NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2090, 3 December 1879, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Resident Magistrate took occasion yesterday to comment on the popular ignorance that prevails respecting judgment summonses. It appears to be generally supposed that a creditor who has obtained an order for debt has only to take out one of these documents and the debtor will be forthwith ordered to find the money or go to gaol. Mr Beetham pointed out to a plaintiff who was evidently under this impression, that before throwing his money away on a judgment summons he should be in a position to prove that the person proceeded against had been in a position since the time that the order against him for payment was made to pay what he owed besides maintaining himself. This the plaintiff was unable to do, and the summons had consequently to be dismissed. About the beginning of the year a Timaru man tried to escape the troubles of this wicked world by suicide. Ho failed in the attempt, and the police taking care of him, he was committed for trial. As the gaol had greater terms for him than eternity, ho employed an eminent counsel to defend him. The latter has just recovered judgment for over £3O for his services, the bill being chiefly composed of delicious little six-and-eightpences. This ought to be a caution to would-be-suicidcs to reckon on the costs before they do anything rash. Cases of extreme hardship often arise through the state of the law relating to partnerships. Working men had only to get under the same roof—it may be an awning of calico —and deal at the same store to become constituted partners in the eyes of the law. A partner may swindle or prey on his mate to any extent, and the honest in that case has to suffer for the dishonest. It often happens that laboring men take a job or contract together, but in that case should any dispute arise, or should the one try to over-reach the other the delinquent escapes, while the other has to pay the piper, all because they are partners. Yesterday a case of the kind came before the Eesidcut Magistrate’s Court. The litigants had been doing some ditching and one alleged that a balance was owing by the other for labour and implements. The plaintiff, however, acknowledged that they took the job as mates, and without entering into the merits of the dispute between them the Dench had to nonsuit the plaintiff. The Resident Magistrate remarked that it was a pity the law provides no easy remedy or simple means of obtaining redress in cases of this kind.

Thc rush at the Seventeen Mile Beach, near Greymouth, is increasing, and ground is being taken up in all directions, mostly by old West Coast diggers, who are hastening back daily, as the locality has always been a favorite one in consequence of the heavy nature of the gold. Since October 100 miners’ rights have been taken out, and 20 more were applied for. The rush is heavy.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of the South Canterbury Almanac for 1880. It is neatly got up, well printed, the contents are carefully compiled, and it contains a large quantity of valuable information.

The Married Women’s Property Bill provides that a married woman shall be capable of holding, acquiring, alienating, and devising real estate as if she were a femme sole. The real property of women married after this Act comes into force will be held by them as if unmarried, and real property acquired by them before the Act comes into force is to be held as if they were unmarried. A married woman’s earnings are to be deemed her own property, and her deposits in savings banks to be deemed iber separate propcity. Personal property coming to her is to be deemed her own. She can effect a policy of insurance A husband is not to be liable for bis wife’s contracts before marriage, but a husband and wife may lie sued together when cither contracts as agent for the other. She is liable to insolvency, but may make settlement on herself before marriage.

Cable messages are often conflicting. The attendance at a Home Rule demonstration in Hyde Park is stated in the Melbourne “Age” cablegram to have been 100,000 while the “ Argus” Special gives the number as 50,000. This is a sad discrepancy.

Among the celebrities whose death in England has been cabled, is M. Cbcvclier, the well-known Australian Artist, whose landscape paintings created quite a furore, in Victoria about a dozen years ago, and who has since been patronised by Royaltyin London.

Up to the present period of the wool season there would seem to be a considerable increase in the cxjiort of wool from New Zealand, as compared with the corresponding period last year. The following arc the figures:—lmported into England from New Zealand up to October 8,8.177,887 bales ; last year, 178,668 bales. The total amount imported from the Australian Colonies and New Zealand was 7118,188 bales as against 651,188 for 1878; from the Cape and Natal, 184,177, as ageinst 128,472 for 1878.

In an “ anecdotal photograph ” of Lord Lyons, London “ Truth ” tolls this: “On the birth of Prince Albert Victor of Wales, bis Lordship called on the President to announce the auspicious event. Lincoln listened rather abstractedly to the official statement, and was so rude as to glance at some papers before him, as though be bad business of a more pressing kind on band. non Lord Lyons had left off speaking, ‘ old Abo ’ looked up, as if starting out of a doze, chucked the English Minister under the ribs, and exclaimed,‘Go thou and do likewise.’ The disgust of Lord Lyons was unutterable, but be wisely decided that it was best to take no notice of the President’s conduct. What, indeed, could he say, or do, write?”

The late Major Cavagnari was a man of great strength, great nerve and great calmness. He one day was obliged to settle with a dozen stalwart and armed Afridis some vexed land question. They surrounded him with angry vehemence, some with hands on their daggers; Cavagnari stood quiet, fearless, impassive. Suddenly the biggest of the Afridis measured his ength upon the ground, and the Major returned his hand to his pocket with unruffled composure. The swift thoroughness of that knocking down cowed the fierce hillmcn, Presently Cavagnari said apologetically to a friend who had watched the scene from a distance “It was absolutely necessary. Please dont think I lost my temper. ; I was perfectly cool, but I was forced to maintain my ascendancy and then he added meditatively “ and I wanted also to save my life. - ’

The Acclimatisation Society at Christchurch have determined to spend E 5 in the purchase of poisoned grain, to be distributed in such parts of the town as the City Council shall approve, for the distraction of sparrows and other mischievous small birds.

The Government have telegraphed to Sir -Julius Vogel to urge the Admiralty to send a vessel in search of the Knowcsley Hall, as desired by the Chamber of Commerce.

The Dunedin Council ha s resolved to take a plebiscitum, of the ratepayers to decide whether the Mayor should in future be elected by the Council or the ratepayers. The following is a return of the patients in the Timaru Hospital for jthc month of November last Patients under treatment at date of last return: Males, 22; females, 1; Admitted during the month: Males, 1-1; females, 1; total, 11. Discharged during the month: Males cured, 7 ; relieved, 2 ; dead, (i; females, 0. Remaining under treatment: Males, 21; females, 5. The out-door patients in receipt of relief number 11 males and 21 females.

A lad named Swinburne, aged l(i, was arrested for sheap-stealing at Auckland and stabbed the man who had endeavoured to arrest him, in two places. He was remanded.

There were registered at Tcmuka during the month of November, 7 births, 2 deaths and 1 marriages.

A Southland telegram states that most encouraging news is' to hand from Longwood. Mr Printz, proprietor of a claim there, arrived in town this evening, and brought with him the gold taken out of a rich spot struck recently. The gold was brought to town by Mr Printz in four pomade bottles, which turned the scale at 211bs avoirdupois. Allowing for the sand mixed with the gold there must have been 1!) ounces of clean metal, and this was the produce of two tin dishes of stuff taken from the reef.

An ollicial enquiry into the accident to the steamer Tui on Sunday was held at Wellington yesterday. The Court found the vessel grounded through want of proper judgment having been exercised by the master, particularly in having left his post on the bridge, at a time when he could not sec a light and had nothing whatever to guide him. To set the foresail was of no earthly use under the circumstances, after observing that the vessel must have gone five or six points out of her course. The Court ordered the captain s certificate to be suspended for throe months, and adjudged him to pay the costs ol the enquiry.

At the Magistrates Court this morning Kate Lohenez on remand for vagrancy was remanded to Christchurch where her bereaved hesband resides. The cricket match for Saturday next will be Lawyers v. The World.

The racehorses Titania, Hornby, Camballo, Lara, Numa, and Te Whctu passed through Timaru to-day on their way north.

The S.C. Education Board have an ingenious way of driving the figurative coach and six through the Education Act. The Act provides that three members must retire annually, end their scats must be balloted for. To-day the three new members were elected by a shake in the hat, the Chairman drawing the papers, and subsequently, in order to comply with the provisions of the Act, the names drawn were returned formally by ballot. The Tcmuka School appears to be unfortunate. It has a large attendance, but the sanitary arrangements arc said to be infamous. To help it out of the difficulty the Education Board has twice invited tenders for closets and lavatories and twice the tenders have been rejected, because the figures were far in excess of the estimate. According to the first plan the cost should have been £l2O, but the lowest tender was £270. The plan was modified by fifty per cent, and fresh Renders, invited but the lowest received yesterday £l6l. The plan is again to be revised and another month will elapse before the contractor’s offers can be dealt with.

A little boy aged four years son of Mr Trcngrovc, of the Bush Inn, Geraldine, fell into the river on Sunday and was just rescued by Mr Pratt, painter, ns be was being washed over the shingle bar.

An ordinary meeting of the Sub-com-mittee of the Board of Education, appointed to manage the Timaru School, was held yesterday afternoon in the Board’s cilice. Present—Mr H. Belficld (Chairman), the Bcv. G. Barclay, and Messrs Howell and Goldsmith. A report was read of improvements made to the school grounds. The attendance for November was as follow: —Boys’ School—• Number on roll, 108 ; average attendance, 220-7 ; Girls' School—Number on roll, 270; average attendance, 182-7 ; Infants’ School Number on roll, 00l ; average attendance, 277.0. A circular for parents and guardians inviting contributions towards prizes was agreed upon and it was resolved that the school should break up for the Christmas holidays on the 10th hist., and resume on Jan 20. A meeting of the Timaru High School Board of Governors was held yesterday evening in the Education Cilice. Present: Bcv W. Gillies (chairman), liev G. Barclay, and Messrs Belficld, Howell, Chisholm, Bruce, and His Worship the Mayor. Letters were received from Mr Dawson, rector, and Mr Stewart, second minister, intimating that they would be in Timaru in a few weeks. It was resolved, “ That new applications be invited for the position of Lady Superintendent by advertisements in the principal towns in the colony, the salary to be £JOO per annum; applications to be sent in by the Jlst of December.'’ Thirty six applications were received for the post of janitor. Mr Bobcrt Irvin’s was accepted. Letters were read from the Achitect and contractor, stating that the building will be finished about the Kith instant. It was resolved to authorise the Chairman to insure the building for £IOOO —£2ooo in the South British and £2OOO in the Now Zealand ollicc. The following resolutions were also carried: —■“ That in accordance with a notice of motion previously given, the articles now in the Borough Council Chambers, and intended as the nucleus of a museum, be taken over as soon as convenient by the High School Board.’’ “ That the Governors of the High School wish it to be known that in order to constitute a local Museum, they will be glad to receive objects fitted for the purpose.”

Chillies Johnson will sell cheaper than any butcher in town for cash. — [Advt.]

We would remind our readers of the exhibition of curios at the Theatre Royal this evening and to-morrow. The Railway authorities arc anxious to find a yellow coolie slut which has gone astray from the station. A reward is offered to the finder.