LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 439, 16 September 1870, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Our annual Spring Race Meeting takes place to-day. Four events are on the programme, and as the prizes are liberal there is no doubt but there ■will be good fields These hack race meetings open the way for those who possess a fancy horse to try his speed and metal and there is little fear but that sport will result which should highly please those present. We anticipate a large attendance. At a sitting of the Waste Land Board, on the 7th instant, Messrs. Strode and Fraser applied for return of part of the premium and rent paid in regard to Run No. 437, the area of the said run having been reduced from fifteen thousand acres to twelve thousand acres. The Board intimated their intention to recommend the Government to grant the application. The New Zealand Parliament was prorogued on the 13th instant until the 11th of October. The Governor’s speech was most satisfactory, and con gratulated the country on the adoption of the Torrens system of land transfer, the ballot, the re-union of Southland to Otago, and ihe other measures of importance, and concluded by deploring the news of the war between France and Prussia. On Monday last information reached Alexandra of a dead body having been found in a paddock on the bank of the river, near Sandy Point. Constable Morkane at once proceeded to the spot, and had the body removed. As it was nothing but a disjointed skeleton, it could not possibly be identified, but it is supposed to be the remains of p>or Charles Stewart, a workman on board the Alabama Dredge, who, it will he remembered, was drowned within a mile of Sandy Point, on Monday, the 21st of Sep teraber, 1869 A fatal mining accident occurred at Surface Hill, near Naseby, on the 7th itstant. A miner named Robert Richardson was umh-rming a 11 fall”, whenthe earth suddenly fell upon him. He was promptly extracted and conveyed to a neighboring hotel, where he shortly afterwards expired. Subsequently an inquest was held, before H. W. Robinson, li Isq. coroner, and the jury returue 1 a verdict of “ accidental death." We learn, upon good authority that inspector Percv is to be stationed at Clyde, and that Sergeant-Major Moore will take clmige at Tuapeka.

By the late English mail the Government received no despatches from the home country, On the 6th instant a fire broke out in the residence of Mr. Philip Beer, Kyeburu Diggings, by which the whole of the building and furniture contained therein were destroyed, the inmates barely escaping with their lives. Mr. Beer is a married man, with a family of five children, and, by this sad accident, lias been reduced to poverty. The residents of Kyeluiru and Naseby have, with praiseworthy benevolence, raised a subscription tor the benefit ot the unfortunate family. We are given to understand that it the intention of Mr. Joss, saddler, of Clyde, to present a handsome riding whip to the rider of the winner of thg Hospital Race. The owner of the horse will receive from the Committee forms of recommendation proportionate to the amount of the stakes. The Daily Times says : —We perceive that Cobb and Co.’s well known line of mail coaches has changed hands Mr. Chaplin has retired from the bu siness, and Mr. F. P. Mansfield, so long and favorably known as the manager of this important service, has become proprietor. In the District Court, Clyde, on Monday last, before A. D. Harvey, sitting in bankruptcty, the only case before the Court was that of William Henderson—a first meeting of creditors ; but as there was no attendance of creditors and no proofs of debts filed, the meeting was adjourned till Monday next, the 12th instant. Collins’ variety troupe have been ploying to good houses at Naseby, St. Bathans, and Drybread during the past few weeks, and as a rule have given general satisfaction to their au dience. On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings last they took the people of Drybread completely by storm. The entertainment as a whole is good, and worthy a visit. This evening they will give their entertainment at the Town Hall Clyde, and we hope to a crowded house. The Daily Times of Monday last devotes a long article to the trial and acquittal of M‘Lonnan for the gold robbery at Clyde. Tho writer seems to infer that there appeared sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction, that the informer’s testimony was coroborated in many respects, and winds up by saying : “ The verdict will, no doubt, be attributed to conscientious objections to the evidence, and not to any belief in M‘Lendan’s innocence." A Wellington telegram states it is rumored that the Volunteer and Militia in both islands are about to be placed on a war footing, Mr. Fache reports having sold bypublic auction, at Tinker’s Gully, on Tuesday last, a one-twelfth share in the Blue Mountain Water-race and Claims for the sum of 166/., the purchaser being Mr. T. T. Benton. jhe Lake District Jockey- Club have decided on holding their annual Race Meeting on the 12 th and 13 th of January next. The temperance movement appears to be making head-way throughout the prov'nce. At Tuapeka it has some ardent advocates, and from the local journal we learn the number of converts is increasing rapidly. Au occasional correspondent, writing from Black’s, says the decision of tho Government not to shift the Court House from its present position has given great satisfaction. We cannot but allow his effusion to appear as written, but we own to being rather surprised at tho information, as we understood the Government had decided otherwise. We understand that a trottingmutch is to come off to-day, between Mr. Samson’s Mount Ida mare and a horse belonging to Mr. Richard Lancaster. The distance is from Clyde to Alexandra, and the match is to be nm in harness. The stakes are, we believe 15/ a-sicle, and it is rumored that there is a large amount of speculation on the result. Mr. George Fache has requested us to draw particular attention to the sales ot town lands, as follows : Teviot, on Monday, next, the 19th inst; Alexandra, Tuesday, the 20th ; Clyde, Wednesday, 2lst; Cromwell, Thursday, 22nd; and Bendigo, ou Frit'i/, 23rd. From telegrams published in the Daily Times we learn that, “ Since the receipt of the news of the war between France and Prussia the Victorian Government have held Cabinet meetings, and have decided to reorganise the Volunteers, placing them on a militia footing, three hundred at a time being drilled for a fortnight in barrack life. The workshops are busy putting gun.carriages in order. A Royal Commission on Federation has been appointed. The Government contemplate sending a despatch boat to Galle (to bring the intelligence direct) should England bo involved in the war.” A writer in a recent number of the Wakalip Mail computes the area of the WakatipDistrict at sixty thousand square miles. Now, as the whole area of Otago only amounts to something under twenty-one thousand square miles, we are inclined to believe, setting exaggeration on one side, lie must have intended to have written acres, instead of miles.

The privilege of vote by ballot has been accorded to the colonists of New Zealand The Ballot Bill haa been read a third time, and haa beeu passed by both Houses.