LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3228, 17 June 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Provincial Council. — Nothing but the Highways Act suited the temper of tho Council last night. Any matter on the order paper likely to involve discussion was put on one side. The debate on the second reading of the bill concluded at the hour for the Council rising for dinner, many members having deemed it unnecessary to speak. Tho second reading was carried by a majority of one. On the Council resuming, the bill was attackod in committee on each clause. As might be imagined after the discussion that ensued on the second reading, the remarks in committee were comparatively meagro of interest. A little liveliness, however, animated the discussion on the 2nd clause, which, from an imperfection in drafting, was not very clear as to whethor single women had a voice in tho election of wardens. Whatever the original intention of the Government might have been in drafting the clause in respect fco extonding tho franchise to women, the general feeling of tho Council deprecated tho idea of the true sphere of woman embracing anything in the arena of self-govern-ment, and the clause was amended 60 as to exclude their participation in district highway matters, Mr Ludluni dreading thai; the inevitable issue of such a principle being generally recognised would bo that the masculine gender Trould degenerate, in many instances, into that of a vicarious nurseman. Mr Masters and Mr Pharazyn dreaded no such contingeucy, and quoted tho satisfactory working of tho London Education Board, composed of representatives of both sexes. Making comparisons between the Highways Act and the Municipal Corporations Act, elicited the information from Mr Dransfield that tho working of tho latter was in no way more expensive than the old Town Board Act. On the whole, however, tho bill progressed slowly 5 and in whatever form the act may come into operation, it is not likely to be said that it was hurried through, as every member seemed to feel morally bound to weigh each clause by his own mental weights and measures. The result was that only fifteen clauses wore got through, when an adjournment was proposed. This elicited a slight demurrer from Mr Bunny, who seems ravenous for work ; but as he could not ignore the fact that the debate was dreary, the hall cold, and in consequence many of the members being in a retiring mood, he offered no objection (though ha took occasion to remind country members not to say the Government detained them unnecessarily by not pushing on the work), and the Council adjourned till Tuesday. St. Peter's Sonooi;. — Tho second of the series of entertainments at the above schoolroom will be held on Tuesday evening next. An excollent programme is mapped out and the promoters wish to see a numerous assemblage of the public on the occasion so as to enable them the better to attain tho objoct for which tho entertainments were started — tho obtaining of funds for the purch»3O of an organ to assist in the proper performance of the choral portion of the churoh services. Hobticultujui Society.— A meeting of the above Society will bo hold on Tuesday evening next, at Mr J. H. Wallace's offices, for the purpose of making arrangements for the next exhibition of tho Society. The Aira&LERT. — The battery will assemble at the drill shed to-day at one o'clock, in full dress, with arms and accoutrements, and will proceed to Pipitea Point, where they will bo inspected by Colonel Harrington, and afterwards tho Government prizes will be competed for. The band of the battery will be in attendance, under the charge of Bandmaster Marshall. Annual Inspections.-— Colonel Harrington will commence his annual inspection of tho volunteers of the Wellington district on Monday next, 19fch inst. No. 1 Company will parade at the Thorndon Barracks afc 2 p.m., and the Veterans ond the Cadets at tho same place at 3 p.m. The country districts will be inspected on subsequent days during tho week, the corps, days, and places being specified in an advertisement in another column. The "Law Trim."— The "Times" of Dunedin has given its decision on the late telegraphic case heard in Wellington as follows : — Wo believe that the decision of the bench at Wellington in disposing of the charge against Mr Lemon, the General Manager of the Telegraph Department, is altogether illegal, presuming the Wellington Independent's report of the proceedings to be correct. Two days were occupied in hearing the case. On the second day, a magistrate who was not present on the first, sat on the bench, and a magistrate who was present on the first day, is reported to have been absent when the case was disposed of. The more presence of one disqualified out of several magistrates has been held fatal, although the one took no part in the decision of the case. Mail Contract. — We understand that the N.Z.S.S. Company's tender for the conveyance of the European and American mails from the Manakau for Taranaki, West Coast, Nelson, and Picton has been accepted. Highland Cobps.— The Highland Corps paraded last night for inspection by Colonel Eeader, commanding the district. There was a full attendance, only one member being absent. Colonel Reader complimented the men on their steadiness and precision, and said there were many corps in the province who had been drilled for years who did not move half so well bb tho Highlanders ; in fact, it was, be said, the most creditable drill he had attended for some time past, and they would shortly, from what he saw of them, surpass some of the t 'oldor corps. A parade will be held on Wednesday evening next, at 7.30 o'clock, in the drill shed, after which the corps will proceed to the election of two subaltern officers (a Lieutenant and Ensign), the members at present sworn in not admitting of tho election of a Captain, which will be done at an early date. The Weighbridge. — Mr Marchant, the City Surveyor, put the weighbridge through a number of trials yesterday afternoon for the purpose of testing its accuracy, so as to satisfy those who may have occasion to make use of it of its correctness. An incongruous collection of weights, of all shapes and Bizes, though, of course, of standard weight, had been obtained for tho occasion, and some of tho City Council officials wore stationed outside the building to put ttny weight they chose on to tho weighing plate, a curious crowd of idlers acting as telltales by rushing to and fro from the weighing room to the weights, and vice versa, the wall of the building preventing the possibility of seeing what was on the scale. Mr Marchant personified' Justice for the occasion, and, assisted by the record of the balance, dealt out judgment with tolerable accuracy. As only small woight3 could bo procured, it must be understood that tho test would bo all the more severo for so largo a machine, it weighing up to something over seven tone. At 3 cwt the machine was about H or 2 lbs out, and at other higher

weights it was more or less correct. As the weight increased the machine became more rcliablo, and at 6£cwt and 71bs tho weight was given to an ounce, and again at 6£ cwt 14 lbs tho machine could hardly bo said to be wrong, although it was rather sluggish. Mr Marchant explained that as tho machine comes more into use and is properly lubricated, it will bo more reliable 5 in addition to which, for close weighing, it will require a person to understand the nicety of touch required to give very close weights. Tho weighing plate is 10 feet by 6 feet, and was made to take on drays of tho standard now adopted in England, sft 6 in. Some of the old-fashioned drays in the town measuring 6ft. 4 in., they will have to reverse the order of things by going on sideways. The result of the trial was so thoroughly satisfactory, as to justify the entire confidence of tho public. The machine will bo open for public use on Monday next. Old Gor/GH. — After a short indulgence in the delights of Zimmerman, old Gough has once more returned to what is to him terrestrial torment — contact with his fellow mortals. Suffering from tho acuteness of a drunknrd's remorse after an almost wasted life, a strong feeling has developed itsolf within him that it was time |ho extinguished tho fitful glimmer that existed within him, and with this resolve he marched off a day or two ago in the direction of Polhill's Gully. Ho was missed for several days, and as it was known that ho had started off in that direction, and was in a very melancholy train of mind at the time, many wild conjectures were hazarded as to his fate. ! However, yesterday the old man turned up at ft house in the neighborhood of the spot ho had selected to bloach his bones on, and then it transpired that it really had been his intention to finally make away with himself — but that the nativo hue of resolution became sicklied o'er with a p&le cast of thought, and in a weak moment he gave way to the call for victuals, and emerged from lu'b seclusion. But seriously the case is a pitiable one. What is to become of tho poor old fellow ie a question hard to answer. We have no Benevolent Asylum in which to place unfortunates of Gough's class, and tho only alternative aeeras to be tho placing of the old man in the caro of Mr Maciah Eoed. Gough gives a round unvarnished tale of his proceedings since his absence, and we cannot do better than give it in his own words :— " I haven't been drinking for a long time, but I feel worn out and want to die. I wont up Polhill's Gully on Monday, and got into tho bush to lie down and die. I came to a place where there waß a tree lying ou the top of a rock ; I crept below the tree, and lay in the rock, there being just space to creep in j I lay there three days and throe nights without food, hoping that death would como ; at last I thought I would oat a little bread before I died, and I crawled to a house ; tho people wore kind, and I was brought into SomervilJo's." City Valuation.— Tho Town Clork of Christ church submitted at tho meeting of tho City Council recently the rato book for this year. Tho gross valuation is £86,789. The value of tho four quarters of the city aro as follows : — South-east, £33,665 ; south-west, £22,710 10s ; north-east, £15,366 ; norbh-weat, £15,0-17 103. The general rate of Is will bring in £1339 9a. Tho Waimakariri rate will be collected at the same time, being ft rate of 2d in the pound, amounting to £723 4s lOd. Tho valuation of the city last year was £86,635. Acclimatisation. — At a recent meeting of the Otago Society, it was stated that four fallow deer had been sent to Mr John M'Lean, Movern Hills, in 1867. Shortly after they had been sent thither, a buck and a doe killed themselves by trying to leap a high fence. I The other pair, which were then turned out on the ranges, were not seen till recently, when it was found that they had increased. The red deer, ifc was said, which had been turned out at tho same place, had lately bocome shy, and had betaken themselves from the paddocks to tho ranges. Farming in Canterbury. — Ploughing for spring sown grain in the Nothcrn districts of being rapidly gone on with. On the Downs i Canterbury is, tho " Press" latoly stated, 'most of the sowing may be considered over while up on the plains sowing will bo continued till the end of the present month. Wheat is being extensively planted. A reliablo correspondent informs tho same journal that at least half as much moro land as last season in being broken up for cultivation of this sereal, evidently owing to tho anticipated increase in its price at tho time of next harvest. A Mayor's Nest. — The salary of the Mayor of Auckland has been fixed at £250. Survey. — The survey of the railway from Nolaon to Foxhill has been commenced. Exports. — Mr M. Cassius, of Hokitika, is shipping wool and hides to Melbourne by the intercolonial trading vessels. A Spiritual Want. — The Mount Ida "Chronicle" stales that " Naseby is now without a resident minister of any creed." A Spiritual Want Supplied. — A hotel has been opened at the " mosquito township" of Oeo, Taranaki. by a Maori firm. Maoris Woolgathering.— At an agricultural show held at Nelson tho other day, a Maori took the first prize for tho best Southdown ram, aud the second prize for the best pen of Southdown ewes. Unemployed. — Largo numbers of men are said to be vainly seeking employment in Hawke's Bay, a false report having lured them thither from Auckland. The Great Ross Extended Claim. — A ccording to the West Coast papers this claim, which now belongs to Mr M. Cassius, is "paying very well." It employs thirty-six miners. Putting on the Wrong Side. —At Timaru, a carter has been fined 50s aad costs for not keeping on the proper side of the road. The MARcn op Intellect. — The natives in Hawke's Bay are reported to be everywhere desirous of obtaining European instruction for their children. Cloth. — A public meeting was held in Christchurch a few days ago to take stops for the establishment of a cloth factory there. The attendance was small, and on this account, after some speeches had been made, the meeting was adjourned without anything definite being done. Dredging. — The success of the dredges on some of the Otago rivers has induced the West Coast minors to turn their attention towards this branch of mining, and it is propssed shortly to place a dredge as an experiment on the Upper Buller. Mr Lowther Broad is said to bo the moviug spirit in the affair. News srom Home. — We must go from home to hoar news, and from Otago we got the following item. The "Times" says:— The Norwegian immigrants can hardly be expected to transmit to their friends iv Europe favorable accounts regarding New Zealand, for it is stated that the road leading to the township whore they are located is for ten miles buried in mud deep enough to reach to a horse's cheat, and flour has in consequence reached the price of 27s per cwt. Exported Oats. — The "Oamaru Times" states that tho oats exported from that district have gained a very unenviable notorioty in the Melbourne market, owing chiefly to tho slovenly manner in which they are cleaned. Canterbury oats enjoy a bettor reputation, and fetch from 4d to 6d per bushel moro. The same holds good of the West Coast and Auckland markets. Permissive Bil.l. — The agitation in favor of a Permissive Bill has extended to one or two country districts of the province of Nelson. Farming Prospects. — The prospects for next season of tho farmers in the Oamaru district was roportod by tho local paper to bo favorable, good progress having been mado both in ploughing and sowing. Hokitika. — Hokitika, liko Wostport, is suffering from the enoroaohments of the sea, which has undermined a portion of the wharf to such an extent that it is expected to fall in.

Kawakawa Coal. — The Kawakawa (Bay of Iclands) coal mines continue to be actively worked. Indeed tho demand for coal is so great that vessels are subjected to considerable delay before they can succeed in obtaining a cargo. Fatitee Larkins. — Father Larta'ns, of West Coast notoriety, has been appointed [' To minister in holy things to tho Catholic portion of tho Lawrence (Tuapeka) community," ns stated by a correspondent to the " Bruce Herald." Scientific Kumoh. — Wo ("Grey Eiver Argus") aro informed, from a reliable source, that by the last mail to San Francisco, a telegram was sent by tho Ministry to the Hon Julius Vogol, imperatively urging his immediate return to tho Colony. Ho may possibly return by tho July steam er. Ay Anaciironism. — Upon the authority of one of the oldest members of tho House of Representatives, the " Otago Daily Times" loams that tho statement made by tho "Hawke's Bay Herald" to the effect that Mr Fitzherbert and Mr Williamson wcro members during tho first session of tho Assembly, is incorrect. A Last Fond Wish.— Tho" Otago Daily Times," in its last monthly summary for England makes the following prophecy: — A full inquiry into all the circumstances connected with the telegram libel case will probably bo instituted when the Assembly meets ; and if, when the question comes up for discussion, the Houso adopts tho same view regarding tho past administration of tho Telegraph Department by tho Ministry, as is ontertainod by the public of New Zealand, and by the newspapers of tho neighboring colonies without one single exception, a change of Government will take place. Fortunately, this is the first occasion on which the character of tho colony has been blackened by the act of her rulers, and notln'ng short of thoir removal from office will enable New Zealand to regain, in the estimation of her neighbors, that high character which has been associated with her name since she became possessed of representative institutions. Squatters and the General Assembly. — With a view of enabling tho Otago constituencies to obtain a larger choice of candidates for the General As3sembly " outside the pastoral tonauts of tho Crown," one of the members of the Provincial Council has given notice that ho will move the following resolution : — " That with a view to assist in diminishing the difficulty hitherto experienced by Oiago constituencies in obtaining a sufficient choice of candidates for the General Assembly outside the pastoral tenants of the Crown, this Council is of opinion that for tho future it is advisable to pay out of the Provincial revenue, to each Otago representative in the General Assembly tho sum of £150 per annnum ; that in order to secure this desirable object without placing any additional burden on the revenue, this Council agrees Jto abolish tho honorarium heretofore paid to its own members 3 also that a respectful address bo presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting that ft sufficient sum for tho above purpose may be placed upon the Estimates."