Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 1900.

The recklessness and . incompetence of many British officers at the front form the sublet of

CARELESS AND INCOMPETENT OFFICERS

numerous private letters sent JHom°,

some of which are

getting into print. J Here ia one bit of special interest:— 1 " The average British officer is not a man of tacst in dealing with civilians, and he usually manages to rub them the wrong way. It is the more notic - able now that there are so many colonial officers here (Australians and Canadians) who are gentlenoen and soldiers, and men of the world too; the difference is very distinct: I must say for the colonials that there is absolutely no (side/ but a proper self-respect which anyone can admire. Much as I admire Tommy Atkins, he is not to be compared with the Australian &nd Canadian Volunteers, who have been pouring into this country for weeks past. They are simply magnificent men, and we are all very proud of ; them. Men, horses, and equipment are simply perfect. They have pro voked the profound admiration of several British officers. President, Kruger should be thanked Leartily for bringing on this war, for he has taught us many a lesson, and not the least important is the magnificent fighting force which, unsuspected, is ready tat our hands, and of which there is an enonnoud supply. ThiTe is no BUch narrow name for the future as English, Irish, > cottisb, Australian, Canadian, or any other part of the Empire. We \ are now all Britons, and it is spelt with a very big ' B. and you and I will always feel pride in thi awakening which the laßt six months have brought about" Severe as is the foregoing censure of British officers it pales be fore the swinging allegations of Mr Winston Churchill and The Times cor respondent at Capetown. The latter, dealing with the disaster at Koorn spruit, says :—" All the details which have reached here only serve to bring out clearly the marvellous carelessness and improvidence of our officers, whom, it would aeem, no series of disasters will ever teach to keep wide awake, The Boers in Colonel Broadwood's rear drove his force into the party at the drift exactly as partridges are driven to the gun. At the drift itself, as each waggon went down the hollow, the Boer« quietly covered the drivers and pointed where to drive to, io as not to block the couvoy, When the guns, ar rived the trap was all clear again fjor their reception. To quote the words of one present: 'It was just like walk ing into a cloak-room. The Boerß politely took your rifle and asked you kindly to step on one side, and th^re was nothing else you could do.' There has already been much talk at Home of reorganising and increasing the army. The one thing really important is to make the army intelligent. O;ur generals,regimental officers, and soldiers are ah brave—none braver—but itfis useless to shirk the fact that the majority of them are stupid " |

Local and General.

%* On the first page to-day will be found Commercial, etc. i

The Alleged Gamblers—Owing pjrc bftbly to sufficient evidence not be(ng obtainable, it) is not intended to take further proceedings against the persons whose names were taken ou Sunday in connection with the alleged playing of "two up IJ ia the North Park, Ohristchurch.— Frtsss ).

Rabbits in Hawke's Bay—Judging from the reports of the Hawke's Bay Rabbit Board's meeting, bunny must be a very real grievance in that district. The inspectors' reports must provide both interesting and painful reading, for a large section of the community there. \

An Extraordinary Floor — An ex traordinary floor has been laid in the London Oaal Exchange. It is constructed of inlaid wood, and the pieces are arranged so as to represent a mariner's compass. Some of the slabs of wood, of which there are altogether 4000, have interesting historical associations. Thus, the one forming the haft of the dagger in the City Corporation arms is a portion, of a tree planted by Peter the Great when; he worked as a shipwright at Deptfcrd.

Football—The following team will repre sent the Pirates' Club second fifteen in ihe match with Lagmhor, on Thursday next • T ~ M. Baker, W Dardis, F. Clark, R, Boyle, (cuptain) W. Stribbling, T. Nolan, A, Childs, H. Hefford, W. Pritchard, B. Healy, J. Fitzgerald, J. Brophy, Culverbouse, Hig gins, J. Bull. Emergencies—G. Gourdie, Samuel, Welsh. Any of the above unable to play fare requested to Inform the cap tain at once. McConnell's drag will leave the Somerset corner at 1 15 p-m sharp. —The following will represent Lagmhor : - Wilson, Willis, Severs, Williams, Wiiloughby, Mahoney, MuLeod, Feohney, Warne, Sione, Godfrey, McElhinny, Digby, Lindsay, and Clark.

A Supposed Fraud—lb has transpired that the supposed fraud perpetrated oo the Rugby Union at Lancaster Park on Satur day was the result of an accident. The half pound-note was presented by a wel! kuowu end respected citizen, who was ignorant of what he had done until he got home* Observing the paragraph in the newspapers and being aware that he had tendered paper money, he investigated and discovered the missing half in his pocktt. He took the earliest opportunity of making restitution.

Mosr Valuable Lifk in the World.-^ The possession of " the most valuable life in the world" is credited to a New York contractor named John Macdonald, whose life has been insured for two million dollars. This overtops the insurances on the lives of the great American millionaires. The effect ing of the insurance represents the value the syndicate place upon the man's services for five years while engaged on a thirty million dollar contract. The insured is now fifty-six years of age, and is being closely watched to see that he takes no risks and keeps to his usual moderate habits. This record insurance was all arranged in eight minutes. . <,•

An Armoured Train.—One of the most curious of all the many recent inventions for usu in modern warfare is an armoured traio, I which has just been constructed at Indret, in France, for the French military authori ties. The new engine of war is a remarkable looking monster, shaped something like an immense fish, or perhaps even more like a huge metal cigar. It) is forty-nine yards long, and armed at either end with a sort of iron spur, The carriages are cylindrical, and fit into'one another, and the engine ia conical in shape. It has been armed at the Rennes arsenal, and was tried the other day on the railway between that place and Cherbourg. It can, if necessary, get up a speed of forty-eight miles an hour, and, winding along the railway, presents the appearance of a huge steel serpent, the carriages undulating like the reptile's scales as they wound round an angle of the track. Woods' Great Peppermint Cure for Coughs and Colds never ails—ls 6d and 2s 6d >

A Danger to Shipping—lt is reported that a San Francisco firm are preparing a raft 635fb long and 53ft in diameter, con taining 14,000,000 ib of lumber, and which when complete is to be towtd to Japan.

Convalbsoknt—Many will be glad to learn that Mies Button, of Peel Forest, who met with a severe accident some weeks ago, was tib'o to leave her room, and join the family circle for an hour or two on Sunday last. Rest and care are all that ars needed now to ensure full recvery.

All to Himsblf — • God love ye, darlin',' aho-ited an Irishman in Phceiix Park on April 21st. The Queen was seven or eight yards away, and ehe laughed and nodded. The unconventional courtier was delighted beyond measure. ' I'd that to myself,' he told hia comrade,. 1 I'd that to myself, any way. It's the only intercourse I ever had w;th Royalty, and I'll buy ye a drink on the strength of it,'

Death of Mrs Lawcock—The Amberley correspondent of the JFress reports the death of Mrs Lawcock, the mother of the girl who was murdered ia Amberley a few ytara ago. Mrs Liwoock's dea'h was rather unexpected, the result of a euddtn seizure. She never regained consciousness, and died after a few hours' illness. She waa an old and respected resident in the district, where ehe had resided for about thirty-three year?.

THE f GRIOOLTUBAI, CONFERKNCE-The Agricultural Conference opens in Welling ton on Tuesday next, and the following gentlemen have been invited to attend, in addition to the delegates representing the variona Associations :—Sir John Hall, and Messrs Thoa. Mackenzie, P Pftttullo, J G Wilson, W G Foster, H Overton, H V Fulton, D Peat, J Bayne, J H Coleman, T W Adams, J D Ribohie, 13 W Kirk, J A Gilruth, and J A KinsetU. The four last named represent Government Departments. Mr Thomas Mackenzie will be present also, as a delegate from the Tapanui Society.

Payment of Jttbobs —The payment of jurors que-ition was raised in the Supreme Court in Wellington the other day. The foreman of the jury in the action MoLeod against the Manawatu Railway Company, remarked that the jury bad been sitting for tw£ whole days, there was the procpscb of ft long night sitting, and they thought they ought to receive an allowance beyond the 10s per caie The Chief Justice said he sympa thised with jurorß. The rate of payment was utterly at surd s but unfortunately he could not alter the law. After some dis cussion on the point, it was discovered that there was 6 precedent for granting an extra allowance, and both parties to the action being willing jurors were tkUawed lOs per day, .

Recovered Sight.—A ease of sight return ing after nixkeen years of total blindness is reported by Emanuel Mandel, father of Philip Mandel, of No. 454 South Broad Street, Trentoo, a town in the State of New York (U.S.) The elder Mandel lives in Newark, bub he spent last summer here visiting his son. At that time he wae totally blind, and had to bt led from place to p'aoe. Rome time after returning to his home in Newark Mr M»ndel was taken tick, and his illness con tinued until a few weeks ago, when he began to experience violent pains in his head. One day, he says, he was startled by being able to see his hand distinctly. Astounded at the gleam of daylight af tsr sixteen years of gloom, Mr Mandel cays, ha looked up and saw the well-remembered face of his wife. From that time Mr Mandel deolares, his eight im proved until cow he can see as well as in his youth. When seen by the reporters on April 2 regarding the c*s?, Philip Mandel said that his father had not taken any treat ment for hia eyes for years. He had lost the sight of one eye in the C>vil War, and the other had been lost through Illness. He oould not account for the restoration of hlB father's sieht, norcou'd any of the physicians who examined him. The elder Mandel is sixty years old.

A West Coasters Impbkssion of Lyddite —A letter from Trooper Coutts (North Is land) a member of the First New Zealand Contingent, is published in the Grey R ver At£us Tha writer v the trooper who so pluckily rescued a non-commissioned officer of the Burmese Mounted Infantry named Edgar, who was shot right through from the right breast to below the point of his left shoulder at the back at the Koomspruit ambush. Trooper Cputts carried the wounded man in front of him on horseback a distance of about nine miles before he gob a conveyance. After referring to the Kourn* spruit ambush, Trooper Coutts saya :—" I saw the effects of lyddite at Paardeberg, where for nine days Cronje withstood both shrapnel and lyddite. I spoke to Boers who were in the trenches, and have no reason to doubt their statement!), and they go to prove that lyddite is not nearly so dangetous as it has been repre sented to be in the papers we read from New Zealand. In stony or rocky ground no doubt it would be very deadly, on account of the rocks it would throw or smash up in all directions, but in soft ground only the pieces of the shells and the fumes are dan gerous. The latter would kill those, say, perhaps, within about ten yards, although it would make all those within about thirty yards very sick and prostrate for fifteen or twenty minutes. The lyddite it for nil the world like mustard or Cooper's sheep dip, and after the explosion leaves a pale green tinge on the ground for twenty yards around."

A Narrow Esoam—The Ofcago Daily livies says:—A married woman named Mrs Mary Jane Tradook, living with her hus band and family near the Pelichet Bay railway station, seems to have had a narrow escape from meeting with a terrible death on Saturday. She was seen walking along the railway line at the bottom of Frederick street in the direction of the town, and some youth* who noticed her state that she ap peared to have had some drink. She fell between the rails of a cattle stop, bat got up again and continued on her way along the line. She was followed by two of her children, who .were walking alongside the rails. Presently the Palmerston train ap proached from Dunedin. When the engine was about 15 or 20 yards away from her, the woman Uy down on the rails, but, happily, the cowcatcher of the engine striking her, she was pushed cff the line* The train was I stopped, and the woman was picked up and taken to the hospital. It was found thab beyond a few cuts about the head she escaped without injury. She remained in the insti tution all yesterday and was then discharged. She was immediately arrested by the police and tiiken to the lock-up, where she was charged with attempting te commit sui cide.

News in Brief.

The left arm ia frequently stronger than the right. With men, about one-t)hird are so constituted, and with women, about one in every four

One of the first motor oyclea ever intro* duced into the colony has just been im ported by Messrs Servioe and G, Henning, Auckland, The machine is aDe Dion and Bouton tricycle, propelled by naphtha power (2| horse power). The machine ie of the latest model, nod the speed is regulated by two hand brake?, which enable the rider to stop within almost the length of the machine, Ib weighs only 2001b, ÜBea small fuel, and has b< en tested up the steepest grades of Urn streets in Auckland, which it negotiated with ease, and worked up to 25 miles an hour on the Mangere road. The machine is fib ted up with Senmng'a tyrea. During the last two hundred years Eoglatnd haa spent over 1200 millions of money in war, which still means a payment of over 20 millions a year in interest on debt. But future aaval wars will be far more expensive. It is estimated that a naval action between thirty modern battleships would cost something like a million sterling j an hour; and that a naval war between England, France, and Russia would cost a sum of money equal to the market value of every inch of English soil A Natal newspaper is responsible for the following curious story of President Kruger i " Some years ago tha President bought from an old haifbreed female pedlar a meerschaum pipe, to which she ascribed a power of forecasting the future. The old woman predicted that three important changes in his life would be foretold by aacidenti befalling the pipe. Early in tha year 1881, before the retrocession and the qualified independence of the Transvaal, tht stem oame to pieces ; a little before the Jameson raid he chipped a piece off the bowl; and just before his departure for the Bloemfon tein Conference the pipe fall to the ground, and wai amaehad to |r»gmenti."

TERRIBLE RAILWAY ACCIDENT

Carriage telescoped by an impress

Wreckage on Fire.

United Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright London, June 17 Despite a danger signal, the express going to Plymouth wrecked the rear carriage of a special race train standing at Slough railway station Four persons were killed, and seventy injured.

June It

The scene at Slough was terrible. The gaa escaped in the carriagee, and the wreckage caught fire, many people being burned to death. The steam from the engine of the express scalded

others,

Mrs Bernard Beere, the actress, who was among the passengers, bad a marvellous escape. She received no injunee, but was prostrated by the nervous shock.

Ashburton County Racing Club

A meeting of the Committee of the Ash burton County Racing Club was held in the Club's room, Arcade, on Saturday evening.

AUTUMN AND SCMMBR MEETINGS

It was decided to fix the dates for the next Autumn Meeting for the second or third week in May. It was understood that the Summer Meeting would be held as usual on the Tinwald course on January 1 and 2.

A member of the oomnpittee suggested that the beat time for the first meeting in. the aeason would be in November, say, a week after the CJO. fixture. A sports meeting for the whole of the Ashbnrton county could then be held on the Tinwald course ou New Tear's D.iy. At present the Ashhurtcn County Racing Club bad to keep up bwo courses. He thought it would be in the best interest of racing in the diattict if the Club could hold eaoh of its meetings on the one course. Money could then dm spent in greatly improving the grand stand, paddock, and other accommodation, and Tinwald oould secure New Y« ir's Day and hold a really, good sports meeting of its own. He, however, would not move in the matter if he thought there would bs one dissentient voice. When the amalgamation took place ib was agreed th»t one meeting a year for four years should be held on the Tinwald course, and he would not be one to depart from that agreement unless there was perfect unanimity over the matter. Tin wald might approach the Asbburton County Racing Cub with some proposed and an arrangement might be come to whereby the Tinwald Club would be allowed 10 retain the instalments not yet paid over to the County Club, and this money would form the nucleus of a fund wherewith to re establish the Tiowaid Ciub on modified lines.

The question was further discussed ia an informal manner, but no definite propoiU tion was nude. THE TOTALIBATOB A letter was read from a leading sports man connected with the North Otago Racing Cub asking for information re the working of the tol&lUator, and stating that nothing but high praise was heard of the manner in which the ABhburfcon Club's officials had worked the totaluator at its own last two meetings.

Fakaia Road Board.

This Board met on June 11. Present- Messrs WFM Buckley (to the chair), R Nowell Bealey, A Colville, and X Wit, on. Sir John Hall was eiected chairman for the ensuing year It was resolved to convey to Mr Parker Wes enrti the deep regret of the Board as to the unfortunate accident which had necessitated hie resignation ; a'so their thanks on behalf of the ratepayers for his many years' services. Ihe Selwyn County Council notified that the sum of £155 16s would be required for hospitals and charitable expenditure for the year. She Clerk was appointed to receive any district subscrip tions for the Indian Famine Fund. Ir. wast resolved that tenders be ctiled for 20,000 ft of black birch for rcpianking Ulentucnel bridge. The sum of £5 was voted to each of the District Sparrow Clubs, to be expended in poisoned grain. Constable Copeland inter viewed the Board relative to publio health matters. He was informed that the Board were not aware of any insanitary premises in the district at present, but should any such oases ootne under their notice, they should be glad of hit assistance in making necessary inspections.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

United Press Association—By Eleotrfo Telegraph—Copyright CuRISTOHURCH, June 18 The Conciliation Board award in the milling trade dispute recommends a day's work to be eight hours, that overtime be paid in proportion to the wages, time and a quarter for the first three hour*, and time and a half for the second three, double after that; holiday! and Sundays doable. The following days are to be observed as holi days :—New Year's Day, Hood Friday, Eaßter Monday, Queen's and Prince of Wales' Birthday, Anniversary, Christmas, and Boxing Days. That the number of boys or apprentices employed shall not exceed one to three or a fraction of three men, in an oatmeal mill the proportion not to exoeed two to one. The scale of wages was fixed i —Bollerman or shift millers, not less than £2 14s ; oatmeal or barley millers, £2 14», purifier man £2 2s, Smutter man £2 Ba, kiln man, £2 10s, head storeman £214 a, second ditto £i2s, packer man £2, chief engineer £3 3s, assistant £2 10s, boys' first year 10s, thereafter & rise of 5s each year, till the fifth, when it shall be 10a, also the customary " Preference of Unionists " clause. Pending the erection of a permanent destru ter to treat rubbish, the City Council proposed to make use of an unused ohimney stack in the South West Ward and fit up a furnace as a temporary destructor. Resi dents in that Ward sent a petition to the Council at its meeting to night, protesting against the proposal and threatening to apply for an injunction to prevent the destructor from being placed in the locality, A deputation waited on the Council in support of the petition, which the Council decided should lie on the tablet The Council decided to purchase a section at the corner of the South and East Bfitts as ft city-yard and this will probably be us«d as the site of the permanent destructor. M«»q while the negotiations with regard to a temporary destructor remain uncompleted, At the meeting of the City Council to-night the By-Law Committee reported that it had agreed upon clauses in a by-law affecting thi vending of newspapers and small wares in the streets by children, based chiefly on the regulations in force for Jfke purposes in Liverpool and Glasgow, with local application. This was mainly in the direction of licensing boys only during limited hours and the wearing of a distinguishing badge by boys liable to'cohool attendance.

MINISTERIAL CHANGES.

Rumoured the lion J McKenzic

Resigned.

Mr Chas. 11. Hills Probably Joins the Ministry.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Wellington, June 19

It is rumoured that the Hon. John &lc- Kecssie has resigned and that Mr Chan. H. Mills j tins the Ministry.

TRANSVAAL WAR.

Kruger Again Moves His Head-

quarters.

Kruger's Paper Money Refused.

Aiiother Proclamation From Steyn.

A British Force Attacked.

The Enemy Routed.

Uultedl Press Association—By KUotrlo Telegraph—Copyright Lon»ow, June 18 Kruger has moved his headquarters to Alkmaar,

The Brmelo branch of the National Bank, refusing to accept Kruger's paper money valued at six thousand, the Landdrost abstracted gold to that amount, giving paper in exchange. The Public Prosecutor acquiesced in the transaction

Stayn on the 11th issued a proclo» rant ion declaring that the Free Staters were still fighting and unconquered Six hundred B^ers attacked 250 North Royal Lancasters at Ztnd River Station, where a force under Major Capper wer<) r«p»iring a bridge. Lord Kitchener forewarned Major Capper, and the latter entrenched bis force

The Boers at dawn opened fire wi'h rifles,, a Pom-Pom, and a twelve pounder. A. furious fight raged till the Yeomanry arrived in the after noon, when the Boi rs decamped and left seven dead. Nine were captured.

An army order announce* a special gratuity of £5 to Australasian and Canadian non-commissioned officers and n^en discharged, or the gratuity to be added to the estate of men dying in the service.

The Invalided New Zealanders.

United Preas Association—By Electric Telegraph Wellington, June 18

All the invalids, who have lately returnod to the colon;,, have been examined by the Medioal Board, who reports that ultimately they are likely to recover. A month's p»y from the day of landing ha* been allowed, and later it will be decided what farther allowance it dcs r*ble.

Ihe Cape Rebels.

General Buller Eulogised.

(Reoeived W»kapuaka June 19, 9 15 a m,

Ihis Office 935 am)

London, Jane 18

It transpires that the proposals for the appointment of a commission to try the Cape rebels, made by Scbreiner and Solomons, is entirely spontaneous and not initiated in London.

General Buller has been warmly eulogised on his recent successes. Be has released many JSntal Volunteers, wbo were taken prisoners by the enemy from time to time.

ANOTHER BOY HERO.

A private in the York and Lancaster Regiment tends us (Times, of Natal) *n act of gallantry performed by a drummer boy belonging to his regiment). The name of the drummer ii Watson, and the incident referred to took plaoo while the regiment was fighting at Yentter's Spruit. A deadly crow ere prevailed at the time, ballets falling about like rain. The men were unable to move from their position, they had no water, and their throats were parched. It was too riiky, everyone felt, to leave the firing line and procure water from the stream near by. In such a hail of bullets the chances of being struck are a thousand to one. All at once the little drummer boy sprang up, and be fore be could be stopped be had gathered up as many of his comrades water bottles as he could oarry, and made a dash down the hill towards the stream. Before he reaohed the stream, however, the gallant little ohap was hit no fewer than three time* by the Boer bullets. The boy never returned to his comrades again, and many unfavourable rumors wer« afloat as to how he fared. It was thought he had been taken by the Boers, but, to the unbounded joy and satisfaction of all his comrades, the news hat sinoe been received that he is recovering? and now on his way to England. It la to be hoped that hiigttliant and h.eroio act will be recognised as it deserves. It was not an aot of bravado, bat done spontaneously to save his comrades.

r! naves gave enthusiastic praiee to the British eo'dior : -'iheoemmen eoWerfe he was seen in London wns t, man who app»r en'ly spent his time in walking abrut tbs park with the nursemaids— ( laughter)—and et-eined to ha r a peculiar disposition to be comj tipsy. But in the front there were no nursemaids and no rublic h"u»'. s. That might explain, perbapp, why certain other qualities came very much tq the front. We were a very unemotional people, but we had a remarkable instinct of patriotism, »nd it came out remarkably io Tommy A'kine. He was present at the last ohuroh parade bafore the advanoe of Spearman's Camp, heid oa the veldt at half-past six in the morning. Many of the men present had only a few days more to live. At the end of the fpi vice : hey « kD g OQe rrrae o f • God save lh« Queen,' and he did not think any human being could give any idea of how the National Anthem sounded under such oiroums'anoes. The tone came out as from voices of brass, and every man obviously meant every word he eaid. Mr Treves proceeded go relate, in vivid and interesting term*, a number of anecdotes about) the caeca of individual wounded soldiers, who had shown themselves to be inspired amid suffering with the) noblest instincts. One man, who was shot in the back, bad described how, after, many ineffectual attempts, he shot a Boer in the forehead, and the first remark of the wounded man was : "Oh, doctor, it was one of the best days of my life; it was like a dream | you should have been there to sea it." The wounded fellow had turned to tell hit two palls that he had shot the Boer, but both of - them were dead. There was a great deal in the common soldier that could notbeacconn* ted for by his pay of Is Id per day. It was a grand thing to come home with medals and with drums beating and banners waving; but it had ended very often in a qpignad, death and burial on the veldt. One poet soldier who had his eye shot and his uppec jtw blown off staggered into, camp aad signed for pencil and paper. Instead of ask* ing relief or whether there was any hope, ho simply wrote "Did we win J' Ho testified not only to the patriotism and admirable ptnek of the men, bub their kindness to each other and their unae'fiahnees. As an example* he mentioned that one of the men in hospital, suffering from a broken thigh, three times left his bed voluntarily in ordsr to make room for wounded comrades, and excused himself on the ground that he was " such ft restless man."

THE COLONIAL CONTINGENTS.

The Sydney Afornittg Hetald famishes the following as the tall ■trength of the rarioos colonial contingent*. Relatively, New Zea land is *n easy first. Canada's figures are not given, bat they are not so many as those of New South Waist, and do not largely exceed those of onr own colony :— New South Wales .. 2672 men New Zealand .. .. 1787 men Victoria.. .. .. 1419 men Queensland .. .. 1126 men South Australia .. 677 nen Western Australia .. 476 men Tasmania ..  296 men I Total .. *  8355 men

AFFAIRS IN CHINA.

Movements of flu BritUh Wu«

ships

United Press Association—By ESeotrio Telegraph,—Copyright, London, June 18

The position of the forces under Admiral Seymour is precarious. Water is icarce and commissariat lacking. The Boxen' movement is spreading rapidly. The correspondent of The Times tele graphing via 'JLientsin, under Than* day's date, states that the Boxers on Wednesday burned the Catholic Cathe dral and the large building* belonging to the London Mission, and the pre mises of the Amtrican Board of Mis* sioni, together with all the dwelling! of foreign employees of the Customi Department. Ho Europeans were injured, but hundreds of nati?e Chris* tiansl and servants of foreigners, bare been massacred within a radius of two miles of the Palace,

The Powers are hurrying troops to Tientsin. It is estimated that! ulti mately they will place 30,000 in the field.

\ Trouble has broken oat at the West I River, and 5000 rebels are at Kweih* I sien.

Hong Kohg Jane 18

The Ticeroys of Nanking and 8u« chang are taking stringent measures to maintain order.

The British warship Hermione hai been ordered to Nan-king, the Linnet to Hankow, and the Undaanted to Woosung.

Washington, Jans 18 President McKinley has ordered troops from Manila to Taka, owing to the absence of news from Tientsin.

AUSTRALIAN FEDERA TION.

United Press Automation—By Electrle  Telegraph—Copyright (Received Wakapuaka Jqm 18,10 40 p, n« ThlsOffioe 11-45 p.m Sydney, June 18 Sir W J Lyao cabled Mr Barton that the compromise now proposed on the Commonwealth Bill ii better than the first one, bat not entirely satis factory. He hopes, however, the Bill will pass without delay Melbourne, Jane 18 Mr Tamer approve* of the last revision of the Commonwealth Bill, and advises its acceptance. The Premier is also satisfied -

Busbars, Jane 18

The Attorney-General and Mr Griffith think tbe conproMse a great improvement

8t duet, Jane IS Lord Beauchamp, in a speech art Grafton, referred to Mr Barton's atti tude, and said that so far as he could gauge, the people of Australia, with the exception of a few lawyers, veto willing to acquiesce in Mr Chamber. lain's wishes with regard to the Federal Bill. The speech is causing gome comment in political circles.

Received Wakapuaka June 19,1.10 p m This Offioe 118 pm) London, June 18

In the House of Common*, the Op position objecting to finish the eon* aideration of the Commonwealth Bill in committee stage, without knowing if the Australian Government* rati fied the new compromise, the debate was adjourned, to be . resumed oo Thursday.

TrJE ASHBUKTON (StJARDIAN j TUESDa*, JUNE 19, i9OO



H. M. JONES. H. M. JONES, STATION KEY BOOKS. ACCOUNT BOOKS. t\f\(\ F^VIvLOPE-^, imported direct. Commercial Envelope! ZOUAJ y.'\.' from 3s 6d per 1000; 5000 at 3s per 1000. Boxed StaJonery, latest styks, from 6d, 9d, la, Is 6d, 2a box. PIANOS. OKGANS. 44 payments of £1 each will purchase a splendid overstrung, fall— tricfurd, massive iron frame Piano, up-to-date in every particular. Only £1 required to be paid at time of purchase. o*ll and see this before you boy elsewhere. Organs from ICa per month; Pianos from 20a per month. BICYCLES. BICYCLES. A thoroughly well built, strong, well finished, up to date Lady's or Gentlemen's Machine, guaranteed, for £14 10s, for one Month Only. U. M. To N E S . feHOOTJNG^KASON, 1900. (runs'and Ammunition. NEW SHIPMENTS NOW OPENED UP. A Large Assortment, at prices to suit all buyers Elbys, Ktnoch, and Club Cartridges ; Fowdkb, Shot, Caps, Wads, nad Oaetridgb Oases. LAMPS. ITS'PP.'- LAMP 8. TITK HAVif.; JIHT RECEIVED A CHOICE VaRUSTY OF, TABLE LAMPS, HANGING HALL LAMPP, .^ HANGING PARLOR LAMPS, SMALL BEDKOGM LAMIS, , Which we are offering at very low prices, A Large Stock of LiMPWARB always on hand* HARDWARE AND HOUSEHOLD FURNISHINGS. We"'hav6 a full stock of the above lines, including Buckets Table Cutlery Fenders and Fire Irons Saucepans .spoons and Forks - Electro Plate Ware Nails and Staples Brush ware Ename'ware Plough Shares Lubricating Oils Etc, etc. At Prices to suit the times WINES A~Fd SPIRITS. All Kinds and Brands of SPIBTTS kept in CASE and BULK. Whiskey, Brandy, Port, Sherry, Australian Wines, etc. English and Colonial Hottied Ales »nd Stoun GROCERIES afc Wholesale Prices. Orders b*y Post despatched with punctuality. Goods do ivered duiiy .. , .SHEARMAN-BUi)S,, GROCERS, IRONMONGERS, WI>B & SPIRIT MERCHANTS, BUUNETC "TRBBT Athburti n. .... L .,_ JJ^_q . THE NEW DRAPERY." A 'Beaul if vi EVENING DRESS WINDOW, , SOMETHING NEW AND CHAS TF. MITCHELL & TURNER. GOOD NEWS FROM THE FRONT. Krager learns that the Brii h mean to get Justice for all in South Africa. WE HOPE the People of Aehburton have learned that we give Justice to our Customers in all our numerous lines. We have just landed, per the ss " Whakatane," the finest assortment of Brass and Iron BEDSTEADS? ever landed in Town. Latest styles and deigns. Direct from the Manufacturers in Birmingham. Call early and see for yourselves. Abo it 100 Bedsteads to choose from ; all sizes; all prices. BIDDING of all kinds kept in stock and made on the premises. We h*ve also just received a choice shipmeat, per the s« Hangatira, of " TAPEStRTifiS, SERGKS, PLUSHES, UTRECHT VELVETS, ORBTTONES, Etc, for Furniture, And having secured the services of a Fn'Bt-elass Upholsterer (iafe of Mel bourne), we are prepared to make New and Repair Old FURNITURE in up-to-date styles, at lowest prices, on shortest notice. Linoleums, Oilcloths, Rugs, Mats, Matting, Carpets, etc, just opened. New patterns, grand designs, per sa" lonic' At the request of numerous Customers, we have imported a choice assort ment of OILCLOTHS for Dados, which have just opened up in splendid order, Os.il and inspect them. T For Bedroom Ware, Dinner and Tea Warp, Fancy Goods, Pictures (framed and unframed), Photo Frames, Vases, etc, see our stocks before buying ehe j w! ere. Pictures framed in latest styles. Largest stock of Mouldings in Town to choose from. 'Colonial, American, and Austrian Chairs, Folding Chairs, Camp Stools and Wicker Chairs, Bamboo Tables, and Flower Stands with fancy staud and Hanging pots, also a few Bamboo Over mantles. Bamboo Cornice Poles, al" sizes and prices Duchesse Tublea and Cheats, Wa&hstands and Wardrobes, kppt in stock and made to order in any design. Perambulators, Go-Carte, Children's Chairs of all kinds, at various prices. LIBERAL DISCOUNT FOR OASH, ..,..'■"■■ AT t. H.UJN DRILL & CO., CABINETMAKERS, UPHOLSTERERS, & UNDERTAKERS, TANCBBO STREET, opposite akoa db.



WE ASK— Your inspection of our EXCELLENT TWEEDS AND OVERCOATINGS. We have now been in business 26 years, and still retain many of our first customers, whoh alone is proof o our , HONEST WOEK McDonald & Go, Tailors, Etc; Jubilee Building Burnett Street THE RAPID LIGHTNING GLOSS. THI ONLY RELIABLE SHIRT POLISH IN THE WOULD. T\/TRB MILLER, of Dunedio, the Pro. feesional Lauudreca, says:—lt is the beet I have ever used. It makes Shirt Ironing a pleasure. Wise Mothers and Sisters try It and save your strength, temper, and patience. Once tried, always used. j—— - Sold in Tins at SHEARMAN BROS' & JOHN ORB ft CO. 5 136 W. T. ALMQUI-T. PROFESSIONAL DYER, Thirty-five Years' Experience in America and Australian Colonies*, HA S Started Business of Dyeing, Cleaning, and Pressing, even first class Laundry Work, etc., in East Street, next to Mas Knight, 6 79 rf) • * i P^ Ji i EH £ -. Xl 5 ffl &•: • ■<< o - o « (o * ►« fc-T < °i S Pa> I =*2 g .5: |z W i " & g <! NO PADDING, no ooupons, no Echemea, no guessing contests, nothing but legitimate, persistent pushing of the best and purest tea Ceylon produces. HONDAI- L&NKA preserved in thesealed Ee«d packets and boxes, in which it is only sold, and packed in Ceylon. MISS BESSIE SIMMON DS. MUSIC Seller and Teaoher of the Violirt, Musical instruments ofeveij desorip tion VIOLINS a SPECIALITY. Musi and Songs by every mail. Firet-claßs Quad rille Band. Burnett Street, 4 83 Opposite Publishing Company BDENETT BTKEET, T HAVE JUST TO HAND a very large varie'y of MIXED PAINTS Very Suitable for Painting Drays, Traps, Kitchenß, Interior and Exterior of Houses, Etc. DATES, LOWRY AND CO. FOR Gas Lamps, 15s Each- Shipment of Bells and Carbide Just to Hand. OATES. LOWRY AN9 CO, Burrie Street FOB, SALE. PRICK REQUIRED—dS44£S. For Suburban property Allenton district being— 7ao. Ir. ivp, 7ac. ON a portion of which ia erected a square dwelling house with verandah, etc. The property has been surveyed and divided into a number of allotments as follows, viz : Lote—l, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 fronting Allen's road, each containing £ acre Lots-28 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 24 fronting Alluon Street; also containing £ acre each Lots—2l, 22, 23, 24 and 25 fronting Cox Street, eaoh containing .J acre Lots—26 and 27 alse fronting Cox Street, each containing 1 rood 29 perches Easy terms of payment, viz : £25 .cash deposit, balance by instalments. Full particulars furnished on application. T. BULLOCK. ~~ FOE SALE Fronting North East Belt, near the High School % AORB \ WITH Small Cottage thereon, being Lots 25 and 26, the property of Mr J Rohac. Apply to T. BULLOCK QEVKN 400 Gallon Tanks for Sale (pain* O ted and galvanised), at Fletbheb Bhqs. Caih Supply Store*



Smoke 3Sew Venus



THINGS SEEN IN THE WAR; | "Well, MrVilliers," **i&*Mail oorrei p.ndent, greeting the celebrated war cor respondent on his return from his fifteenth campaign, for he firofc began hit life'a work as a w»r artist in the Servo-Turkish war in 1876; *' well, what moib strikes yon in con nection with this present campaign a« contrasted with any other In which yon have taken parl t"



"The unpioturesquemss of tbe whole thing," was his very unexpected reply. "It is unpioturesque to the last degree. To begin with, you seldom see any of the enemy. There is no smoke ; occasionally you may see a white puff when they open fire with a gun, bub ordinarily there is simply the bark of the Mausers, and a few men may be falling down in your vicinity, shot-no one know* from where. Then the eternal khaki—men, guns, even the business epd of,a lauoe ia painted khaki— no pennants, np distinction regarding grade ; . all one dusi hue Then, again, what has struck me ia the colonui element-, Some of these men had never been under fire, and yet the way in which they seized the situation and at once became fighting men, quite equal to our trained soldiers, was marvellous



HOW TO CURE CROUP Mr R Gray, who lives near Atnenia, Duohess county, NY, Bays: " Chamber lain's Cough Remedy is the beat medicine I have ever used. It is a fine children's remedy for croup and never fails to cure." When given as soon as the child becomes hoarse, or even after the croupy cough has developed, it will prevent the attack. This Bhould be borne in mind, and a bottle of the Cough Remedy kept at hand ready for instant use as aoon as these symptoms appear., For sale by Ashbobton Drug Co



Lots of people have bought a small (ample packet of McKeczie's Hondai LANKA Cby lon Tea out of pure cariosity. Didn't be lieve it—why, certainly cot—why ahould they. But; somehow or other they are nting it right »long; wouldn't forsake it on aoy account. Of cource they were sceptical at first; bo many things advertised now-adays|; but a teapot teat Bets doubt at r«st. Ail disinterested stores sell Hondai L»nka.



One of the finest and most dashing things that I *jiw in ihe campaign was the taking up of two 15-poanders to the top of Cole's Kop, an almost perpendicular hill, 1400 ft from the plain, But French was always firing up some jit tie surprise in this way for the Boers, The first shot fell into the enemy's laager, killing tome 12 men and 18 horse*. The enemy for days didn't know where theea shells were coming from, think ing as any other enen.y might well think, that it would have been an impossibility lo drag a gun up to such » position. But that is where British plaok and enterprise come io, and help to equalise the situation* Another remarkable thing was the building of the 4,2 gun at Kimberley by De Beers engineer Labmm. To think that in the heart of Africa in a little beleaguered town ship, a gun aldiost equal in finish and shooting accuracy to those turned out from Woolwich, should be made in a mining workshop. Labram got the design of the gun from* number of"Engineering." He then made the tools and built the gun, all within three weeks. I got a snapshot of this gun with Cecil Rhodes at tbe breech."



BRAVE " TOMMY ATKINS." Speaking *% the Reform Club banquet, Mr



BENJAMIN GUM—For Coughe and Cold* A CONVINCING STATEMENT The Managtr, Loasby's "Wahoo" Mine facturing Company, Ltd Christcnurch, May 16,1899 Dear Sir,—l hava much pleasure In testify ing to the valoe of yoar Benjamin Gam. i had been much troubled with a very serious oough, whioh I was unable to jet rid of, when Iwu advised by a friend to try Benjamin Gum. I did ao, with the result that my cough hat oompiettly gone, •!• though the elghteen-penny bottle ia not yet naed up. It it impossible to over-estimate the value of thla medium—Yours faithfully, A Lawrbnci Gkb Pi we, la 6d and 2s 6d; obtainable every where. Wholesale agent — KIMFTHOaNX, I'bossib * Co Smoke New Venu,a