THE ESCORT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 485, 4 August 1871, Page 2

THE ESCORT.

The Northern and Southern Escorts arrived in Dunedin on Tuesday evening last, with the following quantities of gold : Oz. dwt. er. Cromwell ... 1018 4 0 Dunstan ... 706 6 0 Alexandra ... 852 0 0 Teviot ... 445 0 0 Black’s ... 204 15 0 Naseby ... 1208 0 0 Lawrence ... 1977 4 0 Switzer’s ... 880 0 0 Woolshod ... 228 8 6 Total ... 8,169 7 6 We quote the escort returns from the Daily Times. A meeting of the Committee of the Clyde Church of England, including Messrs. J. Hazlett in the chair, Auckland, Christopher, Fache and Barlow, was held in the Council Chambers on Wednesday after ;oon last, to consider a letter receive 1 from the Itev. Mr. Edwards, of Dunedin relative the appointment of the Rev. Mr. Jones to the cure of the Dunstan district. The letter from Mr. Edwards was accompanied by a copy of one from Mr. Jones, wherein, that gentleman states, that he accepts of the living, and that he may be expected to arrive in Dunedin about the beginning of October next. Mr. Auckland asked under what circumstances the offer of the living was made to Mr. Jones, Mr. Christophers explained that when the Bishopof the Diocesewas amongst us, it was underslood that he would endeavor to appoint some gentleman io the cure. A desultory conversation on ways and means ensued, from which it was concluded that the stipend would be no difficult milter to deal with. It was affeiwards resolved, that the Secretary, Mr. Barlow, reply to the Rev. Mr. Edwards, and state that wh n Mr. Jones arrived at Clyde, the Committee would do their utmost to give him a fitting welcome. The meeting then lapsed. Subscribers to the Clyde Library are informed that during the past week a large parcel of new books was received from the Government, and placed on the shelves It will be gratifying to Hhe shavehol ’ers in the newly established Building Society, to learn that the code of rules recently adopted, has been duly rev'sed and certified according *o law, by the Revising Officer in Dunedin, and the Society has now a legal standing, ujrder the Buildin; Society Act. The Directors are now, therefore in a position to ex'end their operations and we believe they intend to appoint agents in the outlying districts to receive subscriptions and fur her the objects of the Society Printed copies of the Rules will he ready in a day or two for circulation. A very pleasant friendly gathering took j lac 3at Mutton-town on Friday e'cning last, the occasion being the completion of the little building recently converted into a meeting-house for the local members of ihe Rev. Mr. Ross’s congregation. About five-aud-twenty ladies and gentlemen assembled from the neighborhood, and also from Clyde and Alexandra, and, after partaking of refreshments and spending some time in friendly converse at the Manse, the.v adjourned to the new building, where a most enjoyable evening wai spent. The proceedings were enlivened by music, ringing, readings, and recitations. Divine service is now performed regularly at Mutton-town, and it is exceedingly creditable to the few residents in the locality that they show, by deeds rather than words, the real interest they take in the matter. Unpleasant rumors have been in circulation during the past week that some of the cattle running on the Clyde Commonage are suffering from pleuro. From inquiries we have made it appears that little foundation exists for any apprehension. Some of the cattle, turned out in low condition and exposed to all the evils of inclement weather and scanty foliage, are so reduced in flesh that it would he a deed of mercy to end their miserable existence; but no real, symptoms of the dreaded disease have yet hj ;en manifested. The opinion long held by miners who have pnspected in the Lammerlaw ranges ; that, sooner or later quartz reefs would he opened up there, has received satisfactory confirmation. The people of Waipori are reported to he in a furore of excitement; consequent upon the discovery of a reef in the immediate neighborhood of their township. The prospects obtained from the rubble near the surface, has induce 1 the proprietors to sink a shaft lo strike themain reef, of which they suppose the vein at present unearthed to he merely a leader. The New Zealand Gazelle of the 17 th ultimo notifies that Mr. George Reid ( school-master at Alexandra, has been appointed Registrar of Bir'hs, Deaths, and Marriages for the Manuherikia District, vice Mr. R E Field, transferred. The Provincid Government Gazette of the 26th ultimo, contains a notification, under orders from the Governor in Council, rectifying the mistake made by the officer in Dunedin, in appointing the Nevis a polling place for the Dunstan district, instead of the Kawarau. at the last elections, and declaring such elections “ va'id, notwithstanding the said mistakes and omisaibns.” ' .

A most determined case of suicide occurred on the river on Monday last. An unfortunate fellow named Edward M'Gullocli, while suffering from an attack of delirium tremens, deliberately drowned himself. We are informed that he had been working in a claim at Butcher’s Point, and his comrades, observing his condition, had attempted to keep' watch on his actions to prevent any harm befalling him ; but, with a madman’s cunnfng, he managed to elude them, found his way to a rock overhanging the river, and in this perilous] position he remained for some time, threatening to jump into the water if they approached him. Entreaties and stratagem were without avail, and at last the unfortunate maniac plunged into the water, and was rapidly drifted away by the current, which at Butcher’s Point, runs with extreme force’ No boats were at hand, and any efforts to save him were unavailing. The Managing Committee of the Tuapeka Hospital have suggested the following reductions in the expenses of the Institution: , —Besident Surgeom, from 450/. lo 250/., but allowed private practice within a radius of five miles ; Secretary’s salary, reduced from 35 1, to 20/. per annum ; Matron's, reduced from 50/, to 45/. ; and cook’s, from 100/. to 75/. per annum : the whole wo k to be performed without extra assistance, for which hitherto some 20/. a y-. ar has been expended. The Committee anticipate a revenue for the current year of 605/. from local sources, which, with the subsidy of 1/. to 1/., will about meet the expenditure. In calculating this]revonue it is proposed to charge subsidy on the amount subscribed by paying patients, which has not hitherto been doneatTuapeka. ’The Tuapeka Times reports that an arrangement has been made with the servants and creditors of the Hospital to allow their salaries and accounts to stand over until the Bth of October, at ■ ight per cent, interest, the Government having promised to pay the subsidy due by that date. Messrs. Cobb and Co. have notin ea to all newspaper proprietors that, from and after the commencement of the current month, they intend to charge one penny on each newspaper delivered by them, and that any existing arrangement will cease. In many instances this will necessitate an additional charge for postage to newspaper subscribers. The Arrow Advocate reports as follows : In the locality of the Upper Shotover, mining operations are entirely suspended,— except in the case of a few tunnelling claims, owing to the severity of the weather. Qhe tiack to Skippers still continues io bad that horses are daily being either crippled or killed. Some of the claims on the left hand branch of the Shotover are report' dto be turning out very rich. Mr. Matthew Egan lately sol I a'fourth share in a sluicing claim in that locality for 180/. A miraculous and providential escape of some minors occurred recent y at Old Packers, Point. It appears Thomas Martin and his two mates were working in their tunnel claim and had driven into the hill a distance of some forty feet. At about £0 minutes to 12 o’clock they found that their c; mills were done, in »ons iquence of which they kno eked of work and went to dinner. They had no sooner got out of the drive than they were surprised by the sudden fall of about two hundred tons of earth ; so that, by the met e accident of having no more candle, they were s: ved from a certain terrible death. The roa Is in the Lake District a r e reported *s being in a horrible condition. Between Queenstown and Arrowtown it is almost impassable, and at the head of Hayes Lake a perfect quagmire. Yet the mails are delivered in good time and with greater punctuality than has been the case for several winters past. An elderly woman, the wife of one Gabriel Dubois, living in what was once the York Hotel at V aikouaiti, was found dead in bed on the 24th ius f . It appears Sergeant Cobden, who was on patrol suspecting something wrong from finding the place shut up, and receiving no reply to repeated calls, he, accompanied by a tesident, broke open the door. The husband of the deceased is somewhere in the neighborhood of Mount Ida. A correspondent to the Bruce Herald suggests that members of building Societies might bee >me their own insurers. He argues that at present the borrowing members pay insurance on the full value of their advances, and continue to do so till the Society’s claims are satisfied ; but if this suggestion were carried out, the Society could adjust the insurance accounts every twelve months, and have only the accounts actually due by the members covered against fire, thus considerably lessening the borrowing members’ annual expense. The amount thus realised could be kept as an insurance fund, and when- sufficiently large from time to time could be lent to the general fund for a given period at interest, to be replaced at maturity, The borrowers having a share in the insurance fund would take every precaution to prevent fire on their premises, and as the investing and borrowing members would bear equal share m the fire risk, so they would equally"participate in the insurance fund by its being used to hastenthewinding up of the Society. The business of the Tokomairiro Property and Investment Society, the first established in that district, has just been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. During its seven years and a half duration, the sum of 10.036/. 11s. lOd. was received. The total coat of management amounted to only 443/. 55.. of which 303/. 11s. lOd. was made up by fines and transfer fees. The expenses of working the Society being rather less than four and a halt per cent, of which, three per cent or thereabouts, was derived from accidental revenue. The financial statement of the Society shews only one bad debt of 70/. 17s. 4d., and this arising not from loss of original capital, but merely from an accumulation of fines not at present recoverable.

It is rumored that the visit of Earl Belmore to His Excellency Sir George Bowen will not be merely one of pleasure and interchange of vice regal courtesies, but has for its object a iar more important end, namely, a consideration of the basis upon which the federation of the Australian Colonies may be accomplished. At Paroa on the West Coast, the official seal and letter copying press of the Paroa Road Board were recently seized, under a distress warrant, and carried away in triumph by the district bailiff. From the Lyttleton Times we learn that Captain Baldwin is now in the Canterbury Province, and intends to give a series of lectures fu the chief centres of population. He proceeds in the first place to Timaruaud the northern portion of the Province. The Wakalip Mail informs us that a cooperative store will shortly be opened at Queestown. In another column is published a list of the gifts presented to the Hospital Bazaar. By request of the secretary, Mr. R. Barlow, we notify that those gifts not included in the present issue will be published in the next. It will be seen by advertisement that Miss Edith Palmerston and Mr. Alexander xvill give their popular Protean Entertainment at the Town-hall, Clyde, on Wednesday and Thursday evening. The pleasing nature of the entertainment and "the wellknown talent of the artists should secure a full house. The Cromwell Spring Race Meeting will he held on Tuesday, the sth of September. On Monday evening next the usual monthly meeting of the Hospital Committee will he held. Mr. Fache will sell tomorrow at the Survey Office, Clyde Camp, a small lot of household furniture, the property of Mr. Arthur. We have been slightly edified of late by some epistles received from the Teviot. Recently we appointed “Our Own Correspondent” in that (istrict, and, according to usual custom, left him at liberty to use his ovn discretion in tho compilation of his periodical news letter. The duty, so far as we are yet aware, lias been faithfully performed. But “Our Own” has indulged in some quiet banter at times, and perpetrated a few harmless jokes upon local manners and customs (forgetful, no doubt, that it he els a surgical operation to properly imjr: ss a joke on certain intellects), whereupon two individuals, assuming to themselves the title of “The leot’e of the District,” have poured out the vials of them wrath in vituperative language, and coolly requested us to publish the same. One. writer says : “ You may, perhaps, think this letter too strong, but I don’t think it strong enough.” It>was “too strong.” Both effusions, in fact, contained expressions exceeding all hounds of moderation, and we did not publish them. We have now received two ot her epistles. In one the writer indignantly withdraws his subscription, 2’iie other, os ensihly written by a non-subicriher, we mean to preserve as an elegant specimen of inane vapouring. I Ransacking the dictionary for a sufficient y opprobrious epithet, the writer styles “Our Own” a “scorious scribbler,” insinuates .that we are unprincipled end base, and then modestly requests us to “ kindly insert the enclosed in your next, end oblige.” Truly “Nature hath made sonic strange fellows in her time !” We can assure our Teviot and Mount Bcnger friends that wc earnestly desire our columns shall only disseminate correct information, and if “Oar Own” lias inadvertently committed an error in his re ports, or wounded the too sensitive feelings of any of his neighbors, he will, we doubt not, reodily make the amende hooorable if solicitel in a friendly spirit. Personal abuse he will wisely treat with contempt. 3-e refrain from publishing the names of irate correspondents, (feeling assured that, after quiet reflection, they will regret their display of childish petulance.—E l. D.T.