LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 235, 1 August 1872, Page 7

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The winner of the bagatelle tqfele at the Roxburgh Art Union, was Mr. H. L. Squires, not Mr. Herbert as stated in our last issue j

The readings given at the Lawrence Athenaeum, on Friday evening last, were not so successfuLas they shonid have been, or could have been made. The attendance was exceedingly small, and scarcely half the number of gentlemen named in the programme appeared on the platform.

At the Gabriels Rock Reef the shaft has been sunk 20 feet upon tbe reef. At the depth of 16 feet the reef gave out, but immediately remade at the back of the shaft, and at 20 feet down regained its previous thickness. The company intend driving from the bottom of the shaft through the reef.

We understand that owing to a dispute between Mr. Adams, the District Surveyor, and the parties concerned, relative to the survey fee, the appointment of arbitrators in the Clark's paddock case has not yet been made. Mr. Adams claims £10 10s. for the survey he made, aud the. parties object to pay more than £6 6s.

Vaccination has been the order of the day in the Tuapeka district of late, and the local medical gentlemen have been kept" pretty busy. A large number of ohildren have been vaccinate 1 and Iqjany adults have also undergone the pro*

Thk Wetherstones Headings take place this evening, at the schoolhouse. It will be seen by our advertising columns that Mr. J. C. Arbuckle has commenced business as geneml commission agent, at the corner of Whitehaven and Colonsay-streets. Thk late rising of the waters ot the Molyneux has seriously damaged many claims along the beaches, thereby causing great loss of time and money to many minres. There is not much probability that the golden harvest generally yielded by the Molyneux every winter will this year be gathered. A Blue Spue correspondent, whose communication was published in our last issue, writes as follows :— " Sir,— l beg respectfully to repudiate the word ' asses,' which your report of our doingß make me use in my letter in your last issue. I have a few choice expressions, but ' asses ' is not one of them. After ' dead lions, 1 read ' living ones.' *' On looking over the copy, we find our correspondent to be correct, He is j victim of one of those typographical errors which occasionally occur in the best regulated j newspaper establishments. Mb. Hat and Mr. Mears, candidates for the representation of East Ward, addressed the ratepayers in the Masonic Hotel, Boss Place, on Saturday night. After stating what they had done in the past and intended to do in the future for the benefit of the town, the candidates answered questions on various municipal subjects. Votes of confidence were passed in both candidates. Mr. J. C. Arbuckle occupied the chair. The usual monthly meeting of the Lawrence School Committee was held on the evening of Friday, the 26th ult. Present : Messrs. Herbert , Meyers, Jamison, Armstrong, Abel, aud Hayes (Secretary.^ ne minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary was instructed to make out an account for the late repairs, au-J apply to the Government for the amount the Committee was entitled to have refunded; and also to remind the Secretary of the Education Board of the non-payment of poor fees. The Secretary was also instructed to take steps to procure payment of certain outstanding accounts, and apply to the Acclimatisation |Society for firs, quicks, &c. It was resolved that the Drawing Master be allowed to charge his pupils 2s. 6d. per quarter. The Examining Committee were instructed to draw up a fresh set of Euclid questions. Mr. Abel was . appointed member of the Visiting Committee vice Mr. Armstrong, whose term has expired. A vote of thanks to the chair brought the proceedings to a close. We inspected an improved plough, manufactured expressly for hilly country, at work a few days ago. The plough is made double in every respect, and the improvements consist, in the necessity for turning at the bend of a furrow being obviated. The stilts are fastened in the centre on a pivot, which allows them to reverse, and are fixed, when in position, by a spring. The mould boards also work on a pivot, aud reverse by the pressure of the furrow. The mastertree is fixed by a chain to a rod which traverses the length of the plough ; and when the horses turn the chain slips along till it reaches the other side, and the movement is completed. This arrangement renders unnecessary any trouble with the harness— it is in fact self-acting. The sock is made moveable to or from land. We have no hesitation in recommending this plough to those having hilly land, as by its use great saving in time and labor can be effected. It cuts as deep in the side of a hill as ordinary ploughs will on a plain ; and it has this recommendation, that it is lighter than the ordinary implement, The plough has been called the hillside plough by Messrs. J. and D. M'Taggart, Lawrence, the manufacturers ; and may be seen at work at Mr. D. J. M'Donald's farm. The Caledonian has again " exercised " the people of Auckland considerably. We observe that on Saturday the £13 shares were quoted a £15. On the Monday, telegrams were received from the Thames to the effect that the old shot of gold had been again struck. Eager buyers were running about for shares, but the few to be got had been picked up by the early birds who had the earliest private information- Holders generally determined to risk it aud wait for more definite news before selling. On Monday evening new telegrams sent them up to £25. On Tuesday they ranged up to £48, closing in the evening with a drop to £36. Wednesday is described by the brokers as less active. Doubts, apparently, as to the richness of the find began to influence speculators, and Bhares fluctuated between £42 and £33, at which price they closed. On Thursday the market opened at £30, and so on from day to day, as detailed by our Auckland telegrams. The speculation in these shares may be exciting and pleasant, but must be attended with very serious risk to those who have not a large reserve to draw upon. The price is, we are told, chiefly regulated by the operations of a few leading speculators. When they begin to buy every one holds to his Bhares, as they are supposed to be in possession of the earliest and soundest information. Of course, when known to sell, a heavy fall is the sure result, and their movements are watched by the small fry of outside speculators with lynix-like vigilance. The "Bruce Herald" in commenting upon the meeting held at Lawrence, to protest against the Teviot land sale, said that the speeches | were exceedingly intemperate and abusive, To show how the speeches are regarded in the district affeoted, we publish the following extract from a letter written by a. well-known and respected sfttler residing at Mount Benger: — I was glad to see the sentiments expressed, and the resolutions passed at the meeting held at Tuapeka the other day. I hope if there is a legal way of getting with the lash to the present government it shall soon be applied, and thoroughly used. The sooner the provinoi&l form of government is swept overboard, the better. It is nothing else bat a nest for a swarm 9f rogues and, villains.. ■

At the opening of the Lawrence Grammar School, on Monday morning last, the pupils of Mrs. Dale presented her with a very handsome gold brooch ai a token of regard. Miss Annie Anderson, on behalf of the scholars, read the following address :— To Mrs. Dalb, Dear Madam, — You will be pleased to excuse the liberty we have taken of calling upon you to receive an address from us. Having enjoyed the benefit of your tuition, some for a longer others for a shorter period, we desire to express our appreciation of the diligence, fidelity, and care you have bestowed on us. No effort has been wanting on your part to fit us for the duties of life, and we are observant of and grateful for the same We hope, therefore, you will be pleased to accept from us this brooch as a token of our affection and esteem. Mrs. Dale made a suitable reply. Oub report of the monthly meeting of the Hospital Committee, held on Tuesday evening, is crowded out. We regret to state that the injuries sustained by Mr. Wootton's little boy, George Joseph, by falling into a tub of boiling water, on the night of Saturday, the 20th inst. , terminated fatally. Dr. Halley was constantly in attendance from the time the accident occurred, and exerted his skill to the utmost, but without avail. The poor little fellow expired at midnight on Saturday, the 27th inst. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents, and at the which took place on Thursday, there was a very large attendance. *