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

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2285, 14 July 1880, Page 2

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

—-<*— It is satisfactory to find that despite tire dull times in Timaru, the town is bein'' rapidly improved with new and substantial buildings. In the main streets, one after another, old buildings arc being replaced by new ones, and vacancies unoccupied from “ time immemorial” arc gradually getting tilled with handsome edifices. One of the largest gaps along the Main South Road, from the Club Hotel, has been the scene of continuous building operations for some months past. The small space that remains next the hotel is now being built upon by Mr Craigic, painter, who is erecting a warehouse and offices of stone and brick, and in a few days the foundation of a branch of the National ißank will occupy the adjacent allotment. In the ease of Creditors’ trustees of James Rodgers v. Jonas and others, which was heard at the District Court yesterday, judgment was given for the plaintiff with costs, the evidence of Mr D. M. Ross proving that O’Brien (the 'real defendant) in his sworn depositions acknowledged that the goods which he now claimed did not belong to him.

Some of the farmers on the plains to the north of the Rangitata are said to be at ruin’s door. It will be remembered that two years ago a large estate in the Ashburton district belonging to Mrs Greenstreet was cut up and offered in suitable areas for farmers on the deferred payment system—the payments extending over four years. We regret to learn trom an authentic source that between bad seasons and poor markets, the investors are likely, in many instances to lose their money and labor. One case has been mentioned of an industrious settler who paid a deposit of £720 and spent about £ISOO in buildings and other improvements coming to grief, through the growing of oats which have been selling so cheap as to scarcely pay for the reaping. It is stated by our informant that a very large portion of the estate is likely very shortly to tumble out of the hands of the fanners into those of the original owner. , A well-known butcher belonging to Invercargill, was sentenced to two months imprisonment without the option of a fine by Mr McCulloch, R.M., on Saturday last. Defendant had applied to the stationmaster and telegraphist at Woodlands to send a telegram away, but was refused permission on account of his being after hours. He thereupon used threats and deliberately broke nine panes of glass in the station room. His defence was that he was a man of excitable temperament. On the day in question he had been greatly roused through his cattle breaking away, and he thought the telegraphist was entitled to send the message. It is said that large reductions arc impending in the Constabulary Department, with a view to economy. These arc said to include lowering pay by Gd per day to all the Armed Constabulary, but this will not apply to town police. It is also rumoured that a number of higher oflicers will be re duced, leaving only one superintendent and two inspectors of each Island ; also that the Armed Constabulary will be reduced by over 200 men as soon as this can be safely done.

The funeral of the late Mr 11. "Watkins took place this afternoon. There was a large gathering of mourners and the cor-

tege was an unusually lengthy one. Tire last rites were performed in a most impressive manner by the Yen. Archdeacon Harper.

The St Mary’s Church Building Committee were yesterday authorised to invite and accept tenders for foundations and basement course of the new Church. The Lord Bishop of the Diocese is to be invited to lay the foundation stone of the new structure. The ceremony will probably take place in September.

The attendance returns for the South Canterbury education district for the quarter ending June 30 shews that there were 3305 children on the school rolls at the end of the quarter, as compared with 3310 at the end of the previous quarter, and that the working average for the present quarter is 215!), or 122 in excess of the average for the quarter ending March 31.

A unusually mean theft is reported from Waimatc. On Sunday the foundation stone of the new Primitive Methodist Church was laid, and on Monday night the bottle containing papers and coins, representing £2 Is BAd,which had been deposited in accordance with the usual custom beneath the stone, was missing. The theft has arroused very general indignation in the district.

The Peace Preservation Bill which is about to be introduced by the Government provides for the further detention of the Native prisoners, if deemed necessary fertile preservation of peace of the Colony, within certain limits until it shall be considered safe to release them. It also authorises the Government to detain those ploughmen who were hist tried and sentenced to terms of imprisonment which have now nearly expired, or rather to release them only by degrees, a tew at a time, until it is ascertained how far their release may be granted without danger.

A revised railway tariff is being carefully compiled, and probably will be based on the same principle as that to be applied to unprofitable telegraph offices—that is, charges will be increased sufficiently to make the lines pay. Bor instance, on “ political railways” and other linos which do not pay, or which barely pay working expenses, fares and freights will be raised by increased mileage being reckoned.

A northern contemporary made a grave mistake in deciphering a Wellington telegram the other day. This was to the effect that Hir William Box intended to introduce into the Licensing Bill a clause compelling publicans .to provide tea and coffee for their usual customers, 'i he telegram, as is not unusual, was all a blur and smudge, and whoever revised it read “ a codin'' instead of “ tea and coffee"! The editor, a pronounced Good Templar, thereupon wrote a small sub-leader complimenting Sir William on this practical demonstration of the inevitable effect of intoxicating drinks.—“ Star.”

Burther particulars respecting the death of Mr Jones, clerk in the Hank of New Zealand, at Arrowtown, on Sunday last state that he committed suicide by shooting himself in his bedroom. The affairs of the Bank were quite correct and no cause for the act can be assigned. Deceased, who was unmarried, has a brother in tire Colonial Bank at Dunedin.

Bernard Isaacs, a Dunedin Chemist, has been prosecuted for a breach of the Poisons Act in selling Chlorodync to a man named Pollock without making an entry of the sale. It appears that Bollock had taken some poison, necessitating his removal to the Hospital, and had subsequently stated that he purchased it from the defendant. On the police calling on Mr Isaac he frankly admitted that he had sold the chlorodync, but said he did not think it it necessary to make an entry of the same. Magistrate Watt said he was in a fog about chlorodync adding that “ only the knew what it was.” Bor the defence Mr Stout then urged that the article sold was “Dr J. Coliis Browne’s chlorodync ; while the Act only spccitied chlorodync. His Worship held that this point must be fatal. If Magistrate Watt’s judgment is of any value the Poisons Act may easily be evaded by attaching somebody's name to poisonous drugs.

Mr Charles Champion Rawlins, who took so prominent a part in the capture 'of the Kellys (says a Sydney paper), is a native of Wales —the residence of his family being Grove Park, Wrexham, Denbighshire. He distinguished himself greatly in the last New Zealand war, and earned much credit by the brave manner in which he on one occasion led a storming party. After leaving New Zealand, he for some time resided in the Western district of Victoria where he established himself as an all-round favorite. He now holds a small estate near Benalla, and was no doubt prompted to join Superintendent Hare in his anti-Kelly expedition as much by his love of adventure as ly his respect for law and order. Mr Rawlins, who is not without friends in Sydney, was once bailed up by an enormous kangaroo on Lindsay’s Quamby Station, near Warrambool, and in the hand-to-hand, or perhaps it may more properly be said “ hand-to-paw,” encounter, sustained severe injury, narrowly escaping with his life. He is a tine specimen of manhood, being very like Trickctt in build.

Eccentric county Judge Lefroy, sitting at Lymington lately, was asked to revive a number of lapsed judgment summonses. In acceding to the request he told the registrar not to issue execution against the defendants if they failed to obey the order, as he preferred sending a defaulter to prison to distraining upon his effects, which often made innocent wives and children suffer for the guilty.