Untitled

Dunstan Times, Issue 646, 4 September 1874, Page 2

Wo have to acknowledge tho receipt ef several numbers of Hansard, and a batch of papers as laid before the House of Representatives during the past Session. Mr M'Eachen, photographer, notifies in ’another column, that he will open his studio at Mr Auckland’s Fancy Bazaar, Clyde, on Monday the 14th inst., as his stay is only for a fortnight we would strongly recommend our readers to pay him a visit.

The sale of the Coal Leases adjoining Mr Marie’s, in Cooper’s Gully, is postponed.

Through pressure of advertisements we are compelled to hold over letters on the sanitary state of the town, and on early closing, an interesting letter from Blacks, and other matter.

Two of tho Alexandra publicans made their congi before the Resident Magistrate, on Monday morning last, at tho instance of tin Police, for Sunday traffic. Both offences being of a trivial character, and being the first offence, the minimum fine of 5s each was inflicted.

Our Lakes’ correspondent writes: Mr Warden Boetham has been requested by a number of persons at the Lakes’ district to represent that constituency in the General Assembly, but that gentleman has declined the honor.

The trout ova experiment has not been successful as yet a Queenstown. Up to the present all have died during the process of hatching. A large amount of sediment in the water is supposed to be the cause. Mr Worthington, who has charge of the ova, has made some improvements which promise better success.

The Grand Duke Nicholas, a member of the Royal Family of Russia, who, it will be remembered, stole his mother's diamonds and gave them to an American lady, with whom he was desperately enamoured, has been punished by banishment to Caucasus for life. From another source wo learn that the lady was the same who caused the death of Mr Jas. Fisk.

The Wellington correspondent of the Daily Times says : —“ The law of primogeniture is no longer the law of the land, and hereafter landed property will, in cases of intestacy, descend much iu the same way that personal property does.”

The New Zealand Metropolitan Race Meeting, to be held at Christchurch, is fixed for the 10th, 11th, and 13th of November. The two principal events are the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap of 200 sovs., added to a sweepstake of 10 sovs.; and the Canterbury Cup, of 250 sovs., added to a sweepstake of 15 4 sovs.

Wo hear that steps are shortly to bo taken to establish Good Templar Lodges here (Clyde) and at Alexandra. Whilst speaking of Good Templars the following English extract may not bo out of place : “ That Good Templars are not averse to drinking claret, or what they take to to be claret, was recently disclosed in an adulteration case tried at the Staffordshh e Quarter Sessions. It appeared that the claret iu question contained logwood, a ‘very large quantity’ of sulphuric add, and fusel oil, and that it) cost the vendor loss than 6d per quart in bond. The barman stated this claret, which contained a very large proportion of spirit, was known iu t! Ie district as ' Good Tcmpdars’ claret,' on account of its being greatly in request by members of that body. It is sad to read that this painful declaration caused ‘much amusement ’in Court.”

According to our contemporaries tho work of acclimatisation is proving highly successful. Partridges and pheasants are very plentiful in tho Palmerston district. Trout are in abundance in the Shag Itiver ; and hares abound in many localities, while as torabbits they are fast becoming a pest. In Southland especially they are so numerous that funds (already L2OO has been subscribed) are being raised to introduce the natural enemies of them. In this immediate neighborhood, on tho Knobby, Cairnmuir, and Dunstan ranges rabbits abound.

The following items of interest we received from our Cromwell correspondent at a late hour last evening : Mr James Taylor’s tender for the Cromwell Hospital was accepted, for the sum of LI 135, in preference to Mr Grant’s, for Lll2s.—At a meeting, held on Wednesday evening last, for the purpose of establishing a fire brigade 22 members were enrolled. —A child, the son of Mr Pierce, butcher, fell over a precipitous bank of the Kawarau river, on Wednesday evening, alighting in a largo hole, from whence he was extricated by a Mr Rankin, who heard tho little fellow’s cries. The child was missed, and a strict'.but unavailing search made for him, and there is but little doubt that had Mr Rankin, who was working close by. not heard the cries, a sadder tale would have to bo told than that saving tho fright the boy is uninjured.

On Monday last a serious accident befell Henry Daniels, a miner at Bendigo, and on the same evening he was conveyed to Cromwell in Mr Logan’s trap accompanied by his mates Messrs E. Hoaro and J. Partridge, who loft with their patient on the following Wednesday for the Dunstan Hospital. It 'seems the unfortunate sufferer was working in a shaft belonging to the Reliance Quartz Mining Company, and while cutting some of the girders, the ladder which is used for going up and down the shaft sprung, and precipitated Daniels to the bottom of the shaft, which held some four or five feet of water, otherwise the injuries sustained might have been far more serious. His right ancle was dislocated, and it is feared that his spine has been hurt. Hoare was working in the drive at the time, and hearing a noiso ran to the shaft and bending the rope round himself speedily descended. Daniels fdl on his feet, and was wedged diagonally across the shaft. Hoare seeing how matters stood called for assistance which was speedily rendered, when an impromptu chair was rigged and the sufferer hoisted to the top—although it is anything but a pleasant duty to chronicle accidents of this nature, it is a source of gratification to find that the miners with praiseworthy *eal are ever foremost in rendering aid and assistance to persons in distress, cheerfully undertaking journeys and loosing time for that purpose. Mr Daniels is a member of the Tribune Lodge Good Templars, and on his arrival at Cromwell, Brother Peach and other members of the sister Lodge, and attended to his requirements. We since hear that Daniels is getting on as well as can be expected, but it will bo along time before he will be able to resume work.

On Friday last a man named Renshaw was killed, and two others Simpson and Sims, were seriously injured, at the Deborah Tunnel Works, by the explosion of lithofractcur—the explosive used for blasting purposes. To prepare the lithofracteur for use it has to he softened, and the common course adopted is to steam it on a false bottom in a billy of boiling water. Butin this instance it appears that the explosive was placed on the false bottom, the water being cold, and the hilly was put on the Smithy fire to boil, and it is probable a spark was the cause of the ignition. An inquest was held, the jury returning a verdit of accidental death.