Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume V, Issue 229, 7 May 1870, Page 4

Local and General News.

Later advices are contained in tlie papers, relating to the tire at Greymouth, which estimote the loss at about £3OOO. Me. George Cotterell (of Nelson) has been giving his entertainments at Christchurch to crowded houses. The Mercui'y understands that Mr. Waterhouse, the proprietor of Huangurua Station, has been offered and accepted a seat in the Legislative Council. The Bruce. .Hero W learns from authentic sources that the Otago Provincial Government chest boasts of something like £25,000 on hand. Mails will close at Blenheim this day at 12 noon for Picton, and per Ahuriri for Nelson, &c. ; and on Tuesday next at 12 noon for Picton, and. per Airedale for Nelson and North. The Auckland Morning Advertiser says that his Excellency Sir George Bowen has purchased the property of Pah Farm, Onehunga, from Mr. Thomas Russell. It cost, some years ago, £12,000. The story is doubtful, though it may be true. Messrs. Seymour, Western, and Co., have now got fairly to work at their new flax-mill, and have just completed a wharf for the purpose of shipping and landing goods at the mill, which, we learn, they will allow the public to use on that side of the river, and will doubtless be found a great convenience. We understand that an important case is to be adjudicated upon before S. L. Muller, Esq., R.M., at Picton, on Thursday next, —H. Pitt v. %

the Circular Saw Company, for detention after issuing a ticket to him. Mr. Pitt will be represented by Mr. Conolly, and Mr. A. Pitt, of Nelson ; and the defence will be conducted by Mr. Pendergast, the Attorney-General. jfiPiRE. — We regret to state thaton Thursday last tjae flax-mill of Mr. Coleman in Grove Road, was entirely consumed by fire directly after the work people had left for dinner. The engine alone was saved from the wreck, being comparatively little injured. A crowd of persona was on the spot immediately, but were unable to render any assistance beyond quenching the embers with water from the river, a service which was cheerfully performed by representatives of all classes. The cause of the fire is believed to be q spark from the engine smouldering in the roof. /T he Races. —We understand that among the liorses to be entered this evening, at the Royal Hotel, are Mr Redwood’s Misfortune and XXX, Mr. Richardson’s Gamester, Mr. Soper’s Ranger, Mr. James Robinson’s Golden Eagle, Mr. W. Robinson’s Flying Buck, and Mr. Ward’s blk. g. the steamer to-day. With horses like these there can be no doubt but that the day’s sport will .be of a first-class description. There is no truth in the report circulated as to the postponement, and the races will come off without fail on Wednesday nekt.’'

In Hokitika it is proposed to levy a Special rate of twopence in the pound on all rateable property, for the maintenance of the Fire Brigade. We are glad to see that for the first time in this Province a Ploughing Match is to take place next Saturday at Spring Creek. The Carandini family are performing in Nelson with great success, and from a telegram received last evening we learn that it is their intention to perform here on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings next. The city editor of the Chicago Post makes the following acknowledgment among his personals : —“The editor of this column acknowledges the reciept this morning, from the authorised source, of a personal item of the masculine persuasion, weighing nine pounds.” The Wanganui Chronicle announces another gold discovery. Gold-bearing quartz has been found by Mr. Rowe near Bull’s in Eangitikei. The finder broke it off a reef which he is willing to shew to any duly accredited officer of the Government.

The following is a classification of the cargo of the Wild Duck, just sailed from Wellington to London: —2105 bales wool, 47G do flax, 275 casks tallow, 327 bullock hides, 46 kegs butter, 29 pkgs leather, 10 pkgs lard, 4 boxes effects, 3 pkgs hair, 1 box old copper, 1 box jams, 1 case paintings, 1 ■ case ferns, 1 case books, 8 kegs grease. Total value, <£‘35,681 8s Bd, Sir George Grey.,—The Home Ifeiea says : “ Sir George Grey, the late Governor of New Zealand, on the 11th February met with a severe accident, near Storey’s Gate, St. James’s Park. A boy was leading a large dog by a chain, when by some means the dog got his chain round Sir George Grey’s legs, and he was thrown violently down on his forehead. He was much shaken, but after half an hour’s rest was able to return home.” | / Reading.—On Monday evening last a Reading * from “Our Mutual Friend ” was given by S. L. Muller, Esq., in the Literary Institute, when about 40 persons were present, who showed their hearty appreciation of the entertainment by repeated plaudits. Mr. Johnson, as VicePresident of the Institute, took the chair, and in introducing the reader for the evening explained the object of the promoters. The Readings are to be continued on alternate Monday evenings during the winter.^-'' The Post says there must be various ways of reading the Hall-cww-Vogel contract, or else New South Wales stands on a different footing to New Zealand in the matter, as a Sydney paper tells us that the Colonies are bound to the present contractors for six months, with the option of making the agreement one for five years. Most people here are under the impression that the boot is on the other foot, and that the option of six months’ notice rests with Hall alone, > Wellington Gossip.—On the beach the talk is that the waters of justice have lately been troubled. One Resident Magistrate to the north has, it seems been sat upon, I mean by a Board, and it is said that certain conduct not quite consonant with the dignity of the Bench, having been proved against him, he is to give place to another R.M. who erstwhile occupied the seat now so worthily filled by our Geological Magistrate. Another of our ex-R. M’s, who has lately filled a higher office, will it is said, soon find his occupation gone owing to the return of gudge Chapman. What he’s to get next ? is the question on the beach. Some people say the premier will arrange with Judge Chapman to retire, other knowing ones say that even so, the Government will not go the length of appointing his present locum tenons his successor, as another legal dignitary has prior claims to the first permanent judgment vacant, although he would not accept a temporary seat on the bench. Another legal official to the southwards is said to have resigned owing to a very benevolent desire to guard the auctioneers he employed from the temptations of too sudden an acquisition of wealth, by kindly consenting to divide commissions with them. Anofh r R.M., who is well-known on the beach, has just been appointed R. M. at Akaroa. This is a very suitable appointment, as there will be nothing to do, and a knowledge of French will be useful in doing it. So they say on the beach, — lndependent. Poetry. —The following smart critique on an heart-rending production recently published in the columns of our contemporary, appears in the Wellington Evening Post: —“ Marlborough has generally been looked upon as a quiet prosaic sort of place—a land of sheep and of cattle, with a slight sprinkling of flax—where the pastoral occupations which engross the attention 1 of the majority of its inhabitants move on in the usual humdrum manner, and nothing breaks the “waveless calm,” except periodical quarrels about that miserable burleque of an office called the Superintendency. But Marlborough has now put forth a claim to higher distinction ; she has produced a poet! Yes, and a bard of lofty aspirations, too. Corporeal fair ones being unworthy of the strains of his magic harp, he has travelled into the realms of fancy to find an object of adoration, and addressed a meeting lay, which advances a considerable distance over the boundary between the sublime and the ridiculous, to the memory of Coralie, the Star of the South. [For the benefit of the uninitiated we may state that this “ Star” is neither a part of the constellation of the Southern Cross, nor the “ lost Pleiad,” but the heroine of a trashy shilling novel in the cayenne pepper and Chili pickle style, extremely popular among bullock drivers.] The following are the first and last stanzas of this “poem”:— “ Coralie ! could my pen but write The notes my muse would fain inspire, ’Twould aid her in her eagle flight To sing with more than mortal fire How thou could’st brave the tyrant’s rage, And in thy country’s cause engage. ; * : * . * .■ ■ * * _ , “ And now, Coralie, fare thee well, And may thy shade in glory rest. While we lament thy,death mayst thou Enjoy the glories of the blest; And he for whom thou gav’st thy life, Like thee be free from mortal strife.” Alas poor Coralie 1 “Ah, had she but an early grave,” this broken hearted swain “might seek and share her narrow bed but, in the meantime, would a dip in the Wairau river do him any good ? We advise some of his friends to try it,”

The Oatnaru Times state that a mangeliirzel root has been exhibited in Oamaru meairing four feet in circumference, and weighing 47>s. Mr. Roberts, of Rangitikei, is going tcommence immediately the planting of fortyjicres of land with flax. Robert Pharazyn, Esq., M.P.C. for 'Vaitotara, has been appointed as commissioner orient for the General Government, to manage ad dispose of the confiscated territory in the fatea district. Captain Deare, of the tug-steamer Desjitch, was fined £lO and costs in the Resident lagistrate’s Court, Greymouth, on the 6th iritant, for neglecting to put mails on board the Gfchenburg on her last trip. > | The Empire Hotel, at Wellington, wit the freehold land on which it is situated, subbet to a mortgage of £2,400 to the Mutual luvesment Society, and another of £I,OOO to Mr. John Martin, was offered for sale by auction oqWednesday last. Mr. Martin offered £IOO, aid no other bid being made the property was knicked down to him at that figure. Mr. Empson has been unfortunate enogh to lose three very valuable horses, in as many weeks, by accidents of a varying description. The first was lost through being tied to thi back of a dray ; the second broke its leg, and lad to be shot; and the third, and most valuable died through eating wheat. Their value was exceed* ing £7O. —"The New Zealand Steam Navigation Conpauy has terminated its inglorious existence. O.i the tenders for their fleet being opened, it was &und that both were below the limit fixed ly the liquidators, and therefore were reject el. A tender by Mr. Krull for the Ladybird oily, at £BSO, was subsequently accepted. It is inderstood that she is to go to Auckland.

One of Fortune’s Freaks. —An old rdiident at Barker’s Creek, in Victioria, has, through the death of a relative, just come into the possesion of propertyat home with a rent-roll, it is repoited, amounting to about £30,000 per annum. To neet the expenses of the voyage, a cheque for £250 was received by him by the last mail; the wife also received a cheque for a handsome sum by tha same mail; and the next evening she was jolly over it in the main street singing “We won’t go home till morning.” # Laxkst Native News. — The following news was received by Mr. Ormond on the night of the 22nd : —Parties of natives are moving about in the neighborhood of Tawaroa and Horimauga (i.e., confines of the Urewera country). Our people at the former place captured three hobbled horses, and found several pots of honey. At Horimauga they came across some native tracks of a party supposed to be about twenty in number. Captain Hair is following them, and he intends scouring well into the Uriwera country. Mr. Ormond has arranged to hold a native meeting at Tapuaeharuru, the outlet of lake Taupo, early next month. The principal Waikato chiefs have expressed an intention to be present, also the principal Arawa and Taupo natives. The Native Minister and Mr. Locke will be there. The New Zealand Commissioners.— The ; Home. News says : —Dr. Peatlxcrston and Mr Bell, although they have been hard at work ever since their arrival, have not made much progress in the objects of their mission. They have been everywhere well received, and have left no stone unturned to serve the colony. They are not sanguine as to their ultimate success with reference to a regiment of the Imperial troops being retained in the colony. Should their request in this matter not be granted, there is no probability of their endeavoring to obtain powers to raise a troop in the island. The Commission appear to have been met by the members of the Government more immmediately connected with the colonies, with the unfailing “non-intervention” policy. A story too good not to bear re-telling is told in connection with this. It is said that when the impolicy of interfering between the Maori and Pakeha population of New Zealand was insisted upon, one of the Commissioners said to a gentleman representing the Government, “If you will not interfere between us and the aborigines of New Zealand : why not apply the same rule to the loyally disposed inhabitants of Ireland and the aborigines of that country ? If the Maoris have a right to a king of New Zealand, why not the Fenians to a similar luxury in Ireland ?” The reply of the official is not recorded. The Commissioner, although they are not likely to succeed in the main objects of the journey, will not return without having produced a wholesome effect upon the interest of the colony notwithstanding. Emigration, postal and passenger communication, the utilisation of the products of the Islands, and many other kindred mattters have engaged their attention, and the result cannot fail to be for good.