Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 204, 20 November 1869, Page 3

Local and General News.

We are obliged to omit our usual article from a press of matter at the last moment. Mr. Wood, M.H.R., has been elected Superintendent of Southland. The Taranaki Steel Works are very busy making stampers for the Thames. The meeting of the General Assembly is prorogued to the Ist February next. Tawhiao, the Maori King, is expected to pay a friendly visit to Wanganui shortly. The Havelock Board of Works are notified to meet for business on Saturday evening, the 20th instant. " The samples of quartz found at Makara have been tested k at the Thames, and yielded 4 dwts. to the ton. The BHlarat is expected to be in Port Underwood, in readiness to load wool about Monday or Tuesday next. The execution of Hamiora Pera, sentenced to death for murder and rebellion, took place at Wellington on Tuesday last.--"”" 1 «««By a late Gazette we notice that Ensign Sommer ville has been appointed Lieutenant of the Prince Alfred (Mahakipawa) Volunteers, vice Lieut. A.S. Duncan, resigned. /We are informed that the Rev. Mr. Vickers has sent in his resignation as Minister ,of the Wesleyan Church. As the District Meeting is now sitting at Wellington, a successor will be appointed immediately, y' Gold at Terawiti. —Among the many parties burrowing for gold at Terawiti we learn to-day, on what we believe to be indisputable authority, that gold in quartz has been struck by the Berkshire claim workers at a depth of seventy feet. Specimens have been brought to town containing gold, and the proprietors of the claim are sanguine as to the auriferous character of the reef on which they have struck.— lndependent. Among the articles of import by the s.s. Hero, we notice a considerable quantity of hay. Surely our farmers must feel it a reproach that a country such as New Zealand, which above all others in the world is eminently qualified for the production of grass crops, should be so backward in its agriculture as to be indebted to Australia for any portion of the supplies, and that too at a period when that country is only recovering from a severe and prolonged drought.—Auckland Weekly News.

The Angelinas. —Our readers would notice an advertisement in our last announcing that onehalf this vessel, then lying at Havelock, would be offered for sale in respect of a debt due by one of her owners to a person at Auckland. On Wednesday, when Mr. Dodson went over to sell her, it was discovered that the master, who owned the other half, had assaulted the bailiff, thrust him out of possession, and then, lifting his anchor, Xad put off to sea. Notwithstanding this, our resolute auctioneer proceeded to sell her whereveu she might be. The fortunate speculator was Mr. Kreeft, of Wellington, to whom she was knocked down for £4O, and the money paid." We 'expect to have an early account of Mr. Desire Costa’s whereabouts, as well as the hotel at which he takes up his abode after he is caught. We learn from Havelock that one of the lately defeated candidates is so disgusted with the result, that, trusting to the chances of the Supreme Court, he has left for Nelson with the view of setting the law in motion to displace Mr. Douslin. We should scarcely think the risk and expense would be compensated by victory even, but if it does go on, we do not expect the case to be settled for a year or two, so that he may not profit much by it after all. It is alleged that four miners were allowed to vote whose rights, (which the law declares shall be six months old,) were dated since the beginning of October, although their holders had held miners’ rights continuously for yea Should a decision be given against these, it would follow that miners are really disfranchised six months out of the year and can only vo'e in elections occurring during the months of April to S ptember inclusive.

The favorite ketch Falcon, having been thoroughly overhauled, painted, and re-coppered, resumed her duties this week.

We observe by advertisement that Messrs. N. Edwards & Co.’s first wool ship, the Snorre Sturlassen, has arrived in Port Underwood, aud understand that the first wool shipment of the season will be forwarded to her either to-day or on Monday. On Thursday last an inquest was held by Dr. Williams, at the house of Mr, A. Packman, to inquire into the death of his infant child. After hearing the evidence, which went to show that it was found dead in the morning, the jury gave a verdict showing that deceased had died from natural causes. In spite of the recent capture of the slaver Daphne, the horrid trade of kidnapping Polynesian laborers for Queensland continues in full swing, no less than 340 natives having recently been sent from Banks’s Group to Brisbane. The miscreant traders used the name of Bishop Patteson, in every instance, to inveigle the poor wretches on board.—Auckland Weekly News. A parade of Volunteers and Cadets was called for Wednesday evening last, but only about 20 attended, of whom the majority were cadets. Captain Baillie announced that all those absent would be fined £l. He added that the bad attendance was perfectly disgraceful, and that they had better be disbanded at once. A meeting of Cadets was afterwards held, when a new code of rules were submitted and adopted with the view of reorganisation. Murder. —The wife of a publican named John Smyth, at Lyttelton, was strangled by him on the evening of November 6th. It appears that the poor woman was, he alleges, drunk, and her husband tied her to a bed-post, after expressing his determination to kill or cure her._ He pulled her down stairs by the hair of her head, threw her on the floor, and put his foot on her throat, while he prepared a rope. He next put a piece of wood in her mouth as a gag, and fastened it with cord round her throat. Shortly afterwards he found her dead and alarmed the police. The result of the inquest is the committal of the brute for wilful murder. A SERio-LUDiCROua mistake (says the Melbourne Leader) occurred in one of our public institutions a few days since, by which an inquest was held and a verdict recorded upon the wrong body. It appears that there were two* bodies of children awaiting inquests, one of whom had died of poison ; and the second, a colored child, had been accidentally scalded to death. The inquest was being held upon the poisoned child, but through some mistake on the part of one of the officials of the institution, when the jury went to view the body they were shown that of the scalded child. The evidence was heard and a verdict returned, and the jury departed no wiser than when they arrived, but the individual who had caused the mishap is in a sad quandary as to the course he shall take when the second inquest is held, and he will either have to substitute the other child or else allow the jjnquest to be held a second time on the same body. Oh ! Oh !.—Wecopy the followingfrom the San Francisco News Letter of sth June:—“George Francis Train, that incomprehensible compounded agglomeration of impudence, brass, conceit egotism, vanity, insolence, ignorance, shrewdness, cunning, cupidity, vulgarity, buffonery, obscenity, infidelity—the intellectual eunuch, the oratorical harlequin, the verbal limber-jack, the financial burnt-cork clown, the political dancing-monkey—that social eruption that keeps the eperdemis of the civilised portion of the human race in a constant state of irritation—that perambulating moral cancer that is eating out the life and the patience of the two hemispheres —that universal peddler of stale fish, whose mental tin horn externally vexes the ear of the world —the insufferable bore and ineffable blatherskite—is still holding forth in San Francisco, before gaping multitudes, who accept his senseless balderdash for wisdom, becauses they do not understand it, take his insolence for bluntness, his bufoonery for wit, his ranting for eloquence, his sickening self-lauda-tions for independence.—Stockton Gazette .> [Our contemporary is fair—very fair—but mistaken. The audiences of Mr. Train accept that gentleman’s eloquence for nothing of the kind. They go to look at him for the same reason that they go to North Beach to see the nasty bears and monkeys. George Francis is amusing, and, if our people take a tight grip on their noses, perfectly.]” The News Letter also says—“ George Francis Train stated that the English were a nation of drunkards and prostitutes. Mrs. Jones, of Prospect-place, Clay-street, resented this insult to her country-woman by collaring the blackguard in public and spitting in his face. Mrs. Jones, of Prospect-place, Clay-street, is entered in our books as a perpetual free subscriber to the News Letter, Hard Times. —The Wairaraps Mercury, of October 2, says :—“ We all know that the colony has been laboring under a period of unexampled depression, and that many people who have hitherto been luxurating in wealth, have suddenly found it difficult to make both ends meet. We confess that we turned with curiosity to see if these so-called ‘ hard times,’ this stagnation had any effect upon the quantity of spirits, wine, and beer imbibed by our colonists. We allow our readers to judge for themselves from the following,figures what the effect has been. The value of alcoholic beverages consumed in the colony for the two years 1867 and 1868, is as follows : 1867. 1868.

Now these figures show an increase in every kind of imported alcoholic drink, with the exception of the two milder kinds .of beverages, viz., wine and beer ; of the decrease of the latter we know the reason, the beer of Colonial mauufictnrc has entirely superseded the imported ar I;.” The Mercury adds, that if the cons iinption nf Colonial beer is considered, the total expenditure by the settlers of this country in alcoholic drinks in 1338, amounted to one million and a half sterling.

The Lyttelton, with our old friend, Captain. Scott, is expected down from Nelson in the course of the week, for the purpose of supplying wool to the shipping in Port Underwood. The San Francisco Bulletin makes the following remarkson Protection Heavily as we have taxed foreign products to keep them away, they are pouring in upon us in increased quantities. It is found that the high duties in respect to a large class of articles only add to the profits of the importer; neither he nor the foreign producer pay the duties ! they come out of the pockets of consumers, and are added to the burdens of our own people. Nor is this all. The enchanced cost of foreign goods is made a standard for the retail prices of home goods, and thus the people suffer doubly. Fr.AX Pin/p.—The owners of flax mills driven by horse power will bo interested in the following notice contained in a paper recently read before the Agricultural Society of Auckland, by Mr. T. Robertson, of that city. That gentleman stated that with a view to ascertain whether the green pulp left in the operation of flax dressing was suitable as food for animals, he had given some to several horses which were at the time being fed upon oats. The result was most satisfactory, inasmuch as the horses at once left the oats for the pulp, which they appeared to relish exceedingly.— lnd ependent. From the Sydney Herald of October 21, we learn that the brig Roua, the property of and commanded by the notorious Captain Hayes, was abandoned on May 2, the vessel having sprung a leak. The whole of the company (21 in number) landed on Reirson’s Island. Captain Hayes, to his astonishment, discovered that his other vessel (the Samoa) had also gone to pieces on the coral reef at Mauahiki Island a month previous. Thus two vessels belonging to one owner left one port at the same time, and, in a few weeks, both captains and crews meet upon a remote and sel-dom-visited island, after the loss of both vessels. Native News. —Wellington telegrams dated 6th November.in the Colonist say News from Wanganui and Napier brings a contradiction of the statement that Te Kooti had effected a junction with Tito Kowaru at Upper Waitara. A proclamation has been issued by Tawhiao, denouncing Te Kooti, and forbidding the King natives to give him shelter. The Waikatos, Wanganuis, and Ngatimaniapotos are blocking up all the roads from Taupo against Te Kooti in order to prevent his escape. Hen Hen reports that Te Kooti is very short of both food and ammunition. Topia, a chief of Upper Wanganui, who has just returned from a visit to King Tawhiao, proposes to take Te Kooti captive, and hand him over to the Government.

The Napfer papers received yesterday informs us of the total destruction by fire of the premises known as the Hawke’s Bay Brewery Company, which took place during Wednesday mght. The flames were discovered about midnight issuing from the rear of the building, and, a strong wind prevailing at the time, the entire block of buildings were burnt to the ground. Owing to the detached position of the brewing establishment, no other property was damaged. The premises and stock—the latter including 800 bushels of barley, a quantity of ale in wood, &c.—are valued at £1,300, and the company are covered to the extent of £650—£400 in the Australasian, and £250 in the Imperial. Nothing is yet known as to the origin of the fire, but some three weeks ago an attempt to burn down the same building was discovered in time ; and suspicion, in consequence, has been excited as to the cause in this case.— Post.

Wanganui Bridge.— Telegrams dated Nov. 10th in the Post, saya ‘* His Honor the Superintendent, accompanied by Mr. Fox, arrived here by the Wanganui. The Magistrates’ Reception Committee and Masonic Deputation were on the wharf, where Mr. Duller read an address on behalf of the inhabitants. A procession was formed of the Justices, Masons, and Wanganui Cavalry, headed by the volunteer band, which accompanied the Premier and the Superintendent to the hotel. His Honor and the principal citizens were entertained at a luncheon in the Rutland Hotel, by the Masonic Lodges. His Honor was received by the Masons in open Lodge, and, accompanied by them, proceeded to lay the foundation of the Bridge, which was done with Masonic honors at 3.30 p. m. The weather is tine, and there is a general holiday. Large crowds of {leople witnessed the ceremony. His Honor, m aymg the stone, made a lengthy speech, in which ho hoped and believed, that prosperity was beginning to dawn upon the Province and the Colony ; and that by the time the bridge wac opened, peace would be established throughout the island. A complimentary ball will be given this evening, and all classes have combined in bonor of the occasion.”

Qoartz Reef near Collingwood.— The Nelson Examiner, of November 6th says The discovery of a rich gold-bearing reef at 'VYiangapeka has brought to our knowledge a reef; probably quite as rich, which has been worked for some time in Beadsted Gully, only five miles from Collingwood. When his Honor the Superintendent was at Collingwood, last week, he nfts ■with some men who associated under the nam*. of the Perseverance Goldmining Company, and who possessing a lease of a few acres of ground under the Gold Fields Regulations, have been employed for some time breaking up quartz with sledge hammers, and washing out the gold.; These men hearing of the intention to form a company in Nelson to work the reef at Wangapeka, thought it would be to their advantage to bring under the notice of the the claim they were working, and at the Superintendent’s suggestion they sent by the following steamer, which arrived from Collingwood on Thursday morning, specimens of the quartz, bed'rock,, and a specimen of conglomerate, all rich in - gold, which they took out of the claim the previous day. These specimens may now be seen at the office of Messrs. Curtis and are a proof! of what has been so long suspected, that the district of Collingwod is rich in gold-bearing quartz. Some of the stone has the appearance of being very rich, and it is certain that if it has paid when worked in the manner described, it would prove exceedingly remunerative if skilled labor and capital were brought to bear upon it. We aball hear, we hope, of something better being done with this claim; and prospecting parties hare been formed to search for gold-bearing reefs in the neighboring country.

The Melbourne Underwriters’ Association require higher premiums for New Zealand flax, as it is a dangerous cargo.

The great case, Levien .v Beaumont, so interesting to Marlborough sheepowners, and caused by the peculiar abilities of the once great Tetley, comes off at the Supreme Court sittings at Nelson next week. The parties directly concerned left here by the steamer on Thursday. The Northern Argus, a Rockhampton journal, contains the following:—As a gentleman was travelling to Rockhampton fiom the north side on Tuesday evening, on horseback, and just as he arrived at Mount Wheeler, he heard something behind him resembling a long and loud shriek. He turned round, and it appeared to him as if the hemisphere were in a blaze ; the whole of the country was lit up as bright as daylight. His horse was so frightened t at he nearly leaped from under him. When he first looked round he saw an enormous ball of lire travelling from the north-east, and when it approached the mountain it burst into thousands of sparks resembling sky-rockets; they shot out into lengthened streaks of flame, as if about to enter the hill, but they passed over the top and in a direction towards the earth. There was a strong sulphurous smell, and the noise made by the ball of lire, which our informant described as appearing to him of the size of many tons, was peculiarly startling and awful. He said, * I thought all was up with me, and I took off my hat awaiting the result.’ Sporting. —Many of our readers will be pleased to see by the following extract from Bell's Life in Melbourne that our lellow-colonist, Mr. Redwood, has already introduced himself to the sporting world of Australia as a first-class shot:—“The match between our visitor from New Zealand, Mr. Redwood, and Mr. T. Grimwood, announced in our last, came off on Tuesday, at the Laurel Hotel, on Flemmington Hill. The match was for a trophy of .£lO value ; to be shot for at ten birds each. Mr. Redwood shot, to those who did not know his excellence, in unexpectedly good style. Not having his oy> a shooting-iron with him, he was necessarily under a disadvantage. The score, however, will show that the shooting must have been of the first-class :

In shooting off the tie, a pigeon, evidently hit hard by Mr. Redwood, alighted on a tree, or seemed to do so, and the referee gave it in as a dead bird. This led to a dispute, which eventuated in another match being made, to increase the stake, which will come off on Tuesday.”

The Opawa Bkidqk. —We were yesterday favored with a view, in the Survey Office, of the plans and specifications as prepared by Mr. Clarke, the Government Surveyor, for the additions to the Opawa Bridge, rendered absolutely necessary by the late fresh. These consist of a new span of the same size and construction as the present one, 108 feet long, and 18 feet wide, connected by a platform of 13 feet, with hand rail only. An approach will be necessary on the south sice about 200 feet long, divided into short arches. The whole structure will be supported on strong piles driven 10 feet below the shingle bed of the river, and will line with Grove Road, consequently forming a slight angle in the centre'. Tenders were received on Monday last for the works, exclusive of approaches, as under:— T. Wall, £587 10s. ; Davies Bros., £740 ; and Spencer, £849. Mr. Wall’s tender was accepted, and the work is to be completed by January 30, under a penalty of j£s a week. A comparison may be formed from the circumstance that the bridge of one span erected by Mr. Anwright cost JESSO, and the approaches £l2l, making a total of £671, and he had the old bridge as a scaffold to work from, which the present contractor will have to erect. We are glad to find that the Government have taken such prompt steps for remedying the great inconvenience felt by parties on both sides the river.

£ £ Brandy 108,662 ... 118,461 Cordials 2,009 1,562 Geneva 24,487 ... 32,096 Gin (sweetened) ... 9,201 6,772 Rum 11,127 ... 22,712 Whiskey 27.397 38,626 Wine 110,715 .. 87,257 Beer, bottled & draught 160,457 85,263

Griniwood . .0111111111 Redwood . 1111111110