Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1093, 12 August 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1871.

We understand that a ball in connection with the Napier Artillery Volunteers and the Hawke's Bay Yeomanry Cavalry, is in contemplation, to take place towaids the end of next month. Tn the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, the Resident Magistrate gave his verdict in the case of Days and Northe v. the Provincial Government. His Worship, in the first place, le marked that the terms of the contract were so precise to the effect that the Provincial Engineer's decision should be final, that unless this point Was waived by the defendants, the case was taken out ofjthe hands of the Court. As the Provincial Solicitor had statad that the Government were prepared to waive this point, he had obtained from that officer a written statement to that effect. He saw no reason to disturb the award of the Provincial Engineer so far as the deductions were concerned. The cutting of the pile, for which £5 had been deducted, and the other items were in fact admitted by the plaintiffs. With regard to the penalties for delay, however, the cai,e was different. In the case of both bridges, the delay in the first place was caused by the Government, and though six particular days were specified, in the contract, it did not follow that any other six days would do as well. In the case of the Ngaruroro bridge, for instance, the heavy traffic was authoritatively suspended for the six days named in the contract, but after that date the work was impeded by the passage of vehicles. He did not see that the penalty could be enforced in either case, and therefore gave judgment as follows :—For the Wgaruroro bridge, <£37 19s 6d; for the Petane bridge, £3O 9s ; total, £6B 8s 6d, with cosis of Court, £2 15s.

The amounts of the prizes to be awarded at the forthcoming athletic sports, on the occasion of the celebration of Sir Walter Scott's centenary, will be found in our advertising columns. The General Assembly will meet for the despatch of business, at Wellington, on Monday next, 14th inst.

Amongst the fashionable companies of the Bendigo district is one known as "Wilson and Co., Marong." Very lately Mr Wilson sold this valuable claim to a proprietory company, and within a month of the purchase two large dividends have been declared. The history of this claim reads like a bit of romance; A weary and footsore traveller called one evening at a bush tavern. He asked for a bed, but as he had no ready money he was hospitably referred to airier londgings in the bush at the back of the inn. That night he made his solitary camp, and fossicking about in the morning came upon indications which led on to the discovery of a very valuable reef. This man was Wilson. Within a short time, from the produce of his claim he bought out the inhospitable landlord, and after working his mining property profitably, Mr Wilson has disposed of a portion of his interest, the property representing in the market, at current prices, about £20,000. The Marlborough Express, of a recent date, says :—As we stated in our Thursday's issue, during the stormy weather of Tuesday evening last, Mr Reeves, farmer, of Spring Creek, left Blenheim on his way home, but has not since been heard of. He was last seen crossing oft the road between the Opawa and Palmer's bridge, in the direction of his home, over the swamp country, and although it was perceptible that he had partaken of drink, he is said not to have appeared " the worse for it." On the following evening his horse was found in the swamp between Mr Rush's and Mr W. Robinson's, and showed signs of having been in the water, the saddle being soaked with wet, and one stirrup and leather gone. Yesterday a party partly from Blenheim, and partly from Spring Creek, comprising thirty-one horsemen, accompanied by a number of dogs, the whole headed by Inspector Emerson, formed a search party, and went over the whole of the swamps in skirmishing order, covering every foot of country, but without any success. It appears that there is a very narrow neck, with the river on one hand, and a swawp on the other, where he would have to cross, and it is now believed that he must have fallen over into the river, which was slightly swollen, and prevented any search for the body in it. After examining the banks for a considerable distance without result, the further search was abandoned for the present. " Now gentlemen," said a peripatetic lecturer to a somewhat noisy crowd who had gathered to one of his seances in an Eastern village, "how would you like a good blackguard story ? All in favor will raise their hands." Nine tenths of the dexter paws instantly went up, and there was a sudden hush of all noisy demonstrations. The lecturer went on with his original subject for a few minutes, when some incautious individual broke out with: " Say, where's that story?" "Bless you," was the reply, " I did not intend to tell any such story, I only wanted to know how many blackguards were present." You might have heard a pin drop any time during the lecture after that.