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Otago Daily Times, Issue 3686, 27 November 1873, Page 4

We learn that Mr Charles Keid has been very successful in his efforts to float the Standard Insurance Company in the Northern Provinces, and has secured the services as local directors and agents of several influential gentlemen, amongst others the well, known Mr John Martin, of Wellington; Messrs Routledge and Kennedy, of Hawke's Bay; Mr Gr. W. Binney, of Auckland: Mr Tate, of Timaru ; and Mr Aitken, of Oamaru. Negotiations are pending as to the appointment of General Managers for Cauterbury and Wellington. The share list is filling up, and no doubt when the time for closing the list is fixed, the applications will be numec-

ous. We also hear that as a result of Mr Reid's mission, the projected Companies in Wellington and Christchurch have been abandoned.

A presentation was made yesterday to the Rev. Dr Begg, on behalf of the Deacons' Court of the First Church, by a deputation consisting of Messrs Hill, Matthew, Sinclair, and Lawsori. The gift consisted of a gold albert chain, with greenstone pendant set in chased gold; and a massive gold necklet with greenstone brooch, set in gold, the latter being intended for Mrs Begg. The whole of the articles were manufactured in Dunedin, and were purchased from Mr Young, watchmaker and jeweller. The presentation was made by the Deacons' Court as an acknowledgement of Dr Begg's services in opening the new First Church, and as a memento of his visit to Otago. Drßegg takes his departure to-day by the s.s. Tararua, which leaves the Port for Melbourne. The agents of the Albion Shipping Company have been advised that the William, Davie is their first ship of the London line sailing in November, and that the line will then be continued with regularity. The Company have also obtained the contract for the Otago emigrants from London, and this cannot fail to be gratifying to the public of Otago, who are so well aware of the highly satisfactory way in which the contracts from the Clyde have been carried out by this Company. In addition to the six new ehipsadvertised as building, we hear that the keels of other two of similar description have just been laid down on the Clyde—making eight .in course of construction.

The following notifications appear in this week's Provincial Government Gazette : Messrs T. J. Innes and W. H. Valpey have been appointed officers for the purpose of certifying that the conditions entitling claimants to a free grant of land Under the provisions of "The Forest Trees Planting Encouragement Act, 1871," the Act in amendment thereof, of 1872, and " The Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872," have been fulfilled. Messrs J. T. Thomson, W. H. Pearson, and J. R. Cuthbertson have been appointed Commissioners under section 12 of " The Southland Waste Lands Amendment Act, 1873," to classify all the Waste Lands of the Crown within the district formerly known as the Province of Southland, and not included within any Hundreds now existing, into agricultural land and pastoral land respectively.

Upwards of twenty immigrant coal-miners from Wales were yesterday brought by the Tararua" from Wellington, they having been transhipped from, the Helen Denny, which arrived at that port last week. They are healthy looking young men, and constitute a portion of a lot of fifty coal-miners that the Agent-General was instructed some months ago to forward to Ofcago, It was understood that the lot which has just arrived would get work on their arrival at one of the Green Island pits, but for some reason or other the lessee of the pit has declined to avail himself of their services. They proceed, however, at once to Southland, where labour at present is scarce, to engage in ordinary labour, which they say they would prefer to coal-mining. Two or three of the Helen Denny's coal-miners were left behind at Wellington, where they will likely remain. One of them, who is described in the list as a veritable skilled miner, is a female, aged seventeen.

At a meeting of the Journeymen Bakers' Association, held at the Glasgow Pie-house on Monday evening, it was resolved that the Society should take a stand to have the working hours of its members reduced from twelve per day to eight. The confectioners met at the same establishment last evening, and resolved., to support the bakers in the movement for a shortening of the daily hours of labour from twelve to eight. A general meeting to consider this and other matters affecting the tra».e will be held at the Glasgow Pie-house this evening, when a report embodying the resolution of last evening will be brought up. ;

The portion of the Clutha Railway line from Dunedin to the Chain Hills is now complete, and will be taken off the contractor's hands in the course of a few days. The difficulties in connection with the Chain Hills tunnel, which, caused considerable delay with the work, are now overcome. Nearly all the earth work in connection with the line beyond this point is finished.

It may be very considerate on the part of the authorities to allow the Chinamen the privilege of keeping their dead countryman seven days, with a view to see if he will come to life again, but at the Same time this part of the arrangement does not appear to suit some of the neighbours near the house of the deceased, who complain that the Celestial is getting rather "high."

" Down with the dust " was the fervent aspiration of pedestrians in town yesterday, though not in the sense in which the words were used by Dean Swift. The N.E. gale which blew, especially towards the latter part of the day, filled the air with clouds of dust, which forced its way into the eyes and mouths of wayfarers with a penetration Avhich was intensely aggravating. We should be afraid to hazard even a guess as to the number of anathemas bestowed upon the authorities who are supposed to look after the streets. This nuisance recurß as regularly as the summer season, and has never yet been fairly grappled with. Is there no Councillor bold enough to tackle it? In Wellington the nuisance seems to have been, overcome, for we find the following paragraph in the Post of the 25th :—" The new apparatus for watering the streets was used with great effect to-day—not before it was needed. It is to be hoped we now have seen the last of our old foe—the Dust Fiend." Our own City Council might do worse than ascertain wliafc tliis apparatus' is, and whether it is as effective as from the foregoing quotation it would appear to be.

We hear that on Saturday next a bat will be presented to the highest scorer of the Otago eleven, by Mrs Thomas Andrew, jan. , in the pavilion. The conditions wore that it should be for the highest average score in thn two innings. Mr Garwood will also get this bat, he having beaten Mr MacDonnell by a point and a half. We hope he may make good use of the two line bats he has won. Mr J. H. Harris, the President of the Dunedin Bowling Club, and Mr George Young, have each presented a set of prize bowls, to be competed for by the members of the Club. We are requested to state that entries for the above competitions will close on Saturday evening next.

A petition was presented yesterday to His Honour tlie Superintendent by Mr W. S. Douglas, asking, in accordance with the provisions of clause 97 of the Otago Waste Lands Act, 1872, that the necessary s^eps should be taken to declare'a Hundred in £he Liuburn district. Ifc is said that this is the first petition of the kind that has been presented under the 97th clause. The petitioners set forth that they have long been residents in the district, and being desirous of permanently settling there, are anxious to secure freeholds for agricultural and other purposes. : They have applied to the Waste Lands Board to purchase land for such purposes; bat the Board has refused to giant their applications, without the consent of the runholder oh whose run the land is situated. Unless greater facilities are given for the acquiring of land in fee simple, a number of the petitioners will be compelled

against their inclination to abandon their present holdings and leave the district. There is a good large tract of arricultural land in the district well adapted for settlement, and the petitioners are confident that were a large block thrown open for settlement,, it would be rapidly taken ap. The petition concludes by praying that His Honour will cause enquiry to be made as to the facts set forth, and, with the consent of the Provincial Council, recommend His Excellency the Governor to proclaim a Hundred in the District*' of such extent as may appear expepedient.

The Dunedin Railway Station contract, for which tenders are called till the Ist prox., includes the whole reclamation required at the terminus of the line. The area embraces Castle, Rattray, and High streets, together with a triangular piece of ground bordering on Eattray and Crawford streets. The main line will be laid to the station, and formed to the permanent level, and all other works completed which are required to prepare it for the reception, of the station buildings. The erection of the latter will be commenced as soon as practicable. The passenger station will be situated about 100 yards from the present one, and will have a platform 400 feet long, and covered in. The present goods shed will be used for imports, and a new one built at the corner of Rafctray and Castle streets. The import shed will have a frontage to High street of 600 feet, While theentrances to the passenger station will be at the corner of Rattray street, near the Fire Brigade Station. The carriage and engine sheds, with turn-tables, will be erected on the present site. We

understand that the whole of these buildings will be proceeded with whenever the reclamation is complete.

According to telegrams received, by His Honour the Superintendent, the ship Surat sailed for Otago on the 28th September, with 269 immigrants on board. Among the passengers on board the Zealandia, there, ai'e twelve coal-miners and thirty-two tailors— most of the latter being married.

At a meeting of gentlemen favourable to the formation of a Curling Club, which was held yesterday evening at Mr Jones's Club Hotel, it was resolved that those present should form themselves into a Club, to be associated with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club of Scotland. A Committee was appointed to canvass for members, and a date was fixed on which a report should be submitted to a future meeting, with the view of enabling the promoters to decide as to the number of " stones" to be ordered from Scotland. Several suitable sites for curling rinks in the vicinity of Dunedin were indicated by gentlemen present, and one gentleman mentioned what will be new to many, that a Curling Club already exists in the neighbouring Province of Canterbury, wliere in the Mackenzie country curlers pursued their favourite game last winter. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr T. Callander, to whom the organization of the Club is chiefly due, expressed bis willingness to accept the honorary secretaryship of the Club.

The fourth partof MrPyke'sbook, "Wild Will Enderby," is .announced to be issued on Saturday. The title given to it is "The Blue-eyed Maiden." As the last Book left Will in anything but an enviable plight, those who have read his misfortunes thus far will no doubt be anxious to see what new form they take.

A meeting of the Provisional Directors of the Temperance Hall was held on Tuesday evening, for the purpose of formally accepting a tender for the erection of the new hall in Moray Place. It was definitely decided to accept Mr Gore's tender for £2778 17s ; so that there is every probability, as stated in our issue of Tuesday last, that this - welcome addition to our public buildings will be completed in about four months hence.

. A special ward for the reception of inebriates has been erected at the Sunny side Lunatic Asylum near Christchurch. It consists of a building adjoining,' but quite separate from, the main asylum. The cost is borne by the Provincial Government.

We learn from the Christchurch papers that Mr A. A. Fantham, of that city, on Saturday last, sold three pure-bred shorthorn calves to Mr Grant, West Taieri, for the sum of £50. One was by Count of Oxford, out of Moss Rose, and the other two by Eclipse, out of Lady Don. Their ages ranged from 14 to 30 days.

In the Western Star, the new local journal of the Riverton district, we notice the fol lowing very complimentary and deserved acknowledgment of Mr Colin Allan's services :—" Mr Allan, the Immigration Officer at Dunedin, is winning golden opinions by the zealous manner in which he fulfils the onerous duties of his office. Immigrants who have ccrae to Southland, speak in the most nattering terms of his uniform kindness and attention, which, will exercise a very favourable effect in the home country."

The Riverton paper states that in the course of eight days Mr T. Daniel, Immigration Agent for the Western District, has received applications for the introduction of 70 souls to the Colony. The persons nominated are chiefly farm labourers.

With regard to the state of the crops near Riverfcon, the Western Star reports :—"The late genial showers have had a most beneficial effect on the vegetable kingdom. The crops which were almost withered up by the late dry weather and blighting winds, have quite recovered, and .are thriving excellently. The fruit trees promise an abundant and early crop. The severe frost last week levelled with the ground the shaws of the early potatoes in exposed situations."

A meeting of gentlemen interested in the formation of a Shipping Company for the promotion of a direct trade between London and the Bluff, was held on Monday evening, in the Council Hall, InvercargilL The attendance (the Southland 'Times reports) was somewhat meagre, only about 12 or 14 persons being present. Mr Harvey having been called to the chair, Mr J. W. Mitchell furnished some particulars of the probable earnings of a ye sel of SOO tons trading between London and. the Bluff. It was decided to form a Company, the following gentlemen to act as a Provisional Committee to bring the matter before the 'public :—Messrs Nichol, Calder, M'Pherson, H. Wilson, J. W. Mitchell, Harvey, Rose, Stock, Smyth, and Marfciu.

We are pleased to be able to state that Mr Alfred Anderson 'has, after a considerable amount of trouble, succeeded in inducing the Iwiglish Opera Company to visit Dunediu. From a letter received by Mr Anderson from Melbourne, we extract the following:—"The Koyal English Opera consists of Miss Alice May, Miss R. A. Lambert, Miss Bessie Harrison, Messrs H. Hallaai, Rainford, Vernon, with a powerful chorus. Mr (I. B, Allen is announced as the conductor of the orchestra,.'' . The above names are a sufficient guarantee that the lovers of operatic niusic in Duuedin have a great treat in store for them. It is anticipated thafc the company will arrive about the latter end of December or early in January.

Those old-established Dunedin; favourites, adanie aud the Misses Carandini, have once more. found their way hither, and to-night they will open a series of operatic and ballad concerts at the Queen's Theatre. Their abilities are so well known aud so generally appreciated in Dunedin, thafc it is unnecessary for us to expatiate upon them; fout we may state that, judging from the criticisms that have been published by our Noxihtxn

contemporaries, these entertainments are as pleasing- as they have ever been. The programme of to-night's concert appears in another column, and it speaks for itself. The Carandinis are accompanied by Mr George CotterelL, who will give an amusing representation of a mesmeric stance. Messrs Sherwin an«l Gordon will also lend valuable assistance dimng the evening. There has been a dearth of high-class entertainments in Dunedin for some time past, so that the one now presented is likely to be even more eagerly availed of than under less predisposing circumstances. ! '

The performance at the Princess Theatre last evening consisted of the nautical drama of "Ben Bolt*" the gymnastic feats of the Brothers Bernard, and the burlesque of '' Fra Diavolo." The efforts of the gymnasts were particularly good.

The Dunedin Artillery, Naval, and Ist batallion, O.R.V, will muster on the Town Beit at the head of Stafford street, at 7.30 this evening, for Battalion Parade. Derby and Calcutta sweeps on the forthcoming race meeting of the Dunedin Jockey CJub will be drawn at the Empire Hotel this and the two following evenings.