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Dunstan Times, Issue 1278, 27 August 1886, Page 2

The Government are offering a reward of L 25 for information of Edmond Morrissey, who mysteriously disappear ed from Opbir in May last. We understand that amongst the leading residents of the district there is a movement in the direction of getting up come kind of demonstration in honour of Mr F. J. Wilson, solicitor, on the occasion of bis departure from the district, which so far as is yet known is fixed for Monday fortnight, the 12th September. From our intimate knowledge of Mr Wilson during the past 14 years he has been a resident of Clyde, wo can unh sitatingly say he is deserving some demonstration, and as unhesitatingly we say that the district will not he doing justice to itself if it allows him to depart wi l Lout one. Whatever may be decided on, we hope ihat one and all from one end of the district to the other wil join heartily in it, and thus register their approbation of the action of the Government in selecting him for the honorable position he haa been appointed to. Wo are requested to draw attention to the sale by auction of Mr F. J. Wilson’s household furniture and effects, on Thursday, the 9th of September, also of his sevenroomed dwelling house. This sale should attract a huge number of buyers, as all will have to he sold without the slightest reserve.

From the large number of chiM ren (grown up boys especially) we see roaming ami shylarking about, it wonhl appear that parents are unaware of the fact that the Clyde School re-opened on Monday last; suffii however, was the case, and if those parents do not desire to interview the Resident Magistrate for non compliance with the Education Act, we would advise that a little physical force (if moral suasion fails) he used to compel their children to attend school. The cost to tho country is the same whether children attend school or not, and such being the case it is a paramount duty' of all parents to see that their younsters attend. Failing that, the duty of the School Committee comes in to compel attendance, and cf a surety this duty wi l be performed if the present state of things is continued. To tho heavy floods in Dunedin and along the coast, and the stoppage of the railway traffic through the inundation of the lines, we infer arc to be ascribed tho irregular delivery of the mails during the past week. Though we have received Wednesday’s * Daily Times,’ the issues of Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday, also the letters of same dates, arc yet wanting. Wo make no complaint, but merely mention the fact. Craig and Co.’s mail coaches have been punctual to ihn minute, redounding greatly to the credit of tho management, as by all accounts through the bad roads the task was no light oac. The annual ball of the Forrester's Lodge, Court Star of Ouust'an, No. 4537, is to bo celebrated on Wednesday next, September Ist. If we are to judge by the vast amount of gossipy talk relating to Die ladies dresses that are to be worn, combined will the good work of au inde f a igaiiie committee, there is no reason why this off dr sh mid not be as Slice-ssfu! as on f inner oueasioa*. Mr T. H. IhiO, vv-.io-o faiiKi ai .a eiterc - is so well known, has again been entrusted with the preparation ot the good things; while our old friend, Mr F. Upper, lias been secured as musician, his power over the “ dulcimer’ - being much appreciated by all lovers of the light fantastic.

The Rev. Gordon Macpherson, M.A., announces that he will lecture on “Homo Rule ; or Ireland i Its Wrongs and Remedies,” on Tuesday, 31st inst; and at Alexandra on the following evening. The Lowbum Sporting Club have issued their programme for the Spring Meeting, to be held on the 15th October. It comprises six events with a total of 85 sovs given money.

Mr V. Pyke, amongst other members, arrived in Dunedin on Friday last front Wellington.

The amount of damage done by the late hoods is almost beyond computation. The private losses ia Dunedin and suburbs, also at Taieri, are ruinously severe in many places ; whilst the loss to public works, railways, roads and bridges, is disastrous. One benefit of all will be that the unemployed will had work in repairing damage, A batch of Parliamentary Papers and No. 24 of Hansard has been received by ua 1 from the Government Printing Office. The Roxburgh Lodge of Good Templars has closed for want of members ; we hear that the Clyde Lodge is also in a bad way. Whatever the cause it is to be regretted, considering the vast amount of good it has effected and social happiness it has established, we hope the muster roll will increase so as to prevent the closing of its doors

According to the return of the Census taken on the night of the 31st March last, the total population of New Zealand (exclusive of Maoris) was 578,283, and the total sum passed through the totalisator in New Zealand for the season of 18SS 6 was L 559,773, and as ten per cent, of this sum has to be paid tor the privilege of using this legalised modern gambling machine, which is equal in round numbers L 56,000, it will be seen that every man, woman, and child in New Zealand gambled away two shillings iu the year. Compared with previous years the total amount is LBO,OOO more than season of 1884-5, and L 230.000 more than the season of 1883-4. It is evident that this machine is growing in popularity.

At the last meeting of the Otago Educs. tion Board it was decided that the teacher’s residence at Clyde be enlarged by the addition, of two rooms to the front, on the understanding than no further additions be made to the building, the (committee to obtain from the teacher a commuuio itiou to that effect. Also that the architect be instructed to report regarding the state of the fencing, and the matter of the Inditing of the school bo referre 1 to the inspector.” Speaking for onrselves and the people of this district we are grateful for all mercies, this one in particular. At the same time we cannot but think the grant is no more than the committee is entitled to. For fourteen years past the present teachers have occupied their position, during when not a sixpence has been expended on the house by the Board,

The Tcviot paoer in a small para log the increasing sickness in its district, and referring to three mo.e deaths there from whooping cough, concludes by saying : ** At Ball Hill Flat we are told no less than ten deaths have occurred duiing the past two or three weeks, while the children in the other districts surroundings it have also ha 1 a bail time.” Wo do not deny but that a great deal of sickness has been prevalent, hut that it has been so terribly fatal wo cannot admit. When touching on the question of life and death it is a paramount duty to he more than particular, and we hope the para maker of the Teviot paper when next he attempts the task will exeroiss a little more caution. From what we can learn, up to the date, when the para in question was published, one death only had occurred at Bald Hill Flat, hut since then another has been reported, While in Dunedin and suburbs and all along the coast northwards as far as Canterbury, there has been a perfect deluge of rain—we think the gnago tells the quantily at 18 inches--during the past three weeks, there has been little or none iu the country, or southwards towards Invercargill. The effect of the rainfall in many instances his been disastrous in the extreme, but the ques ion ari.es what would have been the const quences had the fal been regular through the country. The Molynenx and its tributaries are now remarkably low ; indeed, lower than has been the ease for years past, and all along the whole length parties are taking advantage of it and cradling and sluicing the beaches and terraces.

The latest phase in stiikes is that of; the schoolboys of America, who have struck for sho; ter hours. We really do not know, but that they are equally justdied in striking as many other bodies we have heard tell of.

My mother drove the paralysis and neuralgia all out of her system with American flop Bitters.”— Ed. Oswego Sun. See !■. Henderson and Son, Melbourne, report the floating of (be Phoenix Extended G.M. Co., Limited. Snippers Creek, Ot.vm, New Zealand, with a capital of 1.25,000, in 2o,0;)0 shares of LI tacit. three-lif.hs being held in Vieioria, and the remaining twotil tbs in Otago. The mine is immediately adjoining the Phctuix, which hai been cotting such large returns of gold for the last two years, and on which an electric battery. % of tinny heads of stamps has recently becnlß erects 1, tiio power being generated from waterfalls tiireo miles distant.