News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 1240, 4 September 1875, Page 15

News of the Week.

The Sailors Home contained 14 boarders on Saturday hut, nine having entered and nine left during the week. Mr Arthur Gethin Creagh was, on Wednesday, admitted and enrolled a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court by His Honour Mr Justice Williams. The Presbytery of Dunedin on Wednesday, by nine votes to five, agreed Jto approve of an overture for the introduction of instrumental music. In the District Couit on Monday, a wellknown lawyer smilingly mentioned that he had been handsomely paid in a sheep case, his reward being 300 guineas. . The usual weekly meeting of the Waste Land* Board was not held on Wednesday, in consequence of the formal opening of the Olutha line of railway taking place on that day. The electors of the Taieri district, in publio meeting assembled at Mosgiel, on Saturday evening, passed a resolution for delay, and for referring the abolition question to the constituencies. A series of evangelistic meetings was commenced at Farley's Hall last Monday, when Messrs Brunton and Virtue officiated. The hall.waß.well filled, and the service appeared to be much appreciated. The up-train from Caversham on Saturday evening was delayed for some considerable time, owing to the ballast engine and trucks having met with an accident. The damage was very trifling. An unfortunate fellow darned James Wilson was brought up at the Port Chalmers Police Court on a charge of vagrancy. He admitted having no visible means of support, and was sent to gaol for 14 days. A youngster named Geo. W. Driver, who lives with his grandfather at Port Chalmers, wm admitted into the Hospital yesterday, having fractured his left thigh and injured the knee, by falling over a cradle. By a preliminary announcement in another column, it will be seen that the Batavia Fire and Marine Insurance Company have extended their business to this city, and have appointed Messrs Bright Brothers as their agents.

At the Port Chalmers Police Court on Monday, W. Marshall and J. Lucas were each fined ss, with the usual alternative, for being drunk and disorderly. Edward Drew, similarly charged, was discharged with a caution.

Our Cromwell correspondent informs us that, at a meeting last Friday night re Abolition, the apathy shown was so great that only 17 persons remained to vote. The result was— B for immediate abolition, and 9 for delay.

We learj by telegram from Oamaru that the steamer Albion passed the Taupo in eight minutes after getting outside the Heads, and one hour after she gained one mile ahead, and came on under easy steam and kept the lead to Oamaru. She anchored there in four hours from the wharf. ._ At rS g fll }?ral meeting of the Union Football Club last Tuesday, at the Hibernian Hotel, it was resolved that, owing to the Club being unrepresented on the Match Committee, the members selected for the Interprovincial Match with Aucklacd should simply play as not connected with

«^u 6 eek !? !£""**. the auspices of the Dunedin Youns; Men's Christian[Association, retain their popularity. Mr Virtue, formerly of Hokitika, and Mr Wright, missionary of Knox Church, addressed the congregatioa at the Queen's Theatre on the

29kb, when many ptrsons were Unable to obtain admission.

Sir Julius Vogel has written to a friend in Dunedin to say that he and his family will leave London for New Zealand so as to reach the Colony sometime during November. He expects to make the voyage botween San Francisco and Auckland in the steamer belonging to the Pacific Mail Company, which will inaugurate the new contract The St. Paul's Young Men's Association, assisted by several lady amateurs, gave a capital entertainment at the Oddfellows' Hall on the 27th ult., when about 100 persons were present. The Fresident occupied the chair, and Mr A. J. Towsey presided at the pianoforte. The various items in the pro gramme were well selected and enthusiastically received.

The Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company (Limited) Empowering Bill, which passed through the House of Representatives last week, has been read a second time in the Legislative Council. The Bill, which was supported by the Government and by several influential members of the Council, is likely to pass through all its other stages without opposition.

The number of immigrants recently received at the Caversham Immigration Barracks, ex Aldergrove and James Nicol Fleming, comprised 213 males, 152 females, and 99. children. On Saturday there were in the depot 21 males, 16 femaies, and 39 children, bo that during • the month 328 adults and 60 minors have proceeded to various parts of the Province.

Tho Cooktown Herald of the 17th July states that a breathless hungry Chinaman has arrived at Oakey Creek with the sad intelligence that he was the only one left out of a party of six, bis five fellow-countrymen having fallen under the spears of the native possessors of the soil. The increasing appetite of the aborigines for roasted Asiatic is one of their marked peculiarities.

On Wednesday evening we received a copy of that day's Southland Times. The paper had been brought overland to Balclutha, and reached there in time to be brought in by the train. This is the first instance, we believe, of an Inveroargill paper having reached Dunedin overland on the day of publication. We are indebted to Mr W. N. Blair, C.E., for the newspaper.

Several gentleman intend to arrange a Dog Show here about Christmastide. The matter was recently discussed at a meeting of the Canary aud Poultry Association, and it was considered inconvenient to have a Dog Show at the same time as the Association's forthcoming exhibition. The improvement of the breed of dogs has attracted some attention in the other Colonies, and deserves every support.

The Committee- of the Poultry Show have determined on having a rather novel "art union." Every person visiting the show, and paying for admission, will reoeive a free ticket for tho art union. The, "objects of art" to be disposed of include Polish fowls, canaries, eggs, fancy bantams, pigeons (jacobins, trumpeters, nnd black carriers), white dorkings, a ham, an umbrella, a tin of biscuits, and a tin of lollies. Our Auckland correspondent telegraphed on Saturday that the hero and heroine of matrimonial romanoe, connected with the ship John Rennie, are walking about town today, uneoncered,' evidently completely reconciled. — The report that the Armed Constabulary at Waikatoare to be disbanded is denied. They will be employed on public works.— -During a hail storm at Waikato. stouqp fell two inches in size.

At the Queen's Hotel, on the 28fch ulb. , P. G. Bro. Price, of Timaru, was entertained at luncheon by a number of Past Grands of the L0.0.F. Bro. White catered in excellent style, and placed a splendid spread before his visitors. The chair was occupied by P. G. Bro. White, and G.M. elect Bro. Braithwaite officiated as croupier. The toast of " Our guest" was enthusiastically drank, and a very suitable reply was made.

Two imbeciles have lately arrived in the Province from England. One of them is a Government immigrant, and is to be sent back to England soon. The other is a free immigrant, and the captain of the Aldergrove, in which vessel he arrived, has bean served with a writ, under the Imbecile Passenger Act of 1873, calling upon him to enter into a bond far the support of the imbecile as long as the latter remains in the Colony. '

Referring to the half-yearly report of the Colonial Bank, the Cross states that this young monetary institution is making considerable headway. After summarising the report, our contemporary says :— lt is surprising that an institution 1 so young, amidst so much competition, should have been able to achieve such a degree of success in. bo short a time, especially when, during the greater portion of this period, the war amongst the Banks prevailed.

The meeting of Dunedin electors, to consider the abolition measures, was held in the Drill shed last Tuesday. The motion of Mr R. Gillies — that the thanks of the meeting be tendered to the Dunedin members for the action they had taken in connection with the Abolition Bill — was lost, only eight hands being held up for it. An amendment by Mr Ramsay — that the city representatives Bhould have consulted the electors before voting for abolition — was carried with enthusiastic cheering. A full report will be found elsewhere.

In a case before the' Supreme Court on Friday, being a motion to decree the sale of the leasehold ef 76 acres in the Ocean Beach district, at present used as a market garden and for depasturing purposes, it was set forth in an affidavit that the sale of the leasehold was endeavoured to be forced, in order to have the land subdivided into a new township. If this be the intention, and it the land be sold, there will be enough land in the market for a while to satisfy the appetite for suburban freeholds. Of new townships truly the cry is : " Still they come."

The Tuapeka Times says Lawrence will soon attain celebrity for the sobriety of its inhabitants, as, during the current month, not a single case of drunkenness has called forth the attention of the "guardians of the peace," and the duties of our public officers

have, been * sinecure. Our enemies will no doubt assert that it is a lack of the "needful" that prevents our population from in* dulging in their wonted cupa ; but we are of opinion that it is owing to the increased intelligence of the people, assisted bvthe good work being done Dy the LO.G.T.s of the district. A rumour of a remarkable character has reached the Tribune. It is to the offect that the prelates of the Roman Catholic Church have issued a pastoral to their respective flocks, urging them to use their influence against the measures for abolishing provincial institutions. We decline to give credence to any such rumour, although the source of our information, generally most trustworthy, justifies us in making it public. If nothing else comes of publication, it will at least afford the opportunity of the rumour receiving authoritative contradiction, assuming it to be incorrect. The installation of officers of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, 1.0.0. F., tookplace last evening at Carroll's Hibernian Hotel. The following brethren were installed in their respective offices for the ensuing year by P.G.M. Bro. Michie:-Bro. J. Braithvvaite, M.W.G.M. ; Bro. P. fiussell/ R. W.D.G.M. ; Bro. H. M'Nair, R.W.G.W. } Bro. J. Boyd, R.W.G.Sec ; Bro. Alexander, E.W.G. Treasurer; Bro. R. T. Wheeler, R.W.G. Chaplain; Bro. T, Bracken, R.VV.G. Marshal ; Bro. Hanna, RW.G. Conductor; Bro. Henderson, 11. W. Guar. dian ; Bro. P. M'Kenzie, R.W.G. Herald. "Some jnen have money and no brains" is a saying which has lately become common. Its necessity was exemplified in the case of a labourer named Robert Thomson, who,' after months of hard toil at stonebreakiiig, came into town with £52, representing the bulk of his savings, and went on the ''spree." On Friday night he found himself in the lock-up for being drunk and obstreperous, but before morning he bailed himself out. SergeantMajor Be.van then volunteered him some well meant advice, and told him to bank his money for safety, -but the foolish fellow again got drunk, aud the Police uext'heaid that his money had vanished. ' The Post jubilantly exclaims!--The .electors of Caversham have vindicated their iudependence by returning Mr Stout despite the enormous influence with which he , had to contend. The Bank of New Zealand. is said to have used its utmost power on behalf of Mr Larn&ch. The three Dunedin newspapers, which were never before agreed on any ono point, agreed in supporting Mr Larnach, and, as Mr Puff says, when they do agree their unanimity is wonderful. In addition to this the Gnvernrnant used all its influence in opposition to Mr Stout., The Government; cannot misunderstand the significance of yesterday's election, Our Auckland correspondent telegraphs bhafc the sensation of the 27th was the leVanting husband — a passenger by the ship John ' •Rennie from London — and his wife • and children, who had pursued him in the s.s. Somersetshire to Melbourne, and came here by the steamer Hero, arriving before him. The husband professed pleasure dt meeting her, and said he left iv a tiff: She repelled his advances. Several hundred, people assembled on the wharf to see them land.* They appeared ultimately to proceed along amioably.— Four other samples of milk have proved adulterated, by analysis, at the Provincial Laboratory. Proceedings are pending.. Dr Hocken held an inquest at the Hospital oh Monday on the body of a male infant— to the jurors unknown. From the evidence it appeared thai: two little girls named Rockley were walking over the Ocean' Beaoh saurt; hills on Tuesday last, near the St. KiWa Road, when they discovered the body, partly covered with snnd. Information was given to the Police, but their inquiries have so* for proved futile. Dr Yates, who had made a post-raortem examination of the body, said it was that of a full-grown child: whiohhad lived from five to seven days. He could not oonjeoture what might have been the cause of' death ; it might have been a natural one, or produced by exposure. The Jury returned an open verdict, ' ■ / - • The steamer Phoebe, which' left for the. f North on Saturday afteinooß, was the bearer of a double mail. She was' under engagement ! to convey the outward 'Frisoo mail, and, as the Albion, which* brought the' Suez mall, was unable to complete her engagements in time to leave North on Saturday, the Suez mail bags for the Northern Provinces were sent on in the Phoebe. The latter had quite a heavy mail freight. Besides 42 bags of, English and, l7 of Colonial mails brought by, the Albion, she took away 30 bags and packages of Provincial mails for Europe via 'Frisco, and 23 bags of mails for delivery -interprovincial, making a total of 112 bags and packet 3. Mr Downes, of the Port Chalmers ; Post Office, kindly furnished us with* the above quantities. • > In our English mail news, published on, Saturday, was an item to the effect that Captain Lawson's discoveries in New Guinea were believed to be pure imagination, and their credibility was doubted. ' If there be' any truth in the following, from the Spectator, we don't wonder at it — "He has discovered the highest mountain and. the smallest parrot in r the • world. He has col- 1 lected black beetles five inches and a half long, by three broad, with, horns two inches, long. He has .caught fresh water fish twelve feet long, and seen frogs as large as boulder stones. He has, seen monkeys poke out the eyes of a crocodile with a sharp stick, and has himself been tossed .thirty feet high by a Papuan buffalo. Truly there is a decidedly Munchausen savour about these travels."

t | During the course of an eloquent sermon, at St. Paul's Church on Sunday morning, Bishop Nevill referred to the circular re. cently issued by the churchwardens and vestry, showing the estimated liabilities at the end of the year to be £918 11s 3d, and the estimated' ordinary revenue, £337. His text was St Luke xvi., 10, 11, and 12. He again exressed his deep-seated feeling of objection to the method of raising income from ' seat rents. The more he observed,' the more he watched the system, the greater was he convinced that.it was against .the. principles , of their Church. After congratulating the congregation upon their past liberal contributions, he strongly advocated the ancient

system of tithes, and showed the immocsa advantages' to be derived if it ware intro* duced.

! Our Blueskifl correspondent writes ;— " A Chinaman name Abgo was killed in a 9f b. cutting about a mile from here on the Purakanui Bide of the bay on the 25th inst. The body was" brought in a dray to the Waitati Hotel, and an inquest held on it this day, the 27th, Dr.Hoeken being the Coroner. A verdict of accidental death was returned. Tha body is to be removed to .Dunedin by tha deceased man's countrymen for burial. I understand they have acted in a very becom. ing spirit of liberality in meeting the necessary expenses unfortunately necessary in treating the remains of the deceased with proper decency. The Cotnmiasionar of Police was present watching the proceedings, and the verdict of the jury was— From the evidence, it appeared that no blame was attach, able to anyone."

The weekly meeting of the AH Saints' •Young Men's Association was held iv the schoolroom last Tuesday, the President (fche Rev. Mr Stanford) in the chair. The Co-n. mittee appointed to get up the entertainment brought forward their report. The entertainment is to take place on the 14th Ooto, her," and the Committee has decided to initiate a spelling bee on that occasion, a prize to be given to the best speller. Mr then gave his paper on the " Physical Construction of the Sun," giving some description of the sun, and mentioning tmr. ticularly the solar spots and their changes. He said all the component parts of the sun had not yet been d'iacovere.l, but by means of the spectroscope some had. A hearty vote of thanks -was given to Mr Percival at the termination of his paper.

A Sydney telegram in the Argus of tho sth inst.' says :— " A boat from the barquo Fqrget.me-not, from Tokao, bound to Syd. ney, with a cargo of sugar, put iuto Kiama last night, at the request of the crew, who were in a starving atato for ,wa-)t of provisions. The captain and four men were in the boat, and when they returned, they were unable to find their Vessel, which had been drivon off Iho coast during the gale. The captain's wife and five children are oji board; The occupants of tha vessel had lived on salt fish for the lact 10 days, and some deer, intended for th<s Botanic Gardens, were also killed yesterday. Thg Bteamer Illalong reports passing the vessel, and placing a man on board to pilot her to Sydney. The Government Bteamer Thetis has also gone in search of the missing veasel."

A oomplaint oomeg to uh v, second time, within' the last- three months, referring ty the treatment tbe'aeleetora of deferred pay. ment~neo,ftons,on runs, are receiving from the Waste Lands Board of Inveroargill, The first half-year's rent wa« taken in August last, ono year ago, rand still they oan get no certificates. The Dunedin Board pay they have no power to interfere i at Inveroargilj; no satisfaction or advice can be obtaiiisd, and the settlers are quite at a loss what to do. ■ Two of the Invercargill lawyers are retained'by the run-holders, and the third ij acting for the Board: The selectors state thut they cannot afford to seek advice in Dunedin, and what little they have is wasting away. Besides, by tho delay in the settlement of the question, they are prevented from getting home« in the othor blocks open from time to time in the neighbourhood.

Our Lawrence correspondent writes : The great libel case, which has been talked of so much here lately,, and which excited a good deal of interest, proved a miserable fiasco, The Court was crowded from eleven o'clock to five, during which the hoaring lasted, Mr M'Coy, who appeared for the defendant, objected to the "reading of the matter said to be libellous until it had been proved to havo. been publisheilby the defendant. Mr Copland, who appeared for the complainant, was unable to prove this, though he went' into the witness-box for that purpose himself, an adjournment to produce the statutory proof being refused, as the case had been in hand for ten days. The case wholly broke down.— Our worthy Mayor has gnt an invite to be present at the opening of the railway to Balelutha on Wednesday, nnd a large number of oar townsmen purpose being present.

Our Christchufoh -correspondent telegraphed last evening that a special meeting of the football players was held at Warner's Hotel on the 27th ult., for the purpoae o£ making.arrangements.for playing the Auckland team. Correspondence was read from Mr Thos. Henderson, jun., captain of the Auckland Club, stating that it was proposed to send a football team from Auckland early in September on a tour through the Southern Provinces, and asking if a match could be arranged with the, Christchurch players ; also, if ! so, under what rules they wouLl play. Another letter acknowledging the receipt of telegram intimating the willingness of the Christchurch Club to play a match, and stating in reply thattheAucklandOluh played Rugby Union rules, 15 a-side. A telegram was also read stating that the Auckland team would leave either on September Bth or September, 16th.

A meeting of the Oaversham Road Board was held in the School House on Monday evening. Present : Messrs Carey, Bridp. man, M'Kay, Rutherford, Wilson, Brady and Jackson ; Mr Rutherford in the chair. The minutes of last meeting were road and confirmed. It was agreed to put two cross . ings in the lower sub-division ; one between St. Kilda road and Melbourne street and one between Fox road and Sb Kilda road. The clerk was instructed to write to Mr Muir and request him to remove some obetructions he had placed iv the ditch along the bottom of his premises. Several accounts were passed for payment. A good deal o£ discussion took place on the proposed Municipality,. the feeling of the members being generally favourable to it, provided the boundaries can be satisfactorily arranged, but no official action was taken. The Board adjourned till Thursday, the 23rd September.

The forthcoming Show of the Canary and Poultry Association, to be held at the Octagon Drillahed on Friday and Saturday next, gives promise to eolipse its predeces-sors—-.or,- indeed, any similar show ever held in the Colony— both as regards tha varieties and numbers of exhibits. The Association, by awarding liberal prises, has drawn

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together a large number ef competitors in all classes. Amongst the entries for poultry, we observe there are i 7 Brahma*,"l 3 Dorkings, 8 Spanish, 12 Cochin*, 32 Game, 4 Houdans, 2 Folands, 1 Hamburg, 16 Bantams, 3 Guinea-fowla, 4 Aylesbury ducks, and 2 Rouen ; and 19 cocks of all varieties. There are 39 pigeons, 37 cage birds, besides 19 canariep, and other exhibits. Three white swan?, recently imported to Melbourne by the Somersetahiie, will be exhibited by Mr W. Harper. It.will be seen that the entries of poultry in useful classes arc very numerous.

Our Lawrence correspondent writes :— "The fire at the Shamrock Hotel, on Friday morning, caused a great commotion among the quiet folks of Lawrence. From a statement made by Mr Donovan's servant girl (in reply to the police interrogations), it would appear that she took a lighted candle into the bed-room soon after 10 o'clock on the previous evening, then placed this oandle (without a candle-stick), on the table by her bedside, supporting it by a book, &c. She then retired to bed, and read herself to sleep. She was awoke about 3 in the morning by the room being full of smoke, then rushed into the kitchen, which was separated from her room by a thin partition, aud through the kitchen door into the yard, leaving the door open. The wind was blowing a gale at the time, and no doubt fanned the fire into a blaze. The kitchen tire appeared to have been damped down, and not a vestige of coal left on it. Mrs Donovan's loss is covered by insurance. Mr Copland's stables were totally destroyed, and are uninsured."

The news brought by the Waipara as regards the progress of the settlement at Jack* Boa's Bay, is said by the Hokitika Star to be favourable. The settlers are busily employed in erecting homesteads and clearing Und, the survey of which has been completed. Daring the stay of Captain Turnbull, that gentleman employed a number of men in improving the entrance of the creek which rnns by the township, and their labours were so successful that, on the last trip of the Waipara, the harbour boat, fully laden, was enabled to discharge her cargo at the creek, Within a short distance of tbe Government store. Formerly, the goods had to be carried a considerable distance along the beach. The Bay is stated to be literally crowded with fish of various kinds, aud on the day previous to the sailing of the Wai* para, no less than eighteen dozen large moki •were canght by one party in a very short time. The settlers are preparing to get their first crops in, and speak hopefully of thtir prospects. The erection of a jetty will shortly be proceeded with.

There has been much illnoss among the immigrants by the Caristian M'Ausland, which arrived at the Bluff, on Sunday night, from Glasgow. She had on board 382 passengers, being equal to 281 statute adults. From a telegram received by His Honour the Depity Superintendent, and kindly placed at our disposal, we learn that there are now two cases of scarlatina, two of whooping cough, four of bronchitis, one of typhoid ; that there had been twenty oases of illness on the voyage ; one death from typhoid, six deaths from whooping cough, one from dropsy, two from convulsions, and one from some other cau»e. Tbe Central Board of Health met at the Government buildings, Dunedin, yesterday, to consider nutters, and adjourned to half- past ten o'clock today, to receive further information. The suggestion had been made that there would be less mortality among the sick, and less expense to the Government if the immigrants were brought round from the Bluff to the Quarantine Station at Dunedin, the accommodation at the Bluff not being sufficiently large.

The Board of Health met on Tuesday. There were present— The Deputy Superintendent (Mr Turnbull) in the chair, and Messrs Fish, Davie, and Dr Brown. The meeting was convened to consider the case of the Christian M'Aualand, which had arrived at the Bluff with disease on board. It had been resolved on the previous day to tele graph to Invercargill for information as to barrack, accommodation. At the meeting yesterday a telegram was read from the Immigration Offioer, Invercargill, to the effect that the barracks there would be ready for the immigrants by the time the lay days of the Christian M'Ausland had expired, and that there was no necessity to Bend them on to Port Chalmers. It was resolved that the immigrants be landed- on the * Quarantine Island as soon as the barracks are ready, that the sick be separated from the others in the usual manner, and that the necessary arrangements be left to the Local Board of Health. Resolved, further, that Mr Colin Allan be asked to proceed to the Bluff to assist and advise. We understand that Mr Allan will leave for the Bluff to-day.

The thirteenth annual soiree and ball of the Pioneer Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was held in St. George's Hall ontbe26th ult. The G.M. elect, Bro. Braithwaite, presided. There wasa very large attendance. After tea, the conpany was left in total darkness for a short time, the gas going out, but on the meter being watered, there was light again. Ihe Secretary, Mr Lenton, read the annual statistics of the Lodge. From them it appeared that, exclusive of the Funeral fund, at the present time there was a sum of £623 in hand, as against £520 at the corresponding timb of the previous year, showing an increase of £106. The Widow and Orphan fund now stood at £119, as against £58 last year, showing an increase oi £61. The Secretary congratulated tbe members on the success of the Lodge. Dancing next took place, and the Hall was so inconveniently crowded that the dancers could hardly be expected to enjoy themselves. The catering was done by Mr Donaldson, oi the Glasgow Pie House, and the music waß supplied by Mr Bailey (violin), Mrs Clutsam (piano), and Mr Hogg (piccolo). The net proceeds of the soiree go towards the Widow and Orphan fund of the Lodge, and will make a taagible addition to that praiseworthy fund.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sat in Banco. Mr Kettle, in re Mr Oanghan and Southland Waste Lands Board, moved, under the Waste Lands Board Appeals Act, 1867, for a rule calling upon the Chief Commissioner and members of the Southland Waste Lands Beard to show caaae why a certain appeal from the decisions of the Board should not be beard on affidavit under seotion § of the

Act, the parties being unable to agree to the form of » special case. The rule was granted.. In a case in which the Waste Lands Board was interested, Mr George Elliott Barton, who appeared on behalf of the Board, asked for the opinion of His Honour as to the construction of section 3 of the Act of 1874, and section 85 of the Act of 1572. :*: * The question which he submitted was : Whether the Board could treat as of special value under the 85th section of the Act of 1872, any land not before declared to be special value, withdrawn from sale under section 3 of the Act of 1874, and again be offered for Bale under that section. The Board had withdrawn certain lands from sale under section 3, then made use of the machinery of section 85 to change them from lands at £1 per acre to lands of special value, and then offered them for sale. The question was : Whether this was a legal course for the Board to take ? It was, Mr Barton remarked, a question which was hardly arguable. He called the attention of the Court to the decision of Judge Johnston in Logan v. the Waste Lands Board, and submitted that the decision ia that case virtually ruled this. His Honour said he thought there was no doubt about the questions submitted, and answered it by saying that the Board had power to withdraw from sale ordinary lands and again offer them for sale as lands of special value.

The free and independent electors of East Taieri thought, on Saturday night, they were the victims of a " try on, 1 ' and they were determined not to be taken in. The abolition nu>eting was announced to be held in the Drill Shed at seven. There was a Urge number present to attend the meeting, hat on going to the Drill Shed where it was to be held, it was found that a "ped" had possession of it, and was about to do the not very startling or original feat of walking seven miles within an hour. They also found that the price of admission was one shilling. Now, while the electors were not averse to seeing the seven miles done as a prelude or afterpiece to the abolition meeting, they decidedly objected to having to pay a shilling each to attend a political meeting, even though it did include something iv the walking line. The "ped" suggested that the electors could pay a shilling each and enter. They could see him walk, and then hold their meeting. The electors failed to perceive the force of this. They said farther — " The advertisement is nob signed. Who put it in the newspapers V and some plainly said it was a covert move, under the oloak of abolition, to advance the cause of muscular Christianity. There was, however, no dodge in the matter, though it was generally said there was. The 3hed had been taken for Saturday evening by the pedestrian, and afterwards the committee who prepared the resolutions for the public meeting met and announced by advertisement that a meeting would take place at the Drill Shed, knowing at the time it was already engaged, but trusting to make an agreement for the use of the Shed, and in which they were not successful. Up to ten minutes to 3, the time at which the meeting took place at Webb's, none had entered the Drill Shed to give patronage to the walking match. When it was resolved to adjourn the meeting to Webb's an offer was made of the Shed to the electors, the match to be walked afterwards, but this would not be accepted.