated that the sum of £175 has already been subscribed towards sending a New Zealand athletic team to England, The cash receipts in Dunedin of the Rev, Mr Mayers and the boys from Dr. Barnardo's Home amounted to £443, the net result being £389. A man named Robert Johnstoi, sixty years of age, was drowned in the Cam River, Xaiapoi, yesterday. It is thought he went to the river to get water and slipped in. The body was recovered this morning. Ifc will be seen by an advertisement that the Ashburton Permanent Building and Investment Society will receive <unall sun;s of money at five per cent interest, .thus affording a favourable means of investment for small savings, A retired farmer at Torrington, Dcvoiw shire, is alleged to have skinned a cat and sold it to a neighbour as aTrabbit for six- ! pence, and the purchaser had the animal cooked, he and his family partaking of it. On being subsequently told that it was a cat, his wife became ill in consequence. He charged the seller with obtaining sixpence under false pretences, but the magistrate dismissed the ease. The " North Otago Times " understand? that the bulk of the grain crop in that I district is now in stack. In a few instances stacking was begun too soon after the rain, mid these stacks have had to be pulled dowti, but generally the crops have been got in in a thoroughly dry state, and in the stack they W*U undoubtedly improve. rl he «rain, too, has u&t been damaged to any thing like the extent that n aiy of the townspeople were led to imagine, and sheaves that show any sprout ar# baing laid as i 'c. As a result of the recent heavy rains it has leen estimated (says the "laieri Advocate ") that the production of wheat and oats in the South Island will show a de crease of 12 per cent. Despite the fact tf.at the crops in the immediate vicinity ot the Taieri have suffered greatly, it is expected that the harvest witf be a good one, ana that stocks will not b§ scjar^ when next harvest is drawing near, Harvest thanks giving services wifl be held to-morrow in the Primitive Metjaodrst \ church when sermons will be preached morning and evening by the Rev James Cocker; harvest hymns will be sung, and the church ka« been very tastefully decorated. On Tuesday * frujt banquet will beheld, after which there wity bean auction sale of produce and wiring apparel, 1 No doubt there will be a good &tte.»J<J.*W6 ' both gatherings,

The great Diamond Company in Kimber- , ley made a clear profit last year ot one ( million pounds sterling. I Miss Ethel Alcorn, of AshUu-lon, is men- ■ tioned among the teachers who have secured partial passes in class E at the teachers exanrinatian. . It is stated that Miss Lizzie Payne (Mrs ' Steele), of this well-known Payne Lamlly, has bsen seized with an affection of the ] throat, which will necessitate twelve j months' rest. j Mr Samuel Chestermau, a Geraldine resident, who has been for some time employed on the Longbeach estate, died in the Hospital on Wednesday from the. effects of a sunstroke received the day before. He leaves a wife in delicate health, and a young family. Here is the menu of a dinner given recently by a London vegetarian society : — Lentil soup, macaroni cutlets and apple sauce, haricot pie and mushroom gravy, Christmas pudding, fruit salads, apples, nuts, and grapes. The repast was provide . at sixpence a head. Since the Mikado of Japan permitted hi* subjects to emigrate to other countries' nearly one hundred thousand of them have left their native land. There are about twenty thousand of them in Hawaii, and more of them arrive there every month. By an accident which happened at the Rangitata Bridge, on Wednesday evening, Mr Robert Jackman, farmer, lost his life. He was mounting his horse at the hotel end of the bridge, when the animal reared up and threw him backwards. He fell heavily and was killed instantly. The land of the great cities of the world steadily continues to rise in value. Some ground in Paris recently fetched in the open market a price equal to nearly £420,000 per acre ; and at the last sales in London, laud in the city was disposed of at the rate of £1,041,700. Both of these very high prices, I however, were capped by the last sale of land in the business centre of New York, for which a sum at the rate of £1,666,666 per acre was obtained. Before Mr C. A. Wray, R.M., and Mr C. A. C. Hardy, J.P., at Rakaia yesterday, William J. McGill, a police constable stationed at Ashburton, pleaded guilty to havingbeen drunk in apublicplaceatCuertsey on Feb. 6, and also to having used obscene language. He was fined £1 and costs on the first charge, and a conviction without punish ment was entered up on the second. Accused was not on duty, but on sick leave, at the time the offences were committed. The latest poisoning story, says the " Pa itiatua Star," is a peculiar one. Mr Close, of the Village Settlement, was carrying a toothache tincture in his pocket last week, and some of this leaked out on his tobacco, which he afterwards smoked. After a few pipcfuls had been smoked violent ab dominal pains with other symptoms of poisoning set in, and for a few hours he suffered severely, but afterwards the atUck passed off. The many friends of Mr James Wells, who has been stationmaster at Chert^ey for the last eight years, while regretting his departure from their midst, will be pleased to learn that he has been promoted to the charge of Stirling Junction, Otago. By his attention to duty, combined with uniform courtesy to all, Mr Wells has rcnde himself a decidedly popular officer; and wo under stand that the residents of Cherteey intend showing, in a becoming manner, their appre ciation of his services. In London, during the four days constitut ing Christmas at the General Post Office this year, fifty million letters were dealt with, and a proportionate number of parcels, the additional lot of the latter passing through at this period being over a million. On one afternoon, alone the number of parcels containing puddings tilled 40,000 Post Office baskets. The extra staff at St Martin's le Grand for Christmas exceeds 4000, but, notwithstand ing, sorting of the night mail of Thursday (Christmas Eve) was not got through till 3 p.m. the following day. No sooner had the heavy Christmas correspondence been got through last Friday than the ordinary mails for the Cape, India and Australia had to be made up. There is a joke going the rounds of Napier, says the "Telegraph," at the expense nf a mcKioot young newspaper man hi that town, which is ao good that it ought to be true. The young man in question, it appears, was iavitxl to a party at a residence where the home had recently been blessed with an addition to the family. Accompanied by his best girl, he met the kind hostess at the door, and, after the customary salutation, asked after the welfare of the baby. The lady was suffering from a cold, which made her slightly de-jf, and she mistakenly sup. posed that the young man was inquiring of her cold. She replied that this was the worst one she had ever had; it kept her awake at night a good deal at first, and confined her to her bed. Then, noticing that the scribe was getting pale and nervous, she said she could tell by his looks that he was going to have one just like hers, and she asked him to go and lie down ! A meeting of footballers was held at Mr D. Thomas' Arcade office last evening, for the purpose of taking the preliminary steps towards reviving a football club. Among those present were Messrs P. H. Cox, W. Cromie, Maxwell, T. Todd, 11. Stewart, H. Curtis, Hefford, Burns, J. Grant, H. Moss, H. Bennetts, L. Matson, VV. Mitchell, W. Kidcl, E. IS. Clowes, and J. Mitchell. Mr Cox was voted to the chair. Several old footballers sent apologies for their absence, and promised support to the movement. It was resolved that a club be formed, to be called the Ashburton Football Club, and that those present form a Committee to enlist members and take other steps to carry out the first resolution. A committee was appointed to make enquiries with reference to playing ground. A general meeting will be held on March 11, when no doubt the Club will be regularly established. Mean time Mr Cox will act as Secretary and Treasurer. Deep indignation is felt in Wellington at the Primate's action in reference tc the Rev E. Howell, and the Bishop of Dunedin has striven hard, but so far without success, to elicit some satisfactory explanation from the most rev gentleman. Bishop Neville has addressed no fewer than four letters in suc cession to the Primate, asking him to explain his action, but the Primate has not deigned the courtesy of a reply to the letters of his episcopal brother, qv oi/en of a bare acknow ledgment. Public feeling (says tl^e corre spondent of the Ohmtchurch "press >') runs high in the matter, and but for the illness in the Primate's family the entire correspon dence would have been published, The only hint ever assigned by the Primate as to his reasons for acting as he did is said to have been an insinuation that ex-Canon Howell had not treated him with proper respect when acting as incumbent of St. Paul's Wellington. i-W i(!e* !-s alleged to have arisen through a complete, misuivjei^tanding, which might easily have been explained at the time had the opportunity been afforded. The best medicine knswnis ftA.JNJJUi.rI and SONS EUCALPTI EXTRACT Test ifa eminent powerful effects in coughs, colds, influenza, etc.—the relief is instantaneous. Thousands give the mo.st gratifying testi mony. His Majesty the King of Italy, and medical syndicates all over the globe, are its patrons Bead the official reports that aewmiKMiy ™ck botlie- A'- r ° havo no °i jca' sion to offi;!' rewards m pxoof ot ihs-••inline ness of our regionces, The official reports of medical clinics and universities, the official communication of the Consul General for Italy at Melbourne; the diploma awarded International Exhibition, • Amsterdam -all those are authentic documents, and, as such, not open to doubt. We add here epitome oi one of the v.i,wi'/its gases treated by biegem M.D , Professor, etc. Bluing of the right hand through the explosion of a stiiaU .oil stove The epidermis on the volar and palmer side .of Uw lujfnd of the thirty-year old patient was conMetfcly separated and lifted up ha fw as jihe joint of the l^nd. The likewise Wte4 mi\& were hanging loose and half of the phaiaux vi tlt§ IJail of the middle finger was coaled. The wtmwte tips contracted healed in three weeks under 4Utly applications of Eucalypti *ftra(t dressing. Th» patient has retained the full use of her hwd, —,<Advt.) l Tho world js ever Buying; on. towards perfection, butsolaom attains it, Gojjstsnc improvement is being made jn eyery branch of industry, but in Baking Powder? perfection has been reached in

WEDDING.

On Thursday afternoon last the- Ashburt on Presbyterian Church presented a gay scene, the occasion being the wedding of Mr A. J. Tyrrell-Baxter, ptiuter of the A&hburton Guardian, with Miss Mary Campbell,' second daughter of Mr Samuel Poyle, Ashlmrtou. There was a large attendance of friends, and the simple wedding ceremony of the church was performed by the Rev. A. Al. Beattie, M.A., who supplemented the ceremony with a few words of congratu lation and good advice to the newly-married couple. As the wedding patty left the building the usual complimentary showers ot rice and flowers fell upon them, and these continued as they drove away. The brides maids were Misses Grade and Kathleen Boyle, sisters of the bride ; Miss Julia S. Hudson, a little maid of three years, a niece of the bride ; and Misses f. Bean and 0. Pocock, while Master Tom H. Hudson, a little nephew of the bride, was page. The invionisman was Mr J. C Boyle, the bride's b: other, "and the father of the bride gave her away. The dress of the bride was of ivory white cashmere with cidelweiss lace; a niching of cashmere on the body, the skirt carrying a heavy train. Her veil was of very fine Brussels net, with a rich em broidering in each corner, and a spray of orange blos3oms adorned her hair, while a wreath of the same, mingled with jasmine, ran across the front of her bodice. Her ornaments were a gold bangle, the gift of the bridegroom, a. carved crystal heart set in gold, with gold pendant, and a handsome bouquet of flowers, pure white and cream, with ferns, the souvenir of a friend in Geraldine. Altogether the bride presented a lovely appearance. The bridesmaids—Misses G racie and Kathleen Boyle, wore nun s veil ing dresses in heliotrope, with hats of silk cheffon and lace, with gloves to match. Misses Bean and Pocock wore dresses of pink nun's veiling, with cheffon and lace hats, and gloves to match. All the brides maids carried beautiful large bouquets in keeping with their dresses. Little Miss Julia S. Hudson also wore heliotrope tfuu's. veiling, with a halo wreath of heliotrope and pink asters, while her little brother, the bride's page, wore a sailor suit, of tinted blue jumper, pale blue collar, with con tinuatious of dark blue serge. Mrs T. H. Hudson, a sister of the bride, wore a drab and fawn stripe shot silk, bonnet of fancy straw with ostrich feathers and pink strings. Miss Claridge was dressed in a maize . brocade, with rich white lace and bonnet to match. Miss Parkerson wore a delaine and heliotrope silk, white tulle and floral boi.nst, with heliotrope strings. Mrs Geo. Pocock's drc»s was of lavender silk and blacky satin, with bonnet to match. Mrs I. W. Tyrrell- Baxter wo-e a white cashmere, with-tulle hat and gold ornaments. The bride's mother Wore a black corded silk with black lace, velveteen vest and jacket, Maltese lace heliotrope bounefc, and glove 3in keeping. The presents were numerous, and some of them exceedingly chaste and valuable.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

A free and unsectarian system of education ! Such was one of the many attractions of New Zealand that her friends in the Home Country used to" flaunt before the eyes of desirable emigrants, and at the first glance it seems a real attraction to men who' have been brought up in Great Britain, surrounded by an atmosphere full of tiie many sectarian differences that characterise l-eligious life at Home Of recent years, education has been made as easy to obtain in Britain as in our own very favored colony, and the Board schools in the former are conducted on much the same lines as with us; but the denominational schools remain, and are aided by the State in proportion to the property they possessed and handed over to the Boards when these came into power. Here, nothing in the shape of a school, under control of the Education Boards of the colony, can have even the shadow of a claim to be considered denominat:onal. The syllabus of study includes nothing from the Holy Scrip tures, no catechism in. which in set form of question and answer any system of theology is set forth or any exposition given of the leading doctrines of our common Christianity. In no school is the divine summary of the moral law of both Jew and Christian taught in the shape of the ten command ments ; nor is there to be found in the daily routine work any imperative requirement that even the Lord's prayer shall be repeated, or any other Prayer, either read in a set form or delivered extemporaneously. This total exclusion from the Government schools of all religious teaching was calculated by the promoters of the exclusion to quiet at once all trouble from possible religious dissensions in connection with school matters. It has not by any means done so ; but it has allowed the whole school time of both teacher and scholar to be devoted to the imparting and acquiring of the rudiments of such knowledge as men and women in the ordinary walksof lifetindindispensable. Hence has arisen the cry that we are giving to the children of this colony a " godless education." The cry is not new. It has been taken up and repeated by one section or another of the religionists of the colony ever since 1870; and now in 1892, in the meetings of the Central Parliaments of the different churches of the colony, we hear it re-ephoed in the shape of demands—on the part of the Anglican church for Stats aid for their denomi national schools ; on the part of the Roman Catholic church for similar State aid iv the shape of capitation allowance for every child who shall be able in their schools to pass a Govern ! ment inspector's examination ; and on the par.t Qf th.c Presbyterian Church for no interference the national system which now exists, but for the introduction of Bible reading, under the safeguard of a conscience clause, into the common schools. The Wesleyan and other similar churches are not unanimous in their wish for change, the Congregational Church, ib.3 representative Union of which is n»iv sifting in Wellington—which chuph claims; to be the undenominational church pf the wgrld—has declared emphatically against the grafting upon our national un?>ectarian system any bough whatever of the denominational ism from which it has been freod. The Roman Catholic Church de mands imperiously that the State shall aid its schools. Bishop Moran, of Dunedia, in 1&73, wljeu a resolution of theOtago Provincial Council adopted the unsectarian principle as an indis pensable element in the educational system of that province, vigorously denounced the principle, and, in 1883, after suffering adefsata£;a : eandidatefor a seat in Parliament for the Peninsula, told thp'ejectors that the injustice done fa the member? of bis Church was 4t so grass, the tyranny so great and insult ing, that I sh.»U persevere, I shall con tinue to raiss my'voice, in season and out of season, in press and on tho public platform, in every possible manner, ags-inst this gross and grievous injus tice, and publish to the whole world that the citizens of New Zealand re fuse to give to those cowing'tram tiie,

Old Country that amount of justice ! and equality which they enjoyed in their own homes." He has well ful filled that premise. His Church has established schools of its own in all the chief centres of population in the colony, and demands State subsidy for their maintenance. No Bible-reading in the Schools under the direction of the teacher will satisfy a Church that does not want the Bible introduced into schools where her children are to be taught. She can. only be content to teach her children her doctrine and her catechism under the superinten dence of her priests ; for she cares for : no education that she herself does not ' control. The Anglican Church is equally strong on State-aided denomi national schools; while the Presby terian Church would fain, have our schools built on the model of the old parish schools of Scotland, which were national in every sense, and in which the Bible and the fehorter Catechism were the first and the chief lesson books. The Presbyterian clergy here have no wish to see the present national system broken down, and they defend jt valiantly ; but they wish to see the 3 Bible introduced, and (as the motion of Rev Mr Treadwell, carried a- few days ago by the Assembly, puts it) "Bible teaching should be allowed, upder the safeguard of a conscience clause." No doubt the sympathy of a very large body of the laymen in all denominations will go with the Pres byterians. The colony is too limited in population for denominationalism to do any real good. Denominational schools might, perhaps, be established and flourish in some of the larger towns, but among the numerous hamlets in the bush, on the plains, on the hills, and along the coasts, the State schools and the State teacher must be the means of imparting education to the children, and maintaining all the civilising influences that make life worth living. Close these little schpols, and at once the tide of settlement will begin to ebb, for the chance of giving an education to their children would be taken from the settlers, and they would at once set about making ar rangements for removal. We hardly think the people of the colony desire to interfere with the present system of education in this one-sided way. Giant the demands of the Roman Catholic Church, the prayer of the Anglican Church, and how far will the schools they may establish be able to extend their influence? —only over a very limited area. Schools would be established and aided where the clergy can have easy recess. They would swarm under the eaves of the Cathe drals and Churches of the cities and towns, where religions teaching and preaching are a daily work and open to all, but the poor boy and girl in the whare" would have no specially pries t carel-for school to attend, and must still be content with the periodical visits of the clergyman or lay reader as times of instruction, or, what is a thousand times more valuable if avail able, the blessing of home teaching. The reading of the Bible would do much good, we feel; but as yet there seems small hope for its introduction, for while the Churches are thus divided, and politicians far from united, on this great question, the people of this colony are bringing up their children with an untaught Bible before their eyes as an object lesson that man can do without religion.

Ashburton Markets.

MESSRS MILES AND CO.

Messrs Miles an 1 Co. (per Mr George Jameson) report for the week ending February 26:— Live Stock—At the Ashburton County Yards on Tuesday the result of the harvest operations drawing to a finish in our district was seen in a much larger entry of sheep and a better attendance than we have ha 1 for some weeks past. Many of those present being eager buyers biddings came fast, but the vendors are still hoping for bigger values, and a few lines of two-tooth crossbreds were withdrawn. Our entry comprised about 900 sheep, which we sold as follows :—Fat crossbred ewes, 12s 3d ; fat two-tooth cro3sbreds at 14s 9d; 222 store merino wethers, from Clent Hills station, at 7s ; 300 crossbred two-tooths, Ils2d and 10s. Since our List report we have sold privately the following lines of sheep :— 2000 halfbred lambs, 1200 halfbred lambs, 319 halfbred lambs, 125 crossbred lambs, 858 two-tooth crossbreds, 400 merino ewes, 230 merino ewes, 100 merino ewes, and a line of two and four tooth crossbred freezers, all at full market values.

MR DAVID THOMAS.

Mr D. Thomas reports upon the live stock market in the Ashburton district for the week ending February 26, as follows : —On Tuesday, at the Ashburton Yards, the usual weekly'sale of live stock was held. Owing to the harvest operations being about finished larger catalogues of sheep than we have been used to of late were placed on offer, and a very lively sale was the result. There was a large attendance of the public, most of them evidently bent on business. The totals yarded for the day consisted of 6150 sheep and 9 head of cattle, of which my entry was made up of 3796 sheep and 7 head of cattle, most of which were disposed of as follows, viz., 9 crossbred fat ewes, 10i 3d ; 154 fat crossbred ewes, 10s ; 16 fat two tooths, 13s 9d ; 120 fat merino wethers, 11s; 11 ]anib j, 8s Gd ;39 fat merino ewes, 7s ; 17 I two-tooth crossbreds, 11s lOd ; 20 cull lambs, 5s : 68 store lambs, 10s 9d ; 252 four and six tooth crossbred ewes, 13s Id ; 86 crossbred ewes, 13s; 93 crossbred ewes, 10s 3d; 51 crossbred lambs, 8s lid; 216 crossbred lambg, l6s 3d: 3,14 first cross lambs, 9s; 915 crossbred two-tooth' ewes, l"2s 4d ; 42() crossbred two-tooths mixed, 12s 2d, etc. j In cattle I sold 3at £4 12s 6d to £4 18s; 2 | at £3 10s ;2 at £5. No store cattle in. Privately during the week the enquiries for sheep of all classes has been urgent and the only difficulty I have is in supplying the demand. Sheep of all classes are dearer now than they have been during the last four years with a very s .rang probability that they will gq still higher. My private sales are: asfQllqws:soostorekmqs, 9,3 6d; 750 fat crossbred lambs, 10s 6cl; 211 crossbred ewes, full niquth, lls 9d and 400 full mouth crossbred owes and 1107 four and sis-tooth ewes, 12s 7d all lound, 1 oould dispose of 50,000 sheep in v, week if I had them of good sorts and fair price, Horsjj Market —There has been abso lutely nothing doing during die last month, but 1 am in hopes that now the harvest is over matters will quickly mend. Neither horses nor buyers have been about lately.

The Action Over a Run.

Before the Supreme Court at Dn.iedin this week a case of very considerable im portance was beard. James Robertson Scott, a commission agenfc in Dunedin, sued the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand for indemnity respecting a pastoral license which it is alleged was secured in the plaintiff's name for the use and benefit of the defendants ; that the plain I iff acted as agent for the defendants in the purchase of the run. Sir R. Stout and Mr F. H. Chapman ap peared for the plaintiff, and Messrs B. C. Haggitt and S. Solomon for the defend ants. It will be remembered that borne time ago Mr Scott was arrested afc the suit of the Government for failing to clear run 93a of rabbits, as required by the Act, and also for arreii's of rent of the s-iid run. The actiOii of the Government was the subject of much comment at the time, and the Conservative press were unmeasured in their terms of denunciation of the arrest and temporary imprisonment of Mr Scott for the alleged breach of the Act, slating that the case was a simple oae that might very easily have been dealt with civilly in an ordinary court of law. The Government, however, were acting quite within the law, and moreover, knew apparently more of the facts of the case than did their denouncers in the matter, as the case that has been heard before his Honor Justice Williams shows. From Sir Robert Stout's opening of the case, we obtain the whole thing in a nut shell. Run 93a was about to be offered for lease by Government. The defendant Company in February last, asked Scott to lend them his name, so that they could acquire the land, ho being the nominal lessea, tliej the actual occupiers. There was abund ance of documentary evidence laid before the Court, in the hhape of postal and telegraphic correspondence, to prove that Scott was asked for the use of his name in this way, that ho consented to lend it., that it was so used, and the lease obtained in hi« name for use by the Company. A letter of March 5, 1891, from the General Manager to the Manager at Christchurch, stated that an authority had gone to the latter authorising him to bid in Scott's name, accompanied by the following in structions :—The run is only wanted to get irinie for sale and delivery of the cattle (about 890) and sheep (about 5500 wethers) now on it, and if we could get from one to two months' time for this Scott would not bid at al 1. If we run the risk of Veing jammed for the disposal of these sheep and cattle it will pay us to run up to £200 or even £250, as we pay six months' rent only, and can then forfeit by non-payment. Possibly you might get hold of the applicants and put this view bef >re them, not, of course, saying anything as to forfeiting, but merely thafe you have authority to bid for a man who is interested in the stock and wants t) sell and deliver them. Fri connection with this Scott said that he gave no instructions ; that he had no capital and no stock, and did nothing but what he was asked to do ; and the Com pany would have been content to get occupation for a short time ; and if they could have got chat Scott would not have been called on '-.o bid for the run at all. It would be seen from this that it could never have been thought that Scott's bid was a bona tide one. The Company said—"lf toe run the risk of being jammed in disposing of the sheep and cattle it. will pay us to run up to £200 or £250." Not a yord about Scott, nor what he could afford to run to. The man who was interested in stock could not be Scott. On the face of it, the authority to bid was an admission that Scott was an agent or a dummy for the Company. Scott was never consulted about the terms, and Ritchie practically told the manager at Christchurch to bid any price whatever. The Company used the run hub denied that p'aintiff had m real in*"• vvt in the iransiuUon, Mad lnao lie was in fact, a a trustee or agent merely. It waft ad mitted by defendants that they paid the first instalment of rent, and occupied for a short time, but said that w.is in pur suance of arrangement. Defendants denied that when they requested plaintiff to take the run for them they promised to undertake the whole responsibility, and to indemnify plaintiff against all liability, provided he acted on directions from them. The whole question hinged on the ability of plaintiff to establish his agency for the Company in the transaction. The aim of Sir Robert Stout and his coadjutor was to do so ; that of the solicitors for the defendants to prove there was none. Mr Solomon, for the Company, said there was no agency whatever between the parties. At the request of defendants Scott purchased the lease of the run, and there was no agency at all. Ritchie and Henderson said to Scott that they wanted the run for •a short time, and that if Scott was willing to take up the run in his own name they would pay the first half year's rent, and pay him such sum as he might think fair for the services he was rendering. The defendants, however, denied that they had said they would see Scott through it. Ritchie said he told Scott that he would have to take full responsibility for the transaction, and further said that it might involve him (Scott) in bankruptcy, to which Sco t replied that he did not mind that, as lie had only a chair or two and a few things that: anyone could take, and he would run the risk. Defendants thought the worst for bnott would be bankruptcy, and Scott hid professed himself quite willing to take that risk, saying they could get nothing from him excepting an office table and a few ohairs. His learned friend made it a point that Mr Scott was a dummy. Well lie was a dummy, that was not denied at all, but it was neither illegal nor wrong that he should be a dummy. It might be that the Govern ment would not get what they expected, but this dummying was not illegal. The Government was bound to accept any purchas ■•v. There was no declaration re quired, and no misstatement made. The object of the company was, perfectly ap-: parent; it was to get tin's run for sijf months, without saddling themselves with the responsibility of keeping it for the whole term, or being called upon to keep down the rabbits. The case occupied several days in hearing, and His Honor reserved judgment.

Labor and Settlement in Victoria.

Our Melbourne correspondent write?:— A most encouraging sign of the more sensible fashion in which people now view public affairs h seen in the really sensible mai.ner in which the powers that be are dealing with the unemployed. Railway construction is to be commenced immedi ately, and would have been begun before, only that, as usual, the Railway Construc tion Department was nit ready with the plans and specifications it is spc«'ally paid to prepare." The Government are setting works going in many directions, and they are all works of the light kind—useful, not too cohtly, and calculated to employ a lot of men—while the relief committees are quiebly but carefully doing all they can to alleviate distress. The con trast between this . sensible treatment and the foolish conduct of Mr Munro six months ago is great. The Premier simply silenced the wretched men who waited upon him by treating them as beggars and turning them over to the Charitable Organisation Society. But to silence people does not prevent them from starv ing, and although the men wanted- work and not charity then, as the Premier would net set them to work rhey certainly wanted charity. Happily they are now likely to get work. For one thing at least the present Government will be gratefully remem bered, and that is for beginning the opening up of the malice country by two lines of railway—one from Donald to Wirrimbii chip and one from Warrackna beal to Gahquil. These lines are nearly fifty-four miles. They will cost about £176,000. They will open for Govern ment sal-i about forty thousand acres of good wheat growing land now practically inaccessible, and they will certainly stimu late settlement. They are strictly non political, and they bring the inevitable construction of the line to Mildura much nearer. When that line is built the Murray will be fairly tapped, and the great heart of land which that river, pro perly used, can irrigate will be connected with Melbourne and the sea.

Settlement in the Far North.

The Auckland correspondent of the " Otago Daily Times " writes :— *' During the past fortnight I have visited some of the special village settlements in the north and had an opportunity of personally seeing the condition of the settler?, re garding whose success or non-success there have been so many conflicting state ments and so much controversy. The truth, as usual, lies midway. A great public service was rendered in clearing the streets of Auckland at the time of a number of unemployed for whom work in town could not be found. The best of these have remained on the land, and are likely to do fairly well. They will not make a fortune, but they will have rough plenty and be practically independent, having no dread of the wolf at the door. Some of tho-e who gave up their sections are now back and re-applying for them under perpetual lease. As a matter of fact, there is not a village settlement section worth living on from Te Aroha to Mongonui which has not been taken up— some of them loaded with a charge of £60 for improvements. Had the Govern ment grassed the abandoned sections they would not have lost a sixpence by the transaction, as they would have been readily taksn up, but it is more difficult to clear what is known as "the second growth " than to deal with virgin bush. Even the " social failures" who left the special settlements have not returned to Auckland, but drifted off to the gumfields and other congenial employment, so relieving the Auckland labour market, which of itself is a; great gain. The special settlers remaining in formed me that; " they were stickers," and required- nothing further from the Go vernment than roads to get stores into their sections and produce out to the ports on the coast. Ifresh men are taking up the vacant sections, and of a superior stamp to the former occupants, ao chat there was a general tone of cheerfulness and hopefulness. A number of the men looking for land in the northern districts are from the south, principally from Canterbury —men with a trade at their fingers' ends and a little means. Even at FJerekino, the most inaccessible and un fortunately situated as regards the outbide world, it was stated that quite as much depended on the man as the land, and that in that settlement, as in all the others, the sober and industrious worker succeeded. Some of the Herekino settlers expressed themselves to me as perfectly ■ itisfied with their lot, and having no fear as regards the future. All through the far north the one complaint was the want of roads."

Why Lord Glasgrow was Appointed.

Another question is exercising the public mind (says " Mercutio "), namely, Why the Earl of Glasgow has been ap pointed Governor of New Zealand. He has never been a politician, and it cannot be expected that he will commence a political career now. He has not shown any capacity for the office, or manifested any interest in the colonies or in colonial questions. A friend, who never likes to confess himself beaten by any problem, volunteers the following solution : The .Secretary of State for the Colonies has been studying the vital statistics ot New Zealand. He there sees that there is something wrong with us socially. He has seen that the marriage rate in New Zealand is below that of any colony in the group, and below that of any country in Europe. The birth rate was also the lowest in the colonies. In Nbav South Wales in 1890 the birth rate was per thousand 3535, while in New Zeahnd it was only 29*41. Lord Knutsford said tha'j this would never do, that New i Zealand was, going all wrong in the domeitic virtues, and what was wanted was a Governor who would be a bright example of these. He turned to the peerage, and he found that the Earl of Glasgow's record is as follows :—Married, July 23, 1873 ; issue, son born June 18, 1874 ; son, bori* June 16, 1875 ; daughter, born Auguwt 25, 1876; daughter bora bern December 18, 1877 ; daughter, born . March 14, 1879 ; son, born March 11, 1880; son, bom July 8, 1884. The Secretary of State said at once to himself, There is no teaching like that of example, and it is clear that here is a man of do mestic and methodical habits, who will be an excellent model for the New Zea landeis. _

The Eketahuna Murder.

[per press association.]

Masterton, February 26. At Eketahuna to day, Harrison and Smith were brought up on remand charged with the murder of J3alton. Mosc of the evidence given was similar to that adduced at the inquest. W. Skey, Go vernment analyst, stated that he had ex amine! the articles sent to him,and found blood on the shirt only. He could not say how long it hai been there, but it ap peared to be recent. Both prisoners were committed for trial.

TELEGRAPHIC.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.

THE FALL IN COLONIAL STOCKS. London, February 25. The Directors of the London Char tered Bmk ascribed the decline in colonial sticks to the market being Hooded with securities offered by executors in consequence of the numerous deaths which have occurred this winter. The mortality in London has risen twenty per thousand. EMPIRE TRADE LEAGUE. In the course of an interview, Mr Howard Vincent, M.P., said the United Empire Trade League was growing in favour, especially among the middle classes. Arrangements had been made for the holding of a conference on June 22 and the following days, and he urged that the various Australian colonies should be strongly represented at the gathering, and that experts should be appointed who would be able to influence Parliament in matters relating to the League. The first effort of the League would be in the direction of clearing the British Empire of restrictive treaties,- and he pointed out that any success that was achieved would improve the commercial posi tion of Australia in London.

TORIES AND THE COLONIES. At a meeting of the Colonial Insti tute, Mr Arthur Clayden, of New Zealand, attacked the management of the Tories represented in most Austra lian colonies, where labour interests, he said, were ignored. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. The Earl of Cadogan stated that the Government did not intend to depart from the safeguard contained in Mr Balfour's Irish Local Government Bill. The Shop Hours Bill introduced by Mr W. J. Lane, member for the Eastern Division of Cork, was thrown out. The principal aupport of the measure came from the ranks of the Tory party. A GRAVE CHARGE. "The Times" says that Mr Glad stone inspired the editor of; "The Speaker" to impeach the loyalty of the Marquis of Hartington (now Duke of Devonshire) during the crisis of 1880, and remarks that a worse attempt to stab an opponent has not occurred of late years.

LONDON MUNICIPAL POLITICS. The approaching London County Council elections are creating great interest. The progressive party are delighted that Lord Rosebery lias con sented to stand for the East Finsbury seat. A large meeting of the Moderate party was held at St. James's Hall, Sir H. James presiding. Resolutions were passed denouncing the adminis tration of the present County Council. Both sides are exhibiting tremendous energy in the contest, and neither party is leaving a stone unturned to secure a majority of seats. LABOUR QUESTIONS. Twenty thousand miners are under notice. The Scotch miners are going out on strike as an indication that they acquiesce in the attitude adopted by their fellow-workmen in England and Wales. February 26. A number of unemployed in Berlin stormed the butchers' and bakers' shops under cover of darkness. Re peated conflicts have taken place be tween the unemployed and the police. The police charged the labour rioters, wounding many of them. Eighty arrests were also made. Vienna, February 26. The Social Democrats are supplying food to 30,000 unemployed in the city!

LORD GLASGOW.

London, February 26. Lord Glasgow will take twenty servants with him to New Zealand. SHOCKING CHARGE. The daughter-in-law of Lord Robert Montagu has been committed for trial for the manslaughter of her little daughter, whom she pinioned and shut up in a dark room, thus causing her death. AUSTRALIAN MAILS. The "Pali Mall Gazette " suggests that the time allowed for the carriage of mails to and from Australia should be shortened, and that the mails should be conveyed all the way by sea, so as to avoid the excessive charges incurred by their transport through Italy and France. Mr J. Henniker Heaton is urging Parliament to set up a Committee to inquire into the cost of the carriage of mails to the Australian colonies. He points out that under existing arrangements the Railway Companies receive half the money, Italy and France pocketing £60,000 per annum. H.M.S. VICTORIA, Captain Bourke and Commander Tully, of H.M.S. Victoria, have been reprimanded in connection with the recent accident to the vessel on the Greek coast. THE RUSSIAN FLEET. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the " Standard " states that the Czar has promised to subsidise to the extent of £90,000 the capital subscribed by a syndicate, who have voluntarily offered to equip a fleet. The p?ar makes it a condition that foui cruisers are to be built by the syndicate within the next decade, and that they are to be em ployed in protecting Russian interests in the Baltic. GENERAL BOOTH ON AUSTRALIA. General Booth, in an article in the " Contemporary Revie%v," says that the greatest social danger in the Aus tralian colonies is the results of pros perity. He advocates the formation of industrial villages, with plenty of provision for recreation. He had been offered large tracts of lands in Aus tralia, which,, when cleared, would be worth £20 per acre, and he considered the Government ought to advance the money necessary for taking the land on security. If compelled to do so, he would borrow the money at 3| per pent., and then transfer the surplus population, to Australia and elsewhere,

DIPLOMATIST STABBED.

Constantinople. February 25. M. Vulkeovitch, the Bulgarian agent in this city, was stabbed in a ■ public thoroughfare, and is in ft'-ptfecarioug condition, !

THE ASHBURTON GUaRDIAN : SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1892.



HoJ,LOWAY's OiNTJIENT AND PILLS. — Abscesses, Erysipelas, and Piles. —Unvarying success attends all who treat these diseases according to the simple printed directions wrapped round each pot and box. They are invaluab'.e to the young and timid, whose bashfijlness sometimes endangers life. Though apparently lopal, diseases of this nature are essentially blood diseases, bufc a little attention, moderate' perseverance, and trifling expense will enable the most diffident towndnct any case to a liappy is^ue without exposing secret iiifjrmities tp anyone.' The ointment checks tlje local inflamtnatiqn and alleviates fcfre tlirpbbing'paihs. These direc tions also clearly peint out when and how Holloway's Pills are to be taken, that their purifying and regulating powers may assist ut adjusting and strengthening the consti byticm



Don't be Deceived!—lf you want the best Medicine the world has ever pro duced, try Colemane and Sons Eucalypti Extract. For all affections of the chest and lungs, consumption, asthma, coughs, colds, gravel, and kidney complaints. For influenza it lias no equal. Under the distinguished patronage of Earl Jersey, Governor of New South Wales, Lord Carrington, and the Emperor of Germany. Awarded medals at Sydneyl Melbourne, and Adelaide, beating all competitors, and s the only pure Extract in the world. See that the label bears our trade mark (tree of life and signature Colemane and Sond, Cootamundra, New South Wales) without this it if a fraud. Price, Is 6d and 2s 6d, Wholesale Depot for New Zealand: Lichfield street, Christchurch Sole Agents for Ashburton : The Ash burton Drug Company.- -Alvvt Th>s IJbst Remedy for Indigestion — Norton's Camomile Pills are confident^ recommended as a simple remedy foi Indigestion, which is the cause of nearly al! the diseases to tyhich we are subjects, Norton's Pills, with justice called the 'Natural iStreiigthenpr of the Human Stomach," act as. a powerful tqnie and gentle porient., are mild in their operation, and safe under any circumstances. Sold in bottles, at Is ljd, 2s 9d, 11s, by all medicine vendors throughout the ir»rld,



{'Keating's Powdkr" destroys Bugs Fleas, Motlw, Beetles, and ull other insecia whilst quite harmless to domestic a.niiralg, In exterminating Beetlos the success of this powder is extraordinary. It is perfectly clew in application, See the article you ourchase is " Keating's," as imitations are oxious and inefiectual. Sold in Tins, 6d, Is and 2s 6d each, by all chemists.



ASHBURTON SWIMMING CLUB. NOTICE is hereby given in pursuance of the "Public Reserves Act, v 1885," Glauses 5 and 6, that the Ashburton Domain will be set apart for the Ashbur ton \mateur Swimminsj Club's Sports, on WEDNESDAY, the 2nd day of MARCH, prox., on which clay charges will be made for admission thereto on the following scale, viz. :— For each Adulfc ... ONE SHILLING For each Horse ... ONE SHILLING For each Trap ... ONE SHI LLING HUGO FRIEDLANDER, Chairman Aahburton Domain Board. Asliburton, February 16, 1892. 2 78 Ask for Ninian Hyf-lop, and Co. s Imperial new seasons Pure Ceylon and India Teas. Specia prices — ( A.*iv Ninian Hyslop nd Co.'s "Imperial' Ceylon and Indian Teas are direct from ffci Te§ Plwtntfo *— {My i



STOCK-TAKING. .REDUCTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE IN ALL DEPAKTMENTS. Inspection Invited. NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory. r W. H WEBBER, Manager"



Public JMOUC63 , TO BUILDERS. f\ RENDERS are invited for the erection J_ of Sample Rooms for Mr James Lane at the Somerset Hotel, where plans and specifications may be seen. Tenders are to be sent in not later than 5 o'clock on TUESDAY, March 8, inst. C. E. FOOKS & SON, Architect.*, etc. CORWAI^ESTATE. T>LANS can be seen at our Office, and full particulars obtained from FRIEDLANDER BROS.



BOOTS, Boots.-—lnfants Boots 9d, six Dozen Ladies' Elastic Side Foots, 5s 9d, Gents' Boots 8s 6d, Mens' Blucher Boots 5s 6d, Stanley Shoes Is lid— Andrbw Ore, s Sale. 1 ANTED KNOWN, a special lot of Hearth Rugs at Is lid, 2s 6d and 2s lid ; worth about doable. W. Jti. Coliier. WANTED Known.—l have a large stock of Tin and Ironware Goods So select from. Register Grates, Stoves, Portable Boilers, Spouting and Ridging kept in stock.—J. W. Hakdley, East Set. : 6|202 WANTED Known.—Great Cash Sale now on at Melford House. Almost everything reduced. —H. C. Segers. ALL Wool Colonial Tweed Suits to measure; fit and workmanship guaranteed ; from 50s cash. Robert Axcorn, Ashburton Clothing Marl, Saunders' Buildings. TPO Meet the Times.—t am uupplying 1 Galvanised Iron Tanks from 30s upwards, warranted for twenty years, Force pumps, deep well cylinders of all de33riptions. Inspection invited. — J. W. Hardley, Eas street. 6|201 ANTED Known—That you will make no mistake for quality and variety in English and Colonial Boots, and hi 3 highly reputed make by calling at J. Moison's. During coming holidays dif sount for Cash. Repairs done at once. m staff of men always kept and best Material and workmanship guaranteed.



W\HTKD Known. -At "The Corner' now selling Ladies,' French Shops. 5s lid. See them".—W. H. OoLUEB __ -TyTTANTED KNOWN,—A great pur *V chase of Kid Gloves, £135 10s 6J, 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 Sale^ \\r ANTED Known.—lf you want VV plenty of first class Drapery, Boots and Clothing for cash, come to Melford House Sale.—H. 0. Segers. HIRTY Pieces Dress Goods at 6d ; 60 Pieces French Cashmere at Is 6d, worth 3s 6d ; 1000 Yards French Tweed, double width, at Is 9d, worth 3s 9d. All Dress Goods greatly reduced.—Andrew Orr's Cheap Sale. 1 106



Wanted. | CASH Advertisement* under ttrs heading not exceeding SIXTEEN WORDS 1/-. Addresses may be Vftat this Office. OYSTERS and Crayfish, after arrival of this evening's express, at Somer et Corner.—J. H. Jbwttt, Fishmonger. 1 100 TOOTHING will Cool you so quickly and i^i invigorate the system s-) much as Ice Cream —H. G. Flower; Confectioner, E»st Street. FOrTsAI^E,— Safety Bicycle, Ball Bearings all over, except to Steer -1n« ; Lamp, Bell, and Luggage Carrier. lain capital order.—J. W. 'JVbstyman. 2 _135_ __ WANTIID Known.—E. Senior wil open a Fish and Oyster Saloon in shop opposite " Mul" Office, Burnett Street, on THURSDAY. Fish of all des criptions kept in stock, \T7 ANTJGD Known, —Come and see W * the Bargains now on at Melford House.—H. C. Segers.