New Zealand Notes

Colonist, Volume XIX, Issue 2251, 30 June 1877, Page 6 (Supplement)

New Zealand Notes

We (" Grey River Arguß") are informed that the G-overnment have given notices'.to the, holders of the various coal leases in the interest of which the Mount Kochfort .Railway has been constructed, that as Boon as the works are completed they will be called upon to comply strictly with the terms of their leases. As these terms necessitate the prsduction of specified quantities of coal, there should be unusual activity shortly at Westport. . We (Hawke's Bay Herald) hear from a well-informed source in Wellington that Sir Dillon fßell will be called to the Upper House when Parliament meets.

Gold pbom Reefton.-—The Inangaliua, Herald of June sth, notes the departure by escort to Greymouth of the following quantities of gold—from the Hopeful claim,: 850 ounces; Golden Fleece, 902 ounces ; Just-in-Time, 654-ounces; Wealth of Nations, 425 ounces; alluvial, 255 ounces; total, 3,183 ounces 19 dwts. The same week another parcel of gold was sent from Reef ton but the quantities are not stated. Constable Chichester, of the Lyell, has resigned, owing to the reduction in his pay under the new regulations. The newspapers regret the loss of the services of so good an officer.

Out of ten brace of Californian quail shipped at Nelson, via Greymouth, but one solitary bird reached Eeefton alive. The Ministry.—lt is the fact (says the Grey Biver Argus) although disputed and denied in the columns of the Wew Zealand Times that a domestic quarrel occurred at a recent Cabinet meeting; which very nearly approached a real break-up. We are informed that the ground of dispute was the proposed Education Bill, with regard to which the Ministry had previously done nothing beyond giving an instruction to the Solicitor-General to draft a suitable measure.

Me. Eolleston.—A report is current in the Southern papers that Mr. Eolleston is about to joiu the Ministry, and that it is not improbable that Mr. Whitaker will retire from the Attorney-Generalship. The damage caused by the fall of the south side of Messrs. Kirkpatrick and Glendining's premises at Dunedin, on June 7th, is roughly estimated at from £8,000 to £10,000. Excavation going on alongside the building is supposed to have caused the mischief. The fall taking place at dinner time there were only six girls in the millinery work-room instead of forty. Makriaoe m High Life.—The Auckland papers state that a marriage is being arranged between Sir Eiuhard Carkeet Coulson, Bart., a medical practitioner and a widower, aged sixty years, and Lydia Kawiri, spinster, aged sixteen years, daughter of Chief Eota, of the Ngatipikiao hapu, Arawa tribe. The chief is anxious for the match, but (according to the Herald) the youthful Lydia thus expressed herself to the solicitor employed to prepare the marriage settlements : " I don't want marry old man, I had much rather marry you." If this is true, the old baronet had better beware.

The Grey coal is rapidly coming into general use at Wellington, says the correspondent of the " Otago Daily Times." It is found to be excellent both for domestic and steam purposes; and it is at present retailed at thirty-six shillings a ton, while Newcastle costs forty-two shillings. The Grey coal lasts longer than the Newcastle, and seems generally better liked.—Ten tons a month has been ordered. for the uae of Government House at Wellington.-^-Owing to the increased traffic, the manager of the Brunner railway has applied to the Government for fifty extra coal wagons. :

The first,fruits of dividing the runs (says the Dunedih "Star) justifies the anticipations we have suggested from time to. time in the increased rental : to be derived. from them. An area which held entire produced a rental of £256 19s 2d per annum, divided into two, although reduced in. extent 4000 seres, was let for £772 a year—that is over three times as much. This fact should be conclusive. The public estate has not hitherto been leased to the best advantage.

Summary Justice.—;At Clinton the other day as Judge Ward descended from the coach on his way to Invercargill, he ordered, into custody a drunkard named Hall who was using abusive language, and there and then sentenced him to fourteen days' -hard labor, while the transaction only occupied the time the horses were being changed.

Mr. Clayton, the Colonial Architect, and Mr. Wales, have been making a valuation of all the Government buildings in the Dunedin district.

Tire.—Haggerfcy's Accommodation House at Carterton, Wellington, containing thirtytwo rooms, has been destroyed by fire. Ifc was to have been sold by auction the day after the fire under a writ of fieri facias. Insurance—£3oo in National, and £200 in the South British.

Coal.—Two men while prospecting for gold, discovered an inexhaustible supply of coal of the lignite bind, at Waimate gorge, near Waimate, Canterbury. TJTiLrsiNG Pheasant Skins.—The Ackland Herald describes a very handsome carriage wrapper formed of pheasant skins, and prepared by Mrs Yandle, a well-known local taxidermist. Being well lined, it is warm, and as the skins are well-chosen, and the feathers beautifully disposed, it is exceedingly gay. V r V '" .;.

Singular Death.-—A little fellow about 15 months old, son of Mr Alexander Cameron, of Linden, died suddenly through swallowing a screw nail an inch long, with which he had been playing on Saturday morning. The child died as he was being conveyed to the Dunedin Hospital. Stack Fiee.—Two stacks of barley containing 1200 bushels were burnt at Mr Kedwood's farm in Marlborough on Tuesday 3ast. The fire originated in the straw consumed iv the engine, which also was partly burnt.

The Coombe Hay estate, Otago, the porperty of Mr. R. Chapman, has just been sold for the sum of £16,087, . . • Napiee, Hawke's Bay, contains 911 inhabited houses, and 5,135 of a population.

A NATIVE girl, a firafc cousin of the Maori king, is reported to have poisoned herself with bluestone.

■Mr. Chaules Bbigut, the free thought, lecturer, " has challenged Bishop Neville at Dunedin to a discussion to be conducted on a public platform, through the newspapers, or by the publication of pamphlets."— Bruce Herald. Masteeton—The News Letter savß: — Mr. Smalley has obtained what ia probably the largest brick contract ever made in the Wairarapa, namely, the supply of 150,000 for Messrs. Cassel berg and Co. 'a new premises. The price is £3 4s. 6d. per thousand. Mr. Casselberg means to go in heavy for building. In addition to the store, which is to take the place of the one recently destroyed by fire, one about the size of the present grain store is to be erected. In addition to these he will erect a large dwelling-house on land bought from Mr. Cole.—Six yeara ago Masterton had-nine shops,'now ttie number has increased to thirty-six. The publichouses have increased one, while boarding-houses have sprung up in all directions. Me. Hayhuest, of Temuka, Canterbury, has given £500 towards a complete survey of, the Teniuka lagoon. The inhabitants of the district are sanguine that a good and commodious harbor can be formed afc afar less cost than the breakwater scheme at Timaru. Gbainv-- At Timaru, Canterbury, over one hundred thousand bushels of grain are at present awaiting shipment. The " Herald" says at least twenty vessels could be loaded at the present time without trouble. Unemployed 'in Dunedin.—The following appears in the Dunedin " Star" : — &iv, —We, the undersigned members of the iron trade at present out of employment, comprising fitters, turners, blacksmiths, boilermakers, etc, would be glad if you would publish the following facts:—lst. That we consider it; very inconsistent on the part of the Government to bring so many of our class to New Zealand, '2nd. That it is adding insult; to injury to send Home for manufactured material when it can be made almost as cheap in the Colony. 3rd. That while we believe in the principle of free trade as applied to old established countries, we think a small measure of protection is required to foster Colonial enterprise. 4th, ."We believe that at the present time there are in and around Dunedin about thirty fibfcers and turners, twenty-five blacksmiths, eleven moulders, and a large number of the other branches of the trade out of work. sth. That we trust something will be done soon, as it is impossible for' us to exist without; work. —[Nineteen signatures follow.] Duuedin, June 19.

Trapping a FnADraENT Debtor. —-The " Ofcago Daily Times" gives the following account of the manner in which a fradulent insolvent was caught in his own net.—A cook, who did a contractor's business in Duuedin, called his creditors together 'and offered them 7s 6d in the £. This was refusod, and he conaequeatly filed his schedule and commenced the ordinary procedure of going through the Court. Mr. E. H. Leary was appointed Trustee by the creditors, who kept him well posted up regarding the grounds for their belief that the debtor was sufficiently solvent to pay all the debts in full. Mr. Leary gave notice of the debtor's bankruptcy proceedings jto the manager of the Post Office Sayings Bank, and all the other Banks at Dunedin, though he was not then actually aware that the swindler had money in any of them. Things appeared to work very smoothly for the debtor, and the creditors accepted 10s in the ,£, and gave him his : discharge. The trap worked admirably, and the swindler was caught. Thinking that'he was now quite free, his wife went to the Post-office' Savings Bank and demanded the handsome balance (over £i 00) there standing to her credit. To her great surprise, she found that though Mr. Leary had not actually been aware of the plant, yet he had been too smart for the swindling pair. Mr. Leary had so nicely managedthe estate, that neither the debtor nor his wife —though the money had been banked in her maiden name—could get any part of the sum without Mr. Leary's assist-: ance. The very humiliating alternative had to be adopted. Accompanied by his wife the debtor went to Mr Leary and said, "You must come with ue to' the Post-office Savings Bank before we,can get this money out." They found that bounce had no good effecti The "fraud was exposed. The swindler paid his creditors, in full, and all the expenses connected with his brief whitewashing in the Bankruptcy Court; and he had to be content.with the balance. In this case the biter was severely bif. Eor JICO worth of debts he had to pay no less than £135. In his schedule he had the temerity to state hisassets as not over £30.

Mining on Peivate Property is being carried on in some parts of Otago. At Mount Stuart, Waitahuna .district,," Mr. Murray is doing well by receiving one fourth the gold a number of Chinese are getting on his property. At Glenmore, the miuers working on Mr, Hugh Cameron's property' pay him half-a-crowri each per week when .digging....,,.. ~ ■.-..■• ■;'-.,.■. :

At Invercargill, Caklerwood an iron" monger, (formerly a tradesman of Christchurch), has been found guilty of assaulting with intent to murder, and sentenced to 12 years'penal servitude.

The Dunedin Lunatic Asylum is overcrowded at present;, thore being two hundred and thirty-five patients', of whom seventytwo are females.

Eaeth cuttings are being done in the Waikato district; (Auckland) at sixpence three-farthings per cubic yard. Me. Huan Caeleton, the old politician and ex-M.H.TC., will shortly leave this Colony for England. He is at present engaged in completing ''the Life of Archdeacon Williams."

A Good Samaritan Society is being formed in Dunedin in order to. retain the services of Mr. Torrance as Gaol, Hospital, • and Lunatic Asylum chaplain^ At Canada Farm, Tokomairiro, Otago, twenty acres have yielded from seventy to eighty bushels ot splendid oats per acre.

West Coast.—The sea encroachments an1 netting more serious in Wallabi-street, Westport, and at the Oravvaiti river.—More cattle have arrived at Mokihinui, overland from Nelson. A cheeriug1 sign of advancing settlement, says the Westport Times.—Platelaying for the Wellington Company's branch line to Waimangaroa is being pushed on. — The miners are strongly agitating against the Waste Lands Board issuing pastoral or agricultural leases in the Addison's district. They say that the granting of such leases will paralyse the mining interest.—The sea has encroached considerably on the west side of Eevell-street, Hokitika, and on Richmond Quay at Greymbutb.-—-Mr R. B. Hitchmough an old Hokitika resident is dead.—The Juat-in-Time claim at Reefton, has just crushed 487 tons of stone for 662 ounces of multed gold. A dividend of one shilling per share has been declared.—The Ohika bridge is nearly completed, and in a few days wheel traffic between Reefton and We'stport will be opened. —At Reefton, £303 14s. has been raised for Mr Jaques, a miner, who has lost his eyesight by an explosion, of which sum £252 17b. were raised in the Good Templar Lodges of this Island. The prison labor gang while working at Bell Hill, Dunedin, bad a very narrow escape through a tremendous fall of rock. Tons of rock, without any perceptible warning, rolled down the hill, and crushed two trucks beneath literally into iron; filings and sawdust. The prisoners were just marching back from dinner when the rock fell.

A Shower oe Worms took place at Oamaru, Otago, on May 30th. After a sharp shower of rain the footpaths in several of the streets were found to be thickly sprinkled with small dead earthworms of a pale pink color, measuring from two to three inches in length.

Silyee Oee at the Thames. —Lately in the Eureka block, part of the Moanatairi Company's ground at the Thames, ore has been obtained which, when tested, yielded at the rate of three hundred ounces of silver and one ounce of gold to the ton of quartz. Half of this amount would pay tiandsomely.

Diuvebinites are in trouble about the quality of the gas sunplied to that city. The Star saya~Oue man attributes it to the coals, another to the retorts, while a third lays the blame on the engineer. Meanwhile tradesmen use kerosene to help the gasburners to light up their shops; and house holders, inspecting their bills, wonder how ib is that so much gas is consumed in producing so little flame. Mb.. J. Ji\ Nixon was found on May 2Sth, dead about a mile from Timaru, Canterbury, with hia brains blown out, and a gun lying by him. Parts of his head were found twenty yarda off. Deceased was a brother of Mr. Nixon, of the Criterion Hotel, Dunedin, and is said to have a daughter at school in that city. Deceased is said to have been a man of means, iiis death is believed to have been accidental.

A SxiiAN&E EisH.-The Christchurch Press states—After the recent earthquake wave had receded in Haifmoon Bay, a large fish of a species hitherto unknown even by the oldest inhabitant on the island, was left high and dry on the beach. Captain Traill describes it as being seventeen feet long, with a head and blow holes much like a whale. It also has the flukes of a whale, measuring four feet six.inches from tip to tip. The most extraordinary feature however is along, hill, formed like the bill of a bird, measuring five'feet long and five inches at the butt, and taperins off to almost nothing at the extreme end. The fish has no teeth, and only one fin besides the flukes. The blubber has been tried out, and thirty-eight gallons of beautiful clear oil secured. Captain Traill intends keeping the skeleton as a curiosity. The writer of " Passing Notes" in the TuapeJca Times is responsible for the following ._« The discussion in the bt. Andrew s Preabvterian Church congregation re the use of the English Presbyterian hymn book culminated last Bight in something very much approaching a free fight Mr Millar, ,n his virtuous indignation at the pemstence in the innovation, hit one of the elders over the headwith his walking stick. JJhe elder responded with a facer, knocking Millar down, and he was then hustled out of the sacred edifice by the combined forcefl of elders and deacons."

The "Taranaki Herald" of June 7th, says that during: the last month, seventeen hundred and fifty pheasants have been shot in the New Plymouth district. Mrs. Bea/ton died suddenly at Beaumont, Otago, on May Slsti She was dining with her husband and father and suddenly fell out of her chair, and immediately expired. She was greatly respected. During- the week ending the 2nd of June the claims at the Thames yielded 2,716 ounces of gold. This amount did not include the yield from the claims at Cnromandel. A"vessel, hound from Lyttelton to China proceeds to G-revmnuth to take in a full cargo of coals. The " Griey Kiver Argus" hopes this will be the first of a long series of vessels coal laden for foreign ports.

Good Wohk. —-Mattini, and a party of three, after ten weeks'sluicing on the lefthand branch of the Waimea, Westland, took out eighty ounces of gold. "Plenty savvy" this time! The proprietors of the Tipperary claim at Macetown have been "had" properly. According' to the local Observer, Mr Thomas Hall, the well-known prospector, thought he had hit: upon a happy way of getting his claim prospected cheaply. He permitted a party of Chinese to enter upon it and sluice away the super-stratum of soil overlying the lode. They have done so to some purpose.. .The reef was quite close to the grass roots, and being partially decomposed and friable, it was sluiced away to a depth of 15ft or 20ft by 300 ft in length, and from the magnificent specimens to he easily picked up in the water-course of Scanlan'a Grully, for half a mile below the reef, it is evident that the price of a good battery has been washed away and wasted. Besides this, rumor states that the party have obtained about £1000 worth, of free gold in their tail-ditch. Verrily ! the " Heathen Chinee " has got in upon Thomas this time,—Duaediu, JSvening fife*

The Dunediu .Star save;-* Messrs Reid and Gray have just completed the casting of thirty• seven sections of iron cylinders for the piers of the railway bridge over the Clutha. They are among;'the heaviest.castings ever done in.Dunedin. Each length of tube is cast in three pieces, each being a segment of a circle about 7ft Gin in diameter. They are strengthened internally w,ith flanges, two of which serve for bands to bolt the sections to each other. The length of each segment is Bft, the thickness lfin, and the weight 31i cwt.

The gross produce of potatoes grown in New Zealand this year, is estimated at 86,922 tons being an increase of 16,190 tons over tha^of 3876. Of this quantity it was computed that Otago would yield 24,600 tons.

At Lyttellon lately, a seaman had a fall of about fifty feet, but coming in contact with a line, the rebound from it saved him, and he escaped with a severe shaking.

Maeriage of a Maori Chief.—On the 14-th June, Adam' Clarke Haututu, the respected chief of the Otamatea district, led to the altar the daughter of Aperaniko Parata, of the same place. The ceremony waa celebrated at the Wesleyan Church, Otamatea, by the Ker W. GKttos, in the presence of a large assemblage of friends. About 3 p.m. the rain ceased, and the settlement presented a lively appearance, as young and old hastened to the home of the bride, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. The bridegroom wore a white wedding favor, and his face beamed with satisfaction as the " fair " lady entered the church and went up the aisle to meet him at the altar. The dress of the bride excited the admiration of the dusky Maori belles, who in these matters, are quite as much exercised in spirit as their European sisters. It was of pink silk, richly trimmed with white satin (train complete), and ornamented with bows of white satin, and flowers of the richest description. The wreath and veil were superb ; the latter being of blonde, with border of elegant iloss flowers. White kid gloveß and boots completed the lout ensemble. After the ceremony the bridegroom and bride signed the church register, the happy pair receiving the congratulations of their friends. They then returned to their residence, where a sumptuous repast had been laid out, comprising all the delicacies of the season, and to which upwards of one hundred guests sat down. The chief attraction, aa might be expected, was the bride's cake, which weighed upwards of eighty pounds, richly iced, and ornamented with Cupid and flowers. When the feast was ended, the large room was cleared for dancing, which was kept up till morning, the bridegroom .sitting placidly surveying his bride tripping it on the "light fantastic." As Adam is a second Daniel Lambert, his forte, like that of the great JNapoleon, .consists not, in dancing, bub in " making others dance! " — New Zealand Herald.

Te Kooti.—The N. Z. Herald says :—A telegram from Gisborne informs us that the residents of that district are suffering from a Maori 'scare,' and are in fear of another visit from Te Kooti. We do not helieve there is the slightest ground for alarm.—The Auckland Star, on a later date, states:—The Te Kooti scare at Gisborno is now explained. The redoubtable scoundrel pines for the society of his wife—which of them is not stated —and, as she declines to go to him, he threatens to come and take her. The settlers of Gisborne, and other places on the East Coast are preparing to give him a warm reception. Meantime, 400 stand of arms are lying in a comparatively unprotected state, in the Customs' shed at Gisborne. The determination to form volunteer companies at Gisborne, Ormond, and other settlements, is deserving of the utmost encouragement, and probably the Government will see the advantage of taking the arms out of store, and placing them in the hands of the settlers. The tunnel at Rimutaka, being constructed too small for the engines to go through,.has since been enlarged. . ■ The widow of the late Mr George Tribe, M.H.E., is said to be in circumstances of actual destitution, and the G-reymouth Evening Star makes an appeal to the public on her behalf. Mr Tribe left a policy for £500, but the amount was almost wholly absorbed by the payment of debts. — Auckland Evening Star.