MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close at the Ashburton Post Office, as follows :

For Christchurch and North at 6 a.m. 9. a.m., and 5 p.m., daily. For Chertsey Rakaia, &c., at 9 a. m. and 5 p.m. daily. For Dunedin, Tinwald, Winslow, Hinds, Coldstream, Rangitata, Orari, Winchester, and Geraldine, at 10.15 a.m. daily. For Temuka, Timaru, and South at 6 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. daily. For Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge, on Tuesdays and Fridays, at 10.30 a m. For Ashton, Waterton, and Longbeach, at 3.15 p.m. daily. For Wakanui, and Seafield, on Tues days and Fridays, at 6 a.m. Mails arrive at the Ashburton Post Office — From Christchurch at 10.35 a.m., 4.55 p.m., and 8.15 p.m. daily. From Chertsey, Bakaia, &c. at 10.35 a.m. daily. From Dunedin and intermediate places at 5.25 p.m. daily. From Temuka and Timaru at 9.25 a.m. and 5.25 p.m. daily. From Greenstreet, Ashburton Forks, Mount Somers, and Ashburton Gorge on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3 p.m. From Ashton, Waterton, and Long beach at 10 a.m. daily. From Wakanui and Seafield on Tues days and Fridays at 2.30 p.m.

W. St. G. Douglas, Postmaster.

Mails close at the Chief Post Offices for the following places (subject to the necessary alterations) as under : _ The next mail for the United Kingdom via San Francisco, will be closed at Christ church on May 22, and will be due in London on July 6. The next mail for the United Kingdom via Brindisi (for correspondence specially addressed only), will be closed at Christ church on June 3rd, and will be due in London on July 24th.

SYDNEY J. DICK, Chief Postmaster.

The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser (With which is incorporated the “Evening Echo”). FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1880.

The meeting of the Library subscribers last night was, from one point of view at least, successful : it has given the institu tion a staff of officers and a Committee, — machinery it has not possessed for two years,—and their election encourages the hope that there is a better future before the Library than its condition and conduct for a long time past were calculated to inspire. It is difficult to understand why the Library’s affairs should be allowed, both by its subscribers and its Committee, to run so far down ; but having reached, let us hope, iheir lowest ebb, surely there was no reason why those who had at least the name of being at the head of its affairs should have been so tardy in acceding to the wish, so often expressed, that the members should be called together and steps taken towards the resuscitation of the concern. That the Library’s business has not been looked after is evident, not only from the meagreness of the supply of books, and the poor table of newspapers, but also from the unready appearance the Com mittee presented last night. The report submitted was a hurriedly got up affair, and the information it supplied was meagre in the extreme, while even the balance sheet, which is the kernel of every society’s financial condition, was not forth coming. In justice, however, to Mr. Ward, he explained that his time that day had been so fully occupied that he had not been able to draw the statement up, but that it would be forth-coming by noon of the day following. Still, as no balance sheet has been submitted, no one was able to say anything about the accounts, and the verbal statement by Mr. Ward that LlO lay to the Library’s credit at the bank, while he held accounts that would absorb that sum and leave L 4 of a debtor balance, was all the financial information available. From the supineness of the subscribers and the inertness of the last Committee, the whole management of the concern has been allowed to fall personally on Mr. Ward’s shoulders, and it must certainly be said of him that, considering his position was honorary and not the rnosi _ t-n ian kftil, he has prevented the in stitution if rom falling altogether to pieces. Still, it \j g a £ the same time not in accordaiX, ce ]yj r> Ward’s charac ter for prom £ ness an( j precision that, with a two s year lapse of time, re peated jogs b}L discomfited subscribers, common talk ( a ij oU f the unsatisfactory state of the Li for a general nfoeeting, he should have been unready wiwh his balance sheet, even at the last moment, Had it not been for the many persoi>M friends that rallied round him meeting, and the firm faith that is/reposed in him by every resi dent, alm.ost without exception, there mighV-'have been some more adverse criticism than that indulged in by Mr. 'Purnell. Mr. Purnell stated that he himself had never ceased agitating for a general meeting to be held, and that he had had great difficulty in bringing it about. We are sorry that the Committee should have had any hesitancy in calling the meeting, as there was after all, as it turned out, nothing to fear, and their

holding back only strengthened a suspicion that was gaining ground in some quarters that they did fear some evil, and had something to conceal. Evidently some evil was feared, else why contend that only paid-up subscribers should vote, and thus debar many from having a voice in the meeting, who really, but not very deadly arrears, had more real interest in the institution than many who that night purchased for the first time, and for a few coppers, a say in the meeting, that we fear they are not likely to retain much longer than the time their two and ninepence covers. It was all very well to contend, when it so suited, for the paying up of arrears before voting ; but those contend ing for that payment should have remem bered that the rules of the Library had been constantly broken by every one, the committee included, and to still the voice of any member at such a time, was to use an expression made use of during the meeting “ bad taste,” especially when the committee themselves were in fault in not having called any meetings for two years, in not being prepared even then with a balance-sheet, and in having allowed the privileges of the institute to have become common property, free to every Tom, Dick, and Harry who choose to enter. The meeting is over, and, let us hope, all bad feeling that may have been en gendered is buried ; and that upon the attenuated framework to which the insti tution has been reduced their will be built up a library and reading-room worthy of the town and a credit to the subscribers. The Library and Reading-room is a pub lic institution, but only in the sense that membership is public—it is not free, and the sooner the people who have hitherto haunted the reading tables without paying any subscription are made aware that they have no right to do anything of the kind, and are not to be permitted longer to do so, the sooner will the finance of the con cern reach a proper footing. The revenue of the future will be almost wholly de rived from the subscriptions of members. A small sum may be given by the County Council, but it is to the members the Committee must look for ‘supplies. With this fact in view need we urge upon the residents to place their names upon the membership list, and thus help the Com mittee ? Just in proportion to the num ber of members will the Committee’s funds be strong or weak, and the strength or weakness of the funds will tell in like manner upon the book shelves and upon the reading table. Before dismissing the subject, let us add one final word regarding Mr. Ward. We confess, and he confesses, that he and the Committee are to blame to a con

siderable extent for not calling the sub scribers together at an earlier date, and for permitting the Library to become less active than it might have been. But Mr. Ward has done much for the Library not withstanding, and done it out of purely disinterested motives. By no possible means could he gain any pecuniary bene fit, nor, in fact, any benefit whatever, from the position he held as Secretary and Librarian, and he has no right whatever to be saddled with “culpable neglect.” What he did was done gratuitously, and if the subscribers fell away and left the Library so crippled for funds as barely to be able to pay its way, the Committee, as a consequence, getting disheartened and apathetic, the blame did not lie with Mr. Ward, who was in no way called upon to make his special business what pably become nobody’s concern. efficiency of the Library is the result of the apathy of the subscribers and of the public. Re-awaken public interest, and there is no fear of the Library’s future.-

Earthquake. —A smart shock of earth quake was felt in Ashburton at about quarter to ten o’clock last night.

Strayed Cattle. For tethering a horse on the railway reserve, sufficiently close to West street, to allow the horse to stray on the road, and become an obstruc tion to traffic, Mr. Guinness fined Max Friedlander, this morning, ss. Mr. George Parkin pled guilty to a charge of allowing a calf to wander at large, and he was also mulct in a fine of ss. J. Butler was fined 10s., he having two cows to stray. The South Rakaia Hotel. —The pro prietorship of the South Rakaia Hotel hav ing changed hands, a dinner was given by the incoming host, on Thursday evening, to which the principal inhabitants of the dis trict were invited. The chair was occu pied by Mr. Francis, the new proprietor, the vice chair being filled by Mr. W. H. Partridge who is retireing from the busi ness. About forty persons sat down to a really good dinner, well put on the table and well served, auguring well for the future patrons of the establishment. The usual loyal toasts and patriotic toasts were drunk, in many cases with musical honors. During the intervals between the toasts several good songs were contributed by the gentlemen present, and altogether a most enjoyable evening was spent, the company breaking up in the small hours of the morning.

The Wellington Fire Brigades.— Recently, it will be remembered, the Wellington Volunteer Fire Brigades were disbanded, and in their stead the City Council organised a new body of paid men. There is, however, likely to be some dis agreement over the division of the old Brigades’ funds. They possessed Sick and Accident Funds, to which the members themselves subscribed, and they claim that the money —some L4O0 —should be divided amongst them. The City Council and the Insurance Societies contend that, for the maintenance of these funds, 10 per cent of the subsidies paid to the Brigades were devoted, and therefore the Brigades have no right to claim the money as their personal property, or at least any more than the portion they contributed by their own subscriptions.

Meeting of Members of the Ashburton Library.

There was a large attendance of members of the Ashburton Library at the meeting held last night for the purpose of receiving the report and balance-sheet, and electing office bearers and Committee for the ensuing year. Dr. Trevor was voted to the chair, and, in opening the proceedings, referred to the purposes for which the meeting was called, and hoped that the result of it would be to infuse new life into the con cern. It was just six years since the first meeting was held to inaugurate the in stitution, and of those present that even ing, he believed only Messrs. Poyntz, Ward, Bullock, and himself were at the first meeting. The promoters had put their shoulders to the wheel, and some times had put their hands in their pockets to make the Library a success, and along with aid which had been received from Govern ment, they had got along remarkably well. The institution had received but little sup port during the recent and yet prevailing depresssion, and the committee had not done all they might have done during the last twelve months. Yet the prospect was a hopeful one : there was a balance at the Bank, the nucleus existed of a good Library, they held some valuable pro perty, including a good piano, and what with the large population and a grant which was expected from the County Council, he thought there was a bright future before them. The Chairman con cluded his remarks by bearing testimony to the interest which the Secretary, Mr. Ward, had taken in the Library, and the work which he had gratuitously under taken in its behalf. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the report of the committee was reed as follows : The Committee of the Ashburton Pub lic Library and Reading-room have to report that, from a variety of causes, which will not now be enumerated, there has not been a general meeting of the subscribers held since 30th March, 1878. Since that time great changes have taken place, both as regards the building and the financial condition and prospects of the Library. With respect to the build ing : At the last general meeting of the subscribers it was represented that as the Town and Templar Halls were erected, or in the course of erection, and as the large revenue which had hitherto been derived from leasing the Library Hall would ne cessarily and inevitably cease, it would be desirable for the newly-elected Com mittee to take this fact into their early consideration, and make such provisions as to them appeared necessary to make the Library building as convenient as possible, and use it only for the purposes for which it was originally founded. Iri accordance with this suggestion, on the 4th July, 1878, after much anxious de liberation, the Committee decided to alter the building to its present form and ca pacity— viz., a smoking-room, reading and coffee room, and a small dwelling at the back for the care-taker to live in and take care of the premises, and look after the requirements especially of lady sub scribers. The changes thus made, the Committee regret to state, have not met with the encouragement and support from the general public which they, whether rightly or wrongly, felt themselves justi

fied in anticipating. With regard to the finances, the Committee have to report that there has been a great decrease in the income of the institution. This has arisen from two or three causes —first, from the loss of revenue from rents re ceived from the source previously mentioned ; and, secondly, from the general commercial depression which has so long prevailed in the town and neigh borhood, and which, there is no doubt, has crippled the resources of the sub scribers to a very considerable extent. But there is yet another cause which has exercised an influence adverse to the financial prosperity of the institution — viz., a wide-spread report that the public had a right to the .privileges of the Li brary free of charge. The Committee would have considered such a report beneath their notice had it not been for the influence produced upon some who have made use of the advantages offered without contributing towards its main tenance. In concluding this report, the Committee earnestly hope that their suc cessors will succeed in initiating such measures as will make the institution what it ought to be —viz., a moral and intel lectual benefit to the increasing popula tion of this town and neighborhood. With regard to the balance-sheet, Mr, Ward asked the indulgence of members, as, through unforseen circumstances, he had been unable to get it completed in time for that meeting. However, there was a credit balance at the Bank of LlO Is. 9d., but there were accounts owing to the amount of Ll 4 odd, which, when paid, would leave them a little overdrawn ; and hence the Chairman’s statement of there being a credit balance was incorrect.

Mr. Purnell could not see what use the meeting was, seeing there was no balance sheet, and there was no means of ascer taining whether the accounts were correct or incorrect. It was a state of affairs which would be very unsatisfactory to the incoming committee, who would take office without any funds whatever. There was no excuse at all for the unsatisfactory state of affairs, as there had been repeated requests for a long time for a meeting to be held. He thought the committee were guilty of very culpable neglect. He had been a subscriber to the Library for the last fifteen months, and he knew that there had been no new books added during that time. He would move that the re port be referred to a committee for con sideration, to report to the next general meeting. Mr. St. Hill wished to know whether Mr. Purnell had paid his subscription. The Secretary stated that Mr. Purnell was really not a member of the institu tion, his subscription having fallen in arreai’.

Mr. Purnell resented this statement, and said that' up to the present time he had always paid his subscription, and was quite willing to pay for the ensuing quarter when called upon by the Secre tary, whose duty it was to collect subscrip tions.

At this period of the meeting, the Chairman remarked that as no one pre sent was entitled to vote who was in arrears, and as there was evidently some defaulters’ present who were quite ready to pay up, he would adjourn the pro ceedings for ten minutes to allow of this being done. At this announcement there was a perfect rush to the Secretary’s ioHLo, nnd for a..fflw_rnnmi?nt,a that gentle man was diligently employed in receiving subscriptions. v On the motion of Mr. Gundry, seconded by Mr. Shury, the report as read was adopted. Mr. Gundry thought the brief state ment of accounts given by Mr. Ward was perfectly satisfactory, but as the complete balance-sheet was not in readiness for that meeting, he would propose that the same be referred to the incoming Com mittee for their consideration. This was seconded by Mr. Boyle, and carried. Mr. Bullock proposed—“ That Mr. Ward be requested to act as President of the Library for the ensuing year. ” The speaker referred in complimentary terms to the very active part Mr. Ward had taken in the affairs of the institution to make it successful. Mr. Bullock hoped that in the future the Library would be conducted in the same satisfactory manner as it had been during the first three years of its existence. He regretted very much that Dr. Trevor had notified his intention of not taking office again, but as he would not consent to be re-elected he had much pleasure in proposing Mr. Ward as the future President of the Library. Mr. St. Hill paid a high tribute to the activity displayed by Mr. Ward in the interests of the concern, especially in its infancy, when, through the forethought of that gentleman, a sum of L4O had been obtained from the late Provincial Govern ment just prior to the abolition of the pro vinces.

Mr. Ward was unanimously elected President, and suitably responded to the honor conferred on him. Dr. Trevor said, with regard to the office of Secretary, that it was a most im portant position to hold, inasmuch as a great deal of the efficiency and success of the institution depended on that officer. Mr. Shury proposed, and Mr. Zouch seconded the nomination of Mr. Jacobson to fill the office of Secretary. Mr. Roberts proposed, and Mr. Gundry seconded, Mr. Young as Secretary. Mr. Ward drew the attention of the meeting to the fact that there was a gentleman present, who was one of the oldest members of the Library, and who had been its first Secretary. He referred to Mr. Poyntz, and had much pleasure in nominating him for the posi tion. This motion having been seconded, and Mr. Young retiring from the contest, a ballot was taken, which, resulted in the election of Mr. Jacobson.

' On the motion of Mr. Bullock, seconded by Mr. Hurrell, Mr. Roberts was elected Treasurer, Mr. Young being unanimously elected Librarian, on the motion of Mr. Shury, seconded by Mr. Gundry.

There were twelve candidates brought to the front, from whom five members of Committee were to be chosen. A ballot resulted in the following gentlemen being elected : —Rev. Mr. Hands, Messrs Guin ness, Gundry, Shury, and St. George Douglas. Considerable interest was mani fested over this election, especially when the Chairman announced a tie between Mr. St. Hill and Mr. St. George Douglas. Both gentlemen were anxious to retire in favor of each other, but the meeting would not consent to this, one gentleman facetiously remarking that it was too in teresting an event to miss a contest be tween two “ Saints.” The result, as will be seen, eventuated in the return of Mr. Douglas. Messrs. Boyle and Zouch were elected auditors.

Dr. Ross gave notice of motion that at the next meeting he would move that rule 10 be altered, so as to read “ 10 mem bers of Committee ” in place of 5. Votes of thanks to the retiring Secretary and Treasurer, and to the Chairman con cluded the meeting, which was looked upon as being very successful, both in the numerous attendance and the interest taken in the proceedings.

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the. opinions expressed by our correspondents.

THE LIBRARY.

To the Editor.

Sir, —Regarding the meeting of sub scribers to the Library held last night there is one characteristic of it I hope the large number of Dissenters in Ashburton will not lose sight of if they would prevent the Ashburton Public Library from becoming an outhouse of St. Stephen’s Church. I know that many will say this remark is gratuitous and uncalled for, and that in making it I am dragging into con nection with the Library an element of denomination that does not belong to it, and which has no connection with it. I do not wish to raise denominational strife over the Library’s affairs, but I do wish to apprise the Dissenters of the town of the fact that as the matter now stands they are nowhere, and that if they want to exercise any influence on its conduct, the sooner they join the ranks of its membership the better for themselves and the institute. 1 was not actually present at the meeting last night, in fact I had only reached the door and looked in when I saw that every soul there was a churchman. The election of office-bearers resulted in churchmen from the pastor down taking the seats, and this condition of things does not speak well for the interest Dissenters take in the Library health of the community. When I say there is a danger of the Library be coming an outhouse of St. Stephen’s Church, I am not wholly without support, for the two parish meetings that have been held since I came to Ashburton, have been held in the Library, and I have never yet heard of the subscrib ers’ per mission for such meetings being obtained. I have often heard the institute set down as an establishment belonging to a few of tlieleading Churchmen in the town, andthat those who did not belong to that particu lar church, have no share in the conduct of its affairs. It is quite a fact that such is the case, but the blame rests with Dis senters themselves, and it it to their shame that I point out to them that not a single Dissenter could I see of all the sixty or more subscribers who took part in the general meeting. In their own interests I appeal to them to join the Library ; their absence from it shows a painful want of interest in literature, and I know that were the energy and go that many of them display in other matters thrown in to help the cause of literature as represented in the Public Library, there would very soon be a different tale to tell of the condition of the institute. —I am, &c.

N ONCONFORMIST,

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

( Reuter's Tel eg rams.) Mr. Bradlaugh Must Swear. London, May 12. The Select Committee appointed to con sider the question which arose through Mr. Bradlaugh’s refusal to take the oath, have presented their report. The Parlia mentary Committee has decided that Mr. Bradlaugh must take the oath before he can take his seat for Northampton. The Markets. Three per Cent. Consuls, 99|. Adelaide wheat,, per 4961b5. ex ware house, 525. At the wool sales to-day, 11,700 bales were offered, making a total of 205,800 bales catalogued since the opening. Prices were barely maintained. Pig iron, 525. Arrival. Arrived —The ship Auckland, from Port Chalmers. H-M-S. Bacchants. May 13. H.M.S. corvette Bacchants, 16 guns, which recently, returned from a cruise with the Princes Albert and George of Wales, has been ordered on another cruise. She will proceed to Australia, and visit the various ports. Prince George, the second son of the Prince of. Wales, will accompany the Bacchants on tliis voyage. A Difficult Task. The Marquis of Hartington made a speech to-day, in the course of which he said that, in view of the difficulties which had been inherited from the Conservative Ministry, Government would be obliged to limit the number of legislative measures to be introduced during the present session. Another Rising. Constantinople, May 12. News has been received here that the Albanians have risen in arms, and demand that their independence shall be pro claimed. There is great excitement in Albania, but no conflict has yet been reported to have taken place.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Per Reuter's Agency.) The Tararua. Melbourne, May 13. The Tararua sailed to-day for the Bluff. The Chinese Question. The Hon. Mr. Service, in the Assembly, stated that the influx of Chinese was an undesirable question, not merely on colonial, but on national grounds. He would make a statement regarding the same subject later on. Sugar.

The Mauritius sugar market remains un changed. Another Sticking-up Case. Sydney, May 12. The Railway Paymaster has been bailed up near YValcha, and robbed of LBO. The police are in pursuit. The Strathleven Shipment. May 14.

The accounts of the Strathleven, which conveyed the first shipment of meat to England, shows that the vessel lost Ll 5 by her trip.

The N. S. W. Electoral Bill, In the Legislative Assembly last night, the new Electoral Bill was under discus sion. The clause providing that candi dates for the Assembly should deposit LSO was rejected on a division.

NEW ZEALAND.

Friendless. Auckland, May 13. .. A poor woman named Margaret Aspiri; with four helpless children and a baby in arms, arrived per Te Anau from Brisbane. She received a letter from her husband to come to Auckland and he would meet her there. She sent a. letter telling him she was coming, and when she arrived to her dismay her own letter was still in the Post office unclaimed. The woman is help less, and has no means whatever. The police have no clue to the whereabouts of Aspin.

The Accident on the Waikato Line.

An inquest on Walsh, killed on the Waikato railway, resulted in a verdict of “ Accidental death.” The jury added a rider that the Government be advised to inaugurate a system of communication be tween the guard and engine-driver, and also that all stations should be in tele graphic communication.

Nelson Cut up Rough. Nelson, May 13.

A largely attended meeting was held last night to consider the action of the Government in declining to accept tenders for the trunk railway. Mr. Pitt, M. H. R., read a telegram from the Colonial Trea surer, which in effect stated that the cause of the action of the Government was the financial position of the colony, and they felt bound before accepting further con tracts to see their way to meet the defi ciency on March 31st last, which he stated to be over a million. The speaker urged that the Government could not have made this discovery all at once after calling for tenders, and contended that they had broken their pledges, and that this meet ing express strong disapprobation of the action of the Government after their distinct pledge. It was carried by a large' majority that as the Nelson district has not received its share of expenditure, though its inhabitants have had to con tribute towards the whole expenditure of the colony, this meeting calls on the re presentatives of the district to oppose by all means any Government till justice is given to Nelson. Mr. Hursthouse, M.H.R., was present, and opposed the resolution. Another Fire. A fire occurred at. Waimea West this morning, when Palmer’s Hotel was burned down. The landlord, Carriage, lost everything, and Mr. Palmer’s insurance on the building, which is valued at LBOO, was only L4OO. Fire. Wellington, May 14. A fire broke out at 11.30 in Mr. Alex ander’s boarding-house, Murphy street, last night. The fire originated in the back kitchen, but in what manner is unknown, as all the occupants of the house were in bed. The alarm was given by the next door neighbor, who saw the glare through a window when going to bed. The build ing was speedily in flames, and was com pletely destroyed, also the next house, oc cupied and belonging to Mr. Cosgrove, the Parliamentary messenger. A quantity of his furniture was saved. A carpenter’s workshop belonging to Mr. Johnson was also gutted. The furniture was removed from Captain Holmwood’s house, next door, but his premises did not catch. . The water supply was very defective. The following are the insurances on the build ings destroyed :--Alexander’s house, L 350 in South British, and L3ooin the Colonial ; furniture, L 350 in the Union. Cosgrove’s house was insured for Ll5O in the Colonial.

Opening of the Wellington-Masterton Railway. Greytown, May. 14.

The Greytown section of the Welling ton-Masterton Railway was opened this morning. The train came through in the appointed time, and all went smoothly, but there were only a few passengers. Some twenty persons assembled at the station on the arrival of the train, includ ing the Mayor and Councillors. IHs rain ing heavily. Large Shoals of Fish. Timaru, May 14. During the past fortnight the coast here has been visited by large shoals of cod fish. The water is literally alive with them, and fishermen have filled their boats as rapidly as they could pull them in. Fish have never before been so cheap and plentiful in Timaru. A Pair of Thieves. Henry Williams was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for robbing an acquaintance of bye-gone years of his swag, while the latter was doing the amiable in a public-house bar. The Bench charac terised the theft as base and ungrateful. William Bradshaw, formerly confidential clerk to a legal firm here, was committed for trial for stealing a theodolite from a surveyor’s office on Sunday. A Colonial Prison. Dunedin, May 13. In his monthly report to the Harbor Board, Captain Thomson suggests that the Central Penal Establishment for New Zealand should be formed at Heyward’s Point. This point, which is just below Port Chalmers, is said to be a very out- I of-the-way place, suggestive of a sort of Siberia, and if his recommendation is carried out, the Harbor-master desires to have the prison labor utilised in forming a breakwater, which would improve the bar. The report was referred to the Works Committee for consideration. A Good Return. The Gladstone Company at Arrow sent down a cake of ounces from 97 tons of stone, the best return yet obtained. A Courthouse Consumed. The Courthouse at Tokomairiro has been burnt down. All the documents were destroyed. The clerk left the lamp burn ing while he went to tea, and it is sup posed to have exploded.

A Charitable Institution.— During 1879, 6,504 breakfasts were supplied to the poor of Sydney by the Sydney Morn ing Breakfast Mission.

THE STORY-TELLER.

A LOVE STORY. Continued. She threw up her clenched fists in the whirlwind of her passion. “If I were a man, I would throw you into the sea for those words. I would strike you dead before me if I could. Hah !” she cried, looking over his shoulder, down the path which led to the land side of the cliff; and to his intense, surprise she flung her self into his arms, clasping him close, swaying backward snd forward, and emitting shriek upon shriek of piercing shrillness. “ Good heavens, Clara, what can you mean 1” exclaimed Arthur Are you mad ? —Clara !” Still she clung to him, screaming, arid ' affecting to battle with him. A dim figure ascended the cliff by the pathway—-came nearer, and revealed Edward Burnet in ■.* the shadows of the growing night. Clara Wraxall burst away from Arthur, and flew to the new-comer. “ Oh. Mr. Burnet,” she c.ied ; “ will at least protect me! That man has in sulted me—has offered me violence. ” “Mr. Golding!” exclaimed the aston ished Edward, recognising him. “ Thank heaven you came,” she sobbed. “He I cannot say how grossly he endeavoured to wrong me.” ; - Arthur Golding, standing against' the railing, had, up to this, had no opportu nity to interpose a word. With an infa tuate cry of fury the young man rushed at ' him and aimed a blow at his head with a hick stick which had aided his ascent. “Scoundrel!” cried Edward, deliver ing the blow. Interposing his arm, Arthur Golding received the blow—a severe one—while with the other he stopped the young man’s mad rush. There) was a momentary scuffle, a push from Golfing, and Edward Burnet was hurled against the railing, which crashed beneath his weight, and he disappeared over the edge of the cliff. “Merciful heaven!” cried Arthur Golding, horror-stricken. “ What have I done ? ” “You have killed him,” screamed Clara Wraxall. “He is dead. You have mur dered the brother of your beloved. ” And like one possessed she fled scream ing down the path, and was lost in the darkness. Stunned with the weight of his invol untary crime, Golding crept as near as he could to the edge of the precipice, and looked over. To descend in the direction in which the unhappy youth had fallen was impossible ; the cliff was as precipi tous as che wall of a house, and at its base the retreating sea cast on the rocks a white border of foam. The night, too, had deepened • too with the swiftness peculiar to that time of year. He could see no trace of the young man. With a heavy heart he made his way quickly down the path on the land side, intending to get a jboat and some assistance, and endeavor to find Edward Burnet alive or dead— the alternative he had only too good reason to fear. At the foot of Cleve Cliff he met a party of the alarmed villagers, among them Clara Wraxall raving. Then Mr. Burnet , and several gentlemen from the picnic party hurried to the spot. And then and there Clara passionately denounced him as Edward’s murderer.

The violence of her rage, the falshood of her charge—false in its minuteness, a terrible lie in every circumstantiality overwhelmed him. She had witnessed their quarrel; it was Goldipg who pro voked it, she said. His jealousy of the young man had prompted the attack, and he had ruthlessly seized the less powerful stripling, and flung him over the cliff, breaking the railing in the act. He could not repel the terrible accusation which left every cheek pale, and a horror in every eye. Directing two men to guard him, Mr. Burnet procured a couple of boats, and beaded a search at once hopeless and unavailing. In an hour’s time they sor rowfully returned to land. Not even the dead body could be rescued from the cruel waves that washed the base of Cleve Cliff.

All that night Arthur Golding remained in guarded seclusion in the house of his former entertainer. Next day a magis trate’s warrant was procured, and he was committed to prison on the charge of attempt to murder. An examination before the magistrates elicted no new facts beyond the repeated statement of Miss Wraxall as to the circumstances attending the attack. Questioned as to the precise cause of the quarrel between the two young men, she admitted, with some reluctance, that their quarrel had been about herself. She had unconsciously (and oh, how bitterly she reproached her self now) afforded them a pretext for a violence which in one had led to death, and in the other to a crime which—judg ing from ominous expressions which he had confided to her, and which at the time she had set down to the jealous ravings of a lover—slie feared was pre meditated. Arthur was then formally committed for trial.

A damaging part of the evidence against him, was the fact that he had had a slight tiff with the deceased on that fatal afternoon, and during the picnic ex cursion. It had amounted merely to a few hasty words provoked by Edward himself, in whose mind a jealous hatred of Arthur had been attfully sown by Miss Wraxall. Still it was enough t/> prejudice the case against Ml., For Miss Wraxall a great deal of public com miseration was created,- by her unfortu nate connection with the crime, by her having been a witness of the murder, and by the manifest suffering which she expe rienced in giving her evidence. On Gold ing, public opinion was heavy 7 and strong. Of all interested in the tragedy on Cleve Cliff, there were but two hearts that steadily refused to believe in his guilt— one, the unhappy girl whose lot it was to mourn a brother slain by a lover’s hand ; the other, sturdy Frederick Burnet, who had been summoned by telegraph, and who undertook with all his legal energies to conduct his friend’s defence. [to be continued.]

Friday, Ma\ 14, 1880.1

THE ASHBURTON HERALD



NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS,



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