South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11, 1880. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2151, 11 February 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11, 1880. NEWS OF THE DAY.

Harvesting operations are now pretty general all over the district. Up to the present only about one-fourth of the crops have been harvested, but a large quantity will be cut and stocked during the ensuing week. The weather lately has been all that could be desired. In many of the wheat paddocks the crops are heavy and regular and a yield of 50 to GO bushels to the acre is confidently anticipated. The oat crop is a most prolific one, but the current rate of Is 3d to Is 6d per bushel is rather disheartening and leaves but a small margin after labour and other expenses are deducted.

One or two sharks of considerable size were yesterday observed sporting about the Breakwater. They are variously supposed to be on the look-out for the porpoises that have recently been frequenting the roadstead, and the man-mermaids, who are to be seen at all hours up to noon disporting themselves among the breakers on the rocks to the north of the Government Landing Service. As some large specimens of the shark have lately been caught up North, bathers had better look out. His Excellency the Governor will probably pass through Timaru to-morrow by the express en route for Dunedin.

John Calcraft, who for forty-six years acted as hangman at Newgate and most of the prisons throughout the country, died on Dec. 13 at his residence in Hoxton, at the age of seventy-nine. He resigned his office in 1874 on account of advanced age, but the Corporation of the City of London continued his standing salary of a guinea a week up to the time of his death.

The Secretary of the South Canterbury Education Board can hardly be said to enjoy a sinecure. At the Board meeting, to-day, he mentioned that the correspondence since the previous meeting comprised over four hundred letters. In the face of this the Board passed a resolution that in future a register of all outward and inward correspondence should be kept.

A miserable looking specimen of humanity named William Tate was arrested shortly before six last evening in a secluded part of the beach near the Government Landing Service whither he had decoyed several young girls. Detective Kirby had been watching Tate’s movements and the arrest was only made after evidence of aggravated indecency had been secured. Two of the girls assaulted were aged respectively 7 and 9 years. Tate, who is about 50 years of age and a miserable diminutive looking object was brought before the bench to-day and remanded till Saturday.

Captain Norris, of the barque Glimpse, has instructed Messrs Russell and Devore, solicitors of Auckland, to enter an action for libel against the “ Timaru Herald” for statements concerning the condition of the Glimpse.

Dog-stealing is becoming prevalent in Christchurch.

A slight discussion took place at the Education Board- Meeting to-day relative to the notice given to the teacher of the Washdyke School that his services would be dispensed with. It was stated in explanation of the course taken, that although the result of an investigation of the dispute between the teacher and the school committee, the former was exonerated, it was considered desirable for the sake of the peace of the school that there should be a change of masters.

Mounted Constable Parmer of Ashburton, recently unearthed “a private still” while upon other business in the Alford Forest district. Yesterday the proprietor of the still, a storekeeper at Alford Forest was brought up before the Ashburton Bench and mulcted in a sum of £SO. He was also committed for trial on a charge of larceny.

The Minister for Public Works is expected to visit Timaru this evening. “ The powers that be ” are going, it is said, to avail themselves of the opportunity of interviewing Mr Olliver, re the new railway station, Ac.

The “ Ashburton Mail ” does not hold a very elevated opinion of the new Mayor of that township. Our contemporary says that at the last meeting he descended from the question of railway traffic to that of the conduct of cab-drivers, and adds: —“ He declared that the latter carried women of illfame in the open air, and that these women ‘ kicked up an infernal noise.’ How he could tell the character of women by seeing them flying past in a hansom cab is a thing which -would puzzle most people.” Mr Friedlander will probably retort that he knows them at a glance. The “New Zealand Times ” is responsible for the following:—A certain wine importer recently had his pocket-book, containing a large sum of money, cut from his pocket while entering the church. A few days subsequently he received the pocket-book through the post, postage non-paid, accompanied with a note, in which the writer stated that after spending the money he had discovered to his horror that he had been making use of money obtained in the infamous wine traffic. He therefore re turned the pocket-book, and should do the same with the money should he be able to lay hands on it.

After referring to the amusing case of the Hon W. S. Peters M.L.C., who stopped his 7s 6d quarterly subscription to the “Ashburton Mail” during the general election and shortly afterwards lost a £4O horse in the absence of the impounding notices, the “ AkaroaMail” says:—A somewhat similar case occurred the other day nearer home. This time the sufferer is, however, a regular subscriber to the “AkaroaMail,” but had neglected to study the advertisement columns of that journal. For want of certain information, which would have been supplied to him by the new advertisements for two successive issues, he finds when it is too late that some property of his had been sold to satisfy another man’s debts. To those inclined to economise by saving the subscription to their paper, we may mention that our friend loses just fifteen years’ subscription on the transaction. The moral is obvious.

Thg“ Times” special correspondent at Cabul, reports that General Roberts had intimation that the treasure of Yakoob Khan was with his father-in-law. It was found by digging in his house. Besides a large number of Bokharian good tillahs, there were 12,000 Russian gold rouble pieces. The money was used for paying the British troops, the Russian gold being made currency by order of the general. As only a portion of the treasure is supposed to have been recovered, Russian subsidies to the Ameer must have boon considerable, and can have only been given for purposes inimical to British interests. A correspondence covering a long period from the Russian Governor-General of Turkestan to the Ameer has also come to light, and shows the set purpose of the Russian Government to make Afghanistan an ally and a basis of intrigue against British India. These discoveries justify the action taken by the Government to secure exclusive British influence in Afghanistan. To have temporised with an Ameer sold to Russia would have been to court danger in India.

The “ Bruce Standard” thinks some of our less experienced marksmen at the huts should exercise more care. On Thursday, a lady while passing along the district road was startled by a bullet whizzing close past her head. She immediately turned off the road, and made a wide detour through a field of standing corn, in case the next shot should make a still closer acquaintance with her.

Messrs Jonas, Hart and Wildie will sell, to-morrow, at Cornelius’ Stables, the whole of the stock-in-trade of the stables ; sale to commence at 1 o’clock.

Messrs Maclean and Stewart will sell, at Pleasant Point, to-morrow, 200 merino and half-bred ewes and lambs; also, store cattle, 6 dairy cows, horses, Ac.; sale at noon.