The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, 2yp JULY, 1889.

Southland Times, Issue 10198, 2 July 1889, Page 2

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. TUESDAY, 2yp JULY, 1889.

We draw the attention of oar readers to a correspondence, printed in another column, that has passed between Mr Denniston and two ex members of the House of Representatives on a matter connected with the Seaward Bush and T o i Tois Railway. A glance at the letters will sbow at once the importance of the point that has been raised. So early as 3879, and in view ofthe prosecution of the line in question, a very large avea of bush land was reserved, and by the terms of the reservation it is quite clear that this area was to be an endowment towards the construction of tb.B work. The history of the transaction is given in distinct terms in the two letters published— with great fulness in the letter of Mr Bain ; and as he and Mr Shanks were the two negotiators with the Government, theirs must be the best authority for all the facts of the case. There can be no doubt that the block of 17,500 acres, with all the valuable timber upon it, should have been held eacred to the purpose of making the Seaward Bush railway, and that at this moment the royalties on the timber sold, together with the value of the land, stand fairly to the credit of that undertaking. Mr Shanks is very explicit on this point, and shows that the Government was made a party to his view. But it is no new thing to discoverthat endowment* can be allowed to slide 'away incontinently from their original destination. Some iour years ago, when the hew Forest Department was' created, the area spoken of was handed over to that Department, and came, we suppose, to be regarded as part of the ordinary State forests of $c QQlony, it ot ao use to wjaUe

now, where was the watchfulness of the Southland members when this act of alienation was allowed. Tbe thing has beea done ; and the question is where we are to find a remedy. The friends of the railway mast not be idle, and should not allow this session of Parliament to slip without inciting the Southland members to make strenuous endeavours to reinstate the undertaking in its old possession. The endowment is of great valae; It consists of two strips, having each a frontage to the constructed portion of the line, and beginning a short distance from Invercargill. Portions of these bbould-from time ,to time be placed in the market, and the proceeds devoted to the extension of the line. There is just now, in hand, a sum, the unexpended balance of a Parliamentary vote, which was reckoned, perhaps unwisely, too small to be used alone iv commencing the formation of an extension of the railway from Mokotua ; and this will form the nucleus of future accumulations. The position of the line at this moment is eminently unsatisfactory, and unconducive to its profitableness and usefulness. Its principal source of revenue is the carriage of timber; but tbe present eastern terminus is three miles from the large areas of bush recently acquired by Messrs Murdoch and Tapper, areas that, if worked, would add largely to the returns of the line. The immediate aim should be to get the rails laid on the three intervening miles, which would accommodate the sawmillers and bring the terminus to what is called the " double cut line," a centre of the district and the entrance to the new settlement on Seaward Moss. The Chief Commissioner of Railways, when he visited the present terminus in summer, expressed his distinct approval of this extension, and he would no doubt re commend the Government to - prosecute it at the earliest possible date. It would be too much to expect that in tbe present state of the finances of the colony any fresh vote should be made even to help the sacvmiliing trade or to assist in getting a better return for money already expended. But it is not too much to ask that, if these things can be done without a vote, and by merely devoting afresh to an undertaking revenues that were once destined to promote it, they should be done without any delay, We commend the whole matter to the careful attention of all the Southland members, bat particularly to the members for Awarua, Invercargill, { and Mataura, whose special province it is to guard and forward tbe interests of a j line affecting closely and materially the | constituencies they represent. We see that the Government baa pledged itself to find a way, without borrowing, of carrying further the Otago Central railway. The scheme has not been propouuded, but we hope the Southland members will be on the outlook for any hint that it may afford them for accomplishing what should be their determined aim — the pushing a few miles further of the Seaward Bush line. It would be well also, we think, if the Seaward Bush and Toi Tois Railway Committee were to take the matter up and so strengthen the hatids of our representatives.

Cablegrams. — The Orient S.S. Co are the contractors for the new Atlantic service in connection with the Canadian Pacific railway. The distance is shorter than to New York bnt it will require smart travelling to keep within the six days limit imposed summer and winter. Portugal denies that things are so bad as represented at Delagoa Bay, and generally the question is somewhat complicated, Germany being understood to ■ be friendly to Portuguese interests, while it I is also asserted that the so-called English railway there is really in the bauds of Yankee speculators. Mr O'Brien has been the cause of a disturbance at Cork. Seven men have been indicted for the murder of Dr Cronin. France and Russia have refused assent to the conversion of Egypt's debts. An error occurred injthe Australian messages published yesterday morning. Owing to the omission of the name of the centre from which it came the statement of the revenue of Victoria was credited to New South Wales. Police Court. — At this Court yesterday morning before Mr J. S. Hickson, R.M., an inebriate who had been locked up since the previous Saturday night was convicted and discharged. Several residents of suburban municipalities were fined for allowing cattle to wander at large. A Reminiscence. — Mr John Kidd, one of the men v/ho were rescued from the steamer Forfarshire by Grace Darling when the vessel went ashore on the Fame Islands, on 7th September, 1838, died at Carnoustie on April 20th. On tbe night of the disaster Mr Kidd remained at his post in the engineroom until the vessel broke in two. He is the last survivor of the nine who were landed by Grace Darling, and one of the two who went back to the vessel on a mission of rescue. Deceased was 78 years of age. Draughts.— The annual draughts tournament in connection with the Invercargill Chess and Draughts Club has just been concluded, Mr J. H. Whitaker heading the list with the capital score of 25 wins and 2 draws (out of 28 games played) ; Mr A. C. Perkins taking second place with a total of 16 wins and 3 draws, and Mr W. Heath third, scoring 12 wins and 8 draws. The club has received several new members this season, and a match will be played at Mr Raeside's on Wednesday evening against the North Invercargill Club : to commence at eight o'clock. The Small Bird Nuisance.— Some time since we had several letters on the subject of the best means of coping with the small bird pest. A gentleman who takes an interest in the matter informs tis that the Waitaki County Council took the matter in hand in that district, where the little depredators were doing great harm, and have been very successful in remedying the evil. Our correspondent suggests that the secretary to the Council named would gladly give information as to their method if asked for it. Wheat is said to be the grain relied upon at Waitaki as thevehicle for the poison used. News from the Tin Field. — Mr Healy has just returned from Pegasus after a stay of four months, aud reports that for the first few weeks he confined himself to prospecting on the eastern slopes of the Remarkables near Robertson's creek, which is the largest water shed in the district, and found good prospects of tin and nice looking water-worn gold. Messrs Robertson (who represent an Australian syndicate) appear to be on good ground, and have abundance of water for sluicing purposes. Ou the western side, Healy's creek, which runs through Hall and McGaw's ground, is the next largest stream that rises in the Remarkables, and the best prospects have so far been obtained there. On the right hand side lies Speuce's creek, which also flows from the range, aud on' which Messrs Basstian, Batchelor, and Martin have claims. Spence's creek joins Healy's creek about half way from Batchelor's claim to where Professor Black and Mr Manisty have taken up ground ; good prospects having been obtained from all these claims, which can be easily worked on ac» count of their close proximity to the creeks, but Professor Black, Mr Batchelor, Captain Scollay, having secured water races which will command the whole of their ground, could commence operations at onee — indica? tions of a lode were traced to the vicinity' of Healy's and Spence's creeks, and samples of tin and gold obtained from the bottom of Batchelor's claim and "Spence's creek can be seen at the office q| Ml' & Maejeod, g^

One Year Clocks. — An important im- ' prpvement in clocks has been shown the British Association for the Advancement of Science by Mr W* H. Douglass. The new feature is the torsion pendulum, which, with lever and escapement, may he applied toordinary works, and by its slow rate of vibration makes practicable the conversion of an eight-day clock into one requiring winding only once a year. The Electric Age. — Professor Elisha 3ray remarks that; electrical science has made a'greatei?stdvance In the last twenty years than in an the 6000 historic years preceding. More is 'discovered in one day than in a thousand years of the Middle Ages, We . find all sorts of work for electricity to do. We make it carry our messages, drive our engine, ring our door bell, andj scare the burglar ; we take it as a medicine, light .our gas with it, see by it, hear from it, talk with it, and now we are beginning to teach it to write. . r : A Mechanical Novelty.— The remarkable Mannesmann process of making seamless tubes is described by Mr- F. Siemens as consisting in passing the red-hot bar of solid metal or glass between revolving conoidal rolls. These rolls are so arranged that the varying velocities of revolution at [which the different parts of the bar are brought into contact cause the formation of a hollow through the bar's centre. Tubes a foot in diameter, with a shell only a quarter of an inch thick, may be produced in this way, and great strength is claimed for them. Tubes with sealed ends may be made, the hollow centre being a vacuum. Homes op all Ages. — An interesting feature of the Paris Exhibition is a group of 49 structures intended to give a history of the human dwelling. The different types of shelters represented will include those of the prehistoric period — under rocks, in caves, •n water and on land ; and, from later times, those of early historic civilisation, of Aryan civilisation, of Roman civilisation in the East and in the West, and of rude civilisations disconnected from the general progress of humanity — the Chinese, Japanese, Eskimo, African, Aztec, &c. The interiors, the costumes of the occupants, and the surroundings will be those of the different epochs studied. Middle District School. — The committee met yesterdaj' evening, all the members being present. The headmaster reported 720 on the roll for the past month, with an average attendance of 608. He also mentioned that the school had taken up remarkably well after the holidays, the muster on that day (yesterday) being 620. The stationery fees for the quarter had come in very poorly, the amount received being only LlO 16s — considerably 'under the average. Through the headmaster, Mr J. B. Greig offered LI worth of books as a prize to the boy in the school who displayed the best acquaintance with Bible history. Mr Mehaffey had explained to Mr Greig that the preparatory lessons would have to be imparted outside .the school, or at least outside of school hours, and that all the committee "would have to do with the matter would be the granting of a room for the necessary examination. Mr Greig's offer was unanimously accepted with thanks, and'ahopewas expressed that other donations for the same object might be made, so that a number of prizes could be offered. The tender of Messrs Cook and Co, Lll 13s, for asphalting and other work was accepted. Several matters of repair were referred to the visiting committee for the month — Messrs Anderson aud Stead. Accounts amounting toLI4 11s having been passed for payment the meeting adjourned. Great Doings at Mataura. — On Friday and Saturday a fancy fair was held in Humphries' Hall in aid of St. Saviour's Church organ fund. The stalls and Christmas (?) tree were well filled with fancy goods and were presided over by Mesdames Ritchie and Humphries, Misses Fowler, Carter, McGregor and Towns. During the evenings songs were given by Mrs A. McGibbon, Misses Bond and McGregor, Messrs Clark and Whyte, to the accompaniments of Misses Cameron and Bond. A number of children performed several dances in a style highly creditable to Mr Grierson, Mrs Ritchie and Miss Fowler, their tutors. At the close of each evening a pleasing exhibition of Mrs Jarley's wax works took place. The following ladies and gentlemen took characters : — Miss Cameron (Flattery), Miss N. Shanks (Affectation), Miss Bond (Fashion), Miss Grant (Slander), Miss JFowler (Folly), Miss Carter (Vanity), Mr Whyte (Robinson Crusoe), Mr Maw (Man Friday), Miss Humphries (Nancy Lee), Miss May Fowler (Grace Darling), Mrs Humphries (Mrs Winslow), Mr Shanks (England), Mr J. Cameron (Scotland), Mr J. McGibboii (Ireland), Miss N. Shanks (Britannia), Miss McGregor (Cordelia). Mr A. Clark conducted the show as Mrs Jarley and Mr G. Cameron as John. The performance was uuder the superintendence of the Rev. John Hobbs and proved a most decided success.— Own correspondent. Seed time and harvest, summer and winter, are seasons promised us, and we look for them. Winter is now upon us with coughs and colds. ROBERTSON'S PECTORALINE is a specific for coughs, colds, and all affections of the che»t. A trial is all that is necessary to convince the most sceptical that Robertson's Pectoraline is the Best ever brought beforo the N Z. pnblic. If a man tells you he keeps the best brands just look if he has Woolfe'd Schnapps. If not he has told you an untruth.