Untitled

Southland Times, Issue 1318, 7 October 1870, Page 2

The Southland Gazette of the sth inst. contains the official notification of Dr HodgMnson's election as a member for Invercargiil in the Provincial Council ; the reunion proclamation (published elsewhere), and several private notices. The Gazette of the 4th inst. notifies the resignations of James Wilson, Esq., M.P.C., as Deputy Superintendent, and E. Rogers, Esq., as Interim Provincial Treasurer. Mr Wilson's re-appoint-ment as Provincial Treasurer is also notified. The financial statement for the quarter ending the 30th June is likewise published. Yesterday was partially observed as a holiday in honor of the reunion of the two provinces. Special excursion trains were run to and from the Bluff, and a stream of bunting flew from the signal staff at the Government Buildings. To-day being the Presbyterian Fast-day, business will no doubt be entirely suspended, as usual. All that portion of the Middle Island of New Zealand lying to the north of the Hurunui river, hi a straight line from tho source of that river to the County of Westland, the County of Westland, aud the Provinces of Ofcago, Southland, Auckland and Taranakiare proclaimed to be infected districts within the meaning of the Diseased Cattle Acts. The following is the concluding part of a letter received from the Colonial Treasurer by the chairman of the Tuapeka railway diversion scheme : — I have to request that you will inform the committee that it is not possible their proposal can be entertained during the present session of

Assembly, but it will receive consideration during the recess. The TuapeJca Times lias been supplied with memoranda regarding the cost per acre for 150 acres of barley grown in that district last season, and the result, after selling in Dunedin, calculated at 40 bushels per acre. The charges represent £6 17s per acre, and the return of 40 bushels at 3a 6s was £7, showing the profit for management to be the highly encouraging amount of 33. Writing from Palmerston, a correspondent informs the Otago Acclimatisation Society that several people are quite against the house sparrow. Il is a pity, he adds, that they were not located nearer Dunedin, amongst the gardens, where theii services could bo appreciated, and not come out quite so strong in the midst of wheat fields, Fully a hundred of them are said to be in the place. Writing to the Council of the Acclimatisation Society (Otago), Mr James Fulton, West Taieri, states that in walking along the banks of the Eavensbourne, he saw, in a deep pool, about 20 yards below where the young trout were • turned out, six or eight of these fish, looking as lively and active as possible. They were all nearly oi one size, which he judged to be about four inches lODg. A frost fish of unusual size was picked up on the beach at Akaroa Bay, Canterbury. Its length was 12ft. 6in ; girth, lft. llin ; weight not ascertained. The head was armed on the crown with two bony spears remarkably thin, and about 2ft. long. There was also a similar one on either side of the lower jaw, not quite so long, and placed so a3 to project outwards and downwards at an acute angle to the jaw. Classes have been opened in Auckland by the Grammar School Commissioners for the instruction of ladies in English literature, mathematics, German, French, and drawing. The attendance is described as fair. It is in contemplation to provide instruction in natural science ; and Dr Nicholson, the Provincial Secretary, has also promised to deliver lectures on scientific subjects to the ladies attending the classes. The scarcity of oats, and indeed of all kinds of horse feed, has been severely felt throughout the goldfields for the last few weeks, and nowhere more so than in Cromwell (says the Argus). We believe at the present time there is hardly a grain of oats to be had in the town at any price ; and although two or three waggon-loads are daily expected from down-country, it is very probable that the price will remain high for some time to come. The parties proposed to be nominated by the General Government as members of the Council of the New Zealand University are : — Auckland. —Sir G. Arney, H. Carleton, Dr Pollen, Sir W. Martin. Otago. — Major Richardson, Judge Chapman, Captain Fraser, James Macandrew, W. H. Reynolds, H. J. Miller. Canterbury.— H. J. Tancred, Ju/Jge Gresson. Nelson. — Judge Richmond, O. Curtis. Wellington. — A Domett, Dr Grace, W. Fitzherbert, Dr Hector, Judge Johnston. Hawke's Bay. — R- Stokes. The following is a statement of the liabilities the Assembly has authorised the Government to incur during the current financial year, for worka of a purely reproductive character : — Railways — Auckland to Tuakau, £180,000 ; Blenheim to Picton, £38,000 j Dunedin to Clutha, £200,000 ; Canterbury Great Xort. Irn, £92,000 ; Canterbury Great Southern, £43, C|o ; Timaru to Temuka, £67,000; Nelson to Foxhill, £72,000; railway plant, £25,000 ; railway and other surveys, about £8,000. For roads in the North Island, £100,000 ; for waterworks on the goldfields, £100,000 ; for telegraph extension, £60,000 ; for land purchases in the North Island, £200,003 ; and for immigration, £150,0J0. In all, the expenditure authorised amounts to £1,3i),003. As a coming event, M? Maoandrew's visit to Balclutha was referred to by the correspondent of a Tokomairiro paper as follows : — The most important — in fact, I may say, the only important event in prospective i 3 the coming of the Conqueror — the arrival of the Great Macandrew. I don't know whether the inhabitants are as irate against him as they were on the last occasion, and will be equilly as malleable in the hands of the Superinten lent as clay in the hands of the potter. I should not however, be in the least surprised to find that the political wild-beast-tamer will be able to administer his usual soothing syrup — ingredient, soft soap and sawder — to his Bdlclutha constituents, with the same success as in the days aforetime. During the week the Theatre Royal has been nightly crowded to witness the phrenological and mesmeric demonstrations of Dr Carr. After the lecture on each occasion, the doctor calls for volunteers from the crowd to submit their headß for examination, and after a little persuasion on his part, generally succeeds in getting hia benches filled with " bumptious" subjects. It is amusing to watch the change of expression, when j obnoxious irregularities of the cranium are descanted upon. In some instances there are evidences of a latent desire to inflict summary chastisement on the revealer of ugly secrets, but a glance at the Herculean frame towering over them is enough to subdue any pugnacious designs. However excruciating the public " reading" of a bad head may be to its owner, certainly the onlookers enjoy it immensely, for, as foible after foible of one or another of our townsfolk is declared, the house fairly screams . with delight — a strong presumption of the truth of the bitter sarcasm : that " there is something of pleasure to ourselves in the misfortunes of our nearest friends." Oi the mesmeric part of the proceedings we can only say that Dr Carr appears capable of doing exactly as he likes with a great number of people, few of those who submit to the test being able to withstand the influence. His subjects are speedily completely under his control, and obey Ms slightest wish without scruple or hesitancy, No matter how absurd the thing to be done, he has literally but to command to bo obeyed. The amount of side-splitting laughter provoked musl have a serious effect upon our local drug business and those who desire to enjoy what is acknowledged to be the best physic, viz., a hearty laugh, should not miss the opportunity now presented to them. On Wednesday evening Dr Carr delivered a most interesting lecture on "Love, courtship, and matrimony," in which some telling allusions were made to some of the more ridicu' lous "fashions of the period."