NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 2, 14 January 1904, Page 20

NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL

A company with a capital of £5000 has been formed at lnglewood to provide the town with electric light and power. The Premier formally opened, on the 9th inst., the new bridge over the Waitahi River, 10 miles south of Ros>s. There were great rejoicings. He afterwards proceeded overland to Okarito and Francis Joseph Glacier. Several farmers in the Temuka district, who have been holding on to oats in the hope of getting a much better market than at present prevailing, have decided to ship to London. Several thousand bushels were despatched last week. The Rev. Father Fauvel (Temuka), who has been on a much-needed trip for the 'benefit of his health, returned to Temuka on Tuesday of last week. He was accorded a hearty reception on arrival, and the peal oi bells at St. Joseph's Church rang out a welcome. Father Fauvel is much improved in health, and says he enjoyed the trip very much. The Compensation. Court, under the presidency of the Chief Justice, has been sitting at Te Aroha to determine the value of the Matamata Estate, which has been taken by the Government for settlement purposes. The area in dispute is 42,739 acres. The Assets Board asks £3 10s an acre, while the Government offers £2 10s. It, is stated by a contemporary on what it believes to be reliable authority that the Government intends to proclaim the whole of western Otago a public park. The area indicated embraces a great extent of country, and the finest scenery in the world, including Milford Sound and all the marvellously beautiful region by which it is surrounded. The aim is to preserve for all time what is, from its attractions for tourists, one of the finest assets of the Colony. A Press Association telegram says that Dr. Mason arranged to meet the Christchurch Hospital Board yesterday morning, and intended urging the erection of consumptive annexes either at the Christchuroh Hospital or at the infectious diseases hospital at Bottle Lake, in the style of those at Cambridge Sanatorium. He states that he intends to erect similar annexes in suitable places, and the places he has in view are Nelson, Naseby, Lawrence, Queenstown, Dunedin, in the South Island ; and Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Masterton, Napier, and Otaki in the North Island. A swift and plucky rescue of a boy from drowning was effected in Dunedin on, lajst Friday ,even|ng by Mr. D. Falkner, a member of our staff. As the ' Moerangi ' was backing out from Russell's jetty, a lad, the son of our foreman, was standing at the pier head, lost his balajncQ, and fell into v the water The tilde at the time was at the flood. Mr. D . Falkner, who was close to the boy at the time, seeing what had happened, without a moment's hesitation jumped in after him, fully diessed, and succeeded, after a scramble into a boat, in bringing him ashore. The rescue was a brave and timely one, and was heartily applauded. The Timaru branch of the Hibernian Society held its half-yearly meeting on Monday last, the president Bro. T. Donovan) being in the chair. There were about members present. The election; af officers for the ensuing term resulted as follows :— President, T. Donovan (re-elected) ; vice-president, T. O'Connor ; treasurer, John Sullivan (re-e.lected) ; secretary, J. P. Fitzgjerald (re-elected) ; warden, P. Moriarty ; guardian, M. Donovan ; sick visitors, Bros. Doyle and Dunne; delegates to district board, ' Bros. Fitzgerald and iDoyle. The business paper of the triennial moveable meeting of the district Board, to be held this year in Timaru, was considered, and the committee's report on same was adopted. The receipts*»for the evening amounted to £90 odd. The motor is ' coming in ' in New Zealand and the cab and bus horse must look to his laurels. A company called the Southland Motor Service Company is being formed in Invercargill, with a capital of £6000, in shares of 5s each, to provide the town and suburbs with motor omnibuses, capable of being driven by either petrol or electricity attached at a very small cost. A very important feature of this company is that shareholders with their families will ultimately be patrons of their own buses ; and it goes without saying that the promoters are careful to distribute shares well along the intended line of route. A motor 'bus service is also to be started shortly in Timaru by Mr. A. C. Thompson. When in Scotland recently Mr. Thompson purchased a Stirling car at a cost of £1000, and this is expected in Timaru daily. An export, wh,om Mr. Thompson engaged when at Home to work the car, arrived in the Colony by the Corinthic, and reached Timaru a few days ago.