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Dunstan Times, Issue 575, 25 April 1873, Page 2

Ivlr. T. L. Shepherd, M.P.O. and M.H.S. for the Duuatau distsict informs us that he intends addressing his constituents at Tinker’s Gully on Saturday evening next, and that during his sojourn in the district, which will extend for about ten days, he purposes holding meetings at Bannockburn and Garrick Ranae. The Rev. Mr. Ryley, Presbyterian Minister, conducted Divine Service in the Clyde School-room on Sunday last, Morning and Evening. The same services were conducted at Alexandra by the Ilev. Mr. Todd ; both gentlemen we are informed were deputed by the Presbyterian Synod to make the tour of the Otago gold-fields. The case of Wenkheim v. Arndt, an action for breach of promise of marriage, heard in tne Supreme Court, Dunedin, was decided on Tuesday' last. The verdict of one farthing damages being awarded to the plaintiff, a we l-known storekeeper residing at Queenstown. Each party to pay his own costs. Edwards, the Californian pedestrian, lately walked 7 miles in one hour two minutes and fifty seconds- Ho engaged to do the distance within the hour, hut ascribes his want of success to the smallness of the ring the feat was performed in. A match has been arranged for 23 1, a side, between •Edwards and M‘Gregor, the Dunedin ped. By the Mount Ida Chronicle we learn that work at the sludge channel is progressing satisfactorily. Over twenty men being engaged in the ditch, and others in the quarry. The rate of wages is Ss. per day'. From the report of a meeting of the Miners’ Committee convened for the purpose of obtaining information as to the depth of the ground along the course of the channel. We learn that the channel is too shallow to answer the desired purpose, in some places by eight feet, and in others by five foot, and it was proposed to ask the Government to give thoirjattention to same. The Mount Bcngcr correspondent of the Morning c ltar, says The want of a medical man in the district has been proved by the loss of a valuable life, which might have been cavedjjy the timely administration of professional assistance. The telegraph oporatorat the Teviot very kindly undertook to forward a message to the Dunstan, to Dr. Thomson ; but although the Clyde operator was in the office, and was assured of the urgency of the occasion, ho would not receive the message. I do not envy that gentleman his feelings w hen he learns the result of his stringent adherence to rules. From a 'Wellington telegram wc learn that they medical men in that city have written to the Evening Post, stating that Wellington is visited by a low fever of a typhoid type, owing to a want of proper drainage, and recommend the use of Coudy’s Disinfectant Fluid. The Bruce Herald says —“ The retiring room provided for the jury at the Courthouse hero is a largo and airy one, being an adjoining grass paddock, and which was occupied fora short time by the jury on Lewis’case on Saturday. We would, however, recommend that the fences and gates bo made a little more secure, as in the case of a lury being locked up for a night, the idea might suggest itself to some of them of retiring to some more comfortable quarters, The new trial of Thomas Ryan, on the charge of shooting at Detective Fan ell, occupied the attention of the Supreme Court on Monday and Tuesday last. The evidence of a number of witnesses was taken. The jury returned a verdict of“ Not guilty,”and Ryan was at onoe discharged from custody. One hundred and thirty-five tons of tailings from the Caledonian Mine yielded sixty-one ounces of gold. During the week there has been received by the Mayor, from his Honor the Superintendent, a large number of pines and shrubs. The most of them have been distributed, and it is to be hoped the fortunate possessors will take every possible means to ensure their growth. The Bt uce Herald, in speaking of the pinns insignia, says: “Wo had an opportunity the other day of examining one, which showed a growth of over four feet for the season.” Wo arc given to understand that his Honor Judge Chapman has given it as his opinion that the Waste Lands Board have the power of reconsidering their decision as to the sale of the fifty acres of land in the Wai Keri Keri Valley, to Mr. J. D. Feraud. A Hobart Town telegram says.-—The City of Hobart Company have obtained from a crushing of sixty-six tons a return of 12hoz. of gold. On the 3rd March, an election riot cc currcd at Quebec. One thousand soldiers were stationed at the polling places. The roughs demolished three booths and were thereupon charged by the soldiers, who dispersed them. The city was under martial law throughout the day. A man named Willis, alias Lewis, who was sentenced at Tokomairiro on two charges- one of housebreaking, and as identification was important in this case the prisoner, during his confinement in the lock up, plucked out his hoard, hair by hair. He appears not to have been suoccss f ul in destroying his identity, as ho was sentenced to four years’ i-nprsen-meut.

Mi'. Bathga e lias informed tlio Welliuyton Post that he resigned his scat in the Provincial Executive of Otago when ho joined the Ministry; and ho now fills the office of Provincial Solicitor as a matter of ordinary business. The Mamies in the Thames district are I issuing minors’ Prospecting Licenses at 1/. per year. Sir George Bowen’s reception in Victoria appears to have been a very warm one. Nearly 5,000 people witnessed the debarkation at Saudridge, and along the line of route to the city were crowds who heartily cheered the new Governor as ho passed. The swearing-in took place at the Treasury, and after the onemouy the City Council presented an address of welcome, to which Sir George replied that ho trusted on the expiration of his term of office he might have the satisfaction of leaving Victoria as he left Now Zealand, without the consciousness of any duty wilfully neglected, or any enmity wilfully provoked. Ho also gave expression to the deep sense, on his and Lady Bowen’s part, of the hearty welcome they had received, which was only an earnest of the kindness and courtesy they might expect to receive from all classes of the community. The Cardrona correspondent of the Ai'raw Observer of the 10 th inst, says :—I hope the Minors’ Associations on the various goldfields will keep a sharp look-out, and oppose any applications for agricultural leases, if there is any likelihood of there being any auriferous land. What gave rise to the custom was the remarkable valuation of ten acres of a fifty acre lease. The valuation was as follows : —Destruction of old fence, 401. ; erection of new, 251. ; rental of ten acres for two years, 211. 4s. ; loss sustained by cancellation of ten acres, 2551. ; destruction of portion of plant, 11. ; arbitration expenses, 2DI. 4s. ; total, 3741. Bs. The writer goes on to say;— Should the Government pay that enormous sum, it would not only bo a waste of public money, but wan'd also be a most ruinous precedent, as any unp.ir.ciplel ccckatoo near the gold-fields might extend his agricultural lease on the chance of a load passing through it, and should it so happen, charge tire Government at the rate of 171. ss. per acre, per annum, for cancellation, and the miners the sura of 291. 4s. for arbitration ; it. having taken those arbitrators five days, at two .guineas per diem, besides horse hire, to decide upon having an umpire. Tire following story might have given a hint to Edgar Poo or Coleridge. The Dei Gratia, British ship, on Decembers, fell in with an American brigantine, the Mary Celeste, in lat. 38. 20. N., ami long., 17. 15 W. The master boarded her, and found her abandoned, from no apparent cause. She uas perfectly sound, had suffered from no storm, a small phial filled with oil being found perpendicular, and nothing whatever had been injured. A sword which was in the cabin was found to be smeared with blood, the top gallant rail had marks of blood on it, and both bows of the vessel had been cut with some sharp instrument. The captain’s effects wore of value, and there had been a lady and child on hoard. It is not mentioned whether the boats were gone, but the theory would seem to he that tho crow, or part of them, murdered the canta;a, ran tho vassal towards the Azores, and escaped in the boats, carrying off the lady and child with them.— O'lbmlt*r Chronic’s. Tho scarcity of small coinage, especially sixpences and coppers, is tho cause of complaint in Auckland as well as in Dunedin. We have of late heard complaints throughout tho Northern Gold-fields of tho absence of copper currency, and we hope such pressure will ho brought to boar on the Government as will cause them to issue copper money in such quantity as w ill make it general throughout tlw Colony. Our Queenstown contemporary says —- Tua Bruce Herald, of tho loth instant, roreferring to tho late pastor of St. Teter’s Church says:—“Wo have much pleasure in reporting that a very handsome sum (nearly 40’.) was presented, as an Easter Offering, yesterday, to tho Bov. Mr. Coffey, thus testifying a strong fooling of regard and satisfaction on tho part of tho congregation of St. John’s. We hear .also of other symptoms of a determination on the part of mam bars to strengthen tho hand and encourage the heart of their pastor, as opposed to the dishoartuing influences he has been subjected to,” ing up a telegram comes from New York. A sub-editor received a brief telegram from Loudon, announcing “ Oxford Music-hall burnt down.” The following is the same telegram ornamented “We deeply regret to inform our readers that the principal music-hall of academic Oxford lias been utterly destroyed by five. 1 Low tlie devouring element originated is unknown, but it has as nearly proved disastrous to the English scat of learning as did the recent conflagration to Boston. The music-hall in question was situated in tho vary heart of the historic colleges of Oxford, and a mere miracle has saved thorn—their endowments, professional chad's, cloisters, and (libraries—from destruction.” The London correspondent of the Scotsman says tuat tho American colony in Paris is disturbed by two scandals- One is tho arrival there of a very wealthy American banker, in search of his run-away wife, who has eloped with a young, scoundrel without a penny ; an I tho other is that tho throne of tiro tlemi-monile vacant by the exile of Cora Pearl, has been taken by r.n American woman—Mrs. Juice Mansfic’d, who was tho cause of the death of Mr. James Fisk. This woman has rented a pew in tho American Episcopal Church, whore she goes on Sunday and buries bor faco in her paayor book with the air of a devotee, greatly to tho disgust of her virtuous si. - tors, who have boon irritated all tho week by stories of her conquests, and by her appearance .at tho theatre with her victims. A go 1 i‘lustration qf the mono of work-