ASHBURTON TRADE DIRECTORY.

Accountants and Commission Agents— Charles Braddell, Montgomery’s Buildings H. J. Bristo, Prospect Buildings, East-st. VV. R. Boyle, Moore-street. Architect and Civil Engineer— S. W. Brown, East-street S. Farr, Montgomery’s Buildings B. Mountfort, East Street

Auctioneers— Bullock and Co., East-street Saunders Bros., Ashburton

Barristers and Solicitors— Mr. Branson, East-street Mr. E. G. Crisp, Montgomery’s Buildings

Bakers, Confectioners, Etc.— Thomas Hicks, Tancred-street -Thomas Taylor, East-street,

Banks— - f Bank of New Zealand, East-street Union Bank of Australia, East-street

Boarding House Keepers— J. G. Anstee, East-street Eagle’s Dining Rooms, Havelock Street

Builders, Contractors, Etc.— James Baker, Havelock-street Geo. St. Hill, Burnett-street West G. Parkin, Steam Saw Mills, Moor-street Matthew Smith, Moor-stieet Thos. Williams, Tinwald G. Compton, Builder, Moore-street.

Booksellers and Stationers— A. Weston, Prospect Buildings, East-street street South Weeks and Dixon, Stationers’ Hall, East-

Bootmakers— J. Chambers, Prospect Buildings, East-street M. Nealas, East-street Brewers— Wood and Co., Cameron-street Cabinetmakers and Undertakers— James Baker, Havelock-street Q. Parkin, Moor-street Thomas Williams, '1 inwald

Carrier— . G. F. Scott, Cameron-street

Chemist and Druggist— J. M. Cambridge, Montgomery’s Buildings} Coal and Firewood Merchants— G. Parker and Co., near Railway Station A. Hayes, Firewood and Timber, near Rail way Station F. P. Leßreton, Burnett-street.

Drapers and Clothiers— Aitken and Co., Havelock-street ~ Orr arc Co., East-street John Fowler, Tancred-street Firth, Pass, and Co., Old Bank. Store, East street W. Gavin, East-street T. Quinn & Co., Moor-street Engineers and Founders— Edwards and Lee, Engineers,- Smiths, etc., Burnett-street W. J. Hessty, Central Foundry, Peters-st Furniture Warerooms— A. Spillard, Tancred Street

Grocers, General Dealers, Etc.— Aitken and Co., Havelock-street Orr and Co„ East-street Firth, Pass, and Co., East-street John Fowler, Tancred-street K. Sando, East-street

Greengrocers— W. Birtwell, East-street J. Mooar & Co., East-street Hairdressers— E. A. Garnett, East-street A. Pearse, Moore-street

Hotels— ..-;ua,. ■■o Quill’s Commercial Hotel, ( near Railway Station Shearman’s Somerset Hotel, East-street

Ironmongers- Orr and Co,, East-street. Aitken and Co., Havelock-street S. Plardley, East-street

Ladies’ Clothing Establishment— Mrs. Morey, Tancred Street.

Painter, See. — J. R. Chapman, Tancred-street Printers and Publishers— Weeks and Dixon, East-street

Plumbers, Gasfitters, Tinsmiths, Etc.— . J. C. Dolman, Tancred-street Joseph, Hyde, Tancred-street S. Piardley, East-stieet

Saddlers— Thomas Hudson, Burnett-street

PURVEYORS — C. E. Fooks and Son, East-street

Tailors— Aitken and Co., Havelock-street

Tentmakers— K. Sando, East-street

Tobacconists— A. Pearse, Moor-street E. A. Garnett, East-street A. Weston, East-street

POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails at the Ashburton Post Office close 15 follows : For Christchurch and North at 10 a.m. p.m., and 7.30 p.m., daily. For Chertsey at 10 a.m. daily. For Rakaia at 10 a.m., and 4 p.m. daily. . For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, at 3.15 p.m. daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10.30 a.m. For Temuka, Timaru, and South at 10.15 a.m. and 3 p.m daily. * For Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstream, Rangitata, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10.15 a.m. daily.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

ASHBURTON RETAIL LIST.

The Evening Echo. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1878.

On the 12th of this month the new Featherston line of Railway will be opened with all the fanfaronade which attended the inauguration of the Christ church-Dunedin line. The members of Parliament, and other of New Zealand’s illustrious great, will dignify_ the occa sion by occupying the carriages of a special train; and the Marquis of Nor manby will be as usual the recipient of a quire or two of loyal addresses. It is not often that His Excellency gets a chance to talk party politics, but when the chance comes his way he fails not to “make hay while the sun shines,”and with a skill we do not find in every Colonial politician, he contrives to give a thrust at the present Government without seeming to do so. On more than one occasion, however, he has showed his hand, and that part of the Press who failed to see any beauty in the Atkinson Government, were not slow to point to the partizanship which the ex hibition displayed. To Sir George Grey, it is well known, the vice-regal bosom does not glow with at least poli tical tenderness, and when His Excel lency delivered his grand speech at the Dunedin banquet he poured out eulogy upon the labors of Sir Julius Vogel with such a zest —and that, too, with mem bers of the Government in power sitting around him—as to leave an impression on the minds of those who heard him, and of those who read his speech, that in his heart he believed the colony had lost its best man when Sir Julius left his position as Premier of the colony to become its Agent-General at Home. It was a fitting time, to be sure, to give honor to a man for the inauguration of a policy that joined two great centres of the Middle Island, when that union was complete; but it was not necessary in giving that honor to magnify the ex-Premier’s deserts and deeds by exaggerated praise, and, by faint notice of those who have suc ceeded him, leave them in the shade and depreciated by the comparison. We are not willing to lay the charge of an intentional slight to Ministers at the door of His Excellency; but, . taken along with previous evidences of. his antipathy to the head of the present Cabinet, and the storm of Vogel-wor ship which followed his address, we are bound to confess that there is room for suspicion of a skilful movement in the direction we have hinted at. At the opening of the Northern line His Ex cellency will have another chance to cry up his pattern of a New Zealand statesman. We shall see whether aTnd how he will take advantage of it—if, with the name of Dr. Featherston forced upon his notice in the very name of the line he will then open, occasion will be taken to ring the changes on the greatness and glory of the adventurer who, while he shone the idol of the colony, was doing his utmost to provoke Dr. Feather ston into throwing his appointment at the heads of the Cabinet, so that he might step into it himself; and, when fortune unexpectedly threw the chance jn Jjis argy, by tljs

decease of the Agent-General, with hot haste secured the dead man’s shoes, left the men he had worked with and led to fight a fierce contest in the political arena, and bequeathed by his political death a Cabinet to New Zealand marked as much for their insincerity as for their incompetency. His Excellency has done what he could to glorify the author of the New Zealand public works policy, and by this means cast into the back ground the men of to-day, whose head he does not love with a strong political l ove — w in he have aught to say at Featherston of the good old man whose name it bears, and of how Sir Julius came to succeed him in the office of Agent-General, and the many interest ing circumstances that nowcluster round that appointment ?

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Brass Band Anniversary.—The Ash burton Brass Band is an institution deseiving of the residents’ best support. Since its forma tion, and notably during the last twelve months, it has advanced from a very ordinary affair to a band of no mean ability, and its performances are a credit to its members and the town. Like all institutions i|) has had its difficulties, but these have now bken well surmounted, and the band has before it a promising future. It could, however, do with a considerable help financially to aid in the purchase of instru ments and meet necessary expenses, and those of the public who desire to afford this help will have an opportunity of doing so by bestowing their patronage on the band’s anniversary con cert, to be given on Thursday evening. In addition to helping the band, the patrons of the concert will enjoy an entertainment of a kind altogether too seldom given in the town, and, therefore, deserving of the best encourage ment when they occur. The programme is a well selected one, has been got up at great pains and some labor, and contains some very superior items of vocal and instrumental music, and in its performance will ■ introduce to the Ashburton public some amateurs of ability who have not yet had an opportunity of coming to the front. Aid has been secured from Christ church in the persons of Mr. and Mrs. Coirick, the former, a host in himself as a violinist, and Mrs. Corrick an enchanting soprano. Other names familiar to Christchurch ears will also be found in the programme, which contains all the elements of a successful entertainment.

I.O.G.T.—The Sunbeam Juvenile Temple was re-opened last night in the Templar Hall. Over 40 boys and.girls became members of it, and after their enrolment, the various officers were elected.

The Floods.—The floods south still con tinue, and news of their damage keeps coming to hand. A Timaru telegram reports 2000 sheep, 100 cattle, and a number of horses drowned by the overflow of the Waitaki, which rose 14 feet in seven hours. In Otago there has been awful destruction of property. From Cromwell we learn that communication is interrupted on every side, and horses, cattle, furniture, and even houses are drifting down the river. Bridges are being threatened, and, in many cases, destroyed and carried away. The Waimakariri is subsiding, but traffic has not yet been restored. The Hurunui is also in flood, but there is no report of much damage being done. Parliamentary.— ln the House, last night, Mr. Fisher said, in reply to Mr. Pyke, that the plan of protecting telegraph wires, where exposed to danger of interruption, by laying them in pipes underground, was too expensive for this colony. Mr. Stout spoke at some length on the Judicial Commission Bill. He expressed his aversion to the .measure, and questioned its usefulness, cautioning the House against interfering with the powers of the Supreme Court, even though he did not agree with the punishment meted out to Mr Barton for contempt of Court. Mr Rees held that the age of a law or custom should not prevent its examination on the question of—was it right ? The Bill asked for nothing likely to weaken the power of judges or injure their position. Public opinion, though it could remove a mem ber of the House from his seat, could not un seat a judge, so that judges were beyond the influence of public opinion. The power pos sessed by judges amounted to this -That a person might be imprisoned without power to appeal or power of the Crown to' pardon. Nothing was so calculated to,lead a man astray as the possession of absolute power. The Bill struck at this power, and he saw nothing to object to in the Bill. The debate was continued until the House rose at 12.40. Messrs. Bowen, Gisborne, and Whitaker strongly opposed the Bill on much the same grounds as Mr,, Stout. Mr. Bowen strongly condemned the -demeanor of Mr. Barton towards the judges, saying he was afflicted with monomania in that respect. Mr. Moss viewed matters from the same point of view as Mr. Rees. Mr. Tole wanted to see the power and independence of the judges maintained, still he would vote for the Bill, as the case demanded an inquiry. Malicius Mischief.—At the Christchurch Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, John Fitzgerald was committed for trial on a charge of destroying about ZSO worth of fruit.trees in the garden of Mr. Elkanah Williamson, on Tuesday last. Death at the Wesleyan Conference. —A melancholy event occurred at a recent sitting in England of the Wesleyan conference. The Rev. Peter C. Horton spoke on the con ference platform in terms of eulogy and affec tion about his old friend the late Rev. H. H. Chettle. Shortly after he had finished speak ing he fainted and fell upon the platform: ; He was taken to one of the vestries and medical aid was sent for. He revived for a while, but gradually sank, became unconscious for about three hours, and- died of heart disease in the vestry. He entered the Wesleyan ministry in the year 1832. Presbyterian Synod.—The Presbyte rian Synod of Canterbury and Westland met last night in St. Andrew’s Church, Christ church. There was a large attendance of cler gymen and elders, and after the appoiutment of the Rev. Joshua MTntosh to be Moderator for the ensuing year, the retiring Moderator, Rev. George Morice, preached an able and eloquentjsermon.

Long Hair.—A growth of human hair, the longest on record, is among the curiosities at the Paris Exposition. It came from the head of a poor Norman girl, and is seven feet long, and of pfot) flpjfify •

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondent'.

THE SCHOOL GYMNASIUM.

To the Editor of the Evening Echo. Sir,— l am not a rigid Sabbatarian, neither have I lost all respect for the Lord’s Day. 1 am hopeful there are many in Ashburton who retain a similar respect. I know. there are many good men in it to whom wholesale open Sabbath-breaking is a great and a grievous pain. To such the exhibition I witnessed on Sunday last must have been very distasteful. The School Committee, or some other body,— but I think it is the School Committee—have erected a n:w gymnasium just by the Library Hall. I confess it is an excellent one of its kind, and has some attraction for lads with a little das 1 in them ; but that is no reason why, all day long on Sabbath, it should be allowed to be in full swing of use by lads from 12 to 18 years of age, and in considerable numbers. Its proximity to the Library Hall, which is now in use as a Sunday School, must be offen sive and a hindrance to the teachers wl o kindly give their services there of a Sunday afternoon; besides the bad example set to the youths who attend for instruction. At the election of head master the Presby terian Committee was sneered at in some quar ters for their clannishness; I hope the com j-mittee will give some reason for the belief that they are as loyal to the institutions of their persuasion as they are said to be faithful to their brethren in the faith—and the Sabbath is one of these. Have they no power to keep the new gymnasium idle during one day in the week, at least ? I am, &c., Decency.

TELEGRAPHIC.

[By Submarine Cable.]

AUSTRALIAN.

Sydney, Sept. 30. Arrived,—City of Sydney, yesterday. The whole of the associated New castle coal-masters have given notice of their intention to withdraw at the end of the year from the present agree ment, relating to the price of the coals. It is generally believed a reduction of prices will follow. Latest news from the Queensland trans-Continental exploring party states that they expect shortly to reach Port Darwin. They found the country well fitted for a railway. The prospectors of the Maclvor River report the'country auriferous ; the gold, however is unpayable. The district is suitable for stock and sugar-growing. The Rev. Mr. Macfarlane, lecturing in Cooktown, spoke favorably of the commercial products of New Guinea. A hurricane at Roma, on Friday, razed walls and fences, and unroofed buildings.: ■

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Agency.] Napier, Tuesday. A fire broke out at the Spit at one this morning. The premises destroyed were Benker’s, sailmaker, and Red ward’s store and engine shed. The progress of the fire was stayed by the Spit and Napier Fire Brigades. The insurance has not yet been ascertained. The fire broke out first at Benker’s, but its origin is unknown. Auckland, Tuesday.

Malcolm MacDonald, second mate of the brigantine Linda Weber, when going from the vessel to the wharf by a plank, fell into the water and was drowned.

A boy named Henry Collins was walking along when a stack of timber rolled over, crushing him to death instantaneously. A meeting of fishermen passed the following resolution : —“ That this meet ing views with alarm the intention of the Government to bring in a new Fisheries Bill this session; that- jhe monopoly clause is in our humble opin ion contrary to the avowed policy of the Government, and injurious to the work ing classes ; that we had hoped and expected that Government would give every facility in their power to encour age honest labor, and so promote the welfare and happiness of the whole of the inhabitants of New Zealand, irres pective of wealth,' position, or color.” Some discussion ensued, and it was agreed that a respectful address be pre pared for presentation to the Govern ment, and forwarded to Mr. Moss. Wellington, Monday.

A shock of earthquake was, felt here and at Foxton about seven o’clock this morning. Nelson, Monday.

A public meeting, convened by the Mayor, was held this afternoon, when a committee was formed, consisting of the Mayor, and Messrs Shepherd and Acton Adams, to compile all available information regarding tbe probably remunerative character of the Nelson and West Coast section of, the main trunk railway. This, when prepared, will be, printed and forwarded to every prater p? m kfijfiste&rfc

CYPRIOT WOMEN.

(From the Pall Mall Gazette. The Turks when describing a Greek girl say she is kneaded up with tricks. They ought to know, for in the palmy days of the harems those institution contained many a young lady fro the HSgean Isles, bought by agreement with their kinsfolk; and doubtless so late as two years ago the Turkish girl merchant paid his yearly visits to Cyprus. His ostensible purpose was to recruit dancing girls, for the word slavery was not to be so much as mentioned among the Greeks; but it was pretty well understood that when a young Cypriot woman accepted an offer to go and dance at Constantinople or Bagdad her relatives saw no more of her unless she turned up in after years s a large widow with a great deal of superfluous jewellery about her. Vas silopoulos, the innkeeper, used to say (but this was some time ago) that the pashas, and even his Majesty the Sultan, had a particular liking for the Cypriot maidens, owing to their merry eyes and their incomparable grace in dancing* and that if it had not been for the vigi lance of the Cyprian young men and the patriotic disinterestedness of Cyp rian mothers the whole female popula tion of the island sacred to Aphrodite would have found its way into the Turkish seraglios. This statement con tained possibly but a grain of truth ; for Cyprian mothers of the peasant class, when overburdened with families, did not think twice about accepting a merchant’s offer of a cash payment in exchange for one of their daughters. The trans action was not, indeed, regarded as honorable : it was not talked about, and some mystery had to be observed in conveying the girl away; but; the merchant scarcely selected more than a score or two of the population every year, and it was known that the chosen few were going to a life ot brilliant possibilities which might result in their weilding considerable power in the State and sending home frequent remittances to their relations. For the rest, the fe male population in Cyprus, as in the other Greekislands, much exceeded that of the males ; and when the innkeeper’s two sons Dimitri and Pericles went a courting they must have found the mar riage market rather overstocked. The Cyprian damsel is a curious compound of fascinations and oddities. Seen at her best, on one of the innumerable saints’ days when she does no work be yond tricking herself out in fine clothes and assisting her mother to dispense hospitality, she looks like a masquerade heroine, whatever be her station. She weaves up her hair with gold coins, twists it, plaits it, and contrives, with a red and yellow kerchief, a head-dress which looks like a turban, but is made top-heavy by being surmounted with an embroidered muffin cap and tassel. She wears baggy breeches, sky-blue or pink, which descend to the knee, the rest of the legs and feet being bare, except when to honor company she reluctantly dons a pair of babouches, in which she feels uncomfortable. She is generally fat,, and wears a short jacket profusely braided, which does not reach to her waist; she rouges and whitens her creamy complexion till it looks like the face of a wax image; she paints her eyebrows deep black, and by some cunning pencil-touches at the cor lers of of her eyes, contrives to make them look twice their proper size. Then she feels happy, and giggles when compli mented. She cannot read nor write, but she can sing, play on a triangular guitar, and spin round in a fantastic dance which takes her breath away, and makes her cry “ Hoo !” while the stranger who watches her turns giddy from sympathy. Nor is she without religion ; for during the long Lenten last and on Fridays throughout the year she lives on bread and olives, considering it a deadly sin to eat “anything that has breathed” —fish included. She sees less t sin in telling fibs and in discussingscandaU It takes some time to familiarise oneself with a Cyprian girl; for something of the Mussulman practice of secluding women prevails among the Greeks, and a bevy of maidens will scurry off like frightened poultry if a man approaches them to talk; but once this shyness has worn off, the chief conversational topic of the bashful maiden will relate to her neighbours’ short-comings. She will tell you with smothered laughter things which she lias learned in the most surreptitious manner ; and her dark eyes will sparkle with the fun of mis chief-making. The countless feast-days-in the Greek calendar afford an excuse for constant mixed ptf? fpsfcj fe&iyfcy; *n4

there is no hovel so poor but manages somehow on these occasions to pu forth fruit-jellies, raw spirits, and coffee to entertain the stranger. Travelling about the Island with Vassilopoulos, one was reminded once or twice a week that a day had come when no work was to be done; and, in fact, the fields are as deserted on these days as Scotch ones oil a Sunday. In the morning the people troop to church, where the papas (priests) officiate in gorgeous vest ments within churches nearly in ruins, but full of votive images in painted marble or in carved wood, dressed out like dolls. In the afternoon romping, gambling, athletic feats, and often shriek ingquarrels ending by fights with knives, serve to while away the time until night comes on, when there is a great deal of dancing, singing, and carousing inside barns. All this is gay enough, but soon palls upon the stranger, who finds the people more attractive on working days, when they have no frippery or gewgaws about them. The women are excellent housewives, and their daughters learn early to swab and scrub till they make the stone doorsteps of their cottages shine like alabaster. It might be wished that they were equally active in warring against the parasites which linger in the woodwork of their dwellings; but they seem to treat these creatures as honored guests, and never disturb them. On working days the Cyprian girl dresses loosely in cotton breeches and chemise, and lets her hair fall down her back, tying it just below the neck with a string of beads. She is very active de spite her plumpness, and races about after goats, pigs, and fowls, with a fleet ness which would do credit to a boy. If of marriageble age she will not beg, but at sight of a stranger halloos to her younger sisters to come forth and claim backsheesh; .the which having been duly obtained (for those little Greek girls are wonderful coaxers), she levies her share, which is expended in buying finery of the pedlars. The dream of the Greek girl is to be as sumptuous as those Mussulman ladies whom she occa sionally sees driving about. the island in carts drawn by oxen, and whom sho en vies with all her heart without being able to see their faces.. In ,all the Greek isles the setravret, "or veiling, of the Mussulman ladies is very close ; and their pride is also immense, for being in the minority, they hold altogether aloof from the Christian \vomen. The wives of second-rate Turkish officials, not rich enough to afford ox-carts, walk to the bazaars, attended by servants, and whenever they meet a man, turn their faces, though veiled, right away from him. In lonely streets or country roads they stand still and turn their backs until he has passed. The Greek women, while laughing at these, customs, secretly admire them, as enhancing the majesty of their sex : and one of the first pur chases made by a Cyprian maiden when she has saved pocket money is a veil, in which she tries to drape herself, not over-successfully, like the Mussulman dames. This article, however, she only dons indoors ; for in the open air it would excite the ire of the Greek boys, besides hiding that beauteous arrange ment of rouging, blackening, and white ning above-mentioned. Dimitri and Pericles used to assert that a girl’s face was no more made for concealment than the moon’s, and the maidens of the place would no doubt have agreed with them, feeling proud at the compa rison.

Japanese Breaches of Promise. After a Japanese lover has proved false to his vows, the deserted maiden rises at about two o’clock in the morning, and dons high sandals or clogs, and a white robe. Her coif is a metal tripod, into which are thrust three lighted candles ; around her neck she hangs a mirror, which falls upon her bosom ; in her left hand she carries a small straw figure—the effigy of her faithless lover—and in her right she jjjrasps a hammer and nail, with which she nails it to one of the sacred trees that surround the shrine. Then she prays for the death of the. traitor, vowing that if her petition be heard she will herself pullout the nails which, offend ./the god by wounding the mystic tree. Night after night she comes to the shrine, and strikes in two more nails, believing that every nail will shorten her lover’s life, for the god, to save his tree, will surely strike him dead. It is a curious illustration of the hold superstition yet has on the Japanese. vr ' v *.

Neuter.—At a funeral in Ireland the clergy man had not r been informed of the sex of the deceased. He accordingly leaned over to the sexton and said: “ Shall* I say ‘brother or sister here departed.’” “It’s neither, sirr,” whispered the man, “shure he was/only an acquaintance !” ——-

The Evening Echo, Tuesday, October 1, 187§.



s. d. s. d. iutter, inferior to best, $lb i 6 to b o Eggs, dozen - - to to I o Bacon, piime smoked, $ lb o IO to o o Hams in cloth, $ lb 1 0 to 0 o Cheese, prime quality, # Jh o 9 to o IO Hour in'bags, loo& it 6 to 14 0 Oatmeal, $ ioolb - . 2$ a to 0 Q 9 Jo a 9



NOTICE



A DVERTISEMENTS for the Evening xx Echo must be sent in not later than 3 p.m. with the number of insertions written plainly on the copy, or they will be inserted till counter manded, and charged accordingly. Special notices can be received up to 3.30 p. m. for insertion over the Leader, but will be charged double scale. Subscriptions—Quarterly, in advance, 6s. ; posted, Bs. 6d. ; per annum, in advance, 225. 6d. ; posted, 355. 6d. ; weekly, paid to runners, 6d. Delivered to any part of the town, and at any of the Railway Stations.



UNION BANK OF AUSTRALIA, Established 1837. Paid-up Capital ... £1,500,000. Reserve Funds •' ... £780,000. '■pHIS BANK receives DEPOSITS at IN TEREST, and transacts all General Banking Business on the MOST FAVORABLE TERMS, which can be ascertained at its Offices in Hereford Street, Christchurch, and at its other Branches and Agencies in the District. JOS. PALMER, Chief Officer for New Zealand.



TOWN HALL. THURSDAY NIGHT I THE MOST ATTRACTIVE CONOEBT OF THE SEASON.



RAILWAY JS t O,TICR rv HE TRAINS will RUN NORTH AND SOUTH as usual TO-MORROW, 5 1 EDWARD SIL&, Statiowpastcr.