The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1883.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 945, 17 May 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1883.

Owing to the licensing meeting for the Ashburton district being held on June 6th, the sale at Mr Hudson’s store, etc., Waterton, is postponed until the following day. Mr Fish, Chairman of the Otago Harbor Board, who is now in Wellington, has submitted to the Government the plans for the proposed work on the Otago Bar. These have been reported upon by the Marine Department. Mr Blackett, the Marine Engineer for the colony, expresses himself as generally favorable to the scheme, and the Government also approve of it, but as they deem the work one of colonial as well as local importance, they have suggested to Mr Fish the desirability of having the plans referred to Sir John Goode for his opinion before final approval Mr Fish has concurred in this, and has telegraphed to the Harbor Board, asking it to hold a meeting to authorise him to forward the plans Home by the mail leaving Wellington on Saturday. Owing no doubt to the counter attraction at the Oddfellows’ Hall, the attendanceat the Wesleyan Temperance Society’s meeting last night was only limited. This was to be the more regretted as the paper read by Mr J. R. Murray was excellently compiled, and contained a large amount of information bearing on the Temperance Reformation. The discussion which followed elicited some further interesting details, the mission of the Rev. Father Mathew, in Ireland being most eulogistl oally referred to by more than one speaker. A well-deserved vote of thanks was accorded to the essayist, who must have spent considerable time in acquiring the facts brought before the meeting. Some matters of routine were disposed of during the evening, and a resolution was carried appointing three members of the Society, with the President (Rev. 0. H. Stannage), to confer with the other temperance bodies in Ashburton with reference to the adviaablenesa of inaugurating a branch of the Blue Ribbon Army in this township. The proceedings closed by the President pronouncing the benediction.

Among the questions discussed at the Postal Union Conference held at Sydney, was that of uniformity of telegraphic charges. The Argus says on this head : —“ In these colonies cheap telegraphy is essential, and there should be uniformity of charges as well as cheapness. The whole of the colonies including New Zealand and Tasmania, ought, in fact, to be associated together in a telegraphic union, so that there might be the freest possible communication between every member of the group. In course of time, as the federal sentiment grows, an arrangement of this sort will doubtless become an accomplished fact, whether the political federation of the colonies takes place or not. That the adoption of such a system would be of the greatest possible advantage to the colonies individually and collectively cannot be doubted for a moment, and we think therefore that the subject might very properly engage the attention of the Conference.” The Argus proceeds to say that there are other matters, apart from the simple question of lowering the rates, which might be inquired into, such as the 50 per cent, extra charged for code messages, the maximum length of wordi, and the regulations as to repetition of messages, all of whioh are unfair and exacting as compared with the practice of the European and Indian systems.

Mr Wakefield was entertained at a banquet at Beefton on Tuesday night. About 170 persons were present. It was a very successful gathering. Mr W. fl. James, solicitor, presided. In proposing the toast of the evening, the Chairman said that, though defeated, Mr Wakefield had secured a larger number of votes than any other candidate in the colony, except Mr Shaw, and considering the extraordinary Government and County Council influence brought to bear against him, his position on the poll was in the highest degree honorable to the candidate and the electors who supported him, and should another opportunity arise Mr Wakefield would be again invited to contest the seat, and profiting by the experience of the last contest, such steps would be taken as would secure his return by a triumphant majority. Mr Wakefield, in replying, said the result, considering the character of the oppositionists, and the fact that he was a comparative stranger to the electors, was the highest compliment ever paid to a public man in the|colony, the opportunity again occur, and the people desired it, he should feel ready again to come forward. His visit to the West Coast was an epoch in his lifetime, and the reception he met with and the support accorded him would never be forgotten.

Writing of the Onehunga iron works, the "Nero Zealand Herald saya;—The importance of the successful manufacture of iron in our midst cannot be over-esti-mated. Iron, in some form or other, is an article which is required in every manufacturing undertaking, large or small; and when we become the producers of this commodity, at a price which fairly competes with the supply from Europe, we shall find our trade vastly increased, and openings made for our merchants which are now closed. It is estimated that with proper plant at Onehunga, good bar iron can bo produced from our ironsand at a cost less than that for which ordinary iron from Staffordshire can be laid down on Queen street wharf. If so, we see r no reason why the company now in course of formation should stop at the preparation of bar iron, pig iron, or even fencing wire, although New Zealand consumes nearly 23,000 tons of these kinds every year, and Australia considerably over 100,000 tons more. The ironworks at Onehunga are so situated as to have a frontage to the harbor. Instead of confining their operations to the preparation of these forms of iron, if the requisite plant were procured for manufacturing ship-plates, iron shipbuilding might be inaugurated there with every prospect of success. The prospects of the undertaking are highly encouraging. The ironsand and coal are here in unlimited supply for at least' several generations to come, and few things would make New Zealand better known than converting the Manukau harbor into a miniature Clyde. Every industry successfully carried on in our midst helps to add to our wealth as a community, but few manufacturing industries would have such a beneficial or permanent influence for good as that of iron-making. It is one which should receive every encouragement until it is fairly about on the sea of prosperity.

Mr James Rutherford, M.H.R. for Bruce, died yesterday. He was in good health a week ago, but caught cold which brought on congestion of the lungs. The mails for the United Kingdom, Continents of Europe and America, and West Ihdiea (via San Francisco), Sandwich Islands, Cape of Good Hope, Northern ports of New Zealand, etc., will close at Ashburton post office at 10 a. m. on Saturday. This mail will be due in London on 2nd July. The Christchurch Gas Company, alive to the interests of their constituents, have reduced the price of gas to 10s for lighting purposes, and 8s 4d for gas engines and cooking purposes. Would it not be to the interest of the Ashburton Company to reduce their prices, with a view to increasing the latter class of consumers! The Gas Company have also resolved to increase their capital by 8000 shaies of L 5 each.

Mr T. O’Kelsey, of Christchurch, takes with him to Fngland 2200 samptes of the supposed diamonds found at Alford Forest by Mr J. S. M. Jacobsen. Out of this quantity, which weighs 15 carats or 60 grains, the expeits in the Old Oountiy should have sufficient to tost whether they are really diamonds, and whether the field is of any value. Mr Kelsey intends to send a cablegram as to the result from England directly the tests are made.

A case exhibiting a terrible state of immorality was heard at the Dubbo Circuit Court, N.S.W., recently, before Mr Justice Faucett. A man named Procter was charged with having committed a capital offence upon his own daughter, a girl aged 17. The evidence showed that the prisoner and his family, consisting of two daughters and two sons, the eldest of the latter being 15 years old, all slept in one room, the girls and boys having slept together for five years. A short time since one of the daughters had a child, of which prisoner was the father. The evidence failed to show that there had not been consent on the girl’s part, and a verdict was returned of not guilty. The jury added a rider to the effect that they regretted there was no law to punish the prisoner for incest. The Judge, in discharging the prisoner, said it was one of the most atrocious and unnatural cases he had ever listened to, and he was sorry that the new criminal Bill was not in force. In that measure such a crime as the prisoner’s was provided for. About 100 people were waiting outside the Court for the prisoner, but he escaped unobserved. Had he been caught by the crowd, so great was their indignation, that he would certainly have been roughly handled. As a good deal of attention has been called of late to the gambling of Chinamen in different parts of the colony, it will probably interest our readers to learn what is the nature of the principal game indulged in. It is called “ fan-tan,” and is played as follows :—There is a banker who stands at the end of a table. Before him is spread a cloth, on which is a square board divided by a cross. The corners are numbered 1,2, 3 and 4. The other materials are a quantity of “ cash,” which is a brass coin of small value current in China. Each coin has a square hole in the centre, and when used for money they pass from hand to hand, tied in bunches of a recognised value. In .the game, however, they are loose. There are besides, buttons of different colors, each representing sums of from 5s up to L 5 or more. These are bought by the players, and used for stakes. All being ready, the players place their stakes on the board according to their fancy, the numbers representing even money or odds staked by the bank. The banker then takes from a heap a handful of loose cash, and begins to withdraw them as spread out by four pieces at a draw. This is not done by the fingers ; John Chinaman has long finger nails and long sleeves, to which latter he can convey bowers and other things with surprising dexterity. He is therefore put beyond suspicion, though it is probable that practised bankers do now and then deal not altogether honestly with the pieces. The banker withdraws the pieces by a pointed stick, resembling a black lead pencil, which he inserts in the holes of the cash. It is evident that at the last, there must be left on the table four, or some less number of pieces. If there are four left, the backer or backers of No. 4 on the board take the money deposited on that number, and whatever addition from the bank that prescribed by the rules of the game, less 5 per cent, deducted from all winnings for the benefit of the house; and so with other numbers should they be the same as the remainder.

Holloway’s Pills. —The chiefest wonder of modem times.—This incomparable medicine increases the appetite, strengthens the stomach, cleanses the liver, corrects biliousness, prevents flatulency, purifes the system, invigorates the nerves, and re-instates sound health. The enormous demand for these Pills throughout the globe astonishes everybody, and a single trial convinces the most sceptical that no medicine equals Holloway’s Pills in its ability to remove all complaints incidental to the human race They are a blessing to the afflicted, and a boon to all that labour under internal or external disease. The purification of the blood, removal of all restraint from the secretive organs, and gentle aperitive action are the prolific sources of the extensive curative range of Holloway’s Pills. [Advt.]