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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1512, 19 December 1872, Page 2

Referring to tho recent action of several Jockey Clubs in the Colony, in disqualifying tho mare Peeress from running, some of our contemporaries who give special attention to sporting matters are asking whether the members of the said Clubs are not more interested in Peeress not being allowed to run from other motives than turf morality. The New Zealand Heiald strongly advocates better remuneration for telegraph officials.

" A Victim " writes to the Canter bury Press as follows :—" Tt may nob be generally known that the persons 2ivin<r credit to iusolvents between the date of adjudication in bankruptcy and the date of the final hearing and dis charge, cannot recover such debts from bankrupts in our courts of law. It does seem hard that when a man is down and without mean*, in many cases for several months, you cannot lend a helping hand. If the unfortunate is an honest man, you may be safe ; but as there are rogues abroad who have pleaded the bankruptcy law, and have cheated a few innocents, it is best to be on your guard, and give no tick."

"Enquirer" writes to the Thames Advertiser, under date sth instant : ''Sir, —In your Napier telegram, published this morning, it appears that Miss Minnie Parker is recommended to receive the Now Zealand War Medal for distinguished services rendered at the late Povei ty Bay massacre. May T ask how it is that no notice has been taken of the young man Charles James, who it was, at the risk of his own life, aroused Miss Parker and others at an early hour on the morning of the massacre, and who also escorted them safely to Turanganui, and who, by his gallant acts, saved her life and that of many others on that sad occasion I Surely he is deserving ot seme notice from our New Zealand Government." "With reference to thu recent fire in Christchurch, the Lyttelton Times sa y S : —»As a proof of the rapidity with which the main fire was got under, we may slate that a gentleman who took the time carefully informs us that in the short space of half-an hour from the time of giving the alarm all danger was removed*"

The Nelson Colonist, reviewing the late inquiry into the wreck of the City of Newcastle,* concludes by saying: ■• Three things appear to be necessary with respect to our merchant shipping —periodical inspection of boats, the enforcement of serviceable apparatus for their prompt- lowering, and the rendering penal such appointments as that of Bowler's. There should also be some alteration in one or other of the two lights displayed on Pencarrow Head and Mana Island. Both of them aro fixed white lights : one of them ought to be different from the other."

Reports feom different parts of the Province of Auckland state that the harvest prospects are splendid, and the weather continues everything that could bo desired for the growing crops. From the South the news is not so cheering. In the Canterbury province the continued dry weather will cause a partial failure of the oat crop. It is stated that on light soils all hopes to save the crops have been lost. The wheat crops are also likely to bo much below the aveiage from the same case, but the quality is likely to be excellent. Advices from Nelson and Westport state that, after a long spell of dry weather, rain had set in just in sufficient time to save the crops from ruin.

At Cliristchurcb refuse flax is about to be utilized in the manufacture of coarse paper.

The Canterbury Provincial Council has voted Jg2so for clearing the river Avon of watercress. In Otago watercress is quoted in the vegetable maiket at four bunches for threepence. In Auckland mint is vety scarce, and rather high piiced. In Marlborough men are paid by the acre for clearing the land of it.

One of the quartz claims in the Westport district, known as the Little Wonder, is turning out exceedingly rich. One crushing yielded nine ounces

to the ton, and the one to follow, it was expected, would give a return of more than'twice that quantity.

The death of Mr G. H. Broadniore is recorded in a Taranaki paper. Mr Broadmore had resided 32 years in the province. He is described as having been a most energetic and industrious gentleman, and much respected by all who knew him.

A Wellington journal making reference to the loss of document* and papers at the late burning of the Government building in Auckland asks if the Provincial Government of that Province be blamed for not having safes or strong rooms in a stone building, what should be said of the General Government, which has for many years allowed the most valuable and important records of the colony—those in the Crown Lands Office and in the office* of the Registrar-General— to remain entirely unprotected upon shelves in wooden buildings? "Wo paid a visit to both these establishments the other day. The Registrar-General's office is in a dilapidated half-empty building next door to u public-house. The whole atmosphere of the place is indicative of dust and decay, Piles of documents of one sorb or another are heaped up upon the floors; papers are protruded in every direction, and tho whole [dace is such that if it had been constructed purposely that it might be consumed in the shortest space of time, it could not have been better ai ranged. In Nelson, the Caledonian Society have established an Order of Merit for heroic actions. It is stated thai Colonel Sir Thoma» Gore Browne (formerly Governor of New Zealand) has been granted a pension, under the Governors' Pension Act, of £750 a year, in consideration of eighteen years' service. At ChristchuHi, on the sth instant, the thermometer registered 120 degrees in the shade.

A petition is being got up at the Thames, praying the General Government to grant a .sum of money- to construct a railway from the Thames to Waikato and the East Coast

Ad attempt is about to be made at Coromandel to organize a fire brigade. However bumble the first efforts, it is reekoned that even the small nucleus of one may render good service in preventing a fire froKfr extendingj should 0»e bieak out*

At Adelaide a, girl was fawned to death through throwing gasoline on a fire.

The Melbourne Telegraph says: — We are likely to have a summer of unusual heat, such a summer as that of 1852 was, when, after the sun had set in flames, every part of the horizon was lit with bush (lies.

The Melbourne Age is now the largest penny daily in the colonies, its average daily circulation being close upon 17,000 copies.

The New Zealand Herald of the 10th December thus takes to task a Taranaki contemporary :—" The following ultra piece of word-painting—the colors laid on very thick indeed —as touching the weather at Taranaki, is from a local paper. If printed and sent home, and people could realise the description in their mind's-eye, Taranaki would want no agent to represent its immigration interests. Here is a picture framed between two vulgar printers' brass mles :—' The balmy weather has called forth the dragon fly and the cicada from their pupal states, a month before the usual time, Vanessa butterflies are also flitting about-., as though it were Christmastide. Some of our inconspicuous but fragrant forest blossoms are already past their prime, while many of the less fragrant but more beautiful, are preparing to open their petals. The cuckoos have passed a month of their brief visit. The denizens of the deep aie conscious of the influence of the season. The dog-fish approaches the bases of the Sugar Loaves, the mullet leaps in the surf and sports in the mouths of rivers, the littorinse are coming out from the ocean c;ive, with their houses upon their backs, to bask in the sun-lit pools ot the reefs. The evening skies are very beautiful. As soon as darkness sets in, the Southern Cross may be seen with its foot on the Peak of Egmonr. The east is glorious with three of the most splendid constellations —Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades, whilst Venus, in the constellation of the Archer, eclipses all the lesser lights and glorifies the west with hoc brightness » —Yet the New Zealand Herald itself can indulge in "word-painting' as brilliant, as its Taranaki contemporary, and on a very common-place subject, too—a runaway ginger-beer cart. The following is a small extract from the " local " immediately preceding the paragraph already quote.! :—" As the cart proceeded at a tremendous pace, coiks were flying in all directions. So thick indeed' did they fall that an imaginative newspaper chronicler looking out for a job would have been able greatly to improve upon the proverbial showei of frogs or small fish. The discharge of coiks was followed by a really magnificent display of galloping fountains, belchiDg forth jets of snowy foam from the giuger-beer and bright translucent volatiscd water from the soda bottles. Both, as they co-mingled and glistened in the sun's rays, appeared to contain millions of rubies and diamonds and pearls and all the precious gems known to the world and jewellers' shops. No. last se«. scene in a pantomime ever looked so brilliant."

An English telegram, of date sth Deceember, states that her Majesty Queen Victoria had been unwell, but was recovering.