Local and General.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVII, Issue 875, 24 April 1891, Page 6

Local and General.

It is reported that the Hon. J. G. Ward has purchased the Invercargill tramways. Tt is stated that the Government "foa^e decided to retain Mr Mankind as 'Commissioner of Crown Lands. It is reported that Parliament will probably be called together for the dispatch of business on Thursday, 4th -June. The Victorian Government have, been advised that a trial shipment of butter to London realised — Best, L 5 14s per cwt; ordinary, L 4 14s to L 5 10s. Buttermilk has become a favorite temperance drink in America, and the fancy for it has been stipulated by several physicians, who have recommended it as an excellent remedy for dyspepsia. An uninhabited house of eight rooms in which was stored a quantity of grain, was destroyed by fire at Chatton J on Saturday night. The property was owned by P. Ford, and was insured in the South British office for Ll5O. An extensive fire occurred at Blenheim on Thursday evening. It broke out in the Marlborough Times Office, apparently in or near the editor's room. The premises and contents were entirely destroyed. The adjacent shops were also burned down. Nearly 30 cases of phthisis and lupus have been treated in the Adelaide hospifal privately according to Dr Koche's process with satisfactory results. With patients in the early stages of the- disease the experiment was especially" surcv-ssf ul. A section of the Grey-Hokitika railway has been laid off for the Greymouth unemployed, and another section will be laid off for the Kumara un employed in a few days, and another for the Hokitika unemployed. The men are to be paid Government schedule rates for earthwork. The statement of the liabilities and assets of the late Mr J. B. Gresson, solicitor, Christchurch, who was recently killed on the railway, has been filed. The secured liabilities amount to L 12,925 3s 7d, and the unsecured L 43,133 3s lOd. The total assets amount to L 23,106 2s lOd, showing a deficiency of L 23,106 2s lOd. Laud's Commercial Hotel, Wanganui, was completely destroyed by fire, at 1 o'clock on Sunday morning. The inmates had a narrow escape. The brigade worked grandly. The fire is supposed to hp, a case of incendiarism, and Francis Kenny, emploj'ed in the hotel, has been arrested on suspicion. There was no insurance on the buildA large meeting of Natives was held at Gisborne on Monday to consider the dismissal of the five Native Land Court Judges. Several speakers denounced the injustice of dismissing a Maori speaking judge while retaining those who did not understand the language or customs of the Natives. Ultimately it was decided to petition the Government on the subject. Within the past few days no less than four tires have occurred in Palmerston North, the circumstances of which point to an incendiary, and quite a sensation has been caused in the town. The other evening another clear case of attempted arson occurred. Paper and sacking with tar were found under a dwelling-house. The fire fortunately was discovered in its incipiency and extinguished. According to the Press, the directors of the Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Export Company, Limited, have determined to make reductions in the charges of freezing, •which they have fixed as follows : — For freezing mutton and beef from June Ist to November, per lb ; from December to May, -jkl per lb ; lamb, -^-d extra, as hitherto. In a circular which they have issued they state that should they be able to see their way clear to do so before next summer season begins they will make a reduction on the summer rate. At the R.M. Court, Westport, on Monday, W. Williams, brewer, was proceeded against for breaches of the Beer Duty Act. Twenty-three informations altogether were laid by Mr Jack i nan. Mr Fell (Crown prosecutor, Nelson) conducted the prosecution. Defendant was found guilty of one charge of fraudulent entry, and as the charge was laid under the 29th section of the Act, which provides for a minimum penalty of LSO, defendant was fined L 75 and Lll costs. The other cases were adjourned to the 26th May, when, if the fine is paid, the whole of the charges pending will be withdrawn. Mr C. Cloyton, surveyor, who is at present in the Taupo district, has wi'itten to Mr Humphries, chief surveyor, informing him of a remarkable outburst at Ngauruhoe, the volcanic peak o£ Tongai'iro. Mr Clayton's letter is dated from Rangipo, March 29. He says : — ' About midday on Monday, the 23rd instant, a fresh outbreak took place at Ngauruhoe, on the southwestern side, of the cone. The explosion went off with a terrific crash. On the same day there was a heavy fall of snow, covering all the lower country to considerable depth. This outbreak has considerably altered the appearance of the top of the mountain. It is now sending up enormous volumes of steam/

The report that the Czarina was ill has not been confirmed. Sir H. Parkes will visit the Premier of Victoria during the week to consult him on federation matters. Heavy floods have occurred at Turn by Bay, South Australia. Hundreds of head of stock have been drowned. The people had to be rescued in boats. Six inches of rain fell in 12 hours. Ministers now admit a surplus of some L 140,000 in spite of every possible item being dragged into the year's accounts which could be made to go in diminution. So Sir Harry Atkinson's estimate of X/ 156,000 was not far out after all The press in all parts of the United States uphold the stand taken by Mr J. G. Blame, Secretaiy of State, with regard to the Italian demands in connection with the New Orleans lynching outrage. Most of the papers are sanguine that the Rudini Ministry will be the outcome of Secretary Blame's note. A correspondent informs the Queenslander that a bucketful of green leaves from the blue gum tree, if boiled in four gallons of water for two hours, will leave a liquid which will cure horse mange. The affected parts have to be washed with soap and water, and dried before the curative mixture is applied. The New Zealand Times reports tliat some of the Volunteers at the Palmerston encampment couducted themselves in a most disgraceful fashion on the evening of Good Friday. According to our contemporary several of the men got- drunk, and attacked a party of Salvationists in the street, breaking up f their torches and smashing their big drum. Two of the attacking party were arrested by the police for being drunk and disorderly. We (Daily Times) understand that the services of four stock inspectors in | the Otago stock district are being dispensed with under the retrenchment scheme which was announced at the j latter part of last week. Messrs T. J. Miles (Lawrence), J. M'Kellar (Invercargill, J. M. Scott (Queenstown), and H. Hull (Thornbury) ai-e those who retire. In the Land Office, Mr A. Marshall has received 14 days' notice of the termination of his engage- ! ment. The Premier has replied to the letter of the Eketahuna Knights of Labor, who recently forwarded him a series of resolutions in favor ef the abolition of custom duties upon the necessaries of life, and the substitution of a tax on land values for the property tax. The Hon. Mr Ballance tells the Knights that he agrees to a large extent with their resolutions, and it is only a question of a little time when they will no doubt be reduced to practice. He expresses the hope that the coining session of Parliament will proceed some distance, at any rate, in giving effect to the spirit of the resolutions. A simple contrivance is being used in many houses just now, which is said by those who have tried it not only to cause a fire to throw more heat into a room, but at a small expenditure of coals. Buy for a few pence a fire-brick about 2in thick. When the fire is burning briskly and the coals are aglow, ]ny this fiat brick on the top of the fire. The result will be that the brick will intercept the heat that otherwise escapes up the chimney, become red hot, and throw the heat out into the room in a way that a fjre without this simple device will not do. We are told that many housewives have adopted this plan, and are greatly pleased with the results. An important report by Mr M'Kay, of the geological department, has been received by the new Cardiff company, Westport. The company's ground is described as occupying the central portion of the Mokihinui coalfield. Out of 1800 acres, 1350 are regarded as coal-bearing, with the probability of 100 more being the same below water level. The whole can be conveniently worked. The report divides the lease into parts, the north-eastern portion of which, being near to the railway, will be worked first. A memo, from Sir J. Hector upon this latter part says that 600 acres of the whole carry spyeral million tons, after allowing for faults and pillars. Various samples analysed by Mr Skey are described as of excellent quality. A very good story, albeit slightly old, is told up Mohan way about a prominent Napier civil servant, who wanted to go to Te Kuiti overland. He started off with a full supply of every requirement, but unfortunately delayed his journey to take a refreshing clip in the water. No sooner had he emerged than what appeared to be a colony of wild pigs came out from the bush and made, straight for him. To rush at the nearest tree and shin up it was the work of a moment, but the porkers, apparently hungering for the gore of their victim, remained under that tree for four mortal hours, until some Maoris approached and relieved hi. it for his naked plight. They explained that the pigs were quite domesticated and only came, towards the civil servant because they wore accustomed to being fed, and must have thouglii he was' there to supply their want. But the longing for adventure had subsided, and our friend wisely retraced his steps in the opposite direction to which his first inclinations led him.