LAWRENCE.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2072, 27 December 1869, Page 2

LAWRENCE.

(FROM our own correspondent,) The sensational event of the past week has been the anniversary fete of the Forresters. The brethren of this “ancient Order’' rc» solved to celebrate the day by a procession, a supper, and a ball. lam sorry to say their . ambition was greater than their success, for the procession only showed how silly men can look when attempting any such parade. The barmcny of the supper was disturbed by the obstreperous conduct of some highly elated brethren, whose visit to Wetherston had evidently not been accomplished without the stimulous of Black Horse, and as for the ball, the less said about it the better. It is rather a singular thing that any occasion of this kind is sure to set a large majority of our citizens on what is technically called the “ burst.” For the last four or five days there has been little or no business done, owing chiefly to the empty pockets and sore heads of a large proportion of the community. Many appear to think it is hardly worth while making two bites of a cherry, and apparently have resolved to keep up the spree until the Christmas ho idays are over. And, talking of Christmas tide, I must say ample provision has been made for the amusement df Her Majesty’s Jieges fiuriqg that honored season. On Christmas Day itselfi the newly-organised cricket cluh are to play their first match ; and on Monday and Tuesday the Wetherstoues sports will be held. Race meetings at the Beaumont and at . Tapanui follow ; while, nearer home, Boxing Day will be signalised by a match between - the famous trotters of two of the Wetherstones butcher 3 . On January 3rd, Mr Donovan, of the Shamrock Hotel, will run his venerable nag Old Peter (aged 25) against a smart mare belonging to Mr M‘Bride for L2O. In spite of his advanced years, Peter has a high reputation for toughness, a fact 1 have no doubt well known to many of yoiir readers, as tlie old brute husj quite an Otagan reputation. Thus, with athletic sports, races, and many other amusements, Ave feel justified in expecting a good time, and are certainly inclined to brag a litt’e of our superiority in this respect to all other up-country towns. Our most formidable rival, Wapoii, is at present suffering from the throws of revolutionary warfare. The rebels advance with the warcry of “Threepenny nobblers,” and have, as yet, had things their own way. The publican who first introduced the change has valiantly met his rivals in the Police Court, and had them either fined or bound over to keep the peace. All persons not connected with the sale of grog have rallied round him in so spirited a manner that the escort has suffered from the uiUv. rsal state of drunkenness. The police officer iq charge has declared his inability to preserve order, and I am afraid, unless the old prices be quickly restored, the who'e population of what was oucc a prosperous village Avill succumb to the horrors of D.T. Mining affairs arc veiy dull. Protections have been issued to two parties prospecting for quartz on the Burnt Rang s ; but beyond exhibiting a few dickey-looking “specimens,” nothing appears to have been done. The continued drought has paralysed all our energies, the majority of the Wetherstong miners being thrown quite out of work, owing to the state of the Phoenix dam. The Blue Spur claims have also suffered from a similar cause, and most of them are washing up, with fair average results, The Tnapeka Mouth Reef prospectors are looking down in the mouth, and do not seem much inclined to continue the search. The Deep Shaft has, as I foreboded, turne 1 out a failure, not even the color being obtainable from the bottom. The whole timbering, whim, and plant were sold on Monday for LI6 10s —the melancholy end of an enterprise on which over LIOOO of public money has been spent. Altogether, mining matters in this district are at a very low ebb, aiul many of cur citizens are making preparations for a visit to Cromwell, the Thames, the Fijis, or—and this the favorite destination—the French settle* meut in New Caledonia,. An amusing instance of the kind of people by whom we are governed came under my notice the other day. There is a little village not quite a thousand miles from Lawrence, which is ruled by a Progress Committee. A number of new members were recently elected to this body, and of these I was astonished to learn five could neither read nor write ! I must give these worthies the credit of being anx'ous to learn, as the whole of them are, I hear, promising pupils, in a recently established infant school, Talking of schools, the District School was held this prqfimmWgtiLtim pupils reflected a afflflHHHHHSeacher. 'VHMHBiciiltn's have never yBBH|R last escapade. by the entire and are thau^^H^K^