Local and General Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVI, Issue 952, 4 July 1883, Page 2

Local and General Intelligence.

A meeting will be held at Evans Flat this evening for the purpose of initiating a public library.

The Roxburgh Brass Band intend hiring the local Athenseum Hall for a weekly quadrille assembly.

The Hon. Mr Johnston delivered his Public Works Statement to the House of Representatives last evening.

The Great Extended Company, Blue Spur, washed up for the month ou Saturday last, with fairly satisfactory results.

We have to acknowledge the receipt from the- Government Printer of " Hansard " (Nos 1 and 2) aud a batch of Parliamentary papers.

Miss Georgina Blair, the newly appointed assistant-teacher to the Blue Spur School, and successor to Miss Mackin, entered upon her duties yesterday.

Five tenders have been received by Messrs Buchanan and Dewar for the fillinsr of the

drays with stuff for the sludge channel. The sums were 3|d, 4£' d, s£d, s^l and 66".

We have been informed by telegraph that Mr Stronach haa been re-elected for Matakanui Hiding (Vincent County) by a majority of 27 over his opponent, Mr. John Cole Chappie.

The indictment charging George Clark with having embezzled the funds of the Vincent County Council, was thrown out by the Grand Jury at the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court on Monday.

The shareholders of the dredge Hope of Dunkeld continue to make very good wages at Carson's beach, about four miles below Beaumont ferry, where they have been at woik for several months past.

A slight accident occurred to a child named Kelly at the Blue Spur on Sunday, a powderflask, which it had been handling, having exploded. The force of the explosion fortunately went over the shoulder of the child. The accident was of such a slight nature that no surgical aid was called in.

We have been asked to draw attention to the fact that some of the footpaths are being used, for another purpose than that intended — viz., for pedestrians to walk upon exclusively. Instances, we are told, have occurred lately of buggies being driven along them ; and very lately, a child had a very narrow escape of being run over by a horse, which was being ridden along a footpath outside of the town.

The following are the names of the successful tenderers for the destruction of rabbits on the reserves at Tuapeka Flat and Tuapeka West — viz., Finlay Munro, Tuapeka Flat reserve (1000 acres) ; T. H. Mailler, block VIII, Tuapeka West (769 acres) ; P. Nash blocks vn and xni Tuapeka West (1223 acres) ; F. S. Margetts, block iv. Tuapeka West (809 acres), also the Crown lands adjoining.

The Taieri Derby ploughing match took place on Friday last, and was regarded as a decided success. The total number of competitors was 22, made upas follows : — Nine in class A, two in class C, eight in class D, and three in class E. Alex. Sinclair (who acted as one of the judges at the match held recently at Waitahuna) took first honors in class A (awing ploughs), P. Diamond second, and M. Clydesdale third. In class C (for juniors under 20), J. Voleski and R. Bremner were placed first and second, respectively. In class D (double furrows), E. Grey took first prize ; and in class E (also double-furrows), A. M'Laren was awarded first honors.

At a meeting held in the_ office of Mr John Thompson of delegates appointed by the Lodges undermentioned to consider Application!) for the position of their medical adviser, Dr Blair (of Invercargill) was chosen. Dr Blair possesses testimonials from some eminent physicians in England and Scotland, including: those from professors of the University of Glasgow. He also holds testimonials as to moral character from gentlemen, residing in the locality in which he had been practising in the Home Country. A copy of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Dunedin Hospital Committee, conveying expressions of regret at his severing his connection with the Hospital, in cpnnection with which he had been a member of the honorary staff, was also read ; as was also a high testimonial for efficiency as a medical officer and an expression of regret at his leaving from a Temperance Society of Duneilin, of which he had been medical officer. The other applicants were Drs Low (Clinton), Parry (Kaitangata), and Drury (Waikaia.) The following were the delegates present at the meeting:— M.U.l.O.O.F. : Messrs Campbell, Gibson, and Trayes (Loyal Blue Spur) ; and Mr Ferris (Waitahuna.) A.O.F. j f Messrs Fraer, Sim, George Murray, and John Thompson (Court Star of Tuapeka.)

A meeting of the Tuapeka Cricket Club, called for Monday eveaiug last, lapsed through paucity of number.

The electric light was partially tried for the fust time last night in the Parliament Buildiugrf, with c uipiJerable success.

At a- niHPiiiif; of the Loyal Roxburgh Lodge, M.U.1. 0.0.F., h.ld on the 27th ult., Bro. J .tines Womlhouae was elected N.G., and Bro. A. H. Tamblyn V.G. The term for which Dr Mnclachlan was engaged as lodge surgeon having expired, a new agreement was entered into.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Blue Spur School was held in the schoolhome on Monday evening, all the members of Committee being prsaent. There was no business of any imt>ortauce transacted. Several accounts amounting in value to £18 were passed for payment.

At a sitting of the Police Court, Roxburgh, on the 28tb ult., G. Dale was charged before J. Burton, Esq., J.P., with being drunk and disorderly on the previous evening in a public place within the Borough. The charge was fully proved, and accused was fined 5a and costs (2*), or in default twenty-four hours' imprisonmeut.

THE following telegram, received from our member, Mr J. C. Brown, by the Clerk of the County Council has been kindly placed at our disposal for publication : " lam glad to inform you that I have arranged with Government to extend the time for receiving applications from local bodies for main roads to June 30th." Those works passed at last meeting of the Coun. cil.will, therefore, be quite valid for consideration along with the former applications,

A meeting of the Eoxburgh School Committee was held last Thursday evening. Present— Messrs J. Haughton (Chairman), Burton, E. M. Smith, A M'Donald, James Burge«3, and T. P. Michell. It was decided to hold a gift auction on behalf of the school f «~a= j n t.he AtheDseum on the lath j uiy. i'h e collectors reported that the public had liberally responded to the call made upon them, and the Committee expect to realize about £40 by the gift auction.

The New Zealand Shipping Com^ny's steamer lonic," which sailed from Port Chui. mers for Lyttelton on Saturday, had on board nearly 10,000 carcasses of frozen mutton, and bad about 2,500 more to take on board at Lyttelton before proceeding on her voyage to London. Amongst the names of the thirty three shippers of mucton, we noticed those of J. Smith and Sons, Greenfield, who sent 554 carcasses ; New Zealand Land Company, Clydevale, 196; and David M'Kellar, T;ipanui, 113. We understand that the New Zsaland and Australian Land Company have chartered, for three years, the two ships named the Dunedin and Marlborough, for the purpose of carrying their own sheep.

The death is announced of Mr W. H. Cutten, at one time Crown Commissioner of Lands, and who was nominated as a candidate for the electorate of the Peninsula at last election, but retired in favour of Mr W. J. M. Larnach. He was one of the early arrivals in the Colony, having come out in the "John Wickliffe" under command of Captain Cargill, landing on March 23rd, 1848. He had at one time been Immigration Agent and agent for the New Zealand Company. During the Provincial era, he took an active interest in the affairs of the Province, and was a member of the Provincial Council. He it was who established the •' Otago Witness," of which he became editor and proprietor, afterwards starting the "Daily Times" in conjunction therewith, Sir Julius Yogel (then Mr Yogel) becoming editor of both journals. He was elected a member of the first Parliament under the Constitution Act, which, at that time, met in Auckland, and had since been elected to the General Assembly. He was also a member of the Otago University Council, and altogether took a great interest in the affairs of the country. Mr Cutten it is aaid had been ara.dua.lly failing for a. couple of years. He was a native of L >ndon, and somewhat over sixty-one years of age.

The Supreme Court criminal sessions were opened in Dunedin before His Honor, Mr Justice Williams, on Monday last. Eobert Wardrop was arraigned on two counts, charging him with unlawfully and maliciously wounding and inflicting serious bodily harm on John Thompson at Port Chalmers. Prisoner pleaded not guilty. The facts of the case as stated by the Crown Prosecutor were that Thompson kept the Marine Hotel, Port Chalmeis, and prisoner was a boarder. Prisoner and some others were playing a game of cards against the wish of Thompson, who threw the cards into the fire. In the course of a scufflle afterwards, prisoner took out his penknife and directed it right in the face of prosecutor, who, however, turned aside, causing the knife to enter at the back of his neck. After evidence had been taken, a verdict of guilty was returned against prisoner. On account of the previous good character which was given of the prisoner, the offence having been committed in hot blood, and his having been in gaol for three months already, His Honor sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned for one day. —George Fleming pleaded guilty to a charge of having broken into the house of William Sargisson at St. Leonards, and stolen several articles, includiug a watch valued at £5. Prisoner had been previously convicted of larceny ; he was sentenced to nine monthfl' imprisonment with hard labour. — Charles Vickers, who pleaded guilty to the charge of escaping from gaol was sentenced to be kept at penal servitude in the Colony, for twelve months, in addition to his previous sentence. — Annie Alexander was charged with having stolen the sum of £16 4s 4d, a sealskin bag valued at £3, and a leather purse, valued at 10a, the property of John Stephenson (of the firm of Wright, Stephenson and Co.) while in his employ as cook. Prisoner pleaded not guilty, and after evidence had been heard, the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty. — John Jones pleaded guilty to three indictments, oue of which was the forgiug of a promissory note, and was sentenced to three years' penal servitude, the sentences to run together. — George Frederick Price pleaded guilty to having broken into the house of Julia Eichardt, at Queenstown, and stolen one bottle of brandy, two bottles of beer, and one bottle of porter, and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. — Denis Anglin was charged with having broken into the shop of George Broadbent, Dunedin, with intent to commit a felony. Prisoner pleaded not guilty and after evidence had beeu heard, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

A serious fire, involving the total destruction of Mr James Barclay's Prince of Wales Hotel, Waipori, occurred on Friday evening last shortly after six o'clock. It appears that Mrs Barclay, with six of a family, and Messrs Webb and Stanaway were the only parties in the house at the time of the origin of the fire, Mr Barclay being away at Cox and Clifford's reefs at Lammerlaw, which he is manager of. Mrs Barclay was in the dining-room attending the table when the eldest girl, Eliza, called out "Fire." Rushing into the bar, Mrs Barclay saw it was on fire, and that the flame was extending rapidly to the roof of the building and towards the billiard-room. Having remembered that the baby was lying in the bed-room, she and others made a rush thither, but could find no trace of the child, as the servaut-girl had removed it previously^ another room. Whilst engaged m the soawfc" for the child, the flames had been spreading with lightning rapidity, rendering the work of saving any articles of value afterwards utterly hopeless. About £75 in notes, gold, and silver, along with a valuable watch and jewellery, fell victims to the flames, besides deeds and other valuables. Several gold and silver coins were afterwards found melted into a mass, showing the fierce heat they had beeu subjected to, The cause of the tire is said to have been the bursting of a kerosene lamp, The whole build, ing was destroyed in less than a quarter of an hour. Constable Green and a number <>f volunteers were on the spot shortly after the outbreak of the fire, and did good service in preventing the flames from spreading to the neighboring buildings, for which they are deserving of great praise. Knight's timber yard to the west was in danger, and was kept from being destroyed by water carried in buckets from the river and blankets saturated with the water. On the east side, a small building belonging to M'Ledowney was saved with great difficulty. The heat is said to have been most intense for a considerable distance around the fire. The building was insured for £200— in equal sums of £100 in the Norwich and Standard offices ; but Mr Barclay estimates his loss at £500 ,over that amouut. -He had just a short time previously got in a large stock of liquors aud provisions for winter. It is indeed a very hard affair for Mr Barclay an d, family, as all the clothing saved was merely that which his wife aud family escaped in.