LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 199, 9 December 1876, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A large number of persons were on the Breakwater this morning when the steamship Waitaki took her departure, most of whom had assembled to bid farewell to Mr. Lee 3, of the firm of Lees and Moore, who with his family left this morning on a visit to the Old Country. As the steamer cleared the ]>ier a general waving of hats and handkerchiefs took place, which was answered, from steamer to shore until she rounded the point, and the party had entered upon what all trust may prove bon voyage. There was nothing on the criminal charge sheet at the Police Court this morning the only business in the hands of the police being a charge of lunacy preferred against a man brought into town yesterday. We, however, consider that in such cases it is most reprehensible to parade the names of the unfor tunates before the public, and consequently refrain from doing so on this occasion for. "that reason. -.'..'

The code of morality and the punishments inflicted for breaches thereof. would seem to be particularly rigid among ; the/natives in North Island, if any reliance cagj. be placed upon the following :—The leadingchief of the Thames, known there as W.-B*.4Taipari, • Esq., after a. recent festive gathering of the Maoris, mistake the door of the room iu which.lluKfji's sister was slumbering. Tn'i3 so' rigid morality of his people that on the incatt-c tioa-i chief a fine of £4U-;;_'Sliis-to European eyes, calculated to" make them stare, but as~tfte|e-is no record of the chief having infliction is really not so hard as appeais.at first sight.

We notice the Press Agency states that " female servants are still scarce in"-Auck-land." As, a few days since, w.egave ati ex-, tract from one of the local papei%)i?£ailing the miserable plight of a number of 'ffljj|||as3, through the overstocking of the mal&l|j£pis will indeed be news. . '-. ?£"'- The following cablegram has been received by the Is'ev/ Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. -. "London, December 4th.-£ The sales closed at an average improvement; of 2d. to 3d. per lb. on last sale prices. The! principal advance has been in cross-bred, superior greasy, medium and inferior washed.. The saler comprise about 206,000 bales. 90,030 bales have been taken for export. Trade in the manufacturing districts has improved. Tallow—There is a fair trade demand, at 425. to 445. per cwt. Mimosa Bark Quotation for Melbourne ground, £9 15s. per ton ; Melbourne chopped, £9 ss. Wheat—Market firm. Adelaide is worth 543. per 4961b. ; N.Z. do., 5:25. per 4961b. Copper—Market quiet. Burra worth £SS per ton; Wallaroo do., £B6. Tin—Fine Australian, f.0.b., is worth £76 per ton." The Oiago Daily Times says :—" The Commissioner of Police, Dunedin, yesterday evening received a from the officer in charge at Invercargill, informing him that Charles Calderwood, an iron moulder at Christchurch, was charged by a digger named Hugh Duddy with having yesterday attempted to murder him, at a plaee situated nine miles from Invercargill on the Bluffr read, by suddenly striking him several blows with an iron spike on the back of the head while he was in the act of stooping to take a drink of water at a creek. Duddy and Calderwood arrived at the Bluff by the Express, from Dunedin, on Sunday last. The former yesterday had £260 17s. in his possession, and he says that he lent Calderwood £lO at Port Chalmers. Calderwood, when arrested, had only £2 in his possession, but he stated that he had loit a pocket-book containing £47. Yesterday morning Duddy was induced by Calderwood to take a walk on the Bluff road to view the Pier Hotel (which has no existence), with the object of purchasing it. He is now in Hospital, and on examination, he w r as found to have four wounds on the top of his head. Calderwood is in custody, and so far as the circumstances are known at present, they strongly indicate a premeditated attempt to commit murder for the sake of money.