The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1880.

Dunstan Times, Issue 938, 9 April 1880, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1880.

Beneath tjiervlc of men EJTTTRKLYJUSTi/i pen isjiiOiiTiEK than (/icswobd.

We have received the fifteenth annual report presented to the shareholders of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, an agency of which is established in Dunedin The report shows, after making ample provision for bad and doubtful debts a profit for the year of L 53, *215 14s 2d. In nfer'.ng to the late depression the report says : —“The commercial depression and financial stringency shown here 12 months ago have during the past year been extended to the Australian and New Zealand Colonies, where their effect on pastoral and agricultural enterprise has been aggravated by unfavorable seasons and low values. Although, according to the most recent Colonial advices, there is distinct evidence not only of a relaxation of monetary pressure, but of the satisfaotory’condition both of the pastoral and agricultural interests, the Directors, in order to meet the possibility of any contingent losses arising out of previous commitments, have placed in suspense very ample provision for this purpose, and therefore do not, on this occasion, recommend any addition being made to the Reserve Fund of the Company, which remains at L1CO,000.” The Company imported into London during the year 1879 —83,972 bales of wool, and the total transactions of the Company for the year was L4,o3fi, 151 11 7. The Company’s advertisement appears in another column. We are given to understand that the well-known mare Drunotto, of late in the possession of Mr R. Stewart Hawksburn, died during the past week. We notice by the Dunedin dailies that Mr W. G. Rees has been figuring in the cricket field. After umpiring in the match between a Dunedin team and the Canterbury Wanderers, a return match was commenced, Mr Rees playing in place of one of the former players. He was not very successful, however, only scoring four. A list of wool importers with the number of hales imported by them into London during the year 1879 is open for inspection by those interested at our office. By telegram dated the 6th instant we are informed of the burning down of Gorman’s public-house, situate at the Roaring Meg. The Cromwell Argus states that the house was entirely consumed on Tuesday morning at about one o’clock, everything iu and about the building being totally destroyed. The premises, stock and furniture were insured in the Union Office for L3OO. At the Criminal sittings of the Supremo Court held at Dunedin on Monday last, the two men, named Murphy and Feathertonc, charged with highway robbery at Bald-hill Plat, were sentenced for one year.—John Christie, for horse-stealing at the M orvon Hil v cn"' ter go Fr ok M’Loughlin, for manslaughter at Roxburgh was acquitted. The Daily Times has been informed that 89,001 bushels of oats were sold in one lot at Waimate one day last week at Sid per bushel.

At a recent sitting of the Land Board, the Roxburgh Cricket Club applied for four acres of land at Roxburgh East. It was decided to request the Club to furnish a sketch of the land, with a view of the Government being recommended to make the reserve. A correspondent of the Southland News hears on reliable authority that a great number of ducks are being destroyed by the poison laid down for the rabbits on the stations around Lumsden. The following notice of motion appeared in a recent Order Paper of the Dunedin City Council :—By Mr Carroll, “ That the salary of His Worship the Mayor for the present municipal year be increased to L4OO a year. ” In the advertising columns of the Morning Herald of the sth instant, a large number of Longwood shares are offered for sale. Refering to the Royal Commission on Railways, Mouda>’s Southland Times says : —“ The Commissioners proceed to Riverton this afternoon, and on Tuesday will ride to Orepuki and return to Riverton the same evening. After visiting the Waiau Valley, they will return to Invercargill on Wednesday evening. On Thursday they proceed to Queenstown, and thence to Cromwell, which they will reach on Friday, the 9th inst. In order to inspect the country to be traversed by the Otago Central railway, the Commissioners will drive to Lake Wanaka from Cromwell on Saturday, returing to Dunedin about the I3th inst., via Clyde, Kyelmrn, Hyde, Macraes, and Palmerston.” The North Otago Times furnishes the following :—“ One of the Southern Volunteers, on the train reaching a small town somewhere between Oamaru and Christchurch, espied a number of loaves temptingly laid out on a stall for sale. His hunger and cupidity increased at the sight, and he reached for the bread, but without any intention of passing over its equivalent in value. The owner of the loaves immediately laid hold of the Volunteer, and the latter passed a loaf over to a comrade. The train starting at this moment, the soldier made frantic efforts to extricate himself from the clutches of the individual he had wronged, but the latter tenaciously hung on to his coat tails, till, alas, the strength of threads and material coilld no longer withstand the strain, and—he pursued the train without them. If the owner got nothing for his loaf, he at all events holds sufficient cloth to make a start on a military coat for his son.” The Wellington Post of the sth instant I says the exact figures have not transpired, I but we believe that the actual receipts from Customs revenue during the nine months I ending 3lst March amounted to about j L 903,000. As the estimate was L 959,000, it wid be seen that it has not been reached | by L 50,000. Stamp revenue, wo understand, has reached about LI 1*2,001), or L 13,000 under the estimate of L 125,000. To the deficiency under this heading must be added the refund of nearly L*2O,OUO on account of duty wrongly levied in the 1 estate of the late W. R. Rhodes. The practical deficiency from these two sources ; is therefore about LSO.OOO. Railway ro- ; ceipts are about L 83,000 under the estimate. On these four items alone, therefore, revenue has fallen short of estimate by LITO.OOO. The Mataura Ensign as the following “ After all our native game does not seem to be very plentiful in tins neighborhood, as, although many local sportsmen have been out since the season opened on Monday last, wo have not yet heard of any good bags having been made. On the contrary we Would infer, from one or two little incidents that occurred, that most of these sport-seeking gentlemen were grieviously disappointed, and failing in their efforts to legitimately attain their object, and “ make a show,” resorted to means not altogether sportsmanlike. These little incidents wore generally of a merely ludicrous nature, hut one of them was exceedingly discreditable to the persons implicated, since it resulted iu the destruction of private property. A number of gentlemen visited the Chatton district one evening at the beginning of the week, and probably unsatisfied with the result of their lawful efforts, attempted to make good defficieucy iu their bags by popping at a number of tame ducks and geese, the property of a settler. We can understand that the tame ducks might have been mistaken for wild ones, hut that, on a bright moonlight night, the same mistake should be made in regard to the geese, is to say the least, improbable. From the circumstance, also, that the undaunted sportsman returned to the attack after being chased away by the proprietor, it would appear that the circumstance was not the result of a mistake as to the nature of the animals. Altogether the event is one that, for sheer impudence, has rarely been surpassed, and we are rather surprised that the good-natured settler does not intend taking steps tor the proper punishment of the delinquents’. It is only at his request that wo refrain from publishing the names of these worthy and ardent “ sportsmen.” Recently the second Australian Eleven were entertained at a banquet by the Mayor of Adelaide. Iu replying to the toast of the day, Mr 11. F. Boyle is reported by the South Australian Register to have said : —“ The success of the present Eleven might not he as great as that of the first Australian Eleven, as the English cricketers now knew what they had to cope with, whereas formerly they had underrated Australian cricket. Now, on the contrary, they were doing what they could to got the strongest teams to play against them. But it would not be the fault nf the present Australian Eleven.if ■fin hj wt do as well as the first Eleven. No practice, or -A t -.v i,-ivi i mi f m> | their part should be wanting to ensure success. They would work unanimously both in the field and out of it, and he felt sure from the conduct of the team that socially ( the present team would be equally as good

as the last. They would do their best to uphold cricket and to behave as gentlemen and as men.” Messrs 1. N. Watt, R.M., and G. E. Eliott J.P., at the City Police Court yesterday gave their decision in the charge against Charles Armstrong, of a breach of the Sales of Food and Drugs Act, by increasing the bulk of brandy by the addition of water. Professor Black corrected a mistake he made in his evidence. It appeared that only 9S| gallons of water had been added to 200 gallons of proof spirit, and 100 gallons of the article contained 28 gallons of water and 72 gallons of proof spirit. Mr Denniston pointed out that the Legislature fixed no Standard {addition of water to the spirit, and it would be incumbent upon the Bench to do so. The English standard was 25 per £oent., and it was adopted in Melbourne. The Bench intimated their intention of fixing the standard at 25 per cent., and dismissed the charge, as the extra dilution was so small. In the other cases, there being not more than 30 per cent, addition of water, the police withdrew the charges. —Daily Times. The introduction of the electric light to private and public buildings is steadily increasing, and before long it will undoubtedly fully occupy its legitimate field. It is to be used at the Victoria dock Extension if satistactory arrangements can bo made ; and the famous Clyde shipbuilders, Messrs Napier and Suns, have just introduced it to their yard. There it is employed during the commencement and ending of the day's work in lighting up some vessels building for the Admiralty, and the firm have recently put down another machine to enable them to expedite the building of the new Allan liner Parisian. A couple of lamps in the yard supply all the light needed during the early morning and late evening hours.