The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser With which is incorporated the “Evening Echo"). SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1879.

Cheap Travelling. —The residents of Waterton and Wheatstone will be able to. visit Ashburton at a considerably less cost for the future than they have hitherto done. Mr George Wilcox, of the Wheat sheaf Hotel, intends running a four-horse coach from Waterton to Ashburton every Saturday, and oftener. should sufficient inducement offer. The journey both ways —about 24 miles will be done for the small charge of 3s per head, which is a great reduction on the rates on this line. George is known to be a first-class whip, and we anticipate seeing the old coach piled up every Saturday. Fire Brigade.— Some time ago the members of the Fire Brigade decided that the erection now doing duty as a bell tower was situated on too low a site to be heard to the best advantage, and resolved to erect one in some more elevated part of the township. With this object in view, Mr. George Compton, Captain of the Bri gade, and two of the committee, inspected a number of the reserves, but none which would thoroughly answer the require ments were procurable, those best adapted for the purposed being considered too valuable for the purpose, and those avail able to possess the same disadvantages as the present one. We should imagine, con sidering the number of reserves in Ash burton, so necessary a body as the fire brigade should have a site granted to them in such a position as would make the best possible use of their services. We think it would not be difficult to obtain leave from the General Government to erect the shed and bell tower on the waste section between the post office and Hodder and Co.’s shop. This, from its central and elevated position could not be excelled for the purpose. At any rate, it is to be desired that the brigade will find some place in town in which their engine and bell will be of some more utility. The framework on which it is intended to erect the bell is to be about 35 feet in height. Tonic Sol Fa Class.— Mr J. S. Savage announces that he intends es tablishing a singing class on the Sol Fa principle. As any of our readers who have attended the musical entertain ments in Ashburton conducted by Mr Savage, must be aware he is a thorough master of the system he proposes to teach ; and we know a considerable num ber of people, especially young people, in in Ashburton, whose voices would be em ployed to better advantage in a vocal choir than tliad in idling their evenings away. We are of opinion that an ex penditure of 10s 6d per quarter, and regular attendance at the lessons would be°a source of pleasure to many of our townspeople, who ai'e often at a loss as to where and how to spend an evening. Pro vision will be made for teaching children an hour earlier than adults. Those de sirous of joining are requested to meet at Quill’s Commercial Sample Booms, Saunders’ Buildings, on Wednesday next, at 7.30 p.m. We wish Mr Savage every success.

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

[by telegraph.]

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

Wellington, Oct. 17.

Nearly the whole of the afternoon was taken up debating the legality of the petition against the two members for Auckland City West, in which, of course, the lawyers of the House must each dis play his knowledge. Mr Gisborne made it still more dreary by a long oration on his own account, and the Premier and Colonial Treasurer rather injudiciously interfered. It was evident that the petitioners were mistaken in including two members in one petition, as no law provides for it ; besides which, there is a strong case against X> r . Wallis, and very little or none against Mr The result is pretty sure to be that the petition will be disallowed. The petition against Sir G. Grey was sent to a Committee to be chosen by the Election Committee.

CHISPA’S LETTER.

“ I am not yet so bald that you can see my brains. ” —Longfellow.

I read Mr Bryce’s Financial Statement to-day, and the conclusion I have arrived at is, that next to being a bloated squato crat, the best thing out in New Zealand is to be a North Island Maori. They have such a childlike and modest way of get ting round the Native Minister for a few thousands, that I feel anxious to depart to the Waikato, and don a suit of tattoo, and wed a princess of good pedigree, as being the easiest way of dropping in for a share of the coming five millions. All that seems to be necessary is to telegraph to Sheehan—“ Friend, salutations to you ! I seek relief at your hands, do, please, send a couple of thousands,” and there you are. The native mind is improving in the matter of financing. When I was a small bo} 7 a keg of sheepwash tobacco, a dozen flint-lock nmskets, and drinks all round for the tribe would exterminate the native title to a whole territory, and what was more to the purpose, assist in exterminating the lords of the soil with it. But we have changed all that, and the coming man in the civil service is the Maori, and what with the depression at home, and the culture of our native popu lation, Macaulay’s New Zealander on London Bridge is not so much of an im probability after all.

I notice that your sporting reporter does not pick up all the items in liis own line. It may be that he considers a dog fight as beneath his notice, but I would remind him that it is a sport patronised by the aristocracy of the old country, and very popular in the fashionable retreats in the neighborhood of Whitechapel and the New Cut. Some sportsmen in Ash burton, not having sufficient to satisfy their cravings for pastime in the occasional race meetings, hunts, cricket matches, &c., have gone into the dog-figlit business, and so far as I can learn, with considerable success. One of the combatants bor rowed, without permissiou of the owner, was, after a sanguinary struggle damaged considerably. I expect to hear of some of the legal talent being engaged to test the merits of the “ dawgs.” In fact, the harder times get, the more entertainments seem to be got up ; perhaps it might be accounted for by the theory that

Satan finds some mischief still For idle hands to do.

I heard it rumored that the next club to be started was one for the promotion and encouragement of duelling. One of our townsmen, who distinguished him self in that line a few weeks ago, is read ing up Ivanhoe with a view of being well up in the laws of chivalry. And another promoter of affairs of honor, when the heat of argument oversteps the bounds of parliamentary language, gives vent to his feelings as follows : —“ This is an insult, sir—r, and must be be wiped out in bel-lood.” (Attitude) I hope all this bloodthirstiness is not the outcome of our volunteering hobby. I may be low minded and vulgar, but I would prefer a black eye any day to a half-ounce bullet in my digestive organs.

But about that dog fight. I have a dog. He is a disreputable dog, with a black patch over his eye. Men who claim to be knowing in dogs say he is a fox-terrier. “ Knowledge ” of dogs seems to me to be as hazy information as knowledge of horses, and those who pretend to be tip in breeds are usually as successful in thread ing out from “ points ” a correct pedigree as some poor snobbish scrub, with a soli tary “ tuppence ” in his pocket, is in un ravelling the mixed foliage of his genealogical tree sufficiently to show his descent from some aristocratic family still flourishing. My dog is a fox-terrier —the knowing men swear it. Just so. Another doggist has a similarly disreputable cur. That doggist comes to my shanty when I am out —puts the fear of a broken head on my boy—shuts my door, and locks it upon himself, his two fellow rips who came with him, my dog, his dog, and my boy. Then his cur is set upon my cur, and when I come back I find poor Rasper with his fox-terrier person all torn and bloody. I fume and rage—but its no good. Punish ment is lost upon men of so refined feel ings as these are, and they are not worth tackling. And I am told, too, the Cruelty to Animals Act does not apply— Phuph !

I suppose since Ashburton took its first start on the way to become great, fully nine-tenths of the business done has been by means of bills, and people doing a trade ought by this time to know as well how to draw, or endorse, or hypothecate, or accept, or do any tiling else with a bill as how to pull off their boots. And although my transactions are of so limited a nature that the luxury of dealing in promissory notes and acceptances is out of my reach, I don’t think there is any thing in them requiring a great amount of learning to know how to fill up a form, and do all other things required by the laws and customs of the country, except it may be the finding of the needful when the document matures, which circum stance is a good deal more certain to eventuate than the advice by mail of an expected remittance. Yet somehow, simple as it is to give or endorse a pro mise to pay, it seems to be equally simple to do it wrongly, and then we hear a lot about “ equity and good conscience,” and the outpouring of eloquence and law to establish the duty or otherwise of the R.M. compelling a man to stick to his written promise given previously. The ease heard yesterday, where the learned gentleman conducting the defence found no less than five reasons why a promissory note should not be paid, shows how easily men well up in business may make some trifling error or omission by which the value of the note is questioned. In country districts it is no doubt difficult to procure the necessary acceptance forms, and where a bill is drawn adhesive stamps have occasionally to be used instead of the impressed ones, and it is a very simple matter to obliterate them properly, which is by the endorser writing his name across the stamps. But perhaps the best plan, if it is somewhat out of date, is to work on a cash basis where you can, and you will find yourself a happier, if not a wiser, man than if you knew as much about bills and discounts as Yogel himself.

The u esprit de corps” in Ashburton has always been looked upon as an esta blished fact so far as outsiders are con cerned. We can scandalise one another

to any extent so long as we are Ash burtonites, but don’t let any one start a growl who is not within the four charmed corners of the belt. All mutual recrimina tions are for the moment forgotten, and people who would not walk on the same footpath together yesterday feel a bro therly love towards each other when busi ness which could be done by local enter prise is handed over to SAvell the bloated pockets of foreign firms. I, in common with others in the ink-slinging business, would like to know just for curiosity, you know, liow it comes about that the Agri cultural and Pastoral Association had to send to the great City of the Plains tofrhave their printing done. Both the local offices can turn out job work just as well as the Christchurch establishments, and the reason why the work has not been let locally is perhaps because the support the Association w ill gain will be larger from abroad than at home, but I don’t think it will.

Chispa

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Fmday, Oct. 17, 1879.

The House met at 2.30.

Replying to Mr Ireland, Mr Rolleston said the surveyed sections on Run 309, Bengler District, were in tended to be opened under the pastoral deferred payment system. They would be opened as soon as the Bill before Parliament dealing with the matter of these lands wn.s disposed of. • Replying to Mr Bowen, Mr Oliver said he would cause a report to be furnished as to the provision re quired for weighing grain and other farm produce at the railway stations where such goods are received for transit. Replying to Mr Andrews, Mr Rolleston said that he believed the present system of payment by stamps, at the several Police Courts, had caused some inconvenience, and that steps would be taken to remedy the same. Replying to Mr Murray, Mr Oliver said it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill for the regulation and management of coal mines.

In reply to Mr White, Mr Oliver said the question of fencing railway lines was a large subject the Go vernment were not yet prepared to deal deal with.

In reply to Mr Johnson, The Premier said Mr Sheehan, while Native Minister, had power to charge against the colony his passage from Auck land to Napier to contest the Clive elec tion after his return for the Thames. He had not done so, but had paid the cost rom his own pocket. Mr Fisher moved to refer the Auckland petition against the return of Dr Wallis and Mr Hurst to a Select Committee to enquire if the forms of the House had been complied with, and the requirements of the Elections Petitions Act, and to re port to ? the House within seven days ; also, to postpone the appointment of an Election Committee until after such re port had been presented. He would nominate for the Committee of Inquiry Messrs Bowen, J. B. Fisher, Fulton, Pitt, Stewart, Tole, and the mover—three to orm a quorum. A lengthy debate of a purely technical character followed, the objection raised being that the petition could not employ the names of two members against whom it was directed. It was ultimately agreed that the names of the committee should should be left for subsequent decision. The petition against Sir George Grey’s return was next taken.

The Speaker intimated that Mr Richard son, the petitioner, would be represented by Mr Moorhouse, and Sir George Grey named Mr Downie Stewart, the Speaker appointing Mr Fulton Chairman of Com mittee, the remainder to be struck to morrow. The House adjourned at 5.30.

EVENING SITTING.

The Native Statement.

On resuming, Mr Bryce said he thought the Opposition would give him credit for being a silent member— one who did not occupy the House with many remarks. He asked to be allowed to speak regard ing the position of the Government. He claimed that the Government had been put there fairly, and under no false pre tences. Mr Sheehan had announced, during the late JNo-Confidence debate, that coalition was impossible, and it was in view of that fact that a Government had to be formed out of their own party, so it was unfair to say anything to the contrary. The Opposition may have a majority; still, he would ask them to con cede what was evident, that as a Govern ment they represented a very considerable section of the House. He made these remarks as he did not intend to take any part in the proposed want of confidence debate. It had amused him to see the alarm with which what is called by the Opposition the Detective Ministry was regarded. It reminded him of the Scrip ture passage, “ The wicked fieeth where no man pursueth ; but the righteous is as bold as a lion.” He would now proceed to deal with the mode in which his de partment had been conducted —the system of personal government that had been pursued and he would afterwards deal with tables connected with the department itself. Most mem bers desired to see the personal gover ment of the Native Minister done away with. That was the feeling of the couutry, and he quite agreed with it. He could remember the good old days when per sonal government in the Native Depart ment was in full bloom, but he was mis taken if latterly the late Sir Donald McLean was not of the same opinion. At one time a little outlay went a long way with the Maori-—a few blankets and some sugar and tea was all that was asked : now, however, the native demands had risen with the ckange in the administration of affairs, and the Maori talked about as much as a million of money. Under Sir D. M‘Lean the department was being reduced, but under the late Government it had returned to all its pristine glory. The late Native Minister hacl been waited on and communicated with too much by the Maoris. It was no uncommon thing for him to receive 100 or 150 tele grams in a day, all of the same tenor— demands for money, or money’s worth. He had sanctioned a telegram in which a

sum of £2OOO was demanded: that was only one of very many similar communi cations on the same subject. He had been absolutely astonished at the amount of money which had been taken out of the House’s controlandappropriated by the Native Minister in this way. The Oppo sition had said that they knew all this before. Well, he could only say that net very long ago they were of a very differ ent opinion as to its policy. He gave another example of the mode of personal government. In 1878-79 £20,000 were placed upon the estimates for native disbursements and bridges, and it was handed, practically speaking, over to his sole disposal. These disbursements ten ded to undermine the prestige of the House in the native mind. _ And the direction in which their pernicious effects was shown was this —some Maoris had given their sons a tolerable education and then upon getting them into the Civil Service. There was no proper employment for then, and they were kept going about Wellington, at a cost of £7OO per annum. At present the matter was trifling, but it was a thing that was rapidly growing, and unless properly checked all the young natives would be sent to Wellington to become a burden upon Government. Last year the appropriation in this department was £4,730, and the expenditure £54,495. In one of these items —“ contingences ” —the vote was £2,500, and the expendi ture £18,598. The Land purchase De partment had assumed great magnitude. A return showing the state of this depart ment was produced and laid on the table. It had been argued that this land might become useful for settlement, and yet not be a commercial success. He denied the correctness of this, and imagined that if the land was good as a commercial specu lation it must of necessity promote ’ settle ment. He quoted figures in support of that theory, showing that where land obtained from the natives was good it was readily taken up, and poor land was left in the hands of the Government. Between 1878-79 the the total land purchase appro priation was £732,000, the amount ex pended £705,000. That left a small balance, which, however, had disappeared. Last quarter the purchases amounted to £124,000, and for the current year the estimated expenditure was £201,000. To complete transactions entered into a sum of £1,181,000 will be required. The salaries of officers in this department amounted to £10,255. That was voted in a lump sum, and the House had no con trol over the allocation of the money. Then, again, he thought the time had arrived to consider the policy of this land purchase system. In a recent report from a land agent on the West Coast it was stated that two or three years ago he could have got land for 2s Od per acre, for which 7s Gd and 10s was now demanded. If it was worth that, then there could be no objection to the price asked, but he knew personally that a very great deal of it was practically useless for settlement. He instanced cases in which, speaking from his own knowledge, land being so dealt with was not worth more than 10s per acre. When the late Government took office native affairs were in a hopeful state. Were they so now 1 It only required a little patience, a little firmness, to make tilings beneficial to both races, but going amongst them, fondling them, making them believe we wanted something from them had been disastrous to the interests of all concerned. He could see no reason for keeping up a large defence force on the Waikato. If there was no probability of the late Native Minister coming back to office within the next few days he (Mr Bryce) would take good care if he could do no good he would do no harm. It was right to enquire into the Waimate plains grievances, but their rectification would not heal the late troubles ; they lay much deeper. He passed a warm eulogium on the natives affected by these troubles for their for bearance, and it was painful to note the low estimation in which British law was apparently held by them. Had this personal Government not something to do to cure this state of affairs, he would be for doing away with this Native Depart ment, as a Department, and would rele gate the Native schools to the Educa tional Department. The native roads, &c., should be placed, not nominally, but actually under the Public Work’s Office and appropriations for them voted by the usual Parliamentary authority. Native pensions he would consign to the Colonial Secretary. Then again, he would have some plan of placing their lands before the public for sale, either by Waste Lands Boards or otherwise. The Boards could provide for the survey and subdivision of the land, together with a per eeutage for opening up the land by roads, the balance could be handed over to the Maori owners. Means for investment should also be pro vided, so that the Maori should have an opportunity of making permanent provi sion for himself. These, however, were his own sentiments, and had not as yet been fully considered in the Cabinet. If members approved of them good and well, if not, they knew what couise to pursue. Mr Sheehan said it was quite true that as a Government they refused coalition. What they wanted was a reconstruction. He admitted the present Government had support. It was just sufficient to give them a decent minority. Mr Bryce had made a fair Statement. They had been told a deal about personal govern ment, but the fact was merely a name. Every Minister in the exercise of the duties of his department exercised to a certain extent personal government. It was true that the ideas of Maoris were more extravagant than they had been years ago. He thought that was simply a natural result of the present condition of affairs. He defended the policy of members of the Government going amongst the native tribes. There was a native gentleman in the House who took part with the late Government in their meetings, and if he got the opportunity of going amongst them again within the next few months, he would have com pleted a solution of the present difficulty. The facts of the £2OOO transaction to which the Native Minister alluded were these. A Maori, an officer of the Govern ment, built a house at the Thames to the honor of the Queen and law, and he had got £2OOO to defray the cost. In this emergency he (Mr Sheehan) found a pro mise of the late Sir D. McLean to give this Maori £IOOO for services rendered. He (Mr Sheehan) paid that £IOOO. The other £IOOO was advanced on land be longing to the Maori, and could be re alised upon it to-morrow if wanted. A | great deal was made of the £ISOO expended | in roads, &c. Three years ago the

sum disbursed in this way was £15,000. The money in question had been given to be disbursed by local public bodies, the Road Boards, and County Councils. Maori pensioners, assessors, and police were creatures of the past long before he (Mr Sheehan) took office. Peculiar practices had been initiated by previous Governments, and having been so initiated and practised, the late Govern ment felt itself compelled to do so like wise. The}' were literally compelled to do so. The policy all through, of the late Government, had been to secure Maori lands instead of allowing them to fall into the hands of private speculators. They completed more negotations in twelve months than their predecessors had done during a period of live years. The proposal for the disposal of Maori lands was a most pernicious one, and one which would play into the hands of the land rings. The grievance was that he had taken precautions against that being done. There were at present men in New Zea land who would buy up the whole country, could they do so. For his own part he would be in favor of abolishing all the Land Boards, so far at least as the North Island was concerned, and allow the lands to be administered by Government. His experience of these Boards was that they invariably favored some particular side or party unduly. That was what he would do, and not as suggested by the Native Minister, increase their powers by allowing them to administer the Native lands. Alluding to the West Coast diffi- : culty, he said that promises had been made which had not been fulfilled. That was a fruitful cause of that difficulty. The Bay of Islands difficulty had been alluded to. The fact was that that was a survey difficulty with which the Native Department had nothing to do at all. In Great Britain and Ireland outrages similar to those which had taken place in New Zealand were of frequent occurrence, and yet no one ever thought of making the of Great Britain re sponsible. Mr Bryce talked of abolish ing the Native Department. His own proposals, however, showed that he did not believe in what he said. He pro posed to place the Native schools under the Education Department, and to hand some other Native matters over to the Colonial Secretary. What was that but breaking up a department for the express purpose of creating two or three others. The fact was so long as the Maoris were a different speaking class, it would be quite impossible to have their affairs administered by a department separate and distinct from that of the Europeans. If the House would pass a law enabling the Maoris to offer their lands either to Government or by public competition to the public, then it would have his sup port. If they saddled the lands with all the charges of opening up roads, making surveys, &c., very little would remain for the owner. His idea would be for tlve cost of survey to be defrayed by the Go vernment. That would insure accuracy of survey, and otherwise tend to promote settlement. The excess of expenditure over appropriation was authorised by the country in order to settle the difficulty connected with the King question. Then again a considerable amount of that vote was fairly chargeable against the land pur chase funds. At Cambridge, for example, some hundreds of cases had to be put through the Land Court, and great delay took place in consequence. The Govern ment had either to keep to the applicants there, or else send them away at the Go vernment expense, and bring them back again when their cases could be taken up. He warned Mr Bryce of this : if he at tempted to carry out all that he proposed, the result would be incalculable. If the impending struggle resulted in the Go vernment retaining their seats, he would give Mr Bryce every assistance in carry ing what might be fairly esteemed a sacred cause when referred to this matter.

Major Atkinson urged that the moral standard set up by tlie late Government, was simply one put in comparison with that of a previous Government. They never met one of the charges brought against them, but always referred back to what had been done by their predecessors. He denied that the Government of 1875 had spent more money on this Department than the late Government had done. The whole aim of the Native Minister was to show that Parliament should be left wholly to the Ministry. Major Te Wheoro made a few remarks, after which the House rose at 1 a. m.

We had been out to the grave-yard to bury Mrs Pidgeon, and we were riding home in the carriage with the bereaved widower. While he sopped hi s eyes with his handkerchief he told us about her : —“ In one respect I never saw her equal. She was a manager. I’ve knowed that woman that’s lying out there in the tomb to take an old pair of my trousers and cut them up for the boys. She’d make a splendid suit of clothes for both of them out of them old pants, and a cap for Johnny, and have some left over for a rag carpet, besides making handkerchiefs out of the pockets, and a bustle for herself out of the other linings. Give her any old gar ment and it was as good as a gold mine. Why, she’d take a worn-out sock and make a good overcoat out of it, I believe. She had a turn for that kind of economy. There’s one of my shirts that I bought in 1847 still going about making itself useful as window curtains and plenty of other things. Onsy last July our gridiron gave out, and she took it apart, and in two hours it was rigged on the side of the house as a splendid lightening rod, all except what she had made into a poker and an ice-pick. Ingenious l Why, she kept our family in buttons and whistles out of the ham-bones she saved, and she made fifteen princely chicken coops out of her old hoop-skirts, and a pig pen out of used-up corset-bones. She never wasted a solitary thing. Let a cat die around the house, arid the first thing you knew Mary Jane’d have a muff and a set of furs, and I’d begin to find mince pies on the dinner table. She’d stuff a feather bed with the feathers she’d got off of one little bit of a rooster, and she’d even utilize the roaches in the kitchen so’s they’d run the churn —had a machine she invented for the pur pose. I’ve seen her cook potato paring, so’s you’d think the}' were canvas-back duck, and she had a way of doctoring up shavings that the pig’d eat ’em and grow fat on ’em. I believe that woman could build a four-storey hotel if you’d give her a single pine board ; or a steamboat out of a wash biler ; and the last tiring she said to me was to bury her in the garden, so’s she’d be useful down below there, helping to shove up the cabbages. I’ll never see her like again.”

THE STORY-TELLER.

Eugene Morton. A 7 ale of the Indian Warfare on the American Frontier. CHAPTER, 1. T 1133 STRANGER. The clear ring of the ax was echoing through the arches of a forest, three-quar ters of a century ago; and an athletic man was swinging the instrument, burying its glittering blade deep in the heart of the mighty kings of the wood. Alfred Haverland was an American, who, a number of years before, had emi grated from the more settled provinces in the East, to this then remote spot in western New York. Here, in the wilder ness, lie had reared a humble home, and, with his loving partner, and a sister, laid the foundation for a settlement. True, this “settlement” was still small, consist ing only of the persons mentioned, and a beautiful blue-eyed maiden, their daughter ; but Haverland saw tiiat the tide of emigration was rolling rapidly and and surely to the west, and ere many years, the villages and cities would take the place of the wild forest, while the Indians would be driven farther on toward the setting sun. The woodman was a splendid specimen of “ nature’s noblemen.” His heavy coat lay upon a log a short distance away, and his swelling, ponderous chest was covered j only by a close-bitting under garment, Avitli the collar thrown open, showing the glowing neck and heaving breast. Sub stantial pants met the strong mocassins which encased his feet. A small racoon skin hat cap rested upon the back of his head, exposing his forehead, while his black hair swept around his shoulders. His features were regular and strongly marked. The brow was rather heavy, the nose of the Roman cast, and the eyes of a glittering blackness. So he stood with one foot thrust forward; his muscles, moving and ridging as they were called into play, betrayed their formidable strength. Still the flashing ax sank deeper and deeper into the oak’s red heart, until it had gone clean through and met the breach on the opposite side. Thenthegrand old forest king began to tottor. Haver land stepped back and ran his eye to the top, as he noticed it yielding. Slowly it leaned, increasing each second, until it rushed seemingly forward, and came down with a thundering crash and rebound, lie stood a moment, his hot breath issuing like steam from his chest, and then moved forward towards its branches. At that instant his trained ear detected a suspi cious sound, and dropping his ax, he caught up his rifle snd stood on the defen sive.

“How de do? how de do? ain’t frightened I hope ; Its no body but me, Seth Jones, from New Hampshire,” said the new-comer in a peculiar accent. As the woodman looked up he saw a curious specimen of the “genus homo” before him. He is what is termed a “ Yankee,” being from New Hampshire ; but he was such a person as is rarely met with, and yet who is too often described nowa days. He possessed a long, thin Roman nose, a small twinkling gray eye, with a lithe muscular frame, and long dangling limbs. His feet were encased in well fitting shoes, while the rest of his dress was such as was in vogue on the frontiers at the time of which we write. His voice was in that peculiar, uncertain state, which is sometimes seen when it is said to be“ changing.” When excited, it made sounds singular and unimaginable.' The woodman, with characteristic pene tration, read the man before him at a glance. Changing his rifle to his left hand, he extended the other. “ Certainly not, my friend ; but then, you know, these are times, in which it behooves us to use caution and prudence ; and where one is placed in such a remote section as this it would be criminal to be careless, when more than one life is de pendant upon me for support and protec tion. ”

“ Very true, very true, your right there, Mr. ah ! I declare, I don’t know your name.” “ Haverland.”

“Your right, as I said, Mr Have-your land, or Haverland as the case may be. I tell you these are dubious times—no disputin’ that, and I am considerably s’prised when I heard the ring of an axe down in these parts.” “And I was equally surprised to meet your visage when I looked up. Jones, I believe you said was your name.” “ Exactly Seth Jones, from New Hampshire. The Jones’ are a numerous family up there —rather too many for com fort, —so I migrated. Mought be ac quainted perhaps 1 ” “ No ; I have no acquaintances, to my knowledge, in that section.”. Haven’t, eh '! Thought the Jones’ were pretty generally known through the country. Some remarkable geniuses have sprung from the family l But what under the sun keeps you out in this heathen country 1 What brought you here ! ” “Enterprise, sir; I was tired of the civilised portion of our country, and when such glorious fields were offered to the emigrant, as are here spread before him, I considered it a duty to avail myself of them, and I have done so. And now, sir, be equally frank with me, and lot me know what induced you to visit this perilous region when you had no reason to suppose that a settlement had been com menced by the whites. You look to me as if you were an Indian hunter or scout.” “ Wal, perhaps I am. At any rate I have been. I was scout among the Green Mountain Boys, under Colonel Allen, and staid with him till the Revolution was finished. After that I went down on the farm and worked a while with the old man. Something occurred in our neigh borhood that led me to think, it was best for me to leave, I won’t say what it was, but I will say it was no crime I committed., I stopped at the settlement down the ri ver for a few days, and then come to the conclusion to take a tramp in these parts.” “ I am very glad you have come, for it isn’t often you get sight of a white face. I hope you will take the welcome of a backwoodsman, and make your home with us as long time as you can—remembering that the longer you stay the more welcome you will be.” “ I shall probably stay till you get tired of me. at any rate,” laughed the eccentric Seth Jones.

“As you are from the East, probably you can give information of the state of feeling among the Indians between that

section and us. From your remarks, I should infer, however, that nothing very serious threatens.”

“Don’t know ’bout that,” replied Seth, shaking his head and looking to the ground. “ Why so, my friend ? ”

■ “I tell you what, you, I heerd orful j stories ’long the way. They say since this war, the darned red-coats have kept the Injins at work. Leastways it’s pretty sar tin they are at work anyhow.” •• “ Are you sure ;?” asked the woodman, betraying an anxiety in his speech. “ Party . sure. There’s a little settle ment down here some miles, (I have for got the name,) sot on by the imps, and burned all up. ” “Is it possible 1 Reports have reached me during the past throe or four months, of the deadly hostility existing between the whites and reds, but I was glad to doubt it. Although, I sometimes felt it was .wrong.” “’Twas so ; and if you vally that ar wife of your bussum, and your little cherubims, (as I allow you’ve got,) you’d better be makiu’ tracks for safe quarters. Why, how have you stood it so long?” “ My conduct towards the Indians has ever been characterised by honesty and good will upon ray part, and they have ever evinced a friendly feeling towards me, and my helpless ones. I placed great reliance upon this state of feeling, in fact, my ‘ only reliance. ” “ Just so ; but I tell you, it won’t do to trust an Ingin. They’re obstropertous. Go to put your finger on them, and they ain’t tliar. Jest so, by gracious. ” “ I fear there is too much truth in your suspicions,” replied Haverland, in a sad dened tone.

“ I’m glad I’ve tumbled onto you, coz I begin to git skeerish, and I like to do a good turn, and I’ll stick to you, bein’ I’ve found you.” “Thank you, friend, and let. us now proceed homeward. I intended to spend the day in work, but your words have taken away all desire. ” “ Sorry to do it ; but it’s best, ain’t it?” - “ Certainly, it would have been wrong, had you not warned me of impending danger. Let us go home. ” So saying, Alfred drew on his coat, slung on his rifle and axe over his shoulder, and struck into a path in the forest, which he himself had used, and with a thoughtful tread, made his way homeward. Close behind him, followed his new-made friend.

[to BE CONTINUE!}.]

The Earth’s Heat.

Those who believe that the centre of the earth is exceedingly hot, so that all the substances composing it are molten, if not even vaporised by intensity of heat, may find their faith in some degree shaken by the results of deep-miniitg at Stawell, in Victoria. According to the rate at which the temperature has been observed to increase with depth in Euro pean mines, the lower part of the shaft sunk by the Magdala Quartz Company to a depth of 210Cft ought to be so hot that the miners would barely be able to work. But the manager reports that when the thernometer was close to the bottom the mercury stood only at 82deg Fahrenheit, when suspended I7ft from the bottom at 80deg, and in the chamber at 84deg ; in the western drive, 82deg in the face : in the rise, where no air pipes carry air, at 83deg, and on the same afternoon the same glass showed the temperature irfside the office, on the surface of the ground, to be 80deg. Science will have considerably to modify her interpretation of the great heat at the bottom of many European mines of no greater depth. If the whole central mass of the earth were hot, an approach to wards the centre by so many feet would produce about as much effect in one region as in another (excepting, of course, certain volcanic districts). The theory of local subterranean fires, other than those finding visible outlets, may remove this special difficulty, but introduces others scarcely less serious. If the increase of heat in European mines were limited to coal mines, the difficulty might perhaps be removed in another way, but this is not the case. In two shafts in coal mines in England, each about 2000 ft deep, the temperature was found to increae by Ideg Fahrenheit for every increase of depth from Gsft to 70ft, and about exactly the same increase has been noticed in the principal lead and silver mines of Saxony. A thermometer fixed in the rock of the Dalcoath mine in Cornwall, at a depth of 1308 ft, showed a mean tempera* ture for the year 18deg below that of the surface. . Some observers estimate the rate of increase at Ideg for 45ft (M. Cordier’s estimate) and others at so much as Ideg in 39ft. But taking only Ideg in 70ft, the temperature at the bottom of the Stawell shaft should be SOdeg hotter than at the surface, whereas the difference is but a small fraction of this amount. Probably the true explanation of the matter is that, as Charles Lyell long since suggested, “vast reservoirs of molten matter exist beneath the surface, but such, nevertheless, as may,hold a very subordinate place in the earth’s crust.

Gravel Drains.

Stone and tile are mostly used in under draining, but when neither can be obtained without considerable trouble and expense, we should not hesitate to use loam gravel for short or lateral drains, if it could be readily obtained. Gravel should only be used in clay or tenacious soils, for reasons that are obvious.

The drain is made of the usual or re quired depth, and not over eight inches wide at the bottom—six inches would be preferable; then fill up with from five to seven inches of coarse gravel; by coarse, is meant small, round stones from three quarters down to-an eighth of an inch in diameter. The small, flat, oblong, and rounded gravel, usually found upon the beds of our rivers, lakes etc., will answer equally as.well as all rounded specimens. It is always best to scatter straw, sod, leaves, or ever green boughs over the gravel ere the dirt is thrown back, to pre vent a possibility of the earth settling in the gravel. Eor an out-let, take a box with both ends open, six inches, square, and four to six feet in length ; and before the top is nailed on, nail a piece of coarse mesh sieve across the trough upon its in side, which will keep the gravel from work ing out action of water. To prove the water-carrying capacity of gravel you have but to throw a few quarts of water into a pail or box of gravel, and notice that it instantly filters through.

Saturd y. October iS, i 879-1

)HE ASHBURTON HERALD.



Public Notices. IN BANKRUPTCY. In the District Court of Canterbury, Holden at Ashburton, Canterbury District. IN THE MATTER OF The Debtors and Creditors Act, 1876, and in the matter of The Debtors and Creditors Act, Amendment Act, 1878, and of the bankruptcy of SAMUEL CORRIGAN, a debtor. THIS TS TO NOTIFY that Samuel Coirigan, of Tinwald,' carpenter has this day filed a declaration that he is unable to meet his engagements with his creditors. The first meeting of creditors to be held on Saturday, the twenty-fifth day of October, 1879, at the District Court Ashburton, at II a.m. Dated this seventeenth day of October, 1579. C. CAVENDISH HURRELL, ~ ' Clerk of the Court. S. Corrigan, acting for Self. 57 1 a ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL. TENDERS are invited for a POUND at Waterton. Plan and Specifica tion can be seen at Council Office, Moore street, Ashburton. Tenders, accompanied with marked cheque equal to 5 per cent of amount, to be sent in addressed to Chairman, not later than 10 o’clock a.m., Wednesday, sth November next. By order, WILLIAM BAXTER, County Engineer. Ashburton, Oct. 15, 1879. 572 a WESLEYAN CHURCH, Cameron street. —Divine Service will be conducted To-morrow morning and evening by the Rev. W. Keall. 574 a PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH Wills Street. Service will be con ducted in this Church To-morrow morning and evening. 575 a ~ DRESSMAKERS. IMPROVERS. AND APPRENTICES Wanted Immediately by Miss Cawsey. 573 a T. R. HODDER & CO.