LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 197, 9 November 1871, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Some kleptomaniac in Charleston (West Coast) has been stealing publioan's street lamps.

In the advertisement which appeared in our last issue, proclaiming certain. ground open for the taking up of extended claims in the ilfount Benger district, by a typographical error one of the boundaries was described as Table instead of Tiilla Burn. . At a public meeting, held in Queenstown, to consider the.future management of the Wakatip Hospital, it was resolved to issue annual tickets at a pound each, entitling the holders to all the benefits of the institution without further charge, and that patients able to subscribe who have not taken out tickets before the 28th Feb. in each year be charged at the rate of £2 2s per week.

The "Bruce Herald-," of the 28th olt., states "that owing to what has taken place in the way of jumping claims at Table Hill, the parties at work' have resolred not to make known their returns, good or bad, as hitherto they have been in the habit of doing." ♦ This is locking the door after the steed is stolen with a vengeance. If the miners who struck payable stone had deferred publishing their returns until they had secured their claim, none of the "unpleasantness " which had taken place would have occurred.

We had the pleasure last week of tasting some rare old Irish whisky, imported direct from the distillers, Messrs. Murphy & Co., Cork, by Mr. M'Swiney, of Wetherstones. Messrs. Murphy & Co. have for the last 40 years enjoyed a widespread celebrity in the United Kingdom for the produce of their dis-

tillery. "We have no doubt that those \?ho,test Mr. M'Swiney's importation will .endorse the verdict of the old country.

IN the Waitahuna district much damage has been done by the fiost, with which we were visited last week— many of the residents rising on Friday morning to find the care and toil of months, wasted, dispelling all hopes of potatoes for Christmas. In fruit, the loss is estimated at many bushels*.

A public meeting was held in 1 the" Commercial Assembly Room on Monday evening la«t, to receive the financial report and balance sheet of the Tuapeka Jockey ' Club, and- to elect a com* raittee tor the forthcoming race meeting. The attendance was very scanty. The minutes were read and confirmed. From the statement it appeared that a balance of nearly £50"remained in the hands of the Club available for the next annual meeting. On the motion of Mr. Bast* ings, the report and balance sheet were received and adopted ; and votes of 'thanks were passed to Dr. Stewart and Mr. R. "Williams for ther active part they took ia the ejection, of subscriptious last year. An account of Mr. D.onovan's, amounting to £11 75., was laid on the table. It was stated that the Secretary had asked Mr. Donovan several times for his. account when the general settlement of accounts, waa. made, shortly after the last races, but he could, not get it from him. ' It. was decided that the. stewards were the proper persons to dea.l with, the account. As there had* not been any provision made for auditing the accounts, Messrs. Armstrong and Arbuckle were elected, for that, purpose, provided they undertook the duties free of charge. The following gentlemen were, then elected as a committee, viz., Messrs. J. F. Herbert, H. Bastings, F. Bastings, Clayton, Docherty,Hill, Sheath, Maclean, Simpson, ' Farrer, Williams, Hay, and Dr. Stewart. .Mr. Simpson expressed a wish not to act, but .the meeting persisted in retaining his name on the commif % tee. On the motion of -Mr. Bastings, seconded by Mr. Farrer. it was decided to hold a meeting of committee on the evening of Monday next. This finished the business of the meeting.'

A meeting of the Lawrence School Committee was held iv the Schoolhouse on Wednesday, the Ist inst. Present •• The Key. Mr. Menzies (in the chair), and Messrs. E. Herbert, Harrop and Thompson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary then read a report and financial statement, which he had been requested to prepare for the Committee. The statement showed a balance of £23 Is. Bd. to the credit of the school, supposing the amount of fees due to be good. The report and statement were received and adopted. The Secretary was instructed to communicate with the Town Council and ascertain if they proposed giving a prize at the annual examination, and if so, the amount. A conversation regarding prizes for the next examination took place, when it was decided not to have so many prizes this year. Upwards of £16 was paid out of the funds for prizes last j'ear. It was decided that £10 was. quite sufficient this year. Many prizeß were presentedJast year by the public, and the members of committee thought the same might take place this year. The Chairman stated that a sub-jommittee was appointed at an

early part of the year. That Committee had prepared a report laying do^n certain principles of guidance in the matter of prize diatribntion.___ Ho *i»ugi*Vrthorcfore-u~irOTrw~oe~advisable not to take any action in the matter until that r. - port was before the committee, or they might be stultifying themselves. This concluded- the > business of the meeting. . ' -P* The following is Mr. Holiness resolution, regarding the Moa Flat sale, which wa£s" Unanimously adopted by the Legislative Council, as stated in a telegram we published as an extra :— " That, in the opinion of this Council, the proposed sale of 45,000 acres of land to Mr. Clarke should not be completed, for the' following, reasons, viz. :— (1.) That the portion of the land outside of a goldfield has not been proclaimed as open for sale. (Z± Because the full price of rural land has not been paid for the same. (3.) Because the lease of that portion within goldfields has not been cancelled, nor the land declared open for sale or selection by proclamation. (4.) Because portion of the land is auriferous, and the Wai den's report has not been called for. (5.) Because the proposed sale is.prejudicial to the public interests, inasmuch as surveyed and covenanted blocks have been included therein, and due provision has not been made for roads; (6.) That a respectful .address be presented to His Excellency the Governor enclosing these resolutions, requesting him to forbid the completion of the sale, or to disallow it if completed."

The "Wanganui Herald" thus discourses on the sale of the Moa Flat Block :— A telegram a few,days ago stated that 40,000 acres of land in the Province of Otago has been sold to a Mr. Clarke of Melbourne. And this is the way our limited landed estate goes ! A Melbourne speculator, who had gorged himself with land in his own colony to repletion, turns his attention to New Zealand, and, having tempted the venal soul of a Provincial Government/ gobbles up a dainty bit of 40,000 acres just to put his digestive organs in.' tune. * Mr.* Clark, who apparently has great means at his disposal, can await the issue of "railways, immigration, and the general tide of -events, and may, by keeping a sharp eye on Otago, perhaps double or treble his money. This is quite right, as far as Mr. Clarke is concerned ; but is it right, from a colonising point of view, ou the parj of the Province to alienate its estate in this wholesale manner to a mere speculator ? Tie,-sooner the waste lauds of the colony are brought under the control of the' Generaf "Government the better, for the Provinces are becoming reckless as their days are drawing to a close. ' ■ Their life, they see, is to be but a short one,, and they are determined it shall be a merry one -while it lasts. When the demoralisation is complete, what is there to prevent a "wholesale Belling off " of the effects, a " complete sacrifice of land and chattels?" Provincialism never was so dangerous or destructive to the interests of the. Colony as at the present time. The first of the. rabies is on !

. Considerable excitement was caused in, Christctiurch on the sth inst., "Guy Fawkes by a rumor that the Orangemen intended to march in procession, and the Catholics mustered in strong force to resist them. Inspector Pender and the Resident Magistrate •informed the assemblage that the Orangemen were not going to march, as reported, and $he Catholics then dispersed,

BnaAßj*ra> «» Mr - W. Miller'i Roxburgh £t*tiop wa«-pompl«te4 on "Wednesday, the Ist iot*. 17,«W Aeep wer« »hora bj 12 ihtarerj in leu than three wfttfca, tb.e average number pat through being nearly lOOO^per 4as. , The sheep were all perfectly clean. The rate paid for ■hearing was 15s per hundred, and for woolpressing 2s per bale. The. shearers all express themselves highly satisfied with the rate of -wages and the treatment they received from Mr. Miller. They have undertaken the shearing on

Mr. Miller's Ovens Hill Station, whither they were conveyed by that gentleman's trap.

THE barbarous appellation of Reidstown has been inflicted upon an unoffending place hitherto known as KakanuL The practioe of immortalising petty celebrities by bestowing their cognomens upon localities is becoming a nuisance, and ought to be put a atop to. If it ia Absolutely eaMeniial to the welfare ot the country that the names of certain persons j should not be allowed to perish, surely some means of doing it, without extinguishing the generally euphonious native names, can be de* vised. We suggest that with a view to accommodate persons having an ambition in this direction, the Government should erect a building on the top of Mount Cook in which might be deposited brass plates inscribed with the names it waß deßirouß to preserve from oblivion. Such a plan would .possess all the advantages without the objectionable features of the present system. IN the neighbourhood of Table Mount parties .have been prospecting for some time. It is. .evident their efforts in this direction have not been crowned with success, or we should have

lieartl more about it, although we learn that one iparty obtained eisjht grains of gold from twelve .dishes of stuff. Not a bad prospect when it is <i iken into consideration that the hole was sunk ten feet through gravel, not bottomed, and that the prospects were obtained at different depths, showing the gold, to be distributed through the dirt.--During the latter part of last week work was suspended in some of the claims at the Canada ree f_j u liuß' party and the Ocean View having bjen ordered to stop work until the disputes in connexion with their respective claims Were settled. The "christening of Mr. John M'Farlane's Glenkenich Steam Saw Mills, Tapanui, took place on Saturday, the 28th ultimo, in the presence of a large nu mber of ladies and gentlemen from Tapanui and its neighbourhood, who had

assembled to wish Mr. M'Farlane God speed in

his enterprise. The usual bottle of champagne 4 was broken on the wheel by Miss M'Farlane, sister of the proprietor ; after which, the company drank the toast, ''Success to the Glenkenich Steam Saw Mills." Mr. M'Farlane had

provided abundant refreshments for the visitors,

and a very pleasant afternoon was passed by all -~T uw ~*' : - Taoanui appeared to have turned out en masse to enjoy 'a^Trotlttay.* -isv,i-«~j««-aio races, and boys' foot races were got up to enliven the scene, and it was late before the crowd, who had evidently thoroughly enjoyed the occasion, dispensed to their homes. We can only join the crowd in our expression of good will to Mr. M'Farlane, and hope that he will find his speculation a very profitable one. When the saw mills are in full swing, it is a good sign of the times.

By our advertising columns it will be seen that the last of the Wetherstones Readings will be given next Thursday night. The readings, singing, &c, will be followed, as usual, by a dance.

THE children attending "Wetherstones school enjoyed recently a treat in the shape of a plentiful supply of cake, the gift of Mr. J, M. Clarke, of Lawrence. The racing season seems now to be fairly com" menced. The St. Bathan's races are advertised for the 26th and 27th December ; the Cromwell races for the 29th and 30th December ; and the Mt. Ida races for the 10th and 11th January, 1872. Several complaints have reached ns of the havoc made by goais and cattle in the cemetery. Trees that have been planted .on the graves have been completely stripped of |their foliage, and the graves unfenced have been troddeu over by the fee"t of cattle. This as really a disgraceful state of things, and does not reflect much credit

upon the Trustees, who are supposed to have the management of the cemetery. Much opposition was made against the management of the cemetery being handed over to the Corporation, but we are certain that body would not have allowed " Goila Acre " to be so desecrated, as it has been lately, under the management of the Trustees.. 18. his last quarterly report, Mr. Warden Beetham states that tree planting is very extensively practised on nearly all the farms in the Lak*» disfciicfc, and will no doubt in a few

years considerably alter the rainfall of the district. The farmers in this district would do well to follow the example of those of the Lake dis-

trict, as besides- having a highly beneficial effect , oh the climate, the cultivation of trees would •undoubtedly prove a remunerative speculation. Two fourth shares in Tranter's claim, below Havelock Bridge have recently changed hands at £23 each share. ( THE Lake Wakatip Races will be run on the 11th and 12th January, 1871. A COMMITTEE meeting of the Tuapeka Jockey <31ub was .held injtbe Commercial' Hotel on Monday|evening to elect stewards and other officebearers for the ensuing lace meeting There were pnsseni — Mr. Heiberfc. in the chair, aud, Megan. Hillß, Stewart, Hayes, -Simpson,- Farcer, Maclean, Williams, H. Bastings, and F. Bastings. The financial afcttteuieut, as audited, was read and adopted, and the secretary instructed to have it published. The following mentioned gentleman were then elected officebearers : — Mr, J. F. Herbert, president ; Dr. -Stewart, vice-president ; Mr. Fairer, treasurer ; trustees: ifessrs Bastings, Fairer and-Wil-liams; Wm. Hayes, secretary at a salary of £25 a year ; Messrs Armstrong and ArWkle, auditors. The following stewards were then duly elected : Maun Farrer, Sheath, Maclean, .Clayton, Bastings, Williams, Hills and Stewart. Jlfr. Bastings to act as judge ; Mr. Jlfaclean as Starter ; and Hr. Arbuckle as clerk of the

course. The handioappers appointed were 1/emrs. Ferrer, Sheath and Dr. Stewart It was then agreed to hold the annual meeting on Thunday and Friday, the 25th aud 26th of January. '. Th.c booths to be limited .to three publican* »pd 2 refreshment. After SOllie dig. cussion pi 'was agreed, not to protect the refreshment booths. Qualifications to bid for booths was agreed upon at seven guineas. The secretary was instructed to write the various Jockey. Club informing them of the date of the meeting. Jlfessrs. Bastings', Stewart and Williams were appointed to collect subscriptions the rtwefuiid' "" 1 "*' J * "' "

The great small-bore ride match, for £lso •tide, between Mr. Walker, of the Thames, and Ensign Christie, of the West Taieri, a*i»ing out of a challenge issutfd by the former, will be fired off on the 15th inst.

Tee Dunedin Jockey Dlub.Baces will be run on the 22nd and 28rd March, 1872. The amount of money to be competed for will exceed LIOOO.

Nbxt year the "Evangelist" will be published at the editor's tisk, and the whole_of the profits devoted to to the mission fund of the Presbyterian Church.

Ok the east bank of the Mataura the mortality among the season's lambs is described aB soraetbirig frightful.

In answer to "Enquirer," we may state that according to the Impounding Ordinance cattle can. be legally impounded only when trespassing on (and enclosed by a substantial fence.

A MAQHiAaE between a ." heathen Chinee " and a • blooming Caucasion damsel of some' twenty summers, described as possessing more ordinary personal attractions, took place in Dunedin on the Ist inst. The bride was than Miss Allan, sister to Mrs. Sic Que, of Law-

Messrs. Burton Brothers,, having made considerable improvements in their photographic gallery, Ross Place, are now prepared to take portraits in their usual artistic style. Among the many specimens of their photographic skill exhibited in their window, is a picture of the Taieri fasting girl.

In our advertising columns Mr. W. Pine, oi the Commercial Stables, announces that he has largely reduced his scale of charges for horse and buggy hire.

We are' informed that Mr. W.D. Morrison has disposed of the Tuapeka Mouth Saw Mill, his timber yard in Lawrence, together with stock-in-trade, buildings, &c , to Messrs. Bastings and Co., who will carry On tlw business as heretofore.

We regret that we cannot insert- a communication signed "Hopeful," in reply to a letter bearing the norn deplume of " Anglican," which appeared in the " Daily Times '» of Tuesday last, as it. is of too personal a character. We may state, however, we quite agree with " Hopeful " in his strictures upon " Anglican."

"We observe there is a notice of- the Inspector of the Tuapeka and "Waitahuna Depasturing district stuck up at the bar of the Commercial Hotel, intimating that unless the amount of assessment is paid on stock before a certain data legal proceedings will be taken. It is a pity the worthy Inspector should allow any grudge he may have against this journal to stand in the way of his duties to the stock owners of the district. ,The barque Corypheus, from Foo Chow to Melbourne and Dunedin, was lost on the Island of Ailu, 500 miles from the Ladrones. The crew got away in two boats, one of which, containing the captain and three men, anived in fiockhampton on the 19th ult. No^ tidings have been received of the other boat.

Want of space prevents us from, in thia issue, giving a report of the able lecture on "Education," delivered at the Lawrence Athenseuna last night, by the Rev. R. L. Stanford, of Tokomairiro. The lecture was listened to throughoiijb with marked attention, and at its close a vote of thanks was accorded to the rev. lecturer.

At last week's meeting of the Waste Lands Board, the objections made by Mr. R. Shaw, Secretary to the Switzers Miners' Protection Society, to the sale of half an acre of land in Switzers township for a manse site, was noted The plan of sections in Roxburgh township, surveyed for Messrs. Norton and Trustees of the Presbyterian Church, who had applied to purchase them, were submitted for approval. The survey was approved of, and it was . resolved that the land be sold by auction, at an upset price of £20 per acre, valuation to be allowed to the present holders in the usual way. It was also resolved that the ground applied for as a site for the church should be sold under the 29th section of .the Waste Lands Act. A letter was read foom It. G. Cocker, respecting valuation for improvements on land occupied by him in Kttrick township, Benger Burn, about to be sold. It was resolved that the Warden be asked to value the improvements before the sale.

The opening cricket match of the season will be played on the Lawrence ground to-day. Wickets will be pitched at halfpast eleven. A booth will be erected on the ground by Mr. F Bastings. A sad accident which, it^ is fibred, will result fatally, occurred yesterday afternoon near the Beaumonfc, It appears that a man (whose name we have not been able to ascertain) while putting the break on a heavily loaded waggon, fell and the waggon passed over him. Dr. Halley was immediately sent for, and proceeded to the scene of the accident.