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Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1276, 25 May 1883, Page 2

Yesterday, being the 64th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen, was observed as a general holiday in Reefton. The weather, however, being showery, there was no form of public celebration and the day passed quietly enough.

The Inangahu* Times is now the only Reefton newspaper publishing Reuters Cablegrams, and the interprovincial tt.legrams of the Wellington Press Agency. Our arrangements in this respect are very complete and readers may therefore rely upon receiving the very latest European and Colonial intelligence through these channels.

Mr G. C Bowman auctioneer, announces an important sale at Crushington on Monday next, in order to close partnership accounts. The sale is positively unreserved and consists of horses, drays, harness, contractor's tools, hut, stable, hor3e-feed and the right to a contract for supplying the Keep-it-Dark mine with timber. The sale will commence at 2 P m. sharp.

At 1 o'clock yesterday morning an alarm of fire was sounded by the fireboll, whon it was found that the iron chimney of the cottage of Charles Miriin, in the upper part of ' the town, was on fire When seen the chimney was at a red heat, but assistance quickly reached the spot, when the upper lengths were knocked off, and the lire extinguished. No damage was done beyond that stated.

The ordinary half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the Imperial Quartz Mining Company, Limited, was held at Mr Wise's office, on Tuesday evening. Nearly all the shareholders were reprosonted either in person or by proxy. The directors report and baknno-shect were rtvul and adopted. Messrs Murphy, Ciif-urJ, CasrJy. P. Duller, T. Hunter i.»f

Reefton and Messrs John Gray and G. W. Elliot of Dunodin were elected directors of the company. Mr VV. Hindmarsh was re-appointed auditor. '^Tho question of acquiring a half interest in tho Juat-in-Time main shaft and winding-gear was discussed, and the matter is now left with the directors who will confer with the Just-in-Timo directors on the subject at an early date.

At 5 o'clock on Wednesday evening last Mr J. Cox, bellman, reporte 1 to tho Chinese, that he had found the coffin containing the corp3 of their countryman which was surreptitiously removed from the Reefton Cemetery some weeks a»o. A dray was at onco hired, and proceeded to the spot indicated, where, sure enough, the rough coffin was found jammed under a fallen tree. How the coffin got there, or who assisted in the scandalous act of its removal from the grave-yard, is not explained. It was found about a hundred yards or so from the cemetery, and the whole thing looks suspiciously like a "put up job," but in the absence of any information on the subject it would be manifestly, uo just to cast suspicion upon any one. It is said that the Chinese residents recently increased the reward from £10 to £20, and it has been hinted that this' may have had something to do with the discovery. The suggestion however is not a very nice one, and there is besides the other hypothesis that the increased reward may have stimulated a more careful search. It is to be presumed, however, that the police will not allow the matter to drop, but endeavour to fix the offence upon the right shoulders.

His Lordship, the Biahop of Nelson delivered a lecture in the Oddfellow's Hall, Reefton, on Wednesday evening last, on the subject of "England re-visited." The night was wet and cold, and a drizzling rain made the evening anything but inviting. The Hall was however, fairly filled. Mr W. Hindmarah was voted to the chair, and on the platform with him was the Rev. Mr Sedgwick. Tho Chairman having in a few well chosen remarks introduced Bishop Suter to the audience, His Lordship opened his lecture. He began by referring to the wonderful improvements that had been effected in ocean travelling during the eight years that had elapsed Bince his former European trip. Not only had the journey from land to land been greatly shortened in point of time, but the voyage itself had lost half its terrors, and nearly all its inconveniences and discomforts, by reason of the perfection of the accommodation provided. He was in Europe during tho stirring time of the Egyptian campaign, and drew a graphic picture of the chief incidents of its opening and close. Ho concurred to some extent in the opinion that the ovation paid by England to the returning expedition was somewhat overdone, considering the duration and scope of the campaign, but thought that Sir Garhßt Wolsely had fairly won the appellation of military genius. He referred to some of the chief difficulties of the expedition, and tho manner in which they had been successfully ovorcome. As illustrating the condition of the soldiers, he said thai oh theiv return to England from Egypt they were asked whether they had any complaints to make against the commissariat, and their only complaint wa3 that there had not been a sufficiency of iced lemonade. He next referred to the Court, and afforded some curious and amusing illustrations of Royal etiquette. The death and funeral of the late Archbishop of Canterbury were touchingly referred to, and a high eulogium passed upon his successor. Bishop Suter next referred to the wonderful advance made in the application of electricity to the uses of modern civilisation. He described lucidly the difference between the incandescent and arc systems of electric lighting — tho former being 'generated in vocuo on a thin, film of bamboo or fibre, and the latter, by the old method of bringing two carbon points .together, and bo producing a spark of .light, saving that by the new process the sparks wero made to follow each other in such quick succession as to present a continuous stream of light. Perfection had, however, not yet been reached, but scientific speculation had been fairly awakened on the subject, and we were on the eve of some wonderful developments in that branch of research. His Lordship referred to a number of other interesting subjects, ant! concluded a very able and instructive address by attributing the fertility of discovery and invention which characterised our time to the wide diffusion of the blessings of education, to the accessibility of our Universities, and to the refining and elevating influences of Christianity. Bishop Suter took his seat Amidst applause. The Rev. Mr. Sodgwick, in a few highly complimentary remarks, moved a vote of thanks to His Lordship, which was seconded by Mr. W. Filler, and carried with acclamation. His Lordship, having suitably acknowledged the compliment, moved a vote of thanks to the Chair, which was carried, and the proceedings closed with the audience singing the National Anthem. j