SHIPPING.

PORT QF LYTTELTON. , , ARRIVED. Ringarooma, s.'s., from Melbourne, via the South. * TELEGRAMS. Auckland, March ife. The Australia has arrived with the English and American mails. She made a sharp pas sage of twenty-one days five hours. Passengers for New Zealaivd-—Messrs. Clayton, llaymond, Benjamin, ReicheU, Maguire, Panoramet, Kernsley, and twenty-one steerage.

POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails at the Ashburton Post Office close as follows.:— " .

For Christchurch and North at i0.20a.rn., 4 p.m., and 7.30 p.m., daily.. . For Cherjsey at 10.20 a.m. daily.

For Rakaia at 10.20 a.m.', and 4 p.m. daily. For AshhdMbtf' South,’ Winslow, Hinds,- Coldstream, Rangitata, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine at 10.30 a.m,. daily.. For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach at 2.45 p.m. daily.' '•

For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount ’Somers,'and - Ashburton Gorge on Tuesdays and Fridays at '10,30 a. m. • 'For Tennikn, Timaru and South at 10.30 a.m. anil 3 p.m. daily,.- ....... ..

The Evening Echo. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1878.

The legendary tales of any locality, •'however untrue in themselves, will generally'be 'found to pretty accurately •represent the character of the people and of the times amongst which they have originated. We -fear that we must admit this with regard to.the great 'legendary tale of our own county. ’Tis said, that on a certain dark and tempestuous night, when the rain was descending in torrents and our rivers were overflowing their banks, a voice was heard in-the bedchamber of one of our principal ‘townsmen, calling, “ Thomas, Thomas, this night twelve month New iZijaJand will be submerged and disappear under the briny waves. ’’ Our great townsman turned half round in his bed, gave’his eyes a slow, sleepy rub, and quietly muttered, “ New Zea land ! New Zealand ! nevet mind about New Zealand.”. Then suddenly open ing his eyes and springing to his., feet, he exclaimed with energy, “ What about Ashburton?” The voice became more solemn and sad, as it replied, “ Can’st •thou not open thine eyes wide enough to see that Ashburton is only a . part •of New Zealand, and must rise or sink -with it ?”

Sir George k Grcy is coming amongst us ; his mission -is to give us his views, and to ascertain ours on questions more than colonial. . He will propose measures that , will affect our pockets for years to come ; that may give us an effective voice; in all local works; that may extend our railways and put the burden of payment on the shoulders that have been most strengthened by them ; that would give Ashburton a representative of its own, who would at all times be ready to watch over our local wants, and to press them, as a representative only can do, in the right quarter. With such a guardian in and out of the House of Represen tatives, we should long ago have bad our railway bridges made generally useful, our Resident Magistrate would have been residing where his work was to be done; no engineer would have dared to perpetrate ' .the Peter Street turntable folly ; and publie ser vants generally would have had some one amongst them whose eye must be somewhat regarded. Such proposals arc beyond the comprehension of some of our town magnates ; they want to hear nothing about such comprehen sive arrangements; they want Sir George

to come and talk to us —but not about legislation or representation, Provin cialism, Centralism, or any such vague terms. They want him to meet a de putation of Ashburton grandees, who will tell- the Premier exactly how long and how high the lock-up should be ; how many sacks of oats should be taken on one dray over the Ashburton Bridge; how and where a turntable should be constructed on the railway reserve; and what part of our district should have the honor of finding a residence for a magnate with such a magnificent name as that of our pre sent Resident Magistrate. How piti able all this will sound to Sir George ; he has come to offer us a steed that would carry us anywhere, and we are to ask him to let us ride on a gate that can only take us round on its own hinges —he asks us to help him to establish a foundry at which we . could supply our wants as they arise, but we are to ask him to abandon that and to give us instead one or two small cast ings for immediate use ; he offers us a fishing net, and we are to propose that he should take it back and give us a couple of sprats.

But our friend “Thomas” must not :be mistaken for a representative man in the Ashburton ; there are amongst us those who can extend their thoughts beyond the town belt, and even beyond the present day .; who know that if we are to obtain even our most narrow and. selfish purposes, we must pursue a course in which we have some chance to gain the assistance, by enlisting the sympathy, of a circle at least as large as that which now sends a representa tive to Parliament. In pur own little Boards and Coun cils let us take a hearty interest in the local affairs that call for our. constant attention, but when...cailed on to meet the Premier of the colony, let us re member that he is not here to adjust our local bridges and .turntables, but to seek our assistance in renovating the colonial machinery for all such superin tendence, which is now found, in all parts of the colony, to be so badly defective.

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sir George Grey.— Through the courtesy of Alfred Saunders, Esq., we are able to publish amongst our latest news this evening a telegram received by him from the Premier, announcing Sir George’s intention of spending an hour in Ashburton in passing through on Friday. It is to be regretted that the opportunity so given to the inhabit ants ol making known their ■“ wishes and wants” will be so limited, but if we must accept the inevitable, let ns make up our minds at once to “ catch the fleeting hour.” Sir G. Grey arrives at Timaru on Thursday night, and will visit Waimate on his way from Oamaru. We beg to remind our readers of the exhibition this evening in the Library Hall of Messrs Smith’s panorama of the Franco-Prussian war. Manned by four bandsmen, a drummer, and Jehu, their “ chariot raged in the streets” this after noon, their “ sweet melody,” &c.

The last train from the south last night was about two and a half hours late, the delay having arisen from a break-down of the Timaru engine. It has been arranged to play the re turn cricket match between the coun ties of Ashburton and Ashley at Christ church on Monday next, the iSth Inst. Mr Alington, of Rakaia, will captain the Ashburton team, and lias selected the following players to represent the county :—Alington, Andrews, Ander son, Buchanan (].), Buchanan (R.),

Dickenson, Mainwaring, Peter, Polhill, Pearce, and Saunders. It will be re membered that in the previous contest between the two counties Ashburton suffered defeat, but as the team Mr Alington has succeeded in collecting is much stronger than the one which then played, we hope to see the result re versed.

The time, and place of the intended Dog Show at Christchurch have not yet been decided on, but on Monday even ing the Committee adjusted the prize schedule, the classes in which will com prise Pointers (English, Irish, and Gordon), setters, retrievers, water spaniels, Clumber spaniels, cockers, any other variety spaniels, fox terrier (dogs and bitches), sheep dogs (dogs and bitches), bull-dogs, bull terriers, black and tans, broken haired, Scotch and Skye terriers, greyhounds (dogs and bitches), harriers, beagles, Newfound lands, St. Bernards, smooth-haired and rough-haired toys, and Italian grey hounds. Prizes to be—first jQi, second 1 os, third hon. certificate, with entrance fee for each dog 3s 6d. Special prizes are offered for the best fox terrier and sheep dog, and entries are to close for all classes with the hon. Secretary, Mr C. W. Dumergue, a week before the ex hibition.

The City of Sydney mail steamer is still in quarantine., but the illness on board is not smallpox, if telegrams are to be trusted.

A great cyclone has swept the town of Cairns, in Queensland, destroying eight buildings and injuring others. No lives were lost, but the place is in ruins. On Monday night the sons of old colonists feted Mr Sheehan at Hamil ton, Auckland province. There were forty-five guests present at the banquet, thirty-five of whom were old colonists’ sons, the company comprising some of the leading settlers in the Waikato. The object of the banquet, as stated by the Chairman, was to do honor to the first New Zealand born man who had at tained the position of a Minister of the Crown in the Colony. A Rat Guard. —To keep rats away from anything that is hung up, the fol lowing simple method may be used. Procure the bottoms of some old fruit cans, by melting the solder which holds them upon a hot stove. Bore holes in the centre of these discs, and string a few of them upon the cord, wire or rope upon which, the articles are hung. When a rat or mouse attempts to pass upon the rope by climbing over the tin discs they turn and throw the animal upon the floor.

The Head. —This is doubtless the most important organ we have. We lose our hearts with impunity, but let a man once part with his head, and the game’s up. A lost leg or arm can be supplied, but when the head is once off there is an end of it. Not but that we have wooden heads amongst us, but they were born so. Art has never suc cessfully supplied a wooden head where the original article has been carried away. No one can expect to get ahead in this world if he has’nta head to start with.

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Sir George Grey’s Visit to Ashburton.

“Dunedin, March 12. “ Alfred Saunders, Esq. “ I regret that I am only able to stop at Ashburton for an hour, which I fear would not admit of a public meeting, although it will give me time to see something of the place, and hear the

wishes and wants of the inhabitants. Will reach there about mid-day on Friday.

“G. Grey.”

[Per Press Agency.]

Alexandra, March 13.

It is now generally reported amongst the natives that no meeting of the Maoris and Sir George Grey will take place this month.

Riverton, March 13.

At the inquest held here on the large fire a verdict was returned of no evi-

dence as to the origin. The Harbor Board, at its meeting last night, agreed to authorise its Chair man to telegraph to Sir George Grey the willingness of the Board to guaratee for the purpose of securing a survey and report on the harbor by Sir John Coode.

Wellington, March 13.

Messrs Macandrew and Stout arrived here this morning by the Hinemoa. Mr Stout will be sworn in in a few days as Attorney-General. He has decided to give up his practice at Dunedin and reside permanently at Wellington. In addition to other portfolios, Mr Macandrew will take that of Public Works.

Dunedin, March 13.

In the Jones’ libel case to-day, de fendant entered a fresh plea of justifica tion, and the case was postponed. Messrs. Baldwin and Ashcroft have started a Farmers’ Club in Dunedin, the first in the city. Port Chalmers, March 13.

The Claud Hamilton, arrived, brings 200 passengers and Cooper and Bailey’ menagerie. She encountered severe weather after leaving Adelaide, and had a succession of gales right across.

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL

SUMMARY OF NEWS. The Pope died on February 18th at 8 o’clock at night. He felt a sudden suffocation, rallied several times, but said to his physicians, “ death wins this time.” He was alternately lucid and wandering. His last moments were clear. He said just before dying, “ Guard the Church I loved so well and sacredly.” The Cardinals were assembled in Council in the next room, but all, together with the dignitaries of the Papal Court, were at the bedside. At the moment of death Cardinal Pan bianca administered the last sacrament The people remained quiet, almost to indifference. The crowd was so large to view the remains of the late Pontiff lying in state at St. Peter’s, that many women fainted. A company of soldiers had to enter the church to regulate the concourse. The body was arrayed in pontifical robes, and was laid on a crimson bed, at each comer of which a member of the guard stood with a drawn sword. The bed was sur rounded with twelve large candelabra, and was so placed that the feet of the deceased were outside the altar rails in order that the faithful might kiss them, The face was calm and unchanged by death. Garibaldi is reported to be ill.

The scheme of the Scotch hierarchy has been abandoned, it is said, because a threat was made to enforce the Scotch laws against papal jurisdiction. Dr. Butt, the Irish Home Rule ad vocate, is seriously ill, and will not attend Parliament this session.

WAR NEWS.

The supplementary grant of six millions will be divided between the

THE EVENING ECHO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1878,