RIVERTON.

Southland Times, Issue 2247, 27 December 1875, Page 3

RIVERTON.

(from our own correspondent.) 23rd December. It is all but certain that the already long list of deaths by drowning in these waters, during the past few yrars, has still further to be augmented, by thbdißMpptarauceof Mr Charles Smith, a gentleman well known in Dunedin as a contributor to one or more of the leading papers in that city, ;ind also as having bren at one tune Clerk to the Provincial Council there. It uppesw that on Tuesday morning; last b'tw-en 7 and 8 o'clock, Mr Smith left Mr Galloway's house, where he had h.-en staying the previous night, pro-niainjj to return by 9 o'clock to bre.ikfiist. Not however putting in an npiie.wance until 11 o'clock, Mr Galloway concluded that probably he had falien in with some acquaintance. Later on in the day, however, enquiries were instituted by Mr Galloway, when a resident of South River. on stated he had seen the unfortunate gentleman proceeding towards the flagstaff about noon- No further in formal ion could be obtained as to his whereabouts until the evening, when his clothes were discovered upon the bank of the river, some few hundrtd yards trom its mouth, by Mr Samuel Macdonald, who immediately reported tbe fact to the police. Little doubt "*" therefore can exist as to the poor fello.v'a fate. The body has not as yet been found iv spite of the most strenuous exertions of the police and others, tbe former being still in active search. It is therefore naturally to be inferred that whilst bathing he has been suddenly seized with that dread of bathers, cramp, aod gone down, or it is possible that a shark may haye attacked him, several of these hungry brutes having of late been seen as high up even as the bridge. Owing to our polling day not taking place for another week or two, political excitement does not at present extend to the lull length of its tether. All the candidates, through their committees, are however working away on the quiet, each endeavouring to make holes iv his opponent's outer garments, in order to keep his own coat intact, the prevailing opinion freely expressed by outsiders, being that Mr James Mackintosh's return is almost (un fail accompli) although Mr McGilliTray has a considerable amount of support upon his Abolition TicketNeither Dr Eodgkinson nor Mr Wilson appears to have a ghost of a chance. (Norn verrons) What appeared to the uninitiated to be not exactly a freak of nature, but a freak of justice, happened here on Monday last, before the licensing commissioners for the district, when three individuals (by counsel) made application for licenses to their respective hotels. 'Ihe first application entered into was that of Mr G.J. Grant for his new and commodious building, yclept " The Great Western Hotel " in Palmerston street- Mr F.W. Wade, on behalf of Mr Grant, having in a very able manner addressed the court, the latter in most decided terms ignored the application, refusing upon the ground that sufficient accommodation already existed in the towo, no fault whatever being found with the applicant, who has been for mauy years a Boniface in the town. The next application, made aho through Mr Wade, on behalf of one Callaghan, who, like Mr Grant, has invested a considerable amount of capital in erecting a bouse of accommodation here, was however more successful, the ground of refusal (as to the already existing sufficient accommodation in the place) not being brought forward, but on the contrary as the poor man had lately been burned out atOrepuki (and no cioubt received the insurance money accordingly, if insured) his license was at once " granted either as a transfer from Orepuki to Kiverton, or a new one, which of the two did not clearly transpire he having put in two applications, one for the transfer of license from Orepuki to Kiverton, the other for a new license. Whether transferred or otherwise, the old adage of what is sauce for the goose is Bauce for the gander has this time gone astray, and it must be stated here that one of the finest hotels now remains an unlicensed bouse, whilst another of far inferior claims to iavorable consideration is graciously accorded a license,al though " there ia a sufficiency of accommodation already existing in the town." On dit that an address is shortly to bs presented to the Kev.W.sF. Oldtiam previous to his leaving this for Dunedin (where he is about to reside). As he is a great favorite with his parishoners no doubt somethiog worthy of acceptation will be presented therewith.