The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1885.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1488, 14 March 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1885.

The General Manager of the Railway I Department, under the authority of the J Minister for Public Works, has requested the Ashburton police to take action J without awaiting instructions from I the Railway authorities against all I persons found infringing the by-law J published in the Gazette of the 2nd I January, viz—No person shall drive or I attempt to drive any vehicle or animal on J any part of a public road, when the same J crosses over or upon a railway on the I same level, otherwise than at a walking I pace; and every person shall, before I crossing the lines of rail, comply with the j direction upon the notice board, “Scop. I Look out for the engine.” 1 At the Resident Magistrate’s Court this I morning, Thomas Gaffney, a man wellknown to the police, was charged with having stolen a pair of ducks, the property of the proprietor of the Central Hotel The accused pleaded “guilty,” and it transpired that ho had sold the | duck for 2s. There being only one justice on the Bench it was necessary t ■ remand the accused until Tuesday next, — John Brady, an old offender, was fined 20s and c-sts, with the alternative of 48 hours’ imprisonment, for drunkenness Mr Thomas Bullock was the presiding rustics. At the adjourned monthly meeting of the Longbeach Road Board held yesterday, resolutions were passed strongly condemning the report ol tho Committee of the County Council with reference to the rating in connection with the proposed road bridge across the Ashburton rivr r. It was contended that the Wakanui, Longbeach and Upper Ashburton road distric s would receive no more benefit from the bridge than other localities, which it was proposed to exempt from the operation of the special rate. We undarstan J«that the members of the Longbeach Board are not averse to the construction of the bridge, but demand a more equitable system of rating than that suggested by the Committee of the County Council. The London correspondent of the Sydney Mail writes that in consequence of the Australasian Colonies having been well advertised in Great Britain during the past two years, the number of emigrants to Australia has exceeded those to Canada f»r that period by 40,000 souls. New South Wales has been particularly active. The “nomination" system has been adopted and largely use i by that colony ; but the correspondent says : “ From my experience and from enquiries; I have made, I am not certain that the nomination system is the best that could be adopted if your colony requires a particular and suitable class of labor. In such event it is clearly desirable to leave the selection to the agents of the colony here." Above the familiar signature “ J. H N. ” the following letter appears in the Lyttelton Times of this morning ;—“ In the event of a war with Russia, a great rise in the price of wheat, etc , will immediately take place. Therefore, it is as well our farmers should not overlook this veritable “little bit of blue sky,” and, by holding their grain until reliable information as to whether it is to be peace or war be obtained, do well for themselves." On reference to a comparative table of the Ashburton County agricultural statistics for 1884 and 1835, appearing in another column of this issue, it will be noticed that the return under the head-

ing of “jPJantations of forest trees" has increased from 155 acres in 1884 to acres in 1885, In a recent issue we stated that Mr W. 0, Walker, M,H.R., had called the attention of the deputy collectors to the fact thatin past years they had omitted to return a number of public plantations. The increase now recorded is, no doubt, the result of Mr Walker’s viligance, although a large measure of credit is also due to Mr B. G. Wright, the Cha man of the Plantation Board, who has interested himself in seeing that the necessary information was placed at the d.sposal of the collectors. The combined efforts of these two gentlemen have placed Ashburton at the head of the Canterbury counties, north of the river Rangitata, in this respect. The figures are :—Ashburton, acres ; Belwyn, 3,047 acres ; part of Amuri, I,ool£ acres ; Ashley, 786jr acres ; Akaroa, 186,j acres. The returns from other counties are not yet completed. Mr Liddy, the well-known and popular advance agent, arrived in Ashburton yesterday, and to day has been engaged completing arrangements for the appearance of Miss Genevieve Ward at the Oddfellows’ Hall on Wednesday and Thursday, 26th and 26th instants. Of Miss Ward's marvellous talent it Is unnecessary to speak; her reputation is world-wide. Mr Vernon, who was engaged by Miss Ward as her specie! support for her Australian tour, it an actor of exceptional ability who has won most favorable opinions from the London public. The two leading artistes are accompanied by a strong company, and comprise amongst their number Misses Roland, Watts-PhilHps, and Nellie Veitch, and Messrs Lawrence, Fenton, Bennett, Darrill, and Montgomery. We hope this talented company will be received by crowded houses.

Me srs Matson, Cox and Co advertise numerous lines of sheep for sale at the Ashburton Ram and Ewe Fair, Tinwald Yards, on Thursday, 20th March.

We know that there is nothing on earth equal to Hop Bitters as a family medicine. Look tor. —[Advt.J Dr Scwarghack, M.D., in response lo an urgent invitation, has consented to visit Timaru professionally, and may be consulted at that town from Tuesday, March 17th, until Monday, March 23rd, at the Grosvenor Hotel. —[Ami.] Skinny Men.—“ Wells’ Health Renewer restores health and vigor, cures dyspepsia, im poteo'ce, debility The N.Z. Drug Co. General Agents. f A other unfortunate. —Again \ve nmst draw the attention of our readers to the fact that a .£2,424 stock of Clothing and General Drapery, in the estate of I 'ennts O’Connell, trading in Lyttelton and Cristehurch, now bankrupt, was purchased by 11. E. May N Co,, of the Hall, High street, for £9S4> or ° n 'y a little over one-third of its value. H. E. M. and Co. are now selling it at half the marked price, which surely ought to secure a speedy clearance.

We again remind coursing men of th. 3 I annual meeting of the Ashburton Coursng Club, whioh will take placa at the somerset Hotel this evening. The annual general meeting of the Aehsurton Caledonian Society will be held in ;he Lyttelton Timet> office, Arcade on Saturday, 28th inst,, at 7.30 p.m. The following are to-day's quotations for grain delivered in Ashburton : Wheat, 2s 3d to 2a 6d ; oats, la 4d to Is 3d, feed and heavy milling respectively ; barley, 3s to 3s 6i Harvest operations and threshing have again been interrupted by rain, which commenced to fall about 11 a.m. to-day. Yesterday afternoon a deputation from the New Zealand Protection Association, consisting of Messrs Howland, Pavitt, Pozzi, and Bellhouse waited on Sir Julius Vogel at Coker's Hotel, with referenc9 to various matters. The interview was of a private nature. Sir Julius has received invitations to address public meetings at Nelson and Inveroareill, but is as yet unable to say whether it will be possible for him to comply with the requests. | Twenty-six entries have bein received for the Canterbury Coursing Club's Derby

and twenty-two for the Oaks. I At a meeting convened in Christchurch I last evening by Messrs Powell and Corley, two Commissioners on the unemployed I question, there was a large attendance. It was stated by one of the Commissioners I that if the Government did not publish | their report in full soma of them would I do so. The following resoluti n was I carried unanimously—“ That the Govern- I ment be asked to re open the public works, the harvest having proved a complete failure, hundreds of men being out 1 of employment.’’ 1 The Tima.ru Herald publishes the following list of passengers booked by Thura- 1 day’s excursion train from the different j stations :—Waimate, 143 ; Studholrae, 4 ; Makikihi, 13 ; St Andrews, 16 ; Timaru, 1,490; Waitohi, 3; Washdyke, 25; Albury, 14 , Pleasant Point, 43 ; Fairlie 1 [ Creek, 44 ; Temuka, 187 ; Winchester, 59 ; Orari, 89 ; Rangitata, 19—total, 1 2 149. Jhese numbers do not include I babies in arms, the Artillery Band, and those railway folk who for once were allowed to enjoy a well-earned holiday. Mr Arthur, the Ashburton stationmaster, has received a telegram from Mr Back, the Traffic Manager, enquiring I what patronage would probably be given j to an excursion tsain from Ashburton to I Christchurch and Lyttelton. Mr Arthur J has communicated with His Worship the I Mayor, and that gentleman has recom- ' I mended that the excursion should take I place at a time when one or more of the I direct line of steamers ware lying at LytI telton; early in April was suggested as a j convenient time. The intentions of the Railway Departmeo 1 -. will probably be I made known on Monday. I The South Rakaia and Longbeach Road I Boards met yesterday. Reports of their J proceedings appear in another column, j The South Rakaia Road Board have re I solved to pay the man Greenaway, who J recently met with an accident while enI gaged in their service, full wages during j the time he is disabled. I An influential meeting of householders, j held at the Arcade Chambers last evenI ing, resolved to memorialise the Norih Canterbury Board of Educa ion to have I another inspection of the Borough Schools J held before carrying into effect the resoI lutiou passed by the Board and confirmed I by the present committee at its last meetI ing, terminating the engagement of the J headmaster. A strong working comI mittee was formed and active steps are now being taken to procure signatures to I a petition to the Board.