News of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 82, 17 August 1872, Page 11

News of the Week.

We learn that the first sod of the Hutt railway will be turned by his Excellency the Governor on Monday with the customary formalities. The following private telegram reaches us from Reefton :— 11 Mr Curtis’s statement as to the vote of confidence in his Government is totally incorrect. The miners formed the overwhelming majority of those signing the memorial for separation. A memorial from miners right holders is only now in course of signature. A very bitter feeling exists against Mr Curtis for his attack upon Mr Fox.” Dr Bulmer and those wlio have been cooped up on Somes Island for the last few weeks were restored to liberty once more on Saturday. The party included ten passengers by the Nebraska (one being a lady), Mr Holmes (the pilot), Mr and Mrs Redman, and two privates of the Armed Constabulary, one of whom contracted the disease at the time Mr Kaye was put on the island. The passengers by the Nebrasks had been placed outside of the infected camp in tents, and were not brought into contact with any of those persons who had been previously placed in quarantine. Y/e understand that Mr Alfred Jackson, who for many years past has held the position of manager of the Dunedin branch of the Union Bank, has been appointed to a similar post at Wellington, in room of the late Mr Alexander Kerr, and that Mr Wm, Jamieson, the branch accountant, who has been locum, tenens at the Wellington office during the past two years, will resume his former duties of accountant.

The Hutt I’ailway works are beginning, to assume noticeable dimensions. Another large gang of men has set to work excavating near Pipitea Point. Another motion likely to lead to discussion has been given notice of. The hon member for Ashley, Mr J. E. Brown, has tabled a notice of motion that he will introduce a hill which will have the effect of disqualifying Superintendents and other provincial officers from holding seats in the House. Whatever may be the fate of the motion, it is as well to remind readers that there is nothing new in it. Some years ago Mr Stafford endeavored to induce the House to consent to such a Disqualification Act as would exclude from the House all persons holding offices, the salaries of which were paid out of the public funds; but of course it was a failure. The House then contained —as it contains now—so many members personally and directly interested in the perpetuation of provincial institutions that it is extremely doubtful whether the bill which the hon member has given notice of will be carried. At the same time, it is the general opinion that if provincial officers were excluded from the House, the waste of time, and the fruitless discussions which now take place regarding the relative positions of Provincial and .General Government officers, would be instantaneously abolished. Possibly the sense of the colony would ejaculate, “ and a blessed release too.”

Mrs Redward, the late schoolmistress at Karori, received on Wednesday a very flattering mark of the appreciation in which she was held by her pupils and their parents, in being presented with a handsome silver-plated teapot by her old scholars. The occasion was made the most of by the juveniles, who, by reciting and singing, contrived to pass a couple of pleasant hours, and finally wound up with giving a round of cheers for their former schoolmistress. The inscription on the present is : “ Presented to Mrs Redward by her pupils of the Karori School, as a token of their affectionate regard.” Mrs Redward has been schoolmistress in Karori for over two years, and the parents in the valley feel themselves much indebted to her for the progress made by their children during that time ; and in entering upon her new duties as matron at the immigration depot she will take with her the best wishes of her old patrons. The Catholic young men’s entertainment at St Mary’s School, on Monday night, was, we were glad to perceive, an undoubted success ; and we should advise the young gentlemen to engage a larger room —say the Odd Fellows’ Hall, which we feel sure they would be able to fill—when next they appear in public. Several of our leading ladies had lent their influence and exertions towards gathering together a good audience, besides taking part, themselves in the vocal part of the programme.

The entertainment on Tuesday night at the St Peter’s schoolroom in aid of the enlargement fund must have been satisfactory alike to the entertainers and entertained. It was easy to note a great improvement upon the last entertainment of the same nature. Whether it was that more pains had been taken by the performers or merely that they had more time to prepare does not matter much, vocal and instrumental music generally were much more agreeable to the ear. A few songs were sung with exquisite taste and power, and not the faintest whisper

' of a note seemed to be lost to the audience. Mr Eliott Eliott read one of the drollest portions of that very droll conceptions, Handy Handy, and, as a matter of course, completely dispelled the gravity of his hearers. The Yen. Archdeacon Stock was present. Mr Hammerton acted as • conductor. About 260 people were present, and all were comfortably seated. The sale of draught stock ou Monday at Messrs Bethune and Hunter’s stockyards afforded another instance of the growing demand for horses of the right stamp for heavy work. The bulk of the draft were really fine animals, and although most of them were fresh from work, they were in excellent condition. The attendance as usual was good and the bidding spirited. In a very short time the best horses of the draft were knocked down at the following prices : —£44, £42, £4O, £37, £36, £3O. During the latter j>art of May the number of patients in the small pox hospital at Valparaiso ranged from 40 to 50. It would appear that the ordinary mode of conducting a butchering business in this city will have to assimilate in some degree to a new innovation by which joints of meat are knocked down at auction. On Wednesday at noon Mr Luxford’s shop in Manners street was hung round with large joints of prime beef. In less than half an hour after Mr Thomas began to swing his hammer the meat was all sold, and the customers began to call out the number of the label on their lots to get delivery. As the joints were nearly all large, very few housewifes were among the purchasers, but licensed victuallers and boarding-house keepers were taking every advantage of this new mode of doing business. Judging from the average prices (l-|d and 2d), one is led to suppose that either the regular butchers have been enjoying a maximum of profit or that the sellers on Wednesday are heavy losers, for there is a very wide discrepancy between the prices of the meat sold at the auction room and the shop. The Smithfield Company held their first sale of meat on Thursday. Some six or seven fat bullocks had been slaughtered and dressed the previous day, and in the morning the quarters were cut up into different sized joints, and labelled with the number and weight of the pieces. The whole of them were spread out on two tables, one of them reaching almost the whole length of the shop, which is very large, as it needs to be to accommodate a crowd of people such as mustered on Thursday morning when the sale began. The first joints put up were not of the primest parts, and a few being knocked down at a penny a pound, the bidding was stimulated and the prices after that were advanced. Mr Thomas, who was selling at the next shop, had a smaller stock of meat to dispose of. The buyers were considerably fewer and the prices lower than at the sale of the Smithfield Company. Altogether the first sale may be considered a success. The next takes place to-day. A most distressing accident happened on Tuesday morning at Tonks’ hay and corn store in Manners street. It appeared that while some oats were being crushed the hopper ran low, and a boy named Mansell, about thirteen years of age, and who is employed in the store, was sent up to the hopper to cut open the bags of oats so that their contents might run into the hopper. The lad had performed the same duty hundreds of times before without leading himself or anyone else to suppose that any danger attached to it. Unfortunately on this occasion the little fellow ventured to step over one of the wheels in motion, and his trousers getting caught by the wheel itself or some projection on it, the boy’s leg was drawn in and jammed between the wooden wheel and a portion of the frame of the hopper. Although the engine driver happened to be at his post, and seeing the accident threw the machinery out of gear as quick as hand could move, the lad suffered a severe injury, all the fleshy part of the •, back of his leg being literally torn away from the hone. Dr Norris says it is one of the ugliest flesh wounds he ever saw, but he expects the little fellow to get over it Avithout sustaining any permanent injury. The poor child never uttered a whimper while being liberated from his painful position. He was at once taken to the hospital. We would suggest that some precaution should be taken to prevent the recurrence of another such painful accident. It is manifestly a piece of recklessness to allow a wheel with projections on it such as are on that which caught the poor boy’s trousers to revolve uncovered within such a short distance of the hopper, and where it is necessary that some person old or young, should go many times during the day when the machinery is working. There is nothing to prevent the wheel being covered in and made perfectly safe. We have since learnt that the poor lad has been in rather a serious condition the last couple of days. It would appear from the opinion held by Captain Chapman, of H.M.S. Dido, that the people of Auckland, who have so long been looking for the ship Bulwark, are too likely to be doomed to disappoint- | ment. The feeling of anxiety was so strong in that city, that several telegrams

were received yesterday requesting particulars regarding the missing vessel. It appears from what Captain Chapman states that the Bulwark left the Cape of Good Hope about the 13tli May, but that before sailing the captain spoke of intending to take a southerly course. The only supposition therefore is that the vessel may have struck an iceberg and foundered in consequence.

The following are the rates of wages at which the immigrants by the Merope, which arrived at Canterbury the other day, were hired at, and the bulk of them on the first day the barracks were thrown open: —Married couples, £52 per annum, and £lO extra if remaining twelve months ; one family was engaged at 24s per week, with house and firing. Single men —General farm servants, £3O to £4O, and £lO extraif remaining twelve months; shepherds, £4O ; grooms, £4O ; boys, 5s to 6s per week. Single women —cooks, £3O to £35; general servants, £2O to £3O ; housemaids, £25 ; nurse girls, £ls. The immediate construction of three instalments of our railway system have been arranged for. These are the Dunedin and Clutha line, the Invercargill and Mataura line, and the Auckland and Mercer line. Mr Jerusalem Smith, once partner with Mr Davis, the contractor for the Invercargill railway, has been appointed agent for Messrs Brogden and Son for the construction of the southern lines, and proceeded in the Wellington yesterday. Messrs Brogden’s chief engineer, Mr Henderson, sailed for Auckland, in the Phoebe on Saturday, to make the necessary arrangements for the construe—tion of the Auckland and Mercer railway., Messrs Pickles and Emmett, of Sandhurst, Victoria, have invented harness: tackling so arranged that in case of s& horse bolting or becoming too refractory), the driver can, by pulling a strap attached! to the swingle-tree on which the traces are hooked, let the horse “slide” altogether, while he remains perfectly safe in the vehicle.

According to the latest Fiji papers the unfortunate man Franks, whose execution was so bungled, is still in prison, and has not been hung again, simply because no amateur executioner could be found in Fiji. The power of the press is one thing, the power of the railway is another ; and if there be any truth in the following extract it would seem as if railroads sometimes put an end to feuds and drive out of sight the fiend local jealousy, something not at all likely to be brought about by the press of these days. A New York paper, noticing the influence of railroads on modern politics, observes that the completion of the International Railroad was the price paid for the union of the maritime provinces of British North America with Canada, and that the construction of a railroad from Canada through British territory to the Pacific was the condition on which British Columbia was induced to link her fortunes with the new Dominion ; and now an Imperial guarantee of part of the loan required for the construction of this last railway is to secure the assent of the Dominion to the treaty of Washington. The “ Gipps Land Mercury” reports that recently two young men succeeded in obtaining three tons of delicious wild honey in the short space of one week, from the trees in the bush near Glenmaggie. Some of the trees yielded six cwt. The “Hawke’s Bay Herald” has the following : —Some of the Southern journals, instigated, no doubt, by local oppositionists, have dealt recently in insinuations to the effect that the object of the Napier and Paki Paki railway was to improve Mr Ormond’s property. It is worth while, therefore, to point out that either of the alternative lines suggested would have been more to Mr Ormond’s advantage than that which lias been chosen. One of them, the line by Redcliffe, would have gone through his section on the Karamu ; the other, which, it was proposed, should cross the creeks at Pakowhai, would have been nearer his property, and better in every way for him, had he looked at the subject from the point of view of personal interest. A race with steam has been run and won by a herd of deer. This extraordinary event occurred in one of the defiles of the Rocky Mountains, and on the line of the great Pacific Railway. The course was six miles long and very narrow. At the starting point there was a little stream which proved the occasion of the race, for here a herd of deer were quietly refreshing themselves when suddenly a train approached. The engine driver thought to frighten the troop and clear the road by letting off steam and blowing his shrillest whistle ; but the demoniacal appearance of the engine only served to throw the timid animals into such a panic that instead of stepping aside they rushed madly into the defile in front of the train. The pass now grew so narrow that there Avas room only for the train, and still the herd Avas in front. The driver, thinking time would not alloAv him to slacken speed sufficiently to save the poor animals, determined to make short work of an. unavoidable butchery by putting on full steam. But the intense terror produced by their unearthly enemy had such, effect on the deer, that making a super*

natural effort,, they exceeded in the speed of their dispair anything as yet on record, At moments well nigh overtaken, they finally reached the open, after a course of six miles, and turning aside stopped unharmed to rest themselves, while the train flew on —its passengers loudly applauding so gallant a feat. The “ European Mail” says :—The next wool sales are looked forward to with much anxiety. Some uncertainty prevails as to the nature of the operations on the part of the buyers. The general belief is that they will use their best efforts. to bring down prices, but this determination by no means involves a successful issue. To be sure, the forthcoming may be regarded as the heaviest sales of the year, but as holders seem to be equally determined to maintain at least the closing rates of the last series, we do not apprehend any serious decline. The arrivals to date are about 204,000 bales, of which 29,000 are Cape. The United States have reduced the tariff on wool ten per cent., to take effect on August 1. It is said the concession amounts to about f d per lb. on the classes principally taken for that market. At the opening of a flour mill at the Waikato recently, a speaker said—“ Such ventures as this gave a great impetus to the growth of wheat. In 1858 the Maoris grew and exported from this district 36,000 bushels ; from Kawhia, 22,000 ; from Otea, 13,000 ; and from Whangaroa, 8000 ; making a total from the Waikato district of 76,000 bushels of wheat in one year, and he hoped the time was not far distant when we shall not only be able to supply ourselves but export, and hoped to see woollen factories started. Not above ten years ago the factory at Nelson was not as large as the room they were in at present, and only turned out about ninety yards a month. Now he believed they could turn out 900 yards in the same time, and the demand far exceeded the supply. Eighteen months ago he offered wool well washed for 9d per pound, and at the same time paid 15d per pound for it manufactured, which was assuredly a good margin for manufacturing, and must pay any company that liked to engage in it.” The Melbourne “Age” says that certain prominent Tasmanians are gravely considering whether it would not be profitable 'to give up their constitution, and place" the affairs of the island in the hands of some amiable but able governor, who like the present British representative at Jamaica, will turn everything into prosperity. With a population about the same as Queensland, Tasmania is nevertheless far behind that colony in the energetic management of public affairs. _ The customs revenue of the former in 1871 was about £288,000 ; in Tasmania the same year it was but £150,000. Here there is something fiscally at fault which it should be possible for the Tasmanians to put right without difficulty. As regards mineral productions, they have like Queensland both gold and copper, and and there is reason to believe also valuable deposits of coal, but it can scarcely be said that the possession of any of these natural resources has excited a strong desire on the part of the Tasmanians to develope them. Nor is the cost of the Government so great as to be a burden. The Governor receives but £4OOO per annum, and five ministers get but £2BOO per annum among them. Undoubtedly a mistake was committed in the construction of the Launceston and Western Railway atacost of £450,000, but under a wise economy even this incubus need not utterly crush down the Tasmanians. They have tried free trade and found it wanting ; let them now now try the effect of a little protection. “Anglo-Australian” says:—The question of the preparation of the New Zealand Phormium tenax, and its conversion into textile fabrics and other manufactures, is commanding a daily increasing interest. Experience has shown that this fibre, in some respects at least, is even superior to Manila for roping purposes ; while, on the other hand, the Dundee experiments have proved conclusively that it is admirably adapted, whether used alone or in association with Riga hemp, for the manufacture of canvas and the finer qualities of sacking. There can be no doubt that the Phormium will ultimately come into very general rise, and it is impossible to overrate the importance to the colony of a patient development of this source of wealth. I understand that the Agent-General, Dr Featherstone, is fully alive to this, and is doing everything in his power to interest spinners and others in such a way as to make their practical knowledge available ; for without such co-operation the progress of the fibre in the English market, in the face of the determined prejudices that exist in certain quarters, would be necessarily very slow. Exhaustive information on this subject has been collected and forwarded to the colony through the Agent-General’s office; and it is to be hoped that the improved prospects of the fibre as an article of commerce will induce the colonial growers and producers to persevere with this branch of industry. Time and patient labor are alone necessary to make the thing a triumphant success. It may be as well to add that

recent rates may be considered as established for rope and other purposes. I mention this because I have heard that many have given up its cultivation owing to the fluctuation of values. The death is announced of the Rev William Ellis, the well-known missionary in the South Sea Islands and Madagascar. Three bogie carriages are now in use on the Victorian railways. At Invercargill, a man named James M‘lntosh has been committed for trial for having, with intent to defraud, omitted specifying property from his statement of affairs.

The “European Mail” says: —A premium of twenty guineas was paid on June 3rd at Lloyd’s to effect fresh insurances on the ship Glenmark, which sailed from Lyttelton, New Zealand, on February Ist for London. The 1 ‘ West Coast Times ” understands that the Presbyterian congregation at Kokitik have resolved to invite the Rev James .Kirkland, of Inch Clutha, Otago, to become their pastor ; and that a meeting of the Presbytery will take place in the church on an early day, to moderate in the usual call. The congregation have there the prospect of an early and harmonius settlement of a matter which has been in suspense for some time. The “ Sydney Empire” gives the following particulars of a written statement furnished by Mr Joseph Whitnell:—“ He says that he knew Arthur Orton, anujwas chief officer of the brig Chamois, lying in St. Katherine’s Dock, London, when Orton came on board the vessel and shipped for a trial voyage, as was underderstood, to the “Isle of Sale” (query, LTsle de Sal) or Salt Island. P Having loaded there with salt, they sailed for Buneos Ayres, where they discharged the cargo of salt, and loaded with hides for Plymouth, Arthur Orton being on board all the time. The Chamois discharged her cargo of hides at Plymouth, and Mr Whitnell states that he then went to London, leaving Orton on board the vessel. This was about the “fall of the year,” 1847. After remaining for some time m London, Mr Whitnell was passing the shop of Orton’s father, in High street Wapping, when Arthur’s sister called him, and told him that her brother was going back to Buneos Ayres in the brig Chamois. At the same she gave him a shirt, which he had lent to her brother on the voyage home. He saw nothing more of Orton until he saw him on Moore’s wharf, in Sydney, in June 1853. He told Whitnell then that he was looking for a situation as chief officer or mate ; but they had not much conversation, Mr Whitnell being busy at the time. ” The Suez telegrams notify the successful floating in London of the Colonial and Foi’eign Fibre Company. The capital of the company is £IOO,OOO, in 20,000 shares of £5 each, but the first issue was confined to 10,000 shares. The prospectus says that “ the company ffias been formed for the purpose of extracting and importing in a perfectly cleansed condition New Zealand hemp, aloe, and other fibre-bear-in plants, through the acquisition for the United Kingdom and New Zealand of the patent rights granted to George Henry Andrews and William Gibbs for improvements in the method of treating fibrebearing plants and the machinery employed therein.” The following petition is being circulated in Southland That we (the memorialists) consider that an increase to the rural population is urgently required for the warfare of the district, and that there are many parts of the country which are admirably adapted for agricultural settlement. That we also believe the ecclessiastical institutions of the United Kingdom are well adapted to supply the best class of immigrants with all the neceisary information. We therefore earnestly request that surveys of farms and townships should be made in localities that can honestly bo recommended to the prudent emigrant, such as the Aparima, Jacob’s River, and Mataura; that such sections should only be given to actual residents on a system of deferred paymenis, and that maps should be freely supplied to the parochial clergy of England and Scotland, with as much information as possible, together with the nomes and addresses of the various ministers of the religious denominations.”

The sl2 Lever Watch, No. 13,580, purchased from Chas. P. Norton & Co. 86 Naasau street, New York, January sth, has been carried by me over six months, with a total variation in time of only 26 seconds, without the slightest regulating, and presents the same brilliancy of color as when purchased. —JAS, R. WILSON, Sec. American S. M. Co. N. .Y New York, July 10, 1870.

Berkley, Sept. 1869.—Gentlemen, I feel it a duty I owe to you to express my gratitude for the great benefit I have derived by taking Norton’s Camomile Pills.’ I applied to your agents, Mr Bell Berkley, for the above named Pills, for wind in the stomach, for which I suffered excruciating pain for a length of time, having tried every remedy perscribed, but without deriving any benefit at all. After taking two bottles of your valuable pills I was quite restored to . my usual state of health. Please give this publicity for the benefit of those who may thus be afflicted.” —I am, Sir, yours truly, Henby Alxpass.—To the proprietors of Nobton’s Cammoiie Pius.

It will be seen by our telegrams this morning that the Inspector-General of penal establishments in Victoria has run a very narrow risk of his life at the hands of a murderous convict named Weechurcli. We learn from an old Victorian—and doubtless the circumstance will be recollected by many of our readers—that an extraordinary fatality attaches to the office. Very few old colonists but recollect the sad fate of Mr Price, who met his death by an onslaught of convicts led by the redoubted Captain Melville ; while one of his successors, a Mr Barron, met an untimely end by drowning between the hulks and the shore. Inspector Duncan, we are informed, is one of the most intelligent and considerate men who could possibly have been selected to fill the office—at all times roost dangerous to the holder, and one in which the possesser is said to “carry his life in his hand.” It is to be hoped that the telegram is correct in its statement that the wound is not of a serious nature.

The Sheffield Stipendiary decided recently that playing whist by persons in a hotel did not constitute gambling -within the meaning of the Act unless the stakes were excessive, or gambling was carried on to a large extent, or unless drunkenness was permitted. If the account given by the “Dublin Evening Mail” of the adulteration of whisky is correct, it would be advisable for even the most convivial Irishman to be a little moderate in his potations until the Legislature has taken some steps for his protection ; and if the advocates of the Permissive Bill would circulate extensively among the working classes authentic descriptions of the frightful poison which they often consume under the name of whisky, they might, in the opinion of the “Mail,” gain a large accession to their ranks. The influence of terror would have a great effect on some who now revolt at the idea of being permissively coerced. The crime of adulteration, it seems, prevails in all parts of Ireland, but the astute people of the North appear to have graduated with high honors in this diabolical chemistry. Dr Hodges, of Belfast, has recently had occasion to examine several samples of whisky, which he found adulterated with naptha, cayenne pepper, and vitriol. One sample, described as a fair specimen of the drink sold in low-class publichouses, was composed almost entirely of naptha with a slight coloring of whisky. But even this was outdone by the skill of an itinerant practitioner in a northern county, who by a scientific combination of cayenne pepper, vitriol, spirits of wine, and bluestone transmutes a gallon of water into a gallon of whisky at the cost of one penny. The physical effects of the consumption of these concoctions are, it is stated, frightful. Indeed, delirium tremens produced by drinking pure whisky is a joke compared to the consequences of indulging in the adulterated article. The coats of the stomach are corroded, the brain disorganised, and the career of the consumer —when not arrested by the hand of justice in consequence of the crimes committed during the madness produced by it —generally ends in paralysis or insanity.—“ Pall Mall Gazette.” The Rev James Everett, one of the three ministers expelled by the Wesleyan Conference, which resulted in the formation of the Wesleyan Free Church, died lately in Sunderland, where he has resided for a number of years. A correspondent of the “Nelson Colonist” has the following :—Your member Mr Luckie followed the customary rule, and limited his remarks to the subjects touched on in the speech. His speech was delivered freely enough, but it appeared to lack preparation and polish, although it was fairly delivered. It was very closely reported in Hansard, and there it will be found. By the way, the ‘ ‘ Evening Post” sounded its lyre on the occasion, and with characteristic truthfulness, put words and phrases in Mr Luckie’s mouth which he never uttered, and I am well assured never thought of, and then called him names ! The writers acted after their kind, and no more need be said.

The “Marlborough Express” allows its readers to imagine what may soon be the result of a flood in the Wairau river : The somewhat alarming fact was communicated to us yesterday by a most trusthworthy informant, that the whole body of the Wairau river is now in the Opaiva, none ivhatever flowing down the Wairau channel, in which is nothing but soakage ; to this cause is attributable the long continuance of recent freshes, and ere long ivhen the snow now on the ranges begins to melt from rain or warm iveather, ive may expect Well! each reader can fill up the pause according to his judgment. A correspondent of the ‘ 1 Australasian” relates the folloiving curious circumstance : As a splitter in the bush I came across rather a strange sight the other day while falling a large ironbark tree. The tree was very liolloiv and came doivn ivith a crash. I ivent towards the butt end of the tree and came across a curious nest, in which were tivo large snakes four feet long, thirteen eggs, tivo opossums, tivo native cats, and one very large tame tom-

cat, with a head like a bulldog, that had gone wild, all coiled together as happy as could be. The tomcat was very savage and showed fight, but one crack with a ivaddy soon cooked him; the snakes seemed to lie stiff and sleepy. Mr Krefft is just noiv engaged in mounting the skeleton of a whale in the Sydney museum. One large bone and a number of teeth are still missing to make this grand skeleton quite complete. During the cruise of H.M.S. Clio from Sydney to Lord Howe’s Island, the ship’s carpenter jumped overboard and was droivned at sea.

The Rev S. Rabone, Wesleyan minister, Sydney, died in the street while proceeding to officiate in the Wesleyan Church. The latest Victorian turf sensation is the entry of the hairless horse, Caoutchouc, for a hurdle race.

The stock in the pastoral districts of Southland are reported to be thriving, despite the severe weather that prevailed a few weeks ago. Coal has been selling at from £3 to £4 a ton in Nelson, and hardly to be obtained at that price. The Japanese troupe brought from Melbourne by the Albion are under an engagement to perform at the Princess Theatre, Dunedin. The report of the Land Mortgage Bank of Victoria shows a gross profit on the half-year of £13,000, and a dividend of 10 per cent, is declared. A most distressing fatality occurred at Patea a few days ago, by which a son of Mr P. Ward, a lad of about seventeen years of age, lost his life. He was engaged in digging out a well with his father in very sandy ground, when a slip buried him up to his knees. The father called for help, and a man named Joseph Hardwood went down and tried to clear away the sand, but as it came in faster than they could take it out, he put the rope under the boy’s arms, and those on top tried to wind him up, but the pain was so great that the hoy begged them to desist as he could not endure the pain. The position, however, became so dangerous for the other man by the failing sand, which had by this time buried the boy up to the chest, that another effort was made to drag the boy out with the rope. This time he bore the pain manfully, but the rope broke. It was then doubled, but again broke, and just at that moment another fall of sand completely buried the lad. Harwood again essayed to rescue him, when just as he managed to get to the boy’s cap another fall took place, and Harwood liim|6lf had a very narrow escape. He was no sooner pulled up than the whole well fell in, which had been down only fourteen feet. Night coming on all hopes of saving the boy were abandoned. The body was recovered the next morning by a large party, who moved an immense quantity of sand before doing so. A verdict of ‘ ‘ accidental death” was returned at the inquest. An exchange says : —We observe by the Jedburgh “Gazette” of the 20th April that Mr Thomas Birch, of Dunedin, was lecturing during that month in Jedburgh on New Zealand, and the advantages it offers to intending emigrants. Two narrow escapes from drowning took place in the Grey river, near the junction of the Little Grey, last week. A packer for Mr James M‘lnroe attempted to ford the river, driving loaded pack-horses before him, but he was carried away and swept over the falls. He was rescued by catching hold of the tail of one of the horses and then being towed ashore just before he reached the confluence of the tivo rivers. In the other case, a packer for Messrs Kennedy Brothers, farmers, Totara Flat, was riding across the ford in company Avith Messrs Hayes, draper, Ahaura, and one of the Messrs Kennedy. The horse of the packer stumbled ivhen in the middle of the river, and threw the rider, who was taken away by the current. He fortunately got foul of a snag some distance loAver down, to \yhich he clung until he ivas ivith some difficulty rescued by his companions. A neiv mode of dealing ivith sewage has been proposed in England. The proposer, Major General Scott, C. 8., puts lime and clay into the sewers at some distance above the outlet, in the same proportion as that used in making Portland cement. The admixture clarifies the sewage on the same principle as the lime process, and the deposit falls with great rapidity. The sludge is dried and burned ; the organic matter helping the combustion, and the resulting cement is found to be of excellent quality. A Western paper, whose subscription has suffered from the evil of newspaper borrowing, says : —“Reader : if you have borrowed the paper you are reading don’t do it again. Subscriber ;it isn’t safe to borroiv papers. We once kneiv a poor, but honest man, ivho borrowed a paper, innocently and inadvertently, from a hitherto ivholesome neighbor. Fatal act. That terrible contagion, .the small pox, ivas conveyed insidiously in the fibres of that sheet. Of that extensive interesting family—a doting father, a fond wife, several intellectual and heroic sons, thirteen lovely daughters, twopopularmothers-in-law, and three beautiful aunts—not one remained to tell the tale.”

A correspondent sends us the following extract from “ Public Opinion,” which he says should commend ittfelf to the attention of members of the Assembly when dealing with the Licensing Bill: —We punish people for being drunk in the public streets and highways, but we do not punish the persons who make people drunk. What would be the effect of one section in an act of Parliament declaring that if any person were found drunk in a public-house, the owner of the house should be fined 40s, whether the owner had or had not served liquor to the person found drunk ? Who would care to receive the, asks the “Law Journal”, some few pence from a customer on the verge of intoxication at the risk of paying 40s ? Undoubtedly no one. Consequently the feat of getting drunk at pub-lic-houses would become impossible. Suggestions for promoting sobriety are full of hazard, but we fancy that our suggestion would do more than early closing or limited licensing. It has this peculiar advantage, that it would enlist the whole multitude of publicans on the side of temperance, and what project hitherto started can boast of this element of success ? The Newfoundland seal fishing, so far as is yet known, will not be equal by a half to the catch of last year, and it will also be below an average of former years. About forty vessels were lost in the spring, involving a loss of. 1355 lives. The following is a translation of a notice sent to the Government by the natives at Arowhenua :—“ It is the intention of the Runanga of Arowhenua to let the Government know their wishes respecting these birds: the paradise ducks, grey ducks, teal, plover, and other waterfowl ; pigeons, mountain parrots, kakas, wekas, and other birds. Let not these birds be protected ; let no laws be passed about these birds. These birds are ours. And the rivers : do not, ye white people, place fish in these waters between Waitald and Lake Ellesmere ; in none of these waters place fish. Do not, oh white people, thoughtlessly place your fish in these streams, because it is from the native birds and fish we get most of our food. This is what we want you to know. But another matter we want to make known is the impounding of horses, and dog collars (tax); these laws are obnoxious to us. We Maoris ought to be protected from the operations of these laws.” Recent experience, says the “Lancet” has proved the insufficiency of the ordinary process of disinfecting dwelling-rooms without at the same time stripping off the the paper and washing the walls and painted surfaces with caustic soda. In Manchester, nearly all the men engaged in this duty have had fever or infectious disease, although the houses previous to their visits had been disinfected by chlorine, carbolic acid, &c. It is believed that contagious matter is retained in the paper, particularly when a number of layers have accumulated on the walls. In some cases the men removed as many as fifteen coats of paper, and they describe a fusty odour which of itself may possibly give rise to fever. We would recall to our readers the case of the Knightsbridge barracks, where the accumulation of successive layers of size had formed a nidus for thousands of maggots. We must not, therefore, be satisfied with mere cleaning, whitewashing and repainting, but insist also on the cleansing and scouring of the walls. It is satisfactory to find that the recurrence of fever in the. same houses in Manchester has greatly diminished since the introduction of this thorough mode of cleansing.