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Dunstan Times, Issue 930, 13 February 1880, Page 2

Mr Inspector O’Donnell, the post day or two has been invest’gating in person into an alleged case of “ stick ; ng-up ” on the highway that occurred on Tuesday evening last between 8 and 9 o’clock, at Bald Hill Flat, but as ye’ we understand he has been unable *o trace the rob' era. The facts of the case, so far as they have reached on ears are as follows : —A mao named John New ton. a resident of the Nevis, well and favorably known throughout Hie district was proceeding to Dunedin for the benefit of his health, and when about midway between tbe two hotels on Bald Hill Flat, he was suddenly set upon by two men, one of whom as quick as thought abstracted his pocket-book from his trousers pocket, and instantly decamped, followed by his companion. Newton at once gave the alarm, and then proceeded back to Alexandra, where he arrived about 2 in the morning, and acquainted the police with his mishap. Newton says there was in the pocket-book two ten pound notes, two live noun ' notes, and a lot of papers Just as we were going to press last night, Mr Inspector O’Donnell arrived in Clyde having in custody two men named Edward Fcatherstone and James Murphy, whom he and Constable M’Leod had during the day arrested at Bald Hill Flat on the above charge The accused will be brought before the Resident Magistrate to day. The work of harvesting throughout the district is getting pretty general and if but the present dry weather continues we may fairly presume that but little of the crops ; will be left standing in a week or two ' The farmers by appearance will have no compiain as to either quantity or quality as every description of crop shows well for a bounteous harvest, hut they wear Ixl7

long and lugubrious faces when the question of price is touched upon. We hope and that sincerely the information on this mind, that has reached us is wrong as the prices mentioned, considering the high rate i that has to be paid for labor of every class ; in the district will leave but a small margin of profit. It will lie well for all ratenayors in the County to know that all objections to tho assessment must he left at the respective Court houses on or before the 15th inst. Defaulting ratepayers should also hear in mind that all rates unpaid by the Ist of March, next will be sued for. Mackay’s Otago Almanac for the present year (1881) is to he now had at the office of this paper. Price 2s The work has been greatly enlarged and improved, and as a hook of reference we commend it to one and all. At a meeting of the Committee of management of the Dunstan District Hospital, held on Tuesday evening last, a Sub Committe wasappoiuted to report on the present management of the Institution, and on the existing system of collecting subscriptions. The second meeting of the Vincent Rabbit Trustees will he held on Tuesday next. Valentines of every description, we notice, are on sale at Mr G. N, M‘Donald’s store, Alexandra. Am™ 'st the deaths recorded by our Tuapeka contemporary as having occurred during the last week, are those of two gentlemen well and favorably known in this District, Or 0. J. Allan of Roxburgh, at one time Resident Surgeon of the Dunst.an District Hospital an 1 late of St Biriians and Alexandra, who died somewhat suddenly at his residence on the 6th inat ; and Mr D J. J. Dovlo of f he Tuapeka Flat Hotel, and late traveller for Messrs K-ast and M‘Carthy Brewers, who died on the 7th inst. fron internal haemorrha. • through bursting of a Mood vessel. Both gentlemen though filling different spheres yet were alike respoced by a numerous acquaintance and each will be much missed. The following case was heard tho other day at. the R. M. Court, Dunedin. A new arrival sued the proprietors of a labor agency for damages for making false representations to him to the effect that they had got him a situation, whereas, he asserted, nothing of the sort was the fact. Mr Simpson, gave judgment for the plaintiff There are a number of other oases of a like na lure p-nding. A correspondent informs the Southland Times that the farmers in the Mataura district have fixed the wages of harvest hands for the present season at 9d per hour and found ; and that many of them have secured on these terms all the ram they require. They (the farmers) consider that, in view of the present low prices ruling for grain, they cannot afford to give more. Our friend adds that, strange as it may seem, new comers arc the greatest sticklers for big pay Mon who confess to | having been working but recently for one , shilling a day-, and not found, in the old j country, gnunblingly “set in" for six • shillings and ample rations. Tho Government Insurance Department | recently paid an insurance of LSOO on the I life of a Waikato settler, although he had only paid one premium conditionally on the acceptance of his life, and died before j its completion. The last crushing of the Tipperary Company, Macetown resulted in a return of 659 ounces of gold from 589 tons of atone. A case of fish-p -isoning, brought on bleating stale fish, is reported by a Timaru paper to have occurred there. Tho paper says:— “On Saturday a resident of Church street took home some fish for his dinner. His wife thought they were rather stale, and prudently avoided the dish About half an hour after his meal, tho fisheater was walking round his domicile with an aching head, a swollen face as red as a boiled lobster, and a pulse going at the rate of Dr Hammond’s tricycle. Fortunately vomiting superseded, and ho gradually rec verod himself after several hours’ agony.” An immense shark was caught recently in Pigeon Bay by a fisherman named Wheally. The brute got entangled in the nets, and drowned himseff in the kelp. The fishermen miss -d their nets during the night, and were grappling for them for some hours, and mi finding them it was seen that the shark had complet dy rolled himself up in his en leavers to get free. The shark measured 13ft. in length by 6ft. in girth. The head is 3ft. in length, and the mouth 13iu across from tooth to tooth. There are 34 teeth in the lower j iw. an 1 20 in the upper Thesis fins measure 2ft. sin., and the tail 3ft. din. from point to point. It required six men to haul him into the boat. At a recent sitting of the Waikouaiti County Council the Chairman (Mr H. Orbell) in alluding to the gold duty stated that the County had had very little of it ; there were only 9 Chinamen who had miner’s rights in the County. The Warden could give any one authority to demand the production of miner’s rights, and this per sou so appointed could demand the production of rights, and if it could not be produced a summons could he issued. He also made enquiry about the business licenses, but there were none issue-1 at first. With reference to the gold duty he ha-1 waited on the Manager B ink of New Zeaj land at Naseby, and he had informed him I that any gold brought out of tho various I counties was put into separate bags. Although there was very little gold brought out of this county and taken into the other. They lost the revenue by the gold being sold to storekeepers and private parties Cr Donaldson sail he brought the matter up before the Council some two years ago j and it wa» astonishing how nearly the ; statement made by the chairman tallied with what he had then said As to the number of miners he was sure there were close upon 150 miners working. The chair-

man referred to the six miles of road in the Dunhack riding, hut ho should also have mentioned the six miles beyond—Macraes and Hyde. It was a very bad place and ought to be attended to by the Council. Cr Brunton said there were a number of minors in the Waikouaiti River, who got there miner’s rights in Dunedin. Cr Donaldson said that any one resident within a gold-fields district who used a pick and shovel whether to look for gold or coal had to have a miner’s right. Cr Todd was very pleased to see that the chairman had been makins enquiries into the miner’s rights question. Only if they appointed the inspector to collect tho miner’s rights he ought to have a commission. Cr Donaldson said in preference to giving the inspector a commission, it would be advisable to raise his salary. Cr Green moved - That Mr A. Valentine be appointed by Warden Robinson, the authorised person tocollect miner’s right from anyone found mining within the county. Cr Donaldson seconded. Carried. At the last meeting of the Lake Counti T Council Councillor M’Craoken tabled a mo- ’ tion to the following effect “ That LISO he granted to the Arrow Hospital in aid of its funds, the same having been lately opened for the reception of the sick in that district.” We (Mount Ida Chronicle) understand that Eggers and party, who have been most assiduous in prospecting for gold in the neighborhood of Holverson’s celebrated claim near Hyde, have had their exertions rewarded by striking good prospects. Tho gold has been found in a shaft about 70ft. deep, and the indications are sufficiently encouraging to induce them to commence driving. It is reported that a valuable quartz reef has been discovered up the Rees River, 16 miles from Glenorchy. It is about four feet wide, and is estimate 1 to yield two ounces to the ton. Messrs Davis, Rennie, and Campbell have applied for a prospecting claim, and two leases have been taken up. The reef is clearly defined for 400 or 500 yards. It is becoming tho rule rather than exception for us (Cromwell Argus) to have to announce that the “ Borough Council meeting lapsed for want of a quorum.” It is now going on for six weeks since the last ordinary meeting took place, and on no ocoari m since then quorum has a attended. This neglect of their duties by Councillor* may be very pleasant to h:m, but how are the inteiests of those whom they are supposed to represent affected ? A telegram of the 6th instant from Lawrence states : —“ Since the election of Mr William Nott Oooday, Solicitor, as Councillor for West Ward, there have been several adjournments of tho Council in tho absence of a quorum. It is rumored that some of the councillors object to sit with the gentleman named, anil that he intends to insist on his rights. The Mataura Ensign says “ A gentleman who has recently traversed the Waik&ka, Grecnvale, and Merino Downs districts informs us I hat tho rabbits in those districts appear to he increasing rapidly, notwithstanding tho strenuous efforts made to exterminate them," The ratepayers of Dunedin have decided by 422 votes against 74, that “ It is desirable the Mayor should not he elected by the Council, and from the Councillors.” A Melbourne paper, commenting on tho fact that Mr Justice Barry is sensitva to gentlemen of the liar appearing at tho bar table without wig or gown, says : “ Judges, however, like doctors, differ. The following is from the law report of the Argus of tho 19th February, 1856:—‘Upon his Honor taking his seat, addressing the bar, ho observed that upon a day like the present it was well to observe that wigs were made for men and not men for wigs. He intended to dispense with his own, and any of the learned counsel were at liberty to do the same with theirs. At the same tim« h* did not wish to interfere with tho liberty of the subject, it, as one learned counsel suggested, it was more convenient to wear the wig. H;s Honor at one set the oxar 0 , pie of common sense and comport, and ilis- j pense.l with his headdress for the remainder of the day.’ The learned judge was the late Chief Justice A’Beckott.” One of the most intrepid wild beast tamers in Europe, Karolyi, a May gar of colossal stature and extraordinary physical strength, has recently fallen a victim to a dread contingency of his perilous profession. He was performing, before a large audience in Madrid the other day, one of his most sensational feats, which consisted m allowing a huge boa constrictor over 20 feet in length to enfold his body in its tremendous coils, when suddenly a jiercing cry escaped him, which was greeted by the uuhlic with rounds of applause, under the supposition that its utterance constituted a part of the performance, ft proved, however, to he the outcome of the strong man’s death agony. The gigantic snake had tightened its coils and crushed tho poor man’s life out of him with one terrible squeeze. As his head fell hack, and his eyes became fixed in a ghastly stare, the plaudits died away, and were succeeded by the stillness of utter consternation. Tho snake and its lifeless victim swayed for a second or two of inexpressible hj >rror, and j then toppled over on the boards to the stage ; hut the boa did not in the least ! relax his crip upon the corpse, which remained for more than an hj -ur imprisoned m its hideous thraldom, nobo ly daring to approach the lithe monster, of whose power such appalling proof bad been given. At length it occurred to one of Karolyi’s mm to place a bowl of milk in the i-aau within sight of the mighty serpent, which slowly unwound itself from the dead body and tilled into the den, irresistibly tempted thereto by its fa> ourite dainty. A post moitem examination of the unfortunate athlete’s remains discovered no fewer than 87 Dacturcs of his bones, effected by the constriction of the serpent's coils. His death must have been inslantaijjpns, as the spine was disarticulated iuseveral places.

"Under the stimulus of a money prize offered by the York County (Me.) Agricultural Society, thirty-two boys have raised upon one-eigth of an acre of land over IOOOIb of corn, six over 11001b, five over 120011), one over 13001b, and one over 14001b, the champion being Moses S. MilliIten, jun., of Biddeford, with a product of 14011b. The New York Herald, speaking of Mr Parnell's schemes, says that “ if Mr Parnell ■could carry out his crazy programme, mud cabins would be as numerous ten years lu. nee in Ireland as in 1811. What we say, ♦ v >orefore, to the Irish in the United States, is not to give one cent for Parnell and his crowd, but millions to help emigration from Ireland to this country. Here is work, good wages, no landlords, and no bailiffs are to be found. But let us have no Fenian nonsense, and no proposition to free Ireland by procession 3000 miles off That does no good—it only fills adventurers’ and demagogues’ pockets. No probability exists of Irish Americans contributing any considerable sum in aid of Parnell’s schemes.” “A Mayo landlord” sends an English contemporary some examples of the secret intimidation which prevails in his county just now. He writes : —“Every man is afraid of his neighbour : rich and poor, landlord and tenant, priest and people. My rent day came last week, and two tenants paid their rent who had been working for me during the year. A stack of hay belonging to one of them was burned down tile same night ; and since then a threatening notice has been stuck up on the chapel door naming each individual, about ten in all, who have paid their rent this year. The general cry is that the people have money and arc ready and willing to pay, hut that tliey dare not. Every man of any position lias to go armed, and neither landlords nor farmers are happy at being out after nightfall. "Within seven miles of where I write there have been one murder and three attempts at murder, and I do not think I am wrong in stating that every landlord and large farmer in the barony has received one or more threatening letters within the last few months ”