NOTES FROM ST. BATHANS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 244, 7 November 1873, Page 1 (Supplement)

NOTES FROM ST. BATHANS.

July 30.-; The people of St. Bathans, who, for the last ten years, have patiently submitted to the tax of £5 a year for business licenses, are now in a fair way of being relieved from frtuher payments on that score. Mr Barron, the district surveyor, has been engaged during the last week in surveying the township, and laying it- out in allotments. The sites will be sold on the first October. Mr Geo. Purton, manager of the Scandinavian Water K'ace Company, has given notice of his intention to object to the sale of the allotments situate ou the east side of the main street, and the matter will have to be left to the. decision of the ; Waste Lands Board. It will, be a hard ease indeed should the sale be disallowed, as the present o -cupiers have been in possession of the sites for many years by virtue of their business licenses, and uo prior right to the ground ever had existence. The area in dispute is not an acre in extent, and though there is a little gold in it, it is so poor that if sold for sluicing purposes, it would not realise one fourth the upset price of the allotments. This is the opinion of disinterested parties who have a thorough knowledge of the ground.

A meeting of adherents of the church of England, and others favorable to the establishment of a clergyman ■:. of ■'. that ' denomination in the Mount Ida district, .was held in the schoolroom on the evening of the 24th inst. There wa* a meagre attendance, under a dozen persons being p esent. Mr G. E. Allen, of Hawkdun Stationofficiated as Chairman, and commenced the proceedings by reading some letters from the Bishop of Dunedin in reference to the appointment of the Rev. Mr Williams to the charge of the district, and to the stipend, £3OO per year, proposed to be raised for his support. He, the Chairman, considered that the sum proposed was quitelittle enough for the support of a clergyman and his family, and thought that one fourth of the tmount should be raised in Hills Creek and St. Bathans. Mr Inder said that the people of Hills Creek

\v<>re pre:): I .red t % . co-operate heartily in the movement, but before pled-n'ng themselves as to the amount of Support, vv-.uM like to know befofehait 1 the number of services they might expert during the year. The Chairman replied that it was proposed, to hold a service at Hiiis Greek, St. .Bathdi-ns, and Hamilton once a month. Mr Inder expressed his sat'sfatcion at. this arrangement. Mr Wheeler said that he was not a member of the church of England, and in fact did not believe in some of the doctrines taught by that denomination. lie would, however, contribute willingly to the- support'of one of its ministers, if hn proved to be a good man, who had the spiritual in-t«-*r«Ht- of-the people at-heart. Mr Morton said that he had no doubt if Mr Williams came up to Mr Wheeler's standard of what a clergyman should be, he would receive the sympathy and support.of the Protestants of all denominations throughout ■ the d strict. After some further disciisKio:i the following gentlemen were appointed a Committee to. carry out the object of the meeting—Messrs Allen, Dennistoun, Aubray, Hanger, and Wheeler %r St.' Batb'ans; Messrs' Inder and Wade for Mills Creek ; aud Messrs Washer and J. Thurlow for Welshman*} Gully. The usual vote of thanks t) the Chairman terminated the proceedings. Mr J. P: Armstrong, our late M.P.C., delivered a lecture in the schoolroom en the evening of the 25th inst., in aid of the funds of the Mount Ida district Hospital. Mr George Purton occupied, the chair. There was a good attendance. The subject, "Travels and adventures of an Irishman (i. e. himself) in America, Australia, and New Zealand" was handled with considerable, ability, and if the snecess of Mr Armstrong as a lecturer is to be measured by the amount of interest taken in his adventures by the audience, and the immense amount of amusement which he caused by the recital of his anecdotes, then he is to be congratulated on having achieved an unmistakeable success. .For two mortal hours Mr Armstrong kept the house in roars of laughter. the conclusion of the .lecture he received'a cordial vote o thanks. The amount of the proceeds is not yet ascertained. Our Public Library has been fairly launched, and the books are now being issued to subscribers. The-sub-scription is 10s per annum. Mr Torston has been appointed Librarian. A meeting of the local Committee of the Mount Ida district Hospital was held on the 23rd inst., when the following appointments were made: Mr P. Kenny, Chairman; Mr Thos. Mulvey, Secretary; Mr Wm. Pyle, Treasurer; and Messrs E. Wood, P. Kenny, and Thos. Rowe, Collectors. The Collectors reported that a number of subscriptions t0 the institution were over due, and it was agreed to canvass the district forthwith. The Secretary was instructed to write to the Central Committee, suggesting a modification of the rule in reference to the admission of patients under five years of age to the benefit of the institution. The meeting then adjourned.