The traiu which left InvercargUl station last Monday morning at seven o'clock, before daylight, narrowly escaped being thrown off the line by obstruct-ons wilfully left on the rails at two separate places, and in both instances by boys. Fortunately they were discovered in time, or a fatal accident of the most serious character would certainly have ensued. It appears that on Sunday afternoon two boys, named Gerbes anl Crack, took a trolly from a siding in the Invercargill station yard, through a pair of locked points, ran it about three miles up the line, and left ifc there. It was happily observed by some persons passing, and men were sent up by the Railway Manager to bring it back. The boys appear however in the meantime to have bethought themselves of the possible consequences of their escapade, and returned with it themselves, the men having pasßed them on the road. Summonses have been taken out against them by the police. On the same afternoon a lad about thirteen years of age, named Carrol, described by the police as an Arab, it appears lately in the employment of the Southland Meat Preserving Company, placed two heavy pieces of iron, fish plates for bridge rails, oi the line, one ou each rail, at a curve between the Meat Preserving Works and Winton, wbieh the train usually passes at a speed of 33 miles an hour. Fortunately the act was discovered by Mr Jack, a local sawmiller, who reraored the obstruction) and immediately informed the police. The lad was taken into custody, and brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, when the case was remanded till Monday, for the prOviuction of evidence. To enable our readers to form some estimate of the serious character of these offjnees, wo may state thafc in eaoh case, had the obstructions not been discovere.i and removed, the engine would almost to a certainty nave Deen tin-own from tne rails, and an accident of the most serious kind would have been the result. Had the accident occurred afc the spot where tbe fish plates were placed, the engine would bave been thrown over the embankment, where irom its great weight it wou.d at once have stuck fast in the clay, and the carriages, following it at the rate of 30 miles an hour, would have been driven into each other and completely destroyed, causing probably the d-iith or serious injury of every person in the train. By tlie Offences against the Person Act, 1867> fche placing of obstructions on a railway is male a felony punishable with penal servitude for life, or imprisonment for a shorter period, accompanied, in the case of males under sixteen years of age, with flogging. The offences thus come under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. When the Invercargill railway station was constructed, provision was made for affording, in the shape of waiting rooms, &c, the usual accommodation to be met with in similar places in the old country, but for some reason or another, mainly we beheve on account of the rooms being converted into offices for engineers and contractors, this sensible arrangement has not hitherto been properly utilized. We are glad to notice tliat an improvement in this respect, in 80 tar as the ladies' waiting-room is concerned, has been lately made under the direct ion of the Railway Manager, Mr Conyers. This room has now been neatly furnished, and will no doubt be highly appreciated by the ladies who patronise the excursion trains on Satur.iiys, on wliich days, we understand, it is intended to keep a fire burning for their comfort. We have been requested, in order to remove a misunderstanding that appears to exist as to the terms of certificates granted to teachers by the Education Board of Otago, to state that, by the regulations, " first class" certificates can only be granted to teachers who have served effectively five years under the Board of Otago. It will thus be seen that in the instances gazetted, in which candidates not previously employed by that Board have obtained " second class" certificates, sueU were in fact the highest which°it was in the power of the Board to grant under the 1 circumstances. It shoull be remembered tbat the examination as to mental and other attainments and qualifications through which a candidate for either first or aecoad class certificates must pass is precisely the same, and in the case ot those who obtain a " first class" certificate, tbe Board by granting it merely sets its own seal to tbe fact that in addition to the other qualifications of a teacher, the candidate possesses the ability to impart knowledge, and has proved himself or herself a successful teacher. Of this fact the Board cannot be aware but from actual i observation, heuce the difference between " first" and " second" class certificates. At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, James M'lntosh, of Limestone Plains, was charged on an intormation by Thos. Perkins, as trustee in bankruptcy, with concealing a debt with intent to defraud, being an indictable offence. Tbe amount was £26, due to J. L. M'Donald. Mr Harvey appeared for the trustees, Mr Wade for the accused. On the replication f of Mr '^Harvey, s thej caße was

remanded for eight day?, for the production of s cvi lence, with the understanding that it would I be proceeded with as soon as tho witnesses could < attend. Yesterday, Michael Carrol, a lad of about i 13 or 14 years, was charged by Sub-Tnspector Fox 1 with placing two iron fish-plates on the rails of i the Oreti line with intent to endanger the lives of persona travelling thereon. On the appl'cafion oi tho Inspector the case was remanded till Monday, for the production of evidence. The Treasurer to the Pro-rincial Hospital requests us to acknowledge his receipt of £3 17s lOd, collected after Divine service by Mr S. Dyer, on Sunday evening last (14th inst.), at the Waihopai Bridge ; and also £1 Is profits of an entertainment with the magic lantern, given in the school-house at the Bluff. At the meeting of the District Laud Board on Tuesd iy la=t, there were present the Chief C jminissioner and Messrs M'Arthur and Dundas. The survey of two sections, 43 and 47, Eyre district, purchased in 1870 by Mr Joseph Rogers, containing about sixty acre?, of which a considerable portion is bush, was objected to by Mr Wade, acting for Mr Boche, hotelkeeper at Athol, on tbe ground that the bush ought to be reserved for the use of the public. Mr Gibbs appeared for Mr Sogers. The Board, after hearing evidence on both sides, and having ascertained that the survey was not exactly in accordance with the wording of the application, resolved to defer further consideration of the matter till the meeting on Tuesday next. The application of Thomas Harming, to have a I section of 130 acres in the Mabel district reduced to 70 acres, by cutting off a portion at the back, was refused, as contrary to the regulation that all sections shall have a depth of 40 chains from the frontage. It was resolved, on the application of Hugh Cameron, who lately received 200 acres in the Mataura Ferry Reserve under agreement with the Provincial Government, to allow the land to be surveyed with H chains frontage to the main road. A settler sends the following from Long Bush : — The second of a series of popular entertainments came off n the schoolroom here on the evening of Friday last. Mr John G. Smith occupied the chair, and introduced the entertainments by reading a prologue written by himself. The readings appeared to give great satisfaction to the numerous audience, if we may judge by the laughter and cheering with which they were greeted. Mr Smith read selections from Dean Ramsay's Scottish Wit and Humor ; Ben Bluff, by Tom Hood ; and Ben Briggs, a hit on our roads, by J. G. Smith. Mr M'Kercher read an account of a " Scottish Kirn in the olden time," by John G. Smith, and " The Gridiron," by Lover. The songs, chiefly sentimental, were also well received, as they deserved to be. ci This new Land of Ours," by Mr Christie • "Afton Water," and " Tak' yere auld Cloak about ye," by Mr Blue • a humorous song by Mr Warden ; and " Little Nel 1 ," by Mr Wray, besides two pieces by the school choir, viz., " Ring the Bell, Watchman," and " Work, Boys, Work," were all executed in a style which reflected great credit on all concerned. The Queen's anthem brought the evening's entertainment to a close. The next meeting was announced to take place on the 9th of August. •We understand that a series of entertainments is to be initiated at One Tree Point on Friday oTf-nlng nest. We are indebted to a Riverton correspondent for an account of the proceedings at the nomination of candidates for the Mayoralty of the capital of the Western District, which took place on Wednesday. Councillor Mills having been appointed to preside on the occasion, commenced the proceedings afc noon, telegraph time, which caused some little difference of opinion among the burgesses present, some of whom thought that tv-jan time should have been ■adopted. Two nominations had been lodged, one in iavor of Mr J. P. Taylor, proposed by Mr M. Instone, an 1 seconded by Mt* J. L. M.' Donald ; ani one in favor of Mr Edward Simpson, senr., Olerk of the Cou'-t, proposed by Mr R. Rocke, arid seconded by Mr H. Port. Mr Simpson's nomination not having been signed by the candidate himself, as required by the Ordinance, was objected to, and a warm discussion ensued. At length fche presi ling officer rule 1 that it couU not ba receive. I, as he had no discretionary powers to dispense witli the provision of the Ordinance, which requires that the signature of the can. lid its, as well as those of the proposer and seconder, shall be appended to the nomination paper. There being therefore only one candidate regularly nroposod, Mr J. P. Taylor, that gentleman was declared duly elected. Mr Simpson stated that bis friends were about to bring forward Mi* Theophilus Daniel, in whose favor he had intended to resign, if elected, but that they were deterred from doing so by the fear that Mr Daniel, who is not in Riverton at present, might not return in time to mnke the necessary declaration. The proceedings seem fco have caused some little excitement. We understand thafc the contract for erecting a new bridge over the Waihopai, on the North Road, has been let to Messrs Harvey and M'Math, for the sum of £521. At the meeting of the Town Council last night, the Mayor and all the Councillors were present. An application from Messrs Pay and Campbell, that the Council would request the Provincial Government to pay over to them, as lessees of the jetty, the amount collected as tonnage dues since tbe commencement; of their lease, was declined. In reply to a letter from the Provincial Secretary, offering to hand over fco the municipality the license-fees and dog-tax, estimited at about £900, on condition of maintaining the main roads passing through the town, it was resolved that the offer be accepted. A letter from the Superintendent, in reply to fche Council's answer to his suggestion that the Tay street money should be kept in a separate bank account, was read, to fche effect that members of the Town Council, in adopting the course they had resolved upon, had taken upon themselves a serious personal responsibility, and incurred the risk of litigation and individual loss. Councillor Jaggers expressed his satisfaction at the escape the Council bad made, nothing having yet been done with the money, and thought that the matter should now be allowed to drop, an opinion in which Councillor Pratt coincided. It was resolved to grant a lease to the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association of that portion of the Town Belt now occupied by them, I together with an additional area of equal amount, i promised by the lato Provincial Government,

md cleared by the Association ; the lease to be " for fourteen years, at a nominal rent of one pound. A petition from several expressproprietors, praying for a reduction of the license of one pound per annum to a smaller sum in cases where mere than one vehicle was kept, was considered, and after discussion it was agreed to adhere to the original regulation. The tender of Mr Hector M'Kinnon for fencing the two blocks of the Gardens' Reserve west of Cor.on street, afc £2 lis 6d per chain, including <*ates, and the two blocks east of Conon street, at £2 12s 6d per chain, including gates, was accepted ; an amendment by Councillor Blackwood, that the tender for the two blocks west of Conon street only should be accepted having been negatived by the casting vote of the Mayor, there voting for the amendment Councillors IJlaekwoorl, Pratt, Jaggers, and Tapper ; against it Councillors Lumsden, Garthwaite, Goodwillie, and Ross. Mr H. S. Fish, jun., the present Mayor of Dunedin, has not been allowed to have a walkover in the Mayoral election, another candidate for the offico having been found in the person of Mr Rossbotham, a councillor. The polling take* place on the 22nd insfc. ■ ' With reference to the shipment of 300 German immisrants, expected to arrive from Hamburg in the course of next month (says the Otago Daily Times), the Immigration Officer at Dunedin wrote to Mr Nees, the President of the Dunedin Deutscher Verein, requesting him to ask the Society for their assistance and advice, in the placing oufc of them. He has. since received an answer, in which ifc is stated that the Society is most willing to give every assistance to him, and thafc communications will be sent to the Germans over the Province, with a view to finding situations for the new arrivals. Tbis laudableinterest evinced by the Germans here in the I welfare of their compatriots deserves not to gounrecorded. From Tauranga (province of Auckland) we learn that a new disease haa appeared among the Arawas, those who are affected dying a few hours after being attacked. The symptoms are pains behind the ears, and in the throat and stomach. After death the bodies become black and putrid. The Government despatched Dr Armitage to visit the diseased settlement, and report on the subject. He reports that there is no evidence of the existence of small-pox or any other infectious disease amongst them. .... The Auckland pohce were to be re-transferred from the General to the Provincial G-overnment at the commencement of the present month. The female servants who arrived in Dunedin the other day by the ship William Davie were engaged at wages varying from £26 to £40 pet annum, tbe average rate being about £30. It is siid tbat situations could have been found for three times the number available. Mr Lihman'a elevation to the Legislative Council is condemned by the Hokitika and Greymouth papers. It is stated that over two thousand persons have been re-vaccinafced in Auckland during the last lorfcnight. We observe by the . Jedburgh G-azette of April 20, that Mr Thomas Birch was engaged during that month in Jedburgh in lecturing on New Zealand, aad the a lvanfcages it offars to intending emigrants. Captain Kennedy has been specially engaged by Mr Brogden to comman 1 a steamer, chartered by fche Messrs Brogden, to bring stores, ke., from Australia. Hfr proceeded to Australia by the Albion, to charter the vessel. The Patea correspondent of the Wanganui Herald says thafc the petition for the county movement has been numerously signed, and wil* be forwarded to Wellington in due course. The Melbourne Herald publishes a communication from Nottingham which contains an item of some interest to frequenters of our colonial theatres in years past .* — Lady Don has for fche last four months been suffering all the ills that flesh is heir to, and her troubles have been very sad Poor lady, she is completely broken down ! At the Alexandra Hall, M vnchester, on the Ist of March, she appeared for the benefit of her kinsman, Mr M. P. Foster, and sang tlie songs which were given with the exercise of much exertion. " Gone, and for ever" has thafc onoe captivating voic*'-. Her ladyship feeb keenly the departure of her talents, and her health seeuia oompletelf undermined. A Thames p iper says : — We were shown yesterday by Captain Souter very fine specimens of fossil flax, which were found embedded in a reef some 300 feet from the surface, in the Californian Gold- Mining Company's ground, Tararu. Th© stem and part of the lea', are very perfect. A Northern exchange says that prospecting for gold is becoming the order ofthe day up North j and if this spirit continues much longer, the riches of the Tuhua and Taupo country, if there are any, must soon be hit upon. Several parties of men have recently proceeded from Napier towards Taupo to prospect for gold on the shores of the lake, but the weather was so severe they were compelled to turn back. Several heavy snow storms have passsd over that country lately. A Mr Cockerell of Sydney has invented a patent lever knife for cutting down horses' hoofs and foot rot in sheep, which has been in use for some months. He has received several testimonials acknowledging its value. The Taranaki black sand is supposed to bs identical with the famed beach sand of California. The imports for the quarter ending 31st March, 1872, for the colony, amounted to £1,219,497 j and the exports for the same period to £2,411,787.