Local and General.

Dunstan Times, Issue 995, 13 May 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

It has now been definitely fixed that Parliament shall meet for the despatch of business on the 9th June. We have to acknowledge the receipt of a pamphlet on “ The Dry Closet System,” by Hugh Bell. A terceptiblk though not very startling earthquake was experienced in Queenstown ou the sth instant. His Lordship Bishop Neville will administer the rites of Confirmation in the Church of England, Clyde, next Sunday evening. MrG. Faohe will hold a sale of horses, etc., at Milward’s White Horae Hotel today. This is an opportunity that should not be lost by persons requiring good ani male. We have received from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company their catalogue of New Zealand woals offered at auction in London between March 11th and March 23rd.

Special rules under “ The Regulation of Mines Act, 1874,” to be observed at the following coal mines, are published in the Government “ Gazette ” of April 28th— Bannockburn, Kyeburn, and Kurow, all in Otago. Seeot. E. Morton, for may years in charge of the Naseby police station, is (says an exchange) to proceed to Queenstown, to take the place of Sergt. Morton, reduced. Sergt. Carlyon, of Temuka, assumes the charge of the Naseby district.

One ot the largest potatoes, we think we may fairly claim for it the championship, was shown to us in Alexandra ; its weight was four pounds twelve ounces, and was grown by Mr T. M'Keeman about a mile outside the town up the Manuherikia valley. The crop, as a whole, was a most prolific one.

We Lave to thank our local contemporary for drawing our attention to the accidental omission of Cromwell from the list of Branches of the Otago Central Land League. In another part of this paper we now publish a new list complete to present date. We trust our contemporary will continue to peruse the columns of theJDuNSTAN Times with the same critical attention to remarks. It pleases us, and may do him great good. From the return of the quantity and the value of gold exported from New Zealand, we find that the quantity from Otago for the quarter ending 31st March, 1880, was 32,589 ounces ; value L 131.400 ; whilst for the corresponding quarter of 1881 there was only 20,418 ounces, value L 82.167, allowing a decrease of 12,171 ounces, value, L 49.233. The decrease in the colony for the same period was 28,661 ounces. The total quantity of gold exported from New Zealand from Ist April, 1857 to 31st March 1881, was 9,602,835 uunces, the value being L 37,582,865. On the 30th ultimo, the members of the Golden Stream Lodge, 1.0. G.T., Alexandra, presented their Lodge Deputy, Brother George Macneill, with a handsome third degree regalia and a beautifully illuminated address, set in a handsome frame, in acknowledgment of his long services in connection with the Lodge, and his consistent advocacy of the temperance movement. After the W.C.T. had made a few remarks, he called upon the secretary to read the address, which being done, the gifts were presented after a fow remarks from the District Deputy. Brother Macneill replied in feeling and suitable terms, expressing his hearty thanks to the members. The quarterly meeting of the St. Dunstan Lodge, 1.0. G.T., was held in the Town Hall, Clyde, on Saturday last. The reports of the retiring officers- shewing the Lodge to be in a sound position financially and in point of numbers—were read and adopted. The Lodge Deputy, Bro. Crawford, installed the officers for the next quarter, viz:—W.C.T., Bro. Dunn ; W.V.T, Bro. M'Ferran ; W.S., Bro. M'Connochie ; W.F.S., Bro. De Cource; W.T., Bro. Burke; W.C., Walker; W.M., Bro. W. K. Williams ; W.I.G, Bro. Wilson ; W.0.G., Bro. Watson; W.D.M., Bro. Morris; W.R.S., Sis. Wilson ; W.L.S., Bro. M‘Elroy ; W.A.S., Bro. Wilson, jun. Bro. Smart passed to the chair of P. W. C. T. Mb W. Orb, contractor for the school and the master’s residence at Bald Hill Flat, is getting on with the work, and is making a good job of it. Strange to say, the building is of wood, but why the Education Board should have selected that material in preference to stone—especially when stone of the best quality for building purposes abounds within a few hundred yards of the building, and timber has to be carted some 50 miles—we are at a loss to conceive. We have, however, for a long time past concluded that the ways of all governing bodies are beyond comprehension We are more than convinced of one fact, and that is that if there is a possibility of doing anything against common sense, that plan is sure to be adopted. The extreme folly of erecting a wooden building on Bald Hill Flat is very apparent. Wooden buildings are airy and draughty, and suited for a warm and genial climate, but for such a cold place, exposed to the full force of the southerly winds as is Bald Hill Flat, stone should have been the material used.

There ia every probability of the first of the fleet of steam dredges to be employed on the river between Alexandra and Clyde being ready for action in about six or eight weeks The hull of Scott and Co.’s dredge which is being constructed on the beach at the foot of Mutton Town Gully, will be ready. It ia thought in time to receive (he machinery which is now en route, it having all arrived at Lawrence by rail, from whi nee it will come by waggon. The total weight of the machinery ia somewhat over 20 tons. M‘Kersey and Co.’s dredge, which is to be of iron, is being pushed ahead with as fast as possible at Messrs Kincaid and M ‘Queens yards, though at present, we are informed, there is a temporary stoppage for the want of plates which have to bo sent to Dunedin for.

Thb coming winter, according to present appearances in the neighborhood of Alexandra, promises to be of more than ordinary activity among the raining community. The Doctor’s Point Claim will be in full work ; Coleman’s (now M’Kenzie and party) claim at Butcher’s Point, is to be operated upon ; one or more of the new fleet of steam dredges, besides the current-wheel dredge, will be in full swing, and rumor hath it that besides the river, beach, and and terrace claims already in work, other claims are to bo opened out. These various undertakings will employ a goodly number of men, and should but good lu k reward them, a marked difference In the money market must necessarily follow.

A bailiff in Galway was roasted till ho promised to resign his position. The proposed remissions of duty on silver Slate announced by Mr Gladstone in his ludget speech have been abandoned. Heavy floods have occurred in the Missouri river, causing a great destruction of property. The amount of the damage is estimated at at 4,000,000d01. worth

Have you heard of the Milton Pottery Works ? Have you seen any ot the ware 7 If not, go to Begg’s store, Clyde, where there is such a large variety. The low prices will astonish you,. [Advt.] There were 76 candidates for the office of librarian of the Dunedin Athenaeum. The Government intend to send divers to recover the old silver lost in the steamer Tararua. According to the Times correspondent at Capo Town, Sir Hercule Robinson has made a favourable impression at the Cape, and there Is a pretty general feeling of satisfaction that an administrator of such large experience and sound judgment is at the head of affairs at a critical time. When the railway vote came on for discussion in the Victorian Assembly, Mr Lougmore demanded the withdrawal of several regulations—one prohibiting railway employes to organise themselves, and another indicting a fine of a day’s pay upon every employe if seen speaking to a member of Parliament. The vote passed. There are 3375 Episcopal ministers in the United States and 322,713 communicants.

Sister Dominick, one of the nuns ot the Dunedin Convent, died on the 3rd instant. This is the first case ot the death of a nun there.

The Waikouati County Council have expended on Public Works during the four years of the County system L 20,402 13s 10, or at the rate of LSIOO a year.

Mr Carlyle’s legacy on behalf of an edbcational endowment in his native parish is given in the name of his father-in-law, Mr Welsh.

Thomas Garrett, the youug man who was so severely injured in the recent Roslyn tramway accident, died in the Dunedin Hospital on the night of the sth instant. At an inquest held on his remains a verdict of manslaughter was returned against Peter Hannah, who was committed tor trial. After a trial lasting 47 days, Kalloch was acquitted of the charge of the murder of Charles De Young, proprietor of the San Francisco “Chronicle.” The verdiet was hailed with delight by the “ Sandlot ” element in the community, but it is causing much dissatisfaction among the more conservative citizens.

Mr Batkin, one of the commissioners apappointed by the Government to report upon possible reductions in the Civil Service, is now in Dunedin, and upon the arrival of his colleague, Mr Seed, will proceed with his labors, visiting every part of the Provincial District.

The agricultural returns for South Canterbury (district show that the estimated yield of wheat was 1,483,249 bushels ; of oats, 767,891 bushels ; barley, 159,163 bushels. The total number of acres under crop was 312,785. Captain Malcolm Muir, who had to leave the steamer Tararua on account of the gold robbery, has taken a hotel in Melbourne. Mr R. Dixon, the chief engineer, who was similarly treated (as were also all the crew), has received the appointment of foreman in the Government workshops at Hobart—a responsible position. The “ Auckland Star " says—“ As an instanc of the persistency of the criminal instinct, it (is mentioned that John Gildberg, a Russian Pole, who was sentenced at the Supreme Court, Dunedin, in 1863, to eight years’ penal servitude for rape on a little girl under eight years of age, named Mitten, at Waikonati, is now awaiting trial at Cariyle, neur Wanganui, for a similar offence on a little girl of the same age.” A Sydney paper says :—Mr Proctor, ’.he eminent astronomer, who while here made an impression on more than one fair lady, is about to give the world a flat contradiction of the adage—“ Love enters not the brain where learning dwells.” At Auckland Mr Proctor met Mrs Crowley,a widow, who, like himself, was a passenger by the American mail. Before the steamer reached Honolulu the pair had become encaged, and had arranged to get married at ’ Frisco. As Mr Proctor already has six children and his fair charmer two, it cannot be denied that the happy couple begin life under auspicious circumstances.

This is the latest little diversion of our friends the Chinese : —The Lydia put in to Honolulu with 700 Chinese on board. They mutinied and threatened to murder the crew, and the captain applied to the police for assistance. The police endeavored to board the vessel, but, after exhausting their ammunition, retired, and the Chinese then attacked the crew, but as sixteen of them had served their time in the German army, they fought for their lives, drove them back into the hold, and closed the hatches on them till the soldiers and police arrived. Eighty of the Chinese are reported to be professional pirates. The chief Rewi has met with an accident, which is thus reported in the “ Waikato Mail ” “ A singular accident happened to Rewi on his way to the Hikurangi meeting. He fell down a precipice 70 feet deep, from which ho was iaKen up insensible by Messrs Ross, Thompson and ‘ Moau Jones.’ Rewi, when he recovered consciousness, asked to be dipped in the Pnnui River, and afterwaids found that he had recovered the use of his left arm, which had been for some time previously paralysed. Rewi was carried back to his residence at Punui, where ho remains for the present." The English game of “Kiss in the Ring’ has been introduced into Paris in a very queer shape. Ladies and gentlemen sit round a table, and the one who get the ace of hearts is entitled to a kiss from the opposite partner., A correspondent who witnessed the game says:—“ It was quite a stuby to watch with what perfect mug f raid the gentlemen stood up to receive the stake he had won, and with what consummate grace the lady bent her head to one side so that her lucky opponent accross the table should receive his full allowance.” There surely must have been some cheating in the game, for he adds:—“ How it came about I don’t know, but I saw one gentleman win the game several times in succession, and kiss the same lady.” At Melbourne, the report of the Board appointed to investigate the circumstances attending the Cerberus torpedo calamity has been issued. It concludes that the explosion was due to the presence of an electric current between the battery and the torpedo, and the arrangements which had been made for carrying out the experiment are judged to have been faulty. Regret is expressed that Commander Mandeville was absent from the vessel when the preparations were being made. Tns directors of the unfortunate (?) City of Olassgow Bank, says a contemporary, seem to bo flourishing. From a correspondent in Scotland we learn that the manager is living in the modem Athens “as bright ns ever. ” Potter is also located there in a fine mansion. Inglis, another director, is a factor for a Scottish nobleman in London. Another resides in a magnificent house near Stirling, and gives State banquets ; while another has built a beautiful palace on the shores of Lake Geneva.

A tkrribli: accident occurred on board the war-ship Manus, at Wilhelmshaven. While tbe artillery were practising a shall burst, and 26 persons were eithar killed or wounded. 2