ASHBURTON DIRECTORY.

Accountants and Commission Agents— Charles Bvaddell, Montgomery’s Buildings 11. J. Bristo, Prospect Buildings, East-st. Architect and Civil Engineer— S. W. Brown, East-street S. Farr, Montgomery’s Buildings

Auctioneers— Bullock and Co., East-street .Saunders Bros., Ashburton

Barristers and Solicitors— Mr. Branson, East-street . v Mr. E. G. Crisp, Montgomery’s Buildings

Bakers, Confectioners, Etc. — Thomas Hicks, Tancred-street Taylor and Lill, East-street,

Ranks— Bank of New Zealand, East-street Union Bank of Australia, East-street

Boarding Plouse Keepers— J. G. Anstee, East-street Eagie’s Dining Rooms, Havelock Street

Builders, Contractors, Etc.— James Baker, Havelock-street Geo. St. Hill, Burnett-street West G. Parkin, Steam Saw Mills, Moor-strect Matthew Smith, Moor-street Thos. Williams, Tinwald

Booksellers and Stationers — A.- Weston, Prospect Buildings, East-street Furr.ess and Dixon, Stationers’ Hall, East street South

Bootmakers — . P. 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

Carrier— G. F. Scott, Cameron-street

Chemist and Druggist— J. M.. Cambridge, Montgomery’s Buildings

* Coal and Firewood Merchants — G. Parker and Co., near Railway Station A. Hayes, Firewood and Timber, near Rail way Station

Drapers and Clothiers— Aitken and Co., Havelock-street Orr and Co., East-street - John Fowler, Tancred-street- Firth, Pass, and Co., Old Bank Store, East 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 f K. Sando, East-street

Greengrocers— VW. 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. Hardley, East-street Ladies’ Clothing Establishment— Mrs. Morey, Tancred Street.

Painter, &c. —' J. R. Chapman, Tancred-street

Printers and Publishers — Furness and Dixon, East-street

Plumbers, Gasfitters, Tinsmiths, Etc. J. C. Dolman, Tancred-street Joseph Hyde, Tancred-street S. Hardley, East-street

Saddlers— Thomas Hudson, Burnett-street

Surveyors-^ C, E'. looks and Son, East-street

Tailors— Aitken and Co., Havelock-street

Tentmakers — K. Sando, East-street

Tobacconists— ' A. Pearse, Moor-street > E. A. Garnett, East-street A. Weston, East-street

POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails at th'e Ashburton Post Office close a/? fellows :

-For Christchurch and North at io a.m., 4J.-p.rn., and 7.30 p.m., daily. For Chertsey at IO a.m. daily. For Rakaia at 10 a.m., and 4 p.m. daily. For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, at 3.15 p. m. daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10.30 a.m. For Temuka, Timaru, and South at 10. 15 a.m. and 3 p.m daily. . For Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstream, HangUata, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine, a t 10.13 ‘a.m. daily.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

ASHBURTON RETAIL LIST.

s. d. s. d. Sutter, inferior to best, If? lb i 4 to 1 6 Eggs, I? dozen - -. 2 0 to.' 2 3 Bacon.- prime smoked, If? lb o 10 ' .to 0 o Hams in cloth, >1? lb - 1 o to o o Cheese, prime quality, <lf? lb o 9 to 010 Flour in bags, loolb 15 o to o 0 Oatmeal, If? loolb - 26 o to o o Lard, lb - - - o 9 to o o

The Evening Echo. WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1878.

1.0.G.T. The Dawn of Peace Lodge will celebrate its first Anniversary to-morrow evening, in the Library Hall, by a Tea and Concert. Dr. Trevor will take the chair. Tea will be on the table at six o’clock (not seven as adver tised), and the concert will commence at eight p.m. Ashburton School Committee. —A special meeting of this committee was convened for yesterday evening, for the purpose of considering the ap pointment of the Head Master of the school. - The whole of the members, except Mr. Winter were present. Be fore the business was commenced, it was discovered that the meeting was illegal, from the fact that three clear days’ notice had not been given to the members. It was therefore decided to hold the meeting on Monday next, at 7.30 p.m. The Seafield Mail Service. — Mails for Wakanui and Seafield will close at the Ashburton post-office at 7.30 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays; arriving from those places at 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Messrs. McClure (choolmaster), and Murdoch Bruce have been appointed postmasters at Wakanui and Seafield respectively. The first mail will be despatched on Thursday, Ist proximo, closing at Ashburton on the previous evening at half-past seven o’clock.

Maori Thrift. —We have heard from well informed quarters (says the Thames Star) that the natives have run through the most of their money. This may be true as far as the greater number of them are concerned,- but there are a-good few who have their pockets well lined yet. Two or three instances which have come under our notice must suffice to prove this. One old chief, with about fifty members of his tribe, drank and paid for, in the space of three or four hours, no less than thirty bottles of brandy, besides, soda, lemonade, &c., for making “S. and B.” and. other mixtures. Another native “knocked down” a cheque for some thirty odd pounds in less than two days, did not seem the least impe cunious afterwards, and was heard to remark that he had “plenty more.” Another instance, and we are done. A ragged old waihina called on a per son to whom she owed. 18s., and pro ducing a cheque for she said she would pay the debt if she could get “ shange.” A Fever-stricken Ship. Ad vices received at Lloyd’s .report that the American barque Beatrice Havener, which arrived at New York from Pa dang lately, had experienced an event ful voyage of a hundred and twenty-two days. Soon after leaving Padang, Java, fever broke out among the crew, and at one time all the men were prostrated, no one being able to leave his bunk except the mate, who sat in a chair to steer. Fortunately, the ship Dilpus sund hove in sight, and seeing signs of distress, the captain bore down, and sent aboard.three sailors and a supply of medicine. Four of the sufferers died. On reaching St. Helena a sup ply of quinine was procured, and the remainder of the crew recovered.

Tile Rev. R. W. Haweis, a well known popular and eloquent preacher in connection with a fashionable church in the West of London, concluded his sermon the other morning thus : —“ Let us always remember, brethen, to do unto our neighbour as we would he should do unto us. Now, nobody likes to be made the whetstone for another’s wit; even St. Peter, you know, could not stand being chaffed by the High Priest’s kitchen maid.”

A Colliery Notice. —At a colliery near Tow Law notices were issued, a few weeks ago, to terminate the wage agreement existing between owners and workmen on a given date. One of these notices was affixed to the door of the pay-office. Bill, when drawing his pay, read. the notice, and, on re turning home, the following dialogue took place between him and his neigh bor, who'had not seen it: —Bill: “Aa say, Mat, wbaat’s thoo mak o’ yon notis ? ” Mat: 5‘ Which notis ? ” Bill: « Wey yon on the office door.” Mat: “ Whaat isVaboot ?” Bill: “Wey, as far as aa can understand it, it means this—that if we hevn’t a reduction, they’re gan to torminate wo r existence on the 6th o’ April I”

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the Council was held to-day in their office, Mont gomery’s Buildings. The members present were, Messrs. W. C. Walker (chairman), E. G. Wright, C. Reed, and C. E. Coster—Messrs. Wason and Saunders being absent at the session of Parliament. chairman’s remarks. The Chairman hi opening the busi ness said At the Council’s meeting to-day, the Council has to consider what instructions shall be given by its representative at the Wellington Con ference of County Councils, which is to be held on the 6th of August. I trust that the Council will send up a strong resolution respecting the reserves in the county. The -Council has on several occasions expressed its wishes on this subject, and considerable correspon dence has ensued, but with no imme diate result in the direction desired. United action on the part of all coun ties, and backed up by the Conference, will no doubt have effect with the Go vernment in producing a favorable issue in this question. There is no doubt that the Council is the proper trustee for all reserves of a local nature which are not by their object the .subject of special trusts, as,-for example, planta tion reserves, ferry reserves, tramway and gravel pit reserves. In the case of the plantation reserves, no body is so fitted to study the interests of the county, and in spite of its best en deavors, this season has already been lost in consequence of the delay caused by Government. Another . important subject is that of the valuation lists. The chairman pointed out the unsatis factory state of the present system of preparing these lists, and recommended that the law should be amended so as to make either the County Council or the Road Boards the valuing body —it was immaterial which —as then the one list could be made up from the other. A question arose in reference to the Conference. It would be advisable for the Council to appoint a councillor to act in the absence of the chairman; at Wellington. The chairman had had-to authorise the Government to debit the Council with the cost of the rails ordered by the Council for the Alford Forest Railway, according to resolution passed at a recent meeting. The chair man concluded by referring to. the ne cessity of calling a meeting for this day, which he had done, to p.ut the Pound bye laws through one more stage. CORRESPONDENCE. The following. correspondence was read and disposed of From the Chief Surveyor, stating that the County Map was in a forward state. From the Under-Secretary, saying that the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Christchurch, has been requested to reserve from sale certain sections for municipal purposes, as recommended by the Council. From Messrs. Thornton and Bull, in reference to the Rakaia Water Supply, stating that surveying operations had been impeded by the snow, bat that in their opinion there was less difficulty attending the introduction of a water supply to the plains than had been an ticipated. From the Secretary Ashburtori Agri cultural and Pastoral Association ap plying for the grant of money agreed to by the Council. ■ From the Under Secretary of Public Works Office re charge to the Council of the cost of rails for* the Mount Somers Railway.

From the Chairman of the Road Board Committee requesting circulars forwarded re payment of land fund to the Road Boards to the 31st December, 1876, might be sent by the Council to the different Road Boards in the county. The circular asked the co operation of Road Boards in compel ling the Government to pay over the amount of land fund due to them and retained by Government. '

The Chairman said that as no ad justment of the amounts due to each Road Board had been made by the Commissioner, he did not think Road Boards were in a position to raise a suit against the Government for the money.

Mr. Wright held that the question was less one of the Ashburton County Council than of the whole provincial district. The Council was not asked to take part in the suit against Govern ment, but simply to beaf a proportion of the expense attending action already taken by the other Canterbury bodies. Aversion was generally expressed by the members to raising a suit against the Government, and ultimately the following resolution was adopted, moved by Mr. Wright, and seconded by Mr. Bullock :—“ That this Council pledges itself to pay its fair proportion of any expenses incurred by the Committee of

Road Boards in seeking to obtain pay ment to the Provincial District of Canterbury pf the accrued land fund due-to ib”

From the Chairman Upper Ashbur ton Road Board, applying for a grant for fencing Recreation Ground Reserve, No. 2064.. The reserve is situated near Tinwnhl township, and the Council voted k~so out of the Domain Fund for the purpose specified in the application. From the Chairman of the Rakaia and Ashburton Forks Railway Com pany, stating that a lithographic plan of the proposed railway will be forwarded as soo.i as possible, also a statement shewing sections liable to be rated in connection with the above railway.

• From the Under-Secretary, stating that the Attorney-General cannot act as the County’s adviser, but if his advice is required, it must be sought through the Council’s solicitor. Letters were received from the Chair men of the Mount Somers, Mount Hutt, and Ashburton Cemetery Boards apply ing for their grants, which applications were complied with. From the Postmaster, Ashburton, re private letter box for the Council. The appointment of a letter carrier having removed the cause for complaint, they resolved to press the matter on public grounds the number of private letter boxes being insufficient for the district. APPOINTMENT OF POUNDKEEPER. The tender of Mr. R. Jameson, for the office of poundkeeper at Ashburton, was accepted, at 255. per week for the first six months, and 30s. per week for the following six months.

The clerk stated that the contractor had intimated to him that the Pound would be ready on the Ist August.

[The remainder of the Council busi ness is held over for want of space.]

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

[Per Press Agency.]

Tuesday, July 30. EVENING SITTING. The House met at 7.30/ NEW MEMBERS.

• Mr. Green (Port Chalmers), intro duced by Mr. Stout and Mr. Thomson, took his oath and seat; also Mr. Saun ders (Cheviot), introduced by Mr. Stout and Mr. Montgomery. NOTICES OF MOTIONS AND QUESTIONS. The Hon. W. Gisborne gave notice to move for a series, of Customs’ returns for 1877 and the first half of 1878; also returns regarding immigration and emigration. The Hon. W. Fox gave notice to ask whether Government intend to intro duce a Bill dealing with the sale of in toxicating liquors,' the suppression of lotteries, and to bring under their notice the presence t in Australia of Japanese representatives and their mission. Mr. Woolcock gave notice to ask if Government intended this - session to ask for an appropriation for a line con necting the east and west coasts of the Middle Island.

Documents relating to the construc tion of a tramway or railway from Kamo to Whangarei were laid on the table, at the request of Sir Robert Douglas. ■ . NEW BILLS. \ The following Bills were,read a first time ;—Bill to amend certain provisions in Acts relating to the Civil Service, Bill to Amend the Mercantile Law Amendment Act 1860, Bill for the Management of Trades-Unions in the Colony;-all introduced by the Hon. R. Stout. COMMITTEES. The usual sessional Committees, with one exception, were appointed. That was for a Select Committee regarding Public Petitions, &c. The Address in Reply was moved by Mr. Symour George in a commendatory speech, who went through the Address clause by clause, and asked the House to re-echo the sentiments embodied in it. •

■. Mr. Hobbs seconded, complimenting the Premier and Native Minister for their successful dealing with the. Native chiefs.

Dr. Wallis severely criticised the Go vernment, saying that between them and the Atkinson Ministry there was great parallelism but no contrast. Caesar and Pompey were very much 1 alike, especially Caesar. The Hon. W. Fox deprecated giving the credit of the end of the Maori diffi culties to the Premier and Mr. Sheehan alone, and ignoring the life work of Sir Donald M‘Lean, whose whole labors in the Native question had led up to the consummation these Ministers had brought about. . Mr. Wakefield was surprised that party had so blinded the Hon. Mr. Fox whose story of the state of things in 1868 was untruthful. The' neck of the rebellion was broken, before Mr. Fojc took office, by Colonel Whitmore,

ami yet the honorable gentleman claimed the whole credit of the peace. As to the visit of the Premier to the King, Dr. Pollen and Sir Donald McLean had visited the King, but their visitVwas unsuccessful, whereas the Premiers party had been success ful ' Only had been present, but that was \ good policy, as no chance of successvwould have existed at all had all the chiefs been present. Great good he was- sure would result from the Premier’s visit, and the expec tations of the Speech were perfectly justified. \ Mr. Sheehan in a lengthy speech de fended the action of the Government, and said papers would be laid before the House regarding the meetings at Hikurangi and Waitara. Rew: made no demand for the return of confiscated land, and his asking for Waitara was merely a metaphor used to give him a locus standi. There was full publicity given to the negotiations between the King Natives and the Government, and this was the first time for the last seven years such publicity had been given. He did not believe the late Government would have accomplished in five years what the present Govern ment had done. He did not, however, take all the credit for his Government. Sir Donald McLean had watched care fully the growth of the tree which had now borne fruit. Papers to be supplied would show whether the Hinemoa had been used as a plea sure boat. He regretted that from various causes certain measures had not been circulated,.but the new Licensing Bill was now in the hands of the. printer, and would be circulated in a couple.of days. The Native Lands B ill had not been cirulated, but its provisions had been thoroughly ex plained by himself to all classes of Natives, and if the House and coun try supported the present Government, they would not next session require to speak of hope in the language of the prophet, but to relate the history of accomplishedffacts. The Address was agreed, without a division, to be . presented to His Excel lency by the Speaker to-day. The House adjourned at midnight. Karaitana and Major Atkinson also spoke.

TELEGRAPHIC.

LATEST FROIVi EUROPE.

[By Submarine Cable.]

v London, July 29. Consols, 95 ; market rate of dis count, 3 per cent. Wheat, flour, and colonial securities are unchanged.

Vienna, July 30. • The Austro-Hungarian army has en tered Bosnia and Herzegovina.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Agency.]

Auckland, Tuesday.

Attention is drawn to the high rate of freights, andjhe scarcity of shipping for timber.

A portion of the' boat has been found in which Mr. Marshall, J.P., left North Shore for Whangapoua, and no doubt is now left that he was drowned.

The North Shore Ferry Company sold their steamers Tongariro and Dur ham for to the Kaipara Steam Company, to be used in opposition to Captain Casey’s steamer. The new Company obtained a subsidy by tender, and commence running, their boats on August 1.

Dunedin, Tuesday.

The Equity suit, Chalmers Brothers v. Clarke Brothers, involving the owner ship of the Moa Flat station, one of the most valuable pastoral properties in Otago, has been settled, the defendants agreeing to pay plaintiffs the sum of ;?75> 000 -

( Special to the Times.) Auckland, Tuesday.

The'weather has been exceedingly fierce and cold all day. Every*' now and then there are very heavy squalls accompanied by rain. At a large meeting of Highway Boards the action of the Acclimatisation Society in introducing and liberating the house sparrow was severely condemned. . The loss which these birds are causing our settlers annually is very great, and is yearly increasing. Settlers are taking the matter of their destruction largely into their own hands in defiance ot law, and resolutions are being passed at their annual meetings requesting the newly-elected Board of Highway Trus tees to combine with other districts to bring pressure on Government to secure the abolition of game laws and all mis chievous class legislation. The annual report.of the directors of the Thames Gold Mining. Company

which was submitted to-dnj', shows that during the year they had received as dividends upon stock held by the Company, Bs. 6d.. had paid shareholders increased the reserve fund to and carried 25 215 s. Bd. to new account. The shares of this company at present are not much in demand, but the present market value of shares held by the company is equal to fully £2 per share.

Wellington, Tuesday.

The x conference of municipal dele gotes met this afternoon. On the motion of Mr. Standish, it was carried— “ That in the opinion of the conference- Government is not warranted in making any deductions since last, for the maintenance of either hospitals or charitable institutions, from subsidies granted by Parliament by way of tn- * dowment to municipalities,, and that Messrs. Moorhouse, Sutton, and Brett, interview the Government on the sub ject, with the view of ascertaining whether they are prepared to pay over such, subsidies in-full.-.- Mr. Charters moved, and it was carried—“ That the expenses of the conference be borne by all those boroughs which are repre sented thereat in proportion to popula tion.” The conference then com menced to go through “ The Municipal Corporations Act, 1876,” clause by clause, and adjourned at 4.30. In future they will sit from 10.30 a.m. to. 1 o’clock. Wednesday. It is probable that the Hon. J. N. Wilson will be appointed a member of the Executive in the Legislative Council to assist Colonel Whitmore.

According to Mayfair , the pro fits of the London Times have de creased 30 per cent., during the last twelve months; and the new editor, Mr. Chenery, contemplates resigning its management, owing to the con tinual interference of his afflatus, young Mr. Walter. ' <- . - Mr. Gladstone has announced his intention of accepting the invitation of the Liberals of Edinburgh, and con testing that city; in conjunction with Mr. Duncan McLaren, at the next election. ; -A New Fibre. —A new fibre, which has been named “ ramie,” is at present being extensively cultivated in the Southern States of America, and it is expected to be a source of wealth to the country. It seems that ramie is a very hardy easily-grown plant, yielding a fibre which is of great strength, and which, it isfthought, can be so manipu lated as to take the place of jute, hemp, flax, and cotton, in the production of textile fabrics. So far inventors have failed in providing machinery by which the. various productions of this plant can be economically worked up. into carpets, coarse cloth, paper, bagging, and such like articles, but it is declared that the fibre is capable of being used in the manufacture of the whole of these fabrics. It is also declared that its most important uses are yet in the germ, and are only awaiting the deve lopment of experience, art, and science to be made available among the larger industries of the United States. In the meantime, cultivators, finding a . larger and more profitable yield from this new plant than from cotton, are planting an extensive area with ramie, and are neglecting to a large extent the growth of cotton.

The Evening Echo, Wednesday, July 31, 1878.



Strangers coming to reside in Ashburton are 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 Tbe met with nowhere else in Ashburton. They Tkeep at all times the largest and best-assorted ;Stoek of every class of Goods, imported direct ifrom the leading manufacturers at home, which ibeitfir bought entirely upon cash terms, they are (enabled to offei* goods of such sterling value as .cannot be equalled by any other house in the Itrade. JEvery article in stock is marked at the Slowest price, from which no-abatement is made, sodhatithe.most inexperienced buy their goods witithe-same (prices as the best judges,—Advt.



OF & ho*.* TH cHAfjrrv DAWN •OF PEACE LODGE, qpHE FIRST ANNIVERSARY TEA AND ENTERTAINMENT Will be held in the Library Hall on THURS DAY, August ist, .1878, Dr. Trevor in the chair; ' ■ Tea* at Six, Entertainment at Eight p, m. Admission : Tea and Concert, 2s; Concert only, is. . ■ ; \ TO LET, npHREE ACRES Splendid LAND, suited 1 for a market garden, just over the Belt. •Apply to A> 0> aitkEN & CO. * H, BUDDEN, Seed Merchant, Etc., NELSON, N.Z. Fruit and Forest Trees— Ornamental Shrubs— Rosea —Seeds —Plants, etc.—Packed to any part of New Zealand. ' JUST RECEIVED, \TELSON - MADE BLACKING' IM Superior to the imported article, a, 0, Ammt* go.