LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2474, 31 January 1867, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Superintendent. — His Honor the Superintendent arrived in Wanganui on the evening of the 2.5 th in&b. Distbict Judge. — Hia Honor Mr Dudley ley Ward left for Wanganui overland, on Monday afternoon, to hold the usual sittings of the District Court in that town. Town Board. — A special meeting of the Town Board will take place to-morrow afternoon at three o'clock. Mr. 0. R. Carter. — We understand that C. B. Cartor, Esq., formerly member of the House of Representatives for Wairarapa, may bo ex- | pected to arrive here by the next Panama boat. 1 Fire Brigade. — The members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade met for practice last evening. Emigration Officer. — Jas. Hackworth, Esq., has been appointed Emigration Oilicer to this port. Arrivals. — Amongst the arrivals by the steamer Phoebe yesterday, were F. A. Weld, and J. C. Fitzgerald, Esqs. Public Monieb. — An Order in Council appears in Tuesday's Gazette defining the mode in which receivers of public monies are to deposit monies thut may come into their hands on public service. Under these regulations, all such monies must be deposited daily to the credit of either the " Public Account" or a " Deposit Account," to be kept at the Bank of New Zealand. New Insurance Company. — The Eegistrar of Joint Stock Companies for Canterbury announces, in a notice published in the New Zealand Gazette, that he has registered a memorandum of Association, with Articles of Aessociation, establishing a company with unlimited liability of shareholders, culled " The Royal Westland Insurance Company," under the Joint Stock Company's Act. Provincial G-azettb.— A Provincial Government Gazette was published on Saturday last, which contains a Proclamation by His Honor the Superintendent announcing that certain waste lands in the Awhea block on the East Coast will bo put up by auction on the 25th February next, at an upset price of 5s an acre. To Waggoners. — Persons accustomed to drive heavy vehicles along the Ngahauranga Road should take notice of an advertisement, issued from the Provincial Secretary's Office, which appears in another column, stating that the road in question will be closed to waggons on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next. Postal Confehence. — The Argus ot the 19th January says: — "The Hon Mr Blyth and the Hon Mr Ayers, members of the South Australian Ministry, arrived at Melbourne on the 18th inst., to attend the Intercolonial Postal Conference about to bejield here." Landslip. — The heavy rains which have fallen lately appear to have loosened the made earth around the Government Buildings, and on Wednesday night a cansiderable quantity of it on the : south-eastern side of the building slipped from its position, and curried away about 30 feet of the fence by which the domain Ib enclo cd. A number of gaol prisoners were employed yesterday in removing that portiou of the fallen earth which had obstructed the adjacent roadway. Regatta Club. — It was suggested, at a late meeting of the Anniversary Committee, that a Regatta Club would be a very useful institution in this city. The idea though not a novel, is a very good one, and it is to be hoped that it will be carried out. We would suggest that the Anniversary Committee, before resigning their office, should select a few of their number to draw up rules for such a Club ; then let a meeting of those interested be called, and the rules which had been drawn up submitted for their approval. A Club could then be formed at once. The advantages of a Regatta Club in any maritime town are obvious ; and in a town which aspires to be the first seaport town in the colony, such an association is a sine qud non. Registration. — Wo desire to draw the attention of persons who possess the requisite qualification to vote for the election of members of tho House of Representatives and Provincial Council, but who havd not yet registered their qualification, that tiiey must do so before the end of March next, otherwise they will have no further opportunity till next year. Persons whose names are already on the electoral lists, but who have changed their places of abode since the last revising day, should also remember that, unless they give notice to the registration officer of their change of residence, they are liable to have their names struck off the roll when it is revised. Shark, — Yesterday morning, as some fisherman were plying their vocation off Ward's Island, they caught a largo shurk in their net. The " pirate of the deep," after some trouble, was hauled on board the boat and brought to town, where it was landed on Hunter's wharf. On being examined, it was found to be a young shark about two years old, and measured 8 ft. 8 in. in length. Some inquisitive persons cut the fish open, and were rewarded for their pains by the discovery of sixteen young Bharks each measuring from a foot to fully eighteen inches in length. We believe it is a somewhat uncommon circumstance for young sharks o( the latter size to bo found in the belly of their parent. Union Bank of Australia. — We understand that tho post occupied by Mr J. Carter, who is about to proceed to England by the ship Electra, as Manager of the Union Bank of Australia, will be filled, during his absence, by Mr E. H. Tate, who has hitherto occupied the position of Accountant to the Bank. Mr Carter came here in March, 1859, a very critical time for banking operations, as all commercial transactions had been stimulated into feverish activity by the discovery of the Otago gold fields, and was compelled to exorcise great prudence and vigilance, so as at once to aid the mercantile community, and relieve tho Bank from the effects of undue pressure. How skilfully he effected both these objects is well known to our mercantile readers, and tho sound state of trade which has for some time past existed in Wellington is greatly due to the financial abilities displayed by Mr Cartor on tho ■ occasion referred to. Time Ball. — Tho following letter has been addressed to us by the Rev. A. Stock : — " Wellington, January 29, 1867. — Sir, — In consequence of the erection of the new tolegraph office by the side of the Time Ball Observatory, the Meridian Post at Wado's Town is hidden. There is no means »f checking the transit instrument, whether its centre wire is upon the meridian or not. The Time Ball can no longer, therefore, until the Observatory be moved, give chronometer time ; i but tho time given will still be true for all ordinary purposes. Tho error, if any, can never , exceed a fevr seconds." Drought in Sydney. — The continued drought has so much reduced Che water supply of this city, that (ho anthoritios notify its stoppage every night after seven o'clock. 1 Death of a Veteran. — The dea'h is announced, at Cofcgrave, Notts, of William Mensing, aged 81, wl>p wn« one of Sir John Moore's order* i [ lies at the battle of Corunna.

AimiVERBABY CoMHiWSS^sraTneettng 01 tne Anniversary Committee tdok place at the. Pier Hotel, on Tuesday evening last, but little business was transacted. As nil tho subscriptions had not beeri got in no balance sheet could, of course, be shown, but from a rough statement laid on the table by the Treasurer, the financial affairs of the Committee appear to be in a very satisfactory state. The Committee will meet again on Saturday evening next, at 6 o'clock, to wind up if possible, all matters connected with the late fete. We hope that donors to the Anniversary Fund who have not yet paid their subscriptions will do so without loas of time, as their, neglect in this respect seriously incommodes the Committee. Me Sheath. — The Birmingham Daily Pott, in its issue of Nor 19, 1866, thus writes of Mr Sheath, the Superintendent of the Telegraph De* partmont of the General Government of Neir Zealand : — "lt will doubtless be of interest to our readers to know that Mr Alfred Sheath, the Thompson, Canning, and Glass of the telegraphic cable just laid across Cook's Strait, between the Northern and Middle Islands, New Zealand, is ». Birminghamman. A native of this town, he was educated at Oscott, but for the last fifteen years has dropped out of sight—being during the whole of that period actively engaged in proseouting his studies in connection with the Bleotrio Telegraph Company and the Bed Sea and Indian Telegraph Company. Latterly, he has had the entire management of the New Zealand Tele* graph Company, whose important labors hare been brought to a happy issue, chiefly by Mr Sheath's matured practical ability." Such testimony to the talent of this gentleman, coming from such a source, must be gratifying alike to him, the Government which benefits now by hi* labors, and the colonists among whom he has for years, and, we hope, permanently thrown in bit lot. Mabinb Signals.— A proclamation by the Governor in Council, under the " Marine Act, 1866," appears in Tnesday's Gazette, making the following regulations, viz. :— " (1) That the flag to be carried by any vessel from other than New" Zealand ports when entering any port in New Zealand, until boarded and cleared by the Health, Officer, shall be No. 8 of Marryatt's Code of Signalß at the main. (2) That the flag to be carried by uny vessel in any port in New Zealand which has gunpowder on board in excess of the usual ship's stores, until such gunpowder be landed or transhipped, shall be a red flag at the main. (3) That the flag to be carried by any vessel employed in carrying her Majesty's mails, when entering any port in New Zealand, shall be Marryatt's telegraph flag at the main." Haibbbeadth Escape. — A Hpkitifca pa.pef thus relates a hairbreadth escape of a sergeant of police from death by drowning: — "On the 4th instant, Sergeant Wilson, who is in charge of tho Eangiriri station, started on horseback in pursuit of one Taylor, at present in custody charged with, stealing a valueless cheque. The Sergeant pro? ceeded towards the Hurunui, and had occasion {*) cross the Teremakau at a point not more than Gfteen miles distant from the Kangiriri station, The river was very high, having beeu swollen "by the late heavy rains, and the many large boulder* which strewed the ford rendered crossing BtiU more dangerous j but not to be deterred in .the prosecution of his duty, the sergeant, who i» a most zealous officer, made the attempt, and gained the centre of the stream, where the horse stumbled amongst the stones, and the next moment horse and man were struggling desperately for life in the current. By some means they became eepa» rated, and the sergeant, who is unable to swim, was washed against a snag, the end of which pro* truded a few feet out of the water. To this he clung with despairing energy, and for many hours withstood the buffeting of the flood, which at last subsided, but left him in so exhausted a state that he was unable to mnke the slightest effort to reach the shore. He, however, clung to the enag, and increduble as it may appear, maintained the same position for four days, when — just as he waa on the point of giving way completely exhausted— a Mr Evans, with a drove of cattle from Eastern Canterbury, most fortunately happened to pcs% and rescued the p»or fellow from his unparalleled position of intense agony. He was immediately conveyed to Alexander's accommodation house, at the junction of the Teremakau and Otira Riven, where he received eyerj attention his pitiable state demanded, and so far recovered that yesterday he wus able to leave in Cobb's coach for the Rangirifi, where he was welcomed as one from the dekd by his distracted wife and family. The horse that ho rode also escaped drowning, but reached the shore in such a mangled and bruised condition that it is not expected he will be of any further use. An estimate may be formed of the current, from the fuot that when picked up by Mr Evans, Wilson was almost in astate of nudity — his clothes, even to his boots, having bees, torn away by the abreain. 1 ' Compilation of English Law.— Her Majesty has appointed a Commission, comprising the highest legal authorities in the country, to consider the best means of compiling a digest of English law, and the expediency of exhibiting in a compendious and accessible form that law at established in judicial deoisions. Thb Nioabagua Eottte. — The Times of Nov. 26 says : — Proposals have been issued to accomplish the first step toward establishing that transit route from the AtHntio to the Pacific which has. been desired und discussed in almost every civilised country for nearly 20 years past. The difficulty has hitherto, in a great degree, consisted in the inefficiency and insalubrity of the harbor of Greytown for the Atlantic terminus, and the expense that would attend the canalisation of the river San Juan. Late surveys, however, by Captain Bedford Pirn have shown that at a better and more northerly part of the Mosquito coast, at a spot called Monkey Point, an excellent natural harbor exists, whence a cheap railway may be constructed to JJealejo, on the Paoiflo side, one of the finest harbors in the world. This line would pass through the Chontalff raining district, which has lately attracted tnuph attention, and would be constructed under a $j$ years' concession granted to Captain Pirn, togethwfV with 1,300,000 acr*»s of land. The proposed capk tal is £1,000,000, half of which is to be first issued in the belief that it will be sufficient for a light single line, capable of conveying passengers and goods at a moderate rate of speed, and Mr Hawksley is to be the engineer-in-chief. The Panama line, which pays 24 per cent per annum on a coab of £1,600,000, and at the same time puts aside extraordinary reserves for periodical distribution, makes little attempt to accommodate the traffic of goods, for which its rateß are almott prohibitory, and there is full evidence that both for commercial and passenger purposes an extent of traffic remains to be developed which would not only overtax the capabilities both of the Panama and Nicaragua routes, but also of additional ones that might be opened up. At present tho Panama route is in the hands of the American company by which it was constructed, but in a few years, when their concession, whioh was for 20 years,, will expire, it will pass to the Government of New Granada, on a payment by that Government of £1,000,000. As regards, the transit to California, British Columbia, and China and also as respects the healthfulness and capabilities of the district through which it passes, tho Nicaragua route has ulways boon admitted to be far superior to any other. Its neutrality has been scoured by treaty with all the leading Governments, and with the Emperor Napoleon it has been im object of constant interest. To the English public it would be satisfactory if the present Bchome could be made, in equal proportions, a subject of participation with France and the United Statea.

Tub 14t.ii Regiment.— Wo clip the following from the Adelaide Observer of the sth inst : — " Monday next being the anniversary of the lattle of Putahi, in the Wnngnnui district, which ocelli-mi last year, the troops of the 14th Regt. stationed here who fought in that engagement will be struck off duty; arid the flag taken from the Maoris' will be' displayed at the gate of the barracks." New Gold Field. — The West Coast Times of the 16th says the present centre of attraction in the Tot lira district is the new ground opened in Rodman's Crully, upon which between 200 and 300 men are located. In a former issue we stated that payable gold had bcon struck there, but owing to excess of water, great difficulty . .was experienced in more thoroughly testing the ground. For the purpose of determining its value, sixty men united to sink a prospecting paddock, but so heavy is the water that although they are provided with two Californian pumps, and have been several days at work, the bottom is not yet reached. Should the rosulfc bo satisfactory the miners intend to bring up a mil-race from the Mikinui, tlie length of which will bo two miles, through ground that is pegged off in all directions and closely fhepherded. Very high opinions are entertained of the value of the locality, as gold bearing, and in proof thereof a share in a partly worked claim was sold last week for £90. Curious Marriage Case.— A late English contemporary supplies the following :— " A curious point was raised before Viec-Chuncellor Wood on Saturday, November 24, in the case of Armitage v. Armitngd, winch arose under the will of Joseph Armitage, of Birkby Lodge, ITuddersfield, who made a bequest in fai'or of the lawful children of his son James " provided he should marry an English lady." James Avmitago married Hana Tahi Tahi, a native of New Zealand, and daughter of Samuel Randall and Tahi Tahi, an aboriginal native of New Zealand. The question was, whether there was a lawful marriage between Samuel Randall and Tahi Tahi, and of this there was no evidence, except the affidavit of Samuel Randall himself, who described himself at, of Rangoon Waikato, in the province of Auckland, in New Zealand, and deposed that ho was eixtyfive years of ago, a British subject, born in Massachusetts in 1801, of parents who were British subjects ; that he first came e to New Zealand in 1828, and in 182.9 intermarried with Tahi Tahi " according to the laws, customs, and usages then in force in New Zealand ;" that New Zealand was not then a British colony, and that there was no Christian clergyman in the island at the time. Mr Or. M. Giffard, Q.C., submitted that this evidence was sufficient. Mr Yool referred to the recent decision of the Divorce Court, in which it waS held that a marriage according to the rites of the Mormon religion was not valid, and submitted that the Court would not recognise a marriage according to the laws, customs, and usages of New Zealand before it was a British colony. Mr Giffard replied. The Vice-Chancellor reserved his judgment." Earthquake. — A shock of an earthquake was felt in Nelson, between three and four o'clock on the morning of the 25th inst. The shock is said to have been more severe than any felt for a long time. BUSEBAnGUNG ON THE BULI-EH.— The Westport Times thus reports a sticking-up case near the Blackwater : — "On Monday night no little excitement was caused by a report that a oian named Nicholls had been stuck-up near the Blackwater, and oji investigation the report proved to be .correct. It seems that the sufferer, Richard Nicholls, was coming down from the Inangahua, and. arrived at Lloyd's. The weather was bad, and several parties there strongly advised him not to proceed, as he would not be able to cross thr river. In spite of this advice, however, he did go on, but after proceeding some distance was obliged to give in. As lie supposed, most fortunately, he met with a tent in which were three men, and on asking to be allowed to shelter, permission was at once granted- Tim was on Sunday morning. Nicholls during the day, finding that four £1 notes that he had in his pocket were wet, took them out and dried them at the fire, and then returned them to his pocket. Nothing more passed till about nine o'clock at night, when one of the three men deliberately loaded a gun, and having done so, told the astonished Nicholls to bail up. He thought at first they were in jest, but soon found to the contrary, and the ruffians forthwith proceeded to search him. They took the notes referred to, half a sovereign, and eight ounces of gold, and having done this they marched him into the bush, about fifty yards from the track, and about thirty from the river. They then with their belts strapped him to a tree, and as they did not think him sufficiently secure, cut up a piece of duck, and with the strips further fastened him, binding him by the neck, by the arms, and by the legs to the tree. After doing this they got a pieco of stick, put it into his mouth, and tied it there. The first gag was, after a little consideration on their part, not thought large enough, and another was substituted of greater dimensions, when they facetiously told their victim to halloo. lie remained in this condition for some hours, afraid to move, for the men threatened to shoot him if he stirred. At the end of that time he tried to extricate himself, and found that he could undo some of the straps, but one for a length of time baflled him. At length he broke that and freed himself, but in the effort tore off one of his boots, and did not care to stay for it. Ho lost the other in the scrub directly after, and was then bootless, with only a shirt and drawers on, and the weather fearful. After a miserable night, during which time he scrambled along in and by the side of the river as ho best could, lie at length came in sight of a tent where lie received every kindness and attention. A messago was sent to Lloyd's, and a canob with Christian, and Fred Smith, who had been up on a tour, and four others, came down and took him in. Before reaching the tent we omitted to state that Nicholls on descending a hill saw the robbers behind him following the track. As may bo imagined he ran as fast as his legs would cany him, and fortunately 1 for him at the foot there was a creek into which he plunged up to his neck, and remained till the men passed by within a couple of yards of him. They had seen some one, but it was nearly dark and they could not recognise Nicholls, and he heard one of them say " Oh, it could not be him, we tied the b too safe." On getting into the canoe the relieving party started down stream, and after going a mile or two saw the men they wanted ahead on the bank, and hailed them. They seemed inclined to Btop and accept the offer of a free trip down, but suddenly caught sight of Nicholls and bolted into the bush. Three of the canoe party, who were armed, landed and gave chase, but could not catch the runaways, and then they came on to town, and readied hero about I nine o'clock at night." [The three bushrangers have since been captured.] The Perjurer. Chamberlain.— The trial of George Henry Chamberlain, charged with having ppvjured himself during the trial of Richard Burgess, before the Resident Magistrate at liokitika, on the 23rd May last, on a charge of stealing two revolver cases from the police camp at Hokitika, took place before Mr Justice Gresson on the 23rd inst. The hearing of the case occupied twelve hours, tho principal evidence for the prosecution being Joseph Sullivan, the informer iH'tho case of the late Miningatnpu murders. The jury, after three hours' deliberation, found Chamberlain guilty. Sentence was deferred. Sydney. A Sydney telegram states that the New South Wales Government has offered a reward of £5000 for the discovery and conviction of the bushrangers who were guilty of the murder of Carroll and his party of detectives. ~ BBEEcn-LoADERS.— A Home pa) says the Russian War Department has ordereu'th© conversion of 162,000 muskets into breech-loaders.