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Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 32, 7 February 1877, Page 2

Mr George Kirfcon, postmaster afc Feilding, has been appointed a depository of duty stamps. The s.s. Tui leaves Foxton for Wellington, Kaikoura, and Lyttelton this day at 4 p.m. Return tickets issued at single fares. Mr Snelson has been obliged, m consequence of the unfavorable weather, to postpone to Friday, the 9th inst, the sale of timber which he was to have held at Mr N ees' saw-mill to-day (Wednesday) . We draw attention to the fact that, m consequence of the flood, the cattle sale which was to have been heM by Mr Tliynne, at Foxton, yesterday, has been postponed to the 16 inst. Mr Loudon is the owner of the cattle. At the meeting of the County Council last Wednesday a motion for the suspension of the Counties Act was introduced under somewhat singular circumstances. The odd part of the matter was that the proposer of the motion was opposed to it. The thing was only done m compliance with the wish of the Chairman that there should be a formal expression of opinion, on the part of the Council, m reference to the matter. The nomination of candidates for the representation of No. 6 Ward, Manawatu Highway District, was held at Mr Blixt 's on Saturday last. Mr Dalrymple was proposed by Mr Blixt and seconded by Mr Jorgenson ; Mr E. Brightwell proposed by Mr Henderson, seconded by Mr Reid. The show, of hands resulted m favor of Mr Dalrymple, the numbers being 10 to 3. A poll was demanded by Mr Brightwell, and will take place at the residence of Mr Blixt on Saturday next, the 10th inst. The latest development of gambling m Melbourne consists m the sale of shilling packets of lollies, containing sums of money varying m amount from a sovereign to a threepenny bit.

The " Marlborongh Express" says the man who hanged Woodgate was a swagsman. He came into Blenheim from the s outh and offered his services. He stated that he had been m the navy as a seaman, and boasted of having served as an artilleryman at the time of the Indian Mutiny, when he " slung them up m dozens." How well this worthy confirmed these statements will appear from the following account of the execution. "The hangman, while adjusting the cap, said to the prisoner, ' Good-bye, old fellow, I wish you a pleasant journey. You're only going a few days before us, perhaps I might follow you tomorrow or next day myself.' He then adjusted the rope, and again said, 'Well, how do you feel ; is it comfortable, or is it too tight?' Woodgate replied 'No.' He was still looking upwards. The hangman again said, ' Well, good-bye. I wish you a pleasant journey,' at the same moment kicking the bolt with his foot, and the drop fell. Woodgate died without a struggle, his legs below the knee and his hands just twitching twice at an interval of a few seconds. The hangman then turned round, and addressing the spectators, said, ' Well, gentlemen, are you satisfied ?' There was no reply, and he again asked, ' Are you satisfied that I have done my duty ?' Dr Tripe said there was no doubt that no man could have done it more efficiently, as the neck was quite dislocated. He further added that Woodgate felt no pain beyond a momentary one. The fall was about five feet." The Melbourne " Herald " is informed that m a private letter of a late date from the Cape of Good Hope this startling intelligence is conveyed : — " The town (Cape Town) is m a state of the most intense excitement m consequence of the unfortunate affair of the Cora troupe. Business with them had been very good, and everything looked pleasant for a successful season. All of a sudden the whole town was thrown into a state of excitement by the news that Madame Cora, m a fit of jealousy, had strangled to death the young vocalist, Miss Alice Wren (sister of Mrs F. M. Bates, the actress) . Madame Cora has since been sentenced to death, but the penalty was afterwards commuted to three years'imprisonment with solitary confinement. Mr Bushe (Cora's husband) has gone to England, and Val Vose, the ventriloquist, has formed a com- , pany and gone into the interior." A correspondent of the Wellington " Post " writes : — " The landlord of a certain well-known hostelrie m this city has invented a new pastime for those of his customers who go m for ' long drinks ' and stand at the bar to take them. He has on his counter a plate of cheese which is literally 'alive' with those agile insects which are so clever at jumping about a yard off the plate, turning a double somersault, and then landing again on the plate. The landlord, having drawn as many pints as are required by the onlookers, takes a couple of the aforesaid insects off the plate, and places them on the counter. Then the funniest pugilistic encounter imaginable begins. The maggots ' pitch ' into each other m a ferocious, if not scientific, manner, and the spectators generally howl with delight as the forms of the insects wriggle about. I witnessed one of the combats i yesterday, and observed that several pints i changed hands over the event." Here is a fact for the Darwinians. These maggots j are evidently about to develope into " Muscular Christians." The Wellington "Argus" says that not very long ago a large contractor, having 1 hundreds of men working under him, was anxious to arrange with the Government terms under which these men could invest their savings m land, and gradually change from navvies to settlers. The Government, however, simply threw cold water on the idea, and scores of the men have since drifted away with their savings. Frank Leslie's illustrated paper says that the collection of goods lost and found on the exhibition ground at Philadelphia would stock a mammoth store for a year to come. This collection comprises pocketbooks, bustles, garters, scarfs, shawls, fans, eye-glasses, switches, furs, umbrellas, parasols, and wearing apparel of almost every description. At least five hundred lost babies have been found and returned to their owners. A man named Eodgers, alias Rodger Armstrong, at Wangarei recently confessed to the murder of a miner known as Red Bill, at the Thames m 1867. Charles Lowe, now resident m Auckland, states that Red Bill and the man lived m a tent near him. The former had 'plenty of money. The body was fouud by his mate m a large water-hole, fourteen feet deep, about half full of water. Finger marks were all round the sides m soft mud, as of a man struggling to get out. The corner of the water-hole was close to the track from Grahamstown. No money was produced at the inquest. Red Bill's mate disappeared afterwards from the district. Rodgers was brought before the Resident Magistrate's Court, Shortland, on Saturday, and remanded. The whale which, as we "(Evening Post)" mentioned a few days ago, was stranded m Worser Bay, was secured under the direction of Dr Hector, and proves a veritable scientific prize, being a splendid specimen of JEpiodon Chctthamiensis, or Chatham

Island goose-beaked whale. It is a male, and measures 27ft. m length. It is being carefully dissected and prepared for the Museum, where it will be a treasure, there being not a single specimen of the kind even m the British Museum. The especial feature is the goose-beak-shaped head. The skull of one of these whales was found some time ago at Tauranga, and actually was mistaken for that of a moa. The skeleton will be mounted m the Museum shortly under the superintendence of Dr. Hector. It is a singular circumstance m connection with the death of poor young Gamer that a few nights before the melancholy accident which terminated his life, he dreamt on one occasion that he would be killed and on another that he would be drowned. The manner of his death was a fulfilment of both dreams. The statement as to the dreams is vouched for by some friends. — " Evening Argus." We (Wellington " Argus ") are pleased to have to record a generous and graceful act on the part of Mr W. R. Hastwell, the defendant m the late coach accident case of Toxward v. Hastwell. Although the jury on the clearest possible evidence, found that Mr Hastwell was not m any way to blame for the accident, and returned a verdict for defendant on all the issues, he has now instructed his solicitor, Mr Buckley, to pay Dr Diver's account for surgical attendance on Mr Toxward while suffering from the effects of the accident. In the witness-box Dr Diver stated thgfr his charge would be a hundred guineas. * --■ Our Waikato contemporary states that since frogs were introduced into the Ruapuke district mosquitoes have almost disappeared. More recent advices from Melbourne and Capetown contradict the report that Madame Cora had inflicted fatal injuries on Miss Wren. The racehorse Folly, the entire Volunteer, the blood mare Corafie, and the trotter and steeplechaser M. P. C, are to be disposed of by art union at the Pier Hotel, Wanganui, on the evening of the 14th March. The number of subscribers required is 550 at ten shillings each. Declarations of insolvency have been filed m the case of Angus Milne, carrier, of Bull's ; John Belk, settler, Feuding ; and Eobert Hall, blacksmith, of Bull's.' In the last case the first meeting of creditors will take place at the Supreme Court, Wellington, on Friday, Febm-ary 9. The next meeting will be held at the same place on Wednesday, Feburary 14. A report was current recently that a company had succeeded m purchasing the Waimate Plains, m Taranaki. Major Brown telegraphed to the Government on the subject, and received for answer the following telegram : — " A pure fabrication. Please give the statement an unqualified denial." The " Formularies Bill" lately rejected by the Church of England Synod was intended "to limit and define the powers of the General Synod with reference to the alterations of services, formularies, and articles of the Church and the authorised version of the Scriptnres, and to settle the mode of procedure m reference thereto." The supporters of the Bill insisted that it was a conservative measure, but the very notion of change seemed to frighten the majority of the Synod, and so the Bill was rejected. The " New Zealand Times " is happy to state that the Wellington Jockey Club have very wisely intimated to the Government that they will be willing to pay the sum asked, namely, interest on an outlay of £175, and that they will also be prepared to fit up a room .m the Grand Stand for the operator, on condition that a line of wire is carried from the Hutt station to the racecourse. The names of three gentlemen who have agreed to become sureties have been submitted to the Government, and the work will be proceeded with at once ; indeed, we might almost say, has been already commenced. The Government stipulate very properly that the office shall be open to the general public. The number of Post-office Savings Banks m the colony at the close of the year 1875 was 119, at the end of December, 1876, they had increased to 124. During the last quarter of 1875 there were 2,408 accounts opened and 2,234 closed, as against 2,632 opened and 2,049 closed during the corresponding period of 1875. The excess of deposits over withdrawals was £354. During the same period there were issued 20,233 post-office orders of the value of £77,517 10s sd ; of these 15,167 were paid, valued at £67,930. During the months of November and December six immigrant vessels left or were to have left England for New Zealand. These complete the Government requirements for the year, and the Agent-General has withdrawn all advertisements and reduced his staff. The total revenue from all sources for the quarter ending December 31, 1876, was £417,268 0s Id, which is an increase of £771 as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1875. The customs show a falling off to the extent of £13,888 15s 8d as compared with the December quarter of 1875, but the deficit is more than compensated by an increase m the receipts from stamps, from the post and telegraph office, and from fees and fines. The railway receipts for 1875 were £12,647; for 1876, £23,052. The " Wanganni Herald " says :— A serious accident haj>pened last Friday night about 8 o'clock, to Cockburn, the well known fruit vendor. It appears that the poor fellow, who is noted for industry and sobriety, dropped into the Wanganui after disposing of his fruit to get a glass of beer, where he met a,, friend who challenged him to the best Wo out of three Yorkshire touch. They caught hold of each other m a friendly manner when Mr Muller told them to desist or they would hurt themselves, but he had hardly uttered these words when Cockburn, who was standing on a piece of peach, received the foot from his rival, and he fell, exclaiming that he had broken his left leg. He was immediately conveyed to his residence and was attended by Dr Marshall, who on examination found that his leg was broken m two places, above thejankle and below the muscle. The leg was successfully, set, and he is now progressing as favourably as can be expected.