Telegrams.

Otago Witness, Issue 1417, 18 January 1879, Page 18

Telegrams.

PROVINCIAL ITEMS.

Lawrence, January 10th. The pounty Council met to-day. The Finance Committee reported that they were unable to make arrangements with the banks for an increased overdraft from LSOOO to LIO.OOO. Tenders called for to-day's meeting were consequently unopened, and postponed sine die. The engineer was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a bridge across the Clutha at Roxburgh on the site of the old one, but 10 ] feet higher. Mr Clayton, member for Gabriels riding, resigned. Accounts amounting to L 3199 were passed for payment. Acting on opinions of the Hon. R. Stout and Mr J. Macassey, the Council resolved, re the Beaumont bridge, to interview Mr Kitching in reference to the parchase of the punt, and should he not agree, to erect a punt themselves. Palmerston, January 13th. Five hundred sheep were smothered in a paddock last week, in the locality of the Deep Stream. Arrow, January lltb. Last night about 100 ladies and gentlemen assembled at the Odd-Fellows' Hall here, to witness a presentation made to Mr D. M. Mackay, who has been in charge of the local branch of the Bank of New Zealand for the past eight years, and who is now about to leave the district on leave of absence. The presentation consisted of a gold watch and chain, snitably inscribed, and valued at 60 guineas, and a purse of 60 so vs., which was presented to Mrs Mackay, to buy herself some souvenir with at her own pleasure. Mr E. Gruber, Mayor of Arrow, presided, and made the presentation. The esteem in which Mr and Mrs Mackay are held here, is best shown by the fact that the promoters of the presentation agreed to close the subscription lists as soon as the amount should have reached three figures, on account of the recent disasters, or double the amount might easily have been raised. To-night, Major D. M. Mackay was presented with an illuminated address by the Arrow Volunteers, and both occasions were celebrated by pleasant festivities, which received an additional charm from the presence of the ladies. The Cadet Corp also presented Major Mackay with a gold locket ; and the Odd-Fellows selected a handsome regalia as a souvenir for their departing brother, which was presented some time ago. January 15tb. An application has been made by Mr. A. H. Douglas, the defeated candidate in the last election of county councillors for Arrow Ridings, to cancel the votes of three electors because their names were mis spelt on the roll for the riding. It is likely that this election, like the former one, will be upset, and a third one be proceeded with as soon as possible. Oajiaru, January 9th. There is a prospect of the construction of waterworks being entered upon with fresh vigour. At the meeting of the Municipal Council tenders for different sections of the work were accepted. The tenderers were chiefly comprised of former workmen under Henderson. The total of the accepted tenders amounts to about the same figure as would have had to be paid to Henderson had he completed his contract. The Municipal Council are particularly anxious to have their endowment at Maerowhenua Crown-granted, but there is some difficulty owing to the surveys not having been made, and no Government surveyor being s vailable for the work. This difficulty is to oe overcome by the Council, with 'the concurrence of the Chief Surveyor, having the survey made by a local firm, trusting to the cost of th« work being refunded,

January 11th. Mr A. H. Maude's sale of Windsor township this afternoon was well attended, and a large number of the sections were sold at very good prices. The Mail says the Hon. H. J. Miller and Mr Shrimski, M.H.R., will be appointed Governors of the Waitaki High School. January 14th. The telephone connecting the Harbour Board's Offices with the Breakwater is in good working order, and is proving a great assistance to the officers. A large public meeting was held last^ night to hear the Mayor and Council explain the financial condition of the town, in relation to the borrowing of an additional L 40,000 f»r the completion of the waterworks. The Mayor made a very clear and exhaustive speech, and one which must be very satisfactory to the ratepayers. He entered very fully into the working of the scheme from its inception to the present time, and gave very good reasons for asking the ratepayers to consent by plebiscitum to the Council borrowing the sum asked for. ______ Invbkoahgill, January 9th. Dr Hodgkinson addressed his constituents at Riv«rton last evening. He went at great I length into the history of the session, and defended his action in voting against the LSOO exemption in land taxation, and altso against the Railway Bill, the latter on the ground of Kreat indebtedness of the Colony, and his own hesitancy to incur another eight millions of indebtedness, which he alleged would be required to carry out the present scheme. He declared that, after the events of the session, he is a stronger Provincialist than ever, and that no minority would command his support that did not contemplate giving the country back its Provincial institutions, or something similar in their place. The speech elicited frequent applause, and at its dose a vote of thanks and confidence was carried. The warrant for the execution of Welsh, the Waikawa murderer, has not yet arrived. The convict appears quite indifferent to his fate. The election lof a Councillor for Winton Riding in the Southland County Council took place yesterday, and after a hard fought contest resulted in the return of Mr John Thomson, sen., by a majority of 90 votes over his opponent, Mr SproulL This election had been rendered necessary by the former election being declared void. At the inquest held to-day at Wallacetown, before Dr Monckto'n, coroner, on the body of the man Redden, who waa killed the other day at Wainaniwa by a bullock-dray passing over his head, a verdict of accidental death was returned. January 10th. A plebißcitum was taken to-day to decide the water supply question. By a large majority the Town Council was empowered to borrow LIOO,OOO, with which to bring in water from Dun3dale creek. January 11th. It is understood that the erection of a magnificent block of buildings at the corner of Esk and Dee streets will shortly be proceeded with. The new block will cover the site of the old Times Office in Esk street, right round to he Club Hotel in Dee street. The poll of the burgessss re the water supply was rather a tame affair, and did not create that interest it was thought it would have done. Only about one-fourth of the ratepayers recorded their votes. The number for the proposal to borrow was 155, and against it 107. The Town Council is thus empowered to borrow a sum not exceeding LIOO,OOO for the purpose of carrying out the proposed Dunsdale gravitation scheme. Considerable dissatisfaction exists at Riverton and in the immediate neighbourhood at the delay that has occurred in completing the railway to that place. It is now four years since the first sod was turned. Mr Thedphilus Daniel, of Riverton, has presented to the Invercargill Athenaeum a valuable contribution in the shape of a lithographed facsimile of the " Declaration of Independence and the Treaty of Wait&ngi, 1840." Complaints are made regarding the scarcity of. trucks on the railway here. One promising local industry has been partially stopped in consequence. Great indignation is felt by a number of the Malaura electors resident in the suburban municipalities, through their town clerk having failed to register them by Bending to the registration officers informal lists, bad descriptionsj&c. One hundred and fifty are disfranchised in this way. January 14th. A dispute has arisen between the incumbent of St. John's (the Rev. W. P. Tanner) and the joint committees of the Hospital and Benevolent Institute, regarding the holding of a bazaar at Easter. It would seem that both parties had arranged for the holding of a bazaar at that time. Arrangements had been made unknown to each other, and both parties were in treaty for the same hall. The Rev. Mr Tanner has written to the joint committees anent the matter, appealing to them not to set up their bazaar against the one contemplated in connection with the Church of England. He goes on to say : " I think it very objectionable that you should endeavour to obtain rooms that we have engaged, that you should seek for help that has beep already promised to us, and that you should invite members of other communions to engage in an undertaking which has features of antagonism, though it carries the tenor of benevolence. The members of the Church of England on your committee cannot be supposed to give preference to their own interests. It is from the members of other Churches that we must expect courteous treatment. The position is peculiar. I should at once say that it is the most disagreeable and unjust transaction that I have observed in Invercargill, were it not that I am well aware how many mistakes may be accounted for by ignorance. I wish to be very clear in expressing my opinion, without saying anything unnecessarily unpleasant. I do not wish to allow the members of the Church of England to be placed in the disgraceful position of contending for their interests, or rather tor the interests of public worship, before a wondering public ; but I find it to be my duty to be careful in this young community not to give license to what appears to me to be incivility and rudeness, on account of the unpleasantness of checking it. The benevolence of our citizens will not be lessened, and the wants of the poor will not be neglected, by our following the common rules of courteous behaviour. " The hon. secretaries of the respective committees have been instructed to reply, declining to alter the date fixed for their bazaars. January 15fch. At a meeting of the Bluff Boating Club last night, it was decided to send|a crew to compete for the champion four-oared prize at the forthcoming Henley Regatta. The educational statistics of the Southland district for the quarter ending December 31st shows the attendances at the beginning of the quarter to hwve been 2796, and at the end of the quarter 3076. The average number on the roll was 2900 ; the strict average, 2466 ; and working average, 2507. Ages : Number under five years, 80 ; between five and seven years, 524; between seven and 10 years, 1086; betweon 10 and 13 years, 1045; between 13 trad

14 years, 297 above 15 year?, 44. Standards : Number of infants, 402 ; ia standard 1, 692 ; in standard 2, 581 ; in standard 3, 556 ; in standard 4, 396 ; in standard 5, 396 ; in standard 6, 110 ; passed the standard, 016. Branches : Number learning to read, 2963 ; to write, 2459 ; arithmetic, 2416 ; grammar, 1680 ; geography, 1746 ; hiatoiy, 529 ; elementary science, 208; drawing, 618; object lessons, 908; vocal music 577 ; sewing, 692 ; domestic economy, 65.