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Dunstan Times, Issue 574, 18 April 1873, Page 2

Why our sleepy headed Town Council so long delays taking any action towards the erection of the proposed bridge across the Molyneux, we are at a loss to divine. After going to so much trouble and expcuce in preliminaries are they going to let ihe matter drop, or does it take this lively body so long to deliberate over a measiue that outsiders will have forgotten all about, what they set themselves to do before they have made up their minds how to act, nr do they lack the necessary hrains to give effect to a most necessary and public work. The Council made a very judicious beginning, and the Government have seconded their efforts by calling for conditional tenders for the erection of the bridge,, winch' tenders iwill .on the. first, of May ensuing. .As. but very. little tiflie will . elapse; it would be advisable to.find out whether any persons are likely to tender, and if not, to consider whether or not the Council could undertake the construction of the bridge upon its own ac-

count, or would it be prepared to induce some other persons to do so by Tin"ffer of a guaiantee of a certain rate of* ■ interest upon their outlay fn our opinion, the terms offered by the Go vernment are most liberal, the only outlay asked is for the actual building of the structure itself, Unnecessary approaches and roadway being made by the Government; this, in the construction of a bridge, is a very serious item, is almost one half of the work, thus placing the paities building the bridge in the position oi a direct participation in the Government outlay 7, thus, without forging the ■whole of the chain, they have its uses and benefits placed at their disposal. The traffic over the bridge will be something considerable, and with the completion of the Clutha railway to Tuapeka, which will, in all probability, be accomplished within the next two years, the traffic to Dunedin will all pass over it; even when the railway is only finished as far as Tokomairiro, a large proportion wi l take this route, and there can be but little to dmibt in the end, that a bridge over the Molyneux at Clyde must, like the Port Chalmers railway, be eventually purchased by the Government. If the Town of Clyde cannot see their way’to construct this bridge themselves, they might, with great safely, bo prepared to guarantee any speculators that would do so, say six per cent upon their outlay. When the nectssary men and capital would be quickly forthcoming. There is no surer speculation in the Province, with every chance of an enormous profit upon the sale of the work in the end. The pandering to the vitiated and , morbid taste of the present generation 1 by conductors of the colonial press, is fully illustrated by fhe publications of the (to say the least) disgustiog letters ' found in Ryans possession, and attributed to Mrs Farrell; that these letters were necessarily read in the course of the prosecution we may admit; but verily our wives and daughters are to be excluded from reading the current literature of the day, or to have their feelings outraged by the publication of such maudling and immoral trash, as published bv some of our contemporaries. Notone of the three prominent persons cornice ed with the catastrophe can possibly como out of the inquiry with clear hands, let alone clear consciences, and the sooner their names and die rivenmstauceswhich have brought them on the public notice are buried in oblivion the better for the moral health of the community at large. ! During the month of March, 821 tons of quartz were'crushed'at Coromandel, which yielded 19900z5. of gold. The Harbor View 7 claim obtained the extraordinary yield of 2430z5. lodwts. of gold from -lewts. sulbs. of stone. On March 29th, 30610z5. of gold reached Auckland from that goldfield. At Reeftou, a Mr. W. Gardner was plain.] tifi" in an action against the Band of Gold I Mining Company. He obtained judgment for the sum of 11/.. He now -complains of the amount ot hislegaladviser’s bill of costs, which was over 38/., hut subsequently informs the public that he settled the matter by paying 17/., thereby effecting a very considerable saving. At a recent meeting of the Waste Lands Board, in Dunedin, Mr. J. D. Feraudmade application for 1020/., as compensation for improvements on laud held under lease by him in the Wai Ken Keri Valley, and which eases have been cancelled. The Board have application, and has appointed -d r. T. L, Shepherd to act as arbitrator ou his behalf. Mr. Feraud has not as yet intimated publicly who will act in the matter on his behalf, but wo have incidentally hoard that a Cromwell gentleman is likely to act for him. We have been given to understand that our representative, Mr. T. L. Shepherd intends to visit his constituents prior to the opening of the coming Session of the Provincial Council. As the Council is expected to meet early next month, and will be alalmost immediately followed by a session of the General Assembly, we may look for Mr. Shepherd’s arrival at an early date, We call attention to the fact that all objections ton ames already on or applied to he placed on the Elcctororal Roll, muatbe sent in to the Registration Officer on or before the 30th of the current month. This is the more necessary, as little or, in point of fact, no publicity has been given by the authorities—merely a list posted outside the Court Houses, an 7 ’ as the Registration Officer for the district, Mr. Warden Fyke is resident some’seventy miles distant from here, those who take a becoming interest in the general welfare and proper representation of the district, haVH but* little time to lose. Tliorc v are posted some sixty or seventy name,j of | persons who have maile application to Laye their names- placed on -the Roll. ' The allotment of shares in the Shotivrr Terrace Gold Mining Company has been completed.—The Directors hope that active j operations on the claims purchased by the ' Company will be commenced shortly.

• g .The Melboxirna Arje learns that the Victorian police are making inquiries with respect .to -.the whereabouts of Captain Joseph • Thomas, aged about sixty-five years, height Cft.J inches; fine .looking appearance supposed to have settled in Otago in 1848 as a farmer or Heirship to a property involved/,in the inquiry. During the hearing of a recent case of soiling liquor on aSunday, preferred against an Aucklandfpublican, Inspector Broham rold the Bench that in his opinion, “itwonld be far better if the public houses were allowed to be open on Sundays the police would then bo cognisant of what was going on. At present, the sale of liquor could not be prevented.” The'.case in question broke down. The following high prices were realised at a sale of rams held at Wanganui a few days since:—For a ram by . important parents a start was made at 30/, and by quick bids soon rose to 44/, when it wrs finally knocked down for 50/. Lot 2, another ram precisely similar breed, brought 42/, 10s, Lot 3 was considered the flower of the flock, and produced a spirited.; competition, the ram eventually falling 'to the bid of 90/. The use of the imported rams for the season was next offered. 28/ 10s was given for one and 40/, for the other. Weekly News. The Arrow Observer says: —“A rumor circulated by the Tuapeka Times to the effect that the scat in the House of Representatives for the Lakes will shortly be vacant the present occupant: Mr. Hallensteiu, finding his business arrangements render it impossible’for him to continue to represent the district” and that “Mr. G B. Barton, barrister, of Queenstown, is likely to be Mr Hellenstein’s successor,” is incorrect, as it is Mr Halleustcin’a intention to attend the next session of Parliament. ” The last tour sneges'ed for Mr. Stanley is a voyage to discover the North Pole. Having cut on it his name and the date of discovery, he is to bring it back with him, with the banner of the Stars and Stripes flying from the top. r’Yft., . . On Sunday last, a man named John Morton, on his road from Adams’s Gully to Cromwell, whither ho was proceeding for the purpose of 'obtaining a supply of pro I visions, met with a serious accident by (we | believe) stumbling into a race. He received a fracture of one of his legs, and was brought to the Dunstan;District;Hospital, is in a fair way of recovery, i A man named Patrick Leary committed suicide in a most determined manner on Monday morning last, a short distance from Black’s. Early in the morning he was discovered in a crouching position, suspended by a strap from the tail end of a dray. An alarm was given, and a raessager despatched to Ophir, and Constable M‘Gan was quickly on the spot, and cut the body down, life being quits extinct. Fuller particular will be found in the letter of cur Black’s correspondent. . Shareholders and others interested’iu the ] various quartz-mining claims in this and : neighboring districts are reminded that the I plant and machinery belonging to the Alta 1 Quartz Mining Company, Bendigo, will be I submitted to public competition, by- Mr. George Fache, on the loth proximo. This , plant is, wo believe, one of iho best and , most peifeet in the Province ; and as j it'is for al solute sale, a desirable opportu- j nity offers to those interested in the peculiar class of mining to which it is adopted. | Mr. J. P. Armstrong, surgeon’end mechanical dentist, is on a professional visit to Clyde, and may be consulted daily at Hawthorne’a Clyde Hotel. As the opportunity of obtaining the professional services of a thoroughly qualified and skillful dentist are rare in the district. All requiring the services of such would do well in losing no j time in availing themselves of Mr. Armstrong’s services and talent, as we under‘i stand his stay will bo for a limited period only The report that Mr. Warden Pyke had obtained a twelve month’s leave of absence proves to be correct. The Dally Times says:— The Honourable Mr Richardson, Minister for Public works, has we understand, taken delivery of the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway, on behalfofthoGcnoralGoverament. Infuturc the management of the undertaking will be left, however, in the hands of tlm Provincial authorities. A fixed sum will bo paid annually by the Province to the General Government as interest on the purchase money, ami the Province will receive any profits which may accrue after such payment has been made. A crushing of about ninety tons of stone from the John Bull claim resulted in a yield o f a little over eighty two ounces, and the Directors have declared a dividend. The Star of the East have also had a crushing of some two hundred tons of stone, which yielded rather less than half an ounce to ton ; still, with this comparatively small yield a dividend has been declared. The good people of the township or rather we should say the municipality, of Naseby are certainly in respect of fuel, much better off than we arc here, coal of a very fairquantity at the Eden Creek Coal Pit, a short distance from the town, is to be obtained at the very moderate price of sixpence per bag. The foundation stone ot the Timaru Masonic Hall was shifted the day after its . laying, and the bottle and corns were , removed. : The following is from the “Waikato ! Times”—“ Action. To the single young I men of Nagar rrawahia.—A-single young lady ! begs respectfully to inform the single young ' men of Nagarrrawahia, that if any of those f yo uug nen build her a .neat little cottage, : she w ill be most happy to set up a washing establishment on the latest aad most, irnr 1 proved principle. Each young man . must t bring and take away his own .clothes, and j also supply iris own soap, soda, starch, and r ball-blue. Payments to be made in advance.

At the Excelsior’s Company’s claim, Quartz Reef Point, a fine specimen of pure copper oro.was found among the wash dirt one day last week. Several specimens of , more or less richness' have from time to ' time been found in the same neighborhood, leading to the belief that a rich lode is in j existence at no great distance. On Thursday Morning last the ICth inst., , about sa.m. information reached Airowtown ' of a conflagration on the Rirm of Mr. Butler • situate on the terrace at the rear of the \ Township, a number of tbo residents were . at once on the alert, and on arriving on the spot found that 2 large stacks of untkrashcd , wheat containing about sflo„busnels, and a - large thrashing machine, the property of Messrs Butel were in flames. The fire had , got the master hand, and nothing could be done but stand by and see tbo tyrant.doing bis work. The cause of the fire so far remains - a mystery, it is, however, surmised that it ’ was thework of some careless fellow who had , made his bed for the’night under the shelter , of the stacks, An inquest is to be held 1 before Mr, Coroner Stratford to day. By telegram we notice that in the Resi. dent Magistrate’s Court at Grahamstowu, H. J. Lee, Secretary of the Loyal Waikato - Lodge of Oddfellows was charged with cm- : bezzling the Lodge funds, and discharged, the trustees declining to swear an information against him. The defalcations are al 1 legcd to exceed 100/. The Government have called for tenders ■ for the construction-of the railway between 1 Tokomairiro and Lawrence. It is stated that the pay of the Hokitika Police is one month in avrear. Mrs. M'Dougall, of Shotovcr, met with a fatal accident a few days since. From what we can ascertain, she was walking on some rocks in the neighborhood of her resi- , donee, when she missed her footing, and fell to a great distance, dislocating her neck, causing, almost instant death. On the news reaching the ears of the authorities, orders were issued for exhuming the body, which had been interred. An inquest was subsequently hold, when the jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.” The Wellington Independent says that Mr Thomas Russell, of Auckland proceeds to America, pcr'Kebraska.ca route t(>England to act as an agent (unpaid) of the Government to recover the penalties incurred by Mr. ebb. Mr. Russell is also to make inquiries regarding ■ be prospects of a future mail service, but he is not empowered to concludeauy-contraci until it has received the sanction of Parliament. Mr. V/. Gray, oftho Post Office Department, proceeds to America in charge of the mails, and he will as-ist Mr. Russell. ft is estimated that the cost of the necessary repairs and alterations to the Government buildings at Auckland, caused by the late lire, will amount to 12,000/. Mr. Cowan, of the Kawaran Station, had a very narrow escape on Wednesday morning last. A bullock had been slaughtered, and the men proceeded to haul it up to the “gallows,” preparatory to dressing. In the course of this operation the upright which supported the cross beam gave way at the base, when the whole structure full, On the alarm being given that the posts were failing ! Mr. Cowan was standing some twenty or j five and twenty feet away ; but in his endeavor to avoid damage he rushed into danger, and very narrowly escaped with life. The cross beam fell upon him, inflicting a sevene gash on the top of bis head, since Hires inches long. Mr. Cowan remained insensible for a short time only, and wo are happy to say no very serious results are to be anticipated. .Wohave, with regret, to announce the death of Charles Shaw, Esq., M.D., M.R.C. S.E., which occurred at Port Stanley, on the 18th of November last Dr. Shaw was well known in this district, and was for some years Resident Surgeon of the Dunstan District Hospital, and he also took a prominent part in local aS'airs, atone time sitting as Councillor for South Ward. Many, who have been patients in the District Hospital, will remember his kindly nature, and regret his loss, while his friends and acquaintances all acknowledge him as a generous and honorable man. Some little differences there may have been between Dr. Shaw and the Hospital Committee, but those were mostly on questions of detail, and we think we may truly state that bo retained the individual respect, not only of the Members of the Committee, but the inhabitants of the district generally. The deceased was a native of Aberdeenshire, and was about forty years of ago. An auriferous district, it is said, has been discovered in the Auckland Province, and a party of experienced miners, accompanied i-y the Provincial Government Agent have gone to Whanparci, for the purpose of ascertaining the importance of the reported discovery. ... Our attention has of late been several times called to the small attendance of Councillors at tbo usual fortnightly meetings of that body. It is seldom more than three or four Councillors attend the regular meetings, and. one Councillor, at least, has absented himself for some considerable period. This apathy istobcdeeply regretted. The gentlemen representing us in the Council.took upon themselves a serious responsibility. They one and'all promised to study the interest of the rate-payers ; and it may now reasonably bo asked, how have some fulfilled that promise ? If the gentlemen who arc,so constantly absent faom the Council Board were to resign the honorable '-position; they hold, giving place to those who would take a lively interest in municipal matters, wo think it would he bettor for the rate-payers. Property appors to be depreciating considerably in value in the Cro-y River-District. The- local ps.perarmour.ccs the fact that, the ; Commercial Hotel, at the Little Grey 1 Junction, together' with punt, wire dope, fastenings, and all requisite gear, were parted.with, under a forced sale, for the 1 low turn of 50/,