INTERPROVINCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 1760, 21 June 1877, Page 2

INTERPROVIN CIAL.

Wellington, Juno 20. Lord Normanby leaves here for Nelson to-morrow evening m the Hinemoa. It is expected his stay will be till next Wednesday. Dr. Lemon has received instructions from Adelaide that the Bangalore, with the Suez mails, passed CapeJßorda at 4.30 this morning. At a meeting of the Chamberpot Commerce this afternoon, the proposal of the Government, recommended by the Committee of the Chamber, to reclaim land and bring the railway into connection with the present wharf, instead of building a distinct railway wharf, was adjourned. On the motion of Mr W. Johnston, M.H.R., unanimously, au amendment that the proposal was inadvisable had been previously rejected by a majority of 10 to 1. The question of legislation re bills of sale, nil] t.ti iit-Hvant. AatratxAl*>e nf orodiloro, was considered. It was agreed to leave the matter m the hands of Mr Johnston to bring before the House, and to communicate with the other Chambers of Commerce throughout the colony on the subject. Auckland, June 20. The Wellington, which was due on the 16th, has not made Manukau yet. The Football Club have modi6ed their rules as follows : — No hacking or backing over, tripping up, wrangling, rabbiting, or butting shall be allowed under any circumstances whatever. Napieb, June 20. In the Supreme Court to-day occurred the Special Jury case of Neal and Close and Heulter (of Wellington) v. Keith. It is scarcely likely to close to-day. Mr Wilson (of Napier) and Mr Bell (of Wellington^ for the plaintiffs, and Mr Gordon Allan (of Wellington) and Mr Lee (of Napier) for the defendant. The other two actions {Telegraph proprietors against the Herald) are withdrawn, m consequence of what fell from the Judge last night when he refused to certify for costs. He said that the plaintiffs would have been wiser if they had not brought the action, and tHat the words relied on did net, m the Judge's opinion, apply to the plaintiffs, and that they had suffered no damage. Hokitika, June 20. The steamer Albion is not yet tendered, as the sea is too rough, but it is expected she will be tendered to-day. She has signalled that the latter part of the trip was very rough, and that she lost a life bos-t and thirty feat of railing. LVtteltox, Jane 20. Arrived — Premier, barque, from London. She was 113 days out, and is chartered by Messrs Shaw and Saville. She brings a full general cargo and seventeen passengers. Dunedin, June 20. From what fell from the Chief Commissioner of the Land Board to-day, it seems that the Land Act is being evaded daily, and that most of the evils attendant on the deferred payment system m Victoria are to be met with here. Mr Maitland said that the practice of these evils m all directions was coming under his notice daily, and people were trying all sorts of dodges to get rid of their responsibilities under the Act, and that dummyism was also practiced. Mr Butterworth was very sorry to hear that the Chief Commissioner and Mr Green expressed their opinion that the Board should use its utmost endeavors to prevsnt any evasion of the Act. This discussion arose m connection with two applications to purchase, made by holders of deferred payment leases m Teviot district. The ratepayers' roll for Dunedin will be reduced by one-half this year, through the stringency of the Rating Act. The negotiations for exchanging the site on the town belt for the present general hospital, have fallen through. The attention of the City Council has been called to the dilapidated, unsightly, and uncomfortable condition of some of the city cabs, and the necessary authority has been given for a riding inspection. The City Council have resolved to improve the cricket reserve, by erecting a picket fence, at a cost of £450. Bajlclutha, June 20. Mr Duncan, C.E., has just completed the survey of the Clntha River from the Tuapeka mouth to the bottom of Inch Clutha, and will submit his report at the meeting of the Board of Conservators on the 30th instant, when operations to open up the navigation of the river will be commenced..

Donation. — The Commissioners of tho Timaru Hospital gratefully nr-know'.eilg* the receipt of £5 16s 6d, being a le.acy ■ f Mn Garrett. Bisnor Bedwood. — His Lordship arrived by train from Christi-hurch yesterday, and will preach iv the Komon Cjtholic Church next Sund-iy. Si-AUonTEK Br the Tiuin. — The down train from the Cave yeeterduy evening squashed an unfortunate horao a few miles above the Point, at the same time breaking a rieeper or two. When will the line be fenced ? Otaio Ploughing Match.— lhe farmers and ploughmen m tho Otaio diitrict aro requested to meet at the Otaio Hotel, at 7 p.m., next Monday to consult, re holding a ploughing J

match, &c.

Rifi-b Voluntkbes. — We would remind those interested m Hie formation of a Eifle Volunteer Company ut Timaru, that a public meeting will bo held this evening at Turnbull's Gymnasium, to discuss preliminary meneures.

San Fkancisco Mail.— The Tiroaru portion of the San Francisco mail, consisting of ten bags of lexers »"d papers, &c, arrived by the last train from Christchurch yesterday evening. Some interesting items of English and foreign news will be found m another column.

Eablt CLO3IXO.— A requisition, which appears m another column, has been unanimously signD'l by the merchants and tradesmen of Titnaiu, m favor of closing at 9 o'clock on Saturday evenings. The desirability of the above change seems to be universally acknowledged, and has been cheerfully acceded to.

Geohgia Minstrels.— The Georgia Minstrels will make their first appsorance m this town at the Mechanics' Institute, next Monday, and will perform for two nights only. The Georgias, we believe, are " original " m every sente of the term, inasmuch as they don't owe their nigger appearance lo a result produced by burnt cork, but. to an inheritance of race, and we have no doubt that turir rendering of some of tho popular nigger melodies will at lea?t make us fancy ourselves " way down upon the Swannee riber."

The Nobthebn Lime of Railway and tiie Floods. — On Tuesday morning (sa»s the Lyttelton Times) the traffic on the North line wasresumed throughout.and the passengers between Christchurch and Kaiupoi were enabled to nota the extraordinary amount of damage that had been done, and lo appreciate the strenuous efforts which had bsen made by Mr Knight, the Inspector of Permanent Ways, aided by a largo number of men, to restore communication between the two places ; indeed, when the stale of affairs which must have existed for miles along the line is tuken into consideration, it is a matter for wonder that so much has been accomplished m the time. It was on Wednesday morning 'last the mischief was done, and tho toil necessitated by the work of repair has since been incessant, so long at any rate as the daylight lasted. Between Chaney's corner and the bridge over the Waimukariri, the line was covered wilh water, m some places to a depth of two feet six inches, the flood rising to within nine inches of the crown of the bridge. Nothing appears along the line to attract attention until after reaching Chaney's corner, where the first breach m the embankment occurs, but from there to the bridgo there are more than 30 breaches, and the scene on either ■ide is dreary m the extreme, In one instance & wooden culvert which bad been placed under the rails, has been carried into an adjoining paddock, perhaps a hundred yards distant, one end only of it being visible as it projects from the fonce over which it has been swept. In other places, numerous rieepers, with hero and there a huge balk of ironwood, may be discerned at great distances, with lines of shingle and debris marking the course taken by tho flfio.l. Of the 30 odd breaches mentioned, some are comparatively small, and these wera at once filled m with material obtained from the neighboring sandhills. But there are eight openings which could not be so easily dealt with. It was held to bo of the first importance to enable trains to pass as speedily as possible, and these larger breaches have therefore been temporarily packed up with timber, which had afterwards to be removed by degrees, and its place supplied with sand. As a matter of course, if shingle were available, this would be used m preference , but everywhere there is sand, and, so far as can be seen, there is nothing else. A short distance beyond Chaney's comer, the line passes through large hilh of sand, and then emerges into that howling wilderness known as Irishman's Rat. It is m this region that the flood has done its work most effectually. The whole length of the permanent way has been completely scoured, and the ballast ecooped out m the most extraordinary manner. The wont place of all is that nearest the bridge, at i a curve known as Stewart's Corner, and here it is apparent that the river is forming for itself a new bed, and that the line a* at present constructed can never be looked upon as other than a temporary one. At this point the whole material was washed away for about sixty lengths of rails, and as each rail measures 24 feet, this fires a breach of 1440 feet m length. Tk« depth to which the earth has been seourod away of course, varies, but m the centre it cannot be lets than six feet from the original level of the rails. In this place the wood piling wa» first resorted to, and this is now being withdrawn by degrees, and sand tilted into the gap. To facilitate operations, the whole of the damaged ■portion has been allowed to remain at a comparatively low level, and will afterwards have to be slowly raised t> the propsr height. It may be stated that for v long time past Mr Knight h»« been gradually raising the line from Chaney's to Ihe bridge, doubtless with a •view to getting it above the level of the storm water ; but at the same time it is evident that between the two plares the lowest point is at present m that fatal spot, Irishman's Flat.

Coloniai. Roxancb.— The Bendigo Adveriiter, of June 6, mentions a curious story : On Saturday last, at the new rush at Fletcher's Creek, Marong, two elderly miners had a high dispute respecting a claim, one of them having jumped it on the other. In the course of'tb'n wordy warfare which ensued, one of the old pioneers was struck by something m the tone of the voice of his opponent, and suddenly asked him his name. When tho reply wa» given, the two miners discovered that they were brothers' having left home some 25 years ago, and had never since_ seen each other. Both had come to Australia by different vessel*— young, m the flush of health' and hope, and for many long weary years had striven hard for wealth, which they never gained. Di»gu«ted, melancholy, and disappointed, they h»d ceased to correspond with their families and one another, and each had learned to en joy his own companionship better than that of any one else. The two brothers are now working m tho disputed claim together.

Thb Mongoose.— Ever sinoe it was first rep*rt<*d that mongoose had been introduced into Southland, for the purpose of keeping down tho rabbits, there hare been numerous enquiries a* to what gort of an animal this is, with its queer sounding name. Tha local papers bare had soreral letters upon the subject, and one of them from Mr Lynam, Superintendent of Police, may bo interesting. He says :— " From my personal knowledge of the Bengal mongoose, I beli*ve it might be introduced m Australia and New Zealand with the greatest advantages^ It iin animal of »cry lMrdy "nature, quite"ableT» take care of itself, fierce 1 , and Tory, courageous, killing rats both the common and the : bandicoot, although the latter is much larger m «iw% It is very restless, roving about over a oon•iderable space. It would cause great -dcsamongst rabbit*, I am quite sure,

part : cula ly m destroying the young ones m I their bin n"><'«. I further believe it would b« ' very unlikely- t > multiply m such numbers us jto 'become a nimnce. It is by no means a plentiful unininl he c, and I am informed that I m Shiih-ibid and S-irun districts, where the hares become so numerous as to injure the gr.iviinj crops, the mongoose that are tamed for that purpose are let loose, and they not only d-'troy tho harea m numbers, but they drive tho remainder from that part of the country m a short liin<\ It very seldom eats the animal it destroys, usually licking the blood and eating sometimes part of the brain, although I once captured a mongoose seated on the dead body of a man floating down tho river, a part of which it had devoured. This is very exceptional, from all the information I can gither. With regard to the animal destroying poultry and game, they no doubt do so, but it is those that are half-tamed, and from the reputed powers of destroying snakes are allowed to remain about homes or villages unmolested, that usually get at the hen roost. The wild mongoose very seldom visit houses, unless driven to do so m search of food. With regard to their introduction, there would be no difficulty m the matter ; 60 pairs might be purchased here at about two rupees a pair, placed m separate cages, for they fight and destroy each other if they are together m numbers. Care would have to be taken on board ship, and some person would have to personally look after them. They eat m a tamed stato, flesh, fish, and are also very fond of bread and milk." Mr Barney, a well known naturalist, also, after describing the habits of the Bengal mongoose (Herpestis Malaccemis Fleurier) writes : — ' On the whole, I think the trial of introducing the mongoose m Australia, wit.h the view of destroying the rabbits there, might be made with great advantage, for, even if | the mongoose afterwards proved equally destructive to poultry and game, they (the mongoose) might be shot, as they are bj no means prolific like rabbits. I would recommend that at first a pair or two pairs of mongoose be let loose on a single farm, and the effects thoy produce carefully watched before deipatohing a large number of them to Australia,"

ExTRAOBDINAHY SCBNE IN A CIBCTJB. — Messrs Cuoper, Bailoy and Co's circus season at Newcastle had a very sensational termination on the 23rd ultimo. The Newcastle Pilot supplies the following account of the disaster that occurred: — "Soon after the lights had been lit, and entrance openod, the company began to stream m. About 1000 )i«d g»inod admission, and were wandering around the big tent admiring the zoological collections, when Mr Bailey saw that tbe wind was rising so rapidly that a crowd could not assemble with safety. Ho therefore requested his visitors to withdraw, and receive their money at the payofllci. Not discerning the danger they objected, but as there was evidently a gale coming on, he became imperative. Of course, he knew what danger 'was being chanced better than his visitors. He ordered his men to stretch a rope across the tent, so as to form a cordon, by means of which the people should be compelled to seek the entrance. Fortunately, be managed lo get the tent clear. Scarcely had he succeeded m doing so when he became aware that the tent must go, and the fastenings were ordered to be loosened and the supports removed. Before this could be effected the gale struck the tent twice, and the second time the monster mass of canvas, that was estimated to be worth about £3000, was forcibly carried away and split and torn into fractions. Then ensued n sci-ne of confusion. Fortunately, the main staff were on the ground, and each man m his place. The gale turned over the cage containing the two magnificent lions, and the spring lock fastenings, ordinarity so safe, gave way. The lion was half way out of tbe cage m a moment, and m another recond he and the lioness would havo been at liberty, face to face with a frightened, confused cro»d of over a thousand persons. Fortunately the keeper was there, and no sooner did the lion's head emerge than Johnston struck him a heavy blow with m club. The brute at once drew back, and the keeper threw himself on the door, which at once shut to with its usual sharp snap. But quick and timely as the action had been, the lion, when struck, threw out his clttw, and this carte down on the keeper's arm, tearing through his heavy clothing, and causing the wiirm blood to flow. This, indeed, was a narrow escape. Had the two lions escaped, and the terrified crowd run away, the probability is that there would have been an accident. Johnson, the keeper, bus great power over the lions m the cage, and can venture to them, but what his power would have been worth had they been out we can easily guess. Another feature almost borders on the ludicrous. The split and torn canvas enveloped a baby elephant, and he was taken away several yards by the force of the gust. He commenced to howl, and the chorus was taken up by the large -elephants. This was a warning to the crowd that it was time to clear away. The management of the company suffers heavily by the rent and damaged tent, but had the gust come on when several thousand persons were m the circus, .there must have been loss of life."

Dabing Fokgeby. — Within the last few dajs (Bays the Australasian of the 3 1st inst.) the City of Melbourne Bank has been victimised to the extent of about £300, by a person who is evidently an adept m the art of forgery and uttering. Steps were taken by the authorities to prevent the matter getting premature publicity, m the hope that .the offender' would be the more easily captured. Sufficient, however, has now leaked out to show that the swindle was perpetrated by means of two skilfully forged cheques, one of them being uttered several days after the other, and m a different manner. On the 9th inst.,. a man giving the name of Elias Thompson called. at the City of Melbourne Bank, and presented a cheque for £140, which purported to be signed by Mr John Hood, manufacturing chemist, Elizabethstreet,.and requested payment of the same." Mr Hood having an account m this. Bank, and the nignnture being 'almost a facsimile of Mr Hood's autograph, no suspicion was exciter), and the money was paid. Not satisfied with this success, the fellow about a week afterwards repeated the fraud, but used additional artifice. He went to the Colonial Bank and opened an account there for himself with another cheque on the City of Melbourne Bank for £160 4s. This cheque was also m the name of Mr Hood, whote counterfeit -signature" was" as "skilfully apjpended to it as m the former instance. When it was presented by the Colonial Bank at the City of Melbourne ißank .the amount for which it was drawn out was at once paid, the first- frajd ha-vingrnotrp'et'! been detected. Immediately after the "money had thus been collected Thompson withdrewit all, with the exception of £8, from the Colonial Bank, and' disappeared. On the following morning, when' transacting some business at tUe Gity of Melbourne Bank, Mr Hood's clerk' 'observed an unaccountable deficiency m his employer's account, -arid when this was inquired into the swindle ..was discovered. Information was then sent to the Detective-office, and Mr Secretan appointed two of his most experienced men, Detectives Williams and Brown, to investigate the matter, and to bring if possible the "offender to justice. These officers have been since exclusively engaged m the case, but thajjffendet hasnoVyet been- arrested. '—'"•'- Disgraceful Conuttct m thb Sydu*t Lbgiblatubb.— Matters became rather warm m the Sydney Legislature the other evening, when one member was" accusing another, m plain 'terms, of committing a forgery, and the other retaliated by calling his accuser " a liar, a scoundrel, and a villain," .This is admittedly rather strong language. Whether it is stronger "than the provocation warranted is another 'matter. But there can be little doubt that it is stronger than can properly be nsed m the proceedings of any deliberative body. When it is sad 'hat the acouter afterwards admitted that he knew nothing whatever, of the'truth' of his accusationii and that m charging an

hon. menbsr w'.t'i so b!a~k a crime he wai merely repeat n.{ hearsay — thU is equivalent to saying thit ih • accuser w»» Mr M'Kthon*. There is but o: c man m New Sout'i Wulei, or m Amtralivi Parliament, who combines , snib reek!n«s trucu'enca m a' tack with the cowardly a'.n ritv m retreat bo conspicuously shown by Mr M'Elhone. If the matter anly involved a man who is always culminating and slandering s >me one or other it would hardly call for untie*. But there is a peculiarly dark element m (he went case, from the supposition that Mr U'ElhcraVa talents for slander ■were made use of by some one of more designing malignity than himself. According to Mr M'Elhohe's statement, he had been told by Mr Lloyd, one of the present Ministers of the Crown m New South Wales, that if ever Mr Dibbs attacked him he could put a stop to his attacks by charging him with forging a ship's name m the register. So Mr McElhone, when primed with tliis choice piece of dander, felt like a schoolboy who has just been given a new popgun, and is eager tj see how it will go off. On this occasion the consequanees of letting off hi* weipon nwst have rather surprised him. Of course Mr McElhone's statement would be very poor authority for receiving any charge such as he thus brings agnin»t Mr Lloyd. But this gentleman could only say that he " had not the slightest recollection of making any suc-h statement." Ultimately Mr McElhone was enabled to call some evidence which corroborated pirt of his statement as to Mr Lloyd having m conversation accused Mr Dibbs of making a false entry with reference to a- ship's register. Thereupon Mr Lloyd " protested, againtt the disclosures of private conversations." Th» up-shot was that every oharge made against Mr Dibbs fell to the ground, that Mr M'Elhono was branded m Parliament and m the records of debate a* " a llnr, a scoundrel, and a villain," and appeared to be quite satisfied to be so, and Mr Lloyd was lelfc m a position which possibly he had the grace to fenl was not a very glorious one. And as to the honor and credit of the Parliament m which such a scene could taka place without, reproof, why, the less said about that the better.

EXTBNSITE ROBBEBY IN MELBOURNE. — A very extensive burglary wai perpetrated on the night of Judo 7th, between nine and eleven o'clock, on the premi»es of Mr Goldttein, jeweller and watchmaker, Bourkestreet east, who has recently tuken the business formerly carried on by Mr Elder. It appears that at tho rear of the premises a new building was m course of erection, and scaffolding up to the second story had been placed m cloie proximity to the iron-barred windows. Up to six o'clock on Thursday night everything wrs safe, and as it was the custom of the wutchman to inspect the buildings after the cloin, not the least suspicion irn aroused until one of the employes, who has been m the habit of sleeping upon the premises — but with Mr Goldstein's permission was allowed a short lime to himself between 9 and 11 at night — returned. Upon seeking the watchman out he discovered that an entrance had been effected at the baok. The watchman, it appears, had gone his usual round, but observed nothing, and, from his own words, there was not the slightest suspicion of anything unusual occurring. Upon further examination it appeared that the burglars had effected an entrance by the scaffolding erected upon the recond story at the back. The window which opened upon the scaffolding had been protected by four iron bars, and it would seem that the robber, must have brought sufficient

pressure to bear a^uiast the bar as to force it from its socket. Thus gaining an entrance, they at once made for the chop, •which was eaiily entered, and after rantacking the windows, selected the most valuable articles they coald place their hands upon. As far as can be estimated, property to the extent of about £2000 was stolen, consisting of gold and silver -watches, rings, &c. As soon as the robbery was discorered, the facti were placed m the hands of the detectives, who, it is to be hoped, will bring this mysterious mattrr to Mght. Great sympathy wss expressed fT Mr Goldstein, who, up to an eirly hour on Friday morning, was hardly able to state his losses. On Friday all the available officers m the detective department were employed m the rase, but no clue to the offenders

has up to this date, been found. Mr Goldstein has supplied a list of the articles stolen, comprising 69 gold and silver watches, 12 doz»ii fancy dress rings set with various stones, a large quantity of lockets, brooches, earring*, and jewellery of other descriptions, amounting m value to £1,600, and states that the list is yet far from being complete. He also offers a reward of £100 to any one who will succeed m discovering the offenders and m giving such evidence as will result m a conviction. The iron bar, which was removed from the back window by the burglars, is bent near the centre, and has the appearance of having been wrenched away by means of a piece of wood and rope used on a principle of leverage. The news of the robbery created great excitement m town, and during the whole' of the day the pavement m front of Mr Goldstein's shop was crowded with people