INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1022, 15 November 1872, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS

The 'Timaru Herald' of Friday says:—Ou "Wednesday last, there arrived in Tiinaru the first lot of a, consignment of what will probably swell up into a fairly profitablo trade. Over three hundred roughly cured pig-skins came to hand from the Maunt Four Peaks station, and found a ready buyer in our market. During the last few mouths upwards of 1000 wild pigs have heen slaughtered tipon the Four Peaks and adjoining runs, the killers getting so much per tail for their labor—and the 300 skins are from the choicest, and as to distance, most convenient of the animals killed. These wild pigs are a curse to the station master, destroying not only largo slices of country, through grubbing up the soil in searchof roots, but also the old boars are not over scrupulous now and again about helping themselves to a bit of lamb. In the London market pig-skins command a high price, and if, instead of, as customary hitherto, shooting the wild pigs on the up-country runs for the reward offered per tail, shepherds and others would only take the trouble to skin their quarry and send the hides to the market, they would find handsome repayment for the extra labor. The sale of sights to erect booths, stands, and sell cards on the Christchurch Race Course, realise! £251 2s. The amount realised last year was £213 Ss 6d.

The visit of 11. M. ship Dido at Akaroa, was made the occasion of much festivity among the inhabitants of that quiet little port. The ship, under command of Captain Chapman, arrived on the 30th ult; on the 31st she was partially open to visitors; and on the Ist instant was thrown open to the public, un invitation which was readily accepted, as the Dido is the first British Man-of-War that has ever been in Akaroa, during the thirty-two years since its first settlement. Akaroa in former years was a naval station of the French, and isone of the finest harbors in New Zealand, used as such, by Her Majesty's ships on this station,

The ' Grey River Argus' gives the following just tribute of respect to the memory of a public servant who has " shuffled off this mortal coil." Many of our readers will read with regret the announcement of the death of Mr George Brodie, of Dunedin. Mr Erodie will be remembered as a member of the General Assembly of Victoria, and as a member of one of the many Governments who have administered the affairs of the colony. His name must also be familiar to the majority of those who were residents of Otago after the first discovery of gold in that Province. He was the first and ablest mining correspondent of the ' Otago Daily Times,' and contributed to that journal many racy descriptions of the incidents attending the discovery and development of the Goldfiekls of Tuapeka and the Dunstan. For a number of years he was a member of the Otago Provincial Council and of the New Zealand House of Representatives. For the past three or four years he held the office of Accountant in Bankruptcy, and on several occasions, in connection with the duties, of that office, he has visited Greymouth and other West Coast towns. Mr Brodie was a gentleman of genial temperament, and made friends wherever he went by his easy address, fluent speech, and lively humor, The Dunedin people have not yet bestirred themselves to any active measures in connection with the Christchurch Colonial Exhibition.

The Bishop of Nelson, in opening the annual session of the Synod of his Diocese, delivered au address, in the course of which he referred to the various methods of raising money for the church. In doing so, ho said : " Ths raising of money by sales of work, by music and lectures, by bazaars and gift auctions, if properly conducted, cannot as far as I sec, bo objected to, for the performers and workers are the real contributors, and they may, as in the caso of work, music, and lectures, be made highly instructive and useful; but lotteries, raffles, and art-unions, falsely so-called, and such like, ought, I think, to bo unanimously disapproved, and repu-

dinted by us as illegitimate, improper, and unworthy means of raising money. The spirit of gambling is so rife in all classes in this colony, that this is a sufficient reason why the Church should set itself against everything which encourages gambling, and cer tainly decline and disapprove any proposition for raising funds by such a means.

The Auckland ' Star' says:— There can he no doubt that in tho plans of the Ministry Mr "Waterbouse is only a warming pan to keep the Premiership snug and comfortable for Mr Stafford when he ceases to be Bulky, and that Mr Ormond's preference for the Superintendency of llawke's Bay, covers a deep plot to seduce Mr Curtis or Mr Gillies, or some other troublesome member of the Opposition. An Accident which might have been attended with very serious consequences, occurred a few days ago to the Bishop of Nelson, who was driving up Alton street, near the Dun Mountain yard, when his horse shied, aud suddenly turning round, ran one of the wheels of the trap, a two-wheeled vehicle, into the mill-stream, then | started off, and part of the harness breaking, the shafts fell to the ground, and the Bishop was thrown out with great force. He is much shaken and bruised, and suffering a great deal of pain, but we are glad to hear that he has not sustained any serious injur tTha prospectus of the New Zealand Tablet Compauy has been issued. The object of the Company is the issue of a weekly paper to be called the New Zealand Tablet, and to circulate throughout the colony, in which the events of the Catholic world are to be placed in their true colours, aud the current news of the day faithfully reported, &c. The capital proposed is £ISOO, in 1500 shares of £1 each. Such a newspaper should be very acceptable to all Catholics. The "Wairarapa ' Standard' congratulates its readers upon the establishment, in the district, of a second soda water manufactory, and says that it affords " a convincing proof of a great change having taken place in the hab'ts of the people." Does this mean that, having been accustomed to consume their Hennessy neat, they now dilute it with soda?

The last trip of the Wallace to Martin's Bay was the means of saviug the lives of the starving settlers there, who were found in a distressing plight. For man}* weeks previously they had subsisted on shell fish, and dried seal, varied with pika pika and mamakan, a species of'fern boiled and; eaten with salt. A correspondent writes from Martin's Bay to the West Coast

Times:—"l will tell yon now about this famine. Ten weeks ago there was only one man here had any provisions (save two families that tu<d still a few seed potatoes left) and he could only spare what would feed the inhabitants three weeks. The single men from Big Bay made the first rush. lie then asked all the families to come in for their share, and divided among the single men what was left. On this bare three weeks supply we have subsisted ten weeks, but the looks of some around me tell truly that they have suffered a living death. Birds have been unusually scarce, for though there are a good many paradise ducks in the river, they are shy, and without ammunition, will not come to hand, so the sight of them has been only an aggravation. There are fish in the bay, but, from rough weather and other causes we have been able to catch but very few. Mussels and Muttonfish can only be got at springtides, and then they have been devoured eagerly enough. But enough, our case had become desperate. Hunger is a terrible thing, and I am sure, Mr Editor, penguins and ferns have tasted sweeter to us than well buttered beef steak ever did to most of your readers. Yesterday the Wallace came, and, thank God, wo have food again." At the Haast River, during the visit of the steamer Wallace, Mr Marks, storekeeper, who was expecting the steamer, came on board and purchased what stores he wanted. He reported the death of a miner named Bateman, a native of Norway, who died on the 23rd July, and was buried by his mates, his loss casting a gloom over the little community. Mr Marks's prospecting party were unsuccessful in finding gold up either the Haast or Clark's rivers, eastward of the ranges, but ho intended to prospect the country behind Arnot Point. Matthies and party were landed at this place for the purpose of finishing a track from the Haast to the Abbey Hocks. A meeting of delegates from the

various Miners' Associations in Otago is to be held at Lawrence about the Ist of December next, to consider various matters of importance to the gold fields. Among these will be the framing of suggestions to the General Government with reference to a new Goldiieids Act, aud the appointment of a Central Committee to secure unanimity of action when necessary. The preliminary steps towards holding the conferencs were taken by the Arrow District Miners' Association, which obtained the consent of the other kindred associations in the Province, to send delegates to the conference. The precise date of the meeting will be fixed shortly, and will then be duly announced. A gold prospecting party, bound for the Tub.ua country, left Wanganui on the 9th, under the leadership of Mr S. Handley- It is their intention to mako as thorough an investigation of

the country as time and circumstances will permit. Peat is being shipped from the Island Islay, Scotland, to Dunedin. The proprietors of the Dunedin Distillery are the importers.