INVERCARGILL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 3, 9 May 1863, Page 3

INVERCARGILL.

(from our own correspondent.)

Since my last the weather here has been variable —true to April's characteristics of the olden time—sunshine and showers, with a morning call from " Jack Frost." At dawn yesterday early-risers found that gentleman had laid his hands on everything. The trees, shrubs, and grass were fringed with snowy white, and a thin coating of ice was on the pools of water with which we are so abundantly supplied; but ice and fringes all disappeared when the sun had gained his strength. On the whole the weather has been good for the season, and the natural sequence is an improvement upon our highways and bye-ways. Tay-street has become passable for pedestrians, and unless a change for the worse takes place, the tenders for boats will not be asked for at present. You are aware our very active and intelligent Town Board was at loggerheads with his mightiness the Commissioner for Crown Lands, regarding the right of the former to take gravel from the town reserves, for the purpose of forming Tay-street. Mr. Commissioner summoned the contractor for so doing before the Resident Magistrate, and after three hearings, the comedy was played out last Saturday, when Mr. Commissioner accepted a non-suit on payment of costs. Simply because of this little fracas four of the Town Board members resigned, and endeavoured to justify the step at a public meeting. I wonder if they do not now consider it would have been better to have valiantly stuck to their posts. In connection with the resignation of the four, a " correspondents'" war has been raging in the columns of the "Southland News." Which side had the best of it I am unable to inform you, as I never took the trouble to read one of the letters, but it seems the writers have been forgetting so far the courtesies due to one another, that the editor has exercised his prerogative, and summarily put an end to the discussion. While I am still on that much abused thoroughfare, Tay-street, I may mention that during the last week one storekeeper has successfully lowered his building to the new level, and another is engaged in following his example. This must have cost a good deal of money, but there is little doubt the proprietors will be reimbursed by customers entering more readily right off the street, than if they had a flight of steps to surmount. From Kelvin-street westward, the street is beginning to assume a respectable appearance, but from that point eastward, traffic for drays is so difficult, that the contractor was endeavoring to form a track by laying down large quantities of flax. This will make the passage easier for a time at least. Except that the bodies of Captain Aldred and one of the seamen have been found, no further particulars have reached town regarding the shipwreck at Riverton. A subscription on behalf of the widow and child of Captain Aldred has been set on foot, and is very liberally responded to, so far as I can judge. The captain and owner of the lost cutter has also issued a subscription sheet, asking for public assistance to retrieve his misfortune, and I believe the appeal is not being made in vain, Could you do nothing in your quarter for the sufferers ? If some one were only going in earnest about the matter I think something might be done. Dr. M'Lure, coroner, left town to-day to hold an inquest on the body of Captain Aldred. The Sir William Eyre, whose arrival was almost despaired of, has at last reached the Bluff. The mortality and sickness on board has been something frightful. She originally shipped 409 passengers; of these 22 found a grave on the wide ocean, and another, who died after arrival at the Bluff, was buried on shore. This makes the deaths nearly 6 per cent, of the whole, which .would augur that there has been something wrong. The ship left the Clyde on the 21st December, and running short of water, had to put in at the Cape of Good Hope, where she anchored on the 10th March, and remained eight days. Sickness being still on board when she reached the Bluff she was put into quarantine, but after an investigation, the yellow flag was lowered yesterday, and we expect the passengers up in town to-day. What they are to do puzzles me not a little. The weather promises to prohibit out-door labour, and I know there is no room for anything like the number at all the in-door employments. Between immigration from, Victoria, Ta§-

mania, and Otago, the labour market is overstockcd at present, and numbers are going about unwillingly idle. A Police Constable was charged before the Resident Magistrate on Monday, with attempting a criminal assault. Stripped of legal verbiage the case seems a very simple one. Prosecutrix was out on some message to a store at an hour unusually late for a female to be abroad unattended. Prisoner followed her and after some remarks, wanted a kiss, at the same time seizing her and putting his hand under her clothes. She struggled and got away, a storekeeper to whom she applied for protection sending his assistant home with her. The serious part of the eharge being departed from, prisoner was convicted of common assault and sentenced to two months imprisonment. Opinion is divided as to the justice of the award, but it [is generally felt, that considering the culprit's position, the Bench could not have acted otherwise.

Another long trial before the same Court, was that of Hately v. Cameron, on Tuesday. Defendant was charged with having in his possession 4,500 sheep afflicted with scab; and the plea was non-liability, it being endeavoured to be proven that the sheep had changed hands before the scab broke out. This was not sustained by the Bench, and a fine of sixpence per sheep was imposed—the total amount of the fine not to exceed LI 00.

You will probably have heard that a Chamber of Commerce is being established here. Last Saturday a code of rules, or constitution, was agreed upon, and though not yet properly formed, the Chamber commenced operations by considering a strongly worded memorial on the state of the Mataura road to the Lake. If the allegations contained in the document are correct, as the gentlemen present seemed to believe, there is certainly an urgent necessity for doing something in the matter. The Chairman tried to throw cold water on a proposition that the Superintendent should be seen on the subject, but the meeting unanimously appointed a deputation to wait upon His Honor. If the Chamber take everything up thus vigorously, they will do some good, and for some time at least will find plenty of work.

What the Chamber of Commerce is doing commercially, another association promises to do socially. Our amusements here are nil, and the long winter nights are beginning to be felt oppressively dull. An attempt therefore is being made to get up a Choral Society, but whether it will succeed remains to be seen. If the promoters can only secure a competent leader, a sufficient number of soprano voices, and a suitable place for practice, I do not see how it can fail to be successful. P. S.—Since I commenced, the weather has changed. A sunshiny morning has turned into a wet rainy day, with occasional blasts that drive everything before them: should it continue the whale boats will be required yet.

Tom Sayers at Home.—At the Clerkenwell Police-court on the 6th February Charlotte Sayers, aged 30, residing at 10 Bellevue Cottages, Camden-street, Camden-town, described as of no occupation, was charged with wilfully breaking 20 panes of glass, value 10s., the property of Thomas Sayers, ex-champion of England, and circus proprietor. The charge sheet was not signed with the name of the complainant, but only with a cross, and upon Tom being asked if that was his he answered in the affirmative.- Tom Sayers then said that the defendant had been away from home for two nights, and on her return she ill-used him. On the sth of February, at about twelve o'clock, she went to his house, and made a great disturbance, and then went outside and threw stones through the windows. She broke 20 windows, and the damage amounted to about 10s. He wanted the defendant to keep away and not annoy or molest him any more, as he was tired of it. She caused a large mob of persons to assemble around his house, and this annoyed him and their neighbours.—The defendant said she was a married woman, and when her husband left her, ci«-ht years ago, Tom took his place, and had cohabited with her ever since. He and his children came, and she looked after them. She stated that on the 4th of February the complainant returned home under the influence of liquor, broke up her home, and threw it into the street, and then kicked her out. He told her after she had taken some of her goods to a little room she had engaged, that if she came on the following day she could have the rest, and when she went quietly for them he refused to give them to her. He had now got a watch and chain, some brooches, and other property belonging to her in his possession.—Tom Sayers said there was nothing of the sort in the house, but if there was anything belonging to her there she was at liberty to have it, and more if she required it, as he did not wish to have anything more to do with her.—Mr. D'Eyncourt ordered her to be bouud over in the sum of £lO to keep the peace towards Tom Sayers and all her Majesty's subjects for six calendar months.—When Tom left the court he was followed by a troop of boys.— Home News, Feb. 26. J

Mr. Gisborne has offered to make telegraphic communication between the four Australian colonies and Cambridge Gulf for a subsidy of £35,000. *