MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 296, 30 October 1874, Page 3

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

An adjourned meeting of the Council was held at.the Council Chambers on the 22nd " October. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Crs'. Brookes, H jorring,. Greer, ani| Inder. _,s /•The minutes of last meeting.-were-read' and confirmed. - COBB"ESPONT)BJSCE.'-—IHWAED'f ' Letter of apology from Or. Newmjir'ch, for absence, in consequence'of .-businesscalling him out of town. '- - Letter from Insurance Companies'. A association, in reply to Town Clerk's, stating that only a month since a considerable" reduction was made in the rates of premiums for Naseby, upon the ground.■of the efficient state in which the Naseby Fire Brigade was kept, and that, under, the circumstances, they did not thiuk that they should now be called upon for subscriptions to the Brigade funds. Letter from Mr. W. H. Ash, Hon. Sec. Cricket Club, calling attention of the Council to the present state of the Cricket Ground, now vested in the Corporation as a permanent reserve, and asking;-sanc-tion of the Council to use the same during season, and also for a grant ofjt'-small sum of money-for the purpose of Scaring off" the rubbish, and turfing a pitch for' cricketing purposes.—The Town Clerk, was directed to reply that no funds were available at present, but the Club could have the use of the ground. MAIN SOUTH BOAD., - In the absence of Cr. Newmahch, Cr. Hjobbing took up the motion in reference to- the state of this road; which, affcer some discussion, was referred' to General Purposes Committee to view, and report upon at next meeting. SANITARY BEEOBT. ' Atthe request of the Mayor, this report was postponed meeting. '■ TOWN HALL TENDEEB." Eesolved that Mr. George Stephens' tender for flooring Town HalJ, and other carpenter's work, be accepted, for the sum of £438, as per plans and specifications. FINANCE, The following accounts were passed for payment: —P. Talbot, balance Tay-street contract, £3; John M'Gregor, water work, £3 75.; Geo. Stephens, balancecontract Town Hall, £67 35.: Wm. Jacob, progress .payment plaster work, £SO ; G. F. Rowlatt, "costs,- £1 Is.

HOW TO WATCH THE TRANSIT ■OF" VENUS.

In answer to. the queries of one or two correspondents,- who are desirous of learning a simple method cf watching the phenomenon of the transit of Venus across the sun's disc, Mr. Ellery, Government astronomer, has kindly supplied the following notes, which will be useful for the guidance of amateur observers :

"Observations of the transit of Venus across the sun's disc will be principally confined to the determination of the exact time at which the planet's disc enters upon that of the sun ; -and those particular instants when the outer edge of the planet is in precise coincidence with the sun's edge called internal -contacts, will be taken These contacts occur when Venus first shows as a full round disc on entering on the sun's disc, and again while she still shows a round disc just before egress, fcsuch observations require the use of good telescopes well mounted, with apertures ol not less than 3in. or quire the use of a good clock or chronomethe exact local mean time or siderialtime.

" For simply viewing the phenomenon very simple apparatus will be sufficient. To good eyes protected by deep colored or smoked glass, Venus will be visible after she is well on the sun's disc. Any ordinary telescopes, and binocular, opera or field glasses, will give a better view ; • but, whatever telescope is used, great care is necessary to protect the eye from the intense glare and heat concentrated at, the eye aperture, and if proper -sunshades are not provided with " the telescopes, they must be improvised before attempting to look at the sun, for many have lost their eyesightby not attending tothis precaution Deeply colored glass, especially a piece < red, and a piece of deep green, or blue to gether, would be found very .safe an i pleasant; a piece of blue or green, or dee ; natural tint, will also do nicely. If on of these can be obtained, the old-fashionei smoked glass will form an excellent substitute. The poor method of making this is : —Obtain two strips of thin-clear glass, say 3in. long by lin. broad (the'glass, sold for microscopic slides is the best) ; around the margin of one of the surfaces paste a'strip of thick writing paper about the eighth of an inch broad, and smoke this surface by holding the slip over a candle with a long wick or a small kerosene flame (without chimney}, taking cure ty warm the glass gradually - at first, or it will crack. The proper density of ihe plackening Ciin be gut after a few trinis

-iVr t\o right kind of smoked surface has be.n fastened over it; the strips of paper" will keep it from coming in tocon tact'; bypassing a strip of thin paper-over the edge 3 to hold the»two v glasses together a dark shade for observing the. sun is formed, which will last any length of time."' —•-Australasian.' " ' ■