Untitled

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2149, 26 March 1870, Page 2

Tiie Mail.—Some misconception appears to have arisen as to the rates of postage by the mail via >Sau Francisco, and in consequence several letters -for the United States are detained for insufficient postage. Tim postage to Europe is sixpence, but for America one shilling. Those who have not paid the full rate had better, while there is time, correct the error.

Journalistic. —Wc hear that a new weekly paper, to be called the Oam iru Humid, is to bo published at Oamaru next month. City Police Court. —The business transacted at this Court this morning was of a very trivial kind. A man named John O’Oonnghuc was fined Ids for drunkenness. His Worship the Mayor presided. Foot Race. —Much amusement and no little interest was caused this forenoon, by two well.known citizens, to wit, Messrs J. R. Mills and ,T. Mead, running a foot-race at the Southern Recreation Ground, for Lo a side. Mr Mead received five yards start. The race, which was won by Mr Mills, was run in 16 seconds. The Cynodrome.—The longer the clever dogs and monkeys remain amongst ns the more attractive they appear to be. The house was absolutely crowded last evening to witness their feats, and it will therefore be a welcome anmmncemcnt that they will remain a short time longer in Dunedin, Gaol Return. The following is the state of Her Majesty’s gaol, Dunedin, for the week ending March 26Awaiting trial, 1 man, U women; under remand, 0 men, 0 women ; penal servitude, 98 men, 0 women ; hard labor, 65 men, 11 women ; imprisonment, 1 man, 0 woman ; in default of.bail, 2 men, 1 women ; debtors, 1 man, 0 women ; total, 108 men, 12 women. Received during the week,’ 14 men, 2 women ; discharged, ifi men, 2 women. The Hippodrome.—The attendance of persons to witness this clover entertainment was larger last evening than we have seen since the opening night. Great amusement was caused in the afterpiece by some persons from the pit volunteering to ride in tho “ One wheeled Shay.” It is a now idea and seems to require a degree of jockoyship that will necessitate some practice to attain Sporting.—The settling in connection with the Dunedin races took place at the Empire Hotel last night, and passed off satisfactorily. By far the greater portion of the stakes go beyond the Province. Mr !!. M. Morten, of Canterbury, takes away L 373 ; Mr Delamaine, of Canterbury, L 147 10s ; Mr AVebb, of Canterbury, LSO ; and Mr Bollock, L7<». At noon to-day, at the Commercial Yards, several of the winners at the late meeting were put up for sale by auction. There was a large atten hanc -, but there was not tho slightest disposition to purchase offered. Southern Chief was the first offered, and the bidding was slowly run up to LIBO, at which price he was bought in. Atlas was bought in at L 97 ; Banjo at LSO ; Star of the South at 70 guineas ; and Bobby Burns at LOO. The blood horse Young Camden was also offered, but no bid was made.

Kifle Match.—We learn from the Southland Times that a return match having been arranged between the Otago and Southland Volunteers, the Riverton Company fired off for the event at their butts on the Oth inst. The Invercargill squad have not yet fixed upon a day for firing. The following is the score made by the Riverton men, which, it will bo seen, is much higher than they made at the original competition, although on this occasion the weather was also unfavorable :

Average— 43:80. Auckland Isles,—Wc have been informed that an expedition to the e islands is now being fitted out at Invercargill. The party forming it have engaged the schooner Daphne, well known in connexion with the recent kidnapping at the South Sea Islands, and intend instituting a search for the gold lost in the General Grant. Experienced divers will accompany the expedition, which will set sail early month. Mr David Ashworth, one of the survivors of the General Grant, is one of the expedition, and will act as guide. With regard to Captain Beat&on’s, of the Oreti, account of the Islands, published in the Dai/)/ Mr Ashworth write# to the Southland Ataes, that “it is one of those mare’s nests that are frequently too much relied upon as full of interesting facts. The skull of the horse is doubtless that of one of those left by Knd'.rby, who founded a colony there, which died out. As one of Hie survivors of the Gene l al Grant, I can authoritatively assert the following When at the Auckland Islands, I saw horse-shoes and part of an old cart, belonging no doubt to the same party. If the Dunedin Museum will find a suitable place for it, the puzzle will soon be unravelled. The woman’s bones may easily be put down as those of one of the castaways of the fnvercauld. He is entirely wrong as to the deposits of the late Captain Norman, of the Victoria, who left nothing hut goats, rabbits, and domestic fowls—the latter having all died—and of which we found several skeletons. The Bible I purchased for a seal-skin coat from one of the crew of the Amherst ; the otherbooks were contributed by the crew of the same vessel. Captain Gilroy also left the musket, powder, a compass, &c. The meagreness of the assistance left by the Victoria was a source of great disappointment to all in our extremities.”

Standard Property Investment Society. —The third annual meeting of this Society was held in the Odd-fellows’ Had, last evening, Mr Thomas Dick in the chair. In moving the adoption of the report, the chairman congratulated the shareholders on the progress of the Society, which had been stable as weil as rapid, and was, he believed partially owing to the principle on which it had been established. He also took occasion to speak in very flattering terms of tho services rendered by the Secretary, MrC. Ecu]. The report, which was unanimously adopted, was as follows The directors are much pleased in meeting the shareholders, and bein" able again to congratulate them on the steady and satisfactory progress made by the Society, as evidenced by the annexed balancesheet.'' Since the last annual mot ting 771 fresh shares have been issued. There has been advanced on mortgages, L11,2il las ; by way of loans on security of shares, EG37 ; and refunded to withdrawal's and investing members on becoming borrowers, L 1,218 Is lid. After discounting accruing repayments, crediting investors with interest at the rate of 10 percent., and providing for contingent liabilities, there remains a net profit, to be carried to credit of contingent fund, LEU 9 IDs. The amount to credit of this fund Is now L 1,835 16s.

Tho sound position of the Society lies enabled the directors to obtain money on debentures, at the rate of S per cant, per annum. By this means a profit of 2 per cent, per annum has accrued to the Society on the money so borrowed, which accounts in some measure for the large surplus protit made this year. It is also noteworthy that the entire expense of management (1.21-1 4s) has been covered by the commission on loans, lines, entry money, &c., without any charge to the ordinary profits. Great care has been exercised by your directors in the selection of securities, and they feel confident that no loss need be apprehended through insufficient security. They have been greatly aided in their duties by the care and attention exercised by the secretary ; and considering the increase of work entailed on that officer in consequence of the increase of members, they recommend that an advance bo made in his salary. Messrs Bagley and Campbell are the two retiring directors for tlie present year. Retiring members arc eligible for re-election. ’ The retiring directors, Messrs Bagley and Campbell, were re-elected, and Mr A, H. Shnry appointed auditor on behalf of the shareholders. On qhe motion of Mr Gilchrist, the following resolution was carried “ That the salary of the Secretary he increased to L‘2oo, and that the directors be requested to take into consideration the advisability of affording him clerical assistance.” A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.

Another Colonial Flag, —South Australia is to have her national flag as well as ATctoria. “ The flag finally approved by the South Australian Government, and recommended for adoption, resembles,” the lleyide.r says, “ that of Victoria, except that in addition to the stars composing the Southern Cross, the pointers, which form at all events a moans of identification for this stellar sign are displayed. The adoption of this Hag is subject to the approval of Her .Majesty.” European Flax. —The Bruce Standard of to-day, says - A few days ago wc had the pleasure of seeing a stack of flax {linnm usitatmimum), grown by MrD. Grant, Kirklands, West Taieri. The crop, we are informed, was first-class, and such as would have favorably compared with any flax or lint grown in the home country. Mr Grant grows this crop for its seed, which he uses for feeding purposes, and this may perhaps account for the number of prizes he has succeeded in obtaining at agricultural shows. Mr Grant considers this the most profitable crop he grows ” Fatal Accident.—An inquest was held on Saturday on the body of James M‘Coomb, infant son of Mr John M‘Coomb, head of Gabriel’s Gully, aged four years, who while looking on at some men engaged in repairing AAJiitc’s clam, was precipitated down into the ravine below and smothered, the whole face of the retaining wall of the dam having suddenly slipped; indeed so great was the slip, that the water had to be turned on, and tho rubbish washed away before the body could he recovered, and this operation occupied nearly an hour. Samuel AVhite, who was laying sods on the face of the wall at the time, about six feet distant from the child was also carried down by the slip, but managed to scramble out before it reached the gorge, when he immediately ran to try and rescue the child hut was prevented by the trees and scrub in the gorge. The verdict returned was Accidental Death, On Sunday afternoon the remains of the child were buried in the Lawrence Cemetery. The funeral was as large a one as we have witnessed in the Tuapeka district for one so young. Tuapeka Times. Strange Case. —We learn from the Canterbury papers that a very extraordinary charge was investigated at the Magistrate’s Court, Christchurch, on Thursday last. A farmer named John Francis Stanhury, residing at Little River, charged his neighbor, James Courtnay, also a farmer, with wilfully and maliciously destroying five of his cattle. On the 2Gth of February two heifers, which a short time before were quite well, came to Stanbury’s bouse evidently very ill and crippled. ill spite of remedies they died, and on being opened, the intestines bad the appearauce°as if a a stick bad been forcibly inserted, ami the gut was broken through. Both had evidently been dealt within the same manner, hut the lacerations were slightly different, one of the insertions having been made further than the other. The wounds were a kind of a cut, which might have lieen done with the gnd of a stick. .Shortly afterwards the earease of a steer was fpnnd floating in the lake close to prisoner’s housp, and on being brought ashore the intestines were fqgnd tg he lacerated in the same manner, and a large gash cut in the animal's Hank. Two other carcases wore found cut in pieces, and distributed about, all the intestines bearing marks of laceration. A'arious circumstances c. n nocted the prisoner with the crime. Prosecutor and he were on bad terms, in consequence of an action in tho Supreme Court in which prosecutor obtained judgment, and bad levied on prisoner’s goods to satisfy it. On the night of the 2GHi prisoner had been seen by sojpc Maoris in a canoe on the lake towing what seamed to be tlje carcase of a beast,°and had thrown some pieces of beef out of the canoe. He reserved his defence, and was committed for trial.

New Invention'. —We (Canterbury Press) have inspected the model of a wind pump on an entirely original principle, and if one which is being prepared on a full-sized scale works as admirably as its prototype, it is likely to create a revolution in this branch of machinery. The wind power is obtained from a series of copper cups fixed at the end of a number of iron rods ; these rods revolving laterally, and radiating from an upright shaft connected to an horizontal crankshaft by mitre wheels. Tiie model is simply an open draw-pump with the knuckle motion, but the principle could also be applied to a force-pump with similar results. The arrangement is perfectly simple and inexpensive, and the works appear in no way liable to get out of repair. The six copper cups are two and a-half inches in diameter, and the rods six and a-half indies in length, and with this 280 gallons have been drawn iij twenty-four hours. Each of the cups is so fixed that a concave front is presented in every direction at the same time, and thus, no matter which way the wind is blowing, the pump cannot but receive the fulle-t effect of its force. Mr Buchanan, of the railway staff, is the inventor, and as he is a thoroughly practical man, we have great faith in the success of this novel and ingenious piece of machinery.

Going Bail. — A point of some interest was decided yesterday (says the Went Coast Times of the Bth) by the Resident Magistrate, on an application of Mr Harry

Mace, of the firm of Mace and Dixon. It seems that a few weeks since Mr Mace became bail for a person who had bceil ordered by the Bench to find sureties of the peace for six months, Tjntil very lately everything went smoothly, but ou Saturday the principal party to the bond began to show decided symptoms of a rel apse into evil, not to sav violent, courses. Mr Mace app ied, therefore, to be released from his engagement, alleging as a reason that he feared that at any moment he might be called on to stump up the amount in which he was held bound. The magistrate told him that he did not think the Bench had any power to release him, and on reference to an authority, informed the applicant that even in case of the death of the latter it was very doubtful whether the matter would he comfortably ended, for it seemed that until the term of the bond expired, the executors of the surety would, in like manner and amount, be bound ! Mr Mace thought this climax rather too cruel, and expressed himself to the effect that some time would probably elapse before lie put himself in a like fix. Solomon, when he wrote “ He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it, may have had a prophetic eyo ou the British Constitution and the New Zealand Justice of the Peace Act.

New Locomotive. —The trial of a road locomotive, manufactured by T. M. Tennant and Co., of the Bowers-hall Iron and Engine Works, Leith, Scotland (after a design patented by Mr B. \V. Thompson), and recently imported by Messrs A. Macfarlan, of Little Flinders street, Melbourne, recently occasioned some little commotion in the streets through which the engine steadily steamed along. The idea of street locomotives is not by any means a new one, attempts having been frequently made of late years to adopt the iron house to the crowded and busy thoroughfares of cities. In Leith, for instance, several of these traction engines are regularly employed n drawing heavy loads of iron and timber, and some steam omnibuses have even been introduced into fashionable Paris. Street locomotives are, however, novelties on this side of the world, and the trial of the one above referred to was regarded with considerable interest. One of the special features of this new and improved traction-engine is that all the parts are high off the ground, the lowest being fully two feet clear. It has three wheels, each IBin. wide. The leading one, by which the engine is steered, as it were, is five feet in diameter, and the two driving wheels each sft. 9in. in diauuter The latter arc fitted with friction breaks, by means of which, in turning a comer, the wheels accommodate themselves to their respective curves. The front wheel works ou an angle-iron turn-table, .esting ou two carriage springs, and the axle of the driving wheels rests on two rubber blocks six inches thick, which obviates the sharp jarring so destructive to all road engines, while the friction-breaks on the wheels prevent any undue strain on the machinery. In order to give the wheels a good grip on the ground pieces of iron are fitted diagonally across the tires, but in some of the newest machines the necessity for these has been obviated by using stout iudiarnbber tires, which answer better stilt. The boiler, which resembles those used in ordinary locomotives, has a large firebox and furnace-door specially adapted for burning wood, though coal can be used with equal facility. The engines, one on each side, are entirely outside the framing, and every part of them is easy of access. The boiler is made very short, to allow of steep gradients being surmounted with safety, the covering plates being carried the length of the smokepipe, to give it the appearance of an ordinary locomotive boiler. The engine-shaft extends outside the framing, for carrying a driving pulley, so that the engine can be turned at once from traction to stationary purposes. The slow rate of speed obtainable is about four and a half miles an hour, though the engines arc so fitted that a speed M 10 to 12 mi'es can be obtained if requifod. The speed can be altered at any moment by the driver on the footplate. Two men are required to each engine, one to steer and the other to attend to the fires and otherwise look a'Ter the machinery. No difficulty was experienced in steaming from Sandridge yesterday, though the road, having been newly metalled, was not particularly favorable for a trial. The weight of the engine is between seven and eight tons, but the wheels are so broad that the ponderous machine does no more damage to the road over which it passes than any orninary vehicle. Corners were turned without the least trouble, the engine answering the guiding hand of the steerer as readily as could be desired. Swanstan, Collins, Wi liam, gaid other streets were traversed ip safpty, the loccmotjye beipg at length deposited in Boll's bond, Little Collins street, without any trouble. A few horses showed symptoms of nervousness when confronted with their new rival, but no mishap occurred in consequence. The distance from Sandridge to town was traversed in something under lialf-au-hour, which, with a heavy load attached, would be a very respectable speed for even an iron horse to attain. When the advantages of these traction engines become better known and appreciated, we shall no doubt see them in frequent use in Melbourne. —An fits.

We notice by aclvomsomout that the members of the Scottish Company of D.E.V., arc requested to attend the funeral of the late George Millar of the North Dunedin Rifles to-morrow, at three p,m,

V ard 400 500 600 Tl. Lieutenant Sunnau ... 18 16 17 51 Corporal Achcsou ... IS 11 IS 47 Volunteer Clode ... 17 16 11 44 Sergeant Robinson ... 15 11 14 40 Volunteer Henderson ... 9 12 16 37 219