MAIL NOTICES.

S' Mails close at the Chief Post Office, ■jbristchurch, for the following places He object to necessary alterations) as Hinder:— ■ Tuesday, Blay 4. ■ For Otago and Australian Colonies, per Huawata, at 3.15 p.xn. ■ The next mail for the United Kingdom Hia Brindisi (for correspondence specially Hddressed only), will be closed at Christ- Khurch on May 6th, and will be due in ■London on June 26th. ■ The next mail for the United Kingdom San Francisco, will be closed at Christ ■shurch on May 22, and will be due in ■London on July 6. | SYDNEY J. DICK, ■ Chief Postmaster.

BIRTH.

Smithed. —On Blay 1, the wife of Charles Smithel, Alford Ford road, of a daughter ; both well. 412 c

The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser (With which is incorporated the “Evening Echo”). MONDAY, MAY 3, 1880.

The Recent Accident. —Mr. Clark’s son, who was run over last week, has so far recovered from the injuries sustained as to be able to walk about.

The Ashburton Bridge, —On Saturday it was found necessary to stop road traffic over the Ashburton bridge, owing to the planking in some places requiring repair, and not a few travellers had to make use of the fords. The Steeplechases. —We hear there is every probability that the steeplechases will be run over the old ground—viz., the paddocks belonging to Blr. Joseph Hunt. A meeting of the committee, however, will be held to-morrow to come to a final decision.

St. Blark’s, Rakaia. —The Bishop ’of Auckland, assisted by Archdeacon Wil liams, officiated at Divine service in St- Mark’s Church on Sunday, both morning and evening, the Bishop preaching both sermons and the Archdeacon reading the lessons. The Church in the evening was crowded. On Sunday next the Rev. Harris will preach two sermons in St. Mark’s Church and will hold a meeting in the Public Library on Blonday evening for the purpose of inaugurating a Church Work Society. Unclaimed Letters. —The following is a list of letters received at the Ashburton Post Office from places beyond the colony during the month of March, and remaining unclaimed on the Ist May, 1880 : —Frank Amos, James Armstrong, William Barry, John Baxter, John Cald well (2), Wiliiam Cassells, George Clay don, Mr. Dayton, W. Fletcher, A. G. Jagnes, R. H. Jackson, F. Madge, H. P. Blagnusson, John BlcDonald (2) Philip D. G. Payne, Adam Poison, A. Selby (care of H. Pratt), James M, P. Stuart.

Mistaken Identity. —A man named James Dunn, who had been arrested on a warrant from Christchurch, charging him with obtaining money under false pre tences, was brought before Mr. Guinness this morning. It appeared, however, from the evidence of Sergeant Pratt, that Dunn was the wrong man, and hence he was dismissed. Dunn wished to know from his Worship what satisfaction he would get after undergoing the ignominy of being arrested for a crime of which he was innocent, and the disgrace of being forty-eight hours in the lock-up. His Worship said that the accused would leave the Court without the slightest blemish on his character, but any redress would have to be sought in a court of law.

Police Case. —Two men named John Doyle and Edward Hogg were brought before his Worship this morning, for the offence of being drunk while in charge of a dray on Saturday last. It appears that through some repairs being done to the Ashburton bridge, the gatekeeper refused to allow the accused to cross on Saturday night, and they then attempted to ford the river. This was a task which they failed to accomplish, and they soon came to grief in the attempt, the arresting con stalile giving the horse over to the tender mercies of Mr. Price, and leaving the dray in the river bed. Doyle said he was not in charge of the dray, but was merely getting a “lift” homeward. Hogg ad mitted having had a little to drink, but attributed his failure to cross the river to not being acquainted with the ford. His Worship fined both men L2 and the ex penses of keeping the horse, or one week’s imprisonment. Cricket.— The match, Ashburton v. Blount Somers, was not played out on Saturday, owing to darkness coming on, and the Ashburton men therefore won on the result of the first innings. There was some very good cricket displayed, and though there were some individual in stances of loose fielding, on the whole the appearance of both teams was very credit able. We give below the detailed scores :

CORRESPONDENCE.

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

THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE AD MINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN ASHBURTON.

To the Editor.

Sir— Blr. Gerald D. Branson having given your readers a rather one-sided view of the case, Edmiston, Gundry, and Co., v. Ireland, 1 must ask you to allow me to state a few facts which I would otherwise gladly have suppresed. Mr. Branson begins by saying that I admitted having a “private interview” with the Resident Magistrate, relative to the case, implying that the matter had been talked over and prejudged. Upon referring to the evidence you will find that this was Mr. C. B. M. Branson’s version of the affair, and this I flatly contradicted, having only asked Blr. Guinness the simple question “ if the money had been paid into Court,” my object for so doing I explain further on. Why Mr. Gerald Branson has construed this simple question upon a Court matter into a “ private in terview,” I am at a loss to understand.

With the evidence of Blessrs. Bullock, Smith, and J. L. Crawley, before them (to say nothing of my own evidence), there can be very little doubt in the minds of those who have read the report of the case, as to who was the real purchaser of the dog in question, and when I have to add the fact that Blr, C. W. Branson met Blr. Edmiston in East street, on the 23rd April, and told him he could not get Charles Ireland to pay for the dog, and asked Blr. Edmiston to recover it for him, I will leave it to them to judge of the worth of Mr. C. B. 81. Branson’s evi dence. After Blr. Branson’s conversation with Mr. Edmiston, they walked over to the Court together, and then and there took out the summons against Blr. C. W. Ireland. Up to this time Blr. Ireland had never repudiated the value of the dog to our knowledge, only referred us to Mr. C. Branson, who, as above stated, in structed us to take action, and then turned round on us at the last moment without any notice, and after we had actually placed him in the witness box as our wit ness, and swore that he had never looked to C. W. Ireland for the money. A few days after serving the summons, Blr. Gerald Branson called and told me we were suing the wrong man. My answer was, that we had no claim against the brother, as we did not know him in the

matter, and told him that Messrs. Bul loch, G. B. M. Branson, Smith, Crawley, and myself were prepared to prove the sale of the dog to Mr. C. W. Ireland. It was thus “ we opened our hand ” to Mr. Gerald D. Branson, who never offered to allow us to withdraw without costs, nor in the least explained the case. Subsequently I met Messrs. Charles and James Ireland together, and asked him why they did not settle the matter, as one of them had taken the dog, and Charles Ireland said his ‘ ‘ brother had paid for the dog. ” I asked him to whom he had paid it, and he said it did not matter, it was paid for. As I was entering my office immediately after this, I met Vlr. Guinness at the door, and asked him if he could tell me if the money had been paid into Court, thinking perhaps the Irelands had paid it in. He said “ Yes.” I asked if he could tell me who had paid it in, as we had not, and he said he did not know. We were not in com pany one minute, and this is the “ private interview” Mr. Gerald Branson is trying to make so much of, and thereby attempt ing to cast a slur on Mr. Guinness, by saying “ that the public must not be put off with mere assertions that only this and only that occurred.” I would remind Mr. Branson that these ‘ ‘ mere assertions” were made on oath.

On Thursday evening I called on Charles Branson and said, “ Mr. Guinness says the money is paid into Court. Did Ireland pay it in, or did you ?” He re plied, “I did.” I asked him if he had been paid, and he replied, “No ; I have not received a penny of it. yet.” I then asked him if we were to go on with the case, and his answer was, “Yes, cer tainly.” Mr. Gerald Branson came at this moment and I left. At the door, I again said, “We go on with the case to morrow,” and he said, “ All right, old man.” Imagine my surprise, and that of our solicitor, when, on putting him into the witness-box, he asserted that the dog had been sold to James Ireland, and that he had never looked to either C. W. Ireland or to us for the money ; and, this being our witness, Mr. Branson argued we were bound by his statement, to the exclusion of that of Messrs. Bullock, Smith, Crawley, and myself, and that our solicitor had not the right to cross-ex amine our own witness, Mr. Gerald Bran son’s objection to which called forth the remark from the Bench that any objection might lead the Bench to infer there were “ suspicious circumstances connected with it,” and of which I will leave your readers to judge. Mr. Gerald Branson says, “ Had I not full confidence in my case, both on merits and law points, I should have unhesitatingly objected to Mr. Guinness sitting to decide it.” I think I have clearly shown both the “ merits and the lav points” in which Mr. Branson had so much confidence. I must again refer to Mr. Charles Ireland’s remark that the dog had been paid for. Mr. Gerald Branson, in the examination of Mr. James Ireland, on Tuesday last, remarked that he (Mr. J. Ireland) had a claim against the dog for Bs. per day, for seven or eight days, for bailiff’s fees, which the Magis trate had previously disallowed as ex orbitant. This, I presume, is what Mr. Ireland referred to in saying the dog had been paid for, and which undoubtedly throws some light on the form the case eventually took. With regard to Mr. C. Branson’s state ment that I said “ the old man had been up to see me about it,” it is hai’dly necessary for me to deny it. It is only on a par with the expression used by Mr. James Ireland when he asserted that Mr. Bullock turned to him at the sale and said, “ Mr. Ireland, I believe,” and which Mr. Bullock in his evidence emphatically con tradicted. These expressions give such a natural tone to the conversations. Mr. Gerald Branson’s grievance seems to be that in the face of the evidence given, the Magistrate did not allow full costs to all the members of the Branson and Ireland families who were in attend ance, and not subpoenaed as witnesses.

Are the circumstances connected with this case of sufficient public interest to warrant Mr. G. D. Branson in taking upon himself the questionable practice of making such an attack upon a public officer in the discharge of his duties 1 Do not the assertions distinctly show the sole reason to be simply Mr. Branson’s spleen against our local Court and Mr. Guinness, because his relative (Mr. C. B. M. B.)has been removed from his office as Bailiff of the Court, a letter to which effect Mr. C. B. M. Branson received after my inter view with him on Thursday evening ? I must apologise for trespassing so much upon your valuable space, but I think this explanation is due to our worthy Magis trate as bearing upon our “ private inter view,” and placing him in a false light, and to ourselves as showing the origin of the case.—l am, &c.

W. H. Gundry, Ashburton, Ist May, 18S0.

THE ASHBURTON WATER SCHEME.

To the Editor.

Sir, —Absence from home, and duties of more importance to myself than being engaged in a newspaper quarrel have pre vented me from replying to Mr. Wilkie’s letter at an earlier date. lam sorry that the severe indisposition that he apprehends I was suffering last week should be mani festing itself in at least one other indi vidual besides myself, and would recom to Mr. Wilkie a soothing draught before he again “rushes into print.” The re marks in my letter were not in any way intended to refer to Mr Wilkie. If he tendered for the work at what he con sidered a fair price, and the Council saw fit to give him the job, he would have been very foolish not to have taken it. If defending the Council is part of the contract, I hope the next tenders they call for will have these conditions stated in the specifications (perhaps this is what one of the Councillors referred to when he spoke of Mr. Wilkie’s “ practical knowledge,” etc.)

Mr. Wilkie has made some rather un called for remarks as to the veracity of my “facts.” As truthfulness is one of the few things in which I pride myself, and the platform on which I now stand or fall, “ impugn it whoso lists'.” In my schedule of works tendered for, the following items are enumerated Water Supply—To cutting channel, form ing embankment, laying drain pipes, fluming and concrete work, according to plans and specifications, £ s. d. Outfall Drain—To cutting drain extras, £ s. d. Fencing, £ s. d. Total—L23G lbs. If this does not embrace “the most important part of the work ” I am very much mis taken, and until Mr, Wilkie proves which

of the three sections I have omitted to tender for I will leave the public to judge who is stating “facts” or “drawing on their imagination. ” “ As to Mr. Black being the contractor,” how Mr. Wilkie can draw such an infer ence from my letter I am at a loss to know. What I intended to infer was whether Mr. Black could not do as good work under the Borough Engineer’s supervision as under Mr. Wilkie’s, at a saving of Ll 9 to the ratepayers. As to the merits or demerits of Mr. Black’s teams or my own, I think that quite out of place to discuss in your columns. All I can say is that I have seen as good work done by Mr. Black’s teams as by those of any other contractor.

In conclusion, I must again congratulate the townspeople that in their midst there has arisen a living patriot who has taken up the cudgel to defend the Town Council —a real modern Samson—but before : yours truly is vanquished, as Mr. Wilkie’s intendedly scathing remarks intended he should be, it will take another wag of Samson’s weapon (quid pro quo, James).

I am Ac. W. J. SILCOCK.

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE.

(Reuter's Telegrams.) Wheat. Londoin, April 30. Adelaide wheat per 496 lbs., ex ware house, 525. Wool. At the wool sale to-day 12,000 bales were offered, making a total of 94,400 bales catalogued since the opening. The tone of the market was in favor of the buyers. Harvest Prospects. The English and American harvests ar e reported to be favorable. The Lord Chancellor. Lord O’Hagan has been appoint e Chancellor of the House of Peers. The Missing Training Ship. Search has been made for the training ship Atalanta, but no further trace of her could be found. Appointments. London, May 1. Earl Cowper has been appointed Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland, and Lord O’Hagan has been appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Wool. At the wool sales to-day 10,600 bales were offered, making a total of 111,200 catalogued since the opening. The tone of sale was quieter and weaker. For inferior and faulty wool the demand is purely speculative. The Company's Lusitana sailed from Plymouth to-day.

AUSTRALIAN.

{By cable from Reuter's Agency.) A Bushranger Committed for Trial. Sydney, May 1. .Yane, an ex-bnshranger, has been com mitted for trial on a charge of sheep stealing. Hew South Wales Minister of Educa tion. Hon. Sir Jno. Robinson, Yice-Presi dent of the Executive Council, and repre sentative of the Government in Legisla tive Council, will temporarily take the portfolio of Minister of Education, which is instituted under the new Education Act. Arrival. Sydney, May 3. Arrived—Union Company’s steamship Te Anau from Auckland. Mutiny. The crew of the Chandernagore having shown a mutinous spirit, police observation of the vessel day and night has been found to be necessary. New Ireland. News has been received that a steamer, with several hundred foreigners for the colonisation of New Ireland, has been sighted in the vicinity of that place. The Aconcagua. Adelaide, May, 3. The Orient Company’s steamship Acon cagua has arrived here from Plymouth John Chinaman to the Front. Brisbane, May 1. It is reported that 600 Chinese are pre paring to proceed to the Colu goldfields, which have for some time been abandoned owing to the blacks and difficulties of transport.

NEW ZEALAND.

The Civil Service

Auckland, May 3. All the members of the Civil Service Commission are now here, and will com mence to-morrow the examination of the railway and public works officials. Parliament out of Session. Messrs. Hamlin and Harris will ad dress their constituents this week. Mr. Sheehan addresses the Thames electors about Saturday next. Dead Fish. The beach from the Whangarei Heads is thickly strewn with dead schnappers. The cause is a puzzle to the local savans. - The Larrikins and the Street Preachers. The larrikin element is increasing. They pulled down and hustled the street preachers last night, chasing them along the main street. The police are quiescent. A Blackguard Policeman. An information has been laid by Mr. Strickley, Superintendent of the Indus trial Home, against Constable Adams for indecent assault on an inmate aged 18. Drought. The farmers complain of drought. Invercargill, May 3. The steamer Kakanui, which -went ashore at Toitoi harbor, got off yesterday, with comparatively little damage. Frightful Accident. John Rogers, rabbiter for Mr. McKel lar, was found on Sunday, at the Blue Mountains, near Tapanui, with his head severed from his body, having been shot by one barrel ot his gun exploding while he was charging the other.

Good Yield.— Mr. John Findlay, of the North Taieri, has threshed out a small paddock of oats, which yielded at the rate of 100 bushels to the acre, and another twenty acre paddock of Tuscan wheat yielded 68 bushels to the acre.

Property Tax.

The financial circumstances of the co lony, thanks to reckless government in the not very far past, require the imposi tion of direct taxation, and with a view to retrieving the ground the colony has lost, Parliament last year im posed a direct property tax, which they hoped would materially help to bring our income up to, at least, very nearly the level of our expenditure. We all knew why this tax was imposed. We were all aware that had no financial difficulty existed, had the public exchequer been as healthy as could have been wished, we would never have heard of a property tax. But there was a certain deficiency staring the Treasurer in the face, a deficiency that was bound to become greater instead of decreasing ; and Parliament, however un willing to add to the already heavy taxa tion, was forced, in the pressing circum stances, to accept the measure submitted to them. The Property Tax Act has been received with much opposition by some portions of the press, especially those who supported the Grey Government, while the moderate journals, after having con sidered it calmly and dispassionately, have been forced to the conclusion that it was about the only course left open to Parliament if they wished to raise revenue, and at the same time make all directly contribute who were able from their means to do so. The Opposition have done their best to condemn the measure, some even going the length of denouncing it as an attack on the sacredness of home, and a violation of the domestic privacy of every man in the colony. But no one who reads the Act as it stands will entertain that opinion of it for a moment. True, it will require careful working, for it ini tiates a mode of taxation in these colonies that has never been previously tried here ; but when it comes fairly into operation, and the tax has been collected, it will be found that it is neither so inquisitorial nor so harassing as it has been made out to be, while it will reach the pockts of many wealthy men whom the Land Tax could not approach. We give below an extract from the Wellington Post, which we think gives as lucid an explanation of the points that have been purposely hazed by Op positionists as we have seen in any of our contemporaries : There is not a single word in the Act empowering an assessor to enter a man’s house and value his personal property. The power of entry given to assessors is precisely the same as was conferred by the Land Tax Act introduced by the Grey Government, and simply enables them to enter, on land and premises, and put questions to the owner or occupier re garding his real estate. There is nothing whatever in the Act by which the domes tic privacy of the ratepayer can be invaded in the slightest degree. It is not probable that the first instalment of the tax will be collected before September next, but the assessors are now entering on their duties, and a slight sketch of the modus operands of the tax may not be uninteresting to our readers. First of all, then, the Commis sioner will give one month’s public notice of the time and place at which all persons shall be required to furnish statements of their real and personal property. It is the duty of every man owning property to procure the necessary forms, if they are not supplied to him, as any person liable to taxation under the Act incurs a heavy penalty by wilfully refusing or neglecting to furnish a statement of his property. It should be borne in mind that the tax payer has to value his personal property himself —the Act gives no power whatever to the assessors to value it. If a Deputy Commissioner is dissatisfied with a man’s return he may demand a fuller return, and if he is still dissatisfied with it he may object to it. The objection would then go before a Board of Reviewers, sworn to secrecy, with power to call for persons and papers. The taxpayer has also power to object to an assessment, and the objection, if not allowed by the Commis sioners, will go before the Board. This is almost precisely the same practice as that adopted in reference to the collection of the Income Tax at Home, and every care is taken in the Act to hedge round all the proceedings with the strictest secrecy. Some difficulty will no doubt be ex perienced at first in giving correct re turns, although it is reduced as far as possible to a minimum by the instructions on the forms which are issued to the ratepayers. There are a few leading points which it is useful to remember, and which we shall endeavor, as concisely as. possible, to lay before our readers. First, and most important all, it should be borne in mind that every man is entitled to deduct all his debts and an exemption to the amount of £SOO. If, after paying all he owes, he would be left with pro perty to the value of £5lO, he will have to pay the tax on £lO, which at Id. in the £ would amount to lOd. If the balance only represented £490, or even £SOO, he would escape the tax altogether. It will thus be seen that the tax will be of com paratively limited application. The work ing man, except in rare instances, will escape scot free. Not so the propertied classes, and no doubt the burden of the tax will fall very heavily on the trading community who have to pay on their stock-in-trade, as well as on any other property they may possess. Property of every description, both real and personal, in fact, has to pay the tax, provided it does not come within the £SOO limit. The only exception is made in favor of certain public institutions, agricultui’al imple ments, life insurance policies, vessels of every kind, and property held in rever sion in which the owner has no present beneficial interest. Every firm, partner ship, or association is entitled to one de duction of £SOO, even if each member has received that allowance in the assess ment of his individual property ; but only one deduction will be allowed to a firm, no matter how many members there may be. An error, which has gained considerable currency is that a person must specify his debts ; but, as a matter of fact, all that he has to do is to state the gross amount of debts for which he claims a deduction.

Aniseed Yalley Copper Mine. —The Nelson Colonist says :—Notwithstanding the fact that operations at this mine dur ing the past week have not been progress ing so rapidly as the shareholders could have desired, the work done shows the lode to be widening and the prospects con tinue of the brightest. At a meeting of tie directors held last evening tenders were accepted for sinking. a further dis tance of 20ft., and when this work is done the mine will be thoroughly proved.

Monday, May 3, 1880.1

THE ASHBURTON HERALD



ASHBURTON.—First innings. Eyton, b Peters ... ••• 5 A. Fooks, c Potts, b blood ... o March, c Crosbie, b Flood ... 7 Amos, c Potts, b Peters ... ... 22 Crisp, b Peters ... ... O Westenra, b Peters ... 7 Grant, c and b Potts ... ... o Hill, not out ... 9 Curtis, b Potts ... 9 Martin, c and b Potts X B. Ede, c Potts, bPeter... ••• 3 Extras... ... 24 Total ... 87 Second Innings. Eyton, b Potts ... 11 Fooks, run out ... 10 Hill, run out 3 Amos, b Hood ... 0 March, c and b Hood ... 6 Curtis, runout ... 0 Westenra, b Flood ••• 5 Crisp, b Peter ... 0 Martin, c A. Potts ... 9 Ede, b Hood ... 0 Grant, not out ... 14 Extras... ... 29 Total ... 87 MOUNT SOMERS.—First Innings. Lovell, b Westenra ... 6 Tomlinson, run out ... 10 Bailey, c Martin, b Westenra ... 11 Peter, c Fooks, b Westenra ••• 3 A. Potts, c Hill, b Fooks ... 13 Taylor, st Grant, b Eyton ... 2 D. Potts, b Westenra ... 2 Giffkin, b Westenra ... 0 G. Potts, b Fooks... ... 2 Cookson, c and b Westenra ... 8 Flood, not out ... 0 Extras... ... 15 Total ... 72 Second Innings. Bailey, c Hill, b Grant ... ... 6 G. Potts, b Westenra ... 14 Hood, b Westenra ... 0 Tomlinson, run out ... 0 Lovell, b Westenra ... 1 Peter, lbw, b Westenra ... ... 8 A. Potts, not out ... ... 7 Taylor, notout 1 Total ... 37



NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. 11 orders for insertion of advertise snts must be written legibly on the face the advertisement. When no order is eii the advertisement will be inserted [til countermanded, and charged accord ;iy* [All notices of Births, Marriages, or aths must be accompanied by the sig ture of the sender, as a guarantee of )od faith. All advertisements and business letters be addressed The Manager; literary immunications should be addressed to he Editor.



New Advertisements. R ¥TTANTED KNOWN—That Visiting |VY Cards, plain or mourning, can be obtained printed in various styles, at the “Herald” and “Guardian” offices, near the Rai VT %y Station TT7 ANTED —Female Plain COOK. Middle age preferred. Apply to T. Chambers, Bootmaker. 404 c TO LET—A Four-roomed COTTAGE in Peter Street. Apply to John - Olson, near the Foundry. 411 c — Brown Retriever PUP. jv Owner can have same by paying advertisement. Apply, Herald Office. 413 c ONEY TO LEND.—Several sums im of money ready for investment at current rates. F. P. O’Reilly, Solicitor, Tancred street, Ashburton. 263c-684g LECTURES.—Just Ar .Vy rived, New Edition H. M. Jones, aring Square. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. THE Annual MEETING of Members will be held at Mr. Anstee’s House, Tancred street, on TUESDAY, May 4th, at 8 p.m. Business— To receive Report and Balance-sheet,. Election of Committee for en suing year, and other Business. STEPHEN E. POYNTZ, 397 c Hon. Sec. WAKANUI ROAD BOARD. TENDERS are invited for the following Works : No. 18. Beach Road, Forming to full width from Finger Post to Wakanui School, about 200 Chains. No. 19. Beach Road, Metalling above, 15 yards to the chain. No. 20. Suburban Roads near South East Belt, Metalling about 50 chains. No. 21. Additions and Repairs to eight immigrants’ cottages in district. No. 22. Leadley andßutterick’sDrain, Miking three concrete falls. Specifications, etc., can be seen at the Board’s office, Moore street, where tenders will be received till 10 a.m. on THURS DAY, MAY 6th, addressed to the Chair man, endorsed with No. of contract, and accompanied with 5 per cent, (marked cheque) on the value of the work tendered for. FOOKS & SON, 757g-365c Surveyors’ to the Board. ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL. TENDERS are invited for the following works : 1. Wheatstone Drainage Extension. 2. Pound at Methven. Plans and specifications can be seen at Council offices, Ashburton, and tenders, with marked cheques equal to 5 per cent, of amount of contracts, addressed to the Chairman, to be sent in not later than 11 a.m., Wednesday, sth May next. By order. WILLIAM BAXTER, 382c-798g County Engineer. R. LICENSING ACT, 1873, AND LICENS ING ACT 1873 AMENDMENT ACT, 1874. is hereby given that, in pur -I\| suance of the above Acts, a Quarterly Meeting of the Licensing Commissioners of the Districts of Ash burton, Rakaia, and Mount Somers, will be held on TUESDAY, the Ist day of June, 1880, at the hour of 12 noon, in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Ashbur ton, for the purpose of considering appli cations under the said Acts. C. CAVENDISH HURRELL, Clerk, Licensing Court. Resident Magistrate’s Court, Ashburton, 28th April, 1880. 393 ASHBURTON AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION. GENERAL MEETING. A GENERAL MEETING of Members will be held at Shearman’s Hotel on TUESDAY 4th May, at 3 o’clock. Business : To elect a Committee and Auditors in accordance with the provisions of the “Agricultural and Pastoral Societys’ Act,” and to receive the report of Sub-Committee appointed for the purpose of obtaining plans and estimates for the erection of yards. GEORGE JAMESON, 334c-750g Secretary.



T. R. HODDER & CO. HAVE much pleasure in announc ing to their friends and the public generally, that their stock of WINTER DRAPERY, MILLINERY, MEN’S AND BOYS’ CLOTHING, HATS AND HOSIERY, BOOTS AND SHOES, IS NOT TO BE SURPASSED FOR QUALITY AND ASSORTMENT, Each Department being replete with everything suitable for the season. JUST TO HAND— A Very Large Assortment of Melbourne Clothing, MADE ESPECIALLY TO ORDER. T. R. HODDER & CO. having been encouraged by their greatly increased trade in the Clothing Department, have ENLARGED THEIR PREMISES, Enabling them to keep a Larger and More Varied Assortment. Tailoring In all branches by most experienced hands. SUITS, RIDING TROUSERS, HABITS, &c., made on the most im proved principle, at the shortest notice, and as cheap, or cheaper, than any house in Canterbury. T. R. HODDER and CO., seeking to Encourage Local Industries keep a well assorted stock of Kaiapoi, Roslyn, and Mosgiel Manufactured Goods. Boots and Shoes, Imported and Colonial make, from the best Christchurch and Dunedin Manufacturers. T. R. HODDER & CO., while not pro fessing to sell everything at COST PRICE, are prepared to meet EXISTIN G COM PETITION and to encourage all Cash Purchasers. An experience of twenty six years Colonial storekeeping has taught our Firm the value of a Cash Grocery Business, which they have found succeed so well in Ashburton since bringing down the prices of many leading commodities, which course they are still prepared to continue and show their preferring PROMPT CASH, rather than risk long credit with large profits. Ironmongery AND Crockeryware AT LOWEST FAYING RATES. Sole Agents for Singer’s Sewing Machines Sole Agents for Wanzer Sewing Machine. Agents for Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company. T. R. HODDER & CO. 407 c LATEST STYLES FROM LONDON & PARIS. CRAIGHEAD & CO., Merchant Tailors, TANCRED STREET, (Next Orr & Co.) PERFECT FIT GUARANTEED. 394c-803g ASHBURTON LIBRARY. A MEETING of Members will be held on THURSDAY, the 13th May, at 7 p.m., in the Library, to elect a Com mittee and Offioers for the ensuing year. J. WARD, 398 c Secretary. ASHBURTON PERMANENT BUILD ING AND INVESTMENT SOCIETY. ITIHE Monthly Meeting of the above § Society will he held in Mr. Bullock’s office TO-MORROW (Tuesday) EVEN ING, from 6.30 to 8.30. Subscriptions will be received at the Secretary’s office, Burnett street, between the hours of 9 o’clock and 4 p.m. to morrow, and at Mr. Bullock’s office, from 6.30 to 8.30 to-morrow evening. J. WARD, 414 c Secretary. HORSE BREAKING. THE undersigned is now prepared to Undertake the BREAKING of HORSES to double and single harness, also to saddle. Mr. Willcocks has had a very consider able expei’ience in Australia, and his success there as a Trainer is sufficient guarantee as to his ability. All orders to he left at the Coach Office, Commercial Hotel, Ashburton, or the Wlieatsheaf Hotel, Wheatstone. 403 c GEO. WILLCOCKS. CENTRAL TEMPERANCE Baring Square (Near Town Hall). RE-OPENING of the above commo dious and centrally situated Pri vate and Commercial Hotel. T. BROADBELT, PROPRIETOR, Is prepared to give Superior Accommoda tion to Boarders and the Travelling Public on REASONABLE TERMS. Weekly Board and Lodging ... £1 Weekly Board ... ... ... 14s. MEALS AT ALL HOURS. Dinner on Saturday from 11.30. Beds (single), Is. 6d. Private Room for Ladies. 153—624 a



ST. JOHN’S LODGE, E.O. THE Regular Monthly Meeting of the above Lodge will be held on TUES DAY, May 4th, at 7.30 p.m. sharp. Visiting brethren invited. By order, 409 c W.M. NOTICE TO HORSE BREEDERS IN THE ASHBURTON AND SUR ROUNDING DISTRICTS. WE, the undersigned, Trustees in the Estate of W. Bennison, of Ashbur ton, hereby certify that the said estate has NO CLAIM on the different fees due from the service of the ENTIRE HORSE “ Sir Julius Vogel,” the property of W. Holley, -which travelled the Ashburton and surrounding districts the season of 1878. B. EDE. JOSEPH CLARK. In reference to the above, I, the under signed, beg to state that after having waited until after harvest, at the request of different persons who have not paid for the service of the abovementioned horse, I must now ask for payment of all moneys due respecting the same. Payment to be made to W. Holley, Tuam Street East, Christchurch, or legal proceedings -will be taken to recover the same without further notice. Ist May, 1880. 410 c NOTICE. ON AND AFTER the'lst MAY, 18S0, the undersigned will Sell BREAD for CASH at SIXPENCE PER 4-LBS. LOAF. He also requests that all out standing ACCOUNTS be PAID up before the 4tli of May. THOMAS TAYLOR, 391 Ashburton Bakery. NOTICE. RATING ACT, 1870. WHEREAS at a sitting of the Assess ment Court for the Road District of Longbeach, held this 17th day of April, at Longbeach, before me, F. Guinness, Judge of the said Court, it was proved that no Valuation List had been prepared as required by the said Act. Now, there fore, under the provisions of clause 28 of the said Act, I order that a Valuation List be made ; and I hereby appoint William John Cuthbert to be the Valuer for the said District; and I do further fix Tues day, the Ist day of June ne.xt, the day for the completion and inspection of such list ; and that the last day for delivering objections thereto shall be Tuesday, the 15th day of June. The Court will sit at 10 o’clock in the forenoon on MONDAY, the 21st day of June next, for the purpose of hearing and determining all objections to the Valuation List of the said District. FRANK OUINNESS, Judge. C. CAVENDISH HURRELL, 378 c Clerk. NOTICE. RATING ACT, 187 G. WHEREAS at a sitting of the Assess ment Court for the Road District of Mount Somers, held this 19 th day of April, at Mount Somers, before me, F. Guinness, Judge of the said Court, it was proved that no Valuation List had been prepared as required by the said Act. Now, there fore, under the provisions of clause 28 of the said Act, I order that a Valuation List be made ; and I hei’eby appoint Cracken thorpe John Wentworth Cookson, Jun., to be the Valuer for the said District ; and I do further fix Tuesday, the Ist day of June next, the day for the completion and inspection of such List, and that the last day for delivering objections thereto shall be Tuesday the 22nd day of June. The Court will sit at 10 o’clock in the fore noon) on MONDAY, the sth day of July next, for the purpose of hearing and determining all objections to the Valua tion List of the said District. FRANK GUINNESS, Judge. C. CAVENDISH HURRELL, Clerk. 377 c