LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 223, 9 May 1872, Page 7

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A iBBIDGE is being erected across the Taieri Kiver, an the Henley estate, near the* White ' House Hotel, by Messrs. Oargill, Reid, and Eathgate, which will be a great convenience to the farmers in*that neighbourhood, enabling them to .cross produce, stock, <fee, without the *fßuble and risk incurred hitherto. The contract has been taken 'up by Mr. J. Deacon, for the sum of £400, and is being energetically pushed forward, Mb. Jeffrey's fancy repository, Koss Place, Lawrence, is undergoing .-great imiirovement. The shop is being enlarged to the whole size of the main building, viz., 20 feet by 28 feet. The jcounter is to be extended the whole depth of " the shop, and at the back there will be v number of handsome glass show cases. In the center of the shop it is intended to place a show table, which will euhance the attractive ap" pearance imparted to the establishment by tife other improvements. In addition to these improvements, Mr. Jeffery intends to provide a .consulting room, at the rear of the chemist's shop. s The first of this season's series of Lawrence winter evening entertainments, 1 ' was given in the Athenaeum, on Friday last. The attendance was exceedingly good. Mf . Coplai.d occupied the chair. The programme consisted of readings by Messrs. Adams, Bums, Ferguson, ajnd F, Bastings.; and songs by Messis. Downes, F. Eastings, Master Peters, and Miss Clark, the whole of which appeared to give satisfaction. .Miss Meyers and|]Miss Clark performed a pianoforte duet in very creditable style, and received an encore. Mrs, Hanson presided at the piano forte in her usual able manner. During some of the readings, several individuals made unseemley disturbances. Should such disturbances occur again, the Committee intend to expel those creating them from the hall,* and prevent their admittance to any future entertainment. * » "We have received authentic information that an immigration of Chinese on a scale of unprecedented magnitude --at least for New Zealand —will set into Otago next summer. The collection being made for the erection of a Chinese immigration barracks in Dunedin seems confirmatory of this information. The working model of a pump to lift gravel and water by the force of a stream of water was recently exhibited in Lawrence. We undtr* " stand that Mr. Acton is at present making one of the pumps with the view "of thoroughly testing its«e£Sciency, He is of opinion that by the contrivance even veiy poor tailings can be profitably re-worked, as very little manual labour would be required to do do so. We have not had an opportunity of examining the model, but from descriptions of it given us, it appears to be new — merely an ordinary hydraulic pump ; perhaps, however, Mr. Acton has added Something, and even if he has not, if he can show that it can be used to profitably work tailings, he will do a service to the anining public. The " Illustrated New Zealand Herald " for May contains an excellent view of the Clutha bridge, alj»o the township of Balclutha ; also Views of the ruins of the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, the wreck of the brig Maria, with the New Guinea expedition, and many otlier illus-. factions, ~ The Wetberstones readings take place to night, - * An American exchange lays :—" It is a great mistake to suppose that editors keep public ; reading-rooms ; that they have time to talk to jail and everybody j that they are delighted t"> get anything to fill up the paper; that they have plenty of time to correct bad munuseript ; that they are in duty bound to puff everybody ; that they should know everything, whethec informed of it or not ; that they haye plenty, of mortey ; that they should no ticet every scalawag that travels-} that they sjiould have news when

there is not any news ; that they should print every man's name who attends a dog- fight, and should keep every man's name out of. the paper who comes before the. police pouvfc." - '

We have received a number of Provincial Council papers, extracts from the more interesting of which will be found elsewhere.. Amestino of the Evans Flat School Committee was held on the- 30th inst., when Mr Murdoch, a gentleman highly recommended was appointed teacher to the school. ' It was resolved to procure a stove for the school, and also to erect a swing for the use of the school children. , Graham and party are. about bringing the water of the Tuapeka river to the spurs on the Tuapeka Flat, and have obtained 14 heads for that purpose. They will commence to out the race at once; An Evans Flat correspondent informs us that s everal parties of Chinese are doing very well up towards the Gorge and near Jtf'Lean's. They are reported to be making; on the average, £40 to the paddock. To-bay ia appointed a day'of public thanksgiving for the recovery from his illness of the Prince of Wales. The banks and all the business establishments of Lawrence will be closed. We are informed that the Presbyterians in the Dunstan district have resolved to give a call to the Eev. Mr. Blake, M. A. All the congregations throughoit the whole district are thoroughly unanimous in the matter. It is earnestly desired that the Rev. Mr. Blake- may see it to be his duly to accept the pastorate of the large, and important district" the Presbyterian inhabitants 'of which, resolved to call on him to labor in. In another column will be founfl the names of persons objected to as not possessing the necessary qualification to entitle their names to remain on 'the electoral' roll-of Waikaia and Tuapeka. The many friends of Mr. John Mouat will be glad to learn that he has been admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court. He has entered into partnership with Mr. W. H. M'Keay, and the firm will carry on business at Lawrence and Dunedin ; in the former place under the style of Mouat^and M'Keay, and the latter as M'Keay and" Mouat. Mr. Mouat has taken So. office in Eoss Place, next to Mr. Humphrey's, and we have no doubt will receive ' a fair share of the legal business of the district. We direct attention to the extensive clearing out sale of Messrs. Bastings and Arbuckle's stock, comprising groceries, provisions, -wines, spirits, &c, &c.j also weighing machine, fireproof safe, express waggon and horse, announced to be held to-morrow by Mr. Hay. Paticulars will be found in our advertising columns. On Saturday last &r& r miner named Samuel ■ Condine sustained a fracture of his left arm through a fall of earth taking place upon him while he was working in his claim, on the Waitahuniv river, nine miles above Havelock. Condine walked all the way to Havelock, where he procured a vehicle, and was conveyed to the Tuapeka Hospital, where his injuries were attended to by Dr. Stewart. A serious mining accident occurred' on Satyr, day morning last. It appears that at tbe time mentioned Benjamain Fargher was working in a claim on Evans Flat, in which he is a shareholder, when a fall of earth took place, striking and partially burying him. He, was quickly extiicated by. his mates and conveyed to the Tuapeka Hospital, where it was found that he sustained a -serious fracture ofotbe left leg, between the knee and the ankle. Fargher's injuries were attended to by Dr. Stewart, and he is "now progressing favourably, although a very long period will elapse before he will be able to leave the Hospital. Portion's of the Taieri swamp are being reclaimed by its owners, and when drained properly proves excellent Boil. At M'Kegg's farm on the Island, the process of reclamation has been successfully accomplished by means ofdeep drains and floodgates.