LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 168, 27 April 1871, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Speaking of the Census returns for Nelson, a contemporary says .-—Among other things brought to light by this year's Census is the fact that there is only one widow in Nelson, which would have been a perfect paiadise to MrWellerj, senior, in this respect.

Mb. Fahmeu. ex-M.H.R. for Raglan, who is a very large shareholder in the Caledonian claim at the Thames, has obtained during the last two or three months something like £3000 a week in dividends from that claim.

The convict Hugh M'Leod, sentenced to death at Christchurch for the nurder of his wife has had his sentence commuted to penal servitude for life.

The Tuapeka Mutual Benefit, Building and Investment Society held its fourth annual meeting on Saturday evening in the Commercial Assembly Room ; Mr. Bastings in the chair. From the Committee's report and statemet it appears that although no shares had been purchased from the Society, there was a balance of profit amounting to £1137 2j. yd. The Society had bought in during the yearseveuty-one shares, l°avi.iga pioSt of £4.03 15s. lid. The number of shares in the Sacic^y at present is 3S2}, com. prising 24G investing and 13(iA borrowing; share*. The profit on each share for the year was £2 19s. 5d., the value of each share at the end of year being £23 9s. 6d. A proposal was submitted to the meeting to insert anew mle in the laws of the Society, empowering the directors to advance money to non-borrowing members upon the security of their shares, but after some discussion it was resolved to postpone the matter until Friday week, in order to give the shareholders time to consider it, A. board of directors havirg been elected for the ensuing twelve months, the meeting closed.

We have received a letter from Mr. George W. Busst, of Havelock, in which he wishes us to explain that he is not the Waitahuna correspondent of this journal. We may state that we have received no communications of any description from that gentleman for the last eight or nine months.

The City of Wellington was lighted with gas for the first time on the 22nd inst.

The following significant paragraph is fromthe circular of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Limited, dated London, February 21st ;- -" New Zealand securities do not stand so well as when we last wrote, the decline dating from the receipt of a telegram from New South Wales stating that the New Zealand Treasurer was un his way to this country to negotiate loans for £4,000,000."

An accident occurred the other day by which a child belonging to Mr. M'Cunn, of Horseshoe Bend, narrowly escaped being crushed to death. It appears that the child, who was playing on the road near Mr. M'Cunn's place, came into collision with an empty draywhich was passing at the time, when the wheel passed over its abdomen. No serious consequences, however, are now apprehended.

We obset ye that tenders are invited for the erection of a school near the fluming, on Waitahuna road. It is now somewhere about twelve months since the residents in the neighbourhood of Mr, Chalmers' farm agitated for a school, and their desire is at length about to be gratified. The names of upwards of fifty children have been forwarded to Mr. Hislop, who has signified his willingness to lend the school committee his usual assistance. The Evans' Flat people are also desirous of having a school erected for the convenience of the children in their locality, and'as Mr. Hislop is about to visit the district we trust they will seize the opportunity to lay the matter before him.

THE twenty-ninth session of the Provincial Council will commence on Monday, the 22nd May, at 12 o'clock, noon.

The number of miners in the Mount Benger district is 534, of whom 390 are Europeans and 144 Chinese. They are all engaged in alluvial mining. They employ 22 sluices and totns, 20 water-wheels, 24 pumps, and JOBO sluice-boxes, the approximate value of which is £23,390. There are also in tho district 111 water-races, valued at £33,850 ; 88 tail-races, valued at ; 56 dams, valued at £3195 ; and 8 ground sluiceb, valued at £370. The number of square miles of auriferous ground actually worked upon is 46, and the price of gold per ounce is L 3 153. The weekly rate of wages for miners is L 3.

The monthly meeting of the Lawrence Athenoeum Committee was held on Tuesday evening last, when a letter from Mr. Parsons, the home aegnt of the institution, relative to additional supplies of magazines. &c, and the new postal ariangements, was read. Mr. Stenhouse undertook to make a selection of books required by the Athenajuin for the ensuing year. It was agreed to ciJl a special meeting for Monday evening for the purpose of making arranging a series of readings for the winter "eason. We are informed that Mr. Hutchison, who is well known from his long connection with mining and public matters at the Blue Spur, is about to leave the country,, his delicate state of health necessitating a change of climate. We trust, however, that his absence will not be permanent, but that a return of health may induce him to resume that position amongst us which he has so long and creditably occupied. Ooe mining correspondent reports ; —There is very little mining news to report this week from the Spur. Both the Water Cos.' fluming across the broken ground is finished, and there is now a more plentiful supply of water. The British America Co., finished washing up last week with very satisfactory results, and are now driving for another blast. The Otago Co., are also driving for a blast in their No. 4 claim. A good deal of interest is being taken in the election of a delegate to represent the Tuapeka district in the forthcoming mining conference. A public meeting has been called for, when no doubt some gentlemen of experience and ability will be nominated. A " Daily Times " telegram, dated Welling" ton, April 21st, says :— " Mr. Brunigtiu arrived from Auckland in the Phoebe, but refused to go to the South. His mind is greatly disuidered, bnt he insisted resuming the command' and behaved in an extraordinary manner to-day so that the Government had an information laid against him under the Lunacy Act. He has been committed to the Dunedin Asylum, and will go South iii the first steamer under the care of the keeper who accompanied him from Auckland. He has been taken to the Hutt til • the steam pr leaves." IN the Wellington Superin tendency election Mr. Fitzherbert has a majority of nearly 500. It will be observed from advertisements else where that the Provincial Government, having lesolved to appoint a commission for the purpose of affording the miners on the various, goldtields an opportunity of expressing their opinions upon the legislation necessary in their interest, and of suggesting such alterations of the Regulations as may be suitable and neces_ saiy, invite holders of miners' rights and business licenses to select delegates from amongst themselves to take part in a Con" ference, which will be held in Dunedin at the beginning of next mouth. We are pleased to observe that the Government havetiken the jt; steps, as much valuable information and many important suggestions respecting the mining in" terest will be elicited which could not in any other manner be obtained. THE " Wimganui Chronicle is responsible for the following : — " It is reported that the Rev. Mr. Fitchett, Wesleyan Minister, who had charge of the Wanganui Circuit for a term, is to be shortly ordained a minister of the Church of England."

An accident occurred yesterday afternoon to a son of Mr. M"Crae, Waitahuna road, while feeding a threshing machine. It seems his foot by some means got fixed in the machinery and crushed in a severe manner. Dr. Halley, who saw the sufferer shoitly after the accident, alvised his immediate removal to the Hospital, isnd on his arrival there it was found necessary to amputate one of his toes.

At the usual weekly meeting of the Waste Lands Board, held on the 19th inst , application was m.ide by George M'Donald fo.- a lease for cool-mining puq>oses of three acres of ground/ situate on the west side of the Mmuherikiii and about two miles from Alexandra. The applicatijn was agreed to on the usual terms, survey to be made at expense of applicant, by whom a deposit of £5, it was resolved, should be paid into the treasury to meet the expense of survey. Messrs. Smith and Anderson, as ageiits for Messrs. James Nicholas, Jolm Jenkais, and J. L. Edwards, applied for a lease ot ten acres in the town of Cromwell for coal mining purposes. The application was referred to the Secretary for Laud and Works to obtain the Warden's report thereon. The plan of the township of Ophir (Blacks) and the plan of the additional sections surveyed at Cromwell weve approved of. Surveyor to fix the upset prices for sections at Blacks, and valuation for improvements, and submit them to Warden. The sale of Wairuna and Crooicston Huudre Is, as resolved upon by the Executive Council at its meeting on the 18th April, was approved of.

The agricultural statistics of Otago and Southland have just been published. The following are the totals for the united provinces :—: — Number of holding, 3,016; acres, in wheat, 22,811| ; estimated yield of wheat, 6j6,045A bushels ; acres, in oats, 65,217 ; estimated yield of oats, 2,213,138^ bushels ; number of acres in barley, 4736£ ; estimated yield of barley, 144,892 bushels ; acres in grass hay, 7.417J ; estimated yield of grass hay, 12,601^ tons ; acres, potitoes, 3,200 ; estimated yield of potatoes, 16,609^ tons. There are also of last year's crop on hand, 42.278 bushels wheat, 31,376* bushels oats, and 52,018 bushels barley.

The English mail via San Francisco will be closed at the Lawrence oflice on the 9th May. The mail will be despatched from the Dunedin office on or about Saturday, May 11th, per p.s. Nevada, which is the first boat under the new contract.