POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails at the Ashburton Post Office close as follows :

For Christchurch and North at IO a.m. I 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, Watcrton, and Longbcacb, at 3.11; p.m. daily. For Grecnstreet, Ashburton horks, 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.

UNCLAIMED LETTERS.

The following letters are advertised at the Post Office, as having been -received from places beyond the Colony, during the month of July, and remaining unclaimed on the Ist September 1878 : Anderson, James Clough, Robinson Doherty, Henry James Fergusson, J. H. (2) Gooch, W. Kelly, Cornelius Moyna, Joseph O’Donnell, Patrick Palmer, William Rilly, James Sweetman, Michael (2) Spencer, W. Wallace, John Letters originating in New Zealand are not now advertised, but are sent to the Dead Letter Office, after having lain for two clear months.

ASHBURTON TRADE DIRECTORY.

A ICOUNTANTS AND COMMISSION AGENTS— Charles Braddell, Montgomery’s Buildings i-I. J. Bristo, Prospect Buildings, East-st. W. R. Boyle, Moore-street. A tCHITECT AND CIVIL ENGINEER— S. W. Brown, East-street S. Farr, Montgomery’s Buildings B. Mountfort, East Street A JCTIONEERS — Bullock and Co., East-street Saunders Bros., Ashburton B tRRISTERS AND SOLICITORS — Mr. Branson, East-street Mr. E. G. Crisp, Montgomery’s Buildings B iKers, Confectioners, Etc.— Thomas Hicks, Tancred-street Thomas Taylor, East-street, B^-nks— Bank of New Zealand, East-street Union Bank of Australia, East-street Bearding House Keepers— T. G. Anstee, East-street Eagle’s Dining Rooms, Havelock Street B jilders, Contractors, Etc.— James Baker, Havelock-street Geo. St. Hill, Burnett-street West G. Parkin, Steam Saw Mills, Moor-street Matthew Smith, Moor-street Thos. Williams, Tinwald G. Compton, Builder, Moore-street. B 10KSELLERS AND STATIONERS— A. Weston, Prospect Buildings, East-street Furness and Dixon, Stationers’ Hall, East' street South

Bootmakers — J. Chambers, Prospect Buildings, East-street M. Nealas, East-street Brewers— Wood and Co., Cameron-street Cabinetmakers and Undertakers— James Baker, Havelock-street G. Parkin, Moor-street Thomas Williams, 1 imvaid 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, Bumett-street. Drapers and Clothiers— Aitken and Co., Havelock-street Orr ard 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., Bumett-street \V. J. Hessey, 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< Reuse, Moore-street Hotels— Quill’s Commercial Hotel, near Railway Station Shearman’s Somerset Hotel, East-street Ironmongers- Orr and Co. , East-street Aitken and Co., Haveloek-street S. Hardley, East-street Ladies’ Clothing Establishment— Mrs. Morey, Tancred Street. Painter, Ac.— J. R. Chapman, Tancred-street Printers and Publishers— Furness and Dixon, East-street Plumbers, Gasfitters, Tinsmiths, Etc.— J, C. Dolman, Tancred-street Joseph Hyde, Tancred-street S, jf : ?rdley, East-stieet Saddlers— Thomas DwJ.son, Burnett-street Fooks -and Son, East-street TENTMArcER§!git >B Haveloek>street A. Pearse, Moor.street . East-street T p % tymm

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF LYTTELTON.

arrived. Sept. 17 —Alhambra, s. s., from Wellington, via North. r , . Sept. 17—Claud Hamilton, s.s., from South. 1 . sailed. Sept. 17 —Alhambra, s.s., for Melbourne, via South. expected arrivals. From London Crusader, Waimea, Lang stone, Waimate, Waitangi. From New York Star, Southmmster, Olmstee. From Foo Chow —Rio Lodge. From Calcutta —Aries.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Evening Echo. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1878. THE SPENSLEY CONCERT.

’ Last night one of the best concerts ever given in the Ashburton was held in the Town Hall. The entertainment had been organised in the interest of the Wesleyan Societ} of the Ashburton District, the money raised by it being devoted to the Church Building Fund of that denomination. The concert should have been given iast Tuesday week, but owing to the wet weather then continuing, it was postponed—the pro moters preferring the risk of any injury to their enterprise likely to follow a post ponement, to the certain financial fail ure of performing on a wet night. The only injury, however, suffered by the postponement was the loss of Mr. Knox’s services, who, though able and ready to appear on almost any evening last week, was prevented by business engagements from being present last night. Mr. Knox is a basso of conside rable merit, and his absence, though thus well accounted for, was a disap pointment. His place, however, was very creditably filled by local talent.

It is seldom that concerts of the character of last night’s are given in our township, and the known ability of the Spensley family, with the attractive programme offered, had the effect of filling the hall with an audience who showed every symptom of being pleased with what they heard. The performers comprised—Mr. and the Misses Spens ley, and Mr. Cohen (violinist), from Christchurch; Mr. H. J. Weeks, Ash burton, a glee party drawn from Ash burton talent, and the local brass band. The concert opened with the “ Gloria in Excelsis,” from Mozart’s 12th mass, by the band, played very well, followed by the Gipsy chorus in Preciosa —“ 1 he stars that above us are shining, ” sung with brilliance, a due regard to expres sion, and in accurate time. The duet “ Hear me, Norma,” brought the Misses Spensley to the stage for the first time, and they sang with a very pleasing effect, at once establishing themselves in the good favor of their audience, who demanded an encore, and the last verse was repeated in response. Mr, Weeks, in “ Once again,” came on next, and his effort was duly applauded. “ Constance,” a ballad for a mezzo soprano, was admirably treated by Miss Spensley. It gave her voice full scope, and afforded her an opportunity of displaying her excellent taste, their appreciation of which the audience manifested in an encore. Miss B. Sperjfley's voice is of a different cast

a higher range. He first solo effort was the song “Sweethearts,” and her success with it, to use a common phrase, brought down the house. An encore followed as a matter of course, and a third call was given but whs wisely denied. “ Awake yEolian lyre,” by the glee party, was much appre ciated. A violin solo was the next item, with Miss Spensley accompany ing on the piano. The piece was one of superior and very difficult music, and Mr. Cohen did full justice to it. His execution was very good in deed, and his whole playing during the evening proved him a thorough master of the most difficult instrument in the whole range of music. “ Think a Sailor is Faithful,” a duet by Mr. and Miss B. Spensley, was the next effort by the Spensley family, and its excellent rendi tion called forth an encore. The band followed with an overture, and then the Misses Spensley gave a duet, “ Whis pering Hope,” with the usual result of an encore. “ How Cavaliers are changed,” a song by Mr. Weeks, was also encored, and “ The Englishman” was given in response. “To the Woodsj” brought the senior Miss Spensley to the front once more, after which this lady and her father appeared in the duet “ Moonlight Gems the Silver Sea.” “Is My Darling True to Me,” by Miss B. Spensley ; “ Angels Breathe on Flowers,” by the glee party, and a duet the “ Singing Lesson,” by Mr. and Miss B. Spensley (encored), finished the vocal part of the programme, the last piece on the list being a selection by the band, whose performances were very creditable indeed. The accompaniments were played throughout by Miss Spensley, and her services in this respect were invalua ble.

This was the first real trial the Hall has had as a concert room and we are sorry to have to pronounce the build ing a failure. It is impossible to tollow the music with any degree of closeness, and the house seems to be full of disagreeable reverberations. It is unfortunate that the otherwise ex cellent building should be deficient in acoustics, but some alteration is absolutely imperative. Wire-stringing is an inexpensive and usually effective cure, and we would suggest its adoption as an experiment.

INQUEST.

An inquest on the body of Thomas Quinn, who was killed at Cameron’s Station on Monday morning last, was held at the Somerset Hotel yesterday evening, before Dr. Trevor, Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. Thomas Quinn was chosen Foreman.

Duncan Cameron, Springfield Station, deposed, that Thomas Quinn had been engaged as ploughman on his station; he came to him on the 13th instant; on the 16th his first duty was to take some grass seed, in a two-horse dray, to a paddock. I saw him last at about 9.30 or 9.45 in the morning; he was then returning with the empty dray. The horses were both quiet ones. About twenty minutes after last seeing him, my attention was cailed to the fact that the horses had bolted; I went in the direction pointed out, and found the deceased lying on the road; he was bleeding from the mouth; I had the body covered up till the police came; he was a sober steady man. Constable Cartmill staled that, from information received he went to Spring field on the 16th, and found the body of decesed, about a mile from Spring field Station; brought the body to Ash burton next day. There was a mark across his body as if a wheel had passed over him; he had also a large wound on his forehead.

Dr. F. Macßean Stewart deposed to having made a post mortem examination of the body; found a cut over the right parietal bone, about i l / 2 inches long; there was blood about the mouth; on the right side of the chest there were traces of slight bruises ; there was no fracture of the skull; found extensive extravasation of blood between the skin and muscles ol the chest; also a com plete fracture of the bone; the lungs were uninjured; the heart was empty, but healthy; death was caused by rup ture of the sternum, and paralysis of the heart; an empty dray, going at con siderable speed, would cause the inju ries I found. Verdict: “Accidental Death.”

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Riley & Allen’s Troupe.—This minstrel company open to-night in the Library Hall.

Land Sale.—We would call atten tion to a sale advertised in our to-day’s issue. The land comprises 14 quarter acre sections, is situate just outside the North Belt, and is the property of Mr f. S. Savage. The auction commences in Messrs Bullock’s rooms to-morrow at 11.3°.

Parliamentary. —The House has been occupied for the last two sittings main'y with the Electoral Bill in Com mitte •. That has been advanced as far as cliuse 37, and in the course of its progress representation has been made so far co-ordinate with taxation as to give ratepaying females a vote, but, of course, to exclude them from eligibility to a seat in the House. Last night the Native Minister gave his statement on Native affairs. He affirmed that the previous management of them had shown a great want of nerve and firm ness, and felt himself able to show that the present Governments action had been such as to restore Native con fidence in the Legislature. The race was slowly but surely dying out, having decreased nearly 2000 in four years, owing to carelessness of the young, neglect of the old, insufficient diet and bad habitations, intemperance, the tribal habits of the Natives, and their de praved living. The half-caste was of a superior physique to either Maori or European, and this he looked upon as a hopeful sign. Religion was re viving amonst the tribes, the taste for strong drink was decreasing, and a general improvement in the na tive people was manifesting itself. Government proposed spending some this year on native schools, raising teachers’ salaries with a view to securing better men. They also medi tated extending the boarding system of schools, so as to rescue children from the influence of native habits. The Hikurangi meeting had resulted in a desire on the part of Rewi and others to work in harmony with Europeans. Last year Government had prohibited every officer in the Native Department from acquiring native land. They now proposed to go further, and prevent every Government officer from traffick ing in native land. Regarding the pur chase of native lands, there were at pre sent (of blocks in negotiation when taking office), 253 outstanding blocks, of 3,143,000 acres, on which was paid, and to complete which 000 was yet to be paid. Govern ment in their Native Land Bill pro posed to restrict their land-purchase operations, and to allow no title to be completed by private purchase without passing through the hands of the Gover nor in Council. He hoped the time was not far distant when the native question would be no more, and the Native Department abolished, and both races would be obeying one law, and speaking one language. The Pound. —If all the complaints which reach us are true regarding this institution it is not to be an unmixed blessing. YVe are given to understand that no water is supplied by any one to the poor animals impounded and they are left without any for days—in fact, so long as they are in the pound. The poundkeeper denies his liability to find them in water, and while “no one is to blame,” the poor brutes are being subjected to gross cruelty. If this is to go on, the sooner the rails of the pound are removed the belter. The concern was built with a view of abating the stray cattle nuisance, not to become an instrument of torture to them; and to coop them up in an enclosure without water, keeping them for days together suffering the agonies of thirst, is a thing repulsive to every right-thinking mind. The sooner the duty of finding the animals in water is fixed on some one the better.

An Unfortunate Nap.—Rip Van Winkle went to sleep, only to wake up again to find everything changed. Mr. Manders, wearied with the fatigues of legislation, indulged in a little nap last night only to discover that a division had been taken on the second reading of the Land Tax Bill, without his illus trious patronymic figuring in one of the lists. The eagle-eye of Mr. Bunny was the first to discover the recumbent form of the member for Wakatipu hid den away among the benches, with a smile on his countenance that betokened dreams of the fairy scenes of Waka tipu and the visions of far-off beauties. With, the exultant joy of a new dis covery Mr. Bunny announced the fact to the Speaker, who sternly called Mr. Manders to record his vote. But the dose of slumber and the visions of his dreams still surrounded the honorable gentleman, who oould only murmur, “ I give my vote for the Goverment pro posals,” and subside baqk upon the soft couch of sleep,— Womtm Qhmult.

CORRESPONDENCE.

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

HOW IT STRIKES A STRANGER.

To the Editor of the Evening Echo.

Sir, —The fame of Ashburton is, I was about to, say, world wide, but that would be untrue, for beyond the shores of our own colony it has not even a name. In New Zealand, however, every man of any inches at all has heard of Ashburton; heard of the pad ding pace at which it joined the march of pro gress ; heard of how its land has increased in value ; how its trade, industries, and popula tion are being daily added to ; how pushing men are making a flourishing and important town of what was five or six years ago a waste.

A town of five years is certainly young, and one does not expect on young shoulders the head of a sage, so one scarcely expects to find in a young town like yours all the good proper ties of an old city. But, considering the out cry you Ashburtonians have made about your selves, I certainly expected to find you more advanced than you are. I find your land as dear as I expected it to be ; I find your beer commanding a corresponding price—just double what it brings anywhere else—sixpence a drain ; and I find other things in proportion. Landing from your station —well, that’s a Government building, like the Post-office : I’ll forgive you that —the first prominent building in the centre of the business part of the town is your new Town Hall, the fame of which has reached every comer of New Zealand. I looked in at it. Candles ! not even a kerosene lamp ; and such chandeliers ! Two square frameworks of wood suspended from the ceiling, with the “carpenter’s candlestick” (three nails forming a triangle) to hold the sperms. A range of similar nail-combinations do duty for candle footlights unshaded. Like other patriotic individuals of my class, I attended a concert in the Hall last night. As a concert I got value for my money, at least I very much enjoyed the music ; but the archi tect and owner, or owners, of that hall com bined together to make me miserable. First, I got in when the doors were opened. The opening of the doors extinguished the money taker’s light—of course a sperm—and any amount of annoyance followed to him and those who wanted to secure seats. Having been supplied with a ticket in the dim light, I made for a convenient seat where I could en joy the music comfortably. I chose a chair between the platform and the first chandelier — if I had sat for an hour under a well-doved pigeon-cot, I could not have been bespattered to any better purpose than that chandelier be spattered me, and I ignorant of it all the while. When I became aware of the tendency of the chandelier to “ drop fatness down,” I made room for somebody else, and retired to watch. Every time the door was opened a draught bent the candle flame to an angle of 45 degrees, gently waved the swinging framework, and those sitting near enjoyed a wave-offering of candle fat. Shifting my position proved to me that the acoustic properties of the hall are simply miserable. Every note comes to your ear twice, and it is the next thing to impossible to distinguish words. I remarked this espe cially in the case of the Spensleys’ singing. They are always distinct anywhere else, there fore -Lblame the hall.

Larrikinism is all powerful too. You want a horsewhip or so in that gallery. Surely, a kerosene lamp or two could be got, even if you are to have gas next year. Why should the unwary be deluged with can dle fat at every wave of your wooden monstro sities, and suits of clothes destroyed in this way because the Directors of the new Town Hall of the most rising town in Canterbury choose to use those sperm abominations in preference to kerosene. Really the injury to clothing is too bad, leaving out of sight altogether the disre putable appearance of the miserable make shifts.

The stage is in no way suited for theatricals, so I conclude the Hall is not intended for that class entertainment. Surely the Town Hall Company did not mean to be so rigidly righte ous as to exclude the socle and buskin ?

Whatever the Company do, I hope —even with a prospect of gas to be had soon—they will go in for respectable lighting, so as to make the Hall look decent in the eyes of every

Stranger,

TELEGRAPHIC.

AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne, Sept. 17.

The Alliance sailed to-day, and the Ringarooma direct for Wellington yesterday.

Sydney, Sept. 17.

At a meeting of the Agricultural Society to-day, the Governor presiding,

it was decided to hold an International Exhibition. Public subscriptions are to be solicited, and the Government will be asked to apply to Parliament for proportionate aid. A match is nearly arranged between Trickett and Rush for the championship, on fixed seats. Trickett’s hand is healed. Adelaide. Sept. 17. Obituary—Judge Stow ? aged 50, An abundant harvest is expected.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Agency.]

Hokitika, Tuesday.

The Board of education which has been in a very straightened financial position for some months past, has re duced the salaries. The teachers and the officers of the staff generally are dissatisfied, and the best teachers are likely to resign. The Board is also threatened by creditors, and the Board’s account at the Bank is overdrawn seve ral thousand pounds. Unless early assistance is afforded the whole edu cational system will be seriously jeopar* dlsed;

Invercargill, Tuesday.

The Oreti was got off yesterday after noon, and taken to the pier. She had s: rained herself severely, and when sur veyed to-day it was found that several ot the frames of the midships section were broken. Thik is the extent of the damage. Her plates are intact, only one rivet having started, and her gear is not affected. She is to ship enough timber to stay her, and return at once to Port Chalmers to be docked. Dunedin, Tuesday. Courtney says, in a letter which has just been received in Sydney, that he would long since have come to Sydney but for a fictitious advertisement which appeared in the American papers, inti mating that Trickett was coming to America. Courtney will leave America next winter for Sydney, and hopes to row Tricket on the Parramatta river for or a-side. A young moa in a remarkably good state of preservation has been found near Queenstown. The large leg bones presented a strong contrast to the small head, not much bigger than that of a goose. Some of the bones were ap parently still full of grease, and most of them had fleshy matter attached, whilst the lower portions of the legs and feet were covered with the, original skin and enclosed tendons and sinews, one of them being covered with a quantity of small feathers, similar in color to the bright freckled brown of a Maori hen. The frame is not quite complete. The Wakatipu Mail says that the remains have been offered to Captain Hutton for the Otago Museum. Balclutha, Tuesday.

The necessary statutory declaration and petition has been filed in the Resi dent Magistrate’s Court praying for an enquiry into the election for East ward, Balclutha, on Thursday last, and pray ing that the same may be declared void, upon the ground that Messrs. Dunne and Campbell, two of the apparently successful candidates did not poll the the number of votes the Returning Officer declared they did, and that votes polled fcr the other candidates were counted as having been polled for Dunne and Campbell. This petition only refers to East ward, but another will be filed praying that the whole election may be declared void in con sequence of numerous irregularities. Dunedin, Tuesday."

Detective Neill, of Dunedin, left this morning for the scene of the mur der that took place at Waikawa on Sun day last.

Duration of the Session.—Con temporarp opinions as to the probable duration of the present Session ot Par liament are by no means in perfect ac cord. In the House, Mr. Pyke de clared that a dissolution was one of the impossibities, for the reaion that .there was no power in the House strong enough to compel the Coveonment to go to the country. No doubt in a fortnight or three weeks many mem bers would begin to hive off, and the Government could not possibly keep the house together longer than six weeks. The Hon. the Native Minister thought there was nothing to prevent the buisness being completed in four weeks. The Weed.—The ladies of Turkey Russia, Spain, and Hungary, smoke cigarettes ; and indeed in Hungary and the Danubian countries it is not rare to find ladies of ripe age smoking full flavoured cigars by their own firesides with great apparent relish. The Popular Judgment in Po litics.—ln the July number of the Nineteenth Century, Mr Gladstone con tributes a paper to the pending discus sion on the popular judgment in poli tics. He admits the intellectual inferiority of the lower classes, and be lieves that, in the absence of stirring subjects, the working man will frequently come to the poll with his mind in a negative state, but he considers the popular judgment superior in mental integrity. With few exceptions, the popular judgment has been in the right on the great achievements of the last half century, while the upper classes uniformly resisted the self-evident and unpalatable truths which inferiors clearly perceived. Poetry and Whisky.—lt is a curious fact that so many dwellings once the homes of poets should have been public-houses at one time or other. Burns’ native cottage was a house of this description ; the house in which Moore was born was a whisky shop ; and Shelley’s house at Great Marlow a beer shop. Even Coleridges residence at Nether Stowey, the very house in which the poet composed his sweet Qde to the Nightingale,” became an ordinary beer-house. A house in which James Montgomery lived for forty years at Sheffield was a beer-shop j and the birthplace of K-irke White is now a house for retailing intoxicating

Th£ Evening Echo, Wednesday, September 18 1878.



ASHBURTON RETAIL LIST. s. d. s. d. Butter, inferior to best, I? Ib X 6 to I 8 Eggs, $ dozen - - I 0 to 1 3 Bacon, prime smoked, lb o 10 to 0 0 Hams in cloth, lb - I 0 to 0 0 Cheese, prime quality, lb o 9 to 0 10 Flour in bags, w ioolb 12 6 to 14 0 Oatmeal. $ ioolb - 26 0 to 0 0 Lard, lb - - - 0 9 to 0 0



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 scale.



Bank of New Zealand. 'jpHIS BANK is Prepared to RECEIVE DEPOSITS AT INTEREST AND TO TRANSACT ALL GENERAL BANKINC BUSINESS ON TERMS which may be ascertained AT THE VARIOUS BRANCHES AND AGENCIES IN THE CANTERBURY DISTRICT. J. L. COSTER. Manager.



Strangers 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-furnishing Iron mongery, apd General Stores. Orr & Co. offer special advantages to the public that can 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 lea_ding manufacturers at home, which bein? 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 made so that the most inexperienced buy their goods It jths same prices f r the bpßt