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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 230, 1 August 1873, Page 5

Mb Seed, the Commissioner of Customs, has kindly forwarded to us, by telegraph, a list of articles to be brought under the new Tariff regulations. The list being a long one we are sorry we are compelled to hold it over. The principle, as explained in the Financial Statement, is to do away with the measurement scale and substitute ad valorem duties.

The Provincial Engineer has reported upon the proposed sludge channel at Waipori. In. his report he says: For the present, the drainage requirements can be limited to a distance of four and a half miles, the new channel consequently need only "extend between a point situated half a mile below the township, and its outlet at the river or stream The fall is only at the rate of 6.6 feet per mile, but. this will be sufficient for the drainage purposes alluded to. cost of forming a channel of sufficient depth and general sectional area will be £6,800, and a, further sum of £SOO will be necessary for river diversion. The total cost will be thus £7,300. This expenditure will permit of a large extent of auriferous ground being profitably wrought The Provincial Council have passed a resolution recommending the Q-eneral Coverument to sanction this highly remunerative wort The usual monthly meeting of the Miners' Association was held on Wednesday evening last at the Temperance Hall,. Mr H. B. M'lntosh in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Tfae Secretary then read the outward correspondence. Letter to Waste Lands Board, protesting against the sale of sections of wellknown auriferous land within the town advertised for sale. Letter to Groldfields Secretary enclosing Mr Keene's report upon the state and condition of the boring rods, and calling attention to several requirements; including 89 feet more rods, with a request that the Groverament ivouid be good enough to supply the same as earJy as possible. Letter from Mill. Oliver, Esq., M.P.C., enclosing 205., and wishing to be enrolled a member, and offering his services at any time to advance the interest of the Association. Letter from Under Secretary acknowleging receipt of report ou the state -of i,he boring rods, with a request to procui*e a specification of what is required to put them in working order and an estimate of the cost, the work to be done at Nasseby. The information required was carefully prepared by iir Thomas Meager, and forwarded to town on Thursday last. It will be necessary to send a short joint of rod to town in order that the screws of the additional rods may be bored the same size. The deputation appointed at the last meeting to wait upon the Bank Agents with a view of induciug them to alter the time of closing on Saturdays, as_ at present fixed, reported that they had an interview with those gentlemen on the 21st ultimo, and were received most blandly. The deputation pointed out the inconvenience and loss of time, occasioned to a number of miners in consequence of the alteration, and urged upon the Agents the desirability of keeping open on Saturday evenings as formerly. The Agents, they said, after a most patient and attentive hearing, graciously condescended to give the important matter their serious consideration, and promised to forward their answer in writing to the Secretary by the next meeting of the Committee. The Secretary, in reply to a question, said that he had never received a line from tbein, and thought that they were not really in earnest, when he was immediately instructed to write a forcible letter to the Agents on the important subject. The Chairman and Secretary were requested to see Mr Barron, surveyor, and ascertain the position of sections advertised for sale, and, if deemed advisable, to protest against the same, being the name of the Association. The further consideration of the Mining Bill was postpones till ' Wednesday next.

On Monday the 4(h August a concert and "dance is announced to take place at the Masooic Hall on behalf of the district Hospital —H. W. Robinson, Esq.. ia ttie chair. A glance at the advertised programme will convince anyone that the amusement provided is of more than usual interest. On Friday last some men not seeing John G-leeson about as usual, went to his hui;, and found him barely able to move.' Dr Dick was sent for, and had him removed to the Hospital. The whole of the right side appeared paralysed. It is thought that G-leeson had been lying a day and a night before he was found. Our latest accounts state that there is every appearance of a speedy regain of strength, although of course, in all rases of the sort, there is a danger of relapse. Astonishingly rich wash dirt is reported as having been struck in the Shotover Company's claim at Queenstown. A lead five feet thick, yielding half a pennyweight to the dish, was struck last Saturday. - We have English items up tq July 19. We learn that at the dose of ihe.'wool sales the beginning of July, an advance of Id. was established for average samples, and for superior combings 2d to bd. Mr Lowe has contracted with some London merchants to pay the Alabama award. Prince Arthur is about to marry Princess Thyra of Denmark. Lord

Westbury, ex-Chancellor, is dead. Slavery has been abolished in Khiva. The.Fr.neh Government has resolved to send lioche.'ort to i\ew Caledonia.

A meeting of the St. Bathaas district Miners' Association -was held at St. Bathans, on Friday evening last, for the purpose of electing a -permanent Cominittee, in accordance ■with the roles of the Association. Nine gentlemen were elected, viz.:—Messrs E. Brown, and G. H. ..Smith for Weishmaus Gully; Messrs M. Wade, and H. Gardner for Hills Creek; and Messrs J. Ewing, E. Wood, Samuel Turner, John M'Nainura, and Geo. Purton for St. *gathans. Messrs Wade and Ewing were elected Secretary and Treasurer respectively. AmebtiW of Catholics interested in the establishment.of a branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society in St. Bathans was held ia Mr George Pui-ton's office on Friday evening last. Mr George Purton, who was voted to the chair, introduced Mr Fred. J. Bunny to tlie meeting. Mr Bunny explained the objects cf the Society, aud dwelt at length on the" good that would residt from it. The following resolutions were then unanimously passed, (1) "Tbxttlie ueoessary steps be at once taken for. the purpose of opening a brunch of the Hibernian Australasian Benefit Society in St. Bathans, about December, 1873. (2) " That a Committee, consisting of Messrs Geo. Purton, M'Namara, Jas. Saliey, Murphy, Gallagher, Barron, M'Caffry, Poter Mallon, Thos. Haurab.au, and M. Gannon, with power bo add to their autnber, be formed, in order to carry out the above resolution." After a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Bunny for the he had takea in the matter, and to Mr George Purtou for his kindness ia presiding, the ..neeting closed.

We are promised a dF!E duration 8i ! l. Is it the Bill which came to signed grief t.wo years ago ? Oi* is it to be a measure attempting to reconcile the various objections which were lodged agaiast tha original ? Io an? case we are afraid, w<iat with the jealousy of the Provinces with regard to any intei-fer nee in reference to their local systems, and the irreconcilable differences or religious denominations, the chances of the Bill becoming law are rather veuiote "We are sorry to have to express this opijioa, but one cannot shut one's eyes to facts. It is very desirable that public education should, be established on one common system', and that the education, of the young population of the Colony should be insisted on'; but until we can arrive at a system that will yxeet the views of tho various bodies of the community, .we doubt the possibility of Parliament legislating upon the subject. Perhaps the promised Bill may appear fair and reasonably compromise : if it does, so much the better—and, should.it be of this character,; all parties should unite to cany it out.—' Wellington lndepeodent.' The Waste Lands Board met on Thursday last. Present.—Messrs Thomson (chair), Strode, Butterworth, Clark, Keid and Bastings. The following among other business was transacted :—The application of Mr Prescott to mine for coal at St. Bathans was granted, subject to the consent of the runholder being obtained. Mr. M'lntosh was appointed {member of the Naseby Board of Enquiry in the place of Mr Boss, resigned. On the protest of the District Land Officer at Naseby- against the withdrawal from sale of sections 118, 128, 120, 70, 71, block I, being read, the Board decided that the sale should take place. The ' Tuapeka Times' is informed that the G-oldfields Secretary has instructed the War* dens up-country to commit prisoners to trial i at Lawrence.

I The usual .forl::uigl)tly meeting of the JSaseby Town Council, was held in tho Water Works Company's office on iuesduy last. Present his Worship the Mayor, and Crs Busch, Erown,Brookes, YVilson and Hore. The minutes of the last meeting and special meeting were read and confirmed. Letters read from Secretary, Naseby ¥ire Brigade, conveying the thanks of that body to the Mayor and Crs for the liberal donation recently voted ; from H. W. Robinson acknowledging receipt.of cheque; from the officer in charge of Police, drawing the attention of the Council to the dangerous state of the culverts crossing the main road —referred to the Warden with the requsst that he will order the owners of thg (ailranes mentioned to put them in good and safe repair. The Byelaws were referred to new Council. The petition anent the purchase of Town Hall site in Leven Street, was referred to new Council. Motion by Cr Brown, seconded by Cr Wilson —-That Nes#streefc be formed from west side Roach's gully to a point opposite the old manse and covered with tailings, jind that a footpath be formed from termination of Ness Street to the Presbyterian Church. Cai'ried.—Resolved that §the Town - Clerk recommend to James Macandrew M.H.ii. to urge the prayer of the Blacks petition in reference to the extension of the telegraph line to Alexandra or Clyde, via Blackstone Hill, St. Bathans and Ophir. The following accounts were, on the recomendation of the finance Committee, passed for payment: —J. M'Gregor £l2 "2s ; W. J. Millar £l3 13s 6dj George Stephens £2 ss. . .

We have been requested to draw the attention of the brethren of the Loyal Mount Ida Lodge, 1.0..0. F., to the removal of the Lodge to the old "Oddfellows' Hall, Empire Hotel. The first fortnightly meeting in the new Lodge room will be held on Tuesday next, sth instant, at 8 p.m. Ws are to have a Bankruptcy Act, of course. It has been a standing dish for several sessions, and somehow or other nothing has ever come of it. If the new BilLis to be of the complex character of its predecessor,., so much the worse for the Bill. Howeve^

much leisure the Legislature may have, it will sorely tax what patience it has got to deal .'with a Bill of 300 or 400 clauses, and which, in all probability, will need amending the "next session. - 'Wellington Independent.'

Ojs" Saturday last, at the Water "Works Office, a special meeting of the School. Committee was held in consequence of charges made against the teachers by the Rev. Father Coleman. Statements were received from the master, mistress, and Mr H. Wilson, relative to the*matter, which were ordered to be forwarded, to the Education Board. We draw attention to an advertisement in anothe.' column, calling a meeting of supporters of the Church of England for Friday, the Bth of August. The English mail; via Suez, closes here this day.

We are in receipt of a'pamphlet from Mr Joh a Henderson, C.E., manager for Messrs Brogden and Sons, advocating that the construction and- management of the Public Railways of New Zealand should be handed over to a company. We are obliged to defer a more exteuded notice of this proposal. The Bishop announced at the two Masses on Sunday at St. Joseph's, Dunedin, that he had appointed the Rev. William Coleman, of Dunedin, Vicar./ General of the Diocese of Dunedin, and. that during his Lordship's absence on visitation in the Diocese of Wellington, all letters on business in connection with the Diocese of Dunedin should be addressed to theTicar General.—' Tablet.'

The Provincial Council was prorogued on Wednesday at 2 p.m. It will be seen by out* report elsewhere of the proceedings of the Miners' Association,that they are negotiating with the Grovernvnent for tue purpose of getting the boring rods properly adjusted and lengthened to test tbe deep ground in tbe vicinity. £SOOQ has been placed on the. Supplementary Estimates for prospecting purposes. It might be worth while to apply for a grant, by way of subsidy, to supplement the money the public and the Corporation are prepared to expend in prospecting for deep leads. The only contest to day in the election for Councillors takes place in the West Ward —Mr Andersou being compelled to withdraw through unforseen circumstances. As both gentlemen are very old residents, the contest, if persisted in, will no doubt be a keen one..