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Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1625, 3 February 1886, Page 2

Mr E. Mitchelson, M.H.R. tor Marsden, north of Auckland, late Minister of Public Works, is about to visit England, but m the event of a dissolution taking place during his absence he will be nominated for his present seat. The hearing of the libel case Stewart v. Roydhouse to be heard at Dunedin has been fixed for the 24th March. '' A queer tale comes from Invercargill. A newspaper runner says that shortly after leaving home he was accosted by a tall man, who had no coat on ; that he asked him his name and other questions, then seized and blindfolded him, drew him over his shoulders, and carried him some distance into the bush,, where he stripped him of the clothing enumerated, telling the boy they would do for his children, and threatening him meanwhile. He then made off. The police incline to the opinion that the boy's story is true, and that his assailant must be a lunatic. Search has been going on since for the man, bnt without result. Mr Alexander Reese, of the Forty mile Bush district, has been appointed a member of the Wellington Waste Land Board. It is underetood that Mr Reese takes the seat of Mr Mason, whose term of office has expired by 6ffluxion of time. At the Wellington Resident Magis ■- trate's Court on Saturday tnorimi*:, when a man samed Joseph Shaw was called on to answer a charge of drunkenness, there was no appearance of the accussed. Inspector Browne Explained that the man was arrested some few days ago on this charge, being then m a very shaky condition.- Medical assistance was called m, and the doctor recommended that the cell door should be left open. The consequence was^that (he old man shook himself clear of the • cell. There was a delightful, freshness about this official confession that considerably tickled the Court and the public present. — Evening Press. Thfire are now about 150.U00 acres of 1 land taken up by Special settlements m the Wellington, Hawke's Bay and Auckland Provincial District. Surveys are now being prepared by the Department under the superintendence of the various Associations, and some 60 or 70 acres have been balloted for as provided by the regulations, and are now occupied by the owners. It is worthy of notice that the instalments payable have m most instances been promptly forthcoming.