THE PROVINCES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 111, 24 March 1870, Page 6

THE PROVINCES.

The " "West Coast Times " of the Bth inst., says : — A point of some interest was decided yesterday by the Resident Magistrate, on an application of Mr. Harry Mace, of the firm of Mace and Dixon. It seems that a few weeks since, Mr. Mace became bail for a person Avho had been ordered by the Bench to find sureties of the peace for six months. Until very lately everything Avent smoothly, but on Saturday the principal party to the bond began to show decided symptoms of a relapse into evil, not to say violent courses. Mr. Mace applied, therefore, to be released from his engagement, alleging, as a reason, that he feared that at any moment he might be called on to stump up the amount in Avhich he was held bound. The magistrate told him that he did not think the bench had any power to release him, and on reference to an authority, informed the applicant that even in case of the death of the latter it Avas very doubtful Avhether the matter would be comfortably ended, for it seemed that until the term of the bond expired, the executors of the surety Avould, in like manner and amount, be bound ! Mr. Mace thought this climax rather too cruel, and expressed himself to the effect that some time would probably elapse before he put himself in a like fix. Solomon, Avhen he wrote "He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it," may have had a prophetic eye on the British Constitution and the New Zealand Justice of the Peace Act.

A party of gentlemen and ladies, from Auckland, A'isited the island called Eangitoto, in St 1 George's Bay, a few Weeks ago, and ascended the peak of the mountain, about 1000 ft. high. They were there at early morning, and witnessed the phenomenon' not seen for the first time in New Zealand familiar to German fairy lore as the spectre of the Brocken. The fact is thus noticed in an Auckland paper: — " At sunrise the view was surpassingly beautiful, and well repaid the trouble of the ascent. All the eastern sea, from Cape Rodney to the Thames, Avith the Tamaki, Manukau, and Waitemata were in a panorama around. All the islands of the gulf, ' Avith promontory, creek, and bay,' were gloriously lighted up, and a mosquito fleet of schooners and cutters lay becalmed in the smooth water in the various channels, while the light at Tiritiri paled as the day grew brighter. But most singular of all, in a fog-bank opposite to the sun, and hanging on the Takapuna Lake, appeared the shadow of each one of the party standing on the summit — the realisation in New Zealand of the ' spectre of the Brocken.' It has not been generally known that this illusion is visible in any other place but the Hartz mountains, but it has also been seen at "Whata Whata, in the Whipato, when the mists are lying in the Whipa-valley, as the sun rises clear over the Aroha Mountains. There it was. In the midst of an almost circular- halo, reflecting the sun, but of great diameter, appeared the top of shadow of the cone, and on it the gia&t figures of the persons obseiwing

it. It appeared singular that each person could 'only see his oato figure in the halo, and not that of his companion, at a short distance. As one moved the figure stalked along, and when one stopped the figure also stopped. There was just time for each one of the party to see it before the altitude of the sun become so great as to throw bhe halo below the fogbank, when the figures disappeared, though tho upper curve of the halo remained for a few moments longer." A rat, with very queer teeth indeed, was slioavu \is on Tuesday by Mr. C. Morton, Avho entrapped it at his place. One of the lower incisors had grown until the point pierced its unlucky possessor just under the left eye, causing a wound that must have given him great annoyance at feeding time. The curve of the tooth, aboutaninchin length, was very perfect, and reminded us of an old boar's tusk on a small scale. The corresponding upper incisor has grown downwards in a similar Avay into the animals's mouth.. BetAveen the two, the veteran must have led a very uncomfortable life, and we half fancy went into the trap on piirpose to end it.— "Southland NeAvs."'