MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close for the following places as I under, subject to the necessary alterations :- {TUESDAY, October 10. For Northern Ports, per Flora, at O I p.m. WEDNESDAY, October 11. For Australian Colonies and South Afrsca, per express (to connect with Wairarapa at; Port Chalmers), at 15.30 p.m. For South America, United Kingdom, an'l Comment "joi Europe, persDorio, at 6 SO p wn. Due London November 22.

Note—On and after October 1 the parcels post system will t c established between New Zealand and New South Wales at the same rate of postage as to the other colonies.

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit.. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1893. STATE MONOPOLIES.

An article in the " Economic Review' on State monopolies is most interesting reading. The article is written by Mr Joseph King, and the title of it is " The Alcoholic Monopoly of Switzer land," and it is to show the beneficial effects upon the social condition of the country by the state monopoly of the drink traffic that the article has been written. By this monopoly the con sumption of spirituous liquors has been reduced from eight litres to something over six litres per head per annum— I.e. from 1 gallon 3 043 quarts to 1 gallon 1-282 quart, and the writer takes it as a remarkably good omen for the future that the greatest step which the Swiss have yet taken in Socialism was taken to cope with the greatest moral evil besetting Europe to day—-the evil of excessive drinking. He says " the Swiss nation has shown what all Europe should be glad to learn, that legislation may lessen the evils of drink without interfering with indi vidual freedom; that a policy of State Socialism may be one of higher morality and of economical and efficient ad ministration, and that moral regenera tion and progressive statesmanship can not afford to part company." No doubt this sounds very pretty, but we hax-dly fancy our temperance reform ers in New Zealand would care to see the publichouses of the colony run by the state, and the bonifaces, barmen, and barmaids appearing on the list of civil servants in a new department of which the head might very suitably be the Minister for Defence to whose hand it would be lie easily to become Commissary General. We quote the reference to the drink monopoly only by the way, as the article indi cates a large number of other direc tions in which the Swiss Government has closed its monopolising fist upon specially lucrative sources of revenue. The impulse, however, was given to (his monopolising tendency by the financial and administrative success of the alcohol monopoly. The Swiss Go vernment owns the whole of the Swiss postal system and the whole tdephonic system, to which latter there are ten thousand subscribers. The Swiss mountains are the annual resort of thousands of tourists from all parts of the world. The network of diligences which convey the tourist traffic over hundreds of miles of mountain road through gorge and pass are owned by the Swiss Government. Government monopolises the manufacture of gun powder. For years covetous eyes have been cast upon the bank-note issue, and in 1880 the^ reply of the referendum on the question of a state bank of issue vas in the negative by a majority oi 139,027. In 1892, however, public opinion had changed,and the referendum said " Ayp," by a majority of 72.963, and we thus may soon hear of a law in Switzerland giving Government the sole right to issue paper money. The railways are the next property aimed at, and the idea of state ownership in these is growing in favor. A system of national insurance against sickness and accident is already in working order, —a system that came into existence in response to a referendum majority of 200 000. And other directions in which fresh monopolies are iafcended are petroleum, water power, sugar, salt, pepper, and other condiments, public advertisements, and tabacco. Austria and Italy already have a state monopoly in tobacco, and Mr King points out that it is easy to create a monopoly in an article which, like tobacco, cannot be produced with out every one in the district seeing it grow. But there is one monopoly which will take preference of all these, and is a pressing .option with the Swiss people—whether or not the manu facture and importation of matches shall become a Government monopoly, as it hw for some years been in Prance. The Upper House h£S declared in favor of this monopoly, but the voice o£ the Lower House had not been taken, nor had the voice of the people through the referendum been heard. If these two bodies be also among th.c '< Ayes " the Swiss Government will become the " Bryant and May " of the country. The reasons in favor of this monopoly are $imost entirely philanthropic, and the monopoly j.s aimed, not at securing income—the game i;j that direction is not worth the candle— bnt ai enabling Government to step in and stop the awfjjtj disease of the match maker known as necrysis, which factory inspection has hitherto been unable to do, In fact the whole policy of the Swiss nation seems to be that the Stale shoylcf become a kindly and beneficent parent to the jneo^le, and to provide funds to carry out this policy—-and the sick and accident in surance system is a strand, the rope —it will hn necessary for the Htato to reach forth its hand and secure as many State monopolies as it can,

THE REFERENDUM.

Of i ate both in and out of Parlia ment, a good deal has been said about the Swiss referendum. We do not be lieve that very many of the members of either Hoase of Parliament ever seriously considered the Bill brought into the House of .Representatives by Mr Eugene Joseph O'Conor as ever likely to become the law of the land, but it is always the unexpected that happens, and few, even of those who voted for the women's franchise, honestly believed that when they faced their constituencies for re-election they would have anything to hope or fear from the female vote. But the Electoral Bill became law and the voting lady is a fact, and one that has come to stay. A.nd so it may be with the referendum. In a vecent article we dealt to some extent with this sub ject, and the candidates who have ad dressed the electors in the Oddfellows' Hall have been good enough to refer to the subject and not in any spirit of levity. Mr Purneli was prepared to seriously consider the question and had a lot of sympathy with the Referen , dum Bill, and now we find it hinted by the Auckland "Herald"—a paper of groat influence, and usually as well informed as it is well written—that Sir Robert Stout will be one of the referendum champions sho^d he be returned to Parliament. The "Herald" is of opinion that should Sir Robert " raise the banner of reform of the procedure of Parliament he will meet with strong support throughout the colony. The spectacle we have every year of intrigue and squabbling has become quite distasteful. The voting during the last session has been sarried on mainly because legislation was directed by certain men. So distaste ful have politics become to the best class amongst us that it is difficult to o-et men to become candidates for the House." There is much truth in what the " Herald" says, and to find out that truth it is only necessary to read the speeches delivered in parliament during the session. It was easy to see, from the speeches on both sides of the House that the motto of the speakers was not the good old standard cry of patriots, " Mesures, not men," but 'Men, never mind their measures." Really, after all, there is but little difference between the politics of the two sides of the House, and each party claims to be more truly Liberal than the other. The great contention seems to be which side is to be in power, and as the side which " peppers the highest is surest to please," so both sides pepper high to catch the popular favor. Butitis astonishing how few of che members of tho, House have been able yet to look beyond the " borough and shire " to which they owe their return to parliament, so that their views on the greater questions of the colony are of the most contracted character. On the more burning questions of the day such men are not qualified to arbitrate, and thus we find a meamra passfd in one House which is supposed to voice the mind of the people,—because its members are the elecied of the people— rejected in the Upper House which is supposed to represent the mature in telligence of the colony untrammelled in the course of its thinking by the fear of offending a constituency behind it that has the power to terminate its political life at the ballot box. To counteract this, Government, whose measures have not all been accepted by the "mature intelligence of the colony" has intimated through the Premier an intention to flood the Upper House with a few more new councillors at a cost to the country of another JRISO per annum per head, and so compel the ' mature intelligence of the colony " to recognise the wisdom of the less t;mature intelligence" of the Lower House, which costs £2iO per head per annnm. The referendum would bring all this friction to an end between tfr,e two Houses, while it would save much valuable time of the people's representa tives and obtain more surely and certainly the mind ot the people.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To day Me A feed Hudson, J P., fried A A. Gledbill 1b for riding a ijicyole on a foot path in town.. Attention is invited to a change in the ! advertisement of Mr Heury Z.inder, which appears in another part of this i*sue. A child, two years of age, named Henry Beaven, was killed at Amberley yesterday by being run over by a trap. At the meeting of the Dom >in Board last evening it was decided to allow ladies to j use the swimming baths between ten and , eleven o'clock in tfte mori<ia#, In the Supreme Court, Christchurch, the ease Benny v Friedlander Brothers com menced yesterday. The plaintiff, a fanner at kouthbridge, claimed L 750 damages, alleged wrongful seizure of a flock of sheep. , The case arose out of transactions beW/een , W. deß. Wilson (son-in-law of the plaintiff), the Bank of Australasia and defendants. The hearing of the ease was not concluded when the fcourt pose £o,r the day. His Honor r served decision on an application to join the Bank of Australasia with plain tiff, and on nor^suifc, a point raised by Mr Purnell foe defendants. The regular monthly meeting of the Star of Ashburton, L.0.L., No, 23, was held in the Orange EaU on Thursday evening—the W.M. Bro. A. W, Sandell if; the chair. After the usual lodge business, Bro. W. Houston installed the following officers for the ensuing twelve ninths :—W.M. Bro. KoberfcKerr; D.M., Bro. Samuel Rountrce; Chaplain, Bro. Houston ; Treasurer, Hro. H. Davis ; Secretary, Bro. S. B. Nelson ; Fore man of Committees, Bro. J. M. Hampton. After a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring Worshipful Master and Past Oliicers, the Lodge was closed" by 3ko. Eerr, and the brethren adjourned ■'from hiftor to reti^sh tneub provided by Bro. H. Davis in his usual j saliHfiie'tory manner. After s])ending a! pleasant hour, the brethren adjourned at 11 : p.m.

The Hon. W. C. Walker has been con fined to bed in Wellington for some time, but has now recovered fufficiently to be able to make the voyage to Lyttelton, At a meeting of the Licensed Victuallers held atKaiapoi Rangio: a yesi erday it.was decided to co-op6rate with Ihe ChrUtchurch Association in taking action in view of the elections. The Otago Amateur Athletic cross-country race took place on Saturday. There were twenty-two starters, and the fiuish resulto I in A. Biuchop (15; ec) winning, with J. 7t. Barton (HOaec) 2; G. M. Cunpbell (lOOsec) 3. Mr A. Wiffen, chairman of the Heathcote Boad Board, will be a candidate for the Lyttelton teat Other candidates mentioned are Mr J. Joyce, the pre; enfc member, and Captain McClatchie. Mr A. Saunders, the present member, and Mr T. H- Anaon are in the field for Selwyn. The "Profligate" one of the pieces to be staged here by the Myra Kemble Company, was introduced to New Zealand audiences by that company during the present tour. It is by Pinero, and the play has received the unanimous hall-mark of the critical London press. It has been translated into French, German, and even Parsee, for performance in the countries where those languages are spoken, and everywhere been received with enthusiasm. A meeting of those interested in pro moting the South Rakaia sports and races was held on.Monday evening. It waa to be regretted that the attendance was not so large a3 it might have been, but satis factory reasons were given for the absence of many enthusiasts. Mr Wilkinson presided. It was reported that there was a credit balance iv hand from last year. Ow ing to the small attendance no real work was done, but the meeting was adjourned till Tuesday next when the promoters will meet at half-past seven in the library hall, and a programme will ba submitted. Dr Koppen, of the Hamburg Seewarte, has published in the " Annalen dor Hydro graphie und Maritimen Meteorojie" an account of experiments he has been making with various materials for the quieting of the angry waves of the sea. Petroleum is use less, and olive oil is bad. Lamp oil, turpen tine oil, and linseed oil are all good. But they are all inferior to soap, or rather to soap-suds, which, Dr Koppen asserts, will in future take their place. Dr Koppen has come to the conclusion that ordinary yellow soap is the best for this purpose, and that a solution of one part of soap in a thousandth part of water is sufficient. At the Dunedin Police Court on Saturday four of the crew of the ship Pleione were charged with disobeying lawful commands. The men refused to work the cargo till they had had food. From the evidence of the defendants it appeared that the rule on the ship was " first come, first served." They had no supper on the previous evening, and little or no breakfast. The captain stated that a full allowance was regularly served to the men. The Bench said that it was a strange thing on a British ship that the men had to scramble to get food. The men were ordered to go back to their ship, and make a complaint on Monday to the Collector of Customs if their food was insufficient. A widow named Madame Vailland, who carried on business in Paris, but who, fail ing in her efforts, harl (says the Paris corre spondent of the "Daily News") to face bankruptcy, attempted to asphyxiate hersslf and her three daughters with the fumes of charcoal. Bankruptcy is the greatest dis grace that can overtake a responsible person in Franco, and French women who are in business have a high regard for their com mercial honor. The children were nine, seven, and three years old respectively. The attempt was disc vered by a fellow-tenant ie narking a smell on the stairs, and the door ot the room whence it issued was broken open. The mother and the two eldei children were revived from the state of in sensibility into which they had fallen, but the youngest was dead. The three were clustered rourd their mo her, and all oi them, for want of food, looked like skeletons Madame Vailland and her two surviving children were taken to the Tenon Hospital.

POLITICAL.

[beu tress association.] Wellington, October 9. Mr W. T. L. TVavers, solicitor, will contest the city and address the electors on Thursday. Mr C, A. Pownall, candidate for the Wairarapa seat, addressed the electors at Featherston on Saturday nighb. He spoke generally in favor of the Govern ment policy, and against prohibition. He was in hv'oi- of jthe land and income tax, and a stiff tax on absentees. He con sidered the Roman Catholics were entitled to an annual education grant, but was against denominational schools. All railways should be vested in the State, and their control be in the hands of Government. A vote of thanks was given to him. Wellington, October 10 The Liberal Association will hold a special meeting to nominate three candi dates, The proposals to ask Sir Robert Stout and Mr'SeMon to nominate a Ihird man io. run on the same ticket a<3 them selves has been rejected, and al§o a pro posal to send a deputation to the Premier to ask him to stand. Mr Wilson has had an interview with the Premier for the purpose of arranging details respecting the Midland railway, which will be aub raiifced tq> the law officors of the Crown The proposals will then be submitted to the directors in London.

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of ihe Borough Council was held last evening. Pre sent—His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), and Urs Cuthbertson, Stephens, Coliius, Anderson, and Flower. An apolopy was tendered for the. absence of Or Scaly. FINANCE. The Mayor reported the debit balance at the b\nk to bu £949 10* 44. The receipts from all sources since last meet ing were—Pates, 1893, £46 3i ; rent re serves, £11 10s ; Domain account, Albion Cricket Club, £6 53; Ashburton Football Club. £5 5s ; Council, oat?, etc , £2! 6s ; library account, subscriptions. £1 2s ; licenses —petroleum, £1 ; public build ings, £1 ; carriage, £1 ; drivers', 10s ; hawkers', 10s ; total, £95 7*. ENGINEERS* KEPOfiT. The engineers' report was read as fol lows : — Labor Gang,—The Works Committee have considered the question referred to it by the Council of the readjustment of employment of laborers by ihe Council, and make the following recommendations; —(I) That the foreman and water ranger be continued as at present and at the same rate of wages. (2) That the rate of wages to be paid to other laborers employed by the Council be 6s per day, and that appli cations be invited for three or four men at that rate, such men to be employed on the general maintenance work of the streets, etc., which cannot well be let by contract. Tha Committee have also in structed the engineers to obtain prices for clearing grass, etc., off the side channels and kerbing, and also for repairing the concrete channels. (3) That tha em ployees be allowed Boxing Day and New Year's Day as holidays—i.e., to be paid for those days as if working. The men have besn engaged in watering streets, clearing and carting grass and rubbish from streets, carting soil from N.E. ,Belt, shingling streets and footpaths, repairing concrete channelling, cutting and planting willows in river bed, sowing grass seed and rolling and harrowing in Baring Square W,, repairing fences in borough reserves, fixing sumps for fire prevention, clearing side channels, and attending to the water supply, etc. Street Watering and Forming and Metalling Aitken Street.—The Works Committee gave instructions to call for tenders for watering the streets, and also for forming and metalling pare of Aitken street from East street to Ca^s street. - Tenders will be laid before you this even ing. Re-forming parta of Cass and Burnett Streets.—The Oommittee decided that the present staff should be employed at once on the re forming of Caas street commenc ing at the Wakanui road. Channelling-—lt was also decided tha^ the concrete channelling at the angles of the streets meeti.ig the Alford Forest road that were authorised last year be put in hand as soon as possible. CLEARING EAST STREET, The Railway Commissioners wrote to say that they did not see thtir way to c*ncel Mr Collins' lease for the purpose of clearing East street as asked by the Council. HAWKERS. The question of hawkers taking a stand and selling in the streets was brought up on the receipt of an application from Mr Whittington, asking permissi'ii on taking out a license to take h's stand in the streets. Crs FJower, Jones, and Stephnis thought that there was an evil which should be guarded against in such licensees being allowed to take up their stands just outside shops, and in some cases selling similar goods to those in the adjacent simps. After tome d scusdon it was decided to inform the apj li:aut tha' c.o special air*nsement could bd mad% and that the borough by-laws must b j complied with. COUNCIL'S WOKMMIiS. Cr Flower moved, and Cr Jone.< seconded, the adoption of the firs I', recom mendation of the Works Committee re labor gang. The recommendation was adopted. On consideration of the second re commendation, afcer if« adoption had been moved and seconded pro forma, Cr Stephens moved as in amendment that six shillings and sixpence be paid. Be thought that while the ratepayers' in terests had cprtainly to be considered, sixpence per day would make little dif ference to the CounJl, and yet would afL-ct a poor man severely whose work waa often broken. Cr Jones seconded the amendment, considering that six and sixpence was little enough. He had heard that rate payers would sooner submit to a slight increase of rates than that wages should be reduced. On Cr Cuthbertson's suggestion the amendment was withdrawn and the matter left over for the consideration of a full council at next meeting. NUISANOBS. A report was received from the inspec tor of nuisances, calling the Council's attention to various nuisances in the borough, principally alluding to faulty sanitation. Cr Jones brought up the matter of the sanitary arrangements of the borough school, the committee of the school wishing the Council's permission to erect a urinal and to allow a flow of water to be taken through the infant school ground, down Park street and along Moore street. Cr Collins thought, in the interests of the public, any such complaints of bad sanitation as those mentioned in the report, should be seen to, or they might be encouraging the germs of disease. On Cr Mower's motion, it was decided to ask the Works Committee to visit the school and report to next meeting. The report a^o drew tha Council's attenion to the practice of allowing cows to graze in the streets, audit was decided to instruct the inspector to prosecute offenders. TENDERS. The tender of Mr" Olifford at £1 15a Gi for forming and 9i for metalling on Aitken street was accepted. Tenders for watering the streets were referred to the Works Committee. LICENSES. Tha following licensss were granted : — Petroleum, Workingmen's Co-operative Association ; hackney carriage, J. New man ; auctioneer's, J. G. Restell ; Odd fellows' Hall, R. Elston j Jjwker's, T. Whittington ; driver's, J. Newman. ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of £96 were passed for payment and the Council adjourned.

DOMAIN BOARD.

The members then sat as a Domain Board. It was stated that a Verbal ap plication had been received by the committee from ths friendly Societies foi a close day "on Anniversary Day. Ifc was decided to tsk thafc the application be put in writing when it would be con sidered at next m fet'Rg. An agreement for the mutual guidance of the Board ani the Athletic Clubs Association was pub before the board, and ie decided to submit it to the Association for approval. On IVIr Ci|thbertson'a nation it was decided ]bo extend the hours open for ladies bathing from ten to eleven in the morning. Sundry other business was trinsaoted and the Board adjourned.

TO MEASURE DISTANCES AT SEA.

Rales by Which Very Correct Inference May Be Made.

Suppose that the eye'a? the observer is 18 feet above the levsl of tha ocean. In that case we double 18, which gives us 86, the square root of which is 6. luere fore the horizon lies at a distance of 6 miles when the observer saw it from an elevation of 18 feet. From a height of 30 feet (which is about that of the eye of an observer on a vessel the size of the City of Rome) we double the distance of the eye above sea level, which gives us 60, the square root of which is 7.7. Hence an object may he seen at a distance of 7.7 miles from a steamer of the size mentioned. If the depth of the part of a distant ship's hull below the horizon is known, the distance of that ship beyond horizon is obtained in the same way. Then suppose the depth of the part concealed to be 12 feet; then we take the square root of twice 12, or 24, giving 4.9, showing that the ship's distance beyond the horizon is 4.9 miles. Hence if a ship is seen with 12 feet of the hull down (that is, with 12 feet of the hull invisible), the observations being tafesn from the deck of a steamer of the size of the City of Rome, we may cor rectly jnfer that its distance is 4.9 miles beyond, the distance of the horizon, which by the figures above is proved to be a| a distance of 7.7 miles. We add the two sets of figures to gether and find, that the incoming or outgoing vessel is 12 3-5 miles away.

How to Insert Worsted Easily in a Needle.

Keep a bit of cotton batting on hand ■when using worsted. A ve?:y tiny bit of it), rolled between the moistened thumb and finger with the end of the worsted will make a smooth fine point that will easily enter a needle eye.

How to Give Out Forfeits.

Jt is sometimes hard to think of good forfeits, Here are some: 1. The ono who holds the forfeit gives out a line, and the one who owns it must make one to rhyme with it. 2. Laugh, sing, cry and then whistle. 3. Put one hand where the other cannot touch it—i. c., on,e hand on the other elbow. 4. Stand | with heels and back to the wall, stoop without moving the feet and pick up forfeit. 5. Place hands behind you and I guess who touches them. 6. Take water from a teaspoon when blindfolded, guessing who gives it. 7. The person owning forfeit must state what is his musical instrument and then give an imitation of it. 7. Or he must give a geographical name and then spell it backward.

How to Prepare Beef Juice for Invalids.

Broil a thick, lean piece of steak only long enough to heat it through, cut it in pieces and press each in a lemon squeezer or meat press over a warm dish. Salt a trifle and serve.

How to Prevent Writer's Cramp.

Use the lightest penholder you can find—one of solid cork being best. Have it large around where the fingers take hold of it. When tired, change pen holders, using different sizes to rest the hand. Train yourself to write easily, holding the pen loosely and touching it lightly to the paper. The thumb and first finger should not be held with knuckles more than slightly bent.

How to Clean Gold Lace or Embroidery.

Apply with a soft brush a preparation of burnt powdered rock alum and wipe off with a flannel.

How to Make a Paperweight.

Cut pasteboard in six squares, from 1% to 2 inches in size. Cover each on one side with plain olive green silk or satin, catching it across the back to hold tightly. Then overhand the pieces to gether to form a eabe, filling it with ehot before sawing the sixth piece on. Put a painted flower design on several or all the sides, or, if that is not possible, conic arabesques in gilding.

How to Cure a Sprain.

Take red clay enough to cover the af fected part, mix to the consistency of ihick cream with equal parts of good yinegar and kerosene oil, spread on the sprain and bind with cloth.

How the Children Can Begin Memory Hoops.

Get a small wooden hoop from six to nine inches in diameter and gild it. Get your friends to give you quarter yard lengths of ribbon with their names or initials painted, printed or embroid ered on them. Fasten them as they pome on the hoop by putting the two ends of each through the center fold-T ---that Is, first run through the hoop. Xi will make a gay ornament for a child's room,

How to Shrink Flannel.

To shrink new flannel before nialrirsg it up soak it in hard, cold water and han|* it Tip to dralii and dry without a#y squeezing or handling.

How to Remove Paint from Wood.

Add one pound of washing soda to two of tmslacked lime, and, if the paint is thick and strong, one-half pound of pot ash. Bilute with water until the niix-> ture is a little thicker than whitewash, and apply with a flat piece of wood folded in a xag, being careful not to touch the Btuff with the hand.

How to Prepare a Shampoo Mixture.

One ounce of salts of tartar dissolved in a quart of soft water. Sprinkls this Oil tjie. head and rub until a lather forms, Wash, it off with dear water,

How to Restore Leather Furniture.

Wash off the dirt with warm water and soap and then with clear water. The faded parts can be retouched with ink, then with the white of an egg, afid lastly polished off with a clean, dry 1 brush,

How to Prevent Discoloration from Bruises.

Apply warm or cold water as soon as* possible. ■

THE REVOLT IN BRAZIL.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. London, October 8. The Brazilian Legation in London denies the reports of murders'by President's soldiery. Rip pc Janeiro, Optober 9, Foreign diplomatists have ordered President Peixoto to compromise with the rebels or leave Rig.

ISLAND NEWS.

(j'ER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

! Syj>N£Y. October 9. I The Eockton has arrived from the islands. She brings news that the measles are raging in Tonga with terrible mortality. Nearly four hun dred have already succumbed, includ ing two members of the Koyal family, three nobles, many chiefs, and a nuni iberof. principal men. '

The Trouble South Africa.

LoNtON, October 9. Lord Ripon has cabled to Sir H. Loch, giving him full power to repress the Matabele outbreak. Capetown, October 9. Mr Cecil Rhodes has arrived at Fort Salisbury. The Biera Prengive railway is opened, and a waggon road has been made with the terminus at Fort Salisbury.

CORRESPONDENCE.

(We do not hold ourselves responsible lor Me opinions expiessed by our correspondents.)

THE RULE OF THE ROAD.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l was very glad to see the report in your issue recently of a man being sentenced to two years imprisonment for being the cause of a cyclist sustaining severe injuries. The man, who was driving in a trap on the wrong side of the road, refused to move to allow a cycliot to pass, the result being the cyclist was ran into and had some bones broken. My object in taking up your valuable space is to bring before the public of Ashburtou and district the fact that cyclists have as much right to the road as anyone slse. We cyclists are a much abused body by drivers of vehicles, and have a good deal to put up.with, especially when riding in the country, through the unreasonable conduct of those we meet. In many cases they, when driving on the wrong side, will doggedly keep on their way, and will not budge an inch to allow a cyclist to pass, leaving us the alternative of either moving off the road on to ground too rough to ride on, and chance getting a spill, or dismounting. We have another alternative 'that of allowing them to run into us and than going for them for damages and injuries; bub the satis faction of getting the driver to do a term of even two years hardly compensates for broken leg or arm. People driving will, when meeting anyone else driving, keep to their own Bide, or allow room to pass, and would never think of forcing anyone else driving into the gutter and capsizing them. But if it is a cyclist they meet, they seem to think the whole road belongs to them, snd are surprised at the impudence of a cyclist expecting them to move to one side. It is surprising the ignorance shown by people ss to the right of cyclists to use the road a3 well as themselves. For their benefit 1 should like to make it known that it has been upheld in the courts of law that cyclists have the same right to the road as any vehicle, and that tha *' rule of the road " applies equally to cyclists as to anyone else*-—I am, etc., A Toubing Cyclist.

THE OIL LAMP.

A woman died in London under the following circumstances :—She was in the habit of burning a paraffin oil lamp all night in her bed-room, one of the ordinary cheap lamps of foreign manufacture, with a glass reservoir. On August 4, on awakening, she blew down the funnel of the lamp to put out the light, and the result was an explosion and ignition of the deceased's night-dress. Before the flames could be extinguished she was so severely burnt that she died from the eflVcts of the injuries in the afternoon of the same day at St. Mary's Hospital, where she was taken immediately after the accident. The coroner said there was constant danger from the use of fragile oil lamps with glass reservoirs, mostly imported from abroad, and so many were the fatalities which resulted from their employment that he under stood the London County Council were desirous of legislation that would pre vent the sale of such dangerous lamps. The council's inspectors analysed and tested the oil brought to this country, and it was a:serted that the quality of i the oil retailed, was, in the main, good, i Accidents arose through the fragile and faulty construction of the lamps commonly in use, and not because of the oil. It was desirable that the public should know that, for safety's sake, the reservoir should be of metal, and not of china, glass, or other fragile material. The wick should be enclosed in a tube of thin sheet metal, open at the bottom. This wick should reach almost to the bottom of the reservoir containing the oil. The upper part of the lamp, comprising the buruer, wick tube, etc., should be made to securely screw into the metal reservoir. The oil reservoir should have no feeding place nor opening other than the aper ture into which the upper part of the lamp was screwed. Every lamp should have a broad and heavy base and a proper extinguishing apparatus. Wicks should be soft and not lightly plaited, and should quite fill the wick-holder without having to be squeezed into it. Wjicks should be dried at the fire before being put into the lamps, and should be soaked with oil before being lit. When first lit the wick should be partially turned down and then slowly raised. Lamps without extinguishing apparatus required great care. For instance/ the wick should be turned down until only a small flickering flame remained, and then a sharp puff of breath sent across the top of the chimney would suffice to put out the light, The common practice was, however, to blow down the chimney— a practice to which, probably, the loss of life in this case was to be attributed. Attention to these precautions was urged in printed instructions which the County Council has issued, and it was to be hoped that the public would in future be wise in abandoning the use of lamps which experience had so often shown to be extremely dangerous and fatal,

SPORTING.

Melbourne, October 9. In the rooms to-day good business was done over the Y.A.T.O. meeting. Ful ham, Hartingdon, Conation, and Cressby being well supported for the Cup, for which the closing offers were : —10Q to 16. against Brockleigh, 100 to 9 Division, 10|| to Q Fulham and Jeweller, 100 to 5 Donation and Moscow, 100 to 4 Wild Rose. For the Y.R.C. Derby 100 to 15 Pulvil, 100 to 14 Garcon and Patron, 100 to 12 Sailor Prince, 100 to 10 others. For the Melbourne Cup 1000 to 70 was taken about Loyalty, 1000 to 50 Malvolio, and 1000 to 40 each Realm and Tridendate. Following are the soratchings posted:— Caulfield Cup —Jonathan, Lomnos, Fair field, Colossus, Jack, Robinson, Aclolus, Nun, Pasha, and ZalinskL Melbourne, October 10. Heavy rainfall last night precluded strong galloping on the tracks this morning. Realm is very lusty. The general entries for the Melbourne Cup meeting are identically the same as last year, viz., 795. Thirty-one horses are left ia the Maribyrnong Plate, and twenty seven in the Spring SjffcftJfeoa,' • •- J-

THE ASBBtTCTOS GtARDIAti: OCTOBER 10, /898,



New Goods. G. J. NEILL and Co. TTTE HAVE GREAT PLEASURE IN ANNOUNCING THE OPENING UP w OFOUR hew mmjooDs. Jdillfncry in alt its Brandies, New Prints, guaranteed to wash, 4_d, s|d, 6£d, 7£d New Washing White Muslin 4£d _& S^ot double width remarkable value, only la New Coloured Cashmeres, double width, Is M New Double Width Sheeting 9fcd New Flannelettes 3|d. New Table Damasks Is bd CLOTHING- CLOTHING- Men's Tweed Suits 17s 6d Men's Colonial Tweed Suits 25a 6d Boys' Tweed Suits 4s lid Men's Strong Cotoon Shirts Is lid Men's Tweed Trousers bs lid Men's Felt Hats 2s 6d Boys' Felt Hats Is 6d BOOTS- BOOTS, BOOTS. Men's Bluchers 5s Men's Nailed Shooters 8s 6d Women's Strong Shoes 4a lid Women's Leather Slippers 3s bd Women's Canvas Shoes 4s 9d ft I NEILL & CO.'S, FRIEDLANBER'S BUILDINGS, EAST STREET. ~ " THE ESTABLISHMENT FOR SATISFACTORY WATCH AND CLOCK REPAIRS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION AT CHARGES AS LOW AS IS CONSISTENT FOR Sound and Reliable Workmanship IS S. SALEICS, WUOBOAI. WATCH * O^OK M^ 6 M a .CTUm N a J.WUU-, « p_lCrated "Specialite" Spectacles and patented system of AGENT for Cotnfort and Correct Sight. a t fnnvertin* Customers Old Jewellery into New and Fashionable A Speciality made of Converting Designßj ,3 a Qilt7Pr .lewellerj-—Silver and Eleotro-Piated, etc., NEW GOODS in G^^Xica Stock to select from, spe 3 ially suitabb for fust to hand, a large »« WEDDING ANB BIRTHDAY^RISENTS AND PRESENTATIONS. S. BAI.EH- EAST STKBET.



Wanted. fourteenth he'd on^ihabday. W <« Sale Cheap, W a first-class Model Piano by Haake, j«stnew. Apply "Guardian ofhc^ •T^m^ilLir-Wagonette, with tingle F°ifd LeV h-nes, and PJK of horses ; good "y^'iJ-^n'. gether or separately.-A ppiy, 1Q 66 Stables. — by a respectable man, rApiv a te board and residence- Biply, bating terms to W.H., Lox^. Pvst < lffio"e. ._~ - • fiva irises gained from ates Seeds, four £ An^ica,, Plants at WHim^OTON's, BurnOt^nreot. TVTCKEL Watches at 12s 61, usually JK B old by ironmongers at lo ? . lhe SBKffio^ <- *• *«• Jeweller^^^, _____ Ginger Beer, Kasp berryade, home made Jams and Marmalade" and all fresh fruit^ season T. Hoult, East Street^Aßhbjarton^lO jo fTHWB^TS^I Watch in the Market J Lr 158. Usually sold t.y Jewell^ rt from 20, to 25. each. SpecjaU^ m^e in England to our order.-Jon* Obr and 8: 6Mkltsir~Meat Mart. The oldest the Urgest,*. best, aud the cheap M ».' Small Goods a /P^fj'. .Jj 1 frei«hts guaranteed. A trial sohateo^ >W. J. jowcK. *. ' C TICKET and I*wa Tennis Material ju,t unpacked at reduced pr.ces. Kew fiot-ks, Barnes and Fancy Goods^ All goods reduced in price for cash this nonth -L. F. Andrbwks and Cv, gtatiopfw' Hall — QOKS in good order and c«. mpitte bought or taken in excharge. JNew Stock arriving evejy week. Circulating j i i brary# _J, MAhSDEN, C"~*~OOL yourselves during these per mrbed times wi h Ice V^*™- Beady tomorrow (Saturday) —U. w. FlowbH, Confectioner. W" ANTED X nown-Tbat A. J Walker repairs Bb yclep, Sewing Machines, Lawn Mowers, Medical Coils, wul all descriptions of lightjnachincry. RAILWAY Book Stall.—A very large ani chuice lot of books to select trom> __ B" UOKS in great variety to suit all classes of readers, at the Rail*^y Book Stail JJ™ IF you~want fiist class fruit go to Adams' for Fiji, Tahiti, Auckland and Sydney Oranges, Citrons, Lemons, etc. __ __ 025"'r~~ Forget to send your Bicycles along to die Old Kindergarten to to repaired, at^moderatejrate^ M" BDIOAL Coils made and repaired on the shortest notice at easy prices at A. J. Walk.bk's, Old K-nder-■ garte n. . SUITS to meabure, during tho sale, 49a, 555, 60s, 70s, and 755. Fit and workmanship guaranteed.—R. Alcork, Saundew' Buildings. W.\NTKD Known.— The V and JS 1 Corset now landed, in all sizes.— Mitchell and Itjrnkk- ANTED Known, that MusJakvis, Monthly Kursi*, has removed to * larger house oa Aiford Forwst lload, near Woollen Factory, where she will be pleaa:d to receive patients. Best, references. Twms moderate. 9 ISO' «• j Oto Halvdlky Bkos. far Bargains | i_X in Blankets, 49 pairs of largo white J snitabk tor double beds only, i6s 6d worth 255. Extra large (Jrey, only 10ti 6d worth ISs U. polling rapidly.-



WANTED Known—W. H. Collier's noted four clasp Kid Glovas, 2s Bd, have just arrived in all aisesj PRESENTS— Beautiful Presents now being given away to all purchasers of Drapery, Millinery, Boots, Clothing etc.—*!. C. Seoees, Melford House. MITCHELL and Turner's prepara tions for the Season are acknowledged to be very complete. \\] ANTED Known.—Choicest Novel- YY ties in Dress goods, Manilesand Millinery are to be seen.—Mitchell and Turner. W~ ANTED Known—" The Corner "i& : showing a magnificent New Stock )f Drapery and Clothing. — W. H. Collier. WANTED Known-For good value in first class Drapery, Millinery, Bocts, Clothing, etc., go to Melford House. Beautiful presents now giving away to all purchasers. ________ ANTED Known—Some wonderful job lines n Drapery, etc., now oeingsold ; also presents to all purchasers. H. C. Segebs, Melford House. W" HoTs your Plumber 1 Why W . Habdley, who Is <* Manufacturer of Spouting, Ridging, Steel Gutters, Baths, Sinks, Tanks, eta., and who ha? on hand the largest stock of Pumps and Pipe in town. _____-- BANG ! Bang ! Bang ! Gutis I Guns,! Guns ! by the best makers and itted with all the latest improvements Ponder, Shot, Caps, Cartridges, Wads, md Cases at J. W. Hardley's, East Street. Guns repaired. Vl * ANTED Known.—To make room VY for Spring Boots I will give ten per cent for cash. Repairs done at once cheaper than ever to stay bad times over at J. Moison, Premier Bootmaker. 8 18 i 17HEBE do you gee yuur Ironmon- W g««y? At Hakdxey aof course, .vhere we get the best value in Sheet Lead, Nails, Locks, Hinges, Plough Chains, Rope, Wire Knotting, Gorse Knives, Spades and Forks, Lamps, Fonder anc* Fire Irons, and anything you requirp NEW ZEALAND CiiOTniNct Factory T¥EW TaOODS. Men's Straw Hats from is New Tennis Ha^s from Is lid New Tweed Hats from Is Over 1500 Hats in stock. New Washing Ties from 4d New Tennis Shirts from Ss (H New Collars, New Shirts, New Studs. INSPECr OUR NEW STOCK. CLOTHING DEPABTMENT Boys' Bailor Suits froiw 7« l|-d Men's Sac Buits from 30^ Men's All-wool Trousers from 9s 6d. ALL MEW PATTERNS. t _ilobing"Sepabtmbnt Men's £uits to measure from 59s 6d Men's Trousers to measure from 17s 6d BOOT DEPARTMENT. Men's Nailed Balmorals, 9d 6d Men's IJlucUers, fh 6d j Beys' Strong School Bopts from Pa 6d. ; NEW ZEALAND ALO THI NO W4OT ORY. ; AhV.X* JJENDR-y, Mai\(igei:



«,* * SHUItV §om' Hiio-.t'yptl Ex trac There aro imitations of Eucalypti Extract in the mar-kpt now, products of simple distillation formiug crude resinous oils. In order that these crude oils may not bo taken, Our Pure Voliittle Uuci lypti Extract, which is recognised by the medical division of tbe Prussian Government to be of perfectly pure origin, as per information f.r warded to us through the Consul at Melbourne, March 2, 1878, we state :— It is proved by tests made by the Medicial Clinics of the Universities'at Bonn and Greifswal , Prussia, and reported by Dr Schulz, Professor of Pharmacology at Bonn, aud Professor Dr MosK'r, Director of tbe Medical Clinic at GreifswaM, that only products _ that are saturated with oxygen and freed of acids, resinous and other substances, adherent to primary distillation, will develop the sanative qualities proper to the plant, SAKDER & SON'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT according to these authorities, and accor ing to Pro lessor Dr Lister, of England, and fo Drs Bauer, Mclntire, Wood, Hazard, qtc., of .America, is the only extract corrospondiugto scientific tests, and the only one which possesses the proper therapeutic value. All other crude oils are to be classed among the turpentines, which have, when used as medicine, no therapeutic effect and are abaudoned as an internal medicament. The?e so called Eucalypti Extracts, which may have received dist nctian at Exhibitions ss commercial articles and are used for mechanical pur poses only are discernible :— 1. By their deficiency in pungent odour (which our prodipt ? the only genuine Eucalypti Extrac . de velops most freely lhvoi*gb its surplus of oxy ti ). 2. By their alcoholic thin and mobile appearance, being reduced in specific density through the presence of acidK 3. By their taste, the result of the contracting ten dency of resii:s and teonates. If these crude oils, so calle 1 eucalypti extracts are ipplied by mistake in oases of croup, bronchitis, diph theria, internal inflaguttationfy dysentery, 'wounds, etc. t!iG consequences are most appalling. lJor safety ask ask always for Sander iiml $on« EnCill.rpH Extract and got the old, well-tested and reliable preparation Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia.— 4aiml«r s»n«l Nona



HOLLoW/V¥'S riLCS.—Noi'YQiisjicas ?j.«.d want of energy.—When fipst tho jicrvca feel unsprong, aud listncsancfs supplants energy, thu time has conic to take some such alterative as Holloway's Pills to re strain a disorder from developing iuto a disease. These excellent Pills correct all irregularities aud weaknesses. They act so kindly, yet so energetically on the fuue tions of digestion and assimilation, that the whole bc,dy is revived, the blood reude'ed purer, while tho museifts bacoi^o firmer and stronger, and the nervous and absorbent system ia ii.vigo:ai.od. Tliesc pills am suitable lor all classes and all agfps. They have v most marvellous effect on persons wlio are out of condition; they soon rectify whatever is in fault, restore strength to tUo body and confidence to tUe IBiud,



Colemanh and son s Bucaltptio Extract is the only genuine in the market, and was awarded medals :ml diplomas at Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide beating all competitors. For all affections of the Cnest and Lungs, Consumption, Asthma, Coughs Oravel, aud Kidney Complaints, it has no CC[ual Aifiuts—AsoßcuTOH onus coair^jsy]