ENGLISH NEWS.

[Per Chimborazo.]

'; The question of confirming the P. and 6. Company’s new contract was discussed in the House of Commons on Aug. 8. It was stated by Sir Selwyn-Ibbettson that four tenders had been sent in, one from the P. and 0. Company, one by the Sun Steam Shipping Company of Liverpool, one by Mr. Smith of Glasgow, and one by Mr Holt of Liverpool. The Government considered that of the P. andO. Company the most advantageous and accepted it for eight years at £270,000 per annum. An amendment was proposed by Mr. J. Holmes to reduce the term of the con tract from eight to three years. Lord John Manners stated the Company wanted £50,000 per annum more for five years’ service than for eight years. The motion approving the contract was agreed to by 142 to 54. Calculations show that the Glasgow firm offered its ships at 16s 2d per mile, the Liverpool Company at 12s Od, Mr. Holmes at 9s lOd, and the P. and •G: J Company at 9s 6d. Public opinion is ' decidedly favorable to the mail service to the East being carried out by the Com pany that performed satisfactorily the whole for four decades. All the advan tages may be derived that could be offered by any other contractors for the mails. Beal competition had reduced the subsidy between Galle and Melbourne from 14s 4d to 6s 9d per mile. Reference was made in the House ot Commons on ; August 8, to the danger of another Native war in New Zealand. Mr J. P. Smyth asked if it was true that pre parations were being made to .“ at once and for ever the Native difficulty in accordance with the views of the settlers ? Sir M. Hicks-Beach replied that he had received'no communication on the subject, and should, therefore, infer that nothing 5 serious had taken place. He added that the news in tlie press was six weeks old, and he hoped that ere then any appear ance of disturbances would be at an end. A postscript j dated 23rd June, to a letter in the “ Standard,” from its own Corres pondent at Wellington, gave the principal ground for alarm, as the writer said 1 learn, by telegraph that settlers have pre cipitated matters by forciby ejecting the - native’ploughmen. It is feared that hos tilities are imminent. ” The “ Standard followed up the letter by a leader com mencing— ‘ ‘ It will be seen by the letter ' of our own Correspondent in New Zealand that that colony is upon the edge of ano ther native war. ” At a meeting of shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand Sir Charles Clifford made reference to the scare evoked by the “ Standard,” and pointed out the area affected by the new war, if it did take place, was so small compared with the rest of New Zealand that it was scarcely ’ worthy of a thought. It could not affect 7 the South Island and the great centres of • population in the country round about any more than trade in . London was affected by the strike of Durham coal miners. ' Sir Charles paid a high tribute to the Maoris in civilization. His re marks altogether had a considerable influ ence in putting a proper construction of the actual state of affairs before the public. . , .. Golonel Arbuthnot intends to call attention to the revenue, commerce, and increase of population of the Lnited Kingdom as compared with those of the * colonies, and to move “ That in the opinion of the House the burdens of the Imperial Defence are not regularly distn- Wfc'uted, and require re-adjustment.” , In reply to a question from the Colonel, Sir M. Hicks-Beach declined to publish certain official information regarding Aus tralian? Defence, though he consented to have the document placed at the liberty of the House for the perusal of members. In a letter to the “Globe,” Colonel Arbuthnot subsequently pointed out that Sir M. Hicks-Beach’s reticence was very like locking the stable door after the horse had been stolen, as the papers were printed by tlie Colonial papers, and sold for a few pence, and were to his. certain knowledge in the hands of foreign Go vernment. A series of letters which have recently appeared in the “ Daily News,” on the English agricultural labourer in the Britain of the south, together with many other details useful to intending immi grants, have been re-published in a pamphlet, under the title of “ The Eng ' ' land of the Pacific; or New Zealand as an - English Middle Class..- Emigration Field.” • ■ ' ■: . ■ ■ ; • - - - - . On August 3rd the immigrant ship Euterpe, for Canterbury, N.Z., was run into off Gravesend by the Telford, s.s. from Colombo, doing damage to her star board bow, injuring one man, and carry ing away her mizen boom, steering gear, poop-rail, etc., Lyons papers announce a very impor tant discovery, which if true, will have a very important influence on the silk trade, and on all textile industries. It is stated the lustre, appearance, and durability of silk can be communicated to fibres of flax by certain chemical processes. Flax steeped in a bath of dissolved silk waste, emerges therefrom in a condition which renders it indistinguishable,, save by analysis, from silk itself. The inventor, who resides in Paris, offered his discovery to the Association of Manufacturers in Lyons for £120,000, and it is alleged they have agreed to purchase it. The “Financier” referring to the duties on wines thinks the Australian colonies have a far greater grievance than Spain, and considers that 2s. 6d. duty on their unfortified wines is a tax on nature, whilst the same duty on the fortified wines of Spain and Portugal is a tax upon ff- art. 15 Iu the House of Commons, in answer to Mr. Beresford Hope, on the 11th August, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the draft charter of the pro posed Victoria University, containing a proposal to give the power of granting decrees to women as well as men, had been submitted to the Privy Council, and was now under consideration. Under a recent Act it was necessary that charters, when granted, should be laid before Parliament. . The Grosvenor gallery has been opened to the public on Sundays, under the auspices of the Sunday Society. Cape news state that in Natal dissatis factio2i prevails - among all classes of the community with regard to the conditions of Wolseley’s settlement of Zulu-land. Everyone regards it as a perfect farce, and calculated to make Zulu-land the centre of continual disturbance and danger. Even those who disapprove of

Cetevvayo’s deposition are loud in assert ing that if he were deposed a strong central Government under the British flag should be established in his place. The general conviction is that the colonies must distinctly decline anything to do with this settlement, and repudiate it.

ITEMS FOR THE FARMERS.

DAIRY FARMING.

A Home paper, reviewing the first monthly part of Professor Sheldon’s new work on Dairy Farming says Of late there has been increased attention given to the subject of dairying, stimulated doubtless by foreign competition, which threatens to swamp our home markets and supply an aiticle in many instances superior to the home make. A rather un comfortable necessity has thus led dairy men and others to give more practical at tention to the matter than what was pre viously accorded to it. The position of dairy farming in this country is shown by the following remarks of the author, which are but too true “Not being the first to feel the effects of foreign competi tion, it seems to have gone on quietly and uneventfully, attracting but little public notice, minding its own business in its own way, and making no special and comprehensive attempt at improvement until late years, as indeed none seemed to be needed.” Even in the north of Scot land where dairy farming is not carried on under so extensive a scale as in many of the southern counties, a healthy interest has arisen within the past few years as to the improved working of the dairy sys tem, and several farmers located at con venient distances from towns and country villages have taken up the matter, and are, we believe, finding it a lucrative business to sell the whole of their milk instead of, as formerly, turning the greater part of it into butter and cheese. Profes sor Sheldon says that the same thing has been taking place all over the kingdom. “The quantity of cheese, if not of butter, made in the British islands is yeaily diminishing, and it is not improbable that, in the course of time, we may depend, almost wholly on foreign supplies of but ter : our own dairy-farming being de voted chiefly to the milk trade. Afe wj sensible remarks are given in connection with the various breeds of dairy cattle, the shorthorns being noticed as thq grandest and • most fashionable of those breeds, and therefore, the most cosmopoli tan ; indeed, they seem to be the English man’s shadow, as they follow him every where. Not the least of the merits of- English cattle is that they carry with them to foreign countries their prepo tency—their ability to stamp in a marked manner their , own qualities on the off spring of any of the native breeds with which they are intercrossed. Shorthorns, Herefords, and Devons have these quali ties in the most marked degree. The effect of the various modes of breeding and feeding on the .quantity of milk is re ferred to thus “We are well aware that high feeding for show purposes, coupled with the practice of not allowing the cow to give any milk during the greater part of the year, will soon result in dwarfing the lacteal organs, and that if presevered in for several generations, quick feeding and deficient milking properties will be come marked features in the breed. . It is a mere question of imperfect exercise in milking functions. Yet we know also that a diametrically opposite result may be obtained by similar methods ; that, beef may be sacrificed to milk just as easily as milk may be to beef, by simply breeding in that direction. And it is equally true that a more excellent course that-either of these may without great difficulty be fol lowed, and cattle may be bred with both milk and and beef combined. These qualities, we believe, are co-ordinate and correlative ; they may and do exist nor mally in the same animal, and they, may be developed either sepai'ately or jointly according to the direction in which the breeding and treatment of the animals are made to tend. High milking as well as quick fattening properties are doubtless to some considerable extent artificial pro ductions. Wild cattle are neither good milkers nor good feeders ; and we see, in those parts of England where calves are commonly allowed to run with their mothers that the cattle are not famous as good milkers. Milk much sooner leaves the cow when a calf sucks her than when she is milked by hand. The Hereford cattle are a marked instance of this ; and yet we find the Herefords are not by any means inferior milkers when they are treated as other dairy cattle are —when their calves are taken away at birth, and they are milked by hand instead. In all breeds the milking properties of cows vary more or less ; some cows are good, others bad, and others indifferent milkers ; but with care and judgment in selecting animals to breed from, not only may nearly all the animals be bred good milkers, but milking and feeding capa cities may be combined in them in a highly satisfactory manner.” The first chapter of this interesting work, part of which is given, treats of a subject of primary importance to those who are specially addressed, viz., the breeding and selection of dairy cattle.

Artificial Bee Swarming.

The following description of how hives can be artificially swarmed may be in teresting to bee keepers. It is taken from a Scotch paper, and refers to the actual swarming artificially of four hives last summer by a local agriculturalist : Three of the swarms were in what is termed the “bar frames,” and one in the ordinary straw hive. To the uninitiated it might not be uninteresting to explain the process by which this artificial swarm ing is accomplished. Previous to opera ting, a little tobacco smoke is introduced into the hive, both from port and top ; also a little sugar and ‘ water, which is poured between the combs. After this has been done the insects may be handled in almost any way with safety, and emit , a dull, buzzing sound, the same as in natural swarming. The hive is then re moved from the stand, and an empty one is placed thereon. After the hive has been removed to a convenient spot every frame is examined until the one is reached on which the queen is at work. This frame is carefully removed with all the bees attached, and placed in a hive fitted up with artificial comb. When all has been adjusted, the hive containing queen, &c., is placed on an old stool, and the original hive, with combs, bees, honey. &c., is placed on a stool a little removed from the old seat, This accomplished,

the work of swarming is over —all the bees leave for ever the old hive, and join their queen in the new one, carrying on operations as if nothing had happened. In, the case, of a straw hive, after the smoking and feeding process has been gone through, it is removed as the other one has been described ; but here there are no “ bar frames,” and the apiarist has to resort to what is called the “drum ming ” process. The hive is turned up side°d<‘ wn, and the bottom board ,is re moved, an empty hive is placed with its “ hem ” on the port, and then a gentle tapping is continued all round the hive until the little creatures commence a rapid march up into the empty space. A close watch is now kept for the exodus of the queen, who is seldom long in making her appearance. As soon as she is seen, if there be a fair quantity of worker bees she is removed, placed in an empty bar framed hive, the hive containing worker bees placed on the top, and then a smart stroke of the hand causes all the bees to fall on the queen below. Immediately the frames, with artificial comb, are placed in position, the top adjusted, and the hive is placed on the old stand. Mr Carnegie, who seems to be quite at home among his colonies of bees, went through the whole of the foregoing process under our eyes. And it will be observed that while he thus removed the queen from every hive, he left only two hives without queens. Having the morning , before his operations received two Ligurian queens direct from Italy he cut out all the royal cells, then, placing his new queen in per forated zinc cages, and along with them a few of the bees that had accompanied them from Italy, they were suspended in the hive up to Monday, that they might thus be fully introduced to their new colony, after which they were liberated, and are working harmoniously together. Mr Carnegie by this operation has been saved an amount ef trouble and probable loss, as natural swarming has to be closely watched, and is often accompanied with the loss of good top swarms.

Hay Making In Bad Weather.

Mr. R. C. Browne-Clayton writes to the “Standard” to explain a method of hay-making in bad weather which is prac tised in Austria. He says, “ Each farmer has ready, before putting the. scythe to the grass, a large number of slight poles, about Bft. high, with about four cross bars, at right angles. These, as the cut ting advances, he puts down in a row, and at once piles the grass upon them ; this hangs very lightly on the bars, until the grass comes to the top ; then he proceeds to pile, in like manner, until the whole field is studded over. Perhaps a hundred or more of those may be required. I may add that these poles are carefully placed in shelter, under the eaves of the farm buildings, when not in use, so as to be ready for the following year. The farmers there find that in that damp climate the hay can be saved in no other way, and the plan has this advantage, that the grass never gets sodden, for the slightest curl of wind dries it; the rain falls off as if from a hog’s back, and in this way hay may remain out for a month without the smallest harm.”

An Improved Cattle Truck.

The Midland Railway Company have introduced an improved waggon for car rying cattle which is worthy of notice. The truck has a tank capable of holding fifty gallons of water, which supplies two troughs that can be easily emptied and cleansed, and there are also fodder racks which can be filled without compelling the attendant to mount the truck. By this adoption of devices which, while pro viding for the comfort of their dumb pas sengers, do not increase the labour of their servants, the Midland Company have set an example worthy of imitation.

Judge Religions by their Fruits.— That old Catholic woman, of whom Mr. Stevenson tells in his “ Travels with a Donkey,” who said to him that there was no difference between Protestants and Catholics “save that ‘wrong was more wrong for the Catholic’ who had more light and guidance,” came very near telling a most important truth. That was all the difference that the good old saint herself knew, and if there were other distinctions whose import she did not quite grasp, who shall deny that she clearly stated the onjy lawful claim that one religion can have for pre-eminence over another 1 If my neigh bor’s religion makes “ wrong more wrong ” and right more right for him than my re ligion does for me, then his religion is for him a better religion than mine is for me. A religion that does not deepen the moral convictions and strengthen the moral pur poses is good for nothing ; and all religions are to be valued in proportion as they bring forth in their votaries this fruit.— “ Sunday afternoon for August.”

A GOOD many suspicious incidents have cropped up in the history of the man Waters, against whom a charge of wilful murder is pending in connection with the horrible destruction of life by fire in Dun edin. We learn from good authority that, not many years ago, he left Tasmania as valet to a young gentleman named Charley Edwards, who, possessing ample funds, was bent on travelling and spending his inheritance. The two went to San Fran cisco for a lengthened tour, but to the astonishment of his Tasmanian acquain tances Waters speedily returned, in the possession of ample funds, though before leaving he was by no means well off, and seemed rather glad to get employment. His explanation was that he and his em ployer, Edwards, had disagreed, and they had parted Edwards proceeding on his travels alone, and he Waters, speculated his wages in some mining scrip, which quickly realised him a little fortune. No one could question the truth of the story, but, as our informant states, the young man Edwards has never since been heard of.—“ New Zealander.

Wednesday, October 8, 187 9.]

THE ASHBURTONsHERALD.

Printed and published by Horace John Weeks and Charles Dixon, at their Printing Office, East Street, Ashburton. Wednesday, October, 8 1879.



The Little Camp on Eagle Hill, 3s. 6d. Sceptres and Crowns, 3s. 6d. Fairy Stories with a Purpose, 2s. Marco Yisconte, 2s. lOd. Sydney Stuart, 2s. 4d. Aunt Martha’s Corner Cupboard, 3s. 6d. In India, 3s. 6d. Little Mercy, an Australian Temperance Tale, 3s. 6d. Favorite Fairy, Tales, 2s. Bd. The Faiiy Spinner, 3s. Hall’s Vineyard, a Temperance Tale, 3/6 Too Good for Anything, 2s. 4d. Prince Übbeley Bubble, 3s. The Lost Father, 4s. Miss Roberts’ Fortune, 2s. Little Hazel, 3s. 6d. Washed Ashore, 2s. 4d. Turnaside Cottage, 3s. Trot’s Letters to her Doll, 3s. 6d. Told in the Twilight, 2s. 4d. Penelope, 2s. lOd. Tract Magazine, Is. 6d. On the Eve, 2s. lOd. The Silver Casket, 4s. Swiss Family Robinson, 4s. 6d. Recreations of a Country Parson, 4s. A Cloud of Witnesses, 6s. Moody, and his Work, 6s. The Argonaut (2), 3s. 9d. each Church Life in Australia (2), 2s. each The Home and the Synagogue, 4s. Christmas at Annesley, 3s. Richard Hunne, 4s. Sword and Garment, 2s. 9d. The Land of the Sun, ss. Lectures on Preaching, 4s. 3d. Tales of Old Ocean, 3s. 6d. Military Heroes of England, 4s. Earth and its Treasures, 4s. General Beckwith, 3s. 6d. The Diary of Dampier, 3s. 6d.



Holloway’s Pills.— The Grand Secret. —With the variable temperature of this country, ill health will creep in unless the blood from time to time be purified and noxious matters be expelled from the body. In this the public may be its own physician. Holloway’s Pills may be purchased at a trifling cost ; instruc tions for taking them will be furnished with the Pills, and a little attention, with few in structions, will enable persons to keep them selves in health under very trying circumstances. These Pills act as alteratives, tonics, and ape rients. Holloway’s medicine should be ready for instant administration when the slightest symptom gives warning of approaching indis position.—Adyt.



Wholesale and Retail Stationers, &c. BOOKS! BOOKS! CLEARING OUT SALE Reduction of ss. in the Pound. WEEKS AND DIXON -jpfrEG to call special attention to their Clearing-Out Sale of the undermentioned Books, at a Great Reduction on former prices, in order to effect a Speedy Clearance, as they intend giving up the Book Trade, and carry on the Stationery and Account Book Business on a more extensive scale. Particular attention is invited to their Large and Yaried Assortment of Church Services, Wesleyan and Presbyterian Hymn Books, some of which are in Very Elegant Bindings, all to be Sold Out at 25 per cent, reduction.



REDUCED PRICE LIST.



Scott’s Poems, 3s, Lyric Gems of Scotland (2), ss. each. ~ ~ morocco binding, 6s. Gd. Goldsmith’s Poems, 4s. 6d. Sunday-School Speaker, Is. 2d. Sabbath School Reciter, Is. 2d. Temperance Speaker (4), Is. 2d. each. Excelsior Reciter, Is. lOd. Afloat and Ashore, 2s. 3d. Sons of the Cross and Crown Is. 6d. Under the Microscope, Is. 9d. Humming Birds, 2s. 3d. City Sparrows, 2s. 3d. Conrad and Columbine, 2s. 9d. The Children and the Robin, 2s. Stories of the Apostles, Is. lOd. Diversions at Holycott, 2s. 3d. The Hew Year’s Bargain, 2s. Child’s Corner Book, 2s. 9d. The Absentee, 2s. Children of the Line, Is. lOd. Philip and his Garden, 2s. The Boy’s Book of Recreation, 4s. 6d. The Boy’s Prize Book, 4s. 6d. The Boy’s Book, 4s. 6d. Every Boy’s Annual, 6s. Once a Week (2;, 3s. 9d. each. Nails Driven Home, 2s. 3d. Nettie’s Mission, 3s. 6d. Revolt of the Field, 2s. Kate Brunton, 2s. Homely Proverbs, 2s. Phrenological Works (2), 4s. 6d. each. Ball Room Companion, 7d. Ready Reckaners, 6d. each Mercantile Letter Writers, Is. each Carpenters Spelling, 7d. Comprehensive Letter Writer, Is. 2d. Advice to a Mother, 2s. British History, 2s. Royal Readers, 2s. 3d. Grammar and Analysis, 2s. lOd.



—REMEMBER The Sale will be held for a limited period, to make room for Consignments of Stationery Account Books, &c., SOLD AT THE ASHBURTON HERALD OFFICE WEEKS AND DIXON, PROPRIETORS, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON.



Public Notice. NEW TUI-WEEKLY MORNING PAPER. 2Vs’Utuvhm #uiwfe. PRICE—TWOPENCE H PUBLISHED ON TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, and SATURDAYS. The size of the Guardian will be Six pages demy for the present, pending the arrival of suitable machinery, when it will take the same size permanently as the Christchurch Press. The Guardian is intended to meet the want in the County of Ashburton of a paper specially devoted to the agricultural and pastoral interests. It comes into existence in response to the expressed desire of a numerous section of the influen tial farmers, merchants, and other settlers in the country dristricts, and it purposes to supply an excellent compendium of the news of the day. derived from the most trustworthy sources. Arrangements' have been made with able correspondents in every district in the County to supply intelligence of all events of interest c curing in their locality, while advantage will also be taken of the great facilities now given by the telegraph for securing the latest news from all parts of the colony; and, through Reuter’s Agency, of sum maries of intelligence from all parts of the world. Special attention will be given in the Guardian’s columns to matters of interest to agriculturalists, and no pains will be spared to make the Paper an indispensable item in the economy of the Ashburton farmer’s household and a welcome guest at every fireside. Travelling reporters have been retained, who will personally visit the various dis tricts ; and arrangements have been made whereby reports upon the condition and progress of the crops, &c., written by men with a practical knowledge of the subjects on which they write, will be secured. On this point it may be mentioned that papers have been secured written by some of the ablest and most practical pens in the colony on subjects of moment to the farmer ; and these will appear in regular succession. The Guardian will be thoroughly inde pendent, and appears with its hands untied, and in no way trammelled by the influence of any party, its aim being, while the progress of the farming interest in the County has first place in its desires, to secure the greatest good for the greatest number. In politics it will give an honest support to thoroughly Liberal measures, and will be loyal to any Government, who, having the country’s confidence, is prepared to legislate upon a wise and liberal platform, and is capable of administering public affairs with prudence, honesty, and ability. The price of the Ashburton Guardian will be Single Copy : 2d. Terms to subscribers : In advance. Booked. Quarterly 6s. ... 7s. Half-yearly ... ... 12s. ... 14s. Yearly 245. ... 28s. Advertising terms on application at the Office. Subscribers should order the “Guardian” at once, as the quarter commenced on the Ist October. WEEKS AND DIX ON, PROPRIETORS. Publishing Office, East Street, Ashburton. I



Printers and Publishers. -m ■. - ■ . •- - •■'V ... rj 'Ti-J ’j* THE ASHBURTON HERALD BOROUGH & COUNTY ADVERTISER (With which is incorporated the Evening Echo.) •- i a GENERAL PRINTING OFFICE EAST STREET NORTH, ASHBURTON (Near the Railway Station.) 1 fJpHE Proprietors beg te intimate that they have imported a first-class “ATLAS” TREADLE >S7J Printing Machine, FOR JOB WORK. ONLY, CAPABLE OF THROWING OF 2000 IMPRESSIONS AN HOUR Unrivalled and unequalled in the estima tion of Printers. , I It is capable of executing the finest ;; ; work in j.i Colors & Ornamental Printing And the cost of production will, by means of this labor-saving Machintry, be fc» GREATLY REDUCED. BILLHEADS, RECEIPTS, . NOTE HEADINGS, /. ENVELOPES, BUSINESS CARDS, ADDRESS LABELS, CIRCULARS, PAMPHLETS, CATALOGUE S



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