SOCIAL AND GENERAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3863, 4 July 1874, Page 2

SOCIAL AND GENERAL.

PERSONAL. The annual meetings for the election of one member in each subdivision of Portobello Road Board district, were held in the several schoolhouses on Wednesday, 3rd ult. Mr William Dickson, jun., was elected for Portobello, and Mr William Anderson for Broad Bay, without opposition. EDTJCATIONAI. The Council of the University of Otago has granted a degree to a student of that Institution. At a meeting of the Council held on the'23rd ult., the Professors reported favourably, of the examination, of Mr A. W. Williamson, and the Council resolved to confer on him the degree of B.A. It is a fact worth noticing, that the first degree granted by the University has been conferred on a student who does not belong to this Province, but •who *comes from as far north as Wanganui. At a meeting of tlie North-east "Valley School Committee, held on Monday, the 29th ult.. Miss Lee was elected schoolmistress in the place of Miss Turnbull, who has been appointed to the Linden School. Upon the occasion of the latter lady's departure from the North-east Valley on Friday last, the Chairman presented her, on behalf of the Committee and a few other friends, with a handsome brooch and pair of earrings. The children attending the school likewise presented her with a work-box and writing-desk combined, of fine inlaid work. Miss Turnbull was highly appreciated in the district in which for the last four years

she has been engaged, and all of those present on the day of presentation— parents, children, and Committee-men— bore testimony to the deep regret universally felt upon her leaving the district. RELIGIOUS. The Rev. John Ryley, of Otepopo. has been unanimously invited to become pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Tirparu. We have not yet heard his answer to the request. The adjourned meeting of the congregation of the First Church was held on the 11th ult., there being, considering the state of the weather, a good attendance. There was a fair amount of discussion on the subject of a permanent ministt>r for the Church, and a motion to the effect that further action should be delayed for a few months, until the Rev. Mr Davidson, of Adelaide, had been heard, was agreed to. A special service took place at All Saints' Church, on the evening of the 12th ult., on the occasion of the opening of the new organ. The congregation was large. The clergy present were—Bishop Nevill, Yen. Archdeacon Edwards, and the Revs. Stanford, Leeson, Penny, and Stanley. The service was intoned by the Rev. Mr Penny, and a discourse, which was listened to with great attention, was given by Bishop Nevill. Tallis's service was ably rendered by a powerful choir, being a combination of St. Paul's and Ali Saints' choirs, and numbering 55 performers. The "Russian National Hymn," "Adagio," op. 31, No. 1, Beethoven, and Mozart's "Festal March," and "Jupiter Symphony," were performed on the organ by Mr Towsey. The organ, which was built to order for All Saints1 Church, and was erected by Mr West, is handsomely illuminated. It has 16 stops, 700 pipes, register CCC to G, 5G notes. Amongst the most noticeable stops are flute and clarabella, and a cornopean on a large scale. The performances of Mr A. J. Towsey displayed the power, beauty, and variety of tone of the instrument. The collection made during the service in aid of the organ fund amounted to £18 ss. ; The Christian Disciples held another of their regular and agreeable social gatherings in the Church, Great King street, on the 23rd ult, when occasion was also taken of bidding farewell to Mr Elborne, the Evangelist, who has been bo long and favourably connected with the membership of the church, previous to his leaving for Christchurch. The attendance was very satisfactory, and the tables, which were covered with special creature comforts, were done full justice to. Addresses were delivered by the Chairman (the Rev. Thos, Bates), who stated that since he joined, a twelvemonth ago, the church membership had increased from 152 to 220. Mr Elborne, Mr Rix, and Mr Kingleman also addressed the meeting ; and in the intervals the choir, which is a very strong one, rendered some selections of sacred music with pleasing effect. The Dunedin Sabbath School Teachers' Union held a monthly meeting in the Baptist Church on the 2Gth ult., at which there was a good attendance. The Rev. Dr Roseby occupied the chair. The Rev. Mr Johnston, of Caversham, delivered an able and highly interesting discourse on " Revivals of Religion, and their connection with Sabbath Schools," in which he engaged the earnest attention of his hearers throughout. The rest of the evening was devoted to prayer and praise. The Rev. Dr Stuart opened the new Presbyterian Church at Havelock on Sunday, the 28th ult. There was a very large attendance, some having come all the way from Lawrence and Blue Spur to be present at the service. The new church is situate at the east end of the township, and is capable of accommodating about 200 people. When finished, it will have a neat appearance, and will supply a much felt want in the district. Dr Stuart preached also at Manuka Creek in the forenoon, and at the Waitahuna Gully in the evening. There, too, the attendance was very large. At the close of each of the three services there was a liberal collection in aid of the Church •Building. Fund. The ordination of the Rev. J. Skinner," M. A., to the pastorate of this charge, took place on the 29th ult., and the event was celebrated by a soiree. THE GOOD TEMPLARS. On the 22nd ult., the weekly meeting of the Antidote Division of the Sonß of Temperance, No. 78, was held in the Congregational Church, Moray Place, Bro. :D. O. Cameron, W.P., presiding. At the conclusion of some formal and commonplace business, the meeting proceeded to i nominate officers for the ensuing six months. ° GOSSIP. Mr J. P. Hepburn, one of • the oldest settlers in the Waikouaiti district, lately entertained a number of gentlemen at his j estate, Brooklands, Pleasant Valley, nrior to his leaving the district on a visit to the j old country for the benefit of his health. He also entertained a number of gentlemen at Waikouaiti, and it was resolved that his friends and well-wishers should give him a complimentary dinner, but it did not take place, owing to Mr Hepburn's delicate state of health. The area supposed? to be under coal belonging to the TLaitangata Company is very extensive : not less than a thousand square acres is known to contain the mineral. The coal is bo well known for superiority for generating steam that description is unnecessary, although there is a manifest improvement in the coal the deeper they go. The situation of the mine is very picturesque; surrounded as it is with different species of trees, and i entering into the side of the bill. The seam now wrought is four feet three inches, and the quantity of coal produced |is about 150 tons per week, which is carried by tramway to the banks of the Clutha River, whence it is exported to different parts. From improvements which are being made in the mine, it is calculated that in a short time the Company will be in a position to produce about 50*0 tons weekly. At present the principal trade is by sea, but when the branch rail- | way is completed, large quantities will be j sent to Dunedin and inland towns. After many vexations delays and anj noyances, the passengers of the Surat have made a final effort to test the validity of the unauthorised sale of their luggage. Again an adverse verdict has been given, and notice of appeal followed, but to what purpose remains to be seen. The cost of litigation alone will soon swallow up the small relief afforded to the unfortunate immigrants by this ill-fated vessel. ':' '' We are informed that a valuable discovery of copper ore has been made in the Roxburgh district, and that an application for protection of the ground will be made to the Waste Lands Beard by the discoverers. The Committee of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand have purchased from Mr Hallenstein that freehold and building in Custom House Square next the Bank of i New Zealand, which secures for the Bank one of the best positions in the city for its Permanent Offices. A negotiation, over which much talk | has been expended—the purchase of a 1 piece of land to be given to the Church Trustees in lieu of that taken for Cumberland street extension—has been concluded. The City Council has agreed to give £750—the price asked by the Government. Four new railway goods trucks, recently constructed by Messrs R. S. Sparrow and Co., were run to Port Chalmers for the first time a few days age. They commanded a great deal of attention, and were pronounced to be most creditable specimens of Colonial manufacture—equal in every reapect, and superior in some, to the imported article. Excepting the wheels and axles, and one or two other pieces of the iron- work, the whole of the material used about them was provided by Messrs Sparrow and Co. The annual election of officers in the

Horticultural Society of Otago took place on the 15th ult., at the Athenaeum, the attendance being, considering the circum« stances, very good. The chair was occupied by Mr G. Matthews, and the following officers ballotted for :- President, Mr Sievwright ; Vice-President, Mr W, D. Murison ; Treasnrer, Mr Ogilvie ; Secretary, Mr A. Hay. The Committee men are :—Gardeners : G. Matthews, C. Lawrence, A. M'Kinky, A. Begg, and W. Arrol. Amateurs : A. Grant, R. M'Kay, J. Shuiy, J. B. Bradshaw, and H. Wise. This concluded the business of the evening. The Amalgamated Society of Engineers held a pleasant re-union on the evening of the 19th ult., at the Hibernian Hotel, when it celebrated its first anniversary by a supper and ball. Between forty and fifty sat down to a table laidjn Host Ceirroll's best style ; a noticeable and pleasant feature being the presence of a number of the milder sex—wives of members. The festive cup was partaken of with an abundance of songs and speeches, and everyone appeared to enjoy themselves to the utmost. The chair was ably filled by Mr W. Cahel, and the vice-chair by Mr G. Barton. The Society is a branch one of that at Home, and has made good progress in the first year of its existence. The after part of the evening was devoted to Terpsichore, for which good music was supplied. The 107 th meeting of the Deutscher Verein was held at the European Hotel on the 24th ult., and was very well attended. After ballotting for, and accepting, four new members, and proposing one for election at next meeting, the annual election of officers took place, and resulted in the unanimous re-election of the following gentlemen :—Mr W. Nees, President; Mr C. Bode, Vice-President; Mr M. Schnack, Secretary; Mr J. Seeger, Treasurer ; snd Mr E. Goldstein, as third Trustee of the Society. After the business of the evening was over, several of the members gave some excellent solos, as well as choruses in which the whole of the members took part, and separated, after passing a very pleasant evening. The All Saints' Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association met in the Schoolhouse on the 25th ult., the principal feature of the meeting being a lecture by Mr W. Percival, jun, on " Geology," and a discussion on tho same. There was a fair attendance of members, the Rev. R. L. Stanford presiding. Mr Percival in his discourse dealt with the subject in its entirety, stating the advantages to be derived, from a knowledge of geology. We hear tha^ the hares are rapidly increasing in the Waihola district, and that they have spread over a very large district of country. They can be met with now on all the ridges from lower Waipori to the Waitahuna heights ; and, we hear, they have lately been seen near Lawrence. They are also to be found all over the Horse Shoe Bush run, and down to the immediate vicinity of Milton, and are now frequently met with on the Afcatore side of Milton right down to the sea. It is a matter of great congratulation to the Acclimatisation Society (as well as to the general public) that their efforts have been so successful in this matter.