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Western Star, Issue 9, 10 January 1874, Page 4

The annual inspection of the Riverton Rifle Volunteers took place in the Oddfellows’ Hall on Saturday last. Major Gordon was the inspecting officer, and was accompanied by Major Atkinson. The muster was very poor, as might have been anticipated. Had the inspection taken place on Monday, as originally notified, the result as to numbers would have been very different; but it seems the authorities at the latest moment, for no other ostensible reason than the bccommodation of the Invercargill companies, reversed the order, and held the inspection here on the clay the Invercargill corps should have paraded. In former years the company have turned out to a man, but then the inspection took place at a reasonable time. During the holidays—and Saturdays, of all days in the week —was evidently the wrong time to call for inspection. However, Colonel Gordon having taken the company in hand, and put them through several movements for upwards of an hour, expressed himself highly gratified, and said that if those members on parade represented the company, he had no hesitation in Baying that they were the best drilled company in Otago; and that so long as Lieut. Casscls was their officer, they w'ere in no want of a drill instructor.

A meeting of the Riverton School Committee was held on Monday evening at the school-house. Present—Messrs. J. Reid (president), E. Wilson (secretary), Murchie, Robinson, and Young. The routine business having been disposed of, the Chairman announced that Mr. Hislop, the inspector, had approved of the plans for the new classroom. The re-opening of the school was flxgd for the 19th instant. It was resolved to take down the fence erected by Mr. Grant in the glibe, and to use it where required for repairs. The meeting then adjourned. We direct the attention of householders to the annual statutory meetings for the election of school committees, and the transaction of other business, to be held at the various school-houses, on Monday evening next. Wo trust that at each meeting there will be a large attendance. Two pounds ten, being the surplus funds of the entertainment recently given by the Riverton Amateur Dramatic Club, was handed over to the Invercargill Hospital. Dr. Densham has been appointed Government vaccinator for the Western District.

We have received the first copy of the

“ Southern Mercury,” a new weekly journal published in Dunedin. It contains a large variety of news, some good original articles, and two stories, one of which is “The Adventures of Q. W. Pratt,” whose acquaintance we made in company with “ Wild Will Enderby.”

5* Wo have been shown the remains of a moa’s egg, found by Mr. Teesdale on the beach near Riverton. When seen by Mr. Teesdale the egg was almost entire, but in taking it out of the sand it broke into a number of pieces. Mr. Teesdale has cemented the pieces together in a very artistic manner. The egg, in its entire state, was about 7in. in length by Sin. in depth. Two leading articles, several letters on the bread question, and some country correspondence is unavoidably held over.

At the meeting of the Waste Lands Board on Monday, the Chief Commissioner and Messrs. M'Culloch, Baker, and M‘Arthur were present. The. intimation which had been given by the Board to Messrs. Young, Cowon, and M'Kinlay, in reference to the proper adjustment of certain lands applied and paid for by those gentlemen, was under consideration. The gentlemen interested attended in personal support of their several claims, and Mr. Young protested, both by letter and orally, against any curtailment of his application, or rather the land contained in it, arguing that bis application was a matter of boundaries, not acreage, and explaining that the acreage stated in his application was only an estimated one, and merely mentioned in order to avoid mistakes. The whole matter was this; Mr. Young applied for all the laud within certain boundaries on run 136, between the real boundary of which

and the one delineated on the office map there was a considerable discrepancy. Mr. Young had applied for land extending to the real boundary, and his application was granted in ignorance of this discrepancy of ..boundaries, and, misled by by the error of the office map, Mr. Cowan’s and Mr. MTvinlay’s applications, which were virtually within Mr. Young’s, were granted also. Mr. G. F. Richardson explained the true boundary and its situation and locality, and the Board, after very careful and full deliberation, resolved : Ist. That Mr. Young have the excess acreage in terms of his applications, Nos. 1,125 and 1,226'; 2nd. That Mr. Cowan’s applications, Nos. 1,200, 1,201, and 1,202 be satisfied; 3rd. That Mr. MTunky’s application 1,368 be satisfied ; and 4th. That any w'aste lauds left in the locality go towards satisfying Mr. Cowan’s applications 1,343 and 1,341, any deficiency to be taken by Mr. Cowan on his own run, No. 146.” Another resolution granting Mr. T. Watson a certificate for 691 acres, reserved in connection with the Oreti railway, was passed ; and a letter from Mr. Macrorie, asking the Board to submit the office of auctioneer of Government land rules to tender, was referred to the Government.