Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 164, 20 March 1869, Page 3

Local and General News.

Tiie Malay arrived in Port Underwood on Wednesday morning last, and has commenced loading wool for London.

Essay and Discussion’ Class. —On Tuesday evening last a meeting of the members of the Mutual Improvement Society was held, when it was determined to merge into an Essay and Discussion Class in connection with the Literary Institute. A code of bye laws was submited and a portion carried, from which it appeared that the subscription to - the class would be a nominal one of 6d. per quarter to members of the Institute, and Is. 6d. to non-members. Mr. Morley was elected Chairman, and Master W. M‘Hutcheson, Secretary. The first meeting will be on Tuesday evening next, when Mr. Rae will contribute an original paper entitled. “Sketches of Modern Humorists,” illustrated by quotations from their works.

B'ROM>a telegram'from Nelson, received yesterday, we learn that the decision of Judge Richmond was given in the case Re Dempsey, but which was really intended as a test to ascertain whether Dr. Muller as Deputy-Registrar, had power to act in Blenheim in respect to bankruptcy cases. The judgment was adverse to Dr. Muller, each party to pay their own costs. The result is that all the bankruptcy cases adjudicated upon by him, namely Dempsey, Millington, Wall’, and Macailister. are annulled, and will have to be begun afresh. Important. —The following circular was yesday issued by the Crown Lands Commissioner, by order of the General Government:—“ Owing to a misapprehension believed to exist in the minds of some of the Lessees of Crown Land in the province of Marlborough, as to the time when their rents are to be paid, I am directed to inform you that the rent specified in your lease must be paid annually in advance before the last day of March, and that the Government will proceed to enforce payment thereof immediately after that day, without waiting to take advantage of their power to doable the rent and forfeit the lease.”

We were this week favored with a view of a very handsome specimen of penmanship, executed by Mr. Carey. The subject was the address to Prince Alfred, intended to be presented in the name of the people of Marlborough, by his Honor Mr. Eyes. It is executed on parchment, and is an elaborate - piece of work. The ornamental initials are illuminated in the style of the 15th century, and the body in German text, with AngloSaxoncapitals Betweenevery line it is beautifully foliated, and in the margin is a very pretty design, composed of fern wreaths, the upper compartment containing a vase of flowers, in the lower pendant sprays of flowers, while the centre contains copy of the seal of the Province, the whole wr being surrounded by a tasteful line border There can only be one opinion in the minds of all who may see the production, which reflects infinite credit both upon the artist and the Province. It is to be regretted that Mr. Eyes’ hasty departure for Wellington will deprive many persons of the gratification of inspecting this work of art.

Llobbehv. Three men myned Joha McVeigh. John Deban, and David oTNeill,0 T Neill, were brought before W. H. Eyes, Esq., Superintendent. and J, B. Wemyss, Esq, J.P., on Wednesday. It. appears that on the llth iust the prisoners called at Mr. Pike’s homestead, at Taradale, pleading that they were hard up. Captain Be Sauais gave them plenty to eat and drink that night, and also next morning. The Captain went out the same morning to the out-station, where he found tuat the lock had been broken off the door of the hut, and two pairs bf trowsers and and a shirt taken away. Coittg’in search of the prisoners, whom he suspected, he traced them to Wantwood, and found they Were coming towards Blenheim. Ha then came on, and reported the robbery to Inspector Emerson, who dispatched P.C. Puap in search of them. He came up with them about six miles beyond Waihopai, and on charging them with the offence, they confessed their guilt. T. e Bench declined going into the case, oh the ground that the offence had been committed in Vel. on Province, end Ternyriled them there to'be dea t 'with by the Bi-dS/ri .there The men wore dfs--nitobvd by the-Lyttelton, which left yesterday Wi'

Our Kaikoura contemporary is quite welcome to the use of our telegrams, on the trifling consideration that they are acknowledged.

We learn that Mr. Kiernan, of Blenheim, has been appointed master of the Havelock School, and will commence hia duties on April Ist.

The resignation of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Lambert as commandant in the Armed Constabulary has been accepted by the Governor.

The firing for the General Government “ Colonial Prizes,” for the Southern Island, will take place at Dunedin on April 2. The Post-office at Kaikoura, Marlborough, is from the Ist April next to be constituted an office for the exchange of separate mails, and other purposes.

A money order office is about to be opened at Kaikoura, and in order to distinguish it from a similarly-named place in the Hawke’s Bay Province, it will be designated Kaikoura South.

The first concert of the Kaikoura Choral Society came off on the 4th instant, and was very successful. Dr. J. B. Williams, late of Blenheim, appears to have been the leading spirit on the occasion. The funds were in aid of the “ Church of Kaikoura.”

Borough op Blenheim. — A proclamation in the Gazette “ constitutes and proclaims the district comprised within the town of Blenheim, as the boundaries thereof are defined in and by the Municipal Corporations Act, 1867, to be a borough under the said Act.”

Appointments. —Mr. W. Whitehom is appointed Registrar of marriages, births, and deaths for the district of Pelorus, vice James Smith, resigned. John Connal and Henry Dodson are notified as duly licensed to act as custom-house agents at the port of Wairau,

We are glad to learn that Dr. S. Fletcher, M.R.C.S. London, andF.A.H. has arrived by the Ruby, and intends casting his lot amongst us. The want of a medical practitioner resident in the district has been long felt, and will soon be duly supplied, an Homoepath “ medicus” having already entered the arena. The arrival of Dr. Fletcher will be hailed with great satisfaction by every class of the community.—Kaikoura Herald. N elson Bankruptcy Gazette. —Henry Black, baker, insolvent, filed March 8. Adams and Kingdom—Morriss Sklaark, draper, Blenheim, assignment, filed March 8. Adams and Pitt. — James Bentley, merchant, bankrupt, to surrender March 17. Adams and Pitt.—John Jones Hornby, auctioneer, Nelson, bankrupt, to surrender March 22. Adams and Kingdom—William Green, farmer, Waimea East, bankrupt, to surrender March 22. Adams and Kingdon.

We understand that the second concert of the Blenheim Philharmonic Society will take place early in the ensuing month. The music is entirely new and carefully selected, and the practices have been regularly and well kept up. We trust the result will be pleasing to the public, and gratifying to those engaged in the performance. We understand that the newly-formed Brass Band will lend their assistance.

Information has reached us that an agitation is astir among the Maoris of this Island again. During the last fortnight many Pelorus natives have been seen about this locality, who,in company with those residing about Massacre Bay and the eastern extremity of Nelson, together with those near Nelson itself, and from Pelorus and Wairau, are going to meet at Motaeka on the 25th of this month, with the view of demanding payment for land alleged to belong to them in the Wairau and Havelock.

We noticed a recent importation the other day of a novel and useful character. Messrs. Powick Bros, having procured from home a patent Rotary Corn Screen, being the latest improvement of the kind, and made by Ransome and Sims. It contains a fan and two rollers, which will separate everything in the shape of foreign matter, and a double screening apparatus which can be adj usted to any size of grain, which is finally ejected, as we understand, in a clean and polished state. The owners are using it in conjunction with their threshing machine, and will, no doubt, find the improvement remunerative.

We regret to hear that it is extremely likely that we shall shortly be deprived of the services of the steamer Lyttelton, as it is in contemplation to employ her on the trade between Patea and Wanganui. We understand that the General Government has proposed to subsidise her for that purpose, since the overland communication is of course stopped by the action of the native rebellion. A similar proposal was, we learn, made to Mr. Cross, the owner of the Lady Barkley, but he declined, preferring to keep her on the line between Nelson and Blind Bay, which he considered would be more remnnerc tive. We have not heard how the place of the Lyttelton is intended to be supplied.

Meeit. —An order in Council, dated March 10th, institutes a new decoration, to consist of a silver cross, bearing the name of the Colony and the recipient, to be worn suspended from the left breast by a crimson riband. It is only to be given to members of the Militia, Volunteers, and Armed Constabulary, who may distinguish themselves by then: bravery in action, or devotion to their duty while on service j but neither rank, nor long service, nor wounds, nor any other condition whatever, save merit or oonspictous bravery shall be held to establish a sufficient claim to the honor. It will he awarded by the Governor on the recommendation of a commanding officer. Successive acts of bravery will entitle the wearer to additional bars on the riband. Holloway’s Pills. —To Nervous Sufferers.— Nervousness, so called, has been said to arise from foul blood or a guilty conscience. When the first is the origin, the afflicted may be cheered by the knowledge that a course of Holloway’s I’ills will dissipate both cause and effect. Many nervous invalids of long duration have afforded the most remarkable recoveries under these purifying Pills, which have assuaged sufferings of the severest character, and steadily restored the afflicted to comfort, confidence, and health, after change of climate and every other means had signally failed. Holloway’s Pill’s renew the lost appetite, and regulate digestion, without permitting those feelings of fulness, flatulency, distension. faintness, and palpitation which seem to threaten instant death to the timid and enfeebled.

A private letter from Wanganui states that that place is recovering its tranquility, owing to the rebels having retreated into the bush, but the outsettlers are still afraid to venture on their homesteads. A great deal of sickness prevails, and much anxiety is felt about the spread of the small-pox.