SOCIETY ON DITS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue II, 9 July 1898, Page 51

SOCIETY ON DITS.

That if the talked of Auckland Military Tournament for November 9th is to come off successfully it is high time that the Tournament Committee settled up affairs in connection with the last tournament, and set about making their preparations for the next one.

That Major Ferguson, of sportsman fame, who has returned to England after a lengthened stay in New Zealand, has been warmly advocating the introduction of the Wapiti, or American elk. into New Zealand, where he considers they would thrive well and prove ultimately of benefit to the colony. That the Ponsonby Navals commence their competition for the company's cup at the Mount Eden range on Saturday, July 16.

That M.H.R.’s have been granted by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company the right to travel free on its line during the session.

That the Auckland Harbour Board has at last begun to seriously take up the question of the equipment of the Calliope Dock, which has been irreverently termed one of Auckland's white elephants. They will most likely seek for the Admiralty's verification of the indirect offer of a subsidy from the Imperial funds which was made to Mr Witheford in England.

That the Wellington Education Board has at present in consideration a letter from the Education Department, asking whether, in view of the fact that, under the Volunteer regulations, provision has been made in the direction of the formation of school cadet corps, there is any necessity to take action in reference to the matter. That the design of the badge which Mr Kenneth Watkins has just made for the College Rifles of Auckland is highly effective in idea and execution. The lion rampant of the Grammar School, the crown of King's College. the black and red shield of Prince Albert, and the stars of St. John's all figure conspicuously in the badge, which shows a very pleasing arrangement of colours.

That the new brick guard-house which they have begun to erect at the principal entrance to Government House. Auckland, is going to be larger and of a more ornamental nature than its predecessor.

That Mr G. H. F. Warburton, of Palmerston North, and one of his brothers have each through the death of an uncle come into a legacy of about £20,000. while their sisters nave also inherited from the same source £6OOO apiece.

That Messrs S. White and Co., the contractors for the Auckland Exhibition Buildings, are getting on famously with their contract. It is very satisfactory to learn, as showing the substantial nature of the work done, that the framework of the courts stood the late strong easterly gale remarkably well.

That Mr J. D. Ritchie. Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, expects that if some of the resolutions p.issed by the Agricultural Conference in Christchurch l>e put into execution, much good will result.to the agricultural community.

That the Picton-Blenheim train could not run, on account of the landslips and floods, (langs of men were kept employed night and day to clear the line. There was no communication between Pieton and Blenheim from Thursday midday till Saturday a'ternoon, except by wire. That last week the people of Outran! were able to enjoy some good skating for the lagoon near their town was frozen to a depth of two inches. That the Wellington Rowing Club ii tend holding their annual hall in St. Thomas’ Hall on 4rh July, and the committee are making active preparations to ensure its being a thorough success.

That on Wednesday, June 29, the Napier Wanderers’ Bicycle Club held a successful dance in the Garrison Hall, and that a novelty, unknown before in a New Zealand ball-room, was introduced in the shape of a musical bicycle ride.

That Dr. W. Christie, who has been practising in New Plymouth for eight years now, formally handed over his practice last week to Dr. E. A. Walker. That there has been a resolution passed by the North Canterbury Board of Education in favour of the inspection of private schools. That Dr. E. A. Walker, in place of Dr. W. Christie, of New Plymouth, who is shortly leaving for England, has been appointed Tent Surgeon of the Unity Tent, 1.0. R. That invitations have been sent out for the wedding reception at Dr. Grace’s on the occasion of the marriage of Miss Grace to Professor Clark, of Christchurch. The ceremony is to take place at. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral at nine o’clock in the morning of Saturday, 9th July, and the reception, at which the bride and bridegroom are to be present, is to be held in the evening. That the attractive South Sea island excursion, for which the Union Steamship Company have specially fitted up the Waikare, left Wellington on Tuesday. There were a good many passengers from Australia, and a considerable number from the Southern cities of New Zealand, but Miss Hewin was the only representative of Auckland. That there is a new industry being developed in New Zealand, to wit asbestos mining in the Nelson province, near Mount Arthur, in the Valley of the Takaka River. It is to be hoped that asbestos mining offers fewer possibilities of disappointment to its promoters than gold mining. That if one wishes to make a fortune quickly, one should settle in Canterbury and grow potatoes. Mr G. E. Rhodes, of Meadowbank, Canterbury, has netted £15,000 this year out of the potato crop of 200 acres. That the Gas Company’s reclamation work in Freeman’s Bay, Auckland, is progressing rapidly, and that we are within measurable distance of the time when Freeman’s Bay will cease to be an eyesore to the community. That the family of Mr McKellar Wix. of Wellington (lately of Nelson), has through the death of his father, come into a fortune of nearly forty thousand pounds. That while Mr W. G. Ralph takes a well-earned holiday, Miss Rudhven, ot St. Mary’s Convent, Ponsonby, Auckland, peforms his duties as organist of the Church of the Sacred Heart, Ponsonby, Auckland, and performs them very well.

That the recent rains, which have quite removed the fear of a water famine from the minds of the citizens of Auckland—for the present at least - —will probably have also erased from the minds of the City Fathers the burdensome thought that really it was almost time for them to seriously think about taking into consideration the question of seeing about what could be done to provide Auckland with a fairly adequate and reliable water supply. That bares have increased so much throughout Canterbury that settlers are finding them quite a plague, especially at the present time when feed is scarce.

That the annual ball of the Old Boys at Wellington College takes place in St. Thomas’ Hall on 11th July.

That the officers and men of the New Zealand volunteers should pat themselves on the back since they have been declared by an officer of the Ini|>erial forces at present in Wellington to compare very favourably with the Home forces, taking into consideration the fact that the New Zealand volunteers are in a great measure self-taught.

That a ghostly light which hovers alxmt the Tyntesfield run and adjacent valleys is puzzling the residents there. It has been seen for the last twelve years by hard-headed men and women who are so far above superstitious fears that they have chased it. They describe it as in appearance like a cartage lamp, and it has frequently been taken for a carriage, but it travels at lightning speed, and has — so say those who have seen it —a most uncanny appearance, coming along so swiftly and so silently right towards you. It is frequently seen in the firtree avenue at Tyntesfield.

That several of the Picton residents who went through to Blenheim on Thursday and were delayed there had quite as much of it as they could manage for the time. They never wish to see Blenheim in a flood again. That the few residents of Tyntesfield and Cowslip Valley, were completely isolated from the outer world by a roaring torrent of a river w-hich rose to an unprecedented height and reached from bank to bank quite a quarter of a mile. This was the Omaka, which lower down helped to flood Blenheim last week. That a successful social was held on June 27 by the Catholics of Hastings, and the proceeds are to go towards the funds required for getting up a bazaar for reducing the debt on the Roman Catholic Church.