News of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 96, 7 December 1872, Page 12

News of the Week.

J. Woodward, Esq, has been gazetted Accountant in Bankruptcy. It is notified by proclamation that about 8000 acres of land in the township of Foxton have been set apart for the purposes of special settlement. Ensign A. J. Skipper, of the Greytown Rifle Volunteers, and Hon. Lieutenant J. W. E. De Montalk, Featherston Rifle Volunteer Cadets, have resigned. C. L. Ingpen has been appointed SubLieutenant in the Wellington Veteran Volunteers ; and Ensign William Cundy, Hon. Lieutenant in the Featherston Rifle Volunteer Cadets.

J. Woodward, Esq, has been appointed a Commissioner to take evidence during the recess upon the advisability of closing the Wellington Cemetery, or otherwise, in accordance with a resolution of the Provincial Council.

The Coach and Horses, at Rangitikei, and at present in the occupation of Mr George Howe, has changed hands, the owner, Mr Jas. Bull, having sold the freehold to Mr W. G. Watt for £I,BOO. The out-going host, Mr Howe, gives up possession on the Ist January, i 873. The Wanganui ratepayers have decided by a majority of nearly two to one that they will not have a free library. The revenue and expenditure of Fiji, for the quarter ending 30th ult., was as follows : Revenue, 28,474 dollars 22 cents ; expenditure, 26,672 dollars 10 cents.

The Wanganui Jockey Club, it is said, propose holding a meeting for the purpose of disqualifying Peeress from running on the Wanganui course. Four old natives have recently died at Te Rotoiti from starvation. Food is generally very scarce amongst the Maoris in that district.

We learn from a Gazette published on Monday that application has been made to his Excellency the Governor to cancel the proclamation of his Honor the Superintendent regarding certain educational reserves.

The following is the return of patients in the Provincial Hospital during the month of November, from the Ist to 30tli, 1872 : —Admitted —males, 6 ; females, 1. Discharged—males, 2 ; females, 2. Died —males, 1. Left in hospital—males, 25 ; females, 3. The Sheep Inspector’s report for the Wairarapa district is of a sactisfactory character. He says :—“I am glad to report the decrease of scab in the district, which I attribute solely to the extent of fencing erected within the last ten years. With the exception of three flocks I should have been able to have sent you. in a clean bill of health. I believe there will be a better increase of lambs, and a better clip of wool this season than the valley ever produced before.” The Inspector for the Wellington and West Coast district has cancelled the certificate of D. Richards, Kaiawa. The tenders for the Ruamahunga Bridge have been received by the Provincial Government, but they were all found to be very considerably above the estimate of the Provincial Engineer. The lowest tender was £6OOO, being £ISOO above the Government estimate. It is supposed that the high price of the tenders is due to a combination amongst the saw mill proprietors to raise the price

of timber. The Government have in consequence declined to accept any of the present tenders, but have submitted terms to the lowest tenderer, which may possibly be accepted. We need hardly attempt to express the intense satisfaction and thankfulness with which the news has been received of the rescue of the woman and crew of the missing boat of the City of Newcastle. A thrill of joy ran through the whole of our community on Tuesday afternoon when it was heard that those who had been given up as drowned had been saved. There is no doubt of the accuracy of the fact, and we can only congratulate everybody upon the happy intelligence which is conveyed in our telegrams. As an indication of the feeling evoked by the almost miraculous rescue, we may state all the bands of the city turned out and played through the streets for several hours last night. When the Provincial Government, at the opening of last session, estimated that their receipts from the land revenue of the province for the ensuing year would amount to £28,000, a few jeered at the announcement and most people doubted the correctness of the estimate, and thought that the Provincial Secretary was over sanguine in his calculations. It is worthy of observation that already some £23,000 has been actually realised. Last month’s land sales alone show a return of £4OOO, exclusive of two or three large purchases which have already been referred to in these columns. Compared with the almost enormous revenues derived from like sources in the Southern provinces, our revenue no doubt may appear small ; but such as it is it will certainly be looked upon as highly satisfactory. Considering the trifling income received from land for the 1 last few years, and that last year’s land revenue only yielded £13,000, there is good reason to hope that a more prosperous period is setting in. As the province has a very large landed estate, which is only being made available at present we may expect that by the time the projected roads and bridges of the Provincial Government have been completed a far different tale will annually be told regarding our land sales. It is some satisfaction to know that we have still a large lump of cake left to eat.

His Excellency the Governor arrived in town on Friday last by Cobb’s coach from the Manawatu district. Omits way down the coach readied the head of Porirua Bay just in time to allow the driver and passengers to assist the driver of His Excellency’s private conveyance out of an awkward predicament. Lady Bowen and her children started from town early in the day to meet Cobb’s coach, and on reaching the head of Porirua Bay the driver of the conveyance, being unaware of the nature of the ground, got the horses into a bog or quicksand from which they were unable to extricate themselves. All attempts to get them out proved futile, and the animals fell down in the quagmire. Cobb’s coach arrived very opportunely, and with the aid thus afforded the horses and conveyance were soon extricated, no injury having been done, though the circumstance occasioned a little nervous excitement amongst those in the con-

veyance. A distressing and fatal accident happened on Friday morning to a little child named Hoffman in Martin street. It appeared that the mother had just made the breakfast coffee, and left the coffee pot beside the fire. Turning her back for an instant to attend to something else, the child seized the spout of the coffee pot unperceived, aud took a gulp of the boiling liquid. The result was that the poor little sufferer died in great agony in about three hours. Dr France was sent for soon after the accident happened, but he held out no hope of saving the child’s life as soon as he saw the nature of the case ; nor did he think he could have done more than alleviate suffering had he been on the spot. Dr France adapted what he deemed the best course under the circumstances, and then sent for Dr Harding, but the child died before the arrival of the second medical man. The mouth was not scalded at all, except on the lips slightly, but the throat was very badly scalded from top to bottom. Dr Hector returned to Wellington on Friday afternoon from his visit to the coal fields of the Nelson province. A deputation of Hutt settlers waited upon the Colonial Secretary last week and was introduced by the Hon Mr Fitzherbert explaining that the contractor for the Hutt Railway having cut down the fences of the settlers where the line passes through their properties, had failed to make sufficient provision for replacing them. This of course made the settlers liable to damage from cattle and otherwise. The Government, after making inquiry, and finding that the responsibility of preventing encroachments and injury to the properties through which the line passes devolved upon the General Government, assured the deputation that immediate steps would be taken to carry out their wishes. It was also incidentally mentioned that some dissatisfaction had arisen regarding the price which the Government had decided t >

pay for land required for railway purposes ; but we understand that after explanations made, the grounds of dissatisfaction were removed, the price which the Government pays for land for railways being at an average of-about £55 per acre.

An Auckland telegram states that the sharebrokers held a meeting and condemned certain clauses of the Sharebrokers Act as unworkable. We since learn that it was the Stamp Act with which the brokers are dissatisfied. -

The members for Otago were never forgetful, when an opportunity, presented itself. in the House, to recount the miseries and discomforts they experienced during their detention in Wellington •while in attendance upon their Parliamentary duties ; but these opinions, however vigorously expressed, could hardly be said to be devoid of some slight admixture of prejudice. A disinterested and impartial observer, who has visited the towns of New Zealand and compared the progress of eachj has placed his observations in the form of an interesting letter which has appeared in the Christchurch “Press.” This gentleman was one of the first who travelled on the Port Chalmers line to Dunedin, of which place he thus writes : “We pass through two short tunnels, several slight cuttings, and into the outskirts of the city of Dunedin. And now, here we are gliding through a thick cluster of houses, than which more wretched hovels are not to be found in the three kingdoms, or in Maoriland. Houses dingy and windowless; houses rotting away with age ; houses roughly patched up with rusty tin ; unhealthy ground; dirty, unkempt, frowsy women at the doors ; squalid children making mud-pies by the wayside—geese and fowls and bipeds evidently startled and excited. We get out of the train, and pick our steps through a sea of mud, into the heart of the town, with its bustle and commercial energy.” The Luna sailed for Napier yesterday with his Honor Mr Justice Johnston on board to attend the sittings of the Supreme Court. Remembering the annoying and expensive delay which attended the repeated postponments of the last sittings, the slightest nervous dread has been exhibited that this sittings might have the same misfortune as the last. The trial of Maaka, the quondam rebel now in Napier gaol, for murder, will be one of the cases heard. After landing his Honor the Luna will come straight back to Wellington m order to convey his Excellency the Governor to Christchurch and Dunedin.

Sir George Grey’s gardener at Kawau forwarded to the Secretary of ' the Auckland Agricultural Society, for exhibition at the late show, 6 limes, 5 citrons, 12 lemons, 12 sweet lemons, 12 Seville oranges, and some Bohemian Nivae, (a valuable fibre), and three specimens of bamboo.

The Corporation are of the opinion that it is better the streets should be watered with salt water than not at all, and accordingly as fresh water is not to be had this droughty weather, an apparatus for pumping water out of the bay into the carts has been procured. Many are of opinion that any evils arising from the use of salt-water on the streets will be comparatively harmless if only a good supply be kept up ; and there is no obstacle to that being done if the pump and horses be worked sufficiently. One man can work the pump, which is worked by a crank handle, and for two men it ought to be light labor. The “ Wanganui Chronicle” is now issued in an enlarged form, and published daily. Nothing that is noticeable in the affairs of the thriving district of Wanganui redounds so much to the credit of the settlers as the way in which they support the local press. A sum of £250 has been voted by the Canterbury Provincial Council for clearing the river Avon of watercress.

The “Wairarapa Standard” says that shearing is now being actively proceeded with at most of the stations in the Lower Valley, and at several of them the whole of the flocks have been shorn. The usual price, paid has been twenty shillings per hundred, but at the Otaraia station, the property of Mr Martin, twenty-one shillings were paid. The clip will be much larger than on any previous occasion, and it will be completed earlier this than in any previous year.

It is a matter of the greatest importance to intending purchasers of Drapery, Men’s, Youths’, and Boys’ Clothing, that they should be directed to where cash purchasers receive the full benefits they are entitled to. It is an established fact that James Smith, -Te Aro House, offers special advantages to be met with, in no other house in Wellington. Importing direct from manufacturers of the highest reputation in the Home Markets, and the whole of the stock marked at the* lowest remunerative prices ensuring such sterling value for their money, as cannot fail to secure the entire confidence of a discerning public. The goods are all marked at the lowest cash prices, so that experienced and unexperienced buyers are alike faithfully served, a more complete description of his large and varied stock, will be found on the first page of this paper. Advt.

The Board of Governors of the Wei lington College held a meeting on Monday | afternoon in the Provincial Government buildings. Mr Graham, who was appointed Secretary, was instructed to write to Nelson, Otago and Canterbury to obtain from the management of the Colleges in those places certain information in regard to the form of government, fees, &c. The amount of money to be distributed in the shape of prizes was increased to £25, which his Excellency the Governor will be requested to distribute to the pupils about the 20th instant. Mr Brandon, Mr Gisborne, and j Mr Taylor were appointed to draw up a report upon the present state of the College. The Board then adjourned. King Tawhiao is evidently not supreme ruler in the Waikato. Some ahort time since telegraphic information reached us that this so-called potentate was favorable to the opening, for the purposes of commerce, of the harbor of Kawhia ; but our Auckland telegrams of this morning would make it appear that his Majesty must bow to a “power behindthe throne.” Judging by the above, much weight cannot be attached to the King’s opinion as expressed to Hone te One regarding the maintenance of peace. A new building society has been started at Blenheim, and from the manner in which the shares are being applied for the enterprise is expected to be a success. A few evenings since the ne.wly-erected Catholic Chapel at Reefton narrowly escaped destruction by fire, which was fortunately got under without damage. At a meeting of shipowners and shipbrokers engaged in the Australian and New Zealand trades, recently held in London, it was resolved to adopt more stringent forms of bills of lading for all ships entered outwards on and from October 1. These rules being considered to press heavily on the exporters, they have held a meeting, at which a committee was appointed to confer with the shipowners upon the subject. The Canterbury Flax Association will receive by this mail a piece of cloth and weft yarn made from some flax they sent home. We (European Mail) may add that as the fibre in question was not sufficiently fine, Mr Forbes used some of Mr Thorne’s prepared New Zealand flax for making the warp. The result was some capital cloth suitable for sacking purposes, as our friends in Canterbury will have an opportunity of judging. The same package also contains a piece of cloth made from fibre prepared by Mr Thorne. Mr Forbes spares no trouble to prove the usefulness of this fibre for textile fabrics.

A marriage, scarcely less interesting than that of Pere Hyacinthe, has lately taken place at Ohio, in the United States. The “ Springfield Advertiser” reports the marriage of Colonel Joseph Leffel to Miss Eveline Beasley. The Colonel is fortyfive inches high, weighs fifty-five pounds, and is thirty-eight years old. Miss Beasley, now Mrs Leffel, is five or*six inches taller than her husband, weighs about seventy-four pounds, and is twentythree years -of age. Colonel Leffel, though diminutive in stature, is remarkably active and vigilant in business, so much so, that by earnest attention he has amassed a considerable fortune.

The “ Marlborough Press” furnishes the following : —The action of the master of the schooner Canterbury, in delaying to give notice of the loss of the City of Newcastle, deserves mention, as by the delay in reporting the occurrence much valuable time was lost and aid prevented from being rendered at a most critical period. It appears that the Canterbury picked up the men early on Thursday morning, and instead of proceeding to the scene of the disaster, or striving to reach Picton with the least possible loss of time, the master stopped on his way and afterAvards proceeded on to the Grove, Avhere he arrived on Friday afternoon ; and it was not until mid-day oh Saturday, on the arrival of the picked up men, that anything was known of the wreck in Picton. Had the report of the loss reached here in anything like reasonable time, a boat would have started on the search at once, thus avoiding the delay of at least some twenty-four hours. We take the following from. the Melbourne correspondent of the “ Otago Daily Times : —We find it difficult to get an Agent-General. Certainly, the position is a very beggarly paid one, and the duties are very trying. The salary is only £ISOO a year, and it is understood that the social 'duties attending it—the dining out and dining at. home—are of a very exhausting character. So we are going to increase the salary to £2OOO a year, and are going to repeal a portion of the Officials in Parliament Act, so as to enable a member to take this office without having to pass through six months’ purgatory before the office can be secured. It is thought that the patriotic aspirations of many of our members to serve their country for a good screw have been too long impeded by this enactment, and it is time that it were done away with. Besides it was passed in earlier days, A\ r hen some members of Parliament were selfish and unscrupulous ; but it is felt that in our improved conditions of political virtue any such restrictions are

unnecessary, and are calculated to cast a doubt of suspicion on the virtue they are intended to protect.

The German Government continues to be much disquieted by the large dimensions of the emigration to America. It ] is stated that according to authentic advices from Berlin, the numbers are growing in such proportions that by the Ist of January the figures will be double what they were in the year proceeding the late war. As usual the bulk of the emigrants are young men anxious to avoid military sendee. It was in reference to this movement that the circular from the War Minister, by the Emperor’s orders, was issued last July. As it has seemingly had no appreciable effect in checking the ever-widening stream, a second circular, couched in more threatening terms than the the first, has been issued. It recalls to the youths in question the fact that they make themselves liable to the severest penalties by the course they adopt, and that if they persist in it they will be treated as outlaAVS for life. At the same time a special service is being instituted for the more effective surveillance and supervision of the districts from which the emigrants mainly come. But, in spite of all this, j she emigration to America has been only I tlightly effected. A new rule in regard to figures in telegraphic messages has lately come into operation in England. The transmission of figures by telegraph has always been a difficulty. Despite the regulations of the - postal department that “365” should be held as written thus, “three hundred and sixty-five,” and counted as five words, the public cannot be got to "write the figures in words at length. The new rules are in general such that the sender of a message will gain by directing his figures to be sent in Avords. Thus, the word ‘ ‘ first” Avhen so written must, according to the rule that any word in Johnson’s Dictionary is to be accepted as one word, be charged single. But if the sender of a telegram writes it “Ist,” this is to be counted as two words. In the Same way ‘ l l3th” is to be counted as three, because in that form the telegraph clerks must send it “one, three, th,” and so on. But the sender can write thirteenth, and in this way it must pass as one or tAVO Avords, as the case may be. The means Avhich were taken to remedy the defect in the submarine cable which Avas the cause of the prolonged interruption in telegraphic communication with England, are briefly described in the following telegram transmitted by Mr Fisher, of the repairing party, BanjoeAvangi, to Mr, Todd, at Adelaide :—“Thanks for your message of yesterday. Accept my congratulations for your own success. Cause of interruption, cable completely broken; how broken will remain a mystery. No ship would anchor in a thousand fathoms of Avater —such was the depth at fracture. We recovered one end only : this gave undoubted signs of having been subjected to severe tension. In grappling for the other end we broke the cable, had to shift ground, picked up again, stoppers put on, when snap Avent the cable second time, but tliis proved to be the Avestern end. Tested cable to Darwin, found 0.K., spliced on and ran up to other end, which had been buoyed. Tested this, and made final splice. Lost about two miles and a half of cable. Cable when picked up Avas externally as good as Avhen first manufactured. Electricity much improA 7 ed, due to age and temperature. Hope I may again visit Australia, and shall then do all I can to meet you. Thank you for your kindly feelings. Success to the banquet and all who attend. Advance Australia. — Fisher, Banjoewangi.” A bonus of £IO,OOO is to be proposed in the South Australian Legislature to Mr Todd and his party. South Australia has just increased the salary of her Agent-General in England to £9OO per annum. It has been resolved that the colony of Natal shall receive the benefits of railway communication, for which purpose a convention has been signed for the construction of 345 miles of single line on a guage of three feet six inches.

• At a recent meeting of the Acclimatisation Society of Canterbury applications from various parts of the colony were received for trout to the number of 1255. Mr Travers, of Wellington, applied for 100.

Last Thursday was one of the hottest days experienced in Christchurch for some time. The thermometer registered 120 degrees in the sun, and 96 degrees in the shade.

Mrs Witting, Avho murdered her three children at Invercargill, Avent into an hysterical condition after sentence of death had been passed, and Avas removed -with difficulty. The “ Southland Times” of the 22nd ult. says a memorial of the inhabitants of Invercargill and the vicinity for the commutation of the sentence of death passed upon Caroline Witting for the murder of her three children, is being prepared by Mr Wade. The skeleton of a man has been found at Barry’s Bay Saddle, Akaroa, by a Mr SteAvart. From the position in which he found the bones, Mr Stewart believes the deceased had died at the foot of a tree,

sitting between two long roots. The skull had toppled forward; accounting for its being found by itself. The vertebrae, &c, were in a heap, and the leg bones .lying horizontally removed from them. Not a vestige of clothing was discovered with the remains.

The Provincial Government of Canterbury have proposed in their estimates for the year to grant £40,000 for distribution amongst the road boards of the province. The rodents of Christchurch have a hard time of it just now. The butchers of the city have instituted a neAV order of entertainment, Avhich for Avant of a better title may be called “ ratting' picnics,” which serve the double purpose of affording amusement to the sporting gentry and driving the vermin from their places of retreat at the slaughter yards. At a recent battue held at the slaughtering establishment of Messrs Lane Brothers, over three hundred rats were killed in a few hours, and through the cleverness of tAvo gentlemen using gloves, more than sixty fine large rats were bagged and coursed in a paddock adjoining the house afterwards, which afforded great amusement to the spectators. In this sport a canine called “ Sudden Death” fully justified the cognomen bestowed upon him by eclipsing the efforts of all other “killers,” and at the conclusion of the fun the gentlemen in attendance were entertained at a luncheon given by Messrs Lane Brothers.

The Melbourne correspondent of the “Otago Daily Times” speaking of the Exhibition in that city says : —The Melbourne Exhibition is opened, and is not a very brilliant collection. The show is wanting in the display of manufactured articles of a kind that take the eye, although it Avithout doubt includes many exhibits that represent industries of great value to the colony. But, then, these are not of a character to form very effective contributions to a show, one of the objects of which is to amuse the public. Amongst the exhibits that most tended to illustrate the growth of industry within the colony, those of preserved meat were the most noticeable. They represent a manufacture which has sprung into existence since our last Exhibtion, which noAV employs a large number of people, which has exerted the most poiverful influence on the pastoral interest, and Avhich bids fair, owing to the increasing price of meat in Europe, to become still more importan in the future. Although, as a whole, our Exhibition is far inferior in extent and interest to the great Melbourne Intercolonial ShoAV of 1866, it is still an interesting collection, and has become a very favorite place of resort for the public during these afternoons and evenings. Looking at its pecuniary results, it appears likely to prove a great success.

In the Canterbury Provincial Council the folloAving resolution Avas carried on the motion of the Hon. G. M. Richardson, “ That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, praying that a sum not exceeding £2OOO be placed on the estimates as a bonus to the first company, or private individual, Avho shall successfully establish in the province of Canterbury the manufacture of wool bales, sacking, and matting from New Zealind flax, such bonus to be paid on satisfactory proof being given to the Government of the production of not less than 10,000 wool bales and 40,000 sacks of a similar quality to those generally in use in the province. Provided always that should the same company or private individual receive any bonus from the General Government, the total amount paid under this resolution shall only be such as will make up the total bonus of £2000.”

At a recent meeting of the Provincial Council of Canterbury, Colonel Brett moved for the appointment of a Select Committee to < report upon the adAusability of using the Oregon pine timber, lately imported from America, as sleepers on the line of rail in the province. Colonel Brett made the observation that the timber Avas so soft that he had put his knife into it Avith as much ease as through a piece of cheese. Mr Kennaway, the Provincial Secretary, said the sleepers in question had been ordered by the General Government from America in consequence of the endeavors made by the Provincial and General Governments to obtain a supply a sleepers within the colony being unsuccessful. They had advertised in all the provinces but had been unable to procure the necessary supply. The latter statement is not very flattering to the capabilities of the srav mills of the colony, nor to the enterprise of those Avho conduct them.

One of the most closely-contested rifle matches which has ever taken place on the Thames, came off at the Tararu butts lately. It will be recollected that some time ago a challenge was issued by fifteen New Zealand born riflemen to fire a match with the,same number of any other nationality. The challenge was accepted by the Scotch riflemen. On the occasion of firing, night fell before they had concluded, and the last three rounds at the 600 yards were literally fired in the dark. In the first squad, the Scotch team obtained a slight advantage, and finished

with. 11 points over the New Zealanders. When the second squad had completed their rounds at the 400 yards range, they had gained so far that they led by one point. At the 500 yards range, the scores were pretty even—sometimes one slightly in advance, and sometimes the other. After the first four rounds at the 600 yards range, it was stated that the New Zealanders were 5 points in advance, and the excitement of those interested was then apparent. In the morning, betting was 3 to 2 on the New Zealanders, but later it became more favorable, and even money was readily taken on the Scotchmen. There were seven shots at each ran»e. The following is the score Colonial, 749; Scotch, 736. Majority for the Colonial team, 13. „ 11 Atticus,” writing in the “Leader, has the following paragraph, which it is said refers to Sir James Fergusson, the Governor-elect of New Zealand •“ -A* marriage in high life is spoken of as likely to come off very shortly. The Governor of a neighboring colony is said to be epns with a lady, the niece of a member of the Legislative Council of this colony. The lover has been a widower for some time, and his first wife was a woman of high rank. His future bride has been out for soipe years, but is said to possess all the qualities which will grace her future station.” . . . , There are at present m the Colonial Museum four specimens of gold-bearing quartz from the Perseverance claim at Collingwood, in the Nelson province, which would fully'justify a special visit to the Museum. The existence of the Perseverance claim has no doubt long been known to many people in Wellington, but we venture to think that there are few who are aware of the actual richness of the stone yielded. Each of the specimens is about the size of a man s fist, and two of them are, to use the customary phrase, richly impregnated with gold. In the other two the gold seems rather to lie on the stone in cakes in some places, being sprinkled in large patches in others. The whole of the specimens are extraordinarily rich, and are said by persons who have seen specimens from the celebrated Caledonian claim to exceed the latter in richness, though in the. case of the Perseverance claim the precious metal is not so greatly diffused over the quartz lode as it is, or was, in the Caledonian, which in reality constituted the great feature of value in the case of the latter claim. The specimens were purchased by Dr Hector to be forwarded to the Vienna Exhibition, but will first be exhibited at the Christchurch Exhibition, to which place they will be forwarded in a few days. A shark five feet long has been caught in the Waimakariri river atKaiapoi. The Christchurch City Council have refused to allow tramways to be laid in the streets. ~, . ... The “Otago Daily Times boasts that Caversham, just outside Dunedin, has received another addition to its many public institutions in the shape of a lock-up. The Canterbury Acclimatization Society have requested the Provincial Government to place on the estimates the sum of. £SOO to defray the expenses of the Society. ' At Christchurch, the “ Lyttelton Times says, “the doctors say that they have been and are overworked, and that Christchurch and its neighborhood is decidedly less healthy than it used to be.’ The revenue of the Province of Otago during the quarter ending on the 30th September last was £46,656 Is 2d, and the expenditure during the same period was £57,449 9s 4d, the excess of expenditure over revenue thus being £10,793 8s 2d. - , Referring to earthquakes, the Sydney correspondent of the “Southern Cross” says : “So persuaded are some people that New Zealand is the only focus of subterranean disorder in th,e Australian world, that whenever we feel an earthquake in New South ■ Wales (which certainly we rarely do) they cannot help exclaiming, ‘ There’s that New Zealand AND’BRONCHITIS effectually relieved by the use of Datura Tatula, for “ in a most fearful attack of asthma, Lord Dunsany had scarcely smoked the Datura Tatula for more than'a minute or so, when the symptoms abated, and in ten minutes more he was reieved wonderfully. He told me he had used t for years with the most perfect success. Certainly the inhalation had the most magical effect I ever witnessed.”—Dr J. McVeagh. * I have never known an instance in which relief was not obtained.” — Qenl'. Alexander. Sold as tobacco, in tins, cigars and cigarettes, in boxes, also pastilles for inhalation, by Savory and Moore, 143, New Bond street, London. And all Chemists, and Storekeepers. 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 Buffered excruciating pain for a length of time, having tried every remedy perscnbed, 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, Sui ?our« truly, Henex Allpass.— To the prietors of Nobtok’s Oammoile Piles.

An accident of a very serious nature occurred to a man named Edward Merton, at the North Moreaki Downs Flax Mills, Canterbury, on Thursday last. It appears he was engaged in scutching flax, when by some unaccountable means his hand got caught in the machinery and was cut off, the wrist being frightfully smashed. The injury was of so severe a nature that the medical gentleman recommended his immediate removal to the Christchurch Hospital, a distance of about forty miles, where he arrived on Friday morning, when it was found that amputation slightly below the elbow was absolutely necessary, which operation was satisfactorily performed by Dr Nedwill. The Sydney correspondent ■of the “ Argus” writes as follows on November 7th : —The tenders for the San Francisco service are due on the 20th of this month. I cannot hear that any telegrams have been received from London instituting any detailed inquiries, and this does not s look as if English steamboat proprietors were preparing calculations.. At the same time, it is certain that there will be some tenders, and the only doubtful point is-whether they will be of a character that the Government can accept.

The “New York World” gives the following account of an exciting struggle It is known that the railroad from San Francisco to New York passes through the reservations of several tribes of Indians, who invariably regard the locomotives as terrible monsters, created by the Manitou to exterminate the red man. Several times already the Indians have attempted to throw the trains off the track. In these enterprises they were led by one of the fiercest of their chiefs, a Cherokee, named Naha, and surnamed Mocking Bird. All their attempts having failed, Naha resolved to change his tactics. Accordingly, on the 2nd of June last, he concealed himself near the rails, and with extraordinary rapidity and activity bounded on the foot-board of train No. 67, from San Francisco to New York. He then slipped along the train till he reached the locomotive, where he killed the fireman with a blow of *his tomahawk, stabbed the engineer with liis knife, and .after scalping them jumped on the tender, brandishing his scalps, and howling out a savage war song. The settlers along the line became terrified as they saw the train, which now dashed along at a fearful speed, driven by a ferocious engineer. The pasengers all cried out for help. Their situation was extremely perilous ; in fact, they were running into the jaws of death. Finally, an officer of the navy, Mr Henry Pierce, determined to sacrifice himself to save his fellow-passengers. Armed with a long dirk knife he ran along the footboard of the train and jumped upon the engine. The chief uttered a war-cry, and brandished his tomahawk, and a hand-to-hand struggle was commenced over the bodies of the engineer and fireman. The passengers put their heads out of the windows, and with an anxiety which may easily be imagined, tried to see the fight. In about a minute Mr Pierce fell mortally wounded under Mocking Bird, who in the twinkling of an eye scalped him. But while he was triumphantly waving the scalp of his Victim in the air, Mr Pierce, who was. still living, had sufficient strength to jump up and plunge his knife into the Indian’s breast, killing him instantly. He then crawled to the valve handle, shut off the steam, and the train stopped. The passengers ran to the assistance of this brave officer, but it was too late : he died two hours afterwards.

Goat-breeding seems to be carried on in South Australia on a somewhat extensive scale. The “Bunyip ” says “ A large flock of goats, to the number of 1300, passed through Gawler on Monday evening, to -the no small amusement of the young folk. The creatures were at first supposed by some of the spectators to be a novel species of sheep. They were bred on the Western plains, where are some 15,000 of them, and were on their way to the Adelaide boiling down works, having been six weeks on the journey.”

The “Inangahua Herald” relates the following daring escape of a prisoner : It will be within the recollection of our readers that a man known as German Jerry recently absconded from the employ of a storekeeper named Brandt, at the Landing, with about £BO in cash and gold. A warrant was out for his arrest, and information having been ascertained of his whereabouts, he was arrested by Constable Chichester at 4 a.m. on Thursday, about two miles above the Lyell, in a hut situated near the Buffer river. Having to cross the river in a small boat, the prisoner asked that the handcuffs might be removed, and this was done. On reaching mid-stream, he suddenly sprung from the boat and dived a distance of forty yards. The boat followed until nearing a dangerous fall, and was then steered for tlib bank. Constable Chichester, the arresting officer, pursued the prisoner along the river bank, but tne latter invariably dived on perceiving him, and the constable last saw the absconder at the head of the fall when he dived, and though Constable Chichester had a full

view of the riyer for 120 yards, he saw no more of the fugitive. The constable searched the bank of the river, but could find no trace of him nor any sign of his having emerged from the river. Chichester is certain that the runaway could not have survived the passage of the fall. Brandt, however, is of opinion that Jerry reached the bank in safety, as he believed he saw him swimming strongly down the fall.

At a rose show held in Christchurch last Thursday five hundred persons attended. The show was a great success. Mr Potts, a gentleman well known to many horticulturists and others in Wellington, took the first honors in the open class, thirty varieties, with very fine blooms, some of the most remarkable being Baron Heckeron, Devoniensis, Rivers’, Queen Victoria, Alpaide de Rotailer, Triomph de Alencon, Marshal Niel, Pierre Notting, Princess Alice, Miss Ingram, Centifolia Rosea, Charles Lefebvre, Marie Baumann, and others. A number of other prizes were given.

Speaking of the two immigrant ships to arrive at Dunedin, the “ Daily Times” of the 25th says Of the 28.8£ statute adults onboard the Christian M‘Ausland, now 81 days, out, 202 are navvies and their wives and children for Messrs Brogden. The Palmerston, with German immigrants on board, is now 109 days out from the Downes, and 119 days from Hamburg. She was expected to have made a rapid passage, but now there is a likelihood of both batches of immigrants being landed about the same time, giving not only more difficulty in disposing of them, but also trouble inpreparing accommodation for them. The present immigration barracks being insufficient to lodge the passengers by both the vessels, the building of a part of the new barracks at Caversham is being pushed on so as to have it ready for the reception of those for whom there will be no room in the present barracks should both vessels arrive at the same time.

The “Argus” of the 16th November says ; —We believe we are correct in stating that his Excellency Viscount Canterbury, and family will take their departure from the colony by the mail steamer which leaves Melbourne on the 28th February. It is rumored, on what authority we are not aware, that his Excellency’s successor, Sir George Bowen, has applied for leave to visit England for a few months before assuming the responsibilties of the Governorship in Victoria. As Sir George has been absent from home for upwards of twelve, his application, if it has been made, will no doubt be granted, in which case the Acting Chief Justice, probably Sir Redmond Barry, will administer the Government of the colony until our new Governor arrives.

At the telegraphic celebration in Adelaide, Mr Todd, the superintendent of the great overland line, in acknowledging the toast of his health, said “ The work had been to him a labor of love. Deeds of heroism had been performed, and hardships patiently endured, that would do honor to any country, and not the least distinguished among the men were many South Australian born. It was only by riding over the line that any one was able to realise the magnitude of the undertaking. Within five years, besides exploi'ations from sea to sea, they had cut, prepared, and carted 36,000 telegraph poles, weighing 5000 tons, conveying them an average distance of ten miles. A large number of iron poles from England were carted an average distance of 400 miles. Besides this, they had to transport 2000 tons of other materials to the interior, and drive several thousand sheep and cattle a distance of 1300 miles north of Port Augusta ; also, to cut and clear tracks 50ft wide through 500 miles of forest and scrub, to build a stone station of twenty-two rooms at Port Darwin, and eight other stations. All this and more, including the navigation of the Roper River for ninety miles, had formed a work unparalleled in Australasia if the nature of the operations were likewise taken into consideration.” MARAVILLA. COCOA.—-Opinions of the p reßS ._“ AH who have not .yet, tried Maravilla will do well to do s oP—Morning Post. “It may justly be called the perfection of prepared Cocoa.” —British Medical Journal. Maravilla Cocoa.—The Globe says, ‘‘Taylor Brothers’ Maravilla Cocoa has achieved a thorough success, and. supersedes every other Cocoa in the market. Entirely solubility, a delicate aroma, and a rare concentration of the purest elements of nutrition, distinguish the Maravilla Cocoa above all others. For Invalids and Dyspeptics, we could not recommend a more agreeable or valuable beverage. Homoeopathic Cocoa.—This original preparation, which has attained such a world-wide reputation, is manufactured by 1 ayloii Beothees under the ablest homoeopathic advice aided by the skill and experience of the inventors, and will be found to combine in an eminent degree the purity, fine aroma, and nutritions property of the fresh nut. Soluble Chocolate, made in.one minute without boiling. The above articles are prepared exclusively by Taylor Brothers, the largest manufacturers in Europe, and sold in tin-lined packets only, by Storekeepers and others all over the world. Steam Mills —Brick Lane, London. Export ' Chicory Mills, Bruges, Belgium, lw 52