THE COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1764, 12 September 1885, Page 13

THE COUNTRY.

Telephonic communication will shortly be established between Milton and Lovell's Flat.

At the adjourned meeting of the residents of Palmerston it was resolved to continue boring operations for coal, and a committee was appointed to raise money for "that object. The Lake Wakatip Mail states that Colonel C. B. Morris, late in the Indian Army, has purchased Thurlby Domain, the residence of the late Mr Arndt, and intends settling down there with his family.

The Gazette notifies the appointment of Messrs J. C. Cowan and S. H. Turton as trus- 1 tees for the Cromwell racecourse. The services of the Cromwell School Cadet Corps have been accepted.

The Bank of New Zealand have accepted the tender of Mr King, of Dunedin, for the erection of their Lawrence branch building at the corner of Ross place and Lancaster street. The building will be of brick, and the Tuapeka Times states that the amount of the tender is £1700.

According to the Tuapeka Times, the following changes among the teachers of that district will take place' shortly : — Mr Pope, of Wetherstones, goes to Pukeuri ; Mr Patrick, of Mount Stuart, to Taieri Ferry; Miss Bennett, of Tapanui, to Roslyn ; aud Mr John Wilson, of the Normal School, to Warepa.

A four-roomed house at Hampden, owned and occupied by John White, was destroyed by fire on the evening of /Wednesday last. It is supposed (says the North Otago Times) that a piece of wood rolled off the oven on to the floor, and thus caused the fire. Nothing was saved. The house and furniture were insured in the National office for the sum of £150, but their value •was somewhat more than this amount. Mrs White stated to the police that she had left about £20 in sovereigns and half-sovereigns in the house, and a search was made amongst the refuse, with the result that £15 of the amount was recovered.

A meeting of representatives from the various societies intending to take part in the demonstration to be held at Mosgiel on the 18th ■was held at Vannini's Hotel on Monday, when a long discussion took place as to the question of precedence raised by the School Committee having decided to alter the programme as origiMally arranged. A motion was carried that the delegates present agree to take part in the procession if the programme as arranged on the 2nd be carried out. From the opinions expressed the general opinion appeared to be that if the ■order were altered most of the societies would refrain from taking any part in the ceremony. A newly-erected five-roomed wooden dwelling belonging to [Mr Thomas Roughan, at Waitahuna West (run No. 106)', was totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday last. Mrs Roughan (writes our Lawrence correspondent) states that, proceeding outside after putting some wood on the fire, she looked round after a short absence and saw the house in flames. She at once rushed to the house and got out her five children and a sewing machine, the machine being the only article of furniture that she could save. Mr Roughan, who is a bootmaker, was at the Blue Spur, working at his trade, when it occurred. He was uninsured, and estimates his loss at £250. It will be a very heavy loss for the poor man, who has been working very hard to make a home for his family.

Our Palmerston correspondent writes : — I have to record a nasty accident which Mr Dan O'Kane, waggoner, sustained last Thursday, whereby his leg was badly broken just below the knee. It appears that whilst unyoking his team at Waihemo, a mare, which was previously considered a very quiet beast, suddenly let out, and injured Mr O'Kane as above stated. Mr F. D. Bell, of Shag Valley Station, upon hearing of the accident, with commendable promptitude conveyed the sufferer to Palmerstou in his buggy, where Mr Q'Kane's family reside. Dr Brown was soon in attendance, but inflammation having set in, it has not been possible to set the broken limb up to the present. We have received several letters from Kaitangata commenting on an attempt that has recently been made by the Kaitangata Railway aud Coal Company to induce the miners in their employ to avail themselves of the benefits offered by one of the accident insurance companies. Our correspondents assert that the miners are by no means uuauimous in the matter, a number of them objecting to the expense they would have to incur, especially as they have a society of their own, which makes provision against sickness and accidents. Two of the letters are from miners, who complain of the objectionable manner in which they were met by the agent of the Accident Company and of the mine manager during the course of an interview with the men, when the latter objected to the proposals laid before them.