GOSSIPPY NOTES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 135, 2 November 1877, Page 2

GOSSIPPY NOTES.

(by our timaru gossip.)

The long expected report of Mr Johnstone on the proposed harbour works at Milford has at last seen the light. It tells us nothing new, and is looked upon by the dispassionate as but the means by which the very large fee for the survey has been drawn from Mr Hayhurst's pocket. Mr Johnstons has not provided any means for keeping the beach shingle in its place in the lee of the northern pier, consequently we must expect to see a new mouth open into the sea as soon as ever the work is commenced ; and the probabilities are small indeed that the work will ever be proceeded with. The member for Geraldine has introduced a s ßill into the House of Representatives, whereby the Milford Harbour Board can raise money on a land endowment of 50,000 acres, but whether the Bill passes is questionable, and where they will get their land I am sure I don't know, as every acre of land worth buying in South Canterbury has been purchased long ago. To give you some idea of the expectations of ihe Temukaites, I may mention that one individual, a storekeeper, gravely informed those who attended the meeting re harbour works, that every acre of land between Temuka and the hills (some 15 miles) would be worth one hundred pounds. When such bosh as this is talked, one cannot but think that these men are endeavouring to lead the more ignorant in order that they may suck out some advantage.

The promoter of all this agitation, the real wire-puller, owns some nine thousand acres in the vicinity of the Opihi Lagoon. This land may be worth, say twelve pounds per acre, or one hundred and eight thousand pounds. If harbour works were commenced, the value of this property would be just about doubled, so that you can see that spending iioOO on plans and then giving them to the Mil ford Harbour Committee is a mere Hen-bite to the advantage expected to be gained.

The subscriptions collected here in aid of the Indian Famine Relief Fund amount to about £350, and there is still £dO promised,' but not collected, in all about four shillings and iivepenoe per head of population. The Dunedinitfcs have contributed about two shillings and threepence per head, whilst the Christchurcsh people have given a little over three shillings and sixpence each. Bully for Timaru say I. I may mention that a prisoner " serving his time" in the gaol here sent his subscription of tefi shillings to the fund. The Chinaman who has the market garden at Otipua Creek handed up his half sovereign, remarking that "they was dam poor people' as an apology for the smallness of the sum. One of the richest storekeepers in Xiinaru, a man whose chief aim in life htis been, so far as one can judge by his actions, to obtain bills of sale over his clients, &c., &c.; this Christian gentleman (?) refused to give even a sixpence to the fund. . I

Two or three cleverly written articles which have appeared in the South Can terbury Times have called clown on the proprietor of that paper die high displeasure of Judge Ward, who does not, however, threaten him. with an action, but mildly requests him to pay £100 to the Timaru Hospital, and publish an apology. The proprietor of the paper, however, objects to further the Judge's charitable views at the expense of his pocket, and promises us. should the threat be enforced, that we shall hear very queer things when certain persons are on oath in the witnessbox.