LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1587, 4 June 1872, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'E. : H. tngpen was charged on Thursday before 3 ft Dundas, Esq., J.P., with appropriating th turn of £6 6s, Supreme Court fees. He wa committed on this charge, in addition to those oi which he is now awaiting trial. • At the meeting of the Town Council on Thura efejMnight, the following tenders were accepted :— Supply of 60 yards gravel, delivered a corner of Dee and Spey streets, John Reveney £6 08 lOd j removal of Engine House and Bel Tower, John Walker, £60. ' The remainder o the business was cf » routine character. We have to acknowledge receipt of files of thi Waikato Times, the latest, addition to the fourtl estate of the colony. It is a tri-weekly paper and is very creditably got up. The place of pub licatipn is Ngaruawahia, in the province o; Auckland. _. On, the evening of Wednesday last, being the bi-monthly night for receiving subscriptions, 8S »ew shares in the Building Society were issued. - We regret to learn from the Gazette that Hit Excellency has accepted the resignation of Captair Harvey, late of the Invercargill Rifle Volunteers It has been proposed in the Provincial Council that Block 7, in the town of Riverton, containing three acres, should be set apart as a reserve foi the purposes of recreation. Dr Webster has given notice of a motion foi altering the Provincial Executive to a Board consilting of seven members, three to be elected by the Road Boards, one by the Municipalities, one by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, one by the holders of Gold Diggers' Licenses, and one by the Pastoral Tenants of the Crown. The Select Committee on the Moa Flat sale report that' the interests of the district were injuriously affected; by the sale. It appears that the. Government were being urgently pressed by the Bank to reduce the amount of the overdraft, and on the motion of Mr Reid, authority was obtained from the Council: to sell 50,000 acres in one or more blocks* but> it was* added that*' " full arid careful inquiry should be made with' a view to prevent the alienation of any land, the sale of whichmay be, or may be deemed to be, prejudicial to the public interests." This recommendation the committee are -of opinion has hot been strictly carried out. The Riverton Harbor Board Bill, now passing through the Provincial Council, provides for the constitution of a Harbor Board at that port, in pursuance of -powers conferred by the Harbsr Boards Act, 1870. The Board is to consist of five persons chosen from the citizens' roll of the .Corporation, of Riverton. The Mayor will be the first President. Three members form a quorum. The, Board may enter into contracts for any works connected with the improvement of the harbor, provide steam dredges, erect wharves and jetties, and furnish all proper appliances for the accommodation of shipping. The funds, besides endowments in land, arise from harbor and jetty dues, license fees, port charges, pilotage rates, and all other moneys leviable under the Harbor Boards Act, 1870. .' A proclamation in the' Gazette of 22nd ult. defines the position, of the lavereargill and .Mataura Railway, .and. .specifies the lands proposed to be taken, for. the .purposes of the work. The Invercargill terminus . is at the Railway - Station, and the line passes through, the town by .Tyne Btreet. The Mataura, terminus is on the .east bank of the river, opposite the township of Gore. We may mention that the lands through < which the; line ; is to pass are. described at length Jin the Gazette, .so r tbat 'parties who may be 'interested will know where to obtain the information. By the Roads Diversion Ordinance, the Superintendent is empowered to stop up certain roads and portions of roads, and to sell or exchange the land over which such roads pass, for the purpose of making deviations where the ground 'affords a better line than the line originally surveyed, and of closing road lines which experience has proved to be practically useless. The roads are all described in the schedule to the Ordinance. The only one in the Southland district is the road, about 45 chains-long, lying between section 19, block 9, and section 54, block 4, Jacob's River Hundred. The Saturday half-holiday movement in Dunedin is acknowledged to have broken down, nearly all the places of business being open on Saturday last. Telegraphic communication is being gradually i extended throughout the colony. The, latest addition made to the, districts brought : under the ' operation of - the electric wire is thatof Motueka, in the Province of Nelson, intercourse with which was opened on Tuesday last. , \ , : < Mr FeredayH^f ChristchurchJ" in order to test whether a receipt given, for a cheque is liable to duty under the Stamp. Act, has given an unstamped receipt in a case of the kind to a person ' with the request that he would report it to the " Government. This was done, and as* the AttorneyGeneral's opinion Was obtained, an action has been' commenced against' Mr Fereday for a breach "of the Act. MrFereday (remarks the Lyttelton Tunes) is confident of being able to show that the " Act does' not render it compulsory to stamp receipt* for cheques. Mr J. F. Jones, ot the Club Hotel, Dunedin, denies that there is any truth in the statement circulated by the Thames Advertiser to the effect . that a settlement has been come to with the claimant to the estate of the late Mr Norman. The following «re the figures arrived at by the Select Committee of Council on the Winton - Railway, showing -the nettlossto the Province 'arising from the abrogation of the contract :— , • 1869, April ; : 1— Winton Railway . ; Contract— ■ :

1 A cow in the Canterbury province has given birth to five calves within eleven months — three at one birth and two at the other. The number of notices of motion on the Order Paper of the Provincial Council on Monday was 121. It is said that the losses from tutu have been unusually heavy amongst the cattle running in the Mataura district this season. From Mr Bella remarks in the Provincial Council we gather that the very large reduction in the Provincial overdraft in the Bank of New Zealand was not purely the result of Mr Reid's desire to discharge the obligations incurred by the Government. The hon. member said he thought the present overdraft should be paid, before voting any more money, as it really was not creditable to the Province to be under the thumb of the bank, or to get such threatening letters as were received last year / Mr Shepherd has given notice that he will move in the Council for a return showing t c total cost of making and maintaining the Bluff Harbor and Winfcon Railway ; and also that the Superintendent be requested to open negotiations with the General Government for the sale of the line. The Gazette contains a list of the reduced rates of commission on telegraph money orders issued and payable in the Colony, which will , come into force on June Ist, in addition to the telegraph fee of Is : — For sums not exceeding £1, 4d ; £2, 8 d ; £3, Is ; £4, Is M ; £5, is 8d ; £6, 2s ; £7, 2s 4d; £3, 2s 8d ; £9, 3s ; £10, 3s 4d. The high price of labor has caused a stoppage of nearly all the deep claims at Ross, in Westland. The miners refuse to accept £3 103 per week for 10 hours a day or £2 ISs for 8 hours. , . The exceedingly good passage (says the Wellington Independent) made by the -Nebraska, shows what may be expected of the San Francisco service when worked by efficient steamers. The Nebraska left; San Francisco on the evening of the 27th April, and arrived at Auckland on the 22nd May — being only 25 days on the journey. It is satisfactory to learn that for the future the mails will be carried right through in the same steamer, thus avoiding the vexatious delays and break-dowus that have occurred ; through the inefficiency of the boats hitherto j employed en the San Francisco end of the line. Precious stones, frequently discovered by accident in the most unlikely-lookiag localities, are (says the Queenslander) more numerous in this colony than many suppose. A correspondent informs us that he found, in the Hawkwood (Burnett) district, some stones hard enough to cut glass. He describes them as of " a white to a light rose color," and supposes that they are diamonds ; but he does not furnish sufficient data on which to form an opinion. Stones of various kinds have recently been picked up on one of the farms at German Station by an amateur ' connoisseur.: Among them are several which cut j glass, resist, the file, and so forth ; and when seen through a powerful lens they contrast strikingly with quartz crystals and the like. They have not yet, however, been pronounced diamonds, whatever may be the result of further tests, but they are evidently of such a character as to excite more than usual interest, especially at the present time. There is no dearth of instruction to collectors, &c., but the following from Slater's Settler's Guide, may be new to some : — " A diamond is the hardest substance in nature, and if a person can, with his suspected gem, scratch a piece of quartz (which is the fourth degree of hardness below a diamond) he may rely upon having found a precious stone at least ; if he possesses a blue, white, or green sapphire, which the 'stranger 5 can also scratch, he may rest assured that he has found a diamond, because a sapphire is the next hardest substance known to science."

Notwithstanding the disagreeable weather, the Theatre was well attended on Wednesday evening. The favorable reports published of Mr Hasel* mayor's entertainments, and of his extraordinary skill as a conjuror, were proved to be by no means exaggerated. To give anything like a description of the astonishing feats performed is out of the question. They must be seen to be understood, or rather to obtain an idea of them — understanding them is another matter. The audience seemed to be highly pleased with the dexterity displayed, hearty plaudits being frequently accorded to the performer. The manipulation of the " stylocarfe" showed that the Professor is a thorough master of this strange instrument, the music produced being of a very pleasing nature. The performances of the trained canaries and white mice were wonderful. Bat the feature of the evening's entertainment was the goblin drum, whose intelligibility entirely baffled the ingenuity of the audience to account for. The jdrum was placed on a stand in the midst of the audience, and the Professor, standing on the stage, made it answer whatever questions he chose to put, a single beat standing for " yes," and silence for " no." Dice were taken among the audience, and the drum, at the Professor's command, not only revealed the numbers which had been thrown, but predicted them beforehand. Two of the audience were requested to write down fire figures on separate pieces, of paper, which they were allowed to retain without inspection, and the drum at once disclosed the exact figures in regular order, as well as giving the total of the two- sums added together. One > noticeable feature was the absence of the usual glittering display of -conjuring apparatus, which lent an air of reality to the different performances. On Thursday evening, as on the preceding, the weather was exceedingly unfavorable.' There was nevertheless a very good house, the lower part being fairly filled, with a sprinkling upstairs. In the case of those visitors yho had evidently been present on the previous evening, there was no lack of interest or apparent satisfaction, while as to the rest, the performances were thoroughly enjoyed. By the judicious change of portions of* the programme, all feeling of staleness was prevented, and the new pieces in* • troduced weje equally clever in, their ' way with their predecessors. The performing birds and mice came in as before for a large share ot the applause, .and the Professor's frequent lively and humorous remarks,: if they did not (as we suspect they did) materially assist him in his clever deceptions, did much to render the evening enjoyable. We can confidently recommend our readers to go and judge for themselves, as we feel assured that the Professor's entertainment will give the utmost satisfaction to all who p3troniee,it.

Mr John Hare was gazetted, on the 4th May, Sub Lieutenant of the Napier Artillery Volunteers. Date of commission 16th August, 1871. The proposal of the Wellington Provincial G-oYermnent to close the present cemetery in the Empire City has caused consternation amongst those who have friends interred there. A petition against the proposal has been got up, and is receiving a large number of signatures. Mr Jerningham Wakefield is engaged compiling, for the Wellington Provincial Government, a handbook of the province — a work (saya the Wanganui Herald) intended to demonstrate to emigrants that the province of Wellington is a perfect Elysium. I The special coach for the conveyance of the Southland portion of the English mail left Dunedin at 7.15 on Wednesday morning, arriving at Popotunoa the same night ; started again in half-an-hour, passed the Mataura Bridge in the dark, j 1 and reached the Post Office, Invercargill, at tt } quarter past ten on Thursday morning, thusaccomplishing the through journey in twenty-seven hours, the shortest period in which it has ever been done. Considering the state of the roads, this feat is highly creditable to the enterprise of the contractor, Mr M'lntyre. We are glad to see that the hint thrown out in a recent issue, as to the necessity of a bridge over the Mataura at Menzies' Ferry, has been taken up by the Provincial CJ-OTernment. Mr Reid stated that the Executive would recommend that a block of land be set apart for this purpose, whether the motion proposed by Dr Menziea to secure the same object were carried or not. In the Besident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, GK Robertson was charged by Alexander ■■ 1 Sayers with assaulting him in his own house, by i I violently forcing a door in his face. It appeared that Robertson had gono to Sayers 's house to obtain possession of a goat and two kids which he alleged to be his property, but which were in the possession of the prosecutor. An altercation ensued— violent language was used on both sides —and Sayers ordered Robertson to leave the place, which he refused to do. _ Sayers then tried i to put him out but failed, and in the struggle the ■ door seems to have been. pushed in Sayers's face. Hia Worship told Robertson that he had.no right to enter Sayers's house against liis .will, or to make a disturbance there. If he refused to leave, when requested to do so, Sayers was justified in ejecting him by force, and if he resisted, it amounted to an assault. Fined 20s and 5s 6d costs. On Thursday, Sayers v. Mayo and wife> was a claim for £7 10s, amount of commission for effecting a lease of the Provincial Hotel to Mr Patchett, and £7 lOs commission valuation of furniture, which Sayers represented that he had been retained to value, though he wa3 not allowed to do bo when he offered his services. Judgment for defendants, with cost 9. We have never been great admirers of Mr Donald Reid, but we do not think that the Opposition announced as having. been organised undei* the leadership' of Mr Shepherd 1 is likely to prove very 'formidable to that astute politician, even if it should be successful in docking a few I joints off the proverbial " tail." That our readers «nay be ulrte vu Judge Hir Hiomovlroo, -n-« appentf the names of the gentlemen who attended the preliminary caucus : — Messrs Shepherd, Hickey, Innes, Armstrong, J. C, Brown, Or. F. 0. Browne, Bastings, and Daniel. Their operations may probably prolong the session of Council a little, involving of course a corresponding increase of the total amount of the honorarium. But perhaps some of these gentlemen see no great harm in this, in the event of their efforts remaining otherwise unrewarded.

At the recent criminal sittings of the Supreme Court at Wanganui, His Honor Mr Justice Johnston is reported to have said, while referring to the system of Grand Juries j — " The principal function of the modern Grand Jury is to act as a tribunal of investigation, preliminary to the trial of persons charged with serious offences. After a long experience I have come to the conclusion that the abolition of Grand Juries in England would comparatively be a desirable object. Where there are so many able stipendiary magistrates, there can hardly occur any great or grave acts of omission which would necessitate the functions of a Grand Jury being called for. The Grand Jury acts as it were as a check upon, the actions of the lower tribunals, as in the case of an indictment consequent upon a committal, a variety of circumstances would tend to show that incalculable harm would ensue by placing a man upon his trial whom the jury had'no moral dotibt was perfectly innocent. In this respect thewholesome check of the jury is not actually, visible, except from actual experience. I am of opinion, however, that all cases of a capital or political nature should be submitted to the investigation of the Grand Jury, but in all minor cases it would be more desirable to leave them, to the committal of the E.M., unless in special cases, in which the judge may deem it necessary or advisable to take the opinion of the .Grand Jury. , We have seen a sample of European flax (linum usitatissimum), grown by Mr Dalgliesh, of the Bank of Otago, in his garden at Gladstone from seed supplied by the Acclimatisation Society, which is pronounced to be of very good quality by a gentleman who has extensive commercial experience in dealing in the article. The sample before us, though of course only hand dressed, is stated to be worth £40 to £50 a ton in London at the present time. Surely this should be an inducement to our farmers to commence the cultivation of this crop, on however small a scale for a beginning. Once the crop is known to be cultivated we understand there will be no difficulty in procuring machinery for its preparation. We have seen a specimen of lAlium Atiratum the new golden-rayed Lily of Japan, in flower at the shop of Mr Cooper, seedsman. This, we believe, is the first instance in which' a flower of this splendid species of lily has been seen in Inver'cargill. Being perfectly hardy, it is equally suited for the adornment of the flower garden, the conservatory, and the sitting-room, while as an ornamental plant it is i unrivalled amongst the numerous family to which it belongs. A raid has been made on the, bakers, by the Inspector of Weights and Measures, at Grey* mouth, under clause 10 of the " Bakers and Millers Act," which enjoins that " all bread shall be sold by the several bakers or sellers' of bread by weight and not otherwise, and may be made of such weight or size as the said bakers or sellers shall think fit, and in no case any baker or seller of bread shall sell or cause to be sold bread' in any other manner than by weight, them and in such case, every such baker or seller of bread shall for every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding forty shillings." Some of the delinquents have been fined 20s and costs, and similar penalties haye been also inflicted on coal dealers, for selling by measure and not by weight. .* .

At the meeting of the Otago Waste Land Board, held in Dunedin on the 15th ulfc., Mr J. H. Harris applied on behalf of Mr M'Nab, that he might be allowed to purchase his pre-emptive right on Run Kb. 194, under the 83rd section of the Waste Lands Act, 1866, he having failed to purchase it in the ordinary way within the prescribed time. It was resolved that Mr M'Nab be instructed to apply in terms of the Act. We learn from a contemporary that a traveller from Queenstown to Arrowtown, lately coming along the Frankton road, disturbed a covey of nine Californian quail. He has no doubt about them being quail, being well acquainted with the birds. . : j. ■ ■• '■ The Thames Advertiser says : — lt is currently reported in Auckland that the Norman romance mystery has been exploded by the filing, on the part of the claimant, Mr Jones, from Dunedin, of another affidavit, before his Honor the Chief Justice, partly apologising to the Judge and to the widow. It is said that since the proceedings in chambers, when the affidavits in opposition to her application were filed, Mr Jones has had an interview with Mrs Norman, and* failed most unmistakably to identify her as tKe alleged Mrs Kobertson, of Dunedin, milliner and barmaid. A .Coromandel contemporary states that double the number of carpenters could be profitably employed there if they could only be obtained, and adds that there are great complaints of the scarcity of labor generally. All Freemasons Lodges in Calcutta and Bom* bay were to be put into mourning for three months, on account of Lord Mayo's death. The, Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Tines says !~Captain Hutton, the AesistantGeologist, was at the Kawa Kawa coal mines a short time back. In directing the miners where to sink for a Beam of coal, he told them to go to a depth of 170 feet. It may interest some students of geology to learn that the seam was reached at a depth of 168 feet. Some of the miners expressed great admiration for Captain Hutton' a accuracy. The Timaru Herald is authorised to state that Mr Stafford will not address his constituents this recess. On ipril 17th, after a career of about seven and a-hilf years, the Timaru Land, Building, and Investment Society was officially closed, as I determined by the following resolution passed by a meeting of members on the 12th of April — " That as all accounts in connection with the Timaru Ltnd, Building, and Investment Society I having betn finally audited, and arrangements having bees made for the payment of unrealised ; shareholders the accounts due to them, and also j for the delirery of all deeds to realised shareholdevsT—the Society be declared finally closed on 'Wednesday. next, the 17th April, 1872." During the existence of the Society a sum of £21,000 passed through its hands. Investors who remained until the termination of the Society received fifteen per cent, for their money. It "is notified in the Provincial " Government Gazette that Messrs G. F. Robertson, F, H. G-eisow, and J. D. M* Arthur, have been appointed by His Honor the Superintendent to be District Surveyors for the Hokanui and Oteramika, Aparima, and Eyre and InvercargiU districts respectively. There are 56 boys and 45 girls at present in the Industrial school, Dunedin. Besides receiving educational instruction, the boys are employed alternately in keeping the garden in full working order, and the girls in general household work, sewing, &c. The average cost per child is Is lO&d per week.

A movement (says the N.Z. iterald) has originated with our local importers for establishing a freight company, owing to the enormous : freiffht charsns which A uckland. m»*oli«M».fci» ■■«•• compelled to pay MsB3rs Shaw, Saville and Co. A much bettor plan would be to form a. company, purchase half a dozen good iron ships, and lay them on the line between Auckland and London. The company would, of courso, have a London agent; and full, cargoes both ways could be absolutely assured. This being the case, there need be no risk of loss uncovered by assurance, ■ and as the company felt its ground it could easily add to its fleet. In this way, and in this way | only, can we see the possibility < of: shaking off the Shaw Saville incubus. If it be true (and we believe it is) that the freight on any one of ,their ships — the Caducous for instance — on a single voyage, would buy the ship itself, there is so much greater encouragement to establish an i Auckland line. Some years ago a threat to j run a line of vessels from Auckland to London caused Shaw, Savillo and Company to send out a better class of vessels than they had been in the habit of doing; but when it is possible to send New Zealand produce more cheaply to England by Victoria — paying steamer freight to Melbourne, and by sailing vessel thence to London — than it can be shipped direct from Auckland or | any other New Zealand port, the necessity for a change is apparent. I An Auckland paper of a recent date says : — " Maoris are sending their children to schools where the English language is taught, both at the Thames and in Hawke's Bay. Mr Commissioner Locke states that in the latter province, at Maketu, he saw a Maori girl acting, as tutoress,' and teaching European and half-caste children in the English language, and that great progress was being made." The facilities afforded by the Immigration Act appear to be better appreciated in Southland than in Otago proper, at least as yet. A Dun-, edin paper says : — " During the month ending the 14th March, 44 intending immigrants, equal to 42 J- adults, had passages procured for them by their friends here through the local Immigration : Office. From that data up to the 10th ' of this, month, applications were made to hate 63 persons, equal to 68 statute adults, sent out. We cannot i give any,. particulars as to the former, but we learn that the respective numbers of the latter from the different parts of the tTnited Kingdom were — Scotland, 25 ; Ireland, 18£ ; England 14^ ; total, 58. 25 of this number were deßcribed: as domestic servants." A trial iv Auckland of stuff taken from the margin of Lake Taupo, showed- both gold and silver existing, in small quantities. The Provincial Government of Taranaki offers a reward of £1000 for the discovery of payable goldfielda in the province. Four 'deer are said by a correspondent of the Tuapeka Times to have been seen at the Remarkable Gap, between Nokomai and the Nevis, at an elevation of 6000 feet above the sea level. A fire, supposed to be the work of an incendiary, broke out in Timaru, at the back of the Ship Hotel, on Monday morning last, and destroyed the hotel, the office of the Timaru and Gladstone Gazette, . and four or five, other buildings. The buildings consumed were insured in various offices to the extent of about £1,400, but this sum will not nearly cover the loss. The Wellington Independent of the Bth inst. says ':— " lit is understood that the disagreement which arose' between the Government aud Mr Brogden as to the nature of some of the condit ions of the contract, has been arranged, and that no further difficulty is apprehended. We are informed that any disagreement which may occur, between the contractors and the Government upon the terms of contract daring the construe tion of the lines, is to be decided by a reference to a Judge of the Supreme Court, who will actr as an arbitrator in the matter. As a full muster of Ministers will take place in a day or two, and as Mr Brogden will also be in Wellington, we may expect to be able in a short time to announce that contracts for the construction of most of the lines •will have been signed." The following are the lines referred to' : — Auckland and Mercer, Picton and Bleuheim, Mataura and Invercargill, Napier and Pakipaki, Wellington and Upper Hutt, Dunedin and Clutha. The Rev. James Cree, now. officiating in the Selwyn district, has been called to the PresbjskK rian church at Hokitikaj ' ;

At the meeting of the District Land Board on the 17th ult, Messrs JPearson, Baker, and Dundas were present. The only business done was to set apart several blocks in various parts of the district as educational reserves, amounting in all to about 1200 acres. >■■-•-. We hare been, informed that the money received for the Tay street land has been paid into the Ordinary bank account of the Corporation. As this money has a special destination assigned to it by la,w,..and is in fact a trust fund, the proper course would be to open a separate trust account, to he 'operated oh only for the specific purposes to which the money is to be; devoted. If- this has not already been attended to, we hope no time will be lost in giving the clerk the necessary instructions. Atthe Resident Magistrate's' Court on 16th ult., in the case of Cox v. M'lnfyre, adjourned .from Friday last, judgment was given for defendant pth costs, £3 17s, his Worship holding that plaintiff had beep rightfully dismissed, and was not entitled to his wages. Bank of New South Wales v. Hare and Pratt, was a dispute as to whether the whole or only a -part of » store in Tay-street had been let to the defendants, for 20s j per week, and foe a, specified time. Judgment reserved till to-day. ..''.' " : j At the meeting of the Waste Lands Board on ' the 14th ult., there were present Messrs Pearson, ! Dundas, and Baker. A letter from' Mr ■ F. Luhning was read applying for an exclusive lease i of the beach line and 100 yards inland from high water mark, at. Port .William; also the beach line and one half mile inland from ihe water line in Half Moon Bay. and beach line and a half mile in the rear from Ackers' Point to opposite Native Island, all in Stewart's Island, for a term of years, paying a reasonable- rent after the first thiv»» t«<*"» . fe*-- . ,tu«». purpose -orforming a company to work and smelt the steel sand, or export it to Europe. It was resolved that the application in its present form could not be entertained, but that should the applicant prove himself; to be in a position to erect machinery for working and smelting, the sand on the spot, every reasonable concession within a. more circumscribed area would be granted him at a nominal rent. ■' '' ■ At the special meeting of thtf Town Council held ott the' 18th ult., for the consideration: of bye-laws, there, were present Councillors Goodwills, ., Blackwoqd, Jaggers, and Boss — Councillor Ross in the chair. On the motion of Councillor Gtoi6drniile, , tho 13th schedule of the Municipal Corporations Act was adopted, and in pursuance of the powers so obtained a number of regulations were framed,, which, will shortly appear in our advertising columns, , At the' meeting of the Town Council od the 17th, ulty there were present the May oi; and Councillors • Garth waite, Tapper, Goodwillie, Pratt, jaggers, .'Boss,' and Blackwood. Several letters were read, including two' from Mr Stephen Hutchison, with farther details of his. proposals for supplying. the town with gas. Seven plans for the decoration of t the PuniCreek reserve had been received, and were displayed on, the walls of the Council Chamber. They bore the mottoes " Semper eadem," " Zanorii," " Wandsworth," " Economy" (2), M« Attain," and . I« Excelsior." The consideration of the letters relating to ; gas supply was postponed to the next meeting. A considerable amount of routine business, was disposed of, and it was resolved to hold, a meeting for the consideration of 'the r plans for improving the reserve.' on Tuesday next, at 2 o'clock. The Mayor, stated that when he was in Dunedin, he had ascertained that .license fees, amounting, on a probable estimate, to about £760, and possibly; ; dog tax, Say £150, might be obtained by the Corporation,' on. consideration of maintaining the main roads passing through the town, such roads being in the. first instance put into thorough repair by the Provincial Govern* ment. . ' ' o

The Post Office buildings are now characterised by a dilapidated and worn-out appearance iwhich is anything but creditable to the Government. 5 A. well known and respected citizen nearly broke his leg the other- night in a hole in the floor of the corridor leading to the' private^ boxes. The r e g r .%pb ,9®°? also, presents the same appear* ■ ance of decay, and the accommodation ia notoriously inadequate for the' iucrcztaing buolucoo., A.\tKrgethec, these buildings .disgrace the commanding site which they occupy, and look doubly paltry now that so many substantial and elegant structures are being erected in the neighborhood. We would suggest that a petition to the General Government should be prepared,, for presentation at the next meeting of Assembly by the member for Invercargill, requesting that, adequate accommodation should be provided. The state of the main road to Dunedin, between the Mataura and Popotunoa, is .. Yeryunsatisfactory. The late dry weather had the effect of reducing the surface to a condition resembling dust', and recent heavy rains have formed deep ruts, which are very dangerous to vehicles, especially in "sidings'' and "pinches," which are numerous. One bad place, known as Williamson's Finch, the old road having been lately fenced on both sides, is now positively dangerous, and if something is not done speedily to improve it, we may look for a serious accident some of these days. There is not a single surfaceman on this stretch of 33 miles. Two men constantly employed between Popotunoa and Mataura, would be able to effect a! great .improvement, and on the principle that " a stitch in time saves nine," would save a considerable sum to the Government. '. The adjourned meeting of members of the Southland Building, Land, and Investment Society, for the consideration of the alterations in the rules proposed bythe committee, was.held in the Courthouse on the evening of the 17th ulfc. Although seven o'clock was the hour appointed for the commencement of business, it was; after sight before! ft; sufficient number of shareholders were present to constitute the, meeting. , Mr W. Blackwood, on behalf of the committee, briefly proposed that the alterations in the rules as printed should be adopted by the Society. Considerable discussion toot place on the rule providing for the accumulation of a reserve fund, and an ; amendment was proposed to abolish the provision made in this respect, but it having been explained to the meeting that the committee deprecated any interference with the harmony of the scheme until it had * trial— that in fact they took -their stand , on, the 'rules as submitted—the amendment was ultimately withdrawn, and the motion passed without any dissentient votes being recorded. The business of the adjourned annual meeting was then proceeded with, the matter of the secretary's salary having been postponed for consideration until the question of the alteration of ibe rules had been decided. Mr Trew, on behalf of the committee, explained that since the previous meeting the subject had been reconsidered by the committee^ the result being that they intended to submit a proposal to the effect that the salary of the secretary should be a fixed sum of £80 per annum, with a bonus of Is per share on the number of shares in existence, at the end of the financial year, in excess of 1072. Since that decision had been arrived at, however, their present secretary had .intimated that he could not accept those terms, and the question therefore lay. in the hands of the Society for settlement. A long discussion took place on a motion proposed by Mr W. r Wood, and seconded by Mr W. H. Calder, that the secretary's salary should be £150 per annum. The matter was finally settled by the carrying of an amendment giving effect to' the recommendation of the committee, namely, itf&h the salary' should' be continued as at present, , with a bonus as stated above, power being given to the committee to appoint an interim secretary if . necessary. , The Waste Lands Board of the County of Westland have reserved the land which will be required for the Mikonui. Water Race, and have instructed the Chief Surveyor to go over the : ground and furnish a schedule of the works required. • ' : A number of gentlemen in Christchurch are contributing £10 each towards the expense of another large shipment of birds frdm England.

I .. A special . meeting of the Town Council took place on the 21st ;ult., to consider the acceptance of .the. most, suitable plans for Public Gardens 5 present— Hia 'Worship the Mayor, and; Ore. Ross, Jaggers, Pratt, Blackwood, Garthwaite, and Goodwillie. A long discussion engued on, the, respective merits of the , plans, bearing the. mottoes "Wandsworth" and "Attain." Ultimately the latter was accepted, being the drawing of Mr James Morton, landscape gardener, North Road. F , We understand that it transpired after the close of the meeting of the Town Council on the 21st alt., that the drawing by " Wands* worth," which had caused the lengthened discussion as to its relative merits with the successful plan by •' Attain," drawn by Mr James Morton, was from the pencil of Mr- W, B. Scandrett, Town Clerk. The 24tb ult. being the 53rd anniversary of Her Majesty's birth-day, was as a general holiday •. A royal salute. of 21 guns was fired by the Artillery Volunteers at noon. ■ On Friday lQfch, a new Lodge of Free and Accepted Masona, under the Scotch Constitution, was erected at Oamaru. Tt is -said that a measure is about to be introduced into the Fijian Parliament, to adopt decapitation as the mode of capital punishment, A local celebrity, familiarly known as the "Black Doctor," died at the Hospital on Sunday 26th. Deceased, who had been a resident of Invercargill for over twelve years, was most eccentric in his habits, although of a perfectly harmless disposition. He had the credit of being a splendid axeman, and, when he chose to work, earned his livelihood as a woodcutter. Hia "Robinson Crusoe" hut, which used to stand *V» V~.u, .»^ r tha mte. of T the Melbourne Hotel, will be remembered by many of our early settlers. . „ ; [ Messrs Johnston and Co. of Wellington hare received a telegram from Mr W. H. Webb, via London and Galle, stating that the steamer from San Francisco started for Honolulu on the 27th March, but .cracked her steam-chest when one day out, and was compelled to return. The Lytteltori Times says : — By a private telegram from Auckland, we learn that a report was current there to the effect that Mr Gillies, the Superintendent, is about to accept a Judgeship. , Mr Williamson, formerly Superintendent^ and Mr Mackay, are spoken of as probable candidates for the-UAancK-- -— _ — ■_ Considerable excitement appears to exist at the present time amongst the laity of the Church of England in : Tasmania, respecting the : alleged ritualistic practices and heterodox teachings of Borne members of the clergy. One clergyman in particular, it is said, has distributed to certain of his flock books in which the doctrine of transubstantiation and the institution of the confessionai are laid' down as recognised principles of the Church. .' So much feeling was at length, aroused that a memorial to the Bishop (the Right Rev. A. C. H. Bromby) was determined upon. It obtained some 800 signatures, and" was presented to the Bishop the other day. by an influential deputation. ' A farmer at Drysdale (Victoria) has proved that the cultivation of beet-root can be rendered very profitable. He exhibited samples of the roots, weighing from 4lb to 181 b each, the yield being estimated at about 50 tons to the acre. The seed was sown in drills, 18 inches apart, and about 9 inches distant in the drills, the only manure used being bone-dust. '. ' . The glowing accounts that have been received from Northern Australia; have .caused a demand for conveyance, thither. < Messrs- M'Meckan, Blackwood and Co. have consequently placed one of their steamers on the berth. ■ o' *' The rates' of wages given to the immigrants who arrived in Canterbury 'the', other dav .by the Bhip Dover Castle, were' as -follows : — Married couples, £52 per annum < and found ; do., £65 per annum, with cottage only ; single men, farm laborers, £30 to £45 and found j do, grooms and ordinary laborers, £26 to £30 and found ; single women, cooks; £25; general servants, £20 to £25 ; nurse girls, £10. ; "j It m vepocfod thftt. s'ihe, fiaw 1 machines: for printing, composing, and distributing type, which have recently been perfected at The Times printing-office, will be exhibited in work at the Exhibition of 1872." , / ' At the wool exhibition of the New South Wales Agricultural Society, held last month in Sydney, the. champion silver medal for the most valuable twelve fleeces in the Exhibition was carried, off by the New Zealand ; and Australian Land Company. The fleeces were of 13 months and 3 "weeks* growth, from sheep bred by the exhibitors from imported Lincoln rams. The i Company's wool appears six times besides in the list of awards, recommended for first and second prizes in the various classes. T : ! ' ! It appears that the manufacture of nikau straw has been started at Waiuku, Auckland. It is said to be well adapted fpr> the manufacture of ladies' hats, and that any quantity of it can be purchased for 2j a yard. .... . , ... ?,. ". The annual Masonic ceremony of installing the Worshipful Master elect of the; Southern Cross Lodge, took place at the hall,' at the rear of the ' Prince of Wales Hotel, on the > evening of Wednesday 22nd. There was a large muster of the craft on the occasion. The unanimous choice of the lodge having fallen on Bro. J. T. Martin, that 1 brother was duly' installed in his high office by 1 P.M. Bro. Butts, who conducted the 1 ceremony in I his usually impressive manner. The Worshipful Master thereafter invested the following brethren with- the insignia of • their respective offices :^9lWi< Bro. W. -J. ; ' JM>, Bro. F.W.WadeVSD., Bro. J: Stock; J.D.> Bro. W. Wilkinson; Secretary, P.M. Bro. E. D. Butts ; I.GK, Bro. W:B.Bcandrett; Stewards, Bro& D; S. Montagu and J; H. Smith 1 and Tyler, Bro JW. Sugar. After the' business of the evening had been disposed of, the brethren- sat down to a most sumptuous banquet, prepared in a style which 'afforded abundant proof, if proof were necessary, that under the management of Mr Powell, the. resources of the, "Prince" are of the very highest 1 order. Ample justice having been done to" the luxuriant provision' of edibles, the ■toasts pertinent to the occasion were duly honored, and the company -dispersed highly'delighted with the meeting. The hon. treasurer to the Provincial Hospital requests us to acknowledge his receipt of £2 4s from Mr J. H. Eerr, treasurer to the Greymoutb. Relief Fund, being the balance of funds collected on that account. We are also requested to acknowledge the receipt of a valuable contribution of books and periodicals from Mr A. M'Neillj of Ardlussa Station, through Dr Grigbr. The arrival of this contribution will do much to supply a want that was beginning to be seriously felt in the Hospital — that of suitable interesting reading for convalescent patients — and we hope,^Mr M'NeiU's example will be promptly followed by many others who have the material at hand. ■ I At the usual meeting of the Town Council [on the 23rd ult., there were present the Mayor, Crs. Garthwaite, Blackwood, Pratt/ Jaggers, and Ross. . The successful tenderer for the' formation of the Gala-street footpath was Mr Henry Craven, £19 10s, and for the supply of 10,000 feet of sawn timber, Mr Wm. Fraser, 8s per 100 ft. There were no offers for the removal of the engine-house. A proposition to form Wood* Btreet was deferred until the whole question of dealing with the garden reserves should 1 be discussed.' "•.;,• : . - " ' The annual soiree and congregational meeting of the Presbyterian Church took place on. the 23rd ult. There were- about 200 persons present. From the Treasurer's report, it appeared that for the financial year ending 31st December. t last,.tbe total receipts amounted to £715 14a lOd, and.'the expenditure to £665 5a 4d. In consequenQe of the recent additions to the Church, there ia now a balance against the congregation, which, however, it is expected will be speedily reduced. Speeches and vocal music filled up the evening;

. ; „ Amount; of Contract price... £17,402 9 6 „. ,iB7Q-r-AprH payment pacer-. , o , ; t . tificato ... ... '.„ 3,837 6 6 Balance (exclusive of "extras) £13,565 3 8 j, ; ;,;,;,, ..■:••;-—,;■ "■-. i r- -..-■:■• --, — —— < -)1871, rJfnne 14 — Claim of Conj;> <V ; tractors (exclusive of current interest), ... ... , ».. 32,230 16- 5 r 1871, June, Valuation of - JBnguieer ..; ... ... 16,151 6 8 1871, December 20— Award of :■■'.-> Arbitera,: „.,;....; ...de23,452 2 0 - t ; Exclusive of i Arbiters' fees «,.-■ f - £1,437 165. lOd ... ... 718 18 5 :- i law coßts, witnesses and expenses, <tc., estimated ... 3,000 0 0 ,■ i ' ■,:■..._■ ■ ' -. v .Probable cost to the Province £27,170 0 5