LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 157, 9 February 1871, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. .Matthew Hat has announced himself a candidate for the Tuapeka District in the Provincial Council. Mr. Donald Reid has been elected for the Taieri, by a majority of 72. He was opposed by Mr Tohnie, of ilfessrs. Dalgety and Co.'s. We are informed that the Bishop of Christcburch will hold a Confirmation Service when he visits Lawrence, to consecrate the new church. Mr. Hat, will sell, by instructions of MrLancaster, on the 14th inst., at the Commercial Yards, Lawrence, 20 prime dairy cows, and two splendid short-horns. A TELEGRAM from Clyde,- yesterday, informed us that the result of the polling for the Dnnstan District was as follows ,— Shepherd, 193 ; Fraser, 134 ; il/ervyn, 53 ; Hughes, 45. We observe the Census papers are being distributed, and hope the public will have a sufficient appreciation of these periodical statistical returns as to fill them up correctly. They will j be collected on the 28th inst. Mr. Steward, editor and proprietor of the " Oaniaru Times " has been elected for the General Assembly for the Waitaki District, by a majority of 51. Jlfr. Macassey was the opposing candidate. A list of Mr. ilfacandrew's meetings will be observed in our advertising columns. He addresses the electors of Havelock and Lawrence on ilfonday, and those of the Blue Spur and Wetherstoues on Friday. The Returning Officer stated at the nomination of candidates for the House of Representa' tives, that none but persons whose names were on the roll were entitled to vote for the Superintendent. TUe clause of the Act will be found in our report of the nomination in another column. The billiard saloon in connection with Mr. Bastings' Commercial Hotel is now completedIt is no exaggeration to say that this is one of the most elegant and comfortable rooms in the province, and gentlemen fond of the scientific game of billiards will find the lessee (Mr. Wesley Farrer) most attentive and obliging. We are informed that C. E. Haughton, Esq., the commissioner appointed by the Provincial Government to conduct the enquhy relative to the water supply on the goldfields, -will arrive at Lawrence, with the view of taking evidence regarding the Tuapeka District Water Supply, on or about the 21st inst. The election of a member to represent Tuapeka in the General Assembly, will take place on Tuesday next, the 14th inst. There are two candidates in the field— Mr. J. C. Brown, and Mr. W. H. Cutten. The polling places are the Courthouse Lawrence, Waipori, Waitahuna, and the Schoolroom Wetherstones, and Blue Spur. A MAN named Walker met with an accident on Tuesday, in the quarry on the Waitahuna road. A block of stone fell upon him, crushed his legs, and rolled over his back. He was immediately sent to the hospital in a cart, and attended to by Dr, Stewart, who informs us that the accident was not of such a serious nature a3 had been supposed by his fellow workmen. The Dunstan Races'took place on Thursday and Friday last. The winners of the principal events were the following : — First day. — Maiden Plate, Reefer Boy ; Handicap, Novice ; Hurdle Race, Don Pedro ; Town Plate, Southern Chief — a walk ovei\ Second day. —Hurdle Race, Sir Tatfcon ; Dunstau Jockey Club Handicap, Excelsior ; Members Handicap, Backbiter ; Ladies Purse, Backbiter ; Consolation, Pretender.

Mr. W. H, COMftN addressed the electors of Tuapeka in the Victoria Hotel, Peel-street, Lawrence; last eveniiijf. About 60 persona were present, who gave the candidate a patient hearing. Mr. Cutten spoke for an hour and a-half, and gave a very interesting history of the laud laws of Otago, and the manner in which they had been amended and re-aineuded. At the close of his address, a great many questions were asked the candidate, and were mostly answered to the satisfaction of the meeting. Mr. Donovan proposed a vote of confidence in Mr. Cutten as a fit and proper person to represent the important district of Tuapeka. Dr. Hailey seconded. Mr, Mears moved the following amendment :— " That this meeting, while thanking Mr. Cutten for his kindness in addressing the electors of Tuapeka, express their regret at his being brought forward for this district in opposition to a local and well-tried public servant, holding views similar to those enunciated by Mr. Cutten ; and they do not consider themselves justified in supporting a stranger to the district in opposition to Mr. J. C. Brown." Mr. Hay, who occupied the chair, in a very impartial manner put the amendment to the meeting, and counted sixteen hands in its favour, and six for the motion. He therefore declared the amendment carried. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings. The result of Mr. Cutterfs meeting at Wetherstones was very similar to that of Lawrence. Mr M'Cluskey proposed, and Mr Ford seconded, a vote of confidence in Mr. Cutten. Mr. M'Swiney, in a few words, reminded the meeting that the candidate was to them untried, whilst Mr. Brown was well known to them as one who laboured faithfully and effectually for the interests of the district, and they could not justly sacrifice him for a stranger. He moved an amendment, "That Mr. Brown was the most deserving of the confidence of the electors." Mr. Cranley seconded. The Chairman declared the amendment carried, only five oi six haads being held up for Mr. Cutteu. We have not heard the particulars of the Blue Spur meeting, but we learn that it was more favourable to Mr. Cutten.

On its being made known that the Warden was prepared to receive applications for agricultural leases on the Millers Flat b!ojk, there was a general rush to the courthouse, made by applicants. The result was that twenty applications were lodged within the space of an hour or two on Fridaj last. The runholder (Mr. Miller), we aie informed, has applied for a considerable portion of the block. There were also eleven applications made for the land at Mr. Kaes hotel, on the junction of the Teviot and Switzers roads.

A public meeting was held at Woodhouse's hotel, on the evening of Friday last, to hear Mr. J. L. Shepherd, who is a candidate for the representation of the Dtinstan district in the General Assembly. There were between forty and fifty persons present. A miner named Ellis occupied the chair. After Mr. Shepherd concluded his address, a unanimous vote of confidence in him was passed by the meeting. It is generally believed Mr. Shepherd will get nearly all the Teviot votes, and that he stands a fair show of being returned. The other candidates iv the field are Messrs. Fraser, Hughes, and Mervyn.

Mr. Mac vndrew's latest dodge bas been to circulate a lithographed letter, a fac simUie of his own handwriting, in which he complains of the misrepresentation and misstatements of unscrupulous newspapers. He believes the office of Superintendent is one which may be made highly conducive to the general good of the country, and greatly promotive of its onwaul progress if he were alone responsible. In other words, Mr. Macandrew says abolish piovincial councils, make me Superintendent, and give me the key of the treasury chest, and I will send the province ahead. Some of our rendeis, who have received a copy of the letter we have referred to, may be under the impression that Mr. Macandrew has condescended to write them with his own hand, but they must not be led away with that idea, as the letter is lithographed. We acknowledge the dodge to be a good electioneering one.

We are informed on reliable authority that a rush of no small consequence has t.ikea place to the gullies on that part of M 'ln tyro's run. No. IG7, in the vicinity of the Waikaka, about ten miles from Tapanui. About fifty miners ore now at work there, many of whom are making from £4 to £5 a week. The stripping is very shallow, and there is a great scarcity of water, but when the wet season sets in, the minors are confident of making good wages. They are at present using cradles. The boundary of the Waikaka goldfields is about six miles fiotn this new ground, in a northerly direction. The gullies run towards the Waikaka River from landslips which lie on the old Lakes road, in a westerly direction from Tapanui. We trust to be able to give our readers fuller information next week.

On JJfonday last, a placard, purporting to be a copy of a letter, written on the 6fch December. 1867, to My. Tieweek, late of Bellamy Station, by Mr, Henry Driver, was posted at the Cutting, Dunedin, and other places, and created great excitement in the City -so great, indeed, that the traffiic for a time was almost impeded. Copies of the placard have been received in Lawrence, and the disclosures made therein are something extraordinary. Mr. Driver hsis, through "Daily Times" and "Evening Star," declared the letter to be a forgery, and intimated that he had instructed his solicitor ta cause a criminal information to be laid against the firm of Mills, Dick, and Co., printers, Dunedin, whose imprint the placai-ds bear. When we published the celebrated Treveek-Driver letter whioh caused so much excitement some time ago, we were informed that Mr. Treeweek had two other important letters from Mr. Driver. In the face of Mr. Driver's letters to the "Times" and '"Star," and that gentleman's high standing in the colony as a man of strict honotir and integrity, it cannot be possible that the letter now published is one of the two.

We understand that the Archdeacon of Westland has kindly consented to lecture in Lawrence next week or the week following, in aid of the church building fund, due notice of which will be given.