Untitled

Clutha Leader, Volume XVII, Issue 833, 4 July 1890, Page 5

With this issue the Clutha. Leader commences its 17th year of publication. The next meeting of the Balclutha Literary Society will be held on Tuesday evening, \vhen we understand Mr Wilson will read a impel on " Socialism." The committee of the Balclutha Public Library call in nil the library books now in the hands of ratepayers, to enable a catalogue to be prepared. We hope the call will be promptly responded to. The season for shooting native game closed on Monday last. A number from here Visited Glenomnru that day and had fair sport. They report that pigeons and other game are still plentiful in the bush. The general manager of the National fcank of New Zealand (Limited) has received a cablegram from London, intimating that tbe hoard propose a dividend at the rato of 5 per cent, per annum, to place LI O,OOO to reserve fund, and carry forward LI 179. It is stated that Mr J. P. Maitland, Commissioner of Crown lands for Ofcago, will retire on his pension at the close of the curreut financial year. He will be succeeded by Mr J. H Baker, Commissioner and Chief Surveyor st Christchurch, while Mr (X W. Adams will take the pace of the latter. At a meeting of the deacons' court of the Knitaugata Presbyterian Church, held on Wednesday evening last week, a subcommittee was appointed to examine and make enquiries as to the cos 6of the moat Ruitable sites attainable in the boiough for the erection of a manse, and report at a muefcing to be held next week. The trotting race dispute —as to whether Miss Nettie or Oowhurst's Spot is entitled to the stakes - was before tha Supremo Court, Dun«din on Wednesday. After hearing Mr Chapman and the evidence on behalf of Crowlmrsi's Spot, the jndgo said he did not ajo how ha could succeed. Miss Nettie was declared tho ■winner, that side not being cilleJ on, Mr James Siaviug admitted that no notification was given that the racing would be under the rules of the Canterbury Trotting Association. The following important point was -brought up by Mr W. D. Smith at the meeting of the Land Board on Wednesday : A person holds G4O acres on perpetual lease at 20s per acre. On revaluation the land is reduced to 17s 6d. Mr Smith asked if that per -on might take \vp a further area, and if the reduction brought his laad under the hoad of second-class land.— lt waa stated that the matter is being inquired into l>y the chief commissioner, Mr Maitland, who is at present hi Wellington. Messrs James Morrison and Co. , London, who hkvo ordered and imported largely of New v . Z aland flix, have written to a correspondent in Wellington explaining that they have suffered so much through an inferior article being sent for best quality that they have decided to import no more New Zaalaud flax themselves, and also to warn all their friends against doing so. Who can blame them ? We all know the.ro aro honest people engaged in the flix industry Uerc, but there have also beou lots of swindlers engaged in it and unfortunately the innocent suffar with tho guilty. The early closing hours commenced in. Balclutha on Tuesday last. Promptly at 6 o'clock that evening every store, butcher's shop, &c, was closed. Although Tuesday was a sale flay here, the people both of the township and from the country had finished their shopping long before 6 o'clock, and we are informed that at that hour there was not a single straggler in any place of business to delay the closing. So far as we have heard, the public intend to adhere strictly to their pledge published last week, and no one doubts that tho new order of things will be permanently maintained. The annual Bruce auction in aid of the funds of the Stirling Athenieura was held in the athenasm on Saturday evening. There was a crowded attendance of buyers from the local district, and a goodly numbor of friends from Balclutha. At the beginning of this year, the committee of this institution in order to popularise tho reading-room and library, determined to reduce the membership fee to 5s per annum payable iv advance, and to rely on the proceeds of the auction making good any deficiency in revenue. The. public seem to sympathise with the object of the institution, for they attend tho annual sale well and are not slow in bidding full values for articles offered. At this Rale a varied assortment of goods' waa offered. The following items in the sale-sheet may be mentioned : —Coals, fowl feed, crushed wheat, oats, carrots, turnips, potatoes, rhubarb, fruit trees, willow slips, scarfs, children's knitted underclothing, (locally made) in abundance, workbaskets, gloves (hand nwde), pinafores, cigars, pictures, a largo assortment of sundries, and fowls, ducks., '--guinea pigs, and a sucking pig. Last ; year a. rabbit was put up for sale, bought, re-sold, and re-lought several times, realizing over L3 ; but unfortunately this valuable bunny aied during the year through over-kindness, and consequently was not available at this sale. However, a guinea pig was pressed into the breach, and filled, it worthily, realizing a good sum. The total proceeds of the sale amounted to ever L 24.

The yearly licenses for the sale of liquor expired on Monday last. As renewals were refused by the licensing committee to the threo licensed Houses in tho South Molyneux district, the sale of liquor at these houses is now stopped. These hotels have, however, in no other way been interfered with, so that we presume the wants of the travelling public will be met as formerly. The only alteration is that the proprietors of these hotels are debarred from selling intoxicatiug liquors. The new arrangements in connection with the railwaj's came into operation on Tuesday last. Return tickets are now issued daily instead of only on Saturdays and market days aa hitherto. For distances of 20 miles these tickets will be available for return this next day, or from Saturday to the following Monday. Over 20 miles they will bo available for one month, and over 300 miles they will be available for two months. This is a pretty large concession, and it no doubt will bo duly appreciated by the public. Latest cablegrams state that a Unionist member of the House of Commons will ho offered the Governorship of New South Waloa if the Marquis ot Lothian or Lord Balfonr of Burloigh persist in refusing to accept tho position. — Tho East African aggreement between Germany and England has been signed. — The directors of the Bank of New Zealand are studying Mr Heau's report.— The Turks killed 50 Christians at Erzesoum. — There is a panic about cholera, which is spreading both in Spain and France. — The wool sales are more rogular, but prices are unchanged. A Very successful concert and dance in aid of the library funds was held in th« Matau school on Friday last. Tho chair was ably filled by Mr Thos. Paterson, and a lengthy and varied programme was gone through, the local amatoura being assisted by talent from Kaitangata, Port Molyneux, and Balclutha. At the conclusion of the concert refreshments were handed round, after which dancing wa3 commenced and continued with great spirit for a few hours.— The previous evening a gift auction, in aid of tho same object, was held iv M'Govern's hall, Kaitangata, when a very satisfactory amount was realised. — We are glad to leirn that a good sum now lies in the hands of the committee for the establishment of the library, and the hearly and energetic manner iv which tho matter has been worked up reflects great credit upon those who have ti'ken the matter in hand, as well ;is the settlers and others who havo not been slow to lend their assistance to so laudable an object. A serious gas explosion occurred in Wellington on Wednesday night. Messrs Oato and M'Lcnnan, accountants, entered the strongroom of the Nitional B:\nkand struck a light. A violent explosion followed and Cjto was knocked do\* n, while AI 'Lennan was severely burnt about the face. Exactly opposite the strong-ioom is the entrance to tho liank. The plate glass in the in tier door was shivered to fragments and the heavy double outer doors torn off their hinges and thrown upon the pavement in a shattered condition. There are throe windows in the front wall, belonging to rooms of which the doors happened to be open, and the plate glass in thesa windows was also shivered iuto small piec-'S and hurled across the loail, which they covered for yards, Tho venetiau blinds were torn up nnd in one instance entirely thrown into tho street in tho shapo of matchwood. Considering that; tbey were in Ihe direct line of an explosion powerful enough to sraaA. up a double set of doms GOft away, Messrs Cato and M'Lennan had a wonderful escape. No damage was done in tho bank room itself, except that two lump globes were broken, and little in th(s strong-room beyond the blackening and slightly charring of books and documents, and some injury by water. On examination ib was found that ono of tho gas pipes had a largo hole in it. No ono ouiside of tho premises was injured. At the meeting of tho Land Board on Wednesday, the Caiof Surveyor forwarded a plan of block IV., Woolland, with tho view of the land being dealt with, as follows :- Section 1, 19L acres 2 roods, proposed price, 20s ; section 2, 25G-\ 2r, 20.-J ; sections, 171a3r, 15s ; section 4, 275 a lr, 20.s ; section 5, 291 a Or, 15* ; section (3, 189.1 2r, 20s ; section 8, 253 a, 15s ; section 9, 247 a, 20s ; section 10, 233 a, 15s ; section 11, 9 a 3r, 40s ; section 12, Ha 3r, 40s ; section 13, 144 - lr, 20s ; section 14, 3iU 2c, 20s ; section 15, 99, i 3r, 20s; section 16, 21a, 20s; section 17, Goa 3r, 20s ; section 19, 50.i, 20d. — It was agreed to havo the land notified at tue prices suggested, with the exception of section 19, which would be withheld iv the meantime- Mr It. Christie, jor., wrote with reference to a road being taken through section 23, block x., Waropa, to open up Crown lands, stating that he was willI ing to give the said road on obtaining co'iiponsation therefor. Ho objected to a road being taken in any other way thiough his section.— Noted- Mr W. L. Simpson, on behalf of John Edgai', wrote stating that he was | desirous of having a revaluation of section 11, block xii., Glonkenich, held by him as pastoral deferred-payment land, and afterwards exchanged for a small grazing run. The undersecretary for Crown lands wrote regarding this matter as follows : — "ln reply to your memo, relative to Mi- Edgar's application to have bis small grazing run revalued, I am directed by tho Hon. Minister of Linus to state that 'The Selectors' Lands Revaluation Act ' does not apply to pastoral deferred-payment lands, relief being afforded by the exchange to the small grazing run system." — The reply was noted. R >bort Cumine appliel for suctions I aad 4, block X., VVarepa, on perpotual lease. — Grouted.