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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2249, 22 July 1870, Page 2

The Footpaths.—A correspondent calls attention te the condition of the footpaths in Princes street at its junction with High and Rattray streets, and suggests that steps should be taken by the Corporation to have the mud which lays there renoved. We are under the impression that there is a bye-law which makes it imperative for owners of shops in the street line to keep the footpaths clean. If such be the case, wo have no doubt the Inspector of Nuisances will attend to the matter. Scientific, —A gentleman who returned from Mercury Bay a fortnight ago informs one of the Auckland papers that the subterranean noises and the shocks that were felt at Tauranga and Napier were also felt there. It will be seen that this arisis from a most unusual activity in the volcanic belt which extends from White Island in the Bay of Plenty to Tongariro and Ruapehu in the centre of the island. Captain Crisp, of the Comerang, on his last trip reported that White Island was burning fiercely, and the volcanoes in the interior were also in eruption. We shall probably hear of manifestations at the Hot Springs in other parts of the line.

Municipal Elections. —We hoar that Mr John Hyde Harris will contest the election for Councillor in Leith Ward. Mr John Barnes has already announced his intention to stand for the same Wal’d. By the election of Mr Fish to the civic chair, there will be two vacancies in South Ward. Mr Griffon offers himself for re-elec-tion. and the name of Mr Baxter of Walker street has been mentioned as a candidate. At present no opposition to Mr Carroll in Bell Ward is mentioned. Mr Wilkinson offers himself as a candidate for re-election for High Ward. A Police Case.—lf the story told by a man named William Mitchell in the Tuapeka Times be true he is much to he commisserated. An unfortunate instance of mistaken identity, he was apprehended at Tapanui on a charge of being concerned in a late robbery at Waikouaiti, brought before the Lawrence bench, and remanded to Dunedin, where he was politely told he was not the man wanted, who was much older than he, and an Englishman. The police authorities would not take him back further than Lawrence, and it was only as a great obligation that he got a shakedown at the camp the night he returned to Lawrence.

/v A Dead Sell.—Prom Port Chalmers wc learn that the preparations made by Mr Taylor’s friends to signalise his expected return —to tell the truth, it was more than expected, it was considered certain—wore very complete, but unfortunately the whole plot became known in the enemy’s camp. Mr Tayler, it must bo remembered, lives in a very elevated portion of the marine township, and possesses a conspicuous flagstaff. In accordance with the preconcerted arrangement, immediately after the result of the polling was made known, a white handkerchief was exhibited at the end of the jetty, and forthwith Tayler’a battery belched forth a salute, and the flagstaff was gaily decorated with bunting. Of course the illusion was soon dispelled, a horseman having been despatched with a true account. No wonder Mr Tayler was disappointed ; to bo beaten was bad enough, but to bo made the means of celebrating his opponent’s victory, was almost adding (insult to injury. It need hardly bo said that the signal was given by an opponent of Mr Tayler.

Politeness Returned. —ln the Teviot district there resides an individual who is best known by the sobriquet of the “ Old Soldier,” and who has managed to get two parties there convicted of sly-grog selling. He has lately transferred the scene of his operations to Lawrence, and has been busy in lodging informations. Last week, however, a rather sensational scene took place in one of the principal streets of Lawrence between the “ Old Soldier” and a local tradesman. The veteran said to him, “Can you tell me the way to so and so ? ” The answer given by the townsman, one of whose friends had been summoned at the instigation of this old individual, was anything but parliamentary,and ended as follows; a good mind to give you a good horsewhipping,” lifting his riding-whip as he spoke. The “ Old Soldier”—under the hallucination, we suppose, that he was on the battlefield—quietly unbuttoned his coat, and produced a revolver, at the same time remarking, “You had better not—l’m on Her Majesty’s service.” The local paper wishes to know if this “ Old Soldier ” is authorised by the Covemment to enforce the law in this manner. We agree with our contemporary a bullet would be rather an uncomfortable exchange for a horsewhipping.

A Perilous Voyage. —The English telegram published in last night’s issue, contained an announcement of the departure from Liverpool of the City of Ilaguse, steamer, a boat only 20ft. long. The following particulars will be of interest : —The vessel is the property of Captain Pimorez, but she will be sailed by Captain J. C. Buckley, her destination after leaving the Mersey being New Nork, from whence, should all go well, these adventurous voyagers intend making the return trip. Both gentlemen appear confident that with the course they have planned out for themselves and fair weather, they will be able to reach New York in about fifty days. The City of Ita/nse is being made as comfortable and as seaworthy as possible. She is covered over her whole length, and lined inside to the flooring, having a man-hole, or cockpit, amidship. Down “ below ” is fitted up with as much comfort as the limited space would permit of. There is a patent stove for cooking the provisions—there being throe months’ supplies on board—on the voyage ; and also the sleeping place for either skipper when he is noton ‘‘watch.” The boat is rigged as a yawl, and can spread about seventy yards of canvass; her tanks are capable of containing 100 gallons of water, but should any accident occur by which it would bo necessary to lighten the vessel, a tap can be undone, and the watpr, if necessary, allowed to escape. The City of Eaguse is fitted up with a two-bladed auxiliary propeller, which can be worked by hand on the same principle as a ship’s pump ; in fact, the working of the screw pump* the boat dry at the same time. The screw is not a permanent fixture, for when the wind is fair it can be hoisted out of the water, and thus there will be no drag on the vessel. Besides Captains Pimorez and Buckley—the latter gentleman having the Loyal Humane Society’s medals for saving life at sea—the only living thing on board will bo a fine Newfoundland dog. The little City of Raguse has its history. It formerly belonged to the ship Breeze, which foundered in a terriffic storm in the Channel. In this boat fourteen of the crew of the ship succeeded in getting, and, after a gallant struggle against wind and sea, it landed them safe at Ramsay, Isle of Man, and was brought from thence to Liverpool for her present voyage. The Unemployed, Amongst the correspondence placed before the select committee of the Provincial Council on the petition of the unemployed, was the following extract from a letter by Mr J. Smith of Greenfield Station “ I will just give you my experience for the last few months. During shearing this year I had only eight shearers, instead of fourteen, as formerly, and not a single shearer or other hand called during the whole shearing season, viz., three months. ~ I had about three hundred and fifty acres of good crop, and was fortunate in getting five good men to join with my own ploughmen, my horses and ploughs standing idle meantime, to take the cutting by tender. Meantime I could not get an' other hand during the whole harvest. Consequently, had a heavy shake amongst the over-ripe grain, and a considerable portion stood in the stook from six to seven weeks. I say nothing about the wages, which were exorbitant, because I could not get them Jjere for love or money, 1 bad considerable I

difficulty in getting hands at thrashing for thirty shillings a week, wet and dry. Several professing to look for work would not stop at that price. My neighbour, Mr W. A. Murray, got men engaged at that figure, at Tokomairiro, and as soon as he had steam up, they told him they wanted eight shillings per day and board. He had then to give them thirty-six shillings per week. I have been in want of ploughmen for the last three or four months, and am still, and cannot get them.. I have bad several meantime, who only stayed for two or three days; they want this, that, and the other, or they lift their swag and off, living on the settlers like paupers as they go along. In fact, I am sick and tired of the sort of men swagging about the country ; the one half of them do not want work, the other half only want it for two or three ■weeks, until they get enough to have a “ jolly good drunk,” as they call it, and then loaf upon the settlers, cursing the country, and asserting that a job cannot be got./ I do not know whether this agrees with four own experience ; if it does, pray do try, when the question of labor from Home comes before the Council, to get as much money voted for that purpose as will bring out plenty really good hands. Meantime, if thousands of those swaggers leave the country it will be a blessing indeed ; for 1 assure you, finding them, after they have drunk their cheques, is a very heavy tax upon myself and others like me. Unless something is done, and that speedily, the country must collapse as an agricultural one,” An assembly ball will take place in Murray’s Rooms, Eattray street, this erening. We understand that Mr W. 0. Ball has been invited to offer himself as Councillor for the Leith Ward.