Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume VII, Issue 460, 28 December 1872, Page 5

Local and General News.

At New Plyn,'oath, a few days ago, a lad received a sunstroke while bathing. Thk farmers of Taranaki have held a very successful agricultural show at Bell Block. The date for the Wanganui races has been altered to the 12th and 13th February. We are requested to call attention to a Sale this day at Dodson, Fell & Co.’s yards, of a mob of really serviceable Cattle. It is understood that Madame Caraudiui and three talented daughters will pay .New Zealand another visit early next year. The Melbourne City Council have voted £122,500 for public buildings, such as a new market, hide and skin market, and cattle and horse markets. Dr Cakr has been requested to give another Seance, when several well-known gentlemen have promised to have their heads examined. Thk Wanganui Jockey Club, it is said propose holding a meeting for the purpose of disqualifying Peeress from running on the Wanganui course. There was a pretty smart shock of an earthquake about 5.25 a.m. on Thursday. We hear that it was also felt at Picton. A puivate telegram received here 3resterday records the death of Mr John Haycock, of Kaikoura, by being thrown from bis horse. We learn that Master Charles Fabian, the Blenheim messenger, is promoted as a cadet to the Havelock Telegraph Station, under Mr Whitehorn, We hope to hear of his further progress iii due course. A neighbour of ours has for some time missed a large quantity of wool from his yard, which wool has been abstracted during the night. For some time our friend has been puzzled to know how to catch the thief. We believe that now, however, he has hit upon a most ingenious scheme, and that when the vagabond comes again there is little doubt but he will be caught. Of course there is a little mystery in the matter, but if successful in this instance, it will doubtless be extensively adopted with regard to the petty thieves who scour the town at nights stealing firewood.

We learn that the hull of the barque Hera, now lying at- Port Underwood, has been purchased by Messrs H. Edward and Co. It is intended, we believe, to reduce the original size of the hull considerably, by cutting it down, and afterwards rig the vessel out as a three-masted schooner. She will then be a most serviceable vessel, and well adapted, from her size and tonnage, to suit the Mauritius or Eastern trade for which we understood she is intended by her owners.— Colonist. A Gallant Rescue—On Friday morning (yesterday) about half-past eleven, an alarm was given that a little boy had fallen from the Picton Wharf into the sea. The child was about nine yesrs of age, a son of Mr T. Webster, butcher. On hearing the alarm, Mr T. Walton, formerly a member of the 8.V.F.8., who Is now living at the Ship Hotel, Picton, ran down to the pier, and without waiting to strip, plunged in, and just succeeded in reaching the little fellow before he sank for the last time, A boat was quickly launched to aid in the ' rescue, and as soon as the child was safe in the boat, Walton swam for his hat, evidently determined hot to do the thing by halves. We need scarcely add that he landed amid the ringing cheers of the assembled crowd.

Dr Carp, the celebrated mesmerist is at present exercising Ms abilities on the good people of Nelson. If, as we have always supposed, the mesmerist’s art is to induce a speciesof trance or coma, it might have been imagined that this was impossible in Nelson, and, if possible, it would seem to be nothing more than a piling on of the agony. —Greymouth Star. Accident ok the Punt.—On Thuisday last an accident occurred at Goulaud’s Ferry, which, but for the fact of there being plenty of help at hand, might have been attended with far more serious results. A horse and spring cart loaded with drapery and other light goods were on the punt crossing the river, when suddenly the animal commenced backing, and before he conld be stopped the cart and its contents were in deep water, and the horse was barely saved by cutting the harness. A pole or bar is usually placed across the end of the punt, but whether this was omitted or the bar was broken we could not discover. The cart and its contents were fortunately saved, but the goods were certainly not improved by the immersion. The Railway. —We learn that his Honor Mr Seymour has succeeded in his negotiations as well with regard to the Wairau Bridge as he did in the matter of the Railway Extension, and increase of the vote by .■£‘4(5,000. The bridge over the Wairau is to be made sufficiently wide to allow of its being used as a cart bridge, and thus the difficulties and dangers of the present ferry will be done away with we trust for ever. iWe quite believe that the fact that people have to cross it at present prevents a large amount of traffic and intercourse between the two towns. Mr Seymour is not a whit less restless in respect of making the railway perfect and everything to be wished for, than he was for many years whilst working for its advent. The works along the line are progressing very perceptibly to the eye of the occasional passer by, and the number of men employed is constantly on the increase. We learn that the number of laborers at work at the present time is 108, exclusive of gangers and artizans in other trades. Annual Sports at Gouland’s Ferry. —Notwithstanding the intense heat of the weather, and the dust on the roads, there was a goodly muster of pleasure seekers at Gouland’s Ferry on Boxing-day, and some very good racing came off. The Trotting Match was the first event in the programme, and was well contested, being won by Mr W. Tait 1, and Rori 2-. The •Steeple-chase over nine hurdles was the next; there were five entries, and after a spirited race the results were Mr Emerson’s Wild Boy 1, Mr Hart’s 2. The Tilting Match, for which there were seven entries, was won by Mr John Kennedy 1, Page 2. For the U Mile Racs there were six entries, Mr Emerson’s Wild Boy coming in again a good first, and Mr Hart second. The Abyssinian Race did not come off. but a private Match between Mr Emerson’s Wild Boy and Mr Budsie’s Rollo supplied its place, in which the Wild Boy won at a canter. The Mile Race for Hacks, in which the winner of the previous race was not allowed to start, was won by Mr Emerson’s bay mare Maori ; Rori’s horse 2nd. A return of the minor sports it was somewhat difficult to get, as the Stewards of the course were tremendously busy, and our reporter was not possessed of the gift of übiquity. Throwing the Hammer was well contested, Mr John Murphy being the winner. The extraordinary feat of Running a quarter of a mile, Riding the same distance, Pulling a Boat a quarter of a mile, AValking and Hopping each a quarter of a mile, and finally Swimming a hundred yards, in a quarter of an hour, was also performed, or we should rather say nearly performed, the match being lost by only fifteen seconds. This was attributed to the fact of the boat having swung round to the current, which caused a slight delay. The public were, however, so well pleased with the manly way in which the several tasks were performed, that a purse of four sovereigns was subscribed on the ground, and presented to the performer of the feat. Dr Carrs Lkctures.—On Tuesday evening and again on Boxing night Hr Carr lectured to large and delighted audiences. The phrenological portion of Ms lecture, especially on Thursday evening, was listened to with marked attention ; on the latter occasion some ten or twelve persons, nearly the whole of whom were well known to the audience and to ourselves, mounted the stage for the purpose of having their craniums examined and their characters described.' The doubts of the most sceptical as to the truth of phrenology as a science, if there were any such in the hall, must, we think, have been thoroughly shaken, the characters generally being most accurately drawn. The mesmeric portion of the lecture was, however, almost beyond description; out of nine volunteers the Doctor found about six or seven subjects, over whom he exercised Ms weird like influence with remarkable skill; we of course forbear to mention names, but the manner in which some of our sober and respectable citizens denuded themselves of coat and vest, and stamped on them to extinguish imaginary flames, was literally overpowering. The audience fairly screamed with laughter. The extraordinary power of the operator was displayed repeatedly in making men do that which under their ordinary condition would be almost, if not positively repugnant to them. Let onr readers imagine a gentleman remarkable for cleanliness of person and an almost fastidious neatness and delicacy of taste, decorating bis button hole with a decayed cabbage leaf, inhaling its questionable fragrance as a dainty 'flower, and then hurling away bis cabbage-rose with evident horror on being restored from his mesmeric coma, amidst roars of laughter from all parts of the house. Then we had an instrumental trio, performed on imaginary instruments, which even could they have emitted any sound, would certainly not have been heard amidst the rounds of laughter and applause, evoked by the ludicrous scene. Nitrous oxide was also inhaled by several persons, the Doctor himself among the rest, exemplifying its power in rendering the nerves insensible to pain. The entertainment was kept up -with unflagging interest until past eleven o’clock. The seance was repeated again last evening.

The walls of the Auckland Provincial Council are to be decorated with a number of photographs of New Zealand scenery. Chiahxki’s Circus Company intend to astonish the natives. In Auckland they have erected a hippodrome capable of seating 2,500 persons. Mr. W. S. Graham; of the National Bank of New Zealand, arrived by the Claud Hamilton. We understand that the head quarters of the Bank will be in Wellington.--: Post. Referring to affidavits, the Wanganui Chronicle says that “ articles of this description can be obtained here in any quantity, and at any price ; in fact, the market just now is completely glutted with them.” A splendid block of coal, measuring about three cubic feet, has been obtained from the Ngakawha mine, to send to the Christchurch Exhibition. Two specimens from Mount Rochfort, and one from Coal Creek, will also be fpi’warded by the Westport Committee. The rose seems to attain its greatest perfection in South India and Ceylon. A monster rose tree now grows on the Oragalla estate in Ceylon, which is declared eighty feet in circumference, fifteen feet high, and to be covered with at least 2,000 roses. The Southern Cross says : —“ The ship City of Auckland will be the hearer of 25 tons of Taranaki iron sand, which is, wo believe, the first large shipment made from this port. It is intended by the exporter of the present lot to make regular monthly shipments of about 100 tons.” The extent of cleared land under crop in Grey Valley, on the West Coast, this year is • estimated to be one thousand acres. The greatest breadth of land is sown with oats, which will form the chief harvest. The potato crop is proportionately large, and if the season is ordinarily clement the yield will be enormous. Every, possible mischance seems to be happenin'! to assist incompetency in staying the tide (if immigration to this colony. Information was received yesterday that the Glenlora, now 136 days out, had put in, dismasted, to the Mauritius, but that the passengers and crew were all right. She is an iron ship classed double A. 1, and was consigned to Messrs Levin & Co. She has on board CO immigrants.— Pont. Maoris Engaging Dancing Masters. —Karaitiana Takamoana, we {Hawke’* Bay Herald) hear, has engaged the services of two gentlemen belonging to the hand of the Napier Rifle Volunteers, Mess’ s Collins and Skelton, who are to go out to Pokowhai three times a week and instruct the aboriginal young ladies and gentlemen how to do the light fantastic in a correct and graceful manner, as also to supply the indispensable music. i Referring to Mr BrOgden’s experiment -of employing Chinamen as navvies on the Tuapska Railway, the Tuapcka Times says The Celestials employed on the Clntha Railway have conclusively proved themselves not to be worth half the wages of Caucasian navvies, and consequently received a. pressing invitation to leave the works, which they felt obliged to accept. The late Colonial Treasurer of Tasmania, in a speech made by him in a debate which resulted in the Ministry of which he was a member being turned out, said ; —“ I feel that I had, speaking as a cricketer, a long innings. I have never been bowled out, stumped out, caught out or rim out ; but I believe the umpire has given a verdict against me—a verdict attributable^to the misrepresentation of facts, and I shall accept it as such.” The road from Opotiki to Poverty Bay will open up some splendid country—fertile valleys, with a fair amount of bush and water, subdivided in the line of mute by small ranges, in every way suitable for settlement. The most favoured spots are Tapora, Wliitikau, Waipn, Motu valleys. The latter named is about 35 miles from Opotiki, 30 miles in length, and 3 miles wide. It is described by Captain Wimpson as really excellent laud.— Auckland Star.

The Auckland Herald, speaking of the action of the Provincial Council, says :—“ The interim report of the Local Industries Committee, recommending tire payment of the bonus of £4OO, for the export of fifty tons of cured fish, was adopted without debate. It has been claimed by Messrs Perston and M’Leod ; and after taking evidence, the committee unanimously recognised their right to the bonus. It is satisfactory to liud that this vote, which stood for almost two years unclaimed, is now about to be awarded,"

We are pleased to hear that Sir George Grey lias very kindly given permission for Sir George Grey’s Cadets to encamp on liis beautiful island (Kawau) the first week of the new year. All the necessary arrangements for providing the corps with sufficient canvas, rations, and an abundance of amusement have been made, and we hope that nothing will prevent the parents and employers of the boys from giving their consent, It is intended to go through a complete system of drill and duty, including mounti ig and relieving guards. Sentries will be placed during the day, and every precaution, will be taken to prevent accidents, —Auckland Star. Prosperity- in Canterbury.—The following is an extract from the Provincial Treasurer of Canterbury’s statement made in the Council a few days since:—"lam glad to be able to state that, on the termination of pur financial year, the 30th September, the cash balance of the Bank was £145,210 11s Bcl, and our liabilities to the General Government on ordinary account amounted to some £36 odd ; and, as I said before, the receipts from onr land fund have not fallen oft’ since that period, but, on the contrary, they have rather increased ; so that I can state on this day we have cash at bur banka: s amounting to £186,517. The total estimated receipts into the Treasury for the current year will be £007,969 2s 3d, an amount of money which may well make hon. members seriously reflect, how, having so large a sura at our disport’, it may be hest disbursed with advantage Jo the whole Province,”

The re-survey of the Poxhill Railway has commenced.

The Members of the Picton Church held a meeting on Wednesday last, when certain matters were brought forward for consideration. Amongst others was a suggestion conveyed in a letter from the Bishop of. the Diocese, in which was urged ?the desirability of members of the church registering their names, to prevent any attempt of new members without status overthrowing or preventing the carrying out the designs of those who have proved their interest in the church by registration or long residence. This subject gave rise to a considerable amount of discussion, but the meeting separated without arriving at a decision on the matter. It was decided that after Easter the hymn-books now in use should be discarded, and that Hymns Ancient and Modern be substituted. This is a step in the right direction, as the hymns about to be used "have been selected with the greatest care and judgment, and form altogether one of the choicest Church Psalters that has ever been in use.— Press.

The most flagrant example of sponging on the Colony which has come under my notice for some time I saw to-day on the arrival of the Luna from Napier and the East Coast. Among the passengers were the Hon Mr and Mrs Tollemacbe. This worthy couple, probably the richest in New Zealand, never travel at their own expense, but alwaps contrive to do it at yours, mine, and other taxpayers. Why the Government allow it I don tfenow. The couple have no possible claim on the Colony for free passages, and yet within the past few months they have repeatedly travelled from end to end of the Island in the Government steamer. There is no fear of their stopping this practice of their own accord.- Perhaps, however, they may bo shamed out of such meanness.— Wanganui Herald.

Warden’s Court. — A sitting of this Court was held in Picton, on Dec. 23, before W, Whitehorn, Esq., E.M., Warden, to hear objections against the granting of a lease to Greenlaw and party of certain ground supposed to be auriferous, situated about six miles from Picton, at a place known as Maori Point, on the boundary of a run occupied by Captain Kenny. Ashworth and Dryden, who were the objectors, set forth the grounds of their objections under seven heads ; and Mr Ashworth, who appeared to conduct the case, gave evidence upon each point. The Syidence was very voluminous, and was carefully weighed by the Warden, who stated that he had only to send the result of the enquiry to the superintendent, who would issue or withhold the lease. Judging from the evidence he had heard, the Warden stated that he could not see that the objectors had made a sufficiently strong case for him to advise the Superintendent to keep hack the lease from the applicants. This was tantamount to a judgment against the objectors, who were ordered to pay coats, amounting to £2 10s. The Masters and Servants Act.— A writer in the Southern Crow says I think fanners ought to know, and farm servants, male and female, ought to be made to understand, that there is a Masters and Servants Act in force in New Zealand, by which servants are not permitted to do just as they please with impunity. I notice that Mr Clapcott, an extensive farmer near Dunedin, a few days back, brought the law to bear upon one of his servants. The man h.ul gone away on leave, promising to be back the next morning in time to milk the cows. He did not return according to his agreement, when Mr Clapcott procured a warrant. The man was arrested, and the Bench sentenced him to the mitigated punishment of one week’s imprisonment with hard labour, and to have £1 deducted from the wages due to him. I have read the statute. It is one under George 111., and is still unrepealed. It has been acted on on several occasions both in Nelson and Marlborough. A regularly engaged farm or labouring servant is subject to three mouths’ imprisonment and the forfeiture of the whole of Ids wages at the discretion of Justices, for the following offences For being absent from his employer’s place without leave ; for insolence to his master; and for wilful waste or destruction of property. Now, I am continually hearing from employers the trouble they have to submit to by servants breaking their engagements whenever it may happen to suit them; as well as the loss sustained by their waste and destruction of produce, implements, and utensils. Men are under the impression that they can commit any irregularity without the law being able to touch them. I hope, after this, masters will show them their mistake. One or two severe examples would, I believe, bo productive of ,a large amount of good. Reward of Patriotism.—Ah Otago conterap.orc.ry says:—“lb is seldom that selfsacrifice for the public is recognised in any shape. Notably ‘the public’ are ungrateful. IVho would have believed that Mr Mervyn, M.P.C., would have been rewarded with a colored crown as a recognition of his services ; yet true it is ho has been, and sad .as true ; he stands a monument to warn ambitious cockatooes. Why or wherefore let Roxburgh tell: but on Mervyn’s arrival there he was entrapped into an opposition camp. Wo utterly condemn the use of tar and feathers. They arc nasty, sticky companions—too close by half ; but tar and feathers were deliberately provided and devised to greet Mr Mervyn on his return from Wellington. We do not know how he escaped, unless it be that the genius'of Roxburgh, scorning the past, devised a new and more enduring mark of disapprobation. Let Roxburgh tell who struck out the thought and who carried it into execution ; but Mr Mervyn was not only taken to task for his approval of the sale of2o,oooacres of land to Messrs Cargill and Anderson, but a mark was set upon his crown as Cainis upon his forehead. It was wicked, very wicked, very wicked of the Roxburgh genius. Mr Mervyn pressed by argument and heated by contention, laid down his hat, and immediately a phial <sf Jndaon’s dye was, emptied in it, which, on placing the covering on the block, converted the wool or hair into a beautiful mauve color. We are told that the pillow at the inn where he slept has not yet been restored to its natural hue; but day by day he is reminded of the strength of Roxlmrghian condemnation, and of the slow restoration to its normal condition by the very gradual outgrowth of natgreover-govern* ng Jud,eon’s dye,

The matrimonial market is said to be very brisk just now in Wanganui, and the fact has created a sensation in Taranaki, where, according to reliable accounts, there are 300 3'oung ladies, all highly eligible and anxious to change their .state. — Post.

The Marriage with a Deceased Wife’s Sister Bill has passed both Houses of the Victorian Parliament, the Upper without a division. This union is therefore now legal in two of the Australian colonies—South Australia and Victoria.

It transpires that Mr Brogden, while in Melbourne, previous to his departure* for England, made an offer to the Victorian Government to lay a cable between that colony and New Zealand.

The Wanganui Herald of the 17th says : —We are informed that an action for heavy damages has been instituted against Mr T. F. M'Donogh, travelling lecturer on behalf of the Government Life Assurance scheme, by the Australian Mutual Provident Society. The action has arisen in consequence of statements made by Mr M'Donogh in a lecture delivered at Nelson. [A letter in the Independent from Mr M'Donogh contradicts this statement.] Singular Accident.— The Queenstown correspondent of the Cromwell Argus writes : “ Mr Thomas Brown, sheep-owner, living on the 25-Mile Lake, while tailing lambs, happened to place the hilt of the knife between his teeth. A ewe jerked her head up, and forced the knife down Mr Brown’s throat. After the knife was extracted, he went about his ordinary work, apparently none the worse ; but on the following night he became speechless, and until the moment he died appeared to have lost his senses. After he was conveyed to Queenstown, he was seized with paralysis of the one side, and died on the fourth night. The fact that he was supporting a widowed sister and her children, renders the case still more distressing.” Coming Immigrants Ships.— The Wellington Independent publishes the following list of ships despatched by the Agent-General from the United Kingdom and the Continent of Europe, up to the latest advices :

There is a report about that Picton will shortly be able to boast of a commodious and comfortable Theatre, Messrs Freeland and Leary being about to erect such a building. An advertisement in another column gives confirmation to the rumour, as Mr Freeland is calling for tenders for the erection of a building 80 feet by 30 feet. There is at present no room in the town sufficiently large for public purposes, either to hold public amusements in or for meetings ; and should the projectors of the proposed building carry out their intention, there is every prospect that the venture will bo a successful one.— Press. A Master Mason, writing to the Southern Cross on the counter allegations regarding Mr Frcer’s renounciatiou of Masonry, says:— “As a Mason I may inform the Lev. Father Norris that it is imvossible Jor any one once made a Mason to renounce the Craft. He may resign his lodge. He may declare his intention never to enter any lodge so long as he lives. He may be excluded for certain reasons from ever entering a Freemason’s Lodge, but he still is, and will be to the last day of his life, a Mason. The initial secrets he learned at his entrance, and the secrets of the several degrees he has been invested with, are buried deep in bis bosom ; and no renunciation, no promise of absolution which may be tendered, will ever cause him to divulge the secrets which have been entrusted to him.” A Sensation. — There is a heathen Chinee in New York of whose sensational feats, as they will probably be repeated in admiring Europe, we may retail tbe description. He opened his exhibition with the “Supper of Hades,” in which he placed in his mouth with a fork the blazing cinders of sundry combined chemicals, which, being on the point of exhaustion, lost their heat and collapsed at a puff of the breath upon entering.. He appeared to swallow them, and then drank a glass of red liquor. After this smoke and sparks issued from his mouth. He then, in illustration of the “Magic Bouquet,” chewed cotton-wool, and pulled from his mouth many yards of paper ribbon. Holding these in a bunch, he drew from them artificial flowers, which he threw among the audience. Finally he pulled from the bunch a brown gutta-percha or india-rubber tube, seven feet long, and shaped like a candle. At the end of this a small taper was inserted as the tube arose, which kindled fireworks, aud the caudle then retired in a blaze of spluttering glory. This was styled the “Pyrotechnic Column.” The next feat was that of swallowing an egg. It was veritably accomplished, as the muscles in the man’s throat showed astheeggsubsided. Alighted caudle was subsequently placed in the mouth to show that the egg did not lurk there. It however, wa's butpartiallyswallowed. Alittlemuscular action'of the threat, accompauiedforeffectbyapressure of the stomach, brought it again to view. It was taken in tbe hand and broken, that the flowing yold might prove its nature. Ling Look’s next and last performance was the insertion down his throat of a sword nearly three feet long. It was narrow, straight, roundedatthepoint, and smooth at the corners. It was gradually and circumspectly pushed down into the stomach, and then withdrawn and wiped. When again inserted, a cannon ball, with a hole in it, was placed upon the projecting point of the handle, which drove it to the same depth as before. On a third insertiou, a small musket, with a hole in the stock, was placed on the handle, and fired by means of a string attache! to the trigger. It may be remarked, that during., tlie latter operation, the sword desceudedto but little more than its length,

A movement has been started to establish an inebriate asylum in Sydney. On Saturday night a large quantity of, cut firewood, amounting to about 250 cords, was destroyed by fire. It was surmised that the wood, which belonged to the railway contractors was wilfully set on fire ; but as a bush fire was raging nearly the whole of last week in the immediate vicinity of the wood piles, it is only charitable to suppose that the, damage was accidentally caused.— Press. Nominations for the Ellerslie Handicap.—The following are the nominations of the Ellerslie Handicap Alexander Sutherland's bk g Maori Weed, C yrs, by Dainty Ariel (dam unknown). Isaac Gwynne’s b g Flying Jib, aged, by Leotard; dam. Wet Sail. H. Redwood, jun.’s ch f Malvina, 3 yrs. Thomas Patou's bk m Marcella, 6 yrs, by Potentate ; dam, Blink Bonny. W. Walter’s b m Yatterina, aged. Others are expected from the South. San Fkancisco Mail.—The Australian line is organised into a regular corporation under the laws of New York. The whole capital, 2,000,000 dollars, taken by seven gentlemen. New York and California directors : New York ---Webb, Wood, Lowry. California —Loyd, Lewis, Vice-President Mills, and Butterworth. The line is expected to be a great success. The Californian papers consider a subsidy certain.— Cardinal Amat, Vice-Chancellor of the Roman Catholic Church, is dead. —Large subscriptions are being raised for the relief of the sufferers by the Italian floods. —Bazaine is not expected to live through his trial. —A riot occurred at Exeter, caused by some persons attempting to celebrate Guy Eawke’s day ; 17 people were wouuded. They were taken to the Hospital.— Messrs Woodhill aud Clapna were indicted for circulating obscene publications. They were committed for trial, bail being fixed at £2OOO. — The American Consul at Vienna relieved 35 Jewish families, who have fled from the persecution at Wallachia . Mrs Caroline 0. Howard, of Dunedin, who has been recommended by the Government to the Agent-General for appointment.as an Assistant Emigration Agent for the Colony in Great Britain, leaves for Loudon on the 4tb of this month for the purpose of establishing at various ports of embarkation homes for female emigrants, where they may be taken care of till they go on board ship. The Otago 'Times says : —Mrs Howard will carry letters of introduction from various ladies and gentlemen in the colony to the Agent-General, ecclesiastical dignitaries in England, and to gentlemen taking an interest in emigration. She will have similar letters to the members of the Ministry and the leading politicians of Victoria to aid her in the accomplishment of this object, as her endeavor will be provide accomodation for emigrants, not only to New Zealand but to the colonies generally. On her arrival in Loudon, it is her intention to lecture, and to organise committees of ladies to help her in the carrying into effect of the task she has set before herself, aud also to obtain the assistance of clergymen and other gentlemen interested in emigration.” The following remarks upon sheep exhibitions from the Otago Daily Times may interest our pastoral readers It is frequently remarked by flockowners that some better system might be devised for ascertaining the real merits of the various stud flocks in the province than the exhibition of single sheep at the stock shows. The flock which returns the highest average amount per head to its owner is the most valuable, not that which contains a few long-priced sheep, nor necessarily that the wool of which fetches the highest, price in the market. The only proper ■ test, therefore, of superiority in a competition between stud flocks would be for each owner to produce a statement of the number of sheep shorn, and to submit his account sales to the judge as they came to hand. It was by this method that several well known Victorian breeders some years ago agreed to have the merits of their Hocks decided upon. Each competing flockowner paid £SO towards a sweepstakes, which became the property of the winner. We should be glad to see a competition between the owners of stud flocks in this province arranged for on a similar plan. The competition would have to be confined to merino sheep, and no competing flock would have to be of a less size than, say, 1000 to 2000 sheep. The return per sheep need not be disclosed unless with the consent of the parties ; but the name of the winner, and the difference by which he beat his antagonists, might be published. We shall willingly assist to bring about a competition of the kind referred to, and we see no reason, if the matter is taken up in earnest, why the flocks in the province of Canterbury should not be included in the competition, A rather curious case of suicide by a Chinaman occurred at the Chinese camp, Ballarat, on Saturday or Sunday morning. The unfortunate creature who detroyed himself was named Chin Chue, and he was discovered on Sunday morning the Courier states, “ with his throat cut from ear to ear, both jugular vein and windpipe being severed. The razer with , which he committed the rash deed was lying on the floor, and|a scroll in Chinese characters was lying close by. On this the deceased had traced, with a firm and steady hand, his reasons for putting an end to his existence. As translated by his > countrymen, the document said that ‘ when he (Chin Chue) was young he had welly good luck, but now he was getting old his luck was welly bad, and bo was too poorly to do his work. He had been to the English hospital, where the doctor tell him he had too much bad blood, and some day he would come out of his ears, nose, and mouth. If this did happen he would feel too much ashamed, so he would cut his throat at home.’ (This document is now in the possession of the police). The deceased was a very good workman, aud could always get employment amongst Europeans, He was baptised some years ago, and could read and speak English, tolerably well. Amongst some European tracts aud books found in his house was a Bible, which ha I evidently been read.' A sum of money—about £'2 15s —was found in bis box, so that he was not in want, and there is no doubEthat,the poor fellow’s nervous dread of breaking a bloodvessel in the street, and becoming a spectacle to the public, led to his committal of the deed,

Ship, De.-Unation Date Sailir of Ig Total adults Gleuora Wellington Aug. 8 60 Agnes Muir Auckland Sept. 3 67 Pleiades Canterbury ” 13 1004 Chile Napier 13 1694 Jessie Headman Wellington 3J 22 2064 Zealandia Otago Oct. 3 267 Crusader Canterbury Nov. 10 175 Gladstone Otago 4 350 Warwick Auckland J) 4 121 Forfarshire Wellington 12 350