Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1896. Local and General

Afc Milton (Otago) on Thursday, William Anderson, for sly-grog selling at Clarkea ville, was fined £30 and costs. The evidence showed that four men went into His shop, asked for ginger ale, and were supplied with whisky. An account was produced m which the whisky was charged as goods. Just before midnight on Wednesday, the birque Mandalay put to sea, bound to Timuru. She stood outside the heads with a light breeze, and when some distance along towards Sumner an attempt wa9 made to stay the vessel. She missed stays, how ever, and an attempt to wear the point near Taylor's Mistake also proved unsuccessful. ' he vessel was gradually drifting nearer the shore, and the anchor was put down. I Further trouble was, however, yet m store for the vessel. The cable parted, but the stcond anchor held juat-in time to prevent the barque going ashore. At daylight the tug rescued her from her perilous position. The grim work of campaigning m Rhodesia is enlivened by some amusing incidents. Recently some volunteers, yearning for the garden produce of a mild Indian coolie cultivator just outside Buluwayo, conceived the brilliant idea of riding down the road, firing a fusilade, and shouting to the coolie, to clear to the laager for his life, as the enemy were coming. " Next morning " says a local paper, "four eminent agriculturists crept on hands and knees amongst the plants, and filled a sack with the health giving cabbage and the breath-ncenting onion. We had juat finished when we heard a gentle voice st»y, * Thlee pounds, pleane ; you b'longa Captain- 'a men ; thlee ptfunda please,' and sad and sorrowful we shelled out." — London Daily Chronicle. " The Wellington correspondent of the Wairarapa Ziaily Times thus ventilates what he terms a grevious inconsistency which affects employees m the railway service. It Beems that" those oft the staff who joined under the " sixty-six Act," are entitled to compensation (one year's salary for each month's service) "on leaving or retiring from service " — these are the words of the statute. Thia seems simple enough, had not the Minister who controls the Department taken' up the extraordinary 'attitude that death does not constitute retirement. The anomaly resulting from this ruling would award compensation to a man leaving the service to step into a better billet m com mercial circles, but would deprive a povorty atricken widow with a starving family of the sum her husband seemed so justly entitled to. One outcome of this remarkable condi tion of things ia that the victim of such un- ' righteously inconsiderate legislation is apt to be placed m a most painful dilemma at a time when by reason of illness he should be most free from worry. He knows that he must either resign his position and so get compensation, or else run the risk of dying and leaving his family unprovided for. Then there is another dismal possibility, almost as cheerless as death itself to a man of perhaps more than middle age who is not as well adapted to face and fight the world once more as he was m the days of his youth. He knows that if he resigns but recovers irom what seemed likely to be a fatal illness, he is left without emp'oyment — a good position has been sacrificed through a contingency which it was cruel should ever have occurred f Indigestion. — How much thought has been bestowed, and what valuminous treatises have been written upon this universal and distressing disease, which is with certainty and safety dispelled without fear of relapse by a course of a purifying, soothing and tonic medicine ! Its aot directly on the stomach, liver and; bowels — then m directly, though no less effectively, on the brains, nerves, vessels, and glands, introduc ing such order throughout the entire system that harmony dwells oetween each organ and ts functions. Dyspepsia needs no longer be the bugbear of the public since Holloway's Pills are fully competent to subdue the moat chronic and distressing cases of impaired di gestion, and to restore the miserable sufferer to heath, strength, and cheei fulness.

Owing to pressure on our space inside, important anvertisements will be found on the outside pages of to-day's issue. A Press Association telegram from Wel liugtpn states that flour has advanced to £11 per ton tfrer#. The volume of postal jand telegraph busi ness during last quarter shows a steady increase as compared with the sam# period last year. The Customs and exoi«e duties collected m the oolony during the quarter ended 30th September totalled £476,342, as compared with £438,681 for the same quarter last year. KsApiNo'a Poyvoßß destroys bugp, flea?, moths, beetles, 'and all pther insnots, whilst gui c harmless to domoet^o animate. In exteiminatiDg beetles the sqqoeis .or \Jafy powder is ex raordjnary. It is perfect 'y olean m applioatioo, flee the article you . purchase ia Keat^c's, as Jmf'atfons are nozioni »nd ineffectual, Sold \n tins, 6d. U lOd 9% 111 915 b, by at) ohemietp;

CABLE NEWS.

Home and Foreign,

(per prbss association— copyright.)

James McEwen and Co.

[London, October 28.

Messrs James McEwen and Co. report that the results of the year are £15,000 bet'er than those of 189.5, and £2700 better than the average for the two proceeding years. Mr Malcolm, one of the Directors, says the Company has made a small profit for the year, and the future prospects are hopeful. Conspiracy m Sulu Islands. Madrid, October 28. A conspiracy against the Spanish authorities has been discovered m the Sulu Island*?, and reinforcaments have been sent from Manila, m the Philip pines. The Drought iii India. Calcutta, October 29. There is still no prospect of rain falling, and famine throughout the country is inevitable. Prince Bismarck's Revelation. Vienna, October 29. The city newspapers are now calmer m theip references to Prince Bismarck's revalationg, vbjch leads to the conclusion that they have been inspired. They now contend that Bismarck's duplicity will not affect the stability of the Triple Alliance. Berlin, October 29. The Emperor William is stated to be furious at Bismarck's revelations.

Australian.

South Australian Revenue. A delaidb, October 29, The revenue for the September quarter shows an increase of £50,000 as compared with 'the corresponding quarter last year. The railway re ceipts are wholly responsible for the increase. The expenditure shows a comparative increase of £37,000.

Revolt m the Philippines.

Sydney, October 29

Late &les by q. mail steamer from the Eaßfc show that the rjay.ojt m the Philippine Islands continues, and some hard fighting has taken place, A great many rebels have been killed and hundreds arrested, including ininy leading men. Numbers were shot m the public squares as a warning to others. A body pf £000 rebels hold a fort, but are gradually being sur rounded by Spanish troops, and the worst is considered to be over.

COMMERCIAL.

London, October 28 The total Quantity of wheat and flour afloa' for the United Kingdom is 2,360,000 quarters, and for the continent 1,410,000 quarters. The American visible supply of wheab is 75,300,000 bushels. Australian and New Zealand Mortgage and'Agfiucv's Ak per cents are quoted at 101. ' v " ? F Tallow— Mutton, fine quality, 22a : medium 193 9d. . - r ' ' i

THE GENERAL ELECTION

Mr J. McKeague at the Oddfellows'

Hall.

Mr J. McKeague gavo his first address to the electors of Aohburtoki m the Odd f ellowa' Hall on Thursday evening. There was a fairly large attendance of the public, 'aboqt 400 being present, and the speaker was listened to wiihi interest and atten tion, and frequently^ applauded during his' address.

The chair was taken by Mr David Thomas, who introduced the speaker ma a brief address, m which he apologised for tha_ absence of the Mayor. Mr Thomas stated that at the olose of his address Mr. MeJKeagne w»uld be glad to answer any questions, but no wrifccen questions wouid be received unless the name of the questioner was appended.

INTRODUCTORY

Mr MoKaguo commenced by saying he had twcpktu 63 bo present to them, ono w* of the social condition of the masses brought about by Conserva tive legislation— i he other a description of the legislation of the Liberals to ameliorate that oonditlon, and to enable industry to reap the fulL reward of its labor. All through history we eee.the same parlies w iging political war against each other. When the slaves wore metal collars hundreds of years ago, it was" the representative of the present day .Con servative who placed it there, and the representative of the present day Liberal, who removed the badge of slavery from the human chattel. Instances might b > found down to the present day to illus trate this contention. Mr McKeague then referred to the. . SOCIAL CONDITION OP ENGLAND, and beginning at the time when land was held under the Feudal system, he.jjuotpd from "Our Old Nobility," by H. Vickera, to *h-«w that. under the existing; system c.f land tenure m England, the total earning* of the filers m Bngland amount to £1,350 000 000, disposed of ihn.«- : — Reno £220,000,000, interest £270.000 000, oala'i-s £3^0,000,00), and wages £600,0 0,000, red uomg these figures, to the bagis. of £1, it appfars thjat of every twenty shillings, 3« 3d is paid for rent, 4k i for interest,. 6* 4i for »silarief>, while the toilers, who produce the 20s, get the modest sum of 7s 51. Mr McKeaguo enlarged on the hardships of i he toilers of England, and pointed out that the popol-v ion of Great Brtain was

roughly 36,000,000, of whom 20 000.000 were exceedingly poor, an^ 7,000,000 were bordering on st-irvation. Ho gave an interesting account of how tho poor have tn-.stru2gle for an existence, and , then went on to speak of NEW ZEALAND* SOCIAL CONDITION, and expressed his belief that the forma tion had been laid for an exactly similar condition of things here. No sooner was the Constitution Act granted than land ' grabbing began. Machinery was invented to enable the best land m the colony to be sold for 6a an acr«. On the 31st March, 1895 over 21.000,000 acres had heen aliena'ed, and there were about 90,000 land owners In the colony. One would think this would give about: 234 s:ere9 to each, but ©n looking into the matter it cou'd be seen that about half- the alienated land m the colony was held under different tenures m very large estates. He then read a .list of the lar>a eat a ties m the c ilony which amounted t0. 584, holding ten million acres, ■>..

Mr-McKeagiiß then dealt with the nn etrned inbremea'* which matter is pretty well understood by our readers. He con sidered tlit> monopolist. .should be com pplled to pay taxation m the true value of his estate Mr McKeague went into an flaboratr calculation to show that the financial troubles of farmers haveatiaen from the difference between the **6ps:cu ilittive" find the^* using --Vvaide of land, and argued ' ttiafc the contention of tho Conservatives that land having been hoy^h 1 . It gaUy from the State, under the then existing laws, could not be inter fered whh. was un' enable, 'and if the argument were admitted}- it would justify slavery. -He went on to show that out of every 100 of the population, only about 16 were p<o r luoers. The young men can nob get land at a pric9 at whfch they co^ld earn a living, and so they flock to ha towns, and thus get a d : sta'ste for agri cultural pursuits He considered the Government 3hould take more land near 'he cities In spite of the owners, and faci litate the settlement thereon of ,a class of people who could not afford large ousUys Government might advance £30 or £40 to enable them to make a stare, and he was sure no enterprising timber merchant would decline to assist men of this class to build* ' LAND SETTtBWBNT AND TAIATJON.

Referring to the occupations of the people, the speaker thought the census papers failed to elicit the most useful information. He thought it would be more beneficial' to have found out the n amber of the unemployed m eaoh walk of life, and why Ihey were idle. Mr Recce, speaking at Ashley last week, said the present Government were not the firefc to endeavour to procure land for settlement purposes. He was right. Fifty years ago f the Chartists made a similar endeavour,** and the j^qvernmenb of the monopolists quickly threw the leaders into prison. The present Government have bought land equal to a stretch rf conntry from the railway line to the sea, and reaching from Hinds to Oherteey On this land they are settling hundreds of families who are making happy homes for themselves, and could import free of duty various arfcioles required to carry on their occupation. He thought, even if worked at a la s, the number of State farms should be increased. He thought the most worthless men could bn taught to work on these firms. Some people sneeringly said they would not work, but men of this class were speedily turned into worthy men m the army or navy l>y the simple method of proper feeding. Real paupers lived m the mansions of the great. Homesteads ought to be provided near large cities where artisans and othera^ could live free from the exorbitant rents, common m ciMes and towns. Articles manufactured m the

colony ought to be protected. He thought the Customs duties ought to be enirely taken cJjF rice, salt, sugar, tea, molasses, coco?, oi ffee, kerosene, and such articles, so that the toilers of the country might have a free breakfast table! JUnder the' propoity^tajp of the Conservatives, if two a^j >ining farmers owned eaoh a farm, the unimproved value of each being £500. neither p<ud the tax. Bab if one was industrious and improved his farm and erected buildings, etc , he wap taxed on his improvements. Buildings erected ander the Buildings Societies Aob were exempt from taxation as well as 'policies of Insurance under the Land and Income Tax of the Liberals, an exemption still exists of £500 if the unimproved value of the land does not exceed £l{joo. The exemption diminishes by degrees and disappears altogether when the assessed value of the fond Joss deduo^'.ns reaches £2500. These exemptions largely red uoe the number of land taxpayers. The number of land holders m the colony is about 90,000. Toe number of land tax payers is about 13 000. The Liberals have thus exempted from taxation 77,000 formers m the colony auCl . haw * lifted £70,060 a y fsqvs the shoulders ot ssoajl farmers. After Home furph©* re ference to the aotion of the present Go vernment; m the sefctltmenfc of the people on the land, Mr M Keaguo gave ib an his opinion that the 1oh« of revenue arising from a free breakfasb oould be recouped by a larg«ly increased tax on Jsndowqer* only, tho intireeb on th Q

untamed increment of such estates of which the people are now unjastly de prived. He concluded this portion of his address thu^t; —" Faint 3rs who are your friends ? The Liberals or the Conser vatives ? Will you not vote for the Liberal party which has co material !y im pr< ved your poslti< n lightened your taxation, and, for the first time m the history of the colony, made m e.uy for your sons fti;d daughters to marry and make happy homes for themselves," A POLICY.,

Mr McKeague then proceeded to indi cate the policy he would support;, which may be summarised as follow* : — He thought the oneman one vote princ p^o ought to exlsb, and that all laws ought to be passed on the samo principle of a majority. He thought the Legislative Council ought not to be permitted to block reform. He approved of the co operative works system. All over this colony, and more especially In Ashburton, a great-crop of men nre wanting tho £240 a year. Perhaps he was one of them The Conservatives raised a great cry against this, but you never can be well ropresented (ill you pay your members. He would ark the Liberals of this county ;o pick out him whom they thought could best serve the Liberal cause and send him to Parliament.. If they, adopted any orher policy than this they would find "th By would not be represented at all m Par liament. He thought that the so-called Liberal who could not sink his individu al y in the caose of Liberalism was unworthy of being called one. ( A.pplause ) LOCAL REQUIREMENTS. The ppeaker then went on to advocate the .more extensive planting of the province with trees, and held that some effort should hare been made to secure a portion of the million loan for this purpose. Had he been their representa tive he would have endeavored to get particulars of the increased production resulting from irrigation on the irrigation farm at Elgin, and would have done his best to have secured £100,000 of the loan for irrigation purposes on our dry plains. Speaking of the local railway service, he ; quoted figures to show that a large portion of the traffic from Tin' I wald and Wihslow came from the district, between the railway line and thS sea, and he advooated the construction of a light line of railway to cope with this traffic. OLD A*E PENSIONS. Mr McKeague then referred to the principal of old age pensions, and quoted from returns to show that aboub £15,000 was already paid by the Government m pensions, and large sums are paid away m charitable aid which might form a nucleus for a pension fund, and anything further ri quired he would find by an increase of the death duties and further land taxation. THE BANK OF NEW ZEALAND. Mr McKeague then went into the history of the Bank of New Zealand, which by this time must be familiar -to nearly every man, woman, and child m th& colony, as is also the mater of the Banking Committee. Id is sufficient here to say that; the candidate thought the B uik of New Zealand should be made a Stale bank, which he believed would secure the profits for the people of the colony* (At this point there was some interrup tion, and after a brief discussion at the back of the hall a policeman removed one of the crowd there.) PCBtIO AOOOUNT3. He thought the method of keeping the public accounts might bo muchsimplifi d, and he went into details to show that they could be kept much as those of other people are kept. There should be a separate account for the national debt ho that people could easiJy understand the position tt the colony. He thought the people who pay the piper ought io have the choosiug of the tune. (Applause.) ELECOTITE EXECUTIVE. He belonged to an a,«ociatii»n that had adopted the Elecutiva Executive as part of its platform, but ho personally thought tha present system the better of the two. ' EDTTOATIOIT Dealing with this question, Mr Mc- Keague thought a commission should be appointed to enquire into the whole subject), and that a-fangements should be made ti give technical education where possible. He would so remodel the secondary schools, that tho s> m i educa tional advantages would be within reaoh of the children of the poor as are now ehjoytd by the rich. On the subject of Civil service examinations, he would have competitive examinations m connection with the secondary schools fnr positions m. the Civil service. LABOUR LAWS- Mr McKeague then went pretty fully into the history of labour legislation m New Zealand for the past twenty years, beginning with Sir G Grey's Trade Union Act, passed m J>B7B But as these matters have been frequently dealb with m various forms m our columns,, it need only be said that the candidate gave the government credit for having effected all the Improvements which during the past few year* may have been made m the position of Ihe working classes.

TJSB OVJ.ONY0 V J.ONY IS «OIN» TO THE DOGS. Mr MoKeague said that the Conserva tives were continually saying that the colony was going to the dugs. The Chrlstchuroh Press and its evening edition Truth are the mouthpieces of the Conservative party m Canterbury. These newspapers were m the habit of making the most unfounded charges against the jGj- >veinment, and circulat ing these charges* not only through the colony but m London. They, were given a chance of proving their state ments m a court of law, but preferred to publish an ap logy to the Hon J. Gf. Ward, stating that the articles they had published, and which cast a slnr upon the stability of pertain departments were wholly • unwarranted and entirely un supported by fact, and entirely un true. The Conservatives went out of power about 1391, and the Liberals have been m power since. The imports and exports per head of the population were— ln 1885. imports, £13 4s 9d ; exports, £12 Is 51. *K. 1894 imports, £9 19 j lid ; exports, £13 lls lOd, or eaoh man, woman and child had, to get oredib m 1885 to the extent of £1 3s 4d, while four years^af.er the present Liberal party Government 'came into power, each man, woman, and child m the colony, after paying f»r »U they imported, were able to pocket about £4 each. The revenue raised by taxation was per head of the pop *ilstl/>n— ljj. 188?,' £3 lfo lQd ; In 1814, £3 7s 91 ; or 9s Id a head less three years after"*- the Liberals got into power. The publio debt of the colony was per he^d— March, 1890, £60 5s 3d ; 1894, £67 8i lOi ; or during the rule of I bti'e preaiEftijb LltyeraJs the public debt has been decreased £§ lßs^d'.pdr head tf the ppulation. The snaual charge on the public debt was— ln ÜB9O, £1 851,421 ; m 1895, £1,656 970 ; fir an annual decrease of close on £200 000. The sheep m the \ colon/ at ttiese periods "Bras^- In 18S»D, 16 116.113 ; m '1894,' 20,230,82& ; 'in crease, 4 114.716. r Jhe total' exports of butter and pheese were — Ba^er (cwts), m 1890. 34,816 ; m 1894, 60,771 ; increase, 25,955. Cheese (cwte), m iB9O, 40,451 ; m 1594, 55.655; increase, 15,204 The output of qo»l, kauri gum, and gold w-«_Coal-In 1890, 637,397 tori* j m 1895, 719 546 tons ; increase, !?. U7 lons '

jEp^uri gum— lß9o, 33 588 tons ; 1895, 41,186 tonß ; incrfa^e, 7,598 tons. Gnli -1889, £4.272.899; 1894, £4,536 647; inorenae, £263 748. The petitions *m bankruptcy were— ln 1893, 652 ;in 1894 484 ; deorease, 168. The prisoners m gaol wera-In 1885, 531; In 1893, 463; dioreme 68, Curing tho Jnst ft?* j%ma

of Conservative rule the colony lost 19,000 of its population. During the five years of Liberal rule, ending on 1896 the colony has added 75 000 to iLa popu lation. The speaker n-ked if these figures showed that the c .1 >ny w;.s going to dogs. Hi rather thought i.oj, and he considered thab the ant;er of iho Conser vatives .was expressed so loudly because the colony is being taken from < ho human dogs, WANT OT CO>TIDENnE M./TMN

Referring to Captain Rusao.i'ci wtnt of confidence motion, Mr McKeague an alysed the grounds upon which th»* motion professed to be based, and contended that m rep'y to Captain Russell'H charge — the statement that innumerable im proper appointments had boen in aie made m the Civil Service — ie could be shown that no acts of. improper appoint mentß were given, hence no reply was possible but no objections were taken to the appointments of Conservatives, such as Judge Edwards, the Government printer, and the members of the Representative Commissioners. With regard to the alleged increase of the pnbllo debt by the present administration, 'it was proved" ihat much of the money was borrowed for reproduction purposes sanctioned both by Parliament and the people, such as che Land for Settlement Act, aud the taxpayers do not pay the Interest on snob loans,.-; Captain Russell himself proposed to borrow £20,000,000. As for the seiz ure of the sinking funds there was evi dence to show that Mr Ballance got thiß dorte, and then ib is oharged to Mr Seddon. An actuarial report shows that £3, tOO a year interest was saved. And with regard to the charge of altering the tariff, and increasing the cost of the necessaries of life ie may be asked if Captain Russell is sure that the cos^ of the necessaries of life is~ increased, why does he want a return 1 The Customs were m 1892, £1,654,064; 1893, £1,665,683 ; 1895, £1,619,970 ; or £44,094 less thaD m 1892,- and per head of the- population were m 1890, £2 9s 0d ; 18*5, £2 2s 3d, or 2s. 3d. le.-s m 1895 under the Liberal rule than m 1890 at the close of the Conservative rule. Besides the con cessions by the present tariff amount to £52,471) on tea the concession amounts to £34, C00, on fencing wire, £9,000, and on woolpacks, £4,423.

•©NCLUSIOX. Mr MoKeague concluded his address as follows — THE CONSERVATIVE MOTURE sets before you the ghastly misery and social wretchedness oi the toiling masses whenever and wherever the monopolist has had sway ; the idle capitalist who is the only true and genuine " loafer " liv ing m ease and luxury on the wealth pro duced by the sweat of the other men's brows: the pitched labourer who pro duces plenty by his labour fjt the support of himself and of those depending on him, and who gets but a small share of what he produces ; the struggling farmer who alao has to part with a large propor tion of what he produces to various simi lar gods. The same picture shows you the private ownership of largo tracts of land laying the foundation for an exactly similar state of society here as prevails m England, with all its real misery and de gradation and serfdom. When you are able to gather figs off thorn bushes you may expect legislation beneficial to the strugg'ing masses from the Conservative THE lIBERAT, PICTURE on the other hand shows you the present wrerched social condition cf England and its already partly arrived counterpart v New Z ialand, and warns, you of the shameful heritage you are laying up for yourselves and for your descendants.. It hhows you its practical endeavours at embodied m the Liberal legislation of recent years to secure land for the people of the colony : to place m your hands the full control of the, legislative machinery : to secure justice and 'pfoteoiioh "for* the HOHniirt, th» laborer, tlio farmer, tho shop man, the miner, and for any others ft hu may not be able to protect themselves Id has produced tho machinery by means of which trade disputes and strikes may be avoided. It endeavours to open u^ litids freah and good, not the stony re fuse of tho colony, for tho young nun and wumon of the colony as well as fo« the landless to sattle uyen where with, indu-try they may live happy and i6;> tcoted, depending alone on their own in dustry. % The Conservative parby is the author of the farmer bet of conditions ; the Liberal party is the author of the latter. From every true and manly heart there can be only one answer as to which party de serves the support, of the electors. QUESTIONS. In answer to questions Mr McKeague said, he understood the term Conservative meant a man who thinks and works for himself j while a Liberal was a man who had at heart the good of the people at large, and nob of the individual. His opinion was that the best landlord was the State. As to majorities he thought all laws should get on to the Statute Book by the same machinery and the same maj >rity as stated m his address. Ench local governing body should levy its own rates without} interference from any other body. If people got no benefit from the raTos they ought not to have to pay them. . Mr Meddins here challenged Mr Me Keague's figures, re the Aah burton High Sohool, and said the fees were six guineas and not twelve. He thought thab if Mr KcKeague'6 figures on finance were not more accarate than these were he was not to be depended upon as an authority. Mr MoKeague said he did not refer specially to the Ash burton Hjgh School, but generally he believed the figure to be £12 12 i. But if £6 6s was correct this would only strengthen his argument. He would make the High School only acces sible to merit. x

Mr Kelr wanted to know how Mr MoKeague would carry out his scheme of abolishing the Upper House. Mr McKeaguß would be inclined to stop supplies when the Counoil blocked a Bill. (Laughter). In answer to another question the Can dida' c Faid io was for the people to settle the quesiori of the liquor traffis at the j polls— it was not for the representatives to dt«ide (Applause) Mr Whiting moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr McKeague for hia very able and instructive address, and m doing so sad Mr McKeague would open the eyes of those p TParliament if he gob there, (Laughter) Mr J. Meg6on had much pleasure m seconding 'the. motion. J£e thought Mr MoKeague fad given them .the clearest and most satisfactory explanation of the policy of the present Government he had ever listened to. Some people objected to Mr McK«*gue because he was a school master, but tftat was m his favor, one of th* ablest and clearest headed men now m "Parliament 'had been a schoolmaster. He alluded to Mr Meredith.

Mr Pickford speak jing to the motion thought that if Mr McKeague could sa»isfy the old fellows — the young fellows ought to have nothing against him (Laughter) The motion was then pub, $boub half • f those present; holding up their hands the re^t did nob vote either way. Mr McKeague proposed the usual vote of thanks to the chair and the meeting dispersed.

ASHBURTON A.AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Nineteenth. Annual Exhibition.

THE SHOW.

Brilliant and Record Success.

To-day the local A. and P. Association held their uiueteenth annual show, and it is satisfactory to note that the total number of ent ies showed an. improvement on the total of last year. The record for entries w»s made m 1894, m which year the number of 884 was reached, but m that year the prizes offered m the dairy produce classes, or rather m the home-made bread, and other classes m which the housewife noc only of the farm but of the townsman's cottage, could have a great say, called out a very large number of entries. It was this de-

jpartment of the show that canted the record, no less than 236 being credited that year to the dairy produce seotion, m which the bread classes are included. If a similar

record is aimed at by the promoter* of the show m ihefafennctheji will do .well nob to_^_ neglect this department. It la argued by ■6m of the ultra-practioal members of the Committee that the show is held with a view to encourage the breeding of the beet stock, and for nothing elae. That i^a very narrow view to take of the objeot of the show. We have an idea that the firat object of the show is an educational one, but that object covers a great many thingß. We would all like to see the sheep reared on Ihoße plains excelled by none m the world no doubt. We do not fancy that the farmers of Ashburton have set up as. their motto the whole advice of the ancient ! philosopher to his students,-" Always excel and be before others." The advice followed as a whole would be pagan and unchristian, but to be content simply to excel, and eschew the selfish desire to be before others is manly, Bntum, and Christiau. If the sheen we grow are excelled by none, and have reached by our own efforts che highest point of excellence that our present knowledge end skill and the capabilities of our country permit, then have we done well indeed, but m these days of close study and diligent research he would be a bold as well as a foolish man, who would dare say that we have reached the highest point of perfection —a point that never has been reached, and never will be this side of time. And it is well to have this desire to excel m the rear ing of sheep, and at our shows exhibit the best samples of the excellence of our work sa that the young men may see what their tathers have done, and emulate their eflorts. And not atop either at emulation, but to go on with the work of improvement their fathers have begun. So woald we with our horeeß and cattle and piga like to see a high platform of excellence taken, and the show is the time for reporting just how high up we have gone. The report is no written document, to be read, and pigeon holed, and forgotten like yesterday's daily paper. It is a report without words, but records hard facts that strike the eye and the brain and nob the ear. Those pens and yards speak more loudly and more tellingly to the farmer than any orator could on the same subject, .though he spoke " with, thb tongae of men and of angels," and a walk rouud the stock m the show will teach the young men of the plains far more of what it is good for him to know, than the moßfc brilliant description that could be given by the most brilliant reporter, assuming evan that the writer knows anything at all personally of .the subjecb to which; his fluent pen is for the moment devoted. Yes, the desire to excel iDtth^r- rearing- .pi-> stock is admitted, and theadvisablenes of cultivating that desire granted. But it is a well known tact thafe just as soon as you try to "educate" the crowd— the crowd rebels. The most deeply learned scientific lecturer that ever stood on a platform must; speak to empty benches unless he can amuse, or excite, or frighten. The temperance cause waß but a dead and alive affair m this colony till the young people were tickled with the secret society idea of the Good Templars with their regalia and ap forth, and when the novelty of that wore off it needed the fire and dramatic power of the Isilta and others to fan the interest into flame. Now, it will take a lot to stop the progress of that reform. And other instances could easily • be mentioned m which , the promoters have succeeded because they first sought to pro* vide amusement, or'Jat least novelty. The kindergarten system of teaching succeeds m educating by not seeming to educate, but by first amusing, And all lectures to the mass, if they are to teach at all must first be popular. And the Committee of the A. and P. Association must also learn that their annual Show, to attract* the imensa crowds* they would like to see there, must be a " show," and they themselves for the time being "showmen," so we come back to that part of the exhibition which is not devoted to stock, but . to exhibitions of the house wife's skill. And we say that to be able to bake good bread and furnish the table skill fully and nicely with tasty bits of bread stuffs is ac essential a qualification of those who keep the farmer's kitchen going, as are the ability to plough, to manage a team well, and to perform all the necessary work about a farm, essential to the young- men upqn whose work the farmer depends for a crop. We contend that every chance should be givea to the farm girls to emulate the best m the way of baking, and to com pare nqtes when' they can with the town dwelling girls. The Association ia i nbi wholly for the farm, and those whp^live on it. The town dwellera have a right to learn all that the Association can teach them. The Show should be an object lesson to the youths of the town as well as to the, youths of the country and should be made attractive to all. Farmers would perhaps be astonished to learn how many of our young men spend the holiday elsewhere than m the Show, but if classes could be provided that would bring entries from a large number of town and suburban households, we fancy an increased and increasing interest would be taken. The Show is certainly an educational insti tution, and a thousand times more so than it was twenty years ago, when on the plains the rearing of sheep was hardly possible. Then the farmer's work was confined to grain. Now, he cau-ond must put his eggs m more than one basket. He can feed sheep if he desires.- In tact, he must try sheep, for of late wheat growing has failed him, though just at this moment if he haa*any to sell he can get a fair price for it. He can also turn his attention to dairying and make something out of it, and he can grow 1 pigs'if he likes and'faot 'necessarily come out with a balance on the wrong page. And tne stoclc pens of 1896 wilTshow him" the class 'of sheep that find ' f a Vor with ' the ' exporter of wow and frozen mutton, and the special kinds, if he care to enquire,' that should d° well on just the soil he has to pasture on. Those pens will show him the cattle that do best here, the best pigs, and the best horses. And as he looks at all $hese he will fiod that there has been no falling off m nunu)e,rs. or m quality. Th,e merino sheep, was' wont*, m the earlier days, 'when wool was' tfye. only" product of the sheep that we exported, to; be the chief breed shown. Nqv? it seldom. appears, even m single representatives, &% our annual shows, while th.c heavier breeds are shown m large numbers, *and of a quality that we have no reason to be ashamed of. We have breeders m this county who can hold their own at the

Metropolitan Shows with the mutton princes of the colony, and those breeders are to be found all along the line covered by the ih«6p catalogue. We have never made much outcry about our cattle at the annual Show, The county ia nob a greab cattle district, but of feeenb years ib has taken to a greater extent to dairying, and naturally 1 has sought to improve its milkers, with the reauit that, though thece is yeb rqqm for very great improvement,; we can produoej a. few good sampler >t our .BhQw of the bws , phone wd bultw >ri«4« r Ittd iiiQ fttof

tfife ASHBtBtOK fIUAKDJAfr : FRIDAY, OCTOBEtI 30, 1896.



Wanted. j E WILLIAMS, Tea and Coffee dealer, " : • the Arcade, is aeent fotv Strang'a i celebrated Coffees. "Try Kokoff." 10 259 , •* ; '■ i ROCK Ojsters, Gropor, Blue Cod, eic, ; and Crayfish, all fresh, Deep Seal Fishing Compauy, opp site Mail Office. ■ 10 260 j WANTED Known— Where the crowd is going? To see MitchemT^and Turner's Millinery to be sure. If you have not been, go at. once ; it is worth seeing, WANTED Known— Oilcloths, Lino- leums, Carpets, Squares, Rugs and Curtains. Special Display m Special Room. A Case of plum c-'lor Liberty Muslins just to and. — Mitchell akd Turner. WANTED Known — Dress Length of Stylish Tweed with lining included for 6s lid. A bewideiing assortment of Priuts, Cambrics, an 1 Blouse Materials. — Mitchell and Turneb. WANTED KNOWN - Spring Bloßsom Tea is really delicious. Packed m £lb, lib, 51b/ and V lb tins, Is 9d and 2s per lb. Fletcher Bros., Agents. DON'T FORGET TTILETCHER'S Extract of Herbs, 7d per JO bottle makes 8 gallons of splendid botanic beer. Fletcher Bros, Sole Agents, Ashburton and Christchurch. rtIHERE iaho doubt, no possible doubt, X. that you get Good value for your money at Mellor's. POPULAR CONCERT T HEARD a man say that Mellor is selling J_ Bootß Wonderfully Cheap. WANTED Known— The Economic" Kid Glove, four buttons, Is 9d per pair, is the Glove for every day wear. — W. H. Collier. I ODDFELLOWS' HALL WHAT do I see before my eyes? A Cheap sale of Boots at Mellor's. "TT7 ANTED Known— Mellor s Sale' W surpassing anything ever heard of m Ashburton. . 10 TO-NIGHT OW'S your time to Buy. There is a Big Sale at Mellor's Zealandia Boot Store. ( ■ MOTHERS and fathers who have to provide Boots and Shoes, Bhould call at Mellor's Zealandia Boot Store. LATEST NOVELTIES WE lead, follow who may. Children's . Silppers Is. Mellor's Tancred street. . • EW Mangel, Carrot, and Turnip Feeds* The favorite sorts at low prices.— Carson and Co. , 10 84 INTRODUCED. WHERE, Oh where, is that Cheap Boot Shop? Mellor's Zoalandia Boot Store. . IDE the Best. — Kent's Championship Bicycles are the best Built to your own measure. Tyres and accessories ■of all aortß— Carson and Co., Agents ,10 86 "\7"OUNG Ladies' Journal for October JL Weldon's Journal for September Jude the Obscure, Master Wilberforce, Autobiography of a Truth (Edna Lyall), The Crime of the Century,. Checkea Through, Within Her Grasp, Romance of Two Worlds, Sons of Fire, and other new books. — H. M. Jokes. THE early bird catches the early worm, so call at Mellor's Cheap Boot Sale MILLINERY— Miss E. Barnes (late of Messrs James and Cubison, West, End, London, and for some time milliner m charge of Ballantyne and Co.'s Millinery Department, Ohristghuroh), has secured premiaea m Tancred street, wfiere Ladies may rely on securing Millinery of the Very Lateßt S tyle and Best Quality. 10 12 VVWDFELLOWS' TTALL, TO-NIGHT, Grand Concert and Entertainment m aid of Cricket Club Funds. Watch papers for Programme. H. a PERCY, 10 179 . Hon, Seo. TTTANTED Known— Go. to the Corner TV for Newest Styles m Drapery and Millinery — W. H. Collier. /"ODDFELLOWS' TTALL, TO-NIGHT, GRAND CONCERT and VARIETY EN- TERTAINMENT. 10 178 ANTED Known— looo pairs of Boot to be sold m twenty -one d&ya at Mellor's. BARGAINS m Earthenware this month at Carson and Co.'b. First-claw 'i goods. I S T\ID you ever hear the like ? Men s best . '. ' JL/ Canvas Shoes 5s 6d, at Mellor's, Tancred street X ETTS' Diaries. Letts' Diaries for 1897. I 1 Colonial Editions for Office and b private use now to band. Large assortment j of Mercantile Stationery. New lot of Foreign Stamps. Inspection invited Avprewes, Anderson, and Co.



Business Notices. ' "facts are stubborn \ THINGS. \ m HERE ARE r I WELVE STUBBORN FACTS THAT CANNOT , \ \- BE DENIED. Ist— That G. J. NEILL is seling good | 6th— That Gh J. NEILL is selling Men's strong White Muslin »t 3a lid doz. Tweed Trousers at 5s lid. 2nd— That G.J.N KILL is selling good' . 7th -That. G. J. NEILL is Belline Boys' WMhißg Prints^ 4£d a y«rd. Sailor Suits m navy blue or faWn 3rd— That G. 3. NEILL has pretty serge, at 4s lid the suit. T. Summer 'Dwss Tweeds at 9s 6d a Bth -That G. J. NFILL is Belling : drew, that dan»D be beat. Women's Shoes at 4s lid. '• flth— That G. J. NEILL is selling Ladies' j 9th— l hat G. J. NEILL is selling Men's and Children's Summer Hats of j nailed Shooters at 7s lid. every description, the very latent j 10th— That G. J. NEILL is selling Men's style, oheaper thau anyone m Ash- light Balmorals afc 8s lid. : burton. -..... Uth-That G. J. NEILL is Belling Ladies' * sth~ThatG. J. NBiLL it'seliing Men's J and Childrens' Tan Boots and Shoes Heavy Tweed (oploRial) Suits at 24s ■ of jevery description at very low :• 6d. •_■■ -.-'. .-. "W\ -' : ->:fi" ■?•■■■ a-, 'prices* ;. ''■'■'^ ■ 12th— THAT . ( ' G. J, NEILL'S SHOP- Well—He selU Millinery, General Drapery, Clothing and Boots, of every - Description— IS AT FRIEDLANDER'S CORNER, * East Street, Ashburton. IMPORTANT TO MEN • . • ■ ,■ TTE WOULD DRAW SPECIAL ATTENTION to several lines recently opened m <3ur MERCERY AND CLOTHING DEPARTMENT, alao to the faob that We are sparing neither Trouble or Expeme to put this part ofjpur busineaß thoroughly m touch with the Public, Up-to-date, and above »U— RIGHT IN PRICE EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO CLOTHE A MAN, ■ FOR WORK OR PLAY, AT MITCHELL & TURNER'S. PRELIMINARY NOTICE. Mi w.' sTmissi-sse. . LATE WITH MITCHELL & TURNER, AND MR X? XT T3RODRIBB X ±L. ±X. -D RODB IB B, HAVE ARRANGED A PARTNERSHIP FOR THE PTJUOHASE OF THE BUSINESS, LATELY KNOWN AS ; "THE BLUE HOUSE" DRAPERY ESTABLISHMENT. The Business m future will be carried on under the name and style of MITCHELL & BRODRIBB,I THE CENTRAL OASH DRAPERS, CLOTHIERS, MILLINERS, etc. WE would like to draw the attention of the Public generally, that Mr Mitchell being well known and intimately acquainted with most of the inhabitants of Ashburton and district, and through having business con- nections directly with them, is m a position to say that he thoroughly under- ~ i — a lauds tbchrTequirements, and can guarantee to all his friends the BEST VALUE IN THE TRADE FOR HIGH CLASS GOODS. WITH THIS ASSURANCE THE CLOTHING & MERCERY DEPARTMENTS Will bo wider hia personal supervision, and by strict attention to Business and carefully studying the requirements of all his Friends and the public generally, Mr Mitchell respectfully solicits a fair share of their patronag^. 1 ' TAILORING Under the Chart-Order System ft Specialty. a THE MANCHESTER & DRESS DEPARFMENTS Are now being Stocked with all the requirements necessary for carrying on a Large Cash Trade, and by giving only Good Honest Values, combined with the desire to work and ;build up a substantial business, MITCHELL & BRODRIBB Have no hesitation m challenging the trade by giving the best value m Ashburton. THE MILLINERY & UNDERCLOTHING DEPARTMENT Will receive the most careful attention, and by always being to the front for Style, Variety, and a desire to please we can with confi- dence assure the Ladies of Ashburton and district that their orders will receive the best attention. A NEW BOOT DEPARTMENT is now being Fitted and Stocked with all the best makes, and m this Branch of our Business we intend to be ever foremost. LOOK OUT FOR SPECIAL QUOTATIONS IN FUTURE ISSUES. OPENING DAY-^-SATURDAY, the 17th. MITCHELL & BRODRIBB, THE CENTRAL CASH DRAPERS, JBetweea J. Orr & Co., and the Clothing Factory, Ashburton,



| The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile • Agenby Oompiny, Limited, have received the following London cable message, dated L^ndpD, October 28: — Tallow — There is a better demand. Good beef tallow has deolined 6cL per owt since last report. (Last !qu6tytion v 2Qji). Frozen meat—Wellington fcutfcon i§ yrorbb 3Jd par lb, (I*ib jpftt*



It will be seen by a new advertisement m another column that Messrs Craighead and Berryman are probably now showing the largest stock of new tweeds and fashionable 'tailoring goods ever exhibited m .Aihbut- bon. . This speaks well . for. their enterprise rod local J»4mlry.