PUKEURI. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1596, 24 June 1882, Page 14

PUKEURI. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

June 17lh.

Our district h&i boeii remarkable for its dullness Until lately, when Wo experienced a change in consequence of the circulation of A petition from our local School Committee to the Education "Board praying tor the removal of our schoolmaster, and a counterpetition from the residents in .our district, signed by the parents of 72 children out of a total of 105 attending school, in favour of retaining the present master. A tood deal of indignation is given expression to bgainst the Comniittoe, evon by those who asked them to move in the matter. 16 is alleged that there is neither discipline nor system maintained in school, as an instance of which it is stated that on one occasion the maßter asked the boys a quostion, and after a long silence one of them answered correctly, when the boy standing next to him slapped him on the back, and said, " Good, old man J well done, old man 1" at the top of his voice. On another occasion it is stated that one of the boys put his finger iv his mouth and whistled with all his might, to the terror of tho whole school. That is certainly not proper conduct to bo allowed in a school. We are to have a concert and dance in aid of the school funds, when 1 hope to see a good attendanco, as tho present Committee are deserving of every support. A good many of the fanners had finished sowing before the lato" rains, and we have some very good brairds of April-sown wheat. That which remains to be sown will be lato, as the ground is iv a foarf ully soft slato.

WINTON.

(from our own correspondent.)

June 20th. This part of Southland must certainly be redeeming its character so far an tho weather Js concerned. Since my last letter it has been simply delightful, and remarkable for the absence of the large amount of rainf&U so common at this season. Frost at night and sunshine by day has been the rule for some time. I observe by notices posted in different parts of the town that; the newly-elected library Committee are inviting tenders for a room suitable for a readingroom, but the result ha>j not yet transpired. The project is thought by some to be prematuro. A stock sale was held in the saleyards near tho town, conducted by Mr G. F. Martin. It was but poorly attended by buyers, and business seemed extremely dull.

The public school has now been reopened about two weeks, and for that length of time things appear to have run smoothly, which v saying a great deal for Winton. I hear that tho Board of Education have decided on further alterations In the teaching staff of the institution.

We have ono of our churches closed, and in lieu thereof we are opening an additional hntel for the purpose of maintaining the even balance of our public institutions. t I took a|walk a few days ago to the Winton cemetery, and was much pleased to sco the improvement already made, and others still in progress. The fine assortment of ornamental trees and shrubs aro making rapid growth, and are becoming quite pretty. I thing tho managing body deserve praise. ■

11IVERTON. (FROM OUR OWN OORRBSPONDBNT.)

June lfffch

The weather here has been cold since my last. Wo had a very L heavy shower on Saturday, accompanied by thunder. The Lomct is visible here. Ik is In the south-west, and disappear* about 8 o'clock. It was very brilliant The Orepuki Coal and Shale Oompany held their first annual meeting on Wednesday night. Arrangements for commencing a tramway from the pit to the railway will be made at once. The boring-rod has been down a depth of 19ft, 15fo being through coal, and iU tht ough shale, tho latter being of suporior quality to any that ha 3 been tried before. There have been two trials of the shale, tho result being illuminating power 2£ times that of gas made of Greymouth ooal of the best kind, the quantity of gas made per ton Vring 6730 cubic feet. This beatn all the goldmine* in New Zealand. I havo no interest whatever in the Company, so therefore my report on the matter can be taken as one not at all biassed either one way or the other. A football match came of on Saturday between the Invercargillites and Rivertonians, the Invercargillitos Jjiing the best men. A meeting of the School Committee took place on Tuesday. Tho head master reported the daily average attendanco for April and May to be 279 ; on the roll, |85, A letter was received from Misa Smith resigning

her appointment as pupil teacher. Miss C. Robinson was recommended to the Education Board for the V £LC A tl C V An agency of the National Bank of Now Zealand has been opened at Thorn bury two days a week— viz., on Mondays and Thursdays. Tho Maid of Otago is now almost ready for sea again, all tho damaged planks being taken out of her and some now frames put in to strengthen her ; shohas also been rccaulkod all over, and whon finished will bestronger than ever. , „ I hear it is tho intention of tho contractors at the Orcpuki to suspoud workj for a couple of months, till the weather gets better and the days longer. The Aurora Australis wa9 beautiful hero on Friday evening, every colour of the rainbow being visible. A meeting of the Borough Council was. held on Wednesday last. A good deal of business was got through, amongst which tho caso of the boy Duncan, who lost his eyesight some time ago, was considered It was resolved to remit tho sum collected here on his behalf to the Benevolent Asylum, Dunedin, in order to have him at once sent to the Asylum for the Blind. The tailraces at Round Hill are again being eased of their gold. There U only one case reported, although I believe there are Beveral others, but tho parties do not wish their namos mentioned, as a pill is being pro pared for the thief or thieves. Ono at a doso— thoy will require no more ; warranted a porfect cure. Wo havo been treated to-day to incessant rain from tho N.E.