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Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 58, 20 March 1869, Page 2

It is with very great regret we pen the obituary of one of the most able journals ever published in New Zealand. After a brief but brilliant career, the "Sun" has perished, proving beyond cavil that neither intellect nor " aristocratic " patronage will suffice to bolster up any journal which is deliberately antagonistic to public opinion. Seldom has a bad cause been more ably -defended ; and although we have had not a few passages at arms with the extinct journal, our regret for its untimely fate is sincere. The want of a healthy opposition is sorely felt in this province, which resembles a boat whose equilibrium is endangered by all its occupants crowding to the one side. The "Sun" has certainly achieved one great triumph: it has improved the "Daily Times," and made that journal a good deal more worthy of the position it olaims than it was some fonr months agones

From the interim return* of land under col* tivation, and the produce thereof, for February, 1869, published by the Superintendent Collector, in the "Provincial Government Gazette," we learn that there are in the district of Tuapeka, Waitahuna and "Waipori 129 holdings with an extent of 5574 acres. Of this, 142 acres are laid down in wheat, the estimated produce being 3725 bushels ; oats : 1726 acres ; estimated produce, 61,676 bushels; hay: 114 acres; produce, 124 tons ; potatoes : 257 acres ; calculated to yield 1442 tons. The remainder of the acreage is taken np as follows :— Broken up, but not under crop, 401 acres; under natural grass (including land under hay), 2801 acres ; under crop other than stated, 167 acres.

The usual attempt to assemble a meeting of the Athenaeum Committee was made on .Monday evening, with the usual result.

The Librarian of the Tuapeka Athenaeum desires to express his thanks for a donation of Dr. Parry's " Medical Researches " from Mr.. Nicholson, of MoaFlat.

A meeting of Towu Council came off on "Wednesday evening. Several accounts were referred to the Finance Committee ; but there was no business of any "great importance.

The two claims at the Blue Spur known as Morris and party's and Mills and party's have amalgamated, and will in future be known &• .Mills and Co.'s Amalgamated Claim. •

An addition to our provincial press will make its appearance at Tokomairiro next month. It is to be edited by Mr. Church, late of the "Bruce Herald," whose great popularity and well-known abilities will no doubt secure a liberal share of public support to the new venture. It is to be called the "Bruce Standard."

An entertainment in aid of the Church of England funds came off in the Athenseum on Thursday evening. The attendance was excellent ; and from the number of ladies present the hall had quite a gay appearance. A good many Celestials were also amongst the assemblage, whose tails formed a good contrast to the chignons of the fairer portion of the audience. Proceedings were opened by a selection of airs, rendered in a very tasteful manner by the Band ; and this was followed by a chorus, "Come where my love lie 3 dreaming," which was loudly applauded. Mr. Bastings then gave "Just before the battle, mother," with fair success, although we think this gentleman's forte is the serio-comic. Mrs. Hall followed with that pathetic yet simple ballad "Auld Robin Gray," which speaks more directly to the heart that all the flourishes and scrapes of operatic music. Mrs. Hall did it ample justice. After the Band had played a waltz, Mr. Fenwick sang " Little Nell," and was warmly aj>plaud2d, as were Mr. and Mrs. Hall for their admirable performance of the duet, " O list, s ti3 music." Mr. Abel followed with a readino: ; he selected* Saxe's "Nothing to wear," and succeeded i_-A giving full effect to the delicate, irony of tWffc American satirist. Mr. Downes, who followed/-*™ made the hit of the evening by his rendering of the glorious old sea song "The Bay of Biscay." He was loudly encored, and sang " jlfolly Asthore." After an interval of ten minutes, another chorus by the company was given, followed by a duet by Messrs. Francis and Hall, whose skill as vocalists is too well known to call for comment. Mrs. Brunton sang "The meeting of the waters" veiy pleasantly; and Mr. Keen gave a very good reading. Miss O. Cox came next with a song, which was very well received ; and songs from ilfessrs. Hall and Francis wound up the entertainment. Mrs. Martin, who presided at the pianoforte, contributed in no slight degree to the success of the entertainment by her skilful accompaniments ; and all the arrangements were made with great care and skill. Mr. Bennett, in the name of the Committee, returned thanks to the performers, and the audience broke up highly gratified wibh their evening's amusement. Oneexcellent feature of the entertainment was therarity of encores, as it has been too much thecustom here to encore- everything, thereby diminishing the value of the honour, and putting the singers to unnecessary inconvenience. We trust Thursday evening was the beginning of * more rational system. A most unfortunate accident occurred on

Saturday last, resulting in the death of Mr.^ Robertson's fine entire horse Antonelli It appeal's that the horse was being ridden along the road by a boy, -when it met Mr. Harris's bread cart, -which -was being driven round to the various customers. The horse in the cart took fright and bolted, and running againg Antonelli, struck him on the chest with the shaft, the wound thus inflicted causing death in a short time. Antonelli was by Cardinal Wiseman, out of Crazy Jane, and held a high rank among our thoroughbred entires. We believe Mr. Robertson had just sold him for £150, and that he would have been delivered to the purchaser this week.

King Thakombau, of Fiji, Is endeavouring to raise a European Contingent. He offers 450 acres to each recruit

The collapse of the " Sim " has teen followed by Mr Henningham's filing his schedule. According to his own statement, he has been very hardly dealt with by one of his creditors ; bat this is contradicted by the creditor referred to. We do not know whether this " eclipse "is re« sponsable for the sudden departure of Mr.. Yogel from Dunedia. Certain it is that the Provincial Secretary has departed for Auckland, where we trust he Avill find sufficient inducements to secure his remaining: there.

A rußLio meeting of the members'' of t_» Tuapeka Land League is to be held «a Monday, the 22nd inst., in the Commercial Assembly Rooms, Lawrence _ „ The mining enterprise of Switiers ipjj^HP*' equal to that of any other goldfield. A new; fluming has been commenced, to carry Carney-** race, and raise it on a level with. Frenchman* Hill. It starts from the old flume, and ends near Mr. Jenning* 5 Hotel. The cost ia eiti-

matedat£soo,

Mb. John Jonft,' ; the Rothschild of Otago, died at hu'residMce, Fernhill, Dunedin, on "the 16th inst., aged sixty. t Air. Jones, in 1839, established whaling stations along the coast

line w 4L^r*a island, and he became possessed, by barter* 1 of a large block of land at Waik- - ouaiti He colonized th» territory with families from New South Wales ; and when in 1848 Dunedin waa founded, he was one of the first to open a store. He took a leading part in all business speculations ; "was a warm supporter of most of the improvements which have raised Dunedin to her present position. De mortuis nil nisi bonum is a charitable maxim, so we ■nail do nothing more than' allude to the litigious propensities which, clouded his latter days. He was a useful man in his generation, •nd will live in history as the first bona fide settler in Otago. On Thursday,' the 11th inst., Mr. Jennings, manager of Captain Boyd's station, near Tapa-

nui, discovered that his infant son. aged only three and a-half years, was missing. The child had been seen, some time before playing "jrith a puppy dog, which, on search being made, could not be found. Information was given to the police, and measures were at once taken for instituting a thorough search, which was kept np all' through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, without any result. Dogs were employed, but without avail ; and the ■earch was resumed on Monday with very faint expectations' of success. About nine o'clock on the Monday, however, the puppy was observed among some snowgrass about a mile and a-half from the station. The little creature, alarmed at the sight of the searchers, ran away, and being followed, was discovered nestling in the lap of the missing child. In •pite of his long fast, the little wanderer appeared tolerably jolly.; and the delight of the parents can be more easily imagined than described.

A BOAT hat .been found at the Clutha, which is supposed to be the one which was lost recently near GrenfelTs station. The bodies of the two unfortunate men who were drowned have not as yet been recovered. A BATHES amusing ' instance of the awful penalties consequent on opposition to the \iresent Executive has been afforded in connection with thfe opening of the Island Block, iHorse Shot Bend. Both the Tuapeka papers 'are, on account of their conscientious dpposition to the Yogel Government, to be deprived of all the agricultural lease advertising, which is to be given to the "Dunstan Times." Such, at any rate, were the instructions leceived by the X3old Receiver} hulas the applicants had wit enough. Vo Bee that publicity in the .terms of the Act could not be obtained in the columns of a paper which only sends one or two copies to the district, thpy'b.aVe taken the manoeuvre •for what it was "worth, or, in other words, treated it with complete contempt. So gentlemanly and statesmanlike a move reflects the highest credit on our honourable and enlight■ta^ett rulers. , *~ Thi whole of the block recently thrown open At the Teviot has been already taken up, and the inhabitants are, like Oliver Twist, beginning to ask for more. The scene at the Courthouse, after it was announced that applications could be entertained, beggars description. Long bofore the hour for opening the office, crowds of would-be cockatoos assembled at the door, and an exciting struggle ensued for places. When Mr. Borton made his appearance, he could hardly gainadmission ; and no sooner had he opened the door than, in spite of all his Temonstrancei, ti-e office was rushed. A large pile of applications soonlittered the counter ; and as each applicant got his received he made a bolt for the door, and, mounting his horse, hurried. off to, affix his notice. Steeple-chasing wai not a patch en some of the rough riding that followed, and it is really wonderful that no broken bones followed the frequent tumbles of tome of the most eager. It would, perhaps, teach a lesson to those who sneer at' the demand for land if they were- to visit the Teviot when another block is opened. As there are several applications for some of the choicer patchea of the land, there will be considerable difficulty in settling the question of priority of application.

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