The Tuapeka Times. "Measures, not Men." SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1868.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 7, 28 March 1868, Page 2

The Tuapeka Times. " Measures, not Men." SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1868.

Owing to the arrival of the English mail and other telegrams, we are compelled to withhold our usual leader, in type.

If it is necessary to give any explanation to our readers for the scantiness of reading matter in our issues of last week and this week, it is to be found in the large number of advertisements we have been obliged to insert ; but if our readers will bear with us for a time, and continue the encouragement they have so liberally rendered us, we have every reason to hope that, ere long, we shall be able to fulfill the promise we made in our first issue, to enlarge the paper to eight pages. It is matter for congratulation that most of the farmers in the vicinity of Lawrence had their crops cut before the very severe gale of last week set in, otherwise they might have lost at least ten bushels to the acre. We would draw the attention of the School Committee to the very piecarious state of the school-house chimney. There is an iron rod attached to the chimney; and carried to the verge of the roof, where it is fixed for the purpose we presume, of supporting the chimney. Well the verge by some means has become loose, and is in a very insecure state— in fact it looks more as if the chimney were supporting the roof than the roof supporting the chimney. It is evident that some one must have had doubts of its security, as a piece of rope is tied to the verge to hold it to the building, but it is still in a most unsafe condition, a sudden squall might at any time bring down both verge and chimney, and who can tell what might be the result. If, during school hours, the result might prove fatal to not a few. We trust the School Committee will give this matter their attention. We believe a few shillings would make it secure. We may state for the information of our Waipori readers, that Mr. Wilson reads the English Church service in the school-room, Waipori, every Sunday. Whether Mr. Wilson's resignation which we understand the School j Committee have received, will affect this arrangement we are not prepared to state, but we trust that should Mr. Wilson intend leaving the district, some other gentleman will be appointed to continue these weekly services for the benefit of those belonging to the Church of England. We understand the School Committee have communicated Mr. Wilson's resignation to Mr. Hislop, the Secretary of the Eduoation Board. We have pleasure in extracting the following paragraph from the " Evening Star ":—"" :— " The Bey. H. M. Max-tin preached at St. Paul's Church yesterday morning and evening, in aid of the Fund of the Lawrence Church Building Fund, and the total collections amounted to the very liberal sum of £100." Mining matters at Switzer's we are informed, are very quiet, owing to Carney k Co.'s Race continually breaking away. The decomposed rock which forms the principal ingredient of the hill by the side of which the race flows entails a deal of labor on the part of the Company. The water undermines the hill, parts of which keep falling into and choking the race from time to time. Carney & Ca's Race is the only one at work in Switzer's. It is very large, carrying twenty-eight or thirty heads of water, so when anything serious takes place with it there is an entire cessation of work. We therefore hope that the Independent Company's Race which is now at a stand still, will soon be proceeded with, and towards this object we are glad to learn that the Switzer's miners who at present have an interest in this race, have taken up another 100 shares, leaving 150 shares still open for sale before steps can be taken to complete the work. Notwithstanding the scarcity of water, it is evident from the numerous buildings in the form of hotels and stores which are being erected, that great confidence is entertained by the inhabitants as to the ultimate success of mining in the Switzer's district. Carney & Co.'s application for the five acre hill has been refused by the Government. When first Carney & Co. applied for this hill some eighteen months ago the ground was rushed. This decision of the Government will therefore enable the miners who had claims on the hill previous to Carney & Co.'s application, to work their old claims. We trust our worthy Magistrate will grant a re-hearing in the case of Gibb v. Pogonowski, as we think some important point in the evidence must have escaped his Worship's notice. We have had a peep several mornings and evenings during the week from the hills that surround our race course, and we were glad to observe several of our local steeds in full training. If some of our local horses are not fortunate enough to win the principal stakes, it will not be for want of proper training and attention. The course is in very good order ; and we have no doubt, if this really beautiful weather lasts, we shall have a good meeting. Wehave no doubt but the £60, although a small sum, will draw a few cracks from other districts, and we hope our next annual meeting will draw horses, not only from this Province, but from all parts of New Zealand, as the Tuapeka Jockey Club shall be able to give larger stakes. Over £200 have been expended in making the course, which large outlay accounts for the smallness of the stakes, about which we have heard not a few complaints from outsiders. At one of their meetings some weeks past, the Athenaeum Committee decided upon recommencing their Sixpenny Readings which proved so successful and remunerative under their management lately, but curious enough, although they passed a resolution, and fixed upon a day for the first Readings to take place, there have no steps whatever been taken in the matter. This lukewarmne&s on a subject of so much advantage to the Athenaeum, bespeaks a want of energy on the part of the Committee which we regret to notice. We have no doubt many volunteer readers would be proud of an opportunity to display their dramatic powers, and it only requires the Committee again to take the matter in hand to make the Readings a success, to fill the coffers of the Athenaeum, and to provide a pleasant social evening once a fortnight,

Wk beg to remind' 6u* reader* at the post* ponement of Mr. Smith's great cattle sale at Kaitangata, which will now take place on Tuesday, the 3Jst inst. "We do not vouch for the accuracy of the following early antecedents of Henry Grrrett, the bushranger ; we simply relate them as given to us by a resident in this district, who says that he knew Garret b, as he is called, in his early days, in the old country. His name, our informant states, is not Garrett, but Bowse ; and his people were well-disposed, industrious, and rather respectable. The first of Bowse's exploits that became public, was his robbing a shop of a quantity of Cashmere shawls, silica, and other goods, and hiding them in the stackyaid of the Commercial Hotel, in the village of Ho->e, Clawson, Leicestershire, where the goods were discovered, and the robberycarriedhometo Bowse. For this offence he was sentenced to fourteen years transportation. The latter part of the career of this notorious character must be intimately known to our readers. We notice from the Provincial Government I " Gazette," that a number of allotments in the i township of Lawrence will be offered for sale by publio auction, on Wednesday, the 15th proximo, at the Commercial Hotel, Cards of the races, published under the authority of the Tuapeka Jockey Club, giving the various entries for each race, with names of the owners of the horses, and the colors of the riders, will be obtainable at the booths on j the race course, or at the " Tuapeka Times " office. i I In passing Mr. Felpe's store, Wetherstones, our attention was drawn to a collection of nuggets of various sizes, ranging from two pennyweights to three and a-half ounces. One of them, with a rough surface, weighing two ounces, was lately found in the Wetherstones diggings, and another, with a smooth surface quite rounded and water worn, weighing thiee ounces seven pennyweights, was found in a neighboring gully. The value of this collection of nuggets is between £40 and £50. We would direct the attention of the ratepayers of the Municipality of Lawrence to a notice in our advertising columns. The second issue of that spirited publication the "Illustrated New Zealand Herald" will reach Tuapeka, according to advertisement, on Wednesday, the Ist proximo. In addition to a large number of wood engravings, a two-page supplement engraving is promised. The sale of Mr. J. C. Brown's household furniture comes off on Wednesday next, as ad- | vertised in another column, also by posters. We regret that Mr. Brown ia leaving Lawrence, as we feel confident that his many ready services in public matters will be missed in the district. By the instruction of Mr. Henry Solomon, Mr. Hay will sell by auction at his Sale Rooms, Eoss Place, this afternoon, a large and varied assortment of fancy and other goods. We believe many bargains will be going at this sale. The Scottish Photographic Company have opened a place in Wethcrstones at the back of Mr. M'Swiney's store, where they are prepared to take cartes de viaite, groups, and other pictures. Those large and convenient premises, the property of Mr. Coverlid, Wetheratones, it will be observed by advertisement are to be put up to publio auction this day week. The sale of these premises will offer a first class opportunity for some practical brewer possessed of a moderate capital, and there is nothing wo should be better pleased to see in the district than a capitalist entering upon this line of trade, as we are certain there is ample scope for such a speculation. The case of Cullen r. James and party, "Wetherstones, for damages said to be done to plaintiff's tent by mining within a few feet of it, was decided by the assessors on the ground on Thursday evening, before the Warden. Messrs. Bowes, Herd, Swanwiok, and Milligan, were the assessors, and their verdict was j the following:— James and party to pay 30s. damages and one half of the expenses of \ assessors, which amounts to 205. ; and Cullen to remove his tent and pay the other half of assessor's expenses. As the assessors had not the power to award costs to either party, the Warden decided that Cullen should pay the costs of court. This decision we think should be a warning to the miners, not to be so anxious to go to Court about trifling matters, but if possible to settle them amicably by arbitration. The Wetherstones School Committee met on Tuesday evening, the 24th inst., in the Weßleyan Chapel, Wetherstones, to consider the subject of obtaining a suitable building as a school-room. The Wesleyan Chapel had been offered to th« Committee for that purpose on very liberal terms, but as they had also been offered on favorable terms the building known as the White Star Hotel, and as it was considerably larger than the Chapel they had decided upon accepting it. We refer those of our readers interested in the institution of this school, to the report of the meeting which will be found in another column. It is pleasidg to notice ihe energy • with which the Committee have entered upon their duties, and the laudable means they are adopting to raise funds. Ix will be observed from an advertisement with the names of several residents appended to it, that a meeting of the ratepayers for considering various mutters relating to the municipality of Lawrence, will be held in the Shamrock Hotel on Monday evening, the 30th inst., at eight o'clock.

We would draw the attention of storekeepers and others, to the Tuapeka Hospital advertisement calling for tenders for the 31st instant, and we would also remind the Hospital Committee of the usual monthly meeting on the same date. Since the New Year the Blue Spur miners have been very fortunate in their escape from' accidents, but we regret to report that they have at last come in for a large share of them. Yesterday afternoon about four o'clock Morrison & Co. fired a blast at their claim known as Morrison & Co.'s New Face. Upwards of a ton of powder was used for the blast, and two of the miners, John M'Bride and George Silk unfortunately met with severe accidents. They were unaccustomed to the work, M'Bride having been engaged at it yesterday for the first time, and Silk had but lately came from Victoria, and was unacquainted with blasting. It appears they had been standing at a distance of about fifty yards in a direct line from the mouth of the tunnel when the blast went off, and hence the cause of the accident, which resulted either from their ignorance of the effect of a blast or from their own carelessness. Both of these unfortunate miners were conveyed from the claim to Mf. Medwin's Blue Spur Hotel, where our reporter saw them shortly after the accident happened. Fortunately, Dr. Halley was on the Spur at the time, and was in immediate attendance, and rendered all the assistance his well-known medical skill could devise. After examining M'Bride, Dr. Halley said he had sustained a very severe compound comminuted fracture of the right arm, including the elbow joint, and a fracture of the right thigh. The Doctor ordered Silk, who was severely bruised. j in the right leg and thigh, but had not re- \ ceived any fracture, to be sent to the Hospital, where Mr. Ledingham kindly conveyed him in a cart. After M'Bride had his arm and thigh properly bandaged, upwards of a dozen miners assisted in carrying him to the Hospital, where, we learn, his thigh was set, in the course of the evening, by Drs. Halley and Stewart. We are informed there is no hope of saving the arm. M'Bride, we understand, is a single man, and is well known at Wetherstones, where he has worked the alluvial ground for years until yesterday. Silk is a married man, whose wife and family are in Victoria. Another accident also occurred yesterday morning, at the Perseverance Dam, to a man named Joseph Allan, who is well known on the Spur. Part of the wash dirt fell upon him, and caused several internal bruises to the abdomen, and other bruises to the thighs and arms. The business in the Resident Magistrates Court during the week has been trifling. The only case of interest was that of Gibb v. Pogonowski, being a claim for LSO damages for destroying certain negatives, the property of Mr. Gibb, photographer. Mr. Keen appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Campbell for the defendant. The case occupied the Court some two hours. The Bench ultimately gave a verdict for the defendant, with costs of Court. In the case !of Stewart v. M'Farlane there was no appearance. Anderson v. Tierney. Plaintiff claimed the sum of L 4 6s. amount of 1.0. U. Defendant denied owing the money, as he was under the influence of liquor when he signed it. Verdict for the plaintiff, costs of Court, and 10s. expenses. The *' Wairarapa Mercury" contains the following paragraph: — "A letter has been received in ■Wellington, from Daniel Groves, the energetic prospector for gold in this Province, and to whose perseverance we will be deeply indebted should payable metal be found within our limits. It is dated from "Wairiri Station, 24th February, and says :— I leave here to-mor-row morning with every necessary equipment for a long prospecting tour ; where I will get to, and where it will end, I know not. Mr. Gibson, of this station, has joined my party, which now consists of five men. "We have a horse, gun, revolver, and two dogs. We will, if spared, put ourselves in communication with you."