SOCIAL COLUMN.

[The mutter included in this column is contributed and paid for]

GREAT GENERALS ON THE GREAT CURSE.

The testimony of the leaders of the "ihJn red lire" concerning alcoholic rinlss is woJtthy of careful consideration by those who bo opgerly i.ffur ihe members of Australian contigenta alcoholic t>tiir<ulants during their march through the ► treefs rf our oitiea. The Duke of Wellington, when a ked in a Parliamen'ai yCummisbion **fs drink, in your opinion, the great cause of all the crinu in the British Array?'replied, "Invariably." Sir Evelyn Wood, in )8?2, said, "Throughout the Crimean War those were the best and healthiest soldiers and sailors who did not toach intoxicating drink," Lord Wolsfiley wrote in 1881: l4There are yet eomo great enemies to be encountered by the United Kingdom; bub the most press ing enemy ia drirfk. It kills more than all our newest weapons of warfare, and not only destroys (he body, but the mind and soul also." General Stonewall Jack" s^n eaid "T never use it; lam more afraid t f It than Yankee onsets "

Please Read, Resolve, Act, and Pass

this paper on to a friend, interested in Temperance Reform.

Thr New Zealand Alliance will no longer be crippled in its efforts, but become really effective when 2000 Fo License Voters revise it to be their privilege and duty to each send it (without waiting to be canvassed) a subscription of at least 5a 10s, or 20s, before the end of October, When This is Tone the Agents who devote half their time to collecting money, will be set at liberty for educative and directly ag gressive work. The* Executive will be Freed From Financial Anxiety and enabled to devote time and thought, now given to discusßing ways and means, to the work for which they are appointed. Notp, that of 1600 I iquor Sellers in Few Zea-

LAND, Yhere are from 500 to 1000 who annually

Give from £5 to £10 Face to protect their own interests, regard less of the hurt done to the community. It might surely be expected that 100 persons could be found in the colony able and willing, from love to God and care for their fellow-men, to give £5 year'y to the New Zealand Alliance, the Central Colonial Temperance Organisation. Subscriptions can be sent direct to the Secretary, 100, Willis Street, Wel lington ; or to Mr H. M. Jones, Ashburton.

The Trade And Real Refreshments

The " trade " will have a rude shock this morning when he rends the dictum of Admiral Field, M P from the Fare ham ben eh of magistrates, rrmaikfd a contemporary last Friday. That it should be authoritatively laid down that eve y publican is bound to s< rye tea, if it is demanded civilly, is bad enough ; that the decision should be delivered by Tory M P of the old, thorough going school is simply shocking. The obliga tion is perfectly well known to these who study the law, but it is one of those duties that are conveniently ignored by a claes of traders who do not believe in putting thtmselves to any trouble if they can help if. The two lady cyclists who laid the infrrmation against the ttm»e publicans of Fareham arc benefactors to cyclists generally and io the public. We only hope they will improve upon this record of usefulness by making » raid on Londin pablic-horasea on the same lines.

A Solemn Sunday.

Mr Winston Chorchill in one of his letters from South Africa comments in the following terms upon the first Church parade he attended after a recent engagement :—

"It is a solemn Sunday, and the camp, with its white tent?, looking snug and peaceful in the sunlight, holds its breath that the beating of its heart may not be heard. On such a day as this the services of religion would ap peal with passionate force to thousands.

••I attended a Church parade this morning. What a chance this was for a man of great eon! who feared God ! On every side were drawn up deep masses of soldier y, rank behind rank perhaps in all 5,000. In the hollow square stood the General, the man on whom everything depended. All around were men who within the week had been faca to face with Death, and were going to face him again in a few hours. Life seomed very precarious, in spite of the sunlit landscape. What was it all for ? What was the good of human effort? How should it befall a man who died in a quarrel he did not understand ? All the anxious question ings of weak spirits. It was one of those occasions when a fine preacher might have given comfort and strength where both were sorely needed, and have printed on many minds a perma nent impression. The bridegroom's opportunity had come, Bat the Church had her lamp untrimmed. A chaplain with a raucous voice discoursed on the details of "The Siege and Surrender of Jericho.' Tho soldiers froze into apathy, aud af'.er a while the formal service reached it 3 welcome conclusion.

"As I marched home an officer said to me, 'Why is it, when the Church spends bo much on missionaries among heathens, she does not take the trouble to send good men to preach in time of war ? The medical pro fession is represented by some of its greatest exponents, Wby are men's wounded souls left to the care of a village practitioner V Nor could I answer, bufe I remembered the vener able figure and noblo character of Father Brindle in the River War, and wondered whether Rome was again seizing the opportunity which Canter bury disdained—the opportunity of telling the glad tidings to soldiers about to die."

In the absence of a sufficient know ledge of the facts it is impossible, as the Guardian observes, to endorse or refute Mr Winston Churchill's criti cism of the particular occasion, but this may be said, that the very best men the Church possesses are not too good to be sent to the front in time of war

A Catholic Priest on Live Insu rance.

I would encourage every young man and especially every father of a family, to have his life insured, and not have the widow or dependent friends, in case of misfortune, humiliated to the

2 very earth in seeking the charity of 'this or that organisation. We Catho lics show heart in our liberal support of charitable institutions, but we could show more wisdom by removing many of the causes which make them neces sary

Charity is chari<y. No matter how warm it may be, there is always an element of cold comfort in It when brought home to our families. Some men seem to be perfectly insensible to tha possible needs of others. They follow out a selfish and narrow policy. Amongst the worst of men must be ranked those who wilfully refuse to provide for their own families. We should strive to be practical, and in this we can lsarn wisdom from the shrewd Yankee, who, if his income be more thaa 5s per day for selling toys, generally has filed away in some remote corner of his house a policy on his life of sufficiently large amount to I enable his widow, in case of death, to I battle successfully against hunger. Yea, my dear friends, we are behind in three matters— : very far behind. Not very long ago I was present at the death of a comparatively young man who left his widow and five children to be provided for. His great regret was that his wife had persuaded him to discontinue his life insurance payments in order to get a piano on the time-* payment plan. The good woman, I| fear, will have more music as the result of her folly than she expected. I say, "ac a result of her folly." It is unpardonable foolishness for any woman to barter away the necessi ties of life for accomplishments dubiously profitable. I would ad vise young ladies to demand of any young man, as the first intro duction to her friendship, a policy of at least £200 written on bis life. In this lam perfectly serious. His life insurance policy and marriage certifi cate should both adorn the prelimina ries of the wedding breakfast

I would advise mothers of families to so importune their husbands, that life insurance would be the only condi tion of domestic peace

Oh ! but it costs co much. This is an excuse that springs from shiftlessness. It does not cost threepence per day for a £200 insurance policy. What is £4 a year to a man who spends double that amount to gratify his whims? Usually those who are alarmed at the expense have more money to squander in some life destroyer than in life insurance, Life insurance money is bread money, and the man who need* leesly denies it to his family is un worthy to have a family. Therefore, when God commanded us not to serve wealth as a false god, He did not say that wealth could not serve us;

THE ABHBUBTON GtJABEIA*? t SATtJRUa?, OCTOBER^2O, 190CJ

Printed and published by Atjbxd Jomr TtbbelL'Baxtbb, of Burnett street 0Mt t for the Proprietors, Robbbi Bxkei mm Hxksy A»am Maokay, ftt th*lr Fttntiac Office, Baraetb Street, Aahbnrboo, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20



NICHOLAS & PIGKFOID TTAVE Just Landed, ex b.b. W&imate, their first shipment of SUMMER GOODS, INCLUDING Ladies' Oroquet and Tennis Shoes. Gentlemen's Tennis, Bowling, and Cricketing SHOE 3 & BOOTS, In Canvas, Parramatta, Glace Kid, Back Skin, and Russian Calf. The Best Assortment ever Shown in Ashburton. Inspection Invited. NICHOLAS & PICKFORD,I EAST STREET. J. V. DE BEEE WATCHMAKER & JEWELLER TTAS just received a Large Shlpmen OF WATCHES. WATCHES 6 Dozen Nickel Levers at 27fl 6d Specially made to order, Strongly built to suit hard wear, 2 Years Guarantee. 8 Dozen NIOKEL WATCHES at 20s 1 The beat value in the Colony, 1 years Guarantee, A New and Full Stock of Gent's and Ladies Gold and Silver Watches to hand. SPECTACLES New Frames and Lenses on the Interchangeable System. To meet the requirements of those nßinj» the famous "LAZARUS' Spectacles a special importation of bis Frames and Lenses to hand. A PERFECT FIT GUARANTEED. J. V. DE~ B EER WATCHMAKER & JEWELLER, Ashburton WP N1 ED Known—The rapid lightring Shirt Gloss bas by far the largest ea'e in New Zealand—John Orr and Co and Shearman Bros, What Oh! She Bumps. qiHAT'i just) where YOU are WRONG. X Our lawn Mowers Do not bump. They jusfc slide over the Lawn as e»sSly as you could fall off a log, and they fairly shav.ui the grass off We have all sfssaa and prices, but only ONE QUALITY: THE BEST, We guarantee all oar goods, and if, after » trial, you are not satisfied, you o«n return them. WE ALSO STOCK— McOORMIOK BINDERS, * MOWERS, DAISYS, HAY RAKES, LITTLE WONDERS, &o. Morrow, Bassett & Co, ASHBURTON M. PRIEST, Manager ' KERNARD & WHITE, City Pork Shop, Havelock Street, HAVE just opened New Business in the Pork Line. Small Roods of all descriptions always on hand. The publio are specially invited to call and inspect) Pork Sausages, (fresh.) Daily cash buyers of dairy fed Pork. NEW ZEALAND INSURANCE COMPANY. ESTABLISHED 1859. CAPITAL— ONE MILLION THE Premier and Wealthiest Colonial Company, Noted for Promptness and Liberality Paid-op Capital and Reserved, £400,000. Fire and Marine Risks, Also,— Risks on Growing Crops. ThreshiDg Machines, etc, accepted at lowest current rates, E. W. Hanmer, AGfiNT. SMOKE BiOHICCJAY TOBACCO. The Lateab and Best Manufactured by O Wiuums & Co , RtohkwQd»VA,



THE MATCHLESS BICYCLE HABDLEY BEOS have been appointed aa Agent for this frst quality ENGLISH BICYCLE The Macnfaoturerß, Messhs Alldays & Onions, of Birmingham, hold contracts for supplying Bicycles ro the British Army, and to the Postal and Telegraph Department of Great Britain. THE MATCHLESS has been in use right through the Transvaal War. Over 2,000 Machines have been supplied to the War Department for use during the Wan THE MACKINeTwILL LAST A LIFE-TIME . Inspection Invited H IKDLEY JBBOS _§S__ ( BUY Direct From EncUnd — Famou " Khaki" Cycles, Great cub in the trade ; first-clase quality ab bedrock prices for cash ; single machines at £4 18 ; two machines, £8 lie ; three machines, £12 2s freight and dnty paid to Wellington; Ladies'cycles 10a per machine extra; Quo tations for ten bicycles and over on appli* cation. — John Hobst, Khaki Company, Stedall's Buildings, Portsmouth, England. EYEBY man likes a niae ehirt. Then as your laundresß to use the rapid Gloss-— Johh Obb & Co and Shearman Bbos. KAYE d CARTER ARE CASH BUYERS, highest current rates, all FARM PRODUCE. Agents tor Button's and Lawson's Unrivalled Seed?. New Season's Supplies of RAPE, TURNIP, MANGEL CLOVERS. &o, &o, JUST LANDED, LARGE STORES ab ..LYTTELTON. iCXTENSIVE CLEANING MACHINERY. CORNBAOKB always on hand, KAYE & CABTER, ohristchurch. 9 57 ashbUrion ! permanent building and i investment society. t oans granted from and upwards, at current rates. Full Particulars on application. Office —Tancred Streeti Office Hours—9.3o a m till 4pm Firßb Tuesday in Month—9 30 a m till 4 p m ; and 7 till 9pm ALBERT. ROBERTS, Manager PURERRED PRIZE POULTRY liiGJ-GS-H. MINORCAS, Brown Leghorns, Andalu. elans, LangshaDß, and Dorkings, from 5s to 21b per sitting. 8 187 H. G. BKRRYfIffAN. S. MoBRIDE, Monumental Sculptor, 60 Stafford |3t, Timaru tA LWAYS in Stock—A first XjL class selection of Marble and Granite Monuments, Designs and Estimates for warded on application. Letter Cutting ia any style. 10 25 JUST OPENED—Fishing Tackle, Pers.s. Karamea from London. The latest Rods, Minnows, Lines, Giff Hooks etc. etc arly inspection invited.—Hauol v Bro



J. SEALY & CO., THE OLDEST ESTABLISHED SEED FIRM IN ASHBURTON. JQ 0 S~} ARE still to the front, and are prepared to Bupply their many «k% Oii \JU» PAtrone with reliable SEEDS, of every description, THAT WILL GROW, at lowest) market rates. SEEDS FOR THE FARM, VEGETABLE SEEDS, FLOWER SEEDS, & GARDEN REQUISITES of every description, Direct from the Geowebs and Manotactubees. Oar Stocks of NEW SEASON'S SEEDS are from the Celebrated Firms, James Carter & Co, London, and Peter Law son & Son, Edinburgh, and they are of the best quality obtainable. FEUIT. FRUIT. FRUIT. LARGE STOCKS of all Seasonable FRUITS always on hand, ab low 6*6 rates, W. STRANGE Sole Partners and X, COVEKDALI Proprietors, - ' '■ :x;«———-■-'■' THE CHEAPEST WAY, THE BEST WAY, THE MOST SATISFACTORY WAY When baying anything is to|.PATRONISE A LARGE ESTABLXSHMENI such as our own. We buy ENORMOUS QUANTITIES ■ F EVERYTHING AT A TIME, AND WE BUY FOR HARD CASH, Cersequer.fJy we cm offer Patrons a very wide range of goods AT PRICES TO SUIT ALL PURSES. For. up to date Drapery, Stylish Dresses and Dress Goods, Fashionable Mantle and Jackets, exquisite London and Continental Model Millinery, &c., &c, Hove Furniture and Furnishings, Wire Mattresses, Pure, Sweet Bedding, First rat Venetian and other Blinds, Ready Made Clothing (all these lines being manafactnre by ourselves) WE ARE UNRIVALLED IN NEW ZEALAND WE ARE ALSO BESPOKE TAILORS, This great Department of our Business being conducted on West End Of Londo lines, STYLISH. PERFECT FITTINGJSUITS FROM £33 IT MAT NOT BE CONVENIENT FOE YOU To come to Town to see (Js ; if jou cmnofc spare the time to come, you can wßrrrcjro us. PATTJJBNS, PRICES, AND PARTICULARS pDst free on application to an address. HUNDREDS OF LADIES NOW SHOP WJTH US BY POST, T M WE FIND WORKS SMOUIHLY, EASILY, and PLEASANTLY AND GIVES GENERAL SATISFACTION. STRANGE~& "COMPANY, OHKISTfHUROH. M E LL O R'S ZE A LANDIA BOOT STORE HTHE only Up-to-date Boot Shop in |Ashburton. For real good Value, Style, and Fitting try the BOOTS Every pair guaranteed* Remember our Price is the CHEAPEST, and oar Stock the LARGEST in Canterbury. If you want good Value for very little Money, than be sure you go ro Ti/r m r x r\jy 'Q zealandia boot store, (OANORED BTFIFT, ASHBUBTON SMOKE ONLY NE W _ (o) _ VENUS A PERFBOT TOBACCO.



CROWDED WITH NEW GOODS^ PKOM FLOOR TO CEILIKG. Having just opened 25 cases ex s.s* • Gothic' and ' R&ngttira,' we are now able to ask oar Clients' inspection of a WONDERFUL VARIETY OF FRESR NOVELTIES! COMPRISING --New Mantles, New Jackets, New Skirts, New Blouses, IN DRESS GOODS We have bhe latest Black and White Effects, Lustres and French Foalls. In BLOUSE FABRICS We show Fancy Maslins, Valenciennes Muslins, Organdie Stripes, Mercerised Sateens, Silk Zephyrs, Orepe and Chiffon Stripes, also a very pretty range of NEW PRINTS. NEW MILLINERY 1 NEW MILLINERY I Most be Inspected to be [appreciated. (We make a Speciality of Childrep'a Head Gear.) WHITE AND CREAM PIQTTE COSTUMES In theilateat Shapes, Oowes, Marlow, Keswick, eto, LOVELY LACES Very choke ; in Valenciennes, Torohon and Oriental ,'andllnßortionß to match, FANGY OVERALL LACE (very chaste) UP-TO-DATE VEILINGS In Magpie, Cream, White and BJack),|flnesb lotjyet shown at The* Comer. NEW BRAID TRIMMINGS (specially selected) The Latest in Fisohuß, Saarfi, Ruffs, Bows, Vests and Fronts. A smart lot d Child KHAKI BLOUSES and CAPS to match, NEW BDNSHADES. Pretty White Kid Boots and Shoes for Infants, Tastful Tan Shoes in Strap or Laos Misses. Ladies' Glace Kid Shoes (French and American), in Lace, Button and Strap JUST ARRIVED from the famous Mosgiel and Wellington Factories ;— BOYS CLOTHING Of Khski (regulation cloth), Serge and Tweed, in Transvaal, Baden-Powell and Sailor Shape LADIES NOTE TfIAT "OBR DRESS-MAKING DEP'ABTMNT," Under Miss OaasiE (from Wellington), is now in fall awing: Kindly place yoar Ord 1 O-tha Show and Rioes^EARLY, to avoid disappointment, NORTHCOTE & HEFFORD, «;the oorneh. EAST AND TANOEED STEEE CHARMING SPRING NOVELTIES. JUST OPENED: 50 CASES NEW GOODS. "VTEW MILLINERY, FLOWERS, FEATHERS, RIBBON, fto. New Dress Fabrics, Serges, Costume Oloth; will not shrink or spot£wlth ruin. Novelties in Zephyrs, Prints, Fancy Piqaes, Spotted Muslin?, Lustiee, plain ftjfigured. Special Value in Black Dreaa Goods of all kinds. Magnificent Asnortment of Plain and Figured Silks, Mantles; Corset*, P DJand 0B; and aleo various other makes; Lace Curtains, White Counterpanes; Umbrellas and Sunshades, all prices. Up-to-date Millinery, very stylish. DRJJJSMAKING.—-Ladies leaving their orders are getting [every 'satisfactioa in fib and style. AILORING.--A thoroughly up to date Stock of Suitings and]Trouserin£g in English, Scotch, Irißh, and Colonial Tweeds. Satisfaction Guabantked. 10 Oases of LINOLEUM and OAR PETS just opened. ANDREW ORR. BELFAST AND FAIRFIELI FREEZING WORKS MANUREB, ARE THE BEST T7IOR TURNIP, RAPE WHEAT, AND ANY OTHER CROP, SPECIAL MANURE can be mad 3 for any kind of Soil, or description of orop. SATISFACTION GIVEN BVEBYWHIRE LAST SEASON. MANURE CAN BE SUPPLTFD IN 1 Owt, or 2 Owt. SACKS Orders received b/ FBIEDIiANDISR BROA, U.mtte&.» DAVID THOMAS, OR THUi. JN.Z-, .FAK-MICK^ 00-*.*l^liSJ»A.l.'lirE A SfetOCIATION OF CLAJ^XJKraBUKY, JLlmlted,, OANTEBBURY FROZEN -MEAT AND DAIRY PROPUCI EXPORT COMPANY, LIMITID. 880 ff. WAYMOU < Seor«*t»ry. LINOLEUMS. LINOLEUMS. /\UR FIRST SHIPMENT FOR THE SPRING NOW LANDED,' EX .8 oOTHIC Choice and Novel Designs in all Widths. Remnants of Last Season's Goods at Reduced Prices. CAKPETS, CAKPET SQUARES, RUGS & MATS. MITCHELL AND TURNER.



MRS ALCORN ii having a display «f Fancy Art Needlework—the newM* and latest for two weeks, during, which she will give 10 per cent discount oa it, and all materials for working; As it !• Said out for inspection she will feel obliged if ladies interested in needle work could ail andosee it. — - MKS JOHNSTON rfIEACHER of the Pianoforte and Sir-gin*. Havelock Street, — . ii 11^ GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. Established 1870. EVERY POLICY GUARANTEBD BY THE BTASB. The two prime reasons which have led to the extraordinary bonuses which this office has been able to declare have been its ECONOMICAL MANAGEMENT and its KE MAEKABLY FAVO.UEABLE MORTALITY EXPEBIENCE. " The Australasian Inswrmoe and Banking . Record" says,—"lt [the N.Z, Government office] possesses the splendid''advafatetf* of operating in perhaps the health iest country in the world." To this, coupled with rigid care in the selection of livea, has been due the unprecedented^ low rate of mortality which the office has en joyed. Year by year the actual deaths have fallen far short of what was anticipated, and the funds thereby saved l*»ve all gone to swell the profits, which at *be valuation in 1896 (for three years) amounted in CASH to £225,000 Sterling. Present Funds amount to ovee THREE . MILLION POUNDS. Annual Income exceeds £400,000. J. H. KICHAEDSON, g] Commissioner, ! , NICOLL BEOS. 1 F NicoLL, E F Nicoi.L, L A NiooiAi Merchants & General Agents BUYEBSOF FAT SHEEP & LAMBS. AGENTS FOR— Chrietchuroh Meat) Oo;, Ltd Islington Fertiliser* Little's Sheep Dip Ocean, Accident and Guarantee Corpora* ' tion, Ltd United Insurance Co., Ltd. (Fire and Marine.) GRAIN BOUGHT AND SOLD ON COM* MISSION We shall be pleased to receive sample* from farmers who have parcels for disposal. Station Books Kept and Aubimd. We have received tun» of Xnut Moblm. ranging from £100 to £1000, to land on Freehold Securities at 4£ and 5 per cent* F E U~I T. We receive regular Consignments Iron Anckland, Sydney, and the Island* .and have in stock Apples, Pears, and Fralt ia season aU the year round. SEEDS. We stock Clovers, Ryegrass, Bape, and Turnip Seed of reliable quality, THE OHRISTCHUROH MEAT CO, Limited, ISLINGTON MANUEES Especially prepared for . WBJtiAT, TDKNIPrf, BAPB and any other crop, and to suit any description of soil. Greatly increased production wherever uted. Satisfaction given everywhere, Nicoll Bros, store five varieties of thl celebrated fertiliser. Prioe on applicatioo Allowanca made for quanllties. Letters will receive prompt attention. . NICOLL BROS, District Agent*. BAKER BEOS., ODRNTSHING TrNDKBTAKXBB E URWISHING U NDERTAKEBB, DIRECT Importers of Beet and Latet* Designs in FUNERAL FURNISHINGB« FUNERALS condoled with th« greatest oare and satisfaction, at BUMfe reasonable charges. Corner of Wakanni Road and Oas* Streets, and Baker and Ooaflh Factory. THE DAINTIEST LITTLE WHEEL THAT EVER WAS" * The Bambler." 5 tTAVING aold oat of my old stock of XX these enperlor Bicycles, I hare aso o ened ap a fresh consignment of tn« LATEST PATTERN « RAMBLES" SPECIAL LIGHT RACERS, ROAD BACERS, & ROADSTERS n all fires and all fitted with tlia er«r asting Q & J detachable Tyro. •• XJEXJB2 BAMBLEB/j ii AJSD INSPEOI THE STOCK. Price Easy. Riding Easy. . Machines the Strongest 'on Earth. ACCESSORIES IN STOCK, OTHER MARES FITTED WITH G & J TYRESi D. THOMAS. "lor saTe7~* A GRAND LITTLE FARM OJ IK(\ ACRES, situated 1J miles from Atf tf Tinwald Yards, splendid honw- '■ I stead, well divided, with water tn eaob paddock. Price low and easy terms Also,- O'V A ACRES, In the be*b of order, good &t\J homestead, Tinwald. Very low prioa will be accepted for thl, Farm E W. HANMBB.