PROVINCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1682, 16 February 1884, Page 11

PROVINCIAL.

A post-office has been opened at Gimmer burn, Mount Ida district. Mr Robert Charters has resigned the presidentship of the Taieri Agricultural Society. An Olde Englishe Fancye Fayre, held at Nasoby in aid of St. George's Church, was a real success, and realised £250.

The Southland County Council applied for £86,000 under the Roads and Bridges ConstrueAct. It will receive £675.

The Southland County Council mado application for £56,000 under the Roads and Bridges Act. The Council has just been informed that it will receive £675 only. ' The Maniototo County Council has voted the sum of £25 to the Otago Benevolent Institution. The Lake Council is not in sufficient funds to subscribe anything. The following gentlemen have been elected a a committee for Otara, a new school distript : — Messrs G. Jennings (chairman), Charles M'Gill, C. R. Brunton, R. Blair, William Middleton, J. Kirkness, R. Girdwood (secretary). The following gentlemen were elected members of the Strath-Taieri School Committee :— Messrs D. Crawford (chairman), James Olive, James Palmer, John Hansen, William Brown, S. Watkinß, James Kirk. The Chinese leper,' about whoso case so much has been heard lately, was found hanging by the neck in a hut on Tuesday morning. He was quite dead. It is believed that he committed suicide.

The special reporter of the Timaru Herald, who has just concluded a tour of South Canterbury, states that the crops generally are looking well, and if fine weather continues the harvest of both wheat and oats will be exceptionally good. At the first meeting, on the Ist inst,, of the Waipajii School Committee, Mr Macandrew was eljctcd chairman and Mr Campbell treasurer for the current year. The Committee decided upon gravelling the playground and erecting a playshed, and also resolved to apply for a grant for a sewing mistress. The Chinese leper whose lodgment in Riverton has created so much feeling among the European population, is to b8 removed to a house a mile outside the Town Be,lt. A little follow who thoughtfully chopped a bit of firewood for the unfortunate man, it is stated, has been " boycotted " by his fellows. Messrs Peter Grant, Jas. Shand, Alexander Ohißholtn, Jameß Allan, John Bathgate, John

Dow, Alexander Dow, M. Tynan, and Jamea M'Bredrty have been nominated to serve on the West Taieri Board of Conservators for the ensuing yctir. The polling for th^ election of the necessary sovon members will lake place next Saturday. The Southland Times states that Mr Thomas Watson, for Home 20 years the mueh-respectod manager of tho Bank of New Zealand in In veicargill, is about to pay a visit to tho Old Count! y, 'accompanied by some members of his family. During his absence tho management of the Bank will devolve on Mr M'Kay, presently accountant in tjha Chrtstchurch office.

At, a meeting of the Vestry, oC Trinity Church, Lawreuee, on Friday evening last, Arch-ieacon Beaumont presiding, Mecarn Jj], Herbert, L, Pope, M. Fruor, and H. Wenman were appointed paii«li nominators. Tt was resolved to hold a milling of members on Friday, February 15, to consider the advisability of estahli.-hing a branch of the Church of Eucflancl Temperance Society.

A confirmation sorvica was held at Sfc. John's L'lpiscopoliius Church, Milton, on Viiday lftnt, when eight malos and 11 females were presented. Bishop Nevill performed the core--; mony, ami delivered an eloquent address. Lesson? were read by the Jay reader (Mr J. D. Walker), and prayers by tho incumbent (Rsv. T. L. Stanley). There was a largo and attentive congregation.

At a meeting of the Waitaki branch of the Educational Institute on S.ituiday the following 1 motion was carried :— " That this Branch is of opinion that no child nhould be presented at tlm inspector's visit unions ho has made 250 attendances during the year, and that tho secretary remit this resolution to the secretary of the General Committee of the Now Zealand Institute, with a request thafe the Oumnritfcee take early steps to move in the matter,"

At the Woodlands Hotel, Tnveroargill, at aboutGa.m. on Tuesday theinmates heard groans outsido. On examination they found a settler in thonrighbourhood named Hay on tho ground under the window of the bedroom he had occupied the night previous. It is not known whether he jumped or fell out of tho window. Ho was intoxicated when he arrived at the house the previous night. His ankle was dislocated, aud he had several cuts and bruises. The most serious cut is on the under jaw. The man was brought to town for medical aid.

Concerning the Dunjtroon-Hakateramea railway, the Hon. Mr Mitchelson has replied to the telegram of Messrs Shrimski, M.H.R., aud Sutherland, county chairman, as follows : " The Hakateramea Company being considerably indebted to the Government, I regret that I cannot alter my previous decision, as the public interest inuat be protected. Your course is therefore to endeavour to induce the Company to pay up, and so end tho trouble. If the debt due to the Government is paid, of course we will go on working."

All the nominations received on Saturday by the returning-otticcrd for the four Oamaru Licensing di&tricts were made in the Blue ilibbon Army interest. Two of the districts, in which only five candidates were proposed, were formally declared to have elected their committees ; but in the other two the proceedings, .owing to a non-ratepayei nominating, were declared informal. Only for this, all the licensing committees would have been Blue Ribbon.

The Government intimated Istst week that they would cease running trains over tho Dun-troon-Hakateramea Railway Company's line. Tho cause of tho cassation oi' traffic has boen to a certain extent remedied, and the Government now announce that they will continue running trains for another week. It rests with the Company, who owe the Government money, whether any further interruption in the 'traffic takes place. A public meeting of settlers was held at Kurow on Friday night in regard to the stoppage of trafiic.

A vory sad accident (reports the Clutha Leader) befel the son of Mr Morrison, farmer, Waiwera, last week. It appears that whilst driving a team of horses on the road, a suddeu squall "of wind overbalanced him, and he fell in front of the loaded dray, one wheel passing over his toes, \yhjle one of the shafcer'a hoofs came down on his thigh, inflicting a teriible wound- Dr Low was soon in attendance, and all that skill could do was done for the poor lad. Although his life is not considered in danger, he suffers much. It is to be hoped that all will go well With him. '

At Balclutha on Saturday night a dinner was given in the Crown Hotel to Mr Winton, who nas been representative of the Colonial Bank there, and who has been promoted to a similar position at Nelson. The chair waa occupied by the Mayor (Mr John Dunne), and the vice-: chair by Mr C Chiistie, auctioneer, and there were about 40 gentlemen present, comprising the leading townsmen and farmers — an attendance which was highly satisfactory considering the' short notice that was given. Highly complimentary speeches were made regarding Mr Winton, and his services to the Clutha A. and P. Association in the position of treasurer wer>e especially referred to ; whilst the best wishes were expressed for his future welfare and advancement.

At the meeting of the Palmerston School Committee it was resolved to write to Professor Shand and Messrs Elder and Begg to ascertain their views as to raising the status of the Palmerston school ; and if the reply i% favourable, to notify the various district committees of same, and ask their support in securing the return of these gentlemen to tha Board. At the same meeting Mr Gilmore moved — " That the Committee apply to the Board for 30 umbrellas to protect the children in the school from rain dripping on them during the wet weather." Mr Arkle, however, feaid that if Mr Gilmore would remove the sarcasm about the umbrellas and state that it was patent to the householders who assembled at the annual meeting that the building was totally unfit for educational purposes owing to tho rain coming in, he would second the motion, and in this form it was carried.

Tawhiao has returned from Kawhia. On the journey back he lost a bolt containing £300 collected for his expenses to England.. It 1b stated that Te Wheoro will accompany him on the Rome trip ; .also representatives j of Arawas, Ngatihous, and Ngatimaniapotos. j He holds a meeting in March, at which j arrangements for trip will be discussed. Ton mongooses, out of 11 recently shipped from Calcutta, arrived at Blenheim on Tuesday. The animals, which will form tho nucleus of a'breeding establishment, s^e for Mr F. Richmond, of Richmond Brook. The immigration and" emigration returns for last month show that the arrivals were— at Auckland, Qi? ; Wellington, 515 ; Napier, 3 ; Groymoutb. 17 ; Hokitika, 3 ; Lyttelton, 373 ;• Duuedin, 400 ; Invercaigill, 664 ;— total, 2628. The departures were— from Auckland, 293 j Wellington, 109 ; Napier, 17 ; Greymouth, 10 ; Lyttelton, 81 ; Dunedin, 5 ; Invercargill, 340;— total, 860, Tho above returns do not include Tim am and Westport, which are not yet to hand. The number of Chinese who arrived in the Colony last month was three, whilst the number who left the Colony was 21,,