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Dunstan Times, Issue 892, 23 May 1879, Page 2

On Tuesday last Messrs Attfield and Welsford, having purchased a mob of about 30 head of cattle near the Teviot, had returned with them as far as the opposite side of the river. It was tbeir intention to s« im them over, but the cattle would not take kindly to the water, and they had to puut them over. This was successfully done in a couple of trips, but the drivers’ horses being on the other side, the cattle were free to go whither they would. They headed down the river bank, and had gone only about 200 yards when their progress was checked in an unexpected manner, by' the whole mob sinking over their legs in the mud, from which they were utterly power-

iess to extricate themselves. Some of them were got out without much difficulty, hut more than half were hard aud fast. The predicament the poor boasts were iu was soon known, and there was no lack of volunteers to help to get them out. Ropes were tied round the beasts, and in some cases the united strength of four horses and a dozen men failed to stir them. By this means those nearest at hand and some of the li-difc beasts were extricated. Unfortunately, however three or four had to be killed. But however much we regret the loss which the mishap must entail on Messrs Attlield and Welsford, there occurred during the afternoon several little scenes which were infinitely more amusing to the spectators than to the actors. One very ungrateful white cow who had been rescued from a watery grave, turned upon her rescuers. The point at which the cattle were stuck was as the end of a narrow bank of mud, and this cow having recovered sufficiently, charged, and the crowd having water on three sides and the cow on the other, did not hesitate to take to the water. What would very probably have resulted in serious injury, was averted by one man doubling back and thus diverting the animal’s attention. But the incident is not complete. On mustering, one well known resident was found up to his middle in mud, and unable to move. So they put a rope round him and dragged him out as they did the cattle. The process of extrication was very slow, ami at dark there still remained nine or ten beasts in the mud. It was then determined to try the windlass, and after this was once, at work the animals were got out quicker, and at ten o’clock the last was on dry ground. Altogether seven head were lost. Too much praise cannot be given to those who took part in the dangerous and unpleasant woik. While we sympathise with the losers, we arc glad of another opp< rtuuity of drafting the attention of the County Council to the absolute necessity which exists for the reconstruction of our bridge, and we commend the subject to our Councillors at next week’s meeting. It is definitely notified in another column that the Bank of New .South Wales will close its Dunstan agency on and after the Ist July, and that then the business will bo transferred to the Blacks agency. Tuesday next, flic 27th May, is the last day for receiving tenders for several works advertised by the County Council. It is understood that Mr Vincent Pyke, M. H. R., says a Dunedin paper, will bo invited to turn the first sod of the Otago Central Railway, for the construction of which ho has been an indefatigable advocate. Om- readers will regret to boar of the continued illness of Mr 0. W. Goodger, of j Cromwell. By last accounts we arc unable j to report any improvement. We have had the pleasure of inspecting, I M fho shop of Mr T. H. Bell, confectioner, : a very handsome wedding cake. It is of three fid's, the two upper ones being sup* 1 ported on pillars, while on the top of each tier is a basket of flowers, aud above the whole is a very handsome wreath of orange blossoms. It stands about 2ft Chi high, and weighs nearly 7'fibs. It was made ; throughout by Mr Bell, and in general 1 ai fistic beauty we believe it to be quite ; equal to anything that could be produced ill Dunedin. We have been requested by the Secretary of the Vincent County Local Committee ot the Kaitangata Relief Fund, to acknowledge the receipt of a further subscription list, collected by Mr Colelougli, of Cromwell, of the value of 1.4 2s. This, with the amount already remitted, brings the amount collected by this Committee up to 112 I fid. TiiCjUiidauntcd Water-race and Sluicing Company (registered), Tinker’s Gully, washed up during the week after some four mouths running, 'with a result of nearly OOOoz. ot pure gold, the which, after paying all expenses gives a dividend of nearly L 25 per DCth share. During the past year the Company lias had to expend a large amount of money iu repaiiing damages to their water-race, and it is assumed that for the next year, with anything like a favorable season, the returns will be considerably more. A bullock’s tail is very strong, but we bad heard of no actual tost being made until we witnessed an experiment at last Tuesday’s escapade. The animal was in the mud up to above its belly, with its tail hanging in the mud, and our readers can imagine the strain when we state that 12 men were pulling at the rope which was lied to it. Even then the suction was so great that the tail was actually pulled in two before the poor beast could bo got out, the other half of the tail being left in the mud. A pleasant little quadrille party relieved the monotony on Monday evening last. It was hastily arranged, otherwise the attendance would doubtless have been larger. It took place in the Town Hall, and Mr George Smith gave his services at the piano, which was kindly lent for the occasion by M r John Cox. The Ciomwell Company finished another good crushing last week, the result bring a cake of gold weighing 041 ounces, from 4G4 tons of stone. The five cnishings this year have given 3117 ounces gold from 2413 tons of atone. A trial crushing of 4 tons of stone from the Lady Fayre mine at Macctown gave 9 ounces S dwts gold. Mr Fache reports having sold at [da Valley on Tuesday' last, to wind up the partnership ot Griffith Thompson, deceased and W. M■Heath, an assortment ot agricultural implements, and a mob of mixed cattle, realism;.' satisfactory prices, the cattle averaging L 3 IGs per head, calves under six months being given in. A mob of between sixty and eighty ho heard were sold in the Valley at some trifle under L 3 per head For choice cattle, however, dairy cow's realised L 7 to L 7 10s ; fat steers L 5 to LS according to weight.

We have been requested to draw attention to the Sale by auction by Mr Jahez Burton at Benger Flat, on Thursday the 29th instant, of Cattle, Horses, Agricultural implements, &c. (For full particulars we refer our readers to the advertisement which appears in another colomn.) We have to acknowledge receipt of a batch of Parliamentary Papers, including appendix to tho Journals of the House of llepresentatives, Papers and map of the routes of railway lines in the northern districts of the South Island ; also maps of JN orth and South Islands of New Zealand, showing the railways already authorised by Parliament, and the railways now proposed. The maps above referred to can bo seen at the office of this paper. We remind our readers of the annual ball of the A.O.F. Court Pride of Alexandra, which takes place this evening at the Town Hall. An efficient bond will be in attendance. The farmers in Ida Valley having suctessfnlly gathered in the whole of their barest, are preparing again for the next year. On some of the farms the wheat lands are already ploughed and the seed in, while on the most of the others every preparation is being made for seeding. The past year’s crops, so far as are threshed, are turning out satisfactory in quantity, while the grain —both wheat, barley, and oats—are well filled. The prices on the ground runwheat, 4.3 3d to 5s ; barley, 4s 3d to 4s 9d ; oats, 2s Cd to 3s. The attention of owners and managers of mines is directed to the proclamation published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 2Sth February, 1879, 'bringing into force “ The Regulation of Mines Act, 1574,” the provisions of which will, so far as may he reasonably practicable—especially with reference to precautions for safety be strictly enforced. Two very serious accidents happened near Parmerston on Sunday and Monday respectively (says the local paper)—the first a teamster named George Smith, aged 57 years, met with a very serious accident at Palmerston on Monday last. As ho was driving his horses he fell, and the wheel of his waggon pass over him, fracturing his left thigh and also injuring his back. Dr Brown, of Palmerston, attended him, and advised his removal to the Dunedin Hospital. He was received into the Hospital yesteday afternoon. It appears he way putting on the brake when coming down a hill, and he overbalanced himself and fell on the ground, tho wheel of the waggon passing over his body. The other happened to Mr H. M‘ Coll at shag Point, \V« understand he was doing something about tho body of his waggon when the horses took fright knocked him down, tho wheels of the waggon passing over his chest and breaking several ribs. Both men are doing as well as can he expected. The first above referred to is better known as “ Deaf Smith,” and we feel assured that all those who are acquainted with him will j >in us in an expression of regret, at the unfortunate accident, and in our wishes ihat ho may soon recover. Mr John Bathgate, R.M. and District Judge, has obtained leave of absence for 12 months. He is going to make a tour in the old country, ami has offered to the Government t'hivt he, without charging them with the cost of the voyage, should deliver lectures upon this Colony in the principal towns. During his absence Judge Harvey will preside at the District Court, but Lis successor on the 11. M. Beach 'has not been appointed. The funny “ postscript ” writer in the Star says : “ One of the latest appointed emigration agents of tho liberal Government has arrived safely in London. We allude to Captain Barry, commonly known as ‘Jack Barry,’ erstwhile Mayor of Cromwell. Writing to a friend in this city (Dunedin) by the last mail, tiro worthy captain states that he was ‘ obliged to cut it short’as he was ‘dressing to call on Sir ’leks Bectch ’ (sic), and after that ho intended ‘to look up Sir Julius.’ The A ;cnt■Gencral will no doubt be much gratified with tho recent addition to his staff.”

The pension to ’whirl? Sir George Bowen will be entitled in 1881 will be the largest allowed under the regulations. He has already administered the government of Colonies in which the Governor’s salary is not less than LSOOO per annum for IS years, and only awaits the completion of his 60th year to bo able to claim a retiring allowance of LIOOO per annum.

Mondays Wellington Evening Post says, regarding the probable fiscal measures “ The plan we have reason to believe will bo proposed, and which is rumoured to be now under the consideration of tho Cabinet, is (1) To impose an income tax ; and (2) To extend the present land tax by a graduated system so as to roach the large landowner, rather than the smaller proprietors. The extended and graduated land tax would touch ail classes of real property, while every other description of real property could bo got at by a judiciously devised system of income lax. That some such proposal as this will he made in the coming Parliamentary session is almost certain.”

There have been severe floods between and Waikato, and great-damage been sustained. Five bridges on the Great South Road have been completely washed away. At Drury a man named M‘Burney had his stable and three horses carried away down the stream ; one horse •was drowned. The Wanika bridge was carried away, a portion of it being washed on shore at Drury. The Slippery Creek bridge is washed away entirely. A man is reported to the police as drowned at Arariraa.

A match was made in Fielding recently, in which Delaney was backed for LSO to run five miles in thirty-two minutes. Twenty-five pounds were deposited, and one of tho conditions of the arrangement was if the balance of the deposit was not paid on a certain date the L 25 was forfeited, A well-known publican was the

backer of Delanoy, but tlia latter refusing to undertake the task, and the L 25 forfeit was claimed by the other side—a step which is resisted upon tho ground that there were no written conditions signed.

The case of William ilabron (says tho Palj Mall Gazette) continues, not unnaturally, to attract much attention, and it has given rise to an uneasy feeling that there may he, and probably are, other cases of persons confined in prison for crimes they have never committed. It is sometimes imagined, though probably without any sufficient ground, that the police do now and again “ get up ” cases against innocent persons with the object of gaining for themselves a reputation for zeal and activity An inquiry on tins point, if properly and efficiently conducted, would certainly tend to allay suspicions not altogether unreasonable. Hardly a week elapses without police officers in various parts of the country being convicted of some crime or offence. They may, and probably have, been unscrupulous characters, sworn falsely on many occasions, and brought ruin and misery ou divers innocent persons. There are at the present moment three men in prison lately holding posts of high rank in the detective force of the metropolis -serving out their sentences for collusion with a gang of sharpers and scoundrels, from whom they accepted bribes. Is it possible that the evidence given by those men, upon which, no doubt, numbers of convictions were obtained, was always truthful ? The whole question of “ police evidence ” is, indeed, one that well deserves the Home Secretary’s earnest attention.

The wrestling match between Tiffin and Hudson took place at the Caledonian grounds, Kensington, on Saturday afternoon last, and resulted in Tiffin winning the match easily by four falls against two. It is stated (says the Southland News) that the Government intend to make some changes in the conditions under which the Goldfields Wardens of Otago discharge their duties, and that these will include the adoption of the system of triennial removals, which form such a prominent feature in the policy of the Methodist body. For some time past, it has been rumored that the Government intend to carry out a proposition they made last session, by a change of Spheres of duties, over which the Goldfields Wardens of the Colony preside. Some such changes have already been made between the North Island and tho West Coast.

The schooner Madonna, from Fiji, brings Levuka papers to May 2nd. H.M.S ships Wolverine and Cormorant arrived from Wellington. The schooner Undine is missing ; is supposed to have been wrecked between Ono and Levuka. Two vessels have been sent in search of the schooner. H. M: S. Stanley returned from a labor cruise, and reports losing one of her boats with a crew of four men during a gale. The cap!:,tin says the boat may possibly have reached the shore. The captain also reports that tho Fijian Government’s agent, with the mate and boat’s crew of the Mystery, have been murdered at Aoba, one of the Solomon group. Mr Smith, another Government agent, was also fired at by the Natives at Eromanga, bat escape 1.

The news of Victoria's requirements in tho wheat line (says the Oaniarn Mail)must necessarily have a stimulating effect on local values, because, although it may bo urged that Adelaide has a large wheat surplus, which will be at once put forward to the outlet opened up by the demand in Victoria, still we see no reason why Camara should not compete favorably with Adelaide even in Melbourne markets. We notice from cablegrams that Adelaide wheat is firm in Sydney at 5s per bushel. Now there is no import duty in Sydney, and the cost of sending grain from Adelaide to Melbourne would not bo much less than that of sending grain from here to Melbourne. The Adelaide exporter, who can get 5s in Sydney, would require to get from 5s Gd to Gs in Melbourne, on account of the export duty there, and this would mean about 4s 9d for New Zealand wheat in the same market, or 4s to tho exporter here. Well, this would he a decided relief, after the low prices and slack demand which have hitherto been obtained. We notice also from London cablegrams that the wheat market is firmer, New Zealand being quoted at 48s per quarter. This, with tho late advances in wool, and tho present firm condition of that commodity in the London market, seem to point to a revival of the trade in tho staple products of this Colony.