LAWRENCE.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2054, 4 December 1869, Page 2

LAWRENCE.

[from our own correspondent.] No one can deny that ours is a lively little township. There is always something fresh for our local gossips to discuss; some choice piece of scandal or some fresh iniquity on the part of the Government. For the last fortnight we have had even more excitement than usual—a financial crisis, several threatened prosecutions for libel, an accusation of forgery, a Chinese marriage, and a row in the town council, making up the budget of local memorabilia.

Our little crisis has been in truth no trifling matter to many of the business men in this locality. It arose from the unsuspected insolvency of a person who until recently was looked upon as better “in” than the majority of his fellow townsmen. When the crash came it was discovered that the infantile amusement cf kite-flying had been carried to a most dangerous excess, and that the shrewdest of our financiers had got severely bitten. I cannot tell you how far matters have actually gone, but can assure you that things look serious enough, and that ample employment is Ifkely to be afforded to the Bankruptcy Court for the next few months. The libel cases are also likely to give employment to the “ devil’s own,” at least one of them, for I learn the other has been settled, the libeller having consented to eat humble pie. The accusation of forgery has been brought against H. C. Richards, formerly secretary to the hospital. It appears he owed an account to a publican named Griffin, who died some months ago. By his will Griffin left a legacy of LIOO to Richards, and according to Richards's own story, sent him a letter freeing him from all obligations. This latter document was produced in evidence by Richards on his being summoned for his account by the trustees of the estate, and (was sworn to be not in the handwriting of Griffin by several gentlemen, including the agent of the 'Bank of New South Wales. The magistrate severely commented on the "conduct of Richards, and gave a decision agaipst him. He was at once arrested, and is 1 fear too likely to he committed to take his trial on the serious charge of forgery. The unfortunate man has a large family whose helpless condition is much pitied by the whole community. A day or two before his arrest he was elected schoolmaster at the Tuapeka Mouth. Considerable indignation has been excited by the marriage, on Monday last, of a middle-aged Chinaman to a European child —I cannot call her anything else—under peculiarly disreputable circumstances. The Celestials are not very popular vvitj} the European miners, and an occurrence of this kind is not at all likely to increase the entente cordiale. I bear another marriage, nearly as objectionable, is likely to come off shortly; but I hope something will be done to prevent it. However precocious our colonial youngsters may be, I hardly think they can be considered qualified to enter into so solemn an engagement at the early age of fourteen to fifteen summers. While I am on the sub. ject of the Chinese, I may mention that a number of the last importation arrived here in very bad health. One of them died last week on his way to the hospital, and there are several cases of scurvey in the wards of that valuable institution from the ranks of the same batch. Such a state of things does not reflect much credit on the inspecting medical officer at Pqrt C'halrqpg, Our Town Council, yob are'pbrhaps aware, is not a body remarkable for any great brilliancy on the part of its members. Some time ago the members of this body were struck with the idea that their administrative ability had not sufficient scope to display itself ; accordingly they endeavored to have the management of the Cemetery handed over to them, - A strongly-worded memorial was duly prepared add forwarder to the Superintendent. The Town Clerk, who is also clerk to the trustees of the Cemetery, had actually, the presumption to expose the mis-statements contained in this precious document, and was accordingly hauled over the coals at the next meeting. A motion was carried, calling upon him either to resign his office or to express his firm belief iri the accuracy cf ah that had been advanced by the councillors. Tkis fie has very naturally refused to do, and the result has been the resignation of one conn; cillor and the Arm determination of the others never, never, never to sit at the council board until the daring official hag devoured his leek. The general hope is, that they will be as good as their words, as their course of action has generally been to me ldle and muddle. In the meantime the trustees are left masters of the field. In mining matters there is very little to report. In the deep shaft the bed rock has been struck"by the boring apparatus at a depth of eight or nine feet, so that the quesr tiou of lead or no lead will very soon be set at rest. No one appears very sanguine as to the result; for although gold is found in small quantities all through the debris, its existence in payable quantities appears very problematical. While we are not very confi-

dent in the results of deep sinking, our hopes run strongly in favor of more extensive alluvial mining. The whole of the spurs along the Tuapeka creek are kitowh to be highly auriferous, but cannot be worked for want of water. An attempt is being made to raise a company for the supply of this indispensable commodityjfrom the head waters of the Beaumont, but I fear the requisite capital—some L3ooo—will prove too much for the resources of the district. There is no doubt the enterprise would prove a paying speculation, and I trust it may find support from some of your wealthy citizens. We have as yet escaped any violent attack of the quartz mania, although there is little doubt that payable reefs exist within a short distance of Lawrence. Only the other day, I was shown some specimens of gold taken from the casing of a reef in Maclean’s, late Treweek's run. What we want is capital, and without that, our golden treasures must lie perdu for a few years longer. There has been a considerable rush from Waitahuna to Cromwell, but the infection has not spread to this district as yet.