Untitled

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 346, 8 April 1884, Page 2

This is Court day at Gore. Parliament will meet on June sth. On Thursday nig", t this week the moon will be in total eclipsa shortly after olevea o'clock. The steamer Australia, with the English mails via, San Francisco, arrived at Auckland last Sunday evening. For reports of the last meetings of the Invercargili Chamber of Commerce, the Southland Laud- Board, and the Education Board, we are indebted to the < Southland Times.' The reports in question appear on our supplement. Messrs Carswell and Sutton, the judges appointed to award the cup to be presented by the New Zealand Agricultural Company to the best agriculturist on their estate, spent a considerable portion of, last week in inspecting the various farms. They- speak highly of the district generally, but owing to the excellence prevailing everywhere experience some difficulty in awarding the prize. Their decision will, however, be made public in the course of a few days. Last Sabbath having been announced as the day which' should sever Gore from the Mataura Prosbytcrian charge and end the pastprato of the. Rev. Mr Davidson over the former, which will henceforth form a sole charge, a pretty large congregation turned out expecting a special sermon. Mr Davidson, with his usual delicacy and without making the matter formal, selected a -special j reading pointing to the final appearing of all at the judgment scat of Christ, and preached a suitable yet 'elling sermon from a strong appeal test in Ezekiel, expressive of the Divine anxiety that men should turn and live. In further announcing his being meantime continued Moderator of the congregation, he affectionately counselled them to unity, a word of advice that we feel sure will not be lost on this now very respect- , able section of the Christian community. They have a church that is undoubtedly beautiful for situation, As we approach the time fixed for the general election, various rumors are in circulation regarding probable candidates for the different seats. The action of the Wainiea Railway Company in levying a rate on the j settlers iv Hokonui district will seriously impair Mr Driver's chance of re-election should he come forward — unless, indeed, he is able to give satisfactory reasons for the hurried passage through the House last session of the District Railways Bill. This is the gravest charge laid at his door, There are rumorg, however, that Mr Driver will not trouble Hokonui at the next election, but will he found in the field for Bruce, presently represented by Mr M'Doaald. Unkind people say that the leviathan has only been keeping the seat warm for the genial Drivei^ Tho only other name associated with the | seat so far has been that of Mr P. T. Finn, who contested the seat between two and three years ago. It is considered certain he will come out again, but his candidature will not be regarded with any seriousness, his only object apparently being a tour through the country in order to escape the cares of business and the turmoil of a city life. Mr J. W. Thomson does not again seek the suffrages of Clutha, and Mr Horace Bastings and Captain^ Mackenzie have been asked to stand. The 'latter, however, will not desert, Mataura, fo¥%fiich there—is • -lively 'to be^ljjj interesting contest. \~' The craft's in danger 1 A meeting of ths Dunedin Medical Association was held on Friday night to consider the recent manslaughter case, in which Dr Parry was convicted and sentenced to four months' imprisonment, Over a dozen Dunedin and country doctors atended, and with one exception all the speakers supported the opinion that the verdict was not a justifiable one, and that rupture was quite probably not caused by exte rnal violence on the part of Dr Parry, but by internal causes. A good deal of comment was also passed on the indecent haste with which the trial had been hurried on. A resolution was passed (Dr Hocken dissenting) that the verdict was not justified by the evidence, and that the rupture, from which the woman died, might, according to the best authorities, have occurred when the patient was] in the hands of .any thoroughly skilful practitioner. It was further resolved to petition the Government for a commutation of the sentence. The i Auckland Herald,' in a article on the Dr Parry case, says : -" Most jfpepple will be inclined to regard the sentence as altogether too lenient. It is totally inadequate to the heinous nature of the offence.^Suppose a drunken cabman were by his reckless driving lp cause tl)c ,d,oath ,qf h;s fare or to run over a. woman in the styeet and kill her, it is inconceivable that any judge would be found to believe a sentence of four months' imprisonment without hard labor a sufficiently severe punishment. Why a distinction should be made in the case of a medical man who kills his patient by gross incompetency induced by drink or anything else we fail to understand. In pucji a case the punishment jf anyti^ug, $hjoujd be greater. Iv this particular case the circumstances as disclosed arc as bad as they well could be." Those are not the sentiments of the ' Otago Daily Times,' which argues that "At' leas£ there was a very strong doubt of the prisoner's guiit, an.& this being so, he was clearly entiuCC! to $c benefit Qt the doubt. " /' The discharge o£ fyeavn^ jn Gore is such a gross ofEenop against the Town ibyeiasvs jbhat we hope tße, Inspector of Nuisances wil make an example of the stupid fellow who let cat a lpade&gun in the main street yesterday. We believe the offender had been " looking upon the wine when it was red." TJip gun was apparently ajmlcssly fired; but its discharge crpated considerable consternation in the breast of at least one resident who was within easy range. A good many of our agriculturists have commenced threshing. Mr John Cregan has three mills— a Marshall, Robey, and a Clayton and Shuttleworth — at work, and commenced threshing about a month ago on some ryegrass of Mr John Chisholm's. Since then ha has been at work on several farms, mcl udjng those of Mr James Hamilton(Fyra.mids) and Mr Hugh McLean (near Gore). Mr liamilton's crop is threshing very heayily, and the tremendous weight of straw js any r thing but pleasing to those in charge of the mill. At Mr IT. M' Lean's a Robey mill with all the latest improvements is doing good work, and the wheat is turning out a splendid sample, as hard as could be wished. Several stacks of oats have gone .through the mill?, but we regret to hear that owing to many of the crops haying been cut on the green side yields are not up to .owners' expectations, nor do they approach what tho bulk of straw led farmers to expect.

, Messrs MacGibbjatfi. and Sons are having a telephone line effected between their Gore and Gordon h»<s'ness houses Mr Isaac Wilson, M.H.R., has resigned bin seat for Kaiapoi. A requisition to stand in being prepared for the Hon. B. Richardson, The Right Hon. John Bright is sn/Torinfj from congestion of the lungs, and Mr Chtis. j Re&de, the well-known novelist, is reported to i be dying. j Further agricultural returns published giv • ; the yield of wheat in Victoria this season at 15£ million bushels. The average yield par • acre thus remains at 13*89 bushels. | A third death has resulted from the Little , Xtiver railway collision in Victoria, Craik } who was engine driver of the passenger train, having succumbed to his injuries. The drivers of both trains are thus victims of the accident. Altogether 23 persons have been seriously hurt. The following may be taken for what it is worth : — Mr Henry George, the agitator, on coming out the other night from delivering one of his lectures on the equal distribution and nationalisation of property, had his pocket picked of his watch. On finding it out he made a great row, shouting, " Someone has stolen my walch !" One of his late audience hearing him, quietly said, "No, not stolen, only nationalised 1" Mr Edmund Yates, the well-known novelist and editor of: 'Tlic World,' has been sentenced to four mouths' imprisonment for the libe* inserted in that journal upon the Earl of Lousdale. The libel was contained in an unfounded statement of tho Earl's elopement with a lady from.thehunting-field. It transpired at last jnoeting of the Clutha County Council, that Captain Mackenzie had given, free of charge, pand to the value of LIOO, for a portion of the road Kclso to Pukerau. This action on his jnrt forms a strong contrast to tho course sometimes parsued by other landowners in the matter of roads'. /-"'The-ie were high jinks at Wnikaka on Fridfi/y, the 28th ult., on the afternoon of which day a numerous company assembled at Mrs Edge's hotel to bid farewell to Mr Macarthur, the popular station manager, and make him 'a present expressive of the regard i of the residents for him. Mr Ross, now of Otama Station, had collected sufficient funds to purchase a very handsome tea and coffee service, which during intervals in the speechmaking and singing was presented, to Mr Macarthur by Mr David Lamb, chairman of the meeting. Many of the songs were Gaelic ones, and as the day wore on dancing wa3 indulged in, Cameron (from Matanra) playing the bagpipes in excellent style. Very early on Saturday morning, the whole company, headed by i^he piper, marched to the farm of Mr Donald M'Kenzie. and from thence they were conveyed straight to Otama Station, where they had three turns round the brick house and then settled down to dancing and other amusements. Altogether the days were most enjoyable ones. Mr Macarthur has since left for Melbourne. " We had a very good year in 1882, a big' number of lambs and good prices, but last year was a very bad spring, consequently the sheep were lean, and there was a big loss among the lambs, so we had small numbers but good prices for everything but wool. It is almost no better at all now, 7d or 8d per lb. Your colonial thing is far better and quite easily imported, so I. don't expect British wool will ever be a high price again." .Thus writes a resident in Bennan, in the old, licfds f^i : scarcely think yourfrozen^mo&ton^ will do the old counory farmers much damage for a time. Muttoa is very high ; just now lOd and lid per lb. John Brown sent a sheep from New Zealand home to Bennan last year. I tasted a wee bit of it. It was quite sweet and good, but scarcely like newly killed mutton. I think the best plan will be for the people to go where th.c meat is. There are always ship loads going off, and they never appear to be missed." The letter received from the Minister of Lands iv reply to the resolutions forwarded him respecting the decision of the Land Board in the Borthwick and Hertslet dummyism cases, was read at the meeting of the Otago Trades and Labour Council held on Friday evening. Mr Rolleston expressed gratification at the fact that public opinion iv regard to the dealing with pastoral landg is in acs cordance with his own yiews, and proceeds to review past legislation upon this subject. As regards the individual cases referred tc» he states that the Land Board having been constituted the tribunal, and having arrived at the decision, the Government are advised that they have np legal power of interference or appeal in the matter. Th? letter also glances at the result of the measures so far towards promoting settlement on the landi and states that until the Legislature has had a further opportunity of considering the matter, no steps will be taken in the direction of alienating more of the ps.J;orj|,l lands in Otago. The mortgagees of St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Dunedin, have notified that unless arrears of interest are paid immediately, and satisfactory arrangements made for the principal, they will .foreclose. The vestry have collected LJOOO, and require L6OO by the 9th inst!, on which day the question, will be settled. All churchmen haye ; been W£ed for assistance, but great difficulty js experienced in eease^uenpg flf thj gpmmercial depression. The total liabilities are LS6GQ. A very successful entertainment took place at Wyndhara last Friday evening in connection with the BJue Ribbon Army movement. The conce^ took ?ttw ill Leahy-'s Hall, fi,nd there was a large gathering. The Eev. J. N. Butjtlo t&pk fcl>e ghair ; and in his opening remarks referred to tjw ppogre^s pf the movement in the colony". An efficient orchestra was in attendance, and discoursed some capital music during the evening. Songs were given by Mrs Kelly, Misses Cameron and Henderson, Messrs Popplewell and Raymond. Mr anl Mrs Fraser sang the duet, " List to the Convent Bells, >; and Mr and Mrs gelly, "The Crookit Bawbee.-" Readings were given by Messrs gelly and Fisher ; recitations by Mr Dennehy, Master Pratt, and Miss M'Laren. An instrumental duet by Messrs Algie (cornet) and Ferguson (euphonium) was much appreciated. The o/chestra was composed of Messrs Fraser and Popplewell {violins), Ferguson (bass viol), Algie (cornet), Mrs Fraser and Miss Hendersou (piano).^Without being invidious, special mention should be made of the items rendered by Miss Henderson, viz. : « Ehren on the Bhine " and •'•' The Arab's Farewell," The latter being enthusastj.c»lly encored, ike young lady sang " Jessie's Dream." Each pt these was sung with good taste, exquisite feeling and accomplished manner. A vote of thanks to the vocalists and chairman was, on the motion of Mr M'Kay, carried by acclamation. A most pleasant evening was closed by the company singing the National Anthem. Ele;ven persons signed the 'pledge ; and took the " badge of blue."

The party refern: 1 i<> in the following clip from the Queenstown paper is known about Gore : — Charles Rylands, a billiard table keeper, Arrowtown, was brought up at the MiigMratu's Court, Queenstown, on "Wednesday, on four charges of larceny, and was committed for trial at the next District Courl/ on three of them." The; Ofcago Land Board met last Thursday, W. F. Boyer's perpetual lease of '•<•' <. block X, Waikaia, was declared . ..;,...vu tor non-execution of conditions. — \ The district Land Officer at Lawrence recommended that section 9, block XIV, i Chatton, should be oponed for sale on the perpetual lease system, The section had already been dealt with. — J. Harvey requested the Board to deal with the township reserve in block ll,Ohatton, as recommended by the ranger, or that it should be opened for sale. Ifc was decided to recommend the Government to open the land for perpetual leasing at the capital value of L 3. — F. W. Boyer applied for an increase of his pre-emptive right area under section 66 of the Mines Act. Declined. — It was resolved to insert a notice in the Gazette, under section 137 of the Land Act, as to the nonpayment of rent and liability to forfeiture in respect of the following runs : — Nos. 13, 15,427,420, 185,212 a, 212 C, 212 d, 179, and 444. In carrying oat judicial executions it is customary in India to use a silken rope, which costs about L 7, and to grease it each time it is called into requisition. , While some workmen were employed lately repairing the flooring of an old cottage known as " The Ruins," at Harwood, Bolton, England, they discovered a large number of current coing of the realm amounting altogether to L4OO. The late tenant of the dwelling was killed by falling downstairs, and the money is supposed to have been hers. ' A story is told of a youn* commercial traveller who recently caled upon an up. country storekeeper and by mistake handed him a photograph of his betrothed instead of his business caid, saying that he represented that establishment. The merchant examined it carefully, remarked that it was a fine establishment, and returned the carte to the astonished man, with a hope that he would soon be admitted into partnership. They say that Carlyle's ghost, arrayed ' in white, haunts Chelsea at the twilight hour, and recently asked' a little girl for " a penn'orth o' tobacco." That Carlyle should walk, after the manner in which he has. been treated by Froude, is not surprising ; but it might be supposed that, instead of asking for tobacco, he would have made a grim demand for his biographer. The following curious advertisement has appeared in a 'e*i newspaper : — To please my wife.l the v- •dt.'rsi*- ed,declare that from hence forth I wii< j. -ot pi.t my foot in a cafe or "bras seiie.and I b.g my fri -nds and acquaint nee? never to ask in ■ io froquent these haunts of perdition ; and I authorise anyone finding me in a cafe to immediately . demand from me the sum of 50 florins, which wilt be Siven to some public chanty.— SIMON. The old farm of Horace Greely, at Chap, psiqua, has been sold for lO.OOOdols, th&'purchaser being his youngest daughter, Miss uabnella Greely. The property would have fetched a great deal more had there been any competition, but when Miss Greely bidy as she wanted the farm, nobody would bid against her. Said one old farmer, " Let her have it at her own price." It appears that | the farm had to be sold according to the | terms of the will, and that the neighboring farmers are proud of this memorial of the old editor and" statesman. This will remind people of a scene in the " Octoroon." As Prince.Albert Victor of Wales hag entered upon his 21st year, ifc is 'highly probable that. Parliament will, in the present' session, h am T focpnsider the question of a separate for. , him. In /such; avcase the . age during^niPfKlier's ' lif'eti'me^rid before his father's accession to the throne. Frederick, son of George 11 , who went nearest to doing 130, was 20 years and a few months old when in 1727 the' latter became king. ' "it would, however, be mis'eading to compare the status of Prince Albert Victor with that of his ancestor, who never set foot in England till a year and a half after he had succeeded to the position of heir apparent to the Crown,