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South Canterbury Times, Issue 6751, 4 February 1892, Page 3

The Board of Education, being dissatisfied with the results of painting eobool buildings by contract, have determined to try the experiment of purchasing the materials themselves, and authorising the committees to employ the necessary labour. The agenda paper submitted to the Board of Education this morning was the shortest on record, as it contained only five items, to which one or two more were added, and the meeting lasted only an hour.

Some visitors tu the voioanio regions state that Ngatuabce, the cr»ler of Tongariro, is very active just now. The mountain is quite hot, and large tongues of flame are visible from the summit.

Mr EL G. Bristol, son of Mr S. A. Bristol of Kingsdown, died this morning. Deceased was a popular young man and much regret is felt at his death. Wo understand that be fell a victim to influenza, complicated with typhoid.

By »n accident the advertisement of the Juvenile Templars Picnic Concert inserted yesterday stated that the concert was to be hold last evening. It is this evening. We hope no one was inconvenienced by the mistake.

Ihe Timaru Sifles Are for Captain Jowsey’a trophy tc-morrow (Friday), at 5.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. The conditions of the match are : 5 shots at 2CO, 300, and 500 yds, standing at 200, kneeling at 300, and any position at 500. Ammunition on the range. The Taranaki Herald declares that, in spite of Professor Thomas’s “ exposure" of the nonsensical nature of Chew Chong’s needle cure for influenza it does cure, and asks the professor to explain how it is that in no instance as yet has it failed.

In a conversation at the Board of Education to-day on painting,'the chairman said the architect told him that a quantity of bad oq had been imported, and the use of it had been unsatiefsetory in all cases. Mr Storey said he was aware of this from his own oxpeiience. Be had some painting done, the tradesman paid the highest price for the oil used,and the painting was a great disappointment. —ls there no manageable test for the genuineness of paint oils ?

Mr T. Mackenzie asks : Who, think you, pays the Property Tax ? And he replies: We have in this colony a population of 630.000 people, and out of that number 29.000 pay the Property Tax. I went to considerable trouble trying to discover the proportion people paid. Out of the number mentioned 10,069 people pay an average of 15s 6d each. That surely is not a heavy tax. Then there are 4900 who pay about fi2 7s each, and 5500 who pay about £5 10s eaeh That accounts for 20,000 out of the 27,000 people who pay the Property Tax, and they only pay about £50,000 out of the £300,000 of the lax. As a matter of fact the bulk of the Property Tax is paid by about 2000 people, and I happen to bo one of thorn, and as ono of them I say that the Property Tax is not a hard and oppressive tax.

M. Nossiloff, a Russian savant, who had already carried his enthusiasm for science so far as to winter for two seasons on Novaia Bemlia, has just returned from his third year on that dreariest portion of the more accessible Arctic regions. Up to November 1890, the sea was not frozen, aud except in the shallower bays it remained open until well into early spring. was the more remarkable in so far that the winter was unusually stormy. But the high temperature was fatal to animal life. Bain fell in torrents, so that the country was covered with a coating of ice, and the reindeer, unable to break through the snow in search of lichens, died of hunger. Hundreds of seals were frozen into the sea ice, and dead fish were thrown up in heaps on the shore.

Volunteers may be interested to leara (hat Biobard Morris, inventor of the “ Morris tube,’’ committed suicide on Deo. 16th by shooting himielf. He was in a depressed state through financial difficulties. The Bruce Herald has been informed that a rich deposit of silver ore has been turned up within a few miles of Milton. The discoverers are naturally rather reticent, and do not care to give away a good thing. The ore has, however, been submitted to a competent analyst, who pronounces it genuine, good, and pay. able.

The heat and sultriness of yesterday had quite disappeared this morning, washed out and blown away by a wet souther. The change appears to have occurred just before daylight when a thunderstorm with very heavy rain awoke most people. The rain if it was general will stop grain carting for a day or two. The occurrence of thunder and lightning on the lowlands during the early morning is a great rarity.

Tho Amy Vaughan Burlesque and Pantomine Company have “ oaught on ” in Dunedin tor since opening there they have been greeted by crowded houses. According to the Press the burlesques are elaborately staged and the costumes magnificent. Mr Max Rinklo the clown, has scored a great success by his contortions and witty sayings. Mr Harry Cowan, the harlequin and comedian, is spoken of in the highest praise. Miss Amy Vaughan who takes tho leading parts in the burlesques and harlequinade, has always been a great favouri'e. The musical part of the company is also very strong. In faot the whole company appears 'o consist of performers of great ability. The company’s season here will only be a short one opening on Monday and Tuesday next in the Theatre Royal. On Monday night the nautical burlesque “ Little Bill,” will be staged, and ou Tuesday “ Little Monte Christo,” in combination with a gorgeous spectacular pantomine. Ihe transformation scenery carried by the company is said to be beautiful, so that all those who wish to see good burlesques and pantomines will patronise this one.

Ask your grocer for Hyslop’s Pure Ceylon Tea in lead packets ; there is nothing to equal it.— [Adtt ]