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Southland Times, Issue 1538, 16 February 1872, Page 2

Butter in lib tius, imported from France and England, sells (retail.) in Bombay at from Is LOfci to 2s 3d per lb j bottled fruits, in lib bottles, sell across the counter at from Is to 15i, and jams in lib tins at the same rate. The p.s . Nevada, with the English mails via San Francisco, arrived in Port Chalmers on Wednesday. The Southland portion of the mail was despatched overland yesterday morning, and may be expected to arrive in Invercargill some time this afternoon. We have to remind our readers of the lecture to be delivered this evening in the Theatre Royal, by Captain Button, Government Assistant Geologist, on the geology of the district, with speciiJ. reference to its coal formation ; the proceeds to be devoted to the Invercargill Athens urn. The intelligence which appears in another column of the death of Capt. Haijley, who bo ably commanded the s.s. Tararua for some years past, will be received with general regret by those who were at all acquainted with the deceased gentleman, whcse energetic character and thorough seamanship had earned for him the respect and esteem of those who had travelled with him. The recent rains have shown that the ea3t road will soon be reduced to an impassable state when the winter season fairly sets in. As there is no prospect of the railway being completed as far as Woodlands before that time, the Government should take advantage of the short continuance of fine weather which may yet be expected, in order to effect such repairs as will keep the road in a moderately- viable condition. The authorities are well aware of the heavy traffic which paaßes over this road, and it is therefore to be hoped that they will at once issue instructions to the engineer to give his beat attention to the matter.

During the year ending 30th June, 1871, 190 horses were imported to Bombay from Australia, and were sold at an average of £30. Another Maori prisoner died in Dunedin on the 10th inst., making the eighteenth death since the arrival of the batch in 1869. The brewers of Auckland have held a meeting to consider the reduction of the price of Auckland beer, so as to enable it to compete with that imported from Nelson and DuneJin. The crops in the Tiraaru district, the Herald reports, " are light, but still they are turning out ! much better than was anticipated a fortnight j sinue, and the condition is very dry anJ hard." The average price of wheat in Bombay for four years has been low, being only about 49 4£ 1 per bushel. We regret that we have been unable to meet in with a quotation for oats, as we have reason to suppose that the Indian market would be worthy the attention of our merchants. Mr Warden Pyke (Dunstan district) reports that there are 800 European and 400 Chinese alluvial miners, besides 250 European quartz miners in the district. The total yield of gold for the quarter ending 31st December, 1871, as shown by the escort, was 44,096 oza. 12 dwts. We have received the Illustrated New Zealand Herald for this month. It contains a view of the Conventual Church of St. Joseph, Dunedin, as it will appear when rebuilt j the barque Oscar attacked by a whale ; an illustration of the wreck of the Sussex 5 two scenes in connection with the eclipse expedition, &c. In an assault case, tried the other day in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, the de-. fendant, a Chinaman named Mcc Wah, before giving evidence, was about to be sworn by the extinguishing of a lighted match, when the magistrate interfered, saying that he would prefer to take fche statement of the defendant without going through any such ceremony, which he looked upon as mere mockery. The labors of a colonial G-overnor are recorded in the statistical summary of the Registrar-Gene-ral of New South Wales, for the year ending 31st March last. During that period the Governor has written 582 despatches to the Secretary of State, 407 messages or speeches to the Legislative Council, and 13,600 letters, notes, or memoranda on a host of topics, private or public j delivered i 49 addresses on various subjects — religious, charitable, scientific, or literary ; and held 170 interviews with as many different people. The weather at Switzers (says the Bruce Standard) has been exceedingly dry for some considerable time past ; old residents speak of the season as the driest in memory. The large waterrace, the property of Messrs Skene, Hast & Co;, instead of supplying from 6 to 10 heads of water, can barely afford more than one ; the digger?, consequently, are compelled to take turn about. A large number of men are, therefore, out of work and waiting for rain. Vegetation is almost entirely dried up. The hills and valleys are un-healthy-looking ; the crops are stinted, and garden produce is panting for refreshing showers. It is but rarely indeed that the contemporary print pretends to furnish much that can be called original matter. If it succeeds in purloining a few scraps of current intelligence from the columns of this or any other journal, its higher aims are accomplished. A few Sundays ago, in violation of its established practice, it ventured upon circulating a piece of information which had the effect of upsetting the more devout class of the community. It was to the effect that the English mail had arrived, bringing word of the decease of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, and that Great Britain had got into the throes of a revolutionary movement. Later still a most distorted version of the West Coast floods was circulated through the same medium, and on becoming convinced of its error, this well-couducted journal (!) turns round and vilifies the telegraphic agent for its own stupid and senseless blundering ! Greville may furnish the information correctly enough, but he cannot supply the necessary brains to those upon whom the duty devolves of preparing the intelligence for publication. On Monday last a man name! John Chris* tie was arrested in Christchurch charged with robbery at Winton. It appears that on the afternoon of Sunday, the 4th instant, the accused was entrusted with a sum of money amounting to £9, the property of a person named Boardman. They left the township of Winton together, riding on a horse belonging to Boardman. He (Boardman) being the worse for liquor, tumbled off, and his travelling companion I scampered away, leaving him lying on the ground. Information of the occurrence was given to the police, who lost no time in setting out in pursuit. Christie, who appears to be rather a fleet horseman, was traced to the Mataura, and from thence to Tapanui, Waipori, the West Taieri. and Marewhenua Pass, where further trace of him wa3 lost. Those acquainted with this line of country are aware that it is about the on ly track free from interruptions such as persons in Christie's position are exposed to by the operations of the telegraph. Feeling, no doubt, confident that he had fully succeeded in eluding pursuit, an 1 that further reserve was unnecessary, Christie emerged from his bye-tracks on the Canterbury side of the Waitaki, but only, as the result showed, to be pounced upon by the police at Christchurch. The annual treat to the children attending the Presbyterian Sunday School, announced to take ; place on Tuesday last, had to be postponed, owing to the inclemency of the weather. Next day (Wednesday) was still unfavorable, much to the chagrin of the juveniles, and a further adjournment had to be made till yesterday. The provoking part of the business, bo far as the youngsters were concerned, was that an abundant supply of comestibles had been poured into the commissariat department on the precediug Monday night, the danger being that some of the dainties might become stale. It is a question, however, whether their digestive qualities would suffer from the delay. Be that as it may, the anxiously-looked-for treat came off yesterday, and was very successful. The locality chosen for the gathering was Chats worth, on the east road, the property of Mr Adamaon. The children mustered at the church, and, along with the ir teachers, marched to the scene of festivity, where games and amusements of various kinds monopolised the attention of the party during the afternoon and evening, the creature comforts being dispensed at intervals unsparingly. A number of the parents gathered on the ground during the day, and enlivened the proceedings by their countenance. The weather, although gloomy and threatening, was singularly favorable for outdoor exercise, and the majority of the pleasureeekers must have reached the shelter of their espective homes beiore the rain began to fall.

The Otago Times says that another native industry has been established at Port Chalmers, viz., the preservation of fish in tins for exportation. "Samples of the fish thus preserved,-com-prising barracouta, moki," and flounders, have been shown us. They were cured on the works of Mr Innes, fishcurer, and tinned by Mr Thomson, tinsmith. They were tinned lately, and are excellent eating. On the tins- being opened, the contents were a's fresh as when cooked, the barracouta being in our estimation the best flavored. Time will, however, decide as to the permanent results of this new industry, as several tins are to be sent to Britain and America, on trial." . The decision recently given in .^Wellington in the case of Hare v. Tiffen, is one of considerable importance as regards the interpretation of the law in reference to liens on real property. If it is upheld by the Court of Appeal, to which there is a probability of its being referred, the principle will be established that when a person lends \ money and takes the deeds of the borrower of any property he possesses as security for repayment, he cannot be compelled in any case — as, for instance, in the case of the insolvency of the latter— to surrender them until his claim hag been satisfied. In fact, the possession of the deeds to an estate will be equivalent as security to a mortgage over it, except as regards the power of sale and the right to recover interest. The Ciutha races came off on the Bth and 9th inst. The attendance on Thursday, the first day, was not large, owing to the threatening appearance of the weather in the morning. The maiden plate of 20 soys. was won by Countess ; the handicap trotting race by Majic, Novelty being third ; and the Ciutha handicap of 40 soys. by Walters' Slander, Backbiter being second, and Lyndon third ; the distance, 1$ miles, was done in 3 mm. 48 sees. There was a Lrfger attendance the second day, and the racing was excellent. The handicap hurdle race of 20 sots, was won by Knox's Don Pedro, Honest John being second ; the district race of 20 soys. by Raven ; and the Publican's handicap of 50 soys. by Walters' Yatterina, Backbiter being second, and Patch third. The distance in the last race was 1£ miles and was run in 3 mm. 40 sees. Our readers (says a Thames paper) may remember that at one time a M. D'Hauteville was a contributor to these columns. His connection with this journal ceased, however, some time since, but we were this day waited upon by a lady who announced herself as Madame D' Hauteville. As we had learned from the writings of her husband that Madame D'Hauteville's maiden name had been O'Flaherty, we were surprised when she addressed us in a mixture of indifferent French and rather worse English, instead of the pure Italian of her native land. She said, "he was un dead dogue sur la beach et ze stink it most hor-r-ible. If it was only please you to write about him." Summon-' ing up what little we know of foreign languages, we replied that we could not for the life of us make out what she meant, when she spontaneously sail, " Arrah, sure, an isn't it a beastly did dog that's lyin' rottin' on the bache in front of me windy, and won't ye abuse the Inspictur till he takes it away ?" We presume that giving publication to the matter will accomplish the lady's object. Mrs Stanton, an advocate of w Jinan's rights, lately gave a lecture in San Francisco on Marriage and Maternity, which is thus su nmirisel : — "T le idea that woman is weak inherently is a grand mistake. She is physically weak because she neglects her baths, because she violates every law of her nature, because she dresses in a way that would kill a man I feel it my mission to arouse every woman to bring up her daughter without breaking her up in doin* so. I early imbibed the idea that a girl was as good as a boy, and I carried it out ; I could walk five miles before breakfast, and ride ten on horseback. After I was married, I wore my clothing sensibly. The weight hung alone on my shoulders. I never compressed my body out of its natural shape. Another idea : it is of more importance what kind of child we raise, than how many. It is better to produce one lion than twelve jackasses. Wo have jackasses enough, let us go into the lion business. We must have a new type of womanhood. We need it more than gold. The oltl iden of the oak and vine is pretty , but it is mere poetry; the emergencies of life prove its falsity — the lightning strikes them both alike." The " Loafer in the Street" writes as follows to the Canterbury Press : — " I see Mr H. H. Hall, of the San Francisco service, has filed his schedule in Sydney. His liabilities are, I observe, £17,419 ' ss3d ; assets, £49 7s 6d ; deficiency, £17,363 18s Bd. What an enviable position ! If Trabbs declared himself unable to meet his engagements to-morrow morning, and failed to the amount of £25, assets one shilling and an aluminum chain, ah, what a rogue he would be ! Trabbs would have lots of kind creditors to oppose such a dishonest rogue. If Trabbs got a clean bill of health, it would be well for him. These two-penny-half-penny failures are a mistake, and are quite devoid of credit to any insolvent. But to faU for thousands — that's the idea ! Poor fellow ! — gigantic speculations — utter failures — assets nothing to speak of — wife and family, &c. Speculator comes out with credit, and it's quite his own fault if he be not in a position to do it again in the course of a twelvemonth. But how is it to be done in the first instance ? Where are the confiding banks or capitalists that will give you tick to the tune of thousands ? Wuo knows ? I wish I did. I should like to be insolvent under some circumstances. A wjll-managed failure is one of those tides which, taken at the flood, leads j on to fortune. It is a tide I should like to have an opportunity of floating on." The sentimental advantage of the possession of much property by a few is well stated by M. Tame in his Notes on England. "It is one," he says, " that is only visible to the philosopher and the artist, but it exists. Without an aristocracy, a civilisation is incomplete. It is wanting in large J independent lives, widely developed, emancipated I from all mean cares, capable of beauties, like a work of art. Some one has said, ' War to castles, peace to cottages.' I think it would be better to say, ' Peace to cottages and to castle 3.' Proudhon wished to see France covered with small clean houses, in each house a family of half- villagers, half-bourgeois, a small field and garden round it, the whole soil thus divided j everywhere work, equality, comfort, and kitchen gardens. From the historian's point of view, this was the aspiration of a market-gardener. If there were nothing but vegetables, the country would be very ugly. I have no park, and yet my eyes rejoice to see

one ; but it must b,e accessible and well managed. So it is with great livesl" They take among small lives the, office of -parka among little gardens an«T allotments. j|The one supplies the aged trees; the J ' Telvet lawna, the delicious fairy scene of accumu* ' lated flowera and poetic avenues ; the .othet^teeps up certain elegances in morals and certain shades ' in feeling, permits the great cosmopolitan education, and supplies a nursery of statesmen." The, following extract from the "Overland Ceylon Times " of the 13th December may prove of interest to the advocates for the construction of dock works : — "The report drawn up by Mr Townahend on the subject of Docks at Galle shows that the work can be executed for about £325,600, but who are likely to provide this sum, moderate as it is, does not appear at all clear. The Admiralty, having the fine harbor of Trincomnlie, will not give it ; the community of Galle cannot, and the local government will assuredly give the preference to Colombo for any votes of public money to meet interest on a loan. A reference to the plans of the Galle Dockl confirms our impression that Mr Townshend is not happy in his arrangements for entrances to . Docks : we cannot imagine any more insufficient protection to an entrance than that designed for Q-alle, open a3 it would be to the roll of the ' ocean. It is now pretty generally understood that Sir Hercules Robinson is entirely favorable to the proposed Breakwater in preference 'to Docks, in which he is said to be borne out. by the opinion of the Admiral : the present home* ward mail will convey to Lord Kimbarley a- very full detailed report on this project, with complete estimates of the revenue likely to be derived from ships frequenting our harbor when a breakwater shall have been constructed : these, backed by the personal representations of His Excellency . and Mr Townshend, will no doubt obtain for us the imperial sanction needed tor the enterprise." On Wednesday evening, Mrs Nugent Wood gave a series of original readings in the Theatre on behalf of the Athenseum. The attendance, at> least in the galleries of the bouse, was crowded. The president of the institution (Mr T. M. Mac* donald) occupied the chair. The readings, both as regards selection and the style of rendering, were wall received and enthusiastically applauded. Mrs Nugent Wood is favorably known throughout the southern districts of the province m the authoress of a book of poems, entitled " Bush Flowers." She is more immediately connected with the Switzers district, and her efforts for the social improvement of the locality have been untiring. Her manner of reading is rather' an uncommon one, and as a _ first introduction does not impress the mind at all favorably. Thai feeling, however, is soon allayed, and without any seeming effort on her part, she succeeds in enlist* ing the sympathies of her audience. Her chief attraction lies in the ease and gracefulness with . which she glides from the grave to the gay. . It is in that branch of 'the art that she excels most, and for which the performance on Wednesday evening was mainly conspicuous. On the other hand, when she dwells too long on the pathetic, her voice is apt to melt away inarticulately. When we add that with very little assistance, and still less extraneous effort, Mrs Wood succeeded in sustaining the interest of her audience for a period of fully two hours, we have said enough to prove that she is really a gifted lady, and that her efforts on behalf of the Invercargill Athenaeum will not be readily forgotten. ■ The proceeds of the entertainment amounted to the creditable sura of £17. Not the least extraordinary feature of the " International " movemsnt is, that it is being furthered in China by a ognate organisation. calling itself, in the flowery language of the Bast, " The Fraternal Society of Htsaven and Eiarth.'* That country, which has been for centuries a synonym for isolation and immobility, has shown. itself to be capable of nursing the most revolutionary ideas and projects. The most rabid of French communists could not have indited a more social* istic programme than that which has been put forth by the "Tintehuy" of China. It commences thus : — "The Frabern.-il Society of Heaven and Earth firmly declares that it believes itself called upon by the Supreme Being to do away with the deplorable contrast which at present exists between wealth an i poverty. The mighty of this world are born and die like their brethren, the oppressed and the poor. The Supreme Being has not decreed that millions of man should be condemned to be the slaves of a few. . Whenoe come the riches of the powerful ? Solely from the toil and the sweat of the multitude. The benignant light of the sun and the joys of the world — all these are common property which must be no longer confined to the enjoyment of s few, but must be taken away from them, so that the disinherited may receive their BOare"