Local Intelligence.

Pressure on our advertising columns compels us to hold over a quantity of reading matter until next issue. Mails via San Francisco close at the Lawienca post office on the evening of Wednesday, 24th instant, at nine o'clock. , Dr Stewabt, who has occupied the post of Resident Surgeon of the Tuapeka Goldfields Hospital for many years, and v.ho lias been ailing for the past wesk or ten days, breathed his last about 9. 30 p.m. yesterday. The deceased gentlemen was well known and highly respected by a large circle of friends. He leaves a wife and four children to mourn his loss. In our next issue we shall refer more particularly to the" leading incidents of the deceased gentleman's public career in our midst. The examination of the children attending the Grammar School takes place to-morrow. Parents and friends are requested by advertisement to be present. Dr Leahy (of Roxburgh) has been appointed surgeon to the Dunstan Hospital. The eleventh anniversary of the Loyal Blue Spur Lodge, M.TJ.1.0.0.F., was celebrated on Friday evening last by a soiree and ball. A large number sat down to an excellent- spread prepared by Mrs Silk, who catered for the occasion. The Waitahuna Quadrille Band provided the music, and dancing was indulged in until an early hour the following morning. The gathering in every respect passed off satisfactorily. A very singular phenomenon was observed by Mr Vye of this town, on Sunday morning last about three o'clock. A brilliant body i about half the size of the moon was witnessed by him for a couple of hours, travelling from east to west in the heavens at a speed faster than the apparent.motion of the luminary of the night. It was so bright that he could not stedfastly gaze upon it, and the beams it spread around were more of the bright sunlight than the soft silver light of the moon. Some six or eight weeks' ago a similar object was observed by Mr Norman of the Blue Spur, but as the information reached us second-hand and we had not an opportunity of hearing Mr Norman describe the phenomenon, we did not give it publicity. The circumstances, however, as described by him tallied almost exactly with those related to us by Mr Vye. If any other of our readers observed this singular object, we shall be glad to have their dessripfcion of it. On Monday afternoon, Inspector Thompson received intimation that about seven hundred bushels of wheat, the property of Mr Robert Clark, farmer, at Hillend, were accidentally destroyed by fire. It is suspected that some sparks from the funnel of a threshing machine employed on the farm were the immediate cause of the mischief. The grain was uninsured. The delegates appointed by the County and Borough Councils to confer upon the circular received from the Government in respect to the future management of Hospitals, met in the County Chambers on Saturday last. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted :—(1): — (1) That having under consideration the circular from the Colonial Secretary, of the 15th March, in reference to the management of Hospitals, in the opinion of this conference it is desirable that the management and control of the Tuapeka Hospital be vested in the Tuapeka County Council and Boroughs of Lawrence, Roxburgh, and Tapanui. (2) That a copy of the above resolution be forwarded to the Mayor of each Borough, requesting co - operation with this conference in carrying out the decision arrived at. An inquiry relative to the cause and origin of the fire, which destroyed Mr Monaghan's premises on the morning of the 11th inst., was held at the Courthouse on Monday afternoon. Five witnesses were examined at considerable length, but nothing was elicited tending to show how the fire originated. A verdict to that effect was returned by the jury. Our report will appear in Saturday's issue. We are glad to learn that Mr Maddock, who has occupied the position of accountant in the local branch of the Colonial Bank for a considerable time past, has been promoted to the charge of the agency of the bank at Cromwell. During his stay in Lawrence, Mr Maddock has justly won the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends, who, while they regret his departure, gladly reconcile themselves to his loss by the knowledge that the change to him is one of promotion. > A meeting, convened by the Mayor, was held in the Town Hall on Monday evening, for the purpose of re-forming the Fire*' Brigade under the auspices of the Borough Council. The attendance was very meagre, and doubts were entertained at one time if a sufficient number would attend in- order that the necessary business might be transacted. His Worship the Mayor, who occupied the chair, referred to the disadvantages the late Brigade labored under, and tha chief motives which compelled them to disband. Under the new reginti— if they succeeded in re-organising the Brigade — he predicted that matters would work more smoothly and satisfactorily, and, as far as the finances were concerned, no difficulty would be experienced in the management. The Insurance Companies, he remarked, had a decided objection to assisting the so-called Volunteer Brigades, unless they were controlled by some responsible body. The members of the Borough Council had decided to attend to the formation of the Brigade, and had resolved to hold themselves responsible for securing the subsidy from the Insurance Companies. In addition to that, he had interviewed personally some forty ratepayers, who had promised a yearly contribution of ten shillings each towards the maintenance of a Brigade. The Council also had resolved to hold themselves responsible for everything, and did not think it was proper that working members should be burdened with fees, &c, in order that the Brigade might attain efficiency and secure necessary working appliances. If the members o£ the Brigade desired, they could easily form, amongst themselves a " Sick and Accidental Fund" similar to the one in vogue during the existence of the former Brigade. He thought they would not have much difficulty in securing working members, and as they had a good water supply at command, in addition to some excellent appliances, he imagined that the chief obstacles were thu s overcome. He assured those present that the Council would do their utmost to further the interests of the Brigade, and it r rested with themselves whether action of a decided character should be taken. The rules of the late Brigade, he considered, would still be apr plicable with one or two slight alterations. Ho concluded by inviting discussion on the matter under consideration. — A lengthened conversation followed, and it was decided that a Brigade, to comprise 20 working Members, be formed. Several present then enrolled themselves as active members j and to a SubCommittee consisting of Messrs Thompson, Rowe, Macgregor, Taylor, and the Chairman, the duty was conferred of enlisting additional volunteers. ' iVwas resolved thssa meeting be. again held on Friday evening, at eight o'clock, for the purpose of arranging preliminaries. The proceedings were concluded by a vote of thanks to the Chairman,

It will be noticed by advertisement that the banks in Lawrence will be closed for several days during the Easter Holidays. The usual monthly meeting of the Tuapeka Road Board will be held this afternoon. The land opened under agricultural lease on Monday, found many applicants. The following is a list of the sections and blocks, and the number of applications lodged for each : Tuapeka West District : Block IV— Section 13, one application ; section 15, one applicai tion. Block Vlll— Section 4, four applies." tions; section 17, four applications. Block IX— Section 5, four applications; section 8, five applications ; section 10, four applications ; section 13, ten applications ; section 15, five applications ; section 19, seven applications. Block X- Section 4, three applications. Block XIII — Section 6, six applications. — Table "Hill District : Block IV — Sections 51, four applications ; 73, two applications ; 74, six applications ; 75, two applications. — Waitahuna East District : Block V — Sections 41, one application j 42, one application ; 43, one application ; 44, three applications ; 49, three applications ; 69, one application ; 70, one application ; 71, three applications ; 72, one application ; 75, three applications ; 76, two applications ; 77, one application J 78, one appli-cation ; 79, one application ; 80, one application. — The land under deferred payments, which was also opened for selection on Monday, found more applicants than we expected. Two or three of these no doubt, applied for several sections in the hope of making certain of one :— Tuapeka West District : Block IX — Sections 4, two applications ;7, five applications ; 9, one application'; 11, two applications ; 12, three applications. Block XIII — Section 4, one application. — Cfookston District : Block Xll— Section 3, five applications. — Glenkenich District : Block I — Section 11, one application. Block IX — Section 19, one application.

The half-yearly meeting of the Ofcago District Committee of the M.U.1.0.0.F., was held on Wednesday evening, at the Oddfellows Hall, Dunedin. There were 30 delegates in attendance, representing 18 out of 53 lodges in the Provincial District of Ofcago. The meeting' was presided over by P.G.M. Leslie, the vice-chair being occupied by D.P.G-.M., H. S. Fish, jun., Secretary, Air Sligo. The proceedings were opened by the Grand Master delivering a lengthy address, pointing out the progress of the district, as shown by the annual returns for the 1877. The total value of the 23 Lodges comprising the district was stated to be £22,089 4s sd. The deaths during 1877 numbered seven members and seven members wives involving an expenditure of £210 for funeral allowances. There was a considerable amount of routine business transacted at the close of the P.G.M.'s address. The nomination of District Officers for election in October next was proceeded with as follows : — For P.G-.M., D.P.GkM., Fish ; P.D.P.G.M., Coverlid j P.G., Harrop; P.G., Black; P.G., Godao; P.G., Williams (Tuapeka) ; P.G., Lucas ; P.G-. Sherwin ; and P.G. Forsaith. A motion was carried for the appointment of a committee to revise the rules of the district, and to consider the desirability of affecting an alteration in the present scales of contribution. It was resolved that the annual meeting, to be held next October, should take place at Lawreace ; and after the transaction of usual matters of routine, the business was concluded by the carrying of a resolution empowei-ing the District Officers to hold a special purple lecture at Lawrence concurrently with the annual meeting.