Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 124, 4 July 1868, Page 3

Local and General News.

Major Richardson. —This gentleman has resiglied his seat in the Executive Council. Mr. Vogel has resigned the editorship of the Otago Daily Times. T > * rs ' The ship Excelsior was expected to leave London for Wellington direct, on the 20th May. ■The payment of accounts due by the Wellington Provincial Government, was resumed on the 27th ultimo. The yacht Emily Clarke (formerly belonging to Picton) was sold in Wellington for £52 10s., Mr. Logan being the purchaser. ' / **Kaikoura Cemetery.—A portion of land, being Section 1, of Lot 2615, has been reserved for the purpose of a Cemetery at Kaikoura. The p.s. Waipara is subsidised by the Westland County Government to trade between Hokitika and Martin’s Bay, calling at a number of intermediate bays and rivers The trial of Mr. Besemeres for libel, came off at the late Supreme Court Sittings in Otago, when we notice, with pleasure, that this enterprising man was found not guilty. A frightful murder was committed at Bendigo. A successful New Zealand digger, named Martin Rooney, having had his brains beaten in by a mate and robbed. Absentees.—By a recent proclamation in the General Government Gazette, the agents of persons absent from the colony are authorised to act in Resident Magistrates’ Courts in their behalf. The ship Henry Adderley is now out 82 days from London, and may be expected to arrive here about 23rd July. She has a large cargo of general merchandise, and is consigned to Messrs. Levin and Co.— lndependent, June. 27. Chief Justice Arney. —The Gazette contains a proclamation assigning the Northern District of the Supreme Court to -Chief Justice Arney. Mr. Moore, after the close of June, ceases to hold office as a Judge of the Supreme Court. His Honor the Superintendent, having left to take his place in the General Assembly as member for the Wairau district, has appointed Joseph Ward, Esq., of Brookby, Deputy Superintendent during his absence. , Flax dressing is making rapid progress in the Auckland province, and the greatest confidence prevails amongs those employed upon the new industry. Good hands, in many places, earn as much as seven shillings per day.— Post. Rise in the Price of Flour.— Messrs. Rod and Hounsell quote line flour at £24 per ton of 20001b5., which is an advance of £l on previous rates. This is the second rise within the last six or seven weeks. —Colonist Mr. Weld. — It was stated recently in a Can-, terbury paper that Mr. U eld and his family were about returning to New Zealand. We shall be heartily glad if such is the case, and doubly so if Mr Weld returns in renewed health.— Nelson Examiner. Misfortunes, it is said, seldom come singly. The Canterbury Press office was broken into on the 19th instant, and the till—containing little money, it must be said—robbed of its contents Nothing had been heard of the perpetrators of the outrage. — Post.

The Lyttelton sailed for Nelson on Thursday evening last. The English Mail will close in Blenheim on Monday next. The Falcon was to leave Wellington for Blenheim on Tuesday last. According-to the Owl, Mr. Pope Hennessy, Governor of Labuan, is likely to be the new Governor of South Australia. There are in Blenheim at present three bil* \ lard tables in full operation, two of them having | been recently imported from Melbourne. His Excellency the Governor returned to Wei- I lington from Auckland, in the steamer on Sunday, 21st ultimo. The Council of the smallest of our provinces (Marlborough) stands, aloof as the only one in the colony, we believe, which did not forward any address to her Majesty, having reference to the attempted assassination of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh.— Post. Several cases of “sticking up” have occurred on the West Coast, between Cobden and Brighton—four armed men ruling the road for a time, until captured by the police. One of them is reported to be a brother of Kelly, alias Noon, who was executed for the Maungatapu murders. —Colonist The schooners Colleen Bawn and Nautilus are I at present running timber from Mr. Duncan’s i Saw Mill, Picton, for Mr. McKenzie, contractor. / The Colleen Bawn has just placed the first cargo j on the reclaimed laud, the whole of which is in-; tended for the erection of Messrs. Kircaldie and | Stains’ new store.— lndependent. { Embezzlement.—A person holding an onerous position in Christchurch under the General Government absconded on Friday, the 19th inst., and was apprehended in Otago on the Sunday following. The accused was to have been brought up before the Resident Magistrate on Thursday last.— lndependent. The schooner Jubilee has been taken off the berth for the Fljis, the charterer, Captain Chapman, not having received sufficient inducement to proceed thither. A quantity of cargo has been shipped, and expenses for fittings incurred, about which there is likely to be some litigation.— Wellington Independent. ——, The Clermont escort murder, which has been \ so long before the public, has culminated in the | execution on the Ist of June, of Griffin, whose | position in society as a Police Magistrate, inde- I pendent of the atrocity of the deed, has given > the tragedy a notoriety almost unparalleled in | the history of the colonies. Griffin protested his i innocence to the last, but after the execution it ; transpired that he had confessed to Grant, a ; warder of the gaol, that he committed the \ murder. The missing valise with the Bank j notes were found near Mr. Ottley’s on infor- \ mation given by Griffin to the turnkey Griffin | said 11730 notes wei’e in the valise, which leaves | only 16 unaccounted for; the notes are not yet i counted. Griffin made an oral statement to the ? turnkey ; the supposed object' was *o induce the turnkey to aid his escape and share the plunder ; | he said Power awoke while he was rifling the notes, and fired a revolver, the shot passed | through Griffin’s beard ; Griffin then shot Power | I through the head, Cahill, who had been ill, | 1 and sleeping against a tree, woke with the report, 4 and aimed a revolver at Griffin, who immediately | shot him in the stomach, Cahill falling forward, | shot himself with his own revolver through the head. He said the doctor ought to have found. | the ball in Cahill’s stomach. The Forthcoming Concert.—We would remind our readers that the concert, the programme of which will be found in another column, will taka place on Tuesday next. As the ladies and gentlemen who have kindly promised their services have been at considerable pains, in order to make the evening pass pleasantly to whoever feels diposed to patronise the entertainment, we expect to see a numerous audience. A curiosity is usually evinced by the public, to see performers who only appear when some charity is to be benefited, or some benevolent object assisted, and, if only for this reason, we expect a large attendance will patronise the concert. Apart from this curiosity we have mentioned, all who attend the performance will assist in supporting a cause that all must wish to see prosper. And it may be that numbers who are unable to give a large subscription, will take this chance of contributing their quota to the object for which the concert is given. Sufficient shillings mako a pound, and sufficient pounds make a goodly sum to be presented to any cause worthy of public recognition'; and if our readers will only attend the concert, and persuade their friends to do so likewise, they will be doing good to others, ar the same time they secure for themselves an evening’s recreation.

Opawa Bkkach.— The progress of the movement commenced at the public meeting held last week, has, we learn, come to a standstill. The following particulars have been supplied to ns. It appears that several members of the Committee appointed at the public meeting on the 24th ult, visited the VVairau river on the following day and examined the site of the proposed cutting ; a few of whom aiso crossed over to the South side of the Wairau and examined the channel on that side, which is of some considerable importance A meeting of the Committee was held at the Blenheim Institute on the Ist inst., where were present, Mr. IT. Dodson, chairman, Messrs. Reeves, Robinson, Redwood, Shepherd, M‘Galium, Dobson, and Eyles ; when it was resolved “That it is not the opinion of this Committee that any catting should be made on the North side of the Wairau river and further —“ That it is desirable to place two or more groins on the South side of the Wairau river.” Several members of the Committee then undertook to raise £IOO in certain proportions for commencing the • work ; and it was further resolved “that tenders for the work be called for in Saturday’s paper.” We understand, however, from the chairman that since that meeting, some of the Committee from the Spring Creek neighbourhood have requested that their names be withdrawn from the above mentioned guarantee, in consequence of the decision against making the cutting on the North side as previously recommended ; the chairman has therefore decided to release the remaining members from their guarantee, and consequently the whole project has fallen through,

w Garrett Barry was killed at Addison’s Flat (a few days since, by a loaded bucket falling on -his head. His funeral, which took place at Westport Cemetery, was attended by between four and five hundred miners.

Scarlatina. —Scarlatina was never so prevalent in the town and district of Castlemaine, Victoria, as it is at present. Whole families, including the adult members, are in some instances prostrated by the disease, and in not a few instances the malady has terminated fatally.— Age.

The Supreme Court Sittings at Nelson would commence on Wednesday last, before Mr. Justice Richmond. The cases consist of—three from Westport, two from Nelson, one from Collingwood, and two from Marlborough—namely, Edward Plowden of Kaikoura, for larceny as a bailee ; and Henry Oopart, of Wairau, for larceny. We learn that the Prison-labour has been utilised in a very judicious manner, by repairing the Waitohi road near Picton. So bad had this become, that the other day Mr. Williams’ waggon stuck fast in descending the elevation, and was not rescued until after some damage had been done in the attempt. It was ultimately released with the aid of the prisoners. Marriages in Australia. — Early marriages are by no means uncommon in Victoria, Australia. Under the ages of 15, three boys were returned as husbands, seven girls as -wives, and one as a widow. Between 15 and 20, sixty-nine youths were husbands, and five widowers ; while 2,077 females were wives, and 25 widows. Of every thousand males of all ages 298 were husbands, and every thousand females 402 were wives.— Press.

Sad End of One op the Survivors of the s.s. London. —At the inquest which was held at Hokitika, on Saturday, June 15th, on the bodies of the three men drowned in the Louisa (which was capsized off Greymouth during the late S. E gale), one of the witnesses stated that the man named King, had been a sailor on board the steamer London, and steered the boat containing the atSwivors from that ill-fated vessel. The public health is anything but satisfactory. Measles are still prevalent in Picton, though they are fast dying out. Scarcely a house in the town has failed in a visit from them, and adults as well as children have not escaped the pleasure of a nine day’s lay up. The measles are fortunately of a very mild description—or, as the old ladies more quaintly describe them, “ they are a beautiful measle”—and no deaths have resulted. - Press.

The Rev. Mr. Souter, Presbyterian Minister,

/ arrived in Picton on the 24th ultimo, and on f Sunday last held service in the Presbyterian Church, Picton, in the morning and evening, at each of which he delivered a highly instructive and interesting discourse, imparting favourable impressions of his ability to the congregation It is not yet decided whether Mr. Souter will remain in the Picton district, or whether he will fill the late Mr. Russell’s place at Blenheim.— Press.

The shipment of New Zealand produce in the barque Charlotte Ann, which sailed from Nelson for Auckland about six weeks ago, is valued at £10,178 15s. One item alone—that of kauri gum—amounts to £7,610, while that of Auckland wool is estimated at £2,568 15s. The total value of the cargo is £10,458 exclusive of a shipment of wool brought by her from Nelson. She has in all 2,038 packages on board. —Daily Southern Cross, June 23.

An Extra, published in the Taranaki Hews, states that the natives were burning the houses at Patea, including those of Colonel M'Donnel and Mr. Smith, and had declared that they would not have a single settler in the Patea district. The rumour that the Taranaki natives in

the neighbourhood of Nuataitawa had assumed hostile or menacing attitude towards the northern settlers, has been officially declared by the Superintendent of that province to be wholly without foundation. Perhaps it will be one of the best things the present Postmaster-General has ever done for the public good, when he gave notice for the discontinuance of all interprovincial subsidies. Since the number of subsidised steamers have been decreased, this province has been better served than at any previous period During the last few weeks the arrivals a' Picton had been largely increased, and the “ Indefatigable ” Lewis has, in consequence, together with the bad roads, had anything but a sinecure. We learn that during the last ten days, in lieu of the customary five mails, he has conveyed no less than fourteen, besides sixteen return mails ! Large Influx of Diggers to Auckland.— The Southern Gross of the 23rd inst. says The steamer John Penn arrived yesterday in the Manukan from Westport and Nelson, with 100 diggers. She returns to Nelson at 2 o’clock today, for the purpose of bringing a similar number, and we also learn that the s.s. Wallaby may be expected at Onehunga to-day with about 120 passengers. Our West Coast neighbours appear suddenly to have awakened to a sense of the genuine richness of the Thames goldfield ; and it would seem that the rush which is now taking place is not likely to cease all at once. The miserable weather which has prevailed at Westport for some time past may in a measure account for the large number of diggers leaving that sphere of enterprise.

% Man Missing. —A labouring man, well-known tin this district, named Harry Vant, has not been /heard of for nearly a fortnight, and it is apprehended that he must have been drowned. It appears that on Sunday, the 21st ultimo, he was at Renwicktown, where he had dinner ; after which he proceeded to the Waihopai, where he begged hard to be supplied with drink, but was i refused. Overcome by his 'entreaties, at last Mrs. Grigg gave him a nobbier, and about four p.m. he went on his way. On the following Tuesday, his horse was found near Capt. Baillie’s Station, and as nothing was to be heard of his rider, a feeling of apprehension as to his safety began to spread, and information was sent to the police. On Thursday last P. C. Paap went over, and found a party had gone out, including Messrs. Macaulay, M‘Allister, and some dozen other settlers, who had instituted a thorough search, spreading themselves over the country on both sides the road. Up to yesterday, however, no traces whatever had been discovered.

' One of the latest acts of the Nelson Provincial Council was to vote a sum for the purpose of erecting a tombstone and railings over the grave of the late Mr. George White. The motion was carried unanimously. 1 The yellow fever is making rapid strides in Tndia, 150 to 200 dying daily (some say 300), and upwards of 2,500 in the hospital. Commerce is completely paralyzed, and the merchants were about to hold a meeting to consider the necessity of closing their establishments entirely for the present. All the schools, public and private, theatres and other places of resort, have been closed by order of the government, on account of the contagion. “Scune” in the Westland County Council. —There was a slight “scene” in the Westland County Council on the evening of June 22nd, between Mr. Bonar and Mr. Clarke. The latter directly contradicted the Chairman —or in other words gave him the lie—with regard to a statement by the latter the other evening, respecting the visits of the Warden to the Waimea. The Chairman claimed the protection of the Council, and ultimately Mr. Clarke apologised. —Grey River Argus. Gold Discoveries. —There have been lots of gold discoveries in the North. The Auckland Herald remarks : —A party discovered good indications of gold in the upper Kaipara country ; followed up the lead, and succeeded in obtaining very rich auriferous quartz. A bag of specimens were brought to town by one of the party, a portion of which was tested at the Bank of New Zealadd, and yielded at the rate of nine ouncs to the ton from the trial of one pound of stone. The gold is of a very superior quality.

A Man Drowned at Greymouth. The Grey River Argus of June 23rd, says : —“A very melancholy case of drowning occurred in the Lagoon, at the back of the slaughter-house, South Beach, on Saturday night, about half-past eleven o’clock. Two mates, Benjamin Bull and John Curtis, were crossing to their claim on the old camping ground, when the boat—an. old crank thing that never should have been used—sank from under them, and Bull was drowned while swimming ashore.” The Lyttelton Times says : —“ We understand that through the instrumentality of the Hon. John Hall, a very important change has just been effected in the relations between the Treasury and the Land Office. Instead of the receipts from Waste Lands being locked up in the Bank as heretofore, for a period of about a month or six weeks during their nominal transmission to and from Wellington, they will henceforth be handed over to the Provincial Treasurer day by day as they are received. This is a move in the right direction.”

New Harbour Regulations. —The attention of all persons interested in shipping is directed to an important voluminous code of harbour and quarantine regulations for the ports of New Zealand, published in a Gazette of the 25th ultimo, and which are to come into force on the Ist of September next. Among other important changes, it is provided that in any port wherein no harbour master or deputy is appointed, the duties of his office shall devolve upon the nearest Resident Magistrate. A health officer is also to be appointed at every port, together with a “Board of Health,” to consist of one or more Justices of the Peace, appointed by the Superintendent, the Health Officer, Chief Customs Officer, and the Resident Magistrate who is to be chairman, and if he is not a medical man, then one or more such are to be added. The Thames Goldfields. —The New Zealand Herald of the 20th says : —The true character of the Thames district, it appears, is making itself known at a disiance, and diggers and speculators at the West Coast, Melbourne, &c., are waking up to the fact that it is time for them to bestir themselves ; we have very little doubt that before long we shall have a very large accession to our digging population From private advices just received from the West Coast and Melbourne, we learn that quite an excitement exists at these places with reference to the Thames goldfields. At the West Coast it is said there are some hundred of diggers starting and preparing to start for the Thames, while at Melbourne there are not less than eight hundred who intend at once to give the Auckland goldfield a fair trial. Certainly the prospects of this province never looked brighter, and already a change for the better is rapidly taking place. The General Government remitted by the last steamer from Wellington the necessary funds to take up the debentures which represent our own and Marlborough’s joint debt of £29,000 due on the Ist of July next. Mr. Stafford appears not to be satisfied as to the legality of the course taken by the Nelson Government respecting the disputed £12,000, and threatens to refer the question to the General Assembly. Mr. Stafford, when first informed of the intention of the Superintendent to re-appropriate this £12,000, threatened to take the opinion of the Attorney-General about the matter, but as we have heard nothing of that law-officer’s opinion, we may fairly conclude it did not support the view entertained by the Premier. It is a pity that Mr Stafford, finding he had taken a hasty and erroneous view, should keep alive a discussion for no purpose but to show he was in the wrong. — Examiner. The Fijis.— The Westport (Times of June 26th, says a resident of that town has received a letter from a friend at the Fijis, in which the latter strongly urges him, if things are not going on well at Westport, to take a trip to. the Fijis where fortune awaits him. The correspondent has a situation in the British Consulate, and naively confesses that it is a most agreeable position, for he has nothing to do. He goes on to say that the land can be bought from the natives for Is. per acre, and from white speculators at 2s. to 10s. He advises the Melbourne or Sydney route, and counsels the shipment of cheap calico, flash looking guns and muskets which must have “ Brummagem” polish strong upon them, turkey red and white beads, provisions of various kinds, including tea, sugar, salt beef, and what is more necessary than all, a good whale-boat, with anchor, chains, mast, sails, oars, &c., complete The writer had been there two years, and liked the place exceedingly. A good matrimonial market is open for the fair sex there, for we are informed that though there are eight hundred white people, there is not a marriageable female amongst them.”

The Poet. —The Pioton Garrick Club gave a successful performance at Liardet’s Hotel on Friday evening last, under the management of Mr. A. C. 0. Liardet, assisted by Miss Flora Anstead, who “acted charmingly.” The critic of the Press, alluding to the play, “ Unlucky Friday,” says “ the character of Grasp is one in which Mr. Arthur Beauchamp, has gained a reputation. He thoroughly identifies himself with the character, and never fails to make its representation a success!” The “Ex-M.G.A.” also entertained the company with a specimen of his musical talents, which we believe are really firstrate, by singing “I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls and as an encore, “ When other lips and other hearts;” Dr. Sickler ably presided at the harmonium.

■ The Family of Smith.—A highly respectable member of the great cosmopolitan family of the Smiths, and their numerous affinitive offshoots, recently received a caution at the Auckland Supreme Court, which ought to arrest the further progress of innovation in their illustrious patronymic. A petty juror was repeatedly called under the name Smyth ; but as he did not appear, a constable, who stated that he could identify the truant “good and true man,” was sent in pursuit. He found the object of his search, however, in the body of the Court, in the space allotted to the public, and conducted him forthwith before the judicial bench. On being somewhat sharply taken to task for his inattention, the juror admitted that he had heard the name Smyth several times called out, but as his own name happened to be Smyth (Smith) he did not think it incumbent upon him to answer. His Honor Judge Moore said, as Mr. Smyth chose to spell his name with a y, he must excuse the Court if it did not feel itself justified in calling him Smith. —Southern Cross. W keck or the Cutter St. Kilda. — The following is from the Wanganui Time* of the 25th ultimo :—“Mr. Toohill, of Patea, has informed us that the cutter St. Kilda, Eyan, from Wellington, loaded with a general cargo for Manawatu, was wrecked between Patea and Waingongoru, and about seven miles from the former place, on the night of the 18th instant. At the part of the coast where the St. Kilda was wrecked, precipitous cliffs rise directly from the beach, and the captain and crew (two men) were consequently unable to get inland to obtain food or assistance. After being four days without food, and exposed to very severe weather, they found by following the coast line, a break in the cliffs, and soon came on cattle tracks, which fortunately led them to Mr. Toohill’s house, where their wants were promptly supplied, and where they still remain, as they are in a very weak state from exposure and privation. The vessel is a total wreck; only a small portion of the cargo has been saved. Captain Eyan requested Mr. Toohill to report that he reached his port (Manawatu) safely, and had anchored intending to go up the river on the following day, but a strong S.E. gale compelled him to put to sea, and he drifted to that part of the coast before mentioned, and whore his vessel wont ashore. New Gold Discovery.—The long-looked for goldfield in the Cape Otway Eanges, Victoria, has been, it is hoped, at last discovered. A Ballarat digger, writing to the Melbourne Age, gives the following startling information : —On Monday last 1 had the pleasure of taking a pleasure-trip down to the Gellibrand River, which comes down through the Otway Eanges, and empties itself into the bay at Moonlight Heads. I then took a tramp into the ranges, and to my great surprize, I came on a blaze line. I then traced it along for about three miles. I then came in view of a hut ; I made towards it, and when I reached it I saw a dog at the door. He made an alarm, and I then saw a man come. As soon as he saw me he at once turned quick back. I then came to the door, and there I saw six men all covered with the pipeclay. There was a tin plate before the fire, with a splendid sample of gold on it. Some of it was like buck-shot, some of it like peas, and more of it was fine. They would give me no information, but treated me very kindly. They did not go to work any more that day ; I suppose their reason was so that I should not find them out. From what I saw of that country, there is gold in abundance. lam confident there is quartz above 1 cwt, and as white as snow, and they lay one upon another.”

A Pugnacious Correspondent. —What are we to do with Mr. Williams, the gentleman who tumbled into a hole in a street on Thorndon and sprained his ancle ? We have sympathised with him, and exorted the Town Board to fill up that particular hole, even if they left all the rest in the Wellington streets open—we have given currency to his complaint, and we have even kept our temper when he has sworn at us through the post. Still Mr. Williams. “ late of Nelson,” is not satisfied ; and because we did not print the very text of his letters—oaths and all—he now challenges us to mortal combat, and threatens to “ whop” the whole establishment “ if we only wait till his ancle is better.” We are not in the least joking. This is the letter which Mr. Williams has addressed to the editor of this journal, and, as a literary contribution, we print it verbatim: —“Wellington, 29th June, 1868. Mr Editor, —I think that what you put in the paper on Saturday was a cowardly insult to my reputation, and 1 wont stand it. No I wont. I wont swear this time in your paper so you to put it in again and blackguard me. lam game to fight you or anybody like you, and you may put this in your paper if you like you may say that you are game for me wait till my anckle is well and see what I will give the whol lot of you.— Your better, James Williams.” Now what are we to do with this bellicose correspondent ? Are we to go into training, use the dumb-bells, eat under-done steak, take daily sparring lessons, and tremblingly abide that awful day, when “ his ancle being better,” he is going to lick the lot of us ? Are we to “cave in” and humbly apologise for what we never did ? or are we to invest in “ knuckle dusters” and “ noddies,” as necessary adjuncts of an editor’s room ? We are in a very serious difficulty, and have telegraphed down south for a member of the P.R. to aid us lathe dilemma. We fervently hope that Mr. Williams’ ancle will not be better till our pugilistic Mentor arrives. ■ Still, under all the circumstances, we would recommend Mr. Williams not “ to come and see the Editor.”, Mr. Williams has already sprained his ancle, and it would not be well that, as an additional misfortune, his hose should get out of joint .—lndependent.

Garotte rs to be Whipped.— During the recent sittings of the Supreme Court at Auckland, the grand jury made a presentment to the effect that some other punishment besides hard labour should be inflicted upon prisoners found guilty of robbery with personal violence. His Honor Mr. Justice Moore, who evidently believes that the use of the cat-o’nine-tails will have a similar deterrent effect upon colonial criminals to that in the mother country, promptly yielded to the suggestion of the grand jury and sentenced three men, ’ named Bryant, Kersting, and Goldsmith, who were found guilty of garotting, to be imprisoned for eight years, and in addition to this punishmen to receive five and twenty lashes on their backs with the instrument commonly known as “the cat.” Some men, like wild beasts, can only be kept in control by fear of bodily suffering, and no doubt the introduction of flogging in our gaols will bo attended with beneficial effects. — Colonist.