Commercial.

London Markets.

London, Nov. 28,

The English wheat market is dull, the Continental and American firm, but quiet. Cargoes ar>; slow in arriving. Californian, off const, is quoted at 30s 6d.

The Bradford wool market is firm; for ties, 9}d; forty-sixes, Is o|d; common six ties, Is ll|d ; supt-.r. 2s O.icl.

At the wool sales the Gear clip sold at GfdjTule, 8-id. The Paparoa's butter is in excel lent condition. Quotations are 114s ; some holders asking 110s; Danish, 116s to 118s.

The London Agent of the N.Z. Farmers' Co-Operative Association, writing under date October 25th, reports : —

Wool. -There lias been little alteration in the stato of our Wool market since the close of the last sales. The positiou in Home and Foreign wool centres is familiar but difficult to explain. Trade is goad, and orders for next spring are more numerous, but the prices are not yet in proportion to the advance in merino and other high-class wools, and tip-makers find it difficult to obtain a price within 6 per cent, of London rates, manufacturers declining to follow the upward movement. As, however stocks in consumers hands are small, and the cer tainty of diminished supplies in the future, it ia doubtful if the apparent -attempt to depress prices for market purposes will succeed. The outstanding feature of the moment is the remarkable strong position taken up by holders ot merino wools, and the continued decline in the rates for all home-grown produce, all kinds of which can now be purchased at lower rates than ever previously known. In finest haired crossbrods free operations are going on, and these are to some extent replacing merinos. Medium crossbreds are a larger consump tion, and a very heavy quantity of strong orossbreds is being consumed, but the sud plies are«very ample and price 3 continue low.

Wheat.—There is but little fresh to report in the state of our wheat market, supplies continue to be heavy, which deter buyers from operating freely, but prices have remained fairly steady owing to a larger consumption and reduced stocks. The stock of wheat in London on the Ist inst. wa3 returned at ouly 31,356 qrs., against Hi,ooß qrs. on the Ist July last, and 253,904 qrs. on the Ist October, 1901. As there are no Australian or New Zea land wheats to take the place of English, buyers h;ive to fall back on the North American wheats, There have been no arrivals of grain or ' seeds into London during the past three week 3. OAT3,~OId English are firm and dearer, Owing to becoming scarce. New England aud foreign sorts are quiet, the turn being against the seller. .New Zealands nominal, ordinary Bluff and Sparrowbills 27s to 28s; Canadian at 31s to 32s per 3841b3, ex store.

Barley continues very scarce for malt ing qualities, samples of the new crop are so variable jn quality and condition that quotations are very irregular. Fair quali ties offered at 30s to 353, but choice parcels readily bring 37s to 40s per qr. Feeding sorts are steady. Fuozen Mkat—The shortage in ehip inonts of New Zealand mutton is now felt, and best Canterbury parcels have advanced 7d to 8d per stone, the present value being 33 2d to 3s 4d per stone at Smithfield, as compared with 2s 7d to 2s 8d three weeks sinco, while secondary carcase!*liaye im proved to the same extent, the price now standing at 3s to 3s id per stone. In con sequence of these high rates business has been somewhat restricted, the _ retail trade purchasing only for actual requirements, as they say that at prices ruling there is bub Uttla chanco of profit. 8s 44 ex market is only obtainable f.or prime quality and best weights, heavier carcases bringing os 2d. Canterbury laml>3 continue in fair request, but there are not so many going into consumption. In sympathy with mutton those havo advanced about 7d to LSd per stone, best lamba being now worth 3s lid to 4s per stone ex market, and second quality about 3s 9d to 3s lOd.

Timaru Grain Market

(From our own correspondent.)

TiifAitu, November 23 The markets still maintain a very firm tone, ajid siupe the last reports, lines of best wheat have found a rsady sale mrth and south, and fur the Sydney cjarket, the Whangape on Friday taking away a good load. Quotations are unaltered, yi?., prime Velvet 4s 7d at .country stations, Tuscan and Red Chaff "4a 4d to 4s 5d f.0.b., and mixed lines 4s 6d. Oats find a ready sale 'at 'Is Sd to -2a 7id, Dizns up to 2s 9d. Feed Barloy' s'fiiia yeadily at 3s 4d f.o b. Late rains and hot wea'fchey are biinging the crops on very fast, and the outi&ok frpui a cultivator's point of view is very bright

Christhurch Grain Market.

(From Our Own Correspondent,) Christckurch:, Nov 28. The local gram and produce markets are in an esoited condition, and prices of all

cereals have experienced $ §harp advance. Wheat is in strong demand bothfos? export and for local consumption, but beyond a few small lots stocks are now in second hand 3, and although small quantities have been sold it 4s 9d f .0.b., holders are disinclined to sell at this price, and prices are likely to rule higher. The Millers' Association has again raised the price of flouv, which now rules at <£12 per ton in 001b sacks, Oats are badly wanted, but there are virtually ;io lines of any size on offer. Milling sorts are quiie out of the market and feed readily S commands 2s'Cid at £ountry stations, with

an upward tendency. In consequence of the scarcity of oats there has beea quite n run on feed barley, which .sells at lie, and whole fowl wheat ha 3 risen to 4s. Oatsheaf .chaff, prime sorts, are wanted for shipment, and £4 ].Q§ is readily' paid at {jountry stations.

Ashburton Grain Market.

The Asliburton Agency of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association q£ Canterbury, Ltd., quotes as follows on Nqv. 28th, 1902: \yheat— ' Tuscan is 2d "Pearl 4s 3d to 4s Gd Hunters ... ... 4s Id to 4s 2d Oats—Duns. „. ... 2a4dt<?2ssd : Danish .„ 2s 4d, 2s sd, 2s 6d „ Sparrowbills ... 2s ;">d to 2s fid Canadians ... 2s7dto2sßd Barley—Malting, prime 2s Sid to 3s 3d | Inferior ... 2s to 2s 3d p eas —Prussian Blue ... 5s Partridge ... 3s 6d i Chaff Good oatsheaf ... .£tss | &ras3 {.e&d Farmers' ... 3s to 3s 6d The" above* ''avf> prices current paid to farmors on trucks at Ashbur'ton/ j Tlic following is the grain report for the week ending November 28th :■—• : Wheat. —Further rise in price of flour and offal has again hardened the market, and miJlei-3 havo been buyers during the y/eek. Several large lines are flow being delivered and but little remain's in store unsold. Pearl js eagerly sought after and j it is almost impossible po q.uojbs a "corr&ci ! pries for this grain, as high as 4s Gd was paid for a small prime hfte y.esterday on j trucks at Chertsey. Hunters and Tuscan j are easily saleable, if prime, at 4s 2d, while I whole fowl wheat is selling up to 3s Gd. ' To-day's quotations are — Tuscan and Hunters 4s 2d, Pearl 4s 3d to 4s fid, whole fo.v/i wheat 3s Cd, seconds 3s to 3s 4d. j Oats'.—T&ej?e ip no business to report. ! An occasional line of long i^.?,d has been ' sold at "2s sd,' but no' sales'' of a'f& "isbti pequeijice have taken place, Nbminal jqucij.air.ion3 ars—Canadians 2a Bd, Sparrow bills 2s 6d ? Dun§ and Danish 2s 4d to 2s sd. Oatsheap Chafe 1 is selling up to. .£1 6d for prime quality, but supplies a'r.e scarce and barely sufficient for local trade,

BIRTH.

Wir.LioisoN.-At Te Kopea, Allenton, on the 28th inst., the wife of J. M. William sou of a daughter.

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1902. THE SPEAKER.

There is a general feeling of regret through out the country that Sir Maurice O'Rorke has been excluded from the now House, for he was certainly au efficient Speaker, and he has been more closely identified with the Parliamentary history of New Zealand than any public' man in this colony. It would, perhaps, have been more satisfactory if Sir Maurice had been permitted to have one more term as Speaker, for it is impro bable, in view of his advanced age, that he would have offered his services after the* close of the new Parliament. However,his constituents appear to have preferred a you hirer man, and the old veteran is rele gated to the qnieb of private life. He will have the consciousness that he retained the respect of the country to the last, as well as the warm esteem of all of thoso who have known him in public and private life for so many years. The absence of Sir Maurice O'Korke from the House will make it necessary that another member should be selected as Speaker, and al ready there is considerable specu lation as to who will be pub up by the Government. Some mention has beon made of Sir William liussell, it being suggested that to nominate Sir William as Speaker would bo a graceful act on the part of the Government towards a political opponent. But even supposing that Sir William Russell would be willing to accept the position, it is very doubtful whether his eyesight would not be a bar, and the difficulty of catching the Speaker s eye would perhaps be increased if that Hon. gentle man were in the chair. Some journals have, wo observe, suggested Mr McNab, while Mr Guinness, the late Chairman of Com mittees, has a strong claim, in virtue of that position. But circumstances point t» the inclusion of thu member for Grey in the Ministry, in the very probable event of a re-construction, and in that case he cannot be consid ered as a prop ible candidate for the Speakers!)ip. We believe that the Govern ment would give general satisfaction throughout the country by nominating Sir Wm. J. Steward to the position. He is, after Sir Maurice O'Borke, the oldest mem ber of the 'House of Representatives, and has had a great deal of experience in Par liamentary practice, while he has been Speaker for three sessions. Indeed, it is sife to say tlvit no member now .in the House has such a thorough knowledge of its rules as Sir Win. Jukes Steward. He is certainly entitled to th.9 honour on many grounds, while his unswerving and loyal support of the party now in power has no parallel in the political history of this country. Other men have generally transferred thair allegiance if their claims to recognition have been overlooked, but Sir William has stuck £0 his party through evil report and good report. Defeat and victory have made no difference to him, and it would almost seem as if the Government has felt so sure of his loyalty that it has considered it quite safe to ignore his claims, while endeavouring to placate its less faithful followers. We trust, therefore, that Sip William J. Steward will.be the next Speaker of the House of Represen tatives,

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Rak.ua Spoets and Races. - Nominations for the horse events at the llakaia races close on Monday, December Ist, at 8,30 p.m.

A,A,G. ani) A.O.~The Asbburton Ama teur Cycling and Athletic Club have dpci ded .to hod.their opening day's sports in tho Domain on Thursday, Deoember 4th. There will be several flat races, and a half-mile, and a mile bicycle handicap. Entries close with th(! secretary (Mr M-J. Lynskey) on Tuesday, December 2nd.

Unseasonable Weather. —An unusually severe hailstorm broke over Oamaru at about noon on Thursday, some of the stonos ranging as big as large marbles. Luckily the shower did not last long, but consider able damage (writes the "Mail") will doubtless have resulted to the fruit trees affectod, though no reports are to hand yet.

Fouiw at Last. —The body of the old man Turner, who hag"b,eefili}issing from the Home for «■ week, was found this morning in tho Domain Swimming Baths by the Curator. It was taken to the Home, where an inquest was being held as we went to press. Turner was pulled out of the baths by the Rev W. Lamb seme twelve months ago,

Presentation.—Mr G. S, Mathias, who has succeeded Mr Gordon as manager of the Uuiba Bank here, had, a most complimen tary and enthusiastic send-off frtoin the people or W»;mate ? where Mr Mathias has been stationed'for'" thopasi years. At a gathering in that town on Wednesday fcfjjrening last, a purse of sovereigns was pre sented to Mr Mathias, and a diamond ring to Mrs Mafchias, In making the presenta tion, the chairman of t'b f e meeting, Mr J. F. Douglas, spoke in the highest {raping fl£ Iff Mathias, and referred in flattering'terms to the many good qualities Jie possessed, specially alhfriiffg to his value as a citizen, and to th,e "great assistan.ee he had reii dered fo spopt during the j&'ime h.e,_ hadb'e.en iij the disfcr^Gfc. \\ Tq regret tq notice in- the report of tjie me»ti»g ja p\\q :aimatp Times," that Mrs Mathias was unwell at the time.

An Appreciated Gift.—The relief ship Morning will take about 100 carcases of mutton in hep insulated chamber for the Discovery. Fifty of tKese havo b£i?n sup plied in fulfilment; of promises made last year by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Acton Estate; Messrs E. H. TillhqiGv, J2&5 Cliffs; E. G. Ehodes, Elles mer'e; Cf. ll'uiherfoH, JmepUsvyd'; J Stud holme, junr., Oold#i'eanl|o,l?'ainpl i er-Crosf * ley, W.*ikarh E. W. Chapman, Feriisiwj ■and Thomas Teschemaker,' Qtaio. Captain Colbeok, on behalf of the ship's Company of the Discovery, wishes to publicly thank the donors for their valuable gifts, which will bo highly appreciated by officers and men, who will have been on canned diet for over a year before this fresh meat reaches them. The m#at hap been frozen at the Belfast works"by the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, free of cost both to th§ and to the expedition.

A Gasman Waij avitii Bbitain.—Prus sianised Germany is now being prepared for the struggle with Great Britain which Car you fcrasaw. She is adding to her fleet a class of ship specially suited for an attack on England. 'I he same methods exactly are omployed by her ngainst the British Empire which she formerly used against Frati'oe. The German mind is being trained to refiojv.e ■jyith' enfchasiasm the announce ment of a Wr'v/ith"England when the time comes.—Sir Rowland Bleunerhft.ss.eJt n " National Eeview."

"Plumping" at the Election. — Inthe cities there is considerable discussion ro " plumping " for one candidate. Whether the practice is commendable or not, it is a fact tjjafet'lie electors 'of New Zealand are "plumping" foy tLo Rudge-Whitworth, which ' they recognise to be the best and pasiesjt rijnnpg fcicyc-l" 9^ ttie n&rkefc. E. D. Johnston, a^ent, Burnett' Street.

Weather Forecast. — Captain Edwin wires :— Gale from between west and south, west and south; glass riso; weather colder.

Land Settlement.—The Pukepito estate forming part of the Hill End station in the Clutha district, comprising about 4000 acres, is to be cut up and opened for closer settlement. It is proposed to erect a creamery on the settlement.

Tima.ru Breakwater Extension Wokks. —The new breakwater extension works at Timaru are progressing satisfacto rily. The total quantity of stone deposited in the mole to date i 3 145,377 tons, and for the past month an average of 547 tons per day has been tipped into the sea. Stone has been tipped out to a distance of 1500 ft, and the staging is complete to a distance of 1600 ft

Valedictory.—-A very pleasant gather ing took place at Mr T. Pitts, Lagmhor, on Wednesday evening, the occasion being the farewell of Mr John Shadrach, who is leaving the district, having bettered his position, After a very pleasant time spent in music, songs, ping pong, refreshments, etc., Mr Pitt referred to the occasion which had brought them together, and also to the many sterling qualities of Mr Shadrach as a fellow employee, a keen supporter of the chutch, etc., but most particularly of his great and untiring efforts in connection with the No-license movement at Lngmhor. Mr Pitt believed a good many votes had been cast for No-license through his per sistent efforts. Mr Pitt and others present felt they could not allow Mr Shadrach to leave the district without giving some tan gible proof of the respect in %vhioh he was held. He had great pleasure on behalf of Lagmhor and Ashburton friends, including himself, in handing him a very beautiful and well furnished writing desk, trusting it would help to remind him of old friends at Lagmhor, and hoped that he would use it very often in writing to friends here. After aingiug " For he's a jolly good fel low," Mr Shadrack feelingly replied, thank ing the friends for their very handsome present, and thought he was being made too much of. Whatever he hud done in the direction mentioned had been to him a labour of love, and he was more than re paid by the grand results at the late local option poll. Miss Meharry, of Tinwald, who was present, rendered great assistance with the music and singing, and all present trusted they would have the pleasure of seeing her very often at L:tgmhor.

The Cyclists' Vote. — Colonial made B.S.A. Bipycles score by an overwhelming majority the largest number of votes every year, and especially those made by such firms as Messrs Gates, Lowry & Co. (sole m.akers qf Zealandia Cycles), who are on the spot, and are ever ready to meet their clients under a liberal guarantee.

News in Brief.

Messrs Strange and Co., Christchurch, distribute with this issue a catalogue re garding the attractions of their grand Christmas toy bazaar, fancy fair, and gift emporium.

The En. 55. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., will sell at Rakaia on Thursday, December 4th, three young draught horses in excellent condition.

The Tinwald Presbyterian Church will hold tfyeir annual tea-meeting in the Tinwald Oddfellow^ Hall on Thursday, Decarnber 4th."

The Natipnal Mortgage and Agency Company will offer at the Tinwald Yards on Tuesday, 100 fat wethers 75 fat ewes, and 13,0 forward wethers. The Company has also for private sale lines of store sheep and cattle.

A Dastardly-Act.

Election night is always responsible for many freaks of krrikinism and wanton mis phief, but when bodjly injury results from any acts* pf Jamkinism.then the. culprits de serve severe puuishineut. On the evening of the poll Mrs Baker, wife of Mr Win, Bnker, of Burnett street, was standing at the entrance to the Arcado between 8 and 0 o'clock, talking to her friends, when a missile supposed to be a stone, was thrown by some psrsoa in tho crowd stinding opposite the Maid office, striking her with full force in the eye. Mis Baker was im mediately ren !erad unconscious, and was taken to the houss of a relative Mrs Dol man, at the ftt'e brigade station. Dp lluntei 1 was called iv, and at once pronounced the injury to be of a serious nature, and it was thought at first that concussion' of the bniiu had resulted. Mr 3 Baker, we are glad to say, has recovered consciousness, bnt'the pain froiii the inj ured eye is intense, p'is'nqt yet known whether she will lose' the sight of lier $ye Qr n.qb. For so'ine tiui& affcer the injury had been inflicted, the whole side of her face was very much swollen and she suffered much pain. It is to be hoped that Mrs Baker's injury will be less serious than is now anticipated. Her husband has been an invalid for some months, It is expected that the person who caused the injury to Mrs Baker will bo discovered.

Correspondence.

(We do not hold ourselves responsible fgt opinions expressed by bur correspdndsnts;)

NO-LICENSE.

TO THE JSIjITQK,

Sir, — The No-license workers deserve, thanks and congratulations for the manner in whiclj %ey ha,ve carried theic campaign to a successful issue, in the "%jo qf mugh opposition, hi the Ashburton ole.ctorate. Many—on either side—will perhaps he ?uv pvi.3ed to hear that '■' No-licenge>f was con siderably helped at the fljayfield polling place, by a very liberal supply of beer, which was stationed opposite the school gate, but such was nevertheless the case. Many people coming to record their votes, who never have struck out the top line, and had no intention of doing so, on seeing these beer bottles and barrel surrounded by ydung'men (many of them below voting agd), went in and • voted for No-license. No^-fcha.t No-liceusG is 1 carried, I hope the r©3ul.ttuside th^f nexjc |ihrW jtearg wjll ast'oniaK eye^ t'losfi !wlV(? arf afpre^nt bp> posed to it; for no individual or nation' ever Stank itself prosperous.— l am, J?, G'A^AGpE,

A HINT TO MILK CONSUMERS.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Having been a shareholder in, and supplier to, the largest factory in Otago, the Taie'ri" and Eeninsul^ IJi.iiry factory, Dunedin, I can assure your readers that milk containing the <f repulsiye-looking mas ter " inantioned jn your paragraph qf yes terday, would be rejected by thp above factory as unfit for human consumption. I am also quite sure that cows giving Biioh filthy milk would never pass the veterinary examination at any factory. I have seen thousands of gallons separated, and know that all milk doe 3 not contain such matter. *—I am, etc., - Pure Mit.k. ' [Our paragraph do.ea nob njake any mention ■of "filthy milk," but merely mentions that the matter thrown out of milk bya purification process is repulsive looking, —Kd.]

The Situation under. No-licence.

With the object of giving as much information as possible on the probable effect of " no-license " in this district, we are publishing a number of opinions which we have elicited from persons of all shades of opinion in various positions and in all parts of the districST. The following are some of these opinions : —

Mr Henry Stephenson, auctioneer, who has had his business training here, and has a large experience of the ways and customs of townsfolk and country people generally, i was waited upon yesterday, and spoke as follows: "In the first place they have done me a great personal injury and injustice by voting no-license, said Mr Stephenson, 1 mean as a private individual, independent of my business altogether. Now, I will give a ease in point of what will turn out a direct loss to the town. There are the Freezing Works employees, who earn wages from ,£3 upwards j they come in on Satur days, spend a few shillings of their earn ings in the town in social intercourse at the hotels, buy articles of drapery and clothingl and then go home with the balance of their wages. Now, I maintain that these men won't come in; there is no inducement for them to come in at all. Their sociality is broken, and they are denied the rights that they have enjoyed ever since they have been here. That will mean a direct loss to the town. What have I done that I should be denied the right to go into one room or the other as I choose? What have I done that I should be prohibited, and what right have they got to prohibit me ? Now I am not a free man. As far as my business is concerned I cannot tell how that will be effected. If half a dozen men robbed a | place, aud were locked up for it, why lock me up because they had broken the law ? That is the way I look at it. lam sure a lot of the money now spent by the Freezing Works employees will find its way to Christchurcb," Oue of t:.e representatives of our leading merchants in West Street said that it was hard to say what effect it would have on 'business generally. It would not effect their tride in anyway; it might effect the retail shops at first. The farmers would come in and do their business just the same, but probably would not stop so long in the town. On sale days there would be just as many in town as under license. A leading merchant closely identified with the farming community was of opinion that the closing of the hotels would ser iously affect the business of the district, especially of the town. He considers that the farmers would get out of the way of coming to town so often as they do now, and would certainly result in a good deal of business being diverted from Ashburton to Christchurch, If the farmers and their wives only left home to do business and to purchase, go.qds, a great many of them would deal in Christchurch, and that is what they will probably dp under the new regime of No-license. Nothing can justify the treatment of the licensees of the hotels, in suddenly depriving them of their inean3 of living, and in some instances, nearly all of their property. The, act, may be legal but it is morally wrong, anjlthe recognition of this fact 13 causing a strong reaction to set in. It cannot he denied that the closing of the hotels will cause a certain amount of depreciation in the value of town property, for there is. at present po room for more shops in any line of business, which is what the No-license party have settled must be done with the abandoned hotels.

OUR MEMBER'S VIEWS.

Mr McLachlan happened to drop into our editorial sanctum yesterday, when he was immediately tackled by the editor on the subject of no-licenae. The member for the distinct was asked how he accounted for the apparent fact (hat somewhere about 10 O or tho electors who voted for him must have voter" for no-license, "I be lieve, said IMr McLachlan, that they voted that way in th.eir own interests, and in the interest'of their member as well. They evidently oioaut to cut off his beer." He did not consider that the producing power of the Ashburtan county would be di minished one whit. The final result would be tint .'ill tradesmen would resorb to the custom of keeping liquor in their offices for the relegation of thoir customers. It might happen that, an enterprising drapery firm would acquire the Somerset building. B.y their voto, the people of Ashburton have rendered it of little or no v;ilue as an. hotnl. If turned into a flr3t-clas3 drapery estab lishment the commanding positiou it oc cupies on ono of the best sites in the town, would retrieve some of its value under the altered conditions. Tfe believed that the people voted for no-license on principle; bit he also believed many people would resent tlrs interference with their rights of citizenship. 4-^ked whether he thought any attempt would he made during the !ife of the new Parliament to alter the licensing laws, Mr MoLachlan enigmatically replied " No-license will within a few years be obtained all over New Zealand, at anyrate the will of the people will be regarded Jby Parliament."

(By our Special Reporter.)

It only needs one to pass down Easj; street and notice the small groups of men scattered here and there to know that some greatfehange has come over the town The busiuesg man, wi^h liis steady swing ing walk,'sfcop3'for a minute 'or two, as some friend " sticks him up" with the usual salute—" What do you think ahput \l now," qr something to th.^t effect, the yiews of many of whom we have published. The merchant, the draper, the grocer, the butcher—in fact everybody is talkin? apoufc prohibition. Arguments are numer ous aitif yapied j tlie no-llcense party are jubilant at their victory, and smile as they meet friend or fo.e in the. street. Financiers scratch theip heads, and wonder what the pesult will be. Lawyers chuckle over it, as it wight mean a large increase in fees. But whatever may be the result, prohibition has come —and perhaps come to stay. Some take in the situation with apparent in difference ; others take a broad view of it. •The wQ.rk.ing man, used to his " pewter" oaoisloiiaHy, and especially on Saturday nigbt, wails from the bottom o£ his heart something like this—

" They.'ye taken'away my beer, - vl?hejf;v'Q rqbbed nip, of my right, I sayHtM a^sh&ine, in'febertj'-s name, 'Ifo stop mypint'ori'a Saturday night And^ ■■;•■ '• ■'- ■ ■- ' ' ■••

iWftie. llf§ of ma, I c^n^ see, wh^y 'Cause Bfll's a drunken dpg That we thoi|s.a,n4 sqbgr 'fello^§ Should b'e'a windled of our-grog, That is his view of .the matter in a nut shell. The fact is that the vote came like a thunderclap to the whole populace; very fes? expected it. J|§iiy Qf thoge who voted for if jj|<i' npfc e^p^cjfc |fc tiP-^§ carried. The prohibitipniffis yfore sanguine all along, aud it was not a great surprise to thetnto4»4 ftattW W4 won the day, although many of jiheii? number did not expect to see the majority so large. It is the raodsrat©—the very moderate —section of the sommunity that seem to take it hard. They look askance at the whole thing. The custom prevailing for years they say will be broken under no license. All this, of .course, is prophesy, the truth of which will have to be borno out by actual f-acts.' T*p to, the. present the best of good humour prevails. A little "mild banter is occasionally indulged, in, to vary the tastes. As is usual in case 3of the kind, where the unexpected happens, Damo Euraonr is busy at work; one hears that a determined onslaught is likely to bo made to upset the poll ;' on what grounds we knoweth not; If this comes to puss, it will b© a still bigger surprise. While r/e have d|&voted both-»tTOO:'^nd spfice to publish this opinioM of b.usin§&3 tu^n, there 13 one section of the community who look upon the scene with a fair smile—we moan the young ladies—who give their opinion in one breath, almost unanimous. Thsy say—there'll be more rings and brooches and marriage coaches now that the young men cannot go to the bars. Perhaps that will be thp' way it wilj turn out. -However, their opinion i£ worth noting.' rjuripg the next few 'weeks the' ra'inds of;" all'sorts and conditions of men" will be exercised over ihis'str^jjge phenomenon which hag been Jooming Qvep tlje horizon for years, and

at last throws out its broad canopy of light, tile candle power of which was supplied by the no-license votes cast on that fateful and ever-to-be-remembered 25th of November.

THE LICENSING COMMITTEE.

One of the members of the Licensing Committee, interviewed, said that in calling upon Mr Lane to build, the Committee was simply car tying out the law. But he con fessed that for his own part he never con templated that No-license would be carried at the poll just taken. He also drew atten tion to the fact that an extension of twelve mouths had been given to Mr Lane. Never theless, he was quite sure that all the mem bers of the Licensing Bench agreed with him in sympathising with Mr Lane in the trouble the No-license vote hag brought upon him. VIEWS OF BUSINESS MEN AND TOWN RESI DENTS. A tradesman in business for a number of years in Ashburton thinks that it will spoil the town for the next eighteen months. If a man comes in with a cheque he does not spend it all; the tradesmen get a share of it, and he says he knows that from his own experience. Now those sort of customers will pass onto Christchurch. The position was so set in his mind that as a man in business he is seriously contemplating clearing out. He thinks property will go down in value. He says " While the grass is growing, the horse is starving." : A well-known resident says that the place will go to ruin. He wants to know, where the revenue will come from. Ho thinks that there will be a revolution against it ; feeling will grow so strong, almost to boil ing point, that those "who have been de prived of their rights will resent it moist i unmercifully. An Ashburton manufacturer and large employer of labour does not believe that prohibition will have a bad effect, indeed he i<* decidedly of the opinion that the effect will be good. In the past he has had a lot of trouble with his hands through their getting drunk, and not turning up to ■work often when he was busy and had y urgent orders to deliver, and when they eventually came back they were quite unfit for doing an honest day's work. This state of affairs visually continued until his patience wa3 exhausted, and he sacked them. The wives and relatives of the dis charged men would then interview him and intercede *for their re-engagement, and these interviews were always of a painful character. He has men in his employ who have through their drinking habits lost the properties thut in their sober days they had acquired, and their homes had been made wretched and miserable through their oon duct. He was referring to artisans whom he paid np to 12s per day. In his opinion, one of the effects of no-license would be to change this state of affairs, and he was sure prosperity and happiness would reign instead. *

Mr Alfred Caraon writes .--Having read the miLLerous opinions expressed in the Guardian since the No-license victory, I i feel it is a shame that an impression like the above should go outside our county. My opinion is, seeing that £40,000 a year, which we have been spending in liquor, will be saved, there will be a vast increase in legitimate business, bringing comfort to formerly wretched homes. Temptation will ba put out of the way,of our boys, and they will have one foe less to their moral well being. Clever tradesmen, who were^ formerly rendered useless by drink, will be able to enrich themselves and the Com munity by their productions. The cost to the community for oharitable aid, etc., will be reduced from 25 fco 50 per cent. These are a few points in favor of No-license, to which dozens might bo added if required. A great song is being made about the in justice of forcing a man to build -a new hotel, and then refusing him a license, but the said hotelkeeper knows very well that he can even now get good interest on his investment without a license. ; THE WOIIEN SPEAK.* One lady, who comes to Ashburton at least once a week, said she usually aceom-v panied her husband, and some other mem bers of the family came with her on most occasions. Some of the men who came to town undoubtedly took more liquor than was' good for them, but these were a very small section. For herself, she would be ashamed of hoc boys if they could not resist; the temptation to drink too much. She had a contempt for such weak creatures. Another farmer's wife said she had struck uut the "top line" because she found that • there was no chance of otherwise of stop ping people from getting drunk. These were allowed to walk about the streets drunk, and nobody interfered with them. If a man got drunk, why was he not pun* ished like other offenders .? : ' V EARSIKRS' VIEW'S. Mr James Croy, of Qverdai'e, Qannoji se.q that any harm whatever is l&ely to gome through pr.qh.ibition. Tb.e yie.jyg h,'e ti'Qlda have been the same for the* last fifteen years. In regard to the publicans, Mr Croy fails to see that they have'any claim for compensation. They make application i for licenses, which are granted for 12 months, so that their claim is unwarranted. ! A Willowby farmer says that it will do good in the long run, and bases his argu ment on the fact that the land will produce the same, and perhaps more as the " hard. cases" will stop and; do their work, and ios come in and get drunk, and put 'their." em ployers to so much inconvenience as be fore. ' -" '. ' ' "•-':• '-''- "'.

Perhaps th,e §liortest and inept decisive answer is that of Mr George Pocock, oi Seafield, He advised our reporter" to {pofc at the pqlij the answer was there—a majority every where—We want , no more drink." ■ • '

One of the leading farmers in the district, informed our representative that he was oonvin_ced thgre would he considerable de pression and los 3of business in Ashburton when the No-license vote cauie into opera tion. There was no doubtv whatever that farmers belonging to the moderate section, who have been'in the habit of coming to Ashburton once or twice a week, would give up doing so. He for one, would prefer to go to Christchurch now and again than come to Ashburton with all the hotels closed, and he spent about .£3OO a year in Ashburton, Replying to the objection that this would require a two days' vipit, he said that, even-so, the advantages obtainable by dealing direct with Christchurch wpuld more than' cototerbalanbe that;" :Tn"' aiiy> case, people in'fhe country woutd oertaliil|: not visit Aahburto'n nearly as ofteu 8,8,^67 do now, and thiti woulcl n>Mfe. '%) eo^d^ able difference' to the tradespeople i$ fchg town. Dou'bfifesg tb,e, cfyajige wo«l4' 8$ run the town, as some thought. : Tlie^ place was healthy e?iou§h tp staiid a good deal of knocking abaut r

Mr W."T. Liil, one of our thinking farmers pointed out that the hotels were nob reve nue-producers at all, They are only chan nels whereby the revenue .ia circulated; whereas the land Is. If tWo.hlades of gra^a can be got to grow where one graw before, then an equivalent increase in the sheep carrying' capabilities of the land wonld result, und of oourse the revenue from the land increased pro rites. He thought pro hibition a great boon to the farming com munity. • ' ■ ' s:

A Tinwald farmer says that he is proud of the result. This was all he could say about it, although he did not vote for it.

A batch of farmers talking. together^ in the Arcade, were all afc one on. the question of No-lioensß ( and th.qHghfcthat gfiod;resul|;g would folldw." It woula &£ep the ydttns farm hands away from the d*ink; the far* mers would feel a sense of. security that they never felt before withtheirharid*, and work on the farm would go on as, merry as a marriage bell. v "" '" !'

Said a well-known farmer: I don't be lievo in Prohibition, and I don't intend to give up my glass, but I voted ' l for ~iSo* license as a protest against the way the law is administered, and because'J |vSnte\l to remove 'ienip't&tion ftom' m^'bojrs/ 1 * V > A well-known farmer in the Buapuna district, who ia not a teetotaller, voted No license because he believes it is thebesb thintr for the community at large, especially for tho young men. He gave an instance of the clangors of license.: A young man, a^eii 19, in his employ, got-leave to go to fcKe A=itbiuton races. 1 Whenii^-lteft he Jui^l? in his possession, and'whei'he; retu^na'd/hfe was drunlc, anil had iOs in his poc^t. fla (tho farmer) trusted theyojrafqrNq-luj^sg wQujd ftever h.e reveled,,

THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN t SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1902.



F. fc'ESIUMAN. To Investors F.. FESRIMAN, Land and Estate Agent, HAS for sale in both town and country properties wall worth the prompt; attention of either investors or farmers seeking a houso. I may say as a proof of my faith in No license, as affeetiui; the value of property here, that recently when the result of the local option poll was undecided, although Very probable, I made several purchases of town properties. NW that it is decided my advice is to buy before the boom sets in. Oar town and county possess advantages Irons a tourist's poiut of viuw wheh it should be our earnest endeavour t'« develop. At no point on the railways 13 Alpine scenery better in view; and our bran eh line to Mount Soniers, and a connecting coach service, should bo so used as to make & delightful Alpine trip in a day there and l»ck available, with Ashburton as a stop ping place for tourists doing tho colony, as well as a place of resort for our fellow citi zen I*. Supplementary local attractions, in cluding trout fishing, trip 3 to the beach, through our rich Canterbury farms, could with push and enterprise also bo provided, and the attractiveness of our Domain be still farther increased. Tho Eakaia Gorge in also near enough to help to create a reputation for our town as a Canterbury tourist "centre. No-License will give us a reputation and advantages which will make our hotels and town additionally attractive to wealthy ; touring families, such as are met with on the West Coast Sounds annual trip from nil parts of the world, many of whom express a decided preference for good hotel accommodation free from the inevitable concomitants of the presence of liquor, and many of whom have both capital to spend and sons to settle on the 1-rnd. The Government must be urged to push our interest in these respects through the tourist department, proclaiming the suita bility of the district as a health resort for the convalescent as well as for the tourist And the settler. If there are people who are afraid that NO'license ia going to injuriously afTect properties ana have such to sell cheap I have buyers. F. I'EERIMAN, Land and Estate Agent. TO LET. , Alford Forest Hoad near Woollen Mills. HOUSE of 4 Rooms, with over an aero of land. Eent 8s per week. F. FEEBIMAN, Land and Estate Agent BUSINESS NOTICES. i NEW ARRIVALS : (By the Steamer Eangatira) "WTfTE have just received the first con f T signtuents of Drugs and Druggists Wares, carefully selected in London by Mr Cambridge. We are now using all new Drugs for dispensing. Entrust us with y»ur physician's prescriptions, we will dispense them with care nnd accuracy, using fresh and pure drugs in their com pounding. The Popular Vinegar l*s?ence is again in full supply, 13 Gil fora gallon. . The selection t8 the largeet! antiSnest ev<r shown in Ashbnrlon, prices j ranging fr.an Is to -8s each. This quality j of spongn is always reserved for the Home ! iradj) and seldom exported. Si'AEKr.Kr Botti.es. — The new design, flcrable size, with a syphon tap for drawing off Binall qu.intities of aerated water, also 5000 Sparklets and 500 packages of fruit crystals for making delicious fruit drinks. Photographic Cahkkas. — The Little Nipper No. 3, quarter pl.ito, latest improve ments, a really good snapshot Camera, holds 12 plates, 10a. Fok the ltAßißs.—Kverything is Corona tion^ Buy tho baby a Coronation Dummy <* Soother. Costa 9cl. Far the best and lightest yet introduced. FORTHE FaEKEB AND CATTLE OWNER. — We have a useful assortment of instru ments, sui'h as gags and drenching bits for i giving 1 medicines. Probangs for choking, ait'edles for wounds, enemas, etc. Fore the Lad:Eß — (With apologies for placing them last) we shall have, by ss. Watmate, now in port, some of the prettiest novelties to be found in Lsndon in per fumery, brush ware, and articles for the Dressing Table and Bath Room. j The Ashburton Drug Co., Ltd., J. M. CAMBRIDGE, 12 239 Manager. H GKESHAM, SURGEON AND MECHANICAL DENTIST. By Examination, October, 1897 F-IGHT years experience with E. <x. and i F. W. Gresham, Dentists, Dunedin and Invercargill. Has commenced practice in rooms upstairs from the entrance to Thomas' Auction Eooms, Burnett Street. Stoppings in Gold, Amalgam, and Cement. <SoM and Porcelain crowns made ; also sets oiteetk with Vulcanite and Porcelain gums. -Cites admiaistered. All work guaranteed. Hours op Attendance —9 a.m.—s p.m. Private Residence—Care Mrs Grant, Willd Street. Helpless with ep Rheumatism » Yon'v* faded liniments and prescriptions without result. Now . . . CtFBE YOURSELF with THE GREAT .. . GAffIADIAN . . . SEAWEED CUBE. A medicine and Not a liniment. A Quick and Permanent Care. 501.9 3Y ALL DEALERS At 3/6 tip. Bottle. Sole Agent for Australasia: GEO. W. WILTON, Wellington. 1 j }-■ ■ , 1 I} "TT7\Q'St Men's Wear Summer 13 coming Jfc? FisU. -range of Jack-Sts,, Pants, and Overalls ia Dwoiins, at special quotations— <3kant and Moork. I BIRD Nesting is &osv on, and you .will wsint boys' heavy knifittd Hose cheap; threes and fours Is, fives, sixe^&ttd .sevens «t le:8sl, at Gbant ano Moobe's.



] BUSINESS NOTICES ____ __ j PHOTOGRAPHY. HALM AND CO., Saanders' Buildings, Ashburton, ~|T& KTURN Hearty Thanks for tho patronage they have received during the past three years, and beg to announce that during the Month o£ November we will do One Dozen ENAMELLED PHOTOS and One ENLARGEMENT on a beautiful plate sunk mount, for 18s Gd. 18s 6d. 12s 6d. The work will be np to our usual standard. Visit our Vestibule and see specimens. 118 SALE* SALE. SALE. NICHOLAS" & 'PICKFORD WILL hold the first Clearing- Sale of BOOTS & SHOES- The first and Only Sale in four years, commencing TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1902 BEING OVERSTOCKED AND IN WAKT OF BOOMj In order to reduce Stock and mako room for poods arriving, we will hold a Genuine. Clearing' Sale for 81 Bays. The Sto'-t must be reduced. No consideration of profit will b« allowed to interfere with this object. Discounts ramje from'lo to 20 per cent. All in want of smart Shoes or Boots for the coming holidays should make a point ol visiting this Sale & securing some of the Bargains Remember - The primary object of this Sale is'to reduce stock. NICHOLAS &PICKFORD, BAST STREET, ASHBURTON 1] See Circular for Prices. NEW ZEALAND CLOTHING FACTORY. hen BOYS n.z. clothTng- factory. Persons who wish to do their own Painting will find it to their advantage to call at my Oil and Color Store. I have Ready Mixed Paisits, Genuine White Lead and Oils, or I will mix any shade of our own Genuine Paint. Paperhanger, Painter, and . Sign-writer. SPECIAL PURCHASE fAEMS FARMS Men's, Youth's* and Boys FARMS CLOTHING-, ' _J?ARMS At Big DiSCdlint. K/ I ACRES of Land ns good as any in O'LF New Zealand. Very suitable for _. Ot— . Dairying. Half a mile from a Factory. Can be bad cheap, and on easy terras. fTVHESE we are now offering ab from 10 tO 20 PCT CCllt. USlder 314 Acres of Land. Good little farm, situated 14 miles from Ashburton. Low RCgUlar PriCe§. price and easy terms. Together with a fine Assortment of U Tl' CU" f f 10 Acees (990 years lease). Good bouse, fiatSj .Lies, ouirtS, etC. nice garden. Situated near Anama sclioool. Anxious to sell. ASHBURTON 0150, ?5, 120. £0 Acres good land. Three miles from town. May be sold is a whole — . • or separately. Owner willing- bo fcajke a low price and easy terms. Drapers, Clothiers, Milliners, and Dressmakers, r , , . „,, T , . i .' I nave also a number of other Farms and . ', „_ j To;yu Properties on my books for sale at Arcsute Mouse. howprie<*; Flf 1 15s Having Money to Lend on First and 1 dOZ3H CabillstS and 0118 MatO- Second Mortgage, I can arrange excep line Enlargement tional terms for lipy of tho above /^ AN BE OBTAIN ED FBOI MITCHELL, IMPLEMENTS. PHOTOGRAPHER. Burnett St. I have the most up-to-date Farm Machi a uiTmrpivYW oer^ in the market. Kindly call at tho ASliiiUh-iuiN. Implement Depot, Tancred street, and Patrouised by the KiaHT Hon. It. J. Seddon, inspect for yourselves. Proiai«r of New Zealand. — — Work guaranteed vithin a fortnight from date of return of Proofs." • \K7* SinPrrWVTiYR NOTICE j m . _, • ,t, « i Permanent Building.and Invest- The Great Eugene Sandow met)t So g ej . '■ IS COMTNG. ; TLTOW is the time to buy Developers j jS and Spring Grip Dumb-Bells at T OANS GRANTED PBOil] H ARDLEY 33ROS anc^ uPwar^s a^ current rates. — - ~ '""-"" , Full particulars on application. . KERR BKOS wishing to thank their Office — Taac^d Strsst. Office Hours — customers and friends for their 9 g f> a m 4 p. m ." Fir^t Tuesday in liberal support during the last two years Month--9.30 aau. tilHp.m ;and'-7tili9p.)^. have decided to move into larger premises, * We may state that we have secured that ALBERT ROBERTS, Manager, large new shop three doors above our old one, and in order to h:ive less goods (0 re- — —^^m^^.^- —:— move, vr& have decided to make big re- ET\P QA T 17 lduotionaiaallHn.es. rUR D/VLL. £ERRBROS Moore Street. Burnett btreet. — ------- if\UAKT£E Acre, being Town Section TTiLEOTORS should not fail to see fcke t^J 334, having (JGft frontage on Moore f-'j special lines, just to hand in Quilts Stieet, toother with Cottage thereon, and Tapestxy, I'^ble Covers, Lace Curtains, Art small Shed. Price ££.£9. Muslins, Cretonnes, Delaines, Print?, eto. Easy terms can bo arranged, .at .tilie Ready Money Shop, Tancred Street Apply to T. BULLOCiI, "



nnAILOMNG. — Stuanqe's are unsure JL passed for fit and stylo at moderate • prices.



The Tailoring Tea.de Dispute—The secretary of the Tailors' Union objected in Court that Craighead and Berryman put far more work in suits than ordinary (Christchurch) tailoring. Manufacturer's agents e^ain that Craighead and Berry ina£'s linings ftaye to be made and imported specially,beingbettef 'quality thau usually sold. They have just engaged several extra, experienced man to cope with the rush of fikera. Craighead and Berry man pay ex ( tra for bo|bh labour apdnjat.Qrial because their motto is " Satisfaction." Up-|:o-d;^e gujts from £3 10s. New summer hats, shirts, ties boots, etc., just opened. Compare prices! Observe the quality !-(Advt.)



SOMETHING WRONG. This is the time of year when health chan ges aro'most noticeable. Imririgthe winter months the' system' has b:o6bipe' surcharged ii'ue way i»nd amj.thei; and many 6f the pr.in; oipal organs get congested;"ln point "of fact, this ia a time when the liver giyes trouble, and people show it by getting at tacks of biliousness, sick headaches, consti pation, and other stomach ailments. If you find there's something wrong with you try Nature's own remedy—lmpey's May Apple, the ideal family medicine. It is extracted ifrom the vegetable kingdom, and is scien tifically compounded. It i* the mosf"'ibf fectiVe remedy'for all complaints of the stomach, liver and kidneys. Sold by alj chen^ts an<J storekeepers' ajb'gs 6d per bot tle, or post free fronj Sharland h.nd Go. ,(IfdE), "Wellington,