NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 2899, 8 January 1884, Page 2

NOTES.

It never rains but it pours. A year or ■ two ago there was not a public hall m J> Timaru at all adequate to the requirements o£ the place ; nor any prospect of one being built. Suddenly there was 5 what is called " a general feeling " that something ought to be done to supply this defect. Sir Jonas, thereupon, built the theatre, and everybody said he had gone too far, and overdone the thing altogether. There was abundant proof, however, on many occasions that the _ theatre, though one of the nicest m , the colony, was by no means too - big for the place. But it was manifestly unsuitable for some purposes, for instance, dancing ; and the demand for a , hall remained unsatisfied. Then Messieurs _ Moody and Ziesler went boldly into bricks and mortar, and started their new building, the upper storey of which will consist of & very handsome ballroom. No " sooner was this building well advanced, than tho Mechanics' Institute resolved to raise £1600 and to build a hall on their lt ground. When that is done, there ought • to bo no lack of accommodation for the v public of Timaru. How these numerous 3, halls are going to answer is quite another question. The Mechanics' Institute, ; nevertheless," seem to be quite easy m their mind on that point. Their building policy, m fact, is a financial measure. >r They find it difficult, if not impossible, iO to make both ends meet by subscriptions. By the aid of a hall, they calculate they * will be placed m funds, after paying interest on outlay. We hope it may be n so. Hall's well that pays well. A young manllne other day shot a snipo at the Waahdyke, with a revolver, and got n ducking for his pains, m a vain ■ endeavor to retrieve the bird. It takes an uncommonly good shot to kill a snipe — which, we suppose, was really a stilt — with a revolver, unless by a fluke; and, perhaps, the young man considered the inconvenience of the ducking was coinpon- ' sated by the triumph of his exploit. Ifc ' probably did not occur to him, however, 1 that other consequences, more unpleasant, j oven, than a ducking, might ensue from 1 that skilful, but injudicious, shot. It is 3 not lawful to kill snipe or stilts, at this j time of year, and the young man would, we vory much fear, look bluer than he did when he emerged from the lagoon, if- he 9 were brought before tho Resident Magig--1 trate and fined £10. He was accom- } panied, we understand, by another young f man and by several young ladies. All i of those, we are inclined to think, might ; be brought within tho arm of the. law for j aiding and abetting him m the slaughter ; of tho snipe— a rather unpleasant sequel to a holiday outing , Moral. Shoot tame birds. They are not protected by lvn, 1 and are easy to hit. .

Stsi &OODA&-jb/h?7olm Goodall.M.T.C.E., Engineer fo the Timaru and Napier Harbor porks, is expected to arrive licre by the Eipress (rain from Noith to-dny. The Weather. — The weather yesterday was .the most satisfactory, from v farmer's point of view, that lias prevailed for many a long day. ' It is to_be hoped it will eonli, m for another three wcc'.;s or a month. Woodyeab's Elkcteic Circi;?. — This circus is announced fo appear m Ti'.naru this evening. If the performance is equal to that on Mr Woodycar's previous visit here, it will be veil worthy of patronage. Resident Magistrate's Court, TiMAbu — The usual Tuesday's sittings of the Eeai dent Magistrate's Court, Timaru, for tin hearing of civil business, the reguh.r succes sion of which was interrupted by {he eittinj of the Supreme Court, followed by the holi days, will bo resumed to-day. Extension of Teleqhapits. Tho ofllce m charge at the Timaru Telegraph Statioi informs us that cable communication lias bee established between Cadiz, iv Spain, and th Canary Islands. Telegraph stations have been opened at Santa Cruz, Tenoriffe, Las Palinns and Do Palmaa. Thuowing 561 b Weigiit. — A good many peonle have asked how the sGlb 'reight was thrown by Donald Dinnie and others at Dunodinon Saturday, ns this is a- new feat at the Dunedin games.' The Times siys a short, chain and handle is fixed to tho weight, and the competitors m throwing it over the horizontal bar swing it sideways. Temuka Cheese Factory" — Mr Ashwell, Secretary to the Temuku Butter and Cheese Company, paid this week no less a sum than E235 for milk supplied during the past month naking a total of £303 paid since the factory >pened two months ago. The benefits remlting from this money circulating m the listrict are manifest. Assault. — A youth named William HadHeld, described as a jockey, was yesterday charged before H. H. Hennnli, Esq., J.P., with assaulting Mr T. H. Wigley, at Opuhn station, on the 4th inst. At the request of Inspector Brobam he was remanded till this morning, m order that the prosecutor might be informed of his arrest. The lad's father was present and at his request bail was illowed, father and son giving bonds for £20 each. Bloxdin. — Alexander, the 'Australian Blondin, had no reason to complain of the patronage accorded -him last evening m his open performance on Market squire. Fully 2000 people were present, and tha collection made showed how much he was nppreciated. It is to be hoped that tho tide lias at last turned iv Mr Alexander's favor, for judging by his performances m Timaru, -ie deserves all the support aeeorded him. He has had very bad liick m the past m various parts of New Zealand, but on his journey north we trust the elements will favor him, the Press assist him and the people patronise him. " Patience." — The presentation of Gilbert | and Sullivan's opera, "Patience," this evening by the Timaru Musical and Dramatic Club promises to be an unqualified success, both as regards acting and attendance. The Club have gone to no little expense i.i procuring suitable dresses and 60 forth, aid the costumes to-night promise to be equal to any obtainable m the colony. Al. tho dress circle seats were secured somo days since, and those for the stalls were nearly all taken last evening.- Holders of stall tickets will be admitted from 7.30 to 7.40 this evening, after wb.ich.itho general ticket olUce at. the theatre will be opened. :. -■/ A SnocKreo Stoet.. — After tie conclusion of the meeting of the School Committee last evening a member was henrd to lemavk, sotlo voce, that he did not suppose the Timaru Herald woidd publish the con-cspondeucc connected with a certain teacher because it was known a gentleman (mentioning his name) connected with the paper had been urging her on to resist the Committee. It is a pity the member m question cf-imot give us credit for more than a panel's length of view. We can honestly say we never had the foggiest notion of assisting thj teacher m question to intrigue against the School Committee, and it would be better fo. 1 Mr m future, if he has a good case, to stale it openly and not " under the rose." TELECBArii Interrupted. — A cable message from Australia yesterday states thai the overland telegraph line fron . Adelaide tc Port Darwin — a link m the cliain of tele graphic communication with the Old Work — is interrupted. Wo have news also ol extensive, bush fires m Victoria and Ken South Wales, and probably there is some connection botween the two facts. Interruptions m tho line from bush fl'es, however, have been largely provided agiinst by the use of iron polea, successively o.* alternately, over a very great part of the line!. The most common c'au?e of interruptions used to be the breakage of insulators, by lightning or mischiovous persons, black or white ; but this also had been provided against by a new fonr of insulator, m which tho brii.tlc non-con-ductor was protected by an iron shield [Since tho above was m type telegraph communication has been restored.] Gapes' Valley School. — The following is tho Acting Inspector's (Mr Uurr) repon on the examination of the G-ipes' Vallej School, hold on Wednesday, December 12th — Teacher, Miss Buck ; number on the books 36 ; number present at examination, 29 number presented m the Standards, 22 average attendance, 27. Standurd TL, pre ; eentcd 1, passed 1 ; Standard IT., presentei 4, passed 2 j Standard 111., presented 2 passed 2 \ Standard 11., presented 8, passci 7 ; Standard 1., presented 7, pnssed 6 ; tota ' presented 22, total passed 16 j tof-al per i ccntage gained, 81.0. Present elassificatioi • of pupils : — Passed Standard VI ., 1 ; passe( : Standard IV., 3 ; passed Standard 111., 4 i passed Standard 11., 7 ; passed Standard I. , 7 i bolow the Standards, 14 ; toli-1. 36. Thii i school ie Jn a satisfactory condition, Th< schoolroom is a model of order and neatness and the good example thus set by tho teachei , has already impressed tho pupils. Tin needlework is excellent, and m juautity anc variety fully complies with the State require ments. The order, discipline, and behavioi of the pupils are very satisfactory. Th< school furniture is insufficient for the require' ments of the scholars. DosALD Dinnib. — Somo members of th< South Canterbury Caledonian Society wher assembled for tho late New Year's meeting discussed among themselves tl.o possibility of getting tho Scottish champion, Donald Dinnie to appear at Timaru. Many dull cultics presented theinselvos, tut the mosl sanguine felt confidont that these could be overcome, and as a iirst step Donald Dinnie has been communicated with, to ascertain whon and on what torms he could appear provided the necessary arrangements could be made. The Secretary to the Society yesterday received a letter m reply, ia which Dinnio says: — "I shall bo grad to make terms with you for a date next month. 1 would profor the iirst or seco:id week ol February, or any day that may suit you. 1 enclose you programme of my special* things. My usual torms are £25 and eha-.iceof prizes, or if you prefer it I would accept snaring terms, say half the gross receipts. Of course I shall expect that all contests si mil be undci Caledonian rules. I am willing to bo handicapped as m tho programme." A mecliug ol tho Society will bo probably bo called at ur parly date to consider this letter, and several of the members, we know, vfill stremgh urgo that nn effort should bo made to giv'i Scotchmen of South Canterbury an opportunity of teeing— to many of Hum of Boeing again— tho famous athlete. ' Lake Dwellers or Vknezuhia. — In many parts of the world, particularly m Europe, there are reiviaiua of the striietui-ce of an. anotent people- known as I/i'ko Dwollers, from tho fact that tliev lived m houses built over tho water. In tlint beautiful sheet of water m Switzerland, Lake Geneva, there ure such remains, but there' aro savage tribes m OceaTJiea-tvho. illustrate tluranelcnt practico to-day, dwelling: in huts builb ii(on poles, at a considerable elistnnco from land, lv America (ho only instance of this mode of house-building is fouud m the lal;c of Maracaibo, wlueli lies iv tho north of Vcoozuolrt. Whether or not this habit of living ■ suspondod abovo tho water is indicative of special ohnracteriptics, iv xyhicli. I'cai 1 of enomies m tho chiof clomont, wo aro not ready, to say, but it scorns nlto|;othor likoly that such i) tho cusc, us tho tribes -who live m this isolated fashion aro gone:iilly distinguished by n peaecublp or uon-worliko disposition. In regard to the Marncaibo Indians, who are believed to bo an offshoot of the

Venezuela Indians, this is true, ag it is related that jimny .year? ago a violent war arose among the Indians nf Venezuela, and the conquered . Trcrf: driven out. Taking to their bouts, they saiidd away for the purpose of seeking a new region m which tliey might dwell. This lake, which 13 ahcut 100 miles m length and 60 wide, is connected with the Gull' of Venezuela by a strait 25 miles long. The conquered Indiana had purposed to pass through the strait on -their ■'■way m search of a new country, but a violent storm came up, and compelled them to masa their boats closely, and tie them together with bamboo poles for protection. This manoeuvre enabled them to meet the storm successfully, and it suggested the idea of their building pile houses over the lake, which would be safe from fire and flood, and give them security against their enemies. They proceeded to carry out the idea, and ere long a village of bamboo houses sprang up, as it were, out of the water. Strong poles driven firmly into the bottom of the lake, and secured at the top by cross-pieces, constitute the foundation on which their houses are built. The roofs are ormed of a framing" of bamboo, nrclied and leatly thatched. For sleeping purposes they ise hummocks. The hygionio conveniences )f these houses are superior ; ventilation and Imiunge ar« matter) of nature's own proviiion, and cases of pulmonary disorders arc unknown. These houses are- built near enough together for access between them by means of short footbridges. Living, as these! people do, directly over the water, they subsist largely by fishing. They also make many articles of bamboo, and gather sheila on tho beach, and fruit on the neighboring land, which they sell m the city markets of Jluracaibo. It is snid that they have a stronge? disposition to industry than tho natives of Venezuela further inland. But this may be due to their mode of living, and m being compelled to exert themselves to obtain the necessaries of life. SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. It. Tumbull ami Son— Sell drapery and clothing t> monw. ITiiidn S.S. Company— Publish fares, ic., hctwcim Tiinani and Dunedin. J. Towuscnd-Notice re strayed animal. Trustee In H. Sinclair's estate Notice re accounts. Miles, Archer and Co.— Huld important sale of frtcliold property on mil inst., and licit wool sale on 25th 111 st ; have merino ewes for tale. W. Upton— Wants tenders by amended pltns. In Bankruptcy— Be J. 11. Jackson, T. Berry. Wanted—Four notices.