South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1880. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2237, 19 May 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1880. NEWS OF THE DAY.

An awkward accident occurred yesterday afternoon to the Express Train from the South. It appears that the oil-box of one of '■ the wheels got out of gear on the journey up and the oil ceased to flow, the consequence being that on the arrival of the train at Waimate, where the wheels were examined as usual, this particular wheel was found to be nearly red hot with the friction. The carriage was therefore detached and the, train came on without it and as it ' was crowded with passengers some inconvenience was caused. A secondclass carriage was converted, to meet the emergency, into a- first-class one by the aid of cushions, but even then there was considerable grumbling amongst the passengers wlio could barely find standing robm.

During the past two or three weeks, a considerable number of cases of malignant sore throat,resembling diphtheria,have been reported in Timaru. The epidemic is only supposed to be a virulent form of quinsey, and no serious results are apprehended. The Dunedin “Times” reports the cases of alleged diphtheria there to he merely a bad description of sort throat, attended with ulceration. The outbreak is attributable to the changeable weather experienced of late.

A private letter received from a former resident of Timaru, who is now in Sydney, represents the state of tho labour market there as something deplorable. The writer, who left New Zealand twelve months ago with a moderate amount of money states, that he has tried almost every kind of occupation, but has found it almost impossible to obtain a living. In one passage ho writes :—“Many here arc starving; in fact, I have gone for two day’s mysely without food.” With regard to tho Exhibition just closed he remarks —“ Shopkeepers say it has hurt them. It certainly has shown that they got 100 per cent on their goods.”

That murder will out has received exemplification in the case of the confession of a crime committed seventeen years ago. William Squires confesses to having murdered a woman in George street, >St. Giles, in ISG3. The victim’s name was Emma Jackson, and she was a tailoress. In the middle of the night she got up and made an attempt to rob him of his money, whereupon ho cut her throat with a razor. He then went to America, but not being able to rest, came back from there and gave himself up to the London police for the murder.

The following paragraph appears in tho latest issue of the Hawora “ Star,” furnished by its Wanganui correspondent :—Lather a good thing occurred, not a hundred miles from here, a few days ago. An architect, noted for his anxiety to do business of any kind, in the course of ordinary conversation with a widow lady, was asked what he thought of her house, and its value. He replied, “ Well, I dpn’t know; about £750. A few days afterwards, the lady was surprised beyond measure at receiving an account from the architect for £lB 15s —21 per cent commission on £750!

A remarkable lottery and " lucky number ” story comes from Naples. Ambrogio, a poor monk, was visited by two ruffians, who asked him to give them the lucky number in the forthcoming Government lottery. He said it was impossible, as. he had not got the gift of prophecy. They insisted that he was acquainted with tho mysteries of occult things, and that he could tell them, if he choose, which number would win the principal prize. Conscientiously, he refused to deceive them by a pretence. It would have been better for him had he given the ruffians a number and got rid of them; for, enraged at his repeated refusals, they so brutally ill-treated him that he had-to be conveyed to a hospital, where ho died in delirium of his injuries. But in the wandering of his mind, which was effected by the .treatment he had received, he muttered the numbers thirteen and sixty-five. This becoming known, numbers of persons staked their money on those figures, which as it happened, drew the principal prizes in the lottery. Mr Buskin, has just said what he considers a good thing about war. It is this: “You fancy you are sorry for the pain of others. Now, I tell you just this, that if the usual course of war, instead of unroofing peasants houses and ravaging peasants’ fields, merely broke the china upon your own drawingroom tables, no war in civilised countries would last a week.”

It appears that the woman Hurst, who attempted to poison herself at Dunedin on Sunday, is the wife of a carpenter. She was married in February last, but her life has been most unhappy, and she- tried to terminate it with a packet of Battle’s vermin killer. Emetics have placed her out of danger.

Mr E, H. Leary, accountant, Dunedin, supersedes Mr J. S. Webb as manager of the Otago Building Society.

Tho Christchurch Drainage Board have adopted a reply to the resolutions of the ratepayers calling on them to resign. The reply which is to be sent to the Mayor of Christchurch, alleges that the Board has been misrepresented and maligned.

At Oamaru, on Sunday, a lad named Charles Haggie, aged 10, lost his life. He was out shooting with a companion and was in the act of putting on an overcoat when his gun exploded and the charge entering his side he was killed on the spot. Legal proceedings arising out of facts elicited at the enquiry recently held in reference to the late accident to the p.s. Manawatu, are about to be taken against the captain for going to sea without a proper complement of men, and against the purser for falsification of the ship’s articles, and against Mr Martin, the agent, for fraudulently engaging men to go [to

The Education,- Board of South Canterbury arc begining to learn wisdom at last. To-day they appointed a Finance Committee to examine all accounts. This ,is a step that should have been taken long ago, and not when their money is nearly aU expired.

The weather , lately has been unsettled. Yesterday forenoon the town was rendered unpleasant in the extreme by a severe dust storm. The main street was swept by thick clouds, and shop-keepers had their goods deteriorated considerably. As the Borough Council is not in a position to employ water-carts, it has been suggested to us that the proprietors of shops and offices in the principal line of traffic might save their goods from damage and promote their own comfort by providing a water-cart at their own expense. This plan is pursued in Auckland, and in some other centres in the North Island with considerable advantage.

Messrs Sims, Granger, White, and Fraser were nominated to-day for the office of Borough Auditor. A poll will take place on June 1.

A supplement to the “ New Zealand Gazette ” has been issued, dated May 18, containing a proclamation dividing the South Island into the Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, Westland, Otago, and Southland cattle districts, for the purposes of the Diseased Cattle Act, and an Order in Council of the same date, makes a special regulation to prohibit the removal or driving of cattle out of the South Auckland district into any other district southward of the district. Appointments are also made to the South Island Cattle Boards, and the Sheep Inspectors are gazetted Cattle Inspectors for their respective districts. Veterinary Surgeons Mr Thomas Michic in Wellington, and Mr Thomas Hill in Christchurch, are gazetted Deputy Inspectors, being honorary appointments. Notice is also issued directing Cattle Inspectors to keep each other informed as to cattle travelling through the districts where pleuro-pncumoaia is known to exist.

A venerable Maori chief named Wirema Potiki, died at the Maori setlemcnt at Otago Heads on Sunday, aged 85.

Ordinary single fare tickets issued on May 22nd or 24th, from any station to any station on the Christchurch section of. railway, will bo available for return up to and including May 25th.

The Chairman of tho Dunedin School Committee, Mr Robins, came to grief at their last meeting through trying to quote Scripture. He was comparing tho case of some pupil teachers to that of “ the poor and them that need help, who——but here his memory failed him, and he had to finish with “ were generally shoved to the wall.” One of tho members made an inquiry as to the portion of. Scripture where this might bo found, but was not enlightened. Mr Robins is said to bo one of the shining lights of the Otago Biblc-in-Schools Association, and a strong admirer of Colonial Secretary Dick.

Six hundred citizens of Auckland, headed by the Mayor, have signed a petition, praying for the release of Mrs Rostock now in gaol for introducing jewellery to the colony without consulting the Customs officers.

Mr W. I’arsous of Church street, has a largo stock of coal, firewood, and agricultural produce for the inspection of consumers. Attention is called to the announcement in our advertising columns.