West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1904.

West Coast Times, Issue 13360, 5 November 1904, Page 2

West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1904.

Tbe Hokitika School Committee meet on Monday at 8 p.m. The return ftom the New Woodstock dredge this week was lloi. for 130 hours' work. The ordinary meeting of the Education ' Board will be held on Tuesday, next at 7 30 p.m, The Rev W. J. Elliott will conduct his monthly services at Ross to-morrow. In the evening the subject, which is by special request, will be "The Question of Future Life and Destiny," Everjbody cordially invited. The following players will represent the Y. M. B. C. in tbe match, with the Cricket Club's second eleven on Cass Square this afternoon : — Wilson, Folley, Heinz, Wallace, Wa'ker, Schramm, Harris Angel, Gooch, Grant, and Wogan ; emergencies, Good, Kerr and MCallum.

The Westport Times, referring to the correspondence which recently appeared in these columns in regard to the exclusion of non-paying members of cricket clubs from taking part in matches. Bayß : "There is no cricketer on the Coast who can afford the time to a game but can afford to pay his annual subscription. The Hokitika Cricket Club is to be commended for tbe stand it has taken in the matter."

The services in the Presbyterian CLurch to-morrow will be conducted by the Rev R. Stewart, of Greymonth. With a view of giving country members the opportunity of joining in the communion service in town there will be no services in any of the country districts to-morrow.

During the present year and up to the end of last month, £1,684,003 worth, oi 441,360 ozs, of gold has been exported from the colony, the amount for same ten months of last year having been exceeded to the extenb of 6,058 ozs, or, in value, £24,264.

At the Warden's Court yesterday, the following applications were granted by the Warden, Mr Day :— Mont dOr Gold Mining Company, exchange or titles over areas at Sailors' Gully and Jones' Flat ; and T M George, prospecting license over ten acres at the Mikonui.

Captain Edwin's message in regard to the weather for yesterday indicated a heavy gale from between the north-east and north, accompaned by rain, probably vejy heavy ; a fall in the temperature ; a very high sea ; and that the tides would probably be yery low.

Only two cases came before Mr Day, 3, M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Dawes, Nightingale & Co obtaining judgment for £6 Is, with Is cost?, (less £1, paid in) against O Murtha ; and O M'Keegan being refused a renewal of his old age pension owing to his having had for fche paßt 30 weeks and being still in employment at which he earned 30s per week.

Attention is again drawn to the sale by Messrs Pollock and Bevan of Mr J Barratt's properties, which include a block of 147 acres at Kokatahi, the northern boundary of which is White's Koad, and a valuable 5-acre block fronting the town boundary, Gibson's Quay, and the Kanieri Road, known as, Sale's PaJdock, with all buildings thereon. The sale takes on Monday at noon at the auctioneers' rooms.

Mr G. Bernard Nicholis, the N.Z. Alliance's organising agent, purposes undertaking a lengthy campaign on the West Coast with a view of consolidating the Temperance party for the purpose of securing a satisfactory issue at the next General Elections. Attempts will be made to form branches of the Alliance in every town o£ any importance. We understand tbat it is the intention of Mr Nicholls to commence operations in Westland. He is is expected to arrive in Hokitika next Saturday.

At the meeting of the Borough Council last night a letter was read from the Health Department notifying that a number of old buildings in Hokitika were to be removed. They include the following:—Ship Hotel, Wharf Street ; buggy shed, North Revell Street ; buildings, corner of Fitzherberfcand Stafford Streetß, known as l% Jackson's Folly" ; dwelling in Stafford Street ; shop and dwelling in Sewell Street ; shop on Gibson's Quay ; shop in Revell Street, opposite National Bank ; shop in Revell Street, adjoining Al Hotel ; shop in Revell Street known aa M'Connon's ; shop in Revell Street facing Stafford Street.

We are informed that the flotation of the Princess Theatre Company, Ltd., is now practically assured. Mr H. Franklin, who has had considerable experience In the work of theatre renovation, has bben selected to prepare plans and specifications for the alterations to the Princess Theatre, which will practically make it a new building. His estimate will shortly be placed before a meeting of shareholders when permanent directors and other officers will be appointed. The alterations to the Theatre will be gone on with after the Christmas holidays, when the holiday engagements for the building are ooncladed.

A curious and rather embarrassing ex* perience recently befel Dr Kennion, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, while he was conducting a confirmation service (says an English journal). During the delivery of the episcopal address to fctifo candidates a loud clattering of hob nailed boots was beard in the aisle, and a small boy walked straight up to the Bishop and asked in a shrill voice, "Please, zur, how long before it be over ?" When the congregation recovered from their astonishment the urchin was promply removed ; but it transpired that he had been sent in by some cabwen waiting outside to ascertain how long the service would last, and thought it best to obtain the information direct from headquarters.

The most important race meeting of the year in New Zealand commences today on tha Iliccarton racecourse, under the auspices of the Canterbury Jockej Club, and at present the City of the Plains ia the Mecca of the racing fraternity of this colony. The principal interest centres in the New Zealand Cup, the chief event of to-day's programme, which occupies in New Zealand racing a similar positionto the Melbourne Cup in that of Australia. This year only eight horeea face the starter, a much fewer number than nsual ; nevertheless, a splendid contest is anticipated, six of the competitors having been well supported and eaoh considered to have a chance by the backets A Press Association wire states that the weather is beautifully fine at Christchurch, and that large numbers of people are arriving there from all quarters.

A meeting of the Fire Brigade was held last night. Present — Capt Michel, Lieut Thompson and members. The following were chosen to represent the Brigade at Dunedia next February :— Foreman MGregor. Firemen H. Thompson, R. Ross, jnr., J. Wilson, H. Lynch and H. Schultz. It was announced that Messrs Johnstone & Co., had donated a rolled gold watch for the team to compete for. It was resolved to hold the usual displaj of fireworks on New Year's Eve, provided sufficient funds were collected. The secretary was instructed to writo and suggest to tLe Aquatic and Cycling Club to include two brigade events in their sports programme, pointing oub that as there were six fire brigades on the Coast with teams practising for Dunedin. they might be assured that if the events were put on the programme they would be keenly contested.