LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 176, 22 June 1871, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

FROM advertisement it will be seen that Mr. S. A. Miller, draughtsman, now resident in Lawrence, is prepared to execute nil descriptions of architectural designs. We have had the pleasure of inspecting a few specimens, now on view in the shop of Mr. Thomas Anderson, Ross Place, and, although we do not profess to be connoisseurs in this art, we cannot help testifying to the neatness of the execution of these specimens. At the Revising Court at the Teviot on the 13th inst., out of 265 objections 27 were sustained and the claimants struck off. In 78 cases the claimants appeared either personally or by agenb, and supplied the necessary information (insufficiency of which forme'l the ground of objection), and were consequently allowed to fltomfl. The remaining 160 objections were on the ground of insufficient value '* as stated in claim," and were all decided by consent of the Registration Officer on the first case, which was gone into fully, and given in favour of the vote. At the usual weekly meeting of the AYaste Lands Board, held on the 14th inst., it was agreed that section 8, block XXII , Lawrence, be sold. Mr. J. S. Worthington. Qaeenstown, applied to purchase the land there on which his house stands. It was resolved to ask Mr. AVorfchington to supply a survey of the ground by the district surveyor. The ground to be then sold by auction with £30, the amount of valuation allowed, added to the upset price. The application of Mr. P. Kelly to purchase sections 19 and 38, and the reserve, at Cromwell, was declined. The New Zealand Mercantile Agency Company applied for compensation for fencing Wairuna Hundred. The Company was asked to produce the award of the arbitrators. The application of Mr. G. C. Clayton to have a lease of part of Queenstown, was declined. Messrs. Pierce and Washer applied for leave to construct a tail race from their coalpit to Welshmans. The Board had no objeotion to their doing so. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the following new publicatiocs :— A pamphlet on the "Perpetual obligation of the Sabbath," by the Rev. J. S. Smalley, of Port Chalmers ; the ** Bohemian in Otago ;" the " Arrow Observer ;" and the "Arrow Advocate." As announced by advertisement elsewhere, the consecration service will be conducted in the Church of England, Lawrence, on Friday, 30th June, when the Right Rev. the Bishop of Dunedin will preach. There will be an offertory in aid of the church building fund. Feom a** Daily Times "' telegram dated Aaokland, June 12th, we learn that the share market is more active. Caledonians are at £200. Thames Gold Mining Oo.'a shares £40, Toogys £40, Otago 3 £4, and Albarnias 3^ The "Mount Ida Chronicle" regretiKtoTiear that the first crushing of the staMf in the Otekuike Reef did not come up to (TKexjioofcations of the shareholders ,who are'SPeFthelesa sanguine as to ultimate Buccess. So^nfident, indeed, are the shareholders in the undertaking, that they intend at once to penetrate the reef to a greater depth, when they will, we feel assured, raise up better stone.

A female auctioneer has commenced business in Taranaki. It is said she has a good voice, a thorough knowledge of business, and is an excellent advertiser, which latter good quality cafts-forth the wish that she would locate herself in Lawrence. Advices by the mail state that the Queen has assented to the South Australian Bill for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister, in consideration of the strong feeling expressed in the Colony in favour of the measure. A moa skeleton, 11 feet 6 inches high, was recently placed in the Canterbury Museum. A petition is about to be forwarded to the Speaker and members of the Provincial Council from Naseby, having reference to the establishment of a hospital in that place. The success of the dredges on some of the Otago rivers has induced the Nelson West Coast miners to turn their attention towards this branch of mining, and it Is proposed shortly to place a dredge as an experiment on the Upper Buller. Mr. Lowther Broad is said to be the moving spirit in the affair. The expense of the Mining Conference is put down at £363 13s. The Chinese Interpreter, Mr. John Ah Loo, met with a serious accident at Queenstown last week. The unfortunate gentleman was thrown from his horse, and sustained a fracture of his collar bone. We are compelled to hold over our report of the proceedings in the District Court. Speaking of the gold fever raging in Auckland, the " Southern Cross " says : -There is money being made, and money yet to be made in the scrip market. But we are standing on the blink of a volcano, and a wise man is he who prudently retires before the explosion comes. A HUMAN sketeton was revealed by the burning of flax and grass off a swamp at Waikouaiti the other day. Nothing that could lead to identification was discovered. From general appearances the skeleton had evidently remained unobserved for many years. The celebrated C. W. Thatcher has written a letter to the " Southern Cross " from Paris, in which he says :— " lam not likely to return to the colonies, but am going to start in business in the West End of London ; and it has been to buy goods that brought me abroad." The usual fortnightly Sixpenny Readings will take place this week at Lawrence and Wetherstones, the latter this evening, and the former to-morrow evening. It is unfortunate that these pnterfcainments are made to clash ■with each other -both being held in the same week, with only the interval of a day between. We believe the Athenaeum and Wetherstones School Committees would find it greatly to their advantage if they could arrange to offer the public one entei tainment each week, instead of two every alternate week. The first pile for the Port Chalmers Railway Jetty was driven on Saturday afternoon. It has been discovered by Mr. Henry Campbell, of Wanaka district, that the native parrot is in the habit of attacking sheep and tearing the flesh from their backs, leaving a large sore from which matter continually runs down the side, taking the wool completely off that part which it touches, and in many cases causing death. Mr. Campbell had supposed this to have been a new disease in sheep, and was at a loss to account for it until the parrots were observed tearing at the skir.s of sheep which had been hung up to dry, and he thought it not improbable that the cause of the mysterious disease was solved, which was subsequently found to be the case. It has been ascertained that no less than ten per cent, of the flocks depasturing on the ranges have been thus attacked. Major Choker's petition to the Provincial Council has been reported upon by the Private Petitions Committee, who recommend, as meeting the circumstances of the case, that he should be kept in view by the Government for an appointment, when a vacancy occurs. The firms of Messrs. G. M. Aldrich and Co. and J. W. Robertson and Co., Queenstown, are about to give orders for the building of two steamers to run on Lake Wakatip. It appears that the rifle company which was organised at Balclutha some time ago is now in a very languishing condition. A circular has been addressed to each member convening a meeting to consider whether the corps should be continued or disbanded. Would our " discarded seventy-two " have gone and done likewise had the Government dejgned to notice them ? Ho A Mcc, the "pioneeer Chinaman," writes from Hong Kong to the " Daily Times " stating that two vessels are already laid on at Hong Kong for this port with Chinese passengers, and that he expects that at least 2,000 will leave for Otago this year, The " Daily Times " truly remarks that should this prove to be the case, the " Chinese difficulty " will soon become one of the most prominent questions of the day in Otago politics. A large meeting of miners was lately held at Greymouth to raise funds for the relief of the Fenians now in Christchurch. A commercial depression seems to prevail at Queenstown, no confidence existing. The Chinese element is the cause. A meeting of cattle owners was held at Docheity's Tuapeka Hotel on the 16th inst., for the purpose of devising means for preventing their cattle from straying over the boundary of Mr. Smith's run. Mr. John Michael occupied the chair. The appointment of a ranger was suggested, who should be employed at a moderate salary, which should be raised by subscription amongst the cattle owners of the district. After considerable discussion, a committe« of seven was appointed, who eventually instructed the secretary, Mr. Docherty, to write to Mr. James Smith, Greenfield Station, asking him upon what terms he would be willing to appoint one of his own men to keep the boundary clear of cattle belonging to the settlers in the district. An accident occurred last week to a child of Mr. Alex. Robertson, hy which it was severely scalded and narrowly escaped a worse fate. It appears that a saucepan full of boiling water fell on to the child, the hot liquid running over its shoulder and side aud scalding it in a fearful manner. We arp informed, however, that the little sufferer is slowly recovering and out of danger. An accident also occurred to a little girl belonging to Mrs. Richards, the child having fallen on the back of her head causing coticmaion of the brain, which kept her insensible for about ten hours. However, under the skilful treatment of Dr. Halley she is progressing favourably. We are pleased to learn that the sum of £5 7s. has been collected by Mr. Grundy towards the funds of the Acclimatisation Society of Otago. We believe this is the first contribution made by the Tuapeka district to the funds of this very valuable institution, and we trust it will be kept up and increased annually. The benefits to be derived from this association are numerous, and we hope in a abort time to see many of the home trees, shrubs, and flowers acclimatised in this district, which lia^e not yet found a place in our gardens. Meetings of those interested in the Tuapeka Annual Ploughing Match were held in the Athenaeum last Thursday and Saturday, when rules and regulations were adopted for the forthcoming match, which is to be held on Friday, 14th July. Subscription lists were drawn up and gentlemen appointed to collect funds to carry out the object in view. The committee also deputed several gentlemen to select a suitable piece of ground for the event. On the 13th inst. a fire broke out iv the premises occupied by Mr. F. W, Reiclielt as a fancy goods warehouse in Princes-street Cutting, Dunedin, The Fire Brigade, after considerable trouble, subdued the flames. Mr. Reiclielt was taken into custody on the charge of arson, and brought before the Coroner and a jury at the enquiry which afterwards took place. A large amount of evidence was taken, the enquiry occupying three days. The jury found the following verdict :—" Set on fire accidentally, casually, and by misfortune, on the morning of the 13th June, 1871." Reichelt was remanded to the Mayor's Court, bail being refused. In the Provincial Council on Monday. Mr. G. F. C. Browne moved, and Mr. J. C. Brown seconded, " That the petition of xhe residents at Waitabuna be referred to the Government for their favourable consideration." Carried. Mr. Shepherd's motion, "That the petition of the residents at Blacks and Drybread, praying that r. Courthouse and Gaol be. established at Clyde, as the centre of the Dunstan district, be referred to fhe Government,"' was also carried. On the R«njp day the land rosokuijns as agraed to in Committee were atloptud on the voices.

It is announced that the Bishop of Dunedin will deliver a lecture in the Athenaeum, Lawrence, on the 30th inst., in aid of the building fund, the subject being " Natural .Theology." A change of chairs took place in the Loyal Tuapeka Pioneer Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.F., on Tuesday evening, when P.V.G. Bio. Thompson was elected N.G. ; Bro. M. Hay, V.G. ; and Bro. Downes, E.S. There are many who will be pleased to learn that that favourite, amateur company, the Lawrence Christy Minstrels, have arranged to give a performance on the 6th July. It will be seen by the advertisement elsewhere that a most attractive programme has been prepared, coinprising choruses, new negro and other songs, dances, jokes, and last, though perhaps not least, an original farce, with a very original title, in which, no doubt, our local "stars" will shine in all the transcendent brilliancy of burnt cork. As the performance is to be for the benefit of the company, who are desirous of liquidating liabilities incurred in purchasing musical instruments, &c, the admission will be at million prices. We have no doubt that our Minstrels, who have ever shown themselves ready to give their aid for any charitable purpose, will on this occasion be welcomed by a bumper house. A retorn, showing the amount of assessment levied on stock depastured without Hundreds, &c, during the year ending on the 31st May, 1871, has been laid on the table of the Provincial Council. It shows the gross amount of revenue from this source to have been £1198 6s 7il, and the expenses of management £652 9s 4d, making the revenue £545 17s 3d. Our Blue Spur turning correspondent reports : — I have again to report that mining matters on the Spur are very quiet. In f.ict. as there is so very little work going on other than law, I think the best thing, if you want news, is to appoint a legal correspondent from the Spur, and as a great many of our oldest practical miners appear to have made up their minds to adopt the legal profession altogethor, no doubt but you will have plenty of candidates for the honour from such a mass of learning. There are no less than five claims idle on the Spur at present with cases pending or waiting the solution of some new law point about prior right now washed into Gabriels or Munros Gully. However, when things come to the worst they are sure to mend. As a first instalment for the better, Mr. Hales, with his usual liberality, is employing a number of the unemployed building a break water in front of his residence, but as it is not a Government job ho will soon get tired of it. The next, but not the least, is a settlement of the case between Hales and Co., and the Extended Co. I believe they have settled it iv a manner satisfactory to both parties, after dropping a good many hundreds just to ease their superfluous choler. It is to be hoped that the settlement of this case out of Court will have a similar effect on the others, who perhaps have not so much money to lose, and give your correspondent a chance to report about big blasts and and good washings for the future. The Nelson Co, are still driving on the bottom and I believe are doing well. They aie adopting a very wise plan until things are in a more settled state. There is plenty of water on the Spur, but of course no sale ; but the water companies are now trying to arrange foi a general system of fluming across the Spur. I have no doubt in a short time you will see the whole amalgamated, which, as a natural consequence, must come. THEsecond anniversary of the Loyal Roxburgh Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.F. was celebrated by a soiree aud ball at Beighton's Assembly Room on Friday the 16th inst. In the absence of N.G. Wilkie, the chair was occupied byP.G. BiJgood, who made a short statement respecting the piogress of the Lodge, from which wegathered that the number of members had somewhat diminished since the last anniversary, chiefly owing to the fact that very little confidence was felt in their Lodge Surgeon. Steps were being taken, however, to procure the services of another, and it was confidently anticipated that during the ensuing year many who had withdrawn from the Lodge would again join, beside others who had intimated their willingness to do so. With respect to its finances, the Lodge was in a most prosperous state, having had but very few demands on its Sick Fund. He expressed his gratification at seeing so many present, including two visitors from Tuapeka, P.G.s Williams and Jeffery, and hoped that one and all would enjoy a pleasant evening. P.G. Jeffery returned thanks for the kindness shown to the visitors and expressed his pleasure at being present. Songs were sung by Mrs. M'Pherson, Messrs. Andrews, Smith. Williams, Heron, Waugh and others, after which the tables were cleared for dancing, which was kept up with great spirit for some hours. Altogether a most enjoyable evening was spent ; and the second anniversaiy of the Loyal Roxburgh Lodge will long be remembered by the inhabitants of the District.