NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 65, 25 July 1874, Page 7

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

A HEETIN& of the Juvenile Contingent, St. Joseph's Branch, No. 73, was held last Monday evening and we are glad to say that, desm'te the bitter snowy weather,fthe attendance was large. Bro. Fred. J. Bunny presided. Twenty-two candidates were initiated as members. The election for office-bearers was then proceeded with, the result being as follows : — President, Bro. Peter Daniel ; Viee-Presidedt, Bro. D. For ; Assistant Secretary, Bro. P. Walsh ; "Warden, Bro. J. Bourke ; Guardian, D. Heffernan. — Bro. Bunny congratulated the officers and members and said that he trusted tli.it ere lone they would have a librai'y and debating class in connection with the Society. — Bro. J. J. Connor also expressed the same wish, and said he earnestly hoped that arrangements would be made for the Contingent to recieve Holy Communion at regular periods during the year. It was resolved to meet again on Monday evening, 3rd August, at 7.30 p.m., and it was determined to continue meeting fortnightly until the contingent is thoroughly organised. The meeting closed with prayer.

Two men had a narrow escape from drowning in the bay on last Saturday night. It appears they were employed on the Deborah Bay works and were returning from Port Chalmers when the dingy upset and precipitated them into the water. Fortunately a boat was at hand to rescue them from their perilous situation, and they were conveyed to the Port, where they procured a change of clothing. Had help not been at hand, they could never have reached the shore, as there limbs were numbed with cold when rescued.

A petition has been prepared, at Auckland, signed by nearly all the engineers and engine-drivers, praying that the House of Representatives will insert a clause in the Bill for the prevention of mining accidents, limiting the hours of labor to eight hours. It states such clause to be actually necessary to prevent accidents occurring through fatigue and exhaustion of drivers from long hours, there being twelvehour shifts in many of the batteries.

Thb fall of snow which commenced on Sunday night, and continued at intervals during Monday, was the heaviest experienced in the district for many years. As it lay thick on the ground for some days, much amusement was afforded by witnessing the snowballing contests which took place, in which old and young alike joined with much spirit.

The Agent-General, by telegram dated July 3, announces to the Premier that during June the following ships with immigrants sailed for the colony : — Oxford, with 430 souls, for Auckland ; Charleville and Douglas, with 870, for Wellington ; Parsee, Tweed, and Meansland, with 1,370, for Otago; Callicott (supposed ( o be the Galliope), Canterbury, Merchant, and Gutenburg, with 1,440, for Canterbury. These numbers make the total number of emigrants shipped for Hew Zealand, between January I and the end of June, 21,400. The railway plant shipped during June was 2,000 tons rails and fastenings, 30 weighing machines, 25 sets of wagon iron, 32 tons of bridge work, 122 cylinders, 1,500 coils of wire, and 624 cases telegraph materials.

Me John Gbifpin, teacher in the Catholic school, who is leaving Tuapeka, was presented by the School Committee with a testimonal and a splendid gold cross, in appreciation of his valuable services as a teacher of the Catholic of the district ; by his gentle conduct, zeal, fidelity, and forbearance he was loved and respected by his pupils, and carries away with him the good wishes of all with whom he was acquainted. Mr Griffin returned the committee thanks in a very appropriate and feeling manner. He urged on them to take a deep interest in the advancement of their school — the education and training of thfl Catholic youth of Tuapeka — so as to make them fit ornaments of their Church and society. We believe Me Griffin intends settling in Hokitika.

The Premier in making the Financial Statement said that altkough shorter than usual, it would be unprecedented on account of the prosperity which it evidenced. The Statement was made at an earlier period than had been customary, a result for which he was indebted to the untiring exertions of the Treasury officials in preparing the accounts la&t year. It was anticipated that the actual results of 1872-73 would leave a surplus of £3,800, with whicU to begin the year, but it proved that there was a diffeience of £6,000 as compared with what was anticipated. This arose partly through under-estimating the outstanding liabilities, and partly from some assets not being realised, the result being that instead of a surplus of £3,800 there was a deficiency of between £2,100 and £2,200. After explaining at some length the position of the railways, Mr Vogel said that the revenue of the country was merely using so much simultaneously with the introduction of immigrants and the prosecution of public works j that there could no longer be any doubt as to the success of the policy, and the colony would be quite safe in taking over the main trunk lines of railway whenever it might be found convenient to do so, and in relieving the provinces from all liability on account of those lines, apart from the revenue which it was now certain would be derived from the railways, in excess of working expenses. The consolidated revenue of the colony had, during the last two years, increased by £412,000, or within a few thousand pounds of the total annual charge which the railways, when completed from one end of the™colony to the other, would entail. The surplus with which to commence the new year amounted to £270,000.

One of the keenest contests which has ever taken place in the city for the Mayoral chair terminated on Tuesday in the election of Mr Ramsay. Although the large number of votes polled were considerably over two thousand, the majority for tke successful candidate was only thirty-four. The result of the election was made known by the retiring Mayor, Mr Mercer, on the terrace of the Provincial Government building 3. His Worship was about to make a speech when a -well-directed snow-ball altered his mind, and ho informed those present that he had intended to have thanked them for past honors, but seeing the excited feeling of the crowd he would take another opportunity. The Mayor gleet then came forward, and after vraitiug

for some minutes to allow the mingled cheers and groans to subside, proceeded to thank those who had voted for him, promising to endeavor to faithfully carry out the pledges he had made. Mr Walters, the defeated candidate, next addressed those present, and after stating that the majority by which he had been beaten was but a small one, expressed his intention of paying the respect to the office to which Mr Ramsay had been elected to which it was entitled, announced himself as a candidate for the Mayorality at the termination of Mr Ramsay's year of office.

It will be seen that the present want of house accomodation is not confined to Dunedin alone. From all parts of the Colony complaint* are heard of this pressing want. The 'Brace Herald' says : — " There are now in the Immigration Barracks, Milton, 87 souls, including about 20 children. The greater number of those are recent arrivals ; 29 single women have been sent up from Dunedin within the last few days. 17 single men and four families. There are only three familial remaining out of what may be termed the first lot, and one of these is preparing to leave. Indeed, the principal reason that has kept these latter in the Barracks hitherto has been want of house accomodation outside, for several of the heads of families, who have obtained work, have merely had house-room within the Barracks, and have not been dependent on Government rations.

The severe weather has greatly retarded the engaging of the immigrants at the Barracks, nnd notwithstanding the large nnmbers despatched to the country depots, accomodation can only be made for 100 of the passengers by the Sussex. This to be regretted, aa the arrival of the Peter Deuny may at auy moment be announced j if so her passengers also will have to be treated in a similar manner to those of the Sussex.

We are glad to learn that the fears which were entertained for the safety of Mr Brooks are groundless, the missing man having turned up on Wednesday morning, as his sorrowing friends were about giving up hopes of finding him alive. The circumstances which caused the alarm were as follows :—lnformation: — Information was lodged with the police on Tuesday that Mr John Brooks, Commission Agent, of Manse street, had been missing from his home at Waikari during the night, and fears being entertained for his safety, a search party, under the leadership of Sergeant Bevan, was immediately organised. The missing man had called at the Half-way Bush Inn on the previous evening on his road home, where he had a glass of spirits. He then left and proceeded in the direction of his own home, and Had succeeded in arriving within 200 yards of his house, when he was observed from the door by his son and wife sitting down bareheaded. On going to his father's assistance, young Brooks was told by him to look for the missing hat, and when he returned to the place he found his father had disappeared. Not reaching home, some twenty residents, headed by the sergeant, separated into small parties, and dilligently scoured the surrounding bush until late on Tuesday evening without smccess, but fortunately further efforts were rendered unnecessary by his re-appearance on Wednesday morning.

Rumor has it that there will be no scarcity of candidates at the ensuiug municipal elections. Though plenty of names are mentioned as aspirants, Messrs H. S. Fish and Barnard^lsaacs are the only two about whom there is any degree of certainty, the former contenting South "Yard, whilst Mr Isaacs will woo the ratepayers of Hieh Ward. 8