Untitled

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 25, 13 January 1877, Page 2

Thei'e are now tws mails per week to Napier, one on Tuesdays at 7"30 a.m. m addition to the usual one on Fridays at the same hour. A few days ago a son of Mr Alfred Grammar, of the Gorge road, got one of his fingers cut off by a chaff-cutter. The lad was feeding the machine, or rather playing at doing so, when the accident occurred. An attempt is about to be made to establish a lodge m connection with ; : the A.1.0. Odd Fellows m Palmerston. Mr Coleman has been requested by the Deputy Grand Master for the district to take the necessary steps m the matter. A rumour has reached us that Messrs. Anderson and Lowe, contractors, have been arrested at Dunedin on a charge of absconding from their creditors, of whom Messrs. Rannestad and Co., of Palmerston, and Messrs. Williamson and Shaw, of Wanganui. nre. avc beliero, the principal.

We have received the first number of what promises to be a very valuable addition to the periodical literature of the Colony, namely, " The New Zealand Country Journal." It is published by the Committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association of Canterbury, and is intended as a farmer's and sportsman's journal:' The present number contains 70 pages of demy Bvo size, and has a large quantity of valuable matter relating to agricultural and pastoral subjects, besides information on sporting topics. It is to be issued quarterly at a price of 2s 6d per number or 10s per annum, paid m advance. The following tenders have been accepted by Mr Bunny on behalf of 'the General Government : — Punfc for Manawatu Eiver — Baker and Abraham, £77. Punt for Wangaehu Eiver— Baker and Abraham, £84. Approaches to Tauherenikau Bridge — W. B. Cave, £148. Deviation West Coast Eoad —T. Power, £644. Mungapakeha Eoad Contract, No. s—John5 — John Quin, £384. Mungapakeha Contract, No. 6 — E. Lancey, £860. Masterton to Alfredton Eoad— T. Hurley, 25s per chain. Eangitumau Eoad Contract, No. I—Niels1 — Niels Parsons, 50s^ per chain. Ditto, No. 3, J. Swain and others, 20s per chain. The following are held over until the return of the Hon Mr Ormond : — Upper Taueru road and Blaekie's to Paikakariki, metalling 40 miles bush road ; also Palmerston to Karere road. It is said that Tom Thumb is about to pay a visit to New Zealand. Mr J. H. Harbott, painter, of Marton, has filed his schedule. The sura embezzled by Mr Henry Wood, the defaulting 'secretary of the Colney Hatch Gas Company, is said to have been over £600. The Wellington Town Hall project is likely to fall through, as it has been unanimously condemned by a large public meeting, at which no one had the courage to advocate the scheme. A public meeting was held m Marton last Saturday, m reference to the supply of water for the township. AMr Smith, of Marlborough, has offered to sink -a series of artesian wells for £100, and this offer is to be further considered at another meeting. A vehicle of a somewhat novel kind is. being built by Mr Law, of Wanganui, to the order of Mr Charles Gordon. It consists of a boat upon wheels which can be easily removed at pleasure, thus rendering the conveyance suited for either land or watei\ A distressing case of wife-desertion is reported m a recent issue of the _" N.Z. Times." A Mrs Vincent, with six little children, was for two nights houseless m the streets, m consequence of having been deserted by her husband and expelled from her house by the landlord. Vincent is said to have been a tradesman capable of. earning 12s a day. A fearful occurrence took place at the Brooklyn Theatre on the sth December last. The stage caught fire, it is supposed from the drop coming m contact with the footlights,-* panic ensued among the audience, and m the frantic rush that followed the doors were blocked up, and 250 lives lost, some being trampled to death, but the majority suffocated by the smoke or burnt. George Louis Eingold was.committed for trial on Wednesday last, on a chai'ge of forging the signature of Mr J. H. Murray, of Marton, to a cheque for £10 8s sd. From the barefaced manner m which the deed was done, it would appear as if Eingold must have been reckless through drink when he did it. He borrowed a blank cheque from Mr Batchelar and having filled it m, changed it at Mr Gibbons'. The Wellington " Argus " says that it is not true that the Hon. Mr Eichardson is going to leave the Colony. It is generally remarked that, notwithstanding the " dirtthrowing " which was carried on during the last session, no imputation was cast upon Mr Eichardson, whose administration of the Public Works Department has been equally able and upright. Impaired health and urgent private affairs are said to be the causes of his retirement from office. The Hutt County Council has been taken to. task by the " Times " and the " Argus " for a somewhat foolish decision regarding the 11th clause of the Counties Act. A majority of the Council held that it was necessary to hold a special meeting and pass a resolution thereat bringing the whole Act into force, else the Act would not come into operation for three months. After such a decision " plain English " must be considered a relative term, though most people would consider the following words [ plain enough : — " If the Council does not pass such a resolution the whole of this Act shall be deemed to have come into force m the county." Wonderful are the niceties *of law. A case of horse-stealing was very near breaking down at the Supreme Court m Wellington lately, on the groiind that the stolen animal was described m the indictment as "a mare," whereas it might have been a ' " filly." ' A case was cited m which an indictment charging a man with 'stealing a cow was held to be bad, because the animal was a heifer. The bandage on the eyes of Justice is generally supposed to be emblematic of impartiality, but it may with equal propriety be regarded as typical of law m such developments of it as these.

According to the "Southern Cross," the Non-payment of Eates Act is superseded by the Eating Act , recently passed m the Assembly, and the sale of property for the non-payment of rates is greatly facilitated. Owners and others who have hitherto escaped payment from absence or want of knowledge of their whereabouts, will find their properties passing into other hands if they neglect payment for six months' ; and 15 per cent, interest is also authorised to be charged, together with all expenses incurred. : A singular accident happened the other day to Mr Maclean's valuable horse Turk. Beiug wanted for the road, endeavours were made to persuade Turk to partake of some oats, but the knowing brute " smelt a rat," and disdaining the proffered bribe, set off :on a free gallop round'the paddock. While Ithus showing off his airs, he collided with a stump with such force that a tremendous gash was ripped m his shoulder, and he was otherwise seriously injured m the hip. Intelligence reached Bulls on Sunday evening that the stables attached to Mr Hastie's hotel at Halcombe had been totally destroyed by fire, and a valuable horse burnt to death. From the scant particulars to hand it appears that a bush fire ignited the stables, and owing to the late dry, hot weather having rendered the materials highly ' inflammable, and the scarcity of water combined, all attempts to arrest the progress of the flames were Unavailing. We (" Advocate") understandthat Mr Hastie was uninsured. At a meeting of the Auckland Waste Lands Board on Tuesday last a letter was received from James Mackay, enclosing- the returns for 791,433 acres at the Thames under negotiation. The lands actually acquired were thirty-one blocks, comprising 277,867 acres ; and of this 226,610 acres were transferred to the board. The board passed a resolution requesting the Governor to place under the board's administration all lands, the purchase of which had been completed at the Thames. A letter was received from the Under Secretary of Crown Lands, transferring to the board the Patutuhi Block, Poverty Bay, of 20,000 acres. On Monday last, at the Supreme Court m Wellington, Thomas Coleman was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for the attempted murder of his wife. The Judge intimated that the sentence would probably have been for life, only that he got snch an excellent character as a good husband, father, and citizen, from disinterested people. The prisoner said it was due to a bad wife and her relations. Owen Cummins was sentenced to five yeai's for an attempt at an unmentionable offence. The Judge said the sentence would have been heavier but for his youth. In the case of Eudolph Laurent, sentenced to eight years for rape, steps are being taken to try the prosecutors for perjury. The " Wairarapa Standard " of Saturday last says : — There has been an affray on the Alfredton road between Mr J. Eutherfurd ► and Mr Alpass. According to one version, it appears that two men were sent by the latter, as member of the Highway Board, to work near Mr Eutherfurd's. As Mr Alpass was going to Alfredton he met these men . "returning, and their excuse to '• him was that they could not get provisions supplied and where overcharged. Soon after Mr Alpass met Mr Eutherfurd, and after a few words called him a — -rswirifller, &c. Eutherfurd then cracked his; stock whip round the other, but without touching him. Alpass then dismounted and squared for fighting. After a while Eutherfurd fell, and Alpass • got the stockwhip and beat it about the other's body. The other two men hearing the row returned and pulled Alpass off. . Eutherfurd got up and mounted his horse, and Alpass reapeated his words, " You are a -r — swindler," and uttered threats of violence, upon which Eutherfurd threw the stockwhip at Alpass, and it struck him violently m the face, knocking him down insensible. Eutherfurd immediately rode back for assistance, and the wounded man was ultimately taken to Messrs Eutherfurd and Gibson's station, where according to latest accounts, he was still lying insensible. Dr Hdsking says it is doubf ul whether Alpass will recover, and even if he should he will never be- fit for anything. This is the^ affair as nearly as possible as reported by Mr Eutherfurd. What other accounts will be given of course remain to be seen. It Makes One Shxjddeb to think of the immense quantity of unmedicated fire- water consumed for medicinal purposes. The liquors of commerce are absolutely devoid of remedial virtue. Luckily there is*a most desirable substitute for such excitants which never overspurs the brain or nervous system, but which imparts strength, overcomes a morbid habit of body, assists convalescence, and promptly rectifies organic irregularities. Ask or send for Udolpho Wolfe's Schiedam Abomatic Schnapps. — Adtt.