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Evening Star, Issue 4008, 30 December 1875, Page 2

The Waitaki bridge will, it is said, be open for traffic in February. The City Guards will fire for Colonial Ropre entatives at the Waikari range to-mor-row morning, and the O.N. B. at the Anderson’s Bay range. The Adelphiau class and choir of the Christian Chapel, Great King street, gave a miscellaneous entertainment last evening to a numerous attendance. The programme comprised anthems, recitations, audaddresscs

In the late floods in Auckland Province, at ‘Vairca, where a ship was lying at anchor, the flood rose so high that the chain had to be paid out, and when the flood subsided the vessel was high and dry on a farm, She had to he relaunched by the aid of screwjacks. There were good attendances at the Theatre and the Temperance Hall last night when the programmes of the previous evening were repeated. The Circus, which did not give a performance last nivht on account of the weather, will bo re-opened 'this evening, and to-morrow Mr Gardner, the agent, takes a benefit.

At the Lyttletou nomination the Returnicg c'flicir, Dr Donald, remarked that a great deal had been said about election by ballot, and he might tell them that the seoresy of the ballet was absolute, and the only person who saw the papers was the Returning uflicer. There was a great mistake abroad about tho numbering of ballot papers.

At a meeting of the Cattle Board, this forenoon, at which were present Lis Honor the Miperinbendeut, in the chair ; tho Hon. Mr Eolmes, and Mr M ‘Lean, it was resolved that all sheep coming from England should be quarantined for six weeks, and all cattle for three months. It was also decided toreloESj Mr Sutton’s sheep from quarantine.

A man named Andrew Black, a native of Govau, near Glasgow, was received into the gaol last night, per steamer damson, from Uamaru, escorted by Police-constable Blake, committed for trial at tho ensuing sessions of the Supreme Court, charged by a coroner’s jury with the manslaughter of John M'livoy at Kakanui, on the 25th inst. Mr Parker, R.M., Oamaru, presided at tho inquest as coroner.

Judge Gillies, in bis charge to the Grand Jury at the lasl session of the Supreme Court held in JNelson, remarked as follows : —‘'Before he met them again an Act of Parliament would be in force by which persons accused of crimes would be allowed to give evidence in their own cases. This would bo a great improvement on the existing law, as it would frequently give those accused an opportunity of explaining what would otherwise be hidden, while at the same time the guilty would often bo condemned out of their own mouth. ” An inquiry into the cause of the fire on board the barque Kedrou at Port Chalmers ou the 22nd, was held at the Port yesterday afternoon by the Collector of Customs (Mr Hackvvortb), The master, first and second mates, and a seaman named Frederick Brown were examined ; and their evidence went to show that the fi o originated in a locker in which were kept nine belaying pins ; but none of the witnesses were able to form un opinion as to how the fire was caused.

The licensed victuallers of Melbourne complain bitterly of the opposition of the grocers who sell wines, beer, aud spirits, and they are now adopting a policy of retaliation. They have opened in Pjin-ders-laao a “Tea Association,” and their programme says—“Tho main and most profitable commodity of the grocers is tea, and no doubt every effort and device will be used by them to defeat the objects of this Association, which ire to enable the licensed victuallers to recoup themselves a portion of their loss, aud at the same time by selling to the public superior teas at the ordinary rates, retaliate on the grocers for infringing on and interfering with their particular trade.”

About nosn on Friday last a large twostorey barn, the property of Mr Richard Lancaster, Crookston Farm, Beaumont, was de. troyed by fire. The building contained fifteen tons of oats, a live-horso power threshing-machine, and a chaffcutter, besides a quantity of other effects, all of which were completely destroyed. The lire was Wirst discovered by a female be outing to the farm. The ’ Tuapeka Times’ state? that the loss is estimated at 1500, which is covered by insurance to the extent of L 325, The origin of the lire is unknown, Tho promises were visited by a mau employed on the farm a short time before the occurrence, p.ud at that time no appearance of lire wai observed.

The following story lof the mysterious recovery of a stolen watch is told by the ‘ Tuapeka Times’ : —Fully ten years ago a resident of W aitahuna entrusted a friend of his with a couple of Silver watches to got repaired by a craftsman in ijawTonco. On the way thither the custodian of tho watches appears lo have tarried longer than necessary. The watches, together with the incident of their disappearance, were long forgotten ; but on Wednesday last the thou owner received f singular post-paid packet. Like.Sam Weller of old, he looked inquiringly at the missive —ho examined the address, scrutinised the seal, and not being at all satisfied with results, he thought he might just as well have a peep at the contents. Imagine his tapprise when ho found that it contained one of the two watches that had been astray since the year of graco 1865. Further examination revealed a s’ip of note paper upon which was written—“ This la your watch, take careo it.”

A o ae of alleged infanticide in the Grqj Valley is reportal. A farmer named Poth >n, ploughing his land, discovered the partly decomposed remains of a child; and ayouo, acwly-married woman named mitli admits that placed the remains of an illegitimate child in the place found to avoid exposure. She also states that the child was

bom hafora she waa married, and while she was in the service of a woman named Pridgeon, who attended her during her confinement, and allowed the dead child to remain in bed with her for two days, after which it wan buried where the remains were subae queutly found. The mother is remand- a awaiting fmther proceedings to be taken af>er an inquest has been held on the remains. An cm urgency meeting of the Lolge Celtic will ho held in the -agonic Hall tomorrow evening, at eight o’clock, A special meeting of the Otago Typographical Association will ho held in tho Pioviucial Hotel to-morrow evening, at o 80. S$A Miaul gathering of ths Loyal Unity Ledge 1.0.0. F. will bo held at Maloney’s, Ocean View Hotel, on Monday next, at 7.30 p.ra. 6We have to acknowledge the receipt of “ The Practical Ordinances of the Province of Otage, ’ edited by Mr G. Barton, and printed by Messrs Keith and Wilkie. Owing to the largo amount of support which has been accorded to the Turkish Baths since their establishment, tho proprietory have deemed it necessary to add seven large hot water plunge baths, which have been fitted up in the main portion of the building. These bnths are made of concrete, and for comfort are superior to anything of the kind yot attempted here. The regular meeting of the Star of Freedom Lodge, No. 5, 1.0. G.T., Linden, was hold last evening in the lodge room. After the disposal of the ordinary business of the lodge the report of the Picnic Committee was given in and adopted. It has been arranged to hold the picnic in Wooclaall paddock, in conjunction with t' e Kaikorai Sunday School on Monday next, It was also resolved that next Wednesday evening be devoted to n debate, the question under discussion being: “la a stringent license preferable to a prohibition law?”