THE “ROUGH” HOUSE OF HAMBURG.

The “ Rough House of Hamburg ” is an' institution which our philanthro pists would do well to study. Forty years ago Hamburg was renowned for being the wickedest city in the world. “ Its vice was more open, its material ism grosser, and its religion more of a sham.” The only hope of religion was among the younger classes of the crimi nals. A few spasmodic efforts were made to teach and refine them, but all in vain, while at length even these were given up, and respectable Hamburg folded its hands and wondered at the wickedness of its neighbours. Then a certain Emanuel Wichern, firm of pur pose, and believing in the old maxim, “ Desperate courage makes one major ity,” put his hand to the enterprise, his heart in the work, and carried it through. The enterprise, like the famous Refuge of Fritz Miller, has never asked for State or individual aid, and has always been amply supported. In October, 1532, Emanuel Wichern and his mother opened the doors of a small cottage known as “ Das Rauhe Haus,” an nounced their purpose, and waited. At the end of a week three boys had come ; at the end of two months there were twelve—all that the house could hold. Their ages varied from five to fifteen, and they were uniformly steeped in crime. Such a band of prematurely developed rascals was probably never collected together before. Wichern was a'sentimentalist, and the only rule was love. There was no restraint. The inmates came and went at will. A high wall which surrounded the grounds was removed in order that there should not be even the semblance of forcible control. At the end of a year the first twelve boys were reformed. Applica tions poured in, and the twelve built themselves a new house, and gave up the old one to the new comers. Then a house was built for the girls. The day it was finished it was filled—and filled with the vilest of the vile. The boys had given trouble enough, but the girls were by far more wicked and un manageable. But Wichern’s sentimen talism conquered here *:oo. From that time to this the “ Rough House of Hamburg” has pressed on in its tri umphant career. It now consists of thirty-eight separate houses, owns 400 acres of land, and educates yearly more than 1100 boys and girls. Of its 43,000 graduates, not more than 5 per cent have fallen. It has given rise to more than Soo similar reformatories in Prussia. Of these, that of Berlin, founded in 1858, is the largest and keeps busy, merely in the work of superintendence, forty-eight men. The Order of the “ Knights of St. John,” of which we heard so much during the Franco-Prussian war, was founded at the “ Rough House of Hamburg,” and now controls all the kindred institutions in the country. Emanuel Wichern is still at the head of affairs.

The latest railway novelty in America is a Turkish bath on wheels. It is a car that can run behind the sleeping coaches of an express train. It has a 'drawing-room, a Russian and plunge bath, 'shampooing rooms, and all the other accommodations of a Turkish ■bath-house. The temperature of the rooms varies from 80 to 160 degrees, and the compartments are lighted from the roof with blue glass. Travellers can bathe as well as eat, drink, and sleep on the rail. Such' a car can be switched off on a side track in any town or village, and remain a day or two for the accommodation of the residents.

DREADFUL DISTRESS IN AMERICA.

NEARLY THREE THOUSAND PERSONS OUT OF WORK AND STARVING IN HOBOKEN. The JVeiv York World , of February 8, says :—lf aid does not soon come to the suffering poor of Hoboken, many will perish of starvation. There are 296 destitute families there at present, averaging 4persons to each family, making a total of 2682 souls entirely dependent upon charity for support. The office of the Police Commissioners is thronged daily by those who have been forced by poverty to apply to the city authorities for assistance. Many are aided, but many others have to be turned away unprovided for. Poor master Lewis said that he knew forty families in the third Ward, only two heads of which had employment, and that but for three days in the week, at 85 cents a day. “ The suf fering is great now,” said he, “ but it will be terrible if means are not quickly taken for relief. Last Thursday, in the driving storm of snow and wind, over 200 poor people came to me begging for relief. Barefooted women and starving children came. I did all 1 could for them, but, at present, our hands are tied. The aid we are ex tending is the best we can do now. For a family of six we deal out rations for one week of 7lbs flour, 3lbs oat meal, a peck of potatoes, 3 pints beans, a small piece of pork, and a bushel of coal. The poverty of some of these people is so great that they cannot bury their dead. It costs about 7dols. for the simplest and least expensive burial. The cause of this extreme poverty among so large a number of the working men here is the absolute stag nation of business. We have no manu factures to speak of, there is no build ing going on, and there is no work doing in the docks.”

A HARD NUT TO CRACK.

We published a day or two ago a paragraph about a mare which a lady ’•ecently had shod with gold at Edin burgh. “ Man about Town ” in the Sporting Gazette says that mare has a history, and gives it as follows : Her owner, Miss Thompson, is an American heiress, worth about half a million dollars. She has naturally been, ever since she reached a marriageable age, the object of persistent attention on the part of a crowd of needy fortune hunters, and her life has in consequence been rendered a burden to her. They drove her nearly wild in New York, and she had a very narrow escape of being hunted down. It was in this wise : One of her admirers was a dashing and handsome fellow, but a terrible scape grace, and she did not care for him ; but he amused her, and she found it at last very difficult to get rid of him. She had just purchased this mare, and in one of her mad freaks she told this gallant suitor that he might have her hand if he could beat her mare in a half-mile gallop, she riding the mare herself. He accepted the challenge, and a moment later she repented of it. However, there was no help for it, and the race for a wife had to come off. It was a neck-and-neck affair, for the stakes were heavy, but the mare drew away at the finish, and won by a length. It is in gratitude for the. victory which saved her from a husband that Miss Thomp son recently had her mare shod with gold. Such is the story which I have from New York. Miss Thompson, I believe, fancies that the assumption of an eccentricity almost allied to madness is her best defence against the fortune hunters who pester her here as much as in America. She wears shoes herself which would hardly disgrace a Lanca shire wife-beater, and is otherwise so attired as to shock anyone with aesthetic ideas of woman’s costume. She will be a very Katherine to win, but possibly she will find the Petruchio who will tame her. I don’t know whether she is worth the experiment, but I know a good many men who will make it for the sake of the hall million of dollars.

THE EVENING ECHO, THURSDAY, MARCH.2I. IS7S.



rORD, HUGHES, & CO. -L-' GRAIN AND PRODUCE MERCHANTS, Shipping and Commission Agents, Make Liberal Advances on Grain or other produce for shipment to their agents in the Australian Colonies or London. Cornsacks and Woolpacks supplied at lowest current rates. Indents executed from all parts of the world. Offices—-High Street, Christchurch. MRS. E. PETERSON, DRESSMAKER, (Two doors from the Echo Office). All orders executed until neatness and until promptness. STORAGE. (ALAIN and other PRODUCE STORED V-J on Account of Farmers, at Lowest Rates. SAUNDERS BROTHERS, Ashburton and Christchurch. T OTTO, Draughts and Draught Boards, ' Dominoes, Cards and Cribbage Boards, &c., at FURNESS AND DIXON’S, East-street, Ashburton. J. G. ANSTEE, BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON. Every description of Carpentering, and all kinds of Jobbing Work, Shop Fittings, &c., done on the most reasonable terms. Pictures Mounted and Framed !



w. R. BOYLE, JY STATE AND GENERAL AGENT, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON. EVENING ECHO. Town Agent, A. WESTON, Tancred-street. BOOKS ! BOOKS ! BOOKS ! T 7 URN ESS and DIXON have on Sale a Choice Assortment of Interesting and Popular Works, including the following:— Sunday at Home for 1577. Leisure Hour for 1877. Child’s Companion for 1877. Little Wide Awake tor 1577. Saved from the Sea, by Kingston. Robinson Crusoe, 100 Illustrations. Swiss Family Robinson, 300 Illustrations. Hoys Hook of Sports. Every Hoys Annual. Ethel Clinton. Little Hazel. Polly and Jack. Nannette Dampier. Prince Übbely Bubble. Told in the Twilight. Aunt Martha’s Corner Cupboard. By Hesba Stretton, — Fern’s Hollow. Cassy. Little Meg’s Children. Max Kramer. Lost Gip. Friends till Death. Kardoo, the Hindoo Girl. Trot’s Letters to her Doll. Our New House. Melbourne House. Uncle Tom’s Story of his Life. Turnaside Cottage. The Twins of Saint Marcel. The Lost Father. Christmas at Anncsley. By A.L.O.E., — Miracles of Heavenly Love. Fairy Brisket. The Silver Casket. Aunt Jane’s I loro. Richard llmine. With the Tide. The Fairy Spinner. General Beckwith. Barriers Burned Away. The Teacher’s Handbook of Questioning on the Gospels. Men Who Have Made Themselves. The Sword and Garment. Grace for Grace. Life of D. L. Moody. Church Life in Australia. Recreations of a Country Parson. The Land of the Sun. Military Heroes of England. Enquire Within. The Revolt of the Field; a Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Move ment among the Agricultural Labourers of England. Martyr Graves of Scotland. A Cloud of Witnesses. Tales of Old Ocean. Oliver Wyndham ; a Tale of the Great Plague, by the author of " Naomi.” Beecher’s Lectures to Young Men. Beecher’s Lectures on Preaching. Central Truths. The Markham’s of Ollerton. Eldergowan. O 'J'H E MR.



M EI ? I 9 t An L - R -C.P., L.R.C.S., LiM., Edinburgh, First Ilonorman and Medalist, aged 28 years, married, would be S lac ! hear of an appointment in Mew Zea land. Would manage a branch or accept of junior partnership in a good practice, for which premium would be accepted out of proceeds. Advertiser is strictly steady and eneigetic, has had much experience in all branches, and holds a number of first-class testimonials from eminent men in the pro fession. Address, with full particulars, to DR. WM. BENNETT, P.O. Box 42, Ashburton, Canterbury. MESSRS BULLOCK & CO~ Ashhurton, General Merchants, Auctioneers, Stock, Sta tion, Estate, and Commission Agents. Sales of Stock, harm Implements, &c., will be held at their Yanis, Ashburton, every alternate Thursday. CASH Advances made on Stock, Produce, &c., consigned for Positive Sale. BULLOCK & CO. THE undersigned is a CASH BUYER of OATS, BARLEY, GRASS SEED, WHEAT, CHEESE, and OTHER FARM PRODUCE, At highest Market Prices. Cornsacks supplied at ruling prices. . , H. B. SORENSON. Christchurcn. HUG LET A FURNISHED, OCCA SIONAL ROOM, in a Central position. Can be had on application to ALPHA, “ Echo ” Office. TO L E tT~ A SHOP IN EAST STREET, next door to Mr. San do’s. Enquire at the ECHO Office. BUSINESS NOTICE. J L . WILSON, AUCTIONEER, VALUATOR & BROKER, Lichfield Street, Christchurch. WILL IMPORT for the NEXT SEASON, REAPERS AND BINDERS. JOHN ANDERSON, Canterbury Foundry, Elaving made arrangements for the im portation of each description of each machine, viz : The WOOD, The McCORMICK, and The OSBORNE, With all the latest improvements for next season’s harvest, begs respectfully to state that he will KEEP A STAFF OF EXPERTS In the district during harvest To Fit Up and Keep in Order, Which, with a supply of extras for each machine, will be a guarantee against stoppages. Early orders will oblige, to save dis appointment. \X7ANIED Runners for the Evening V V Echo. Good wages to smart boys. RAILWAY FOUNDRY, CHRISTCHURCH. SCOTT BROS., ENGINEERS, &c, TI>EG to inform their customers and the - LJ public generally that they have REMOVED To new and commodious premises in MANCHESTER STREET SOUTH, Near the new passenger station. Manufacturers of Railway Contractors’ Plant, Flax Dressing Machines and Presses, Wool Presses, Agricultural and all descriptions of Machinery. Plain and Ornamental Railing, Gates, and Tomb Fencing. Stoves and Cooking Apparatus. Drawings prepared, and estimates given for all kinds of Engineering and Machinery. Repairing done with expedition.