TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2502, 9 January 1869, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

MAoisTHitiAi,.—There was no public business transacted at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. AsiimiitTON Emsctoral District.—We believe that Mr John Studholmc is to be nominated to succeed Mr S. Peter, who has resigned his seat in the Provincial Council. Lvtthlton Horticultural Society.— The usual meeting of the members took place in the Colonists' Hall on Wednesday evening, when the president gave some useful udvic« to persons growing window plants, At the usual committee meeting, the minutes having been confirmed, it was proposed by Mr W.Webb, and seconded by Mr Wilkin, that the next show take place in the first week in February. The resolution was carrried. Some fine specimens of the gloxinia were exhibited by the president, and greatly admired.

Asiioorton Road Boaud. —Tho annua meeting of this Board was hold on Tuesday last, Tho only business transacted was tho election of Mr Graham in tho room of Mr Park, who had resigned, Tub Dioiuma.—There was no improvement in the attendance last night,and,nothing in the entertainment calling for further mention. An afternoon exhibition will tako placo this afternoon, at half past two o'clock, and an ovening one at the usual hour. No, 2 Company, C.R.V.-A general racetr ing of members was held at the White Hart Hotel last night, Lieut. Papprlll in tho chair. The immediate object of tho meeting was to discuss the advisability of disbanding, and, after some discussion it was resolved that application should be made to the Defence Ofllee for the members to be released from service and the company abolished.

Oxkokoßoad Dihtiiict.—Thcannual meeting of ratepayers for this district was held at the Road Board ollicc, Oxford, oil Tuesday, Jan. sth, which was attended by a considerable number of the residents of tho neighbourhood. Mr Wilson Fisher, the chairman of the board, opened the business of the day, and laid a statement of the accounts for the past year before the meeting, and gave verbal explanations where required. The feature in tho accounts most worthy of remark, was the very small amount set down for working expenses, thus leaving tho chief part of the resources of the district available for work of general utility. This is owing to the chairman and the other members of

the board doing a large share of the work themselves, which is commonly performed by clerks and surveyors, a fact which ought not to be lost sight of by other boards, The amount of useful work, also, which had been done during the past year, appeared to afford the utmost satisfaction to the meeting. On the chairman calling on the meeting to elect three persons to serve as members of the

board, five candidates were proposed, and the election was at once proceeded with. Immediately after the close of the poll, Messrs Redfern, Woodfield, and Cooper, were declared duly elected, and the meeting separated. Okain Bay,—The annnal meeting of the ratepayers of the Okain Bay Road District, was held in the schoolroom, Okain's Bay, on Tuesday last, the sth inst. The usual indifference of the ratepayers of Okain and Le Bon Bay to matters of such general importance for the welfare of their respective districts, was not less seen on this _ than on any previous occasions, On the chair being taken and proceedings commenced, scarcely an Okain Bay voter was to be seen in the room, and only three from Le Bon Bay, while the whole meeting was evidently in the hands of the ratepayers of Little Akaloa to elect whom they wished, they having come over in a great body to use the privileges allotted to them. Tho three retiring members were Messrs Thackcr, E. W. Harris, and H. Bennett. Seven candidates having been duly proposed and seconded, a poll was taken, to which a number of Okain Bay voters were enabled to be "whipped" in by one or two more zealous ones. At the close of the poll, Messrs Thacker, Fiulay, and A. Waghorn, senr., having polled the highest number of votes, were declared duly elected. Some complaints were made, and conversation followed, upon the disgraceful condition of the tracks at

present existing between the various bays, to which must, in some measure, be attributed the indifference or absence of so many from Le Bon Bay. Two resolutions were put before the meeting, and carried unanimously, the purport of which was that the Road Board be requested to petition the Government to cause to be laid off by the district Surveyor proper lines of road between the various bays,andalso to ask their assistance

in an endeavour to open them out as soon as they are laid off, it being thought desirable not to expend any further money upon the existing tracks. A meeting of the new board washeld immediately after, the memberfrom a distance being present, when some business of a trifling character was arranged for the ensuing year. In consideration of the opinion of the Revising Commissioner, that the present assessment of property exceeds considerably its present net value, it was resolved to adopt a rate of 6d in the pound forthwith, for the ensuing year. Popular Amusements,—The committees of the Winter Entertainments and Rural Sports held a joint meeting at White's Hotel, for the purpose of discussing the advisability of amalgamating the two bodies. His Worship the Mayor presided, and there were also present the Rev. W. J. Habens, Messrs Ollivier, J. F. McCardell, G. Gordon, JVC. Angus, H. E. Alport, and W. H. Wynn Williams, The chairman briefly stated the object of the meeting, and a letter was read from Mr Lean, opposing the fusion of the

two committees, Mr Ollivier said lie did not agree with the letter, and averred that an amalgamation of the two bodies would be attended with the best possible results. If they looked at the two committees they would find that a majority of the gentlemen who were members of one were members of the other also, and he could not see any tangible reason why they should not unite together at once and carry out the objects under one management. He was certain it would give a great deal of satisfaction out of doors. He would move that the committees be amalgamated under the head of Popular Entertainment Committee. Mr Williams seconded

the motion, and said although lie had heard one or two object to the proceeding, not a single argument had been advanced against it. He considered the greatest point in favour of it was getting a larger body of gentlemen to carry out the matter of public amusement. As to the mode of raising funds, he could not see any objections to it, for whether obtained by means of entertainments or subscription, the money all came from the public, and it did not matter in what particular form of amusement it was spent. Mr Habens thought some persons might have no objection to the winter entertainments as being of a literary nature, but might consider the sports of too boisterous a kind to be consistent with their religious principles, and it would be a matter of regret to lose their co-operation, Personally he had no objection to make to such sports as those carried out in Latimer Square on New Year's Day. He considered them unexceptionable, but there were those who considered them as approaching too near the boundary line of right and wrong to be indulged in. Mr Alport supported the resolution, pointing out the difficulties experienced in getting committees to work, and urging that the unity of the two bodies would therefore not only procure a stronger management, but decrease the number of committee meetings to be attended. He also considered that it would raise the tone of the sports, and aid in putting a stop to the grosser amusements alluded to by Mr Habens. They had already made a step in advance of other places in this respect, and he did not see why it should not be further increased, lie dwelt at some length upon the necessity of amusements being promulgated in order to prevent such foreign bodies as theatrical companies from taking so much money out of the town, and in referring to the surplus funds he hoped, as at previous meetings, to gain support for a portiou of them to be voted I o the Literary Institute. Mr Williams, in reply to Mr Habens, said in canvassing for the sports for New Year's Day lie went round the city several times, but only met with two gentlemen who opposed Ihein—from religious principles. lie had, however, no doubt but If the commitlees joined heartily logelher they would show even these dissentients thai

there was no Imrni in such proceedings. Oil every side lie met with expressions of (Jl'lltillCatiOlMlt I ll() Hporls IlC>itl<r l'Cinstiluted, and it was tlio general opinion that they should he conducted on a more extensive scale and permanent basis, Mr Anyua also supported the motion, and urged llie feasibility of giving indoor enlertaiiiments during the summer also. The one on New yearn' eve was a proof the success likely to attend them, lie however, agreed with Mr Williams, that it would he belter to have the proposed amalgamation discussed ftt ft larger meeting, and would move an adjournment to the 22nd instant, the resolution to he publicly advertised in the meantime. This was agreed to and the nicelinif separated.

Tim Govkunoii'h Rkchi'tion.—The work men employed by tlio Lyttelton Municipal Council lmvc commenced tlio erection of the triumphal arch, which will he fixed near the Canterbury Hotel. The Reception Commitlco met last night to settle all details. Count's Gakdens.—A promenade ball was held in the new Assembly Room last night, and there was a very good attendance. The proprietors appear to bo using every endeavour to keep thoso assemblies respcctabio, and so far tlicy have certainly succeeded to a very satisfactory extent, I'kiron Bav Road Uoaiid,—At the annual meeting of ratepayers, held on Tuesday last tlio chairman reported that the income for the past year liiul been Vm 9s l()d, and the expenditure JCm 19«7i|, Icavihg a balance of £5 10s ,'ld. Out of .six candidates for the three scats vacant at the Hoard, Messrs G, W, Marshall, J. liny, and D. McKay were elected, the first named being also elected chairman of the Board at a meeting held after the election.

HonTiciJLTWtA), Sooiktt.—A meeting of the committee was held in the side-room Town Hall, last night, Mr Duncan in the chair. The following members of the committee were present: Messrs Stewart, Milne, Jackmau, Crooks, Thompson, Angus, and the secretary, Mr Grccnaway. It was resolved that Mr Craw's offer of prizes for pansies be supplemented by second prizes by the Society. The last exhibition of the season was fixed to be held on Feb. 25. The consideration of the protest of Mr Spicer, relative to a prize awarded at the last show, wan adjourned to the next meeting. Several accounts were passed, and ordered to be paid, The thanks of the Society were given to Messrs W. Montgomery and Co., Messrs R. Chudley, and J. C. St Quentin, and others, for services rendered at tlio exhibition of the Society. C. R. V, No. 4.—A concert in aid of the funds of the Rangiora company was given on Thursday evening by the Rangiora Singing Classes, under the able conduetorship of Mr Charles Merton. The attendance was highly satisfactory, and the concert passed off smoothly and well. The performancccontaincd the glees "Foresters soundthecheerful horn," and "the Red-cross Knight," for male voices, and "Hark, the lark," "On a bank," " When the toil of day is o'er," and " When winds breathe soft," by the company ; the last-named, though the most difficult, being the best executed of all. The concert was opened by some selections played by No. 4 fife and drum band, the boys playing steadily and in excellent time. The same may be said of the performance of the brass band, which played a selection in each part, The duet" Stream and the willow," by two ladies of the classes, was sweetly sung; an encore was demanded, but not responded to. During the evening, the following songs were sung: " River 1 river 1" by Mr Merton ; " Shells of the ocean," and another, whose title we did not learn, by ladies of the company. These songs were well and tastefully sung. Mr Prestney greatly amused the audience with "Joein the Copper,"and on receiving an encore, sang " The Boy in Blue." Mr Truman was equally successful in an Irish song in character. In response to an encore, he gave " Paddy's Wedding" very humourously, The National Anthem brought the concert to a close, after which Lieut Dudding, in a few words, returned thanks to Mr Merton, the classes, and the audience, for the kindness and interest manifested by them in No. 4. Mr Merton briefly acknowledged the compliment on behalf of himself and the classes. Dancing succeeded, and was kept up with spirit for two or three hours, and ended one of the most successful entertainments ever given in Rangiora.

The late Engagement.—The following telegraphic details have been furnished to us by the Government:— I The fortress of Ngatipa is, beyond all comparison, the strongest that has ever been besieged in New Zealand I think the fighting garrison must have been about 200; perhaps an Uriwera part had joined. We have 80 prisoners; about fourteen men, fifty women, and the rest children. Many of the women .and children are mere skin and bones. There was no food in the place, and little ammunition on the dead bodies. Our loss is eleven killed, nine wounded, one dangerously. All have worked cordially. They were four nights in the trenches, one of steady rain without huts. Ngatiporou are off on a long chase to-day, bent on exterminating the Iwi Kohuru. I have thought it right, and in accordance with the wish of the Government and country, not to withhold their hands. Our Commissariat and Transport has been effective; and I hope we shall be able to feed the pursuers. This achievement is due to the energy and resolve of Colonel Whitmore. The mere labour of toiling through bush up this mountain would have quelled [ most men, unless supported by an unflinchI i"g spirit in the leader. Next to Whitmore I put Ropata. _ But, in the common pliruse, " where all"—it is not for me to mention names, lam sure the colony will appreciate the labour, the risk, the courage and success of our efficient little army. Whitmore's success leaves little to wish. This mountain is a sort of wedge. The front is a moderate slope for a mountain, yet steep enough to make it very laborious for the assailants. The rear and flank towards the top are precipitous but not so as to prevent escape. The rear runs out in a knife-like edge of rock. The height above the valley must be upwards of 1500 feet; the pah is on the slope; a triangle with banks and ditches only on the front side. All the mountain is covered with forest,—the front slope chiefly light timber, the flanks and rear heavy tim-ber-Forest stretches continually for miles in every direction except that by which one road approaches; a rare position, well calculated to daunt assailants by the labour of attack. Whitmore's energy has inspirited the force, and they have dug their way up this great hill,

Orijkh op St, Miciiaei, and St George. —As many enquiries have been made relative to this'Order,of which his Excellency the Governor is a member, the following particulars, taken from " Dotld's Manual of Dignities" mny be of some interest to our readers This Order of Knighthood was founded by letters patent, d ited April 27, 1818, for the purpose of affording an appropriate medium by which marks of royal favour might be bestowed upon the natives of Malta, and the lonian Islands. The Order is, however, in every respect a British distinction, for its institution took place by letters patent under the Great Seal of England, and nearly one-half of those who have received its ensigns are natives of Great Britain, and the remainder belong either to Malta, or the lonian Islands, the sovereignty of the former being vested in the British Crown, whilst the latter were, at the time of its foundation, under the protectorate of England. By the letters patent, the Order was originally formed into three classes— Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander, and Knights. But some modifications were made in the rules, and tliey aro now styled Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander and Companions, The number of Knights Grand Cross is fifteen, that of Knights Commander, twenty, and that of the third class is unlimited as regards natives of Great Britain and Ireland. The Companions, if natives of Malta, or the lonian Islands, are styled ' i.'avaliere.' The British Monarch lor the time being is the Sovereign of the Order, the Grand Master being the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands, or some distinguished military or naval officer serving in the Mediterranean. A convention of the Knights is appointed to be held on the -'l'lrd April in each year, being St. George's Day, and the officers consist of one I'relate, a^ Chancellor, who is granted rank as Senior Knight Commander, and precedence after the Prelate, a Secretary, a King of Arms, and a Kcm'strar. 1 lie proper style or designation ot the Order is ' The Most Distinguished Order ol'St. Michael and SI. George,' The habits ami ensigns of the Order consist of a collar, badge, riband, star, mantle, and cap, for each G.C.M.G.; a badge, riband, and slar for each K.C.M.G. • and a ribband and badge for each C.M.G., the motto of the ' Onler being,' Aiispicium Melioris (Evi,' The ribband is of Saxon blue, whilst the slar con- i sists of seven rays, between each of which is i ft small ray of gold, and over all, the Cross of i St. George, The ccntro represents St. < Michael with the usual attributes." i

Artificial Bambb. Another invention from America is reported in the French papers, one which promlr-s to be as useful ai the ikam man-ieAw postichu, or artificial babies, for promoting the comfort and tranquility o travellers who dislike company. I hese infants, when wound up, utter euch dreadful ones that chance paasengersavoH the carriage which contains one. They are advertised thus:—The bent kind, with voices very shrill nnd mtchant, ranging over flv« octaves at will, 10 duln, the same, but without cessation, 15 dols. Of the seuond daxe, uttering screams not so loud, but lamentable »nd insupportable, 5 dols. Third class ordinary intermittent cries, as if f rom tt i, irn , can be carried in the pocket, 2 J doll. These infants are warranted for a yew, and, in elegance and natural appearance, leave notiling to be desired. Tin Toothache.—Toothache has this advantage over gout, that it in always alluviahle and that, in most instances, without removing the tooth. Few, very few, aching teeth will resist the application of aconite judiciously used j and though aconite be a poison, and the treatment sounds poisonous, yet in any but the most careleßS hands it may be used to stop toothache with impunity. The best mode of application is thus Having immersed some cotton-wool in tincture of aconite poured into a dish and net in a warm place, wait until the tincture lias evaporated and lelt the cotton-wool impregnated with aconite paste. This paste-mixture of cotton and aconite is what the tooth is to be filled with. Pain usually departs in about ten minutes. It is not intended that the patient shall swallow any part of this aconite paste er its products ; but even if deglutition do occur, no poisoning will ensue, the quantity of the active principle of aconite thus capable of finding its way to the stomach being insufficient to develop any bad consequences. There is an incorporation of arsenic and morphia ilightly more efficacious thm aconite for alleviating toothache; but it is altogether too dangerous for domestic or private use, Immense Coih tield' in CUonADo.-In the Rocky Mountain Ntwi of October 2, we find the account of an immense yield of Australian corn, on the farm of A. H. Mills, on Cherry Creek, two miles from Denver! Colorado Territory. The land on which the corn was planted is a black sandy loam, It was ploughed eighteen inches deep; and the rows were furrowed three feet apart with a shovel plough. The com was dropped four or five kernels in a rill, from eighteen inche* to two feet apart. It was cultivated but once with a cultivator, and waj not irrigated. It was planted on the 25th of May, and cut on the 29th of September. On such soil, and with this cultivation, it is certified and sworn to, that the yield was 154 stooks to the acre; and an average stook, on being husked, yielded 150 pounds. This would give two bushels ami ten pounds of shelled corn to the stook, at seventy pounds to the bushel, and allowing ten pounds for shrinkage, the 154 Btooks would average 308 bushels to the acre. As considerable doubt seems to have existed in Denver and neighbourhood concerning it, the truth of the statement is sworn to by five men. The acre taken as an average was one in a field of forty acres of Bimilar corn.

Thj Bontif Again,—Mr J. S. Calvert, of Yass, writes to the Australasian-.—The last two or three years we have had some wonderful accounts of the bunyip in the Murrumbidgee River, in this immediate neighbourhood. On last Saturday evening, the Uth November, I was on my return home from Yasi, and when crossing the river at Sapling Point into our own paddock, about half way over I saw a strong ripple or mark in the water. Thinking it might be a large codfish a little sick from the water being very muddy, as we had a fresh from rains, I pushed my horse ahead of it into deeper water, half up my saddle flap, and soon found it was a large dark-brown or sable-coloured animal, as you may suppose, I became deeply interested in the hunt. I tried to drive the thing down stream to a shallow part, but after a struggle for about half-an-hour in trying to trample it down with my horse's feet, I had to give up the contest, as I often got both fore feet of my horse on the back of the animal, which only resulted in my horse being thrown off his legs, and getting a ducking. At last it became so unpleasant to myself—as I was not very dry during all this—and the poor nag showing sigas of distress, that I gave it up as a very bad job. Now, Sir, as well aB I could make the animal out, it must be a large " otterbut it iB all nonsense about its being a savage sort of brute, as it never left a mark on my horse, and it was nearly all the time under his feet. Thinking this may be interesting to others who are, like myself, fond of natural history, I send particulars to you, as I know few people believe in there being any such creaturs.

Galiqnani's Teeth Drawn.—At length we (Galignani) can speak of anesthesia by protoxide of nitrogen or laughing-gas from our own experience, having had, while under its influence, three teeth drawn by Mr George. Throughout the whole time (two minutes) the operation lasted, we thought ourself in a state of perfect consciousness. We had but little faith in the power of the gas, and kept thinking all the while that we should never fall asleep, when we heard the operator say, " Come rinse your mouth!" To our astonishment, we found all was over, and were told that we had been snoring very loud, and that we had inhaled 22 litres of gas, that we had fallen asleep almost immediately, that the teeth had been drawn at the expiration of one minute, and that it had taken another minute to bring us to consciousness again. Mr George told us that there was one cafe within his experience in which the gas had caused the patient to laugh j this had happened a few days ago to M. Victor Meunier, the proprietor of the Cosmos, a well-known scientific publication, As for any danger, we may now affirm that when gas is taken in a state of perfect purity, as prepared for Mr George by Dr Pujul Montsalfo, there is not the slightest, since we did not feel any nervous or pulmonary inconvenience either during the operation or after. Is A Suicide a Murderer ?—A curious

question, but one which has more than once occurred to ua (Law Times), has been raised before the Supreme Court of the Sandwich Islands—namely, whether one who attempts to commit suicide can be indicted for hiattempt to murder. The Court decided that lie could not, observing that it was very evident that the indictment could not be maintained by any provision of the criminal code of that kingdom, and that they were not aware of any code against which it is an offence. The following remarks are from the judgment of Chief Justice Allen, Referring to the case of Commonwealth v. Bowen, 13 Mass. 354, he remarked, " Chief Justice Parker charged the jury, that, if one coutuel another to commit suicide, and the other, by reason of the advice, kill himself, the adviser is guilty of murder as a principal. Admit this to be sound law, it does not follow that a

person who commits suicide is a murderer Recording to the provisions of the code or at common law. A contrary opinion is expressed by Chief Baron Alderson, in the ease of Hog, v. Leddington, 7 Car & P. 79, in his charge to the jury. He says to them that tliey have no right to inquire into this cliargo. It is a ewe of suicide, and the prisoner is churned with inciting it. It is a case we cannot try, nud tlio prisoner must be acquitted." A VVokd foh Fisherman's Stock.—The Melbourne journals, >ince the late Spring Meeting at Flemington, have been rather hard on their once favourite racers, the descendants of Fisherman; " Playboy," in the AimIralumn, lias come to the rescue, and observes:— 1 1,1 Fisherman Again' is rather a seve e article on the progeny of that great racehorse, and the subject is creating a good deal of talk. It is like kicking a dog when lie is down. No doubt every one of his family, with the exception of My Dream, disgraced themselves at the lute Melbourne Meeting, hut owing to what ? Seagull was never half prepared on account of her being a cripple, Neii her was the The Fly, for the same reason, but she never could go the pace; neither could The Swell. What was the matter with

Little Fish is a mystery; but no one will deny but that the running of Hngpicker was all wrong. Why, it is not two months since sho was a perfect wonder at Bandwick. Because a sire hag only a few incapables to represent him at a meeting, are we to forget the

many good ones he has got ? You t«n them not training on; hut had many 0 f h Ol horses been left alone, insteadof beingJ n he '* their legs as two and three-year-old*, y uu ,J perhaps have had another story to tell Am to forget the grand between J? and Volunteer for the Queen'- Guine,R r victory of S mr Drapes over The Barb » S e game and determined race between and I .reworks, two of the greatest t Wo .7, three-year olds the (Mumry ever saw? A are we to forget the manner i„ whi » Fisherman disposed of ail our youngsters the A l * cot Vale, and other two-venr j stakes; or the three-year old an Angler, a Lady Heron, a .Seagull upland last, though not leant, „f » fishhook lII' winner of a Champion Sydney G ; dl Cup, and Queen's Phfe'' year ? Verily, ■.uceesi is the ere-it in a how's character as well n m J? 1 tills fait world of Oiirn, an I unlf-H3 tliey canlrec, It up they soon go to the wall. C ™ n,,, ng «t «»ndwicki» Mill f re ,h in the S every racing man, especially tIoJLT saw her there; and what more heamifni the nks. No doubt the dams hud a good deal to do with thevomlni-ssof th,'S!'a ni m»u nevertheless, Fisherman was their sire ! j although Mr I' ilgate is no* made „ m ' lr! " r of, his sys em of training them as , oun „ Z has been the came of their failure at a mn mature age. Fisherman had or Kishorm? good, one stable during the four venri w stock have been running turned out fourteen winner,, and won with them forty-one riC ». «"d £lO 300 in stakes alone. C /n the 2 colony ? Pr ° geny ° f any ° tl,er Bire in th!