South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2510, 6 April 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Gisborne Maories have commenced bridging the rivers.

Mrs Clarke who met with an accident on board the Rotorua, died in the Wellington Hospital yesterday. The praefcibility and easy construction of the railway to the West Coast by the route through Cannibal Gorge is confirmed by the Government Engineers.

The “Wakatip Mail” states that one feature of the Licensing Bill to be introduced this session will be the raising of the bottle license to the same figure as the publicans pay.

A number of fires supposed to be due to incendiarism have lately taken place at Oamaru, A stack of grain and 200 bags of wheat belonging respectively to Messrs Millar and Gard, of Maerewhenua, and Dunn’s accommodation house at Whitstone, have been burned down this week.

The Finance Committee of the Wellington Borough Council recommend the following rates :—That the general rate be Is in the £ ; water rate, 5 per cent on houses where the water is laid on, per cent on bouses within a prescribed distance but not taking water, and 2A per cent on stores ; and that the rate for the payment of interest on the city improvements loan be 3d in the £. The Auckland “ Herald” takes Mr Hurst to task for some remarks made by him, in his capacity as J.P., on the case of a witness who professed himself a Materialist, which Mr Hurst remarked, evinced “ a low and demoralised state of feeling.” Such comments are most improper, and, as the “ Herald” remarks, would never be heard from a judge of the Supreme Court.

The “ Bruce Standard” is threatened with an action for alleged libel at the instance of the Rev F. Seaborn. It commented very severely on him having left the district, and forgotten to settle their account for advertising. The rev gentleman’s solicitor’s writes :—“ We give you opportunity of making an ample apology to Mr Seaborn, to be used by him as he shall think fit, and of paying him the sum of £3O to be applied by him to purposes of local charity, failing which a writ will be issued claiming substantial damages.” To which the paper makes the rejoinder “We have not the slightest intention of complying with the modest request to forward £2O, though Mr Seaborn has so suddenly turned charitable. This outburst of charity on the part of that gentleman, when compared with his action in leaving Milton so unceremoniously, looks very peculiar indeed. We have also no intern tion of falling down on our knees and begging Mr Seaborn’s pardon

It is alleged that Mr Watt, the unpopular police Magistrate, of Dunedin, clings to the Bench like a barnacle to a ship’s side, or a drowning man to a straw. A telegram says that a short time ago he was offered twelve months’ leave of absence, and received an intimation that it would be desirable for him to retire on his pension at the end of that time, but not desirous of being shunted, he declined to accept the proposal of Government. Oamaru, to which Mr Watt is about to be despatched, is a chief centre of larrikinism and s!ygrog, selling, and the addition of this magisterial infliction ought to fill the cup of bitterness of the vicious and unhappy population to overflowing.

Mr Austin, solicitor, has removed his offices to Bowker’s Buildings, Main South Road.

The London Pie House, opposite Goodman’s Stables, Main South Road, will be opened on Saturday next. Special Announcement. —New Winter Drapery—Wood and Smith beg to announce that they have opened a splendid assortment of Autumn and Winter Drapery, comprising an immense lot of Maids’, Ladies’, and Children’s Jackets and Ulsters, at exceptionally low prices. New Millinery. —Shepherd’s Buildings, Main South Road, Timaru.— [Advt.]