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Dunstan Times, Issue 1225, 21 August 1885, Page 2

We are requested to remind persona seeking a farm-holding, of the sale on Monday next, the 24th inst., of the valuable freehold farm in the Blaokstono District. We refer intending purchasers to the advertisement in another column. Mr Facho directs us to draw the attention of residents in Alexandra district to his unreserved sale of forest and fruit trees tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, the 22nd inst., at S mmonds’ sale yards, Alexandra ; also to the sale at Clyde on Wednesday, the 2Glh inst., of a like selection. One of the “Sporting” contributors to the “ Evening Herald ” says that tho amount passed through the totalisators on the various race meetings last year aggregated no less a sum than £47d,01)0 odd. We would much like to know what the total amount was that passed through the hands of our consultalionist friends. The question occurs—Has this diversion of so large an amount of tho circulating medium from its legitimate channel anything to do with the existing depression ?

The Anniversary Foresters’ Ball, which takes place on Friday next, the 28th inst, promises to be an immense success, the committee of management sparing neither time or expense to bring the affair to the successful issue which is anticipated. Mr J, MoEachen, photographer, again announces that he has re-opened his studio in Blacks for six days only. As this gentleman’s fame is known far and wide, he should be well patronised.

It is expected that the telegraph companies now assembled at Berlin will offer to reduce the charges on Australian cablegrams by half a crown per word for ordinary messages, and Press messages by one«fourth. . It is rumoured that a highway robbery took place at the Upper Nevis a day or two since, the assailants being a party of five Or six Chinamen, and the assailed two Englishmen. No particulars are to hand, but from the source we derived our information we have no doubt of the correctness of the rumour. John evidently is learning a thing or two. We have heard of him personating a M'Pherson and a M-Tavish ; - this, however, is the first time we have known him to assume the tolq of highway* man.

We learn that the committee of the Presbyterian Chnrch, Alexandra, are making arrangements for holding a gift auction and fancy fair during the Christmas holidays, with a view of raising funds to fence in the glebe paddocks and for some improvements and repairs to the church building. The following motion was unanimously agreed to at the discussion on athletic sports at the last meeting of the Alexandra Mutual Improvement Society That the moderate and rational use of all such athletic sports as cricket, football, pedestrianism, etc., tends to the healthy development of the bodily and mental faculties, and is therefore beneficial to the rising generation of this colony.

We again remind onr readers in the Blacks, Tinkers, and Ida Valley districts that the entertainment in the School House, Ophir, in aid of the funds of the Dunstan District Hospital, takes place this evening. We have received some verses on the subject, but not being quite up to the standard, we are compelled to refuse them insertion.

Some miners from Blue Spur who have visited the Criffel diggings returned home during the week, they saying that nothing can be done there for the next month or six weeks yet,-the ground being covered too deep with snow to allow of prospecting till then, when they intend returning and giving the place a trial. We are informed that the horse Knickerbocker Sam that was so successful at the last Malakanui race meeting, has changed, hands at a most satisfactory figure, Mr C. Huddles tone being now the sole owner.

The Lake County has an overdraft of 1-3178 17s 9d, and uncollected rates of LI2OO 4s 51. For the current year the vnin levied is I of a penny in the £.

A painful accident happ"ned to one of the Dunedin High School boys on Saturday last, when jumping or climbing over the school gate his little finger, which had a. ring on, by some means got caught, and was pulle 1 right ont of the socket as the boy jumped. The finger was afterwards picked up with the ring on by one of his chool mates.

The “Stir’s” correspondent wires Mr W, Adams, geodeaical surveyor for the Colony for the past ten years, is to succeed the late Mr Arthur as Chief Surveyor for Otago. Mr n.darns is an old Otago resident, having for some year s been district surveyor at Lawrence, under the Provinoial Government. The appointment is not officially notified at present.”

The Tuapeka County Council has appointed Mr John Edie, of Milton, to the combined offices of engineer, surveyor, ami inspector for the county. There were 51 applicants—33 for inspector and 18 tor the combined offices.

•Tick Williamson disagrees with the old fashioned idea of working horses before breakfast during tho cold winter months. He says they should not “work” till after dinner; they are so apt to catch cold at early morn.

Goldsborough's monthly circular for July gives an interesting history of the wool , tra(,e °f the Australian Colonies for the , past year, from which we glean the follow. , iugi which should prove of interest to our readers. Total shipment from the Colonies for the year ending June 30th, 1,111,846 bales, of which Now Zealand contributed 232,100 bales, which was an increase of 5116 over the proceeding year, la speaking of the decline in pi ice below the rates ruling in November, the decline being in greasy merino from Id to 3d per lb., it says-It is difficult to account for the pres sent depressed state of the London market, otherwise than [that consumption is not keeping pace with production, and wo are inclined to think that the present downward tendency will not receive a decided check until there is a cessation in the pre. sent rate of increase of sufficient duration to allow tho market to recover its accus* tomed buoyancy. Each year the wools from the River Plate provinces increase in quantity and improve in quality, and they are now competing with Australian Merino to a greater extent than ever before. Such being the case, it behoves our flockraasters to give every attention to the improvement of their flocks, for only by increasing the value of their fleeces will they be able to hold their own against the almost countless mil ions of sheep that graze on the fertile plains of the Argentine. Rabbit skins are quoted—superior, Is 2d to la 6d per dozen ; average, 81 to Is 2d pel dozen; wheat, 4s 2 I to 4s 3d per bushel ; barley, 3s to 4s 84 (according to quality); oats, 2s 91 to 3s ; large supplies of this gram from New Zealand has prevented an improvement in | this article.

On the petition of Edward Peters, of Tnapeka, who claims to bo the discoverer of the Tuapeka goldfields, the Committee reported that, owing to the lapse of time, the petitioner has not established his claim to a reward for a discovery of gold in Otago. The committee, however, recommend the case of the petitioner to the favourable consideration of the Government as one to be dealt with under the head of charitable Mid to the extent of LSO, on condition that an equal sum of LSO be raised by public subscription.”

A report has been received from Bombay Bays the European Mail, that there has been an insurrection in Northern Afghanistan against Abdullah Khnn. According to this report it is stated that Ishak Khan, aided by Russian influence, has succeeded in securing possession of Khanibad, and has seized a large amount of treasure, valued at one hundred millions sterling. So far as can be gathered at present Abdullah Khan was the Governor of the northern province of Afghanistan, and Khanibad lies to the south of the Oxus, which separates it from Bokhara.

The American papers record some remarkable results of “prohibition” in Topeka, Kansas. Twenty-seven saloons were shut up, and the prohibitionists went into statistics to prove that they had stopped the sale •of 10,000 pints of liquor. Later returns show, however, that 31 licensed drug stores had taken tbe place of the 27 saloons, and 11,800 pints of whisky had there been sold jn place of the former 10,000. Mr Hesketh, a solicitor of Aucklanl. charged 40 guineas for four days’ services in ■connection with a case in which he was retained as leading counsel. The charges were “taxed,” and he was obliged by the judge to accept seventy-live per cent less than that amount. A correspondent of the Auckland “ Herald, in commenting on this fact, says that the papers are sometimes very hard on money-lenders who charge -only double bank rates on even bad security hut what about a charge of L 42 for four days’ services? “No wonder,” he says, '“lawyers want to keep their profession a -close borough.” The crowd which assembled at the Coart ■on Tuesday and 'Wednesday (says the “Mataura Ensign” of August 7) were highly eiified by the passages at arms which were constantly arising between two opposing counsel. The war of words raged -furiously, and epithets and sneers were indiscriminately and mutually indulged in. One of these combats culminated in an assertion that a certain statement was a raen■dacious one. This brought down the cen--sure of the Bench, and order again reigned. In the last ca-e on the list Mr Fletcher and Mr Wade were opposed, and the following ■dialogue occurred Mr Fletcher (to witness) : Did you speak to the bullock ? Witness : Yes. Mi F.: Did he reply co you ? Mr Wade ; What! can this bullock speak ? Mr Fletcher : We have heard an ass speaking before now (-peaking significantly). Mr Wade : Yes (also significantly), and ho "hasn’t done yet (Supnressed applause). The following English items are taken from onr exchanges It is rumored that the Czar is adopting a more openly helliger•ent attitude with regard to the Afghan frontier question. It is further reported that M. de Giers is about to resign his position.—'The Russian fleet in the Baltic has been ordered to winter at Helsingfors. Gulf of Finland, and remain in readiness for active service.—Referring in the House of Lords on the 4th August to the Afghan frontier question, the Marquis of Salisbury ■declared his belief that Russia was dallying with the matter in order to gain time to obtain fuller information in regard to the topography of the country.—Tue Marquis of Salisbury is about to pay a visit to the ■Continent, when it is expected that he will interview Prince Bismark and M. de Giers.—Sir Charles Dilko has been made a ■corespondent in the divorce suit of Crawford v. Crawford. The respondent is a daughter of Mr Eustace Smith, who sits in the House ■of Commons for Tynemouth. Sir Charles Dilke has written a letter to the Committee -of the House of Commons denying his guilt —The tone of Russia has become very "bellicose towards England. Extensive naval preparations are being made in Russian ports. Large supplies and munitions are being forwarded to the fleet stationed at Yladivostock.

Commenting on Sir Julius Vogel’s Financial Statement the “ British Australasian " says :—‘‘Sir Julius Vogel is quite right in ■urging that the facilities placed at the disposal of the Colony, for borrowing money, •should not be too lavishly drawn upon. It is, perhaps, rather strange to find this dia» tinguished financier preaching prudence and •caution in these respects. But he is unde* niably right for all that, and, for the time, should act upon his own instructions. There will be brisk times for New Zealand trade before long, and until then it is just not to hnrry matters.” Private Mathieson, of the New South Wales contingent in a letter in the Bruce Herald, states that before Suakin we were asked-to volunteer for Afghanistan, an,d the majority of us would have done so it we had had different officers. As it was only half of the contingent offered to go. If one or two of the officers had stepped into the square and said they were going, and asked who would follow them, I believe the lot of us would have volunteered - ” News comes from London that a wellknown baronet, occupying a high political place, and who was formerly Ministerial Under Secretary, is now figuring as corespondent in a divorce suit pending against him for his relations with a well-known lady, occupying a high social position in London society, and renowned for her beauty. In consequence of the excitement which the scandal has created, the incriminated politician has been compelled to cancel for a time all his political engagements. The proceedings in the Divorce Court promise to be very sensational, and to lift;the curtain of London society somewhat higher than it has ever been before.