A great robbery has occurred on tlie Grey Goldfields. A person named Walmsley, of the Bank of New South Wales, was stuck up, and robbed of 821 ozs. of gold, and £1000 in notes. T3ie Canterbury Government have offered a reward of £400. Two men have been arrested on suspicion. We are glad to learn that steps are being taken to establish a Joint Stock Distillery Company in this district, and that the prospectus will shortly be made public. An advertisement in another column calls on a Mr. Thomas Scott, who is supposed to be working in this neighborhood, to go at once to Portobello, as his brother has met with an accident. We regret to learn that Mr. James McKay, sen., of Titree Valley, W.-iihola, was severely injured last week by a fall from his horse. Tlie accident took pla.ee near Mr. Geii'ai-cl's, and Mr. McKay was at once taken there and medical attendance procured. Wo are happy to say that under the care of Dr. Weber Mr. McKciy is rapidly recovering, and has been able to bear removal to his own house. The weather during the past week has baen excessively cold, stormy, and wintry. We are sorry to say that last night did not exhibit any symptoms of intended amendment. Up to the time of our going to press, no intelligence had been received of the arrival of the English mail. The Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court commenced on Monday last. We understand that Mv. James Robertson Baker, of Waihola, has been obliged to call a meeting of his creditors. We are glad to obfsevve that a meeting is to be held in the White Horse Hotel, on Saturday evening next, at 8 o'clock', to take steps to get up a Ploughing Match. We trust there will be a good attendance. Our advertising columns contain the prospectus of the Southern. Steam Navigation Company (Limited). Judging from our own knowledge of the necessity for the accommodation proposed to be rendered by the company, and looking at tho names on the interim direction, we augur a brilliant success for a much-needed public company.

The writ for the election of a successor to Mr. 11. Clapcott, as representative of the district of Wakatip, has been received. The Notice of Election appears in our advertising columns, fixing the day of nomination for Thursday, 26th ult. , and the poll, if necessary, for Wednesday, November Ist. Captain M'Kenzie's Station, Pomahaka, is the only polling place.

An advertisement in another column calls for tenders for the erection of the new Episcopal Church in Tokomairiro. The plans and specifications are to be seen at Mr. J. M'Gregor's, architect, Dunedin, until the 26th inst., and at Mr. Gillon's office, Tokomairiro, from the 27th to the 2nd October. Tenders must be sent in on or before that day, addressed to E. T. Gillon, Esq., Secretary to the Building Committee.

The complimentary benefit given by the management of the Princess Theatre to Mr. B. L. Farjeon, the author of the Burlesque of Faust, came off at the Theatre on Thursday evening last. The house was well filled, and at the conclusien of the performance Mr. Farjeon was loudly called for and bowed his acknowledgments from a private box. Mr. Farjeon has presented his portion of the proceeds of the benefit to the Benevolent Institution.

The 'New Zealand Gazette' of the oth instant contains Wo proclamations of a very different character — the one, a proclamation of peace, stating that the war which commenced at Oakarua is at an end, the other placing the districts of Opotiki and Whakatane under martial law.

The < Duneclin Herald' has discontinued its tri- weekly issue, and will for the future only be published once a week, on every Thursday.

It is understood that His Honor the Superintendent intends shortly to visit the country districts and the goldfields.

Messrs. B. P. Bayley, John Anderson, J. W. Paterson, W. A. Low, A. M'Donald, W. H. Teschemaker, J. Gardiner, and James Hassell, have been appointed sub-inspectors of sheep.

We are glad to learn that the dangerous culverts on the road between the Royal Oak Hotel and the township have at length been attended to and carried across the whole width of the road. They are now made safe, but it is a great wonder that some really serious accident has not been caused by them during the long time that they remained in an unsafe condition.

On Saturday evening last Miss Aitken gave a selection of favorite readings in the Schoolhouse, Glenore. Mr. E. T. Gillon occupied the chair and the room was well filled. Miss Aitken read several pieces from the works of Burns, Tennyson, Hood, and Jerrold, and, as usual, read them in a most eloquent manner. Miss Aitken has for some weeks past been making a tour of the original goldfields, prior to leaving Otago on a visit to the Northern Provinces. The entertainment at the Woolshed was quite an impromtu one, being given by Miss Aitken in compliance with a wish expressed by several parties to Miss Aitken while passing tlirough en route to Dunedin.

The Dunedin Chamber of Commerce has passed a resolution to the effect that it is desirable to encourage Chinese emigration to this Province. Several of the most influential merchants of Dunedin supported the resolution and only one hand was held up against it, the dissentient being Mr. J. Bathgate, of the Bank of Otago.

The Amateur Concert, in aid of the funds of the Congregational Church, Dunedin, was repeated on Friday evening last with great success. Miss Bell and Mrs. Mitchell were greatly admired in their rendering of the sacred pieces.

The ' Southland Times' of the 13th instant, states that the Telegraph wire was broken, and that in consequence no telegrams could be sent to or received from Dunedin.

Efforts are being made to establish a side school in the South Akatore district. The Education Board has promised the usual grant in aid of the teacher's salary, and the settlers in the neighborhood are now exerting themselves to collect the funds necessary to erect a building which, will answer the purposes of sclioolhouse and church.

We understand that another Amateur Concert in aid of the funds of the Church of England is likely to be given on or about the 3rd of ISlovember next.

A Meeting of the inhabitants of Balclntha, and its neighborhood is to be held in the Court House, on Monday evening next, to consider the necessity of taking steps to have a bridge placed on the Clutha River at the Ferry, and to consider other matters of importance to the District.

The debate on the Separation resolutions, moved in the Assembly by Mr Russell, has terminated by a division of 30 to 17 in favor of the Ministers and against Separation. Mr Vogel's financial resolutions were also lost by a large majority.

A meeting of the Church Building Committee, is to be held in the Court House, on Tuesday the 3rd proximo, to consider the tenders for the erection of the new Episcopal Church. ' l

We have repeatedly directed the attention of Electors to the necessity of being exceedingly particular in their choice of persons to represent them in the Assembly, and have pointed out how unequal some of our representatives are to the duties of their position. The fallowing extract from a private letter written by a gentleman of high social, and political standing in the Colony, but entirely unconnected with this Province, will show that our estimate of the qualifications of some of the Otago members was not erroneous, or <-ur fears as to the result of sending such men to represent us unfounded. " I hope next session to see Otagr> send up a lot of members which will more conduce to give that Province the standing which it ought to hold in the Colony. With~the exception of two or three, the present lot is decidedly inferior to the average of the Colony. Having no statesmanlike views, they strive for the unattainable, instead of finding out what can be done and what is best to be done under the circumstances. The consequence is great waste of time, in the deliberations of the Assembly, and I should say a danger of considerable loss of character to the Colony in the opinion of outsiders — and a consequent depreciating effect upon colonial bonds."

Preparations are being made for laying a new coat of Blue Metal on the Main road through the township. Heaps of stone ready for breaking have been laid down in several places A very good coating of metal has been placed on the worst portions of the road between the township and the South bridge.

Mr James Elder Brown, Collector for the Milton Road District, intimates by advertisement that the highway rate of 6<h an acre over the Milton district is payable at his house on or before the 2nd of October,

Mr Weldon, Commissioner of Police for the Province of Southland, has resigned that appointment, and it is understood that the office will not again be filled. Mr Weldon has accepted an appointment as Inspector in the Canterbury Force, and in future the Southland Police will be under an Inspector instead of a Commissioner.

A Correspondent draws attention to' the qHality of a quantity of broken stone lying on the road a little distance beyond the Royal Oak Hotel, and evidently intended for spreading on the road, and- our correspondent rightly terms the stone Claystone, for it is little better than compressed clay. We are confident that if spread upon the road it will do more harm than good.

The 'Daily Timed' of Saturday thus notices the result of the Jarvey trial:— 'William Andrew Jarvey has been convicted of poisoning his wife ; and he has been sentenced to death. The prisoner, after being removed from Court on Thursday evening, in consequence of his having fainted, soon rallied ; and we understand that he attributed the attack partly to the heat of the Court, but mainly to his having caught sight of his two sons, Andrew and England, looking intently at him. When placed in the dock yesterday morning, the prisoner was very pale ; but he maintained his calmness during the continuation of Mr Justice Richmond's charge, although he must have felt that the concluding portion of His Honor's remarks was calculated to tell strongly against him. During the four hours the jury were out of Court, the prisoner was removed to the Gaol ; and when brought back, on the return of the jury, he walked as steadily, and seemed as collected, as at any time during the progress of the trial. He heard, without showing sign of emotion, the fatal ' Guilty ' pronounced by the foreman ; and he addressed the Court lor some time, firmly, but without anything like bravado. He wept several times, but speedily recovered himself. In substance, the prisoner declared and reiterated that he was innocent; that Elizabeth Ann Jarvey was not his daughter, and not his wife's ; that Miss Little did not deserve the stigma cast upon her ; and that he forgave all who had assisted to ' work his destruction/ The Judge, in passing sentence, declared that his mind was wholly unaffected by anything which the prisoner had said ; that, he was satisfied that the verdict was a most righteous one ; that he regarded the address to the Court as only adding hypocrisy to crime ; and that the crime for which the prisoner was being sentenced was one of the worst conceivable aggravations of the most cruel and treacherous form' of murder. The prisoner showed no marked feeling during the sentence. The following are the convict's remarks relative to the parentage of Miss Jarvey — ' That unfortunate girl who, in that box, has sworn away my life, knows that she is not my daughter— that she is not the daughter of my wife. She is the child of a young lady in Tasmania, who had the misfortune to become pregnant by her father's assigned servant ; and for the consideration of a sum of moneys my poor wife and I took her, to cloak the shame of her mother's family. And I have done my duty to her, as if I had been her father.

In consequence of the refusal of the Upper House in Victoria to pa?s the Appropriation-cum-Tariff-Bill, the Government of that Colony some time ago suspended cash payments to the Civil servants. In the absence of an Appropriation Act, the Government wrote to all the Bank Managers, asking if they would place a cash credit at the disposal of the Government. All refused except the London Chartered Bank, which consented to advance L40,000. When this was exhausted, a writ was issued, and judgment confessed by the Attorney- General, and a certificate isused with six guineas' costs. Then, by the claims against the Crown Act, the Governor and Commissioners of Audit were obliged to sign ■warrants for the payment, and the farce was repeated. Of course this dodging has created great indignation, and is protester! against as unconstitutional : — ' The probable recall of the Governor, and the removal of the Manager of the London Chartered Bank, are freely spoken of.' The 'West Coast Times' of the 9th inst. furnishes us with the following particulars relative to the late robbery at the Gre3% of Mr Walmsiey, of the Bank of New South Wales: — 'It appears that on Monda}'morning last he left No Town on horseback, accompanied by a packer, carrying between them 1621 oz. of gold, Walmsiey having in his possession, besides his share of the dust, LIOOO in notes. When within two miles of the Twelve-mile, in turning a corner of the road, the packer, who was some distance in advance, was suddenly assailed by four men, one of whom, armed with a double-barrelled gun, made a rush at his horse's head ; fortunately, however, a supple jack tripped him, and he fell, which circumstance the packer turned to account by putting spurs to his horse and escaping. Two or three minutes afterwards, Mr Walmsiey came up, and the villains having by this time collected themselves, rushed him un wares, and before he could draw his revolver, caught his foot and threw him off his horse. They then bound him hand and foot, and having possessed themselves of the treasure he had in chaige, mads off into the bu-h. Mr Walmsiey remained in this unpleasant predicament until the arrival of some travellers, who released him, and he, as goon as possible, gave information ot what had happened. The agent for the Union Ha..lc had a remarkably narrow escape, he having passed the same way with a large parcel of gold only a quarter of an hour previously. We learn that four men have since b. ea arrested at the Grey, on suspicion.'

The next sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court, Tokomairiro, in its extended jurisdiction, (£100), will be held before Mr. Wilson Gray oil Wednesday, the 18th of October.

A Masonic Lodge, under the Irish Constition, and appropriately named ' The Shamrock Lodge,' has been established in Dunedin.

Not very long ago we had to chronicle the opening of a Court of Foresters in Tokomairiro, and more recentty the establishment of a lodge of M.U.,A.0.0.F., at Lawrence. It is now our pleasant duty to record the opening of a Lodge of the Ancient Independent Order of Oddfellows, at Kaitangata. Amongst the various Secret and Friendly Societies, none, if we except the brethren of the square and trowel, hold a higher position than the A.1.0.0.F., combining, as we believe it does, many of the advantages of Masonry with the charity of the Foresters and the Manchester Unity of the Order. It is a healthful sign of the times, the establishment throughout the country of these societies. It shows that brotherly love predominates — that there is a desire to provide for a rainy day, and that those who are in prosperity recognise the duty of assisting their poorer neighbors. As a realisation of the principle that 'Union is Strength^' such societies may be productive of much good, and we shall at all times be glad to hear of the extension of the operations of the societies, and the prosperity of the branches established in our midst. On Monday week, the District Officers of the A.1.0.0.F., Messrs. Egan, P.G.M. ; W. P. Street, W.G. ; and W. Hopper, W.G., arrived in Kaitangata, and on Tuesday evening a Lodge of the Order was opened under the title of 'The Kaitangata Lodge.' A large number of gentlemen were initiated, and many more proposed as members of the Lodge and Order. There is every prospect of the Kaitangata Lodge shortly becoming a strong and prosperous one, for the class of members who have joined it is such as to ensure that they will be competent, after a little practice, to carry out in their integrity the objects of the society. The Lodge was opened at the Kaitangata Hotel, and on the following evening a ball and supper was given by Brother Host Desire Coste to celebrate the opening of the Lodge, and in honor of the District officers. About sixty gentlemen sat down to a well-arranged dinner, and after that portion of the business was satisfactorily disposed of, the ball was kept up withspiritto — perhaps we had better not name the hour