LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 150, 22 December 1870, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At a congregational maefciug of the Presbyterian Church, Tapanui, held tho other week, it was decided to purchase sections 1 and 2, block 11., as a site for a church.

The gentlemen who are taking a lead in the Lawrence Band of Hope purpose getting up a pic-nic if sufficient funds can be raised for that purpose.

At a meeting of the Waste Lands Board held on Wednesday, Deo. 14th, the following applications to purchase land at piesent held by the applicants under agricultural leases were granted, subject to payment within a month :— J. Doeherty, Section 18, Blook V., Tuabeka east ; H. Galbraith, section 23, block V. Tuapeka east; R. Forsyth, section 14, block 11., Table Hill ; C. Forsyth, sections 15 and 94, block 11., Table Hill district ; D. Fovsyth, section 16. block 11., Table Hill district,

C vterpiliars having made their appearance on the barley crops at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria the plan of pulling a rope, about three chains in length, through the barley crops twice a rt-iy, has been adopted, and has, the " Ai\jus " state-!, proved efficacious. The insects are t'.ni3 hurled to the ground, and do not reascend in tune to do much harm before they are again prostrated.

The Mount Ida races took place on the 14th and 15th inst. The following is a list of the winners and placed horses : -First day Maiden Plate of 40 soys. —Pretender, 1 : Sir Tatton, 2 ; Hamilton, 3. Grand Stand Handicap of 100 soys.— Southern Chief, 1 ; Misfortune, 2 ; Backbiter, 3. Town Plate of 50 soys.— Atlas, 1 ; Duchess, 2. Free Handicap of 50 sovs.—Stackpool, 1 ; Little Nell, 2. Selling Race of 20 soys,— Fire-eater, 1 ; Regnum, 2. Second d;iy. -Hurdle Race of 40 soys.— Don Pedro. 1 ; Charley, 2. Mount Ida Handicap of 75 soys. -Atlas, 1 ; Misfortune, 2 ; Pretender, 3. Selling Kace of 30 sovs.— Lyndon, 1 ; Colleen Bawn, 2 ; Thornie, 3. Mount Ida Cup of 75 soys.— Southern Chief, 1 ; Backbiter, 2 ; Fore top, 3. Consolation Handicap of 25 soys.— Little Nell, 1 ; Duchess, 2 . Hawkdun, 3. Selling Race of 20 sovs.— Thornie, 1 ; Kettledrum, 2 ; Vanity, 3

Tkc following requisition we understand lias been forwarded to all parts of the province, and isbeing numerously signed : -"To Donald lleid, Esq. --Sir, — We, the undersigned, electors of the province of Otago, request that you will allow yourself to be nominated for the office of Superintendent. The thieatened change in the ralative positions of the provinces and the Colonial Governments ; the necessity of preserving the prov<ncial estate from the encroachments of the impoverished or landless provinces ; the obstacles in the way of the settlement of the country ; and the general exigencies of the times, imperatively require that the head of the most important and populous of the provinces should be a gentleman who will command the respect and confidence as well of the people of this province as of the whole colony ; and who, from long experience in political affairs and practical acquaintance with local wants, would lestore to this province its former influence in the General councils of the colony, an 1 insure a just and speedy settlement of conflicting interests. "We feel assured that you will earnestly and consistently strive to uphold the best interests of our province, and promote the prosperity of the people. We are, &c."

A corkj.s?o^DCXT forward's us the following paragraph :— " A meeting was held in the Town Hall, TJgfcnui, on the evening of Saturday, the 10th inst., to take into consideration the advisability of forming a volunteer company in that patriotic and flomishing little townsh'p Mr. George Neish, who was called to the chair, explained the object of the meeting, and expatiated upon the various advantages which would accrue to the young folk by joining this valuable institution. He retried to the grants of land given by the Government after a certain number of years service. In adlition to that material assistance, the service would do much to smarten the youth of the town, and make them more fitted for the performance of their varied duties in life. Some of the knowing ones predict that the instructor, whoever he may be, will have to make a frequent application of the bark stick, as many of the so-cilled young folk look as if they were better accustomed to the quarter-deck of a 74 in a g.ile th.in the steady tread of a drilled soldier. Still I have no doubt they will be second to noneMn the .province after a little drilling. There' 4 - were 'forty-two gentlemen put their names down immediately after the meeting, and Major Atkinson was to be communicated with "this week. Of the result l will acquaint you."

Ox and after the Ist prox. the old rates of commission in "money ' orders "for the United Kingdom will be charged.

On Monday evening last, there was a change of chiirs in the Loyal Tuapeka Pioneer Lodge, 81.TJ.1.0.0.F. Bro. Joseph Russell was elected N.G. ; Bro. W. Grant Anderson, V.G. ; and Bro. A. Armstrong, E.S.

Mosdat and Tuesday will be observed as a holiday by most of the places of business in Lawrence. The banks and post-ofEbe will be closed on Monday, the 26th December and 2nd Januaiy. Sunday hours will be observed in the telegraph office.

Ax addition of 70 volumes has been made to the Tuapeka Athenseum Library. Amongst the books added, we find works by the following popularauthors :— Thackeray, Lever, Collins, Lover, Trollope, Thompson, Elliot, and Currer Bell. A copy of Youatt's complete grazier has also been received. This instalment of the large order for books in the hands of the Education Board will, we have no doubt, be appreciated by the subsciibers.

The Commissioners, who lately sat in Lawrence, and took evidence with regard to the Beaumont Hundred, have sent in their report to the Government, which repoi t is opposed to its being declared open under the Act. They, however, recommend that the land proposed to be included in the Hundred should be thrown open under the leasing system, As to the Crookston Hundred, the Colonial Secretary sends a telegram to his Honour the .Superintendent, asking the following question : — " Do you desire to adhere to your application, or will you amend it? The Governor has no power to proclaim a Hundred with different boundaries to those on the application."

"With this issue we publish a supplement containing the telegrams by the San Francisco mail. We published the same as an extra on Monday evening. We had only the telegrams in our possession a few minutes when our office was rushed by 80 or 100 of the inhabitants, all of whom were on the tip-toe of expectation. To prevent being mobbed, we had to lock the office doors anil fasten the windows ; but nothing would satisfy the anxious crowd but the reading of the slips as we received them. By Tuesday morning we had the news dispatched to Waipori, Tuapeka Mouth, and Beaumont Ferry. We beg to take this opportunity of thanking Mr, Buck, the telegraphist, for receiving the message for us long after office hours, and at considerable inconvenience to himself.