THE Mount Ida Chronicle AND St. Bathans Weekly News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1880.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume X, Issue 550, 19 February 1880, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle AND St. Bathans Weekly News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1880.

Great dissatisfaction is expressed in the Inferior of Otago at the slow progress being made in the construction of the Otago Central Eailway. Powerful influences of an adverse character must have been at work to prevent the calling of tenders for the construction of additional sections of the line. Dunedin has evidently forgotten the part she played with so much enthusiasm when the merits of the rival routes were being discussed. The Chamber of Commerce, afraid lest North Otago influences would prevail, was aroused into a state of activity which has not been equalled since by that somnolent body. The efforts, then put forth have apparently resulted in complete prostration—the re-action has b»en so powerful that exhaustion has ensued. If we recollect aright, the then Chairman of the Chamber was Mr li. Oliver, who was most energetic in saying and doing all he possibly could in favor of the line through the interior, by way of the Strathtaieri, and in his opposition to the Oarnaru route. But now his position is changed, and we are afraid so also are his views. As Minister of Public Works we have good reason to believr that he is not sound on this plank. ~W.e are afraid he is not now the believed he was in the line and does not mean to do more than simply tap the iStrathtaieri Yalley, leading to the leaseholds and freeholds of some of the wealthy land otvners in that locality, which will be of no practical benefit to residents in the Interior. The fact that M.r W. JD. Stewart, the member for Dunedin, did not think the subject of sufficient importance to justify even its vnentionjjin his addie» to his constituents the other day is significant; and we also notice, what

seems equally obvious, a deputation from the -Cbamber of Commerce,, which waited on the Minister of Public Works on Saturday last in reference to railway matters, made not the slightest allusion, to the line. The peope are deliberately gu'led by the appropriations which w re made last session for the {construction of this , line (amounting to £120,800) being placed on the estimates, no effort being made to expend any portion of them. The matter is one of serious moment to this and other districts ; and, if a most strenuous effort is not soon made, the money will all be spent elsewhere, and the line be but little past Mullochy Gully. Bribes to North Auckland, Messrs. Driver, M'Caughan, and " poor Masters," have all to be met, and so convenient is this vote for the purpose, that its sacrifice appears certain. The County Council of*Maniototo, alive, to the importance of the matter, passed a resolution at its last meeting, asking the co-operation of the Counties of Vincent and Taieri, in conjunction with Messrs. de .Lautour and Pyke, M.H.ti.s, to urge on the®Minister the advisability of calling for tenders for construction of additional sections of the line. We await with anxiety the result of these communications. [Since the above was in type we have learned that it is the intention of the Government, a month or six weeks hence, to call for tenders for the construction of an additional six miles between the Deep Creek and the Sutton Stream. This is certainly moving in the right direction ; but the pittriness of the proposed .contract id anything but satisfactory. Before the tender is accepted three months will p obably elapse, and when the nest section will be tendered for Heaven oniy knows. This rate of progression is more l:ke a farce than a reality, and until >VB are convinced that the Government are in .earnest, we can only look upon this line with the same regard as we would on one leading to the moon.] —-—+■ There is cause for congratulation that the presence of the Minister of Lands in Manhyoto was fully taken advantage of to display the resources of the district, and to lay the grievances that exist before him. The visits of a minister to such inland districts as ours are few and far between, and it is as well to make the fullest use of the opportunity when it occurs. There is now some possibility of the grazing difficulty being settled. The deputation which waited on the Minister on Saturday fully explained the question as it affected the graziers, and we are aware that the other side has been lully represented, though, perhaps, not in such a public mannner. The result has been that the Minister has personally undertaken to endeavor to effect a of the difficulty between the parties interested. Ths runholdei's will no doubt see the advisability ot' acceding to.any reasonable terms that may be proposed; for, since the Minisler recognises the fact that a grievance of a sub tantial nature exists, it would-be wise of them to come to an amicable settlement, since they have everything to lose, and but little to gain. Tnere reign only extends for about two yerrs longer, in most cases, and it is as well that those two years should pass away in peace. T'ne r. presentations made to the Minister in refer ence to land, also, are apparently to be of some effect. Before leaving the district he promised that a block should be immediately thrown open in the vicinity of Naseby, and we now observe that a contemporary is authorised to state .that the block is to consist of 4000 acres. The inspection which the Minister made of some of the land in the vicinity—in company with two or three local gentlemen will be of great use in guiding him in the selection of the block, and being now possessed of personal knowledge he will not be so dependent on thn representations of others—a fa> t w:>ich will be of the greatest benefit- to the Agricultural interest. The iron trade at Home has become active. Galvanised iron is quoted at £23 10s. The San Franci-co mail closes at the district; post officer' on Tii- fd iy next, and at Naseby on Thursday evening n^xt. The dramatic performance ar. FTainiUow, in aid of the Irish Famine. Belief Fund, comes off on Friday. We regret to announce th" death of Dr. C. J". Allan, for many yearn resident iu St. Bathans and lately in Koxhu gh. We publish this week « corrected list of the services of the Pr<-: hyt-erian Church. Our lioft got into some coid'n-i 11 over the recent changes, but may now be reded upon. The police are evidently very strict in Wellington. On Saturday last they called at all the principal hotels and ordered the barmaids to leave the. bar. this action has been taken in compliance with the Employment of Females Act. Fhoji New Plymo ith we learn that Patrick Foley, a constable at the White Cliffs, while untethering a horse allowed the rope by some means to get round his neck, and the horse starting away, the mail was dragged by the neck about 500 yards. Me is still quite conscious, but is not expected to recover. Que sporting readers will observe that the Cromwell Jock y Club otf'eis a Ood stuke to be raced for at its meet iny in Decmber of.this year by three year olds br.d in Maniototo, Lake, and Vincent Counties. The idea is a goojl one, and the effort made by the Club ought to be supported. At Grey mouth protection has been obtained to construct a tail race, 70 chains in length, at the .Seventeen-mile Beach rush. Should the venture turn out successful, the flat will give employment to thousands. The miners "embarking in the undertaking are some of the bent men iu the district, and are sanguine of success. Titk schooner Coloniut, from the Chatham Islands, brought up the staff of workmeu who went there some time ago in order to recover cargo from the wreck of the Ocean Mail. The attempt was a failure, only a

small quantity of tallow and .-bain being recovered, Several explorations have been made, but it was found that the greater part of the wool was quite rotten. The hi»h wind which prevailed on Sun day last did considerable damage to the oat crops in this district Had the, grain been riper th<3 effects of the gale would .have been very serious. Messrs. Inder and George submitted the well known claim of G-reen and Co, and appurtenaDcesjbelonging thereto, to public competition on Saturday last. The highest bid was £3OO by, Mr M. Youngs at which figure it was passed in. An advertisement in an another column notifies that Messrs. Mollison, JDutbie and Co., drapers, of Dunediri, intend opening out a stock of drapery, &c., at the stoie lately occupied by Mr. Brookes, on an early date, breat bargains are promised, which no doubt will be "very acceptable in these times. ONTViday (13th) a two-wheeled veicble. containing a Mr. Evans from Oamaru, and Mr. T. Meinhert, Naseby, while descending the hill leading to the race Course, capsized. The occupants were thrown out with considerable force. Evans sustaining severe contusions, and Meinhert escaping with a sprained ankle. Evans was taken to the hospital where he recovered sufficiently to be enabled to leave homewards on Monday last. • On the same day a miner, named Thomas Green, had his arm broken by a fall of earth whilst working in his claim. It will be noticed that a very good programme of s ort-s has been issued at Hyde. This is. the first movement of the kiud that h;is taken place there fnr some considerable lime, ar.d the arrangements made pre tpvy creditable. As the date is not far distant many owners of horses running at the Naseby .meeting should keep their animals in good trim for the occasion. 1 Tittj « Canterbury Times r is early in the field with agricultural statistics. According to its information the estimated yield of Geraldine County will be—Wheat. 31. bushels ; oats, 45 bushels ; barley, 34 bushels • and potatoes 5 tons; and of Waimate County—Wheat, 32bushels; oats.4')bushels; barley, 35 bushels ; grass-seed, from 25 to 28 bushels; potatoes, from 4 to 5 tons. The days of rich claims have not yet pa s sed nwav. In addition to Holverson'o, the Rlue Duck, and others at. CMa.-ks, we h-ive »ow to mention tbntof Mr w. Le .rimml's A fcVin«g<ir Hill, near C>unb'ian. A lavae extent of country, of an auriferous character. foroe »ix months ago was discovered—i considerable ar°a of which wis pegged off into claims. About three months nso Learmoir! and party got their claim into working order and eom-,-neneed operations. Althous; 1 ! Hie supplv of wa.ter was anything but larse nnrtppj? wpre washed up ths other day, or man, affrr piyment of all ootttins'uifc expanses. Several of the adjoining clnimholders are also on good prospects. - A British naval officer, writing from Valparaiso, states that of a larsre number of English sailors among the crew of the Huascar upwari.s of thirty had passed through the g'lnnery ships Excellent or Cambridge, many of whom were deserters from the English navy. One was formerly midship man in our navy, but failing to pass the examination at Greenwich College, he joined the service of the Argentine Republic as lieutenant, but threw up his commision and [ shipped as able seaman on board the Huas car in order to see some active service. TT e adds that nearly all those killed on board ths FJuascar in the engagement were English or Americans, and that, they, too, did nearly all the fighting, the Peruvian portion of the .crew having, after the death of Admiral Gran, who, it is mentioned, is of English desceut, deserted their stations, and devoted themselves to pillaging the cabins of the officers, ~ 'fun ' is responsible for the following Mr Dorsay Ogden, who filed his schedule at Christcburch a few days ago, representing unpaid amounts to the tune of some £BOO, quietly left New Zealand last week in the s s. Hero, bound from Auckland to Melbourne. A warrant, it is said, has been applied for and granted by the Christcliureh Bench for his capture. In the list of his debts appear peculiar items. One is for £l3, value of a diamond ring, which was presented on the stage some weeks ago by the Mayor of Ohristchurch to Mrs Ogden, as from a number of admirers and friends. Neither the diamond ring, the 'admirers and friends ' nor the £l2 due for the bauble are to be found anvwhere. So much for theatrical* presentations. • The Egyp ians have been properly bled this time, and people are laughing at 'His Worship.' The presentation of prizes in connection with the Naseby Presbyterian Sabbath school took place on Wednesday last iu the Church. The Rev. J. M'Uosh Smith presented the prizes to the successful scholars, ' with a few appropriate remarks. A number of parents and others were present. After the children's prizes had been distributed •VTr Smith said he had another priz to cive —one, perhaps, of more value than any that had been given that night, but one that he thought was as well deserved as any that had been awarded. The prize was a harmonium, which he would now present, in the name of the congregation, to Mr. W. H. Ash, who had for nearly three years played the Church harmonium not only during the ordinary services but at the Sabbath School, and had also materially assisted with his voice in the psalmody ot the Church MrAsb. in thanking Mr. Smith, the congregation, and tnose la lies and gentlemen who had tak-n so much trouble in the matter, S i I he fe t highly pleased and gratified in receiving this valuable gift, and he trusted that he would be able ti make such use of it that the ('hurch would not be without some benefit from it He could not help feeling, however, a little sorry that they should have thought it necessary to iiive him a prize, and have gone to so much trouble —as must have been the case—on his behalf. 1 be pavt be had taken in the p?alm ody of the Church bad alwivs been a areat, pleasure to him. and he shou'd have i> quite happy to have continued to »ive what assistance he could,. as long as he lived in Naseby, without, their being any necessity for such a course as this. ITe, however, thanked them all very cordially for their handsome presentation, cmi'dn'ssnrethem.. that he felt deeply sensible of their kindness. The ' Medical Press and Circular' gi<*es some entertaining statistics of memory ''mm M. D.>hiunav. The inferior ra. -e* of mankind, such as ncoroes. the Chinepe. &c., liavn more memory i hnri those of a higher type of em'isation. Primitive races which were una r q>iin*ited with the art of writing had a wonderful memory, and were for ages handing down from one generation to another hymns as voluminous as the Bible. Prompters and professors of declamation know that women have more memory than men. French women will learn a foreign language quicker than their husbands. \ ouths have more - memory th-in adults. It is well developed in children, attains its maximu-r. about the fourteenth or fifteenth year, and then decreases. Pueble individuals of a lymphatic temperament have more memory than the string. Students who obtain the prize for memory and recitation chiefly belong to the former class. P students have also less memory than those who come from the provinces. At the Ecole Normale and other schools the pupils who have the best memory are. not the most intelligent. The memory is more developed amongst the peasantry than among the citizens, and among the clergy than among

'fir l laity. The memory remains' incacfc in of the hit side of the brain, and is much affected in tliose of the right, from wliinh if may be inferred that the right side is more the this faculty than th« left. a physiological point memory is diminished by over-feeding, by physical exercise, and by education, in this sense, that the illiterate have potentially more memory than those who know how to read and write. We remember, moreover, better in the morning than in the evening, in the summer than in the winter, and better in warm than in cold climates.