MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close for the following places as under, subject to the necessary alterations : — WEDNESDAY, March 23. For United Kingdom, Continent of Europe end America, and West Indies (via San Francisco), Sandwich Islands, &c, &c, and also for Northern Ports of New Zealand, per Takapuna, as follows:— Ordinary^ letters, books and newspapers, at O. lt> p.m. registered letters, 5 p.m. ; money orders, 3 p.m. ; mail van, express, O. !%£> "p.m. This mail is due in London on April 27. THURSDAY, March 24. For Northern Ports and Australian Colonies (except Tasmania), per Manapouri, at 6.3U «.m. ENGLISH MAILS. HOMEWARD—DIRECT MAILS. Kaikoura, leaving March 19, due London April 28. „ Doric, leaving April 2, due London May '.2. SAN FRANCISCO MAILS. Monowai, leaving on February 27, due London March 30. Alameda, leaving on March 26, due London April 27. OUTWARD —DIRKCT MAILS Ruahine, due colony March 21. Tongariro, clue Port Chalmers March 22 SAN FRANCISCO MAILS. Mariposa, due colony March 23

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas Et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1892 THE LOSS OF THE ELGIN SHIRE.

to be should most landsmen would I think, have been quite sufficient to cause assurance to'be made doubly sure by steering directly away from the danger, even at the cost of: a few hours loss of time, and a few tons extra consumption o f coal. How the vessel came to be in that position is a mystery. A writer to a northern con temporary sets up the ingenious theory, and supports it with instances, that fogs nxerciso a deranging influence on the magnetic compasses. From the number of cases that are cited of vessels under the command of skilful and cautious navigators having come |to grief during fogs, this theory cannot be idly dismissed, but on the contrary should be made the subject of exhaustive scientific in-' vestigation. The fact that soundings of ten fathoms were got, leading the Captain to believe that he was three miles from land when he was really close upon the rocks, was a very im portant extenuating circumstance, but even with regard to this point the master should have remembered that the chart was forty years old, and having proved it to be erroneous in this material respect double care should have been taken that it did not mis lead him in others. The necessity for a new coastal survey has long been re cognised, and the work should not be longer delayed. We have now, in the vessels of the Auxiliary Squadron, facilities for making maritime surveys which we have not previously had ; in deed, this very work is one of the duties of the cruisers. The masters of coastal steamers by their long experience and speck.l local knowledge are able to avoid dangers that ocean steamers are apt to get into while following strictly the rules of navigation, and the over sea trade of New Zealand is now so valuable that the Government should take all means of removing the in security that now attends the lives and property engaged in that tr.i/ie. Meantime, a splendid new steamer has been lost, and though the Captain has escaped penalty for his error it is certain that he also will be a serious loser by the catastrophe.

The finding of the Court of Enquiry into the loss of the Elginshire has not met with, by any means, general approval. This is not surprising when the circumstances of the wreck, as they present themselves to the popular eye, are considered, The wreck was undoubtedly caused by Captain Millar having, when he found himself in a dangerous position, about an hour before the vessel struck—-the land being seen through the fog, the sound of the breakers heard, and the depth of the soundings having rapidly de creased —changed his course to the north-east instead of to the east. In this the Court held that " the master •was guilty of an error of judgment in the navigation of his vessel." The fact that the vessel was found to be where, according to the course steered from Oawaru, she had w reason

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A telephone exchange, with sixteen subscribers, has been opened at Balclutha. What do the subscribers find to t*lk to each other about ? A number of men went down to the Elginshire yesterday morning, overland, to get aboard by the rope line and resume throwing meat overboard. They had finished their work by evening and returned to Tiniaru. The police have searched the house in St. Martin's, Opawa, occupied between three and four years ago by a cloth hawker named Williams, to see if anything could be discovered to connect him with the Windsor murder. Nothing was discovered. The annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union was held at Christchurch last night. There are now fifteen clubs, with an aggregate membership of about 1300, affiliated to the Union. A credit balance of £182 is in hand. Mr A. E. G. Rhodes was re-elected president. A man named Wm, Coombs was committee} for trial at Geraldine yesterday for breaking a window in Mr J. Mcllroy's jeweller's shop and stealing therefrom jewellery to the value of £5 Bs. Accused was admitted to bail, himself in £100 and two sureties in £50 each. It is understood that an application is being made for an award from the Humane Society of Australia for a boy named Percy Pritchard, of Rangiora, (formerly of Ashbur lon) who rescue 1 a boy named Crothers from drowning in the Grey River, a branch of the Ashley, on December 16. Oi Tuesday morning the marriage of Mr Edward Millton, third son of the late Captain Mil.ton, of Birclihill, third daughter of Mr John Tucker Ford, of Riccarton, was cele brated in St. Peter's Church, Riccarton. The officiating clergymen were the Rev .). W. Stack, assisted by a clergyman from Australia. The church was beautifully decorated. The " Canterbury Times " has received a First Award at the Tasmanian Exhibition, and the jurors have appended the following note to their report:—" The proprietors of the " Canterbury Times " have spared no expense in placing before the public a journal reliable for its information. The articles that have come under our notice are clear, concise and thoroughly cosmopolitan." The meeting of the creditors of Mr Androw Black on Tuesday was well attended — about £700-of claims being represented. It was reported that the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company would pay the insurance on the stock destroyed by fire, on a basis between the valuations made for the company and tor Mr Black. The tender of Mr Black for the salvage, book debts, etc., at £101 was accepted. According to the annual returns of the British Army, of the total strength of 196 569 officers and men. 101,311, or 76.2 per cent are English; 16,538, or 8.3 per cent Scotch; 23,720, or 14 per cent Irish. Mahommedans, Hindoos, Jews, etc., number 667 all told, and need not be considered. Of the total 68 per cent belong to the Church of England, 18.4 per cenfe are Roman Catholics, 7.6 per cent Presbyterians, and 6 per cent Wesleyans. Out of 64,000 officers and men in the Royal Navy, over 47.000 return themselves as members of the Church of England. Mr P. O'Connor, bootmaker, Arcade, has had his shop considerably altered, with a view to the oomfort of his patrons and the better display of the largely increased stock which he now offers for sale, A great im provement has been made on the large front window, in which are displayed boots and shoes of every description ; a partition has been run across dividing the. public part of ' the shop from the working part, and a new window lvis been made in the back wall, and increased light is thus obtained, giving generally a more cheerful and attractive appci ranee to the premises. Cciii&dian public affairs have been occupy ing rather aa unpleasant notoriety of late iponths, owing tc» peculation, bribery, and corruption. Commercial affairs seem to he in an equally bad plight. The number of failures for 1891 amounted to 1,889, with gross liabilities £3,420,129. Not very bad for a small community. In 1890 the figures were 1,847, and £3,607,087 respectively, whilst in 1885 the corresponding amounts , were 1,256, and £1,772,200. Taking the j full seven years there were 11,041 failures, ( with £19,841,916 liabilities—what might be called a "fair show," considering the | population only exceeds five millions by a {ew thousands. There is still livi,ig in a small village in Northamptonshire an old lady who keeps a small grocery store, and who rejoices m the mime of Mrs Mary Mum. Her education in her early days was limited to pothooks and hangers and customers- accounts were kopt chalked up behind the shop-door. But the evil day cn,me when poor old Mary was con fined to her bed by a long illness. Here arose the difficulty. When customers came to pay their weekly accounts tl».e sbop.-door figures were Greek to old Johnny, her spouse, who, with many groans and curses had as each customer turned up to pay, to take the shop door off its hinges and carry it up a difficult, circular staircase to Mary to decipher, before lie could settle tie account. A correspond^ of the "Irish Times " vouches for this stoty buipg true u every detail. The world is ever moving on towan's perfection, butsoklom attains it. Cunstai.t mprovemeiit j* being made in every i.i-anch of industry, l)«t. hi frikuii,' Powders Perfection lmfl been reftehwi ui Wwburton'B Clatf t Be Beat.

On Sunday next the Very Rev Father Clinstaguon will celebrate Mass at Rakaia. Vespers at Ashburton as usual. Grass feed is very planti til this season in the Wairarapa district,, and the local cheese factories are putting through ciose on 2200 j gallons of milk daily. . . The Wai hi, Temuka, and Opiln rivers arc fboded, but no damage has yet been done. Tne Te-u"-a-wai also rose on lueaday and narrowly escaped breaking into the Pleasant Point Creek. At the Greymouth Jockey Clubs Autumn < Meeting on Tuesday Lady Zetland won the two principal events on the card, n-unaly, | the Midland Railway Stakes Handicap, of ■ 110 sovs, one mile and a half, and the Brunner H indioap, 40 sovs, seven furlongs, j It was recently pointed out in the New South Wales Assembly that taking the co^t par head oE the men liable for military service, ib appeared that Victoria maintained her force at a cost of £10 per hcid, whilst poor old New South Wales spent no leas than £2!) per head. , The funeral of the late Mr T. I). Ac an , took place on Tuesday at Christchurch, and was largely attended by representatives ot the mercantile and sporting part of the com munity, whilst there was also a goodly gathering of the members of the Chrisl chureh Club and the personal friends ot the deceased gentleman. Mr L. Acland, the only son, was chief mourner, and amongst those present was Bishop Harper. A London contemporary says:—"The dangers of the Cape Horn route, and the disturbed condition of affairs at Rio, have caused the Directors of the Steamship Companies running to New Zealand to consider the advisibieness of abandoning the homeward route via the Horn, and substi tuting that via Melbourne, Cape Town and Teneriffe. By this latter the journey from New Zealand could be done in about forty five days. So far, nothing has been definitely decided as to the change, but the recent unpleasant experience of the steamer Arawa, may determine the Companies to decide in favour of making the change. A copy of the New Testament intheMotu language of New Guinea—the first New Testament in the language of her Majesty's latest subjects—was placed in the Queen's hands at Christinas by the Duke of Con naught, at the request of the Committee of the Bible Society, conveyed through the editorial superintendent. The version was begun by the Rev J. Chalmers more than ten years ago, and hus been completed by the Rev W. G. Lawes. The Port Moresby dialect, in which the version is made, is tha mother tongue of about 5000 natives, and it is the best known of the various languages along the coast, and the mission aries have resolved to make it the literary language for the entire east of the island from Possession eastward. There is reason for hope, says the " Euro pean Mail" of February 5, that the influenza is at last beginning to abate, The official returns published on February 2 show that during the week ended January 30 only 43b' deaths were primarily attributed to the malady, as compared with 50G in the pre vious week, and that there is a correspond ing decline in cases in which influenza has been noted as a secondary cause of death. This is the first time since the epidemic assumed a serious form, towards the end of last year, that there has been a decline, the numbers having, until last week, risen con tinuously from 19 to 506. Last year, when influenza prevailed, a similar movement was noted ; that is to say, the numbers rose from nine in one week to 319, and then gradually died away. The turn having once been made, the decline was as steady as the rise. Thus it may be hoped that the acute stage of the present visitation has been passed. The present epidemic has been more serious, in respect to the number of deaths weekly, than that of last year. There are still nearly thirty members of Parliament and more than a dozen peers suffering from the malady, and the mere names of other distinguished persons who are or have been " down " with ib would make a very formidable list. It would be difficult to imagine a more dramatic and touching story, or one better suited to be handled by a fiction-writer of the Miss Braddon type, than that revealed by the recent death in Georgia, in the hands of the Sisters of St. Joseph, of the Coixntess von Zcldieka, who, for eighteen long, weary years, has been searching through America for her lost child. Twenty-two years ago this young countess, who is of Polish birth, married a Prussian officer. By him, how ever, she was soon after desurteJ, he taking with him to America their only child. The countess sold her property, and traced her fugitive husband to the States, only to learn that lie had died, leaving no trace of the whereabouts of the child. From city to city the disconsolate mother has wandered, in the vain hope of finding some clue to her offspring ; but, as Longfellow has truly said, "Life is real, life is earnest," and, unlike the happy ending of the novel or the five-act melodrama, the broken hearted mother ha? never discovered her little one, and now can only hope to meet him in the great and mysterious hereafter. The publishers of General Grant's Memoirs (Mark Twain is a member of the firm) have lately announced that their payments to the general's widow on royalties from the sale of the book have amounted to 414,855 dollars (or about £83,000), which is probably the largest amount ever paid to any author or his heirs since the world began or rather since printing was invented, 2\ reedless to say the book had an enormous sale ; the price was high and the royalty percentage was very large, and the book was sold by agents who had the entire country parcelled out among them. When the sale stopped it stopped very short, and the publishers found themselves with many thousands of sets of the work (it was published in two volumes) which they could not dispose of at anywhere near the regular figures. In order to get ril rid of them they reduced the price to a figure which barely covered the cost of making the books, !},nd by "lumping" them with other books they' are now working them off. An English correspondent says:—The strong man, " Samson, " has sailed hurriedly for America by the Majestic. A detective sent to Queenstown to head him off arrived here, as usual, just in time to see the steam er glide out of the harbour. There is a woman in the case, named Mrs Bernstein. She fell in love with Samson when he was in his full glory at the Aquarium, snapping chains with his muscles. At that time Mrs Bernstein was a young married woman, with a private bank account, living in a pleasant villa near Richmond. She admired " Sam son " for his muscular arms. As he was shore of money, she gave him her cheque for £300. A few "days later she gave him another cheque for as much more. Her husband ob jected to this form of flirtation. In Novem ber she parted from him, and at the same time .she'gave " Samson '' another £300. Then she allowed him to pawn her jewels for £40. Last Monday he redeemed them, and took them to her house in Richmond. Mrs Bernstein's story is that •'Samson" put the jewels on the table, and that she showed him to the door. When she went back to the room the jewels had gone. She alleges that f • Samson " performed a great. " lifting" f(>at when she was not looking, and walked off with the lot. He had promised to see her again on the following Wednesday and Return the money she lent him, but he did not come, She learned that he had booked by the Majestn, in compang with a young woman. Meanwhile her husband brought a suit for divorce. There are several co-res pondents naond, but f( Samson" is the strongest among them.

TELEGRAPHIC.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

fl?BK. PRESS ASSOCIATION.

GOLD IN WALES.

London

MASSACRE IN ABYSSINIA.

Romb, March 21. News lias been, received from Masso wah that Captain Bel tin i and escort were massacred while on a visit to the Amhara province of Abyssinia.

THE INDIAN BUDGET.

Calcutta, March 21. Tlie Indian Budget shows a surplus, the famine having only occurred to wards the close of the financial year.

INCREASE OF RUSSIAN FLEET.

st pertersburg

LABOUR QUESTIONS.

Ottawa, Msrch 21. The railway strike has extended to the Pacific division of the Hue. The Company refuse to give way. March 22. A general strike from the Pacific, to the Atlantic, alon<y the Railway Com pany's line, is imminent.

THE CRISIS IN GERMANY.

i Berlin. March 21. I The prosecution of the " Cologne Gazette " for hostile criticism on the Emperor's action regarding the Educa tion Bill has b-)en abandoned. The Prussian Minister of Instruc tion persists in his intention of resign ing. Conflicting reports are prevalent of Von Oaprivi's intentions. The exact state of the Emperor's health is unknown. Mysterious rumors are current about it. Bismarck has been taken suddenly ill.

AUSTRALIAN.

distination

Victoria

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wellington, March 22. Tho prospect of having to face an extra levy of £6000 for hospital purposes has excited a certain amount of hostility. Referring to the objection to p:iy tho in creased rate, the chairman of the trustees l.hc Rev Mr Van Stavern, paid to-day th*t it was not pleas int to impose an extri burden upon the ratepayers, but the trustees had received notice from the Medical Officer that the present aceomo dation was totally insufficient. For in stance there were fifty-live crises of typhoid fever in the hospital at present. A.ll the wards were full, and even the out patients' room was used for extra beds. In one instance two patients were in one bed, and even the coridors of the institu tions were called into requisition for beds. The doctors attending the hospital had i been asked to give their opinion as to the accomodation required, and it was i upon their opinion that the estimate for the proposed additions was founded, ft w.is time that the ratepayers should be aroused with regard to the need of the ■proposed additions. He, for one, con sidered that unless the hospital ware en larged, the trustees would be guilty of nothing less than murder. The annual report of the Wellington- Manawatu Railway Company recommends the payment of a dividend of 5 per cent , and the carrying of £3000 to the reserve. The.- Company held a large land sale to day; 8232 acres were sold for £11,64« 18s, all pastoral land. One block brought 47s per acre, and the rest from 2Lf? to 30s. Walter Morris alias Philips, charged with criminal assault on a girl in Tas mania in 1886, was again remanded. Counsel for prisoner said it was very peculiar that Moms had lived in the village where the offence was said to have been committed, for four years after the supposed date, and had visited it twice since, and nothing had ever been said of the matter. Inspector Thompson said it was understood that the commission of the offence had only lately been discovered. Morris was married while in Wellington. The ''Evening Press " says it is rumored that a jealous woman is at the bottom of the affair. Dunedin, March 23. At the inquest on the body of Honoria Fleming, housemaid at the Grand Hotel, a verdict of death from natural causes was returned. The medical evidence showed that she had been suffering from anemia and dyspepsia, with acute ulcer.l -tion of the stomach. The Coroner said that he only held the inquest to allay uneasiness in the public mind, owing to letters which had been published. Superintendent Robertson, of the Fire Brigade, was to-day presented by the Mayor, on behalf of the Fire Brigades' Association, with a gold star, for twenty five years' service as fireman. The speeches by representatives of the insurance companies indicated that the decision to dispense with Mr Robertson's services was not altogether approved of.

CORRESPONDENCE.

I (We do not hoid ourselves responsible for lhe opinions expressed by our correspondents.)

YOUNG MEN'S CLUB.

to the editor

THE Williams Murders.

« [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION, London, March 21, Deeming and Emily (Miss Mather) stayed at Hastings in October, where he was in the habit of flaunting a hundred guinea chronometer. There are crowds of sight-seers still at Rainhill. On September 14 Deeming wrote to the father of his first wife, stating that he would bring his wife to see him shortly, and urged Mr James to send him his gold watch to gefc it repaired. This, however, James, fortu nately for himself, did not do. Deeming left Church in the middle of the service on the Sunday after he had murdered his wife and children. While posing as Lawson, an Austra lian millionaire, he was the guest of several merchants in West Harfclepool. For some weeks all the letters re ceived by the Mathers from Australia were fu'l of expressions of happiness, Blood-stained bedding and shirts Irivo been discovered in the hotel at Rainhill, where they are supposed to have been left by the murderer. Deeming is believed to have passed under the names of Wilson, (Jleves, and Webster, as well as numerous other aliases. March 22. The Mathers identified the articles found in the possession of Williams when arrested as answering to the description of some their daughter's husband took away with him. (Received March 23, 10.40 a.m.) London, March 22. Messrs Oqok and Sons state that a man giving the name of A. E. Williams, paid a deposit on October 27 last, to secure two second cabin passages from Southampton to Melbourne in, the steamer Kaiser Wilhelm. The balance of the money was paid the following day in the name of A. E. Williams. Deeming with another taller man stayed at Chester in October, 1889, where he bought a gun and ordered it, along with caitridges, to be sent to H. Lawson, care Matiiieson, Beverley. A receipt for the articles was sent on November 17, signed by " G-. T. Gray for H. Lawson," and written on paper bearing the printed heading '.' Mount House Farm, Kockhampton." Deeming's accomplice at the Cape circulated a report that Deeming died at Durban. J\|any swindles were ppr

petrated at Port Elizabeth in 1889, j and it has now been ascertained tlujy were the work of Deeming and bis accomplice. The police have traced all the women who were known to have visited Deeming. Deeming purchased a considerable quantity o£ scent. Shortly before the murder of his wife and four children a neighbor, who casually called in at Dunham Villa, found Deeming on his knees cementing the floor, and quietly smoking u cigar, with a glass of wine beside him. Deeming, while residing at Hastings, attempted to swindle a publican out of £55. (Received March 23, 12.15 p.m.) Melijouknk, March 23. The inquest on the body of Mrs ■ Williams has been adjourned for a fortnight. j Received March 23, 12.30 p.m.) Pkktii, M-uch 23. Baron Swanson has been remanded until Friday. The prisoner has now been conclusively identified as Deem ing. He appears to be breaking down. A striking deficiency occurred in the returns from the gold mine at Southern Cross, during Swansnn's engagement. When arrested Swanson had just received a newspaper containing the announcement of the discovery of a woman's body under the floor of the cottage he occupied at Windsor.

Dun edict, March 23. From information, in the possession of the police, it is certain that Williams, the cloth dealer, who was at one time in Wel lington and later on in South Dunedin, and WilUarns, the Windsor murderer, are not identical. The descriptions of the two men are wholly dissimilar.

A Visit to Auckland.

- «► — —— By Rkv. A. Blake. (Written specially for the Guardian and Mail.) (Continued.) The General Assembly of die Presby terian Church met at this time, the open ing meeting being held in St Andrew's Church. The retiring moderator, Rev Mr Ogg, of Wellington, preached from the words " It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us " an appropriate sermon which, it was considered, helped to give tone to the meetings. The new moderator was the Rev Dr E-lmslie, of Chnstchurch, who gave a vigorous address, calling on ministers to keep firm hold of the truth, and avoid unscriptural ways of meeting error. He referred also to the great need of power from on High. The Com munion was solemnly observed and the roll of members made up. The subse quent, meetings were held in the hall of iSc James, another large building, a mile to the west, of the Gothic order. About sixty ministers and elders from Timaru northward met in this hall. The various reports were given in, in the order arranged for, and, after discussion, were adopted, and suitable deliverances moved. Among these, the lvport on the state of religion showed that answers to queries had been received from ministers, and were now condensed, dealing with Church attendance, family worship, Sabbath observance, gambling, the question of young men drifting from the church, and such like. It was noted that infidel organisations in the leading towns have died out, and papers published in the interests of secularism have collapsed The report on Church extension cljiJt with ••i.x ...ivou nh.ru .■ic.lii. iu<: were low, and the supply of ordinances in outlying districts. During the year ten desirable additions had been made to ttie staff of probationers and students, either arrived or on the way. This fund was said to be in a prosperous state. The temperance report declared against compensation and stated that thirty members of Parliament are pledged to prohibition. Forty-four of the ministers have joined a Total Abstinence Association. The Sabbath School report embraced returns from seventy-one schools. A scheme of exami nation is now set on foot to take place in •July, the papers to be set by the Assembly's Committee, and the examina tion to bo conducted by each Presbytery. The Maori Mission report shows fchao there are hopeful openings, but for want of raeana the Church cannot enter in. Two or three agents are employed, one a young man who is making good progress in the language, and is believed to be doing good work. The Chinese, of whom there are 20.00 on the West Coast, are not being overlooked, but an agent, has not yet been secured, All the funds of the Church were reported to be on the credit side. The Foreign Mission reporo has a strong hold on the interest of the Assembly and of the people. That interest was increased by the visit last year of Mr and Mrs Watt, our missionaries in the New Hebrides j and has been intensified by the arrival from Edinburgh with his wife, of Mr R. Lamb, M.A. of Cant. Coll., andM.B., CM., and 8.D., Edinburgh. He addressed the Assembly at length on the subject of Missions. It then appeared that he was born and educated near Auckland, after wards removing with his parenis to Christchurch, There, while under the ministry of Dr Elmslie, he was led Lo devote himself, thirteen years ago, to the New Hebrides, and at this meeting of Assembly, Dr Lamb, having been I:c3iised to preach in Christchurch, was ordained to the Ministry, Or F.lmslie performing the act of ordination. The ordination took place in the Church of St James, when a most impressive service was con ducted before a very large and deeply interested audience. The Otago Deputy, Professor Dunlop, of the Theological College there, addressed the Assembly in a weighty speech full of fire, and listened to with rapt attention. A conversazione, held during the week, lightens the labors of members, and gives opportunity to make each other's ac quaintance. Lady friends and ministers' wives were there, the united choirs of the churches gave selections of music, and the most popular speakers entertained the audience, there being an interval for a banquet of fruit. After nine meetings for business —eleven altogether—the Assembly adjourned,—the Moderator giv ing a closing address, in which he w • able to congratulate the members on their brotherly feeling and the high tone of the meetings generally. It was remarked that the Auckland Press gave excellent reports of the meetings, and the Editor of the "New Zealand Herald" gave two leading articles on the subject, alluding on one occasion to the services rendered by the Presbyterian Ministry to the cause of human progress, and in another article supporting the position taken up by Uie Assembly in favor of Bible reading in schools. The inhabitants of that northern region had been in blissful ignorance of the havoc made by the rain on the harvest fields of thesouth, —-but for the telegrams,— the season having been rather dry. On tin's account, notwithstanding the rare plants they possess and their liner climate, I feel sure they could not have beaten the fine show of flowers, fruits and vegetables, rec ntly held in Ashburton. Having a spare day at the close of the Assembly, as well as before its sittings, I made use of my time in accepting an invitation addressed to mem-

bers of the Assembly to visit the Kauri '< Timber "Company's mills, the Baptist Tabernacle, and some olher in stitutions. 'Jt'ho Baptist Tabernacle, willi its lai'^e hall behind, and rooms for accommodating its various societies and workers, i.s probably the most commodious in the colony, beirg seated with chairs for over a thousand persons. The Wesleyan Church is en gaged in a good work called the Helping Hand Mission, having a hall near Free mat.'s Bay for the neglected and fallen, which also was fitted up from the Com pany's stores. I The Kauri Timber Company's mills i deserve more than a passing notice. Ministers were invited for the pur- j poso of inspecting a sample of church seats manufactured to the order of Mr A. It. Watson, one of the local Directors, for the purpose of presentation to a new church in his native town of Peebles, Scotland The Beats are twenty-four feet long for the centre, and eleven feet six inches for tho sides, made of beautiful clear, well-seasoned kauii. They are fur nished with book-boards, also a pocket for hymn books, umbrella rack, etc. The rarniture includes circular choir seats, gallery fronts, and wall dadoing, ready to put together, and packed in cases for shipment to Scotland The church is to contain seven hundred sittings, so that it will be seen this U a very substantial pre sent from a colonial to his church in the Home land. I was courteously shown over the works, which cover three acres on tha foreshore. Five million feet of timber stacked are always on hand, that used for joinery being stacked for two or three years. Tho works are carried on upon three floors. .Boxes for fruit, gum, soap, and packing, are made on the basement. On tho second floor are saw mills, where logs hauled out of the water are laid on saw carriages. I saw logs being sawn up to seven "feet diameter. The timber is rccut by circular saws and deal frames. Twelve boards, 12 x i can be cut at one time. Here moulding and planing ma chines are at work, for moulding, flooring, rustic, etc. I was then taken t© the factory for joinery and cabinet woik. A number of hands are employed here at machinery of all kinds for carving and ir regular moulding, (turning out carved brackets, table claws, etc.,) also for mor ticing, tenoning, dovetailing. I saw a broom handle transformed in a few se conds, from a square rod to a smooth, ta pering finished article. In the drying room they "keep 6000 doors framed for nine months before finishing. The Company has twenty-five mills in the north, and employs a large number of hands, 220 being ' engaged at the Town Mill alone, and about £400 a week is paid in wages. Over 1000 men are employed on wages, and nearly £200,000 spent annually. There are 113 machines in the mill, eight boilers and ten engines supplying the power, A.ll the. mills have fire brigades, and here there is a complete turn out of fire brigade plants, with regular drill carried out, The Company owns twenty five vessels and steamers, five being ocean.going vessels, others for the coastal trade. They receive annually about 100 million feet of logs, and the average value of the output is about £250,000. This line of industry is well worth a visit from anyone wishing to see the sights of I Auckland. ! Seeing that there is no agricultural back country, it has been a source of wonder to many how so many thousands of people are maintained in comfort. In addition to many fine public buildings, there is evidently no lack of places of worship, spires rising from every ridge, a specially prominent building near the water being the Roman Catholic Church, St. Patrick's Cathedral. A great many of tho spires belong to Episcopalian churche j ; the Presbyterian Churches have six, and the Wesleyan and other churches are well represented. Besides these, a great many halls are rented and used by various sectaries. Had time permitted, a few days might have been well spent in seeing the famous Waitakerei Falls, some fifteen miles to the north, ,»nd the Waitomo Caves, one hundred miles to the south, not to speak of the Hjt Springs. Of the kindness, attention, and hospi tality shown by my host and hostess, and | other kind friends I shall ever retain a 1 grateful and pleasant memory, Engaging a berth on the " Waihora," I was soon homeward bound. Hardly too much can be said in praise of the arrangements on board the Union Company's boats. This boat had an organ as we ll as a piano, and as the latter was ou t of tune, we were fortunate in having °ne or two passengers who could handle the former instrument skilfully, and give us some excellent selections. Favored with genial fellow-passengers, the voyage by the East Coast promised to be as pleasant as that by the West, but wet weather came on as we were approaching Gisborne, so that only those went ashore in the small steamer who were in duty bound. At Napier it became so stormy that the captain, after leaving, actually put back for half an hour, seeing the barometer very low, but set out again and we had a rough night. Next inorn ing (Sabbath) I attended Divine service, conducted in the Social Hall by Rev. A. B. Todd, of Geraldine. Some twenty four persons were present, among whom were Professor B*unlop and some members of the Assembly, as well as some Aus tralian ministers of note, of the Congre gational body, travelling to Wellington to attend a meeting of their Union. A collection amounting to £1 7s 3d was taken in aid of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Aid Society. We were soon in smoother water as we neared Wellington, and reaching the wharf at 5 p.m., the passengers scattered to attend various places of worship. The steamer lay at the wharf till Monday afternoon, so thab the passengers had time to recuperate from the effects of the rough weather, but as we moved pleasantly along to Lyttelton on the Tuesday morning, I heard one learned divine, who had not been quite able to forget it remark, "I'll gang nae mair to yon toon." The run to Ashbur ton was made in the express, and the feeling of one passenger at anyrate was., " there's no place like home."

LATEST CABLE NEWS.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

Victorian

Per Press

COOLIES FOR AUSTRALIA.

In the House o£ Commons, Mr H. Watt, member for the Camlachie division of Glasgow, asked Lord Knutsford whether he would be favor able to a scheme rendering South Australia the outlet for the surplus population of India. Baron de Worms said correspondence was passing between the Colonial office and the South Australian Government with regard to the introduction of coolies into that colony, but no arrangement had yet been arrived at.

BEHRING SEA.

The " Standard " says that owing to Lord Salisbury's refusal to renew the modus vivendi, the United States authorities will seize all poachers in Behring sea, believing that England will leave Canada to seek a legal remedy in the event of a seizure of their vessels.

THE CRISIS IN GERMANY.

The Berlin correspondent of the " Standard," states that the political crisis has been settled. Count Caprivi retains the Chancellorship of Prussia.

THE MURDER OF A DIPLOMATIST.

St. Peteesbtjko. March 22. Three Bulgarians connected with the murder of M. Vulkovitch, the Bul garian diplomatic agent in Constanti nople, have been expelled from Odessa.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Received March 23, 12.15 p.m.)

THE LARKIN FRAUDS.

Melbocbxe, Mfarch 23. Mathias Larkin, late secretary of the South Melbourne Permanent Building and Investment Society, has surrendered to his bail, and is being tried on the charge of defrauding the Society.

ANOTHER BANK FAILURE.

The Australian Deposit and Mort gage Bank hag suspended payment owing to a heavy run, which is supposed to be due lo the stoppage of the Mercantile Bank. The securities of the Bank are not pledged.

THE COLORED LABOR QUESTION.

Brisbane, March 23. Rev. Mr Pattern, Chairman of the Presbyterian New Hebrides mission, has forwarded a strongly worded pro test to Sir Samuel Griffiths against the resumption of the labor traffic. He pleads that the Queen, the British Gevernment, and all Her Majesty's dominions should do everything pos sible to suppress for over the shocking traffic and destruction of human life. ("Received March 23, 12.30 p.m.)

THE TASMANIAN EXHIBITION.

Hobart, March 23. The Launceston exhibition has closed. New Zealand exhibitors obtained four teen special mentions, twenty-two first prizes, six second prizes, and six highly commended.

SPORTING.

—. — # [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION 1, j Ditnedin, March 22. At a meeting of bookmakers, cash fielders and others to-night a resolution was carried strongly disapproving of the action of the Dunedin Jockey Club in offering £10 reward to secure a conviction against any one betting or laying totali sator odds, and it was resolved to peti tion the Club to reconsider their decision. It was decided to form a Club for their protection, making it a sort of Tatter sail's.

DUNEDIN ANNIVERSARY MEETING.

Donedin March 23. The weather was bitterly cold and showery, and the attendance consequently poor. Results :— Handicap Hurdle Race, of 70sovs. 1£ j miles.—lnchkeith, lOsfc 21b (Kingan), 1 ; Waitangi, lOst 71b (Poole), 2 ; Satyr, 9sb (Bishop), 3. Rebel and Leroi 11, also ran. Won easily by eight lengths. Time—3min 23sec. Dividend—£3 6s and £3 3s. Anniversary Handicap, of 120 sovs. One mile and a quarter.—Galtee, 83t 71b (Buddicombe), 1 ; Miss Mack, Bst 51b CO'Grady), 2 ; Tempest, Bst 91b (Sharp), 3. Derby Bst 131b, Leinster Bst 41b, Don Pedro Bst 21b, also started. Won by a i length after a good race with Miss Mack. Time—2min 12sec. Dividends—£2 15s and £2 ss. Three Mile Trot of *5 sovs.—Young Petiole Patchen, 58&ec, 1; Present Times, 48sec, 2 ; Uontraetor, scratch, 3. Won by a length after a grand race. Time, 9min 23seo. Dividends, £2 19s and £2 14s. Milford, 7st 61b, won the Selling Race, of 40 sovs ; nine furlongs. Dividends, £7 8s and £7 12s.

TO-DAY'S TELEGRAMS

Pre Press

9TewlT-Mwrri«d Wif« KHloil

Auckland, March 23. Mary Stock, aged 23 years, wife of Cecil Stock, a settler near Waiuku, was killed at Waiuku, last night, by the up setting of a trap. Stock was married yesterday at Auckland, and was taking his wife home when the accident occurred.

?HE ASHBUBTON fIUARPiAS : WEDNESDAY, MARCH S3, 1892.



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Statutory Declaration.—l, Franz Raabe, IroubarU, '.Saudhm-Ht, in the colony of Vic toria, Australia, do solemnly and sincerely declare that on the 25th Juno, 1877, my son Alfred, six years of age, was accidentally • hurt jv-ith an axe on his knee. lat once took all pains to secure medical assistance. How ever, in spite of all efforts, on the 27th August, 1877, the opinion was given by I)r Macgillivray that an amputation of the injured limb had become imperative, in order tc, H£>.v,e life. At this juncture I called en MesjsVtf yap dor and Sons, procuring some oi tluur Exu-act ql JSucjilyptus (Jlobulus and by^the application ui thij sjj.me Ihad^the satisfaction of seeing my son witluji a *.oi't ni^lifc out of all danger, and to-day ho s recovered. I may just add that it was when the crisis had been reached that the Extract i%ii.V):?4 to was first applied, and 1 make this oleum' rtfcoiu^tkm, etc. — Fraxz I>,aaijf, Declared at SamUiiufci./ Hi the colony oi Victoria, Australia, this seveuteendi day ol October, one thousand eight hundred ami seventy-seven, before me, Mont* Colw. J-«• -



Wanted. CASH Advertisements under this heading not exordia* SIXTEEN . WORDS 1/-. Addresses may be left at this Office. WANTED KNOWN, New Boots and Shoes for the wet weather, o* ound value at the " Corner." WANTED KNOWN, Grand display of new Millinery, Ulsters, and Jackets, at most reasonable prices at 'The Couneh." /CHOICEST new season's Figs and \J Cartoon Table Dates in 31b Boxes, 2s each. —H. G-. Flower, Confectioner, East street. WANTED Known. - Come and see the Bargains now on at Melford House. H. C. Seders. \\rANTISD Known.—lf you want W plenty of first class Drapery, Boots and Clothing for cash, come to Melford House Sale.—H. 0. Sechsrs. WANTED Known.—l have a large stock of Tin and Ironware Goods ■ select from. Register Grates, Stoves, Dortable Boilers, Spouting and Ridging epfc in stock.— J. \V. Hardley, East treet. 6£™ 2 W' ANTED Known.—Great Cash Sale now on at Melford House. Almost everything reduced. —H. C. Skgers. ALL Wool Colonial Tweed Suits to measure; fit and workmanship guaranteed; from 50s cash. Kobbri Alcokn, Ashburfcon Clothing Mart, Saunders' Buildings. •HO Meet the Times.—l am supplying i L Galvanised Iron Tanks from oOs ipwards, warranted for twenty years, /We pumps, deep well cylinders of til descriptions. Inspection mvibed.— ). W. HARMEY, Eas street. bjzui \ EW Supplies of Stationery, Account X Books, Music, Fancy Goods, New Games, Orders for Printing, Book binding, Picture Frames, promptly ex ecuted Schools and offices supplied with pverv reauisite. Magazines vid News papers Spplied.-L. °F. ANDREWES & CO., Stationers' Hall. Business Notices. TENDERS FOR CROPPING. Q^ d ACRES of Grass Land, O/\J to let for crop of Wheat. Ten ders to be sent to Robert Alcorn on 2nd April. Particulars on application. FOR SALhi--50 Acres of Land at Elgin, Apply Robert Alcorn. N.Z.C.F. SPECIAL INDUCEMENTS ABE OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC /OR ONE MONTH in •JYJT E W S AND gOYS CLOTHING, SHIRTS HATS RUGS ISCARFS AND PORTMANTEAUX. WE INVITE INSPECTION, COMPARISON, AND PATRONAGE. NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory. W. H WEBBER, Manager"