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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5848, 27 December 1879, Page 2

The telegraph office will in future be closed after 8 p.m. for ordinary messages, and for Presi and double-fee messages after 10 p.m. Christmas Day was made pleasurable for the patients at the Hospital, by the kindness of many of our citizens, who sent contributions of fruit, flowers, shrubs, wine, spirits, beer, and other things for the use of the inmates. The diningrooms, and the various wards were handsomely decorated. Dr. Gillou presided at the dinner, and spoke very kindly to all those placed under his charge. Several toasts were proposed and responded to. The Eotamahana started at a quarter-past ten o’clock on Christmas morning for Nelson, having on board about 150 excursionists. She reached Nelson at a quarter to six o’clock the same evening, thus finishing the passage in six hours and a half. She left Nelson on the return journey at six o’clock last evening, and arrived off the wharf at about twenty minutes to one o’clock this morning. She had to contend against a strong south-east wind all the way from Jackson’s Head, but still the trip home was accomplished in less than seven hours. A gentleman who was on board informed us that the vessel was driven last night at a quicker pace than during her trial trip on the Clyde, and he stated that all the arrangements were admirable. The following address, signed by the Presbyterian ministers resident in and around Christchurch, has been presented to Bishop Harper on the occasion of his golden wedding : —“ To the Most Reverend H. J. 0. Harper, Lord Bishop of Christchureh and Primate of the Church of England in New Zealand. Dear Lord Bishop,—We, the undersigned ministers of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, beg to offer our hearty congratulations to yourself and Mrs. Harper on the oecasion of the 50th anniversary ef your marriage day. We hope that you may be long spared to discharge the duties of your honorable position iu the Church, as a good and faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that yourself and Mrs. Harper may long be able to rejoice together in the spiritual and temporal well-being of your numerous descendants.” The Hon. John Johnston presided at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. A man named George Lambier was charged with the larceny as a bailee of a letter containing the sum of £3 165., and was remanded to Masterton for examination. It will be remembered that in the Artillery match—Dunedin v. Wellington—the former fired on Saturday last, and scored 617 points. The Wellington men fired yesterday, and only succeeded iu scoring 590, thus losing the match by 27 points. Notwithstanding the depression said to exis the value of building sites in Dunedin do not appear to have suffered, for the Otago Daily Times learns that land in Pelichet Bay was sold on Saturday at the rate of £14,400 per acre. Mr. J, Forsyth, shipping butcher at Port Chalmers, is in possession of a lusus natures, iu the shape of a ewe lamb with five legs. The fifth leg is jointed at the knee of the left fore leg, and is perfectly formed, although of course it is useless to the little animal. It is Mr. Forsyth’s intention to keep the lamb as a pet. It was bred by Mr. J. Shand, of the Taieri, and is perfectly healthy and lively. A man named Chas. Brass, employed as a canger on the Gore-Mataura railway, met with a serious accident last week. In getting on to a ballast waggon which was in motion, his foot slipped off the axle-box and was caught on the edge of the rail by the next wheel. The greater part of the foot was taken off, what remained being frightfully lacerated. After being attended to by his mates and by a medical gentleman, who reached the spot by the express from town, the man was conveyed to Invercargill by special train, and placed in the hospital. In the afternoon the doctors decided that amputation was necessary, and this was accordingly performed by Dr. Button.

At the oflice of the Minister for Works, says the Sydney Morning Herald, a fine piece of beef was on view, which was killed ia Orange last Monday, and has travelled between that place and Sydney three times in a refrigerating car, constructed for the Government by Messrs. Hudson Brothers. About three months ago we published an account of the process adopted —Kennard Knott’s dry air process—and from the results which have- been obtained It appear* that the system is satisfactory, and that one or the problems of the day has been sati-Oact 'rilv solved. As one gentleman remarked who saw the meat, “There are now'noperishable provisions.’' Prom the experiments already made, it has been proved that the expenditure of ice on the journey between Orange and Sydney is as nearly as possible 300ib. per truck. The success of this experiment will revolutionise the city meat supply, as it shows that freshlykilled meat can be carried for any distance by rail. The system is equally applicable to watercarriage, and a cablegram received by Mr. 1-1. Combes, C.M,G., states that two m- three vessels are on their way to the colony, fitted up for the carriage of a return cargo of fresh meat by this process. It is nothing uncommon this season to see grass and corn growing on the roof and in the gutters of houses, on railway trucks, and otherplaces, but to see rows of salad growing luxuriantly in a tunnel about 10ft. under the surface of the ground is almost incredible ; yet such a sight was seen by our northern correspondent (says the Press) while on a visit of inspection to the “ hole in the hill” at the Web a Pass Hotel, used as the cellar- to the hotel. Though at that depth, and deprived of the light of the sun, the salad bids fair to make a palatable dish within a short time. At the same there is a healthy crop growing above the tunnel, so that the plan of doubling the productive powers of the laud appears by this to be feasible.

In the course of a letter to a friend respecting certain statements made by Captain Barry, of New Zealand, with regard to the Claimant, Mr. Guilford Onslow remarks : “ Captain Barry had seen the Claimant, and he instantly recognised him as an old friend in Australia, known to him as Thomas Castro, the companion of one Arthur Orton, who was also well known to Captain Barry Captain Barry’s evidence not only goes to prove the prisoner and Arthur Orton to be two distinct individuals, but proves Thomas Castro was known by that name so far back as IS3T. . . . . In short, Captain Barry's evidence upsets the whole Tichborne trial, and if there is a spark of justice in the present Government, the Claimant ought to be immediately released.” It will thus be seen that Captain Jack, the erstwhile Mayor of Cromwell, has at length achieved world-wide fame. The session just concluded, observe the Otago Daily Times, began with fierce party conflict, and ended with a species of guerilla warfare ; the Hall Government, however, at the close, after sustaining some minor defeats, being masters of the position. The great Liberal party is for the time disintegrated, and Sir George Grey has no longer a compact and united following ; while the chief of the Liberal measures of electoral reform, which Sir George Grey only talked about, have, in the hands of a so-called Tory Ministry, become law. We cannot, however, say that Ministers, in their conduct of the campaign, have covered themselves with glory. They owe their very position to the desertion ol four Auckland men from the other side, under very suspicious circumstances. We have never given credence to the wild stories circulated as to the price paid for these votes. There probably was no actual compact as to the expenditure of a certain sum of money in the Auckland district ; but while Ministers were not at all likely to commit themselves so far as that, there can be little doubt that the four deserters satisfied themselves beforehand that their support would not be unrewarded. It is somewhat to the credit of Ministers that the Auckland Press is dissatisfied with the votes accorded that district for public works, and which aggregate £368,100, besides whatever may be got out of the general vote for roads. The following particulars are given of the death of Blr. Jackson’s horse, by the Wanganui Chronicle ;—“The Painter was taken ill about 10 o’clock on Friday night, showing symptoms which his owner, Mr. Jackson, had never observed in a horse before. Physio was administered, and hot fomentations applied tor some hours, but without success, the stomach having apparently lost the power of acting. Strong mustard plasters were also used, but with no good result. After death the horse was opened and dissected. The heart, lungs, and kidneys were found to be in a perfectly healthy condition, and all the organs of the chest were splendidly developed. The bladder was empty, and there was very little in the stomach except the medicine, which appeared to be unchanged. The stomach seemed to have lost its powers of digestion—to he in fact dead. The horse had been ailing for some time before his final illness. The Painter was purchased from Blr. Fisher, of Blaribyrnong, in Victoria, twelve months ago last September, for the sum of £6OO. He has been successful as a foal-getter, and leaves behind him some very promising young stock. His loss will be much felt in the district.”

A writer in Truth says :—“ One of the returned warriors from Zululand tells me rather a good story. He was at Rorke’s Drift, and was witness to one of the following incidents. A clergyman in clerical attire was hard at work handing out cartridges to the men, and he did it with a will. A private near was taking shots at the Zulus, and cursing the while in the most ingenuous manner. ‘ Don’t swear, man !' shouted the clergyman. ‘Don’t swear at them ; shoot them.’ I admire the moderate and practical views of this divine.” A sale of watches, docks, jewellery, to:., in the assigned estate of B. Newman, Lambton-quay, will be held to-day, at 11 a.m., on the premises, by Mr. Francis Sidey. Messrs, Laery and Campbell will hold their usual Saturday’s sale of produce and horses to-day—the former at their rooms at 11 a.m., and the latter at Tattersall’s at 2 p.m.