COUNTRY NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 4153, 19 June 1876, Page 3

COUNTRY NOTES.

(From our Exchanges.)

Mr D. Todd has been appointed second master of the Oamaru school.

The reef discovery by Messrs Higgins and party at Table Hill is beicg prospected with all due diligence. The lode atpreseut exposed is some eighteen inches wide, but widening as it goes down, and showiDg gold throughout. The prospectors intend taking out ten tons of quartz, which they will crush at the Bruce Quartz Mining Company's battery.

A man named M'Gill—about six weeks ago—left the saw mill at the head of Lake Wanaka for Jackson's Bay by the new road, and lias not since been heard of. He is supposed to be lost in the bush.

One of the hotels in a neighboring town having been deprived of a license to sell alcoholic liquors at the recent of the commissioners, the proprietor is selling off bis surplus stock at reduced rates.' "3d drinks " is displayed outside the building in chalk, and all the old topers in the district are revelling in "cheap drinks." We fluapakft Times') refrain from publishing the oxact locality in which the house ia situated for fear that some of our local worshipper of Bacchus might betake themselves to thie emporium of cheap whisky. Another stack fire occurred at Maerewhenua, ou the property of Mr ,*ngus MMJonaW, on Thursday. The fire broke out at about two o'clock, and destroyed two stackn of wheat, valued at Ll5O. The cause of the fire was a spark from the threshingengine ; the mill was burned, but the engine was fortunately saved. Both atacka and machine were covered by policies of insurance.

The Waiareka .Relief Fund Committee have recommended that Miss Taylar receive

LSO; Mrs Page, L 10 0; Kennedy, L3O; Colin Campbell, LSO; Mrs Orr, L 20 0; and Mrs Mitchell, L2OO. The report also recommended that the balance of the money collected and yet to be sent in be apportioned by the committee to the different sufferers six months hence. We ('N. O. Times') may mention that over LB6O has been collected, so that there remains a considerable sum yet to be distributed. Mr Carew, R.M. at Lawrence, is. determined to put his foot upon Chinese gambling houses. On Friday, in the case of the police v. Wong On and Ah Hoy—who were charged with being partners in a game known as " Pak-ap.pew "—he held that the evidence clearly established that it was a game of chance; that the defendants were taking part in its management and were beneficially interested. Mr Carew went on to say : "I cannot assume, as I have been asked by their solicitor, that they may have been servants of others; aad had ic been so shown by evidence, it is probable that if I saw that justice might otherwise fail (as there seems to be a defect in the Ordinance under which this case has been brought), that I would have an injunction laid against the accused for a common nuisance in keeping a gaming house. With respect to the punishment to be given : in many cases, for a first offence, I inflict but a small penalty, but I cannot do so in this case. It has been notoriously known for many months that the game has been openly played at the Chinese Camp, and to such an extent has it been pushed that Chinese agents have been employed riding about the country in every direction, selling tickets and distributing prizes. It has been said for long past, and I believe with good reason, that the Chinese at Waipori have been impoverished almost to pauperism by the money they contributed to the tawrenee pak-ap-pew. The Ordinance intends that such an offence should be treated as a serious one, as it provides a punishment of Lsofor a first offence, and for a second offence, in addition to a like fine, a heavy imprisonment. Each of the accused is separately convicted, and fined L2O, and costs of Court 4s 9d ; in default, one month's imprisonment in H.M. gaol, Lawrence, with hard labor." The fines were paid, and defendant's Mr M'Coy, gave notice of appeal.