PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 211, 15 February 1872, Page 7

PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL

It is said that a tradesman residing within a hundred mjles of Colac recently applied for an auctioneer's license. Being a respectable man, Ihe license was immediately granted, but being a religious man, his church declared he could no longer be a member, as, as an auctioneer, he would have to tell lies. It is also statpd that he has been objected to by a friendly society, who repudiate the idea of his having anything to do with a publichouso.

As affording an illustration of the influence of forest trees on ram — a subject of tbe greatest importance at this moment — we (" Wanganui Herald ") may mention that, more than once in these close quiet evenings, a settler on the No. 2 Line has not only seen the scud of rain passing over the bush land lying in the upper district, but has actually heard the fall and patter of rain in that direction, while not a drop fell on his own dry and parched fields.

It is stated that some six ladies availed themselves ot the privilege of voting at the election of a city councillor fjr Auckland.

The summer of 1871-2 promises to be one of the hottest ever felt in Victoria (says the " Melbourne Age " of the 10th.) For four days has a fierce north wind been blowing, and, without leaving the city, people have been able to form some idea of what a journey across the desert is like. Clouds of dust, a fierce glaring sun, and no water, are the evils we have at present to .suffer, and from all appearances there is no likelihood of any change, ft is an unprecedented fact, and beyond the memory of the oldest inhabitant, for a hot wind to last four days, and last evening the southern horizon was eagerly scanned by half-baked individuals for signs of a change, but without any satisfactory result. The thermometer yesterday marked 96 degrees in the shade and nearly 120 degrees in the sun, which heat was quite sufficient to try the temper of the most amiable person in Melbourne. The intense heat, combined with-no-water, must be most trying to children and invalids, and an increase in the mortality list must be expected.

The last " Timaru Herald " says :—: — On Friday a horrible affair occurred in a house of ill-fame in Timaru. A man named J. Kennedy was lying asleep on a bed, when another man named D. Adam, having first tied Kennedy's feet together with a. scarf, procured an axe and inflicted some severe wounds on his head. Fortunately for Kennedy, he contrived to get his feet loose and make his escape. Both the would-be murderer and his victim, it appears, were drunk, and this probably accounts for the wounds being no more serious than they at present appear to be. Adam was brought before the Bench at Timaru on Saturday last and remanded for a week.

The " Fiji Times " of December 9th says :—": — " On the occasion of tho King's visit to the Parliament House on Wednesday last, he was escorted by a small number of his own body-guard and a guard of honour composed of about forty of Maafu's men, under the command of his Excellency's son. These latter marched to beat of drum in a very soldier-like manner, keeping good step and time, and in white shirts and fringed sulus looked well. On arriving at Parliament House, the King's soldiers accompanied him to the building, but Maafu's men piled arms secundem artem, and remained in the roadway. OnH.B.M. Consul passing they jumped to their arms, and, drawn up in two lines, presented arms as he passed, the Consul courteously responding. After the ceremony they again returned inthe same order. They marched exceedingly well, but — tell it not in Gath — their drum was an empty kerosene tin, undisguised."

The first really practical fruits of the acclimatisation movement in Southland, at all events that department of it relating to the introduction of brown trout, says the Invercargill "Times," was inaugurated on the occasion of the arrival on Monday of His Honor the Superintendent and party. A trout weighing 2 or 2^ lbs was taken out of the ponds and forwarded by Mr. Butts direct to the Superintendent at the Bluff. The compliment was duly acknowledged, accompanied by an expression of satisfaction with the apparent success of the movement, as also a statement that after being cooiied it was duly appreciated as a luxury.

A correspondent, writing from the Kokotahi, informs us of some circumstances which have just occurred there, which have occasioned considerable amusement to all but the person most immediately concerned. A settler in the district, hitherto a bachelor, having resolved to change his condition, caused to be issued invitations to his friends and neighbors to celebrate the wedding. It does not appear whether the invitations were issued in larger number than the intending Benedict approved, but as he bears the repute of being close-fisted such is supposed to be the case. At all events, the sequal proved that the bridegroom endeavored to avoid tho expense of entertaining his guests. The marriage took place in Hokitika and the newly-married pair did not return to the Kokotahi until the next day. Meanwhile, on the wedding night, the guests arrived, but could not at first obtain entrance to the house. Tired of waiting, and annoyed at the treatment they had received, they contrived to get into the premises, where they found some cake, brandy, &c, all of which very speedily disappeared, and as soon as everything eatable and driukable had been consumed, they set to breaking the crockery, glassware, &c. The bridegroom threatens proceedings in the police court.

The iVlelbourne correspondent of the " Daily Times" writes the following:- — "The last survivor of the Victorian party who crossed the continent, John King, died a few days ago from consumption. It will be remembered that the brave four who first crossed Australia were Burke, the leader of the party, "Wills, the gallant young astronomer, Gray, and King. Gray died on the return to Cooper's Creek, Burke and Wills, after reaching the deserted depot, perished haplessly, and poor King supported existence by living with the blacks till he was relieved by a party sent from Melbourne. A life annuity was afterwards given to him by Parliament. Just about the time that King died in Melbourne the mail brought us news of the death of Landells. To Mr. Landells was entrusted the task of going to India and purchasing camels for the purpose of the expedition, and when they were brought here they remained under his charge until a disagreement with Mr. Burke caused him to separate from the expedition. A still more singular coincidence is furnished in the fact that the same issue of the "Argus" which mentioned the death of poor King contained in the next column an account of the supposed discovery of some remains of Leichardt, the unfortunate young German who fell a martyr to the cause of exploration."

The following paragraph is from the San Francisco "Bulletin" of December Bth :— " In 1841 the following advertisement appeared in the New Orleans " Picayune " : — ' Five Dollars Reward. — Ran away from the subscribers on the 23rd November last, thi negro boy Oscar Dunn, an apprentice to the plastering trade. He is of griffe colour, between 20 aud 21- years of ag^ and abou,t sft 10m. or sft. llin. lugbi) All persons are .cantioned not. to haii hour said boy, under: penalty of the

law. Wilson and Paterson, corner" of St,' John and Common streets.' __ That 'negro boy Oscar Dunn' wis* late Lieut.-Goverrior of Louisiana, and died a few days since."

The Government of New South Wales, has issued the following salutary notice: — "Any employe of the Government on any goldfield who may in future deal in mining shares, or hold miners' rights or claims to such mines on such goldfields, will be removed from the public service."

The Foreign Enlistment Act, 1870, of the Imperial Government, has, by proclamation of the Governor, been brought into operation within the colony from the 16th ult.

According to the " Ballarst Star," Mrs. Aspinallj wife of Mr. B. G. Aspinall, the barrister, has been appointed telegraphist in a Government station at a; salary of £200 a year.

The subject of spiritualism is still being discussed at great length by correspondents of the Melbourne, papers. One writer says :— "I have been asked to define what is spiritualism 1 I reply that it is a revelation of the unseen world — a removal of the veil which has hitherto concealed it from the eyes of the generality of mankind. That unseen world environs us on every side. I cannot better illustrate its nearness, to us than by the words of the spirits themselves — " You have often walked by the banks of a river ; you have often seen the fishes, swimming in its depths, they moving in their element, and you in yours. They were unconscious of your proximity and presence. We are just as near you as yon were to those fishes, and most of you humans are still unconscious of it."