SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. ARRIVED. April £—Taiaroa, s.s., from Northern Ports. April s—Star of the South, s.s., from Northern Ports. Sailed. April s—Taiaroa,5 —Taiaroa, s.s., for Southern Ports. SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. Auckland, April 4. —Taupo sailed to-day.

COMMERCIAL TELEGRAMS.

OAMARU, Friday. Grain is now coming j n large quantities, but farmers ask more than buyers are willing to give, owing to crops turning out better than was expected. Wheat shows a downward tendency, and is receding to 4s. Best samples of oats are in good demand at 3s. 4c!. to 4s. 6d. Breadstuffs are quoted, f.0.b., flour J\ 1 10s. to .£l2; oatmeal, £iS ; pearl barley, £2O ; pollard, £5 10s. ; bran, £3 ss. ; pota toes, 455. to 58s.

Dunedin, Thursday. Bank of New Zealand, £24 ; Colonial Bank, £2 iis. ; National Bank, £3 15s. ; National Insurance, £1 2s. ; Standard Insurance, £1 3s. ; South British Insurance, £4; New Zea land Insurance, £4 10s. ; Union Insurance, 15s. ; Mosgiel Factory, £3 7s. ; Shipping Company, £3 15s. ; Union Steamship, £7 ss. ; Guthrie and Larnach’s Factory, £2 10s.

The Evening Echo. FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1878.

The annual report submitted to the subscribers to the Library at their meeting on Saturday by Mr. Ward, who discharges for them the duties of secre tary, treasurer, and librarian, was one of which the handful of subscribers may well be proud, but of which the general public of Ashburton have no reason to be. The report shows a membership of a unit or two over a hundred at 10s. per annum, who have access to 850 volumes, and a full head of periodical literature ; and it exhibits a balance, on the right side, of odds. Ashburton is in a bad way, surely, if it cannot raise more than 100 readers of 850 books at 10s. per annum for that privilege; and when one looks at the figures representing the patronage of the library and then at those representing the patronage of the circus last Friday, the comparison is not comforting. Instruction does not seem to be a commodity much wanted, by the youth especially, of the town, else the Public Library, successful as it has been through the efforts of a few, would not require to make the appeal for members which its Committee did via Mr. Ward’s report. The public library has always been looked upon as the in tellectual pulse of a parish, and wherever such an institution languishes for want of support, a very poor account is sure to be given of the mental culture and general information of the minds that exist around it. The men whose patriotism impels them to the organisa tion of this aid to education cannot but feel disheartened when they see their library books lying undisturbed upon the shelves, while thousands will crowd in to “ gape and claw the elbow ” at a merry-andrew’s jokes and an acrobat’s contortions. “The people must be amused ” was one of Louis Napoleon’s maxims. He gave them amusements to the full—and the result was he had to deliver up his sword a prisoner of war ; for there can be no doubt that King William owed his success far more to the cultivated intelligence of his soldiers, the outcome of the splendid educational system of his country, than to the rapid fusilade of his needle gun. Amusement ought not to be made the sole aim ot existence, nor ought it to be sought after to the abandonment of the pursuit of healthy knowledge.

The winter evenings are nearing apace, and the Library affords a far healthier means of spending them than many now in vogue. Let us hope that the Com mittee’s appeal will not be in vain, but that a response will be made so hearty as not only to dispel every fear of a weakened finance, but to put them in a position to swell their literary hoard with the best works of the best minds of the age. Surely at 10s. a year no resi dent in Ashburton should be without the right to read every book in the Library, and no one who is willing to spend half that sum for two hoursr amusement will ever think the subscrip tion a farthing too much.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We would draw the attention of our readers to an alteration of date in the occurrence of an event of not a little interest, especially to the ladies. The bazaar in aid of the Building Fund of the Wesleyan Church, originally fixed for the 10th and nth of the current month, has been altered to the 16th and 17th. . We are given to understand that a considerable number of contributions of work, etc., for the stalls have been received from various parts of the Colony in addition to those locally raised by the efforts of the members and the liberality of friends, so that the Library Hall may be expected to pre sent a gay appearance when, for the time, the ladies of the Ashburton Wes leyan Church hold their levee to receive the friends who come to show their ap preciation of a labor of love.

Yesterday afternoon, about 2 o’clock, while Mrs. Osborne was washing in a whare on Winter’s property, about two miles from Ashburton, she discovered that the place was on fire, and ran for the assistance of her husband. In her excitement she left her baby sleeping in the house, and the flames making rapid progress, aided by the high wind, the child was a charred mass before help could reach it. An inquest was held to-day at the Somerset Hotel, the result of which was a verdict of “ Accidental Death.”

The Rev, Mr. Habens, who was for a considerable period pastor of the Christ church Congregational Church, which position he resigned to become Secre tary to the Education Board, has now resigned the Secretaryship, having ac cepted the office of Inspector-General. Mr. Stephen Massett, the celebrated composer, singer, mimic, elocutionist, etc., will give one of his entertainments here on Tuesday night in the Library Hal. From the press in every part of the English-speaking world, Mr. Massett has earned golden opinions, and since he began his tour through New Zealand the press of the Colony have said many complimentary things about his talent. We have heard Mr. Massett, and can certaintly guarantee that his entertain ment is of a high character. His selections, whether for causing mirth or for playing on the better emotions, bear evidence of a refined taste, and his performance of them tell at once of a high order of talent. Mr. J. G. S. Grant does not enter tain a very high opinion of social or political matters in New Zealand. He has recently published a political pam phlet, in which the following choice paragraph occurs “ Well, well, God has given the people ‘the desire of their hearts, but He sent leanness into their souls.’ Mark our political, social, moral, educational, and religious degra dation ! Charlatans—that are laughed out of countenance elsewhere—visit our colony, hang out their repulsive and singularly unintellectual portraits in our shop windows, and the Press applaud, and the people patronise men who de grade the lecture hall and burlesque the religion of Christ, and wound the feelings of all intelligent and worthy men and women. In 1861, I stood up and before mass meetings advocated the establishment of the first daily sheet in New Zealand. Had I known that such a crop of venal rags would have sprung up, like the "teeth of dragons, from that seed, I should have held my lips under a sacred seal of silence. Free-thought lecturers, stroll ing mountebanks, vulgar pronunciators, and parrots reciting the buffooneries of

Dickens and Thackeray, are laughed out of America, and dare not show' their idiotic faces in England or Scot land, and yet they are lionised in the fish villages of New Zealand. Alas, alas! we. have reached the climax of degradation with a vengeance !” Literary young man at a pa r ty —“ Miss Jones, have you seen Crabbe’s Tales?” Young lady, scornfully— -i I was not aware that crabs had tails” Literary young man (covered with confusion) — “ I beg your pardon, miss ! I should properly have said “ read Crabbe’s I ales. ’ Young lady, angrily, scornfully “ And I was not aware that red crabs had tails, either.”

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

To-Day—Before A. Le G. Campbell, Esq., R.M.

James Kelly was brought up on four charges, viz., being drunk and disor derly, using obscene language, creating a disturbance at the Somerset Hotel, and resisting Constable Smart in the execution of his duty, all on the 29th of March. Kelly had used very bad language, according to the constable’s evidence, and the collective muscle of the constable and the Somerset staff of attendants had failed to eject him till the persuasive influence arrived in the person of Constable Smart, who for a time reduced the lion to the lamb, and Mr. Kelly was guided away a chain or two from the hotel. But Constable Smart, when alone with prisoner, lost his pacific influence, and the lion rose again. Ihe constable’s charge fancied himself a better man, physically at least, than any man in blue in the force, and, suddenly rebelling, tried to put his “ smashing ” threat into execution. But the constable was handy with the handcuffs and the rebellion was quelled. An expression of deep sorrow for the moment of weakness, a promise of amendment, and a fine of £3, closed the trial.

Maurice O’Connell had been drunk and disorderly, and Dr. Trevor had remanded him till to-day. He had been four days in gaol already, which w\as looked upon as sufficient punish ment, and the case was dismissed.

W. H. Strange appeared to answer a charge of having been drunk and dis orderly and using obscene language at Winslow on the 30th. His wife had telegraphed for the assistance of the police because of his outrageous con duct, and he was apprehended accord ingly. He had been before the Court a fortnight ago, and was then dismissed, but had again got into trouble. He stated that when he got a glass of grog it injured his head, and he became violent, but he could produce evidence to show that he was a hard-working man, and would promise in future to be kind to his wife, who was a good and affectionate wife to him. He would join the Good Templars, and never drink any more while he was in the country. He was fined 10s. for being drunk, and £1 for the bad language. He was also, in his wife’s interest, bound over in £2s to keep the peace for three months.

John Kelly, drunk and disorderly yesterday, would clear out of the town and go to his work, “swag and swag gage,” if he were let off this time. He had come here to the circus with a few pounds and had got drunk. The Magistrate fined him 155., or twenty four hours in prison. John Smith had been drunk at Ra kaia on the 2nd. He had gone into the shop of a dressmaker, where females were working, and much to their con sternation had refused to quit. He had to pay xos. for his spree. 1 homas Scourfield had charge of a horse and trap at noon on the 2nd inst. in Rakaia. Having got helplessly drunk, the beast became boss of the trap, and this promotion being an un lawful proceeding, Mr. Scourfield had to make amends in the sum of 10s. The two carters remanded from last Court day produced their licenses, which had at last been procured from Christchurch, and were dismissed.

Prancis Cass was fined 10s. lor driving a threshing machine and engine over

the Ashburton Railway Bridge, contrary to the bye-laws. He had brought them to the station, and would have sent them by rail to the Hinds, but no shears were at Ashburton Station that would lift the heavy engine on a truck, and the only available lifting gear within a reasonable distance was at Prebbleton, whence it could not be brought for a week. Meanwhile the machine was wanted to thresh the corn of the dis trict, and the driver started off with his engine and thresher. The Magistrate deprecated a state of affairs that put the farmers of the country to the risk of losing the services of a threshing machine at such a time as this, and said the railway ought to have ap pliances at hand to meet such contin gencies. He, however, was compelled to inflict a fine, which would be as low as possible.

CIVIL CASES. Mclntyre v. Eden; withdrawn as plaintiff was not in attendance. Farnan v. Howard; Mr. Johnston for plaintiff, submitted that the case was before the Court for a re-hearing. Mr Crisp for Mr. Howard, submitted that as he had not been served with process as arranged the case must lapse for the present. After long argu ments on both sides, his Worship de cided to nonsuit the case on the pre sent re-hearing, and ordered fresh sum mons to be issued for Friday, the 26th instant.

SPIRITUALISTIC EXPOSURE.

The spiritualistic world has now another opportunity to rise and ex plain. Dr. Henry C. Gordon, bogus materializer, was grabbed last night while playing spirit. Medium Gordon, next to the Blisses, is the smartest, most successful, and most audacious of all spiritual humbugs. When he formerly resided in New York he played medium, but was caught one fine night and partly exposed, the grabbing being somewhat premature. Finding himself in Philadelphia, he again started in the materializing busi ness, and moved from house to house, meeting with varying success. He finally located in a large, fine-looking, spiritualist boarding-house on Fairmont Avenue, and here he gathered around him a select circle of as credulous cranks as ever fed a medium’s maw. Recently, a young lady residing in the lower portion of the city attended one of his seances, and saw a form which was represented, and which she be lieved, to be the spirit of her dead mother. The young lady fainted. Since then she has been almost crazed upon the subject. Her friends deter mined, if possible, to cure her. First, they gave Gordon a test. On Monday night of last week, among others, a form appeared at the aper ture in the cabinet with a long black beard and hair. Ponco, an Indian chief, who controls the mediums and announces the spirits, but who himself is never visible, called out : “ Brightly ! Brightly !” “If that is Brackley— John Brackley, perhaps I might recog nise him,” said one of the young lady’s friends. The form disappeared. After the seance the young man informed Gordon of the circumstance—the me dium, of course, was in a trance, and knew nothing of what transpired at the seance—and informed him that his friend Brackley died in Pittsburgh three years ago. “Come again,” said the doctor, “ and perhaps he may talk to you.” No such person.as Brackley, by the way, ever existed.

Last night a committee of three, consisting of Mr. Lippincott. a Market Street auctioneer, and his two sons, was appointed by Gordon to examine himself and the cabinet. The cabinet consisted of a curtain stretched across a corner of a room, and behind this was another curtain merely thrown across a wire. The committee exam ined the cabinet, and found nothing. The performance then went on. At last there appeared at the aperture the black-haired and black bearded indivi dual who represented John Brackley, the friend of the young lady’s friend. Some ridiculous spiritualists, however, persisted in recognising him as John Shedwick, formerly an engineer on a / New Jersey railroad. The spirit, how- '

THE EVENING ECHO, FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1878.