The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1870..

Dunstan Times, Issue 454, 30 December 1870, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1870..

Benaathbhe Haleof Mon entirely just tlicPßSis mightier than the sword

- In the Provincial Government Gazette of the 21st inst is a notification that in consequence of numerous applications having been lately made for laud, his Excellency has been requested to proclaim one hundred and fifty seven thousand one hundred and fifty acres of land into hundreds.The following are the proposed areas: —Crookston, twenty thousand ; Wairuna twenty thousand ; Waihemo, ten thousand; Strath Taieri, twertty thousand ; Kaihiku, twenty thousand-; Beaumont, ten thousand nine hundred -Lower Hawea, ten thousand. Campbells’, thirteen thousand • Tiger Hill; twenty thousand ; Hyde four thousand two hundred and fifty. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court, on Friday last, before Vincent Pyke Esq., R. M., a man named Richard Todd was brought up, charged with stealing £lO from the hut of a miner named Stephens at Alexandra. The evidence showed that about the time prosecutor missed the money which was in two five pound notes—prisoner who was allowed to live in his) (prosecutor’s) hut in consequence of being hard up—changed similar notes at two similar notes at two public houses in Alexandra. The prosecutor was hov. ever unable to identify the notes changed by prisoner as the ones lost, and Todd was accordingly discharged. In the District Court, Clyde, before Mr. Baird, acting District Court Clerk On the 23rd December, on the application of Mr. Brough, George Prescott, blacksmith, of St. Bathan’s was adjudicated bankrupt, and his-first meeting was fixed for the 2nd January. On the 24th instant, the first meeting in Michael Reddin’s estate was held. The bankrupt surrendered. IS'o creditors appeared, and the next meeting was fixed for the 31st instant. The second meeting in Neil Peyton’s estate was held. No creditors appeared. On the application j of Mr. Brough, the sixteenth was fixed for i the bankrupt’s final hearing. Districts often get a bad name unjustly, through the inexperience I, or those not inclined to work, abandoning groun 1 as unremuuerative, which, if properly worked, would yield handsome return*. An instance of this has just come under our notice. A claim near Felton’s between -Clyde and Cromwell on the bank of the river, has, for a long time been worked by those who could not make it pay- tucker. Recently, it was bought by some experienced miners, who, since their purchase have been in receipt of about £ls a week per man. On Wednesday last a sale of lands on Messrs Boyes Brothers, run near Lake Wakatip took place at Queenstown. Nine hundred acres were disposed of at an average price of £2 per acre. As much as £5 6s. was given for some of the land.

Christmas passed off very quietly in Clyde. Beyond the decoration of a few business places, and j the extra display in the butcher’s shops on Saturday night, there was nothing to show that we were in the midst of a festive season. Very few strangers visited the town, but its residents managed to enjoy themselves satisfactorily.

By some misadventure our Alexandra correspondent’s letter had not coma to hand, up to the time of our going to press. We are consequently unable to publish reports of the sports, School examination, &c., An accident occurred on Monday night, at Alexandra, which resulted in a man whose name we have not been able to ascertain, getting his leg broken. It seems tint the man was going down the main s reet of Alexandra with hisunate when the latter tripped him up with the result above stated- The man was at once conveyed to the Dunstan District Hospital. We are requested to inform tho public that the commission on money orders, which was increased last month, is now reduced to its original figure. The monthly meeting of the Dunstan Hospital Committee is postponed till Monday, the 9th proximo. A telegram ‘in the Otago Daily Times states that tho Government of Victoria has been warned to expect war -between France and Prussia-

The Cromwell Christmas Sports passed off successfully, and despite other attractions were fairly attended.

The Lake Wakatip Mail states that |he Government has requested Mr. Haughton to furnish them with information as to the best moans of procuring water for the vari sis goldfields of Otago The booths for the Queenstown Raeecbmse for tbc forthcoming meet wore sold fpr, L 77 to Mr. Eichardt of the Queens A M's Ho c). IA garni panorama, illustrative' of the ■*orkb of the late Charles Dickens is being «Shil»iuidiii'Doiicihn, ' . , ■ v

The manuscript of a novel in the handwriting of the Ex-Emperor of the French, was found amongst the document* in the Tuilerlfes, The novel was intended to show the advances mode by France under the Imperial rule, A French journal sets a price on the heads of Napoleon and Bazaine and has op med n subscription to pay for their assaaination.

A terrible hurricane recently visited CubaOne thousand lives are reported to have been lost, and an immense quantity of property destroyed.

From a telegram in the Otago DailyTimes we learn that the Colonial Parliament was to he dissolved on the Si7th hurt, and the writs for a fresh election issue i’imtnediately. - . ~ - v The General Government Gazette of fh ,17th states that the triennial census of thu colony will he taken in February next. The Drybread Sludge Channel Company has not yet washed up, but from the pn spects obtained at the head of the race splendid results are anticipated. One hundiel and seventy five ounces are already in hand.

From Welshman’s Gully we learn that Brown and party obtained two hundred ounces for fourteen weeks work. Thurlow Brothers have also washed up netting therefrom £5 per week clear of expenses, for all the lime they- have been working. A contemporary understands that Mr Main M.ft.R. has accepted office under tlx, General Government in connection with the Land Transfer Act and that consequontly he will not seek re-election.

The Maori chief Ihaia has stated h : s intention of capturing the murderers of Mr Todd, an 1 then opening up the goldfields of Taranaki.

Some daring thief stole the bible, out of the witness box in the Resident Magistrate’s Court at Wellington the other day. The “ Post ” states that it is said the officers supplied the deficiency for the nonce by a copy of Johnson’s Dictionary. Nominations for the Handicaps (as per programme) of the Dunstau Jockey Club Races require to be sent in by 9 p. m on the 4th January.

Reith and Wilkie’s Otago Almanac and Directory for 1871 is a marked improvement upon their previous efforts, and ought to meet with a largo sale on the goldfields. The railway strike in Victoria is considered at an end.

A grand lottery for the purpose of paying off the debt of the mercantile library of San Francisco, took place in that city lately. Tieketslto the amount of 1,000,001) dollars were sold, and prizes of the value of 500,000 dollars given. The steamer Cambria was wrecked off the coast of Donegal, while on her voyage from America to England, on the night of the 19th of October. All on board with the exception of one steerage passenge,perished. Napoleon has appointed an agent in Paris to pay his tradesmen’s bills. Placards ai e posted on the walls calling the attention of creditors to the sale by auction of the effects of Napoleon and Eugenio, two months after the siege is over. The Provincial Government Gazette ot the 14th and 21,-.t iust notifies that the licenses to depasture stool: on the following Crown lands have been cancelled, and the lands have been set apart for the purpose of granting agricultural leases: Two thousand live hundred acres, on run two hundred and twenty six now known as block two, Bhckstouc uisrrict; five thousand acres i:i the Lake district, on run three hundred and forty six ; and two thousand nine hundred and fifty acres, on run two hundred nowknown as block three, Benger survey district ; and two thousand five hundred acres on run one hundreo and seventy eight, now known as block four, Crookston district. The depasturing license for two thousand acres, on ruu two hundred and twenty one Leaning Rock district, has been cancelled. The December number of tho “ Illustrated New Zealand Herald” contains its usual number of well executed engravings. A colored supplement entitled “ Under the willows”, is with this number presented to its subscribers.

A “Fellow of the Practical Geological Society ” writes to us as fodows “ In the course of my peregrinations through Otago, I paid a visit to theAltas Company's Quartz Mine, Bendigo Guily, and was surprised at the great difficulties the enterprising proprietors have had to contend against, 'they have constructed an excellent waggon road—the greater part of it through rock - and at a very great expense, they have erected a very complete crushing plant, consisting of ten heads, to be driven by a turbine wheel. The tramways are nearly completed from the mine to the mill. The proprietors occupy twelve hundred feet of reef—the stone cropping out on the surface nearly its entire length. In the upper portion of their claim, some of the stone broken down from tho reef in my presence .contained a good per-centage of the precious metal. Further down, the workmen are engaged uncovering the reef, which is only three feet from the surface. The meu broke some of tho stone they were taking out. and the gold shone brightly in nearly every piece. 1 broke some stones myselt and got gold in all of them. Where the meu are uncovering it, the reef is six feet wide, and is likely to continue that width for a considerable distance. There are about four hundred tons of stone lying on the surface ready for tho mill. The contractors for tho watcr-racs t the mill would have had it finished itjby now but were delayed by waut of tlm-[ ber. The manager, Mr. Robert Reid, feels cqulidunt that he will have the mill in full wonting order in January, and I am indebted to Mr. Reid for his courtesy in showing me over the works and giving me all. information 1 desired. I wish the aharoholdcj's good and speely returns for thoir pluck ami perseverance eil,title them th a lieu reward. * V -v.r? \ • ,\

i 'ln Nevada, on the 12th Navember last, •a party Af men jumped a claim. On the following day the ejected party returned, and a battlo for the possession of the claim took place, resulting in two men being shot and ten wounded. The residents of the surrounding districts turned out in large numbers to witness the conflict.

“By Balloon Express " is a regular heading in the American papers for news from Paris. Alexander Dumas, the celebrated novelist is reported to be dying of paralysis at Dieppe. We have r civ-d from the Registrar General a blue book, entitled New Zealand statistics for 18C9. A copy of the annual report of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce has been forwarded to us Some one writing under the rsoudonym of “ G orge AVI is i c ek ” h-s sent us twenty verses of what he is pleased to call poetry. From the style ado; ted by the writer, we imagine that the adulteration of spirits is carried on extensively in the district in which he resides. We have received a copy of Mackav’s Otago Goldfields’ Almanac for 1871. Iti is u'ly equal to Mr. Mackay s previous eforts and oaght to meet with a 1 rge sa' - It is reported in America that the: Republican Government of San Domingo are negotiating with Bismark to place their State under the protection of the German Confederation.

The West India islands have been con nected by telegraph with the United States.

During tho night of November the 3th a robbery was committed on the Centra) i’acitic Railway, which surpasses in audacity anything of the kind wo can recollect. As the train was about to start from the Ven. i Station; seven men jumped on to the train, aul after uncoupling the passenger and freight trains from the mail and treasure car, proceeded to the locomotive, and pointing their pistols at the head of the engineer, directed him to drive on. Resistance being out of the question, the engineer complied with the order of the bri gauds. When a distance of eight mi cs from the station was reached, the train the train was stqpul ai.d tin robbers after abstracting fifty thousand dollars in gold from the mail car disup. pcared in the bush. So quietly had the affair been managed, that on the engineer’s return to the station, he found that only one or two people were aware of what had happened. On the following night four men performed a similar exploit, at a station culled Reno, securing several thousand dollars. All the robbers were appiehended within a few days, ami nearly the wliol o the treasure recovered.

Political matters remain in the same state as reported in our last issue. We bc'ieve, however, after tho holi ays, that serious attention will be given by the various constituencies to the business of selectin'' the best wen to represent them in the Provincial Council and General Assembly.

Wo believe the Government hj ive give.! iustractions to compel Chines ! miners to take out minors’ rights. In the Lawrence district, through the olForts of th Warden and the local interpreter, between three and four hundred rights have been recently taken out by the Chinese.

A contemporary expresses the following opinion of the Southland members: -“They are men of moderately good attainments, and the. district may lay t.u tl.itteiin' unction to its soul, chat it is fairly represented They have neither the exquisite pretensions of Oamaru, the pig-hea led propensities of JL'okomairiro, nor the shallowpateduess that comes down from the coldfields.”

The prospectus of a new journal, to lie published at Port Chalmers, his 1 ecu issued.

The news brought by'the Suez Mail seems, minus the coloring, to be but a repetition of that brought, via San Francisco Divested of the sensational, the threatening .attitude of Russia resolves itself into a request from that Power to the other contracting parties for the modification of the Treaty of Paris. The probability of a general European war seems as far off at ever, as is the “ bitter end ” of the struggle between France and Prussia. A summary of the news will be found in another column.

We remind our sporting readers that the Drybread Races take place on Monday and Tuesday next. As the programme is exceedingly attractive, there will doubtless bo a large number of entries, and visitors can rely upon having a couple of days real:y good sport. The Grand Stand and Booth will be under the management of Air Hinchcliffo, whose catering ought to be satisfactory to those who may patronise him Our Drybread correspondent requests us to correct an error which appeared in our last issue. Instead of the “ washing up” of the Perseverance Company yielding £23 per share, the paragraph should have read “the dividend, ” &■•., the company in question not being engaged in mining—-ie-riving their dividends from letting water. The miners of Napoleon’s Gully on the W-eat Coast are indignant because the police insist on closing the billiard rooms on Sundays. Mr. Kinross, one tho Southland members, in writing to the Southland Nows, used a word whicli completely flabbergasted all who read it. “ Phoparagongly ”is the word, and all known dictionaries having been explored without effect, Mr. Kinross is called upon for an explanation of it.

' The New York authorities recently made aj raid on the illicit stills at Brooklyn Those interested in the trade to the number of between four and live thousand attempted to prevent the officials from accomplishing their purpose, and itj was not until three' thousand troops had charge,! the mob that they succeeded in doing so. ,

A German experimenter has recently discovered the method of producing the celebrated Chinese gold lacker, The St. Bathan's Races took place on Monday and Tuesday last. The attendance of visitors was not so large as on previous occasions, but the number of attractions elsewhere will amply account therefor. The following list of the winners of the various events has been kindly handed to us s—First day.—Maiden Plate, Gamecock <(9st. 41b.) 1, Charley (lOst. 11b.) 2 j Dia•trict Handicap, Forotop (Bst. 41b.) 1, Pretender (Bst. 121b.) 2 ; Publicans’ Purse, 9st. up, Lyrnion 1, Little Nell 2j Cheroot Bace, Billy 1. Second Day; Foretop (9st. 121b.) 1, Pretender (9st. 91b.) 2 ; La hj s Purse, Lyndon (12st) 1, Don Pedro (12st 71b.) 2. Our informant left before the re mainder of the races were run.

The Provincial Government Gazette notifies that a mob of cattle will he .-old at the Clyde pound at noon to-day.