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Dunstan Times, Issue 960, 10 September 1880, Page 2

The Bazaar in aid of the funds of the Church of England takes place on O'e 18th instant, to-morrow week, and by all accounts in so far as the quantity and quality of gifts should be a success, the next thing wanted will be purchasers, but as the majority of the articles arc either something to eat or something to wear, there should not ,be much fear on that score. A novelty in the shape of a refreshment stall is to be introduced, where, for some insignificant sum, a cup of tea and a sandwich or cake can he obtained, should be an attraction to those living at'a distance.

We are informed that our Alexandra correspondent some few weeks since was in error in stating that Mr Mitchell had sold out his interest in the quartz reef on the side of the Old Man range, at the back of Bald Hill Flat. Mr Mitchell purchased an interest in Mr Wilkinson’s claim on the Flat lor LuOO, but still retains the other. A new form under the Property Assessment Aet has been adopted and will bo issued next week. It is probable that the

time for sending in returns will bo ex tended to the middle of next month.

A case of considerable importance and interest to the mining community was heard in the K M. Court, Alexandra, on Monday last. The argnm nt of Mr F. J. Wilson, who appeared in the case, appears in another column.

Miss Jenny Nyo and party intimate in another column lint they give their farewell benefit in the Town Hall, Clyde, on Wednesday, the 22nd inst., when an entirely fresh programme will bo issued. Mr A. D. Harvey ollieiated at Clyde on Tuesday last as auctioneer at the sale of sections in the towns of Clyde and Alexandra. Tn the former town three sections only were sold, the Presbyterian Church body being the purchasers. In the latter town eleven sections were soil, the Presbyterians again being the purchasers of eight of them. At the price demanded by the Government for town sections—from L3O at the lowest to Ll2O per acre—we wonder not so much at the few sections sold, as hut that anyone is insane enough to lay out their money on land. Some years ago the prices of sections were regulated according to their position, those fronting back streets being L 3. Now, however, whether they face front streets or hack streets, the price is ail the same, and that L 7 10s each. On Friday, sections in Bannockburn and Cromwell are to be offered. For those at Bannockburn wc expect a good deal of competition, as on the sale of the land depends the formation of a town.

From advertisement it will be noted that the service ofsong entitled Eva, taken from Mrs H. B. Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, is to be given at Alexandra on the evening of the 17th. The piece has been very popular and well received in Dunedin and elsewhere, and no doubt a number will avail themselves of this opportunity to hoar it. Mr Fache reportshaving sold by auction, at Alexandra, on Monday last, the mining claim at Doctor’s Point once celebrated for its large yields of gold, together with a water-race with right to two heads water ; also a magnificent plant of tools and material, for the insignificant sum of sixty-one pounds. Messrs Terry, Stuart, and Brady, a party of working minors, were the purchasers. On the same day Mr Fache reports selling the right to occupy the grand stand (luting the ensuing spring meeting, realising L 5 ds for same, Mr It. T. lull being the purchaser.

Five different parties have taken up sections on the deferred-payment block on Earu'dcugh run, namely, Messrs M'Ginnis, A. Iverson, C. Iverson, J. Muir, and W. Hoiley.

The usual monthly meeting of the Committee of management of the Dunatan Dis" trict Hospital to have been held on monday evening last, lapsed for want of a quorum. As it is absolutely necessary for a meeting, we are requested to state that it will he held on Monday evening next. The recent earthquake in Manilla caused a terrible panic, and great damage was done though few lives were lost. The streets were blocked with debris, and the inhabitants were prostrated. The whole city oscillated for seven seconds, but at other places the shock lasted for one or two minutes.

The European Mail states that the Duke of Manchester will visit New Zealand, where lie has considerable property. At Leeds banquet a large number of guests assembled, and the toast of “The Australian Cricketers ” was received with enthusiasm, laudatory references being made to their unprecedented career of victory throughout England. A Sydney telegram of the Glh iust. states that: —“There was great excitement in town yesterday owing to the Government having prevented Professor Proctor from lecturing at the theatre last night by putting pressure on the lessee. A crowd of 1000 persons proceeded to Mr Proctor’s hotel and cheered him.

A special telegram to the Daily Times from Wellington states that the Government have not called upon all Justices of the Peace who have? filed declarations of Insolvency to resign their commissions, nor is there any intention of doing so. At the sitting of the Waste Land Board held on the Ist instant the Board agreed to offer the section of land at Alexandra in the occupation of Mr P. Murray, with the sum of LSD added for improvements effected.

An exchange says that there is only one member of the Lower House who is interested in the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill, and that is Mr M'Caughan, who has been released by death from one wife who brought him L 25.000, and now desires to have his marriage with her sister made legal, as a similar sum depends upon it. The Tuapeka Times has the following “ Gill’s Grand Combination Company, announced to appear on the boards of the Town Hall on Wednesday and Thursday last, made a humiliating exhibition of themselves. The hall-keeper, in carrying out bis instructions, would not open the hall until the usual fee was paid to the Town Clerk, a.ul as they failed to do so, no perfoi finance took place. As on many similar occasions, the poor printer lias been victimised, but in future we vow—a vow that we vowed before—that these strolling parties shall have no credit from us. We shall take the hint from the hall-keeper, and not open our columns till the cash is on the counter.”

Air Bastings publicly stated the other day that under the deferred-payment system, which was inaugurated in IST.'?, nearly 2000 families have settled upon 230,000 acres of laud, and 000 holders have fulfilled all the conditions of purchase.

The Ballarat Courier states that “ nearly half a ton of gold was sent by one of the local banking institutions to the head office in Melbourne on Tuesday. The gold was

principally the product of the llurdstkdd mines, but a portion of it was from other mines, and a little of it came from Stawell. ft lo dts something like remunerative mining to see nearly L101),0()0 worth of gold sent away in one parcel.

Aii English farmer writing to the Echo says “It may not he generally known that oats increase the milk of cows at an astonishing rate, and the milk thus produced is of the sweetest and best quality. Mangold wurtzol, on the contrary, makes the milk poor and ill-tasted. To people living near the town cheap oats should give them plenty of good wholesome butter and milk.” If this bo correct it cannot bo too widely known.

The Chinese Government seems inclined to defy European Powers, and, for the matter of that outer barbarians of whatever nationality. It has been arming and borrowing money to buy munitions of war for. years past. With the borrowed money it has bought some score or so powerful gunboats and several thousand breechloaders. Perhaps it is owing to this state of preparedness that it has just picked a quarrel with Portugal and defied Russia. The latter Power has sent astrong squa Iron to Eastern waters, and this step is reported to have created uneasiness in adjacent British Colonics. Although little has been said respecting the aspect of China towards America, there is no doubt that the treatment of Chinese labourers in the Western States is resented. In the event of an outbreak of hostilities between Europeans and China a considerable amount of inconvenience will arise. In the tea trade some startling movements would ensue. At the present time onr stocks of tea are remarkable low, and the cut off of supplies would cause an enormous rise in price, though, happily, India would benefit very considerably in its young industry as a partial recompense for its loss of revenue in the export of opium.—British Trade Journal.

The following is taken from tho Australasioa, a mining correspondent letter from Badarat to that journal:—“An event has occurred hero within the last few (lays which has done much to bring discredit on mining, and on the district. So far it ooly amounts to an allegation of wrong-doing, but unless such allegations can bo quickly refuted, or are capable of satisfactory explanation, they do as much harm nearly as established facts. The case is one of alleged “salting” of a mine, an offence that has not been known on Ballarat for a number of years now. It appears that on Monday a sample of over of gold was shown at the Corner in a broker’s window as tho product of two American buckets full of washdirt taken from the face of dirt in the Great Southern Hurdslield mine.

The exhibition of this small sample of gold from a great bed of washdirl was thought by many, at the time, to be suspicious, because if that was a fair sample of the bulk, it could only have the effect of raising the value of the shares to those most likely very anxious to buy them ; but several practical tests of the dirt since have only revealed the fact that it is really very poor, the prospects only giving a very few “colours” to a bucket ; and what is still more significant, the character of the gold in these colours is quite different to that >.f the gold said to have been got in the first instance. Efforts are being made to discover the true facts of the case, with the determination of sheeting it home to the guilty party, hut it seems to be somewhat doubtful if that desirable cud will he obtained. That the washdirt first tried was salted seems to admit of no doubt at all.”