LAWRENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1640, 28 April 1883, Page 13

LAWRENCE.

(FROU OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT,)

April 24th.

Insurance and Fires.— The inquiry into the late stack fire at Evans' Flat resulted in a verdict of incend arißm againbt unknown persons. Our local insurance agents do not dbpiay their usual astuteness in thia branch of their business. Obtaining risks and the accompanying commission would appear tho main object. They are most accommodating to intending insurers, seldom questioning the average laid on tho crops. When a fire occur-, in those well-protected stacks the cry of " tramp " is immediately raised, and any swagsman who has eh meed to pass the way is anxiously inquired after, or a rush is made to the working men's quarters, and an accusation hinte I against the inmates, whose interest it obviously is to thresh, tiot to burn, those stacks.

Bunny. — Tho rabbit nuisance increases, and, hard though it is on the farmers, the evil is not unmixed. Without this field of industry, what to do with our b >ys would be a still greater difficulty than it is Our " efficient educational establishments are yearly turning out a number of intelligent lads who do credit to their teachers, and are duly impre-aed with a sense of their own importance, but alas for their future ! Hero there is nothing for them but rabbiting or idleness. Our boundless resources remain undeveloped. We have wtaUh enough, wo have population enough, but we lack leading spirits, and with all its natural advantages Lav-rence if, to use an Americinism, but a one-horso town. I fear it will only be when stoats and ferrets enter into competition with our highly-educated youth, and drive them out of tho ra'ibit-field, that people will perforce devise some other means of employment and inaugurate a new industry. Our Buildings, &c — The railway authorities who recently vi-ited Lawrcnee wore interviowed respec'ing the railway ucoonimodition, which is very defective. The appearance of the shed which does duty for a Bta'ii<n house is indicative of its discomfort and unsuitabilil.y. and it generally suggestive of the da> 8 of '62, when a saw and a tomahawk wert tho only available carpenters' tool. Tlie'e in a ladies* wuting-rooni, which is usually Jilled with c i!s of rope, cases, and gunoral merchandise, to tho exclusion of the ladies who are entitled to its use. If the lailwdy buildings were rendered more commodious, wo could scarcely murmur at the ugliness of tho design, since it is in unison with the architectural features of the town. Tho stationmaster's dwelling is a creditable building, albeit a triflo low. There is in close proximity our wealthy Athenceum, looking line a relic of the dark ages, wedgod in between the .New Zealami Mereeantile Agency's splendid establishment anU the fino hotel and bakery built by Mr Wootton A stranger, viewing it from the adjicont heights, would wonder to which of those buildings it w.lB an appendag-e, aod why a stablo was accorded a frontage Yet ie is one of tho best-endowed institutions out of Dunedin, boasting a fair assortment of reading matter, and orniched with treasures gathered from all parts, of New Zealand by our worthy member. When distinguished strangers visit Lawrence, the hon. gentleman must fcol rather ashamed of showing thorn tho shabby structure callod the Tuapoka Athenreurn and Mining Institute. All through the town tho samo incongruity may be observed. Tho expensive Town Hall has on either side ehabby, low-roofed shops, which have outlived thoir day and need pulling down sadly. Farther on, occupying one of the best sites in tho town, stands) anuther ancient eyesore, the Bank of New South Wales, which it is ploa«ant to hear is about to be rebuil', as it too has seen its day. The majority of the busine-s places aie stamped with the history of Tuapeka. They have passed through all tho stages from the calico era to tho prosent. and no moro than utility hay been aimed at. The most imposing buildings aro those erected by strangers, comparatively spoaking, who have brought their ideas from abroad. The old identi ics who havo vegetated hilt a lifetime in tho district aro content with what barely meets thoir requirements. The shop and dwdling-houso recently erected by Mr Egglrstone, carpenter, stands in ploasiug relief to the adjoining tenoments, and is an '■vn:imont to It 038 place. -Another of our peculiarities is that when wo want a bridge wo construct it t6 form an elbow— witocna that ovor the Wetherstones Creek, what an uirly bump it throws out on what might otherwise be a ( go(id .street The sludge-channel will probably necessitate tho rebuilding of this bridge ; if so the city fathers should immortalise themselves by making straight this crooked way. It might easily be done by altering the site of tho bridge and continuing the street through that unoccupied gussetshaped section faci' g the Colonial Bmk, This would be a marked improvement on the important Blue Spur road. If hi time planted out with forest, treea it would supply a folt want by affoidlng us a pleasant walK. I commend the irloa to our much esteemed Mayor, whose perception ot the beautiful is uo keen. Aiuou

tho few really good buildings here are the Grammar Sebool, Courthouse, Council Charabesa, Post-office, and the Hospital. Thedifferent churches i and t atholie School rifo tasteful and commodious, but bsing of timber cannot be classed with the above. Messrs Herbert and Co. J a bonded store still looms in luturrfy. No doubt when an accomplished fact it wdl do credit to tlr largo ideas of that enterprising firm. Lecture. -The Rev. lit Byng'rf lecture on "Love. Courtship, and Matrimony" attracted a number of young foßs, who wanted to know how ministers goB through those delicate affairs Anything original i oa this ancient but ever new theme «fU not looked for, but tho subject beiiijj selected by a ' Kov, was a dedded novelty.