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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4139, 26 June 1874, Page 2

Mr. Andrew Young received on Thursday, at mid-day, a telegram from his agent that the Maoris had resolved to interdict direct mail communication between Palmerston and Bull's. They had cut a trench across the road, made at a cost of £15,000 by the Government. The Provincial Government also received a similar telegram, and a consultation was at once decided upon as to the course to bo adopted. The movement is, of course, made in the interest of McDonald, who recently shot one of the horses in Mr. Young’s coaches traversing the' same line of road. Such interference cannot bp allowed ; but whilst it takes place, passengers will be transferred, via Poxton, to their destination. The coach that was to be stopped would arrive at the trench last evening, and the orders given to the driver were to wait at the obstruction till further communications were received. Of the steps taken in Christchurch and Nelson, to promote the establishment of the proposed Colonial Bank, we have the following

particulars from the papers published in those cities. In Christchurch, says the Times, a large number of shares have been applied for at the office in Hereford-street, and agents have been appointed at numerous places in the Province, through' whom applications for shares can be made. The establishment of the bank at an early date appears to be beyond a doubt from the favor with which it has been received in all the Provinces. In Nelson, says the Mail, a meeting was held at Messrs. Adams and Kingdou’s office, when the deputation from Dunedin gave some explanations as to the objects of tlie bank, and several gentlemen subscribed for shares. Mr. Scaife has been appointed local secretary. A public meeting was to be held on Friday, at eight, at the Trafalgar Hotel, for the purpose of forming a committee to receive applications for shares, and establishing a branch of the bank in Nelson. It is formally notified in the Gazette of yesterday that His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to accept the resignation of Commodore Goodenough, K.N., of his seat in the Executive Council of New Zealand. No tidings of the boy Gately, who “ bolted ” from the Luna, have yet been obtained, although every search has been made since the departure of the vessel. The Siamese Troupe gave another of their excellent entertainments at the Odd Fellows’ Hall last night. The weather was more agreeable than it has been for some time past, and there was a somewhat better attendance. The company, however, have certainly not received the amount of patronage they were fairly entitled to expect in Wellington. They perform to-night and to-morrow night, and then “go their ways.” Those who have not seen them, should do so, for the feats of the troupe are cleverly performed; and, if not all new, are certainly agreeable and clever; A question as to the validity of indentures was lately raised in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Christchurch. According to the local reports, an information was laid by a master against his apprentice for absenting himself from his service. Two important objections against the validity of the indentures were raised by Mr. Joynt for the defendant. Mr. Thomas, who appeared for the complainant, handed in that instrument, which bore an adhesive stamp to the value of 2s. 9d. The legality of this document was objected to by Mr. Joynt as not being stamped with the impression of the Commissioner, in accordance with the 9th section of the Act of 1866. He also contended that an indenture was a deed, and it had been decided by the Appeal Court that all deeds, unless working under the operation of the Conveyancing Ordinance of New Zealand, must bear a seal. The second objection taken was' that under the 9th section Masters and Apprentices Act, 1865, when a lad arrived at the age of nineteen years his indentures became determined: Evidence having been given that the defendant was over that age, His Worship held the objections to be fatal, and dismissed the information. Miss Clara Stephenson and members of her dramatic company were passengers to Wanganui yesterday by the steamer Stormbird. There they will give a series of performances in conjunction with Mr. Thornton and the members of his family, and after a short season they will probably return to Wellington. We acknowledge receipt of the first number of the Christian Advocate, “ a monthly paper designed mainly for the young.” It is jirinted by Kerr and Co., of Riverton, where the agents are Messrs. Simon Brothel’s and Erslcine. The Kaiwarrwarra Rifle Volunteers held their annual dinner at the Rainbow Hotel, on Wednesday evening. Lieutenant Thompson occupied the chair, supported on his right by Colonel Reader, and on the left by Sergeant Carey, Drill-instructor. After dinner, the usual loyal toasts were proposed, and heartily responded to. The next toast proposed was the health of Colonel Reader, which was received with great applause, and all honor. Colonel Reader replied in suitable terms. The healths of Sergeant-Major Carey, the Chairman, and the Vice-Chairman, ColorSergeant Yeatts, and other toasts were duly proposed and responded to. The meeting broke up at 12 o’clock, after having spent a pleasant evening. A steamer named the Ellaugowan was lately despatched from England for Cape York—a destination so unusual that it was supposed she had some connection with the electric telegraph cable, which it is proposed to lay between Normautown and Singapore. We learn, however, that the vessel is sent ont-by the Loudon Missionary Society, and is intended to aid the missionaries of the New Guinea station. She met with bad weather in the Bay of Biscay, and had to put in to Malta for repairs. Pigs, it appears, kill as well as eat sheep, when they have an opportunity. On Monday the passengers coming down by the Wairarapa coach, when about a mile from Featberston, saw a small pig attack and kill a hoggett. Mr. Bunny’s overseer followed the porcine murderer, and inflicted upon it the full amount of punishment involved in “ a life for a life.” A peculiar case of frost-bite has occurred to a traveller between Hokitika and Christchurch. The circumstances are thus reported by the Lyttelton Times .-—A man named Thomas Mollroy, whose feet were frost-bitten, was admitted to the Hospital for treatment on Sunday last. It would appear that he was tramping overland to Hokitika, and left Craigieburn early on Wednesday morning, but soon after passing the Cass—which is only seven miles from Craigieburn —bis feet began to feel very strange, and bo stopped to examine them. Having taken off his boots, he found that the fore part of each foot was severely frost-bitten, and being unable to get his boots on again, be cut up bis trousers to protect bis feet, after which he retraced his steps to the Cass. Arrived here, he bathed the frost-bitten parts with kerosene, and waited the arrival of the coach, by which he afterwards came on to Christchurch. It is expected that a cure will be effected without Mcllroy losing any portion of his feet. MARLBOROUGH. Complaint has been made in the Council as to the carrying the line of railway between Picton and Blenheim along a surveyed line of road. Mr. Dobson asked His Honor the Superintendent—By what authority the railway lias been laid out for a distance of nearly half-a-mile upon the main road, between Shepherd’s Hotel and the Opawa Bridge ? He said bis object in asking this question was to see if the Government could not take some steps to prevent the railway from running so far along the public road, which was already narrow enough, and where there would always be a large amount of horse traffic. His Honor Mr. Seymour said the powers given to the Governor were definite, if not in this case satisfactory. He had remonstrated with the authorities, but his representations had not been heeded, although in another case he had been more successful. It was the intention of the Government to have brought the railway along the Grove Road, from the Opawa Bridge into the heart of the town. The Provincial Treasurer, Hr. Robinson, had been the first to object to this, and they bad so far succeeded that the railway had been taken through the land which was not so thickly occupied. NELSON. The Siamese and Asiatic Circus, erected near to the Institute, opened to a good house, notwithstanding unfavorable weather. As a new local industry the Colonist notices that Mr. Orr, who a short time since published a useful little treatise upon “ Preserving fruit by the drying process,” and sent a sample of the simple apparatus required to the Nelson Exhibition, has commenced the manufacture of blacking, the principal ingredient being a product from our coals which he calls ammo. The article competes successfully in price with the imported kind. Among the passengers from Westport for Wanganui by the St. Kilda on Wednesday, were Mr. Wm. Nahr, late of Charleston, and Ilia family. Ho proposes settling down somewhere in Wellington Province. The efforts made to establish a Building Society in Westport, at last show some promise of definite issue, and are accepted by' the

Timas as giving proof conclusive that even the present state of commercial depression does not occasion any loss of faith iu the ultimate prosperity of the town and district. CANTERBURY. The Easdale Nook and Redhill runs, comprising 13,800 acres of run, with 5000 sheep, have been sold to Messrs. McCallum and Norman for £IOOO. In the Provincial Council, Mr. Jollle stated that Mr. Bowen had undertaken to see that the provisions of Mr. Bradshaw’s Act of last session were carried into effect in Christchurch.