The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 1883.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 968, 13 June 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 1883.

Mails for the United Kingdom, etc. via San Francisco, will cloie at the'looal post office on Saturday morning. On Sunday last Bishop Nevill admitted the Rev. T. Callaghan as a clergymen of the Church of England. He formerly belonged to the Church of Rome.

The Master of the Ashburton Home desires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of II from Mr Wason, through Mr Wilding, solicitor, towards the Piano Fund.

Constable Fleming, who is stationed at Port Chalmers, has been promoted to the position of second-class constable for special services on May 6th. He jumped off the pier at Port Chalmers and rescued from drowning Andrew 'Miller, a seaman belonging to the ship Wellington. The Wellington correspondent of the Press says:—w ith reference to the Government’s intention regarding the creation of a Minister of Agriculture, I may explain it is not intended merely to constitute a nominal portfolio and allot it to one of the present Cabinet, as in the case of Mines. What the Government intend to do is to propose to the House the creation of an eighth paid Minister, and to introduce a Bill to give effect to that proposal. It is generally believed that the Minister of Agriculture will be a Canterbury man, and that he will take over one or two other portfolios. At the meeting of the Borough School Committee last evening, a letter was read from the headmaster to the Chairman drawing attention, inter alia, to the wanton destruction of school books which has been going on for some time. This disgraceful work is evidently done at night, access to the school being obtained through one of the windows, and it surmised that it has been committed out of revenge. However that might be, it is as well that the malefactor should know that the police have the matter in hand, and should he continue in his present course, he will inevitably be severely punished.

Our readers, especially those musically inclined, will scarcely need reminding that the long-looked-for Orchestral Society’s concert comes off this evening in the new Oddfellows’ Hall. We have already spoken of the programme, and it only remains to be said that the various items have boon thoroughly rehearsed during the past few days, and that a sufficient number of tickets have been disposed of to guarantee a good house. Apart from other considerations, the entertainment should be well patronised, as it is the first concert given by the Society on its own behalf, although the members have several times lent their services to assist other people.

The recent execution in Berlin of the coachman, Conrad, for the brutal murder of his wife and four children, has led to the publication in the German newspapers of some interesting statistics relalative to the infliction of the death penalty in Germany. Between 1864 and 1868 inclusive, of 218 persons condemned to decapitation, 26 were executed; but between 1869 and 1878, although no less than 428 persons were condemned, none were executed ; and the executions were only resumed after the attempt of Hcedrl, who perished on the scaffold on August 16, 1878. This year Conrad is the second prisoner whose death sentence has been carried into effect. The German executioner’s name is Krauts, and he has four assistants, whose duty it is to divest the victim of his outer clothing, and to bind him with leather thongs to the block. Krauts deals the fatal blow with an axe, usually severing the head from the body at the first stroke ; and the remains of the prisoner are at once covered with black cloths, placed in a coffin, and borne away for immediate burial.

The following appointments ■ are gazetted : —Mr John Hunt tp be a ranger l for Ashburton under the Animals Protection Act, 1880, and Mr Charles Ward to be Deputy-Registrar of marriages, etc., for the same place. It is certainly high time (says the Globe) to take into serious consideration the question of providing a second maritime canal through Egypt or to enlarge the existing one. The statistics given in a parliamentary return which has just been issued point very clearly to the conclusion that the more frequent stoppages of the traffic in the Suez Canal are largely due to congestion. During the last three years only the number of vessels annually using the Canal has increased from 2,026 to 3,108, and their aggregate tonnage from 4,344,519 to 7,122,125 ; that is to say, not only were there about one-third more ships to be provided for in 1882 than in 1880, but the average tonnage also increased considerably. Going ten years back, we find that in 1872 only 1,082 ships, with a gross tonnage of 1,744,481, passed through the Canal ; and it comes out, therefore, that in a single decade the number of ships and their capacity has been trebled. From another table there eeems good reason to believe that a second canal would soon become a paying concern. In 1880 the transit dues were a trills under 40,000,000 fr, but last year they amounted to more than 60,000,000 fr, the augmentation of income being therefore at the rate of 10,000,000 fr per annum. Should the Indian v.heat trade the expectations of those who regard it as destined to oust America from the European market, the Suez Canal will certainly have to be greatly enlarged to accommodate the increased traffic. These latter remarks anent the Indian wheat trade are not unimportant to settlers in the Australias. There are millions of acres in Upper India where wheat can be grown, and the industry is occupying the attention of capitalists. A member of the press who recently paid a flying visit to Bombay made the acquaintance of several gentlemen acquainted with the district, who stated that from the cheapness of land and labor India might psssibly become the world’s granary. It is impossible to remain long sick or out out of health where Hop Bitters are used. See another.—[Ad vt.] Why do Hop Bitters cure so much ? Because they give good digestion, rich blood, and healthy action of all the organs. Read.— [Advt.] Holloway’s Pills.—The changes of temperature and weather frequently upset persons who are most careful of their health, and most particular in their diets. These corrective, purifying, and gentle aperient Pills are the best icmedy for all defective actions of the digestive organs ; they augment the appetite, strengthen the stomach, correct biliousness, and carry off all that is noxious from the system. Holloway’s Pills are composed of rare balsams, uumixed with 1 baser matter, and on that account are peculiarly well adapted' for the young, delicate, and aged. As this peerless medicine has gained fame in the past, so will it preserve it in the uturc by its renovating and invigorating qualities, and its incapacity of doing harm. —[Advt.] Wanted Known—That J. Meech is importing all his own goods, which enables him to sell cheaper than any other furnishing house in Ashburton. He has every class of furniture to suit all parties, from the' kitchen to the drawing-room. All kinds of cutlery, crockeryware, fenders and fire-irons, iron beadsteads, carpets, table cloths, matting, and draggetting. A variety of tinware and other cooking utensils, etc. A splendid lot of Vienna chairs _in walnut and maple. Feathers, flock, horsehair, and wool for furniture and mattrasses —in fact every article for house furnishing.. Owing to facilities afforded to him, enables him to sell cheaper than if in East street. Furniture exchanged, and parties selling out will find that he gives the highest price for furniture. All kinds of furniture repaired; practical workmen kept. Agent for the celebrated Dunedin blind-maker. Spring window rollers kept in stock. Carvings and turnery sold to the trade. —J. Meech. Note the address, next Bullock’s Arcade. — [Advt.]