Local Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 334, 28 February 1874, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

The Sunday School pic nic which was advertised to be held to day, has been postponed till Monday at the same hours. This postponement has been caused by the wet weather of the past few days making the ground unfl-t f©r the purpose.

A SPECIAL meeting of the Town Council was called for Thursday evening to consider the drainage question and other business, but lapsed for tfant of a quorum.

"We are pleased to learn that an exhibition of a somewha% -novel though attiaotive character la on the tdpis^fbr, -St. Patrick's eve, consisting of a grand display of fireworks-. A case of fireworks has been received by a gentleman in town, and a, few of our spirited residents have determined to contribute so much each and make a public eolletoteon to be added to their contributions fox the purpose of purchasing them, and making a grand display of-the same , and St> Patrick's eve has beeti the time fixed for the event to take place. Thfe kJolleotion of fireworks is a very good one, including, as. it does, some splendid lockets, Roman candles, bomb shells, triangular wheels, blue devils, and other novelties , in addition to which are two balloons, «it?ht feet ■each in circumference, H was intended to exhibit the fireworks on St. Patricks DayT at the close of the entertainment, but as the hour would be very late, St. Patricks eve has been decided upon instead. We hope the public will respond to any call made upon thsm for the purpose stated,

A SLIGHT accident happened to Cobb & Co.'s coach on Wednesday afternoon. Whefn near the fluming on the Waitahuna road, one of the wheelers choked himself, and fell across the pole, breaking- it. .Mr. M'lntosb, who was driving;, immediately rode into" Lawrtncefor another coaoh with which to bring In the passengers, A delay of one hour was the onlj^ inconvenience they had to put uj> with: The same day one of Nine thorough traces bf the Dunstan coaoh broke on fttoa Flat, the ooach at the time being heavily laden. It was repaired as well as the appliances at hand would permit, the coach arriving in Lawrence very little behind the ordinary time. The Switzers telegraph line is now completed. The authorities have decided upon erecting the office on the Government township situated on WaikaiaFlat-a move which will no doubt in* duce most of the tradespeople on the hill to shift their camps to the plain, a course they will be compelled to adopt sooner or later. We take upon ourselves a fair share of credit for getting the Switzers and Tapanui districts placed in telegraphic communication with other towns of the colony, as it was in the columns cf this journal the desirability of constructing the line was first urged and brought prominently before the powers that be. It is therefore with great pleasure we announce its completion. Mr. Logan will no doubt aoon complete arrangements for the transmission of messages. We are informed that he has secured temporary offices in Tapanui, until the building intended for the purpose is erected. There was a meeting of the Lawrence Grammar School Committee on Thursday evening. Present : Messrs, M'Coy (President), Jamison, Harrop, Jeffery, Menzies, and Hayes (Secretary.) The minutes of the former ordinary meeting, as well as special meeting, were read and confirmed. Mr. Menzies read a report of the sub-Committee appointed to embody resolutions of the special meeting of the Committee to consider the circular from the Education Board. Moved and seconded that it be received. Carried. It was proposed nn^ seconded, " That, with a view to encourage more practical payment in the future, a reduction of 10 per cent, be allowed on all quarteily payments in advance." Carried. It was also proposed, seconded, and carried, "That the Visiting Committee for the mouth should attend to any outlays that may be required for the school, with a view to furnishing a report to the Education Board of necessary wants ; that the Committee might be on a proper footing to obtain subsidy in terms of the Ordinance. The Secretary was also instructed to communicate with the Education Boaid to hasten on arrangements for the new scliool, Messrs, Harrop and M'Coy we-re appointed Visiting Committee for the month. Several accounts were passed for payment. There was no other business of importance. We are requested by one of the defendants in the case of Woodhouse v. Rigney and Stevenson, heard at the last Roxburgh Court, to state thet the defendants did not wish to sell their shares to plaintiff, and were not willing to buy his at the price he wanted ; but they offered their shares to him at the price he asked for his own, which, however, he refused, The grain crops on Mr. James Smith's station, we aie informed, are first-class this season, some of the wheat yielding as much as 60 bushels to the acre. Th.resh.ing has already commenced. The stot my weather of the last few days will no doubt be a cause of great hindrance to harvesting operations. A special meeting of the Lawrence Town Council was held in the Council Chambers yesterday afternoon. There were present Crs. Hayes, Hay, Walker, and Arnistiong. Cr. Armstiong occupied the chair. The resignation of Cr. Hill was received and accepted, and Tuesday next, the 3rd March, was fixed upon for the nomination of Ors. to represent the East and West Wards in place of C<s. Hill and Mears, resigned. In the event of an elpction, it will take place on Friday, the 6th prox. A Roxburgh, correspondent sends us the following :— Mr. Petrie, the Government Inspector of Schools, examined the children of Moa Flat school, after which he visited the Teviot, and examined the pupils of the Rox-. burgh school on Monday. He expressed great satisfaction with the knowledge displayed by, the scholars, and stated that they had acquitted themselves better than any school he had visited as yet. The want so long felt at this school has yet to be supplied— vi?., a mistress to teach needle work, &c. ; and although the Committee have offered good terms for oue to attend some few hours every week to give information in plain and fancy needle work, they have not yet succeeded in securing the services of a properly qualified person ; lam sorry to hear the Committee do not intend to give any prizes this yenr, as I think encouragement of that kind stimulates the scholars to use their utmost energy.— Nearly all the farmett about here have finished threshing, most of the crops being veiy good. Mr, Westcott had a very good crop of oats ; but I am sorry to hear that the blight caused by the hot winds has injured his wheat to suoh an extent that he estimates his loss at about £200. I have heard of one farmer washing his wheat in the river to clear it of smut.— Mr. P. M 'Gill's flour mill at Moa Flat lias not beeu at work for some time, owing to the scarcity of water , but I suppose the rain falling vow will give a good supply. The deputation from Tapanui who waited upon the Superintendent on Wednesday last, to get his Honor, amongst other things, to use his influence to stop the land sale which is advertised to come off on Mor.dny, have been unsuccessful iv this part of their mission. His Honor said he would submit the application to the Executive, who would meet on Friday. We ascertained by telegraph yesterday that the Government cinnot withdraw the land from sale, as it would be illegal to do so. Let us therefore hope that the " very keen competition for this land" of which the Superintendent has beeu iuformea will indeed take place. For our own part we do not believe there will be a keen competition. THE leases of small runs withdrawn from the Tuapeka Commonage- v/ill be sold by Mr. M: Hay, Government Auctioneer, at the Land Office. Lawrence, on Monday, 9th March. IT will be observed by advertisement that the time for the receiving of tenders for the erection of a post and telegraph office at Roxburgh, has been extended for a week from the sth to' the 12th March. Intelligence reached Lawrence on Thurslay afternoon that a fire had broken out that morning at the Victoria Saw Mills Tapanui. At the time the news was despatched to Lawrence the fire had taken fall possession of the large shed in which the machinery is situated. It was 1 thought the boiling down shed and other adjacent buildings would escape the fire, as a good supply of water waa in the race which runs close to the mills. • On Monday evening last, Mr. Bastings, Gtoldfields Secretary, accompanied by Af r. Simpson, Provincial Engineer, arrived at Waipori, with the object of turning the first sod" of the Drainage Chanrel. This important ceremony was duly performed on the following day at noon, in the vicinity of the proposed works, and in the pvesence of -a number of spectators. After the ceremony was performed, Mr. Bastings made a few brief remarks, suitable for the occasion. While he was confident the work would b? a reproductive one lor the province, he remarked that even were it not so, the Channel would sufficiently drain the surrounding swamps as to peimit the successful planting of forest trees. On the return of the company to the township, success to the undertaking was drunk in champagne, after which Mr. Bastings and Mr. Simpson returned to Dunedin*