LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 59, 29 June 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr.|T. W. Parker, R.M., John March, for drunkenness, was fined 10s., or twenty-four hours' imprisonment. The *' Patea Mail" states that a perfect timber famine has set in there; that the last 3olcl realised extraordinary prices, being but a drop in a bucket compared with the amount required, and assures those at a distance that three or four cargoes could be at once disposed of at prices which would realise a handsome profit to the importer. The "Taranaki Budget" says -.—"White pheasants arc frequently seen inland of the Mokau, and the country is overrun with the ordinary pheasant. The natives complain that white people were not satisfied with sending soldiers to the country to kill the natives, but they have now sent pheasants and other things which eat the crops, and so help to starve the natives wholesale. They cat their corn and even their potatoes, and in time there will be nothing for them (the natives) to live on."

The Wellington "Argus" states that during the inquiry into the wreck of the Heversham, Mr. M'Kcllar, who conducted the case for the Customs, asked that all witnesses be ordered out of Court. His Worship said it had just been decided in England that a magistrate could not order any witnesses out of Court, but might request them to retire. He therefore requested those who were to appear in the present case to retire, which they accordingly did.

The following from theWellington'' Times " may be of interest to our Borough Councillors :—"A new system of regulating the charge for gas consumed by street lamps is being introduced. The Gas Company have imported twelve lamp-posts. At the base of each is a meter, and these lamps are to be placed at a proportionate distance with respect to the other lamps throughout the town, so that they will act as indicators of the amount of gas consumed by all the lamps, and the Gas Company will charge the Corporation accordingly. This is a very good idea, and, in practice, should ensure much greater accuracy with regard to the amount of gas consirmed by the street lamps. The lamp-posts are neatly made, being a great improvement on those now in use. In time wc hope to see a greater uniformity and more shapeliness in the lamp-posts of the city."

We ("Argus") regret to learn that the N.Z.S.S. Company have decided on selling their steamere Phcebe, Ladybird, Taranaki, and Wellington to the Union Steam Shipping Company. The transaction is only one of amalgamation in so far that the price of the steamers is to be paid partly in scrip and partly in cash. This transaction is a most unfortunate one for Wellington, as Dunedin will now be the undisputed head-quarters of the interprovincial steam trade, and Wellington will practically lose an expenditure of £600,000 a year. Still the directors of the N.Z.S.S. Company are not to be blamed. They have not received the support they were entitled to expect from the mercantile and monied classes hei'e. Almost unsupported, some eight or ten gentlemen were left to struggle against a powerful opposition. The position of affairs has often been forcibly pointed out, and the probable result indicated. The burthen cast on the directors of the Company was too great for them to bear, and we do not wonder that they have availed themselves of an opportunity of escaping further risk and trouble, and getting even a low price for their property. It is a pity that Wellington has not earlier recognised the obligation it owes them.

The Government "Gazette," issued on Thursday, contains :—Limits, description, line and limits of deviation of a portion of the Dunedin-Moeraki Bailwa}', Waikouaiti portion ; also of portion of Kawakawa coalmine railway to deep water point; notification of Government's assent to construction of railway from Anderson's Junction to Portohcllo, by the Dunedin and Ocean Beach Railway Company (Limited); rides and regulations under which Waitaki Bridge will be opened; Order-in-Council, setting forth that the tariff rates at present in force, limiting the receipt of telegrams by evening papers, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5

p.m. on week-days, to 200 words at evening rates, shall, during the present session of Parliament, be extended to 500 words between the same hours; Order-in-Council amending the schedule of fees under the Imprisonment for Debt Act, 1874; notice, under section 12 of Public Revenues Act; appointment of William Stuart to be Deputy Commissioner of Stamps at Invercargill; reports of Cattle Inspectors; appointment of Joseph Giles and Charles Broad to be Visiting Justices at Wangamii ; resignation of Thomas Hislop as Crown Prosecutor at Oamaru ; &c. The "Bruce Herald" is responsible for the following : —"About four weeks ago a son of Mr. "Wright, grocer, of North Dunedin, lay ill with fever, and his life was despaired of. A few minutes before the poor boy died, his dog entered the house, and, howling loudly, went up stairs towards the room in which his sick master lay. Every effort was made to drive the animal away; he was kicked, coaxed, but would not leave. The dog eventually got into the room, but directly he reached the bedside he died, and at the same time his master breathed his last."

This is the excessively polite way in which the Wellington "Argus" accuses a contemporary of filching:—"lt was probably through inadvertence that our youthful contemporary, the "Wairarapa News Letter," in copying a leading article from our columns, omitted to make any acknowledgment of the source from which it was taken."

The Home correspondent of the " DailyTimes" writes: —"In connection -with the shooting of Cyrus Haley, which is doubtless not yet forgotten in Dunedin, it will be of interest to mention an occurrence which took place on Dartmoor, on April 28th. A number of convicts were engaged in agricultixral labour, a mile from the prison, but guarded by warders, when a blinding hailstorm came on. The prisoners were hastily mustered, and two were then found to be missing. Chase was given, and the two runaways were seen making for the river Dart, scrambling over crags and floundering through bogs. The warders, knowing the moor better, gained speedily upon them, and fired several rifle balls over their heads, but as they would not stop, several rounds of buck shot were fired at them, and they gave in. They were found to be more frightened than hurt, and next day received a flogging in the presence of all the other prisoners. "Both were young fellows." A "Wellington telegram in a Northern journal says : —' 'Sir Julius Vogel has the gout so bad that he will probably not appear much in the House this Session. He is having a a telegraphic wire constructed from Parliament buildings to his bedroom, so that he can keep his helpless colleagues posted up. The troubles of the great man sit heavily upon him. The arrangement is considered a very ingenious way of answering unpleasant questions. As the Session is likely to be very warm, it might be judicious for the whole Cabinet to follow the wise example of their chief."

The "TSew Zealand Times" of Saturdaylast says :—"A peculiar incident occurred in connection with the division in the House of Representatives yesterday. The lobby into which the ayes were wont to go last Session was yesterday assigned to the noes, and according to Mr. Reynolds, who mentioned the matter to the Speaker, some honourable gentlemen had become confused, and. voted on the opposite side to that on which their sympathies were. Mr. Reynolds got laughed at for thinking members so stupid ; but strangely enough, Mr. Curtis, on the second division, found himself in the Opposition lobby. He attempted to get out, but was too late, and the Opposition successfully claimed his vote."