Local and General.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 215, 23 August 1878, Page 6

Local and General.

-v Ttis rumoured *•*,«•& Mr Creisrhton will . Treturn to Auckland from San Francisco *at an early date. vThe sum of L3OO has beon forwarded to '.'Chiiia, -being contributions/raised in Dnn•edin towards the famine relief fund. Mr D. M- T-uckie becomes editor of the "Post? in place of MrH. Anderson, who takes charge of the Chronicle. The -Rev. Dr Somerville has been ac•corded an enthusiastic reception at Auckland when passing through by the San -Francisco mail steamerHone Whikateahi, a Maori ?t County ■Councillor Tit Hokianga, was fined 40s or "a. month's imprisonment, for maliciously breaking a window the propertyfof^Councillor Bryers. A new bi-weekly paper, called the Waipawa Mail, will be started at Waipawa, Hawkes Bay, in about a fortnight by Mr Hugh Thomson, present editor of the VV%Uington Evening Chronicle. We learn that Messrs Guthrie and LarTiach's Company have purchased Messrs 'Tapper Brothers' wholesale hardware business at Invercargill. Tlie purchase money ~for stock and premises is about L 30,000, and the Company take possession on 2nd ■September.

Last Tuesday one of the platelayers employed in the neighbourhood discovered tlie Rangitata railway bridge to be on fire. It was extinguished before much damage was done. Tlie fire is supposed to have "been caused by a spark from the engine the previous night lodging on some of the 'woodwork.

The following notice was recently published in the Government Gazette : — 'Treasury, Wellington, August Bth. The Colonial Treasurer acknowledges the receipt of Lls paid into the Treasury as 'Conscience Money, received from some jperson unknown. — C. T. Batkin, Receiver General.

John Slipper, schoolmaster, Mount Grey Downs, Canterbury, tried to commit suicide «on Saturday, in an outhouse, near the "railway platform at Sefton, by cutting his throat with a penknife. He had been ■drinking. It is said that an unfavourable "report by the Inspector of Schools preyed on his mind. He lie 3 in a very precarious ■condition-

A young lady, daughter of Mr Thomas M'Kay, wine merchant, of Auckland, on <va visit to the Rev. Mr Neill, Grahamstown, left for a walk in the country, and not "returning, next day a search party was •organised by the Maoris and Europeans. After the lapse of 40 hours, she was dis--covered in some tall ti-tree and fern by a Maori, almost insensible from the cold -and wet.

The Canterbury Farmers' Grain and Produce Store Company purchased from the Government the lease of two acre 3 of ground at Addington, off the line of railway, for the purpose of erecting large vstores. which will hold, when completed, 1400 tons of grain. The lease is for 41 years, at L 670 per year, and at the end of that time the Government pay for all improvements.

• At the Dunediii City Police Court on Monday Bernard Isaac was charged on the information of Constable Durant with having on the night of the 15th inst. been guilty of using profane language. There "was a cross-summons by Mr Isaac against • Constable Durant, of having been guilty of assault and battery. After hearing "-evidence- both cases were dismissed.

The Japan Mail of May 12, says, "A national loan Of twelve millions is announced to be -raised for the purpose of - establishing beneficial industries, increasing the productions- of the country, and developing foreign trade. It seems as though the loan would be readily taken up, it being reported in the native journals that large sums have already been

Mr Berry made his Financial Statement in the Victorian Assembly on Thursday night. The revenue for the year was L4,G72,000, ; the expenditure L 4,860,000. The probable reduction of the deficiency L 28,000 would be met by the payment of '■ arrears of the land tax, and a tax on unsold land. A new loan of L 9,000,000 is required for railways and other public works, but only L 4,000,000 of it will be asked for this year.

Mrs Gowan, wife of a resident at Maori Hill (says the Daily Times), made an attempt at suicide on Sunday afternoon by -cutting her throat. She has been suffering for a long time past from what may be -described as a complication of disorders, and while one of her attendants was absent from her room for a short time she committed the deed mentioned. She was brought to the Hospital, where she now Ties, we understand, in a somewhat precarious condition.

There has been an educational conference in Auckland, which resolved amongst -other things to petition the Government that clause 45 of the Act be altered so as to make the appointment of teachers rest with committees, subject to the Board's -approval, and the removal of teachers to take place only with the consent of the committees ; also, that clause 65 be altered to abolish cumulative voting, and that training schools for teachers be established vas soon as possible. The Board of Educa■tion in Auckland have notified that in ".future no appointment will be made to any school without consulting committees.

The Bluff Harbour Board has instituted inquiries as to the value of the land applied for by Professor Black at Taringa"tura, and an exhaustive report by the Secretary of the Board, said to be upon < conclusive evidence, is to the effect that the land consists almost entirely of grassy ■-slopes, suitable for the plough or pastoral purposes. In intrinsic value one acre of these slopes would be worth three of that -on' the higher ground adjacent. It is surrounded by hills composed of first-class limestone. The Harbour Board will make efforts to prevent the sale. The following resolutions were carried at a meeting on Monday afternoon : — l. That ■the chairman and solicitor be requested to ■-attend the next meeting of the Waste Lands Board, and represent that the sale <of the land to Professor Black will •seriously prejudice the sale of the remainder- and a request that the land may be put up to public auction as laid of especial value } and further, that the Chairman be empowered to purchase the same -at auction on behalf of the Board. 2. That the Chairman Be instructed to apply for -the whole of the endowment open to pur-■-chase.

Dr Slade, the medium, has arrived in "Melbourne. Mr Thomas Dick, ex-Superintendent, hits r. .'turned to Dunedin after a trip to the home country. William Young, labourer, Auckland, attempted to commit suicide by hanging the other day, but was discovered in time. Henry Charmau, aged 14 years, has been sentenced to four months' imprisonment with hard labour at Christchurch, for assault with intent on a child 11 years old at Onehunga. At a meeting of the Licensed Victuallers at Ashburton, held last Tuesday, it was i resolved to take definite steps to prevent any further licences being granted in the district, unless good cause were shown. By accounts from the Lyell district, thero would appear to be a great scarcity of all kinds of provisions, and famine prices for many articles are obtained. Flour is said to be selling there at L7O per ton, cash. Mr William Davidson, member of the Dunedin City Council, waa arrested on Monday afternoon on a charge of lunacy at the instance of his wife. At the time of his arrest he was on his way to attend a meeting of the Council. He was examined and afterwards conveyed to the Lunatic Asylum.' The.New Zealander says that as showing the responsible part lawyers play in arranging Court battles, the plaintiff in a case before the Supreme Court, Wellington, stated that he had originally laid the damages at LSOO, but found, on arrival in Wellington, that his legal advisers had modestly fixed the claim at 1.1050. The jury found for the plaintiff L2O damages.