News of the Day.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 75, 17 January 1872, Page 3

News of the Day.

THE RECENT FIRE. At about nine o'clock on Sunday night our fire-bells rang out their alarm, and not on this occasion for a gorse hedge — it was a stable that was on fire, and that in the most central part of our town. Thanks to the hose kept at the junction of Trafalgar and Bridge-streets, our eveructive Fire Brigade were enabled to bo quickly at work, and must have succeeded in extinguishing the ilames belore any serious amount of damage had taken place, had not the hose burst; yet even with this discouragement they were got safely under about twenty minutes from the time of the first alarm being given. The inquest subsequently held to inquire into the cause of the fire will give our readers full particulars respect-

ing ifc. We •wish, however, to draw attention to the fact of the repeated bursting of the iudia-rub-ber hose used by the Brigade, in the hope that something may now be done, and done at once, by the Insurance Companies and others to provide the Brigade with a better means of seconding their voluntary efforts to combat fire. The discussions which took place among the jury summoned to inquire into the cause of the fire, and the pretty general opinion then held with j regard to the paltry svlm given by the Insurance J Companies in aid of the Fire Brigade, should bear its fruit. Inquest. Henry Warren stated that the premises destroyed by the fire were not insured. They consisted of a five-stalled stable, with hay-loft and corn-shed. The property destroyed consisted of about two tons of hay, a little corn and straw, a chaffcutter and oatcrusher, the value of which was about £23 ; the damnge to the building would amount to about £120. The fire was supposed to have originated in the corn-shed, in which there was nothing but the oatcrusher and a little straw and corn. Giblin and Ball were there about five o'clock tending to the horses. He (Warren) passed the place about six o'clock, when the back gate was closed. Was tho last person on the premises, and left about ten minutes past six. No one was in the house, and no one could get into the back premises without getting over the neighbours' fences into the premises. Had no idea or suspicion how the fire originated. No one was smoking there. Joseph Giblin said that he worked for Mr. Warren, and lived in the house. Was in the stable about five o'clock with Ball, attending to the horses for the night, but did not go into the corn-room. Left the premises with Ball about six o'clock, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Warren at home. About nine o'clock witness and Henry Newport were at the Trafalgar corner, when they saw smoke issuing from the yard, and at once started for the back lane, and got over the gate into the yard, and saw that the straw was on fire, and the smoke was bursting out all round the roof. They then opened the gate, took out the horses, harness, and trap. Humphrey Ball stated that he worked for Mr. Warren and lived in the house. Bedded down the horses about five. When the horses were finished he went into the corn-room, but had no light nor did he smoke. Had finished the horses when Giblin came. Giblin was not smoking. Did not get to the place till after tho fire-bell rung. A verdict was given to the effect that there was nothing in the evidence to give a clue to the origin of the fire. Summaby poe England. — A summary of news for the mail will bu published on Saturday next. The mail will leave on the ensuing Monday. Mr. O. Curtis, M.n.R.— lt will bo seen that his Honour the Superintendent, as one of the members for this City in the House of Representatives, has requested his constituents to meet him in the Provincial Hall, to-morrow (Thursday evening), at eight, p.m. We trust that all those electors of the city who can conveniently attend will do so, as the proceedings of tho late session will be discussed. St. Maby's Schools. — The twenty-second anniversary of these schools is to be held this evening, at the Catholic Station, where, at six, p.m., the prizes for tho past year will be presented by his Honour the Superintendent. FOEESTEES' A.TZT> Oj>»-I l £l.r.OW3' FeTE, Tile usual annual fete of these most useful friendly societies will be held in the Botanical Gardens, on the Ist February. Townson, the Missing- Man. — Wo are informed by his Lordship the Bishop, that the missing man Townson was not found as reported, and up to last evening nothing had been heard of him. Caledonian Society. — This society's dinner is announced to take place at the Trafalgar Hotel, on Friday, the 26th instant, under the presidency of Sir David Monro. An early application for tickets is requested, as the stewards naturally wish to provide amply for the many who will undoubtedly be present. Cjiicket Match. — A cricket match is to be played at Richmond to-day between the Waimea West and Richinoud clubs. A Hint pob Mb. Yog el. — It would seem as though there were already a multiplicity of methods of taxation, but an ingenious Belgian has invented a new one for all kinds of manufactured fabrics. It consists of narrow little bands of thin-gummed paper, marked off into metres and centimetres, which should be fastened all along tho edge of every piece of cloth. The material would thus measure itself as it were, without the aid of a yardstick, and the quantity sold would be self-registered. These bands furnished by Government, would cost the State fifteen centimes per hundred metres. If Government should sell them at one franc a hundred metres, it would every year make a very respectable number of millions. On a silk dress worth two hundred francs the tax would be only from twelve to fifteen centimes, with the advantage of perfect accuracy of measurement without the possibility of mistake or cheating. A Singulae Incident.— A singular incident which occurred in tho Grey river last Friday week is thus related by the Groy mouth Star: — "Adventurers are often described as being placed upon the horns of a dilemma, but to be situated on the horns of a swimming bullock a few hundred yards from the mouth of the Grey river, with a current running nearly six knots an hour, is a dilemma not often witnessed, nor much to be relished. The alternative of reaching a rough bar, with the likelihood of adding to the number of lifeless objects on one of the beaches, or of being sucked under by the fresh before reaching the briny waters, or ot being on the shingle bank J fortunate enough to reach it, was the position lof1 of Mr. Harry Bowman, who dropped off the

steamer Charles Edward this afternoon, while a stray bullock was passing, it having been carried away from a mob attempting to cross the upper ford. Fortunately Bowman was a good swimmer, and, more fortunately, there happened to be a coal barge within hail, whose occupant assisted him in quitting his temporary precarious position. His companion for the time, the bullock, managed to find landing ground a few yards inside the bar, where it kept up a melancholy bewailmenfc, which, conjoined with other manoeuvres, indicated an evident regret on its part that there was nothing or no one to rush or toss upon landing." The Inteiiprovincial Cricket Match — Otago v. Canterbury. — The ninth of the Beries of these interprovincial contests between the cricketers of the Provinces of Otago and Canterbury was commenced on Thursday, 28th December, and finished on Friday, the 29th, upon the ground of the Dunedin Cricket Club. The result of the contest was that the Canterbury team tied their opponents in one innings. Mr. H. H. Hall a Bankrupt. — We (Otago Daily Times) lately mentioned that Mr. H. 11. Hall, of San Francisco service celebrity, had filed his schedule in Sydney. A local paper gives the following as his estimated liabilities and assets :—: — Liabilities, £17,419 6s. 3d. ; assets, £49 7s. 6d. ; deficiency, £17,369 18s. Bd. Hau Hauism. — We are informed that the followers of To Ua (the founder of Hau Hauism) up this river have nearly all renounced the new karakai, and have returned to their former belief, that, namely, taught them by the Church of England ministers, Roman Catholic priests, and others. A desire is expressed by many that ministers of religion Bhould visit them. — Wanganui Chronicle. Another Tribe sending its Allegiance to TnE Government. — Two chiefs belong to a section of the Ngatimaru tribe, came into town a few days since for the purpose of tendering the allegiance of themselves and their people to the Government. These natives have not visited a European settlement since the war of 1860, and their reason for doing so now is to enable them to shake off their connection with Tito Kowaru, who intends to leave the bush for the sea coast early in the ensuing month. The native chiefs are powerful-looking men, and when we saw them they were industriously employed in polishing a rough piece of blue-stone. One of the chiefs, we believe, is related to Honi Pihatna. The natives state that they were disappointed at not meeting the Civil Commissioner at Ngatimaru, as he was invited, so they have come into town to see him. They wish Mr. Parris to visit their district, which invitation we hope he will accept, and make a point of going during the summer. — TaranaJci Herald. Narrow Escape prom Death in a Bush Fire. — The Newcastle Chronicle, of a recent date, says: — "Mr. Sub-Inspector Harrison was lately returning from Stroud to Dungog in company with the A. A. Company's Gloucester Superintendent (Mr. Keys) and one of the police, and whilst in the vicinity of the Ram Station, having occasion to dismount from his horse, the animal jerked the bridle out of his hand and made off up the rango. Mr. Harrison followed, and after about half an hour's chase secured him ; his companions having meanwhile ridden onwards. On trying to recover the road, his horse took the wrong track through the darkness of the night caused by the bush fires and carried his rider down into a gully, out of which he was driven by a busn fire, which was approaching along both ridges. For three miles he was driven up into the ranges, and finally surrounded by a complete circle of fire. Twice he was on the point of giving in, but again trusting to his horse, relying on his surefootedness, and in sheer desperation, with handkerchief bound over his mouth — for the fire was scorching him terribly, and the smoke was suffocating— he made a dash through the burning down into another gully. There he remained from about one to five a.m. surrounded by a complete cordon of flames, his face to the ground, and the smoke ourling over him in dense black volumes. He was torn and scratched from head to foot, and his clothes were in ribbons, consequent upon the reckless manner in which he was compelled to gallop through the burning scrub to avoid being roasted alive. As soon as daylight permitted, and lie could once more see his way, lie again started, and after several hours' ride made an old station of the company's called the Blank Camp, which had been many years deserted. Here, after searching for some time, he found an overgrown track, which ultimately led him to the Koruya river, in the immediate neighbourhood of the township of Stroud, where he arrived about midday, having been sixteen hours and a half in the burning ranges. In the meantime, the alarm having been given, parties were organized in Dungog and Stroud for the purpose of seeking him, but with faint hopes of ever finding him alive." Latest prom Fiji.— The ffiji Times, of the 9th ultimo, states :—": — " The last few weeks have been prolific of misfortune to the settlers upon the Dreketi river, Vanua Levu. Happy and flourishing homesteads, and a crop of cotton, have had to be abandoned to the waste and destructiveness of savages. What were fruitful fields are now desolation. And all this owing to the caprice of an imbecile old man, Ritova. Without any apparently sufficient reason, he has let loose upon the settlers of Dreketi his savage hordes ; who, instead of fighting Turaga Levu, have merely confined themselves to the plunder and spoliation of the white men. As far as we can gather, the circumstances are these : — Ritova, the great chief of the Maeuatau coast, has been in the habit of receiving ' soro,' or tribute, from Turaga Levu, a petty chief on the Dreketi river. Llie latter has been subject to attack from Tui Bua on the one side, or Ritova's men on the other ; but within the last few years has grown into importance through white influence, and bus attained thereby a somewhat independent stand-

ing. He has alienated nearly tho whole of the laud on the river bauks, within five or six miles from its mouth, has received in payment a vast quantity of arms and ammunition, thereby has become strong, abstained from paying his tribute, and set up as an independent chief. For the purposo of subduing this refractory chieftain, Ritova sent his forces up the river, and then followed, not, as should have been the case, a conflict with the natives of the soil, but a wholesale and systematic plunder of the settlers. The wandering bands appeared in great numbers for the purpose of overawing the settlers into forsaking their homesteads, that they might have the opportunity of plundering the white man's property." Cueious Treasure Trove. — The Bristol Mercury, of October 21, has the following: — " The wool imported by Messrs. Miles, merchants, Bristol, from New Zealand, is very frequently sold to German houses. A recent cargo was so disposed of, and the wool sent off to the purchaser. Messrs. Miles, however, received a few days ago a letter from the German manufacturer, stating that in unpacking the wool he found in the centre of one of the bales a cheque for £50, a £20 note, some gold and silver, and a purse, which were forwarded to Messrs. Miles, who are now endeavouring to find the party from whom the wool was purchased in New Zealand. How the purse containing the cheque and note— the latter upon a good New Zealand bank — came to be in the pack it is difficult to say ; whether ifc was secreted, or fell out of the pocket of one of the packers. No doubt, however, some further light will be thrown on the circumstances when Messrs. Miles hear from their correspondents in New Zealand."

The honorarium paid for the General Assembly session of 1866 was £7,346 ; in 1867, £6,141 ; ia 1868, £7,339 ; and in 1869, £6,919. The return of 1870 has not been made public but the cost of the past session, each member receiving £105 will be £12,915. An unfortunate case of suicide occurred in the East Clutha district on the 3rd January, a young man of the name of Andrew Anderson, having shot himself. At the inquest held on his body, a verdict of "temporary insanity" was returned by the jury. From the evidence it appeared that ho had been heard to express himself as weary of his life, Bonie time previously to the fatal deed. Tito Kowaru is still in his retreat among the fastnesses at the back of the Waitara. Tho Italian Opera has been performing to crowded houses in Christchurch, and negotiations are pending to get the company to stop another week. The gold received by escort at Dunedin, during the year, amounted to 171,814 ounces. The Grey Valley paper upbraids the committee of the races, for that district, with making them a failure. It says the committee wanted " local " races, and "local" races (?) they had with a vengeance. Mr. Ferguson, the owner of Redan and Economy, took £240 out of a total of £280 set down for prizes. The bazaar lately held in the Grey in aid of the funds of the English Church it is expected has returned over £550 ; the total debt on the building. In taking down the hopper at the Cassius claim (Ross) the other day, to replace it by a new one, sixteen ounces of gold were found in the joints of the planks — a very nice Christmas box. It is stated on good authority that a specimen of cinnabar ore has been discovered somewhere in the Grey Valley, and that it has been forwarded to Hokitika for analysis. More good news from the Inangahua reofs, says the Grey Star. Another reef has been discovered by a party of Irishmen, to the southwest of Smith's lines of reef. The men, who had been prospecting for some time, made a discovery sufficient to warrant them in applying for a lease, and this they did on Friday. A visitor to the reefs, who left Reel'ton on Saturduy, informs us that the quartz corresponds with that found in Kelly's reef, and the gold is freely distributed throughout the stone. During the last year 241,528 ounces of New Zealand gold were exported from Melbourne to England. The Chinese miners working about five miles down the Tuapeka Creek pursue their usual avocations every Sunday. They have refused to desist from work although repeatedly requested to do so by parties whose religious sensibilities are outraged by such Sabbath desecration. Perhaps a visit from the police might induce these obstinate Celestials to pay some respect to the religious observances of the country they are permitted to reside in. — TuapeJca Times. We understand that there will be a keen competition for the vacancy in the General Assembly caused by Mr. Uaughton, member for the Lakes, accepting the office of Under-Secretai-y for Public Works. Mr. Shepherd, it is stated, will resign his seat for the Duustan district, and contest the election for Lake Wakatip, as that has long been his favourite constituency. It is also ou the cards that Mr. Bradshaw will accede to the request of his Teviob constituents by resigning his seat for Waikaia district, and enter the lists for Ihe representation of the latter district. — TuapeJca Times. In reference to the measures being taken to form special settlements in the North Island, the Wanganui Chro7iicle has the following: — "Mr. M'Lean may be expected in Wanganui in a week or two, to arrange with Kemp and other loyal natives to purchase their interest in the confiscated land in the Waitotara district, with the object of locating some of the immigrants upon it, who will soon bo arriving in the colony. A special session of the Diocesan Svihkl was opened at Christchurch on January 10. The business was to consider matters relating to tha Cathedral, towards the erection of which subscriptions to the amount of £l,Soohad been promised without canvas. The Primate, in his address, said he would be glad if the revised leetionary became authorized by the New Zealand Church. He was not satisfied, however, that it could acquire force as a regulation of the General

Synod, under clause 21 of the Constitution, as had been suggested by the Nelson Synod. He thought it would have to be formally authorized by an Act of the General Synod. He adverted to the great loaa the church had sustained by the death of Bishop Patteson, and expressed a desire that the Synod should follow the example of the Auckland Synod, and consider the establishment of a Bishop Patteson Memorial Fund, in order to show reverence for the Melanesian martyr. Since the floods, about five years sinco, the No Town Creek has not overflown its banks to such an extent as it did on the night of the 3rd instant. At midnight the square wbb all but under Water, rising up to the threshold of Molloy'a Btore. The chief damage done, as far as the writer yet knows, was to the tramways, that portion of Robertson's which spanned the creek is swept away, also a portion of Devery and Co.'s, near the western terrace, has sustained considerable injury. It was fortunate for the owner of the Shamrock that the current cut a new channel through the old workings on the western side of the creek, thereby diverting the pressure from the breakwater in front of his house, or probably a portion of " Old Jerry's " Shamrock would this morning have been seen floating at the Twelve Mile. — Grey River Argus. Complaints are made that the tailings from the sluicing claims at the Greenstone (Westland) threaten to destroy the township, which should never have been built on its present site. The miners on the high terrace immediately opposite to the township are carrying on sluicing opei ations on a very extensive scale ; and, as large heads of water are being used, thousands of tons of gravel are daily and nightly being carried in the direction of the houses, which must inevitably be buried in a very short time, if some steps are not taken to prevent such a result. It is proposed to lay out a new township on the terrace on which the Court-house stands. In review of the progress made by the province of Canterbury during the twenty-one years of its existence, the Lyttelton Times says : — "Some idea of the growth of the province may be obtained by comparing the rough statistics of 1853 with the more exact returns of 1870. At the end of the former year, it was reckoned that the total revenue collected during the preceding twelve months amounted to £5,251, and the expenditure to £5,212. The value of imports was £83,920, and exports £3,396 ; in 1870 the corresponding figures were £510,640 and £800,349. In 1853 we exported 12,485,720 lbs , valued at £489,938. The exports of agricultural produce in 1853 were valued at £2,707 ; in 1870 the same class of exports must have reached a value of over £200,000, though we have no exact figures at hand. Cheese, in 1853, was considered worth £100 per ton for export, wheat 9s. per bushel, oats 7s. — a marked contrast to the prices now quoted. In 1853 the total quantity of land under crop was 2,000 acres according to the lowest, and 3,400 according to the highest estimate ; in 1870 we aro credited with 257,793 acres under crops of all descriptions And last, though not least, the population of the province is now more than Bixty-fold what it was on December 16, 1850. At the beginning of 1851, the population was a little over 1,000 ; it is now over 47,000." The Bathurst Times of the 16th ultimo thus describes the curious accident of a whole team of bullocks struck dead by lightning :—": — " A serious accident, and almost ruinous in its consequence to a carrier named Archer, occurred at Palmer's Oakey, on Friday, the Bth December. It seems that Archer was driving a team of eight bullocks along the road, when a flash of lightning struck the pole of the dray on which he was seated, ran •up the iron work on to the chains, and killed every animal in the team. Archer was half Btunned himself, and the whole affair happened bo unexpectedly that when he saw the bullocks drop ho was at a loss to account for the cause, but it proved upon examination that the lightning, after catching the chainß, had passed along the yokes and round the bows, from which it glanced on to the neck and shoulders of the bullocks, killing them instantly. Each bullock foil on to the road, yoked to its companion, and in a short time the bodies and limbs of the dead animals assumed a peculiarly swollen and distended appearance. It may be mentioned that the same flash of lightning which killed the bullocks afterwards Btruck a large tree on the 6ide of the road and shivered it to atoms." The Chief Justice of New South Wales, Si Alfred Stephen, now aged seventy years, has asked to be allowed to resign on his full salary — £2,600 a year. The retiring pension allowed by ' law is £1,400 a-year ; but upon this Sir Alfred states he cannot live, and unless he is allowed his full salary he will hold the office as long aB he Jives. He has threatened never to repeat his application, and the Government has refused to accede to his request. The'people of Sydney are now interesting themselves with the question. How long will Sir Alfred choose to remain in his office ? Should he live to be 100 years of age, is he to be permitted to occupy the Bench merely because he cannot compress his private expenses within the limits of his pension ? Excepting in a few extraordinary cases the intellectual faculties of men begin to decline at Sir Alfred's age, and it is nofc reasonable to suppose that he will form an exception to the rule. But whether or not, there he is, and there he says he will remain until he gets his £2,600 a-year as retiring allowance. He has deliberately matched himself against time, and somewhere about the beginning of the next century the contest will begin to be a very interesting one, not only for Australia but for the world at large. — Southern Cross. The Avgus says .— " We are informed that the proceeds of the trip of the Tararua on 26th December, for fhe benefit of the Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Society, amounted to £268 15s. The owners of the steamer, Messrs. M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co., spared no trouble or expense to insure the comfort of the excursionists, the whole cost of which they defray.' A company in to be formed in Melbourne to build a new opera house, the plans for which are already prepared, and are said to be " truly magnificent."