The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1883. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1125, 14 December 1883, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1883. NEWS OF THE DAY.

The amount of Property Tax collected up to Wednesday, was £IOO,OOO. A testimonial signed by passengers has been presented to Captain Brotherlon, of the Triumph. We remind ratepayers that nominations for the tw,o vacancies in the Borough Council close at noon to-morrow. Meetings of creditors in the estates of J. Hitching and W. A. White, called for yesterday, lapsed through want of a quorum.

A meeting of unemployed, at which there were about 200 present, was held at .Christchurch on Wednesday night. The Mayor, and Messrs Holmes, WyrinWilliams, Montgomery (M.H. R.’s), and Weston were present. Besides other motions which were carried, it was resolved that the working men of Christchurch consider it the bounden duty of Government to stop free and assisted emigration, and immediately make work for the masses.

The climax of the remarkable season we ( Lyttelton Times ) have been passing through for the last three months may be said to have come this week. Tuesday night was extremely cold, especially just before sunrise; but last night the temperature fell almost to freezing point.. in Eangiora and Ashburton it was actually cold enough to produce ice. Frost in December is indeed a phenomenon to be remembered. The gardens have, of course suffered—in some cases severely. ' Theatrical people (says an English paper in America are betting vigorously on the issue whether Mr Irving’s tour or that of Sarah Bernhardt will foot up the larger gross result. However this question may resolve itself, it is quite certain that Barnum can show at once a larger gross and a larger net than either, or perhaps both. His season lasts during the summer six months, between the beginning of May and the end of October. His gross takings last season were £270,000, the net profits were within a trifle of £130,000 ; but out of this there comes the maintenance of his animals at Bridgeport during the winter months. Deducting this, the three partners divided between them a clear £IOO,COO.

The European Mail , speaking of the partial failure of fhe frozen meat shipments, writes “ Fortunately, against this isolated mischance may be placed the succession of successful ventures of the same kind, while almost simultaneously with the failure of this shipment of mutton occurred the successful importation of fish from New Zealand, to which we referred in our last,. On this subject a_car£eaponITehTwriteslharhe bought some of these fish, although prejudiced against them by the warnings of a jealous fishmonger, who looked unlovingly on this fresh nail in the coffin of the ‘ fish ring,’ and found them 1 most delicious.’ A well-known correspondent of the Field, we observe, writes to say that he will be only too glad to have the chance of buying some of the ‘ next lot’ at double the price which he paid for samples of the last. This is most cheering, and will go far (o remove the effects of the failure of the mutton cargo per Mataura.” The creditors of Mr F. O’S. McCarthy met at the Court-house on Wednesday for the purpose of considering a deed of assignment made by debtor on behalf of Messrs S. Taplin, H. E. Deane, and G. H. Norman, for the benefit of the general creditors. Mr Taplin was voted to the chair. Mr H. E. P. Adams, solicitor, read the deed, which, on the motion of Mr Gibbons, seconded by Mr Howitt, was assented to. It was resolved to instruct the trustees to wind up the estate at the earliest opportunity, a remuneration of five per cent, on the net proceeds to be allowed. It was decided to allow the debtor £3O worth of furniture, and to take steps to have the license transferred to a person selected by the trustees. The meeting then adjourned. Subsequently Mr D. M. Harris was appointed to conduct the business, and that gentleman waited upon Mr W. Wilson, chairman of the Waverley Licensing Committee, and obtained the necessary authorit}' to act.

The Anglo-Australian in the European Mail says : —Next month Mr It. T. Booth, the famous temperance advocate, sails for the Antipodes. He goes out by the Orient, of the Orient Line, and is due first at Melbourne. Mr Booth is a good, earnest, well-meaning man, but I can hardty pronounce him an analogue of the illustrious Father Matthew. Mr Booth is more of the fanatic, and, although strong measures are doubtless needful in grappling with intemperance, the maviier in mode should still accompany and temper the fortiter in re. Mr Booth recently made himself conspicuous by throwing, and “ causing to be thrown,” a large quantity of port wine of very fine quality into the Avon. Many persons have naturally regarded this as a mistaken steal, and have asked, why could not the wine have been sent to the hospitals ? Extreme measures imperatively demand extreme circumstances for their justification, but I fancy that Mr Booth is ant to let zeal outrun discretion.

A crime has just been investigated at Lucerne, which ought to prove useful to the sensational play-wrights. A young man, after being divorced from his wife, lived with a woman whom he subsequently deserted. /Vengeance seems to have become the woman’s passion, aud she went to live with another man in order to compass the death of her former lover. She represented that he was still persecuting her with attentions, and so worked on her lover’s jealousy as to induce him to fall in with her plot. The former lover was asked to meet her one evening at a spot by the river, where the man was hiding with a heavy stone tied in a pocket handkerchief, This was the implement of the attempted murder, and when they thought their victim was dead, they threw him into the river and hurried away. The plunge into the water, however, restored him to consciousness, and ho swam ashore and gave information which led to tho anest and conviction of his assailants. Meanwhile, he himself was “wanted" on a charge of robbery at Fluelen, and on the way there ho jumped overboard from the steamer, and was drowned in the lake. This would bo a fine finish to a sensational drama,

Mr Cowern sells jewellery by order of Mr Nulsford to-morrow.

An Art Student Society has been formed at Auckland. Bayard and Leonessa have been scratched: for the Wellington Cup, Hippodamia is scratched for all engagements at the Auckland summer meeting.

Specifications of contract for formation of Motoroa road, Momohaki district, may be seen at Mr Muir’s store, Waverley. Mr Taplin is inviting tenders for a threeroomed cottage in Meredith street. This is to replace the one recently burnt there <

The HaweiTi Borough Council have passed a resolution recommending the burgesses tb vote a loan of £SOOO for the erection of gasworks.

The settlers at-Woodville will be pleased to hear that Divine service will be conducted in the school-room on Sunday afternoon at 2.30, by Rev J A Luxford.

At Auckland yesterday, Mrs Mary Ann Wilson, a grocef, attempted suicide by swallowing the heads of three boxes of matches in water. She lies at the Hospital in a precarious condition.

The New Zealand Shipping Company have received, advice that the British Queen arrived at Madeira all well on the Bth, and sailed next day for Plymouth. Her cargo of frozen meat was in good condition.

The Hon Mr Rolleslon left Wellington for Christchurch to-day for the purpose of being present at the Industrial Exhibition there. He returns on Friday next. The Hon Mr Dick will ,be, the. only Minister remaining in Wellington. : Messrs Fraser and Tinne of Auckland, who bought the hull, machinery, and re-, frigerator of the Triumph, have entered into an arrangement with the Auckland Freezing Company to deliver the purchases in Auckland, when they will be taken ever by the Comply. Mr Fiaier has started for the Triumph. At a Directors’ meeting held yesterday of the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company, Limited, the brokers, Messrs Williamson and Co,, produced applications for upwards of 10,000 shares, representing £50,000, on which deposits had been paid. Great satisfaction was expressed, and operations will be promptly commenced.

Lord Odo Efussell, while calling upon Prince Bismarck a short time ago, asked him how he managed to rid himself of that class of’unfortunate .visitors whom he could not well refuse to see, but whoso room he found preferable to their company. “ Oh,” replied the Chancellor, I have a very simple method. My wife knows them pretty well, and when she sees they are with me she generally contrives to come and call me away upon some pretext or another.” He had scarcely finished speaking when the Princess put her head in at the door and said : “ Otto, you must come add take your medcine. You ought to have had it ten minutes ego.” A correspondent sends to the Melbourne Telegraph an account of an-extraordinary occurrence which took place at Sandridge recently. A shark, about 5£ feet in length was, seen close to the pier, in shallow water. Two men under the influence of drink, went out in a small boat to try and capture it. The shark got under the boat, and the men, in trying to strike it with an iron bai, capsized themselves and the boat on top of the shark. One of the men struck out for the shore as fast as he could.. The other, named Samuel Jackson, made for the shark and seized it in his arms. Immediately the shark knocked him down with a blow of his tail. Jackson pursued him in the water, and caught him again by the body. The shark threw him down four times. On the fourth fall, a man went to his assistance, and between them they succeeded in carrying the live shark to the shore in their arms.

Mr Forbes has (bought proper to be severe upon Australian legislators and their wives, their boots and other matters affecting their well-being. He was equally (writes “ Atticus ” in the Mellourne Leader ) complimentary about some Congress men in America, whose good ladies at least in one case he did not defame until bis experience of a gentleman’s boots rather disenchanted him. Forbes, I hear, is not by any means polite to, or even gentlemanly, in the presence of ladies. When a passenger on board one of the Pacific mail boats, he made himself thoroughly detestable. One morning he sat down to breakfast on board ; ,-a lady was seated near him partaking of a little porridge, and this wholesome fare was also placed before the great traveller in due course. With a shout of indignation ho exclaimed, “ Steward, what do you mean ? Take it {(way ; porridge is onlyfit for bogs.” Captain Bannerraan, the commander of the steamer, vho was present, thereupon raised the laigest dish of porridge on the table and observed, “In that case, j .Mr Forbes, this will exactly suit you.” A very important sale of freehold property will take place at 2 p.m. tomorrow in Mr., Cowern’s rooms. On reference to our advertising columns it will be seen that some of Mr Tennent’s valuable properties will be offered, consisting of the premises known as Dale’s block, Mr Dale’s late dwelling house in Lincoln street, and the Hill-side estate. There is no necessity to describe the lots ; they are well ‘ known, as being very desirable properties. The question is, will they find purchasers ? For our part, we have no hesitation in saying that as an investment, any one of them would turn out a profitable speculation in course of time. Patea is bound to recover itself by and by, and the value of all landed property will rise again. A better time for purchasing could hardly be chosen, because prices rule very low, and buyers must reap the benefit of any recovery in the district. The terms are liberal, so that there is every inducement for speculators or investors to do business. A lease belonging to the Domain Board will also be offered, particulars of which are given in another column.

Just received—Direct importation, 250 cases ; 150 test kerosene, 100 cases Walker’s Kilmarnock Whisky, 50 cases Royal Blend Whisky, and 6 cases assorted tobaccos. — S. Taplin. (Advt.)