LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3129, 21 February 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Hon. Mb Gisborne was a passenger for tne South hy the Lord Ashley yesterday. He has gone to Dunedin as a witness in the telegraph libel case. District Order. — Colonel Eeader announces that the Volunteers will parade for inspection on the Eeclaimed Land on Friday next, the 24th inst, at 5 p.m. The Garrison band will bo in attendance. Cricket. — If Thursday sliould prove fine, we may expect an excellent day's amusement in witnessing the match between Wanganui and Wellington, as arrangements have been made for providing for the comfort of those who may attend. Tenders are invited for the privelege of erecling refreshment booths, to which we have been requested to draw special attention. It has been decided to erect a large marquoe to servo the purpose of a grand stand for the convenience principally of the ladies. As the arrangements would be incomplete without a band, that necessary adjunct has been provided. The following, we believe, are the players chosen to represent Wellington : — Messrs Werry, Murchant, Ferris, Evans, Loruax, W. Salmon, J. Salmon, Gray, Book, Macdonald, Staples ; first emergency, Baker 5 second, Bould ; umpiro, Bromley; Bcoror, Barron. Wo trust the weather may keep up, and our Wanganui friends bo enabled to enjoy themselves. Register! Register! Register !— We would earnestly direct the attention of all persons entitled to be placed on the electoral roll, to register their claims at once ; for if they omit to do bo before the 31st Marcli next, they will forego the privilege of voting for another twelve months. The necessary forma can be obtained at the Resident Magistrate's Court. 1 Amateur Performance. — We call attention to the performance to be given on Thursday 23rd February, in aid of the widows and orphans of the seamen and marinos who perished in Her Majesty's late turret ship Captain, by the members of the R.N.A.D.C. of H.M.L. Virago. The programme is full, and consists of popular pieces — " The Charcoal Burner," a two-act piece j to be followed by the farce " Mrs White," the evening to bo concluded with nigger delineations. We expect a good house on the occasion. Presbyterian Sabbath School, Willis Street. — Yesterday afternoon the children attending this school met attlioir school-room, Willis Btreet, at half-past 1 o'clock, to the number of 150, and marched to Mr Sidey's paddocks, Hopper street, accompanied by their teachers. On reaching the paddock, the children separated, and engaged in the amusement which best suited their fancy. The elder j boys engaged in the noble and athletic game of cricket, others preferred foot ball, and ; having chosen sides, entered con amove into the game. The elder girls had a game of teuzy, and the younger ones found full employment at three swings that had been erected for their special amusement. About 4 o'clock the childred sat down on the green sward, being ranged in rows, so as to bb more readily served. Grace having been sung, the children fell to with a will, the exhilirating exercise that they bad had having evidently sharpened their appetites. It was astonishing with what rapidity the plates of cake, buns, &c, disappeared ; and it was indeed a pleasing sight to witness their happy faces so full of youthful enjoyment. Having enjoyed themselves to their heart's content, the children resumed their play ; and the visitors and teachers had tbeir tea. There was abundance of everything, and both old and young enjoyed themselves moßt heartily. The children left the ground about 7 o'clock, but previous to leaving gave three hearty cheers for Mr Patorson, three for Mr Frasor, threo for their teachers, and three for Mr Sidey, who had so generously allowed them the use of his paddocks to hold their festival in. We beg to remind our readers that Messrs Johnston and Co.'b extensive sale of spirits, bottled ale, tea, groceries, kerosine, zinc, nails, window glass, rope, boots, saddlery, &c, takes place this day at twelve o'clock instead of two. . Mr Duncan will sell this day, at 2 o'clock at Mr Dransfield's auction room, Grey street, the moiety of the interest on that very valuable property on Lambton Quay and Bowen street, Mr Henry Owen's drapery storo, a3 per advertisement in another column. Impounding. — A very lengthy case— Sims v. Bould — occupied the attention of the Resident Magistrate all yesterday afternoon. The case was an action for £50 damages for the non-delivery of certain sheep impounded by one Lowes in the Johnsonville public pound, defendant being pound keeper. The sheep had boen pounded at varions times, but had always disappeared during the night. Bould had sued plaintiff, and obtained judgment for the amount of trespass and pound fees. Sims then said ho missed sheep to the value of £50 and sued for the amount. The defence set up was that the sheep after being let out, by whom it was not known, went back to their own paddock. Ultimately judgment was , given for defendant, with coats £11. ! Fish Preserving.— The "New Zealand Herald" says :— Mr Robert Peaco, residing near Wangarei, has prepared a huudrod tins | of mullet, containing each a pound oi the fresh fish preserved. These tins are as neatly pre- j pared as any of the imported goods _ of this kind, and in smell and tasto the fish is every way equal to the preserved salmon sold in the shops. Messrs Roberts and Co. have taken the whole of the first consignment of fish and have expressed their belief that an acquaintance with the preparation on the part of the public only is required to force the herrings,

salmon &c, out. The greatest present difficulty is the supply of fiah, which is somewhat uncertain. Iron in Auckland.— The " Cross" says : — Mr F. White has left at our printing-office for the inspection of tho curious in suoh matters, specimens of ironstone, and fused metal obtained therefrom. He states that the ironstone can be procured in immense quantities in this province at a very trifling coat. The West Coast Murder. — Noble, in his confession to the Sheriff, stated that he did not open Molaumby's door with a key, but that he prised it open with his axo. He struck the child on tho head twice, and then went to the back door and opened it. Hearing some or.o passing by the house he did not go out. Ho returnod to the bedroom, took the child out, and when near tho fence drew the edge of tho axe across her throat. He denies having committed any rape on the child; Charges on Shipping Grain.— The correspondent of tho " Timaru Herald" says that the charges on sending 850 bushels of wheat to England amounted to £93 14s 2d ; the grain realised 3s 3d per bushel, so after de- j ducting expenses the producer received about \ Is per bushel. ] TnE Lost Found.— The " Wairarapa Mercury" of Saturday last says : — A man named James Noble lost himself in tho bush near Morrison's run on Sunday last. ConBtablo Byrn went in search but could not find any trace, and it was not until Friday that he was discovered on the Waihenga Race Course, having been four days without food. Accident.— Saturday's lt Mercury" says :— On Saturday night as one of Mr Hooker's team?, laden with 1500 feet of timber, was going over the Rimutaka hill, on its way to Wellington, in crossing ono of tho bridges about half way up the hill, the waggon capsized down the gully, causing the death of one of tho horses, and breaking the shafts of tho dray. After some trouble the hovses were rescued, and the wreck of the timber recovered. On tho same evening one of tho horses, belonging to tho same proprietor, that had been put with tho rest of . tho team, into the paddock of Mr Abbott, at Featherston, had his leg broken, and was Bhot on Thursday morning. District Prize Firing, Pahautanui. — This company has been very successful in competing for tho district prize?. It fired on Saturday under the superintendence of Colonel Reader. For the first set of prizes Private George Jones scored 4.4, taking with this score the first prize, in the Hutt, Taita, and Porirua District. The next best scorers were those of Privates William Jones senr, James Barrow, and Jesse Barrow, who each made 37. For the second set of prizes Pahautanui is equally fortunate ; Private Jesse Barrow, scoring 52, the highest number yet obtained by the various [competing: companies. W. Jones, senr, again took a second place with a score of 49, James Barrow following him with a score of 47. It is very creditable to P-w hautanui to have been able, with a small and recently formed company, to distance so many older companies. Wheat Growing in Waikato. — In a paper read before the New Zealand Agricul tural Society at Otahuhu, Mr Goodfellow said the Waikato was not adapted for wheat growing. Mr Bridgenian, who resides between Cambridge and Hamilton, has left at our (" Cross") publishing office a fine specimen of wheat grown on his land, which yielded forty bushels to the acre. The average of yield in Adelaide is from fifteen to twenty bushels per acre. The wheat was examined by somo excellent judges yesterday, and pronounced to be fully equal to Adelaide wheat, and worth i from 6s to 6s 6d per bushel. Unfortunately for the producer, it does not pay to Eond tho wheat into town ; but were the railway completed to Waikato, a stimulus would bo given to wheat growing, and largo quantities would bo sent in. Experiments on Aicohoi,. — Tho recent experiments conducted by Professor C. Binz, of the Univorsity of Bonn, to nscertain the effect of alcohol on the blood and its influence on the circulation, have demonstrated the important fact that in forty-nine experiments made in men and doRB, tho result was that in no instance was the temperature raised by alcohol, but in every instance lowered ; and the still more recent experiment of Professor Parks, M.D., of the Army Medical College, and Count Willoniez, assistant-surgeon on the Army Medical Staff, on the general effect of alcohol on the human body, tend to establish other important facts in harmony with the teaching of temperance reformers, and to confirm tho conclusions of Dr Richardson in his fourth report on methyls to the British Scientific Association, viz. : That all alcohol liquors are depressants ; and though at first, by calling injuriously into play the natural force, they seem to excite, and are theroforo called stimulants, they themselves apply no force at any time, but take up force, by which means they lead to exhaustion and paralysis of power.