1876. JANUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2300, 31 March 1898, Page 32

1876. JANUARY.

17th. — Drowning of W. M'Court by boat acoident in harbour. 24th. Hughes v. Shand, breach of promise oaos. Olnim, £8000 ; damages, £750. 86th. — Opening of Normal School. Rector, Mr Fitsferald ; head master practical department, Mr Montgomery. Meeting to protest against ereotion of fever hospital on Town Belt. FEBRUARY. 4th. — Meeting at Roslyn to form municipality. 6th.— Death of Mr J. W. Robertson, Wakatipu, cetat W. 7th.— -Paper mill ereoted at Woodhaugh by Mr M'Glaihan. lßth.— Meeting of ratepayers Leith Ward, to protest ajainit construction of tramways. 14th. — Memorial to Dr Burns ereoted in First Ohuroh. 16th. —Establishment of fish-curing works by Coventry and Sons. 18th.— Suicide of Mr G. F. Reid. lttth. — Intercolonial cable landed at Nelson. Bind. — Australian cable open to public. 38rd. — Publication of first direct cable telegrams from Europe. 25th. — Strike of firemen and seamen against reduotion of wages. 28th. — Shocks of earthquake. 20th. — Presentation of £209 to Rev. Mr Bannerman, for expenses on a trip Home. MARCH. Bfd. — Opening Cromwell waterworks. oth. — Foundation stone laid of second Presbyterian Ohuroh, Invercargill. Wtli.— Appearance of Blondin at Kensington. Opening Good Templars' Hall, Blueskin. 17th.— Presentation to Ma}'or (Mr Walter) of memento of acquisition of gasworks by City. 18th. — Decided by 150 to 117 to open InveroargiH Athennum on Sundays. Blowing down of tent of Palace Circus, Southern Market Reserve. 20th.— Mr J. A. Cook admitted to the Bar. 21st.— Trial trip of s.s. Matau, built by Kincaid and M'Queen. Bazaar ia aid of Knox Church. Open five days; realised £2253 17s 7d. 24th. — Dunedin Cup— Pungawerewere 1, Right Bower 2, King Phillip 3. 97th.— Constable Vernon killed by train in Caversham tunnel. APRIL. 3rd.— Mr J. T. Thomson appointed Surveyor-general for the colony. 4th. — Visit of Messrs Gisborne, Seed, and Knowleo to acoartain state of Provincial departmental services. 7th.— Mr H. J. Webb admitted to the Bar. 10th.— Steam laundry established, Cumberland st. Demonstration at Balclutha (1 Ith ult.) to volunteer representatives, including Willocks, who won th» Champion Belt. 11th.— Resignation of Mr Halliwell, master Middle District School. APRIL. 12th. — Publication of Major Gordon's report to Harbour Board. Completion Mr Larnach's residence, " The Camp," Otago Peninsula. 20th. — Appearance of lima de Murska at Queen's Theatre. 21st, — Establishment of Working Men's Club. 28th. — First issue Oamaru Evening Mail. MAY. 2nd. — Mr G. E. Barton left Dunedin to settle in "Wellington. Waste Lands Board declined to sell large blocks of land, and thus embarrassed Provincial Government for funds. 3rd. — Alternative offer of Proudfoot and Smyth to effect harbour improvements for £686,000 and £«36,000. 4th. — Induction of Professor Salmond Bth. — Completion of new Princess Theatre on the ruins of the old one burned down. Opened by De Murska on the 10th. Foundation stone laid of "Otekaike" for Hon, R. Campbell. 9th. — Maori Hill proclaimed a borough. Election of mayor (22nd) : Mitchell 24, Church 18. 13th.— Coursing hares commenced in Southland — at Edendale. 16th.— Death, at Nelson, of Mr F. Simmons, formeily rector Hi^b School. 16th. — City Council fixed on Octagon as site for Town Hall, and affirmed desirability of having street tramways. 17th.— Mr D. Ross, architect, submitted to Harbour Board proposal to cut a canal to the ocean from th« harbour. 22nd. — Dr. Hulme resigned superintend*ncy of Hospital and Lunatic Asylum. 25th.— Carnival in Guthrie and Larnach's nev premises in Princes street in aid of Benevolent Instl tution. Result, with .subsidy of £ for £, about £33U0 Opening Oddfellows' Hall, Albany stieet. 26. — Operations re-commenced at Milton pottery under new company. JUNE. Ist.— Death of Dr Purdie, mtat 79. 3rd. — Mr J. N. Wood appointed R.M. {or Southland sth. — Lnion S S. Co, extend capital for purpos*' puroha ing MacMeeUan, BlacUwood & To.'s steamers. Railway carriages built l>y Findlay and Co. 13th.— Address by Mr Maoandrew to the members of the Provincial i :o'uncil.

17th. — Opening of Kaitangata branch railway and ooal pits. 2lßt.— City Council in considering new Municipal Corporations Bill, resolved to recommend privilege of franchise to female ratepayers. 24th. — Floods in Dunedin and suburbs. 28th. — Mr J. R. Clement, Oamaru, admitted to Bar. 30th, — Farewell presentation to Mr J. H. Pope, late a master Girls' High School. JULY. 1st — Mr P. T. Finn, Victoria, admitted to the bar. 3rd.— Mr Abraham Parrett inducted (23rd ult.) to Middle District School. sth. — Mr Peattie appointed a master Girls' High School. 17th — Mr George Bell, Evening Star, committed for trial for criminal libel on Catholics, by copying from Tuapeka Times statement that an ex-priest was about to be marucd to ex-Sister-of-Mercy. 18th.— Curlins> practised atclub's pond, Leith Valley, 2Md.— Mayoial election— C. S. Reeves 842, Woodland 842, Walter 453. The returning officer having no power to give a costing vote in this case proceedings had fco be announced de novo. 27th.— Southland Wa^te Lands Board constituted— Commissioner, W. H. Pearson ; Members, Denniston, Lumsden, Tosach, Wood, Major Richardson. AUGUST. 4th. — Second election of Mayor — Reeves 1433, Woodland 1329. 9th. — Butler arrested for burglaries at Bishop Moran's, Mrs Turton's, M r T. S. Graham's, &c. 15th.— Presentation to the Hon. W. H. Reynolds by citizens of silver service of plate, value £250, in recognition of 22 years' representative services, 19th.— Award by arbitration (£55,012 9s 8d) in favour of Mr Proudfoot re construction ol Western Railways. 23rd. — Sir Julius Vogel appointed Agent-general, position vacant by death of Dr Featherston. 25th.— -Departure of Mr J. T. Thomson (chief •urveyor) and family for Wellington. North Invercargill and East Invercargill proclaimed boroughs. 31st.— Presentation of gold watch, &c-, to Captain Tunbridge for saving crew of ketch Dagmar. SEPTEMBER. 6th. — Avenal proclaimed a borough. 12th.— Billiard exhibition by John Roberts at Temperance Hall. Played Nesbitt, giving 600 in 1000, and was beaten by 65. Roberts v. Weston (600), former won by 54. 18th.— Roberts v. Weston. Quickest game on record — Ihr2min — l2mm under the record. 27th. — Induction of Mr Cowie as Chinese missionary. 28th.— Large meeting at Princess Theatre (2000 present) to hear Messrs Macandrew and Stout on their vain oppositon to the abolition proposals. OCTOBER. 11th.— Visit of General Grant search party. 13th.— Visit of Mons. Carme, French billiard player. 18th.— Launch of steam dredge Vulcan. 2x a t, Mr P. Duncan admitted to the Bar. 27th'.— Opening of Ocean Beach railway. NuVKMBKK. Ist. — Post cards ca > c into use. Abolition of Provinces Act came in force. 3rd. — First exhibition Otago Society of Art. 6th.— Opening Oama ru and Moei aki railway. Bth. Otago Convention met in Provincial Counoil Hall ; 110 representatives present. Petition drawn up for presentation to the Queen, detailing injustices inflicted on the province. Sir George Grey and Mr Macaudrew appointed delegates to present petition, NOVEMBER. Bth. — New Knox Church opened. 10th.— Conference of Suburban Munioipal Councils re tramways and water supply. 14th. — Erection of municipal offices at Ootagon, at a oost of £7000, decided upon tjy City Counoil. 16th. — First meeting Otago Education Board under new act. Mr Macandrew, chairman 20th —Public meeting of sympathy with Bulgarian sufferers. Presentation to Warden Beetham at Queenstown. Deputation of unemployed to Hon. G. M'Lean, Minister for Customs. 23rd.— First drill Dunedin Naval cadets. 25th. — Opening Round Hill tunnel ; Toko-Lawrenoe railway. 27th.— Presentation to Rev. E. G. Penny. 29th. — Tapanui Courier issued. 30th.— Taieri A. and P. Show. Boundaries of counties gazetted. DECEMBER. 4th. — Loss of s.s. Otago, Captain Calder, on Chasland's Mistake. 7th. — -Attempted murder of Duddy at Invercargill. 10th. — Fire at Beissel's, Princes street. 11th. — Fire at Milton, Criterion Hotel. 12th.— Barque, William Ackers, lost on Waipapapa Point ; eignt lives lost. i*th. — Matau Bridge ovpr Clutha opened. 16th. — Nominations first County Councillors. 19th. — Present Otago A. and P. Association formed. Mr W. J. M. Larnach, president ; Messrs Menlove and Kitchen, vice-presidents. 27th.— Dr Hulme died, cetat 64. 30th. — Contract concluded with Mr Proudfoot (£89,250), for deepening channel to Kilgour's Point,