The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser (With which is incorporated the “Evening Echo”). MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1879.

It was with feelings of pleasure that we last week observed a movement on the part of the Christchurch business men to set a search on foot for the missing ship Knowsley Hall. The sea has associations of its own, and a history of its own, and life upon it is surrounded with dangers that are peculiar to those alone who go down to the sea in ships and do business in the great waters. It is, therefore, quite possible, with the many instances in our recollection of lost ships turning up after they have been given up for lost ; and the many lines of hope to which we may cling that hang out from, and disrite, the mass of danger that envelopes a vessel on the open sea, and the dread anxiety that naturally overtakes us when we hear a ship we are looking for has been twice as long upon her voyage as she ought to have been, and as other vessels take—that a ray of hope may exist that the devoted men who formed her crew are yet alive, even if the gallant ship herself may have sailed an unfinished voyage that is her last. The most recent instance of a vessel’s crew being brought again to friends who believed them lost is the case of the Strathmore, in which for seven months the Crozet Islands, of evil fame, that first destroyed the ship, offered the crew a desolate haven of refuge. It is quite within the bounds of possibility that in some of • the islands that stud parts of the English-Australian course may be found some, if not all the missing crew. We are afraid to hope that they have been picked off their vessel or from their boats by a passing ship, as we fancy som e intelligence of such ar esc ue would have reached us ere now. But in any case it is only a graceful and humane act that a search steamer should cover the course of the Knowsley Hall, and whether success ful or not, the colony and the Mother Country will have discharged the duty de manded of them by humanity.

Primitive Methodist Church. —The congregation worshipping in Wills street, have been, for a long time, deprived of the ministrations of a settled pastor, and have had to rely for their Sunday services on the assistance of the local preachers and others who volunteered their aid. We understand, however, that the Rev. A. J. Smith, recently arrived from England, has taken the pastorate of the above church, and the Primitive Methodists are to be congratulated in securing a minister of such evident ability and earnestness. On Thursday evening last, Mr. Smith held an outdoor service, the first of its kind we believe ever held in Ashburton, and a goodly crowd assembled around the preacher s stand. The pulpit of the Wes leyan Church was occupied yesterday by the same gentleman, and from the ap parent interest manifested by his hearers, and the enconimns passed, we conclude that before long Mr. Smith will be very popular among the religious bodies in Ashburton.

i#w w fhSii f itxnp Church at Newlandg. For the con venienco of Ashburton friends who wish to attend, conveyances will leave Sando and Co.’s store, East street, at 4.30. Masonic. —On Friday evening next, the annual installation of officers of the Thistle Lodge will take place in the lodge room, after which a banquet will be. held at Bro. Quill’s Hotel. A Sapient Magistrate. Our late magistrate, Mr. A. Le Grand Campbell, does not appear to find Collingwood a bed of roses. He was transported to that de solate region for his sins, and has suc ceeded even there in getting into hot water. During the election for a member of Parliament he could not even return the.candidate with most votes, as elected, without a reference to legal authority out side his own person ; and last week we read of another and still more humiliating case af inability to decide upon a simple Warden’s Court case. After having heard the evidence he acknowledged his incompe tence to give a judgment in the case, and wrote to the It. M. in Nelson, enclosing the evidence, and requesting the brother magistrate to decide it for him. This re quest was very naturally' refused, and A. LeGrand Campbell, Esq., was driven to the disagreeable necessity of deciding it himself. After a deal of delibera tion he gave a judgment. The utter incapacity of the man is so well known to Ashburton pe jple that it seemed like a charitable action on the part joi the Go vernment to send him to so Unimportant a district as Golden Bay wl/ere cases are few and in most instances sample ; but his weak mind does not seem to be able to grasp the bearings of a simple application for a prospecting claim. We only recol lect one instance equal to the above—also in a Warden’s Court case—where evidence lasting for some hours was taken in a room about 14 feet by 12, and the parties con cerned, together with the audience, spent the day in listening to the evidence for a time, and then adjourning to the pub. opposite. The Warden was fairly bo thered by the evidence, and summed np as follows :—“ Um—er—this is a difficult case ; er—the evidence is very contradic tory ; —er —l think the fairest thing to do between both parties is to call for a show of hands of those in court; er— those for plaintiff hold up their hands ! For defendant.—The plaintiff has it ! The Court stands adjourned.”

To CoRResPONDENTS. —“ Ribbonman.” Not he. Never saw France, except such part of it as may be visible from Limerick, or from the deck of a vessel in the Chan nel.

The Warpaint Mixeo.— At an early sitting of the R. M. Court, the magistrate will be called upon to decide the cases of twenty ratepayers whose contributions to the Borough funds have not yet been made.

TELEGRAPHIC.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

TO-DAY’S TELE'GRAMS.

Auckland, Dec. 1

In the run from Auckland to Tapite Point—l2o miles—the Hawea beat the Roturua by two minutes ; in smooth water the Hawea was ahead ; in a bumpy sea, the Rotorua was ahead. The farmers have suffered heavily in hay making through the weather. Arrived —Hero, from Sydney. The City Council opened their ornamen tal enclosures for public use, but m ill be compelled to close them owing to destruc tion to trees and shrubs.

Five seaman of the barque Aniza, for plundering cargo in the old, arid using a naked light, were sentenced, three to one year’s imprisonment, and two to nine months’. They were also mulcted in costs, and £4 10s each for cargo plun dered. The Anazi had twelve tons of gunpowder stowed adjacent to where the men had the naked lights.-

BRITISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

LAST NIGHT’S CABLEGRAMS.

{Reuter's Telegrams.) London, Nov. 28.

Arrived—John Elder.

Government intend forming an army reserve of 10,000 men in the dominion of Canada, available for service abroad.

AUSTRALIAN.

( Special. ) Melbourne, Nov. 29.

Mr. Childers telegraphs that the French Government had decided to appoint a Commissioner at the Melbourne Exhibi tion, and apply for an extension of time in regard to the French applications for space to March.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

LAST NIGHT’S TELEGRAMS.

Auckland, Nov. 28.

The rifle match between a team of Captain Payne’s battery (Artillery) and one from H.M.S. Cormorant took place to-day. There were ten men a side, and the total scores were—Artillery, 401 ; Cormorant, 259. The former fired with Snider carbines, the latter with Martini - Henri. Mr. Titchener, of the Telegraph Department, made the highest score for the Artillery, 48 ; and Dennis, for the Cormorants, 36. The Artillery enter tained the Cormorants at dinner, at the Caledonian Hotel after the match.

James Meehan Connell was charged ai the Police Court with failing to support his wife and four children, having been £3O in arrears at Christchurch on Sept 25. Prisoner was remanded to Christ church.

Wanganui, Nov. 29.

A native prisoner escaped from Wan ganui Gaol last evening. He was engaged as yardsman, and watching his oppor tunity when no one was looking, climbed the fence and bolted towards the race course. Some boys saw him, gave chase, and overtook him in a paddock. They guarded him till a warder arrived and resumed charge. The boys were quite young, but behaved pluckily. The Native meant to go to Parihaka. Wellington, Nov. 29.

It is now believed that fully thirty plates will have to be taken out of the

ankvhtifa is, tfja |spkut*£y»i &mmy iwK; ! Nelson, Noy. 29j s

The Hon, Dr. Ren wick, M. L. C. , died last night after a long illness. Dunedin, Nov. 30.

There was a narrow’ escape from a serious accident on the railway near Purakanui on Saturday night. . She 5.15 special train from Dunedin to Palmerston was thrown off the line, owing to the engine running into a land slip which had covered the rails. Fortunately the train was not going fast, or it would have stood a good chance of going over tlie cliff. Considerable delay was caused, in the traffic. Port Chalmers, Nov. 29. After a long spell of easterly winds and a seven diys’ downpour of constant rain, a change lias set in. the wind backing to south-west early this morning and blowing freshly. This, it was generally felt, ought to bring up some eight or nine ships now overdue from Home and Colonial, ports. The first to turn up should be Messrs Shaw, Saville, and Company’s Hermione, now 107 days out, with the Albion Com pany’s Dunedin now 95 days out, and the New Zealand Shipping Company’s Loch Fleet, 96 days out ; together with several American barques, and a vessel or. two from the Mauritius. During the' past week there has not been a vessel of any class in the bay nor at the piers doing anything, except the Invercargill and Mataura. Both of these ships are load ing for London. Indeed, it is years since Port Chalmers bus looked so dull, A change for the better is now to be devoutly wished.

Truth Stranger than Fiction.

THE DEMI MONDE. Amongst my wife’s most intimate ac quaintances was a Dr. and Mrs. Blundell, of Eaton Place, and as the doctor suc cumbed to the inevitable fate of man soou after my marriage, the widow con stituted me her guardian, and in virtue of that office had called to inform me she had let her house (furnished) at six guineas a week, and as she was going to Brighton for a few months, would I kindly receive the rent and forward it to her? In the course of conversation I asked her wlio her tenants were, and what reference she had with them, when she replied she had let the house to a widow lady, whose Bisters and brother lived with her ; that as to references, anyone could easily see they were ladies—besides, they had paid in advance, and having no children they exactly suited her. The first time I called for the rent I was ushered by a boy in livery into the library, and the young widow—Mrs. Osmond Browne— received me. She was one of those really startling, elegant women, only, and seldom, to be seen even in England— a perfect lady to all appearance, in every sense of the word. She paid me the rent due, and made a few remarks about the comfort of the house, hoped I should al ways come myself for the rent, and left such an ag. eeable and pleasing impression upon me that I caught myself thinking of her several times during the day. I felt further interested, as, noticing some of my Hampshire expressions, she asked me if I had ever lived in the vicinity of the New Forest ; andyon answering that I was born near Southampton, she also ad mitted to being born in that county. The forthcoming week I was introduced to the supposed sisters, but as Mrs. Browne’s Irish cousins, Miss Evelyn and Ellen Murray, over on a visit during the Lon don season. They were both blondes, exceedingly ladylike, pretty, and highly educated, as I could judge from the many conversations I had with them. They seemed to be so well off, that I was some what surprised one Monday morning with a request to call again the following week, and on calling to find they were out. But as three week’s rent was then due, I called again towards the end of the week, and was received as usual. In a few minutes, Mrs. Osmond Browne made her appearance, and al though she looked somewhat agitated, I certainly was not prepared for the revela tion her first question opened to me ; as looking me full in the face, she said : “As a man of the world, of course you are fully cognisant of our real position.” I was perfectly thunderstruck, for as a man of the world, and up to that moment I had flattered myself a rather shrewd one, I had not the slightest idea they Were otherwise than Mrs. Blundell had described them, but sooner than betray my ignorance —or rather, perhaps, my innocence—l bowed an acknowledgment, when she asked me to sit down and give her my advice under the following circumstances : —She then told me that the friend who had placed these two Irish ladies with her had gone to Scotland for a week’s grouse shooting. But neither seeing nor hearing from him for now nearly a month, she feared she had been taken in, and would I try and find out bis, Sir Massey Stanley’s whereabouts 1 I promised to do so, and soon found that his father was just then dead, and that he was in Cheshire in order to attend the funeral., which would take place on the following day, and I commu nicated the same to her. She replied : “ I also will leave town by this evening’s train, and will stand at the head of that grave, and he shall see if he can deceive me with impunity. ” She was as good as her word, as two days after I received a note wishing to see me immediately, and after describing the journey, the position she took up at the grave, &c., that not perceiving her friend, and inquiring which was Sir Massey Stanley, found she had been deceived even in the name, and asked what was she now to do ? I re quested her to show me some of his letters, and on one I discovered a crest which the Herald’s Office pronounced to belong to an English baronet, a married man with a grown up family, who had overrun his in come, and his friends to save him had obtained an appointment for him as Governor of one of the islands, and he had already sailed. Finding all means of immediate payment gone, she proceeded to take off her diamond rings and gold watch, and laying them down on the table said to me, “ Take these and pay your self,” but as I declined to couch them, and offered if she would give me posses sion in a few days, to leave the rent due to her honor, she burst into tears, and left me with many expressions of thank fulness at my forebearance. The world in the meantime had gone on so evenly with respect to myself that several times during the two years that had elapsed, 1 had wondered what had become of these three beautiful but unfortunate girls,

- wi<s ; few nnVoi<yt’'i , T , pii»’|,iijuUiV'. ay no .pity for, nqjnaiiw li6w trying the eiroum ' stances, or hu.W; powerful the cause that may have led to their downfall when, one Sunday afternoon, a lady drove up in hex carriage, arid stripping at my door, asked, to see me. ■? The servant girl had shown, her, into the parlor, and while wondering who it could possibly be, I found ..myself again face to face with Mrs Osmond Browne. She had, she said, called, know ing how pleased I would be to hear the gwod news she was bearer of—that Ellen Murray was actually married to an English earl, whose name she gave me, and, further, that she Herself had also married the only son of a merchant in the city ; that, before she would marry him, she had insisted that he would acquaint, his mother with her whole history ; that Iris mother had sent • for her, and given her consent to the wedding, and she was now, but for the estrangement from her own family, one of the happiest of the happy— truly loved by her husband, and regarded as a real daughter both by his father and mother ; that she had brought the rent due to Mrs. Blundell, and to me a slight souvenir of her gratitude, which souvenir I have ever valued, as revealing to me the name of her parents, she besought me to seek them and I am happy to say was the means of again reconciling them to their lost but still beloved daughter.

T. W. G.

Curious Foundling Hospital in Russia.

As long ago as the time of Peter the Great, the enormous mortality among children was recognized in Russia as an evil requiring legislation. The Russian poor are famous for their large families, and a custom liaa grown up among the laboring classes of leaving their children unprotected during the day, merely placing a huge “quid” in their mouths to keep them quiet and' afford them a little innocent amusement. It was found, however that an enormous per centage of these perverse little atoms in sisted on getting the quid .” into their throats, and so quietly choked themselves out of existence. A huge hospital or foundling was therefore started in Moscow by the Government, to which any child might be admitted upon one condition, viz. —that its .future should be entirely at the disposal of the State. From that day to this the hospital has never lacked in mates ; and it still forms a wonderful feeder for the army and navy, to say nothing of the scores of female servants that are annually turned out of its doors. Among the curiosities shown at this won derful institution is an order signed at Moscow by Napoleon in 1812, to admit two children to its privilege.

The Longest Beard in the World.

A correspondent of the Detroit ‘ ‘ Post and Tribune ” writes from Adrian, Mich., of a certain Edwin Smith, who is the possessor of a remarkable beard. The correspondent says : Ordinarily Mr. Smith and his beard would not attract especial attention. lie does not let it sway at its own free will at all times, but keeps it tied iri a compact bunch under his chin, holding it fast with thread and hairpins. When thus “ done up ”it does not appear to be of unusual length unless the observation is close. So while it has come to be generally known in the vicinity of Mr. Smith’s residence that his beard is unusually long, but few people have seen itinallitsenormouslength except asherein after stated.. He is 47 years of age. . He is about six feet high, and weighs 145 pounds. His hair and beard are sandy and tinged with grey. He has a pale face, blue eyes, high forehead, and an intel ligent and pleasant appearance. At 13 years of age he began to raise a beard, and while yet a young schonl-boy was poa © sed of a light silken coveiing to face and neck, rivalling in length that of many of his seniors. Bnt he became tired of this, and shaved almost daily fox several years, keeping his face smooth and beardless. He continued to attend school in what is known as the Shei-maix district, Huron country. The growth of his beard was not, however, sufficiently l-apid to atti’act any especial notice. In 1858 he came to Michigan, where he married. His health* from boyhood has not been of the best, bilious and lung troubles being most common. In 18G1 his health failed, and he went to Cali fornia in the hope of regaining it. It was the fashion among miners of those days to allow their beards to grow. It was agreed among several of them, Mr. Smith among the number, that they would allow their beards to grow for six months, and see which could, at the end of that time, boast of the longest.- Mr. - Smith out stripped all i-ivals, and allowed his beard to grow from then on. The nature of the miner’s work made it convenient to tie or fasten the beard under the chin. In this way Mr. Smith became accustomed to wearing it long, with the superfluous length tied up out of the way. “ And now,” said he, “you see what it has grown to.” And as your correspondent looked from the smiling face of the man, and then turned to go on a search for the other end of the beard, he thought of the stox-y of the steeple which was so tall that you had to look twice to see the top of it. There could be no mistake about it. Each individual hair stretched its silken, wavy length from face to floor. “Howl will show you how long it is,” said Mr. Smith, and he stepped upon a chair and stood erect. Still its length was so great that foot could be placed on the ends, which touched on the floor. The beard has been carefully trimmed, so that it is of even weight and size to the very end. Unrolling a little paper which was laid away in a drawer, he said, “ Tlxats its length last winter. ” and unwound a seemingly endless hair. When measured it was found to be seven feet four inches long. “Nowwe will measure the beai-d as it is to day,” he said, and looked for the yard stick. Seven feet six inches and a half was the length.

Holloway’s Pills. —At the change of seasons many persons feel oppressed without knowing why the}' are so—they are aware something within them is wrong, though they cannot detect the defected organ. A few doses of these powerfully purifying and eminently cooling Pills will restore regularity to every part of the system —will cast out all impurities lurking in the frame, and will throroughly expel the last traces of disorder, however obscure its cause. With Holloway’s medicine relief is insured without risk : erroneous action is rectified without disturbing natural regularity, health is re-instated, and with it return the cheerful feelings which unmistakably tell the invalid that all within is right again.

SOUTHLAND.

«■ -jrX-

[oom-RinuT»!).J !

( Continun/

I left the city of Dj&jedin for the South-. land capital punctually at 9a. m., the ad vertised time. As the train.started it ap-' peaved predetermined that the journey would be a misty, if not a rainy oxm Nothing transpired woi-thy of notice until, the town of Mosgiel was.rea died ;.a- place which is becoming more and more i-e ---nowned throughout New Zealand as. the seat of an important woollen lnanufaetory:" The goods produced at this establishment are, I believe, so well known for their good qualities as to place the Mosgiel. Woollen Manufactory upon the basis of a sound commercial footing,- and its ener getic proprietors are all the more worthy of credit when it is considered that in spife o' the spoliation principle of jxro tet tion to native industries the business has not only thriven, but bids fair, ultimately, to become a most forriiidable rival to home competitors. The materials used by the firm ai-e of the very best kind, as there is no “shoddy” whatever worked- -up, so that wearers of the manu factured article may rest assured of their getting a bona fide fabric from this estal lislnnent. I most cordially wish the pro moters every success. From Mosgiel the country is.mostly of an uncxceptionally high-class.character, and fo the mind of one practically versed in the qualities of good land, the' re nowned Taieri Plains cannot be. other wise than .attractive. The only apparent cause for regret is that the expanse is somewhat confined, and that owing to its naturally low situation the land must be occasionally subject to floods, and pro bably of a disastrous kind. There can be,, no doubt about the quality.. of the land, which is, indeed, 'of the very best description, having a ;;/rich; and inexhaustible subsoil. The ; pio neers of the soil in this part of New Zealand have had to encounter difficulties of a most formidable kind, bxxt their in domitable perseverance- has deservedly won-reward-already. ; ; : The township of Milton is much . to be admired. It has a well-to-do - appearance, and an aspect of steady prosperity. All the way to Invercargill: the, country is most favorable for agricultural and pas toi-al pursuits. The crossing of the Molyneux vividly brought back. to . my miixd early associations, which will never be forgotten. The land in this locality is, generally speaking, in the hands of lax-ge. proprietors, and as tlxe chief town of Southland is approached the evil deeds of the rabbit pest become unfortunately, oixly too perceptible. The - owners of the land are however, evidently determined in taking the most stringent measures for.the'final , extirpation of this offensive and: highly destructive’gi-aminivoi-ous and granivorous quadruped. It is the opinion of many people, however, that the complete sub- ; vei-sion of this omniverrius animal- will not be effected until the la&I is more genei-ally and permanently settled .upon, by an agricultural people. Tlxe city of Invercargill was reached, precisely to the minute of the advertised time—3.3o. p. hi. From' the Scottish Emporium the distance is officially stated to be 139 miles. The average, speed, of the train v.-as 21.38 miles per hour : cer tainly ixot very expeditious for an express mail train. Invercargill, is capaciously laid out, a great feature being the marked width of the principal streets, which are much wider than those of Dunedin or Christchurch. Judging from the names

of the streets one would be almost justi fied in asserting that their baptisers must have originally hailed. from beyond the Dee, the Don, the Tay, the Esk, etc. They ax-e all good names nevertheless. There are many evident signs of pro gression, notably the l-ecently erected and substantial looking Banks which are very liaxxdsoine and costly, edifices, and worthy of the emulations of builders in other towns. The Athenaeum alone is a credit to the town. There are two .daily newspapers, but it is deplorable to find that the same tyrannical system

has been in foi-ce here as in other parts of New Zealand with respect to Government advertisements, being coixfined to a few of

its favored organs. The impoteuey of such an unconstitutional and • gagging policy is enough to condemn any Ministry, eveix though it succeeded in administering

the business of the country . in., otlier respects satisfactorily. While at Inver cai-gi.ll. I was mxxch impressed with .the apparent inferiority of the meat displayed in the butchei-s- shops, the uiutton, in particular, not being of a first-class chax-acter, fx-om tlie absence of tlie fat - so conspicuous in prime animals. ' Ci ; My destination was still farther south, and so with the-view of 1-eaching the noted j river Waio I bent my way to the hospit-

able roof of a fx-iend. After a most enjoy able night’s reprise I booked for -Winton. ■ The Makarewa pottex-y vividly recalled many of my exploits in early colonial times,; but more especially in regard to the bullock; driving business. I certainly never..ex-, pected to see, in these civilised times, one' of these patient and useful animals doing duty at the clay-puddling trade. The oixe in question was working what is tecli-; nically termed a u horsepower,” and was under the control of a boy, who con tinually goaded the beast with a poi it el stick. As they got through the work in this style, it struck me as being, at the best, a vex-y primitive method of carrying on the manufacture of tiles, etc. The white elephant near Winton, in the

shape of a defunct moat pres erring factory showed signs of one of two tilings, viz., that its construction was originally a mis take in regard to its design, or that the supply of meat had diminished. I learned from a fellow passenger that the place had fallen into the hands of a proprietary of a similar factory, at Woodlands. From Winton I patronised the coach as far as Wray’s Bush, After making a start I was much struck with the beauti ful view presented by the Eyre Moun-

tains. They are like a mass of pyramids, and their snow-capped covering showed to great advantage, extending to the Taka timo Mountains. Oti crossing the New River I concluded from the amount of

debris left by recent floods that the stream must be both a dangerous and de structive one. The extensive area of land seaward from the coach route is, in my opinion, capable of great productiveness. The land, at present, is almost in a state of nature, and the mail track in this part of the country wants looking after with the view of rectifying the present unsatis factory submerged state of the road ; the

W' Ji mm pp&iww-iew- tkw ■ l-m] ; - % : : ' sln approaching, the “ Jacobs,” or Apa rimi river there is strong evidence of the . ravages- of the afore-mentioned “rabbit :.pest.”;l, was' informed -that a certain ;landed proprietor in this particular. place, ;viz., oh the Winton side of the lriver, was ail outrageously- obdurate man, and that the rabbit inspect*’' hacUbeen compelled • ; - to employ men fer-t he- purpose of extir pating this unw ©lco ne' intrusion: of the rabbits.. If- a prop rietor caix afford to ■ . make 44 both encis-meet ”■ by encouraging such a ruinous -pest he is truly a fortunate mian, and tli'e'faet'speaks 'thevi high class character of-this land. . - The townshi p of Wray’s Buslf Cannot. yet boast of a Lord Mayor grivenimen't; . The business portion of the.. « community appeared twftcbinptise keeper, , a shoemaker, two blacksmiths, , and a few others. The land' outside the boundaries of the'-township has been'. “; taken up ” at. £3-per acre—upon the sde- - A ferred payment system. Some of the re- .. cent selections bear aiiipie. evidenceVOr.thelT high producing power of the land which is particularly exemplified in- the A large h-Ji yields of corn, &c. , repi-esented to be ; 80 bushels of barley arid 60.-bushels of. .wheat i l j per acre. Such results -must be very en corn-aging. A r '. ./,'•//7/ :

After crossing the Wairiq creek, the renowned 44 Cap coal ” bearing'country

evinces signs of an immense area- of in-- & expensive and easily workable coal fields. r;v. The undulating rises afforded, furs mistake able evidence of this ./from the-', seams , which continually meet the eye of the:, touristy and the ; Government wisely in making j teriippraryoxeserves in this valuable tract of coal producing terri- :; _ . toi-y, .especially as the coal is said to be': good for all 'ordinary purposes/ once opened up will doubtlesirprove .an in-.i. - exhaustible source of wealth.: The valleys I*- of the Sharp Ridge and those through which the' Oravvia ‘ and/.Morley/streams %= flow/ possess alb the ■ High- -class-qualifica*::i tions absolutely necessary tfc> an eiftehaiye;-W agricultural district/'' locality will probably becorixe at mbj very r. 7 distant date. The novel iiianner -iri which -m: - ; this large coal bearing area was originally 7 discovered is so peculiar that; .it/is-wortß/’- mentioning The • -arid-wallers work came - in contact/-with the,,;- “ black’A; diamonds.” The measures nown extend - to the-north of the. Morley I-streaml, l/aiid/;- the thickness -of . one of thef-seania, is;- re/''. •• ported to- be great and eapily-workable-.;—-, ; deep sinking -and the aid of machinery «• being ' Having had some - little practical

perience in .agricultural pursuits, T was -• nxuch struck with -the /general: adaptaf% bility of the land fox-all kind’->of r producelf: gi-owing, and more especially in regard-to ■ that situated in the valleys on the; .north : i an.d.south sides of the Morley stream.’and,: : below ‘the junction of the - Orawia. In - this isolated part of New Zealand the . plough, during the past .twelve ' -months, has certainly beeix-very effective in ,-traris- .-* forming the ‘wild aspect of this , part of the . t-. coxuitry, arid it wasquite cheeringto notice the extent of the piogxession which. has; *' - been iixad'e. There • were three—four-.... horse teams with - double-furrow-v ploughs engaged in breaking ;v up the .land..nr Also one three-horse team. so wing-and harrow- - ing ; one four-horse team and a two-horse U team rolling, all at the same.time on Birchwood run. -The wisdom of this.kind - of enterprise bears evidence of. its fruits in a very striking manner. The .process followed is to burn - ' and clear off the native tussock, and then to plough.lightly , aud leave the land exposed to the • action of the frosts, which xxets as a pulveriser^

The virgin soil 'isafterwards-. : *own:J■•with?* either oats or tui-riips ; if the latter course; ■: is adopted oats follow with a mixture:: of English grasses for pex-manent pasture,....

The results are amazing., Although my. observations only refer:to.; the, early part. of last September, yet. the English grasp looked quite luxuriant, and was so much..-*-,/ an object of interest to the traveller as a well-known land mark would .-be. .to-Ith© mariner. The verdant^” appbararice observable for miles. The turnip crops seemed to be unexceptionally good.- : ! t. As a : fortifier of the best ; proof of the : deductions I wish to riiakb'l ixiay state

that I employed my holiday time at Birch? wood in a sort of practical >yay,/‘and ‘en gaged' , in/ chaffcutting,. ,cbrn-thrasKirig, seed mixing,Hand surveying, 'and.rieyerijiff preparing ground, potatoes. Of this edible Great-Britain and Ireland

consumed in 1877 no less than 557,Q00,000 - cwt., the money value being > £17,400,000

sterling./'- Wliile at Birchwood, : l that the chaff. from' oat-aheaves gave evi dence of a fertile soil//The straW was of- : an extreme ' length having stems' of a robust nature.. The corn was. reriiarkably ' ' xvell filled. Of ..the threshed /oatS the

yield was estimated, by' -machine to-be eighty.biislipls per acre.' ..." , .En passant, I also: partook pf. ihe A" , fered hospitality . . .of - the proprietor -of ... the Mount Linton.station-, ' and 'in., proceeding- thitherward,- on - “-.shanks’.. pony ” in company with two other invited guests discovered-that-1 had to ford the Morley stream; I. naturally interrogated ' my companions as "to -how we' were to cross it, and was handed a pair of what ' they designated “ Ginn. Boots formid- ' _ able looking things, putting me in mind of 7- tlie old veteran—“ Jack.,the Xxiantkiller,”, '. of, boyhood . days.; ; .1 *.put them bn... however, taking slippers, in my ..pocket ■ in case of accidents. -- The fuiuofuthe thing was that although there were three of us -, yet we had to cross the swift stream -With.-: only two' pairs of the boots. Thi- s was • another puzzler to' me. 'After - suggestions it was finally arranged;' myself and another should cany dverthe third party between us. No laUghiiig was permitted for fear of.dropping. our.., friend and giving him a cold water bath; A . A start- was made,..®n& I opportunity Qf -tespipg my.-powers of reads- . tance againsttlfe rapidly running-current,-;- . . To my astonishment I-experienced a-feel ing as if my feet were slipping*froimdmdert me,.so that I was disposed- to ; cry blf, : the -- contract. It was clear, 'howfeVerj’/timf Hiy education in'stream;■.e)rb'sstng_" i ‘hW' been ~ - neglected, and J was directed tb ,afaid lift ing iny feet too high. ' Attempt jy was made, and, after a- .great deaf ..of d floundering and- splaslpng, wi.tli.a success-., ful issue. . The whole sceneto : an observer, must have been highly ludicrous. I was most sumptuously, entertained at Mount Linton, and did ample, justice to.. to the cuisine skill of the Ghinaman who ' officiated. as cook. One of the cbtftsea

that I was asked to partake -’of was a mountain ' .wild pig. Its - /' flavor 4 w«i simply delicious. My host assured nw

xzcbv

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SX:: THISTLE LODGE, No. 627; S,C. Ashburton. 4 i •’. ANNUAL INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS ANO BANQUET, ON JpRID AY EVENING, DEC. sth, 1879. Installation in-Lodge Room at 7 p.m. Bmlquet in J3ro. Quill’s at 9 p.m. James mutch; • 240—751 a. • v Hon. Sec. «WWESLEYAN C HURCH. QIERVICES in connection with the Second Anniversary of the above Church, will be conducted by the Rev. W. BATJMBER, of Christchurch, , On. SUNDAY, DEC. 14. Collections in aid of the Building Fund. On TUESDAY following, a TEA will be held in the Church, after which a Public Meeting will take place, addressed by Ministers and other friends. Music by the Choir. -755 a ■XT T ANTED A W;’ ! " servant. Orr, Tancred street. Good ’ Apply- GENERAL —Mrs. John 754 a



SHEARING will Commence at Shep herd's Bush, Rangitata, on DEC. 8. Place, 15s. per 100. 093 a WANTED— TENDERS for CART iN.fe 250 BALES WOOL (more or less), froth Shepherd’s Bush to Eal ing. .-Tenders to be addressed to. the Manager, Shepherd’s Bush, Rangitata, by Ist DECEMBER. * 694 a . A CARD. " .;f M R CATT LI N , ‘ SURGEON DENTIST, Is now at Quinn’s HoTEn, and will attend patients until further notice. 671 a *TTTANTED KNOWN, the season for VV transplanting is at hand, and we can supply,, after the Ist December, 20,000 Cabbage Plants, 20,000 Broccoli Plants, &c. —Apply at the Seed Depot, East Street. v '• s - : • - 745 a - I . W SEALY BROS. , 7 WAKANUI ROAD BOARD. rfIENDERS are invited for the follow- X ing work' • ' ' No. 13. Smiths’ road in continuation of :i; South East Town Belt, part re-for matioh: and metalling, about .55 Qhains: ■ Particulars can be obtained at the Board’s Office, and Tenders will be re ceived till 10 a.m. on THURSDAY, DEC. 4, accompanied with a deposit marked cheque, or cash equal to 5 per cent, on the value of the work tendered for. • i, ROOKS & SON, 230—744 a ig Surveyors to the Board; to Builders. TENDERS are invited for the EREC TION of a HOTEL at Tinwald, for Mr. Robert Hill. Plans and specifications may be seen at Quill’s Hotel on and after the Ist of De cember, and ">at ’ Mim J. L. Fleming’s Christchurch,* on: and after December 15th. Tenders will close .at Ashburton on January 31st, 1880. 237 —741 a



WAKAN.UI ROAD BOARD. • ; TO' COLLECTORS. TENDERS are invited for Collecting Outstanding RATES for - 1878-9, and RATE for 1879-80—in accordance -with the Rating Act, 1876. To find two’ sureties £IOO each. Particulars can 'be obtained .at the Board Office, Moore street, and Tenders addressed to the Chairman will be received till 10 a. rib bn’ THURSDAY DEC. 4, 1879 ‘ ' BOOKS & SON, -219—732 a. Surveyors to the Board ASHBURTON PERMANENT BUILD INQ ANDINVESTMENT SOCIETY. THE Monthly Meeting of the above Society will be held in Mr. Bullock’s office on TUESDAY EVENING, from 0. 30 to 8.30. Subserfiptioiis'.will.-, be received at'the Secretary’s office’, Burnett street, between the hours, of 9 o’clock and; 4 p m. this day, at Mr. Bullock’s office, from 6.30 to 8.30 on Tuesday evening. J. WARD, 761 a Secretary. " - f 1 REWARD. i • . <• ' LOST .a Black Leather Pocket Book “Co'ntaming "£5 in single notes, and other papers, besides name of the under signed. Anyone returning same to office of this ! papeV, will - receive ; . above reward. ,762 a :■ JAMES .WILSON. v/’ • K NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. REFRESHMENT ROOMS. ;. TENDERS will be received up to noon of the 10th December prox., at this Office, for. the Tenancy for two years (from] .Ist January, 188 Q, to 31st Decem ber,- 1881,) of- the Refreshment Rooms at Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Wai mate Junction, and Duheclin Stations. Tenders may be for one or more of the Stations named, but a separate rent must be quoted for. afcH...b- >V.■ Specifications, with terms and condi tiohs .may be inspected at the offices of the Station Masters, Ashburton and Timaru, and at the Manager’s offices. / WM. CONYERS, / Commissioner of Railways. . of the Commissioner of Railways, ■ .'Cfi’ttstchurch, vV -" ; - Dec. 27th, 1879. 749 a IT J ANTED. —The Heralu tells your Wants in 20 words, for 1/-.



#*•'» Y _' A WESLEYAN CHURCH, - • • ■ ... j; { T)EACTIGE; v THIS EVENING at 8 r o’clock, in the Church, Cameron street. Members of the Choir and friends invited to attend. • . V H. j./WEEKS, 236—759 a .Organist. •A SHBURTON CALEDONIAN SOCIETY. " PROGRAMME OF SPORTS, To be held on BOXING DAY, FRIDAY, 26th DECEMBER, 1879. 1. Music—Bagpipes, Pibroclis, 1 prize, Marches, Strathspeys, 1 prize. 2. Quoits —Ist and 2nd prizes. 3. Men’s Open Handicap Hurdle Race —440 yards, 6 hurdles ; Ist and 2nd prizes. 4. Handicap Hurdle Race —For boys not over 16 years of age—44o yards ; Ist and 2nd prizes. 5. Running High Jump —Men and boj3, Ist and 2nd prizes. 6. Tossing the Caber—lst and 2nd prizes. 7. Standing High Jump —Men and boys. Ist and 2nd prizes. 8. Handicap Ra.ce —loo yards, men, 1 prize. 9. Running High Jump —For boys under 16 years of age, 1 prize. 10. Highland Reel —Ist and 2nd prizes. ■ 11. Highland Fling —lst and 2nd prizes. 12. Irish Jig —Men, Ist and 2nd prize. 13. Irish Jig —Ladies, Ist and 2nd prizes. 14. Sword Dance—lst and 2nd prizes. 15. Grand Handicap Flat Races— Men, 200 yards, 300 yards, 440 yards, j Ist, 2nd, and 3rd prizes. 16. Vaulting with Pole—Men, Ist and 2nd prizes. 17. Vaulting with Pole —Boys under 16 years, Ist and 2nd prizes. 18. Flat Race— Men, £ mile, Ist and 2nd prizes. 19. Walking Match— Men, 2 miles, Ist and 2nd prizes. 20. Putting the Stone —l 6 lbs, Ist and 2nd prizes. 21. Throwing the Hammer —16 lbs, Ist and 2nd prizes. e 22. Wrestling —Cumberland Style, „ 1 prize ; Collar and Elbow, 1 prize.- 23. Flat Race —Men, 1 mile, Ist and 2nd prizes. 24. Three Legged Race —loo yards, 1 prize. 25. Running Hop, Step, and Jump— -Ist and 2nd prizes. 26. Runnmg Long Jump—lst and 2nd prizes. 27. Best Dressed Highlander—l prize. 28. Gymnastics on Horizontal Bar —l prize. 29. Old Men’s Race —Over 40 years, 100 yards, Ist and 2nd prizes. 30. Handicap Consolation Race —Foi boys and men, 200 yards, Ist and 2nd prize. . ..... .. .. .. .. 31. Singlestick. —l prize. The entrance fees and amount of prizes will be advertised during the month of December. By order of the Directors, J. E. HYDE HARRIS, Secretary. 239—750 a Kov. 24, 1879.