LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 22, 8 June 1868, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENE R AL.

Dot Casus.— tfrom tho Ist to tho 31st of May, both Inclusive, thoro wero 183 sum-monies-for debt taken out at tho Resident Magistrate's Court, Christchurch. Leotumd,— Mr J, S, Williams will dollvor a looburo at tho 9t Albans Mutual Improvement Association, to-morrow ovoning, at halfpant seven, Subjoct—" Democracy." Kf.i-O'DOiiAL Korx.— Tiio Hovising ofilcer. 10, J. Loo, Esq., hold a Court this morning, at Lyttelton, to hoar and dcoldo objections, Thoro were no objections lodged, a few names of persons deceased wwo erased, .Uki»jibshn_-a_ion ow Avon.— Tho nomination of a oandldato to represent tho Avon difltrict in tho Gonoral Assombly will take plivoo at tho School-room, Papanui, at noon, to-morrow, His Honor tho .Superintendent (VV, H, Holleston, Esq.) is likely to bo returned without opposition. LV'FMWON VOLUNTiaiOII AIITILMRY.— V mooting of tho mumbors wuh hold at the Queen's Hotel on JiYldny night, when Mr Wlll«n?f. londorod hio resignation as secretary, which tho battery refused to accopt. A din. ouflslon onsuod. respecting tho band, but no business was transuded. Pour/riiY Bhow,— The adjourned mcctlutr for establishing a winter exhibition of poultry will ho hold at White's hotel, to-morrow evening at 7 o'clock. Tho roport of tbo sub-oommittco will bo brought up, and an csllmiito givon of tho probable number of Hiibsorlbors, Mr W. Wilson will occupy tho chair, Immigration in Tasmania.— On tho llth October, 1807, an Act was passed by tho Parliament of Tasmania, ompoworing " tho Hoard of immigration to appoint agents for thc purposes of this Act," On thc Uth of May, I^oß, (says the Times) nfter something like tho ordlnnry poriod of gcfltntion, tho Immigration Commissioners— -or rather tho Government—delivered themselves of a proposal on tho Bubloct of appointing an Immigration agent, That day's Qawlto contained an announcement that tho Commissioners woro desirous of receiving applications from persons ; wishing to bo appointed Immigration agent. Thoy fixed tho salary at 4250 'a year, with a bounty of £1 ouch for adults, and 10» each for children under 18 years of ago, who may como out to tho colony through tho agent's inntrumontnlltyj allowances in tho sbapoof oitloo rent, clerical assistance, postage, travelHug oxpoiisos, &o. Tho agent is expected to pay his own passage to England, and his salary is to commence from tho day of his embarkation, Tho total oxponso is fixed at 4751) a yoar. Rut tho actual emoluments of tho olllco aro limited to 4250 a yoar, and tho hoad money or bounty already named.

«y '■■■"■--—'■ ■ L, Wi ,. „„ .„,,.-,,. . /-likotorb.— As a preliminary iqeasuro towards tho formation of a claisjfor ins.rub*. tlon In gairanisiq' mosmerism,rand olairvby* mice, Captain Wilßon will deliver a leoturo in tho Town llaH thib ovoning. 1 * when owH subject in its roliitiontf to Jie<Mt|i -*nd dUease will bo entered into a,t length, 1 ahd. demonstated by experiment '■•■■-' A '" ■ • .r : Child DnowNßb. — A child, named MoVconio. nged ono yoar nnd ton montha, son of Mr MoVcenlo, storekeeper, Lcv-9t.n Hoad, was drowned bctwjjvrt four and flvo o'clock, on Saturday afternoon. Mr MoVconio went across the paddock to light a firo j and tho child being missed in ten minutes afterwards, its mother called out to her husband to know if tho child wiw with him. Receiving a reply in the negative, search was immediately made, and tho child was found drowned lu a well close to the houso i^Kff Jouiinxi,. — Wo havo received tho flrst' number of tho New Zealand AdvcrUser (rcdivivus.) It is now a doublcdemy shoot, published overy afternoon nt Wellington, by Mr E. Bull, hnd tho prico is ono penny. In its mnnifesto, ' it declares that it will advocate centralizing principles, for which it believes that the time has como, &o„ nnd practical retrenchment in thc public service, We trust that a longor career Is beforo It than has hitherto beon tho fate of some Wellington journals. Footbaix. — The return mutch between tho boating men nnd oriokotcra did not take placo on Saturday, as sullicient notice had not been fflvcn that tho match was to bo played. There being, howovor, n consldorable in us tor on tho ground, Messrs A.Ollivicr /ind Mnlnwaring picked up aides, and a very good gamo ensued, Mr Olllvlcr'u side kicking two goals, nnd their opponents oue. It l-i proposed to play tho boating men versus cricketers on Saturday next— weather permitting. lUli'-llom-dat. — Wo hoar it has been mooted in commoroial circles to establish a half-holiday in tho middle of tho week for cmployis, This is a concession which it would bo very gratifying to soo mado by tho business men of tho city, and, if generally adopted, can in no way bo objectionably whilst thc good results will bo felt In many ways other than tho mere relaxation afforded to clerks and shopinon. In England, a similar experiment has been so successful that ono nftcrnoon in tho week is now almost universally observed as a holiday in nil cities and large towns, Horo it is probablo that Thursday would bo the best day, as Wednesday and Saturday, being devoted to market purposes, tho observance of tho holiday on cither could not bo generally adopted without Inconvenience Tub Nbw Bonouons.— The proclamation by the Governor, dated May 28, is gazetted. It constitutes tho districts comprising tho City of Christchurch, and tho Towns of Lyttolton and Kaiapoi. as the boundarlai Ihoroof respectively are defined by the Municipal Corporations Act, to be each of them a borough under the snid Act. Tho I3.th section of tho Act requires that tho first meeting of tho Council shall bo held upon tho second Wednosday after the constitution of tho borough. It is, thero foro, understood that the Council will meet this evening only for the purposo of considering tho provisions of tho now Ordinnnco, and for mnklng arrangomonts for taking tho declarations of tho members and thc election of Mayor, at tho Council olllces, at ten o'clock on Wednesday morning, in accordanco with thc provisions of tho Ordinance. Police Depot.— Extonsivo repairs and improvements uro being effcotod to tho police ' dcp6t in Armagh street. Tiio sum of money Yoted during last session of tho Provincial Council for thnt purposo hns enabled tho authorities to invito tenders for ro-shlngling tho roof nnd thoroughly renovating tho interior. Tho contract embraces the whole of tho roof, with tho exception of two small portions at tho northorn end of tho building, piio rooms used an commissioner's ofllco and non.oommfssioncd ollloers* apartments, fronting tho strcot, aro to have thc old celling.*) pulled down, and now «>nes placed about three feet higher, all tiio walls stripped and rc-oanvaflflod, and papered throughout. Thc men's day and night rooms, on tho cast side of tho building, aro to havo tho old celling*) taken down, tho angles of tho roof lined with tongucd and grooved.boa. da, the walla stripped, and the whole re-canvassed and papered. Tiio work is boing carried on by Mr John Hughes, whoso tondor was ncccptod, and the u tnio.it despatch being used, a short timo will see tho men in possession of really comfortable and airy apartments. Wo behove that tho erection of a look-up In eloso contiguity to tho northern end of tho building is in contemplation. CoMruxsonY Skhviob as -Tunona.—* Tlioao who nre in tho habit of attending tho sittings of the Supreme Court, more through curiosity to listen to tho proceedings than anything -Iho, wero takon a little by surpriso on Saturday, whon tho Sheriff found ft nccossarv to call upon persons in tbo body of tho Hall to servo as Jurors in the case against Mary 'Holmes and Mary Ann Greaves, for larceny. Tlilh step wuh necessitated in conscqucnco of a number of summoned jurors having boon oxousod from attendance nt intervals during tbo week. At thc time these two prisoners were arraigned, tho jury in tho caso of Walter Johnston, for burglary, wero considering their verdict, nnd besides these, thoro remained only fourteen jurors available. Theso would of course havo been moro than suflicicnt, but tho Crown Prosecutor enforced his right of challenging three, and Mr Joynt (who defended Holmes), four of tho twclvo called into the box. In this cmcr- i goncy, there was no alternative left than to mako up tho full jury by calling upon some of tho spectators to serve, i Thoro was an immediate rush to ; tho door of tho Hall in order to escape tho ShorifY, but ho succeeded in obtaining the required number, and thoy wero mado to i serve just os though thoy bad been Bum- i moucd, notwithstanding tho protestations to ] his Honor that thoy nad bo much urgent i business on hand. i

VSOK3S Mail. — Wo would remind onr rooddM-that tbe data for closing tho mall Tia' Suez is altered this month. Letter* must bo footed on tho llth instant, Sinip Kate,— Any amounts due to tha Provincial Government for sheep rate for 186S, aiid remaining unpaid attar tho 25th inst., will bo recovered by legal process. Sunday ScnoDL Unio;*.— Thc representative, of schools arc reminded that the usual monthly committee meeting will bo held ia the Congregational Church, Manchester street, this ovoning. at half-past 7 o'clook. Kit le Association.— A special meeting of tho Council of this association will te b*W ft White's Hotel this evening; a." half-pastt seven. The buslue.3 refers principally to financial matters, and is of importance. V^T'ie GovEßNon. — His Excellency, Sir George Bowen, may be expected to return to Wellington during the course of the present week, clthor In H.M. a.s. Brisk, or in the Itosario. Lady Bowen will leave Auckland in tho steamer Wellington. . - Wabeiio-S- Sites ox tiie Railway Rb-> serve.— -Tho six sites offered on lease by the Government have all been taken up, Tho erection of warehouses, for the reception of grain aud othor good*, will be commenced without delay. Two sites. each havo been taken by threo business firms. - - IJANKnorroT.— On Saturday, Mr Joyat applied for an order of adjudication in. the matter of J. \V. Tread well. His Honor made thc order, and fixed the meeting of creditors to tnko place at the Registrar's Chambers, on Wednesday, the 17 th instant, at 11 o'clock. Norwich Quay.— Wc aro glad to see that the Lyttelton Municipal Council have commenced to clean the roadway on this qaay. Persons having business with the Custom House or the Telegraph OlHco havo lately had to wado through mud ancle deep, Something ought to bo done to render the road leading to the wharf passable during tho wet weather, Passenger* by thc steamers have; to walk through largo pools of water and heaps of mud ; a few loa Js of small shinglo would put iho pathway in repair, and tho Government might surely go as far m that, A Lwe_ Cask.— Tho Argus of May 28 says ;— Wc havo received a letter from tho solicitors of Mr John Moffatt, demanding an apology for an alleged libel contained in our second leading article of Tuesday last In reply we beg to state that wo have no apology to offer. Our comments on tho cose of Bateman v, Moffatt were made in the interests of tho public, and were, in our opinion, fully justified by tho ovidenco given in court. Wa liave therefore nothing further to do than to refer Mr Moffatt to our solicitor. The Weatiier ix Victoria.— Tho Kynt» ton Observer states :— The great need tnert was for tho recent fall of rain may bo learned from tho fact that tho rainfall for tho flrst four months of the year haa been not moro than half thc usual average, the actual amount having been only 5.35in., which would give but littlo over ltiin. for tho whole year, in* stead of from 28ln. to 331n., tho maximum and minimum amounts recorded in previous years. Thc want of rain has greatly retarded farming operations * very little land has been sown, and of that littlo tho greater proportion will hnve to bo sown over again, tho seed having matted in thc ground, In tho Kyneton district, however, the crops in • braird' appear more flourishing, we learn, than iu most other pnrts of tho colony. Next Harvest in Victoria.— A Kyneton paper writes ;— The high price of wheat this season it inducing nearly every one to sow it largely. We havo heard of as many ns 108 acres being: sown on a farm of little orcr _<)0 acres, It is possible to overdo this cereal, and u-txt year may bo either a year of plenty with low prices, or tbo wheat crop may bo a failure and prioes indifferent. In cither esse, otti will command Rood prices, from the small extent to whk-h they 'are aown, To the small farmer we would say —how oata— tbo seed will eo9t 10_ an acre, while wheat will cost 20s. Oats are worth now from 4s to >is -id pcr bushel, with overy prospect of rising t nnd should the mania for wheat-flowing continue, oats must rule high next year, Pbawj Fishery, — The following, on th. subject of the pearl fishery on the north-west Coast of the Australian continent, is from a , report by the Government Resident at Nicol Bny, printed in tho Perth Gazette of April 3 r — •* The pearl nholl fishery is most prosperous, and if tvo arc to believe report, notwithstanding the number of boats now engaged in it the returns average a ton of shells per twenty* so ven days .for every whito mnn employed, but it must' bo observed that much of this '" bcach-vomblng work " — for it Is but little more— lh doae by natives -. but even then tha gain must be enormous, considering tliat a ton ot shell.-i will readily sill in the colony for XI OO, giving £25 a week for each whito man cngnged in the venture ; something liko tho palmy days of the Victorian gold-fields, when surface digging gave such splendid returns. Liko tho goldfields, howover, such golden harvests cannot last long, nnd tho simplo roenna nnd tho email boats now so aucwasful in thc shallow waters along the coast will soon find they liave gathered in all the harvest within their roach, nnd tho field of deeper wntera will require larger craft, fitted with proper diving apparatus, the employment of which will n ali probability produce equal, if not better, results." In connexion with thi*, it wiU interest our readers to learn that a little expedition hns already sailed fron our own port for the pcnrl fishery, with the v«ry appliances that tho Government Resident indicates as necessary to thc successful prosecution of tho fl*du>ry in deep water. Home timo ngo a Western Australian colonist visited Melbourno, ind proposed to a fow friends to join him in a pearl-fishing adventure, which they agreed to do, and a suitable vessel wns purchased, fitted up and despatched to tho scene of operations with business-like promptitude. It is satisfactory to find that their spirited enterprise is likely to bo richly rewarded.

.-WAiiiAiiArA'GoM).— The Wellington lndp^ 'pohdent of June fl fltates that Dr Hector has notyot report^! upon tho specimen, of igoldhearing quartz HUbmittod to him for analysis, but It is quito understood that tho golden flpecs Jn tho stono, so eagerly looked at by many protended connolsflours,and pronounced by thorn as the right metal, are nothing but somo, kind of pyrites, many of which often assumo tho nppoaranco of gold, having, however, a much lighter huo, Mr Coutts Crawford brought intotown, somo years (^specimens quite similar lo thoso now creating such a, temporary, furore, They contained metallic indications similar to Mr Groves' Hpooinions, andn number of them, wo bollovo, woroobtnlnod by that gontleman from some leaders of tho samo roof which Groves has prospected, fiomo of tho spoclmons In question wero placed c.f,tho tlnus In tlw MitfiaiiiM. nWftK LAiioun MAiti.BT.--Tho Ararat Advtrtlser (Victoria), is informed that at tho coming shearing and tho next harvest there will bo much moro manual labour available than has been hitherto employed. This arkes from tlie fact that most of iho old gold-Holds have been ro -wrought by tho Chinoso, and it lathe intention of chono among-it them who possess tho moans to organise biuidu that will thko flhc**flng wild harvesting by contract. Thus, a director, or manager, or whatovor the principal may bo called, would contract lor a abed or farm, as tho caso might bo, Considering that many of tho Chinese are baroly able to procure a margin beyond th 3 requisite food and clothing, this plan would not only provo humane and profltnblo but soouro good returns to tho manager. Thoso win have employed Chlncno, cither at shearing or harvesting, spenk highly of thc care which thoy oxorclso j and If slow, thoy aro ao confltant that at tho closo of a season thoy can dhow nearly as much work offootDd as will bo porformod by an avcrngo lfiuropoan. Pnion oie Wiiisat,— rf the expected shipments of flour from California and Chill do not fihortly arrive, It Is ptvwablo ono gh, flays tho Ararat Adverther (Victoria*) that the prico of breadstuff') will rlso considerably In somo of tho up-country districts Although ia very largo quantity of wheat was grown In thiß district, yet, in consequence of! tho domand which existed In othor partß of the colony' whore tho harvost was not so plentU ftjl, a largo proportion of tho local pro» duellon has gono to supply outside wants i and, therefore thoro aro but Yery small aunntltlos In tho hands of farmers at io present timo, Those who are holding now would find a good market, hut it Is uncortaln Uow long this stato of things may continue, In vlow of tho cargoes which arc nearly duo, Ono of our mills has ceased working for a whllo, in consequence of the absence of gi IstIng, but it Is lllccly that at tho first appear, anco of a decline, thoso who still hold will bo glad enough to soli, Thero is a good domand for flood wiicat of primo quality i and, judging by tho number of now ploughs which are boing purchased, and other Indices, thero la ovory probability tbat a vory largo area ot ground will bo laid under cultivation this year. NATnnAi. IfisToitr.— " An amusing scene," rolatcs tho Qippn Land Guardian, " took placo at tho last mcotlng of tho Halo Borough Council, respecting some door which had been presented lo tho council. Ono mombor of tho council liad evidently boon studying natural history, If ho did not titko a journey to Melbourno for tho purpose, ho at least mado it his business to visit tho Zoological Gardens In tho Royal Park, iii ordor to gain flomo information respecting tho ■ pretty doarfl,' Bursting with oloquonco, nnd overflowing with knowledge, ho Informed his moro ignorant brother councillors that all was necessary to keep tho animals In was a three-railed fonco. Homo littlo doubt boing expressed, Iho samo gontloman slated that thoro were soma short paling oil tho bottom ralli, but he thought this was for tho purposo of confining somo wild fowls which were located with tbo door. On boing reminded that this would not keep in wild fowl tho vinitor to tho Hardens expressed liii bollof that It would, If there was waior within tho enclosure, The gentleman did not say whether the wings of the fowls wero clipped. A member of tho Council being desirous of Information, inquired nn to tho slzo of tho ' animals, whon tho naturalist replied that thoy woro about tho nl/,o of! 'full-grown • calves,' Tt need not be said thai, after this '. description of the dcor and their homo, the council decided to bo guided by knowledge derived fr«^> a more roliablo source" A SrAMflir I.iwmon won thi: I'opm,— * We road in a loftor from Homo, and published In tho Nazlonci— lt seems that it loglon Is being formed In Npnln ontlroly composed of Spanl-di caballoros—as tho Zouavo corps is ontlroly composod of counts, marquises, and dulcos of l-ranco and llolglum— who arrive here filthy, ragged, famished, and offensive to the last degree. With regard to this Hpanish legion, I ought to mention to you a rumour whioh prevails ln certain government olrolcs, nnd which, if true, might Interest not a little tho King's government, It Im said, then, that Isabella 11, lias declared bur intention to organlso this legion in tho samo manner ns the Ifronch Gorornment organised its Antlbos legion— forming It, that Is to say, ontlroly of regular Hpauish soldiers, whose term of military service muhr the Pontifical banner will bo reckoned as I hough passed under thu standard of her Cathdllo Majesty, Thero will, moreover, bo In tho Spanish legion a regulation which, If T mistake not, was not in that of Antilles, viz., that all tho grades and promotions obtained under tho Papal Government will lie recognised and confirmed by the Spanish Government when tho legionaries return to the army of B[i«lu after completing their Pontifical engagement. If tho forvld Catholics Indiieo Queen luabolla to go this length. I am persuaded that hor legion, and tho ship which transports it, will meet tt ith Bomo'ugly mishap in thq stretch of sea that extends between Barcelona and Civita Vccohln." Tho samo correspondent saya that, although it is carnival timo, Homo is liko a tomb i tho theatres aro dosortod j and thor* are scarcely any foreigners Jn tho city,

i iTnis (Malicious iN/runT ! Gabuj.^Tlio caso ngnhjst Charlos Jarvis will bojprocccdcd with at; tho Old Town Hall on Wednesday 'next, at 11 o'olook. According to tho Act, no jurors are bound !to servo, for moro than a week, and tho trial has thor of oro boon postponed until Wednesday, so that tho jury may bo composod of thoso who woro summoned for tho oivil sittings, As wo previously intimated, thoro arc no civil cases on tho record. -.■ < . >< . .