Local and General.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 197, 19 April 1878, Page 6

Local and General.

r The ,hot Springs at Taupo are at present <erow3ed with visitors in quest of health. A qvtantlty of sulphur, obtained at "White Island (East Coast), has been exTported for Sydney. The Canterbury railways have already 'conveyed this season over 46,000 tonsgrriin. Mr M. Kennedy, M.H.R. for Grey has sent in liis resignation. Mr W. H. Harrison, the late member, will "probably -be returned unopposed. The Tablet understands that steps are 'being taken for the immediate commencement of the work in comiection with, tlie "building of the Cathedral in Dunedin. The Temuka Leader is publishing " An "Essay on Crime," by Richard Garratt, a •convict now undergoing a sentence of penal servitude for life in tlie Dunedin ?gaol. We understand arrangements are being made for giving a soiree and concert in •connection with +he Clinton Lodge of 'Good Templars on -the Queen's birthnight. Seven stacks of wlieat containing 1500 "bushels, and valued at L3OO, were recently •destroyed by fire on the farm of Mr Alexander Matheson, on the west side of Lake Wakatip. : Messrs Barr and Oliver, of Dunedin, have been appointed engineers for the borough of New Plymouth, for making surveys and preparing plans and specifications for water works. The New Zealand Times says the "trustees of the Scotch Church have, it is 'said, offered L4OOO for a quarter of an acre of land on the Terrace, now occupied l>y Mr Crompton's saw-mill premises, and the offer has been declined. In addressing the settlers at Hamilton, 'Sir George Grey said it was the intention of the Government next session to introduce a Bill to tax land according to value, for which purpose it will be divided into three classes — first, second, and third. The London Times of the Ist February states that the medallion of the Royal Humane Society has been conferred upon Alfred Dick, of Otago for saving a woman and child who were in danger of drowning /in the Marewhenua River on the 19th -January, 1877. The Sea Nymph Lodge of Good Templars, of H.M.S. Nymph, gave an entertainment at Auckland, on Monday "night. On Thursday night the local Templars presented them with a gravel of New Zealand woods, splendidly mounted with frosted silver. Margaret Wilson, who was some time since committed to stand her trial at the next criminal sitting of the Supreme Court, Timaru, on a charge of murder of her infant child, is now an ungovernable lunatic. She was brought up, and sent to the lunatic asylum at Christchurch. The Sacrement of the Lord's Supper will be dispensed in the various churches throughout the Clutha district on Sunday, the 29th instant. The previous Thursday — next week — will as usual be held as a fast-day. The Rev. Mr Cowie, Lawrence, will officiate in the Balclutha church on that day, and in the evening will deliver a lecture in the same place on China. Mr Cowie is a very popular lecturer, and no doubt there will be a large attendance from all denominations on the occasion. The Rev. James Chisholm, Milton, will •officiate at Warepa, and the Rev. Sutherland, North Taieri, at Puerua on Thursday. Mark Twain, the well-known humourist, '{says an American journal) has become the responsible editor of a newspaper called the Cotirant, and intends to make it a semi-political, semi-humorous journal. "The Courant is a very old newspaper, and, in some respects, ithas always been af unny one ; but Mark Twain's plan is to make "humour a more prominent feature of every department, even to the advertisements, which are to be written by himself, and printed at twice the ordinary rates. The new editor wants to get out a daily paper "unlike anything ever attempted in this or Europe ; and his friends relying upon the originality of his talents, immediate popularity for the *Courarft under his management. The main south road 7 Balclutha to "Clinton, is at present in first-class condition, and there is evidence to show that "the travelling public are not likely to • suffer inconvenience through the transference of responsibility in the matter of its maintenance from tlie Government to "the County Council. In addition to "efficient maintenance the Council at last meeting instructed tlie formation and of the worst portions of the road — the Waiwera flat and at Corbet's. 'These works are now being pushed forward, so that the quagmires 'that hitherto -have been during the winter months, the terror of teamsters and coach drivers, are likely to be provided against before the "wet weather of another winter sets in. It is well that it is. so as there being not the slightest prospect of the railway being ■completed before next summer or autumn, the road referred to will have to sustain a very heavy traffic. Tn the meantime while those works are in progress careful driving is necessary especially during dark nights. The State of Virginia finding itself com"pelled to support gaols, hospitals, lunatic asylums, and a plentiful supply of paupers, •owing to the liquor traffic, and perceiving that repressive or prohibitory legislation failed, conceived the idea of taxing drinks, and compelling topers to support the criminal and charitable institutions. Accordingly a tax of two cents a drink was imposed. The liquor dealer was compelled, under a lieavy penalty, to use -a bell-punch, which registered each drink sold, in the same way as the bull-punches register fares iii street cars and check the conductors. The law came into operation six months ago, and Richmond, a sober city of 70,000 people, paid 150,000 dollars on single drinks- during that period. It lias been estimated that a similar tax on Chicago alone would yield four million dollars yearly and one million dollars would be raised in San Francisco and Oakland, ilt is certain that sufficient revenue might be raised for all purposes of Government by the expedient of taxing single dririks. This is an idea (says the correspondent of the Daily Times) which the Permissive = Bill might adopt. It would come to the relief, of the temperate, and could not be objected to by anyone, inasmuch as the payment of the tax would Ibe purely voluntary.

/Dr Somerville is in ,Christehurch< where he has had large meetings. Typhns fever is raging in several parts of New South Wales. ' We observe that the Waiwera flour mills are being greatly enlarged. We have again to remind our readers of the concert and soiree at Kaitangata this evening. In the Oamaru county a large quantity of land has already been ploughed up for next year's crop. Constable Quin having resigned his charge at Clinton, constable Steven has been appointed to that station. During last year the number of sheep in the Colony of N. S. Wales decreased 3.748,000, in consequence of the drought. A motion has been tabled in the Victorian Assembly for the release from the Paramatta Asylum of the lunatic supposed to be Arthur Orton. A child two years old, son of Mr Samuel Barwell, farmer atLoburn, Canterbury, was accidentally burnt to death, on Friday, by a grass fire ignited by his father. A telegram from Auckland says : — The meeting with Tawhiao is postponed sine die. The public attributes this to the jealousies of Government House, and the intrigues resulting therefrom. John Anderson, of the Canterbury Foundry, says that L 15,000 will not cover his loss by the destruction of his patterns and models at the fire. They have been accumulating for the past 21 years. At Wellington a barmaid smashed a water-jug over the hea # d of a man who had spoken disrespectfully to her. Mr Crawford, R.M., said it served him right, and mulcted the young woman in costs only. She created some amusement in Court by ■ : telling the defendant's counsel she was not modest — but respectable. A new Colonial Insurance Company is advertised in the Wellington papers. It has been reported that the directors of the I company would monopolise an undue proportion of shares, but the directors deny this, stating that no single director is allowed more than LIOOO worth, which is paid down in cash. The total remuneration of the board of directors is not to exceed LIOOO annually. An • Australian contemporary contains the following account of a singular and fatal accident occasioned by the use of dynamite in fishing: — "An old resident was lately killing fish with the villainous compound, when, from a stray spark or accidental contact with the smouldering brand that he held in one hand, the fuse attached to the charge of dynamite in the other ignited. While the unfortunate man was watching for a ' school ' of fish the charge, which he had near his breast, exploded, of course blowing his hand to pieces. On being examined four holes were found in his chest, for which no account could given. He was brought into the hospital, but gradually sank and expired. Before his death he stated that he had not lit his fuse, and that he thought some fragment of the brand had been driven into his chest. On making a post mortem examination of the body, it was found that he had been killed (shot) by his own fingers. The first and more or less of the second joints of his four fingers had been driven into his chest with such force that they smashed some ribs, and injured him internally to such an extent that he succumbed." Eleven members, male and female, of the Lodge Hope of Balclutha, 1.0. G.T., paid a return friendly visit to the Clinton Lodge on Monday evening. The party left here in two traps at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, reaching Clinton at 7, and it being clear moonlight, the road fine and the weather delightful they returned same night, or rather very early next morning. They met with a very hearty reception from the members, of the " Home of Love Lodge," which seems in a very flourishing position. The Lodge was only instituted some seven months ago, and from a very small beginning the members now number fifty-six, and are increasing weekly. On Monday evening several new members were initiated and several others proposed. After the ordinary business was got through congratulatory addresses were delivered by members of the Lodge and by a few of the visitors. These were followed by some excellent harmony. After the Lodge "was closed the visitors were entertained by the. members of the Clinton Lodge to supper in the Royal Mail Hotel, where forty sat down to an elegant and. sumptuous spread, provided by Mr M'Donald. It is evident that Mr M'Donald and the temperance reformers of the district are on very friendly terms, and it is gratifying to find the existence of that practical charity which allows each to adhere to and carry out his own principles without any manifestation of personal enmity and ill-feeling, which is sometimes met with in connection with such matters elsewhere. The whole proceedings of the evening were very pleasurable, and the visitors returned highly delighted with their trip. A most remarkable story is current in Auckland which I have traced to a trustworthy source and firmly believe to be correct. It is in connection with" the complaint made by Sir George Grey on or about the 23rd June, 1876, in the House of Representatives, respecting the Pepepe coal fields of 1000 acres, which had, he said, been unlawfully and unfairly sold to Whitaker and Russell. Dr Pollen was then Colonial Secretary, and after whispering with him Major Atkinson got up and declared Sir George Grey's statements to be entirely untrue. Those who were present will remember the scene when Sir George Grey reiterated his statement, and called the Speaker'r attention to Dr Pollen as a stranger in the House. Sir George as Superintendent of Auckland, at once telegraphed to the Commissioner of Crown Lands and requested him to make instant enquiry and telegraph the result. The Commissioner could' get no information, and Sir George Grey's statement remained unverified. It is now ascertained that the statement was not only correct, but that Ministers must have known it to be so, for an office order was sent at the moment of the contradiction to Mr Sinclair, the officer in charge of the Waikato Lands office, and to Major Green, acting General Government agent, to refuse information to the Crown Lands Commissioner if he applied for it ; hence the failure in the proof, over which the Government crowed so loudly aftewards. Other cases of a similar kind are rumoured, but this is the only one that I can find so far substantiated. — Daily Times Correspondent.

It- is expected the Hon. "Mr" Stout will return to Wellington at, the end of the present month. The Portland Guardian relates that 162 snakes were dispatched in three days by two young men working in a paddock at Oakdale, near Belfast, Victoria. The main reservoir in Wellington is now practically empty, but in the distributing reservior there are 19ft of water. This is due to the water being turned of every evening. At a Cabinet Council meeting held in Melbourne, on Monday, three County Court Judges, three Crown Prosecutors, and eleven Stipendiary Magistrates were re-appointed. The poll in the election of a member of the House of Representatives for Port Chalmers in room of Mr Reynolds, resigned, took place on Friday with the

Majority for Mr Green — 90. A writer in the Australasian thus refers to the audience at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne : — " The. gallery is principally occupied by boys, and 1 could well believe they had never been subjected to any sort of control, either domestic or scholastic. Untamed gorillas would behave better. They are loud in voice, filthy in language, boisterous in manner, dirby in person, barren in thought. They give no attention to the performance, and they pay their sixpences, presumably, for the opportunity of gratifying their love of imbecile horse-play. I can imagine well enough what sweet husbands and fathers they will make in a few years from this time." The following resolution was passed at a meeting convened by Mr R. W. Capstick, mayor of Milton, on Saturday last : — " That a committee be appointed to take the necessary steps for presenting Mr A. Jones, who is leaving the district, with a suitable testimonial, said committee to report to a meeting of the subscribers, to be held this day week, and the Committee to consist of Messrs R. R. Jones, R. W. Capstick, W. Miller, Rev. W. Ronaldson, Rev. J. Chisholm, T. Murray, W. Malcolm, F. Twiss, R. Murray, A. Ayson, John Hislop, P. M'Gill, F. Wayne, P. Cunninghame, J. E. Brown, J. Goodall, E. Stewart, H. White, H. Clark, J. Blues, A. Kerr, W. Duff, A. Nelson, and A. Paterson.

Green. Dench. Port Chalmers -' - 195 166 Purakanui 4 . 6 Blueskin - 70 7 269 179