Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 163, 13 March 1869, Page 3

Local and General News.

Another case of small-pox has occurred at Wanganui. Mr. Richmond, has gone upon an official visit to the West Coast. Tk Whake, the Hokianga murderer, has escaped from Mount Eden Stockade. Major Cooper, having enrolled 50 militiamen at the Thames, has taken them to Taranaki.

The Advertiser has had to apologise to Mr. Vogel for recent imputations on that gentleman. We learn that Bishop Soutar purposes visiting the Wairau before winter, when a confirmation will be held.

The township of Tutaenui will in future be known by the name of Marton, the birth-place of Captain Cook. —A di ertiser.

The ex-Queen Isabella is credited with a design to start a paper in Paris in her own interest. A lively editor declares this sufficient evidence of her insanity.

His Excellency the Governor has given up, we hear, his proposed trip to Marlborough, and will probably not visit the Southern Island until the arrival of the Prince.

The Duke of Edinburgh, expected t® arrive here about the end of the present month, will proceed to the Southern porta in H.M.S. Challenger.—Advertiser.

The circumstance of wild ducks being brought to town this week for sale, necessitates the reminder that the season does not commence until the Ist of April, and that the dealer is liable to a heavy penalty under the New Zealand “ Game Laws” for selling them earlier.

¥ Wesleyan Ministers. —A corrected list of /appointments for the year has been received, from which it appears that the Rev. J. A. Taylor is to go to the Richmond (Nelson) circuit; the Rev. W. Lee to Oamaru (Otago) ; and the Rev. Mr. Vickers will come, to Blenheim, t Mr. George Graham, of Auckland, has resigned his seat in the House of Representatives for Newton. Three candidates are already in the field. We are informed that Mr. Creighton, Provincial Secretary of Auckland, and formerly editor of the Southern Cross, is the favorite, and likely to be returned. A telegram from Nelson, received last evening, informs us that the question of Dr. Muller’s jurisdiction (as Deputy-Registrar) in Bankruptcy was argued yesterday at great length, before his Honor Mr. Judge Richmond. Mr. Conolly appeared for the objectors, and Mr. Albert Pitt, instructed by Mr. Nelson, of Blenheim, appeared in support of the jurisdiction. The arguments lasted the whole day, and at the close, his Honor reserved his decision until Friday next. Of course this decision will greatly affect ail bankruptcy cases in this Province.

We hear a well-authenticated rumor to the effect that the Second Class Militia are about to be called oafcTof'tfaifling'and exercise during the present week. — Advertesa\ The Phcebe will leave Picton on Monda3 r next, the 15th inst., for Nelson and the North. The Storm Bird will also leave for Nelson, Wanganui, and Wellington on Tuesday as usual. Latest from Taupo. —We learn by way of Napier that Captain St. George, writing from Taupo, under date 26 th Feb., says :—“Allis quiet here, not even rumors of war, as the Auckland papers say. ” — lndependent. . Meeting of the Coer noil. —The following circular has been addressed to the various members of the Provincial Council this week : —“ His Honor the Superintendent, being desirous of giving the members of the Provincial Council as long a notice as possible of the meeting of the Council, I have the honor to inform you that it is the intention of his Honor to summon the Council to meet on Tuesday, the 4th day of May next ensuing, and that a Proclamation to that effect will be issued shortly.— l am, &c., James Balfour Wemyss, Provincial Secretary.” The Falcon left Blenheim on Tuesday week at 9 a.m., and ran round Cape Campbell with aNW wind; about 3 pm., it blew strong from the South, and she had to put back to Port Underwood. On Thursday, she left in company with the Canterbury and Shepherdess, and arrived at Kaikoura at noon on Friday. Took cargo of wool on board same day, and left at 6 a.m. Saturday, but did not reach Wellington till 6 p.m. Sunday. Left again for Blenheim at 5 a.m. ot Wednesday, and crossed the bar same evening, arriving at the wharf early on Thursday morning. She left again last evening with 79 bales of wool, for the Wild Duck.

Volunteer Appointments. —The following appointments are gazetted :—ln the Blenheim Company Marlborough Rangers Volunteers, Lieut. Elijah Bythell to be Captain.; JStm Kiss'lTng to TjeLieutenaht; and J ohn’Taylor, Ensign. Date of commissions, Nov. 10th, 1868. In the Prince Alfred Company Rifle Volunteers, William Evans Dives to be Captain ; Joseph Johnston, Lieutenant; Joseph Reginald Somerville, Ensign. Date of commissions, Sept. 10th, 1868. In the Pelorus Rangers Volunteers A. T. Thompson to be Captain; D. Wells, Lieutenant; F. Cohen, Ensign. Date of commissions, Nov. 26th, 1868.

On Saturday afternoon last, March 6th, three young men, Messrs Tregurtha, Butt, and M’Mullen, clerks in the Union Bank of Australia, met with an accident while out boating, which placed them all in imminent dan gar. After cruising outside the harbour, when passing the buoy on their return, one of the party in attending to the sail slipped and fell overboard, and in so doing capsised the boat. Fortunately, when immersed in the water they were able to get hold of the boat, to which they held fast for some time, until they became apprehensive that she would sink, when Mr. Tregurtha and Mr. Butt abandoned her and swam to the buoy, leaving Mr. M’Mullen alone with the boat. As the accident was witnessed from the shore, assistance was rendered as quickly as possible, and all three safely rescued from their perilous position.—Examiner.

The Prince’s Visit. —A circular to the following effect has been sent to the various parts of the Province this week:—“The Provincial Executive, having received intelligence that his Excellency the Governor does not intend to bring his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to visit this Province, have passed a resolution ‘ * that it is desirable that an address of welcome, and an expression of the loyal feelings of the inhabitants of Marlborough should be presented to him during his visit to Wellington,” and (with a view of giving the public an opportunity of endorsing this resolution) have caused copies of a resolution requesting his Honor the Superintendent to present such an address to be forwarded to the different districts for signature, I have now the honor to enclose a copy, and to request that you will obtain signatures to the same and return it to me.— I have, &c., J. B. Wemyss, Provincial Secretary.” The form enclosed is as follows, and a -copy has been extensively signed in this neighbourhood this week;—“Sir, —Understanding that his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh will not visit this Province, we, the undersigned, request that your Honor will, on behalf of its inhabitants, present to his Royal Highness, during his visit to Wellington, an address of welcome, expressive of their loyal sentiments, and hopes and wishes for his future health and happiness, and safe return to his native land.”

Resident Magistrate’s Court. —There were only two cases for hearing on Monday last. Charles Ohlsen was charged with assaulting Edwin Harry, at Big Bush, on February 2oth. Mr. Nelson appeared for complainant. It appeared from the evidence that a misunderstanding existed between the parties relative to a stove, left by Harry on Ohlsen’s premises, and stated to have been sold to him for £2 on credit. Harry went to his house on the day named, and left a bill during Ohlsen’s absence, and then went down to Mr. Andrell’s house ; about half an hour afterwards, Andrell came in and said a gentleman wished to speak to him. Upon going out, Ohlsen “jumped at him. bruised him fearful, scratched his nose and pulled his hair,” at the same time requesting him to fetch the stove away* Mw, Andrell was called as evidence by Harry, but,seemed to know little about it, having been too much alarmed at the row to notice what. took place. Her husband was called by defendant. The witness stated that Ohlsen did give Harry a clout with his hand, at the same time accusing him of using abusive language to his wife. De° fendant apologised when reminded by witness for interferring on his premises ; the blow was smartish, but no blood followed. The Bench took a lenient view of the case, and fined Ohlsen 10s., with £2 14s 4d costs. A civil case between the same parties was then beard, Harry suing for £2, the value of the stove, which plaintiff declared he never agreed to purchase, but that it was left on his premises by plaintiff, who never fetched it away. Mr. Nelson proved that the Ohlsen had made an arrangement with plaintiff to pay for the stove in five months. Judgment for plaintiff, with £1 11s. costs. Yesterday” John Courtney was brought before the Resident Magistrate, charged by Mr. Lewis with being drunk on his premises. Fined 205., and in default 43 hoars’ imprisonment.

The Wellington Provincial Council is called together for the 18th inst. His Honor Mr. J ustice Richmond has appointed Harry Pitt, Esq., to be the Revising Officer to revise the lists of voters for the several districts of Wairau and Picton.

Wk learn that the bridge over the Hurunui, connecting this Province with that of Nelson, the work on which has necessarily been suspended during the period of probable freshes in the river, will be completed in about two mouths.—Lyttelton Times.

What are commonly known as “Blue Books’’ are proverbially reckoned dry reading. We entertain a different opinion with respect to a volume received this week from the Government Printer entitled the “Journal of the House of Representatives,” for which we have to thank him. A glance at the contents indicates that we shall be able to reproduce, from time to time, for the benefit of our readers, sundry items of interest to the Marlborough public and the constituency of the Wairau district.

Wb last week reported a case in the Sheriff’s Court, Wellington, wherein the property of a person who had died illegitimate and intestate was therefore conveyed to the Crown. In another part of this paper is a notice of a similar case in the Nelson Supreme Court. These cases are alike specimens of the action of a most cruel law, whereby the faults and omissions of a person and his ancestors are visited upon the unoffending progeny. The sooner this relic of a barbaric age is swept away the better.

Nelson Bankruptcy Gazette.— We submit the following epitome of the Gazette for public information.—Richard B. Scoot adjudged bankrupt on his own petition to surrender March 8, Adams and Kingdon, solicitors.—Win, Akersteiu to pass lost examination and apply for discharge on March 12. Adams and Kingdon, solicitors On the motion of Mr. Kingdon, Judge Richmond issued an order that Tae Colonist should, from ond after Ist March next, be the Gazette for the purposes of the bankruptcy Acts within the .Province of Nelson, from the boundary of Marlborough to Westport. The text states “for such portion of the Province of Nelson as lies to the Northward and Eastward of a line drawn straight from Rock’s Point to the summit of Mount Arthur, and thence due South to the Southern boundary of the Judicial District of Nelson, in lieu of the Provincial Government Gazette of the said Province.”

Port of Kaxkoura.— An order by the Governor is gazetted, which appoints that from the 26th February “there shall be within the Province of Marlborough a port to be called the Port of Kaikoura, the limits of which shall be as follows :—lncluding the waters surrounding the Kaikoura Peninsula and the adjoining coast line, beginning at and including the moutn of Middle Creek in Ingles.or North Bay, and terminating at and including the mouth of Kowai River in Gooch’s or South Bay, within the arc of a circle the centre of which is the northernmost corner of section three (3) in the Township of Kaikoura, the radius of such arc measuring twenty-three (23) cables in length : And that “ Fyffe’s Quay,” situate in Fyffe’s Cove, extending from its junction with Fountain-street to its junction with Avoca-street, jin the Township of Kaikoura, shall be deemed and taken to be a legal landingplace for the lading and unlading of goods at the Port of Kaikoura under “The Customs Regulation Act, 1858.” A Novel Ppoposition.— Some time ago it was seriously proposed that a law should be passed authorising men to take a wife for trial, making it optional with both parties to separate after two years, and without process of law. Mexican partriots go a little further—they want to make a population at any price, and the following articles are discussed as a basis of quick propagation, to wit:—Every man between 20 and 50 years, if not impotent, has to present annually a new born babe to the authorities of his district. Thus, if married at 20 years, he must raise 30 children when he arrives at the age of 50, or pay 1 a heavy fine. Bachelors who should have attained that age without conforming themselves to the said obligation will have to pay a tine according to their means. Illegitimate children will be cared for by the State, but prostitution must cease. Premiums will be awarded to the women who have distinguished themselves in ;raising the greatest number of children. Colonies will be jformed at the expense of Govern.ment, with the special view of furthering matrimony and an increase of population.

A Suspicious Circumstance. —Information 'reached us last Monday to the effect that a topsail schooner of about 80 tons, supposed to lie French, and without a name, and loaded with .ammunition, came into Port Underwood from the southward, on the 24th ultimo, during the rough weather, and left again for the North after dusk on the 27th, Her clearance was said to be for the Fijis, The circumstance shows of what little service the Preventive Department of the Customs is, situate at Blenheim, a distance of many miles from the coast, and without communication. Why, if required to be efficient, is it not situate somewhere in Cloudy Bay, either at the Pilot Station, or, what would be better still, in connection with the Telegraph Station at White’s Bay ? If this was not the original intention of the Government, when they located this station in such an out of the way place, where it cannot be got at by the public, we fail to see what other object they had in view, nor what is gained by having it there instead of at Blenheim. Of we shall be told that messages have to be repeated or “translated” for transmission to more distant places, but experience in other countriesjteaches us that this is not necessary. The English, news, for instance, (we have been informed by ah ex-operator), is despatched from Adelaide via Melbourne and Sydney to Brisbane direct—some thousands of miles—and the clerks at each place are engaged simultaneously in transcribing the same message. The circumstance which gives rise to these remarks is reported in the Wellington Independent of Tuesday last, with the following comment: — The question is frequently asked, How do the rebels get their supplies of ammunition ? Some suppose from the '‘Friendlies,” some suppose from unprincipled importers and dealers, some * suppose (from coasters and American whalers, but nobody appears to know for certain. Perhaps the telegram we publish to-day may throw some light on the matter. ■

The Taranaki Herald chronicles the names of several families who have considerably assisted in populating that Province. One family (the late Mr. Veale’s) consists of 104 souls (9 children, 57 grand-children, and 38 great-grand-clildren), who are all in a good state of health. Mr. 8. Julian’s family consists of 109, including children, grand-children, and great.grand-children. Mr. Foreman’s 96; and iMr. Old’s 87. These four families number altogether 381 souls. The Auckland Punch is responsible for the following ; —For sale or to let—with immediate possession.—That splendid property known as the North Island, a rising country, part of it under thecareful management of Mr.Titokowaru, head butcher to her Majesty’s most loyal subjects. Splendid investment for France, Russia, or the US. of America. Only reason for disposal is the aversion to being eaten before being properly boiled. For further particulars apply to the agent, Mr. Stafford ; or the head office, Messrs. Great Britain and Co

Diseased Cattle Act. —The Superintendent of Canterbury has altered the boundaries as stated in a recent proclamation declaring certain portions of that province infected districts under the Diseased Cattle Act. The following words are Jnowjj omitted : —“All that portion of the Province bounded on the North-east by the Hurunui from the mound crossing to the junction of the Waitohi; on the South-east and South by the Waitohi from its junction with the Hurunui to the point opposite, and due South of the eastern end of the base line ; and on the West by a line drawn through the eastern end of the base line to the mound crossing.”