Ashburton Trade Directory.

\CCOUNTANTS AND COMMISSION AGENTS Charles Braddell, Montgomery’s Buildings H. J. Bristo, Prospect Buildings, East-st. W, R. Boyle, Moore-street. F. Pavitt, East-st.

ARCHITECT AND CIVIL ENGINEER — S. W. Brown, East-street 5. Farr, Montgomery’s Buildings B. Mountfort, East Street

AUCTIONEERS— Bullock and Co., East-street

Bvrristers and Solicitors — Mr. Branson, East-street Mr. E. G. Crisp, Montgomery’s Buildings Messrs.' Harris and Ireland, Montgomery’s Buildings. Mr. C. W. Purnell, Montgomery’s Build ings Bikers, Confectioners, Etc.— Thomas Hicks, Tancred-street Thomas Taylor, East-street, San do and Olsen, Eass-street Hanks — Bdnk of New Zealand, East-street Union Bank of Australia, East-street

Hoarding House Keepers— T. G. Anstee, East-street Eagle’s Dining Rooms, Havelock Street •'Guilders, Contractors, Etc. — G. Parkin, Steam Saw Mills, Moor-street 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 and Bottlers — Wood and Co., Cameron-street Cabinetmaker — Joseph Rule, Moore-street. Cabinetmakers and Undertakers — T. A. Gates, Peter-street, near Quill’s G. Parkin, Moor-street Thomas Williams, 1 inwald Carrier— G. F. Scott, Cameron-street B. C. Smith, Moore-street Chemist and Druggist— J. M. Cambridge, Montgomery’s Buildings Charles Neate, Moore Street.

Coal and Firewood Merchants— F. Doherty, Peter-street A. Hayes, Firewood and Timber, near Rail way Station F. P. Leßreton, Bumett-street.

Drapers and Clothiers — Aitken and Co., Havelock#street Orr arc! Co., East-street Firth, Pass, and Co., Old Bank Store, East street T. Quinn & Co., Moor-street

Engineers and Founders— Edwards and Lee, Engineers, Smiths, etc., Burnett-street W. J. Plessey, 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 Friedlander Bros., East-street Sando and Olsen, East-street F. Doherty, Peter-street Greengrocers — W. T. Davison, Moore-street J. Mooar & Co., East-street Hotels— Quill’s Commercial Hotel, near Railway Station Shearman’s Somerset Hotel,;East-street Central Temperance Hotel, Havelock Street Ironmongers— ’ Orr and Co., East-street Aitken and Co., Havelock-street S. Plardley, East-street

Ladies’ Clothing Establishment — Mrs. Morey, Tancred Street. Painter, &c,— J. R. Chapman, Tancred-street Teague and Sons, Burnett-street Photographer— E. Teague, Tancred-street Printers and Publishers— Weeks and Dixon, East-street Plumbers, Gasfitters, Tinsmiths, Etc.— J. C. Dolman, Tancred-street Joseph Hyde, Tancred-street S. Hardley, East-street Saddlers — Thomas Dudson, Burnett-street Surveyors— C. E. Fooks and Son, Ey ‘-street ailors— Aitkenand Co., Havelock-street Tentmakers — Sando and Olsen, East-street Tobacconists— A. Weston, East-street Watchmaker — J. P. Parker, East-street, near Bullock’s JSSTNotices in this Directory, £i per annum.

POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails at the Ashburton Post Office close a; follows :

For Christchurch and North at io a. m. \ p.m., and 7.30 p.m., daily. _ For Chertsey at 10 a.lll. daily. For Rakaia at IO a.m., and 4 P-m- daily. For Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstieam, Rangitata, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10.15 a.m. daily. For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, at 3.15 p.m. daily. For Temuka, Timaru, and South at 10.15 p.m. and 3 p.m daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10.30 a.m. W. St. G. Douglas, Postmaster.

ASHBURTON RETAIL LIST.

The Evening Echo. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1878.

The Hon. Minister for Public Works is a man not easily set aside from a purpose when he has once made up his mind to effect it, and signs are not wanting that he has made up his mind to effect the establishment of a line of direct communi cation between this colony and the old country. Towards the end of the session, Mr. Macandrew presented a scheme of this kind to the House. It was crude, to be sure, and had not, perhaps, received that amount of thought which was neces sary to mature its details into a scheme that weuld at once commend itself to the House ; besides it took form at such a late period of the session, when members were tired out and anxious to get home, that it is not to be wondered the House shelved for the time being a question that appeared on the face of it to be too bulky for immediate grappling with, and of too great importance to be solved at once by the adoption unconsidered and undigested of the scheme laid before them by the Government. But the general question of the desfrability of a direct steam ser vice between Hew Zealand and Great Britain does not, we think, want much discussion; and the details of a scheme to this end, it seems to us, only remain to be arranged satisfactorily to put our colonists in a position of equality with those of sister colonies in the matter of direct steam communication with the old country. It is .not so long ago that the voyage to New Zealand from London was an undertaking representing a wearisome u life on the ocean wave ’ for hali a year ; and when the fast sailing vessels that could accomplish the distance m half-,that time took the place of the old laggards, a long stride forward was taken by tne colony—a stride that brought her nearer to the markets, and greatly increased the fleet of large mercantile vessels trading to our shores. Still 80 to 100 days spent on the sea, and ail the discomforts endured of a protracted voyage, before this country can be reached, are a great deterrent influence to many who might otherwise be settled on our soil, hut who do not care to take the preliminary maritime ypnture. If then, the duration of voyage could b« reduced by one-half, as is Mr. Macan drew’s purpose, it is only natural to sup pose that what the clippers did for the colony when they outraced the old tubs and ran them off the line, would be done again for her by ft li ne steamers that could take the plaee of file clippers as passenger-carrying vessels,

We say that signs are not wanting of Mr. Macandrew’s intention to effect the purpose he has in view. The steady and unflinching support given by the “ Otago Daily Times” to the Grey ministry, and the weight attached to the utterances of that paper on political questions because of this support, giving it the importance of an official organ of the Government, leads us to look for Mr. Macandrew him self in its leading columns when they deal with the doings and projects of the Minister for Public Works. In a recent article that paper decried the opposition to be offered by those interested in pre serving a monopoly of New Zealand’s Home trade by sailing vessels, which opposition would probably attempt to raise provincial and portal jealousies in this matter, with a view to preventing the establishment of a Government line of steamers. We do not know of any opposition being as yet offered to the scheme, and we hope the fears of the “ Otago Daily Times” will not be realised. It is not the first time, however, that individual and class selfishness has stood in the way of the colony’s good, and it will be matter for regret if any trifling claim of port or company, or the self seeking of individuals, is allowed to stand in the way of an institution that cannot fail to be a benefit commercially and other wise to the colony. It only remains, we think, for the Government to lay before the House a well-considered, practical proposal to secure its adoption by the unbiassed portion of the House.

The St. Stephen’s Bells. —The three bells of St. Stephen’s Church have now been hung in a temporary belfry adjoin ing the main edifice, which belfry is al most completed, and on Sunday there is every reason to believe the town will be summoned to divine service hy a chime. The hells are the three upper notes of a complete peal of eight, and space has been left for another hell now on its way to this country. It is to be hoped that public spirit in Ashburton may be directed towards the establishment of at least one good complete peal, and the Church hav ing gone thus far ought to he helped hy the public generally to furnish the work, so that at no distant date a “ psean on the bells” may be no unfamiliar sound in our township. New Meat Shop.—We learn that the Messrs., Friedlander have had plans pre pared of a new building to be erected at once upon the section recently purchased hy thftm at the back of their store. They expect to have the building completed and the butchery in working order before the end of next week. We presume the course adopted by the Ashburton butchers has been instrumental in calling the »ew establishment into existence.

TO-DAY'S R.M. COURT.

Before A. LeGrand Campbell, Esq., R.M., and his Woiship the Mayor.

drunks. Arthur Larkin did not appear to a charge of drunkenness, and his bail of £1 was estreated. When arrested Larkin had over £57 on his person. Charles Royals admitted being drunk and disorderly on the 26th, using obscene language, and violently resisting the police. He was fined £2. Hector M'Kenna, who presented a most dilapidated face to the Court, ploughed about with wounds and almost skinless, pled guilty to being drunk and disorderly. He was dismissed with an admonition. RAILWAY TRESPASS. G. F. Scott was charged with a breach of the railway regulations in that he had crossed the line within 100 yards of an approaching train. He pled guilty, but stated that owing to the high wind blow ing and the fact that all the ordinary trains had passed, he did not hear the train coming and did not expect one. A nominal fine of 10s. was inflicted. W. Sharland pled guilty to a similar offence at Rakaia. Fined 108. His Wor ship stated that future cases of this character would be fined heavily. Wm. Doherty, similarly charged, also from Rakaia, did not appear. The first evidence given was that of Joseph Brimi combe, who refused to be sworn by a policeman, holding that that was informal, and hiß scruples were satisfied by his Worship, who administered the oath him self. The case was dismissed, a discrep ancy between the information and the evidence having cropped up. EXTENSION OF LICENSE, Messrs. Quill and Shearman obtained extension of their licenses for the night of the Masonic ball, th® public bars to be closed. HOUSEBREAKING. George Davis, apprehended on the charge of being accessory to the fact of breaking into a store, with intent to com mit a felony, was acquitted. George Bond was (1) chraged with breaking into the 'store of John Fowler, merchant; (2) theft therefrom, and also (3) embezzlement. H«nry Fowler, draper, in the employ of his father, John Fowler, knew prisoner, who was in the employ of Thomas Hicks, baker, next door to their store, in Tanared Street. On Sunday night or Monday morning was called to the store by Mr. Hyde, a neighbor. The store door was open, and the bag psoduced was found on the floor. (The bag was opened in Court, and a large quantity of new clothing taken froiq it.) Witness identified the goods as the property of his father. They bore his father’s trade marks. The bag he believed to be the property of Mr. Hicks. The white shirts produced were in the shop window for show preyimrs to their being found in the bag; the other

goods were on the shelves at the end of the counter. Had seen Brind several times in the shop. He would be able to know the shop well enough to find his way about in the dark. (Some more shirts and handkerchiefs were shown witness, who said they were similar to gcu.ds in his father’s store.) Joseph Hyde, tinsmith, Tancred Street. His shop was next door to Mr. Fowler’s. Slept above his shop. Was awakened last Sunday by a noise in Fowler’s store. That was about half-past eleven. Got up, and finding a light came down stairs. Tapped on the boards between his own shop and the store. Getting no answer, wit ness dressed. While dressing heard Fowler’s back door open. Back window overlooked the yard, and looking out there saw a man coming out of the door. Could not swear to the man. Went into Fowler’s store with Mr. Henry Fowler, and saw the bag with shirts, &c., pro duced. George Davis, baker in the employ of Thos. Taylor, knew prisoner. Saw him last Sunday at Hicks’ bakehouse about eight o’clock. Went with him there. Prisoner sleeps at the bakehouse.' Pri soner asked witness to join him in a lark on “ Old Fluffin,” saying that he meant to get clothes from the shop enough for two. Witness said that he would have nothing to do with it, and prisoner said he would do it all and take all the blame. Went as far as Quill’s after this. Brind talked about getting into Fowler’s, saying he knew the way to get in. Went back with him to the bakehouse. Nothing more was said on the matter of the intended robbery,, as Ledbrook, the baker, came in to sponge. After Ledbrook had gone, prisoner took his coat off, put a scarf round his face, and told witness to get ready—meaning to go to Fowler’s store. Told prisoner he was not used to such" things as that, who replied “ Don’t be such a big d— child.” Told him then that he was too big to do a thing like that. Prisoner then went out for about ten minutes. This was about 10 o’clock. When he came back he said “ I’ve done it, the door is open already.” Replied that if that was his game it was time for witness to be off. Went out with him twice after that, but thought up to this time it was all a lark. . When he wei ljj towards the store witness went away. This was at 11 o’clock. Prisoner came to witness’ bedroom about half-past two and called “ George,” adding that he was off, having been caught last night, _ and re quested witness not to tell on him. Did not see the door open at the store. John M. Walker, detective officer, arrested prisoner on the morning of Wednesday, in the pawn office of Mr. Cohen, Christchurch. Charged him with breaking into a store at Ashburton a few days previously. Prisoner did not reply just then, but on the way to the station said “ there was more than me at that store,” mentioning the name of George Davis as being concerned in it, and deny ing having taken anything out of the store. On searching prisoner found a pawn ticket (produced) for three shirts. Got the shirts and handkerchief at Stewart’s pawnshop. Five handkerchiefs were in prisoner’s swag. Showed these articles to Mr. Fowler in prisoner’s presence this morning. Prisoner said they were stolen goods. Mr. John Fowler, merchant, Ashbur ton, was in his store on Sunday evening last close on five o’clock. Left it all se cure—doors and windows. The back window was fastened with a common catch, which he had often opened from the out side with a penknife. On Monday morn ing noticed that a pane of glass was broken in the window. There was a mark on the sashes as if something had been passed up between them. This back window opened into the office, which commanded admission to any part of the store. The store at five o’clock presented no different appearance to that it showed when witness left it on Saturday night. Prisoner had been in the shop several times. Nobody lived in the shop. - Wit ness corroberated his son’s evidence as regarded the stolen property. Prisoner reserved his defence, and was committed to take his trial at the next sitt ing of the Supreme Court. A charge of embezzling a watch was also proceeded with against Brind, besides one for uttering a valueless cheque against another prisoner, and a charge of indecent assault against a man named Langdon, remanded from Monday. Reports of all these we hold, over till to-morrow.

His Worship will sit again to-morrow morning.

TELEGRAPHIC.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

[By Submarine Cable.]

Bombay, Nov. 23. The British force advanced and shelled Ali Musjid in the Khyber Pass. The Ameer’s troops were strongly posted. The attack was postponed until the remainder of the column arrived. Later. The British attacked Ali Musjid yester day afternoon, and the Afghans evacuated it last night after a brisk cannonade. The troops occupied the place this morning. The British loss is trifling. Nov. 24. The Viceroy of India has issued a pro clamation justifying England’s declaration of war against the Ameer, and averring that hostilities are directed against the Ameer and not the people of Afghanistan, whose independence is recognised and respected. Further, England would not tolerate the intervention of any Power. London Nov. 28. The Glasgow Bank will pay a dividend shortly.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Agency and Exchanges.]

Auckland, Thursday.

Sir. G. Grey is expected to visit Ngapu ake in response to an invitation from the leading chiefs. Father Henneberry lectures in reply to ex-priest Chiniquy. Grahamstown, Thursday.

The Mayoralty election was decided to day in favor of. the new candidate, Mr. M'Cullough, against the present occupant, Mr. Kilgour, by 80 votes. The numbers were 381 and 301.

New Plymouth, Thursday. The Mayoralty election resulted in Mr. Fookes being returned. A banquet is to be given to Mr. Shee han, Rewi and Taonui to-morrow, it will be - in no way political, nor will there be any political utterances thereat. Wellington, Thursday.

A subsequent scrutiny of the polling for the mayoral election shows that Mr. Dransfield’s majority is only two instead of three as first announced. The official declaration was made at noon to-day

The Agent General telegraphs under date London, Nov. 21, that he despatched be fore that date the ship Boyne for Lyttel ton with 391 immigrants, and the Hudson for Wellington with 250. It is understood that for some time back Mr. Barton, M.H.R., has been urging the Government to cause an inquiry to be made into the conduct of the Supreme Court Judges in regard to himself, but that Government have positively declined to grant his request, not considering that there is any necessity for such a course. Mr. Barton has intimated that in such a case he will be compelled to leave Welling ton, and most probably to also resign his seat in Parliament.

Nelson, Thursday. The D’Urville Island Copper Mine shares, paid up, are inquired for here at 40s ; no sellers. Invercargill, Thursday. In the R.M. Court to-day, Mr G. M. Tapper, of the Waihawi Hotel, was fined £lO and costs, £2los. for selling liquors after hours.

In consequence of the large number of small fires which have recently happened in the district, Insurance Companies have resolved to reinstate the buildings instead of paying the premiums. A testimonial is to be presented to Mr. R. H. Leary on the occasion of his retiring from the position of Mayor of Dunedin.

TO-DAY’S CABLEGRAMS.

Rome, Nov. 27. There is a widespread Socialist agitation in Italy, causing uneasiness, and many arrests have been made. Vienna,, Nov. 27. During th© Cabinet Council sitting, at which the President of the Hungarian Council, Ministers, and Count Andrassy were present, a bomb exploded outside the building. Nobody waß hurt.

TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Wellington, Friday. The N.Z. “Times” says the Royal Commission to inquire into the condition of College or Higher and Secondary Edu cation, and the relation of both to the Common School Education of the colony, is composed of the following gentlemen— Messrs. J. A. Tole, M.H.R. ; G. M. O’Rorke, M.H.R. ; Dr. Wallis, M.H.R.; Hon. Mr. Gisborne, M.H.R. ; Rev. J. W. Habens, Inspector-General Education ; Dr. Hector; Professors Cook, Shand, and Sale of Otago University ; Dr. Mc- Donald, rector of Dunedin High School ; Mr. W. H. Cutten, M.H.R. ; Professor IJlrick, Otago University, The Director of Geological Survey, Dr. Hector, who is one of Mr. Sheehan’s party, will, if possible, work his way through to the Waikato, in order to gather informa tion as to the geology of a comparatively unexplored part of the colony, Wood, who is oharged with keeping his lunatic sister under restraint so many years, was brought up at the R.M. Court this morning. The case will occupy some considerable time.

Government have invited the Welling ton Benevolent Institution to take over the charge of all charitable institutions in thp eity, but the committee decided not to entertain the proposal,

THE DYING DIGGER.

['From the Spectator.)

Billy is dying, and implores some one to pray ; and here comes one of the most painfully humorous scenes within our knowledge, a scene in which this especial type of American humor is exhibited in its perfection : “ The boys looked sorrowful ; if gold dust could have brought prayers, Billy would have had a first-class assortment in an instant. ‘ There’s Deacon Adams over to Pattin’s,’ suggested a bystander ; ‘ an ’ they do say he’s a reg’lar-rip-roarer at prayin’ ! But ’twould take four hours to fetch him. * Too long,’ said the doctor. ‘ Down in Mexico, at the Cathedral,’ said another, ‘ they pray for a feller after lie’s dead, when yer pay ’em for it, an’ they say it’s jist the thing—sure pop. I’ll give yer my word, Billy, an’ no go back, that I’ll see the job done up in style fur yer, ef that’s any comfort. ’ ‘ I want to hear it myself,’ groaned the sufferer ; I don’t feel right; can’t nobody pray—nobody in the crowd ?’

Finally matters were brought to a crisis by Mose—no one knew his other name. Mose uncovered a sandy head, face, and beard, and remarked ; ‘ I don’t want to put on airs in this crowd, but ef no one else ken say a word to the Lord about Billy Bent, I’m goin’ to do it myself. ... It!s - a bizness I’ve never bin in, but ther’s nothin’ like tryin.’ This meetin’ ’ll cum to order to wunst. ’ * Hat’s off in church, gentlemen ! ’ commanded Pentecost. Off came every hat, and some of the boys knelt down, as Mose knelt beside the bench, and said : ‘O, Lord, here’s Billy Bent needs ’tendin’ to ! He’s panned out his last dust, an’ he seems to hev a putty clear idee that this is his last chance. He wants you to give him a lift, Lord, an’ it’s the opinion of this house that he needs it. ’Tain’t none of our bizness what he’s done, an’ ef it wuz, you’d know more about it than we cud tell yer : but it’s mighty sar tin that a cuss that's been in the diggin’s fur years needs a sight of mendin’ up before he kicks the bucket.’ ‘That’s so,’ re sponded two or three very emphatically. ‘ Billy’s down, Lord, an’ no decent man believes that the Lord ’ud hit a man when - he’s down, so there’s one of two things got to be done—either he’s got to be let alone, or he’s got to be helped. Lettin’ him alone won’t do him or anybody else enny good, so helpin’s the holt, an’ as enny one uv us tough fellers would help ef we knew how to, it’s only fair to suppose thet the Lord ’ll do it a mighty sight quicker. Now, what Billy needs is to see the thing in thet light, an’ you can make him do it a good deal better than we ken: ’ It’s mighty little fur the Lord to do, but it’s meat an’ drink an’ clothes to Billy just now. Wen we wus boys, sum -uv us read sum promises of you’m in that Book thet was writ a spell ago by chaps in the Old Country, an’ though Sunday school teachers and preachers mixed the matter up in our minds, an’ got us all tangle-footed, we know they’re thar, an’ you’ll know what we mean.' Now, Lord, Billy’s jest the : boy—he’s'a hard case, so you can’t find no better stuff to work on—lie’s in a bad fix, thet we can’t do nuthin’ fur, so it’s jest yer chance. He ain’t exactly the chap to make a Number One Angel uf, but he ain’t the man to forget a friend, so he’ll be a handy feller to hev aroun’.’ ‘Feel any better, Billy?’ said Mose, stopping the prayer for a moment. ‘A little,’ said Billy, feebly; ‘ but you want to tell the whole yarn. I’m sorry for all- the wrong I’ve done.’ ‘He’s sorry for all his deviltry, Lord’——‘An’ I ain’t got nothin, agin the Judge,’ continued the sufferer. ‘An’ he don’t bear no malice agin the Judge, which he shouldn’t, seeing he generally gin as good as he took. An’ the long an’ short of it, Lord, is jest this —he’s a-dyin’, an’ he wants a chance to die with his mind easy, an’ nobody else can make it so, so we leave the whole job in your hands, only puttin’ in, fur Billy’s comfort, that we recollect hearing how yer forgiv’ a dyin’ thief, an’ that it ain’t likely yer a-goin’ to be harder on a chap thet’s alwas paid fur what he got. Thet’s the whole story. Amen.’ Billy’s hand, rapidly growing cold, reached for that of Mose, and he said, with considerable effort, ‘ Mose, yer came in ez handy as a nugget in a gone-up claim. God bless yer, Mose. I feel better inside. Ef I get through the clouds, an’ hev a livin’ chance to say a word to them as is tfia chiefs thar, thet word ’ll be fur ypu Mose, God bless yer, Moge, art' ef my blessin’s no account* it can't qusa yer, ennyhow. This claim’s. washed out, fellers, an’ here goes the last shovelful, to see if ther’s enny gold in it or not.’ And Billy departed this life, and the boys drank to the repose of his soul.”

FRIDAY, November 29, 1878.]

the evening echo.



s. d. s. d. Butter, inferior to best, Ib o 0 to 0 0 Eggs, dozen - - I 2 to I 0 Bacon, prime smoked, lb o 10 to 0 0 Hams in clolh, $ lb - i 0 to 0 0 Cheese, prime quality, It? lb o 9 to 0 10 Flour in bags, ioolb 12 6 to 14 0 Oatmeal, 1? 100Tb - 26 0 to 0 0 Lard, lb - - • 0 9 to 0 0



COMMERCIAL PRINTING, f'• NEW MACHINERY JUST ERECTED. rHE Proprietors of the Evening Echo have much pleasure in announcing that their New Jobbing Printing Machine, by Connisbee, is now in full working order, and chat they ate prepared to Execute Orders Superior and Cheaper to anything ever yet turned out in Ashburton, and, in future, can Guarantee Despatch in all orders entrusted to WEEKS & DIXON, Printers and Publishers. Evening Echo Office, Emit Street, Oct, 8, >B7B,



NOTICE. Advertisements for the evening Echo mast be sent in not later than 3 p.m. with the number of insertions written plainly on the copy, otherwise they will be inserted till countermanded, 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, os. ; posted, Bs. 6d. ; per annum, in advance, 225. 6d. ; posted, 355. d. ; weekly, paid to ruuners, 6d. Delivered to any part of the town, and at any of the Railway Stations,



FENCING WIRE. TONS Just Received, and on Sale at LOWEST PRICES. A- O. AITKEN & CO., Havelock Street. Fish. Fish. Fish. MICHAEL DARCY begs to announce the opening of his new FISH STORE, Adjoining the Echo Office, East Street. Fresh Fish Daily. Crayfish, Cockles, Mold, Groper, &c. Dried Fish always on Hand. !ssg,Orders by post or otherwise punc tually attended to, and familes waited on. J 78 86 7ANTED, a SHINGLER. Apply to y GEO. ST. HILL, Burnett Street.



The steeplechaser Mousetrap, which per formed so well in New Zealand, has been a complete failure in Tasmania. A Sup-shop Lock-up. —The Hawera correspondent of the “ Patea Mail” says : “A practical proof has just been given of the insecure state of our lock-up. The prisoner Hunningham, who was com mitted for trial for horse-stealing, made his escape a few nights since by wrenching off the lock with his hand, and has so far completely baffled all attempt at his recap ture. It has been a common boast with prisoners that they could leave the lock-up at any time, and obtain a drink at the hotel and return to their quarters without their absence ever being discovered. Strangers coming to reside in Ashburton ' ire often at a loss to know which is the best Establishment to visit for the purchase of Drapery, Clothing, and House-furnishing Iron mongery, and General Stores. Orr & Co. offer special advantages to the public that can be met with nowhere else in Ashburton. They keep at all limes the largest and best-assorted Stock of every class of Goods, imported direct from the leading manufacturers at home, which beinp bought entirely upon cash terms, they are enabled to ofler goods of sterling value as canpot be equalled by any other house in the trade. Every article in stpgk is marked at the lowest price,' from which no abatement }s made so that the most inexperienced buy their goods at the same ptiees as the best judges,—Advt



! A New Railway. —The Waikato “Times” says that it is satisfactory to leam that the Thames-Waikato railway will be at once proceeded with, and that the land in the immediate vicinity, will, it is expected, recoup the colony the cost of its construction. Stronger s coining U> reside in Ashburton, need not be at any loss to find the best estab lishment to visit and purchase their drapery, clothing, and general stores. Leaving the Railway Station and turning down Havelock Street, they will see the establishment of A. O. Aitken & Co., who are now offering special advantages, which exceed any before offered to the public. Keeping at all times a very large and exceedingly well assorted stock of all classes of goods, bought in the best mar kets and on the most favorable terms, enables them—to use trade parlance—“ to do the thing wellin fact the goods offered by them are such as cannot be excelled either in quality or price by any house in , the trade and are marked at such prices that making any abatement is unnecessary,, and the most inexperienced are enabled to buy their goods as favorably as the best judges,—ADVT,