AN ABSENT JUROR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 89, 17 April 1877, Page 2

AN ABSENT JUROR.

To the Editor ov the « Evening Mail.' Sir,— Permit me to explain that Mr T. R. Hpdder did hofc attend at the Supreme Court yesterday because confined to the house by illness, a circumstance which he requested me to state to the. Registrar. I have to add with regret that I forgot to do so till after the names had been called. —^ am, &c., F. W. Irvine. Nelson, April 17, 1877.

Sir William Fitzherberfc is to be entertained at a dinner at the Wellington Club tonight, at which his Excellency the Governor and the officers of H.M.S. Wolverine will be present. Says the Otegn Guardian:~The Fire Brigade has received a very sharp rub over the knuckles at the hands of the City Couucil. At the request of the Mayor an extract from the minutes of the proceedings of the Brigade, relative to the acceptance of tenders for the supply of boots, was furnished. Prom [ this it appeared that instead of following the usual rule of accepting the lowest, the brigadiers had patronised the highest tenderer. There was a difference of ten shillings per par in the prices of the highest and lowest tenderer, and it was mentioned in explanation that as their . working boots from last year were still good, the brigadiers had gone in. for a supply of superior "understandings," and that the contractor was one of their number. Thereupon arose a storm of fierce denuaciation, and the Council unanimously resolved to "dock off" the 10s per pair, or about .£ls, from the Brigade's subsidy, and decided that in future all supplies should be dealt with by their own .Fire Brigade Committee. Referring to our ex-Governor, a home correspondent of the Otago Daily Times writes: —When Sir James Fergusson not long ato unsuccessfully contested the seat for Frome in the House of Commons, his supporters loudly declared their intention of disputing the election, on the ground of bribery hy the opposite party. The threats, however, never came to anything, and the explanation of this is probably to be found in the returns of th° election expenses of the two candidates as published the other day. They show that the expenses of Mr Samuelson, the successful candidate, amounted to J1037, while those of Sir James Fergusson reached a total of £1088. Under these circumstances the Conservatives would think it best to eat the leek without further ado. A writer in the Grey River Argus writes.— What is the difference between a Chief Justice and a District Judge? Well, jusfe this. The other day the Chief Justice was at Westport, and Host Hughes, who, accustomed to the f us3 and ceremony and bother attending the visit of a District Judge, ushered the C.J. into some private apartments; the dining-table was laid out for a private dinner, "as per usual," when the C.J. said, "Oh, Mr Hughes, I don't want anything of this sort} I would rather sit at your public table, if you will allow me." The Hobart Town Mercury calculates that the export of tin ore from Tasmania in 1877 will fall not far short in value of Jt 100,000. Itefering to the recent suicide in Wellington, which was reported in our columns the other day, the Post says:— The unfortunate man Arthur Petersen, who shot himself on Mouday last, was the son of a most distinguished Norwegian gentleman, who had held many of the highest offices in the Kingdom of Norway, and who had received the highest marks of favor his royal master could bestow upon him. The late Arthur Petersen arrived [ here about three years ago, after having been I iuformed by the then Agent-General that he \ would obtain suitable employment in this coiony. He came out, and took a situation as school-master at the Scandinavian settlement, Seventy-Mile Bush, but in consquence of a disagreement between him and the English school-master stationed at the place he gave up his situation and came to Wellington where he resided up to the time of his death! earning a livelihood by working as a laborer. ! Latterly he became despondent and took to drinking, with the awful result already known. He was a Master of Arts of the University of Christiana, and was distantly related to a late Danish monarch. He also i held a commission in the German Legion during the Crimean war, in which he fought. The Taupo correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes: -A wonderful cure has been effected at the hot spring here. The subjeet is a gentleman who served as a Uhlan in the Franco-Prussian war, and was severely wounded in the leg, being left on the field of battle for many hours. He also caught acute rheumatism. However, after six weeks 5 bathing, the wound has completely healed, and the rheumatic pains are fast being subdued. lam beginning to think, Mr Editor that the original Pool of Srtoam has broken out here. With all the croaking about loss of population and paralysis of trade, this paragraph from the Melbourne Telegraph is significant; •—" One of the leading softwoods firms of the city has set an example which the others would do well to follow. It is generally known that the last half-year has been a profitable one for the trade. Bad debts have been scarce, prices have been good, and sales have increased. The resident partner of the firm referred to determined not to keep all the fruits of this prosperous state of things to himself, and one day last week he gave his salesmen and other hands a splendid picnic, after which he distributed £1000 iimougst them as bonuses." A newspaper has just been started in Lonclou m which the advertisements are printed m different colored inks, the advertiser havxug a choice of colors.

It is stated by the " Licensed Victuallers Gazette" that it is now well understood^ Dunedin that the so-called bet between the Davenport Brothers and. "Captain " Barrywas purely and simply. a plant; on the'paFt of those eminent tricksters, to draw, the locaj : bawbees iuto their coffers. Of course the "captain" made a good thing of it, and so did his confreres in the rope-tying swindle. TheDunedinites, however, saw through it all when it was too late, and they now duly rejoice—on the wrong side of the face. * ""--. The Moonta mine, South Australia, fehows a net profit for the half-year of £33,000.' The Whitehall Gazette informs us that another stud company, .with a capital of £ 100,000 paid up, will shortly be started on a very large scale. The object of this new undertaking is to breed horses for riding and driving, as well as for the English and Anglo-ladian cavalry. The head quarters and all the breeding farms will be in Egvpt, where the climate is exceedingly well adapted for an undertaking of this kind. One of the chief objects for which the company has been got up is to breed a horse which will have the size and stamina of the English thoroughbred, combined with the pluck and endurance of the Arab. If the undertaking can be carried out we shall soon have a cavalry troop horse far superior to anything of the kind that has yefc been seen. Not a few of our young lady readers may feel a personal interest in' the following paragraph, taken from a' London paper:—-"En-gagement rings are now made like brooches, to close round the finger with a clasp. They are jio longer made plain, but embody various neat and chaste designs. About the most chaste and appropriate is one that simulates a rat-trap." We (Melbousne Argus) are indebted to Messrs Poole, Pickets and Co., for information from the Lacepede Islands, which they have received by telegram from Freemantle, via Adelaide,- to the effect that a hurricane of great violence had occurred there, causing the total loss of six vessels, viz.:— The Cingalee, Albert Victor, Helen Malcolm, Aboyne Mary Smith, and Isabella. There are no particulars to hand, but "the telegram makes no reference to any loss of life. We believe the cargoes of these vessels are all insured in our local offices. The mission schooner Southern Cross left the wharf on Saturday afternoon (says the Auckland Herald of the 9th instant), and as those who have gone to carry on the mission work amongst the islands of Melanesia are all much beloved in Auckland, not a few ladies and gentlemen braved the fierce squalls and the heavy rain on the exposed wharf to see them off. .Many were the fervent farewells spoken, and the Mission party cannot fail to feel that their safety and success are matters of intense interest to no inconsiderable portion of the people of Auckland. The ropes having been cast off, the auxiliary screw was set to work, and the vessel proceeded down the harbor, Bishop Selwyn being observable ojn the deck assisting to hoist the sail3. The Southern Cross proceeds to Norfolk Island, the head-quarters of the Mission, and thereafter makes a cruise amongst the islands ot Melanesia. The vessel is not expected to return to Auckland till November next. . - i I A gentleman who has recently' arrived from the Lower Warrego informs the: JDarlinq Downs Gazette he left that country in a frightful state of drought. |He was assured by the stockowners that sufficient rain td make grass grow had not fallen for a period extending over three years'; many placed were suffering in an extraordinary degree from want of rainfall, the frontage to the river presenting the appearance of a ploughed field, not a vestige of grass to be seen! btill, stock were in good condition, some of the cattle being really fat, their stand-by in the way of food having been the saltbush and mulga bark from the frontages.