LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 426, 17 June 1870, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Evening Star of the Bth inst. says : —“ In the Provincial Council to-day notice was given (by Mr. Fiaser) for an address to the Superintendent to raise all the salaries reduced, to the amounts they stood at before. The giving of the notice seemed to give much satisfoction to the Government Benches and to both sides of the House. Thus, after division after division, and talk for night after night all seem now agreed to undo all they had done. The reason given is, ‘that ail the salaries were not reduced;” yet, after failing to reduce one after another, they still went on, and some were successful Where is the con si-tedey of such a proceeding!—the reductions were just or unjust; if just why commit an injustice because (even upon their own showing) they have not been able to prevent too much being voted in other instances? It is just the land question over again—do one day ‘undo next”. A correspondent, writing from the head of La e Wakatip, says that the road to Mart a’s Bay is made fifteen miles from the head of the lake. It crosses the river Dart and its tributary streams five times. The fords are all paved with hewn stone, and where there is deep water trees have been felled for foot bridges. The crossing places are very firmly constructed, and have withstood several heavs floods. The bushmen or timber cutters are seventeen miles a-head of the roadmen, and have already cleared a track to Lake Harris, on the top of the great dividing range. A further cutting round a rocky precipice for some three miles will complete the track to the Saddle, as far as the wood cutters are concerned. No weather up to Sunday last had been experienced that is likely to interfere with the prosecution of the works. The appointment of Mr. Sewell to the office of Solicitor-General of the Colony of New Zealand is announced ; and Archdeacon Hadfield has been nominated by the Diocesan Synod as Bishop of Wellington. We are requested to draw the attention of storekeepers and others to the sale by auction of Drapery, at Mr. Samson’s, Weatherstone House, Alexandra on Thursday, June JO. As the sale is positively unreserved, and as the goods are but slightly damaged by water, it will be worth the while of one and nil to attend.

We are given to understand that the Court Sar of the Dunstan, \,< i. F.—have made arrangements with Hr. A. T, Thomson to attend the members of the lodge at a certain fixed price per visit.

A Goldfield correspondent to the Brnce Standard, on the subject of dredges,says:—“ The Mi I'oourue engineers have recently applie I for patents for several machines, evidently with a view to New Zealand requirements; and a plan said already to be in operation in the home country, whereby a strong current of waterforces the sand or graver to be removed up an inclined Ipane into barges placed for its reception, is likely to be tried ere long on the Clutha ” In the Supreme Court, on the 9th inst, before his Honor Mr. Justice Chapman. Muk Knm, a Chinese miner, was indicted for having, in April last, at the Cardrona, sold a parcel of suprious gold to Mr. William Colclough, representing the same to be pure gold. He was found guilty, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, with hard labor. On the same day another Chinaman, named Sara Queen (also known as Flash Jamie), was convicted of obtaining money under false pretenc s from Mrs. Box, of Cromwell, and was sentenced to three months’ hard labor.

It is notified that a public meeting wi 1 be held in Cromwell to-morrow evening, for the purpose of discussing the commonage question. This is a matter in which most of the residents have a personal interest, and, as the commonage available is very limited in extent, great dissatisfaction exists on account of portions of the best of the land being withdrawn from the use of the public and fenced in, the meeting will probably be very fully atted. On Friday and Saturday last, at Cromwell, Mr. W. J. Birry sold by auction, on account of Mr. Richard Lancaster, a mob of one hundred and fifty head of cattle, the prices averaging from 51. to 7 1 Most of our readers will well remember Mr. John Nelson, formerly police constable, and for a long time stationed at Clyde. Mr. Nelson, it will also be remembered, retired from the force in consequence of declining health We are happy to find that a sum of 50 1, has been placed on the supplementary estimates, to he presented to Mr. Nelson, in recognition of his services while connected with the police department. The Balclutha correspondent to the Bruce Herald says :—“ His Honor (he Superintendent has agreed to proclaim that township a Municipality. The Thames Advertiser says :—“An inspector of mineis’ rights has been appointed, under clause 2, of the Goldfields Regulations, and that as soon as the necessary authority ot the Warden is obtained, Mr. M'llhone, the gentleman appointed, will take action in his new calling. The question that arises in our mind is, What will he the result of the inspection i

We have received two letters, one signed “An old Patient," the other “ Subscriber,” animadverting upon the appointment of Mr. Robert Barlow to the office of Acting Secretary and Collector to the Dunstan District Hospital. The Writer or Writers de claim against the funds of the Hospital being appropriated in such a manner, and intimate the withdrawal of their subscriptions; but, neglect to point out a means by which the work could be more advantageously done They also allege that the appointment of a paid officer does not come within the province of the Committee of Management, but rests with the contributors. This is to a certain extent the case, and that practice is adopted in all ordinary cases; but this is an exceptional one. Mr. Milburn, who was elected some months ago to the office of Collector and Secretary, hav - ing, it appears, found employment more congenial to his taste and inclinations, uncei-i-moneously deserted his post Mr Barlow, who had formerly held the appointment, temporarily filled the gap occasioned by such desertion, and performed the duties. It was thought by the Committee that this state of affairs was detrimental to the interests of the Institution, and as the appointment of a permanent col lector and secretary would entail a special meeting of c > itrihutors, when the time for the usual annual one is so near, it was deemed advisable in the inte'im to appoint a gentleman coversant with the duties as acting secretary and collector. Whether the Committee were right or wrong in the action they took in this matter is not for us to give an opinion. They were placed in the position they hold by the contributors, and have doubtless acted to the best of their judgment. It is, however, in the power of all interested to attempt a more judicious selection ot gentlemen to manage the affairs of the hospital, can they be found In the meantime we hope the public will send in their subscriptions liberally and then the subscribers will all take part in the forthcoming election of a committee.

Speaking of the administration of justice on the goldfields, a norrespon dent of the Tuapcka Times says : “ As, by the wav, speaking of justice, reminds me that that commodity, as dispensed by Warden Wood, is now lavishly administered in the bar-parlor of Noble’s Hof,el. A most protracted sitting took place there last week. 1 must say it is bordering on the unseemly to hear two sentences like the following uttered within thirty •seconds of each other : ‘ Warden : ‘ You are fined forty shillings, or three days 1 imprisonment.’ Man at the bar (in an excitedst te) : ‘Three brandies and a sherry and bitters.’ Of course, if there was no remedy this would be submitted to, and nothing said ahm't it; bat there is a good hall at the disposal of the Government, at a nominal rent—in fact, the Warden took a lease ot it some time ago at 10k per annum, but fourteen mouths having elapsed without any paym nts having been made the Hall Committee thought the miserable penuriousness of the Government, or the unaccountable dilatoriness of the Warden in securing it ought to be exposed. Consequently, they shut the lull door last Court day, and refused to give the key to the constable This hide pendent action of the Committee is much admired. The Court fees last day alone amounted to nearly 20k A frequent visitor to Tapanni, who considers himself an oracle, and who has rendered him-.e'f conspicuous by the number of his bets, offered to lay odtls that the Hall Committee would be compelled to give the use of the hall, and forfeit arrears, I think his odds might have been taken with safety, as the building is private property.”

The absence of two Native witnesses against a man named Cochrane, charged with arson, and whose trial was to have taken place at Napier on the 11th inst, before his Honor Justice Johnson, gave rise to the following remarks from his Honor This is the most disgraceful case that has ever com° under my notice. I believe if such a thing were to happen in the old country, and the police showed themselves incompetent to act, a roar ot indignation would he heard from one end of the country to the other. This is practically an admission that two half-savage people can set all oar machinery at defiance This cannot be accident; they must have been bought off, otherwise curiosity, if noting else, would have brought them here. If so. it is a most dangerous precedent.

As attention is at present being directed among the miners to California, owing to the opening of the new mail route we (Grey River A rgus) publish the following extracts from a letter just received by Mr. M. Dai cy, storekeeper, Nelson Creek, from his cousin, who was former'y diguing up the Grey River:—“At the time I left you I went to Melbourne to the Wecldon Mountains, New South Wales, and from there, along with many others, I steered my course for California, and now I shall tell you something of the country : It’s the worst country in the world for a poor man to face to make a living, the average wages on the mines being 3§ (125.) per day ; and a man to look foi a claim for himself, as in New Zealand, has no chance, as they are all in the hands of large companies,

and require large capital to work them to advantage. The generality of the mines are silver, copper, and lead, and the gold mines are not so good as in New Zealand. I think New Zealand is preferable for a working man. 1 would not advise a poor man to come here, as the habits and customs of the people are not so liberal here as either Australia or New Zealand. Wages for laboring men are Bs. per day. City property is about five times as dear in San Francisco as it is in Melbourne, and no* half so well built or laid out. The population of the city is about two hundred thousand. It ’s a good wheat producing country, and flour realises about 9( per ton (wholesale). There are a good many New Zealand boys here. I shall soon be back again.”

Section 13 of the “Coinage '’(fences .Act” is published in the Government Gazette for public information. Its substance is that “Whoever shall tender, utter, or put of any false or counterfeit coin, intended to represent the Queen’s current copper coin, shall bo liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be imprisoned for one year, with or without hard labor. The Evening Star, in drawing attensicn to it, says:—“ The notice which appears in the Gazette , in reference to spurious capper coins in c r.-ulation, ap eirs to have given rise to numerous inquiries as to whether it is intended to enforce the penalty attached to the portion of the Act, wlxich has been published. A contemporary vexy pertinently asks that if it be the intention to iuforce it, some preliminary notice should have been given, as it is very probable many cases will arise in the country districts of considerable hardship and annoyance from inauvertance or ignorance of the Act.

The Walkouan.i Herald says fact, that gold exists on the Waikouaiti .River has long been demonstrated by stray prospecting parties. The inducements held out by other localities of fancied higher remuneration for the labor of the miner has usually prevented the banks cf the ri er from receiving a fair test. It is well known that miners prefer <joing where they think prospects of rich finds are held out, and it is not much to be wondered at it places where gold is known to exist, perhaps in poorer quantities, should have been almost altogether ignored in the flush and excitement of prosperity, which now offer a reward for industry and enterprise. We understand that there is a party of four or five men workong on the bunks of the Waikouaiti River, some four or five miles up, obtaining very fair returns. If there are any men out of employment in Dunedin or elsewhere, able and willing to work,there is every

likebkoodof their m king good wages on the hanks of this river.

Application has been ni-vh by Owe a Owens for a lease <f three acres < f land in Welshman’s Cully for a goM mininglease Objections to the grant* iugof such lease must, be made, in ■writing, to the Warden, on or before the 21st inst. The laud is alongside ot 11 Brown’s tail race, and includes B Washer’s slaughter yard. We would remind the rite payers of AlextnJra that the Council will hold an open Court for the revision of the Citizens’ rollon Friday, the Bth July. All objections to the retention of any name on the roll must be made on or before Monday, the 4th.

The Provincial Government Gazette notifies that land sales will be held as follows;—At the Court-house, Queenstown, on Saturday, the 25th inst, small sections around Like Hayes, upset price. 21. per acre; at Roxburgh, on the 11th July; at Alexandra on the 12th ; at Olyde on the 13th ; at Cromwell on the 14th; at Bendigo on the 15r,h; at Newcastle on the Ifith ; at Pembroke on the 18th ; at Gladstone on the 19th ; at Queenstown lands at Kingston, Frankton, Glenorchv, and Queenstown on thellth July ; and at Arrowtown on the 13th July.