INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1236, 11 December 1874, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

At the forthcoming Caledonian Society's Gathering at Wellington, a first prize of 20 guineas, and u second of £5 5s are offered for " Tilting at the lling," the entrance fee heing £1 Is. A i.rize is also offered for a race to Le competed ior by firemen in uniform.

It is reported that Sir .Tames Fergusson has left £7OOO to 1-e invested on his bi-hulf irl the colonv.

A lad only ten years nf ace has been arrested at Oamaru on a charge of setting fire to a hays'ack. The foundation stone of the new Temperance Hall, Christelmrcli, will be laid in the course of neit week by the Hon. W. Fox.

A publican in Dunedin has been fined for allowing- billiards to be played in his house after the hour for closing-, ten o'clock at night. Luriine, Papapa, and Calumny have been placed in Mr W. 0. Yuille's hands fur private sale.

'J he Auckland Star republishes from the Atla California the protest of the passengers by the Pacific Kailroad against the army of swindlers and robbers frequenting- the railway who endeavor to g-et pacseugers by the train to engagfi in swindling games of cards, ami if they refuse threaten them with pistols and bowie knives. The railway officials giving no heed to the complaint, the Atla says.—lt is increditable that such outlawry could exist with impunity in this country ; and the publication of the real facts must deter all but very courageous people from venturing- overland. On the Goldficlds (says the Dunstan Times), more especially in the " good old times," reports of rich finds were of daily occurrence ; but of late such reports are few and far between—like angel's visits. However, there is now current a report that Lindsay, Anderson, and party, who are working on the Clyde Commonage at the rear of the town, have struck a remarkably rich deposit of golden dirt, from which there is every reason to hope they will be well repaid for the labor and cost in constructing their water-race and the opening- of their claim. There have been brought to our office (says the North Otigo Times) two egys of a very singular character The first, left with us by Major Evans, contains two fully developed ducklings; and the second, shown us by Mr Bullock, is a hen's egg of ordinary size, but of most unusual form, being as round and about the size of a billiard hall. It will be presented to the Oiaco Museum.

The Auckland Star is of opinion that while the law provides for capital punishment, n public executioner should he appointed. Our contemporary says :—" We know from the best authority that the man who executed Epwright refused point blank to officiate unless lie was paid exorbitantly, and consequently a novice had to be engaged. One functionary would do for the whole Colony. The appointment would not involve more than a few pounds per annum increase of expenditure, and the cause of justice and humanity would be more efficaciously served." The Registrar-General, in his annual report, states that the table of vital statistics for friendly societies is lamentably imperfect, both as to number of societies that should have furnished a return to the Government, and as to the charucti r of the information furnished. It is very desirable that greater stringency should be used to enforce the periodical returns required by " The Friendly Societies Act, 180?."

The Auckland Star's own telegraph c correspondent at Wellington says : An amusing- scene occurred at the sale of the Governor's furniture. A well known local character named Smith was handling some delfjust knocked down, Lieut. Fergusson,the Governor's Aide do Camp, said to the old man, "Put that down." The old identity replied, "Yes, after I have a look at it." The Aide coming close to the old man, said, " Do you know who you are talking 10, old gont? " "No ! nor I don't care—l am old Smith, and would just like to see yon put a finder upon me. But I tell what I do know, the quicker the likes of,'you and all your breed are out of the country, the better for it." Approbative laughter for old Smith followed.

The Ly ttelton Times of a recent date states that as Captain Williams, of the ship Merope, was at breakfast in the cabin in port, he noticed a minute spiral column of smoke rising from the swing tray suspended from end to end above the table. His first impression was that some one had carelessly laid down a lighted match upon the tray; but on inspection it. appeared that the sun's ray's had penetrated through the skylight of figured glass and concentrated in a glass water bottle' thereby forming a focus and igniting the tray alongside the bottle. Captain Williams then applitd a piece of paper to the spot, which quickly took fire, lie stated that after breakfast was over the cabin was not used again for hours, and that the chances are, that had he not observed the smoke the cabin would have taken fire.

Referring to Mr Whitefoord's appointment, the Grey River Argus says: The intelligence that the late Warden of the Grey Yalley had received a permanent appointment under the General Government, has been received by the numerous friends of Mr Whitcfooid throughout the up-river gold-fields, with unalloyed satisfaction. This is the -first successful result of Mr O'Conor's retrenchment (?) policy, and no doubt the majority of the officers of the Civil Service of JNelson would be extremely gratified to be "retrenched" in the same manner. Kaiapoi, to the Resident Magistracy of which place Mr Wlntel'oord has been appointed, is within twenty miles of the city of Christchurch, and is the centre of a large and

populous district. Excepting the Resident Magistracy in. the chief towns of the larger Provinces, the office now held by Mr Whitefoord is one of the best remunerated of the class in the Civil Service of the Colony. The Province of Canterbury, in securing the services of a gentleman of Mr Whitefoord's official ability, has most decidedly scored a point at the expense of Kelson.