Local Intelligence.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1881, 13 June 1863, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

English Opera Company. — This talented corps of artistes took their departure yesterday for the South, where they intend giving a series of performances. Traction Engine tor the Rimutaka. — The Traction Engine invented some few y.ars ago has not been very successful. Like oil such inventions time and experience were required for bringing it into perfection. From the following cutting from a recent home paper, we may conclude that the traction engine is now being greatly improved, and if the improvements thus made really turn out anything like it is said they will, we shall not long have to depend on horses for tne carraiage of timber and other bulky products over the Rimutaka: — " The machine-makers are every day telling of improvements effected on the traction engine. In another generation they say it will be as rare to see a horse drawing a plough or waggon as itis now to see an ox performing this duty. There was a great gathering of London engineers on Saturday, down the Thames at Rochester, to witness the performances of the latest patentengine at the workshops of a firm who have provided twenty of them for an Australian Mining Company. The results were gratifying. The locomotive started from the factory, drawing four heavy waggons, each laden with five tons timber. With this load it traverse j the narrow streets of Stroud; turning the sharp corners as easily as a one horse gig. and at the rate of five miles an hour. It then turned to a steep bill, and ascended a road with a rise of one in eight, notwithstanding its veiy sloppy state, at the speed of three miles an hour. Tbe locomotives referred to are not so constructed that tbey will explode if unexpectedly driven from a beaten path upon a patch of new laid road metal, but are specially intended to traverse the bush, marsh, sand, and shingle, of a country where highways have yet to be formed. If tlie geologists discover mineral wealth iv the highlands, there will now be no need of railways to oonvey it to the South, for it is very evident that these new locomotives will ascend and descend the most zigzag of mountain " staircases'' with the ease and safety of sure footed mules. An English company, I hear, have laid a scheme before the Italian Government, for the employment of locomotives of this kind on the great highway over Mount Cenis. A tramway will simply be laid over ibe commou carraige road, without altering its gradients, and a roof will then be constructed to shelter it from tbe ice and snow of winter. When tbe line has been completed, tbe English traveller may proceed, without quitting his train, from the shores ofthe Channel to the -plains of Lombardy.''

A Wedding Spoiled. — The Lyttelton Times o the 00th inst. has the following story of a fair one who lias been victimising the shopkeepers theie : — " A rather mylish young person about 19 years of age, named Fanny Richards, was brought up bn a warrant before the Resident Magistrate, on Thursday, upon a charge of obtaining goods under false pretences. It appear* that the individual in question oame up by the South mail from Timaru last week, and calling upon Mr Adley, at the Oxford Hotel, gave him to understand that she was about to be married, and that her intended I>u3band (whose name is Williams) was coming from Timaru immediately. Mr Adley was asked to prepare the weduing breakfast, in compliance with which he gave extensive orders to Mr Gee for a superb* cake, and other delicacies considered necessary on these occasions. Mr Clarkson, draper, was also visited by the bride in esse, and a wedding dress valued at eleven guineas, and a bridal bonnet of the value of five guineas were chosen. Mr Clarkson no£ seeing the money forthcoming made some demur as to giving up the gpods, but upen Miss Fanuy saying it would be all right, and that her father and mother had arrived in Port by the Sebastopol, he allowed the goods to be taken away. The young lady having made these preparations, intimated ( _er intention to Mr Adley of proceeding to the Asbburten to meet her intended, and left for tbat purpose. She returned to the '« Oxford" on Saturday last, and after diuner requested Mr Adley to lend her a few shillings as she had exhausted her resources by paying Manning her fare from Timaru. The money w«» lent, and she started for Port to meet Mr Williams, aB no time could be lost, the wedding being fixed to take place on tbe Monday following. From certain discrepancies in her statement, Mr Adley had his suspicions, and upon seeing Manning found that Miss Fanny had not paid him a farthing of his fare. Mr Adley now determined to follow the fair one to Lyttelton, and ascertain whai she was about. In detective phraseology '• from information received," he went to I ' a house occupied by parties named Roberts, where the young lady had been staying, and upon Mr Adley inquiring there for her, he was taken to be the long expected bridegroom, Mr Williams. In Miss Fanny's room were found a quantity of dresses, bonnets, wreaths of orange blossoms ant other gay apparel, obtained from Mr Hislop, draper ; ivory-handled knives and forkß, china vases, and other bric-a-bric, from various tradesmen ; and lastly, some dozens of Btout, pale ale, port, sherry, and a case of brandy, from the Mitre Hotel, to make merry withal. It is needless to say that these articles were obtained under tbe same representation as at Christchurch, and Miss Fanny must certainly possess fascinating powers of no mean order to have induced the tradesmen to trust her with their goodß. Mr Adley eventually met with the young lady and persuaded her to return to Christchurch, where she was apprehended on a warrant at the instance of Mr Clarkson. Tbe case was gone into before the Resident Magistrate, who ordered a remand till yesterday, to enable the Captain of the Sebastopol to be present to prove that the prisoner's statement, that her father and mother came out in the Sebastopol, was false. It was upon the strength of this statement that the prosecutor supplied the articles. Tbe case was resumed on Friday morning ; the Resident Magistrate considered there was sufficient evidence tendered to warrant him in committing the prisoner to take her trial at the Supreme Court." Fanny Richards has since keen tried at the Supreme Court, Christchurch, and acquitted.