SNIPPETS OF GENERAL NEWS FROM THE NATAL MERCURY 13 SEPTEMBER 1880

"DURBAN
A numerously signed memorial to the Governor and Executive has been sent from Durban, praying that the extreme penalty of the law be not carried out on the condemned native Bob.

On Tuesday night a European woman fell out of one of the rooms in Knox's buildings. The woman, it appears, had got into one of the rooms, and mistaking the window for the door, fell out, but coming on the roof of a house it broke her fall, and she escaped almost unhurt.

Many of the Arabian stores were on Tuesday closed till the afternoon in Durban, in consequence of the Mahommedan Feast of Ramazan (sic). Religious festivals were held during the day at the Mosque.

Half an acre leasehold lots on the Berea, near the Musgrave Road, realised by auction from £18 to £27 10s per lot.

Louis DEGLOU and Carl BREDELL, trading as Deglon & Bredell, wine merchants, have been fined - the former £10 and the latter £3 6s 8d - for selling a bottle of pontac (?) without being fully licensed.

At the last meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, after some discussion it was resolved on the motion of Mr MULLER, that Messrs. ARBUCKLE, Wm. ACUTT, R ACUTT, DUMAT, SNELL, OXFORD and MULLER be a committee to select samples and form a standard of Natal sugars in accordance with suggestion of the Port Elizabeth Chamber. The question of railway extension was also before the Chamber, and a committee was appointed to collect the necessary statistics on the matter, as promised and arranged by the Deputation to the Governor.

On Monday afternoon, by appointment, several members of the Natal Border Defence Force, in order to mark their appreciation of the conduct of Captain LUCAS while commanding the corps, met that gentleman at the Club, Durban, and presented him with an address on his departure from this colony on a visit to England. He was precluded by the rules of the service from accepting a handsome silver cup, which was tendered.

MARITZBURG
The Government has advertised plots as sites for stores close to the terminal railway station.

Complaints are made by the brickmakers that the Government is dealing unfairly with them in employing convict labour.

Considerable attention has been drawn to a sermon preached by the military chaplain, the Rev G. M. St. Martin RITCHIE, prophetic of the downfall of the British Empire.

Mr. F. LAYMAN has received some injuries in the leg owing to a carriage accident.

Mrs. MICHELL, wife of the chief clerk in the Colonial Office, is at present in custody on a most serious charge of having been caught in the room of Mr. EGAN, West End Hotel, abstracting some money. Mrs. MICHELL, it is said, is of unsound mind."