Local Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XI, Issue 753, 6 March 1878, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

The ordinary monthly meeting of ■ the County Council will be held on Friday next. A sitting of the Supreme Court will lie held at Lawrence on Tuesday, 19th inst. In the absence of a quorum/ the quarterly meeting of the Licensing Court was not held yesterday. The .Court was adjourned until Monday, llth inst. We are informed that the last case of scarlet fever which occurred in the Borough has been successfully treated. At the present time there are np patients suffering from this disease at the Hospital. The town may now be said to be clear of scarlatina. In a list of the nominations for the Otago Education Board, published in our last issue, the following names were omitted: — Wm. D. Morrison, Clarks Flat ; John Mouat, St. Leonards ; Walter Miller, Glenore ; W. A. Mosley, Inch Clutha ; W. Riddle, Sandymount. Thb return home from the races may now.be said to be completed. On Saturday night the usual train was well filled with passengers} and the midnight special brought a good number back at half -past four in the morning. A destructive fire occurred at Milton on Sunday morning, whereby the premises of Messrs Nutsford, Duthie, and Reid, were totally destroyed. The fire originated in the workshop of Mr Nutsford. The " Mount Ida Chronicle " states that good reports are still current as to the development of the reefs in the Serpentine Valley." Before long it is likely that several claims will be in active operation there. A meeting of delegates from the School Committees in the Bruce County was held in the Schoolhouse, Milton, on Saturday. It was agreed to- recommend that the several Committees should vote for Messrs H. Clark, F. Wayne, Fulton, D. Reid, De Latour, Thomson, Fraer, Shand, and Adam as members of the Education Board. There were eight delegates in attendance. ■ ' It is our pleasing duty to record another act of liberality, whereby the prospects- of securing a more suitable building in our midst as an Hospital, are greatly enhanced. ' Mr Herbert informs us that in response to an application made by him, he received a letter yesterday from Messrs Cargill and Anderson of the Teviot Station, enclosing a cheque for, the sum of £50. That amount is their contribution towards the building fund of the Tuapeka Hospital. A, correspondent, writing to, the "Arrow Observer," mentions that the All Nations Company are taking out- splendid stone from' the {south or " big " reef, and intend putting through fifty tons shor.ly as a test. Speaking from personal observation, I should say that this' claim has doubled its value during the past month, an,d those shareholders who have latelydisposed of scrip may have good cause to regret their faint-heartedness and precipitancy. We observe that our local candidates for the Education Board have received the largest number of nominations. The following is the correct list' .-'Bastings, H.— Lawrence, Blacks, Waipori, Green Island, Beaumont, Tuapeka Flat, Evans Flat, Otakia, , Blue Spur, Heriot, Roxburgh, Swift Creek, Wetherstones. Fraer, M.-^rMoa Flat, Havelock, Tuapeka West, Tuapeka Flat, Waitahuna Gully, Evans Flat, Alexandra, Blue Spur, Glenkenich, Heriot, Lawrence, Roxburgh,' WetLerstones, Clarks Flat. . CIA'DE possesses a Sergeant of Police who is not to be trifled with, as the following case will show: — JJ'Hdlt' was' summoned for unnecessary delay in replying to a knock at the door for admittance by the police. The Sergeant of Police having stated the circumstances of the case : Mr Holt said he opened-the door immediately he Jaeard the knocking ; that at the time the Sergeant knocked at the door he was in the back parlour with some' boarders, and that he was apt aware it was 'the police, who was knocking.' The.caiewas dismissed. AoiRCUMaiiANOE happened, a1; the Blue Spur ' on Monday evening which, it is to be hoped, .w^U have; a beneficial effect on youths 1 who are ' in the habit, of playing with fire-arms. We have been informed that a party of youngsters obtained a gun, and proceeded on a shooting expedition. Oae .of- them 'attempted' to'lo^d it, but as the gun was very dirty, he was^un* successful intdriving the bullet h&me. '' • He 1 did not acquaint his companions of the fact, but handed the. gun over to one > of them to dis- , charge. No sooner was thetrigger drawn than I the gun burst, scattering pieces of the barrel in various directions. Fortunately, none of the youths were injured, but it may well be imagined that they were considerably scared at , what twd. occujrejj.

t During the three days of the recent race meeting in Dunedin it is computed that the total number of persons who travelled by j»il to and from the course was 7500. £& % Our Waitahuna correspondent infortns us that harvesting in that direction is aja'fn, ia full swing, comparatively little damage having^ been done to the crops by the recent stormy." It will be observed, by referring to our advertising columns, that Messrs R. G. Creagh and Co. (of Tapanui) have postponed their sa'e of merino ewes, •at Waikaka Station, until Wednesday, 10th ApriL , At a meeting of the Board of Governors of the> Dunedin High Schools, held on Monday afternoon, Miss A. Irvine Jardine (late superintendent of the Ladies' College at Melbourne) was appointed principal lady assistant to the Girls' High School. 1 The following, nominations have been received for the Southland Cjip, 0f. 60 sovs.,:^Sir Tatton, Tatch, Border Lad, May Day,' Wee Lad, and Eclipse. ■ • For the Publican's Handi- \ cap (of 3050v8.), the following have been nominated: — Sir Tatton, May Day, Wee Lad, Eclipse, land ' Romance. ■ < .A MEETING of the Waitahuna Schbdl Committee was held on Tuesday evening, 26th ult. , when it was "resolved to re ; open the school pn Monday, 4fch inst. Dr Withers reported , that the fever had almost disappeared, having been confined to the families where it first broke out. Although danger from infection /was by no means gone, yet by ordinary prudence evil results could' be easily avoided. . L An. Invercargill telegram states that Cecil Jackson, late surgeon of the Invercargill Hospital, was brought up on remand on Monday on a charge' of procuring abortion in the case of Ellen Green, a Hospital 'patient. The Court sat ,all the afternoon. The evidence of the housemaid of the Hospital, an inmate named Mrs Gutzefy and Drs Hanan, Grigor, and Cotterell was taken, anil all agree, that the treatment would produce miscarriage >in a pregnant person. Mb John Bahnjs, (who has helu the appointment of Inspector of Public Works for Dunedin City Council for a considerable time) was entertained by a number of friends at a banquet on Monday evening prior to his departure on-^a visit to his native land. G. Turnbull, Esq., who occupied the chair, in the course o^ a few well-chosen sentences, remarked that the great feather in Mr Barnes' cap was, that to the title, hard-working, successful man, the titles also, of honest and trustworthy could be faithfully added. A HEAVr rainfall commenced here on Saturday'afternoon, and continued almost without intermission until Monday forenoon. Throughout the whole of Sunday the rainfall was unusually heavy, and towards evening there was every appearance of a flood. The creeks in the neighborhood had swollen considerably, but as there was a break in the weather on the follow" ing morning the damage committed was inconsiderable. It ia not improbable, however, that several farmers in the neighborhood have suffered through their crops being in a ripe state. Mesßß3 Reid and Gray, the enterprising agricultural implement makers of Dunedin, have got up their names for the manufacture of many excellent articles of husbandry, but we have not seen anything from their workshop that does them more credit than the chaff cutter used by Mr George Walker in his produce store, Whitehaven-street. The rapidity with which the straw is converted into chaff is astonishing. Mr Walker informs us that during his long experience with both imported, and Colonial chaff-cutters, he has never found one to do the work • half so well as the Reid and Gray's he has now in use. It is, he considers, the.ckeapest and most durable of all. Regarding applications for licenses to occupy land on Mining Reserves, the Warden, accordding to a recent "Arrow Observer,"' said he had received a communication from the Government informing him that no action could be taken in the direction of granting such licenses until the teaerves had been gazetted. He was about to forward a list of reserves in this district, to Government for the purpose of getting them gazetted, and as soon as that was done 1 and the applications could he dealt with,' he would notify the same in the local papers. In the meantime he had no power to deal with them, and all applications must stand over. There is every indication that the complimentary banquet to the member for the district will be a grand success. A large number of tickets have 'already been disposed of. In order that the Committee may be placed in a position to give the caterer some idea of the number that requires to be provided for, th c gentlemen who may have any tickets unsold are requested to return them to the Secretary not later than Friday evening. The Ministerial party arrived at Riverton yesterday,' and were expected in Dunedin to-day, but whethe r ' Monday or Tuesday will be most suitable for them to attend the banquet the Secreta. y has not yet received information. It will be known in the course of to-day, and publicly intimated through the columns of this journal on Saturday. ' J The Secretary of the Sunday School Union Pic-nic informs us that there is every prospect of the pic-nic being largely attended both by children and adults. The residents of Blue Spur and Wetherstones have gone in heartily for the affair, and have made liberal collections in order to be able to present a ticket to every ' child capable of attending.' Clarks' Flat, Evans Flat, and Tuapeka Flat will also send their contingents. Mr Murray's grounds are admirably suited for the purpose, there being plenty of shade and shelter, and at the same time enough open space for the games, besides a separate paddock for cricket and football. The Committee propose to provide tea and fruit, find have received promises of a liberal supply of milk. The children are expected to bring with them their dinners and a pannikin each. Should the weather prove fine, a most, enjoyable day may be expected for all present at the fete. ) Mb T, anton writes:— Your correspondent, who draws attention in . your Saturday's issue to " innumerable stinks" said to exist at a place -he >ds- particularly careful in indicating, evidently desires to make out that they arise on : my premises. 1 If your tcorrespondent iad used his eyes, as, well as hiß, nasal organ, he would have Jjeen better' able to state the whole truth. ' The gutter in front of my house certainly is deserving of the attention of the Corporation. The attention of both the surfacemen and the Nuisance Inspector has been drawn to the ditch,"-which at present will not carry away the drainage or surface water. r I have -also' drawn the attention of the Mayor and one of the councillors to the matter^ but with no effect. ' The drain requires to be 'partly filled'up^so that a fall may be obtained. If your correspondent 'will assist 'by his peri to : wards the attainment of-this object, he will do some good to 1 the' community, 'but by stating Untruths, he will do nothing hut harm. I have no wish to boast, but I believe my premises will bear a very 'favourable comparison ats regards cleanlinessi with any other in the town. It is the business of the Town Council to provide some means for the drainage of the place, and until they do this, the public streets will be (he receptacle for all kinds of filth. '

tt s f \ » , "■"■'' -*\\ Oub Waifphuna correspondent' writ^f .—On Thursday last, Mr Smaille, County. Engineer, accompanied by Mr Adam, surveyor, Mr Cony, of the Waitahuna Road Board, under the guidance of Mr James Henderson, who is welf'acquainted with the district, rode over and examined the route of the prqp'osed new road from Waipori jo Wntti^huna:"' 'Mr Smaille expressed /himself satisfied as -to the facility of making the road, at a very little cost. Mr Adam ro^e hack over the track on Friday, and [ will commence surveying immediately. ! Speaking of the absurd way in which I " Jai-pees" have been manufactured of late, a | Northern journal exclaims :— " The magic letters J.P. behind the patronymic have a most singular effect on some men. Ifc ia 8^ one gentleman, not a hundred miles from Wellington, was so enamored of his appointment that he positively made a man drunk, in order that he might preside on the Bench and sentence the unfortunate offender. But when the accused addressed the newly-fledged J.P. as " your Worship " the Bench yearned, for that man, and he was dismissed with a caution." A good story about almanacs is going the roundß of the newspapers. In an 'up-country district in Napier, a man had 1 purchased' dn"e of these invaluable hand-books, published by a local newspaper. Rslying' on its accuracy, he made a bet that Lord Derby had once been, Premier of England. The bet was referred, tp the decision of the editor of the paper where the almanac was printed. A paragraph appeared stating that Lord Derby had neveif been Premier. The publisher was astonished '« fejvf dayß later wljen he received a telegram tq the following effect :— " Then look at your 'd-^ almanac, and weep. I ,' , ' r . The latest sensation here (says the " Wakitip Mail") may be styled "Telephomania.' 1 Men as well as boys maybe seen in' our high* ways and byways, some 30 or 40 yarcte 'apari mysteriousiy putting "their months and their ears,' alternatively, to- the openings of ■' empty jam tins — the communicating medium being twine fastened to the bottom of each tin — the terminal vibraters' which indicate the sounds (be .they whistling, singing or speaking) ,io ft most' surprising manner. This new disco'venr which is likely to prove very popular and valuable, has already been utilised, we hear, along the Kawarau, across which stream crudp cpn. trivahces have been fixed whereby men caja communicate their wishes to the opposite side even in the s f ormiest weather. Referring to the suspension of Mr ' Thomas Luther Shepherd, of the New Zealand An* niuties Department, on the complaint of Mr Knight, the "Rangiora Standard" says:— "Mr Shepherd would not secure his position by squeezing himself ' through the hawsehple,* but on the contrary, had dropped into it from, the parliamentary height of one of the well padded seats of our Colonial House of Com* mons. From an independent M.H.R. for the Dunstan district, in fact, he had one fine morn* ing found himself clothed in the variegated garb of a full-blown civij servant, and we be* lieve Mr Shepherd enjoyed' the change, and smilingly adapted himself to the alteration in his colonial fortune. As an official, we believe that both the public and the authorities rejoiced in the expert manner in which th^exParliamentary wight threw the Annuity net over the gaping way-farer, and secured, his life before the unfortunate could utter a single cry. But from the first Mr Knight never forgot the strange and weird manner in which Mr Shepherd joined his department, and he never smiled upon him, and things were conse* quently. made rather warm for the subordinate whenever an opportunity offered. At last the feud came to an end, and for some trivial reason Mr Knight lately suspended the Canterbury 'lives-taker,' recommending his instant dismissal." , , . The monthly meeting of the Waitabuna Road Board was held on Monday last. There were present— Messrs Cook (Chairman), Corry, Livingstone, Crozier, and J. Sutherland. A. letter from the Colonial Secretary's Office was read, enclosing certain bills, and requesting suggestions. A requisition from Messrs D. Ryan, Livingstone, and others, for certain works required on the river side toad, was laid on the table. Resolved that, specifications be drawn up for the necessary works, the amount not to exceed, £12. Messrs M'Ara, Stewart; and M'Corkindale, waited on the Board re* specting some necessary'improvementsonthe road through Mr Higgins' farm. •In connection with this, the report of the sub-Committee (Messrs Livingstone, J. Sutherland, and Crozier), was brought up. Resolved— That a sum not exceeding £14 be spent on the'requisite improvements. Messrs M'Ara and Stewart agreed to point out the works, as from their character it was deemed advisable that they should be done by day labour, instead of contract. A letter from Mr H. L. Squires, on behalf of MrD. Stevenson, asking the Hoard's aid in obtaining a road through section 42, Tuapeka East. The Clerk was instructed to inform Mr Squires' ,that it was outside the. Board's jurisdiction, the section not having been obtained by Crown-grant. The clerk was District. The Board then adjourned till Monday, 18th inst. A shall English colony, according to the "Zacht," a Russian paper, exists; near Archangel, which at the present time enjoys'perfect independence. This colony was formed gradually by emigrants drawn by the establishment by j»n English, company of some important sawmills. The colonists have raised a town, the existence of which is, so to speak, unknown, as it neither figures on maps, nor official records >of real property nor in the rate-books. The inhabitant of this happy place, whose numbers are not mentioned, are therefore free from rates, taxes, and all other burdens such as weigh so heavily on British householders. They are, moreover, independent of all locaauthority, and indeed of authority of any de, scription. This strange colony is, it is stated, not the first of the kind which has sprung up in these quarters. Not long ago an American town, established under' somewhat similar conditions, was discovered in the neighborhood of Morton, Kamchatka. A correct list of these independent little colonies, with information as to the readiest method' of reaching them, would doubtless be a boon to a large Mid important ola3s of Her Majesty's subjects: