NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2484, 7 March 1881, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mr H. H. Komilly, one of His Excellency’s private secretaries, has been severely mutilated by telegraph. Some of our contemporaries called him Bonnily, others Donnelly, hut we preferred Oonelly. Hone of the South Island ue •'spapers appear to have got the right name.

The usual popular instrumental selections were performed by the members of the Timaru Artillery Band on Saturday night. A large crowd congregated during the performance.

’■ At a meeting of the Pleasant Point Race Committee, held at the Point Hotel, it was resolved to dispose of the privileges connected with the forthcoming meeting, by auction. The gates have been bought privately by a resident in the district. The secretary was instructed to arrange with the railway authorities for a special train on the day of the races for the convenience of Timaruites.

The following " dark ” paragraph about H.M.S. Emerald’s cruise in the islands appears in the "Sydney Bulletin ” " All the newspapers had the wrong story. The Emerald proved herself a terrible avenger. They have captured ‘ one sm dl nigger,’ it’s true, but have made 1200 darkies bite the dust. Shrapnel did the fatal work. The crews saw what they did see. One thing was regretted. At dusk, one evening, a canoe was chased. Not s soul lived under that withering musketry fire. The canoes had been ‘ manned ’ by women —that was the regret. Every island lost several hundred men. The truth leaks out sometimes, this lime through ‘ that one little nigger.’

The Collector of Customs has received the following notice: —“ From and after March 1, 1881, instead of March 31, as before announced, cases containing 1 doz. reputed quarts of brandy, whisky, old tom, or rum, will be charged as two gallons, and 18 bottles of each spirit will be taken as three gallons, and 21 bottles as four gallons. When there is any excess over the reputed quantity, duty is to be charged on the actual contents as found on examination. In dealing with geneva, the case containing 12 small bottles is to be charged as two gallons. The strength will be calculated as heretofore.”

The ;i N. Z. Herald,” referring to Messrs Grant and Foster's negotiations re the Te Aroha block, says :—“ Messrs Grant and Foster do not appear to have behaved well. By loth the Government and Board they were treated in a spirit of extreme liberality, the only effect of which seems to have been to induce further demands. Although everything has been conceded it is not quite certain that we arc yet out of the woods. From the correspondence apparently Messrs Grant and Foster were at one and the same time squeezing the Government and the Board, and the latter were in ignorance of the nature of the negotiations with the former. Only now is information given that this negotiation is similar to those with Mr Vessey Stewart. The puolic were certainly under the impression that Messrs Grant and Foster were acting for themselves and for these others were agents. It was understood that the price of the land paid by settlers would be that arranged by Messrs Grant and Foster, but for all that appears to the contrary, they may be merely speculators, and may extract from those they represented what price they think lit. One thing is quite certain, that so far as negotiations are concerned there is nothing to prevent them making the land their personal speculation.