The Evening Echo. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1878.

On Monday last, in the discussion of the Estimates, the House had the vote for the Ashburton Magistrate under review. Mr Fox was very severe on ‘ the)legal magnate holding office in the Geraldine district. A promise was *, dragged out of Mr Stout to consider a suggestion that the Resident Magis trate presiding over the local Court in Ashburton should reside in that town. Government are lavish in hazy promises —and a promise to consider very often means a determination to shelve the question. We are sure, however, that some change will take place likely to improve our position in magisterial affairs, otherwise Mr Saunders, who , -recently asked Government such a string of troublesome questions regard ing Mr A. Le Grand Campbell would not have been so ominously silent while the House had the vote through hands. The New Zealander, however, which so ably fills the office of Government tout, the mission of its existence, gives Ashburton a kick by the way, and in its Tuesday’s issue says : The'old grievance of the Ashburton people as.to the residence of the Resident Magistrate being at Temuka, instead of Ashburton, cropped up in the House again last evening. When Mr. Campbell took up his residence at Temuka first, great was the indignation of the 1 Ashburlonians. at.that .small township receiving the preference to the “inland town,” that is not slow in vaunting its self-importance, and the soreness at this selection seems not to have yet passed away. It is in vain now as then to point out that Justices of the Peace are not plentiful in the large County of Geraldine, •while in the “ inland town ’’ they lpuster in strong array, for the feeling of wounded pride .cannot lie flayed by any such consideration, as the Ashburtonlans think that if J. P.’s are not plentiful in Geraldine they could easily be in creased in number, ignoring the idea of pro priety in selection.

Of course, it would be a pity to say a word against the utterances of so great oracle as a paper owned by the Ministers of the Crown —an organ willing, like the Highlandman, to be “ hanged to please the laird,” and with a registered vow to defend the political doings of its owners, right or wrong hut it is one thing to live in Wellington and judge at secondhand of Ashburton’s position, and another to live in Ashbur ton arid see it for one’s self. The Go vernment tout may chaff us about our self-importance, and say we are jealous of the “ small township” in which Mr Campbell resides, but it is neither our jealousy of Temuka nor our wounded self-importance which causes us to com plain. It is the unsatisfactory position in which we are placed with a Magis-

trate not a bright ornament to the judicial Bench, and only a weekly visi tor at that We have a goodly number of Justices in Ashburton, any one of whom could do the work as well

a’s \ the / R. M. and not achieve a great thing by doing so, but these gentlemen are too seldom at the disposal of the

police. Yesterday, through the accident to the Rangitata Bridge, his Worship Campbell could not attend Court, which had to be adjourned —the police cases until to-day, the civil business for a week. Pressing business engagements prevented the Jufitices within call of the police from doing the work set down for to-day, and as it happened on both days witnesses were brought many miles on a fool’s errand. As Justices, the gentlemen holding commissions of the peace in Ashburton are well enough but when one cannot be found to do the petty criminal business of the Court, and when a hitch in the railway arrange ments can at any time suspend the course of justice, it is time we had a magistrate resident amongst us. Oh no, we do not envy Temuka. That “ small township” is fully welcome to all it requires of A. Le Grand Camp bell, so far as we are concerned ; but we do want a man resident in this town to do the work, or some regular system under which the Justices of the Peace could be made use of so that an accu mulation of criminal business might not be upon the hands of the police, endan gering the purposes of justicej

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Childrens’ Tea Meeting. —The children attending the Presbyterian Sunday School were last evening enter tained to tea in the church. There was a full muster of the scholars and a fair sprinkling of adults. Several prizes were awarded during the evening to successful competitors in committing to memory passages of Scripture and also in hymn singing, and addresses were delivered by teachers and others. A choir of children, trained by Mr. John Robb, sang some hymns from the Ame rican Songster very creditably, Mr. Stott playing the accompaniments. The Rangitata Bridge.—Things remain without much ajteration at this bridge. The girders are the only sup port of the structure at the faulty end, and passengers are prohibited from crossing, but notwithstanding this some bolder spirits risk life and limb at the arrival of each train. It will take a con siderable time to establish regular com munication with the south. Hew Store Buildings.—Messrs. A. O. Aitken & Co.’s new premises were commenced some few days ago. The building, which has a frontage to Havelock Street of 56 feet, with a depth of 66 feet, is to be divided into two shops —one for drapery and clothing, the other for grocery and ironmongery— each shop being 28 feet by 46 feet. The remaining 20 feet on the drapery side will be utilised as a show-room and workroom; The front will have tour large windows, each 12 feet high by 11 feet, with folding doors to each entrance. Probably the patent folding shutter will be used to protect the whole of the front. A handsome verandah will also form part of the structure, and the proprietors are determined not to spare expense in making every arrangement for the con venience of the public. The premises, when finished, we are assured, will be a credit to the firm' and to the town, and another token of the increasing prosperity of the district. Juvenile Temple, 1.0.G.T. The Sunbeam Temple will be rescusi tated on Monday evening next at the New Templar Hall. Members of the order are invited.. The Chinese Invasion. —The propriety of restricting Chinese immi gration into New South Wales was a question brought under the notice of the Colonial Secretary recently by a deputa tion from the trades and Labor Council. The deputation apprehended that the continued influx of Chinese into the colony would have a very injurious effect upon the people, and they con sidered the presence of so many Chinese as were now there was a great hardship to many persons. Nearly the whole of the cabinet-making trade of Sydney had passed into the hands of Chinese, with whom European labourers could not compete, and cooks and servants were becoming numerous in the hotels. The Octopus, —A very fine speci men of the octopus or devil fish was captured at Port Chalmers lately by Mr. James Gott, who forwarded it for exhibition at the Dunedin Carnival.

Experience has shown that for every ounce of attar of roses three thous and pounds of rose-leaves are required.

Stingers coming to reside in Ashburton ' are often at a loss to know which is the best Establishment to visit for the purchase of Drapery, Clothing, and House.-fiwnishing Iron mongery, and General Stores. Orr & Co. offer special advantages to the public that .cjpr be met with nowhere else in Ashburton. They keep at all times the largest and best-assorted Stock of every .class of Goods, imported direct from the leading manufacturers at home, which being bought entirely upon, cash terms, they are enabled to offer goods of sterling value as, cannot be equalled by any other house in the* trade. Every article in stock is marked at the lowest price, from which no abatement is jp&de so that the most inexperienced buy their good? gt % prices as the best judge?,—Adyh

CHISPA’S LETTER.

I am not yet so bald that you can see my brains. —Longfellow. Some times it happens * that week passes by without anything occurring to call forth remark of mine. This week, though teeming with events, has not been of the sort which affords scope for the exercise of my. philo*sophy. The City Council met and -parted, doing a good deal of work ; then the gale met us, and we had well nigh parted with everything before the wind caved in. Of course, the blow did mischief; you told us that right enough, but it had. its amusing side as well. Now, Sir, editors and reporters are like other men, or the sooner they are so the better. They have, like everything in nature, from a cheese mite to a member of the House, their place to fill in the world’s economy. The duty of the members is to draw an honorarium for speaking on subjects they don’t know anything about; the duty of an editor is to tell them so, and draw his hono rarium, if he can. When I have done with the gale, I will speak further on edi tors and members of Parliament. Now, Sir, in your “ gush ” upon the gale you held out that the wind was so powerful as to break a five-inch square verandah pillar. The most dangerous error is one with a slight grain of truth in it. The wind was very strong, and the pil lar was undoubtedly broken. But if you had been out and about, as I was, you would have seen the platform of a reaping machine lifted from its place and dashed against that pillar, and having seen that piece of playfulness on the Zephyr’s part, you whould have been careful about the wind’s strength.

The gale has its uses. It has im printed on my mind—and face, for that matter —the necessity of asphalting the Ashburton footpaths. Walking along East Street, when the wind was blowing its hardest, I had gravel stones dashed in my face at every step, and the necessity aforesaid was cruelly forced upon me and upon all who had window panes to break and faces to get pounded.

You talk about a free and enlightened press ! In America every irade has its newspaper and its editor specially retained. England is following suit, and why shouldn’t New Zealand ? The Bonifaces have their organ in the Sun , the sworn enemies of the Bonifaces have their organ in the Temperance Herald. Every man with money enough and a crotchet powerful enough in its action on his mind, starts a paper to air that crotchet. Now it is a wealthy squatter runs a sheet; now a land jobber; now an auctioneer. But the reigning power of the'cblony has planted a paper and calls it the New Zealander, and its creed is this —the Government, of New Zealand cannot err so long as the men who now form it are members of it. It is a Government of “ moral reform.” When it took office all the crying abuses of the country were to be swept away, and Sir George Grey’s Utopia was to be realised in New Zea land. Well, knowing as well as you do what Ashburton has to suffer at the hands of the powers that be in matters magisterial,—knowing that Mr. A. Le Grand Campbell’s competency is “ de bateable matter,” and that notwith standing our high opinion of his abili ties, and our great love for his person, we could be as happy with a man of greater abilities, and love Mr. Camp bell no less were he removed to another sphere of usefulness,—the New Zea lander tells us we are sore because our dearly beloved and illustriously talented magistrate resides at Temuka !!! Oh thou great organ of a “ moral reform ” Government, let me lift the veil from off thine eyes —tell the great “refor mers,” whose slave thou art, that Ash burton could live, if it never again saw the magisterial face of the great Alex ander; that its happiness would be secured were he to become the sole property of Temuk, only give us some body capable of measuring out law in a satisfactory manner.

Mr. Barff would not close the pubs, on election days, because of the expense it would entail upon candidates for Par liamentary honors. It was a human failing to thirst, and there was a greater tendency that way during election times than on ordinary occasions. Just ima gine then the impossibility of slaking their thirst with the orthodox glass, and having to pass the inhospitable door of a closed pub., and trot along to the storekeeper’s place up street to obtain a two-gallon modicum of the thirst quencher. Perhaps Mr. Stout felt that the animal nature of man resembled that of my dog, which will proudly was his tail over a mouthful of meat, but will skulk away insulted if he is offered enough to do for six dogs of his size— ironical Mr. Stout.

At three o’clock yesterday afternoon, one cow and two horses visited my

lawn, on which the grass sown some time ago is beginning to be a tempta tion to animals “ out on the loose.” At five o’clock there were two cows and one horse within my enclosure. At ten at night I hounded out two cows and five horses, and at three this morning, willing as I am to oblige my neighbors in affording pasturage for their beasts, tired nature rebelled against the row made by three milkers and a wandering steed, and, clad in the solitary garment one usually wears at that untimely hour, I rushed out, wearing a broomhandle in a ldition. If there is a horse or a cow with a seam on its person resem bling that likely to be made by a broom handb, the infliction of the punish ment will be found in Chispa.

“THE IRON JAW”

( Sitting on a mil. J Pray, do you know the latest news Of things Ashburton heard and saw ? If not, come, listen to my muse — A lady with an “ iron jaw.” I do not mean to chronicle The ancient legends of Ashburton ; Tho’ I could be ironical About the rule of King Bill Turton, Or on the days when Moorhouse reigned, And bade Ashburton.be a town, While brother Tom for him retained Suburban lots with money down. Let’s drop the past: the living present Invites my muse to jawing action, That iron ways may be made pleasant To every shrewdest cove and faction; This is a hard, metallic age ; Tin, brass, and iron are the fashion : Brass to make tin, is all the rage, And iron is the ruling passion. Lo ! how in the Cathedral City The Brassica Christchurchiana Shows no white heart, but, what a pity ! Drives from the Council every crancr. Jameson states his reasons boldly : He thinks that Brass ica’s election Implies that many cits look coldly On Cabbageless Tailors’ perfection. He’d stay and do his sums with joy, Adding them up right to a penny ; But fears lest this last naughty boy Might for his morals be too many. Colonial Reminiscence Pratt, And Ruddenklau of floury savor; Resign without cause, unless that They’re very brave, but Cabbage braver. Professor Bickerton, no doubt, Has analysed this cabbage blight, And fears contagion, so goes out Before temptation him invite. Beforehand, Radcliffe —so the Mayor says— Told him he wouldn’t sit with Cabbage, And so, resigned ; but now in scare prays They’ll trace his act to ill-health’s ravage, And give him back his resignation: To which Mayor Thomson doth reply He must accept the situation, And make room for some novelty. Heroic patriots these five— Who think they do their public duty By ceasing suddenly to strive Against the want of moral beauty! Are the Ashburton public men Far better than their Christchurch brothers, When, at the most, an upper ten In ignorance the units smothers ? Four or five lockers-up of land, Stretching from mountain base to rail, Have made the many understand, That to their heads all must cry “tail.” If those few back a railway line, The crowd must think it Gospel Iron : “ I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine,” Is motto those few never tire on : To Somers Mount and Alford Woods These few declare the South line best j And thro’ their own estates to Hood’s Would force the trade of all the rest. Freemasons boldly challenge all To hear and see, and hold their tongues ; Yet keep their secrets inside wall, Unuttered by profane men’s lungs : But the Free Lances who land shark, Throw thick dust in Ashburton’s eyes, And plan to crush it cold and stark By iron jaw of Boa size ! Five magnates of the southern plain All preach the railway south about: Great value thus their lands would gain— Ashburton in the cold left out. The tin would be by Tinwald taken, Sea-borne goods through Rakaia flow— The “ Forks men” barely save their bacon, And Ashburton all backwards go. Ten miles from Alford Woods to Hood’s : At Hood’s a bridge of untold cost; From whose south end all mountain goods Must come down and then be ) e-crossed, That Ashburton their mart may be : From bridge to bridge eighteen miles more And two from Tinwald back to me— (ln central Ashburton my store) j How can I hope to get them cheap When they come such a costly round ? ’Twere almost better still to creep On roads through Forks neglected found! But why no rail the shortest way, Where no broad rivers intervene? Twenty-six miles through tillage gay— With people filled, and wheat fields green— To Hood’s : to Alford twenty four : The line most busy, most direct— Which would serve industry far more Than if by selfish graspers checked, Who want the public money spent To raise the price of five vast wastes, And ask that traffic may be bent In costly loops to suit their tastes 1 Oh 1 guileless Ashburton, beware Of those who keep you ignorant, That they may have the lion’s share Of strippings from bones innocent. Ashburton was a rich milch cow, And fed our Tommy,‘not he her — Tinwald he may think richer now, A brand new pot well worth good stir. And just as th’ iron-jaw’d female Might, weary-toothed, let the man drop,— So Ashburton may point a tale — On the cold rail-plate tumbled flop Through trusting too much to its swells— Bolting what they lay down as law— Arjd, through long catalogue of sells, N Be knocked down cheap by “ iron jaw." ‘'Forewarned, forearmed ” , r Can you pot see The fine epd of the tiger’s claws, Whin show yards at Tinwald must be ?9 gty JtfrfilaruJ fhirJtf’ jrpft !

A TURKISH HOUSE.

(From the Pall Mall Gazette .) Seen from the outside the house of a Turkish gentleman is not much to look at. Most of its windows face towards the garden; and from the street little may be seen to indicate whether the owner is a rich man or one in moderate circumstances. The street itself is un paved, dusty, and infested by dogs as snappish as they- are lean. No servants linger about the door; but suddenly, at a distant cry of “ Hal-vet-var” (take care), which is repeated many times, like the howl of breathless wight being cuffed, a little postern in the wall swings back, and a shiny black Nubian comes out to greet his master. The master appears round the corner* escorted by a couple of servants who run by his side, while he canters on a seedy white horse which looks as if it had been fed on old newspapers. The Turk is earless about seeming rich ; and differs in this from the Persian, who likes to ride abroad on a fine horse, splendidly caparisoned, and followed by a numerous retinue. There is nothing to distinguish a pasha in the streets from an ordinary effendi; for he dresses with scrupulous plainness and wastes little money on the livery of his servants. He seems to think that outward show is mere vanity, and that a wise man had better reserve all his hischmet (comfort) for his haremlik, where, being hidden, it will excite no envy. That is why the selemlik of a Turkish house, where male visitors are received, offers no signs of luxury. There is a divan, soft carpets, and little tables on which coffee is served; but nothing in the way of ornamention— no precious knick-knacks. Of old the Turk used to offer jewelled pipes to his guests along with their coffee or sherbet; he now gives cigars or cigarettes, and smokes these things himself, for the chibouk and narghild have gone out of fashion. A pleasant talker is the Turk, and exquisitely * courteous ; but it will be noticed in his conversation that he never makes the slightest allusion to the women of his own or of another’s house hold. He is the last person to talk scandal with. If you make him a pre sent with a view of its being given to his wife, custom requires that you should use a periphrase to convey your mean ing ; and it will, be better stili if you ieave him to guess your intention with out hinting it. When a Turk has disposed of his visitors he goes into his haremlik to dine or breakfast, first removing his babouches. The custom of taking off one’s shoes before entering a room is not a religious superstition, but comes of the necessity for keeping carpets clean, seeing that they fulfil the pur poses of chairs, tables and sofas in other countries. The bedrooms • of a harem may be furnished like the Parisian boudoirs ; but custom is stronger than fashion, and Turks of both sexes like to recline or sit cross-legged on the floor. Their carpets are curiously soft and thick, and the hangings .over the doors shut out all draughts and noises. Through the open windows that look out on to the garden come a scent of roses and the hum of bees, mingled with the laughter of children who are playing on a well trimmed lawn under the eyes of dark-eyed Circassian nurses. The mistress of the harem—The Buiuk- Hanum (great lady), to give her full title —dresses much like an English lady nowadays, reads French novels, and plays the piano, though she has some gorgeous Turkish costumes which she dons upon state occasions such as the chalvas, when she entertains other ladies. Chalva means a cake, but it has come to designate a party at which that dainty is eaten, just as we say tea for a tea party in England. When a Turkish lady gives a chalva her husband is per force excluded from the harem while the strange women are in the house. These guests begin.to arrive towards six, accompanied by their maid servants and negroes carrying lanterns and bringing their children with them. Closely muffled, they divest themselves of their burnoses and babouches in an ante room, and put on delicate satin slippers which they have brought with them in bags. The reception-rooms are brilli antly lighted up with pink wax candles and scented with fragrant pastilles. There is no kissing or hand-shaking between the hostess and her guests; but each lady as she comes in lifts her hand gracefully to ,her heart, her lips, and her brow, which means, “ I am de voted to you with heart, mouth, and mind.” This mode of salutation when smilingly performed is very pretty. The greetings being ended, the company seat themselves on chairs if there be any Frank ladies present; if not they betake themselves to the divans and carpets, while the children go off all together to be regaled and to romp in some other room. Cigarettes, coffee, and sweetmeats are handed round j and while these things are being dis cussed the ladies are pound to pay one pother compliments about their r«,|p

pective dresses, which are sure to be most sumptuous, and indeed are some times worth a fortune.

The right costume of a Turkish woman consists of a long tunic, with open sleeves, and of a wide pair of trousers; and when these articles are of costly stuffs, embroidered, laced, and covered with jewels, they produce a rare effect. After the coffee dancing girls are introduced; and at this stage of the proceedings the elderly ladies generally settle down to cards and backgammon, neither more nor less than in Western countries. ■ In some houses, where Christian mariners have penetrated, a lady pianist rattles off waltzes and operatic music to amuse the company; but this does not exclude the performances of the native dancing girls, whose gyrations and fantastic music with tambourines and castanets are much appreciated. These airnees are seldom older than fourteen, and in any case no married woman joins in a dance. When the evening has been more or less agreeably spent amid these pastimes and conversation, it is the lady of the house who gives the signal for the guests to retire. This she does by clapping her hands and exclaimingChalva vel ” i.e., “ Bring in the cake.” At once the servants hurry off to fetch the delicacy, and soon a very aromatic, creamy, and spongy pudding is produced—the which having been honored as it deserves, silver basins full of rose-water are carried in for the guests to wash their hands withal; and then the party is at an end. A very quaint form of saluta tion speeds the parting guest. As each lady comes up to express her thanks for the hospitality she has en joyed, the hostess answers sweetly, “ How happy I am that all is over,” which ambiguous utterance only means, “ How happy I am that no accident has befallen any of us during this delightful evening.” It is said, how ever, that accidents sometimes befall on the morrow to the younger guests, for that chalva is very indigestible.

TELEGRAPHIC.

■ [By Submarine Cable.] London, Sept. 26. The British Government leaves to a member of the Council of India, the Secretary of State, to initiate and cany out the line of policy to be adopted towards the Ameer of Afghanistan. Tae prevalent opinion is in favor of Englsh occupation of the Kyber Pass and Kan dahar. !

St. Petersburg, Sept. 25.1 It is officially denied here that Ris- is acting in complicity .with tfie Ameer of Afghanistan.

AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne, Sept. 27.; Sailed—Albion, on Wednesday for the Bluff direct. Arrived—Alhambra, s.s., yesterday.; Sydney, Sept. 27. Public contributions towards the In ternational Exhibition have reached £4OOO. The Rev. Mr; Ridley, editor of the Evening News , is dead. : Case brandy, 335. New Zealand wheat, is offering at 4s. 3d., but there are no buyers. Stocks are large. Oats are 4s. 3d; A Adelaide, Sept. 27. A new Ministry has been formed— Mr. Morgan, Chief Secretary; Mr. Mann, Treasurer; Mr. Brindley, Attor ney-General; Mr. Playtor, Lands; Mr. Hawker, Works ; Mr. Rees, Education.

Wheat, ss. to ss. id.; flour. £xi to

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Agency.] Auckland, Friday. A telegram has been- received from Bishop Selwyn of the Melanesian Islands, saying that he is going to Eng land from Australia. Ten days ago a small vessel was sent to Norfolk Islatfd to bring the Bishop thence to Auck land, but he has managed tb get back to Sydney by the steamer Wentworth, which appears to have left the Bishop at Norfolk Island on her way to New Caledonia, and called for him again on her return.

The destruction of cattle on the railway continues. Two horses and several cattle were killed within the last fortnight. Wellington, Friday. The Gazette of Sept. 26 Contains an ' order in the Council fixing Nov. 11 as the date of the sitting of the Court of Appeal at Wellington. A Gazette notice states, that any holder of a license may fish with rod and line for trout in the Canterbury rivers from Oct, 16 next to March. *879.

fhe fivenirig Echo, SaiiiM&y, September SB, 18^8.



NOTICE. Advertisements for the evening 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 scsle. . Subscriptions—Quarterly, in advance,, 6s. ; posted, Bs. 6d. ; per annum, in advance^ 225. 6d. ; posted, 355. 6d. ; weekly, paidlo mmerisT'SU. - —Delivered to any part of the town, ancLat any of. the Railway Stations. . /. ca'ie i bmo m ■•/



li.-iln BANK OF AUSTRALIA,: Established 1837. ‘ Paid-up Capital Reserve Funds 000. ,£780,000. npHIS BANK receives DEPOSITS at IN TEREST, and transacts all General Banicing :■ Business on the .MOST TERMS,, which can be ascertained at its : Offices in Hereford Street, Christchurch, and > at its other Branches and Agencies in the JOS. PALMER, Chief Officer for New Zealand, .' HP HE REV. W. B. MARTEN wil 1 ’ Preach in the WESLEYAN CHURCH -To-morrow, Morning and Evening. Subjects: *! MdrniSg—A Memento of Jesus.” Evening —Life in Christ for all who come to Him,” npHE REV. Mr. WESTBROOKE will A Preach To-morrow Morning and Even ing in the PRIMITIVE METHODIST Church, Ashburton. MR., B. SHORT will Preach in the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH To . morrow, at 1.1 •a. m.