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Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2578, 12 April 1877, Page 2

At the R.M. Court this morning one inebriate failed to appear to answer to a charge of drunkenress preferred against him, and his bail was forfeited. Captain -Eraser, R. M., occupied the Bench. v

A telegram from Dunedin states that the Health Officer has informed the City Council that there are many cases of scarlet fever in Dunedin at present.

It is hotifiedin our advertising columns that the Hegarty Globe Combination Company will commence a short season at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night. Some great novelties are promised, and the entertainment should, be of a novel and varied character.

The adjourned inquest on the.body of the man Macdonald, found dead at the foot of Karaka road on Tuesday morning, will be held at the Salutation Hotel at six o'clock this evening. The woman who was last seen in company with deceased has been found, and she will be in attendance to give evidence —of a character, we believe, likely to account for deceased being found where he was. •

In the Supreme Court yesterday, James Gordon was found guilty of indecent assault, but recommended to mercy. The Judge in commenting upon the character of the offence said crimes of this character were becoming far too common, but he was bound, in passing sentence, to give effect to the recommendation to mercy, and his previous good character ; the sentence upon him would be three years'penal servitude.

An Australian telegram Bays that "Hipe" has beaten Selby in the 100 yards race easily. We do not know who Hipe is, but possibly the telegram is correct, although we had not previously heard of a runner of the name. It was understood that Selby was matched against Sharpe, of Ballarat, but Hipe we don't know. .-"■

The Argus says that " Bannerman was taught his cricket in Sydney by Caffyn."

Mr Fitchett, a student at the Canterbury College, is the winner of the Bowen prize this year ; the subject of the essay was " The Wars of the Roses. 1' . :

We are pleased to learn that the fears entertained as to Clarking having sustained internal injuries at the Crown Princess mine by • the accident : recorded in our yesterday's issue, are believed to be groundless. At present the only injury perceptible is a bruise across the back, and the patient complains of being stiff. The other man was able to go borne after having his hurts dressed at the hospital.

■ An advertisement appears in another column convening a meeting of the friends of Father JNivard at the Pacific Hotel, this evening, at half-past seven o'clock. The object of the meeting is to consider an appeal from Father Nivard for help towards relieving the distresses of Christian Chinamen in the Shantung Catholic Mission.

A steoke of luck (remarks the Ballarat Courier) befell a hard-working miner and his two sons on Thursday last. While working a surface claim at tho Hard Hills, Buninyong, they removed the earth from the site of an old chimney stack, and came across a leather bag containing a

quantity of gold, the exact amount of which is kept secret. The hut was built twenty years ago, and has been almost as many times re-occupied and deserted since.

Some pegging out was going on about Pollen street, on the flat from Cochrane to Pahau street, this morning. A surveyor, with an instrument and flags,- and a couple of men with " pegs" of the regulation size, indicated the business on hand, which has probably been induced by the recent good find in the Piako. We believe another piece of ground of large extent has been pegged out to ■seaward of the Euranui Hill United on the strength of recent discoveries.

An impudent theft was committed this morning which is likely to involve the perpetrator in trouble unless he can convince the police that he made a " mistake." A passenger by the Te Aroha last night from Ohinemuri walked into the wharf shed at Sliortland this morning and said he wanted his swag. He. picked up a swag, but not content with that he collared a bundle of clothes belonging to a man named Riley, and a large billy, the property of another, marching off. before the "mistake" was discovered. Jiiley went for his clothes, and on learning the circumstances of the swagman's visit, he hurried ip .Grahamstown only to learn that the swagman had gone to Auckland in the steamer Enterprise, taking the bundle of clothes but leaving the billy on the wharf. Biley at once telegraphed to the Auckland police, some member of w^hich will probably pay the ley anting digger the polite attention of meeting him" at,the wharf. . . .: ;

A Chbistchukch contributor to the Otago Guardian says :—A gentleman from Grahamstown named Severn lias been lecturing here.during the past week on scientific subjects, adapted: to. the popular understanding. What with wet weather and general indifference^ he did not draw extensive audience—the lecture being abandoned the first night, as only five persons were present, tlireeiof them being reporters. -Nevertheless, MrSevern is an able savant, and one who takes an intense interest in scientific matters. He has been photographing New Zealand as he passed down, and intends exhibiting his collection in England, whither he is bound.after a long sojourn in the Colony. He has also a beautiful little instrument with him know as the radiometer, and from beginning to end his lecture is extremely interesting, and well worth attention and attendance.

The untimely end of a Comparative stranger in our midst, by name Macdonald—of which family there are so many representatives with all the variations of spelling the name living here-^-gave rise to numerous incidents of a perplexing, not to say humorous character but for the sad associations connected with the ;event. which gave rise to them. In one instance, we heard of a sympathising friend going to offer his condolences to the family of; the supposed deceased, and finding the' blinds down looked upon that fact as "confirmation strong as holy writ." He was, however, startled on hearing a hearty "come in" from the supposed deceased in answer to, his well toned knock, and after a "barney," in which explanations were mingled, the twain adjourned to the nearest hotel to liquor up. In another case a genial boniface was upbraided for turning his lodger into the street, -and; thus being accessory, if not particeps criminis to his death—that is, the lodger's. Mutual explanations and ditto repeato congratulato followed. Others would have it that the prosecutor in a recent, cause celebre was the victim of the accident; and we believe several other .similar mistakes were made—while the poor dead man lay in the morgue-—a comparative stranger while living, and merely " identified " when dead. ■ -

We notice that thework of dismantling the Waiotahi Creek Tramway-has been commenced by the County Council. This work has long been desirable. In the state it has been for years past it was unsafe for traffic, if there had been any demand for its use, and from the time it was completed it was never a paying concern. We believe it is bow the intention of ihe County Council to utilise the good timber in repairing the bridges, and what may remain will be sold. As a footpath it may be put in decent repair as far as the ©olden Age Hotel, and the extension of the Waiotahi Road now in progress should render unnecessary any resort to the expensive system of tramways as a means for conveyance of quartz to the mills.:

The Melbourne correspondent of a Southern contemporary says:-—What a cricket fever! Nothing will satisfy us now but to have W. G. and G. F. Grace out'again from England, with the best team obtainable, in order that we may beat them with a level eleven. About the best All-England Eleven at present is W. G. Grace, G. F. Grace, Shaw, Daft, Pooley, Jupp, Gilbert, Uliyett, Oscroft, Greenwood, and Emmett. It is stated that the next team to come out will be composed entirely of " gentlemen." Tory good.

The Otago Guardian has not a very high opinion of Auckland speculators if we may judge from the following paragraph which appeared in a recent issue of the Dunedin daily :—Mr Thomas Kussell has gone into mining speculation again; we may therefore expect to hear of great fluctuations in the Auckland sharemarket, Mr Kussell being the sharemarket barometer of that district. On Saturday, directly it was known that Thomas had bought into the Euranui mine, shares rose seven shillings. If he sells out tomorrow they will fall 14s, but if he buys half-a-dozen more they will go up another half crown, and so forth. He can just dodge the market as he likes, so slavish are the Auckland people in their following of Mr Eussell and his mining fortunes.

A contempobaby may well ask—How is it the police have kept to themselves the facts of the following horrible murder which wo are told was committed at Attunta, New Zealand ? Mr Watt should inquire into this matter. "A murder .without parallel," the Sydney Evening JNews states, " has been committed at Attunta, New Zealand. A young man named Alexander Scott was.engaged to a lady of great beauty, and whose parents were iv very good circumstances. For something the father had said to Scott about frequenting a house of doubtful character, the latter discontinued visiting the home of his intended bride, but succeeded in decoying her out at night by means of an occasional letter. After they had thus met for a number of times they decided to wed ; but the girl, liking to have her father's consent, advised that the

event should be delayed. Upon her consulting her father, that gentleman not only gave a deaf ear to the question, but stated that she was never again to see Scott. But she heeded not her father's words, and that night she again met Scott. She told.him^what her paront had said, and while phc was bidding him a fond adieu he plunged a knife into her breast. Not content with this, he deliberately cut out her heart, took it home, packed it in a cigar case, and addressed it in a" letter to 'Ohias. Cardon, Ksq.,' stating in the box he would fid a heart which could never disobey a parent, and a weapon that knew how to avenge a wrong. The jury found that Alice Cardon was brutally murdered by \A lexander Scott. He has since been arrested, and committed for trial."

The numerous friends of Mrs George Darrell will regret to Jearn that the state of h QV health compels her to leave New Zealand, an<J that to day she takes her departure from this city for the purpose of visiting Sydney. For some days past Mrs Darrell has been unable to appear in public in consequence of a severe attack of bronchitis, and we (Otago Guardian) understand that her medical advisers have recommended a change of climate. Mrs Darrell's disappearance from the stage where she has for many years taking a leading part, will, it is to be hoped, be only: temporaryj and we trust that in Australia she will speedily regain her health.. [Mrs Barrell's name appeared in the passenger list of the Botorua outwards,from -Auckland] . -

It is stated., says the writer of theatrical gossip in N.Z.L.V. Gazette, that advices have been sent to America, recommending the departure for New Zealand of another largo menagerie, with or without circus. It seems that Messrs Barnum, Montgomery, Queen, and Forepaugh, all rival menagerie proprietors, have for some years b'eeu thinking of Australia, but Cooper and Bailey were .the" first to take decisive action. The idea now is to start another American menagerie in New Zealand, which Cooper and Bailey have reserved for the last of their programme. Letters were sent to American showmen, per.last mail, from various quarters in Melbourne, detailing the extraordinary and unexpected profits realised by Cooper and Bailey.especially in the Victorian country districts. ,

, An advertisement has lately been appearing in the London Era, signed by Mr Frank Towers, stating that Miss Kosa Towers would shortly arrive from Australia, when he,- on her behalf, would be in a position to treat with managers for her appearance in a dramatised version of V Grif," and .two other "copyright" pieces. Upon which Mr Earjeon, the author of the novel of "Grif,'' writes to the Era, saying that he also has a drama of the same name, which lie has dramatised from his own novel, and requesting managers to make no arrangements whatever with "the Towers, as he had no right to dramatise the novel without his (Mr Farjeon's) permission. Mr Farjeon also states- that ; he has had applications from numerous writers to dramatise his novel, but has always refused his consent, as lie himself had a play of the same name which he was waiting to place: upon the stage; and Mr Farjeon trusts' to managers to protect him in his moral rights. So that Mr Towers if likely to find some little difficulty waiting for "him upon His arrival in the Old Country.—Footlights in N.Z.L.V. Gazette.

The Taranaki News gives the following instance ©f what- it tertns " Government luck " :—The late floeds at Motueka and elsewhere in Nelson- having caused extensive landslips and destruction of arable land, the Government have exchanged lands with tin settlers to the extent of about--18,000 .acres. It has since turned out that consequent on these landslips rich alluvial deposits have been discovered, and the Government by the exchange has obtained a valuable goldfield.

It appears says the Otago Guardian that the celebrated equity suit of Robertson versus Ross has at length been, amicably arranged. Subject to the, life estate of Mr Robertson, the Anderson's Bay property will belong to Mrs Boss, ■Bnd the Tomahawk: property to Mrs Miller. Mr and Mrs Robertson now acknowledge that the defendant Ross acted mast honourably throughout, and that their family feud is consequently at an end. [An advertisement appears in the same issue of the Guardian to the above effect.] \