LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9419, 23 May 1882, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Pavement of Melbourne. —The above city is to be payed with wood, at a cost of £45,000. Condemned to Death.—A woman named Mary Cary has been condemned to death in Sydney for the murder of her child.

Bank Holiday.—The Bank of IfewJ Zealand will be closed tomorrow, it being the anniversary of the Queen's Birthday. E.M. Couet. —At the above Court yesterday, before J Beswick, Esq, E.M., J Paterson was sued by Malcolm for £l2 15s. Mr Jameson appeared for plaintiff, and Mr Johnston for defendant. After hearing evidence, judgment was given for the plaintiff for £3 15s.

Accident. A Mr Winter and Mrs Mackenzie were driving into Timaru last Friday evening, and when at the Washdyke a buggy ran into their trap, and they were thrown to the ground. Mr Wintev's shoulderblade was broken, and Mrs Mackenzie had her collar-bone fractured. They were taken to the Criterion Hotel, in Timaru, where their injuries were attended to,

The Dunedin Benevolent Institution, —Government has decided to appoint a Co amission to enquire into the management of the Dunedin Benevolent Institution. The Commission will not consist of more than two members, and probably only one. Mr Whiteford, E.M, at Kaiapoi, will be one of the Commissioners, and it is expected that Dr Giles. E.M. at Hokitika, will be asked to act with him. The Commission will be issued forthwith.

Sudden Death. —An awfully sudden death occurred at Blenheim on Saturday. William Black came in to-day in order to be present at the Agricultural Show, and to act as one ®f the judges. As he was walking down High street to the place where the show was being held, he was met by a friend, to whom he remarked : ' I think I am going to hare a fit.' Tbe words we:e scarcely out of his mouth when he fell backward to the ground. He was carried into the Club Hotel, and Dr Cleghorn was sent for, but on arrival he pronounced life extinct.

Embezzlement or Railway Moneys.— Frank H. Williams, formerly clerk in the Christchurch Railway Department, was brought up at Ilia Resident Magistrate's Court last Friday, charged with having embezzled £229, the property of the New Zealand Government, and was remanded till May 26th. A young man named T. W. Tait, a clerk in the goods office at the railway station, Invercargill, was arrested on Friday on the outward Melbourne steamer on a warrant charging him with embezzling £l4O odd, the property of the Government. It is likely other charges will be preferred against him.

Tobturing- a Native. Poharama, a native, stabbed his wife and another nauive at Waitotara, near Wanganui, last week. According to the Wanganui Herald he had been drinking, and is supposed to have set fire to a sis-roomed house belonging to himself, and done other mischief. Poharama and the native whom he stabbed are both chiefs. Tbe wife received one stab, which is sail to be a dangerous one, and the man was stabbed in four places, and little hope is entertained of his recovery. A search party of natives caught him, and, after tying him up, punished him by pouring boiling water over his face, and applying burning rags to hiy spine. MrDavitt and the Land Leaote. — The Standard publishes a most remarkable letter from Mr Davitt, recently released from Portland prison on a ticket-of-leave, in which the writer charges the late Irish Secretary (the Right Honorable W E Foster) with haviug deliberately planned the encouragement of outrages by arresting him. Had he been allowed his liborty, he would have used his powerful influence in the Land League to prevent crimes. Davitt goes on to say that he no longer believes in resorting to force for the relief of Ireland from her present unfortunate' condition. During his bitter solitude in a convicts cell, brighter and nobler visions had dawned upon him, and he was now prepared to advocate most peaceable measures, believing the enfranchisement and paternising of the people and an appeal to their sense of justice, would go far to efface l the present race bitterness and ancient hatred, i

Deaths by Drowning —As the steamer Hau''aki, from Kaipara to Woitara, wa3 taring the latter place, a Beaman named Michael Walsh was knocked ovei by a sail about two o'clock on Saturday morning last: A beat was lowered, but got swamp ed. Life buoy 3 were thrown to him, but without avail, and he soon sank. News has been received that Kichard Shields, one of the oldest diggers on the West Coast, and the first discoverer of gold there, was crossing with. James Clinton, a settler, both, beiug on one horse, when the animal bucked in midstream, and both men were thrown. Clinton managed to get ashore, but Shields was carried down in the Buller river and was drowned. His body was recovered on Saturday night, a few hours after the accident,

The Lati Wrecks.—Constable Morton has been engaged during the last few days searching the beach at the Milford Lagoon to ascertain whether any of the bodies of those who were drowned in the Timaru. Harbor had been washed up there. After making a careful search, he succeeded in finding nothing. Some boys living in that district found two life buoys : one belonging to the Timaru Harbor Board, and one to the City of Perth. They were taken possession of by the police. Mr Blacklock, the first oflScer of the City of Perth, who had his leg broken on board that vessel during the day of the wreck, died in the Timaru Hospital last Friday evening. There was a large number of Masons present at his funeral on Tuesday last, and the Timaru Brass Band played 'The Dead March in Saul.' An attempt was made to float the City of Perth last Friday, but it failed. The s.B. Waitaki towed her out a short distance, but the derelict vessel grounded on a sandbank and could not be moved over it, so farther operations had to be abandoned. It is expected, however, that as soon as she is unloaded she will be launched again.

The .Singing Competition. —Mr J fl Edmonds, of this town, narrowly escaped returning home crowned with the laurel wreath from the singing competition held at the Christchurch Exhibition laßt Friday night. His opponent, Mr Huxtable, only won the prize by one point: Mr Edmonds scoring 207, and Mr Huxtable 208. Considering that Mr Huxtable ha» been a professienal for a long time, having accompanied the Carandinis, Mr Edmonds may feel highly gratified by the result of the contest. Mr Huxtable is one of the finest bass singers that has travelled New Zealand, and ifc is something for an amateur to be placed almost on the Bame level with him by competent judges. Mr Huxtable sang 'Honor and Arms,'and ' The Wolf ;' Mr Edmonds sang ' Arm, Arm, ye Brave,' and ' The Nbblt Boy of Truth.' Both were encored enthusiastically. The judges, according to the Lyttelton Times, awarded the first prize to Mr Huxtable, and recommended Mr Edmonds for first ordei of merit on account of tha excellence of his singing. This certainly was very creditable to Mr Edmonds, for not alone was Mr Huxtable a professional, but he has been for some time past preparing for the contest with the aid of a tsacher, while Mr Edmonds had no such opportunity. On even terms very probably Mr Edmonds would have reversed the decision of the judges. The victory of the Timaru Band and the singing of Mr Edmonds has placed South Canterbury in the foremost rank in the musical contests.