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Evening Star, Issue 3506, 19 May 1874, Page 2

It is intended to establish a meteorological observatory at Clyde. The post and telegraph offices at Mosgiel are expected to be opened for business at the end of the month. Mr Britton, master of the Industrial School, requests us to thank Messrs A. J. Burns and D. i .V« lT y/°r the books presented by them to the children in the above Institution. The Provincial Government, we are glad to learn, have invited, H.M.S. Challenger to visit Port Chalmers after the work of the expedition has been completed at "Wellington. About sixty-one rank and file attended the battalion parade last evening. The companies represented were the Naval Brigade, No. 1 Citv Guards, Cadets, and North Dunedin Rifles. Mr Christie, who was lately locomotive superintendent on the Victorian railways, and is now in Japan, has fallen heir to a fortune oi L 35,000 by the death of his father, a well known hatter in London. Notwithstanding the vast extent of the coalfields of the Colony, we notice that only 110 tons of tlie mineral were shipped from any port for the quarter ending March, that port being Greymouth. This, we presume, is exelusive of coal conveyed coastwise. nAfT?-, ripti ? n , is > ein S ra ised to refund to Mr C. Hilgendorf, of Waihola, the amount of the tine lately imposed upon him in the slygrog prosecution instituted by revenue officer Lumb. Over L3O has been subscribed, and in the list of subscribers appears the name of a Milton hotelkeeper. Consistency with a vengeance. A Mrs Webb, of has published a pamphlet, entitled the Woman’s Advocate, in which she recommends that a Bill should be introduced into Parliament for establishing a widows fund, contributed to by every husband, that no widow may be left destitute. Also a maiden s fund, to which all bachelors must conno maidens be left destitute after forty. There was a capital attendance at the Princess’s last evening, when the Siamese and Circus companies gave their final performance i he feats of tumbling, and the pedal and tub balancing far surpassed any of the former efforts of the troupe, the latter being loudly applauded,J and the performers having to appear again; and the riding of Young American was greatly appreciated. The company left for the North to-day. 'fire usual fortnightly meeting of the Mornmgtou Band of Hope was held last evening iu the district hall, and was well attended, Mi Morris being in the chair. A very pleasant evening was spent by the company iu listening to readings, songs, &c., and at the conclusion of the entertainment the chairman intimated that the anniversary tea meeting and concert would be held.on the evening of the Ist prox. The thigh bone of a moa was last week discovered by the workmen employed at Mr M'Donald’s lime kilns, Waihola Gorge, on the Horseshoe Bush estate, and has been forwarded to Dunedin, the ‘ Bruce Herald’ presumes for presentation to the Otago Museum. The bone measures 32in in length, is lOin in circumference, and weighs 7 .jibs. It is reported to be one of the largest thigh bones of this extinct bird yet discovered in the Colony. Several complaints have been made to us by residents in I 1 leet street, in regard to the pranks of a gang of young rascals who infest that neighborhood. These larrikins cause great annoyance to the shopkeepers by throwing stones upon the roofs of the houses, and rolling empty packing-cases up and down the street. When an example is made of one of their number, no doubt an end will be put to such unseemly conduct. The performance given by Mr Chapman and Miss Bonnifon at the Queen’s Theatre last evening was not so largely attended as the entertainment deserved; but the various tricks were exceedingly well done and elicited loud applause. Y or to-night a complete change of pro gramme is announced. There will not be a performance to-morrow night, Mr Chapman having considerately determined not to appear, in consequence of Mr t£. Eastwood’s benefit taking place on that evening. The ‘Leader ’ notices “ Wild Will Enderby” m flattering terms “ The story is told by Mr Pyke with such spirit as makes the reading thoroughly enjoyable. It is not often we meet in fiction with an original like George Washington Pratt. He is as good in his way as any of the characters so strikingly limned by the pen of Bret Harto. We are very unwilling to part company with friend George, and hope to meet him again ; and, as Mr Pyke avows his intention of pursuing yet further his adventures, our hope is likely to be fulfilled.” A peculiar vegetable has lately covered the stagnant lagoons and roadside pools from Waihola to Saddle Hil 1 extending also through to the West Taieri. It is a species of grass, the formation being similar to the leaves of the cypress trees. Green under, turning to red at the edges when lying on the top of the water, it gives an appearance of a bright crimson sheet spread on the surface. The plant appears tci live only by the water, as the roots hardly can reach to the bottom of some of the pools where it is found, • The ‘ Bruce Herald ’ says this is the first year it has made its presence known in the district. The permanent way is now laid from the Taieri river to some distance beyond Waihola village, and, judging from the rate of progress lately made, wc should say that fully half-a-mile of rails per week is now being laid on this portion of the line, aed until retarded by a swamp, for the Clutha portion, a mile a week was being laid there. When this swamp difficulty is overcome ten weeks will suffice to complete the rail-laying from the Clutha end tc Milton.—A gang of the workmen lately employed at the Taieri Railway Bridge, at Otakia. commenced work last week on the bridge which is to span the Waihola river, a short distance above the Lower Taieri Ferry. The dispute between the wages men and the contractor for the Waipori sludge channel was ended by the submission of the men. There are 160 men employed on the works. At the beginning of the month they considered they had a grievance in not being paid fortnightly instead of monthly, and on the 4th struck work. The contractor declined to agree to their demands, and pointed out that the majority of the persons signing the “round robin” to him were not in his employ. Three days afterwards a hundred of the men set to work again, and the remainder followed suit the next morning. A correspondent of the ‘Tuapeka Times’ whe lately visited the works, was informed by practical men that unless the sides of the chaune] aye protected by sodding, the Government is simply throwing LIO,OOO away. That there is an extensive demand for land in the Tuapeka district is evidenced by the fad since the Ist of May applications have been lodged in the local land office for 10,387 acres under the agricultural leasing regulations. Thf ‘Times’says that “ a considerable quantity oi the land applied for is not the best suited foi agricultural purposes, but is the best that can ho found, in tho various blocks of land now open for settlement. There are many persons anxiously waiting to learn what action the Government intend taking as regards the throwing open of land on Bellamy and Smith’s runs in the Tuapeka West districts. If they would at once throw open the whole of Mr Smith’s run in the above district on the agricultural leasing system, it would not comprise one acre more than is necessary for present requirements. Mr Smith is willing to meet tho Government on the easiest terms, and any Government that would come to terms with that gentleman, without delay, would conl'er a lasting boon on the Inapeka district.” In the Provincial Council this afternoon, Mi Fish gave notice of his intention to move the following amendment to the Provincial Solicitor’s Harbor Trust resolutions “ That whilst this Council recognizes the desirability of improving the Upper and Lower Harbor, it is of opinion that there a e not at present sufficient reliable data before it to justify the creation of the proposed Harbor Trust. That iu order to obtain the best information obtainable, the Government be requested to place such sum upon the Estimates as may be necessary to enable them to employ an engineer of eminence, with

a view of making a complete survey of the harbor and taking proper borings as suggested by tiie Provincial Engineer ; and to suggest a scheme, as a whole, sufficiently comprehensivt to mee the present and future requirements oi the trade of the Province, and give an estimate of the cost oi same : such report and estimatt to be brought before this House at its nexl session, with a view of their giving effect to tin same.” The Choral Society will meet at eight o’clool this evening to rehearse “Naamau.” Ihe attention of Volunteers is directed to j General Order in our advertising columns. I he usual fortnightly meeting of the Guidini Star Lodge, 1.0. G.T., will be held to -raori'ov (Wednesday) evening. The animal meeting of the North Dunedii Rifles will be held in the Company’s Shed, to morrow evening, at 8 o’clock. A general meeting of the officers and mem bers of the 1.0.0.P. will be held in the Orienta Hotel to-morrow evening at seven o’clock. A special meeting of the Otago License! Victuallers’ Association will be held in tin Fire Brigade Rooms at seven o’clock thii evening. . There being some misunderstanding as to thi time that the tenders are to be lodged for tin four steam launches for the Customs Depart ment, we are requested to state that tender will be received up till the 21st inst. The Press Club will give, 'their second per formance at the Princess to-morrow evening fo the benefit of Mr H. Eastwood, who met witl a severe accident some months ago while con uected with Bachelder’s Panorama. From thi success which attended the Club’s first attempt and the good object of their again appearing, we have no doubt there will be a crowdei house. The pieces announced are Stil Waters Run Deep ” and “ Who Stole th Pocket Book ? ” the latter for the first time ii New Zealand.