LOCAL AND (GENERAL ITEMS.

North Otago Times, Volume XI, Issue 377, 1 January 1869, Page 4

LOCAL AND (GENERAL ITEMS.

' Wo hare considorabjto satisfaction, in 'knowing tha,t . eovoral enorgetio gontlomon in Tokomairiro, (Who prolor notion to ompty and fruitless talk, bavo b' oe'n je>n- ' deavoring to organise a company for tho'niatrafaotm'O of woollen oloth, &o., and that their efforts are likely toibo attended with .nuooess, oa a 'considerable portion of the funds required has already been clib- ■ uoribod.-t-Ibid, ,, ' , Colonel Lyons, the new commander in tho Wanganui district, is said to have sorved in the regulars in tho Crimea, also in India and tho Capo Ho lost one of hiB arms by an acoident while; returning; iifrom a shooting excursion. According to tho " Auckland , Nows," he ,did good service, during tho Maori war, especially on tho WeBt Coast, wliero ithe nativos called, him " onq-armod Kangatira," and " T6ipo" (tho Devil), in oonsoquonco of tho wholesome foar in which thoy stood of him, , , . • tf Our Gfrcfon Island < corrospondont informs uei pat tho eottl0rsof Saddle, Hill woro lately delighted by. i heading a lark joyfully ohaunting its.molodiouB ;notea. Tho youth brought up in tho distriot were particularly charmed in listening to sounds so difforeht to thoso of tho unmusical 'foathorod raoo indigenous to tho Province. , It is not known whothor it is to ' tho Rev 'Mr Will or to tho Aoolimatison Socjoty that tho sottlers are indebtod for this pleasure, both having set larks freo in tho Taiori.-'-Daily Timos. r The second, of a porios oij lithographic portraits of notabilities of tho' Prpvinco has just boon published by Messrs Lister and Grogham; viz,, that of tho Itov D. 'M. Stuart, of KnoxChuroh, Dunodin. The likoness'is considered, a remarkably good one,, The, noxt , portrait $o bo issued ( i8,thatof tho JRoYt 1 R, Fitohett, of tho Wosloyan Church. Tho following particulars regarding tho rosult of tho shipraont of frogs, snails, &c, brought ovor from Tasmania to Auokland by tho Holla Mary for ataoliraatisdtion purposes, aro given by the " Now Zealand Horald :"— A largo proportion of tho frogs, aad tho whole of a lot of tench that woro Bhipped on board, died during tho passago. Captain Copping boliovos this unfortunate rosult to have boon occasioned by the tubs in which tho tonoh and frogs woro convoyed boing made of now pino. The snails arrived in good order $ they, aro fresh watot mollusoa, and aro 1 imported for tho purpose of turning into tho Acclimatisation Society 8 ponds, &c, in order to keep the pond clour, by consuming tho rofuso of decayed vogotablo matter. Anothor attompt is to bo mado to proouro tonoh and carp, and on tho next occasion , thoy will ,be placed in glass globes, and elung from tho ship's boams, When tho breeding ponds aro proparod for the hatohing of trout and salmon, Capt Copping will probably bring ovor the ova from Tasmania. Fourteen live porch, from Hobart Town, hato •boenlandod in Southland, as welLas a number of kangaroos. The foundation etono of tho now Churoh of St. Patrick was laid on tho 13th ult, with tho usual coromouies, by the llov .Father Hiolrio, assisted by tho Rov Father Williams. Tho building was thon consooratod, tho various portions within and without boing sprinkled with holy water. A very impressive and able discourse was delivered by tho ltev Father Uiolfio, who took for his subject tho dodication Of the temple of Solomon. A collection was mado after the sorvice in aid of the building fund. Tho ohurch was erowdod on the occasion. An inquest was hold by T. W. Parkor, Esq., It. JH., District Coronor, on the oody of one Wultam Lumg«r, at the Devonshire Hotel, Kakauui Mouth, on tho 11th ult. Tho following gontlemen, of whom Mr TCnox was ohosen foreman, wero «worn of tho jury, viz. s— Messrs Jas. Knox, Honrv Reeves, John Barry, Wprthy Parkor, Andvow Baker, John Adams, William Jackson, Christopher Lagrant, Henry Martin, Goorgo Adams, Johu Boringor, Archibald Dwyer, Thomas Keonan, and Georgo Campboll. After tho jury had viewod the (body, tho following evidence was adduood— Tho decoased had boon in tho employ of Mr Proudfoot, contractor, Knkanui and was «ont at about 9 o'clock on the morning of Tuesday, tho 8th instant, to fetch letters from tho Post Ofllco at Crauford's, in going whither it would bo neeoHsary to oross tho river, lie was never again soon alivo. About C p,m. tbo eamo day tho jiovso ho was riding was found quiotly grazing on tho near »ide of tho river^ and tho saddle flaps being wot, foars woro at once oxcitod that Lumgair fmd come to an untimely ond. On sonrching tho banks of tho river, tho mitrka of hoof» whore the horse had evidently entered tho stream woro found, mid within, a short distauco from thW Bpof;, and on tho same bank hoof marks whoro tho animal liad como ashoro, < It was, thorofoio, ovidont that the animal had not crossed. Whore tho stroam liad boon taken was some twenty yards from the j;ropor ford, and at the time deceased must havo attempted to cross,! there would bo about aoven feet of water at this spot, tho tido. then boing }iigh, Search was mtido for the body, whioh was found tho following morning in tho river, at about thirty feet distance from tho bank. ' Tho jury returned a verdict of " Accidentally drowned" adding a rider to the effect, tb^at it u very desirable that poata bo erected to mark tho proper crossing-place , ' The " Sun'* assorts that it is intended to publish a book of cattlo brands in Otitgo. . Tho work will includo a fao-sitnile of each.rdgUterod, brands, with tho flato of registration, and tho name and address of tho owner in each ensc. Ifc wilj bo' the fir«fc work of tho kind published horo ; and it is being proparod by Mr Logic, tho Chief Inspector. By the Suez Mail wo have received tho first number of the " P»H Mull Bud(?ot." It U got up soiupwhat ' after the atyle ;of " Public Opinion,'' And contains A - large flixiount of wftdablo matter. ,Wo predict* lor it an • -extoniiivo cironlation in tho colouios.

, A mooting of gontloinen interested iu the formation' of a Choral Society waft, held in the Star and Garter Hotel on Monday. December 7th, ■ A good proportion of the musical world, of. Oamavu woro present. < Mr A^b-, , proft, on being called to the chair j said ho would be glad to boo »uch a Society fox existence, and would cordfdlly. co-oporate with the gontloraqu presont, in making the Sooioty a really good ouo. Mr J. Booth believed thai Oaraaru was capable of raising a Choral Society of a, good standard. It was nropouod by Mr J. Booth, anajBe-, ;condqd by Mr J, Allen, " That this- meeting form jtsol) into a Society, to bo called tho Oatnaru Choral Society ;" Tho motion onboing put to the 1 meeting was earned i unanimously. Tito following, <gentlomon woro, th«n olootod as, Qfflco-boarew :-rPresident, James Ashcroft, Esq. } Hon. Secretary ' and Treasurer, Mr It. Haawoll ; conductor, 'Mr Mitchell;' accoinpanyist, Mr Finch j Committee— the pflloe-boarero, with , Messrs Hflrpor, Luko, and J. Booth. It wan resolved that tho Committee draw up a eddo of ruled, to bo submitted to a general meeting to bo held in tho Star and Garter Hotel on Monday, evening, tho 14th' instant, at 8 o'clock. The Soorotary and oouduotor were requested to enquire on what terms tho Secretary 'could have • the use of tho iMasonic Hall. Messrs Ji .Booth ai»d liuko were requested to i canvass tho town for subscriber*. Subscriptions to bo • Honorary members, one guinea per annum ; working members, half-a-gulnea; ladles free. All subscriptions to bo paid in advance; Thero were rumors in town recently of tho discovery , of a now, Goldfleld somewhere on the Ahuriri, noar the Longslip Station, between tho Waitaki and Hawoa Lake. Tito utory went that 1 upwards of SOozu of /hoavy gild had boon sold ito a well-known storekeeper in town,— that packhorses had boon purohased by Home entorpising person to convey provisions to tho diggers oh tho new field, &c, Wo at onco 'instituted enquiries*' but learned nothing that would lead uh to suppose that any , now payable field has been discovered. We aro inforrried that sotno 15ozs, has 'boon tho result of tho labors of a' party who havo been working for some considerable time at the Hawea Lako and that thin in the "black crow" which boa become magnified to tho dimensions' of an eaglo, by tho rumor referred to. The Com referred to as, purchased, ia Oaraaru, camo wo find, from tho Kakivnui, being tho whole result of the labors of two uion extending over a cousiderablo'period, and who, tot being ablo to make tuokor, have abandoned 'their working, and ouo of thorn volunteorod for the front. At a mooting of tho Commitoe of tho Oamnru Jookoy Club, held at tho Star and Garter Hotel, recently, present— Messrs A. Paterson (in tho chair), J\.. It.,B. Thompson, Bonnott, Payne, HudBon, Proctor, 1 Booth, and A. Dansoy. Hon. Secretary, it was determined that ,tho race-meeting tako place during the first week in March, days to bo afterwards named. A list of piizes and programme of two days' races wero drawn up. . It wiiM resolved that Mr A. Fleming be appointed bocro< tary in the room of Mr Dansoy, resigned, and that ho, bo allowed to appoint iiotno person to collect iiubuoi-ip-Horn, , * * Canterbury's poverty is making her mean in tho treat*' mont of her yolunteors, Time was (aud that when the annual oipitation allowance of tho Genoral Government was L2 10s. 'por efficient volunteer) • that tho Provinco gavo to tho different companies 30s. por annum for every effective inombor. At that time, too, tho Council voted L300 por annum for the volunteer bandj besides furnishing funds for an encampment. Hot only has tho Provincial capitation bepn withdrawn and 'La oand grant refused, but during the past two years Cantor'bury has declined to receive mora than half tho capitation allowancoipaidby tho General Government to the' volunteers' in other Pro vincos. ThoGouoral Ooydrnmoiit capitation wa» roduced at tho last sossion of tho Assembly i to '25s. and consequently the Canterbury cojnpiuiios now receive only 12s. Cd. por man- In jridw oft all this, a modost request made, by ono of the omcor» of Fo. 1 Battalion, that the torn of LI50' migh« be placed on the Estimates; for an encampment has (beon refused by, tho Piovinciul Council, which seem 1 *, taking all, the circumstances into consideration to hayo behaved oxceodinglyflhdbbily in tho matter. " | The following information with regard to' tho finding of ancient Maori implements in Shag Valley, has lieen forwarded to tho " Waikouaiti Ilorald" by a resident :— > "Last wook, whilo M 'William, Bowman and p^rty, who havo taken a contract for putting up fonoiug on the property of • 1'. IX Boll, Esq., wero at work by the roadsido iu Shag Valley, M' William struck, his piok against something whioh gavo a 'motallio sound at a depth of about a foot bolow tho surfaco ; on looking for tho causo of this ringing sound ho discovered no less than nino ancient Maori implements, somo of thorn of greenstone, othors of a block-stone,' but so hard that the file will not touch thorn. These woro ranged side by imUyevi- , deijtly in tho position, in whioh tiioy woro placed by their ownor, and though from tho appearance ojf tho ground undor whioh they were found, a lapso of time must havo occurred sufficient for the deposit of tho superincumbent soil, tho stones which are for tho most part somewhat of tho shape of piano-irons, havo noithor lost thoir polish or marvellous sharpness of odgo, which is still sufficient to cut the hardest wood." ' > ' - The Oamaru Biflo Kangers^ paraded for inspection by .Captain and, Adjutant Atkinson^ at tho diillshed on tho 9th ultimo. Notwithstanding tho wotriesy of tho woathor and tho short notice givon, thero was n vory good niustor, 44 mombors of all ranks answering to' the roll-call. Tho Company was examined in tho manual and^platoon oxoroise» ? and proved by Captain StoWard, aftor which' it was divided -into, two, and a few sipiplo ,battah'on movements woro practised under the instruct tion of the Adjutant, who, on tho conclusion o( th,o drill, complimented both officers and men upou tho appearance of the Company and the mannor in which Ihoy had gone through thoir drill. He stated that he was ngroeably surprised by' tho advanco which had been made uinoo hw last visit. The band, winch was in atteudanco, played several marching tunes, and the Company was then dismissed. Captain Atkinson, who purposod to piocood to town yostorday morning, unfortunatoly missed tho coach, so that ho would bo unablo to bo present at, tho officers' meeting last night in Duncdiu. Diuing his stay ono or two recruits offered thomsolves for the Front. Wo do not know if their sorvicea were acooptod or not. An action for breaoh of promise of marriage brought by Isabolla Carr by hor next rolutivo, Mr Carr, coachbuilder, of this town, against William Stovonson, wheelwright, in tho Suprorno Court 1 baa rosulted in a verdict for tho plaintiff, for L100 damagos. Tho " Daily Mail" has coasod to exist. Its last number was published on tho 5th ult. The editor tays : — " Wo retire from tho field of journalism in Dunodin because tho want, to Bupply whioh tho ' Mail' was established, no longer exists ; wo loavo tho causo of tho people, tho causo of truth and uprightnesi, which we espoused, to tho ablo advocacy of tho ' Daily Times,' fooling assured that, whilo under its present management, thoso interests will receive from that journal ample justice." Wo havo rocoivod tho prospectus of an Otago Fino Arts 'Exhibition, to tako place in Dunodin, in rooms on the ground floor of the now post-offieo, during this month. An influential Committoo him been appointed to tako charge of the arrangements, and ns it w neoossftry that tho Committoo should bo informed -of the number of Pictures, &c, likely to be sent in, in order that proper anangoments may bo made for the allotment of space, porsona having works whioh they are willing to exhibit aro roquostod to inform tho Honorary Secretary (W. M. Hodgins, Esq.,) at their earliest convenience, of the particulars of the works they purposo sending in, specifying tho titlo, class, size, ico.' Particulars day bo obtained by intending oxhibitors at our office. j ( Tho " Sun" of 6th Deo. reports that " Mr T, Huntor of tho firm of Skeno, Haast and Co., storekeepers, Switzora, discovered on Wednesday that a debtor [of his firm had " bolted" to Dunedin, with a view of leaving tho Colony. Mr Huntor, rather as a dilution to otheni who might be liko minded, than becttuso of the amount of the debt, determined to follow. ' Ho had a ride of 150 miles beforo him, but, 36 houis aftor ho started, he had hiu man committed to prison ! Mr Huntor got on board tho Gothonburg yostorday, about twenty minutes before her timo of starting for Molboumo, via the northern ports j found tho debtor on boavd ; had him conveyed on shore in custody, and taken before Mr S. Fulton, 11. M.. by whom ho was committed undor the Absconding Debtor's Act. It was sharp work, and cautionary." ' ' I Tho " Groy River Argus" of the 8th Dqo. supplies tho following :— " It was reported to tho authorities at Cobdon, on Thursday, that tho body of a man had been found buriod up to tho bond in tho Kludge on the flat at the foot of Duffers' Gully, It is said that as| somo minors wero travelling down they saw tho head of a man sticking out of the sludge, and on approaching him and raising his hoad, to see if he was alive, it ciiroo > off in , thoir hands from tho effects j ,of decomposition.. Should this bo true the poor fellow, whose name is ypt,, 3 unknown, must have sunk in' the sludge, and met a long ' ] lingei ing, ' miserable death." j 1 Tho " Daily Times" says :— " Tho Lord Ashley claim . at the Thames diggings, it is roportod promises to bo one 1 of tho richest in tho district. A peculiar interest at- 1 taohes to this claim, from the fact that it was discovered 1 by the late Majot You Tcmpsky. As. a mark of rospect 1 to his memory, it is intondod to proaout ( hU widow with 1 a half share in tho claim." ' • * 1 In tho ltosidout Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, on > Nov; 29th, Mr Henry Smithies was fined L500 and 1 15s. r ' (3d, costs for practising illegally as a barrister. Although ' tho Court suoms to have had no option as to the impo- ' sition of the penalty^ it appears to us that Mr Smithies ' is a persecuted xnnn, and that his case ii ono of pcculUr { hardship. l J •

By the cpurtesy of Mr Liviugtton, stationor of thi» town, wtthavd Lad th# opportunity of inspecting tboprixps of the Rpval Scotttoh Jin« Art* Awocittfon which hate fallen to the lot of fortunate winners in this neighborhood; These are "The Trowachs," a »opia drawing by H. Mtcullpoh, R.S.A., which goes to A. MAMtotw, Em-» and f'Loch Lomond^ a, water-color dravring by w. Brough, A.E.S.A., now the property of Mr Dienl,' of Otepdpo. The first-mentioned picture 1* * really beaut }• fol work,;, the light and ulijul*- being most artisticalJy brought out, and in this respect the engraving from tho work falls far short of the original. We are gom,owhat disappointed with '' Loch Lomond,P tho sky being heavy, ,and, the whole picture in our opinion careless, not, to say dauby. The engraving does inoro justice to tho artist'* idea than the original picture. Besides these two works, which are no* on view at Mr .Livingston's, , and which will well repay a visit, that gqn.tlenian has also two sofa of engravings, bouud, up with deBCiiptive, letter-proas, in illustration of two of Sir Walter Scott's works, vizi, "iRob Boy," and the "Lady of the Lake." The first set comprises " Cuttle Lifting/' a sploudid engraving of ,a Highland scdue, in which the cattle are most faithfully drwn ; " Tho Olovo Scene," between Diana Yeroon and Frank Osbaldiston ; '♦ The Clachan of Aborfoil ;" " Bob Roy parting the Duellists ;" " Tho Escape of Bob Boy at tho Ford •/' and " Loch Lomond," engraved from 1 Mr Brought picture beforo noticed." The others sob comprises "The Death of tho Gallant Grey;" "The Trossachs," engravod from tho prizo drawing by Mr Maculloch ; " The Lady of tho Lake," i'Looh Katrine;", ,°The Cross of Fire;" and,"Fitrjamea and, Bodetiok Dhu." The first-mentioned presented to donors of five guineas to tho Association, or subscribers who havo paid the guinea subscription, for five successive years without obtaining any Srlzo. ,Mr Livingston lias also handed to us the plan of iie Association for the year 1869, which comprises a list of valuable prize*, one of which each .subscriber hai a ohance of obtaining, besides the engraving issued to him for the year of his subscription. Those wishing to avail themselves of thefe advantages should enrol their names with Mr Livingston, local secretary, without delay. • Wo, are glad to find that tho advisability of doing away with the present vexatious arrangement which necessitates the uippiug of sheop crossing from Canterbury into thin Province, and vico versa, has been taken into consideration by the Provincial Council of Canterbury. In a report of tho sitting of the 10th Dpc, given by tho " Press," we find tho following i~" Mr Kenuaway nsked tho Government whether they,intended to propose to the Otago Government some mutual Arrangement for crossing sheep frota both sides of tho Biver Waitaki, without the necessity of their being dipped, and contingent on thoir reply, to wove that the Government be requested to communicate'with tho Otago Government for the purpose of niaking 1 arrangements for crossing sheep from both sides of the Biver Waitaki without the necessity of their boing dipped. He said that he had been induced to ask this 'question of the Government because of the great incon1 vonienoe which the existing practice in crossing sheep occasioned to tho settlers in both Provinces. Mr Montgomery Haid tho attention of the Government had' alroady beou diroctod to this subject. It was a great pity that crossing tho boundary of theso! Provinces should mako it necossary to dip tho sheop, and the griovance, as between Canterbury and Otago, oxistod also between th© former Province and Nelson. Any action- which was boyond the roach of the Council would, of course, bo of doubtful utility ; but it wi<s the intention of (the Government to come to an understanding on the [matter with Otago if possiblo, with, tho view to remedy ithe ovil complained of." i The " Daily Times" referring to tho import and'ox* port returns for tho quarter ended- September 30, pub- . lishod in another column^ remarks— While tho exports generally show a decroaso, it is satisfactory to noto that both tho ports of thjs Province mentioned in the return shows considerable inoreaso— Dunedin atithfrrat© of 24.58 por cont., and Oauiaru at the irory high rate oi 85.34 per cunt. TIiub, had the rest of tho Colony progressed at tho same rate as Otago, instead of a decreaso of 12 per cent,, au increase of 55 per cent, would i have been shown. The "Sun" aaya :- " It*o additional news aa to tho new Goldfield has boon received, but we are assured that thero is no t'enuou to doubt the > information, supplied by Mr i Green, the prospoctor, who, it is understood, was very careful to securo ground and water-righU bofoio giving any information as to the results of his proipoctmg. Tholooality indicated i» cortainly auriferous; 1 for, ns long sinco as 1802, when the crooks and gullies only wero prospoctod, information us to gold-getting in them was published, 'and two yeaiS ago aquantity ofgold was got lower down tho Waikaka than the locality described by Mr Green. Ho- too, speaks piincipally of tlie tor'races as being excollently payable { and it soems that tho now field is only ono of, no doubt, many spota in tho Province which may bo roont profitably worked^ but which have remained unworked becauso they have not boon fully prospected. Tho account which wo published yesterday brought out «ovoral stories us to the new field, all of wiiiohi should, no doubt, he accepted with sotnd resorve. Ono story was to this effect :— Two men were at "work "ou the quiet" in tho neighborhood, more than a couple of months ago, and wore getting from joz. to loz, por day, - They were discovered, and therefore left, intending to return agaiu ; but whother they have done so, our informant does not knOw. Ho say* that those two men (oke of thorn his own brother) , got,, for their best week's closo upon 71b. weight of gold: Other storioB wero to tho effect that a number of men wero at Pomahaka on Sunday, or wore mot on their way there ; and that recent sales of gold, in town and elsewhere, have puzzlod the buyers as to the locality whence it had boon brought. ' ' The Wolliugton correspondent of the ' " Daily Times" 'gives -the following au tho tenor of tlie Iqtter sent ,by .Tito.Kowaru under flag of truce, by the mes-sengers arlosted by Col. Horrick :— " After quoting sundry texts of Scripiuro, it goes on to say that, as in one day God made the two races, the oue to live in England and the ! other in Now Zoalaud, the Pakolws ought never to have crossed tho sea, and that Tito Kowaru's endeavors will ' be to oxtorminato thorn. Ho solemnly warns the Euro; peaue to loavo \Vangauui,iand ends somewhat as a judge ', doos aftor passing sentonco of death, to the effect that tho Lord may havo moicy on their souls." Tho 'favorite ship Chile, from London, > arrived at Otago Heads on the 4th ult. She it commanded by Gapt. Culbort, lato of the Star of Tairaauia, which was unfortunately wrecked here last soason. The Chile brought a largo cargo and 80 pasBongors, including a number of assisted immigrants. For the following account of her passage, wo are indebted to the "Daily Times :" —Tho Chile Bailed from Gravoaond on tho 27th of August, but, owing to contrary winds in tlie Channel, she did not land her pilot until the 1st of Soptembor, and finally took her departure from tho Lizzard on tho 23rd; liglit variable weather ,was experienced | until reaching the N.E. trades, which wero only of-khort duration, being lost in lat. 12.47 N. A succession of teasing southerly and S.W. winds followed, which iriay bo said to have lost her an otherwise fast passage. The Equator wa« crossed on the 8th of October, in long. 19,55 west. Tho S.E. trados were then oxporieuceu. The island of Trinidad was sighted on the 17th of Octobor, and tho trades lost in hit. 2b* south. The ! meridian of Greonwioh was crossed on the 31st of the samo mouth, and tho Capo on the 4th of November. 'From thenco sho boyan to retrieve her laurels by experiencing strong favorablo winds at times increasing to heavy galos, during which she shipped » soveral heavy seas. ' Hor easting, for tbo most part was run down between tho parallel* of lat. 47 ana 40 S. Tho Snares were sighted on itho afternoon of, the 3rd; from tbenco the wind followed hor up tbo coast. ■ Tho Criminal Soision of tho Supremo Court was opened on tho 1st ult. by Mr Justice Ward. The cawi dispoood of wero— Win. Kennedy, charged with thoft from a hut, found guilty after trial, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment ; John Bicbards, stoaling from on board the s.s. Keera, sentencod to four year's imprisonment ; John Bobinson, theft from a shop door, two years' imprisonment ; John Murray, charged, with wounding wjth intent, and convicted of unlawfully -jvouoding, remanded for wmteuc* till Wedneuday ; nod John Mpwispn for for^ery, was ueatouced to two' year* 1 imprisonment. Jn tho following cases a plea of guilty was recorded, and the prisoners were romandod for seatonco j Henry Thompson,' larceny } Alexander M^Lainc^ defrauding fa hotel-koopor ; , William .8, Sleeinan, forgory ; ana James Lyle, embezzlement. A true bill wai roturnod against Hugh Chisholm M'Donald indicted with liorse-stealing at Clyde. On Wednesday the fol. lowin sentences were, pasted :— Alex M'Laine, obtaining board and lodging by means of a fnlso pretence, twelro months' imprisonment, with' hard labor;- James Lylo, embezzloment at Cuvorsluro,' twelve months.' jmpruoument with .hard labor ; William Staunton Slecmau, obtaining goods by falso proteuee, three years' penal servitudo. • Henry Thompson, stealing- property in Dunodin, .eighteen ,,, month,*' , imprisonment, with hard labor. John Murray, cutting end stabbing with intent, six month's imprisonment, with hard labor. John Brewstec Mouiley,. embezzlement, six mon&s' hard labor ; Edwin Courtney Lovell,, obtaining moaoy by false protoncos, two years' imprisonment with hird labor ; Jeremiah. Brohau alias O Halloran, unLtwfullj wounding, fourteen days' impiisonmont; JobnM'Lach- I bin, cattle-stealing, 18 months' imprisonment, with bird labor. 1 Verdicts of "Not Guilty" were returned in > tho cases of > Hugh Cbisholm M 'Donald, charged i with stealing a horse, and James Brawn, charged with itoaling & heifer. The Grand Jury found "No truo bill" as against Charles Williau)*, charged with indecent utiaultk and the prisoner was discharged. Usury Garrett alias Bovuo pleaded "Guilty" to two charges of burglary.

On Christmas Day an unwontedquietude characterised * tho town, A largo proportion of ,the iphabitanta had leftfor the Totara race-course, and after horsemen and vehicle* had departed -our street* .prateutal n deserted appearance. TWo was full choral service ia St Luke'i Church in the morning, when sn ,nble sermon was preached to a largo congregation by tho Rev; Mr Gifford. i The anthem for the day, takon from St Luke, chapter U., .veraea 8 to 14, was very beautifully rendered by the choir. Tho Church was tastefully decorated with flowers and evergreens, the capitals of tho columns in tb« ufale boing *wrqunded,wjtb wreath? of, iry," interspersed with white carnations; tho pulpit and desk were similarly decorated, while on the altar wore vases filled with white biokiias. The tables of tho Command* ments nud Creed wore tastefully bordered with ivy leaves and scarlet geranium blossoms. In the evening of tho day a number of rockets wero »eut up from the JBsplanado. • The drawing for the prize* in Mr Clendinnen's Art Union, took place on the 26th December at the Star and Garter Hotel, when, for a change, every subscriber was afforded the opportunity of i obtaining unlimited " tick," a large proportion of the . prises being docks and waches. It was rather amusing to ,seo tho fortunate winners of large time-pieces carrying off their prizes from tho shop, in fact so far as the clocks wero concerned, it was quito "striking," i The arrangements of the drawing were very complete, and gave general satisfaction, particularly to those fortunate winners whose subscription waa returned in the shape of a good watch or & -valuable article of jewollery. On the 23rd ult. the usual Christmas show waa mads by the various shopkeepers of tho town. Pi eminent among these seasonable displays was that at the estab* lishment of Messrs Fleming and Hodley, whoro there was a profusion of fat earcaaaes which would have done good to tho eye of a hungry nun. We noticed a particularly fine heifer which weighed, when dresssed, 9cwt. It was certainly splendid beef. The animal was, we understand, fed by Mr John Lemon upon his English grass paddocks. We also noticed some fine calves and sheep. There woro also joints of meat got up in all sort* of iugeoious and fantastic »bapo«, and tricked out with flowers, evergreens and rosettes. Tho confectioners wero not behind— fine shows of Christmas cake* being uiado by Messrs Farr, Headland, Mo Ohio, and Booth. The now Catholic Church recently erected at Waikouaiti was opened on the 20th ult., by a special sorvico, at which Fathers Hickey and Mitchell officiated. There was an efficient choir present, which performed Mozart's Twelfth Mass effectively. On Monday we wero shown three particularly fine ieedstalk» of oata, the produce of a single seed, gathered in the Kakanui district. We took the trouble to count the number of grains on one of these and found them to number 575. The stalks being of about equal sizes and having apparently tin equal number of grama, the total produce of a single seed would thus bo 1725. During the thunderstorm th.it raged on Friday afternoon last, Messrs Maclean and Moran, of the lighter United Brothers, had a verv narrow escape from being struck by lightning. To avoid a wotting, they both took refuge in the fore-cabin of tho vessel, and while there, to use tho words of our informant, "the lightning, or rather a ball of fire, the uwe of an orango, p&"»ed down tho hatchway, and exploded with a report like that of a cannon, but sharper and louder. Both of us were stunned for tho moment ; on recovoring, wo remarked a strong smell of fire, whiah huug about (or some timo. Going on dock, wo found that another portion of tho electric fluid had apparontty travelled in-board from tho bowsprit, along a chain cable, aud thence, to tho foot of the fore-majit, one of tho wedges of which was driven oufc, and the canvaa covering apron rifted up for half its chtumferenco." Traces of ncorehing were viiible, but fortunately no further daioago than that described was done. Tlia Brothers was loading timber op tho western sLore of the estuary (Mr Frasenri sawmills) at the time. —Southland News, December ID, On tho arrival of Cobb's coach at Manawatu on the 1st Dec, tho attention of, Constable > Puroell was attracted to some kite addre&wl to Maoiiea at Manawatu, forwarded from Wangaaui. On examination one waa found to contain 180 rounds of Government ammunition. The constable took charge of it, and forwarded it to, Wellington.— Wnng-inui Chrouiclo. iWe take the followiug from the *' Cornwall Chronirlo" (taunceston), of Nov. '2$:— "Mr Griinwood, a crack shot from Victoria, ha* beonou a visit to Launcestou far tho bowefit of his health. On Saturday he mid a visit to the butt on the , Swamp, and was invited to a shot. He accepted tho invitation, and had eight shots, and, to the astonishment of nil,, succeeded in making tight bull's-eyes in succession, i\\a dialanco of 200 yarda with a ritle ho had never handled before. On Tuesday, at the Corners, noar Campbolltown, while resting after rabbit (mooting, a party were sitting under a, fcroe, when • cockatoo was observed by Air Grim wood, who, with hu rifle brought him down, tho ball passing through th^ bird's head, though it was estimated to bo ut a distance of 35D yards at least." A small nugget, weighing fully half an ounce, waa dis* corered tho other day m a singular manner. Mr Donovan, of tho Shamrock Hotel, Has recently been gravolling the approaches to hilt house, and lias been carting tlw stuff from the heaps of tailings along the creek. From among tho stuff thus procured a passer-by picked out tho nugget, which was immediately handod over to Mr Donovan- r Tuapoka Times. T« Kooti is said to havo nuule. several changes in tho Hau-hau superstition. , According to the " New Zealand Advertiser/' under hfe direction greonsiones have been discovered to contain somo roagio principle unfavorable to their owners, and every pua found i» burnt. He has also constituted himself treasurer, and holds all the inonoy of the Hau-haus, as well as any articles of jowellery, &o.» robbed from the unfortunate Poverty Bay lottlors. Watches, /or somo reason or other, are condemned, and all those in their possession have been broken up. Tho "Wellington Independent?' publishes tho following pioco of information, from a most reliable source, regarding tho number of tho forco under ,tho command of Tito Kowaru at Waitotara :— " A gentleman well acquainted with tho Maories), their Einguago, their customs, and their character, took tho best moans he | had of ascertaining the total number of tho forces under Tito Kowaru, and the result of tho information ha collected on a subject »o important it that tho wholo force, including hulk from ten to fifteen years, old, doea not exceed the number of 300. Tho Auckland "Punch" gives insertion, gratis, to tho following advertisement :—" CAHD-Titoko Waru and Co., Butchers and Drysalters, the Gorge— Patea— West Coast. Families waited on in town or country at surprising short notice. A largo supply of Cured Constable, Potted Pakeha, and Dried Militiaman always on hand. N.B.—Sole Asrent for Stafford & Co.'s Aboriginal Irritant. Placo of biwines* in London, .Exeter Hall, Strand. W.C." A Victorian paper says :— •" A shark was caught from off one of the wharves yesterday evening, which although of no great length, wa« calculated to clear tho bay of a number of theao pesU, inasmuch as whon the monster was cut open, no fewor than twenty-seven lively young fry were found inuide. Tbo shark, which waa caught by mean* of a strong lino baited with squid, was about five and a-half feet in length, and possessed three formidable rows of teeth. Whilst being cut open by means of a shoemaker's knife, it grunted an loudly as an enormous pig. The young jumped about moat actively, and snapped their jawm in a manner not at all pleasant to the bystanders, who, however, did not desist until they had destroyed them all." We are informed that a party of minors have beon totting payable gold in the Mare whonua district. They ave applied to tho Government for permission to cut a water-race, but it appears have boen referred to the proprietors or lessees of the land. It is said that if a raco could be obtained, there is room for 300 men. Tho "Now Zealand Sun'' says:— "two samples of coal obtained ' in tho neighborhood of Oamaru,' were recently forwarded through His U»nor th>> Supprintcndent, to Dr Hector, for analysis. The report recoivod is aa follows • (a) Earthy coal ; compact, homogenous ; color, black ; jpowder, nearly black. Bums with some difficulty, evolving much sulphuretted hvdrogon j does not form a coko, and is without any tendency to cako ; color of tush, white, with rod flakea. (b) A more incoherent and dull looking coal, but containing bits water r- a difference which may arise from its occupying a drier position in the seam. The analyses are— Water, 21*33 a, IC'81 b; fixed carbon, 4316 a, 371# b; hydror<arbon, 25'17 a, 36D3 b; ash, 10-34 a, 924 b. The coke per ton from samplo a, is stated at lOcwt. 2qr. 321b. ; from b, Dcwt. lqr. 31b. It is added, ' In their general character these coals approach thotso from tho Saddk Hill and Clutha districts, but contain a larger proportbn of ash.' " By a proclamation in ilio Now Zealand Gazette of tho 23rd November, it Is notified that on and after the lit instant newspaper exchanges will be fte^ of postage. ,It is also notified in the same Gazette thit letters for members of the New Zealand Armed Coustflbultry when re-directed from onc^ place to another, within the Colony, will be transmitted to *uch Wnlirvctod adlress without cliarge. We learn th.it Lieut. Otlwll, of thn W/sifccuaiti Volunteers, baa resigned hi* tonui.ibiiou, ami enhat*! am a recruit for the Front. A notice, signed by the aaperiutaadont.intirsiateslhat-^ the Provincial Government will guarantee » tom&^SBS L35O " to the first vessel rthich clear* Oiago 3ea^^^^B equipped for a whaling cr u*d." m^iiiSm