the temptation of a few apples, and when the clergyman and Martha, his housekeeper, went to see the “ gentle creature ” in the morning he was gone ; the coach-house out on one side ; the bricks piled up quite artistically; and the elephant nowhere. Alarmed at the new development, the old gentleman was through the hedge like a Will-o’-the- Wisp, on the trail. What a wreck was left through garden and parterre may be imagined. Fruit trees demolished, flower beds trodden down, hedges gapped, one summer-house turned over, and fifty boys with hats full of apples sharing the spoils. Half a mile of garden ground had been explored, and trees twenty years old, in full bearing, were torn in pieces. At last the keeper got the elephant home; not, however, unil the reverend owner had broken his cane and half a hundred other sticks over his brother’s present. It was nearly a week before a sale could be effected, and during that time the owners’ property, and the four nearest establishments had gone to ruin, At last the bargain was concluded, the “gentle creature” removed, and the “ bill of costs ” totted up. One letter concluded the transaction Augustus—Your present duly received. Many thanks. The horrid thing has ruined me. Yours truly— Frederick.”

TELEGRAPHIC.

[By Submarine Cable.]

AUSTRALIAN.

Melbourne, May 17

The Tararua sailed on Wednesday for the Bluff via Hobart Town. The Albion sailed on Thursday via Hoki tika. The Arawata arrived on Monday. The Cable Conference meetings are expected to close to-morrow. The pro ceedings will be published early. It is anticipated that a modification of Capt. Glover’s offer will be agreed to. Sydney", May 17. The Council rejected the Parliamen tary Prhileges Bill. There were great objections to its provisions, as too ex tensive and indefinite.

Sailed —Easby. (Special to the Globe) Sydney, May 17

Sixty thousand francs have been re ceived by the public liquidator at Nou mea from Paris in liquidation of the Bank, the Government accepting the Bank’s notes.

(Special to the Wellington Post.)

Sydney, May 16. The City of Melbourne, on her voyage from Sydney to Noumea, sprang a leak, and had four feet of water in her hold. By constant pumping she managed to continue her voyage, and proceeded to Noumea. On arrival it was found that her cargo was completely destroyed. The Government fined the captain 6000 francs and arrested the vessel, which was released on Mr. Higginson giving his bond for the amount, pending the result of legal proceedings.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wellington, Friday. The Stormbird arrived at Wanganui to-day. She was under the lee of Iva piti all the time.

In the Court of Appeal, in the case Regina v. Simmons, a Christchurch case, Mr. Chapman appeared fo: the prisoner. The Crown was not represented. Judg ment was reserved.

Auckland, Friday. Count Zaba gave two successsful lec tures, and received special thanks from the Board of Education.

A member of the Temperance Asso ciation memorialised the Board of Edu cation to make arrangements for teach ingthechildren the beauty of temperance and the evil of alcohol. The Board agreed to consider the matter.

Mr. Sheehan, replying to a deputation, ?rWynyard Pier, said he had hope that Auckland would soon be made the chief naval station in the South Pacific. . Dunedin, Friday. The directors of the Colonial Bank of ■New Zealand, at their meetingyesterday, resolved to offer to the existing proprie tors at a premium of 10s. per share, the unallotted balance of the first issue of 200,0c0 shares, and 35,000 in the pro portion of one to every five shares now teld. The whole of the premium to be placed to reserve fund.

A bad marriage is like an electric machine— it makes you dance, but you can’t let go. A man may not possess a custle in Spain, and yet have a Cochin China.

The growing custom of putting the choir at the pulpit end of the church has the very serious drawback that it prevents a man from turning around and looking at the organ in a critical manner just before the contribution plate reaches his pew. ,

He appeared to be almost gone. Rolling his eyes towards the partner of his bosom, he gasped : “ Bury me ’neath the weeping-willow, and plant a single white rose above my head.” “ Oh, it’s no use ! ” she snapped out; “ your nose would scorch the loots. ” He got well. “ During his ministry lie made six hundred hearts beat as three hundred,” is the way a Maine paper neatly puts it concerning a local pastor.

THE EVENING ECHO, SATURDAY, MAY iS, IS7B



PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. REV. GEORGE BARCLAY, Geraldine, will PREACH Morning and Evening at the usual hour. TWO GENTLEMEN can be accommo- J- dated with Board and Residence in a Private Family. Apply £ ECHO ’ Office. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT, 1576. A PUBLIC MEETING will be held at Ti the Li hr ary Hall on MONDAY, 20th Instant, to consider the propriety of taking steps to obtain the Proclamation of the Town ship of ASHBURTON a Borough under the “ Municipal Corporations Act, 1576.” The Chair to be taken at 7.30 p.ni. NOTICE. OP HE Annual GENERAL MEETING of -*■ SHAREHOLDERS of the Ashburton PERMANENT BUILDING and INVEST MENT SOCIETY will be held on WED NESDAY Evening, 22nd May, at 7.30 p.m., in the School Room, Ashburton. Business— Po receive Statement of Accounts and Directors’ Report. By order. CHARLES BRADDELL, Secretary. ASHBURTON SCHOOL COM MITTEE. "[VT O PICE is hereby given the COMPULSORY Clauses of the Education Act, 1877, have been adopted by the Committee, and will now be ENFORCED against Parents and Guardians of all Children between the ages of 7 (seven) and 13 (thirteen) years neglecting to attend the school. F. MACBEAN STEWART, Chairman. May 15, IS7S. ONE POUND REWARD. SI RA\ ED from Ashburton, about the 9th May, one BLACK HACK MARE, with white blaze down face, brand X on shoulder. Any person who will inform Mr. E. Cookson of her whereabouts will receive the above reward. A TEMPERANCE SERMON will be AY Preached in the PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH on Sunday Evening next, by the Rev. W. B. Westbrooke. Subject—“A Successful Total Abstinence Society 24 Centuries Ago.” K. SAN DO. \A7 ANTED, a few Respectable YOUNG » v LADIES as Appientices to the DRESS MAKING. A. O. AITKEN & CO. FOR SALE. A FOUR Roomed Cottage on a Corner sec lion in Cox Street, Price moderate. Terms easy. Apply to W. R. BOYLE, Moore Street. h odd for the Mind and Refreshment for THE BODY. A WESTON’S COFFEE and PUBLIC AY. READING ROOMS, will be opened on Saturday, Ilth May. Pies and Coffee always ready.



GRATEFUL—COMFORTING. BREAKFAST COCOA. “ By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately-flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors’ bill's. It is by the judi cious use of such articles of diet, that a constitu tion may be gradually built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease? Hundreds of subtle maladies are floating around us, ready to attack wherever there is a weak point. We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nourished frame.”— The Civil Service Gazelle. SOLD ONLY IN PACKETS LABELLED JAMES EPPS AND CO., Homeopathic Chemists, London.



MR. BRANSON, BARRISTER and SOLICITOR, |_JAS COMMENCED PRACTICE in ASHBURTON, and can be consulted at the SOMERSET HOTEL until he can obtain suitable Offices. LOST on Sunday in Ashburton, a CALICO BAG, containing a Cheque for ios. and three notes. Reward on returning to Echo office. / T' HE Public are Cautioned against Cashing a lost N.Z. Bank Cheque, numbered 9462, as payment has been stopped. May 6th. WANTED Immediately, SEVERAL first class CARPENTERS and JOINERS. Highest wages given to really good hands.— IHOS. WILLIAMS, Builder, Timvald. WANTED, about the beginning of June a3or 4 roomed Cottage, to rent. Ad dress, W. “Echo” Office. WANTED —Three or Four Intelligent MEN to circulate the “EVENING ECHO ” throughout the County. Apply at once. IMPORTANT NOTICE TO MOTHERS. d °n- T trouble yourself to make any Clothes for your little ones this Winter, as you WILL GET all you want Well-made and Elegantly Finished at the ASHBURTON PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH GIFT AUCTION, which will be held shortly. Ashburton county STEEPLECHASE MEETING. WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1878. PROGRAMME : I.—ASHBURTON COUNTY STEEPLE CHASE—Handicap of 30 sovs. added to a sweepstake of 2 sovs. for acceptors. Nominations 1 sov., over about 3 miles of fair hunting country. To start at noon. 2.— ASHBURTON HUNT CUP—For Sil ver Cup, value 15 sovs., with silver mounted whip for rider, weight for age. About 2 miles. Gentlemen riders to be approved of by the committee; entrance I sov. ; winner of the A.C.5.11. to carry 14II1S penalty. 3 —THE FARMER’S PLATE of 15 sovs. Weight for age—about \'/ 2 miles; entrance I sov ; hoses to be the bona fide property and ridden by Farmers or Farmer’s sons resident in the County, winner of the previous races to be excluded. 4. —MAIDEN STEEPLECHASE —of 10 sovs—Weight for age. Entrance, 1 sov ; 1 mile ; for horses that have not competed at this meeting. 5 HACK RACE of 5 sovs—About 1 mile; post entry, ios. catch weight.



BYE-LAWS. All races to be run under the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Rules, unless otherwise specified. No horse shall be qualified to run at this meeting, unless such horse was the bona fide property of a resident in the Ashburton County on Ist April. Nominations for the handicap, enclosing i sov., to be sent to the Hon. Sec. by 8 p. m. on Saturday, May the I ith. Weights will be pub lished in the Evening Echo on May 18th. Acceptances enclosing 2 sovs will be received on night of general entry, Saturday, May 25th, at 9 p.m., at Somerset Hotel. Entries for Hunt Cup, Farmer's Plate, and Maiden Steeplechase, enclosing 1 sov, to be sent to Hon. Sec., May 25th, at 9 p.m. N.B.— Scale of weight-for-age— 4yrs old, list ; syrs old, list I2lbs; 6yrs and aged, I2st 3lbs. All colors must be declared to Secretary, May 25th, at 9 p.m., and a fine of £\ will be enforced for running in colors other than those declared. JAMES WILKIE, Hon Sec. T OTTO, Draughts and Draught Boards, -Lv Dominoes, Cards and Cribbage Boards, &c., at FURNESS AND DIXON’S, East-street, Ashburton. [A Card.] PRIVATE LESSONS TO YOUNG , LADIES, Four times a Week in Music, French, German, and Drawing, at MISS STEANE’S, Oxford Villa, Burnett Street. TO STATIONERS, DRAPERS, AND STOREKEEPERS. /_ PO land ex Waikato, and for Sale in original packages:—Few cases Envelopes, white and blue office, No. 7, each containing 100,000, also foolscap and demy; 9 casks Ink, black, blue-black, copying and red, all sizes; 2 cases Blotting paper, Tracing paper and Cloth, Co ventry Book marks, great variety; 12 bales Paper, brown, printing, drape!s’, small hand, single and double foolscap, tissue papers, all colors; 1 Harmonium. R. BINSTEAD, Stationer, Christchurch.



Saunders Bros. HAVE £4 non t 0 LEND upon TOWN UUU SECTIONS and othei FREEHOLD PROPERTY. £2,000 £2 Ron to be ADVANCED in > . Sums of £ioo and upwards. Preference given to town sections and house securities. £2r> non to be advanced on GROWING CROPS, LIVE STOCK, and other AGRICULTURAL Security. Messrs SAUNDERS BROS, have for Sale, Situated on the NORTH BANK of the RAKAIA, 4000 acres, partly improved. 690 ~ unimproved 675 ~ fenced 760 „ 400 of which are now in Turnips 72 ~ unimproved 400 „ WAKANUI DISTRICT. 490 acres, 130 of which are ploughed 201 ~ highly improved 2 55 .. 201 ~ ~ House, Stable, &c. m „ 936 ~ ~ 200 „ Sixty Acres four miles from the Township. Several Valuable Town Sections. DRAUGHT HORSES. THE Undersigned have FOR SALE a Number of Broken and Unbroken COLTS now to be seen in their Paddocks, adjoining', the Ashburton Domain. SAUNDERS BROS. NOTICE TO FARMERS, HORSE BREEDERS, AND OTHERS. THE Advertisers are prepared to Receive lIORSES for Sale by Public Auction or Privately, and to make Liberal Cash Advances on same. Good PADDOCKS and Plenty oj FEED ' for Stock. SAUNDERS BROS. ANSTEE’S LUNCHEON & DINING ROOMS, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON. J. G. AN ST EE, BEGS to intimate to the public that he lias just OPENED those spacious buildings situate in East Street, as LUNCHEON AND DINING ROOMS. Persons pationising this establishment can rely on securing all the com forts of a home. The bedrooms arc well ventilated, every attention being paid to cleanliness. The table will be found all that can be desired. First-class accommodation f or Boarders. N.B.—The proprietor trusts 'w strict atten tion to the comfort of his pair. ■<:, combined, with moderate charges, to merit a share of public custom,



EXCELLENCE, PUNCTUALITY, AND SATISFACTION SECURED BY Taking your Printing TO THE ECHO PRINTING OFFICE. EAST STREET. CARDS, CIRCULARS, PROGRAMMES, INVOICES FANCY SHOW CARDS, HANDBILLS, SHIPPING FORMS. POSTERS, LABELS, BILLHEADS, CATALOGUES PAMPHLETS, MEMORANDUM FORMS, And .every description of Letter-Press Printing executed in a style not to be surpassed in the Colony. Colour Printing.