The Dunstan Times. CLYDE, FRIDAY. JUNE 2, 1882.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1050, 2 June 1882, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

CLYDE, FRIDAY. JUNE 2, 1882.

Beneath the vnlp of men entirely just The pen is mightier thar the sword.

Fourth Page. —For balance of reading matter ace fourth page.

Sale of a Station. —Messrs. Handyn'e and Koberts have disposed of their Lander Satinn, together with 24.000 sheep and 7,000 lambs, to Messrs. Ross and Glendinning ; delivery to he given after next shearing.

Sir Julius Vooel.—ln the best-informed quarters it is Stated that Sir Julius Vogel’s principle business in the Colony is in connection with a London syndicate, who wish to obtain contiol of some of our principle railways.

Not Drunk but Intoxicated.-- Mr Carew, R. M., Dunedin, has ruled that a person who, when intoxicated, has complete possession of his reasoning faculties, hut has lost the use of his m-ans of locomotion. cannot ho deemed drunk.

The Quern.— lt is a singular coincidence that her Majesty. Queen Victoria, on attaining the 63rd anniversary of her birthday has been, during the course of her life,

21 years a maiden, same length of time a married woman, and 21 ycara a widow-

A Bad Out-look.—Guthrie and La' nnch Co.’a balance-sheet aors u debit bil nco of £24, <>oo. Of that amount, close on £13,000 ia loaa for this year, and £3,000 represents had debts. The “Morning Herald.”—“lt is reported,” says the Bruce Herald, “that a meeting of shareholders in the Dunedin Morning Herald Company will bo convened shortly to consider the propriety of winding up the company, as the loss is very serious—another instance of an abortive

newspa | ior company.” Opening of the Alexandra Bridge.— The Mount Ida Chronicle in its last issue, dated 27th May, 1882, says :—“lc is generally understood in well-informed circles that the official ceremony to celebrate coin pletion and opening of the Alexandra Bridge will not take place on the 24th as was expected. Probably the Ist of June will be fixed upon by the County Council—probably not. The italics ore ours.

Washing Up.—Winter haa now fairly set in, and in the higher parts of the Dnnatan District, at the Nevis, sluicing may fairly be said to be at an end for this season, and the more agreeable task of washing up is the order of the day. We have 1 errd of one or two very good washings up, but are not at liberty to mention names. One party of three netted something like t'looo for the past seasons work—not so bad for these times.

The Lotteries Bill —The Gove nment, stated in reply to Mr. Fish that they had no intention of proposing an Amendment of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, hut would leave the matter in the hands of private members. Mr. M‘Donald, member for East Coast, has already introduced a bill for its repeal. Amongst other hills introduced yes terday were Mr Fyke’s for amending the Education Act, and the Otago Harbour Board Loan Bill by Mr Fish. An Enquiring Rat.— A singular incident occurred at the lire at North East Valley, Dunedin, on Tuesday last. , One of the constables on duty was surprised to find that something had got into his trousers pocket, and was still more astonished when on putting his hand into his pocket it was sharply bitten. He then turned on the“ bull’s-eye,” just in time to see a rat jump out of his pocket ami run to a place of safety. The constable had been standing near the fence, and it seems probable that the rat, running from the burning building, hid itself under the constable's overcoat, and thence found its way into his trousers pocket

A New Gold Mine. —We have received the prospectus of “ The Deep Valley West Quartz Mining Company,” Serpentine, which is to be divided into 12,000 shares of £1 each. According to the report of two of the provisional directory who virited the reef the prospects of the company are snob that it cannot be other than a success. It is proposed to drive a tunnel at a low level that will give between 30b and 400 feet of backs, after which to erect crushing machinery. This reef is on the same line of reef as Hoffman’s celebrated claim, but is on the Long Valley, fall of the Serpen'ine ranges, and consequently is ,-olely in V.ncent County Otago Central Railway —Mr Macandrew has put ihe constructing of the Otago Central Railway on a true footing (so says the Dunedin Echo.) It cannot he carried out if Grey policy of 1378 is not in-inaugu-rated. This statement will he a “.bitter pill ” to those who so vigorously denounce .the Grey policy of 1878 If they do not accept it, they may hid good-bye to (he

Central Railway. Meantime the ministerial organ in Wellington, the Niw Zealand Timex acting no doubt under ministerial in spiration, has begun to denounce the construction o! this railway. First there is no main road opening up the land ; second, th railway opens up vast areas of Oro""n land.-!; third the interior lands are suitable for wheat growing. We believe that the additional price that the land would fetch if » railway were constructed would go towards paying for the rai l way.

Accident on Cromwet.i. Roan.— A somewh it serious accident occurred on Monday evening last to a party of for Alexandra gentlemen on their return journey from Cromwell, where had been during the day in connection with the Alexandra bridge opening demonstration. It appears from the particulars that have reached us that on going down the hill leading to Mr Ooodger's brewery, the horses drawing their trap sided and went over the bank, drag ling the trap and its occupants with it Fmtunalely, and it might be said nibacnIniislv, beyond a somewhat severe shakim. receive I by some of the party and a tenoral smashing up of the tray there was no particular damage done ; but when it is understood that at the particular spot i lie bank is very steep, and that from the roadway where the mishapoccurred to the 1 >vc! where ihe trap and horses brought up in cannot be much less than KOyds, with an incline of about one in six, it is much to be wondered, that neither valuable lives were lost nor. bones broken. This particular part of the road is at all times dangerous, and we think the County nu i horflies, wen they again get into full working order, might r,o worse than expend a few pounds in the erection of a retaining wall or some safeguard against the re-currenco of a similar accident.

Telegraphic Progress It may be interesting to our readers (says yesterday’s Christchurch Press) to know that just 20 years ago this day the first telegraph pole in New Zealand was erected, the site being at the corner of Colombo sheet and the South Town Belt, part of what is now the railway reserve. It was erected by Mr Alfred Sheath, who hj id just received the appointment of telegraph engineer from the Provincial Government, Very little ceremony appears to have been observed on the occasion, as we learn from Mr J D. Enys, of Castle Hill Station, who was present, and to whom wo are indebted for this information, tb it the only coin placed under the pole was ore

of Mr i'j. Reece's police. From this small beginning has grown the present telegraph system of the Colony, which last year consisted of 3758 mile-i of lino, carrying 9587 in los of wire. To th : s has to he added 2820 miles of wire duplexo I, which is really equal to 5640 miles of single line, making the total wire accommodation at the disposal of the department 12,407 miles.

Keep-it-Dark.—From our Exchanges we learn that Mr. J. F. Watson, Dunedin, received a telegram on May 28 from R"ef ton stating that the Welcome return was 346 z. amalgam from 90 tons of stoue, and the Keep-it-Dark Company’s yield was the extraordinary return of 1855/I?.’ of amalgam f rom' 192 tons of stone. A later telegram stated that the return from the Keep-it-Dark Company’s mine for the fortnight was 838oz retorted gold, and for the month 1023 -z ; also, that a dividend of 3s per 20,(J00th share had been declare 1. Considerable excitement was oooisioned on S iturday by another rich strike of stone in the Keep-it Dark mine at Reefton. The sample is richer than any ever seen on this fie d b.fore. It is estimated that f nr bags of stone brought up contains from two to three hundred ounces of gold. The gold was being retorted on Saturday, and the results are expected in this evening. The same sort of atone has been pissed in the lower slopes, though not so rich. There is a great demand for shares. .

Civil Marriages,— Not withstand^' that the church 'hies not look favorably upon civil marriages, says the Auckland Herald, they appear, judging from statistics, to he on the increase, and growing popular Last year the marriages celebrated by M r J. M. Wayland, the District Registrar of Marriages, numbered 136. Since the beginning of the year he has made happy no less than 70 couples, which indicates a substantial increase of business in his department. Taking the average, a reference to the names would show that the parties to such unions are quite as respectable as those who seek for their bonds the blessing of the parson or the priest. Clergymen have not disdained to give away their daughters in Mr Wayland’s sanctum, nor members of the General Assembly, Civil Service, and officers of H.M. Army and Navy to “ assist” at his nuptial knot-lying operations In fact he flatters himself that his o'ientelle will compare favourably with that of his ecclesiastical rivals, while, as in the Government Insurance scheme, the parties have all the advantages of a Government guarantee with low premiums.

Card Playing, --The police recently brought up fionifthe I bames to Auckland a man named Charles McDonald, who had been senleucd to three months imprisonment, without the opti nof aline, for allowing card-p'aying in his house. The case (says an Auckland paper) has created considerable stir at the Thames, and there is a strong fueling in favor of the prisoner. Sergeant-Major o‘Grady deposed that he had obtained a warrant to enter McDonald’s premises in Brown Street, and did so shonly after 12 on the 6th inst. H vim placed constables in ihe rear, he knocked at the door, whi -h .f or some de'ay ,vas opened by defend int, who rushed to the back followed by wi ness. In the back room Parslow and Pi l 7, patrick were p'aying cards. Witness took the names of the players, and the cards from thi ir hands. The names of the other persons present were taken, after which they were allowed lo depart A good many old cards were lying on the floor. 333 in all. Several other witness were examined. The Bench (Dr Kilronr and Mr Murray) after consultation, said they had come to the conclusion that defendant was guilty. With reference to a contention by Mr Miller, they held that under the Act an unlawful game of cards had been proved, and defendant would have to undergo imprisonment for three months. The Court mentioned that under the provisions of the new Gaming and Lotteries Act, which were very stringent, any person plating a game of cards could be charged with a breach of the law, and would bo liable to a conviction if he failed to prove it was a lawful game. If this definition of the law be correct, then a good many persons in Auckland will be liable to imprisonment.

A Hew Musical Instrument. —We were yesterday favoured with an inspection of the new onmbinable pianoforte and ba>momum which has been patented in Great Britain and America. The instrument is so arranged that the harmonium may ho detached from the piano ami both used separately. By a very simple process the instruments are combined, and the harmonium is then acted upon by the keys of the, piano ; and at the players will the wind instrument can bo played as usual, or both may be brought into action. The advantage gained is that in slow music the notes of tke piano are sustained by the. harmonium, while in quick movements the slowness of the latter is corrected by tlyr quick action of the strings. It may be easily imagined that the effect produced is charming. After taking out a patent for Hev Zealand Mr Wright will probably visit America, A recital on the comlnnable instrument here would attract a large audience. The novelty is in teresting and successful Morning Herald.