INTERPROVINCIAL AND INTERCOLONIAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 938, 9 April 1880, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL AND INTERCOLONIAL.

A Wellington telegram of the 31st ultimo states that Sir George Grey is so ill that his attendance at the next session is extremely doubtful. In consequence of the recant action of the Sydney Legislative Council in twice rejecting the bill for imposiiig stamp duties, which was sent up from the Legislative Assembly, Sir H. Parkes has introduced in the Assembly a bill to deprive the Council of future power to amend money bills. Sir Alfred Stephen has given notice for the introduction of a similar bill in the Upper House. The natives at Wairoa are indulging in threats of murdering each other. Their dispute refers to some land, but the affair is not likely to go beyond blank cartridge. In addition to the LIOOO already forwarded from Christchurch, there is LOO still in hand for the Irish Relief Fund. A telegram from Melbourne states that the Orient Company and Messrs Money Wigram and Co. have notified their readiness to provide the necessary space for frozen meat in their steamers. The Peninsular and Oriental Company have the question tinder consideration. At Sydney, a further mooting Las' been held for the formation c’f a Frozen Meat Company, with a capital of LUH),0(10. Already L 13,000 has been subscribed. Large potatoe crops are reported from the Waikato. One field yielded II tons to the acre. The report that Sir George Grey is suffering ill-health, which is likely to prevent him attending next session of Parliament, is contradicted. Ho enjoys good health, except Ids old affection of the leg, through a spear wound received in Western Australia. On the Ist instant, at Wellington, Catherine M’Coll. aged sixty, was Burnt to death, under horrible circumstances. She was housekeeper to a gentleman name! John M'Lnughlan, and was last seen by him about 10 o’clock at night, when she was lying on a ?ofa, helplessly drunk. He left her there, and went to bed, leaving a candle burning, in the morning he found her charred remains. With the exception of her stays, all her clothing was burnt. The deceased had been drinking heavily for about ten days. Another attempt is to he made at Christchurch to put down Sunday trading. An information has been made against Marks, the fruiterer, who was arraigned on the same charge before. For four days of the last week, 50,393 bags of grain were carried on the Christchurch line of railway and branches’. On Thursday night, the Ist instant, the bags accumulated at the various stations amounted to 29,349. On the 2nd instant, at the Police Court, Invercargill, Jonas Schneider was lined L 5 for permitting gambling in his licensed house, the Melbourne Hotel. The second son of His Excellency the Marquis of Normanhy is dead. A telegram of the Gib instant from Waimato states that cloven thousand bushels of oats were sold a few days previously at 13J per bushel.

A meeting has been held in Melbourne of the Meat Preserving Company. A report of a most satisfactory ,'character was read, in which it was stated that the business still continued to improve. On the sth iffstaitt at Gislhorne, a passage of arms took place in the R.M. Court, in a larceny case against a Maori, between the K.M., and commissioned officer Sergeant Kidd, which seemed for a while likely to bring the business of the Coilrt to a; standstill. The sergeant was about to explain why a delay arose in the laying of the information, when ho was ordered to “ shut his mouth.” The sergeant, who has been 2G years in the service, declined in consequence to proceed with the case for the prosecution until the language complained of was reported to headquarters. At Wellington the’policoj are taking active steps in connection with Sunday trading, and have laid several informations against publicans for breaches of the Act. At Invercargill, likewise, the police are enforcing the provisions .of the Licensing Act. A field of wheat at Jamieson’s farm at Wakanui averages|CS bushels to the acre. On the sth instant, at the Christchurch Police Court, Ed ward* Barringer [was committed for trial for embezzling four sums, riingitlg from L2OO to LI2, in all 1.300, the property of his employers, the BAnk of .New Zealand. By an explosion of gas afLyttelton gaol, on the sth instant, a man named Meats, who was fixing gaspipes, was badly burned. At’Brisbano, New Zealand milling oats are worth 2s 7d to 2s Bd. In consequence of the short supplies There is a good inquiry. At Auckland, on the Cth instant, a bul-lock-driver, named JStrccter, was gored to death by a beast that he was driving with a dog. The latter bit the bullock on the heel, when he turned suddenly and gored the deceased. He was well known in the South. At a meeting of the Christchurch City Council held on the sth instant, a letter was read from the Government intimating ’that no further payment of the subsidy must be looked for. A large trout, weighing just upon 141bs, was secured ou Friday evening by a gentleman who observed it floundering at the mouth of the Town Creek (says the Wakatip Mail), and he immediately jumped iu and threw it ashore. It was probably making up stream to spawn and got into shallow water. The fish was probably one of the few which the Municipal Council about ten years ago tfhndged for the first time, and after great loss and expense, to introduce to these water. Its length was about 27 inches, and girth IS inches. Hegarty, the long distance walker of Southland, completed the task of walking 112 miles in 24 hours at Timaru on the 30th ulc, Being seven minutes wit-hid time. He Was fearfully exhausted towards the finish. In the last mile ho fell down twice, j and brandy had to ho dashed over him. He had his hair pulled and ribs poked to revive him and keep'him awake, the crowd in the meantime calling out “ Gd it, old man; doidt give in. ” The exhibition was disgraceful and brutal. A protest has been entered that the mile was 2(5 yards short. Hegarty declared if the distance is disputed that he is prepared to walk 115 miles iu the same time. An inquest was hold at the Invercargill gaol on the 6th instant, on a prisoner of the name of Wilson, who died tire day previously. The evidence of the gaoler, showed that the prisoner was frequently sick, but tlie doctor said ho ivas a malingerer. The deceased was taken off work iu consequence of his complaints. Allan Young, a prisoner iu the gaol, deposed that he had frequently heard the deceased complain of being ill, and had heard him say he had spoken to the gaoler, who told hint net to keep bothering. He afterwards hoard him grousing in his coll Cti Saturday week last the deceased said to the witness tiiat ho was dying inch by inch, and his death would bo laid at the governor’s door. The witness did not consider that the decease 1 received sufficient uourishmont. The evidence of another prisoner, went to show that deceased told the warder he was unfit to work, ami had been told he would ho locked up if lie did not work. On returning from work recently, the deceased was almost dead, and was sent to his cell, the witness thought, for punishment. The deceased was put on short allowance because ih'cy thought ho was shamming. The inquiry was adjourned until Monday next, when the evidence of the doctor and othois will ho taken. Some consternation was caused in one of the Wellington hotels' recently, by the mad freaks of a gentleman who only recently made his appearance in Wellington, and who is likely erolong to “spread his canvas to breeze once more.” It appears that he had just acquired possession of an air gun, and was showing it to a crowd of people, many of whom had never before seen such a thing. The purchase had evidently been baptised, for the owner took m'ost deliberate aim at the head of one of those near him and to all appearances “fired,” though it may he that lie accidentally touched the trigger. The hall just missed the object it was aimed at, and went through several partitions in the hotel where the little episode happened before it lodged. Not content with this, the new toy was soon afterwards deliberately aimed at a hull, blit not let off on account of the determined interference of the landlord, assisted by several others. A singular discovery of gold, which may, perhaps, lead to important results, was made a few days ago in Wellington (says the Post). On Saturday last Mr G. Edmonds, a well-known retired master mariner, purchased at Mr M'Loan's auction mart, at Lambton quay, three live ducks. One of them he killed on Monday, aril piroccoded to dress it himself 5 . On opening and washing lie gizzard Mr Edmonds fancied lie heard something chink in the basin. Examining the water ho found two small pieces cf dull yellow metal about

twice the size of a pin’s head. A closer search brought to light five more pieces of a similar description. They all present a solid watorworn appearance. The whole seven may weigh possibly one pennyweight, Mr Edmonds submitted the metal to experienced persons, who at once pronounced it to be gold of a very good quality. Of course, the question which immediately suggested itself was, where did the ducks come from? Mr M'Loan, it appears, received them from Messrs Parsons and Maxton’s poultry-breeding establishment at Brightwater, Nelson. Mr Parsons has been informed of the discovery, which is beyond doubt of a genuine character, and, it is understood, will at once take steps to prospect the creek which runs through the property. At preseilt no gold has been discovered in the locality, but there are goldfields at no great distance. Should the circnmstinct lead to a new rush, it Would not be unprecedented in the annals ot the goldfields of the Colony, for," if we are not mistaken, a somewhat similar find in a duck’s gizzard led to the discovery of the Taieri goldfields, in Otago.