Local and General.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 207, 28 June 1878, Page 6

Local and General.

"Alfred Dillon Bell, of Shag Valley, is gazetted a Justice of the Peace. A severe shock of earthquake was felt ■at TNapier on Monday afternoon. Mr M'Minn, who contests the Waikato rseat against IP-lr Whitaker, jun. , declares "himself a strong Greyite.

A Gazette -extraordinary contains a proclamation calling Parliament together for tho despatch off business on Friday, the 26th of July.

A pigeon race on Saturday, from Ash~h irtou to Christchurch, 50 miles, was won by a bird belonging to the Union Fancier Company ; time, 48mins.

The Provincial Govei-nment Buildings, TDunedin, are abolished as the principal polling-place for the city, and the old •Supreme Court appointed instead.

At a public meeting held at Invercargill •on Friday night, it was resolved to request "the Government to address a cablegram to the Agent-General, asking him to send T. 200 immigrants to Southland next spring. Tlie Timaru Herald learns that L 20,000 "has just been refused for a block of land, •containing 220 acres, situated on the Downs, within two and a half miles from Timaru. This would be at the rate of •■about- L9O per acre. The owner says he •expects to obtain L2OO per acre all round within a year or two.

The following is from the Waitangi Tribune : — lt is long since a wife was a

marketable commodity in the British possession — at least in a general way ; but we find th*.t the right of disposing of liis

■"better half" has been indulged in by one

of the "lords of creation" in this town- - ship. Tlxe man disposed of his valuable helpmate for L 6, and we learn .that the lucky possessor of the prize has expressed Ids determination to " stick to her as long as she behaves herself."

The following is the calendar of prisoners Teceived into gaol for trial at the Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court, commencing on the Ist day of July, 1878, before His Honor Mr Justice Williams *. —

Charles Moncur, bestiality at Lawrence. Alfred Brown, larceny at Dunedin. James Fare, false pretences at Oamaru.

George Murdoch, larceny at Dundin,

Thomas George Smith, incendiarism at Oamaru.

Henry Page South, larceny at Dunedin. Henry Sutherland, alias John Kingsley, larceny at Oamaru.

ON BAIT,. William Russell, larceny at Port Chalmers.

George Eddington, rape at Green Island.

Dr Stuart at Knox Church on Sunday morning gave a characteristic example of his consideration for his congregation, avhich we would like to see more generally followed in similar circumstances. He announced that in consequence of the inclement state of the weather, and the discomfort which many of his hearers would V>e experiencing from the severe cold, he had determined not to detain them through ti sermon, but would dismiss them after the usual service of prayer and song. Tliis he accordingly did, and wo have no doubt that the bulk of tbe congregation :felt very gratefid to tlie worthy Dr. and profited, perhaps, more by Ids act of ■thoughtf ul kindness, than they would have done by a sermon sat out through cold and wet. — Daily Times.

Strange stories are frequently told of ihe sagacity of cats and dogs, but of tho horse they are, perhaps, somewhat exceptional ; but an instance of the latter kind occurred in Dunedin the day before yesterday, which is worthy of 3iote. A man from the country, while wetting the inner man (the outside being somewhat damp), at a city hotel, left his horse and cart outside, and upon his return to the street found them gone. There couldn't have been a chain attached to tho wheel — "Where aie the Police?" Fancy the owner looking for his horse and ami cart from four o'clock in the afternoon till one o'clock the following morning, and the horse doing the same for his master ; a neigh of recognition from the noble animal bringing them together ; and fancy n horse and cart wandering through the City alone all that time and doing no mischief, yet such was the case on Mon■day. — Star.

Mr W. J. .Clarke, the Victorian mil-

lionaire, has just paid L7OOO for a service in china, which ia said to be the noblest •service of porcelain yet turned out of an 'English factory. Here is the technical •description of flit : — " First, a dinner ■service, the ground being bleu de roi- of so gorgeous a tint that on contrasting it with .Sevres blue, the difference was imper•ceptible. The decoration of this service Is of rich gold, after old Vienna. Secondly, a dessert service of pale French turquois, Telieved by festoons of gold oak leaves and acrons. In the centre of each plate is. a landscape exquisitely painted, whilst tlie pieces intended for fruit, <fee, are supported by Cupids, and correspond with iho rest of a most delicate service. Thirdly, a breakfast service, also a pale turquoise ground, decorated witli silver and gold leafage and Japancs birds. Fourthly, -a tea and coffee service. The cups of the latter resemble a me veille old Sevres, and "the tea sendee is rich with its deep azure "tint and supurb minatures. " Before being «ent out to Victoria, the complete set was shown to the Queen, who at once commanded a duplicate of it. Whatever panic is it, asks the Daily Times, that lias seized the Opposition ! \ One after another they turn tail and flee, ' -till shortly, if this style of thing continues, the Government will have no one to fight. Mr Cox, tho honourable member for Waipa, has followed Mr Lnmsden, who had followed Mr Reid, who had followed Mr Button, who 1.0-d follow-.. d Mr Kennedy, who had followed Mi* Harper, and the rest. Stafford, where is he 1 and the ■ voice of Travers is no more. Whatever •are we coming to, or whenever shall we ■stop ? Surely, surely some should reman i, if but to preserve the traditions of tlie party. Did ever such panic before fall on men ? Like the leaves of the forest when .-slimmer is green, that host with their hanners at sunset were seen ; like the "leaves of the forest when summer has flown , that host on the morrow lie withered ■and strewn. It is really difficult to know •what to make of it. Formerly there was ?a pleasant feeling at seeing the fall of an Opposition member. But now it has .•come to this, that^pne is concerned for the position. 'Whatever will Rees do? Can 4?^yQj^'y*teyyi^~ji^tt ?

A steeplechase meeting is to be held at Oamaru on August 1.

It is understood that the Governor will shortly call to the Upper House Mr P. A. Buckly, of Wellington, solicitor. Mr J. W. Bain, proprietor of the Southland Times, is a candidate for the representation of Invercargill in the General Assembly.

Ihe question of abolishing toll-bars was briefly discussed by the Taieri County Council on Tuesday, and will be decided at the next ordinary meeting.

The sale of the Courthouse site, Wellington, on Monday, caused seme exitement. After brisk competition, Dr Buller was declared the purchaser at L 153 per foot, making a total of L 16,371. The Government have resolved to pay over at once to the Canterbury Road Boards the amount of the surplus land fund to which they are legally entitled. Tlie non-raising of the loan was the cause of the delay.

We (Morning Herald) understand that tenders are about to be invited by the Public Works Department, for the extension of the Walton Park railway through to Brighton road ; also, for the construction of the Waipahi and Tapanui railway.

Mr J. B. Hunter, formerly Government Surveyor, has been brought back to Christchurch from Melbourne, charged with appropriating Government funds. On being followed to Melbourne, it was found that he had been arrested there for obtaining money on false pretences.

At a conference of local bodies held in Melbourne on Monday last, resolutions were carried to the effect that the Government be asked to guarantee a consolidated loan in the London market, to be expended by local bodies in accordance with their requirements.

Some rather startling revelations as to the doings of members of the Victorian Parliament have been laid before the Lands Commission now sitting, and they will probably lead to a similar regulation there as in Sydney, prohibiting members of Parliament from acting as land agents.

A very strange funeral was that of the watchman of the ship Himlaya, who was drowned hi Lyttelton Harbour. The Press says the coffin was carried to the cemetery in a muck cart, and not a single one of all his shipmates followed the funeral, the undertaker being the sole mourner.

Tlie Victorian Government are preparing for the coming session. The first measure will be a Reform Bill, but an Electoral Bill, dealing with the question of boundaries and with the property suffrage, is being prepared. Parliament meets on the 7th of July, when a stormy session may. be anticipated.

Mr G. E. Barton, the Wellington banister (says a contemporary), has started for a trip to the East Coast. The hon. gentleman's object, we learn, is to obtain for himself an insight into the Native character, so as to be able to speak authoritatively in the House when Native matters are brought up fen* discussion.

At the Kumara Presbyterian Church on

Sunday week, the Rev Mr Falconer, in the course of a prayer, made use of the words, " Oh Lord, make our calling and election sure," when immediately (says rhe local Times) a heartfelt " Amen " proceeded from a corner in wliich one of the candidates in the coming Parliamentary contest was seated.

. In reply to a deputation on Monday with regard to the Central Railway Station for Auckland, Mr Macandrew said the Government could not incur the cost, but would carry the railway to Queen-street Wharf, as intended by their predecessors. Be telegraph to Wairoa and Kaipara, for which a vote passed last session, he said he would telegraph first before authorising tenders to be called for.

A young woman recently died somewhat suddenly at Westport. The jury at the ensuing inquest returned the following verdict: — "That the pain and vomiting resulting from gartro-intestinal irritation, so acted upon a feeble heart as to have produced a sudden cessation of its action, and consequent death, but as to how the irritation of the stomach occurred there is no evidence before the jury to show."

The Tablet, referring to the City election, says : — " Between Mr Reeves and his opponent, Mr Oliver, there is no substantial difference. Politically, intellectually, and morally, they are about equal, so that it is a matter of perfect indifference which is returned to Parliament. And to us Catholics they are both equally hostile, both are equally advocates of godless education, and both equally prepared to continue a system which wrongs, insults, and plunders us. To both therefore we are bound to be equally and determinedly opposed."

The Timaru Herald says : — " A Maori happened to be passing Mr Levy's shop the other day, when he was struck by the automatic smoking man in the window. After gazing at it with delight for some time, a bright idea entered his dusky head. Going into the shop, he asked, ' How much hoot you pay for te tangata V (meaning the little man in the window,) r Ten pounds,' replied the proprietor. ' x\ll right. • yK.a,pai. You gib me ten pounds, me bring you my pickaninny ; he smoke all same as other fellow.' The proprietor, however, could not see that it was 'all the same.'"

In the Resident Magistrate's Court, Wellington, on Monday, Mr Travers' information against Mr T. K. Macdonald, auctioneer, for a breach of the 52nd section of the Law Practitioners Act, 1871, by preparing a conveyance in his office, was called on. The defence was that the charge made in connection with the matter was not for the preparation of a lease, but as a commission for leasing the property, which the document conveyed. It appeared from the evidence that all the negotiations for leasing the property were made in Macdonald's office. The Magistrate took the view that the charge was for commission, and dismissed the information without allowing costs. Mr Manders addressed his constituents at the Arrow on Saturday. A telegram in the Daily Times says that at the end of his address he was severely quizzed as to his conduct at Wellington last session, both in and out of House. In his defence Mr Manders stigmatised the rumours about him as gross newspaper falsehoods. A vote of want of confidence was proposed and seconded, followed by what purported to be a counter-resolution, which led to some confusion. Eventually the meeting dispersed without coming to any definite expression of its opinion.

Mr Jaggar, landlord of the Wharf Hotel, Auckland, has been fined L 5 for selling liquor on Sunday. There have been snow storms in various parts of New South Wales. The weather has been colder than it has been known to be for years.

A young man named Mark Smith, a farmer at Saltwater Creek, near Timaru, was killed on Monday morning through the kick of a horse whilst ploughing.