Local and General Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1142, 6 May 1885, Page 2

Local and General Intelligence.

Wabden Wood, after having enjoyed a wellmerited holiday, resumed duties at Naseby on Tuesday of last week. An exchange says that Tawhio is coming out as a masher. He appeared in Auckland recently with a shiny silken bell-topper and a very swell waterproof overcoat. The Government have accepted the services of the Christchurch Engineer Corps, the Lyttelton Artillery, Irish Rifles, Richmond Rifles, and Mounted Infantry as garrison corps; the University Rifles as an honorary corps ; and the Kaiapoi Riflds as a country corps. The Colonial Treasurer has received a cable from the Agent-General, announcing that £3,642,100 of 5 per cent, stock has up to date been converted into 4 per cent, inscribed stock. The total loan to be converted was £5,772,500, and the principle of the conversion was to do away with the sinking fund, while holders would get rid of the annual drawings. The building of the new fl mr-mill is progressing apace. The concrete foundation has been laid, and most of the frame-work is in position. The unfavorable weather has occasioned some delay, but still good progress has been made by the contractor. Ie is a great pity that the mill had not been in working order and prepared to meet the first of the season's grain ; as it is, before everything is complete most of the gristing for the season will be done. An experiment which waa recently tried at Sydney gives some little idea of the terrible power of that modern engine of warfare— the torpedo. A torpedo which had failed to explode daring the Sydney Euter Encampment was afterwards towed into the little bay off Cobbler Beach, at Middle Head, and was exploded in 15ft of water. It threw up a column of water about 400 ft in height, while a large pine spar, which was fastened -above the torpedo, was broken into three pieces, and these were thrown up to an estimated height of 1000 ft. The first-class Militia roll for the Otago district is now complete, and, subject to additions and exemptions, the following are the figures i— Dunedin City, 1657; North But Valley, 188; Sonth Dunedin, 533 ; Caversham, 268 ; Koslyn, 315 ; Ravenabourne, 67 1 Morning, ton, 248 ; Anderson's Bay, 105 ; Portobello, 86 ; Port Chalmers, 286 ; Blueskin, 43 ; Hawksbury, 170 ; Green Island, 205 : Mosgiel, 198 ; ' Outram, 240; Milton, 308; Lawrence, 185; Balclutha, 390; Clinton, 88; Tapanni, 128;! Waitahuna, 104 ; Waipori, 14 : Roxburgh. Ill ; Palmerston, 165— total for the district, 6105. The returns for Nenthorne and Macraes have not yet come to hand, and will have to be added to the above. The roll for the Oamaru district is 727, bat these zaea, although witfcia tne police district of Otago, 'are not included in Lieutenant-Colonel Stavely's command. The war-burdened horizon shows signs of brightening ; and where a few days ago there appeared to be no alternative but war, now there is, at least, some faint indications of a peaceful settlement of the Afghan question. The Czar continues to disavow any intention of forcing England into war, and assures the English Cabinet that be desires peape, That great political barometer, the money market, has taken a healthy rise, and Turkey is stated to be now more favorable to Britain, Thus, like an intricate problem in which the pieces are moved by an unseen hand, have the moves been manipulated, now advancing, anon retreating, as the mood of the mover suggested. The Man of Blood and Iron is accredited with playing off the nations against each other ; but, as " Mr Punch " remarks, he is not everybody. Whatever may be the moving spirit which has •aused the present strained relations between the different Powers, some unhealthy influence has been at work ; and if the war cloud rolls by, the biggest affair of arms, perhaps, of the century, will have been turned aside,

The tender of Mr John Hog;, of EvaoifFlat, has been accepted by the County Courc'l fo gravelling 20 chains of the main road from Docherty's bridge to. A. Sutherland's.

One of the weakest points about the present Ministry, says one of their supporters, is their inability to use their powers of appointment aright. The selections they have made for the Legislative Council and the Magisterial Bench have aroused a chorus of disapprobation from one end of the Colony to the other.—" Citizen. %

On passing Mrs Silk's window a sight presents itself which is calculated to make the mouth water, in the shape of a magnificent display of Tahiti oranges, which, having sampled, we are able to pronounce as larger and sweeter than the oranges which generally find their way to Lawrence.- If this first shipment meets with the patronage which it certainly deserves, we are informed that Mrs Silk will speedily follow it up with succeeding shipments.

A meeting of the Committee of the Evans Flat Public Library was held in the local schoolbouse on Monday evening. PresentMessrs G. Brook (Chairman), P. Brook, and R. Richardson.— Mr A. W. Tyndall was appointed to act as Treasurer, Secretary, and Libarian. The Secretary was instructed to obtain book catalogues, with the view of further increasing the Library's stock of books. Tha Libarian was instructed to obtain the retu;n of books at present out. — The meeting was adjourned until the first of next month.

The asphalt footpath in front of Messrs Herbert and Co.'s store is now finished, and presents such a marked improvement upon the old order of affairs that others should be induced to go and do likewise. The footpath all along the same side of the street is disgraceful, and reflects with anything bat credit upon the Borough Council. Surely the surfacemen could be spared for a few days to level down the incipient mountains which endanger the progress of pedestrians, and spread a little gravel here and therelto make up the hollows to their original level. The side walks in the town are not to be compared with those beyond the boundary, but why the former should not be made at least as good we are at a loss to know. Oob Raes Junction correspondent writes ife^The School Committee met on Saturday nigb\ to make arrangements for an entertainment to be held in Mr Mackay'g stone house on the 29th inst. The Committee are preparing » good programme, and doing all in their power to make the affair a success.— The Rev. Mr Telford preached in the school on Sunday to a fnll house.— The creeks were all flooded on Monday with the heavy rain, but no damage has been reported. — Mr R. Elliot, of the Beaumont, has, I understand, a good deal of his crop out in the field yet, as well as some of tha settlers at Dunrobtn. — Mesara P. and R. Anderson are nearly finished with their contract here.

It the experience of the past few days is an; criterion of what is to' follow during the next few months, we (" Dunstan Times") may look for a truly Arctic winter. Saow on the Dunstan tflat in the month of April was a thing hitherto unheard of, and scarcely to be believed, yet on Tuesday last it fell to tha depth of some inches, while on the surrounding ranges it fell to a considerable depth. On Monday night it commenced raining, and con. tinued with but few intermissions (except when it was snowing) till Wednesday night, when, fortunately, it ceased, or far greater damage would have been done to the roads than is reported. On the way to Cromwell from Clyde the road close to the Cromwell brewery was carried away bodily, and traffic suspended till Thursday morning, when a track for light traffic waa formed, but it will be some days before heavy traffic will be resumed.

The Lawrence branch of the Blue Ribbon Army held its usual monthly meeting in the Presbyterian Church on Friday evening last. In the absence of the President, Mr Neill (Vice-President) occupied the chair. After the Secretary had read the minutes of the previous meeting, a very agreeable programme was sub mitted and successfully executed. Miss Jane Ralston gave a humorous reading ; the songs of Misses M'Nico), M. Silk, and L. Darton were given with all the taste and expression for which the young artißtes are celebrated ; and the violin solo by Master R. Stenhouse, with accompaniment by Miss Stenhonse, was highly appreciated by the audience. The meeting waa enlivened by appropriate hymns, sung by "the choir, under the leadership of Mr Darton, with Miss J. Nicoll as accompanist. The meeting was one of the best attended and most enjoyj able held by this infant institution, and augurs well for its future prosperity.

It has been stated, on the authority of a Roman Catholic priest, whose religious duties take him very much among the poor at the East End of London, that there are 40,000 Irish people out of work in that city, one-tenth of whom have been discharged since the recent explosions. He said, almost with tears in his eyes, " that the most brutaltaed scoundrel in the world would hesitate if he could sea the distraction and disfavor, amounting to persecution, which these acts entailed upon his wretched countrymen in English cities. They are the ones who really suffer, and not the English." But these things O'Donovan Rosaa and his evil brethren heed not, so long as the increase of Irish misery brings in more sab* Bcriptions for them to fatten upon. The dynamite fiends are the darkest foes of Ireland ; for it is not love of country or commiseration for the Buffering poor that instigates them, but that accuraed greed of gold which makes devils of men, and in their eyes subordinates the sanctity of human life and the gaunt misery of starvation to their unholy ends.

A Wellington telegram states that on Sunday the Coptic was to have gone to sea under sealed orders, having taken in the 4,000 tons of coal ordered to be pat on board. She cleared at the Customs on Saturday afternoon for "Guam," whither moat vessels leaving under secret orders are nominally bound. On Saturday night, however, there were signs of dissatisfaction among her crew, and on Sunday morning about thirty of them refused to go to sea. On being asked what reasons they had for doing so, some stated that they merely wanted to know where they were bound for, and being asked whether they would go if told, some claimed the colonial rates of wages, and others said that they had been engaged nnder charter to the Shaw-Saville and Albion Company, bat they now considered they would have to aerve as Government men, to which they objected. They also thought they would ran a risk of being made prisoners of war, coal being contraband in time of war. The men were to be brought before the Magistrate next morning.

The following business was dealt with by W. U. Be veil, Esq., E.M., at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Lawrence, on Monday:— Police v. Thomas Scott : For neglecting to keep a light burning on the main road near Barton's, where a heap of stones had been deposited. A fine of 53 and costs (7s) was imposed.— Police v. Henry Bloxham: Charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding, with shot, a cow, the property of Hugh M'Cann, Evans Flat, such being an indictable offence. Inspector Moore asked for a remand for seven days, as there was an important witness still wanting. Mr Copland, who appeared for the accused, said the accused's parents resided at Roxburgh and were very respectable people. Lie asked that bail be allowed. His Worship allowed bailprisoner in the sum of £20, and two sureties of £10 each.- J, Thompson v, D. Davis ; ClaiOsfc £5 Bs. Mr Finlayson for plaintiff. Judgment confessed. Casts {12*) and professional fee (10a 6 1) were allowed plaintiff — M. Fraer v. J, Cootto : Claim of £3 Is 9d. Judgment for amount claimed with costs (17a.) — The Court then rose.

The minds of the white population of Fiji are at present agitated by a proposal which comes from that Colony to the Government of New Zealand Jkd<roe»ling »noeac»tion to the latter. The expense of "running" a Crown Colony is found to be more than the limited funds of the Fijian Exchequer can stand. Besides the semi-militarism of a Crown Colony is repugnant to Britons who have enjoyed constitutional privileges. The expression of opinion given at a public meeting recently held at Levnka was unanimously favorable to annexation by New Zealand, and overtures have been made to oar Government; to that effect. The matter will, in all probability, be taken op when parliament meets, and as the Government previously evinced a burning desire to annex Samoa, no doubt the offer of Fiji will be seized with alacrity, subject,*: coarse, to the assent of the Imperial Govern menr. There are difficulties in the way, but the obstacles are not insurmountable, if the timorous Colonial Office can rive to the occasion. It seems evident that unless less costly and more representative institutions are provided the straggling little Colony will soon be bankrupt. Its last hope is centred in annexation to New Zealand, by which it would be relieved of oppressive taxes which go to unproductive sources, and be enabled to husband its limited revesuoi