LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 129, 31 May 1872, Page 2

LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

On the motion of Mr. Baigent, the Council went into Committee to consider the petition having reference to the exemption clauses in the Highways Act. After some discussion the Provincial Solicitor moved, That the Committee, having taken into consideration the petition referred to them, are unable to recommend any alteration in the law during the present session, but should any amendment be required in the Act in another session, the subject should, then be taken into consideration. Mr. Baigent moved as an amendment, That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to send down a Bill to amend clauses 51 and 52 of the Highways Act during the present session. : The amendment was put and negatived, and the original resolution carried on a division

by 10 to 7. Ayes : The Provincial Secretary, Mr. F. Kelling, Mr. Guinness, the Provincial Treasurer, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. Reid, the Provincial Solicitor, Mr. Kynnersley, Mr. Tarrant, Mr. Speaker. Noes : Mr. Donne, Mr. Collins, Mr. Wastney, Mr. Baigent, Mr. Luckie, Mr. Macmahon, Mr. C. Kelling. — It was resolved on the motion of Mr. Gibbs, That bis Honor the Superintendent be requested to pay to the petitioner, Thomas Tunnicliffe, junior, the sum of £36 out of the vote " Compensation for land for roads," on his executing a deed conveying to the Superintendent the right to a road through his land, as laid out by lhe Waimea Road Board. — The Council then went into Committee on the Estimates, and after sitting some time, adjourned uutil this morning at 11 o'clock. This Day. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary, the "Grey Valley Road Bill" was read the third time and passed. — The following resolution was moved by Mr. Donne, and passed. That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to invite the attention of the General Government to the advisability of taking immediate action ,for providing a cheap and ample supply of water in the Charleston District, whereby a large extent of comparatively poor auriferous ground will be worked to advan (age, and furnish remunerative employment to a considerable number of miners for many years. — On the motion of tho Provincial Solicitor a Bill to amend the law relating to Publicans' Licenses was read the first time. — The Council then adjourned until Monday evening at 5 o'clock. It is expected that a horse express between the unconnected ends of the overland telegraph wires will be established at the end of June or early in Jnly. William Storey, a well-known jockey, was killed last week at Christchurch. He was riding a colt belonging to Mr. Mallock, and, having been thrown, a waggoD, which was immediately behind, ran over him and killed him on the spot. Captain King, of the ship Calcutta, has been presented with a testimonial by the Insurance Companies interested, for taking his ship dismasted into Melbourne. Those accustomed to the use of oatmeal diet will be pleased to learn that it has found a champion in the editor of at least one newspaper. The Dunedin Echo asserts that " oatmeal imparts brains — a commodity scarcely lo be found in these beef-eating colonies." A Certain Herr Hoffmann has printed at Basle his " Wanderungen D»ch Californien Nevada and Mexico." He is a lively traveller, but bis occasional English quotations are open to criticism. Thus, the favorite American restorative sherrycobbler, becomes "Jerry gobbler," aud the customary oath in a court of justice is rendered thus by Herr Hoffmann : " You must speak the truth and nothiug else, and if you don't, God help you." Qualification op Justices. — Lord Albemarle has laid before the House of Lords a Bill providing that for the purpose of the qualification of tbe Justices of the Peace an income of £100 a-year from personal estate shall be equivalent to an income of the same amount from an estate in land; but that a person who has held the rank of a major in the army or commander in the navy, may be appointed a Justice of the Peace without any property qualification. Noble. — The Right Hon. J. Denison, who haa acted as Speaker of the Houbo of Commons for tbe last fifteen years with great ability, has generously and honorably renounced receiving the usual pension in the following words: — " Though without any pretension to wealth, I have a private fortune which will suffice for the few-years of life which may remain to me, and I should be happier in feeling that I am not a burden to my fellow-country-men." Democratic Institutions sometimes produce queer anomalies, and play mischief with the relations of ordinary life which | would strike with terror conservative fogies of. the old school. The Lakes district, Otago, election for the Provincial Council resulted in tbe return of a storekeeper and storeman he had discharged from his employ some twelve months ago. The ex-storeman headed the poll by a large majority, while his quondam employer, only polled four votes over the next candidate on the list. Alluding to the manufacture of scrip which is proceeding with such activity at Coromandel, the Cross says : — " Over thirty new companies are in the course of formation in this district. Very few of them can be said to have been . properly prospected, but the reasons for establishing a company which is. to he looked upon not only as quite stable but most promising, are considered incontrovertible, if it happen to be within cboey distance of some reef which is near to some other

reef iv which gold in payable quantities will likely be . struck when the right sort of stuff is come upon after proper machinery has been erected." A Canterbury Paper says :— The other day an accident, fortunately unattended with fatal results, occurred^ at the stores of Messrs. Bennett and Saunders, Tuam-street, Christchurch. It appears that a grain store bad been recently erected at. he rear of the stone stores, and the men had been engaged in storing grain on the floor. They had got in about two hundred bags of grain, when the" man underneath was called away into the yard. He had not been gone but a few moments when lhe whole floor gave way, the walls bursting out, the bags, with the man who was storiDg them, being precipitated to the lower floor. Fortunately the man fell amongst the bags and was unhurt. The Landing, on the Inangahua River, must be a pleasant place to live in, if tbe following description by a correspondent of the Herald is correct :— The Landing now excels in drunkenness and fights. Regularly every week, as the roadmen get in for tucker, they make it a practice to imbibe so much alcohol as to make them fightable. * This, let it be remarked, is only among a certain class of them. They then insult, assault, and run riot amoDgst the townspeople. Last Sunday night witnessed tbe infliction of severe injuries by kicking and jumping, when down, on those who did not at once side with them. Knives even were drawn, and when it comes to such weapons lives are hardly safe ; anfl unless some security is given to life and property, even by the presence of one policeman, the same scenes will weekly occur." A Sharp Retort. — We have lately received an American paper containing au account of the examination of Dr. E. Warren, in the trial of Miss Wharton, who was accused of poisoning General Ketch urn. The Doctor supported the theory of the defence, which was that the General had died from cerebrospinal meningitis. The following sharp retort was made by Dr. Warren in his crossexamination by Attorney-General Syester: "Attorney-General — A doctor ought to be able to give an opinion of a disease without making mistakes. Dr. Warren — They are as capable as a lawyer. At-