Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1897. THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.

The plague is still slaying its thousands in India, and to its horrors are added the fear of starvation in a food famine. The latter is a trouble which can be easily averted. There are no diffi culties in the way of feeding the starv ing multitudes. If the wealthy of the Empire will but give of their abun dance there is food enough and to spare in the world to transform India's famine iuto a feast, and our cables show that British funds are rolling in for that purpose. But it is different with the plague. How to deal with it successfully is a question still unsolved by medical science, although hundreds of noble men in that profession have martyred themselves in pursuit of its solution. But we do know that this and other plagues that have their birthplace in the Orient start off periodically on pilgrimages to distant lands carrying death to those lands, acd dealing out death all along the path. But here again we are at fault, and why the plagues make these pilgrimages has never been explained It may be that there is special viru lence in the type that sets pestilence travelling, er it may be that the virulence is imparted by the travelling in new scenes, but it appears to be the fact that tbe most destructive form of plague is that found away from the place of its origin, and travelling as a scourge of nations. And such is the bubonic plague now depleting the population of Bombay both by death and flight to escape death. It is observed that the plague generally follows in the track of commerce, the transit of passengers and goods affording a ready means for pro pagation of the malady from one point to another. But thia is still no explanation of why at one time and not at another pestilence should stalk forth like a destroying angel bearing death to distant lands. It was under stood that this plague had been eiadicated from India, but here we find it again, evidently imported in some mysterious way from China, and its rapid and fatal spread in the presidency shows that in the social conditions of the East the elements are ready to facilitate the progress of this death dealing ghoul. Bombay is near enough to us to give us a creepy feeling about this plague, for with the commerce carr'ed on between India and Austra lasia, tbe sea—wide as the ocean is that separates the two—is no barrier to the progress of pestilence, and Bombay is too much on the direct line of traffic between the colonies and England, too, for us to feel perfectly easy and secure. Doubtless most of us are indifferent to a plague, just as we are indifferent to a foreign in vasion—and the indifference arises in both cases from the fact that we have no experience of either. We swear by sanitation, and have unlimited faith in the British fleet, We believe the one will averj. plague and the other invasion, while over all we believe there is » benign Providence whose protecting care will vv.ml off every dangef that may threaten ut?, .Sanita tion is good, and the fleet is strong, God Almighty is both good and all powerful. But in tbe face of such a plague as is now decimating Bombay, more than ordinary attention should be directed to protective measures, for the plague noV seeing to be in its migratory staga The authorities are alive to the danger threatening our coasts, and are on guard accordingly. It behoves us to do what we can for ourselves. God helps those who help themselves, l;t is for us to leave no elements tfeady for thig or any other plague."' Let dleanliness of person and home be the-ru'e. Let whatever is perishable be buried, and let nothing remain in the vicinity of the home and exposed to the air that is likely to taint either the air we breathe or the w&tej? we drink, Earth kills all smells; let plenty of it cover every piece of refuse liable to decay, whether solid or liquid, and dwellingin surround ings of which cleanliness is the first and chief characteristic we shall at least ha,y§ dojie what we can to refuse a lodgment to disease amonggt us.

A. French traveller, M. d'Enjoy, has committed to prijat the statement that

some ypars ago he discovered a race of men with tails, ap-

THE MfSSIIM MB*.

parently the missing link between man and monkey, for which much search has been made. The traveller was exploring in Indo- Ohina, on the mountainous frontier of Annsija, a region of dense fore .ts, when he and his party p&.nje u|)on a group of the Moi race. All but"one instantly fled, but the solitary exception was up a tree gathering honey, and the Euro peans captured him as he descended, which be did in monkey fashion, with his fopt to the bark. To the sur prise of his captors the man was found to possess a caudal appendage. Some of the party seem to have understood the Moi language, for M. d'Enjoy tells us, says a*, English paper, th<t"the wild man gave them soi^e information about his people, though interrupting bis discourse with sobs and howls. All his race, he st&ted, formerly possessed tails, but they were no longer universal appendages, because many of the tribe had ceased to be of pure Moi blood, through inter-marriage—-especially in the case of those dwelling on the out skirts of the country—with tailless tribes." The neighbouring races treat the Moi aa brutes and kill them at every opportunity, and the Mo'r re turn the compliment "with poisoned arrows. Their customs altogether seem to be very primitive, and M. d'Enjoy believes that they once occu pied the whole Indo-Chinese peninsula. This traveller's tale appeared in \l Anthropologic, a French scientific journal of aome repute.

In view of the rapid growth of the dairy industry In New the ' ' •" question of the

NEW MARKET FOR BUTTER,

_iost prbfitable '•. market for our: surplus production j

is one of vital interest to a large] n^ber 'of larger*, Hitherto epj

exports of butter have been shiefly, almost wholly, to the United Kingdom, but there is every reason t > think that a profitable trade might be opened up with India and the East. We under stand that tinned butter commands as much as 2s 6d a lb in Calcutta, and from what we have recently read it would appear that China also offers a good market for this article. A Paris correspondent of an exchange writes; "The short experience of expotting butter to China having turned out satisfactorily, the small group of dairy farmers and dealers in Isigny and Gournay intend to extend the experi ment. Theii butter brands, the choicest in Prance, sell in Paris at twenty-five cents per pound. The quality can be exported direct from Normandy in tins containing two to four pounds, and these tins in cases of one hundredweight for twenty-five per cent leas. Germany last year shipped seventy three tons of butter to China. Not only is the butter intended to meet the wants of European settlers, bub the ' upper clases' in the Chinese Empire have taken a taste for the product for culinary preparations."

Local and General.

Sporting notes on fourth page. The deepest hole in the world haß been bored in Silesia. It has reached a depth of 6250 ft,, and passes through 83 beds of coal.

The amateur swimming championship of New South Wales resulted as follows :— Lane 1, Gormley 2, Hellings 3. Won by a length. Time—2min 46_.ec.

A physician contends that too much sleep is injurious. Tall and bulky people, he says, require more sleep than others, and women can do with much less sleep than men.

In the public schools of Japan the English language is required to be taught by law. The brightest and most ambitions of the young men in the open ports and commercial cities of Japan are all eager to learn English as a passport to wealth, position, and employ . ment.

A travelling crematory will hereafter accompany every Gorman regiment in time of war. It consists of a huge kind of baking oven, mounted on four wheels. It is said that the soldiers resent the innovation on the ground that the machine is a too vivid reminder of the war.

The Ashburton agents for the New Zealand Shipping Company advise that the Ruahine (March 18., and Rimutaka (May 13) will go Home through the Magellan Straits, weather permitting, calling at the port of Puntas Arenas, They wish to draw the special attention of intending travellers to the grandeur of the scenery in the Magellan Straits, and to point out "that this line alone affords passengers the opportunity of wit nessing what is generally described as the finest panorama in the world.

The lens of the telescope for the observa tory at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, which is (he largest in the world at the present time, has jist been completed. It has taken two years and a half to make. The extrem* diameter ot the clear aperture of the lens is 41|in, and its focal length is 61 feet. The crown is Sin thick at the middle, and l£in thick at the outer edges, and weighs 2051b. The whole of the lens, with its iron rings, weighs altogether about 9cwt. The cost of the glass pates, which were manufactured in Paris, was something like £8000, and the lens itself in its completed condition has re sulted in an expense of £20,000.

This district (says a Palmerston North paper) boasts of what probably no other part of the colony can—viz,, five living generations of one family. Ab the head is Mr John Daysh, of Taratahi, who, although he is 92 years, old, is still hale and hearty. He came out in the second or third boat of pioneer settlers in 1840. Mrs John Raynor is hia daughter, and is 63 years of age. One of her daughters married a Mr George Gaskin, whose daughter again j a the wife of Mr W. Snowies, and their ftve^month-old son is a great-great-grandson to Mr Daysh. They are all enjoying good health.

A traveller from Russia says thit Russian babies in Siberia are not very at'ractive. He says that one day he noticed in one of the houses a curious bundle on a shelf; another hung from a peg in the wall and a thitd hung by a rope from the rafters—this jne the mother was swinging, The traveller discovered that each curious bundle was a child ; the one in the swinging bundle was the youngest. The traveller looked at the li* tie baby and |o}i_nl ft so dirty £hat he exclaimed in disgust; '.Why'do you not wash it?" The mother looked horror strkken,and ejaculated :*' Wash it! Wash the baby i Why it would kill it 1" What a happy country Russia would be for some k-oys. *

There is a very remarkable plant which grows in the colony of Natal, its popular name is the corpse plant. ' It grows to a very considerable size, and its principal feature is a bell-shaped throat something like the flower of an Arum lily, but much larger and deeper, and opening into a hollow s em. It is almost black in colour, and covered with a thick, glutinous secretion. Its principal characteristic is its loathsome odour, strongly resenibJing that of decaying carrion. By means of this it attracts carrion feeding birds to it. Once they alight on it they are lost. Their claws become en tangled in the secretion, the bell-shaped mouth folds up, and they are literally swallowed, feathers and all, and digested by the juices secreted in the throat of the plao^.

A Committee meeting of the Ashburton Amateur Swimming Club was held in the School of Music—Mr J. 0. Lane (captain) in the chair. The programme for the annual races was considered at pomp length, and a draft programme was passed, subject to revision, a copy of which was ordered to be sent to all affiliated clubs. The annaal races of the club will take place at the end of February, and promise to be the be.t the Club has yet held. The 100 yards Championship of New Zealand has been allotted to Ashburton, and will be swam for by champions from all parts of New Zealand. The Christchurch Club is sending a team, who will give an exhibition of life saving drill, which, on account of its usefulness, shoul ibe seen by everyone. A ladies' race will also be held, for whioh there will, no doubt be a large number of competitors. Mr Burns, Secretary of the Club, sent in his resignation, which was accepted with regret, and Mr A. Wilkie was elected Secretary. Accounts amounting to £110s 6d were passed for payment, and two new members were elspted ?

The last few days have yielded quite a chapter of accidents, none of them, however, pissing serious. Tbe little daughter of Mr D. Miller, Hinds, fell out of her father's trap on Saturday afternoon, and came down somewhat heavily on the street, but only a facial scratch or two resulted. <Qn Friday evening, Miss Buck, of Newland school, had bo hs taken to the hospital, aftpr haying been brown out of a buggy, to have some serious 3uts on the head and bruises on the face attended to, but she is now doing well. One of the servant girls at Mr Stitt's on Saturday got her arm very severely cut by a carving knife which ehe was using, By an inadvertence the knife made a somewhat

setious wound, so serious that the help of a

I surgeon was found necessary, and the girl was taken to the hospital where Dr Trevor stitchefl the wound. ;Th_ doptor considered the case serious enough" to necessitate the detention of the patient.

The meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Chuch will »,e held in Christchurch during next month.

An unknown complaint has caused a number of valuable cows to suddenly die in the Wairarapa district of late.

All the Queen's daughters were taught to swim when very young. The daughters of the Prince of Wales could swim before they could read.

The Walter A. Wood Company advertise a trial of their new binder on Mr R Campbell's farm, Springburn, on Wednes day next, at 2 p.m.

The second daughter of the Hon. John McKenzie is shortly to be married to Mr Ernest Atkinson, son of the late Edward Fiand Atkinson, of Oamaru.

A good deal of " real" morocco leather is made from the skin of the ray, a sea fish very like a skate. As for the salmon, its skin is also tanned. The result is a very attrac tive scale marked leather.

The appointments are gazetted of Mr John' Courtney Quinlan, as cadet at the Ashburton Poßt and Telegraph office, as from June 1, 1896 ; and of Mr John Etnest Purchase, as postmaster at Riverside, as from October 1 1896.

In connection with the Burns Birthday ooncert, to come off at Christchurch, on the 25th instant, Mrs Donald McLean, of Lagmhor, will play a piano solo, "Highland Mary, specially composed for the occasion by her.

In Sweden and Norway excessive saluting is a marked peculiarity—everybody of every class takes off his hat or cap to everybody else if he has the slightest acquaintance, and even the gamins of the street do the same to each other.

Colonel Penton, Commandant of the New Zealand Foroes, has decided to remain in Wellington until Admiral Bridge arrives in tt.M.B, Orlando on the Ist prox. The Colonel will afterwards go South oa his first visit of inspection to that part of the colony. The sunsets at Tokaanu (fays a Gis borne paper) at present are said to be so beautiful as to baffle description. This is owing to the play of the iridescent rays of the setting sun on the molecular myriads which have been floating in space ever since the beginning of the eruptions.

With have to acknowledge with thanks, the receipt from Mr H. M. Jones of the Christmas number of the Windsor Magazine. It is well worthy of this popular serial, among the contents being tho first nine chapters of a powerfully written novel " The Christian,' by HallCaine. There are also a number of complete stories beautifully illustrated, and acomp etc novel of an enchaining character, by Guy Boothby, is a free gift with the number.

The Wellington Athletic Club have selected the following team for the cham pionship meeting at Auckland on the 10th and 13th of February :—ADgel, long-distance events ; Patrick, sprints ; Rhodes, weight and hammer throwing. Abbott and Herbert were also chosen to run a test quarter of a mile next Wednesday to decide which shall be iucluded in the team.

There are seventeen metals more valuable than gold, viz: Iridium, valued ab £60 per pouud troy ; gallium, £76; rhodium, £85 ; osmium, £120 ; ruthenium, £200 j palladium, about £216; barium, £280; didymium, £500; cerium, £525; yttrium, £630 ; strontium, £670; calcium, £700 ; glucinum, £820; lithium, £1080; zirconium, £1,115: rubidium, £1,400 ; vanadium, £1725.

The traffic on most of the railway lines in the colony has (says the Wellington Post) increased to such an extent that more rolling stock is required, and at all the railway workshops in the colony the hands are doing overtime. The revenue is, we are assured, coming up splendidly, and if the harvest is a good one it is expected that the estimates of receipts will be largely exceeded. The increase is in both passenger and goods traffic.

At Napier on Wednesday, says the Hawke's Bay Herald, the cricketers were enjoying a game on the Recreation Ground when a swarm of bees took possession of players and field. There was a great scamper—-not of bees, but of cricketers—and for a time it seemed as if the little winged things would gain the day. The game, it may be said, was finishecf, but one or two players are,now suffering from badly swelled heads.

At a meeting of draughts players, held at Oamaru on Friday night, it was unanimously decided to begin play in the New Zea'and championship tournament on Easter Monday. It was resolved that the Secretary write to the Executive ot the New Zealand Draughts Association asking their permission to allow the competitors in the tournament to decide for themselves what style of play is to be adop'pd—whet..e| the knock-out or all round system.

Dr McDonald, who made 70 in one innings in the Queensland match against Ashbmton, sneaks in high terms of the quality of the pitch prepared by Mr Perks, caretaker of the oval. The doctor said the wicket was fir superior to the one prepared for the^ on Lancaster tf&rk, and in fact he had payed on no better anywhere m the colony. Mr Perks ought to be proud of this compliment to his pronounced success with a wicket on such a bottom as that on our oval.

Tbe Press says :—Lieut. Colonel Fox, who has retired from the service of the Colonial Government, has taken up his residanae In North-Canterbury and is adopting the occu pation of farmer on a part of the Horsley Down estate. It will always be a matter^ regret that the many excellent suggestion, which Colonel Fox made for the improve ment of our defence and the military forces were not carried out to larger extent. In those Volunteer companies where improve ments! have been adopted and where the companies themselves took advantage of th<S; practical advice given them by Colonel Foj?_ the change in drill and discipline has been very maiked. But the disregard which was shown by the Ministry tp that gallan^ cfpcer's recommendation have kept our sys tem of defenpe gut of date and in such a state that three years during which an effi cient service might have been cultivated have been absolutely lost and wasted, and much of the expenditure on so-called defence has been practically useless, if not wasteful.

The party of tourists who left Ashburton for atr p to the West Coast just after the New Year, returned on Saturday night. The party comprised Messrs W. H. Collier, the brothers Shearman, David Grant, of the Ashburton school, and Llewellyn "Owen, Mr John Hewroan providing the conveyance and horses. The members of the party speak in glowing terms of the beauty and grandeur of the scenery, which i«J described by a certain New Zealand senator of Highland extraction as being the Troasachs of Scotland a hundred times magnified, and the Bernese Alps seen through a monster microscope. The tourists realised in the course of their trip that the South Island, so far as the range is concerned that divides Canterbury from Westland, is indeed '.the land of the mountain and the flood," and that as the traveller presses on in his ever upward course till the mountains have been scaled, there is a kaleidespopic change ever going on before his eye of hill and vale, mountain and gorge, rugged peak and deep ravine, tower* ing snowclad summit in the distance, backed by tier on tier of snow-bound Alpine ranges. Silvery lakes are found, fed by beautiful rivers alive with feed-proud trout that scoff at the angler, and the woods are vocal not with the song of the lark and the linnet, or the cheery chirp of the English birds we know in our bits of p'antation on the plains, but with what are left of the native birds of New Zealand that still cling to their woody homes in the mountains. Ihe "forest primeval" wae in flower, and that in itself was a sight for dwellers on the plains going miles to see. Our tourists were handsomely received wherever they went, realising to the full that the old time reputation of the West Coast for hospitality was a gpod dtaA more than •*sounding brass or tinkling cymbals.''

A curious, and at the same time not very satisfactory, circumstance has come under our notice. A lady resident in Ashburton despatched a Christmas card to a lady residing at ths Thames. The card was enclosed in an envelope with the flap turned in. The addressee received the envelope all right, bur, instead of tbe single card for warded, thsie cardf, on the back of one of which was written •* to Basil, from Nell." Accordingly she very sensibly sent back th*; whole package to the post office, which has been making enquiries, but has so far fnib d to ascertain how the substitution was effected. Obviously some one, since the package was first posted, must have opened it, and also another, to look at the contents, and has by mistake returned the cards tv the wrong envelopes. Holloway's Pills and Ointment—'The attention of all sufferers is drawn to these well known remedies, for they possess con spicuous advantage as a safe and reliable aid ia all those emergencies lo which travellers, emigrants, and sailors are so especially liable. They have been largely patronised by wayfarers by land and sea, and, in fact, by all classes of the community, to their very gyeat advantage. The Pills are beyond all doubt one of the most effective remedit ■ ever discovered for Cases of abstinate constipation, confirmed indigestion and colic, complaints which are engendered by exposure and irregu lar feeding The Ointment will be found of the very greatest servioe in cases of piles, abscesses, erysipelas, and all kinds of local ulcerations.

COMMERCIAL.

London, January 15 Butter is dull; finest quality 102s to 104s. The arrival of five steamers within three days with 1500 tons of butter has depressed the market.

Messrs Dalgety and Co, Limited, have received the following cablegram from their head office, dated London, January 14: — " Fair demand for hides (in general). Any change in prices is in favor of buyers/

CYCLING.

Melbourne, January 17. The League of Wheelmen Mile Champion ship resulted as follows :—Lewis 1, Clinton 2, Walker 3 Time—2min 37f sees. Parsons and Martin failed to win their heats.

CRICKET.

QUEENSLAND v. OTAGO.

Press Association—By Electric Telegraph

Dunedin, January 16

The cricket match Queensland v Otago was continued and concluded to-day, the Visitors winning by eight wickets. Play began ab two o'clock. Con tinuing their first innings with fi. c wickets down for 128 the total was carried to 194 before the innings closed. The following are the scores : — Otago—First Innings ..  ..93 Otago—Second Innings. Baker, b Miller 0 Johnstone, c and b Miller 32 Clark, c Jones, b Hoare.. 19 Kinvig, b Lewis  15 Parker, b Lewis   8 Haydon, b Lewis Q Fisher, b Lewis  ' 4 Tumbull, b Miller ,_ 1 Spraggon. Sb Hitchcock, b Lewis ... 29 Austin, b Lewis 14 Hope, not out ... j. 3 Extras \'_[ is Total 149 Otago started badly, Baker being out firsb flail. The total was carried to 149, but ab one time ifc seemed likely thab the local men mighu suffer a one innings defeat. Lewis 6 wickets for 37 runs, and Miller 3 for 42 were the successful bowlers.

Queensland—First Innings. Jones, b Fisher  26, Donahoo, c Clark, b Hope , ] 20 Bradley, b Fisher.,. ... ... ... j Cowley, lhw", b Tisher ... i McGlinehy, c Haydon, b Fisher ... 17 Hoare, c and b Fisher 44 Lewis, b Fisher ._ ' 43 Wilson, b Fisher ... ... ... [ 1 Miller, b Fisher ','. 2 Hitchcock, not oub ." 13 Byrnes, b F.sher "* 0 Extras , ..,,., ," 27 Tofal ... . m w ', 194 Fisher came oub with an average of 9 wickets for 50 runs, Queensland—Second Innings. Bradley, b Fisher ... ... ... 13 Donahoo, not out ... •,„ , 23 Jones, b Kinvig '__ 1 Hoare, not out ... ,„ ,„, , 6 Byes , ... ','". 7

Total for two wickets ... „, §Q RecmiriDg 49 to win Queensland went in at 6.10, and got the tequired number for the loss oft wo wickets. Bradley made 13 before he was bowled, and Donahoo was not out with 23.

Fisher's one wicket cost 23 runs and Kinvig's £0.

SPRINGBURN.

Frfem Out Ow| Cor.eiponde.it.

The annual treat to 'the children attending the Springburn school took place on Friday last, and was very successful. After the delightful rain of the previous day, the weather waa all that could be desired, and was fuliy'. taken advantage of, visitors from Mouab Somers, Bushside, and Alford Forest being present in large numbers. Shortly after one o'clock the sports commenced, and, with intervals for refreshments, were carried on during $he whole of the afternoon. At the conclusion of the sports, tea was partaken of by the children, parents, and visitors, and at 7 p.m. the schoolroom was crowded to witness the giving away of the priaes. Mr J. E. Hurdley, chairman of the School Com tnittee, presided, and after a few opening .remarks called upon the Rev. B. J. West "brooke, F.G S., to present the prizes to the children. The following is the prize, list :—

Standard VII. —W. A. Hurdley 1. Staudard Vl.—Charles Whiting 1, Florence Westbrooke and Charles Campbell (equal) 2. Standard V—Bertha Westbrooke 1, Ethel Nell 2, Jessie Anderson 3. Prizes for work done were also presented to George Minh m, Benjamin Sharplin, G. Stephen, Maggie Smith, Edith Westbrooke, Annie Carney, G_orge Stevenson. Standard IV—John Matheson 1, Gordon Campbell and' Thomas Stevenson {equ*t) second. Prices were also given to Dugald Fergus, Richard Nell, Ifcate Fergus, May Mowbray, Annie Ferguson, MaryMinhom, Les'ie Nell. StandardJfll-. Alfred Hurdley, H§rry Sharplin, G'.*td" Whiting, Agnes Matheson, eqtial. Prices Were also given to Bjthel Westbrooke, Minnie Stephens, Herberj; Smith, Gordon Stevenson, George Smith, Peter McK<;n_.e, H, Gold smith, R. Burgess, William Andersoo, Jessie Smith, Beatrice Mowbray, Mary Burgess. Prizes were alsq given to every child in the junior classes. At the conclusion of the prize giving an impromptu concert was held, and excellent songs were given by Messrs I Jago, Morrison, Penny, Molntyre, and Miss ] Reid; and recitations by Miss Watt, of I Oamaru ; after which the room was i leared < for dancing, which was indulged in by a large number. The thanks of the School Committee are due to all who helped to make the school treat a success. Parents and friends contributed liberally in money and refreshments, thus making the gathering one of the most successful ever held in Springburn, =

CABLE NEWS.

Home and Foreign.

Press Association—By Electric Telegraph- Copyright.

Scene in a Church. London, January 16 The ceremony of confirming Dr. Mandell Creighton as Bishop of Lon don was conducted yesterday, in the Church of St. Mary's le Bow, Cheap side. Oui-ing the proceedings a scene w_s created by a layman rising from among the audience and protesting against the confirmation on the ground that Dr. Oreighton wag a Ritualist. Intended Resignation. _ Mr _ A« £ Wigram, member for the Romford Division, Essex, intendi to resign his seat in the House of , Commons. A Chancery Judge. Mr Edmund Byrne, Q.Q, Conserva tive member for Waltfaamstowe, suc ceed. Sir J. W. Ohitty as one of th«< Judges in the Chancery Division. Marking Frozen Meat. Paris, January 15 M. Meline, the Premier, proposes to introduce a Bill into the Chamber of Deputies dealing with the marking of imported frozen meat. Punishment of Matahele. Capetown, January 16 The patrol despatched to punish tho Matabele for the recent murders of friendly natives at Port Charter, in the Salisbury district, attacked and defeated the rebels, killing thirty-twb.

Australian.

The Melbourne Harder.

Melbourne, January 17, • Brady's fiancte states that he told her on the 'day of the murder that he had arranged to meet Phillips at th* shop at night to receive a portion p] tbe money alleged to have been enfl bezzled by the latter. Brady bavin J agreed not to prosecute if the monej was refunded. It is suggested thai the money was not forthcoming, and that the crime was the outcome ol Brady's threats to press the prosecu' tion.

Revolt in Cubs.

Madrid, January I*. ■ The Government has adopted a ] scheme of reform in Cuba, which is inJ tended to pave the way for autonomy. without surrendering the Spanish In*. perial power in the islaud.

-New York, January 16. The New York newspapers report that the Cuban insurgents refused t<J recognise the scheme of autonomy pro* posed by Spain.

THE PACIFIC CABLE.

Press Association—By Electric Teletrrapi

London, January 16. '* Professor bilvanus Thompson, the eminent electrician, has expressed thci opinion that, by the adoption of new! methods, it is possible to despatch seventy words a minute over a single Pacific cable at a small extra cost. 1

WEST AFRICA.

Press Associatioa^By Electric Telegraph

London, January 16 The cruisers Theseus and Forte, of the channel squadron have been' despatched to We.t Africa, in view of | the trouble in the Niger protectorate. A force of 500 troops, with Maxim guns and artillery, will be despatched] in February to occupy Benin, on tha< west coast of Africa, and open up tha interior of the country. Captains Boisragon and Locke, who have arrived] at Brass, will be consulted as to tha! resources of the King of Benin. Mrl R. D. Moor is confident that a week's] operations will destroy the power of' the King of Benin. '

Lieutenant Hourst, the leader of tha' French Niger expedition, has concluded a treaty with the King of Madidoji which ensures France the passage of. the Niger river to the exclusion of tbojj British from Madid.v territory.

THE PLAGUE.

Press Association-By Electric Telegraphu." j Copyright. ' j

Calcutta, January 16. _M The mortality ia Bombay badfl reached a hundred and seventy f*____\ day, and is rapidly increasing. H^H plague has attacked rodents, swine ai^H poultry, which are dying in l&v^^M numbers. /^^|

THE INDIAN FAMINE.

An Unparalled Calamity.

Calcutta, January 16. ■ Maharajah Dharbangha, one of tM native Princes in the Deccan, has rl mitted taxation to the extent of eigbfl lacs of rupees, and subscribed, a simfUfl amount to the relief fund. 1 Lokdqk, January 16. 4 The Mansion House fund hat; reached' ■£76,000. : i ' Januacy 17. \ The P. and O. Company have nb4 scribed £500 and the Broken Hirf< proprietary Company £,250 to tha Indian famine relief funds.

Received January 18, 9.45 a.m. London, January 17 At a large meeting in connection with the Mansion House Indian relief ! fund, the Lord Mayor of London presided. The Duke of Cambridge, I Lord Qeorge Hamilton, and the Mar quis of Lansdown attended. The Duke ', of Oonnaught, in a speech, warmly ■' appealed to English sympathy towards their fellow subjects in their great [trial. Resolutions were passed inviting subscriptions to t|ie t-Ation&l fhridft Some disorder was occasioned by tbg I submission of an amendment by H. 8. I Hyndman, the Socialist. The Lord j Mayor refused to accept the amend*! ment, and Hyndman was ultimately! expelled. , ', I

THE ASHBtJKTON GUARDIAN: MOHDAY, JANUARY 18, 1897.



Busine s Notices GOOD WASHING PRINT, B_d. WHITE MUSLIN, 3s lid per doz' AT G. J. NEILL'S. A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER DRESS FOR 6s lid AT (jr. J, JN HrfAl-il-j o. Flannelettes 3£d yard. The Beat Turkish TOWELS in Ashburton are at— Gr. J. NEIJu-L b. BO XS' Navy Bine Sailor Suits 4s lid, m Men's Tweed Trousers 5s lid, Gr. J. NEILL'S. Ladies Lace Shoes, 4s lid. Ladies' two-strap Shoes, 4s Ud. AT G. J. NEILL'S. Ladies', Maids', and Children's TAN SHOES of Every Description, ab Very Low Prices, AT G. J. NEILL'S, FRIEDLANDER'S CORNER, EAST STRBET.



BOOM IN DRAPERY. j CROWDS ON SATURDAY. TTOST COMING BACK TO SALE AT MITCHELL & TURNER'S."



NEW FIRM -:- -:- -: -:- -:- -:- NEW FIRM SAVE MONEY- BY DEALING WITH MITCHELL & BRODRIBB NO BAD DEBTS. NO OLD STOOK THAT ACCUMULATES BY YEARS of BUSINESS THB Public should only consider what they can save by dealing with a Cash Firm, where they do not have to pay for the great losses that are occasioned by Bad Debts. MITCHELL .& BRODRIBB BUY AND BELL FOR CASH, THEKBSFORK THEY ARE ABLE TO GIVE BETTER VALUE THAN ANY OTHER PLACE IN ASHBURTON. — A Few Quotations will be Convincing — Brown Ribbed Pants (heavy) Is 6d-worth Ladies* Hose, fast colors, plain and ribbed' - 11 ■» od pair »» » o I Xi _mi.tt. «M White and Brown Turkish Towels, only 6d l£^to^tal^o!!h is White Calico grand value at 2s lld-12yds Zcher Boots 4s I Id-grand value The Best Vake for Flannelettes n ft^.SSoo^* IItZS 4sUd-worth Heavy Twill, 4sfid dozen-worth 7d ayd Ladies' Gem Shoes, Special, 4s lid worai s y |endid ' Line of Cor Bet alI Bizes ; afc os oa i b 11 hi HaMme Tweed Trousera 8s 6d-ohe a p at .^""J,^ of Sunßhades iH towa> 1.U3 oa • from Is wfL Fvft?e*Cho7c™st 2 Assortment of Hats Ladies' Sailor Straws, all shades and shapes, we nave ww kjuviw™ xm from 9d eacn—Pick your own shape 12yd, Strong Print for 3s lid-Cheap at 6s Charle A Beautiful Summer Tweed Is Id, double Millinery done Free of Charge. widlfc FULL RANGES OF KAIAPOI AND MOSGIEL CLOTHING. MEASURED GARMENTS A SPECIALTY. - __-. _ra FULL SUIT FROM AQq £_T\ 49^ 6# FULL SDIT FROM <±V& O^ MITCHELL & BJtODRIBB, EAST STREET



Business Notices. « NEW ZEALAND Clothing Factory, gOLE AGENTS FOR THE FAMOUS 44 ITTpTATjV 99 SEWING MACHINE.



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A NSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. •*A WOMAN."—lnsist upon having what you order. If it occurs again, change your grocer. It ia unfair to send you another brand with the remark, "It ia as good as Suratura Tea." " DISAPPOINTED."—Suratura Tea was not exhibited because it ia not a product of New Zealand, and blending and packing in this colony do not make any tea a colonial product. Suratura Tea is not blended with China; it is packed where grown. " AN ELICTOR "—Very good suggestion. The Conference of Premiere at Hobart should be supplied with Suratura Tea. "ECONOMY."—¥es ; the passes of grocers who sell Suratura Tea will be published. " FAIR PLAY. "—lf Suratura label is imi tated, legal proceedings will be taken. "X.V./4."—Recommend a petition to the Government against selling adulterated food. "PUFF."—An impr,essj.op preyafts that an article largely advertised may not be first-class. This is correct in many cases, but when its sale is increased by tens of thousands of pounds weight in a year, it is the strongest public confirma tion of everything that has been said in the advertisements. That is the posi tion of Suratura Tea. "TEA DRINKER."—AII good housewives pride themselves on being able to give their families and friends a good cup of tea. All can do this if they use Sura tura, " DYSPEPTIC."—Your complaint is a very common one. indigestion is frequently caused by the use of liquids that will not assimilate with the food you eat. The result is an internal conflict which the medical faculty call Dyspepsia. In most caaes the cure is so simple that it does not commend itself to the sufferer. Tea brewed from the pure leaf of Sura tura wijii banish your complaint. "ENQUIRER "—Suratura "Tea contains no foreign matter. Its purity is undoubted, its strength unequalled, it ia always freah. No large stocks are kept, there fore its eecnpjny is established by reason of its freedom . rom handling with con sequent loss of strength and favour. eJ. ORR .6 CO., Agents.



NOTICE. rjIHBRE is a vacancy for one apprentice in this Office. Applicant must havo passed the sixth staudard. Ashburton Publishing Company. January jLtJth, Church Serves. tTTtbphbn'S church, Aehburton. Tuesday—Teachers' Meeting, 730 p.m Wednesday—Brotherhood of St. Andrew, 7.30 pm. hursdav-— Meetings ,v. Newly"} Confirmed for In-1 Greenstreet, 3.30 p.m. struction in Holy j Ashburton, 7-30 p.m. Communion ...) J Friday—Short Service, 7.30 p.m. | jQho^r Practice, 8 p.m. jj SUNpAY"SpRf.OES. j 8.50. —Holy (Communion. I il a.OJ. — Morning Prayer.' | S p.m.~Si. AffELD. 1 6.30 p. m.—Evening Prayer. I WV, T. A, fUMtttWIS. I



Last sutnmer one of our grandchildren was sick with a seyere bowel trouble. Our doctor's remedies l>ad failed, tlien we tried Chatnberlujn's Colic, Ohojera and Diarrhcei Remedy, whijih gaye yery speedy relief We regard it as the best B.##it?ine ever put on the market for bowel complaints, E. G. Gregory, Frederiekstown, Mo. This certainly is the best medicine ever put on the market for dysentery, summhr com-, plaint, (3olic and cholera infanium in children. It never faiw'i'fto &Y9 PF ooptmpt relief when used in reasonable Urns and' plain printed directions are followed. Many mothers have expressed their sincere, gratitude for 1 the cures it has effected, for sale by Asa-



One Box of Clarke's B 41 Pills warran ed to cure all discharges from the Urinaiy Jrgans, in either sex (acquired or cons i utional), Gravel and Pains in the Back Guarranteed free from Mercury. Sold in Boxes 4s 6d each, by all Chemists and Patent medicine Vendors throughout the Worid Proprietors : T_w Lincoln and Midland OouNWisPaooCoMFAnv, I inaoln, England j



Mrs Rhodie Noah, of this place, was taken in the night with cramping pains and the next day diarrhcea set in. She took half a bottle of blackberry cordial but got no relief, he then sent to me to see if I had anything that would help her. I sent her a bottle of Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy and the first dose relieved her. Another of our neighbors had been sick for aboub a week and had tried different reme- j dies for diarrhcea but kept getting worse. I sent him this same remedy. Only four doses of it were required to cure bim. He says he owes his recovery to this wonderful remedy—Mrs Mary Sibley, Sidney, Mich, For tale by AsRJURf PJf D JOT? COM?*?*?,



Keating's Powdeb nestroys bugs, leas j rn.:bs, beetles, and all other insects, whilst j gui c h .rmless to dorarstio animals. Inj xforminating beetlfs the suooeßS of this] powder is tx raordinary. jit ia perfeotlvj •lean in application. See the article jam purchase is Kkatij-'s, as imi ationg aid loxioas tad insffeouni, Sold in tins, 6d, JM mi ?« Oi won, by .1 Qhtniit; .. .1