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Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1065, 24 March 1882, Page 2

We are sorry to learn that Mr Stratford, Warden for the Ahaura and Grey district, ia very seriously ill, and all his Courts have been postponed till April. It is impossible for Mr Revell to take them till then, his time being already fully filled up. In the District Court yesterday, on a certificate being handed in signed by Dr. Thorpe, testifying that Mr Charles M'Gaffin, who had been summoned as a juror, was too ill to attend, his Honor said that it was not sufficient for a medical man to merely send in a certificate, unless either he or some other person attended to support it. It must be distinctly understood that in future some one must attend the Court to verify the facts set out in the certificate. This course was not peculiar to that Court, but had been adopted by every Court in the Colony, as a protection against certificates signed either by bogus medical men or given on insufficient grounds. As a matter of fact Mr M'Gaffin was very ill, bnt in future formal verification of all medical certificates would be required. In the case of Thomas Shanks also summoned on the juiy another certificate to the effect that he was too ill to attend, from Dr. Thorpe, was given in, but Mr Willis, bailiff of the Court testified, that of his own knowledge he knew such to be correct, and Mr Shanks was excused, as alsoMrM'Gaffin. Some very fair stone has been brought in from the Colleen Bawn at Boatman's, and shows fine gold right through. Owing to the holidays there is very little to say about mining generally this week. A meeting of the shareholders in the Golden Streak Company, Devil's Creek, was held on Wednesday evening, when Messrs M. Byrne, M. R. Gissing, J. Naysraith, and W. Campbell, were elected directors, and Mr F. Smith, auditor. We are glad to hear that the short track to Boatman's is being pegged out with a view to converting it into a bridle track, and it is expected that tenders will be c&lled for in a few days. „.-4Jltßfc The totaMsaior, worked by B^^TOSh answered all expectation, aM gave great satisfaction on the first days' racing. On the Tuesday, "however, when amateurs took the command some breakages, as we are informed, took place though none of a serious nature. The District Court will sit again to-day at 10 o'clock. The business unfinished is an action Poole v. the Imperial Company, for alleged breach of contract. An application by the Victory Company, and j in bankruptcy, Robert Reagh will apply for his final discharge. An advertisement from Mr Job Lines gives full particulars of the arrival and departure of his coaches, by which people can now travel right to Bellgrove, a station on the Nelson line only a few miles from Nelson, thus doing away with any sea travelling to that place if desired. The trip to or from Nelson will occupy three days, and the fare is fixed at £3 10s. The tri-weekly communication with Westport is also fully established, and the new arrangements cannot fail to give the greatest satisfaction to travellers. Kohler's waxwork exhibition will open to-morrow evening in the Oddfellows' Hall, and will remain a few days, admitting visitors from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., so country people will have an opportunity of seeing it during the day. In addition to the waxworks, the brothers Kohler are noted musicians, the elder being one of the best cornet players in the colony. Musical pieces are performed from time to time when the entertainment is open. In addition there is the Electric Boy, who is really wonderful, as also Edison's phonograph, which is a scientific marvel. The admission money is very reasonable, and we have no doubt that the exhibition will attract a number of sight-seers. " The Dart " that ran in all the hurdle races at the late meeting and managed to win that on the extra day of the races, was disposed of by chance, and was won by Mrs Hartigan of the City Hotel. Though hardly likely ever to distinguish himself greatly on the turf, he is an excellent hack, goes well in harness, and his present fair owner cannot complain of the price she paid for him. When the jurors were called for the civil cases at the District Court yesterday, Messrs Collings and M. Dunn applied to be exempted on the ground that they were members of the Fire Brigade. His Honor said that there was a mistaken notion on the law in connection with members of fire brigades being exempt, and it would be always necessary to see that the Act was strictly carried out. The captain of every brigade was responsible for the statements he made in every case. He must certify that those claiminf exemption were active members of the brigade; that they had regularly attended all practices for a full year prior to the holding of the Court at which they lniide the claim, *and that they

had for the same year"fully otherwise observed all the rules and regulations of the brigade. On his Honor inspecting the certificates presented he said that he thought they met the requirements, and discharged the above two jurors. Mounted-Constable Bamford will take Silas Gibson, convicted yesterday and sentenced to three years imprisonment, down to Greymouth by to-day's coach. Gibson will then be forwarded on to Hokitika, where he will serve his sentence. Inspector Emerson having completed his tour of police inspection in the district will return to Greymouth to-day. The dog is a digitigrade carnivorous mamal. This will be news to most persons, who had always supposed that a dog was simply a dog. It has been bruited about that the dog is the best friend to man among the bruit creation. He pants after the thief. When once he gets hold of the thief's pants he makes breaches. A barking dog never bites — that is to says, when he begins to bite he stops barking. Conversely a biting dog never barks and for similar reasons. The hair of a dog will cure his bite. This is a enre-ious superstition among hair-brained young men who are fast going to the dogs. Dogs ar& dentists by profession ; they insert their teeth without charge. The seadog loves his bark. Did you ever see a dog that didn't ? The bark of the tree is unlike the bark of a dog: Even a dogwood knows this. Dogs are not always kind, though there are many kinds of dogs. Every dog has his day, although dog-days last but a few weeks in the year. There must be a Sirius error here. They planet so that their days come while the star is in the Bky. They do do not fear it ; it is not a Skye terrior. When a dog enters a pitch battle he uses the dog's 'tar. Brutus said, " I had rather be a dog and bay the moon than such a Roman " He had see the dogs roainin' around on the bay. They never get over the. See ? Dogs were the original Argonauts. They have never given over their search for fleas. The bull-dog is a stubborn fellow ', he is not easily . cowed. A great many stories about the dog have obtained currency. The man who has left a part of his clothing with the dog has cur rent, See ? Puppies are born blind. They are not see dogs then. There are many types of dog, including the daguerrotype. But perhaps we had better paws here. Howl this do for the dog ? Mr C. D. Whitecoinbe, Land Commissioner at Taranaki, is on a visit to the hot springs. He says the smell of sulphur is so strong there and everything has such a peculiar taste, that he was led to believe during his first day there that Rotorua is a kind of warning to ill-doers of the place they will have to reside in hereafter. A singular accident is reported by the Bruce Herald to have happened to a greyhound on Wednesday morning. Mr Thomas Eett was out exercising his dogs, when two of them, running in opposite directions, came into violent col^^if^i.hlßfce ikibekandUUAd'^a At a case recently heard at Long Ashton, an experienced knacker gave evidence. Asked what became of slaughtered horses about his part, he observed that the 'best sorts were sold as cats meat and ' the rest ' was spiced and seasoned for sale in London as sausages and saveloys. Creditors, when summoning persons resident in another town, should always, says a Christchurch exchange, be careful that they have got hold of the right person, otherwise they may get let in for more than they anticipate. At the Resident Magistrate's Court' Mr Button applied for leave to take evidence in the case of C. Maclntyre, of Wellington v. Vitali Chezari, described on the plaint as "better known as Victor, of Gloucester street, Chistchurch." Mr Button exhibited the bill of particulars, which covered some two yards of bill-head paper and sought to show that the plaintiff was indebted in a large sum for goodssoldanddelivered. Hecalled the defendant who stated that he had never known, nor transacted business with plaintiff. Two other witnesses traced the plaintiff's career ever Bince he had arrived in the colony, and showed conclusively that he could not be the man wanted. Mr Button then applied for costs, which His Worship very properly granted, and Mr Maclntyre was made the victim of his own mistake to the tune of £2. It seems that Mr Pilliet in cross-exam-ination during the recent trial for the election petition, got tripped up somewhat smartly. He had been engaged on the Press and Telegragh. Indeed these later pursuits were the means of making him stumble slightly in cross-examination ; for, having replied in the negative to a query by Mr Joynt (counsel for petitioner) as to whether he had seen the Corrupt Practices Act before the election, he was handed a leading article in the Telegraph of some months back, closely analysing the statute in question, and asked whether he had written it. Strange to say he had. A London Tory paper says ;— *« The irony of destiny has never made itself more apparent than in the career of John Bright. One illustration may suffice to substantiate this statement. No man has so energetically denounced the existence of sinecure offices. He designated them as jobs, founded for the sole purpose of affording outdoor relief to the aristocracy. This, however, was before he had attained his fiftieth year or worn the Queen's livery. Since then we find him holding one of the most lucrative sinecure offices under the Crown— that of Chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster. Beyond the signing of tickets giving admission to fashionable marriages at the Sayoy Chapel, Mr Bright has really nothing pipe to do than to draw his salary of L 2000." A remarkable bee-fight is reported in the Canterbury Press as follows :— On Friday week, Mr Job Doak, Fernside, had

the whole of six or seven hives of black bees invaded by a strong colony of Ligurians. The contest lasted nearly all day, during which time, MrDoaksays, it was not safe to go among the bees. On the following day the ground was literally covered with the slain, and the Ligurians had entered into full possession of the hives, but even then they are reported to be ill at ease. This is a matter for the investigation of apiarians. A medical practitioner, who has been 'resident in Christchurch for a good many years,' is very sore about the appointment of the Hospital Resident Surgeon as PubVaccinator. Writing to the Times he says : — There are several medical practitioners in Christchurch who would have applied, but they considered their claims in comparison with those of old residents would justly receive no attention from an impartial Government. These men are struggling to support themselves, and feel acutely that they have been unfairly dealt with by the Government appointing the resident surgeon, whose duties, they consider, should debar him from holding the office. They now see Dr Robinson placed in a position where he can retire from the Hospital and come into private practice armed with a permanent appointment, which will give him great advantage over them." There is too much false pride in the young men now-a-days, and too much inclination to avoid hard physical work by trying to get employment in town as clerks reporters etc. In the colonies everyone has to work rich or poor, and those that are well off now have been the hardest workers in their time. It is a great mistake for young men or boyß to avoid farmwork because it is sometimes hard and disagreeable. It is a free, healthy and independent employment, and any farmer's son who leaves it for the confinement of the merchant's desk or printingroom will, we imagine, be very much inclined to long for the fresh air and comparative liberty of the farm when he is toiling at all hours of the night by gaslight for a mere pittance, which will scarcely suffice to keep him in clothes and pocket money.