LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 96, 11 August 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the earlier portion of last evening, the sky in a soii'-western direction was iiitiinmed with a strong light, indicating the existence of an extensive bush fire. We learn to-day thaf some farmers in the neighborhood of Waiho, while burning some straw, set lire to the grass, which, spreading with great rapidity, readied Waika Kahi, the station of Messrs. Buckley and M'Lean. Great efforts were made by Mr. M'Lean to save the sheep on the run, but although his exertions' were in a great measure succe=wful, we regret to state that some hundreds: ot ewes being unable to escape, were burned to a cinder. Wc notice that a movement is on foot to c.'t.iblish a Press Club 111 Christchijrch on a similar to one now existing in Dunedin. At a meeting which was held recently to that end, Mr. J. J. ITtting, late secretary of the Dunedin Club, was ask 2d to-give his r.-si-ranee in drafting rules, &c., tcr be submitted to a meeting called for to-morrow

I evening. Some time since a correspondent signing himself " l'oacher " wrote to our contemporary. affirming that by certain means known to him lie could be of material assistance to the residents of Southland in their warfare with bunny, pledging himself to demolish them at the rate of from 300 to 400 per day. With a view of giving the writer an opportunity of so distinguishing himself, and making good his words, Mr. K. F. Cutlibertson, the Secretary of the Southland Pastoral Association, has forwarded to the journal in question the following letter : —" 1 shall lie happy if your correspondent will communicate with me. giving such particulars as may enable us to judge of the cost and practicability of his plan, without, of course, revealing it. the- consideration for which he is willing to make it known : and whether !ie would undertake personally to carry it out. or to start it." While 011 this subject we may mention the following remedy for the evil, which we clip from the " Southland News." It consists in simply importing a few dozen of the native cat of Victoria. That animal is a determined foe to the rabbit, which it will follow through all the windings of any burrow. and wherever they arc uumeroit- in the neighboring colonies "bunny" ha- disappeared, or at least been held in cheek. J.ike it* domestic prototype, the Australian eat i.-> entirely carnivorous, so that if it should by way of a change in diet di-pose of a stray chicken or gosling, that might he considered a small fee I*ll return for services rendered in protecting the crops. It might not he amiss for farmers' clubs to make some inquiry into the subject. Mr. Cole, tiis avant courier of Mr. Roberts, the champion billiard player of the world, arrived at the Bin ft" by the Albion. We learn that he proceeds to lnvereargill to negotiate terms with Mr. Monckton of that town, after which he will proceed to Dunedin to settle everything in 'connection with Mr. Roberts" visit. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Committee of the North Otago Horticultural Society was held last evening. Present : Messrs. Lemon (in the chair). Falconer, Steward, Kidd, M'Laren, Main, Paterson, and Simpson. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed. Mes.-rs. Lemon and Falconer were deputed to arrange with Mr. M'Corkindale regarding \ the medals, and a Sub-Committee was' apt pointed, consisting of Messrs. Lemon, PaterI soil, and Main, to ascertain the cost of I coloring fifty prize certificates. A C'omI mittce was further appointed for the purpose of considering the best time to hold the | forthcoming show ; and the passing of some accounts for payment terminated the meeting. Under the beading of " Cruel" the Auckland "Star"' has the following :—"During Mr. Heale's lecture on the solar system in the new Institute, a great noise was heard, like a person groaning in a fit. All heads were immediately turned in that direction, when a fair young man was discovered fast asleep, and snoring as though he was iri the country. He was allowed to sleep on until ■ the closing hour. It is said the young man j wa from Nelson."' It is a pity the '-'Star" { did not think fit to be more explicit, as from ' the peculiar wording of the above it is some--1 what difficult to determine wherein the : '• eruelty lies. It may be in the slur cast | upon ilu; lecturer by the somnolency of bis i auditor: or it may be a fling at "Sleepy ! Hollow/' the place from v. hicli the stranger hailcl. ; Wo clip the following paragraph from ; " Leisure Hour," in order to show Boniface i that notwithstanding he is not without his i grievances, his position is slightly improved, j and much more to.be envied than that of his : predecessors of a hundred years ago : —" The I publican of the old time was bound to sell a ; full quart of the best ale for one penny. If j he gave short-measure he was fined twenty I shillings; and if he allowed tippling in his house he was fined ten shillings ; and such tines the constable M as ordered to levy by distress. Again, any person found tippling : in his house was fined three and fourpenee, ; and any person drunk five shillings ; and if i the tippler could not pay his fine the con- ( stable was to put him in the stocks for four | hours, and if the drunkard could not pay his ' flue lie-was compelled to undergo E|urs

of that " and sobering confinement. fiut there is still a '• if any publican sold ale ■without a >proper license, he was to forfeit twenty shillings; and if he eottld not pay, or had no goods of his own to he distrained, he was to be openly whipped by the constable; and if the constable refused to whip him, he (the constable) was to be sent to gaol, there to remain until lie had paid forty shillings to the poor of the -parish; Justly, if a publican refused to entertain a traveller proffering payment for hjs entertainment, the constable was to indict him for.the same at the quarter sessions, and get him "fined or imprisoned." Imagine, if you can, hoav such regulations would be relished by the'Boniftces '<sf-the present day. A correspondent of an' Auckland paper gives the following- description.of a coat worn by the Marquis of Normanby on opening Parliament: —The Governor was apparelled in, I suppose, the uniform of the ancient Assyrian Cohorts when they came down like the wolf 011 the fold, for he was "gleaming in purple and gold his large chest was one dense mass of heavy gold lace, unrelieved by the slightest bit of color. You could see from the sleeves of this wonderful coat that the ground color was a dark blue. It struck me if that coat were under our stampers at the Thames that a tolerable rich yield would be obtained. In the course of the Stevenson trial for defrauding the revenue at Melbourne, the lawyer for the defence created quite a sensation in Court by stating in an impassioned tone :—" I deny, on behalf of Mr. Stevenson, the whole charge against him. His mouth is closed, but I speak for him, and he earnestly and emphatically denies that he ever wilfully or knowingly defrauded the revenue of one penny. He denies it on his honor as a gentleman, a merchant, and a honest man, anu I can defy the world to cast a stain on his character or reputation in any one of these capacities."