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Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 163, 12 October 1880, Page 3

'Hie vital statistics for the month ending Sept. 30, 1880, for the Havelock District, are—Births 7, marriages nil, deaths do. The next sitting of the Court of Appeal is fixed for the loth Nov. next, at the Supreme Court-house, Wellington.

The Gazette of the 7th inst. notifies that sparrows and linnets may he taken or killed in any part of the Colony. The annual general meeting of the Blenheim Horticultural Society will be held at seven o’clock this evening at the Club Hotel.

There was a meeting of the Felorus Saw Mill Company at Picton yesterday, but the nature of the business transacted has not, so far as we know, been made public. Two mules arrived at Picton yesterday. They have been imported for the purpose of packing goods to and from the Wairau Valley diggings. They ctcated no small surprise on being landed on the wharf.

The returns of the Picton and Blenheim railway, for the four weeks ending Aug. 29, show the receipts to have been during that period L 379 3s 3d, as against L 32.3 11s ltd for the corresponding period of 1579. A notice appears in the N.Z. Gazette of the 7th inst., in reference to playing cards, that stocks in the hands of dealers or others are to be sent to the Collector of Customs at Wellington, Lyttelton, or Dunedin, to be stamped. MrL. Wilson announces that lie will hold elementary music classes in the Lyceum Hall commencing on Monday, the 19th instant. Persons desirous of joining are re quested to send in their names to Mr V ilsonorMrA. Dobson, bookseller. At the R.M. Court, Havelock, on the sth inst., before W. E. Dive, Esq,. J.P., a man named Kelly was charged with being drunk in Havelock on Monday, Oct. 4th, and was fined 20s and costs 2s. This was the 3rd offence recorded against him. The following tenders were received by Mr W. Douslin, architect, for the Wesleyan Church :—S. Coleman, L 1338 14s ; D. Wemoss, L 1379 15s; Long Bros., L 1475; Smith and Co., LIO2O 19s fid; Davies Bros., LI 700.

Messrs Sharp and Pickering have recently imported about 20 hlids of Dunedin ale, which is, we understand, being rapidly taken up by the local trade here, and if it becomes popular with the public, will be likely to be brought into use here, as it was some time ago.

Intending exhibitors of wool at the Melbourne Exhibition should send in applications for space to the Town. Clerk at once. The wool must be in Melbourne by the J!)th December. Mr Ward is the only applicant for space this far. W. 0. Hodgson, Esq., the Inspector of Schools, will examine the Picton schools tomorrow, completing the North side of the Wairau, before examining the Blenheim ami other schools in this neighborhood, he intends to commence at Blenheim on the 2Sth inst.

Colonel Reader arrived in Picton yesterday for the purpose of making arrangement for handingover the gaol to the police, and- arranging other business in connection with police matters. He was met on'the wharf by Major Baillie, Captain Kenny and Inspector Smith, and will come on to Blenheim this afternoon.

At the last meeting of the Spring Creek Rivers Board, the Secretary was instructed to sue every person whose rates were still unpaid, and as the Secretary was seen hovering in the vicinity of the Magistrates office to-day, it is more than probable that he has initiated proceedings for an early settlement.

We take the opportunity of reminding our readers that Mr G. J. W. Griffiths will sell to-morrow (Wednesday) afternoon at half-past two o’clock, the entire stock-in-trade, household furniture, and effects of Mr John McAllister, wheelwright. &c., Grove Road.

The monthly inspection of the Blenheim Volunteers and the members of the lienwick Company residing within two miles of Blenheim will he held this evening at 7.30 in Ewart’s Hall. A meeting will lie held after parade to arrange for the first competition for the gold medal, and other business.

Mr Western and his men proceeded yesterday on to a portion of Maybank run, to survey the ground comprised in Mr Byrne’s application for a mining lease, but when they got there it was found that Messrs Fell’s men were in possession, and after a consultation it was thought best for the surveyor to retire with his party and instruments.

Several small parcels of gold have been brought into town from the Upper Wairau diggings within the past few days but the old story is repeated that there have been no large finds but sufficient is being obtained to warrant further prospecting and encourage the belief so generally entertained, that payable gold exists in very considerable quantities in the locality. The joiht Committees of the several Friendly Societies (representing the Oddfellows," Foresters, and Hibernians) met last night in.the Institute, when it was decided to celebrate the anniversary with a procession, fete, and dinner, the latter in lieu of a ball as formerly. .Sub-Committees were appointed to draw up a. programme of sports, to report on the best arrangements for the dinner, to report an the best site to bold the sports, and to arrange for the printing and advertising. Ihe Committee adjourned until Monday, the 18th instant, at 7.30 p.m. Our Havelock Correspondent, writing under date October Bth, says : A rather nnsual event happened yesterday, Mr Wm. Bickering being the hero of the occasion, he in company with_ ajiother successfully pilotteil a four-wheel buggy up to Cooper’s accommodation house, about six milea.beyond .Canvass Town, i/fhis is the jgrri&iijuiy plum* rss'Sri-J'j hr.lt.. .soi’UO Mbi ,tl 'hXiofoD

first time a vehicle lias been taken so far m that direction, and the inhabitants there literaliy viewed it as a curiosity, and their surprise was no doubt as great as a certain lady's, who after having lived all her life in the remote recesses of the Blackdown Hills, bordering between the counties of Devon and Somerset, when she found herself in “ Lunnon,”and first beheld a steamer —that is a steamship—was so dreadfully frightened at the sight that site swooned away, because, as she graphically expressed it, “ J thought it was alive ! ”

Wc cal! the attention of our 1 readers to an advertisement in another column, in which tenders arc invited for excavatinga tail-race for the Hydraulic Sluicing Company at Wall amarina. This looks like business in the right direction, and we wish the Company success in their undertaking. The Company has already been at considerable outlay and St is to he hoped that their ckim will yield a handsome return!

At the meeting held at the Masonic Hotel on‘Friday evening last, to make arrangements for sports on Boxing day, there was a good attendance. The following officers were elected to carry out the above sports. President, Mr W. B. Girling; Treasurer, MrH. Dodson ; Secretary, Mr W. Clonstom Committee, including the above officers, Messrs Jos. Rayner, Cl; Riley, G. Fell, F. Pickering, J. Barry, and C. Redwood. Handieappers of foot races, Messrs Girling and Dempsey ; of horse races, C. Elliott. It was agreed that the Committee meet to draw up a programme on Friday next.

On Monday evening next at eight o’clock the drawing for the two quarter-acre sections of land which Mr Purser offers to the public will take place at the Lyceum Hall, and is sure to command a large attendance. The chance of securing a freehold by drawing a lucky number is a very tempting one and in this ease, as everybody knows that everything connected with the drawing will he thoroughly fair there can be no doubt of Mr Purser securing numerous patrons on the occasion. All who make purchases at his establishment this week, and all who pay their accounts hy Saturday next can participate in the undertaking.

A High Priced Ram. —At the Melbourne Ram Show, Mr Cummings refused LISOO for his champion ram Duke, finding it impossible to replace the animal. The Rev J. S. Rislnvorth, Wesleyan minister, formerly of Blenheim, has been lecturing in Christchurch on the “ Waikato Campaign.” One of the features of the affair was the singing of a Maori song.

A Novel Punishment. —In Perm, Russia, a judge sentenced a sheep stealer, “ first to receive 20 blows from a rod, then to be arrayed in the skin of the murdered sheep, and to be conducted to the beat of drums through all the streets of the town; at the door of each house the thief to he halted, and the occupier of the house to deal him a blow with a stick.” We are told this sentence was carried into effect, to the great amusement of the people, but not a word is said as to how the culprit fared, or if the blows were light or heavy ones. Mr D. Macallister recently gave a lecture in Melbourne, under the auspices of the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination Society, entitled “ Vaccination as a Fertile Source of Disease and Death.” The lecturer closed by mentioning a number of cases that had come under his own observation in and around Melbourne, where erysipelas, pyemia, and syphilis had followed vaccination. A number of gentlemen discussed the matter, and asked questions which were answered by the lecturer, who then called upon those present to enrol themselves as members of the Anti-V accination Society, and strengthen the hands of the Minister of Mines, Mr YV illiams, and Mr D. M. Davies, M.L.A., when they brought their motion forward in Parliament for the abolition of the compulsory clause of the Vaccination Act. There have been, if medical testimony is to be believed, cases in Auckland which would fully confirm the statements made by Mr Macallister.— Wf-tUu AW

A book has just been published in London, entitled -l The Progress of the Y\ orld in Arts, Agriculture, Commerce, Instruction, Railways, and Public W ealth since the beginning of the Nineteenth Century,” by Michael 11. Mulhall, F.S.S. The following is a literal quotation from the hook, and will doubtless amuse Now Zealanders, to whom it will be news with a vengeance : offices, newspapers, &0., at Dunedin, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and other, town*. Dunedin lias 20,000 inhabitants, Auckland 14,000, the latter heimj the neat <;/ Government.” We conclude, therefore, that the information given by the book is not always reliable, and we are sorry ; for the paper, printing, and arrangement of contents arc excellent. — Week!;/ New*.

Railway Accident. —On August 10th the Flying Scotchman, which is one of the fastest express trains out of London, and which runs to Edinburgh, mot with a shocking accident. The scene was the Marshall meadows, which are about an equal distance from Berwick and Burnmouth. Just at this point a curve takes place, and new rails and sleepers had just been laid, and the navvies were still busy with their work when the accident occurred. The Flying Scotchman, which leaves Edinburgh at 10 a.m., and is due at Berwick at 11.15, was warned of danger hy the floating of a red flag. When the train came within sight of the signal it was going at the rate of fifty miles an hour. The distance at which the red Hag was seen seems to have been too short to allow the driver to pull up his train, which dashed along on to the new laid rails, which were torn up and bent into all imaginable shapes. The force of the train appears to have been so great that the engine rebounded to the other side of the line, tore up the seaond roadway, and again rebounded ill such a manner that it was turucdjwifch its face in the direction of Edinburgh. The wreckage was frightful. The passengers escaped miraculously.

At the Ottery Sessions an extraordinary case of assault was ilealt with, the complainant being the llcv. W. B. Ourncy, the curate at Whimple, and the defendant Mr A. A. Smith, a young man of independent means. The defendant has recently married and returned to England. On Sunday, the 11 th .Tuly, the complainant was the preacher at the village church, and in expounding the text, “ The wages of sin is death,” lie referred to the return of the prodigal son. anil made other references which the defendant regarded as personal to himself. Smith went to the curates lodgings, and left a message that he should horsewhip him. On the following 1 hursdaythey met in the road, when Smith charged the curate with insulting him in his sermon. The curate denied that he intended any personal reference, but the defendant was not satisfied, and, seizing the curate, laid a dog whip across his shoulders, and subsequently put the curate’s head under his arm. TJie dofendairt now apologised, withdrew ; the accusations he had made against the Curate, and agreed to pay the costs and L 25 to the .Exeter Hospital. On these terms the' Bench { consented to the withdrawal of tluCsthrlriions'. J *" i '

A petrified.human body weighing nearly 2,0001bs is said to liave’b’een found recently near the city of Washington. It measured six feet three inches in length, and wds broad in proportion. The chest, arms, and legs were magnificiently shaped and well preserved, and the head and the rest weie perfect. It had evidently lain upon its back, One leg was slightly drawn up, and the left hand was clenched, but was nothin" in it. The right hand grasped a tomahawk, The hair was rumpied and matted. A large hole was found in the forehead ricar the right eye, which looked as if it had been made by a bullet; The theory advanced ill that this Was some great chieftain who had fallen in battle M'itli the early settlors, and his braves,. being worsted, were obliged to retreat: Not having time to carry his body off with them, and not wishing the whites to fall heirs to it, they hastily dug a grave and here deposited the mortal remains of their beloved leader. It is in perfect form and preservation, the features of tile face depleting' the- death agony.

The following events, we learn from the Melbourne y! </e, occurred on board the Tararua on Her late trip from New Zealand to Melbourne, one of which, unfortunately, has been of a fatal character : —• A steerage passenger who embarked. at Dunedin was missed on Tuesday morning, the 14th, and though overy search Was made, and the whole of the passengers mustered, no trace of him could be found. From documents discovered in his pocketbook, his name proved to be Michael Carr, lately a resident of Southbridge, Canterbury. He was last seen by a fellow passenger in his bunk at ten o’clock on Monday night, but was not missed until six next morning. Carr had been suffering from neuralgia; it can only be surmised that deceased went on deck during the night and was precipitated overboard, as a heavy Jsca was running at the time, and a hard gale was blowing from the South, causing the ship to roll heavily. During the time he was on board he appeared to be a steady and respectable man, but rather reticent. An event of a far less sorrowful character occurred on the Friday previous, when of the steerage passengers gave birth to a pair of fine hoys, all of whom are doing well. Much sympathy was felt for the poor woman, no medical man being on board, but Mr Jones, the purser, who lias had a little experience, rendered all the assistance necessary. The mother had every reason to he thankful for Mr Jones’ ability and attention. The next noticeable was one which terminated very happily, viz., a marriage. A gentleman, who by accident was carried on from Port Chalmers, gained the affection of a young lady, who with her parents wore passengers en route to England. Sueli was the devoted attachment of the young couple, that a special license was obtained at the Bluff, where they were married, the young lady returning with her husband to Dunedin.

A thrilling encounter with a Kangaroo is described by the Uralla Times as having taken place a few days ago at Waterloo station ten miles from Walcha. ,; Feed is so scarce hereabout that the kangaroos, which are numbered by hundreds on the run have become quite docile, and even insensible to the presence of their enemies—men and dogs. On the day in question a laborer named Armstrong, with a lad of 11 years of age, son of Mr j. H. Head, the lessee os Waterloo, was engaged in cutting chaff at one of the sheds, when an ‘old man’ kangaroo of unusual size hopped up to the place where they were working and, in a most unconcerned manner, began to eat the straw lying about. Armstrong at once proceeded to drive the animal off, but the ‘old man’, prompted by the pangs of hunger, resisted the intrusion, and ‘went for’ his assailant in truly orthodox fashion. In less time than it takes to relate at short intervals by application of the animal’s teeth thereto, kept up a constant play upon the features of his victim while his legs were engaged in the destructive work of ‘ripping.’ Master Head, possessing himself of a tomahawk gallantly attacked the ‘old man’ in the rear. The first blow lopped off one of his front legs, and at the second thelnstrument;struck deep into the skull of the annual, which’relinqnishing its grasp fell back lifeless to the earth. But for the presence of mind and bravery deployed by the hoy the consequence of the kangaroo’s attack must have proved serious to Armstrong, whose face chest and legs were severely cut and scratched while his clothes were almost rent to pieces indicating some very rough usage at the hands, or rather feet, of his assailant, and demonstrating the fact that the large centre toe or nail which embellishes the hind foot of the kangaroo, is a formidable weapon at close quarters.”