Local and General News.

Marlborough Express, Volume VIII, Issue 485, 26 March 1873, Page 3

Local and General News.

The Wallace left Nelson for Blenheim via Port Underwood, at 5 p.m. last evening.

The Suez mails -were delivered m Blenheim to-day. Those by Sau Francisco were due m Auckland on Monday last, bub there are no signs of their arrival yet. /

The Dacotah sailed from Auckland on March 20, with 67 passengers. No mail agent accompanied her.

Judge Johnston presided at the Bankruptcy Court, Auckland, on March 20. The commission delegating to him the Chief Justice's powers, was read.

The p.s. Patterson arrived m Picton from Wellington this morning, whence she proceeded to Nelson, She returns calling at Picton on Thursday evening.

Wk are requested by Mr Griffiths to call attention to an error m an advertisement of land for sale m the Town of Havelock, and which is corrected m our present issue. One section advertised was 68, which, should be 86.

Monday next at 4 p.m. is the last moment during the' present year for receiving claims for the Electoral Roll. Persons not already enrolled may have the requisite forms and assistance free on application at the Express Office.

Mr Yogel, Premier. — "Wellington telegrams of Mai'ch 25 say that : — Mr Yogel leaves Auckland for Wellington on Monday. — At a Cabinet meeting on Saturuay*Mr Fox definitely resigned, and Mr Yogel was accepted as Premier. — Press.

r Messrs Norgrove's new boat, the Unity, is loading with timber at Picton Wharf, for Wellington. On her return we understand that she will bring Mr Rayuer's new thrashing machine, which the Falcon was not able to take into her hatches.

A. man named Michael Connor was riding home past Mr G. Monro's residence m llenwick New Road last evening, when the horse started off, and he was thrown beneath the wheels oE the dray, whereby he sustained severe fracture of the ribs and injury to the lungs. He is now believed to be out of danger.

Auckland telegrams of March 25 say that at a meeting of the shareholders of the South British Insurance Company, a resolution for the issue of new shares Avas carried unanimously. — The Gross says that ministerial matters remain unsettled nntil a full Cabinet meeting m Wellington next week. — Press,

A Nice Lot. — At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Picton, on Thursday last, one William Philp was charged with assaulting Mary Hnssey, the M'ife of a navvy working at Tua Marina. The evidence of plaintiff and heihusband was not however supported by the witnesses, who detailed a very disgraceful scene, and the result was that both parties were bound over to keep* 1 - th© peace for six months, the defendant having 28s 2d costs to pay besides. Fire. — On Saturday morning last the Accommodation House at Manuka Island, which is on the line of route between Top House and the Wairau was burnt down accidentally. The only persons on the premises were a man and his wife, who were m charge for Mr Macaulay, of Renwick, who was at the Lower Station at the time with all hands mustering. Some of the things were saved, but a loss of property to Mr Macaulay resulted to the amount of £70. The building was of mud with thatched roof, and it is supposed to have caught by a spark from the chimney. The Provincial Government were the owners.

The last three days @f Marks and Co.'s great Drapery, Cloti.iup, and Boot Sale, closes on Saturday night at If o'clock.— [Advt.]

The Otago Provincial Council meets on the sth May.

. Hedge Sparrows are getting plentiful about Rangiora, Canterbury.

Nelson telegrams of March. 25 say that a large public meeting resolved to form a Company to construct the Poxhill and Brunner railway, taking land m payment. — Press.

A Wanganui telegram dated March 25 says : — Lightbridge's woolshed at Turakina has been burned. Estimated loss £2000, uninsured. — Press. •

. On Saturday and Sunday nights last the place was visited by earthquakes. On each occasion the shock was very slight, and was worthy of being mentioned only because the occurrence has been rather frequent of late. — Press.

The new Assessment for the County of Wairau is m progress, so that a new rate will shortly be levied. We hear that there are still a few recusants who have not yet paid the rate of 1871, but the Board intend to tate no further trouble about them, but sue them at once.

The Provincial Executive have decided not to allow contractors for other than purely Provincial works to select land m the Eai Valley under the provisions of Clause 56 of "The Marlborougli Waste Lands Act 1867. In other words these lands will not be available m payment of road work.

The Hon. Mr Frances the Premier of Victoria, attended the Manchester Unity dinner at Melboui-ne on March 13, and made a good Odd Fellowa's speech.

Mr George Thomas sold by auction today ou the wharf, some' large parcels of Wanganui potatoes, ex Wanganui and Napier, at £6 15s per ton. — Post March 20th.

A Westport paper says that some of the river beach claims on the Matakaitaki are paying from £10 to £12 per week per week per man. After every flood fresh deposits of gold are lodged on the beaches, some of which have been worked six or seven times over.

The road from Napier to Taupo is now open all the way, and Cobb's coaches run without interruption from one end to the other. The worst part of it at present, indeed, is that through the Petane valley, where, since the late. rains, the horses have to wade knee-deep m mud a great part of the way. — H. B. Herald.

At a meeting of the Auckland Pi*otection League the other day, Mr Maclean said he that if a tax of ene shilling was put upon every box of matches imported into New Zealand, it would not be a bad thing.

The Southland News says : — " Preparations are being made at Stewart's Island for the reception of the first batch of special settlers from the Shetland and Orkney Islands. A large building is m conrse of erection, and as the newcomers will be supplied with food, tools, and boats on deferred payments, they will have time to look around and select the most suitable spots whereon to settle, and follow their favorite calling of fishing and fish-curing. "

Stealing prom a Till. — On Monday last Thomas Green was brought before the bench at Picton, charged with stealing from the till m Mr Overend's bar, having been caught by Mrs Overend m the fact, who handed him over with the money yet m his hand to Constable Drew, who was standing near the door. Defendant has been hanging about Picton for the last fortnight, staying at the George Hotel, but' left without paying. He stated that he had been working for Mr Redwood at Blenheim as a baker, but appeared deficient m mental power, and scarcely answerable for his actions. He was sentenced to 3 months iinprisonmeut.

By the San Francisco mail the Government have received advices from the AgentGeneral to the officer that arrangements had been made for the despatch of the following ships from London : — On January 8, Parsee, for Auckland, with 80 immigrants. On January 25, Edwiu Fox, for Canterbury, with 200 immigrants for that Province, and 250 for Obago. The latter have been shipped on board the Edwin Fox, m consequence of the Oberon, laid on for Port Chalmers,^ proving unsuitable for their conveyance, and "they will be forwarded from Lyttelton to Port Chalmers by steamer, at the expense of the contractors, Messrs Shaw, Savill, and Co. The Wild Duck was to sail on 29th January for Nelson, with about 150 passengers for Nelson and Wellington, those for the latter place to be forwarded by steamer at contractor's expense. None of these passengers are for Messrs Brogden, the whole being nominated or Government immigrants.

It is an old saying that we must go from home to hear news, and m illustration we take the following from the Wellington Independent of March. 22nd :— A correspondent writing from Blenheim with regard to the Eyes Enquiry, sa y S : — "Mr Eyes' morality has really nothing to do with it. For years those opposing him personally have been his political opponents. Amoug other things you will be aware that previously Marlborough was split into three factions, "Picton, Blenheim, and the sheep farmers. Whichever party the sheep farmers joined won theday. Agreatobjectwithnshasbeen to form, "a coalition with. Picton, -whose interests are identical as a settled district, and we succeeded to a large extent, especially by electing Seymour, a Picton man, as member of the House of Representatives for this district. The old established men of each district dislike this, and are cutting away the ground from beneath Seymour, as they think, by ruining Eyes, who has always headed our party, and may be said to represent it. Then there are a number of personal questions mixed up m it ; as, for instance, when Eyes lost the Superintendency, it was because D voted against him (his price being J. P. - ship). This Eyes refused to recommend him for. Then D is an auctioneer, and when Eyes was made Sheriff, he gave the sales to a friend of his own, and, as I need not tell yon, they are very profitable, and this made D very wild. Thus you see Eyes is with us a representative man, and any hurt to him we regard as a hurt to our party."

A deputation waited on the Superintendent of Otago the other day, and pointed out that the interprovincial trade is being appropriated by Melbourne on account of the channel m the harbour not being sufficiently deep, and asking that a board might be appointed, and endowed with pastoral lands, on which to borrow money to dredge the harbor. The Superintendent said that special legislation would be necessary to grant the land, but he would bring the matter under the notice of the Executive.

Melbourne telegrams of March 13, say the breadstuff market has been considerably aftected. The fall within the week on wheat is equal to 4d per bushel. Flour has declined 103 per ton. Sugar is m active demand, m consequence of the short stocks held m Mauritius. There will be an advance m rates, aud but small shipments made to the colonies.— Hops are selling at extremely high prices. The Victorian crop of 1873 is m the market, and is selling, ' as well as Tastnanian, at high prices.