LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 251, 29 April 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Re Butler’s case, the Minister for Justice has telegraphed stating that ho is of opinion, sftei careful consideration, that under existing circumstances it would bo advisable to enter a nolle prosequi in tho murder case, reserving the right to prefer a fresh indictment at the next silting of the Court, should fresh evidence render such a step advisable. It has been stated on what appears good authority, that tho police have fresh evidence, that Butler was seen near the premises of the murdered people on tho morning of tho murder. A number of reductions aro being made in the Railway Department, Dunedin, to cssea the number of clerks and reduce tho expenditure. Intelligence from Samoa by the Nautilus states that on the 18th April Mahetoa was anointed King of Samoa. On the following day Steinbcrgcr’a party hoisted a flag and; threatened to rebel, tin Jess the representatives of foreign Powers interfere, affairs may result seriously. It hat, been finally decided that tho Grey town section of tho WellingtonMa?dwt/m railway will bo opened on the 14th pro-:;.

Thb Road Board election resulted in the return of Mr Paterson, by a majority of 193. This is no more than might have been expected. Had any other getleman been put forward than Mr John Paterson,, the majority would not have been so great. Mr 17 arcing, the defeated candidate, was quite aware that he had no chance against so old and wellliked settler. We are pleased, however, to see our young men coming forward to share life’s battle ; and although all cannot be elected at once, and success ought not to bo expected ; by a first effort, we do not see any reason, for Mr Warding being other than satisfied with the support he has received on a first attempt." Had any other candidate been put forward his chance of election would have been considerably improved. Bwing a young man of’good abilities, he only wants a litt.e more experience of public life to make him a useful adjunct to our little knot of public men. The poll was declared yesterday at 10 a.in. Mr Paterson made a short speech, thanking the, electors for the honorable position in which they had placed him at tho top of the poll. He said ha was not a good hand at making a speech, but they might rest assured that He would do Ids best for tho district as a whole. :

The child that was poisoned by chewing matches .was a daughter of Mr Adam Irvin,near Geraldine,not Mr John Irvin’s, living near Tomuka Mr Bees says ho lias issued a writ against Mr Pric -, 8.M., for LIOOO damages, for the indignity offered through his illegal commitment. A full report of the conduct of tiio Resident Magistrate has been forwarded to the Minister for Justice at Wellington.

The following information, relative to the movement of the San Francisco mail Steamers, have been received by tho Sac. of the General Post Oflice. The Australia left San Francisco on Honda}', tho 12<h hist., under ivcmt ■ arrangements for shortening tire period of transit between London and Auckland. The mail steamer should have loft San Fr-ncisco on Saturday, the 10th Inst., but for some reason unexplained In telegraphic advices she did not get away on the proper date. It is anticipated she will make tip. two days on the voyage down, and reach Auck land on tho Ist or 2nd of May The s.s. City of New York, with tho March Homeward mails, arrived at San Francisco on Wednesday, tho 21st instant, one day in advance of the contract time.

Respecting the following railway works for wnich tenders have been received, the Public Works'Department have received instructions from tho Government to decline any tenders, and in tho meantime the woTtcs have been withdrawn from tender ; Glea-Oamam section ; Baldutha to Catlings River lino, Castle Rock section ; Lumscen-Mmiroa line ; Kakabu contract, Canterbury interior line ; belwyu contract, Canterbury interior line. This course has boon adopted on tho report of the Railway Commission.

At Waikato the slaughtering of cattle affected with plonro-pneumonia is still going on. Mr Fantham’s pure bred shorthorn bull Lord Darlington, was killed on suspicion. A post mortem examination showed that tho animal was suffering from tuberculosis.

At tho R.M. Court, Christchurch, on Tuesday, J. W. Crabtree was sentenced to a month’s hard labor for revolting cruelty to a mare. The animal was left to linger with a broken leg which rotted a-way "by degrees. She tv as seen eating wood and gnawing boards from the house. A veterinary surgeon ordered it to be destroyed, but no notice was taken, and an attempt was made to defend the case by stating that the horse was part of a bankrupt estate, and did not belong to tho defendant, but tho trustees swore that Crabtree had sent another horse in its place to tho fia'e, and the tr m-tees had nothing to do with it. Prisoner, it turned out, had been convicted in January last on a similar charge, and the Magistrate in passing sentence spoke very strongly of the revolting inhumanity of the priao e-.

Scab. —Intelligence lias been received of the outbreak of scab, on Edgar Jones’ run on the southern side of the Waiau River. The sheep on the northern bank have long been known to be" infected,and some of those must have crossed to the south. There is now considerable danger of the disease spreading down to Canterbury, and tho strictest measures will bo needed to prevent this great catastrophe,

A Bloody Valentine. —A Jerseyman has resented a comic missive wherein lie figured rather unpleasantly as a hangman, and has stabbed to the heart tho malicious mischief maker whom lie suspected of sending it. He may come in time to accustom himself to a more philosophical .contemplation of that useful member cf society.