PROVINCIAL DISTRICT NEWS

Westport Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1767, 3 February 1880, Page 3

PROVINCIAL DISTRICT NEWS

The Ashburton Mail says :—For several days the township of South Pakaia has been inundated with men locking out for work. &'o great has been the influx that the sleeping accommodation afforded by the hotels and lodging houses has not been equal to the demand, and many have had to sleep under the gorse hedges. On a recent night one of them was robbed of £4O. 'I he man, who was drunk, was in the company of a woman who a few days previously v. as brought up at the K.M. Court on a charge of vagrancy. She was apprehended by Sergeant Pratt and brought to Ashburton, where she was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labor on a charge of vagrancy. Her hu band, who was also with them, is not to be found. A man named Piccolo Charley was also apprehended with the woman "

The Christchurcb Press says : —"ihe years 1878-79 will be known not merely as the delirium tremens period of public works administration. it will also be memorable as marking tbo rise, progress, and decay of a policy , which aimed at furthering the welfare of the " whole human race." Vogelisui had been chiefly remarkable for its bad treatment of "posterity:" Greyisni, on the contrary, was principally concerned with " the generations which are to follow us," and with obtaining boons lor the people of New Zealand " which will last for ever, which will never die " Hut both schemes have been equally disastrous to us of tie present day. AVhile the great Liberal leaders were occupied with "posterity" and "the whole human race," administration was neglected, the business of the country was allowed to go to ruin, and that at a time when people were beginning to realise that Yogclism had stiso fuiled : for although the great public works scheme has covered the country with railways, these lines do little more than pay their working expenses, while an enormous national debt has been incurred, the interest upon which has to bo paid at any sacrifice. The Wellington Post of the 20ih instunt, eeys : —A somewhat singular case—DelVorvillo v. Johnson —was heard at the fi.M. Court recently. The plaintiff is one of the bailiffs ol the KM. Court here, and the defendant assistant clerk of the Court in the Wairatapa. The action was brought to recover the sum ol £±, balance of money lent. Sir Gully appeared lor the defendant, who pleaded that the money was owing on a gambling transaction. Mr Mansford cautioned tha defendant against setnng up such n defence, as, il it was admitted, he should think it his duty to reprrt the matter to the Minister of Justice. Mr Gully said it hud already been made ihe subject of inquiry. 'I be plrinnff was examined, and swore positively to the dcfendt.nl having borrowed the money over iwo years ago. Mr Short. tho bailiff, was called bj tha plaintiff, and depeseu to beating Johnson stk

DeMorville lor the money. Some amusement was caused by the answers elicited from the witness in Mr Gully's cross-exnminalion. He had never lent defendant any money, but be had endorsed a bill for £5 lor bin.', and had to pay it. He did not know it was a gambling debt plaintiff was suing for He was aware that over at the old Court, when business was over, the clerks, bailiffs, and police used to go over to a neighboring "pub" and " shake" for drinks. (Laughter.) He dtd not gamble himself. Other evidence having been givtn, his Worship gave* judgment lor the plaintiff. Farmers are in good spirits generally this season. All round Masterton (says the local paper) the crops are looking as well as tbey can, and a heavy yield is pretty certain. We saw the other day 250 s:cres on the Opaki, which has been cropped for the first time this season by the Messrs Chamberlain Bros., and Welch Bros , and which is a picture as well as a little f'oituue. All over the block both wheat and oats are looking remarkably well- One patch of the former, belonging to Messrs Chamberlain, and measuring 00 acres, is simply magnificent, It would be difficult to beat it either in New Zealand or Great Britain, and when wo mention that it is expected to run over 50 bushels to the acre an idea may formed of its value.

Before the holidays there were 7CO men at work on the " unemployed" section of the Otagd central railway at Hendon ; cow there are only 200. On the section, near Oauiuiu, there are 200 in place ol 500 before the holidays.

In would be well for perrons who are in the hahicof receiving mor.ey to exercise some scrutiny as to tank note's which may be put into their hands, it has been founci that a number of Natienal Ba-.k oce-pound notes Lave been pasted as ten-pound notes, through the erasure of the word " one" and the insertion of <; ten." The alteration is a very clever deception, and it is wonderful how the change could have been mp.de so neatly. The notes in question read " Ten Pound," ii,stead of "Ten Pounds," but the omisrion is noi very noticeable. — Exchange.

The examinations at Napier for the Sir Donald M'Lean Maori. Scholarship have been brought to a close. Pourteen hoys competed for the three scholarship?. The pipers generally were exceeding'} good, the geography in particular being remarkably well done?, while the map drawing and the arithmetic were better than many European lads could do, . ,j

Some people are long-suffering as to the length of time they will wait for the payment of outstanding accounts; This may indicate a plethora of funds, but it is rot. always safe for backward debtors to conclude 'hat leniency in the direction named will "lufct for ever. Last week one of these bashful debtor in this fevfn received the following note: —" jt}«er Sir I find or. reference :o my aocount bgainst you, that in about a month's tithe you will rouble to avail yttiir&tU ol i_Le privileges coiihrred by the Statute of Limitations, find in order, if possible, to »uerd ngaitist such an occmrenee I have to inform you that unless your account be paid within three days, I shall lake legal proceed. ir;j;s for its recovery. J have to apologise for his abruptnesses nolhwg In: a strong conviction ih; t you would shelter joursell undtr tiji friendly Act il you got tie chance, compels me to ibis course." It is sad to think that so lew wait till the period presetibed by the Statute of Limitations has almcst expired before they make an effort to collect moneys due to them.—Ashburton Mail.