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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 66, 18 March 1871, Page 2

In his late charge to the grand jury, Judge Richmond cojjfgratulated them on the scarcity of Crimean the province, at the same time rocking that this state of things was rim peculiar to the Nelson district, the calendar being also remarkably light in Ofcftsro. At Canterbury, Judge Gresson tells a different tale. He says: — When it appears that within this single province, according to its original boundary before the formation of the County of Westlaud, there are within the short period of three months, seven cases of murder and two of wounding with intent to murder; and when it appears also, as it does from the returns already referred x to, that in the year 1869 the expen3e3 incurred by the Colony in the punishment and repression of crime, amounted in round numbers to about £80,000 — it is surely high time for ail^ persoas who are interested in the welfare of the Colony to consider anxiously what are theVauses of so much crime iv a country sb much favored by nature, and which undoubtedly offers to colonists, in climate aaad natural productions, advantages su&h as very few, if any other countries posWss. The folio wiffg particulars as to Mr. Branigau's illness are furnished by the Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times: — The sun stroke attack whilst inspecting military forts is now thought to have developed a dormant malady. His return to Auckland was followed by a series of singular proceedings, which gradually revealed the true state of affairs. The Defence Minister, I believe, had suspicions before his departure for the Bay of Islands, and initiated precautions. Subsequently the uufortunate Commissioner one night fiercely attacked and injured a sentry, and was only prevented from committing more serious mischief by Captain Fairchild, of tho Luna. Next morning the Defence Minister returned, and Mr. Brauigan was at once placed under mild hut careful restraint. He has an apartment to himself in the Asylum, aud, by an express order from Mr. M'Lean, every indulgence compatible with bodily health and safe keeping. At brief intervals the poor gentleman realises his forlorn coudition ; at other tiroes he remains quietly immured, passing his time inditing whimsical raemos and fantastic official letters. lam told his affliction seldom vents itself in violence. How to raise Funds for Kaces. — An Australian Jockey Club, that of Wangaratta, has passed the following resolution, a copy of which has been forwarded to all owners of horses about to run at the en* suing meeting : — That each racehorse cvner be informed by the secretary in writing that their horses will be disqualified if they put up at the premises of a publican who does not subscribe £2 2s. per annum to the club, also, if their horses are shod at any blacksmith's shop, whose owner does not subscribe £1 Is. per annum to the funds of the club, they will be tiisqualified. New Method op Boad Making-.— A London paper thus describes the process of road-makiDg now generally adopted in both England and France: — "Tlie road is first prepared by being loosened with pickaxes, then covered with ordinary granite ; above this a dressing of sand is laid ; the whole is then watered. An immense roller, propelled by steam, is then moved slowly over tha prepared surface. It exerts a pressure of twenty-eight tons, and the result is, that in an unusually short time a firm and compact macadamised road is formed so smooth that the lightest vehicle may be immediately driven over it. La Liberte of 10th December says that the troops then available for the defence of France, numbered 790,000.