WEEKLY EPITOME

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 46, 14 March 1874, Page 6

WEEKLY EPITOME

The dejeuner to His Excellency Governor Weld at Wellington was a success. The Superintendent proposed his health in a long speech. Governor Weld, in response, spoke of New Zealand being his and his children's home. He said he made his first speech here as a young man, and he held the same views still. He remarked that his heart was ever with New Zealand, where he had been a pioneer settler and politician. He said that Western Australia was in state of coma. Sir James and Lady Fergusson were present. The Superintendent was in the chair, and about 100 guests were present, including ladies. Ihe Wellington • Tribune ' says that the health of the Hon. John Hall, now in London, has quite given way. A 6UBLT philosopher in the Timaru paper gives it as his deliberate opinion that Mr Vogel's propensity for dining in public and making long twaddling speeches afterwards is becoming a perfect nuisance. " The telegraphists throughout the colony are kept hanging about the office more than half the night, and some hundreds of over-worked people are kept out of their beds for three or four extra hours, merely that the newspapers, much agaiust their will, may be compelled to publish a lot of post prandial bosh, which no one cares a rap to read. This dinner at the Thames is the last straw that breaks tne camel's back ; we positively will not in future risk losing the mails, and sub* mit to crowd out important matter because Mr Voge. finds that his platitudes and tomfoolery go down better by lamplight, and after a liberal allowance of indifferent liquor, than they do iv sober daylight before the sun is over the fore-yard arm." The ' Bruce Herald,' referi ing to the visit of Mr Holloway, remarks: — " We have little doubt Mr Ho'loway will, during his trip, both sco and hear much to recommend Otago as a desirable field lor colonisation, and have as little doubt that he will also see and hear as much as will show him that the greatest hindrance to the development of the resources of the country lies iv the Government maladministration of our waste lands. la every district he vi:>its, whether agricultural or mining, we venture to predict the burden of complaint will be the same, viz., the hindrances and want of sincerity in the mode ot ' administrating our waste lands with a view to settlement. We trust that Mr Holloway, before leaving our shores, -will take an opportunity of giving the people of Duuedin, especially tho working classes there, i the benefit of his observations. We believe the expression of the | opinions he may form during his tiip of seeing things for himself | would be invaiuable to a large class iv our cities, who know but little of tlie real battle which a few have consistently for years been endeavouring to fight agaiust the monopoly of capital." A MIXING correposdent of the 'JJaily Times' writes: — "It is really a pleasure to see some of the pretty little gardens — I was going to say owned by the miners, but this is not the case — the only tenure they can get is under the miner's right. Some of these gardens are well stocked with fruit trees and vines— all of which are the most luxuriant in growth, aud the fruit of excellent quality. The Government profess a desire to attach the people to the soil, and are willing to give laad to parties who will plane forest trees — would it not be good policy to sell these men who have made the desert blossom like a rose their little patches — not exceeding an acre — for a nominal thing r such as a shilling a lot. Of course the consent of the runholder would have to be obtained. I do not see why men who have paid their passages to the colony, and many of them the pioneers of these goldfields, should not receive something in return for their skill and perseverance," During the hearing of the case, tho Water Works Company v. I Fish, in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, a few days ago,

Mr Barton, in his address for the defence, objected to the practice of making general and broad statements in information*. He knew it was done in the Supreme Court — but it was done there by only one practitioner, " and none of the remainder of us have either the option or choice of doing so." He hoped that such would not be the case in this Court. The Superintendent of Westland made a financial statement on the night of the 4th inst., and also tabled the estimates ; and estimated the expenditure for the year at £88,000, and the receipts £86,000. The ' Timaru Herald,' in noticing the candidates in the field for Mr Bathgate's vacant seat in the House of Representatives, regards Mr Fish as hardly the stamp of man that is wanted just now. The passengers per Scimitar number in all 273 statute adults and 77 children, equal to 350J statute adults. Of these, 180 males and 151 females are English ; 5 males and 3 females, Scotch ; 22 males and 7 females, Irish ; 43 males and 30 females, from foreign countries. Of those by the Carnatic, the following are the Nationalities — England, 129 ; Irish, 101 ; Stotcb, 11 ; Channel Island, 8 ; Canada, 6— total, 255 souls, equal to 210£ statute adults. A large proportion of the Irish are females. The ' Buller News ' says :—": — " An extensive mineral deposit containing a large per centage of quicksilver has been discovered lately in the province. We are not at liberty at present to state the preciee locality ; but we believe the discovery will lead to most important results." At a meeting, held at New Plymouth, of unpaid up shareholders in the Pioneer Steel Company, it was unanimously agreed to resist a call made by the liquidating shareholders in writing. They bound themselves to defend any legal proceedings brought against any one of their number. Two of the three liquidators, Messrs Chilman and V. C. Richmond, signed the document. It is now left for the paid up shareholders to take the initiative in the matter. Thbbe was a terrific gale at Wellington on the night of the 6*h mst. Two colliers were lost — the ship Wellington and the barque Cyrus— between Lyell's Bay and Sinclair's Head. Seven lives were lost, two from the ship Wellington, being Johnston, the cook, and Eushton, a seaman, lhe five lost from the Cyrus were, Mrs Wrigglesworth, the wife of a well-known photographer, and her two children ; Robert Smith, the second officer $ and a seaman called George. Captain Hill, of the Wellington, and eight seamen, pulled into the harbour, after escaping from the ship in a most miraculous manner. The first mate was saved by clinging ro a life-buoy, and the ■econd mate managed to swim ashore. The people on shore assisted the Cyrus crew and officers ashore with ropes, but all much cut and bruised: Both vessels are smashed into numberless pieces, and went ashore within a few yards of each other. They left port on Friday, bound for Newcastle. The aggregate loss of the Wellington and Cyrus is £8000. The customs receipts on Friday, Bth inst., at Auckland, amounted to £2154, and on Saturday to £2993, the largest amounts ever collected in port. The week's return was £7626. The Banks have raised the price of gold from £8 15s to £3 15s 6d. This step, it is said, is due to the threatened exportation of gold to the Victorian mint. The Westland Provincial Council has increased the police pay sixpence per day. The pay is now 9s 6d. Db. Atchisoit has reported to the Greymouth Borough Council that typhoid fever of a dangerous type is existing in Greymoutb. The Council are about to take active steps to remove the nuisance. In the Otago Provincial Government ' Gaaette,' the Superintendent proclaims the months of April, May, June, and July as the season for 1874, during which native game can be shot. The English Opera Company are perf, rming in Dunedin. A RECENT visitor to the Nevie goldQeld informs the ' Lake Wakatip Mail ' that the miners there are, as a rule, doing exceedingly well. He mentioned one claim in particular (M'Donald and party), where the result of 17 days' work wa& the handsome amount of 172 ozs. They are now stripping another paddock, from a fourth part of which they have already obtained G2 ozs. Of course this ia an exceptional case. The Chine«e also are reported as doing well on this field. As an instance of the advance in the value of property in Dunedin, it might be mentioned that Mr Couzens has sold the piece of ground, which has a frontage of 26ft 4in on Jetty street, on which tho Cafe de Paris Hotel is situated, wi<h the wooden building upon it, for the sum of £2000, being £75 12s 7d per foot, or £6 6s per inch. The same properly was boU by Got e.-nment, five years ago, at £25 per foot. The building is to be used as a warehouse. St Patbick's Day is to be celebrated in Chriatchureh by a grind dinner at the Forester's Hall, ard Zvlr C. C. Bowen, Resident Magistral f T na3 p-omiscd to preside on the occasion. Two men had a narrow escape from suffocation in the CiJedoni.in mine on Saturday morning, through a sudden influx of foul gas. The Inspector of Mines is holding an enquiry. The post of Provincial Solicitor, resigned by Mr Turron a few days ago, has not jet been filled, lutti is expected that Mr Haggitt will receive the appointment. It is rumoured that t.iere will soon be another resignation in the Ota<»o Executive Council, and that the vacant seat is to be filled by Mr Fish. Thb barque Anazi which was run ashore has been towed off, and brought into Auckland harbor. The Union Beach claim at Coromandei has come across a leader, said to'be of almost solid gold. The Customs receipts at Nelsoa on the 9th insb., amounted to „ £2453, the largest sum ever taken ia one day. "* Michael J. M'Guirk, a man of seventy-five years of age (a Waterloo' vetreran), was charged at the R. M. Court, Inyercargill, the other day, with having al tempted to commit suicido. He had asked for prussic acid at a clieEiist's shop, for the purpose of killing rats, but was refused; and u;,on being pressed a? to what he -wanted with it, he confessed it was to destroy himself. When apprehended, prusaic add was. found, on his person, but there was no evidence that he had

attempted to carry his intention into effect. He admitted haying been' drinking prior to his being apprehended, but denied haying any intention of making an attempt upon lm life. He was discharged. The schooner Mary Van Every, has become a totul wreck on the' Molyneux bar. Messes M'Landress, Hepburn and Co. have sold, on* account of Mr James Watson, the freehold snd good -will of th^ Boy al Hotel, Walker Street, Dunedin, for the sum of £1500 j the stock-in-trade and furniture to be taken at a valuation. Tub Annual Moveable Meeting of the H.A.C.B.S. was held in Melbourne last week. Delegates from every Branch were present. The meeting lasted three days. Business of paramount importance to the welfare of the Society was transacted. Fobtt sashes for St. Joseph's Branch-, No. 73, H.A.C.8.5., arrived from Melbourne last Saturday per e.s-. Onreo. The members of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, Christchnrch, have resolved to commemorate St. Patrick's* Day with a Dinner. From Oamaru wo learn that the local brand* of the' Hiberniau Australasian Catholic Benefit Society intend to celebrate St. Patrick's* Day by a supper at the White Hart Hotel. The members of the Oamaru branch of the H.A.C.8.9. have resolved to receive the Holy Communion in a body on Easter Sunday. It is with regret that we announce the death of Mr Flynn, pub--lisan, Kakanui. Mr Flynn, who had been ailing for some time past, breathed his last on Thursday week. His death cast quite a gloom over the little township of Kakanui. Mr Flynn was one of the first to join the Oamaru branch of the H.A.C.8.5., and on Sunday last the members of that lodge rode over to Kakanui, a distance of seven miles from Oamaru, to attend the funeral of their deceased brother. From thence the cortege proceeded to Oamaru ; the march was very solemn and impressive, the officers wearing their regalia and the members their sashes. At Oamaru the funeral was met by the Rev. Mr Donovan, the chaplin to the branch, who read the last obsequies for the dead over the grave of tho deceased member. The solemn ceremony reminded the members of the stern fact that " in the midst of life we are in death." OrjE A uckland correspondent telegraphs on Wednesday evening Business done — Bright Smile, 52s 6d ; Bank New Zealand, LI 6 2s 6d; National Insurance, 24s 6d and 25s ; Central Italy (second issue) 5s ; Caledonian, L 10;1 0; Moanatairi, 35s ; Golden Calf (new issue), 9s 3d and 9a 6d ; Queen of May, 6e 6d ; Union Beach, 13s 6d.