The Fnanahna times, PUBLISHED TRI- WEEKLY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. 1887.

Secretary Reefton Hospital desires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of L 3 10s, being proceeds of Hospital Sunday collection at the United Methodist Free Church, Reefton. Anniversary services will be preached in Knox Church, Broadway, next Sunday, morning and evening, and at Black's Point at the close of the evening service in Reefton. The Rev. Mr Griffen, of the Wesleyan Church, Oreymouth, will officiate. A concert and tea meeting in connection with the above Church is announced for Thursday, Bth September. The annual concert and entertainment in aid of the public school Prize Fund will be held at Black's { Point on Friday, 30th September. The arrangements for the concert are now in progress, and a very attractive programme will be put forth for the occasion. -'■Mr D^.. Jones, head master of the Catnotfo Scnool, whi> possesses exceptionally high qualifications as a musician, announces that he will open elementary and advanced singing classes on the 6th September next. Class nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There was an unusually large number of applications for vacant town sections in the Warden's Court yesterday. In dealinpf with them Mr Warden Bird again reminded applicants that the grant only conferred the right of occupancy, and would not entitle the holders to purchase the freehold. From this it should be borne in mind that the title acquired is a very slender one indeed, those who make improvements on the sections do bo of course entirely at their own risk. It is anything but a satisfactory arrangement, but it is well that section holders should thoroughly understand their position in the matter. We have received a letter from Mr Washbourn, Nelson, referring to the report of the Red Hill Company, published by us on the 23rd instant. The letter reached us too late for in the present issue. Mr Hindmarßh, manager of the Electric Light Company, yesterday received a telegram from Mr W. Prince, Dunedin, stating that he would leave there in a day or two for Lyel. 1 , whence he would come on to Reef ton. Auction sales for to-morrow are announced as under : — Mr P. Brennan, at his mart, at 3 p in., fruit trees, ornamental trees and flowering bulbs. Mr G. Wise, at the rear of Rox borough's Railway Hotel, at 3 p. m. fat cattle and springers, also useful hacks. Messrs Bayfeild, Anderson and Robin visited the Sir Francis Drake mine yesterday, and were •hown through the workings, They express themselves well Mtialed -wiih all they ijlw**ud concur u^ Iliiiliiiigiiirtii ill be Mmktu&mW make early arrangements for crushing power. The reef shows a thickness of 7ft. At Gympie for the six months ending 30th June, the quantity of stone crushed was 44,663 tons, yielding 40,0590z of gold, nut of which dividends to the amount of L 105.959 were paid. For the corres- . ponding period of last year the figures were :, stone crushed, 51,327 tons ; yield, 40,0690z ; dividends paid L 60.388. The following gentlemen entered for the major tourney at the chess congress in connection with the Adelaide Jubilee Exhibition :— G. H, D. Gossip, D. Herman, Sydney; H. Honkham, Ohtistohuroh ; Tolledge, Baling, Wilton, Crewe, Melbourne ; G. B. Hall, P. Eiffe, H. Charlick, South Australia. A very old Victorian colonist, Mr T. W. Steward, who arrived at Port Phillip in the ship William Medcalf, which wai the first emigrant ship to that port, has fust died in Melbourne at the age of 70. Among his fellow passengers was Mr (afterwards Sir John) O'Shaimssy. A wrestling match took place in Melbourne on the 15th inst. bHtween Connor and Cannon for £200 and the Graco- Roman championship. Thia is the third time the men have met, each have won one. Cannou gained the tirst fall in lrnin ssec, Connor gained the second fall in 6inin. and the third in imin 30, thus winning the match. Cannon who was defeated, was the wres tier who recently beat Dunn by putting the " strangling " hold on him. The latest jubilee celebration is that nf a Neapolitan brigand. At the age of 85 he has been lefc- out of prison, where he has passed exactly 60 years of his existence. Scarcely auyhody of his age (says the Sheffield Independent) can have seen less of life. Moreover, he has caused a godd many people to see lew of it than they would have seen. He was tirst snn tenced to a term of 20 years' imprison* ment for murder; but while in co,niinemejit he murdered four other rain. He is described as " hale and hearty, aud very olmarful."