COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 35

COUNTRY.

(Continued from Page 30). ST. B.iTHANS. December 11. — The trionnal general election bit of excitement has come and gone. It is .needless to say tlmt the results hay been a surprise and shock to many. ■ I rf.ievc the general feeling to have been that the Hon. Mr Seddoil would be returned to place and power, but not many would have crdited the overwhelming majority he ha 3 carried with him. Some of tha defeated candidates were worthy of a better fate, and their defeat is looked " upon as a calamity. "We country people have had occasion to look upon Dunedin as a fickle constituency, and the late elections confirms our opinions on this point. The city has in some instances had some good and able men to represent her in Parliament, but the electors have failed to see it, they having in turn set aside Messrs Green, Stout, Allen, Mackenie, and Sligo. Local Option. — The local option vote was taken here on v> the 6th, with the following result: Continuance 2, reduction 2, no license - 22. The electors complain, and they have good ground for complaint, of the secrecy of the ballot being interfered with by the action of the Liberty League advising all persons who did not wish prohibition to be carried tc stay away from the poll. Before xnaking comments on the vote it will be well tc wait until the official returns of the colony are to hand, when a comparison can be made of the satisfied and dissatisfied on the present licensing sys,tem. Bazaar. — A bazaai and social on the day of election took away to a great extent the antagonistic . feeling that generally prevails at elections. The bazaar .-\as in aid of the Pres--byterlan 'Church and the whole proceedings of both bazaar and social turned out to be an imjnense success, reflecting great credit on the ladies who carried out the management of the .affair. The Rev. Mi Gellie opened the bazaar with a brief and appropriate address. The same gentleman closed the social at midnight, eulogising the ladies for their indefatigable energy in making the bazaar the great success it had turned out to be. On eafcgjiflg ike h»U tlie first attraction, was a

side show containing a graphophone under the control of Miss Eagle. Sweet and melodious were the strains that came from this wonderful piece of mechanism. On entering the hall proper the eye caught on to the stalls on one side and the refreshment table on the other, both being beautifully decorated and laid out with great skill and taste. At the entrance was the confectionery stall, presided over by Misses Baion and Elliott; then followed Mrs Eagle anl Miss J. Elliott, wearing apparel; "and in rotation came Mrs Armour, fancy goods, and Misses Beattie and Renwick, underclothing. A large Christmas tree came under the supervision of Misses J. Renwick and E. Waterston. Tin tree was beautifully illuminated with wax tapers, imparting to it a gay appearance with its huiidred and sixty prizes hanging to the branches. A bran dip, which caused great amusement, was under the control of Misses L. Excell and Eagle. " The shooting gallery wa3 fairly patronised during the evening, and wis presided over by Messrs Stenhouse and Keddel. Misses Wilkinson, E. Renwick, J. Waterston, and M. Elliott filled the roll of flower girls, and judging by the numbers of bouquets worn by members of both sexes present, I should say that the flower girls must have done a good and profitable trade. The refreshment tables were abundantly provided with chickenhain sandwiches, cakes, and pastry of every description. Miss'Waterston had the tables under her* supervision, and was ably waited -upon by Misses Todd, Brown, and Wade. Mesdames Armour, Eagle, Elliott, Holt, M'Connochie, and Stenhouse were the leading light? in the management from start to finish. Mesdames Eagle and Holt filled the roles of secretary and treasurer I have learned that the treasurer has in hand to the credit of the guild £51. Public School. — A committet meeting was held on Saturday evening, the business being to vote for a member of the Education Board and to fix on the date of the Christmas vacation. For the former the vote was given to Mr Alex Kyle, and the vacation takes place today for one month. Owing to the prevailing sickness lingering so long hero the examination of the school has been postponed until March. BACK 1 . December 11. — Tho electioneering campaign is over/ and the bustlo and excitement attendant on the choosing of a parliamentary, wpresentative is at an end. Mr M'Nab is again returned for this electorate by a small majority. He paid us a visit shortly before polling day, arriving at noon; but he surely might have devoted an evening to initiate us into the mysteries of good government and put us on our guard against the " voice of the charmer, charm he ever so wisely." School. — Settlers have now cause to congratulate themselves on having a school in the district, that much-needed institution having until recently been conspicuous by its absence ; and the young idea, whose educational course has been so much neglected, will now have to relinquish many of its natural acquirements in favour of some more conducive to its future well-being. The young colonial, especially of the male persuasion, when left to his own resources soon develops a thirst for knowledge ; but it is knowledge of a different character from that imparted in the schoolroom. , Concert.— A concert and dance was lately held in aid of the school funds, and though the weather was very unfavourable there was a good attendance, and a very enjoyable evening -was ( spent.