NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2443, 17 January 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Sir George Gray has received a request from the Mokau natives lo assist them in obtaining a steamer to trade to Mokau and other West Coast ports. The Christchurch “Telegraph” says:— It may not be generally known that North, who has levanted from Wellington to San Francisco, with £4OOO sweep money on the Wellington Cup, and some hundreds on the Canterbury Cup, was at one time a barber's assistant in this city, and manied a young lady of considerable personal attractions of the name of Jane Whitmore.”

At a special meeting of the Temuka Road Board on Wednesday, Mr Talbot was elected chairman,and the former officers were re-appointed. A now valuation roll was submitted, and it was resolved in reply toja communication from the Ashburton County Council, that the thanks of this Board be conveyed to the Tariff Committee of the Ashburton County Council for their efforts to obtain fair play and justice for the agricultural and pastoral interests, which are injuriously affected by the railway tariff, and for their very able statements and tables adduced in support of their contention.”

An exciting contest took place on Saturday between Messrs Webber and Woolerton at Hagley Park, Christchurch, distance two miles, stakes £ls a-sidc. The first halfmile was accomplished in 2rain 30scc, the mile in Gmin lOscc, Webber leading by three yards. The mile and a half was reached in 7min 53sec Webber still leading, and Webber still kept in advance till about 40 yards from home, when with a terrific rush Woolerton came and won by about eight yards. Webber pulled up fifteen yards from the tape. The whole distance was done in lOmin ISiscc. A Chinese gentleman thinks it beneath his dignity to manufacture his own witticisms. He appreciates wit, and he is fond of tea, but he would as soon grow his own tea as make his own jokes. When he goes into society he carries in his pocket a package of prepared witticisms and repartees, which he had purchased at the nearest joke shop. When conversation flags, and he perceives an opportunity fer saying something brilliant, he draws a humorous remark from the top of his package and gravely hands it to his neighbor. The latter as gravely reads it, and, selecting from bis bundle of repartees the one which is appropriate, returns it with a bow to the original joker. The two then solemnly smile in a courteous and undemonstrative way, and resume their conversation, satisfied as to their having acquitted themselves with conspicuous brilliancy. Judgment (says the '• Argus ”) was given recently in the Divorce Court, Melbourne, in a suit of Ho-a-Mie, v.Ho-a-Mie,in which the petitioner, a European woman, sought to be divorced from her husband, a Chinese, The marriage was celebrated in Victoria, but afterwards the parties went to live in China. Owing to ill-treatment, Mrs Ho-a-Mie returned to Victoria. The question that the Court had to consider was, whether it had jurisdiction under the circumstances as the respondent was a native of China, and was now domiciled there. The Court held that it had jurisdiction, and made a decree for the dissolution of the marriage.

The following letter i cferring to ;he Cape Diamond Field?, has been recently published in Home papers. Mr W. E. Masters writi< g from the Kimberley Diamond fields says :—“ The most magnificent diamond in the world has been unearthed here, its weight being 150 carats,and in shape similar to a policeman’s helmet; its appearance was that of a white, shining vapor, rising from the diamond paper on which it stood, I saw a cut diamond of the first water by the side of it, and it looked dull in comparison to this m its rough state. It was found by a digger named Forter Rhodes, who has but be laughed at the very idea. No one as yet can give a true estimate of its full value, it being by far the finest stone in the ivorld ; some leading diamond buyers here valve it at £ 100,00'>. A week ago a stone was found at the Jagersfontein Mine in the Free State (about a day and a-half from here), weighing 115 carats, a perfect octahedron and of beautiful color, but unfortunately spotted. It is valued between £3OOO and £IOOO. Several rther splendid stones have been found there. This mine is noted for its beautiful bluish white stones. Claims now being sold for £2500 could have been bought a twelvemonth ago for £ls a claim. Large stones have also been found at the River diggings and in the Dutoitspan Mine.”

News has been received by the mail of the death of Sir William Martin, late Chief Justice of New Zealand.

“ Stands Scotland where it did, and does the wind still incline northwards 7” Interpreted into good English (says the Wellington “ Times ”) the foregoing sentence sums up the imprecations which at six o’clock on Tuesday morning about a score of iufuriated persons were heaping upon the locked and bolted front of a certain barbers’ establishment on Lambton Quay. A guile-less youth, with nothing on but a pair of trowsers and an apology for a shirt, at last appeared, and assured the clamorous claimants that the worthy barber was “ missing,” and that his wife and family also sought “ fresh fields and pastures new.” Eight o’clock arrived, and still the shop was besieged. Telegrams began to roll in, and the hot haste of the perspiring messengers contrasted sadly, no doubt, with the invigorating coolness of the missing man, as he indulged in the breezes of the South Pacific. One telegram from Hokitika was especially excruciating ; “ Has your favorite professor really gone, and where 7” As the sender of this laconic but highly appropriate message was a loser of £SO, his eagerness was, to say the least, excusable.

Since the establishment of the District Court in Palmerston (says the Manawatu Times) there have been no leas than eighty-four insolvents who sought its protection, and in the year 1879, the assets and liabilities were £18,913 16s 7d and £14,368 13s 2id respectively. That would leave £4/173 3s 3id which would be divided in dividends, but, we ask, how much of that sum has found its way to the pockets of the creditors? We will engage to say that there have not been £SOO disbursed, and further that out of the eighty-four cases not five of them have paid dividends. We know of more than one case in which declarations of insolvency have been filled, where the assets have been but a very few pounds in excess of the sum paid the lawyer for “ putting through,” as it is called ; and not a few where the legal expenses almost reached the amount of liabilities. There is something radically wrong where a debtor, with say assets to the extent of £SO, can go to a lawyer and by engaging his services for the “ putting through ” process, make away with the greater portion of what surely should be the property of his creditors.

The annual ball of theTimaru Volunteer Artillery Band takes place at Mr Henry Green’s store on Wednesda3 r evening, Jan. 20th, at!) p.m. Tickets may be had of the Committee.

Messrs Priest and Holdgalc notify that they have received their seasons’ stock of McCormicks wire binders, and are prepared to supply same at Christchurch prices.