Local and General.

Hospitax9. — A northern contemporary states that the vital statistics of the various hospitals, for the past five years, are being compiled. The figures will be interesting and useful.

Publicity. — The sittings of the Otago Waste Lands Board are . open, to the representatives of the Press, and reports of the business transacted duly appear, in the local papers. ■ '

Cricket.— Arrangements have been concluded for an intercolonial match between Victoria and Tasmanian cricketers. Two matches will be played, one in Hobart Town, and one in Launceston.

Arhest. — A warrant for the arrest of Mr Solomon, lately practising in Christchurch as oculist and optician— on a charge of obtaining money under false- pretences I—was1 — was placed in the hands of the Police for execution on Saturday. • ■ „. :

. Ageicpltubal. — The Tuapeka (Obago) local paper says it is estimated ;that. 180 acres of the Island Block there, laid down in wheat, will yield 10,000 bushels. This is only at the, rate of about 55 bushels an acre.

The Govebnob. — -It will be seen from a Wellington telegram that Sir James Ferguson is to leave England for New Zealand on April 18. It was believed by some that his Excellency would resign and nob come out to the colony at all.

it/ Educational. — A Nelson telegram of &pril 3 to a southern contemporary is to the 'following effect: — The Board of Education I has passed a resolution recommending the Provincial Council to consider fcho desirability of compulsory education.

Ministerial. — A Wellington telegram is to the effect that Mr Fox has resigned the Premiership after being pressed to retain it by Mr Yogel, that : he recommended the Acting Governor to send for the latter, which was done, and that Mr Yogel consented to accept the Premiership " if he found himself able to form a Ministry." -The Independent of Saturday adds that Mr Yogel " has obtained two or three days for that purpose." , Thkatbe Royal. — There was a large~al> tendance at the Theatre on Saturday evening, when " Ten Nights in a Bar-room " was produced as the principal piece. The moral of this drama is similar to that of Cruickahanks' " Bottle," and the well-known song " Come Home Father," but the scene is laid in America. It waß on the whole well placed on the stage, and the chief parts were very creditably played by Mrs Hill, Mr Douglas, Mr Musgrave, and Mr Hill. Miss Milly Collier deserves credit for the way in whick she took the part of the child. In the afterpiece, " The Valet do Sham "—one of the most amusing the company has yet produced, and worthy of repetition — Mrs Hill showed that she is versatile as well as clever and pleasing, and Mr Clinton succeeded admirably in an old man'apart. Mr Hill's Wigler was asgoodas his Blenkinsop, which ia saying a great deal.

Volunteers. — The following are the volunteers enrolled and efficient in the colony : — North Island, enrolled, 4038, efficient, 3584. South Island, enrolled, 2004 ; efficient, 1517. The cadets in both islands enrolled are — North Island, 1004 ; efficient, 866. South Island /^rolled, 439 ; efficient, 356. f Hops. — It may interest the lovers of a " glass o' good beer" to know that the hoD crop at New Norfolk, Tasmania, is much heavier than was the case last year. Over 500 acres are in full bearing, and nearly 3000 men, women, and children are employed in picking. la this not a promising industry for New Zealand ? ■. . '

Heathcote Swing Bridge.— Directly after the volunteer encampment the swing bridge across the Heathcote, which is now in rather a shaky state, will be put into thorough repair. The present floor is to be--taken off, and a new one laid, added to which both the approaches are to be asphalted. Our Resources.— A miner left with Mr 0. Beeby, jeweller, of Q,ueen9towa (Otago), a few days ago, a sample of white metal, -which, ho, after several tests, states to bo silver in nearly" a pure state. The man who left the sample remarked that he had thrown away a large number of pieces, under the impression that they were worthless. The locality was not divulged, but the Wakatip paper says it is probably in the Moonlight or Upper Shotover districts. ;

Lyttelton Colonist' ' Societ?.— The usual monthly, meeting was held in the Committee room on Thursday evening. The minutes of the former meeting were°read and confirmed. After some discussion it was resolved to commence the Winter entertainments on the 25th inst.. and a sub-committee was appointed to carry them out. Tho Library has received a large supply of books, including all the latest works of fiction, in addition to some 60 new works purchased in Ohristchurch. The committee have received a largo case of books from - England. The Beading room is also now supplied withall the Colonial and Australian papers. The evering edition of the London and alVthe more popular magazines are.laid on the table and are put in circulation after one month's : dc» tention at the Institute. With these ad" vantages the Institute commends itself to 'the townspeople, and it is hoped that- during the winter session it will be supported/ The Institute is free to captaiaa -and officers of vessels in harbour.

A Judge's Expedience. — During a recent sheep-stealing case at Wellington, the counsel for the prisoner argued that his client must be innocent because he appeared to be a fool and sheep-stealers were generally very clover. His Honor took exception to the argument" which he said meant that rogues were clever and honest men fools. In spite of the supposed division of the race into knaves and fools, his experience led him to believe that the greatest knaves were the biggest fools.

The Late Confebenoe.St- According to the Melbourne Argus, the progress' ®f business at the Intercolonial Conference was not wantingina few piquant per&onal . elements to add variety to the proceedings. One of these arose about the question of fixing the terminus of the Suez line at Melbourne. Mr Yogel, who it.seoma was annoyed by the Sydney Government appearing adverse to his offer relative to the New Zealand and San Francisco line, tabled a paper showing the reasons why the New Zealand representatives dicided to support Melbourne being the terminus of the line. In reply to an argument that Mr Parkes and his colleague had employed, that the mails could not "be carried safely overland on account of tho bushrangers, the New Zealand representatives declared that they could not sympathise with it, and added that, " coming from a colony that has mad* vast sacrifices to maintain law and order amongst the native population, they cannot but regret that it should be thought necessary to urge that a wealthy colony like New South Wales is unable to preserve law and order amongst an exclusively European population." This clause very much roused tho ire of Mr Parkes, who was also nettled by an implication conveyed in the paper that the Parliament of Nevr South Wales would not agree with all of the views advanced by the delegates of that colony. ; A Sad Stoet.—" iEgles " writes to the. Australasian : — Dr Youl held an inquest on Monday, at the Melbourne Hospital, on the body, of James lieech, aged 31, a groom, unmarried. Deceased was employed at Tracey's stables, Little Collin3 street, and slept in the ! hay-loft. He was in the habit of drinking, and sometimes went up to bed in the loft drunk. On Sunday, the 9th inst., another groom who slept in the loft went up to bed at about half -past midnight, and passed the deceased, who was sober, and made some remark. In the morning, at about 6 o'clock, the deceasod was found insensible, lying on the ground as if ho had fallen through the opening in the loft for putting in hay. A commonplaco story enough. Yet the man had been the gay companion of the Duke of Beaufort and tho Marquis of Hastings, and could trace his descent back to the time of William tho Conqueror. Thus gossiped of him an old friend as we walked together to tho railway station:— "Yes, sir ; I knew his family well. His right name wa3 Leche. The Leches are lords of the manor, covering five parishes, near Tattonpark — Sir Phillip Egerton's place. His father had in old times two packs of hounds, fifty hunters in his stables, and mounted fifteen grooms in livery, and kept open house. < A very old family, sir. There have been sixteen John Hurlstone Leeches in direct succession —a few Williams, perhaps. They bear three crowns on their coafc-of-arms, having entertained a king of France, a king of England," and a king of Scotland; This one was not the eldest, but he had a good fortune when he came of age, and ran through it quick. The late Marquis c£ Westminster was his guardian. I had a letter from his mother, inquiring about him a mail or two ago." . But 1113 blue blood couldn't save him from dying a dog's death in a Melbourne stable yard*

)£

ution. — Spurious, sixpences are stated everal newspapers to be in' circulation in colony.

ibbp Ska Fishebz ;CoMPANY.^Owing to weather the crew of .the Nautilus did not :e good work during their last trip. The el only brought about half a ton of fish, a few dozen-of crayfish, "which were sold uction by Mr Alporfc on mom-; and brought good prices. The, former it be said included moki, skates, conger eel,

ndera, and butter fish. ■ • ■". zsday LiquobTeaffic— During the •ing of a recent case of .selling liquor on a day, preferred against an Auckland pubi, inspector Broham told the Bench tliat

i 3 opinion " ifc would be far better if the [ic-hou3es were allowed to be open on Jays ; the police would then be cognisant hat was going on. At present the sale of ar could not be prevented." The ea.se in

ion broke dovrn

'oolston Libbaby. — The books from the Parish Library hare .now been handed

1 to the committee of : the "Woolstori a,ry, for which a purchase of about £15 of £8 will also be made during the current k. The; committee hare obtained the use the vestry of, the Christian Chapel for iry purposes, and' when the wprk of lining, oh is now being carried, oh, is completed library will be open two nights a week.

he Riccahtox RbAi.— The Riccartori

1 has recently been . shingled, , but. humercomplaints have' been made respecting the of some portion of the material used. It ' be mentioned, however, '. that' according he specification the whole of it should

p been screened through a two. and a-half I ring, to which size all large stones will 9 have to be broken before the work is •cd. The breaking may also be considered advantage rather than otherwise, for iglo so dealt with is always better than the mary kind.

oiitioali.- — Four seats In the House of resentatives are eitlier vacant or about to o. Mr J. T. Peacock, having been called ;he Legislative Council, lias resigned his. for Lyttelton. It is probable that the ,ncy will cause a contest. Mr H. E.. bb, one of the representatives of the town ;he Provincial Council and a resident, i-3 himself as a candidate. He declares self a supporter of the policy of progress an advocate for the establishment of ye industries. It was rumoured that Mr S. Moorliou3e would probably come ford, but he ia believed to have declined m made aware of Mr Webb's intentions. other candidates mentioned are Mr H. P. rray-Aynsley and Mr Sewell. It is underd that the latter will not offer himself to electors if Mr Aynsley is a candidate for r suffrages. The other seats vacant are arcargill, Roslyn (Otago), and Nelson urbs. Two candidates are mentioned for first — Messrs Cuthbertson and Wood. latter was at one time Superintendent of thland, and has been in the House before. Cuthbortson, who is "editor of the South-

I Times, is a " new " man. No candidates named for Roalyn. Mr A. J. (not J. C.) hmond is as yet the only person mentioned Nelson suburbs. Mr Richmond was'memfor Collingwood some years ago. He is erstood to be a supporter of the policy of gress. ...;,,.,.:-.:.:- .-.

-HEISTCHUEOH ATHLETIC CLUB.— The ourned general meeting of members was

p. on Saturday evening, afc the City Hotel. sent — Mossrs Wynn Williams (chairman),

3ordon (hon treasurer), F. H. Digby (hon •etary), A.M. Ollivier, A. J. Cotterill, R. Crosbie, T. D. Condell, H. Stirling, Jacob- , Travis, Morgan, Gunderson, Mathias, rris, Chisholm, and S. P. Andrews. After minutes of the previous. meeting had been 1 and confirmed, a ballot far new members

k place, vrhen the following were elected,: i. Wornall, J. H. Doyle, C. Cuff, Watson, ilchman, Barron, Black, A. Thompson, C. Blakiaton, D. Scott, and J. Monson. Mr sbie then read the report of the subimittee with reference to the purchase of Stirling's gymnastic apparatus, which was ipted, with a vote of thanks to the corntee, and on the motion of Mr Gordon, jnded. by Mr Digby, the matter of purse was deferred for consideration until :t meeting, Mr Ollivier giving formal ice of . a motion to the effect that purchase be made. Mr Cottorill, accordto notice, then brought forward his motion "hat any member of the club who shall bo ved to the committee to have taken any 'ertised money after the 17th April, 1873, 11 he disqualified from competing in any of events at tho meetings of tho club, but t nothing in the riile shall prevent such [iner appropriating the same towards „ a phy." He said his reasons for thus aiming i bona fide amateur club were that it was »mated with this intention, and that as no ney prizes would be given by the club, the zes only being plate or other mementos of

competitions, he thought the rule was ossary— the more so as it was the only ids by which they could make a dis:tion between an amateur and a profeslal. The motion was seconded and agreed A vote o£ thanks to the chairman n terminated the general business. 3r .which a committee meeting was held the purpose of receiving entries for races. After some discussion, ?a3 resolved to ' leave the entries for the 'br aces open until Wednesday evening | :t, at half -past seven o'clock, when a meet- ] of the committee will bo held at the City lei to receive them. About sixty entries re received for the fourteen competitions for ilta, nnd fair fields may therefore bo exted in each event. It was resolved that ! ground committee should meoi at eight ock on Monday morning, and the general nmittc-e then adjourned until Wednesday ming. With respect to the two-mile event Mr'Oram's cup, it may be mentioned that i committee handicapped the entries as lows: — J. S. Monck scratch, J. W. Davis yuivU start, J. Sfathias 120 yards start, and J. C'otterill 140 yards start.

. Bitk Oteb. — A sad accident occurred to. the youngest son of Mr Thomas Bruce on Saturday hist. He was run: over by. a waggon in Colombo street, and received a fracture of the thigh, together with severe injuries to the right knee. Dr Frankish was at once called in, and the boy, who is about seven years of age, is doing as well as could be expected. Bubning Goese. — Although some of the Road Boards give pei sons permission to ■ burn gorse clippings on the roads ifc should not extend to narrow thoroughfares, -where apace does not permit of giving the fire a wide berth. A case of the hitter description occurred on the Heathcote Valley road on Saturday last, the fire being actually on the wheel tracks, and it would be -well that measures were taken to prevent anything of the kind being attempted in future. , Heathcotk Rowing Glvb.— lt ia not likely "that the Heathcote rowing club will be represented in the four oar race at the forthcoming regatta on the Avon. Two of their active members, Messrs Watson and Stewart, are to pull in Christ-church boats, and as the club find it impossible to obtaiu substitutes, all idea of competing has been given up. Me3sr3 E. A. Pavitt and F. Sheath will however represent the club in the boys' pair oar race, and it is expected that Mr B. Yerdon will do the same in the sculler's competition. At a meeting of the committee. told on Friday evening, it was decided to protest against the alteration of the ages-in the youths' race for Mr Balfour's: sculls, at >^he regatta. Votes of thanks were accorded to; the Canterbury club for the loan of the four'oar outrigger Ilyssus during the early part of the season, and to the ladies who assisted the club at the late bazaar. On Saturday afternoon Messrs J. W. Davis, G\ Clark, R. P. Crosbie, and R. Gain, rowed the Ilyssus round from the Heathcote Rowing Club's boat shed on the Heathcotb to the Canterbury boat shed on the Avon.

MB YOGEL AJTD THE YOLUNTEEBS. All Auckland contemporary states that, the following letter has been addressed. by Mr Yogel to Major Gordon: — "Auckland, 20th March, 1873. Dear Major G-ordon, — I wish to give ■something to the value of 20 guineas to be shot for by the Volunteers of the Thames and Auckland districts in Auckland. . I think it better to leave the winner to choose what he would like to have purchased for the money, but I should prefer he would. select something substantial, such as. a cup, a watch, or a ring, or a gun or a rifle — something, in short, to remind him of his triumph. I leave to you, after consulting the Yolunteei'3, to fix th« terms, distances, &c., of thematch. Mr Mac-, farlane has been good enough to say that the Auckland Steam Packet Company will carry the competitors from, the Thames free.— Yours, &c, Julius YogeL. P.S.— I leave you to fix a day which will be agreeable, alike to the Auckland and Thames Volunteers." The above, says' an Otago contemporary, is a very pretty compliment , paid to our "Volunteers/ The contest will no doubt be a very exciting one, arid will be looked forward to with considerable interest. ..."