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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4231, 12 October 1874, Page 2

Sir James Fergusson, who is at present in Dunedin, will learn by telegram that he has been gazetted a K.C.M.B. This distinction has been fairly earned by His Excellency during his official connection with South Australia and New Zealand.,

The p.s. Luna, with the San Francisco mail, arrived about two o’clock yesterday morning from Onehunga, and sailed again at an early hour in the forenoon for Lyttelton and Port Chalmers with the Canterbury and Otago mails.

The Civil Sittings of the Supreme Court which commence this morning, before His Honor Mr. Justice Johnston, are likely to prove more than usually interesting to the public, as several cases of more than ordinai-y importance are at issue, the most prominent of which are the actions for libel brought by Messrs. Steele and Keogh againstthe T-r'ilt ane newspaper, the alleged libel consisting of a pnragraph which appeared in the journal mentioned, on the complainants’ dramatic company’s performances in Wellington. Under these circumstances the Court is sure to be well filled during the proceedings. We are happy to learn that the health of the Hon. W. B. Rhodes has now considerably improved. He was able to leave his bed on Friday, and continues to mend. On Saturday night the “Lily of Killarney ” was reproduced, and played ■with all the care for which the English Opera Company are distinguished. There was a very good attendance, and the gems of the opera were, as usual, well received and heartily applauded. This evening “ Faust ” will he performed, for the benefit of Mr. Templeton, ■who deserves a bumper. This is the last week of the company’s stay, as they have entered into positive arrangements for a short season in Wanganui, commencing next week.

An accident of a painful nature, winch narrowly escaped proving fatal, occurred on Saturday afternoon to one of a riding party. Mr. J. Williamson, of the Telegraph Department, had been out on horseback with several ladies and gentlemen, and on returning home, when near St. Peter’s Church, his horse fell and threw him just in front of a cab which was passing at the instant, the wheel of the vehicle passing over Mr. Williamson’s head before the driver could pull up. The sufferer was conveyed to his residence, and on examination it was found that though his head was cut and bruised severely, he was not dangerously injured. The escape was a very narrow one, and most fortunate, it being a matter of surprise that the head was not completely crushed in. Last night Mr. Williamson was reported to be progressing satisfactorily.

A curious incident of the late floods in Otago is mentioned by our Mount Ida contemporary. The coach from the Dunstan was proceeding towards Dunedin, carrying a heavy load of passengers and the mail for England, to be put on board the Tararua. The river Shag, heavily flooded, was crossed successfully, but the coach broke downaboutfour miles from Pigroot. There was nothing for it but a walk to Pigroot—that is, for those who were able for it. A young Scandinavian lady and a Chinaman felt unequal to the task ; yet the young lady would not stop with the Chinaman, so, to smooth matters, a gallant young Scotchman agreed to act as middleman. So the quaint trio—the Chinaman, who could not understand English ; the young lady, who knew not Chinese ; and the Scotchman, who, we are told, knew neither, had the coach to themselves for the night in hungry misery. The Oamaru and Timaru Suez mail, and an overland supplementary mail from Canterbury, sent by coach, arrived in Dunedin too late for the mail steamer. She was to sail at three o’clock, p.m., but in answer to telegrams was delayed till half-past four o’clock. The state of the weather was such that Captain Clarke would remain no longer, and the Tararua sailed at that hour. At five the mails alluded to reached Dunedin—too late. It will be remembered that the supplementary mail from Wellington was all but too late also, the Taranaki having only been able to reach Otago Heads as the Tararua came out. She was in time however, to transfer the mails. The shearers have held a meeting in Otago, and have resolved to adhere to the price determined on for the season, namely, 20s. for ordinary sheep, and -1 Os. for rams. They have also resolved to form a shearer’s union, for which they will collect funds from the men in each shed, and to hold a general meeting in March.

A x'ace for a trophy, valued at £2O, is to be rim for at Christchurch, on the 9th of November, between J. G. Harris, a well-known professional runner, and Mr. M. Lewiu, a Christchurch amateur. The distance is a quarter of a mile. The local champion is said to be a very fast runner over that distance. Six hares were taken up to Wanganui by the Stormbird on her last trip, for the Acclimatisation Society there. We observe that the annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Club will take place on Friday, the 16th instant, in place of Wednesday next, as first announced. The European Mail states that one hundred and thirty-eight emigrants have left the Shetland Isles for New Zealand in a steamer named the Schiller,

AUCKLAND. The Piako Swamp Company, says the TlWhato Times, is proceeding vigorously with the draining of the Piako country. Notwithstanding the unfavorable season they have had to contend against, and the quality of the labor at their disposal, they have done wonders. Eighteen miles of drains are already cut, and thirty more are levelled ready to let by contract. Eifty more miles are in course of preparation for contract. Large additions have been made from recent arrivals to the number employed; the men thus obtained, however, are for the most part unfitted for the work, having been drawn principally from the large manufacturing towns.

Certain changes have taken place in the command of the Bay of Plenty, district. Major Roberts’s command -will in future he confined to Matata, Maketu, and Rotorua, which will comprise the Tauranga station. The Native Contingent, under the command of Captain Mair, is amalgamated with the Armed Constabulary, and Captain Mair and Lieutenant Way hold commissions respectively as Ist and 2nd class Sub-inspectors. The Opotiki district, consisting of Ohiwa, Whakatane, Te Teko, and Galatea, is under the command of 2nd-class Sub-inspector Goring, The -contingent stationed at Te Teko and Galatea, under the command of Captain Preeoe, forms part of the Armed Constabulary Force. Prior to being sworn in as constables, the men of the Native Contingent underwent medical examination. - !

Upward)?, of sixty men arrived at Ngaruawahia on 'Saturday week from the lower section of the. .Waikato railway, says the Waikato Times. There are now in all ninety men working on the section of the line between Ngaruawahia and Ohaupo, which is being pushed.'forward'vigorously..by a most efficient body of picked 'men, who .are worthy of the designation ■of navvies. There are no real engineering difficulties in the way. Although so large a body of workmen have been transferred from the works between Raugiriri and Ngaruawahia, that portion of the line is not being neglected. We understand that the completion of the unfinished portions remaining on this section has been left to small bodies of men who have been told, off for that purpose. Captain Rowe’s detachment will shortly be engaged on works at Taupiri connected with the ballasting of the line. There is no scarcity of stone, although at one time it was anticipated that such would be the case ; there would, indeed, be sufficient metal to ballast the whole line were it required, and the most approved appliances, from designs by Mr. Stewart, C.E., will be employed for this purpose. When the quarries are sufficiently opened, a locomotive will be engaged in conveying the ballast to all portions of the line without delay. The permanent way is nearly formed. between Ngaruawahia and Raugiriri, consisting of about twenty miles, and the workmen will shortly be removed cn masse and told off in parties to work on that section between Ngaruawahia and Ohaupo. The station site at Ngaruawahia is definitely fixed upon and the ground is being prepared to receive the buddings, &c. Mr. Taylor, the contractor for the bridge over the river at that township, has arrived and made arrangements to commence work forthwith. The only difficulty that may stand in the way of the speedy completion of this structure is that of getting the materials on to the ground. This, however, will not be insurmountable.

A shoal of mackerel- were seen on Saturday last by Mr. Joseph Cope, fisherman, whilst engaged in his ordinary avocation. He succeeded in capturing a few, and the fish were brought to town and disposed of on the Auckland wharf, where they caused great attraction. They are, undoubtedly, the first mackerel that have been seen in these parts, and it is remarkable how they have found their way such a long distance from their usual grounds. The dwelling-house of Mrs. Waters, the widow of an old settler at Papatoitoi, has been destroyed by fire. The house was a twostoried one, and situate about 150 yards from the main road, between the Presbyterian Church and the Eaglan Hotel. The whole of the building and its contents were totally destroyed. The house was insured in the New Zealand Insurance Office for £6OO, and in the Norwich Union for £6OO. The furniture and contents were also insured iu the former office for £2OO. .

The following items are from the Waikato Times:—“We regret to announce the very sudden death of Mr. P. Falwasser, at Raglan. He dropped dead on the beach. The verdict of the jury was to the effect that he died whilst in an epileptic fit.—The third bridge from Ngaruawahia, on the Whatawhata road, is washed away ; the road, therefore, in the present state of the creeks, is impassable, except to experienced horsemen well mounted. — The breaking of the punt rope at Hamilton, and the temporary stoppage of all traffic between some of the most important sections of the Waikato district again calls attention to the necessity of throwing a bridge across the Waikato at that place.” MARLBOROUGH. The township of Renwick is growing in importance. It has now its own baker and confectioner, A local journal says that Mr. John Watson, who was the architect and builder of Iris own oven, “ turns out a loaf that puts a set on the Blenheim bakers altogether.” It is proposed at Marlboroughtown to add a library to the Public Hall, and a public meeting is to be held to-morrow (Saturday) on the subject. Twelve Californian quail, obtained in Nelson, havebeen set at liberty in this Province. There has been another case of drowning at no great distance from Blemheim. The victim was a blacksmith, named Samuel Read, who lost his life in the Awatere River, near Templeton’s. The deceased was on horseback, endeavoring to ford the river close to the Starborough crossing, but nearer to his own place. The horse very soon got out of its depth, and its rider was thrown into the water. The mailman, who had crossed at the Starborough ford, saw ’ Read going down the stream, and thought that he was smimming, as he was seen a long way after he had parted with his horse. All attempts at a rescue were useless. The body ■was washed ashore bn the sea beach, close to the mouth of the Awatere, where it was found by a drayman who was gathering firewood. It is very gratifying to find, says the Press, that the late flood has passed away without much injury. The bank in Mr. Redwood’s farm has accomplished its purpose admirably, and the river is now considerably over on the northern side. Some portion of the river bank has, however, been washed away at the head of the protective bank. Besides this, the river has;broken its banks in Pritchard’s section, in the , direction of Palmer’s Bridge, and in O’Dwyer’s section. It is held by many persons that the water in the Wairau River, above the breach into the Opawa, was unusually high on this occasion, and that it was quite equal to, if it did not exceed, the height it attained in 1868. A breach has been made by the Opawa into the Wairau about midway between Paul’s bank and Murphy’s Creek, by which a considerable quantity of flood water has been carried out into the larger river. To that breach may probably be ascribed the very much lower flood in Blenheim, than might have been expected under the circumstances. NELSON. A traveller from Marlborough, by way of the Pelorus, who arrived in town last week, reports, says the Colonist, haring fallen in -with a considerable herd of deer on the Maungatapu range, about one hundred yards in the bush from Franklyn’s Flat, and only a short distance from the well-known “Murderers’ Rook,” where Burgess and his companions “bailed up ” their victims. The deer looked exceedingly well, and were not less than a dozen in number. This is the greatest distance back. from Nelson, where the imported animals were liberated about fifteen years ago, that we have heard of the red deer being seen, and as the country in the adjoining range is of vast extent and difficult to traverse, the animals will be certain to increase for many years, with little or no molestation. They could not have found a more secure spot. We hear from time to time of the fallow deer, liberated a few years later in a valley running into the Wairoa, above "Waimea East. These also are increasing in number, and, no doubt, some of

them have likewise found shelter in the ranges of hills which overlook that part of the country.

Captain Hough has resigned the appointment of Deputy-Superintendent of Nelson, recently conferred upon him. The editorial charge of the Colonist has passed into the hands of Mr. George Downie, lately a member of the reporting staff of the Daily Southern Cross, Auckland. The Gross says “We part from Mr, Downie with considerable regret, as we look on him as a painstaking and promising newspaper man, and one on whose integrity and energy full reliance can be placed.” The Customs revenue collected at the Port of Nelson for the September quarter, this year, was as follows;— Consolidated .Revenue, £ll,O/ 4 19s. lid.; gold duty, .6170 17s. 9d.; pilotage, £241 17s. Cd.; total, £11,487 15s. 2d.

On Monday night a very high flood occurred in the Motueka Diver, inundating the lower part of Pangatotara Valley, the water was within a foot of the high flood of and ranks second in height to any experienced in the Valley. The water came into several houses. Some of Mr. Heath's live stock had a very narrow escape, having only been got to the high ground in the nick of time. The bridge across the creek, lately constructed by the Pangatotara Road Board near Heath’s, although several feet under water at the time of the flood, has not received injury, which is more than can be said of the protective works higher up the water, they having received considerable damage from the large uprooted trees which came careering down the river, carrying everything before them. Hnlf the width of the road lately purchased from Mrs. Wright is also swept away for several chains, and a large mass of drift wood deposited on other portions of the road. The bridge across • the creek below the old schoolhouse has been carried bodily away, and now lies high and dry on Mr. Douglas’s farm. OTAGO. Two untutored youngsters who appear to be budding into a career of crime were charged conjointly at the Resident Magistrate s Court on Monday (says the Times) with stealing a purse of money from a store. The modus operands appeared to have been planned very adroitly. One was to act spy whilst the other, when opportunity offered, secured the spoil, which was afterwards to be buried in the ground. Their plans, however, were heard by an officious policeman, who had the coldheartedness to interfere and cause one to be sent to the Industrial School, and the other to prison and be flogged. Sergeant Smith, of the police here (says the North Otago Times), dropped upon a man who has been wanted a long time, a day or two ago. While looking at the new skittle-alley at the Swan Hotel, the sergeant noticed a man for nvhom he thought there had been anxious inqueries, and, accosting bun by name, met with a ready reply. The man’s name was Burleson, and a warrant was issued for his apprehension nine years ago for stealing a draft for £l9O at Ah? -Teviot. About that time the_ sergeant b a two days’ ride in quest of his man in vain, to find him at last in the accidental way above noted. Burleson was immediately arrested, and has, we hear, since confessed to the crime with which he_ is charged. Burleson has, it appeal’s, been since levanting from New Zealand, in business in Sydney as a baker, but, with that fatality which seems to attend breakers of the law, returned to the scene of his misdoings only to fall into the hands of the Philistines.