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Dunstan Times, Issue 1064, 15 September 1882, Page 3

Cheap if not Good.—ln the Gisborne district, North Island, lands will shortly be exposed for sale at upset prices of 5a to 7s 6d per acre.—Southland Times. Enormous Yield of Oats —The Arrow Observer reports that Mr, D O’Fee, farmer Crown Terrace, has threshed a stack of Tartarian oats with the extraordinary return of 150 bushels to the acre—the yield being verified by actual weight Race Privileges.—Mr. George Faobe reports having sold by auction, on Monday last, the right to occupy the booth, wilh the privileges attached to same, during the Alexandra Spring Meeting ; realizing for it £ll 10s. Mr. L G. Ryan was the purchaser. Scarlatina in Clyde.—Scarlatina of a mild form is, we are sorry to say, prevalent in Clyde just now ; quite a number of children being laid down with it. The disease appears to be pretty general, as we hear of cases at Blacks, Alexandra, and Cromwell, as well as here. The Weather.—The splendid weather we re now enjoying is all that can be wished for by the fanners and gardeners, all of whom throughout the district are pushing ahead with their work. All the ploughing is pretty well done, and sowing the seed is now being gone on with. Forced Bankruptcy.—At a meeting of the creditors of John Halt, of Hokitika, the assets were represented as LIO.O 0. against liabilities of L4OOO. He had taken the step of calling a meeting of credit-ms in consequence of temporary pressure by the Bank of New South Wales. Messrs Penny, Virtue, and Croft were appointed trusses. 4d or IJd ’-The Evening Star says The large amount of supplementary esti mates has necessitated the maintenance of the Property Tax at three-halfpence in the ” £, instead of its reduction to one halfpenny as was contemplated at the time the Financial Statement was made. The Daily Times, however, says that it is reduced to a halfpenny. Which is right ? Sale at Ophir.—Mr. Fache requests us to draw attention to the unreserved sale at Ophir. on Wednesday next, the 20th inst., of freehold property, blacksmith’s tools, furniture, etc., by order of the executors in the estate of the late John Hushes,deceased. The sale presents a splendid opportunity for a tradesman seeking a good business in a prosperous and rising district Agreements Between Employers and Employees During the hearing of a disputed W’ges account in the Resident Ma.istrate's Court, Alexandra, on M mday last, Mr F. J. Wilson, solicitor, staled for the benefit of the litigants and for general information, that agreements between employers and employees do not require stamps, anti as the fact is not generally known we make a special item of it. Aj.exvndra Race 3 .—The’racing season op-ms at Alexandra on Friday next, the 22 id inst. For the two handicaps there are very fair entries, six competitors being ! named for one event, eight for the other, I And as the handicap wights, by all ac- ' counts, are considered fair and just, the full teams are expected to start. With goo 1 fields of hoises and fine weather the coining meeting should prove no exception to the rule and' lie an enjoyable affair. Probability of Another Flood. the R. M. Court, Clyde, on’the 12th inst., during the hearing of a case against Mr. Harrison, a run-holder at the upper Nevis, by the rabbit inspector, for not taking efficient steps to destroy the rabbits, several witnesses stated that the snow-fall in that alpine region has been greater this past winter than for many previous years, far exceeding that, of 1878. during the Spring of. which year the disastrous flood in the Clntha occurred that swept away so many bridges and did other material damages. It may, accordingly, fairly be presumed that if mild soft weather should set in, a big flood may be expected this Spring ; it would be well, therefore, to be prepared for such a contingency. Murder Will Out. Robert Francis Burns, who has been committed for trial for the murder of Michael Qoinlivan at Wiekliffe in July 1880, is, according to the Hamilton Sjteclalnr, implicated in another murder--that of Francis Hcenan, a mate of his, who was employed w th him on the works of the Ararat and Hamilton railway in February, 1879. The Spectator says : ■“Superintendent Chambers is seeking authority to have tne body of Keenan exhumed. as it is believed if the man died from arsenical poisoning (asis now suspected traces of the mineral might still be found. The particulars which have reached us concerning this last-mentioned affair are as follows :—Francis Heenan died suddenly in very great pain on the railway works between Wiekliffe road and Glen Thomson, on the 19th Febrnrary, 1879. He was at the time a mate of R. F. Burns, and they occupied the same tent together. An inquiry was held on Hecnan’s body by Dr Jones, of Wiekliffe, whose opinion was th,at the deceafsul had died from English cholera. There , . were several suspicious circumstances at the time, and Burn’s cruelty in leaving his mate - to die, and refusing to sleep in the tent with him, were strongly commented on by the other men at the works. Cholera symptoms closely resemble the symptoms shown in cases of arsenical poisoning, and the police are in possession of certain facts which have decided them to thoroughly investigate this case.” Did the Cardinal Want It —When Cardinal Manning lectured in Liverpool recently he told this story :—1 was walking home one evening in London, and parsed an old hodman carrying his hod over his shoulder. He was smoking a white clay, I believe they call it. As I went by I said “Di-od night.” The man said “Good night, your reverence.” I said “Do you belong to me?” “Yes yonr reveren;e.” Said I “ Where do you come from ?” “ From

Ireland,' youf“reverenoe." “ 1 know that; I from what part of Ireland “ Cork, your reverence ” I saw the man smoking his pipe, and as I have a sort of rash judgment I ■ when I see a man smoking a pipe that it makes him thirsty, I said “Have you ever taken the pledge V “ No, your reverence.’ “ Why haven’t you ?’’ “ Well, 1 asked my director, your reverence.” " What did he rayf” “He said he didn’t think that I wanted it.”. I said then “It will do you no harm ; I have taken it.” “And did you want it, your reverence ?” A Pair of Swindlers—A rather peculiar case was heard at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Dunedin, on Monday last, . in which a horse-dealer named William Roberts figured as defendant. From the evidence submitted in connection with the case it appears that a shepherd named Donald Keith recently came into town and 1 purchased a horse at the Provincial sale yards. He afterwards mentioned to Wm. Goodison that he was desirous of selling the animal, and that gentleman recommended him to Roberts, who agreed to purchase the horse for Ll2. They went to the Provincial Hotel, where Goodison drew up a receipt which the plaintiff signed. Roberts i took the document, and left the hotel in i company with Goodison, promising to re- i turn shortly with the money. He, however, according to the plaintiffs account, did not | return,'and also failed to keep an appoint- \ ment that was subsequently made. The • money had not been paid since. Roberts, i however, in his evidence denied the state- I menta of Kei f h, and remarked that he paid i the Ll2 to the plaintiff in single notes This testimony on the part of the defendant , was corroborated by a witness named War- j ren, who also stated that he saw Keith , count the money, and put it in is pocket. His Worship in giving his decision, said he | did not think there was sufficient evidence tendered by the plaintiff to show that the money had not been paid, and on the application of Mr. Denniston, granted a nonsuit. Mr. Denniston in opening the case said that the defendant and Goodisaon belonged to a gang of horse-stealers, who were constantly doing some smart practice.