GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 257, 2 January 1873, Page 6

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Government of New South Wales have offered to pay half the expense of laying a telegraphic cable to connect New Zealand with Australia. The Auckland Provincial Government have placed upon the Estimates and passed through the Council a vote of L 250 as a grant in aid of a juvenile reformatory. Morehands .ire evidently wanted at Hawke'a Bay. The Herald points to its "wanted" column, and says :—": — " We might have supposed that the large number of laborers and domestic servants who ai rived by the Ballarat and Hovding would have supplied our necessities in that line for some time yet to come. So far, however, is this from being the case, that there are at present half-a-dozen applications for domestic servants, and a good deal more than that number of applications for workmen and artizans of various descriptions. Political excitement runs "very high occasionally in the Canterbury Provincial Council, so much so that some of thn members at times exceed legitimate bounds for the purpose of averting defeat. At a recent meeting of the Council a division was caller) for, when it was discovered that the division bell had been removed from the lobby, in consequence of which the nsnal signal for a division could not be given. Ultimately the article was recovered, and tbe division was accomplished. A correspondent writing from Albertown, Lake Hawea, says :—"ln: — "In sinking a hole for a fence post on the Hawea block, the remains of an ancient encampment were discovered two feet underground. The Maroriri apparently had a greater appreciation for the Hawea block than the European settler seems to have, as notwithstanding the great outcry for land being opened here as yet there is but one hearth on the block. Hawea Lake is six feet higher than it usually is at this time of the year. It is well for the dwellers on the banks of the Molyneux that Lakes Wanaka ank Hawea give off their flood water so gradually." The report of the manager of the Canterbury railways states that " when one of the engines was recently stripped for repairs, the boiler was found to be nearly eaten through with rust in several places." The real cause of this was, the Press says, that the engine had been allowed to run for something like five years without having the boiler examined — instead of being examined once every year — and when it was at last done, the smith's hammer went through the plate at the first tap. Of course it was merely a chance that the boiler had not burst, and some frightful catastrophe happened. Suppose that this had occurred, and ten or a dozen persons had been killed, who would have been held responsible ? Mr Inglis, a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council, in speaking upon the education ques'ion, said that from statistics he held in his hand it appeared that in tbe Province of Canterbury the population was 48,900, of which 21,450 were children under fifteen. Of this number 1 2, 200 were between five and fifteen years, only 5970 of whom attended denominational and district schools, which showed that about 6500 children were not attending any public schools at all ; and when he came to the Cbristchurch electoral district he found that there were 2306 children between tbe apes of five and fifteen years. Of these only 1224 were attending public schools, leaving 10S2, or 38 per cent., who were not attending any schools at all. He thought the Council would agree with him that this was a perfectly appalling state of things to exist in their midst, and that it was time that something was done in the matter. It seemed to him pretty clear, from what he had said, that the denominational schools were not doing their work. Official despatches published in the Sydney Morning Herald show how strenuously the Imperial Government is exerting itself to stay the atrocities in the South Seas, consequent on the Polynesian labor traffic. From ' he documents in question it appears that Commodore Stirling was first instructed to hire vessel* in the colony as cruisers, but on his telegraphing that no suitable craft could be obtained, he was authorised to build six schooners, of 110 tons each, at a cost of L3O per ton, thus involving the Home Government at once in an expense of nearly L 20.000. Armstrong guns and noncommisioned officers are to be sent out from England for these schooners, and crews are to be recruited in Sydney ; and Commodore Stirling warns the Imperial Government that high wages will have to be paid, as steady respectable men can hardly be induced to go to the islands, because of their fear of being murdered. The Commodore is told by the Admiralty not to mind about his ships visitinff the Colonial ports, but to devote the whole resources of his squadron to supervise the Polynesian traffic. The corvette Barossa, from the Chinese station, is visiting the Solomon group about this time, and the Commodore is authorised to detain her. The services in connection with the funeral of the late Rev. Mr Williams were held in the Baptist Chapel, Hanover street, on the 24th, beginning about 15 minutes to three. The bier was brought into the chapel and placed in front of the platform. We noticed the following clergymen on the platform :— Revs Dr Stewart, E. G. Edwards, Isitt, Gow, Reid, Roseby, Blake, Dr Copland, and the following members of the congregation : Mr Thomas Dick, W. Morse, and Mr Kincaid. and others. The services were commenced by the singing of hymn 692, Mr Dick giving out the hymn. Mr Roseby then engaged in prayer ; afterwards, Mr Edwards, of St. Paul's, read part of the 15th chapter of Ist Corinthians ; and then Mr Reid addressed the congregation^ a very impressive speech. 'Mr Gow, at the close of Mr Reid's address, engaged in prayer, and afterwards pronounced the benediction. The remains of Mr Williams were interred in the North Dunedin Cemetery. The funeral procession was a very large one, all classes and professions attending. Several persons from country districts came considerable distances to be present to pay their last token of regard to one who, during life, had so worthily earned the respect that was so generally accorded to him. ,Poor Mr Aspinall is now an inmate of Bethlehem Hospital. His removal thence from the private asylum in which he was first placed is attributable to the Dake of Edinburgh, who believed that the unfortunate gentleman would be more carefully treated in a public institution. Since his removal the patient's health has much improved, but he still suffers from mental hallucination, insisting that he was pu,t in there by persons who want to keep him out of his property, and that the Queen keeps him there to punish him for defending O'FarrelL ! It was a woman, and not a man. as stated » the telegram, who lost her life at the Kawarau on the 19th. She was the wife of a miner named Hugh Harvey. It teems he and two other women had safely crossed .the Kawarau in a " chair " and proceeded "up the tortuous and precipitous path towards Harry Cook's place. On looking round,! one of deceased's companions missed her from the track, and saw only a small cloud of dust where the unfortunate woman jhad toppled over into the rapid river far bejow. Mrs Harvey's hat was found on the edge of the river ; but no trace of tbe body ha? yet beep disct/Tcred.

Our Thames morning contemporary tells the following :— A defendant in a case in the s Resident Magistrate's Court, recently, g stepped forward when called on, and frankly confessed he was owing the money, and when asked why then he did not pay it, replied t "that his mother would not let him." This caused some amusement, for defendant was a an able-bodied fellow, and about six feet high. H e said be was twenty years of age. His Worship ordered him to pay the amount 8 within a certain time, and, in this case, not to mind what his mother sad. Defendant - left evidently well pleased at having judicial 1 sanction to obey his conscience. t The establishment of a second Bank in Cromwell has brought about a further in- • crease of sixpence per ounce in the price of 1 gold. Tbe present value of alluvial is there- ' fore L 3 16s per ounce. L At about four o'clock on Tuesday after- ' noon a fire broke out at Granton Farm, without any known cause, and destroyed nearly all the outbuildings. The horses, also harness in the stable were saved with difficulty. The barn, machinery, and implements were ; all destroyed, also about 400 bushels of oats, some flour, &.c. The loss is only partially ; covered by iusurance — Star, 27th. The following is stated to be the number of persons employed by Messrs Brogden and Co. on the various railways for which they have contracted : — Auckland and Mercer, 512 men ; Napier and Papepaki, 29 ; Picton and Blenheim, 168 ; Wellington and Hutt, 120 ; Dunedin and <"luths, 284 ; Invercargill and Mataura, 150 ; total, 1263. Besides thpse there are about fifty gaugers. Mr (-ieorge GouL?, of Christchurch, a man whose affluence is not more remarkable than his generosity, has just offered LSOO towards clearing off the debts of the Canterbury Pastoral and Agricultural Society on the condition that the whole of the other leading men in the place subscribe Ll 00 amongst them to secure the complete carrying out of the object Mr Gould has in view. The Cromwell Argus ol the 24th has a long leader proving that Mr Hickey, the representative of the district in the Provincial Council, is not possessed of a single qualification for the position, and while admitting that Mr Hickey should resign without delay, it quarrels with the Municipal Council for tabling a petition having for its object his removal " as a useless encumbrance to the district. " The Nelson south-west eoldfields are looking up. Anderson's crushing at the Mangahua yielded 5670zs of gold from 620 tons, or an average of loz 2dwts per ton, which is considered very satisfactory for the first yield. Irishman's Creek (the Lyell) keeps up its reputation. Another nugget weighing about six ouncea was unearthed by Nolan and party a few days ago, making the second within a ■week The stone now being got out of the Little Wonder claim, Lvell, cxc -Is in richness the first lot put through the battery, and it is regarded as a matter of certainty that tbe next crushing will give an aveiage of Isoz to the ton. A dishful of stone taken from the face was washed and contained six pennyweights of gold. Zala and party (Alpine Company*, will give Carroll and Cairns, the prospectors of tbe Little Wonder, the use of the battery for a second crushing, before commencing operitions for the Excelsior Company. The quality of the stone is so excellent that surprise is expressed that it should be permitted to be exposed in the paddock by night, as any person, dishonestly disposed, could without rifficulty take away stone, carrying 20 or 30 ounces of gold, in the course of an hour. A correspondent describes the paddock after a slight shower as fairly glistening with tbe precious metal, which was quite observable a few paces distant. Some interest was excited at Lawrence on Monday by a civil case in the local Court, in which H. J. Nproule, late master of the Roman Catholic school there, was plaintiff ; and the Rev. Father Larkin, the local priest, defendant. The claim was for salary, and ! on Wednesday tlie Bencli gave judgment for the defendant. Father Larkin then charged Mr Sproule with embezzlement ; and Mr Mouat, the prosecuting counsel, in opening his case, said the charge was not brought with the view of punishing Sproule ; but as his action had placed the prosecutor, who was the head of the Catholic body, in the up-country districts, in a peculiar and painful position, it was resolved to bring the matter before a competent tribunal, in order to fix the responsibility on whom it justly fell. Some time since a Roman Catholic school was erected in Lawrence, and various means were resorted to in order tp raise the funds necessary to pay its cost. Among other devices, an art union was projected. The sanction of the Superintendent was obtained, and the accused as teacher of the school was entrusted with the work of getting it off. Tbe idea of an art union was afterwards abandoned, and efforts had been made to get accused to account for the moneys he had received, but without avail. He contended that it was not necessary to prove the offence of embezzlement, but that it would be competent for the Bench to commit for larceny as a bailee. After a, good deal of evidence had been taken, it transpired that tre Superintendent's sanction to the art union was not forthcoming, whereupon Mr Pyke, R.M., said that independent of that material fact, two important matters had not been proved, viz., the fixing of a date, and that Sproule had not accounted for a particular ticket. He, therefore, suggested the withdrawal of the case, which wag acted upon, Mr Copland, for Sproule, getting the Bench to note the fact that he objected to the withdrawal. The long spell of hot dry weather in tbe Oaniaru district still continues, and appears likely to do so. From the Upper Waitaki, however, the Times has news of a singular storm, some nay a waterspout, which occurred on Friday last. In the space of a few second two dry creeks at Rugged Ridges were transformed into roaring torrents, four feet deep, and in a few minutes the River Waitaki had risen considerably. The sudden downpour was preceeded by a rushing sound, | and two or three men who were near or upon one of the creek beds at once made for the bank. The third remained, and in a few seconds was cut off from his companions by a broad deep stream. The storm extended to the Otematata, and the torrents of water which fell tore up the roads, making holes in some places to the depth of three to four feet. It soon passed over, and the streams .fell rapidly. According to some of the London papers, Messrs John Brogden and Sons, have arranged that some of the emigrants shipped by them, who on their landing are placed at railway or navvy work, may be taken off as the work progresses, and put to cultivate plots of land or farms of their own, the freehold of which will be handed over to them, on terms of easy repayment. • The opera season, which is to' extend over three weeks, commences on Friday, January 10, whenCagli and Lyster's Company will appear in Gounod's .favorite opera of Faust. Signora Fnrichetta Bosisio, the prima donna aesolute, will sustain tbe rdle of Margarite,^ and_Signora Teresina Riboldi, the contralto, will appear as Valentine. The remaining characters will be cast similar, to that which was made on the production of the opera last season. < The new operas announced for representation are Duo Foscari, "Macbeth, Ernani, La Favorita, L'Ebrco (the Jew), L'Africaine, Les Huguenots, and I Puritani ; ia addition to which will be produced, \\ Trovfttore, Ub Brito in Mftscbora,

La Traviata, Rig^oletto. Lncia de LitntEermoor, Luorezia Borgia, Norma, La Sonuambula, and Sappho. — Star. A settler at Po;t Molyneux, named Robert Carrick, aged 38 3'ears, was accidentally killed on the 24th inst. From the evidence adduced at tbe inquest held before Dr Smith, district aoroner, it appeared that the deceased, at about 5.30 p.m. on the evening of the 24th, was carting a load of flax to Brough and Ironsides' flax-mill at Port Molyneux, and when near the mill the dray was seen to capsize down a shallow embankment, at which side deceased happened to be at the time. The horse fell on him, and remained on him until it was removed some three minutes afterwards. He only lived a quarter of an hour after the occurrence. A verdict of "accidentally killed by the capsizing of a dray " was returned. Deceased leaves a widow and five children. A terrific fire broke out on December 24th on the south-western side of Pine Hill. The wind was blowing fresh at the time, and in the course of a couple of hours tbe blazes had spread round the northern and southern base, apparently enveloping the bill in one mass of flame. Towards the afternoon, the conflagration had spread with such rapidity that some of the farmers in the neighborhood were apprehensive of their fences being burned. The bush lying between the Blueskin road and Port Chalmers also caught tire, and for a time burned fiercely; but owing to its being somewhat isolated from the neighboring homesteads, no danger was anticipated. In the evening the wind quieted down, and tbe fire in the valley round the hill consequently abated, while that on the sides continued to burn furiously, illuminating the country round and presenting a grand spectacle. A case of gross inhumanity comes from Talbot. Two children, named Reitschell, were accidentally drowned in a creek, and although were was a number of witnesses to the accident, the coroner ordered a post mortem examination of the bodies to be made. ADr Talbot was entrusted with the task, and what he did is thus described. " Having commenced operations, he coollyrequested the mother to assist him by holding the body of the child. This she naturally refused to do, and on remonstrating with the doctor for his conduct, the latter unceremoniously turned her out of the house. The viscera and other portions of the body were subsequently thrown into :i bucket, and the second child having lioen brea' ed iv a similar wanner, and unneceasaril" hacked to pieces, the contents of the bucket were thrown on the ground outside the house, as if no more important operation thau killing a pig had bpen performed." These extraordinary proceedings on the part of the doctor have naturally excited a considerable amount of indignation in the locality, which will no doubt lead to a police investigation. On the 26th December, Detective Parrel, as he was returning to town overlanl after having gone to Port in search of Warren, the defaulting Sydney bank manager, waa agreeably surprised to come upon his quarry near the Junction Hotel, the object of his search being on hi< way to Port. The officer arrested him, brought him to the police station, where he was searched, only three shillings aad ninepence being feund upon him, and locked him up on a charge of stealing two cheques valued at LIOSO. the property of the City Bank of Sydney. On : hursday he was brought before the Mayor, and remanded for a month, to allow of the production of the necessary evidence from Sydney, where, according to late telegrams he wa3 thought to have gone to Auckland with LIOOO in notes, the proceeds of the cheques. It transpires that he did go to Auckland, and proceeded thence by easy travelling to Dunedin, arriving here per Phoebe. Warren, for there is no doubt of his identity, as he answers in every particular to the description furnished to the police, is a rather good-looking young man, of a.V.v>ut 22 years of age, »£ medium height and fair complexion. Like most novices in crime, he appears to have acted most foolishly since he arrived in the colony ; living rather fast, and conducting his business at the different parts of at which he called, in such a manner that the police had no difficulty in tracing him right along the coast. The police, it is said, are in possession of some LBOO which was banked to Warren's credit here. An amnsing correspondent of the Christchurch Press, whose contributions are headed " The Loafer in the Street," relates the following :—": — " Did you ever keep an h«tel. Landlords are occasionally let in like everybody tlse, as the following true story will show :— A certain Boniface, residing not many miles from the centre of the city, was, the other day, ' had' beautifully. A gentleman whom the said Boniface had known in Australia, in affluent circumstances, came down and took up his abode 'in. the hotel in question. Slopkaddle was his name. For several weeks Slopkaddle lived on the fat of the land. He ate and drank, and drank and ate with the greatest punctuality, but paid not. His bill at last amounted to something like half a century. One must draw a line somewhere, and Mrs Boniface thought she would draw it at this particular juncture. Accordingly in spite of the remonstrances of her husband who was of a more enduring di3popition, she did her level best to dun Slopkaddle out of the house. She went even the length of locking him out of his bedroom. Annoyed at the persecutions his guest was suffering at the hands of his wif6, Boniface arrived at the grand solution of the difficulty. Boniface was to lend Slopkaddle LlO. which amount he was to present to Mrs B. in part payment. Slopkaddle accepted the LlO. The followidg day Mrs Boniface observed to her better-half that she had been mistaken in her estimate of Slopkaddle, that he, in fact, was not the unprincipled loafer she had taken him to be, for he had paid that day a sum of money on account. * Oh, indeed, indeed !' said her husband, ' how much ?' ' Five pounds,' says Mrs B. Boniface's feelings may be more easily imagined than described." We understand instructions have been sent to Mr Calcutt to proceed with the land purchases on the Moeraki, and Waitaki Bailway line. His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by his Honor Mr Justice Chapman, and his Honor the Superintendent, visited the Gaol at three o'clock yesterday. We understand his Excellency expressed his great satisfaction and pleasure with the management of the establishment. — Star, Dec. 28. Information was conveyed to the police on Thursday afternoon, by a young man named Augustus Sordin, that while rabbit-shooting ,in the Pine Hill District, near Mount Cargill, he discovered a human skeleton, on the. skull of which was a hole about half an - inch in length, as if made by a tomahawk. Yesterday, Sub-Inspector Mallard proceeded to the spot, and collected the remains, which he found to be considerably charred, and hardly bear touching, and took them to the •hospital. They were scattered over a space about six feet in diameter, a portion having been found beneath some fallen burnt timber, having apparently been carried there by rats. The distance of the spot from the nearest dwelling-house is about three miles and a chain distant from a clearing made some six years ago by one Michael Long. The place is quite inaccessible from the main line of road excp.pt by a surveyor's line. The bush fire in the district the other day will doubtless account for tbe charred condition of tbe remains,

The Masonic Ball last evening, at the Masonic Hall, was certainly one of the most successful things of the kind yet held in Dunedin. The arrangements made by the managing committee were perfect in every respect. The ball-room was tastefully decorated with flags of all nations, flowers, and flowers in pots. A dais was erected at the north end of the room, immediately under* the orchestra. The ante-rooms were handsomely furnished, and a card-room was well provided. At half-past nine, His Excellency Sir George Bowen and suite arrrived, and were received by the Knitfitremplars, and passed under tbe Templars' Arch and Royal Arch into the ballroom, and were conducted to the dais. At this time there were over seventy couples in the room, and the scene was exceedingly gay. The ball was opened by His Excellency andMrsLanseigne, Mr Lanseigne, and Lady Bowen, His Worship the Mayor and lady, Mr Smith (R.W.M. Celtic Lodge) and Miss M 'Gavin, Colonel Cargill and Mrs Atkinson, Major Pitt and Mrs Cargill, and Mr aucl Mrs Young. The music was provided by Mr Begg, and had the effect of not being too noisy, while it was most effective and pleasant. At 11 o'clock the company adjourned to the supper-room. Mr Lanseigne occupied the chair, with the Governor and Lady Bowen on either side. The toasts of ' Her Majesty the Queen" and "Boval family" were given, and followed by "The health and happiness of Sir George Bowen," which was most enthusiastically received His Excellency, in replying, said that from early life he had admired the Masonic Institution, and desired to become a member, but circumstances had repeatedly intervened, and now he had arrived at that age when it was scarcely necessary he should do so. Still, he valued Masonry as an institution, not only for the spirit of charity shown by its members but for the system of morals inculcated. At 12 o'clock the vice-regal ?arty departed, as they entered, under the 'emplard* Arch and Royal Arcb. Dancing was continued until the early hour of morning, all present having enjqyed themselves thoroughly. Messrs Donaldson and Galloway were the caterers, and gave complete satisfaction, all the good things provided being of superior quality. — Star, Dec. 28. The Swilzers escort has been abolished. Henceforth the banks will have to provide for the carriage of their gold to Lawrence, the Government furnishing a policeman for protective purposes. The comparative ease with which the cable was picked up and repaired has sent up the shares of the Construction Company. En" 1 • Jish authorities on tbe subjest declare that It is the first time that a cable has received injiny at such a depth — twelve hundred fathoms. At present the surmise is that at that depth there exists a current, by means of which the coil has been chafed against the ocean's b?d, which it seems is at this part of the cable's course formed of volcanic rocks Sir James Anderson, who has published a highly comprehensive handbook of telegraphy, believes that the cable of the future will be even heavier, move perfect, and more costly than that of the present day. In a bri f article on the subject, the Daily Hews remarks that it ia a striking corroboration of the views upon which this opinion is based, to find skilled authorities concui ring in the opinion that the recovery of the Australian cable has been a far greater trial of skill than thft general public is aware of, and that the story of its injury will probably add to our knowledge of the forces acting in the lowest depths of the sea.