LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Colonist, Volume XVII, Issue 1979, 14 October 1875, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Baeiow's Gibcus.—We understand tbii circu in troupe will v'sit Nelson:in a few dayi. < Eabthqtjake,—A smart shook of earthquake iwa he felt in this (Dity on Tuesday last at 12*5 p.p; Mb Mabin reports i&lea of Standards Inßuranc shares at 12i. . i 30 Sebious Accident.—On Monday evening, a; soi of Mr Cummings was engaged killing a cheep at fcli — residence of Mr A. S. Collins, Wnknpuaka, and whil 1-^ he was cutting the sheep's tongne out, the knif slipped and entered hia right Jeg passing nearl; through it, and inflicting a very serious wound. Wi learned yesterday that Oummirigs was in a ver precarious oondition. The Volunteebs.—The volunteers turned out las night for monthly ingpeotion, and presented a verj ~ creditable appearance, no less than than 210 beinj present. The companies assembled at the Drill Shec and marched to a paddock in New-street (lent for th< occasion by Messrs, Twist and Gray), Krhere the] were put through several manoeuvre! iv battalior drill, At the conclusion Oaptaia Marshall thankee n the Stoke Rifles for their presence, and complimented the whole force on the progress they hadmadeir y their drill. The following are • the numbers ofth< •* different corps .on, parade :-—Artillery :.3 officers, A x" sergeants, 34 privates, and lt> bandsmen; J Oitj 8 Rifles: 1 officer, 3 sergeants, 32 privates; jStok< Rifles: 2 officers, 2 sergeants, and 24 privates ; Naval h Brigade : 3 officers, 4 sergeants, 36 privates ; Artillery Cadets : 1 offioer, 3 sergeants, 16 privates ; Oifcj Cadets: 2 officers, 4[sergeants, 24 privates.—We % learn that the new uniforms of the City Rifles (which it' are dark green with red facings, black enamolled; belts, tt and shako-busby and feather plume) are expected.to U reaoh Nelson in December. With new uniforms this company will present a more soldierly appearance than they are able.to doafc present. Nelson Institute.—The following interesting and valuable additions to the library of the I- Nelson Institute has just been made,- being 0 part of an order sent to • Melbourne :— The Great Lone Land (Butler), History of the Anglo Saxons (Palgrave)', Oroker's Fairy 'Legends, Victor Hugo's Ninety-three, Burrow's Life of Peter the 6 Great, Sale's Koran, Harry Heathcote (Trollope), y Saskatchewan and Rocky Mountains (Earl of Southesk) Hagarine. Sporting Sketches by Old Bushman, and Common-place Book of Epigrams (Carey). Melancholy Cash os Dbowning.—News was ' brought into town, on Tuesday morning last, of a X most melancholy case of drowning which occurred last Friday in the Croixelles harbor. Mr T. Askew (who was a settler of some thirty four years standing) was the owner of a sheep run on the shores of the Ci-oixelles harbor and he had gone thither in a small 1 ketch, belonging to himself, named the Ruby, and, on V the morning in question, had put off to the vessel in a small diogy. Whilst in the dingy ha proceeded to 3 haul in the anchor, and had nearly done so, when it slipped, pulling him out of the boat and drawing him under water, he quickly rose, - however, and caught hold of the dingy but his \> weight capsized it at once, whereupon, a boy who I was on board the Ruby and who . witnessed the } accident immediately threw a white pine fender towards the unfortunate man, this he succeeded in grasping and appeared to rest himsolf for a moment, 5 but suddenly both he and the wooden fender dis- ! appeared. The fender rose again immediately, but ;Mr Askew was never seen afterwards. It is known that the Oroixelies harbor abounds with sharks and it ii surmised that he was attacked by one of these, and the eurmiso appears to bo well grounded for Mr 1 Askew was a good swimmer. It isa strange but i melancholy faot that no less than five members »of Mr Askew's family have met with watery graves. The i deceased was a member of tho Independent Order of Oddfellows and was aUo a Freemason. He came to New Zealand in ite early days, and manfully bore the hardship* and privations endured by pioneer gettlen. His »ad end makes another gap in the roll of these veterans. The Rev P. P. Agnew gave his third lecture on conviot life at tho Masonic Hall last evening, before an appreciative audience. The rev gentleman will lecture on Friday night on Freemasonry, and on Sunday next he will preach in the Oddfellows Hall, both morning and evening, commencing at the usual hours. Italian Opeba.—From a private letter received from Queensland, we learn that the Prima Donnas lately of Lyster's Opera Bouffe Company, together with a full oompany, intend visiting New Zealand shortly, and will probably perform in Nelson. Their repertoire will consist of a number of popular operas, and they will also gi re a new comio opera by Mr Luscombo Searsll, who will probably accompany them as conductor. Magistrates' Coubt.—Yesterday, before H. C. Danislls aad Jas. Sclanders, Esqrs., J'«.P., John Pascal was brought up on three distinct charges of larceny, two of which were preferred by seamen belonging to the barque Melrose, and in consequence of that vessel sailing earlier in the day neither of those prosecutors were in attendance. The third charge was for stealing one white shirt, one singlet, and a pair of looks, and was made by' Catherine Arnold1. The prisoner, who appeared much moved at his position, said that if he took the articles from the ship he must have done it whilst under the influence of liquor, but to the third charge he pleaded guilty. After eridence had been taken, the accused further said he had been left in the town without a halfpenny, and without the means of obtaining food. It was hunger compelled him to do what he had done. Their Worships said the prisoner could have obtained suitable work, or if;his oase had been a deserving one the Government wqiild have assisted him. Their sentence was that he be sent to prison for sis months. —Johnson v. Cottier— Mr W. Adams appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Fell, for the defendant. The plaintiff claimed £16 12s 6d for Joss of time and expenses incurred in going to the Matakitaki,' whore he had beon engaged in bush falling for the defendant, but it appeared from the defendant's evidence that there had been no definite agreement, he had merely told plaintiff that if he could do the work there was work for him, and that on the plaintiff arriving at the Matakitaki he had told him he had no axes for him until hiß drays came up, till then he could give him no work. He had not seen the plaintiff since. Judgment was given for the defendant with costs which amounted to £3 Is. Post Office Vagaeieß.—A Scotch newspaper sent from Home by the May mail reached Christchurch in due bourse. Re-addressed to a resident in Nelson, and posted in July at Christchurch, it would undoubtedly have become waste paper by this time bad it gone by the mail for which it was intended, " but it has been saved from that fate for a time at least, by a blunder made by the Canterbury postal authorities, who sent it to London, whence the strictly honest and accurate officiaJi at Home, sent it to ils proper address, namely Nelson. Somewhat a long route to take from Chrißtchurch to Nelson via London. Stab and Gabteb Hotel, Richmond. — This hotel, which is one of the oldest in the Province, has lately undergone, considerable alterations and improvements. A large portion of the old building has been pulled down, and a building better adapted totherequirementi of the district has been substituted. The improvements include a lofty and spacious dining-room and a large number of bed-rooms, go that visitors and travellers can be wellaccommodated by the enterprising proprietor, Mr Tovey. The alteration of this hotel and the erection of the railwuy station buildings have somewhat improved the appearance of the tewnship of Richmond. Ths Keee at ; Wakamaeina.—-Later news from Havelock reports (says the Marlborough Press of October 9th) that the quartz .reef discovered at the Wakamarina is " about right," and there is every prospect thatit will turn out the best find in this line in the Province. Some 70 tons of stone have been got out, through the whole of which gold is more or loss distributed, and the lowest,calculations of the yield estimate that the return will be over an ounce to the ton. The reef v very large, and the quantity of stone is practically inexhaustible, so that should the return of gold be equal to the expectations, the lucky shareholders may be congratulated upon having struok a " good thing." ■. ~ Otago Museum. —Among the presentations to ■ the Dunedin muse urn during September were thirtytit birds and. fojeilg given, by the Hon. J. M'lriau.

Thb Qubeit; amd Hbe Ministebs.—lt appear that the British Cabinet and thfe Seorelary for Wa js desired her Majesty to allow Colonel Baker (who wa recently convicted of molesting a young lady in i it railway carriage) to retire from the British army but bor Majesty opposed such a mild procedure, am j 0 insisted on the Colonel being dismissed, accordingly i was gazetted that the Queen had no further need o , n his services. The Queen's conduot in thus opposing ie the wishes of her Ministers, is strongly commendec l e by a large portion of the English Press. f e . Niob Creatures.—Speaking of the S»nta Crua j natives, the Fiji Times says: —The type and develop' c ment of these natives ii repulsive; their oanniba v propensities something appalling, and they literal!] feed children in pens, and fatten them for huraar jt consumption. y A Tox op Gold :—A telegram from Brisbane „ dated September 24th, states : —The steamer Victoria ,j has a ton of gold on board—l3,ooooz from Cooktown, c SOOOoz from Card well, and 93000z from Townsville. y Fossilised Fecit.—A curious specimen of fossil n fruit, found in the Haddon District, Victoria, at'• considerable depth from the surface, and underlying the volcanio formation, has been forwarded to the n Victorian Mining Department, and has been referred c to Baron Yon Mueller to report upon. The Age 4 states that a perfeot kernel, about an inch in diamey ter, was found in the fruit, and judging from this, it c appears to be of a walnut family.— Southern Cross. \ Cattle Dying- in Queensland.—For some time I. past a very great many cattle have died in Queens- „ land, it is believed from the effects of eating some 0 poisonous plant as yet unknown. The symptoms are k thus described:—"The symptoms are paralysis of , the hind quarters, eyes unusually bright, with q derangement of the urinary organs, and the animal 8 appears to suffer groat pain. What the noxious g 'plant ib can only be conjectured, all that is known being that it it not the plant whioh has proved so , fatal to cattle heretofore." * Helping the Tbain. —A passenger by an evening T train from Dunedin informs the Bruce Herald that J g before entering the tunnel at the Chain Hills the train } oame to a standstill, and about 100 of the passengers got out and pushed the train up the incline until it } reached the level, when it was again able to proceed on its way. p ■ AiTHTBAMArt-MADE Shawls.—The Ballarat Star is informed that a great number of Ballarat shawls have been despatched to the home country by the J last few mails—the average postage charged being 1 only 3s 6d a shawl. I CfILEBRATION.—On October 4th, a new Grammar , School was publicly opened at Oamaru, Otago, when ( games, bunß, and lollies were liberally provided for «ix hundred children who were present. Unfortunately the weather was showery. There are fifty-six thousand seven hundred and fifty-three electors in New Zealand. ' A Canoe Clto, named the Pilgrims' Canoe Club, has been formed at Chrietchurch. Weslexan.—The Wesleyans are building r new school on the East town belt, mid way between Gloucester and Worcester-streets, Christohurch. A church will also be erected there at an early date. It is a curious fact, says an exchange, that the news of tho shipwreck of the steamer Schiller, off Scilly Island, came to England from New York. The übiquituous correspondent of the New York Herald was the first to obtain the tidings; he telegraphed at once to New York, and from the office of the New YorTc Herald the news was telegraphed baot to the Evening Standard. It is rather humiliating to think thatnews from the Southof England should reach London, via New York. It does not say much for tho enterprise of English journalism. The Canterbury Ice Company is erecting its plant at Chrisfcehurch. '■ The Channel Tunnel.—At a recent meeting of the South-eastern Railway Company a resolution was carried, with only four dissentients, authorising the directors to contribute a sum not exceeding £25,000, for the making of a shaft, and other preliminary expenses in reference to the proposed Channel; tunnel. • A NOM-FOB ADVEBTISEE9.—Our late American exchanges toll of the death of Mr G-oorge B. Blake, a well-known merchant of Boston. Mr Blake commenoed business with very little capital indeed, but died worth ten million dollars. Our contemporaries add —" Mr Blake's success in business was due to bis extensive system of advertising."^—We can well delieve it. Othbb caies of the bullion have been recovered from the sunken wreck of the Schiller, off the Scilly Islands, to the value of £4.0,000.