MILTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2263, 15 July 1897, Page 30

MILTON.

July 12.— 1 have been waiting for something excitiDE to happen, and now I can break silence with justification. The fact is the Milton Athenaeum Committee is rent by dissension, and even with tfye annual meeting looming close before them the members steadfastly refuse to be reconciled. It happened this vray. The books being cramped for want pf space, the matter was brought up and discussed exhaustively by the committee. Now, there are two sections iv the committee, the one an old-fogey party who out of sheer laziness will not change the cuEtoms of their forefathers ; the other, a new element, and, what is particularly repugnant to the feelings of some Miltonitee, progressive. The old fogeys had an old idea, and the progressionists a new one, and after a great deal of discussion and argument the common tense of the new idea carried the day. This was a crushing blow for the old folks, and in despair a certain one of them brought forward a real new plan and t-ucceeded in getting a special meeting called to consider it. The real new plan was a suggestion of the progressionists which, being a progressionist suggestion, was cast aside by the old folks as infra, dig. to consider it. So the special meeting was held, and the oldfolka said their plan was the better for the simple reason — '^Because." The new folks said it was not for many solid reasons which I cannot here relate. The old fogeys called the progressionists names, and the progressionists pocketed the insult and congratulated themselves that they were born in better times. There was lightning and thunder in the air for some time, until the old fogeys and the "progressionists stopped. Then, mirabile dictu, the real new plan was adopted by the medium of several oscillating opinions; and it was agreed that tendets be ealjeji for the work— which was done. The progressionists still progress, however, and by reason of their efforts a meeting of subscribers will be held to consider the whole matter. While the matter is in abeyanqe the tender of Mr Hollick has been accepted for the alterations according to the real new plan, and the work will probably be far advanced before the meeting. Accident. — A boy named -Pettigrew had two fingers completely severed from his left hand on Monday last at Manuka Creek. He was digging out a hedge with a spade, when a friend, who was v/orkicg on the other side, let his adze go through the fence, with the above-mentioned disastrous results. M.I.S.— At the fortnightly meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society on Wednesday last Mr A. E; Stewart read a very able paper on " Commercial Expansion During the Victorian Reign." . The subject matter of the paper was afterwards discussed by those present, and a hearty vote of thanks accorded to the enthusiastic secretary for his trouble in preparing it. Farming.— Ploughing is very far advanced in Tokomairiro, and has been carried on almost without interruption of any kind, although the farmers complain of the hardness of the ground owing to the absence of rain during the -wiuter. Amusements.— Fuller's Myriorama will be here to-night, and on J this account various local amusements have been postponed. , St. John's Club holds a musical evening, however, and there is every likelihood of it being very successful. A footbalL mutch between Milton and Lawrence is being arranged for Saturday, and the .High •School will probablygo to Port Chalmers to play i the Port School. j