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Mataura Ensign, Issue 647, 12 October 1899, Page 2

A movement is on foot to form a corps of mounted rifles in Gore. Three more Southland volunteers for the •New Zealand contingent— Sergt. E. Ipvin (InvercargUl), Privates J. Aitken (formerly of Gore), and L. Heenan (Pyramids) — passed through Gore by the north express yesterday, and were lustily cheered by the crowd on the platform as the train moved off. Private W. Saunders (Invercargill) went north by the evening train. A meeting of the committee of the Gore Athenojum was held on Tuesday evening, Mr A. Batnsay (president) in the chair. A letter re the tenancy of , portion of the reserve was referred to Mr Bowler to deal with. John Day wrote complaining that one of the daily papers was frequently monopolised by a slow leader, and it was, resolved to post a notice in the reading room that the daily papers should not be retained by one member for more than ten minutes. Mr Day also suggested that greater facilities sfibuldbe afforded to country subscribers to change their books, and it was decided to open the library on Tuesday afternoons from 3to 4 p.m. The treasurer submitted a satisfactory balancesheet. It was resolved to hold the annual meeting on Friday, October 20. A special meeting of the committee of the Gore Horticultural Society was held on Tuesday evening to consider the resignation (on account of press of business engagements) of Mr T. Brown of the office of secretary. Mr Brown's resignation was accepted with .regret, and Mr Wharton appointed to the vacancy, Mr Faitt being elected treasurer. The annual horse parade under the 'auspices of the Gore A. and P. Association is to be held on Saturday next at the shew grounds, commencing at 11 a.m. sharp. As usual, Mr T. Green will occupy the position of guide, philosopher, and friend to the assembled multitude, and will expatiate on the merits of the different horses paraded. At the Gore Court yesterday, before Messrs T. Green and A. Martin, J's.P., Wm. Saunders was charged on remand with assaultingand occasioning actual bodily harm to Constable HerlihyatWaikaiaonOot. 3. Inspector Pardy appeared for the prosecution and Mr Bowler for the defence. The Inspector applied for a further remand, stating that Constable Herlihy. although progressing favorably, \v.as still under medienl treatment and unable to appear yet. Mr Bowler acquiesced in the application for a further remand, and asked that accused be admitted to bail. Inspector Pardy offered no objection to bail being allowed, but asked that the amount be made fairly substantial — say two sureties of £100 each. Mr Bowler objected to bail being fixed in such a largo amount, pointing out that at the preliminary hearing two sureties of £25 each were fixed. The Bench remanded accused to appear at Gore at 10.30 on Tuesday next, fixing bail at two sureties J>j_£7s_eaehj L accused in JBISO. ' :-'jh

I A meeting of theMataura School Committee was held on Tuesday night. Present: Messrs Dickie (in the chaiv),Balneaves, Clark, Park, and MacGregor. A circular from Mr Hogben, Inspector-general, re a Habens scholarship was received, as was also ono from tbe Secretary of the Education Board re corporal punishrnsnt in schools. The suggested new regulations for inspection and examination of schools were ordered to lie on the table. The chairman reported the quarterly allowance of £0 16s Id from the Education Board, also that he has procured some netting to protect Mr Thorn's windows from cricket balls. The chairman's action was approved. The headmaster reported several requirements for the school, which the chairman was instructed to attend to. Tbe head teacher reported as follows : On roll at last report, 214; on roll at present, 211; average Httendance, 181.7 ; per cent, of a'tendunce on average roll number, 85 ; highest attendance on any one day, 192. The report was received. Messrs Winning aud Gall were rcappointed visiting committee for the month, and accounts amounting to £6 17s 6d passed for payment. The annual meeting of the Tapanui Farmers' Club was held on Saturday, the balance sheet showing a profit of about £20 on the year's work, there being p, balance in hand of £27 0s 3d. Mr John Edie was elected president, Mr J. Milnes vice-president, Mr T. McAlister secretary and treasurer, and Messrs D. Dickson, Alex. Thomson, Alex. Mclntyrc, P. Dunlop, G. H. Stewart, J. E. Mackenzie, W. Cullen, C. Todd, Chas. McDonald, and Jas. Davidson members of committee. A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring officers, and it was resolved to move the location of the next show from the racecourse to the society's grounds, and to call for tenders for the erection of a grand stand. ' The Wanganui 'HernldV correspondent repoits that a robbery took place at the Waverley branch of the Bank of New South Wales on Wednesday. Mr Izard, accountant, left Pateu f m the Waverley branch with cash for the day's business, consisting of several £5 notes, 40 £1 notes, 40 half-sovereigns, and some silver. On arrival at the bank there, he placed the same in the drawer. Mr-Izard had occasion to leave the bank for some 15 or 20 minutes, and on returning was tendered a cheque to be .changed. On unlocking the drawer to get the change, the discovery was made thatthe roll of 40 £1 notes was gone, together with the 40 half-sovereigns and some little silver. It is surmised that the thief or thieves made their way in through the back window, in which a small piece of glass is broken away near the catch. On the discovery of the robbery being made, the catch was found fastened in the usual way. A West Coast paper furnishes the following significant item :— Our local magistrate (Mr Hawkins) was not in a most placid mood this forenoon. During the hearing of a case against O'Brien for using insulting language on the Grey-Brunner railway, Mr Kitching raised the point that the alleged offence was committed on the Midland railway, which was not a Government line within the meaning of the Act. The magistrate, after a diligent search, could not find the act giving the authority. At length he declared that he would not lose more time with frivolom objections, but would fine defendant £2, who could appeal against tbe decision if he liked. At a meeting of the Presbytery of Mataura on Tuesday, the Eev. Mr Carter applied to ask the_Synod to place Waikaia on the Church Extension Committee for another year on account of the erection of a new church, and presented a balance-sheet showing £172 9s lid income for the year ending September. In addition to this, the people had subscribed £104 8s Id, of which £84 2s Id was already paid, and £10 0s 6d had been raised towards an organ. It was resolved to forward the application to the Synod with, a recommendation that it be granted. The Eev. I. Ramsay wrote expressing his thanks for the sympathy shown him by the Presbytery during his recent illness. Mr Kirk, as representing the congregation of Knapdale, returned thanks on their behalf for the assistance members of the Presbytery had rendered in the supply of the pulpit during Mr Ramsay's illness. The total amount paid to the charitable aid boarus'for the past ten years is £638,517 Is, and the total amount paid as hospital fees by patients in the colony for the same period is £100,078 17s 3d. The amounts paid to the Southland and Otago boards, omitting shillings and- pence, are as follow: Waitaki, £6088; Central OtaßO, £7348; Tuapeka, £5336; Otago, £27,362; Otago United, £00,970 ; Southland, £34,563 ; total, £145,907. The following is the amount paid as hospital fees by the patients in the same districts during the ten years ended March 31, 1899: — Total amount, £23,091, to which Dvmedin contributed £10,347. The 'West Coast Times' understands that Mr T. V. Biyne, Mayor of Kumara, has instituted an action for libel agains>t the 'Otago Daily Times' and 'Witness' Company with £3000 damages for publishing remarks in connection with an assault case at Wellington, at which plaintiO was charged before the Magistrate's Court. The Gore Amateurs played " The Gutta Percha Girl " to rather a poor house at Mataura last evening. The play was staged under great difficulties, the Society having had an unprecedented run of bad luck in regard to the performers in this piece. First, Mr J. D. Moloney was incapacitated by illness, and Mr Wilkinson stepped into the breach and played Joshua ; while Mr Domigan was prevented by business engagements from playing Dobson, and Mr Fendall assumed the part ; next Mrs Collins was laid up, and Miss Murray undertook the part of Mrs Huinmingtop, Miss Murray's role of Barbara being filled by Miss B. Godby ; and last Mr Miller received notice of serious illness in his family and had to proceed to Dunedin, Mr Domigan undertaking his arduous part of Ralph Ormerod at short notice. Considering these untoward circumstances the comedy went remarkably well, though naturally the services of the prompter had sometimes to be called into requisition. At a jeweller's shop in Auckland there is on view an electric clock, which is a marvel of simplicity and ingenuity. It is said to bo the first of its kind imported into the colony. The motive power is supplied by two cells, and the mechanism consists of a small upright shaft and spiral spring, and three or four cog wheels. The current revolves the shaft in opposite directions, and in addition to two hands on the face of the clock, there is a third hand which records the seconds. This simple mechanism is beautifully adjusted, and works with remarkable regularity and smoothness. These clocks, when once the batteries are charged, require no looking after or " winding up," and go in any position, and for many months at a time. The electric clock is evidently destined to be tbe clock of the future, and to completely revolutionise tbe old-fashioned timepiece now in vogue. The newly formed Mataura Amateur Dramatic Society is busily engaged rehearsing "The Octoroon," .which it is intended to stage looally on Wednesday and Thursday of next ■week, Gore on Friday, and probably Wyndbam on the following Monday. We hear that the rehearsals (under the direction of Mr A. Brandon-Cremer) give promise of an excellent representation of this famous drama, which, on its first being performed had an almost unprecedented run, and has been exceedingly popular ever since, A concert, promoted by' the Valley Minstrel Troupe, was held in the Waikaka Valley School on Friday last, Mr T. Pryde occupying the chair, and suitably introducing the per formers. The first part of the entertainment consisted of vocal and instrumental items, Miss B. Williamson and J. A. S. Aitken giving a violin duet as the introductory item. Miss L. Aitken sang " Shadow Land," Mrs Smith " The Wishing Cup," (both encored), Miss IC: MeLeod " The Hose of Allandale," and Mr E. Crawford brought down the house with several comic items. The second part consisted of the orthodox nigger minlstrel performance by members of the troupe, the circle comprising nine performers, with two bones, two tambos, and two violins. The corner men were exceptionally funny, and kept the audience in excellent humor throughout,, while the various vocal items were well rendered, .and gained hearty applause. A laughable farce concluded a capital evening's entertainment. At the Tahuna Park Trotting meeting yesterjay, Radical won the Trial Handicap (dividend £3 4s); Doubtful the Suburban Handicap (£5 0s) ; Devil's King the Advance Handicap (£8 2s) ; Kozie the Publicans' Handicap (£1 10s); Valla Rookh the Disposal Handicap (£1 10s) ; Cottage Boy the St Kilda Handicap (£1 14s) ; Myra 11. the Pony Handicap (£5) ; Ophir the Electric Handicap (£1 6s). A. Pringle, the local trainer, rode no i ewer than ..fiyft^yigj the eight winners. _„ < t

W. Lewis and Co. want apprentices for millineiy and improvers for dressmaking. W. Lewis and Co. have imported the correct thing in miners' plush. Gore Brass Band bazaar continues to-night, to-morrow, and Saturday. F. Thorn and Son have purchased A. L. Brown's (Exhibition Boot Warehouse) stock of boots and shoes, and hold a monster sale. Special Bank holiday on race days — Wednesday and Thursday, 25th and 26th insts. Use Keating's powder and worm tablets. Mandeville School concert and dance on 20th inst. Clements Tonic invaluable during hot weather.