SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton, April I.—Arrived —Taia- roa, s.s., from Wellington ; Rotomahana, a.s., from Melbourne. Cleared—Western Monarch, ship, for London.

The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser (With which is incorporated the “Evening Echo”). TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 1880.

The Ship of Stale is doubtless a mag nificent and majestic cra-t, but she is not bu’fo for speed. Canvas is never unduly crowded on her masts, because her officers and crew know they can laugh at their owners, and do not care whether they arrive in port on due date or dilly-dally

on the voyage fishing for mermaids and come in long after common vessels had arrived, loaded up, and sailed. She is a graed vessel, the Ship of State. She cares not for the soft zephyrs of petitionary wheedling, nor for the tempestuous scold ing of neglected latitudes. Her timbers are strong, and she keeps the open sea de fiant of everything. This sort of thing goes on till it becomes altogether too strong for her very patient owners, and then a change in the captaincy occurs, and f@r a time the sailing is of a quieter and mbre regular character ; but by-and-by, owing to the owners’ relapse into lethargy, the same old game is played, and the captain and crew are at their old tricks. So long as Ashburton was a quiet, patient, forbearing township, jogging along comfortably in a time of prosperity, and taking little thought as to how she was used by Government, Ashburton was unknown to the powers that be, and her wants were lost sight of in the great crowd of wants shaken before the Governmental eyes by more noisy places. The place with the noisiest representative was best seen to, and the quiet man was as quietly ignored. When, however, she shook her self together to raise a persistent outcry, a sop or two in the shape of a promise was thrown to her to her keep her quiet. She did quiet, in the hope that the promises would be fulfilled ; but, as we said before, the Ship of State is not built for speed, and even the most distinct promise made to us by Government is not yet fulfilled— notwithstanding that it is two years old, and the money to fulfil it has been twice voted.

The session before last L3OO were voted . for a courthouse for Ashburton ; the year went, and the building was not erected. Last session the vote rose to LSOO. The next session will soon open, and it looks as if it would open with the vote still unspent. Months ago tenders for a new courthouse were called for—a courthouse of wood, notwithstanding all the soft whispers for brick of our public men, and regardless of the angry storm ing of the Ashburton Press—and still The silence is unbroken . And the stillness gives no token, and inquiries are rife as to what has come of the promised neat little courthouse, so adnurably planned for the accommodation of judge, bar, police, press, and public. Surely, with every allowance for the ap parently indispensable red-tapeism of officialdom, ample time has elapsed for us to know whether any tenders have been received at all, whether any have been accepted, or if to the question whether a courthouse of any kind is to l e built, The only word there spoken Is never, never more.

All Fool’s Day. —Two or three re spectable citizens have been had to-day in the usual mauner of the Ist of April. Amongst the rest, our reporter had nearly finished the details of a terrible story of duck slaughter at Temuka —780 to two guns in two hours, —when he bethought himself of the date and the merry twinkle in the eye of the gentleman who supplied him with the highly-spiced “ Tucker’

The Goods Shed. —We learn that a new office for the receiving and delivery clerk is to be fitted up in the Ashburton goods shed, with a communication with the office now existing. The addition will greatly facilitate business at the shed, and the improvement was authorised by the Commissioner, on the recommenda tion of the station-master, Mr. Pilkington. An Improvement. —The financial pros pects of the Borough are improving. Over LSOO of this year’s rates have been collected, and the present balance is only some L2OO to the debit of the account, and an instalment of L7OO is expected from Government on the land fund account, so that our Municipal Council will be able to prosecute some much needed v r orks at an early date. Wesleyan. — The usual quarterly meet ing of the office-bearers of the Cameron street Wesleyan Church was held on Tues day evening, there being but a moderate attendance. The balance-sheet showed a debit balance of L 34 Os. Bd., the circuit debt being reduced by about one-half during the quarter, which, considering the late depression in trade, was considered highly satisfactory. The church member ship roll stood about the same as the pre vious quarter. During the evening a very animated and interesting discussion took place on the Sunday school work in con nection with the church, a matter in which the members of the quarterly meet ing are evidently awaking to the import ance of. Projected Port for Kyle. —To obviate the necessity for bringing their grain to Rakaia, to be sent from there by railway to Lyttelton, it is the intention of the residents in the Kyle district to construct a small jetty, about a chain in length, on iron pipes (in the same way that was done in the construction of the Rakaia bridge by Mr. White, the contractor), with a moveable deck and tramway. The object of the jetty is that small crafts, or better still, small steamers, may come alongside and ship produce, bringing return cargoes of timber and fencing materials from the bays of Banks’ Peninsula, which is not more than forty miles from that part of the beach near Kyle.

Westerfield Wool. —From the offi cial catalogue of wool exhibits at the Sydney Exhibition, we are able more fully to see the very fair appearance that New Zealand made at the great show. We are able to find only two first prizes, however, that came to this colony, and it says a good deal for Ashburton that one of her settlers should be one of the fortunate wool growers—that gentleman being the late Mr. Charles Reed, of Westerfield, who obtained the first prize in sub class 28—six ewe hoggets’ fleeces uu skirted. The prize was gained in division G (wool in grease, from any variety of sheep other than merino). The wool was that of English Lincolns, grown at Wester field, and was of 382 days’ growth. Its brand for exhibition was six musical sharps, these in various numbers being the devices adopted by Mr. Reed in the six exhibits he entered.

The Grain Despatch. —To all con nected with the Ashburton district, the getting away of the grain is a matter of importance, and every item that tends to 3ave time is worth noting. We were yes terday shown the system adopted by Mr. Pilkington, the Ashburton station master, of keeping a record of grain coming and going. Every lot is shown, with its number of bags, its marks or brands, and the storeman is enabled to despatch each in its order of arrival, thus dealing fairly by all parties. That

the work of the railway officials has been no sinecure this season in regard to grain the following figures will show, and those who know anything of shifting about sacks of grain will be able to understand that there was somebody not idle. From January 24th to March 31st there have been received at the railway station 28,871 sacks of wheat, 8,118 sacks of barley, and 0,411 sacks of oats. Of this number only 2,400 sacks remain in the shed, which is capable of holding 5,000. Only 500 sacks have been put outside this season, and these were soon got away, and without suf fering any damage. To carry away the quantity of grain despatched, 608 trucks were required—4Bß for wheat, 115 barley, and 13 for oats. The last item is very suggestive of how little demand there is for oats. The pressure has considerably slacked off dui’ing the last two days, the arrivals of grain teams being fewer, and consequently the quantity brought in has not been so great as it had been only a short time previously. A very large quantity of grain, however, from farms that used to load at Ashburton has this year gone down the Rakaia-Methven line to Rakaia, and has been despatched thence to port. The Mount Somers line may be expected to commence bringing down grain in a few days. At present a siding is being constructed at the termi nus, which is necessary before traffic can be begun generally, and all along the line there is grain now stacked and waiting for transit.

The Dunedin Murder. —The coro ner’s enquiry into this tragedy revealed particulars which must throw the gravest suspicion on the accused Butler, but some links are still required to complete the chain of evidence necessary to ensure _ a conviction. It is currently reported in Dunedin that the police have recently ob tained information which, if correct, will go some way to remove the mystery which has attached to the abseuce of motive towards the deed. It appeals that the girl who was chiefly instrumental in sup plying evidence, which led to Butler’s last incarceration bears a strong likeness to the victim, Mrs. Dewar, and it is pre sumed that the accused, deceived by this, singled her out as an object for revenge. Another rather alarming report connected with the occurrence is that a list of names has been found in Butler’s possession, supposed to be a programme of his future operations. This list is headed by the name of a well-known Blueskin resident, who had incurred Butler’s animosity, and it will be remembered that the accused was in that neighborhood at the time of his arrest. The house in which the murder was committed is daily the object of survey by the curious, and one of the local papers has published a plan of the immediate neighborhood, showing, that no less than five murders have previously taken place within a few yards of the house recently occupied by the Dewars. The effect of this has not been gratifying to the proprietor of the block, as nearly every house within a considerable distance has been vacated.

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council was held last night in the Borough Chambers, for the purpose of considering the questions of water supply, bye-laws, etc. There were present his Worship the Mayor, and Messrs. Saunders, Parkin, and St. Hill. Mr. E. G. Crisp was present to explain the proposed build ing clauses in the bye-laws, and Mr. Joseph Clark attended as agreed upon at last meeting to report on the probability or otherwise of objections being raised by the freeholders to bringing the water down the gully. the building bye-laws. The first matter discussed was that of the building bye-laws. Mr. E. G. Crisp, Borough Solicitor, ex plained which portions of the town were to be included in the building bye-laws. The districts proposed to be included com menced at Friedlander’s store, thence to the corner of Burnett street, thence down Havelock street to Butler’s Hotel, thence to Moore street, and back to the starting point. Mr. St. Hill took exception to the area proposed to be affected by the building clauses, as likely to drive people to build outside the township. Mr. Crisp then proceeded to read the clauses as he had prepared them. They defined the character of the buildings to be erected, etc., but before he had finished, His Worship suggested that the matter be referred back to the Bye-laws Com mittee to report at next meeting. Messrs. St. Hill and Parkin were added to the Bye-laws Committee, and the Mayor’s suggestion was adopted. WATER SUPPLY. Mr. Joseph Clark stated his belief that the various owners of land, abutting on the old watercourse had agreed to. the water being brought down that course. An agreement, signed by a large number of them, was read, to that effect. His Worship pointed out that the agree ment did not meet the Council’s condi tions, as it did not provide for persons who may object. Mr. Clark said he did not think any objection would be raised, as he had seen most of the section-holders. He knew of only one pi'obable objector, and with him he thought an arrangement could be made.

Mr. Saunders pointed out the disadvan tage of using the old gully from the ab sorption and evaporation that would take place. His own mill-race was instanced, and Mr. Hunt’s attempt to bring water on to his land, and in both cases the diffi culty he referred to had been encountered In the latter case, it had taken the water two months to flow where it was wanted. It appeared, too, that Mr. Wil liamson, who held the key of Mr. Clark’s scheme, was an objector, and that was sufficient to put an end to the whole thing. He would propose— That this Council, having considered Mr. Clark’s scheme of water supply, wishes to thank him for the trouble he has taken n drawing up plans and getting informa tion, but thinks it advisable to carry out the scheme adopted at their last ordinary meeting, and for which tenders have been called.” Mr. St. Hill seconded.

His Worship expressed bis regret that they could not make use of Mr. Clark’s scheme, after all the pains he had taken. It was ad disable to go on with the work at once, and therefore he would put Mr. Saunders’ motion, which was carried, Mr. Saunders stating that if the gully free holders wanted water they could procure

it through a sluice in the the mill race. The tenders for the work were then j opened. After a long discussion, in which the advisableness of accepting tenders for the outfall drain only was considered, seeing that no provision was made for construct ing a dam in the domain ; and in the course of which it was stated that the whole work necessary was not provided for in the specifications, Mr. Fooks, the engineer, said a lot of timber belonging to the Council could be used for fluming. /Mr. Parkin said it was worthless. Mr. Fooks said it was good enough for a temporary job like this. I The tender question was disposed of by Mr. James Wilkie declining to take any • >art of the work less than the whole. In the course of discussion,

Mr. Saunders said he was of opinion that Mr. Fooks had scarcely caught the idea of the Council, and had not prepared a perfect scheme to be tendered for, so that what was before them was a half-and half sort of thing. He (Mr. Saunders) was of opinion that if the work were let that night, and also the extras included in Mr. Wilkie’s alternative tender, the whole job could be done in a fortnight. Mr. Parkin saw no need for delay. The work had been before the public from a date anterior to the declaration of the municipality, and everybody knew all about it.

•Mr. St. Hill was quite sure that if somebody prospecting for gold managed to get, near the belt, a quarter of an ounce to the tub, water would be in in a day or two;

The Mayor declined to put any resolu tion not in accordance with the advertised terms on which the tenders had been made.

After some further talk the reporters were requested to withdraw, as the Coun cil were in Committee, but we understand all the tenders were rejected, and the Engineer was instructed to prepare fresh specifications and advertise for tenders, to be opened at a special meeting on Satur day week.

TELEGRAPHIC.

TO-DAY’S CABLEGRAMS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

{Reuter's. )

The General Election —Liberals in the Majority. London. March 31. The general elections for the new Par liament have commenced. Up to the present time ten Liberal and eight Con servatives have been returned unopposed. Later New.s from Cabul. Calcutta, March 31st. According to the latest news from Cabul, General Stewart’s force has arrived at Ghuznee without meeting with any open hostility on tne part of the enemy. It has not yet transpired what General Stewart’s further movements will be. The French Jesuits. Paris, March 31. It has been officially stated that the French Government do not intend that their decree disolving the Society of Jesuits shall further have effect of ex pelling foreign members from France.

AUSTRALIAN.

{Reuter's.) Sydney, April 1, Reprisals.

In consequence of the recent action of the Legislative Council, twice rejecting the Bill for imposing the Stamp Duties, which was sent up from the Legislative Assembly, Sir Henry Parkes, Premier, has introduced in the Assembly a Bill to deprive the Council of power in future to amend Money Bills. Sir Alfred Stephen Las given notice for the introduction of a similar Bill in the Upper House.

TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

IN TER PROVINCIAL.

Indecent Assault. Wellington, April 1. Mr. William Bowden, bailiff, was arrested this morning on a charge of in decently assaulting Ellen Syms. Sly Grog. Martin, of the Albion Hotel, was fined L 5 for selling liquors after houi’S. The petition of the Licensed Victual lers presented to the City Council, re sly grog-selling, has been forwarded to the Police, with a request that they will take action in the matter. The Floods in the North. Napier, April 1. Several dead bodies have been found in the rivers during the last few days, and no doubt they were men who had been trying to cross during the floods. The damage done by the floods is now ascer tained to be light in Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa counties, but it will take about L 5,000 to put the roads and bridges in Waipawa county into their old state of thorough repair. The private losses were not nearly so great as the great depth and extent of the floods would have led one to fear. Mr. Farmer, of Hastings, was the heaviest loser in stock, 1,500 sheep having been drowned. It will probably be a month before the coaches can come through the bush road. A Native Turmoil. The natives at Wairoa are indulging in threats of murdering each other. Their dispute refers to some land, but it is not likely to go beyond blank cartridges. The Ward Case. An information has been laid on behalf of F. Ward, jun., of Gisborne, against Ropata and Tucker, interpreter, for. ma licious prosecution and conspiracy, arising out of the recent prosecution of Ward, in which, after four days’ hearing at Gis borne, the magistrate dismissed the charges of conspiracy brought against Ward and Cooper, but commented strongly on their conduct, and advised Ward to be careful in future, and not to be misled by clients.

The Dunedin Murder.

Dunedin, April 1.

Bniler has been committed for trial for the murder of the Dewar family. He begged the public and the press not to be influenced by the prejudice attempted to be created against him. He reserved his

defence. He charges Inspector Mallard with attempting to influence the public prejudicially, and made a long statement on the subject.

LAST NIGHT’S TELEGRAMS

Auckland, March 31

The case of the American Consul, Stephenson v. Salmon was heard to-day at Russell before E. M. Williams, R. M., and Marsden Clark, J.P. No receipt produced by Stephenson from <-■’ alrnon to show that he had ever received the seal, etc., and no proof was forthcom ing that the articles were the property of the American Government, plaintiff was nonsuited with costs. Crahamstown, March 30.

The Waikato Cavalry and Auckland Artillery were entertained at a banquet last evening, and there will be a grand ball to-niglit. Cavalry races are being held at Parawai to-day. Wellington, March 31.

Lighthouse dues to the extent of six pence per ton will be levied from the first of April from all vessels other than inter colonial trading vessels and coasters. Intercolonial trading vessels will be charged at the rate of four-pence per ton, while no levy will be made on coasters.

LAST NIGHT’S CABLEGRAMS.

BRITISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE

( Renter's Telegrams. ) The Markets. London, March 30. Three per cent, consols 98J. Adelaide wheat per 4961b5., ex ware house, 593., steady demand. Best Aus tralian beef tallow, 34.3. Gd. ; best mutton tallow, 355. 6d. ; maiket quiet. The Mails. Arrived —P. and O. Company’s steam ship Indus, with the Homeward Suez mails.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Renter's 1 e’egrams.) The Victorian Reform Bill. Melbourne, March 31.

A Cabinet Council was held to-day, when the Reform Bill and other proposed measures were discussed. Dismissed.

Colonel St. H ; ll, late private secretary to Governor Weld, has been dismissed from the command cf the Tasmanian Volunteers. Arrived—Tararua. Sailed Arawata and Albion. Adelaide, March 25. The Orient Company’s s.s. Sorata has arrived from Plymouth.

A National Penny Relief Fund.

Charity, as a rule, knows no system. Just as the heart of the giver is touched by the urgency or particular circumstances of the case calling for his aid, and accord ing to his circumstances at the time, does he contribute of his means. When a great calamity, like the Kaitangata coal mine disaster for instance, agitates our bosoms, and stirs up the better feelings of our natures, and the cry for aid is heard throughout the length and breadth of the land, then money is lavishly poured in by every man who owns a copper and a heart with ever so little of humanity in it. But just as often as not, more money is given than the circumstances of the case really require. Not unfrequently funds have been raised in this way for some special object, and having been disbursed to an extent that afforded the required relief, a handsome residuum is left, never to be used, but is allowed to lie in the hands of the bankers, tied up and useless to any one but the bank that holds it. While the world wags, calamities will occur that call forth the sympathies and aid of humanity for those who suffer by them ; but as these calamities occur by no rule, and cannot be regulated by any rule, any more than they can be prevented, so the giving of the benevolent to relieve the distress that follows, is usually only regulated by the magnitude of the disaster, and the amount of the element of sensation that may have ac companied its occurrence. A great and sensational disaster is thus the most effectual in raising relief funds. But, as we said, jtlie occurrence of calamities cannot be regulated, and sometimes they occur when a man’s, a community’s, or a nation’s pockets are empty—when giving is perforce limited by the want of means to give, and it may be that a compara tively trifling accident, that involves only a few hundred people in its disastrous in fluence, is the signal for a a lavish out pour of generosity, while a great and widespread disaster, that may perchance make want stalk like a plague over a whole land, and touch thousands upon thousands with its terrible finger, does not meet with that response to its call for aid that the pressing nature of its case and the magnitude of suffering demand from those to whom its victims may naturally look for succour. We had evidence of this in the very meagre response—com paratively speaking, at least —that has been given to the call for aid from this colony that has reached us from Ireland. The above remai’ks have been inspired by a circular we have received from the editor of the Oamaru “ Times,” a gentle man not unknown in Ashburton. The circular contains a reprinted leading article, and two “ letters to the editor,” bearing the signature of “ North Britain.” The article and the letters strike out what seems to us to be a new idea in the way of reducing giving to a principle and a system. They advocate the establishment of a “ National Penny Relief Find,” which shall be con tributed to by every member of the popu lation at the rate of a penny per month per head, but need not, of course, interfere in any way with the more generous giving which the benevolent will always continue. It is suggested by the article that the col lection of the penny subscriptions could bo facilitated by boxes in the post offices, courthouses, and banks of the colony, and by enlisting the co-operation of house holders as collectors within their circles ; while the management of the fund should be placed in the hands of local committees elected by subscribers from those of their number who had subscribed a guinea to the fund over and above their penny per month subscription. Both “North Britain ” and the editor would apply the fund thus raised to cases of distress not assisted from other sources, or, if so assisted, requiring further assistance, and

they would make the fund operative in localities altogether irrespective of those in^which the distress immediately existed. The idea is of course crude, and wants elaboration, but we fancy that were it taken up, and its details perfected it might be brought to as great efficiency as has been the penny postage or the penny press. Certainly .it would be a great boon to civilisation, which carries so much of suffering of every kind with it, wherever to have some permanent and living fund ever available for the relief of distress that is not absolutely pauperism'; and if the idea of “ North Britain,” with any modification it may require, can be brought to a workable and adoptable scheme, it will doubtless be a benefit to the country. Thrown at us all at once, as the idea of a “ National Penny Relief Fund” is, we are not prepared to give an opinion upon it other than the favorable one that strikes us at the first glance, and we give the out line of it in the hope that some of our men of figures and powers of organisation may set to work to think out its practi cability. “ North Britain” gives the fol lowing figures as what would be the result of the scheme’s adoption in the British possessions— Great Britain would raise annu-

Canterbury as a Fine Wool-Growing Country.

[ln reply to numerous inquiries as to which breeds of sheep are the best suited for Canterbury farmers, we give below, as supplementary to the “sheep-breeding” article by the “ Plains Farmer” in our last issue, a letter ivritten by Mr. D. Oliver, of Westerfield, to a Christchurch paper in 1876, and which speaks for itself. ]

Sir, — I recently read, with great in terest, a paper by J. T. Ford, Esq., on the management and breeding of shetp which appeared in your columns some time ago. It is evident that Mr. Ford must have bestowed considerable care and trouble in the collecting of such an amount of valuable information as is con veyed in his paper, and it is therefore with regret that I, in common with a number of old Australians, see that he has, in my opinion, fallen into an error very common in Canterbury, namely, the belief that the improved Australian merino, the most valuable sheep of its kind in the world, is not the best adapted for this country, as it is not likely to retain its high intrinsic qualities here. This opinion of Mr. Ford’s, published as it is to the world, many besides myself will consider rather unfortunate, coming as it does from a gentleman known to be one of the best judges of sheep in the colony, as undue weight will be given to it by a great many breeders, thereby re tarding the premier industry of the colony, viz., the growing of fine wool, in one of the most favoured fine wool-grow ing countries in the world. I think that if Mr. Ford had experi enced the varying vicissitudes of a number of seasons in Australia, and witnessed their effects on stock, he would form a much higher estimate of the value of the natural pastures and climate of New Zea land, particularly that of the Canterbury plains. The climate and pastures of Can terbury are eminently suited for the merino sheep. Clad in its densa yolky coat, it is quite proof against any climatic change which takes place in this country, up to an altitude of 2000 f t; and, in fact, from the sea level to the line of perpetual snow, wherever there can he found suffi cient food for their support, they will be found to be!the hardiest and most valuable animals that the grazier can become pos sessed of, except in heavy damp soil ; and even there, after drainage and laying down of English grasses, they would suc ceed if an adjoining pie e of shingle bank could be afforded them to preserve their feet, and provide a dry bed at night, and they would, in a country where meat can be procured in such excessive propor tions to the wants of the population, give much better returns for actual food con sumed and other expenses incurred, than any other domestic animal. I do not mean this to apply to the wretched mongrel merino so often seen in New Zea land, [bred out and out till its own grand mother would not know it, but to the same animal skilfully bred and liberally fed. Mr. Ford believes that the native pastures of Canterbury, from their coarse ness, would produce coarse wool. This idea receives no support from modern physiologists who have made sheep and wool subjects for study, and my own ob servation, extending to nearly a quarter of a cencury with merinos, leads me to the opposite conclusion ; fatness, however superinduced, brings abouc coarseness of fibre, and leanness the reverse. Coarse pastures are not so conducive to fatness a 3 fine therefore not so liable to produce coarse v o A. The best condition a sheep can be in for producing fine wool is what we call good store condition. Canter bury, wisely stocked, is the best place I have yet seen for keeping up this desir able condition, and the tendency of the climate, though unappreciable for a long time, will be to give the Aus tralian merino increased density and fine ness of fleece. It is agreed by the best modern writers on the merinos that with common care they will thrive and retain their fineness under all parallels of lati tude, from the burning sun of the tropics to the frozen regions of Norway. Tas mania, which is in the same latitude as Canterbury, produces some of the most valuable sheep in the world, as instance the ram Sir Thomas, bred by Mr. James Gibson, which was sold some time ago to the Messrs. Camming, of Victoria, for the unprecedentedly high sum of L 714 ; and in August last the same breeder sold in Melbourne 49 rams and 30 ewes- even in this bad season—for the handsome total of L 3,601 10s. Silesia and Saxony, in Europe, in latitude 51deg., are from seven to eight degrees further from the equator than Christchurch, and those countries, as everyone knows, produced some of the finest merino wool; and in Sweden, as "ar north as GOdeg., Mr. Lastyree states that he had an opportunity of comparing a flock of merinos, which had been in that country for fifty years, with a flock of new arrivals, and he found that the wool of the old stagers was fully as good as that of the newly imported ones. Many years after the merinos were brought to Eng

land, their wool was compared with the best samples of wool direct from Spain, and Youatt says that “it yielded not to them in fineness of felting quality. ” The same authority states that in Ireland the quality of the pierino wool improved rather than deteriorated. In 1819, the clip of the [Messrs. Nowlan was 6Jib. at 35., amounting to 19s. Gd. per sheep, and it would appear that Randall and others, who have studied the physiology of wool, have, without doubt, arrived at a just and correct conclusion when they assert that wool on the living animal becomes finer in cold and coarser in fine climates. This applies to the hair of other animals as well. Whoever heard of men going to hot countries in quest of fine furs ? Mr. Weld, an intelligent andexpe.rienced sheep farmer, writes of the climate as fol lows : —“ The climate of New' Zealand, though one of the most variable within certain limits," is, at the same time, perhaps che most strictly temperate, both in summer and winter, of any in the world. As a natural consequence the growth of grass •is never suffi ciently checked to affect seriously the condition of stock. There are no prejudicial extremes of heat or cold, and it naturally results that the increase of a flock is more rapid than is usual in the neighboring colonies, whilst the stock are at all times in high and thriving condi tion. With regard to sheep, this mani fests itself not only by the early age at which they are fit for the butcher, but by the length and soundness of the fibre of the wool, and the consequent weight and quality of the fleece. In New South Wales 2Jlbs. of wool is a high average yield for sheep ; in New Zealand a well- ” bred merino flock, on a good run, will fully average 41bs. With regard to the J quality of the staple, I have the authority of some of the first English brokers for speaking of it in the highest terms. As yet it has not fetched prices equal to those of the first-class New South Wales wool, because sheep farming being yet in its infancy in New Zealand, the flocks are in most cases of a mixed description, and the soi ting and getting up of the wool have not hitherto been sufficiently at tended to.”- If the last three winters -are fair samples of the seasons in Canterbury, Mr. Weld’s opinion may be endorsed by anyone who has made the management of sheep his study, and to his remarks on the quality of climate and feed there need be nothing .more added, hut that the geolo gical formation, and hydrographical sys tem of Canterbury combine to form one of the soundest sheep countries in the world, and its soil, which is purely sili cious, is of that description which has been proved to he the best for soft fine wool growing. ?

Mr. Ford’s paper on sheep being a com prehensive one, precluded him from say ing much about any one breed of sheep. I will, therefore, with your permission, say a few words in behalf of the merino and its value for crossing. We have the written authority of several ancient writers to prove that they existed as a fine wool breed long anterior to the Christian era : indeed, its history runs hack into the haze of the remotest antiquity. The belief that they were improved by coarse sheep from Africa is not grounded on any 1 well authenticated authority, and it would be quite as easy to believe that copper would improve the value of gold as to believe that a union with any sheep ever found in Africa could improve the merino. That some breeders may have attempted to do it is very probable ; we can scarcely concede more judgment to the ancients than we take to ourselves, and to this day some flock owners are to be found who be lieve they can form an intermediate breed of a fixed type between English sheep and merinos ; but should they pursue it for a lifetime, they will at the end exclaim, like Solomon, “it is all vanity and vexation of spirit,” the ancient blood of the merino utterly refusing to ally itself permanently midway with that of any coarse breed on earth, ieast of all with that of the artificial English sheep of yesterday. There is, how ever a safe and profitable course to follow when the stock o wner has a flock of indiffer ent merino ewes, from which he would rather not take another merino lamb, that is, to put out with them Lincoln or Leicester rams, as pure as can be got in England. The cross thus got will, in proportion as the merinos are-uniform, have wool of a uniform character, and highly valuable from the scarcity of it. The value of such wool for certain manufactures may be in ferred from the fact of a lady in England having spun, from a single pound of it, 95J miles of thread, which proves that it must possess great strength and fineness. The animal itself will thrive well on the native pastures of Canterbury, but, on such feed, to make one more cross towards the English sheep would be to commit an egregious error, and every other move in the same direction would but intensify that error. To breed back again to the merino would he an absurdity, so the only wise course would be to exclude the ewes from breeding altogether, just taking their wool yearly till they become of age to be sold with the wethers to the butcher. This is the full extent to which anyone can cross with profit on the indigenous pastures of this country, and those who are making wool growing their business would be wise never to produce a coarser fibre, except on the small flock of pure English sheep kept for producing this cross. The dispropor tion between the population of this island and the meat raised in it is very great, and will continue to be so long after the present occupiers have taken leave of sub lunary affairs. What then can.be the use of rearing, at great cost, a huge animal for the melting pot, requiring, during his life, twenty times more attention tb an t}ia merino, and at least double the money ip fences ! And if the owner does not pay costs of attendance in shape of wages, he pays it four-fold to death, the abnormal structure of the improved English sheep rendering him incapable of getting up off his own back, on to which he seems to have an irresistible tendency to turn. it must also be remembered that liis course wool has to find a market in the coarse wool growing countries of the world, where there is already abundance pf it grown, It has been accurately asegrtamoc], that sheep consume food in proportion to their live weight ; thus one sheep whose live weight is 200ibs, will consume exactly as much food as two sheep of lOOlbs each. In point of meat the large animal may give as good return for food consumed as the two smaller ones, but the wool growing surface on the smaller ones will be very much greater than on the large^one ; and that wool, if grown with judgment, can be much more valuable ..per

Thvrsbay, April t, 1880.]

THE ASHBURTON HERALD.



ally ... ... .£1,500,000 Australia and Tasmania ... 150,000 New Zealand 22,500 Canada 150,000 India 9,300,000 Other possessions, say ... 500,000 Total ... ... £11,622,500



New Advertisements. w ANTED —A BOY accustomed to Farm work. Apply to T. Bullock. 231 c [TANTED, a strong BOY, accustomed V to horses, ahd to he generally useful. Apply Herald Office. G66g-253c WANTED— In a private house, Apart ments Furnished, comprising Sitting-room and bedroom, with use of Kitchen. Apply by letter toX.Y.Z., Herald and Guardian Offices. 264 c WANTED. TENDERS for CROSS PLOUGHING 200 Acres, 6ins. deep, 9ins. wide. To be completed in five weeks from acceptance of Tender. Tenders to be sent in before 9th April. _ FRANK B. PASSMORE, 262 c Sherwood. MONEY TO LEND.—Several sums of money ready for investment at current rates. F. P. O’Reilly, Solicitor, Taucred street, Ashburton. 263 c O LET—A TWO-ROOMED OOT TAGE on the East Town Belt. Apply, V D. M'KENZIE, 658g-246c Ashburton Hotel. A SHOP TO LET. Good Stand. XJI. Apply to Everett Bros. & Co., Havelock street. 257 c FOR SALE, Cheap, Dwelling-house of 7 rooms, situated on the East Belt, near the Parsonage—For particulars apply to T. Bullock. 206 c TO BUILDERS. TENDERS are invited for the erection of Two SCHOOL-HO USES. Plans and specifications can be seen at Messrs. Fooks and Sons’ office up till SATURDAY, April 3rd, on which date tenders must be sent in to my office, before noon. The lowest or any tender not necessarily ac cepted. B. W. MOUNTFORT, Architect. Cathedral Square, Christchurch, March 22, 1880. 223 c B. V. In the District Court of Christchurch, Holden at Ashburton. IN THE MATTER OF The Debtors and Creditors Act, 1870, and the the several Acts amending the same and in the master of the bankrupt y of FREDERICK HYDES, of Win; • low, in the County of Ashburton, Laborer, a Debtor. Notice is hereby gwen that Frederick Hydes, of Winslow, in rhe County of Ashburton, laborer, has ill's day filed, in the above Court, a declaration that he is unable lo meet his engagements wi h h's Creditors. The first meeting of C’cduors of the above-named debtor wi’l be he'd at the Disbict Court, Ashburton, on MON DAY, the 12th day of -A pul. 18C0, at 11 o’clock in ibe forenoon. Dated this Ist day of Anr ; '. ISCO. C. CAVENDISH HLRRELL, Clerk of .he above Court. E. G. Crisp, Solicitor for the Debtor. 265 c



IMPORTANT SALE. TOWNSHIP OF CHELMSFOED; LAHGMOR, ASHBURTON. Five and three quart er miles from Tinwald, on Mount Somers Railway Line. STATION ALREADY PROMISED. Messrs, acland, Campbell, & CO. have received instructions from the Proprietors to sell BY PUBLIC AUCTION, ON SATURDAY, APRIL 3rd, 1880, AT ASHBURTON, AT Messrs. Jameson and Roberts’ Store, BUILDING IQP J_OU ALLOTMENTS, 100 In Lie above Township, averaging from one quarter to half acre. The situation is one of the best, being in the centre of the largest and best agricultural district in Canter bury, with the branch, railway already completed, and station promised by the Public Works Department. And, at the same time, EIGHT OR NINE FARMS, AdjoivUg or close to the above, varying in size from 111 to 350 acres, WILL BE OFFERED FOR SALE. This present an opportunity for select ors which is not likely to be met with again. pirns can be seen and full paiveulau oli-T- cd at Messrs. A.cl.*hd, Cam nl and Co's O'hces, Chris,.church ; or W. R. Bov i.'S, Ashburton. Terms easy. Sale comm jnces at 1 o cl jcV. ACLAND, CAMPBELL, & CO. Auctioneers, 261 c Chrisieho cell and A-.'.'bin-ton.