PRESS PICKINGS.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 303, 2 November 1883, Page 5

PRESS PICKINGS.

; +> 1 An old man was arrested by the [ Ohristchurch police on Saturday helpL lossly drunk. On being searched he I was found to have LlO9 in bank notes 5 in his possession. I 1 Telegrams have been received in. r London stating that a great fire i occurred at Port Antonio, Jamaica, and 1 that the town has been almost totally s consumed by the conflagration. [ The three months' o'd son of John ■, Whitely was found dead in its mother's 8 bed on Sunday afternoon in Dunedin. ' The mother, who had been drinking, J overlaid the child, and a coroner's jury P returned a verdict of manslaughter 4 against her. 9 It has been arranged to celebrate I Luther's fourth centenary in Dunedin,

I J The Wairarapa Star 1 'tells tr-itbty I j that a life insurance agent stopped the I 1 train at Kurupuni hia only purpose i ' being to ask the guard whether he s ' would ta^e out a policy. The Washington Monument is the wonder of Washington, and its beauty the admiration of both Americans and foreigners. Already over 350 feet high it rises from the banks of the Potomac, a great white marble shaft, piercing the clouds, and backed against the bite of the sky. It is already the grandest obelisk the world has ever seen, and in the aeons of the future, should the ! nations of the day pass away, leaving no more records of their progress than the mighty ones of the past, it will surpass the Pyramids in the wonder of its construction. Ihe proposal of Tawhaio, the Maori King, to pay a visit to England has been brought under the notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Lord Derby has, it is annou need, addressed a despatch to Sir William Jervois requesting information regarding the Maori King and asking his opinion on the subject of Tawhaio's proposed visit, when it is understood they will refuse to permit it. An accident happened at Waipahi on Monday. A boy, aged 3 years, named Walrus, had his right hand caughfc in a chaff-cutter, and two fingers severely lacerated. Dr Douglas was sent for, and he had to cut away the- injured parts of two fingers at the knuckles. The forthcoming Canterbury show (says the Oauiaru Mail) bids fair to be the biggest thing of the kind ever known in the colony, and. will probnbly be unequalled in Australasia. The reason for this is to he found in the fact that president of the Association (Mr P. Cunningham) has given three cups of the value of 75 40 and 40 guineas respectively for competition. The first of these "trill be awarded to the exhibitor who scores the most points in horses, cattle, and sheep, and • we 1 believe two of the largest stockowners in this district-^— the Hon M. Holmes and Mr E* Meji- ] ove — intend making bold and determined efforts to Becure this valuable tiophy. Each of these gentlemen will send a large quantity of stock, and it is anticipated that the struggle will be between them and Mr Boag, of Can'erbury. A violent hurricane passed over tHe interior of Otago in the early hours of Monday morning. At Clyde several old houses were levelled, and a number of roofs were blown off. Trees were torn up by the roots ; gardens completely wrecked, etc. The damage to buildings alone in Clyde is estimated at LSOO. The telegraph wires between Clyde and Cromwell were carried away by falling trees, but were quitfkjy restored. Cromwell ako suffered damage from the 1 storm. A most, destructive fire occurred on the farm of Mr J. Robertson of Castle Bock, on Wednesday, 24th October, a quantity of oats, chaff, and machinery being completely destroyed. Mr Kobertson estimates his loss at fully: £200,- and mosfc^ unfortunately for him he had allowed his^" insurance to fun out ; 'hi* polW having lapsed An August lask^ It /is. sup^os^ed,-. some sparks fromTt'&exoo'iiii jjiiliifJTffißfhfcta^ caused the fire. •-; ) i The report of-the liquidators in the Guthrie and Larnach New Zealand Timber and Woodware Factories .Co. has been presented to the shareholders, who have adjourned for a week to consider it. The shareholders are to receive a dividend of 5s per share. The assets have, realised very badly; assets shown in the ledger accounts as worth L 162,630 have realisedrOnly L 28,250; showing a deficiency of LI 34,3 80. The book debts stood at L 50,688, but were over estimated by L12,6b8. Besides the ascertained deficiency of L 174,380 f there is a possible depreciation on the. unsold assets of L 87,968. „..,: "\ On Monday evening a nasty accident happened at a children's party>;afc Mr M'Kinnon's, Tapanui. The children were being amused, with, the old fashioned M snap-dragon," spirits, , of wine being used for the- purpose;. -Mr M'Kinnon was feeding the dish of raisins with spirits, out of a, bottle, when an explosion took, place, . which was caused no doubt toy the' flame catching the bulk of the liquids A lot of the children were Lfl&oro or less burned, and. six of them—^ Bremner, W. Pine, A. McKinnon, L. '\ Ksher, and Ellen and Elizabeth: Braudigam, were seriously burned.