LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 102, 22 January 1870, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Tokomairiro races will come off on the ' ofch and 10th of March. A grand musical service was performed at the R. C. Church, Lawrence, on Sunday last. An evening class for adults has been opened j at Waipori by Mr. Lees, an old resident there. I We had the pleasure of witnessing a complete eclipse of the moon on Tuesday morning about half-past one o'clock. His Honour Judge Grey will hold a sitting of the District Court at the Courthouse, Lawrence, on Tuesday, the Bth prox. i The " Cromwell Argus " of the 12th instant reports the thermometer in the previous week to have stood at 93deg. in the shade, aud from 120 to 130 deg. in the sun. A Wetherstones correspondent, whose letter we are compelled to hold over till oar next issue, makes grave complaints against the authorities for depriving the township of any protection from the police. The " Bruce Herald " reports a case of youthful maternity having occurred not a hundred miles from Tokomairiro. A girl twelve yean and three months has become a mother ; both mother and child are doing well. At a meeting of the Lawrence School Committee, held on Tuesday last, it wai decided to extend the holidays for one -week, to allow the •Iterations, &0., to be completed. The school will therefore not be opened till .Monday, the

"We are informed that Mr. R. W. Capstick, Tokomairiro, opened his new stores on Thursday evening with a grand ball and supper. We understand the affair was a great succc'B9.

Mr. John Cols Chapple, auctioneer, Alexandra, advertises a sale, in another column, of valuable mining property at Potters, consisving of water races, &a, the owners being Nott Williams and Co. The sale will take place .it Brighton's Assembly Rooms, Teviot, on Monday , 7th prox. Patrick Henderson and Co. 'a packets retain their good name for speedy voyages from Glasgow to New Zealand. The ChrisfcinaJ M'Ausland, a new ship, arrived off the heads on Monday last, having performed the passage in 79 days. She brings 30 cabin and 110 steerage passengers. Immkdiatelt after the sale of Mr. Thompson's mining property at the Blue Spur on Wednesday, Mr. Hay will offer for sale over 40 head of fine cattle, consisting of dairy cows, steers, fine-bred short-horn bulls, &c, the property of Mr. W. D. Morrison ; also, his house, household furniture, &c.

The Queenstown School Committee were more fortunate than the Lawrence one, having no fewer than fifteen applications for the office of schoolmaster. It ai)pears from the " Cromwell Argus" that they had too many to select from, as they sent a list of four names to Mr. Hislop, agreeing to abide by his decision. The Key. T. L. Stanley, curate of Caversham, is to perform divine service at Blue Spur at half-past eleven a.m.. and in the schoolhouse, Lawrence, at half-past seven p.m. to-morrow. This is the first of the Church of England services arrnged for by the Rev. R. L. Stanford, and we understand that a fortnight hence the Rev. E. G. Edwards may be expected. On Wednesday next, Air. Matthew Hay will sell by public auction, at the Blue Spur, the valuable mining property of Mr. James Thompson, who some short time ago was deprived of his sight by a blast. The property consists of mining shares in two of the celebrated claims on the Blue Spur ; also of shares in water races and dams. This sale affords a splendid opportunity to speculators. The City of Dunedin, from London, arrived at Fort Chalmers on the 13th inst., with a full cargo and numerous passenger-.. The Queen Bee, from London, arrived off the Heads on Saturday last, after a lengthy passage of 120 days. The first wool ship, William Davie, sailed from Port Chalmers, on the 14th inst., with 4068 bales of wool, and 7 boxes containing 77170z. of gold on board. Since the telegraph line between Tokomairiro and the Lakes was handed over to the General Government, many improvements have been effected ; among these, not the least improvement is the substitution of irou for wooden posts. Several loads of these iron supports have been landed in Lawrence, and in a short time we may expect to see the line of telegraph refitted, under the supervision of Mr. Logan, with these durable iron posts, instead of the clumsy wooden ones used at present.

The man Doigh and his wife, who were arrested on the charge of attempting to poison some of Mr. Cameron's family at Schlotel's Station, Tapanui, have been discharged, Mr. Wood, R.M., considering that however suspicious the case may appear, he had not sufficient evidence before him to justify a committal. He commented severely on Mr. Cameron's carelessness in allowing such a dangerous poison as that of arsenic to remain so openly exposed that it could be tampered with by -any person about the station.

We are informed that the Tuapeka C.C, have received a challenge from the Waitahuna Club to play a friendly match at Waitahuna on Friday next. As the day named is an inconvenient one for most of the Tuapeka players, they are, we believe, endeavouring to arrange to play on Thursday next, 27th ; and should the Waitahuna Club agree to the alteration of date, the following team will be sent to meet them : — Messrs. Downes (captain), Clark, Twigge, Russell, Harrop, Ludford, Barkman, Donovan, Milburn, Hewitt, Coleman, and F. Bastings (12th man).

The heavy freshet which cime rushing down Gabriel's Gully duiiug the late floods c.inieit away the small foot-bridge which crossed the creek, and has so damaged it as to make it useless for further use. The only means now of reaching the Blue Spur is by w.i.ling the crepk. and this is a most uncomfortable proceeding for all concerned. In the course of a few .lays the school will be reopened, and something must lie done to enable the children to get acros3. We trust the Government will at ot.ee cause, a substantial bridge to be placed over the creek at the crossing referred to.

At the Waste Land Board meeting held on TFednesday last, the following applications \\ e-c disposed of-:— A. J Smyth applied, per E. Herbert, to purchase section! 2 and 9, block VIII., Tapanui.— To wait the quarterly sale. K. Lancaster's application to purchase 10 acies of the mining reserve, Crookston distiict, and the Warden's report and decision of the Executive thereon, were considered, and the application was declined. Cable aud Druunnond's application to purchase 2784 acres of block XV"., Maungatua disti ict. at 10s per aci c, uas referred for enquiiy to the Chief Commissioner.