OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, 22 June 1900, Page 6

OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.

HYDE. . . EIRE. * On the loth' inst. the Cothrixercial Hotel was burned t6 the ground. The hotel was unlicensed, the late licensee, Mr P. Harrington, having transferred the license to Kan-. furly.y Tke onlyipccupanfc was an old carelaker, who states%hat he was drying some clothes at the fire at about 10.30 a.m., and having occasion to go to another part of the building, where he was engaged for some time, and the clothing must have caught fire and the flames spread thence to the walls, See. The part of the building the fire origi- : mated in was very old. being built in the early digging days, and it was soon a mass of flames. A large number of persons quickly congregated and endeavoured to remove some of the furniture from the newer portion of the building, but the fire burnt so fiercely that very little was saved, comprising a piano ' and some bedroom furniture. It is not known if there was any insurance on the building. The furniture a.nd general fittings; were advertised for sale on the 20th inst. SOCIAL-. A pleasant gathering took place here on the evening of the 16th for the purpose of mating a. presentation to Miss Mathewson.who has for the past twelve years fulfilled the honorary position of organist in the Presbyterian Church with great acceptance. In recognition of her services in this and other ways the people of HycJe presented Miss Mathewson with a handsome organ. The presentation was made by Mr Dick?son and Mr Mathewson suitably replied. Miss .Arthur, on behalf of the scholars of the Sunday school, also presented Miss Mathewson with a handsome album in recognition of her many kindnesses and unremitting labours in the Sunday school. During the evening songs were contributed by Mrs C. Trotter. Mr B remner, Mr B. Moore, Mr Prothero and Mr Dickison, the school children and Miss and Master Arthur. Recitations were given by Misses Kinney and Laughton and solos by Misses Arthur and Beattie and Master Bremner. A vote of thanks to the ladies for their catering, proposed by Mr A, C. Gray, and a similar one to the chairman by Mr Mathewson, terminated a very enjoyable evening. THE FARM. All farm work is at a standstill now owing to the severe frosts. Ploughing has commenced on several farms, and a goodly number of paddocks have been sown in grass, rye and Cape barley for feeding purposes in ehe spring. fcYEBURN. Threshing is now about finished, and farmers who are carting their i<raio to the railway are in luck as the roads are splendid. The receut hard frost has stopped all ploughing and rabbit trapping. Very little ploughing has been done iu this locality the principal reason heiug the lateness of the harvest, so we may expect a good deal oE hurry to get the ground turned over as soon a3 the frosl breaks up. I hear tnat we are to have, in the near future, a concert in aid of the school funds which, under the Education Board's late regulations have become very attenuated, also a sociil under the auspices of the Presbyterian church. June 20, ISOO —o ST. BATHANS. VALEDICTORY. Mr Phillip A. Keddell, accountant in the Bank , of New Zealand, St. Bathans, for about two years, was entertained at a smoke .concert on Friday last by the St. Bathans.Football Club and a large circle of wellwishers, on the eve of his departure to Nelson to which place he has been promoted. Mr Cowan occupied the chair, and Mr Hugh Brown the vice-chair. Numerous toasts ' were responded to the following being a list: - The Queen, Our Army, Navy and' Volunteers, Kindred Sports, Our Guest, Absentees, The Ladies, Host and Ifcstess. In proposing the toast of Our Guest, the chainjjau said he regretted like all present the departure of Keddell, a gentleman who during his stay in St. Rathans had largely contributed to its welfare, had promoted athletics, assisted in charitable entertainments, aud become popular amongst joung and old. He (the chrirman) would ask all to toast with musical honours, good health and success to Mr Keddell in his new sphere of labour. The toast being duly honoured, was afterwards spoken to by several. Mr Wm. Hanger said he considered Mr Keddell a fine agreeable fallow, a man who would not leave enemies behind him. He was sorry that the health of Mr Keddell necessitated his leaving Otago in the' meantime. Mr Neil Nicolson knew Our Guest as a man of a charitable nature and at the same time well adapted for commercial life, He hoped to note at an early date his promotion to a bank managership. Mr H. Exc-ell was pleased to be able to say that Mr Keddell had always been most honourable and courteous. Mr Moses Hanrahan was assured that without Mr Keddell the grand football tour to Dunedin in 1599 ' would have been a miserable failure. Messrs W. H. Brown, G. Francis and J. Sutherland also spoke on terms of praise and wished Mr Keddell all sorts or prosperity in Nelson. : During ths evening song 3 were contributed by several gentlemen and added much in making 1 the evening a merry one. The chairman then said he had a pleasing duty to perform: He would ask Mr Keddell to be good enough to accept a small memento, presented by the St. Bathans Football Club, as a token of the valuable services rendered by Mr Keddell to the club. Mr Cowan then handed over to Mr Keddell a very handsome pipe and case. Mr Keddell in replying to the toast stated that he regretted leaving the many friends iu St. Batt'aus but he felt that a warmer clime would be beneficial to him. He was also sorry to part from the footballers and thauked them exceedingly for their kindness in meeting him in the manner tiiey had done and for the handsome, present. hoped some da.v to visit St. Bat-bans again bat in the meantime !";e- ~ould say an revoir. In the tojst Absentees the health of Major Keddell and Mr John Keddell, at present one of the colony's volunteers in South Africa, was drunk with musical honours, and the singing of Auld tang Syne brought the farewell to a close.