The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, APRIL 4, 1892. ELECTORAL LAW AMEND MENT.

Al Bill for the Amendment of the Electoral Act is one of the measures already announced by Government to be introduced next session. The Bill as drafted carries out the principles which were affirmed by the House of Representatives last session ; the " one man-one-vote " principle is extended so that no man can have his name on the electoral roll of more than one district, and the right of electors whose occupa tion compels them to travel for a great part of the year, and for long distances, to register their votes wherever they may be on the day of polling, is made to include commercial travellers and shearers as well as sailors. To neither of these main points can reasonable objection be raised. The dual vote is a retrograde proposal which stands not the least chance of being accepted by Parliament or the country—plank m the platform of the so-called National Association though it be. There may be some little difference of opinion upon the clause providing that the name of m elector having more than one qualification shall be placed upon the roll of the district m which he resides. It is contended that by this means an elector may be deprived of a vote m the district m which his principal interests are situated, but a little consideration will show that there is not much m this argument. When an owner of a large property — and this is the individual whom the opponents of the provision are so solicitous about—resides away from his estate, he leaves m charge of his interests a trusted manager or other representative who, by his residence there, acquires a vote which is of course given m the direction which his em ployer's interests or political principles dictate, so that the idea that the owner is disfranchised m the district is fallacious. At the most, the clause affects very few m New Zealand, and very few also are affected by the provision that absence from the colony for more than six months would cancel the registration of the elector, and he would have to qualify by six months' residence before be could again be enrolled. Ihe latter case, however, could be met without much difficulty by providing that so long as the qualifica tion did not pass—by the insertion of another name on the roll m respect of the same qualification—thd elector should not be disfranchised by the sole reason of temporary absence. No one can grudge the giving to commercial travellers and shearers the privilege which was last session granted to sailors, m the shape of a sort of Elec toral Right enabling them to vote m whatever part of the colony they may be When the election m the district m which they reside takes place, We hope that this is a step towards giving a similar right to all electors, as is the system m Victoria. However, this Bill is a gieat step m the right direc tion, for at last general election num bers of shearers were unable to vote, the election taking place m the midst of the wool season. Woman's suffrage might fairly have been included m the Bill. The principle has been affirmed by so large a majority of the House as to warrant the Government m taking it up although it cannoc be called a party question. It is to be regretted that Ministers have not seen their way to reform altogether the method of registering voters and preparing the electoral rolls. Under the present sys tem it is impossible to prevent abuses, and every election proves how im possible it is to prepare a correct and pure roll. An objectionable clause m the Bill is that which makes an election day a public holiday. The hours of polling afford opportunity to voters of all occupations to record thejr votes,, and nothing more is required. Indeed, experience has shown that instead of a holiday causing a greater number of votes to be polled the reverse is the case, and as one of the objects of the Electoral laws is to obtain the fullest possible voting, the institution of a holiday on polling day would be a mistake The Bill" is m the main just and practical, but, as we have pointed out, it has its deficiencies and objec tions as well as its merits, and it is not likely to pass without considerable amendment.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Geraldine Sports, postponed from previous dates on account of wet weather, are to be held next Thursday. A petition to Parliament against granting the franchise to women is being circulated m Dunedin at the instance of Mr Fish, M.H.R. Dv Barnardo is busy making arrangements for the establishment m Edinburgh of a Ho«»e similar to his well-known refuge m London for waifs and strays. A Wellington telegram, of Saturday, says: The comet is now visible to the naked eye, and was distinctly seen between three and five o'clock this morning. Mr C. Ffirniss, M.P., of West Hartlepool,! induced the millers of the United States of; America to send 4,SOO,QOQIb of flour to the starving peasants m Russia. | An English Anarchist m Pai-js fastened ' himself to a lamp-post with a steel chain, and harangued the mob m defiance of tha ! police until one of the links was filed through. By advertisement it will be seen that the business as carried on m Ashburton by the firm of I. Salek and Co., will be finally closed on Apr}! 22, the firm having dissolved partnerhip, I&esr are holding a clearing sale of the whole of ftm? sfco,ck for the three weeks. The paragraph m Saturday's Guardiajs j with reference to the formation oj a clubs' club was not exactly correct. The Club or class has been formed of the members of the Ashburton Club, and the room which they will use was specially planned m the mv Ptob House as a chess room and library. Chess players and those who would like to learn the game are all the .same in vited to be prcßent to-morrow evening. At a numerously attended meeting at Christchurch on Saturday evening ifc was unanimously resolved to form a Shorthand Writers' Association for advanced writers only, having for its objects, inter alia, the meetiwg of members for speed practice, holding examinations for speed and verbatim reporting, and the granting of speed certificates to members, The chair was occupied by Mr J. Plunket, editor of the " Evening Star," and Mr C. H. (jilbey ww elected secretary. A committee was appointed to draw up rules and frame a constitution, the committee to consist of Messrs A. Ci. Aghby, M. Donnelly, D Lisle, H. J. Thomson, and the About thirty members were enrolled

Rider Haggard pronounces his name . " Reeder. " I Mrs Gladstone was seve ity-nine on Janu^y 6. Spurious Bank of England notes are n circulation m Wellington. Among 200,000,000 of the world's popula tion slavery still exists. The human heart, m a life-time of 50 years, beats 300,000,000 times. Queen Marguerite of Italy claims to have the sandals worn by Nero—the tyrant. English has been r.;.;o'.'nisod as the official language of the Imperial University of lokio. Wild elephants are now carefully pro tected m India by special legislation, tor some years the forest officers hive been the captors, and they train them to drag timber. Maharajas and ri-h natives are aUvajs ready to purchase them at from £300 upwards. Mr Robert Cnif, tota of the Newbattle Paper Mills, died m Euinburgh, on January 26, aged eighty-four. He discovered a method of tinting paper, which became tlie specialty of his large works. He was a heavy sufferer by the failure of the City ot Glasgow Bank. His firm also have large mills at Calderoruix. The rainfall m Ashburtou for the month of March v*» 361 inches, rain falling on 14 days, though on three of the days theamount was insignificant. The heaviest falls were on March 21 and 23 when 0.84 and 0.82 inches were measured. On Marcn 10, 0« inches fell; on the 18th, 0.38; and on the 22nd, 0.33. The rainfall since January Ist has been 11.20 inches. When Mr David Dear (winner of the Queen's prize at Bisley this year) was a law student, he once attended an at home." On the servant asking his name he replied, "David Dear." The girl blushed and said: "Yes, yes; but what is your other name, sir !" He assured her he had no other name. But it was of no use ; the servant knew better, and announced him as "Mr David." The difference between "tohungas" and science is not inaptly illustrated (says the " Hawke'3 Bay Herald ") by the outbreak of typhoid fever among the Maoris at the Bay of Plenty. Since the Government sent medicine to the teacher of the native school at Omaio to dispense there has been only one death, whereas nearly every case treated by the tohunga resulted m death. Mis favourite mode of treatment was to dip his patients m the river. The mail brings particulars of the demand of the Paris cabmen (of which we heard by cable) that the State should advance the cabmen money for the purchase of cabs. The petition was sent by the cabmen employed by the Urbaine Company of Paris to the Senators and Deputies, asking them to authorise the Bank of France to lend 10,000,000f to the Cabmen's Syndicate, to be paid back m tea years, and to be used ex clusively for the purchase of cabs. Ihe petition sets forth the method of payment, winch is at the rate of 1,000,000f. a year, to be withdrawn from what is called the admin istrative value of the 1,500 working cabmen. The petition adds that the State has inter vened before m industrial schemes, which havo been far less useful to the common good Members of the medical profession m Victoria have become considerably agitated concerning a recent prosecution m the police court, when a medical man holding merely a licentiate's diploma was fined, first for placing the letters "M.D." after his name, and next for calling himsell "doctor." The first-named offence is de fended by none, but numbers of medical practitioners are affected by the decision with respect to the second charge. Per haps nine-tenths of the medical men m the colony, who hold merely collegiate diploma? or the degree of bachelor, use the prefix oi "I)r," which on the part of the public, is regarded as a generic title including all legally qualified medicil men. S^ong argu ments are forthcoming both for and against the prevailing usage, and as the magistrate's decision is to be appealed against, the re sult is awaited with interest. An interesting and useful resume of," the law relating to barbed wire fencing is given m the annual report of the National Society far the Preservation of Footpaths. It commences with the important ca*c of the Elgin County Road Trustees v Innes, m which the judges were unanimous m laying down the general principle that a man may not place by the side of a public way a fence which i 3 dangerous to persons lawfully walk ing along the path or road, or to cattle being driven along it At Cardiff a person recovered £1 damages from the Corporation for injuries caused by br.rbed wire ; at West Wickham £30 damages were recovered for injuries caused by a dangerous stile and barbed wire; and several other similar county court cases are recorded. The latest sufferer from barbed wire fencing is Lieu tenant-general Marshall, master of the Chiddingtold hounds. His hunter charged a barbed wire fence, threw the general, and after being entangled for a moment or two m the barbed fence, fell on his rider. The general became unconscious, but his condi tion is not now considered dangerous. Dr A. K. H. Boyd's " Twenty-five Years m St ' Andrews," published lately by Longmans, gives the following " Assembly story "of Dr Norman Macleod :—lt seems to nig, looking back, as if Macleod was glorious that evening, and Craik, usually rather sad, was swept away. There had been talk about Greek brigands. Norman of a sudden said that he knew the Greek brigands well. " Yon remember," he said to Tulloch, " when you and I fell into their hands ?" Years before Tulloch and he had met at Athens and spent some days together. But Tulloch stared blankly. " You remember that bridge across a little stream with trees hanging ovpr? That was the place." Then, addressing thp company " They seized Tulloch and me, and carried us away to their cave m the hills. They had just three books m their possession— the 'Confession of Faith,' the ' Free Kirk Catechism,' and the 'Recreations of a Country Parson. They were decent lads, but they had been demoralised by reading these books, and so had taken to robbing on the highway. They gave us Athole brose for refreshments, seeing we were hungry, and the moment they found we were minis ters of the Kirk of Scotland they felt it was so absolutely hopeless to get any money out of ua that they not merely get us at liberty, but tipped us something handsome for our, selves To the end of my life," Macleod went on "I shall never cease to regret that m the hurry of coming away I did not think of asking them for a subscription for the Fund for Supplementing Small Livings.' Tul locb's face was a study as the story went on, and, many life-like circumstances being added, the young barristers, gradually dis cerning that the story was not historical, howled. Tfce great preacher and orator they all knew, buj Urn was auother phase of the renown Celt. The best medicine known is SANDfclßaftd SONS EUGALPTI EXTRACT Test its emiiutnt powerful effects m coughs, colds, influenza, etc—the relief is instantaneous. Thousands give it* lucsf, gratifying testi mony, His Majesty tjie Kiug of italy, and medical syndicates all over the globe, w its patrons. Read tlio official reports that accompany each bottle. We have no occa sion to offer rewards m proof of thegoimme ness of our references. The official reports of medical clinics and universities, the official communication of the Consul-general for Italy at Melbourne; the diploma awarded InWJWI Exhibition, Amsterdam-all these are a^hc^tic documents, and, as such, not ope» to doubt.' add fare epitome ol one of the various cases treated by i?»*#e«i M.D , Professor, eta, Burning «f the right; hand through the explosion of a small oil stove The epidermis on tne voiav jwd palmer side of the hand of the thirty-year old patient was completely separated and lifted up as far as tihe pint of the hand. The likewise liM nails were hanging loose aud half of the pfaftJau*: of the nail of the middle finger was coaled. ?»<? wound? thus contracted" healed m three weeks under daily application of Eucatypti Extra dressing! The pati^fc Uaj> retained the full use of her hand. —( Ady %) f Kfvhnu's Cough Lozbxoks cure Coughs Asthma, Bronchitis. Medical testimony states that no other medicine is so effectual m. Hrn .cure of those dangerous maladies One Leng* akue gives ease, one or w at bedtime ensures rest. Vox relieving difficulty of breathing they are invaluable, f ney contain no opium nor any violent drug. Sold by all Chemists m tins U IA4 *n<\ &oa eacft

The state of affairs m Sydenham has become serious. According to the "Tele graph" larrikins are combined into what they call a "push," which is likened to the "Mafia "of New Orleans, and the "Mala Vita" of Italy; and the journal demands severer measures for the repression of the "push" than 10s fines, which are either 1 paid l»y parents or subscribed by the "push." Tht* dastardly conduct of shooting carrier pigeons still continues m this district One Ashburton owner lost two fast birds last week, and another has l<>st a'niost the whole of his loft. It is a pity that some of the pernetrators of these offences cannot be detected ; they would find that carrier pigeons have a substantial value beyond that which they have as material for pies. Mr B. Duhig, of Cromwell, seems to have had a ran of bad lnok during the past year. He has just broken the kneecap of his left leg, and', according to the •' Argus" a few months ago had (he misfortune to meet with a similar accident to hisjother leg, and before it was properly healed, to rebreakit. Follow ing on that his barn was burned down, at a loss of £40, and now comes the latest accident. The Home papers report the death of a footballer from a peculiar cause. Mr James Duulop, one of Scotland's best forward foot ball players, died on January jl, at Paisley, from lockj-iw. Whilst playing a friendly game on Kew Year's day Dunlop had his knee cut with apiece of glass. The wound was medically treated, but lockjaw subse quently set iii, causing death. Two years ago, when only 20 years of age, deceased played for Scotland against Wales. Mr Labouehere is very emphatic m " Truth " on the subject of woman suffrage. The report of the attempt to capture Mrs Osborne leads him to a critical review of the pearl mystery, and the motives for the crime, and he thus concludes :-—" Women are, m truth, incomprehensible creatures, and capable of anything : by turns angels and demons. And there are men who would allow them to vote! I would sooner give children razors and revolvers to play with. The "Voskhod," the leading Jewish organ m Russia, has taken pains to inquire into the condition of the Jews who left Russia during the persecutions of Uie past eighteen months. The writer asserts that the Pales tine colonies have been failures, and that the colonists are desirous of returning to Russia. In the United States the emigrants find that their manual labour cannot compete with machinery, and that no one will think of employing them as learners. The writer is certain that were a society to be formed m America to pay the expenses of Jewish emi grants back to Russia quite two-thirds would gladly avail themselves of its funds and return. As the hard labour gang were coming across from Ripa Islaud to Lyttelton m. the Government launch on Saturday, one of them, named Wilson, while leaning over the side iv the throes of seasickness overbalanced himself and fell overboard. Without a moment's hesitation a fellow prisoner named McGuire jumped over, after him, and having succeeded m reaching him before he sank, kept him up till the launch could be put about. The two men were taken on board without having suffered any greater incon venience than an involuntary bath. In is is the second time McGuire has made a similar rescue. On the last occasion he obtained a substantial reduction of his sentence as a reward for his bravery. By the will of the late City Chamberlain of London, Mr Benjamin Scott, a bequest is made of a gold mourning ring of the value of £20 to the Lord Mayor, and a ring of the value of £12 to the senior alderman and to the chairman of the Finance Committee. Mr Scott also makes bequests to each clerk and messenger m his office. He further says :— "I desire and direct that my funeral may be of the simplest and least expensive kind, without carriages if possible, and that my body be interred m ground which has not undergone the ceremony of 'consecration, believing that our Lord and Saviour has by his burial sufficiently consecrated the earth for the reception of my poor remains, and desiring to testify against a prpvai ling super stition that the" character of the ground m which a human being is interred can affect the condition of a departed soul. ' The £1,761,000 of Mr W. H. Smith is the greatest fortune made m recent years out of the newspaper business. It far exceeds the £563 000 of the late Mr Edward Lloyd, of the "'Daily Chronicle," and the £4/5,000 of Mr Joseph M. Levy, of the <• Dariy Telegraph." It also far exceeds the fortune of aliy publisher, the nearest approach being the £520,000 of Mr G. W. Petter, of cTssell and Co. Great as it is, Mr Smith s estate ranks only sixth among the personal ties of the last six years. Baron de {stern and Mr Hugh McCalmont both left more than three millions ; Mr John Rylands and Mr Juuius Morgan both more than two ; while Lord Wolverton's estate slightly exceeded that of the late member for the Strand, who had sunk large sums m the purchase of landed property before Jus death.— "Star." The manufacture of the improved magazine rifle, Mark 11., is to be proceeded with m order that it may be submitted to further practical tests—the only tests which can possibly prove effectual m showing its defects-namely, rough service m the hands of recruits and young soldiers. Until a Service small arm has passed successfully through this trying ordeal it is impossible for any committee or any body of experts to say whether it fulfils requirements or not, for all the experiments m the world by skilled marksmen will not bring to light faults of construction. Marksmen are soon able to judge as to the shooting qualities of a rifle, but it must be left to unpractised shots, as a rule, to test the strength and capacity of bolts, screws, and springs, as it is rough nsage by rough hands alone which brings shortcomings of thjs kind under notice. This is a fact which the opponents of the new rifle are too apt to overlook m their condemnation of what they pronounce a hasty decision on the part of the War Office. It is seldom, says a London correspondent, that red-tapeism has so glorious a chame to distinguish itself as was given it by the arrival of the Arawa. She had lost some of her crew by yellow fever between Rio Janeiro and Teneriffe, and on her reaching the English ports was rightly put into quar antine, and all her cabins, etc., fumigated and disinfected. The Customhouse authori ties sent down special men to disinfect her ' cargo as it was landed, by spraying it with carbolic acid. By a mere chanoe one of our butter importers happened to bo watching i her cargo being discharged, and discovered that the Customhouse officials were about to throw carbolic acid m greater or lesser quantities over the kegs and cases of the Arawa's butter. He at once realised that if this were done there was great danger of the butter being all spoiled, so he sought an interview with the heal official, and after pointing out that the butter had come m re frigerating chambers, which besides had been practically hermetically sealed, obtained j permission to have the butter landed with out any carbolic acid or other disinfectant being sprayed upon it. Some of these officials, however, discovered another mare's nest. The labels of Messrs. Reynolds and C 0.," Auckland, Kew Zealand, also bear the address of their London establishment. This was enough for a Customhouse official. ' Jrle stopped the delivery of all this firm's butter on the pretext that the butter might have been made m London. It was useless pointing out that the Arawa had come from New Zealand. He would have to consult his superiors over a matter of this kind, and the consequence was that the butter was not freed wntH the next day, and the firm lost a market and sjong with it a certain amount of "money, for the next day the price of butter fell considerably,"

THE MARKETS.

The .New Zealand Farmers' Co-opera tive Association of Canterbury, Limited, j/eporj} hay;rig received the following cable from 'their Loridor t of^ce, dated tho 31st March :— ' —The market is a shade easier. fi^qtt,Qii —Pfin>e Canterbury mutton4f d, and prime Ganjberb^iy lamb 6£d. The Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy- Produce Export Company, Limited, have received cable advice from London, dated April 1, quoting their brand of mutton at 4§4 jjer lb, lamb 6|d per lb ; market steady.

Board of Eduction.

ASHBURTON BUSINESS.

At tho meeting of the Board of Educa tion on Thursday, the Buildings Com mittee reported that the following works m the Ashburton district hadbaen autho rised : —Painting school building afc Soa field ; fuel shed," to c >st £5, at Dromoro ; ! gravelling, to cost £8 6s BJ, at Eiffelton. ( The Wakanui School Committee had com plained that the closets at the new school had been placed over pits instead of being provided with pans. It had been asked wbe'.h-T tTieie were any wells near that might be affected. A letter had been re ceived I'rom Mr Campball, stating that Mr O'Shea wished the intended site of the new school afc Upper Ashburton Forks to be taken with four chains frontage, and extending to the back of the section.. It was agreed to take the land as desired. The Rokeby Schocl Committee had re ported that ie would be necessary to have the school site fenced oJi at once. It w;s explained that the fencing would be in cluded m the contract. The tender of G. Potrie and Co., building new school, Rokeby, £247, and fencing, 35s per chain, had been accepted. Tenders for .sinking and bricking wells at Hinds and Winslow had been deferred pending a report fron? the Clerk ot Works on the present state of the wells. The Appointments Committee reported that Miss L. Dent had been appointed sewing mistress at Launston. The re signation of the pupil teacher at Elgin had been received and accepted. It was decided to appoint a mistress. Alterations of boundaries were made between the following districts:—Rokeby, Barrhill and Lauriston, Ashburton and Hunpstead, Pendarves and Kyle, [the new bounda ies are advertised.]

Mount Somers Minerals

. « It is well known to mosb of our readers that prospecting has been steadily persevered m for s>omo years at various parts of the hilly country between Mount Somera and Alford Forest. Many mineral deposits have been found, some of which may ultimately prove to be valuable, but those which promise to be more imme diately valuable are the limestone and c0,.l deposits at Springburn, on a section of which Messrs Duncan and Stott have secured a mining lease. The ground and deposits have been inspected by Mr H. A. Gordon, Inspecting Engineer, of the Mines Department, and his report to the Minister of Mines, dated February 19 last, is as follows :— The ground is situated on the outskirts of the Alford Forest, on the slope leading up to the foot of Mount Homers, about nine hundred and fifty fe&t above the sea level. It is about four miles distant from the Springburn railway station, to which there is a good dray road for about three and a half miles, and there will be no difficult) m connecting the coal and limestone deposits with a tramway to the road, for the remaining half mile. The belts containing the limestone and coal run pirallel m a northerly and southerly direction, about from ten to twelve chains apart, having a moderately deep gully between Hiem. The bottom and sides of the gully are covered with bush, from which suitable timber can be got for mining operations. LIMESTONE. The limestone crops out along the surface of the ground for about forty chains m a northerly direction from Reid's creek, the outcrop being about one and aquarter chains m width, and dip png to the westward. The stone m the outrrop is of three different qualities. That taken from the western side of the outcrop contains black and green sand, but one of the specimens taken from the northern end of the outcrop contained a mu«h larger per centage of oxide of iron than any of the others. The samples were analysed at the Colonial Labo at.r.y, anl the one taken frcm the eastern side of the outcrop shows it to be of very good quality of limestone, and we'l adapted for burning into lime, or for building stone, especially for interior work. The whole of the three samples caken away are somewhat incoherent, and absorb a con siderable quantity of water, which is rather against it as a building stone. The following is an analysis of the three samples of stone brought away :— No. 1 sample, from the western side of outcrop on southern end.—Carbonate of Lime, 79 79/ Carb-jnate of Magnesia, 2 86 ; Iron Oxide, 3*14 ; Alumina, trace ; Silicious Matter, 140 ; Water, 20— 100-00. No. 2 sample, of western side of out crop, northern end. —Carbonate of Lime, 80 78 ; Carbonate of Magnesia, 2-89; Iron Oxide, 6*22 ; Alumina, traoe ; Sili cious Matter, 987 ; Water, 24—100-00. No. 3 sample, from eastern side of out crop. —Carbonate of Lime, 9324; Car bonate of Magnesin, 296 ; Iron Oxide, 139; Alumina, trace ; Silicious Matter. 2-25 ; Water, 16—lOO'OO. It will be seen from fchß above that samples No. 1 and 2 are nearly of the same composition as regards lime, but different m respect to the quantity of iron oxide and silicious matter, whilst sample No. 3 shows that it has a much larger percentage of lime than any of the others COAL. The coal lies to the westward of the limestone, and at a slightly higher ele vation. Very little work has been done to open up the seam; the only places where it can be seen are m the different gullies, and m an adit level driven m from the face of the hill where it cuts the coal m the bottom, but the adit was con structed at too high a level to open oat and work the seam. Very little can be said m reference to the coal, except what can be seen at the ontcrops. These out crops occur at Reid's Creek, and m several creeks and gullies. In some of these places there are three .seams with layers of mullocky clays and shale be tween, the largest of these seams being seven feet m thickness. At tome places the seam appears to be clipping at an angle of 45 to the westward, and m one place the seams are nearly horizontal, the latter place bring m the northern side of Rata. Gully. The quality of the coal is similar to the brown coal found at Springfield, White cliffs, and Mount Somers, m Canterbury, and from all appearances there ought to be a sufficient deposit of ie m th's locality to justify it being opened up to supply coal for local consumption and for lime burning. It is very suitable for the latter purpose, as will be seen from its analysis : Fixed Carbon, 4758 ; Hydro Carbon, 33 95 ; Water, ltf'4l ; kxh, 2-Q6 —IOO'OO. The evaporation power isi 6:l9lb's ? "' ' ' " With regard to the value of the property, it depends to a great extent on the market that can be got for lime. Taking the close proximity of the coal and limestone, the natural facilities for burning lime and getting it conveyed to the railway, into consideration, it ought to be produced at a very low tigurp per ton. Steps are being taken to form a Com pany to work the above deposits. It is proposed that the capital shall be LSOOO m£l shares, with power to increase. A prospectus will shortly be advertised ; meantime, Mr D. Thomas, who has been appointed Chairman of the promoters, will giye any information to intending subscribers'.'- ' '

Caledonian Society.

. .. t ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Ashburton Caledonian Society was held m Mr David Thomas' office, Arcade, on Saturday evening. There was a fair attendance of members, and Mr David Thomas, the president, occupied the chair. ANNUAL REPORT, The annual report of the Directors was read by the President as follows : — Your Directors have pleasure m laying be fore you the balance sheet for the present year. They deeply regret that the s une is not so favorable as lo.st year, for at that p-riod the balance sheet showed a credit of £27 19a 3:1, while the balance sheet for this year is only £2 8s 3.1. _The Society will ob serve that the money given awj,y for prizes has almost doubled itself during the past two years. In 1889, the sum given was £56 7s 6d, m 1890, £74 11s 6d, and the siim given , this year was £92 Is 2.1. Your Directors were desirous to make the prizes as valuable as possible; but it is questionable whether the great increase was wise. Your Directors would again call the special attention of the members to the matter of holding Inglesides during the winter months. For some years past the Inglesides have not paid, and last year your special attention was called to the matter; but it was finally decided to con tinue them. It. is thought that were a concert and fancy dress ball to be given this' year instead, the funds of the Society would be improved, and your Directors, therefore, ask your special attention to the matter. An attempt was made during the winter to obtain grants from prominent Scotsmen m the County of Ashburtou to enable the Society to form scholarships ; but the appeal was entirely unsuccessful. This your Directors regret exceedingly, for the educa tion of the young has always been a teature m Scotland, and some of its sons m this fair land would like to see the same virtue shown by Scotsmen m this country.-—D. Thomas, Chairman. BALANCE SHEET. The balance sheet was also read and approved. It showed, including the balance from last year of £27 19.3 3d, an income of £172 17s. Members' subscrip tions amounted to £38 Is ; donations (two), £10 10.$ ; receipts from fancy dress Ingleside, £7 14s ; special prizos, £11 15s 6d ; entrances and acceptances, sports, £12 15a lOd ; gate money, £55 12s 5d ; sale of privileges, etc., £8 9s. The expenditure showed, on Ingleside meet ings, £30 14s lid ; rent, Domain, £10 ; general expenses, £10 lSs ; band, sports, £8 ; gatekeepers, £3 10s ; prizes, £92 Is 2d; stationery, stamps, advertising, print ing, etc., £15 4s 8d ; balance m hand, £2 8s 3d. The Chairman, m moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, pointed out that the last Ingleside meetings had not been a financial success any more than they had been the year previous, and it would be for the members to con sider the advisableness of carrying on these meetings or discontinuing them. A verysenouscauseofthelowbalanceinhand, however, had been the very greatly in creased amount of prize money offered. He favored the Ingleside meetings much himself, as they brought together Scotch people and helped to keep up the esp it de corps— the " Shonther tae Shouther" fueling—that ought to exiscin the Society, Mr Malcolm seconded the adoption of the report and balance sheet. He re gretted that the Inglesides had not been a success. He believed that a cause was to be found m the increase of meetings of a similar character of a loss expensive kind held by other societies, and he thought it would be better to ullow the Inglesides to cease for a season or two, and substitute for them ago .id concert and a fancy dress ball. The motion wa§ carried. THE INGLESIDES, ETC. Mr Malcolm moved that the Ingleside meetings be discontinued, speaking at some le/igth on the subject m the same strain as that m which he had spoken m nT->vr.i7 th? -'lopt;nn "f ••l-c rj;or!;. Mr MacKenaie seconded, and the mo tion was carried. It was decided to hold a Scotch concert and a fancy dress ball, at dates to be fixed by the Directors ; and that it be a recom mendation to the Directors to arrange for a class during the winter for instruction m Highland and Scotch dancing. THE SPORTS. The Chairman proposed votes of thanks to the gentlemen who carried out the Inglesides and the annual gathering. In regard to the latter he thought the Society could congratulate itself upon its success. Che gate money on that occasion had been the largest yet taken, larger even than when they had had a whisky booth, and the success of the gathering was mainly due to the gentlemen who had | spent so much of their time and labor m getting the sports off. He would like to add a special vote of thanks to the Secre tary for the work he had done for the Society, and paid him a high compliment for the way m which he had conducted the Society's business. It was much to be regretted that Mr Scaly would be un able to take office this year. The motion was carried by acclamation, and Mr Scaly acknowledged the compli ment paid to him. A. special vote of thanks was passed to the ladies who had taken charge of the refreshment tables at the Inglesides. OFFICE BEARF.R9. The patrons of the Society were re elected and Mr D. Thomas' name added to the list, and the following other officers were elected^-President--Mr William Malcolm; Vice-presidents—Messrs Charles Reid and William Anderson ; Treasurer— Mr William Crajghead ; Secretary—Mr Joshua Tucker. Directors--Messrs T. Sea'y, John Mathieson, John Cochrane, A. McKenzie, J. Scaly, John Corbitt, James Janueson, jun., and J. L. Brown, Pipers —Messrs Alick McKay and George Robertson. A vote of thanks to the Chairman con cluded the meeting.

" Truth " remarks that the Osborne case is certainly a curious one. " Here we have a woman who lives up to the age of twenty, five, much like any one else m her position. .Suddenly she steals the jewels of a friend. If she had heen desperately m want of money one could understand it, for necessity often knows no law ? but she was not m want of money, and she seems to have had no particular desire to purchase this or that. With one of the large notes she bought some ' articles at Messrs Maples' that she did not need, with the small notes she bought a few i trifles ; and when the expose came she actually had the other large notes m her possession, which she surrendered to Mr Spink. On the one hand, the act was done deliberately and with forethought; on the other hand, the reason why it was done is not apparent. lam no greater believer m the theory of kleptomania, and I would never let any one off on this plea; still I should bo curious to know whether Mrs Osborne was suffering from any hysteria or such complaint at the time the theft was deliberately planned and deliberately carried out. As for her perjury, I ascribe little importance to that. If a person steals, and does not want to be discovered, the person, of course, pleads not guilty, and swears to the plea. The one is the certain consequence of the other. " —We now have by cable the statement, backed by medical testimony, that Mrs Osborne is a" sufferer from a very sei'ious form of hysteria, and thus, doubtless, is afforded the explanation of her strange conduct.

READY WIT.

P-irliamantary elections usually afford a good iield for the oxcise of wit. While a noble lord was conducting his canvass he met a bully, who declared fiercely that he would ' sooner vote for the devil than for him.' ' I've not the slighesfc doubt of it, my friend,' said the candidate quietly, 'but m the event of youi 1 friend not coming forward may I count on your vote, sir V Here is another of the same kind. At an open political meeting :i man cried, ' Hurrah for Jackson !' to which a by stander retorted, ' Hurrah fora jack-as. !'. ' All right my man.' exclaimed the first speaker, "' you nan hurrah for your favorite candidate, and I'll do the same for mine ' An enviable qu'ekneas of repartee was shown by a French actor, when the head of a goose was thrown upon the stage. Advancing to the footlights, he said : ' Gentlemen, if any one among you has lost his head, I shall he glad to restore it at the conclusion of the piece.' Deservedly severe also was the reply of Descartes to a nobleman, who, seeing that he enjoyed the pleasures of the table, re marked • 'I see, sir, that philosophers can sometimes indulge m good cheer.' ' Why not 1 ' asked Descartes. *Do you really imagine that Providence in tended the good things of this earth only for the foolish and ignorant ?' The tourist who said to an idle Skye man, ' Why do yau lie there all day with your hands m "--he pockets?' must have been taken aback by the cool reply : "Cause she hasna been far enough south to learn to pit them m other people's.' Ready wit cannot be said to be natural to youth, for the answers given by pre cocious schoolboys are not witty, being usually the outcome of misunderstanding or of 'cheek.' There are exceptions, however, to this rule. A teacher asked his class what was meant by ' divers diseases,' and was rather surprised when one of the boys answered: ' Water m the head.' A little dot of a ghl enquired of her mother the meaning of ' transatlantic,' and was told, ' Across the Atlantic' 'Does " frans" always mean cross, mamma ?' she then asked. 4 Yes,' replied the mother ; ' but don't bother me any more.' ' Then I guess " transparent" means a cross parent,' was the conclusion the un conscious little humorist came to as she relapsed into silence.

THE WEATHER.

TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL AT CHERTSEY, FOR MARCH, 1892.

ALFORD STATION.

The following is the Meteorological report for the week ending April 3, 1892 :—

Rainfall during April— Alford forest, 8"0 inches Alford Station 5*5 inches.

Ashburton Wesleyan Church.

QUARTERLY MEETING. The quarterly official meeting of the \shburton Wesleyan circuit was held last Thursday evening, when a fair number were present from different parts of the circuit. The membership returns showed an increase m both adult and juvenile mem bers. The finances also showed a consider able improvement on previous quarters. A suggestion having been made some time ago that the north and south sides of the circuit should respectively accept the responsibility of their own finance, a report was brought up by Mr Chapman, showing that the opinions of the congre gations were divided, and it was therefore decided rot to make any alteration at present. Sunday School affairs were reported to be m a fairly satisfactory condition. A committee was appointed to further the interests of the "N.Z. Methodist" newspaper, which the directors hope soon to publish at Id plus postage. It is hoped this will greatly increase the circula tion. It was unanimously resolved to join the Wesleyan Methodist Council of Christ hurch, and Messrs W. Harding, John Orr and W. H. Collins, with the Circuit ministers ex officio, were appointed to represent the circuit on the Council. Permission was given to'the Ashburton trustees to remove the church to the new site m Baring Square, subject to satisfac tory financial arrangements being made.

TELEGRAPHIC.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. ' LABOR QUESTIONS. London, April 1. Evidence was given before the Labor Commission to the effect that the em ployees in shops in North London had to work eighty to ninety hours per week. The masters, however, generally expressed themselves in favor of restricting these hours. The bricklayers or London have given notice to the masters to enforce the new rules upon June Ist. A strike is feared. "> THE NEW TAXATION. The Earl of Lichfield, presiding &% the meeting of the Bank of Australasia, deprecated the views expressed by the London financiers with regard to colonial borrowing. He did not regard the new taxation in New Zealand as likely to produce harm. THE GREAT PEARL CASE. In reply to a question in the House of Commons, Mr Matthews, Home Secretary, refused to release Mrs ds borne in order to obviate a taint upon her child. BISHOP VAUGBAN. It is expeqted that Bishop Vaughan, th§ late Cardinal Manning's successor, will be made a cardinal. THE SILVER QUESTION. Eastern exchanges have slightly im- } proved,

THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. The governing body of the Imperial Institute has decided to treat Australia federally, and allow one curator only for the whole of the colonial exhibits. A SMART VOYAGE. The Polynesia did the voyage from Adelaide to Marseilles in twenty-six days. Sydney papers of March Iby her were received in London yesterday. THE RUSSIAN JEWS. Mr Balfour, in reply to a questi< n in the House of Commons, said le doubted the correctness of Mr Arnold White's statement that 70,000 Russian Jews were coming to England shortly. Such an invasion would be intolerable. IMPERIAL POLITICS. Sir J. Lubbock, speaking at a meet ing of the London Chamber of Com merce, expressed his sympathy with fhe proposal for free trade between England and the colonies. The revenue exceeds the estimate of the Chancellor of the Exchequer by half a million. It is freely stated that if Home Rule is forced upon Parliament by the success of the Gladstonian Party at the general election it will cause a civil war in Uister. The Unionists of that province, including the members of the House of Commons, in view of the coming election, are arranging to hold a convention to protest against the severance of the Imperial connection. They declare they will take no share in the Irish Parliament, but will passively resist its laws and taxation. They will appeal to their fellow countrymen not to place them at the mercy of the Catholic majority. It is stated that the Unionists will oppose the Irish Nationali'it party in order to test whether there has been a change of feeling .since 1885. The Duke of Devonshire, in the House of Lords, insisted that the Unionists were more likely to bring practical reforms into operation than the liberals. The latter were pledged to a vague hope of Home Rule, and he advised the Unionists not to outbid them with promises impossible of performance. , London, April 2. Mr Balfour, in the course of a speech, declared that the Conservatives would win the general election, be cause his party were declaring divi dends while the Liberals were issuing prospectuses. The Conservative Press endorse the opinion that to enforce Home Rule would result in a civil war in Ulster.

THE COLLIERS' DISPUTE. The Durham Colliery owners, in reply to the Federation, have refused to allow the men to resume work until the question of wages is settled. In Hartlepool and Newcastle num bers are starving owing to the miners' strike, and it is feared the result will be a reduction of 20 per ceut. in wages. Two hundred vessels are idle on the Tyne, and there is much distress among the seamen. COTTON TRADE CRISIS. The cotton masters have decided to close their mills on the 16th inst. owing to a dispute with the workmen. Seventeen and a half million spindles are affected by the decision. Much distress must necessarily ensue.

AUSTRALIAN BANKING. The " Economist" suggests that other Australian Banks should follow the example of the Associated Banks, and combine for mutual assistance. LAWN TENNrS. Mr W. V. Eves won every tie in the American lawn tennis handicaps at Kensington, defeating Mr Renshaw. RAVAGES OF INFLUENZA. During last year " the death duties " showed a surplus of a million owing to the ravages of influenza. Last quarter the probate assessed for wills amounted to twenty-two and a half-millions, as against twelve and a-half for the cor responding period last year. AUSTRALIAN MEAT. The question was asked in the House of Commons to-day whether subsidised meat from Australia should enter free. Baron De Worms replied that he was making inquiries. OBITUARY. Mr John Murray, publisher, is dead.

THE CHINESE IN BURMAH.

Calcutta, April 2. The police have repulsed the advance of the Chinese in Burmah, killing and wounding forty. THE MANDALAY FIRE. The damage by the fire at Mandalay is estimated at a million sterling.

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

Buda Pesth, April 1. The Hungarian Government an nounce that further military expen diture is deemed necessary m view of the restlessness displayed by the States of Europe.

PRINCE BISMARCK'S BIRTHDAY.

Berlin, April 2. Prince Bismarck's birthday (the seventy-seventh) was celebrated yester day with unusual enthusiasm. It was recognised as a revival of his national influence. He was the recipient of 5000 telegrams, several sacks coming by every post, m addition to which he received numberless presents. Up wards of 12,000 people called on the aged Prince.

FATAL TORNADO.

Washington, April 2. A violent tornado swept over the north-west portion of the United States, committing great damage m Towanda, Augusta, Wellington, and Chicago. Several cases of loss of life are reported.

THE PORTUGUESE IN AFRICA.

Lisbon. April 2. " News has been received that' the Portuguese' troops haye, repulsed the rebels m Qullimane, Mozambique.

ROWING

Ottawa, April 1. O'Connor challenges the winner of the Stanbury-Sullivan match to row him for £1000 ill England or America

THE ANARCHISTS.

Paris, April \. Ravachal's confession includes the. n^urder of a hermit, but' he feebly denies five others which are laid to his, charge. Among his papers was found an order for 15Q0 cartridges fer use an May Ist, The Anarchists threaten reprisals m Paris and Madrid. April 2. TliO Anarchists threaten to, destroy the proprietor and waiters of the

fHE ABHBtTItTON mTAKDLAN : MONDAY, APR% :4, J893.



a Q 1 - 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1.1 12 13 14 15 36

CS a ■ 76 80 77 70 75 73 75 75 87 67 81 80 62 72 62 60

a '§ 46 56 48 48 50 51 56 54 54 50 55 50 42 48 53 54

2 ft 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ■ 27 0-59 28 29 0 02 30 012 31 0.23

2 S3 =5 S S 2 65 55 055 59 50 0-13 55 48 0-09 60 51 064 59 50 038 60 45 051 54 39 0-53 55 36 60 42 62 44 75 45 70 49 60 44 58 47 003 56 34

Total 3 82m.



ae.

mgn in Sun.

State of Weather.

Date.

High;

Low. |

I

* r

Monday ... Tuesday ... Wednesday Thursday... Friday Saturday ... Sunday .J

40 --- 4-- 7-- -4- 3-- -4-0--44-

75 --63* 63 --- 6-- 5-- -6-

128 --1- 0-0-93-i 110 --1- 2-- 88-7--108-

Fine, S, Calm. Overcast,  Fine, S.  Calm

„ N.E.



Wanted. i CASH. Advertisements under th:s heading not exceeding SIXTEEN WORDS 1/-. Addresses may be Mtat this Office. FEW Choico Fans, just opened up; also, Silk and Paper Fans from Is each— H. M. Jon*s. HOW and When can I get cheap rend ing for the Winter evenings 1 By joining my Circulating Library, 3s 6d per quarter.—H. M, Jones. /"CHOICEST new season's Figs and \J Cartoon Table Dates m 31b Boxes, 2s each. —H. G. Flower, Confectioner, East street. __ E^ a Ti^cUble Girl to make herself generally useful m » small family. Apply X.Y.Z,, Post Office, Rakaia. ________-! WANTED KNOWN, New Boots and Shoes for the wet weather, of sound value at the " Corner." W' ANTED KNOWN, Grand display of new Millinery, Ulsters, and Jackets, at most reasonable prices at ♦The Corneh." *TT7 ANTED Known.-Come and see W the Bargains now on at Melford House.—H. C. Sbgers. W/"ANTED Known.—lf you want W plenty of first class Drapery, Boots and Clothing for cash, come to Melford House Sale.—H. C. Segbrs. DON'T fail to hear the Rev. L. M. Isitt, President of the Prohibition League, m the Domain on Wednesday Afternoon, and m the Oddfello ,/s' Hill at 8 p.m. 3_207 ANTED Known.—l have a large stock of Tin and Ironware Goods to select from. Register Grates, Stoves, °ortable Boilers, Spouting and Ridging keu*i m stock.—J. W. Hardley, East street. 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. Hobbki Alcorn, Ashburton Clothing Mart, Saunders' Buildings. 'TO Meet the Times.—l am supplying ,JL Galvanised Iron Tanks from 30s upwards, warranted for twenty years, Force pumps, deep well cylinders of all dessriptions. Inspection invited.— J. Vv. tIARDLKY, Kas street. 6J201 "\TEW Supplies of Stationery, Account JLI Books, Music, Fancy Goods, Slew Games Orders for Printing, Book binding, Picture Frames, promptly ex ecuted Schools and offices supplied with pverv reauisite. Magazines vid News P ape Vrs °F. ANDREWES & CO., Stationers' Uall. WANTED Known—That you will make no mistake for quality and variety m English and Colonial Boots, and his highly reputed make by calling at 3. Moison's. During coming holidays dis count for Cash. Repairs done at once. A staff of men always kept and best material and workmanship guaranteed. 1892 W INTEK. 1892 —NOW SHOWING— TH 8 New Overcoats and Water proofs New Tweeds and Suitings* LARGEST New S-yles m Boys'Cloth ii.g AND ew Hosiery and Gloves New Collars and Shirta CHOICEST ew Scarfs and Bows New Travelling and other OapH StOCk New Soft Felt Hats New Flexible Hats EVrfR New Styles m Boys' Hats and Caps New Rugs and Umbrellas SHOWN NewoTcle Capeß an d Riding Aprons DV Now Goods m all Depart ments Inspection Respectfully U i, Invited NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory. W. H WEBBER, Manager. Agents for WertheiniCelebratsdSewing Machine.



Don't be Deceived!— If 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 has no equal. Under the distinguished patronage <>f Earl Jersey, Governor of New South Wales, Lord Carrington, and the JSmperor of Germany. Awarded medals at Sydney 1 Melbourne, , and Adelaide, beating all competitors, and s the only pure Extract m 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 tor New Zealand: Lichfield street, Clmstehyrch Sole Agents for Ashburton : The Ash burton Drug Company.--Advt Waclip the following important testimo »ial fawn the " lUawarra Mercury " (N.S. W. of the 30tU March. It needs no comment :- ---" Mr Joho Lov«d*y, of the Bulli Mountains ■writes to us that after Buffering for four years ■with acute gravel, he has experienced almost 'complete relief by using Sa»d#r and Sons Eucalyptic Extract. He says:~" Seeing the eaid Extract advertised m the ' Illawarw Mercury,' his intense suffering induced him to obtain a, bottle of the medicine from Mr Hosking, chemist, of this town, and that the use of it gave him great relief at once. He states tliafc between 10th March inst., when he obtained the first bottle of the extract, and the 19th, the use of that medicine continued to afford him relief, to which he had been a stranger for four years, Mr Lov«day writes also that he has found the Eucalypti Extract i cure for rheumatism as well as gravel He requests us to publish this information through the ' Mercury.' We have much pleasure m complying with Mr l/>veday's request, whose word cannot be doubted, find who can have no object ill view other thaw a. pure desire to benefit suffering humanity. "—(Advt.) jftinian Hyslop and Co.'s "Imperial CeyWi andlfcdian Teas are direct Lorn tbe ?e» Plantation -*(A.4y



Tub Best Remedy fob Indigestion— Norton's Camomile Pills are confident; recommended as a simple remedy for Indigestion, winch is the cause of nearly all the diseases to which we are subjects Norton's Pills, with justice 'called the 'Natural Strengthen?! 1 of the Human Stomach," act as a powerful tonic and gentle poricnt, are mild m their operation, and sufe under any pircurpstances. Sold m bottles, at Is i£d, 2s 9d, 11s, by all medicine vendors throughout the nr«rfd,



A^k for Ninian Hyslop, and Co. s imperial new seasons Fure Ceylon and In-'lia Teas. Syepi&l pi'joes— (\<\y Ninian Hyslop and Oo.'s" Tir,periaV" pjve Oeylon and Indian Tjop Are the DJSfcu) tHe market —(4 v,>