LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1904, 15 June 1892, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The directors of the United Hercules Hydraulic Sluicing Company have declared a dividend of Is per share.

The Queensland Government intend to introduce a Bill reducing the payment of members from £300 to £150.

A destructive fire occurred at Palmerston North on Sunday morning, resulting in the loss of £4000 worth of property.

At Avoca, Victoria, a Chinaman who did some ploughing lately ou a Sunday, was ft nod half-a-crown under an Act of 1867.

In 1890 the value of corn (of all kinds), meat, butter, cheese, and eggs imported to Great Britain was equal to L' 2,000,000 sterling per week.

A WIDOW named Norrie atGympie,who was in poor circumstances, drew the winner of the Sydney Birthday Cup iv a sweep, and received 18700 cash.

One of the unemployed who got into trouble with the police at Napier lately boasted that he had been a labor member of the New S-m «h Wales Parliament.

The adjourned annual meeting of the Tnapeka Farmers' Union will bf» hold mi the schoolhousc, Tuapeka West, this evening at eight o'clock.

Mr M. M'Lean, of the Survey Office, Lawrence, has been appointed deputy registrar of marriages, births, and deaths for the district of Gabriels.

SPEAKING at a luncheon recently, Mr Tozer, Colonial Secretacy for Queensland, said the Government was at present giving relief to 900 families in Brisbane at a cost of LISO per week.

The Governor was greatly pleased with his reception at Wellington, and, in a letter to Mayor Bell, says : — "The sight was one which will live long in the memory of himself and his countess."

A BEPORT of the concert held in the Good Templars' Hall on Friday evening, from our Waitahuna correspondent, came to hand too late for insertion in this issue, but will appear in our jext.

Mr R. H. Hassall, Stock Inspector, notifies in another column that general poisoning over the whole of his district, including Lawrence, Waipori, and Roxburgh, will commence ou. Monday, 4th July. -

It is notified in the last issue of the New Zealand Government " Gazette " that the provisional specification of '• Rigncy's Poweraccumulating Current Motor " has been accepted by the Patent Office, Wellington.

The railway returns for the four weeks ended 30th April show the revenue to have been £114,380, and the expenditure £59,694. In the corresponding period last year the revenue was £89,640, and the expenditure £50,942.

The weather throughout yesterday was bitterly cold and changeable. Heavy ruin fell in the forenoon, and continued at intervals until evening, when a slight shower of snow fell. At the time of writing, the weather was still very unsettled looking.

The " Ensign " states that there is some talk of a threat by the Commissioner of Taxes to purchase a big estate in the Mataura district unless the owners consent to the valuation under the Land Tax Act, and the matter will come before the Board of Review at an adjourned meeting to be held shortly.

The gold returns of the following: mining companies are to hand : — Dunedin Dredging Co., Boz lOdwts for 4 days' work ; Bttrick Dredging Co., 10£oz ; Jutland Flat Dredging Co., 28oz 12dwt for 144 hours' wages time-" 137 hours' actual dredging ; Waipori Alluvial Gold Oo.'s No. 1 dredge soz 15d\vt for 3 days' dredging and No. 2 dredge 15oz for 5 days 11 hours' dredging; Golden Run Dredging Co., 21ozl6dwts.

We have received a communication from a correspondent directing attention to the state of the road from Bungtown to Waipori. There is a good deal of heavy traffic on the road, and he complains that it receives but little attention from the two surfacemen employed in the riding. The road is in consequence very heavy, and not as fit for traffic as it might be made with a very small expenditure of labour. The two surfacemen spend the greater part of their time on the Waipori bush road, and our correspondent requests that the member for the riding instruct them to pay the Waipori-Bungfcown road an occasional visit.

Thk New South Wales Minister forElucation thinks that it would be far better for young men who have passed the university examinations to learn trades or farming rather than enter the over-crowded " genteel " professions.

Mb Jno. M'Nickle, an old resident of the Waitahuna district, takes his departure this morning on a visit to the Old Country, where he intends spending a few months, and renewing his acquaintance with the scenes and people of the biggest part of a lifetime ago. Mr M'Nickle has borne his full share of the heat and burden of the day in the country of his adoption, and well deserves all the pleasure associated with his trip.

THINGS must be in a very depressed state in Queensland A correspondent, writing from Brisbane, says :—": — " To give an idea of the stagnation here, I might raeution there were four Government agents wanted to accompany labour vessels to the South Seas, aud there were 400 applic mts, chiefly civil servants and bank clerks. Our population hus decreased by some 13,000 for the last veur. The number of empty houses on the 31st March was over 4,000."

A Melbourne paper describes a Chinese opera company, now in Victoria, in the followiug manner : — There is too much crime iv the country without letting Mongolian warblers loose to excite the people to gory assaults and midnight murders. The weird wail of the pagan tenor is a mixture of scared pig, ungreased waggon wheel, intoxicated parrot, bagpipes, cats, and the hee haw of a lost jackass, aud the white man does not live who can listen to it for two minutes and not want to go up to the oblique-eyed soloist and cleave his scraped occiput with a blunt axe.

In reply to communication from the Vincent County Council, on the subject of depasturing cattle and keeping dowu the rabbits on the Clyde commonage and reserves, the Minister of Lauds has written that body stating that the Government had decided that the Council must either assume charge of the common or agree to the Government letting it for depasturing purposes. In the event of the Council electing to adopt the former course, the Council are empowered to levy any rate it considers will be sufficient to pay the cist of ■ceeping down the rabbits and of covering any further expense connected therewith.

The interim report andbalance-sheHoEthe Union Steam Shipping Company for the year ended March 31st has been circulated. It shows that the amount at the credit of the profit and loss account, including the balance brought forward from lust year, and after providing for depreciation, is £21,437 5* 81. The directors regret having to report that the continued unsatisfactory state of business in Australia has adversely affected the company's trade, and that consequently the hope expressed at the last auuual meeting, that the depression then existing would only prove of a temporary character, has not been realised. Under the circumstances, they consider it prudent to limit the interim dividend to 6 per cent., which will absorb £17,907 12s.

The directors of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company have reduced the charge for freezing mutton for this winter to £d per lb, less 20 percent., the directors of the company having determined to make this further reduction, which is equal to 3d per 601 b sheep, in ordpr to induce stock-owneis to freeze and ship a larger proportion of thoir surplus stock, in preference to selling in the local market. The " Press " points out that as the freight is § 1, and the London charges only about £<l per lb, this reduction brings the total charges for freezing, freight, insurance, and selling in London to about l£d per lb, so that only 4d in London will give a return of 2^d per lb, or 12a 6d per 601 b sheep, in addition to the skin and fat.

JUDGMENT was delivered on Friday in the R.M, Court, Invercargill, in a case involving the responsibilities of county councils. The plaintiff claimed £10 for the loss of a horse which was injured through one of its feet getting into a hole in a road within the jurisdiction of the Southland County. The rongUtrate, in giving judgment, said the question was whether the council had been guilt> of negligence which amounted to a breach of duty on their part. The whole width of the road was open to the public, but the council could ouly ue held liable for what was artificially constructed. Oa a new road where no culverts had been made, the council would not be responsible for a passer-by getting into a hole ; but where there was artificial construction on a road the case was different. A person using reasonable care would not have travelled over the culvert, it being so close to the side of the road. No negligence had been proved on the part of the council, and the plaintiff would be nonsuited.

The " Lake County Press," referring to the contemplated retirement of the Hon. T. Fergus from the representation of the Wakitipu, writes as follows: — "We desire to give the honorable gentleman the fullest credit for representing the district in such a manner as to gain for it respect and for himself honourable acknowledgment of worthy services rendered to the country at large, as well as the personal esteem of the whole of the electorate,even to those whose political opinions were of another color. We believe him to have been sincere in his action?, and we hope that, no matter from what side of politics his successor may be chosen — for we are not strong partisans— the electors may find as much to approve in his conduct and all-round ability, and that he may achieve the same good fame as the Hon. T. Fergus has done." —At the last meeting of the Lake County Council, the highest testimony was borne by the members to the high character and ability of Mr Fergus as a public man and to the splendid services he bad rendered the district during the period he represented it. A motion regretting that the hon. gentleman did not intend to come forward a^ain for reelection was unanimously carried.

Mr Scobie Mackenzie, M.H.R. for Mt. Ida, passed through Lawrence yesterday on his way to Dunedin, having spent the past few days in conferring with his constituents in the various centres on matters affecting their interests. Owing to his recent heavy affliction, Mr Mackenzie felt unequal to the task of addressing public meetings, and has deferred doing so until after the close of the impending session of Parliament. He was received everywhere throughout the electorate with every manifestation of cordiality, receiving from every quarter the strongest assurances of loyalty and support in the time to come and of thankfulness for his past services both to the constituency and the country. All this must be very gratifying to Mr Mackenzie, particularly at the present moment ; but it is only what might be expected by a man who has, during his comparatively brief public career, rendered such splendid services to the cause of progress and settlement, and the-. interests generally of the country settlers. The free and independent like much at intervals to hear the voice of their representative; but the member for Mt. Ida has so often and so eloquently given proof of " the faith that iain him" that up that classic region, at all events, there should be no question of his orthodoxy.

EDGAR S. Winter, business manager of the Vivian dramatic troupe, who paid Lawrence a visit last week, was brought before Mr Revell, R.M., at a sitting of the local Police Court on Saturday, charged with having on the 4th instant unlawfully and knowingly, by a certain false pretence, obtained from one George Swan the sum of 15s in money and a cheque drawn by Henry Wilson, of Mosgiel, for the sum of £1 12s, with intent to cheat and defraud him of the same. The Police applied for a remand to Dunedin, which his Worship accordingly granted. — The accused was brought before the Police Court there on Monday, Sergeant O'Neill, who conducted the prosecution, said the offence was committed at Mosgiel, the informant (Mr Swau), who was a business man there, having applied for a warrant. The accused was apprehended at Lawrence, and was brought to Dunedin on Saturday night. The complainant was in Court, and be informed him (the speaker) that there was some misunderstanding about the matter.— Mr Thornton (counsel for accused) : That is so. There has been a mistake in the whole matter — thft whole proceeding has been a mistake. Mr Winter was a member of the well-known firm of Graham and Winter, who are not carrying on business now. On ln's way to Lawrence, and while passing through Mosgiel, the mistake occurred. Mr Swan thought the man was going to Melbourne, and therefore took action. I saw Mr Swan this morning, and he says he has no desire to go on with the case,— The case was withdrawn,

RtiFtittltitfa to the contemplated visit of Sir William Jervois, one of our ex-Gevemors, to New Zealand, the Wellington correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald " says :— " The announcement by cable that ex-Goveraor Jervois is coming to New Zealand creates a great deal of interest here, where he was very popu • lar. It is well-known that Sir William Jervois intends to purchase land in New Zealand to throw in his lot with the colonists. He has said so over and over again in his speeches. Here is a subject upon which people have begun to speculate. Oulrt he be induced to represent a district in the General Assembly ? T*vo ex-Governors r.s members of the New Zea'and Legislature «»<>uM surely he a iecommeudation to all and aunJry that New Zealand is worth living in."

A RATHER araus'ng instance of the ignorance of soiiie farmers with ie{*ard to wheat diseases bus occurred in South Australia. Some time ago the Gumeracba branch of the South Australian Agricultural Bureau forwarded some samples of diseased wheat ears to Mr M'Alpine, Government pathologist. The disease was at once identified by Mr M'Alpine as ear cockle, and a report to that effect was forwarded, the name of the eel worms responsible for the damage being given. The farmer on whose land the wheat was grown does not agree with the pathologist, and is of opinion that instead of being diseased, the wheat is a new and very early variety, which he intends to cultivate with, the view of producing a rust-escaping wheat. It will be wise for that farmer to confine hia experiments to boxes or pots, thereby lessening the risk of spreading the disease.

We learn from a member of the Raes Junction School Committee that their new teacher, Miss Williams, is giving the highest satisfaction, is popular among the children, and esteemed by the parents as a young lady who is doing capital work in the school, and acquitting herself generally in a most exemplary manner. At the first meeting of the newly-elected committee, a communication was received from the teacher, stating that as there was sure to be many days during the winter and spring when the children would be unable to attend school, she would suggest that the winter holidays be as short as possible. One of the committee remarked that it was a very sensible suggestion, and, showed that Miss Williams had the interests of the school thoroughly at heart, and recommended that the matter should be left to her own discretion. This was done, and Miss Williams decided on giving the school a two weeks' holiday from the 12th instTut,

According to the Auckland "Weekly News " the new rules which will necessitate the retirement of all public servants who have been in the employ of the general Government for 30 years, or who are over 60, will, if given f fleet to, be the means of terminating the efficial existence of many in the provincial district of Auckland at an early date. Some of the officials in the following branches of the public service will come under the head of retirements : — Police and gaols, survey, deeds and Crown lands, native land court judges, resident magistrates and clerks, post office, goldfie'ds, and others. The registrars of electors are also likely to be dispensed with. A few further changes may also take place in the Auckland Customs. It is now well understood at Wellington that all the snperio. 1 heuds of departments there are convinced that so far as they are x concerned, numerous transfers and retirements are in contemplation, and that the various officials contemplate most unexpected intelligence about such changes before even the meeting of the Assembly.

The first of a series of entertainments to be held under the auspices of the Temperance Society which was recently formed at Manuka Creek took place on the evening of Thursday last in the local school house. The Rev. J. Skinner, who occupied the chair, opened the meeting with prayer. There was a very largo gathering, the school being crowded. A long and varied programme was gone through, in the middle of which a short interval took place, when tea and cake were served round. The following ' ladies aud gentlemen contributed to the evening's amusement :— Mo.-dames H. Muir, Alex. M'Corkindale, W. H. Miller, and the Misses E. Miller, Bel-, Henderson (2), and Dixon ; and Messrs Bell, Henderson, Miller (2), and Hanseu, all of whom rendered their selections very nicely and were heartily applauded by the audience. Mrs Miller, Miss Bell, and Miss Mary Henderson presided at the organ ; and the evening's amusement was brought to a close by the company singing the "New Zealand Anthem."

Mr C. A. Fraer, second son of Mr M. Fraer, Lawrence, who has been for the last eighteen months at Balclutha, lately resigned his position there, and has gone to Dunedin and entered as a student at Selwyn College for the purpose of qualifying as a minister of the Church of England. He has already passed the first grade examination, and expects to pass the second next month. During his residence at Balclutha, ia addition to his secular duties, Mr Fraer was exceedingly useful ia connection with the Church of England, and took lay services at Balclutha and Kaitangata, and had charge of the Balclutha Sunday School, as a token of the esteem and regard in which he was held while there, he received last week a very choice selection of books, suitable for his new sphere of duties, accompanied by the following note from the Rev Mr Dodd, inenmbent of Balclutha Church .— "Dear Mr Fraer: I have sent by train a parcel of books (one to follow on arrival from England) as a present from some of those among us who feel thankful for your kind blip while here, and who wish you God speed i n your new life." The Bible-class also sent a very handsome aud suitable book as a mark of esteem.

Reference to the report of the Tuapeka Poultry Society's meeting iv another column will show that the sheep-dog trial, which has been a feature of the Society's annual show, is likely, unless unexpected assistance from outside comes to the rescue, to be dropped from the programme. In such a district as this, the she. p-dog trial should be one of the most popular items on the card ; the farmers and shepherds and others whose desire it should be to encourage a good breed of sheep dog should make it their business to attend and by their presence and support show that they appreciate the efforts of the Society. Instead of this being the ease, it has been resolved, owing to the lack of outside suoport, to abandon it. The Society, however, has expressed its willingness to undertake the management of the competition if only more assistance is forthcoming from outside sources. A meeting is called for Saturday evening by the Society, to which farmers, shepb.erds,°and others interested are invited to attend, for the purpose of finally considering whether the aheep-dog trial should be continued or not. Hitherto the Society has lost money over the affair ; this it would be rather unreasonable to expect it to continue doing, and it will depend entirely on the classes mentioned whether it be any longer retained on the programme of the Society.

Those of the representative bodies that have spoken on thesubject have madeit quite clear that the proposed Dunedin harbour rate finds no favour in the country districts. The Clntha County Council has recorded its condemnation against the proposal, and the Bruce County Council has also passed a resolution hostile to it. And at this we can hardly wonder. Nobody can be so short sighted or so poorly informed, we hope, as to deny that the country districts within a certain radius are interested in the welfare of the port of Dunedin. But while admitting that much, it surely cannot be maintained that the interests, say, of property owners ia the municipality of Lawrence, are affected to anything approaching the same extent by the condition of the port as those of property owners in the Dunedin municipality. And yet it is coolly proposed to make the contribution of both equal. There is not much of the principle of equality of sacrifice in this. But the " Daily Times " thinks that whatever injustice the imposition of such a rate would impose on municipal property owners in the country districts would be compensated for by the benefits conferred on the producers. We doubt whether these prospective benefits of so indirect a character admittedly, so shadowy and so insubstantial generally, will justify country property-holders in quietly submitting to this burden. Country ratepayers are at present carrying as big a load of taxation, general and local, as their circumstances will permit • and we fancy it will take something much stronger than any argument yet advanced to induce them to undertake sq heavy a sacrifice,

MANY people are unaware that. Europe possesses an independent state called Maresnet, beside wbich tbe principality of Monaco is a vast empire. Maresnet is on the border line between Prussia and has a popuU tion of 2,000, ruled over hy an autoer>fc who rejoices in a somewhat democratic title of Burgomaster. In Maresnet there are no taxes for military protection, as the army consists of one mun. There are no political parties, no election, and no one has or needs a vote. Happy people ! In Stewart Island, New Zealand (according to an Australian contemporary), no alcoholic drinks are sold. Tbe island is a temperance land, and tbe inhabitants are as a rnle averse to a license to sell liquor being allowed to any one. "We are awure of a nnmb»r of case?," says the *' Australian Cordial Maker," "in which persons afflicted with alcoholic neurosis — the nervous craving for drink — found a safe refuge in the beautiful island of the South. No pleasaitter spot on earth could be found than Stewart Island, which is beautiful beyond description, and enjoys a climate on an average five degrees warmer than the mainland of southern New Zealand." An indication that the land tax will fall short of the Treasurer's expectations is afforded by an article in the " Wangsinui Herald " (Mr Ballauce'sown paper) which has evidently been inspired. Though the valuators were chosen by the Government, the article charges some of them with being neither competent nor reliable. It appears that they have been too honest, and have not valued up to the hilt. The article calls on the Commissioner of Taxes to "rectify" the matter, as otherwise tbe revenue will be improperly affected. It is rather strange (says a contemporary) o find the Ministerial organ charging Ministerial appointees with incompetency, but it has always been customary for politicians to blame others for their own faults or errors. When Mr BallanceV inevi able deflct is exposed, of course the plea will be that the valuations were too low, but this plea will not be believed in here, at all events. The Auckland " Herald " tells of a policeman named Robinson who died recently at Westport from the effects of an accident. After his death it was found that the unfortunate man had no assets, and the doctor's fees amounted to £7 10a, and the general expenses to £11 odd. Application was made to the head department to pay these bills, one of which, at least, was incurred while the constable was in active service ; bnt the Defence Minister would not recognise the claim, and a subscription list has now been taken up by the police in order to wipe out the stain on the reputation of the force if the doctor's and undertaker's bills remain unpaid. It is understood the Defence Minister gave his permission to have the hat passed round. And this (exclaims our contemporary) is Liberalism in May, 1892 ! Yet this same Liberal Government which refuses to pay the cost, when circumstances justify it, of burying their own dead Government servants, is not unwilling to carry about loafers in search of work at Government expense. The loafer has a vote, the dead policeman h.ts none. THE Hon. Mr Fergus addressed a meeting of bis constituents at Queenstown on Monday evening, and was accorded a most enthusiastic reception. The address throughout was of a pre-eminently temperate and statesmanlike 1 character, tbe various questions uppermost in the public mind being treated from a broad and national rather than from a party or factionist standpoint, a description that applies to but very few of the pre-sessional ' addresses delivered up to the present. Referring to the relative conditions of tswn and 1 country, Mr Fergus said there were too few . producers and too many exchangers and traders, having regard to the number of those , who got the wealth from tbe soil in whatever shape it came. Gold production, he further < said, had now gone down to a nnnimuni, the 1 public works policy was about exhausted, and they had now to rely on the agricultural ] industry to restore the balance. He con- -, demned any increase in the tariff, believing that the duties which they had already ' were amply sufficient to give every protection 1 to the artisan employed in manufacturing, \ and that they were more than sufficient, that , they were crnshing to the people who were engaged in tilling the soil or developing the ' mining industry of the colony. He did not ] agree with the present system of taxation, but - thought it would be unwise to wrench it round < again at present. At the close of his address, , Mr Fergus, who announced his intention of £ retiring from public life, received a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence, and a wish was expressed that he might sec his way to continue to represent the electorate. <