NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2341, 17 September 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The privileges in connection with the ensuing Temuka Races will bo disposed of by Auction at Temuka on Sept 21. Mr Meredith of Kakahu, recently captured a strange bird which he believes to be a veritable “laughing jackass.” The mysterious stranger will probably be brought into Timaru shortly.

A movement is on foot in the Geraldine District to petition the Government to retain Mr F. Guinness as Resident Magistrate for the district, it being understood that that gentleman was about to be transferred to Collingwood. The rumour that Mr Bcswick, the present Lyttelton K.M., is to be Air Guinness’ successor, in the event of the latters removal ia denied.

A tall stalwart gentleman (says the Sydney “Bulletin ”) who is well known on Moore Park, where the colour of his locks corresponds with the warmth of his temper, thrust his head out of the window of a stationary train and angrily demanded of the guard “ why the train was not going on ? ” The guard quietly responded : “ Oh, put your head in ; how d’ye think the train’s to go ahead when the danger signal is a stickin’ out ?” That crestfallen footballer’s look was a study. He is now known as the “ danger signal.” The Auckland unemployed asked for bread and they have been offered a stone. The civic fathers in reply to their appeal offer to satiate their hunger with stonebreaking.

A horrible outrage is reported to have been perpetrated at Gisborne a few days ago upon a little girl three years of age a daughter of a laboring man named Johnston. The police arc investigating the matter. The natives of Wairoa express surprise at not hearing of war being declared by the Government against Te AVhiti. They state that the prophet’s emissaries informed them that the 12th of this month was fixed for an outbreak of war. There are 100 Maori prisoners in the Dunedin gaol, and the “Times” gives the following particulars of their treatment : They get their meals regularly without having to work for them, arc well housed and clothed, and pass their time pleasantly between cricket, rounders, and hop-step-and (ump. V/hen engaged in these pleasant recreations, their gleeful shouts can be heard 500 yards off, while the grave and reverend signours among the prisoners lie around in picturesque attitudes, smoking excellent tobacco, paid for by a paternal Government. In these days of universal depression and struggling to make both ends meet,who would not be a Maori political prisoner ?

The people of Palmerston North arc protesting against the contemplated action of Government in reverting to a tri-wcckly mail between Wellington and I oxton, instead of a daily one as at present. It is understood that .Sir William Fox and Sir Francis Dillon Bell, the lioyal Commissioners on West Coast Native Affairs, will be requested to continue their mission in that capacity, with a view of carrying into effect the recommendations contained in their third report.

A gentleman lately left the Queensland Civil Service and received £OOO compensation for the loss of his billet. Since his departure it has been found that he drew and cashed a cheque for b/dO for which no vouchers can be found iiytlic office. He is connected with the creme de lei creme of Queensland society, and on dii there is not likely to be any prosecution. A football match at Nelson yesterday against Wellington resulted in a victory for the latter by 11 points to 1.

At Hokitika a carter named George Eawlcy has terminated a spree by cutting his throat with a razor.

A beautiful cement weighing 1181bs to the bushel, and with the same properties as the Portland cement has been produced from a blue clay found on the property of Messrs Ingram and White at Oxford.

The Sydney merchants state that they prefer to buy New Zealand potatoes rather than Melbourne, even though they have to pay 10s to 20s a ton more for them, because they always get them well packed and clean, with no dirt in the bags. Mr W. A. Murray, M.H.R. for Bruce, addressed his constituents last evening and received an unanimous vote of thanks. At the close of his address, he announced his intention of retiring from public life after the present session. The Wellington “Chronicle” publishes the following explanation of the alleged intrusion of Detectives Brown and Benjamin into Miss Blyth’s sick room:—The young woman claimed some cutlery, a new travelling bag, the through ticket to San Francisco (for which a refund of £ls will be made), a railway rug, and some other things mentioned in a statement which is in the hands of the police. Now it so happened that in a conversation which Mr Browne had with the Ilev Mr Lingard, the latter stated that Mrs Henderson had missed cutlery and other articles after her husband had levanted. Upon the detective examining the clergyman more closely about these goods, he ascertained that all the things that had been claimed by Miss Blyth evidently either belonged to Mrs Henderson or to tradespeople in Christchurch, from whom they had been purchased and paid for by Henderson with post dated cheques. The detective was consequently in a dilemma, but it his his duty to sec the matter “ straight,” which he did by visiting Mrs and Miss Blyth at the Empire, and calling the former aside into another room to ask if the articles claimed by Miss Blyth were her own—a question to which Mrs Blyth at once answered “No.” The detectives (Benjamin, accompanied by Browne) did not speak to Miss Blyth at all about the matter, and she was not in a sick room at the time, but downstairs in the sittingroom. Another clean sheet at the R.M. Court to-day. Timaru is certainly improving.