NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 920, 17 July 1869, Page 14

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

A seal nine feet in length was capered' a fewdays ago at the New River Heads, Invercargill. The carcase' was given td the Maoris, who joyfully took possession of ifc ' Letters of natura'isation have been issued in favour of Mr C*rl Steinhnff, tobacconist, and Mt 1 J. B. Krohne; publican; both of Dunedin. . ■ ' .>*<). The resignation of Mr Edward ,Croker of his appointments as Justice of the 'Peace and Coroner' for the colony, has been accepted by H-8 Excellency the Governor:

The local journal reports that the steamer Expert, which went ashore near QueenstoWn, on Lake Wakatip, a few days ago, is likely to become a total wreck.

A Bill for the amelioration of the Social Evil in New Zealand will shortly be laid before the .House, of Representatives —we believe by Mr Macandrew.

The culture of tobacco is said to have been successfully attempted in Taranaki, where it is expected to become one of the leading products of the province.

Two pigs, from the East Taieri, were purr chased yesterday by Mr Reid, of the Water of Leith, which weighed together, on the machine, Crawford street, llcwt, 2qra, and 14lbs.

The Mayoralty of Port Chalmers is likely to be briskly contested, as three gentlemen —Messrs RoJfe, Dalrymple, and Dr O'Donougliue— have signified their intention to become candidates. Others are also spoken of as likely to come forward.

Whaling appears likely to revive in Marlfcorouizb.. A whaline station was lately established at Port Underwood, and two boats belonging to it are said to have captured no less than nine whales in two days. Other captures also^are reported. Tho total yield of the Long Drive Claim at tho Thames, from April last up to the 29th June, is said to have been 637505!8. 7dwts.. 18 grains of melted gold, of which the value, duty paid, amounts to L 16,735 7s lO^d.

It is officially notified that a transcript of the rules of tho Loyal Dunedin Lodge, M.U.1.0.0. p., duly certified, has been lodged with the Registrar of Friendly Societies, and recorded in his office, under the provisions of the Friendly Societies Act, 1867.

On Thursday an acoi lent of a serious nature happened to Mi 1 William Blackwood, storekeeper, Cavorsham. He had been troubled for some time with rheumatism, and moved about with difficulty. In stepping from one room to another not on the same level, his foot slipped, and he broke his knee-cap.

A copy of Mr W. P. Gordon's petition to the Governor on the subject of the proposed proclamation of a Hundred at Strath Taieri, was. on the motion of Mr Hall in tho House of Representatives on the l«t inst., ordered to be referred to the Waste Lands Committee.

Tbe Scho- Ihouse, Tapatmi, and the Court House, «witzi;rn, have been appointed additional polling places for the election of membora of. the Provincial Council for the district of Wakatip, aud of members of the H'mso of Representatives for the district of Wallace.

The prospectors for gold near Rangitike, have been compelled by the aeverity of the season to d,esist from prosecuting their searoh any further, tor tho present. They aro reported to be 1 comfortably housed on tho skirts of the Kuahine rongo, and to bo Baugutne of ultimate success.

The old Wtsleyan Church, in Dowling street, presents a somewhat dismantled appeannoc Workmen are now eugngcd making the necessary preparations for its removal, which will soon bo effected. It is understood that souo portion of tho material* w<ll bo used in tho oreotion of tho new Church in Stuart street.

Mr T. B. Giilies has been offored a vacant portfolio in tho present Ministry, with a seat in tho Lcgislntivo Council. It will be rooollooted that Mr Gillies was P.istmasW. General in tho F«x Ministry of 1863. Ho wns also Attorney General in the Domett Ministry of 18(52, but he resigned that office shortly after accepting it.

Tho body of tho man named WillUm Millor, who was drowned in too Puerua Kver som« weeks ag<», an already mentioned in our oolnmnn, wuh found a fow d»AB ago lyiiiK vi tho wccilh on tho banks of that river l'lforum'ton of th«i oircumitiuico was imraodiatvly given to th<* polie», and tho body wnn removed to thn Alexandra Hotel, PoriMolynoux, awaiting an inquest.

Tho Maoris at tho Heads havo obtained seven or eight tuns of oil from tho whalo rocontl> captured l»y them Tho skeleton, nnfortunatoly, has been broken up by them. do that tho night-score of tho city wi 1 be disappointed in that respect. Wo are informed that the Maoris made fast to another whalo on Monday last, but that it contrived to escape.

The gallant conduct of June* Wilson, who ■o courageously aided his mother to escape after tho massaore at Poverty Bay, will »>e within tho rcoollootion of many of our readers. Tho nutter was brought under tho nntioe of the Houso of KtprMontatives in a pntUioa by the kittle fellow's noxt of kin, Mr N. A. Beamith.' Th« recommendation of the Committal* is, thai an annuity of LSO per annum for nine years, together with 100 •ores of land, b* granted U ih* petitioner.

Hpus'e, of, Representatives^ i't'-appearst thai; the, num.; er ' of, t .Europeans and N atiyes.kitled, . wouiided, and captured, from trie. Ist May, 1868; to the 14fch June, 1869, was as follows i Europeans ~ killed, 143 J wounded;* 101. Friendly, natives— killed, 126 ;. wounded, 26i Total,. 396 , Sebels— killed, ?79 ; captured, 242; total, 521. Of the Europeans killed, 9 were women and' 18 children.' ' ' ' Two gentlemen in Wellington, says the Independent, a short time ago had the good fortune to invest a little- money in two difi f event claims on the Thames, one being the well-known All Nations, and the other the Long Drive. Fortune has been in their favour, and one investor is now in the receipt; irora his claim of about L2OOO per annum, " while the other i«i receiving the incredible sum of over L2OO per week. ,

We understand , that prepared (specimens, of the Kaltapo and the Kiwi have been for; warded by. the barque Bjorviken to the museum at Christiama. This donation is interesting, ' from the fact of its having been made by the moat southerly museum. in the world to one of tho most northerly—Helsingfors, in Finland, and Trondjem, in Norway, beine, we believe, the only towns to the north of Christiania which possess museums.

The following was the state of H. M. Gaol, Dunedin, duriug the week ending on the lOfeh. instant : — Awaiting trial, 3 men ; penal sorvitude, 24 men ; hard labour, 57 men and 16 women ; in default of bail, 1 man and I woman ; debtors, 2 men ; total, 87 men and 17 v o nen, 4 men and 4 women were received duriug the week, and 7 men and 7 women wero discharged during the sauao period.

A correspondent states that he has invented a machine for brushing boots. " The brush is fixed upon the periphery of a small wheel turned by a hind crank. A few shillings would purchase the whole apparatus, including one brush for cleaning and. another for polishing. It will be particularly useful for hotels, as a person could throw in a caryo of dirty boots at one en 1, and they would come out cleaned at the other. All that has to be done is to work the apparatus by the foot."

King Tawhiao has received a very welcome present from the Ngatiata tribe in the shape of 2700 dried sharks. The arrival of these " delicHcies " has created quite a sensation at Alexand a, messengers travelling backwards and forwards every day between that place and Tokangamutu, where the King is at present residing, to hasten their delivery. The natives in charge of them, how«ver, having obtained a plentiful supply of rum at Alexandra, are stated to have been in no hurry to fulfil their mission.

Mr Fuller, of this city, has recently received a consignment of kerosene oil, manufactured by Mr Graham, of Wollongontf, New South Wales. This oil — the production of which promises to become a most important industry in Australia — appears to be in every respect equal to tho imporred American oil. It burns with equal brilliancy and steadiness, is free from auy offensive smell, and is sold at the same price. We hope that the usual prejudice against colonial manufactures will not receive another illustration in the case of kerosene.

The Acclimatisation Society of Otago have succeeded in obtaining ten yountc fallow deer, which they intend to distribute at tbe earliest opportunity. These animals wore imported from Tasmania into Canterbury, and wero intended for tho Acclimatisation Society of thit province. That body, however, was not in a position to purchase them, and consequently they wero offored to the Acclimatisation Society of Otago. which availed itself of tho opportunity thus aftorded of adding these interesting animals to its collection.

A singular atmospheric phenomenon is reported to have been witnessed a few days ago at Oamaru. The local journal says :—: — On Wednesday afternoon a number of persons might have been seen, glass in hand, scanning tho horizon, where tho line of tho ocean was broken with elevations, which loomed as if nn enormous tidal wave wore rolling in. Whatever tho appearance might have bfon, ib certainly seemod through the glass to bo rolling waves travelling southward along the Sine of tho horizon. After an hour it appeared to roll gradually away.

From tho Bruce Herald wo learn that tho commission of office-bearers and members recently nominated by tho Presbyterian congregation of Milton to look out for a miitublo imnisti-r, and to recommend one to the congrtgition, gave in their report on Monday nvc.uisg, at a mooting of tho -congregation hold iv tho Church. That ,oommis«ion recommended to give a call to tho Roy Mr Watt, Qreon Island. Tho oongregation approved ot tho report, and adopted th« re* commendation to give a call to Mr Watt Tho moderator of session was requested to tako tho necessary stops thoroto. Tho velocipede mania has at last roaohoi Dunodin. The other evening some intorpat was oxoited among thoao who happoned to bo about tho atrofttv. by tho appearance of a •mart looking maohmo of tho tri-cyole dosoription, which was driven along with ap. p&ront ease at considerable' spaed. Th» power was applied by mount of treadle*, noting on cranks on the hind axle, a handle borne attaohed to the foro wheel. »i> that th« machine can be turned in a onrvo of very •mail radini ; but thU did not prevent a oapaite, for oa turning tho nharp ooroer AlMauae street the oonoera turned ovor, and the driver oame to the around, but sutUin*} no injury. Toe relooipwl* is th* m»nnlwjtnw o: Messrs Chaplin and Co., Stafford itnet.

miring' 'the' tfate Bes&oiPof ttire Provincial Wurio© , have, received. ,the^ assent^ His Excellency the Governor :"— University of Otago Ordinance^. 1 * 1869' ; Southern ' < -Trunk *< ailway Guaranteed Interest -Amendment • (rdinance, . 1869 j Licensed Auctioneers Ordinance, 1862, Amendment .Ordinance. 1869'! Cattle Ordinance, 1864. Amendment Ordinance, 1869 ; Grammar School Ordinance, ' 1 869 ; Appropriation Ordinance, ,1869/70; Southern Trunk Ra 1 way Guaranteed Interest Ordinance (No.- 2), 1869. , 7 " , - ■ ; The Wellington correspondent of the Oamaru Times relates that "On Saturday evening last, I was in, a butcher's shop here, when one of the members entered and purchased three, pounds of chops. -On leaving the shop he remarked, ' Ah, these will do me two days I' > I, subsequently learnt jth'at .this worthy member (in ' the receipt,' remember, of an honorarium of one guinea a day)" 'was one of four who clubbed together, and, -paying 25s a .week (not 253 eaoh) for tho use of a sitting-room and bedrooms, catered for themselves."

Mr John Hislop,' the Inspector of Schools, deliyered an interesting and instructive lecture on the " Sources and some of the Influences of Heat," in tho Port Chalmers Mechanics' Institute, on Tuesday evening last. • The lecture was well received and appreciated by a large audience. ■ At' the conclusion, < a vote of thanks to Mr Hislop, proposed by Captain Thomson, waa carried by acclamation. Mr Dalryinple, the president, intimated that Mr G. Bell, of Dunedin, would deliver a lecture on the 27th inst. !, , The property of the late Ida Valley Quartz Crushing Company, consisting of the unexpired term of their mining lease, their right, titlw, and interest in. the water race from ; Ida Burn to the' Company's works,' their tail races and engine Bite, a quartz cm Bain's? machine, and the buildngs and other plant on the ground, was sold last week, by Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co,, by order of the bank to whom it was mortgaged. The first bid was LSOO, and after some spirited bidding, Mr W. H. Cutten, one of the directors of the Compauy, became the purchaser at LBOO.

That Te Kooti is really dead, is positively asserted by the Tauranga correspondent of the Southern Cross, in a letter dated the 26th June. He says :— Of Te Kooti's death there can no longer be any doubt. A number of natives recently went from Maungatapu to Motiti to join in a tangi over his decease. The present Te Kooti is another brave, who has adopted the name and prestige of the original marauder, which, as is well known, is a frequent custom amongst the Maori?, who conceal the death of a chief of renown, aud permit another to assume his title.

The Californian papers state that the Island of Santa Cruz has been purchased by an association of wool- growers, and that they have chosen as manager from a numerous list of candidates Mr Wi'liam Watson, who lately arrived in California from New Zealand, where he had been managing a large sheep station for a Scottish company inOtago, Mr Watson has had a cont'nued career of success since ho left his native country, and has now attained the highest appointment as a stock manager that can be offored him in the Pacific States of California, and one of tha moat remunerative that can be had in any country.

Several oases of plouro are still to be found amongst the oattle throughout tho Tokomniriro Plain. Last week, sa>s the Bruce H.rald, a valuablo cow, belonging to Mr Capstick, was fouud to be infected ; but, under tho treatment of Mr Lilburno, veterinary surgeon, she is now out; of dangor. Thia auim.il had recently t een inoculated, and in her case tbe dißonso appeared only in a mild form. So f.ir as we have h< ard, this is tho only case where an inoonlatod animal in thia district hat taken the disease, and wo aro confirmed in our opinion, that, where vaccination is properly performed, there noed be but little apprehension entertained as to tho safety of the animals.

Tho usual Friday evening . entcrtainmont At tho Lunatic Asylum wan attended lost week by ft largo number of visitors, tho hall being quite full. The entort»inmcnt cousi»ted of two part* ; tho first comprising h »lf A-dosen danoos ; and tho second, tho performances of "Tho Coloured Opera Troupe." Toe patienta and their visitors joined in the dancing with evident pleasure, whilo" .the snngs and jokes of the amateur Cnristy Minstrel* worn thoroughly enjoyod. The Hinging waa indeed remarkably good, and would' bavo satisfied any audionce. Ten .of the most popular Ethiopian songs and hntlads were given, interspersed with tho urwO oonundrum*, tho whole oonolodinjj with ''Dixie's Land" Tho entertainment vraa evidently a groat treat to the unfortunate, in* mates of tho Asylum who wero pormltted xo Ho present ; and their sravo attention to docorura in the mjdsfc of it all was very ra markaSlo,

To tine Houio of Representatives, oa tho lit imit., Mr O'Neill m»vod for & return of all tho revenue* of tho Cromwoll distriot ' for tho year ending on the 3 1st of M»y lMt. la movtnc /■«" tait return the hou. member »>id that tbo Cromwoll di»tri«t had now bcoomo one of tho most pro»p«rou» in tho Province of Otago. Tho (own of Cromwell wm situ*tod *t the junction of two very largo , tint*, the Clutha and tho X twarau, m(l<wm th« centra of m «xt«n»ivo wining dutriok. There wu a lame amount of boilaeas done in tho Wardeus' Court and Itandeat Migbtmte'i .Omrt, wad the Dlitriot Court warheld at Clydaj about thirteen

'^Irthe/ people of the .'district oonsidered^b^j^* ftomjijhe.^ Jarge , . amount of busineas, done, the~chief .courthouse: 1 ' should *be' ( W 'Crbrilwell.^Hisfdesire? was 1 , .to- obtain ias'inuch infdnna'tiori'as he 1 could' ,on the > subject.. The, motion a,was v agreed to. _ , ( 4 M ;, - 5 j> _ ; t ,< ', Mr Cracroft Wilson, as already reported '-< >y telegraph, moyedhis frequently .postponed resolutions, .relative to^ the -^emjjlojmentrof ) the"'"(ifio'orkas, > . |l .ar few,, days,, ago. /"THef Independent* 'thus' fl refers "fco his/ Speech, Which 'Was 1 one v -of *■' considerable ' length : r ' -fHe, "dilaied on' -the merits of ; tliese ' redoubtable warriors— their. little bodies, and gigantic limbs, their dwarf-like ferocity [in ■ combat, and pertinacity in i following, up } theit^ vanquished enemy,— their docility to" command, and last, but by no means the ' leisb of their merits, their Bingularly modest desires in reßpect of pay. Eight shillings a month, and , .f? n d themselves ! . General Troup's sugaestion that Sikhs would be more useful than Ghodrkas in Maori warfare, waa shown by Mr Wilson to be utterly absurd.— The warrioro of Chillianwall&h were no more ' to be compared with the valiant r little G-hoorkas than the ! effeminate troops o f Darius to' the Myrmidons "of Acoillesi The last rtf uge of New Zealand was, in truth, to be found in a regiment of Ghoorkas.

The possibility of the King making common cause with the rebels was referred to'hy Colo u el Whittnore in a recent Bpeech, in ,the following terms :— lf thß King feels .that he, cannot withhold such men as Eereopa and , the murderers of Mr Whitely, he will'do so, and' it is for this ' Legislature' to decide ■ whether the perpetrators of deeds' of that, kind are to go unpunished when, we have them in our power. Ii he surrenders these „ miscreants, it will be a greater proof of 'his subniiafcion than -any oath he can tako, and better guarantee- of peace;, I, feel certain, from what I have heard from the friendly Natives, ' that at this moment the King intends to fight; he intends to leave us no longer to choose whether we will treat him as a neighbouring potentate, or as an enemy. The reason he intends to fight is, T' believe, because he o*u no longer wage war With us through other tribes, as he has been doing all along. If > bo, Ido not care how soon it comes to that, for no change can be for the worse with this uncertainty hanging over our heads. It Is customary for the Maoris raiding at Stewart's Ibland and Ruapuke, near the Bluff, to visit Port Chalmers, Waikouaiti, and iloe'aki uvery year about the , beginning of July, with supplies of the mutton bird whioh the/ exohange with other Maoris fo, flour, sugar, dried fish, &c. A number of them, male and female, are on a visit to Dunedin at present, having completed their "Kio-ki" or exohange. They have made the trip in two good sized cutters. The Maoris visit the small islands fn quonted by these birdsabout the month "f Muich, and remain until the end of May, taking the young birds only, which they dig ftoin holes in the ground. The^ following is the favourite method of putting thorn u^for market:— The bones are taken out, and the fat is extracted by boiling ; the birds are then packed in seaweed bags, and tho oil is poured in with them, after whioh the bags are sewed up. Another method is to split the birds down tho back, salt and smoke them.

During the month of June there were 11 days on whioh rain fell in Dunedin, the total rainfall bein»{ 3.372 inches, and the greatest rainfall in 24 hours .980 inch oa the 16th The groatest velocity of the wind obsorved for 24 hours was SSO miles on the 15th. The moan daily velocity, however, was exceptionally low, being only 79 miles. The approximate mean temporaturo for the month was .44 1 degrees, the highest maximum temperature being 56 degrees on the 5 h. and the lowest minimum temperature 35 degrees on the 2nd, making tbo cxtremo rango of temperature for the month 21 degrees. The mean daily range, however, was only 101 degrees. The barometrical observations show the mean atmoopherio pressure for the month to have been 29 941 inches, tho highest pressure being 30 370 inches on the 21 lit, and the lowest pressare 29 627 inches on tho 6th, making tho oxtrcmo range for tho month '743 inoh. Hail foil on the 14th, and fog prevailed oa the 7th. .

On Friday .week there pawed Away from among us, to their lust rmt, two gentlemen, wliopo raotnory will bo long chermhed by • aamcrouJi circle of friouds. ,Worofo-to Mr D'Aroy Haggitt, Senior, and Captain John* 'on, both' wotl known *nd highly retpoctvd oitizoM. of Danorlia The lato Kir • «g»{itt wm the sonior p*r;ner in the Ann of M<s»rs KoMtitt «nd Hsgnitt, eolioiton He roeiclod norno yosrt ago in Ta«m»ai», which ho lefe for Victoria, ultimately icttlitig in thifl prorinoe. On Thnrtday waning the dcoeaied. gontlomtn wm ap< pArontly ia hit ui»u*l With, and retired to rest, wtthont oompl&lninp of illnoM. At an early , hour on Friday moraine, it was diwovorod that he wm d«*d, heart discMo boing the aupDoaod onuto of hit death. The deoeued war 'o3* years nf ago. Capt. Johnson, whoso death we alto have to reoord, vu oompaTatiYr-ly * young roaa, . He dieil on Friday morning, at about throe o'olock, Fov n«ml week* pwfcho b«d been differing fr>m aaevero illnott, hut for a tow, hour* 'previous to* his doath' the p«ia ho had, endured seemed to he ooo«rteMi'-lf *>ltay^d,^ Daring the day the rensols at the jottien, at.d at I'ortt Ooalawrs, hoisted *ih<ie flin half mast hijih ia fa-k^ ol respept to the de« o-ased, who' had been for, several , years mwiter of the Harbour Company 1 * stewa 1 bat

Golden Ag*