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Dunstan Times, Issue 949, 25 June 1880, Page 2

It is proclaimed in the General Government Gazet'e that cook pheasants and quail may he shot in the Lake County from the Ist June to the 31st July, an I that ''arcs may be coursed from the Ist May to the 31st July.

We have to acknowledge receipt of hatch of Parliamentary papers, four numbers of Hansard, and a number of Bills now before Parliament including, amongst the latter, Mr Pyke’s Party Processions’ Bill, which we learn was virtually thrown out, it being resolved to read it a second time in six months.

The time for sending in the returns under the property assessment tax lias been extended until August Ist. It is expected that the new fomis will be issued very shortly .Mr David M'Kellar, late of T'panui, writing from Geelong, says that carrots steeped in arsenic are now being used for rabbit poisoning.

A deputation with reference to the. Otago Central Railway waited on Ministers on Friday last, when the line was promised every consideration. Tenders are required for constructing about 40 chains of water channel in Tiger Hill district ; for about three miles of fencing in Ida Valley ; and for tunnelling tail-race of 20') yards at Tinkers. See advertisements. The lotal eclipse of the moon, on Tuesday night last was very visible in this district, hut towards morning there were some very black clouds knocking about. The Golden Stream Lodge, 1.0. G.T., will hold an open harmony meeting in the Town Hall. Alexandra, to-morrow evening, at half-past eight. A meeting of Subscribers to the Dunstan District Hospital will bo held at 2 o’clock to-morrow afternoon, for the purpose of electing a Committeeman in the room of Mr Auckland, resigned. In a letter last week we inadvertently inserted the word “causing” instead of “saving.” The meaning of onr correspondent, however, was palpable. Sheepowners are reminded that they must send in their annual returns to the respective sheep inspectors not later than the end of the current month. Mr C. Roskruge, of Queenstown, is the inspector for the Counties of Maniototo, Lake and Vincent.

We have received a “Report of the Ranger to the Taranaki Land Board,” have read it, hut fail to see anything to account for its circulation so far from Taranaki.

A Melbourne telegram states that the Prince of Wales will visit Australia during the time of the Melbourne Exhibition.

On Friday evening last a rather serious collision occurred on the Cromwell road about two miles above Clyde. The following are the particulars as we have been informed. Both travellers wore on their right sides of the roal, but they by some means collided, resulting in one of the conveyances with the horse going over the bank some fifteen feet. The driver jumped out in time, and escaped with a few bruise, Imd considerable damage was done to the trap, and the horse escaped unhurt, Mr William Jackson Baray addressed the residents of Clyde in the Town It a! I Clyde on Saturday last, but from a vorie'y of causes—not the least perhaps being that be ignored the printer -his audience was but a meagre one and we should imagine after paying for the use of the Hall but little remained to help the Captain on to the next town. The address fell somewhat flat on the oars of the audience and we think the Captain will have to strike another vein to make a fortune. We were told that his “Ups and Downs” was most favourably received amongst all classes at homo, but that iu spite of bis having 7000 copies in the colony it fails to receive that support from his colonial friends he would desire or iu fact that he expected. We regret to hear this as the book is readable aud well worth the money.

The Florence Comique and Opera I Troupe gave two of their very excellent entertainments in the Town Hall, Clyde on ' Wednesday and Thursday (last) evenings. On Wednesday evening, no notice of the appearance of the Company having been given, the audience, though highly appreciative, was hut a limited one. Last evening, however, the house was fairly full. The Company (live in number) is a good one and deserve a large share of the public patronage, yet we fear following as they do so closely on the hinds of the Murielle and Caraudini Comoanic-i that they will not meet with the support th y deserve. The entertainment offered by the Company is far and aw-ay above the ordinary, and wo shall hope to hear of them as they progress down country making up for lost time. To night (Friday) and to morrow (Saturday) they are announced to appear at Alexandra, anil on Monday and Tuesday following at Roxburgh, We learn from the Wellington Post that on the 10th instant : The evening sitting commenced with the proposal by Mr Pyke to pass the second reading of the Party Processions Bill. This measure was merely to restrain party processions where they were likely to provoke breaches of the peace, it being left to the justices to decide whether a processional display was sufficient to do that. The bill was very generally opposed, thi Premier leading the onslaught. Of course Mr Sed lon, who may be termed a sort of legislativ e perpetual-mo-tion bellows, blew a blast on this as on all previous subjects. Mr Dowuie Stewart cannot get over his “legal” style of address. He rose with a copy of “ Addison upon Torts,” or some other law book in his hand, and frequently glanced at its pages, hut he did not quote any of its contents, and merely spoke briefly in support of the hill. On the motion of Mr Bowen, the bill was shelved, notwithstanding Ml Pyke had informed the opponents of the measure that blood might lie at their doors in coiisequen-o of their opposition. Gohlsboi eugb’s Monthly Circular for June states that the May-June series of sales, which we are advised by cablegram closed on the Sth inst., passed off on the whole very satisfactorily, considering the unusually large quantity offered ; for although ihe extreme prices reported in the early part of the sales were not maintained, and the market was for some time somewhat irregular, we notice that during the las: fortnight the demand became more I animated, ami the market closed with | tolerable firmness, which, in the face of I the large catalogues submitted, is evidence I of the sound an 1 healthy state generally of i the woollen trade in Europe, and justifies | us in looking for a continuance of the present. high range of value for our staple product. It is worthy of note that during | the sales only about 25,QU0 bales were I withdr.wn, most of which, it is reported, were subsequently disposed of privately at i full rates It is supposed that the next I sales will not commence till the 17th of | August, and the long recess thus afforded the staplers and manufacturers will enable I them to clear off their stocks, which will, i no doubt, help materially to support prices, j As the season has been so favourable in

most of the wool-growing districts, shearing will commence early, .m l the facilities fur carriage having recently been greatly increased by the opening of railways in all directions, and the improvement effected in river navigation, there will be much loss time than usual between the shearing and the delivery of the wool at the warehouses. Foreign and English buyers, therefore, who desire, an early choice of our line Riverine clips would do well to make arrangements in time for being represented at our sales, which, probably, will commence in aid bourne about the end of September.

In an article questioning the necessity of the completion of the Otago Central Railway to Wanaka, the Bruce Herald contains the following interesting piece of news : “ There is certainly a considerable quantity of timber growing at the head of Lakes Wanaka and Hawea, but we venture to say that, if the railway wore made, but little timber would find its way down by railway, when water carriage is to be had for one quarter the expenditure. At present large rafts are made upon the lakes, and towed by sailing boat to the Molyneux. Once in the river they reach Cromwell in a moderately short space of time. After passing tiie rocks at Cromwell, there is little obstruction met with. Of course a few accidents might happen to rafts, but at a small cost for blowing up rooks, the river could he made suitable for timber rafts from Wanaka to -Molyneux Mouth The Bendigo correspondent of the Crom - well Argus gives the following additional particulars of the uew reef there “From a personal inspection of the lode, 1 can vouch for its very promising appearance on the surface. The lode ranges from two to eight feet in width, and shows gold very freely. Mr Kane has arranged with Mr Todd, mill manager for the Cromwell Company, to yet live tons crushed some time this coming week. He employed a workman to get the stone out, and it is already at grass—only four days’ work for one man, and he states that he could easily get three times that quantity if required. You will be able to give the result of the crushing in your next issue.” The same paper is informed that LIOO has been refused for a sixth share in the venture. The Christchurch Press states that over 2UOO bushels of oats were sold last week on a farm near Methvon, Canterbury, for 7d per bushel. At a late meeting of tho Southland Education Board an application was made by a local Library Committee for payment of thoir subsidy (some LCO) in cash instead of books, so as to enable them to reduce their building debt. The Board approved the object in view, but were compelled to decline the application as the money had been *ot apart for the specific purpose named.

A deputation waited upon the Minister of Lauda yesterday, appointed by a conference of the Maniototo and Vincent Coun-

ties, in reference to the settlement of goldfields districts on agricultural leases. The Minister promised in all future settlement there should be a fair distribution of agricultural land of equal value to that offered ou deferred payments. The contract time for the new bridge at Balclutha, which is now being commenced, expires in August, ISSI. Mr John Murray Watsou is the contractor, in the sum of L 10,593. The ironwork has been let in England, and wo understand it will be ready for shipment shortly. In the meantime the contractor is putting over the river a temporary bridge, which will bo available for traffic a few months hence. Mr lligginson is the engineer.

As showing the immense wealth possessed by some persons in England, it is worth noticing that in the last number of the Home News received here there are published the wills of 17 deceased persons, whose aggregate amount of personalty totals up to the enormous sums of L 4,055, 000, or an average of over L 235,000 to each individual.

The Oamaru Presbytery have carried the following resolution, on the motion of the Rev. MrClaik, of Otepopo “ That, in the judgment of this Presbytery, horseracing is a disgrace to modern civilization, a waste of time and means, an incentive to gambling and other vices, and deserving the reprobation of all professing Christians, as injurious to piety and morals ; and instruct the ministers of the hounds to direct the attention of their congregations to these evils.”

The suspension bridge which ia being erected over the Kawarau Uive.- near Arrowtown will have a span of no less than 300 ft., with an elevation of something like 100 ft. above the river. Mr John M'Cormaek is contractor for the bridge, which will cost about L700I). On this contract there arc very heavy rock cuttings besides other bridges, and also three or four miles of heavy road works, which will hi ing up the total amount of the expenditure to about L 13,000. Mr Iligginson is the engineer. This work will he of great benefit to the district, making the main road from Arrowtown to Cromwell easy for traffic. The contract time expires on the l a t October next.

The question of the rabbit run w r as raised at the last Land Board meeting by Mr Beeves. He said be had noticed that a question regarding it had been asked in the House, and it appeared that the Land Board was looked upon as blameable in some way ; and he therefore asked the Chairman what were the facts of the case. The Chairman replied that he really knew nothing about it. Apparently a run near Mavora Lake, formerly hold by the Hon. 11. Campbell, was referred to, but he could not say from memory who had purchased the lease of it at the last auction. But at any rate the Board could not interfere in any way. The Board sold the run to the highest bidder, hut they could nob bind him down to breed sheep on it ; if rabbit breeding happened to he more to his taste or profit the Board could not help it. For his own part, the Chairman added, he believed an easy remedy was at hand ; all that had to he done was to declare the rn i a rabbit district, then the holder could berated, ami he would he forced to kill the rabbits. Mr Beeves expressed himself as being quite satisfied with the information elicited.

Referring to the Kelly gang the Australasian says :—“ Whether these outlaws arc still in the Colony or not is a question that is regarded by many people as problematical. The police and the residents in what is known as the Kelly district, however, positively assert that the outlaws are still in the country, and there is little doubt that this is the case. With regai <1 to the police murders, it has become known that Sergeant Kennedy’s life was taken in a very cold-blooded manner. He was hut wounded on the day of the encounter, and was allowed to live all night so that the gang might learn from him how to work his Spencer rilie. On the following morning Ned Kelly shot him dead through the breast. This fact having become known to the sympathisers with the outlaws, lias produced a coolness between them and the gang.”