Locel Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 337, 11 March 1874, Page 2

Locel Intelligence.

The total amount of subscriptions to the funds of the Tuapeka Hospital for the year 1873 was £513 0 Gd as against £314 Is 6d for the previous year. The increase during the past year is therefore close upon £200, which with subsidy is equal to £400, A considerable portion of this increase we have no hesitation in s-iying. is due to the appointment of a paid collector. The result is no doubt pleasing to those members who not without some difficulty prevailed upon their fellow. members to«niake the experiment of a paid collector.

Owing to an informality in the election of a Councillor for West Ward in room of Mr. Hill, resigned, the election of Mr. Gharles Bryant was illegal. Mr. Thomas Arthur being on the roll for West Ward, and eligible, was proposed by Mr. Middlemiss, seconded by Mr, Williams, and elected to represent the ratepayers of that Ward.

A small pabcel of cement from the Nelson Company's claim, Blue Spur, was crushed at the Gabriels Gully Co.'s battery last week, and yielded at the late of loz. sdwts. to the ton. The cement was taken from the main bottom, 50 feet below the Company's present working level. If all the bottom dirt is as good as that crushed, a new era will soon commence at the Spur. In a short time we may expect to see several batteries erected, and a fresh impetus given to the present dull state of things existing in our gold workings. At the Blue Spur, many of the hitherto dividend paying claims have, fo r several reasons during the last two years, fallen off in their returns. Several of the claims are gradually gettiDg hemmed in by adjoining claims. Sevetal can hardly afford to pay the high price charged for water for sluicing purposes, and the want of fall for their tailings is making the workings, comparatively speaking, unprofitable. Many of them, amongst which is the Nelson Co., would immediately commence working their deep ground, if they could command the use of machinery for' crushing, and leave their top stuff until some more favorable opportunity offers for washing it away. The result, therefore, of the late trial crushing of cement cannot be underrated.

We" have been informed on reliable authority that the Provincial Council will not meet till the 286h of April,

Nine or ten Chinamen left Lawrence yesterday for Waipori. where they have been engaged for the Channel works.

A Chinaman, who has been employed on Spylaw Station, got his leg broken a few days ago. He was driving a horse and dray, and it is supposed he had fallen out of the dray. The broken limb was set by Dr. Douglas, of Tapanui, and the sufferer was brought into the Chinese Camp yesterday.

On ascending that stiff pinch leading from Gabriels Gully to the Blue Spur township, known as Jacob's Ladder, the attention of Mr. Luke, a Spur resident, was attracted to something shining in a pocket of the reef, which had been washed by the recent heavy rain. On picking out the contents of the crevice, Mr. Luke obtained upwards of 4 ozs. of gold. Since the above discovery, every step of Jacobs Ladder has been occupied by fossiekers.

Full particulars of ~the Switzere races have not yet reached us. The following items, were furnished us by a visitor : — Turpin wonfthe Maiden Plate ; Little Dan, the Switzer's and Waiknia Handicaps ; Sir Tntton, "the Ladies' Purse ; Don Pedro, the Hurdle Race j Curacoa. the. District Handicap ; and Fire tail, the Consolation Handicap.

The 21st of April, and following days, are the days fixed upon for holding the bazaar in connection with Trinity Church, Lawrenoe, Large quantities of goods have been contributed for the bazaar. Friends of the Church in Dunedin especially have, we are informed, contributed handsomely,

The ohildren of St. Patrick's School, who are to take part in the drama of Fabolia to be represented on To eaday evening next, have already made themselves very welh acquainted, with their respective parts. We had the pleasure of being present at a rehearsal last evening, and were agreeably surprised to find them so very well up in the piece. We wpuld recommend all who intend being present on the evening of St Patrick's Day, and who may not have read Fabiola, to make themselves acquainted with the plot, as by that means they will the more thoroughly be able to enter into the spirit of the piece. A handbill, describing the various scenes, will be presented to each person on entering the schoolroom.

The last Provincial Government Gazette contains a notification to the effect that his Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint Ebenezer Halley of Lawrence a public vaccinator in accordance with the provisions of the Public Health Act 1872.

Mb. M'eae farmer on the Waitahuna road lost a valuable horse last week, through overfeeding with new oats. Every year after harvest we bave to record the loss of valuable animals that meet their death from the same cause. It is a wonder that more eire is not exercised in feeding horses, especiallyafter a hard days work.

Some few weeks ago a paragraph appeared in these columns, stating that Mr! M*Cartb.y o f Dumbarton Rock hsu\ zt>d his '^perty to the manager «f a neiji'.iouring station. We then receive! n Setter from » correspondent denying that a sale had been effected. We are now informed that such sale did take place, and that the purchaser has taken legal proceedings to obtain possession of the pjoperty.

Mr. H. A. Robinson has opened his fish shop next door to Mr. Robert Hills' premises in Peelstreet, and has commenced to receive regularly a supply of fresh fish.

Next week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the Queen's Variety Troupe from Melbourne, which has been performing with so much success in other parts of the province will give three of their entertainments in the Commercial Assembly Room, Lawrence. The troupe consists of Madame Blanche the lady gymnast whose performances in mid air have created great sensation wherever she has appeared. Miss Tilly Andrews, comedienne ; Mat Rilpv. tho Ti-ish comedian and vocalist ; Charles Baker, negro rteiineabor -. Harry Simmonds, comique ; Mons. Haraew ; Waltei Sutton, jig dancer, and Mr. Harris, musical director. This company for number and variety of parts is well named the Vsiriety Troupe, and we have no doubt will afford a fund of sensation and amusement to all who patroniap the entertainments.

Messrs Habrawat and Robertson advertise for horse and bullock teams to cart 400 tons of wheat from Greenfield station, to their mill at Evan» Plat. They offer lOd a busheL We are informed that Mr. Smith has had an cxoolleut crop of wheat.

The Beaumont briilge is progressing slowly at present. Great difficulty has been experienced by the contractor in obtaining timber the necessary length for ties. That difficulty has been partially overcome, A road is being made from below Lancaster's farm to a point on the west side of the river opposite the Remarkable Bush. The logs, which aie of black birch, are being cut on the east side of the river and rafted across. "When we state that the trees^from which tbe logs are cat require to he 100 feet in length, and perfectly straight and sound, our readers will understand the difficulty that exists in obtaining them. Trees of that length are very scarce ; but sufficient of them, we are glad to say, have now been got, and in a very abort time will be conveyed with bullock teams to the site of the bridge, Mr. M'Donald informs us that be expects to complete the bridge in four months from date, unless anything serious should occur to hinder the work. A large quantity of timber is on the ground, which is being rapidly prepaied for fixing. The annual meeting of the Clark's Hill Prospecting Company (Limited^ will be held in the Victoria Hotel this evening, at half-past seven o'clock. The Bishop of Dunedin will visit Lawrence this week. On the morning of Sunday next there will be an ordination service in Trinity Church, at 11 a.m., when Mr. Dowe will b? admitted into full orders. In the evening, at 7 o'clock, there will be a confirmation service. We can thoroughly endorse the following remarks made by the " Otago Guirdian " :— " The plan of advertising land sales in the ' Provincial Gazette,' while it saves the cost of newspaper advertising, will be found by the public to be the worst kind of economy. We think auction sales of tbe public estate should receive as much publicity as a private person would judge to be necessary were he about to sell a parcel of land ; but the contrary is the case, and the Government land sales are carefully excluded from the newspapers. The ' Provincial Gazette ' is utterly worthless as an advertising medium." It is rather arousing to observe the rigid economy Mr. Logan, the Secretary to the Superintendent, observes in the matter of newspaper advertisements. Speaking fiom our own exeprience, that gentleman expects us to do impossibilities, as he invariably stipulates the space his advertisements muit occupy, and all the condensation we can bring to bear upon tbe matter will not bring them into the stipulated space.

A programme of excellent sports has been got up for St. Patrick's Day, as will be seen in our advertising columns ; and a fine display of 6reworks will be made on St. Patrick's eve.