LOCAL AND DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1285, 18 January 1870, Page 2

LOCAL AND DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE.

Accidents.—On December 23rd, a man named Thomas Bradshaw, in the employment of Messrs. Harley and Sons, while driving a cart laden with hay from Stoke to town, sustained considerable injury. Some boys by throwing stones frightened the horse, which raddt'nly ran off, and Bradshaw fell tefore the wheel which passed over a part of his shoulder and ribs, breaking three of the latter. He was brought into town and attended by Dr. Squires, and is now in v far better state than in the circumstances could have been looked for.—Another accident took place on December 25th, on the Wakapuaka road. Mr. R. Anderson, of Happy Valley, while riding home was thrown from his horse, which stumbled in one of the iiumerous watar-courses that cross the otherwise good road, and the rider fell heavily to the ground breaking his collarbone, and sustaining other less important injuries. Dr. Vickerman was soon in attendance, and under his care Mr. Anderson is improving. On Christmas eve, some careless or mischievous persons set on fire the gorse in Wellington-street, on the hill-top, behind the residence of Mrs. Scaife and others. The fire-bell was rung, and the flames, which on both sides of v paddock made rapid progress : nwards the houses, were fi*ppily checked by a few .•nergetie persons, who be^ them out by branches of i vees. Why are gorse beuges permitted to remain iin trimmed so near to wooden houses? There is a law against it. >» i_ Tea Meeting at Waexfield.—On Monday, 27th December, a tea meeting was held in the Upper Wakefield School-room, to commemorate the twenty--ixth anniversary of the Sunday School, in that place. A goodly number of friends were present; Mr. I. M. Kill in the chair. The children recited their pieces well, and the singing was very good. After the i (-citations, Mr. Griffith, the Superintendent, reported '. he school in a flourishing condition; the meeting -< as then addressed by Messrs. W. Wadsworth, Lewis, Powell, and Hill. Singular Meteob. — A beautiful meteor was ( bserved on December 26, on the Richmond road, not ■:ir from Stoke. About balf-past nine, some persons .riving home saw a brilliant undulating light that > eerned to make the country much brighter than the ! vightest moonlight for the space of at least five ; i-eonds. During that tieni it Beemed to grow from a reached its greatest intensity, and then to fade -light beginning, by tremuious undulationß, until it inversely as it began, and threw the previous darkness info greater gloom. The sky at the time was overcast l.v heavy thunderous-looking clotds. Boat Race.—A sailing match for three miles took 1 lace in the harbor on I'ecember 27th. The boats uvre, the Little Fred, the Rose, the Active, and the Why Not, all being undecked boats. A good start -.-. .13 effected, the course fceiug from the Government v. harf round the hulk back co the wharf. The Rose i owk the lead and maintained it half round the course, ■a iion the Little Fred overhauled her, and came in the v. inner about a hundred yards, the otheis gave up the r r.e at the hulk. We hear that the owner of the Iloae has challenged the owner of the Little Fred to ; n other trial between thb *o boats on an early day i.n* £5 a-side. Abtizans' Association —The members of this .-. gave their ninth quarterly entertainment ; t the Oddfellows' Hall on New Year's eve. Mr. W. i 1 rtddow occupied the cbair, and after a few remarks, ;.f read some verses composed by a gentleman on the public events in Nelsor> during the last few months. The music, both instrumental and vocal, was excellent. .Mr. Oakey presided at the oiano; and Mr. Draeger n ith liib cornet, and Messrs Clarke and Horton with iheir flutes ably assisted in the choruses, and also produced some very pretty solos. Mr. Sigley's song, • The Bold Marco," and the song and chorus, " She's :;!ack, but that's No Matter," deserved the encore iikiy obtained; the manner in which these pieces i' .;re received, no doubt, showed the Artizans that the ;>iiblic enjoy bold and lively songs much better than . I icy do the sentimental and pathetic ones. Some ■ ines, written by a member, t juching the Old and New Year, were read, and were warmly applauded. The i radings of Mr. C. Greig and Messrs. Kiernan caused 111 uch merriment, and "were the best of the evening, liesides their time and trouble in getting up the i-iitertainment, we are afraid our friends will suffer a pecuniary loss, as the attendance was not so good as >'r. might and ought to have been. —At the weekly meeting of the Society on Wednesday, Jan. sth, Mr. William Garrard, of the Port, was elected as President. Masonic Installations. —At high noon on the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, the brethren of i he Masonic Order, members of the Southern Star Lodge, and visitors, met in the lodge room, where the following officers for the year were installed by \V. M., Dr. Squires:—W.M., T. Younger; P.M., ])r: Scaly; S.W., R. Bum ; J.W., Jesse Hounsell; liecretary, J. Percy ; Treasurer, N. Edwards; S.D., .T. W. Wigzell; J. D., H. Hounsell; 1.G., A. Hibble; 0.G., H. Hargreaves. In the evening the brethren celebrated the occasion by dining together as usual at a table well provided by Brother M'Gee, when a cheerful and musical evening was spent. Tro: A ukoba Austbamb beautifully enlightened the r-ouiliern sl;y on January 4. It varied in color from bright streaks of white light to a soft glow of pale rid, and at onetime the latter color'deepened so as to give the heavens an appearauce as if a large fire was reflecting its glow in the sky. Passing False CHEQUE.~On January sth, George Allen, James Craven, and frank Leethwood, were brought up on remand before Mr. Sharp, Resident Magistrate, on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences. Leethwood and Craven were discharged, and Allen wa>> co-omitted for trial. The f nets are these, .the thre* drove up to the hotel of Mr. John Palmer, in Waimea West, and had obtained sundry refreshments for which Allen paid with a cheque for £7 on the Bank of New Zealand, bearing the name of James Davidson, and received the balance in cash. Thp cheque proved to be worthless. The case will com* on ibr trial at next sittings of the Supreme Court. Cricket Match.—A matcn took place at Riwaka on Saturday, the Bth January, between eleven of the Riwaka, and eleven of the Motueka Clubs, which resulted in a victory for the latter, with five wickets to go down. Between the two innings, the elevens, with a {evr of their friends, s<tt down to an excellent luncheon, provided by Mr. S. Talbot, of the Ferryhouse, Riwaka, to which ample justice was done. The numbers scored on each oide were:— Motueka: Ist innings, 39 ; 2nd innings, 68. Riwaka: Ist innings, 50; 2nd innings, 56. Fatal Accident to an Oh> Settles.—On January 8, Mr. David Claris, one of thejoldest settlers in this Province, was killed while falling a tree in the Wakefield bush, near the Focest Inn. The tree took an unexpected ditectior in its descent,' and fell upon the unfortunate deceased, crashing him on the spot. Mr. Clark will be remembered as having been an important witness at the Waugapeka Enquiry, before the Hon. Mr. Domett, a short time since. A Rapid Ride.—/ stalwart miner, by name Maurice O'Brien, left Blue Creek on Jan. 13th, at 11.45 in the forenoon, and comple.ed the distance of sixtyeight miles within six honrs, arriving at our office at 5.40 in the afternoon. This feat is the more remarkable when we consider teh nature of the road, thirteen miles of which is merely a bush track, full of pitfalls, and dangerous for fast ridiog, while there are many steep hills, and not a little tugged road besides, to get over. O'Brien I'ad relays waiting him at various places, and be rode no fewer than six horses in order to complete the journey. In the language of the circus, this may be^y properly be called a " rapid act of horsemanship." A eegatta was held at Picton on New Year's day, when eight races were contested. Mablbobotjgh Timbee Tbabe.—The Havloeek correspondent of ttfe Presr writing on New Year's day, says:—" The demand i<r sawn timber is daily increasing, and the mills arc working long hours to keep up the supply. The Haveloek <uill has shipped during the last three months about 450,000 feet of timber; and Messrs. Brownlie and Co., since commencing operations at their nev mill on the 25th October, have shipped close on 300,«00 feet,1 besides having many thousand feet on hand. A large quantity has also been ihipped from Mr. Farnall's mill, in the Kaituna. Mr. Brownhe'i new mill is well worthy a -visit, as it is almost irapogiidfe to give a description that would convey bat a ttnall idea of the extensive »»chinery.'