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Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 844, 17 January 1883, Page 2

The Volunteers. The appointment of Captain Stewart Newall, of the New Zealand Militia, as Adjutant to the volunteer forces of the Canterbury Volunteer district is gazetted. PHRENOLOGY. —Still another phrenologist is to pay a visit to Ashburton, Professor Fraser having announced his intention of giving a lecture in the Town Hall to-morrow evening.

Appointment.—At a meeting of the Alford Forest School Committee on Friday last Mr Alsopp, late of Tinwald,. was elected master of the local school. There' were several candidates for the post. Presbttehian. —The members of the congregation of the Ashburton Presbyterian Church hold a tea meeting in the church to-night, after which the annual balance-sheet and matters generally affecting the Presbyterian cause in the district will be considered.

Maccabe. —Mr Frederic Maccabo, the celebrated ventriloquist and impersonator, who has only partially recovered from his recent indisposition, was greeted with a crowded house at Oamaru on Monday. He will, however, not be able to appear in Ashburton as announced. Social Gathering. —An entertainment will be given this evening by the choir of St. Stephen’s Church, at the Old Men’s Home, to commence at 7.30 p.m. The public will be admitted, and a collection will be made at the close of the entertainment on behalf of the Organ Fund. Df FACING THE CATHEDRAL. —The Spirit of vandalism which leads the British cad to carve his dishonorable name on the venerable monuments of the Old World, appears, unfortunately, to be rife in Christchurch. Yesterday (says the Lyttelton Times ) it was discovered that some individuals, with more misdirected industry than sense, had cut their initials in large letters on a portico of the white atone forming the dressings of the South porch of the Cathedral. ■no of the parties concerned, not content v\ uh this, had also placed his initials on a stone beside the door of the vestry. It is to be hoped that the persons who have thus set the example of defacing the edifice may be detected, in order that their foolish conduct may meet with the punishment it deserves.

Wool-broker’s Fees. —The wool sales at Invercargill yesterday came to an early termination without any business being done, owing to the combined action of the buyers, who objected to the clause in the conditions of sale to the effect that the buyer should pay the broker one-eighth of a penny per pound for delivering, and a further charge of five shilings per bale if repacked. No objection was taken till a lot had been knocked down to a buyer. It was evident there was combined action of a section of the buyers. The N.Z.L. and M. A. Company and their principals who were present declined to proceed. Other firms followed suit, hauling down their flags. Sales were to be resumed today, several buyers being willing to give the eighth, while new buyers and commissions arrived during the afternoon. ThoJN.Z.L. and M. 1. Company placed over 100 bales private'y at satisfactory prices. The Cost of the Egyptian War.— Mr Gladstone made a brief statement in the House of Commons on November 28th, on the subject of the cost of the Egyptian expedition. The additional expenses since October Ist, when the warcharge, properly so called, came to an end —in other words, the expenses of the force of occupation maintained in Egypt —amount altogether to L 1,060,000. The cost of the Indian contingent, originally estimated at L 1,880,000, is L 1,140,000. The total expenditure which the operations of the war have involved is four rail'ions and a half. The extra charge incurred since October Ist will eventually be borne altogether, or almost altogether, by the Egyptian revenues. Mr Gladstone did not say whether anything would be charged to the Indian Exchequer. The matter, he intimated, is still under the consideration of the Government, and a definite announcement upon it will shortly be made. There is, it may be said, a strong feeling in, England against holding India liable for any portion of the ex-: ponditure. Systematic Thefts. —lt appears from the following, published in the Southland Times, that systematic rascality and fraud are gaining a footing even in this new land. It is wall known (says our contemporary) that the purchase of sowingmachines, pianos, and other household requirements is frequently made by a system of hire with option of purchase ; the weekly rents going to the extinguishment of the cost. It is on this system that a gang of chevaliers d’lndustrie in Dunedin have been preying far many months past. The modus operands was remarkably simple, difficult of detention, and remunerative. Many of the hirers are people in straightened circumstances, or, worse still, not over honest, and fall behind with their payments. The rogues in question find such persons out, and driving to their doors, assume an air of authority—“ You have a sewing-machine on hire from——, and have not paid your instalments, and I have been sent from the establishment to remove it.” No resistance is made to this plausible demand ; the machine is removed, but not to the owner’s warehouse. It is taken elsewhere, and the numbers by which it can be identified obliterated and altered as far as possible, and the article sold at a reduction on the market value. That the swindle has been successful would appear from the fact that half-a-dozen such machines were sold around Wyndham by an agent, it is supposed, of the gang. The same plan was adopted to procure pianos from the hirers ; the identity of the instruments being cunningly destroyed by placing the name of another maker over the original lable. The matter has another aspect of hardship ; these articles are stolen, and the owner, that is the hirer, can claim them wherever he finds thorn. This was done in the Wyndham instances. Now these people bought these machines from a n>an (Dobbie) well known in the trade, and haying at the timo a shop open at Wyndham. As they paid cash for the machines they lose about L 7 each by the operations of the rascals. It is some satisfaction to know that one of the gang is now awaiting trial at the Supreme Court, Dunedin, while a warrant is out for the arrest of the one who carried the little game into Southland. There would appear to bo a suspicion that in some instances the machines were hired by parties in league with the gang for the express purpose of fraud. The circumstances detailed should cause householders to be careful as to whom they deal with.

Sewing Machines.—By reference to our adverti-ing Columns it will be seen that Messrs Singer and Co. have opened an agency for their sewing machines in Moore street. Licensing Committees. —The election of Licensing Committees for the Ashburton district will take place on Feb 2nd. The day for nominations to bo received is fixed for the 25tli inst. Storting —We learn from our Alford Forest corresoondent that in a match which came off on Saturday last between Mr W. T. Smith’s Wild Rose and Mr W. Ferneaux’s Spider, for LlO a side, the former won easily.

The Wellington Summer Meeting.— The Wellington Racing Club have decided to ask Mr Hately, of Wanganui, to frame the handicaps for the Summer meeting. The Cup Handicap was made up by the Stewards, and the result was that only six horses accepted. A Whirlwind.— A phenomenon in the shape of a whirlwind was observed in the front of the Somerset Hotel to-day, between 12 and 1 o’clock. The total absence of wind until the column of dust was observed made it all the more remarkable. It ascended to the height of 50 feet or more, rapidly moved in the direction of the heap of coal belonging to Messrs Tucker, Bestell and Co., and then disappeared. “Lambing Down.” —The alleged “ lambing down ” case was resumed at the Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon. Mr Gully produced the evidence of Timothy Murphy, taken at the Hospital, before himself and Mr Forwood, counsel for plaintiff. It was read by the Clerk of the Court, and was strongly in favor of the defendant. Mr Gully also produced a book containing entries of all the liquor and cigars sup r plied to plaintiff. Mrs Harding was reexamined as to the manner in which the various items were kept count of. This closed the case for the defence. Counsel having addressed the Court, his Worship reserved judgment. Mr Milner Stephen.—A controversy is going on in Wellington respecting the healing powers of Mr Stephen, and the local evening paper has invited communications from those who have been treated. Out of five letters sent in, four persons say they did not receive any relief, while the fifth winds up thus :—“Be he what he may, the relief from suffering for a fortnight, which has never been secured by me before, is something to be thankful for, and she has never been so well for many, many years.” Mr Stephen having mentioned that Dr Keyworth had sent persona to him, has brought forth a reply, in which Dr Keyworth states that he never sent a patient to Mr Stephen, and further that he has no intention of doing so.

The Sultan. —Accounts from Constantinople state that the Sultan is the moat abjectly wretched of all monarchs. The events of the past few months, the defeat of his projects in Egypt, the sword which England holds suspended over his head, the intrigues by which he is surrounded, the contempt with which he finds himself regarded in every Court in Europe, even in that of Russia, which was futilely offered Constantinople for a Russian garrison if Russia would interfere in Egypt —all these things have weakened his never too powerful intellect. Thera is insanity in his family, and he shows symptoms of it. He is a prey to the most fearful fits of depression, becomes frantic in his terror, and shrieks, at his imaginary enemies, makes and unmakes Ministers in twenty-four hours, and altogether presents a pitiable spectacle. His dread of assassination has become like a perpetual nightmare. He tells everyone that he will meet the fate of his brother, and if his hallucinations do not carry him off it is quite possible that he may. The place is now practically in a state of seige. Nobody is allowed entrance unless summoned. The Sultan is alarmed, owing to sedition among his troops, who are angry at the way the palace Guards are paid, while they are in rags. The re-appointment of Osman Pasha, who is unpopular in the army, as Minister of War, has added fuel to the flames. The Sultan has had built for his use an armoured carriage, bullet and grenade proof. The Standard's correspondent at Constantinople says the Sultan did not attend the Mosque on Friday, and it has since transpired that an attempt to assassinate him was contemplated. The Sultan is completely terrorstricken, and hardly dares to show himself outside the harem. [A cablegram received this morning states that the Saltan has been attacked, so that we see the precautions referred to were not un-warranted.--Ed. G.] Archibald Forbes. —There was a good attendance at the Town Hall last evening, when Mr Forbes delivered his second and final lecture in Ashburton. The subject treated of was “ Kings and Princes I have met. ” The celebrated war correspondent has perforce been brought into contact with many of the highest notabilities in various countriei of the world, and his graphic description of their appearance and the narration of personal reminiscences could not fail to be interesting. Commencing with the Franco-Prussian war, we were introduced to the present Emperor of Germany, his war-like son, the Crown Prince, and the <f Red Prince ” Frederick Charles. It chanced that Mr Forbes was present when Bismarck and the conquered Emperor Napoleon met at the roadside cottage to arrange the terms of the capitulation of the French army at Sedan. The picture ha drew of the vanquished Emperor was pathetic in the highest degree, and will long be remembered by those who were present last evening. The late Gzvr of Russia and his son, the reigning Monarch, and the Empsror of Austria were passed in review, as were also loss important dignitaries such as King Teebaw and the Shah of Persia. For the latter Mr Forbes appears to have, and very justly, the most supreme contempt, as the “ most gigantic fraud in this age of gigantic frauds,” and the audience thoroughly relished the description given of the manners of this shoddy potentate. The sympathies of the audience were roused by the eloquent and touching description given by the lecturer of the death of the Prince Imperial in Zululand. Mr Forbes was on intimate terms with this unfortunate youth, whose premature death was so greatly lamented in England, for which country fie wasfiglving when he fell. The lecture concluded with the narrative of the dangerous illness of the Prince of Wales in 1871, and the national thanksgiving for his recovery in the February of the following year. Throughout the lecture Mr Forbes.was listened to with great interest, and the applause of the audience was frequent and hearty. rIoLLOWAY’s Pills. Liver Complaints.—The digestion cannot be long so seriously disordered without the derangement being perceptible on the countenance. These pills prevent both unpleasant consequences ; they improve the appetite and with the increase of desire for food, they augment the powers of digestion and assimilation in the stomach. Holloways Pills deal most satisfactorily with deranged or diseased conditions of the many organs engaged in extracting nourishment for our bodies from our various diets —as the liver, stomach, and bowels, over all of which they exercise the most salutary control, By resorting at an early stage of this malady to these purifiying and laxative Pills, the dyspeptic is speedily restored to health and strength, and his sallowneas gradually vanishes. —[Advt. ]