LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1151, 19 October 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The business at the R.M.s Court this morniDg, -was confined to few debts cases. The greater number were adjourned, and a few confessed. The defended cases presented no feature of interest. It is supposed either to raise a subscription for Dearness, who lost his right haud while engaged at Mr. Morgan's saw mill, or to get up an entertainment in his behalf. Dearness has a wife and five children dependent on him for support, and it is hoped, as it is believed, he will meet with that support the necessities of his case demands. A. horrible disaster occurred at Ballarat at the Burra Burra mine a few days ago. A carter named Walters, was waiting for a load of quartz, and put his head through the brace timbers to look down the shaft, when the cage descended from the poppetheads, and severed his head from his body. At a special meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Ohib, held on Wednesday last, a letter was received from the secretary of the Christchurch Jockey Club in refereuce to the appointment of a handicapper for the old colony, stating they had appointed Mr. Griffiths as handicapper for their November meeting, and he might be tried as handicapper for the colony, and asking that delegates be sent to Christchurch to arrange the matter. Referring to the New Zealand horses engaged in the Melbourne Cup, "Augur" says: — "Cambalio's running at the late meeting of the V.R.C. speaks well for the New Zealand k Cup horse Mata, who can give the brown a lump of weight and beat him over any distance. For instance, in the last Dunedin Cup Mata carried Bst 91b and won, while Camballo, with 7st 31b up, could not get a place, though in the Autumn Handicap Camballo, Bst, beat Mata, 9st 81b. 1 should say, however, that over a distance of ground the son of Raupo could give him one aud twenty pounds and beat him. When the handicap for the Melbourne Cup first made itß appearance I selected Mata and Sweetmeat to beat all the top weights, and Progress has undoubtedly the best of the three-year-olds, at the weights, and should Sweetmeat get all right again, ' of which there is every probability, I don't think I shall be far out when Mr. Johnston gives his verdict." The Mataura Ensign, in the course of some remarks concerning the latest phase of the deferred-payment question, says :— "The course which the Government at present intend to pursue in regard to those settlers who are in arrears, certainly appears to be somewhat unjust. These men took up land to be paid for in a certain number of yearly instalments, have improved that land, have worked hard and industriously to make their holdings reproductive, but through bad seasons and other adverse circumstances, have been unable to gain their object, and have been unsuccessful in their efforts. And now the Governmeet steps in to sell these lands at their value, and to deduct the arrearsjrom the amount allowed as valuation on improvements. It is iv this last provision that the injustice exists. The arrears are not arrears of rent, but arrears of purchasemoney, and to compel men to pay a large proportion of the freehold price after the land has been taken from them, simply amounts to making them pay for what they have not received. The London Referee says :— " It is rather disheartening to know that at the last Drawing-room seven fair aristocrats were turned back by the Lord Chamberlain for being indecently undressed. He is a shortsighted Lord Chamberlain too. It must have been a very fleshly school of adornment indeed to attract his attention. Somebody once said that the best way to get rid of a good friend was to lend five pounds. That was when tines were easy. You can alienate him now for half a sovereign.