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Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 82, 3 February 1876, Page 5

A meeting of the Working Committee appointed at a recent public meeting at Kaitangata Io take "action in the matter of 'the straightening of tKe T creek, was held in the Granton Pier Hotel - !on Saturday afternoon, Mr Adam Landells in the chair. The collectors reported that they had ;. fleeted the sum of £318, • there being still £4 ifSbscribed but Unpaid. The Chairman, and ,-r .jKessts Dunn, Morrison, Maitland, and Anderson, ■^Ameje appointed a deputation to wait upon his ' Honor the Superintendent' with the view to securing the services of a Government Engineer to survey and report upon the proposed works— also 'to secure a grant of 'Government land through which the' new channel must pass. After a conversational discussion upon the whole matter, the ••meeting terminated. - -

1 Parliament has bsen prorogued to 25th April. Wokk has been resumed upon the Mataura d Clinton railway contract.

; A boy named Mogridge has been killed at ,1-tedfern, N.S.W., by a blow from a cricket ball. .

j These will be service in th© English Church, Inch Clutha, at 11.30 a.m., and at Balclutha, at '6.30 p.m., on Sunday first,

A TBtEGfiAM from Napier dated Ist February, says—lt has been- raining hard. The races are postponed umtil a further date, of which due notice will be] given.

We are informed that oats have' recently been sold in Kaihiku at Is 4d per bushel. This won't Eay. Why not feed pigs, or horses, or cattle, or ens, or some animal or other with them, rather than drive them away at that price 3

The Somersetshire ' having arrived at Melbourne on the 26th January, Sir Julius "Yogel, who had been suffering "dreadfully from gout, proceeded to Sydney, His wife and family have arrived at Hokitika in the Alhambra. Mr Fox, his private' Secretary, comes by the San Francisco route. Happy dog 1 He has the fine days of it.

An extensive and disastrous fire occurred in Christchurch, at an early hoUr on Sunday morning. Five shops were destroyed, one gutted and several injured. The City Hotel was almost entirely destroyed. Had the wind which was high, increased it would have been almost impossible to say what the total damage might have been.

Brthe Witch; of the Tees, which arrived at the Bluff on Friday night, the Mataura Paper Mill Company have received their plant and work people. Mr Bryant, the company's manager, also arrived by the same vessel. The 'Times' states that the large building at the Mataura Falls is now ready for the reception of the machinery, and ro time will ba lost in having it erected.

Tars following annual returns on the position of the Wesleyan Church throughout the Colony were read at the recent Conference :— Churches, 144 ; other preaching, places, 177 ; ministers, 56 ; Home missionaries, 7 ; Sunday-school teachers, 1,041; scholars, 10,^)00; lofcal preafchers, 214; class leaders, 190; church members, 3,302; on probation for membership, 628 ; catechumens, 189 ; European attendants on the ministry, 24,799; Maori attendants, 2,534; deaths of members during the year, 24. There has been a net increase in the number of church members ef 201, with 623 on probation.

In a recent issue we had occasion, to call attention to the efforts being made by the Messrs. M'Donald of Inch Clutha, to establish a superior herd of short horns. We are glad to know that others throughout the Clutha district are sharing the anxiety to excel in Various kinds of stock. For example we noticed the other day, two fine Clydesdale mares, belonging to Messrs. J. &' A. Bruce, Thorngreen, on their w L ay from the Taieri where they had spent the season in the harem of Ninmo's Emperor and Napoleon. Tho two mares were imported from "Victoria. The one 1 Gipsy- 1 , is by Prince of Wales, and is now in foal to Emperor. The other ' Blossom' is by ' Black Champion'and is now in feal to Napoleon. The Messrs. Bruce are thus likely soon to be in possession of some very fine stock of the Clydsdale breed.

The only business before the Resident Magistrate's Court here yesterday, was a case M'Lachlan v. Smail, in which the plaintiff sought to recover £1 9s damages for trespass of defendant's sheep. The evidence of plaintiff shewed that there had been a constant trespass for two years, but the defendant seemed to imagine that the blame rested with the plaintiff, his. fences not being sheep proof. In giving judgment his Worship pointed out once more that no one is bound to fence his ground to keep out hia neighbor's stock, but that the owner of stock is bound to keep them on his own ground. The trespass of sheep was a very fertile cause of complaint, and a difficult matter to remedy, but the owner must take steps to prevent it or stand the consequences. This case, he said had evidently been brought to prove the principle and not for the purpose of obtaining substantial damages. The judgment **as therefore for plaintiff, 10s and costs.

The latest cablegrams irom England are to the 23rd January : —

, . Bombay, 18th January. The Prince of Wales is visiting Delhi. . At a sham fight 20,00() men were present. Tha Rajah or Cashmere's preparations for the reception of the Prince are.on a "vast scale. —London 19 January: The Cabinet has resolved to give Count Andrassy's note a general support, questions of detail "being reserved for future consideration. Lord Napier of Magdala has been appointed Governor of Gibraltar. An increase in the Army Estimates is announced. Secretary Fish has explained to Congress that A.merica only asked the moral. support of the powers as to American mediation or intervention in stopping bloodshed in Cuba. America: had never-threat-ened Spain, and all negotiations had been friendly. The majority. of French senatorial delegates are conservative in rural districts, and republic in towns, v An electoral banquet at Marseilles, where Gambetta intended speaking, was prohibited. Wheat is quiet, 52s to 635. The AustraJio sailed on the 20th ; the Durham leaves on the 24th.— Galle, January 20th : The Sumatra arrived from Australia on the 19th. — Bombay, January 23rd : The Prince of Wales has had a most gorgeous reception in Cashmere. The.procession presented a splendid pageant. The body Guards, clad in chain mail, recalled the crusade period. Places were specially erected to witness the fireworks, and the landscape was lighted up for miles round.

The Biter Bit.— The other day a horseman rode up to the bridge at Balcluth, and on being asked for the toll, replied that he had no money on him, but if the tollkeeper went to the Newmarket hotel he would get it. The sturdy Rae febuld not See the force of this polite request, and informed him as he was so well mounted he might do his dirty work himself. Our horsey friend fotind that his bounce was of no avail, set off at full speed to obtain his passage money acroß3|the|bridge. "Returning with half-a-crown,he threw it on the ground, telling the tollkeeper to " take it out of that.*' Our' friend Rae, with his usual caution not to be out-witted, gently picked up the half-crown, and quietly placed the two 'shillings on the ground bene-ath tne horse, saying "there's your -Change." Our polite e^uesitrian disdained to pickup the filthy lucre, and rode off in the full belief that 'he had been out-wittad. , On returning he "was seen to narrowly observe • the spot wher***^ his money. had rested, with .the vain hope that it was' patiently waiting for him. The following are the particulars of the losses sAd insurances as far as they are obtained at present. Ruddenklau, owner of the City Hotel, loss, £250.0, insured for £80Q in the,-Ne\v*. Zealand, for £500 in the London and Liverpool and Globe, aftd for £300 in thfe National. Oram,, licensee of the City Hotel, losses £2000 to £3000, insured for £1700 in the "Victoria, National, South British, arid Standard. Mrs Haines, shop destroyed, value £300, insured for £250 in the Victoria. Clark, bootmaker, occupier of Mrs Haines's shop— Value of stoclc saved, £300. Insurance for £150 in the Victoria, and for £150 in the Standard. Rossiter, watchmaker— Stock tbtally des-Eroyed; valued at -£4OO, uninsured.. Alinao, hatter— Stock valued when the last insurance was effected some months ago at '331000 to £1200. Insured for £250 in tHe Standard, for £250 in the South British, and for £200 in the Transatlantic. "Firth, carver and guilder, stock totally destroyed, valued at £1200, insured for £200 in the Transatlantic. . Macfarlane, grocer, stock destroyed, valued at £1300, insured for £500 in the South British. WOpdard, shoemaker, stock all removed, "insured for £100 in the Transatlantic. The shops-"Ocfcupied by Almaoj Firth,<9ailacfarlane, and Wbodatd, Which belonged to Mr Drahs- : field, were "totally destroyed, and valued at about £1200. Thny-freire insured for £1000 in the London, Liverpool, and'Gflobe. AUchin'*.-. Jiiineh-Jtm Rooms, damkge tb shop andiUriilurg, estimated at £220 IbsUred for £200 in'fhe Norwich Union, and for £100 in the Standard.. The origin of tiie fire i« unknown. Almao asserts that he left everything safe at 11 o'clock oa Saturday night.

Mb James Shand of the West Taieri has .been suffering for some days from the effects of a sunstroke. Two medical men: have been attending him, but he is now considered to be out of danger.

The latest development of the Piako Swamp Swindle is that Dr Pollen adserts that * tio sale haa been effected." This we fend in a Northeirh journal received by the Taranaki. This is one way of getting out of a disgraceful business. Everjr |on*es 'know that thescandalous attempted bargain -trouta be upset. • But . this— well, we never! — * Evening News.'

A number of the workmen who have been employed at the Waitaki Bridge have erected a. very, chaste monument in the Oamaru cemetery, over the grave of Mr Hunter, who was connected with the building of the bridge, and .was drowned in the Waitaki river in list September.'

A Queensland paper mentions th^V recently a) well-to-do tradesman living ait TOO Woomba buried his wife, for reasons best known -to. himself, in his garden. To this his neighbors objected on account of the proximity of the burial*-ground to their places of abode, but the authorities expressed their inability to interfere in the matter*

The brigantine Kate Brain, says the ' Evening News' arrived from the North, has oh board a quantity* of manganese obtained at the Bay of Islands. It is to be transhipped on board the "Waimate for London. This is the first shipment that has reached this port, but Messrs. Bouman, Macandrew and Co. are now expecting the arrival of the Transit with another. . "We understand that 1000 tons are to be shipped home by the end of .ll'a)v,h. next.

As an example of the kincWsk and attention of the railway servants on the Clutha line, a gentleman informs ■ s, that when coming along in the train the other rlny, behind Bon Accord Lodge, his hat was blown off and left at the side of the road. The gUard noticed the mishap, immediately Wrote a memo of it, and dropped it to the first gang of plate-layors. . One of them picked Up the hat, handed it to the guard when passing the following day, and it was safely brought on to Balclutha, an-.l delivered to the owner. -*** •

A CORRHSPONDfIKT Writes :— Tn East Tokomairiro, during the past week, a good many fields of winter-sown oa(3 were cut' down. Reapers in preparation, reapers at work are the chief objecta of attraction -here at present. Owing to rains at the beginning of spring, most of the spring sown crops are considerably later. All thfe crops here look exceedingly well, both upon the high and the low land. Mr Mark Dale haa about 100 acres of turnips on high ground that look really well, He is one of our intelligent and vigorous farmers both in stock and in Crop, and there are several of that class here. This is a year of general plenty. There is an abundant crop of corn and grass, fat beef and mutton in abundance, and, consequently, great plenty for us all, and for which we ought surely to be very thankful. .

We had the pleasure of going over the brick and tile works of Messrs Snow, Macklin and Eccles, situated on the Grove road, Tokomairiro. These men are a portion of those who were sent for at the instance of Mr W. M. White, of Milton. Subsequently the men finding that there was no chance of the pottery works being carried on, made an attempt to start the pre'int works." Their bricks have the name of "being ihe best made in the district, and they certainly look very compact and well burned. The tiles are made of different designs and colors, viz., buff, red and black, both plain and incaustic, having borders of any design to match. People requiring perforated tiles for bath-rooms and dairy floors, can now be suited at very low prices. Verandahs, halls, Bank floors, as well as those of churches and other public buildings would not only be improved in appearance, but also in value and cleanliness by using these tiles. A sample of the tiles may be seen at our office, which will fully bear out all that we have said about them-. The clay from which they are made, comes from tho Company's ground and Mr Dunn's quarry, Riverbank. The stain required for black, is Manganese, found in the *Tjkomairiro district, and i^ a very fine one. If ever men deserved to get on these do. They only look for assistance by the sale of their goods, and really deserve the special notice and patronage of the Superintendent -of Ofcago, or any other man who has the future interest of the country at stake, and Who could, by a very small exercise of his power, obtain for them a public order for the tiling of the floor of some post office &c. say the new .District Court at Milton,, a thing that is much needed.' How much more these men of a lift than those whose enterprise has been attempted to be bolstered up by the bonus system.

The scheme of the Centralist is clearly at pre. sent to set Provincialists by the ears. To this end every unpopular utterance, whether by Abolitioists or Provincialist, made in the heat of political excitement is dragged forthfrom busting speeches and newspaper paragraphs and all credited to the account of provincialism. The matured opinions of noted Centralists, like Mr Firth and Mr "Whitaker, no less than the election utterances of Provincialist candidates addressing Northern electors, are equally available for the purpose of showing that Federalism must lead to the absorption of the land revenue in a " common purse." The r«se is so transparent that few will be blind to it but those that are wilfully blind. No one can deny that there is throughout 'the North Island a wide-spread and deep seated desire for the overthrow of what is known as the Compact of 1856 and for making the land fund the common |»rop*§rty df all the provinces, and that the whole people of every class or political party are impressed with this idea. But while Federalists both North and South show- " another and a better way" of settling the difficulty, northern Abolitionists assert that community in the land fund is continued in the Government Abolition scheme, and Government kndfas it. Of one thing there cannot be a doubt : Tf Abolition is effective all Northerns, Provincialist as well as Centralist, will unite in the effort to seize and make common property of the land fund. Of that there is no doubt, and Provincialists in the North do not conceal it. _To these will unite themselves the representatives of the landless provinces of the South. What the result may be is in the 'womb of time. If Federalism is successful, there will be an equitable and friendly settlement pf liabilities, and the South will retain its land f iind. Thus it is, and no bambobzlement of tipeciar pleading can make it otherwise. — 'Evening NewS.' i

THBrailw'ay employes had a most successful-! fete at "Waihola on Saturday last. The goods traffic wns suspended for the day in order to allow *&,s many as possible of the servants t® ]sin in tho excursion. The party of employes and their friends numbered about 600, and were conveyed by a' sp&cial train -ftbich left Dunedin at 9 o'clock*. Upon arrival at "Waihola various : sports, games, and amusements were engaged in, '■ and the weather being fine, the whole proceedings of the day passed off most harmoniously and succesisfully. Mr Conyers is to be congratulated' upon the success, of the first pic : nic of the rail- . way servants, and we are sure he has the hearty sympathy of the public in the treat he .has' afforded them. As. a general .rule? th.c public holidays only prove days of the hardest labor to the railway employes, and the public appreciate too .much their attention and courtesy to begrudge them a -share bf the pleasure they Y are themeans of so much enhancing to others. Indeed the public manifested an active interest in favor of the railway employes' pic-nic, and contributed liberally towards it. Amongst other donations, , we mky mention the following :--The Provincial Government, through .Mr IX Reid, L 20.; 4. Briscoe and Co., LIO ; Union Shipping Company, per J. Mills, LlO ; Albion Shipping "Company, per 'Cargill, .Gibbs and Co., L 5; Davidson and Co., T*3 ; and several smaller sums. The Mayor sent "fifty cases of boh bons-j Mr Conyers gave a very-handsome cruet-stand ; -Messrs Briscoe andf' Co., an aneroid baroipeter; Messrs Reith and Wilkie, a valuable work-box ; Mr James Grove, 'of Oamaru, two sewing Machines l -; Messrs Findlay and CO., a table and six chairs ; Messrs North and Scoular, a quantity of furniture-; Messrs Brown, Ewing, and Co., material "fork lady's dress, a boy's suit of 'clothes, and some gentlemen's hats ; Mr G, Young,-6 pencil cases,* workboxes,, and some jewellery;. Mi* Blair, C.E., a handsbntfe book ; Mr Dunning 'presented ai quantity of fruit ;. and Messrs Thomson ahdfCo;, sent twelve doaen lemonade. . We, trust to hear ,. of many such fetes, and such concurrence on the part of tho public. * . ...

The Balclutha School was opened on Tuesday last'after the annual-New Year-Vholidays. ' We are informed, by* a friend that 'the late rendering of Rob Roy by the Prejfe Dramatic Club, Dunedin, was vastly inferior to that-Of .the. old Milton Dramatic Club, under the management of Mr J. M. Perrier.

Was observe a splendid field o*f wheat at Mr Joseph Parker's farm, t Helensbrook, which looks as if it would yield from 40 to 50 bushels to the acre, * -

The estate and effects "of the 'deceased Wm. Ferguson, Esq., tnverclutha, were sold by Messrs Grigor, Maitland and Co., yesterday. There was a very large attendance, and the bidding, spirited. The estate, 50 acres, was purchased by. A. PiUin's, Esq., the price being £2275. The other effects brought high prices.

Mr Alex. Ne&son; of Lovell's Flat, has a very beautiful spot' to' live -.in. > A fijie creek flows through # the romantic glen, at tbe opening of which his house stands, surrounded with fruit trees. _ A plank 6ver the creek connects the garden with a fine grOve of gums, mixed with pines and cypresses. Altogether it is one of the choice spots of Otago.

Our contemporary, the 'BruSe Herald,* states that Mr Walter Miller has the honor to be the first exporter of sheep by the South Clutha Line, having sent down two truck loads the other day. We won't dispute the honor, but Mr Arthur Calder, of .Lovell's Flat sent down two truck leads of splendid half-bred wethers, averaging over 100 lbs each, over a fortnight since.

Reference was made in a paragraph in last issue to shooting ■being indulged in within the township on a recent S.unday, morning. It appears the shots were fired at Paterson.'s lagoon without the town boundary. $hen Mr P&terson should have stopped it. . *-.- ..*'. **.*■'.

We regret to learn that Mr Shiptoh, h -DUtteditt commercial traveller, well known in the Province, received a sun-stroke the other day in the neighborhood of Bald Hill Flat betwfeen Rox 1 burgh and Alexandra, on the Molyneux. Mi* ShiptOn by last accounts -"jpas recovering slowly. The heat temperature exceeded 100 degrees in the shade. ' .......

Mr Mark Dale, of Canada farm, is Using k scruffier for turnip cleaning; This implement Mr Dale imported from England, and it is without doubt the handiest means of getting rid of weeds we have seen. It is reaUy worth the while of anyone interested in, the cultivation of turnips'to visit Mr Dale's farm. Tne whole 100 acres of tnrnips had been regularly planted, and have the appearance of a garden. In fact we may say with safety, that there is not a hundred acres Of cleaner, nor more' thriving turnips in Otago. Mr . Dale has also a fine field of wheat just ripening, which is expected to produce* 4o bushels to the acre. •

Like their ibretherh as Havelock, the Good Templars of Napier have been falling out. Two members of the lodge have insulted, the Chief Templar (who is a lady), 'and also the Chaplain and the Lodge-Deputy, **•*- by calling them one and all liars in open lodge." . The offending brethren were tried and expelled for this, but when the sentence wis forwarded to the "b.D,,"— which we (** Post') believe is not a naughty word, but only means District-Deputy — that bigh official being a relative of the culm-its took their part and refused to confirm it. Then the "G. W.C.T." was appealed.to, and he informed the lodge that unless these two members were reinstated, "the lodjp must resign its' Charter. This the members of the lodge intend to do. — 'Star.' _Mr Georoe Grey Taiaroa, the representative of the Southern Maori District in the House of Representatives, and Chief of , the tribe of Maoris settled at the Kaik at. the entrance to Dunedin Harbor, was entertained at & banquet oh Friday last by a number of his friends. The provisions seem to have been i*a great abundance, and songs,_ toasts, aud speeches were kept up till late. Drinking seems then to have set in in earnest, and which resulted in a free fight on Saturday morning. In tho mele a man named Salmon^ a European, took part, aud was found along with others prostrate on the Flat in front of the meeting-house, about seven o'clock in the morning. The Chief, Taiaroa, got alarmed that the man had been seriously injured, and sent to Port Chalhiers requesting the presence of the police, together with the assistance of a medical man without delay. Sergeant Morkane having secured the services of Dr. Drysdale, the steam launch vire was got under weigh, and proceeded down the harbor to the kaik. Dr Drysdale at once ordered the man to be shifted from where he lay, in order that he might make an examination of the injuries. This was most carefully done, and while laying the supposed sufferer down, he opened his bleared eyes and exclaimed "What a pack of fools you are"!" This ejaculation satisfied both Dr Drysdale and Sergt. Morkane. that, beyond being drunk, Salmon was uninjured,, and without further delay, they returned to Port Chalmers.

The entertainment given by the Milton Christy Minstrels and "By Jove " Club on "Friday evening last for Mrs Kinnear's benefit was net a very brilliant affair. We are informed that the haste with which it was got up" is. the probxble reason, the members of the two Clubs laboring under the idea that Mrs Kihnekr ftas ,go*ing ay ay at once, instead of in the middfe of .'February, a delay which the finishing of her. musical engagements necessitated. Many neople living at a distance wonld gladly have availed theihs'elv6s of the Chance of paying Mrs Kinnear a well-earned compliment by a bumper house, had they known it in time. From the same cause a variety of hitches occurred in the burlesque and mtfsife. Without wishing to damp the generous and kindly feelings which dictated the compliment, we would point out the necessity for practice, that the public may have something worth looking at, as well as, paying for. Mr Walter Taylor's performance on the piano was rendered with his usual taste and 'execution. Mrs Kinnfear sang " The Irish Emigrant " With her usual success, and Mr J . J, *Atlqnson received an encore for his song._ Mr Fred. Bastings did a large amount of amusing 'ventrilocfuism ; indeed this gentleman's efforts to. please are ..always successful, which may be seen by the loud bursts of laughter brought out by his huriiorous .sallies. Mr and Mrs Davis both acted under difficulties, the.'former having lumbago, 'while Mrs Dayis had just recovered from a severe 'attack of illness. Mr Jam-k Grant and Mr G: Hescoft both did something in the way of blundejgig, while the prompter, .though E&.gogd runner, and jumper, was. found to be short-sighted and nervous, and in no way up to Mr Currie, of Pernor's old Club.