Town and Country.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 558, 14 October 1882, Page 16

Town and Country.

A ment .occurrence in. connection with the receipt of tenders by the Harbor Board shows how necessary it is for tenderers to keep tbeir own connsd until they know that they have secured the desired contract.' At the meeting of the Board Oetober 5, it was stated that Mr Mont had tent in a tender for the renewal of bis contract for the Board's carting. It appears that he learnt by some means that he was the only tenderer, and he thereupon freely ■poke of the amount which he had named. An acquaintance saw that there was a chance of securing the contract for himself, and naming a sum' only Jd : less than the amount he had heard of, he slipped a tender into the Board's tender-box. As the wharfinger sent the document to the Wharf Committee without notifying that it had oome too late, it was accepted. ; To avoid future errors, the Board resolved, on the motion of Mr Levin, that the box be cleared at the hour named in advertisements, and that no late tenders be considered. . A correspondent writes to the Melbourne —ln the telegraphic account published -this morning by one of your contemporaries of the brilliant victory of the British troops in Egypt, prominence is given to the paralysing'effect en the enemy of the "discordant cries of the Highland Brigade," and I MB surprised that so remarkable a phenomenon ■earns altogether to have escaped your notice. At the present time, when the subject of our defences is challenging the serious attention of the Government and Legislature, the importance of such a fact can hardly be overestimated; Surely something might be done to Utilise thisnovel eugineof modern warfare. lam BOtaware that there is anything in the construction of the vocal organs of the Sassenach to j prevent him using it with effect, at least, after ( a> proper course of instruction. This might be easily secured If the Agent-General were commissioned to engage the services of half a doxen of the strongest-lunged > and fiercestlooking members of the brigade to initiate our Volunteers into the use of this formidable weapon. Guarded by men thus-equipped, nnder-the eemmand of such a leader as the member for Williamstown, armed with the historical weapon with which he boarded and captured the Ferret, we might sleep in security, and bid defiance to all " Russian designs on Melbourne." No time should be Ipet in securing for this colony ah instrument at once so simple, inexpensive, and effective.

Mr T. W. Z. Foster has been appointed Deputy Registrar of Marriages and Births and Deaths for the district of Fielding. Another example of City Council economy in the wrong direction was exemplified list week. The city was in dense darkness, every Corporation gas lamp being left unlit. Some day there will be ah action for damages against the City Council because of injuries sustained In traversing their unlighted thoroughfares. We have received from the Secretary of the Feet Office and Telegraph Department a copy of the new quarterly issue of the "Postal Guide," No. 36. It extends now to ninety-five closely printed pages, and gives inelaborate detail all information interesting to the public concerning the offices throughout the colony. There is added,-- also, some useful details concerning the Government Insurance and Public Trust Office. 'The Hawera Acclimatisation Sooiety has been fortunate with the consignment of trout ova recently' received for deposit in the Waingocgoro. The " Star * says :-*" The ova were well packed in ice, and so much care had been taken that on arrival at Waifigongoro, it was found 1 that out of 12,000 shipped, about 100 only had been lost. ' The rest are very healthy, and are hatching out fast. If the Water suits them, and there is no reason to suppose it u ill not, they will be ready for distribution in a few weeks."

Mr E. G. Wright, M.H.R for Ashburton, has been offered the vacant Ministerial portfolio is correct, but he has delayed in intimating his acceptance. 'J he reason assigned, for this is that he desires the post of Minister of Public Works in preference to that of Postmaster-General . offered him. Against this change public opinion would demur in most 1 parts of the colony, and none more so than in the Wellington district. The portfolio of Public Works is at present in very trustworthy keeping in the hands of Mr Walter Johnston. -It has been decided that in addition to the intended observations of the Transit of Venus, to be taken on Mount Cook Reserve by the Survey or-General, other observations will be taken from some point on the Wairarapa side of the Rimutaka range by Mr Marchant, Chief Surveyor of the Wellington district, and Captain Hewitt.

The following promotions have been made in the Survey Department :—Reginald Palmer Greville to be Assistant-Surveyor ; date of appointment, Ist August, 1882. Charles Alfred Melville Crombie to be Assistant-Surveyor ; date of appointment, Ist August, 1882. James Leahy and Joseph Andrew Cullen to be As-sistant-Draughtsmen ; date of appoiUments, Ist August, 1882. Now that the reclamation works on the foreshore of the harbor interferes somewhat materially with the anchorage of yachts at the accustomed places, it has been suggested that a meeting of yacht-owners should be held to consider the subject, with the view of getting the-Harbor Board to. make some definite arrangement in their favor. Yachting in Port Nicholson represents a considerable annual outlay, and if statistics were compiled as to the number of craft, their value, and the amount annually spent in maintenance a very good ease could be made out. We commend the subject to the attention of yacht owners. A Money Order and Savings Bank Office will be opened at Paeroa (chief office, Thames), from and after 16th proximo.

It is probable that the Government will shortly call for tenders in the colonies and Great Britain for the direct steam service between New Zealand and Home ports, authorised during the last session of Parliament.

The " Gazette ". of last week contains regulations for trout fishing in Wellington, Nelson, and Otago rivers and streams, such regulations haying came into operation on the Ist instant. The open season for licensed fishing extends from Ist October, 18S2, to 81st March, 1813.

The inhabitants of Naseby, according to the local paper, are cogitating over the advisibihty of seeking fresh fields and pastures new through the medium of the Government sludge channel. Surely the Otago Central Railway, which is expected to open up such a magnificent stretch of arable country, and do the interior of Otago so much good, should inspire the inhabitants of Naseby with more hope. To talk at the present time of taking advantage of the sludge channel as a means to remove to fresh fields is a poor compliment to pay to the philanthropic people of Dunedin, who are laboring fervently to spend colonial money on this great moneywasting exploit. This kind of thing will give colonists the impression that the construction of the Otago Central line will only lead to giving the settlers of the interior a cheap and easy means of quitting the homes they have occupied in the interior to long.

It is not often that the London " Times'' gets hoaxed, but when a joke is perpetrated on it all the world hears of it. Someone recently sent to that paptr, as news, an account of the removal of the Pelham Hotel, Boston, weighing 10,000 tons, without the business of the hotel being suspended. The "Times" was pretty severely " chaffed" over announcing, as news, an event that took place twelve years ago.

Wi Parata returned from the South Island last week, and is now on his way North. He laughs at the statements that have been telegraphed about, concerning his intentions with regard to Te Whiti and Tohu, and says they are " all nonsense."

Mr Gray, Secretary to the Post Office, has sent us the following memo :—" The s.s. Australia, with the September English mails, left San Fancisco for Auckland on the 24th ultimo, one day later than time-table date. The s.s. City of New York, with the September colonial mails, arrived at San Francisco from Auckland on the third instant, two dajs earlier than time-table date.

Referring to the rumor, current recently, that Mr Conolly, M.H.E. for Picton, would receive the vacant Ministerial portfolio, the " Nelson Colonist" hazards the following con* jecture :—" It is thought that the step is simply preparatory to conferring a judgeship upon Mr Conolly, who is in the front rank of his profession. . Under the Disqualification Act he is not eligible for such an appointment, but, if he is appointed Attorney-General, he will at once be so, there being an exception which enables any one holding that position to be appointed to the Supreme Court Bench." A contemporary, in giving its opinion that the districts north of Auckland offer _ a field for a large and flourishing jam-making industry, says :—" At present there seems to be a general misconception relating to the manufacture of jam. People say that fruit is too dear yet, but what is the price of pie-melons ? That is the question ; for anyone who knows anything about the manufacture of jam knows that fruit does not form the largest constituent of the article, but turnips, melons, potatoes, or something of that sort. Of course, pure jam is made, but the ordinary article sent upon the market is mostly composed of 'bodying matter.'" Suggestive but not conducive to a brisk trade.

Sergeant Ready, though a highly efficient officer, has not been looked upon hitherto as the funny man of the Wellington police force. Last week, however, during the hearing of the conspiracy .case he managed to. keep those in attendance at the Supreme Court in roars of laughter for the short period during which he occupied the witness-box. The fun was not altogether .voluntary or spontaneous on his part, but. was the result of a rather severe cross-examination by counsel engaged in the case. 'Referring to another witness, who had formerly been; a police constable, Sergeant Ready remarked that he had " always been looked upon as a good swearing man." Being further pressed, he ventured the opinion that a capacity for hard swearing was not a desirable thing in a constable, but should not set as a disqualification in the case of a man desirous of entering the detective force. "G.A.5.," in "Echoes of the Week," in the "Illustrated London News," says:—"The " Saturday Review." as was naturally to be expected, ha* had a great deal to say about * the mock Napoleons of journalism,' as my contemporary is pleased to call the war cprrespondsnts in tbe field ; and, in demolishing the coirespondent of the present day, the " Saturday " playfully alludes to the restless, bullying, sensation-mongering correspondent of 'the old school.' What was his name, I wonder? I have known a good many war correspondents of ' the old school.' One was Mr Charles Lewis Gruneisen, of the " Morning Post," who went through the CarlistChristino campaigns, and was on twenty occasions on the verge of being hanged or shot as a spy. Another was the late Mr Frederick Hardman, of the " Times." Another was the late Count Arrivabene, of the " Daily News." Another was Mr Edward Dicey, sometime of the " Daily Telegraph," and now editor of the " Observer." Another was the late Mr Nicholas Woods, of the "Morning Herald," and afterwards of the "Times." Another was Mr George Henty, of the " Standard." All these gentlemen were ' restless' enough in the pursuit of a difficult, dangerous, and unthankful vocation ; but I never heard any of them spoken of as bullies or sensation-mongers. The " Australasian's " London correspond enr, referring to efforts made for alleviating the. distress of Irish ladies who are suffering from the effects of the land agitation, mentions one case in which an elderly lady, in infirm health, and with no surviving relatives, whose ordinary income, derived from land in Ireland, was £I2OO a-year, is utterly destitute, and has been for many months supported by contributions collected by friends and " doled " out to her at the rate of 15» a week.

It is gratifying to know that the Excelsior lodge of Ancient Druids, established three years ago in Wellington, has attained a good financial and numerical position. The roll at present comprises the names of 108 membeis, and the Lodge has in funds £230, of which £145 is lodged on bank deposit, and bears interest. The amount of accumulated funds (that is, about £2 2s 6d per head) represents more than the average yearly subscription per member, and this result in three years from the formation of the Lodge may be considered very satisfactory. It shows that due care has b,een exercised in the election of healthy members, and also that tbe expenses of working the Lodge have been judiciously kept within bounds,

The members of the Wellington Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Society met last week, when the usual monthly papers on seasonable work were read by Mr W. Jay, Mr A. McKay, Mr Balls, and Mr D. Wilkinson, junr. An essay on the chrysanthemum, by Mr Ivory, of Rangiora, wa3 also read. The nominations of assisted immigrants sent Home by the San Francisco mail Sunday were as follow :—llß single men ; married couples and ohildren, 245 ; single women, 258; total, 621, for the districts of Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, Taranaki, Hawke a Bay, Nelson, Marlborough, and Wetland. The nominations from Wellington district number 113.

An address is being signed by old officers and non-commibsioned officers of the British army, resident in Southland, for presentation to Sir Garnet Wolseley, congratulating him on his success, and hoping he "may long be spared to enjoy the high honors and additional rewards about to be conferred upon you by our gracious Sovereign for your gallant and dwtinguished services in all quarters of the globe.

We have heard several complaints from persons having relatives buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery that the fence is in Buch a state of disrepair that goats are able to get in and destroy the ornamental shrubs that have been planted on the graves. This is a matter that should be seen to at once.

Mr T. R. H. Taylor, who made a second start in the yacht Contrabandiere on the 30th September for the purpose of taking her to Nelson, telegraphed to us on Saturday that he had arrived safely. The passage was, however, a very stormy one, and at one time the little craft was driven past Kaikoura, a direction certainly not contemplated by her master. Up to the time of our going to press on Thursday night no aotion had been taken on tbe formal application made for the release of the prisoner Longhurst until the Government have received the report of the Judge who tried the recent, conspiracy cape. That report will be furnished in a day or two. In the meantime, we hear that the prisoner has been removed from the hard-labor gang.

Judge Johnston has returned from his long leave of absence in improved health, and there is every prospect now of his being able to retain his position on the Bench for years to come. Nobody, sayß tbe " Timaru Herald," realised the value of Judge Johnstons services until he was gone; but then he was greatly missed. "He has some palpable defects. His manner on the Bench is so very peculiar that it often leads those who do not know much of him to form very unfavorable and very mistaken impressions regarding him. He appeare to be the very impersonation of irascibility and petulance, and he must often have given serious offence to those whom he had no right whatever to offend. But a great part cf this singular want ef self-control has been owing, we believe, in a great measure to physical distress. He has been such a sufferer, in fact, that he onght to have been long since released in order to seek relief, both in his own interests and in the interests of the public and the Court. We sincerely trust that he has now obtained that relief, and that henceforth he will be able to display that benignity of manner which, we are sure, would most truly accord with his natural disposition." A correspondent writes thus :—" Really our administration of justice is coming to a pretty pass of late. What with Longhurst's case, the reeent conspiracy case, and then the case of the girl Davie?, the public mind haabeen much exercised ; but there is still another instance that might be placed on record —at all events, if not for our own information, at least for the education of future legislators. Let us take the instance of the boys Smith and Bedford, who were on Monday charged with having stolen one pound and a half of sugar. Smith denied the charge, and was acquitted. Bedford —poor little fellow—admitted his guilt, and what follows ? Committed to the Industrial School for five years! Well, this may be right ; it may be justice, but I fail to see it. Neither of the boys are known to me, but I cannot help thinking that an admonition, well administered, would have better served the purpose than to let tbe stain be on that youug lad's character of commeucing his life's career from a reformatory. What was the age of the boy? This is another consideration. Then there is another point : Smith denied the charge, and was acquitted, yet the boys were in company. The boy who admitted was visited with severe punishment. Now, to my mind, the boy who admitted was the one who had been the better educated of the two, and, I think, should not have been visited with the punishment that was inflicted upon him." The Union Company have agreed to issue return tickets at single rate 3 to the wives of competitors who may, with their husbands, visit the New Zealand Rifle Association's meeting at Dunedin next month. This should prove another strong inducement to a numerous attendance.

A sensational statement was lately made in a London Police Court, in the declaration of a deserted wife, who complained that her husband had eloped with his mother-in-law. A staid English journal, commenting upon the case, says :—" To our mind it resembles the American story which ' took forty men to believe it.'"

Mr E. G. Wright, M.H.R. for Ashburton, left for South Monday by the s.s. Te Anau. Nothing has come of the negotiations between him and the Government as to his appointment as Minister. As we have before stated, Mr Wright desired the appointment of Minister of Public Works, while the Government offered him the Postmaster-Generalship, which he was not willing to accept. The new Patea railway station, now about being erected, will be of a class somewhst in advance of present requirements, having refreshment and waiting-rooms, and other conveniences common to larger towns. This is better than erecting a small, inconvenient building which would also soon become an eyesore in contrast with private buildings erected in the vicinity.

The Provisional Directors of the Equitable Insurance Company of New Zealand, for fire, marine, life, and fidelity guarantee assurance, have issued their prospectus. It comprises a long array of names of responsible men, resident in the chiel cities and towns of the colony. The terms upon which it is proposed to do business are perfectly in keeping with the title name assumed. The local broker is Mr J, W, Storsnaoa. jitaiuLauii —*-

It is stated that Mr A. Young, as proprietor of the line of Cobb's coaches running between Hawera and Waverley, intends to move for an injunction against Mr Prosser, wbo has started a rival line, to restrain him from using the same title.

With a view to taking advantage of the Roads and Bridges Construction Bill, passed during the last session of Parliament, the Hutt County Council, at its meeting Tuesday, appointed two Committees to make inquiries regarding the Bteps to be taken to form some of the most important roads within the county. A public meeting in connection with the Baptist Conference was held in the large hall at the Athenwum Tuesday, when about 250 ladies and gentlemen were present. The chair was occupied by the Hon. T. Dick, who expressed s;reat pleasure at being present. Addresses were delivered by the Revs. Davies, Carter, Cato, Spencer, and Dallaston, each gentleman devoting himself to a different branch of Church work. It appeared from the remarks made that the Baptist Church in New Zealand was in a very prosperous state, there being no less than 5000 members of the denomination.

An Auckland contemporaiy says :—"Specimens of beautifully-developed and well-ripened oranges, grown upon the estate of Mr R. Hobbs, M.H.R., at Pokeno, Auckland, have been exhibited. They were remarkably clean, and free from all kinds of blemishes. From Pokeno to tbe North Cape is a distance of 250 miles, and in all that distance an occasional settler has proved the suitability of the climate and soil for orange and lemon-growing. The time will, no doubt, come when the industry will be engaged in as a matter of business, and when that part of the colony will be able to supply the markets of the southern districts with the semi-tropical fruits they require.

The " Patea Mail" makes mention of a new method of surgical treatment essayed in the local hospital: A Maori patieut, named Thomson, suffering from violent displacement of the spine, as if caused by lifting an excessive weight, has been treated by Dr. Keating. His chest is now encased with plaster of paris, which hardens like a stiff coat of mail, and has to be worn some time until the bones can reset in a natural position. The Maori has gone to his pah during this period of rest, and will return to the hospital to have the plaster mould removed, when the experiment should show a beneficial result. The plaster of paris setting is, however, no new thing. The " Mail" has been had in the matter. No more balls will be held in the Drillshed for a longtime to come. The Volunteers have made numerous complaints about tbe flooring which was put down on the occasion of the ball to H.M. ships Nelson and Miranda, the members of the Artillery having a special objection to it because they have not been permitted to have gun drill on it. In consequence of these complaints, a meeting of the Citizens' Ball Committee was held in the Mayor's room Tuesday morning, the Mayor presiding. LieutColonel Pearce attended, and said that he did not desire to say or do anything beyond what to him appeared necessary in the interests ef the Volunteers. Mr C. C. Graham, the Hsn. Sec. to the Committee, read the correspondence which had taken place with the Drillshed Committee, showing that the latter had agreed to take over the flooring, and to preserve it for use on tbe occasion of future balls. LieutenantColonel Pearce argued that the Drillshed Committee had no power to c nter into such a contract. Various opinions were expressed upon the new aspect of the affair. It being clear, however, that the floor was once more thrown on the band) of the Committee, it was decided that it should be sold by public auction tomorrow. Several members of the Committee had no hesitation in expressing their thorough disapproval of the course pursued by the Drillshed Committee, and many of those who gave a guarantee for the payment of expenses of the citizens' ball will, no doubt, agree with them. The result has put before the citizens the question whether itis not high timethat a proper town hall was provided. A suggestion was also thrown out that the amount accruing from the sale of the drillshed floor should be set aside as a nucleus towards a fund for erecting something of the kind. As the Drillshed Committee charged £ls pez night for the use of the floor on the occasion of balls they should have no objection to making a contribution to such a fund.

The breach of promise case, Swiney v. Leybourne, occupied the attention of the Supreme Court all day Tuesay, and resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff for £25 damages. This will, of course, carry costs. The evidence was excessively amusing, and such continuous roars of laughter were probably never heard in a Wellington Court of Justice before. Onoe bis Honor had to remonstrate with those who were giving vent to their feelings in such a boisterous manner, but it was impossible to restrain the frequent bursts of merriment at the ridiculous figure cut by the defendant while under cross-examination. The Court was densely crowded all day, and many ladies were present who appeared to take au absorbing interest in the proceedings. A report of the case will be found elsewhere.

Mr Orbell has been appointed valuer to reassess property in No. 1 Ward, Wellington Highway District, under the Property Assessment Act, comprising Wadestown, Kaiwarra, and Johnsonville.

The "Marlborough Times," of Saturday, states that the loss of goods by the reoent fire at the Blenheim railway station was not very serious, the amount of goods stored there being on the particular day of the fire much below the usual average. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company lost some woolpacks, sulphur, and tow, insured in the New Zealand Office. Messrs Fell Bros, loss was not large. There were several small consignments to various consignees, but the names have not transpired.

The Supreme Courthouse was crowded on Monday during the hearing of the case Harriet Swiney v. W. Leybourne, an action to recover damages for breach of promise of marriage. The plaintiff, wbo was formerly a saleswoman in Wellington, is 27 years of age, of rather prepossessing appearance. She gave her evidence with great coolness and self-possession, her examination lasting over four hours. Some of the evidence was remarkably amusing, and all in Court, from the Judge to the crier, were frequently convulsed with laughter. There was a very large attendance of young gentlemen from " the Buildings," to which class the defendant belongs. A report will be found elsewhere.

Mr E. Hardcastle, B.E, has embodied his reasons for sentencing the youthful culprits, Worth and Davies, to a month's imprisonment, in a report which was on Tuesday forwarded to the Minister of Justice. We are not yet aware whether the Government intend to take any action in the matter. On the 20th ultimo, a deputation from the Committee of Heathen Missions of the Presbyterian Church in Melbourne, waited upon Sir Arthur Gordo a for the purpose of presenting him an address relating to the labor trade in the New Hebrides, and requesting his Excellency to use his influence with the object of establishing such influence over it as might correct existing evils and prevent injury to the islands. Sir Arthur, in reply, congratulated the Committee on the success of their labors in some parts of the group, and said that whiie he believed tbe labor trade to be freed from the worst form of abuses, he did not think that a satisfactory solution of existing difficulties would be arrived at except by an international agreement among the Powers chiefly interested. He had sanguine hopes that such an understanding would shortly be effected. The Governmants of France and Germany were animated by a similar spirit to themselves. He regretted that he could not share the opinion that the assumption of a protectoiate over the Hebrides by Great Britain would prove a remedy for existing evils, even if it were probable, which it was not, that her Majesty's Government would consent to undertake suoh a ro«—. sponsibility. >

The " Star " says there are great complaints by purchasers at the recent Waimate land sale that the land, more especially tbe bush sections, has not been properly pegged off; that there are no standard plans in Hawera; and that the linkages are impossible of ascertainment. The result is that people cannot fence or do anything with their land unless they choose to incur the expense and delay of a trip to New Plymouth. Applicants at the local land office are informed that it will be some time before there are any maps down. This is a matter, of some importance, because people want to get to work on their land. A correspondent, writing some notes on Reefton for the " Nelson Colonist," thus refers to social life in that out of the way locality:— " The spirit of equality and fraternity, common to all mining society, is realised to such an extent that the bellringer will have a social chat and a social glass with the chief aristocrat of the place. Lately, however, there has been an institute a more old fashioned class division. It took the shape of a select ball, to which none but gentlemen and real ladies were admitted. I believe the attendance was four couples, who revelled on the repast provided for forty guests. The most aristocratic feature of the evening was shown after the supper, when one of the ' real gentlemen ' drove one ef the waiters home in a wheelbarrow, ' dead drunk'—to use a technical phrase. Public feeling was violently outrageous against such ' snobs,' as they were called ; and one of the ' real ladies received a salt herring through the post." " Some of the verdant residents of Whangarei (says the " Auckland Star ") have been recently roa.'e the victims of a sad hoax. They were waited upon by a man claiming to have found payable gold at Hikurangi, a short distance from Wbangarei, and were induced to advance small sums of money to him on the understanding that he would not only produce i pecimens which he said he possessed, but also show them where he obtained them. Two gentlemen accordingly accompanied him on Sunday, and after about nine hours in the saddle returned to Wbangarei disappointed, little dreaming they had been watched by a party of horsemen who-were observing the prospecting party on the quiet. The man still promising to produce specimens, a little further time was given him, but their patience becoming exhausted, he was arrested on the charge of obtaining money under false pretences, receiving a sentence of two months' imprisonment.'' It was not so long since that certain confiding persons in Wellington parted with contributions to some amount on a similar inducement.

A contributor to an Australian paper says : —I lately mentioned a gentleman who held a plurality of incongruous Government offices ia a remote part of Queensland. There being no clergyman within 120 miles of him, be hitches up married couples as registrar. He harnessed together a man and wife the other day, and, the ceremony being concluded, the happy pair made for the nearest publichouse to drink each other's health. About half an hour afterwards the registrar, who had been in a hurry that morning, suddenly remembered that he had forgotten an essential part of the ceremony —he had not pronounced the pair to be man and wife. Panic-stricken at the omission, and its possible immoral consequences, he rushed from the courthouse and instinctively made for the "Ram and Rainbow," as a likely retreat for a honeymoon, animated, of course, by a desire to rectify his mistake. On approaching the place, he observed a woman with streaming hair, and dangling shawl, brandishing a bottle, and chasing a man round the building. A brief inspection disclosed the fact that they were the bride and bridegroom. The lady having stopped to take breath, Bhe was informed of her semi-married condition, and cooey'd to the pursued, who ventured back under a flag of truce in the shape of a safe conduct by bis Worship. The Courthouse was revisited, the mystic words pronounced, and in the same apartment upon the following morning the husband charged the apple of his eye with blacking both his eyes, before tbe man who only yesterday had sanctioned twin hearts to beat in unison.

The "Marlborough Daily Times" has changed hands, Messrs E. J. Le Grove and James Grant having become proprietors. In announcing tbe change, the " Times " submits that the day is past when newspapers could lead public opinion, and thereby claim a power possessed only by themselves, and contends that the most that can now be done by the Press is to make such observations on passing events as commend themselves to the intelligence of readers. Our contemporary, therefore, intends to follow public opinion.

We hear on good authority that an application for a new trial will be made in the case of James Jonathan Adams convicted of conspiracy, on the ground that the verdict was against the weight of evidence. Nothing has yet been determined by the Government with reference to the application for the release of the sonvict Longhurst.