THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1878.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 32, 17 May 1878, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1878.

At iho mooting of the County Oonneil n on Wednonday loot tho qtidstion of fitib- I Bi'dy to tho JKooffcon Athonnnm enmo \ on for (liocusßion. Tho opinion wns 1 expressed that "m order that the bene* i fits of the inaf-itution might bo diffused i ns widely ua posaiblo, the Athonwam [ should be mndo free to ; the public. After much discussion t\io following < resolution was proposed ?—•" Thnt tho ; grant for tho current year to the ( lieefton Athenautn be £50, on eondi- , tion that the room bo opened free t0... , the public, and tho Committee provide,such accommodation «a may bo from time to time required." To this , Mr BayfoiHl moved aa an amendment. , 11 That tho lottor of the Committee bo [ nllowed to fltond' ovori'-nnd that; tho Committee) bo naked whothnr they • could not manago to enlarge tho • Librnry nnd tho Heading Koom with ' the view of establishing a Free Librnry 1 on nn extended ncalo." Tho resolution was however carried. That the. time tons arrived when the Athentoum nhouid bo placed upon a more efficient . nnd extended footing. lju»re cannot be . I two opinions, but «omo divergonco of | • opinion aoeww to oxrat an to the modo of nccoinplinhing this, By tho " Public ■ LibrnHes Subsidies Act 1 , -1877," Go- " vernmont; old can only bo granted in the form of n capitation allowance for oacli aubscribi rig mombor of the Li brary i the capitation rate alrondy apportioned , by tho distributing body— the Nolaon Uonrd of Kdncation— being 18a por 1 hofld. If, thorofore tho Library and 1 Heading Room were tbrqwn open to tho I publio froo of charge the Committee , would lose ftH claim to subsidies, except I in jeapret to those perHons who becamo r Hubarribo'ro for the priyilogo of obtaining books from tho Library for read- « ing at homo. Thoro i« renson to boliovo that tho number of the latter would be vory small, and of the sixty odd subscribing mombere) at prosonfc on tho , roll of tho institution 1 it ia probnblo that about, onoxhalf would be content 1 with reading at the Library, bo that in this light thoro seems some grounds for tho boliof that the funds of tho im ti» tut.ion would suffer by any disturbance ' of the existing systom. Thoro is, hown ever, this to bo said, that the Library an at present is but nn humble apology nnd something requires "to bo dono to improve its status, nnd extend its sphoro of usefulness, and with thifl objoct in view wo shall tnko an early 3 opportunity of referring more fully to tho matter. Wo learn thftTlTonimans Crook, Cronodan, has cut a dcop channel nbross tho Bullor t Road offootually stopping nil' horao or whool trafllo. In tho County Council on Wednesday lnst, nn ox'onsion of three w'cok's timo, was granted to Fox and party, contrnotors Black's Point road.. Tin's concession \wctfinado owingto (ho singulayly bad weather w'b.inh tho eonc tractors htwo oxporionood during, fchoir eon« trnotr ' ; . - ' *,f . Tho laflfc , fow days ' ' fTood in '%}$ .-.lnan^v " gahuft riyor, baa cne/oiiohed still 1 furth^t'/tllii' 1 tho BOttthorn bank, during Wodnonduy night,, 'portion* ol Mr Oxloy'a barn woro curriod - a«oy, as aleo ft part o( tho tramway u.iotl by tho oontrftotor.i for tho convoying atono material for tho protection of tho bridgo. Should a hoavy flood occur during (ho noxt few dnyfl tho wholo of tho houaos on' that sido of tho rivor will'bo plaocd in groat jeopardy. Wo think it would bo a wwo step on tho p/wl> of tho Council,, or tho onginoer, to sot about tho construction of a tomporary snnd bag groin at oneo, to provont any fur. thcr onoroaohmont, Tondorn arc oloowhoro inyltod by tho Gov nrmnent, for the ovcotipn of bridges over variouo West Const rivers. Tondcra oloso on tho 4th Tuno proximo-. Tho sitting of tho Difltrict Court has boon flxod for Wodncflday next 22nd instant, but as tho polling for tho coming olootion has bean appointed to tako placo on tho samo doy, ) n6 tho Court lioiibp, it w 'probablo that somo forlhoradjournmont may bo made, Durirtg tho tcrrilTc storm whioh viaitod tho 1 InnnnaTma on Wodnefidy last, considerable 1 damago to proporfcy wns dono, Tho storm wnft of such vloio.neo thnt every building was rookod to ids foundation, and many frnil orcotioim woro razod fro tho ground. Thoi , mortality amongst chimneys was vory groat ' whilo foncoa, fowlhouaos, signboards, and otfior impodimontft • to. Iho galo woro most ' libornlly donlt with by tho el'omontn. Tho i tlmndor accompanying tho storm wan terrifying in tho oxtromo, nnrl for aovornl hours tlio 1 noiso of falling trooa rosemblod tho roar of an 0 angry nea. Tl\o gain brought a ntrango viaitanfc to Itcofton, in lho | nhnpo of a son bird about tho fli/.o of a pigeon, but with wings monmiring nonrly fivo foot from tip (o lip. H Tlio bird was found yoaterdny morning by Mr Brow, in hia ynrd, Ifiullcr I?ou<l, and ; » though npparontly unhurt, wan easily cap» turod. It is of a dnrlc bluo color, nlighlly r> hnokod bill, ond ifl wobafontcrl. Tlio looal ornitholigisto have boon unablo thus far to , find a ii'imo and a hubilntion for tlio waif, It, in tho opinion, howovor, tint tho bird ia a stranger in a foreign land, and has boon blown from its nalivo o by tho galo which hau just viaitod us. A reply was yoatorday roooivod from Colon nol Whitmoro, stating that iho Government^ 1 had boon alviaod, that whon onoo pollin places hud boon proolnimod for an oleotion thoro was no power to add to thnnumbor nnd consequently no frosh polling plaooa could be fixed for tho coming election, Tho noxt English and Kuropoan mnil via San Fmncisuo, will oloso nt tho leoul oflluo

Mondny Mny, 20it, at 7 n. m. It id wo believe? tho intention of tho amntcm-fl, to shortly got up a dcutnatio and Ohrinty mfnntrel ontertntnmont, to raioo funds whomrith to p\ivclmßo flconery, wnr<l»'o»o and stager roqnJrotnontn, A mooting to arrange tho mutter will bo shortly called » Owing to tho wiVßhinp; away of rivor ronorvo at tho crossing of tho Loftslmnd Branoh nt Fcni Flat, traflto now orofisoß Mr WiHWs prifnto land, and tho latter hao addressed a latter to tho County Council, stating his in. intontion to charge tho sum of 50a po? day for tho public troflspafia, othorwiao ho will ntop all trnfllo through hio property, Tho following tologram wos kindly forwam dod to u» from Groymouth by Mr WHlnim M'&e&n :—" A heavy gale, with thuudor and lightning, pnssod over hero last night. A largo doublo briok ohimnoy was blown down at tho Molbourno Hotel, Judgo Wosh ton had just loft tho room, and bo onoapad, Mostor'h big ato»o who stripped of tho roof. Several vorandabe woro completely oarriod nway. Ono or two dwollinga woro demolished nnd othor damago wan dono. Looa of life is (oared j ono body has boon piokod up on tho north boach. Tho son ia very high,, but tho woathor is now (7.30, p.m.) line. Mr Ittohard Bcovoa will addrons tho oloo« tors of Boatmann this evening > and will moot tho olootora of Roofton, at Duwson'o Hall, tomorrow ovoning. Mv K. Boovou nddrcuaod the oleoiors o'' Bliiok's Point and Cruahington last ovoning. I Thoro was a largo attendance, nnd at tho conclusion votes of oonndonco in Mir Roovca woro carried unanimously. It ifl nnnounood that tho Roy Mr J.. P. Kompthorno will conduct Diviiio Sorvioo iiv St Stephons Church, Iloefton, on Sunday j noxt 10th inafeftnt at 7 p m, In tho Gbuhty Council on Wodnonday lunt, a resolution was oarriod on tho motion of Mr Byrnot for adding absut two ohwins of pro* tcotivo work to tho nVtJ^orn. mvor ombankn montbolow tho bridge. "*^'«v Ono of bho most powerful armour-olndti ships afloat has just boon addod "to HUo British navy by tho purchaao from tho Thames Ironworks Company of tho otoam- I ram Mcmdouhiyo, built for the Turkish Govornmont,.bufc dotainodfortho last twolvo months as contraband in tho Victoria Docks, Blnokwall 1 ,. Tho prioo paid for the ship hna not tuanopii'od, but her valuo is roughly ostimafcod at £BOO,OOOt Sho in much lnrgor thaivthoßollialo (lato Pnyld Shenoff) and sistor«shi|), rocontly purchaaod of Monsra Samuda hor length boing 340 ft., and hor boam 00ft. Liko roost modern iroiioladft nho carrios a. raisod flghtin g battery, which is about 100 ft by 00ft., is pierced for twolvo 18-ton gunai.but now that tho vosaol in- in othou hands, sho will probably, carry much hoavior tnotal. Tho cu.ua uro not on board but in othor roflpootn tho ship- in qulto toady for floa. Tho battory is nrmod with 12~inolv wrought'h'on platen, on Uio usual toak back* ing carried down oomo Jio])\h bolow tho wntor-lfoio and raised onljva few foot libovo what appears to bb the injain-deok but is really only a epnr-dook of unnftnournd tim* bor. Tho truo wain-dooli; r i^feelow »n«l is of iiwn (ho fialoono and quartow for plUoiifS'fttVcl mon being upon itj butit ia osamncd that in tnmo of aotioiv all hands will bo in; tho nr« mourod onoloauro leaving thO' nnnnmourod portion to its fate, 'J ho hatchwnyfl of tho inain-deok clwao by walornlight iron doom, aud' thoro a,ro upWAfdfl of sixty waloMight poniptirtttj^Jtß in tho^M^-^clgoks and tho ■j^^tiron filcin, It in propoocd ftjN4tt«fttn*fe 'Tw s'*l2«t.on gunn on tho main 1 dock whioh it about oix foot clear of tho wator tho baUory puns having a frooboard of ton foot. Tho ongineoaro by Maudßlay and Field, and aro on tho dircot action priuoiplo and 1000 horoo pOWOUi