GENERAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 852, 19 August 1871, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

The total number of births registered in Dunedin during the month of July was 100, and of deaths 34, the excess of births over deaths thus being 66, or at the rate of 194.11 per cent. The number of marriages registered during the same period was 11. Ppr the corresponding month of 1870 the figures were as follows : —Births, 102; deaths, 15 ; marriages, 18. The recent loss of the Premier at Oamaru is thus commented on by the Oamaru correspondent of the "Times." "On this occasion, as on others, the bluff, which is an apparent protection to the port, and is really so when the wind is from the south, was the cause of the vessel's loss, as, with a N.E. breeze, she simply drifted on to the Cape rocks after slipping her anchor, there not beiDg room far her to work out. Whether it is prudent for vessels to remain until placed in this jeopardy is a question for nautical men. On this occasion it was not deemed that there was anything very threaten, ing in the weather until the wind had nearly died and the sea rose. Otherwise, the Beautiful Star, which was in the port on Sunday morning, might have been employed to tow the barque out beyond the Cape. The vessel lies right inside the piles of the hapless jetty, and had the sea wall, now being commenced, beeu run out three or four hundred feet, it is more than probable that the vessel might have been secured inside it by means of moorings, until a steamer could have been got to tow her to a safer position. The loss of so fine a vessel is only one more argument for hastening the completion of works that will not only afford protection for vessels of moderate size, but greatly facilitate the rapid discharge and loading of larger ones, and thus limit the period of their stay in the open roadstead. In the meantime, should not the rule be, that directly the wind blows from the N.E. vessels should be instructed at once to put to sea, or to the outer anchorage, except small fore and aft coasters, which can be more readily worked out ? The works connected with the reclamation and sea wall are being pushed on, and as yet there is not the slightest sign, after several very heavy seas, of any of the blocks of stone used in the construction being moved. The stone looks better, and the blocks are larger as the quarry opens up." The Maori prisoners at Wellington seem to fully uuderstand how to work at the " Government stroke." The "Post" states that eighteen of them took three months to make fifty feet of road to the barracks ; and adds that each get a pannikin of hot rum before going to bed.

The Berlin "Exchange Gazette" says the intention is entertained in Berlin of making large purchases of foreign wools, particularly from Australia, the Cape, and Buenos Ayres, and then disposing of them by regular auctions, according to the system pursued at London and Antwerp. The miners in the Arrow district have been able to resume work during the last few days, and some of them have been very successful. One party obtained £IOO per man for a week's work.

Notwithstanding the failure that attended the crushing of the stone obtained from Baker's Hill, in the Province of "Wellington, there stills exists a stroDg feeling in that quarter that payable gold may yet be obtained from the reef.

The " Independent " announces that Mr Vogel has made arrangements with the Imperial Government whereby, so long as the colony expends £200,000 annually on public works for the objects specified in the Loan Guarantee Act, tho guaranteed £1,000,000 of debenture* may accumulate in the Bank of England, without interest, at the convenience of the colony, while the colony can. provide for its annual wants out of the unguaranteed loans. The guaranteed 'million in reserve will raise its credit. It is also said that Mr Vogel

has nearly completed satisfactory arrangements with large capitalists for the construction of railways. According to the Wellington " Advertiser " Mr E. J. Wakefield, M.H.R., is about to start a daily paper in Ohristchurch.

The Chinamen engaged in digging at the Serpentine, Otago, have had hard work lately in keeping their tents from being buried in the snow, and many of them have left for snugger winter quarters.

Under the heading of "a True Patriot," the "Taranaki Herald records the .■ s onishing fact that the sergeant of police stationed at New Plymout, on hearing that a motion for raising his salary was to be tabled by a member of the Provincial Council, asked the honourable member not to move his resolution, as he was quite satisfied with the salary he was already receiving.

A resident at Wanganui advertises for tenders from lawyers for the conduct of an action for damages against a local paper for falsely placing his name to an indictment for drunkenness in the Besident Magistrate's Court. " Tenders to be given in for a percentage on the amount recovered." A report is current in one of the country districts in Queensland that the New Zealand Government have an agent at work endeavouring to persuade a number of Danes who recently arrived there from their native country to re-emigrate to New Zealand.