The Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1157, 27 October 1871, Page 2

The Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1871.

The R,ev\ R. Taylor will (P-V.) conduct Divine service on Sunday next, 29th Oct., at Kaikora at 11 a.m., aiid at "Waipawa at 6.30 p.m. Twelve prize rams arrived here this morning by the s.s. Ahuriri from the South, intended, we believe, for Mr H. R. Russell's station at Waipukurau. In the Resident Magistrate's Court this afternoon the charge of assault against Langhan and Lynch was gone into, and a quantity of evidence taken Lynch was discharged, there being no evidence whatever connecting him with the affair, and Langhan was remanded to Monday. "We learn that the repairs to the s.s. Rangatira will be completed in about ten days, and she will then, it is said, be despatched for this port without first going south, as had been intended. We observe from late Wellington papers that the Colonial Government steamer Luna was to leave that port for the East Coast. We presume she would call in at this port. The steamer Ahuriri is announced to take her departure for Wellington and the South at 5 p.m. to-morrow. The outward mails for Europe, America, &c, will be forwarded hence by this opportunity. By the ship Electra, recently arrived at Wellington from London, the General Government have recehed 278 barrels ammunition, 36 cases, and 40 pkgs. The steamer Wellington, which arrived at Wellington from the Manukau, Taranaki, kelson, and Picton on the 16th inst., had on board no fewer than 84 passengers, including the hon Col. Wliitmore, Major and Mrs Heaphy, and Mr Brogden, railway contractor, with one of his family, and several members of his engineering staff, A fearful thunderstorm took place at Taranaki on the morning of the 21st instant. The roof of the powder magazine was blown off. The hon. John Hall is in Canterbury, unfortunately too ill to be in his place in the General Assembly. We are glad to learn, however, from the Lyttelton Times of the 23rd instant, that he is now considered out of danger. At a meeting held at Wellington on Saturday evening last to consider the Brogden contracts, a Mr Carter stated that by employing colonial contractors on the Clutha (Olago) line of railway a saving of £350,000 had been effected, A deputation of natives from Opunake waited upon Mr Parris the other clay, and requested he would ask the Government to erect a lock-up and courthouse in their district. The Civil Commisioner informed them that he would communicate their wishes to the Government immediately on his return to New Plymouth. Messrs Greville & Co, in their report of the wool-market, at Sydney, on October 4ih, state :—The arrival of several American wool-dealers to purchase and establish business relations with Australia caused a little excite ment, and has already led to large transactions here, for although our wool season cannot be considered fairly opened, those who have received portions of the new clip met with the demand without waiting for further advices from England, in order to secure an introduction for Sydney wool to America. Operations here have been" sufficiently large enough to pro vide freight for one vessel. The ship Game Cock and the barque Golconde are advertised to load with wool, the former for New Vprk and the latter for Boston. At auction, yesterday, competition was brisk, and yome good lots sold. Scoured at 9d to 17d ; fleece, 17§d to 18d; greasy, ! 7-Jd to 9fd; sheepskins, 5d to 7fd.

The Pretty Jane, twin screw, left Dunedin on the 17th inst. for Tort Molyneux and Catlin Kiver, taking to the latter port the material for the erection of a new saw mill five miles from the entrance, and on the south bank. The locality is said to be easy of access to shipping. The Taranaki Herald states that Mr A. Young (formerly a partner of the late Uv Shepard), has taken over the line of coaches running between Wanganui and New Plymouth. The inquiry into the circumstances attending the late fire at Invercargill exiended over three days and terminated on the 20th instant. In i»he midst of the proceedings the Coroner announced that all questions should be put to hi in. The lawyers engaged on behalf of the Insurance Companies and the Bank of Otago protested against the irregularity of the proceedings:, and ultimately left the Court. After three hours deliberation the jury returned the following verdict: —"The jury are of opinion that the fire commenced between the Bank of Otago and the store of Messrs Hunter and Hawkshaw, and they were also of opinion that the fire was first seen in the wall of the bank, but there is no evidence to show how it originated.' 3 The Canterbury Government road steamer has been tried between Kolleston and the Selwyn with very satisfactory results. A load of twenty tons was attached, and the distance between the two points named was satisfactorily accomplished. ' The alteration to the tubes —according to the suggestion of Mr Nancarrow, the General Government Engineer—appears to have effected a great improvement, and the only apparent obstacle to the working of the engine now is the ignition of the grass by live coals dropping from the fire box. The Government have received seveial applications for the engine, and if the fault referred to could be overcome, it is believed that no difficulty would be experienced in utilising the steamer. With reference to the Rakaia, the Lyttelton Times of Monday last understands that this river during the last fresh has assumed a \e\y dangerous appearance; in fact, that the course of the channel is so altered that it pro raises to be as U oublesome as the Waimakariri. A special report has been prepared and submitted to the Board of Conservators for their consideration. It is stated in a recent issue of the Sydney Morning Herald that telegraphic communication with Europe by the Australian overland line will be established in January, 1872. A huge specimen of the brocoli tribe, weighing thiity-two pounds, has been grown this season in the Lunatic Asylum gardens at Sunnyside, Canterbury. Captain Bishop, of the barque Guiding Star, which lias arrived at Port Chalmers from Hong Hong, reports that ab Koepang a Scotch gentleman gave him a fine sample of copper, nearly pure, obtained on the island. The gentleman said he was unable to avail himself of the discovery of this ore, owing to the ignorance of himself and -r the natives of mining operations. It is the intention ef Captain Bishop to submit the sample to the Chamber of Commerce of Dunedin. By the Wellington from Manukau, a few days ago, Mr Huddleston, of Nelson, received twenty five brace of the brown Australian quail, the full number put on board having arrived there safely, The Home News, August 24, states that Dr. Feaiheivton had taken offices within a few doors of those of the Agent-General of Victoria, and was to enter upon them in a day or two. Advices have been received from Mr Chilman, relative to hib negotiations in London with regard to the iron sand. As reported in the Taranaki Herald, he states that he has had several introductions to persons in England, but nothing definite as yet has been done as to forming a company. Dr Eeatherston is assisting him in the matter in every way possible. Mr Chilman, we believe was to leave England during the present month, and therefore may be expected about January nexi.

The Otago Daily Times, Oct. 19, r& ports continued depression in the grain, market. The current quotations remain—Wheat, ss; oats, 2s 2d to 2$ 3d j" fine flour, £l3 10s, With the exception of a few oais placed for ship, ment northwards, the demand has been confined to the supply of immediate requirements. " Observer " thus writes to the Wellington Independent regarding a phenomenon which took place on the 18th inst. :—"At 9 o'clock, a large halo, of unusual brilliancy, was visible around the sun. At half past nine there was, for a short time, on the right of the sun, and nearly level with it,"*a very bright mock-sun, also brilliantly colored. This mock sun was connected with the sun by a band of white light, which was part of a large circle, the lower edge of which ran through the sun and the mock-sun, and was continued beyond the mock-sun for some distance. It was not visible on the right of the sun The mock-sun was distant from the sun about twenty diameters." It is notified that Mr C. H. Borlase of Wanganui has been appointed Crown Solicitor in that district. The Otago Daily Times, 19th inst., records that Mr George Wells, a commission agent, and who had been lately out of employment, committed suicide by taking poison at the Pier Hotel on the previous day. He was seen alive at 3.30 p.m., and at 6.30 p.m. was found dead in his bed. He has left a written statement to the effect that he. poisoned himself He. was a single man, and a female relative of his is living here. Ai the inquest which was held on the body it transpired that deceased had poisoned himself with a a dose of sulphate of zinc. A verdict to the effect that the rash deed was committed in a state of temporary insanity. Mr and Mrs Frank Towers, and their daughter, Miss Bosa Towers, have been playing very successfully at West-. port and Charleston. A company has been formed at Hokitika for the purpose of working a coal seam up the Hokitika river. The body of William Webber, who was drowned some three weeks ago, in attempting to take the Boulder Bank channel, Nelson, has been discovered, near the Lighthouse, in a decomposed and scarcely recognisable state. At the inquest, Mr John Kidson stated that he had found the body lying about 300 yards, from the Lighthouse; that, being unable to put the body into his boat, without some danger of its falling to pieces, he had obtained assistance from the shore, with, which he succeeded in bringing the body to *"he hotel, where it was then lying. Mr Stephen Leaver identified the body as that of William Webber by the boots, which had elastic sides, with false eyelet holes; the tear in the leg of the trousers, mended with white thread; and the shirt and knife produced, which latter, had a notch in the handle. The Wellington Independent, Oct, 17, says ; —The monotony of the windy weather which has lately prevailed was relieved on Sunday night and during; the small hours of Monday, by the occurrence of a few exceptionably strong squalls, which blew out a number of lights, broke some panes of glass, sent moveable objects, including nocturnal flying along the streets, and last and not least, knocked down a tall chimney, which formed a very essential part of the kitchen arrangements of the Metropolitan Hotel. Fortunately Hie bricks did not penetrate the roof upon which they at first fell, and there were no persons about to suffer the probable consequences of a " cannon" on to the human head. The Otago Daily Times, Oct, 19, gavs : —-Between 4 and 5 o'clock yester-. clay afternoon, a little girl, about 3 years of age, the daughter of Mr Bonay, settler, Lower Harbor, was accidentally burned. During her mother's absence the child's clothes ignited from the fireplace, and her mother on returning found her in flames. She undressed her, but the skin came off, and she accordingly sent her husband to the Port for medical assistance, when Vv O'Donoghue proceeded down. Tha. child is not expected to recover.

In the window of Mr Healey's boot and shoe warehouse, in Bridge street, Nelson, is placed for exhibition a pair of shoes made of woven fibre of New Zealand flax, manufactured thirty years a</o. The soles and lining are leather, and the woven fibre has received a black coating, to resist the destructive action of the sea-water, as well as to make them water-tight. A specimen of the woven fabric, contained in a <*lass case, is exhibited with the shoes. Accounts received in Hokitika from the rush at the Totara punt are very encouraging. Some of the claim-; have been averaging =£lo per week per man, and in a few instances even more had been obtained. One or two stores are being erected, and the locality is fast assuming the appearance of a settled diggings. Several parties passed through from the Greenstone, and some few have even come down from the Grey district to try their fortunes at the new ground. The inducement has not come from the Press, but men on the ground have written to their friends so favorably as to their prospects as to attract a crowd which is daily getting larger. Last week Hokitika was crowded "with miners from various localities, who were making ai rangements to cross the river for the scene of the rush. The Melbourne Argus says; —The authorities at Dunedin, New Zealand, have a simple and cheap way of disposing of their paupers, if the story told :by a vagrant woman at the City Court he correct. The woman's name was M'Donald, and she stated that seven or eight years ago she and her husband, who was a bootmaker named P. M'Donald, lived in Melbourne, but for the last seven years she had been living in New Zealand, and had there been deserted by her husband. She had children, and got barely enough to live on by washing and doing odd jobs, but when could no longer suj port the children and sought to throw the burden of supporting them upon the Government, the authorities placed the family on board the steamer Kangifcoto, and paid the passage of herself and her brood from there to Melbourne, at which place she expected to find h,e,r truant husband. She did not find him, however, and she and the aeven young ones had been sheltered by a poor woman in Hotharn, who allowed them to sleep in the kitchen, though she was unable to provide them with .suitable bedding. M'Donald brought with her from New Zealand ,£3 or ,£4, but the money had been handed over to her a few shillings at a time—a circumstance which tended to show that the woman was not fit to be trusted with more money than her immediate necessities demanded. She wanted the children to be sent to the Industrial School, but the Bench naturally objected to burdening the state with seven juvenile paupers from another Colon}*, and wished to send them to the Immigrants' Home, pending inquiry. When the woman found this out, however, she refused to have them sent anywhere but to the schools, and left the court with the precious seven.