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Evening Star, Issue 3193, 15 May 1873, Page 2

A Fast Friend,—» The eleetrio telegraph,

Messrs John Grieve, Rockland Station Beep Stream, and John Anderson, jun. ,'VVyndham, Popolunoa, have been appointee jjjhn. inspectors of sheep for the Province.

• A married man, named William Duffy vas received into the gaol yesterday, comnitted for trial ,at the ensuing edmina’ rstssmhs of the Supreme Court,-by Mr Simp ' pon, R.M , charged with having; oh the’3rd test., at the D.iqstun, unlawfully attempted o commit a /qipe on a girl named Sural Patterson, aged twelve years, daughter of Mr James Patterson, of -said place, hotelkeeper. Our readers will remember that during the late Criminal --ittingof the Supremo Conn xt Christchurch, a man named John Hennossy was arraigned for forgery and utter mg, the prosecutor being a publican in I’imaru named Melton. When put on his trial the Crown Prosecutor called the witness Melton to prove the‘charge, but while giving his evidence he was reized with an epileptic fit, and the case w«as consequently adjourned until the last day of the sittings Tne jury who had heard part of the case being discharged, the case was heard before a fresh jury and the prisoner convicted. It is now bolioved, we understand, that the conviction xvas illegal, inasmuch as the jury having had the prisoner placed in their charge could not be discharged unless agreeing to a verdict, or failing to agree altogether, and that therefore the conviction by the iccoud jury was not legal. The case will *be reserved by his Honor for the opinion of his brother judges at tbe Court of Appeal. Our Nelson telegram to-day gives the polling for Nelson Suburbs, which has resulted in a decided victory for the Ministerial candidate, Mr A. J. Richmond, son of Colonel Richmond, C.B. Mr Keiling’s retirement -which was a wise one, as both men belong to the party of progress, and his going to the poll would have only served to split the votes, and so possibly send in Mr Elliot—made Mr Richmond’s election safe ; but it was not anticipated the latter would obtain a majority of two to one. Notwithstanding that Mr Collins took him under his wing, and that he claims to he one of tbe propounders of the Public Works policy, Mr Elliot is again at the bottom of the poll. Connected with the Examiner, a paper that has strenuously and bitterly opposed Mr Vogc l , and allie I xvith the Stafford party, Mr Elliot found ic necessary to lih candidature to approve of the policy that both have persistently condemned, and to express his individual opinion that the Colony could not now si are Mr Vogel as a Minister ; which is, perhaps, the highest praise that the Premier has yet received in any quarter.

The editor of the Taranaki herald , in his pleasant jottings, relates the following anecdote :—“ After Sir George Grey and General Cameron had quam-Ted, Sir George Grey often obtained information about what was going on in General Cameron’s house through one of his officials, members of whose family were often on a visit to General Cameron’s niece. Governor Grey shrewdly concluded that the channel of communication worked both ways, so he drafted a despa'ch to the Colonial Secretary of State, making, in strong terms, various charges against General Cameron, which he gave to the official to copy. When it was done, Sir George said, ‘You needn’t wait; I will look through it directly, and put it iu the mail hag ’ Ihe .official was no sooner gone than the despatch went behind the fire ; and the Home authorities received from General Cameron a long despatch, denying charges that Sir George Grey had preferred against him. The Home Govo-nment informed the General that no such charges had been made by the Governor ; and as he was unable to name the source of his information, he only damaged himself by defending himself against imagi nary charges. We may be certain that Sir George Grey so chose them as to have the full effect on General Cameron of the French

proverb, that ‘ Who excuses himself, accuses himself.’ ”

Mr Anthony Trollope, in his new work on

Australia, has the following I suppose that a young people falls naturally into the fault of self-adulation.. I must say somewhere, and may as well say here as elsewhere, that the wondos performed in the way of riding, driving, fighting, walking, working, drinking, love-making, and speechmaking, which men ?nd women in Australia told mo of themselves, would have been worth recording in a separate volume, had they been related by any but the heroes and heroines themselves. But reaching one as they do, always iu the first person, these stories are soon received as works of a tine art much cultivated in the Colonies, for which the Colonial phrase of ‘blowing’ has been created. When a gentleman sounds his own trumpet he ‘blows.’ The art is perfectly understood and appreciated among the people who practise it. Such a gentleman or such a lady was only ‘blowing !’ \ r ou hear it, and bear of it every day. They blow a good deal in Queensland, and a goo I deal iu ."oath Australia. Tlmy blow even iu poor Ta-mania. They hi w 'oueby in Now .South Wales, and very loudly in New Zealand Tut the blast of the trumpet as heard in Victoria is louder than all the blasts, and the Melbourne blast beats all the other blowing of that proud Colony. My first, my constant, my parting advice to my Australian cousins is contained in two words —‘ Don’t blow.’ ”

A very enjoyable concert was given last evening, in St George’s Hall, Tokomairiro, in aid of the Athenaeum there. The performers were local amateurs, assisted by several ladies and gentlemen from Dunedin. The attendance was very good, but not so large as it would have been had the weather been more favorable. The programme was rich and varied, many of the songs and duets being rendered in a manner seldom excelled by amateurs, and so as to call forth the most enthusiastic applause from the delighted audience - the singers being recalled a second, and in one case a tliird time, “ I dreamt I dwelt in marble balls,” ‘‘Flowe s of the garden and flowers of the wildwood,’ and “ Logie o’ Buchan,” by ladies from Dunedin, and some operatic selections by a Tokomairiro lady, avere specially noticeable for the spirit, taste, and correctness with which they were rendered. Seldom have the settlers in our country townships an opportunity of enjoying such a treat ns was last night provided for the people of Tokomairiro. Mr Jones, of the Bank of New Zealand, presided, and at the close, on behalf of the Albenamra, heartily thanked the friends who had assisted on tho occasion, for the good service rendered to the institution, and the great pleasure derived from the evening’s entertainment.

His Honor Sir A. Stephen, Chief Justice of New South Wales, in sentencing a woman at Mudgee, found guilty of concealment of birth, administered a just rebuke to the scoundrels who are the cause of such crimes and consequent misery if discovered. His Honor said that it was a cruel shame that the law could not make the heartless ruffians, who were the cause of a female’s ruin, hear a portion of the punishment, as they were the means of tempting unfortunate women like the prisoner to commit the horrible crime of infanticide, through the shame ol detection, and the want, in many instances, of means to rear the offspring of thar shame and misery. In another ease of infanticide, disposed of a day later, which revealed circumstances of a very revolting nature, the verdict of the jury, however, being, as in the previous case, “ Concealment < f birth, Sir Alfred, in passing sentence, said : “He could not understand how it was that in all eases of this kind juries are inclined to side with the prisoner. He regretted this the more, inconsequence of the increased amount of cases of infanticide that have lately taken place in the Colony. The sacrifice of one single life would bo sufficient to put a stop to this atrocious crime. He warned the prisoner that htd the jury returned a verdict of guilty on the first count, the would have been most assuredly hanged, and that the sentence that he was about to pronounce was utterly inadequate to the crime that she had been guilty of.”

The only business transacted in the Provincial Council, this afternoon, was a discusdon on motk», io withdraw ■cmnornrily * fropr sale the land ,in the •Vaipahi ami Oltnkenlch district, advertised or safe. Mr Reid explained" 1 that he had uihmitted to the Snperintendont the names >f the,now Executive,; that his Honor had taken time to consider them, and promised to-send an answer during the day; but as the answer had ’ not been received, ho moved, in accordance with his Honor’s •‘■quest, the adj urnment of the House till 7 p.m., which was agreed to. A batch of notices, most of which, will raise lung discussions, was given in ihCouncil this afternoon. Mr M‘Arthur has mo foi a subsidy of L 250 for a fortnightly -team service between Dunedin, Bluff, ami Stcwait’a island, Mr Mcrvyn is roing to try his baud at law making, and asks leave to bring down an amended Licensing Ordinance. Mr Fish has on the’ Order Paper three resolutions, the last of which pledges the Council to accept of any overt act, by resolution submitted to ilie Assembly or otherwise, to despoil the Province of its land fund, as a breach of a solemn agreement ratified by Parliament, and as a signal for instant separation, and for a declaration of the independence of the Middle Island as a distinct Colony, to be maintained at all hazards. Mr Turnbull seeks to limit the time allowed to each speaker on any one subject to ten nunub s, and it he succeeds in carrying it will receive the gratitude of the reporters. Mr Thomson intimates h : s intention to bring in a Bill to provide for the construction of a railway from Balclutha to Mataura; and Mr Bradshaw asks the Council to take into consideration the abundance of money, with a view of encouraging a healthy competition in it; and to invite tenders from the banks for the conduct the of Provincial account for a period of three years. At the meeting of the members of the Order of Good Templars, held at the lodge room on Wednesday evening, the installation of the officers elected for the current term took pi ace as follows W.C.T., Bro. Chas. De L. Graham ; W.V.T., Bro. John Hughes; Secretary, Bro. James James ; F.S., Bro. Lear; Treasurer, Sister Graham; Chaplain, Bro. Cameron ; Marshal, Bro. Price; 1.6., Bro. Bewley; OS., Bro. Simmons; A.S., Sister Selby; D.M., Sister Hay; 8.5., Sister Statham ; l-.5., Bro. A. A. Adams. The Secretary’s report showed a membership of exactly 200 at c'ose of late term ; whilst the Treasurer reported a cash balance, in favor of the Lodge, of Ll2 2s I Id. The liabilities do not amount to L2. Twenty-one new members were initiated. The reccip's of the evening, from initiation foei and quarterly dues, were Ll4. This Order is pro grossing numerically and financially. There are forty-five prepositions for membership now on the books. The retiring Worthy Chief Templar, Bro. J. W. Jago, presented to the Lodge a gavel, manufactured by Messrs How di and 'tfay, made of New Zealand native woods, tnc head being formed of totara knot, the handle of bog manuka, and silver mounted, w-th suitable inscription. It was resolved that the th inks of the Lodge be accorded to Bro. Jago for his able conduct and courtesy for the past six months in the chair, and that minute of the same be engrossed on vellum and presented to Bro, Jago, The following mysterious discovery is recorded in the Australasian of May 3rd: A mysterious linger, pointing perhaps to a tragedy, lias been discovered in the stomach of a lish. On Saturday, a resident of Northcote, Mrs M'Killop, bought some llathead

unromantic fish—from a Chinaman, and on opening one, which appeared larger than the others, she found inside it the finger of a man or woman’s hand. The digit was quite fresh, and was shown to Mr Ford, surgeon, of Melbourne, who considered that it had been within the last two days severed from the hand of a living person. Those who first saw it thought it was the index finger of the right hand of a woman, but Mr Ford, after close scrutiny, was of opinion, though without dissecting the member ho could not be positive, that it was the little finger—an unusually large one—of the hand of a working man, a European. There was a little cut or scratch across the second knuckle from the nail, and the finger apparently had been disjomted from the han 1 by a cutting instrument, but not by any operator, as there was attached to the finger a strip about 2in in length of the skin of the palm. Had any surgeon cut out the finger he would have left this skin on the hand to be folded over the wound. The fish was only about 9in. in length, and could not have severed the finger, which seemed larger than the stomach from which it was taken. Assuming that the ringer was not amputated by any surgeon—a reasonable assumption fiom the manner in which it was severed, and from the fact that there was no sign of disease which would have rendered its removal necessary—it is not easy to find a solution of the mystery. One of the first explanations which are suggested is that the linger was accidentally cut. off by some machinery on board a ship in the bay, and thrown into the water, where it was gobbled up by the fish ; and another is that some fiendish student or butcher, or other person, with a sharp knife, amused himself by hacking and dividing a hand which had been newly amputated in consequence of some accidental injury to the arm. This also might occur on board a vessel. The former theory, however, is hardly compatible with the cleanness with which the portion of the palm has'been cut, and the accuracy with which the finger has been separated from the hand at the joint. The other solution is tenable enough, but it is quite possible that some one may have been murdered and cut up, and that the fragments have been thrown into the water; though there seems no reason for such minute division,,as the finger is.not cut in a manner which would enable a ring to be removed. If a man with a valuable ring were rendered insensible, the finger might be taken off for the sake of the ring, though this is an improbable supposition. Throwing all-theories aside, however, and looking at the matter from the broad standpoint that most mysterious affairs, when the clue is found, are capable of a very commonplace explanation, an ordinary solution of the mystery may he forthcoming. A meeting of parishioners of St. Paul’s was held last evening in the lower hall of the Athenamm. The Ven, Archdeacon Edwards, who was voted to the chair, stated that the special meeting had been called for the purpose of considering the advisability of enlarging St, Paul’s Church, the necessity for which tliere could be no question. The alterations could not be effected without the. sanction of the parishioners, and hence the meeting. Mr Hardy produced a report from the Committee appointed to consider the subject, in which it was recommended that, as the church would be the cathedral church of the diocese, any alterations and enlargements should form part of a comprehensive design ; that a south aisle should be forthwith undertaken, which, on completion, would place 154 new sittings at the disposal of the vestry : anew chancel should fonn-partof any undertaking for the enlargement of the church, and which should be erected as soon as convenient after the aisle. The total expense of these works was estimated by the Committee at about L 3,000. L’he erection of the aisle, including the removal of the present tower and spire was estimated to cost LI,201), and might be completed by the end ot the present year, the remainder being spread over 1874. The Committee considered that by appropriating mly 100 of the new sittings thus provided, the income of the church would bo increased by at least L2OO per annum, and accommolation would be found for fifty-four free fittings, which, by a slight re-arrangment of the present seats, could be increased to 160. \lr liaidy pointed out the necessity that existed for increased accommodation, and urged the carrying out of the work suggested by the Committee. He was quite sure they would receive aid from the parishioners. They had already been promised a haudaome

teaselated pavement for the chancel; and a gentleman had promised to give a peal of. bells when the diocese was prepared to build a spire. A memorial window and a stone' pulpit had also been promised. He therefore moved the following resolution :—“ That this meeting is of opinion that it is desirable, to enlarge St. Paul’s Church. That the' meeting authorises the vestry to incur an expenditure of L 3.000 in the erection of a south aisle and a new chancel. That the erection of the aisle he undertaken so as it may be completed at the end of the current year, and that the completion of the chancel be postponed, so as it may be erected during the year 1874.” Mr Hawkins seconded the resolution. Mr Aldrich moved as an amendment—“ That this meeting believing that it is desirable to enlarge St. Paul’s Church, authorises the vestry to build another aisle on the south side, next Stuart street, of the same width aud same design as that on the north side.” Mr Houghton seconded the amendment. He would like to know from the mover rnd seconder how the money was to bo raised. A little discussion ensued, when the Chairman put the amendment to the meeting, and it was negated by a majority of two votes. The resolution was then put and carried, The Ven. Archdeacon, before the meeting closed, said be would be glad if the whole ot the aisle were set aside as free sittings. The poorer members of the congregation contributed most liberally ; in fact, they gave more than those who were bettor situated. They should have the best scats in the church. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings.

The Netv Zealand Church News this month contains a more than usual number of interesting reports from various districts. The original matter in the paper proper is of little interest, and is, as usual, insipid, although the extracts in prose and poetry are worth reading. The New Zealand Herald contains a long and interesting account of Messrs Olson’s mode of cultivating the tomato, and the process of manufacturing the fruit into sauce, Al\hough Mr Pickwick’s breach of promise case was instrumental in bringing tomato sauco into modern fame, the Herald traces gustatory appreciation of it to the Romans ; but in the next sentence wo are informed it originally came fora South America. From this we gather a new light respecting the geographical knowledge of the Romans. It may next be discovered that Julius (dew contemplated the conquest of Peru ; but no matter who first discovered its virtues, the sample we have receive! from Mr Bird, the agent for Olson’s Tomato Sauce iu Dunedin, fully justifies the fol'ow[jpg eulogium of the Herald:—" Among the numerous local industries which have sprung into existence in Auckland during the last year or two, there are very few that have attained the dimensions, or become so popular, as that of Olson’s Tomato iSauoe, which is now not only rapidly finding favor in all parts of the Colony, but is also being exported in considerable quantities to different places iu Australia. A few years ago, and tomatoes, which are now cultivated by Mr Olson in such abundance, were comparatively unknown in Auckland, and even when grown they were few in number, and poor in quality. At first Mr Olson had considerable d (KcultDa to contend with wh ; ch need not be (numerated be e, but which are always the accompaniments of an effort to start a new industry, and so force it upon the public that at length they caunot do without it. \nd tliis has been the case with regard to ‘ Olson’s saucefor whereas at one time, and shortly after it came into existence, it was ‘ pooh, poohed,’ as being not only utterly unnecessary but utterly w’orthleFs. People have now come to regar 1 it as an indispensable condiment, which the}' cannot do without.”