South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1895. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 8132, 16 January 1895, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1895. NEWS OF THE DAY.

A subscriber has kindly sent us an extract from a Queensland paper, containing news of the death at the end of December last of Mr W. Williamson, resident engineer at Tenterfield. Mr Williamson’s death was very sudden. He was in Tenterfield early in the morning, transacted some business, and not feeling well was driven home. On arrival at his house he laid down on the sofa and almost instantly expired. News of his death caused widespread regret, for he was greatly liked and highly esteemed by all. Mr Williamson was at one time in the army, serving with distinction in India and in New Zealand. He was well-known throughout Canterbury, and many of his old friends will hear of his death with deep regret. The friends of the late Captain Mills, at one time harbourmaster at Timaru, will learn with regret that his third son, Robert Ernest, died at an early hour yesterday morning at the house of Mr John Thomson, LeCren’s Terrace. At the early age of 18 years, the deceased fell a victim to consumption. He was always fond of the sea, and chose the life of a seaman on H.M.S. Orlando. He fell ill a good while ago, and came to Timaru to reside with his friends, Mr and Mrs Thomson, thinking that change and quiet would restore him to health. Despite the best of care and attention by his doctor and Mrs Thomson, however, he gradually fell away, the end coming peacefully at the last. Seaman Mills will be buried with military honours on Thursday, at the hands of his late comrades in Her Majesty’s service, the Timaru Naval Artillery.

The annual business meeting of the Washdyke Trotting Club was held last evening. There was a good attendance of members, and the vice-president (C. E. Thomas) occupied the chair. The report and balance sheet as presented by the secretary, Mr O. Haukeland, showing that the club had had a very satisfactory year, were presented and duly adopted. Several new members were elected, and officers and stewards for the coming year were unanimously chosen. It was resolved to hold the next Trotting meeting on March 14th (St, Patrick’s Day falling on a Sunday, necessitating this change), and a programme of six events, very similar to that of last year, was agreed to. It was decided that at the annual race meeting in March, 1896, an event be included in the programme, restricted to the progeny of the standard bred trotting sire Berlin, for horses 6 years old and under; the stakes to be 15 sovs, with a prize of 5 sovs added for second horse (given by the president of the club, Mr J. King). The meeting closed with a cordial vote of thanks to the chairman, and the confident hope was expressed by members that the March meeting would be a first class one.