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Western Star, Issue 870, 13 August 1884, Page 2

Since Friday last “Sir Julius the borrower ” has been actively engaged in trying to form a Cabinet. The daily press has been teeming with all sorts of conjectures as to the personnel of the new Ministry, and the probability or otherwise of Sir Julius being able to get a sufficiently powerful team together to command a working majority. Sir George Grey was asked to take office, but he distinctively refused to take office under or in company with Sir Julius. This fact combined with Mr Ormonds’ refusal to take office, is considered to have rendered it very doubtful as to whether a Yogel-Stout Cabinet will bold together for any length of time, and there is a general opinion that Major Atkinson will again be in power before long. A Wellington correspondent sends us the following last evening as the new Cabinet:—Mr Stout, Premier; Sir J. Vogel, Treasurer; Col. Whitmore, Colonial Secretary; Mr Macandrew, Minister of Public Works; Mr Montgomery,Minister of Lands ; Mr Ballance, Postmaster-General; andHor. Dr. Pollen, Native Minister. A portfolio is kept open for one of the Auckland members. A Ministrv which includes three Canterbury and two Otago members will be too much for the North Island talent to approve of. The House meets on Thursday next, when Sir Julius will report officially to His Excellency as to what progress he has made in his Cabinet work.

Capt. M'Lcod, the purchaser of the stranded vessel Owake Belle, is making satisfactory progress towards getting the ketch afloat. But for the extremely severe weather of the past fortnight, that feat would have been accomplished some days ago. The “ floats ” that have been used have so far served the purpose well, and the owner is confident that he will shortly be able to safely beach her in the harbor. Unfortunately the tides have fallen away ju. t as the vessel was ready to be floated, which may cause some delay in the operation. We remind the shareholders of the County of Wallace Building Society that the annual meeting takes place in the Town Hal at 7.30 this evening. Members of the Riverton Band of Hope arc reminded that the usual meeting will bo held on Friday evening.

The return match between the Riverton and Wairio Football clubs was played on Saturday afternoon last at Otautau. The Wairio team having only 7 men with them had to get 8 raw recruits from Otautau. The game was played in three spells of 20 minutes each, and ended in a win for the Rivertonians by 2 goals and 1 try (o nil. From the commencement of the game it was seen that the undisciplined state of the Wairio men would tell greatly against them, despite the strenuous efforts made by Stevens, Burkett, Johnston, Clapp, “ Brogden,” and McLean Bros., the two former being especially conspicuous. There was no brilliant play on the part of the Rivertonians, doubtless the certainty of having the match iheir own way had something to do with it. The tries were obtained by Bankburst, Stirling and McNaughton, and the goals kicked by Struck. Stirling captained the local club and Clapp the upeountry men. Mr Glover, temperance lecturer, and colleague of Mr Booth, of the Blue Ribbon Army, arrived at the Bluff by the Te Anau, from Melbourne, on Monday last, and will give his first address in this colony at the Wesleyan soiree in Invercargill this evening. Mr-Don, secretary of the Riverton Blue Ribbon Union, informs us that he has communicated with Mr Glover, to ascertain when it will be convenient for him to visit Riverton.

The small-pox patient at present being treated at the Invercargill hospital, is convalescent, and hopes are entertained that the prompt and rigorous measures adopted to prevent the spread of the disease will prove successful. If infection has occurred, a few days hence will discover the fact. The sufferer is a child two years old, who arrived from the North per Te Anau, at the Bluff two weeks ago. She remained there till Thursday, when the mother, observing the symptoms, brought the child by train to Invercargill hospital. The hospital doctor had his suspicions at first, and kept the child

in the fever ward at the rear of the main building. At the special meeting of the Town Council on Saturday it was stated that three doctors had seen the child, and all agreed that it was a case of small-pox, but the child is now convalescent. A committee was appointed to secure a house three or four miles from Invercargill so as to completely isolate any cases that occur. The doctors believe that the disease was contracted aboard the Te Ann.ii, as the child has not been out of the colony, having only come from Port Chalmers to the Bluff. Her name is believed to be Anning, and her father is a seafaring man. The child was ashore and playing about the Bluff for some time before the disease ap. peared.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Western District Teachers’ Association will be held on Saturday the 16th. Two papers will be read —one by Mr Wylie of Otautau, on tho aims of education, and the other by the Secretary (Mr Strack), on Geography. Teachers and others interested in educational matters are requested to attend. A man named William Pearce, 65 years o age, was found drowned in Puni Creek, Invercargill, yesterday forenoon. He was an old resident of Invercargill, where he was the first to open a livery stable. He was in very poor circumstances and imbibed freely. An inquest will be held.

Owners of land in Longwood district are notified that poisoned grain will be laid on the Crown lands in that district during the week commencing 18th Aug. next. Owners of land in that district are therefore required to lay poisoned grain during the same period. 3, N. The Hinemoa returned to the Bluff yesday morning from her cruise in search for ti e crew of I he Marie Ange The whole coast from Muss»l Beach to Chalky It-let as well as the west and south-west shores of Stewart Islmd were carefully searched without showing any indication of any shipwreck having occurred. Captain Fairchild states that the lightkeepers at. Puseygur Point were surpiUe I to see the Hinemoa; also that they saw the Ring .rooms passing, and that no fires were at the time visible from the lighthouse. What is more strange is that the lightkeepers state a light on Red Head would be seen by them. A g.-ntlcman informed the “News” that the lighthouse-keeper at Centre Island has reported that a large quantity of wreckage has come ashore there within the last few days. It is not stated whether any name was observed on the material washed up, but there is every reason t o believe that it is part of the Marie Ange. The circumstance that two oa'-s were found on the beach a few miles from where the boat w.rs picked up, would appear to indicate that the crew, which would probably number 10, bad abandoned the vessel, and that the boat was afterwards swamped. ) V r-

A general meeting of fliiareliolders of tlie Riverton Shipping Company was held in the company’s office on Monday evening; Mr E. Willett presiding. The business was to conaider the advisability of winding-up the company, the number of shares taken up not being sufficient to complete the vessel now on the stocks. Mr Beer,the contractor, submitted a proposal regarding the settlement of affairs, and after discussion a committee was appointed to confer with Mr Beer thereanent, with a view to having the company wound up at an early date. The meeting then adjourned till Monday next, to receive the committee’s report, and, if satisfactory arrangements are made, pass a resolution to wind-up the company.

The Treasurer o f the Wallace and Fiord Hospital acknowledges with thanks the receipt of the following donations from the employes of the Nightcap Coal Co. amounting to £6 18s :—Nightcap Coal Co., £2; Jno. Lloyd, 20s; jas. Mason, P. 0. Webb, Jas. Quested, Rich. Cotterill, Harry Moore, Robt. Dickson, W. Duncan, Robt. Duncan, S. Flett, T. Lamb, Alex. Thomson. 10s each; Jno. Brazier, 7s; Prank Howard, Evan Davis, 6s each ; Jno. Oosgriff. W. Crowern, Jas. Haiod, Chas. Dickson, Jas. Foster, P. Menderson, T. Moncrief, J. Birrell, 0. Bailey, P. Curry, A. Thomson, T. Mathieson, G. Lee, H. Denson, T. Cunningham, 5s each; Chas. Owen, Thos., Flett, 3s 6d each; S. Lee, Jno. Damptser 2s 6d each.

The members of the Skating Rink and at large number of invited friends enjoyed a pleasant social hour’s amusement last evening. A band of seven local instruments, consisting of three violins, flute, cornet, violincello and bass clarionet, gave the following programme of music March, “ Flambeaux ” ; galop, “Roulette” ; valses, “Grand Lodge Masonic” ; polka, “ Holly Bush ” ; galop, “ Snowdrift ” ; Wedding March ; polka, “Irene” ; Schotische, ‘Happy Moments.” An. hour or two’s flanriner wound un the entertainment.

The following announcements appear in the Gazette :—Sections 107 to 110, Takitimo, are set-apart On deferred; payment. The township of Hirstfield is set apart as a village settlement, mnd the land is exempted from occupation for mining purposes ; the terms and conditions of the sale are also announced, the sale to take place on 10th September next at the Land Office, Invercargill. Peter Grant is appointed Kegistrar of Marriages and of Births and Deaths for the district of Kiverton.

In view of the interest and alarm excited in the Colony by the announcement that small-pox has been introduced into the country, a Dunedin contemporary has published an article bearing on the disease from the pen of Dr Colquhoun, Lecturer on Medicine to the Otago University. The remarks of the Doctor are of an assuring character, and in one place he says: “It is a disease over which we have full and ample control. By isolation of cases as they occur, by vaccination of all who come into contact with the disease, and by the rigorous disinfection of everything which might spread the infection, small-pox can easily be prevented spreading. With proper hygienic measures at home, we need not fear the importation of disease from abroad.”

Captain Bedingfield (says the “ Otago Daily Times”), who has been for some time in charge of the Dunedin branch of the i'alration Army, was a passenger by the Wnirarapa for Melbourne on Friday, and a young “ hallelujah lass ” was also a passenger. The departure of both was quite unexpected by their friends, and the relatives of the girl, who had reasons to believe she had gone off with the ciptain, solicited the aid of the police to stop the couple at the Bluff, but the solicitation came too late. Mr Bedingfield, we understand, leaves a wife in Dunedin. The following further particulars are given in a Press Association telegram :—The young woman who has succumbed to the charms of “ Captain ” Bedingfield is very respectably connected, being a neice of Captain Bendall, whose name is well known throughout the colony as Secretary of and Valuator to the Wellington Underwriters’ Association. While in the Army Miss Bendall was christened the “ Little Wonder,” on account of her wonderful oratorical powers. Her friends communicated with the police as soon as they heard of her departure, but unfortunately the Wairarapa had left the Bluff two hours before the news reached Invercargill. The Army observe the strictest silence on the subject, the officers only admitting that the late “captain” has been dismissed from the service. It is rumored that a subscription is being set on foot in aid of the unfortunate Mrs Bedingfield and two children, who, it is expected will arrive in Dunedin this evening from Ashburton. Bedingfield, when he enlisted in the Army, was a compositor at Christchurch, and is about 30 years of age, while the fair one is 17. He has been commanding at Asbbunon recently. Poppen, the defaulting publican, was arrested at Melbourne not at Hobirt. He was adjudicated at bankrupt at Wellington on Monday last, and arrested at Melbourne by virtue of a warrant issued on Tuesday, charging him w : th baring left the place with more than £2O in his possession. Before this Mr Mantell, travelling for Mr Cheymol, wine merchant, who was the petitioning creditor, went to Sydney by the Wakatipu to vry and intercept him, but only arrived in Sydney the day after Poppens had loft. A telegram was sent to Melbourne, and he was arrested with £650 on him. Ho offered £SOO and costs after arrest to let him go, but as (his was compounding a felony, the offer was not accepted. Constable Caves goes by the Tnrawera to bring him back. He is supposed to have £I2OO or £I3OO with him.

While some experiments were being conducted in connection with the Mutual Improvement Society at Milton on Wednesday night, an explosion took place, and about two dozen persons were injured by broken glass. TMr James Reid, Rector of (he High School, received a severe out under his eye, but it is not known whether the sight is injured or not, owing to inflimmation. Among the other sufferers wire Mr H. Ransome, a son of Mr James Gray, a daughter of Mr John Lam Mrs A- Young, and Mr Jas. Adam. The cause of the accident was that the gas is (oxygen and hydrogen) were generated in a tack room and conreyed by india-rubber pipes though a hole in the wall on to the platform. The pipes became twisted and the wrong gas was turned on.

At the Wellington Police Court on Thursday H. H. Lewis was charged with a breach of the Prisons Act. m luring secreted a number of articles with a view of hand ng thorn to prisoners in Mount Pleasant Gaol. Prisoner had been convicted of forgery, bi t had had portion of hi* sentence commuted on account of his having accepted the office of common hangman for the Colony, in which capacity he had executed six convicts, his last viclim being at Napier. He was sentenced to one month’s hard labour.

The Corporation of Port Chalmers in their capacity as a Board of Health have taken vigorous measures to stamp out anything in the shape of infection from small-pox which may have arisen from Andrew Mouatt, the the lamp-trimmer of the s.s. Waihora,- having remained a night or two in his residence in Mary street. The whole of the man’s and his wife’s clothing and bedding were burnt on Tuesday evening. The police are exercising a very strict surveillance over the house, while the Corporation have adopted very rigorous measures in connection with the' affair, the yellow flag having been hoisted over the house in which Mrs Mouatt resides, * \ and two special constables are keeping constant watch over the premises. J. O. Me Ardell holds a sale of farm implements, stock, &c., at the farm of J. Gallaher, Wrey’s Bush, on 20th inst. Annual meeting Western District A. and P. Association, 29th inst. The subscribers to the Cowie fund are requested to meet at the Town Clerk’s office on Friday, at 3 p.m. William Todd —Sale lease farm, Jacob’s River Hundred; also, cattle, sheep, implements, &c., 21st inst. Concert and dance, Thombury, sth September. John Swan—Poison laid. W. J. Collins has a fresh advertisement. Wilson, Taine, and Co. will sell at their rooms on 23rd inst., 30 acres at Paihi. A. Douglass, Babbit Inspector, notifies owners of property in Longwood district to lay poisoned grain. J. B. Mills and Co. hold their next stock sale at Thombury on 27th inst. John H. Lynch gives notice that he will not be responsible for debts contracted by his wife.