POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Friday, October 24. Mails at the Ashburton Aost Office close as follows :

Supplementary mails for United Kingdom &C M via Brindisi and Southampton (for specially addressed correspondence) will be des patched per express train on I* riday, to connect with the Arawata at the Bluff.

Saturday, October 5. For Kaikoura and Wellington, per Huia, at 4-45 p-"i. m i n ;

The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser With which is incorporated the "Evening Echo"). THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1879.

In the House on Tuesday night Mr Wright, the member for this district, ob tained from Government what we look upon as a valuable promise. He asked if it was the intention of Government to introduce a Bill to amend the Bankruptcy Laws in such a manner as to give a pre ferential claim on bankrupt estates for wages to the extent of three months, in stead of as at present for only one month, The Premier allowed that . legislation in this direction was desirable, and pro mised to introduce a Bill on the subject. During the past season, when so many employers went through the Court, large numbers of servants, especially agricul tural contractors and laborers were left with heavy wages debts owing to them, for which they had to rank along with ordinary creditors, and even to abandon their claims for want of means to prosecute them. The extension asked by Mr Wright will be a great boon to the many men whose wages are the hard-earned bread of themselves and families, and is a step that redounds greatly to the credit of Mr Wright.

Last Night’s Parliament. —After the morning paper’s report concluded, the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Bill was read a second time, some private Bills were advanced a stage, and the second reading of the Local Option Bill was ad journed. The House then adjourned. Tea at Rakaia.— I The Presbyterian Church in Rakaia are to hold a congre gational tea-meeting on Thursday next in the Rakaia Town Hall. This will be the first meeting of the kind held since Mr Westbrooke assumed the pastorate of the district, and strong efforts are being made to render it attractive. The speakers, we understand, will comprise some of the best orators of the Presbytery, and the Ashburton choir will possibly take part, in conjunction with several Rakaia voices. C. Y. C.—We learn that, a mounted parade of the Ashburton contingent of the Canterbury Yoemanry Cavalry will take place on Saturday next at 5 p.m., the ren dezvous being the post-office. The same evening at 7 o’clock, a meeting will be held in the Somerset Hotel, to nominate an officer for Ashburton.

Valuation of the County. —Mr G. P. F. Leach, valuator for the County, is now busily engaged in assessing the pro perties in the County. The work is no light one, but as Mr Leach’s abilities as a horseman and a j udge of the quality of land are the qualifications required for such a contract, we expect to see a rate payers’ roll properly compiled.

Eugene Joseph O’Connor. —Our tele vrams announce the committal for trial, at the Reefton Court, on a chaege of per jury, of Eugene Joseph O’Connor. Mr O’Connor was at one time Provincial Sec retary for Nelson, and contested the Su perintendency of the Province with Mr Os wald Curtis, late M.H.R. for Nelson City. He also sat in the House of Representa tives for the Buller district. Timaru Cattle Show. —Yesterday was the last day for receiving entries for the T-imaru Show, and at the close of the list the following figures were the result: — Sheep, merinos, 115 ; Leicesters, 33 Eng lish and3l border; Lincolns, 2S ; Romney Marsh, 53 ; Cotswolds, (J ; fat wethers, 4 ; total, 270. As compared with last year’s entries the above figures show a decrease of 95. There are no cross-bred entries at all but Romney Marsh animals show an increase' of 35. Cattle number 55, a de crease <4l?° > and horses all told amount to 79. have been entered, and the implement, &c., exhibits will be strong though shorter than lait year. The decrease is not in the number of exhibitors, but only in the number of entries by each person.

Suez Mail — Supplementary mails for United Kingdom Arc., via Brindisi and Southampton (for specially addressed cor respondence) will be despatched per ex press train on Friday, to connect with the Arawata at the Bluff. The Valuation oe the Borough.— Tenders are invited, from persons compe tent for the duty, for the work of making the valuation of the Borough and com pleting the roll for the year 1880. The whole work has to bo finished by the 7th of January next. Road Rates. The Wakanui Road Board notifies its intention of striking a rate of ninepence in the £ on the rateable value of all property in the district, for the year ending 31st March, 1880. The meet ing to strike the rate will be held on the Gth November next, and the rate book lies for inspection at the Board’s offices, Moore street, Ashburton, The rate will be payable in one sum on and after Thurs day, 13tli November. A Neglected Quarter. —We have heard complaints frequently from that portion of the district situated in the North East Town Bolt, known to fame as Gas Town, to the effect that a certain highway or byeway is not what it should be. This thoroughfare is in an unfortu nate predicament. It is represented on the plans of sections sold to purchasers as being Prince’s street, and as such looks very pretty on the map ; hut a visit to it, or what is worse, a residence in the locality of it, discloses the fact that Prince’s street on the map and Prince’s street in fact don’t fit in. The owners of sections fronting on this delightful road do not seem to have much prospect of re lief. As it is not a public road the Road Board cannot deal with it, and will not accept a dedication of it until it is formed, and nobody is inclined to go to the ex pense of performing the necessary work. Meantime Day and Martin’s blacking is a superfluity in Gas Town. Raising a Drink. —An apparently penitent drunk, on a recent Sunday, drew up with a very respectable member of an Ashburton church, and desired to be put in the way to do well. The good man was sceptical of the alleged reformation, but, remembering that Abraham had entertained angels unawares, he received the repentant one kindly, and took him to church with him. The repentant one evinced a strong desire to be liberal in the cause he had so recently espoused, and expressed his willingness to incur an in debtedness of one shilling to the aforesaid respectable member, so that when the collection plate should come round he would not require to look sheepishly at the offering gatherer. The good man tumbled up the required shilling as they entered the sanctuary together. The penitent’s heart was glad, but as the service proceeded, his stomach gave out, he said, and it Avas necessary for him to withdraw from the service, hoivever much it Avas against his inclination to deprive himself of a neAv found joy in religion. But the respectable gentleman Avas not to be taken in. He followed the penitent and stomachically afflicted one out of the sanctuary, and mildly reminded him that the church must have its shilling. He Avould take it, and as attorney for the penitent, drop it into the plate. The quondam thirsty one, feeling himself fairly flabbergasted, paid oA r er the bullion to a man Avhom he found he could not outA\ r it, and AA r ent aAvay to find some other means of Avetting his whistle, but he did not bless the kind man Avho had helped him for a time to a chance of entertaining intentions of reform.

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

[by telegraph.] FROM OUR OAVN CORRESPONDENT. Wellington, Oct. 22. It came out in the House to-day, that Mr Sheehan had received for cab hire since July, 1878, £304 12s lid, and that he had applied for a larger sum that had been refused by the late Government, and that £3OO had previously been in directly yassed by the audit. The House seemed calmed doivn this afternoon, and discussed a motion of Mr Stevens’ to appoint a Committee to enquire lioav our local manufactories can be encouraged by removing duties on articles used by them. Mr Levin made the best, though the shortest speech in the debate. The Nelson members came out very strong on their iron, coal, hops, and jam. The free traders, Stevens, found himself used, or at least his assistance claimed, by the most jealous protectionists, and for the most unheard of purposes.

Oct. 23.

Private members’ business was allowed to go on in the House yesterday without much pai'ty fighting, but there Avas a great exhibition of useless talk, chiefly on pro tection versus free trade.

Just before midnight the Local Option Bill was reached on the Order Paper, and its second reading was proposed by Mr Saunders and seconded by Mr Sheehan, after which the debate on it was adjourned for a week.

There seems to be a lull in the political storm, which will probably leak out afresh to-day, over Mr Hall’s Ministerial statement. A way appears to open by which the Hall Government may meet the No-Confidence vote, but their party doubt the wisdom of attempting to carry on with a bare majority, the necessary though un popular measures of taxation that the credit of the colony demands, without any delay. There never was a time in the history of the colony when good government was so urgently needed, and when it seemed so utterly impossible. It is said that Mr. Shepherd is pro mised a seat in the Upper House if the Greyites ever regain the power to give it him.

TELEGRAPHIC.

TO-DAY’3 TELEGRAMS.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Auckland, Oct. 23.

A requisition is being signed petitioning the Mayor to convene a public meeting for the purpose of urging the Auckland members to consider the financial and general condition of the colony rather than party. It is stated that an attempt will be made to-day, to work the Minister of Marine down the channel with lumpers engaged for the purpose, and to ship the

imprisoned creAV, with the exception of Cole, at Rangitoto reef, to prevent them from escaping. The destination of the vessel has been altered from San Francisco to NeAvcastle, Ne'w South Wales. A respectable married Avoman Avho had lost her child recently, threw herself off Freeman’s Bay breakAvater. She was rescued and sent to the lunatic asylum. Gbahamstoavn, Oct. 23.

James Petersen, a Dane, Avas acci dentally killed by a tree falling on him Avhile bush felling. He Avas 30 years of age, and Avas much respected. Gisborne, Oct. 23.

At the public meeting last night 400 Avere present. The anti-Repudiationists utterly failed in endeavoring to cast obloquy on Mr Rees, Avho Avas supported by Tucker, Webb, and others. Mr Rees’ party carried their amendment by a large majority and amid vociferous applause— “ That the action of Mr Rees and party, in dealing Avith the natives, is not detri mental to the interests of the district.” Napier, Oct. 33.

The Jockey Club Steeplechase yester day Avas well attended. A Maori OAvned horse named SaAvrea, while attempting a Avater jump, fell and broke his neck, dying almost immediately. Subsequently at the Avater jump, but in a different race , a jockey named Small had lffs collar bone broken. Baron won the Grand National Handicap Steeplechase, Pauvrc 2, Gray Mom us 3.

Wellington, Oct. 23.

A man, giving the name of Frederick Smith Avas charged at the police court this morning Avith impersonating a female, and Avas sentenced to six hours’ imprison ment. When arrested he Avas Avearing the apparel peculiar to that sex. The case ot Richardson v. the Bank of NeAv South Wales, claim, £9OOO, for alleged breach of agreement, was con cluded at the Supreme Court at 11 o’clock last night. The jury aAvarded plaintiff £I7OO damages.

BRITISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

LAST NIGHT’S CABLEGRAMS.

(Age Special.) London, Oct. 21. Amicable relations have been restored with Egypt and Abyssinia. The “Times” publishes a telegram from Simla, stating that the Russian troops in Turkestan have been severely repulsed and retreated to the Caspian. The P. and O. steamer Australia, Avith the Southampton mails, has broken down. The Pekin replaces her Avith the least possible delay. Arrived—Cuzco, from Adelaide.

{Herald Special.) London, Undated,

The Duke of Cumberland has accepted, the terms offered by Germany, relinquish ing his claim to the title of King of Hanover.

(Argus Special. ) London, Oct. 20.

The Marquis of Salisbury met wffth an enthusiastic reception at Pomona Gardens, Manchester, on Saturday. Three hundred thousand people Avere present. He said the meeting proved the confidence of the country in the Ministiy, despite the state ments of the Opposition. The English papers approve Yakoob Khan’s abdication, and suggest that a meeting should he convened to choose a successor, subject to the approval of the Viceroy. The Home and Foreign press strongly disapprove of the iioav Turkish Ministry as disposed to reforms favorable to Russia. The reported capture of Merv is dis credited. Government has no knorvledge of it.

Mr Childers, speaking at Pontefract, declared that the future policy of the Liberals in the event of taking office, would be to accept the responsibility of the foreign policy of the present Ministry, but apply liberal r principles. With the sanction of the Liberals he avoulc decline to govern through an alliance of Home Rulers, but Avould favor extensive decen tralisation, and especially the transfer of the regulation of private Bills affecting Ireland to Ireland, instead of a Select Committee in London. The Home and Foreign press regard the speech as a Liberal manifesto, and comment favor ably.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Special.) Melbourne, Oct. 22.

Cable messages advise that candles have advanced Id per lb. Seven thousand boxes have been purchased at 7d in bond by Melbourne merchants.

The Muri and Mikado tea steamers have left China for Sydney and Melbourne. The tea market in China is higher, and many sorts are unpurchasable.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

LAST NIGHT’S CABLEGRAMS

London, Oct. 21. News from Afghanistan states that the demolition of Cabul citadel has been effected, also that dismantling of other forts was proceeding. The Cabul magazine exploded,and thirty British soldiers, and a large num ber of Afghans were killed, and many in jured. The mail steamer Australia broke her shaft a few days after leaving San Francisco. The vessel has put back for repairs. It is stated that California, by a general vote of the people, almost unanimously condemned Chinese immigration, and asked the intervention of England and France.

Merv has been considerably reinforced, and the march has been resumed.

London, Oct. 20.

The total quantity of wheat afloat for Great Britain at date is 15,000,000 quar ters.

AUSTRALIAN

Melbourne, Oct. 22.

The proposed stamp duties have been modified, making minimum payments £SO, maximum £SOO. The postal difficulty between Victoria and South Australia is still unadjusted.

LAST NIGHT’S TELEGRAMS.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wellington, Oct. 22,

The piston rod of the steamer Welling ton broke this morning while she was en

tering the harbor from southern ports. The rod smashed the piston and cylinder coA’ev. The latter fell down the engine room, and the second engineer had a narrow escape of being killed. r ! he en gines Avere disconnected, and with the aid of the steamer Waitaki she Avas brought into harbor with safety. The necessary repairs will occupy about a Aveek. Arrived —Murray, from Nelson ; Wai taki, from Picton and Nelson. Sailed— Waitaki, for South. Cleared lona, barque, for Portland Island ; Endeavor, for Oamaru.

Greymoutii, Oct. 22,

Arrived —Kennedy, from Hokitika. Sailed—Zior, for Foxton ; Waipara, for Hokitika ; Sissy, for Auckand ; Isabella, for Wellington. Christchurch, Oct. 22. A Trade Protection Society has been formed in Lyttelton. A servant girl, Avho sold a bracelet she found in the street, Avas sentenced to a month’s imprisonment to-day. A. S. Saunders Avas remanded till Oct. 29, in order to alloAV him to make ap plication for the trial to be heard in Christchurch, instead of Timaru, from which the Avarrant came.

Mr Whitefoord, it appears, has not been taken aAvay from Kaiapoi, and is only in the north temporarily. The Lyttelton Magistrate Avill therefore not be changed.

The Liberal Association have sent a congratulatory letter to Sir George Grey on the result of last night’s defeat of Government, Avhicli they attribute to his self-sacrifice in AvithdraAving from the leadership of the Opposition. In consepuenee of a quarrel resulting from the late chess tournament, in Avhicli the behaviour of one of the Christchurch competitors Avas considered to be bad, a neAv Chess Club has been formed contain ing many of the most prominent members of tlie old Club.

Professor Hughes has been appointed organist at the "Roman Catholic Church. The neAv organ is said to be the largest in the colony. Professor Hughes Avas lately Avith the Crain and Harding Pinafore Com pany, and has a Avell-knoAvn musical reptu tion in Australia.

Timaru, Oct. 22,

Arrived —Aberdeen, barque, from Kai para. Sailed —Tauranga, schooner, for Dunedin.

Edward James, recently arrested in Wellington for forgery, arrived to-day. Entries received so far for the Agricul tural slioav next week are very satisfac tory. The sports of the Timaru Athletic Club on NoA r ember 9th promise to be a great success. Entries include men from Dunedin, Oamaru, Waimate, Geraldine, Christ church, West Coast, etc. Dunedin, Oct. 22. Sailed—Albion, for Lyttelton and Wellington. A meeting Avas held at the Chamber of Commerce to-day to consider the political situation, attended by Messrs A. C. Begg, H. H. Fish, J. Rattray, J. McGregor, A. Burt, WhitelaAV, Kirkcaldy, Aikman, Hallenstein, R. Wilson. There being only a feiv aivare of the meeting, which is said to have been held at the suggestion of one of the city members in Wellington, it was dscided to forward the following telegram to Messrs Thomas Dick, Richard Oliver, and W. D. SteAvart, M.H.R.’s, Wellington : —“ We, the undersigned electors, observing Avith deep regret the present deadlock of parties in the Assembly, earnestly beg you three to unite in endeavouring either to support the present Government or to produce such a coalition as will make a strong Government, and enable the business cf the country to be immediately proceeded with.” Iu addition to those Avho Avere present the petition Avas signed by Messrs Keith Ramsay, Joseph Banks, Thomas Tomlinson, Hugh Gourlay, J. 0. Matlie son, A. Sligo, R. K. Murray, J. Finch. P. Adams. J. LVlollison, J. M‘Farlane, Job Wain. A great many citizens re fused to sign the petition. William Waters, alias Woodlock, is again a prisoner in Her Majesty’s gaol. Fie A\ r as arrested last evening in conse quence of the attachment issued by Mr Justice Williams on a motion of Mr Charles Rnblock for a Avrit of habeas as to the production of his child. The latter is supposed to be Avith Mrs Waters, Avho has made herself “ scarce,” and has so far succeeded in preventing her Avhere abouts being discovered. The miners at Marewhenua haA r e peti tioned Parliament to afford them relief by recommending that the MareAvlienua river be declared a watercourse for the discharge of mining debris, &c., failing this, that a commission be appointed to inquire into the Avhole subject, and take the evidence and report to the House during the present session. A preliminary meeting Avas held this evening of gentlemen favorable to calling a public meeting of the citizens for the purpose of urging Parliament to form a coalition Ministry so as to permit of the business of the country being proceeded AA r ith.

VOLUNTEER INSPECTION.

Last night the Ashburton Rifles, to the number of fifty two men, were inspected by Colonel Packe, the officer commanding the district. The company has been in close and steady training ever since its formation, and the men have displayed a very com mendable enthusiasm, as evinced by their regular attendance at parade, and the readiness with which they have mastered the exercises and movements in which up to this date they have been drilled by Color Sergeant Dolman. In view of the Colonel’s visit a special effort had been made to make a presentable appearance, and the three drill nights a week had been fully taken advantage of, so that when Colonel Packe arrived last night he found a full muster awaiting him. Rifles—the old muzzle loading Enfield—hod been served out to the men some time ago, so that already some nights have been oc cupied with tl e manual exercise. The impecuniosity of the Government, or at least their unpreparedness for any possible skirmish with a foe, found them with only a very few Sniders in their possession, and these had all been served to out the old es tablished volunteer corps throughout the colony. When the Maori scare occurred twenty per cent of the new rifles were called in from the South to arm the volun teers in the North ; and of course, new companies in the South Island, where war did not threaten, had to be content witu such arms as were at the command of the Government. We believe, however, that a large numberof Sniders are on the way to

New Zealand, and as soon as possible tlie old arms will be replaced by the new. On Tuesday the company was drilled by Ser geant-Major Instructor Morgan, and last night he had the corps under arms an hour previous to the Colonel’s arrival. At eight o’clock the company took open order for inspection by the commanding officer, and after he had made the customary examination of arms, Ac., the men were put through the various exercises in which they have been drilled. This lasted for an hour, and then the Colonel addressed the men. He said he was more than pleased at the appearance they presented. They had gone through their work with remarkable steadiness, and their discipline was very good. He could scarcely address them all as men, for he observed some very young soldiers among them. This, however, did not offend him, for the Cape war had been fought and won by strip lings. But the heart of an Englishman was in the British soldier whether he was sixteen or sixty years old. The fault of youth, if it was one, cured itself, and if the young men attended to their drill all through as they had evidently done already, he had no doubt they would pre sent at the Easter Review at Christchurch the best appearance of any corps under bis command. They were lucky in the pos session of a very superior band, whose music had entertained them that night, and they were also fortunate in having the use of a drill shed, the like of which he did not see in the occupation of any other corps. He hoped, however, that it would, for the kind owner’s sake, be well filled after harvest with grain at 4s a bushel and 40 bushels to the acre. He would take the first opportunity of thanking the Mayor for lending the hall. After making some remarks about the uniform, the Colonel concluded with a few words of further compliment and advice, and the corps was dismissed. The band, under Bandmaster Savage, with the large ma jority of the members of the corps then marched through the town.

THE TWO PREMIERS.

The Premier is scarcely yet up to the work he has undertaken in doing battle with Sir George Grey. Mr Hall seems to fancy that he must fight the great cham pionof the “ Liberal” cause with ordinary weapons, and reply to every charge the knight chooses to bring against him. If he allows himself l to be drawn into the many by-paths of party warfare that Sir George opens up for him, he will find his hands quite full with the work of beating the air. As he begins to know Sir George better be will learn to follow the doughty actual leader of the Opposition in his own tactics, and be less thin-skinned in deal ing with him. The Premier is evidently too willing to attach importance to tli e doings and sayings of Sir George, and readily notices and replies to all his vagaries of debate, whereas, if he took less notice of Sir George’s attacks, and played less into his hands, he would make more head way against him. Sir George keeps pounding away at Mr Hall, well knowing that he is a sensitive man, and can be drawn into a ambuscade by such attacks as was made upon his resignation of the seat he held in the Upper House. We fancy the Premier rated the attack made upon him by Sir George Grey too high. Had he been less thin skinned it would have been better for him. Knowing the history of Parliament under Sir George Grey, how the House steadily fell away from the then Govern ment, until a strong Liberal majority became a very weak minority, with many of the staunchest Liberals in opposition, we had thought that the best course to follow would have been to give Sir George rope enough, and the same thing would certainly happen again. But Mr Hall does not seem to understand this, and, as we said, attaches too much importance to Sir George’s magnified utterances. Already it seems that the Opposition are not altogether the happy family they hold out to be, and quid nuncs in Wel lington who are to be l’elied on do not hesitate to say that some of the most trusted Greyite votes are very shaky at the roots, and will soon be transplanted to more congenial soil than the Opposition benches. Nor would we be astonished to learn that even the great northern citadel of Greyism had been scaled by the Go vernment, and support secured from amongst the Auckland members. The House is at present a Liberal one. It was elected on a high Liberal platform, though the real issue that should have gone to the country ought not to have been Liberalism, but personal government versus Parliamentary. The side of personal government wrested the no con fidence vote that brought about the dis solution into a question of Liberal measures, and the result is that every member stands pledged to support those measures. It is this platform that now begins to show signs of being the Govern ment's safeguard, for the Opposition with out a working majority are doing their very best to stonewall those measures they are pledged to puss, and their conduct is gradually alienating from them the sup port of the men who went to Wellington to do business and not to fritter away valu able time in party babbling. Things point now, not directly to be sure, but in directly to another dissolution unless some signs are given of business being allowed to go on. With Sir George Grey fancying that his side has a majority, business will not go on if he can prevent it, and it is this conduct of his that is likely to undermine his present strength. He is gradually losing popularity, and the House shows manifest symptoms of being tired of doing nothing, and cannot con tinue much longer in its present condi tion.

Holloway’s Pills.—The blood being the very essence of health and life it is most essen tial that it should be thoroughly purified before the depressing influences of winter display them selves. These Pills will accomplish this puri fication in a safe and satisfactory manner, and put the circulation in that desirable condition, which alone can rightly form flesh, bone, mus cle, nerve, and skin. Capricious appetites, weak digestions, torpid livers, and irregular bowels tire corrected by this potent medicine, which may be truly said to induce “a sane mind in a sound body.” Holloway’s Pills possess the remarkable property of cleansing without weakening. While purifying they are strengthening and adding to those enjoyments of life which health and vigor can alone bestow.—Advt.

The Late Canon Kingsley On Peasant Farming.

As giving “the other side ” of the Pea sant Farming Question, the following ex tract from a letter by Canon Kings ley may be read with some interest “ Your friend must remember that tlie French and German peasants who own or rent little farms have long hereditary skill in agriculture which the English artisan has not. He must remember, also, that the crops which they raise per acre are universally small compared to those on a large English farm—l speak from the sight of my own eyes—and that an im mediate result of breaking up the present farms into little allotments would be to diminish the food producing powers of this realm at least one-half. For a simple fact, the small farmer could never fat a single bullock ; and English beef would disappear from the market, its place being taken (as in France and Germany) by veal —the calves being killed to save the ex pense of rearing. He must also remember —what I assure him —that the foreign peasant in the north lives far worse than a good English laborer. Meat be never tastes or white bread. Black rye bread and pottage is bis staple food, and his wife, from early field work, becomes a haggard old woman at 25. God forbid that I should ever see in England such wives and mothers as are common on tlie Continent. Moreover, in France his land is mortgaged, usually heavily, to the at torney in the next town. He must re member, also, that arguments drawn from the peasantry of warmer climates—namely, the south-east of France—well known to Mr J. S. Mill, will not hold good here or in North France. In the south-east of France a man grows maize as well as wheat, and has his mulberries for silk, his vines, bis almonds, his olives—all bring ing him in a good profit over and above his food-producing land. Flax and hemp would be the only non-eatable crop here ; and they (as has been shown by repeated failures of experiments) are not in suffi cient demand to command a high profit. Would to God that your friend were right. But since I took up scientific agriculture, twenty-five years ago, in order to see if (as I hoped) some such scheme would not cure many social ills, I have gradually but steadily given up the hope. The only chance of deliverance from the present system which I see, and which may God send, is this : That science should dis cover some valuable raw article of manu facture which can he grown freely on English soil, and which will require care ful hand labor—like the vine, mulberry, tea, coffee, cocoa, Ac.”

Agricultural Instruction.

(From the iYew Zealand Herald )

Ask any intelligent colonist which of our public questions are the most important and which most constantly occupy public attention, and he will answer education, land settlement, and immigration. These are things which are always under con sideration, and yet intimately associated with them there is a certain want of a very particular character which somehow or other has not yet received notice. We refer to a system of popular agricultural instruction, not merely for youth, but in degree available also for grown persons who are following their business. _ Such a system has existed for some time in Prussia, and has received extraordinary results there. Indeed, as the reader will presently see, it has liad a groat share in making the late Prussian monarchy what it now is ; and as that kingdom is now merged in the German empire no doubt these educational arrangements will soon be extended over all Gcrmrny. We cannot but see that if this agricul tural education is important in an old country, it is still more required by cer tain circumstances in a new one. In these new countries the settlers on the soil may be divided into two classes, each as a rule needing this sort of instruction. There are settlers who knew little or nothing of farming before, who here take to it for the first time ; and there are men whose business at the other end of the world was farming, hut who have to pursue it in the colonies under novel conditions of climate, soil, Ac., and so unless they have scientific ideas and not merely an old world routine experience they cannot hut blunder. Thishas been a matter of frequent comment in the United States. In fact, in most of all new countries, there are two tilings which prove beyond dispute the great want of some general means of agri cultural education. One is the exhausting waste of the soil, notoriously going on more or less in all of them, and which though often due to wilful carelessness is also very often the result of ignorance and bad management. Another is the ex traordinary difficulty seen in all such countries in getting what are called “novel industries” introduced. There are a multitude of such high-paying crops, some available in one quarter, some in another, and when once established people wonder that they did not get them before. But an experiment ignorantly made, and therefore bungled, and perhaps with a waste of money, has sometimes deterred the enterprise of a whole community for a generation. But lot us proceed to describe the Prus sian system of agricultural education, which we are enabled to do by an article published some time ago in the “ Revue des Deux Mondes. ” Of course the ela borate contrivances of a closely peopled land like Prussia cannot he adapted in all particulars to our circumstances here. But the same impediment might appear on the same grounds to our system of ordinary education, and as practically we find that we are able to extend our ordinary school system over the colony, it may be that the objections.are not insuperable either to the spread of any other variety of instruction. But if we cannot copy and do not want the whole of the arrangement in ques tion, they may, at any rate, afford us some suggestive hints and seasonable in formation.

In the eight large provinces of the old Prussian monarchy, the State maintains, as the pinnacle of its agricultural system, four Itoyal Academies of Agriculture, where both the theory and the practice of farming are taught in a course lasting two years, the cost to the student being less than £8 a year for instruction. He is educated “ in political and rural eco nomy based on statistics in farming, and the management of trees and woods ; in

the mode of manufacturing sugar, beer, bricks, and draining tiles ; in minerology, geology, botony, and chemistry, with ex periments and excursions ; and lastly, in. mathematics, trigonometry, land-sur veying, practical mechanics, veterinary surgery, rural law, the national history, and constitutional law.” Excursions for practical purposes into the most interest ing districts of the country complete the programme. The students in these aca demies are nearly all persons who have to make their living by their own farms, commonly of small extent. For amateurs who do not require so much practical teach ing, and are content with less detailed know ledge, there are institutes attached to the Halle and Beilin Universities. Below the academies, and for local pur poses, there are nineteen “provincial Schools of Agriculture,” which the State subsidises to some extent, and which are kept we are told by persons who are usually large farmers, and who are either graduates of the academies or otherwise of proved competency; and they are “assisted in the work of instruction by tlie neighboring apothecary, schoolmaster, and veterinary surgeon. ” Then the State maintains seven experimental institutes “of organic and agricultural chemistry, which on different soils, and under different circumstances, are engaged in verifying, and completing the theories of Liebig, and in testing the purity of the artificial manures of commerce.” Since the State commenced this sort of education, and now that the academies turn out a sufficient number of competent teachers, there have sprung up, be sides the provincial schools we have mentioned, a great number of private ones —“special schools” for parti cular branches, such as market-garden ing, the cultivation of meadows, of woods, or of fruit trees. Fruit trees are so important in the ancient pro vinces of the monarchy, that there alone it appears there are no fewer than 134 schools devoted to that particular branch of husbandry. No less than 519 volun tary agricultural associations have also arisen throughout the country, which spread information by conferences, ex hibitions, and prizes. But one of the arrangements made by the Government is the system of “wandering teachers.” They traverse every district at certain seasons, when they are expected and con sulted by the fanners. They go from village to village, and from farm to farm, criticising the cultivation and giving ad vice about the rotation of crops, the most suitable sorts of manure &c. It will be seen that the conspicuo us, practical ability of Prussian statesmen is by no means con fined to military matters. It is visible in all departments—in finance and in ordi nary education, as well as in this of agri culture ; and it seems that the achieve ment of this industrial reform has cost the State an exceedingly small annual outlay. The State started and organised the thing, and continues to maintain or . subsidise certain institutions and arrangements; and the public, having thus obtained a practical system and enough of skilled teachers, took the matter up and have done the rest themselves. Of the multi tude of agricultural schools which now exist, the vast majority are wholly, and the rest mainly, supported by private means, that is, they pay their own ex penses.

This Prussian system is a contrivance of the present generation. Much of the soil in North Germany is of a sandy poor, description, and forty years ago farming knowledge was very backward there. Now the land has risen 100, and in some parts 200 per cent., in price. By 1865 Prussia overtook and passed fertile France in the production of beet sugar. The in crease of live-stock has been “ enormous.” “ A miracle in the multiplication of food has been worked by tlie knowledge of physical and economic laws.” In France, according to the French writer before us, the agricultural population has reduced 700,000 in fifty years ; we know that in England the . same population stands still, while the inhabitants of the towns have multiplied ; : but in Prussia the rural population is double what it was fifty years ago, and it is that class which sup plied the immense armies that were poured into France in 1870. Those agri cultural schools have had a great deal to do with transforming the Prussian monarchy into the German empire. They have strengthened the nation in all sorts of ways by enhancing its industrial power. As regards our colonial needs, one of them certainly is some regular system of agricultural education, and though that of Prussia is not appli cable to our dissimilar circumstances, it may none the less be suggestive in divers important particulars.

FARMING NOTES.

While all good farms do not belong to good farmers, good farmers usually own good farms. They make them so. France produced in the year ending with last September the enormous amount of 800,000,000 pounds of beet-root sugar. Every farmer knows that his team must be well fed to get good work. Try a generous diet. - ' : Farmers are beginning to learn that early cut grass makes a more agreeable food for animals than if it is left until dry and hard.

The much talked of system of of pack ing away green fodder in pits reminds Scraps of an old farmer he once knew who had some hay at the bottom of his bay that had been there more than twenty five years. “Ic was put in very green, he said, “and I expected it would spoiL I only get down to it once in several years, and when I do the critters like it better than any other. It’s just like old cheese.”

It is noticed that some of our farmers, in gauging the mowing machine, cut too close. This is something that the practised farmer ought to take into con sideration, as close cutting is injurious. There are few lands that will bear shav ing, as the action of the hot sun and dry weather all'ects the roots unfavorably when they are left with no protection. The cosfof fruit trees, even of the best varieties, is comparatively small, and the land need not be idle while the trees are coming to a bearing age, for the orchard, by proper cultivation, may be made tp produce excellent crops of various kinds. When an acre of apple trees is in its prime, it will produce about 400 bushels of fruit, and if these are of the best varieties they will be worth one dollar a bushel. There will be windfalls and inferior fruit which will be of much use feeding hogs or cattle,

Thursday, October 23, 1879,]

IHE ASHBURTON HERALD,



New Advertisements. V. R. In the District Court or Canterbury,, Holden at Ashburton. IN THE MATTER OF The Debtors and Creditors Act, 1576, The Debtors and Creditors Act Amendment Act, 1875,' and of the bankruptcy of FRANCES AUGUSTUS FLETCHER, of Ashburton, in the Colony of New Zealand, Cook, a debtor. THIS IS TO NOTIFY that Francis Augustus Fletcher, of Ashburton, afore said, Cook, has this day filed a statement that he is unable to meet his engagements with his creditors. The lust meeting of creditors to be held at the District Courthouse, Ashburton, on Wednesday, the twenty-ninth day of October, ls79> 11 0 c^uc^c ’ n *^ fc forenoon. Dated this twenty-second day of October, 1579. C. CAVENDISH HUKRELL, Clerk of the District Court. J. F- Hyde Harris, .•solicitor, Saunders’ Buildings. 5^9 a — 11 5



THE “Herald" is published every evening, thus giving every day s news. This is better than buying a Six penny weekly. IT is only a Penny, is to be got every where in Town, along the Railway line, and of the Country Agents. WANTED, a Good DRESSMAKER for up-country. Must have refer ences. Apply by letter. V, K. HILLGROVE, 588 a Ashburton.



NOTICE. THE MEMBERS of the Borough Cricket Club are particularly re quested to keep on the Footpaths and enter at the Gates in going to and coining from the Cricket Gr r und in the Domain. STEPHEN E. POYNTZ, Hon. Sec. *577a