GENERAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 947, 18 March 1872, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

I Judge Richmond opened the Court t Hokitila this morning. The following is a list of the criminal cases : Ji eu ry Law, Greymouth, stealing gold ffrom partner; Patrick Crawford, Greyjjnuuth, burglary ; Ann Freeman, Greyimouth, larceny from the person ; 13. iCattle, Greymouth, attempted suicide; |ik'lia<'l Browue, Greymouth, attempted arson ; George Pitt or Smith, Holitikn, maliciously injuriug a horse; Samuel Solomon, Hokitika, haviug tore than lOlbs powder on his preises without a license ; David Curie, oss, libel ; John Farris, Stafford, etnftezzk'incnt; James liiordan, Greenjjjtune, aggravated misdemeanor. There !jre also four cases from the Nelson Southwest. Goldfields :—T. O'Neill, Maliciously killing a pig; W. Pothan, prec charges cattle stealing. I A rumor is current in Wellington [that Mr John Bathgate one of the re|pre?entative'3 of Dunedin in the House ; 0 f Representatives, has been invited by ;tbe Government to accept a seat in the [Cabinet.

I A late Wanganui paper contains [tie following peculiar reference to a Ijaukrupt:—The bankruptcy of Dr fflooper, of Marton, has caused much fjoss and more disapointment in that district. The doctor enjoyed a good jnrsctice for a country place ; he got piis bills fairly paid, and he appears to Slave paid nobody in return. He owes |gr every thing —bread, meat, groceries, Eirapery, rent, horse feed, drugs, surreal instruments, &c. And he goes [about as cool as a cucumber, trying to Circumvent his landlord, who had ftaken possession under distraint for [rent, by locking out the bailiffs and Backing sorry jokes on the subject. It [appears to be a very objectionable case. I The largest mob of cattle "which ever Breached Westland arrived in Hokitika lie other evening from Canterbury. tWe are informed that there were Bearly 500 in the mob, and that the fcwner (Mr Diedrielv) has been parti■larly fortunate with them while on |hp road, having lost only four head iipee leaving Canterbury. The cattle Be now on Mr Diedrich's run in the ; Southern part of the country. I Mr Walters, of Auckland, succeeded in carrying off two races in one day at ferercargill, with Slander—the Town Bate and the Ladies' Purse. Mr palters has reaped a tolerable harvest Ibis season in Otago with his two mares, and been the means of affording food racing at numerous meetings.

, The brewers of Auckland have held to consider the reduction of ie price of Auckland beer, so as to liable it to compete with that iuiIrted from Nelson and Duuedin.

The Tauhireuikau Hotel, Featherton, Wellington, has been totally detroyed by fire. The hotel was partly isured, but neither the stock nor furitiire. The inmates escaped with pculty. The loss is estimated at §OOO.

The polling for the Wakitip election ssulted ia favor ol* Halleiistem over ifacassey by 198 majority. The Wellington " Post " severely ondemns the introduction of Scandilavians, believing that there would be 10 difficulty in obtaining British imnigrants if proper agents were appointed.

(There are some fears that the iglect of the authorities in not erectE permanent quarantine may aggratte small-pox, <&c. jit is said that "the passengers per ngland were cruelly treated on the page, and that the medical man was Sgligent and incompetent. ;The Kaiapoi crew have challenged (eLyttelton 'champion crew to row jem a three-mile ; race on the WaiIkariri for £IOO a side and the fampionsbip. I Information has been received in Wellington of the burning of Mr FitzIrbert's flaxmill at the Wainniomata. |e loss is estimated at £3OOO, no part [which is covered by insurance. The ■Be of the fire was unknown.

The steamer Rangitira has been sold the New Zealand Steam Ship Comny for £6OOO. The company intend reduce the passage money, and to troduce a system that passeugerc °uld pay for meals on board. A few months ago Captain Thomson, rhormaster at the Bluff, went to elbourne, in order to take out a tent for his improvement in the conuetion of anchors. Captain Thomson 8 been offered a good round sum in elbonme for his invention, but be * decided to visit the old country tving obtained leave of absence for * purpose), in order-to test its value jJB- Captain J. B. Greig, formerly ■borinaster under the Southland Gonment, is now acting for Captain "tnßon. , N»e remark made by the " Post " iu srence tothe state of Wellington, wt lnftpplicable to other places at

the present time. "There is an opening just now," it say a, '• for any speculative man of capital which may never occur again, the Bickering smells of .this town defy eau de'cologne, florida water, carbolic acid, or chloride of limo , The two latter remedies are. in fact nearly as bad as the disease. ... One remedy there is and the euterpriaiug speculator who adopts the idea deserves to make his fortune. Some years ago, when the stench afisiug from the Serpentine was peculiarly obnoxious, Punch had a picture of a swell riding dowu the ladies' mile with an American wooden letter clip attached to his nose. Here is the idea. Let some one import a few thousands. We'll all wear them." A\ r e take the following simple remedy for poisoning from the ' American Artizau ':—Sweet oil is an antidote for poison It says " that a poison of any conceivable description and. degree of potency, which has been swallowed, intentionally or by accident, may be rendered instantly harmless by swallowing two gills of sweet oil. An individual with a very strong constitution should take twice the quantity. This oil will neutralise every form of vegetable or mineral poison with which physicians and chemists are acquainted."