WEEKLY EPITOME.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 35, 27 December 1873, Page 6

WEEKLY EPITOME.

Some time ago, in noticing the retirement of Mr Strode from the resident magistracy of Dunedin, the well-informed ' Guardian' raid :— " Several gentlemen are mentioned as likely to be his successor, among them being the Minister of Justice himself." Who" is to be the iuccessor to Mr Strode is a question which has been much discussed in Dunedin of late, and the " feeler " thrown out by the ' Q-uardian ' has elicited opinions highly unfavorable to the Hon the Minister of Justice appointing himself to a magistracy. The presence of the Hon the Premier here at this juncture, is also thought to have something to do with this matter, it being considered that he, like a character in the Arabian Nights, is anxious to rid himself of a burden. The dinner to be given to Mr Vogel by his Dunedin admirers, is to taku place ou the sth of next month. The Melbourne agent of the Anglo-Australian Press Telegraphic Agency, remarks the ' Daily Times,' has deemed it necessary to apprise the Njw Zealand public by telegraph of the fact that " Dr Featheraton dined recently with the Lord Biayor at the Mansion House." The * Times' wants to know what has the New Zealand Press done that it should be forced to pay for bucU rubbish ?

fIKHE , A pbitatb Utter from an officer of H.M.B. Pearl now at T^ut* Tip controversy raised by Dr Laing, who charged early Protesfl ?5 ci'e i ' V?? anui Ch * om ' cle >' referring to the «' large areas of conflicated land lying north of the Wainfongoro river* Bays:-!" The ?onfl Te9 f P r y ?T *° &CCc^ fc the fact that the land ha» been confiscated, and by tacit consent it is understood that the Queen's writ does not run north of the Waingongoro " nn.^???!^ s omp^ Mattol V. Ooart i§ » itfcin 6 w New Plymouth. Nbxt month will behold a considerable reduction in the rates of postage between New Zealand and the various other Austrian colomefl. At the Intercolonial Conference, it was agreed to reduce the rate after the close of this year, from 3d to 2d per half-ounce? After this month there will thus be all over these colonies one uniform in' IMSS^^***"*"* noinconrenience will arise t^^ aCmVTIOyB f^° h , ei ? 8 1™**. thl> ™glK>ut Hawkes Bay to deft?']KissaSs?* d6fendantS m the reC6nt irM for Conceb^g the recently discovered seam of coal at Deadman's Sm\ nea X We 9t PPr° rt ', the n * a : -"l*test news says the seam has been opened up on the face to twenty-five feet, and the aen now driving in find the coal getting more solid every foot they go. * ' w , TH V ol i° Wing "* a i i ltere ? fcia 8 item in connection with the establishment of sugar maunfactonea and refineries :— No less than 2081 tonsof sugar were imported into this colony during the quarter endei 30th September last. This is equal to 621 b. per aluum ffevery man! woman, and child in New Zealand. J ' A Pcbmo Crushing Company has been formed at Reefton with a capital of £10,000, in 20,000 shares of 10s each. 307000 & Jew applied for in 24 hour,. Splendid stone ha. been struck 'n the Golden Ledge claim. The shares advanced 100 percent, in two hours The claims have greatly increased in value since the formation of the Crushing Company. Thb practice of running trains to and from Port Chalmer. on Sundays, and the alleged evils arising therefrom, have been broueht prominently under the notice of his Honor the Superintendent by a deputation from the Presbyterian Church. Amon« the reasons urged for discontinuing the Sunday traffic are these :- That the officials on the railway are prevented from participating in Sabbath observances ; that temptation is held out to persons, and particularly the young to absent themselves Irom religious instruction ; that suoh traffic encourages other traffic ; that the practice is generally condemned, and especially so by the people of Port Chalmers, where the Sabbath usually presents the appearance of a holiday. His Honor promised to lay the matter before the Government. Wb (' Western Star') are informed, on reliable authority, that the sawnullers will shortly raise the price of timber. The reasons for this step are the great demand, the scarcity of labor, and a very natural desire on the part of the sawmillers to make hay while the sun shines Emm* SBESBOTioTrmrass.--The Wellington correspondent of the « Otago Guardian,' tells the following unvarnished tale :— The annual distribution of prizes to the Wellington College came off with the usual surroundings, but was rendered noteworthy by a very able report on the state of the college by the Rev. W. B. Harvey M A a gentleman of considerable scholastic ability, and who had been specially appointed by the governors to examine the college and report thereon It is remarkable from the close similarity to the report of Professor Sale on the High School, the lower forms being well up in their work but in the upper forms only empty pretentiousness. ' The Russell correspondent of the ' Southern Cross ' writes— "On Sunday morning last Bishop Croke, D.D., held a service in the Roman Catholic Chapel, and afterwards delivered a most eloquent and impressive address to a numerous congregation, three-fourths of whom belonged to the English Church denomination. It is seldom we have the pleasure and edification of listening to a preacher of Bishop Croke's religious attainments." At Tauranga the Government have purchased a block of land measuring 150,000 acres. Thb Wanganui took fire at the Bluff Wharf on Friday night last The fire was extinguished without serious damage. Thb Dunedin bakers have raised the price of the 41b loaf to 8d Thb body of a man, supposed to be that of Beamish, who was drowned in Dunedin Bay, has been discovered near Burn's old building, on the Peninsula. The body was much disfigured. At the last meeting of the City Council, a letter was read from the Postmaster-General, pointing out the necessity that existed for the establishment of a post-office, in connection with a savings bank and telegraph office, at the nortk end of the city, and intimating that the Government would be prepared to build the same if the City Council womld grant a site. The matter was referred to a committee and there ii, it is said, no doubt that the site will be granted. Thb • Mount Ida Chronicle ' remarks that the miners' associations throughout the province seem pretty well determined to try their strengthen the question of faf combined reduction in the price of gold aftto J>y fee feankit " '• -- * !

• a ?L Ken ? c ,? y &may < th * ««lebrated Scottish vocalists) hay* arrived from Melbourne. «~~» «««/ *«•»- m *u MEa ™ " S" 1116118 *?™ «*<* O°. hare started their New Zealand Clothing Factory at Dunedin, «n a temporary footing and DurnoM soon employing 300 or 400 hands— chiefly giilsf pwp°w .. Al™A 1 ™ °C » suspicious nature was discovered a few days ago, at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Princes street south. It was .iTput out. **WrfS,r^?Ti- lneeb v? ° f t Dunedin ttcensingßenoh'did not take place, the Justices, who were not present, it appeared, from what was stated, considering they had no power to tit. Thb Province of Hawke's Bay expects to commence its next financial year with a credit balance of over £60,000. Anothbb schoolmaster has been fined for beating a girl The WeuKn! 0 ° Ma WM Stophen Carriok> ° £ the •*«* * «™% Thb 'Arrow Observer ' takes a gloomy view of the state of the Thb Southland wool season is advancing rapidly, and wool waggons are now arriving at Inveroargili almost daily. Pasturage has been plentiful this season, and consequently the clip is a good one £29 t^^ove! 1 oanterbut 77 5 aciM of Government bush realised to Oro 815 * ° f Chinamen P* sl *" l tn Wßgt Biverton lately, en route . « T % erma ? b ? 7t Aka J0ll»J 0ll » » "*»"» of bees took up their abode in Po» fc office letter box, and were dislodged with some trouble. Mr O Toole of Adttson's Flat has taken his departure for Sydney. Tms prospects of the Nevis never looked better than they do at present. Thb Auckland cricketer* met with an enthusiasts reception on their return. They were played through the city by the band, and have since been entertained at a public dinner. MEBSM Bboodbk lately imported fifty tons of wrought iron, and three locomotives. Auckland is monopolising the Fiji trade to the exclusion of Sydney. The ! Shotover Biver rises from six to nine inches in a day, and falls to the same extent at night. Tbii is due to the melting of snow deposits, A iatb visitor to Taranaki reports that the people of that provmce import almost every commodity, owing to the feet that they do not grow or manufacture article* for themselves. Mb Hokkb has made good progress with the Martin's -Bay A TATTBBSiLL'g Club, for regulating betting, is being formed in Auckland. ° A hsh curing establishment has been opened at Waikouaiti. Sbvbbai. parties of miners are doing very well at Oardrona. Thb oatcrop in Canterbury is expected to be very heavy. •b ? ' Wlilttto T"ne» f advocates establishing an asylum for Th« Greymouth Licensed TictuaUers' Association is being wound Thb business in the Telegraph Department is still increasing. IKB Taranaki honey harvest it expected to te unusually good this year. * ° *-• OA £r fro i m ?e? c ?l wly °P ened seams at Mokihinui has been tried tried in Westport with most excellent results. Britain I**1 *** 0*"0 *" Fiotmobb, of Wanganui, is about to proceed to Taiuxaw has an Inspector of Thistles, who has to see that thistles are kept down. Amt of lucky Chinese diggers left Hokitika lately for Melbourne. en route for the land of their nativity. SranjacENT goes on apace in the Upper Taieri district. Thb horary of the Wellington Athenaeum contains 4200 books. Aw InvercargiU paper mentions that the scarcity of labor continues to be much felt. * AoooTOTa from the Inangahua are satisfactory. Long and weary depression is likely to give place to briskness and speculation. ' Majob Gobdoh, the Inspector of velunteers, denies the report that he said the Wellington Artillery was the best corps he had seen in the colony. r Is the Christohurch museum are two whale skeletons, both of full-grown animals. One is seven and the other thirty feet lone. TPbok Auckland comet news that the Australian Bellrineers have been drawing crowded houses. At Nelson lately, Mr Abraham Bush, aged 73 years, complained of feeling unwell, undressed, got into bed, and a few minutes afterwards died. Death was occasioned by disease of the heart. Gbbat complaints are being made in Auckland of the ravages committed by sparrows among the fruit. Thb erection of a new export goods shed at the Invercargill railway station has been commenced. The shed is to measure 200 feet by 5Q feet. ' Among the imports per ship Caller Ou, to Otago, are five cases of Bilver coin. Thb Mataura Bench of Justices lately fined the landlord of the Pyramid Hotel £2 for permitting drunkenness in his hotel. The Wellington shipwrights, who number about thirty, have formed themselves into an Association. A kkw municipality comprissing the three townships o f Shorfland, Grahamstown, and the Tararua has been constituted on the Thames goldfields. Thb steamer Lady of the Lake, with eighty tons of railway iron on board, has crossed the Xaieri bar at quartct-ebbj and rieamed up (ht riTer, to toe bridge.

Ths Governor arrived in Dunedin on Tuesday. The Hutt railway, eight miles long, and some 18 months since the first sod was turned, is, it is reported, to be opened formally on Ist February. Makt complaints are being made in Dunedin, that a general system of petty thefts, especially of poultry, is being carried on. Sous cases »f intimidation, says the Charleston 'Herald,' occurred iuring the day of the Superintendeacy election, one or more of which is likely to prove a subject of magisterial inpuiry. Axono- the events at the Manuka creek Christmas sports was a race for Chinamen only. Tkb prize at the Nelson Exhibition for the best local tale was takes by one entitled " A page of life on the gold fields." At the Tokomairiro Grammar Schoal a pupil was trampled upon in a scramble, the result being a broken arm. Thb Waikouaiti paper, for not publishing certain local items pleads in excuse that one of its typos " got on the spree." Thi colonial farmers' pest, the thistle, is said to be spreading in Westland. At the sludge channel works, Naseby, Chinamen are largely employed at 8s per diem, and give great satisfaction. Nairs from the Haast states no further gold discoveries have been made. Ths Napier races will be held at the conclusion of the Colonial prus firing. FiiOirsßs are now an article of export from Wanganui to Wellington: Pom CsAXICBBs is progressing fast. . Thb erection of buildings in Christehurcb. continues with un•Dated spirit. The same may be said of Dunedin. A Caithness and Sutherland Association has been formed for vtago. . Land in the Wanganui district is rapidly inoreaaing in value It is said that a tender for constructing the Waimea water race has been accepted. The amount is Btated to be £8373. pjwxma fountains are to be erected iv suitable localities in Wellington. A •ohooheb lying alongside the Auckland wharf, the Fannie Hare, of San Francisco, has a mainmast 93 feet in height, and foremast 89 feet. She was in Dunedin harbor lately I.* Tra« Boss Guardian' says:-" It is high time that some effort should be made to organise Christmas." Queer English ! Tra fakers of the Thames have raised the price of the fourFoobtebk carpenters, who arrived at Napier, are regarded as a welcome addition to the building trade. A Natsow paper says:— Wehavenogss. We have gas works, but no hght— more's the pity. 6 ' Mb HAiraHiON'B dog "Bully" is dead. « Bully" knew all the older members of Parhament, but was puzzled with the new ones of last session. He was a constant attender at Parliament House, and used to follow his master when he was canvassing the WakatiD constitueacy. * "«»wp cwu mu> T *,? total j!?™ of the Tima ™ supply is put down at £10,000. Ihis will give 60,000 gallons a day, or twenty gaUonu per head for the population! Immigbation barracks will be erected at Oamaru. '• V £ IH £ 8 ' c "« BP°nd8 P° nde nt complains of the insufficient support given to the Carandini Concerts. *uyj?vn Tkjdim are now called for improvements at Waikouaiti Harbor Ac Oamaru, one James Earl has been fined in the nominal sum full d co . Bifor8 if or ne g le °ting to register the birth of his child The