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Southland Times, Issue 917, 16 March 1868, Page 2

We learn that Mrs Robert Heir is expected to arrive by the next steamer from the north, and with her a select Btar company. It was her intention to have left Dnnedin in the Auckland laßt week, but a movement on the part of the artists in that place to indnce her'to appear in a complimentary performance, detained the company beyond the sailing of the steamer. She appeared in " Leah the Forsaken" on Friday evening last, and the Princess Theatre was crowded to excess. The Invercargill Rifle Volunteers, on the occasion of their firing for representatives to compete for the colonial prizes, to be shot for at Wellington b . lor-' his Royal Highness the Duke o£ Edinburgh made very indifferent scores, and not equal to that o. the Kiverton Company. The efeas at the time was attributed to the rifles being old and interior to those supplied to the Rivertou Corps. Thia has proved correct. Sergt. Mo. ller, of the Invercargill Company, on a visit to uiverton during the past week, fired with Riverton rifles against Messrs Crisp and Smith, who rank among the first shots in the Riverton Company, at 400, 500, and 600 yards, five shots each range — Crisp, 32; Smith, 35; Moeller, .39. This is evidence that the small score made by the Invercargill men arose more from the imperfect instruments supplied, than from want of skill, inasmuch as Sergt. Moeller is not ranked as a crack shot in his own company. A most determined act of suicide was committed at the Newmarket Hotel, Dee-street, during the night of Thursday last, or early on Friday morning. The deceased, a man named William Johnston, was staying at the above hotel on the night in question, and on the following morning was found lying on the top of the bedclothes dead, a bullet wound in his breast, and a discharged pistol by his bedside. No noise had been heard during the night ; but this may be accounted for by the fact that the muzzle of the pistol must have been held close to the body, which would considerably muffle the report. Johnston, it appears, tad been shearing for some time at Mr Dundas's station, and had just come to town. It is said that his eccentricities were frequently remarked by his mates and others where he was at work, and such as to make it almost certain that he was of unsound mind. A coroner's inquest was held on the body on Saturday, but nothing was elicited to show what had prompted the act. It appears that the deceased had only come into town on Wednesday afternoon, and went, in company with three mates, to the above hotel. He appeared rather excited and a little in liquor, but nothing to create apprehension. He remained about the house, going out and in all day on Thursday, eating very little, and drinking nothing but ginger wine and lemonade, and retired to bed quite sober about eleven o'clock, and was discovered by the landlord of the hotel, Mr M'Carthy, when he went upstairs to call him to breakfast next morning, in the position already stated. It would appear that the man must have deliberated upon the act for some time, as one of the witnesses at the inquest, Mr Wilson, ironmonger, gave evidence that he recognised the body as that of a man who had purchased a bullet mould, some caps, and a flask of powder from him on the Wednesday afternoon ; ho had also begged a piece of lead to make a bullet or two alleging in reply to Mr Wilsmthat he was going to Rrverton next morning and wanted to shoot pigs. On that same evening about eight o'clock he had requested Mr Macarthy to light a fire for him in the kitchen which was done, and he remained alone for about three quarters of an hour, occupying the time, no doubt, in casting the bullet with which he took his own life, as a pan *asdis-.ov°redinwhioh iead liad evidently been melted and a number of bullets were found on the bo.iy of deceased. He was heard repeatedly to make u«e of the expression " £ will never carry that swag out of the house" and such like, but the people of the house took no ill meaning out of the remark, simply thinking that as the man had apparently a tolerably good education he intended giving up roughing it about the country and taking a situation in town. Deceased's mates had gone to Riverton on Thursday morning, but were brought up to attend the inquest, and gave evidence as to his peculiar behaviour while wiih them. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the facts stated, viz., that the deceased William Johnston had committed suicide by shooting himself while in a state of temporary insanity. «. '"'•'■

A. very handsome and comfortable addition to our public conveyances hai been made by Mr Todd, who has introduced the first Albert cm into Inveroargill. The vehicle i 8 to run at stated in« terrain between the Prince of "Wales Hotel and the Waihopai bridge, North Road. "We can testify to its affording a much more agreeable seat, from the superior construction of its springs 1 padding, &c, to the old express waggon. The Tea meeting and Oonoeit in aid of the funds of the English Church at Riverton, proved, as was expected, a perfect success. The attendence was large, the supply profuse, and the musio far in advance of ordinary amateur efforts. Some of the sacred pieces attraoted deserved attention from the correctness, ease and attention to light and shade with which they were given. The same may be said of some of the secular pieces which formed the second part of the programme, which contained a large amount of really good music. The addresses delivered were few and to the point, and the greatest I harmony and cheerfulness prevailed from begin j ing to end of the evening. Several important { improvements in the Church were noticed, and others announced as in contemplation. Among them the very fine bell weighing between three or four hundredweight, and the tower in which it is hung. The complete improvements of the interior of tha Church with the pretty and ecclesiastical east window, principally the gratituous work of Mr Pay, to whom the credit of the musical improvements is also due. The Treasurer, Mr Instone, gave a statement of the accounts of the Church which showed that the efforts of the Churchwardens had been quite unable to make both ends meet last year. A substantial house has been purchased by the vestry as a permanent parsonage, a want much felt, and wisely supplied when an advantageous opportunity offered. The young Seal brought over from the Auckland Islands by the Fanny, and subsequently procured by Mr Yon Hammer as »n interesting addition to his collection of curiosities at the Scandinavian Hotel, continues to live and thrive well, he enjoys immensely his swimming bath, but don't at all like hot weather. He is now about three or four months old, and about the same size as a Newfoundland pup of the same age. His diet is entirely of fish which is supplied to him in his tank, and, as his owner says, he can polish off a big cod in no time. The curious in natural history would find the animal well worth going to see. It is stated, by the " Wellington Independent" that Mr Fox is slowly but steadily recovering from the effects of the shaking received on the occasion of the recent accident to the coach in which he was travelling. A correspondent of the " Braidwood Despttch" N.S.W., says : — " Letters have been received from the Maiy River Rush from some who left here (Araluen) for that place who write very diacour*gingly. One of them states that the population there cannot be less than from 12,000 to 14,000, and that the gullies at present opened are not sufficiently extensive to give employment for one quarter of them. That the misery and sickness existing is dreadful, and that thousands are actually starving. Other letters are in the same strain, and strongly recommend their friends by no means to think ol coming, and heartily wish themselves out of it, and back again in the Valley." The public meeting held on Friday night in the chambers above Mrs Cowper's wareh use, Taystreet, for the purpose of setting on foot a series of winter evening entertainments of the class known as Penny Readings, was not nearly so numerously attended as the promoters had a right to expect. Mr T. Perkins was called to the chair, and briefly stated the object in view. After some discussion, of a purely conversational character, the following gentlemen were elected as a. pro tern committee, to ventilate the matter, make preliminary arrangements, and report to an adjourned meeting, to be held at the same hour and place, next Friday ' evening — viz., Messrs Dickinson, Crouch, Ham, Butts, Dunlop, Perkins and Wade. It was recently intimated by telegram from Wellington that the Duke of Edinburgh was not to leave Sydney until the 3rd of April, and that the Governor had delayed his departure for Wellingtor. The "Independent" of the sth inst., , referring to this news says : — " His Excellency the Governor, yesterday afternoon received by the Ruahine official intelligence from Sydney to the effect that the Duke of Edinburgh will not leave there for Auckland until April 3, but that this unavoidable delay will not be allowed to affect the length of H.R.H.'s stay in New Zealand as he will not now sail from this Colony till the middle of May. The cause of this change in ILR.H.'s plans is that the Galatea, which was put into the drydock at Sydney, could not be undocked till the next spring tides, and after that operation she would have to undergo extensive repairs, occupying at least three weeks. It will be seen, by the tenor of his Excellency's despatches, that the Prince cannot now reach Auckland before April 9th, or Wellington before April 20th at the earliest." We observe that anew butchering establishment has been opened in the premises at the corner of Dee and Spey streets formerly occupied by Mr Ritterath, by Messrs Paterson and Craik. The position is certainly a good one and if the firm always keep a supply of as prime beef, mutton, and pork as was exhibited in their windows on Saturday, they will no doubt get a fair share of public support. The "Dunedin Evening Star" of the 7th inst. says : — The yacht Albatross, • with her owner, the Right Hon. the Earl of Pembroke, on board, arrived in harbor this afternoon, and will proceed to town this evening. The Albatross is a smart looking vessel, and will be rem inhered by many, she having been engaged trading between Dunedin and Auckland » few years ago, under the command of Captain Brand. She was pui chased, we believe, bj his Lordship, for the sum of £2000. The "Zelso Mail" writes:— "The largest salmon ever taken within the memory of man on a British river by rod and fly was captured lately by Capt. Tinkler, in the tweed, a short way above Coldstream. In point of magnitude and weight it throws into the shade every fish on record secured by the angler, and eclipses any specimen that ever came under our personal observation on the fishmonger's stall. It turned the scales, after being freely bled, at fifty-one pounds. In length it measured four feet three inches. Its girth was fully twenty-nine and T ahalf inches— a trifle more.