LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 152, 5 January 1871, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

». IN the Provincial " Gazette " of December 21st, we observe 2000 acres,- more or less, in the Manuherikia district on Messrs. M'Laren, Gregg, and Turnbull's run, No. 221, have been declared

into a commonage. The boundaries are given as follows : — North-east, by direct line proceeding from the Wai Keri Keri Stream to the northern corner of the township .of Alexandra. South-east, by the same township ; and South" west by the Clutha Kher.

The meeting convened for this evening by the Eev. Father Ecuyer, we are requested to state is not iv any respect sectarian, but all classes who sympathise with the present distressed state of the French nation are invited to attend.

We received the following telegram on the evening of Saturday last:— "Four Natives, from Mokau, bring intelligence that the telegraphist aud 49 persons have been murdered in the Waikato. There is great consternation liere (Taranaki) at the report." Another telegram states the number slaughtered at 60.

By advertisement it will be observed that Mr. Thomas Farrer is selling of? his stock of watches, clocks, aud jewellery— a tine chance for bargains.

Mr. Cowie's celebrated horse King, the winner of the Tuapeka Mouth Trotting Race, has been purchased by Mr. Thomas Bradley, of Tokomairiro.

Mr. Yogel sailed from Wellington, on Monday, in the Airedale, en route for England.

A ThLKGRAM. dated Wellington. January 2nd, says the Government discredit the report of the Waikato massacre.

Wb have received a letter from the P.lue Spur, signed "A Parent," with reference to a requisition to be presented to the Blue Spur School Committee, We ai-e informed that said requisition is held over for presentation to the new committee, which will be elected in a few days.

Wb regret to loam that the hot weather, experienced during the List few days, has had a very prejudicial effect upon the brains of the editor of the Dunedin "Evening Star," and that a softening process has commenced, which his medical adviser fears may result in imbecility.

A LARGE and successful blast took place, on the 26th ult,, in Messrs. White and Co. : s claim, Blue Spur (late Fiffe and Co. 's) This company have just finished lowering their tail race, and this blast gives them now a facp of about 70 feet, thus making their claim much more valuable.

In our report of the Lawrence Grammar School last week, we omitted to state that the handsome writing desk, presented by Mrs. Bastings, was awarded to Master R. Menzies, in consequence of there being so very little to choose between the general efficiency of him and Master James Campbell, who received the gold medal.

At the Waste Lands Board meeting, held on Wednesday, the 28th ult., the applications to purchase the following lands, held at present by the applicants under agricultural lease, were granted :— Wilson Gray, section 31, block I , Tuapeka East. C. W. Adams, sections 76, 77, 78. 79, 80, 82, 83, and 103, block 1., Tuapeka East. B. Hallenstein, section 3. block XX J., Shotover. S. Rowe, section 25, block V,, Tuapeka East. Th? plan in connection with an application, by Mr. T. Dickson, to purchase 15 acres on Run No. 51, was approved of.

The past week has been one of accidents, no fewer than three having occurred, one of which terminated fatally. On Saturday, the wife 6i Sergeant Smyth, of the Teviot, while riding home with her husband, was thrown from her horse at the foot of the Beaumout Saddle, She remained insensible for half an hour. The escort happening to be passing at the time, brought the intelligence to Lawrence, when Dr. Halley at once drove out and, finding that she had fractured her arm, brought her into Lawrenc. We are glad to learn that she is recovering as well as can be expected. —On Monday last, Mr, Richard Bentley, of Gabriels Gully, while working in his claim, was overtaken by a fall of earth, which bruised him severely. He is also, we are pleased to state, progressing favourably, — Yesterday, a Chinaman named Ah Chong, while at work with his mates in a tunnel at Evans Flat, was smothered by a fall of eai-th. His body was removed to the Pit - vincial Hotel to await an inquest, which will be held there this morning. The show of this year's foals by Mr. Evans' entire, Young Wallace, took place at Evans i'lat, on Saturday, the 24th ult. There were about forty persons on the ground, and considerable interest seemed to be taken in the show. The number of competitors was rather small when the value of the prizes was taken into consideration. The foals were drawn up in a line and carefully examined by the judges, after which the competitors and spectators adjourned to the front of Mr. Evans' hotel, where Mr. J. R. Gascoigne named the prize takers— the first, £ss, being awarded for a filly, the property of Mr. Mullins, of the Blue Spur ; and the second, £2, to Mr. Jonston, Tuapeka Flat. The foal, exhibited by Mr. Henderson, was highly commended. Mr, Gascoigne, in the course of his remarks, said that he thought the farmers of the district were not sufficiently careful in their selection of brood mares, and he need not tell them that they could scarcely expect first class animals out of inferior mares ; however good the horse might be. If they were more earful, they would find that nothing would be more profitable for them. Mr. Gascoigne considered very great credit was due to Mr. Evans for bringing about the show ; but it appeared to him (Mr. Gascoigne) that if the gentlemen, the owners of the other horses travelling the district, were to join Mr. Evaas next year in giving a good prize to the three best foals of the season, it would stimulate the farmers to purchase better brood mares— the piesont show being little better than a competition between mares. In concluding his remarks, he said that Mr. Evans had reason to congratulate himself on the day's proceedings, the show being a decided success, and the foals exhibited second to none in the district,

Two or three gentlemen have been going thi round of the Tuapeka district during the las' week with a requisition to Mr. Macandi-pw ti stand for the superintendency, buthave given ii u\) in disgust, having only obtained about a dozen signatures.

The '" Economist " of October 15, in a lend ing article, writes as follows, regarding the financial scheme of Mr. Vo<rel : • Quite receuth-, Mr. Bell and Dr. Featherston, the Commissioners, who wiung the guarantee of L 1,000,000, 000,000 from Lord Granville, were assuring the English money market that New Zealand would borrow no more, and now come these imposing projects for raising millions at the stroke of a pen. It is unnecessary to say that we condemn the mischievous notion, that national prosperity is to be promoted and traffic cieatedin countries sparselypopulated and imperfectly brought under cultivation by the mere construction of a railway through unpeopled and un tilled regions. Kailways can do much when they accompany, nothing when they go groping before the advancing tide of population, and a country like New Zealand, which with all its advantages, can hardly hope to emulate the rapid progress of the Western States of America, would do well to pau' a before accepting the precarious policy of Mr. Vosel.