Untitled

Dunstan Times, Issue 1219, 10 July 1885, Page 2

Mr Facho reports that the first of the monthly sales of stock at Blacks on Wednesday last was a fair success, a good few horses were offered, and those sold realised good value. Hacks, ranging from L 9 10s to Lls ; Shetland ponies, from LlO to Ll3 10s ; cows, L 4 2s 61. As these sales become established and better known, Mr Fache says he expects they will bo highly successful.

We have heard several amusing stories of people losing themselves in the heavy fog that prevailed during the latter part of last week. On Saturday night last we heard of one man making for Alexandra by the brewery road from Moutera Station, when, on thinking himself near Alexandra, he was very much surprised to find that he had landed much nearer to the Clyde pound, a distance of 3 or 4 miles off the road ho imagined he was following. Others were also seen or heard of wandering about here and there, but as we have not heard of any one missing on that particular night, we surmise that they reached their respective destinations sometime during the night.

The concert and dance advertised to take place at Alexandra on June 26, for the purpose of assisting to defray the expenses incurred by the recent death of the late Donald Nichol, who, it will be remembered, met with a fatal accident by falling off a load of straw some few weeks since, was successfully carried through, and notwithstanding the fact that the folk of Alexandra have been plentifully supplied with entertainments of late, it must be acknowledged on all sides to have been a thorough success. The Alexandra Brass Band opened tho evening by playing an overture in their usual excellent manner. The singers acquitted themselves in a credi table manner, and tho applause being most liberally bestowed on one and all, we will make no attempt to particularise. Tho concort was brought to a close by tho band playing God Save the Queen. In as short a time as it takes to tell the floor was cleared, and about 30 couples heartily enjoyed themselves at tho dance till tho early morning. Tho brass band again lending their services.

The Alexandra Quadrille Assembly wai re-opened on Friday evening last, when there was a splendid attendance. The promoters were highly aa'isfiod with the attendance, and it is now their intention to keep the affair going throughout the winter season.

Work is being pushed ahead with the Blacks Flat drainage channel. We have visited the works, and can bear evidence as to the very excellent work being done by the contractors. When completed the drain will prove of great value to the miners on the flat, and an undoubted advantage to the district, as by its means a large area of ground can be worked that otherwise would be idle.

We leam that the residents ot Tinkers, also of Ida Valley, contemplate getting up entertainments at each place in aid of the Dnnstan District Hospital. By the report of the last meeting of the committee of management, published in another column, it will be seen that the funds are at low water, indeed, showing a debit balance of some L4O odd. We, accordingly, wish the affairs in each place will bo handsomely supported. We have received from the publisher a copy of Oxenham’a Monthly Turf Register, and can recommend it to our sporting friends, who will find it a trustworthy reference in all matters relating to the turf, A special feature in the register is a complete list of the placed performances (ot each month) of the horses at all meetings of the slightest importance in Australia and New Zealand. Mr .Oxenham’s address is 109 Pitt St., Sydney.

Mr Mathew Barnett the Temperance Advocate, had very successful meetings at Blacks, Ida Valley, Tinkers, and Cambrians during the week 140 having “ donned the blue.” Jhe meeting at Cambrians is referred to in another column. The subject of next debate at the Alex andra Mutual Improvement Society is “ Protection y. Free Trade,” one of the questions of the hour. The following Tuesday will be occupied with a discourse on the Local Bodies Finance Bill, Late last evening we received informa* tion of a Chinaman at Bald Hill Flat having attempted suicide yesterday afternoon by cutting his throat. Another celestial was lodged in Clyde gaol yesterday afternoon, under remand from Cromwell for a similar offence. And we have he»rd of a third son of the moon somewhere in the Blacks district having during the week perpetrated a similar act of folly. The mysterious disappearance of Mr John Maokellar, telegraph lineman, who has been stationed here at Clyde for the past few years, is creating quite a sensation, the more so as nothing definite is as yet known, but from the fact of bis horse having been discovered on the opposite bank of the Molyneux with the saddle soaking wet turned under his belly, and without a bridle, a man’s footprint and evidences of a scramble on a precipitous bank overhanging tho river, there is, wo fear, little question but that poor Mao has added one more to the long list of those who have mot their death in the cold waters of the Moly neux. The bare facts so far as we know, are that on Wednesday morning, the Ist iust., Mr Maokellar left his office for the Gorge Creek to repair some break in tbs line ; having finished his work he was re turning home when by some mischance his horse must have taken a track leading to the range between Spear Grass Flat and tho Molyneux instead of keeping the main road Ha not coming homo on Wednesday night, and all Thursday passing without any sign of him, alarm began to be felt, and Mr Keele, the Clyde postmaster, together with Constable Daly, went in search of him. On reaching Butcher’s Gully they were informed that he was all right at Spear Glass Flat, accordingly they returned home. Friday, however, again passing and still no sign, Constable Daly again made a start, and Mr Coop, the postmaster and telegraphist at Roxburgh, was ordered to join the constable in the search. Meeting at Spear Grass Flat, the two, accompanied by Mr Butler and a number of residents, set out on the range as a search party. After a while tracks of a horse were found and followed over and down a terribly rough and almost precipitous range to tho banka of the Molyneux, where poor Mac evidently alighted, as for a few paces the print of a man’s boot was seen, the distinct mark of a slip on a sloping stone was visible, and then the traces of a scramble direct into a deep boiling pool in tho river. It has to ho remembered that the evening of the Ist, indeed for several days before and after, a heavy fog had hung over the district, and it is assumed—through the fog—he must have first missed his way, and then afterwards slipped into the river drageing his horse after him. From the tracks the river was traced down some distance, but nothing further being seen evidencing that either horse or rider had again made the bank, the searchers steps were retraced, when the horse was discovered on the opposite side of tho river standing with the saddle turned under him. As we have said there is but little doubt of the fate of poor Mac, and deep earnest feelings of sympathy is expressed for his wife and son who remain to mourn their loss, also for Mr Duncan Mackollar, his brother. A novel case was brought under tho Police Offences Act, and involving a question of police discipline, was heard in the Resident Magistrate’s Court Christchurch, on June 25, before Mr R.Beotham, R.M., and Mr R. Westenra. .Times M’Causland, a police constable, was charged on the information ot Police-sergeant Garlyon, under clausa 39 of the Act, with not using his best endeavours to arrest a woman who was drunk and rioting in a public street. The constable had been proceeded against dopartmentally, but had appealed to the Commissioner of Police to allow the case to bo heard in tho open court. Tho evidence showed that there had been no serious neglect of duty, but a hesitancy on tho part of tho constable to arrest tho woman, who was a bad character, when ordered by the sergeant to do sm Tho Bench concluded that Sergcanu Garlyon was quite justified in ordering the constable to arrest the woman but as there was a doubt about tho woman’s state it was not surprising that tho constable hesitated. No conviction was recorded.

—— cl-j— ■——,— mmmmm* In the £ Resident Magistrate’s Court, Clyde, on the 7th inst., before J. 8. Hickson, Esq., a man named William M’Oarthy, a resident of the Nevis, was charged under the Slat Section of the Rabbit Nuisance Act with having trespassed on the Hawksburn Station fer the purpose of destroying rabbits. The evidence of the chief witness was to the effect that he saw the defendant skin a rabbit on the Hawksburn run. This the defendant denied, admitting however, that he had skinned a few rabbit^on his mining claim, if that was a part ot the station. Mr F. J. Wilson, who conducted the case for the prosecution, said it was not desired to inflict a heavy penalty, the object being to teach defendant and others that they were breaking the law by in erfering with rabbits, and further, in protection of men who contracted with station owners to poison the country, Mr Turton argued that there was no evidence of defendent having destroyed any rabbits, as the rabbit he was seen to skin he had not been seen to kill, consequently there was no breach of the the Section of the Act which made destroying the offence. His Worship said the case was a difficult one to decide, it being oath against oath. As to the skinning of the rabbit, the Section of the Act, however, laid it down that any person trespassing with the apparent purpose of destroying rabbits shall be liable—we quote at length the Section for general information—“lf any person not being an inspector or a person authorised in writing by an inspector or an owner, shall without the consent of the owner, trespass upon any private land for the apparent purpose of destroying rabbits thereon, he shall be liable to a penalty of not more than LIO.” The defendant would be fined 10s, costs of court L 3 Ds, and professional fee L 1 is. The defendant asked what he should do as he had no money, and_had been an invalid for some time. The same man was then charged with having two unregistered dogs. Ha admitted having one dog, the other having been killed by one of the station people, and urged in extenuation for not registering the dogs, not having seen the collector when ho visited the Nevis, and not knowing where to send the registration fee. Fined ss, costs of court 9s, and professional fee one guinea.

After all the eyidence had been taken in a case heard before Mr Judge Cope, in Melbourne, in which Air M*Dermott, in commencing his address to the jury for tho defendant, deprecated long speeches such as were indulged in in the recent case of Malpas v. Malpas. He expressed his intention of not occupying many minutes, but, after speaking for two hours, he intimate'! that he -had only come to the end of hi» introduction. Judge Cope was manifestly astonished, and, after recovering from his surprise, remarked, “If this be only n> preliminary con ter, what will the race be like?’’ Then gathering up his papers with an expression of serio-comic indignation on his counfcenaoe, his Honor .shook bis head at the voluble counsel, ami ejaculating, il Ob, you deceiver, ** hurriedly retired from Mie bench, ami Ist the loud laughter of the numerous spectators.

No matter what your feeling or ailment is, A meric m Co.’s Hop Bitters will do you good. Prove it and seo An Otago fivmer (writes our Melbourne coircsponent) has been the victim of the confidence trick in this city. His name is Hugh Ross, a resident of the Oamare district. On hoard the Te Anau, on June 16, ho met with tavo men named Edward M'Cabo and William J.Warren, both wellknown magsmen. M ‘Cabe introduced himself to Ross as a Tokoraairlro farmer, and the two went to a public-house. Presently Warren came in, and ho took the role of a Fiji sugar-grower. The matchbox trick was speedily brought forward, and M’Cabe wishing to wager L 23 that ha could open the box, wrote out a cheque, which he proposed that Ross should cash. ■ Ross produced 25 sovereigns, but showed some hesitancy in handing them over for the cheque, whereupon M’Cabe snatched the money from him, and handed it to Warren, who bolted. Ross, however, was smart enough to hold M’Cabe when he wanted to rush away also, and handed him over to a constable. Warren was also arrested, and both men have been committed for trial. “ Daily Times.”

Mr Bradlaugh has been excluded from the House of Commons by a majority of 44.

Despatches from Edinburgh, May 26, say that a great sensation has been caused in Free Church circles over the alleged apostacy of a distinguished preacher, Dr Adam Stuart, minister of Trinity Free Church, Leith, whose appeal from his dis • missal for pulpit practices was unsuccessfully heard on the 25th in the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. Dr Stuart was accused of teaching baptismal regeneration, the worshipping of God in night by prayer before the presentation of Christ and the cross, and sanctioning sale of hia own portrait in an attitude indicating approval of Popish doctrines and practices. He defended himself in an address, which is admitted by bis accusers to have been very eloquent. In course of it he said: “1 hear the voice of the Almighty speaking now, and what does ha say ? If the Free Church grasped in her nerveless, withered, bloodless, fingers, a vague negative against the Holy Catholic Church, then would the Divine Master withdraw from her His presence.” In con. eluding he caused almost a riot among the learned and dignified church assemblage, when he quoted Cardinal Newman’s hymn, “Lead, Kindly Light,” and, taking an ivory crucifix from his pocket, ho hold it up with his right hand,amid cries of “Shame.” He added : “ The time will come when I shall die with the emblem of your faith on my bosom.” He is now expected soon to enter the Church of Rome.

Remember American Co.’s flop Bittcrg never does barm bn* good, to the smallest child always and continually. See and read.

Letters received in London describe the ■ expulsion by Germany of Russian Polos " from their province as being attended by cruel and heartrending incidents. Many of the Poles who are now driven away have been settlers in German territory for many years, and have thoroughly identified themselves with local interests, The decrees of expulsion that have been issued by Von Pnttkammer, German Minister of the Interior, affect 30,000 Poles resident in Germany. Eight thousand of these have al« ready been arrested without warning and conducted to the German frontier by Prossion troops. The remainder of the 30,000 who have been ordered out of the Empire Consist of those who had obtained permits of settlement. The degree of expulsion gives these a short respite in order to allow them time to settle up their affairs, dispose of their property, and otherwise prepare for extradition. Whole villages have already been depopulated, and their refugee inhabitants turned over to the Russian authorities at the German frontier. Numbers of poor people are fleeing into Austria to escape enforced return to the land of their birth. The nows of this barbarity has cast a chill throughout Russian Poland. Russia, according to later advices, is engaged in the execution of retaliatory measures. Many Germans residing in Russia have been forced to return to their native country. Hardly any notice had been given them that they were required to return, and much suffering and hardship attended their expulsion. In many instances these refugees reached the German frontier in a destitute condition. - . ■