The Western Star. (PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1885.

Western Star, Issue 987, 3 October 1885, Page 2

The Western Star. (PUBLISHED 81-WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1885.

The Aparima Hoad Hoard will meet at Thornbury at 3 p.m. on Tuesday ; and tho Committee of W. D. A. and P. Association meet at 3 p.m. to consider tho holding of the annual cattle show.

The Command >nt of the New Zealand fore is, Colonel Sir G. Wlitimr-, will i '.sp-ct the Southland voluntee s in til i Gar -iso i Hall, Inv t a"gtll. t -diy. The Riverton corps will pr c 'ed by sped d train at I p.m., returning from Invrca gdl at 9 o’clock. Tho County Council dealt with tho following tenders on Thursday ; —Contract No. 387 (Avondale-Wrey’s Hush-Winlon road): TPower, £5(5 10s (accepted) ; 11. Stone, £(JI 18a 7d ; G Howell, £O3 7s. No. 2SB (OrakiRouud Hill road): Hunt and Bulman, £l3l Is 6d (accepted) ; G. Howell, £l5O Gs ; Davis and Wixon, £3Ol lls 6d ; 11. Driver and Co., £333 16s; J. P. Young, £335; K. Hogg, £331.

A Fairfax correspondent writes ; —A soiree, concert, and ball oamo off in the Dairy Factory, Fairfax, on Thursday night, Mr J. W. Hamilton, one of tho directors, presiding. He was supported right and left by Dr. Hodgkinson and Air William Walker. The building was gaily decorated with flags and evergreens. In spite of such an unfavorable day, tho large (cheese) room of the building was quite crowded. The tables wore very tasteful!/ done up, and wore presided over

by some of the young ladies of the district. The platform table was under the charge of Miss Hogg, Miss Hodgkinsou, Miss Brownridge, Miss Gumming, and the Misses Callighan presided at tho others. After justice had been done to the good things provided, tho Chairman gave a neat little speech, in which ho pointed out the low ebb to which farming had come, and wo had to look to some other source for support than graingrowing. He, by the way, mentioned that at the Exhibition at Wellington, Southland had carried oil’ throe of tho most important prizes, viz., wheat, barley, and oats, and if wo could grow grain wo could also grow grass. This being a particularly good district for a factory, ho was sure this would bo a great success and bo a great boon to the district. Mr Hamilton gavo his experience in dairy farming, and pointed out that to bo a success it must be gone about mi a much larger scale than individual farmers could do.—Ur Hodgkinsen also gave a short address, lie mentioned that he was about to leave Fairfax, having leased his farm to Mr Meek, from Oamuru, who was going to go Irrgely into dairy farming, and had great expeiience in such. Although leaving litre, ha said he would still lake a warm interest in all that pertains to the district. The Doctor urged on all lo do w hat we could for one another, and in doing so, we would do good to ourselves and be good citizens.—Mr Walker sang in very good style “Toe Farmer’s Boy.” Mr Bell rendered very nicely “Home again.” Mr J. il. Dark gave a very witty reading, which brought forth roars of laughter. Mr Turnbull gave in very good si vie “Caledonia,” which was encored. The Misses McKay sang very sweetly. Messrs Ward and Martin’s songs took very well and were encored. Although the singing was not the most refined, still it did great credit to the performers, who were all local amateurs, the committee being determined to incur no expense that could be avoided, so that they might have as largo a balance us possible to band over to the hospital. A very enjoyable tight was spent. The tables were cleared about 10 o’clock, when the hall started, and then the fun “grew fast and furious,” and was kept up uulil fur on in the morning. A mass meeting of aboriginal natives of Southland is convened by Chief Solomon to bo held at Colac on Monday next, to discuss claims for laud under tho Middle Island Native Land Claims Act. The local business transacted at the Land Board meeting on Thunday was as follows, the report of which is extracted from the “News” Small and Co. applied for a sawmill area at Wflimatuku, being sections 40 and 41, block 6, and section 10, block 17, New Hirer Hundred.—To be allowed to take 200 acres either in block fi or block 17, the total amount applied for being in excess of the Acreage permitted under the JRogula'ions.— An application by Frew and Co. for an addition of 50 acres to their sawmill area in the Lotigwood Forest was refused on the ground lliat it had not been shown to the Board that the conditions had been comolied with.—J. (’aider, who had been reported by Ranger Campbell for failing to make returns of timber cut by him on his sawmill area in (he Longwood. Forest, wrote that the quantity was so small (5000 feet) that he thought it would do if he made the return this month. He asked for consideration on die ground (hat it was a first offence. After hearing Ranger Campbell’s explanations, from which it appeared that Mr Gatder had previously offended, the Chairman said that according to the regulations the license had lapsed —Air Lumsclen whs of opinion that I,'is regulations should be curried out. —Mr Kinross thought (ho clause of the regulations was rather harsh. He considered that a fine would meet such cases, and moved a penalty of £5 be imposed in the present instance.—Mr Cow,.n was also inclined to take a lenient view. The offender could be given the option of a fine or having his license cancelled.—lt was than resolved (o inflict a fine of £s—tob> paid within a week, together with tho unpui i rorally, failing which I lie license will bo declared forfeited.

Air H. Ellery Road, tho well-known composer of the music of tho “ Old Flag,” “ Remember Ale Walt's,” <tc,, is at present in Riverton, in connection with tho business of Osborne and Co., Doe street, Invercargill. Those requiring their pianos or organs tuned have now an opportunity of securing Mr Read’s services.

Tho Wallace Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was visited officially on Wednesday last by two Grand Lodge representatives, viz , Bros. W. Reid (G S.) and Medley (G.W.) Both of those officers addressed the brethren at some length regarding the position of the ordor’throughout America and tho Australasian Colonies in general and to tho rapid progress it had made iatho Southland district in particular. While tho existing lodges continued to gain in numerical strength, two new ones wore about to bo started—one at Orepuki and tho other at Fortrosc.—Tho visitors wore accorded a hearty vole of thanks—The pro, motors of the proposed lodge at Orepuki reported that a number of additional signatures had been affixed to tho requisition to the Grand Lodge for a charter since the night of tho meeting last week,and that there was every probability of tho lodge opening with a roil of thirty members. It was agreed to recommend that tho requisition be sent in at ouco, so that tho lodge could bo opened in übuut a fortnight. J

Sections 101 k> 106, Takifcimo district, are set apart for sale ou deferred payments, al from 20s to 25s per acre.

We learn that Dr Hodgkinsou has leased the Fairfax estate to Mr Meek, flour miller, of Oamaru, and that tho Doctor intends to depart for the North shortly whether permanently or not we have not been able to ascertain. It is stated that Mr Meek intends to go in largely for dairying, so that the local factory will receive an impetus from his operations.

Tho Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Society have secured the first prizes at the Wellington Exhibition for oats, barley, and wheat. All the prizes in the oats class came to Southland, the N. Z. L. and M. Agency Co. being awarded second price, and Messrs Carswell, White, and Co., thii’d. Again, Mr D. Strang, of Inversargill, has gained high honors for his coffees and spices, having, with four exhibits, secured three first prizes and a highly-commended certificate. Messrs Carswell, 'White, and Co. were awarded premier place in the grass seed class, and the N. Z. Loan and M. A. Co. wore similarly successful with their general exhibit of cereals.

ilalf-a-tou of stone found in llobauguna Block, near Ashurat, Masterston, has yielded GOlbs silver and loz ochvt gold. One of six shareholders has refused LoO for his interest.

A boy, aged eight years, died suddenly at Oamaru, on Sunday morning. An inques fc was held at which the medical evidence gave the cause of death as poisoning. It appears that tho boy had eaten green rhubarb lops on Saturday last, aud ou that night was taken ill with vomiting, retching aud purging. Tho post mortem revealed the fact that tho irritation caused by eating tho rhubarb bad occasioned tho boy’s death by causing congestion of tho brain.

The Christchurch Press has published the following extract from a Syracuse journal, which will be of interest to those who havesome dread of suusti’oke: —“About a roar since I saw in a newspaper an account of u case of sunstroke, written bj the sufferer himself. After suffering u long time from the attack, and having to a considerable degree recovered, he experienced very much suffering even from the rays of the moon. This le i liitn to reflect that it was not altogether the heal of the eun tnat produced prostration. After much research he d : suovored that tin injury came from the chemical ray and not from the heat ray. II o was guided to this by observing the fact that a photograph could uoi bo taken through a yellow glass. Accordingly he lined bis bat —ouo of orange-yellow, to arrest the chemical ray, and one of green, (o arrest the neat ray. Thus prepared, he went where the sun’s rays were most intense with perfect impunity. It is well-known that H o negro is seldom sun-struck. The colour of hi* skin over the skuU being of orange yellow nuy assist in accounting for the fact. I practised upon this suggestion all last, summer, lined my hat with green and orange-yellow paper, and had confidence enough in the truth of the theory to neglect my umbrella, which I had never done before. I mentioned it to many who tried it also, and in many eases under my observation they uniformly asserted that the oppressive boat, of the sun upon the head was much relieved.”

Private telegrams from Auckland (says the “ Post ”) represent the condition of the quarantined circus there as most deplorable. There are twenty employees who are thrown out of work, and tho animals are confined in an open hulk moored in the harbor. Uuless they arc allowed to land the proprietors will bo utterly ruined. From cable correspondence that has passed between the Governments of this colony and New South Wales it seems quarantine will be rigidly enforced at Sydney. A sad accident is reported from Looston. Throe children of Mr Douglass wore playing on a straw stack on Wodnosday afternoon, and one of them, who had some matches, sot fire to the straw. Though assistance was close at hand, and two of the children were dragged from the burning straw, the flames had got too great a hold for it to be possible to save the third child, a little boy three years old, who was burnt to death.

A singular circumstance, which is well worthy of being recorded, is herewith related (says the “Auckland Star” of tho 10th hint.) for the benefit of all interested in the progress of the temperance cause, and abo a* a good example to lopors, bfth old and young. The t’onsonby Rowing Club held its annual mee*ing at. the Ponsonby Club Hotel on Tuesday evening. There wore about, ”5 members present, including the proprietor of tho establishment, and after business was transacted the usual finale was announced. The order was given, and when the drinks were served it was discovered, amidst much laughter and astonishment, that there was only one solitary whisky in tho lot, tho h dance being strict teetotal beverages—tho worthy host, evidently guided by good cxiraplq being himself amongst the patrons of “soft stuff.”

The New Zealand Trust aud Loan Co. has declared a dividend of 20 per cent. It must ho admirably conducted to pay its cost of management and yet return 20 per cent, to its shareholders. Lucky follows to receive at one haul a fifth of their money back, and yet retain a good paying business. Wo cannot help thinking (remarks the Dunedin “ Evening Herald") that the juice of the colonial orange must bo pretty tightly squeezed to afford such a return to a few gentlemen in London. They are getting the juice, aud the struggling settlers who have to pay high rates of interest are being sent to the douce This cannot go on. The institution referred to undoubtedly gets the most of the million and a quarter it has advanced on mortgage from Homo capitalists at four per cent. Why should a handful of middlemen bleed the country so heavily as to pocket 20 per cent ? Such a system is now intolerable. The State must stop in and get cheap money for us. It is expected that Sir Wiliam Pox and Mr Glover, temperance lecturer, will arrive in New Zealand in time to take part in the next groat temperance demonstration, which is to bo hold in Wellington on the occasion of inaugurating the Now Zealand Alliance. This event is to take place on the 23th of January. “ The Frenchman,” a humorous contributor to the Sydney “ Evening News,” in giving a description of the opening of the railway to Bourke, an upcountry township of New South Wales, thus refers to what an old resident considered one of the doubtful ad. vantages conferred by railway communion, lion: —“ The railway has wonderfully increased population and facilitated the interchange of commodities. Four years ago you might leave all the doors aud windows of your house open all day and all night, and no one would steal anything. Now, if on Saturday night you hang out your leg of mutton for Sunday’s dinner, you will not find it in the morning; so i-apid is the interchange of commodities.” |

Detective Edo, who has been for tho last three years stationed at Invercargill,has been transferred to Dunedin. The prospectus of the Orepuki Railway Hotel Company is published. .f. R. Mills and Co.—-Stock sale, Thornbury. Wilson, Tainc, and Co.--Stock sale, Thornbury, A ui ti'Cion on a farm is -wanted for a lad. A collie do;' baa been found near Thornbury. The entire horse Extinguisher will stand at Mr J. McFarlane’s farm, Drummond, and travel tho surrounding district. R.R.V. —Farads to-dsy. M. Fallow has sucking pigs for sale. A meeting of Natives will be held at Colac on Monday. F. Sutton has gorse cutting to let. Carswell, White, and Co. Sale of cattle, Ac., Wvey’s Hush. Tenders are wanted for ditching at Mr Troop’s farm, Otnubui. .). AV. Mepatead announces the arrival of spring goods. H. Ellery Bead—Pianoforte and organ tuning.