LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 13 October 1870, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Suez mail will close at the Lawrence Post-office at 8 p.m. on Friday.

"We undei stand that Mead and party are about to resume their contract for the pitching and gravelling of the road between Lawrence and Waitahuna.

~Wz are glad to learn that our local flour mill has had such an encouraging start. Since the day it was opened it has been working at an average of eighteen hours a day.

A hundred-yabd foot race took place on the Wetherstones road on Saturday last between James Rowe and John Lyons. Stakes, £1 a side. Eowe won by a couple of yards. understand the same young athletes purpose having a similar race on Saturday next.

It is contemplated, we hear, to get up a ball in connection with the anniversary of the Lawrence Athenaeum. From the known excellent character of previous assemblies under the auspices of the Committee, we have reason to believe that the proposed ball will be both entertaining and attractive. There is an urgent necessity for a Jtaard of Wardens for the Tuapeka and "WaitaWßP districts if the Teport we have heard is correct, that the Inspector has granted depasturing licenses for several thousand sheep to non-residents, and refused the application of residents. The stockowners will soon find, to their cost, that it will be to their advantage to request the Superin-. tendent to fix upon a day for the election of a Board,

To-morrow evening the newly erected Presbyterian Church at the Beaumont will be opened by a soiree. The Rev. Mr. Telford will occupy the chair. The Key. Dr. Copland and other ••*. gentlemen are expected to address the meeting. Who said the goldfields were on the wane ? The last escort of 16,000 ozs. should be a sufficient denial of such a statement. Give the goldfields an abundant supply of water all the year round, and a still larger increase would be insured every month. Nearly every spur on the Tuapeka Creek has been found to be payable when a good supply of water is brought upon them. Cattle are beginning to show an improve* ment in price in Tuapeka, and the present is a very good time for bringing them to the market. Notwithstanding all the "Daily Times" has said against the present mail service via San Francisco, a significant fact in favour of the service is stated in the Suez mail telegrams, viz., the last mails received by San Francisco were delivered in forty-nine days from Auckland to London. According to advertisement Mr. George Williams is now in the Tuapeka district, and prepared to castrate colts. Orders left with Mr. Docherty will be attended to. From advertisement it will be observed that Mr. Peters has started business at Dalhousie as a blacksmith. We should think there must be a fair trade in that rising township for one in his line.

Tne anniversary of the Loyal Tapanui Lodge M.U.1.0.0.F. held on Friday last in the Town Hall was a complete success. At the soiree the Rev. Mr. Uric occupied the chain The usual toasts were proposed and responded to. After the tables were cleared the dancing commenced, and was kept up in a room crowded with a brilliant assembly till late in the morning. The anniversary exceeded the anticipation of the Oddfellows. The music conducted by Mr. T. Hunter and another gentleman called for especial remark.

On Saturday last Mr. Frazer, bailiff, sold in Mr. Hay's auction room, Ross Place, Lawrence, under a warrant oififa, all the right, title, and interest in the Great Wa&aka Water Race* The whole of this extensive water race which must have cost the Waikaka Company very little short of £4000 was knocked down to Mr. Patterson, who had a lien of about £1400 upon me race, for the small sum of £5,00. The absence of any speculative capitalists was the cause of this splendid property falling into Mr. Patterson's hands for a mere song. We trust he will be able to work the race to advantage. Fbok the last Government *' Gazette" we observe tUat a pound has been established in Lawrence for the township and the district generally. Other than the " Gazette " notice, nothing was known of this arrangement, and our trusty steed old "Moses," who was taking a stroll round the town on Sunday morning, was summarily driven to the pound, a place with which he had no acquaintance. However, as lie received good feed, he felt quite at home. On our ascertaining his whereabouts, we sent to enquire after him, and found him comfortably located in the poundkeeper'g stable. Knowing " Moses " to be an old identity, there was a fellow feeling at once created in Mr. Robertson's bosom, and, beincr first offender, the poor old faithful moke was discharged with a caution. ' From our Dalhonsie Correspondent's letter it will be observed that the opening of Mr. Oliver Dawson's new hotel at Tuapeka Mouth, which he has named the Provincial, was a decided success. Messrs. Morrison and Co., Biue Spur, have applied for the right to construct a water race from the Waipori River, some three miles below the lifting point of the Tuapeka and Waipori Water Race, and terminating near Coombe's claim, above Manuka Creek, a distance of fortyfive miles. The race to carry forty-three sluice leads of water, and to be completed in twelve months. This wil be the largest race in the Tuapeka district. So much for private enterprise. £ On Monday morning, that most unfortunate claim for accidents, Messrs. Morrison and Co.'s, at the Blue Spur, had another added to the number. A man named Ross Gunn, observing some of the earth falling, gave warning to his mates, but while he himself was in the act of withdrawing his pick from the face of the claim, he pulled down a large piece of cement, which fell upon him, severely bruiting one of his legs. We learn from Dr. Stewart that it is a simple bruise, and that the unfortunate sufferer is expected soon to recover from it. The piece of cement was so large that it took nearly all the I men in that larap party to lift it.

At the Waste Lands Board, on Wednesday a&t, Mr. John M'Lean, applied for an agricultural lease of sections 6, 28, 29, 30, 34, and 45, •lock IIL . Tuapeka West, under clause 7 of the )tago Hundreds Regulation Act, 1869, Amendaent Act, 1870. The Board deferred their decision on the application. This is the first ap]lication made by any runholder under the < mended Hundreds Act, Applications to pur- < lase sections 72 and 73, block IL, and saction 1 !, block L, Tuapeka District, held under agricoltural leases, were also granted, JThe entertainment given by Mr. Sykes, assisted by Mr. Dixon, in the Assembly Rooms, last evening, was as pleasant a one as we have had the pleasure of listening to in Lawrence for a long time. The excellent music discoursed „ by Mr. Sykes upon the pianoforte is quite coJpphanting. It will be observed by advertisement that a similar entertainment will be given in Bastings's Assembly Room this evening; tomorrow evening at the Blue Spur 5 and Saturday evening at Wetherstones. Wq heartily recommend all the lovers of music, legerdemain, and Negro delineations, if they wish a tipat, to go and see and hear .Mr, Sykes and Mr. Dixon,

The Suez inward mail will probably be delivered in Lawrence this evening.

This evening at half-past eight o'clock the annual meeting of subscribers to the Tuapeka Athenaeum will be held in the hall, when the annual report of the institution will be read, and a new committee elected. We trust the election to-night will be a wise one, and that no gentleman will accept the position of a member of committee unless he really intends taking a lively interest in the welfare of the institution. A few good working members of committee could make the Athenaeum the most attractive institution in the district.

Now that the Provincial Government coffers have been replenished by the assessment money from runholders, we can see no excuse whatever for their reducing the wages of the "unemployed " on the main road at Manuka Creek, There is no road in the province which for importance as regards traffic more deserves the consideration of the Government.

We had the pleasure the other day of inspecting a plan drawn by Mr. John Lawson, of the Greeuhill Flour Mill, of a new machine for crushing the tailings at the Blue Spur. The machine is fitted with stampers somewhat on the same principle as the quartz crushing machines, but one very important difference is this, all the tailings are carried over the wheel, which, throws them to the stampers where they undergo the crushing process. We understand Mr. Lawson has been instructed by Messrs. Morrison and Co., that enterprising party, to construct a machine similar to the plan, for the purpose of crushing the tailings in their claim. If the machine proves suitable, we may expect to see one on every Spur claim, when the muchdisputed quality of the tailings will soon be made known.

The sooner we have a Beaumont or some other Hundred in the Tuapeka district the better. We have just heard of another of our moneyed men negotiating for a farm in another district, and thus thinking removing himself, his money, and his influence from our midst. Were land to be found in Tuapeka such common occurrences would not take place.

We have seen a prospectus issued from Christchurch of a new journal to be devoted to the medical science, and titled the "New Zealand Medical Journal," the subscription to which is one guinea per annum. We see no reason why the medical profession of New Zealand should not be able to support such a publication, and we trust, for their own interest, they will respond to the invitation of the circular and subscribe. The treasurer's address' is Courtney Nedwill, Esq., M.D., Christchurch.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Lawrence Total Abstinence Society was held in the Athenaeum on Friday, the 7th inst. The Rev. Mr. Menzies occupied the chair. In opening the meeting, he expressed his satisfaction at the progress the movement was making all round the district. He found Waitahuna had called a meeting for Wednesday. Mr. Menzies then delivered a very pleasing address on the law of habit, showing that many habits which people formed were antagonistic to the laws and constitution of their system. All classes bad some distinguishing mark stamped upon them more or less by habit — the sailor was known by his rollick, the tailor by his bend at the knee, and so on. The same held good of the various religious denominations. Presbyterians were cold and formal, but he had known some of them with a cold exterior warm even to fierceness. The Methodists again were said to be a jolly sort of Christians, and so with other denominations, each having its own peculiarities. The Rev. Mr. Keall was then called upon, and read some extracts from a lecture delivered in Manchester by the Rev. Dr. Halley. He also read some statistics from a Melbourne paper, showing the treinenduous trade which is carried on in liquor. In England the amount expended annually in drink was at the rate of £3 10s. for every man, woman, and child. Although he was removed in a measure from business, still he could not help keeping his eye open in walking along the streets, and observing what was going on. He believed that drink was at the bottom of nearly every evil which had befallen the inhabitants of the town, and hoped the society would make a firm stand and be the means of counteracting the evil. The Chairman intimated that in future the meetings would only be held monthly, and that sbme sort of entertainment suitable for the occasion would be got up.

The adjourned meeting of the Tuapeka Jockey Club was held in the Commercial Hotel on Tuesday evening. Mr. Bastings occupied the chair. The following gentlemen were elected members of committee : — Messrs Sheath, Docherty, Farrer, 8.. Williams, Donovan, Gooday, Herbert, Low, Hay, Clayton, Maclean, and Dr. Stewart. About thirty gentlemen qualified themselves as members of the club. The secretary was then instructed to call a committee meeting, for the purpose of electing officers, to-moirow evening at eight o'clock,

The usual monthly meeting of the Lawrence Cemetery Trustees was held on Thursday last. Present— Messrs. Robertson, Herbert, Donovan, and Hayes, secretary. Mr. Herbert occupied the chair. The minutes of previous meeting were confirmed. Letters from Mr. Geo. Walker read and received. The following resolution was unanimously adopted :--" That the secretary be instructed to write, to the pastors of the different denominations suggesting that each congregation undertake the laying out and keeping in good order their respective blocks in the cemetery, and requesting an early reply from each, the Trustees being deshous of seetionising all the blocks so set apart." The following accounts were passed for payment : — Mr. Pressly, for plants, &c, £4 12s. ; Mr. Barnett, notice boards, £4 ss. It was resolved and carried — " That the secretary write the sexton that his weekly services will he dispensed with, except as regards the interments." The Trustees expressed their satisfaction with the manner in which the duties had been fulfilled by bin);

A special meeting of the Lawrence Grammar School Committee was held on Thursday last. Present— H. Bastings, President, Messrs. Jamison, Campbell, Harrop, Pressly, M'Kinky, M'Nicol, and Hayes, Secretary. Minutes of previous meeting were confirmed. Accounts were passed for payment in favour of Messrs. Whittet, Baraett, Farrar, and Mears. Mr. Harrop was elected a member of the Visiting Committee. The Secretary, in explaining the financial position of the school, submitted lists of school fees, owing by parents in the district, which were considered bad and doubtful, amounting to £64 16s. 6d. The Secretary was instructed to make an effort to collect as many of the doubtful ones as possible, and report at next meeting. Also, to write il/r. Hislop, informing him that the school had not yet been visited by the drawing and music masters. It was resolved to write to the Dunedin and Jfelbourne stationers for catalogues of books suitable for school prizes. The President, Secretary, and Messrs. Campbell and Jamison were appointed to make a selection. The Secretary was instructed to write .Mir. Hislop to furnish the school with juvenile pictorial merit cards. It was resolved that the school and master's residence be insured for £500. At the Town Council meeting held last evening, four applications were made for the appointment of an assessor, but the matter was postponed for further consideration. The quarterly meeting of subscribers to the Tuapeka Hospital was held last evening. Mr. Simpson occupied the chair. The balance sheet was read and adopted. There was no other business of importance. A TELEGRAM in the Sydney " Evening News " states that "M'Mahonhas been wounded and taken prisoner, with all his army." Another telegram, published in the same journal, says : — " Marshal M'Mahon, with a new army, abandoned Chalons, and after a succession of terrible battles, retired wounded to Sedan. There his army, one hundred thousand strong, capitulated to the Prussians."