OMNIUM GAHERUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 2

OMNIUM GAHERUM.

Dr Thomas, the new conductor of the Auckland Choral Society and lecturer in music, ha? armed from London by the s.s. Kumava.

Oipiain Hayhurst has received" woid that he is not required to return to South Afrku at present, but has to wait iurlher instructions. F,rom Greymouth labt week the Blackball Coal Company exported 1537 tons 7cv/t coa!, and the Brurmer (Jompany 2143 tons Bcwt coal, 44 tons 17owt coke, and 9 tons 15cwt Dr~Walter Hislop, son of the Hon. T. W. Hislop, Las returned to New Zealand after a successful university career at Home. Dr Hislop has not yet decided where he will establish a. practice. The steamer Kumara went as far as 48deg south in crossing the Southern Ocean on her way to Auckland from the Cape, and her passengers had some , snowballing on deck. A large iceberg was' seen. The pleasure of refereeing a football match : A constable had to diaw his revolver to prevent the onlookers at a football match at Camberwell (Victoria) from seriously injuring the referee in charge of the game. An inquest was held ab Oamaru on Wednesday on the" body of Robert Edwards, who was found lying dead in his hut that morning, when a verdict was returned that the deceased * committed suicide while of unsound mind. The corner's inquiry into the Yaa Yean, tragedy, which culminated in the death of a young- girl named Normoyle and a young man.'named Gordon, a verdict was returned- that Gordon murdered the girl and then committed suicide. Mr H. C. Jones, who has been appointed head- master of -the. Stirling School, leceived from the Union streafc School Committee a resolution expressive of their high appreciation of hi? services as temporary first assistant in their school. There were seven bankruptcies in the colony last weak — a flaxmiller at Rongotea. a baker at Wellington, a grain merchant at Blenheim, a miner at Black's Point, an accountant at Trevorton, a bootmsker at Mornington, and a labourer at*Winton. The iiiany friends of the Rev. R. J. Porter will be glad to leara (fpvs the Oamaru Mail) that his health has greatly improved, and he will be able to resume his ministry after a retirement which may be a little lopger than was pre-, iously anticipated. A plea-ing function took place at Hampden on Tuesday afternoon, when the Union Jack was unfurled at the local school. Several appropriate speeches were made, and after the flag had been unfurled the children marched pa.it and saluted it. Mr J. C. Somerville was the recipient of a handsome marble clock last -week from the Puerua Presbyierian congregation for services rendered as choirmaster. The clock bore a suitable inscription. Mrs Somerville was also presented with a nice travelling rug. A Palmerston North hotelkeeper, who was brought up on a charge of having supplied a prohibited person with liquor, gave as an excuse that there were so many -prohibited persons in Palmerston North that it was 1 difficult to know them all. He got the benefit of the doubt. A terrible burning accident occurred at Taradalc (Victoria) on September 16. Mrs Wells ■cains down stairs in a- flannelette wrapper with a kerosene lamp to answer a knock at the daor.' The lamp exploded, and set fird to her wrapper. She was severely burned about the upper portion of her body, and died in great agony the next day. Mrs Wells's husband was in Melbourne at the time of the accident. News has been received at Perth of an important discovery at the Collie coalfields. A bore was put down some distaiiee from where mining opei-ations are going on, and at a depth of 543 ft it passed through a, seam, of coal 17fc thick, the quality being vastly superior to that now being raised. coal is said to resemble Newcastle (New South Wales) coal. An analysis is being made. „ A correspondent informs the North Otago. Times that a social was held at Dunback on Tuesday evening, prior to the departure of the Rev. W. Panton Brown, who has been in charge of the parish for upwards of three years. The occasion was marked by the presentation to the Rev. Mr and Mrs Brown of a substantial purse of sovereigns as a token of the esteem in which they are held by the residents of Dunback and district. On Satxu-day last a few personal friends of Mrs D. M. Findlay, of Palmerston, formed a surprise party for the purpose of making, her a presentation prior to her departure for Dunedin, as a token of esteem and respect, and in recognition of the many services she has rendered, musically and socially, during her residence there. Mr Mayor (Mr J. 0. Gow),mpde the presentation, which consisted of a purse of sovereigns, and referred to Mrs Pindlay's many good qualities and the regret felt at her departure. He asked her to devote the contents of .the purse to the purchase of some articles which would remind her of the friends s4e was leaving in Palmerston. The Lake Wakatipu Mail states that Mr Whitcombe, district traffic manager at In-vercai-gill, paid a flying visit to Queerstown on Tuesday last to confer with Captain Wing, manager of the L.W.S. Co.. regarding final arrangements for the altei-ation in the tram service between Dunedin and Kingston. It is probable that the departure from Quesnstown will be half an hour later in the morninjr. and the train will arrive at Kingston half an hour earlier at night. The Railway department is (our contemporary understands) also arranging foi return tickets from Dunedin to Queenstown. and back at cheaper rates than hithprto : return tickets from Dunedin to Lake Wanoka, via Queenstown, and back ; and tickets will be issued from Dunedin, via Queenstown. and through Central Otago. Thess concessions should bring a great many more tourists to the place next summer. They will be brought into force about the beginning of November or December. The North Otago Times is informed that Mr George Sutherland, who left Oamaru some four years fgo for South America, has lately bought a one-third share of the Guor-aike Esiancia, one of ihe largest aiid finest properties in Southern Argentina. The E&tancia, which is situated at the head of Gallegos Bay. and 16 miles from the port, comprises 20 square leagues of freehold land (equal to 134.000 acres), is ring fenced, with buildings and other improvement? valued at - over £5000. At present there are 30,000 sheep, 150 tamo horses, bullocks, etc.. on the properly. Mr Sutherland, who has been managing the Eslaneia for the last thre9 years, havmer given his owners so much satisfaction in worlds! e the plrce. they sold him the third part in November last, with shares in last year's clip and profit". A New Zealand syndicate were trying lu^buy this property some time ago, bat could not come to terms with the owners, who wanted J340,000 for the property. Since that time freehold land in South Argentina has risen 40 per cent, in valiia.