LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 98, 25 December 1869, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Provincial Council was prorogued yester-»^-day. At Mr. M. Hay?s sale at the Blue Spur on Wednesday, the price obtained for cattle was £8 per head. "We are glad to learn that the poor little f el- , low who was run over in Peel-street last week is progressing favourably.

Messrs. Love, Tuapeka Flat, have purchased ■ - -tliß race, water-i ight, and water wheels, belonging to Mr. Treloar, also of Tuapeka Flat, for £15. Fkom an advertisement in another column it will be that the Rev. Mr. Stanford has kindly, consented to celebrate divine service in the schoolhouse on Christmas Sunday. The cricket match between the Tokomahiro and Waitahuna clubs will take place on Friday ■next, the 31st inst. We made an error in our last issue in stating that the match was to come off yesterday. A change of chairs took place in the Loyal Tuapeka Lodge M.U.1.0.0.F. on Monday evening with the following result:— N.G., B. Fargher ; T G., A. Bums ; the other officebearers were not elected SINCE the hot weather set in the members of the Town Council have rivalled the notorious Athenseuin Committee in their inability to form a quorum. On TFednesday an attempt was made to hold the usial meeting, but as only the Mayor and Cr. Walker attended, the result was a failure. The proprietor of Chorister, J. F. Kitching, to Esq., desires us to announce that his thoroughwill not travel any more this seasou, but will be attended to at the home station, Flat. It will be observed from an adverthat Mr. Black's entire. Prince Alfred not again visit Tuapeka this season. Tokomairiro correspondent informs us several fine colts and well-known raceis ti-ajning in Mr. Bradley's training be&nctthe Commercial Hotel, Milton them are Schoolboy, Beeswing, ,Orphan, and Sir George Grey. The PProlts are all local-bred, a«d promise well for the coming Tuapeka and other district races. . In the "Advertising Sheet" of the 15th inst., iWe observe that tenders are called for gravel/iug White haven-street and Ross-place ; also ih pitching and gravelling 333 chains of the road between Tokomairiro and Tuapeka. Specifications may be seen at the police station, Lawrence. Tenders will be received at the office of the Secretary of Land and Works until noon of Thursday, 4th January. On Saturday last, a serious accident happened to a teamster named Bossestow, in the employ of Mr. Auld, baker, Waitahuna. It appears that the poor man, while twitching up a load of firewood at the Tuapeka Mouth, was, owing to the breaking of the twitchingstick. precipitated to the ground, and broke his leg. Mr. Maillerwas sent for, and bandaged the limb, which was afterwards set by Dr. Johnstons of Waitahuna. Again -we have to wish, oar readers A Merry Christinas, in accordance with the kindly old custom which has survived even the stern . realism of our Iron Age. Life in this nineteenth century of ours is so stern and sharp a struggle that the mind lingers with pleasure on those seasons which connect us with the more* " romantic-and less exacting bye-gone days. And this day is rich in such associations for not to ■peak of that holy and awful mystery which its name recalls, it reminds us of our fierce Danish ancestors who were wont to feast at Tuletime, when minstrels sang the praises of . strong Odin, and maidens worshipped in secret the gentler Freja. • It recalls those fierce days of persecution from which the church emerged" purified and strengthened ; for on this day. sixteen *and a-half centuries ago, the brutal

Diocesian, -while stationed &p Nicomedia, ' ordered a ..whole congregation >£ Christian worshippers to be girt round by a fierj^banier, and/glutted his thirst for blood by gazing upon th/ir agonies. Altogether the day ia fill of fcopeinn ana joyous memories- especially to. those who have left a family circle in dear old wheie the vacant place of the absent one will be viewed with" many a fond yearning flosik of affection.

"We are requested to draw attention to the following alteration in the Wethei stones sports programme :— The tilting advertised to take place on Monday, will take place on Tuesday ; and the walking match advertised for Tuesday, will come off on Monday.

The case of the police v. Jane Doigh and her husband was brought before J. F. Herbert, Esq, J.P. at the Magistrate's Court, Lawrence, on Tuesday morning last. Mr. Percy desired the Bench to remand the prisoners for seven days longer, to enable the police to obtain more conclusive evidence at the Spylaw Station, which they were then in quest of. Application granted. There has been no other case before the Bench this week.

We feared that the threepenny nobblers have had destroyed the energy of our Waipori friends, as no amusements for the holiday season were announced. We are glad to learn that they still retain some of the vigour for which they are famous, and intend having races and sports on the 27th and 28th insts., when liberal p;izes will be offered. Cheap drinks and a racemeeting should attract large numbers to the plucky little township.

A match for £10 a side has been arranged between Mr. Donovan's grey gelding, "Old Peter" and Mr. M 'Bride's bay mare, "Biddy from Sligo," to come off on the racecourse on January 3rd. The distance one mile ; catch weights. "Old Peter" is well-known as the very " oldest resideut," and is famous for his game qualities. Although he has far passed the ordinary term of equine existence, a good many appear to consider his chance very fair.

We have to remind our readers that the Stamp Act Amendment Act, 1869, comes into operation next week (Ist January, 1870) ; and with a view to prevent business being interrupted, we would direct attention to the clause in the Act, which provides that adhesive stamps above the value of one penny, can only be used for bills diawn beyond the colony ; and that the duty on all bills, drafts, orders, and promissory notes, drawn within the colony, must be denoted by an impressed stamp only.

Boxing-dat falls this year on Sunday, the banks, public offices, nnd business places are to keep close holiday on Monday next, in order to secure to their employes three solid clear days of grace, and we think that this proceeding is not only right and just, but that the contrary would be mean and coutemptible. The man who cannot affoid, or whose spirit is so little as to deny himself and servants relaxation at Oliristmas, is uuwwthy of public support, and will find in the long run that his parsimony will reap its due reward.

The " Daily Times " writes as follows :—: — From a private telegram from Christchurch, received in town yesterday, we learn that the following are the weights for the Canteibury Handicap, to bq run at the ensuing Christchurch race meeting : Knottingiey, 9st. 71bs. ; Magenta and Miss King, each Bst. lOlbs. ; Scandal, Bst, 2lbs. ; Bobby Burns, Bst. ; Southern Chief, 7st. lOlbs. ; Atlas, 7st 811>s. ; Lancenfeed, 7st. 51bs. ; Foretop, 7&t. ; Chloe, Taffirdl, and Economy, each 6st. lOlbs. Judging by published form the heavy division should furnish the winner. The suspense, is over, and the worst forebodings of the croakers realized in the case of the Wetherstones' Deep Shaft. The bottom has been reached, but, unfoitanatelj, it has not proved the subterranean Eldorado some sanguine prophets foretold. On Monday the whole working plant and machinery, &c, were sold by Mr. Hay to Mr. Mackney, Wjtheistones, for £16 10s. The Committee are of course, r?ther chagrined at the failure of ai enterprise they have so gallantly persisted ia amid all sorts of difficulties. We recommend them to seek for consolation in the treatise Peri Bathous, in the errudite memoirs o: Martinus Scriblerus.

We would draw the attention of thj public to the advertisement in our columns of the rAce* and sports to beheld at Tapanui on Friday, i>l»t December, 1869 and Saturday, Ist January, 1870. From the amount of prizes to be coin tested for, the public of Tapanui nuy expect 1 ' a very good attendance. We are also pretty certain that the people of Lawrence and surrounding districts will avail themselves of the New Year holidays to visit the beautiful township of Tapanui and witness the sports. There was a rumour that the time for holding the races was to be altered ; but we are glad to say that there was no truth in the report, as they could not be held upon better days. \ At a meeting held at Mr. Chalmers' Half-way House, it was decided upon memoralizjig the Educational Board with regard to a side school between Lawrence and Waitahuna to ine»t the demands of that widely populated distric?. A committee was appointed, and asitede eniined upon. Afterwards a memorial was drawn up and signed by a large number of the residents, and Mr. Grundy was deputed on his visit to Dunedin to present the same to Mr. Hisloj), School Inspector. The site agreed upon wts on the coal reserve close to the main road, an lconsidered to be very centrally situated. ,We earnestly hope the Board will see the necessity of complying with the memoi-alists solicitation, by granting the prayer of their petition. A numerously attended meeting of the members of the Tuapeka Cricket Club was held in the Commercial Hotel, Lawrence, on Tuesday evening. Mr. Dowries was called upon to occupy the chair. The following office-bearers were elected :— Downes, captain ; Ferguson, vice

president ; Russell, Harrop, Donovan, Twigge, and Clark, a committee of management ; and Ludford lion, secretary and treasurer. This selection of office-bearers could hardly be im-

proved upon, as nearly all are enthusiastic and

skilful ciicketers. It was also decided that Tuesdays and Thursdays be the mustering practice

days during the season. It was resolved to get up a scratch match on Christmas day (to day), when we hope there will be a large attendance of all interested in the noble game. The people of Waitahuna cannot be accused of remissness when airy charitable cause makes a demand either on their energies or pockets, They showed themselves worthy of their high reputation when their Dramatic Club gave an entertainment in the Commercial Assembly

Rooms on Thursday evening for the benefit of

the Tuapeka Hospital. The pieces performed were "The Spectre Bridegroom " and " Which shall I Marry ?" and Messrs. O'Keeffe, Devonshire, Busst (an excellent " old man ' : ), Poison, and Ritson sustained the male parts in a most admirable manner. The ladies deserve a special notice, as we fear they played havoc with the more susceptible of the audienoe. Mesdames Cook. Olsen, and Hansen, indeed, merit the highest praise, not only for their inimitable activity, but also for the benevolent motives which induced them to cum" forward. During the evening, Mr. Ritson. the admirable seriocomic singer, and the irresistible " Tom" Devonshire sang several songs with their usual success. Mr. Busst also very appropriately save (in the shape of a song) an excellent recipe for making a plum pudding ; and Mr. O'Keeffe sang a sentimental song very sweetly. The money taken amounts, we believe, to over £20 — a very seasonable gift to the institution for which the benefit -was given. The following recital of a narrow escape from drowning of Mr. George Fenwick, late of Tuapeka, will be interesting to many of our readers. The extract is taken from a private letter, dated Cromwell, 15th msb :— " On Sunday last we all went to the Clutha for a bathe, and George managed to get into the middle of the stream where there was a very strong current running. Mr. Matthews rushed in with all his clothes on, at one point, to try and catch him as he was floating by (the current being so strong that it was impossible to swim), but he only

in getting beyond tos depth ; and if Sid. (Sidney Jenkinson) bad not been near at the iime, Jie-doubtlesa -would -have been carried out too, and as he cannot swim it wonlrl have been a case with him. George w^s drifted down the stream for a long distance, but at last succeeded, with an immense effort, in swhnminsf to and catching hold of a rock near the side, to which he clung with the tenacity of despair. When he was taken ont he was very much exhausted : but some brandy was procured from Cromwell, about a mile .distant, and he was brought round again. ( 16 \Jsi|L a very narrow escape for him. At one funjtehen he got into an eddy and, was entirely suhinclH|^^ c sa '^ . ne S ave a P a^ hope of ever