GENERAL NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 210, 13 December 1879, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

(From our Exchanges.)

The Southland Times reports having heard from Stewart's Island of the arrival of the schooner Friendship from a scaling cruise amongst the Islands, her take consisting of 303 fur and about 100 hair skins. She reports that a boat's crew landed on the Auelclands from the Awarua, schooner, appears to have been lost, as no trace of men or boat could be found, and the hut did not appear to have been tenanted for a considerable period. Two dogs were seen on the islands, but, as we have said, no trace of the men. It semis too probable that the whole of the boat's crew have perished. A correspondent informs the Oamaru Times that after'the recent heavy rain 3 the' whole of the crops in the ■ Papaknio and Awamoko disrsicts are looking splendid. The weather for them has been, as one farmer expressed it, : as though it had been specially ordered for their growth. With such bright prospects of a large yield this harvest, the settlers of the North Otago district, if able to get their crops in without damage, and the prices of grain are as high as they are expected to be, will be enabled to retrieve their losses of the past season.

The Hon W. S. Peters, of Mount Somers, in a fit of indignation, stopped his subscription to the Ashburton Mail during the late general election. The Mail has been amply revenged, for a horse belonging to thai honourable gentleman, worth L4O, has just been sold at t. L e Ashburton pound for LlB, the pound notices which appeared in the Mail having failed to find their way to Peters' home station. Mr Peters has saved about a guinea ayear,and the cost of losing his hors,e as wel as his newspaper. Penny wise pcund foolish ! A suit was recently tried before an Indiana justice of the peace, wherein a lady was plaintiff and a bank defendant. The evidence showed conclusively that the fair plaintiff had no right to recover'; of this no one could have the "shadow of a doubt." Her learned, council knew well that unless he could get the sympathy of the justice his client would have a " lost cause." He therefore laboured very hard in applying the " sympathetic cause." He gushed with great eloquence of warmth iii referring to his client's sight, until finally great tears came, at the sight of which . the justice—who was a very tender hearted individual—was also moved to tears. This satisfied the attorney that the sympathy of the court was on the 6ide of the lady, and closed his argument by saying : It does inv heart good to believe that this honourable Court, to the exercise of a sound discretion, will not allow the rights of a pure and noble lady to be trampled beneath the feet of a soulless corporation," and took his seat as confident that he would get judgment as even the poor lady was. r J hereupon the justice gave the following comprehensive and satisfactory decision. He said : "The plaintiff in this case is a woman, and her counsel has for the last hour touched the sympathy of the Court in her behalf and I am glad of it;..but I think under the law, that justice is on the side of the bank. I therefore will find in ■ favour of the bank, and let the record show that Mis- • has the full sympa-

thy of the court." It is believed that eight converts to Mormonism have been made in Dunedin, and that on the return.. to Dunedin of Elder Batt, w.;o leaves.for Christchurch to-day, the converts will be baptised by immersion.: Two: m re elders, fresh from the city of the Latter day Saints, are also to pay New Zealand a missionary visit. Elders Batt and Bailey both express satisfaction at the treatment they have received at Dunedin, and the patient manner in which they have been listened to.

The London, correspondent of the Dundee Advertiser in a recent letter, alluding to the abdication of Queen Victoria, says:—" I have not hitherto alluded to these reports, but they have become so persistent that it would be useless longer to ignore their existence. It is said that for some lime past Her Majesty's.health has not been in a very satisfactory state. The journey to Italy is not a mere holiday trip. Sir W. Jenner considered that a change ot scene, and an almost entire absence from official duty of any kind, were necessary for the Queer, and'that in the reason she has buried herself on the secluded shores of an Italian lake. It is said that, unless a considerable change in Her Majeaty's health takes place, she will no longer be able to discharge the functions delonging to the Sovereign df the old country, and rumour points to the possibility of an abdication. It is an undoubted fact that, since the departure of the Queen for Italy the Prince of Wales, and the Prince would seem to be to some extent discharging the duties of the Queen with regard to public affairs during her absence in Italy are those who think that a somewhat startling surprise is in store for parliament before the present session closes."

General Mestcbeirsiff is appointed Governor General of Eatstern Siberia, and will co-oper-ate with Admiral Askenborg, Commander-in-Cbief of the Pacific station. Additions are to be made the defences of Portsmouth on th? !nnd sick'.