POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails at the Ashburton Post Office close A; follows i

For Christchurch and North at io 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, Waturton, and Longhead), at 3.15 p. m. daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Tuesdays and Fridays at To. 30 a.m. For Temuka, Timaru, and South at 10.15 a.m. and 3 p.m daily. For Tinvvald, 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 ;COUNTANTS AND COMMISSION AGENTS — Charles Braddell, Montgomery’s Buildings H. J. Bristo, Prospect Buildings, East-st. W. R. Boyle, Moore-street. A ICHITECT 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 IRRISTERS 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 Bdarding House Keepers— , T. 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-street Thos. Williams, Tinwald G. Compton, Builder, Moore-street. B 10KSELLERS 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 G. 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— 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., Ilavelock-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. 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. Pearse, 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., Havelock-street S, fferdley, East-street Ladies'’ .Clothing Establishment— Mrs. Morey, Tancred Street. Painter, &e,==~ J. R. Chapman, Tancred-street Printers and Publishers — Weeks and Dixon, East-street Plumpers, Gasfitters, Tinsmiths, Etc.— . J. C. Dolman, Tancred-street Joseph Hyde, Tancred-street S. Hardley, East-stieet /LV Saddlers— " ' A X Thomas Dudson, Burnett-street Surveyors— <C. E. Fooks and Son, East-street Jailors — Aitken and Co., Havelock-street Tentmakers— IV Sando, East-street Tobacconists— A. Pearse, Moor-street E. A. Garnett, East-street A, Westpp, East.gtreet t

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. ARRIVED. Sept. 21 —Wakatipu, s.s., from Sydney. Sept. 22—Taiaroa, s.s., from the North. Sept. 22 —Wanaka, s.s., from the Soutn. Sept. 21—Letterfourie, barque, from Hobart Town.

SAILED. Sept. 21—Olive, ship, for London. Sept. 22—Wakatipu, s.s., for the South,

. EXPECTED ARRIVALS.. From London—Crus'ader, Waimea, Lang stone, Waimate, Waitangi. From New York Star, Southminster, Olmstec. From Foo Chow—Rio Lodge. From Calcutta—Aries. Sept. 19 —Taranaki s.s., from South. Sept. 19 —Langstone, ship, from London. Sept. 19 —Taranaki, s.s., for North.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Evening Echo. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1878. PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS.

[FROM OUR OW r N CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday.

The incessant labor of a responsible Minister does not cease even on Sun day, as will appear by the following in cident, related by an eye witness : Last Sunday afternoon the dandy of the House of Representatives, by no means a} outh, was dressed in his best broad cloth and ornaments, decked with the choicest obtainable flowers, and glory ing in the effect of the fine spring weather, when he was met by the Minister who takes principal charge of the blarney business, and who is by no means a dandy himself. Forgetting that men as well as women like to be flattered for what they are not, rather than for what they are, the Minister instead of complimenting the dandy on his late speech, which had cleared the House, said “ What nice flowers those are, and how do you keep them'in such a nice state of preservation?” The dandy had not drank milk and water at his dinner, but was in that comfortale self-assured state which enables a man to talk freely and to take some liberty even with a Minister of the Crown. So, patting him on the back, he replied in the Minister’s own style—“ What a nice old gentleman you are, and what nice things you can always think of to say.” On Monday evening the House met and went on with the Electoral Bill. It was long before a lot of - trifling amendments were disposed of, and the 15th clause was reached, when the tug of war set in in earnest. First came Dr. Wallis with his proposal to strike out the word “ male,” and to give a vote to every woman in the colony, and a large minority voted with him. Next came Mr. Saunders, with his amendment to apply the two years’ residence qualification to all voters alike, whether property holders or not. This was strongly opposed by the working-man’s Government and its voting machines, and, of course, by all thg Conservatives, leaving the only few liberals who would sacrifice prin ciple to party, to support it. After this came a free fight, in which the Government certainly acquired no laurels. Mr. Gisborne, naturally a strong Conservative, but representing quite a revolutionary constituency on the gold diggings, and consequently vibrating between the most extreme views and measures op both sides, and eftp spiking one snd voting ftp

other, proposed to strike out the two years’ residence and insert six months. The noisy welcome which this proposal received from the gold fields represen tatives, who are always great in that line, misled the Attorney-General into the belief that the House approved the proposal, and he weakly yielded his consent to the amendment, saying that it was only a question of detail involv ing no principle. Mr. Saunders scouted such an idea, and said if there was any principle in the Bill, it was contained in the provi sion the Attorney-General had now

yielded. It was the one wise and un objectionable piece of Conservatism in the Bill, which made it safe to abandon the objectionable class privileges that had hitherto existed for the same avowed object. It was a principle which the Premier had declared to the country, and which had been well re ceived by it; and it was a principle, upon which any Government ought to be prepared to stand or fall. If this provision were abandoned, the Bill would lose most of its value, and he should care little about it.

Messrs. Swanson and Bryce followed in the same strain, and the manner in which such views were received by the House showed the Government that they had made a mistake in proposing to yield, and led to the curious spec tacle of the Minister in charge of the Bill going into one lobby and the rest of the Government into the other, and the two years were saved by a majority of more than two to one. The pro posal of the Bill to admit women to Parliament was struck out by a large majority, and they are now only ad mitted to vote as ratepayers. Mr. Saunders’ proposal to send claims to vote by post or otherwise, was ac cepted by the Attorney-General, but his proposal to reduce the time during which a man could hold two seats from 20 days to 14 was strongly and acrimoni ously resisted, as was Mr. Fox’s pro posal to add four years to the age at which a man could be elected to the House of Representatives. The Bill has only progressed as far as clause 38, though it has kept the House till two o’clock on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. . / Wednesday evening was principally occupied by Mr. Curtis’ proposals for appointing the Legislative Councils, and with the Triennial Parliaments Bill. The former were set aside by the pre vious question, and the Triennial Par liaments Bill was lost in a thin House,. really in consequence of not being brought in, or at all zealously supported, by the Government. If all the Govern ment Bills are to be fought out in Com mittee, clause by clause, as the Electo ral Bill is being fought, the session must last through the summer; but everything may be slipped through at last as usual.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Racing Club. —A meeting of the Racing Club will be held to-morrow evening in the Somerset Hotel to con sider the matter of fencing the Race course, and for other business.

Mr. Wakefield’s second enter tainment was given on Saturday evening. There was not a large audience. The Templar Hall.—Meetings will be held in this building—of the Dawn of Peace Lodge to-night: the Ancient order of Foresters to-morrow night. Horse Parade. —The parade of stud horses, under the auspices of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association will be held to-morrow in Mrs McLean’s paddock. We understand there are about twenty entries, Borough Council.— The second meeting of the Brough Council will be held to-night in the Town Clerk’s office, Montgomery’s Buildings. Applications will be considered for the office of Town Clerk, and tenders will be opened for the work of preparing a map of the town, and also for the valuation of pro perty within the Borough. Scene in a Court.—The other day a rather startling incident occurred in the R. M. Court at Whangaroa. Several cases had been heard, when the Clerk of the Court, on rising to call another, was seized with a heart shock, fainted, and fell on the floor. He was carried out, and attended to,- and as he had to give evidence in the case, the Court had to be adjourned until his re covery.

A Prospecting Association.—A new mining speculation has been started at the Thames, where an Association is being formed for the purpose of fitting out two bodies of prospectors, who will be in the field twelve months, all dis coveries made to be the property of the Association. The scheme has the prospect of success, and the chance of bringing in great wealth to the members qf the spciatiop.

One from Otago.— lt is a fact that the men elected by the citizens most assuredly reflect the character of the bulk of the electors. Judged by this rule, there must be a very indiffeient class of ratepayers on the roll in Christ church at present. The greatest ene mies of the late Council there would not have accused it of being composed of saints; and now we find some of the retiring members replaced by men with whom the former Councillors refuse even to associate. Let us rest satisfied that we are spared an infliction of this kind. Even at the risk of playing the role of the Pharisee, we would raise our eyes heavenward, and render thanks that we are not in this respect like other men, sinners—or even as these Christchurch electors. —Dunedin Morn ing Herald. Touting for Settlers. —For cool cheek and effrontery (says the Auckland mStar} we know nothing to beat the ex ploit perpetrated by Mr. W. B. Lang bridge, of the Northern Advocate this morning. Arming himself with a bun dle of Advocates, containing articles urging the settlers to go to Wangarei in stead of Katikati, he went on board the Lady Jocelyn and distributed copies among the passengers, being very care ful to keep out of the way of Mr. Vesev Stewart. Mr. Langbridge is evidently determined that neither his own light, nor that of his district newspaper, shall be hid under a bushel —if consummate impudence can make it known. Speculation. —A small boy, with

commercial proclivities, stood in front of the Wellington Opera House with a basket containing lucky bags of lollies. Business wasn’t brisk, but his eye lit upon a well-known sixteen-stone city speculator, and a happy thought seized him. Like affable Hawk, this indi vidual, the lad felt instinctively and

surely, was always to be lured with

a speculation, so he went for the man of tram shares and sections. The lad assured him that were was a half sovereign in one of the bags, and he could take his chance for sixpence. This awakened an interest in the specu tor, he could not resist the temptation. Pulling out a sixpence he selected a bag, and having opened it fossicked for the little stranger, with the result that instead of a half-sovereign he fished out a twopenny ring, which he placed on his little.finger. “Have another go,” said the lad, “you’re in the ‘ ring’ now. You’re sure to be lucky this time.” But Harry couldn’t see it; he got a friend -to give-the boy a start. — Chro7iicle. Fancy at the Bar. —A man who was going to catch a train went to an inn and called for a glass of Irish whis key. The landlord happened at the

time to be very busy, and did not take any notice of him until his turn came

round, and then gave him a glass of Scotch whiskey instead of Irish. ,£ You have given me Scotch whiskey ; I asked you for Irish,” said the man. “ Never mind,” replied the landlord—“ fancy it’s Irish.” The man drank it up and walked to the door. “ Here, you have not paid me!” cried the landlord. ‘ Never mind,” said the man I haveand away he went. Berry and Service. —Referring to a recent debate in the Victorian Parliament, a correspondent of one of the Melbourne papers says : —The contrast between the two chiefs was extreme and characteristic. Mr. Ser vice is the Socrates of the House, assuming little, but educating others by suggestive interrogations. His questions, innocent as they look, go to the heart of the matter. His illustrations come not from Greece or Rome, but from the market-place ; not from text books, but from men. He is apt to produce persuasion by attention to a golden principle of rhetoric not mentioned in the manuals of logic—namely, to un derstand what you are talking about. Mr. Berry’s forte is that of the contro versialist, and Wednesday was one of his best debating efforts. He was&not prepared with an oration. He jotted down Mr. Service’s points as the member for Maldonwenton ; the discussion had made him familiar with them, and he replied set iatim with vigour, and de served the plaudits of the party, which were ungrudgingly bestowed. In the set speeches he has had to make of late the Chief Secretary has not been at home, for on these occasions he is apt to oscillate between the extremes of commonplace and of noise ; but in de bate, in the grapple with the foe, he was himself again. We are past that. —The poet Southey mentions that in days of old and years that are past, the Mayor of Leicester, England, was chosen by a mature and hungry pig of the female persuasion. The contestants sat in chairs in a semicircle, each with a hat ful of beans in his lap, and he was de clared elected upon whose tempting

bait the venerable voter broke her fast

Fancy the smiles and beguilements with which the anxious candidates sought tq s.oftgn the hept of the sow,”

OLD DIGGING ANECDOTES.

[by telephone.] In the latter part of 1866, five of us were mates in a claim on the once cele brated Moonlight Creek, up the Grey Valley. That portion of the creek on which we were located was christened by us Bare Back Gully, from the fact that none of us was ever known to emerge from it with a sound pair of moleskins ; in fact our attire was at all times in that condition known as more holey than righteous. The work was hard; the labor of swagging our tucker, tools, &c., something to be thought of only with a shudder, and we were al ways wet through during the day, and often all night too. However, the gold was coarse and tolerably plentiful, and the little inconveniences were not con sidered, as we always looked to a spree when the claim was worked out. Three of our party were Canadians, and all of us were young and full of larks. On Christmas eve we travelled down to the store—a large framework covered with calico, and found about 60 diggers assembled ripe and ready for anything in the shape of fun. The shanty be longed to a man named Joe Smith (I will call him), who had been recently married. Joe and the “ missis ” had gone to Greymoutb, with the intention of bringing up creature comforts for the Christmas week, and were expected back late that night.' They had left a crusty old Scotchman, known as Mac, in charge. On our arrival Mac was engaged in culinary pursuits, that is to say he had made an enormous plum duff, which was then in one of the largest sized oval boilers, and was undergoing the process of cooking over a large log fire. Our party were rather favorites of old Mac’s, and the other boys being engaged in various sports outside (quoits, putting the stone, &c.), he confidently told us of the grand proportions of the duff, andthesuperioringredients thereof, and after a whisky or two, Mac lifted the lid off the boiler and allowed us to feast our eyes on the tempting spec tacle. Sam, one of my mates, at once made up his mind that the duff should be ours, and an adjournment took place to the outside and our plan of campaign discussed. It was arranged that a cloth similar in size and appearance should be procured and filled with tailings (re refuse of wash dirt), and by some means substituted for the bona fide duff; the only difficuty being to distract Mac’s jealous attention from the pot. As I was the greatest favorite of the old man’s, I was to go and engage him, if possible in a yarn or a game of euchre, all the other boys were to be let into the secret, and Sam was to steal in by the back door and ring the changes. Theshamduff havingbeen prepared, and Mac and myself having got well seated to a game, I called his attention after a while to the 'fire getting low. Now, I had noticed that he had no firewood handy, and, moreover, that the nearest place he could get it was a creek about ten chains away. Mac liked his game of cards, but his heart was set on the duff, so,, after handing the charge of the establishment over to me, he hurried away for the firewood. No sooner was his back turned than Sam rushed in, the substitution of the sham duff made, and Sam was off like a red shank up the gully with his booty. In about ten minutes Mac returned with an armful of driftwood, puffing like a porpoise, and after replenishing the fire resumed his game. Shortly afterwards, a lot of the boys came in, and, after having a drink, told Mac that, in their opinion, it was time the duff was done,, and that it should be taken off and distributed. Mac, however, said that he would not take it off till Joe Smith and the Missis came home, and stoutly refused to take it out of the pot for two hours. This was all the boys wanted ; away they went in a body to the rendezvous ap pointed by Sam and demolished the bona fide duff forthwith, and returned to the shanty. Volunteers assisted to keep up a blazing fire, and at the appointed time Joe turned up, and after another drink all round, the duff was duly hoisted out by Mac. His beammg countenance showed the pride he took in his work, and he was so interested in the duff that he never noticed' the weight. All the boys stood round, and Mac proudly laid the duff in a prospect ing dish and cut the string. * * * Let these asterisks stand for the pro fanity that ensued. The roars of laughter from the diggers, the wild antics and ejaculations of old Mac, made up a scene that was better than any farce I ever witnessed. We shortly afterwards left the gully, and I did not see Mac for some three years, when Sam and myself met him in Greymouth one day, and invited him to have a drink over old times. Mac was nothing loth, and as he was lifting the glass to his mouth I said, “ Well, Mac, do you recollect the duff at Moonlight?” “Darn the duff!” said Mac, throwing the glass on the floor; he left the house, fie never forgot it till his dying dfiy,

TELEGRAPHIC.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

[By Submarine Cable.] London, Sept. 2r. Vice-Admiral Robert Coates, K.C.8., has been appointed Commander of the China Squadron. An official despatch announces that that Province of Hei-zegovina has been completely pacified.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Agency.] Auckland, Saturday. The Colonial Bank have established a branch at Cambridge in the Waikato. The jewellers have adopted the Satur day half holiday. : J A Company has been formed for the purpose of sending out prospectors throughout the Hauraki peninsula. Tauranga, Monday. Some buildings in town, the wharf, and. a large amount of valuable pro perty were burnt down last night. The damage done was about and is uninsured. A new settler named Smith, at Katikati, is the severest sufferer.

New Plymouth, Saturday. At a meeting of the New Plymouth Harbour Board held to-day, a resolution was passed that their solicitor-at once be instructed to take action to recover from the New Zealand Iron and Steel Company the fines that have accrued under their lease of the beach, which amount t0 £2 250.

Patea, Saturday.

John M‘Lean, the cook of Fraser Tregear’s party at the Momahaki block, was found dead on Thursday. It was believed that he had slipped down the steep bank : but it was afterwards found that powder and bullets had been stolen from the tent, and at the inquest to-day, a bullet was found in the man’s head, which leaves little doubt but that he was murdered. -. 1

Wellington, Saturday.

The barque Courier, which has been purchased by a company, has been fitted out for a trading expedition to the north-east coast of New Guinea, and will leave to-morrow, or: with the first favorable wind. ;

Monday.

Government have received a number of telegrams relative to the murder in the Momahaki block. From these it appears that suspicion points to a, native named Hiroki, at Pahipau, Waitotara, who is said to have fled in the tion of Taupo or Waikato. All infor mation received points to the murder being purely a private one. A number of native chiefs now in Wellington are very much shocked at the occurrence, and have sent telegrams to their people to apprehend the murderer ; and active measures have also been taken by the Government with the same view. The Native Minister is assured that the crime has no political significance whatever.'

Westport, Saturday.

In making the survey of the , new road at Mohikinui, in the Buller County, the surveyor struck a coal seam, five feet thick, two miles from the township. The coal is bituminous and of excellent quality, easily accessible, and may be brought to the port at a small cost.

Dunedin, Sunday.

At the meeting of the City Council on Tuesday next, Councillor Fish in tends to move, —“ That the opinion of the Attorney-General be obtained as to whether the Council has the power to increase the salary of the Mayor during the currency of his office.” It' is also proposed to appoint a commission, with the view of securing the co-operation of the suburban Municipalities in pro viding a water supply for the city.

Monday.

The Otago Fire, Brigades are about to petition Government for free rail way passes.

The inquest on the body of Mrs. Welsh has resulted in a verdict of “wil ful murder” against her husband It is rumored that the present'High Schools sites are to be sold, with a view to obtaining the land on which the pre sent Lunatic Asylum is situated. p| Bluff, Sunday.

The .Wanganui ran alongside the barque Alice to tow her to sea, when the crew, headed by the officers, took charge of the forecastle head, mutinied, and refused to proceed with the cap tain. The crew would not allow the anchor to be weighed. They ! have been three times before the Magistrate for refusing duty, and have been ordered on board or to undergo im prisonment, at the captain’s option.

Auckland Coal. —It has been as certained that the various coal mines in the Auckland Provincial district at the present time are turhihg out coal at the rate of from ,OQ9 0 ffyQQQ * year. !

The fiSvfeftiag Echo, Monday, SspUmber 23, I 87&



ASHBURTON RETAIL LIST. s. d. d. dutter, inferior to best, IpTb I 6 to I 8 Eggs, I? dozen - - i 0 to I 3 Bacon, prime smoked, ib 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, $ 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 BANKING BUSINESS ON TERMS which may be ascertained AT THE VARIOUS BRANCHES AND AGENCIES IN THE CANTERBURY DISTRICT. J. L. COSTER. Manager.