(Pet Albion via Hokittka.) Melbourne, May 16. Mr. Lalor, at Egerton, said he had no fear but that the Parliament of England, when they saw how perfectly unworkable our Constitution had be come by its wrongful interpretation by the Legislative Council, would give us a remedy, which would prevent any future dead-locks, or miseries and mis fortunes to civil servants and the people. Reid and Barnes, architects, obtained the first premium of for the Exhibition Building design. The structure is to cost ,£62,000. The Government still adhere to the inten tion of holding an International Exhi bition.

The agricultural statistics issued show 549,910 acres under wheat, yielding 6,874,222 bushels, or an average of 12 % bushels per acre. There is a falling off of other grain, especially of oats. Of these 10,503 acres less are under cultivation, being a decrease of 2 63)783 bushels. Business is dull.

Sydney, May 16. Prorogation is expected at the end of next week.

A motion has been submitted in the Assembly for the services of an iron clad, but it is not likely to be carried.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Agency.]

Auckland, Wednesday.

Mr. Sheehan has been two days hold ing a telegraphic conference with Maketu Native obstructionists. He telegraphed to Judges Heale and Halse : —“ You may read this message to the Natives. I regret some disturbance took place at the Court yesterday, not occasioned by the discussion of the merits of the case, but being an attempt by means of noise to prevent the business of the Court going on. I am more sorry for this because Arawa people have always been loyal to the Queen and obedient to law. I can only talk or work with you so long as the business of the Court is allowed to proceed peacefully, because if attempts are made by force or dis turbance to interfere with the Court proceedings, I am bound to assist the Judges in maintaining peace and good order, and I am determined to do so. But I am confident the loyalty and good sense of the Arawas will render interference on my part unnecessary.” Grahamstown, Wednesday.

The Thames County Council replies to the circular of the Westland County ?e conference of Council representatives that the conference should assemble during the sitting of Parliament in Wellington, and suggests that two re presentatives be elected from each provincial district by the Councils working the Act, the cost to be de frayed equally by the counties so repre sented.

Hokitika, Wednesday.

The Westland County Council have received replies from most of the County Councils, approving of the con ference, which has been fixed for Ist July at Wellington.

O amaru, Wednesday.

Young Maitland, who was injured in the coach accident yesterday, died this morning. He was son of J. P. Mait land, and was on his way to school at Christchurch. His father and mother arrived here just in time to see their son die. Goddard, the driver, has beeu insensible all day, but hopes are enter tained of his recovery. At the inquest held to-day on the bodies of Nichols and Maitland, evi dence was taken as to the cause of death. The inquest was then ad journed till 6th June, as Goddard is not yet able to give evidence as to what caused the accident Goddard is slightly better to-night Dunedin, Wdnesday.

It is said that Mr. A. J. Burns is about to resign his seat as a member for Roslyn.

Bluff, Wednesday.

The Anne Gambles still remains intact She was surveyed by Captains Russell and Thomson yesterday, who advised that she should be sold for the benefit of all concerned. The sale takes place to-morrow.

Timaru, Thursday. An inquest, resulting in a verdict of accidental death, has been held on the body of James Campbell, who was killed by being trampled on by a team of horses he was driving. The case against Murray, school master, has been adjourned. He was charged with indecently assaulting two of his pupils, and the affair has created great interest in town and neighbour hood.

Too thoughtful.—She was fond of conundrums, and when she learned that mulier was Latin for women she thought she had a good one. So she asked her husband what was the difference between herself and a mule. And as he had been married several years he was too thoughtful to trouble her by guessing, but kindly remarked that he had never been able to see any. A young lady had just returned from a visit to a young married couple, and as she threw her hat on the sofa she turned up her nose, put on a look of disgust, and said : —“ If there is any thing on earth that is hateful, it is to see married people kissing and hugging and gushing before folks.” Her little brother crawled out from under the sofa, where he had been hunting a stray marble, and addressing his sister said— “ You and George is all the time kiss ing each other before me, and you isn’t married yet; but then I suppose I’m too small to be folks.” That little boy told another little boy the next morning that it wasn’t always a sign when your ear burned that somebody was talking about you. When may a man be said to be a book ? When he is a tome. What does a man see in the wild, wild, waves? —Sea foams. When is a young lady “ very like a whale ?” —When she’s pouting. Some wag gets this off : “ Purp-petual mo tion ” —a dog’s tale. At dinner the host introduces to the favorable notice of the company a splendid truffled phea sant, amid murmurs of admiration. “ Isn’t it a beauty ?” he says, “ Dr. So-and-so gave it to me —hilled it himself.” “Aw, what was he treating it for ?” asked one of the guests.

THE EVENING ECHO, THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1878.



s>2S3 OP 3 ssrrtV mih charity STAR OF THE EAST LODGE. ESQ., In the Chair. CpHE ANNIVERSARY TEA and CON -L CERT of the above Lodge will take place in the LIBRARY HALL on the Queen’s Birthday, FRIDAY, 24th MAY. Tea at 5.30, Concert at 8 o’clock. Admission Tea and Concert, 2s. 6d. Concert only, is. 6d. ASHBURTON PIE HOUSE, COFFEE & READING ROOM NOW OPEN. Pies and Coffee must be tried to be appreciated. 'T'HE READING ROOM contains all the 1 leading Papers and Journals of the day. •TaT Those in search of a cozy retreat on a winter’s night, please note the address. A. WESTON’S Q. C. E. CIGAR DIVAN, East Street, Ashburton. A SHBURTON STEAM SAW MILLS, SASH AND DOOR MANUFACTORY. G. PARKIN, Proprietor, BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR, Moore Street. Every description of Timber and Building Materials in Stock and supplied on most reasonable terms. FUNERALS FURNISHED. Plans Prepared and Estimates Given on the shortest notice. ASHBURTON SCHOOL COM MITTEE. NOTICE is hereby given the Comtulsory 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, 187 S.



C. E. FOOKS AND SON, SURVEYORS AND LAND BROKERS Under the Land Transfer Act, Government Contract Surveyors, EAST-ST., ASHBURTON. TWO GENTLEMEN can be accommo dated with Board and Residence in a Private Family. Apply ‘ ECHO ’ Office. CHEAP FUEL. SPRINGFIELD COAL, NEWCASTLE COAL, AND FIREWOOD. SPRINGFIELD Coal can be highly recom* mended for every purpose, and the fact of its being used on the Railway must be a suffi cient guarantee of its quality. G. PARKER & Co., Near Railway Station, Ashburton. DECLARATION OF WAR. WHEN the first note of prepaiation was sounded in the East, and the war cloud was no laiger than a man’s hand, and while the principal potentates of Europe, though breathing peace, were silently girding up their loins for a smuggle as fierce in the encounter and more baneful in its results than any which has hitherto devastated the face of our mother earth—it was then that he sought every means in his power to avoid such another calamity that befel Plevna, by obtaining for the coming winter a very Large Assortment of Horse Cloths, Oil skin Leggings, and Sou’-westers, to enable the inhabitants of Ashburton to stand a long Winter Siege. WHO HAS DONE THIS? Why, THOMAS DUDSON, SADDLER, Burnett Street, And, for further emergencies, has on hand the Largest and Best Stock of Saddlery and Saddlers’ Ironmongery ever exhibited in Ash burton. Saunders Bros. HAVE £4. - non t 0 LEND upon TOWN yKJKJKJ SECTIONS and othei FREEHOLD PROPERTY.. £2 5 000 to^SI ED t in ' TKEEIIOLIJ Security: £2 Ron t 0 be ADVANCED in ’ ' Sums of fioo and upwards. Preference given to town sections, and house securities. £9r> nnn to be advanced sj*-iUjUOO on GROWING CROPS, LIVE STOCK, and other AG RICU LTU RAL 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 255 201 ~ ~ House, Stable, &c in 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 HORSES for Sale by Public Auction or Privately, and to make Liberal Cash Advances on same. Good PADDOCKS and Hatty oj FEED for Stock . SAUNDERS BROS. ANSTEE’S LUNCHEON & DINING ROOMS, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON. J. G. ANSTEE, BEGS to intimate to the public that he has 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 are well ventilated, every attention being paid to cleanliness. The table will be found all that can be desired. First-class accommodation for Boarders.



N.B. —The proprietor trusts by strict atten tion to the comfort of his patrons, combined with moderate charges, to merit a share of public custom.



RUBBER STAMPS. nPHESE Useful STAMPS, with Ink- and Pads, are now being Manufactured at the ‘ ECHO ’ OFFICE, and can be supplied any shape or size at reasonable prices. STAMPS FOR Receipts, Labels, Societies, Books, Marking Linen, &c. MR, BRANSON, BARRISTER and SOLICITOR, H AS COMMENCED PRACTICE in ASHBURTON, and can be consulted at the SOMERSET HOTEL until he can obtain suitable Offices. T OST on Sunday in Ashburton, a CALICO J—' BAG, containing a Cheque for ,£S ios. and three £1 notes. Reward on returning to Echo office. THE Public are Cautioned against Cashing a lost N.Z. Bank Cheque, numbered 9462, as payment has been stopped. May 6th. WANTED, a few Respectable YOUNG LADIES as Appientices to the DRESS MAKING. A. O. ATTKEN & CO. WANTED, about the beginning of June a 3 or 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 TQ 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 { t. —ASHBURTON COUNTY STEEPLE CHASE—Handicap of 30 sovs. added to a sweepstake of 2 sovs. for acceptors. Nominations I sov., over about 3 miles of' fain hunting country. To start at noon. 2. ASHBURTON HUNT CUP—For Sil ver Cupj, 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 -1 sov. winner of the AX-SAL to carry I4lbs penalty. 3—THE FARMER’S PLATE of 15 sovs.. Weight for age—about ijlmifes? entrance- I sov y hoses to be the bona fide property and ridden by Earners or Farmer’s sons resident in the County, winner of thcr previous races to be excluded. 4.—MAIDEN STEEPLECHASE —of 10 sovs—Weight for age. Entrance, 1 sov - I mile ; for horses that have not competed at this meeting. S—HACK5 —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 1 sov., to be sent to the Hon. Sec. by 8 p.m. on, Saturday, May the nth. 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 j syrs old, list J2lbs; 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. LOTTO, Draughts and Draught Boards. Dominoes, Cards and Cribbage Boards, &Cm Sit 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 Villr. Burnett treet.