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Evening Star, Issue 7344, 17 October 1887, Page 2

A consignment of 223 stoats and weasels arrived by the Rimntaka last week for the Amuri sheep-farmers. The ' Western Star' states that oppossmns, the progeny of a number turned out by the late Captain ITankinson, are now becoming quite numerous in the bush extending from Howell Point to Colac Bay. The price paid by the Government for interest and commission to secure the payment of L-100,000 in London, in November, was L 21,000, and not L 12.000, us printed in our leader of the 12th iust. Tho Christchurch critics write favorably of an " original sensational drama " in four acts, entitled "The Schemer," from the pen of Mr E. P. Barnett, a well-known schoolmaster. The Supreme Court of Minnesota has just discharged a prisoner who was convicted by a jury partly composed of women, on the ground that women cannot legally act as jurors. Saturday was the opening day of the boating season. At Port Chalmers a number of scratch races were got up ; and on the Avon there was a procession of over fifty boats. At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr E. H. Carew, R.M., N. Davidson sued G. Wilkinson for L 5 Is sd, on a judgment summons. Mr Mouat appeared for plaintiff. It transpired that part of the debt had been satisfied, and judgment was given for the balance (L 3 10s) and costs, to be paid by monthly instalments of 7s Gd ; in default, seven days' imprisonment. The Christchurch papers report the death of Mr Toppin, one of the earliest members of the Canterbury police force, having joined it in 1858. He was sergeant-iu-charge of tho Lyttelton station for many years ; but in 1863 joined the Prisons Department, and for some time had charge of the Addiugton Gaol. Resigning in 1873, ho went to Ashburton, entered into business there as an hotel-keeper, and resided there up to the time of his death. Sir G. Whitmorc, Colonel Bailey, Captain Messenger, and other military men witnessed some experiments with torpedoes and mines at Fort Ballance on Saturday afternoon. The experiments were very successful. Fort Ballance, says an Association telegram, is armed with two Tin muzzle-loaders, a Gin breech-loading Armstrong mounted on a disappearing carriage, and two Gpounder quick-fhing'Nordenfeldts. Everything is in readiness to go into action to-morrow if necessary. The work on Fort Halswell, nearer to Wellington, is not so advanced. An Sin Armstrong is to be mounted there in addition to other guns. There is also to be a powerful search-light at Fort Ballance, and all the stores and electric apparatus necessary for a system of floating and contact mines. The submarine armament of the Colony has so far cost about 1/20,000. The meeting of the St. Andrew's Ladies Literary Society is postponed till Monday next. Mr Bland Holt and his '' Alone in London ' dramatic company arrived by the Mararoa early tbi-i morning, TUg animal meeting of the Oiago Regatta Committee will ha held in the Port Chalmers Hotel oa Thursday next at 8 p.m. " Centaur " supplies us with a haudy little pamphlet setting forth the achievements of racehorses in Australia last week. It will prove of considerable service to sportsmen. During the past week eight persons were admitted and eleven discharged from the Dunedin | Hospital. Two deaths occurred, the names of the patients being Mary M'Dougal and John Holmes. The number of patients remaining in the institution at the end of the wtek was 108.