Untitled

Western Star, Issue 1370, 10 July 1889, Page 2

Mr Francis Henry, of Longwood, sustained an accilent yesterday morning which it was feared would be attended with loss of sight. He was pouring out about half a pound of molten load, when it is thought that on account of there being some water on the bearing, which is a wooden one, a considerable quantity of the hot metal spurted up in his face, a portion lodging in his eyes. The volume of the boiling shower may bo imagined from the fact thnt the whole front of the woollen cap wh'oh Mr Henry worn at the lime was coated with lead, and one of his sons, who was standing a couple of yards behind him, got a portion of the discharge in his face, but without receiving any injury The sufferer was brought to Riverton on a trolly with as little delay as possible, and wa? attended by Dr Nelson, who extracted the lead from the injured organs. The doctor says that as the pupils of the eyes have not been touched ho has great hopes that Mr Hoary’s sight will not be permanently in. jured ; he will, however, have to use great care for some time in exposing his eyes to the light to avoid inflammation setting in. \ Word was received in town yesterday of the death on Monday at the Seacliff Asylum of Mr Richard Stevens, one of the veritable oldest inhabitants of this part of the island. The late Mr Stevens, or “ Old Uncle Dick,” by which sobriquet he was best known, settled in Riverton in the early whaling days, and will be well remembered by all in the district except the very new chums. About a year since his reason became slightly impaired and he was removed to the institution where he on Monday breathed his last. The late Mr Stevens, who was about OOyearr of age, was one of the last survivors of Waterloo. At that time he was a boy of 15, and he often used to recount his recollections of the great triumph. Ho also served with the Iron Duke in other engagements. The deceased gentleman loaves besides Mrs Densham, who is : i daughter, many relatives about Riverton. V We understand that a meeting of miners is to bo held at Round Hill on Saturday evening to reorganise the Miners’ Association. Other matters of moment will be dis cussed.

The Timaru Herald says :—The Annie Bovleft Newcastle on June 6, aud was off CapFoulwind on the 13th ; or in other words, making the smart run from land to land ir seven days. But at this time the troubles began, for baffling winds, accompanied by E. aud S.E. gales, wore mot with up to Wednesday night, when a slant of wind from th southward enabled the vessel to be brought along the coast to port. She comes into port in good order, and during the gales be haved splendidly. Captain Campbell cannot explain the meaning of the telegram from Invercargill, published on Saturday. Th vessel lost no plank from the “starboard bow,” and it is only a day or two ago that ho ran up his numbers off the Bluff and reported “ all well.”

A general meeting of the shareholders ol the Longwood Sluicing Company is advertised to take place in the Prince of Wale Hotel, Invercargill to-day. During all the discussions that took place over the expiring Harbour Board and it.alfaire, no mention was made of assets which should at least be worth a little. We refer to the boats belonging to the Board. There is a life-boat and a pilot boat. The life boat, which must originally have cost a very considerable sum of money, has been lying absolutely rotting for years past, but the second boat we believe to bo in tolerable repair. As neither of the boats are required for Harbour service, we would suggest that they be sold, as it does seem a great pity to sec then crumbling to pieces in a shed.

To-morrow evening our friends at Oropuki hold a tea meeting and bazaar in aid of tie building fund of the Presbyterian Church The llov. T. Neave presides on tec occasion.

A. E. Fori lie;stone has been appointed postmaster at Groper’s Bush, vice M. Johnston resigned. Messrs J. W. Bain and Thos. Denniston, the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the claims of the fishermen for loss sustained b\ the closing of the estuary for net fishing, had a private meeting with the claimants at the Court House on Monday. The fishermen, by their counsel, Mr Adam Anderson, submitted statement detailing the loss accruing to each of the fishermen by netting being prohibited. The Commissioners carefullv considered each claim separately and will make their awards in a few days, when the sum allowed by Government will bo forwarded to the Postmaster or other public officer for distribution. A few of the claims put in were disregarded, and altogether some eight uf the applicants have been set down as entitled to compensation.

Given fine weather there should be a good turn-out for the ploughing match on Friday. The convincing ground, a paddock of Mr Borland’s adjoining the main road, Groper’s Bush, is within reasonable distance from all centres. A concert and ball takes place in the Groper’s Bush School on the evening of the match.

A matter of unusual occurrence, ami I may also add of considerable satisfaction to the localities interested, took place last week when the Chairman of the County together with Councillors Hamilton and Johnston and accompanied by tbe Engineer, paid an official visit in state to the Wairio and Waiau ridings. Although but short notice was given of this royal advent, a goodly number of settlers took advantage of such a favorable opportunity to impress upon the distinguished visitors the excellent physical features of the country, together with the almost entire absence of roads or means of communication, and we have reason to believe the spontaneous outburst of eloquence of the influential deputation will be attended by a fair measure of success. It certainly is very gratifying to the district, and a special acknowledgment is due to tbe Chairman and Councillor Hamilton for penetrating thus far into this terra incognita and in making themselves thereby so intimately acquainted at considerable personal inconvenience at this season with the wants and grievances of the settlers.—Waiau correspondent.

At the Education Board meeting on Friday last, the appointment of Mr Jabez Golding as head teacher at Arrow was confirmed. Miss Emily Robinson was appointed mistress at Clifton. The tender of W. Pearsley, £153 7p, for additions to the Orepuki School was ac. cepted. The Gummies’ Bush teacher sent in a satisfactory explanation in reference to the Inspector’s report. Steps were ordered to be taken to secure section 13, block 1, Otautau, as a school site, it being decided to hold over the committee’s application for an exchange of sections, with a view to enlarging the playground.

The ’Frisco mail closes to-morrow at 7.20 a.tn.

The Riverton school is about to lose the services of one of the most efficient members of tho staff; one who has boon connected with the school from her infancy. Miss Emily Robinson, after finishing a most creditable course as a scholar, became a pupil teacher in which capacity her natural talents as an instructor soon became apparent. Mias Robinson has been studying hard during the last few years, and successfully passed all the examinations she went up for. At tho same time she has worked with very great success in the school, so much so that she has for several years occupied the post of second mistress. It was not to be- expected that a teacher of Miss Robinson’o talents could long be overlooked, and although we regret that her services are to be lost to the local school, we must congratulate her on the promotion she so well deserves.

“Should the New Zealand Railways be sold” is tho subject of tho debate at the Mutual Improvement Association’s meeting this evening.

Mr G. J. A. Richardson, of Invercargill, has applied for a patent for an automatic fire screen or guard and dummy-boiler combined.

We leam that the Charitable Aid Board, despite the decision o£ the recent Commission, is disinclined to remit to the local hospital authorities the amount of the requisition for maintenance, and intend to take steps to nullify the last election ol Trustees. It is greatly to bo regretted thai some understanding cannot be arrived at between the two bodies so as to avert any further legal proceedings. Surely it can bi ascertained without reference to the Suprenu Court if the Hospital Trust is properly constituted. Might we not suggest a conference between the two bodies, when wo an perfectly sure any differences eonld be arranged. One thing is very certain, the burden of all the proceedings will fall on tin unfortunate taxpayer.

A meeting of the Riverton Athenaeum was held on Monday evening when some routinr business in connection with the annua’ meeting of subscribers (which was fixed foi Monday next) was transacted. It was re solved that a vote of thanks bo accorded to the Fancy Dress Ball Committee for theii efforts in getting up a benefit for the institution.

For years past each winter the younp people of Riverton, and the old ones, too, for that matter, have been enabled to extract what enjoyment may be experienced by indulging in the pastime of roller skating. Long before the rinking craze took possession of those in the chief centres Eiverton had itf rink, and it was generally remarked at th time the exhilirating exercise was introduce!' last year at Invercargill when an experienced rinkor was seen on the floor that he or she must have come from Riverton. It was intended this year to start the rink as usual, but a serious obstacle presented itself. No difficulty had previously been mot with in obtaining the only suitable hall, the drill shod : terms had always been arranged with tb< leasee, apparently on terms mutually satisfactory to both contracting parties. The drill shed was not leased last year, the letting of it remaining in the hands of tho Volunteei Corps with whom the Rinking Club found it impossible to come to terms although they offered an advance on the amount hitherto paid. We certainly cannot commend the dog-in-the-manger stand taken up the Volunteer authorities, and we would remind them that the hall is to all intents and purposes a public one—paid for out of th public exchequer—and it was never intended that it should be used exclusively by the Voluctc:-!*:. for- their fortnightly drills. Being thus’ baulked in their intention of having a rink, tho young llivortonians have organised a Owlrillo Assembly to work off their superfluous energies, and tho first o' tho dances in connection therewith takes place to-morrow evening.

OurOtautau correspondent writes At r special meeting of the Athenaeum on the Jth inst. Mr Jag. Salton was elected Secretary and Treasurer; 5s was fixed as the annual subscription.—Great interest is being displayed by the draught players in the competition which is to decide the captaincy. Play has been going on, on as many as six boards atatime and during the continuance of play the room is generally crowded.—The School Committee at their meeting resolved to intimate to parents that it was intended to enforce the compulsory clauses of the Act. The Committee forwarded a request to the Board to do some necessary draining.—The Salvation Army opened fire here on Sunday last, and intend to hold fortnightly services in the township.—Throe out of the four publicans have taken out licenses; the license for the Ilailway was allgwed to lapse,

Lawyers do not generally combine to effect ! any good object—that is to say, there is i gensrally some of the profess! »n fighting and j ’tother way, Mr Yorrall, for j Ashley, assured the House the other ' evening that he had been elected in ! spite of the opposition of all the lawyers of j the colony. Wo can scarcely credit the j statement, but, nevertheless, if they did com- ! bine for the object named, their object was a j most commendable one and the pity is they i did not manage to consign Mr Vorrall to obscurity. At the Supreme Court, Dunedin, the case of Winmill v. Gallie was concluded on Friday last, excepting the judgment. Mr Chapman brought his address to a close shortly before noon, at which time (says the Otago Daily Times) he had spoken for IG£ hours, and Mr Fraser replied in an address of half an hour’s duration upon a few points of law. His Honor, of course, reserved his judgment. The case was commended on the 21st March last, and the hearing of it has been continued for 27 days. An old man named William Blundell, aged 82, was found drowned in the river Avon, Christchurch, near the police station on Friday last. Deceased had previously announced hia intention of committing suicide, but had been watched. Mr Francis Henry inserts a notice stating that his sons will carry on his sawmilling business until he recovers from an accident which betel him yesterday. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the Aparima Dairy Factory Co. is convened for Thursday, 13th i.ist. It is notified that Mr Dougall will personally be in attendance at his temporary Riverton studio from Thursday till Saturday, after which date the studio will be closed. A notice in reference to the Riverton Corporation Empowering Bill is inserted. The Kakanui leaves Dunedin for Riverton on Saturday. “ Little Tiz,” a service of song, is to be given in the Presbyterian Church on Monday.