FROM OUR EXCHANGES.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 135, 9 April 1879, Page 2

FROM OUR EXCHANGES.

At the annual meeting of the South Canterbury Jockey Club, held at Tim am on Friday, it was stated that the Club was £BOO in debt. The Committee had last 3'ear been authorised to spend £IOOO on the erection of a Grand Stand ; they had spent £I4OO. A discussion arose as to borrowing £GOO on security of the race course. As one of the trustees was dead, and another out of the Colony, it was resolved—“ That the Governor be requested to nominate Messrs Meikle, Jonas, and Hall as Trustees of the Timaru racecourse, in the place of Messrs Teschemakcr (deceased) and Parker (who is at present in England).”

The Gape ‘ Times’ of February 22nd j says:—“Mr Charles fitting, whoso devo- | tion to the Lyric Muse is xvcll known, is about to issue, through the publishing firm of Messrs Darter Brothers and Walton, a collection of ■ Poems on the Zulu War,’ bearing the primary title ‘ Isanti ula and Rorke’s Drift.’ There 3 stirring matter to feed the poetic tire in the heroic defence of that little post beside the Buffalo River by Lieutenant Chard and his brave comrades ; nor could elegy find a sadder subject than the death under the shadow of the ‘ Little Hand’ of those true soldiers who, as the Kaffirs said, died as they stood. We have seen from time to time many happy evidences of Mr Utting’s inspiration, and we are convinced that on such themes his deepest feeling must be engaged and his most careful -workmanship exercised. The proceeds of the publication of this little volume will be given to the Zulu War Relief Fund.” The gentleman referred to, it may be mentioned, is the father of Mr J. J. fitting, a well-known litterateur, now residing in Christchurch, and formerly connected wh.h this journal. The following letter appears in a London paper ;■ —“ Six’—l have seen the prospectus of the Hew Zealand Agricultural Company. It is said in the City that the vendors’ agents, Sir Julius Yogel and another, are entitled to about LBO,OOO out of the purchase money, as a commission for floating the Company. If this be a fact, the public should know it. I have examined the register at Somerset House, and find that the documents authorising these payments are not there for public inspection.—Yours faithfully, Investor. London, Jan. 29.” The deferred payment land system in New South Wales has coinpletely disappointed even its advocates. The privileges offered by the Government in the shape of conditional purchase were, the right to select land at LI per acre, with the option of deferring payment of three-fourths of the purchase money at the rate of 5 per cent., or about half the rate of interest at which, selectors could borrow from the banks. Nevertheless it has been found that ten and-a-half million acres have been purchased for cash in the majority of cases by persons who desired to withdraw the land from selectors, and who probably only hold the large blocks for speculative purposes. Of the land sold under, deferred payment, one-tenth has gone back to the Crown from the failure to fulfil conditions, while one-half the remaining area of free selected land has gone back to the pastoral lessees. There is now a Bill before the New South Wales Parliament which proposes to reduce the maximum of improvements required under the deferred payment system by one-half, and to make the provision retrospective as far back as 1875. Tlxe plan of the new iron suspension bi’idge, proposed to be erected over the Molyneux at Alexandra (says the ‘Dunstan Times’), shows that the structure when completed in every detail will be one of the handsomest of the kind ever yet erected in New Zealand. From the great height, the floor of the bridge will have to be above the bed of the river to keep it out of reach of floods. The pier on the eastern side of the river -will be a gigantic affair, over 90ft. high, including the foundation, wrich will probably be sunk 12ft. The one on the west bank will not be so high from the base, a rock foundation being available, but that will be 75ft. The length of span between pier and pier will be 262 ft.; while the built approaches, irrespective of the earth cuttings, will be oix the east bank 150 ft., and on the west 80ft. The whole will he of iron, and the wires of steel. The bridge, while of great strength, will have a light and elegant appearance.

I'lie officers of the Lands Department (says a Victorian paper) have discovered a trick which was recently played in connection with some Tenders for grazing. One man sent in half a dozen tenders, each one slightly higher than the other, and all except the lowest bearing - the names of dummies. The object of the tender evidently was to be able to fall hack on the tender that was next above the highest bona fide tender, and thus ensure success ; but the officials discovered that several of these tenders were not genuine. They were all in the same handwriting, and the whole lot were accordingly rejected, and fresh tenders will be called for. —[Wo have not inserted the above for the benefit of Dunedin tenderers. Some of them at least were aware of the dodge as long ago as three years ; and what is more, worked it successfully in a government contract which is still running.— Ed. M. H.] The ‘ New Zealand Herald’ of March 24th says: — t{ A very plucky act was performed on Saturday morning, by a son of Mr William Buchanan, of the North Shore, in rescuing a young lad who had fallen into the harbour. About half-past ten o’clock several boys were skylarking on the Victoria Wharf, when one about twelve years of age, the son of Mr Smith, engineer on board of one of the ferry steamers fell into the water, and was in danger of being carried away by the current, as he was unable to swim. Archie Buchanan, a youth of sixteen or seventeen years old, saw the accident, and without a moment’s hesitation, jumped into the sea, and seizing young Smith, very speedily assisted him to the steps of the wharf. The act was most meritorious, am! is another instance of colonial pluck, and well deserves to bo noticed by the Harbour Board Committee, who arc enquiring into a similar act of courage in saving the life of a fellow-creature. Constable Cuthbert, a typhoid fever patient, from Waimatc, died in the Oamaru Hospital on Monday Inst. In connection with this a strange report is current. It is openly stated that notwithstanding that there is a special fever ward in connection with the hospital the constable was placed in the general ward, in which were several other patients. After his death Constable Donovan, of Ngapara, also alleged to be suffering from typhoid fever, was placed in Bio ward, and actually told to take the bed in which Constable Cuthbert died. This he refused to do, and threatened to leave the hospital unless he was given a different bed. It is also stated that some more typhoid fever patients have arrived from Wairnate, and there is a growing feeling of indignation about this amongst the public here, though as yet the state of affairs is not generally known. The Hon. G. M. Waterhouse, who has gone to Napier, has bought Seadon there for £33,000. The station carries as many sheep as the Wungaroa, which he recently sold at nearly throe times that amount.

A number of the lesees of tue Wakatip (Otago) runs desix-e to surrender their leases, owing to the unworkable nature of the country. One lessee, who holds two runs, states that he lost 32,500 sheep and 2100 lambs last winter. Another lost 4000 out of a flock of 9500 sheep, and a third 6000. Letters by the last mail, it is said, convey instructions to managers of Colonial branch banks whose headquarters are in London, that Colonial securities are now considered much solider than some few months ago. The London Directors consider they have been too hasty in so suddenly, withdrawing accommodation, and putting too much pressure on. The stringency of money is marked, and continues to be very much felt in business circles. It is stated that, during the dast day two, a large mercantile firm in Wellington was desirous of getting an advance of £30,000, and offered securities to the amount of £BO,OOO ; 'but it was only after considerable trouble that the requix-ed accommodation was ohtaiixed. Levy, the cornet player, about whom several New Zealand people have special reasons for remembering, has got into trouble again at Troy, in the State of New York, on tlxe 9th of January last. An exchange says : —“ Gillmore's Band, with Lev}-, the cornet-player, gave a concert last night. The performance was delayed half axx hour by a constable seizing Levy’s concert for a debt contracted when be was hei'e some two years ago. When the constable tried to serve tlxe process at Trey House Levy ran away, leaping into a sleigh containing Mm ft. Dc Murska, making frantic but ineffectual efforts to conceal the horn about his person. The constable, nothing daunted, followed, and landed on Mdme. De Murska’s lap. The sleigh was driven to the Music Hall, where Levy jumped out and ran upstairs, blowing and shouting to the members of the Band, “ Throw him downstairs ! kill him !” After the constable seized the cornet, Levy denied the ownership, but as Mr Gillmore agreed to pay the bill, the waiting audience was able to hear the dulcet tones of the much-seized instrument. It is asserted that the cornet did not in fact belong to Levy, but was the property of the maker, whose lien upon it had never been discharged. The Canadians pm-pose to charter and equip a large sealing steamer, and with it test the practibility of establishing an ocean route for trade purposes between Europe and the north-west territories of the Dominion by way of Hudson’s Straits and Bay. This line would he in a straight line from the north of Ireland to Cape Farewell in Greenland, and thence to Hudson’s Straits westward to Port Nelson, which is stated to be an excellent harbor. The mouth of the Nelson River is distant from Liverpool 2966 geographical miles by the roxxte indicated, being shorter by some miles than the shortest roxxte between Liverpool and New York. A contributor of “ gossip” to the ‘ Bendigo Independent’ 'writes as follows ; —I see that the Government have raised the reward for the capture of the Kellys to £4OOO, and not a moment too soon, as they have been spending the enormous sum of L2OOO per week over the search for them since it began. They have now spent over LI2OO I Truly Ned Kelly has been a troxxble. Some of the sharp ones have a px’oject on foot which, though indecent, will no doubt pay well. It is to bring Ned Kelly’s sister Kate to Melbourne, and to make her a barmaid ! Heaven save the wretched girl from sxxch a fate. It will be remembered that the paratnor of Bertrand, who was condemned for the murder of Mr Kinder, was got up ixx New Zealand as a barmaid, and made the fortune of?» a Hokitika hotel. 1 refer to Mrs Kinder.

News from Noumea by the s.s. Wodonga states that Chano, another rebel chief, has been taken, and forty natives killed in skirmishes, including the four assassins of the Mostini family. The end of the revolt is close at hand. The colonists are collecting their cattle and returning to their homesteads. Hoads are being constructed and telegraphs erected. Railway Statistics. —A few facts about the working of the locomotives employed upon the Christchurch section of the New Zealand Railways, are given below - . The cost of a locomotive in constant work, including coals, stores, wages, repairs and all other expenses connected with.itis£o7 2s 5d per month; during which time it makes an average running of 2529 miles. Narrowing down the cost to pence the expense of working the same, including the train it draw's, averages T 4 of a penny pier mile per ton. The American engine Lincoln, up to the end of March last had been working twelve months, during which time it ran 39,145 miles. Up to"the same time the Washington had run 38,808 miles. The expense of running express trains averaged TO of a penny per mile, the extra speed adding to the cost of wear and tear. The expense of running an English engine with heavy goods traffic is exactly the same. These American engines, it is said, are ore at favorites with the men from the ease with which they work, and the freedom which their roominess gives to the driver. In January, 1877, the cost of running trains per 100 miles was £3 8s sd§; in January of the pi'esent year this cost had been reduced L2 12s Gd, although wages were then higher than in the former year, and (he trains drawn much heavier. On the Canterbury section the total mileage done by all engines in 1878 was 1,101,470 mires, and in 1876 810,226 miles. In that year there were far more specials employed than there are at the, present time, though the traffic ivas not nearly so heavy. At the pace railway matters are progressing it will not be very long before double the number of locomotives now employed will be required between Christchurch and Dunedin. Holloways Ointment and Pills.In angry or indolent sores, arc! all skin diseases, originating in impure or weak blood, or depraved secretions, the joint agency of Holloway’s Pills and Ointment is perfectly irresistible. It is of little consequence how long these disorders may have lasted, or how sluggish, obstinate, or malignant they may seem ; the daily application of the Ointment to the parts afflicted, and a course of these matchless Pills wnll most certainly effect a cure -; not temporary or superficial, but complete and permanent. Both the ointment and pills are composed of rare balsams, unmixed with mercury or any other deleterious .substances. They are, accordingly, as mild and safe as they are powerful and efficacious.