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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4219, 28 September 1874, Page 2

During the last forty-eight hours there seems to have been a very heavy rainfall in different parts of the Colony, and in some localities with disastrous effect. At Wellington, yesterday, the weather was of the most gloomy description, and after, sundown the rain was heavy, but in the up-country districts the circumstances were worse, and we learn by a telegram from Greytown that the heaviest flood on record had been experienced there. At New Plymouth, a wliirlwind and lightning stomi have done some damage to domiciles, and *t Greymouth there has been an addition to the long list of floods from which that peculiarlysituated township has suffered. Already the lower part of the town had been submerged, and there were fears of a more serious inundation, but it is probable that, the protective works will prevent the recurrence of such damage as has been done in the past. The deaths of several who have been early settlers in this Province, or in other parts of the Colony, have been mentioned within the past few days. The* most recent is that of Mrs. J. F. E. Wright, of Goathurst farm, in the neighborhood of this City. Mrs. Wright has been widely known to many of the residents of the City and other parts of the Pro-' vince, and all who enjoyed her friendship or . her acquaintance have had reason to appreciate her good social qualities and her hospitable disposition. The funeral of the deceased lady takes place on Wednesday. Another old settler who has passed away is Major Durie, of Wanganui. He died at the age of seventy. Settling at first in Wellington on his arrival from South Australia —now upwards of thirty years ago—he subsequently proceeded to Wanganui, where he for a number of years officiated as Resident Magistrate. Another Wanganui resident whose death is reported is Captain Morrison, a gentleman who had been for some years in this Province and in Taranaki. In noticing the death of Mr. Morrison, the Wanganui Chronicle says :—" Mr. Morrison was an old Taranaki settler, and held a captain's commission in the Taranaki Militia when it was called out for active service in 1860-61. He served on the West Coast during the whole period of the Native troubles which ensued, and, like many other Taranaki settlers, had seen a good deal of adventure. Subsequently, Mr. Morrison took up his residence in Wanganui, and became.agent for the National Insurance Company. He was, however, a draughtsman by profession, and in his early days we believe was. employed in the Ordnance Office at home. His death was quite unexpected, and the announcement of it will be read with regret by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. He was ii years of age when he died."

We have received from Misa Alice Maya cheque for £3, kindly forwarded for the benefit of the family of the man William Marshall, who met with a paiiiful accident while working, on the wharf on Wednesday last. The manager (Mr. McKenzie) will be happy to pay it over to the family when called upon. All hope as to the safety of the barque Alice Cameron seems to have been abandoned by her owners, Messrs. Henderson and Macf»rlane, of Auckland. She is now out 156 days between Sydney and Manilla, and, as no tidings have been obtained of her, demand has been made by the firm for the amount of insurance, which is distributed among several offices. A man named Leonard, who is charged with forgery, arrived as a prisoner from Hokitika by the s.s. Tararua on Saturday, and will be forwarded on by the Rangatira to-day to Napier, where the charge will be preferred against him.

On Saturday a man named Alexander Gibney was charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court with uttering a valueless cheque to Alexander McMillan, the landlord of the Army and Navy Hotel. " The accused had been stopping at the hotel, and passed the cheque, but on finding that it was going to be presented he left. He was arrested at the Hutt on Saturday, brought before the -Court at Wellington, .and committed for trial at the next criminal sittings of the Supreme Court. The small steamer . Waipara, which only lately left Wellington, after repairing damages . done while on tho strand at Greymouth, ap- | pears to have already coiine to grief at the same port. While making an attempt to cross the bar there yesterday, she had to encounter a heavy fresh in the river, which seems to have trob lici ""«'«- IT ™ *- 1 - -Qx.*** " -»«'"'<»~rln.n£'erOU3 position than that at which she went ashore on tho recent occasion. She had a number of passengers, including Judge Richmond, who was on his way North after holding tho Circuit Court at Hokitika; Miss Stephenson and Mr. Burford, with a rather numerous dramatic company, were also on board, the ill luck which followed Miss Stephenson on her first visit to the Coast apparently still attending her, to the serious detriment of profits and expensive wardrobes. The latest news is that endeavors were being made to get the ' passengers landed. Though these.will, no doubt, be successful, tho position of the party must have been anything but a pleasant one on board the Waipara, and the Waipara on shore during a West Coast storm. _. , : The police of Hokitika seem to be among the first to enforce the clauses of the Licensing Act relating to barmaids, Mr. Hansen and other hotelkeepers having been summoned for allowing those in their employment to Berve in their bars after the hour of eleven p.m. Some valuable horses were brought down to Dunedin by the Otago on her last trip from Melbourne. They were noticed as follows by the Melbourne Argus :—"The shipment consists of thoroughbreds lately purchased by Mr. Combe. They consist of Flying Dutchman, one of the beßt and gamest horses of his day ; Barwon, also an acknowledged good horse ; and Right Bower, -who has run well, though he never was properly brought out. Mr. Mcintosh sends the draught stallion Conqueror, for which, at Messrs. McCulloch, Campbell and Co.'a annual sale, ho paid COO guineas, and Renfrew Jock, a remarkably active young draught stallion. Blair and Blews sent thirty first-class mares, which they have selected from tho best studs in tho Colony; Two of these mares are bred by Mr. Steele, of Newbridge, and are considered very fine animals. The pair cost 250 guineas. There is also a fine black mare, bred by Mr. Carmichael, which has taken several prizes. She has a foal at foot by Pride of Scotland, and a colt rising two years by Prince of Wales. There are also on boai-d ten draught geldings for ordinary, work."

The Tararua, with the outward Suez mails, I sailed from the harbor shortly after noon yesterday. The next sittings of the Court of Appeal are gazetted for the 9th of November. We would remind our readers of the soiree in the Odd Fellows' Hall this evening. The entertainment commences at 8 p.m ; dancing at 10. The selections for the entertainment ■ are above the style of pieces usual at amateur entertainments, and the tickets are selling well, so that a good attendance may be expected. While finding fault with some of the telegraphic summaries of post-sessional speeches, and especially with the summary of Mr. Shoehan's speech, the Nelson Mail frankly says :—During the session of Parliament we could not but be struck with the excellent manner in which the speeches of the various members were summarised by the Press Agency for transmission by telegraph. Whoever it was that undertook the task, he certainly was a master of his work. It will be seen that Mr. Gully has received an invitation from His Excellency the Governor to accompany him in his trip to the Sounds on the West Coast of the South island. Through the medium of Mr. Gully's powerful pencil, we, may hope in course of time to be made familiar with the magnificent scenery of that part of New Zealand. The trip is likely to occupy about a fortnight. There seems to have been some official remissness in connection with the transhipment of a number of the Strathnaver's immigrants to Greymouth, but the result, so far as concerns the procuring of employment for the immigrants, appears to have been satisfactory enough. The Greymouth Star says : " About thirty-six of the Strathnaver's immigrants arrived in the Charles Edward this morning. There was no notification of their coming sent, and in consequence the Greymouth Immigration Agent, Mr. Wylde, was absent, and nothing was provided for the accommodation of the new arrivals. We understand the Mayor has telegraphed to the Minister of Immigration, and also the Superintendent for instructions. In the meantime the Town Hall and one or two of the adjoining buildiugs have been obtained, and converted into temporary immigration barracks. Although taken completely by surprise, the Borough Council has proved quite equal to the occasion, and the new comers will be comfortably housed until they find employment." The Aryus of a late date reports :—" With regard to the recent importation of immigrants, we are glad to learn that all the married men received engagements ; and it was expected that by last night all the single men would be engaged. So far this immigration experiment has proved successful, but it is to be hoped that when any future shipments are to be made for this port, the Government will also make some provision for their proper reception, as it is certainly no part of the duty of the Mayor and Town Clerk to act as immigration agents." Tomato sauce, manufactured by Mr. H. Olsen, at Parnell, Auckland, has been known for some time in the market, and has gained a highly satisfactory reputation as an addition- to the necessaries of the breakfast or dinner table. Mr. Olsen now succeeds in turning out a very good article indeed, and one which can be safely recommended to the attention of those who have not as yet given it a trial. The agent for Wellington is Mr. Logan, the' well-known grocer. At the Fire Brigade dinner in Nelson, at which His Excellency was present, Mr. Curtis, in replying on behalf of himself and the Provincial Council, said that after what had taken place in tho last session of the Assembly, he might be looked upon as making his last dying speech and confession, for it was within the bounds of probability that, ere long, his seat, and those of the Councillors would know them no more, for they might shortly be called upon to hand over the seals of office to the great army of their successors. For his own part he did not believe that that time was so near as some people thought, but he hoped that so long as they continued to exist they would do their duty, and that their houses would be found in order when they had to abandon them to their successors. Mr. Maclean, one of the Council, said he regretted the approaching sudden demise of Provincial Councils—all sudden deaths were painful—but he could not shut his eyes to the fact that popular feeling was against their continuance.

It is a pleasing duty to inform owners and trainers of blood stock that the stewards of the Wellington Jockey Club have, after considerable trouble, succeeded in supplying a convenience much wanted, and absolutely necessary for the welfare of horse-racing in this Province. We refer to a training ground which is now in the course of formation, and will be ready for occupation in a few days. It is situated at the Hutt, in close proximity to the racecourse. Its length is a little over a mile, beautiful level running, with half a mile of a straight clean run in, and, we are further given to understand, will bear favorable comparison with any other course of a similar character in New Zealand. This is certainly a step in the right direction, and the stewards are deserving of much praise for the untiring energy they have evinced and the action they have taken in securing the same, as neither time nor money have been spared in making the ground all that possibly could be desired even by the most sceptical of trainers. No doubt owners will gladly avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded, and bring their horses "to the post at the next December meeting in such condition as to reflect creditably on the preparation they have received. We need scarcely state that every accommodation in the shape of loose boxes and other requisites, together -with good and comfortable hotels, cheerful and congenial landlords are to be met with in profusion at the Hutt. We also have much pleasure in noticing that the disqualification that has existed agaiust Mr. James Day, of Wanganui, for the last seven years, has generously been withdrawn by the present stewards of tho W. J.C. There is, therefore, a prospect of witnessing Mr. Day's colors again sported at the next meeting. We would remind owners and all concerned, that Thursday ~>»-t, Ist October, is the last day for receiving nomination!, t„*. Wellington Cap and Hurdle Race. If the opinion of the Health Officer, or a connoisseur of perfumes, were asked on the following subject, would it agree with what is apparently the decision of the City Council ? Is it conducive to health, or agreeable to the nostrils of the public, that certain work usually done in the most silent hours of the night, should be performed while the principal streets of the City are still well filled with people passing to their homes whom it 13 not desired to punish in any way ? The City Council ha 3 in existence a by-law, which permits certain work, delicately alluded to in Parliament by the Premier in the course of a debate in the last hours of the session, to be commenced at too early an hour—in fact, an hour before midnight. The complaints of the late-walking public have of late been forcible, and expressed under the breath, if not loud, on the subject; but, until the Corporation see fit to alter the hour, there is nothing for it but to sniff and bear it. The police are powerless in the matter, and so is the unfortunate Inspector of Nuisances, who gets all the blame, but is denied the power to interfere. If any member of the City Council happened to be returning from the Opera on Friday or Saturday night last, when numbers of people were about, and had taken the route of Willis Street, it is to be hoped that the desirability of a change struck him as forcibly as it did common members of society, and that he will bring the matter undor the consideration of his colleagues without delay. The street lighting of the City seems to be an everlasting cause of complaint. Last night at tho hour when people were returning from church it was intensely dark; the streets we re—well, in their ordinary state, and the lamps as usual on dark nights. There was no moon until a. late hour, and whatever the arrangements are between the City Council and the Gas Company, they must be bad for the convenience of the public when the streets are left in darkness on such a night as the last was.

We learn, on the authority of the Native Minister, that before the late outrage by Macdonald was committed, the Crown grants for the Native reserves in the Manawatu Block were in the hands of Macdonald, as agent for the Native claimants. Any difference of opinion between the General and the ProTincial Governments over the RangitikeiManawatu affair, therefore—so far as those grants are concerned —could not have been the prompting cause in Macdonald's mind iu the hasty and foolish action of which'he -was guilty. It is to be regretted, however, that the fact of the issue of those grants to the agent of the Natives interested was not known to the public or—until now—to the Press. The following gentlemen have been elected members of the undermentioned Local Boards: —Johnsonville: Messrs. Charles Austen, Benjamin Reeve, William Henry Saunders, Thos. Bowler, Prancis Taylor. Lower Hutt: Alfred Ludlam, Henry Ellerm, John White, Henry Jackson, Nathaniel Valentine. The Boards meet on Thursday, October Ist. An art union in which the prizes are not numerous, but, what is better, valuable, is advertised by Mr. R. W. I. Carver, opposite the Bank of New Zealand. The prizes consist of a Collard and Collard piano, an astronomical telescope by celebrated makers, and three oil paintings, copi«s after Rembrandt. The number of members is 150, and the price of a ticket it guinea. ; "Atticus" writes in the Melbourne Leader as follows : —" Ido not think that Mr. Coppin should have been sat upon so completely when he suggested that Sydney's difficulty was Melbourne's opportunity, and that the present was a mighty convenient time to engineer a service from Melbourne to San Prancisco by way of New Zealand. I happen to know that Mr. Michie had an offer from the agent of General Burnside to run a line of steamers from San Prancisco, by way of Wellington, to Melbourne, for a very small subsidy from Victoria ; but perhaps the Agent-General did not think it worth his while to communicate the offer to the Victorian Government." HAWKE'S BAY. In connection with the discovery of an old Native burial-ground at Pandora Point, near the Spit, tho following story in the history of the Hawke's Bay Maoris ia given by the Telegraph: —Sixty-five years ago, a large war party of Waikato and Upper Thames Natives entered this Province by way of Taupo and the Manawatu, or other gorge, through the Ruahine mountain ranges to the south of the Ruataniwha plains. The attacking Natives then swept down the plains, driving all the Maoris of this district on to the Island of Pakake (Gough Island, Port Ahuriri), and encamped in two bodies on the extremities ,of the Eastern and Western Spits. The invading army having no means of reaching the island, which was then surrounded by deep water, a detachment started off to the swamp at Pakowhai, where they gathered raupo, and made this material into mokis, or rafts, which they floated down the Ngaruroro River, to the sea, and paddled them round the coast to the Spit. Just before dawn the storming party manned the rafts, and, landing on the island, rushed the pa. A frightful slaughter ensued, more than 3000 Hawke's Bay Natives being killed or taken into slavery. On some occasions it was customary amongst the Maoris, after a battle, to permit the defeated party to bury some of the dead, and, after the fight on Gough Island, the Hawke's Bay Natives were allowed by their conquerors to inter the slain at Pandora-Point. Hence the human remains discovered recently at that ipot. A person of the name of Sweeney was, on Saturday week, about midnight, knocked down and robbed, while proceeding along Shakespeare Road to the Spit. The Telegraph advises all, whose business or pleasure takes them out late at night, to provide the means for protecting themselves against the attacks of ruffians.

A boat accident occurred at Moeangiangi, on Tuesday last, which narrowly escaped proving fatal to four men. Mr. Taylor's boat was started from Moeangiangi on the day in question for Napier, but it was capsized in the open bay, by the heavy sea running. Two of the men, Says the Telegraph, succeeded in reaching shore by swimming, and the other two clung to the boat, which drifted finally on to the rocks, where it was broken to pieces, the men saving their lives with difficulty. A man of the name of Leonard, who was charged with committing a forgery last February, and who absconded from the Province, and was afterwards taken up for a burglary in Westland, but was acquitted before the Supreme Court, is now, as stated in another paragraph, on his way to Napier, under wan-ant of arrest for forgery. Leonard's mate, who was also implicated both in the forgery and burglary, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at the last sitting of the Supreme Court at Hokitika. WESTLAND. Racing events in the other Colonies have been the subject of considerable betting and speculation in the towns of the West Coast. The Orey River Argus says :—" There was considerable excitement in town until the actual result of the Sydney Metropolitan was positively made known, for there were a great many interested hi the Derby and Calcutta Sweeps recently drawn at the Albion Hotel. In the Derby Sweep on the Sydney Great Metropolitan Handicap, Mr. William McMillan, brewer, of Greymouth, drew the first prize, amounting to £583 6s. Bd.; Mr. B. Osborne, of Hokitika, the second, of £166 13s. 4d.; and Mr. J. Hughes, of Westport, the third, of £B3 6s. Bd. It is understood that Messrs. Osborne and Hughes are not the actual winners, they being agents merely for the disposal of the tickets. In the Calcutta Sweep on the same event, sold at the Albion Hotel on Saturday evening, the purchaser of Stirling, and the drawer of the first prize of £173, is Mr. Henry Raphael, of Taylor and Raphael, of Greymouth. The second prize, of £3B 95., goes to Mr. Joseph Graham ; and the third, of £lO la. 6d., to Mr. W. Splain, of Tainui Street." The whole of the shares in the Kanieii Race Company have now been applied for, proving that public confidence in this important undertalcing is growing. Tenders for the construction oi arjoub *w« -,,ud a-half chains of fluming on the line of race are invftea. By a majority of thirty-six to thirty-two, the members of the Hokitika Literary Society have resolved to open their reading-room on Sundays. Since the decision a number of new members have joined the institution. Messrs. McVicar and Co., of the Arahura saw-mills, have just received from Greymouth a planing machuie, costing some £3OO. Mr. William Evans, of Hokitika, has met with a serious accident, which is likely to confiuo him to his bed for some time, and is both of a painful and singular nature. Dr. Maunsell, who is in attendance, states that not only is the collar bone broken, but that a portion of it is driven right tmder the skin and muscles, just above the shoulder blade, almost piercing the skin of the back. As a matter of course, the case presents great difficulties, and it is fortunate that tho patient is in good hands. Mr. Evans is a heavy man, and the cob that he wai riding turned a complete somersault when the injury was occasioned. The road is full of holes, and the animal Mr. Evans was riding fairly stood on its head in one of them. It is therefore no wonder that in his fall such severe injuries were sustained. The largest sale of pasturage rights, more popularly known as pastoral runs, ever held in Westland will come off on October 6th, at the Westland Waste Lauds Board. They are no less than thirty in number, and are from 4000 to 30,000 acres in extent, their whole area comprising no less than 380,300 acres in all. They are situated in almost every part of Westland, and only on one is there any valuation for improvements. They will be put up at an upset price of a halfpenny an acre rental, and this surely should not be considered too dear by our graziers to give. It is likely, says the West Coast Times, that there will be keen competition, and that as soon as Bold the majority will be at once fnlly stocked.

NELSON. We learn from the Westport Times that the prospects of the Mokihinui quartz mines are still improving, and the directors of the Halcyon have accepted, conditionally on ratification by shareholders, the tender of Mr. Wilson for the erection of a stamper battery of ten seven cwt. stampers, driven by a water-wheel of forty-five feet in diameter, with power to drive twentyfive heads. The contract price is £3796 103., in addition to the bonus of £IOOO. We notice that Messrs. Roche and Co., contractors for the Nelson Creek Water Race, are offering 12s. per day for pick and shovel men. Two hundred men will be employed on application at the works. The Colonist learns that an old friend and citizen, Dr. Irvine, is expected back to Nelson from Sydney, where he has been residing for the last three or four years. The Westport Timet of September 18th states:—"lt is reported that the Provincial authorities purpose locating a number of immigrants at the Karamea, forming there a special settlement, building barracks or huts, and sub-, sidising a steamer to carry the people up, and make periodical trips with supplies. They are to be employed in opening up tracks and in other works to the advantage of the district." A Greymouth contemporary states that the sentence of eight years' imprisonment, with hard labor, passed at the last September sitting of the Supreme Court upon Peter Mulvey, of the Ahaura, for shooting with intent to murder Hugh Calder, of the same place, has been commuted to four years. A singular casualty from the railway works has been admitted to the Westport Hospital; the case being somewhat peculiar. The sufferer, a man named Murphy, while working ■with a long-handled shovel gave his body a sudden jerk which fractured one of the bones of the spino. A thorough and systematic search has been going on for the last week with the hope of finding the body of the late Alexander McLaren, who, there is no w very little doubt, was drowned in the Ahaura River some three weeks ago. The unfortunate man's horse was found. The saddle and bridle were still complete on the carcase of the horse, and, from appearances, there did not appear to be any trace of that death struggle which it is said usually takes place between horse and rider when tho latter gives up ajl hope of being saved from drowning except by sticking to the horse. Prom this it is concluded that McLaren must have been carried away out of the saddle at once, or as soon as the horse got into deep water. The river was searched to its mouth on Tuesday, and tho examination was continued as far as Point Elizabeth, on the North Beach, without success. All hope of finding tho body is now abandoned by the relatives of the deceased. The main shaft of the Ajax -Gold-mining Company, Inangahua, is now down 392£t., probably the deepest shaft on tho Nelson South-west goldfields. The return of the Wealth of Nations claim (Inangahua) for the month, was 3290z5. 18dwts. of smelted gold. On August 29th, a meeting of the directors was held, when a dividend of Is. per share was declared. The whole of the crushing plant is working in a highly satisfactory manner, and there is plenty of stone to operate upon. At the Deep Lead, Callaghan's, the Grey district, four miners for the last ten weeks obtained seventy ounces of gold from their claim. OTAGO. Mr. Dougal, of the Quarantine Island, observed what appeared to be the body of a man lying on a sand-bank a short distance from the west side of the island. The bank is dry during part of the tide, but is covered at high water. He at once proceeded in his boat to the place, and foimd that the object which had excited his attention was the remains of some poor fellow who had met with an untimely end. The body was lying face down, and appeared to be that of a sailor, a sheath-knife -and belt being attached to the waist. It -was clothed in drawers, but no trousers, and the hat was tied firmly under the chin. A deep cut from which the blood still welled wa3 over the left eye, ana mis, xogetner wren otner inuicaiiiohs, suniciently proved that the man had not long been dead. Mr. Dougal gave early intimation of the circumstance to the police, and Sergeant Neil and a couple of constables proceeded to the island and brought the body to the Port. It was afterwards identified as that of John McMahon, a seaman belonging to the ship Tweed, who was last seen alive on board at nine o'clock on Friday night. He was missed early on Saturday morning. The man bore an indifferent character, and it is supposed that he deserted to avoid law proceedings. The Otago Daily Times writes : —" We are grieved to hear of the sudden death of Mr. Easton, of the firm of Easton and McGregor, engineers and shipsmiths, of Port Chalmers. Mr. Easton's death was not entirely unexpected, as he had long been suffering from a complaint of the chest, and to recover health had made a voyage to Britain and back. His health still failing, he went across to Australia, and consulted the leading medical men of Melbourne and Sydney, and obtained a variety of opinions as to his case. Dr. Robertson came to the conclusion that he was suffering from thoracic aneurism, and this diagnosis was subsequently entertained by Dr. Drysdale, Mr. Easton's medical attendant at the Port. The result has, in a measure, confirmed its correctness. Since his return from .Australia, Mr. Easton appeared to get better, and only on the evening before his death expressed high hopes of ultimate recovery. But the end was near. On Saturday morning he arose at his usual hour—eight o'clock—and said that he felt much better. He then went into the back yard to take a cold water douche, and whilst so engaged was heard to cry out. A neighbor ran to his aid, and found blood flowing from his mouth and nostrils. 'Tell Mrs. Easton that I am dying,' he faintly uttered, ajid died before his wife, who was at the front of the house, had time to reach him. Tho suddenness of his death was in keeping with the form of disease he labored under. The aneurism had Dun*. TTe leaves a wife and four children." The new bridge, over the otroy.ojm River is now finished, and will be open for traffic in » few days. The bridge is a very handsome structure, all of Oamaru stone, and has a very highly finished look, reminding one of our English and American bridges. Mr. Grave, ot Oomaru, the contractor, has accomplished this work so successfully as to deserve the plaudits of the country for the handsomest stone bridge in Otago. The Kaitangata Coal Company (says the Times) have been boring for coal in a gully near their present workings. At a depth of rather over 40ft. coal was struck, and now the drill, reached the bottom of the seam, which is 27ft. in thickness. The coal appears to be very bright and hard, and will give the company much encouragement to extend their operations, as the location is of easy access from the river, and a drive can be made into the seam from a point some yards further down the gully. Referring to the prospects of the Company, the Clutha Leader says :—"The only obstacle now is the want of efficient means for the conveyance of the coal to Dunedin. Two courses are open to the Company, and one or both of which they no doubt will adopt. The one is the building of a steamer for the coastal and river service, and the other the laying down of a railway or tramway from the Kaitangata junction of the Southern trunk-line to the pits. The extent and quality of the coal, coupled with the demand throughout the Colony, is sufficient warrant for the Company incurring the expense which would thus be entailed. That it would be reproductive, cannot for a moment be doubted." Speaking of the appointment of Mr. J. L. Gillies as Secretary to the Otago Harbor Board, the Clutha Leader says : —" The Speaker of the Provincial Council being by virtue of his office a member of the Board, it is to be presumed he will at once resign that office. Whether he can hold the Secretaryship of the Board, and also his seat as member for Waikouaiti in the House of Representatives, remains to be seen. Should it be necessary for him to resign, we can only say the country will be the loser."