PROVINCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1704, 19 July 1884, Page 22

PROVINCIAL.

About 60 weasels have been landed on the shores of Lake Wanaka."

Whilst proceeding to- the head of Lake Wakatipu the steamer Mountaineer was disabled by the breaking of her air-pumps. Some £12 has been forwarded as a testimonial to Ranger Burt at Clinton by residents in Tokomairiro district.

Owing to tbe prevalence of sickness in that district, the Evansdale public school has been closed for three weeks. Two deaths have occurred from diphtheria, but no fresh cases are at present known. At a meeting of the Southland Farmers' Co-operative Society, the liquidator said the creditors would be paid about 14b in the pound, a much larger dividend than was generally expected.

.The hon. secretary of the Robert Burns Statue Committee (Mr C. F. Maclean) has received, through Mv James Loudony % cheque for £5 4s, which has been subscribed towards the Statue Fund by the miners employed at Walton Park.

The Southland Frozen Meat Company are about to call tenders for the ereotion of works alongside the Bluff wharf, their plant having arrived per Bedington, now at Lyttelton. The Company have been seriously delayed by the loss of the first freezing machine by a collision in the English Channel. Mr John Reid, of Elderalio, writes to the Oamaru Mail that he has arranged a certain portion of the insurance of the cargo of frozen meat to be shipped by the Elderslie in England aba price lower than the' r* teg asked here, and 'without any conditions annexed to policy rflspecting the temperature— a very objectionable plause — which the local companies are inserting in their policies. \ A meeting of those favourable to Bibloreadiug in /iclioolb (writes our Oamaru corre- , apondent) was held to-night (Friday), but it did j not create great enthusiasm. Resolutions in favour of an amendment of the Education Act,

■o &3 to admit of the reading of tbe Bible in public schools, and in favour of tbe candidattire id any candidates who would support such Sn alteration of the law, were carried. A meeting of the congregation of the AnderRtra'B Bay Presbyterian Church was held on Moctdsy evening to consider the resignation of the pastor {JJev. C. & Ross). There was great difference of opinion «s to the manner in which the resignation should bo received, and after a ' good deal of discussion it was resolved, by a majority of four votes, to send delegates to a raeetiug of the Fresbytory next day, at which tbe resignation 1 was considered, 'The Com-, mittee of MsSna^ement of the church, before the conclusion of tfce stieeting, gave notice of their intention to resign in a body in September next.

The charge of sitting as a licensing Commissfoiier in Invercafgill while he was interested in a hotel in the Chatton district was again brought against John Kingsland at the E..M. Court an Friday last by the Licensed Tradeo' Protection Society, After putting in a certificate to show that Kingsland was the owner, counsel fot tho complainants aalled Wm, Morris, who deposed that he. was a publtoan residing at Chatton, and owned the hotel of thaC Jmme. The land was transferred in October last. Tbe reason for transferring the land was that he ow'Od about £500 on the place, and found it necessary to extend the promises, but had no money, and consequently Messrs Kingsland, Wurman, and Stock, who endorsed hia bills, signed an agreement with Kingsland to the effefct that on his paying the bills they endorsed be would get back tholand. The place was a mere shanty when he bought it, but tho old building had been pulled down and a new one erected, since which time the license existed in regard to the new building. He paid part of the money for it, but could not say if the " staddles " were nailed to the piles. Counsel for the defence contended that such a house was a movable chattel. After argument his Worship said that as to the house not being in the district in which Kingsland sat, he thought'the Act meant any licensing district in the Colony. It was not necessary for a man's name to appear in the certificate to show that ' he had a beneficial interest in the property. It had been proved that King Bland was part owner, but plaintiff had failed to show that the building was not a moveable chattel. It Bhould have been proved that thero were chimneys in the place. The case would be dismissed. Notice of appeal' to a higher Court was given.