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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 205, 31 January 1873, Page 5

The Directors of the Trade Association held I a special meeting last week, to consider the j very unsatisfactory state of the mail service generally. It -was agreed that the Secretary write to Mr. Barr, desiring information as to the change made in the mid-weekly mail, and pointing out that a mail leaving Dunedin on Wednesday morning and arriving at Ifaseby on Thursday afternoon was the only service of use to the district. The Maerewhena mail i was also considered, and it was agreed that j such a mail was of the very first importance. A committee was appointed to draw up a petition, memorialising the Government to extend the horse mail at present running to the Kyeburn to the Maerewhenua ; and that such petition be circulated in : all the out district? interested. A deputation was appointed to wait upon the Goldfields Secretary and bring before him several matters of local importance. The Trijde Association deserve well pf the district for their untiring zeal in seizing every opportunity of advancing its interests.

When the Superintendent was going over the Oamaru Hospital, he volunteered to have a parcel of books forwarded for the use of the patients. Mr. Bastings, when in the Mount Ida Hospital, expressed very great satisfaction with the economical management of the institution, and, observing the books, was told that they were contributed gratuitously by friends to the Hospital. He was rather prised that none had been applied for from the Government. Perhaps the committee may take the hint. As signs of the times, we notice that Mr. Inder has nearly completed. a commodious four-roomed house at the West End; Mr.. Gason has built a large stable at the back of his Commercial Hotel; and Mr. Busch has just completed a lish pond, and shortly proposes to devote himself to the stocking of our streams with trout—a branch of acclimatisation that has been so successfully undertaken by Mr. Young of Palmerston. Ceomwelli has at last got a fine new Court House erected. We wish we could say as much for Mount Ida ; but protests on all sides are disregarded, and ail ever open source of danger is directly fostered by the Government. It might be desirable to take steps to have this matter brought again before the Provincial Council early in the session. It will be seen by advertisement that the receipt of tenders for contract No. 1 on the Sludge Channel has been postponed. It is right it should be known that this was done at the request of local contractors. t. A congregationATi meeting of the Presbyterian Church, will be held at the Masonic Hall, at 8 p.m., on Monday, February 3rd, for the purpose of electing a Committee for the year, receiving the financial statement, and other business connected with the Church.

It is very satisfactory, that the tenders Nos. 1 and 2 on the Manuherikia water-race were so numerous, and though the tender of Mr. Pierce, which has been accepted, was an outside one, our local contractors should not on that account be disheartened, for we know that the bulk of the tenders gave very great satisfaction, so much so, indeed, that the remaining contracts on the race, will be opened as fast as even the specifications can be got ready, the Engineer's desire being to have as much of the race going on at once as the labor available will allow.

Some surprise was felt by the. Athenteum. Committee at in application made at a late sitting of the "Waste Land Board, by the Rev. A. Dasent, for a portion of the Union Church Reserve, on behalf of the Episcopal Church at Naseby. The English Church Committee had applied to the Athenaeum Committee for either a grant or a lease of this bite.. After careful consideration, the Athenaeum Committee refused the application, | as being beyond their power,, and possibly injurious to the public, whose interests the site represented. Without the courtesy of any further reference to the managing Committee Mr. Dasent has either taken upon himself, or been so foolishly advised, as to make this application to the new Waste Land Board. The Committee have written down, opposing the grant, and the late Trustees of the Church, have, we hear, also expressed themselves to the Board, very strongly, upon the action taken by the rev. gentleman. Abchbishop Massing-, continuing his antiliquor crusade, presided at a large meeting of Roman Catholics in Manchester lately, at "which a total abstinence league was formed.

The Alta Company at Cromwell ia now being wound up. The English mail, via San Francisco, will close at the Naseby post office on Monday 10th of February. Woek at the Rough Ridge reefs has been going on briskly. It being, the desire of the company to test what will be the actual cost °f bringing the stone to grass, they hare instructed their energetic manager, Mr. Roberts, to raise 40 tons. When we last hadinformation the half of this quantity of stone had been obtained at a price that was satisfactory, and the stone gave a very promising appearance.

Shortly after finishing publication last week, Sergeant M'Cluskey informed us that he had just arrived from Macraes,- where the Chinaman suspected of imposing false gold upon the Bank of New South Wales had been captured. It appeared that the Sergeant, from information received, had followed down the track to Macraes, where, half an hour before his arrival, Constable Eooney had secured aman whom, from the description he had received, he took to be the man wanted. Sergeant M'Cluskey was able to.confirm him in his suspicion, and Mr. "John" was accordingly brought to Naseby. The Warden being absent, he was brought .up before Mr. banders, and remanded till such time as the Interpreter's services could be obtained.

An old man of tlie name of Thomas Lewis came in from the Sowburn, and was received into the Hospital Upon examination, Dr. Dick found that the arm had been broken for over four weeks, and had set itself again, entirely destroying the axis of the limb. After considerable trouble, the arm was rebroken, a,nd is now progressing satisfactorily. Mothers of children, should observe, that they are, next week, offered ah opportunity to get their children vaccinated. "We have been requested to draw attention to the drawing of tickets, in the art union ot pictures got up by Messrs Inder and G-eorge, which is to take place tomorrow evening. Next week the nomination day for the Municipal elections will be announced. The town men should really make up their minds, without any more dilly-dallying", who they mean to Requisition as • Councillors.' It is very important, that a strong, workable Council should be nominated, with at least, two members representing direct mining interests Me. G-eobge Raven, sadd,ler, of this town, has removed to more commodious premises, adjoining the Victoria Hall, and opposite his old establishment,. He has opened with a large and well -selected stbck of saddlery, of gvery description, direct from Home. We wish him every success in his new premises.