Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1897. THE BLACKWALL TUNNEL

The Blackwall Tunnel under the Thames, which was opened last week by the Prince of Wales, is a work of great importance indeed. In 1896 we gave some details of its working, but now that it has reached completion and is in daily use by the vast population of the great metropolis, a few words in recapitulation of its history may not be out of place. For many years there had been a desire expressed in London for greater facilities of communication across the Thames below London Bridge. In 1882 the Metropolitan Board of Works had this question under consideration, and among the plans before it was a tunnel between Blackwall and the vicinity of Green wich and Woolwich. It was not, however, till 1888 that any practical steps were taken togive thescheme form —untilthe LondonOountyCouncil took the place of the Board of Works, and a Bill authorising the present tunnel had been put through both Houses of Parliament, and received the Royal assent in June of that year. The Oeunty Oouncil then invited tenders, and accepted that of Messrs Pear son and Son for the formidable sum of £871,000. Work commenced in March, 1892, and was carried on steadily, and during its course the work at the tunnel formed the subject of many interesting articles in the technical publications of Great Britain, America, and the Continent of Europe. The Chief Engineer to the London County Council prepared the plans of the great work of this tunnel, which crosses the Thames between Blackwall and the East Greenwich side. The total length of the tunnel, including the open approahces, is 6200 feet, of which 4465 feet is actual tunnel, 1200 feet being under the river. The tunnel is intended to piovide a road way for wheeled traffic, and a footway for pedestrians. The entrance for the wheeled traffic is 2550 feet from the river edge on the north side, and 2450 feet on the south. Passengers can also enter the tunnel by three or four vertical shafts. The tunnel is a cast iron tube lined with brick, the inside diameter being 24 feet 3 itches. Up to August 31, 1893, the approximate value of the work done was estimated at £170,000. In July of 1894, Sir John Button, Chairman of the London County Council, reported satisfactory progress made, but that, as far as possible, the system of " cut and cover " working had been adopted jn place of the compressed air. Where this system had been applied to the work a savin« by the change had beea maJe to the extent of £7000. Up to the end of August of that year the value of th^ work done amounted to £269,000 1895 saw a new Chairman of the London County Council in office in the person of Sir Arthur Arnold, aud in his annnal report he stated that the iron-lined portions of the tunnel were already far past the centre of the river bed, and the opening of the tunnel would probably take place in 1897. In September of 1895 the progress made in the work wae exhaustively reported on, and in that report it was set forth that the boring shield from the Kent side had reached No 2 caisson 9 the work having progressed from the south as follows :—Open cut, 860 feet; cut and cover, 946 feet ; No i cajsson, tunnelling, 602 feet ; No 2 caisson, level tunnel, 1512 feet. On the Middlesex shore 875 feet of open cutting, and 436 feet cut and cover were practically completed. On October 30, 1895, the .contractors completed the subaqueous work, and celebrated the event by a luncheon in the tunnel. At that festivity it was stated that eighteen months from that date the tunnel would be ready for traffic. Not far out indeed waa that prophecy, for here we find that on May 22, just two months after the date prophesied by the contractors, His Royal Highness opened the tunnel to the people of the great ( (jity for every day traffic, and in doing so there was added one more triumph of engineering spienpe and skill to the many now standing to the credit of the century the .close,of whiph h fast approaching.

T?jb moral budget fop 1895, as thp Eogljsh criminal statistics just pub Jished have been called, ig, on , the encouraging The standing army lof crimfl Is certain^ art increasing j rapidly, and Mr Troup, ia bis interest ing introductory report, gives some reasons for thinking that this army h decreasing. The slight increase of crime noted in 1894 has been con tinued ; and in the figures for 1895 we ag.iin find what for some years had been &« » rplp, distinctly observable— a tendency to dysinish. Indictable offences, including«<ori3ag of prime which rose in number in 1894, haye fallen,] and there is even a decline in certain ' varieties of crime, the increase of which, owing partly to the diffusion of licentious literature, had been, here and ie most other countries, noted with alarm. Coining promises to become soon almost extinct $'and tjje number i of persons tried for forgery is, oon-f sidering the multitude of temptations in the path of the unscrupulous, sur prisingly small. Almost the only in crease in indictable offences is in the case of threats with a .view to extor tion ; and the editor remarks that this j is "a crime of so very serious aj character, and prevails to so great an extent in France, that any tendency ; to its increase i» England ought to be watchfd witjh care by the police and fudieial authorities." In ium-indict abio offences tber* \% also » diwioutipa.,

"TUB SJOBA& BUDGET,"

Prosecutions for drunkenness, for' bxample, are far below the high-water mark, for 1884 and 1890 Theresa, jusb cause for anxiety at the great in- crease in recent years ia_ the number of juvenile offenders ; but in 1895 there was so great a falling off in their num- ber that the editor thinks there is roooi

for hope If that the many reforming agencies now at work are not wholly ineffectual in checking thu production of youthful offenders." It his long been known that crime if, more or less, a matter of weather and season ; that certain classes of offences are committed in June or July, others in November ( and December, others in March, April, !ind May ; that there are summer, i winter, and spring crops of offences ; and that moralists, like meteo ologiats, ought to study the thermometer and barometer, .Not often, however, has it been shown so clearly as in this excel lent report how much theeriminal may be the creature of temperature. There was in the early part of 1895 a long spell of excessively cold weather s ac companied as was inevitable in conse quence of the continued frost, by much poverty and distress. This abnormal cold and distress coincided with a great decrease in the number of crimes re ported to the police, persons appre hended, and persons received in prison. Even more striking was the effect of the excessive and prolonged low tem perature on suicides and attempts to commit them. Both fell much below the winter average, which is lower than the summer average ; the attempts were less than half the winter average.

Local and General.

The Bookmakers' Association have decided to appeal to the Privy Council against the St\»™ ton. rtoS'r.S;"' "^ . Government Ento mol^i8 a t m ia Sg in LnH'wTv'inenes at _v!oim' Eden, where phylloxera h»s appeared, in order to destroy the vines and disinfect the soil.

Commerical news on fourth page. A Scandinavian Singing Club has been formed in Wellington,

Ripe strawberries have lately reached Wellington from Waikanaei, Manawatu.

Several fresh sawmills have recently com menced operations in the Forty-mile Bush.

A Wellington piper eatimates the number of resident cyclists in the city to be about one thousand.

During the past ten years the Catholics of Christchurch have raised £126,000 for churches, schools, and charities.

A female newspaper runner was assaulted at Petone the other night. She gofc away from her assailant atter leaving a portion of her dresa iv his hands.

A stag taken on Mr C. J. Jury's property by Mt E. Bennett last week, had 12 tines, and is the best specimen captured in the Wairarapa this season. »

At the Borough Council one gentleman stated that during the time he had been in business in Palmerston North he had paid rent amounting to £2000 for an office which had cost the owner £200.

Petone rowdyism is not confined to politics. On Saturday a crowd of young fellows were not content with hooting the referee at a football mutch, but followed him to the railway station and made the air resound with their unmusical rejoicings.

Mr W. H. Lucy, in the Sydney Morning Herald, has a novel suggestion for the settlement of the Cretan question. It- is that Mr Ernest \T. Hooley should buy the isUnd from the Sultan, re-christen it Hooley Island, and give the islanders perfect free dom.

At the united prayer meeting, held lust night at the Primitive Methodist Church, the Rev. Robert Taylor intimated that letnark able success was attending the mission services held at Waimate by Rev, D. O'Donuell. La^t Sunday the conversions uumbered no less than 100.

An interesting fact regarding the recent great pr zv fight ia contained in the state ment by the World that its total cost, in cluding telegraph set vice, press expenses, admission tickets, prize-money, railway travelling, end other ittms, exceeded 2 000,0Q0i!oi, The fight hinted 53 minutes, which means that it cost the American people about £10,000 per minute.

A fine specimen of the thigh-bone of a moa (says the Hastings Standard) was found a day or two ago by Russell Bros, at Olrig htation. It is in a grand stwte of preserva tion, is 3ft long, and weighs 91b. It is supposed to be the largest bone of the kind yet fouiid, and is (he first discovered in Hawke'a Bay. It is supposed to have been washed down the creek by the late floods, and a search is now being made for the remainder of the skeleton.

Lord Rosebery may after all turn up in Austral a and New Zealand earlier than many people suppose. His yacht, the Mai vern, is fitting out at Southampton for a long sea voyage, and local gossip assigns the Pacific Isles as her destination. It certainly seems a suspicious circumstance that his lordship should have developed a marked partiality recently foe the society of Mr Louis Becke, and even taken shares in the Satter's trading company.

The report of the Viceroy of India, Lord Elgin, on April 4, on the famine situation, shows that, including native States, 2,853,000 persons ate employed on relief works, against 314,121 ao employed a month ago. The report'added that the pripps of grain are tending to decline, owiug to the rains and improved harvest prospects. Foodstuffs are generally sufficient, and the condition of th^ people in the affected districts is pronounced to be from fair to good ?

The following delightful little personal anecdote illustrates the despotism of the printers over the English language. In one of his speeches Palmerston spoke of the " battles of the Big-Endians and the Little- Eudiana" from Gulliver. Only Mr Cooper in the reporters' gallery caught the words, or waa familiar with the quotation. The others profited by his instruction; but his printers" o.i frhp Morning Star pitied his ignorance, and altered the words to "Bi^ Indians and Little Indians."

1 Thus the Sydney Bulletin:— Ballance has been gone five years, and his £600 statue has just b,egn unveiled in Wellington with a £50 mortgage on ft. f>d.}lsnce never cadged from anybody when he was alivo, novy that he is dead a mournful, soulless hat is being sent round in his name, until the brim is flabby with much handling and the nap is all worn away, to lift the debt off his cenotaph. 5«» had a deep contempt for statues, nevertheless ha has got one ; and he had some regard for art, therefore his image is naturally as inartistic and as wholly unlike him aa ifc WjpU could be. This is about the best horse story we h<we

met for a long time. It is by •'? Javelin/ of the Melbourne Leaden— sam Norrjs, the curator of the South Melbourne cricket gronnci, has .a horse that has beaten the world's record for equine intelligent. When

The New Zealand wool production for the yearer.dingSepteml er3o, was 132.297,607 b, ag-iiust 132,632,9011b ior the i.revious year Of last year's amount 3 989.9341b were bought for local consumption and the remainder was exported. la a will of which probate was granted in the Supreme Court, Dunedin, on Tuesday, the testator gave as his reason for appoint ing his wife to be his sole executrix that the country was fall of designing rogues, and he wished to protect his wife and property from i hem.

Laufc week, Mr John Kvan a, while at work at the Greymouth Gas Works, was smad with a fit of faintness, and tell upon a heap of burning coke which he had just raked out afier charging the retort. He was severely burned about the head and body.

A young man named Walter Findiay was arrested on Tuesday evening at Napier on a charge of attempting to murder his infant child by administering verdigris. The accused was brought before the Court and remanded, being admitted to bail, himself in £200 and two sureties of £200 each.

At a meeting of the Auckland ChantaHe Aid Board on Wednesday a letter was read from the Wellington and Wairarapa Boaids re a Colonial Conference on charitable aid questions. The Board deferred appointing a delegate to the Conference, and was of opinion that the Conference should meet during, and not prior to, the meeting of Parliament.

At the Caledonian clasa on Wednesday evening Mr Frizzell said he had received five pounds from their chief, Mr Donald McLean, to be given as a prtz? to learners who danced the Scotch reel best this season, the competition to take place on the night of the fancy dresa ball. The generous offer was received with hearty applause, and about forty coaples stayed behind to avail themselves of the 6rat lesson by the M.O. who is quite proud of the manner in which his pupils are already able to cub the figure eight.

While in the Taranaki district last week, , Mr Park, the Government Bacteiiologist, inoculated some thirty ewes with Koch's buberdulin, the test results of which will be watched and reported on by Mr Orbell, stock inspector for the district, who will undertake the inoculation of several other herds. Out of some 600 "r7OO fows which have been inoculated l>y Mr I-ark since he began his experiments in the colony, between 20 and 30 per cent, are said to have shown themselves affected with tuberculosis.

The oldest churchgoer in Scotland ia Mrs Millar, a lady of IC2 years, who resides in Mile-end diabnct of Glasgow. She was born in Kenmore, a Perthshire village, in 1795, when Burns was still wuting songs ia Dum fries, when George 111 was king, and when Pitt, Fox, and Burke were stars in Parlia ment. During her long life she has never had a serious illness, and it ia her proud boast that within her recollection tlie has never missed a Sunday from church. She has been a life-long abstainer, but for the last 40 years she has been a devotee of " My l.a<ly Nicotine," clay pipes and "black twist" being her favorites. She looks fr, in the opinion of the correspondent of a Home piper, for a decade yet.

A curiouH sight was witnessed recently in Leone Street, Berlin. A van heavily laden with baskets containing bottles of wine came in contact with some obstacle and was overturned. The contents of one vau were thrown violently upon the asphalted road, with the result that nearly every bottle— and there were several hun dreds—was cma^hcd, and the street was trausfoimed into a veritable river of wine. The urchin?, who quickly gathered, took advantage of the opportunity, and greedily drank up the wine thut remained in the bottles which were not completely broken, and it was not long before & large number of intoxicated sheet arab? were to be seen. It I was some time before the street was passable, aud many persons had their clothes and shoes damaged.

A resident of Corfu, moved to reminis cence by the tale of woe of a heart-b oken refugee fromCre'e, said :—" We have here a mad woman. She escaped to Corfu from the Turks, after they had tied her to a chair, brought her four little children, and then her husband ; and, one by one, they killed the little ones before her eyes. When it ctme to the turn of her husb-md, and they butchered him, too, in her S'ghl, she went raving mad : and mad she still remains," The Cretan refugee saw the eyes of a woman gouged out, the sockets filled with e.rth, and the victim turned adrift in her agony, She saw several men with half-put throats, and ropes inserted in the wounds, hanging by their necks from the branches of trees, and not dead ! Think of what it must be to see such sights and not be able to help. The girl says the Moslems huug the trees in Crete with Christian limbs, and strewed the streets with chopped pieces of Christiau corpses.

The ieoture^entertainment at the Baptist Tabernacle on Wednesday evening was not so well attended as its merits entitled it to be, but those who did avail themselves of the opportunity given to them by the Key. A. Ager, were well rewarded for their attendance. The " Curfew shall not ring to-night," a carefully rendered recitation by Miss Ager, was beautifully illustrated by the oxy-hydrogen light—the pictures being extremely realistic. This was followed by a summarised description of the "Pilgrim's Progress,'? also illustrated. Tha various incidents of the pilgrim's journey were utilised in a practical manner, aud Mr Ager muat be complimented upon his iucid treaty tnent of a subject which is somewhat too allegorical for the average youth of the day to understand without help.

The frost on the few days preceding the 24ih iust- had been so severe at pastle HLI, on the West Coast road, which is situated

at an altitude of 2400 feet above sea level, that skating was indulged in, probably for the first time this year in any part of New Zealand. It had been foreseen that a con tinuance of the hard n'ghb frosts would produce a good bearing BUiface on Lake Gloude&Jej-, sjnd the ioe was therefore care fully doctored until a thickness of over ts?o inches in some places was obtained, and on Monday morning a supply of skates was placed at the disposal of the visitors at the hotel and others by its genial proprietor, AJr Oioudeeley. The bright and cantinuoua sunshine, however, soon made an impression upon the glassy surface, and before niid-diy the pastime had to be reluctantly abandoned until after sunset, which tak^s place at an early hour there in consequence of the surrounding mountain ranges. 1 A huge bon£re bad been prepared to do appropriate honor to the occasion, and this was lighted later on. Alt hough the population of this hillside station is not by any means a numerous one, the residents enjoyed thoir Birthday festiyitiea with $s muoh gusto as the dwellers in the pity, who were well provided with gaie'ies of all descriptions. In the evening thp toast of her Majesty the Queen was drunk with musical honors and all due loyalty,

the Willifttnstown cricketers, having to bat on a recent Saturday afternoon, had the grass on the outfiJd eaten down by a flock of sheep during the week, ifc was considered a pretty Bniart thing on the part of the aeasiders? hat Morrijz' horse has put them completely'in the shadw. During the late matab between Melbourne and South, while McLeod and Forman were making their successful, and now famous, tffirbto pass Melbourne's total, it was recognised Chat every run was a run. Sam's horse was observed to leave his pasturage near the outer fence, and, following the line of pickets which mark the ploying boundary, -«cequentiy stop and-put hio head over. The >eculiarity of <- he movement attracted the attention of some-spectator, who, on cfose observation, discovered that iika c. loyal South Melbowrnite, he waa nibbling off every extra long tuft of grass that might have stopped a fourer. I .should like to see the man who 1, after this, would dare, during the football season, to stand behind tha heels of Sam's horse and " barrack " without wer-a ; ing a red and white rosette, i

COMMERCIAL.

Press Association—By Electric Telegraph- Copyright.

Paris, May 25. j It is estimated that the French wheat j crop will make a yield of 22,250,0001 hectolitres below the har-est of 1896. Sydney, May 26 Wheat, chick, 3s 3d to 3s 6d ; milling, 4» 6d to 4a 6£cl. Flour, Californian £10 iOs to £11 ; local, £12 to £12 10?. Oats, local, 2s 5d to 2* 6£d ; New Zealand, prime 2s 6d to 2a 7d; medium, 2s 4d to 2a sd. Maize, 2s 9d to 2a lOd. Barley, Cape, 3a 3d to 3s 4d. Peas, P. ussian blue 4a 9d to £h. Bran, Is li. Pollard, Is. Potatoes, £3 15s. Onions, •Victorian, £6 10a to £6 15s ; New Ze-land, |£7 10s to £8. Butter, New Zea'and, factory, Is ; local, Is Id to Is 2d. Cheese, prime loaf, sd. Bacon, 5d to 6d. Hams, New Zealand, 91. Melbourne, May 26 Wheat, fair business at 5s lid to 6* Id. Oats, Algerian, 2s 6&d to 2a 91 ; stout white, 2a 8d to 2s 9d. Maize, 3a 2d to 3s 3d. Barley, Cape, 3s Id. Bran, Is 2d to Is 3d. Po.lard, Is Id. Potatoes, £2 10s to £2 17s 6d. Oniony £6. Adelaide, April 26 Wheat, inactive, 5-> 5d to 5a 6d. Flour, £13 ss. Oats, dun, 3s j Algerian, and stout white, 3a 6d to 3s 83. Barley, Cape, 3s 91 to 4s 3d ; malting, 4s 6i to 5s 3d. Brftn and pollard, Is 6d.

CORRESPONDENCE.

(We do not hold ourselves responsib'e for the opinions expressed by our correspondents;

RECORD REIGN.

TO THE EDITOR Sib, —With a gentleman so loyal to our Sovereign Lady the Queen as the Mayor of our borough, it is hard to understand the delay iv the fixing on the part our town is to take in the celebrations. If the Borough Council will accept a suggestion from an outsider, I might point out the need of a building for the use of shareholders in the local ventures, and when the buildings are erected in order to allow the sharebrokers to attend to that part of their business I would suggest that the banks of the town be closed on Mondays and Saturdays, and on the fourth of every month.—l am, etc., Progress.

MEETING OF CREDITORS.

The adjourned meeting of the creditors of A'exander McKenzie, <i Tin scald, was held yesterday in the Courthouse. Mr R. M. Cuthberfcson appeared for the debtor. The statement of the debtor showed that his lia bilities amounted to £57 12a, while hia assets were nil. At the suggestion of Mr A. Lawrie, the principal creditor, debtor was sworn, and stated, in answer to questions, that the immediate cause of hia filing was a summons issued at the instance of Mr Lawrie, hia property having been sold off tome time before by secured creditors. Mr Lawrie took exception to the state meat of the debtor that he (Mr Lawrie) had pressed him, since he had renewed the bill on which he had taken proceedings, and had expressed his readiness to so again if only something were paid off. He asked if the creditors gave the debtor more time would he endeavour to pay 20s in the £ ? Debtor, howerer, declined to make any 'promise in that direction, alleging that he could cot see his way. Mr Lawrie asked whose teams were being worked by debtor's sons. Debtor said at first that he did nor know, but sub- i sequently said that one had been given to his wife by a son who had died, and two more were her's ; she had bought two horses a short time ago from Mr Heseltine. The produce she had sold from time to time to Mr Lawrie had belonged to herself. Debtor had nothing to do with it, although he had become responsible for the amount owed to Mr Lawrie. After some discussion, Mr Lawrie and Dr Leahy, the two principal creditors, agreed to guarantee the expense necessary to enable the Deputy Official Assignee to obtaisi counsel opinion as to the question of taking further steps to test the title to the stock said to belong to Mis McKenzie. The meeting then adjourned.

The Liederkranz "At Home."

Last evening the members of the Ashbur ton Liederkranz held an "at home " in the Orauge Hall, which was fairly well attended. The Liedeikranchen, to the number of fifteen, occupied the stage, and a charming scene indeed they presented as they stood in a half circle to sing their part songs. Of the latter there were four—"The fay's song" (Smart), "Voice of the western wind" (Sir Joseph Barnby}, "Rise again glad summer sun " (Henry Leslie), and " Good night" by the same composer. Those pieces, set as they are for female voices only, weut admirably, and two received pronounced encores. The balance was equal, and as the numbers had evidently been carefully practiced and the ladies well up to their work, Mrs Bowman I1 ox kept her chorus well in hand, Miss Maodonnell playing the accompaniments very loyalty. The soloists were Mrs Denshire, and Missea Lambie and K. Orr. Mrs Mitchell and Miss Tompkins were on the programme, but indisposition prevented the isociety from having their valuable aid at the "at home." Mrs Denshire sang with her accustomed taste Somerset's " Hush thee, 0 sorrow," doing full justice to the pathetic balhd, and earning a thoroughly hearty encore. Miss Lambie took Mrs Mitchell's place as well as her own, and sang " Night is darkest when tne dawn is near," in such a way as to earn the most hearty plaudits. Her song 41 Ye maidens haste" with an accompani ment by the alto voices of the Liederkranz, was a most tastefully executed number and well deserved the encore it received. Miss Kathleen Orr's interpretation of Michael Watson's pathetic soqg was a very pleasing one, and her equally acceptable exposition of ''When thy blue eyes" earned her an encore. A duet "Sweet is the dream of

youth's fond hour," by Mrs Denshire and Miss Orr was so oharmingly sung ns to merit and receive a re-demand. A pianoforte duet i>y Meedames Bowman Fox and Donald McLsan was played with those ladies' cus tomary skill, and the last named lady con tributed a pianoforte solo with her usual brilliancy. After the programme had been goue through the members of the Society entertained the visitors to tea.

THE MIDWINTER SHOW.

Press Association—By Electric Telegraph

Ohristchttkch, May 26 The Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Winter Show was opened in Tattersall's and Matson's wool store to-day. The entries were 27 more than at last show, and the fat cattle and sheep were extremely fine. In dairy produce there were keener competition and better quality than last year. Hams and bacon were nof, so numerous, but what were shown were very fine. Qrain seeds and roots were also good, and the fruit admirable. There was some delay in judg ing through the exhibitors sending in their stuff late." The following are the principal prig.s j —Dairy produce.— Two cheeses not less than 601b, full cream, New Zealand cbeddar-shaped, suitable for export (colored) —Waikouaiti Dairy Factory Company 1, Stirling Dairy Factory 2, Wyndham Dairy Factory Company c. Two factory-made cheeses, suitable for export, (white)— Stirling Daiyy Factory 1, New Zealand and Australian L.nd Company % I'wo factory. ! made (iheeses, nwde prior to November 1, 1896—Wyndham Dairy Factory Company 1, .Stirling Dairy Factory 2 Butter.—lolb fresh butter- (separator)—J'ai Tapu Dairy 1 actory 1, F, McGowan 2, Canterbury Central Dairy Factory h.c. Butter for export—Tai Tapu Dairy Factory h.c,, Wyadham pairy ¥'»f?tpry Company 1 and g. Ten pounds salt butter (separator) ia jar-.Seffcon Qaipy Factory X, Canterbury Central Dairy Factory 2. The exhibitors in other classes were mostly local. A very fine collection of apples was Bhown by Mr Adams, Greeadale. Mr A. E. Tuf on took special prkea for best pair of fafc bullocks, and for tha best fat bullock in the yard. Mr 8. Garfotd took the special prize i<k the beet pc« of frtegiog wether*.

CABLE NEWS.

Home and Foreign.

Press Association—By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. Australia and Great Britain. London, May 25. Speaking at a diuner given by the officers of the Queen's Westminster Volunteers, Colont-1 Bassefcer, com mander of the New South Wales Mounted Rifles, said that Australia gloried in Great Britain's isolation. He maintained that a united Empire would be able to resist the world. England and Madagascar. England has abandoned her Consular Courts in Madagascar. Labor Questions. Mr J. H. Wilson, M P. for Middles borough, has been examined before the Parliamentary Committee on fair wages in Government contracts. He urged that provision should be made in the P. and O. mail contract for the pay ment of the Union rate of wages to English and Lascar seamen alike. The Opposition in Spain. Madrid, May 26 The members of the Opposition in the Cortes have decided to absent themselves from the sittings until the Duke of Tetuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who during the recent dis turbance in the Senate over the Cuban question struck Senor Oovas, resigns. Fatal Dynamite Explosion, Berlin, May 25. An explosion of 8000 kilogrammes of dynamite at a factory at Krummell killed four and wounded eight work men. Sensational Accident. A sensational accident happened in thß city, A showman was firing at a glass ball placed on his sister's head, bat missed the mark and the shot entered the woman's mouth, causing instant death. Scenes in the Austrian Parliament Vienna, May 26. Startling scenes occurred in the Reichsrath during the debate on the question of compelling officials in the parts of Bohemia inhabited by Czechs and Germans to make themselves cognisant of both languages. The Opposition violently menaced Count Badeni, hurled inkstands at the Presi dent, and smashed the desks. The scenes, which were characterised by the use of the coarsest invectives, lasted for hours. Cape Colony and the Navy. Capetown, May 26. A resolution will be moved in the Cape Legislative Assembly, by Mr J. Rose Innes, that Sir J. G. Sprigg be requested to arrange with the Imperial authorities the basis of a contribution by the Cape Colony to the Navy, The Indian Famine. Calcutta, May 25 There are nearly four million of person 9 employed on Indian famine relief works.

Australian.

Sir Charles Lilley. Sydnky, May 26 Sir Oharles Lilley is lying danr gerously ill In Sydney with an affection of the heart, An Unfortunate (Incident. At the Poultry and Dog Society's Show a niastifj broke loose during the night and killed seven out of teu cats exhibited, including several priae animals. The South Australian Loan Adelaide, May 26 The Colonial Treasurer has received local applications to the extent of haft the new million loan. The prices oftered locally range from 98 to 98£. The Savings Bank is amongst the applicants, the bulk of whom are holders of Treasury bills. The Colonial Treasurer has cabled to the Agent-General to reserve £500,000 for ipplicants in the colony. North Adelaide Election. Mr P. Glynn, the National Defence League candidate, has been elected for the North Adelaide seat in the L»gjl!ative Auß&mb\j t vice Mr Harrold, resigned. '

THE TRANSVAAL.

Evidence by Miss Shaw.

Presq Association — By Electric Telegraph Copyright.

London, May 25. Reports from the Transvaal state that a royal salute was fired on the Queen's birthday, and both branches f the Volksraad adjourned in honor of the occasion.

Mr Labouchere bas written a letter to the Transvaal Raid Enquiry Com mittee, tendering an apology in con nection with the scenes at a recent sitting arising out of charges tnac(e by him against Mr Harris, ancl led the Committee to censure Mr Labou chere. He also withdraws the charges against Mr Harris. May 26 At the Transvaal raid enquiry, Miss Flora Shaw, the head of The limes colonial departments, whq recently visited Australia and Squth Africa aq Special Commissioner for that journal, stated that she had, iv letters ifi The Times, idly suggested that th,ere weuld be historic justice in a rising of the residents of the Band on December 16th, the day on which the Boers in 1880 seized Heidelberg and proclaimed the South African Republic, The remark, she added, applied to a blood less revolu ion, the idea being that Jameson's force should remain on the Transvaal border, and be ready to support Lord Rosmead if necessary. She also admitted cabling to Mr Rhodes that it would be dangerous to delay. This cablegram, she said, possibly implied that Mr Ohambeclain con^ curred in the movement, but she did not derive her opinion frotn Mr Chamberlain. The Committee con gratulated Miss Shaw upon her frankness.

THE ASHBURTON OtJAKDIAN i THURSDAY, MAY 27, !*»9t.



PUBLIC NOTICES. NEW ZEALAND /CLOTHING -pACTOBY WATERPROOFS FOR LADIRS. WATERPROOFS FOR GENTLEMEN. WATERPROOFS FOR BOYS. BEFORE BUYING EXAMINE OUR STOCK. OUR NEW PATIERNB FOR THIS SEASON aro to hand in Black and Blue Serges. Black and Blue Parraiuatta. Dark, Medium, and Light Tweed Iftecta. Drab and Blue Box Cloth. Splendid Range o! Single Textures for LADIES' WATERPROOF CLOAKS. As We are the Largest Waterproof Gar ment Manufacturer* io the colony, we feel quita confident in »ayinj[ that our Garments tend unequalled, both in quality, finish »nd price. Thoroughly waterproof and all awn laami. NO EXTRA CHARGE FOR WATERPROOFS MADE TO MEASURE. WATERPROOF, LEGGINGS, CYCLING CAPES, BAGS, & CAPS. YARMOUTH OILSKIN COATS, LEGGINGS, SOU-WESTERS, &o. HALLENSTI?m BROS. & CO. A. G. BARTON, Manager. FLAGS FOR THR DIAMOND JUBILEE. | I EN-IGN HANDKERCHIEFS, suitable for Flags for the Diamond Jubilee, I including Australian Ensign, Now Zealand ' Ensign, and the Jubilee Flag oa Sale at 6d 1 t%' ANDREW ORR. JUST LANDED — A High-claas Kid Glove, four studs, all colors; price 4d Fu'ly equal to uaaal 5s 6d quality.—W. B. Collier. QUIET COW for Sale, to calve in two months. Apply for address at Mail Office. & 4 1 1 }H •s "1 |j go % £**) % r-r] w w o m g 7^. 5 Si O| g 8 IS .' H S, S 5 § s' *? 3 1 S § fvj si I "&M s, I | 61 Mil 3 fi fii s 0 S3 j



_ Business Notices LOOKOUT. G. J. NEILL —IS SELLING— Table Damask at Is per yard TwiU Sheeting, 2 yards wide, white or grey, 9|d Turkish Towels, 6d each Cretonne 3|d Flannelettes, 2s lid per dozen] G. J. N BILL I s S ELLING- Men's Heavy Tweed Suits at 21s 6d, wonderful value] Boys Suits, 4s lid Men's Tweed Trousers, 5s lid BOOTS. BOOTS. Men's Nail SHOOTERS 7s lid. Women's SHOES 4a lid Men's BLUCHEES 4s lid. Women's Lace SHOES 4s lid The Cheapest Boots in Ashburton are to be got at G. J. NEILL'S, FRIEDLANDER'S CORNER, EAST STREET. PAINTING. PAINTING. PAPEKHANGIJSG. PAPEBH&EGING. WE Have the Choicest Assortment of WALL PAPEBS in Ashburton, and invite inspection, COMPETENT WORKMEN sent to any part of fche County as required, and none but Genuine Materials used. OBDER EARLY. W. H. COLLINS & CO., IRONMONGERS, PAINTERS, TFMBER AND COAL MERCHANTS. 1897. WINTER SEASON 1897 A. P. WILLIAMSON IS NOW SHOWING A FULL ASSORTMENT OF NEW GOODS IN ALL DEPARTMENTS. SPECIALLY SELECTED FOR THE SEASON'S TRADE. NEW DRESS FABRICS, in all the Latest Materials. NEW TRIMMINGS, RIBBONS; VEILINGS, CORSETS, GLOVES, HOSIERY, &o. SPLENDID VALUE IN BLAKKBTS/.FLANNELS, SHEETINGS, CALICOES, FLANNELETTES, SHIRTINGS, TOWELS, CRETONNES. NEW PATTERNS IN MEN'S AND BOYS' CLOTHING Shirts, Vests, Socks, Hats ai d CapSj Ties, Braces &c.» &c. The Latest Designs in Great Variety. CHEAPEST HOUSE IN TOWN. A. P. WILLIAMSON, (Late Bbath & G0,,) CASH DRAPER & CLOTHIER, Tancred Street, Ashburton.



NEW GOODS. NEW GOODS. AUTUMN AND WINTER. PRICES OUT TO SUIT THE KEEN WEATHER AND KEENER TIMES LOOK OUT. LOOK OUT. IHE CENTRAL €ASH DRAPERY AND CLOTHING MABT. NEXT TO J. ORR AND CO, EAST STREET. W. S. MITCHELL GIVES THE BEST VALUE IN THE TRiDE. EVERYTHING NEW, EVERYTHING GOOD, EVERYTHING STYLISH, And of Course EVERYTHING CHEAP. T)AY Cash and Save 25 per cent. Grand assortment bought at Special Rates to enables me to sustain my reputation, yet giving the He™y VTwSl IDrew1Drew foMhe Winter, 8s 9,1, worth 12a 6d. Good strong plain Homespun 4a lid dress. Beautiful Tweeds, grand valne t newest shades, at 8s 9d, and 9. 9d full dress. All the latest Trimmings in Furs, Gimps, Braids, Velvets, etc., at prices never before heard of. FLANNELETTES, FLANNELS, CALICOS, SHEETINGS-youll wonder at the prices, fco bad debts do it Grand dark winter Flannelettes 4s lid per doz. Alt wool Flannels, wide width, IGAd per yard. All our goods sold at prices to bring you back again. Calico for the winter 3s 9d per doz ; cheaper lines-at from 2s 6d per doz. Double VJ hite Sheeting 10**, cheap at Is 3d Lrge Whfte Towels 4s lid doz up. BLANKETS, Blankets, Blankets. White Blankets, Blue Blankets, Brown and Grey Raiapoi Blankets 25 per cent cheaper thaaany other House in New Zealand A grand heavy Blanket at & lid. A. t Musl.nif. O«*«"""» Curtains. OUR PRICKS ARK THK LOWKST-the reasons are-We Buy Cheap; we Sell for Cash. Look here he™!g What do you think of this GRAND KID GLOVE, lon's and Brown's at Is lj.d pair, ONLY W. S. MI IGHELL, East Street, HAh THEM Here's another-The newest styles in LADIES' SHOWERPROOF CLOAKS at prices 50 per cent, below anything heard of in Brown, Navy, Grey and Black, 17s 9d and 19a 6d, worth 30* and 355. Golf Capes, bought to undersell any other House save you time and anxiety by GOING STRAIGHT FOX THE CENTRAL CASH DRAPERY MART. MILLINERY .Millinery. Mnlinery- WA trim yourUfree, we only want to sell the trimming at a low price and guarantee you a saving *>f,ally 60 per cent on M trimmed hats-Straws, Velvets. Beavers, and Felt Hats, newest shapes and shades, our prices are the LOWES I IN NKV\ZfcALAJND lorTe latest and m«t stylish trimmings-S.ilor straws from 91 up. UNDERCLOTHING-for Wiaer■-F anneletta a»4 Woo to «g j the coldest weather and lightest purae. COKSBTS, Corsets, Corsets-Ar tomsh YJ". the plura line "*<fi™*™*«z**ny ■hade for 8< Ud per pair, worth, and sold ehewhere for abont 5i 6d. In thei MEN'S OLOThING DgjKUnent^ heaviest knitted socks in the trade 1% brown ribbed pants Is lid, heavy colonial knitted p.,.is 3s 11, singlets to match »a°nelf t^ irfcJ from Is 91, Colonial made flann.k 3s lid. Serge sailor suits 4 9 lid. Men's and boys'^lia..s .. evßry w°f'"""J'JS '""-gl^Tare trousers 7a 6.1, 8* Ud,9«6d,me n 'B moles 4> lid, men', suite from 14s lid Colonial tweed 25a 6 - T^ AND^.^^^"^f.^ known throughout th 4 district for our grand assortment of Ties and Scarves from the cheapest to he best quajitiee. B^ T&~^ « heavy shootef boots 9s lid, grand line 5f light BjlmonJ. .at 18., 6d^ si j^^^r^yt^ o.^ a™ S. inT^t^ll Js^t?a& p*^TE^^ 4956d-Grand vadety Men's White Kid Gloves and Evening Bowi, etc. W. S. MITCHELL NEXT TO J ORB % 00,, RAST STREifi*, ASHBUFION.



Church Services. ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH Ashburfcon. THURSDAY — ASCENSION DAY — 8 a.«ri.~-Holy Communion. 730 p.m., Even ing Prayer, Special Psalms and Hymns, etc. SUNDAY SERVICES—May 30. 11 a.m.—Morning Prayer and Holy Com munion. 2 45 p.m.—Children's Service, 3 30 p m.—Holy Baptism. 6.30 p m.—Evening Prayer. REV. T. A. HAMILTON.



Mr J. A. X. Riedle, on behalf of the Dresden Pianoforte Manufacturing *nd Agency Company, Dunedinand Wellington, desires to thank the public of Ashburfcon town and county for the handsome support and patronage bestowed upon the Company during his titay-oji si:: weeks in the district re-organising the 'ageiipy'." Mr Eie^le desires specially to bbank the many friends he has made iv the county fpr $tie kindly hospi tality extended to him iv his business journeys, which those friends have made by their kindness journeys of the greatest pleasure. Business demands at headquarters necessitate his return to Du.iediu, but he hopes ap an parly plats bo renew the pleasant j .iccuajntangehe has 'made with Mid-Canter bury.—Advt. § 234 Beautiful New Zealand ! The land over> flowing with the buttermilk and apple-sauce of prosperity—produces anything and every thing, such as petticoat government, un employed, and coughs paid colds veritably ; but that's not a drawback, they can be cured in every form by taking Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. may2B Fragrant and Invigorating—New Vittus



Good advice: Never leave home on as journey without a bott!e of Chamberlain's Qolio, Oholera and Diarrhoea Remedy, Jfor jgftju fy 4sfcibttrt9Q Drug Oom^ny.



Many Ladies complain thWthe Tea they have been using has neither atreri&fch nor fUvor. If they try Konu Tea they will be satisfied. Try the No 4at 2/4,'tis superb • You have ruined your' constitution sufficiently by drinking inferior tfca«, reCruib by drinking only Kosib Tba, it is pu!rer»&<J feliable.—John Orr & Go. ( iole Agent*. '