SOUTHERN ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11716, 26 July 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

SOUTHERN ITEMS.

A movement is on foot in Christchurch to! S form a Bohemian Club, on lines similar fa R those of the Australian organisations, &l {'f large number of promises of membership! I' have been made. . The sum of £206 has been collected by the .' ' Dunedin committee on behalf of tlw widmvj' ' and orphans of those men who perished ir>' the recent storm at the Shetland Isles."Ti* money will be remitted to the Home trustee; of the general fund. i Wanganui has subscribed £800 towards ■ the cost of an additional ward to the local hospital, to be known as the Victoria Ward in memory of the late Queen. An effort H is being made to increase the public donations to £1000, which, when supplement?'! by the Government subsidy of 24s in th» : pound, will bring the total to £2200— " * cient to cover the cost of adding the ward. I v Boring operations for petroleum are toss" I started in Gisborne about the middle X I August. A new and up-to-date boring | plant will be employed, the most of which { will be obtained in the colony. j A movement is on foot in Wanganui to I inaugurate church choir contests similar to, ! the brass band contests. The choirs on the ?:;• coast are to be consulted with a view to | arranging a contest early next year. s The following was the total numbers of v the parade for the review at Christchurch:, : B| —586 officers, 1001 non-commissioned of- ft ficers, 9158 rank and file: total, 10,745, R| There were 1282 horses and 16 guns. ' 'si jSi The balance-sheet of, the Wellington Meat ! / Export Company shows , a credit balance of | £12,328 to profit and loss account, includ- | - ing £7915 carried forward last year. . The ££ directors recommended ! payment of a divi- • ||| dend of 8 per cent., absorbing £4488. .'.' « • i^j The electric tablet system,. to ensure the I : safe running of trains between stations, has 111 just been brought into operation on the sec- r *'/ tion from Wellington to the Hutt, and will |' gradually be extended to other lines. '/ f*,-* At a largely-attended meeting at Nelson it ,i was resolved to hold a week's carnival, com : £ '■■-,'■ mencing on February 1 next, in celebration >* of the 60th anniversary \of Nelson settle- -" ■ ment. Very strong committees, represent-.: \ '.!.< ing the old province, i were elected. I An old "veteran" of Masterton displayed \ fire brigade medal on his breast on lb =~, occasion of the recent Boyal reception in J Wellington He passed as a " veteran" until His Royal Highness' attention was attracted IJ by the different design of the medal, and '*': after that he was not seen again. . ,' ; The annual champion match of the New; [v. Zealand Gun Club was fired at Wellington |||f; on Tuesday, the 16th of July, for- Mackersey's diamond , medal, and a ; sweepstake of pj| £3. The match was won by Chevannes, ' , ;4\ with 19; Fraser and White tied for second, "'*,'■ with 18. f -' Tenders were opened at Dunedin by the Bar- ■ : ?-y c bour Board for the consolidated 5 per cent 1 . >'_J' debentures for; £3700, ; which became avail- ;' £ able in June by drawing on the sinking fund. s>< The amount was more than doubly applied >'; f for. The highest tenderer was £108, and , ;"';,' the lowest par. %b. The average price realised |'| was £106 18s 4£d. A • story is' at ■ present going the rounds , ' that a country visitor to Wellington dur-. .[v;| ing the ducal ' celebrations was so much im- - J <»' pressed with the merits of a gas stove, thai) - | i he immediately went and purchased one, and f , proudly presented it to his loving spouse. ! rV/ t pfgi They reside many miles from -any ,f "•*'."£ gas works, arid the purchaser of the stove pj ; is now wondering how it is that it will not)'. '•;.:>, work. ■ '/"Mil Messrs. Finlay, McLeod, and Co.'s dra> ; l- if pery store, in Cuba-street, Wellington, was | | the scene of a burglary at an early hour on j.'.v .July 12, dynamite having been used by the ' . j. -\ burglars to break open the safe. When Ip shop was opened at half-past eight a.m. scene of chaos; was'discovered. The safe, j. 3 which stood under the counter, had been \.£ dragged out, blown open, and the contents; , I > amounting to £104, are missing. Of this ! /[j sum £21 was in the form of cheques, the re- ' f-„'; mainder being silver, notes, and gold. Seve- * | / ral articles of clothing have also been re-• |>',;J moved from the shop. The Chinese f»4 fruiterer who lives next door heard sounds till as of breaking glass about three a.m., but •■.gig apparently took no notice "of the occurrence. f/5 The heaviest fall of snow ever experienced, p\ in Wanganui took place early on. July 5. ||| The streets were covered with snow 2in or f : 3in deep. The town ran riot, and for seve- |> ral hours it seemed as though the inhabi- L"j tants had become bereft of their senses. B| Business places were not ;' opened till ten,, . |k', and even then the business done was hardly I 1 worth mentioning. Employers and em- - [, ployees alike, secured points of vantage. g.y.' and bombarded all and sundry, and high ana" L : ,-j low, rich and poor, ; young and old, were all dr j served alike. : : Old; and respected residents s ,•§ '■" were to be seen bareheaded, flying for h» down the street, with a score of people like > so many fiends, pelting • them. - The magis- . | £ trate and several others were besieged for ||;|| : eg an hour, in a tinker's shop. With few ex- p-.; ceptions good humour prevailed, and it need < x hardly be said that the exceptions ere not \ allowed* to go scot free. The only damage r g done was to windows, several being broken. j> •- j Never shall we see its like again, and many j i don't wish to. ' > : Ki>* i ■■ '. > - . &t:£.