PROVINCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1752, 20 June 1885, Page 21

PROVINCIAL.

Tho balcohnvop, 'frnu'e*, harness, and horses of J. TC I'.'a.'k, at Winton, wore destroyed by fire at 1 o'clock na Monday morning.

The dcto of thf- lire W G. M'Laren, of tho Presbyterian CLuT.h of Otaco and Southland, has b^pn added to tho list of officiating minsters under tho Marriage Act,

Arthur Gothifl Crengh is gazetted Crown policitor at Oamaru for the judicial district of Obago and Southland, and also to be Crown proßocutor at O *maru for the District Court, diatricta of Tirriaru and Oaaiavu.

The Now Zaaland Agricultural Company had two stacks of barley burnt early on Thurpdav morning Jas(. i?i a paddock between Mandevillo and the Pyramids, near tho Mataura Rivor. They wore insured in the National Office for £112. lacandiaristn m suspected. The police are investigating the matter.

Mr Thomson has been appointed an Inspector- of Sheep for Dunedin and Port Chalmers subdivision, and Deputy Cattle Inspector for the Colony, and Registrar of Brands for Dunediu Dißtiict. Mr E. A. Dowden is appointed Acfciug Sheep Inspector for the port of Wellington.

The Mayor of Invercargill has received the following telegram from Sir Julius Vogel in regard to Ihe South Saa Islands mail service- : — " Too late ro make the Bluff a port of call, aa contract has been signed. Next steamer will give your dologite a free passage, and should it prove that the Bluff can do a direct trade wifch the inlands, T w'll try to modify the contract."

The Invercargill Irish Volunteer corps have been informed by the Minister of Defence that, as hostilities are now improbable, the Government will only accept the cervices of new companies as honorary corp3. Tho members have decided ■to offer their services on that footing. The Minister ia his letter expressed gratification at tho public spirit which prompted tbo a tier.

C. A. Lamiton's stables, at Tapanui, were burnt dpwn on Saturday evening. They were tho property of Mr W. Sheath, of Dalmeny station. Eight horses were burnt to death, and five were saved with difficulty. The building, horses, and harness wore insured in the Union Office, the building for £50, and its contents for £350. Another fire occurred next morning in tho township, when a fiveroomed house, tho property of Hugh Stewart, was burnt; to the ground. The house was insured in the Victoria office for £85 on the building and £65 on tho furniture.

An inquest was held on Saturday before Mr J. S. Fleming, coroner, and a jury, regarding the death of George Payne, a ganger on tho railway-line at Waihola. It will be remembered that deceased was found in the Waihola Lake by a fireman on the night train on Friday morning, and expired a few minutes after he was taken out of the water At the inquest on Saturday it was proved that deceased was subject to epileptic fits, and it ia surmised that while walking along the line he was seized with one of these fits and fell in o the water. The Jury returned a verdict of " Found drowned," A young man named Henry Percy Fisher, alias Smith, was arrested by the police at Oamaru on Saturday on a charge of stealicg a horse and cover from a resident at Blueekin. The police believe that this man is identical with an individual who ia " wantsd " ia Dunedin for victimising several young women by pretending ho was a theatrical .agent, engaging them to join a theatrical company in Melbourne, and receiving money from them by way of a guarantee that they would fulfil their engagements. He was brought up at the Oamaru Court on Monday and remanded to Ducedin.

A meeting of grain shippers was held at Invercargill on Tueßday to disoußS tho inadequate shipping facilities supplied at the Bluff by the Union Company for the carriago of grain ,to Australian ports. Ifc wa:i stated that nearly 100,000 bags of grain are now lying at the port awaiting shipment, and ifc was suggested that a special steamer should be chartered for its export. Ultimately the following resolution was carried :— " That in the opinion of this meeting tho v/ookly provision of &paco for grain in the outward Melbourne steamer has been totally ioadi qnara throughout the season to the requirement of the port, and' that a strong representation bo made to the Company to clear off the accumulated stocks and to make fair provision for the port."

At the ÜBual fortnightly meeting of tho Mosgiel Mutual Improvement Association, held last week, the president (Dr M'Csvw) read an interesting paper on 'Brain and nerve power with regard to education," The address was illustrated by means of one of Professor Marshall's full sized physiological diagrams, by which tho different localities of the mental f acuities aad their connection with tho nerves were shown. Tho addrers was lifiteaed >o throughout with marked attention, and the lecturer wae granted with a round of applause at the conclusion of his address. In the absence of Mr Ruseell, Mr CarncroES contributed a reading, which was also well received. The next address will be contributed by the vice president (Mr Hodges), the subject being "Tho life and works of Thackeray."

Mr G. F. Richardson, member for Mataura, paid a high compliment to Southland (says the Southland Times) when he said that it was one of tbo best instances of the success of the county syetem. This he attributod in great measure to the size of the Southland county, which could thus be properly officered and administered. But it is alßo an example of tho manner in which pationt merit ia rewarded in this wickod world. The total appropriations for roads, said Mr Ricbardson. amounted last year to £757,000. After deducting what was spent in opening up Crown lands, there ptill remained the handsome sum of £600,000 for distribution. Of this, SouthJaad'o share, accordJEg to rateable value, would bo about £75,000, but all that, had boon doled out to our large, well officered, and arimirablyman<ip:ed county was tho miserable pittance of £2913 !

The North Otago Times reports that throe buildings, tho property of Mr B. C. Smith. Duntroon, were destroyed by fire at about 7 p.m. on Friday. One of the buildings was occupied hy M r Smith as a store, another by Mr G. Adlain as a saddler's shop, but it is not known whether tho third was occupied or not All the buildings were the property of Mr Smith. Mr Smith's store was insraied for £250 and his stock for £1100, but the latter amount fnlls considerably short of its value. The two buildings adjoining Mr Smith's etore were insured fur £175. All tho ins-urnncPi-were in tho Victoria c ffice. Half of tho tbrpr--ums, amounting to £1525, w.ib reinsured, £500 being in tho New Zealand office.. Mr AdlamV tock w^s inaurpd for £100 in the Victorip office. About. £(500 worth of Mr Smith's stock wftß Bavpd hy lbs fxevtiens of the townspeople. The Riverton Star gives the following par ticulars of tho accident to Mr Locfclwfc, mine manager of Iho Oropuki Coal Company :— "Mi Lockhart waf amending the shaft at the time, but nt> present lie cannot give a cleat 1 account as to Bier ib. e .' aooidmfc bappsned. It issur-

mised, however, that in ascending in tho cage and possibly leaning forward and examining tbo shaft whiln doing so, he came in contact wifch tho framing near tho landing, The enginedriver obiorvod the concussion and im mndiately ntonped winding, the cago being by tfai3 timo halfway above tho mouth of the shaft, and on proceediag to find out the cause he found Mr Lockhart uaconscious. On ex atnining him Dr Yonng found two of his ribs bmkon. his arm injured, and eevoral bruisos about the body, but thn head was tinmjttred j and unless he is injured internally, fatal consequences are not anticipated." Mr Lookbarfc died on Sunday night. A meeting of settlers and others interested in the proposed dairy factory at Stirling was held in Crosaan'a hall on Monday evening. There was a good attendance, Mr G. loerlis presiding. The meeting was called to consider the lefctor from the Otago Moat Freezing Company, announcing the docision of the Company not to go on with the factory. From the Clutha Leader we learn that it was agreed on the motion of Mr James Petrie, seconded by Mr Cameron, that the Committee (with the addition of tho mover of the motion) prepare a statement to lay before the directors showing the position of tho matter from the settlero' point of view ; also showing tho preparations made by them to implement their part of the agreement, and the loss they will sustain should that agreement be now departed from. Several of the speakers spoke regarding the inconvenience caused to settlers by the refusal of the Company to go on with the project. Messrs Cameron, Smaill, Bell, and others mentioned the number of extra cows they and had purchased others expressly to supply milk to tho factoi-y. These numbered in all about 100. It was also stated that alterations had been effected on their former syFt9m of farming, so as to provide the requisite extent of grass and other feed for the cows.

A fire occurred about a mile bayond the Oamaru town boundary on Monday night by which (ea.ys the North Otngo Times) the fourrnoraed dwelling of Mr John Dampsey was burned to the ground. Mr Dempsey was absent at the time the fire occurred, and Mra Dampsey states that the firo was caused by one of tho children, who was ill, placing a candle too close to nome hanging clothes. The clothes caught fire, and tha flames quickly spread to the paper on tbo wall, and although one of t.ho neighbours made every effort to subdue the flames he could not accomplish it, and the building was destroyed. With tha exception of a few trifles, all the furniture was destroyed. Several of the children were unable to gather their clothes together before they were compelled to leave Ihehouse. There wasno insurance on tho furniture, and a policy, which existed on the house, expired about five weeks ago, but Mra Dampsey ia not aware whether it was renewed or not. The Brigade could do nothing when they reached the spot, as there only remained tha smouldering romains of the house.

On Saturday afternoon (writes our Gore correspondent) a number of the residents were invited to attend at the new site for the Bank of Australasia for the purpose of witnessing the laying of the foundation stone of the new brick and concrete premises to bo erected for thfet institution. A goodly number responded to the invitation, when the local manager, Mr L. T. Symes, at the request of the contractor, Mr George Eldred, formally laid the northwest corner foundation-stone, and having declarod ifc well and truly Jaid, was greeted with applause. Mr Symes theu stated that it was his first attempt at laying foundation stones o? speaking in public, but he felt great pleasure in performing the ceremony he had been called upon to do that day, and the erectiou of such substantial promises as thoao just begun showed the faith that the directors of that bank had in Gore. Without doubt tho town and district had a bright future in view, and he was fully satisfied tnat the dirootorß of that bank would be amply rewarded for their enterprise. Ho trusted the institution would prove mutually beneficial between its proprietors and the public generally.— (Applause.) The company then repaired to Mr J. K. Grant's Criterion Hotel, where a number of suitable toasts were proposed and responded to.