Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIFLDS REPORTED AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1874. "MEASURES. NOT MEN." Local Intelligence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 419, 23 December 1874, Page 2

Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIFLDS REPORTED AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1874. "MEASURES. NOT MEN." Local Intelligence.

Pressure on our _space compels us to hold over our leading, article, R.M.s Court, and several items of local intelligence.

The election for Mount Ida has resulted in the return of Mr. J. P. Armstrong to the Provincial Council. The voting was as follows :—: — Armstrong, 107; Bwing, 84 j Leary, 56. Majority for Armstrong, 23. The manager of the Waipori Gold Mining Company, Mr. E. Hill, informs us that the preparatory work at the claim is now being pushed on vigorously. A main drive to crosscut the reef is in 80 feet, and he anticipates striking the lode" when another ten feet has been driven. The. machine has been shifted from its old si.te to its present scene of operations, and it will immediately be put in working order. A turbine wheel for driving the "machine is ordered from Messrs. Kincaid and M "Queen's Foundiy, and by the time it is in its place the manager anticipates being ready to start crushing. Fourteen men are at present employed on the claim, and a large amount of work has already been done in the shape of road making and constructing a tailrace. The first section of the head race was completed by contract some weeks ago, and there is now a good supply of water on the claim, though the head of the race is still being extended,' and will be continued until it reaches the Waipori river, it being the intention of the company to sell wbat water they do not require for sluicing purposes, as tbe ditch commands a large number of auriferous spurs. It is refreshing to see so much enterprise shown by a small party of men as there has been displayed in this extensive undertaking. This company first offered the claim to the public in scrip, but not meeting

with a ready response they determined to undertake the work themselves. So far it has been carried through in a very rapid manner, It is to be hoped the claim will repay them for the large outlay, as it is but seldom the Dunedin capitalists care to expend their money on our hitherto neglected reefs. The mining resources of the province will have a better chance of being developed by a small party of men in a claim than by the cumberous.and. expensive workings of the existing system of company management, which in so many instances has led to failure in this and other provinces. Fhom a special telegram received by his Worship the Mayor, wo (" Mount Ida Chronicle") learn that his Honor the Superintendent had informed him that the survey of aline of railway— Palmerston to Clyde— should be undertaken early in the year. We have been shown by Mr. P. Aitken several garments recently turned out from his new tailoring establishment. For fit, style, and excellent workmanship, they are not to be suipassed, and would not disgrace the celebrated London House of Poole. Mr. Aitken intends going largely into this business, not only in Lawrence, but throughout the country districts of Tapanui, Teviot, Waitahuna, Waipori, and surrounding neighbourhood. For this purpose he has secured the services of a first-class cutter, and several good practical workmen, We were also shown a sewing machine on a large scale, which executes its work with great precision and rapidity, without in any way injuring the material or fracturing the silk or thread used in the manufacture. For the purpose of meeting the tastes of all comers Mr. Aitken has in stock a splendid variety of home and colonial made tweeds, of which reference to his advertisements in another column will give full particulars. On Saturday a thunderstorm burst over the Tuapeka district, and spread over a somewhat extensive range. We have heard of it as somewhat heavy on the other side of the Beaumont, and have in part witnessed its ravages from Tuapeka Mouth to Greenfield Station. About two o'clock at the former place, the rumble of thunder was heard in the distance, and it grew gradually nearer. Between four and five in the afternoon, the sky became black as ink, but was brightened up with frequent flashes of lightning. The thunder became loud and deafening. It rained literally in torrents, and was accompanied with hail ; so large were the stones that they averaged about half-an-inch in diameter. The noise they made on the roofs in falling, drowned all other sounds. The hail did an immense damage to the gardens, knocking off the fruit and smashing the beds of vegetables, so that what was full of promise in the morning, waspiostrateand drooping in the evening. But the storm fell with special fury over the sawmill and on the hill above, so much so that for a short time Mr. Pearce's garden was a flowing river, which bore away the fallen fruit, and accumulated on the other side of the road. The workmen in the mill-shed were soon up to the knees, and the water rose up to the bars of the furnace. It floated away the sawn timber out of the racks, and even tore up part of the tramway, and did no small amount of damage. Traces of the ravages of the btorm weie to be witnessed all the way on to Greenfield. The Crookburn and other creeks rose to a great height, so much so that the culverts made for the new road were none of them large enough to allow the water to pass : and in two places the ballast that had been thrown in to level the road above them wrscompletely scooped out— in one case to the extent of about eight feet in depth to about twelve feet in width. The water also had undermined a sod fence raised this spring ; in two different places the fence was , down. Altogether it was one of those storms that call for the usual remark : ** I never saw the like of it before." We have to acknowledge the receipt of the November number of the" Australian Journal." It is a periodical of sterling merit. The writings are mostly on colonial life, and will no doubt be very attractive to New' Zealanders. A skittle alley has been opened in connection with Mr, Roughan's Camp Hotel. Peel-street. No tendeis were received by the Tuapeka Jockey Chlb for the erection of a giaml stand. The local builders have their hands full at present, and carpenters, owing to the briskness of trade, aie unobtainable. Mr. M. Hay will sell, this day. at two o'clock, the household furniture and effects fl'f Mr. J. Leary, who is leaving the district ■ Me. Condon, who has the sub-contract for plastering tho npw flonrthouße, is -getting on rapidly with the work. . Mr. Condon also has the contract for plastering at the Town Hall, which will be commenced on the completion of the work he is at present employed on. We call the attention of the Road Engineer to the dangerous state of the main road between Lawrence and Havelock. A.t a cutting familiarly known as the fluming, the railway excavations come close to the roadline, leaving a perpendicular bank of some twenty feet without any protection. The road at this spot is very narrow, and horses are, at any time, likely to be frightened by a fall of earth, or the sudden starting of trucks. It is, theiefore, imperative that the road should be fenced at this spit or the cutting widened, which would render driving tolerably safe. The Clyde annual race meeting is fixed for Tuesday and Wednesday, the 9th and 10th of February. We again remind our readers of the concert that is to take place this evening in the St. Patrick's Schoolroom. If assiduous practice under an able conductor will attain perfection, this evening's entertainmpnt should be a great success, as Mr. Wood has spared neither time nor trouble to bring his pupils up to a high standard of excellence. Great complaints are being made by the inhabitants about the standpipes in Colonsay and Lancaster-streets being out of order. It is now some six months since they were taken off for repairs, and they have never since been replaced. This matter shoull be immediately attended to by the Municipal authorities, this being the time of the year when they are most needed. We are informed by the Captain of the local Fire Brigade that the engine ordered by them through. Messrs. Burt, of Dunedin, will most likely arrive in Lawrence this week. We direct the attention of the members of the Brigade to the absolute need of a fire bell or some other means of calling them together in case of fire. The recent conflagration in Ross Place is a sufficient proof that some means of an alarm in such cases is necessary, as several members of the Brigade resident in the town were unaware that a fire was raging. An application to the Town Council would no doubt have the effect of obtaining their consent to a bell being affixed at the new Town Hall. Mb. Hawson, of Switzers, is the successful candidate for the sehoolniastership at the Main District School. Waikivi. There were seventeen applicants. Should Mr. Hawson decide upon accepting the appointment, his departure- from Switzers will be much regretted, both by his scholars and the inhabitants. During their sojourn at Switzers, Mr. Hawrfon and family have endeared themselves to the residents in a manner that can only be done by those whose social qualities are far above the average ; and we can safely say that in promoting anything for the welfare of the district, Mr. Hawson and his family have been always to the fore. Since the resignation of the Inspector of Nuisances, cattle have been straying into the town. On Sunday evening, some half-dozen head were quietly grazing. in \VhitPhayen-street at Church time. Boss Place is also the favorite camping ground of a large flock of geese, which at all hours infest the roadway, to the danger of passing horsemen. We commend the attention of the newly-appointed Inspector to this nuisance There is very little danger of Lawrence being saved, like Borne, by an alarm from these noisy cacklers. The Blue Spur annual sports are advertised to take place on New Year's day.' • The weights for the two open Handicaps at Mount Benger appear in another column. Mr. M. Hay reports having sold at the Land Office, Lawrence, yesterday, the following Crown ■ lands ;— (Rural land) section 43, block 111.. Table district, 52 acres, to Mr. A. Millqn ; section 43, block 111. , Tuapeka West (on which is erected the Greenhill flour mill), to Air. P. Pvobertson ; and section 1, block 111., same district, to Mr. G. Brook, all at upset pi ice. Nearly fifty sections in the Waikaia township were disposed of at prices ranging from £3 to £10 10s. Several sections in Dunkeld were sold at from £6 to £10 ; also, a few back sections in Havelock at upset price. No offers were made for town sections in Wetherstones or Waipori. Competition for several sections in Waikaia was very spirited. Mr. E. Lancaster has just received, direct from England, a new steam threshing mill with all the latest improvements and appliances. Mr, Lancaster intends it for use in the Mount | Benger district this season. j

Dubing the thunderstorm of Saturday afteroou, a flash of lightning struck a post at tho rear of Miss M'Swiney's residence, at Wetherstones. splitting the post in thousands of ■pieoes, and scattering the fragments in all direc tions. The rails adjacent to the post were displaced several feet. Two eye-witnesses state that the earth around the post was driven upwards, as if by a whirlwind, thus testifying to the violence of the shock. A mare was feeding close by, but fortunately she escaped with a fright. A large number of people visited the spot on Sunday, and viewed with amazement the effects of the eleefceic fluid, a similar phenomenon not having occurred in the neigh* borhood for some years. Mr. Titchener's house at the Camp, Lawrenoe, had a very narrow escape, A flash of lightning struok close to the house, causing it to vibrate considerably. Mr. | Titchener, who was indoors at the time, Bayß that the building shook as though about to fall, giving the occupants a great fright. Thunder followed the flash in about thirty seconds. From our correspondents in various parts of the country, we learn that the thunderstorm was general, and in many places much damage was done. The bazaar in connection with the Presby* terian Church was opened in tho Athensßum Hall yesterday afternoon. On entering the hall, visitors were both surprised and delighted to view such a collection*^ useful and ornamental articles on sale. Oppositethe entrance was a large Ch,ristmas tree, on which were suspended iv a very tasteful manner a variety of fancy articles. Some at* tention had been paid to decorating the haU* but the absence of flowers, which by theirsweet fragrance and brilliant appearance, giveto any place of public resort a holiday aspect, was noticeable. Large capital is frequently made out of flowers at bazaars in many towns by getting some fair Hebe to act as flowergirl, who by making up little bouquets ancfc button holes, will realise as much as any fancy goods stall. There were five stalls in the haJL including one for refreshments, afc which, besides other luxuries, strawberries and cream could be purchased ah libitum, presided over by Mesdames Cameron, M'Kinlay Jamison, M'Beath, Munro, Stenhouse, Moss, W. G. Anderson, Sutherland, Downie, J.. Robertson, and Mademoiselles Robertson, Munro, Murray, Eekhold,.Fowler, and Adams,. These ladies beguiled the visitors out of their money inaway thatis only known to themselves, thus giving the proof positive of the adaptability of the fair sex for commerce. Mrs Copeland kindly contributed to the enjoyment of the visitors by giving some selections oh the* pianoforte, which did much to enliven the. proceedings. During the evening Mr. M. Hay sold by auction a quantity of poultry, and a number of miscellaneous articles, which, in some instances brought fabulous prices. The gross proceeds amounted to the handsome sum of £126. The baazar will remain open iintil Christmas eve, when the articles unsold will be disposed of by auction.