Local and General.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1007, 5 August 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

The weather has boon very seasonable lately. We have to acknowledge tho receipt of Parliamentary papers, etc. We direct attention to tho Licensing Court notification appearing elsewhere. It is expected that tho bridge at Alexandra will be completed about the beginning of tho new year.

A concert and ball will he held in the Blacks schoolhouse, next Friday evening. The proceeds are for a good purpose. The township l of Clinton will shortly he the unspeakably happy possessor of a weekly newspaper. Eureka 1 Eureka I Dr Withers has been appointed Resident Surgeon of the Tuapeka Goldfields Hospital. It is rumored, but wo do not know with what truth, that Mr Fraser, of Earnsleugh, intends to be a contestant in the forthcoming Wakatipu election. The division upon Mr Ormond’s No-Con-fidence amendment was taken on Thursday, and resulted—For the Government, 41 ; against, 37 ; majority, 4. Mr Driver’s was the only vote unrecorded.

The Blacks District Farmers’ Club ploughing match will be held at Tiger Hill next Friday. A very liberal programme has been drawn up, and (weather permitting) we think that the match will be a great success.

We have received Miller’s Sporting Pamphlet, containing last season’s principal performances of all horses nominated in the Hawksbury Handicap, Sydney Metropolitan, Melbourne Cup, and Champion Stakes; also list of entries for the A. J.C. Derby, Caulfield Cup, Maribymoug Plate, etc To sporting men the pamphlet is very valuable, and we shall be most happy to place it before those interested.

The “Cromwell Argus” is in error in stating that Mr W. Masters has forfeited his seat in the Vincent County Council for Nevis riding through non-attendance at four consecutive meetings. It is true that Or Masters has been absent for four meetings, but at the March meeting he asked by letter for leave of absence, because of domestic troubles, and the request was granted. In consequence, therefore, his seat has been unoccupied only two meetings, and is not vacant, and will not be so until the general election in November next.

It is our very painful duty to record the sudden death of Mr William Fache, brother of the proprietor of this journal, which took place on Friday evening, after an extremely excruciating illness lasting for thirteen days only. The deceased has been connected with this paper for the last fifteen years, and has, so to speak, nursed it from its infancy up to the time of his untimely death. He was of a very retiring and reticent disposition, interesting himself but little in public affairs. He had, however a largo circle of friends, who deeply regret their loss. The deceased was one of the pioneers of printing in Central Otago. Ho was an excellent tradesmen, a faithful friend, and a friend to the needy and poor. The body was interred in the Clyde Cemetery yesterday afternoon, a largo number of people from all parts of the district testifying to their respect and veneration for him by following his remain.! to their last rost-ing-pKooon earth. The Bcv. Mr Clinton, Episcopalian minister, officiated at. the burial service.

A large public meeting vm held iu the Matakanui schoolUouse on Tuesday, Mr Stronach, member of the County Council, in the chair. The following resolution was unanimously agreed to—“ That no action bo taken concerning proposals anont re-distribution of seats, as this meeting is of opinion that this portion of the district will not suffer! if annexed to Mount Ida.” Two fresh cases of small-pox are reported from Sydney. Chairmen of Education Boards are now authorised to frank letters. New silver coinage, to the value of £20,000, has arrived in Sydney inthos.s. Cotopaxi for the colonies. Six hundred children were present lately at a fancy dress ball given by the Mayor of Brisbane. It was a brilliant affair. The cost to the public purse alone of a general election in Victoria ranges up to L 20.000. It has been resolved to form a Farmers’ Co-operative Association in the city of Christchurch. Mr Proctor, the eminent astronomer and popular lecturer, was married to Miss Sally I). Crawley, on May 3, at Christchurch, St. Joseph, Missouri. The name of Mr H. N. Simpson, of Switzers, is mentioned as a probable candidate for the representation of Wakaia at the approaching election.

A man named Marshall Simmons was arrested at Oamaru lately for a criminal offence upon his daughter, who is only seven years old.

Six larrikin tin-kettlers were recently caught serenading a now married couple in New South Wales, and the ringleader was fined C2(J, or in default three months’ imprisonment.

An extraordinary story comes from Rockhampton, Queensland. A nurse-girl is reported to have accidentally drowned one child and purposely destroyed the other two in order to prevent them giving the police information.

The Melbourne Board of Health are taking active steps to prevent the introduction of small-pox to that city, and at the same time arc making a hospital to receive patients should it unfortunately break out.

In the debate on the Chinese Restriction Bill in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, some opposition was shown to the clause providing for quarantining vessels from China whether sickness be aboard them or not. Should Mr Shriraski bo successful, the country will be indebted to him for having got rid of what is a heavy drain on the colony’s revenue. We refer to pensions to retiring Civil servants, which Mr Shrimski has introduced a Bill to do away with. The City Council of Melbourne recently adopted a resolution in favor of tramways for that city, and at a late conference of tho city and suburban councils it was unanimously agreed that tramways should permeate tho city, besides extending to all the suburbs.

The Rev. Mr Tranmar, Anglican clergyman, called a meeting of his creditors at Hamilton, Victoria. A letter was read from the bishop’s counsel, conditionally offering LIOO towards relieving tho rev. gentleman of his difficulties. It was agreed to accept Is fid in the £.

While trading to Westward, New Caledonia, Captain M‘Liver, of the schooner Norval, picked up a Frenchman in a starved condition. He stated ho had been put ashore nine months previously with food for two months. Since that he had been living on birds’ eggs and such like. Ho was landed at Noumea.

There is now a doubt as to whether Auckland will see the detached squadron at all. After the wrangling between the Empire City and Auckland as to which shoul 1 bo honored by the squadron, and the amount of preparation made by the latter city for the event, it would bo a sad commentary on the vanity of human wishes if the fleet should not turn up at all.

An adventurous bailiff went to serve writs on a property-owner living near Mallow, County Cork, recently. Some women gathered round ami seized him, destroyed the writs, stripped him naked, and then threw him into the river. They caught him as ho came out, and thrashed him with furse. The unfortunate man, more dead than alive, was then tarred and feathered, and afterwards hunted through the country A party of police went out from Mallow to rescue him, but after scouring the country they were unable to find him. The “Timaru Herald” says of the recent attack on the Government:—“ The rejection of Mr Ormond’s motion of want of confidence by a majority of four out of 86 members who voted or paired, must bo regarded as a great political victory for the Government, and is a still greater moral victory. It shows that the Ministry command the confidence of a strong, united, and resolute party, who are determined not to allow the affairs of the country to bo played skittles with, merely to indulge the hopes of one or two ambitious men.”

A horrible discovery was made on the Ormond-road, Bungaree, near Ballarat, Vic toria, lately, by three farmers whilst riding to church. Observing the remains of a fire near the fence, they proceeded towards it, and saw among the embers the charred body of a human being. The legs and arms had been burnt to cinders. The spot where the fire was burning had been occupied on the previous evening by a tout, in which a stonebreakor named John Kelly bad camped ; and though the remains could not be identified, it is beyond doubt that by some means the tent had caught fire and burnt the unfortunate inmate to death.

Up at Narribri, Victoria, the driver of the mail had a new arrival on the box, several shades greener than usual. As they drove along an old-man kangaroo appeared on the side of the road, standing, as is their wont, with paws hanging out (saith “ yEgles ”in the “Australasian.”) On coming up the driver, with a polite bow to the old man, said, “No bag for you this morning, sir.” Kangaroo hops off—Boxseat looking on wonderingly. To him then the driver—“ Kancaroo trained at neighboring station to carry mail-bag—had none for him tins morning—you saw how he went off 1” And then Box-seat, admiringly, “By Jove, when 1 have a station I’ll have one of those follows !”

At the Nymageo Copper Mines. Forbes (N.S.W.), a horrid murder has taken place, the victim being Dr Geddinga, a medical man, who has relieved the ailments of the neighborhood for some months back. The murderer was a Frenchman, and the crime was the result of jealousy over a woman. The latter was of nnno too steadfast reputation, and was kept by the doctor, who, on his paying her an unexpected visit on a Sunday night, discovered the Frenchman in possession. Ho ordered the latter out, but Monsieur, on plea of an old attachment to the subject of the doctor’s illicit love, refused to budge. On Dr Geddings attempting to use violence to eject him, the Frenchman drew a knift an.! stabbed bis rival nine times about the' body. The wounds proved fatal in less than two hours.