COMMERCIAL.

[By Telegraph.] * Dec. |P. Messrs. Murray, Roberts, & Co. . haye received the following, cablegram from London :—Wool sales closedjwith moderate attendance in saleroom. i Tlie total amount catalogued in sales was 13,000 hales. obOO bales being withdrawn. No material change took place', in prices, whicli closed on an average equal to open ing rates of season.

The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser (With which is incorporated the "Evening Echo”). WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1879.

Caledonian Society. —A meeting of the v Caledonian Society was held at Quill’s Hote l on Tuesday night. Present — Messi *s. C. Reid (Ohaurman), W. Ander son, l>r. Stewart, T. Quill, John Frazer, D. Henderson, C. Risely, A. Harrison, and al iout ten others, Correspondence was rea <d from Mr. James Campbell, re signing his office as Treasurer. Mr. Quill propos© i and Mr. Robimen seconded that Mr. Cai npbell’s resignation be accepted with reg ret, and a vote of thanks accorded to him. This was carried. The sub-con mi ttee ft >r choosing the ground reported that the y r had arranged with Mr. Hay T. Smith f oir the use of his paddock for L 5 ; the Socit to pay Mr. Smith for clearing and fenci ’ug the ground. With reference to the gr, rand, Mr. Wilkie, as one of the ground c ’ommittee, said ho would like them to i aspect it again, to judge of its advantages defects, as the proposed site possess 'c-at both. A discussion then ensued, ana’, liiome indignation was ex pressed that.. although Caledonian sports were not alio Bi'ead to he held on tlie Domain other persons A&d been allowed to dig up the ground for laavn tennis and such like games. Mr. QuM proposed and Mr. D. Henderson see onnfisd, . .that Mir. Hamsoji be requested, to sell (the following privileges on Saturday nei 'c, tike 13th inst., subject to conditions to ,be imposed by the Ground Committee:—Pulilicaum’sbooth, two confec tioner’s booths, ,ngihtt, of sports, right of gates, and right of ciards. The Ground Committee were empowered to * choose more suitable ground if int was to be found. It was resolved that thediin&ctors choose the judges for the various evenfte. The question of the appointment of a Treasurer was left in the hands of the Directors. A meeting of the Directors was afterwards field, and the prize list was settled upon, and the meeting adjourned till Saturday evening. The list of prizes and entrance money will be published on Monday next.

School Concert. —On the evening of #ke 22nd, after the annual distribution of prizes, the elder scholars attending the borough school will give an entertainment for behoof of the prize fund. We learn jaader Mr. Stott’s training the pupils’ musical appearance gives every promise of being very superior, and attention has also been paid to the little ones’ elocution.

Ashburton School Committee. — At the Committee meeting last night these were present Dr. Stewart (presiding), and Messrs St. Hill and Bradley. After some unimportant business, the master’s report was read, which showed an average attend ance of 330 out of a number on the roll of .;476. The largest attendance on any day 'during the month was 340. It was decided to%old the 16th in3t. a close holiday, being Ihe Canterbury Anniversary. The Com mitteeiSanctioned the use of the school to the scholars for a concert on the 22nd for behoof the prize fund. Letters were read from ttb# Revs. Paige and Beattie, accepting the /duties of examiner's on the occa.sion°oft.t.he;i&-*.®ual examination on the j 17th, 18th, and,l9t& inst.; and the Com mittee fixed thoJl2nd (for the distribution of prizes; to the, children. A special meet ing of, Committee was fixed for the 16th, r.to°dispose of financial business re prizes.

School Prizes, .—At the meeting <?| the School Committee last night it was re ported that good progress had been made with the collection of subscriptions for school prizes. It is to hoped, however, that those interested in the cause of edu cation who have not yet been visited-by the collectors, will consider the children’s claims and subscribe to their utmost ability. The presentation of prizes to deserving children is an incentime to healthy emulation, and it would be a great pity and a discredit to the township were the Committee left in any way hampered for the needful funds to supply respectable rewards to the meritorious scholars.

School Committee Election. The annual election of the School Committee takes place on the 4th Monday in January, 1880, and previous to that date, the usual meeting will be held on the 2nd Tuesday in January, at which the annual report will be read.

Grand Lodge I. O.G.T.—The Grand Lodge of tie Good Templars opened its sessions in Christchurch on Tuesday morning. Grand Lodgedegrees were con ferred upon the following from this dis trict :—Sister F. Shearer, Tinwald Lodge; Sister M. A. Hardley, Dawn of Peace, Ashbuton ; and Bros. J. Hardley, and J.- J Ash wood, also of the Dawn of Peace. TheG.W.C.T. reported a decrease in the whole membership of the order in the South Island, attributable to migration of many members who had been compelled to go about iu search of work. The other business was almost purely formal. Legislative Council. —The Legislative Council sat on Tuesday night till eleven o’clock, getting through a large amount of routine business. The Union Bank of Australia.— Telegraphic advices have been received to the effect that the directors of the Union Bank of Australia intend to take advan tage of the act recently passed by the Im perial Legislature and register the Bank under the Companies Acts, 1862 to 1879, increasing the amount of the shares from L 25 to L 7 K each, the additional LSO per share being intended exclusively as guarantee, or “reserve” capital. Under the intended arrangement the paid-up capital of the bank will be L 1,500,000 ; the paid-up reserve fund, LBOO,OOO ; the guarantee, or “ reserve ” capital, L 3,000,00 —together, L 5,300,000. The shareholders will thus see a limit to their liability, while the public will be guaran teed to the extent of nearly L 4,000,000 over and above the paid-up capital of the bank. A special meeting of tire share holders is called for 12th January next, in London, to give effect to the proposals of the directors, the tendency of which must be to do away with any deterrent influence attaching to “ unlimited liability,” and to keep the share-list in a satisfactory posi tion as to the wealth and respectability of the proprietors.—Melbourne “Telegraph” 27th Nov.

TELEGRAPHIC.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Auckland, Dec. 10.

At 1 a. nr. this morning a fire broke out in the premises of Rafton, basket-maker. The fire brigade was promptly on the ground and suppressed it after some damage had been done. The origin is un known. The stock and furniture were insured in Colonial for L2OO ; building, owned by Leighton, bookbinder, insured in South British.

At an entertainment given in aid of the sufferers by the recent explosion on the Naval Brigade pinnace, Captain Leßoy presented Petty Officer Moore with a medal, recognrsing his gallantry in saving life on that occasion. Wellington, Dec. 10.

The following were the amendments made in the Property Assessment Bill: The clause relating to the tax on shipping was struck out; all property to be valued at the price it would bring at auction for cash. The Governor is empowered by an Order in Council to suspend the operation of the Land Tax Act. Major Atkinson promised before the third reading to state t he amount of tax proposed to be imposed

BRITISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

LAST NIGHT’S CABLEGRAMS.

{Reuter's Telegrams.) London, Dec. 8. Obituary—Duke of Portland. Constantinople, Dec. 8.

The Bulgarian Assembly has been dis solved, in consequence of the impossibility of forming a Ministry from the members of the Chamber.

Naples, Dec. 8. 'Mownt'Vesuvius is in great agitation. St. Petersburg, Dec. 8. Prince Goitschakoff has resigned the portfolio of foreign affairs.

{Age Special.) London Pec. 7.

KingTheabaw has sent an ambassador to the Viceroy. Lord Lytton declines to re ceive him until the King guarantees to refrain from a repetition of the acts whicli caused diplomatic ruptures. The ‘ Albanians have attacked Monte negro. Remonstrances liave been ad dressed to the Porte.

{Argus special.) London, Dec. 8,

At au excited meeting of 6000 persons at Castlereagh, the Committee refused to admit the Government reporters, who attended under police protection. The police, presenting their rifles, repelled an onslaught cm the reporters. Mr. Parnell prevented a collision. Great floods have occurred at Gross Wardein, in Hungary, and thousands ha« r e been, rendered boneless. The ad joining villages are threatened- The W esleyan Chapel in the d iy Road has been (burned down.

AUSTRALIAN

(Reute/$) SYDNiK/jr. Pec. 9. I No prizes were awarded to 'Sey/ .Zea land exhibits at the cattle show. Messrs. Maclean's Duke of Newcastle was con?--1, mended.

The trial of the bushrangers has been adjourned until to-morrow. Melbourne, Dec. 9

Mr. Berry stated in the Assembly that the Ministry had recommended the Go vernor to dissolve Parliament, and that

£he jyfarquis pf Hqpnanby had accepted tpp recommendation unconditionally, and will grant a dissolution before Christ mas,

A large majopity of the Upper House are adverse to counsel’s opinion that the Government Reform Bill should not be sent to the. Legislative Council. The Melbourne “ Daily Telegraph ” was nonsuited in the Court of Appeal, which decided that Corporations wpre unable to sue for. slander. ,

INTERPROVINCIAL.

LAST NIGHT’S TELEGRAMS.

Dunedin, Dec. 9.

To-night’s “Star” says—“We hear that on the .return of Mr. Justice Williams from Invercargill, Mr. M‘Donald, acting for Messrs. J. C. Williamson and Gilbert and Sullivan, intends applying for an in junction to restrain the juvenile Trouba dours from playing “H.M.S. Pinafore.” It is also stated that proceedings will be taken against Towle and Ogden for an in fringement of the “ Authors’ Copyright Act.”

The Committee of the Otago Cricket Association met last evening at five o’clock to receive a letter from the Canterbury Association, fixing Monday, January 12, for the commencement of the Interpro vincial matches. It was resolved to re quest Canterbury to agree to an alteration, so as to include a Saturday in the days of play. The weather to-day has been very un pleasant, and farmers in the country dis tricts are beginning to complain of to much rain.

EXPERIMENTAL FARMING IN VICTORIA.

With a view of experimenting on the best system of working the land in Victoria, the Government reserved a block consisting of 4549 acres at Dookie, and Mr. J. C. Thompson, a farmer of great experience, was appointed as manager, having carte blanche to use his own judgment in the working of it, and at a recent date a Commission appointed by Government visited the farm to inspect its progress ; and as we think the results of that visit will be interesting to our readers, we give a condensed report of what took place there. Mr. Thompson was subjected to a rigid cross-examination by the mem-

bers Commission, who appeared to be in every way satisfied with the result. Mr. Thompson said : I was appointed manager in October last but did not take charge till January Ist. I was buying stock, no agricultural work was done before I came ; the land was fenced, and about 50 acres grubbed and roughly ploughed. Since then I have grubbed and cleared 347 acres, and ploughed 120 acres of that, and subsoiled 10 acres to a depth of 22 inches, this latter for the cultivation of olives, fruit trees and vines. I have sown wheat, oats, and barley; one thing I have experi mented on is the difference as to results obtainable from the use of shrivelled and plump grain for seed, and from all appearance at present they look equally well, but ultimately I don’t think the shrivelled will yield so well as the plump seed. I have used manure, and

kept a record of the planting, progressive growth and aspect of each crop. I used bonedust, Lacepede Island, Malden Island, and Peruvian guanoes. I also used sheep manure, and sowed wheat without manure. The result has been that there has been a ranker growth, and more straw, the Peruvian giving a more marked effect than any of the others, ex cept the sheep manure, which was equal to it. The wheat sown on unmanured land is equal to that on land treated with the Lacepede or Malden Island guanoes. I attribute this to the fact that it is virgin soil, and consider the yield will be as good as on any of the other land experi mented on. We have only new land, so that I have not as yet had an op portunity of seeing the effects on exhausted land ; I have sent samples of the soil for analysis, but have not yet heard the result. I have tried early and late sowing, I conr-

menced on May 9th for early, June 2nd for mid season, nd July 4th for late. There is a great advantage in early sowing. My object is to show the farmers the folly of planting late crops. It has been shown that sowing is put off to a late period and that inferior crops are attributed to inferiority of land when, as a fact, the inferiority was due to late sowing. There is another object in the experiment. It is after June arid July that the rain comes on —the winter rains. And in late sowing the ground puddles up., and when the sun comes it bakes the land, and the growing crops are choked. Before leaving the subject of wheat I should like to explain as to the pickling of the seed. I use three descriptions, bluestone, lime and urine, and farmers' friend. I noticed a great difference in the effect of the picklings. Wheat that was pickled with lime came

up two days earlier than the other two kinds, and it has been more vigorous ever since, and urine is the best of the three picklings. As far as 1 have seen, there is not the slightest appearance of smut, but I cannot give an absolute opinion until the result of harvest is known. Rust was so prevalent in this district that hundreds of acres were pot cut at all. I have seen no indications of rust thjs year. All the farmers used bluestone, and atill the rust came on notwithstanding, I consider

that late sowing and clumsy farming to gether tend to aggravate the ill effects produced by rust ; a late sown crop is weak at the time when rust makes its ap pearance and has not the power to resist the attack ; it is more susceptible to rust. My experiments have also been in the direc tion of the proper quantity of seed to sow per acre. One one plot I have sown half a I bushel of Major Plains purple gtr&w to | the i acre. No. 2, three quarters of a bushel; No. 3, 1 bushel; No. 4, If bushel ; aud No. 5,2 bushels—all Major Plains purple straw wheat, I believe the

, crop from the half bushel sowing has eyery appearance of yielding as much as that growing from the land on which two bushels were .gown. I have also tried an experiment .of known as the Lois- Weedon system. The •Ofyjoet of that system is to allow one payt ,of iyhe 4&nd to lie fallow while the other pa-ft W? 'feeing i (forked ; that the wheat-producing part of 1 this year should lie fallow next year, sr?4 that .the fallow land of this year should be cropped year and so on, the notion being that the fan#. tjhus half-cropped will yield as much as if it fully cropped, and that the land will not at tlie aj.me time become exhausted. 1 am confident th&t

the hind sq worked this ye§j will «qi yield'so in ugh as that fully sown. The j Loig-Weedon system is more expensive j thaq the ordinary system. The expense , in digging the trench lying between the rows of, corn. It is worked by hand, but i

it might be worked on a large scale by a , horse hoe. It is this kind of work that j makes the system so expensive. I have I also sown the following descriptions of oats, potato, Norway, white Tartarian and S\yisa, Euglisli and Cape barley and rye, and I pickled some of the seed with lime and urine and

.found that it came up two days earlier than that otherwise treated. Ido

not let the grain remain in the pickle. I get a large tub, and I put the seed in a small basket—one that will not let* the grain pass through—close enough to re tain the grain—it will hold half a bushel

—I then dip it down in the liquid, and all the fine grain floats to the top, and I skim that off. I keep it in the basket two minutes, and then ffit it dra : n. off. It is

then spread out on a sheet to dry, and I sprinkle it over with dry wood ashes and lime, and then bag it up for use, and it is sown immediately afterwards. With reference to cattle, my object is to introduce a better class of stock in this district, and to allow the farmers the use

of bulls, well bred, at a nominal figure ; and also to sell young bulls of the best parentage at reasonable prices. With regard to sheep, the farmers of this district have had merinoes. They are unsuitable for small holdings, because of their wildness I propose to introduce 1 Leicesters, Lincolns, and crossbreds. I have 10 head of shorthorns, lOHere fords, and about 230 ordinary cattle, one Hereford bull, and two shorthorn bulls. I have about 250 sheep of the sorts I have already described. We have nine draught breeding mares, and three horses for saddle and harness work. The draught horsr' are all of the Clydesdale breed. Ido not think the area of the farm, 4549 acres, excessive. If it was merely for carrying on experiments, and keeping such stock as would be barely necessary, it would be too much, but I am led to under stand that it was the intention to make a farm of such a character that in a year or two it would be self-supporting, the inten tion being to make as much out of the farm as a whole, as would enable them to carry on the experiments. I have no hesitation in saying that in two years the farm will not only pay expenses, but will give a good profit from the sale of stock and produce.

THE PUBLIC WORKS STATE MENT.

The following is an abridgement of the statement on Public Works delivered by Mr. Oliver in the House on Tuesday night. The report is supplied by the Government RAILWAYS. After dealing with the railways in the North Island, the Minister for Public Works referred as follows to the South Island :

The original public Works scheme for the Middle Island was finished in the last financial year, communication by railway being established between Christchurch and Invercargill. The Western Railways in Southland, however, the construction of which was taken over from the Provin cial Government, and some small exten sions of the General Government lines, are not yet complete. With the excep tion of the Riverton-Orepnki Branch, these will be finished during this financial

year. A connection is being made on the Nelson and Foxhill line with, the Port at Nelson, and inland an extension of three miles from Foxhill is in progress. The Picton and Blenheim line is being carried into the town of Blenheim. The harbor works at Greymoutli, which may be re garded as an adjunct to the railway system, seem as far as they have been completed to answer the purpose for which they were intended. From the engineer’s report it would seem that the employment

of a dredge has materially facilitated the work, and reduced the cost of these im provements. The works in progress during the year on the Amberley-Bluff railway consisted chiefly of extensions of stations, workshops at the large towns,, and increased wharfage at Port Chalmers. A large expenditure has been proposed in relaying the main line with heavier rails,

but after much consideration it seems in advisable to do this, as before the present rails could be lifted most of them will be so much worn that it would not be worth while to put them on another line. Short extensions are made, or are in progress, of the Malvern-Awamoko and Green Is land branch lines. The Waipahi-Tapanui railway contract was undertaken on terms of payment differing from the usual ones, inasmuch'as no progress payments were to be required as the work went on, all pay ments being deferred until the line was completed. It was thought the adoption of this method would enable us to de finitely extend our system, and to obtain such an increase of price for Crown lands

in the neighborhood of. new lines made under similar conditions, a 3 would pay the cost of construction. I grieve to say that these expectations have not been fulfilled. The works which were pushed on with great vigor for some time, are now almost entirely suspended, and the

contractors have stated their inability to finish their contract without progress pay ments being made to them. KAIL WAYS AUTHORISED LAST YEAR. Contracts were let almost to the full ex tent of jfchp votes on nearly all the lines authorised hist yeqr, and in several cases the votes were largely exceeded- Sections were let by piecework and day labor at Weka Pass and Albury, in Canterbury ; on the Livingston branch and Otago central railway, in Otago, and at Kaiwarra, near Wellington. On all these there are about -2,-2()0 mep engaged at wages some what less than current rates. It is certain that the punrher will rap?,<Py hp.Cpme less as the summer advance^. no ads. The Government expenditure pn rpads : and bridges in the Middle Island last year was comparatively small, having beep

almost confined to Westland and the Northern end of the Island. COAL EXPLORATION. The most important work of this class which has been undertaken during the bast year 4s the examination of the coal beds pf flip M<9jkf,u by Dr. Hector, who reports tiisf jhlje cpal brUkfttViT there is of considerable extent, tfyp outcropsy/iaving a width of over two miles, and stjrejtchibg from the Kawhaia harbor to the upper portion of the Wanganui river. "Coal seams crop out on the banks of the

iViqkau river, vavyqjg two fppi tq |a{x feet in thickness, yqd the quality is lent for steam purposes. A new’ mine fjzia' been opeinyl at Pern hill. Green Islgpd. t The Kawakawa coal mine, at the Bay off Islands is undergoing develouement, - and the coal is rapidly acquiring 3>n established position in the market as a valuable steam' coa . A shaft recently sunk .disclosed the existence of four seams four and nine feet thick, of superior quality, and at a greater

depth than any previous working in>. the- Waikato coalfield. The company which-- were working the Kupakupa mine have opened another mine on the opposite side of the river, and indications of the im-

provement of the quality of the coal with increasing depth have also been shown by recent discoveries. The heavy works undertaken by the Westport Colliery Com pany for developing the rich coalfield of the Mount Rochfort. district, are making rapid progress, and in a few months it is expected the market will receive supplies from this source. The further develop-

ment of the principal coal mines of the colony by increasing facilities for shipment deserves most careful consideration, as the

means of fostering an industry that will profitably employ at home a large sum of money which is at the present time sent out of the colony for the purchase of foreign coal.

WORKING RAILWAYS. The traffic returns for July, August, and September show a considerable falling off, compared with the corresponding period of last year. No doubt this is owing to the financial depression, hut much may he expected from the grain traffic of the approaching season, which bids fair to be a prosperous one. A good ha’ vest and the revival of trade, symptoms of which are apparent, would speedily produce happier results. lam glad to say that we are extending the use New Zealand coal on our railways, and after the expiry of existing contracts' for the supply of Australian coal, our arrange ments will enable us to dispense to a large

extent, if not altogether, with imported fuel, and save several thousand pounds a year. I find that the cost of railways open for traflic at the end of the last financial year is L 8,690,417 Os. 4d., including L 633,228 Os. 4d. for interest to date of opening.' The gross traffic returns amount to L 1,729,955 3s. 7d., from which must be deducted L 1,250,797 ss. 7d. for working expenses and maintainenanee; leaving L 479,057 18s. for payment of interest on loans out of which these railways were made. Table No. 11, which will be ap pended to this statemerit when printed, shows for the past year the receipts have been L 753,096 Bs. 2d., and working ex penses L 545,478 155., leaving a surplus of L 212,617 13s. 2d. This amount repre sents 2.054 per cent, on the average cost of construction, leaving 2.946 per cent, to

be supplied from other sources. We all believe that New Zealand is a country of such great resources that in the course of years even those railways which are now the farthest from paying will become remunerative. In the meantime, how ever, the inhabitants of. districts which have no railways are taxed to pay for them, as well as those who inhabit. more favored places; How burden some this charge has become was lately shown by my colleague, the hon. Trea surer, and the duty is placed upon us of

considering how to make our railways pay a larger contribution towards their cost by skilful and economical management,■- and of submitting all future proposals for new railways to the same rigid scrutiny as private investors would make, and firmly rejecting them unless a strong pro bability can be shown that they will prove remunerative. It must not, however, be forgotten that the demands of the public have forced on the Government the adop-

tion of a more expensive mode of con structing railways, and gieater speed in transit than was at first intended, thus necessarily interfering with the paying character of these undertakings. No doubt great collateral advantages are gained by the construction of railways, but after all the practical test of usefulness

really is their being or not being used. If, therefore, it is found that on any railway the traffic is so small that great loss results from its working, it may, I think, be assumed that ejthgr it is badly managed, or that, being useful only to a few, it ought not to have been- constructed. To quote from the statement made by my. predecessor in 1878, ‘‘Difficulty com menced from the moment when the Legis-

lature repealed that cardinal condition of the public works policy, that in the event of the proceeds of any railway failing to meet interest and sinking fund on the cost of its construction, the property in the district should be rated to make upitsde fiicency.” The proposal of the Government,, as honorable members know, is to devote the proceeds of sales of land to local and'colonial public works. But if this fund is to be Supplemented to any gpe<ff extent' by ad ditional borrowing to complete the general scheme of railways, there is no doubt in my mind that either those al-.. ready constructed must be made, to ap-. ■ proftcji more nearly to a paying condition, or else' a system of gating districts beneficially effected Jijnqt eyeptunUy be resorted to. ~

Sir, we do not think that the pro posals for the various lines of railways which are now in course of construction have been subjected before their adop tion to so close a scrutiny as their im portance demanded. It has, moreover, become apparent that the funds which will be at our disposal for the prosecution of these works will prove inadequate to complete them. We think that the time has come when our whole future, policy pqfh regard tp publip \ynrks must be con sidered,’ ans it 'if;, tlipj:efqrq,'qur to ask Parliament for anthqpty to fjjopqinl a Royal Commission to piakg a mojie -fpll and complete investigation into the cost and economical value of the several works commenced and proposed than would be possible for the Government unaided to complete before next session of Parlia ment-' Tfie Government hope, by means of tup rpp/n'f fji theqn Commissioners, to bp placed ip a pqsitiop fq ypake prp posals jt,o Parliament for the prosecution of public works ppop a plan carefully adapted to the circumstance# of the polony. Our efforts must now, therefore, be earnestly directed to the economical management of the railways, and, amongst other means, I think the keeping the ac counts of the various sections separate and distinct, so that it seen what each is earning and spending, will have t.he good effect of arousing 'emulation amnfig fhp .qiffcmrs, as well as of showing which of the lines a different gygtem of working should be adopted.

giySgOaxp PO3 rn. WW&ti, ■<f hag had the gi'&iifi. oatioh* pF qpd instituting many . new works'.? 6f great magnitude,. To me . has fallen the unwelcome task of showing that ou'r resources-- are inadequate to bear ;the continued strain of so rapidly con structing’these, expensive work. Believ ing' thht-.to be-tiiefcase,- we do not intend to ask for to' begin many.new. worksiV;The funds at disposal, for. the Ur next will be only sufficient to meet-the necessary requirements for mis cellaneous public works already author ised, at a rate proportioned to our re sources, and to the point at which they, will be of real use to the community. Our position is barely this.- In respect of the L 5,000,000 loan; and.-the.. balance.Aof‘. L 517,120, including credits, with which, we began the year,- the’ 'positive engage ments, on contracts , entered in toand: lia.- bilities .which must.be met, together the expenditure already made during the current year, will absorb ;L3,800,865, in cluding L 1,210,802 for land purchase, and ■ L 154,791 payable .to counties in the pro vincial districts of Canterbury and Otago, . in respect of stoppages from the surplus. U land revenue of the districts; - JR finished is the stipulated time, these works will re quire L 2,559,082 of this,amount, t0...be >' .. paid before the 30th June next. The re mainder of the liabilities, excepting ; a por- • tion of those for land purchases, will fall. within, the following year, g The. balance therefore, which . is. ayailableuont: of -the . new loan, is - L 1,872,046- and their only ; . method of adding : to,-; this , pub- lie works, in addition?; to from . land - sales, -is- by v diverting, to. - tli’S purpose a sum from one of: the other . o ejects for which the loan was authorised. I have stated generally- .our intentions, and the principles ■ which , we belieye'must , guide our proposals. Whatever may be i, the opinion oi the House as to the ex- - ' pediency of the course which we propose, that course must to a large extent.be.. . guided by circumstances which we cannot . control. It is my duty to inform the ■ House that the understanding,’ on-which the loan agents are likely to 'obtain the L5,000,Q00 loan is such as will-preclude our going upon the English'money market for further loans- for : a -period; df ; three years. It is imperative, .therefore, in the interests of settlement-that the .expendi ture of this loan should be judiciously spread over ''thatperiod*;;,'Our proposals,,... for expenditure will -be placed in detail before you. I .regret -to state that-;'., although, aft earnest, endeavor: has been . made to keep the estimates within a rea- , sonable compass, they roach a very mnch larger sum than hon. members will ex- r pect. It Will be seen, however, that no less a sum than £2,356,729 7s. in our estimates is for liabilities which we found ... in existence upon ;our , assumption rof office,- and a large -portion—of there mainder is for works which are necessary to make available those sections already , in the ..course However . much we have.,;desired to contract ’tlie . large expenditure to-which the colony-is. . committed, we have' felt bound,to ask-for appropriations which. ::we - are. advised will , he required-for the above purposes. .y-But-,:., should Parliament agree to our proposals* , : ? it will bo our to liiuit, the actual expenditure during the current, year considerably-within the amount of. the vote. '■ ... ,

The Minister then enumerated in detail the works to be carried 1 -'but this year, amongst which were Hurunui to Wai,- taki—The main line through the Weka Pass to Hurunui Plains will be completed, _ and the stations aththe large centres' improved. The branch lines to the. Upper Ashburton, Little Riyer, and Opawa, will also be proceeded with. Canterbury > 'lnterior. —Three sections will be gone on with, namely, one at each, end, and one southwards from the White cliffs branch. Vi , : ’ ' . V ... East and : West Coast..—This line will not be lost sight of, and while no special portion can. for..the present be begun, the surveys will. he continued during the., summer. Hitherto onlyv preliminary surveys have been made, and. even these have not been completed, on the routes which seem to present-the greatest-advan tages. -In the absence of- the in# formation, it would evidently be impbifk sible io give a trustworthy estimate of th# cost of this undertaking. ...

DISTRICT RAILWAYS. * ■ " \ Nearly all the railway companies formed under the provisions of the District. Rail ways'Acts have been compelled.to gqgpend their operations owing ‘ %\ the general financial depression, and the defects which have been found in. working those Acts. Applications have been, received from most of those companies for assistance, ,on the ground that unless the Government assume.

their the. 7 expenditure already made will be lost. Some' of these. branches would form. useful pUftlftbS ol qpf systehi; and with* regard to these the Government propose to take# power to treat with such companies.. as have begun works and are unable to. corh-- plete their lines, and in the event of satis factory arrangements being made, to purr chase them for the colony. . As the rating " power is intended to bp rptfppgd by ih| . Gqyp'rnmentj tfip flak will, bp rpdqcpfl tp miniinum, the Government bping already liable to pay 3 per cent, .per annum,

CONCLUSION, .. . In conclusion I have only to add that I should have made this. Statement much

earlier in the session if there hadbeen any certaintv as to the funds which would be at our disposal. Even now 1 should have

liked to defer, making fit for a. few-. days, until the result of our application for the five million loan had become known to. ua* but .-the advanced, period cf and of fjig ygar forbade further^eiay,’

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

ASHBURTON.— Tuesday, Dec.,. 9. (Before Mr. F. Guinness, 8.. M.) THE GRAND STAND APE AIR. The following evidence was taken after our reporter left the Court yesterday. Thomas Struthers— Affpp ; Ifaying .hgpn. pjpptpd : Md_ not. agajn fttt'empt 0 j;q 1 fake' possessjop,' ;1 not nqkffnq.w.finy: *<>sß© to gtj into ti}§ fin'g aftgr: ward# interfgrefTwith'mP: ! - Ifith WftS a rainy day, There was a gooid attend l auce of strangers. ' Had a small portion of them gone on the stand I should have made money. I appealed to Sergeant Pratt, who said he could not interfere. I I do not recollect Mr. Wilkie saying that the Club would reimburse me for any per son going on the stand who was mot en titled to go there. - . * ' . ; n., • Re-examined by Mr. Joy eg— l did pat

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« MB ASMISygtWW HERALD



~T‘ : ; New Advertisements. COUNTY COUNCIL. NOTICE TO' HOLDERS OF SLAUGH TERING LICENSES. HOLDERS of Slaughtering Licenses are hereby reminded that their Licenses expire on 31st December, 1879, and those holders wishing to apply for renewal"' Licenses should do so at the Council's .indeting on WEDNESDAY, January 7th, 1880. , By Order, t- ■ • F. MAIN WARING, Clerk. December Bth, 1870. 803a—271 Y. R, NEW ZEALAND • RAILWAYS. npRAIN ARE A N.'G.E M E N T S. ANNIVERSARY DAY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16th, 1879. LYTTELTON AND CHRISTCHURCH LINE. ; Oivlinary trains, with the addition o a late train, leaving Christchurch for Lyt telton at 11.15 p.m. and returning there from 'at 11.45p.m.



NORTHERN LINE AND BRANCHES. Ordinary trains, with the following ex ceptions The 4.55 p-m., Christchureli. to Aniberley, leaves at 5.25 p.m. ; the 5-® p.m;, Amberley to Christchurch, leaves at 5.35 p.m.,; the 4.30 p.rn., from West Oxford, leaves at 5.0p.m. ; the 6.10 p.rn., from Rangiora,. leaves at 6.40 p.m., and the 6.35 p.m., from Kaiapoi, at 7-5 p.m. In all cases these trains will arrive at all stations to destination 20 minutes later than usual. A special train will leave Christchurch for Amberley at 9.50 a.m., returning therefrom at 9.0 p. m. A lh.te train -will leave Christchurch for Rangiora; it 13.15 p.ni.,. returning there from at 12.45 a.in. SOUTH LINE AND MALVERN AN r D WHITE CLIFFS ’ BRANCHES. Ordinary trains. SOUTHBRIDGE BRANCH. . . . Ordinary * trains, with the following exceptieh<LlTfie 3.5# p.ni./ 'from Christ church, will leave at 5.15 p.m., and be one hour l and 25 minutes lateT than usual at all stations to destination. - x : - . FARES. Ordinary single fare tickets issued between any two-stations, within the Pro vincial District -of Canterbury, on Satur day, Dec’ .13th, Dec. 15th and 16th, will be available for return up to and includ- - Ing 17th December. NO GOODS TRAFFIC. , FREDK. BACK. • ‘ " , Genera! Manager. : General Manager’s Office, , • - Christchurch, Dec. 3, 1879. 802 a R. SUPPLIES—ASHBURTON HOME. Tin HE Hospital and Charitable Aid 1 Board invite. -TENDERS for the supply of Rations, Extras, Medical Com-, forts. Fuel, and Burials, to the Ashbur ton Home for twelve commencing January Ist, and terminating Dec. 31st, 1880. ' Full particulars can be obtained on application to the Master at the Home. . Tenders addressed to tine Chairman of' the Board, and marked outside Tenders, Ashburton Home,” will be received by the undersigned up to noon <of MONDAY, the 22nd inst. ’ •



~, . ■ J. E. m JtCH. Charitable Aid Office, .. Christchurch, Dee. 8, If >79: * 804 a —272 Mr henry e. allen," (Of Cathedral Square, Christchurch,) S URGEON AND. MECIIANICAL .^.DENTIST,. May be consulted ...at QuilF.'s Ashburton Hotel, Ashburton) from Dea Bto 13, in all cases appertaining to the profession of Dentistry: 787 - WESLEYAN CHURCH. QERVICES in connection, with the JO . Second Anniversary, of. 'the above , Chur.ch, will be conducted by tlte -•.Rny. W.;BAUMBER,.-of Chris;tchurch, /' On SUNDAY, DEC-1 14. ”, Collections in aid of the Bu'tiding Fund Q.x TUESDAY follow; mg, a TEA will / be held in . the Church, \ after. which a) Public Meeting will take Ijdlace, addressed., -by Ministers and other L pends. Music J <• by the Choir. ' • • \ ’ : Tea at 6 o’clock. Tickets J, 2s. each. 1 V -v 755 a ~ WESLEYAN CHU 1 T) RAC.TIC E. on TUI ISDAY an d . j SATURDAY EVENDS GS, at 7.30. .o’clock, in the Church, Cam eron street;.) for the Anniversary. Me. a; iers of thej Choir and friends invited to at tend. ; The usual practice on Friday ' evening. ' H. J. WEE KS, 785a—267 C Irgamst. NOTICE. STRYYED on my land at Tinwal - Vl*, Ba own marked, and laiauided i\ o. 2on near Shoulder. If not Claimed and expenses paid' within one mo: lirom this date, will be sold. Apply— D. M‘LEOD, Near Tin yaffil. ' 1783 a Gth Dec., 1879.



New Advertisements, -• * " —sr» 7~" V ’ LQST, on Saturday, a Scythe Sharpen ing STONE. The owner would be glad if the Finder would leave same at the Herald Office. 765 a FIRE ! FIRE ! ! FIRE !T ! For the BENEFIT of the family of Mr. •j HYDE, Sufferers by. tlio late Fire. AN ENTERTAINMENT will be given in the TEMPLAR HALL for the above object on MONDAY, Dec. 15th, at 8 o’clock. " “ A liberal programme has been pre-



pared. Admission —Adults, Is.; Children, 6d. 799a—270



TO CONTRACTORS. WANTED —150-acres of Native Land PLOUGHED. Price—l6b.' per acre. Apply at once. 797a—208 POYI* TZ & CO. COAL YARD. Messrs. Cunningham & co. , beg to announce to the Public that they have opened a COAL YARD (next Poyntz <fc Co*’s Office),, for the supply of Newcastle Coal in Ashburton. G. M. ROBINSON, 798a—269 Agent. WANTED, by a young woman, a SITUATION as Housemaid or General Servant. Apply—Office of this Paper. 264—800 a WANTED KNOWN, the season for transplanting is at hand, aftd we can supply, many thousands Cabbage. Cauliflower, Broccoli, Savoy,- Brussel Sprouts, Celery, and other Plants, for winter supply. 745 a SEALY BROS. WANTED IMMEDIATELY APPRENTICES for Dressmaking and Ladies’ Jacket making. Apply to T. R. HODDER & COMPANY. 801 V. R, En the District Court of Christchurch, Holden at Ashburton. IN THE MATTER OF The Debtors and Creditors Act, 1876, The Debtors and Creditors Act, 1876, Amendment Act, 1878, and of the bankruptcy of MATTHEW MORSHEAD, a debtor. Notice is hereby given that the Creditors of the above-named Debtor having failed to elect a creditors’ trustee, I have this day appointed Frederick Pavitt, a certificated accountant in bankruptcy, to be creditors’ trustee of the estate of the said debtor, and the said Frederick Pavitt has signified to me in writing his acceptance o .said trusteeship. Dated at Ashburton this 10th day *f Decem ber. 1879* * C. CAVENDISH HURRELL, g 0^ a , Clerk of the Court.