Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 205, 27 November 1869, Page 3

Local and General News.

The Mails for England, Australian Colonies, &c., close this day (Saturday) at 5 p.m. For newspapers at 4 p.m. From the Canterbury papers we learn that it is intended to form a Royal Arch Chapter in connection with Masonry. It is rumoured that a new prospecting expedition is being fitted out at Canvasstown, in consequence of the discovery of a very likely locality. We understand that a respectable Committee is being formed for the purpose of providing the customary Sports on New Year’s Day. The Ballarat is finally fixed to be in Port Underwood on Thursday next, when she will be towed over by the Phmbe, and her loading commenced and continued with the utmost despatch. Wool and Flax begins to pour into the Blenheim stores in large quantities, and we anticipate an improved state of trade in consequence. The inspection of the flax now in Mr. Dodson’s store will well repay the trouble of a visit. i The Exports from Marlborough during*»*tße quarter ended September 30th, were from Picton as follows :—Wool SOOlbs., value £8 ; Fish Oil 1,000 gallons, value £l4O ; and 500 ounces gold, value £2OOO ; Total, £2,148. The corresponding quarter of 1868 was £956 only. No less than thirty flax machines have been sold in the province of Otago within the last four months ; of these, 25 were manufactured by Mr. j William Wilson, of Dunedin. This shows the Otago people rightly encourage local manufactures. j

The Osprey is likely to be pretty fully employed during the wool season, as, besides Mrj Dodson’s wool, she will probably also lighter Messrs. N. Edwards & Co.’s wool for theiij vessels in Port Underwood, and left yesterday] with the second load for the Snorre Sturlassen

The total returns of the late Superintendencyf election at Nelson are officially published, show! ing that Mr. Curtis got 908 votes out of 1,580 polled, being 526 ahead of the second candidate.' The-respective numbers were: Curtis, 908; Akerstein, 382; Gibbs, 290; and Horn, 6. Foresters.— lt is intended to open a Court of this useful Order in Blenheim. Preliminary meetings were held at Mears’s Masonic Hotel last Saturday, and during the week, when upwards of twenty persons enrolled themselves as intending members, and subscribed towards the opening expenses. f Levien v. Beaumont.— This notable Marl* lorough libel case is exciting great attention in ill quarters Last evening we were shown a private telegram from Nelson, which stated that the trial was still going on, the evidence being very lengthy, but would most likely be finished by to-morrow (to-day), when our own correspondent would send us a telegram of the result.

Steamer for Picton. —We learn with pleasure that our enterprising fellow-townsman, Mr. 11. Leery, has purchased Mr. Seagcr’s steamer Alpha, and intends running her from Picton to the Grove and other parts of the Sound.— Press.

Almanac. —Mr. Card, of Picton, is busily engaged in preparing his Almanac for the ensuing year. It will contain the usual valuable tide-tables and local information. Advertisers will oblige him by sending their favors as soon as possible, or they may be left at our office.

Gold-bearing quartz reefs are being discovered in various parts of the Nelson Province, both on the East and West Coasts. Experienced judges declare that the Wangapeka country and neighborhood is the most promising in all the colony. The Superintendent goes to Wellington to-morrow to try and arrange with the General Government about the sales of land at Wangapeka. A rifle-match between Mahakipawa and Picton came off on Saturday last at the latter place. The firing was at 300, 400, and 500 yards, five shots at each range in any position ; and the scores made were, Picton, 513 ; and Mahakipawa, 464. Out of 360 shots, only 34 misses, and 5 ricochets were made. A dinner, provided by Mr. Clark, of the Ship Hotel, concluded the evening. The return match is to take place in January. ''lmprovements continue to bo made in Blenheim. The new Bank is so nearly finished that it is to be opened for business on Wednesday next. Mr. Dodson has completed the erection"of a "new store equal in size to his former one at the Omaka Bridge ; and his workmen are now busy upon a now wharf for loading the Osprey, Falcon, &C,, direct from the store. Mears's new Masonic Hotel is nearly completed ; and Mr. M‘Elwain, has nearly completed a new boot and shoe shop, in High-street, opposite Ewart’s Hotel. . A man was recently crushed to death by the machinery of the Go!(leu Crown Company, at the Thames. When found the body presented a most frightfully disfigured appearance, and it is surmised that after oiling the bearings of the fly-wheel he incautiously raised his head, forgetful of the close proximity of the uickly-rc rolving governor balls, and was struck by them and dashed stunned amongst the eccentric rods, which, having torn the then senseless form, threw it in an (indistinguishable heap on the part of the floor where it was subsequently found. The Provincial Elections for Nelson are going on. At the Nelson nomination Mr. A. S Collins said that “if he consulted his own feelings, he must say he should like to see the Wairau reannexed to Nelson, but he would not press this step against the wishes of his constituents. He "should like to see Nelson occupy a higher position and carry more weight in the Councils of the Colony, and this was only to ho obtained by an increased extent of territory and population.” The gentlemen returned were Messrs. Luckie, 312; H. Adams, 271 ; Greenfield, 257 ; Collins, 196. Mr. Burns got 167. Examiner says relative to the late races for the Cup : —Mr. Redwood’s horse was scratched, and for this we were prepared by an intimation received by a gentleman in town by the last mail which stated that Manuka had gone amiss. The fact is. the horse, when on his visit to Canterbury, on being shipped put ids leg through a rotten plank on the wharf, which injured the limb. Mr. Redwood was in hopes that rest and care would have repaired the injury, hut the strong preparation needed for a race like the Melbourne Cup, was too groat for it. None of the favorites in the race appear to have obtained a place. i County Government. —ln speaking of the expense of the County Council, the 1 Vest Coast Times says : —“There is no doubt that at present the honorarium of 30s per day for country members actually constitutes an income in itself, for there are two silling a year, in which, on an average, four months are consumed, which, at .£9 a week, amounts to about £l5O. As there are about eight members, besides the Chairman at .£6OO per annum, the total cost of County legislation is something under £‘2ooo per a mum. Out of this, by the way, we may omit the Hokitika members, who only receive committee money. The elections for members of the Provincial Council being all over we have now to wait until the Council meet for the election of Superintendent. The parties appear to be pretty evenly balanced, and we shall not be much suprised if a deadlock occurs. As we before stated, we have no particular candidate for the Superinteudency ; but we do hope that whoever may be appointed to that responsible office will act fairly and impartially to each district, which has not been the case the last few years, as many districts show. We have nob yet heard when the Council will be called together, but rumor has it named for the 15th December, and it will then most likely, after the election of Superintendent, adjourn for a few weeks longer.— Press. /"’'Marlborough Town, as the locality of the Ferry ' is officially called, will yet become a place of note by the introduction of local manufactures. In anticipation of this period, we learn that Mr. Hathaway contemplates making large additions to his hotel, as well as altering and rebuiding part of the present structure, after a modern and tasteful design. He has further commenced his flax works, which will give employment to a number of persons. On the other side the xuver Messrs Seymour and Co. are progressing with their flax mill. We learn that this firm has pur'c'Kasecl twelve machines of the Otago make, eight of which are to be kept at constant work by steam power ; and they have entered into arrangements with the natives for cutting the flax. At no great distance, Messrs. Powick and Burroughs are , already at work, and producing a very good Sarticle.

discovery made on the Stli insr, in the Winter’s Freehold ( Ir.ira, far exceeds in interest anything yet found in connection with toads The working men in the main drive, 450 feet below the surface were on Friday afternoon driving through a solid quartz reef, when they were startled by seeing signs of vitality in a portion of the stone. The stone was picked when a number of live frogs hopped out and came particularly frisky at finding themselves in the open air, and with plenty of room to move about in. Some of these frogs were brought to the surface, and we believe are now in possession of the manager, Mr.- A. T Morrison A portion of them have brownish coats, and the remainder grey.”-—Ballarat Courier.

The Falcon. Telegrams received here on Saturday last conveyed the unwelcome intelligence that on the previous evening, about nine o’clock, the Falcon, on her way out from Wellington to Blenheim, had struck on Tom’s rock, and sprung a leak of some extent. She succeeded, however, in getting back to port, a distance of 18 miles, by three a.m. on Saturday, but on arriving at the wharf was almost in a sinking state. From more recent messages, we learn that she was put on the slip, when four planks were found injured. We regret to say that her cargo is reported very much damaged, including two tons of sugar, and a quantity of tea for Mr. H. Dodson, a quantity of skins for Mr. Guilford, and a large suppty of ironmongery for Messrs. Robinson Bros., groceries, drapery, &c., for Mr. Litchfield and Mr. McLaughlan, none of which were insured.

The Fiji. s ?. —The Otago Daily Times has the following :—Those of our readers who take an interest in the Fijis, will remember that the publication of the Planter's Journal —the first newspaper published in the group was stopped towards the end of last year, as being in advance of the requirements of the place. Since then, however, a stream of immigration has steadily poured into the islands, caused mainly by the enterprise of the Polynesia Company. With increased prosperity, the want of a newspaper in Levuka was much felt, and has at length been supplied by the publication of a neat little sheet, entitled the Fiji Times , published weekly. It is both larger and better compiled than the defunct Planter's Journal, its general appearance being very creditable to so youthful a settlement as Levuka. Signs of progress in the usages and arts of civilisation are not wanting at the Fijis. The first step towards the establishment of a Customs tariff has been taken by the chiefs of Ban, who, at a meeting held for the purpose of considering the matter, agreed to impose a duty on spirits of three dollars per case, or eighteenpence per bottle, An addition also has been made to the amusements of Levuka, where an American howling saloon has been established. Billiards were introduced some months ago. [ Mr. T. Johnson, the first pioneer of civilization, who wasted considerable time and means in trying to establish himself in the Fijis, deserved a little kinder and less supercilious notice from our contemporary, as his efforts wore laudable, his paper respectable i.ud his losses his own, but the more seas he was a Dunedin man, who is again resident there, and well-known to the writer in the Times. Ed.M. E.]

Nelson is a great city, and the people inhabiting it a great people. All hail to them ! What a pity it is that the Grey River could not be filled up so that Grey mouth formed an integral portion of it. Nelson wants a House Surgeon for the followingduties :—To take charge of the Hospital, medical and domestic, also the medical care of the Lunatic Asylum, and the prisoners and officers of the gaol ; also of all the destitute poor at their own homes ; likewise the police. The successful applicant must be a bachelor, that he may be enabled to devote the whole of his time to his duties. He must give testimonials as to his character and qualifications. He is not to be allowed private practice. And the salary offered is —Two Hundred Pounds per annum! !! Just Heavens, what will such Provincial extravagance end in ? Do the Nelson authorities not know that £2OO per annum is 10s. lOd. per day (including Sundays) for every day in the year. And this for a common doctor, who lias only to deal with lunatics, hospital patients, and broken limbs, police, and destitute poor ! Why, this is giving him lOd. a day more than a labourer asks who is compelled to work eight hours and find himself, whereas the doctor is to get rations. Why, our printer’s devil does not get as much by several shillings a week, although his duties (well performed, however) is to keep his face dirty, and give saucy answers to civil requests. Such extravagance will assuredly be followed by the most serious retributive results. It has come to something when a Sawbones is to be treated better than a pampered menial.—Grcymouth Star.

Th e Ohinemubi Goldfields. —Wo extract the following from the Southern Cross, cm the subject of the Ohinemuri goldfields :—“ It would be rash to prophecy any immediate opening of the Upper Thames even now. We cannot indeed say what the effect of the negociations and diplomacy of Mr. O ‘Connor may have been. Possibly that descendant (as no doubt he is) of many kings, may have established a great ascendancy over Te Hira’s mind, but we are not very sanguine on this point. Our own experience of the native race in these islands is rather against such a supposition, and we are inclined to suppose that, if Te Hira has changed his mind about the opening of Ohinemuri, he has done so on other grounds than Mr. O’Connor’s solicitations. If it has come to this, however, and if Te Hira and his friends are ready to give way, and to open their country, the next point must be as to terms. We have already said something of our view of the terms "on which we now mine at the Lower Thames, ' and have made no secret of our idea that our bargain was too good for the natives, and too bad for the miners. So far of course as the Lower Thames is concerned, the thing is done. A bargain is a bargain, and, if for any reason we have been the victims of a bad bargain-in one district, the reasonable conclusion is that we should be on our guard against a repetition of our mistake. No doubt the exorbitant terms granted to the Shorthand Maoris will prove a barrier in the way of making reasonable terms with those of Ohiuemuri. If a Shorthand native proprietor sees his way, through our own folly, to getting six pounds or so an acre of yearly rental for his waste laud, it is not difficult to imagine that an Upper Thames landholder will look to our folly to produce for him a similar golden harvest. These expectations must not be gratified, however, if we ivould have this extension of the field a benefit and not an injury to the mining community, and in the end to the country. In spite of the high treaties that may ere this have been concluded between Te Hira and the O’Connor, we presume it will be necessary that the Government take some part in concluding the final arrangements that are to open up Ohinemuri to our enterprise ; and we say once more that it will be better for all parties that this should not be inconsiderately* made, as if the cession of the land were everything, and the terms of the cession nothing. By rash promises, we have suffered, and are. now* suffering, at the Lower Than es ; let us not ph.co oU”=elves in the position to repeat the unpleasant experiment at Ohinemuri or elsewhere.”

Some person recently broke into the premises of Sheriff and Co., Shortlaud, during the evening by a back window. Having forced a drawer with a chisel, they abstracted £6l 125., and decamped without leaving a trace. 5 An attorney about to furnish a bill of cost was required by a client, a baker, to make it as light as he could. “Ah,” replied the attorney, “ that’s what you may say to your foreman, but it’s not the way I make my bread,”

The Bishop of New Jersey, it is said, has given notice that he will refuse at confirmation to lay his hands upon the piles of false hair and chignons which disfigure the heads of so many young ladies seeking admission to the church and communion.

There is too much reason to fear that the Matoaka,, which left Lyttelton on the 14th May, has been lost. On the 23rd September the rate of insurance upon the ship had risen to sixty per cent. This alone is a sufficient proof of what the best judges—the members of Lloyds—thought of her chance.— lndependent. Resolutions have been passed by both Houses of the Queensland Parliament, granting a bonus of .*SOOO acres of land to the exporters of 750 tons of fresh uncooked meat, manufactured in the Colony and sold in Great Britain or Ireland at a price not less than 4£d per pound. New Stamp Duties. —lt is important for the public to know that several alterations have tern made in the Stamp Act, and specially that after the 31st of December next. Bills of Exchange, Drafts, or Orders for the payment of money, and Promissory Notes, requiring a stamp of greater value than a penny, must be drawn on stamped paper. The Stamp Office in Wellington is at present busy manipulating large supplies of stamped paper.

{ The miners residing about Deep Creek are ! going to petition the Postmaster-General respect* I ing the fortnightly mail from Havelock, which / they allege is insufficient for their use ; conse- ' quently they have frequently to send their letters to Havelock to be posted, and they further allege that the amount of their correspondence is not seen from the extensive practice which prevails of sending up the letters for Deep Creek by private hands from Havelock. The Westport Times says :—Those who jeer at Saxby should have seen the surf on the Duller beach yesterday, and, in their imagination, have added that to the high tide of last week. They would then in their imagination, have had to subtract from creation a considerable part of Westport. As it is, the surf has already subtracted a portion of the protective works lately put down, and the property which they protected is now in as imminent danger as ever. Among the passengers by the ship J. N. Fleming, which recently arrived at Port Chalmers, were twenty men who had been engaged in Glasgow for projected boiling-down and meatpreserving establishments. Mr. Moodie, the agent of the Glasgow firm who have entered on the enterprise, has for some time past been engaged in making preliminary arrangements. It is proposed to set up establishments at Kakanui, Oamaru, Invercargill, Clutha Fex-ry, and Timaru.

The Mail Service. —The Commissioner of Customs, Mr. Vogel, while recently paying a visit to Otago, informed a deputation of the Chamber of Commerce that * 1 it was proposed to arrange for the carriage of the English mails to and from this colony, by offering a bonus of one penny per letter in addition to the similar amount now paid to vessels bringing other than contract mails, to any Steamer conveying our mails either way with reasonable despatch. The arrangements that would be made in Melbourne would admit of the Otago portion of the mail being carried via Bluff Harbor either way whenever it appeared probable that greater despatch would thus be ensured.”

The Decorative Distinction, instituted by Order in Council, dated 10th March, 1869, has been awarded to Cornet Angus Smith, of the Bay of Plenty Cavalry Volunteers, for the following act of bravery performed by him.;—On the 7th Jtme, 1869, when the party of cavalry in charge of Cornet Smith was suprised at Opepe by Te Kooti’s band, and nine out of thirteen were hilled, Cornet Smith, though suffering from a desperate wound in his foot, set out with the object of finding the tracks of his commanding officer, and apprising him and the party with him of their danger, when a less brave or thoughtful man would have proceeded straight to Fort Galatea, which post he would no doubt have reached in forty-eight hours, with comparatively little risk, and with the certainty of getting immediate medical assistance for himself- Oh his road Cornet Smith was captured by the rebels, tied up to a tree.'and stripped of ail his clothing and Crimean medals.. He was in this position four days, without food or water, .when he managed to release himself,- and proceeded to Fort Galatea, which he reached on the 17th June, having been ten days without food or. clothing. On accountjqf his wounds be had to go for a considerable distance on his hands and knees, and to risk his life twice by swimming rivers.— Post.) Flax Manufacture.— Before us He samples of mats made of the roofc end of the-New Zealand flax,: by Mr. Symons, late of the Moutere Hotel, . now residing at Richmond: The- samples are -superior to anything of the kind we have-seen ’ imported from England, aud could be made-so as ,to sell at less than one ’half the: price- at which English , mats of the e same sizfe- are rsold- here. The samples resemble:; the cbir dbor-matsi' with dyed border, and Mr. Symons, who is an engineer, as well as acquainted with the process of manufacture of this and Other fabrics, 1 cUn-con-struct the necessary machinery for mkking the mats, which is very simple, and could teach children the method of construction; Sacking, matting of various kinds, woolpacks, scrim, and similar fabrics, could all be made in an establishment with sufficient power and mechanical appliances, so that, by a judicious expenditure of capital and the employment of competent persons, as a matter of course and the gradual tuition of the rising generation, we may hope to see, ‘ere long, the foundation of a manufacture of the ■ Jaw. material with which nature has abundantly us. Flax manufactured for exportation . will always have a large demand, but much of the inferior -product, the tow “waste,” &c., could be readily utilised.— Colonist.

A very severe duststorm Was experienced ih the city of Hobart Town on the 26th September enveloping the town for several hours, and penetrating into the houses, through every crevice a nd canny. - ■ i

Westland has again been unlucky. Thelatsst piece of misfortune is, according to the West Coast Times, that the amount of the late County Treasurer’s embezzlements is, by the failure of the European Assurance Company, for ever lost to the County. /Masonic. —lt may be interesting to Masonic 'readers to learn that the Most Worshipful the Duke of Leinster, Grand Master of Ireland, has been pleased to appoint Right Worshipful Brother George Patrick Pierce, P.M , No 348, Auckland, and Past Provincial Grand Secretary to be Provincial Grand Master of the Irish Constitution in New Zealand, in succession to the late E.W.P.G.M. Bro. De Burgh Adams, deceased. The new R.W.P.G.M. has been pleased to appoint Bro. John Henry Hooper, P.M., Lodge No. 348, and Provincial Grand Treasurer, to be Deputy Provincial Grand Master, I.C.

The Utility of Newspapers. —Mr. John Stewart, M.P., in addressing his constituents at Illawarra recently said “ There are many persons who regard newspapers as little more than a machine for performing theduties of town-crier; but he was only one of many who look upon the newspaper as an emblem of civilisation, and as one of the most effectual means of civilising a whole people, that has ever been invented since the alphabet was invented. It would be impossible to tell in a few words all that the newspaper does to cultivate and disseminate intelligence. Where there are no newspapers there is no such thing as public spirit or intelligence or enterprise ; there is no civil or religious liberty, and no safety either for life or property. As an educational machine there is no institution to be compared to the Newspaper Press. As a censor or corrector of public institutions there is nothing in the world equal to it. The newspaper is a grand court of appeal, in which any case whatever may be tried in the presence of the whole people. An instrument so potent in promoting the welfare of the people cannot be too widely distributed, and if it be worth while spending a hundred thousand pounds on education, surely it is worth while to carry the newspaper free. Too true it is there are newspapers published in the interest of a party, a clique, or a sect, which misinform, mislead, and poison the minds of their readers. But, taken as a whole, the newspaper Press is, far more than anyother institution, generally and permanently beneficial. In spite of a few individual exceptions, it is the most trustworthy of all public teachers. He advocated the repeal of the Newspaper Postage Act on no other grounds.”