Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 127, 25 July 1868, Page 3

Local and General News.

Telegraphic communication is now complete between Wellington and Napier. Mr. Fitzherbert succeeded in placing tbe New Loan of £1,114,000 at 97, the price fixed on. The reports from Queensland of the exceeding richness of the reefs lately found there, is causing a large exodus of miners from Ballarat. f On Monday last, at noon, Mr. Hall’s farmhouse was burnt down at Greytown. Very little was saved. The property was not insured. Petitions in favor of the Breach movement as initiated at the late public meeting have been extensively signed by all classes during the week, in both town and country. We have received the “principal results” of the late Census from Dr. Bennett, Wellington, but many more important matters requiring notice, we defer it for the present. A LARGE school of whales passed the heads on Sunday morning. We hope to hear of the Queen Charlotte Sound whalers detaining a few of them, whilst we regret not having crews here to check their journeying onwards — Herald. G. S. Cooper, Esq, late Resident Magistrate fnr the Ngaruroro district, has, it is understood, been appointed Under Native Secietary, in lieu of Mr. liollestou, recently elected Superintendent of Canterbury. Mr. Hall on the 14th, presented a petition from merchants in Christchurch, praying for the repeal of that portion of the Resident .Magistrates Act which abolishes imprisonment for debt for a sum less than JO 1 0, and suggesting that the limit should be forty shillings.

We hear upon good authority that Dr. Featherston does not intend putting up for the Superintendenoy when his present term of office expires. This resolution, we believe, is in consequence of failing health, and finding that relaxation from the arduous duties of his office is absolutely necessary.— Wanganui Herald. Breaking-up of the Provinces. —It is stated, on good authority, that Government have been advised by the Crown lawyers, that the General Assembly have no power to alter the “ Constitution Act” so as to enable them to deal with the question of local self-government, or, in other words, to dissolve the provinces. It is stated that a bill will be immediately introduced into the Imperial Parliament conferring such powers upon the General Assembly.— Examiner.. / A . Meeting was held at Picton on the 15th instant for the purpose of considering the advisability of keeping on the schools. JVi r. Williams explained that last year the rates amounted only to A" 100, and the fees -£‘6o, while the salaries of the teachers were £2OO, besides use of house, leaving a deficiency of £4O. If the school was discontinued the householders would still have the rate to pay. Ultimately, it was resolved to keep on the schools, and Messrs. Conolly, Gard, Williams, Fuller, and Dart were appointed a committee.

Waxmakariri. —Dr. Hector, in a report on the above river, says there is every reason to believe that Christchurch is in imminent danger from the recurrence of floods like those which have so frequently occurred of late in the Waimakariri river, and that the works at present executed would prove quite sufficient to avert the calamity. He thinks, however, that means can be adopted at a moderate cost which will tend greatly to diminish the risk of the floodwaters reaching Christchurch, and others that will at any rate reduce the extent of damage done in the event of a recurrence of an inundation.

Termination- of the Victorian Crisis.— The political crisis which has afflicted Victoria for the last two years, and caused the colony a fearful amount of mischief, is at last at an end. On the Bth instant, despatches were read in the Assembly, stating that Sir Charles Darling was reinstated in the Government service, and therefore could not accept the Victorian grant. On the 9th Mr. Fellows, the Premier, moved a vote of supply, which was opposed by Mr. M'Culloch, who moved an amendment to stop all legislation until the formation of a constitutional Ministry was accomplished. The amendment was carried, and the Ministry resigned. Mr. M‘Culloch was sent for. There is dissension amongst his followers.

.English Telegraph Charges. —The following are the regulations for telegraph charges in the Government Telegraphy Bill of the present session of Parliament, by which it will be seen at what a low cost messages may be sent from one end of England to the other :—A uniform rate of one shilling is to be charged for messages not exceeding twenty words, and sixpence for each additional ten words, the names and address of senders and receivers not being included in the calculation. The rates will cover the cost of delivery by special foot messenger within a mile of the office, or within the postal delivery district of a town. Beyond the prescribed limit the delivery will cost sixpence for the double mile.— Examiner.

Jsr. Pitt, solicitor, formerly of Westport, ,dsas a passenger by the Lyttelton this week, and purposes settling permanently amongst us He has, for the present at least, taken offices at the Literary Institute

/'A. "Gazette, received this week, notifies the ‘'appointment of S. L. Muller, Esq., 11. M. as principal Returning Officer for Marlborough, vice Capt Mellish. resigned-—D_ancau Gay, Esq., as Returning Officer for Provincial Elections for Tua Marina and Quean Chariot!e Sound, vice Capt. Mellish, resigned. —Hanson Turton, Esq., , to be Crown Prosecutor under the District Courts j Act for Marlborough. Intended Robbery. —lnformation was ob-| ■~tai«ed- on Monday last to the effect that a rob-| bery was intended to be perpetrated on the pre-t mises of Messrs Beauchamp & Co. on that night ; and to confirm the suspicion the key of the wine ; and spirit store was missed in the afternoon. , However, nothing of the kind took place, and if j it had, the perpetrators would have met with a ■ warm reception, as Mr. Gresham and another 1 were concealed on the premises well armed for the occasion. —Press | ypTOSPECTiNG at Kaikoura. —We learn that! /C prospecting party, fitted out by Mr. Davidson, \ consisting of Messrs J. Veasey, J. Jones, and Dorothy, started yesterday morning to explore the country for the precious metal. From prospects that have been shown us, there cannot be a doubt but that gold exists in the district, but it has to be determined whether in payable quantities or not. However, the party have our | hearty wishes, with a hope that they may be j well rewarded for the speculation they have undertaken. — Herald. / yiHE Opawa broke :loose.—The unusually 1 large quantity of rain which has fallen of late has caused the land everywhere to become sodden with water. So much so that a few hours’ rain suffices to swell the Opawa beyond its carrying capacity, and it has overflowed its banks continually of late. Last week we noticed that a breach in the bank upon Mr. Myers’ land near the Bush had occupied the labors of 20 men during the week in repairing it. On Saturday last it gave way again after a few hours’ rain, and the water rushed across the road as badly as ever, cutting a deep channel therein, and rendering it almost impassable for vehicles To aggravate the evil, the banks gave way near Mr. M'Oallum’s farm, which allowed the water to tun down the Renwick road by Mr. H. Dodson’s new residence, crossing Grove road, and making its escape through Mr. Adams’ farm, tearing up the road in a fearful manner, and laying the greater portion of Mr. Dodson’s hop garden under water. At Murray’s hotel, the water was 1 inch higbhr'TTiTiu during the flood in February last. On Sunday it commenced falling, and it soon resumed its customary state. On Thursday the waters again rose, and again the neighborhood of Grove Road was flooded worse than has ever been known hitherto, and considerable damage wss done to the banks of the river, which gave way in several places. Mr. Bomford’s paddock was badly flooded, and Mr. Packman was forced to leave his house. Some of the out-premises at Dodson and Ball’s brewery In vo experienced injury, and a mud house occupied by Mr. Raymond became so injured that he had to leave it, the chimney having fallen. Prom up-country we hear of hair-breadth escapes from the swollen Waihopai ; at the site we indicated last week, a new breach on the South bank of the Wairau, about a mile above the present one, has opened, and the water flows like a vast hike over the low country below Renwicktown. The Wairau is reported as being full, and the Ferry unworkable, consequently communication with Picton is temporarily suspended, and the English mails are unavoidably detained there. Last evening the waters were slowly subsiding. ?

Narrow Escape of Lewis’s Coach and Driver.— Oa Wednesday evening, a severe storm raged, attended with a considerable downfall of rain, and on Thursday morning it was evident that the rivers were rising. The “Indefatigable” Lewis, intent on gettibg his mails through to Picton, sent his coach off in charge of Charley Thompson, with instructions to wait fortbemails at the Lush, which he purposed sending thither by horse On reaching the water by the 10.Q tljrklge iemli-ng-to—tfes?Dpawa, although very deepplie determined to cross it, and entered with his team. One of the sought to 'drink as it waded, arid this took off the driver’s attention, momentarily, when he found that all the concern' was afloat and swerving aside towards the Swollen torrent. Retaining his seat as well as he could, he sought to guide them aside. Suddenly the team got into deep water and gave a lurch, which forced Charley into the coach Seeing that he was now in danger he leapt off on the river side, and swimming round in front of the horses hoped to turn them to the bank by heading them ; after accomplishing this feat he found it useless, and catching hold of a piece of fencing managed to pull himself up, and directly after the horses, entangled as they were with harness, coach, &c., went broadside on against a willow tree on the river side, and here they stuck, held partly by the force of the current The alarm soon spread, and a considerable crowd quickly collected. Mr. Parker lent his spring-cart, and away went Charley to Blenheim, returning with Mr. Avery’s boat. In the meantime Godfrey Phillips went into the water and succeeded in fastening a rope to the horses, which however broke without accomplishing anything. On the arrival of the boat, Charley, with Mr Kissling, got into it, and with difficulty theysacceeded in cutting loose the horses from the entangled harness, and again fastening a rope, another attempt was made by a gallant band of spectators, who hauled away until the horses were recovered; after which they succeeded in rescuing the coach and harness. We are happy to state that with the exception of some repairs to the harness and coach, no further damage ensued The < Indefatigable ” was early outlie spot,.and he confesses that on his arrival he never expected to see horses or coach again. We have often had to record the daring feats of him and his staff, and we quite expect to have to record yet another of a gloomy character, unless he is more careful and less adventurous. However, on this occasion he behaved very well, and shouted extensively; to the honor of some who assisted him and to whom he offered payment, it was decidedly refused.

I.v a notice in the Gazette , relative to the estates of persons who have died intestate, under the charge of the curator at Auckland, is included that of poor Moore, who was murdered in May, 1837, at Opotiki, with one Beggs, his partner. The amount set down as the personality of the two men is but small (£8 9s.) —a sum that will be of very little service to his father. . Ren wick town - School.— We understand that by the Renwick rSchooißoard to the mastership of their school. Ho is a young and active man, and we presume from his election, likely to give the Board satisfaction. This Board is” left to its own resources in every respect, as are the other country Boards, and we shall be glad to find them all impressed with the responsibilities now attached to their office ; and evincing renewed vigour and as complete arrangements as possible in connexion with their schools. One word in reference to the Renwicktovvn School, we cannot in humanity omit, and that is, that some retiring provision should be made for the aged schoolmaster idn Moo£e, whose services have been dispensed with. Education has been very province through political movements and influences, so that no permanent establishment has ever been affected, and an old schoolmaster, who ought to retire upon a small pension, is thrown 'upon the exertions or kindness of friends. Whether the Marlborough and Nelson Oovern- : ments will do anything in this matter in answer to the application of the Renwick Board, we cannot say, but we cannotjmt regret Mr. Moorela. unfortunate position.