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Southland Times, Issue 1138, 9 April 1869, Page 2

Q-enebal Assemble. — By proclamation in a recent • Gazette* the ensuing session of the Assembly is further proroguad until the 6th of May next. Provincial Council. — A ' Provincial Government Gazette' issued yesterday notifies that the Council stands further prorogued until the 26th inst. Etjnawat Horse. — Cases of this nature have been rather frequent of late, happily in most instances resulting in very little damage, and yesterday, Thursday, Bth inst., an accident of the kind occurred which, considering the distance run at a furious rate, is peculiarly remarkable as having terminated without the slightest damage. It appears that a parcels delivery express was left standing by itself for a few minutes up in M'Master's street, when the horse started and bolted down Taystreet round Rose's corner, and along Dee-street to about the Prince of Wales, where he was attempted to be stopped by several persons. Instead however, of stopping or galloping recklessly on, the horse made a very graceful although rapid turn, and made for Tay-street again, before getting that length, however, he was again obstructed, again turned, made an intricate pas seul round one or two waggons standing in tbe street, and then darted down the right-of-way leading to the Club stables, where, probably thinking he had carried the joke far enough and had better stop before any damage was done, he voluntarily drew up and waited for his driver to re-take possession. Spubiotjs Gold. — The 'Mount Ida Chronicle' says : — It will probably be remembered that some time back a gang of Chinamen in the Dunstan District were convicted of making spurious gold, or of adulterating gold, with the view of deceiving and defrauding purchasers. There being no law bearing directly upon the point, the offenders were sentenced at Clyde to three months imprisonment, under the Vagranay Act. It would appear, from recent accounts from Cromwell, that another gang of Chinamen is again engaged in the same dishonest calling, and have been practising their frauds at Cromwell. Some gold having been purchased by a storekeeper on the Bannockbura was taken to the Bank of N.S.W., where its spnriousness was again detected. The police are in possession of information which will, it is to be hoped, lead to the capture and pnnishinent of the culprits. In consequence of the admitted inadequacy of the existing law to deal sufficiently stringently with this class of crime, it is understood to be in contemplation by the Colonial Government to introduce next session a special Act in order to put a stop to this nefarious practice. Whaling. — The ' Southern Cross,' in a recent issue, remarks upon the subject as follows : — " Hardly a vessel arrives here from the eastward that does not bring us intelligence of having sighted »reat numbers of whales within easy distance of tb is island. The Americans, with their customary activity in prosecuting any profitable speculation, are so convinced of the value of the fishery in uiese waters, that they have made arrangements for the reception of an extraordinary number of their whalers at the Bay of Islands this year — we are told as many as 150 sail — which are coming here to capture the fish which are feeding quietly under our very noses. Surely this ought to act as a simulate to induce some of our shipowners to fit out such vessels as are almost run off their berths by steamers. As the feeding ground is but little more tban a hundred miles from us, small craft wauld suffice, and could run in and out of the Bay of Islands or other parts with the blubber, which, might be tried down on shore. We should think that no dimcnity would be experienced in shipping crows " oa the lay ;" and at all events it was proved years ago that there are no better hands in the world at whaling than Maoris and Kanakas." Technical Education. — The first progress report of the Technological Commission of Victoria has been published. It contains three propositions ; the first of the establishment of periodical lectures on industrial instruction, to be delivered in Melbourue ; the second for the institution of a school of design ; and the third for the iormatioa of a technological and industrial museum. Several diggers have returned to New Zealand from Natal, who apeak discouragingly of the digging at the Cape. Many there are half starving. Stabtling Facts. — At a late meeting of the Auckland Total Abstinence Society it was .stated that the sum estimated 10 have beea spent in drink in New Zealand during the year 1868, was £1,131,270, or upwards of £21,755 per week. It was also stated that during the fast seven, years the colony haa expended £8,400,000 iot intoxicating liquors, &c, and haa remitted out of ttat sum £2,800,000 abroad for these imports, showing a weekly ;drain of our capital of about £7700.

Sete — Mrs M'Kinnon of KrLBRIDE. — We riave been requested to publish the following, which is taken from the ' Inverness Courier' : — Another of our true Highland worthies has gone to her rest. The lady whose name is at the head of this notice, and who had attained the venerable age of seventy-four years, was the eldest daughter of the well-known and, in his day, highly influential and respected Lauchlan Mackinnon of Corry and Letterfern, who was for many years Sheriff of the Tsle of Skye, and the widow of the pious, amiable, and accomplished Rev. John Mackinnon, minister of Strath, who died in 1856, and who represented a junior branch of the same old Highland family. It has fallen to our lot to have known this family well for many years, and we can say with truth that few parents in the Highlands of Scotland have had more happiness in there offspring than the late Mr and Mrs Mackinnon of Kilbride. They brought up to man and woman's estate seven sons and three daughters, and each and all of them proved a source of pride and satisfaction in their old age. The eldest is now the respected Established Church minister of Strath, a parish which he occupied in immediate succession to his father and grandfather, the Rev. Donald Mackinnon, who died in 1830, and was old enough to have seen Prince Charles Edward Stuart in his native island in the year 1746. The second eon, Lauchlan, has been a very successful journalist in Australia, and is one of the proprietors of the c Melbourne Argus' a paper which occupies the first place among the organs of public opinion at the antipodes. Another son, William Alexander, has earned for himself position and renoun in the military service of his country. On the heights of the Alma, at the siege of Sebastopal, on the burning plains of India during the mutiny, as well as in the forest fastness of New Zealand, he has gained the approval of his superiors and the recognition of his Sovereign. He was created a Companion of the Bath, and is now one of the Professors of .Military Surgery at the Royal Medical College at Netley, near Southampton. The other sons are successful and respected colonists in Victoria and New Sauth Wales. The respected lady whoss death we are recording passed away, we understand, on the 12th inst., in the full vigour of her intellect, and with the full cousciousness that she had done her duty in life, and that she was leaving behind her a name that would be revered and respected by all who knew'her. Our Scottish manses have ere now sent forth into the many men who have done honour to themselves and honour to their country, but that has only been when those who presided over those homes of religion, virtue, and propriety, thoroughly performed their duties towards the offspring with which Q-od had blessed them. Westland G-oldfields. — The ' Times' of March 23 in its monthly summary says : — " We have again to report unfavorably of che mining interest, which is, of course, the staple interest of the country. This is not, however, caused by any want of auriferous ground to work, but is altogether caused by the want of a coistant supply of the necessary fluid to wash Out the gold after it leaves its crude bed. The long spell of fine weather has been very disastrous to the minor ; we are, however, glad to be abio to report that this state of things is likely now to be of shor 1 ; duration. We noticed in our last summary that water-races were then engaging the attention of the public, and since then several water- race companies have been formed, and we believe some of the races are now actually being brought in. One from the Kanieri Lake will carry about sixty Government heads of water, and is intended to supply the whole of the terraces and flats in the Kanieri and Hau-hau districts. It is therefore estimated that when this water reaches the ground on which it is to operate that there will be profitable employment found for at least a thousand more men. This is not, however, the only district in which water -races are being brought in, and in which they will play a very important part part. Afc the Greenstone there are no less than three races at present commenced, and although they will not be of such magnitude as the Kahieri Lake warer-race, yet they will undoubtedly be of such importance to the Greenstone district. From the South we have also accounts of water companies being formed ; one of them on an even more stupendous scale than the Kanieri race. The above race will take its rise from the upper waters of the Mokinni river, and it is intended that it shall carry 120 heads of water. The object of this race is to work the terrace country in the Ross district, which is known to be auriferous to a certain payable extent, with good supply of water. We have no fresh rushes of importance to report during the month, but there has been no lack of the usual pickings of old leads, which in the early days of the coast had not been throught worth looking for. This is more the case in the tfauhau district. At Ross the interminable squabble over the drainage question still remains unsettled. Prom Okarito there is nothing new to report ; the small population located there have, however, satisfactory returns. There iB nothing new to report in the Kanieri district ; several of the wheel claims are now in new ground, and we learn are in the receipt of larger dividends. The Greenstone district is now settling down into a steady mining centre, and although there iB not likely to be any " pile claims," yet good wages ground will be found there for from 15<X) to 20U0 miners. Head Quabters op the Fbeitch Steamebb. — .News has been received that vl elbourne is to be the head-quarters of the French steamers in the Southern eeas. G-ABOTTEBS TO BE WHIPPED. — It would appear by recent files of Auckland papers that Sir George Arney has determined to mark his sense ,of the brutal assaults that are being constantly committed in Auckland by midnight marauders. These robberies attended with garotting have been more frequent at the Thames than at Auckland, but it is to be hoped that the nature of the punishment ordered to be inflicted will have a deterrent effect upon the criminal population in thair brutal attacks upon unoffending citizens. Three prisoners were, a few days ago, sentenced to receive in addition to long sentences of penal servitude, twenty lashes upon their backs with the instruments called the ' cat, 1 A Memento. — The Duke of Edinburgh (mentions the ' Geelong Register ") still bears about with him the bullet by which he was wounded in New South Wales. He wears it suspended from hia watch, chain in a gold locket. Small Pox. — A Small Pox Preveation Bill has been introduced into the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales by the Government. The object of the Bill is to give the Government power, whenever small pox appears, to establish a small pox hospital, and to appoint the necessary officers. It provides that persons in such hospital shall be cared for at public expense, and that they may be removed to this hospital udoii certificate of two members of the Board. Then there is provision fjr disinfecting rooms and clothing. It provides that patients may be retained in the hospital in the custody of the officers, aud that tha Government may make regulations for carrying out insulations of patients; and that any isolated house in which small pox break* out may br> proclaimed. A Compulsory Vaccination Bill has also been introduced. EjSrCOTTiiAGEMENT TO LOCAL ItfDUSTEV/. — The Provincial Government of Canterbury have announced that they will give a bonus of £1000 for the first 5000 yards of woollen cloth manufactured in the Province, aa well as a similar sum for the first hundru 1 tons of beet sugar, and for the establishment of a manufactory for the export of preserved meat. New Zealand Timber. — Another largo shipment of red pine logs is beinej made by Messrs Cohen Brothers. The logs are being put on board the Sarah and Mary, bound for Meloourue, and some of them are of immense size, i We believe a large demand for this timber is springing up in Melbourne, it having been found that the wood is excellent for the manufacture of furniture. — " West Coast Times."

A Good Sign. — The 'Taranaki Herald * says, we are happy to state that notwithstanding the late massacre at the White Cliffs, which would naturally intimidate settlers from remaining on their farms, that the supply of butter in town has in no way diminished, which shows more than anything else, that with a slight protection the settlers have confidence enough to return to their homesteads and attend to their dairy occupations. The Feont. — We learn from the ' Wanganui Chronicle f that the " Front ,' is in the bush beyond Keteoneta, and nothing Worthy of note has yet occurred there. The men wee described in oapital spirits and becoming efficient bush soldiers, being accustomed to the intricacies and the mode of trarelling and fighting in the bush, not by an occasional visit, but by being kept for days in it, accustomed to rely on themselves there, and allowed to become thoroughly acquainted with its protection as well as its danger. — All is quiet" along the Waitotara. The natives of that district if they have remained (as believed) on their own territory, are certainly desirous of keeping quiet and retired ; every effort of Captain Hawes, of the Wairoa Volunteers, and his coadjutors Capt. Sells, of the Veterans, and Capt. Bryce, of the Cavalry, having been, so far, fruitless in discovering their retreat. Speaking of the district of Waitotara, we cannot refrain from expressing what is the general sentiment, that a better or deservedly more respected officer than Capt Hawes could not be entrusted with the oversight of the district. If anything practical is capable of being done on the Waitotara we may rest assured that it will be accomplished by the officers now in command there. Poisoning Socks. — The Hokitika correspondent of the 'Greymouth Star" writes: — " A case of virulent poisoning from wearing those fancy, highly-colored socks has recently occurred in this town. The sufferer is Mr Alfred Dyson, mine host of the British Empire. It appears that on last Thursday week he purchased several pairs of socks, and put on a pair of them the same day. The color of the feet of the socks was magenta. Throughout the day he experienced an uncomfortable sensation in his feet, which he describes as similar to that resulting from wearing tight boots. At night, on removing hiß socks, he found the soles of his feet and | that portion of their sides which had been in contact with the magenta, all red and covered [ with small pimples. In the morning the pimples had increased to large pustules, which shortly afterwards burst, and his feet presented a most alarming appearance. Dr Dermott was called in and at once defined the cause to be the magenta socks. Mr Dyson has since been under his skilful treatment and is recovering, but it will be a considerable time before he is able to get about, as the skin on the soles of his feet has entirely peeled off, leaving a rawness which precludes him from standing. This should be a caution to i wearers of ' pretty' socks and stockings." G-old NEA.S Wellington. — There appears to be another prospect — of which, however, there is no assurance, bo far, that it will prove less fallacious than the former ones — that gold has been discovered in payable quantities in the neighborhood of Wellington. Quartz, well besprinkled with gold, found by Messrs Grace, at Wai-nui-o-mata, is now exciting some attention there. Specimens were forwarded to Dr Hector for the purpose of being analysed, and it was reported that there would be a comparative return of gold of 13 dwts to the ton of Btone.