TOKOMAIRIRO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 362, 17 February 1863, Page 5

TOKOMAIRIRO.

(FROM OUa OWN CORBESPOJfDENT.)

The erection of a small Presbyterian Church at the Woolshed has been commenced this week. It is situated in the immediate vicinity' of the Police- Station and [jjoiirt House. Efforts are also beinj made to obtain the establishment of a school at the 'ji^oolshed. where there are a great number of children. The church could serve also as a fcHQolhouse, and I do not think that there

would be much; difficulty in raising the half of ateacher's- salary. ' ■ There was a narrow escape of a. serious bush fire down here last Monday evening. Shortly after sunset, the bu<h at the bick of the Survey Office was obierved to be on fire but fortunately the wind which had been blowing pretty strongly during, the greater part of: the day, lwd.died off towards evening, o.r.else nothing co ild h-iye saved the greater portion of the bush from destruction. As it w.is, l'ttle or no real damage was done. A number of the police and several .gentlemen were early on the spot, but of course it was impossible to do anything except look on.

A number of prosecutions.,for tlie illegal occupation of Crown Lands have recently been heard in the R.M.s Oourt here. In some cases it was the second offence, atvl a fine of £5 and costs was inflicted. In other cases, jjviiere it was the first offence, the fine varied "according to-circii'ii'tanaes, fmmten shillings to two pounds. Last Tuesday a man named Cjchrane was fined £10 and costs for exposing spirits for sale without a license. He.was a well known shanty keeper, and on the previous Friday night there, had been a row at his place. The attention of the policy •had been directed to it by some of the neighbors, and Sergeant Bums entered and seized a ten gallon cask of ale.and a case of gin. In addition to the fine of twenty pounds the forfeiture of the articles se'zed was ordered.

A deserter from the 70i:h Regimsnt was apprehended in this district the odier day. Pie turned out to be the dmmmer, and wis remindid to the depOt of his regiment in Dv >edin. ■■'■•'

v Tokbmairiro will not I hope be backward in its contributions to the Lancashire and Scottish relief fund. A committee consisting of the following gentlemen has •been formsd to act in connection with'/ the Dunedin committee, viz., Messrs Musgrave, Dewe, Hardy, Mmsford, Birlcock, Jo!ies (Treasurer), H, Clark, and E. T. Gillon (hmSic). At energetic and systematic canvass of the district U to ba made, and I le'xpect that a good round sum will be the result.

I, am glai to see that the Dunedin Volunteers have been re*u9-.juate.l. Would that I could nviks the same remarks with regard *o the Tokomairiro Corps. Tokomairiro was the first district in Otago in which volunteering was started. A company of 70 or 80 wai enrolled, and all were entering into the affair with spirit, when their ardour was repressed, and they a3 a body annihilated by being intorm<:d taat Tokomairiro was not a militia district, and that therefore they were liable to all sorts of pains and penalties if the}'drilled; and also tint only one adjutant could be appointed inthi-Province, and lie was going to be appointed in Dunedin, where there wasn it then, or for a long time afterward< a single symptom of a Volunteer Corps being raised. This treatment of course rather disgusted the gentlemen of Tokomairiro with volunteering, but a* the present Government is decidedly more incline 1 b> foster the movement than the viovernment of ttieir time, I believe that a capital company t'nfcht now ba raised here. If my belief, as to the wish of the Provincial Government to forward the movement be correct, I think it would be well if they wtre to is-iue a circular, stating what districts are included in Militia district*, and what arrangements connected with Adjutants, Drill Sergeant*, &c, they would be prepared to recommend to the General Government. If they were to do this, and to show that they took an interest in the subject, I do not think that the settlers would be found backward in volunteering. If they are, then call out the Militia, but before proceeding to this extreme measure, let them clearly understand their position, and what facilities will be afforded them if they volunteer.