POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Mails at the Ashburton Post Office close 13 follows :

For Christchurch and North at xo a.m. \ p.m., and 7.30 p.m., daily. For Chertsey at 10 a.m. daily. For Rakaia at 10 a.m., and 4 p.m. daily. For Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstream, Rangitata, Oran, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10.15 a.m. daily. For Temuka, Timaru, and South at 10.15 p.m. and 3 p.m daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, M-ount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10.30 a.m. For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, a 3.15 p.m- daily. W. St. G. Douglas, Postmaster.

ASHBURTON RETAIL LIST

The Evening Echo. TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1879.

Mount Somers. — The “ Gazette ” of the 9th notifies the appointment of Mr. Jas. Fraser as Registrar of Dogs for the Mount Somers district, with the Road Board Office as the Registration Office.

Postal. —The Post Office at Coldstream will henceforth be known by the name of Ealing. Judge of Assessment Court. —ln the “‘ Gazette ” of January 9, Edward James Lee, Esq., is notified as appointed to the judgeship of the Assessment Courts.for the Boroughs of Ashburton and Rangiora, under the Rating Act, 1876. The Weather and the Railway Traffic.— For some time unusual activity has been displayed by the railway authori ties, and several special goods trains have been running overnight, both north and south, to make up arrears of traffic, and meet present demnds. This week an extra goods.train has been running during the day to relieve the line during the night. The work was going along very well until to-day, when the two days’ rather heavy rain we have had interfered with the line towards Rangitata, and caused. a flood of surface water to accumulate on this side of the Rakaia bridge. This caused a detem tion of the trains. The ordinary from Christchurch in the morning, arrived all right, and reported the state of affairs down the line. The express came in shortly after with the news that things were worse, and it was not considered advisable to send down the north train, which was detained till far in the day. Meanwhile, Mr. Pilkington despatched an engine with a gang of men to put things straight, and open traffic. The express south was detained for half-an-hour, in consequence of the flood in the Rangitata.

“ The History of Ashburton.” — The editor, it has been said, keeps the world’s day-book, and the historian its ledger. In the belief, we presume, that the Town Clerk was a fit and proper per son to become the historian of Ashburton an offer was made by the proprietor of the “ Ashburton Mail” (Councillor Ivess) to supoly to the Council ior the sum of £4 lbs."a file of the “Mail’ from its com-| l iencemcnt to date. The Council were not unanimous as to the advisability or necessity of taking over the tri-weekly chronicle of the town’s past at the pro posed figure, but contented themselves with becoming purchasers of files of both Echo and “ Mail” from the date of the first proceedings taken to have the muni cipality proclaimed. Mr Williamson favored the idea of a “ Mail” file as a first contribution to a museum ! ! The Mayor thought, for the small difference in the cost, it would have been as well to pur chase the complete file offered. Court.— Before His Worship the Mayor and C. P. Cox, Esq. ,—Charles Armstrong was fined £2, and had to pay the amount of damage done, or to suffer imprison ment for 108 hours’, for being drunk on the railway and injuring a constable’s uniform while being apprehended. John Campbell for being drunk on the railway premises at Ashburton was fined 20s. or 48 hours’ imprisonment. William Montgomery, an old offender, for drunkenness and obscene language, was fined 20s. or 48 hours in default. _ John Rowden, was dismissed with a caution for being drunk. The District Court.— Thursday next is the day fixed for the first sitting of the District Court in Ashburton. We under stand no cases have yet been set down for trial, but a telegram was received in town to-day from Judge Ward stating that he will arrive in Ashburton to-morrow. The Fire Brigade’s Well. The engine was last evening attached to tlie two three-inch pipes sunk opposite Orr and Co’s by Mr. Dolman for the Borough Council. An excellent supply of water was obtained and for ten minutes the engine worked admirably, but a small pebble drawn up from the bottom having stopped the valve of one of the pumps it was necessary to suspend operations. Mr. Dolman is to affix a strainer to the pumps, which it is believed will remove the pos sibility of a recurrence of the same acci dent, and next essay with the engine will be probably a very successful one.

A New Borough. —. Last night at the Council meeting, the Clerk read a letter from Mr. Bolton, Temuka, asking to be instructed in the mode of procedure necessary to be followed to have Temuka proclaimed a municipality, aud also re questing a copy of the householders’ petition to the Governor to be forwarded to him.

Extraordinary Occurrence— One of those extraordinary occurrences, which some persons will be disposed to regard as a manifestation of Divine Providence, and others less credulous as a simple coincidence, or a physiological pheno menon, happened yesterday in Little Collins-street. A married woman, named Margaret Taylor, who is living with a man in Coromandel place, was suddenly struck blind under circumstances of a peculiar nature. The afflicted person, who, we learn, is a woman of extremely violent temperament, and, has never, as far as can be ascertained, shown any sign of ocular weakness before the occurrence, while in a paroxysm of anger, called on God to strike her blind. In about five minutes afterwards she found herself unable to see, and it was discovered that the organ of vision was totally destroyed. —Melbourne “ Herald,” 19th December. A Thief Detected by a Dumb Man. A dock labourer, wa3 charged with steal ing a pilot coat from an office at Stanton’s wharf. He placed his pilot coat on the deck in his counting-house, and pro ceeded to check a load of goods, but shortly afterwards a dumb man employed on the wharf came and made such signs to him that he at once proceeded to the counting-house and missed his coat. He accordingly communicated with the police and proceeded to Pocock’s lodging-house, Kent-street, where the dumb man pointed the prisoner out, and he gave him into custody. John Hudson, the dumb man, was then called, when he made such signs as to clearly point out the prisoner as the thief. The prisoner pleaded “Guilty.” and said he sold the coat for a shilling and got drunk. Mr. Benson sentenced him to three months’ hard labor. The Coal and Iron Trades. At a recent meeting of the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Company, at Sheffield, a re markable statement was made by the chairman, Mr. H. D. Pochin, with respect to the rapid rise and fall of the coal and iron trade between the years 1868 and 1878. The comparison shows that, bad as was the condition of trade towards the end of the last decade, a lower depth has now been reached. Mr. Pochin stated that the earnings of the company in 1869 were 4 per cent, on the capital; in 1870 they were 6 per cent. ; in 1871, 10 per cent. ; in 1872, 14 per cent. ; in 1873, 47 per cent. ; in 1874, 37 per cent. ; in 1875, 18 per cent.’ ; in 1876, 8 per cent. ; in 1877, 5 per cent. ; and in 1878, nothing. The quarterly return of the Iron Trade Arbitration Board of the North of England of the net average selling prices from an examination of the books of firms and companies belonging to the Board has just been issued by Mr. Watei’house, the accountant. It shows that there was a reduction in the output of angles, bars, rails, and plates of nearly 12,000 tons in the quarter, the total production being about 103,000 tons. The net average selling price was reduced by 3s Gd for the quarter. Twenty-two acres of land in Redwood’s Town, Marlborough, have been sold for considerably over £6OO.

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last night in the Coun cil’s offices. Present: The Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Williamson, Saunders, Roberts, Shearman, Parkin, and Fried lander.

After the confirmation of minutes and the Mayor’s introductory remarks, the correspondence was taken up.

REMOVALS, ETC.

Charles Smithell applied for leave to remove a building from the rear of the Ashburton Hotel to his residence at the Town Belt East. The matter was re ferred to the Works Committee, as was also an application by Mr It. Lancaster for channelling to be laid past his pre mises and permission to erect a verandah.

FOOTHPATHS AND CHANNELLING. Mr H. M. Jones wrote requesting that the foothpath be formed in front of his premises in the Wakanui Road. At a more advanced stage of the busi ness Mr Williamson said he was afraid that nothing could be done in kerbing and forming footpaths until the by-laws had been passed and the street levels taken. Mr Roberts said it was full time some thing were done with channelling. He thought it could be gone on with now. Some time ago a progress payment had been made to Mr Fooks on the work of the map and town levels. It was then stated that the levels were so far com pleted as only to be waiting for the Government survey of unsurveyed parts of the town to be completed, It was not encouraging to the Works Committee to sit week after week and recommend work to be done, but never see any sign of that work being started. Mr Williamson ultimately moved that the Works Committee be empowered to construct footpaths and channelling op posite the premises of owners or occupiers willing to pay one-half the cost of the work, and prepared to deposit a crossed cheque for the amount. This motion, having been seconded, was carried. MR.'FOOKS IN DEFENCE. Mr. Fooks wrote as follows : “Ashburton, Jan. 13, 1879. —To the Wor shipful the Mayor of Ashburton. —Sir,—l beg respectfully to record a denial of the statement made by a Councillor that I used disparaging language before the Council with respect to Mr. Hardy-Johnstone. I have no recollection, and I am perfectly certain I had ho inten tion, of using words calculated to bear such a construction. I wished rather to make it clear to the Council that my objection was to the principle, not to any particular person.—l remain, etc., “C. E. Fooks.” THE FIRE BRIGADE. The hon. secretary to the Fire Brigade, Mr. Cambridge, forwarded a copy, for the Council’s sanction, of rules adopted by the Brigade ; asked for a better alarm and station site, and suggested reserve 764 as the most suitable, being on the highest ground in the town. Referred to Works Committee, the Clerk to reply to the Fire Brigade that the reserve would be applied for.

Speaking on the question of reserves, the Mayor said the Council ought to apply for land on the Hinds for the Borough’s rural land endowment, and it was resolved to do so.

WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT,

The Works Committee advised the fencing of a reserve, in Burnett-street for a workmen’s yard, and the erection of a tool shed. That immediate application be made for a title to the reserves on which stand the immigration cottages, and on receipt of the title the Committee would be prepared to submit a plan, for re arranging the cottages and leasing the ground in allotments ; recommended the formation of part of Cass-street, from Moore to Dobson-street, and the road round Mona Square; that immediate steps be taken for the construction of the projected outfall sewer ; asked the Coun cil’s decision as to the proportion of £2 or £3 per bridge over side channels (esti mated cost), to be borne by owners of property requiring them. The report further stated that the labor gang had been engaged in re-cutting and cleaning out the side channels on the main streets, and in clearing off and breaking the larger shingle upon them, making and refixing culverts, &c, and remedying defective formation. Regarding the water supply the report stated that a well had been sunk at the spot proposed as a filtering reservoir. The water flowed at a depth of 2ft. At a depth of 4ft. Gin. the water had flowed into a bottomless tank too strongly for the two pumps used to keep the bottom workable. The rate of filtration was nearly one gallon per minute, per superficial foot of the bottom surface, but the rate increased in relation to the depth and the water came in clear. Levels had been taken across the river, at the proposed higher source above Digby’s. The following are the relative heights of the several sources of supply above East street, at the Railway station : Surface of water in Experimental ft. in. Well ... 47 3 Surface of water in Creek ... 51 o

Level of flat at upper source .. 90 o Information and tracings of localities had been forwarded to Mr. Hardy-Johnstone. In connection with the temporary supply, the side-channelling of East and West Streets were recommended to be taken in hand. Five thousand feet of timber would be wanted for culverts, &c., inde pendent of side-channelling. The Com mittee had cleared and carted a length of footpath, to ascertain the cost of such work. It ran from 71d. to 1/- per chain. The report was adopted. RESERVES.

On the suggestion of Mr. Williamson, the Clerk was instructed to write to Go

veminent to have the reserves handed over. FIRE BRIGADE WELL. Mr. Friedlander reported very favorably of the working of the engine at the new* well, and the success of the pump. The engine had worked for ten minutes and then stopped, but the fault was known, and could be remedied. TEMPORARY WATER SUPPLY. Mr. Friedlander reported that Mr. Fooks had been instructed to prepare dans and call for tenders, and the Clerk to write for permission to cross the railway line. IMMIGRATION COTTAGES. Mr. Williamson said that half the cost of those cottages had been borne by the Provincial Council, while the Road Board had charged the Council with the full cost. This fact had only occurred to him recently, but lie now made the statement, so that if it was of any use to the Council they could avail themselves of it. Resolved to depute the Financial Com mittee to wait upon the Road Board on the matter, and also to obtain information regarding the rates. NUISANCES. The Inspector in his report complained of the Burnett-street drain being bad, owing to a steady flow of liquid refuse from the Somerset Hotel. Quill’s Hotel and Anstee’s Boarding-house offended in a similar manner. Dry refuse was allowed to lie about back-yards of large establish ments in the town, and it was with diffi culty he could get the owners to have it carted away. He suggested the. appoint ment of a scavenger. One boarding-house had an unfavorable report, but he could not inspect the interior, having no war rant. He asked to be supplied with one. Mr Shearman said, as regarded the Burnett-street drain, he sent 900 gallons of clear water down it every day, and the labour gang had the use of his force pumps ; but the drain itself was defective, and far from being equal to its work, even if the hotel were shut up. He did every thing he could to keep it sweet, and spent more money in the way of cleansing than any other man in town, but he could do nothing to improve the drain.

TOWN CHRONICLES. An offer was made by the proprietor of the “Ashburton Mail” to supply the Council with a bound file of the paper since its commencement for £4 15s. It was resolved to decline the offer, but to procure files of the Echo and “ Mail” from the time of sending the petition for a Corporation to Wellington, and also to file those newspapers in future. TENDERS. Tenders were received for cutting tus socks, but were declined as too high. Several accounts were passed for pay ment, and the Council adjourned.

TELEGRAPHIC.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

[SPECIAL TO ASSOCIATION.]

London, January 10.

There are innumerable intending exhi bitors in the Sydney International Exhi bition. ( The differences between the miners and coal-owners are increasing.

AUSTRALIAN

[By Submarine Cable.]

Melbourne, Monday.

Twenty of Kelly’s sympathisers have been remanded for a week by the Beech worth Bench.

The balance of Lady Robinson’s jewel lery and a large quantity of other jewellery, the proceeds of other robberies, were found in Montgomery’s lodgings. He probably obtained admission during the reception, and effected the theft after the ceremony was over. During a severe squall yesterday, the Protestant Hall in the village of Lismore "was unroofed, trees were blown down, and houses were flooded by rain. Considerable damage was done to gardens and property generally. Sir. Lalor will probably visit Sydney to confer on the border duties question. Brisbane, Monday.

Behrens, the merchant, who became insolvent, has been found drowned in the river. He had been 30 years in the Colony.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

From the New Zealand Press Asso ciation to the “Echo.”

Auckland, Jan. 13.

Everywhere complaints are being made in the country districts of the scarcity of laborers and the high price paid for road contracts, &c. Men cannot be had, and immigrants who have been brought and other worthy workers have all purchased small farms, and are now employers of labour instead of suppliers of the same. Rain has fallen between yesterday and this afternoon, with occasional intermis sion, and has continued since. The bar ometer has been falling slowly for some days, and there is every appearance of wet weather. It is much needed, for between drought and intense heat the pastures are burnt up, and grain generally found to be shrivelled. Wellington, Monday. It is rumoured that Mr. G. B. Barton, editor of “The Jurist,” is to succeed Mr. Stafford as Assistant Law Officer. Captain Fraser, of the s.s. Jane Doug las, reports that the Hyderabad was all ready for launching, but just at high water a strong westerly gale came on, and com pelled operations to be discontinued. The

shin then was fully afloat, and in order to keep her steady and prevent her bumping 300 tuns of water had to be pumped into her. If the weather be flue, this will be pumped out, and an immediate attempt made to haul her off; but at present the barometer has a decided tendency, and it is feared that another westerly gale is imminent. J. Tyson, the champion wrestler, passed through here to-day with his trophies. He does not intend to compete any more, having now won the belt for three years in succession. He will settle at Kopua, Hawke’s Bay, where he has a sawmill. The total number of delayed telegrams now reaches 1000 a week, and the urgent telegrams 250.

Blenheim, Jan. 13,

A cart with a Maori man and woman in it upset at Havelock in the river. . The man was drowned, and the woman is not expected to recover.

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Per s.s. Ringarooma, via the Bluff.]

[By Telegraph.]

Melbourne, Jan. 7,

The Victorian revenue returns for the quarter ending 31st December have been issued. There is a deficiency of receipts, when compared with the estimate, of £172,000 for the financial half year. His Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson arrived in Melbourne on January 3, on a visit to Mr and Mrs A. K. Finlay, of Glenormiston. He travelled overland in twenty-seven and a half hours, which is unequalled on record, and only twenty four hours were actually spent in travel ling. The mail takes 43 hours. Sir W. Jervoise returned to Adelaide on Jan. 4.

The police have arrested a large num ber of persons in the north - eastern dis tricts under the Outlawry Act, on suspicion of being bush telegraphers for the Kelly gang. Most of them are confined in the Beechworth Gaol, and a detachment of the garrison artillery lias been sent up to protect the gaol against attack.

The deep sea sailors at present in Mel bourne have struck for £7 per month for direct home voyages. A meeting of sixteen persons, chiefly artisans, held on Jan. 3, decided to form an anti-Chinese league in Melbourne, and try to extend its influence throughout the Colony. The settlement of the strike in Sydney was strongly condemned, as being quite adverse to the seamen. One of the most magnificent electrical phenomena ever witnessed outside the tropics, was visible in the neighbourhood of Melbourne on the evening of Jan. 4.

Sir John Code has notified the Harbour Trust .Commission that he expected to complete his report on the Melbourne har bour -works this month.

Edwards, the pedestrian, failed to walk 110 miles in 25 hours, at Ballarat, owing to the great heat. He completed 108 miles 997 yards in the time. A proposal has been made to establish a new bank in Melbourne to be called the Australian Gold and Estate Bank, to aid the development of mining, farming, and manufactures.

Mr. W. S. Lyster, the operatic manager, will leave England by the January mail. A portion of his new company will arrive in Melbourne by the Lusitania, the re mainder, including Mdlle. Rose Hersee, by the Chimborazo. The Oceania, a barque, which left Hokianga, N.Z., on Dec. 17, met with severe weather on her voyage to Mel bourne. On December 29 the barque was struck by a very heavy sea, which floated all the deck cargo, stove in the galley, and did other damage. She ar rived on Jan. 5.

The Pride of England, on her voyage from Quebec to Melbourne, passed along a line of icebergs, ten in number, but ex tending a distance of about 74 miles. This was on December 2, in latitude 43 deg. 3 min. S., and long 3 deg. 25 min. W. The position of the vessel was critical in the extreme.

An inquiry was commenced on Jan. ' ■ by the Steam Navigation Board into th circumstances attending the collision be tween the schooner St. Kilda and the barque Seagull off Babel Island on Dec. 27, but w r as adjourned till Jan. 9, in order that the master of the Seagull might attend. The evidence showed that every effort was made to save the unfortunate man who fell overboard at the time of the collision. The Seagull was in such a bad state that, directly the ships came together there was a stampede of the sailors to get on board the St. Kilda.

TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

"Wellington, Tuesday.

The outhouse of premises belonging to Mr Skelly, occupied by Mr Dew, in Wordsworfch-street, was burned down last night. Charles O’Neill, C.E., recovered a ver dict for £225 of commission from Samuel Brown, tramway contractor. . In a special jury case yesterday some singular disclosures came out in evidence as to how contracts are worked. To-day the case of Gollop, a well-known billiard player, against Atchison, In spector of Police, is being heard. The action is for slander in a statement mad-, to the Licensing Bench by defendant to prevent plaintiff’ getting a license. _ _ The Higher Education Commission commences its sitting to-morrow. . The ketch Forest Queen, employed in taking cargo from the Hydrabad, was driven ashore about a mile from that, vessel in a heavy nor’-west gale th->» morning. It is likely she will be tote. lost. She was insured in the New Zea

TUESDAY January 14. 1879.]

THE EVENING ECHO.



s. d. s. d. Butter, inferior to best $ lb I o to I 2 Eggs, $ dozen - _ - I 6 to o O Cheese, prime quality, w u> o 9 to o xo Bacon, prime smoked, 1? lb o IO to 0 0 Hams in cloth, $ lb i . Q to, 0 0 Flour in bags, 1? loolb 12 6 to 14 o Oatmeal, $ loolb 2 6 o to o o Lard, # R> - O 9 to o o



Ironmongery. OR R & CO. Would call Special attention to THEIR STOCK OF IRONMONGERY. A Fine assortment of Carpen ters’/Fools now landed. Iron m o n g e r y. Parties' Furnishing should in spect our Stock of Plated Goods—. TEA POTS, - CRUET STANDS, BUTTER DISHES. TEA AND COFFEE SETS, TABLE CUTLERY, . &a,/; &c., &c. IRONMONGERY. STOVES, . RANGES, . ; " GRATES, FENDERS, and - - FIREIRONS. These Goods are imported di rect by ourselves, and will be sold at prices below anything hitherto offered in Ashbur ton. IRON MO N G E RY. Harvesting Tools— ’. Hay Forks, ,, t Rakes, Scythes, &c. ' :' McCO.RMACK’S Readers and Binders. No farm should be without one. Can cut and tie even if the Straw is only 9 inches long. No necessity for wire. BUY A McCORMACK, AND SAVE YOUR STRAW. 200 DOZEN HORNSBY’S PLOUGH SHARES, Landing cx “ Hurunui.” OR R & Co., EAST STREET, ASHBURTON.



Advertisements for the evening Echo must be sent in not later than 3 p. m. with the number of insertions written plainly on the copy, otherwise they will be inserted till countermanded, and charged accordingly. Special, notices can be received up to 3.30 p.m. for insertion over the .Leader, but will be charged double scale. Subscriptions—Quarterly in advance, 6s. ; posted, Bs. 6d. ; per annum, in advance, 225. 6d. ; posted, 355. d. ; weekly, paid to oollector, 6d. Delivered to any part of the cwn, and at any of the Railway Stations.



Special Notices. PRELIMINARY NOTICE. Alfred harrison begs to announce that on or about the Ist Feb., 1879, he will open a NEW AUCTION MART In Baring Square. A. H. will make a specialty of Sales of Furniture and Effects, Sales of Stock and Merchandise. ALFRED HARRISON, AUCTIONEER, COMMISSION AGENT, &c., HAVELOCK STREET, ASHBURTON, Near the Town Hall. 218 THE JfJyENING ~p]CHO NEWSPAPER AND GENERAL PRINTING OFFICE, Has Removed' to new buildings, East street North, near Post Office, and next Quill’s Hotel. THE LARGEST STOCK OF MACHINE CASTOR OIL IN ASHBURTON !! COME to SANDO & OLSEN’S if you want to buy really good machine castor oil, and oil-feeders. 246 WE have much pleasure in intimating to our friends and the public generally that we have this day taken into Partnership Mr. Thomas Hooper, who has for some time past been connected with our Firm. .. The Business will in future be carried on under the name and style of “ HOOPER, AITKEN, & C 0.,” who will carry out all arrangements made by the late firm. Dated, at Ashburton, this 9th day of January, 1879. A. O. AITKEN & CO.