DEATH.

Burgess.—Ab Ashburton, ob Maroh 20, 1900, Francis, infant eon of James and Helen Burgeßs. Aged 7 days.

Ashburton Guardian Megna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1900. PEACE OR HEALTH SOCIETIES?

Those well-meaning but misguided souls who are bo anxious for peace that, apparently, they are prepared to pur chase it at any price, or, if not at any price, at a figure uncomfortably near to it, give as a reason for their conduct the loss of life that war entails. Well, they are, in many respects, right', and their motives are, no doubt good, but would they not be doing a far better work if they manifested more consider ation for the loss of life by other pre ventable causes. Our attention has been directed to this matter by a report to the annual meeting of the Ohurch Sanitary Association recently held in London. What are the facts 1 The Boern commenced the present war agaiost-Great Britain on the evening of October 11 last. For the "five months ending March 12 Britain had lost 2149 men killed in battle. Now four thousand persons die of consump tion alone every month in Britain, and reckoning the mortality at 20 per thou sand for the whole year 66,000 die every month in Great Britain. Taking the population of New Zealand at 800,000 and reckoning the mortality at 10 per cent, (in 1898 it was 9 84) 670 deaths are registered every month in the colony. Take another compara tive illustration. Since the first con tingent left these shores seven men have died, five were shot and two died of typhoid fever, but between Christmas and February four men were killed and three ceriously Injured on our New Zealand railways while engaged in their ordinary duties. People grieve for the numbers of brave men slain in the South African war but their number are insignificant compared with the number of those who since the commencement of the trouble died in Great Britain from consumption. Twenty thousand succumbed to the ravages of that deadly disease during the last four months. It is wall known now that the causes o£ consumption are largely impure air and overcrowd* ing and that fearful malady is, to a very large extent preventable* While

people aro prepared to stand idly by ) find view with comparative indifference this appalling death rate it is little uso for them to wring their bands and plead for peace on the ground of the lives sacrificed in war. Take another . view of the case. In this colony of ours one out of every eleven male children born and one out of eveiy fourteen femaln children born die before competing their first yea-. Now surely some of these premature deatha are preventable. Of course if our civilisation were on a higher pane ; if we took only a tithe of the trouble in rearing men that we take in rearing racehorses; if persons physically unfit for parentage refrsiined from marrying ; if questions of health and heredity were as generally interesting as " the odds"; if, to sum up, we were more rational thati we are, and had not to thank our ancestors for the physical weaknesses we continue to hand down to descendants, the infant mortality which regularly takes place would not exist. Instead of saving all their sympathies for those who suffer through .war, the well meaning people who recruit peace societies would do well to devote some of the energy thus wasted to more reasonable and mare pressing subjects. Practically it may b© Baid that those who die in. battle for Britain willingly face the rick But this can not be said of the sixteen hundred in fants who died in New Zealand last year before reaching the age of twelve months. It cannot be said of those who died from consumption, from typhoid, or from what is expressively summed up in the words " constitu tional diseases." They were, in the maiority of cases slain by causes over which they had practically no control whatever—in the case of infants abso lutely no control" It might be an advantage, therefore, if the people who find their sympathies tending in the direction of peace societies would ask themselves whether health tocieties would not be better for mankind.

TUG LICENSING ELECTION.

To-MOKROvr th« tlecfcors in the Ashbur ton electoral district will cast their votes to determine who shall constitute the Licensing Committee for thie dis trict during the next three years. Ten gentlemen have been nominated. Of this number four may be said to repre sent the extreme prohibition party, five are the members of the present Licensing Committee, while one candidate, although nominated by the prohibitionists, does not hold with their views, but is prepared to meet them on one or two points. It is perhaps superfluous to point out that the committee elected have absolutely no power whatever to either increase or reduce the number of licenses in the district. That wa* settled, and pro perly so, by the rote ot the people in December. The Licensing Committee are bound by the four corners of the " Alcoholic Liquor Sales Control Act," and must administer that Act as they find it. On a few matters, however, the Act allows the committee a certain amount of discretionary power. For instance, they can decide the hour for closing, and- can also say whether or not a license shall be moved from one house in the district to another in the same district. It would appear that upon these two isßuea the contest to-morrow between the two parties is to turn. The prohibition candidates wish to close the hotels at ten p.m., and their opponents wish matters to remain as they are, namely, eleven o'clock licenses. As to the removal of license?, the temperance party maintain that an application will be made for a license to be issued for the boarding house recently erected at Fairton Those who ought to know best declare most positively no such application will be made »fc any rate for some three years at least. That is how matters stand at present. Amongst the ten men nominated are some of our best citizens—men of judicial minds un biassed by " invincible prejudice," and we trust that the electors at the poll will place party on one side, and elect a committee which will administer the Act in a fair and impartial manner. The reault lies in their own hands. Let them see to it that they use their power wisely and well.

A representative of the Daily Chron icle has been trying to discover from

the Eastern Tele graph Company how Dr Lcyds man-

11IEERY " LEYDS.

ages to get news through to Mr Kruger, and to receive news from him. The company, however, appear to loftily regard this as a moral impossibility. They aver that no telegrams, whether to Consuls or otherwise, are allowed to be in cipher, and that all are cenaorised, But when a moral impossibility comes in collision with an actual fact, the moral impos sibility has to go. It ia an actual fact that Dr Leyds receives, or has received, exclusive news from the Transvaal, and no a priori arguments can avail against that, " The man in the street " wants to know how he gets it. Apparently onlji one loophole is left, whether in diplomatic or other telegrams—that is, that an ordinary message should con tain a concealed cipher. Fhe Eastern Telegraph Company think that "the censors ought to be able to see through such a device." Personally, I should have thought that with the Eastern companies opposing the Paci fic Cable scheme (tooth and nail) the former would have seen the advisa bility of keeping the Government sweet. The traitors lie within a very small circuit ; in fact;, an Extension telegraph clerk, whom I meet some times in the Oifcy and chatter to in the memory of our schooldays, blurted out yesterday that he believed that his governors could soon put their hands upon Leyds's tools. The Eastern Companies clerks would never, how ever, give away the show for a bribe. They are not often hard worked, and have excellent quarters—billiard room, etc.—at Durban.

Local and General.

* # * On the first page to-day will be found War Ite^s. Mr Pirani A<BAin m Trouble.—Mr iPiraoi, M.H.R., has, telegraphs the Wellington correspondent of the Chriat ohurch Press, met with another bicycle accident somewhat similar to the one whioh laid him aside at the beginning of last session. In a collision with a horse and trap he had a bone In his shoulder broken, and hi* wiiMriwM tawtowfli >

A Squatters Mansion. —It is stated that the mansion now being erected for Mr Dun can Rutherford at Leslie H.lls, wili, wben completed, h^vo the largest ground floor Rren of in y dwellinp-hcuse in the ooiony. It will be lighted by electricity, and wi=l probably be not completed before June.

Half-Holiday To Morkow— According tn Section 10, of-the Alcoholic Liquors Salo Control Act Amendment Act, a public holi day, after midday must be observed on the day of election of Licensing Of mmittees, and fu;therthat all licensed premises must be closed from noon to seven p.m.

Man and Wife—At the meeting of the Hospital Board t< -day, Mr Pauling put v«>y neat y the etate <f feeling that is supposed to (X [Rt be.ween a man and his wif«. by saying that if there wne ever v>.ny friction between them outsid.rs would not know of it.

A Profitable Deal.— An inatanca of a pn ficable deal in sheep on the " so much on your birgain"baais it reporied by th« K'U koura paper. A splendid lino of 5000 was bought from the Green Hills fbok by a well known Canterbury dealer at Mj per head, and without being removed from tho station the sheep were resold >o another buy t-r for an additional shilling all round. This little transaction meanb a profit to the " middle man " of £250.

Tab, at a Premicm.—l6 would seem as though the intentions of the Borough Council to provide the town with asphalt footpaths are to be frustrated by a shortage of tar. The Aahburton works cannot provide nearly enough, and enquiries made by the Council have disclosed the fact that the local demand at Ohriatchurch, Dunedin, and the inter mediate towns, is greater than the supply. Etquiries are now being made in Melbourne, and the Mayor remarked at the last meeting of the Council it was quite on the oarda the Borough would have to import tar from Eng land.

More Discretionary Power.—Captain A. A. Fooks, of tho Fire Brigade, had his life made miserable on Tuesday by the people who met and upbraided him for nob letting the old Post Office burn down, when the Ore had got such an excellent start and everything had been cleared ou\ Ashbur tonites anticipate with pleasure seeing a handsome brick edifice with two frontages on the corner ac present occupied by the Post Office, and many thought Captain Fooks might, on Tuesday morning, have been endowed with greater discretionary power*.

Shocking Cruelty.— The Taieri Advocate says:—We notice in the report of the in spector to the Otago Society for the Pre vention of Cruelty to Animals that two people were cautioned for illtreating rabbits on a farm. We think this is a step in the right direction, as in many cases poor bunny is treated with shocking cruelty! We have heard of one instance of a man skinning a rabbib alive, and then making it swim a river. The animal croised the river, bub ib would withoub doubb, die in a few hours in cruel agony, unable aa ib was to bear the slightest touch of anything on its fl»yed body. Tha Taieri Advocate man should certainly give to the police the name of the wretoh who was guilty of euch a oruel act.

A Shower of Fish,-—A peculiar incident occurred during the trip of the Waibora from Sydney to Auckland. At daylight on the Sunday morning preceding the steamer's arrival at the north-end port, the seaman whose duty it was to wash down the poop deck found thab part of the vessel thick y covered With a small species of fioh commonly known as squibs. There was no sea to speak of, and the weather had been beauti fully fine throughout the night, co that there could be no possibility of their coming on board in any way excapt from above. Io is supposed, by way of explanation, that a shoal of these fish had been drawn up from the sea by a waterspout, and that in their descent part of the piscatorial shower had alighted upon the after part of the steamer. At all events, some of the fquibs are still in ihe ahip's freezer to establish, if need b*, the veracity of a story which otherwise might appear to be incredulous.

A Honeymoon No Excuse—As an excus for the noii-\pp2arance in the Danedio Magistrate'^ Court on Friday of a defendaut who had been served with a judgment sum mons, it was stated, says the Otngo Dally Times, that he was at present on his honey. mooD. It was suggested that a honeymoon was a sufficiently pressing matter to account for a person's non-ibte.ndance to such prosaic matters as judgment) summonses, bub an uasentifnentai lawyer -was obiurate, and demanded an order by default. The order was accordingly made, and the happy pair's period of ecstatic bliss had thus been clouded by the possibility of the bridegroom being provided with single lodgings at the expense of the State. In another judgment sum mons' case plaint iff sought an order against a defendant for the recovery of a debt for board and lodgings. The former stated ihat, instead of paying what he owed, defendant went off and got married. An additional grievanoe was attached to the matter, inatmuch as defendant was a most particular boarder, He would complain if the pattern of his bea cup was not in accord with hie sense of the ;c .thofcic, and if his robe de nuib w»i nob tastefully folded and laid upon his pillow. Defendant denied possessing any suoh delicate taste, and laid that his wife provided the oash needful for their marriage. His Worship thought that one of the needfnl things had been overlooked—namely, the liquidation of defendant's debts, and made an order calculated to rectify the oversight)

COMMERCIAL.

ASKBURTON STOCK MARKET.

There was a fair attendance at the Ash burton Yards on Tuesday. Owing to the shortness of feed and the Fairfield Works being closed down, there was a decided tall in the prices of sheep, and the bidding was very dispiriting. Some 10,000 aheep and about 20 head of cattle were yarded. The following prioea were realised:—-Sheep.— Butchers'—Crossbred ewes, 10j to l(h 9d, and down to 7s 9.1; merino ewes, 9a; lambs, 13s ; freezing lambs, from lls 9d to 13s 10 J. Stores—Crossbred ewes, 6s to ICa 9d ; two tooth ewes and wethers, 12-j 3d to 12s 9d ; merino ewes, 5a Id to 10a 6d ; lambs, 10s; meriao wether?, 6i 9J. Cattle.—Fat—£3 17a 6d to £5 lOi. Stores, £5 loj. Cows, £3 to £5 7s 6d. Springers, £4 to £4 2a 6d. Beef sold at from 15s no 18s per cwfr. Cows in profit 35s to £5 sa. Yearlings 39?.

THE COMMONWEALTH BILL.

OBJECTION BY IMPERIAL LAW OFFICERS.

THE QUEEN'S PREROGATIVE IMPAIRED.

United Press 'Association—By Eieobrio Telegraph—Copyright London, March 20 The Imperial law officers chiefly object to Clause 74 in the Common* wealth Bill, which practically excludes the Commonwealth Act from appeal to the Queen in Council, and gives to the Commonwealth Parliament the right to limit other appeals. The ground of thflir objection is that the clause impairs the Queen's prerogative and destroys uniform appellate jurisdiction. If the clause were made similar to the Canadian procedure it would probably be accepted. Tho law officers are less insistent on their other objections to the Bill.

A DARING ROBBERY.

Two Railway Employees Stuck Up.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright Kalqoorlie, March 20 A daring daylight robbery took place in the centre of the town. Two railway employees had just left the railway station with £300 in a bag, intending to deposit it in the bank* A masked man stuck them up, presented a revolver, and obtained the bag. He then mounted a horse which was tied [to a fence and got clear away,

THE WAP.

The (Hrl IVe Left Behind £'$ Seene —The lower deck of the Transport. Time.—Tre evening sf the day after leav ing Southampton. Abel New and Jonaa Bautcck, seaman and marine, having a yarn.

Few. We.l, mate, we're on the job at 'ass, got the real thing ahead now. No b!ocimin' imtoeavrep.

Bantock. That's ie straight, its business. And we'te doing it like Dukes Going out like Admiral* visitors too. Mo decks t« scrub, do rowing* and surprise diiiis, tnd turning 1 out to pay up to any odd fancy of the cox !

New We're Lords cow for three wuka, but I reckon Wo'il sweat enough to make up for it io the m-xfc three weeka, eh ?

BANTOCK. Like cnoug'i. I've got a hesd enough ou me fi'< to split. Fact was, last n:ghb I was a bit drunk. Bsastly nuisance friends are. First '.here was my uncle, came in from the country, because ho heard I was on the list;, and stood me dr inks Th^n there was the eistera, and the cousins, and the aunts, who made a day cf ib to see the gallant warriors off to the war, as we called 'em, and I had to stand drinks. Then every man I ever knew c»me and offered to stand treat, and blasßed if I knew what I was doing by seven o'clock last night. New. That treating* a stupid business, come to thick of t. It always comes all at once, If, now, they'd only treat a feilow once a day for six months, there'd be some sense in it. But they go on, and fill you all up in one day for al! the world as if you were an india rubber bottle, as could go on swell ing till "it burst). Not that I'm much for treating even once a week. I've given up the drink this six months, because—well— you sea-I mean it's beoause of a girl. BANTOCK. Ah ! that's jusb the worst of it with me. I'd been pretty near settled with a girl about six months agone—oh my, she is a star, no mistake—and she caw me once then a bit off, and said she wouldn't see me again till I'd kept teetotaler for cix months clean Well, I nearly had ; but this wretched send-off drink business has done for me again. I went round there lasts night, fool that 1 was, when I'd left being treated, just to kind of make matters sure, and 'twas just my luck, she came to the door herself, and looked at me straight in the face and saw how things were, and said: ••Jonas Ban took, you've done for yourself this time 111 never be seen walking or talking, much less marrying, with a man that don't know when to leave off ryou'd better go." Her tone was »wful and I just went, oo I've losb all my chance there I reckon, though I'll have anothfr try if ever I get back, though likely there'll be someone else by then. . , She has a tidy bib of moDey, too, and besides-well I was jolly hard hit; I was horrid fond of her, and I've losb her. New. Well, man, sinoa you've made a clean breast of it, I'll do th«s,same, and upon my soul a fellow c&n't bottle himself up for ever. And besides if I do get a Boer bu'let in my vitals, I'd k^d of like someone to have known and tell her about m». I had a jolly rough day before evening. 'Twas extra duty here, and extra duty there, all day at barracks for me. Commander seemed to make little games Bpec'al for me. They took me till near six, then .by the time I'd cleanfld up and fixed myself in visiting togs 'twas seven, and 'twas half-past seven before I gob to her do jr. I knew what I'd come to say, and I reckon she did, for I'd tried to say it weeks before, and she stopped me, saying : " Mr New, I m not sure, but I think I'm sort of half pledged to wait for a few weeks to see if a chap I once liked really wanta me still. Thats what she said, and I waited, only I let her know I wasn't going to be bowled over for any chap she once liked. Well, that night when I got there I saw she'd been having a bit cf a cry like, atid I thought it was because I waa going, so I asked her straight out what I'd come to say. And she took me, nnn, she took me ? She told me the other man had turned out a bad lot, and she was sorry, because she used to liko him ; but that now—well, I needn't say what she siid, only I'm a jolly happy man, and supposing I were not to come home you'd tell her, old chap, I cared all the time, and all about me, wouldn't you 1 Why, mars, what's up ? -you look as seedy as a landsman. Is It a touch of the briny 5 Baktock. I say, I'm a'l right you know. But could you—l euppoeo you haven't a phofeo of the lady, jaat so ao I should know her when I see her ? New. We'l, I have, its in my ditty box ; I'll get it (goes away). Bantock (to himself.) I'm sure it is, what a fool I've been to tell him, and what a fool I've been right through. Good God, and I've got to be with him all through this blessed war business. Nfcw (returning). There she is, and its like her too. Why—did you know her?—l say, I'm sorry—l think I understand, old fellow-you must have thought me a cad to tell you, but I hadn't an idea— Bantock. No, I hadn't either till juat near the end, when I suddenly reckoned it waa the two halves of the story, and she was the girl we'd boh left behind us. So she cried, did she 1 Then I suppose she did care. New. Yes, I'm sure she did, any amount. But you see she got frightened and— Bantock. Ye«, yes, I know, I've done for myself and I don'b blame her. That drink has lost me lots of things before, and now its lost me the only girl I've ever cared for. Its an awful curse and I'm a fool.

I'm going to turn in now. I'm glad ifc was you and no one else aayhow. Only don't get in the way of a shell. I warn you I couldn't trust myself to tell her about you and not say a word for myself.

CABLE NEWS.

United Proas Asaooiabion—By Eleotrio Telegraph —Copyright London, March 20 David Witjas, a Belgian diamond merchant, who, under the name of Solomon Davifc s was fined £200 at Melbourne for smuggling £2000 worth of diamonds, and was subsequently arrested for their theft, was brought up at the Mansion House? As the prosecutor, another diamond merchant, refused to proceed, the case was dismissed.

Sir M. Hicks Beach has practically abandoned the proposed tax on produce contracts.

The Maharajah cf Jeypore gave Ifteeu lakhs of rupees to the Indian Famine Fund. I^BwYork March 19 The St. Patrick's Day celebration here degenerated into a pro Boer and Horns Rule celebration. SydnjsYj March 20. H.M.S. Porpoise proceeps to Tonga j to take possession of the group under the new Anglo German agreement, The Chamber of Commerce, resolved that while still strongly advocating the Pacific cable, it favours the acceptance of the Eastern Fxtension Company's Cape proposals. H.M.S. Porpoise hai sailed for Fiji. Melbourne, March 20

The revised official estimate of wheat yield places it at 15,205,000 bushels, an average of 7 03 per acre.

A Sub-Committee of the Cabinet has been appointed to consider the housing of the Federal Parliament and making provision for a residence for the State Governor, seeing that the Governor' General will probably occupy Govern ment House when the Federal Parlia ment is sitting in Melbourne.

A. & P. ASSOCIATION.

A generui meeting of ihe Ashbnrf;n A. urid P. Afcßcci'-t:on vraa held on Tuefiday afctcoj.-. Present—Mcsers G W Leadlty, I'neiaent (in tho cb^ii), Uptcu, Btck'.ey, Mudholnir, Grigg, Hortey, Strjrgfc!l< w, B'-ar.d, Bull ck, shearer, Maweon, and K. Cooksop. 1 , ITI-W MEMBER

Ou the motion of Rlr J mos Bland, r-econded by Mr Cook*cn, Mr Joseph Billy, C in brae, wus unanimously Bccepted as a number of tho A-FocUtion COMMIT TEE'S ItEPOBT Tho C»mntiti><-«i r«p.-iied as follows:-— Thi>l hi Rule IV, after iho Vice-Tres d ar, "hi word "ex-President" be i:-sert«! ; " That all members of tho fiaancia! standing on May 3Ub of esch year shall bo eligible for election as comtnitit-emen without sptoi*i nomination. I'riuted lists of those e!>gih'o mu3t ba posted to each member ab loait 14 d.iys bef. re the annual election, and return able three clear day a prirr to the annual meeting of members. The method of voting to be the eraaion of those names the member wishes to serve on the committee. Not more than 24 names must be erased or the papers will be informal. They further recommend that the scrutineers be appointed for the purpose of examining the billot papers, who Bhall hand over the result) to the President at the annual meeting, and also thab these recommendations be embodied in the Society'• rule No. IV, which reads as follows :— "The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Piesident, Vice-Presidenfc, Treasurer, and a General Committee of twenty-four members, who shall be eleoted for the year, by ballot, at the Annual General Meeting." 'Jhe report) was adopted Other business having been deferred, the meeting adjourned

WINSLOW SPORTS AND RACING CLUB.

The annual meeting of the above c!ub was held in Mr Cusack's otel on Saturday eve - ing, there being present a large attendance oi members. Ihe chair wss occupied by Mr William Sutherland.

The minutes of last meeting having bsen covfirmed, a letter was read from Mr A. A« Fooks, resigning his position as secretary, on accounb of an extra pressure of business, which prevented him doing justice to the office.

Oi^he resignation was accepted with regret, each of the members present speaking in the highest terms of Mr Fookßj who, ifc ia need less to say, has worked most assiduously in the interest of the club.

It was unanimously decided to elect Mr R. J. Henry to the position. Ib was decided that five members form » quorum. The election of officers was proceeded with, and resulted as follows :—President- Mr D McLean, Viee-Preside'nts—Messrs J O N Grigg, GAM Buckley, and W Suther land. Judge—Mr E G Crisp. Stewards— Messrs W Sutherland, W Huston, G James, J Moßohaa, J (Jusack, R Kenninglon, J i Sutherland, H Rainey, and "W Thompson. Starter for Horse Races—Mr D Tho«n»i. Starter for Foot Races—Mr J Muller. Treasurer—Mr W Sutherland. Handic&p p°ra— A Committee. Clerk of Scales-Mr P O'Balloran. Ciesk of the Course—Mr W Huston. Hon Sec—Mr R J Henry. The following programme was drawn up :— HORSE EVEKTJ.

M*iden Handicap, of 5 eovs, 6 furlongs; Maiden Trot Handicap, of 7 sow, one mile and a half; Winslow Cap, of 10 soys, one mile ; Publican's Trot, of 10 sovb, two miles ; Pony Race Handioap, of 7 son, 4 furlongs ; Ladies' Purse, of 6 soys, 6 furlongs; Conio* lation Trot Handicap, of 5 soys, one mile. PKDKSTEIAN WESTS.

Men's 100 Yards Handicap; Men's 120 Yards Hurdle Handicap; Boys' 75 Yardi Baca ; Men's 220 Yards Handicap; Girls' 60 V ards Race; Old Men's Race ; and Men's 440 Yards Race. Other events for children will also be run. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded a moss enthusiastic meeting. COMMHTEE. Moesrs J Cusack, VV Sutherland, R Ken nington, Rurnett, P Grace, T Sutherland, W Thompson, H Bainey, T Drennan, J Me- Croham, John Ryan, Alex Thompson, and A Wilson.

On the motion of Mr W Sutherland ie was decided to hand over any surplus money from the meeticg to the Patriotic Fund, after expenses iv connection with the meeting had been paid. A subscription list was drawn up, and Mr Sutherland kindly consented to act as canvasser for subscriptions. Ifc may be mentioned in connection with the above Patriotic movement, it was decided that all officials should be charged admit tance to the grounds Is and Is for horses or vehicles.

The printing of the programmes, etc, was left in the hands of the chairman and Mr Cuaack.

GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE.

OPINION OF AN EX-MINISTER OF FRANCE-

WAR A CERTAINTY IN THE FUTURE.

United Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright. Paris, March 19 M. Lockroy, ex-Minister of Marine, writing to the newspaper La Patrie^ states that war between France and England is a certainty in the future. He points out that in two years the Naval Committee have increased the expenditure on naval bases to 61 £ million francs in France, and six millions in Noumea,

THE PLAGUE

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) Adelaide, March 20 Thjß man, Grubb, came from Tag* mania, staying a day at Melbourne en route. He was admitted into the hospital on the 9th and died last Friday. Hie body was buried in the usual way, and it was not until after a post mortem examination that the hospital doctors came to the conclusion that it was plague. At the order of the Premier the body wei reburied with the usual precaution! on the quarantine ground. The Government has ordered a full enquiry ipto the case, -

THE LATEST.

Australian

United Press Asaoei&bionWßy Bltofcrle Telegraph—Copyright)

(Received Wakapuaka March 24, 9,55 >.tH| This Office 10.40 a.m, The Cable Steamer. Melbourne, March 21 Two Malays of the crew of the cable steamer Sherard Osborn died at Berri Berri of fever. Three others are ill. The steamer has just completed a smart piece of work having laid the new cable between Blinders and Low Head, Tasmania—l4o miles—at the rate of seven miles per hour.

Tiiß afitißUiilGiv GOAiJDiAK t WEDNESDAY, MAKCS 2], 1900



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PHOTOGRAPHY. HALMA & CO. PHOTOGRAPHERS, SAtrsuEßs' Buildings. ONE Doaeo Highly Finished Cabi net Photos for 6s, for the month of March. DON'T MISS THIS CHANCE COME EAKLY. STUDIO at BAunde«m Buildings. Note the Address, and do not be misled,



PHOTOGRAPHY. fJIO OOMLPETB WITH THE IIMES. For 14 Days Only B One Dozen Highly Finished Cabinet Photos FOR EIGHT & SIX. Don't Miss This Chance. AH work guaranteed. Note Address D Jones, The Photographer, Robotlotn Sfcudio, Moore Stree*.



THE f-HOW SEASON PRIZE "POULTRY. OWING to the number of nesw houses recently erected in the neighborhood of the Pelham Poultry Yards, rendering poultry keeping there inconvenient, the Proprietor is prepared to sell cheap the whole stock, including Exhibition Birda, Priza Winners, Young Birds, Etc. For ijirtiju'ara &p:.ly the Guardian PK'lhaM POLiLil-'Y MHnb P&llliB STREET, ASHBURTON. Braoke Wew Venus i



THE TOWN WAS ASTONISHED AND NORTHCOTEA lIEFFOIUj Have been Congratulated on all aidea on their Loyely of Noyelties and Millia:»y. .,..,....,. .,«q«....1 jj * : Their Lady Frienda and any number of iolka (not at present regular Customere) acknowledged freely that the VALUE Shown and the TASTEFUL DESIGHS of their MODELS Excsl by far any previously exhibited in Ashburton and District. A free IN YITATION is extended to ALL to view our GREAT SELECTION. NORTHCOTE & HEFFORD, CASH DRAPERS, MILLINERS, DRESSMAKERS, <fc OUTFITTERS, "THE CORNER."



NOTICE TO FARMERS. ARE CASH BUYERS OP PRIME MILLING WHEAT •IN ANY QUANTITY Please take your Samples to the Mill, We can supply Oorneacks at coat price, CANTERBURY ROLLER FLOUR MILLS, (ROLLITT AND C 0,,) J. B, HOB ART, Manager. 17th March, 1900. 3 153



THE PICK ARE CURED AND THE SOEFTIO3 LEFT TO WONDER. THE POLYPATHIC MEDICAL INSTITUTES 07 SYDNEY, ADELAIDE AND MELBOURNE. Permanent Nbw Zealand Branch Ohkistchctech. ■' ,Jk HH EE wiseeb, besb educated, and moat enlightened \ **" y&Ms^£ -*- people are daily becoming converts to (those new principles and methods which are supported by '^^^^^^^^^^^^ such over-whelming evidence, sustained by the public, who have had an opportunity of testing the remark I^^^^^^^^K^^ able success of the P. lypathic System. Their l^^^^^'^^Wo wonderful success has spread like wildfire through v/% Sj^S"^W&mKSK-- an enlightened community, and amongst those who *M^f^pSJ^dS^^i^. had given up all hope of ever being well again, and &%3-f&r}j liffiyf^ffSlLnT fh«*y are by hundreds availing themselves of the r ffS^^S&S^^^g^ Polypathic System of treating Chronic Diseases, \ffiHHss3f|^^^HfljH^ which has proved to be the turesr, quickest, and ISBBlßßißißl^^t most reliable means of cure ever offered an afflicted fmHr^faimidii'HjjlaEf people. When sick is the tiroe we need the best [■KyQHffiMHMQSHDr advice and treatment. Therefore we say—lnform jj^yillPJHßHlW^^^^^ yoorselves, you who are sick, and write to the Poly- V^SjSSj^^B/^Bt. i'athic Institute, it you cannot call, and accept j^Mj^Hß^^l^S^K proofs of the mysterious skill—more convincing] than iflH^^bEj^HfaflOV; i words—that is possessed by the Polypaths. Polypathy Cures with certa'nly where the old MuU linßDn^^Hj9Lmell>ods fail * iu P 3y s« o»ncer, Piles (hither nyß^>flC^SSsiy^to coaßiderecl incurable previous to oat new system), ■■■■■■M^niJiL^M^m^ Early Consumption, etc. They traat all Female Ailments by the Polypathic Method, which does away' with all examination and all local treatment! They also de sire to impress rip in all men who are suffering that they have the jastly celebrated Hindoo Remedy, so well and favourably known In the Old World as the " Anti-Agnechai Tabloid Method." All desiring to test th<* system will have isuch opportunity. THOUSANDS CURED ANNUALLY BY CORRESPONDENCE. Write for Question LlsN enveloping Stamp for Reply. POLYPATHIO MEDICAL INSTITUTE. N.Z. BRANCH, CHRISTCHURCH C> NSUITA T|o> N S I' RE B .



DRESS AND FASHION. Grand Show of Winter Fashions and Advanced Novelties. ANDEEW ORR T S now exhibiting a Magnificent Stock of High-classs Novelties, Winter Jackets, Capes, Costumes, Millinery, Macintoshes, Dress Fabrics, Corsets, Umbrellas, Gloves, Collars and Ties, New Dress Materials, Trimmings, Velvets, Blouse Cloths, £id Gloves. ■Gents' Clothing, Hats, Caps, Ties, Gloves, etc. Ladies and Gents' Jcots and Shoes in great variety, Blankets, Flannels, Carpets, Rugs, Linoleums, Floorcloths. Large purchases have been made previous to the great rise in Wool and other Materials, Customers will get the full benefit. DRESSMAKING.—TaiIor alade Coat and Skirt Costumes—beautiful fit. ANDREW ORR.



ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH, Abhburtoc, Daily Prajer- 9».m Communicants' Claeset—Girls, Tuesday, 4pm; Boy's, Thu:sday, 730 p m WEDNESDAY—Sunday >vchoolAnniver- sary at Drcmore, 7 30 p m FRlDAY—Litany and Sermon, 715 p m " The Baptismal Vow of Repentant c." Choir practice—B pm MID-LtNT SUNDAY. (March 25 ) | Harvest Thanksgiving. I 8 30 a m—Holy Comrr.union , 11 am—Matins and Sermon I 3 p m- SKAFIE- D, The Vicar, DROMOKI —Mr T. A. Gates. 6 30 p m—Choral Evensong and Sermon The Church will be decorated for the Harvest Festival Gifis. Vegetables, fruit, or grain may be Rent to the Schoolroom on Friday aftercoots or Saturday morning, R. A. WUODTHORPE, M.A., Vicar



Rudge-WMtworth Cycle Depot, Burnett Street. / RUDGE WHIT WORTH CYOJLES Lead the world. Come and injpsct the 1900 Model. I am SOLE AGENT for Aahburton for RUDGE - WHITWORTH & TRIBUNE BICYCLES. All Kinds of Machines Rkpairfd. BICYCLES ON HIRE. STOCK OF ACCESSORIES. 2?. D. Johnston, BURNETT STREET, Next Orangk Hall.



Lord Roberts HAS conaiderably reduced the number of Boers during the past week. Thie .8 the talk of the town, and bo is the fact that the Grown Studio have reduced the price of first clasß Photography. Cabinets from 7a 6d per dozen for the month of March. COME AND BEE OUR Brilliant Victory IN HIGH-CLASS PHOTOGBAPHY. MITCHELL, BURNETT STREET; 3 1



PUBLIC NOTIOK. GATES, LOWBY AND GO TTTE HAVE bow taken over larger premises in tho Jubilee Buildings, thus making our Ashburton branch the largest Cycle Works in the District. Enormous Stock of NOVELTIES] anS ACCESSORIES jusb to hand. GATES, LOWRY k CO., Burnett Street.



The great sucoess of Chamberlain's Oolio Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy in the treat' menb of bowel complaints has made ib standard over the greater part of the elvihs.d world. For sale by Ashburton Drug Co.



Pones Cotjkt—Ab this Court, this morn ing, before the Hon. W. J Steward and R. Alcorn, Esq*., J.s P., two first offenders for drunkenness were convicted and dis charged. Ashbubton FooTß'Lt, ChVK — Membcri and intending roembeirs of this dab are reminded that the annual general meeting will be held on Friday evening nexb, in the Arcade Chamber*, ats 7,30 p.m. Smoke New Venas.