Local and General.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 220, 27 September 1878, Page 6

Local and General.

V V Alexander French, a schoolmaster at KiMorningside, Auckland, has been drowned p 'while bathing. fe^4'The--two pris'ohers in the Waiapu mur?7 der case have been committed for trial at Vy Wellington. Vy, The prospectus of a new temperance Tt'liotei -at Christchurch has been issued ; VSr^pital, LIO,OOO in 10,000 shares of Ll f$ each.yf' :y ; Tlie Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral V: V Association. have accepted tenders for 7^'uildings, costing LI2OO, for the Show on V 9. ;V; j * William Weaver was drowned while 7 crossing the Wairau River, Marlborough, AA on Monday, by the upsetting of liis dray • Von theford. ■'- . 7G. btenhouse has been . committed for - ttrial at Blenheim on a criminal information for libel against Alfred Rogers, > solicitor, in a letter addressed to a client. VV The extension of the Awamoko branch : - line V to Maerewhenua is to be pi*oceeded '-- with at once, and tenders are required for a railway bridge over the Maere- ■ whenua River. 7 ; Mr Paterson, of the Normal School, V Christchurch, has received an offer of the V position of head-master at the Nelson Grammar School, at a salary of L3OO per V* A telegram from Alexandra says that Tawhiao has returned from Kawhia to VHikurangi. He has given orders for \. erecting a large meeting house at Hauri - Koupua. It is to be furnished in the -" Tiest style of Native art. .A good story has leaked out about tbe Auckland Beaconsfield congratulatory ftelegram. Shortly after its despatch, ad- ;-- -dressed briefly " Beaconsfield, Salisbury, Xondon," a reply came back to the horror ; -of the Town Clerk, purporting to bo from A: Aden: " No such firm ; can't deliver." At a meeting of the Canterbury Board -of Education last week, a letter was read y from the master of one of the up-country V schools, in which he protested against the :i school being let by the Committee >for V -dancing purposes, and stigmatised that V foody a set of il nincompoops.,' The letter *was referred to the Committee. A supplementary Gazette contains a ;.- -proclamation dissolving the Corporation ; -of '-the Borough of Clyde, upon the terms V •■•'and conditions set forth in part of the '; -Municipal Corporations Act, 1876. Tliis iis r done on the joint petition of the * VBorough Council of Clyde and the County -Council of Vincent. The wrestling match between Thomas f *^and Dagg for LIOO a side is arranged to ~* <come off at the end of November. The y "locality will be the Caledonian Society's 'Grounds, Dunedin, if they are obtainable. ': 'The sum of L 75 was deposited on Satur- * day last, and deposits of L 25 will be made ; "fortnightly until the stakes are completed. The match will be to wrestle for the best - -of five falls. Early on Sunday morning two men - nanied Robert M'Lean and Win. Nesbitt :fell over -an embankment in Itchen street, 'Oamaru. The former was not seriously "injured, but the latter had the base of his •■vßkull split, and died in the hospiial four -hour^ -afterwards. An inquest was held, when a verdict was returned that the deceased died through accidentally falling over tvn embankment. The Kaitangata coal (says the Oamaru y.. Mail) is now coming somewhat freely into * this market, and it is only right that consumers should accord patronage to the production provided that it is '•-suitable as regards price and quality. 'The price is 37s 6d per ton deVliveredV The Kaitangata coal is not so *oheap as it would be if the competition * were larger ; but seeing that it comes 133 : miles by rail, the price charged for it is much more reasonable than that charged . here for Shag Point coal. The Maori war dance, with 50 aboriginals, passed off with great success at the Imperial Opera House, Wellington, on ""Thursday night, 19th inst. Hundreds were unable to gam admittance, The Governor was present. The proceeds were --originally intended for the Benevolent 'Society, but, as the latter objected to be by such a performance, the takVings, after defraying expenses, are to be "ihaiided over to other charitable institu">tions in the city. A man named Thomas Massey was itaken off the Schiehallion, for London, off tthe North Head, by the police, on the ••charge of stealing certain goods from one Thomas Chapman, of Onehunga. He was ♦eloping with Chapman's wife, the passage shaving been taken for "Mr and Mrs •Smith." The missing goods were discovered on board. The prisoner was on IFriday brought up at Auckland, and reananded. Mrs Chapman had an interview "with him at the statioir-house that morniing, and an affecting scene took place between the f rail couple. A man named Horwell was fined 40s at "the R.M. Court, Christchurch, last week for cruelty to sheep. It appears that he iiad driven 280 sheep into a two-acre paddock, and fleft them for a fortnight with .scarcely anything to eat beyond a few V trusses of hay. Some were slaughtered in the ordinary way, but most were starved, •and on the day the information was laid there were only 90 left. Horwell, to do -him justice, was as much fool as knave, f-. ior he told the magistrate he did not know liow much a sheep required, but he allowed them once to graze the grass by the side of a newly- shingled road, and "sheep "wasn't things as cared to eat much hay." Mr Mellish characterised the case as one of extreme cruelty. V A fatal accident, the Daily Times rey ports, occurred at the New Zealand V .Timber aiid Woodware Factory, Princes A street, Dunedin, on Monday afternoon. Mr Thomas White, one of the joiners, A was going up a ladder into the carpenter's r shop when a piece of timber was thrown AA from a saw and struck him on the back of l| the head/ killing him almost instantly. fA. The wood-had become fastened, and when |:V an". effort -"was made to free it, it was IVythrown off by the saw with much violence. fttNoone could be blamed in the matter, as gttit; 'was purely accidental. The deceased Ipwas! Va young *man ~, 23 years of age, and fcth^^&^: support of a, -widowed mother. K^^^^^ native of • Dumfriesshire, Scot- : Otago about eleven Nicol Fleming. lsjelt for Mrs White, Banalsome^f**her=:xelatives, who live near for at once. The de-

I The Colonial Bank havo established a branch at Cambridge, Waikato. On an aA T erage 2500 persons travel daily on the Wellington tramways. At the Papakaiq ploughing match, which was held on Friday last, Mr T. Christie, of the Taiei'i, took the majority of the prizes in the class for swing ploughs. The Government have received information that the cook of ono of ths survey parties on the Waimate Plains has been shot by a Waikato Maori, who had bolted. Every effort to secure his arrest is being made. Mr Wakelin, editor of tho Wairarapa Standard, was on Friday night entertained at dinner at Wellington by' his brother journalists, and political friends. Messrs. Ballance and Sheehan were present. Apologies were read from Sir • George Grey and Mr Stout. The classes of the Otago University are being very well attended during the present term, esponially those for Mathematics, Natural Science, Classics, and Chemistry. There are now also five medical students under Professer Scott. The Timaru Herald thus expresses its opinion of the member for the Dunstan : — " Mr Pyke, it is true, never stays on one side long ; but whichever side he happens to be on for the time, he is thoroughly loj'al to it. This is the pleasing result of never doing anything without good solid grounds of action. " Tlie Waimate sergeaut of police was burnt in efHgy in that township on Wednesday last. The local paper says : — When the streets had been duly paraded, a quantity of kerosene was poured over the unfortunate lay figure, and then set fire to, and as the flames rose from the dummy the enthusiasm of the " larrikins " and some small boys was tremendous. A ploughing .mateh — the result of a challenge — came off at Papakaio on Saturday, the competitors being Messrs Alex. Balfour, W. Christie, and James Campbell. The result reversed the order in which the prizes were awarded at the ploughing match of the previous day, Mr Balfour being declared the winner. Mr Andrew Millar, junior, of Glenore, met with a serious accident on Saturday night. While, driving a team of horses on the main road the shaft horse shied at some loose metal, which caused the others to bolt. Mr Millar being seated in the dray at the time, attempted to jump off, when his foot caught in the handle of the brake, pitching him under the dray. A wheel passed over one of his legs, breaking it badly. One horse was tied behind the dray, and, curious to say, it jumped right over Mr Millar, doing him not the slightest injury. An auction sale (says the Daily Times) of a rather extraordinary character was held in Barnett's rooms, Princes-street, , Dunedin, on Friday. The body of a double-headed infant preserved in spirits of wine was submitted to public competion, and after some spirited bidding was knocked down to a local turfite for L 47. This remarkable freak of nature formed part of the effects of the late Dr. O'Donoghue, of Port Chalmers. It is stated that the birth occurred twelve years ago, and thai the appearance of the child so alarmed the mother that she died almost immediately. The Rev. L. Mackie and his wife were entertained on Friday evening in tlie schoolroom attached to the First Church, I Dunedin, by the members of the Deacon's' Court and others connected with the church. About 100 persons sat down, and after tea the choir rendered some musical selections. In the course of the evening it was announced that Mr Stewai*t, who has been precentor of the congregation.for eleven years, was about to remove to Wellington, and testimonials expressive of the esteem in which he is held were presented to him by the members of the First Church Young Men's Christian Association and the choir. The testimonial of the former consisted of several standard prose, poetical, and musical works, while the choir presented Mr Stewart with a gold albert chain. The gifts were acknowledged in a brief but appropriate address, and the gathering separated after having spent a very enjoyable evening. Mr R. , A. Lawson occupied the chair. On Monday last (says ths Tuapeka Times) a terrible accident happened to a man named Thomas George, a stock rider, of Lower Waipori, Avhilst driving a bullock from Upper Waipori Flat. It appears he had been driving a number of cattle, and " cutout " the bullock, Avhich, after going a short distance, turned upon him and gored the horse in the fleshy part of the thigh, inflicting a fearful gash, causing the horse to fall. George, in attempting to get away, was rushed at by the bullock, and 'tossed into the air several times, leaving scarcely a shred of clothing upon him. In calling for help, assistance was soon rendered, and on examining the unfortunate fellow, it was discovered that he had sustained several injuries of a very severe nature, from which he is not expected to recover. A very sudden death from heart disease occurred at Tokomairiro on Sunday last. Mr Andrew Kay, a very old and respected settler, sibout 60 years of age, who was apparently in his usual good health,. was escorting a friend part of the way home, when he felt a little unwell and called upon Miss Davidson, and asked leave to rest for a while. He also requested that his coat and waistcoat should be taken off I and his shirt unbuttoned at the neck. j Another neighbour (Mr Shaw) was called I to his assistance. The deceased remained about twenty minutes sitting, and then suddenly expired. He was afterwards conveyed home. The deceased had been suffering from heart disease for the last fourteen or fifteen years. I A movement is bemg made in Victoria to enable farmers to borrow money and give the necessary security without going to the legal expense of preparing a bill of sale. The Leader says :— -" At the present time farmers and 'selectors who may wish to raise money 4ipon their growing crops can only do so by giving a bill of sale, and an alteration of the statute will doubtless be hailed with satisfaction by many of their number. Mr Dow, M.L. A. , introduced a "Bill on August 21st in the Assembly for the ' amendment of that portion of the Instruments and Securities Act which relates to liens, and which will authorise their being granted upon growing crops." -lii'" New Zealand a bill of sale'. executed* for ever, -so small a sum has to be drafted in triplicate' at a cost of about L 6. s '".-'' ■':" - '