GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 270, 3 April 1873, Page 5

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

Mr J. Joyce was, on the 25th, admitted and enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. The lowest tenderers for the construction of the Naseby Sludge Channel were Messrs John Farmer and Co., whose tender of LIS,GOO has been accepted. There were two other tenders within LSOO each. The following are the nominations for the South Canterbury Handicap — the principal event at the Timaru meeting on the 16th prox : Miss Flat, aged ; Hurricane, 5 yrs ; Shadow, 4 yrs ; Mystery, 4 yrs ; Tainbourini, 4 yrs ; Hatred, 5 yrs. Tenders for the construction of the Tokomairiro and Lawrence line, a distance of twenty-two miles, will be called for this week. The work is divided into five sections, to ensure competition. The sections are arranged according to the amount of work involved in them. At the Queen's Theatre on the 28th, the Magnet Troupe attracted a crowded house, the stalls and pit being uncomfortably filled . The programme of the previous evening was repeated, and the various items were enthusiastically received. For this evening an entire change of programme is announced. Messrs R. W. Sparrow and Co.'s tender for the erection of rolling stock, imported for the Clutha line of railway, has been accepted by the General Government. It includes the putting together of two locomotives, twelve carriages and break vans, ten ordinary waggons, and twelve mineral waggons. We understand that Messrs Brogden and Sons' was the lowest tender for completing the Clutha Railway to the Chain Hills, from Dunedin a distance of five miles and a half. The tender will, in all probability, be accepted to-morrow. The amount, we believe, is L 4,699, and includes ballasting permanent way, sidings, and the construction of one bridge over the line. There is in Christchurch at the present time a lady astrologist, who has bton consulted by a number of persons, who attempt to conceal their identity in bad writing. In an advertisement which appears in the newspapers, the lady, who delights in the title of Madame Pascal, informs those of her friends who elect to distort their handwriting, that should their characters appear proportionately distorted in delineation, they have only themselves to blame. The Wanganui papers contain long reports of a civil case between E. A. Drury, and. H. B. Roberts— a claim by Drury for salary from Roberts, a local solicitor. The evidence is somewhat amusing, the defendant making a number of charges of insobriety against the plaintiff, and denying the existence of any engagement. The claim was at the rate of L 5 per week. The judgment of the Court was for 35s a week. Clothes, said the Magistrate, could not be considered, neither could ginger wine or beer, as these were luxuries, it was presumed, supplied out of good will. The Court had the testimony of two professional gentlemen that L 5 a week was a most absurd charge for the services of a law clerk, unless of extraordinary attainments ; and that from 30s to 42s a week was the usual rate of pay, and there was nothing before the Court to prove that Mr Drury possessed extraordinary attainments. A hot discussion in the papers arose as to the testimony regarding the pay of law clerks. Mr A F. Anderson, Inspector and Auditor of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company and the Canterbury and Australian Asssociation, who is about to proceed to Canterbury, was, on Saturday, presented with a gold watch, chain and appendages, silver kettle, and barometer, by his fellow employes, on his retiring from the office which he has held for the last eight years, as a mark of respect for the courteous and kind manner in which he has performed his duties, and the high estimation in which he is held by the manager and clerks in the company's employ in this Province. In addition to the above, a presentation of a brooch and earrings for Mrs Anderson was also made. The articles were obtained from Mr G. Young, Princes street — Star, March 31. The following items' regarding the theatrical world may possess some interest for many of our readers :— Mr Joseph Rayneris giving readings with considerable success, and Miss Aitken, in the same line, is drawing good houses at Nelson. Miss Colville and Mr Hoskins, in conjunction with the SteeleHoward troupe, are performing at Wellington. Madame Sara and Mr Clifton, late of the Magnet Variety Troupe, are giving draw-ing-room entertainments in the country districts of Canterbury. Miss Jennie Nye appeared at the Theatre Royal, Calcutta, on ''the 11th January last, in the burlesque of " Little Don Giovanni ;" the caste also comprised the name of Mr J. L. Hall. The terms of -Mrs Steele's engagement at the Royal, Melbourne, are L 25 a-week for one month, and a clear half benefit ; she proceeds to Sydney shortly, wheie she is engaged to play a Shakesperian season. Messrs Geddes and Willis's company opened at Christchurch on the 26th with "The Unequal Match," and have drawn good houses since. The local journals predict for them a long and successful season. The following particulars of the railway accident, at Lyttelton, mentioned in our to-day's telegram, appear in the Lyttelton Times : — The deceased John Stevens, with other workmen, left the tunnel at half-past ten o'clock, so as to leave the line clear for the late train from and to Christchurch. It is customary to leave one man at the tunnel mouth to prevent any person going in, and to the deceased on that night this work was assigned, and he was especially instructed nob to go into the tunnel, but remain outside it until the train had passed to and from Lyttelton. This order the unfortunate man disobeyed ; for, on the train passing through to Christchurch, and the men returning to their work after, on going up some two chains into the tunnel, they found the deceased lying near to the rails, with the half of his head cut off and his right arm smashed. It is supposed the unfortunate man, finding the night damp and foggy, went into the tunnel to the spot where he was found, and which has a small shelving seat. Whilst there, he must have gone to sleep, and startled by the sound of the train, he had probably fallen forward, his head and arm coming in contact with the bottom step of the engine. We take the following items, having reference to the Carrick reefs, from the Cromwell Argus :— The crushing of 183 tons for the Colleen Bawn Company was finished at Logan's battery on Wednesday, and the quantity of gold obtained was 116oz. 9dwt. 6grs. This was considerably less than had been anticipated, and much disappointment and dissatisfaction have been expressed by the shareholders, nearly all of whom are local residents. There seems good reason to believe that they were fully justified in expecting an average yield of at least 25dwts.. to the ton from this crushing, for not only was the stone proved by actual test to be •uncommonly rich, but the quantity of amalgam which had accumulated in the ripples of the machine before the crushing had been half completed was such as to encourage the sanguine hopes entertained as to the final result. The time occupied in crushing, from first to last, was eight weeks, during which period many stoppages occurred from want of sufficient water. No portion of the amalgam was removed from the stamper-boxes or fipplee until the entire crushing was

finished ; and as the machine wi i not in any way protected during the intemls of working, it is believed that a considsrable quantity of amalgam was stolen. 'Itisof no use crjang over spilt milk," but ihere can be no doubt that the heavy loss the Colleen Bawn Company has sustained is the result of gross negligence in some quarter The John Bull Company had a very satisf ctory cleaning up last Wednesday, at the Nil Desperandum Company's battery. The| quantity of stone crushed was about 50 tens, and the yield of retorted gold 49oz.— showing an average return of 194dwts. per ton. The subject of wharf accommodation and the navigation of the Yarra is exciting considerable attention in Melbourne just now. The Australasian of a recent issue says :—: — " Twelve years ago a Royal Commission was appointed to take the whole subject into consideration, and some valuable plans and suggestions were submitted ti> it. Among others, we remember a schene by Mr J.^ Millar, F.S.A., which, for originality of conception, boldness of design} simplicity of execution, and reproductiveness of result, was altogether admirable. It embraced a ship canal and docks stretching from Flinders street to Sandridge, and the conversion of an immense area of valueless scrub into valuable building sites. Had thi3 scheme been carried out, Melbourne would have been in the enjoyment at this moment of some of the finest docks and wharfage in the world, and the whole of the outlay, considerable as it was, would have been either recouped, or the interest upon the capital sunk more than covered by the wharfage rates and other dues. What has become of these plans ? In their absence, Mr Gordon has submitted to the Commission on Lowlying Lands a proposition for the removal of the two reefs across the Yarra at the Prince's and the Falls Bridges ; the deepening of the river to i the uniform depth of 22ft from Church street Bridge to the outfall in the bay, as also the widening of the channel both above and below the Falls, the width from these to the sea being about 300 ft." We understand that the Hon. J. J. Casey, the Victorian Minister of Lands, in bis late visit to Dunedin, instructed Mr Millar to prepare fresh plans of the scheme proposed by him in 1861. The following is the full text of Mr Calder's address to the electors of Invercargill, in resigning his seat in the Assembly :—: — "It is with considerable regret that I feel constrained to announce the resignation of the honor you conferred upon me at last election, in choosing me as your member in the General Assembly of New Zealand. Many reasons have induced me to retire from political life at the present time, which I need not refer to ; but there is one that is perhaps known to most of you. You are aware that the firm of which I am a member recently became interested in a contract with the Government, and though I had forgotten the fact at the time, I now find that the acceptance of that contract fairly brings me within the provisions of the Disqualification Act, 1870. The present aspect of public affairs is not of the most assuring character, and it would be presumptuous in me to indicate anything like the probabilities of the future — no one can do so ; but this much I may be permitted to say, that the ' political situation' forms a fair justification for the course, as your representative, I pursued in the Assembly. I was one of those who waited on Mr Stafford and strongly urged him to demand a dissolution when his Ministry was upset last session, being of opinion that % House elected as the last was, and from the position of parties as well, was incapable of furnishing the material for a good and powerful Government. Moreover, old party ties had been broken up, and been replaced by disorganisation and distrust, if not something worse, and the attempt to form a strong Government had therefore proved a failure. I have reason to know and acknowledge, that the best men from both sides of the House deplored that state of matters. A policy of prudence is not necessarily anti-progressive, as many people think, and if the establishment of such should be the final outcome of the present entanglement, the lesson may not be too dearly purchased. Gentlemen, in severing the tie that unites us, I have to express my gratitude for the uniform courtesy and confidence received at your hands. In return I think I can truly say that I am not conscious of having abused that confidence in the slightest degree — by my votes or otherwise. I have endeavored to act up to the light I possessed. At any rate, my desire was, and I hope it has been fulfilled, that my constituency should not suffer in reputation by my representation." The Mr Cuthbertson, who is already in the field, has been editing the Southland Times for some time past. A correspondent under the pseudonym of " Cornish Jack," writes to the Wakatip Mail, from Moonlight, the following interesting particulars of the Moke Creek copper lode. He says : — " If it is not intruding too much upon your valuable columns, please to publish this for public information, and to whom it may concern, regardingtheMokeCreek copper slip, which I have recently visited. I have not theslightest doubt that the lode in this locality will ultimately be one of the mainstays of the Wakatip districts, notwithstanding the obstacles that will have to be contended against regarding fuel for smelting purposes, and shipment or land carriage. The cap of the lode is easily traced — or rather the caps of several leaders — for hundreds of feet up the sideliugof the range, through the slip, and into the solid country, at an elevation, say, of one hundred and fifty feet above the level of ! the creek. By tracing these leaders from the cap or surface down to the creek, any person who is but very little acquainted with copper lodes can easily perceive that they draw together, and become much more -defined. Providing a tuunel was driven through the slip and back into the hill, and a shaft sunk on the lode, there is reason to believe that, at no great depth, the whole of the leaders will be found to make into one well defined lode, or else they will cut out just like a wedge ; but, according to indications, the former is more probable. Having been born where boys have to handle the pick and gad almost as soon as they can say "father," I should, from practical experience, claim a little knowledge on mining matters. Even the casing — in which are easily seen traces of almost pure copper oosing out from the lode, and which is looked upon as rubbish by a great many, would be a fortune for a party oE working men if they had it near a port. I have brought away with me some specimens, and intend to get them forwarded to London, where their worth might be more attractive. In conclusion, depend upon it, sir, nothing is wanting in this direction but capitalists who are interested in mining, in order to develop the place, and open up a new El Dorado." The Brisbane Courier, speaking of the resolutions of the Coaf erence as to electric tslegraph extension, says :—lf: — If we understand rightly, the present intention is to lay a cable, 1,300 miles long, from Botany Bay to Cap? Farewell, at the northern point of the Province of Nelson, and at tlie opening of iCook's Strait. The three Colonies of New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand will undertake the whole responsibility contacted with the two cables, and divide the cbst, if any, amongst them. r ihey will, of course, give their entire support to the linfs for which they have to pay, and, as regards the Anglo-Australian telegraph, in which there will be a competition, the other Colonieji will no doubt make use of the line which afords the most certain, speedy, and cheapest communication.

A meeting of the passengers by the Philip Laing, by which the first settlers came to the Province, was held in Murray's hotel last evening, when the desirability of commemorating the twenty- fifth anniversary of their arrival was discussed. Mr H. M'Dermid occupied the chair, and though the attendance was necessarily small, a good deal of enthusiasm was di&played in the matter. It was stated that some who were present had travelled from Tokomairiro on the one side, and Hampden on the other, in order to attend the meeting. On the motion of Mr Adam it was resolved that the passengei s by the Philip Laing be invited to a gathering on April 15, said gathering to be confined to the passengers by that vessel and their families ; and on Mr Mercer's motion it was agreed that the proposed gathering should take the form of a trip by rail to the Port and back on the day in question, and a soiree to be held in Dunedin in the evening. The following were appointed a committee to make the necessary arrangements :— Messrs H. M'Dermid and D. Miller, Port Chalmers ; A. Mercer, A. J. Burns, and John Barr, Dunedin ; W. Martin, Green Island ; W. Jeffrey, Saddle Sill; Jas. Cunninghame, Halfway Bush ; T. Buchanan and A. Watson, North Taieri ; W. Duff, Waihola ; Jas. Adam, Tokomairiro ; John Barr, Balclutha j and R. Hastie, Hampden. A humorous correspondent of the HawMs Bay Herald complains, and with some reason, of the mystifying and often unimportant character of the European cablegrams. Too often is there sent vast subsidiary matters of detail, pertaining to the fluctuations of epinion or internal dissensions of European populations, that seldom form matter of ordinary interest to men busily engaged raising crops, families, and produce, at this side of the globe. The excellent guess made at the style of message forwarded to the papers causes us to suspect that the correspondent is a newspaper man. He summarises the last month's news thiswise : — " One day we have a Russian armj' of half a million marching straight against our inland Indian frontiers, and tomorrow that army is reduced to seven thousand, and going in a totally opposite direction. The Carlists were yesterday heading for Bilboa ; this morning they are seeking hiding-places across the Pyrenees, and to-night they will be ' dead on' for Bilboa again. Last week, a Muscovite Ambassador is seen dancing smiling attendance at the English Court, pleading with the Duke of Edinburgh in favor of a dark-eyed Russian _ Princess; and now we find the Czar is conspiring with Bismarck and the Shah of Persia to blot us out of the map, and sweep us from off the sea altogether. Where, I ask, is that Russian Princess now ? where that smiling and dancing Muscovite? Echo alone answers, where? But still the mendacious current jabberson :—.: — . The Bilboaists are advancing on Car Money tight. Tallow steady, 45. Tin, 46 Wallsend coal advancing. Prince Napoleon waits the course of events. Valley of Whora-san Wahool Medjikameleke ceded merely by the Shah of Persia. Mutton (tallow) active. Gladstone ruminates a Catholic Dissenting College. Rush of German Jesuits to England. Beef advancing 6d ; coals receding. Prince Napoleon watching course of events. Tin, 44. Carlist bands around Bilboa. N.Z. sixes, 113. Money scarce. Iron heavy. Cork light. The Committee of Thirty demand.' " There he thinks it time to stop to ask : " Has it come to this at last : the boasted triumph of the nineteenth century—the acme of modern civilisation reached — the dream of poets realised — a girdle elapsed about the planet, and the ends of the earth brought together — for what? That reckless bands of Associated Pressmen may deluge the world with a literary sea of excruciating absurdities ? or that dexterous compilators of passing events may confuse men's minds by the legerdemain of their lead pencils, and raise a second tower of Babel at the antipodes, by wiring in and piling on the agonies of their many inventions?" Many will adopt his mode of getting over these perplexing telegrams, viz., to take his Home News as of old, once a month, and henceforth skip the column headed "Cablegrams."