Local and General.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1003, 8 July 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

Farmers are busy at work in their fields. Ploughing is quite possible, the frosts so far not having been severe.

We have to thank the Government Printer for batches of Parliamentary papers and “Hansards.” We have received from Mr J. L. Davis, Lyttelton, a pamphlet wkh the title of " Land, ho;! ” No business of a local description was transacted at Thursday week's meeting of the Waste Lands Board.

Mining is still being briskly prosecuted in the Blacks, Alexandra, Cromwell, and Clyde districts. There has not been frost sufficient to stop the water supply.

A general meeting of the shareholders of the Golden Gate Gold-mining Company will l e held at the Company’s office, Connew’s Gully, on June 16, at 2 p. m. Notwithstanding the closest enquiry, th • police have been unable to discover the pe son or persons who are supposed to have de troyed the Bendigo Company’s flumiug.

The Forhury Park Company have re fused the offer of the Dunedin Jockey Club to purchase the Park for the sum of about L 25.000. The return match of chess by wire, between Messrs Sinclair and Austin of Alexandra, and Messrs Stevens and Heney of Clyde, was played during the week. Two games were played, both resulting in the favor of Clyde.

We again draw the attention of electors to the electoral notification in another column, and we hope that every person possessing the necessary qualifications will take “ Time by the forelock ” and enrol himself.

IN replying to Mr Ballanca in the House of Representatives last week, the Hon. Mr Hall said Government was of opinion that it would he advisable to allow each County Council to impose a dog tax of not lees than Ce,

We learn that the price paid by the “Herald" Company for the “Saturday Advertiser” was a little under Ll,ooo Considering that the advertisements are war'll 1-2,000 a-year, the transaction must, have heen far more satisfactory to the buyers than the sellers.

We understand that during the past 12 months 180,000 rabbits have been cleared

"ff Hallow ay Station at a cost of about 1.3.000, the skins being worth L 1,500. Some adjoining stations have also cleared off large numbers, but there are hundreds of rabbits to be dealt with yet. Mr GL Murray, ex-manager forMr Jae. Parks of the Hartley Arms Hotel, has taken the house lately occupied by Mr M ‘Pherson, and has tu rie l it into a temperance hotel The place has been altered and improved upon, and its appearance is considerably altered thereby. We shall notice the improvements more fully in our next issue. A MAN employed as a cook on the Earnsdough Station died during the beginning of the week. The cause of his death was apoplexy. The deceased was much liked and resjtected, and his remains (which were interred in the Clyde Cemetery on Wednesday) wore followed to their last resting place by a large number of people.

We insert in another column a copy of a memorial that is being taken round the district for signatures, praying auriferous land be reserved to the mining oomuv’nity for their purposes. 237 signatures are already aopended to the document, and it is expected that nearly as many more will be obtained

The June number of that tasty journal, "The Colonial Printers' Register,” is to hand, and is, as usual, replete with useful information. The view of the “ Evening Star" Office, Dunedin, is splendidly executed, and the original reading matter up to the usual standard. All connected with the printing business should well support this admirable journal.

Mr Bastings has the fallowing notice of motion on the order paper in the House of Representatives “That in the opinion of this House it is desirable, in the interest of settlement, that the ballot be reverted to under the deferred-payment system ; and, contingent upon this resolution being carried, that the Government be requested to give effect to the sumo by amending the law bearing upon the subject.”

AT the Supreme Court, Dunedin, last Monday, C. D. Bushnell, aged2o, was found guilty on a charge of burglary and attempted jrape at Albertown. The prisoner was sentenced to penal servitude for three years on the first charge ; and on the second indictment ho was ordered to be sent to gaol for three years concurrently with the three years on the other sentence ; and to be whipped with twenty-five lashes of the cat. It is an old but true saying that “it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.” We notice that our carpenters and glazier are bard at work repairing the damage done by the late storm. Considering that the persona alluded to will pouket about LSO between them for mending and repairing, it is very probable that some of the Clydeites look upon the gale in the light of an unmixed blessing. A meeting of the Dunstan District Hospital Committee was held on Monday even inglast. The only important business transacted was the election of Mr and Mrs Jas. Knox, of Dunedin, to the costs of wardsman and matron to the hospital. Three applications were received for the position. No accounts were presented, neither were the Surgeon’s or Treasurer’s reports. After some routine matter had been gone through the meeting adjourned. A dramatic performance by amateurs will be given in the Town Hall, Alexandra, next Wednesday evening, the proceeds to be in aid of the fund for fencing in the recreation reserve. An excellent programme has been provided, and the amateurs possess no mean talents in the dramatic line, therefore we expect to see their efforts rewarded by » bumper house The object is also a laudable one, and the Alexandrans deserve praise for the hearty and unanimous manner in which they have worked for their recreation ground. We take the following from the “Otago Daily Times’ ” report of the proceedings of the Taieri County Council meeting held ast Friday :—“A letter was read from the Chairman of the Vincent County Council, re the Railway Commissioners’ travelling expenses.—The Council declined to pay the moneys asked for.” We were under the impression that the Council some time ago decided to pay their share of the expenses of the Commission, but it now appears that we were laboring under a mistake. The “Times ” has cither got hold of a cock andbull story, in which the name of the Chairman of the Vincent County Council figured prominently ; or the report was a cooked one. Who can tell ?

All those interested in mining, and when in Dunedin, should take the opportunity of inspecting the diamond sent out from Home by Sir Julius Vogel, and which has been placed in the museum. Miners will thus be able to form an idea as to where diamonds are most likely to he found, and in what formation. It is very probable that at no distant date a diamond field will be discovered in this colony. It is a well known fact that precious stones are often found on the Duustau, which, although small, are nevertheless valuable; and indicate that gold is not the only treasure abounding in the soil of our adopted country In the yard attached to this office t\\ o or three precious stones have been picked up, and we feel sure that they prevail in other parts of the county. We commend the subject to the attention of our mining friends. The “ Cromwell Argus ” in its last issue takes exception to a Cromwell telegram that appeared in our publication of June 1, announcing that “Mr Todd, manager of the Cromwell Co.’s claim, had received a threatening letter, advising him to stop work.” We should like to know what our estimable contemporary would call a threatening letter. It sagely acknowledges that Mr Todd “did receive an epistle, but it was not of such a nature as to cause him much anxiety." The “ threatening ” (our friend quotes this word, to indicate sarcasm we presume) letter coutained the words—- “ Please stop work. Beware I Beware!” If there is not a threat implie 1 in the last two words, then we should like to know what else it is. Perhaps our contemporary thinks nothing less than a knock on the brad of a threatening nature. Will some one experiment upon him and see ? Can nothing be done by the police to wards suppressing the larrikiuism at present so rampant in Clyde ? An occasional exuberance of animal spirits on the part of our larrikins is excusable, but when the same thing occurs night after night, and we-.k after week, then it should be firmly stamped out. The elder members of the larrikin fraternity are not content with shouting, hooting,and cursing in the streets, but, to make bad matters worse, they must needs grossly insult unprotected females, throw stones on to the roofs of inoffensive citizens’ houses, and otherwise annoy them. Unfortunately, the younger boys too faithfully follow the example set by the elder ones. Larrikinisui is the foulest stain that rests on the fair name of our colony, anil the sooner it is wiped out the better will it be for all concerned. The police must take the matter iu hand and act decisively, and without fear and without favor.

Ballarat (Victoria) Las been visited recently with snowstorms. Four lady doctors in America are earning fiom 1.3000 to L4OOU a year A coffee palace is about to be erected in Auckland.

We learn that a telephone exchange is to be started in Auckland. Numerous subscribers have been obtained.

L 50.000 was expended in repairs on the steamship Sorata. The wages a ouo came to L7OOO. TltK Minister of Mines of Victoria will not issue leases to miners, where it is intended to employ Chinese labor. Small pox is dying out at Honolulu. There were no fresh cases for ten days previms to the mail steamer calling. A private company has been formed in Dunedin for the purpose of manufacturing Portland cement.

Hundreds of gold miners are arriving in Tasmania, being tempted to try their luck at some of the recently discovered diggings that have been opened there of late. Trick ett is at Saratoga, America. Whilst there he caught a crab, and his boat capsized. Trioke.tt sank twice, and was only rescued with difficulty. The Sultan of Turkey, it is said, has no less than 7DOO persons fed daily in his Palace, at a yearly coat of L 511,000 for the employees alone. From the following it would appear that phosphorised oats are doing very good work in Victoria :—“7511)9 of oats, mixed with jib of phosphorous, spread in a paddock of 90 acres, in a short time gave employment to four men to carry away the dead bunnies,"

An offer of LIOO.OOO has been made for a quartz mining claim at Gympie, N.S.W., and refused. H50,000 is the sum that wil} be taken for the same, and nothing less.

Messrs Bills (the well-known bird fanciers) have made overtures to the Zoological Society of New South Wales, with the view of supplying the Society with New Zealand birds. Tub success of the Tiraaru Farmers’ Co-operative Association has been so great tkat steps are being taken to establish a similar asaociatiou w-ith head-quarters at Christchurch.

An auctioneering firm in Sydney lately sold land with buildings thereon, in that city to the amount L 86,700 in one day. The prices realised were equivalent to about L 250 per foot The French are meeting with much opposition in Algeria. The insurgents are increasing in various districts, and it is supposed they are aided by those who profess friendship for the French. According to the “Oamaru Mail,” a good authority on the subject estimates that the value of land all over the colony will be increased by at least LI an acre by the operations of the proposed refrigerating companies.

Rumors have been current lately that leprosy is present among the Chinese gardeners resident at the Thames. The local Board of Health instructed two surgeons to report, and both doctors agree that a Chinese {a late arrival) has appearances pointing to leprosy.

The unemployed at Oamaru have presented a petition to the House, asking for work. The petition is couched in language rough, but pathetic, and the signatures are appropriately written on butchers’ bills. The petition was presented by the member for Waitaki. In a late number of the “ Australian Magazine,” the following occurs:—“ln Wellington, the capital, a city of wood and dirt, an absurd city of wooden shanties, of perpetual wind, rain, hail, sle<t, snow, and ice, the blank stare of poverty stands out in bold relief.”

The following remark was made recently at the Newcastle District Court, N. 8. W. by His Honor Judge Dowling:—“Ho declared that be believed that 90 out of every 100 bills of sale granted in New South Wales were all robberies and shams, and that the longer he lived the more he became convinced of the fact.” THKinost recent sensation in the playline at Monaco happened to a newly-married couple, who had never been at Monte Carlo, o- seen gambling before. Changing a LSO-note the new husband got on a run and won 1.6,000, after which he returned to his hotel, packed up, and started for Florence to enjoy his honeymoon at the expense of the Monte Carlo administrators.

Three are 18 lakes in Lake County— Wakatipu, Wanaka, M’Kerrow. Alabaster, Diamond, Sylvan, Harris, Wilson, M’Kellar, Howden. Gunn, Hayes, Moke, Diamond (near Franktou), Luchnagar, Luna, Here, and Disonte. Those lakes are, at various altitudes, and cover about 247,440 acres, and have a length of shore line exceeding 250 miles. After a lengthy hearing at Napier last week, the jury gave LIOO damages against the Bank of New South Wales for dishonoring a cheque drawn by Mr Evans, now of Canterbury, but at the time a storekeeper in Poverty Bay. Mr Evans had received notice to pay up an overdraft, and to give no further cheques, but this cheque was given before the notice was sent, and the manager knew if was current. The Dunedin unemployed have invoked the assistance of Mr Stout to enabl ■ them to get work. That gentlemen, at their request communicated with the Government on the subject, and the Premier replied : “Very sorry to bear from your telegram that employment is scarce. Government have no works upon which, they could offer employment, but will be ready to assist the Benevolen* Committee if this should bo necessary.” Tub \ ictorian Health Board «re taking careful steps to prevent the introduction of small-pox. Jt appears that 96 per cent of the Victorian <h Idren are vaccinated. The Government raised a question whether it was desirable to stop the Chinese coming from Sydney,but the Board considered that it was unnecessary at present. Since then it has been decided to examine all vessels arriving from Sydney in the same manner as those from foreign parts. TltE Hon. Oapt. Eraser was a warm supporter of the Chinese Bill, and during the discussion on its second reading ho said of the Mongolians that they were most treacherous, as witness the Naaeby murder. However, a Chinese had been hung for that, although it was the wrong man (laughter), the other man having the benefit of a clever lawyer. His countrymen though, to their credit, Boycotted him, and the speaker hoped he had since hung himself, or cut hia throat.

The “Timani Herald” thus concludes a very warm article on Sir Julius Vogel : “The Government, it seems, have had the dark places of the Agent-General’s office completely overhauled, and have seen fit to cancel every sort of appointment that Vogel held in connection with the affairs of the colony, in spite of his angry protests and obstinate refusal to resign them. He, in his turn, we hear, wrote such a grossly insulting letter to the Government—a letter which, if published, was eminently calculated to injure the public interests—that the Government returned it to him unanswered, and without placing it upon record. We may think ourselves lucky to have got rid of him as cheaply as we have. ”

A FEW days ago, a horrible death occurred to a Hindoo bridegroom through the observance of a stupid ceremony which still prevails among some sections of the Hindoos. At the conclusion of the marriage ceremonies the bride and bridegroom are locked up in a room, the door of which is fastened on the outside, a Brahman sitting without paying. The bride implores to be let out, but is persuaded to remain where she ia. Such is the ceremony ; but, unfortunately, in the case of which we are speaking, the bridegroom’s clothes had caught fire as he was burning incense, and when his poor young wife entreated to he let out, those outside imagined that she was merely shouting in accordance with the usual custom ; when the door was opened, however, the bridegroom was found dead. The “ Taieri Advocate" is responsible for the following:—A most amusing affair occurred at Waihola recently. A gentleman met a young lady acquaintance, and he noticed that she was carrying in her arms a baby—or what ho thought was a baby. Being aware that the lady was unmarried, her friend thought he was entitled to deal in a little banter about her *• first," when ho was stopped by— 14 Hush, don’t speak so loud! It isn’t a baby ; look 1” lie did look, and, behold, what he imagined to be a hahy, proved to be a fine hare wrapped up in baby’s clothing. The hare had been presented to the lady, hut she had been cautioned that, ns hares were not then in season, she was to take care that she was not detected carrying it. Her woman’s wits came to the rescue, and she had devised the above ingenious scheme,

A GALE AND AN EARTHQUAKE,

Last Friday evening, Clyde and surrounding districts were visited by a heavy gale of wind—or, rather, we should say a whirlwind, as the storm, although it originated in the east, came from no particular point of the compass, but blew from every direction at once. During Friday several noted that tho weather was extremely sultry and murky, considering that it was the depth of winter ; and we remarked that tho sky to the east had a very threatening appearance, looking as if there was something unpleasant brewing in that quarter. At about 3 p.m. the harbinger of the approaching storm came upon ua in tho shape of a few sharp gusts of wind, accompanied with large drops of rain. The sky then gradually became o’ercaat, the clouds being of a sombre hue, and the squalls became more and more frequent. At (i'SOp.rn. the temperature was very hot and close, and the local weather-seers unanimously decided that we would be visited by a heavy shook of earthquake. As after-events proved, their prognostications were mainly correct. Perhaps their “inspiration” was of a purely spirif-ual nature. However, the expected storm burst upon upon us in all its fury at 7'30 p.m. The wind whistled and howled through the trees and every conceivable nook and crevice. Large stones—we were going to say boulders—pebbles, and dust whirled and whizzed through the air, some of which now and again came into contact with the heads of those persons who happened to be in the street. To diversify the proceedings, a sheet of galvanised iron, detached from some building, flew through the air, and was invariably carried into the Molyneux, or landed on its left bank.

The fury of the gale reached its climax at 10'30, and at that time a severe shock of earthquake was felt by several persons. In some instances, houses rose four or five inches in the air, and immediately subsided The shock did not do any damage beyond shifting two or three houses from their original positions.

The gale abated at 1 on Saturday morning, but it came on again at 4 a.m. with renewed vigor, and blew till about 6 o’clock. Saturday was a cloudy, bleak day, but, with the exception of a few squalls and a shower or two of rain, nothing like a storm was experienced during the day. On Sunday morning the wind changed its course, and we had a visit from Boreas. It mined and blew heavily at intervals, and it appeared at if we were going to have a repetition of Friday night, hut the wind died out, and the evening of Sunday was clear and line.

To quote the stereotyped expression of opinion on the subject by that enigmatic personage, “ The Oldest Inhabitant,” “ The storm was the worst that had ever been ‘ felt ’ since his advent here, and that,” concluded he with a decisive snake of his flagitious old head, “was saying a great deal.” The iron roof of Mr Frederick Williams’ stable was carried away, ami other injury done to the building. Mr Faohe's auction room was shifted a clear four inches from its original site, and the windows of a portion of this establishment blown in and smashed to atoms. Two hous s situated on the terrace below Cox’s hotel were blown completely to pieces. The roof of one of the cottages was carried a distance of 100 yards, so terrific was Hie force of the storm. The front of the shop next to Mr Naylor’s establishment was blown out; ami a fence belonging to a house in Sunderland-street was thrown down by the gale. Messrs Holden and Collins have been losers by the tempest. The former lost a stack of hay, which was strewed all over the adjoining paddocks ; and the latter hail his stable and a stack of hay blown away.

We learn that Craig and Co.’s coach had a dangerous time of it on its journey from Cromwell to Clyde nn Friday. We also hear that the wind blow with more force in Cromwell than in Clyde. Thereto! e, such being the case, wo conclude that the aide or the end of the storm visited Clyde, aud the fageud Cromwell.