PROVINCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1681, 9 February 1884, Page 11

PROVINCIAL.

The first annual show of the Maniototo Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held at Naseby on Wednesday, 30th ult., and was very successful. A very sudden death occurred at the Serpentine lately. Mrs Edmonds, the wife of a local resident, retired to bed in apparent good health, but waa found dead next morning. Mr Edmonds was from home. Two daughters of deceased slept with her, and next morning they said " Mother was very cold," but they had no idea of the truth. Mr D. Wright has been folding evangelistic " services during the past week in thePreshyterian Church, Milton. The meetings havebeen well 1 attended, and much intereufc has> been manifested. The closing meeting took place on Monday evening, when about 500' people were present, and cheering testimony was borne to the good done by the special services. The desire to emulate Donald Dinnie has led to two or three accidents in the Waikouaitl district, according to the Palmeraton Times. Two lads at Waikouaiti named Affleck and Fell, who had a wresting bout, came out of it — one with a broken arm and the other with a broken collarbone ; while a young man named Wise, working on Orbell's run, who was also indulging in a wrestling 1 encounter, had two oE his ribs broken. The Government will ceage to work the xaiT-way-line between Duntroon and Hakatesamea, after the 9th inst. " This (says tha North Otago Times) is a short and au unwelcome notice. It has beon asserted that th» traffic on the Hue, although charged for on a much higher scale than is in force on the Government lines, did not pay. If this is true, it shows that the projectors of the line did nob exercise much care in making their calculations as to the probable receipts from the line, or else that the line was constructed for other purposes than merely aa a paying concern, so far as its working was concerned." The Time* goes on to show that the present season, just when harvest is beginning, is an unfortnnatn one at which to stop the traffic. Mr David Smith, a farmer at Tucker Beacb, Lpwer Shotover, met with a fatal accident last, week. It appears that on Friday night, between & and 10 o'clock, he went out to lift rabbit-traps laid on his farm, and, not return ing, search waa made early on Saturday morning, when he was found by a neighbour^ Mr T. Bell, head downwards in a matagoiwi bush. It would appear that in the darkaesa he fell over a precipice about 100 ft high, l&e must have fallen upon his feet on tfc& first, ledge, which is 60ft sheer down, and then, bounced off and fallen down another 30ft, wher« he was caught by the legs in the scrub, and there hung, head down, at an angle of 60 degrees. He was conveyed home and the doctor sent for, but he was beyond earthly aid, and remained unconscious for a few hoars;, when death released him. A correspondent of the Tuapeka Times gives a lively account of the meeting for the election of a school committee at Beaumont. It was fully expected that there would be some amusement, consequently there was a large attendance. Tho first symptom of disagreement, arose over the election of a chairman. It wag moved and seconded that Mr Orr take the. chair, which he very hurriedly did. This was, objected to, and it was asserted that Mr Orr took possession before there was tinva to move an amendment ; but Mr Orr, having possession, expressed his intention of retaining ifc unless he was forcibly dispossessed. After much " bitter feeling " and " strong language ' he was allowed to occupy the positioov Speaking of the audience, the correspondent; says : v One of the parties evidently eama prepared for a row, for he was. armed vrithan thick, heavy stick, which he flourished cootinually when speaking. The other gentle.

man seemed determined to create as much .• noise as possible, in addition to making a i buffoon of himself. He would stand belt upright, then, jumping upwards, would come down heavily with both feeb on the floor, acccompanying each jump with a ten-ific shout, thus creating considerable uproar." Uudei 1 these circumstances it is not surprising 1 to read that upon the chairman making .some personal reference to one of those present (possibly the "gentleman" who indulged in the high, leaping and terrific shouting), the row began in earnest. The person referred to tackled the chairman, who, eager for the fray, rufihed at ' his opponent. Much excitement ensued, 50 or 60 persons trying to accompany the combatants "outside" to "fight it out." After 10 minutes' struggling to get through the door, "outside" was reached; but the correspondent seems to have missed his opportunity for some excellent descriptive writing by remaining inside. He merely reports that on the outside being reached peace was restored. The chairman returned, and eventually a committee was duly elected.