Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1873. "MEASURES, NOT MEN." LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 264, 20 February 1873, Page 4

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1873. "MEASURES, NOT MEN." LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Oxl? of those not infrequent illustrations of the dark heathenism existing in this professedly Christi.in country, cropped up in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Lawrence, oil Friday, the 7th ' insr. during the hearing of the charge against the Tighe's of sheepstealingT An intelligent looking little boy. apparently about 10 years of age, named iStanawny, the stepson of the elder prisoner, wa» placed in the witness' box to give evidence for the prosecution. In answer to the Resident Magistrate, the boy said he could read, but w-tv triable to write. The Magistrate asked him if he had .my knowledge of a future btdte. The boy grinned, and appeared to treat the question as if it were an ingenious conundrum. The Magistrate then asked the boy if he had ever heard of heaven and hell. Young Sraunaway grinned again, but made no answer. ' Inspector Thompson then asked if it was wrong to tell a lie. '"No" rep i,>d the boy smilingly and promptly. The young heathen's evidence was dispensed with. The Lake Wakatip " Mail " advocates bringing into operation in the Lake district, the Counties Ordinance anil the Road Boards Ordinance. His Honor the Superintendent has telegiaphed to some geutlemen in Queenstown, anxious to reorganise the local volunteer corps, that if proper application is made to the Defence Office, the corp will be gazetted. The servicea of the Queenstown volunteers were refused ac the same time those of the Lawrence volunteer corps met the same fate. As the former is likely to be accepted, perhaps if the Lawreuce aspirants to military, fame were to make a similar application, they would be successful. Last autumn a. sum of money was expended in repairing the road between Waipori and "Lawrence. With a view to getting the most work for the least money, the sapient head of • the provincial engineering department adopted the pan which experience has amply demonstrated to be the most effective for securing that desideratum— viz., the employment of daymen proficient in the art of " Government stroke." Two parties were started to work — one on the Lnwrence end and the other on the Waipori end. It was hopefully anticipated that these parties would meet in the centre, thereby completing the work. Bat " the best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft agee ;" and, in obedience to the inscrutable decrees of Providence, the parties never came within the distance, in colonial measurement designated .'* eooey "of each other. By a. singular coincidence, the part of the road left untouched was the worst on the whole line ; and for the last 9 months several deep rats have threatened the lives and limbs of travellers. With a laudable desire to save unnecessary labor, the daymen aforesaid filled up all the ruts they graciously condescended 1 to notipp, with tussocks, muck, <md any soft material that was handy. The result of this wise procedure is that the " stuffing" has all been all washed out, and the ruts are now again visible in all the picturesque freshness of their normal beauty. As some illnatured remarks regarding travelling expenses had appeared in the press about the time the work was completed, theengineer to whosecharge it was confided, actuated by a magnanimous desire to save the Government from odium, did not visit this road, but affixed his signature to the ' vouchers without having seen the work. When the manner in which- the repairs weie executed was brought under his notice by a Government officer, who pressed him to inspect it before payment was made, the sagacious and zealous engineer grinned, a-nd blandly intimated his unalterable determination not to go near the spot. Next winter the road will, as a matter of course, be more impassable than ever, unless it is promptly and- properly repaired: But what are the convenience and safety of the public or the public revenues compared with the gratification of the caprices of such a dignitary as a, provincial' engineer ? We remind the Tuapeka public that their old favorite, Mr. Thomas Muirhead, takes his benefit to-morrow night, at the Commercial Assembly Room. The programme is exceedingly well arranged and attractive, and is, with the popularity of the benificiare a sure guarantee of a bumper house. Mr. ArTKEN, of BjOss Place, has received a consignment of American patent hip gum boots. The peculiarities of these boots are that they are made of thicker material than the ordinal y gums, and that the soles are of leather, fixed on by metal anchor plates. They are said to be much moie comfortable than the ordh.ary kind, more durable, ] and an improvements every respect.

A preliminary meeting was held in St. Joseph's schoolroom, on Tuesday evening, of persons favorable to the Sports to be held at the race course, Lawrence, ou St. Patrick's Day, and to be supplemented by a banquet in the evening. It was resolved to hold another meeting on Tuesday evening next, to finally arrange the programme and select the various committees required for the different sports. The business stir throughout the town caused by the previons anniversary was alluded to, and a motion, proosed by Mr. Whelan and seconded by Mr. C. Roughan, was unanimously carried that a general canvass be made, for the '■ purpose of obtaining money to be distributed in prizes to the successful competitors. The sports are tobe open to all comers, and to comprise horse and foot racing, sack racing, jumping, throwing the atone, hornpipe and jig dancing, &c. A platform is to be erected for the accommodation of the dancers. It was mentioned that several ladies in Dunedin had promised not only to grace the fancy fair (one feature of the entertainment) with their ptesence ou that day, but iutended to contribute several handsome specimens of their handiwork ; and that arrangements had been made with one of the leading musicians of Dunedin to supply a band, comprised of the best talent in the city, and to number of 22 performers. It was further resolved that the banquet be held in the schoolroom. We draw the attention of our readers to the prospectus of the dirk's Hill Prospecting Company. It will be seen that the promoters of this Company have taken action without refereuce to the subsidy for which the committee appointed for that purpose has applyid to Government. We are glad this is the case, as it places the Company in a more independent position, and If .ives the subsidy granted (if any) free for exploration in othec localities. On the face of the prospectus, the offer of the Gabriels Gully Company to rent the portion of the tunnel which will be used by them, is equivalent to a guarantee of Ift per cent, on the whole of the capital called vp N as long as their reef lasts above that level ; there is also the possibility of reutal accruing from the other claims N. and S. of the G. G. $. M. Co. W& trust that this may be only the first of a series of combined enileavors to develop the auriferous resources of the district hitherto untried, and we truly hope with the same satisfactory results experienced from this sjstoin in Bendigp, Victoria. The population, of the Tuapeka district is equal to that of the Titnura district. Mr. Cabrutsers, Eugineer-iu-.Chief, accompanied by Mr. Blair, Geneial Government Engineer, arrived in Lawrence on Tuesday afternoon. They attended a meeting of the Railway Committee the suuie evening; and on the following day visited the Beaumont for the purpose of asceitaining the practicability of extending the Tuapeka Railway up the valley of the Molyneux. They weie agreeably surprised with the resources and population of the district, and are of opinion that a line from Lawience upcountry would be one of tho easiest to construct in the colony. Uxdkr the heading of a " 4. good word for local papers." the " New York Times'' says : — You luight nearly as well forget your churches, your academies and school house, as to forget your local paper. It speaks to ten times the audience that your local minister does. It is read eagerly each day from beginning to end. It reaches you all, and, if it has a lower spirit and le^s wisdom than a sermon, it has a thousand times better chance at you. Lying, as it does, on every Sable, in almost every house, you owe it to yourselves to rally to its support, and exact from it as able, high-toned a character as you do from any educator in your midst. It is in no«eii«e beneath notice nnd cue— unless, you yourself are beneath notice and care— for it is your representative. liideed, in its character, it is the summation of the iiupot ta>ic& of the interest and welfare of you all. It is the aggieg«.te of you.r own consequence, and you can-iot ignore it without miserably depreciating yjurselves. Tub District Court haa been several times adjourned in consequence of the sittings of the Supreme Court. Last week a bankrupt named George Summers passed his final examination and obtained his order of discharge Mr. M'Coy appeared for bankrupt. We have observed, at tho studio of Mr. Thomas \' uss^n (of the- firm of Irwin an.l Mussen), Peel-street, a handsome photograph of the members of the late Mining Conference. The likenesses are capital, and the arrangement shows them off to great advantage. It forms an interesting sour&i ir of the ti rst Miners' parliament, -ami ought for that reason, irrespective of its excellence, command a ready sale. Mr. Mu&>en has also ou haivl a number of excellent views of the country, aiul is ready to imprint the likenesses of hose of the public that so desire, on handsome cards, in any style, and at moderate rates. As Mr. Mussen's. stay in Lawrence is for a very short time, intending photographees should loose no time in visiting his studio. A l^rge assembly, including the leading Congregational Ministers of Great Britain, breakfasted with the Key. Dr. ilalley (father of Dr. Hally, of Lawrence), in October last, on the occasion of presenting him with a testimonial as a token of esteem for many and valuable services rendered by him to the denomination. The-. Key. Dr. Halley had just previously completed the anniversary of the 50th year of his ordination The testimonial, consisting of a beautifully illuminated address, and a sum of £3100 was presented bythe Rev.,Mrßinney, whose speech was highly eulogistic of the reputation and attainments of the Rev. Dr Many speeches followed on the same strain, and the Rev. Dr. Halley responded in a lengthy speech, in which he gave an interesting narrative of his long ministry, and concluded by sttting that, although- he was bidding the Church farewell, he hoped his voice would yet be heard in its pulpits The case of Clayton and others v. Morrison and others is still before the Lawrence Circuit Court. The case for the plaintiffs was concluded at half-past ten o'clock on Wednesday, having lasted since the previous . Tuesday, with the exception, of one day, on which the Court adjourned to aUow the parties a chance of coming to some arrangement After lengthy negotiations, it was found impossible by the parties to come at a satisfactory j settlement, and they resolved to fight it out to the bitter end. The legal points, in pursuance of an arrangement between counsel, j will be argued in Dunedin. Yesterday Mr..Barton briefly stated several nonsuit points he intended to raise, and opened the case for defendants, his address lasting till a quarter to four, when the Court rose. The Cour' then adjourned till Saturday, at the request of the jury and with the concurrence of counsel, in consequence of the Tuapeka annnnl races taking place on .Thursday and Friday. A full report of the proceedings up to the conclusion of the- plaintiffs' case appears in another part of the paper. It is probable that the case will last ten days or a fortnight longer. The of the suit arc- about £100 a day. In or.der to meet the increased demands made upon them, the arrangements of the interior of the Court have^been considerably altered and improved. The dpek and witness box have been removed, and the table at" which the counsel sit shifted and enlarged. It is to be hoped that the fittings and furniture will not be replaced i)i their original positions, but that sufficient accommodation, will be provided. The boy Gately, who was recently charged with stealing a sovereign, and let off without puuishment upon Mr. M'Kimmie taking him back into his sesvice, signalised his liberation by absconding from his employment and stealing a watch from Mr. D. Herd, of Wetherstone. He was arrested by the police in the direction of Waipo i ; and on. Friday last was brought up and sentenced to two months imprisanment.

Mr. Geo, Jbppeby haa received the following new hooks :— Cassel's '* Technical Educator," 3 vols. ; " The Scots Worthies,'" by John Howie ; •' The Plant World." by E. Twining ; History of English Literature " (Collier) ; " The Sword and Trowel," (Spurgeon) , " Critical Essays " (Maeaulay) ; *' Memoirs of Great Commanders;" "The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, "' lß7l, C. H. Spurgeon ; " Take my Advice," ''Refer to Me," " What the Moon saw," " The Midnight Sky," anil a number of others ; also the latest comic songs. — "'Mother says I mustn't" "Pa says I inny," "It's very aggravating " " First she would and then she wouldn't *' " I'm a dad dad dad," ** Merit commands success."