Local and General..

Dunstan Times, Issue 1002, 1 July 1881, Page 2

Local and General..

A committes of the Legislative Council has been appointed tojinquire into the rabbit nuisance.

The Colonial Treasurer proposes to deliver his Financial Statement either to-day or on Tuesday next. The general opinion seems to be that the end of the present Parliament is close at hand.

A heavy fall of snow occurred in Clyde last Saturday evening, covering the ground to the depth of about an inch. The amount of money already expended in the formation of the Central Otago line from Wingatui to Deep Stream, a distance of 20 miles, is LI 15,000.

At a special meeting of the Clutha Board of Conservators, held last Friday, it was decided to purchase a steamer for dredging the river, at a cost of L 2,800, in London. We have to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of several batches of Parliamentary papers, Bills, and the first two numbers of “Hansard” of the present session.

During the past week the weather has assumed quite a wintry appearance. Snow fell on Saturday afternoon and during the night, entirely enveloping the hills, and giving a thin coat on the flat; since then though it has been cold there has been no more snow.

Three has been a considerable exodus of the working classes from Otago lately,their destination being Sydney, N.S.W. That colony is about entering upon the expenditure of H0,000,000 on public works within the next few years, hence its attractiveness for these seeking employment and to make money.

On Friday night last, damage to the extent of about L2O was done to some fluming in the Cromwell Mining Co.’s wate’-raeo at Bendigo. It is inferred, but with what justice we cannot say, that it is the work of some of the men who are now out on strike. The police have the matter in hand, but as yet have made nothing of it.

We draw attention to the advertisement of the proprietors of the Dairy Creek coal-pit, where they state they are now in a position to deliver coal at a much reduced rate than heretofore. This is a step in the right direction, and we should not be at all surprised to see, ere long that, with the further competition likely to exist, a still further reduction.

During the consideration of the Licensing Bill in the House of Representatives, Mr Bastings protested against an attempt made to degrade the character ot licenseholders generally. They would compare favorably with any other class of the community, and were liberal subscribers to all public objects. It was absurd to talk their enormous profits, and the House should not inflict excessive fees upon them.

The “ Morning Herald ” Company has purchased the “ Public Opinion,” and purpose continuing its publication as a weekly, in connection with the “Herald,” in the same way in which the “ Witness ’ is connected with the “Times.” It is rumored that the member for the Dunstan (Mr V. Pyke) will assume tke editorship of the “ Herald,” and it is understood Mr Bracken will go over with the “ Public Opinion.”

A conundrum : Replying to Mr Stewart in the House, the Hon. Mr Johnson said Government had not communicated with the Government of any Australian Colonies desiring them not to employ telegraphic officials dismissed or retired from the service of this Colony. The names of certain parties who had taken a prominent part in the recent strike were, however, reported to the Telegraph Department of those Colonies. The Hon Mr Johnson must he one of that class who does not call a spade a spade.

Mr Daloleish, of Cromwell, has written to the Acclimitisation Society, regarding some pheasants turned out hy himself at his own expense on Mount Pisa run—reporting that individual birds and coveys had been seen on various parts of the run since he liberated them two years ago ; also, at Wanakaand on Morven Hills station. Mr Dalgleish asked for some recognition by the Society in the matter, and at the Society’s last meeting, his letter was remitted to the Secretary, with instructions to reply.

In connection with the poisoning of rabbits, Dr Everleigh says that “the indiscriminate laying of phosphorus should be restricted, for it has the effect of disseminating typhus fever of a malignant type.” If this assertion has any truth in it—and we do not suppose that any doctor would promulgate such a statement unless he had undeniable proof to bear him out in it—those who are now, and also those who intend to, take steps for the extirmination of rabbits should pause before adopting phosphorised oats as a means towards that end.

Nineteen surveyors in the North Island have had the impudence to ask Parliament to pass a Bill, the object of which is to establish a surveying monopoly. The best surveyors in Otago and Canterbury were asked, but refused to assist to get the Bill referred to legalised. Its sole object is to handicap men who are not afraid of competition, and to give a monopoly of surveying business to men who, apparently, are without “ protection ” incompetent to contend with talented rivalry. If the Bill passes through Parliament, landowners in Vincent and other counties may look for an advance in the price for surveying lands.

We have received from Messrs Priestman Bros., of Hull, England, further particulars —including photos., testimonials, and price lists—of their “ patent crane and self-acting bucket dredge,” which we shall be pleased to lay before any one interested in dredging works. The information contained as to the capabilities of the machines is replete, it entering into the most minute details as to its working, and the nature of the material it is capable of successfully dealing with. If applied to the beaches of the Molyneux, we are inclined to the belief that it would answer every purpose expected of it. As we before said, we shall be pleased to give every information we possess to any persons requiring the same.

The “Town and Country,” a Sydney weekly, says :—Some of those whom the seductive advertisements of the “ Rodanow Watch Company” induced to speculate their money m the purchase of watches arc beginning to receive replies to their communications, but the fortunate ones are only those whose letters happened to have reached their destination after the arrest of the swindler who designed the plan of opertions. About the end of December last Mr B. Brauu, of 83, King-street, forwarded an order for a Rodanow watch, addressed to the “Company,” in Boston, and accompanied by a smn of money. By the last mail Mr Braun had the satisfaction of receiving from the dead-letter office the letter he had forwarded, together with its contents. His letter was returned by the postal authorities in America marked “Fraudulent. 1 ”

A great comet was recently seen at Kimberley, in the Transvaal. The health of Dillon, the Irish agitator* is suffering by confinement. According to the census, the population of London is 3,815,571. The Marquis of, Lome proposes to resign the Goveraor-Geiifiralship of Canada.

Immigration from Southern Ireland has decreased 25 per cent. Trickett, the oarsman, has left England for Saratoga. Gen. Grant has been successful in all his railway projects in England.

The liliputian Commodore Nutt died of Bright’s disease on May 26. The city of Boston is moving for a world’s fair in 1885.

Gold in paying quantities has been found in British Columbia.

The French authorities refuse to remove the prohibition on American pork. A manufactory of explosive bombs has been discovered in Paris. One thousand six hundred cases of smallpox are now in the London hospitals, and the epidemic is increasing rapidly.

Thf, proposition to license the sale in the English railway carriages ot drink has been withdrawn under strong party pressure.

Worth, the Paris dressmaker, recently sent from his establishment a lady’s cloak which cost L 1,500.

Up to the present time the Lake County Council have expended'L3oo in forest conservation within their bounds. It is said that Mr Parnell’s marriaee to an American lady of high extraction will take place shortly. The borough of Naseby has been gazetted a borough under “The Municipal Corporations Act, 1876.” The Spanish Anti-Slave Trade Society demand the abolition of capital punishment and immediate liberation of all the slaves in the Antilles.

All efforts to prevent the spread of the small-pox in the Sandwich Islands appear to be unavailing. At present there are 99 patients in the hospital.

Stupendous frauds have been uneaithed in the letting of contracts for the American mail routes. Government were plundered to the tune of millions.

A public appeal has been made for subscriptions to the Carlyle fund. It is said to be a difficult job to raise subscriptions since “ The Reminiscences ” were published Emmett, the actor, was unable to fulfil an engagement in London owing to drink, iind was locked up in the lunatic ward in the workhouse.

A Bill has passed the House of Commons to protect newspapers from wanton actions for libel in the public exercise of their functions.

News via the Cape state that at Kimberley, in the Transvaal, it is reported a goldbearing reef, that is estimated to yield 20oz. to the ton, has been discovered. The Russian police have received a present of fiOOroubles and a printed testimonial of thanks from the Nihilist Committee as an ironical compliment to them for tbeir great efficiency. After the officials of a Kansas town had vainly endeavored to disperse a mob, a minister mounted a box and made a simple announcement —“A collection will now be taken up.” The result cau hardly be guessed.

The gentlemen of the long robe are very free and easy in their language in court at Gishorne. On a recent occasion a solicitor was addressing the Court, when his learned brother said— “ Let me have my shy first, old son, and then you shall have yours.” The cost of the Government printing office in Wellington is L 30,000 a-year. “ Hansard ” absorbs 1.2,500 ; salaries and wages, L 14,252 ;and stores, L 13.000. The receipts from various sources amount to L 2,024. A petition from compositors is to be presented to the House against prison labour engaged in the Lyttelton Gaol printing Go vermuent work, mainly in connection with railways. It is alleged that about LIOO worth monthly is turned out. The Committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club has offered the Forbury Park Company L 25,000 tor the racecourse, but no definite agreement has been come to on the matter, as the Company are asking 1.30,000 for its purchase. The Club have agreed to let their offer stand for six months, pending the Company accepting it. A Strasburg accident assurance office recently contested the validity of a policy, simply because the person assured against accident died of lung disease, induced by swallowing an artificial tooth ; and, as such an accident was not contemplated, they resisted the widow’s claim. But they lost the case, besides heavy costs. The slave trade in the Egyptian Soudan is worse than it ever was, and—so far from the Government making any serious efforts to it- the regular troops have very recently taken part in a foray on a great scale in the neighborhood of theWnite Nile, which has resulted in the capture of 10,000 slaves, and much booty of other kinds.

Tkxas appears likely to enter into competition with Australia in the matter of merino sheep Large numbers of merinos have been imported into that State of late. All over the south and especially in the hilly districts the merino is said to thrive wonderfully well. The movement is fast growing.

It does seem unaccountable,the “Lancet ” says, that, considering the constant peril in which the late Czar was supposed to be, no arrangements were made for a doctor to be within call in case' ‘Vjf emergency. The medical journal more than hints that there would have been at least a chance of saving his life if proper help had been at hand. An irrepressible Irishman, waving his hat above his head the other day, and, leaping into the air with a shout of “ Horoo for old Ireland! ” descended heavily upon the corns of a man who wasn’t a patriot. The latter, after writhing for a few minutes in anguish, growled in disgnst, “ Horoo for H 1! ” “ Quite right, yer honor,” responded Pat; “ivery man for his ouwn counthry.” The Taranaki “ Herald ” says :—We hear that Mr Saunders is a Spartan as regards diet: a big loaf of brown bread, a few vegetables, and an unlimited supply of spring water is sufficient for his limited requirements for a considerable period. Under these circumstances, it is not to bo wondered at that he considers the salaries of the Civil servants too high by onehalf.

The unemployed at Timaru have formed a Working Man’s League and Political Union. The objects of the League are to keep a register of all members, and keep them on the electoral roll; to arrange a system whereby the League may be kept fully advised as to the state of the labor market throughout the colony ; to form a committee to advise and act with kindred societies in Europe, America, and the colonies ; and to organise some system whereby the full power of Liberalism may be circulated in its members.

John Bright recently spoke in favor of the wholesale immigration of the Irish to the United States. He thinks if a free passage were offered, probably all, or certainly half the population would find its way to America, ond to deliverance from poverty and suffering.

The Assize Court at Heilbronn, Wurtemberg, had lately before it a case which is probably unique in criminal annals. A day laborer, who was laid up with a broken leg, was charged with embezzlement, and was summoned to appear before the Court. Overwhelmed with the disgrace—perhaps unable to exculpate himself—ho ordered his son to hang him. The son, who was also a day laborer, acting up to the injunction “ Obey your parents,” earned him to the house-loft, where he effectively hung him from one of the beams. The Court sentenced the son to imprisonment for three yearsjand nine months.

The following ought to put a stop to the absurd yarns that are being so eagerly swallowed by Australians about machinery in Hanlan’s boat:—“To disabuse the public mind (says a Sydney paper) of the idea that Hanlan’s boat was fixed up with a secret motor, and to give the Canadian all the merit he deserves for having so easily defeated the Australian scullers, it is but fair to state that Hanlan, upon hearing of a rumor of a similar nature in England, allowed the boat in which he had rowed against Triekett to be submitted to public inspection for some days. It may be added that neither Triekett nor Layoock gives any credence to this wild chimera.”

At Sheffield lately a man of dissolute habits locked his wife in the house and beat out her brains with a hatchet. Their only daughter coming homo shortly afterwards was also attacked by her father, who savagely struck at her with the same weapon, but she managed to parry the blows with her umbrella. The murderer was seized. At the inquest held subsequently a verdict of wilful murder was returned, and the prisoner, on being taken back to gaol, had a narrow escape of being lynched. A great crowd tried repeatedly to drag him away from the police, and yelled, hooted, and called him “ Coward ! ” The prisoner was much terrified, and the police finally sheltered him in a cab.

The money-order system (says the Melbourne “ Argus ”) which has been found so generally convenient for the remittance of small sums through the post, is about to be considerably extended by the PostmasterGeneral. At present money-orders can only be transmitted beyond Victoria to others of the Australian Colonies and the United Kingdom ; but Mr Landridge has given instructions for immediate steps to be taken for effecting an exchange of post-office money-orders between Victoria and the United States, the Canadian Dominion, the principal towns of Germany, India, Cape of Good Hope, and Hong Kong. This arrangement—which it is proposed shall come into operation on the Ist of January next—will doubtless prove of great utility to numbers of persons having correspondence with the above countries.

Crushing operations in this district (says the “ Lake Wakatipu Mail ”) are drawing to a close, unless the winter proves almost as mild as it did last year. On Saturday the Tipperary Company sent down their final cake of 381oz. The “ Arrow Observer,” in recording this incident, says that the past season has been unfavorable owing to a deficient water supply. Nevertheless, some 3, lOOozs of gold have been extracted during that term from the Macetown stone. On Wednesday evening, the manager for the Aurum Co., Upper Shotover, brought down a small cake of OOnzs,

the result of a crushing of miscellaneous stone. A cake of about SOozs also came from the Phcenix Claim, Skippers, the best portion of which the manager estimates was obtained from 10 tons of stone, running about aozs to the ton.