Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 613, 20 April 1878, Page 2

The outward San Francisco mail will close here at 10 a.m. on Wednesday next. A forgery of a somewhat successful nature was perpetrated on Monday last at Papakaio. Mr. Wallace, a contractor in that portion of the country, had had in his employ a man who is known by the name of " Bob, the devil." On Monday evening this mnn came iato town and cashed a cheque, purporting to hare been drawn by Mr. Wallace, for LI3 18s at the Alliance Hotel, and afterwards endeavoured to cash another at the Commercial for J>l6 some odd shillings. Mr. Maitland, for some reason or other, only gave the man 1.5, telling him to call again next morning f>r the balance. On the following day those cheques were paid into the Bank by Messrs. Grant and Maitland, when the suspicions of ■ connected with the Bank were aroused, and Mr. Wallace was sent for. On coming into town he declared the signatures to the cheques to be forgeries. He also stated that two cheques had been torn out of his ! cheque-book by the same person. Strange to say, Mr. Wallace has failed to give any information to the police on the matter, and it was with some difficulty that we were able to gather the particulars given above. The only information the police have received has been from Messrs. Maitland and Grant, and from the Bank. The police are, we believe, on the track of the perpetrator of the fraud.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before T. W. Parker, Esq., Isaac Johnston, for being drank and disorderly in Thames-street yesterday morningj was Suffice have received a memorandum from Office, stating Ktion on the Fort Darwin glad to afford the publ^yliisWPJ ol '- fcation, because they are natuSHy a lj»f uß TO know the position of the E^Jpeai§SjfnOur attention was called io account for some of the fires, of which has been wrapt in mystery. Mr. Solomon, of Thames-street, had placed a ttst -** ils^a ~ i^e -~ J^mraa J^ e4l ' Thursday last,' and;-' to his surprise, during the'afternoon, found it to be. oil. fife. The jyin's stereoscope, anXTgniteoTaView- anoT"a'*^rfcT6ii" = bT r the woodworfc-tpforejjt; d/iqqveredf To-morrow being Easter Sunday, the usual joyous services will be held at St. Luke's. The church will be tastefully decorated by ladies of the choir and,,.congregation. The anthems for the dav are—morning, " Quoniam " (Mogart's 12th Mass); evening, '•'o Thou that tellest," ,andthe "Hallelujah" (Handel's Messiah). The choir's graceful custom, from time immemorial obtaining in Episcopolian Churches, of presenting annually 'o the rev. pastor the offertories at Easter, will be observed tomorrow.

We learn that since the opening of Cooper and Bailey's circus in Wellington there has been a good deal of pocket-pick-ing. We observed the same undesirable state of things during the circus's stay in Uamaru, and are convinced that a horde of thieves are comprised in some portion of its stall', and that their performances are just as much a portion of the programme as any other, although unpublished. Several persons in I taniaru were unfortunate enough to drop articles of dress and jewellery through the seats on to the ground beneath while witnessing the performances, and although every means were taken to recover the lost articles, none were successful. The Tribune has the following;—'-Not many miles from Waimate there is an inexhaustible supply of blue and white stone, the latter of which is equal, if not superior, to the Oamaru stone, and we would like to see one of ni;r spirited townsmen go to the expense of building a largo dwelling-house or store with that material. Mr. Larry Towers ii.-ia spt a good example by erecting a stone cottage, of which lie has reason 10 to be proud."

It is reported on apparently good authority (says the Post), that Mr. C. K. Haughton, the late Secretary of Immigration, who, as will be reinembercil, left Wellington some time ;igo and is now a resident of Dunedin, is about to lead to the altar a young lady of considerable worldly possessions. A navvy, whose name we (PahnerMon Time*) have not heard, employed on the Wadcouaiti hue of railway near Hawksbury, was found dead in his tent on Saturday morning. The deceased was at work on Friday, and appeared to be in his usual state of health.

Blondin had a narrow escape the other day in Paris. He received a perfumed letter from a duchess whose name all journalists would be whipped rather than disclose, and who wished Blondin to carry her across the rope pick-a-back. But the hero of Niagara is a married man, and his wife dictated the reply, which was not perfumed. A contemporary says : —The people of Wairoa, a small villiage situated about forty miles north of Napier, are desirous that Sir John Coode should visit their river port and offer an opinion upon it* suitability as a site for harbor works. The total number of the inhabitants of this ambitious place may be stated with safety as under 100.

It is stated in the Wanmmui TTevaUl,which ought to be well informed on th" subject, that the well-known opinions of Messrs. Ballance and Stout will find exposition in the Native Lands Bill that is to he introduced next session,- whereby private dealings with Maoris' land will be for ever stayed. " Fear of such a measure," remarks our contemporary, "is causing extra activity among the various agents who act as negotiators for purchasing blocks, and surveyors are at a premium just now. An

attempt will be made at the approaching Land Court iu Wangauni to steer the famous Murimotu block through, and as much more as can he managed. We know this, that surveyors are hard at work ; that the Court has been adjourned for a fortnight. Why, we know not, and should like to be enlightened. We are also informed that surveys will be pushed on vigorously so that a sufficient quantity of lan i may be surveyed to warrant the application for another sitting of the Court before the As.-embly meets. This energy is displayed because capitalists know full well that the Ministry are determined to stop the wholesale acquisition of Native land, and that the electors generally endorse such a policy." A very singular phenomenon (says the Tuapeka Times) was observed by Mr. Vye of this town, on Sunday morning last about 3 o'clock. A brilliant body, about half the size of the moon, was witnessed by him fur a couple of hours, travelling from east to west in the heavens at a speed faster than the apparent motion 'of the luminary of the night. It was so bright that he could not steadfastly gaze upon it, and the beams it spread around were more of the bright sunlight than the soft silver light of the moon. Some six or eight weeks ago a similar object was observed by. Mr. Norman, of the Blue Spur, but as the information reached us second-hand, and we had not an opportunity •j{ hearing - .Mr. Norman describe the phenomenon, we did not give it publicity. The sircumstanees, however, as described by him, tallied almost exactly with those related to us by Mr. Vye. The Southland Times contemplates the prospect of a .Russian attack with anything but serenity. . Our contemporary says : "And now that an evil hour appears at hand, unprcparedness to meet it is the condition of the Colony. Take Invercargill, for instance. The town is absolutely at the mercy of a flotilla of boats. Two or three well armed launches might levy Hack-mail at will. With them it would simply be, 'shell out' or we 'shell in.' We do not think the latter would be accepted by the citizens. Invercargill's case is common to other centres of population on the seaboard. There is not a town amongst them all that could offer substantial defence. The proud city of Dunedin might easily be shelled from the Ocean Beach, Lyttelton is open to attack, and so in Wellington and Auckland. Their only hope of safety lies in buying off an assailant. At the Vaudeville Theatre (London) on February 19, Byron's comedy of "Our Boys " accomplished its 10'Jflth night. Originally produced on January 16, JS7S. it has been presented 1000 nights without a single break occurring in its run, a circumstance hitherto unknown in the history of the drama. Messrs. James, Thorne, and Farren sustain their original characters of Middlewick and the two Champneys. The gross proceeds of this representation, which amounted to L3OO, were distributed among the principal London charities.

It is announced in another column that the Rev. H. Dewsbary, the new pastor of Wesley Church, Tgjl preach to-morrow as follows : the morning, at 11 o'clock, " The Christian's "Assurance"; subject for the evening, at 6.30 o'clock^ The politics of the pjiper will be Liberal as understood in its wiliest sense. As a newsjournal the arrangements made for special telegraphic intelligence will enable it to take a leading position at once. We trust our jiew_._conteinporarj r vill meet with a good reception, and continue a powerful advocate of the Liberal cause.—Wanganui Herald. The Fortrose correspondent of the Daily Times relates the following : —" A most miraculous escape from a fearful accident occurred to- a settler named Monaghan in this district last Wednesday. He was seated upon a reaping machine drawn by two young and spirited horses, which were being driven by a lad who was walking ou the off side. Soon after starting the day's work, the horses became restive, and started to trot, and from that to a run, when Mr. Monaghan reached oyer to assist the lad to curb them witlithe leins. In doing so he overbalanced himself, and fell directly in. front", of the knives. Ho had the presence of mind to lay quite iiat upon tho ground, and the machine must have been set high, as it passed over him and only caught in a portion of his clothing, dragging him some distance, Kventnally he became cleared from it, and was enabled, with a little assistance, to walk to the homestead. The knives cut a portion of his clothing and a slight portion of the flesh of one arm, otherwise he came off with only a slight shaking :vnd a few bruises. ' The horses continued their course, and getting away from the lad, made right through the growing crop, and passing it came among the stooks adjoining, which eventually brought the machine to a stop, when the horses cleaved themselves f 0111 ; t and made for their stables. lam pleased to say Mr. Monaghan was enabled to continue harvest operations on the following day."

For some time past a rumor lias been circulated h»re, says the Kovoil Herald, to the effect that a genuine, sale of a wife had been effected at Kirk stall, and as the names have been freely mentioned it is only fair to presume that there is some truth in the statement. It appears that for some time past two brothers—one of -whom was married—had been living together, and so undivided were the attentions of the wife that each claimed a share in the children, and none could say them nay. But the lawful husband at last grew tired of this state of affairs and otf'ered to dispose of his right, title, and interest in the woman and children for a 1..5 note and a horse. The offer was accepted by the brother on condition that the vendor packed up and left the place. The bargain was struck, and the conditions were faithfully observed.

Footit wont on a walking tour lately towards the head waters of the Yarra (writes ",'Egles" in the Australasian). Faint from lack of refreshment, he one evening rejoiced to see a bark hut a short distance ahead. On getting nearer, he observed a gentleman in a blue shirt outside his moleskins, and with unlaced watertights. endeavoring with both hands to keep the corner of the hut steady. F. hailed bun cheerily with, '' My friend, do they supply good refreshments here ?' : Blue shirt straightened un, smiled a siokty smile, and said, "Think so—just look at me —and all for a shilling !'' But the attraction was not good enough, and F. strode on.

Dr. .lack (at one time one of H. M. Inspectors) thus writes to tlio Times on the subject of compulsory education:—"My contention is, that the legal enforcement of school attendance should, lie as sparing as possible, and that the experience of Glasgow shows that by a great deal of minute and anxious labor an effectual sub.stitue can be found for most of it. But there is much still to do in Glasgow, as in every other large town, and the difficulties of the Board will become greater as they, more and more, nearly cover the whole area of the city with ffood school.", and become hound to deal with the poorest and recalcitrant stratum of the population. They started two years later than the rest of England, and three years later than London. So far, their system of much persuasion and little punishment has been very successful. They could never have done what they have done without the power of punishment in reserve, but they have done what they have done well. I believe, to use it only in the last resort and with great unwillingness,"

According to the ITobart Torn M'r-rcuri/, Mr. Varley. the evangelist, told his hearers the other evening that "at some places where he has preached such a change has come over the faces of his converts, an expression of weariness and anxiety giving way to one of peace and joy, that he has advised them to go to a photographer to have their portraits taken." A Dnnedin paper says that certain sportina settlors, rejoicing in the name of Wilson Brothers, made a novel application to the baud Board at to-day's meeting. They requester! authority to bo allowed to shoot wild and uiibr.innVd cattle on the W-iihola Hundreds. The unusual request excited a good deal of amusement, for the members of the Board bid a, wholesome objection to " cattle duffinsr," even if such practices are legalised.by the T and Act. It was decided to inform Wilson Brothers that if *hey wanted Lvpfi game for rifle practice there would be no hindrance to their- shooting their own eatt'e : hut if thev interfered with ! cattle that did not belong to them, branded or unbranded, they must abide the consequences,