Local Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 350, 25 April 1874, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

The San Francisco mail closes at Lawrence on the morning of the 4th , and the Suez mail on the morning of the 10th May. In our report of the Licensing Court, held on Tuesday lust, the applications of Mr R. Williams and Mr. J. Airey for general licenses were accidentally omitted by our reporter in transcribing his notes. We need hardly mention that the applications were granted. A Fouiiio meeting will he hell in CoghUTs Bridge Hotel, Waitahuna, on Friday next, the J Ist proximo, co leceive the report of the Ploughing Match Committee and elect a new Committee for the ensuing year. We are glad to see our Waitahuna friends setting such a good example to their Tuapeka neighbors. Mb. R. Lancvster has purchased Mr. Jmnes Smith's threshing machine, and will be euabled to resume threshing iv the Moa, Flat district in a few days. Mr. Ayli&g's contract on the Teviot road opposite the Island Block is now completed. The job^ has been done in a thorough workmanlike manner. ~ It is to be hoped the remainder of the road will be contracted for early next spring. The new road into Alexandra from Butchers Oully is nearly completed. It will materially lessen the distance, besides avoiding many dangerous places that existed on the old track. Steps have been taken to hold a ploughing match in the Mount Benger district this season. There is a surplus fund from last year, so the Committee will be enabled to offer good prizes for competition. A large quantity of grapes were grown at Mr. Feiaurt's orchaul, on theDunstan Flat, this season. Unfoitunately the early frosts have spoilt a laige portion of the later sorts. The Rev. F.tther M'Kay will hold mass in Alexandra on Sunday next. The Platypus is to be sold, and the Submarine Gold Mining Company wound up. We ate not at all surprised at this. If gold is to be obtained from thechannelof ourauriferous rivers, it must be got at by some 'simpler mechanism than that lately exhibited in Duuedin Harbour, The result of the election for a member of Parliament to represent Dunedin in place of Mr. Bathgate, was rather a surprise to ua. Mr. Barton we do know, but Mr. Wales wa do not know. However, it seems the Dunedin people know something of him. when they have returned him against a gentleman so wcll-kno ffu and so well-qualified as Mr. Barton is. The polling, as given by our telegram yesterday was —Wales, 632 ; Barton, 542 ; and Grant, 39. Mb. W. Hates reports having sold yesterday. on account of Mr. John Ross, at Lang's yards, ! Tuapeka Flat, cattle, horses, and pigs. Good hacks aud light harness horses brought from £15 :to £20. The cattle— a mixed lot— averaged about £5 per head. Pigs were rather slack of sale. The b^z.mr in aid of the funds of Trinity Chuich, Lawrence, has been, as we expected, an unqualified snooess— in fact, has exceeded the expectations of all connected with it. The exclamation every night, when the amount of takings has been asceitained, has been one of astonishment. " Where dots the money come from ? " people ask. Talk about dull times ! Why the result is better than it would have been in tbo palmy days of Tuapeka. The following shows the amount realised each day : - Tuesday, £70 15s 3.1. ; Wednesday, £88 16s 4d ; Thursday, £79 7s. ; and Friday. £57 T. 6.t. ; making a total of £29&65. Id. There are still lets of goods remaining for disposal, and although this is the closing day of the bazaar, we question if a complete clearance can be ! made. From 7 o'clock to-night, Mr. Hay will offer the goods remaining at tbat hour by public auction. In our previous notice of the bazaar we omitted to state that the refreshment stall was presided over by Mesdames Tyler and Tuckey ; and the names of Misses Sly and j Bennett were omitted from the list of those young ladies who assisted at the stall on the right. Mr. Matthew Coxon, we may also mention, kept a, strict watch upon the door, and accumulated a targe nuinbet of shillings towards the funds. It is calculated tbat the amount realised by the bazaar will be sufficient to liquidate the debt remaining on the church. The Rev. J. M. Sutherland, M.A., preached in the Blue Spur Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning last to a large and appreciative congregation,, and at Lawrence iv the evening. The Rev. B. Backhouse delivered his lecture on " India and China " on Tuesday evening last, in the Presbyterian Church, Blue Spur. We regret to say, owing to the inclemency of the weather, the attendance was very limited. , The successful tenderers for the bridge over Derwent-street. leading to Gabriels Gully, were Messrs. J. Hill and Co, The amount of the tender was £IS2 10s. The annual meeting of the shareholders of the Tuapeka- Mutual Benefit Buil'ling and Investment Society was held in the Commercial Hotel, oa Wednesday evening. There was a fair attendance. The President— Mr. F. Meyer -occupied the chnir. The report and balancesheet were- re<wl and adopted. The following gentlemen were plpcted directors, to fill the place of those retiring, namely, Messrs. W. If. Cox. Co quhoun, B-ynnt. Rill, and S. Wootton. From the report we observe that during the year 19; bor^owiug shares have been paid up iv full, and retired from the Society. The profits, have been above the average of former years, being £758 2s. 3d., or £3 Is. 6d. per share, making the present "value of each share £41 Us 6d. The number of investing shares now in the Society is 131 ; and borrowing shares, 115^. The amount of money out on mortgage is £1822 12s. 6d.; and the total amount of money invested is £8767 MOs.

Mb. M. Hat reports having sold yesterday, on account of J. C. Brown, Esq., at Wardensthorpe, household furniture, &c., at satisfactory prices.

We are glad to report the proceedings of a meeting held at the Blue Spur, on Wednesday evening laat, on the tailings question, and pleased to see the claim-owners so united on the subject. The co-operation of the inhabitants of Lawrence is asked by the Spur miners, and we have no doubt that co-operation will be heartily given, and a united effort made to induce the Provincial Government to recommend the scheme as one of the best that has yet been mooted in connection with Public Works on goldfields. The subject is so well known to the Goldfields Secretary that we can rely upon his strenuous efforts on behalf of the scheme. All that is wanted in our opinion is immediate action. A public meeting in Lawrence and a carefully drawn up memorial seem to us the first steps to be taken, and we have no doubt some of our leading men will join with the Committee appointed by the Blue Spur public meeting and carry out the object, which must meeb with the hearty approval of every well-wisher of the district.

A branch of the Gorge Creek Water Race, Speargrass Flat, has at length been completed. Four heads of water have been let to a party of men, who intend ground sluicing iome of the gullies in the vicinity of Butchers. This race, when completed throughout, will command a large extent of auriferous country. It is tho intention of the proprietors at some future time to extend the race to the banks of the Molyneux. The usual quarterly meeting of the subscribers to the Tuapeka Hospital was held in the Commercial Hotel, on Tuesday evening. There was a good attendance. E. H. Carew, Esq., President, was called to the chair. The Secretary read the quarterly statement and balance-sheet, which were duly received and adopted. There beins; no other business, a vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the meeting to a close. The late King of Saxony was in the habit of attending all the State institutions to see that they were kept in working order. One day King John appeared at the telegraph office of a small station, taking the clerk by surprise. This official had only juat time to telegraph to his colleague at the next station, " The king has just arrived on a visit of I inspection " before he was summoned to give all possible details to his sovereign with regard to the amount of traffic in the place, the number of despatches received, the number sent out, &c. Presently a message came along the wire, which the clerk read with great embarrasment. " What are the contents of that despatch ?" inquired the king The official stammered «ut that the contents were unimportant, but hia royal master insisted on being informed of them, the unhappy clerk was at length compelled to acknowledge that he had telegraphed to his neighbour, " the King has just arrived," and that the answer he had received ran thus : " The king pokes his nose into everything." The sequel can readily be imagined.