Local and General Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1167, 1 August 1885, Page 2

Local and General Intelligence.

The telephoue . line to Heriot is now open, and is much appreciated by the residents of that place,

The Transvaal Republic is ia a state of bankruptcy. No doubt if a good enough price were offered, the Boers would sell out to the British.

AT Patea (Wanganui) a few^days ago His Honor District Judge Rawson sentenced a bankrupt to two months' hard labor, under section 171 of the Bankruptcy Act, for unjusti* fiably extravagant living before filing.

The remarkably open weather which has now held up for some weeks gave place to rain on Wednesday ; but contrary to expectations did not amount to much. On Thursday morning the heights around Lawrence were white with snow, and yesterday morning a sprinkling of snow lay all around, with snow showers during the day and promise of more at night.

At the Land Board meeting on Wednesday, the following applications to purchase under deferred-payment lease were approved :— A. Aitcheson, senr., section 14. block VII, Crookston; W. Smith, sections 28 and 29, block n, Tuapeka West. — An application to transfer sections 2 and 3, block XI, Tuapeka West, from T. Dalziel to L. Dalziel was granted.— J. Carr withdrew his application to purchase section 31, block v, Table Hill, which was agreed to.

Our Tuapeka Flat correspondent writes :— An accident of a somewhat painful nature befel the younger son of Mr H. Bosh last .week. While engaged in driving the horses in the horsepower of a chaffcutter, he proceeded to pick up a stick, when he unwittingly placed his foot under a wheel supporting the horsepower. Fortunately the horses instantly obeyed his call to stop, otherwise the injury would have been more serious. It now appears that the flesh only 'is bruised, and the sufferer, though unable to walk, is progressing as favorably as can be expected! - !*" l^ ' Visitors to Wellington already pronounce the Exhibition » huge failure, characterising the Empire City as a miserable-looking collection of tumble-down shanties, whose want of paint and continued rattling of loose pieces of galvanised roofing iron will not prove-sufficie-ntly attractive to induce visitors from either North or South to stay a day longer than! they possibly can help after they have discovered that the Exhibition aa a phow is a fraud , The 11 Star " reporter says :— I venture to prophesy that at the end of the first' week the big bairn in the centre of the muddy swamp will be almost deserted, ewepting- perhaps by a few woebegone-looking exhibitors. .-Of,,<jQui?so, as an advertisement for local industries it will produce some useful results ; and the Auckland and Dunedin manufacturers may lay the flatr tering unction to their souls that their exhibits, if they receive justice, will be large prfeer takers,

In a telegram replying to the Mayor of Christchurch on the E<ißt and West Coast railway scheme, Mr Wakefield says :—": — " lam grieved and ashamed at the reckless disregard of the public welfare shown in Christchurch for the sole object of gettiug an immediate expenditure of money."

A MAIL item says : — Mining circles in London are agitated over the discovery of a new oreconcentrator, which, by an ingenious application of electricity with quicklime and common salt, extracts 15 per cent of all gold contained in ore. One ton an hour can he worked over by a small dynamo machine, at a cost of only a few shillings. J[e the following from an exchange is.anything near "the trutTi, baking must be a paying business :— A baker in Nelson, who filed his schedule the other day, said under examination that he commenced business with a capital of 5s 6d,and debts to „£20.. He stated that at 3d the small loaf he would clear £1 13s 9d on scwt of flour, with flour at 9s 6d per cwt.

A SAO case of death as the result of gross ignorance is reported from Soldiers' Hill (Victoria.) A servant girl named Catherine Moran placed a tin case of'lighted charcoal in her bedroom to warm it during the cold weather, and in the morning she was found dead in bed, having been suffocated in her sleep by the charcoal fumes. Burning charcoal, or red hot coals of any kind, give offjearbonic acid, a stupefying poison, under the influence of which persons go to sleep never to wake again.

The following remarks on the barmaid question are made by "An Anxious Mother," writing to a contemporary :—ln: — In the late discussion of the barmaid question, one member of tho House said that " they kept young men out of mischief," Are we mothers then to understand that they are only nursemaids provided by generous publicans for those too old for the home nursery ? Surely we may claim a voice in the choice of nursemaids, and insist upon the discontinuance of the bottle for our grown-up sons !

At the meeting of the Land Board ou Wednesday, the new Land Bill was pretty freely discussed. Mr Connell, who was present, gave expression to his views on tbe matter, and claimed that the ballot system was preferable to those which had been subsequently introduced, remarking that the best evidence of this was to be found in the fact that all the settlers who had been placed upon the land by ballot were now in comfortable circumstances. Mr Green referred to the apathy of our representatives in regard to the land question, and said that enactments were often made by iguorant block votes.

Mr Pyke's Public Schools Bill provides that every school which is conducted in accordance with the provisions of " The Education Act, 1877," and the regulations framed thereunder iv respect of qualification of teachers, course' of instruction, attendance at school, and inspection by an inspector of the Board of Education, shall be deemed a public school within the meaning of the said Act. Every such school shall be entitled to receive the same capitation allowance as is granted to public schools established under the said Act, provided no such school shall be entitled to a share in such funds unless the average number of pupils attending the same be —— or more.

The Waimea Railway-rate Defence Committee held a meeting at Gore on Monday. The old Committee were re-elected, and the report and balance-sheet adopted. Speaking to the question of railway-rates, Mr Canning said that after the decision in the last case ratepayers wanted to know what was to be done next. He told them they were prepared to carry the cases from Dunedin to Wellington, and from Wellington to Britain. That would cost a lot of money, they said ; but he pointed out that the whole cost of taking a case Home would not exceed one rate. People were determined to see the matter out.

The Wellington " Evening Press," of which Mr Edward Wakefield, M.H.R., is now the directing genius, says : — As for Sir Julius Yogel, Sir George Grey never was anything but a bitter opponent of his, and he never will be. The haughty soul of the heroic old soldier, explorer, law-giver, ruler, and democratic autocrat revolts against the money-changer. The sordid subtleties of stock-jobbing finance, which act like a charm on some men's minds, have no other effect on him thau to raise his bile in an inordinate degree. It is almost impossible to imagine two men between whom there would be less in common thau there is between Sir George Grey and Sir Julius Yogel. It is an imperial eagle to a mousing owl.

The ordinary meeting of the Lawrence Athenseum Committee was held on Thursday evening. The members in attendance were — Messrs M'Coy (in the chair), Finlayson, Wakefield, Crooke, Harrop, Allnutfc, Stenhouse, and Abel. — The minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted. — A letter was read from Messrs J. Wilkie and Co., stating that, in accordance with instructions, the supply of magazines would be discontinued with the last dates in July. — The following accounts were referred to the Finance Committee — viz., Herbert and Co., £6 93 sd ; Pilling Bros., £2 9* 6d jT. Arthur, £1 12s ; Rose Gunn, 53 ; G. F. C. Browne, £2 4* 3d ; T; M'Kenzie, £1 7s ; J. Braithwaite, £13s 9d ; " Canterbury Times " Co., £I— total, £16 103' lid.— The monthly statement of receipts and expenditure, submitted by the Secretary, was read and received. On the motion of Mr Stenhouse, it was decided that the sum of £100 be re-deposited at interest in the Bank of New Zealand. — It was also decided that the Secretary write to the tenants of the Athenaeum Committee who are in arrear with their rents. — This closed the busiuess.

The " Lyttelton Times " waxes wroth against Wellington centralism, and pleads for the removal of the seat of Government to Christchurch. , Our contemporary has a very strongly-worded article on the subject, which concludes as follows :— Our representatives ought to be quite strong enough to stop the machine by which Wellington grinds the Colony. This may be found the only way. . . . The arrogance and insolence of these lords of centralism is almost past belief. To listen to their talk it might be thought that other New Zealanders were bondsmen, fit enly to hew wood and draw water for their Wellington masters. In our opinion nothing but hard knocks will cure these people of their delusions. The battle before our members should be neither easy nor short. It must be remembered that they are in the enemy's ground. Cut off by the sea and the Wellington hills and valleys from all contact with the rest of the Colony, they are isolated and surrounded. Canterbury public opinion must run the blockade. We must send them ammunition and supplies, good wishes, cordial support, facts, figures, arguments, and thanks. These, and only these, will enable the Canterbury garrison to hold out in Wellington.

Pursuant to announcement, a public meet" ing was held in Bulfin's Accommodation House, Tuapeka West, on Wednesday eveniug, to take into consideration the advisability of urging the Tuapeka County Council to proceed with the formation of a road through Watson's Bush, so as to give the settlers better facilities to procure supplies of firewood, and likewise to obtain sawn timber from the mill in course of erection on the opposite bank of the Molyneux River. The meeting was fairly attended, and were it not for the fact that the threatening weather prevented settlers from a distance putting in an appearance, the number present would have been largely augmented. As it was, letters were read from some of tbe settlers living at a distance, stating that they entirely approved of the action that was being taken to urge upon the County Council to make a road into the bush, as they regarded the work as one of great importance to the whole of the Tuapeka district. Mi* Stations Daniels, who was voted to the chair, in the course of a few preliminary remarks, stated that there could be no two opinions as to the necessity of forming a road into Watson's Bush, Very little indeed had been, done by the. County Council in the shape of road-making in the bush, and as there was a lot of firewood there still, and as a road would be greatly needed when the saw-mill (now in course of erection) was in full swing, no time should be lost in proceeding with the work. He estimated the cost of forming the road would not exceed £60.— Messrs P. Dnffy, BultinV Tyson, M'luernay and others referred to the importance of the work to the district as a whole,— After the matter had been fully and freely discussed, it was resolved,- on the motion of Mr Bl'lnernay, seconded by Mr Duffy— ''That a petition be prepared for signature praying the County Council to form a road into Watson's Bush."- Carried unanimously.' — A deputation, consisting of Messrs Daniels, Duffy, M'lnernay and Bulfin, was appointed to present the petition to the County Council at its next meeting, and likewise to urge the necessity of the work being undertaken with as little delay as possible.— The customary vote was passed to the Chairman and the meeting closed,

The Wellington correspondent of the "Daily Time 3 " indicates that an early attempt will be made to oust the present Government, with the view of getting rid of Sir Julius Yogel, who, it is rumored, will succeed Sir Dillon Bell as Agent-General, the latter being expected to resign daily. In the event of the East and West Coast railway scheme being agreed to, Sir\ Jnliua Yogel will be sent Home on commissf&h to raise the necessary loans; apd to intercept both these moves a combination is daily gaining strength.

A deep bore with the diamond drill, on the Hepburn (Victoria) No. 1 Company's ground, has revealed the existence of deep alluvial ground which might have escaped detection long enough. The bore was put down on the eastern slope of the - Moorookyle —an extinct volcano'— aod three separate layers of basalt were passed through before the alluvial wash was .reached, at a 'depth of 598 feet. -The ground was subsequently driven into, and tha , indications given by the boring rod were found to be thoroughly trustworthy. The difference ,in expense between using the boring rod and shaft-sinking is so great that^ the immense advantage of using the former is apparent, We should like to see the boring rod used pretty freely in this district.

The postal note system which came into operation in Victoria at the beginning of the present year is found to work well. According to a return drawn up by Mr Galbraith, comptroller of money orders, the total number of postal notes issued for the first six months of the preseut year was 40.C56, to the value of £17,933 4s 6d. The 103 notes were in greatest favor, 7246 being issued ; the £1 postal note coming next with an issue of G968 ; the 53 note being third with 5000 issues. Oat of a total issue of 40,G56 there were only IS complaints in regard to loss of notes. As the notes may ba in circulation like an ordinary bank note the money order branch will not refund the amount of the postal note to the loser. Possibly, after the expiration of twelve months, when it may reasonably be supposed that the notes have beeu lost by destruction, the department will then consider the propriety of refunding the money.

A Victorian writer runs thus :— ln one of the West Coast towns of New Zealand, the mayor (who keeps the best publichouse in the district), some of the city fathers, and others were entertaining themselves in the quiet street anxiously watchiug two corporation laborers clearing out a drain. Just then the city surveyor with his theodolite loomed large upon the horizon. "Ah !" said a councillor who deals in chaff, " them's the only fellows as don't seem to feel the bad times." " Come, come," said his good-natured worship, depre* catingly, " theology is an expensiva study, and tbe instrument itself costs a lot of money. l ' "Quite right, Mr Mayor," Baid Sprig, the bank-teller ; " a lawyer might just as well ap« pear in an equity case without his equitorial.' 1 His Worship remained happily innocent of the weak attempt of the banker, and when the drain was clear entertained him at his own charge.

Mr Larnach sends the following reply to a remonstrance from Mr Robert Wilson against the attitude of the Otago members of the Cabinet on the East and West Coast railway affair :— " Your telegram of the 24th inst. regarding tha East and West Coast railway seems to me that your fears are altogether groundless. If you expect the Otago Central to proceed, why should you object to so important a main trunk line from Canterbury to the West Coast on fair terms ? Do you wish the Colony to stand still while our neighbors in Australia are carrying on great public works, and consequently drawing our population away from New Zealand ? lam really surprised at you and other members of your Chamber taking such an attitude as you seem to do. The Government are not going to sacrifice the interests of the Colony in any arrangement they come to for any public works. You had better go to sleep, or go away for a few months and get rid of the cobwebs that apparently are gathering about your caput. l '

Very heavy losses have lately been sustained by graziers in East Kent through the extensive prevalence of sheep scab, and in the home division alone there are at the present time nearly 800 animals affected by the disorder. Many of the outbreaks have been hitherto quite unaccountable ; but very general attention having been drawn to the matter, a somewhat remarkable theory is now advanced as to the cause. At thia season of the year starlings are exceedingly numerous in the pastures, and it is by no means an uncommon occurrence for a dozen or twenty of these birds to be seen sitting upon the back of one sheep, seeking their insect food among the wool. Thus it is believed that, having visited a number of diseased sheep, they proceed to a healthy flock, and by this means convey the contagion. One strong: instance confirmatory of this idea is that a flock of sheep, which for the past eight monthd have never been anywhere near any other animals, have just become affected in the Canterbury district.

A COUPLE of Auckland larrikins recently caught a tartar. The "Star " says : — An outrage of a type that is by no means uncommon in Auckland just now happened outside the Clarendon Hotel the other Saturday night. A man was standing on the pavement when two fellows came up behind and kicked him. He immediately turned upon them and struck one of them, prostrating him on the ground. The oilier joined in the attack, aud met with a similar fate. The two larrikins then made a continued assault, but they had mistaken their man. He stepped back a pace, and swinging his stick round his head, cut one of his assailants down, and then dealt the other a blow that left him senseless on the ground. Having coolly asked if they wanted any more, and receiving no response, he went quietly on his way. A large crowd had collected by thia time, and as one of the youths remained insensible for some time, he was taken to the shop of Mr Hendersou, chemist, and thence to tha Hospital, where a severe cut in his head was dressed. The lesson is one that is likely to ba remembered by them.

A gang of men are at present engaged in renewing the platform at the Lawrence Railway Station, and making other alterations and improvements. The present wooden platform will be removed, and replaced by an earthwork one, with concrete facing. The platform will be lengthened towards the town end, aud the approaches made more convenient. The station building will be slightly raised, and a verandah erected in front of it, which will bean improvement fully appreciated by the travelling public. We are disappointed that a bettor class of building is not made to replace the present one, which is of a class more fitted for an unimportant siding than a terminus where there is a deal o f traffic. A new station building of a better class was promised some' years ago, and when alterations are being made is the time for the authorities to fulfil that promise. Many side stations where there is very little traffic on the main line have a class of station house equal to that which has to do duty for the busy Lawrence terminus. However, we must -be thankful for present mercies, and hope foe better things in the future.

The Government have received information by the San Francisco mail that the Nordenfeldt guns ordered by the Colony are in a forward state, and will be of a very superior class. They will be shipped for the Colony shortly. The 12-i-ton guns ordered for the de Fence works of the Colony are stated to be much stronger than the same ckss of guns sent to Australia. A large quantity of ammunition and other war material ordered by the New Zealand Government has been' shipped, and will shortly arrive.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of Philip Cahill was held in Ihe Courthouse yesterday afternoon. There was a fair attendance o£ creditors ; Mr Asheroft (Official Assignee) jwesiddd. The e*amia&ti&»a of Jae. Cahill, P. Cahill, and James Robertson were read. The examinations were cone into the previous day in the District Court, and a fuller report will be found elsewhere. The Official Assignee suggested that a supervisor should be appointed, and named Mr Edward Herbert. On the motion of Messrs Thompson and Harrop this was agreed to. Mr Harrop proposed and Mr Thompson seconded : "That the freehold and leasehold be disposed of by auction, and the matter left to the Official Assignee and supervisor in the interest of the creditors." Carried. It was pointed out by the Assignee that the bill of sale for £13 was not valid, and Mr Robertson agreed not to press the claim. On the motion of Mr Thompson, the meeting was adjourned for a week, Mr Ashcrof t arranged with the Messrs Cahill to go through the M« counts with them to-day.

TiiEHK wero thirteen patients in th Hospital last evening, and of these ten wen males (including one Chinaman) and threi females. One patient was discharged during the week ; but none were admitted. The death of Sir Moses Montcu'ore, th< centenarian Jewish philanthropist, is a& nounced by cable. Sir Moses was born on October 24, 1784, so that at the time of hie death he had attained the age of nearly 101 B Iffilß boisterous weather last night interfered lUroasly witrh the attendance at the Bowling aud Tennis Club's concert, which was held in the Town Hall. . The, programme was a splendid one, and the several performers did their allotted parts in good style. An extended report will appear next issue. An extraordinary vacancy has occurred in the Tuapeka County Council, caused by the resignation of Mr John Michael, member for Gabriels Riding. It is notified elsewhere that fthemoTnination of candidates will take place \at tjheLsohbolhouse, Blue Spur, on Saturday next ; and the election (if necessary) on the 22nd instant. Speaking recently before the Anti-slavery Society, H. M. Stanley, tho African explorer, advocated General Gordon's plan for reaching the upper Nile by way of the Congo. When all tbe difficulties of the Nile route, bordered by hostile tribes, are taken into account, it is to be wondered at why "our only general" did not take Gordon's advice. To have dropped down upon Khartoum from the Equator would have thoroughly demoralised thoirebels, for they would have been between two fires. C Ajeteb several weeks' stoppage through the collapse of .their tailrace, tho (Gabriels Gully Tailings Company have succeeded in repairing the damage, and have resumed work. The occurrence was one of those unforseen misfortunes which no one could prevent, and the loss thereby occasioned to the Company is no inconsiderable amoaufi ; buG as a deep &C oOf tailings carrying a payable, quantity of gold has been reached, with ordinary luck, the Company, will soon make up the grounc which it has lost. At the meeting of tho Parliamentary Union on Wednesday evening, the debate on Mr Finlayson's no-confidence motion was resumed, and at the conclusion a division was taken, with the result that the Ministry were defeated by a majority of three. They have since resigned, we understand, and Mr Finlayson has been called upon to form a new Ministry; but to whom the portfolios are likely to be allotted has not yet transpired. Asjthe antagonism between existing parties is too vigorous for the good of the Union, a readjustment of parties should be attempted. At a sitting of the Warden's Court yesterday, before W. H. EeveP, Esq., Warden, an extended claim and tailrace at Wetherstones were granted to Eung Kung and party. Mr Copland appeared for the (applicants. The Court was occupied the whole of the day till 6 p.m. considering an injunction and claim for damages prefeu'ed by the Gabriels Tailings Company against the Great Extended Sluicing Company (Registered), Blue Spur. Messrs M'Coy and Mouat appeared for the complainants, and Mr Einlayson for defen. dants. The Courthouse was crowded with miners du-ing the hearing of the cisc, showing that a great deal of interest wa? taken in the proceedings. As the case was adjou. Jed until len o'clock to-day, our report "t held over till next issue. Those who watch the patent column of tbe Goveument " Gezette " must stand convinced that New Zer land is not behind the age in the matter of inventions, and what is most striking is the practic:l nature of a large propoi ■ tion of these. Among the later colonial inventions of importance is one by Mr F. Hebdcn, _ of Chilstchurch, which he terms " The Mineral Ore Telephone liransir»tter." The 'ittte mineral slab used for tho trarsmitter is a 'mineral found in Nelson, and resembles in'appeprt copper py.ltes, and in a 150-mile test suited all the requirements of a f ''st-class instrument with a very moderate battery' power. The inventor claims for his transmitter that it cannot be injured by an excess of batte./ power, by changes of temperature, nor — he believes — by lightning. The development of modern engines of war points to the rapidly approaching time when war will be so deadly that nations claiming to be civilized will be compelled to abandon it altogether.^ Especia'ly in naval warfare y. ill this be the^tosej for already the modern wrr ship is beset by such extreme dangers that a naval engagement, wou'd in all probability result ifl\the annihilation of the fleets engaged. fSuch once being proved, men could scarcely be found to volunteer for the navy, iMMUthat-particular form of watfare-wmld-foll into disrepute. The latest invention for the destruction of iron-clads is that of a petty officer on board the Vernon, and consists of a pinnace which', -without a crew and containing a; large quantity of gun cotton, caa be subme^gjjdior an^ length of time, and the charge explodes without 'the ' enemy being aware of the presence of the craft. " The Admiralty have determined to accept the invention, and it is stated that within a month a hundred of these submarine infe.nal machines couM be ready for use. liiaunarvellous how at the sound of the word " gold " men will allow sentiment to run riot, with their reasoD, and upon what insufficient grounds a " ru3h " may be produced Kerry', a member of the "Age" New Guinea exploration expedition, showed some wonderful rich specimens of quartz on his return from New -Guinea, stating that he had chipped them off an outcrop when the expedition was returning to the coast. This set the Melbburne public wild, and a large company was formed to accompany Kerry to this new El Xjorado, where quartz reefs carrying more gold than stone were supposed to exist ; but unfortunately for the high expectations of the shareholders,' the bubble burst, and evidence' has beep .produced which proves beyond any semblance of doubt that Kerry had purchased the nuggets from a jeweller's firm in Melbourne. This evidence was considered at a stormy meeting of would-be shareholders, and in all probability Kerry will be prosecuted. He may thank the Fates that he doe's 'not'- live beneath the " Stars and Stripes," else he most certainly would be lynched. < . 1 1 - '"