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Dunstan Times, Issue 968, 5 November 1880, Page 2

When onr Cromwell contemporary endeavors to he funny he always makes, a mess of it. In his last issue he thought fit to waste type and ink and paper, and to trifle with the patience of his clients, by the publication of a tirade consisting of inane and senseless foolery respecting “The Model Newspaper,” and the “ Man at tho Wheel”—the meaning of which is as occult as the origin of the principles by which ho is governed. No doubt ho “laughed consumedly ” as ho laboriously compile ! his attempt, and so did we when we read it ; and for the same cause. He laughed at his own folly— and we did the same As Sir Charles Coldstream says—“ There is nothing in it.”

In consequence of the late advertisements we have to curtail our local intelligence.

We are much pleased that the Library OommiDee did not carry out their first intention of at once closing the reading room of the Public Library, and that they have given a timely warning that such will eventuate unless they receive greater sup port. In dealing with this matter we do not intend beating about the bush—the whole question lays in a nutshell, and is purely and simply one of tunds ; and it rests entirely with those who make use of the room whether or not it shall be kept open, it is to be hoped that with the new year there will be such an increase of subscribers as will admit of the doors being kept open. We learn at a late hour just before going to press that the brother of Mr J. Butler, of Bald Hill Fiat, met his death by drowning at the Kanarau Falls on Wednesday evening, and that the body has not as yet been recovered.

We have to acknowledge from the Government Printer receipt of batch of Par lianipntary Papers

A meeting of theClydeTrust and Library Committee was held in the reading-room on Monday afternoon last the 2nd instant. Present Messrs Pyke, (Chairman) F. J. \\ ilson, J. E. Stevens, J. U. Cambridge, and Geo. Facile. The minutes of previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the financial position wis taken into con sideration, and upon the receipts and expenditure in detail being gone into, it was apparent that without an increased sup port to the Library, the reading-room would have to be closed, and a proposition that it be closed forthwith was moved. A long and animated discussion ensued, some members objecting to so hasty a step being taken. Even tually it was lesolved in effect—That existingmrrangements continue till the end of the present financial year, 31st December next, and upon that date the Library to be opened only three evenings a week, and to subscribers only. A sub-committee was appointed, and ordered to report at the next meeting to be hold on the 15.h instant, as to what periodicals journals, and papers could be dispensed with. The meeiing then adjourned. At the last sitting of the Cromwell Borough Council, the withdrawal of the District Courts from the Central Goldfields was brought under discussion, and it was resolved—That a 'otter be written to the Munster of Justice pointing out the hardships that will be entailed on the people of tire district by withdrawing the sittings of the district Court from Cromwell.—ln our columns we have on more than one occasion referred to this matter, and do not know that wo can say anything further. We, however, would urge upon every local body to fol'ow our Cromwell friends ; the Minister of Justice then seeing that the withdrawal is so generally o’ jeeted to, may be induced to alter bis views on the subject, and ae’ord to the people what they look upon as a ri,ht.

The usual monthly meeting of the Dunstan District Hospital Committee will be held on Monday next the Bth instant at S p. m, The Rev. M> Clifton we a'e informed purposes attending the Anglican Synod which commences its sitting in Dunedin during the next week. He accordingly will be absent f rom the district the next two SundaysWe arc in regular receipt of the Pocket Guide to the Union Steamship Company’s services, combined with the New Zealand Government Railways Gui 10. The number for the present month—November—is now before us.

Under the new parcel post regulations the only restriction is that the article sent he not more than slhs in weight, 2 feet in length, and 1 foot in depth or width, and that the parcel must he open at one end.

A Wellington telegram of the Ist inst., states, that Ah Lee, the Chinese murderer, on the Bishop of Dunedin’s representation, lias been t. mporarily respited until the Executive to-morrow further considers his case. A fun hj. r telegram of the 2nd instant states that the Executive have decided not to interfere with the sentence of death passed on him. By a later date we learn that the unfortunate man will bo hanged this morning, the sth inst.

Mr O'Donnell, well known as the Police Sub-Inspector of Christchurch district and 'ate of Clyde, has decided to retire from the service on compensation allowance, rather than continue in the force m a lower position.

John Christie alias Lee ami Clifford, was convicted of larceny at the Police Court Dunedin, ami sentenced to twelve months imprisonment. He has undergone six months for horse stealing, four years for a similar offence, three months for larceny (two charges), and four years for rape, in addition to his present sentence, making nearly ten years of his life in gaol. By a late decision given iu New South Wales, hawkers and pedlars doing business on the gold lields have to take out a business license in addition to the haw ker’s license.

The programme of the concert to take place at Alexandra next Tuesday will ho found in another column, and from the array ot well known amateur talent given, the entertainment should prove a very enjoyable one. After the concert there will he a dance.

We (Daily Times) are informed that Mr Joseph Braithwaite has arranged to bring out a Christmas book of 130 pages, entitled, “ White Hood and Blue Cup, a Christmas Bough in two branches,” by Vincent fyke and Thorpe Talltot. The price of the hook will be one shilling. The election ot mayor of the Borough of Alexandra takes place on Monday next tho 15; hj iost. Rumor has it that the poet of honor is contested.

A curious case was heard at the R. M. Court Christchurch oa the Ist inst. A cabman named Ven was on the old Post Office sta"d when he was arrested by a constable who was in plain clothes and on leave, oa the charge of working a horse with sore shoulders, A charge of drunkenness was also preferred at the depot. Ven offered some resistance, and was pushed down, his leg being broken in the fall. The magistrate, after hearing tbo evidence, dismissed the charge of drunkenness, with the qualification that he considered Ven was decidedly under the influence of drink, and on the charge of woiking a horse that was in an unfit state for work, he ordered a conviction to be en tered, accused to pay 2s costs. His Worship expressed strongly an opinion to the effect that the arrest was altogether unjustifiable. It is understood that Ven is bringing an action for damages against the constable who pushed him down, and so caused his leg to be broken. The principal provisions of the new Rab. bit Nuisance Kill are as follows :-No-per-son pursuing the occupation of rabbit catcher will he eligible for the office of trustee. The former voting qualification was 100 acres ; it is now reducted to 40 acres. The rate is retained at the old figure of one halfpenny per acre. The bonus of one halfpenny on all skins imported from rabbit districts is abolished. The trustees are permittted to use poison, which is a fresh provision. The trustees have power to destroy rabbits on private lands, after giving due written notice to the owner ; and land owners who neglect such notice may be fined not less than LI, and not more than L2O for each seven days that they refuse to obey the notice. From a Tasmanian paper we extract the following A gang of Chinamen are on their way to the mines at Heemskirk, where they are to be employed in raising tin ore. The diggers rolled up in large numbers on the first appearance of the yellow species, and threatened to lynch the leader, his followers having cleared on the first alarm. Jofin, however, was saved at the solicitations of a well-known miner, but deemed it expedient to put a few miles of country between himself and the miners.” The phosphorus seems to be playing havoc with the sheep in Southland. A country resident states that on one run within a short distance of Invercargill, upon which there are I,O'JO sheep, 1.10 were found dead within a few weeks. Examination of the carcases proved that death resulted from eating the poisoned grain. Plenro-pncumoma has broken out at Amuri, N Canterbury. This outbreak will cause much uneasiness to flock owners bettween the Waiau aud Hurunui, for should it unfortunately spread across the Huruuui byway ot the back-country runs, its eradication will be most difficult. It is stated that Mr Rutherford, among whose sheep the disease has now appeared, purpose ß destroying the whole flock (about 7,000) running on infected country. An Oamaru telegram says ; —The present season will ha one of the most favourable f >r the wool growers and agriculturists yet experienced in the district. The season in the interior has been an exceptionally mild one, and refreshing showers have frequently fallen in the agricultural parts of the country. It is surprising (says the Fall Gazette) that a large crowd should have collected, that ladies wore shocked aul policemen scandalised, by the appearance in the Strand near the Vaudeville Theatre of a young man dressed in a suit of bedchintz of various colours. A high-crowned hat cdbpleted the costume of this fantastic individual, whoso eyebrows were painted black, while the lower part of his face was daubed with red, and who carried an umbrella in one hand an I a riflo in the other, in addition to a sword and pistol in his waistbclt. The young man was arrested, and when charged the following morning at Bow-street with "disorderly conduct,” his defence was that he had made abet of L 5 with a friend, seemingly as brainless as himself, that he would walk from the Criterion to the Gaiety Theatre in any costume which his friend might prescribe without being molested by the police. Mr Vaughan sternly reprehended this inopportune masquerader, and ordered him to find one surety in L2O for his good behaviour for six mouths.

A clergyman who has recently come out from England says that the extraordinary spectacle of a Homan Cardinal sitting in tho House of Lords will bo witnessed before many years. It seems that the heir apparent to the title and csfates of the Petre peerage is a Ilaman Catholic priest, upon whom the Pope has recently conferred tho title of Monsignor. Tho llev. getleman has already renounced Lis claim to the estates, hut of course he cannot dispose of the title in the same way, and when the present peer dies the Monsignor will succeed to his seat in tho House of Lords {of course it he should survive him), and beyond doubt will receive tho Car dinal’s hat from tho Pope.

Once a week, says the Tattler, the contents of about ninety boxes the notes paid by the Bank of England issued iu the corresponding week five years ago—are put into a large kiln. Fire is supplied, and as soon as it is seen that the fire is alight, the doors are closed. By the next morning the paper, which represented many hundreds of thousands of pounds, is a mass of ash and dust, ready for the dustman to cart away. Now and then, however, a curiosity is saved from the flames. One such is shown in the shape of a note, dated July, 1736. and presented on the 9th of March, 1317- clean and in good preservation. Had the owner of this note “ put his money to the exchangers ” instead of Into a secret pocket, his heirs would have received it with usury to the extent o- a little over LOOOO. An even inoro curious

case happened at the bank on Christmas Eve last. A bank post bill for L 25, and a note for L2O, dated December, 1752, were presented on that day. Had these documents been invested at compound interest, the value of the former would have been LI 1,132 14s ll|d, and of the second L8.90G 3s Hid. Every tenth barrel of rum landed in Madagascar (says a contemporary) has to be handed over to the Custom House, because it is the plan there that duty should be paid in kind ; but the authorities will not handle the evil thing ; they will not commute it for a money payment, and so the rum is poured into the sands. The Hova Government of Madagascar disapprove the importation, and would gladly place it uudei heavy restrictions, it not stop it altogether ; but their hold over the coast tribes is limited, and they fear a collision with the French on the subject.