NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2178, 11 March 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A tent on the Hindon railway section belonging to a man named J. B. Crosson was burnt clown on Saturday night and £7 in notes, a bank account and £3O worth of valuables consumed. A revolver loaded in six chambers prevented any effort being made at salvage.

A new forage plant has been introduced into New Zealand. It is called the tcosinte plant, and was sent by Sir Julius Vogel to Mr Murdock, of the Bank of New Zealand' Auckland. The plant has been recently brought from Egypt, where, when it is mowed down, it grows again at the rate of a foot in four days. It is rich in saccharine matter, and highly nutritious. It is a grass of an enormous size.

The dismissal of Major Kemp as native assessor and land-purchase officer has been gazetted. The ground of dismissal is stated to bo “ disobedience of orders and turbulent conduct.”

At the Magistrate’s Court, Temuka, yesterday, a man named West was lined 20s for being drunk, and three others for a similar offence 5s each. A charge brought against Francis Inncs at the instance of T. Fenton for a breach of the Licensing Act was dismissed on the ground that the information contained three separate offences, and a rehearing in the assault case Fenton v. Inncs was granted. Judgment by default was given in the following cases : Harrop v. Uden, £6 IGs 8d; Ackroyd v. Lindsay, £9 12s 7d; McCann v. Lindsay, £1 19s; Filbrow v. McCarthy and Crcmon, £4 16s.

AVo have heard ;of tall shearing, but a correspondent in the Dunstan district vouches for the fact that during the late shearing season two men had a run with one another, and at the end of the day of nine hours, one had shorn 203 sheep, and the other 197 sheep. Apropos of the above and shearing in the same shed, was a poor sickly-looking little fellow, a native of Victoria, only 23 years of age, standing only 6ft. 7|in., and who only weighs 16st. 41b. Little children such as the above should not be at large.—Dunedin “ Herald.”

The only business transacted yesterday at the sitting of the Assessment Court for the Temuka district was the reduction of Mr S. D. Barker’s assessment. Mr Barkerobjected that he was assessed for 25 acres more than he possessed. Reduced £lO.

A man named George Taylor met with an accident yesterday, at St. Andrews, while engaged in carting grain to the stack. The dray capsizing, his foot caught in the frame, and his leg was broken at the ancle. He was promptly conveyed to the Hospital, where the injured limb was set.

The usual weekly meeting of the Literary and Debating Society takes place this evening, when three essays will be read by different members. The subjects arc “ Wealth (Mr Hart), “Flogging in the Army ” (Mr Legertwood), and “ Nihilism ” (Mr Sealy).

There was no entertainment at the Theatre Royal last evening, the attendance not being large enough to warrant it. Mr Sketchley left Timaru per express train today for Ashburton, where he will stop one night, afterwards proceeding to Christchurch.

Whether the cause is bad grog in circulation or the close of the harvest season, an unusual number of lunacy cases are just now engaging the serious attention of the police in this district. A few days ago a man was arrested for attempting to cut his throat with a piece of zinc, and since then another unfortunate fellow who had developed suicidal inclinations has followed him to Sunnyside. At Temuka a young man was found wandering about, and when taxed with his conduct he stated that he was one of the heroes of Ralaklava. On being reminded that he seemed scarcely thirty years of age he assured his interrogator that the was under a misapprehension and that he was an “identity of sixty-five years standing in disguise.” The latest case is that of a well-known resident who disappeared from his friends threatening to erect a house in ten minutes. Evidently the district grog wants sampling and perhaps the police will take the hint.

Mr Tawhai, M.H.R., is so delighted with the benefits of the Turkish bath that he has sent his son to Auckland to learn the various modes in which it is administered. His mission (says a local journal) may be regarded as a “new departure” in the history of the Maori race. Hitherto the European has undergone the “ sweating ” process at the hands of the Native through the medium of the Native Office, but now the process is to be reversed, and the warcarried into Africa by the .Maori undergoing the “sweating ” at the hands of one of his own race.

The cut and dried process of tilling up vacancies, adopted by public bodies so frefrequently has met with a terrible exposure. The other day the secretaryship of the Kelson Education Board became vacant,and the vacancy was advertised in various colonial papers, bringing in response some ( J2 applications. A writer in the Nelson “ Mail ” points out that 91 of the candidates might have saved themselves the trouble, as the vacancy, which took place on a Thursday, was practically filled up by Saturday ; and five of the eight votes in the Board irrevocably accorded to a certain candidate. The salary, £350, for the performance of a little clerical work, coupled with the fact that the selected applicant was closely related to the Board, created such a howl of disgust that he tendered his resignation.

The assertion that there is no money in the country has met with a singular refutation in Tiinaru. Mr James Strachan organised a “ monster drapery sacrifice,” billed the town with blue posters, advertised liberally, and opened his warehouse round the corner from Church street on Saturday night. Ever since his premises have been in a state of seige. Doors have been closed, shutters up, and stout porters have had to he employed guarding the entrances and admitting the beseigers a few at a time. The stock receives such a tossing about that up to nearly midday is spent in rearranging it. A notification elsewhere intimates that to-morrow the premises will be closed all day in order that the stock may he got ready again for Saturday. His Honor Judge Ward presided at the District Court, Waimate, yesterday. The only case on the list was that of L. Price v. L. Munday and another, a claim for £53 12s for rent. Mr J. R. Clement, appeared for plaintiff. The defendants applied for an adjournment, their solicitor, Air HamcrsIcy being absent, hut the application was refused and judgment was given for the plaintiff with costs. A cross action will probably be heard at the next sitting of the Court.

A well-known resident of Timaru, was last night arrested on suspicion of being of unsound mind. He was brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, and committed to the Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum. A man was arrested by the police shortly before 12 o’clock this morning, in the heart of the town, in such a helpless condition from over-indulgence in liquor, that he had to be conveyed to the lock-up in an express van. He will be brought up at the R.M. Court to-morrow morning.

Madame Carlotta Patti has received quite an ovation at the hands of the musical people of Sydney. The local papers of her first performance with enthusiasm. “ Marvellous,” says one critic, “ is tire only word to describe the effect she produces ; dashing off roulades with a rich fulness in the lower notes, a most delicate piano instantl y changing into a powerful forte, and vice versa, a shake which in quantity and tone is perfect and ever varying, and in quality almost interminable echo-bits and fairy-like phrases which arc startling in their very delicacy.” We should have called this panegyric rather than criticisim. The performance must be a great one of which the half of this could be said with perfect truthfulness.

A conference of insurance head managers is now being held in Wellington, and has been sitting for several days. The insurance companies represented are the New Zealand Company, Mr G. I’. Pearce ; South British, Mr A. Boardman, senior; National, Mr A Hill Jack ; Union, Mr W. D. Mearcs ; Colonial, Mr F. Allen; Victoria, Mr John Brindley. The proceedings of the conference are conducted in private, but the business consists of the discussion of various matters affecting insurance generally. A number of the conference waited as a deputation on the Colonial Treasurer on Saturday to point out to the Government the hardship of insurance companies being taxed, which they characterised as a tax on industry, and one which fell in reality on insurers and not on the companies, as the latter would have to charge proportionately increased rates to make up for the loss. Major Atkinson jnomised that the matter should receive the .careful attention of the Government, and that an early answer should be returned.

The “ Auckland Herald ” states that some finesse was required to serve the summons on Mr Lingard for playing “ Pinafore.” The writ was served by House, the bailiff, who sent in the card of “ Smith Jenkyns, theatrical manager,” Mr Lingard opened the door, and was immediately served with the writ.

The season for duck-shooting will commence with the beginning of next month, and sportsmen are keeping a keen eye on the state of their guns and rifles, and the condition of the swamps and lagoons. Game was somewhat scarce last year, but this season it promises to be abundant. All round Waimate, Makildhi, AVaslulyke, and other parts of the district, the water holes are covered with grey and paradise ducks, swamp hens, and other amphibious sport. Mr Kowley, our ocal gunsmith, is busily employed making rusty fowling-pieces as good as new, and preparing cartridges for our sportsmen. He has one of the finest and best selected stocks of firearms and ammunition for sporting purposes in New Zealand. His breech-loaders have been specially manufactured to order at the famous gun works of W. and C. Scott and Sons, of Birmingham. They were purchased during the depression, and can be had to suit all tastes and purses, varying in price from If Os to 10 guineas. His 25 guinea special field gun is one of the prettiest sporting pieces we have ever seen. In addition to the guns, he has some excellent breech-loading rifles, with all the latest appliances. An apparatus for preparing cartridges to order —IOO at a time enables Mr Howley to suit the most fastidious sportsman among his customers. We would advise those who are preparing for the shooting season, if they desire to bag plenty of game, to make an inspection of Mr Howley’s extensive stock. The following Telegraph Stations will be closed after Saturday next: Sheffield, County Sclwyu, Oakara, County Taranaki. In a letter to the “ AVest Coast Times,” Mr Button complains of Judge AVcston recalling a jury after they have once been charged, and addressing them a second time. Mr Button says he considers it “an unjustifiable attempt on the part of the Judge to lead the jury to the conclusion which he himself had most unmistakeabiy formed. I object to a Judge using language which means, ‘ gentlemen, if you do your duty, you will find the prisoner guilty.’ ” That much-travelled but genial agent, Mr E. S. Smith, was a passenger by the Eiugarooma to-day, cn route for Auckland. He has come over to make arrangements with the railway and shipping people for taking through this Colony, and showing its wonders to Cook’s party of tourists, who are coming out to do the Melbourne Exhibition.

It has been frequently said that American inventors were encouraged by the ease with which patents could be secured, but inventors have now not much to complain of in this colony. Under the Patent Act Amendment Act of last session an inventor can deposit specifications for the small sum of 40s, and obtain letters patent for another sum of 40s.