FROM OUR EXCHANGES.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 147, 21 May 1879, Page 2

FROM OUR EXCHANGES.

The following tale of the times is told by the ‘ Ashburton Herald ’ ; —Scene : A Bank —Enter a merchant doing an extensive business, but having no mean overdraft at the Bank. Banker ; “ Good morning, sir ; dull times these, and money very, very tight. By the way, my instructions are to have all overdrafts paid up. You must reduce yours at once. 7 ’ Merchant: “But I can’t.” Banker ; “But you must ; it is imperative.” Merchant : “If I do I must press men for money who must inevitably go through if 1 demand cash.” Banker : “ Can’t help that ; my instructions make no allowance.” Merchant : “ All right. You owe me [we do not care to give any amount], and it has been longer owing than my overdraft. If you do not pay mo before to-morrow morning I’ll take legal measures to recover ! 1 Exit merchant, leaving the banker’s face presenting all the changing colors of the Colorado beetle. A meeting of unemployed was held in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, on Saturday last. From one hundred to one hundred and fifty were present. John Lee, the well-known stump orator, spoke first, and complained that men of property wore trying to reduce the working men’s wages fi’om ten to five shillings per day. What he wanted was for them to bring pressure to bear on the Government to find work for all those out of employment. Another speaker, who said he had Been induced to sell his happy home in England to come out here, stated that he arrived in January last and had only obtained one month’s work since. This was a good country for younggirls to come to, and they ought to have been told before leaving that it was only a woman’s country. At the close of the meeting a committee was formed to make arrangements for other meetings, the first to be held on Monday next. The Government have decided not to take any steps in reference to the false statement made by the 1 Timaru Herald’ that the Bank of New Zealand had dishonored several Government cheques in consequence of having insufficient funds to meet them. Ministers believe in regard to the report that it is calculated to affect the colony rather than the Government, and the Bank does not deem the attack, corning from such a quarter, of sufficient consequence to call for legal proceedings against the writer. It is worthy of note that the Government credit balance in the Bank at the time referred to was £243,000. Tire ‘ Wairarapa Standard ’ says : —The present depression in the money market, which has hitherto only been of serious effect to tradespeople, is now making its way to the laborers, as we are informed that several of the saw-mills at Carterton have reduced the wages, and also propose reducing the number of “men unless the aspect of affairs in genferal brighten. The population of the United States is about forty-four millions. Last year, according to the report of the Commissioners of Federal Taxes, they smoked two thousand millions of cigars, and, deducting one-half of the population for women and children, this is an average of 90 apiece. The cost is stated to be thirty-eight millions sterling, and to this is to be added three millions more for twenty-five million pound weight used for chewing or pipe-smoking. Within the same period, the Commissioners state that a hundred and twenty millions sterling have been spent on intoxicating drinks. A hundred and sixty millions sterling on these two articles alone ! The Government have had a telegram from Mr Sheehan to the effect that he has started for Kihikihi to conduct some further negotiations with Rewi, with the object of arranging for open some additional country, and setting it aside for railway purposes ; also with the view of further cementing and improving the alliance with Rewi and his tribe. Our readers (says the ‘ Sportsman ’) will doubtless have noticed that the propriety of sending out to Australia William Elliott, of Blyth, the present aquatic

champion of England, with the view of | competing with Edward Trickett for the i' championship of the world, is being) vigorously discussed in F e north, and 1 that steps have been taken to raise thuds ■ to defray the champion's expenses, • Although .»e readily acknowledge Elliott’s 1 great merits i.s a sou!], r, that ho has worthily established his claim to the title he rm’.f holds. we cannotavAdt thinking that the movement now on is somewhat premature. We have authf rity for stating that he will not long bo allowed to wear his laurels unchallenged, and he should at least dispose of ail rivals in England be loro essaying to journey to the Antipodes in the hope of achieving fresh conquests. It would be premature on our part to speak definitely on the matter, but, at any rate, we may draw attention to the fact that there are at present two scullers of high reputation from across the Atlantic. Both .are engaged in important matches, and, tja put it mildly, it is not at all unlikelyJfhajfc one or the other will shortly evince a dbsire to measure blades with the chief of English scullers. Wo do not wish in any way to damp the ardor of our northern friends, but we would urge that they should at any rate tarry awhile and watch the course of events, for the simple reason that the very best man—no matter whence he hails—should be sent out to do battle for the highest title that the aquatic world affords. Elliott would scarcely be justified in leaving England until he had completely established his supremacy, and we are not going beyond the mark when wo assert than in all probability it will very speedily bo disputed. The Native Minister had a meeting with Bewi and his people at Kihikihi on May 19. Mr Sheehan agreed to the proposals made by Bewi as to his country. The precise nature of them has not been made public, but it is expected they will result in the opening up of a large district, Bewi goes to the Native Land Court at Cambridge, and there is some expectation that he may come to Auckland. A telegram from the police at Deniliquin was received on the 7th by the authorities in Sydney to .the effect that on Monday last a man. named Thomas Taylor was stuck up by tw r o men who represented themselves as Ned and Dan Kelly, on the Boobool road, about thirty miles from Wilcaunia, They robbed him of an amount of loose cash. The Hon. Henry Russell, M.L.C., has found it necessary to call his numerous workmen together and tell them that owing to the depression in the price of agricultural produce, he must discharge a number of them or pay lower wages. The’ men sensibly decided to accept areduction of twenty-five per cent all round. The depression does not appear to be felt so much here as in many parts of the colony. A few firms have had to call their creditors together, chiefly owing to Bank pressure, but in all cases of any importance, the assets are larger than the liabilities, and in ordinary times, would fully cover all liabilities. The working classes, however, with tlie exception iff a few carpenters, appear to find work. The lawyers are perhaps the best abused men in the community (politicians not even excepted), and as they are always supposed to lie coining- money, and to . make no bad*debts, they are also perhaps . tho most envied. No doubt they have the glorious satisfaction of getting twenty shillings in the pound when other people may get a first and final dividend varying from nil to nineteen and elevenpence ' r baton the oilier hand it cannot be gainsaid that when wdiereis the least symptom of tightness in the most prosperous community it is the lawyer whose account goes unpaid the longest. An amusing instance of this was afforded the other day in a rvhite stone city not far from the Waitaki. A gentleman w T ho was visiting the important centre referred to, very creditably improved the occasion by paying a legal firm a small account. The bill was for a few pounds, and the cheque he tendered, if it, in American parla: ce, was not there, was thereabouts, being only a few shillings more than tho amount of tho account. When the cheque was presented at the office of the leading firm, it was looked at by the clerks, closely scanned, turned upside down, and looked at incredulously again. At last one of the clerks broke tho silence, and made all clear to the perplexed visitor by exclaiming “ Five pounds ! Why, we have not seen five pounds in this office for the last three weeks !” The next difficulty was 4 ’ that of getting change, and the payer had to leave the office, cheque in hand, and in the course of his travels met a well-known and jovial sea captain, who had sufficient cash upon him to enable a satisfactory adjustment to be made between Oamaru and Dunedin. Who says the lav is not prosperous after that 1 A trotting match for £2OO aside, distance 15 miles, between Mr W. Evans’ (Rangitikei) mare Millie and Mr T. Milner’s horse Blackboy took place on the Riccarton Road, Christchurch, on Saturday last, and attracted a large assemblage. The course was from the railway gates to the Yaldhurst Hotel and back again to the starting point. Blackboy led from the start, and when passing along the Christchurch Racecourse was nearly two hundred yards ahead. The mare then gradually drew up to the horse at the turn. In the run home Blackboy again drew away, and when three quarters of the distance had been traversed, was leading by over two hundred yards. The marc was then pulled up, and Blackboy trotted in at an easy pace. The distance was clone in 49min. 2osecs. The winner was ridden by W. Thompson. The Home correspondent of the ‘ Otago Daily Times ’ writes with reference to the severe weather they have had. He says that in England it is nothing to what it been and is in Scotland, where, at the end of March, railways have been snowed up for the sixth time this year, and the pastures rendered once more utterly profitless. I saw a few days ago the melancholy letter of a North Scotlander, a large farmer, in which the unhappy man details the hopeless struggle he and his neighbours have been making* against the weather since October last. While all the ground was under snow sheep and cattle were unable to obtain a mouthful, transit was impossible, and after all, the wretched farmer had to wait until the frozen surface would carry his beasts, and then drive them to (he nearest railway station, where alone food cmld be brought for them. Many expended 21.09 a week in this way for weeks ti gedv r, for snow was never off the ground m- iv Finn a few flays. At last, eany in Maivii, warmer weather

came, and beasts were able to find a little sustenance ; now again lull and dale an white, and the enfeebled animals, worn out by long privation, are dying in scores ; and as it never rains but it pours, this mucli-be-wintered fanner points out that when this fall melts, and with the April sun tho young grasses begin to shoot up rapidly, which survive will assuredly eat to repletion, and die of surfeit, as their predecessors of sheer want. Between the two extremes flockowners are losing their reason, and Scotch farmers are not the least unhappy of the thousands of sufferers from frost and snow. Holloway’s Oixtjienx and Pills.— Coughs, Influenza.—The soothing properties of these medicaments render them well worthy of trial in all diseases of the lungs, in common colds, and influenza. The Pills taken internally and the Ointment rubbed externally are exceedingly efficacious. When influenza is epidemic this treatment is easiest, safest, and surest. Holloway’s Pills and Ointment purify the blood, remove all obstructions to its free circulation through the lungs, relieve the overgorged air tubes, and render respiration free without reducing the strength, irritating the nerves, or depressing the spirits. Such are the ready means of saving suffering when afflicted with colds, coughs, bronchitis, and other complaints by which so many are seriously and permanently afflicted in most countries.