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Southland Times, Issue 2091, 24 March 1875, Page 2

Holiday.— Yesterday bjing the anniversary of the province of Olago, business in town was almost entirely suspended.

Thk Mail Steameeb. — By the arrival of the Alhambra at llokitika yesterday information was j receivod that the Omeo was to have left Melbourne on the 20th, and will be due at the Bluff on the 25th instant, and that the Otago will be due here on the Ist proximo — botli vessels being bound for Northern ports. The Alhambra will sail for Melbourne direct about the 31st inat. Accident. — A young married man, named Alfred Stevens, and employed on the Mataura railway, was received into the Hospital late on Monday evening. He was suffering with a shattered hand, caused by the explosion of a gun with which he had been out shooting. His wound has been duly attended to, and the wo:k of healing is progressing favorably under tbe care of Dr. Grigor. Accident at the Bluff,— An accident, fortunately not of a very serious nature, happened on board the ship E. P. Bouverie, on the morning of tbe 23rd inst. The third officer (Mr Pfltrie) was descending from the 'tweendeoks into the lower bold of the ship, when the ladder slipped, and he fell violently on the ballast in the hold to a depth of about ten feet. For some time lie remained in an insensible state, but we are happy to say that during; the day he showed j signs of recovery, and towards afternoon appeared a great deal easier. As far as was apparent no bones were broken, but Dr. Gfrigor was at once communicated with to render medical assistance. Me J. T. Thomson. — Tho telegraph gave us recent intimation that Mr J, T. Thomson had resigned his offioe of Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands for Otago, and that the occasion had been taken advantage of to prejent him with a handsome testimonial. We have heard it stated on good authority that Mr Thomson may possibly fix his future residence in Invercargill, with whose interest he is known to be closely associated. We have further heard the surmise that Mr Thomson might be induced to entor the field of polities, a position in which his great talents and wide experience would enable him to rentier eminent service to the colony. School Committee. — There was a special meeting of the lavercargill School Committee on Monday evening, when Mr D. Reid, provincial secretary, was present by invitation. Mr T. M. Mucdonald occupied the chair, and there were present besides, Messrs Mntheson, Lumsden, Cuthbort-oii, Craig, and Watson, Mr MacdonaU stated to Mr Reid the difficulty which the comuii.l.o h.ul in getting a satisfactory site for a school lit the north end of the town Would the Provincial Government be likely to endorse the action of the Municpul Council with regar i to its having sanctioned the appropriation of an acre of the Park Keserve for the purposes of a school site ? Mr Reid stated that the subject had been considered by the Education Board, who had agreed to await the recommendation of the committee. The site was a suitable one, and although opposed to reserves boing appropriated to purposes other than those for which they were specifically reserved, yet he thought that in a case like the present an exception might be made. At any rate if a site were to be bought its cost would be taken from the amount voted, and that would not leave much for building the school itself. Eventually it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Matheson, seconded by Mr Craig — That the Government be requested to call for tenders immediately for the erection of a District School on the acre of the Park Reserve sanctioned by the Corporation. Mr Reid then withdrew irom the meeting. The appointment of Miss Lucy Bain was confirme !, aud it was resolved, in accordance with the recommendation of the Head Master, to retain the services of Miss Emily Wentworth and Miss Thompson as pupil teachers. In response to a question submitted by the Head Master, it was decided that all recognised public holidays should also bo observed us holidays by tho school. Somo routine business having been duly attended to, the meeting dispersd. DROVTNIN& OF THREE MEN AT OfiEPUKI.— Our correspondent telegraphs from Riverton in the following terms, intimation of a melancholy disaster:— '• Mailman just arrived from Orepuiti, reports boat lost yesterday (Sunday). Three men drowned, names, William Niven, Peter Crow, und J. H. Memuhis. Bodies of the two former recovered, search being continued for the other one. No information at present to hand as to how accident occurred." We learn further that Mr Warden Wood was about to hold an mq.iost on i ho bodL-s recovered. The men left ! Orepuki on Saturday last in a whale boat for the purpose of having a day's iishiug on the Keef. Nut having returned by Sunday afternoon, memb rs of Crow's family went out on the search, an i found the bodies of Crow and Niven wus'ied ashore in a bay near the Pahia St.ition. Mveu's mother lives at Seaward Bush, and his brother, in-law is in the employment of Messrs Cochran and Biackwood, of this town. The Rakaia. — We hear tho Rakaia is progressing rapidly with her lo.idiug, njiwillutinding the unsettled weather and various impediments she has hud to contend wiih. Dumping operations have been vigorously carried on at the rate of 120 bales a day, and with another double press to arrive p:r Wunganui, it is calculated that nearly 200 biles u, day will be got through, a rate that, wo underdUud, has never been approached at this port. Part op a Building Blown Down.— The severe galo whieh swept over Invercargill on Monday morning blew down the eastern gable of Mr L. Kodgers's new brick premises in Dae street. This was ciused by no defjot in the architectural design of t!ie structure, but tint particular wall had been built to a height considerably 'above the level ef tho others, and the strong wind catching it, it topple.l over. The occurrence will not cause much extra trouble to the contractor. Concert. — We would remind our reader! that Mr Hautrie West's grand evening bjnofit concert takes place this evening in the Theatre Riyal. Mr West is to be assisted by the members of the Philharmonic Sjciety, and. a capifcil programme is promised. Matrimonial. — The Auckland correspondent of the Tuanebi Ttnii'S writes thus :— Notwith standing the great influx of immigrants, there is no diininu'iou in the denrmd lor female servants. One registry office want3 twenty-seven. The scarcity is attributed to the rapid absorption by marriage. The matrimonial agensy established here successfully effected several tender unions with cockatoo settlers. The Attorney-Generalship. — The Evening Star (Dune tin) has the following : — No appointments bave been male tj the Attorney-General-ship. Tbo Tribune says the office will likely remain vacant for a tim j — will probably not be filled up until after the meeting of Parliament, when it may perchance bo placed once more on a basis. This, however, is quite a moot point. Mr Reid will discharge tha duties of the office after the resignation of Mr Prendergast, which will be tendered in a few days. Killed. — A miner named David Macfarlane was kilied in a quartz mine at the Ttumes recently. A heavy piece of rock fell from the hanging wall and crushed his brains out. Southland Leioester3.— We learn, says the Bruce Herald, that Mr DavH.-on, of Tuturau, sold recently, on his way fro:n Southland, four Leicester rams at the respectable price of £10 each. Tlu anima's are a credit to the breeder, and wj hope to near of many others rearing stock which will command, equally satisfactory prices. Dunedin v. Wellington.— The Wellington I Tribune s tjs : — An intelligent commercial gent!:inan, from tho South, gives m hU opinion that the Dune lin merchants will either have to relinquish the trade of the North Island or get houses and representatives in Wellington. The Wellington merchants, ho fi x!?, have facilitios for supplying the storekeepers with goods that those of Dunedin cannot possibly obtain — harbor aci commodation beiig not Uie least of Wellington's 'advantages. I

Fttnebai. Refoem.— On this subject the Argu* writes : — The movement which was commenced, and, we hope, is being persevered in, By the inhabitants of South Australia for a reformation of the costly, barbarous, and irrational funeral customs which we have imported into these colonies from the old world, ii attracting attention both in England and the United States. It was commented upon with warm approval by the New York Tribune, in the latter country ; and the procßodings in the Town Hall at Adelaide are described in the Pull Mall G-azette>. .which ob?erves that there is everywhere a general admission of the necessity for, funeral reform. Indeed, it would be an interesting subject of enquiry to ascertain how much money has been wasted in this city alono during the late sickly season, upon ceremonials and costumes which could not possibly benefit the dead, and which, in many instances, must have seriously impoverished the living. As to the hot, oumbrous, and unhealthy mourning, which people wear in obedience to tyrannioal custom, it was something not to be spoken of in .even temperate language when the thermometer was marking three figures. The disfigurement which most people undergo when clothed with " customary suits of solemn I black "is probably a relic of savagery. Instead of cutting and gashing ourselves when we lose a relative, as many uncivilised race3 do, we effect a sort of compromise. We put on the gloomiest and ugliest garb which human ingenuity has yet succeeded in devisingj; and we endure the discomfort and tho uns'g nt li nesS °^ tue disguise with a desperate resignation, because it is an ancient usage. There ci'i be no possible connection betwoen the sentiment in our minds and the color and material of the clothes upon our backs ; but these are regulated for us by that mysterious entity called society 5 and the " outward shows of grief" are also graduated by a scale of relationship to the deoeased, and not by his or her personal qualities, and by the hold which these had obtained upon our affectioD or regard. The whole system is so preposterously unreasonable that we may exclaim with Hamlet, " 0, reform it altogether." A Fobttjnate Man. — The Wellington correspondent of the Dunedin Evening Star writes : — Truly Dr Buller has turned his capital of birding to good account. A long leave of absence, on salary obtained under circumstances which were made the subject of Parliamentary inquiry, resulting in peremptory instructions (of course disregarded) to the Agent-General to no longer employ him as secretary ; a grant of £300 of public money towards an ornithological monstrosity already referred to ; a course of Temple dinners undergone while nominally actingsecretary to Dr Featherston and drawing a liberal salary ; a doctor's diploma in philology j a foreign decoration ; and now the companion Bhip of a noble English order— ill these has Dr Buller plucked from the simple birds of the Colony." The Kennedys.— The friends of this clever family will be interestel to learn that after a very successful season in Tasmania they are now playing to good business in Adelaide, en route for Scotland. Wellington.— The Wellington correspondent of a contemporary writes : — Our Provincial Council meets nest month, and few Superintendents have ever had a more pleasing tale to tell their Councils than Mr Fitzherbert will have on this occasion. The land revenue, which it was thought Mr Bunny was very extravagant in estimating at £75,000, including scrip, has already, in eleven months, realised £78,000 in cash, and about £10,000 in scrip, and every work for which a vote was taken last session has either been carried out, or will be under contract, before the Council meets. There will also be a very nice little balance to carry forward to the credit of next year. Under these circumstances it is difficult to see what the Council can have to find fault about, but still there is little doubt that Messrs Pliarazyn, Andrew, and Hutchison will find fault with Mr Bunuy and his administration, but they aro not likely to find much following. The late Joe Small.— The Sydney Town and Country Journal, writing on the death, of the Unfortunate Man, says the deceased gentleman had a ioreboding that his end wtia nigh, for he wrote parting letters to his wife, and a triend, and a legal adviser iu Wellington.