Untitled

Southland Times, Issue 1795, 19 September 1873, Page 2

It was announced in our last issue that tbe favorite coasting steamer, Storm Bird, bad been purchased by a Wellington firm. We have been , informed by the agent here that the s.s. Wan* ganui, a much larger boat, is to take the place of the Storm Bird in the trade between Dunedin and the Bluff. We would remind those who intend to apply ' for shares in the National Insurance Company that their applications must be lodged on or before Monday next. We understand that a 1 considerable number of shares have been already applied for in Inrercargill. The Australasian Sketcher for this month con* tains some well-executed pictures. There is a 1 capital view of the Wairau Gorge, Nelson, and an engraving of the wreck of the s.s. Rangitoto, . with a representation of the dismasted ship Dallam Tower. Tlio Mayor's fancy dress ball, 1 which came off recently ia Melbourne, is also the subject of a very good picture, besides several others of equal merit. The Committee of the Horticultural Society met on Wednesday, 17th inst., at Colyer's Princess Hotel, the business being chiefly to settle the L preliminaries of the forthcoming exhibition. The report of a sub-committee on the presentation of a prize-list was, with some alterations adopted, and it was resolve 1 as a new feature in the Society's operations to offer a prize for the bast kept amateur garden, jellies and jams, four varieties, and a prize also for the best Provincialmade wine one year old, — competitors for the best kept garden to notify to the Secretary their intention to compete up to Ist November. ' The Waste Lands Board met on Tuesday, 16th inst., when the Chief Commissioner and Messrs M'Culloch and Baker wtre present. Mr Pratt's application for lease of section 20, block 5, of Winton hundred, for lime quarrying, deferred , from 12th inst., was considered and granted, " subject to certain stipulated conditions. An i application by letter from Messrs Escott and others, for reduction of survey fees on application for lease under mineral regulations, was considered, and resolution passed that it could not > be entertained. At the meeting of the Municipal Council last evening, His Worship the Mayor and all the Councillors, with the exception of Councillor Mitchell, were present. The minutes of a special meeting of the Council, at which it had been agreed to borrow a further sum of £3500, were confirmed. The application ot Mr Tulloch for an amusement license for the Exchange Hall was referred to the Surveyor for his report as to the building. The tender of Messrs Pragg and Carter for ditching was accepted at £16 18s 6d. Several small sums were ordered to be paid, and : the report of the Surveyor relating to work in Spey-Btreot, was referred to the Public Works Conmittee. A letter having been received from ' Mr Genever (Gas Engineer) relative to the fixing of the site for the works, the Council resolved in favor of the site recommended by the Gas Committee, upon the Esplanade, its southern boundary being the northern boundary of Spey street with the railway line for its eastern boundary. Councillor Garthwaite moved and Councillor Goodwillie seconded a proposal that the inhabitants be required to perform the kerbing of the footpaths in front of their respective premise? at their own cost. The motion was loßt. Our Riverton correspondent, writing on the 17th inst., says : — The Maories have just returned from their annual sealing cruise. One boat brings 424 skins. The Mary was wrecked on the 22nd of July on a reef at Twothumb Bay. There were three hands aboard at the time, two of whom were successful in reaching the mainland, the other, Henry Paramatta, being drowned. Deceased was a fine-looking good-tempered man, and bore the character of being a brave boatman. It seems that for the first four or five days after leaving this port, the Mary was successful in * obtaining a considerable number of skins, many of which were lest at the time of the wreck. The crew returned here in their small open boat, bringing 226 skins. Since the loss of their craft they have done nothing in the way of sealing. 1 Mr Menzies has brought into town a fine sample of white Btone, of which he proposes building a house od his property, near the Otautau. The stone is cut into slabs or squares with a saw, and Mr Menzies says it contains a large percentage of lime. A splendid sample of free- ' stone, said to be much harder than the Oamaru stone, has also been found by the same gentle- , man ; and in the same locality it is said that a t large deposit of lignite exists. Some of the ( stone seen by Mr Menzies is said to be well ■ adapted for chimney pieces, &c. As the line of railway, as surveyed, goes through the ground ; where these minerals are to be found, their deI i velopment will await its completion. Last year • a numerously- signed petition was sent to His i Honor the Superintendent, through T. Daniel, \ Esq., requesting that our harbor should be placed ! under the control of Capt. W. Thomson, Chief i Harbor Master. The prayer of the petition was

then granted ; but Borne people here begin to ! think that this arrangement must hare been altered, and they are inquisitive enough to ask by whose authority the alteration was made. An inquiry into the beaching of the steamer Lady of the Lake was held at Timaru on the 13th inst., under " The Wrecks Act, 1869." before A. Hart, Esq., of H.M.s Customs, and Capt. Scott, Nautical Assessor. After hearing evidence, the j following decision was arrived at : — " The Court j considers that the steamer Lady of the Lake was run ashore to prevent her foundering, that all precautions were taken to save the vessel, and that the master acted judiciously in beaching her where he did." It is said that the Auckland cricketers meditate a general coup d'armes against the Southern Provinces this next season, and that the gauntlet has already been thrown down to Christchurch. The Wanganui Herald states that the Natives, not far from Taupo, are in possession of a horse with six legs, all of them well-shaped limbs. A seal has been killed on a rock at White Cliffs, Taranaki. The extreme length of it was 4ft. lin., and it measured lft. llin. round the largest part of the body. Writing of the weather recently experienced there, the Timaru Herald of the 13th inst. says : i — After a spell of most lovely weather succeeding the south-easter which caused the wrecks on our coaßt, this district has been visited with one of the heavy south-westers, peculiar to the early days of settlement, though lasting longer than the orthodox period of three days. On Sunday night last the gale commenced and continued with little intermission till yesterday afternoon, when the weather showed signs of clearing. Deluges of rain accompanied the storm, which had the effect of flooding every creek and river throughout the district, stopping or impeding traffic generally. In looking back we cannot find a record of such continuous bad weather for some little time ; but though bad on shore, it must have been tenfold worse at sea, judging from the unusually heavy breakers rolling in. Those who first moved towards obtaining a gas service for l^lson (says the Colonist) and 'ound that the Government desired to take the matter ia its own hands, will not be likely to admit that any considerable succoss has attended the attempt, indeed, they will most probably assert that another instance has been furnished of how much bettor these thing 9 are managed by private companies than through the interventian of Governments. After very considerable delay ; after the tearing up of roads and their being left in an unsafe condition for weeks longer than would have been tolerated from any private com* pany ; after contractors have been subjected to vexations and serious delay ; now that the dangerous abysses in our roads are beginning to be filled in, and our expectations aroused to looking for the completion, we hear, but can scarce credit the report, that the '' Government stroke" will again supervene, and that a very considerable delay will once more occur before the benefit of gas for the city, for which the money was borrowed so long ngo, will really be placed at the disposal of our shopkeeper* and residents. We would direct attention to the entertainment to be given to-morrow evening, in the Exchange Hall, by Miss Fanny Sara and Mr Fred Clifton.