Local Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 352, 2 May 1874, Page 2

Local Intelligence.

"We would again remind our readers of the public meeting to be held on Monday evening, iv the Commercial Assembly Room, to discuss the tailings question. The Oddfellows of Waitahuna purpose celebrating their eight anniversary on Friday next, Bth May. Nine shares in the Tuapeka Mutual Benefit Building Society were purchased yesterday by the Society at £40 15s. each. THE Lawrence Grammar School Committee meeting, appointed for Thursday nighfc, lapsed for want of a quorum. Some excellent specimens of tin and copper ore have been sent to the Tuapeka Museum by Mr. Manuel, of Coal Creek, Teviot. The same geutleman also contributed some moa bones. -THE "'youthful journalist" lately on the ' ' Guardian " staff, who was some time since desirous of going to Tokotnairiro to shake hands with Mr. J. L. Gillies, has, we observe from the last issue of the " Bruce Herald," accomplished his object. From the intimate acquaintance of that "clever boy" with the Dunedin Gaol, about which he has written so much, we have no doubt he has spent a considerable portion of his time in that institution, and will therefore be a valuable acquisition to the " Herald's " staff. The contract for gravelling the main road through the township of Ettrick, Mount Benger, is nearly completed. The contractors, Messrs. Tubman Bros., are making excellent work, and, weather permitting, will finish the job in a few weeks. OUR Roxburgh correspondent writes us as follows : -The Teviot is getting quite deserted. Whether it be that people are thinking that after the Hoiloway movement no good thing can happen here, I know not ; but one after another leave us, and more talk of going. Auaongst others, I regret to say Mr, J. R. Reid is about to leave us. This gentleman has been for a considerable time the conductor of the Roxburgh Harmonic Society, and for that particular position it will not be easy to find a substitute, as Mr. Reid has exerted every energy to keep the Society together, and strained every nerve to make the concerts heie a success. I hear that before he leaves there will be one more concert given towarda the liquidation of the debt contracted by the Society for the purchase of a harmonium, music, &c. — A slight fire occurred here the other day in Mrs. Whitelaw's house. A kerosene lamp upset and ignited some clothes, but the ftunes were subdued in a short time, but not before one of Mrs. White, law's arms was pretty severely burnt. A meeting of the Tuapeka Jockey dub was held at the Victoria Hotel on Wednesday evening. Present ; R> Williams, Esq., President, and Messrs. Farrer, M'Lean,. H;iy, Quin, Ckrke, Downes, Jeffery, Hills, and Hayes (Secretary). The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. All accounts due by the Club were passed for payment. A. Sub-Committee of the following geutlrmen were appointed to draw up rules for the management of the Club, viz : - Messrs. Sheath, Farrer, Williams, Quin, and Hayes. Messrs. Sheath, FiirreF, and Williams were appointed to visit the rRCPCOurse and ascertain the exactboumlai-ies and other matters, previous to application being vnnfle to thp Government to get; the recreation ground vested in trustees. The financial statement was read, which showed a slight deficiency in the funds. The meeting then nrijouriied. Mb. Nill CoLQtJHOUN, who has been for some yeais past in the employment or Mr. Middlemiss, blacksmith, of this town, has commenced business on his own account at Tapanui. We have no doubt Mr. Colquhoun's superior workmanship will secure for him a large share of the patronage of the inhabitants of Tapanui and its neighborhood.

The meeting for the re-formation of the Lawrence Brass Band will be held at Mr. Jeffery 's, on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. We have received a copy of the April number of the ' ' Australasian Sketcher. " This excellent publication sustains the t?ood name it has deservedly gained. "Clodhopper." whose communication ap<pears in another column, wishes to be informed whether or not the Ploughing Match Committee is still in existence ; and. if so, whether it is intended to hold the usual annual match this year. We confess we are not in a position to answer our correspondent's query. We trust, however, that the annual match will not be permitted to lapse for want of a little energy. Good ploughing is a very essential branch of farming, and every means should be adopted to foster it as much as possible. A little difficulty, we are aware, always attends the getting up of such competitions ; but we trust the Committee will be alive to the interests of the community, and arrange a liberal programme for an early date. Mb. Telford, of the Commercial Stables, has purchased the celebrated stud horse Bay Cainden. He inteuds keeping him for stud purposes in this district. The result of the trial of Patrick Long, for wilful murder, was anxiously looked for in this locality. The sudden termination of the trial was as unexpected as the verdict of Manslaughter, which was arrived at hy the jury. The letail price of oats throughout the Tuapeka, Dunstan, Mount Benger, and Blacks districts is the uniform rate of 4s. per bushel. The embankment works in Ross Place are being proceeded with rapidly, and with every prospect of an early completion. Messrs. M Kenzie Buos. are removing a number of their men from the Round Hill section of the Lawrence railway to their contract at Deborah Bay. At the last meeting of Court Star of Tuapeka A.0.F., C.R. Bro. Murray, on behalf of the brothers of the Court, presented Bro.'Crow with a veiy neat silver medal in acknowledgment of his valuable services as Treasurer of the Court during the past four years. The Chief Ranger in presenting the medal expressed the hope of himst'lf and the brothers of the Court that Bro. Crow would belong spared to wear the medal as a brother Forester. Bro, Crow acknowledged the gift in a neat speech, in which he passed a few remarks on the rise and progress of Forestry in Lawi-ence. Mr. Donald M'Rae. farmer, of Waifaihuna road, met with an accident on his homeward road from Lawrencp, on Thursday afternoon. He was driving a dray round oue of the steep bends approaching Clarks Flat, when on meeting a waggon his leader shied, and the horses and dray went over the embankment. One of the horses fell on the driver, severely injuring him nhouc the lower pait of his body. The unfortunate sufferer was immediately removed to the Hospital, where he is progressing favorably. We are glad to state that there is very little fear of any serious consequences iesultin<* from the accident. The li.M.'s Court was yesterday occupied all day with the hearing of the case M'Carthy v. Ki telling, l>eing a claim of £70 11s. , reduced to £50 to bring it within the jurisdiction of the Court. The case was adjourned to allow Mr. Mouat an opportunity of removing the case to the Supreme Court-, as a case is now pending between the same parties in that Court, and defendant apprehended he might be prejudiced by •any judgment in the locitl Court, as some disputed items partly formed the basis of action in each cuse. The report of the case, so far as it has been heard, will appear in our next issue. A meeting of the Athenaeum Committee was held on Monday evening. All the members were present. The object of the meeting was to take such steps as would enable Mr. Wootton and Mr. Jamison to get certain leases of Athenaeum spctions duly executed. It appears the Athenaeum Committee, in the year 1868, sold the lease of certain sections to the gentlemen named, but the leases had never beer, executed. A letter was read from Mr. Jamison, stating that he had Bold his lease of sectious 10 and 11, block XLI., to Mr. Humphrey, and desiring that the same should be made out in Mr. Humphrey's name. Mr. Adams proposed and Dr. Halley seconded, " That the Secretary be directed to get the lease executed for a term of 94J years from the present date, of sections 10 and 11, block XLI., town of Lawrence, to Mr. Humphrey ; also, the southwest portiou of section 20, block XLIL, town of Lawrence, comprising 4J poles, to Mr. Wootton, by affix- , ing the Corporation seal to the same." The motion was carried nem con. The meeting then adjourned.

Tenders for the footpath between Lawrence and Wetherstones were opened by the Wetherstones Pi ogress Committee last evening. There were eight tenders, as follows : — J. Downie, £74; H. M'JCee, £97; J. Sutherland, £97 75.; J. Foremau, £103 14s. 6U; H. Miller, £108; --. Bunting, £112 45.; G. Coxon, £112 65., T. Kelly, £123 14s. The contractors have to fill, form, and giavel ; and the Committee undertake to. erect culverts, and piers for the bridges, and to remove the present bridges. The Committee, as ia usual, accepted the lowest tender, although, we believe, they consider the figure anything but a paying one. We confess we cannot even guess upon what principle contractors make their calculations, when in a £100 job there is a difference of £50 between the lowest and highest tender.

This " Guardian's " Wellington correspondent says : - Mr. and Mrs. Fox, who are most indefatagible travellers in search of the picturesque, have just returned from a trip to the Lakes, and the former is making capital of the disgraceful state of the only available accommo-< dation bouses as " shocking examples " to point the moral of his present crusade against publichouses, saying that these particular dens can be compared to nothing milder than " hells upon earth," with every possible aggravation of drunkenness, filth, foul language, bad food, and vermin to an inconceivable extent. A pleasant picture certainly, and one highly adapted to attract strangers to- the beauties of Taupo and Hotomahaiia.