FRIDAY, MARCH 12. 1875.

Dunstan Times, Issue 673, 12 March 1875, Page 2

FRIDAY, MARCH 12. 1875.

As the time is fast approaching when the Provincial Council will be called together, it is as well that the people should be turning over in their minds what they desire to impress upon the member representing the district, that he should use his endeavors to accomplish for them. The Corporation of Clyde have been successful in securing the favorable acceptance of a tender for building their new suspension bridge across the Molyneux, and having accomplished so much it would be a suicidal act to let our exertions for the good of the district cease there. The bridge will necessitate a very large outlay, and money has been required to be borrowed to pay for it, therefore, the necessity of making the work reprodnetive becomes unmistakably apparent, No Goldfields’ Municipality has accomplished so much out of so little as Clyde, nor is there any one whoso financial position is so sound, and should the bridge only realise oven the most moderate of our expectations the benefits to the town will be immense, as it will not only largely increase its commercial importance but the revenues of the Corporation also. The matter of opening up a road to connect the Wakaia Bush with Alexandra and Clyde must not he lost sight of. As settlement increases in the district rough timber will become more and more in demand, and in the enormous forest here it exists in almost every shape and size, fitted either for the saw-mill or the splitter, while there is also plenty for raining purposes as well as for firewood. The making of this road would not be attended with any very serious expense, while the compensa-

ting advantages would more tLan repay the outlay Our friends at Alex, aadra were the first to take this niat- L ter in hand and we hope that having commenced a work of so much real importance they will leave no atone unturned to bring it to a successful issue, Repairs to roads at present in use aro very much needed, as again, during the coming winter, unless something is speedily done, we shall find that travelling from place to place has, from the shear force of mud and sludge, become almost an impossibility. ■At the present moment the road between Clyde and Cromwell is almost impassable in places, from large accumulations of sand ; and precisely the same is applicable to the road between this and Alexandra—travelling in the Desert of Sahara could scarcely be worse. The main Dunedin road as far as Chatto Creek is almost in a state of nature so little improvements having been made, while those that exist are of a very questionable'character. The crossing places of creeks, and the steep pinches are simply disgraceful, while there are ruts sufficient to smash any light vehicle that might unfortunately bo driven into them, a very possible contingency to persons travelling after nightfall. The completion of the road from Chatto Creek to Tinkers would scarcely require an outlay of Ll5O to make ‘the few remaining sidlings passable, and which work the fact of so many persons miners and others—settling down under the Dunstan Ranges, should warrant being done. An extension of the Clyde Commonage from the Wai Keri Keri Valley to Devonshire could be made with considerable advantage, in. fact, this is now one of the most pressing wants of the district. There are numbers of desirable persons in the district ready and willing to settle down, could they only find a suitable location. That block of laud in the Matakanui Hundred should be at once thrown open, it has been long enough talked about, and it is high time that it should be rendered available for occupation. It is also very necessary that land should be thrown open on the western bank of the Molyneux on the Faruscleugh Station, close under the ranges between the Frazer River and Butcher’s Gully, likewise on the Cairnmuir Ranges on the main road from Clyde to the Nevis, where some of the very best land for the purposes of the farmer is to be found, and which has scarcely any equal in the Province. With the completion of the new Corporation bridge it is most desirable that we should have a large additional population settled upon the west side of the river. "*

Those who aro not on the Electoral 801 l for the district should lose no time in making the proper application to entitle themselves to a vote. Persons claiming to have their names inserted must do so before the end of the present mouth. Forms can be obtained upon application at the Warden’s office.. „

It will he seen by our advertising columns that St Patrick’s Day will be celebrated by a social Ball at tho Town Hall, Clyde. Tho Brass Baud will he in attendance.

The acclimatization of Victorian birds has made considerable progress at Clyde, Within the lost few days two very interesting magpies have made their appearmco at the establishment of Messrs Attfield and Welsford. One of them is a most loquacious fellow, and whistles “ There is nae’ luck aboutthe house,’’and “StPatrick’s Day inthe Morning,” to the evident delight of the passors bye. The other bird has not spoken yet, perhaps, he is thinking of some equally popular English ditty. A stranger to the district, named William Adams, who had been arrested at Palmerston, was charged before W. L. Simpson, Esq., R.M., Clyde, with uttering and passing a valueless cheque to Mr A. Blue, of the Old Bendigo Hotel, Clyde. The accused, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor in Lawrence gaol. A second charge of the same description at Eden Creek is against the prisoner. The Rev. "Mr Joshua Jones af Queenstown preached in St Michael’s Church, Clyde, on Wednesday evening last before a numerous congregation. The Rev. Mr Dewe, the now Incumbent of the parish was present. He will commence his duties on Sunday week thcßSth instant.

Mr M’Connoehie’s contract for the new approaches to tho punt at Alexandra will bo completed in the course of a week. The work will bo of considerable convenience to persons crossing tho Molyneux on tho Teviot line of road.

Mr James Millar, late President of the Arrow Miners Association, left Clyde by yesterday’s coach, on his way to the Palmer. Before leaving Dunedin Mr Millar will bo presented with a gold locket and address on behalf of the Arrow Miners’ Association ; also a gold watch and chain, the gift of the inhabitants of Arrowtown. Mr Millar has been for some time a resident of the Arrow, and lias done good service in the public cause. Our Cromwell correspondent writes : The Town Council have at length resolved to collect the over-due rates, and the Town Clerk has been busily engaged calling upon defaulters to “shell out.” In the assessment roll there was an item “ Ed. Board.” Numerous inquiries were made for Edward Board, but ho could not he found. The Town Clerk intimated that his property would ho levied upon, doubtless to intimidate the supposed defaulter, but all to no purpose : Edward Board was still non cst. After numerous inquiries and a deal of rushing about, it was ultimately discovered that Ed. “Board’’represented the Mucation Board. The surprise this discovery created may be better imagined than described.

On Friday last the sth instant, an inquest was held before W. L. Simpson, Esq., Coroner, at Blacks’ No. 1, on the body of a young man, named James Clouston, who had met his death on the previous day. From the evidence, it appeared that deceased, who was a farm laborer, was driving a horse and dray, with a frame on the latter, and it is surmised from the position of the deceased, when discoveaed that, by the jolting of the dray, the frame must have slipped off the dray, dragging the deceased with it. A vordiot of accidental death was returned,

Where is “Tlmon?" The Echoes answer, “Back m his old place again." Why did the Echoes answer falsely and say that ho was gone ? The Echoes reply, “He had s ailed in his tub down to the Sanatorium at Portobello, taking his Dear Boy with him, when they gave the tub a good scrubbing out, and fumigated it properly, after-; wards washing themselves in the sea.” It was the fault of the telegraph department that the message broke off at the word “ gone,” like the bottle of. sugar-coated pills, it failed to roach tho editor of the Dunstan Times whole. What is “ Timon” doing? What is his next little wickedness? The Echoes auswer warningly, “ Arranging a new supply of literary ammunition to be hurled against[the"silly apologetic olddentitics in Rattray-street.” Where is his Dear Boy ? Appointed sole" agent for the Daily Times and Witness at St. Bathan’s—vide tho advertising columns of the latter paper.

The Tuapeka Times publishes as an on dil that Mr Horace Bastings will stand for tho Assembly at the next general election for Mount Benger district. The price of flour in Dunedin has been reduced to LlO lOsper ton. Tbe low values of wheat and flour in the North, together with large arrivals from Adelaide and Auckland, is the cruse of the reduction. By the Balclutha and Arrowtowu newspapers wo find that the Municipal Cor porations have adopted tho principle of advertising their bye-laws. This not only gives them the proper amount of publicity, but removes any doubt as to their legality when offenders are summoned under them. Onr old townsman Mr Thomas M ‘Morran is giving tho trespassers on tho Wakatip commonages a severe hunting up. Mr Gcorge r Atkins, we find, was mulcted in the Warden’s Court, Arrowtown in the sum of LTS and L2 14s fid costs for permitting his sheep thus to stray. It was high time that some decisive measures were adopted to clear these commonages, as settlers and miners were being starved off. Mr William Sooles of Arrow-town, we learn, had a very narrow escape from a severe buggy accident when travelling to Queenstown the other day. The horse set to kicking, and after breaking the buggy kicked Mr Scoles in the side, who was endeavoring to qniet the fractious animal. Tho blow was not’seiious.

“ Soap suds” is the heading of an article in the Arrow Observer, containing tho report of an amusing action heard in the Resident Magistrate's Court, wherein a washerwoman sues one of her patrons for the sum of Ll4, the amount of a disputed washing bill. "The Guardian in an article justly complaining of the injustice done to it by not being permitted to share in tbe advertisements emanating from bankruptcy cases, they all being given to tbe Daily Times. His Honor Judge Chapman having declared that paper to he a Gazette in Bankruptcy, c )mplains that their remarks have been so parverted as to make them charge His Honor Judge Chapman with unjustifiable preference, which the Guardian is at the trouble of contradicting. In onr opinion the Guardian is equally to be considered a Gazette in Bankruptcy .as the Daily Times, and it is only just and fair that the two leading Provincial newspapers should be made such. The same system is pursued in other Provinces.

It is reported that alluvial gold has been seen—not • found—at Ohiuemnri, and a prospecting claim has been granted. A similar concession has been made in respect to quartz mining, two hundred weight of gold bearing stone having been knocked out of a reef. These accounts must however he received with caution, as the latest telegrams frosi GrahamstoTfJi stats, “ !No gold has beoii'Shown yet.” The opening of the Town Hall at Naseby is to be celebrated by a ball and supper, to bo given by tbo Mayor and Council, at which the public are invited to attend, at the charge of one guinea to admit a lady and gentleman. The muificence of the Mayor and Council in question is without example. The system of working quartz mines hy “ tribute” has been introduced at the Upper Shotover. The Arrow Observer says : “ A new era in our quartz working is just being inaugurated by Messrs Bullen’s agent for prosecuting the working of tho Phceuix Quartz Mine, Skippers—the system of tribute, so well known on Bendigo, Victoria, and by which mines have been revived hy the working man when capitalists have fallen into lethargy—as is tho case with our district as far as qnartz is concerned. This mine has the greatest extent of ground prospected, and the largest and most efficient battery in the Province, with all tho modern appliances for gold saving. The party is composed of some of the best quartz miners in the district, who have been long connected with the mine, and therefore well acquainted with the prospects before them. It is therefore hoped that ere long ic will so far satisfy tho proprietors that they will increase the water supply, so as to keep tho battery continually at work,” It is refreshing to find that, although everything is represented as being so dull at the Wakatip, there is some signs of vitality left at the Arrow. According to tho local journal the Bank of New Zealand are busily erecting a spacious stone structure there, for the more convenient moans of carrying on business.

The arbitrators in tba Brace Herald libel action (CL Turnbull, Provincial Treasurer, v. J. Maohay and J. L. Gillies) have mado tbeir award. They direct the publication of an apology, the payment of L3O to the Benevolent Institution, L9O to the Dunedin Eefugc, and the costs of the action, reference, and award, by the defendants. Failing compliance with these terras within 30 days, then judgment is to be entered up in the action for L3OO damages, with costs (including the costs of the reference and award). The arbitrators were Messrs I. Newton Watt, Henry Driver, and John Held, of Corner Bush,

It is said that a railway labourer living at Havelock has drawn Traitor tho favorite horse for the Dunedin Cup in Mr George Dodson’s sweep. The drawer-“has refused LSO for his chance.

In the recent libel action brought by Captain Fraser, Warden of tho Thames, against the Auckland Evening Star, in which a verdict was returned for defendants, Mr Rees appeared for Messrs Reed and Brett. In tho course of Ms remarks on tho case this gentleman said :—“ I will ask you whether it would not be tho duty of jurors to seo that no additional weight shall be cast upon the energies of the Press —that unless it bo most clearly proved that any article which attacks a person in authority—that any article which attacks him in the administration of his public duties, is evidently prompted by base and sordid motives, tho jury will interpose the regia of their protection, and say —‘ No, we shall see that tho Press, which is battling for the liberty and welfare of tho people, shall be protected; that unless you can show that the criticism was uncalled for, that a premeditated attack was made upon you (an attack for which in a criminal court the defendants should be branded as criminals), the defendants have done what they considered to be their duty to the people at large.’ ” Tonga, one of the Friendly Islands, publishes its newspaper—it emanates from tho Government Printing Office, Tongatabu. Tho name of this journal is the queer sounding one of So’obo,oi. Under the head of “ Law Intelligence,” we have a report of the Quarter Sessions held at Tongatabu. Certain policemen, we arc told, neglected to appear in proper uniform. Others were missing from their posts during a sitting of the Court, and, after much search, were at length discovered comfortably asleep and gently snoring in the private apartment of the Chief Judge. The names of these defaulters are given ; and, inasmuch as all Tonga has enjoyed a laugh at their expense, we may hope that they will be stirred up to a better performance of their duties, for these natives are extremely sensitive to ridicule. Two white men, Jimmy and Samson, were brought up for fighting in the public road. Jimmy’s defence was that Samson had sworn at some one else within his hearing, and he (Jimmy) could not abide it. His feelings were too many for bim, and there ensued an event of a British nature. But the Judge cannot have him excused, for the law is very clear and sensible. No brawling or fighting is allowed within the precincts of the town, or on a public road. If two men quarrel and cannot settle tbeir difference without a bruising, then says the law in just so many words, “Let them go into the bush and fight it out.” Jimmy and Samson are fined 5 dollars each, according to the statute in that case made and provided. Next comes a debt ease. One white man sues another for 80 dollars and fid. Defendant does not deny his indebtedness, but loses his temper, and blurts out unseemly words. Sentence of tbe Court is swiftly pronounced, “Pay your debt, and stop your impudence.” Havea seeks a divocre from his wife on tire ground of adultery. The evidence is conclusive, and the divorce is granted, the woman to pay all costs, amounting to L 5. These costs, it should be explained, are not costs of Court, but a sort of Government tax, or registration fee in such cases, and are paid on the issue of the divorce certificates This new and original manner of settling legal'difficulties without the intervention of special pleaders clad in stnff and curled horsehair is something quite refreshing. People of more enlightened ideas might possibly find themselves better off could they but find the way thus to have their little differences authoritatively and summarily disposed of. In the case of Garrick v. Pyke, heard in the District Court, Dunedin, a verdict was given for the defendant, Mr Coombes’ “ Flying Dutchman ”is scratched for alt his engagements, hav’ng met with an accident.

That ingenious worker in iron, Mr Edward Aldridge, of Clyde, has very nearly completed a very handsome, and highly ornamental scroll work garden gate, with corresponding stands to match. To a gentleman’s enclosed private residence, nothing would so much improve its general aspect. In excellence of workmanship, it cannot be excelled, while, besides beauty, there is strength also. W here local talent is not only applied to the useful, but ornamental, it deserves special encouragement.

The Daily Times says We believe the members of the Hibernian Australian Benefit Society intend to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (17th March) by a public demonstration, in tbe way of a dinner or other entertainment. As St. Patrick’s Day comes this year within Passion Week, any. festivities during that time would be deemed out of place, and the demonstration will therefore be postponed until Easter time. The festival, however, will bo observed in anticipation by the members of the Society who intend to partake of the Holy Communion in a body on Sunday next. The VicarGeneral, when addressing . St. Joseph’s congregation yesterday morning, earnestly recommended all Irish Catholics to join with the Hibernian Society in honoring Ireland’s Patron Saint in the manner proposed, on Sunday next, and to abstain from any demonstration during Passion Week. An inquest was held at Arrowtown on Tuesday last by the Coroner, H. A. Sfratford, Esq., on the body of a newly-born child that, according to the medical evidence, had apparently been dead about three months. The body was sewn up in a piece of colored print and enclosed in a seven-pound mustard tin, and was found floating in an abandoned shaft sunk by the defunct Barracouta Quartz Mining Company on the Arrow Flat, a short distance below the township. Death had apparently resulted from five incisions having been made in the head by some pointed instrument, probably the handle of a corkscrew, such as is'nsed for removing wire off bottled liquors. The affair has produced considerable excitement. A verdict of wilful murder was returned.

Largo dogs bred and trained for the purpose are taken across the Belgian and Swiss frontiers and are despatched to French territory under cover of the night laden with tobacco and other foreign produce, on which a high duty is leviable in France.

ALEXANDRA TOWN COUNCIL, —o—,. The usual meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chambers ou the third instant. Present—James Samson, Esq.. Mayor, and Councillors Finlay, Theyers, Rivers, and Beresford. The 'minutes of the previous mooting were read and confirmed. The following correspondence was read and received : Prom the General Government informing the Council that in terms of the Stamp Duty Act, all appointments of Officers by the Council must be stamped. From the Post Master General, to the effect that Mail contractors cannot make any change either in delivering or receipt of Mails without the consent of the department. "From the Registrar General, asking to he furnished with statistics of tho Municipality and District. 1 The Town Clerk was instructed to seo that all appointments under the Council are properly stamped. * Accounts amounting to L 8 14s were passed for payment. The meeting was then closed with tho usual vote to the Chair.