LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 103, 29 January 1870, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Invercargill races are advertised to corns off on Thursday and Friday, the 24th and 25th February. Thebe is every likelihood the General Assembly will hold its next session at Auckland instead of Wellington. The Eev. Mr. Keall will preach at Balclutha on Sunday morning at 10 o'clock, and at Tokomairiro in the evening. Fbom a reliable source we hear with regret that the public crushing project set on foot by Mr. George Murray at the Bendigo Eeefs is likely to ba a failure. _ The advisability of starting a debating society in connection with Court Royal Oak, A.0.F., Kawaau, was mooted at the last Court, and a summoned meeting was arranged for the consideration of the subject. The well-known racing mare Galatea died on Saturday, the 15th inst., from injuries received while running the District Handicap of the Mount Ida races.. Galatea was the property of Captain Hutchison, who, it will be remembered^ lost Mainsail last year.

The crops in the district of Naseby are reported to be in fine condition. The Government contractor is proceeding rapidly with the gravelling of Boss Place. Athibd share in Smith and party's claim, on the Bendigo Reef, according to the " Argus," was sold for £305. In the Government Advertisement Sheet of the 26th inst., tenders are called for the 7th proximo for the survey of 2000 acres in the Wakaia district. From the daily papers we observe that th e inimitable Thatcher is again in our midst ; also the Carandini family. TPe may shortly expect a visit from them. THETaieri in some parts has suffered more, from all we can learn, than any other district in Otago from the late floods. Some of the .crops are said to be rotted away. The thirtieth anniversary of the foundation of "Wellington, the "first and principal settlement" of the New Zealand company, was observed as a public holiday on 22nd January. We are informed that the contract for the Port Chalmers Railway has been signed by Mr. Proudfoot, and that the work will be commenced in a fortnight or three weeks. At the East Taieri, Dr. Inglis the other day was called upon to visit several persons suffering from the bad effects of eating barracuta ■which had been exposed to the moon's rays. The following-mentioned race horses were sold at Mr. Barnard's annual sale in Christchurch on Saturday last :— Flying Jib, Ll5O ; Foretop, Ll3O ; Lyndon, L6l ; Don Pedro, LSO ; Maid of the Mist, 80 guineas. We have heard that the interpretation put upon the Goldfields Act by one of the highest legal authorities in Otago is favourable to the Government cancelling the pastoral rights over blocks in runs, we trust some case will soon arise to*decide the matter. From our exchanges we notice that flax-mills are springing up in every direction. We fear that in their haste to make a pile by this new industry, flax-dressers will forget that to ensure success great care and the best machinery obtainable are necessary. However difficult it has been for the Lawrence Athenaeum Committee to muster a quorum, it has never been so bad as the Clyde Public Library, which, according to a report in the "Cromwell Argus" of the 19th inst., has HOii Izacl » meeting for- -twelve mon^lis 1 Frost the "Provincial Government Gazette" of the 12th inst., we are glad to observe that 2500 acres have been withdrawn from Campbell and Low's run, bordering the Manuherikia River, and that the same has been thrown open for agricultural leasing. From an advertisement it will be seen that^ a horse has been in great danger of losing his life in one of the numerous diggers' holes which abound in Davidson's Flat, Beaumont Ferry. "We have heard of two instances where valuable horses have been found dead in these holes. The "Daily Times" publishes the following paragraph, which will be good news to our Teviot friends :— ""We understand that Mr. J. B. Borton, Receiver of Revenue at Roxburgh, has been offered, and has accepted, the appointment of "Warden and Resident Magistrate for the Mount Benger district." "WE believe that after paying all liabilities, the Deep Shaft Committee will have a balance of a few pounds in hand, and as a proportion of that amount has been contributed by the public, we would suggest that the balance be paid to one of the public institutions of the district — say the Hospital or the Athenaenm. Several horses have already arrived in Lawrence for the Tuapeka races. Mr. Hewitt's stables are already pretty well occupied with them. Amongst the number we have observed the celebrated racers Excelsior, Skyonian, Little Nell, and Deborah. It is about time the Jockey Club had something done to the course. On Thursday last flic sale of booths for the Tnapeka Eaces took place in the Commercial Assembly Room. They brought the following prices :— No. 1, the Grand Stand Booth, Mr. Bastings, £21 ; 2, Mr. M'Bride, £18 ; 3, Mr. Donovan, £16. Refreshment Booths — No. 1, Mr. Jeffery, 355 ; 2, Mrs. Tyler, 30s ; 3, Mr. Boulton, 20s. A private letter received at Melbourne from Aden, under date 7th November, says :—": — " The Great Eastern on her return will embark a cable to join Ceylon with Penang and Singapore, and finally to unite China and Australia, but it will be some little time before we are down to your part of the world, say two years and a-half, or so." We have heard, on very good authority, that 5000 acres on Driver and Maclean's run (lately Mr. Treweek's) will be thrown open under the Agricultural Leasing Regulations in a few days. We understand that 2,500 acres will be taken from the Lawrence side of the run, and the same number from the Beaumont side, and this is certain to meet with the wishes of the inhabitants of both places. FROJT*an advertisement in another column, it will be noticed that Mr. Tuckey has completed his large and commodious stables in Whitehaven street. They comprise upwards of twenty stalls, besides/several loose boxes, and will come in very handy during the racing season. These stables will prove of very great convenience to waggoners from Dunedin. Our Switzers friends anticipate a very successful race meeting this year. Several horses, whose performances on the turf are well-known, being already mentioned as likely competitors for the really creditable prizes offered by the Switzers Jockey Club. If the weather turns out fine we have no hesitation in predicting a large concourse of spectators. The " Cromwell Guardian," of the 20th inst., says :—": — " Intelligence to hand from the Bendigo Gully Reefs late last night is to the effect that very rich stone had been struck in the claim known as the Thistle and Shamrock, situated No. 2 from Colciough's prospecting claim. The information is derived from a reliable source. The stone is reported to be evew richer than that shewn by Colclougb," From a private letter received from Invercargill on Wednesday, we learn that Mr. Dundas, Engineer, was drowned last week crossing the Waimatuku Creek, near Riverton. His horse •was found alive about thirty miles below the crossing. This is now the third engineer whose valuable services have been lost to the colony •within the last month — Paterson, Balfour, and Dundas, and all from drowning. The treasurer of the Marriott Fund supplies us with the following statement of the receipts and expenditure : — Lawrence subscriptions — Speedy, L 22;2 2; Grieve, L 3 ; Farrer, L 7 2s. 6d ; Mouat, 10s ; Harrop, L 1 3125. Teviot, Lll 11s. 6d. Benefit tickets, Ll2 9s. 6d., making in all L 70155. 6d., which sum has been expended as follows:— Benefit expenses, L 6175 ,; Cox Bros.' account, LI 165. ; paid to Mrs. Marriott, L6l 12s. 6cL The miners at the Hogburn have struck work on account of the high price of water, the water companies refused to reduce the price to 30s per week per head. The "Mount Ida Chronicle " says that a number of the miners j(mostly wages men) have taken their departure from the district in consequence of the strike, j The charge of 30s per* Week per head appears a very small sum compared with the exorbitant price of 20s per day paid for the same quantity in Tuapeka. _ * It will be perceived by advertisement in another column that the annual general meeting of the Church of England Congregation is to be held in the School-house,. Lawrence, next Thursday evening, at 8 o'clock, to receive financial statement- and report. We are given to understand that the committee intends to submit to the congregation a proposal for obtaining a clergyman for permanent settlement in Lawrence, and a large attendance is consequently invited and desired. A meeting of the Lawrence Cemetery Trus- j teess was held on Saturday last to receive the report of the committee appointed to supervise the erection of the fence around the Cemetery. There were present, Messrs. Bastings, Robertson, and Herbert. The Secretary read the subcommittee's report, which recommended a deduction of five shillings per chain on account of the unsatisfactory way in which the contract had been carried out. The report was adopted. The Secretary was then instructed to have two boards painted cautioning parties attending funerals against crossing the Cemetery fence. s?he meeting then adjourned.

Seldom have the Roman Catholics -in this locality had the pleasureof hearing so eloquent an exponent of the doctrines of their Church as was afforded them on Sunday last, when the Rev. Father Maloney officiated in the chapel, Colon-say-street. In his touching description of Irishmen leaving their native homes, he brought ♦ears to the eyes of many strong men who were listening to him. Father Maloney was in Tuapeka in the early days of the diggings, and was the first to found the R.C. Church in Lawrence. Our reporter, in a journey to Switzers recently, noticed, as the effects of the flood, a great portion of the road near Frenchman's Hill completely swept away. On the Waikia Flat the damage caused by the overflow of the river was considerable— in one instance a settler there lost a dray and sundry other articles, having been obliged to leave his house, as the flood endangered the lives of its inmates. Immense trunks of trees strewed the track between Switzers and 3Vl 'Lean's hotel on the flat, which had been carried for a long distance. At Tapanui several of the neighbouring runholders lost a large number of sheep, including many valuable rams. On a visit to Tapanui a few days ago we were pleased to observe the great improvements which have taken place in the last three months. Amongst others we noticed a few neat dwellinghouses ; two of the hotels were undergoing extensive alterations and additions — that of Mr. N. M'Millan, lately occupied by Mr. Strean, will, when finished, without doubt be one of the most comfortable up-country houses. As a sign of the increasing prosperity and advancement of this really pretty little township, we noticed a new butchery establishment opened- by Mr. Roderick M'Kenzie, whose well known experience in the above line insures for him an extensive patronage. A new store has also been added to supply the varied wants of the community. The following extract from a letter received by Mr. J. C. Brown from a Wallace elector has been sent us for publication :— "I am very glad to hear that you are likely to wrench the refused information from the returning officer. I have heard there were some votes recorded at Mataura in favour of Mr. Webster, while the parties were not at the polling-booth on that day." Mr. Brown informs us that he received a letter from the Colonial Secretary, in which he stated that the returning officer had been instructed to furnish Mr. Brown with a list of voters *ls recorded a-fc -fclie respective polling booths. Mr. Brown complains th;it although he asked for the information three months ago, the returning officer has not yet favoured him with any reply. At the TFasle Land Board meeting held on Wednesday last, the plans of blocks lit and IV., Tuapeka W., and town of Beaumont, were approved. It was decided that abandoned education and other reserves should be advertised for sale as land of special value, at 21s. per acre. With regard to D. Matheson's complaint as to injury to his run at Tapanui, through the employes of Mr. M'Farland's steam saw-mill, Manse Bush, passing through and obstructing the best part of his pasture with their dogs, it was decided that bush land being reserved in hiß lease, the Board could not accede to his wishes, George Gibson and Cornelius Rumble applied to lease six acres near Switzers, to work coal Approved of at usual rates. Application to purchase sections, part of 1, of 69, 2, of 24, part of 10, of 69, and 10 of 24, block 1., Tuapeka E., held under agricultural leases, was approved. Another of those sad accidents which have recently been of such frequent occurrence in this and the neighbouring districts, took place at Lake Wanaka on the 12th inst. From information supplied us, we learn that three men were enteiing the lake from the Makarora River in a dingy belonging to Mr. Russell, a strong wind blowing at the time. There was a heavy swell on the lake, and just as the dingy got into the deep water she capsized, throwing the three men into the water. Two of them were good swimmers, and they twice succeeded in getting their companion, whose name was William Smith, on to the bottom of the boat. The second time, however, she suddenly righted, and Smith was again thrown into the water, when he sank— calling his dog, which had been in the boat. The dog was making for the shore, but turned back when he heard his master's voice. The faithful animal remained near the spot for several days, going into the water, and swimming about in search of his unfortunate master. The other two men after a great struggle, succeeded in reaching the shore, each holding on to the boat with one hand while they swam with the other. All search for the body of the missing man has been unavailing. — " Cromwell Argus." The " Dunedin Philosopher" of the " Otago and Southland Mining Journal " writes, on the 22nd inst., as follows :— " Whata pityit is that the differences between the Superintendent and his Executive have ever arisen, for then we should be in a fair way to receiving an addition to our manufactories in the shape of a woollen manufactory. The Messrs. Duncan, of this city, appear to have thought the scheme a perfectly feasible one, and were about to make the necessary arrangements to erect a factory. But those unfortunate differences arose in the meantime, and one of the firm, through a sense of public duty, has been obliged to accept the position of Provincial Treasurer, and so the scheme, so far as he is concerned, falls to the ground. But is it to fall to the ground altogether? With the examples of Nelson and Geelong before them, our capitalists have nothing to fear if they embark upon it. It is only the other day that we read of the case of the gentleman who now owns the Nelson factory. He commenced business with next to no capital ; and now he thinks of retiring on a well-earned fortune. In the case of Geelong, it has been proved beyond question that the manufacture of cloths is a very lucrative one indeed. And there is no reason to suppose that if a factory were started in Otago it would not succeed.