Local and General Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1111, 17 January 1885, Page 2

Local and General Intelligence.

The Hon. R. Stoat takes the portfolio of Education in addition to those already held by him.

It is now supposed that the disastrous fire whereby the New Zealand Timber Co. 's mill was destroyed at Auckland was the work of an incendiary, as proof of which a reward of £100 is offered.

The monthly escort, which passed through Lawrence on Tuesday in charge of SergeantMa jor Bevin aod Bank-officers Thompson and Crawshaw, took down to Dunedin gold to the value of £30,000.

The Wetherstones School Committee have decided to extend the school holidays till the 2od of February. Owing to the race-meeting next week, and the teachers' examinations the following week, this arrangement was deemed advisable. Quite a furor of animated declamation has taken place in the sister Colony of Victoria over the German .annexation of New Guinea. Crowded meetings have been held at Geelong, Sandhurst, and other towns in the Colony, and resolutions adopted urging upon Great Britain the necessity of annexing the islands of the Western Pacific, aud.advocating the removal of Lord Derby from the office of Secretary for the Colonies.

The annual session of the Presbyterian Synod of Otago aod Southland began its sitting on Tuesday evening in the First Church, DunediD. The Rev. D. Ross (of Queenstown) was appointed Moderator, and, according to the usual practice, gave the opening address, which on this occasion contained abundance of food for thought. The Synod met again for the transaction of business on Wednesday evening.

A sitting of the Warden's Court was held, before W. H. Revell, Esq., Warden, yesterday. John Casey and others applied for an extended claim of about four acres of alluvial ground on the west side of Gabriels Gully. Granted, conditionally upon proper measurements being produced. —The hearing of an application for an extended claim at Waitahuua, made by George T. Banker, waa adjourned for further information.

The conquest of Tonquin is not all plain sailing, as the French have found to their cost. Serious anti- French agitations have been fomented in Cambodia, and throughout the peninsula the inhabitants are displaying undisguised hostility. On the whole, France would have been better out of this little war, which already has proved costly beyond all anticipation, and the conquest of Tonquiu seems as far off as ever. The secret influence of China will yet baulk the French in this attempt at conquest.

The Dunedin correspondent of the " Cromwell Argus," writing of the newest and latest addition to the Cabinet, says:— The political world is lively. The Stout- Vogei policy is not one of rest. Something fresh is always turning up. The latest is the inclusion of Mr Larnach in the Ministry as nothing else than the Minister of Mines ! You will probably have your own opinion on the goldfields about Mr Larnach being put in charge of your interests ; but here in Dunedin there is nothing bat laughter. Of course Yogel is at the bottom of it; Larnach is not a man after Stoat's own heart.' Yogel is at the bottom of all thab proceeds from the Ministry, in which Stout is a sad nonentity.

The Lawrence bowling and tennis-green has now been put into first-class order, and, in consequence, it is patronised to a greater extent than formerly. The Club has purchased a new and improved lawn-mower of the very best kind made, so that it becomes an easy matter to keep the sward closely cut. The property of the Club has been very costly, and finding their funds rather low, an attempt is being made to form a company of members of the Club, with a view of paying off the debt on the ground, and thus saving the interest on the purchase-money. A meeting will be held shortly to discuss the proposal, which already has met with a fair measure of support.

A NA3TY accident happened to a young child, son of the Ray. O. Griffin, yesterday afternoon. It appears that the little fellow was out in the backyard, where the cow was feeding, and as he was noticed giving grass to the animal, it is supposed that while taking it out of his hand the cow, in tossing up her head, chanced to strike him in the mouth with one of her horns. As the cow is perfectly quiet it is not supposed that she had intentionally gored the child. However, the horn tore the poor little fellow's upper lip, making a nasty gash. Dr Withers was called in, and managed to get the wound sewn up very nicely, so that if the healing process goes on all right there will not be muoh trace of the accident left.

The New Zealand Trades and Labor Con* cress concluded its first session on Tuesday, Various questions, both social and political, have been discussed, and a number of very important resolutions passed. The Congress decided to support the eight-hour system of labor, and resolutions were passed favoring seamen's franchise aod objecting to plural voting. Freetrade v. Protection formed the subject of a good deal of discussion, the majority being in favor of protection as far as it was considered necessary- for the fostering of local industries. A very large amount of business was transacted during the sitting of the Congress, and the number of resolutions which have been passed to be forwarded to the Government should ultimately be productive of good. The next session of the Congress will be held in Auckland.

A cobbesponpent, writing to the " Evening Herald," takes exception to the stereotyped ' Watch barometer t bad weather approaching' which constitutes the burden of Captain Edwin's weather telegrams. It is pointed out that a rainy day may not be bad weather, and that libellous charges should be avoided jn days such as would make the hearts of the farmers rejoice. Still Captain Edwin must telegraph something in connection with the weather, and 80 fine weather has been an exceptionable com? modity in New Zealand for a long time baqk, there is no other course left open for the genial* - captain bnt to predict bad weather. From what we know of Captain Edwin, we feel, ' assured that nothing would afford him greater pleasure than to give us fine weather, but the fates are against him, and he cannot conscientiously continue to draw his munificient salary without giving weather telegrams in return.

The regular monthly meeting of the Educa-K •'. tion Board was held on Thursday. jjTifegqllowiDg business of local, importance was transacted :— A senior scholarship was awarded to Jane M'Nab. Junior scholarships' were awarded to Alfred Sherrat, Margaret gmythe, aod William Falconer. A Normal School scholarship was' awarded to. John, Wilson. t ' T £. sum of £17 10s was granted for .building ,at ., . ; Beaumont,, and the following tenders werecac-i'p " cepted for paintiqg school buildings.;— darks' J TJafc, £10 15s, Mfc. Stuart, £10 lls, and Tnapeka Flat, £7 103, T. Barnettf Taa^at Mouth, £13 15s, J. Collins ; Beaumont,' £}2 14s, J. Donovan; Crooks ton, £17 10s, and Heriot, £17 10s, R. Austin. The following appointments were made : — Manuka Creek, R, M. Beattie ; Kawarau Gorge, Mary Jane Hay ; Albany-street, William Phillips, pupil teacher; Cavershain, Annie Bohning, pupil teacher.

The Wellington correspondent of the "Daily Times" states that Mr Larnach, Minister of Mines, -will shortly visit the different goldfields of the Colony, beginning on the West Coast.

At the Dunedin R.M. Court on Wednesday, judgment wan given for .plaintiff, with costs, in the case Waitahuna Copper Mining Company v. J. S. Gore— claim of £30 for calls due.

An Auckland telegram reports a discovery of gold of a promising character in the Waikato district. The discoverers at present keep the exact .locality a close secret. The gold found was coarse waterworn gold from some washings in a creek, and one of the pieces weighed ldwt.

ANOTHEK new explosive. This time its component parts are derived from common coaltar. ' The product is stated to be a powerful and safe' explosive for mining purposes, or even firearms. It possesses the same density as gunpowder, and is very cheaply manufactured, the elements entering into its composition being saltpetre, chlorate of potash, and a solid hydrocarbon, such as pitch or asphaltum. The solid ingredients are powdered, and the mass ia then treated with a liquid hydrocarbon, such as benzine or gasoline. The volunteer movement may be considered as fairly set agoing in this district now. The Waitahuna Rifles have been accepted, and a requisition will shortly be sent from Lawrence to the Defence Minister by a number of young men wishing to be enrolled as volunteers. As the outcome of a requisition, bearing thirty-five signatures, a meeting was held in the Town Hall on Thursday evening, when it was decided to take steps to nave a company of volunteers formed in Lawrence. A report of the meeting appears elsewhere. At the ordinary meeting of the University Council, held in Dunedin on Wednesday, the question of the transfer of the School of Mines to Lawrence curne up. Some considerable discussion followed, and eventually the names of Messrs Macandrew and Fulton were added to the committee already appointed to consider the matter. There are difficulties in the way of forming' a School of Mines dissociated from the "University; but the authorities should strain a point to meet the urgent desire of the Roldfields' residents, as the School of Mines at Dunedin is not available to them. *A BETUBN has been published, in accordance with an instruction by the General Assembly, on the motion of Mr Duncan, showing the number of aboriginal natives resident in each Provincial District of the Middle and Stewart Islands, and the acreage of the reserves set apart for the occupancy of such natives. The population and acreage are as follow:— Nelson, 137, 18,565 acres ; Marlborough, 357, 21.414 acres: Westland, 93, 5937 acres j Canterbury. 603, 10,074 acres ; Otago, 703, 20,616 acres ; Stewart Island, 134, 2935 acres. Totals —Native population, 2061 ; acreage, 79,544.

THEM were fifteen patients in the Hospital last 'evening, and of these eleven were males and four females. Three patients were admitted during the week and three discharged.— The residence of the Surgeon in connection with the Hospital is rapidly approaching completion. It i»* now roofed in, and most of the plasterworkon the inside is finished. The residence is a substantial and commodious one, and when finished 'will be both prepossessing in appearance and comfortable. The cesspool and filterpool for the purification of the drainage from the Hospital have also been built, and when completed should mitigate a loDg-complained-of nuisance. THE question of dummyism versus bona fide ■ettlement on Run 106 will soon be settled now. Ranger Hughan passed thcough Lawrence yesterday on his way to serve the summonses upon those who are required as witnesses, Some seventeen deferred- payment selectors and four or five other persons have been named, we understand, as witnesses likely to give important evidence at the inquiry. The Commissioners come to Lawrence next Wednesday for the purpose of personally inspecting the land, after which the inquiry will be proceeded with. It is to be regretted that the inquiry could not be held at Lawrence, but it appears the law will not admit of this. The expense of holding the inquiry at punedjn is considerable, and this consideration will militate against future inquiries of the kind, unless the presumptive evidence is very strong. We hope this matter will be thoroughly sifted ; but we will be surprised if the suspicions of dummyism are sustained and proved to be more than suspicions.

Aiter all, it would appear that the retiring members of the Education Board are not going to have a walk-over for the vacancies. Messrs Bannerman, J. M. Fraser (solicitor) and A. R. Brown have announced themselves as candidates. — We think the claims which the Rev. Mr Bannerman has upon his fellow-colonists 98 [one of the earliest settlers of the Otago settlement, and the long and' brilliant record which he has to his credit in connection with social subjects, entitle him to a fair measure of support. Members of an Education Board should, at least, be men of education, which all of the present members certainly are not. Therefore, we hold, that the Committees would do well to vote for one of Mr Bannerman's undoubted attainments and ability, We think that weare not'far wrong in stating that Mr Bannerman is, in every respect, eminently more fitted for a seat on the Education Board than such a man as Mr Green, who, by his action on the Land Board, should have forfeited his right to any support at all from country Committees. We are more than surprised at any School Committee nominating him.

OUR Tuapeka Mat correspondent writes :— The crops, generally speaking, in this neighborhood are well advanced, and give promise of an abundant harvest if the weather continues good. Grass is very plentiful this season, and, in consequence, all kinds of stock are in capital order. The farmers are likely to be put to a great deal of trouble and expense with the rabbits, unles3 vigorous measures are taken to keep the nuisance in check. Now that feed is so abundant, the rabbits are becoming more plentiful than they were two or three months ago.— News of money to be apent in our Biding is always gratifying to our farmers. I observe that the County .dgrancil have placed a sum of money on the estimates for a bridge across the Tuapeka River, below Labes'. It is a wonder to me that a bridge, has not been erected there long a?o.— The roads are now in good order. The CounciTsnbnld take " time by the forelock " and put metal of some kind on the main road before winter sets in j otherwise we are likely to have a repetition of last winter's " sea of mud."— Mining is carried on along the river banks by a few Celestials. As an example of the perseverance of the Chinese, it may be mentioned that for eightsoltd hours on Saturday last, with the thermometer at 98* in the shade, one old fellow slaved away with dish and cradle at the side of the river. It would be gratifying to hear what John earned that day. JudgiDg from the appearance of the stuff, I am inclined to think he did not^nake more than one shilling for all his toil in l ne broiling heat; At the sitting, of the Presbyterian Synod on Wednesday, the following relating to sly-grog selling at Nenthorn was embodied in the report of the Committee on Temperance: — Your Committee view with alarm the disclosures that have been made in connection with the' Nenthorn murder case. What was formerlyiweU enough known to a few,' has now open forced on .the /attention of all. It seems to he the Invariable practice, wherever railway works are being carried on, to start sly^grog shanties', 'There can be no doubt' about the character of those who retail the drink, which is saicPto'be' of tne. very worst kind,' There should be aff v little •' difficulty in characterising the conducttof the traders in Dunedin and Other centr«t(wK6 supply th« drink, knowing, as they mußt4c,;th> illicit way in which it is to be sold. Tour Committee bas 4 been credibly informed that »fe one, time' there were about a dozen r Bharities wtiere' drink could be had between MosSei ;^nd' the farthest point to which the Central Railway had been .carried into the interior. Banphof beer and cases of. brandy were carried openly, by the wajtgoners tcf the various contracts on the line. Ihe dimculty in such cases, owing to the connivance or cowardly indifference of those who know about the traffic, is to secure a conviction. Even those who have no sympathy with the practices that are carried p,u shrink from giving evidence, lest they should be put to trouble, and incur the odium with which pociety' usually regards informers. It U truly bM# for anyone to go sneaking about in uncfcrhMid ways p> obtain evidence and tecure i»..(»pTiction, .with the view, limply, of getting ?} reward. It is not, however, basej-but manly and right, for anyone to say what lie knows about men actuated by the' most grovelling selfishness, ' who; violate the law for the «xpro«i purpose of enriching themselves by temptSigd*«'^f ellpw-men to the vilest excess. The Central Railway is not by any means an exceptional r cm?. , and . the Committee . would ■troqgly recomtxiend that all legitimate. meani* be wKefi to fdr ma. healthy moral, sentiment, about this lufportaht uutUf of •ly:gtogieniug

, According to the Wellington "Post," the inhabitants of the Empire City were put to itnmense inconvenience on the first Sunday in the New Year, in consequence of the oppressive clause of the Police' Offences Act, which prohibits the sale of milk after nine o'clock on Sunday mornings. ; Hundreds were not up. in time for the morning round of the milkman, and hours were spent in running round to frienda and neighbors begging and borrowing a little milk for breakfast.

In speaking to the report on the state of religion at the Synod meeting, the Rev. R. M. Sutherland spoke out against the means often employed to' raise money for church funds. He said that the time had come when 1 the Synod should speak out : fully 1 arid clearly on the subject. He had been told t that ia connection with some of their own congregations questionable means had been resorted to for raising funds for church purposes;, but. he believed these rumors were made by enemies. He counselled the Synod to set its face against thesa practices. - , . * The "Thames Advertiser" 'publishes the following extract from a private letter from Mr George Spencer, who' writes from Samoa on, 2nd December : — There has been great political excitement here, caused by the Germans trying to annex Samoa. I need hardly say that their attempt proved abortive. The ' Samoans collected from all parts of the island and crowded into Apia, and told the Germans, that they would rather die to a man than allow Germany to take Samoa. The feeling against the Germans is very bitter indeed. The King and chiefs have sent a petition to Great Britain praying for the English Government to annex Samoa, also one to the New Zealand Government to the same effect. „ ;