TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES

Dunstan Times, Issue 495, 13 October 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES

Dunedin, Oct. 12., 5. p.m. The total/,mount of gold by escort was 13,650 ounces. On motion for going into committee of supply Mr. Stafford made Opposition speech. The Star’s telegram says that it was a perfect failure, and concluded without a motion. It found fault with everything, and suggested nothing. Mr. Vogel twitted him with insonsistency, and maladministration especially in Native affairs. The debate collapsed. LATEST ENGLISH. The official inquiry relative to the wreck of the Queen of the Thames commenced at the Greenwich Police Court. Captain M‘ Do nald objected on account of previous inquiry. An application has been made to the Queen’* Bench to compel the inquiry being proceeded with. The consignees are contesting the sale of the wreck and the cargo. Eenforth, the sculler, diedwhile pulling in the Canadian match. Great dissatisfaction is caused by the Queen’s persistent seclusion. Colonel Bartlett and Sir Wilfred Lawson referred thereto in the House of Commons. Count Bismarck[;warmly’’urged JBuest to open a'campaign against.Papacy. The Swiss Republic liave'/leclaredl absolutely against the_'doctr;ne"of infallibility, and several of the German Governments refuse to allow its promulgation. The insurrection in Algeira isl assuming large proportions, the Arabs threatening to exterminate the French. Great [alarm has been created by the presence of cholera in Germany .west and London. The state'of Her Majesty’s [health is the cause of great anxiety. Walter Montgomery, the actor,[has ccmmitted suicide. LATEST. A public meeting has been convened for Monday, to consider the Brogden contract. Maoandrew’s resolutions were negatived by forty-one to twenty-two. All the Otago members, except M'Glashan, M‘Gilvary, and Taylor voted for them, Eeid and Brown declined to vote. A large fire broke nut in'Hnvercargill at three o’clock yesterday morning. It commenced at the rear of the Bank of New Zealand, which was saved after great exertions. It destroyed the Bank of Otago and ten other buildings. Totallosses 8,500/. insurances 2,500/. The House is in Committee—consideration of the Stamp duties was postponed. The agricultural Lien Bill and Jury Bill was passed. Murray has withdrawn the resolution, Ee Clutha Trust. The Education Bill was withdrawn. It is probable that the Gold-fields Bill will be withdrawn. The majority of the Legislative Counciljare determined to sanction no change in the Land Laws. We published on Saturday last an extra of telegraphic news received from Greville and Co., purporting to he latest news via Suez. It was but a stale and unintelligible re-hash of news which we had already published. It was scarcely in the hands of our readers before we received a telegram from Griville’s manager in Wellington, stating that it was the result of a “horrible blunder,” and that efforts would be made to prevent its recurrence. We are as yet unable to explain the reasons for such blundering. Great trouble has been frequently experienced in collecting money from “ paying patients” after they have left the Hospital. To obviate this a form of agreement, as under, has been printed on stamped paper, and in future no patient will he admitted until such agreement has been duly signed by him : —“ In consideration of my admission as a patient to the Dunstan District Hospital, I hereby undertake and agree to pay to you [the Treasurer] or your successor the sum of thirty shillings for every week that I may remain and be maintained as a patient in the said Hospital; and I further agree to submit to and abide by, perform and keep the rules of the Institution, and to quit the same on being required to do so by the Eesident Surgeon or by the President of the Committee of Management.” Wo understand that Mr. Craven Paget, late of the Newcastle Coal Mine, Alexandra, has discovered "a seam of coal, of a very superior description, in Blackman’s Gully, and that he has made the necessary application for a lease to work it. To residents on the west hank of the Molyneux the discovery will he a great boon, as hitherto their fuel had to be punted across the river a an extra cost. The Eanger of the Dunstan Commonage informs us dihat Mr. R. M'Morran'has removed his sheep from off the common. The farmers, dairymen, and owners of large cattle, who agitated in this matter, have gained their point, and we hope in future to hear nothing of scarcity of feed. The “ letter box” at Marshall’s hook store has been closed to the public. Those who found it a convenience should petition 'the Chief Post-master for the establishment of a receiving box, under the supervision of the local post-office authority. Mr. Vogel has plainly expressedan opinion that from all he could gather a mint would he a useless and '-expensive luxury to the Colony, as there was not the slightest probability that it would ever pay working expenses. much less pay interest on the very large capital sum which it would cost to es- , tahfish such an institution. A- , •

i The land reserves for public purposes in ■ Otago amount to between two and three million acres; and a Bill authorising the issue of Crown Grants for the same will be shortly submitted to the Assembly. Mr. Barry, auctioneer, reports that, on , Saturday last, he disposed of by auction, by order of the Trustees, the Shepherd’s Creek Hotel, Bannockburn, for the sum of 3601. ; also a quantity of stores at fair prices. The following figures we glean from a return laid on the table of the House of Representatives relative to the waste lands of the province of Otago : Unsurveyed —town lands, 20,000 acres; rural, 12,045,000 acres. Surveyed and ready for settlement —town lands, 2,765 acres ; rural, 100,000 acres. Lands sold, but surveys not completed. 2,000 acres. We beg to acknowledge, with thanks, receipt from the Government printer of numbers of Hansard and a parcel of Parliamentaay papers. The following case is a local one. We give it in exlenso, as it appeared in the Daily Times of the 9th inst. John William a was connected with our Cromwell contemporary, and the presiding Justices were Messrs. Longhnan and Bews :—“Mr. Catomore moved for the discharge from custody of John Willliams, who had been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for habitual dumkenness ’at Cromwell. Mr, Barton appeared for the convicting Justices. Wil Hams was brought up on a writ of habeas corpus, and’the appliealion was based on the grounds:—“ That it did not appear on the face of the warrant of commitment that the said John Williams was convicted of the offence for which he was detained in custody, or that any punishment had been adjudged ; that the warrant did not show that he had been properly convicted of habitual drunkenness, or of being an idle and disorderly person within the meaning of the Vagrancy Act, 1866 ; that the warrant did not correctly set forth the dates of previous convictions ; also that it did not show that Wi Lams had been thrice convicted within twelve months of his last coviction, and that'therefore he was illegally detained in custody.” Mr Catomore; pointed out that the warrant of commitment read, “And whereas the said John Williams was this day "charged. ” &c. It should have read, “And whereas . . . wos this day duly convicted.” His Honour: How can you get over that, Mr Barton ? A man is not liable to imprisonment or punishment on being charged with an offence. Mr BarUn admitted that/unless the Court/on being acquainted with the facts, allowed a proper warrant to be drawn, he certainly could not get over the difficulty. His Honour said he could not adopt Mr Barton’s suggestion ; but he would not give costs against the Magistrates.'Mr Barton; Audi porsume that he will not be entitled to bring an action ? After some remarks from Mr. Catom ore who was understood to say that it was proposed to bring an action against the convicting Justices : his Honor said he should consider the action, if brought, a very frivolous one. It was a mere mistake on the part of the Magistrates, and the conviction, no doubt, was a good one. He, however, could not make any condition to prevent an action being brought. Mr. Barton thought he would be able to show that his learned friend could not succeed. A good conviction could be returned at any time. His Honor said that Williams would be dis: charged. Having learned the circumstances of the case, however, he thought it proper to give him a little advice. His Honor then cautioned Wiliams against getting into a similar difficulty, because, if convicted of habitual drunkenness, he would be liable to the imprisonment he had been sentenced to undergo. Drunkenness was attributable to a weakness of the will, and he (the learned Judge) hoped that Williams would take what he had said in good part, and endeavor, by the exercise of a little determination, to avoid placing himself in a similar position.” Cows newly calved, are realising about 3 1. per head ; and medium cattle from thirty to forty five shillings. The Daily Times of the 9th inst. gives the foHowing town quotations for horseflesh : —First-class draught, 501. to 55 1. ; medium ditto, 25 1, to 35 1. ; good up-stanl-ing hacks and light harness horses, ISA to 25 1. ; middling ditto, 121. to 1 01. ; light and inferior, 31. to 6 1. From the Bruce Herald we learn that at a recent meeting, convened for the formation of a new Building Society at Tokomairiro ; it was decided that for money advanced to borrowers there should be no premiums, borrowers receiving the full amount of the shares, but charged a commission, as a contribution to working expenses, and, that the interest should be fixed at such a sum as would be equitable both to borrowers and non-borrowers. The members, office-bearers, and minister of the “ First Church ” in Dunedin, are at present engaged in one of their periodical contentions and wordy warfares. It is carried on with the usual amount of bitterness and anti-christian feeling. The Daily Times reports that “an inquest was to have been held at the Hospital on the bodies of the Chinese who lately died in that Institution. The Coroner and jury attended, but the inquest did not take place, owing, it appeared, to timely notice not having been given to the Hospital authorities that an inquest would be held on the bodies, which had been buried. The , Coronor dismissed the jurors, but said that , an inquiry would take place on a future . day.” A fitting sequence to their admiss'on ' into the country. Shiploads of diseased ' Mongolians allowed to disembark on our shores, to di“ in our hospitals or wander ns , pesls through the country, and no well-paid I authority equal to the task of prompt ini quiry or ordinary common’sense super- . vision. TheHaymarket Theatre, in Bourke-strcet, r Melbourne, has been burnt down, under • mysterious circumstances. It hasnever been 1 a paying hpikurlatlon, ’

Among other novelties introduced to the New Zealand trade by the opening up of the Francisco Mail Service is the cured salmon trout,'the fish being obtained from the Californian rivers. When pro: perly cooked, they are said to be most toothsome eating. Mr. James Hazlett has just received a consignment together with various’other Yankee notions. An agitation'has been got up at Switzers on account of the sa’e of some fifty acres of alleged, to private parties. The matter is likely to become a subject of direct governmental inquiry. The European owners of an extended claim at Switzer’s have availed,themselves of the influx of Chinese, and let dheir claim to a paity of tw-nty seven upon certain legally specified ter...s, with which the Chinese seem quite contented, The' Europeans in the meanwhile’prospccting for new ground on their own account. A correspondent writes to the Queenstown paper’ setting forth the efficacy of blue gum leaves for removing blight from rose trees. He says :—Take fresh gathered branches of the blue gum, 'place them in or about a rose bush infested with blight, and an immediate migration of the insects takes place. The gum leaves should be changed as soon as withered or the scent gets famt. If this is done two or three times it effectually relieves'the'roses of the ’presence of the pest. UutiUreeently property owned by a person convicted of felony became vested in the Crown, but by the passing of the Convicts’ Forfeiture Bill, by the General Assembly, forfeiture Is abolished, and provision is made for the appointment by the Crown of trustees to manage the property of a felon during the lime he is undergoing sentence, and for the benefit'of his wife and children or other natural heirs. On the expiration of the term of sentence, the property is to again become legally vested in the original owner. The'usual success attendant on the Mount Ida Jockey Club Spring Meeting was, on the late occasion, considerably marred by the unpropitious weather, the rain continuing in regular down-pour throughout the day. Under such circumstances the attendance was limited compared to the usual gatherings, and the various events contended for guilder difficulties. The Maiden Plate of 15 sovereigns was won in a canter by Packman’s Bounce, Foster’s Coquet comhg in second. The Mount Ida Plate of 20f. was won by Robertson’s Tommy, the Clyde mare Brunette coming in a good second, after a hard race for first honors. Had the course been in a less heavyJcondition the mare would doubtless have made it hot forjjher adversaries. The Selling Race was won by a local horse, and the Hack Race by the Clyde pony Roderick. On the second day the sun shone brightly, and some impromptu events came off between crack steeds of local celebrity, there being a good attendance of spectators. The principal event was a handicap for a prize valued at 12 1. 12s. Seven horses started, and the race was won by Norah, the winner of the Soiling Race on the previous day. There was no lack of amusements in the evening, both professional and amateur.— Communicated. The Intestate Estates’ Amendment Bill, will, on its.cominginto effect in New Zealand, abolish the.time honored law of primogeniture, It provides that in the event of the owner of real estate dying intestate, his landed estate, instead of as at present passing entire and undivided to the eldest son or heir male, will ho divided like any personal property between the heirs general. Owners of real property will still have the right of leaving by will their landed estate as they like, the Bill being intended to obviate hardships often arising from owners of landed estate, dying intestate, and the whole of that estate immediately passing to the eldest son or heir male, to ihe exclusion of all the rest of the family. The Married Women’s Property Bill, whichjis likely to become Law, after it has passed the ordeal of a Select Committee, gives to m arritd women an absolute title to property acquired by their own exertions after marriage, or their property prior to marriage. In the event, however, of the husband becoming destitute and unable to support himself, the duty of doing so is thrown upon the wife. The wife who possesses property of her own, may at any time be sued for her own debts, and no happy bridegroom will hereafter be liable to have hishoneymoon joys embittered by finding that his wife has only a dowry of debts, which he, taking her for better for worse, has become liable for hereafter. Neither the husband nor his property are hereafter to be liable for the debts incurred by the wife prior to her marriage. A somewhat important demsion was given last week by A. C. Strode, Esq., R.M., at Dunedin. Wilson and Birch, brewers, summoned a customer, living at Palmerston, for an amount alleged to be owing for ale supplied to an order received through one of the travellers of the firm. Defendant denied either giving the order or taking delivery of the ale. Defendant’s counsel applied for a non-suit, on the grounds that the action should have been brought at Palmerston, where the alleged debt was contracted. Plaintiffs’ counsel urged that, if such were gr anted, it would practically prohibit Dunedin merchants doing business upcountry. The Magistrate decided that, as the plaintiffs had gone to Palmerston to obtain the order for the goods, Palmerston was clearly the place where any action should have been brought. He therefore non-suited plaintiffs, condemning in defendant’s expenses. At the last meeting of the acclimShtion Society it was stated that out of ies of California seeds introduced Wy the Society, numbering between twenty and thirty, only two kinds could be relied upon as being hardy and likely to succeed in the hands of inexperienced persons. The Finns insignis and the Oiiprcssusmacrocnrpa Those [ trees were well'suited to this climate, and I would grow in any part of the ProViitce.