LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Evening Star, Issue 6477, 19 December 1883, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Six nicely-bound volumes of Mr Spurgeon’s “Treasury of David” were recently presented by the teachers to Mr Todd, tha late superintendent of tho Caversham Baptist Sunday School. They were accompanied by an illuminated address, in which the teachers expressed their regret at losing Air Todd’s services as superintendent, owing to failing health, and bearing testimony to the ability with which lie had performed his duties and the courtesy with which he bad invariably treated them. Mr Todd was also tho recipient of an arm-chair, the gift of the children attending the Caversham Baptist Sunday, School. He has occupied tho position of superintendent for the last ten years. The monthly meeting of the Otago School Commissioners yesterday was .attended by Messrs .J. P. Maitland (chairman), A. C. Begg, W. H. Pearson, Hons. Dr Menzies and W, =H, Reynolds. It was decided to withdraw section 27, block 7, Wyndham district, from sale in the meantime; and to take steps to have the township of Balfour, Hokonui district, put into the market for sale ,at an early date. Captain M’Kenzie, M.H.R,, appeared as a deputation from settlers in the neighborhood of Pyramid Bridge to ask the Commissioners to contribute towards the repair of said bridge, it being in a very bad state. After consideration, it was decided that the Commissioners had no power to grant the request. An application from J. M'Lean to obtain a license to mine for lignite at Waika a having been considered, it was decided to put the laud in the market for sale in the usual way \ after a survey had been made. Two well-known and old residents of Auckland are dead. Richard Grigg, the police court poet, attended the sittings of that court for over thirty years ; and Archibald Wilson, or “Miser” Wilson, is said to have left a fortune behind him. Both men were octogenarians, and arrived in the Colony in 1840. S, Crombie Brown, the well-known journalist, was convicted at the Hobart Criminal Session of obtaining money under false pretences, and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, only one indictment being proceeded with. At the conclusion of Mr Stout’s lecture on “Democracy,” in Napier, Air John Begg hoped Mr Stout would re-enter the House and extirpate Vogeliam, root and branch. The sisters of the late Captain Cadell, who proved the navigability of the Murray, are to be presented with LI,OOO, the joint gift of Now South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

Captain James Duncan, of the schooner Tnuranga, informs the ‘ New Zealand Herald ’ that there is reason to believe that the representatives of New Zealand at tho Conference have been put in possession of tho views of Malietoa and the chiefs of Samoa on the subject of annexation to New Zealand. Captain Duncan was in the habit of corresponding with Air Alacandrew, who forwarded his communications to Major Atkinson. " Malietoa is desirous that Samoa shall be annexed to New Zealand. Daring' the prevalence of a southerly buster on December 6 two fatal accidents occurred on the River Hunter, about four miles from Raymond Terrace. The ketch Constant was under sail, when the boom suddenly caught one of the crew on the aide of the head, knocking him into the water; and while the master was assisting to get the dingey out, in order to rescue the drowning man, another of the crow came along the deck, and was knocked into the river in a similar manner, and both were drowned. The men were brothers.