NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1643, 17 June 1873, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The Annual Licensing Meeting for the renewal and issuing of. publicans' licenses, will be held at the Court-house, this morning.

Tub members of the Inland Communication Committee are requested to attend a meeting at the Government Buildings, on Thursday evening next, at half-past seven o'clock.

Abbival op OovEßiroa Fbrgusson.—The s.s. Claud Hamilton, with Sir James Ferguseon, the newly appointed Governor of this Colony, on board, armed at the Government Wharf, about ten o'clock on Friday evening last. A larjje assemblage of pirgQps were present to greet bis Excellency's arrival. The City Bides, Artillery, and Cadets mustered id considerable force, and formed in line on the wharf; those in the front ratika being supplied with lighted torches. As the steamer came alongside the wharf, Captain Pitt called for three cheers for Sir James and Lady Fergusson, which was heartily responded to by the spectators, and the Brass Band played the National Anthem. The Governor, who was oa deck, repeatedly bowed his acknowledgment to the people. His Honor the Superintendent shortly afterwards went on board, and had an interview with his Excellency, who desired, not; to make an official landing. The Government steamer Luna arrived early on Saturday morning with the Hon. D. M'Lean, who catne to meet the Governor. Sir James and suite immediately embarked, and the Luna steamed away for Wellington, where she arrived at six o'clock the same evening.

Tip public pound at Spring Grore was broken into late on Thursday evening, or early on Friday morning last, and three head of oattle released therefrom, Kir. W. M'Gowan, who is poundkeeper, succeeded in finding the cattle on Friday, and re impounded them. The; belonged to Mr. Thos. Eden, of Waimea West, but who the. perpetrator is, is at present only surmisod. Acts of lawlessness are becoming too frequent in the Waimeas, and we should be ?ery glad to see the perpetrators brought to justice. Jlagistbate's Covet.—On Friiay, Mary Bedford was charged with being dmiik and iucspable, and this beinjj the sixth time withiu the last tw(lre months, she was sentenced to three months' imprison* ment with harJ labor.—On Saturdny, James Blair, charged with h like offinoa, whs fined 5s and cotti.— Yesterday, William Taylor, of Richmond, for hetng drunk and disorderly, und this'b'i'Jg *"c iscond offence this mouih, wits Sued 10*, os ia default to go to gaol for 48 hours.

New Zvaland is most active in the maiter. Dr. Feathers'one, with his ustnl energy, hating already despatched a considerable number of exhibits. Amoig these are some excellent fabrics woven from NW Zealand flax. An olil Nelson colonist, Mr. N. T. Lonkhart, now the proprietor of large flas mills at Kirkcaldy, put upon hie mettle by the success of Mr. Forbes, of Dundee, has manufactured some excellent lable-cloths and towels; twines and cords, of a very superior quality, have also been provided by thepame gentleman. Some twine, made especially for fishiDg nets, is most highly spoken of. Mr. 0. Thorne, to whom the New Zealand flax trade in England owes bo much, supplied most of the material used in the manufacture of these things.— Rome News.

A Concert at Cmftoit, Motupipi.—A concert, in aid of the Clifton Institute was given on Tuesday evening last, June lOfch, in the Institute. The programme was a very attractive one, consisting of choruses, gees, duets, song?, and pianoforte music. The opening piece "was Stone's brilliant fantasia upon the Phantom mplody, in the Coraiean Brother*, and as a new piano of Broad wood's was kindly lent for the occasion by the Secretary of the library, the liQuid not6S of the instrument under the 6ki!ful touch of the pianist were very clear and prominent. The operatic choruses " Away, away, the morning fresily breaking," and "The night is advancing," were very creditably executed. " Foresters sound the cheerful horn," one of Bishop's glees, was sung in a spirited mmner. " Where art thou beam of light" was perhaps the best concerted piece of the evening, the voices harmonising well. Two or three of Christy's newest song* and choruaes seemed to be highly appreciated. "Blow gentle gales," a quintette of Bishop's, was aho evecuted with precision and good effect. Many thanks are due <o all the performers for the trouble which they must have taken, especially to the ladie? who contributed the duets "Parting whispers," "Peace to thy spiiit,"j and the pianoforte duet, '.The ash grove," also the ■ongs " Excelsior," " Come back to Eriu," " Love* request," and the " Liquid gem." A reading from Pickwick afforded much food for laughter. The room was not so well filled as one could have wished, and although the peouniary resutts were not great, the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, and taken as a whole, the concert was one of the best ever given in the district. It is the intention of the Library Committee, if possible through the, •winter, to get up either lectures or entertainments at every full moon to aid the funds of the Institute, i when it is to be hoped more will attend. [Refreshments were provided, and after some dancing for about two hours, the company separated.—Communicated.

The Otago gold escorts brought to Dunedin the. following quantities of gold:—By the Northern eioort, on June 3rd, 7497 ounces. By the Southern escort. on June 10th, 3703 ounces. Totals, 11,200 ounces, Mb. R. W. Woon has obtained the return of 250 itand of Government arms from the. Upper Wanganui Natives.

A Fatat. Faii.. —At Dun9din, Constable Lauder was proceeding, a few evenings aince (says the Times, of June 10th) towards his house at the head of Maclaggan'street, carrying a box, and was crossing a footbridge, when he missed his footing, fell on his back and injured his spine. Dr. Keimer, who attended him, ordered his removal to the Hospital, but par&'ysis setting id, he sauk fast, and expired on Friday evening. Canterbtxby's Land Fund. —The land fund of Canterbury, the Press states, "is at the rate of £400,000 per annum, and increasing every month." The same journal adds that "the sales for the last month have brought in upwards of £60,000-or at the rate of nearly £750,000 a year." The Melbourne correspondent of the Otago Daily Times writes :—A scene that occurred in the vice-regal halta the other day is worth sketching. Two ladies called on Lady Bowen, and found her ladyship with Major Pitt, A.D.C., in company with a lady visitor. They talk about the weather, and small chat. While talking about the old days of Toorak, the listening lady visitor breaks in on the conversation with the remark, " Oh, Lady Barkly ! I remember her, and ust>d to make for her." Ladies presently leave. While writing their names in the veiling book, the other l»dy comes up, and asks them to be kind enough to write hers, as she does not write well. " Certainly, what is it.!' " Mary Brown" (we will saj), Mrs. or Miss ?" " Well, I don't know. You see I've been divorced." "Well, I will write Mrs. What is the address ?" " Oh, here's my card" (producing a large trade card), " and be sure you put 'The old original Melbournesausageshop, 199, Elizabeth-street south.'" This, with very slight verbal alterations, is a literal transcript of an actual scene which took place last week.

School Discipline at WANGANtri. —The following conversations actually oocured lately in. a school not 100 miles from Wanganui, (Bays the Chronicle of June 6th): —Master to Small Boy absent the previous day—" Why were you not at school yesterday, Johnny ?" Pupil—" Please, sir, mother kept me at home." Master —" Have you brought me a note to «ay *o ?" Pupil—" No sir." Master —" lam afraid you were playing truant, Johnny." Pupil—" No sir, please 9ir, I've no bat and ball to play it with." Master (laughing)—" Well mind when you're kept at home again you must bring me a note next day to lay bo." A few days later :— Master—"Why were you not here yesterday, Johnny ?" Pupil—•' Mother kept me at home, sir." Master—" Hare you brought me a note, as I told yo'i ?" Pupil—' Plea?e, sir, mother wouldn't give me one." Master—" Wouldn't give you one ? I'm afraid you didn't ask her properly ?" Pupil—" Oh, yes sir, I laid please mother give me a pound note to take to the master because I was not at school yesterday." Master— " Why you stupid boy, I said a note. I didn't call it a pound note ?" Pupil—" Yes sir, pleaee sir, I used to call them notes too, but mother won't let me. She says it's vulgar. She says they're pound notes." We need hirdly say an utter collapse of scholastic discipline followed this explanation. Fatal Effects of a Fall.— A man named William White, while in a state of intoxication, fell on the ground near the Wanganui Bridge the other day, and burst his head to badly that he died. Big Boys.—Eather a big infant appeared at the Daylesford Police Court recently. The Mercury reports that a lad was sued for goods sold and delivered. The boy, whose name was Alley Jackson, •wore that he waa under 14 years of age, and his mother corroborated the statement;. Yet he must have been very nearly 6ft. high, while be had tho body and arms.of a man. On the Bench professing inoredulity, Mr. Thompson, who appeared for the defence, declared that he had seen a boy at Bendigo this week who, though, under 14 years of age, was 6ft. 4in. high. The artizans of Melbourne are beginning to realise the power of sympathy and co-operation with each other. The gas stokers of Melbourne have solicited the sympathy and assistance of the United Eight Hours Trades, who promised to accord it in the heartiest manner. The gas stokers' hours of labor, it appears, extend to twelve hours' consecutive work. The Vaccinated Nose.—The Ararat Advertiser tells an amusing Btory of the mistake made by a Government vaccinator:—He was holding the instrument upon which the vaccine was, and finding that his nose was irritated from some cause, in a fit of absent-mindedness he used it therewith to scratch the organ. Tha result was that in the due course of time the nose delivered itself of a fine healthy pustule, which was of unusual size and promise. This, of course, rendered a bandage necessary, but the utmost exercise of ingenuity could not well devise how it; was to be properly affixed. The dootor went about some days with a rather cleverly adapted kind of cover, and his friends said he carried his nose in a sling. Fall of a Ijabge Chimney at Melbourne.— The Argus, of June 7th, states:—A brick chimney Itack, about 50ft. in height, at Langlands' boiler works on the south bank of the Yarra, below the dry dock, came down with a crash on Tuesday night last, at about 11 o'clock. Several sheds were smashed, but fortunately there was no one in them. Had the accident occurred during the day, probably one or more lives would have been lost. There seemed to be no foundation, or a very bad one, under the chimney, the base of which had sunk in a foot or two on one side, as if the ground underneath had suddenly caved ia.

Uui mat to to *tjlA«hlu ift wihginuk At ths present m Metit, there are said to bfe three 'actions for libel pending, and probably two more to come.— Itldependent, June 14 The Melbourne Argus, of Ju-ie 7th, states I—lt was mentioned in Monday's issue I hat the manufacture ef mustard and cocoi was being carried on successfully in Melbourne by Messrs. J. F. Mackenzie,and it appears that they are not the only producers of those articles. Mr.C. Bates has been engaged for some years in the manufacture of mustard, cocoa and chocolate, at his mills in Albert-street, East Melbourne. The mustard is made fram seed grown in the Colony, the soil and climate of which, Mr. Bates informs us, are eminently suitable for the cultivation of the plant. The mustard manufactured by Mr. Bite 9is equal in strength and flavor to the best, of the imported brands. Imphessivb Tempbhance Lkctpre. — George Driver, who was executed on the 14th March, for the murder of his wife, at Cuicago, just before he was turned off made a remarkable speech. He seized the noose dramatically and, shaking it before the crowd said: "Just remember that rope if y.m go into a saloon and get tight. See what that liquor wiil bring you to, a? well as it has brought me to. Remember that now, and look out for yourselves."— New York Tribune.

Work is programing at theTaammuunCharofal Iron Company's land, and a sample of pure magnetic iron ore obtained at a depth of 50 feet lins been forwarded to Melbourne. Tho ground is being thoroughly tested by means of bores, which it is intendod to put down to the depth of 250 fact. The present manager reports that so far there has been sufficient ore found to guarantee a supply of iron to the extent of 25,000 tons per annum for twenty years. A shipment of Ta«raanian pig and bar i;on will shortly le received at Dunedin.— Independent. Remarkable Sudden Death.— The West Coast Times records t» somewhat remarkable sudden death which occurred last Saturday at Woodstock. The report brought in states that the deceased, who was named Thomas Edmond Hnjbes, had been chopping some wood and was observed by a miner named Jarae» Irwin to be leaning against the garden fence. Irwin went on and finding on returning that Hughes was still in the same position, called to him, exclaiming, "You are taking a long look at your cabbages!" Getting no answer, Irnin went over to deceased and found that his head was between two of the palings of the fence. On lifting up the bead deceased fell down, and then Irwin perceived that he was dead, of which he was unaware previously.

It may encourage our patriotic preservers of forests to know that timber legislation was no novelty in the old days. In Japan a law exiats that whoever cuts down a tree is obliged to plant another. In Biscay every proprietor plants two for every one which he cuts down. And the system is rapidly spreading in our own day. In America an important law on the same subject passed Congress, 11th March, 1873. It is enacted that any one who plants forty acres of timber, the trees Bft. apart, nnd keeps them in a healthy growing condition for five years, shall receive the feesimple for the quarter section of 160 acres, but only one quarter in each section is to be so appropriated; and every settler under the Homestead Act who has planted with trees and "kept in. good and thrifty condition" one acre in sixteen of the holding, is to have his grant at the ", end of the third year instead of waiting for five."—Melbourne Telegraph.

A BTOBT with a Mobai.—The Fliegunde Blatten (Munich), has the following Btnusing satire on the position of promoters, directors, and shareholders, of limited liability companies : —Jack : I say, Jim, let's form a limited oompany for the acquisition and utilisation of a cigar. Half the c ipital is subscribed already—here's a penny! Jim : All right, Jack. The remainder of the shares are taken—there' ray penny. Jack buys the cigar and puffs away at it. Jim : Now then, Jack, let me have my pull at it.\ Jack ; Don't you be in a hurry for that. Didn't I propose the speculation, my lad ? I'm the projector and director. I manage and work the concern. I smoke. You ore the shareholder ; if you think I get too much of a pull out of it, do the coughing and Bpittingif you like —I don't mind."