LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue III, 26 May 1870, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A HAT manufactory is about to be started in Auckland.

There are now at work, in the province of Taianaki, or in process of construction, thirty flax machines.

The English Mail via San Francisco \yill close at the Post-office, Lawrence, on Sunday, 29fch inst., at 5 p.m. total mail by the City of Melbourne and s.s. Hero amounted to 8,931 letters, 145 books,

and 5,145 newspapers.

Fnoir the " Gazette " of the 11th instant we find there are 2,385,259 sheep in the province, 15,320 of which are diseased.

Timaru telegrams in the "Daily Times" report a fall of about five inches of rain at that place on TFednesday. Bridges and culverts have been washed away.

The O.P.Q. Reef, claim and plant, consisting of stampers and poi table engine, were sold in Dunedin a few days ago for the sum of £160. Something wrong somewhere !

Lawrence has fortunately escaped the floods which were so destructive in Dunedin, the Taieris, Tokomairiro, and all along the north road, as far as Timaru, several days last week.

On the 10th instant Mr. ?m, Nojtt Gooday was admitted a solicitor of the Supreme Court, by Mr. Justice Chapman. Mr. Goo Jay purposes practicing in Lawrence. He has been expected here for some days pa.st.

A NEW work, entitled the "New Zealand Justice of the Peace," by Alexander Johnston, Esq,, Judge of the Supreme Court, is just issued from the Press. Mr. George Didsbury, Government printer, is the publisher.

Mr. William Hdnt was a passenger for California by the City of Melbourne (San Francisco mail steamer), for the purpose of procuring the requisite machinery for the proposed woollen mill to be erected in Auckland.

In last week's " Gazette " we notice that Mr. John Mackay, Inspector of the Tuapeßa and Waitahuna Depasturing Districts, has also been appointed Chairman of the Board of Wardens for the Wakatipu Depasturing District.

The Superintendent of Hawke's Ray is about to meet the Provincial Council without an executive. The " Southern Crosa " refers to this fact by saying that it is the first occurrence of the kind in the New Zealand legislature.

Fires from the explosion of kerosine lamps are becoming too. numerous to he pleasant. The Commercial Hotel, Wanganui, was burned to the ground last week from this cause. We have lately recorded several fires traceable to the same cause.

We are glad to observe amongst the contingeut notices of motion, that Mr. Hay purposes moving that the sum of £200 be placed on the supplementary estimates for a bridge over the creek at Elans' Flat, and also that a foot-bridge be placed over the Pomahaka.

On the 20th April about 300 Maoris, under command of Major Klemp and Topia, landed at Wanganni. On landing they invested largely in blue balls and red cb,alk, with which they painted their faces, preparatory to pioceeding to. Putiki, where a war dance was held.

On the 2nd June, as advertised in another column, Mr. Keen will sell by public auction, the property of Mr. Johns, of the Blue Spur, who is leaving the district. As this is Mr. Keen's maiden sale, we trust it will be a successful one for himself as well as for .Mr. Johns.

Tire Hastings correspondent of the " Thames Advertiser" says : -" Judging from the number of people going up ?nd down the Tapu Creek, guji digging appeals to be as profitable as ever. One gigantic piece of gum is exhibited in Mr. Rodger's store, weighing, I believe, about half ' a hundredweight."

At the usual meeting of tba_ Waste Land Boatd, held on Wednesday, the 18th instant, James Rodgers having applied to purchase 10: acres of land adjoining sections 59 and 60, block 12, Glenkenich,,it was agreed to, on a survey being submitted in three months, and the consent of the runholder being given.

A CHINAM4N named Leong Kong -was brought before the Resident il/hgistrate on Wednesday, and was remanded for a week. It appears the unfortunate il/ongolian is suffering from aberration of intellect; on being conveyed to the. Hospital to await further enquiry, he was found to be famishing from hunger.

The projected school for the benefit of the settlers on the Waitahuna road, we regret to learn is quashed, the piesent committee not bein^ able to agree amongst themselves as to a she. All we can say after this is, they deserve to go without a school, and the foolishness of their own actions will visit them before long.

The inhabitants qf Lawrence are harassed nearly every night by the depredations of a little red cow with a light-coloured tail. Some of them threaten to send a bulleo through her the next time they find her breaking down their fences and eating up their potatoes. We believe this will be the only means of getting rid of the nuisance.

We learn that Mr. Craddock has disposed of his property in Peel-street to Mx. Thomas Hinde, of the Blue Spur, for the sum of £300, subject to the Building Society Vclaini upon it. Mr. Craddock has also sold the building lately occupied by Mr. Boulton as the the Cafe de Paris, for the sum,of £260, Mr. Hinde also be* ing the purchaser.

Napier telegrams in the " Daily/Times *' state that the St Kilda left there on the evening of the 21st for Wairoa. She takes Ropata and his people home, they having scoured a considerable portion of the TJriwera country. Lieutenant Porter, who accompanied Ropata, states that 12 out of the 30 prisoners lately taken were stalwart fellows, upwards of six feet in height, and in every way fit companions for Te Kooti.

The correspondent of the Greymouth " Evening Star," writing from Wellington, thus describes the new " Government House " being erected in that city -.—The building of the new Government House is progressing very favourably, and when completed, which we are told will be in -two mpnths, will be a large, commo-. dious dwelling-house, wonderfully like an hospital.

The "Timaru Herald," in noticing the proposal to unite Canterbury and Otago, says it is not practicable, but speaks favourably of the annexation of the districts of Timaru and Gladstone to Otago, on the same terms as Southland. No one. adds the "Herald," will dispute the broad fact that, geographically, commercially, and socially, the Timaru district is more a portion of Otago th f in of Canterbury.

Hbr Majesty's birthday is generally held in some respect in most of the Otago townships. In Lawrence, however, some of our principal, business men, whether in showing their contempt for Lord Granville for his.nolioy towards New Zealand, or in their fear of losing a customer for a £ lb. of tea or £ yard of calico, we. cannot tell, persisted in keeping their establishments open and depriving their assistants of a d'iy's holiday.

The Eev. Mr. Menzies sends us the following letter for insertion: "Sir,— TPill you allow me, through your columns, to ask those young men who intend to join the class for general education I olfered to conduct, to leave their names at the Athenaeum. I have already received some names, and am informed that there are more desirous of adding theirs to the listSo soon as the number reaches twelve, I will call a nieuting with a view to secure a place and fortwith commence work."

A PEW days back, about three hundred natives from the JPesb Coast, between the Waikato and, Cawliia, assembled we ("Evening News") are informed, at Maurea, opposite Kangiriri. at the invitation of Te Wheoro, to consider the question of disinterring the bodies, of the natives who fell at Raughiii on the 20fch November, 18G3. After long deliberation the proposed exhumation of the bones w,is overruled, and the meeting broke up without doing anything.

Mr. M'As_ax, in his estimate of the assets of the province, sets down the value of the salmon a,t £30 3-3. Of these delicious fish there were nine, only that could be considered provincial property, and it is currently reported that Mr. Dawbin, the curator at the salmon ponds, previously to leaving the Waiwera, caught the nino salmon and cooked them for breakfast. Mr. Main very pertinently asked the Secretary for Land and Works if he had reported to the Government as to their flavour. — "Evening Star."

The following items of political gossip a ej from the "Wellington Daily Advertiser," 23rd April: — "There is a rumour that in case of Fox's break-down, Stafford is to form a Ministry, but not to be a member of it. He is to marshall the forces, but not to charge at tlieir head. A mask is to be worn over the alleged jiersonal unpopularity of his countenance. It is said that Mr. Fitzherbert is to be Premier ; and that Colonel Whitruore, the hon. John Hall, and Mr. Stevens, of the 'Cave' are to. hold office. This is, of course, only ' political, gossip" at present."

A SERIOUS accident happened yesterday morning in Morrison and Co.'s claim, Blue Spur. David M'lntosh, who has been residing in that locality for some years, while at work was stiuck by two pieces of cement which fell from a considerable height, one of them Mliugon his head and causing a very severe scalp wouud. Dr. Halley was immediately sent for, and from, him we learn that the patient is suffering from concussion of the brain. The doctor remained with the sufferer for several hours, but up to. the tiind of leaving, consciousness had not. been lestored.

FROM the London correspondent's letter to the "Daily Times," we extract the following: — The revenue is expected to shew a great surplus this year ; and Mi. Lowe will probably have upwards of £4,000,000 to apply in reduction of either taxation or debt. Notwithstanding this, the proof of the tendency of wealth to. beget wealth, we are unhappily too conscious that there is an equally inveterate tendency to beget poverty. Dist.ess and want of employment are about us on every side. The wildest schemes and ideas are afloat ; and. materials are gathering for any hard-faced and loud-voiced demagogue who may desire to use them.

A letter, signed "A Member of the Bar," appeared in Monday's issue of the "DailyTimes." The writer says it is rumoured that a petition had been presented to Mr. Fox while in Dunedin, asking that a second Judge should be appointed to assist Mr. Justice Chapman in the performance of his duties, and also to takeupon him the duties now performed by Mr. Wilson Grey ; and he states before any such, arrangement is made, the public is entitled to an answer to the three following questions :—: — 1. Was Mr. Jus bice Chapman asked whether he any assistance ? 2. Why was not the legal profession asked whether their business was ever delayed during the administration of Mr. Justice Chapman, or conducted otherwise than to their entire satisfaction, ? 3. Has Mr. Wilson Grey ceased to give satisfaction on the goldfields ? We should like to know who the busy bodies are in +his case. We- suppose they must be some of the admirers, of Mr. Ward, who cannot be said to have distinguished himself in any particular manner dating his short, term of office in Otago. The people of Dunedin should be better able to judge whether Mr. Justice Chapman has more work than he can accomplish. As regards the third question put by the writer of the letter, we oan speak fearlessly on behalf of the entire goldfields, that the decisions of Mr. Wilson Grey, have always given the most perfect satisfaction ; and the miners and inhabitants generally would be very much grieved to lose his valuable services as their district Judge. What is wanted here and in other districts of the goldfields, is an exten-, sion of Mr. Grey's jurisdiction, in order that, many cases which must be sent to Dunedin, may be decided in the neighbourhood of their origin,,,

This day week Dr. Johnson, of TFaitahuna, led to the liymonial altar in St. John's Church, Tokomairiro, Miss MacSorley, the accomplished daughter of the Rev. A. K. MacSorley, of Saint George's Sound. TFestern Australia. The Rev. R. L. Stanford performed the service, and tied the silken thie.»d, which binds for life and death, for better for worse. Our worthy Magistrate, W. L. Simpson, Esq., gave away the blooming bride, and Miss Clark, daughter of H. Clai-k, Esq., M.P.C. for Tokomairiro, was bridesmaid, J.. F. Herbert, Esq., J.P. acted as best man. After a very uncomfortable, drive from Tokomairiro, the wedding party spent a most enjoyable evening at Waitahuna, and were greeted with the tin-kettling, usual 'on these occasions. We heartily wish the doctor and his prize a long and happy union.