Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 133, 29 August 1868, Page 3

Local and General News.

The ship Asterope, Capt. Stuart, left Gravesend for Wellington on the 23th June, with a cargo of merchandise and 90 passengers. . The Falcon left Wellington at 9 -10 a. m. yesterday, and-last evening was lying at the bar in readiness for the turn of tide to come up the river.

In consequence of the severe weather on Tuesday evening, the meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society was postponed until Tuesday next, when Mr. Johnson will contribute an essay.

The p.s. Lyttelton, Captain Scott, arrived from Nelson on Tuesday last, and sailed again for the same place on Wednesday. She maybe expected here again to-morrow, leaving for Nelson on Monday next.

The ship Wild Duck, Captain Bishop, hence the 23rd March, arrived at Gravesend on the Ist July. Her arrival at Scilly Islands was telegraphed to Loudon on the 26th June, 95 days out. — lndependent.

jjSWe understand that Mr. Hanson Turton has lately been appointed by his Honor Mr. J uatice Richmond, a Commissioner for taking the acknowledgment of deeds by married women, under the Act of the Imperial Parliament for the abolition of fines and recoveries, and for the substitution of more simple modes of assurance.

X His Honor Judge Ward.— The legal gentle fmcn of Wanganui have presented a congratulatory address to Mr. Justice Ward, on the occasion of his elevation to a seat as Judge of the Supreme Court. His Honor’s reply was of the most cordial fckind. He referred with pleasure to the past 'twelve years, during which he has acted as District Court Judge.— lndependent.

Novelty.— On Tuesday afternoon last we were visited by a fall of snow which continued for a short time, but to no depth, as it melted nearly as quickly as it fell. Some attempt at snow-balling was made in the vicinity of the Market-place. The hills presented a novel and yet beautiful spectacle to those bold enough to turn out to see them. We are informed that it isjiine yearsjsince snow fell in this locality before. E understand that the works at Murphy’s ; Creek are proceeding vigorously, and as the men are working early and late, it is very probable that they will have finished within the stipulated .time. As a proof of the fall to be gained, it is ■ stated that on Friday last, the water rose above the dam at the mouth of the creek, which was 5 speedily built up again ’ higher than the water, |which emptied itself through the unimproved ‘'channel at the rate of two feet in depth in less .■than tea minutes.

f The utter absence of any organisation for repairing the streets of the town, has compelled /the inhabitants to commence in several directions to do the necessary repairs themselves. Notably, one very bad. place in Grove Road, near I Mr. Romford’s, is being filled with gravel by public subscription; in Alired-street a similar process is going on ; and the road branching off from the Taylor Bridge has already been considerably improved by private means in a similar manner.•_

Marlborough Press Company Limited.— The Press says :—“The annual meeting of the shareholders of the above company was held at the George Hotel, on Thursday last, but the attendance was small The liquidators’ statement of accounts to the 19th August, 1868, was placed before the meeting, from which we take the following items Receipts, £749 Bs. ; ex-, penditure, £749 Bs. ; liabilities, £303 18s. 7 id.; assets, £4 5 18s. 4d.” It is rather singular that the receipts and expenditure should be alike to a penny, and without a balance on either side. It is not every concern that can cut its coat according to its cloth so exactly.

A Circulating MeSdium. —It appears there is one town in the Auckland province consisting of nine houses, and that the principal circulating medium is an old shilling with a hole in it, which passes from hand to hand with great regularity, doing the entire trade of the place. Happy fellows who live there ! The bailiff who would levy would stand but little chance,of the “shilling with the hole in it,” and yet theory for Local Self-Government has been heard and felt there. A fortunate resident of that town, writing to the New Zealand Herald, .on the 24th ultimo, puts it thus :—“ Sir—-The town of Eaglan consists of nine inhabitated houses, yet by the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Blandon, the very talented manager of Messrs. Owen and Graham’s store, we Imve now a Town Board, and are assessed, and, as I believe, in these bad tithes blessed with a rate of three-halfpence in the pound. No doubt it is nothing to the firm of Owen and Graham, but in a place like this a shilling with a hole through it, keeps making its weekly turn round, each person taking it in its turn; it is, I can assure you, the chief circulating coin in the place, &c.”

f Fire Last Evening. —A few minutes before 12 o’clock last, evening, an alarm of fire was raised in Blenheim, which it transpired was at the dwelling-house of Mr. Phillip Lawrence, near the Maxwell Bridge, from the ridge of which flames were issuing. A number of persons were quickly on the spot, and with a few buckets of ■water judiciously applied to the roof soon quenched the flames ; meantime another party entered by the.. window, where they found the paper-lining of the wall and. ceiling partly consumed, and a plentiful supply of water being obtained, it was soon extinguished. An examination of the interior showed beyond doubt that the fire had commenced on one side of the fireplace, where an empty, candlestick lay on the floor, which was burnt through, ran up the paper, round the ceiling, and had caught the roof. No person was in the house when it was discovered —Mrs. Lawrence having left for the West Coast on Wednesday last, by the p.s. Lyttelton, while Mr. Lawrence was at Ewart’s Hotel. Upon his arrival after the fire was extinguished, he examined the place where he kept his money, and stated that it had been stolen. At present the origin of the fire is involved in mystery, but the premises were insured with the Northern Assurance Company, at whose •instance, we are informed, an inquiry will be held this day (Saturday).

Trtfc GANTERBCtiV Rivers Bill. —We have received a communication.-from a VYelliugton correspondent, under date .the 22nd iasfc., informing us that this Bill—which It will be remembered was committed for the purpose of adapting it to this and other parts of the colony—will not be recognised when it cocdes opt of the hands of the Select Committee, who have not yet reported on it. The writer alluded to, referring to our censure of this objectionable Bill, agrees with our remarks thereon generally, especially as to its unsuitability, in its original state, to the Waifau district. ■ - ■ • Too Bad ! —We are sorry to find that the Pro- . vincial Treasury is still unable to pay the accounts and salaries, for some weeks overdue. We were hopeful that the amount stated to be-payable by the General Government had been paid, having seen some announcement to that effect in one of our contemporaries. That statement was, however, incorrect. A few hundred pounds were paid on account, but we are assured that the large amount of something like £9,000 or £IO,OOO is still due by the General Government from the Consolidated, Land, and other funds. It is important that the province should know this, especially as ic may have been misled by the statement above referred to.— -Independent. Wairau Valley. —On Friday evening last a ! tea-party and ball took place at the School-roomj as a kind of valedictory honor got up by the inhabitants of this locality in favour of Ur. Langley Adams, who is about going to England. After' tea a concert, was held, when solos were sung by .1 Messrs. Ockley, Whim, Smart, Drew, Cleaver, and Murdock, between each of which the dancing was kept up with a liveliness which those who , know the locali.y will readily imagine. Our old 1 friend Mr. Ockley came out quite strong on the occasion, with at least a dozen good old songs for for his share. A variety of other amusements / varied the programme of the evening, and it was \ not until the sma’ hours that the company separated. A nigger troupe also made its appearance, j in appropriate costume, beyond magnificence, 5 Horse-racing ensued oh the following morning, j by way of a wind-up, and if our informant is to i be credited — and ho ought to know — the whole i affair beat everything ever known there.

The Pkoviuces. — An inkling of what the General Government policy is, may be gathered i from the following extract from our well-informed * contemporary, the Independent. The italics are our own, and it is possible therefore that the base robbery contemplated by the Canterbury people, of making Marlborough and-Nelson pay their debts, will not be Successful“ A meeting of members usually supporting the Government was held .on Saturday, the 22nd instant, for the purpose of cousideringcertain propositions which had been previously submitted to the Government, and to which it was stated during Friday and Saturday that Ihe Government had acceded. The general purport of .these propositions is that the General Government shall take the whole of the Customs Revenue, and in return that they shall pay off the debts of the provinces, which are to depend on local taxation for their support. In cases of provinces less encumbered than others, according to arrangement, debentures are to he. given towards local and public works Outlying districts are to have a proportion of land revenue. It is necessary, however, to state that this is the plan in every particular which had been conce’ved by the Government at an early period of this session, and freely circulated. The object in view cannot be mistaken—namely, to cover the retreat they will be obliged to make upon the question of General and Provincial acoounts, which are admitted to be in a' very disgraceful state. The Government, however, must have thought that such a policy proceeding from them would not be acceptable, and they handed it over to a certain “ commissioner,” who handed it over to a certain “ expectant,” who handed it, over to some twenty members, who have accepted the programme. It is a Government measure at second-hand. These twenty odd members.have brought it back 10 the Government, who re accepted it, and in. this manner the plan -will be offered to the House as proceeding from a section of independent members.”