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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 362, 11 February 1876, Page 2

A telegraph station is now open at Blueskin, and will supply a much felt want in that district. The next outgoing British mail, via Suez, will be despatched from Naseby on Monday next, 14th instant. Through unforseen circumstances Bishop Moran was unable to visit this district, as announced last week. Mr. Hall announces that a dance will take place at the Town Hall, Naseby, on Wednesday evening next. A public holiday will be declared in Wei lington on the day Sir Julius Vogel arrives and a public reception has been decided on. Tenders for the new Court House at Naseby are called for in another column, and ard to be lodged in Wellington on the 28th instant. The Montezuma Hotel and Store, St. Bathans, is advertised to be,sold by auction by Mr. J. C. Chappie, on Thursday next 17th We understand that it is the intention of Mr. Vincent Pyke to test the power of the Governor to disallow the Gold Bonus Ordi-nance.--'Dunedin News.' The usefulness of the new bridge over the Taieri is at present much impaired by the fact that there are no well-defined roads or tracks of approach to it, especially from the Hamilton side. This has been a very costly work, and, so far as the bridge itself is concerned, a good work. It is a pity that the very small expense of defining tracks to it should be allowed to stand in the way of the public deriving the full benefit of the outlay which has been already incurred. Feom and after the Ist of the current month we are glad to notice the postage within the Colony, on book and pattern parcels, will be reduced to a considerable extent. The new regulations state the rates to be as follows : Not exceeding 2 ounces in weight, Id.; above 2 ounces, but not exceeding 4, 2d.; for every additional 4 ounces, or fraction of 4 ounces, 2d. We feel assured the increased facility thus offered by our paternal Government for transmitting books, &c, by post, will be fully appreciated, and duly taken advantage of bv a grateful public.

An accident of an unusual character happened to Cobb and Co.'s coach on Tuesday last. A short distance beyond Blackstone Hill one of the horses suddenly turned round, smashing the pole. The team became unmanageable, and disengaged themselves .from the. coach. Turning round they galloped wildly through Blackstone Hill, and reached the Woolshed before they were captured. The animals were not much the worse for their run. Harry Nettlefold and the passengers were uninjured. A spare coach was procured from Naseby, and the remainder of the journey safely performed. The ' Guardian' understands that the proprietor of the Indian medicines which have lately been brought before the public of this Province under the title of "Ghollah's Great Indian Cures," has received testimonials as to their efficacy in rheumatic complaints from various parts of New Zealand, and the constant recommendations given of these medicines by persons who have been benefitted by their use in gaining for them a steady growth into public favor. The installation of officers of the Anchor of Safety Lodge, 1.0. G.T., Hamilton, took place on Saturday evening last at the Union Church. Beports were submitted, showing that the number of members in good standing was 21, and that the Lodge was in a satisfactory financial condition. The returns having been filled up, L.D. Bro. Hubbard—assisted by P.W.C.T. Bro. Ash. and Bro. Johnstone, of the Ark of Safety Lodge, Naseby—proceeded to install the officers for the current quarter as follows:—Bro. M'Alpine, W.C.T.; Bro. Tremewan, W.V.T.; Bro. Stowe, W.S.; Bro. Highley, W.F.S.Bro. Wilson, W.T.; Bro. Jory, W.C- Bro' T. Howell, W.M.; Bro. P. Barron, W.O.g! Bro. Hubbard resigned his position as L.D., and Bro. C. Roseveare was elected in his stead., . -

The latest European news by- cablegram, states : " The Russian Press stigmatises Great Britain as a country not content -with, acquiring territory in all parts of the 'world, but as wanting to pocket the key of the whole of the south end of Europe. A scheme is afloat in Russia to guarantee the entire neutrality of the Suez Canal, with which Germany agrees. Spain is powerless to subdue bloodshed in Spain. The Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia has been exiled to Caucasus for four months in consequence of an intrigue with a ballet-dancer, who has been arrested. Relations between Prussia and Denmark are critical. The army mobilisation scheme in England is causing great commotion in military circles. A Christchurch contemporary, referring to the necessity for consolidating many of the Statutes, says :—We have mentioned the Electoral and Municipal Laws as much in need of consolidation and simplification, and we may safely place on the same list the (joldfields Laws. The state of these laws is simply a disgrace to our Statute Book. At present there are about a dozen Goldfields Acta in force, none of which is, we believe, satisfactory. Private members are helpless in the matter. We fear that even Mr. T. L. Shepherd has succumbed to the hopelessness of the taßk, and retires in disgust into private life. The Napier ' Weekly Mercury ' says : "A well-known Colonel in the New Zealand Militia, having just left Church one Sunday morning, was desirous of ascertaining the right road to a settler's residence, some few miles distant.- Colonel therefore knocked at the vestry door and asked the Eev. Mr. : the pioper road to take. Said the worthy clergyman. *I am surprised at your asking me such a question ; I never give any information on the Sabbath.' The Colonel sighed ' Too true !' and found the road out for himself." Under the heading "Sending them to New Zealand," an Australian contemporary writes :—Who can read the following suggestive appeal, cut from the * Irish Timea' of-2nd July, without a heart-throb ? "Matrimony.—A mother, suffering from a mortal disease, and longing to see her two daughters suitably married before she leaves IMb world, wishes to meet two gentlemen ; respectable parentage, minimum income £IOO age under 40. Girls are good-humored' trained housekeepers, very handsome (advertiser can guarantee this), ages 22 and 19 eldest very sensible, youngest a little nightv fortunes £3OO each. Enclose carte Ic Address Y, 72, office of this paper." The «Southern Mercury' lately published in the form of an article a summary of amusing newspaper mistakes. It might as well have included two very amusing ones that occurred in one of its own reportiTin the same issue. In the report of the Taieri breach of promise case, the counsel for the plaintiff is made to say—" Before that time Mr. Grant had become a widow, and the lady who became his second wife," &c, &c A few lines farther down we read—"Miss Hughes was invited to stay at Mr. Grant's house, and she did so, and shortly afterwards Mr. Grant again appeared, and renewed his former attentions." Mr. Gh-anivi here credited with Mr. Shand's actions Imagine the horror of the wife on reading in the columns of our critical contemporary that her newly : married husband had been paying attentions to his guest.

Political feeling runs high, in Timaru. At the banquet on the opening of the railway from Christchurch to Timaru on Friday last, the speeches took a strong turn, and at the conclusion of the Superintendent's speech, Mr. Jonas, of Timaru, asked leave to make a remark. Leave was refused by the Chairman. Mr. Jonas persisted. A great uproar followed. At last the Chairman sent for a policeman and had Jonas removed, which was resented by his friends. The whole party broke up in confusion, but presently returned again took and their seats. Sir Cracroft Wilson, in returning thanks for his health, said if he had been chairman he would have got over the table, and turned Jonas out himself. A good deal of strong feeling against the Government was expressed throughout the whole affair. After the Superintendent's health was proposed there was very little applause, and the company sang " The Dead March in Saul," instead of " For he's a jolly good fellow." On Monday evening last the officers of the Ark of Safety Lodge, 1.0. G.T., Naseby, for the current term were installed by L.D. Bro. Eaven, assisted by D.D. Bro. Barronj and Bro. R. Francis. By the reports of the various officers the lodge appeared to be in a healthy financial state, the number of members good on the books being 90. The W.C.T. and "W.T. elect being absent from the district, and there being no likelihood of their speedy return, their elections were annulled. P.W.C.T. Bro. Ash and Bro. James Alexander were nominated for the respective offices, and, there being no other nominations, were declared elected. The installation of officers was then proceeded with as follows:—Bro. W. H. Ash, W.C.T. - Sister Green, W.V.T.; Bro. T. Meager' W.S.; Bro. E. T. George, jr., W.F.S.; Bro'. James Alexander, W.T.; Sister Flett, W.C • Bro. Bradley (re-elected), W.M.; Bro. James Baxter, W.1.G.; Bro. James Donnelly W.0.G.; Sister Miller, E.H.8.; Sister Donnelly, L.H.S.; Sister Smith, W.D.M. A private letter, written at Port Darwin on the 29th October by a young man to his friends in the neighborhood of Clare, has been shown to the '.Northern Argus.' The writer, who went overland with a party taking stock, says : —" We have been twelve months on the road, and had an awful job to get through the blacks. They attacked us about the same time as they killed the parcv the account of which appeared in the papers. None of us were injured, and were wel* armed. One tribe of about 300 tackled us" and at the time only two of us were with the stock, the rest of the party being back at the camp about three miles distant. When the blacks attacked us I took eight out of the lot, but I could not tell how many my mate took ; he is a plucky fellow—the best I ever travelled with. There were a great many natives wounded, and it was dreadful to h<=>ar their screams, The party at the camp h e .ard the noise, but by the time they got to us"the affray was over That was the first attack we had." The news from the Palmer indicates nothing out of the ordinarv course of ev°nts Tne correspondent of the ** Brisbane Courier'' writes on the Ist of Januarv as follows • " The reported rush to the heads of the Palmer River, the Tait, the Walsh, or the Mitchell, as it i 3 variously stated, is as much a rumor now as it was a fortnight ago. There is, however, a strong assumption for believing that the story is not entirely without foundation. The escort which arrived on the 23rd ultimo, brought down 5,0000z The Florence Irving, departing this afternoon, takes no gold, .though 6,0000z. are in t>e hands of the banks. The total quantity exported during the year ending yesterday amounts to 16g,9540z ; being for quarter end ing March 31,94140z; June 30, 4J,2730z • September 30; 54,9660z • December 31' 55,2110z. 121,4510z represents the amount exported in 1874, showing a balance of 41,4830z in favor of the outgoing twelvemonth." One of the most original cSieial document* we ever read is that which Mr. Goo'dalT when Mayor of Milton, sent to the. Snperin! tendent when forwarding to his Honor; the health report of that municipality. It Lj dated February of last year, and ; a -o the .following effect:-" [ herewith send v«a our report from the Medical Inspector here • ,oa will see it is rather favorable, and I think ife

is a very fair report. The nuisances ho his pointed out have all been removed, so that we may say for the present, toe are clean. I wish every town in the Province could say the same. 'We are forming a fire brigade, ■which I think I will complete. We have now thirty fine young men, all enrolled, and captain and officers appointed. We are now purchasing an engine and hose. We had Captain Wain at our meeting last week, and he gave us the best of advice, so that I think we will soon have all things put to right. We will perhaps be enabled to get a water supply by-and-by, and then we will get a regular sewerage, so that our health rate may get better. Mr. White is still getting on very well with the patterns. Yoiir visit did him a vast deal of good by bringing him into notice. We are are atill keeping busy in Tokomairiro. Long may it continue. Hoping this will find you well. T will look in and sec you when T come to town."—'Star.' The * Clutha Leader' is responsible for the following.—The other day a horseman rode up to the bridge at Balclutha, and on being asked for the toll, replied that he had nojpnoney on him, but if the tollkeeper went to the Newmarket Hotel he would get it. The sturdy Eae could not see the force of this polite request, and informed him as he was so well mounted he might do his dirty work himself. Our horsey friend found that his bounce was of no avail, set off at full speed to obtain his passage money across the bridge. KeturninL; with half-a-crown he threw it on the ground, telling the tollkeeper to ''take it oui of that." Our friend Eae, with his usual caution not to be out-witted, gently piuk d up the half-crown, and quietly placed the two shillings on the ground beneath the horse, saying '' there's your change." . Our polite equestrian disdained to pick up the tilthy lucre, and rode off in the full belief that he had been out-witted. On returning he was seen to narrowly observe the spot where his money had rested, with the vain hope that it was patiently waiting for him.