LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1800, 3 June 1891, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Island Block Co. are reported to have obtained 200oz of gold last week for eight days' running. The Upper Waipori Alluvial Gold Dredging Company obtained 17 oz 12pr of gold for five days six hours' dredging last week. ' The Tokomairiro Farmers' Club does not think the time has yet arrived for taxing stallions, fearing it would be detrimental at present to the interests of tho farmers to do so. The " Dunstan Times " regards the Teviot district as one of the richest in New Zealand. Not alone is the gold of vast importance but the fruit industry is scarcely less so ; besides these there are the pastoral and agricultural interests. "PUFF," in the "Evening Press, "says that Mr Dixon, M.P. for Birmingham, and others he knows of, have ordered the money they sent to New Zealand for investment to be returned, because they are afraid of the burst-ing-up policy of the Government. Mr D. Percy, late of Round Hill, and at present in charge of the Ratanui school, was selected out of eight candidates for the position of bead teacher of the Tuapeka Mouth school. Mr Percy is an old Blue Spur pupil, and has a very successful record as a teacher. Says " Mercutio " in the " Auckland Herald " :— I have heard Mr Seddon, especially of late, credited with almost every virtue under Heaven, but I never heard it whispered he was afflicted with modesty. His dearest friends never suspected the existence of the feeling. It is a plant that does not flourish on the West Coast. It has, however, sprung up in him like Jonah's gourd. At the banquet at the Thames he said "he must tell them this, that after being for a quarter of a century on the gold fields, he had to confess that night his utter ignorance of mining." The annual meeting of shareholders of tha Commissioners Flat Goldmining Company (Limited) was held at the c >mpany'a office, Dunedin, on Friday last. There was a large attendance of shareholders. Messrs A. Car- ! law and T. Andrew, of Roxburgh, and J. White, of Duaedin, were elected in the place lof the retiring directors. Mr W. Coulter, of } Roxburgh, was also proposed, but failed to | secure election. The Chairman announced that Mr Smith, who has carried out the works connected with the bringing in of the water to the claim, had resigned the manage ment. Confidence was expressed by Roxburgh shareholders as to the prospects of the claim. It is intended to hold a public meeting at Moa Flat schoolhouse next Saturday evening to consider the advisableness of establishing a rabbit canning and fruit preserving factory in that district. The meeting, it is reasonable to assume, will no doubt be a large and a representative one, and if the settlers of the wide district interested have anything approaching a clear comprehension of the profitable nature of the enterprise which they are about to consider, as we have no doubt they have, they will set about the business with energy and resolution and lose no time in bringing it to a practical issue. It is very much open to question whether in the colony there is such another district so favourably j situated for such an industry, and if the project miscarries it can be from no other 1 cause than want of business energy and j enterprise on the part of those most concerned. The whole secret of the matter is that it should at the outset be taken iv hand by a small ' number of pushing, ready men, and the more [ enthusiastic they are the better. Mr Scobie Mackenzie, M.H.R., more than divided the honours with the Hon. Mr | Seddon on Saturday evening. Of the two Mr Mackenzie was much more in demand, quite a stream of settlers and others ebbing and flowing in and out of the room at the Commercial in which he had set up his throne for the evening. There was apparently no set I purpose about the informal deputations that crowded around him and enthusiastically wrung his hand, and warmly complimented him on the various triumphs of oratory associated with his name. A large number of his audience were pronounced Highlandmen in dialect and appearance, and they had coma to foregather and fraternise with him, presumably from a feeling of national pride, to do honour to a distinguished member of the clan. His inability or disinclination to put away large orders of the national beverage, however, was rather against him, and the faot was commented on very regretfully by some of his enthusiastic countrymen.who threatened to disown him in consequence. But the stream of visitors followed on ; and not in the stronghold of his own dominions up Mt. Ida way could Mr Mackenaie receive more respectful attention and more genuinely friendly greetings and tokens of popular esteem than lie did on his visit to Lawrence.

Thb Roxburgh Amalgamated Mining and Slnicing Cr>. washed up on Frirloy last for a return of 80 z 14 lwt of gold— £nss2iwt being from No. 1 elovator aud 35./Z 12 lwt from No. 2 elovator. ACCORDING t,o one of the Wellington pnpors Mr Seddon, bnfnr(> leaving for th<> k>«tN. said that he was <lisritict!v cm.vrwi that it. would be mere wnst.e >«f injin-y u> m ther rxtend the Ota#» Ct nrr.l line unless it could be completed to Eweburn, an undertaking which would cost far more money than could be spared. THE " Economist " state* that, if the c >lnnip» wish to depend on the English puolic for floating their loans, the present av'stcm of inviting tenders mint he abandoned. There is no reason why the Queensland loan should not have been subscribed if it had been kept open for two months at a fixed price of 92, and provision made for interest to accrue from the date of subscription. The "Auckland Observer" says:— "A little bird whispers that the convict Chemis, who was sentenced to penal servitude for life for a murder committed at Wellington, and is now an inmate of Mount Eden prison, recently attempted suicide. The prison authorities are extremely reticent, but it is said that Chemis managed to secret some sharp instruI ment and opened a vein in his arm, and when discovered had almost bled to death." It has been suggested to us (Rangitikei " Advocate ") as a political and industrial phenomenon that, as soon as a "Liberal" Ministry comes into power there is a sudden cry of unemployed. It is as though they were hyberaating during the chilling reign of the " Conservatives," but. come to vigorous life as soon as their friends assume charge of the treasury. It always happens so. It cannot be a series of coincidences that, when the " Conservatives " are in power, there is little to be seen or heard of the unemployed, and that when the " Liberals " have succeeded to the throne it seems to rain unemployed, so numerous are they in the cities of the colony. The following case was dealt with by tha Auckland Board of Education : — On a roll of about seventeen scholars three children, who were under five years of age, were marked counted, and expected to be paid for as of school age. The teacher's excuse to the inspector was that the names were put on the roll by order of the school committee. The majority of the Board sustained this excuse, > on account of a plea brought forward by one. of the new members — that if. the teacher did' not obey the committee in everything his life would be miserable. The three names were struck off the roll for the rest of the quarter. " In another part of the colony," says the " Herald,' " this conduct would probably have cost the teacher hia situation." Latest cablegrams. — The export to the Australian colonies is brisker than it has been for years, and the dock sheds am choked with goods. The aggregate tonnage in London waiting for cargoes is 80,000. — The House of Commons reports the Irish Land Purchase Bill with 13 pages of amendments. — Mr Justin M'Carthy has decided not to agitate for the release of Messrs Dillon and O'Brien. — Algeria has been visited by a serious locust plague, and everything green is eaten up. — Jewish doctors in the Russian army have been informed they must either adopt the orthodox faith or resign their positions, and it has been decided not to permit further admissions to the army. — Owing to the severe illness of Sir John Macdonald, the Premier of Canada, the Dominion Parliament has adjourned. The medical advisers of the Premier report that he has only a few hours to live. A well-known knight of the hammer whilst holding a sale of bankrupt stock in an up-country township a short time ago, raised a laugh against himself in an amusing manner. > The day was warm, and the work was heavy, and the auctioneer had taken off his coat, and laid it down. Presently a quantity of clothing was brought to the hammer, and time being short, the word was "sharp," and the factotum who was banding up the articles for sale was continually being exhorted to "hurry up." Tiring of this spurring, he bethought himself to give his " boss " tit for tat, and banded up his (the boss's) own coat, which the auctioneer proceeded to offer iv the stereotyped form, " Now gentlemen, start this coal ? What shall I say for it ? " Then, perceiving a twinkle in the eyes of those near him, he looked at the coat, and recognised it as his own property. The laugh that followed nearly lifted the roof off the building, and was enjoyed by no one more than the auctioneer himself. Our Millers Flat correspondent writes : — The football match between the boys attending the Millers Flat and Moa Flat schools, played on the latter's ground on Saturday last, proved a very enjoyable affair. The game was watched with a great deal of interest by a fair sprinkling of adults and a large number of small boys. Victory, however, followed the Moa Flat boys, who scored five points to their opponents' nil. Cameron, Cowie, and M'Phail were the most prominent players among the victors, and Eady, Richardson, and M'Clelland among the defeated players. — A great deal of interest is being manifested in the publio meeting to be held at Moa Flat on Saturday evening to take steps to establish a rabbit-canning and fruitpreserving factory in the district. From all I can hear a determined effort will be made to start such an industry in our midst. Mr Waugh, one of the promoters, interviewed Mr H. S. Valentine, M.H.R., on the subject last Saturday, and obtained a large amount of valuable information for submission to the public meeting. — The weather lately has been very changeable and intensely cold. Last night (Monday) the frost was very keen. " Barrkter-AT-Law," who should know something of the subject, writing in the " Mark Lane Express " on the right of floakowners to shoot sheep-worrying dogs, makes the following remarks :— " The law on the subject is perfectly clear, and is worth remembering. If it is necessary to 'save the sheep their owner is justified in shooting the dog while in hot pursuit of the sheep, but he is not entitled to do so after the peril has ceased. An owner of such a dog is liable in damages for the injuries done to the sheep without proof of the dog's tendencies. Such an action can be brought .in the County Court or in the Police Court, but it should be noted that not more than A's can be recovered in the latter Court." The law on this point seems to be in a very unsatisfactory condition. A dog may get among a flock of ewes in lamb, and do an immense amount of mischief that cannot be shown, while, as for recovering damages from the average dog-owner in the colonies, that is well known to be hopeless. Stockowners generally would rather risk a little by shooting an intruding dog, whether he was in hot pursuit or no. This dog nuisance has become a heavy tax on one of the best rural indus- j tries in Great Britain and in America, and it promises to develop into as great a nuisance ' in the colonies. Some of the malcontents are already leaving the Ministerial camp, or, still better, ! might it not be a case of the rats leaving an unseaworthy ship? The first notable instance is that of Mr George Hutchison, who has formally intimated his intention of no longer supporting the Gov^ment, and whose desertion is put down t4j4hagrin owing to his claims being overlooked when the Ministerial team was being got together. Mr Hutchison's services to his party, though rather maladorous in character, were, no doubt, serviceable from the point of view of those who employed him. He acted throughout the last session of the late Parliament as mud thrower-in-chief to his party— was, in fact, their most disreputable instrument, for E which, as is most frequently the case with those who do dirty work for others, he was recognised only until he had served his purpose. His attacks on the private characters and lives of Ministers acquired for him a notoriety that he may have possibly mistaken for fame, and it most effectually destroyed any chance he mi«ht have had of being included in any Ministry formed by his party, as such an appointment, it was well known, would revolt the self-respecting men of the House. He is, no doubt, very familiar with most of the ugly secrets of the party he has just diyoroed himself from, and should he feel disposed to return to bis favourite game of dirtthrowing he should, we imagine, find a superabundance of work at hand during the ensuing session. In Messrs Geo. Fisher and H, S, Fish he is likely also to find congenial associates, as they, too, are well known to be disappointed place-hunters, who have also wrongs to redress and a duty to perform in wrecking the Ministry. The session is likely to be quite* merry one for the Government.

We understand that fully one thousand rabbits are being daily sent from here by rail to the freezing and canning works at Dunedin — a fact which successfully disposes of the objection that a large enough supply could not be obtained to keep a factory running in Lawrence or its vicinity. THE "Ensi«rn" understands that. 7d per pair is now boiujj givcu for rabbits delivered at th Oroydon (Gore) meat preserving works, and that there are "pippins and cheese "to come. Next month 8d will be paid. Supplies are still keeping up : 5900 were put through on Saturday, and the average per day last week was 4500, although the weather waa unfavourable for trapping operations, There is a good deal of curiosity as to who is to succeed the late Mr Blair as Engineer-in-Ghief. It is rumoured in well informed circles (says the Wellington " Press '") that Mr Arthur Bell is "the coming man." We hope , that the rnmour may prove to be correct, for ' Mr Bell, though not the senior engineer in the department, possesses very high qualifications. The appointment of Mr Bell would be emphatically not a "sop to Cerberus," a ' some people have insinuated, but a genuine " tribute to merit." At a sitting of the, Resident Magistrate's Court, Lawrence, on" Monday, Mr W. H. Rcvell, R.M., being on the bench, Thos. D. Barton sued Thos. Cousins for th* recovery of £7 43 2d, being fifteen weeks' rent of farm at Tuapeka West. Mr Finlayson for plaintiff and Mr Gooday for defendant, who 'pleaded not indebted. After hearing the case, his Worship gave judgment for t 6 sa, with costs (tl 16s.}— In the case J. C. Arbuckle p. Adam M 'Donald, claim of £6 9s 9J, judgment was given for the amount claimed, with costs. The Ministerial party, on arriving in Lawrence on Saturday evening, at the close of their tour were heard to express themselves in very handsome terms at the skill with which Mr Hugh Craig handled the ribbons, and the ease and promptitude with which he carried them over the long stretch of country, some of it not by any means the best for travelling, lying between Middlemarch and Lawrence. Mr Seddon has now considerable experience in coach travelling, and though he may have seen rougher roads, particularly during his North Island trip, yet he had met no driver in whose hands he felt so perfectly at ease. The other gentlemen of the party were equally complimentary. , f ! In connection with the recent decision of the Victorian Minister of Agricnltpre,regarding the bonus for the export of butter, the Secretary of the Department points out that the stoppage of the bonus was necessary to the encouragement of the other industries included in the vote of £30,000. About half "of this amount having been absorbed by the butter exporters, it was decided to draw the line there, and the other half will be set apart for the export of fruit. There is £75,000 allotted to the growth of various vegetable products ; divided into £25,000 for vines, a similar amount for fruits, and another £25,000 for various special products. The vote for fac tories is £37,000, half of which will go to creameries and butter factories, and the other half to factories for fruit-preserving and drying and similar industries. The New South Wales Railway Commissioners have turned out a truck which is of a different construction from anything hitherto used in the colonies. The under frame of the truck is made of iron tubes and girders, whereby the vehicle is given very great carrying capacity as compared with any of the existing rolling stock, while the truck itself weighs very little in comparison with the deadweight it carries. The weight is 8J tons, but it will carry from 25 to 30 tons deadweight. The truck now in geaeral use on the New South Wales railways, while weighing from 4.J to 5 tons, will not carry more than about 7 tons deadweight. The patent parts of the iron work have been imported from the makers, Goodf ello w and Co. , of New York. The truck will be specially useful in bringing down large loads, such as wool, from any particular station, or for running between important centres, say between Sydney and Goulburn or Sydney and Bathurst. On mv (says a contemporary) that the members of the Public Trust Commission are on the war path, and threaten to have the scalp of the Premier. The other day, they applied for an extension of time and permission to visit other parts of the colony to take evidence, as they deemed that course essential to theproperexecution of their task. The request was refused, and the first intimation that the Commissioners got of the refusal was through the columns of the newspapers. Naturally, they are exceedingly wroth that the Premier did not let the Chairman know of the Cabinet's decision before publishing it to the outside world. It appears that a gentleman met the Chairman on the wharf, and sympathisingly remarked that he was not likely to have that little pleasure trip round the colony. The Chairman stared aghast; "you might have knocked him down with a feather." He asked indignantly, " How do you know that ?>:? >: and was told the matter was already town-talk : it has been published in the newspapers. Those who know the Chairman may wall imagine that the language he used did full justice to the extraordinary occasion. The annual meeting of the Borough of Lawrence Licensing Committee was held at the courthouse, Lawrence, yesterday, at noon. Present: Messrs Fraer, Jeffery, Walker, Chalmers (W.), and Hetherington. On the motion of Mr Fraer, Mr Chalmers was appointed chairman of the committee for the current year.— All the applications for publicans and bottle licenses as follow were granted, the police report in each instance being favourable :— Publicans'licenses 11 o'clock • R. Montgomery (Victoria Hotel), J. Johnson (Commercial), J. Roughan (Camp), James Uhalmera (Royal George), Sarah Airey (Ross Place), R. Webb (Masonic), and S. P. Craig (Railway). Bottle licenses: A. M'Kinlav, T. Arthur, and F. Oudaille.— Mr Jeffery said he was of opinion that the Committee should request the various licensees not to supply liquor to habitual drunkards.— Mr John Thompson, who appeared on behalf of several of the applicants, remarked that the hotelkeepers in Lawrence were not in the habit of supplying liquor to habitual drunkards. The latter invariably got their friends to procure liquor for them.— There being no further discuasion in regard to the matter, the proceedings terminated with the usual vote to the chair. Mr Valbntinb,M.H.R., took advantage of tne Hon. Mr Seddon's brief sojourn in Roxburgh on Saturday to bring under his notice the great convenience to a large number of business-people, settlers and others of instituting a daily instead of a tri-weekly mail as at present from Lawrence. The additional expense, he argued, could not be great, considering that Messrs Craig und Co. 's coaches made the trip daily, and the facility provided of receiving and transmitting correspondence would be much appreciated, and he thought the increase of revenue thus provided would almost cover the expense. Another matter which he desired to press on the attention of the Minister was the difficulty experienced by county councils in maintaining the main roads, owing to the large diminution of revenue caused by the abolition of the gold duty. The chances were, such was the pressure county councils were now being subjected to, that efforts would be made to throw the maintenance of the main roads on the general or consolidated revenue. And the question was would the Government be inclined to undertake the responsibility ? As regards the nrst matter, Mr Seddon promised to consult with Messrs Craig and Co , who held the mail I contract and learn the probable expense of a daily mail, after which he would bring the subject under the notice of the PostmasterGeneral on his arrival in Wellington. With reference to county revenue he appeared to ' think the matter was assuming a serious aspect, and his suggestion would be that the i gold-fields members should take joint action in supplying the Government with all information bearing on the subject. Meantime he would on his return to the seat of Government take steps to have it inquired into. The Hon. Mr Seddon, for some time after his arrival in Lawrence on Saturday evening was busy receiving deputations and transacting other business of an official character. He had a large number of people to see, and apparently a variety of topics of a more or less publio character to discuss, but work of this kind appears to be little more than a pleasant form of relaxation to Mr Seddon. and he forges through the business with a velocity suggestive of special trains and high.

pressure travelling generally. Nevertheless, he never misses a poiut ; in fact, the pickingup of points and the playful worrying of them, should such a course suit his purpose, appears to be quite a characteristic of his. He listens not so much for the purpose of mastering the details of the story which the confiding and trustful interviewer is pouring into his ear aa to seise those points which may be useful in showing the absurdity and unreasonableness of the demand that is being made on him. And throughout and under nil circumstances he is most inflexible in his determination to promise nothing. He can say " no " with just as much ease and with as great an appearance of friendliness and good humour as if he were a Minister of Public Works in the good old borrowing days, and was master of a bloated exchequer instead of a very lean and very doubtful windfall that exists for the greater part in the Ministerial imagination. But, anyway, he is a man of immense backbone, and may be relied on to make the most of whatever small amount of funds he baa at bis disposal. It is hardly necessary to say anything of Mr Seddon's physical equipment. He is a typical Englishman — large of bnild, and lias also all an Englishman's candour and liluntness of speech. At the same time, he bears no resemblance whatever to the kind of person with whom the popular imagination has been accustomed to associate— the Mr '■ Dick " Seddon of his preministerial days. . Mr Seddon is a man of great amiability of character and kindness of disposition, without ostentation or pretension or loudness or violence of speech or manner. He is, indeed, the very antithesis of these latter properties that have somehow or other become identified with his name. He is, moreover, a man of very strong sense and great shrewdness, quick as lightning to grasp the points of an argument, and capable of expressing himself clearly and forcibly. We should say he is the strong man of the Ballance Government ; and we can well understand why it is that he is. We can also understand his great popularity among his constituents, and the hospitable and genrrous treatment he has received during the course of his tour through the colony.