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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1207, 27 December 1871, Page 2

The steamer Napier, which left this port yesterday morning, returned to Napier in the afternoon, there being too much sea on oil' Waimarama to communicate with the shore. The Napier leaves for Poverty Bay at 7 o'clock to night.

The schooner Onehunga, from "Wellington, arrived in pori last evening. She 'vould have called in on the coast for wool, but was prevented by the heavy sea running.

The N.Z.S.S. Co.'s s.s. Keera leaves for Wellington and Southern Ports this evening.

The Napier Rifle "Volunteers and Rifle Cadet picnic, which took place in Mr Hal let's paddock at Meanee yesterday was, from all we can hear, a great success, the attendance being larger perhaps than on previous occasions.

The annual treat given by the Rev. Father Reigniev to the children connected with the Roman Catholic schools came off on the Mission grounds at Meanee yesterday, and v as well patronised.

We have heard that & private telegram has been received in Napier stating that though the Star of the South was expected to leave Auckland for this port on Saturday last, her departure had been delayed owing to the dis covery of some in a portion of her machinery. We believe tshe may be looked for here about the end of the week.

We understand that the He v. W. M'Gregor takes his departure from Napier by the Keera for the Sputb this evening.

There cannot be a doubt (says the London Era) but that vowing is a most healthful recreation, but what will our readers say to "a long a strong pull' ; of thirty miles to gratify the wishes a lady ? Such, however, was done at Norwich lately. In accordance with a wi.sli of Mdlle. Beatrice's to view the lovely scenery of thy River Yare, Mr Horace Walsington, E. George, and Mr T. N. Wenman volunteered to row that lady ; and one fine morning the quartette started from Norwich and commenced their voyage, the wind and the tide being strong against them. Although amateurs in this line of business, they were not daunted, but, by most Herculean exerions, after some hours, the expanse of water known as Breydon was readied, and shortly after Yarmouth Bridge appearing in sight, the pleasant aquatic trip of thirty miles svaw, to the delight of the party, espe dally the fair manageress, un fait accompli. The return was effected more speedily by rail, as their presence was necessarily required at the theatre.

The Evening Post says : —-The genius who elaborated that provision of the Stamp Act winch enacts that when adhesive stamps are used they shall be cancelled by the person ro signing " his name as that past of his signature shall be on the left side of the stamp, part on the stamp itself and the signature shall be written continuously," would feel pale if he heard the blessings rained on his head by people from the country districts, whose journey to town is often lost because the cheque or order they bear is refused payment through the stamp not being cancelled as provided. What does it concern the Government how the stamp is cancelled so long as the duty imposed on the transaction is borne on the document? Why should a man deform his handwriting to stretch his signature across one or more stamps? or why should he be compelled to write his name twice—once as drawer of the cheque, and again as canceller of the stamp. We are glad to see by the Auckland papers that the Banks there, for their customers' security and their own, will accept only the signatures written apart from the adhesive stamp;

in fact, they adopt a common procedure, leaving the act to take care of itself—that is to say. they have refused to pay cheques signed as directed by act; but by their refusal they will remove temptation from those who, holding a cheque signed with a short name, say Bogle, might be disposed to remove the stamp and affix it to one for a larger amount. It would be a great convenience to the public if the Banks throughout the Colony would adopt an uniform practice in the matter, and comply with the spirit of the act (as to the amount of duty), without regard to the preposterous provisions framed by amateur Solons tinkering at their profession. Hi- Worship the Mayor of Auckland has ottered a gold medal to be fired for by Cadets only.

In the Auckland Provincial Council, on Dec. 21, Mr Lundon moved, and Mr Phillips seconded, the following resolution, which was carried, viz. : "That in the opinion of this Council it would tend to encourage Volunteering in this province it" prizes were offered by the Provincial Government to the best shot* amongst; the "Volunteers, and also to those who showed the greatest efficiency in drill. That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to recommend for appropriation by this Council the sum of .£7OO to promote the above object. To be distributed as follows—,£.soo among the Volunteers, and £2OO among the enrolled Cadets and boys learning drills at schools in connection with the Board of Education. That his Honor be requested to confer with the commanding officers of the districts of Auckland, Hauraki, Waiuku, Waikato, and Tauranga, as to the best mode of offering these prizes.'' The Southland News says that those interested in Orepuki as a gold-field, will be pleased to learn that a higher price is given for Hie gold yielded by that district than for that produced anywhere else in New Zealand. We have information from one of the banks which buys most of the gold, that it averages on assay close on 23 carats.

Mr Hector M'Lean unites to the Taranaki Herald that if the Government will grant certain conditions to rhe natives at Ngatimaru, they will allow Europeans to prospect for gold on their land. Mr M'Lean says that alluvial gold is to be found there.

The coal exported from the United Kingdom dining 1871 has averaged over a million tons per month.

We learn from the Thames Guardian that a farther parcel of some 12 cwt. of the coal found on Mr Foot's farm, on the opposite shares of the Hauraki Gulf, has been brought over to Short land for a further "trial. They have driven fifteen feet into the seam, and are not yet driven through it. The present parcel seems to be a great improvement on the former one, as far as the quality is concerned. Three bags have been taken by Messrs. Raithby and Muir, who intend to test it thoroughly at the machine.

The official inquiry into the recent fire at the Choral Hall, A ll pU ai nJ> proved conclusively that the fire was caused by an incendiary. It appeared during the investigation that the police force of the city is so small that three or at most four men are all that are available for night watchi tig. The jury returned a verdict of incendiarism, and recommended that there be an increase in the police force. One witness said that had a small hydrant been available the lire could have easi.y been extinguished shortly after it was discovered.

The eruption of Vesuvius has assumed renewed force. On the evening of the 17th September the lava flowed abundantly, descending to the mouths of the Atrio, Cavalla, and Vetrana. Mr M'Csdlogh Torrens, M.P, presided at a meeting of the United Kingdom Kail way Officers and Servants Association, on the 27th Sept. He cau tioned members of friendly societies to be on their guard, as next session Government would assuredly introduce a measure depriving them of tlieir. privilege of self-government, and banding them over to police government and surveillance.

Some splendid specimens of auriferous quartz are reported to have been, obtained in the Tokomairiro district.

With reference to the Auckland sharemarket, Mr J. M. Lennox, under daie Dec. 22, reports ? —Tiiere was not much business done in the Exchange to day. My sales comprise :—Caledonian, £.59 to £SB; Thames, ,£ls; Tookev, £l9. Closing sellers: Caledonian, £5.6 10s; Thames, £ls; Tookey, £2O Closing buyers: Caledonian, £56 ; Thames, £l4 10s; Toojrey, £l9.

There was a charming dog case heard on the Croyden Circuit. Lady Selwyn claimed a dog, a splendid specimen of the Labrador breed, all black but his client and paws, and with a magnificent head. It was urged by plaintiff that the dog was only two years old. It was in the possession of a*Mr Boothj who alleged, in all sincerity it would appear, that the dog was seven years old, and had been lost by him in 1867, and had since been recovered. Baron Bramwell, who understands big dogs, suggested that the dogs evidence should be taken, and the beast being introduced into court and accommodated, as became his dignity, with a seat on thp bench, gave his evidence, we were going to say like a Christian, but much more discriminatingly than mo.-t Christians do. He tolerated Mr Booth good natuvedly, but when the governess whu had fed' him at Lady Selwyn's came into court, be whined and struggled to get near her. Not being a Christian, he was not expected to tell lies, and was therefore unsworn; but his evidence decided the ownership, and the Judge decided the damages. He would give £3O for him,he said, —a bitof dericiously irregular and conclusive evidence. The dog on hearing the decision quitted the bench, cut Mr Booth dead, and lan delightedly up to the governess. He ought to have a vote.

On Saturday evening, September 28, in Dalltield walk, Dundee, the wall of a four-storey hoifee just erected fell out into the street. Large numbers of people were passing up and down the street, which is one of the narrowest iu Dundee, but no one was hurt

There died at Blacknowe, Gienrinnes, in the upper district of BanrMiire, Scotland, on the 10th Septum her, Lewis Grant, in the 101st year of his age. Grant was a very lively little man, and retained nearly all his faculties till his dying day. On the 7th June last he joined spiritedly in a dance with a few friends who assembled to celebrate his centenary.

Mi' Alfred Reyner, one of an extensive firm of cotton, spinners and manitfacti i rers at A*hton-under-Lyne, died on Friday night, Sept. 22, from the effects of a bite he received from a horse on die previous Monday. Mr Reyner was kindly giving a horse a little hay to eat, when the animal snapped at and bit his thumb. The wound was not considered at all dangerous, and the gentleman was attending to his business at the mills up to Thursday. On Friday, however, two medical gentlemen were called in, and Mr Reyner died very unexpectedly about nine o'clock on Friday night.

Forty-eightcompanies,%yith 1,888,870 shares, were registered at Bendigo lately in a single week. The rates collected in Ballarat this year are 25 per cent. moie. than in any

previous one. One of our contemporaries has the following advertisement :—" Lost, a large black silk umbrella, belonging tq a gentleman with a curiously-carveci ivory head." When are soldiers like good flannels? —When I hey- won't shrink. Miraculous Cure.—Recovery of a bad debt.

Some men are like waggons; they rattle prodigiously when there is nothing in them.

Notwithstanding the old pioverb, that «' poverty U no crime," yet a man without money is invariably set dows by the world as one devoid of principal. Baron Alderson once, in reply to a juryman's statement that he was deaf in one ear, observed, " Then leave the box before the trial begins ; for it ift necessary that jurymen should hear, both sides"