The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6,1880.

Dunstan Times, Issue 929, 6 February 1880, Page 2

The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6,1880.

Renta'h thfule of nitv ■xTrr.Ki.'wugi t rsx t* mightier than (J,swnim.

Thk visit of the H»n Mr Oliver Minister of Public Works, and the Hon. Mr Rolleston Minister of Lands to the fliatrlct should n-'t be allowed to pnas without some slight attf rimt, on the part of the people to enlighten those gentleman on onr many wants, and if the efforts made should he barren of results, we shall have the consolation of knowing that it was not for the want of trying. There are many questions involving grievances of a greater or lesser extent that it will be impossible to fully enlighten them on, during the limited stay, the honorable gentlemen will make in our mi Ist, but the two main questions “opening the lands for settlement” and “ Railway Communication with the coast ” are of such vita! moment that nothing must be allowed to intervene to prevent them being brought forward with that prominence their importance demand. On principal we have neveradvoeated thedeputationizing, adderssing and feasting ot ministers of the Crown at every halting place ou the route, whenever either the exigencies of state or perhaps pleasure under a garb of business takes them travelling, over every little local grievance that may he could have been settled, without the calling in of outside aid ; as a fact we have religiously set our face against it, and do not know but in the long run we fared equally as well as the most blatant. When however that questions such as we have referred to, the opening of Lands and Railway communication, questions that affect not alone one class and one locality, but every class and every locality demand answering, then, we bold it is the duty of die pr< s> to herald their approach to urge th-» appointment of deputations and of the pern le to pour into the i ars of their visitors their ease. The opening of the lands in this district especially is of paramount importance and completely puts into the shade all other questions as now that raining is confined to but a few solitary patches, and employs but few hands. It is clear that without every available area is thrown open, and at once, there are not a a few who are prepared will perforce have to elear out ; an 1 to render the railw ays suc-ees-ful the lands all along their course must he in occupation. The same arguments therefore are apolioable in iioth eases, and it is to he hoped our lisirors will not be allowed to depart f om ns without having it impressed on their minds the necessity not ithoie «f opening the ! an Is, but of pushing on 'he co'isti notion of the line of railway that is to connect ns wiih the seaboard Both these su'jms are of such public importance that, we need offer no anology for referring to them s-. conspicuously. Another m itt'T, however, also demands attention, though mt of s > very general intere.it, yet, is of groat local moment; we therefore feel mi diffi loner in alluding too—this subject is the opening of the Wai Keri Keri Valley to allow the miners in it full scope for lurrying on their labors. The particulars are so well k n»wn, wo will not enter into detail, but suffice by saying with the miners lay the explanation, and we can only say if they fail to put in an ap. pearanoe to explain the diffimlty, the fault will be theirs. Such an opportunity may not again occur for years, an 1 a pity it will be if it is not taken advantage of.

In our last issue we sta e l that His Lordship Bishop Hevill of Unnodin would visit the district, and that he would hold Divine Service at Clyde on Sunday next. We are now enabled to state that His Lordship arrived in Clyde yesterday afternoon, ami that he will officiate at St. Michael’s Church, Clyde, on Sunday evening next. In tiie morning he officiates at Cromwell, at the same time consecrating the Church. On Wednesday following he, we understand, proceeds to Roxburgh, and thence on to Tapanui. The first monthly meeting of the newly elected Committee of the Dunstan District Hospital will he held in tno Committee Room, Town Hall, Clyde, on Monday evening next, the 9ffi inst. As the business to be transacted is of an important character, it is to be hoped there will be a full muster. Mr Fache reports that the sale on Monday last of Mr CL Cameron’s Bakery, ic., at Alexandra, did not. come off, and intimates that he will again offer it on Monday next, the 9th inst. At the same time he will offer Mr Bohning’s house and garclm. See advertisements. It will ho seen by the advertisement intimating the sale by auction of the effects of Mr Inspector O’Donnell, that that genHainan is about to leave the district. Wo regret the fact, as Mr O’Opanell since ha has been in charge of ths district, has proved himself an efficient officer, and made for himself a large number of fiieQds.

We understand he proceeds to Christchurch and relieves Mr Inspector Hickson, who comes to Clyde. In speaking of :tho latter gentleman, the Lyttelton Times says : —“ Inspector Hickson is, we understand, shortly to be removed from Christchurch to take charge of the Clyde district. During his two years’ stay here Inspector Hickson has proved himself an energetic and attentive officer to his public duties, and though a strict disciplinarian, has made himself a great favourite with the men under his charge ” We are pleased to say that the injures received by Mr John Stronach, through his horse rearing and falling hack, are not so serious as was at the time thought, and that he will bo about again in a short time. The snm of L 92 has been remitted from Alexandra towards the Irish Relief Fund, to Dunedin, the receipt of which has been acknowledged by Mr J. B. Callan, the Hon Secretary, -who intimates that the same will be forwarded, free of cost, hy the Colonial Bank of New Zealand. By a private letter we learn that Messrs Oliver and Rolleston may be expected to arrive in Clyde on Saturday next. Should they, we can only say they will have lost no time on the road, since Monday when they left Duneffiu, as since then they will have visited Lawrence, Tapanui, Invercargill, Riverton, Queenstown, Arrowtown, Cromwell, and the one hundred inlerveiiiiie Places, travelling a distance of 409 mil s, or 70 milesa day. Since Monday Evening there has appeared each evening, in the South West a bright beam of light resembling in appearance, the tail of a comet, if such it he, the star itself is below the horizon, and as the light each evenening of its appearance has become brighter, the possibility is the star may yet show itself. By our exchanges we learn that it is seen in most parts of the province, and in each place as here, the light dies out as the moon rises. The performance hy the Alexandra Christy Minstrels in the Town Hall, Alexandra, on Friday evening last, we are informed was highly successful, the solos, part songs, and glees being rendered in good voice, and in capital time. The corner men were particularly an ftit, and succeeded in eliciting roars of laughter at their witicism and conundrums, many of which were, if not quite new, were new to the audience, and the local hits were capital. The get up of the troupe was excellent, some of the suits being ridiculously funny. The financial result was a total of some LIS. The following notification appears in the General Government Gazette.—Municipal and other bodies who have levied a library rate in accordance with the * Public Libraries Act, 1809,” are requested to lodge claims for share of public libraries vote with the Secretary, Education Department, before the 10th February proximo. From the report of the examination for Scholarships under the new Education Act, we perceive that amongst the candidates for the junior Scholarships the three competitors from Clyde, and one from Alexandra, though not successful, stood well, Geo. T. Stevens, obtaining 47S marks Win. J. Hueston, 428 ; Julia Buckley, 423 ; Frank E, Wilson, 413. The total number ot competitors were 38—the highest number of marks obtained, 573, the lowest, 217. At the usual sitting of the Waste Lande Board held on Wednesday the 28:h ultimo, the District Land Officer reported on the app'icition ot Mr John Blakeley fora seven years’ lease of section 28, block V., Tiger Hill district.—approved. The Tuapeka Times says :—“ The reef at the head of the Fraser River owned by Messrs Nicolson and party, is likely to turn out well. A small battery has been ordered in Dunedin, and will shortly be placed on the ground. Information was given to the police on Tuesday (27th ultimo) says the Cromwell Argus, hy a miner rained Stephuno Bodacio that his tail-race had been robbed the previous night, and some 30 ounces of gold extracted therefrom. Sergeant M'Nully at once instituted enquiries, and close watch was set, but up to the present time no clue has beso obtained as to the depredator. Boclacio’s claim is situate near the hank of the Kawarau rivei, between Cromwell and Macaudrew bridge. A correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times” vouches for the following “ A wool buyer in this district purchased the wool from two farmers, who had respectively 170 and ISO sheep. The was little or no difference in the hi ceil or ages of the sheep, hut one lot had been on poor feed, and wore in low condition, while tho other lot had been well cared for. The buyer gave Ij per lb more for the won! off wellconditioned sheep, and they cut nearly double the weight ; the cheque received by the respective owners being £lB and £44, or a difference of £26, and only 10 sheep more. This is an illustration of the advantage of taking care of olios stock, even in a small way. The Hon. Mr Oliver, Minister of Public Works, and tho Hon. Mr Rolleston, the Minister of Lauds, Immigration, &e., left Dunedin on Monday last for the South. They are to visit Lawrence and Tapanui, and places on tho route to Invercargill, and thence to Queenstown. Mr Rolleston proposes to make himself familiar with the pro ress of tho deferred-payment system in Otago, anil with the general wants of the settlers, with a view to the administration of the law in such a manner as best to promote the settlement of the country. Kingston is also to be visited, and an inspection made of the Western railways. The Surveyor General (Mr Al‘Kerrow) and Mr Blair accompany the. Ministers. Casta of the heads of Scott and Rogan, lately executed at Sydn y, were, with the pennisMon. o£ tlw authorities, taken hy phrenologists.

The following are gome of the latest items by the Suez mailWes tgarth’s circular reports that the last New Zealand loan promises to he the leading stock in its own class of securities. —The liabilities of Goddefray and Son are estimated at 10,000,000 marks.—Vice Admiral Sir Fred. Beauchamp Seymour, formerly Commodore »nd commanding H.M.3. Polonis on the Anstralian station, succeeds Admiral Hornby Hornby in command of the Mediteranean fleet. Private enterprise e«tab! ishes a depot on the Crozet Islands The Coning lands stores there.-Sii Julius Vogel publicly assorts that the prosnects of the New Zealand Agricultural Com-any are very encouraging. A number of watch makers purpose settling in Australia and New Zealand, consi tenng there is a hopeful future at the antipodes for the watch trade. The Gippsland bushranger asserts that he is the son of the late Comte de la Thenar, and that he only stuck up the Holly Plains Station out of pure bravado and with no felonious intent. He wandered in the bush for two days without food, then accidentally met a clergyman, who, after two hours’ persuasion, induced Thenar to promise to surrender before doing anything desperate. He accordingly cave up his arms to a woman who treated him kindly. A beautiful comet made its appearance in the south western heavens last ni.ht. The ‘North Otago Times’ sa jS ‘hat to the natural eye it appeared to stretch over a out an eight of the distance between the horison and the zenith. Its color was pale violet, and between nine a ten it was more distinctly visible than any other time during its appearance Shortly before moonrise, about ten o’clock, it became altogether imperceptible to the naked eye. The Western Star says :—“ It was reported during the week that a bona fide. offer of £15,000 w r as made ami declined for Pi intz’s claim at Longwood, by a representative of Dunedin captalista. Some very rich prospects were obtained in Ihe claim on Tuesday. The work of getting the machinery on the ground is proceeding, the boiler the heaviest piece—hiving been landed a day or two since. At a recent meeting of the Papinui Sparrow Club, Canterbury, it was reported that tlie Club, had paid for 26,978 eggs and 3857 heads, and that the result of the dull s labours was now very apparent in the district. At Sydney the Loftus Troupe are doing great business, and there are no complaints of indecency at present. Two sisters, on a visit to a largo house near Wanganui, were sleeping in a room together upstairs. During the night («ay» a correspondent of the Marton paper) one of them had toothache, and descended to the kitchen en dishabiUe to procure something to alleviate the pain. She returned to the bed room, and exclaiming “Oh, it’s so cold,’’ jumped into bed. Tim exclamation aroused the occupant, who proved to be, not her sister, but a male sleeper She hail got into the wrong room. He turned over, and thinking a burglar was in the room caught hold of her. She managed to escape, but not before his rough handling had scratched her face. She rcl ited the circumstance to her sister, and to hide from the gentleman which of the two had been his unwilling guest, both ladies appeared with a strip of sticking-plaster on her ch ck. The Sydney Morning Herald, in its description of the Exhibition, says :— •* In beers the Colonies are v»ry strongly represented, especially New Zealand. Bicon and cheese are strongly epresen el, the Coast districts and New Zetland having a fine show. As a rale, our own exhibitors seem to have lost ground, either through over smoking or poor feeding, compared with the New Zealanders. There is a ripeness and jnciness, so far as appearance goes, in the exhibits from the sister Colony which those of New South Wales lack. Judging from what we can see. tlmre is b-ss loss in curing the New Zealand flitches than our own.” An amusing newspaper blundei appeared m the 1 Berwick Journal ’ a short time since. Thus it ran among the recorded local Birth's At Market place, l.’ohlstream, the wife of Richard Lillico, butcher, and farmer, of a sow.” As he was ascending the pul .it steps (says un American paper) one of the eiders button holed him to whisper an additional caution. “The liquor dealer has just come into church, and he gives us a lift sometimes. I wish you would he particular not to allude to the whisky business or the temperance question ” The young minister getting fairly friglrcnod to see the moral ground thus steadily narrowing before him, inquired, “ Whom, or what shall L preach a ..ainst, then?” The elder’s reply came like an air of triumph: “Preach against Mormons ; they haven’t.got a friend in this I town I” If preaching is the art of not hit- ; ting anybody, that c-Danny would haio been an effective direction A recent arrival from the land of failed potatoes was Ashing the other day not far from Seymour. He experienced sonic difficulty in obtaining worms for bait, and a companion advised him to look under a large sheet of bark near at hand. Worms in abundance were there, and so was a 15 in snake. Patrick joyously announced to his friend, “ Sure enough here's a tine lot of worms, and ouhl mother of the lot! ’ The groat deeds of saint he was named after had left him innocent as to the apearane# of vipers.—-Eg I us. An English paper says If, as reported. Sir Stafford Nortbcote experiences a difficulty in balancing his accounts, the windj fall by way of probate and legacy duty i lately paid hy the Rothschild family will he a lucky thing. No leas a sum than ' £39JiOO for probate, and over £24.000 for I legacy duty, lias just been paid, making a total of over £63,r00 to ihe inland revenue. Gould not a few other milln.mines nh.igo our generous hearted O'mncelior hy departing this life? This would he true patriotism.

I At Lawrence, on January 30th, at a raeet;n r of dele -ates from the Tuapeka and Bruce Counties and Boroughs, held this afternoon, , and presided over by Mr N. Williams, | jivivr' f Lawrence, it was resolved, on the I motion of Mr J Bennett, the Tuapeka I Countv chairman, seconded by Mr James s.oph, of the Bruce County Council—- ; "TV!,, in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable that the Tuapeka Hospital should j he in future maintained by proportionate j contributions from the local bodies in Tua--3 jwfca and Bruce counties, and voluntary I subscribers and Government subsidy there--1 on. and that the management he vested in | the contributing bodies.” It was further resolved—“ That the contibntions of local i bodies be as follows Tuapeka County, I L 371 12s fid ; Bruce, L 307 10s ; Lawrence f- Borough, L7O; Milton, LSO ; Tapanui, L 23 ; Roxburgh, LlO 10s ; subject to cledue- | tions that may he made for any patients that may require to be sent to the Dunedin | Hospital from Bruce direct.”