LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 204, 28 December 1871, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

SIXTT-FOOR men are engaged in the formation <of the new road from Havelock to Manuka (Creek. Thirty of that number are Government «inployes, and the remaining thirty-four are working for tlie contractor. The cutting ill rough the Bound Hill Saddle is marly £nisb£d, and judging from the energetic manner in which the work is being a>-ried on, in another paontb. the road will be available for traffic.

IT is calculated th.it the recent rise in the price of wool has added £800,000 to the value al th« clip in the Middle Island.

We are glad to chronicle that auother new industry is about to be established in Otago •viz., ithe manufacture of hosiery. For this ..purpose Mr. J. O. White some time since the required machinery froui the old country. The machineiy was shipped ou board the Christian McAusland, which vessel ia now overdue. The manufactory will be in Hanover street, Dunedin, and Mr. White iutends to uae wool spun at Mosgiel. Wo wish Mr. White every success in his enterprise, and consider, that should he establish it, *s we have no doubt he will, and turn out a marketable article, he is entitled to a bonus from the Government.

Thb Beaumont New Year's Sports will take place on Monday next. Tlie principal portion x>f ths programme is tbe regatta, to take place on La>k« Lancaster, which we are sure will attract a large Attendance of visitors. There will alio b* a pigeon-shooting match. As an additional inducement to pleasure, seekers Mr. LancMter will throw open his splendid fruit garden at the Crookston Hotel free.

Mb. Hay will sell by auction, on Saturday next, Mr. Keppel's property, situated on the west bank of the Tuapeka river, consisting of bouse and garden, farm, horses, cattle, farming implements, &c. Full particulars of the property to be sold will be found in our advertising .columns.

An extensive auction sale of -cattle, horses,

sheep, farming implements," &c, will be held at 'the G-ranton Farm, West Taieri, to-mon*ow, Friday, the 29th inst., by Messrs W right, fttpphenson and Co. All particulars can be ascertained by reference to our advertising .columns.

TjM Alexandra Annual Races and Athletic Sports will be held on the l&t January, 1872 The programme comprises Maiden Plate, Dunsjtan Cup Handicap. Hack Selling Race, Alexandra District Handicap, and Consolation Handi.cap. .Ther.e will also be some athletic sports. The nanjes. of the Committee is a sufficient guarantee that the management of the races and sports jwill be all that can he desired, and seconded by agood attendance of visitors, their tfforte, we have no hesitation in predicting will m<ike the Alexandra New Year's Sports oorae joff as successfully as any in the Colony.

' TflK usual weekly tpceting of the Waste LimAs Board was held on the 20th inst. Ranger Ewing was directed to issue licenses and collect, returns on the Stewart and Tiaqsiuir Hundreds. Messrs. Mylrea and Reese applied to lease five acres of land near JJoxburgk for liijie burning purposes. The application was referred io the District Warden for his report thereon. Applicants to furnish him with sketcl>.of site.

The christening of the Hercules Water Eace, Teviot, will take place on ijew Year's day. "We understand, that arrangements have bi en made Wrnake the affair go off in first-rate 6tyle, A pic-nic will be the principal features of H» day> proceedings,

A. tECTUBX wat delivered in the Wesleyan

Church, Blue Spur, on Thursday waning la»t by the Rev. H. Bull, on behalf of the fund* of the Sabbath School, on '* John Knox, Patriot - and Reformer." The Chair w»s taken by Mr. M'Lelland. who in a few brief and well chosen remarks touching the institution they wars met to support,- and the subject chosen by the lecturer the life of a man whose name was honoured, wherever civil and religious liberty were understood. The lecture introduced bis subject by. referring to the times in which the great reformer ■ lfved, sketching his birth, education, profession, hardships, trials, his integrity and adversity, his interviews with Royalty, and his intrepid and. almost defiant daring and honesty, in preaching tiuth ahd righteousness, in the presence of the Royal Lady who then sat upon the throne of Scotland. He showed that by a consistent advocacy of . the principles of the reformation, John Knox lived to see those principles made the key note of Teligibn, by the nobility and great of the land. The lecturer, concluded by setting up the subject of the lecture aa worthy of our highest * esteem and honour and as an example worthy of our imitation. He (the lecturer) claimed Knox, as belonging to his denomination as much as to Presbyterianism ; he belonged to the world, and was one of those tooble land-marks which all Christians could agree to honor. A vote of thanks was moved to the lecturer, by Mr. Luke, and seconded by Mr. S. Uren. A similar vote was accoided to the Chairman, on the motion of Mr. Bull. The audience was large and appreciative, and the proceeds were over £5.

A stable on Messrs. Cargill and Amlersou's station, Teviot, took fire last week aud was burnt to the ground. One horse was unable to effect its escape, and perished in the flames.

We notice that Mr. Samuel Searle has made considerable additions and imprvoements to his stables, including several hoose boxes erected for the special behoof of racehorses.

Letters signed by "A Common Digger.'' "Poor Digger," "A Settler," and "Fair Play*' are unavoidably held over till our next issue."

We understand the Waitahuna Dramatic Glub intend to give a performance in aid of the funds of the Tuapeka Hospital towards the end of January.

Tho programme of the Moa Flat Races and Athletic Sports to take place on New Year's Day, will be found in our advertising columns. As there is not likely to be any counter attraction about the district on New Year's Day there is every likelihood that a large assemblage will gather to witness well contested i"aces and trials of strength and skill among athletes.

The amount the Tammony Ring swindlers have stolen from New York is put down at 63,000,000 dollars.

During the gale which visited Dunedin last Saturday the north-west turret and three pin nacles of the spire of the first Presbyterian Church (now in course of erection) were blown down. Mr. Godfrey, the sculptor, narrowly escaped destruction from the mass of falling stone.

We notice that Mr. ' McKay, of the Dunrobin Hotel has established a line of coaches from Tapanui, connecting with Matheson's line of Switzers and Tuapeka coaches, thereby completing coach communication between Tapanui and Dunedin. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns. We Lope that Mr. McKay's enterprise will be successful. Mr. McKay has secured the contract for the conveyance of the mail to and from Tapanui,

The stone foundations of the Roman Catholic School, to be erected in Colousby-street, Lawrence, have been laid, and the woik of building the walls will be commenced immediately.

A. PETITION signed by 52 residents in the district has been sent to the Chief Postmaster, praying for the establishment of a post-office at Manuka Creek. This district is increasing in population, and we think is of sufficient importance to warrant Mr. Barr in granting the request of the petitioners. Mr. Murray of Glenore has worked him-

self into a state bordering on frenzy, at the quantity of tailings washed down from the.sluiciug claim of Messrs. Coombe & Co. Mr. Murray has sent a number of letters t> Mr. Coombe complaining that the tailings are encroaching on his laud, and threatening', if said encroachment is not immediately stopped, to call in the aid of the law to annihilate this party, claim, tailings, and all thereto appertaining. These letters have been treated by the receiver thereof, with sublime indifference, which, as may be readily imagined, has the effect of intensifying the senders rage. While passing through the Manuka Creek district recently, we took the opportunity of visiting Mr. Murray's property, with the view of ascertaining the amount of damage done, as from the tone of his epistles we were led to imagine that his property was being covered up with sluicing debris to about the same extent as Munro's and Gabreil's Gullies. We were therefore considerably sui prise I wheu we found his comp'aints utterly groundless, the tailings not having encroached on his ground to the extent of a single inch. It is a great pity that men, whose property has been renders I valuable, and continueg so, only thi-ou jh the operations of tue miners, cannot find something | better to do in their bpare time than endeavoring to impede the progress of mining enterprise. We recommend Mr. Murray to keep out of Court as long as he "possibly can,, for goldfield's Wardens are not in the habit of allowing men. who bring fanciful or vexatious complaints before them, to depart from their presence without giving them a strong- hint of their disapproval of such pioceedings by mulcting them in heavy cests.

Visitors from " over the ravges" have commenced to arrive at Roxburgh for the purpose •of speeding the Chrhtuus a; d New Tear's Efolidays.

On New yeai's day the Hercules Water Race Teviot. will be .opened and celebrated by apic-uic, ""T

Ws understand thai Mr. Warden Pyke i> to be transferred from the Punttan to the Tuapeka 'district. Th» change will probably tak« place about February next.

TfTB deposit of limestone, discovered at the Teviot recently, is situated at the northern and of Roxburgh, near Mr. Norton's residence. The discovery wat made by Mr. Dewe. Messrs Mylrea and Keese have applied for a lease of the ground where it was found for the purpose of working it. Mr. Reid, who for some time past has been conducting a singing class in connection with the Presbyterian Church at Roxburgh, was, last week, presented by the members of the class with a substantial token of the value they placed on his services, in the shape of a purse containing 14 sovereigns.

Subscriptions, for the purpose of aiding Ewing (the hero of the recent shooting case at St. Bathau's) in his defence are being collected in the Mount Ida district.

We learn that it is probable that the wire tramway will be adopted in one of the tunnel claims at Campbell's.

The usual monthly meeting of the Tuapektv Hospital Committee was held in the Commercial Hotel on Tuesday evening. There were present seven members of Commitree ( the exact number require 1 to form a quorum, viz , Dr. Halley (Chair), Messrs. M'Swiney, Maclean, Abel, Farrer, Harrop, and Hayes. Dr. Stewart was also present. The nvnutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence waa read from the Secretaries of the Wakatip and Dunstan Hospitals, asking for the co-opevation of the Tuapeka Hospital Committee to obtmn a a special grant from Government, or a continuance of the £2 to £] subsidy to the end of the year, to enable them to meet engagements entered into by th«*m under the impression that the subsidy would be continued. On the motion of Mr. Havrop, seconded by Mr. M'Swiney, a resolution was carried, expressive of the hearty co-operation of the Tuapeka Hospital Committee, and appointing Mr. Bastings to confer with the Government on the subject. Dr. Stewurt stated that the number of patients a'Mmitred into lhe Hospital during the month Wii« 13; discharged 9 ; the number in the institution at the 1 b -'.'inning of the month was 19, and the number remaining in it now was 22, The number of out door patients was 13. The Secretary was instructed to again write to I persons holding lists for tlie year 1870, and usk why they had not. replied to liis forme! 1 letter. The opening of the tenders was about to be proceeded with, when Mr. Abel called the the attention of the Chairman to the fact that, there vas not a quorum present, one of the members having retired. It. worn then d.sc tied to h Id a meeting on Thur da evening, for the purpose of opening the tenders. The meeting then closed.

It is considered certain that the next pension of the General Assembly will be held in Dunedin.

Thomas Birch E<q, late of the firm of Wilson and Birch, has been despatched to Q-reat Britain as assistant ImmigrationOfficer.

The Auckland el.nre market ia dull Caledonian's are £58 ; Thames £15 ; Tookey's £18.

Our Waitahuna correspondent informs us that the gale of Saturday morning ]nst did some damage at the Canada reef — Mr. Higgins store being partly unroofed. The Table Hill Quartz Mining Cos. machine sustained injury which will t.ike 2 or 3 d iys to repair.

In our report of the Chief Ranger's speech, at the Forester's Anniversary, the word " annually " was inadvertantly omitted in a sentence. The sentence in question should have read £3,000,000 were annually saved by these societies alone.

That noble savage Ker.'opa has been found guilly of the murder of Mr. Volkner, and probably in a short time will be operated upon by Jack Eetch.

Lawrence has had the honour of a visit from a peripatetic vendoi of a Yankee nostrum yclept Weston. This gentlemen, who evidently does not believe in hiding 'his light under a bushel, adopted a unique — at least in New Zealand method of advertising the marvellous virtues of his preparation. He extensively distributed handbills announcing, in the most approved American style, that an entertainment would be given on the evening of the 18th inst at the Commercial Kooin, " without money, and without price." At the -hour appointed for proceedings to commence, very few presented themselves— the public of Lawrence, unaccustomed to snch philauthrophic displays, evidently imagini is* that some occult dodge was intended to lie practised on them should they be trapped into the Assembly Room by the bait of free admission. See_iiiJ that those who boldly ventured in sustained no hurt, those outside plucked up courage aud dropped i» by twos aird threes, the arrival of eich successive batch being hailed with tumultuous applause by those already in. Mr. Weaton commenced by "ha-ijoizing," after which he sang a son?. Then lhe object of his generous invitation to the public to come ami be amuoeil gratis came out With charming naiveti be told those assembled Miat the " root of ali evil " was the magnet that attracted him to Lawrence, anil he volunteered the information that hf intended to make a good deal of money out -of the district. After another song he sat himself on the .table in an admirably negligent posture, and proceeded to descant on t,he miraculous pnperties of the article he proposed to introduce. At times the glorious prospect of alleviating the sufferings of his dear friends in Tuapeka rendered him enthusiastic. At times he was sublime, then he glided into the pathetic, and wound up humourously. He recommended those present, as a particular favor, to disbelieve every word he said —he implored — neseeohed them to consider him the greatest perverter of truth they had ever met with—, but try the preparation in bottles at 2s fid each. The weather being very sultry, the cool assurance of Mr. WesEon had a most refreshing effect on the audience, and some of his most earnest asseverations about the wonde-ful ralue of the" article he was recommending to their notice created as much merriment' as his jokes. Mr. Weston, however, was not in the le;ist disconcerted. He sang another song, n.nd started again Just before the close of the performance, he offered f<>r sale two dozen bott'es of his nostrum "just to intioduce it." On the whole, a very enjoyable evening was spent. Mr. .Weston interspersing Lis 'remarks with Americanisms, .aid occasionally p'ayinsr on the banjo and singing song 1 ? — both of which he did splendidly, and each performance evoked • rapturous applause. On the 20th inst. Mr. Weston repeated his entertainment, ftUil sold three dozen bottles of the preparation.

Oji B of the largest and most expensive works of the kind, as yet constructed in Otago, i» the tail-race in Botcher's Gully belonging to Mr. AlcGinuis. It commences about t* mile below Nieper's Store, and ii About 1160 yurls in length. It is from 8 to 12 feet in width, and in depth, from 8 to 20 feet, if ho lower portion of the tail-rac'2 was tunnelled through solid rock, a work of much 'difficulty, labor, aud expense, being aluioat entirely effected by blasting. Thf race was commenced in 1864, aud 000 yards of it took six men 18 months to bring up. It is calculated that six men would not be able to construct it to its present length under four years. From 3 to 32 feet is hewn out of the Kolid bed-rock, the remaining height being built of stone. As Butcher's Gully is subject to sudden and violent floods it required a good deal of engineering skill to make the race so that it would be able to take off the flood water, and at the same time be strong enough to avoid damage from boulder& and tailings which are brought down at such times. This skill has been shown by those who constructed if, as on only on two occasions has it been found inadequate to meet all demands upon it. But these occasions were exceptional, as, in consequence of thunderstorms and waterspouts, floods of unprecedented magnitude, came down with frightful velocity, filling the gully bank and bank, and currying a. large quantity of tailings from the upper workings. On these occasions the tail-race was tilled up, and two months time was spent in clearing it out. Mi. McGinnis is denuding the gully of all the alluvium it contains — in fact, is clearing everything out of the.-gully with the exception of the bed-rock. He employs generally three or four men. Some parts of this gully, which was worked in the- early days of the Dunstnn rush, proved remarkably rich, and Air. McGinnis informs us that subsequently to his t;ilu:ig up his extended area, after the ground had been abandoned by ordinary ela'mholders, he has struck some very rich patches some going 2oz. to the dish. But of course the whole of the ground is nothing like so rich as this. We wish Mr. McGinnis every success.

It may be interesting to tho"je of sporting tastes to learn that a match has been arranged between the English horse Sterling, and the Aiuericau horse Harry Baasett, for £10.000 a-side, £2000 is to be allowed .the owner of Harry Bassett if the ni<vtch takes place in England.

Seven young men were drowned in Dunedin Harbour, on Christmas Their names wer? Prictor, Sciimgeour (three brothers), Drew (two brothers.)