Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume V, Issue 218, 26 February 1870, Page 3

Local and General News.

Mr. Creighton is again editor of the Southern Cross. The English Mails arrived at the Bluff on Thursday, at 10.30 a.m. The report that the Governor is going home, is authoritatively conti adicted by the Southern , Q ro ss * ffnv Rev. Mr. Sheriffs, the newly appointed Presbyterian Mimsterfor Blenheim, arrived on Saturday last, and commenced his duties on the following day. The moulding shop of Messrs. Price Brothers, engineers, Onehunga, Auckland, has been burnt down. The property destroyed, which included some patterns and tools, was uninsured. We learn that between one and two hundred men of the 18th Royal Irish have claimed their discharge from the Regiment, and intend to remain and settle in this colony. His Lordship the Bishop of Nelson delivered an address to a large number of children in the Provincial Hall, on Monday last. He has since taken his departure for Amuri. The Auckland Star, of tho_ 7th, says “ A special telegram has been received by a leading firm in this city, stating that the long missing ship Matoaka, from Canterbury to London, has turned up, having arrived at home dismasted.” We have to acknowledge the receipt of two bulky tomes of Parliamentary information, being the appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives also the Journal of the Legislative Council for the last session. *

/We understand that the Opawa Bridge is not f yet open for regular traffic, but will be in a few days, as soon as the approaches are completed. In the meantime light traps and similar vehicles are allowed to cross it. A well-known aboriginal native, Roto, who had been in indifferent health for some time, died at the Amuri on Friday, the 4th instant. The body was brought here by boat and interred last Tuesday.—Kaikoura Herald. —A Lodge of Instruction for those in the F.C. degree will be held on Tuesday evening next at S p.m., and fortnightly thereafter. Similar meetings for those in the first degree only will be held on the alternate Tuesday evenings. The average time of the transmission of the mail between New York and San Francisco is seven days, two hours, twenty-three minutes; but it has been frequently done in six days, sixteen hours. The passage-money by the San Francisco route to England will be £4O from Sydney to San Francisco, £lB from that port to New York by the railway, and £l6 from New York to England. This will include victualing for the whole distance. _ The Variety Troupe, assisted by the Blenheim) Brass Band, gave a public entertainment at Picton last Saturday evening, where they had a good house, to whom their performances appeared to give great satisfaction. The “Sarah and Maria” sailed from PofT Underwood for London on Saturday last. In our last issue we published a manifest of her loading. /We regret to hear that another fire occurred to Powick’s, at Tua Marina, on Saturday 'morning last, by which their threshing machine was burnt, besides doing considerable damage. We have not heard the particulars as to the cause of the fire. The “ Ballarat ” clears this day at the Customs, and will sail on Monday next for London. The manifest will appear in our next. We trust to hear in due course of her having had a prosperous voyaare. Captain Allen purposes returning to the Wairau next season. The Bruce Herald is responsible for the following i —“A case of youthful maternity has occurred not a hundred miles from Tokomairiro (Otago). A girl aged only twelve years and three months has become a mother. Both mother and child are doing well.” f Messrs. Canning and Bussell of Hawke’s Bay, have lately imported from England, ten pure Cotswold ewes directly descended from a prize ram that was sold not long ago for 250 guineas. The ewes, which have arrived in capital order, cost £Q 10s. per head in England,

f Messrs. Dodson and Ball’s cutter “ Sandfly”| 'is advertised for Havelock on Thursday next. We understand that she is intended to trade between this and the neighboring ports of Kaikoura, Pelorus, &c., thus affording an opportunity of disposing of Wairau produce in these thriving localities. . .

Register ! Any person wishful to have his name placed on the Electoral Roll, will receive every assistance without expense, on application at the Express Office. It should be borne in mind, that a general Election for the House of Representatives will take place before another opportunity occurs.

Waxrad Rages. We learn that it is intended to resume these races this year at the Spring Creek Farm, and the committee has been already formed as follows :—Messrs. T. Redwood, F. M’Rae, H. Dodson, W. F. Hull, and J. F. Hathaway, stewards; W. H. Eyes, esq., judge; Mr. J. Redwood, starter; Mr. D. Main, clerk of course. We have much pleasure in being able to repoj# favorably of the crops in this district. Harvesting has been in active operation during the past fortnight, and many of our settlers may be said to have the chief part of their grain secured. We hear that the crops are very heavy to the Southward.- Kaikoura Herald.

The Venerable Archdeacon Lloyd left Auckland for England on Monday last. The reverend gentleman has been called away, it appears, by the late Bishop of New Zealand, Dr. Selwyn, who is now in the possession of preferment, for the purpose of occupying a. very high ecclesiastical post in the diocese of Lichfield. — Advertiser,

Auckland telegrams of the sth instant state that the King natives are arming to obstruct the advance of M‘Donnell into the King’s territory in pursuit of Te Kooti. Colonel Frazer has been surprised, and one European killed and five wounded, at Paoangaroa, sixteen miles from Tauranga. We understand that a passenger in the William Cargill has brought out with him an invention for flax-dressing patented in France ; and that it has been proved by actual experiment that Hax as now prepared, further treated by this process, which is not by any means costly, is valued at LTS per ton more than before it had gone through it.— Advertiser. We are exceedingly glad to learn that the agent of the Melita has resolved to offer flax producers an opportunity of shipping their flax at a reasonable rate of freight. Well dressed flax, the conditions of which meets with the approval of the i ship’s surveyors, will be received at £5 per ton [of 20 cwt., with 5 per cent, primagq.—lndependent,

/'Bicycles.—A writer in the Building Times '(Melbourne), treating of the “dynamics of.the bicycle,” gives a theoretical solution of the question “whether, with the same amount of labor, a man can go a greater distance in the same time on a bicycle or a-foot ?” He demonstrates that on a hard level road the advantage is more than two to one in favor of the bicycle, y Txie Auckland Advertiser, of tlq/Sth instant, 3ays : —“Wo have been informed by a gentleman recently arrived from the Marquesas, that the tribes are actively engaged in fighting amongst themselves ; that ammunition, however, is short; but that no European influence is allowed to operate in these internecine quarrels ; and there exists little probability at present of any settlement of the dispute The Melita has now taken on board about IfSiDObalis of^wool—rather less than half her cargo—and her loading is rapidly going on. The bales, when dumped, are secured by lashing made of flax instead of iron hoop—the first occasion, we understand, on which flax has been applied to such a purpose. When taken off the bales, it will, after being combed or hackled, be eligible for any purposes to which flax is applied. — Post. Wairalt AaniciTLTiTRAL Association. —The “fallowing are the Committee of this Association as appointed at the late meeting at Marlborough Town :—H. Redwood, Esq., -President ; Messrs. JT'Redwood, B. Paul, E. Busch, H. Dodson, C. Redwood, G. Graham, G. Storey, Committee; Mr. J. F. Hathaway, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. The subscription is fixed at 10s. per annum. Tiie Kaikfijira-ZZeroZd calls our attention to an omission in a recent paragraph shewing what medical men in this Province were registered under the Medical Act—of a medical gentleman resident in that district, Mr. James Freeman Fletcher, Lie. Soc. Apoth., and M.R.C. London. This gentleman is we find, wrongly described in the medical Register as of Wellington, instead of Kaikoura, hence our error. The following items of news are from the Lyttelton Times of the Bth A telegram rei ceived yesterday from Hokitika states that a rush has set in to the Mackenzie country, gold having been struck on the Pigeon ranges. The wheat crop in the Geraldine district has suffered so seriously from rust that the average yield will be materially reduced. The demand for labom Sin the northern district still continues greatly in excess of the supply, and the high rate of wages offered, which at any other time, would be eagerly accepted, meets with comparatively little response. We are glad to learn that some important itn- S provements at tho boiling-down establishment are now nearly complete, and that Mr. Gooch will soon be ready to commence operations upon a very large number of sheep which, we believe, will begin to arrive shortly. The huge vat has been nearly covered with a coating of felt and canvass, which will doubtless tend very much to economise fuel and facilitate operations. A very important addition to the shed accommodation has been made in the shape of a large lean-to extending along the whole length of the large shed erected some time since ; and the whole establishment would appear to be now in firstrate working order.—Kaikoura Herald. i—OnSSaturday evening last, about past seven o’clock, three stacks of oats, the property of Mr. C. Goulter, near Renwick, were discovered to be in flames. The owner, with his workpeople, hastened to the spot, but nothing could be done to save them, and all their efforts were devoted to the preservation of several stacks of barley at no great distance, which they happily accomplished. The damage done, we regret to say, amounts to about £3OO. No trace as to the origin of the fire has been discovered, but it is surmised to be the work of an incendiary. The stacks continued burning until Monday morning, when there remained in their stead three black mounds of a hard substance resembling the oml clinkers, from a furnace. It is a remarkable circumstance that Mr. Goulter visited the stacks only about half-an-hour before the fire broke ont, when all. was right, and no one in the vicinity.

We regret to learn, from a private letter, that many children have been dying of diarrhoea in Christchurch. — Advertiser. Volunteering. —The firing for District Representatives, by the Blenheim Company of Marlborough Rangers, took place on Wednesday last, which as usual was a very windy under the superintendence of Lieut. Kissling. The following is the score : 400yds. 500yds. 600yds Total.

—Avery and Budge withdrawn. The Spring Creek Volunteers will fire on their own ground at 2 p m this day, Saturday. The Lyttelton Times says Of the prospects of the New Zealand harvest we can now speak with some degree of certainty. Should the weather prove fine for the next six weeks, the largest yield of grain ever gathered in the Colony will have been secured in good order. This will be due, as well to the regular yearly increase in the quantity of laud under cultivation, as to the exceptionally heavy crops which are now waiting the reaper. Speaking generally, the increase in the quantity of land under crop in Canterbury may be estimated at 25,000 acres. Last year there were 33,000 acres of wheat, 27,000 of oats, and 9,000 of barley grown in Canterbury, .which yielded an average of 23 bushels wheat, 21 of oats, and 22 of barley. This year there will be, say 45,000 acres under wheat, 37,000 in oats, and 13,000 in barley, yielding an average, if all goes well, of at least 30 bushels of wheat, 40 of oafs, and 35 of barley. The increase in the production of this year over the last will be 627,000 bushels of wheat, 805,000 bushels oats, and 250,000 bushels of barley. This, it must lie understood, will be in addition to the quantity produced last year.” Queensland Lottery.— The grand drawing of prizes in the lottery in aid of the All Hallows Convent Liquidation Fund commenced in the Hall of the School of Arts, Brisbane, on Tuesday, llth January, and was continued on the Wednesday and Thursday evenings following, in the presence of his Excellency Major Blackall, Governor of Queensland, and a number of leading colonist. The hall was filled With spectators. The prizes—nearly five hundred in number — were exhibited on a platform. The buggy, the principal prize—which fell to the lot of Mr. Joseph Donnelly, of Walleroo, South Australia —was also to be seen in the hall, and was an object of much curiosity. It is a beautifully finished carriage, and cost more than £59, which sura has been offered for it by a gentleman in Brisbane. It appeared that no less than 90,126 tickets had been disposed of in this great lottery, a large number of which had been taken by persons residing in New Zealand, Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales ; but notwithstanding this success, the heavy expense in connection with the undertaking, amounting to some £1,500, will give the Sisters a sum not larger than £2,500. The Prizes will be delivered at the School of Arts, on 15th January, and afterwards on application to the Honorary Secretary, Brisbane. Those living at a distance should forward their tickets through the post addressed as above. Prizes must be claimed within six months from this date.

1 Nelson Horses. —ln the X/orcl Ashley., on the 12nd inst, Mr. Redwood’s horses, Peeress, Economy, Misfortune, and Songstress, returned from Canterbury; as also did Mr. Stafford’s Magenta. The success of the Nelson horses at the Metropolitan Meeting fell short of what might have been expected, but there were reasons why this ’ was the case, as not one of the lot was in good racing condition. Peeress and Misfortune were both suffering from their trip from Melbourne ; Economy and Songstress were but half prepared —the latter was never started—owing to Mr. Redwood’s absence from home. Then also, Magenta, who had been unwell, never got a gallop until three days before the races. As all the horses have now greatly improved, they will run differently in any autumn engagements they may appear in ; indeed the running of Peeress for the Metropolitan Handicap of one mile and a-half, which she won in 2mins. 49 secs., showed a great improvement even during the period of the meeting. From the same steamer was landed at Picton the brood mare whose three-year-old running in Nelson, ten years ago, will be remembered by old turfites. Wetsail was purchased last year by Mr Redwood for £2OO, and has gone to his stud at Spring Creek. A yearling filly, by Malton, accompanied the mare, and a foal by Traducer—the mare being again stinted to the latter horse -Examiner. Amalgamation . —Some of the Borough Councils in Victoria do not, in amalgamating offices, succeed in doing these matters so decorously as is the case with us in Greymouth. The last mail f rings us the following:—A regular “scene” Scoured at the meeting of the Barrabool Shire Council. Some months since the Council deluded to amalgamate the offices of secretary and purveyor, (rather more appropriate than making fa surveyor a wharfinger), and Mr. James Hure 'was appointed the present officer ; Messrs. Elk|ington and M‘William being ignored. Mr. Elk|iugton, however, asserted that he was illegally dismissed as no cause was stated, and a special meeting was called for, to hear a deputation of ratepayers on the subject. This meeting lapsed but an< ordinai’y meeting was held afterwards, when a formal motion dismissing the officers was passed. Mr. Elkington thereupon took up the minute and other books, and refused to give them up stating that, as secretary of the shire, they were in his custody. A long discussion ensued, during which the word “falsehood” and kindred terms were freely bandied, and it was suggested that a constable be called in to turn Mr. Elkington out. He still persisted in sitting at the table, until a proposition was made that Mr. Hopkins, as a justice of the peace, 1 should swear in a special constable, when he removed, and some ordinary business was then ■disposed of, but the books still remain in the hands of Mr. Elkington. Law proceedings will most likely ensue, unless Mr. Elkington altera his present intention of keeping them,— Star.

I Mr, Porrit. —We are informed that Mr. Porritt our schoolmaster, lias accepted the invitation of the inhabitants of the Kaikoura district to become their resident minister of the Church ' of England. We understand that on the return of the Bishop from the southern part of the proj vince, Mr Poritt will be ordained by him, and j shortly afterwards take up his abode at the Kai- / koura Much as the people of Picton will regret I his removal, they will at the same time, we are I sure, be please to ho.a - of Mr. Porritt obtaining \ the position he is about to fill. Press. (The South Australian Register, speaking of New Zealand affairs, says : “If Lord Granville were told to measure the terror and the expense of Fenianism in Ireland by the ratio of O’Donovan Rossa’s followers to the whole population, he might perceive the absurdity of the standard by which he estimates the To Kooti gang, In Australia we know what a single bushranger can do in a sparsely-populated district, and we can imagine how much the danger would be increased by transforming him into a bloodthirsty fanatical savage. Saying to the colonists, as the Times and Earl Granville persistently do, ‘You are nearly 200,000 to 30,000, why dont you fight it out?’ the New Zealand Government might retort on its English bottle-holders, ‘ Yon arc nearly 30,000,0ne to 3,000, why can’t you stamp Fenianism out ?’ ” In distributing the prizes to the scholars of the Nelson Town Schools, a few weeks ago, Mr. Curtis, the Superintendent of Nelson, is reported to have spoken thus : “There is one point to which I must refer, —1 mean the movement that has been made by one religions denomination for introducing the reading of the Holy Scriptures into onr schools. lam willing to admit that this might be attended with much good but for the explanations which must inevitably accompany it, and which of course would be differently given by different persons, thus opening the door to what we have always wished to avoid—doctrinal teaching. lam glad to learn that the town committee have refused to allow it, and 1 hope that, if admitted by the country committees, they will take care to hedge it round in such a way as to prevent it interfering with our present system of secular education.” Te Kooti. —Mr. B D. Danvers, late officer Chatham Island Guard has contributed the followingto the Evening News : Sir, various reports have at different times reached us of the rebel Te Kooti, and many surmises regarding the truth of these reports ; the prevailing opinion being that the body buried at sea off Mohaka in the Napier province was that of the Hauhan leader, and such was my own opinion previous to reading in this morning’s Cross Mr. Firth’s description of the man he held an interview with, in which I cr.n can clearly and distinctly recognise the veritable Te Kooti of the Chatham Islands. The woman also is undoubtedly the widow Martha, to whom he was married by Captain Thomas, as rogistci’ed, in the latter part of 1867. This young woman had accompanied her husband (who was taken prisoner at Te Wairoa, Napier) when sent to the Cbathams, where he died, and she then was taken as wife —after Maori custom—until persuaded by Captain Thomas that they should be married according to the law of tlxc land.” At the Resident Magistrate’s Court Wellington, on February 12, the adjourned case of Owen (as trustee) v. Norgrove—a claim for damage done to goods while being conveyed in defendant’s vessel, the Amateur, to Tcrawiti—was heard, Mr. Brandon appearing for the defendant. Mr. Travers called Mr. Kebbell for the defence, who, on examining a sample of the damaged flour, (on which the claim was principally based), said lie did not think the damage could be so extensive as was alleged—3os. a ton would, he considered, cover it. He did not think it possible that the damp from the green timber could have penetrated to the centre of the bags ; in the case of the Falcon, which sank alongside the wharf, witness had half a ton of flour on board, and, though it was actually under water, yet it was only wet a small distance round the outside of the bags ; had the flour damaged in the Amateur been sifted, the greater portion of it would have been fit for use. Mr. Brandon put some questions to Mr. Kebbel, and it was then proposed by Mr. Travers that either two bags of the flour should he fetched in from Terawiti to be examined, or that Mr. Kebbel and Mr. Laing should go out there aad examine it for the purpose of reporting on its condition. This latter course was agreed to,

and the case was adjourned sine die.—- Post. Fires.— On Saturday last a fire lit in some paddocks, near Eenwicktown, spread to Mr. Adam Jackson’s farm, where it was extinguished, but not until considerable damage had been done to growing crops, fencing, &c. On Tuesday considerable excitement prevailed in Blenheim on the receipt of intelligence that a fire was raging in the vicinity of Messrs. Bliek and Thompson’s farms, on the Eenwick Eoad. A considerable number of people hastened to the spot, when it was found that the fire had started on Mr. Barnes’ property and ran along the fences to Mr. E. Thompson’s, where, fortunately, and by the help of a number of persons from town, it was finally stopped. The stacks were greatly endangered, as the fire ran through the stubble to within a chain of them. Mr. Slick's house had also a marvellous escape, as the fire ran along all the gorse fences around it except one running close by the end of the house. On returning to the main road an alarm was given that the fire had broke out afresh at Mr. Dalziels, and thither hastened most of the party of helpers and found it quite true. It appears that his Honor Mr. Eyes, with several others, were returning from the nomination at Eenwick when the fire reached Mr. Dalziel’s boundary, and they at once set to work and succeeded in extinguishing it. After they had left, however, it broke out again just above a field of grain and several stacks, and when the Blenheim party reached they found it necessary to cut a track through the fern, and light a fire to burn towards the fast approaching flames. Had they been a few minutes latter, nothing could have saved the whole of the crops and homestead from utter destruction. As it is, the damage is comparatively little beyondburning a considerable quantity of fencing. We are requested to tender the hearty thanks of Messrs. Dalziel.and Thompson for the promptitude and zeal displayed by the townspeople in coming to their aid. The fire was stopped at Mr. Thompson’s by chopping out a large gap in one of the fences, 1

A Singular Case. — A case of some importance to employers and employed was heard a few weeks ago before S. L. Muller, Esq., R.M., at Blenheim, which we were obliged to omit at the time through a press of election news. The particulars were these. A man named Both well, a wool-sorter, represented by Mr. Pitt, sued Mr. Lovegrovo, of Flaxhourne and Kekeraugu, through Mr. Nelson, for a sum of £173, reduced to £IOO to bring it under the jurisdiction of the Court, for wages and damages sustained in consequence of their non-payment. The items were as follows Wages as a wool-sorter, £4-8 10s; loss of time, 21 days at £3 a day, £63 ; loss sustained through not being able to accept an engagement with Mr. Parkison, £4l ; travelling expenses, 21 days at £1 day, £2l ; total, £173 10s, From the statement of the plaintiff it appeared that he was engaged as a wool-sorter by Mr. Lovegrovo, under an agreement to sort at Flaxhourne first, and then to proceed to Kekeraugu. On completing the first portion of his contract he applied for payment, and received a cheque on Wellington. Me then went on to Kekeraugu, where he stayed one day, and then absented himself without leave. In his evidence he said he considered £1 a day was little enough to charge for detention. W. 11. Hodson, mailcarrier, deposed that plaintiff gave him the cheque for the purpose of getting it cashed, and he got it discounted at the Bank, but did not pay the money over, because before be had an opportunity of doing so he heard that it was stopped by Mr. Lovegrovo ; therefore he returned the money to the Bank, and received back the cheque. Ho met Bothwell at the Clarence river, but although he had the money with him he declined to give it up to him, telling him what Mr. Lovegrovo said, who had. sent a messenger after him to Kckorangu to tell him it was stopped. He told Bothwell he would give him the money if he would go back to Kekeraugu, but lie would not, and went on to Kaikoura along with him, declining on the ground that ho was going on to Christchurch, ho could do without the money, and would got it some other time. He also threatened to lay an information against witness, who took no notice of the threat, but at his request lent him some money. F. R. Eyes, teller at the Bank, proved the presentation of the cheque and payment of the money. Mr. Nelson showed that the cheque had been stopped until it had been ascertained what amount of damage had resulted from plaintiff leaving his work ; that the Court had already adjudicated on such damages, at which hearing plaintiff’s claim for wages should have boon put in as a setoff He had always acknowledged owing plaintiff £4B 10s., and he added that he had sought to pay the balance due to Bothwell’s attorney, who declined to receive it. G. F. Lovegrovo, the defendant, described the agreement made with {plaintiff, and stated that, relying on his good faith that he would proceed to Kekeraugu and sort the wool there, he gave the cheque on account, fie remained at work one day, and then was missing; did not know he was going away until his dog was missing. Bothwell wrote a letter when he arrived at the Clarence river, in which he said that a person to whom he was going to be married was not likely to live. Witness tben stopped his cheque until he had ascertained the damage he was put to by the present plaintiff staying away. Fortunately witness was enabled to get another sorter soon after, otherwise ho would have had to ship the wool unsorted, in which case the damage would have been much in excess of the cheque so stopped. Ultimately a judgment was given against Bothwell in this Court, £lO 55., and £lB costs. Witnes was not applied to for the balance of the money, but was always ready and willing to pay it, and left it with Mr. Nelson, bis attorney, to pay Bothwell whenever he came for it; Mr. Nelson made enquiry, but could not find anyone authorised to receive the money. Shortly afterwards received a summons for the money, and went to Mr. Humffreys at his office, in Mr. Pitt’s absence. The claim of £3 a day was extortionate. The Bench was at a loss to see why the present case had been brought into Court. Mr. Lovegrove brought his action some time ago against Bothwell, and got judgment against him for the damage occasioned by bis absenting himself from work. He might have refused to pay a farthing on account of the contract, but he left the money with Mr. Nelson with instructions to settle it. ' Bothwell did not appear at the hearing, and gave no authority to receive the £4B 10s,, which had now been increased by expenses by £l2O. It was thus evident that he sought to make the Court a vehicle of extortion, and that ho here an animus against Mr. Lovegrove, whose conduct had been that of an honorable man, willing to pay all that was due to the present plaintiff. The judgment would be for the amount paid into Court, with 10s. costs up to the commencement of the action. The costs of the present action to be paid by the plaintiff, with £8 for defendant’s expenses. Mr. Pitt declined to take the money which had been paid into Court, whereupon Mr. Nelson applied for and was granted immediate execution for the costs allowed his client.

11. Parker 33223 23023 20r00 25 W. Booker 33402 42024 ooooo 24 T. Warner 32332 23000 00r02 22 F. Bush 02223 03323 20000 22 T. Davis 20322 40022 02300 22 J. Rayner 0k300 03303 034r0 19 W. Sliepheard,.. 03622 02030 00300 19 J. Walton 00203 04220 02000 15 Lieut. Kissling 32000 00023 02000 12 W. Macey 00332 002RK 00000 10 ■ Tr'Jaeksoii 22002 20000 00200 10