LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 144, 10 November 1870, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

TajrpßlA has been again visited by heavy *floodT ' The Total Abstinence soiree and ball at Tuapeka Mouth was a great success.

Kaces will be held at Tuapeka Mouth on Friday and Saturday, 30th and 31st December.

Mb. Isaiah Mcc, of Tuap?ka Flat, has lately }ost two cows from eating tutu.

A CONSIDERABLE portion of the grass on Mr. Smith's run,, .and on part of the commonage adjoining, has lately been burnt.

Mb. Monaghan, we are glad to learn, is again the successful tenderer for the conveyance -of the mails to and from Wetherstones and the Blue Spur.

Tgre Baud of Hope held its fortnightly meeting on Friday last, when pledge tickets were given to the fihildren who joined the band.

• OUR Dunedin correspondent's letter in another column is well worthy of perusal, giving, as it does, a concise history of the system of borrowing adopted by our Colonial Government, And the evil effects resulting therefrom.

The other day we were shown a sample of wheat brought from Moa Flat to the Greenhill flour mill, Evans Flat, which the miller (a man of large experience) pronounced to be the best jsample of wheat he had seeu in tli£ colony. From "Daily Tiiues 3 ' telegrams ire learn that/Messrs. Campbell and Low's woolshed, Ben more Station, was burned down on Saturday night. 30 bales of wool were also consumed. The loss is estimated at £2000, and is believed to be covered by iusurance. The cause of the fire is not known.

The result of the Canterbury races is as follows :— First day. —Maiden Plate - Mr. Nobworthy'B Envy, 1 ; Mr. Redwood's' Songstress 2. Lottery Plate —Mr. Delamain's Miss Flat, i ; Mr. Morten's Atlas, 2. Canterbury Cup, ■ S\ miles— Mr. Redwood's Peeress, 1 ; Mp. Stndholine's Knottingley, 2. Time, 4 mm,, 17 sec. Free Handicap -Mr. Stafford's Lnoenfeed, 1 ; ' Mr. Gai-forfch's Backbiter, 2. The second day's races were postponed because of a heavy fall of fain.

The eleetiou of a Provincial Councillor for Dunedin, in the place of Dillon 8011, resulted in the return of Mr. Fish hy a majority of twenty-five. At the close of the poll, the numbers stood as follows :- Fish, 395 ; Bathgate, 370 ; Birch, 149. The election was by ballot, and was the first under the new Act. ' The other day walking up Gabriels we were surprised to notice the manner in which some of our large Spur companies leave thoir powder exposed to be tampered with by anybody, or even within the reach of children. It was only a few days ago that some children at the Law-

rence Coalpit were playing with powder whioh f_ had been exposed in the drive, and on putting \ a light to it, got their faces severely burned. Too much care cannot be takep by people who pie powder.

Last evening a' special meeting of the Lawrence Town Council was held, a report of which will appear in our next issue.

We are pleased to learn that 21 Wether, stones' gentlemen have given their names to be enrolled in the Tuapeka Rifle Rangers.

We understand that a party of surface men have commenced the cutting of the Big Hill on the Teviot side of the Beaumont. When completed, we believe they have instructions to commence the cutting of the Beaumont saddle.

An answer has been received, by the secretary of the Tuapeka Rifle Rangers, from Mr. Commissioner Weldon, in reply to a letter asking for the appointment of a drill instructor. The reply was favourable, so that recruit drill may be expected to commence soon. A committee meeting will be held in the Athenaeum on the evening of Friday, at 8 o'clock.

This evening, at half-past seven o'clock, Bro. Bastings will hold a purple lecture in the Lodge Room of the Tuapeka Pioneer Oddfellows' Lodge. Brothers of the order who are entitled to and desirous of taking the purple and P.O. degrees, are invited to be present.

To-jiorrow evening Mr. Roberts, of the Royal George Hotel, Ross Place, gives a free ball and supper in celebration of the opening of his new hotel. Mr. Roberts hopes as many of his friends as can make it convenient will be present.

The "Timaru Herald" hopes the report of Mr. Main's appointment as District Judge for Timaru is not correct. The " Herald " says, " We cannot think the Government would be guilty of perpetrating such a job, for they well know Mr. Main is not fitted to fill the office."

On Saturday last Mr. Matthew Hay sold by public auction, in the Commercial Sale Yards, Lawrence, a lare;e number of horses. The prices ranged from £2 to £12. Every man, however poor, may now be the owner of a horse, but we doubt if the usual number of legs are guaranteed with each.

Wu an: informed that some Chinamer. have purchased another portion of Mr. Fitzgerald's land on the Tuapeka river, thus showing their faith in the auriferous character of the banks of that river. We understand that two or three gentlemen in' Lawrence are endeavouring to foim a company for bringing in a water-race to bear upon the ground down the river.

So many futile attempts have been made, by petitions and otherwise, by the residents on the bush ro.id, Tunpeka Flat, to get the Government to gtant a small sum of money for its repair, that all hopes of success ha/c been abandoned. Mr. Docherty has been so thoroughly convinced of this that he has commenced to make a good portion of the road at his own expense, and we can say this, he is making a good job of" it too.

Sevhral gentlemen of the Quadrille Club have informed us that they purpose taking the law in their own hauds the -next time some malicious individuals endeavour to jnar the enjoyment which has ever characterised their meetings, and-as, we are informed, suspicions are entertained of the guilty parties, amounting almost to certainty, we would caution them to refrain in future from practices so mean and spiteful.

From adveitisement it will be observed the Tuapeka Dramatic Club will give one of a series of entertainments, on behalf of the funds of the Tuapeka Hospital, in the Sportsmans' Arms, Wetherstones, on Thursday evening next. The principal local amateur talent of the Tuapeka District will be exhibited on the occasion. We notice, as a plestsing feature of the first entertainment, that a prologue, by Mr. M'Coy, solicitor, will be read on the occasion.

IT will be observed from advertisement that the modernised Punch and Judy Show has, arrived in Lawrence, and entertainments will be given in the Athenanun on Friday evening ; Wetherstones on Saturday, and the Blue Spur at the beginning of next week. From the very flattering notices given of this entertainment by the colonial press, as being alike amusing to young and old, we have no doubt large crowds will avail themselves of the op. portunity of witnessing this side-splitting entertainment. Parents especially ■should give their children the pleasure of a treat.

AT a meeting of the Victoria Saw Mill Company (Lawrence), which was held in the Commercial Hotel on the evening of Saturday last, Mr. Mackney in the chair, it was decided to make an offer to Mr. W. D. Morrison to pur,cnase from him the Tuapeka Mouth saw mill, fee, previous to their negotiating for an engine for their projected mill, a short distance below the Beaumont Ferry. We are informed that an offer has been made, but are not aware whfitherit has been accepted. In the event of Mr. Morrison declining- to sell, the company, we are informed, purpose at onoe carrying out the arrangements they have matured, so that in about two months time we may expect another saw mill in the district, and another timber yavd in Lawrence.

The coach from Tokomairiro last evening was delayed two or three hours beyond its usual time of arrival in Lawrence, owing to an accident that occurred to the Dunedin coach, by which a man lost his life. We have not received the full particular of the accident, but from what we learn ifc seems the off fore wheel of the coach broke down, whe'i one Mr. Eyrie, a storekeeper at Balclutha, who was sitting on the box, was thrown off and run over by one of the hind wheels, and instantly killed. The announcement of Mr. "Ryiie's marriage 'appears in the same day's "Da.ily Times."

\ We have seen the plans furnished by Mr. R. A. Lawson for the Church of England about to be erected in Lawrence. The plans are all that could be deshed, and certainly a prettier church will not exist in Otago, if in the colony, than the Lawrence church will be when completed. We trust that the necessary funds will "roll in," as we understand they are doing pretty well up to the present time, so that no debt of any magnitude may exist to hamper the church. We think that a little well organized effort on the part of the ladies would assist very much, and we would like to see them at work. The tenders for the building close to-night.

Mr. Salomon, jeweller, from Dunedin, will show his valuable stock of jewellery at Switzers at the Crown Hotel on Satuiday and Monday, up to the hour of 10 p.m. each night. On Wednesday, the 9th inst., till Thursday at midday, Mr. Salomon will be at Beighton's Commercial Hotel, Teviot. On Friday and Saturday, up to the same hour at night, at the Cri. terion Hotel, Alexandra ; and at the Dunstan Hotel, Clyde, from Monday till Friday on the following week ; and at the Bendigo Eeefs on Friday and Saturday. Mr. Salomon has with him a most valuable selection of gold and silver watches, and a large variety of all kinds of jewellery.

On Friday, 28th ult., a meeting of the Lawrence Grammar School Committee was held in the Schoolhouse. Present — H. Bastings, Esq., President, and Messrs. Jamison, Harrop, M 'Kinky, M'Nicol, Pressley, and Hayes (secretary). The minutes of previous meeting weie read and|confiimed. A letter from Mr. Hislop, relative to the drawing and music masters,, insurance, &c, was received ; also a letter from Reith and Wilkie, bookselleis, relative to a supply of books, suitable for prizes to be given at the next animal examination to take place on Thursday, 22nd December next, Accounts from X: W. Nicoll (£2), and R. Fowler (£1 16s. Bd.), were passed for payment. The secretary was instructed to write to Air. Hislop, requesting him to furnish more definite information relative to the insurance of school buildings. The secretary was instructed to advertise to the effect that the committee will thankfully receive any special prizes that may be presented for distribution at the ne.\t annual examination. Messrs. Jamison, B.istings, and M'Kinlay were appointed to act as a sub committee to arrange the preliminary business in connection with the examination.

The following paragraph appeared in the "Daily Times" the other day : -"The Teviot district has been flooded with swags men, who were led to believe, by a telegram published in an up-country journal, that work was abundant in the district." As the Tuapkica TlMl'S is the journal referred to, and as the charge of inducing men to travel from one part of the country to another for work wheie work is not to be f ound is a very grave one, some explanation may be expected from us. On the 6th October we published the following telegram from our own correspondent at Roxburgh, whose facts we have always found to be of a strictly reliable character : — "Teviot, October 5. - River down. Good men wanted. Woodhouse's party want good hands. Claims in full work, but short of hands." If swagsmen expected the work referred to in that telegram to be of a permanent description, they have themselves to blame, as the uncertainty of the river workings is supposed to l<e known to everybody. At the time the telegram was published, the river was at its low level, and any number of good men could have been engaged. The swags men referred to did not make their appearance for weeks after the telegram was published, and they had no sooner reached the spot than the river rose, and, as a matter of course, deprived them of any chance of work. Not obtaining the expected work, they show their gratitude by growling at the paper which published the information for their benefit.