The Western Star. (PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1891.

Western Star, Issue 1540, 28 February 1891, Page 2

The Western Star. (PUBLISHED 81-WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1891.

Mr L. F. Clapp, whose reputation as a gardener is widespread, is once more to the front—this time armed with a cauliflower. The vegetable is ot the variety known as the Early Mammoth, and Mr Clapp intends competing for the prize offered by Arthur Yates and Co. in tho Grand International Vegetable and Root Competition for tho six heaviest cauliflowers. When weighed in the presence of a few gentlemen yesterday it turned the scale at IOJIbs, besides measuring 3ft Sin in circumference. Tho “ mammoth,” which is a real beauty, is on view in one of Messrs Whittingham Bros, and Instoue’s windows. The Riverton Rifles paraded for Gov rnment inspection on Thursday evening when Sorgt. Blackmoro put company through some smart drill. One new member was fleeted. It was stated that it was definitely decided to hold a review at Oamaru at Easter, and men wishing to take part in same will require to send their names to the secretary

during the incoming week. It is proposed to leave here on Thursday evening previous to Easter Monday and return about the following Wednesday. Freo railway passes will be granted to volunteers who will also be quartered at Government expanse, -i|The Mountain Daer is tho name of another craft to be launched here. Mr John Hunter, of South Riverton, has just about finished a cutter which to all appearances will bo a regular clipper. She measures 3Gft on tho keel, 13ft beam, 7fc hold, and built of red pine. The workmanship Mr Hunter has put into the vessel is first-olass, and ns it is his first attempt in this line, ho has far exceeded the expectations of those engaged in shipbuilding here. The date of launching has been fixed for Wednesday, after which she will take her place amongst those already engaged in the oystering trade at the Bluff.

A now post office has been opened at Scott’s Gap, with Mr J. Powell as postmaster.

The Hospital returns for tho week are as follows :—Admissions, 4—males, 2 ; females 3. Discharged,2—males, 1; females,!. Remaining, 9 —males, 7 ; females, 2, Deaths, nil, —Two accidents were admitteed daring the week —viz., J. O. Wilson, who had one of his hands lacerated in the drum of a threshmaohiuo at Wairio; and Michael Slattery, who had his face and both arms and bauds scorched by the explosion of a quantity of gunpowder in a bag, it having got ignited whilst in the act of firing a shot in the lignite pit at Fairfax. The following will represent the Apavima Club at Thornbury to-day, and they are requested to bo ready to start at noon Pattison, Mills (2), Robertson, Kirkland, Lyle, Mooro, Fullarton, Eyes, Booth and Clark.

In the course of business communications with clients at Round Hill Mr W. Todd (says the Times) recently learned that two parlies of miners working there, each conaisting of four men, had earned £6OO and £550 respectively by eight weeks’ work. These are returns which should assist in stimulating mining operations in Southland, and render such operations an important influence in the return of the prosperity which most commercial men believe is now dawning.

r The Government have decided to send the Hinemoa on a further search for the missing steamer Kakanui. Besides again visiting the Macquarie, Auckland and Campbell Islands, all the islandc south of Stewart Island, including the Antipodes and Bounty Islands are to be searched. She was to leave last night and to call at the Ohathams on her way back to ascertain if anything definite can be hoard of the missing barque Asaago.

A squared kauri log, identified as one of those shipped by the missing barque Kentish Lass, from Hokianga to Sydney, last has been found washed up near Hokianga. An old man named Joyce, alleged to be one of the survivors of tho Balaclava Six Hundred, was charged with vagrancy at Orange, in New South Wales, on Friday last and sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.

A passenger on the express train from Christchurch fell off the platform of one of the carriages on Wednesday, when the train was near Shag Point. An alarm was given, and tho train stopped and slowly backed to tho spot, when it was found the man had the good fortune to escape with a cut in tho head and a very severe shaking.

Two residents of Oatnarn reported that on Saturday they had seen near tho mouth of the Waitaki what they took to be part of the mast of a vessel; also something that looked like a portion of a foreoabin. Inspector Thomson at once despatched mounted police officers from Oamaru and Waimate, but though they searched for hours, they failed to discover anything in the way of wreckage.

Air R. Cockerell, of Invercargill, hus applied for a patent for a reversible dividend cradle dredge bucket for mining and other purposes.

Though Air Goldie has given no reason for his retirement from the Newton seat, it is stated that he has been recommended by his medical adviser to give up public life. Another reason given is that ho is disgusted at tho way in which public men are treated, and sees no prospect of doing good in Parliament. Ou the same subject the Wellington correspondent of tho Lyttelton Times writes: —Passing the Government buildings to-day (Monday) at five o’clock, I saw the inhabitants pouring forth with an expression too jubilant to bo accounted for by tho arrival of the hour for knocking off. “ What is the matter?” “Oh, don’t you know? Air Goldie, the arch-skinflint, has resigned. That was enough. The whole Service has received the news with a sense of joy which you can hardly credit. The popular impression js that Mr Goldie, having found that there is no money to bo made in Now Zealand, lias gone off to New South Wales, whore there is still much extravagance. There are people hero who would not be sorry if the other Skinflints could ho induced to go and support him in such a congenial monomaniacs] crusade. Messrs J. H. Mills and Co. sell a choice farm near diverton ou Wolnosday, 18th March; also a Howard reaper and binder at their sale ou Tuesday.

John McNickol applies for a transfer of license for Commercial Hotel from himself to Sadie Lambert.

A sitting of the Assessment Court for the Borough of Riverton wjll he held on the 13th March.