Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1882. " MEASURES, NOT MEN," Local and General Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XV, Issue 831, 1 April 1882, Page 2

Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1882. " MEASURES, NOT MEN," Local and General Intelligence.

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Theee were 23 patients in the Tuapeka Golilfields Hospital last evening, including 4 females and 2 Chinamen.

The names of Messrs Fraer, Nicoll, Miller, Walker, and Jeffery are published in the last issue of the "Gazette," as members of the Lawrence Central Licensing District.

Mb Ross (ex-Mayor) has been elected Councillor for Bell Ward, City of Dunedin, by a majority of 254 over his opponent Mr John Jolly, junr., who only obtained 57 votes.

The price of wheat in the Home market has experienced a rise. The heavy shipments from America were probably the cause of the decline in price which took place some time ago, but now that these markets are expected to be lighter, the re-aoticn has set in.

During the delivery of his decision in the Wanganui election petition case, Judge Gillies said : "As for Askew and Middleton (two of the witnesses), he looked on them as utterly unworthy of credit. They were of the untrustworthy class of old soldiers and public-house loafers ; men of whom His Honor had known much in elections ; men who were prepared to take either side and then betray it."

At a sitting of the Police Court, Lawrence, held on Wednesday, before E. Herbert and Jonas Karrop, E«qs.,.Js.P., Margaret Bain, alias "Big Mag," was charged with drunkenness and using obscene language in a public place on the previous day. For the • first offence, accused was sentenced to forty-eight hours' imprisonment ; and for the second offence a fine of £5 was imposed, or three months' imprisonment in Her Majesty's Gaol, Dunedin.

The railway authorities announce that during the Easter holidays ordinary single-fare tickets will be issued from station to station on the 6th, 7th, Qbh, and lQth inst,, being available for return up to and including the 12th. Excursion tickets— 3os first-class, and 2Qs second class— in eonneotion with the opening of the Christchurch Exhibition, will be issued at Dunedin for Christchurch on the 6th, 7th, and Bth inst., being available for return up to and including the 17th. A special train is announced to leave Dunedin for Christchurch on Saturday next at 8 p.m.

Mb J. A. Moonet has resigned the position of Mayor of the Borough of Tapanui on account of pressure of private business. Mr Mooney has held office for sixteen months.

The first instalment of bluestone metal from Glenore quarry for the Beaumont road arrived on Thursday, and the Borough Council are taking steps to have the same laid along the roadway to a width of 14 feet.

The Public Works Department have accepted the tender of Mr Jesse Coates (£3,645) for the formation of two and a-half miles of line on the Palmeroton-Dunback railway ; and that of Findlay and Co. (£1,106) for the supply of timber for flood openings at Balclutha.

Thbee stacks of oats belonging to Mr Mackay, of Moa Flat, were destroyed by fire on Monday last. The stacks, which were uninsured, were valued at £150. The Police reported the circumstances to Major Keddell* who thought it unnecessary to hold an enquiry.

We learn that Messrs Dewar and Bennett, who some time ago bought at auction the quartz-reef in Conroy's Gully, near Alexandra, for £45, are actively engaged in getting everything in order for commencing operations. An ounce is about the average quantity of gold to the ton, and with economy, care, and perseverance, they should reap a rich harvest. This reef has been forsaken several times, . but, it is said, the want of energy and capital has had something to do with the repeated abandonments.

Evidently the notorious criminal Butler does not give up all hopes of being able to make his way out of gaol. We learn from a Christchurch paper that his Litest feat of ingenuity was to make a key from a piece of wood, and cover it with tin, the facsimile of one of the gaol door keys. Besides, he has made a saw from a piece of tin the size of a dinner table knife. The authorities, to impress upon him that this skill of his is not appreciated, has, so it is said, given him two months " solitary," the proper way to reward his cussed ingeniousness.

A poll of ratepayers, under the Local Option section, wag taken at lavercargill Scmth on Tuesday. The result was — For new publicans' licenses 95, against 68; for New Zealand wine licenses 42, against 65 ; for bottle licenses 42, against 63.— The ratepayers of Browns Licensing District are reminded that a poll to determine whether the number of publicans' licenses in that district shall be increased for the next three years, or whether accommodation licenses shall be granted, takes place on Monday next. The polling places are the Schoolhouses at Tuapeka West and Evans Flat.

The Clark3 Hill Prospecting Company are working away with a will. Since the last meeting of the shareholders, the Directors have driven the tunnel a distance of 72 feet, striking the cross-course, beyond which they have driven about 5 feet with a view of obtaining ample room at this point for carrying on further operations. They have also opened out on the line of the cross-course and have driven 20ft, but as yet no indications of the lode have been obtained. The Directors, however, do not anticipate any change in the tunnel for some distance yet, but entertain strong hopes of striking the main lode if a systematic course of prospecting is continued.

A sebiods case of goring by a bull occurred at Timaru on Tuesday. A man named Hallam went after a. horse into a. paddock in which -was an Ayrshire bull. The animal attacked him, and before anyone could arrive to his rescue, inflicted a number of very serious wounds. The bull tossed him several times, and gored him badly in the right thigh and groin, and also in the back and side, and inflicted serious bruises about the head and face. As soon as the accident was observed, several persons started on horseback to the rescue. It is doubtful whether Hallam, who was taken to the hospital, will recover. The bull has since been shot.

A pew parties of miners — European and Chinese — still find employment in and around Wetherstones. Messrs Cunningham, Sdlly Dempster, and M'Millan (known as the DerryWalls party) are doing very fairly. They are tunnelling their ground, and have about 50 loads of wash-dirt to grass ; they intend to commence blocking-out shortly, and in the course of a week or two they will have sufficient dirt to start washing-up. — Messrs Whelan and party are reported to be making good wages • so also are Messrs Hunter and party, whose claim is situated near the Wetherstones Company's.—A few Chinamen, employed working the headings and spare blocks of ground on the flat, are said to be earning from £1 10s to £2 per week per man.

An accident, which might have proved more serious, happened to the ship Nelson, while being towed out of the harbor by the tug Plucky on Wednesday. On passing the export pier, the tug's propeller caught up one of the new dredges mooring ropes, disabling the tug. Prompt measures were taken to extricate the propeller, but unfortunately the hawser also got foul of the same. The Nelson, meanwhile, being subject to a brisk N. E. breeze, drifted quickly astern, and the ship took the ground with her stern. The starboard anchor was let go, but the cable parted near the shackle. After about two hours delay, the tug was righted, and the Nelson eventually towed out to sea. She carries cargo valued at nearly £104,000, which includes 4851 bales of wool (£97,020), 1546 bags flour (£1540), 53 bales of rabbit skins (£1113), and a variety of other New Zealand products.

The " Lyttelton Times " gives the following instance of prolific crops in the Canterbury Province :— Mr James John, of the north road, Styx, has just given an instance of what good land under good husbandry will produce. This season he has threshed 72 bushels of marketable wheat to the acre, the description being purple straw tuscan, from a field of 24 acres. The Bame paddock produced last year no les3 than 14 tons of potatoes to the acre, and the previous season, being under turnips, finished off 55 heavy long-woolled wethers to the acre in a period of six weeks. — At the Ellesmere Horticultural Show, held lately at Leeston, Mr Amor exhibited three roots of peas : One root had 93 pods on it, one 96, and the other 109 pods on it, all sound and well-filled. They were grown by Mr John Eennie, at Doyleston, and are known as the Farmers' Friend.

At the meeting of the Land Board on Wednesday, it was decided (as the Government consider it advisable) that Messrs Clark and Green be appointed to visit and report on the various runs reserved for settlement, and the Chief Surveyor will be requested to accompany the Commissioners.— A letter was read from Messrs Connell and Moodic, requesting information on behalf of the public as to when the Board intended to dispose of the recently reserved pastoral leases under pastoral deferredpayments, and the size of the blocks into which the land would be divided. They were aware of many who were waiting for this land to be thrown open for settlement. The communication will be sent to the Government. — It was also resolved that the unsold runs at the recent sale should be re-offered at the following reduced annual upset rentals— viz., run 3,62 b (26,030 acres), for ten years, £150 ; 359 (12,000 acres), for ten years, £50.— Ranger Hughan was appointed an appraiser to value the improvements on runs, under section 116 of " The Land Act, 1877."

In another column will be found the pro. gramme for the Service of Song "Christie's Old Organ," to be given in the Town Hall on Wednesday next. The connective readings will be given by the Rev, Mr Jenner (who his revised the service), and his name is a sufficient guarantee as to the manner in which they will be given. A number of pretty solos have been introduced, which, in the hands of the leading amateurs by whom they will be rendered, cannot fail to take. The concerted music will be under the able leadership of Mra Brunton.

Several more claims have bottomed on payable gold at the Woodstock rush, near Hokitika. There are now eight or nine parties on payable gold, and about three hundred miners on the field. The last claim bottomed was that of Duncan and party, who obtained 15 grains of coarse gold from four dishes of wash-dirt. Curnick and party washed three and a quarter loads on Saturday, which yielded loz 17dwts. The rush is assuming quite a busy appearance, and miners generally are satisfied with the prospects. Numbers of stores and shops are iv course of erection, and the coach is loaded daily for the rush.

Our attention has, gays the "Canterbury Press," been directed to some really magnificent samples of wheat and flax in the stalk which were procured on purpose to show the farmers of Canterbury what can be achieved by their friends in the south. The samples were grown on the Strathmore estate, owned by Mr A. T. Anderson, and for length and fullness of ear the wheat would be hard to beat in any part of the Colony. The samples, which consist of a bunch of red chaff wheat, and another of red straw wheat and a splendid specimen of flax, are now exhibited at the Corn Exchange, Cashel-street. Several practical farmers have suggested that the Southland growers should send sheaves of such sample!Kso

The prospects of the Wzinlockhead Com* pany's antimony mine, Waipori, are looking exceedingly promising at the present time. The lode now being wrought is about 3 feet in •width, and has been traced for a considerable distance. The Company have a large number of men in their employment, and operations are being conducted with the utmost vigor. A large quantity of ore has been stacked, awaiting removal to the Lawrence Railway Station i two dray loads were brought from the mine on Thursday. Messrs Watson and Brydone (two of the leading shareholders) visited the mine yesterday, and, we understand, expressed their approval of the way iv which operations are being conducted there.

It was mentioned in our late telegrams in Wednesday's issue, that a settler from High, cliffe had arrived in Duuedin on Tuesday, stating that he had seen what appeared to be a ship on fire about thirty miles from land, and that the police had been communicated with on the subject. Captain Thompson received intimation from Inspector Weldon of the circumstance, and, although himself doubting whether the spot indicated was in the ordinary track of vessels, he chartered the Plucky, and steamed out some distance from land. Nothing however, could be seen, and the tug returned to port. Captain Thompson gives it as his opinion that it was the Stella fl iming-up, as she had left that day for Moeraki. Some years since, it will be remembered, Captain Thompson engaged a steamer on a similar fool's errand.

The Wetherstones Goldmining Company continue operations with their accustomed steadiness. At the present time they give employment to twenty-seven hands all told. The battery, which is now running sixteen hours daily, is in capital order, and works very smoothly since it received an overhaul during the Christmas holidays. Nothing is being done'at the present time in the main tunnel, which is vow in a distance of 700 feet, on account of the southern boundary line having been reached ; but as the Company recently acquired the ground (or at least the cement portion of it) held by Messrs Hunter and party, who3e claim adjoins, it is expected that work will be resumed in the main tunnel in the course of another month, when employment will be given to a number of additional hands. There are four side-drives, all tending in a southerly direction, in which operations are being actively conducted. The prospects of the mine are said to be improving, and it is expected that when work in the main tunnel is again commenced that the monthly returns will be larger and still more satisfactory. The last wash-up gave evidence that the Company have yet a lot of payable ground before them.

A meeting of the shareholders of the Tuapeka Prospecting and Mining Company is called for Monday evening next, when it is to be hoped there will be a goodly muster. There are several matters of interest appertaining to the Company's welfare, which it is absolutely necessary should be fully and freely discussed, and for that purpose, and with a view of giving the Directors " fresh heart," it is incumbent that all who are interested in the future of the district will make a point to put in an appearance at the meeting. At the adjourned meeting of the Provisional Directors, held on Thursday afternoon (a report of which will be found in another column) some capital suggestions relative to the formation of the Company were thrown out by Messrs Brown, Hunter, and others. Some of the Directors doubted if sufficient shares had been taken up to warrant steps being taken to float the Company, but this objection was promptly met by Mr R. Grieve, who thought the Company was snffi. ciently strong to prospect the whole of the district, and to bring to light much of its hidden wealth. We certainly think that in the way of prospecting, the Company could do a great deal at the present time. If a few thoroughly practical and experienced miners were engaged and sent out by the Company to prospect some of the known quartz-reefs in the district, it is probable that it might be the means of giving fresh impetus to the mining industry in our midst.

A meeting of the Committee of the Lawrence Athenaeum and Mining Institute was held on Thursday afternoon. The following members of Committee were present — viz. Messrs J. C. Brown (President, in the chair), Stenhouse, M'Kinlay, Abel, Downes, Harrop' Johnßton, Finlayson, and Hunter. The minutes of the previous monthly meeting were read and confirmed. The inward correspondence comprised letters as follows :— (1) From Messrs Reid and Co., Hokitika, offering to forward files of the " Weekly Leader " on the same terms as charged to similar institutions throughout New Zealand— viz., 13s per annum. The offer was accepted.— (2) From Mr G. Grant, stating that he thought the exhibits which had been sent to the Sydney TSxhibftjfiS," belonging to the Lawrence Athenseum, had been returned, and he had applied to Dr Hector to see about them at once. Eeceived.— (3) From the Secretary of the Christchurch Public Library enclosing a copy of the rules of that institution. Eeceived.— (4) From Mr G. B. King, Town Clerk, requesting that the Committee would fence in section 16, block n., Colonsay-street, it being considered dangerous to pedestrians. Kesolved — " That the matter be referred to the Eeserves Committee, with, power to deal with it."— The following accounts were referred to the Finance Committee — viz., \V. Sutton, 2s ; M. Tlarris, 8s jJ. C. Love, £27 12s Bd.— The meeting closed with a vote pf thanks to the President,