MAIL NOTICES.

Mails close at the Ashburton Post Office, as follows : ' r For Christchurch and North at o a. in. 9. a.in., and 5 p.m., daily. For Chertsey Rakaia, &0., at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. , ry. For Dunedin, Tinwald, Vi mslow, Hinds, Coldstream, Rangitata, Oran, 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 10.30 a.m., 4.55 p.m., and 8.15 p.m. daily. From Chertsey, Rakaia, &c. at 10.35 a.m. daily. From Dunedin and intermediate places at 5.25 p.m. daily. Fr*m 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.

The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser With which is incorporated the “Evening Echo"). MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1880. The Civil Service Report.

The report of the Civil Service Com mission has been laid before Parliament, and as was to be expected it shows a most unsatisfactory state of things. The Com missioners state that they are conscious of having left some large and important branches of the service uninvestigated, of having inquired only superficially into some, and exhaustively into none. The time at their disposal between their ap pointment and the sitting of Parliament prevented them in fact from making such a thorough and searching inquiry into the state of the Civil Service, as the colony would doubtless wish them to do, and as they themselves desired, but not withstanding, their work has been suf ficiently comprehensive to show that the colony has to pay a very large amount of money for services that are useless, for work that is blundered, and requires to be coae over, again ; and that throughout the whole Civil Service large saving’s could be made without decreasing, but rather increasing the efficiency of the service. They find that there are no less than 10,853 individuals in all departments of the Government employ, but the Commissioners devoted most of their time and energies to the railway, as early in their investigations they found that it was in that department reform was most needed. With the management of the South Island Railways by a Commissioner, they found great fault, and accuse the management of an evident tendency to extravagance. Men with no special training or ability for the positions they hold have been appointed to highly paid offices, and to perform duties that were either unnecessary or that could be done by ordinary clerks. There are three separate departments of the service, which are jealous of each other, and the work is carried on by these in a spirit of antagonism to each other. The Royal Commissioners hold it as in dispen able that one head should have com plete control of the whole service, but find on our railways that the traffic manager can give no orders to the engine-di'ivers ex cept through the locomotive engineers, and an instance of how this red tapeism works is given in the fact that a points man under the traffic manager s control refused to comply with the regulation in sisted on by the drivers under the engi neer’s control —in consequence, trains were brought to a standstill. To get rid of this red-tapeism, the Commissioners suggest that a competent man be obtained willing to control the whole system, and work the many reforms that would be patent to the eye of a person capable of managing the railway. Against Mr. Conyers they make a charge of incapacity —that, however well he may discharge the duties appertaining to a subordinate position, he possesses insufficient admi nistrative ability for the position of Rail way Commissioner he now occupies, and they recommend his removal. They further accuse him of having a. pecuniary interest in a large company doing a very great amount of contracting business with the railway, and this connection, they say, cannot fail to militate against Govern ment’s chance in the market, when they ask for tenders for stores. Altogether they denounce the management as waste ful in the highest degree, and recommend a sweeping elimination of highly paid but really useless officers, and others that could very well be spared. Notably do they refer to a “ manager ” on the Nelson line, at L4OO a year, where only twenty miles of line are open, and two trains run per day. A gentleman in Dunedin has L6OO a year for telling a fully qualified foreman in the locomotive department that he.has to repair such damages as the engines may have suffered —the L6OO a year man having no training for the work he is called on to perform. There are sixteen different kinds of engines in use, and this variety of stock causes incon venience and cost. Recommending a general reduction in salaries of 12i per cent as a rule all round, but not neces sarily without exception, the Commis sioners think L 52,090 per annum could at once be saved. The Commissioners are not nearly so severe on the lines in the North Island, but they too obtain a share of adverse criticism

and all over the colony instances of gross blundering and costly mismanagement have beeen made apparent to the Com mission. The union of the postal and telegraph departments are recom mended. There are too many police men attending the horses and car riages of officers, and altogether the gaol and police services are too costly, inasmuch as prisons exist where they are not required. In one case, at Arrowtown, they have one prisoner about two days in the month, and the cost of looking after him is £2,838 15s per annum. It is im possible in our limited space to give more than a very partial summary of the report, but enough has been given to show that the Civil Service has been reported on by men who are not afraid to speak what they think, and are painfull}' aware of the existence of gross abuses and wanton ex travagance in the management of our public business.

Favoritism.

The report of the Civil Service Com mission, a document covering some six columns of small type in the Christchurch Press, was laid on the table of the House of Representatives late on Friday night—after all possibility of telegraphing it liad gone past. How comes it, then, the Times naturally wishes to know, that the Press was able to publish the document almost in full 1 Unless the report came into the Press correspondent’s possession before it was available to the members of the House, it could not have been tele graphed. Those who know anything of newspaper work, know that that report could not have been produced unless it had been in the printers’ hands at an early period of the evening. The telegraph office in Wellington is closed to press correspondents at ten o’clock, and accord ing to the Times' correspondent the report was not laid on the table of the House till 25 minutes pastl2. Itis thus apparent that the Press correspondent must have ob tained a copy of the document surrepti tiously, or have been unduly favored by the Government. It is certainly unfair on the part of Ministers to show partiality of this kind, and it is unwise as well ; for it courts hostility from quarters that are only too glad toshow it. How thePressobtained this report before it was laid on the table of the House wants some explanation. The Times' correspondent says that, to have the report placed on the table, the Hon. John Hall interrupted Dr. Wallis’ speech four minutes before the time for adjournment, and stole the opportunity the interruption gave to lay the document on the table. This trick w'as necessitated by the appearance on the scene of Mr. Chantry Harris, proprietor of the We iv Zealand Times, v'ho already had the re port in type, but could not publish it before it had come before the House. Surely there was no necessity for all this diplomacy over a document which was public property, and due as much to all the newspapers in the colony as it was to the favored ones who obtained copies.

The Waterton Library. —Mr. George Willcocks, of the Wheatstone Hotel, is to run his coach at special fares on Wednes day afternoon, to accommodate parties wishing to be present at the Waterton Library tea meeting and ball. The coach will leave Quill’s Hotel an hour later than usual, but of course will not return till the usual time next morning. The fares for the double journey will be 2s. Gd.

The Shortest Day. —To-day, the 21st of June, is the shortest day of the winter season. The sun rose, we presume, although he didn’t shine, at 7'37 and set at 4‘24. He will give us a minute longer tarriance to-morrow. The weather has broken and welcome rain has fallen, and signsof a continuance are showing. Outdoor work has been suspended, but farmers will be enabled to pursue ploughing as soon as opportunity offers, as the land will be in fine fettle for the share after the wet. Local Christy’s. —The members of the original Ashburton Christy Minstrel troupe, resident in the township, are to give a grand concert on Tuesday, the 29th, to liquidate a small debt still due by the old club. The stamina of the old Christy’s are still amongst us, and from the pro gramme before us, and the list of those who are to take part, we can safely promise a roaring night. The songs are of a good class—amusing and sentimental—a comic trio figures in the list, alongside a song and dance by a local “ steppist,” and a stump speeeh on local affairs by a local orator. A farce concludes the evening. We hear that for the first time in Ashburton a local orchestra will appear.

An Ocean Waif. —A curious ocean waif was discovered on the beach recently, between the mouths of the Rangitikei and Turakina rivers, in the form of a box about four feet long, with a scantling nailed along one side of it, to which had evidently been attached some ballast. On one end of the box was neatly painted a skull and cross-bones, and on either side the words reqiciescat in pace were painted. The lid was missing, but a closer examina tion of the case (says the Rangitikei Advocate ) suggested the idea of its having been a child’s coffin, thrown overboard from some passenger ship.

A Plea for the Schoolboys. —The Rev. W. Keall yesterday morning, in a discourse bearing specially on the train ing of children, gave it as his opinion that the entire secular education of our young people should be confined to school hours, an expression of opinion which will be cordially endorsed by all schoolboys of the colony, as well as those in the immediate neighborhood. The rev. gentleman said that with all that was commendable in our colonial scheme of education, it was faulty in one respect—it sought to cram the children’s minds too much. When re tiring to their homes every evening, the young folks did not leave their studies behind them, as ought to be the case, but they had to prepare long and difficult lessons for the next day, the consequence being that little or no time was allowed for recreation or to give parents oppor tunities of bestowing religious and moral training. The cramming process which the present educational system demanded materially affected the health of the lads, and medical men had borne testimony to the fact that many children were dying through the mistaken notion of exacting so much from the youthful mind. It will, perhaps, be remembered that Dr. Kemp, in a paper which he read before the Philo sophical Society in Wellington some few months ago, made use of somewhat similar language.

“Wicked Marks.” —Another informa tion is to be laid against Henry Marks for fruit selling on a Sunday.

Coronation Day. —Sunday was the 43rd anniversary of her Majesty’s acces sion to the throne of Great Britain.

The Trotting Match. —The trotting match between Mr. Willcock’s g.g. “Deceiver” and “Gentle Annie,” for L2O a side, was run off on Saturday from Wheatstone to Waterton and back, and resulted in a victory for “Deceiver” by several lengths. Time, 1G mins. 4 secs.

Coursing and Pheasant Licenses.— Up to the present 185 coursing licenses have been issued this season, as against 90 last year. Licenses have also been taken out for three packs of beagles—one in Christchurch, one in Geraldine, and one in Temuka. This season, 89 licenses for shooting pheasants have been issued, as gainst 36 last year. A Chinese Joke. —Mr. Warden Broad, sitting on a case on the West Coast, in which several Chinamen were had up for fighting, said—“ Now, you people, so long as you behave yourselves and meddle with no one, we do not interfere With you, but when you begin to smash each other up we must interfere, as we cannot allow the country to be strewed with broken China." Land Sale. —A sale of properties was held on Saturday, at Messrs. Robert Wilkin and Co.’s wool stores, Hereford street, Christchurch. Messrs. Wilkin and Co., acting in conjunction with Messrs. Jameson and Roberts, Ashburton, dis posed of Wood’s Dromore farm, contain ing in all 1093 acres, at £3 10s. per acre. Mr. Wearing, of Kaiapoi, was the purchaser.

Interested Councillors. —Mr. Wig gins, one of the Borough Councillors at Akaroa, and proprietor of the local paper, has been fined LlO by the Resident Magistrate there for being concerned in work to be done for the Council, or in other words, publishing the Borough Council advertisements in his paper. It is stated that a similar prosecution is to be proceeded with at Rangiora against a Councillor there. Maori Character. The following shows one trait in the Maori character, with which every shopkeeper is ac quainted : —“Four herring the bushel,” (4s. a bushel) says our dusky friend. “ No,” replies the shopman, “I give you three.” “No, no, kahore Jack; I no take three.” Within five minutes the flat-nose returns, saying, “ Kapai, me take three herring one piccanini cop ” (3s. -gd.). The bargain was struck, and the Maori quite satisfied.

Entertainment at Kyle. —The enter tainment got up by the residents at Kyle, for the benefit of widow Gordon, came off on Friday evening last in the school house. The school-room was well filled, and Mr. Lambie, who has been the moving spirit in the matter, occupied the chair. The programme comprised the usual selections, musical and histrionic, and gave great satisfaction to the audience. The result will be a sum of Ll2 handed over to the widow, who it will be remem bered had the misfortune to lose a cow a fortnight ago, the animal having fallen down a well. Mrs. Gordon is the widow of the farmer who died in the snowstorm of last winter, while on his way to Sea field from Ashburton.

Corporation Officers. —A communi cation, says the Wellington Post, has lately been received by the Resident Magistrate from the "Department of Justice, the effect, of which will be to subvert a practice which has hitherto pre vailed in connection with informations laid by officers in the service of the Municipal Corporation. Up to the pre sent time officers of local bodies have been regarded by the Clerk of the Court as “ public officers ” within the meaning of the 142nd section of the Justices of the Peace Act, 1866. This view the Minister of J ustice has ruled to be un warrantable, and instructions have been issued to the effect that in future the benefit of this section is not to be ex tended to such officers, so that all sum monses applied for by officers of the Corporation must now be paid for before being issued. The Mayor has had an in terview with the Minister of Justice on the subject, and intends, we understand, to take action in Parliament, with a view to getting the Act amended so as to allow of the former practice being continued.

The Censor of the Press —A resi dent of St. Petersburg writes :—“ In the copies of the London Times of Tuesday, February 3rd, distributed here to-day, ‘ La Censure ’ has treated them as follows : —The whole sheet containing pages three and four is out. The last two columns of page 5 are cut out, and in column four of the same page all after ‘Bulgaria’ has been blacked out. The two last columns of page 9 are cut out. The blacking out is done so that I scraped from off the 18 square inches so blacked enough of black lead mixed with grease to fill an egg spoon. You may imagine, the state of the rest of the text which comes in con tact with other parts of the paper, as well as of the hands of the readers. ”

A Strange Case. —The following strange recovery of property is reported in “ Brief,” 12th March :—“ On the sth of that month a quarryman named M‘Gregor was. buried by a fall of earth at the Shore Edge Stone Pit, near Shaw. His body was recovered on the following Monday, and concealed about his person were found six L2O notes, which had been lost by a farmer named Platt about 12 months ago, and for which a reward of L2O had been offered in vain. One of these reward bills was found with the notes.”

Liberal Landlords. —A correspondent of the Daily Telegraph gives the following hint to New Zealand land-owners:—“lt may interest some people to know how landlords who are not English treat their tenants. Messrs. Hagin and Carr are American holders of a ‘Mexican grant,’ in Keru County, California. The grant was for fifteen square leagues, and comprises about 90,000 acres of splendid land, mostly open valley land. They do not wish to sell at present, so they rent it on the following terms, in lots of 160 to 640 acres : —They build a house, barn, and outbuildings,furnish seed, provisions, etc., for the settler until he can supply himself, and if need be a portion of the term, and on the bush land only ask a return of the outlay from the crop of the farmer the fourth year. On clear land ready for the plough one-fourth of the crop, aqd a return of the advance made within thrge years.

Trading to the Samoan Islands, j The Post say S 3: —“ We hear on good authority that a company is about to be started in Wellington to trade between this port and the Samoan Islands. There can be no doubt that it would be a fine thing for Wellington if a flourishing busi ness could be established with the Islands, and we therefore wish the Company every success. A glance at the map will show that Wellington is very favorably situated for the purpose. A private meeting of gentlemen interested in the venture has already been held, and it is probable that in a few days a public meeting will be held, at which the scheme will be fully laid before the residents of Wellington.”

Members “ Photographed. ” Mr. McCaughan, the Southland M.H.R.. is thus handled by the Wairarapa Standard : “ Those who frequent the lobbies of the House of Representatives while the Assembly is sitting, will see a man in glistening raiment smoking a large cigar. Not partial to gorgeous vests, after the manner of Thomas Fisher Shepherd in days past, but prone to display rings on many fingers, and saucer-shaped and sized lockets pendant from a massive gold guard. A noticeable man. Loud. In last century language a buck not a blood. One who could be taken or mistaken as pursuing any calling or avocation in life. No ore would mistake him for a gentleman as Englishmen understood the word. A new type of the Anglo-Saxon race formed from mixed varieties, bred under a new heaven and a new earth. An Australian larrikin possessed of money, turned politician. Bad form, electro plated ; not common Britannia metal is Mr. Patrick McCaughan. A shareholder or promoter in Vogel’s Southland Rabbit Company. Interested in district railways. Though only four or five years in New Zealand, garnering largely in the harvest field of unearned increment. Connected with Victorian land rings. Affiliated with the most profitable order of the gridiron in New Zealand.”

Two Much Kissing. —At a party of young men in Paris, conversation happened to turn on the subject of kiss ing, and the subject was propounded which of the young men presert could boast of having, or being able to give, “ his girl” the most kisses. Various were the replies the question called out. Finally, a young man and the girl to whom he was betrothed bet two hundred francs that they could kiss ten thousand times in ten hours, provided they be allowed to take an occasional glass of wine “ between.” Two persons were appointed a committee to count the number of kisses, and the work began. During the first hour they counted two thousand kisses. During the second hour the kisses were not nearly so numerous, for the committee only counted one thousand. After the third hour, during which they managed to score but seven hundred and fifty, further operations were brought to a sudden standstill. The lips of the young man were seized with a sudden cramp, and he was carried oft' in a fainting condition. The girl, a few days after, was stricken with brain fever, which nearly carried her off* to a land where kissing, under any form, is unknown. When the people who had won their bet demanded their money, the parents of the girl re fused to pay her share of it. The matter was then taken to the courts, and there it was decided that the bet must be paid.

The Coming Giant. —Much interest has been excited in Brooklyn, New York, by a young giant, by name Jack Shields, who lias lately been engaged for exhibition at a museum in that place. Shields, who is a Texas boy, eighteen years old, is at present little more than 7ft. in height, but he is in training to be the “ giant of the future,” and it is expected that lie will beat any giant ever exhibited. He comes of a family of gigantic proportions. His father, a farmer in Texas, is 7ft. high, and his brothers and sisters are of like proportions, but they have done growing. An agent who was lately scouring the country in search of giants came upon the hields family, and at once saw that he ,ad a treasure in Jack,J whose services he cured with some difficulty. The agent t forth the other day to a reporter of the

ew York papers the difficulties attending “ licking a giant into shape,” as illus ated by Shields. “We are,” he said, training him to be a giant, and we think that he will grow to be the tallest man in tlie business. He needs watching. Having been accustomed all his life to lower himself to talk to his companions, and to allow his arms to hang loosely by his side, and to spread out his legs, he is yet raw and awkward for the giant busi ness ; but now he is getting to hold up his head keep his feet together, and throw his shoulders back, to keep himself in shape, to take flesh and get more height. ”

CORRESPONDENCE.

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

To the Editor.

Sir, —From the terms of your remarks about the Courthouse, you appear to credit the story which has reached you, and lest my constituents should do the same, I desire to inform them that your story is a false one. No plans for a brick Courthouse were about to be undertaken by the Public Works Department. Tlie building in course of erection will cost considerably more than the sum voted for it, is upoi the same scale as that at Greymouth, and will afford all reasonable accommodation ; and I venture to think that the public generally are quite sick of the extravagant and unproductive expenditure that has been lavished upon all classes of public buildings during the last three or four years. —I am, &c.,

Edward G. Wright.

Windermere, 19th June 1880.

[We are glad to give publicity to Mr. Wright’s denial of the story as it reached us, and have sent a copy of his letter to the place whence our information came. —Ed. H.]

“ I Kissed her ‘neath the cold pale stars,” begins the song, and an exchange says, “ Seems to us it would be more satisfactory to perform the ceremony ‘neath her cold, pale nose.”

Not long since an old woman from the country went to hear a “ great gun ” preach in a Wesleyan chapel at Gateshead. Being asked by a friend after the sermon how she liked the preacher, she replied, *• Ey, man, he was grand if yen could onpy hgv hard him !”

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

(Per Pewter's Agency.) The Markets.

London, June 17.

The total quantity of wheat afloat for Great Britain is 1,850,000 quarters. Three per cent. Consols, 9Sg-. Adelaide wheat per 4961 b., ex warehouse, 50s. ; Adelaide flour, per 2501 b., ex warehouse, 375. ; best Australian beef tallow, 325. per cwt. The Australians. The match between the Australians and Dublin University team was continued to day. The attendance of the public was large, and the weather very fine through out the day. The Home team, in their first innings, ■were all disposed of for 98 runs. The Australians then went in for their second innings, and when the stumps were drawn, had lost six wickets for 132 runs, Bannerman being caught out for 69 runs. Sir Wilfrid Lawson and Local Option. In the House of Commons to-day Sir Wilfrid Lawson introduced a series of resolutions re Local Option and Licensing. The Bight Hon. W. E. Gladstone strongly opposed the same, but the House agreed to the resolutions. Another Loan! London, June 18. The Wanganui Harbor Improvement Loan of L 60,000, at 6 per cent., is an nounced to-day. The Markets. Consols have again risen, and are now quoted at 98§. Adelaide wheat is declining, and is now at 495. 6d. per 4961b3., ex warehouse. The Australians. The match against the Dublin Uni versity Eighteen was concluded to-day. The Australians continued their second innings, which closed for 156. When the stumps were drawn, the Dublin team had lost seven wickets for 86, The match was thus drawn in the Australians’ favor. The day was wet, and the play was frequently interrupted by the rain.

AUSTRALIAN.

(Reuter’s Telegrams.) Finished. Melbourne, June 19. The Intercolonial Exhibition Building in the Carlton Gardens, has been handed to the Victorian Commissioners.

The Victorian Reform Bill. Melbourne, June 21. The division on the Reform Bill, which is to take place on Thuraday, is expected to be very close, and it is thought to be very improbable that Government will be found to possess the statutory majority in favor of the measure.

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) Heath of a Centenarian. Auckland, June 20. An inmate of the Hospital, named W. John Harris, died yesterday, 102 years of age. Let Off. Auckland, June 21. Antonie St. Just Mackay, charged on remand, with endeavoring to induce Jules Juliot to commit an unmentionable of fence, was discharged this morning, the Resident Magistrate stating that the evi dence was insufficient for a committal. Conference of Publicans- Wellington, June 20.

At the conference of licensed victuallers the following propositions will be dis cussed :—One is to the effect that a Licensed Victuallers’ Fire Insurance Com pany be formed, and the other affirms the desirability of forming an amalgamated association for the whole of the colony, to be registered under the Friendly Societies Act.

Timaru, June 20. Albury'Coal-

A truck load of first-class coal was brought into town last evening from a new mine near Albury.

Loaded Dice,

June 21, George Gleeson, pedestrian, has been sentenced to seven days for gambling with an under and over table on the race course. A Sunday Boose. Yesterday, three working men named Alex. Gardiner, Francis, and Peter Ken nedy, were found by the landlord of the Washdyke Hotel, very drunk ..on his pre mises. As they had called for but few drinks, the landlord’s suspicions were aroused, and on search he found in the stable two empty gin bottles, which the men had evidently removed from the bil liard room. They were sentenced to-day to one week’s imprisonment. The Walking Mania. O’Connor commenced his twelve hours’ walking match against time on Saturday. He covered thirty miles in thefirst five and half hours. After completing forty-eight miles in nine hours forty-two minutes, he had to yield the sponge to fan in jured foot. The Waitaki Election. Oamaru, June 19. The official declaration of the poll took place to-day. The numbers were un changed. Mr. Jones left for the North immediately afterwards. He was at tended at the railway station by about one hundred, who cheered heartily as the train moved off. A Narrow Escape. Invercargill, June 21. A draper’s shop, situated in the middle of a large block of buildings barely es caped being burnt down on Saturday last. A man, who was lighting the gas in a dressed window, accidentally ignited some lace goods, making a great blaze. It was fortunately extinguished through the pre sence of mind of the man who stuck to the fire until he had knocked it out. The Carnaval. Dunedin, June 21. The Benevolent Carnival so far as realised L 1,400.

Experienced matrons advise young people to marry in the spring time. That gives them six months of happiness before they begin tq quarrel on the question of who should get up in the morning to build the fires,

Gold-mining Intelligence.

[By Telegraph.]

. Dunedin, June 21. The Vinegar Hill, Dunstan Creek dis trict, is looking well. Mills and Co. com menced washing-up last week. Three buckets of stuff from +he head of tail-race, before the paddock was cleaned down, yielded 220 ounces. The company ex pect to get, on the whole, 700 ounces this washing. Holversen’s claim, at Hyde, continues to give good yields.

Invercargill, June 21. Parties working on alluvial ground some thirty miles up the Waiau river lately came to Riverton to sell gold and get miners’ rights. They have set out working on an area sufficient for 500 men.

THE STORY-TELLER.

A NARROW ESCAPE. chapter i— continued. Four years had passed since Ettie refused to become the wife of Richard Ellerton, and he and his threats had well nigh passed out of her memory. Ettie’s mind, indeed, -was now absorbed by one idea and one alone—her love for George Thursfield. and in the happiness of loving and being loved, the Past faded into a dream. Even the Future was en shrouded by a golden haze. She was § nscious only of the bright and sunny Present. So, when it was noised abroad that Richard Ellerton was expected home, the news fell idly upon Ettie’s eai\ Richard was nothing to her; his entreaties and his threats alike had passed out of her mind.

Alas ! poor thing, she had cause, did she but know it, to remember both ! It was a week since George Thursfield and Ettie Stanton sat hand in hand be side the sea. George was absent in a neighborhing town : gone, if truth must be told, to buy a wedding ring and a pre sent for his bride, for Ettie had consented lo fix the day for their marriage. Hop ing to meet her lover, the time of his ex pected return being close at hand, Ettie wandered one morning along the brow of Stanton Cliff, a bold headland command ing views of two roads leiding to the village—that which was inland and that which traverses the shore, and which is commonly used when the tide is out. She could see nothing on the former road ; so, thinking that George might return by the beach, she turned into one of the numerous paths winding down the cliffs, and thus descending to the sands. Here, also, there was nothing to be seen ; she was too soon, or George had delayed his return till another day. Still, with the hope of meeting him, the girl wandered on, listening unconsciously to the dash of the receding waves, aud pausing now and then to note the dull re verberations that, like distant thunder, echoed in the cliff caverns beyond. Thus cocupied, Ettie sauntered further than she meant, and turned the point of the head land—a range of jagged rocks which strike out seaward like a reef—rshe found her self in Saint Bridget’s Bay, a little inlet formed by the ridge of rocks just de scribed and a corresponding ridge about half a mile distant. At the upper end of the bay, which is sharply contracted land ward, there are huge masses of rock. Between these are deep and narrow chan nels, giving access to Saint Bridget’s Cave, and other dim recesses in the cliffs —once the haunts of smugglers and, so said tradition, of pirates also, but now abandoned to the sea birds clustering thickly upon their sides. Usually, the bay is deserted, for there is no trade at Stanton—not even the cus tomary little fleet of fishing smacks—but now, to her surprise, Ettie thought she saw the figure of a man amongst the rocks at the mouth of Saint Bridget’s Cave. Turning seawards, she noted, not without alarm, a boat floating idly at the water’s edge. Beyond, well out in the bay, there lay a vessel, something like a fast-sailing schooner, but larger, and built with sharper lines than those of ordinary trad ing ships.

For a few moments Ettie stood entranced at the unexpected sight. Then alarmed, and with a sudden fear, she turned hastily back towards home, not observing that the figure she had seen amongst the rocks was nearing her, and was now within hailing distance. Pre sently, as if ashamed of her fears, the girl stopped and looked back. Then, becom ing aware that she was followed, she ran forward once more, and was again brought to a pause by the sound of her own name, blown to her by the wind— “ Ettie ! Ettie !” It came clear across the bay. She turned and listened. The call was repeated, and then, emerging from the shelter of the rocks, a man came swiftly across the sands. One hasty look satisfied her that it was George, and as the cry of “ Ettie ! Ettie !” was repeated, she con vinced herself that it was the voice of her lover. She turned back to meet the advancing figure, which was now hidden for a moment by an intervening ledge of rock. Before she could speak, the figure was again in sight, close to her, face to face. Involuntarily the girl trembled from head to foot. It was not George Thursfield who stood fronting her. It was Richard Ellerton ! CHAPTER II —STORM. Yes, it was Richard Ellerton—darker, sterner, more self-willed than ever, as Ettie saw by the first glance of his sullen face. As the memory of his passionate love and savage anger at his rejection came back upon her, she trembled like a leaf. Ellerton first broke the silence. While they stood, watching each other, his glance ran with nervous haste over her whole figure, from head to foot, resting at last with hungry eagerness on her left hand. Pointing to this he cried ab ruptly— “ There is no ring npon your finger. You are not married, Ettie ? ” She strove to answer him—with a calm ness that was all assumed. “I am not married, Richard Ellerton. But, after what has passed between us, that is nought to you. Go your way and let me go mine in peace.” He came a step nearer. “It is all to me, Ettie,” he said, “ I cannot live with out you . Years of absence have but strengthened my passion for you. It has brought me back here—to the place I hate—from the other side of the only that I may again demand you as my wife. Qh! Ettie, Ettie, giye me one word of hope and comfort. After all these years, just one word ! ”j

THE ASHBURTON HERALD, MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1880.



NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. All orders for insertion of advertise ments must be written legibly on the face of tbe advertisement. When no order is given the advertisement will be inserted until countermanded, and charged accord ingly- All notices of Births, Marriages, or Deaths must be accompanied by the sig nature of the sender, as a guarantee of good faith. All advertisements and business letters to be addressed The Manager ; literary communications should be addressed to The Editor. Miscellaneous £IO,OOO rate of interest. Ashburton. TO LEND, in sums to suit borrowers, at lowest F. P. O’Reilly, Solicitor, 424c-835g TIT ANTED—A good GENERAL SER- W VANT. Apply at once, personally to Mr. Wheatsheaf Hotel, Wheatstone. 559 c WANTED— SITUATION as first-class Ploughman. Apply at once, Herald Office. 578 c WANTED Immediately, a Competent DRESSMAKER. Apply to T. R. Hodder and Company, Ashburton. 570 c A LADY of experience wishes for an ENGAGEMENT as Governess or Housekeeper. Apply, office of this paper. 579 c a GOOD PIANO on hire, by the XX evening. H. M. Jones, Stationery and Fancy Goods Depot, East Street and Baring Square. YTT ANTED, — A smart, active young V MAN as Pantryman, and to make himself generally useful. Apply to R. W. Shearman, Somerset Hotel, Ashburton. 582 c WANTED KNOWN—That C. Haw kins, The Tinwald Bootmaker, has REMOVED to premises Opposite the Tinwald Post Office, where he is still open to Sell first-class Bools and Shoes at his usual Cheap Rates. All kinds of Boots Made and Repaired. 805g —417c MUSIC Folios, with Spring Backs ; Concertinas, 20 Keys, from 65.; Mouth Organs, &c. H. M. Jones, Stationery and Fancy Goods Depot, East Street and Baring Square. TO LET, A LARGE, comfortable room, centrally situated, suitable for society and committee meetings. Terms low. H. M. JONES, 667 c Baring square. NEW ZEALAND WESLEYAN SUBSCRIBERS to the Wesleyan are respectfully requested to pay their subscriptions now due to Messrs. Weeks and Dixon, Ashburton. J. T. SMITH, Manager. Christchurch, June 15th, 1880. 566 c AGENTS FOR THE SALE OF



NEW BILLS, ACTS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS. THE following NEW BILLS intro duced into Parliament can be ob tained at the Ashburton Guardian office : No. 21 Adulteration Prevention ~ 20 Aliens ~ 22 Animals Protection ~ 30 Bank and Bankers ~ 31 Bills of Exchange Procedure ~ 15 Brands and Branding ~ 23 Building Societies ~ 33 Chattels Securities ~ 35 Corrupt Practices Prevention „ 24 Cruelty to Animals ~ 25 Deaths by Accidents Compensa tion ~ 19 Dog Registration ~ 14 Fencing ~ 4 Fisheries „ 38 Hospitals and Charitable Insti tutions „ 13 Impounding ~ 26 Juries „ 17 Licensing ~ 27 Marriage „ 28 Married Women’s Property Pro tection ~ 32 Mercantile Law ~ 11 Native Land Court 12 Native Land Sales i fj*i 34 Regulation of Elections I



Miscellaneous. BY ORDER OF THE BAILIFF R.M. COURT. SAMUELSON’S REAPER, BAR LEY, OATS, &c. TO BE SOLD by PUBLIC AUCTION, ON WEDNESDAY NEXT, 23rd INST., On the Premises of Mr. James Steele, Hinds— -I R EAPER I J- (Samuelson’s) Oats Barley (in sacks) Bags, etc., etc. Sale at 12 o’clock. A. M. PEARSON, 577 c Bailiff.



WATERTON LIBRARY. [O accommodate all parties desiring to attend the TEA MEETING and BALL at Waterton, on WEDNESDAY, Mr. George Wilcocks will leave Quill’s Hotel at Half-Past Four on that after noon. Fares for this occasion 2s. 6d., in cluding the return journey next morning. 581 c rjIOWN HALL, ASHBURTON. THE ASHBURTON AMATEUR CHRISTY MINSTRELS Will give a GRAND CONCERT ON TUESDAY, JUNE, 29th, 1880, To Liquidate the debt of the original Club. A Great Programme in Preparation. Dress Circle, 35.; Front Seats, 25.; Back Seats, Is. H. ARTHUR GATES, Hon. Sec. 580 c