News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 987, 29 October 1870, Page 14

News of the Week.

Another saw mill is about to be erected at •the head of Lake Wakatip. Shot is now one of the colonial industries of Tasmania. A lodge of the M.U.1.0.0.F. IB to be opened at Cromwell next month. A Chinaman in Victoria has obtained a divorce from hia wife. Typhus fever of a very malignant type, is reported to have broken out in Nelson. Several accidents from the explosion of charges of powder have taken place at the Thames lately. The collection of raga and other waste substances for paper making is now a branch of juvenile industry in Auckland. Considerable damage was done at Blacks and St. Bathaas by the gale of the 10th inst. At the latter place a quantity oi boxnuming wss destroyed. "We are informed that from Ist November next the commission charged on Post Office money orders for the United Kingdom will be at double the present rates. A correspondent of the Taranaki Herald draws attention to the fact that the supplejack is a species of sarsaparilla, and suggests its being utilised as an article of commerce. The writ for the election of a member of the Provincial Council for the district of Waikouaiti, in the place of Mr Mitchell, has been issued. Mr John Burnside has been gazetted Re« turning Officer for the District of the City of Dunedin for the election of members of the Piovincial Council. A man named Richmond has been fined L 25 at the Resident Magistrate's Courfc, Auckland, for smugging ashore six pounds of tobacco. After the usual weekly drill of the Volunteer Artillery lass week, the Company decided to hold their annual ball on Friday, the 30th December, instead of the 9th November. The Germans in America are said to have subscribed the magnificent sum of 50,000 000 dollars, or ar>out L10,h00,000, for the relief of their fellow countrj men who may have Buffered by the war in .Europe. The trade of Timaru, the Herald observes, appears to be expanding with remarkable strides, and f i esn steamers are being placed aoon the line to provide the requisite accommediation. Several juvenile culprits at We'lington have been sentenced by the Resident Magistrate, who doesn't Relieve in spoiling children, to ' c whipped, as well astobeiinpriaoaed for short periods. A Melbourne paper states that it is averted on excellent authority that Lmis Nupoleon owns no it-ss than L 22.00 ,000 sterling, and that h« is th« largest holder of Australian securities in the world. Mr Roberts, of Wanganui, whoße trial and acquittal on a charge of c -tile-stealing were mentioned in a Lue telegram, fainted from agitation a cuing the course of the proceedings. Stf-ps are being taken at Queenstown to form a Volunteer Corps. A Committee has been appointed to make the necessary arrangements, and at.out 50 members have been enrolled. The fare charged by the excursion train rua between the Bluff and Winton on the occasion of Mr Mao±ndrew's arrival at the former place, was 3a, being less than a halfpenny a mile. Among the names of persons mentioned in the New Zealand Gazette of the 1 lth inst. as having been authorised to act as Government Interpreters, we find that of "Marian Stewart, of Raglan." There were eighteen candidates for the office of Clprk to the Mayor's Court, and a considerab c number more would doubtless have applied bad not security and a <l considerable knowledge of the law" been required. The cause of the death of Mr James Simmonds, the comedian, is stated by the Auckland papers to have been apoplexy. He was quite well at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and at 10 o'clock the same night he was dead. Lovers of big figures may be interested to learn that during the ten years 1860-69, inclusive. 179.423 9521bs of wool, valued at L 10 .508 137, were exported from New Zealand. Ofcago, during the same period, exported 50 554,2871bs of wool, valued at 13,05(5,225. ISome of the runholders in the southern districts of Canterbury have suffered severe ' 1 S3es during the past year by dogs getting into their flocks and killing a number of their best sheep. One gentleman is reported to have lost 50 per cent, of a select lot of sheep from this cause. A private letter from Auckland, received' by the last mail, gives a gloomy account of its present condition. The writer says : — " Auckland is in a terrible state of depression asain. A regular exodus is taking place from the Th»mes. and men are walking about the country begging fcr work or food." The Maoris in Wellington appear to have been highly offended by one of Mr Holler's posters, which our readers will doubtltss re member, in which that gentle nan is depicted with an enormous head. The Advertiser Btates the Maoris on seeing these * posters "vented their spleen in a. moat emphatic manner."

The orioket clubs ia tne ooantry townships are again bestirring themselves, and several have already placed their opening games this season. The love of the "royal game" seems to be spreading, for nearly all the clubs point to an increase in th^ir numbers, and at Cromwell a new clv > has been formed, and is already, numerically at least, very strong.

The Alexandra correspondent of the New Zealand Herald says that "Te Kooti is reported to have come to Tapapa, Hakarai&'s settlement, where he wishes to settle down and p ant potatoes. Tawhiao does not wibh him any nearer to Tokangamutu at present. A number of large canoes are being built on the Upper Waipa and over at Aotea harbour."

The Lyttelton Times states that among the prisoners taken at Sedan was Mr Ro crt Mitchell, a near relation of Mr Francis Dillon Bell. Mr Mitchell has been connected with the Parisian press for a number of years past, and followed the French army in the capacity of special correspondent. M. Paul de Casßagnac, the notorious duellist and well-known journalist, was also taken prisoner.

We learn that Mr Gundry, a gentleman •well known in this city, and who has recently returned from the Fijis, is forming a company for the purpose of purchasing one of the small coasting steamers to trade among those islands, and occasionally run up to New Zealand with produce. We believe that Mr Gundry has been very successful in obtaining shareholders, and that the list is nearly full.

A meeting of the German inhabitants of Dunedin, to receive reports of the subscrip tions collected for transmission to Germauy, ■waß held at the European Hotel on Monday evening. Mr Houghton, the consul of the Uonh German Confederation, occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance. Subscriptions to the amount of L 240 were acknowledged, but nearly all the oountry subscription lists have yet to come in.

An illustrated directory and maD of Dunedin will shortly be published by Messrs Mills, Di(k, Lister, and Co. The map will be 4ft. 6in. long, by 3ft. 4in. wide, and will be surrounded by lithographed pictures of the most interesting places in the city. These illustrations will be fifty in number, and the map will be numbered for reference in accordance with the plan decided on by the con. ■ mittee of the City Council on the subject.

The Bruce Herald has the fol'owing paragraph :— We are led to believe, from a reliable Bource, that lhere is every probability of a tramway being shortly constructed between Invercargill »nd the M .taura. Tne New Zealand Lund Company, we are informed, are prep -red to contribute largely towards the expense. The Government is believed to be favourable to the project, and ready to su; eidiae local efforts.

Some time ago we announced that pleuropneumonia had made its appearance in the Moeraki district. We regret to learn from the statement of a correspondent of the Oamaru Times that it " ia rapidly extending its ravages in the district. Many of the stockowners are inoculating, and others are tilling their cattle upon the first appearance of the distemper. A g^eat necessity exists for the authorities to enforce the burial of carcases upon the Hundred."

The total amount of the insurances effected on the property destroyed by the disastn v* fire at Lytteltoa, is stated by our ■ hnstchur h telegram to be L 23 180. This sum, we believe, is divided as follows :— Liverpool and London and Globe lusurance Company. L 8000; New Zealand Insurance Company, L 6000: London and Lancashire Insurance Company, L4o< 0 ; Victoria Insurance Comp*ny, LIOUO ; and the balance among other companies.

The people in Wellington, as will he seen from our correspondent's telegram, were under the impression yesterday that they had Been the reflection of the fire at Lyttelton in the sky. What they did see was the Au rora Australis, which was also visible in Dunedin on the same night in the southwestern sky, or the same direction as Lyttelton is from Wellington. As seen in Dunedin, the Aurora was of a dull lurid hue, very similar to that of the sky above a large fire.

The first of a series of readings in connection with the Catholic Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association was given by Mr F. J. Bunny, in the hall of the Robin Hood Hotel, the other evening. The Rev. Father Moreau was in the chair. The subject was a Kangaroo Hunt, and was rendered ty Mr Bunny in a masterly style. It is intended that readings, &c, shall be held weekly, and at the end of the series a concert and ball will be held in aid of the fund of the library connected with the Association.

Mr John Rentin, who arrived by the Wallace last week from Port Molyneux, brought with him about fourteen or fifteen pounds weight of amalgam gold obtained from the prospecting claim on the beach between the Molyneux and the Nuggets. The gold was the produce of three men's work for three weeks only, so that the yield averages about L7O per man per week. Mr Rentin stateß that two other claims are also obtaining payable gold, and that there are altogether about 50 men at work. An accident which might have been attended with serious consequences happened the other day to a cab which contained a lady and gentleman. It appears that when opposite Mr James Smith's residence in George ptreet, the horse tripped on a fire plug, ana

the occupants 'of the vehicle wera precipitated with great force to the ground. The escape of the lady from danger was almost miraculous, she having been thrown with great force beneath the horse's feet. The shafts of the cab were broken off

A lecture was delivered last week under the auspices of the Scuart street Mv ual Improvement Association, by the Rev. A. Reid, in the hall beneath the Wesleyan Church. The subject was " Genesis and Geology." The lecturer treated the Bubject in a clear and interesting manner, though there was little that was new or original in his remarks. The attendance was very good, between 200 and 300 persons being present. At the close hearty votes of thanks were accorded to the lecturer and the chairman, Mr G Brodie.

A meeting was held at Barr's Hall, Balclutha, a few evenings ago, to get up a Volunteer corps. Major Atkinson and two or three gentlemen of the Tokomairiro Volunteers were present. Major Atkinson swore in about fifty Volunteers, and Mr J.P. Maitland, R. M., was elected captain of the corps. Major Atkinson then put the corps through a simple drill, which was performed very satisfactorily for beginners. Major Atkinson said that he had sent rifles, so that the corps will soon be able to get on well with their drill.

A late telegram stated that the inhabitants of Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, were ac tively engaged in fortifying the town. The Southern Cross supplies the following additional information :— There are four forts, each mounting some 12 or 14 guns. Besides these, 1000 natives have been set to work at 2f a day wages, to erect several new forts near the Flagstaff, and the other parts of the town where deemed most necessary. The only Imperial troops at Papeete at present are one company of artilie y. Steps are, however, being taken to establish a Garde Mobile.

The Wairarapa Meroury reports that a boiling-down establishment on an extensive scale is to be erected at Waikaraka, on the East Coast. Mr Seager, of Wellington, is engaged in constructing the necessary apparatus, and it is intended that, if possible, the establishment shall be in working order by the Ist January next. There are now four boiling- down establishments in the district, viz., at the Tauherinikau, Tupurupuru, Huangarua, and Whaegai Moana. The day is not far off when the "pot" will be regarded almost as necessary to a sheep station as yards and woolsheds.

" Pedestrian " writes : — ' ' Sir — Do yon not think it would be wise on the pai t of the Government, now that they have the prisoners at work on the Anderson's Bay Eoad, to expend the balance of the money voted for flood-gates as they go on with the work, so that they will not have double the work and expense afterwards ? It has certainly taken a long time since the money was voted to have only one flood-gate put in. If one was put in a little below the toll-gate (where there is a good fall), the man at the turnpike could easily look after it in o&se of a flood."

A correspondent of the Austral- si«»n gives a hint which may *c useful to sheep-farmers on the sea coast. He says : — "I had for years in Tasmania an excellent fl^ck through my hands, which was every ye r washed in salt water from the sea, or in other words, in the sea, with an occasional swim some time before their yearly washing. There was never any complaint, but the contrary ; the wool was well and properly washed, and well dried ; the scab was never known in the flock, the wether wool obtaint-d the highest price in the market of its kind, the woolbrokers praising the length and strength of the staple."

The anniversary supper of bheM.U.I 0.0. F. took place last week at the Oriental Hotel, PG. M. Sherwin > eing in the cftair, and His Worship the Mayor (Mr H. S. Fish) being on his right hand. The supper was provided by Bro. Armstrong, and gave extreme satisfaction, the viands being of the best, and being admirably served. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts had been drank and responded to, a number of toasts were proposed and cordially answered ; and, the proceedings having been enlivened by a number of songs and recitations, the company broke up at an early hour, having spent a most agreeable evening.

The following prisoners were received into the gaol on Friday and Saturday laab :— George Gray M'Ewen, under escort of Constable Aitcheson, from Switzers, where he, on the 15th instant, was sentenced to six weeks' hard labour for stealing a saddle and bridle, and was also committed to take his trial at the next Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court on a charge of having feloniously stolen a horse, the property of one Donald Cameron, at Switzers. John Jackson Travers. alias Soldier Jack, sentenced on Saturday at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Hawksbury, to six weeks' hard labour for larceny at Palmerston.

His Honour the Superintendent, in a speech made by him at the pu'-lio dejeumr at whi<«h he was entertained at Invercargill. ia reported to have B»id :—": — " Probably few of you present may know that I hod more to do with the founding of this city than any other man now in existence — in fact, it might have been with greater justice called Inver-Macandrew than Invercargill As that would have been a very long name, it is perhaps oetter as it is.— (Laughter and cheers)." His Honour also said, referring to the educational and other arrangements of the united province, that "the other d»y we sent home for ten schoolmasters, in order to provide additional educational facilities,"

The trfrl in tEe oase of "Anderson* and Another v. Burke and Another, which began in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the llsh inst., »nd extended over eleven Bitting days, was brought to a close on Wednesday. It hat created great intereat, not only by reason of the peculiar circumstances of the case, but also because some of the evidence was so directly contradictory in plain matters of fact that it is almost impossible to doubt that perjury has been committed by one or more of the witnesses. Opposing testimony is common enough in Courts ef Jußtice, but in this instance the opposition is of a peouliar kind, and not to be explained away. Tne verdict of the jury was substantially for the defendants.

A l*rge gang of prisoners commenced cperat'ons for the much required widening of tae Anderson's Bay road, beginning at the Peacock Hotel. The work will be continued a considerable distance — we believe about two miles — till finished at a spot adjoining Mr Tolmie's property, and the necessary stuff will be taken from the beach. We are glad to see that this work, which the numerous accidents which of late have occurred have shown to be a very necessary one, is at length about to be carried out. In connection with the subject of prison labour, also, we may mention that the new Botanical Gardens are nearly finished. Only a few prisoners are now at work there, these being occupied in levelling and gravelling the pathways, shifting fences, &c.

We have been favoured with the weights for the Canterbury Jockey Club Handioap. They are as follow. Judging from the horses named, and the weights decided on, we should be inclined to say that, should Captain Hutchison's luck be in, he stands a good Bhow with Miss King. Of the young ones we know nothing, int from the other horses named we think that the mare stands an excellent chance. The following are the weights :— Knottingly, 10«t 61b; Backbiter, 93t 61b ; Peeress, 9st 4lb ; Atalanta, 9at ; Wildboy, 9st ; Atlas, 9st; Magenta, 8st8lb ; Southern Chief, Bst 51b ; Ma abar, Bst 21b ; Mtss King, 7st 131b ; Blink BonDy, 7st 131b ; XXX. 7st 10lb; Thornie, 7st 10lb ; Wideawake, 7st 7!b ; Waterwitch, 7st 41b ; Catapult, 7st ; Vulcan, 6st 51b.

One of the most ingenious adve'tisements we have seen for some time past, even in American newspapers, will be found in the account of the " interview " between Sir George Grey and the Editor of the News of the World. The ex-Governor is cleverly made use of for the purpose of proclaiming the merits of Pullman's Palace railway cars, and also the advantages of subscribing to the News ef the World. "Of the elegance and comfort of the cars," says Sir George, in the stereotyped language of the bill sticker, "it would be impossible to speak in ternaß of too high praise." Tradesmen in New Zealand who may have an opportunity of "interviewing" Sir George Grey, or in fact any other available dignitary, might find this hint a useful one.

A deeply affecting scene took place at the Debtors' Prison, Auckland, a few days ago. The Southern Cross thus describes it : — " On Saturday laßt, two worthies, who have for some time past killed time in the Debtors' Prison, were informed that they might depart in peace t and very reluctantly they c implied. After providing themselves with suitable mementoes of their pleasant sojourn in the pKce, they took an affectionate leav«of the gaoler, an-1 were abutb >ut to resume a precarious existence at lib rty when they were accosted by a man who for many yearu past has had charge of that portion of the building in which the debtors amuse them selveß. This individual with tears in his eyes declared that in all his experience he had never witnessed such a phenomenon as had now happened, viz., an empty debtors' gaol."

A statement recently made by us with reference to the grant of free passages to the wives and families of honourable memoes &t the close of the session, has been made the subjeot of an explanation by the New Zealand Herald, apparently on Ministerial authority. That journal explains the transaction by saying that the agents of the steamer required the ' Government to guarantee a certain number of passengers, as the condition on which it would turn back ; that the Government had no choice but to enter into that guarantee ; and that as the number of Southern members remaining was not equal to the number of passengers so guaranteed, the Government gave passages to such families of Southern members as were in Wellington. We have authority to state that this explanation is quite unfounded, the consideration given by the Government being a lump sum of money, and not a guarantee of any number of passengers whatever.

A meeting of French residents, convened for the purpose of taking steps towards raising subscriptions for the relief of the widows and orphans of the slain in the present disastrous war, was held at the Otago Hotel on Saturday evening. The meeting, though merely a preliminary one, was attended by a number of Irishmen as well as Frenohmen, who appeared to take a lively interest in the proceedings. M.r Lanseigne was voted to the chair. Amongst the letters of apology for non-attendance read, was one from the Re?. D. Moreau, expressing his entire concurrence with the ohjectß of the meeting, not only on the ground of nationality, but on the broad basis of doing to others as we would be done by, and enclosing a subscription of LlO 10s. A Committee, consisting of Messrs Lanseigne, jQourt, Nic.ou.rt, *nd rjwflr, witfc ppwer to

•»rtd to' their number, was appointed. Th« Re*. D. Moreau was appointed treasurer, >ud M. Ausan secretary ; and it was agreed ■ha' subscription lists shoild be issued and ."teps taken to canvass the city without delay.

The Bruce Herald states that it has been informed by a person who h-»s been prospecting the sard bank between Port Moly. neux and the Nugge a. that a party of three men obtained 9!bs weight of goM within five week*. Tuey are using quicksilver and blacksand boxes. The ground now being wo r ked is above high water mark, and is stated to be very patchy. Their success having got wind, considerable cxc tement was created throughout the district. and not a few have gone to the sphere of their operations at the P >rt. So far as gone, however, there seems to be no good cause to excite a rush. la a few days, no d<ubt, more reliable data will be obtained, and for which parties had better wait.— The s me journal's Inch Clutha correspondent says :—: — Intelligence having reached here that gold had been found in the vicinity of Port Molyneux in payable quantities, our bush population closed their whares, flung malleis, saws, axes, and all to the four winds, and, leaving one solitary being in charge, left to try their luck on this new goldfield.

Mr Baxter and Dr Cumming are not to be allowed to take to themselves the whole credit of having foretold the recent events in Europe. Napoleon 1., like Siul, is also, according to a contemporary among the prophets. Speaking to Count Month lon at Sfc. Helena, he said, " In fifty yeirs Prance will be Republican or Cossack." That was in 1820 and this is F 870. Some spirtuahsts m Melbourne, however, not content with this prediction of the decas-d Emperor, have been questioning bis shade regarding the present war. Thpy have been rewarded with the following communication, written in a bold style in pencil :—" The war is over, and peace has been established. The peace is not a lasting one ; it is but a truee — a prelude to a more decisive and bloody war.'' "With unpardonable remissness," adds the Age, "the Imperial spirit has not dated his communication. We are therefore lefc to conjecture when the event occurred, and how the end of the contest was brought about" — •mdalso, we may add, whence the communication was sent.

A fire occurred at about 1 a m on Friday on the (arm of Mr Andrew Todd, Eist Taieri, by which the thrashing mill belonging to Mr Thomas Kirk M<»sgiel, w»s destroyed. The fire was first seen by Dr India's people, who gave the aarm to Mr Todd, but as ifc already surrounded the mill, it was impossible to extinguish it. The straw stack and the mill were totally consumed, only the iron- work of the latter being left Had the wind be^n from the opposite direction, nothing could have saved the barn and outhouses, but happily these buildings were not touched, though the m »rk of the fire on the ground was within 4u feet of the barn, where a considerable quantity of grain was stored. The quant tv of swaw burned, however was eoneiderable, heini? up-* rds ef two days' thrashing. It waa not, we believe covered by insurance. The engine, which is of 4-horse Dowe-, was not louched by the fire Me Kirk's loss is estimated at L2OO and it is the more unfortunate, inasmuch as this is the Becond mill be has lose from the same cause. Mr Todd 8 loss is also heivy, as the straw destroyed was valuable, but we have not heard at what sum it is est nnted. An inquiry was held at Fenwick's Hotel, East Taieri, on Wednesday, before Mr James ult-in, R. M, into t,he origin of r,he fire at Mr Todd's farm on Friday last. The inquiry was attended by Sergeant Thompson and Detective Farrell, who had been investigating the matter. Mr Todd stated that property belonging to him to th« value of L6O, had been destroyed, and Mr Kirk estimated his lobb at LI 50. Neither of them was insured. The jury returned an open, verdiot.

The present war has been an unfortunate one for newspaper correspondents. They have been ordered away from the front, imprisoned, mobbed, threatened with Lynch, law, and shot in battle, besides being subject to endless annoyances from Jacks in, office. Some of them have spent moie time in prison than at the seat of war, and it ia to be hoped that they have made some arrangement with their employers by which they will receive due solatium for the wrongs and indignities to which they have been subjeoted. The terms offered some years ago by the proprietors of the Pilori, a Parisian paper, when advertising for an editor, viz., "doube pay whilst; in prison," would in some measure meet the circumstances of the case. The French correspondents have been particularly unlucky, •everal of them having t een killed ; and the Times' correspondent, Colonel Pemberton, was akio killed at Sedan, by a "stray shot." The Pall Mall Gazette's correspondent was imprisoned at Itheims, and only Bet free on the condition that he returned to London* The correspondent of the New York Tribute at Paris, was nearly torn to pieces by the mob, who took him for a Prussian spy, saying that "no one else but a' Prussian, would have Buoh a dirty coat and Buch filthy hands."

There is now being laid across the reclaimed ground near Gaol street, a line of rails extending from Bell Hill in the direction of the head of the Kattray street jetty. On these rails it is intended to place trucks, wbioh, with the rails, have been purchasedby the Government, to convey materials

ft

the fiU;n<T in of that parb of the bay between the training wall and the extension of the jetty, as well as of the small space between the reclaimed ..'round and the jatty itself. So umch mud was deposited in the lagoon by the punts from the dredge when it ■\vtics at work in the channel f/ff the jetty, that they could uot latteriy be floated into it. The toftfrinl will be filled in to within a distance of two feet six inches or three feet of the level of that p<vrt of the ex'ension, supported on piles, which will thr.s he a raised platform. The pait to be fill-din with ear h will be used as a roadway, and, being lower than the platform, will gi?3 f icilky for tho loading or unloading of drays, wLich cau be backed against it, a f ul whose floots will be auout level with it. The work is to be carried out by prison labour. The traffic at the Rattray street jetty is increasing so fa&t that it is expected that a still farther addition to the present extension will be immediately required on its completion.

The Wairarapa Mercury is glad to be able to recnrd that the first step has been taken towards the Wairarapa Railway. Mr Blackett, vf ho has been engaged by the Government at a salary of LiOOO a year, has direcfed Mr Rochfort, aa engineer of considerable experience, to explore the best route for a railway between Wellington aud Wairarapa. and will, we are informed, lay off the nvst suitable and direct line to Napier. His dire 3> ions are to select the best of the following routes :-l. From the Pakuratahi to the valley through the Tauherenikau gorge, which was explored some time ago, and which was considered impracticable ; thia is more generally known as " Captain Smith's Line." 2. From the Wainuiomata to Waironjjamai (Mr Barling's), and thence to Feathersfcon. This route was very explicitly described in our columns some two months ago. by a very old resident in the Wainuiomata Valley. 3. From the Pakuratahi to the Tauherenikau Valley, thence (avoiding the gorge) to the Waiohine river. If this were adopted it would pass the Woodside Sa^v Mills, and the railway would leave Greytown altogether, following the most direct course along the foot of the hills towards Masterton. Mr Rochfort entered the bush at the Pakuratahi, accompanied by Mr G, Hodder and another man, on Thursday last.

Under the heading of " The Apocalyptic Year," a correspondent of the Argus writes : " My pec speculation in the department of apocalyptic speculation is, after all, only a matter of simple arithmetic. Is may be wrong, I allow, but, in any oase, it involves what you newspaper people are in the habit of calling a 'curious coincidence' of the most remarkable kind. Here it is in the shortest possible compass:— The crux of apocalyptic interpreters is the period of 1260 days, which w so often mentioned in the mystical book. Amidst thousands hardly any two are agreed as to when this period commences or when it ends. Tiae Baxters and the Cummings shift their datea about to meet the exigency in the most perplexing way. Now, it is admitted universally that the apocalyptic number, by excellence, is seven. As arithmeticians would say, seven is the unit of notation for the whole book. But the mundare unit ox notation is not seven, but ten. Hence it cornea that 1260 expressed in the one scale is exactly ISOO expressed in the other. The great apocalyptic period coverß exactly 18 centuries. See what follows. In a.d. 70 the Jewish catastrophe occurred. In AD. 1870 the corresponding Gentile catastrophe will occur. QED."

Paragraphs have appeared in the colonial papers for a considerable time past regarding a Prussian iron-clad oorvette. the Hertha, which has been cruising in the South Seas, and the intelligence received at Auckland a few days ago from Tahiti stated that a French frigate had gone in search of her. If the following telegram, however, which we ake from a San Francisco paper, is to be bblieved, it is probable that the Herfcha has already been captured by the French .'— " A despatch to the New York World this moaning stated that a Prußsian frigate, the Horthat, had been captured in East. Indian waters. X the report be true that a frigate has been captured off Pomt-de-Galle, her proper name is the Hertha, a vessel of 2,003 tons burden, and carrying 28 euna of the largeßt calibre, and a full complement of men. She has been cruuing in Chinee waters since, if we recollect rightly, May 1569." We are inclined to believe that there is some mistake here, for we should have "een cortiiu to have heard of this capture by the Ceylon papers received oy the last Suez mail, which are of more recent date than that of the paper from which we take the telegram ia question. The Hertha, also, ia not a .ri^hte, tent a corvette, and her arjnarrent consists of ouly 12 or 14 gune, instead of 28 as stated above ;

The discussion on the " The Telegraph and the Government" question is referred to by the Wellington correspondent of the o'maru Herald as follows :— "Public feeling here is strongly against the Government m the matter, and very g-eat surprise ib expressed that? a m»n like Mr Gisborne shoud have lent himself to such dishonest use of political power. Had Mr Vogel done what Mr Gishorne has, people would not have been so much astonished, but- people here did believe a good deal m Mr Ctobnrne, and thought him abova things of this sort. It is a pity that he should have taken such decided means to disabuse them •of the idea. The attempts made by the indepaudeDt to explain and defend the action of tike Government, Jwe only »wte VMttW

worse, and people are now beginning to lose all faith in tho secrecy of the telegraph at all. It is openly stated that Ministers who are not bound to secresy like the cffidrtlß of the department, are allowed to freely eater the operating room, and learn all that ih going on, and that copies of all press mes3ageß of any importance are regularly sent to Ministers. It is very strongly felt that the matter is net simply a quarrel between cersain sections of the press, but one of considerable importance to the public at large, and one which must be fully investigated before the public will be satisfied."

Mr Curtis. M.H.R., addressed his constituents at Nelson the other day, and received a vote of confidence from them. In the course of his speech, and iv replying to questions put to him, Mr Curtis more than once referred to the changed feeling of the Assembly with regard to borrowing. " Last year," he said, "there was no chance or prospect of borrowing anything. Otago, a wealthy province, had sought to borrow the small sum of L 12,000 for its water works, and that was opposed on the ground that there was to be no more borrowing, that they were to practise strict economy, and live within their means. Since then the whole feeling of tha Assembly had changed ; and, instead of going on that principle and trying to make both ends meet, both pubUciy and privately, they had resolved to go on the other tack, and borrow as largely as possible." Referring to the Defence Loan, Mr Curtis Baid: — "Last year the Ministry came into office for the purpose of avoiding borrowing lor such an object, and to pay Defence out of the revenue. They now declared that Defence ought not to be met by current revenue, but by borrowing, as it was for the benefit of the future of the colony, as well as the present. This certainly was a rapid change of opinion."

An inquest was held before Mr J. F. Dick at the Hospital, Invercargill, on the 19 bh inst., on the body of Robert Hunter, aged 47. The deceased, it appeared, was a farmer residing in the Lothian district, near the Halfway Bush. He called at the Halfway Bush accommodation house at 4 p.m. on the 14th inßt., when he appeared to be unusually excited. He had a glass ot beer there, and left at 7 p.m. The next morning a man named James Crighton saw him near the Pehley Hills, Mataura Station, about 15 miles from his house, where he enquired of Cnghton, who is a shepherd on that station, the road leading to the Watmomi, and the distance to Switzers. Crighton parted with the deceased near a small creek at about 9.30 a.m., and was returning the same way about noon, when he saw the deceased lying dead in the creek. He immediately gave information to the manager cf the station. It appeared from the medical evidence, that the wounds were solf»infhcted, but that death was caused by suffocation ia the creek. The verdict ot the jury was "That the deceased, Robert fiunter, was founa drowned, with wounds in the throat, in a small creek on the Mataura Station ; and that there is no evidence to show how he received the wounds and got drowned " There were found on the person of the deceased a deed for 207 acres of land, a silver lever watch, and some keys.

Mr Green, the well-known boat -builders has just completed at his sheds, the Planet Saw Mills, Cumberland street, a very handsome aud commodious boat for the Naval Brigade. Her dimensions are :—: — Length over all, 45ft ; breadth of beam, 10ft ; and depth, 4ft. Her keel, stem, sterapost, gunwale, stringers, knees, and kelson are of hardwood, and the timbers are of steamed kowhai, which is well known, for its Btrength and durability. The boat is planked with two thicknesses of half-inch kauri pine, and is also closely batten-lined from the kelson to the gunwales with half-inch pine, and floored irom stem to stern with one inch pine. She is copper and composition fastened throughout, and sheathed with 16oz Muntz metal to a two feet water line. She is designed to sail and pull fast on a light draught of water, and has a good spring in the keel which will give her increased speed, and make her more easy to manoeuvre than if built with a Btraight keel. She has an iron centre-board, 9f b. long with 3ft. dip, which when under canvas will give her a draught of sft. The boat is to be rigged with two sliding gunters, so fitted that they can be housed in a few seconds. She has nine thwarts, and will pull 18 oars, and is also to carry two breech-loading guns, one lat the bow and the other at the stern. The contract has been carried out under the inspection of Mr W. Asher, who has expressed himself highly satisfied with both workmanship and material We understand the boat is to be launched on the 9th November.

<( A Resident at Waikawa " makes the following complaint : — ' ' Sir— Why is such a beautiful spot as this so much neglected, whilst that outlandish placo, Martin's Bay, is being peopled and colonised ? It seems that the reason of its being neglected is because it is so done to the principal city, or seat of Provincial Government. Here we have an abundance of forest timber, a magnificent harbour, second to none in the Island, flax on the clear in abundance, within an easy distance of water communication ; yet we are waiting for stores from Dunedin, and we know not what time we will receive them. Starvation ia staring us iw JShe face. Provisions are quite run out. By fee way, a married couple who> commenced butchering and Btorekeeping, and would not expect to make a fortune all in a hwfjff wm« "would ecstssfc tk&smlvea with a

reasonable profit, mipjht get on very well at present. The saw mills, the property of Messrs Anderson and Co, have commenced work. We have another very great inconvenience to complain of. This is the Postal Regulations. We are situated thirty miles from the nearest poet - office, and except through the kindness of a gentleman residing in this vicinity, we should be quite at a loss to obtain letters or papers. Surely some provision should be made for the purpose of paying a person to carry the mail to and from that post-office. Instances have been known of letters having been forwarded from Duuedin which arrived at Waikawa three months afterwards."