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New Zealand Mail, Issue 524, 18 February 1882, Page 12

The wife of a well-known settler at Greytown has just presented her liege lord with his sixteenth olive branch. There is no waste of the family wardrobe for want of wearers. A meeting of the Waterloo Dodge, No. 463 S.C., was held on Tuesday night, when Bro. Quick, R.W.M., on behalf of the members of the lodge, presented past masters’ jewels to P.M., Bros. E. T. Gillon and J. It. George.

It is stated that Messrs Beetham Bros, not only contemplate the establishment of meatpreserving works near the Waingawa, but also the construction of a narrow gauge railway lino from the Taueru to Masterton, with a view of bringing to market the totara which grows on some three thousand acres of their estate in that neighborhood.

A meeting of householders was convened at Opunalce, on the 11th instant, to define the boundaries of the Opunake township, preparatory to having it incorporated uuder the Town Districts Act ; after which, the residents considered how best to urge upon the Government the desirableness of selling the 6000-acre block between the Ouri and Taungatara Rivers.

The Wellington Hospital returns for the week ending 14th inßtant are as follow - Patients in Hospital at last date, 56 males, -0 females ; admitted during the week, 7 males, 2 females ; discharged during the week, 2 males, 3 females ; in Hospital at present date, 61 males, 19 females. The number of outpatients is 133. It is worthy of note that there has been no death among the Hospital patients for 33 days past.

We hear that it is Sir John O’Shannassy’s intention to stay at least two months in this colony, visiting the various places of interest in both islands. The Christchurch Local Board of Health and Hospital Board have now under consideration the question of establishing a contagious diseases ward in the hospital at that city.

The “Dunstan Times” states that rabbits are represented as being positively in millions on the upper portions of the Dunstan commonage, and along the spurs aud ranges thence to Cromwell.

It i 3 stated that a strenuous effort is about being made to establish a butter factory among the settlers on the Douglas block, and that the Hon. R. Campbell has promised material assistance to inaugurate the undertaking. Mr ,C. Jeffs, who some months ago went northwards on a mission to expound Free Thought, has returned to this city, and now contemplates travelling southward on the same behoof.

An Englishman has invented a combined life-buoy and umbrella for use on ocean v<yages. An inflated buoy is placed inside the umbrella above the braces, which adds but a trifle to the weight, and does not show when folded.

It is stated, and apparently on reliable authority, that during a heavy hailstorm which swept ever the Peel Forest in Canterbury district last week, the hailstones lay nine inches thick on the ground, and most of them as large as pigeons’ eggs. About £IO,OOO was paid at the Wellington Property Tax Office Feb. 15th. Very numerous payments have been made to the Postmasters in various parts of the colony, but advices as to the total sums paid have not yet been received.

The Hon. Major Atkinson purposes leaving for the South on Monday next, and will, during his visit to the different parts of the Middle Island, direct his attention specially to the several branches of native industry. On his return he will also visit the North with the same important object in view. The “Advocate” says the old Waitara chief, Wiremu Kingi, who died recently, had one hundred sovereigns in his whare prior to his departure to the happy hunting grounds. Fifty of these he distributed among-it bis sorrowing followers, and he buried the other fifty to pay his expenses to the land of shadows.

We have been shown a lump of coal weighing about two pounds, which our informant states he broke out of a seam apparently measuring two feet in thickness in the Tararua ranges. It, apparently, resembled Waikato, there being also a considerable quantity of resinous matter in it. The exact locality is to be kept secret for the present. The liabilities of Thomas Carter, cab-driver, are filed at £125 17s 2d, the principal creditors being-—Messrs W. and G. Turnbull, £3l 18s 3d ; Messrs R. Prouse and Sons, £26 14s 2d ; Mr W. E. Williams, £lB 14s lid ; and Mr J. Dransfield, £ls 10s. The assets are set down at £4 4s 4d, the creditor being Mr W. Hutchison, M.H.E. Mr S. Carroll has been appointed creditors’ trustee.

At a farm near Ballarat recently, a little girl was standing under a large tree, feeding a turkey with some grain, when a thunderstorm passed over her head. A lightning bolt struck the tree under which she was standing, splitting it from top to bottom, and the two parts fell to the ground on either side of the child. The turkey she was feeding was killed, but the child herself, though the fall, of the tree brought the roots, over which she was stand* ing, up with such force as to throw her up in the air two or three feet, was not injured beyond a slight shaking.

Superintendent Wbitford, on behalf of the members of the Municipal Fire Brigade, thankfully acknowledges the receipt of £25 (forwarded per favor of his Worship the Mayor) from the Underwriters’ Association as a donation for their promptitude at the late fire in Hunter-street. We are informed that the above would have been forwarded at an earlier date, but the Mayor thought it a matter of courtesy to lav the same before the Fire Brig ade Committee of the Municipal Corporation at their first regular convened meeting after the receipt of cheque from the Underwriter’s Association.

Cigarette smokers beware ! It is said that the cancer in the mouth and face, to which the late Colonel Anderson, of Victoria, finally succumbed after many mouths of hopeless suffering, was brought on by the constant smoking of a peculiar kind of cigarette, of which deceased was very fond, and which is made in Mexico, where a similar disease in a mild form frequently prevails amongst the manufacturers of the article. It is said that in rolling the cigarettes the natives are in the habit of wetting the outside covers with their saliva, those suffering from cancer thus sowing the seeds of contagion amongst the consumers.

According to the Dunedin correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times,” Beveral auctioneers who live in suburban municipalities, but who carry on their business in the city, have paid their license fees to the boroughs in which they reside. The City Council contend the fees belong to them, and have decided to bring an action to recover. One of the suburban municipalities has decided to indemnify the auctioneer who has paid them his fee against an action, and refuses to pay over the money received. As there are eight municipalities around Dunedin, and most of the auctioneers do not live in the city,, the loss to the city may be considerable if they cannot establish a right to the fee.

Some Maori boys (says the “ Akaroa Mail”) who were aDxious to play at cricket with the Little River Cricket Club were refused till they paid their subscriptions. Determined not to be beaten, they found a couple of bullocks on the road belonging to a gentleman not wholly unconnected with sawdust, and impounded them. The proprietor of the bullocks, who is a general benefactor to the district, was stirred to the soul when he heard of this nefarious transaction, and immediately gave orders that a mob of cattle that were in sight, and supposed to be Maori property, should be pounded. The act was accordingly performed, in spite of the remonstrance of a small relative, who was shut up. When the poundlceeper began examining the brands, he discovered thj well-known initials of the irate gentlemen who had ordered their incarceration. He, the irate individual, paid the fees, and has since been awiser, if not a sadder man.

The Committee of the Education Board, which was appointed at the last meeting t) examine and report upon the applications which have been received for the various appointments now opeD, met on Thursday. A large pile of testimonials wa3 gone through and the names of several candidates were selected. The result will not, however, be published until the Committee has brought uj; a report at the regular meeting of the Board, which will be held on Wednesday next. A large quantity of camp equipage and munitions of war left for Nelson Thursday pel the s.s. Penguin, under, the charge of Armorer Sergt. Christie, who will be engaged in superintending the erection of the tents, &c., and in getting the camp in order for the reception of the various firing squads which are expected to take part in the annual shooting under the auspices of the N.Z. Rifle Association. The arrangements are expected to be of a most complete character, and the Defence Department, with that end in view, are sparing neither trouble nor expense. Sergt. Christie yesterday took with him thirty tents, and in addition there are already three hut 3 erected on the ground, besides a large wooden building which in all probability will be utilised as a mess-room. As heretofore, a detachment of the A.C. will be told off to act as markers, and t© assist the local police in keeping the ground.