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Patea Mail, 28 April 1881, Page 3

The latest device for a scarf-pin is a solid gold fork, and, when worn by a fashionable j-outli, the combination of fork and spoon is said to be very effective. The widow of Sberitt, murdered by Byrne, has received a pension of 10s a week from Government. Sheritt was in the Viclorian police force at the time of his murder, being engaged against the Kellys. An old man rapidly acquired £6OOO worth of property at M’Gregor, lowa. Feeling that ho would soon die, lie wrote letters to his relatives in the Last, soliciting aid to carry him through a hard winter. The onh r response was from a niece, who sent him £lO out of hGloamings as a school teacher, and to lie he left his entire estate. The Rev. W. Mokley Puxshon, M.L.D., was born in 1824, at Doncaster, where bis father was a draper. At the age of 14 be entered (he office of his grandfather, a timber merchant, but it was not long before his strong predcliction for the sacred calling to which lie subsequently devoted himself made itself manifest. At the ago of 16 he became a Wesleyan local preacher, and after a short probation at the Wesleyan College, Richmond, be was appointed to bis first pastoral charge, at Marden, Kent. At the age of 21, when be was at Whitehaven, Cumberland, his fame as a preacher had become noised abroad, and people came for miles to hear him preach. He subsequently visited London, and his leputation both as a preacher and a lecturer rapidly extended. In 1868 Dr Punshon left England for Canada, where he married his deceased wife’s sister. The lady with whom lie formed this connection died in October 1871. Dr Punshon was five times elected President of the Canadian Conference. He returned to England in 1873, and in 1874 was elected President of the Wesleyan Conference for the ensuing year. Besides a number of sermons and lectures, Dr Punshon has published a small volume of poems.

CANTERBURY GRAIN AND PRODUCE. (From Canterbury Times.')

Owing to the Easter holidays, business in the grain market has been greatly interrupted, and beyond the loading of the shipping not much has been done. A few sales in wheat are reported at late rates. Milling oats continue firm, and best heavy samples are being taken at Is 9d to Is lOd. Barley shows no improvement, and middling quality is very difficult to sell. Potatoes have been moving more freely at 32s 6d to 35s at railway stations. CANTERBURY STOCK REPORT. (From Canterbury Times.} A large number of the trade assembled at the Addington yards on Wednesday, when 7879 sheep and 397 head of cattle were yarded. Sheep. —The supply of fat sheep was not large ; the bulk comprised good and medium quality cross-breds, with a fair proportion of extra prime quality merino wethers. From the opening of the sale the competition was keen, and the various lots offered changed hands at prices highly satisfactory to owners. Prime cross-breds sold from 13s to 15s, good ditto from 11s to 12s 6d, prime merinos from 10s to 10s 9d, good ditto from 8s fid to 9s. Wo quote mutton at 2£ per Jb, Store cross-bred ewes sold at 9s 9d, but many lots of store merinos not reaching owners’ reserves were passed in. Lambs in large drafts brought from 6s to 7s fid per head. Cattle. —A fair supply of cattle came forward, and prices about equal to last week’s rates were obtained. There was a larger supply of stores than usual, but on account of there being no improvement in late rates, several lots were turned out unsold.