The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1881.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 400, 20 July 1881, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1881.

TOWN EDITION. [lssxted at 4.10 p.m. j

Postponed. Safe Retreat Lodge, 1.0.G.T., had proposed holding an open meeting this evening, but the same has been unavoidably postponed. The Will-andthb-Wat Lodge. —This Lodge intend holding an open meeting at their Lodge-room this evening,

Poultry Exhibition. —At the annual Poultry Exhibition, which was opened today at Christchurch, nearly 500 exhibits were shown, but owing to the unfavorable weather the attendance was poor. Auction Sale. —Mr Alfred Harrison announces an important sale at Messrs Matson, Cox and Co.’s store to-morrow, for particulars of which we refer our readers to the advertisement in another column.

Barley. The Victorian Minister of Customs has allowed a large quantity of N.Z barley to enter the port for malting purposes, to be afterwards exported. The experiment has succeeded, and has given employment to hundreds of hands. Phrenology. —ln consequence of the unusually rough weather last night, Professor Simon’s phrenological entertainment at the Town Hall, was postponed until this evening, when, it is hoped, there will be a good audience. Mr Simon is still visited daily at Quill’s Hotel by many persona desirous of obtaining charts of their character. He proposes to remain in Ashburton all day to-morrow, and perhaps later if inducement offers.

The Rain. —All last night the rain fell heavily and continued this morning and afternoon without intermission. So much has fallen that we fear heavy floods have occurred at some places. A telegram from Christchurch informs us that “the south-west gale is subsiding, but heavy rain still continues.” The usual express from Christchurch did not arrive at the usual hour, and, on enquiry, we found that part of the railway line had been washed away between Chertsey and Rakaia. The passengers and mail bags arrived at Ashburton at 13 minutes to 4 o’clock this afternoon. It appears that for a distance of between two and three miles the line is down at intervals, and it is impossible to say at present how soon it can be repaired. A train was sent from Ashburton this afternoon to the spot, and the passengers and mail bags came by trolly from the train on the other of the broken ground. We learn from Mr Cookson that the country between Mount Somers and Ashburton is completely under water, and some difficulty was experienced in piloting the coach to town to-day with the country mails. In some places the bed ofe thcoach was completely swamped.

A Novelty in Marriage Settlements. —Mr Frank Bush and his wife, of Clarion, Ohio, agreed at their marriage that if any quarrel aver arose between them it should bo left to the decision of three referees. Mrs Bush lately visited her mother, and refused to return home. The case was fully presented to the referees, who decided that the wife was wrong, and must go back to her husband. They also voted to censure the mother-in-law.