THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1872.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 194, 15 November 1872, Page 5

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1872.

The Canterbury Eaces on Monday last (third day) were well attended. The following are the results :—Handicap Hurdle Race, of 40 sovs. 4 Medora, 1; Nigger, 2 ; Alma, 3. —Lottery Plate, of 50 sovs.: Calumny, 1; :Slander, 2j Defamation, 3. —Christchurch Plate, of 150 sovs., added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs. each : Lurline, 1 j Tambourine, 2. Metropolitan Handicap, of 100 sovs , added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs. for acceptors: Yat~vlerraa, i ; Malice, 2.—Consolation Handicap, >of 40sors.: Miss Flat, 1. The Dunedin ' Evening Star' understands -that the Colonial Government will immediately call for tenders for the construction of tthe Naseby Sludge Channel, and construction off <race from the Manuiherikia.

An Auckland telegram, under date 11th November, states thnt " the Catholic priest refused to give Mr. Freer, M.P.C., absolution, or read the burial service over him, unless he renounced Freemasonry. This lie refused to do. After Mr. Freer's deafc hj, Bishop Croke ■was appealed to, but he refused to give the burial service, or permit Mr. Freer's burial on Catholic ground. The P resbyterlara therefore gave the ground, and the service over the grave was wholly Masonic, being read by the Master of the Ledge. Over 400 persons were present." Another telegram, dated the 12th, states : —" Father Norris writes to the 'Southern Cross,' stating that Mr. Freer, previous to his deith, formally re n ounced Masonry, whereupon he (Father Norris) administered the last Sacrament ; and that the body would have been buried in Catholic ground, only that the Masons insisted upon holding their ceremonies at the funeral, which the Bishop refused to be allowed. The deceased was buried in Presbyterian ground, -without the services of a clergyyman." The Home mails, via San Francisco, may be expected to arrive in Sfaseby by to-mor-row's coach. In the "Warden's Court, to-day, an important case—Christian and party v/several other parties—was heard. The plaintiffs claimed £2O damages, for losses sustained by defendants running their tailings from what is known as Mount Burster Diggings into complainants' head race, at the Falls, Little Eyeburn. Similar cases had been heard with regard to these races and the privileges connected therewith—first, before Mr. Warden Robinson, who gave judgment in favor of the complainants, which decision was subsequently confirmed by his Honor Wilson G-ray. Again, a case between the same parlies was tried at the Warden's Court, when judgment was given in accordance with the previous ruling. On this occasion all the former judgments were confirmed, and judgment given for the complainants, with costs. The case occupied the Court from an early hour in the morning till a late hour in the evening. The evidence in this case, or a case similar thereto, has been already published in our columns. Hrs Honor the Superintendent, will, we understand, visit Kaseby soon, in reference to the calling for tenders for the construction of the Sludge Channel and Manuherikia water supply. fciNCB our .hub issue we are in a position to phve the following memorandum to the verdict of the jury in the inquest, on the late fire ; wi? can only-say that, as joum-iiists and conservators of public rights, we entirely enuorso the views expressed:—" That the jury eomi-

j der the thanks of the inhabitants of Naseby J due to the members of the Fire Brigade for their prompt and praisewoi'thy efforts in extinguishing the fire ; and would suggest that the Water Company be asked to keep the reservoir full of water, and that the main pipe or opening from the same be looked carefully after, so that as much pressure as possible may be available in case of a similar calamity; and, further, that the inhabitants be cautioned anent the danger likely to arise from the accumulation of rubbish, paper, calico, &c, &c, from spontaneous combustion, and the harbor it gives to rats, which are often supposed to cause fires by carrying wax matches, and, in eating them, causing the matches to ignite." Ousold friend Mr. John P. Armstrong, surgeon-dentist, has arrived here, and intends practising his profession among us for a short time. We understand that Messrs. Mervyn and Armstrong will address their ronstifcuents on an early date.

Ak advertisement in another column notifies that the favorite Irish comedian, O'Briea, with the troupe improved ly the addition of Mr. Westropp, the celebrated comique, together with Mr. and Mrs. Glover (Miss Jessie Raymond), will appear in the Masonic Hall next week. Wb have so often had occasion to draw at- j tention to that treacherous locality, Surface Hill, and its doings, that we naturally shrink from the subject. Our duty, however, though painful, is nevertheless a duty, and it is with regret that we have to record that Surface Hill has obtained another victim. The facts are short and solemn, evidencing the great uncertainty of life. The victim on this occasion was one Wm. Bardsley, who was working for Garth and party. The peculiarities in this case are that, on Saturday last, the deceased was not actually engaged in any mining operation whatever, but was simply walking down the tail race (not a deep one) when the upper earth gave way, and a considerable mass struck him on the head. The head being literally smashed, death must have been instantaneous. The body was conveyed to Cogan's Melbourne Hotel, where an inquest was held the same day before H W. Bobinson, Esq., Coroner, when a verdict of accidental death was recorded. The funeral took place the following day, when the body was followed to the grave by fully 150 mineis and others. The deceased was, we understand, a native of Lancashire, England, and was known by the soubriquet of " Lanky Bill."

In the District Court there were two cases —one of appeal against the decision of Mr. Warden Robinsonm the case Duffy v. Homeward Bound Company, and the other a bankruptcy case of George Harris Carter, of Hamilton, horse-breaker. An abstract of these cases will appear in our next issue.

The Bazaar in aid of the funds of the Church of England Buildiug r Committee wilt" be opened to day in the Masonic Hall, and be continued during to-morrow and Monday. The articles which will be exposed for sale are, learn, various, and in some cases costly, and well wor hy inspection. It is anticipated that a considerable sum will be realised in furtherance of the object of the Committee. We are glad to hear from Mr. Hariy Net-. llefold (Cobb's driver) that the Houndburn Hill deviation is a fireafc boon, and that the work has been well and properly constructed. The actual distance saved is something. over three mile?, while in point of time the saving is very much greater. We cannot, however, but regret that the line of road we have ever persistently advocated . has not been made. Still, we live in hope, nor will we allow ourselves to despair of eventual success. On Tuesday evening last, in the VictoriaHall sale rooms, Messrs. Inder and George disposed of the Beveral privileges of f he Mount Ida Jockey Club's Annual Meeting, to be held next month, as follows :—Grand stand, Mr. E. T. George, £SO ; Booth No. 2, Mr. E. T. George, £ls ; Booth No. 3, Mr. E. T. George, £25 ; race cards, Mr. Kirby, £5 55.; paddock, Mr. Collett, £6 10s. There was a large attendance.

The very able statement recently made by Mr. Ormond, late Minister for Public Works, will induce every sensible mind to regret the resignation by that gentleman of his high pnu responsible office. Mr. Ormond was and is Superintendent of the Hawke's Bay Province, and it is more than possible that private associations have dictated the course which that gentleman has no doubt felt it his duty to pursue. Mr. Ormond will be succeeded in his office by Mr. Richardson, of Canterbury, who, though known to be a man of parts, has not hitherto come much to the front in matters political. We trust that Mr. Bichardson uu.-y prove himself as good a man as his px*edecessor in office. Ajiong- other local matters we may mention that, on the 10th instant, a fine little boy, by name Willie Robertson (son of Mr. T. Robertson, blacksmith, Waihemo), came to an untimely end while bathing in the dam known as "Dillon Bell's. An inquest has, we presume, been held, of which no particulars have as yet reached us. . We notice with pleasure that Mr. John Ewing, of St. Bathans, convicted of having unlawfully wounded a Chinaman, was released from Gaol on Saturday last. We understand that a large number of the resideuts of St. Bathans intend meeting Mr. Ewing at Blackstone Hill to-morrow, and we feel sure that the district of St. Bathans will hail with pleasure the return of one of the most enterprising miners in their midst. We are not unlqyal, in fact our proclivities are in the opposite direction. Still, we canno', be blind to the fact that the present system of celebrating royal anniversaries are a nuisance. What may have been done elsewhere we neither know nor care, but in this

matter wo may state, to'show the incong-uify I of the system, that whereas Saturday wa* H.B.H. the Prince of Wales Birthday, and kept by the greater part of her Majesty's loyal subjects,-the Government took a different day, and the banks another—thus making, to the manifest inconvenience of the public, three instead of one day in celebration of a royal birth. We do not in any way demur to the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the heir apparent to the British throne. We are not, however, sufficiently blind as to be unable to see that what should be done in one day occupies, or has occupied, three days* to the manifest detriment of the rights, privileges, and hard-workings of the general community. The ' New Zealand Government Gazette '• notifies the appointment of G. E. Haughton, Esq. as under Secretary for Grown Lands and Immigration. The following is an extract'from a letter by a Charters Towers victim : "We left in { the first steamer, with 374 other unfortunate -1 wretches. Ido not think five men remain * on the field. I would not go to Queensland , again if I got £6 for going; in fact, a man who nas been in Queensland for three or four years is not fit for any other place in this 5 world. They are the most miserable objects l that can be seen—as-black as niggers, and as ( thin as wafers. The people are leaving the 4 place as fast as possible." ,