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Otago Daily Times, Issue 5280, 21 January 1879, Page 2

We aro glad to observe that at last some practical steps are being taken to carryout the proposal, made some time back, to turn the Water-of-Leith, and carry it from a point near the eastern end of Duke street, straight through to Pelichet Bay. That, at least, is the form the proposition is now assuming; and as concurrence has, to a certain extent, been obtained from the three principal bodies concerned—the City Council, the University Council, and the Harbour Board, —and the scheme is to be reported on by the City Engineer and the Harbour Board Engineer, we may consider that it is advanced a stage. Anyone who knows the difficulty of getting three public bodies to agree, may take it for granted when such agreement is arrived at that there is something in the scheme likely to command public assent and approval. The chief obstacle to carrying it out is the question of funds. A tunnel of large dimensions would be required to carry the river and any debris that might be brought down by floods under the intervening ridge, and it has been roughly estimated that this would cost £17,000. The Harbour Board is understood to be willing, if the tunnel were made, to do the necessary work on the Pelichet Bay side of confining the stream to a definite channel. But they would not, probably, contribute to the cost of the tunnel, which would have to be divided between the University and the City Council. It is not at all improbable that if a bill could be obtained authorising the taking of the existing bed of theLeith, from Duke street downwards, as a trust endowment to carry out the necessary work, that a largo portion of the interest could be made by letting it in portions on long reclaiming leases. Great expense in bridging and embanking would be saved by the diversion ; the University property would be preserved from gradual denudation, and its value for leasing purposes greatly enhanced ; while the whole district to the eastward of the Loith would be rendered much more accessible. The reclamation of Pelichet Bay would pay for itself and more, and there would be a prospect of the revival of a proposal made some time back to create a public recreation-ground in it 3 centre. The scour of the river would be increased by the conliuing of the channel, and would be a force of some value to the Harbour Hoard in giving the ship-channel a stronger downward current at the turn of high-water. There may be counterbalancing disadvantages, but these are not apparent, and it will, at all events, be of importance to obtain the opinions of Mr Mi rams aud Mr Simpson on the points which they are respectively best qualified to judge of, and to agree upon some common plan. On this agreement will depend, for the present, the possibility of further action in the matter.

Pressure upon our spaae compels us to hold over correspondents' letters aud other matter.

The Otago portion of the San Francisco mail arrived yesterday per Hineinoa, and reached the Chief Post-office a few minutes before 10 a.m. The statement that the mail arrived by train from Christchurch the previous evening was wrong, and its correction is necessary to show that there was no delay in its delivery.

Telegraphic intelligence was received yebterduy that the Rev. A. R. Fitchett was ordained by the Bishop of Melbourne on Sunday, and leaves .Melbourne to-day by the Rotorua.

Two or three applications were made yesterday morning, before his Honor Judgo Williams', for leive to bo excused from attend, ing as special; jurors. Mr 11. H. Leary asked to bo excused from acting in the case of the Otiigo Harbour Board v. Proudfoot, on tho ground that lie was a member of the Board. His Honor replied that the fact was a good one for challenge, and recommended that counsel should arrange for Mr Leary being- excused, Mr Elder, who had been summoned in tho case of Richmond v. Hepburn, urged as a valid excuHO for non-atteudanco that he was required at the Police Court, Port Chalmers, for four hours a week, and his Honor agreed that, in view of such fe.ct, ho should be excused. Mr Walter (Mayor) stated that both Mr Massoy (town clerk) and himself hud been summoned in the case of Mi.-uzio* v. Anderson, and his Honor agreed that; ono should be excused, as tho absence of both might iutcrforo with the conduct of municipal business.

Tho Hons. J. Macaudrew, Minister of Public Works, and J. Ballanee, Colonial Treasurer arrived in Dunedin yesterday morning. The Hon. It. Stout, Attorney-Goncnil, is also now in town.

Tho following order of special jury civil business was fixed by his Honor the Judgo yesterday morning: —Tuesday, 21at January : Men/.ies v. Anderson. Tlnusday, 23rd : Anderson v. Menzies, and Burke v. Colonial Bank of Now Zealand, lfriday, 24th: Otago Harbour Board v. Proudfoot. Saturday, 25th: Richmond v. Hepburn. Tho common jury cnao of Black's Trustees v. Watt and Others was not, however, iinishod yesterday, so that this order will have to be departed from, at any rate as regards to-day's business.

The monthly moeting of tho Ofcago Sclioo1 Commissioners was held yesterday afternoon, in tho Education Office. There were present: Mosara J. P. Maitland (chairman), J. Bathgate, D. lleid, and tUo lions. 0. A. It. Menzioa and W. H. Eeynolds. Tho business gone through was of a formal character, comprising the consent to the assignment of certain leases, the passing of accounts, and the authorisation of certain reserves in the Wyndhain district. The Board adjourned until the second Tuesday in February.

A novel application of the telephone has come under our notice. This wonderful instrument has been long used in the warehouses of our city for business purposes, but recently wires havo been stretched between two or three private houses, and the correspondence kept up. Besides being very conveiiic-nt, it is also productive of much amusement.

Tho valuo of tho rateable property in the bc>rough of South Dunedin for the present year is L 13,932. Last year-it was L 1250.

It will bo remembered that some time ago we leferred to an accident having happened at tho Christian Brothera' Schools to a little boy named Arthur Burns, through the explosion of a detonating tube, How the boys became posses jed of theße dangerous explosives has baen a mystery to the public ever since, but the whole affair came out at the City Police Court yesterday. It appears that the door of Ihs powder magazine at Anderson's Bay, leased by Mr M. Walkem, was found broken open by three little boys, named Patrick Burk, Thomas Burk, and Hugh M'Kinley, who took away a box containing a hundred tubes, and exchanged them for various things when they went to school. Inspector Mallard stated in Court that the matter was brought up for investigation to sea whether there was negligence ou the part of anyone connected with the magazineThe Banch cautioned and discharged the lads.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the birthday of the poet Burns, a lecture will be delivered in the Queen'a Theatre, by the Rev. J. W. Inglis, on "Burns—The Poet and the Man." The entertainment will be given under the patronage of the Caledonian Society of Otago, and will no doubt be as interesting and as thoroughly enjoyed as the previous lectures by tho llev. Mr Inglis have been. The chair will be taken by the Rev. Dr Stuart, .and tl- e lecturer will recite tho Caltdouiau Society* prize poem for 1871, entitled "Guallin a'Chiel,1' composed by Mr T. Bracken.

A meeting was belcl on Saturday afternoon last at the University buildings, at which were present his Worship the Mayor, the Works Committee of the City Council, and deputatations from the University Council and from the Harbour Board. The object of the meeting was to consider the proposal which has for some time been before the public, to turn the course of the Water-of-Leith stream, giving it nearly a straight direction from the bridge on the Main North road, near Marshall and Copeland's, into Pelichet Bay. After discussion, it was decided that the City Engineer and the Engineer to the Harbour Board should confer and report at an early date as to the best mode of carrying out the tcbtme, aud its probable cost.

One of Messrs Proudfoot and M'Kay's electric lights will be used iv the illumination at Invercargill on Wednesday evening, upon the occasion of the opening of the through line to that place.

The afternoon meeting of the Synod yesterday was chiefly triken up by a consideration of the case of the Rev. 0. Connor, of Popotunoa. In the evening the usual annual public meeting was held in the First Church, and addresses were delivered by the Revs. Patterson, Inglis, and Treadwell, and Mr E. B. Cargill.

A cricket match was played at Ravensbourne on Saturday between the Britannia and Ravensbourne Clubs, which resulted in an easy victory for the Britannia Club, which won by six wickets. Britannia scored 17 and 37 for four wickets, and Ravensbourne 19 and 31.

At a meeting of the Borough Council of the North-East Valley last evening, after a conference with Mr David Proudfoot, the agreement with him, for the construction of the tramway to the North-East Valley, was signed by the Mayor and Councillors. The tramways now taken in hand by Mr Proudfoot will ex tend from the North-East Valley to Caversham, a distance of 5f miles, and from the Valley to the Ocean Beach, 5J miles. The North-East Valley tramway will commence at the Town Belt beyond the Water-uf-Leith, and will ex-

tend to about half a mile beyond Brown's Junction Hotel on the lower road.

The annual meeting of the Atheuceuin subscribers is called for Monday evening next at 8 o'clock. It so happens that the annual statutory meeting of the Dunedin School Committee is to be held on the same evening at 7.30. As many persons would like to attend both it is desirable thab the AtheEceuin Committee should alter their meeting night to some other during the week.

The Hibernian-Australasian Catholic Bsnefit Society held its annual district meeting last week, when the following officers were duly elected and installed:—District President, Edward Carroll ; District Vice-president Robert Carroll; District Treasurer, M. Oonnellan; District Secretary, Nicolas O'Eiiey ; and Auditors, John Gala^her and John Harris.

There was only a short sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before J. Bathgate, E3q., 11. M. Judgment went for plaintiff, by default, in the case of J. Cuinming v. James Weir, a claim for L 2 9.5, for goods supplied. In the case of George Phillips v. Robert Rutherford, which was partly heard on. Friday, wherein the claim (L 3 3r) was for services rendered to a conference of which the defendant was chairman, his Worship nonsuited the plaintiff.

Mesi-ra W. Priest and Co., the Timaru agents for M'Cormick's reaping jmd binding machines, received by the schooner Alert 35 of thsse machines on Thursday last, and, with the exception of one or two, they had all been purchased by tho end of the week,

Owing to the want of room in the various schools in Dunedin, a great number of pijiils presenting themselves yesterday had to bfl rofused admittance. In the case of one schoo' at least, we know of as many as 93 being re' fused. The additions now being made to the schools will provide accommodation for four or five hundred more scholars, but even this, it is certain, will not be nearly sufficient; and the erection of another large school in Dunediu is-, therefore, a matter of pressing and urgent ns-

cessity.

Two Yankee engines came frornChristehurch on Sunday, to be used with the express trains to be run between Duuedin and Invercargill.

A start has been made by the Public Works Department upon the work of providing further siding accommodation at the present Dunedin railway station. The additions will all be male on the 'south Bide of the station, and will comprise altogether a length of about ICOOft. About 1000 ft of this will run parallel with Crawford street, which will be found of convenience, in the matter of discharging coals particularly. A siding is also to be constructed towards Rattray street Jetty, which will be principally, no doubt, used for the discharge of grain, wool, &c. It is expected that these ad. ditions to the accommodation will supply the requirements of railway traffic until the new station is ready—an interval of probably nit less than 18 months.

Mrs Varley, the wife of the Revivalist, ap pears to take an active part in assisting hsr husband. At Cliristohurch lust week, Mrs Varley presided at the meeting of the Young Women's Christian Association.

A number of the in en ivho for some time past have been engaged on Messrs Proudfoot and M'Kay's railway coatrasis aw now settling down upon deferred-payment sections. The Clutha Lea-lev considers tho men very desirable settlers, and expresses tho hops that many others may follow their example. Thi< is no doubt an excellent system of settlement, aa the men are sure to be industrious, and to have some kuowledgo of tho districts i:i which they intend to make their homes.

Beforo tho ense of Black's Trustees v*. Watt and Others was proceeded with at the Supremo Court yesterday morning, Mr Denuiston, counsel for tho defence, produced a copy of Saturday night's -Age, in order to bring before his Honor's notice the unfairness of the report of the case given in that paper. The report, he stated, gave as tho facts of tho case a summary of the opening speech of plaintiff's counsel, and even in doing so had given defendants' conduct a higher colour than had been put upon it by Mr Smith. Tho • defendants felt extreme annoyance at tho report. Hia Honor, having read

tho report complained of, did not think the Court could take notice of newspaper reports, except brought befcra it upon affidavit ia connection with an application asking that the pruptietor of the paper should be brought up for reprimand. Mr Di-uniston remarked that such an improper lvport should not appear during the progress of a case, and the matter then dropped.

Last night's performance of the Kelly and Leon Minstrels—the last of the season—was very well attended. The programme was a varied one, and one or two of the items were of especial excellence. Mr Beaumont Bead's " Maid of Athens V was as delightfully rendered as on previous occasions, and in response to the hearty encore he substituted a ballad of touching sweetness, in which his voice waa heard to very great advantage. Mr Leon--as a second encore—(,ame out in a new line, with the Irish imitation of Teddy Malone, in which he was highly successful. The extravaganza of "Norma" was a thoroughly amusing sketch, and the closing scene, in which. Leon, in tie title i6le, is tossed in a sheet to quick music, was received with perfect roars of laughter. Mr Lester's comic songs caused much amusement ; and in the closing farce of " Coloured Justice" Mr Courtright made an oration to the jury in the most approved style of Yankee eloquence, that sent the audience away jin a merry humour.

The drami of " Unc'e Tom's Cabin" will be played fer tho first time in Dunedin at the Princess Theatre to-rcorrow evening. Tenders are required lor the erection of a railway workshop at Addiogtou.