LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 178, 6 July 1871, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Beep is selling at threepence per pound at the Arrow. Upwards of a hundred miners, says the " Arrow Advocate," have enrolled themselves as nifcinhers ot the Miners' Association lately formed in Arrowtown. The success of the dredges on the Shotover rivei is causing quite a feensation in the district. The "Arrow Advocate" says: — We hear the formation of a Limited Liability Company is on the tapis for the building of another dredge. It is proposed to fix the shares at £1 eacb, thus affording both to rich and poor an opportunity of speculation. Messrs. Graves and party have just got 28ozs. for two days' work, and Barker's dredge got some7oozs. for about a week's work. We also hear that 200ozs. have been taken out. . by Wood's dredge during the past few days. Such returns certainly offer considerable inducement for the increased prosecution of this description of mining industry. Several accidents occurred to skaters at Queenstown during the late frost. The " Wakatip Mail " says :— A daring gold robbery occurred on Saturday morning, at Pleasant Creek, Upper Shotover. About three o'clock in the morning the thieves washed out the sluice boxes of Grace and party, of the Hibernian Company, and it is supposed lifted over 40 ounces— one week's work. A. reward of £50 has been offered for the discovery of the t lieves. The " Wellington Post " says that a total eclipse of the sun, the last which will be visible in this part of the world during the remainder of the present century, is to take place on the 15th December next, and a scientific expedition under the orders of Professor Ellery, is now fitting out in Melbourne for the purpose of going to Cape York to observe it. Dr. Hector has, we believe, been communicated with, and any scientific gentlemen who wish to join the expedition will, we learn, be permitted to do so on application. The cost will not exceed £25 each. The expedition is to leave Melbourne in November next, calling at intermediate ports for the convenience of those wishing to join it. On Friday evening last the Right Rev. the Bishop of Dunedin delivered a lecture in the Athenseum building in aid of the funds of Trinity Church, Lawrence, the subject being " Natural Theology/ The Rev. R. L. Stanford was in the chair, and there was a large attendance. The lecturer succeeded in securing' marked attention for nearly two hours, and at the conclusion was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his interesting and instructive lecture. A vote of thanks to the chairman followed. The proceeds are, we understand very satisfactory. In the Provincial Council, on the 22nd ult., Mr. Bastings moved, "That the Government be requested to introduce a Bill into the Assembly to amend the law upon goldfields, so as not to enforce the payment of business licenses by holders of agricultural leases." After som» slight discussion, the motion was carried. We have received a copy of the first number of the "Southern League," a new Dunedin daily. The total number of births registered in Dunedin during the month of June was 93, and of deaths 31, the excess of births over deaths thus being 62, or at the rate of 200 per cent. The number of marriages registered during the same period was lj, or only half as many aa in May. For the six months ended on June 30th the figures are: --Births, 575; deaths, 148; marriages, 126. The figures for the corresponding period of 1870 were as follows :— Birth* 595 : deaths, 168 ; marriages, 143. i The seam of coal in Messrs. Cameron and j Rl'lu tosh's pit, Lovell's Flat, is 30 feet thick, and is now being extensively woiked. An Evans Flat miner informs "us that be hai found a wash made of blue clay to be an effectual remedy for blight on cabbage. The thoroughbred horse Tom King has been bought of Mr, Maitland, Clutha, by Mr, Huater, of Victoria^ for 450 guineas. The election of Mayor for Tokomairi.ro will take place on the 21st inst. The following gentlemen are spoken of as being probable candidates : -Messrs. Goodali, Langley, R. W. Capstick, Geo. Wilson, Cunninghame, and R R. Jones. An imposter named Wilson, who pretended to be the Messiah, has been discovered near Melbourne. The disclosures made exhibit the existence of extraordinary credulity. The last Ohinemuri mail intercepted contained money and important private letters. The Government have demanded the restitution of the mail, but the Maoris refuse to give it up,. unless they are formally assured that the passage of a mail this way will not again be surreptitiously attempted.

A. TBLKOBAIi in the " Argus " statet that the ' B snßi"Tias~os>naiencTd " tojßsiie" soye r " reigns similar T» Tihe~English coin. ' . ." .jfksL'f Tiiaaru. Jfcral<i?'.'.sf_ tbi 28th ~u\i., ~ .»ayß r— '-" On Friday last, on the Ninety Mile - Beach,* the-police picked up two human. skulls: One had evidently been in the water for some time, but the other was apparently fresh. One ■was probably poor Mr. Balfour's, and the other moit likely belonged to one of the men lost in the roaditead on the 14th April last." The inquiry touching the cause of death of Mr. M'Nao'a four children — three boys and or.c girl— adjourned from the 11th ult.— was concluded on the 22nd ult. The Coroner (Dr. Hodgldnson) intimated that he had received the following telegram from Dr. Hector: — "In re "M'Nab's children. Report made at length to the Colonial Secretary. No poison found." From the Colonial Secretary he had received instructions (by telegram) to communicate to the jury the result of the analysis, and informed then at the same time that if 110 further evidence appeared throwing suspicion on the cause of death, the inquest need not be further adjourned, but that a decision might be come to at onee — Dr. Hector's telegram being available as evidence. After a somewhat protracted deliberation the jury returned the following verdict : — " That the children diftd from dysentry of a very virulent type ; that the symptoms of the attack were most unusual, and that the exciting cause was not apparent from the evidence adduced."—" Southland News." At a meeting of the Band of Hope, held in the Athenaeum on Tuesday evening, it was decided to adopt means to raise funds for prizes and current expenses. The children volunteered to take the matter in their own hands, and each take a collecting ticket, and invite their friends to contribute a mite towards the worthy object they had in view. When the children are so anxious for their own sakes to see their little band become strengthened, we trust the adults who sympathise with the total abstinence movement will not be backward in responding to the 'wiahes of the children. We understand that his Lordship the Right Rev, Dr. Moran has consented to deliver a lecture in Lawrence a few weeks hence for the benefit of the Roman Catholic school. It is almost unnecessary ho reuiihcl our Tuapeka readers fchafc they will have ihe,opportunity this evening of enjoying one of the greatest treats in the way of amusement ever offered to the people in this district ; we refer, of course to the performance of the Lawrence Christy Minstrels, Persons who are desirous ■of securing good seats for their lady friends should attend early, as there is little doubt the room will be crowded to excess ; in fact, we fear large numbert will not be able to obtain even standing room. A CHANGE of chairs took place in the Loyal "Blue Spur Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.F., on the 28th ult.. when the following officers were elected : — P.E.S. Bro. Kendall, N.G. ; P.E.S. Bro. H. .Tklills. V.G. ; P.V.G. Bro. Elliott, E.S. The English mail via Supz will close" at the Lawrence post-office to-morrow, the 7th inst., at 8 p.m.

Our Blue Spur mining correspondent writes as follows ; — At the time of my last report things on the Spur looked rather " blue"— most of the claims being idle, the water supply cut off, and in fact, everything as " dicky " as possibly could be- but Bince the settlement of the case between Hales and Co. and the Extended Co., difficulties

that were thought to be unsurmountable have been got over, not by the law, but simply by the use of a little common sense and moderation. In fact, the settlement of that case acted like the stroke of a magic wand on the Spur. It proved that law could not, in exceptional workings like the Spur, find a solution for difficulties when miners could not find it themselves ; and I think for the future we will be a little more chary in going to law and paying high for nothing, though when people are inclined to be

stupid or stubborn nothing will bring them to

their senses sooner than touching their pockets. It is to be hoped we have done with it. Everything on the Spur is resuming its wonted appearance. The claims are all in full work with plenty of water. The fluming connecting the two ends of the Spur is getting on rapidly. It -will be an expensive piece of work, and undoubtedly will answer well and save a deal of •trouble in future. We ha 1 a short spell of frost for a couple of days, which' suspended the workings, but the losers were amply compensated by a couple of days' skating on Lake Cooper. We had the pleasure yesterday of witnessing ■the drilling of the boys attending the Lawrence Grammar School, and judging from the manner in which they performed the various evolutions connected with military dull we should say they would soon be sufficiently advanced to take a place among the cadet corps of the province. Mr, Forbes, who some time ago volunteered his seivices as drill inspector, evidently has spared no pains to bring the boys to their present state of proficiency, and the result must be satisfactory alike to himself and to the worthy rector Mr. Stenhouse. We trust the youngsters will lie more fortunate than our adult volunteers, and ihortly hecome gazetted as a Cadet Corps: The Wetherstones Readings came off on Thursday evening with great iclat. The Lawrence Readings take place to-morrow evening. Fbom some unexplained cause we this week only received the latter portion of our Dunedin correspondent's letter, which of course it would be useless to publish. Only about one-half the usual mail from England was received 'in this province by the Nevada on the 30th ult. The cause is unexplained. We beg to call the attention of intending competitors in the , forthcoming ploughing match to the advertisement in another column, where it will be seen that the prizes offered are equal in value to those given at any plouhging match in the province,