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Dunstan Times, Issue 843, 14 June 1878, Page 2

The San Francisco Mail closes at the Clyde office, on Tuesday next, the ISth instant, at 1,30 p.m. Brethren of Lodge Dunstan, 470, S.C., are requested to attend a Lodge of Instruction on Monday evening next, in the Town Hall, Clyde, at 8 p.m.

The latest accession to tho ranks of “ Knights of the Hammer,” is in the person of Mr Donald Reid, late M.H.R. for the Taieri.

The parents of children will bo pleased to see, by advertisement, that it is intended to give the little ones a treat on Wednesday, June 26th, in the shape of a spread, dancing, and other amusements. Gentlemen desirous of forming amounted rifle corps are reminded that a meeting for that purpose will be held at the Dunstan Hotel, Clyde, to-morrow (Juno loth), at 4 p. m.

Answer to Correspondent “ Dunrobin ” —Mr T. Wilkins’ Kathleen won the Maiden Plato at Alexandra on January 1, 1873, and Mr Fraser’s Flora -won the Maiden Plate at Dunstan, on February, 6, 1873. Mr Pyko will address the electors of the Dunstan District, on Wednesday next, the 19th inst., in the Town Hall, Alexandra. The subject chosen on this occasion is “The Political Past, Present, and Future.” We hope to sec a large attendance. Mr Samson, as previously notified, held a sale by auction in Cromwell, on Friday last of Town Sections—the prices realised, according to the local paper, wore satisfactory to the buyers, but we should imagine were anything but satisfactory to the seller, quarter-acre Sections in commanding positions realising only from Ll3 to L 7 each. We are informed by very good authority that Mr Odell, School-master at Alexandra, has received the appointment of Clerk to the Education Board, Dunedin. While congratulating Mr Odell on what must be regarded as a rise, we however sympathise with the people of Alexandra in losing so efficient a teacher, at the same time so worthy a citizen as Mr Odell has proved himself to be.

The programme, which appears in another column, of the Concert to be given on Tuesday evening next, the 18th inst., in the Town Hall, Clyde, is an attractive one, and should draw a full house. The Cricket Club, under whose auspices the Concert is to be given, during the season gave many a day’s sport, on this occasion offer an evening’s amusement, consequently deserve the patronage of all.

Wo hear that informations have been laid, at the instance of Air John Marsh, against the Mayor and three Borough Councillors for voting on the question of lessening the width of Mclmore Terrace, on the ground that they were personally interested in the matter. We presume the steps taken are under the 75th section of the Municipal Corporations Act, which runs “ No Councillor shall vote upon or take any part in the discussion of any matter before the Council in which ho has, directly or indirectly, by himself or his partners, any interest.” The maximum penalty is fixed at LSO for each offence.—Cromwell Argus. Advice to Mothers ! —Are you broken in your rest by a sick child suffering with the pain of cutting teeth ? Go at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Mrs. AVinslow’s Soothing Syrup. It will relievo the poor sufferer immediately. It is perfectly harmless and pleasant to taste, it produces natural quiet sleep, by relieving the child from pain, and the little cherub awakes “ as bright as a button.” It soothes the child, it softens the gums, allays all pain, relieves wind, regulates the bowels, and is the best known remedy for dyssentery and diarrhcea whether arising from teething or other causes. Mrs Winslow’s Soothing Syrup is old by Medicine dealers everywhere at Is. lAd per bottle. Manufactured at -193 Ox-ord-street. London.

Fourteen thousand pounds worth of grass seed have been exported from New Plymouth this season.

The inquiry on the deaths of Mr Nichols and Master Maitland caused by the late coach accident at the Horao-shoo Eango has concluded, the verdict being “ accidental death,” no blame being attachable to the driver. The cause of the accident, as by the evidence of Mr Goddard, the owner and driver of the coach was—one of the leader’s traces coming loose and falling among the horses’ feet, thus causing them partially to bolt, and that whilst going at the pace and when crossing a water-table on the road the king-bolt jumped out. * Here is a curious New Zealand story. A mother and daughter were confined on the same day, each having a little son. In tho bustle of the moment both babies were placed in the same cradle. They were unable to tell which was the mother’s and which was the daughter’s son—a matter which of course must ever remain a mystery. ‘ How dreadful !’ a lady friend exclaims. Well it was not dreadful, but deciledly awkward. Why, as they grow up, the young fellows would be perhaps calling one another uncle when it was nephew that was addressed. Another of the old landmarks of the district has gone that road which no traveller returns. We allude to the death of Mi W, Smith, of Bendigo, who died in the Cromwells Hospital on Sunday last. Mr Smith from the earliest days of the discovery of gold in the Molyneux has been a resident of the Upper Clutha ; for fmany years ho was a partner of Mr Charles O’Donnell, Storekeeper and Hotelkeeper, of Bendigo Gully, but for the past, six or seven years he has conducted the Solway Arms Hotel at the wheel, Bendigo. Deceased, though not one of the most highly polished, yet had many good sterling traits in his character, and his death will be greatly regretted by many.

A notable instance of tbe facility with which fires may be caused and the difficulties of accounting for their origin, occurred on Monday afternoon at Johnson’s Hotel. The afternoon’s sun was shining through one of the windows of a private parlor, and its rays fell upon a circular water hot - tie, which stood upon a table. The bottle had apparently acted as a ‘ burning glass,’ for the beams converged to a focus upon a worsted mat lying close by the bottle, and when the room was entered it was found that the mat had become ignited, and a hole as large as a crown piece was burnt in it. Subsequent experiments with a match showed that a flame could be produced in less than a minute. Perhaps this may account for many fires whose origin has remained wrapped in mystery. Our Riverton correspondent (says the Southland Times) writing on Tuesday says : —Mr Warden Wood held the Warden’s Court here on Saturday last. There were eight applications for leases, and were all granted, tbe prospectors getting four hundred yards along the reef by two hundred yards wide. All the other leases being curtailed down to one thousand feet along tho reef, and two hundred yards wide, and all excepting tho prospectors having to place four men instead of two as originally supposed, on their claims for the first six months, and ten men after that terra, Mr James Taylor opposed tho granting of the leases, but nothing of public interest was elicited. The next sitting for hearing applications for leases will bo on the 13th inst. The leases granted are tho first Tally and Gibbon's, No. north of Hayes’, Hayes’ Prospectors, Prince of Wales, Malaghan’s, and others which are not known much of at present.

MrJ P? Armstrong, who. from his peripatetic character, has acquired the souhriiquet of the “Irish Pilgrim,” has been making a professional tour of the districts, at the same time exercising his large-hearted-ness in “ the cause that lacks assistance” by lecturing in aid of the Hospital and every other such institution whenever opportunity has served. On Friday evening last he gave a lecture at Bnunockhurn on his “ Victorian reminiscences” for the Cromwell Institute, with the gratifying result of hauding over some LS 7s. This makes nearly LSO collected by him for charitable purposes during his tour. Of the lecture it may bo said that it was not only highly interesting, but historically a precis of the leading political incidents of the early days of Victoria. The lecturer lays no claim to any special powers of oratory, hut at the same time he arrests the attention of his audience by the artless and apparently unconscious manner in which he tells a joke against himself, especially the surprised expression assumed by him on finding that his recital has elicited rapturous applause. Wit and humour are proverbial in an Irishman, of which the lecturer gave evidence by the adoption of a ruse which sensibly augmented the funds for which ho was lecturing. A la Dr Somerville, Mr Armstrong made an extempore appeal by giving a suitable hymn, the spirit of which was at once entered into by his audience, and the result was that in the fulness of their heart there was a sensible loosening of the purse strings. We regret that his stay here was not sufficiently prolonged for us to have availed ourselves of his services.

Throat Affections and Hoarseness. All suffering from irritation of the throat and hoarseness will be agreeably surprised at the almost immediate relief afforded 'by the use of “Brown’s Bronchial Troches.” these famous “lozenges” arc now sold by most respectable chemists in this country at Is 14*1 per box. People troubled with a “ hacking cough,” a “slight cold,” or bronchial affections, cannot try them too soon as similar troubles, if allowed to progress result in serious Pulmonary and Asthmatic affections. See that the words ‘‘Brown’s Bronchial Troches ” are on the Government Stamp around each box. —Mannfactuied by John I. Brown & Sons, Boston, United States. Depot, 498, Oxford-street, London All is lost when people fear death less than poverty.

On Saturday afternoon, Juno 1, Mr W. S. Walker, a gentleman resident in Cashc-l-street East, took to the Police Depot two portions of a bottle neck and shoulder with cork firmly inserted, which he had picked up on the beach at New Brighton at high water mark. In the bottom of the bottle he noticed a small piece of paper evidently part of an envelope, having on one side in ink, “Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, ” and on the other in pencil, ‘ ‘ Ship Lurliue wrecked; all hands lost.—Capt. C.H." The other evening several people, travelling in the neighbourhood of Rangiora and Leithfield, noticed a large fire at sea, and the two events lead to the conclusion that the vessel has been burnt.

The man Smith, who was on Monday, June 3, committed to take his trial at the Supreme Court, Dunedin, for having set fire to grain and farm produce to the value of over L2OO, the property of Mr Robert Morrison, farmer, of Otepopo, is the coolest individual in the dock that we ever remember seeing (says the Oamaru Mail.) Throughout the hearing of the case his face wore a continuous smile; in fact, almost a broad grin. He did not seem capable of appreciating the seriousness of his position, and apparently looked upon the trial as a very fine piece of fun. At the conclusion of the prosecutor’s evidence, the prisoner coolly remarked that, with one or two slight exceptions, the evidence given was correct, and wound up by saying, smilingly, “Andnow, Mr Morrison, I am prepared to go back and work for you until 1 have paid you for what I have done, if you are agreeable.” Mr Morrison, however, was not agreeable, and declined to entertain the modest proposal.

The experiences of a Fiji official with a native cook are thus related by the Fiji Tunes “ This gentleman’s weakness is pancakes, and he ordered them accordingly ; but as they seemed to be heavy in consistency, he directed the sable Soyer to put in more so<Ja. Still they grew heavier, and the unhappy partaker began to feel the baneful effects of their undue specific gravity in the failing of his usually robust health. More soda was demanded, and still those pancakes grew heavier, and still the devourer grew sicker, till a serious disturbance eventuated, the master vowing that the instruction relative to the soda had been neglected, the cook swearing that he had put it in in handsfuh ‘ Then the soda is no good,’ roared the disappointed and ailing lover of fritters ; ‘ bring it hero.’ It was brought, and turned out to be a 501b tin of excellent plastcr-of-paris. There are no pancakes made in that establishment now, and a good plain cook is open for an engagement."

General von Hannckcn, in some recently published deductions from the operations of the present war in the East, remarks that the late events have shown that security from assault in a field work is not to be obtained by increasing the obstacles to the enemy’s advance—as, tor instance, by giving a formidable profile to the parapet and ditch—so much as by making provision for utilising the full pow’t-r of modem firearms, by providing a clear field of fire in front of the position. The lesson thus deduced by General von Hannckcn was, it may be remarked. enunciated almost immediately after the last Franco-German war in the “Wellington Prize Essay,” in wdrich the author remarks that, for one place which has fallen because the men on the defensive had not sufficient covci, a dozen have fallen because the obstacles to fire in front have not been cleared away. It w’ould, therefore, seem to bo quite as important to train men habitually to calculate how much ground can be cleared in a given time, and in what w'ay it can best be done, as to teach them how to throw up entrenchments. It is pointed out by General von Hannckcn that, now that the effective range of rifles has been increased, this clear zone in front of an entrenchment should bo 2000 paces wide; and also that it has become of greater importance than ever to provide cover for the garrison of a field-work from the preliminary bombardment with which the assailant wall endeavour to prepare the way for his infantry attack. If this precaution has been taken, and a sufficiently wide space cleared of everything that might afford cover to the attacker, an adequately garrisoned field-work may, the German general concludes, be pronounced practically unassailable.

The new 12-pounder field-gun, which may be regarded as the product of two years’ experiments at the hands of the most skilful British artillerists, has recently been completed at the Royal Gun Factories, and is looked at as the most perfect field-gun in existence. At present, it is proposed to make only fifty on the same pattern, and then only after the sample gun is fii ally approved, but no doubt exists that it will hereafter become the service arm of the whole artillery force. The most remarkable feature in its outward form is its length, for it is nearly 9 feet long, whereas the 9pounder of Scwt. measures but G feet. The 12-pounder, however, weighs only TJcwt., for every ounce of superfluous metal has been judiciously shaved off, and save that the contour of the breech end is a little too rigid, the gun is, from a professional point of view, the beau ideal of a field-piece. The bore, like that of the 9-poundor, is 3-inch calibre, enlarged at the chamber end,to 3-15 inches, and the vent is fixed rather forward to ignite the cartridge 7 inches from the bottom of the bore. Sights of the most delicate and yet most serviceable kind have been provided for it, the most approved being the French and the “Orthoptic” systems, the principle of the latter being a small hole in a disc, and the former a small dot held by wires in the centre of a ring. An improvement of the trunnions is also introduced in this gun, consisting of a collar on each arm to brace up the carriage, and save it from some of the damaging effects which it suffers from the shock of discharge. The gun is rifled in ten grooves, the rifling, like every other detail, having been the reult of long investigation.

| According to the Tuapeka Times and : Bruce Herald tho floods consequent on the I late rains have done great damages. From Lawrence round to Balclutha, and thence to Milton, and sti) I on to Dunedin the damage to road and railway works, and the destruction of mining plant and other properties is considerable. The railway lines between Lawrence and Balclutha and Milton, what between slips and the washing away of embankments, are so far damaged that traffic is suspended for the time being, and the four-horse coach again takes the place of the iron horse. With all, the damage done is of a very considerable character, and it is to be feared that many weeks will elapse before through traffic will again be established. With regard to the loss of private property the Bruce Herald remarks It is pleasant to write that despite the great violence of the floods on the Taieri, there is not much damage to private property to record. On the Henley estate three cows and a bullock of such mature age as to have rendered their drowning a brief anticipation of nature, have been lost, and in no other case that has become public as yet has there been any extensive loss of cattle or of sheep, this though some eye witnesses assert that in places, the flood waters rose considerably higher than they did lust year. The particulars of a shocking occurrence are thus narrated by the ‘ Border Post “ Mr Robert Magee was a farmer living at Felltimber Creek, about three miles from Wodonga. He had a wife and a family of some half-dozen children, and had lately erected a brick bedroom, in which he and his wife, together with his youngest child —a mere infant—used to sleep. There was no fireplace in the room, neither was it ventilated ; and yet, in spite of the warnings of neighbors, the deceased was in the habit of burning charcoal—we presume in some grate or other receptacle—during cold nights. Last Sunday evening Mr and Mrs Magee and tho baby retired to rest at the usual hour, and, as the night was cold, left some charcoal burning in the room. The other children, whoso ages range from seven to twelve, slept in a detached apartment. In the morning the eldest of those (a little girl twelve years of age) opened her parents’ door about eight o’clock, and immediately called out to her sister that her father was dead in bed. A neighbor named Mr Dibhy was then informed of the occurrence, and on arriving at the bedroom he at once saw that Mr and Mrs Magee were quite dead. They were lying composedly in bed, as though asleep. The bedclothes were in order, and there appeared to be no signs of a struggle having taken place. The child was lying across its mother’s arm, and was alive, but the poor little thing expired about an hour afterwards.”

Holloway’s Pills.—Blood to the Head, with syrnptons of Appoplexy.—Holloway’s Pills arc undeniably the finest medicine in the w'orld for biliousness and indigestion. In all cases of deranged stomach, determination of blood to the head, biliousness, sick headhaohe, liver complaints, which frequently end fatally, by producing apoplexy or paralysis. There is no medicine knowm that will give such immediate relief as these renowned Pills. Young and old, rich and poor use them, and so many cures are effected by their use that their praise is sounded from the torrid to the frigid zone ; in truth, persons who travel consider them a necessary requisite. Frequently the blood becomes overheated, the liver torpid, the skin irritated by prickly heat, and the wdiole system languid and exhausted, Nothing so soon gives relief as Holloway’s Pills.

Floriltne ! Foe the Teeth and Breath.—A few drops of the liquid “ Floriline ” sprinkled on a wet tooth-brush produces a pleasant lather, which thoroughly cleanses the teeth from all parasites or impurities, hardens the gums, prevents tartar, stops decay, gives to the teeth a peculia-pearly-whiteness, and a delightful fragrance to the breath. It removes all unpleasant odour arising from decayed teeth or tobacco smoke. “ The Fragrant Floriline,” being composed in part of Honey and sweat herbs, is delicious to the taste, and tho greatest toilet discovery of the age. Price 2s fid, of all Chemists and Perfumers. Prepared by Henry C. Gallup, 493. Oxford-st., London