Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 3 July 1869, page 5


Current Topics.

AN alteration has been made in the rates of telegraphic charges, which came into force on July 1. When the first telegraphs were formed in the southern portions of the colony the cost

of transmission was JGxed at a scale much.higher. than that of the lines which were< subsequently established in thenorth.' The object of the present' change is to equalise to some extent the rates in the. .various portions of the colony, and is based •.on a- mileage rate. In most caaes, particularly in the-southern districts, the rates are considerably reduced, in some instances* as much as one, half. On the other hand, .some, of the charges -have been slightly advanced, while in others, where the old scale nearly corresponds with the new, no alteration has been made. The cost of a message of ten words is now :—For distances under-50miles, Is.; 50 miles: and under 100 miles, Is. 6d.'; 100 miles and under 150 mile 3, 2s. j 150 miles and under 200 miles,. 25." 6d.; 200 miles and under. 300 miles, 33.; 300 miles and . under 400 miles, 45.; 400 miles and • under - 500 miles, 55.; 500 miles and upwards, 6s. The minimum charge is Is., and,the maximum 6s. If the , telegram [.exceeds 110 words additional charges .are made, as follows:—Telegrams costing not more than Is. 6d. for 10 words, Id. per word extra; costing not more than 2s.- 6d., 2d. per word.; costing not more than 45., 3d. per word ; and,c63ting not more, than, 6a., 4d. pec word. jCHese changes do.not affect .the cost .of intercolonial telegrams.. ._".... . . . . " , The. Carandini troupe appear to have been well received at • Maryborough, and are now at Gympie, whence they will proceed to Bowen, Townsville, and Cardwell.

M&. Speaxeb presented himself in the Legislative Assemblj at the usual hour every day this week, but there has been, no quorum. Those hon. members who did not mean to attend, and did not want a House to be" formed, ought to have voted for Mr. Thorn's resolution, and have spared the . venerable Speaker the fatigue of coming down to the Chamber when there ia no intention to do any business. With much regret we record the very sudden death of Mrs. Sheppard, the wife of District Court Judge Sheppard, which sad event occurred between 7 and 8 o'clock on the morning of June 28, at her residence, South Brisbane. Mrs. Sheppard was in her usual state of health the previous day (Sunday), and, after returning from church in the evening, retired to rest without complaining of sickness, or "showing any sign of ill-health. She rose,shortly after 7 o'clock, and, as was her usuaL custom, left her | room and called the servant" to give her the baby to take chargefbf.* Atte'r taking the infant in her arms Mrs. Sheppard .turned to rerenter her bed-roonvbut had scarcely proceeded halfa-dozen yards when she staggered and fell forward on the floor of the chamber. The cries of the servantbrought immediate assistance; but when Mrs. Sheppard was raised up, she was beyond the reachof human aid". Dr. o'Doherty,J who* some time previously had been attending' her, was directly sent for, arid soon afterwards arrived; and/with the assistance of Dr. Bancroft-made a, post mortem examination, -withfa> Tiew to ascertain the cause of death. Tlie medical evidence tends to show that the "de'ceaseddied from'paralysis of the heart. TKe Chief Justice^arid Judge Tjutwyche, and several members' oi^the Legislative Council and Assembly, were "amongst the very numerous cortege who followed the remains of the lamented lady tdthe grave. - ■ "At the meeting of committee to-day, the prizes „for, the. forthcoming ploughing matches of the East Moreton Farmers' Association will be decided. The amount at the disposal of the committee for prizes has been largely increased since -'the project was first started. We hear" thaVthe prizes will be nearly'treble the original amount. We do hope," under sueh1 flourishing circumstances, that'a match."for youths "may be. arranged.' ■-*■■-- * VWiare informed that'the'Masbmc Ball Committee have made arrangements for holding their ball, at the Town Hall, on = Friday, -August 6. There-can be little doubt that under the manage-' ment of bo influential a the' ball will be ai great success. .■■■■■' -v . ."..•-;-■■ • The committee appointed for the arrange-' ment of the contemplated citizens' ball in commemoration of the arrival'ofHis Excellency the Governor in the colony, met on the evening of June 29, at the Hall of.Commerce, TowniHall. Sub-committees were appointed, and all preliminary arrangements decided upon. The date of the ball is :fixed for the 17th of August;, and'we have, no doubt, from the energy dia-r played by the promoters, the affair will paBS off" successfully. The first general meeting p£ the Brisbane School of "Arts Debating Glass was-held on Thursday evening, June 24, when a code of rules was adopted, and a^committee and secretary. wero~appointed... The question, c? Is the introduction^ of Polynesian labor into-Queensland' beneficial to the" colony ?.'' was brought on for discussion. The subject was opened by one of the-^members, ■ and various opinions were advanced by others in connection • therewith. We'are very glad to see this movement commenced, and still more so to perceive, that the first subject;is of a -practical nature, the ventilation of whichfla3 of material importance to the colony.-'iWetrusfe the future questions may be chosen with equal judgment, and that the system.hitherto pursued in. these matters, of discussing .questions of no practical value, may be avoided. ■ The Penny Headings seem to increase in popularity. At the South Brisbane Mechanics Institute on Monday evening, a highly respectable audience was assembled. The readings, recitations, and songs, judiciously chosen, interspersed with instrumental solos; afforded considerable satisfaction to the parties present; The Spring Hill Penny Headings were" resumed on Thursday night, June 24j-in the Gregory-terrace Schoolroom; The Bowen Bridge Penny Headings have also been Successfully commenced. Sir: James GocHe'p'resided/ and about 120 of the residents of the neighborhood were present. The entertainment consisted of twelve readings, and' four musical pieces, with violin and'pianoforte accompaniment/music following every second reading. The chairman expressed" his warm approval of these social gatherings, and his determination to be present at the future readings. All present seemed highly pleased with' the evening's entertainment. A portable self-acting earth closet has recently been patented by Mr. Charles Tiffin. Mr. Carey, of William-street,vis now manufacturing the articles,. and;~ as specimens of cabinet work, they are "excellent. The principle on which they 'are designed is very simple, and at the : same time seems very perfect. A bye-law recently passed by the Corporation, requiring the general adoption of dry earth closets, will no doubt soon bring these articles into use; but if the bye-law was never to be enforced, those who o wish to get rid *of the dangers and nuisances connected with the old pit system of closet will do well to examine those now being made by Mr. Carey. ' A afiN" named Samuel Willspn, a native of Switzerland, who was engaged as. a seaman on board the ketch Exchange, was drowned*at Eagle Farm Flats, about 11 o'clock on the morning of June 27. The circ.umstance3^under;W^ch. the accident occurred^ are as follow :—The unfortunate man was attempting to fasten a rope from the vessel he belonged to.to another lying alongside the ship Begina, when his foot slipped and he fell into the river; there was a strong tide flowing at the time ; he sank and was not seen again. The.deEcription of the man is that he is "about 2o'-years of age, 5 feet 4 inches in height, and d^rk complexion. He was dressed at the time 1 of the accident in moleskin trousers, light ' Crimean shirt, grey felt hat (straw under leaf), "and blucher "boots.' Tne body, has beenTound near Jjytton. . It is not, we believe, generally known that in .the Small Debts Court a plaintiff, after obtaining a verdict againsta defendant who is believed *to have means of settlement, but who endeavors, notwithstanding, to evade. payment, can now, upon . a judgment summons, - have the latter brought up and examined on oath touching his .personal property and estate, his means of livelihood, and what disposal he has made of any property, since the date of the verdict. Thi3 is an important .power conferred .on-the courts of petty sessions in the Act for the Recovery of Small Debts, and is one which, for the. want of " Kules of Court," in connection with the Metropolitan Court at least, ha 3 hitherto been suffered to remain a dead.letter. The obstacle .in .the way of thi3 clause—-the 41st—^having effect i 3 now removed, and the much-needed "Hules of Court," after, obtaining .the sanction of.the District, Judge, have, been published in -the Government Gazette. '. • Soaiß little excitement was occasioned on June 29, in Queen-street, at the shop of Mr. Gaujard, the tobacconist, by the appearance of a bailiff armed with a warrant, which commanded a certain :" F. Hing3ton and his assistants " to levy /upon the goods and chattels .of Mr. Gaujard, for the sum of £3 lOsl, in satisfaction of rates. This warrant the man proceeded to put in force, by seizing upon a glass case and its valuable contents, which he kept possession. of until the claim, and a further demand of 63.. for costs," had been satiaGed. -As a warning to other I tradesmen, Mr. Gaujard has-adoptedthe singular plan of pasting the warrant--upon the shop window, heading it with the. inquiry, " Have you paid your rates ? A caution-!" From Mr. Gaujard's account of the matter, we are led to believe that he ha 3 been treated very Bharply by tiieCorDorationoffi^ials^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A METING- of the sub-committee of the Chamber of Commerce, appointed for the purpose of further considering the Insolvency Bill, was held on the'afternoon of June 29. There were present: Messrs. J. S. Turner (in the chair), R. M. Stewart, and J. Fenwick. The several clauses of the bill up to 87 were gone through, and several amendments made. Me. Reynolds Ball, ex-Registrar of the Supreme Court, has been arrested, for alleged embezzlement. Me. Jonir MABTiNEATr-has for some time past contributed a series of clever letters on , colonial subjects to the London Spectator, under the novel signature of "Wild Asa," and they have just been published in a collected form. Mr. Martineau evidently entertains a profound. dislike to the political institutions and governing body of Victoria. " Their system (he says) is not only the opposite of an aristocracy o^ '. birth, wealth, talent, or merit, it is not'only the repudiation of hero-worship in any form—even of that lowest form of it, the worship of the demagogue of the hour—but it is a deliberate attempt to set up what the world has- not yet had occasion even to coin a word for—Kakislocraci/, a Legislature composed of the meanest jand worst, chosen as such." .- Betuen of the out-door relief, as administered by the Board, for the week, ending Juho 24:—Widows, 46, children 121 • infirmthrough old age, men 8, women 15 j wives whoso husbands ,are in gaol, women 1;* children 3 j deserted wives 12, children 32; "'families relieved on account of sickness, women 27, children 71; families relieved—father seeking work up country/ women B,' children. 27. Total, men 8, women 109j - s children 254. .A special-sitting of tbe Brisbane Petty 'Debt Court-was'held on June 29, to try the case Compton v. Searle. Plaintiff had been organist for Mr. Searle's Church ia Brisbane, and sued for money due to him in that capacity. Defendant was examined at great length touching his estate and effects, and the circumstances under which he contracted the debt, asi to his means, and as to the disposal he may have made of his property, -but--the'"Bench did nofc make,, any order. At the' Police Court, on June 28, • William Jenkins wais brought up •''charged'■'■■•with, being -drunk and assaulting NY Harrop. The defendant admitted that he waß; drunk, but stated that he did not know anything about the assault. Harrop said that Jenkins came to.his Bhop on Saturday last, at 2: o'clock'in the afternoon, and after making use of very abusive language, flung a chair across the counter at prosecutor. , Jenkins was sentenced to one month's hard labor. . Martha Towell was charged with larcehcy. It seeras that on Saturday forenoon Bhe was in the kitchen of Mrs. Terry's House, in Queen-street, in company with the servant. The servant had occasion to go out fora .while, and. on her return i missed the woman, .and also a pair of troußers belonging to, Mr. Terry and some,children's clothing. ..The matter was reported to the police, who,,.cautioned the pawnbrokers about .-town. The same, evening the woman Towell offered the . stplenjarticles to. B. Harris, the.*pawnbroker in Edward-street, who recognised the articles aa those reported to. be stolen. He therefore detained her while^the. police wero sent for, -and she was ijaken into,custody. Towell was found guilty and sentenced to six weeks' hard labor in . Brisbane >gaol. James Sharman waa sent to gaol for .one month for being illegally on en» % closed premises. „ CoirerDEBABLE alarm is felt (says the Bulletin of the 29th ultimo) for the safety of Mr. Marsh, of Boomoyea station, who has been missing now a whole week. He left the station, we are informed, on Tuesday last, on-horseback, intending to cut across the country to Yaamba, where he should have arrived the same afternoon. Nothing has been heard of him since. ' As Mr. Marsh was a good hushman, it isVcarcely possible that he could'have lost himself.->^The country he intended crossing is very broken, abounding in holes and.quagmires. It is possible he might have met with an aceidentr MrJ Brankston, the .owner of Boomoyea station, has been out looking for him, but without success. A cobbespondent at St. Lawrence of tho Peak, Downs Telegram writes :—" A fine lode of copper has been found -within fifty miles of this port, thirty per cent, of copper in ore on surface, extending over two miles of country. Specimens will be sent forward to Brisbane by next steamer." The following is a-report of the state of the Brisbane Hospital to date:—ln-door patients remaining last week, 56 j received during the week ending July 1, 7 ; discharged!, B';'died, 0; remaining, in hospital, 55; out-door .patients receiving medical treatment, 112.' The visiting surgeon for the ensuing week will be Dr. O'Doherty. ' The secretary acknowledges, with thanks, the following donations:—A parcel of newspapers from Sir James Cockle, and one from Miss Fanny O'Heilly; a parcel of linen and a, quantity of lemons from Mrs. R. Jennings, and one of books from Mr. K. Jennings ; a gift of books from Mr. Shaw (Cobb and Co.'s agent), and £1 from Mr. Q-eorge Tombs, through tho Treasurer. . - ■ ■ • -The Marijlorough Chronicle .states' that His Worship .the Mayor .has receiygd^from Mr. , Eliott, the 'member for the district, a letter acknowledging -the receipt of the''resolutions passed at the late public meeting, and that ho had seen the Minister for Works^.thorepn, 1 who had stated to him that the omission of a sum of £3000 for the erection of a bridge across tho Mary was "by accident;, and that in the Estimates for this year that item would appear. Our member, Mr. Walshj has also written to ' His Worship on'the same-subject, but he conceives small hopes .of the money being voted until the Agricultural''and ~ Pastoral Bonus Bills have been passed. The sensibilities of the Kapundah Herald's Moonta correspondent have been disturbed, and he thus states the cause : —•" From there being no hearse in Moonta, I conjecture it entered into some foolish person's head to hire the yellowcolored ominbus to do duty at a recent funeral, the effect being anything but solemn or appropriate. A yellow-colored mourning-coach, even in Australia, would look in the eyes of most of us peculiar, to say the least of it; but. a veritable —for the occasion—yellow bedaubed hearse is almost out of the pale of decencyj yet a coffin last week was. carried some distance in our only 'bus, drawn by four various colored, horses—that such a thing should have happened is a disgrace to the place. How much better it would have been to have followed the good old English.plan of carrying the coffin, as obtains yet even in many home villages; or if tho distance to our cemetery be too far from the town-Bhip (which I doubt), an ordinary cart would be a better conveyance for a coffin than the gaudy affair that was used. Again, tho idea of this omnibus one day being used for a trip to local races, and, soon after as a hearse, must strike the most unthinking as a thing that should not be." At the desire of Captain Palmer, .of H.M.S. Rosario (says the Umpire), Mr. J. C. Layers ha 3 supplied that vessel with two fresh sheep, cured by tho same process as the one,-that was supplied to the Agricultural Society for trial, as recently reported. The sheep supplied to H.M.S. Rosario are each divided in the. usual way down the spine, and tho four sides, being packed in -hermetically-sealed tins, will be kept by Captain Palmer for a month or so, and then tried, as "a test of the value of Mr. Layers' invention fot the purpose of suppliesJforJjie_RovjiOl£ZZ»— _