Local and General.

Dunstan Times, Issue 996, 20 May 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

We notice that Mr J. D. Feraud has been awarded a bronze medal for liqueurs at the Melbourne Exhibition.

The Court Pride of Alexandra Lodge, A.0.P., has been registered under “ The Friendly Societies Act.” The public school at Queenstown has been temporarily closed, in consequence of the prevalence of measles in that town.

Mr H. S. Cox has been appointed inspector of mines for the district of Otago and Southland.

The Royal assent has been given to the Deceased Wife’s Sister Marriage Bill for this colony. Bishop Nevtll conducted divine service at the English Church, Cromwell, on Sunday last. The borough of Roxburgh contains, by the census just taken, C 6 Chinamen, and a total population of 277. Messrs Batkin and Seed, the Royal Civil Service Commission, arrived in Clyde on Wednesday, and proceeded to Lawrence by the following coach.

We learn that a pigeon shooting-match will bo held at Clyde next Tuesday between members of the Dunstan District Gun Club. It is expected to bo an unmixed success.

Mr H. H. Holmden, for many yoars manager of the Bank of Now Zealand at Lawrence, has been lately transferred to Dunedin.

Libeller, Billingsgate, and Randwick were, on Saturday, scratched for all engagements at the Queen’s Birthday racemeeting.

Amono the regulations just gazetted for the working of tho New Zealand railways is one prohibiting any workman from wearing A red shirt while at work.

The Vincent County Council will meet for the despatch of business at tho Council offices, Cromwell, next Wednesday. Particulars of the business to be transacted appears in another column of this paper.

We leam that the preparation of measures for the coming Parliamentary session is being pushed on as fast as possible. Last year’s Licensing Bill is being re-printed, and also others of the slaughtered innocents 1 On Saturday evening, as a waggon loaded with wheat was (being drawn on tho punt which crosses the Clutha River at Miller’s Plat, the mooring gave way, precipitating the four horses into tho river. Three of them were drowned,

Messrs Brown, Colclough, Marshall, MacKellar, M'Kersie, and Jolly have been appointed to meet and confer with the Commissioners appointed by tho Land Board to inspect and report upon runs in the Cromwell district.

A general conference of delegates from all the branches of the Central Otago Land League, for the purpose of deciding finally on tho form of memorial to the Minister of Lands re the cutting up of tho runs, will be held at Clyde to-morrow (Saturday) afternoon.

The Government, having recently imported a quantity of new silver coin of all denominations, with a view to tho withdrawal of worn silver coin from circulation in tho colony, it is notified that now coin will bo given in exchange for worn coin on application at any of the banks.

On Sunday last His Lordskip Blshnp Nevill administered the rites of confirmation in the English Church, Clyde. Fifteen applicants presented themselves for confirmation. After the ceremony. His Lordship delivered an eloquent and able address on tho duties of a Christian.—His Lordship left Clyde for Dunedin on Monday morning last.

Mr Fache reports having had a most successful sale of the property and effects of Mr John Spratt, at Tinkers’ Gully, on Monday last. Though Mr Spratt is removing to Wyndham, where ho has purchased 1200 acres of land, ho does not sever his connection with the district, as ho still retains his interest in the celebrated Blue Duck Claim.

The last gold escort from Blacks was, we understand, particularly bulky for the season of the year, the principal part of tho geld coming from Tinker’s Gully. On account of the scarcity of water, there is but little work now doing in this prosperous locality, consequently, for the next few months, or rather until the new year, no large quantities of gold are to be expected to be got out.

The member for Waikonaitl (Mr M'Lean) generally approves of the Hall Government, sympathises with Mr Bryce, but the larger balance of Mr M‘Lean’s appreciation leans to the Government from which Mr Bryce seceded. Mr M'Lean laid down the doctrine that a man who could not manage his own affairs is unable to direct the affairs of a colony : a good rule, too, and one which, unfortunately, the electors are apt to lose sight of. It is ourpainful duty to record the death of Mr Samuel Leask, of Blacks, which took place last Monday after a lingering illness of six weeks’ duration. For years Mr Leask has carried on the business of general storekeeper at Blacks, and was universally liked and respected. Tho body was interred in tho Blacks cemetery last Wednesday, and was followed by a large concourse of sympathising friends. He leave a widow and a family to mourn their loss. After June 30th the Government will not pay any capitation grant on account of scholars attending Board schools, when they are under five years of age. This regulation will probably be a great relief to tho Treasury, but it will lessen tho salaries of numbers of teachers who are in charge of small schools. In fact, under the forthcoming regulation, the salaries in village schools will revert to the scale of former years. It is very probable that during the session an effort will be made to re-impose school fees on parents.

A correspondent of the Mount Ida paper, advocating the cutting up of the runs, says “Look at Spottis Hundred and Ida Valley, What were they some five years ago? Nothing hut desolate plains. Look at them to-day, and see the substantial homesteads, where people are making a comfortable living for themselves and their families. People like these should get every encouragement by having a cheap and quick transit for their produce, and that can only be done by the Otago Central railway being constructed.” At tho last meeting of the Tuapeka County Council a letter from G. T. Stevens and Co. was read, asking the Council if they would entertain the idea of subsidising a private company in boring operations in their county, or employ them for the purpose. They were importing boring machinery, which would enable them to bore to a depth of I,oooft. Cr Herbert moved : That the letter be referred to tho Governor-in-Council for consideration. No seconder. It was decided to minute tho letter as received.

Under the embarassingly impecunious condition of the County Council, it is not to be expected that the roads will be kept in tho same good repair that they have been, or that many of tho really necessary works will bo attended to ; but wo venture to think that soma little attention, before tho winter fairly sets in, should be given to the water channels, so as to keep tho drainage off the roads. In several parts of the county over which we have lately travelled, wo noticed that, for tho want of an hour or two at clearing the channels, tho roads are getting very sloppy.

The total population of Melbourne and suburbs is 262,210. Mb I. N. Watt has arrived in Oamaru to take the place of Mr Parker, R.M, A new Roman Catholic bishopric is to be established at Portsmouth.

Mr J. Y. Tack, a Chinaman, is a candid ate _ for the Wesleyan ministry in Victoria.

On Good Friday the Sydney tramways carried 35,000 passengers, and on Easter Monday 45,000.

Many of the advertisements of Sunday services in the Melbourne papers end with the alluring word “ Solo.” In order not to desecrate the Sabbath, the steamers are not allowed to whistle when leaving Wellington on that day. A South Australian party of men who wont to the Mount Browne diggings pronounce them a swindle.

The proposal to connect the East and West Coasts of this island by rail is being energetically prosecuted by the promoters in Christchurch.

The distress in Christchurch is becoming appalling. There arc said to bo no less than 700 married men with families out of work at present.

A Sydney telegram says:—“ In a gambling affair at Gunnedab one man stabbed another in the arm with a knife. The injured man bled to death in 20 minutes.”

Three confectioners were fined £5 each in Sydney for soiling “hidden treasures.” The prosecution was under “The Lottery

According to the recent census, the population of New South Wales is put down at 850,000, and that of the City of Sydney and suburbs at 220,000. It has cost the Great North of Scotland Railway Company £2,000 to remove the snow from its lines during the past two months.

Dr Talmaob proposes to reform the drama by means of a Reformed Amusements Association, which is to be sustained by Christian capitalists. The Mosgiel Woollen Company will receive a special gold medal for being among the exhibitors at the Melbourne Exhibition recommended for the Emperor of Germany’s prize.

The “ OamarU Times ” says It seems not improbable that the schools may be closed for a month until the typhoid fever, of which three or four fresh cases have appeared, has passed.” Mr Ivey, the master of the Canterbury Agricultural School, has been making experiments with seed wheat and Milestone, upon which he reports that the bluestone offered for sale last season in Christchurch was shamefully adulterated. Mr Masters has sent in to the Speaker his resignation as M.H.U. for Grey Valley from Melbourne, where he now is. His medical adviser says that to attend the coming session in his present state of health would cost him his life.

It is stated that a Chicagohouse seriously contemplates establishing a branch in Australia, with the view of extensively exporting meat, the project being to ship the more valuable portions of the carcases of beef in a frozen state, and to tin the coarse parts under the compressed system. Sir H. Paekes, during a recent visit to Melbourne, hid an interview with Mr Berry on the Chinese question. In all probability, as the Parliaments of the two colonies meet at the same time, both Parliaments will be invited to deal immediately with a Bill on the question. The ‘ ‘ Times ” hears that a good many applications for the position of Superintentent of the Mount View Asylum have been received by the Government, and, as applications are still coming in, it has been decided to wait a few days before making the selection.

A report is current among the Frenchmen resident in Auckland that a man-of-war is on her way hither for the purpose of transporting them to the land from which they have so long been exiled, A portion of them intend to embrace the opportunity of returning to France.

The “ Southland Times ” thinks that the whole system of return tickets needs remodelling, and it will never get fair play cr opportunity to produce the magical results of which it is capable until a return ticket can be had for any distance, available for any time.

The rabbit pest is making its appearance on the Taieri Plains, and complaints have been made of the destruction caused to the crops by bunny. At a late meeting of the Taieri County Council, a letter was read from Mr Allan, of Hopehill, suggesting the proclamation of rabbit districts, but consideration of the question was adjourned until further inquiry was made. A Sydney telegram says;—Mr Pox, a draper of George street, entertained a number of guests at Campagnoni’s on May Ist. Some years ago he compounded with his creditors, promising to pay if able. That day he handed over cheques to each one of his creditors, who agreed to present him with a piece of plate for his honorable conduct. Comment is needless.

The Tuapeka paper lias been told rather a good sto;y in connection with the iollecting of papers for the recent census. Tho sub-enumerator, while on his rounds, had occasion to call at a Chinaman’s hut, and in filling in tho paper, put the question—- “ What is your religious belief ? Are you a Christian or a follower of Confucius ?” John replied—“ No, no. Me Freethinker; all same as Mister Stout. You saves ?”

A Tejiora telegram of May 3 says that three waggons loaded with diggers haye returned from Mount Poole, N.S.W. They give fearful accounts of the diggings, saying that they are worse than Temora, aud no water obtainable. Tho Minister of Mines has received a telegram stating that a few persons are getting gold, but that many are almost starving. Cholera is prevalent. There is no (lour obtainable, and potatoes are £4O per ton.

Thanks, it may be presumed, to the influence of Sir Hercules Robinson, the Zulu ex-king is to bo released from Ins close confinement in Capq Town castle, and allowed to live on a farm in tho neighborhood of the city. He will thus in all probability, says the Pall Mall Gazette, become a neighbor of the Natal chief Langalibale, who has for some years been provided with a similar residence.

Mr J. Nugent Wood, who was resident Magistrate and Warden at Switzers for 17 years, and has recently been transferred to Canterbury, was entertained at a farewell dinner by the residents of the Waikaia district and presented with a purse of fifty sovereigns. In acknowledging the presentation, Mr Wood said “I did not anticipate on my arrival on this occasion that I should meet with such a welcome from so many of my old friends. ... I will receive the purse, and expend it in purchasing a piece of plate, which I wil hold as a memorial link to bind me with close attachment to my friends of Wakaia, with whom I still hope at some future day to settle again.”

A brutal murder was committed in Little Bourko street, Melbourne, on April 30. A chimney-sweep named Dixon and his mistress disputed about a pound-note. Dixon became enraged, tore every shred of clothing from the woman, and beat her to death. Ho next poured two buckets of water over her, and then adjourned to a public-house, leaving the un'ortunato woman lying dead and perfectly naked upon the floor. As usual, drink played a conspicuous part in the crime. A number of half-besotted men were outside the door all the time the struggle was going on, but none ot them had the courage to assist the woman. Dixon has been committed for trial.

H.M.S. Bacchante with Prince Albert Victor and George of Wales on board, arrived in King George’s Sound May 16 with her rudder disabled. After leaving the Cape the detached squadron met with favorable weather until Wednesday last, lithinst., when the wind freshened and increased to a heavy ga'e during the night. On Thursday morning a heavy sea struck the Bacchante, carrying away one of the life-boats, and at mid-day another sea broke aboard, disabling the steering gear. A jury rudder was rigged, and the Bacchante made for King George’s Sound to prepare damage. She leaves as soon as possible for Capo Otway, where the squadron rendezvous The royal princes are in good health No casualties occurred during the storm.

CONCERNING THE LATE WRECK. The TJ.S.S. Company wore the purchasers of the wreck of the Tararua at the price of £2O.

£I3Q has keen collected In the Kaiapara district for the Kiobardson-Arraitago Relief Fund. The Rev. Mr Waterhouse's life was insured in the Australian Widows’ Fund for LISOO, and that of his son for £IOO.

Thoway in which the Southland police worked in connection with the Tararua wreck, is a subject of much praise. The acre of ground set apart as a Cemetery near the scene of the wreck of the Tararua is to be known as “Tararua acre,”

It now appears that there were at least 151 persons on board tho ill-fated Tararua, As only 20 escaped, the tota number lost was 131.

Mr Hill, a steerage passenger In tho Tararua, in his evidence at tho inquiry into the causes of the wreck, stated that the first mate committed more than one error of judgment. As an outcome of the loss of tho Tararua it is proposed to establish a lighthouse at Waipapapa and the telephone service between Fortrose and Wyndham railway station.

By means of the photographs taken at Otara, a Timaru lady recognised one of the previously unidentified bodies as that of John Scoon, laborer, of Rangiora, a steerage passenger from Christchurch. It is stated that the following persons from Timaru, whose names were not in the passenger list, were on hoard the Tararua at Port Chalmers, viz.—John Flaherty, Roger Welsh, Edward Flowers and A. M ‘Farlane.

“If you want to dig graves you must bring your own shovel ! ” This was the reply given by a wealthy colonist when asked to supply implements to enable tho police to bury the wrecked bodies near Waipapa Point. The men who were most active at the recent wreck say that they would not go through the same scenes again for £IOO per week. Evidently tho after-effects in the mind are far worse than the sensation experienced at the actual time of the fatal disaster.