FRIDAY, MAY 26. 1876.

Dunstan Times, Issue 736, 26 May 1876, Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 26. 1876.

Our representative in the General Assembly, Mr Vincent Pyke, has been bestirring himself on behalf of his constituents, and we are much pleased to notify that whatever might have been said against our member, he is not the man to make his position a mere means to an end, but to do the behests and look after the interests of those who elected him to the honorable position he now occupies. Throughout the whole of Mr Pyke’s political and public career, and it has been a long one, both here and in Victoria, he may always be said to have been a man of the people. Of course, his views may not always have coincided with those of his constituents, but this shows the independence of the man, notwithstanding that people may have put other constructions upon his conduct. It is very evident that Mr Pyke has been no office-seeker, as, whenever one has been thrust upon him he has al ways resigned, and resumed the political arena, and which appears to be his favorable and most suitable element. As a parliamentary representative and on the magisterial bench Mr Pyke most decidedly excels, and his disinterested manner of dealing with the questions at issue have invariably given satisfaction, even to those who were opposed to him, and when we come to consider that the public have so much confidence m the judgment of his findings there is little room to doubt that we may confide the representation of the district to his hands with the utmost safety. Mr Pyke’s ideas that “ there exists not the remotest doubt but that the Abolition Act of last session will be confirmed,” we entirely endorse. Such an absurdity as Provincialism, any sane man must conclude, can exist no longer, and excepting where Dunedin and Taieri interests are concerned, the Provincial Government of Otago has failed in its duties to the public, and even gone so far as to divert the revenues of the country districts to forward the private ends of favorites. As a case in point, what greater breach of faith than that of the business connected with the building of the Clyde Bridge. After the promises made to the Town Council to make the approaches, and after that body had expended the large sum of L6OOO upon the bridge itself, and which they completed according to contract time, the Provincial Government suddenly pretend to find out that 9 portion of the approaches are a part of the bridge itself, and refuse to proceed with their work until shamed by public opinion into doing so, and the consequences are that the Council lose interest on their outlay for four months, let alone what re venue might have been derived from the bridge. Mr Pvke’s idea of a Local Political Protection League is a very good one, and must bo productive of considerable benefit to the district, provided the various branches work well together, while it will also strengthen the hands of our representative hy pacing him in accord with his constituents. So far as things | have gone up to the present, the pub-

lie have entered heartily into the scheme, and if only the same enthusiasm exists to the end there is lictle to fear about the beneficial results.

The tender of Messrs Rateliffa and Simmonds has been accepted for the erection of a Post and Telegraph Office, Alexandra, for the sum of LSGB. A shepherd named James 0. Campbell, and employed on the Morvern Hill Station, was, on Friday-evening last, whilst proceeding homeward from Cromwell, thrown from his horse and killed instantaneously. We understand that the proceeds of the concert given in Cromwell on Wednesday last, the 17th instant, and noticed in our last issue, amounted to over L3O. Mr Facho reports having had a successful sale of furniture on Tuesday last, at his mart, and requests us to draw special attention to the sale of furniture on Tuesday next, the 30th inst., at Mr Aldridge’s, Clyde ; also to the fact that as there are a great many lota the sale will start punctually at noon. Our Roxburgh correspondent writing ns says —There have been a few cases of scarletina at Roxburgh, during the last few weeks, but none of a very serious nature. The wire ropes on which the girders rested, whilst the arch of the bridge across the Molyneux at Roxburgh was in course of construction were removed on the 22nd inst., there was not the slightest sign of any movement in the bridge, which is now nearly completed, and is a very handsome structure. Mr Chappie, auctioneer, reports having sold, on Monday last, the Gorge Creek Water Race and plant to Messrs Carroll, Lynch, and Hesson, for the sum of L2OO. The municipality of Maori Hill, near Dunedin, just proclaimed, contains within its bounds the prodigious area of 25 acres 2 roods 7 poles, and to watch over that enormous tract of country there will be one live mayor and some six councillors. It is reported that Mr T. L. Shepherd is to be appointed General Government Auditor for the Province of Nelson. Wednesday last, the 57th anniversary of Her Britannic Majesty’s birthday, passed off as an ordinary day, no amusements being provided. In the evening there was a dance in the Town flail, it was however but poorly attended. Before the dance started, the Band played in the open air the National Anthem—this was the only evidence of loyalty betrayed in Clyde, by the bye we were forgetting there were two flags flying, one however, which was the royal ensign had the Jack down—we hope it was not intentional. There are now three mails daily between Dunedin and Milton. From the notice issued by Mr Slesinger offering £IOO reward, it would appear that some unprincipled persons are placing in the market a counterfeit Rheumatic Balsam ; it therefore behoves every one before they make a purchase, to observe that the labels and corks bear the proper brand. The sudden change in the weather that has taken place during the past few days, from fine open snn-shining days and mild nights, to almost mid-winter, with its frosts and sharp biting winds, is universally felt and complained at. ' The effect will in some instances be to knock off from work the sluicers, but its advantage will be felt on the Molyneux, the water of which is rapidly falling, as it will enable the dredges and bank workers to get into the deep ground. We are informed that Mr Pyke’s lecture at Black’s on Tuesday last, subject—Views and Visions, was highly successful, a number of persons from all parts of the district being present. After the Lecture Mr Pyke met some few, and discussed with them the political situation, and informed them of the result of the various meetings held throughout the Dunstan electoral district, and suggested that they should act similarly. It was ultimately decided to hold a meeting at the Shamrock Hotel, Black’s, on Saturday evening next the 27th instant, to elect one or more members to act in unison with the members of the Political Protection League, elected at Clyde and Alexandra. We draw the attention of residents of Blacks, Ida Valley, and neighborhood to this meeting. Prom Macetown we hear that the weather, up to the beginning of the week, was sufficiently open to allow of prospecting on the ranges, and that a number of miners were so engaged. Excepting one new reef, more to the South of the known reefs, and discovered by Mr Thomas Hall, who may, with justice, be termed the discoverer of the quartz leefs in that neighborhood ; nothing further has been struck, though strong in’ dications abound in every spur. Tliose parties who are on the ground, and every one who pays the place a visit, have great hopes of the future, and all agree that during the next spring and summer new discoveries will bo made, and such handsome returns obtained from the reefs now at work as will eclipse any previous discovery in the province. What must militate against the district will be its inaccessibility, but if present prospects are maintained, this should not last long, as, with a little gentle pressure, the powers that be, whether working under a general, provincial, or county government, will see that it will fee their advantage to construct a drav road from the Arrow to Macetown, it no further. The only mode at present of carrying material or merchandise to the reefs is by pack horse, and everyone knows how tedious and expensive that mode is. A trial crushing of seven tons of stone, secured at a depth of 1060 feet in the Oriental Company’s Claim, Stawell (Victoria), yielded upwards of 6ozs. to the ton. The Bendigo Advertiser gives the following information respecting fho movements of Sullivan : “ Sullivan went through Inglewood on Sunday, and camped at Hope Creek on Monday night. He met the Wedderburn coach at five in the morning, and took his passage. On his arrival at Wedderburn ho deposited his swag at the Camp, and showed Senior-constable Colvin, who before arrested him, his liberation papers. He called at the post office, asking if there were any letters for him. He then perambulated the street, dressed in style, with a black bell-topper, making himself known to former acquaintances, and no one appeared to shun him, Streoh, the man to whom his (Sullivan’s) wife got married when he was imprisoned in New Zealand, declares he will shoot Sullivan if ho goes to his house. It is scarcely thought probable that Sullivan will settle there.” The following telegram was received by Mr B. Naylor, Mayor of Clyde, and handed to us for publication “Am directed by Committee to solicit your co-operation for donations, in kind, on behalf of' Benevolent Fete. Goods of every description by coach or rail, free, if addressed to interim Secretary. Signed, W. S. Douglas.” From another source wo learn that the fete is expected to he f a most successful affair, and that LIOOO, it is expected, will be raised by _ During the hearing of a case in the Resident Magistrate’s Court. Dunedin, one of the Barristers engaged said, ho thought it should be generally known that written agreements between masters and servants should he stamped.

A Chinaman named Ah Coo committed suicide at the Dome Creek, for the reason, it is asserted, that he was unable to pay his debts. Wo hope all our subscribers who are in arrear will take warning of poor John’s sad end, and pay up before tneir sensitive consciences impel them to ease themselves off this mortal coil by a similar rash act. No less than 56 applications for land in the Crookston district, each of 200 acres or thereabouts, appear in the advertising columns of our Tuapeka contemporary, but of those we notice that 27 are for one section —No. 5, block XV. However, the fact of so many applications is evidence in itself, without unnecessary verbiage, that the desire to occupy the land for bona fide settle ment is a genuine one. Among the sly-grog sellers who wore prosecuted by the Police some twelve months since, one Thomas Henwood was fined LSO and costs, and, in default of payment, ordered to be imprisoned, with hard labor, for three months. Henwood cleared out of Dunedin, and nothing more was heard of him until Saturday last, when Sergeant Anderson recognised him in Walkerstreet, arrested him, and lodged him safely with Mr Caldwell, who will no doubt find him work to do.—Daily Times. A late Melbourne telegram says Sullivan has complained to the Government of the treatment he received from the police and residents of Wedderhum, and states that he had had nothing to eat for three days—he had to barricade himself against the attacks of the boys, who threw stones and explosive materials at him." An Australian paper says : Our old friend, the axo, stands in danger of being superseded by a new invention, which promises to clear out forest lands by the use of gun cotton. The process is simple, and it is said not very expensive. Gun cotton is compressed into discs, which are placed around the tree about to be operated on in a continuous band, the edge of each disc touching that of the disc adjacent. This band is exploded or detonated by means of a stroke from a spring hammer so arranged as to permit all persons concerned reaching a safe distance before the detonation is effected. The Engineer, which recounts the experiments by this system of gun cotton discs says that “a band of these discs was placed around the trunk of a very largo tree at Upnor, and detonated, the result being that the tree was severed instantaneously, as though felled by one blow from an axe.” Professor Blackie in a recent lecture said : —“A woman is as different fr.,m a man as a flower from a tree ; she has most beauty and fragrance, but less strength. She will be fitted for the rough and thorny work of the masculine professions when she has got a rough beard, a brazen front, and hard skin, but not sooner.” A few days since, near Eushworth, (says the Goulbnuru Advertiser) an extraordinaiy phenomenon was witnessed. What at first appeared like a thin streak of smoke issuing from a hollow tree, and ascending far into the heavens, was observed, but upon a closer inspection proved to be a spiral column of water, of an immense height which moved in a southerly direction across Gunn’s Swamp, a large sheet of water about two miles from the town. A contemporary says : “Frequently when people are summoned for debts which they do not care about disputing in open court, they pay the money in to the Clerk of the Bench, but as a rule they do not decide upon doing this until the day of hearing. This is a mistake, the result of which is that the counsel who may happen to bo engaged for the plaintiff does not get notice in time to save him the trouble of getting up his case, and when he comes to court duly prepared to go on with the action he finds that the money has been paid in, perhaps only an hour previous. Of course he applies for counsel’s fee and gets it. It would be much wiser for debtors who do not wish to dispute a case to pay into court when served with a summons, 'or as soon thereafter as they can, for by leaving it over tin the day of hearing they simply entail additional expense on themselves. ’ The following is from the North Otago Times “ Either an amusing affair took place late on Saturday night last. Towards the witching hour of twelve, a certain well known merchant and a portly countryman of about sixteen stone weight were transacting business in a store near the Alliance Hotel, when some chaffing conversation took place as to their relative muscularity,' the merchant, who is a light weight, averring that he could tako his ponderous friend on his back to the Star and Garter Hotel (a good 300 yards), in less than two minutes. The heavy man put down his ten “ bob ” on it, and the merchant also staked his half-sovereign, and bade the formei come outside, tie did so. and the would he Samson forthwith bade him strip, as his wager was to carry the man—not his clothes. Not to be done, Falstatf forthwith stripped off his coat, waistcoat, and shirt, but made some demur about the unmentionables. The merchant insisted upon a complete “ peel ” and to his astonishment and discomfiture off came the nether garment also, and his big friend stood before him in the first costume of Adam. Then buckling to his task manfully, the merchant took the party in buff on his shoulders, and staggered with him as far as Cockburn’s, confectioner’s, about half the required distance, to the great amusement of the two or throe late birds who were abroad at that hour. Here, however, the merchant had to give up the task, and so soon as his friend had donned the breeches, his own half-sovereign and the merchant’s found their way side by side to the former’s breeches pocket. The merchant is a smaifc man, and no doubt calculated of winning his wager, by the other’s refusing to carry out the conditions literally, but in this case found that he was not smart enough, and had to play the role of “ the biter bit.” The Mount Ida Chronicle in an article headed “ Gold Discovery at Naseby,” says: —The extension of the Naseby Sludge Channel now in hand has proved what, to sceptical minds, has been considered ado bateable question. The contractors have already ripped up half a mile and five chains of the channel, the bottom of which is literally paved with gold The Government should feel gratified that, in spite of the myriad of jeremiads sung in the oars of its members, and of its own unbelief, the channel promises to be so reproductive. We are not speaking of guess—of a supposition judged of from the top of a prospecting hole, and a knowing shake of the head. Let those who doubt go and see. Let them borrow a tin dish, and, with the courteous permission of Mr John Creighton, jntnpdown into the huge ditch, and test the quality of the ground. If they are not satisfied as to the future position of Naseby as a goldfield after walking tor half a mile on gold, they must be unbelievers indeed. Every inch of the ground along the main Gully is marked off in claims, but these claims can only be worked provided that the channel is kept deep enough. Tho work is progressing with great rapidity—while we write 130 men being employed. It is expeeted thut the paving will begin next week. Our frail bodies are tottering habitations every boat of the heart is a rap at the door to tell us of our danger.

L 10,600 was paid by a young nobleman, Lord Duppin, for the thorough-bred horse Petrarch. A sporting writer says if Petrarch should win the triple, or even the double event, Derby and Logor, ho would not bo surprised, if L 20,000 is offered for the horse for stud purposes.

Angles in the Australasian has the following “ Here is an illustration of bow little polite society in England knows of what an Irish friend of mine calls the fifth quarter of the globe. At the last Oxford and Cambridge cricket match, my informant was with some friends standing in front of one of the carriages which surrounded the ground two or three deep. Tins carriage contained four fashionably- dressed ladies, and a cluster of male friends hanging around, all taking a lively interest in the game. Our old Melbourne cricketer, Don. Campbell, had just distinguished himself by a brilliant bit of fielding, evoking a universal clapping of hands. One of the young ladies inquired the name of the fielder- “Oh that’s Campbell,” replied a heavy swell near her ; he’s the Australian, you know J” Up went the dear girl’s glasses, and alter a moment’s scrutiny shesaidlanguidly, “Well, i thought he looked rather black. !” —But, on the other hand, young Australia in England is not slow to exhibit his inability to bo astonished. Dave was down at Brighton for a few days in the height of the season. A companion, in pointing out the everlasting stream of carriages, equestrians, and parties strolling on foot, remarked that the “ display quite equalled Hyde-park in the season.” “ Well,” said Dave, “it’s not bad—reminds mo very much of the Esplanade at St. Kilda.” His friend was at a disadvantage. Ho didn’t know St. Kilda. And he thought it better not to gush any more about the splendour of Brighton.—One of our rich retired squatters went to England some time ago. He purchased a nice estate, and was making some progress in society as one of the landed gentry. His wife one day had a long-desired call from Lady Dash, a leader among the county families. Some fine sheep were browsing about and wore visible from the drawing-room windows. “Do you,” said Lady Dash, “kill your own sheep ?” “ Oh, dear do !” said Mrs Merino, loftily, “ I don’t even see ’em killed, now.”