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Otago Daily Times, Issue 3368, 21 November 1872, Page 2

Prom our telegrams, it will be seen that Sir James Fergustson, our new Governor, will enter upon his duties In New Zealand fn March next, but he will visit England in the meantime. Sir George Bowen will not leave New Zealand for Victoria before March nexfc. His Excellency and Lady Bowen are expected to reach Dunedin about the 20th December.

An earthquake wave was felt in Dunedin yesterday, at 25 minutes to 1 p.m. In the upper floor of the Provincial Buildings, it set windows rattling and tables and chairs snaking, and was generally felt over the town. A correspondent informs us that at the Chain Hills " the vibration lasted for three seconds. Th« whole ground seemed to jar, and the office in which I was writing at times Bhook visibly. A dull, heavy souud, like a muffled explosion, was distinctly heard before the shock took place."

The appointments of the members of the new Provincial Executive are notified in yesterday's Gazette. The following appoint, tnente are also notified in the same issue of the Gazette :—Mr W. L. Simpson, J.P. and R.M., to be a Visiting Justice of thn Gaol at Clyde. Mr Philip Oakdeu, of Clifton, Waiwera, to be an Honorary Sheep Inspector lor the Province. ' ."-'■' i- ; '; ;

Yesterday, at the Mayor's Court, before Messrs Ward and Brown, J.P.s, John Smith, was fined 5s for drunkenness; Bridget Keane, for a similar offence, was let off with a caution.

We are requested to etato 'that it ia intended, should a sufficient number of country volunteers join the Otago Itifle Association for the ensuing year, that a simultaneous match shall be flicd at their own ranges on a. day to bo fixed by the Council; the match to be open to those who have not taken a prize at the Association's meetings.

The match fixed for next Saturday will f we trust, prove more than usually attractive. The first eleven of the D.C.C. will Imj opposed by 22 Volunteers ; and in view of the promised assistance of the Battalion Band, we hope to see a large muster of spectators, and also hope that a number of ladies will grace the ground with their presence. We would press upon those whoso names are btlow to be most punctual, as the general result is, that if the game ia not commenced punctually there is not time for both sides to have their innings. The tuaei liked Is \J3Q

sharp, and the names of the players arc as follows :—Eleven : Allen, Cairns, Collinson, Hcndley, Kettle, Macfarlan, Macdonnell, Reade, Tait, Thonsuon J. C, and Turton. Volunteers: Capt. Copeland, Lieut. Mnir, Sub-lieut. Grant, Sergeants Greenfield and Lambert, Corporals iluir and Pcake, Gunners Bunny, Coxhead P., Marsden, Mair, MorrißonJ., Ogilvie, Reid I)., Reid J. R., Webb, and White, Privates Coxhead A., CrcaghAL, Fuller, Hnfcchinson T., Mills W., And Morrison W. We have omitted to state that the Volunteers will play in their uniunifonii trowsersand forage caps.

Complaints have been made that children sometimes congregate numerously about the Station House on the Itailway Reserve, and also near the rails on which, the prisoners' trucks run. Yesterday a little girl, one of a party of live small children, got her foot jammed in between the rails, and it was not until after a heavily-laden truck had started away from the face of the hill down the incline that she was extricated. Parents should endeavour to prevent their children frequenting a neighbourhood where they are bo much exposed to danger.

The application of Mr Charles F. Roberts, of Mount Ida, for a lease of certain land at Rough J'iilge for quartz mining purposes, was heard before the Warden at Naseby on Monday, and the lease granted to the applicant. Mr Roberts has taken np the laud on behalf of a company called the Energetic, which has been formed m Dttnedin, and will shortly be registered under the Mining Companies' Limited Liability Act.

The report of the Public Works Committee of the City Council, Btibmitted at the ordinary meeting last evening, recommendo I that in the event of it being decided that the road from Kensington to the Ocean Beach shall be shortly completed, the Council should form so much of it aa is situate within the City, including the Town Belt. The report was adopted.

Mr W. J. Percival, whose water-colour sketches of feme we have noticed on several occasions, Bent several of his drawings addressed to Sir W. Hooker, the famous botanist, but who has been dead for some years. He received the following reply from l)r Hooker, the son of the deceased gentleman, and curator of the gardens at K-iw :— "Sept. 19, 1872.—Dear Sir—l have carefully examined the drawings of ferna which you have submitted to rae ; they ap^ar of great merit, and show a considerable power of pourtraying plants, not a want of ekill and especially of good models. And, without microscopic depictures of the organs of fructification, I do not think that they axe suited to meet the wants of scientific societies. You have probably not seen any good illustrated work on Fernß, sach as are published in this country, and which would give you sui idea of the style of drawing suited for scientific works. I enclose 3'ou two or three drawings, which may l>e useful to you a« shewing the stylo of drawing suited to scientific work.— Believe me to be, yours faithfully, Jew. I). Hooker. W. J. Percival, Esq. Sir W. Hooker, whom yon addressed, was my father. He died in 18G5.1' We understand that it is Mr Percival'a intention to prepare drawings of ferna in accordance with Dr Hooker's instructions, and to forward them to the Vienna Exhibition, together with some drawings of flowering shrubs indigenous to this Province, and a few local sketches.

As already announced in our columns by telegraph, a stabbiig case occurred at the Railway Camp, Otenunika Bush, Southland, on the night of the llth'inst. A man named Malcolm Shaw was stabbed by, it is alleged, a man named James M'Laren, outside M'Cochrane'a store, during a light between the two. Constable Purdue visited the locality on the following day, and after making enquiries, arrested M'Laren. The knife—a butcher's lulling one —with, which Shaw was stabbed, was picked up by one Archibald Black, a baker, at the store in question early on Tuesday morning, outside the store door and near to where Shaw had been lying. Black identified the knife as one used on the counter to cut twine. When found, it had blood upon the blade half way from the point. A man named Thomas Black saw M'Laren jump out of bed to put out Shaw, and as M'Laren rushed past the counter do so, he picked up what Black believed to be the knife in question, and then pushed ont Shaw and fell upon him outside. Three other men were inside the store, but they were asleep previously and did not ge up. M 'Laren was brought before the Bench on the 14th, on a charge of cutting and wounding with intent to murder, and was remanded for eight days... The doctor's evidence went to show that the wound was two inches in extent—a stab, apparently, straight in upon the right side of the back, near the spine, and to the right of the right kidney. The stab, in his opini n, was a dangerous one, and it could not have been self-inflicted. Shaw's evidonca was taken in the Hospital. He could not tell who slabbed him. Tlie only clue he could give was that the offender had a Scotch accent.

The Ophir Progress Committee has petitioned the Waste Lands Board that a reserve for a cemetery for that township be set apart on the north side of the Manu herikia. The Board h«ts resolved to request the Government to survey a site.

The first bush fire of the season, in the vicinity of Dunedin, began yesterday on the Peninsula, and, judging from the immense clouds of smoke, was very extensive.

A public meeting is to be held at Oamaru on Monday next to consider the advisability of establishing a local Museum there.

The Mataura railway works (the Southland News reports) are progressing .satisfactorily, and judging from appearances, the contractors will have no difficulty in completing the Woodlands section (12 miles from Invercargill) before the end of summer. The men employed include "old colonials" and asqnadof "navvies" specially imported by Messrs Brogden and Co. The new comers, it is said, find to their surprise that they cannot show their acclimatised competitors "how to do it." Some of them, admit farther, that a faster style of working prevails than they were accustomed to ia the pldj country, but to this they are willing to accommodate themselves in consideration of the higher rate of remuneration.

We (Oamaru Times) regret to have to record a serious accident which happened on Saturday afternoon, by which Mr Chriatie, Manager of the Bank of Otago, suffered A compound fracture of the leg. It appears that, on the afternoon in question he, with Mr Corrigan, went for a drive on the main South road, and on. returning about 6 o'clock in the evening, when near Mr HaaseU's wind-mill, the shaft-bolt of the buggy gave way, and the horse becoming frightened, started off at a furious pace. Mr Corrigan succeeded in jumping from th« trap without Jaarm, but Mr Lhrittie—who wa» dm ing—

was leas fortunate, being thrown out -with great force, breaking his right leg a little below the knee. The unfortunate gentleman was convoyed home, and promptly attended by Dr Wait. We are pleased to hear that Mr Christie is progressing favourably. Wangaaui, like Danedin, in suffering from want of sufficient wharf accommodation. The production of hops, the Colonist says, "is fast becoming an important feat«re" in the Province of JJeteon. • It will be seen by our advertising column* that there is to be an entire change of proi gramme at the Masonic: Hall this evening. I "The Merchant of Venice" was played a second time at the Pi iucess Theatre last evening. To-night, " Ixtiulon Assurance " will bo presented. The boiler explosion which occurred on Tuesday afternoon was erroneously described by us as having taken place at the " Albion ! Soap Works, Great King street," instead of at M'Leod, Robins, and M 'Lcod'a establishment in Cumberland street. The monthly meeting of the Celtic lx>dge, No. 477, S.C., will be held at 7.30 this evening, when tho installation of R.W.M. and officers of the Lodge for tho ensuing year will take place. Tho officers and members of the Provincial (Irand Lodge of New Zealand, S.C., the ollic^rs of the District (irand Lodge of Otago and Southland, 8.C., and the members of the Otago Kilwinning Lodge, and Lodge of Otagn, E.C., are re({ue'^fced to attend on the occasion. A general meeting of the members of the Dunedin Rifle Club will be held at the Drill She<i at 5.30 this evening. Members of the Committee are requested to attend at 7.30.