The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser (With which is incorporated the “ Evening Echo”) MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1880.

After the dead-lock which occurred last Friday with the trial of the Christchurch rioters, occasioned by the exhaustion of the jury panel by the challenges of both Crown and prisoners, and neither side praying for a tales, or extempore summon ing of a fresh jury, His Honor adjourned the case till Saturday morning. It has been a popular error until now that when a tales was prayed the persons from whom the jury was called were those then pre sent in the Court. On Saturday His Honor, in announcing the course he had had made up his mind to follow, to con sider which he had caused the Court to be adjourned the previous day, disabused the minds of those in Court of any belief they might have that a jury must be collected from the audience then in the Courthouse when a tales i 3 prayed. He spoke as fol lows :

“He had taken all the more pains to ascertain the law upon the subject which its gravity and importance deserved, as the law was spread over a large number of old books. It was astonishing how inde finite the law was,(arising no doubt from the fact that the cases upon which the. de cisions were founded arose in such ancient days that the objections taken had been set at rest for ever. He was not going to give them a disquisition on the law of furies or tales, but he might say that while it might be, as Mr. Joynt had suggested, that the prisoners could not pray a tales, he was of opinion that the law laid it down—though he had not looked up the authority—that they might under certain circumstances. One thing he had dis covered, and that was that a tales de cir cumstantibus is not necessarily taken from persons in the Court, but may be taken by the sheriff issuing summonses forthwith. It was a popular error, there fore, to suppose that only those in Court could be taken when a tales was prayed. Now, with regard to the subject which the Court had had to consider, he was of opinion as at present advised that the law as laid down in the case quoted by him on the preceding day from Plowdea was good law, and that the Court could have the prisoners tried sepa rately by the same jury panel, each man having his challenges. But then a diffi culty presented itself. The jury now before the Court could not be compelled to serve over that day, unless they com menced a case, when they would have to remain until its conclusion. It would manifestly be very inconvenient to com mence one of a series of twelve cases in this way. But there was a way out of this, as they had another jury panel sum moned for Monday next', which would be perfectly competent to try these cases. He therefore proposed to adjourn the Court until Monday next, when Mr. Joynt could have the opportunity of join ing his challenges, or if not, then the Crown could apply to have each' one tried separately. The Court would; new bo; adjourned until eleven o’clock on Monday morning.” . : -

The “ Freemason.” —We have re ' ceived the first copy of a handsomely printed little newspaper entitled “ The '.New Zealand Freemason,” published by iWlackay, Bracken, and Co., of Dunedin, and edited, we understand, by Bro. Cum mJng, lately of Waimate. The pages are surrounded with a very pretty border in red, and tire matter in them is of much interest to members of the craft, to whom : we commend it as a valuable shilling’s | worth. It is published monthly. In ; another column we publish a translation | the 4 ‘Freemason” contains of the ! National Masonic hymn of Saxony, sung ! at the close of every lodge supper. | Musical Masons will - find a suitable Eng lish tune to it in Wait vliile I touch my 1 guitar.” I Robbeliy at Rakaia. — For some days past this town has been visited daily by L warms of men of all descriptions on the 1, xjk-out for work, so many of them arriv in % that numbers of them have be unable t, () 'find sleeping room at the hotels and lod' png houses., and as a consequence they have' had to pass the night tinder the porse hedges. On Friday night one/of these wen was robbed of LlO, the thief cutting' «ut the man’s pocket .with a very sharp n wtrument, probably a razor. The man wh ’•*> was drunk, was in the. company of Mary 2UW Cook, who was Fraught up ( at the Co. nit held at Rakaia on Wednesday f on the cha tgs© of vagrancy. The woman was apprel untied hy Sergeant Pratt on Snturd-tv m sinning and taken to Ashl)Ui ton Her h-.ise’band. who was also with them, is not to foe found. A man known as Piccolo Oh auiley was apprehended with the woman.

Mums Duo’. vcffiE-n. —On the day of the Mount Hutt el edtiion, while one of Mr. Pocock’s men t, .-carting gi'ain to the station, arid had his horses to feed, one of the team, -a valuable mare, made for an open '. well Hiear Morgan and Hibb’s yard to drink. Losing her balance she fell ; iaa2 d was drownec.

The animal was in the well two hours before they were able to get out her carcase with a block and tackle. The well was about four feet square, and only seven feet deep, being simply made to drain off the r ace through the shingle.

Mount Hutt Road Boakd Offices. — The new offices for the Mount Hutt Road Board are now finished, and are a credit to Mr. S. B. Nelson, of Ashburton. The Board-room is an apartment of 26ft by 16ft clear inside measurement, and the clerk’s cottage is a comfortable house of four rooms, with a lean-to. Besides these there is a five-stalled stable and feed-house.

School Committees— The annual meet ings of ratepayers in the various school districts will be held on the evening of Monday, the 29th January, in the school rooms where these are built, and in the houses or hotels where meetings have been held hitherto of such committees as do not yet possess school buildings. The Ash burton annual meeting and election will be held on the above evening in theschool room.

Closed Doors.— We are sorry to ob serve that our respected President Magis trate does not see fit to exercise his aight to clear the Court when a case of indecent assault is heard before him. It is re markable that when a filthy case is be fore the Court there is always a crowd of men in attendance with mouths wide open, and eyes half out of their heads. Would it not be better, for all concerned, and especially for females wiio have to give evidence, if those louts were shown to the. door. This course is followed elsewhere, and surely when the press decline to print the evidence the Court might decline to allow it to be heard by the only people who delight to listen to it.

CORRESPONDENCE.

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

To the Editor,

Sir,, —I trust you will correct a misstate ment which appeared in your evening paper of the 9th inst., in which you state a man named Gall, who illegally escaped from custody, was recaptured in Quill’s bar while enjoying a quiet pint of ale. As such a statement is untrue, in so far as the man referred -to not being arrested “in, near, or about my premises.” I therefore hope you will correct your pre vious statement in your next issue.—l am. &c.,

Thos. Quill.

TELEGRAPHIC.

TO-DAY’S CABLEGRAMS

LATEST FROM EUROPE

(Reuter's.) London, Jan. 10. Three per cent, consols, 93J;. Australian tallow—best mutton, 40s. 6d, Cape Town, Jan. 10. The Transvaal.

The Cape Government is continuing to take steps for the suppression of sedition in the Transvaal, and have issued warrants for the arrest of Kruger and another Boer. The former was at one time President of the Transvaal.

INTERPROVINCIAL

TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Death of two Jewellers.

Wellington, Jan. 12.

Ludwig, a well known jeweller, died on Saturday, and Shaw, also a well known jeweller, died last night. Dropsy was the cause of death in each case. Supreme Court. The civil sittings of the Supreme Court have adjourned. Alex. Martin for cutting and wounding was remanded. Arrival. ‘ Dunedin, Jan. 12. Arrived—Ship Margaret Galbraith, 87 days out. One death, an infant, and two births. An Old Thief. At the City Court Charles Bilson, with five aliases, received twelve months for stealing a coat. Seven previous con victions of larceny since 1876 were proved against him. William Watson got twelve months on two chrrges of stealing a horse and saddle. Invercargill Races. Invercargill, Jan. 11' The Jockey Club have fixed the races for the 17th and 18th March. Boy Drowned. Yesterday Thos. Williams, aged 11, was drowned while bathing in Makareware river. A Fatal Kick- Edward Turner, a stowaway by the last trip of the Rotorua, died in hospital on Saturday. He had been engaged in a row and kicked in the abdomen on the 7 th.

BRITISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

LAST NIGHT’S CABLEGRAMS.

(Reuter's Telegram.) London. Jan. 10.

Serjeant Parry died suddenly. The shock of hearing of his death killed his wife.

Two chiefs on the Gold Coast have ceded -the sea:coast to the British. It is believed it is intended to acquire Popoe, a seaport near Abomey, the capital of Dahomey. January 11. A loan has been issued of L 130,000 for the Wellington waterworks. Berlin, Jan. 11.

The Lower House passed a resolution voting 6,000,000 marks for the relief of the famine in Silesia.

Calcutta, undated.

General Roberts held a durbar. at Qabul on the 9tli. He assured the chiefs that the Indian Government would re spect she lives, religion, and property of the inhabitants of Afghanistan. Panama, Jan. 10. The Bacchante has arrived at Barba does.

The Bolivian troops at Tacaa have re volted.

(A rgus Special. ) London. Jan. 10.

It is understood that the Sultan was personally answerable for his action in connection with the recent Mollah inci dent, and it is feared that he is passing

under Russian influence ; hence Consul, Layard’s pressure. The duties imposed by the German protective tariff are an increase of one third. The result is that the German shipping trade lias declined.

AUSTRALIAN.

{Ratio's.) Melbourne, Jm.. 11

Mr Berry has authorised the Enhibi bition Commissioners to provide 100,000 ft. additional space, and pro bably will extend the time for ceiving applications.

(Association Special.) Melbourne, Jan. 13.

The Government have consented to provide 100,000 ft. extra space at the Ex hibition.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin telegraphs to the Mayor of Melboui’ne that the dis tress in Ireland is increasing, and urgently requires publication throughout the colonies with a view to relief.

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Auckland, Jan. 10.

The notice served by Mr. Stewart, dis trict, engineer, on Dempsey, re railway reclamation contract, expired to-day. There is general dissatisfaction at the summer weather passing over and nothing being done.

Thomas Vernon, charged whh un shipping a quantity of drapery which had not paid customs duty, was fined LlO3, and costs L 3 10s.

Molii Tawhai, M.H.R., for the northern Maori district, leaves for Wellington, having been telegraphed for to go there at once, being required as one of the commissioners on the Waimate Plains.

For some time past rumors have been circulated about a Ngaruawhaia goldfield; to-day the result of a trial test that Ava,s made at the Thames was . received. It. was fifty specs, as fine as flour, from 105

ounces of quartz. At a meeting of the Acclimatisation Society a letter was read from the Premier requesting Mr. Firth to undertake the un packing and transfer of the white fish ova from the mail steamer, and forwarding them to their destination. The total number of boxes is 41, eleven of which are for Auckland. It was agreed that Mr. Firth should deposit ova in Lakes Tara wara and Tnupo, the council guaranteeing the expenses of transport. Mr. Firth said he would hatch one of the parcels of ova in the domain ponds by way of ex periment. Webb has compromised the action for alleged libel against Edgecumbe, which was set down for hearing at the present cb'il sittings.

January 11,

The Anglican Mission for merchant seamen in port was inaugurated. Bishop Cowie conducted the first service to-day in the long room of the New Zealand In surance Company’s buildings. Wellington, January 11.

A stabbing case occurred on Friday night. It appears that two seamen be longing to the barque Bebington had a fight, when one of them named Alexander Martin took a sheath knife and severely stabbed the other man in the neck, making three incised wounds. The police have arrested Martin for unlawfully wounding. Port Chalmers, Jan. 10. A smart shock of earthquake from N.E. to S. E. was experienced here at 2 a.m. Dunedin, Jan. 11.

At the inquest on William Desmond, the jury found that death was caused by epilepsy, occasioned by excessive drink ing, and accelerated by poison. Neil, the herbalist, who sold poison to the deceased, was censured for not taking better precau tions in selling the same. The poison consisted of vermin killer, which contains strychnine.

The Last Lodge.

When the last of the stars dimly flashing, See old Time to its end hasten on ; When planets to ruin l are dashing. And the sun’s light is pallid and wan— Through the halls where the Masons are founding, Their temple, majestic and grand, Shall he heard that last cry, loudly sound ing : “ Hasten, Brothers ! the morn is at hand !” East and West, North and South, through all nations, The work at that call will have ceased, And the Brethren, observing their stations, • Shall look in calm faith to the East ; Joining hands over valleys and highlands, I‘/here each stands in the land of his birth, Shall he seen o’er all continents and is lands, But one Lodge on the face of the earth. To the Master’s stern voice loudly crying ; “Have the Masons obeyed my com - mands ?” Comes the voice of the craftsmen, reply ing : “ Look with grace on the work of our hands!' In our feeble and poor earthly fashion, We have sought to hew out the rough stone ; Let the depth of eternal compassion For the faults of our labor atone !” “ What’s the hour ?” cries the voice of the Master, They answer, “ Low Twelve,” hut be hold The rays of Thy morning come faster, To our eyes all its glories unfold ! At His nod see all veils rent asunder ; Aud, while earth sinks to chaos and night,

’Mid loud peals of the echoing thunder, 'shall the Brethren he brought to pure light.

A Ciiinaman in Trouble. —A Chinaman named Ah Gee was charged on Monday at the Greyrnouth Resident Magistrate’s Com’t with an attempt to evade payment of the gold duty on a parcel of gold. He pleaded ignorance of the British law, hut had to forfeit the goldnotwithstanding. Chertsey.— Mr. Edward Bowley, who has been railway porter at Chertsey for a considerable time, was removed on Tues day to Selwyn station, where he has been appointed station-master., The people of the district express many hearty good wishes for his future success, for his great kindness and civility rendered to the pub lic during a residence amongst them of about 18 months.

ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FARM CISCO MAIL AT AUCKLAND.

Summary of News. Auckland, Jan. 12. The Australia made the passage in 19 days 7 hours and twenty-six minutes, in cluding all stoppages. She leaves for Sydney at midnight. She brings the following news : San Francisco, Dec. 23.

Six ladies from the Sacred Heart Con vent, Chicago, go to New Zealand by the Australia to found a Convent of their order there.

Over two millions of white fish eggs, for warded by Mr. Creigton, per Australia, for the Government, were shipped in prime condition, packed in mountain ice. They were brought from Sierra Nevada ranges. Cardinal Manning appeals for, subscrip tions for relief of the Irish distress, dur ing the coming winter, when hunger and want are expected such as were never known since 1347.

An explosion of fire damp in a coal mine near Chemnitz killed 80 persons. At a meeting of Irish sympathisers held in Glasgow a resolution was passed calling for the impeachment of Earl Beaconsfield and the Marquis of Salis bury. A tenant evicted by Lord Fermoy struck him with a cudgel on the steps .of the Limerick Club, and felled him to the earth, where he lay insensible some time. His assailant receivec five years’ penal servitude. In North Island the landlords generally are reducing the rents 10 to 20 per cent. War is progressing between the tribes on the west coast of Africa, and the British naval three i 3 consequently in creased.

Heavy floods in the Isthmus of Panama submerged the railroad almost the entire length, flooding out.the natives along the line and destroying much properly. Pas sengers from the steamer could not land, and the steamer went to sea to escape a hurricane, which wrecked several vessels in the harbor and destroyed a portion of the Pacific Mail Company’s wharf. 354 passengers, and freight, were delayed. Sixty Mahomedan refugees were starved to death at Sophia. London, Dec. 21.

A Calcutta despatch says executions continue in the palace of Mandahf. Five princesses were recently murdered. The Burmese ambassadors are still at the Embassy. Press prosecutions and rioting have been prevented at Madrid. Floods in Hungary and Transylvannia have done great damage. Severe frost alone prevented Grosseverdeen and ad jacent villages from sharing the fate of Seggedin. Several Transylvannic towns were suddenly inundated, many houses falling in. The level country was sub merged, and the distress is extreme. Thousands of the inhabitants are fugitives, and many have perished. The famine extends to four provinces of Silesia. Breac riots have occurred in Revenna.

The Rev. Arthur Wagner, St. Paul’s Church., brighton, has joined the Church of Rome.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

ASHBURTON— Monday, Jan. 12.

(Before Mr. F. Guinness, R.M.) drunk. '

John Kelly, who looked as if he had oc cupied a coai heap for his lodgings, was charged with being drunk and disorderly.

Sergeant Pratt gave evidence that prisoner had been drunk and very noisy on Saturday night in Havelock street. Other cases were recorded against him. Prisoner promised to leave town'at once if let off’ this once. He was fined 40s. or a week in quad. VAGRANCY. Mary Ann Cook, who had been let off last week on a similar charge at Rakaia was again charged with, the same offence. Constable Thoreau deponed that she was guilty of indecent conduct at Rakaia. She had no place of abode, and had been about a week at Rakaia. By prisoner—l told you to clear out. Prisoner said in defence she and her husband arrived in Rakaia on Friday, and she was arrested on the Saturday, before she had a chance of going.

Sergeant Pratt gave evidence of pre vious convictions. The Magistrate sen tenced Mary Ann to six months, with hard labor. DRUNK AND DISORDERLY, &C.

James Franklin was charged with the above offence.

Constable- Rouse stated that prisoner was given in charge by Mr. .Shearman and resisted very violently, and he had to get assistance to convey him to the lockup. For being drunk the prisoner was fined 20s. or 48 hours, for creating a dis turbance in a licensed house, 20s. and costs ; and for resisting the police 20s. and costs —in default, a month’s imprison ment. [R. Beetham, Esq., R.M. , the Mayor of Ashburton, and Dr. Trevor here took their seats on the Bench.] INDECENT ASSAULT. John Gorman was charged with the above offence on the person of Lucy Swan, and Mr. Branson, for the prosecution, applied to have the charge withdrawn, so as to bring the lesser charge of a common assault against the prisoner, which was granted. Mr. Harris appeared for the prisoner, who pleaded not guilty. After evidence had been led, it appeared that no act of indecency had been committed, beyond an attempt or two to kiss the girl, and it came out in the prosecutor’s examination that the charge was laid because Mr. and Mrs. Haynes, the foster parents of the girl, had fallen out with the prisoner—all living together in a one-roomed house at the Hinds. At this point of the case Mr. Branson stated he would not proceed with the case any further, and the Bench discharged the prisoner. Mr Branson stated the case had only been placed in his hands that morning. Mr. Harris applied for costs in the case against the informant, ydiich \yeye granted, ASSAULT ON A BAILIFF, J. E, Hyd Harris was charged with assaulting A. Pearson, a bailiff or the Court, in the execution of ’jig duty, Mr. Guinness withdrew from th:: - Bench, and Mr. Beetham presided. Mr. Harris pleaded not guilty, but wished to know if the case had been legally adjourned from Friday last. Ho

asked the Bench if the Court had juris-., diction to sit on the case to-day. ■ The records of the Court showed no adjouniuient entered on Friday. Mr. Harris also raised the point that the information was not laid under • any Ac:.

The plaintiff was , appealed 'to as to what Act' he had laid the * information under, and he replied it was for being ’ put out of 1 the .house.

Kis Worship—“ That is an act cer tainly, but not the sort of one I refer to. The information was then amended, and the charge laid under the 125th section of the R.M. Act, 1867. Mr. Harris then raised an objection that the offence he was charged with was not contemplated in the. section, as an assistant bailiff, was not an officer of the Court.

The bailiff was then instructed to pro duce the warrant, and it appeared that the document had been returned to Dunedin, and the defendant pointed out that it was absolutely necessary to produce it to prove his case.

The Bench was of the same opinion, and considered it evident that the case could not be heard that day, and as the warrant was not present it would be better to dismiss the. case and take out a , fresh summons.

Mr. Harris applied for costs; which were refused, and a fresh summons was ordered to be issued for this day fort night.

The Cause of the Wet Season. —Dr. Hector has formed an original and some what curious theory of the reason for the exceptionally wet season we are ex periencing. He thinks that, the Gulf Stream which passes from the equatorial regions to south of the Auckland Islands has changed its course, and in passing through Cook Straits has enveloped the Colony. As it flows to the eastward, it tarries with it a great quantity of mois ture, which, meeting the prevalent easterly wind, is condensed, and descends on the land in the form of rain. In confirma tion of this theory, it is mentioned that some fishermen outside Wellington Hoads caught some strange fish, which they took to town, when the fish were recognized as belonging to the eqeatorial seas, Some few days ago a shoal of fish, declared by some to be entirely strange to this coast, were caught in the Napier Harbor, and it it is suggested that they were of the same family.

THE TWINE BINDER.

The reaper and binder is one of the greatest achievements of the decade just closed, a decade remarkable as it has been for many great triumphs of engineering skill and mechanical invention. > When the Americans first gave us the self-bind ing reaper a grand feat was accom plished, and the economy of the harvest field ; revolutionised from its primitive, arrangements and institutions by the in troduction years before of the simple reap ing machine that left the sheaves to be bound after it by a gang of laborers—was revolutionised to a still greater extent, and many laboring men who built their hopes on the annual receipt of a big cheque for harvest work, found, that like Othello’s their occupation was gone. But the reaper and binder while it did remarkably well the work it undertook to do with the materials it made use of, had serious drawbacks that prevented it from being so generally popular as the absence of these would undoubtedly have made it. The old harvester of the by-gone days tied his sheaves with hands of twisted corn stalks, and a sheaf so tied found its way to and passed through the thrasher innocently, leaving straw that was all straw, and that carried hid amongst its stalks no danger to man or beast. But the new harvester of science that supplanted the merry “ band s ter ” carried with it a hidden danger. The corn-stalk band was discarded, and to suit the iron lingers of the machine a band of wire was introduced. With the re gularity of a ploughed field, the binder of science cut its lengths of the wire, as it gathered its sheaf, and dropped it upon the field. But this length of wire was the snake in the grass against which the gorge of the farmer rose. No matter how care ful the manipulation, or how. keenly the work was watched from thrashing mill to chaff-cutter, it was impossible to get rid of the wire from the feed, and its effect told terribly amongst the horses. It is just as difficult for a horse to digest'iron wire as it is for a man to digest the proverbial “horse-nail,” and as a consequence many a noble beast suffered for “taking an enemy into liis mouth to steal away ” not his brains but his life. The man who takes the “ enemy ” of Cassio into his mouth .does so with his eyes open to what it is composed of, butpoorDobbinknewno thing of the presence amongst his fodder of the little iron curses that worked his ruin. To obviate this difficulty, and to get rid of the dangerous and costly wire the ingenuity of ’cute Yankee has again been successfully at work, and while we have to thank the iron thread for the aid it lent science by becoming a stepping stone to perfection in harvesting, we have reached the time for bidding it good bye, and welcoming with the New- Year the new sheaf binding agent that is to sup .plant it, as it supplanted the cornstalk band or the band of flax knotted by the labourer. The promised heavy and abun dant crop of 1880, must, however, we are afraid, be cut by the old wire machine, seeing that it will all be in the stackyard before importers can sufficiently introduce the new idea. But the difficulty that has so long stood in the way of string bind ing is undoubtedly overcome, and the deed of banishment of the wire band is already sealed in popular opinion. Nor lias the triumph been achieved by only one maker of harvesters, but nearly every one of the old candidates for favor is in the field with a string binder. Last week two of them had a trial near the City of the Plains, and they worked very satisfactorily, while we glean from the “Melbourne Argus” a description of Walter A. Wood’s machines’ wdrk in a trial that took place on Janefield Farm in Victoria on the 29th oflastmonth. It will doubtless be remembered that last year, though the Marsh harvester did not secure the popularity, nor cp.iqa into such common use as some of its rivals did, it made no mean appearance in the field amongst them. At the trial on Mr. Carter’s farm at Timvald it was left out in the cold, by an accident, and the farmers hi this district were' deprived of an opportunity of seeing its paces along side the MUonnick, the Wood, and the Osborne. This year, however 1 ,, it makes

amends for tlie. ground it lost, by being first in the field with a Deering string binder attached, and a pub he exhibition of its.work was made on Jan. 5 on Mr. A Overt on-’alarm, -at Prebbleton. We pub lished at the time a tokgrxphic an-...-, nouncement of its success, and our own > correspondent spoke highly of the work it did, but we fancy a-more detailed notice of the exhibition will not come amiss to such of our readers as this column of our journal is specially in teresting to.

The machine set to work in a field , well calculated to try its mettle. The crop was of uneven height, in some places reaching barely -to one’s knee, in- others--- almost to one’s neck, while here and there the feathered pest had, left its irritating marks upon the corn, as had also the gale. But notwithstanding the sparrow-broken- straws (and these were many) the wind laid patches, and the un eveness of height in the crop, the machine left a stubble clean, even, and uniform, over the five feet wide bites that the machine takes in its journey along the paddock. Uniformity in everything is a characteristic of the Marsh. Thp' sheaves fall from it all of the same bulk, and each has consequently the same amount of strain put upon it. when The knot, is made that gives ’tightness' to the - binding, and no one will accuse the. Deering binder of being a sloven. The - • sheaf is compact, and securely tied. You • could lift it and throw it from . you in v perfect security; the knot would not yield, and the tightness of the binding would ~--- not slacken. So securely is the knot tied, V that were you to pull until the binding, gave way, you would find tliat it was the string that, broke, and not.the knot that came adrift. Long ago we witnessed a competition in a harvest field in the old - country. The reaper had not yet found ~ its now universal favor ; the idea of the , self binder had still to be conceived in the womb of necessity, tlie great mother of > invention. The six scythe-men were the cracks of the district, and were working .■ at a fancy figure ; the binders were also men and women, noted for their smaty ness, and the mixed multitude who built the stooks and drew the rakes were the best of the moving crowd that then , floated from one farm to another as the crops were worked off. The scythemen , started in the usual “ echelon ” of four or five yards behind each other. When they had all entered the wheat you could see their sharp scythes moving together in measured time.

“ Regular as rolling water. Not a step was out of tune As the tides obey the moon.”

When the last stretch of the field was reached, the last man finished in just the time he had necessarily been behind the others in starting, and not one man was a stroke behind his fellow in time or in quantity cut. But the great test was the. ', height of the stubble. You could dis tinctly see if you looked for it where each man had been cutting, by his slightly different stubble from the others, but his own was perfect in height, and only the critical eye would notice the slight differ- ' ence of the men’s work., The farmer was delighted, and gave a prize to all six. The - same plan had to be followed with the binders. The stubble left by the Marsh recalled ' this old memory, which was . freshened again by the uniform lightness of the slieaf. But the shape of the string-bound sheaf ruthlessly dismissed this picture ofthe past. The hand-bound .. sheaf was a hearty, jolly-looking affair, round and buxom as. some of the lasses who tied it ; the Marsh sheaf was a fiat sided looking concern, all head and bottom and no. waist, like a scandalously tight laced girl. But though ,the flat sides of. the sheaf may jar with our old ideas of .... the harvest field as it lies.upon the stubble, ' it is somewhat of a help to the stooker in building, as the flat sides come together ~ handy, and do not look badly once'set up., ** The machine gives the uniformity of size : to the sheaves, noted above,- by al very clever arrangement. A spring, after re- i/v, ceiving a certain amount, of yields, stopping the gatherers, and setting "T • the binder to work. It makes but one revolution, and the slieaf is - complete. : The apparatus that ties the knot is in its action not unlike the motion of a. finger an 4 thumb, receiving the two ends of the string immediately the knife has divided it, and holding on to them till they are ;f drawn through the loop and . the knot is made. Wind cannot interfere with the

working, as the sheaf is completely sheltered, from its first , clutch by s the machine till its lagt gentle fall"' of a foot from the harvester to the stubble. There is no'humbug, no con-

fusion, no bound sheaves here and un-

bound or half-bound ones there, and no hashing of the corn, but everything js| complete and satisfactory—a thrifty " machine, that can do, it is said, fifteen acres a-day. At Prebbleton it worked without a single hitch of any kind, and for its success it got the following testi-

monial on the ground, signed by over 50

practical men who saw it at work (opt of 200 or more who were there during the

day) sorqe of them as good judges of harvest work as are to be found in Can-

terbury :

January, sth, 1880. To Messrs. Mason, Strutliers, and Co., Christchurch.

Dear Sirs, —We, the undersigned far* mers in the province of Canterbury, New Zealand, have this day witnessed a trial of the Marsh Harvester' with Deering’s Twine Binder in a heavy crop of oats be* longing to John Overton, Esq., Prebble toii, and are desirous of testifying to the excellence of the work done, and have net hesitation in saying that is a most perfect machine,' and does the. he§t work of any we have seen in New Zealand, and consider it will be a great acquisition to this colony, and elsewhere. We also desire to thank Mr. Ellithorpe, the maker’s representative, for his lucid ex planations of the machine, And attention to all inquiries.

The <3 ohnston string, binder had a trial the same day at Travel!. Gf its success the Pres?” said :—“The paddock chosen for operations was a field of barley, which was very long in the straw, and from condition, the grain being very much tangled, considered likely to tax the power of the machine; and give a good idea of its ability to cope with crops under any disadvantage. Mr. Wilson, the manufacturer’s agent, was ir attendance, and explained the working of the machine. Those present expressed them selves well satisfied with tile wo iking of the machine, and the way in which it dropped the sheaf, \yhich fails on its bjjt-tj also with the closeness of ■ the cut to the ground. ”

M ON L»a Y, January j2, 18 So.] - n. A.»-is,-2*

THE ASHBURTON HERALD.



I'Tcj?/ Advertisements. M. 3 ' ONES r; 1-X. GRAND DISTRIBUTION of PRIZES -will take place on FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, • Jan. 16 and 17, in tiie Building adjoining Messrs. J. B. Buchanan and'Co. s Auction Mart, Have lock street. TICKETS ONE SHILLING EACH, to be obtained at the Shop, Baring Square, and other agents. EACH TICKET OBTAINS A PRIZE: 3s. Prizes varv in value from £3 3s. to (id, and include a Great Variety of articles, Useful, Ornamental, and Comical. Handsome Dressed Doll ... £3 ~ Ladies’ Japanese Cabinet ... ... „ . Writing Desk Croquet Set ~ ‘ Album ... ... &c., &c., &c., &c., &c. 1 5 1 15 1 10 2 10 Doors open from 11 to 5, and from 7 • * till 9. 363g—913a J pjHE PARTNERSHIP hitherto esiat ’ jj_ ing 1 etween the undersigned as ' Barristers and Solicitors is this day DIS SOLVED by mutual consent. Ashburton, January. 6th, 1880. F. P. O’REILLY, ,906a—374c, C. W. IRELAND. R. C. W. IRELAND having DIS SOLVED PARTNERSHIP with Mr. O’Reilly, will CARRY ON the .busi ness by himself for the present. No receipts for money now owing to the late firm of “ O’Reilly and Ireland ” will be recognised, unless signed by both partners. 911 a TO BUILDERS. • mENDSRS are invited for the erection 1 of . THREE SHOPS in BRICK in Tancred .street, Ashburton. Plans and Specifications may be seen at the resi dence of the undersigned. Tenders will 'be received up to 7 p.m. on Thursday, the 15tli January. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted l . JOHN FOWLER, 994 a Moore Street, Ashburton. PRINCE ALBERT DINING ROOMS, (Close to Railway Station.) A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ENTERPRISING MAN. On SATURDAY, the 17th inst. At 12 o’clock. AT THE EXCHANGE, CHRIST CHURCH. TR. J- ,L. WILSON has received in structions fronvthe owner to sell by Auction That fine New Block Building, known as the ? PRINCE ALBERT DINING ROOMS, Containing 40 rooms, WELL FURNISHED And WELL FITTED FOR A PRIVATE HOTEL. Ter pis easy. Also, 192 ACRES L&ND, AT WAKANUI, TONDER CROP, 37 Og J: L. WILSON, Auctioneer. ASHBURTON RACING CLUB. GENERAL MEETING. •GENERAL MEETING of the Ash burton Racing Club will be held at Quill’s Hotel on SAT CRDAY EVENING, at 8 p.rn. sharp. Business : Ist. To consider the Treasurer’s j balance-sheet. 2nd. To take into consideration the leasing of the course. JAMES WILKIE, 929a-730g ' Hon. Sec. , MR, DAVIDSON’S BOYS’ PRIVATE\ SCHOOL. nnHE SCHOOL will REOPEN on TUESDAY, the 20th January, at 0 o’clock. 927 a



.JE you want a CHEAP SUIT OF CLOTHES go to - ' G. J. F. LUBLOW, 'TAILORING DEPOT, Triangle, Ashburton, • Between Post Office and Baldwin’s , ' -• Central Hotel. G. J. F. Lublow, importing liis .own goods, is enabled thereby to make as Cheap a Suit of Clothes as any tailor in Hew.'. Zealand, and a First-class FIT is Guaranteed.. Terms—Strictly Cash. 5 per cent. Discount off,all Orders Paid IN. ADVANCE. 813 a



mSACHEKS can obtain the MULTI- X .PLICATION TABLED, printed on Sjumnied .paper, in. any quantity at the IteALD Office, Eait street, near the Railway Station.



TH' 1 g'IvTJSSORY Note Forms, in Books of fa.- unstamped, for sale at xlie jlsiL jjr G-ikee. Puce 2s. Cel. each.



'New Advertisements. MONEY TO LEND. . WANTED to Lend Five os Six Hundred Pounds on Good . Free hold Security. Apply Box 31, P. 0., Ashburton. 923 a A AT ANTED—ACompetent Dressmaker. VV Apply at onee. T. E. Hodler & Co. yiCa, XATANTED—A First--elass Cook. Apply ’ * at once, to Butler’s Family Hotel, Ashburton. 905 a WANTED— COOK and NURSE MAID. Apply to Mrs. Bran son, Aitken street, Ashburton. 1 890 a WANTED, a good strong BOY, to Milk, and make himself useful at Westerfield. Apply Herald office. 898 a AY7ANTED, a strong girl, as GENERAL ’ ' SERVANT, accustomed to milking cows. Apply Mrs. Stewart, Beach Road. 928 a nnHE EWE SHEARING will COM .I MENCE at Coldstream on TUES DAY next, 13th insfc. WANTED, 2 FLEECE PICKERS and 2 WOOL ROLLERS, j *930a—376g C. H. DOWDING.