Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume V, Issue 235, 11 June 1870, Page 3

Local and General News.

Intelligence was received on "Wednesday of the total wreck of the Ruby at Kaikoura. No lives lost. Vessel insured. _ There has been a slight fresh in the Taylor and Omaka rivers this week, caused by over two days’ rain and heavy south-east weather. No damage has resulted, No less than 209 kegs of butter was landed at the Grey recently by the Kennedy. Probably more in one bottom than has reached Greymouth for many months past. A lad named Biggs at Wellington, has had his jaw smashed by the kick of a horse, standing in the road, which he struck in mischief. At a meeting of the Christchurch City Council, on Monday last, the Mayor stated that the assessment amounted to £16,775 10s, and a rate at one shilling in the pound would yield £4239 5s 6d. A stationer named Dale has been committed at Greymouth for a libel on the Mayor of that town. The libel arose out of a letter which was refused publication in one of the local papers. Sudden Death.—A young servant girl named Urquahart at Wellington, apparent in perfect health went out for a walk returning in two hours after, she sat down and expired. The verdict was “ Died from Natural Causes.” Rumours are rife at Timaru of the discovery of alluvial diggings in that neighborhood, capable of giving employment to 10,000 men. The gold is alleged to be pretty evenly dispersedand to every pan of earth, there was a proportion, able quantity of gold, sufficient to yield handsome wages to the diggers. The locality is kept a secret at present. An Auckland paper says, larger quantities of Kauri gum are now being brought to Auckland than were ever brought before. The reason of this is, that a great number of persons failing to find employment at the Thames are now gum digging. In Dunedin a poll or plebiscite of the ratepayers is being taken on the gas question as follows :—l. Are you in favor of building new gas works ? 2. Are you in favor of purchasing the present gas works, if obtainable, at the cost of £22,000 ? 3. Are you in favor of a continuance of the present system ? This is the result after a long agitation and much expense incurred. Some 400 odd voted, leaving the case much as it was. Resident Magistrate’s Court. —On Monday last, Daniell Murphy was brought before S. L. Muller, Esq., R.M. charged with furious riding in the streets of the Borough on Sunday week previous, when driving horses to the pound. Fined £2 with 235. costs. Lawrence v. W, and IS Robinson, Spring Creek, judgment £2B 18s Bd. with £4 9s. costs. Nosworthy v. Barton, judgment for plaintiff, £4 13s. with 255. costs. John Kiernan, charged with* stealing sheep belonging to C- P. Watts, Esq. at Wairau Valley, was re-. manded to Monday next.

Advice to Exclusives.—At a public ball in Berlin lately, the Crown Prince of Prussia found himself next to Mr. X., the Court Tailor. “What do you think of the Ball ?” asked the Prince in the most affable manner. “H—m, pretty well, but a leetle mixed,” was the reply. “ My dear Sir, said the Crown Prince, “what would you have, you can’t expect us all to be tailors. ” The Nelson Provincial Council recently passed a new Executive Ordinance, under which there will be, for the first time in the history of the Province, something like responsible Government. Mr Luckie was “sent for,” after the passing of the Ordinance ; and he, declining himself to take office, formed the following Executive, the names of the members of which were communicated to the Council, by Message, yesterday evening :—Mr Alfred Greenfield, Secretary ; Mr. Henry Adams, Solicitor; Mr Shepherd, Treasurer; Mr Alexander Reid, Gold Fields Representative. — Post. The Wanganui Chronicle gives as a rumour amongst the Maori constituency that there will be a keenly contested election for the seat in the House of Representatives for the Southern District. The present member, Mete Kingi, would never have been elected had the nomination taken place anywhere but at Wanganui. The more enlightened of the natives, particularly amongst the Ngatiapa and Ngatiraukawa tribes are very much ashamed of their representative, more particularly on account of his begging habits amongst members of the House when attending his parliamentary duties. This peculiar propensity is a special failing of his. The seat is likely to be contested by Topia, Wi Tako, the present number, and, if solicited, Kepa Tako is most likely to be elected. We ( Herald) have been informed that Mr. T. Armstrong has invented a plan by which he is able to weld cast iron, a thing that many have pronounced impossible. It was first tried on some iron work belonging to some cart harness in Mr. Potto’s possession, and answered admirably ; he next repaired a cast iron handle belonging to Mr. H. B. Roberts, and, on being severely tested, broke in a different place to that which had been repaired, thus proving without a doubt that his plan was good. We have not heard how he accomplishes it, and no doubt he will keep it strictly to himself. It does not, he says, take a quarter the time to do a job of that sort, as the old plan of repairing cast iron, and is far stronger.

/ Literary Institute. —On Tuesdayevening Mr C. J. Rae gave a very interesting lecture on “The Life and Poetry of Barns,” illustrated by numerous specimens. After some introductory remarks, showing that a man was no prophet in his own country, he reviewed the poet’s early career, showing his genius and patriotism, and declared him to be peculiarly the poet of the people ; his works bore a favorable comparison with Crabbe and Eliza Cook. After showing the advantages to be derived from a study of the Scottish dialect, the lecturer entered into a defence of the poet’s character, and claimed that the drinking habits' and religious intolerance of the period in which he lived should be taken into account in judging him. The audience was not numerous, owing to the rain, but those present listened very attentively, and rewarded him at the close with plaudits of admiration. Mr Johnson occupied the chair, and announced that 50 volumes had that day been added to the library. The next entertainment will take place on the 21st inst. /

Boundless Audacity. —The Wanganui Herald says :—“ An instance of boundless audacity has come under our notice, and we give it to the public as a nut for the Trade Protection Society to crack. A person well known in Wanganui by the name of Constantine Braithwaite, called at our office yesterday accompanied by a lawyer’s clerk, when the latter asked to be paid the sum of 12s 6d. We may explain that Braithwaite has lately become a bankrupt, his stock and plant at the time being covered with two bills of sale. We were creditors to the “estate” to the amount of £lB, which we had resignedly given up in toto Well, the clerk explained that Braithwaite had sold his debts before becoming bankrupt to a gentleman in Christchurch, that the deed was properly stamped, and that the 12s fid would have to be paid. This bankrupt therefore got rid of his property by bills of sale, and sold his debts, selling with them, of course, nearly the whole of his creditors. We refused to pay, and are prepared, if payment be insisted upon, to test the legality of the sale of the debts. We can only say that if selling debts before coming bankrupt is not fraud, then every dictionary in existence ought to be burnt by some modern Attilla, whose bibliomania would be not only pardonable but justifiable.” Direct Imports to the Wairau are to be the order of the day very shortly. A circular before us announces that an enterprising Wellington firm, Messrs. W. and G. Turnbull, has made arrangements through their London agents, Messrs. 'Duncan and Co., East India Avenue, Leadeuhall-street, to charter and place on the berth for Wellington one vessel of a superior class every three months, and oftenei should inducement offer. The rate of freight is to be extremely moderate, and merely sufficient to clear expenses, in order to ensure a sufficient measure of support needful to the success of the undertaking. By an arrangement with Mr Dodson, and the owner of the Falcon, goods will be received at through rates for Blenheim and the Wairau. Some schemes have been unsuccessfully attempted, and many others proposed, for obtaining direct Imports, but none have appeared at all feasible compared with the spirited project before us. It therefore deserves the public countenance and support, and we would advise our friends to make the requisite enquiries, and if satisfied, they can all assist in the enterprise by instructing their London agents to reserve any freights for this line of vessels, the first of which is to be laid on the berth about the middle of August next. They will thus not only be reaping considerable advantages themselves, but contributing to the common weal by enabling the Customs duties to be paid in our own Province. We may add that the return ships will re-load for home with wool from Port Underwood and Wellington respectively, as may be found necessary, which will again be a convenience to the sheepfarmora.

The Dunedin Eceaing Star says :—Mr M ‘Aslan in his estimate of the assets of the province, sets down the value of the salmon at £5053. Of those delicious fish there were nine only that could be considered provincial property, and it is currently reported that Mr. Dawbin, the curator at the salmon ponds, previous to leaving the Waiwera, caught the nine salmon and cooked them for breakfast. Mr. Main very pertinently asked the Secretary for Land and Works if he had reported to the Government as to their flavour. Judge Ward. —The Daily Times gives the following particulars of the appointment of Mr. Justice Ward, referred to in a recent telegram His Honor Mr. Justice Ward is about to leave Dunedin, having been appointed to the District Judgeship of Hokitika in the room of Mr. Clarke, who has recently been allowed to resign. We are sure that Mr. Ward’s departure will be much regretted by the public, the administration of justice during his term of office having been admittedly able and impartial. As some misapprehension appears to have arisen with respect to a memorial praying for the appointment of a second judge of the Supreme Court, wo take this opportunity of stating the facts. The memorial alluded to, which was presented to Mr. Fox during his recent visit to Dunedin, was to the following effect- That the two sittings of the Appeal Court, the Southland Circuits, and the proposed sessions of the Supreme Court at Oamaru, would probably cause the Judge for this Judicial district to be absent in future from Dunedin for about four months in the year ; that such absence would cause serious inconvenience to the public ; that the work of the Supreme Court here largely exceeded that of any other distric, while that of the District Court was comparatively small; andthat it would consequently be a great convenience to suitors, at a very slight additional expense to the Colony, if the district Judge were created Assistant Judge to the Supreme Court, of course performing his present duties also. No names were mentioned. Mi-. Ward gave it as is opinion that Mr. Wilson Gray was entitled to the first offer ; but Mr. Gray declined to have anything to do with the Supreme Court. Several other offices were offered to him by Mr Fox, but he declined them. However, he expressed his willingness to Mr. Ward to resign his office in ordea that the proposed scheme might be carried out; but Mr. Ward decliued to accept the proposal as unfair to Mr. Gray. This put an end to the negotiations ; and as the District Judges at Hokitika shortly afterwards became vacant, the appointment was offerred to Mr, Ward, as we have already stated.