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Southland Times, Issue 601, 7 December 1866, Page 2

We have to acknowledge receiving a sample bottle of Champagne Quinirie Bitters, manufactured by Mr Louis Hume, Dee-street. After fairly testing the bitters we have no hesitation in saying that this cordial is equal if not superior to the celebrated Hostetter's American Bitters. Every fresh branch of industry that by enterprise it planted in our midst should receive warm support, and it is to be hoped that the present experiment of Mr Hume may only be the forerunner of many more, that will tend to lessen the coat of article! that can. be manufactured in the province, and give an impetus to local enterpriw.

The postal notice published in another column announces that the charge in the postal pates will come into operation on the Ist January next and the penny postage on newspapers w; 1 ! be enforced. The Philadelphia Ledger, 4th October, contains the following highly important despatch from "Washington :— " The President has sent in to the Attorney-General the following questions, and requested that a response to them be returned in writing :—' First— ls the present Congress composed of members from Northern States slone, such a Congress as the Constitution requires, or is it an illegal and unconstitutional assemblage? Second—Would existing circumstances justify the President in sending his next annual message to an illegal and unconstitutional assemblage pretending to be the Congress of the United States ? Third— Does that clause in section fifth of the first article of the constitution which makes each House the judge of the election, returns, and qualifications of its own members, give to the present Congress the right to i exclnde the members from other States, or to im- j pose dishonorable or unconstitutional terms upon j their admission. Fourth— Does the President's oath of office require him to enforce those provisions of the Constitution, which give to each State an equal rigrht of representation in Coneress? article first, section second; section third, article fifth, last clause. Fifth— What steps do the Constitution and his oath of office require the President to tnVe in order to secure the asspmblape of a Constitutional Consress?' Upon the reply that may be made by tV Attorney-General to the above the President, there is reason to believe, has determined to take his stand." Wp learn from the Grey Biver Argus, that MY Dobson. the Provincial Engineer, has been on a visit to Greymouth during the last few days. for the pnrpose of examining and reporting on the various public works contemplated by th* Government in this neighborhood. We are ffiven to understand that Mr Dobson has, in the fulfilment of his instructions, selected a certain quantity of land to be reserved for railway purposes We understand that he has marked out the route of proposed line of rail of a tramway from the coal field up the Grey to this town, the terminus of which is to be somewhere in the Maori Reserve, in the vicinity of Mackay-street." The Wellington Advertiser, of the 16th No rember, reports another confidential peculator : — " Eumor hath, it that a str ; ct investigation of the accounts of the N.Z.S.N. Company this week has thrown light upon some rather peculiar transactions on the part of a gentleman holding a high position in the Company's office. It is needless to say that we allude to the discovery of a system, of fraud by one of the clerks who was considered something more than trustworthy by bis employers, and who, if rumor is correct, was ' specially imported' from a neighboring colony because of his varied qualifications, experience, and practical knowledge of the working of steam companies, and the keepiag of their accounts with unmistakable accuracy." The following remarks of Mr Justice Chapman, at a sitting of the Supreme Court held in Dunedin, on its last Insolvency sitting,' are well worthy of an attentive perusal, as they relate to a change in the law regarding insolvents that is not generally known. We quote from the Otago Daily Times: — "The Judge said that the Amendment Act materially affected all the insolvents who stood for a final hearing ; and there appeared to be six of them. "Unless their estates would pay not less than 6s 8d in the pound, there could be no final order for six months. The Act provided that if at the final hearing of any petition presented before or after the passing of the Act 'it be made to appear to the Court' that the estate would not pay over and above the costs, 6s 8d in the pound, relief should not be granted until the expiration of such time as the Court might determine, not being more than three years nor less than six months from the date of the order. But, if at a meeting of creditors, held before the final meeting, and convened in accordance with the rules of the Court, a majority in number being present personally or by proxy, representing one-half in value, a resolution should be adopted that the creditors were willing that the debtor should at once obtain relief, then the Court might grant relief at once, or at much later time as it should think fit. However much the Court- might think an insolvency the result of misfortune and not of fault, the Court had no discretion as to granting relief within Bix months, unless it appeared that the estate would pay 6s 8d in the pound, or there had been action and & resolution by the creditors as provided. It must be obvious that, in the majority of cases, the schedule which was before, the Court, made it appear that 6s 8d could not be paid, but, also, if there had been time given, the creditors, in at least some of the cases before the Court, might have resolved in favor of immediate relief. He would, therefore, give time to these fix; insolvents to ascertain the views of their creditors ; for the Act had come suddenly innto force, and very little was known of it, although it had been very properly and fully printed by the newspapers herp. If in any of the six cases 6s 8d in the pound had been or could be paid, be would hear the parties at once, and any order as to meetings of creditors would not affect the right to oppose, in any of the cases, on special grounds."