The Ashburton Guardian, COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & SPORTING RECORDER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1879.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 38, 23 December 1879, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian, COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & SPORTING RECORDER. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1879.

- It cannot, we opine, be otherwise than gratifying .to the agriculturists of this important district to learn from the report of the meeting of farmers, held on Saturday last at the rooms of the Canter- . bury Corn Exchange, that the farming community are beginning to exhibit marked symptoms of activity in regard to the more general consolidation of the agricultural interests. The proceedings of the meeting have been specially reported by us at length, as may bb seen by a reference to another column. It is to the interest of farmers generally that they should assist in every possible way in carrying out the object for which the Christchurch Com Exchange was established. The benefits to be derived from a connection with such an Association are so multifarious and palpable, even to the moat obtuse intellect, that the marvel ift there should be so much apathy displayed by the very class who, for their own sakes, might be expected to aid the efforts of the Society to the very utmost of their ability. As may be seen from the report, the Chairman, in the course of a very elaborate and sensible address, plainly gave to the meeting some most striking and valuable facts. There can be, we think, no doubt whatever that it is to the direct interest, of . the farmers to act in' unison if they wish to become .as a body .more self reliant and alive to the magnitude of the important interests which they hold in common. The report is replete with sound and

common sense recommendations, and we have much pleasure in recording the' wholesome advice and suggestions which emanated from those who took an ~ active part ini the, meeting. The remarks of‘Mr. Bourn, are, ai may be seen, very inpTieaUe to yeomen of this locality , add hie suggestion that each agricultural district should be canvassed with the' view of bbt&ining more general amalgamation and support of the farmers, is, to say the least, anAxcbedißgly happy and practicable one, well worthy of the earnest consideration of every ‘‘tiller of the soil* in this and (he other adjacent leading agricultural districts. Mr. Bateman, is ioo, we think, tb be oomplimented for several able suggestions, some of his remarks being of a veryipractioable character. V While . advocating a more general and liberal support of the Christchurch Gpm Exchange, it may, perhaps, be worth mentioning ..that, the policy of trading through ; what are known aia the ‘ * Middlemen lbi&,becoming more and more recog-,-nised by farmers and others as being best - calculated - to. advance the individual in:tiafrests ; of producers in general; enabling rthmp Jh>. employ the;r time and capital to adyantage. Inasmuch ns there is :Ah -.f* the saving by such a ' system of ; ;' : dealing is obvious, . and, for OUT own we entirely fail to see * liny logical objection to producers be--COiUingtVoirownshipping agents, through the' Medium of their Corn Exchange ; -providing they are able to obtain the neoessary support to enable them to suc- ■ ;eeaafnUy do so, .In spite - of the strenuous .opposition of (he. Hon. Colonel Brett, at ' ■ timiUte.nreetipgj to such a proposal, in - ■ ooriopiniop. the worthy .Chairinan bad the' ■ , i best nf .the argument.; The Corn Exchange ■ . would, in course of time, if well and sub-

.i r suppirted. really be-- in an ; analogous position to what is now under . the. .existing order of things', occupied ;by .Ttthe -waTl-td do middlemen ; and it .. ie .that theiildividaalß who sup- ■ .ported thelnatitution . would proportiouwhich is now ■; ipto other channels. We, there- . ; fore,-recoirimend the subject as a fitting one forjthe reflective and intelligent agricultural capitalists of this extensive and rapidly ming. district. ,

.Enlargement' op The ,Wq have' veby great pleasure in advising ; ore numerous subscribers and patrons that (lib naw machine for the enlargement of the “ Guardian” arrived in Ashburton yesterday/ and the gas engine which is to drive it* is expected nexc week. ; No time willlie h»t : no\V hi tasking the paper Jthesizopronnsed when-we started, viz., the. same as the Christchurch “ Press,” and wa, trust that the undertaking to Tne t the wishes of such a large portion qf the merchants,, farmers,<fec.v Will continue to receive fthe ever-increasing Support and patronaeexffthe residents throughout the County vP^hhnrton.

The Effect op the Land Bill.— The clause in the Land. Bill, allowing a rebate oh the price of land sold to persons who came out to form special settlements, which clause'was strnck out by the House of Representatives, will cause a Joss of L 12,000 to MnYesey Stewart, theKatikati settlement founder. . ; :<Tas> Pirns Brigade’s Well in North East Stbekt.-t— The contractors for the

sinkingof Ne well opposite the Herald pffice J iiiTd encountered < a difficulty on they did calculate. It -will, be remembered' that when. tjie pipe-well was 1 sunk, the earth was excavated to a cpnsideraiblb' dopth tu allow , the heavy pipes « ‘ tobetfidreeasilydriven.' In-sinking the new ; -Wfill -On the same site, .with a yiew. to the '' savfti# of the old. pipes, the: extractors find,that the old. excavations hate made - earth too treacherous for 1 their irifety, and the ■ sides.of their shaft keep bulging inwards.: It.wilV be necessaiyto draverthe pipeaarid if possible secure the timber already used, and then »b«»d6n f ihe woek&ga, opening another ‘ shaft' a fc«sards south, so that more sold . i ■ Tym Oy.ißonvy an-.-imunce/that the liquidators' of the Glas- - gow Bank wfll’ pay a- final divi--A furthet dividend has been ahKi' ' ■■ have hfyai anytMtig*. but summerlike . and . sU ihe.iqtt ot ' thing we are aocusvl tOmed to! .in, rtKifc' 'district- at' this season. The' much jpumbled-at' clerk seorned to , have , taken departure,’’ and to have-gone irom tbe eitremo of hot nor’- . to ,the other extreme of cold steady dmriißg .wejL, The aforesaid , clerk was. just as unpopular with his excess of he was last year with: his .never, ending nor’-west -“ busters,” ahd farmers. .■ tn think-that the antipodes:of last. ■ < evib had foineiipon them this year, ,\ jvwt > at; a thne when their hopes of a full ... MOT’!.wefe.at their highest. On Friday. ]aftei»OW», however, the wind, J which/ had ’ - Wowing from , the iV threatening nor’-east, chopped .round te thf '" nor’-west, . and continued .Saturday’s weather, was something very hpt, tfcp thermometer ' Standing' «tfe-:7A; in the .shade, and the i •barometer .falling as‘ low as 1 Wo liavo seen ft a day. The latter indicated a jmoe per’-west b!ow,and an . hour or so , midnight ?on ' Saturday it came in ,! «a|offld- v ' r A -modified gust, with fa ./ ‘ clouds, iol- dust» has con. ' noma op' %6 : the ■ tinm We now write, and there is eveiry prospoct that warm weather •; iwilli’Jsont«me? ..Warm, wdatheris what n>\ R hd : ncjw .that it has us -r beftnp,. shVarspp&f haVef again risen. The f season, will not do m snybarm yet, Avoraara CAtJOHT.THPonstable Boab»*f«. mopt interviewed a, candidate' for a h-V Miteink”/ whd !iried! to chaff 1 ■< repmehtafive «H*w order, but the : .'i ‘fewHdf the Resident ; Mwfrtyftte before his by*s,r arrested him, ;i; e MMto.soine purpose,, lor bn ‘ the prisoner *1 thh^«iial J oraeal of search in Je 'a was r discovered among f teajS “ wanted/’ AS. froma schoolmaster ■8 )KATOK. —The woman iitpwjapds of2o 'years, idworkedas A miner, Ifio speculators at LSO terself on the stage. a. —’l3ie ‘Botomahaua !'dbOu«ie;-via Hobart including stoppages, aten.this passage for