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Grey River Argus, Volume 57, Issue 10268, 26 April 1899, Page 2

The annual meeting of St John's Debating Society wasjheld last evening, a goodly number being present. After the usual prelimary business had been disposed of Rev It Stewart was unanimously reelected President, various members of the Society testifying to the untiring energy and zeal that he had displayed for the advancement of the debating club [sinGe , lie had been President. Messrs Rogers and Foot were " elected vice-presidents ; Messrs J McCarthy, J M'Kenzie, and Uddstrom committee ; Messrs Kerr, jnr, : and 0 M 'Lean secretaries ; Mr A Smith, treasurer ; Messrs Kerr and Foot, editor . and sub-editor of the Magazine respectively/* Several new members were elected, after which it was decid ed to devote next Monday evening to "Impromptu speeches." In the meantime the Syllabus / committee will arrapge the programme for the session ; so it would be as well if intending debaters notified the secretary of any subjects they would like to have discussed. Tha President gave a splendid address on the advancement made in all departments by civilised nations during the past half century. The speech was indeed a masterpiece of brevity considering the various subjects touched upon and indicated a fuither advance in the next 50 years, the magnitude of which could not be foretold. At the conclusion of a lucid and educational deliverance the Rev gentleman was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, after which the meeting terminated. Hitherto this society has been productive of much good and if the healthy opposition that it is apparent will exist during the present session is an augery for further advancement the memters of St John's Debating Society cannot but derive a deal of benefit from taking part in the discussions or in listening to them. The Society is purely unsectarian and visitors are always cordially welomed ; hence the strides it has made and the popularity it has joined in the public favor. Yesterday one of our representatives was shown the silver trowel which is to be presented to the Premier to-day on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of the Old Man's Home, It is a very artistic piece of work of unique and original design, the engraving beirg splendidly done. The trowel, which was made by Mr Milner on his premises, Upper Mawhera Quay, has a beautiful silver mounted ebony handle and bears the following inscription : — " This trowel used in laying the foundation stone of the Victoria Hospital and Old Man's Home, Greymouth, erected in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, was presented to the Right Hon R J Seddon, PC, L L D, Premier of New Zealand, by Henry Bignell, builder, on the 26th day of April, 1899." At the S M Court yesterday Mr Stratford, Warden, incidentally mentioned that the services of the Warden's agent at Barrytownhad been dispensed with!. Mr Guinness asked if the Warden's recommendation was the cause of the charge, which brought forth the retort from His Worship that he was not aware of any circumstances that could warrant or compel him to reply to such a question Although the appearance of the courthouse has been much improved of late owing to owtaia repairs being dons and

the building receiving a much needed coat of paint as well as repapering, it would be more in keeping with the fitness •.-. . of things if half-a-dozen new- chairs were provided for litigants and those -whose duty bake them constantly to the " Hall of Justice." The present seating accommodation is totally inadequate and the chairs have seen better days. ; The town will be unusually gay to-day. The laying of the foundation stone of the Hospital will be the centre of attraction, - and not a few will witness the weddings-^ 0 of which there are two. Mr P White, a" member of the staff of this journal, will; be united in holy wedlock at the Roman'" Catholic Church to Miss Alice Murray,': of Cobden. Mr Green; of Nelson, will be ' married to Miss Florence Eassori, of this town, at Trinity Church. . We have been requested to remind the Friendly Societies and others taking part i; in the procession to-day to rally in Bouridary street at 2 o'clock sharp. ■ " The Right Hon R J Seddon and Mrs Seddon will arrive in town this morning by the train from Hokitika. Mr Stark, well and. favorably knbWn . here as accountant of the Bank of New South Wales has been appointed manager of the Hokitika branch of the same bank ' vice Mr Campbell, deceased. According to the last issued Gazette . the following gentlemen have been ap- ■'..' pointed School Commissioners for the > provincial district of Westlandj-^James Alexander Bbnar, John JStaines, Thomas Vincent Byrne. Under another proclamation it is announced that the Education , Boards have appointed Messrs Richard Nancarrow and Joseph Grimmond School Commissioners for Westland: „'-*■ The relations between the British*American officers at Apia and those of the German warship Falke are. described -as anything but cordial. -As Mataafa'smen keep mostly to the jungle,! the re- -.'■■ , presentative of the New Zealand Herald ? thinks that the best thing to meet the. situation would be to send down a strong . contingent of Maoris from 'the North - - Island. •>■■■" ~y-: ; - j ; ' ; The Australasian says that Messrs^.: . Mendell, Cameron and Co, have formed a ■■■* , syndicate in Melbourne to -work the gold -t >: deposits in the River WaikukupUj West ■ ' Coast of New Zealand, by means of . „ bucket dredging. Mr IT JFranYhas gone • to New Zealand ro test the ground by i. bores. The rivers bed, two miles; of beach, and some lagoons are to bY Worked. ' An "electric victory" is. claimed by an American paper which consists in the j ; transmission, of a 3.0,000 volt .current- pfp I electricity a distance 0183 miles from the' > power house in the Santa . Anna . Canon, aboveßedlands, toLos Angeles. p ■;- ' That.e^essively clever little company* !_■■- thel Myriprama, gavel the/farewell perfpr- : y mance. of their season last evening to a - li^owded and most delighted audience , \ I, Jjfhe v applause was " frequent and )' ; free" and the' encores remarkably^nu- c ; [ nierous. A more deservedly popular corner ,pany would be hard to find... The cpm- . pariy will agaki visit GreymputH on jrvext , Friday week. They are due next; a¥;? ■ Hokitika. . ;: .-...■'" : -. r ■ 1 ' - ';7 Mr Tom Collard, while at bush work in ~ the Arnold hadthe misfortune to .badly t gash his foot with" an axe. He has been-- . taken to the Hospital. ■"■■.."' v " : ! ; v . The Brunner News giyes-ciirrency to a rumor that Greymouthrwill probably have four licensing candidates at next election ' with a prohibitionist .for a fifth. t . The Brunner mine put out a over 1000 : tons of coal on Monday— a record. ; .--, ■ : - Rawei, the clever Maori showmani cbh- ; '' j templates touring the colony withaHakft: ! -^ r troupe of Maori .youths., -,-Juvenility and > cleverness might parry the venture s. tut hitherto all Haka^coy's^hav^HT i "proved a dismal frost. „.^ ...._._, i The following were elected' without I /opposition as a committee for the Kokiri ; school district r-^-Messrs J Hogan, semy : ' ■ J Hogan, jnr, Sauhders, Armstrong, ' Carney, Ryan and Hahn. '-... ? . - The Right Hon R J Seddon has notified 1 his intention to the Worshipful Master of-. the Greymouth Masonic Lodge that he 1 will be present at their meeting this ' ''- evening. "-' :' . " ° At the Hospital this evening Mr Bell r will give an . exhibition- of. the Spanish- '.■ ■' • American .war aided by a powerful limelight.. ■■" ' ' „\ ; •. •.; '•";'.;. Lady Stout, writing on the social evil in Wellington, advocates : - the formation of a Social Purity Society ' amongst men. . - r Mr T. Brown, District: Manager; of the Westport Coal Cdnipany, who has been seriously ill, is now showing signs of improvenisnt. Referring to the dairy industry,; Mr Meredith,MH.R, in his recent address to his constituents, pointed bub • that the manufacture of preserved milk might be made a useful industry . since preserved milk to the value- of "' L 15,229 was imported into the coioriy:r, last year. „.-,., Three remarkable fleeoes have J?een shorn by Messrs. Beyeridge Bros., Miranala, Victoria Valley. They were taken from three ewes, aged three and a half years, which had, never been : shorn until tbis year. Three fleeces weighed 961 b., the staple was Mm. long, and the wool was without a break. .. ';,:.' ; ./. ....: It is announced by My Mr Kingsfcda i: ; the -South Australian Premier, that the ' Government will propose an extension of the Credit Foncier system of making the Savings Bank (now called the State Bank) a bank of issue and deposit. The Government also intend starting business in the insurance line, as there •- are no locallyrfounded companies in South Australia. They will do. both life and fire business,