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Clutha Leader, Volume XVII, Issue 835, 18 July 1890, Page 5

The next English and European mail via Rio Janeiro (direct service) will close at the post office here on Tuesday, the 22nd inst., at 3 45 p.m. A performance of " Little Red Hiding Hood " will be given in BarrVHall next Friday evening in aid of the fuuds of St. Mark's Church. Tho'piece has becu actively rehearsed for some time past, and scenery has been got up specially for it, so that the entertainment may be expected to be superior to any we have had for some considerable time. At a meeting of the match committee of the Kai+angata Association Football Club, held on Monday evening, the following players were selected to play against Dunedin combined on the Caledonian ground on Saturday 19i/h inst : — J. JbYazer, J. Bowie, W. Dixou, .T. Coornber, J. Beardsmsre, A. Dixon, J. Welsh, W. Crowe, A. Reid, J. Brown, and W. M'Laren (captain). The fifth annual ball tendered by the Warepa bachelors was held in the Warepa Flail on Friday evening, when a hundred couples from all parts of the district responded to tho invitations sent out. The music was supplied by Miss Sharpe (piano) and Mr King (violin), and of course gave every satisfaction. The ball was under the direction of Messrs li. Hogg and D. Strachan, who octed as M.C.'s, and dancing was indulged in with great spirit till nearly 5 o'clock in the morning. The refreshments were supplied by Mr ltedpath, Clinton, and needless to say were up to the mark as regards both quality and qu.mtiby. The ball was one of the most enjoyable the bachelors have yet had- Of course it is needless to say, though there can be no harm in mentioning it, that though the ball was esseutially a bachelors' one, there were a goodly proportion of benedicts present, and not only benedicts but a goodly numbor of the older momberg of the community, and the latter seemed to enjoy themselves just as much as the younger people. The borough council had a some vhat protracted sitting on Tuesday night in connection wiLh the library business, the time occupied in this department of borough business alone i being somothing liko au hour and five minutes. The library committee's report to tho council was submitted in the shapo of the minutes of their meetings held since their appointment at last j meeting of council. The proceedings, however, J were not so monotonous as might have been ex--1 pected. In view of the considerably increased j duties of the librarian and caretaker, etc., it was j . agreed, without a division, to increase his salary from Lls to L2O a year. But there seemed »o ■ be a difference of opiuiou as to whether the magazines should be laid on the table as uewspapera or locked up and given out as books, to be | returned in three days. The library c-umnittee ; evidently favored the former course and recorn- ■ mended that they lie on the table for a fortnight before being given out. Mr Wright and Mr M'Corley moved iv the latter direction, and Mr Ramage and Mr Wilson in tho formur. Four j vo^ed for the amend meat and an equal number tor the motion ; tho mayor'd casting vote went for Mr Wright's motion. At this stage Mr Hutchins, who had voted for the mot.ion, l«ft the meeting, and Mr llamage proceeded to move a fresh amendment—" That the n.agazines lie on the table for a week before giving out." The . Mayor at first thought tho motion out of order, but after consideration ruled the inotiou in order, but unfavourably characterised Mr Ramage's : motives in moving the amendment when one of those against him had left the room. A triangular interchange of opinions ensued between Messrs Ramago and Wilson and the mayor, and eventually it was amicably agreed to j adjourn t.hn 1 question till the whip, in the person of Mr Wright, hunted up Mr Hutchins, whereupon the amendment was lost as before^ — £t was agreed after a division of five to three to have a j gift auction instead of a concert in aid of the | i library fund, and then Mr Ramago reopened the question as to outsiders being members of the library committee -by moving that the Rev. Mi Curne and Messrs Gow and Stewart be appointed, to the committee, giving as his reasons that he voted against tho question at last meeting because he did not thiuk the council had power to do this, though he was in favor of it, but had now found out that it was porfecbly legal. Mr Wilson, who moved tho motion at last meeting, now went against the proposal on the ground that it would be infra dig. to refuse these gentlemen admittance in the first instance and now ask them to como in when this committee had a good part of tho work done. Tho Mayor, who 8 ipported tho motion at last meeting, expressed a similar opinion, and then came another, division when the motion was lost, the mayor having to exercise hi 3 casting vote for the third time. This was the last of the .divisions, and, in parliamentary parlance, it would seem- that neither the , opposition nor the; government can command a working majority and the only remedy appears to be aa appeal to the elector*. «-^.---

Cable communication has been interrupted during the week, so that we have no late European news for this issue. We understand that at the meeting of tha literary society on Tuesday evening Dr Fleming will read a paper on Lindsay Gordon. Sir Robert Stout's recent deliverance is being severely criticised by the Auckland press. The Herald says the Opposition in tha House have gained nothing by this flourishing of Sir Robert Stout in the face of the country. By his manifesto he has shown that he is not a practical politician, and that he does not realise the position of the Colony. Everything in it which approaches the aotual belongs either to Sir Julius Yogel or Mr Ballance. The Star remarks that Sir Robert Stout might no doubt have exhibited his incapacity to grapple with the circumstances of the Colony in a smaller compass than three columns, but he was evidently determined to make the matter perfectly clear, and he has succeeded. During the course of the financial debate on Thursday last, Mr Duncan accused Mr T. Mackenzie of dummyism in connection with the acquisition oi 1000 acres of land in the Catlins district. This Mr Mackenzie denied, and asserted (as reported by the Times correspondent) that he had paid LI per acre for land that has since been valued at 15s per acre. He moved that the matter ba referred to the waste land? committee to enquire into the charges made against him. Mr Duncan has since given notice to move the following addition to Mr Mackenzie's motion :— " That there be also laid before the committee copies of all correspondence between the Minister for Lands, the Otago "Waste Lands Board, and Thomas Mackenzie regarding the opening for sale of the lands put chased by the said Thomas Mackenzie ; also the up3et valuation and the price paid, a copy of Thomas Mackenzie's several applications, a copy of the application granted by the Otago Land Board, and all other papers in possession of the land department referring to the said purchase. " After all the fus3 made by the' school committees over the three-name system of the board, and the concession granted by the latter body when it agreed to send down the names of all applicants for vacancies, it is amusing to hear of the action of a school committee not; 100 miles from Arrowtown lately- A great number of applications with the usual deluge of testimonials and certificates came before that illustrious and intelligent body,' so that they could select a teacher. Now, whether the farmers were tired after a hard day's work on their land, or worn out with the pihilerating and fatiguing excitement of a ploughing match ou that day, deponent knoweth not and c;»reth le<s. Howevor it was, the prospect of attacking a monstrous pile of documents like that before them caused them to waver, and it was siviously proposed and adopted that the names of all the candidates be put in a hat, shaken up, and the topmost name to be that of the successful lady. Who says now that the up-country committees should liot bo looked on as painstaking and clever fellows. Perhaps this committee agreed with the principle of him who said that choosing a wifo wus like putting your hand into a bagful of snakes to try to get an oel which was amongst them. The following business of local interest was transacted at the meeting of the Land B"ard en Wednesday :— Rhoda W. Williamson applied for permission to reside on her farm in block lit, Kuriwao, instead of on her small grazing run in block VIII of that district, being within the prescribed distance. — It w\s resolved to allow applicant to. resHo on her leasehold farm as requested. Mr J. M. At" Donald sur. rendered the l'cense to occupy seclion 27, block IV, Catlins, on behalf of himself and brother, as they could not retain it at the present terms. — The surrender w:is accepted. The following applications were approved : — For rural land on perpetual lease : Charles F. Dunnefc. section 13, block XIII, Greenvnlo ; Eliza Mapp, section 8, block IX, Waip-,ihi. For rural land on deferred payment : Redpath Gillespie, section 29, block IX, Warepa. • The Clu"<if Surveyor forwarded a plan of lands recently surveyed in block IX, Glenomaru, with the view of the lands being dealt with, as under : —

- -(JonsMerption of tho plan waa a-ljourned until the survey of the adjoining land comes in. Regarding the present position of the Victorian boom a writer in the Agrus says: — "Ten thousand billet hunters!" The term is not used contemptously, or with any desire to blame the 11,000 odd young people. The railway commissioner's banner i 3 popular — his service is in request. The farmer stands on the top of his uncultivated hill and halloos in vain for help. The " bosuns " pipe brings no recruits ; even the bugle of the permanent military force Bounds generally in vain. But the railway people call for hundreds, and, lo ! from every part of the colony thousands respond. Six hundred are wanted, and 11,000 are anxious to come. What is the meaning and sign ficanee of it all? Are there really 11,000 youths and men in Victoria to whom 6s Qd a day is in their present occupations an unattainable wage ! Or are the conditions of i life so Very desirable on the railways 1 It will be observed that something more than a third of the whole number (3,768) apply for employment as engine cleaners Yot the department wants 40 engine cleaners only. But there are a great multitude of carpenters — 980 — where only 30 can be taken on. This surely is an ominous sign, the most painful result of the collapse of the land and building booms that has yet come under notice. It must be taken to indicate that there are nearly 1000 carpenters in the colony either out of work or not regularly employ od. For the carpenter is, wherever employed, an eight hours and a union man, just as indepenc ent when working for a contractor as in the railway sheds. Ironworkers of all grades seem also to be more fieqient in the fields of discontent or idler ness than might have been expected under our protective system. Indeed it is very doubtful if 14:7 iron turners would bo . found applying for eight billets even in Freetrade New South Wa}es.

Samuel Perry, a labourer, met with a nasty accident at Glenomaru on Friday last. It appears a cask of powder had been upset near where he was standing without his having noticed it. He threw a lighted match on the ground amongst the powder, with the result that he received severe burns on the face, head, arms, and hands. In the Queensland Assembly on Tuesday night Sir Thomas M'll wraith, in the course of his speech on the federation resolutions, said he did not want to see New Zealand join the federal movement. He considered the lion in the path wa3 hostility over fiee trade and protection between New South Wales and Victoria. The same difficulty existed elsewhere. New South Wales must recognise that the Australian policy should be protection against the world, with freetrade between the colonies. The resolutions were unanimously carried.

Section. Area. Rate. alp s d 48 77 I 31 15 0 49 111 3 fi 20 0 50 185 2 0 17 6 52 125 1 0 35 0 53 292 3 5 10 0 51 284 2 28 12 6 55 1(53 0 0 22 6 66 7 0 10 22 6 ft 7 251 2 34 10 0 58 207 1 36 10 0 59 212 2 0 12 6 GO 233 1 31 10 0 61 261 2 0 10 0