CLUTHA EDUCATIONAL MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 310, 7 November 1857, Page 4

CLUTHA EDUCATIONAL MEETING.

We take the following report from the Colonist: — The annual meeting for the election of an Educational Committee in the Clutha District .was held on the 21st ult., at the residence of D. P. Steel, Esq., according to advertisement. The meeting was very numerously attended : a manifest proof of the interest taken in the education of the district by the settlers generally, and their appreciation of the efforts made by the Government to raise up an educated community. We understand that owing fo the irregularity of the post, the day of meeting would have boen unknown to any in the district, had not Mr. T. B. Gillies communicated the circumstance of the meeting having been called to some of the late committee resident in Warepa I and had not the Rev. Mr. Bannerman accidentally seen the advertisement when lately in Taieri assisting at the Communion there, and intimated from the pulpit in South Clutha the fact of the meeting having been called. Rev. Mr. Bannerman having been unanimously called to the chair, and the advertise.raent calling the meeting having been read, (Mr, Bannerman, when in Taieri, having obtained a copy of the " Colonist,") the follow- . ing gentlemen were elected as a committee :—: — Messrs. Ayson, Sturt, Anderson, Steel, Mercer, Petchell, and Kettle. In proposing a motion, which was carried, " that at least a month's notice be given by the* General Board of Education, of the annual meeting" an attempt madeby Mr. Kettle to cast blame upon the chairman for not having intimated the meeting from the pulpit at Warepa, was put down by the good sense of the community. Mr. Kettle seemed to have forgotten that the meeting was a Government not a Church meeting. It was also agreed to by the meeting " that the annual meeting be held in rotation in the several localities in the district." It was also resolved —"That the committee be instructed, and are hereby instructed, to take immediate steps to secure the means of education for the district, and that an adjourned meeting be held in the month of February to receive a report from the committee as to the steps they may have taken in the fulfilment of the first part of this resolution ; day and place of meeting to be appointed by the committee. The committee were instructed to keep regular minutes of their proceedings, either through the chairman of committee, or by a secretary chosen from among the members of committee. After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting adjourned to meet in February, according to resolution. A numerous meeting was held on July 15, Sir Charles Nicholson (late Speaker) in the chair, for the purpose of memorializing the Government to give the colonies a share of representation in the Imperial Parliament. Mr. F. De Salis addressed the meeting at some length, but as unanimity did not prevail, he withdrew the resolution he had prepared. On the 18th of June, the Australasian, the first of the new iron! screw steamers building for the European and Australian Royal Mail Company, was launched at Glasgow. This fine ship is of 2800 tons builders' measure* ment; she is 500 feet overall, 42 feet beam, and 31 feet 6 inches deep; she will be propelled by two direct-acting engines of J7OO horse-power. The saloon is capable of fl&jng 200 passengers; the holds have capacity for about 900 measurement goods; the coal bunkers will stow 1500 tons of coal, sufficient for 24 days voyage at full speed. Tanks are fitted hi the lower hold to contain 12,000 gallons — an important addition, consisting of a waterhallast, capable of holding four hundred tons 'of water.

•