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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 13 October 1880, Page 2

A Pres3 Association telegram from Wellington states that Mr, Mansford, R.M. of that city, has been granted leave of absence on account of ill health. We regret that Mr. Mansford has received so little benefit from hi 3 sojourn in Taranaki as to render a trip to the Old Country imperative, and have nothing to say against this consideration being shown to such an old and respected occupant of a high judicial position. But we think that the Government had no right to go farther in their liberality, The action of the Government in .carrying out their retrenchment policy proves this. If the Government can afford to bestow L 750 upon a Resident Magistrate whilst on leave of absence, in which case they will have to pay a substitute a similar sum, then, we say, the Government is sfttjng with unwarranted stringency in cutting down wages and salaries and discharging officers. This is one of the anomalies in the conduct of the Government which "no fellah can understand," A meeting is, we learn from a Cliristchnrch telegram, to be held to-morrow to form a company to construct a line from the Hurunuj to Beefton. The agitation which arose some I time 3"0 to connect the east and west coasts of the Middle Island resulted in a survey being made by Mr. Blair of a route from Christehurch to H&kitika; but in consequence of the expensiyene3S o£ the project and the state of the Colony's finances, this and other similar projects were abandoned as impossible. The idea of constructing a line from the Hurunui to Reefton by a company is more feasible. This is the principle upon which, we tfoink, future additions to our railway system will bo made. If railway coostru.tion is to wait for the Government's ability to pay for it, it will be arrested for cwiny years to come, judging from appearances. The only business transacted at last night's meeting of the Directors of the Caledonian Society was the appointment of a cub-com-mittee to draw np the annual report for pre.sentatioo to the meeting of members, which will be held to-morroiv evening, at 8 o'clock, at the Criterion Hotel. ':■•.'; Onr readers scarcely require t reminding fch*t the concert in aid of the Fire Brigade urill take place this evening, in the Volunteer Sail, TJw programme appears elsewhere, and should prove sufficient to attract r large audience. After'tfw concert there urill be a. dance, the myrifi- $p jjfhioh wfll be i ypvided by the Rifles' Band. In Cfcder to / pve ticket-holders a chance of i securing a i pod Beat, and to avoid unnecessary crush" i '. , ■ -. -■ A■:■....

ing, the doors will be opened at 7.20, for the admission only of those who- have already secured tickets ; at 7-45 non-ticket-holders will be admitted on paying at the door. A soiree and concert are announced to be held to-morrow evening in the Mechanics' Institute, Hampden, for the purpose of supplementing the fund already in hand for the erection of a church in that town. It is also announced that any subscriptions received before the concert will be duly acknowledged.to-morrow, and that all subsequent subscriptions will be advertised. We hear that strenuous efforts have been made to bring abont a successful evening's amusement, some of our -Oamaru vocalists being pressed into service, in addition to the country talent;' and, the object being a worthy one, we hope to see a large attendance. An adjourned meeting of Friendly Societies Committees,, to make arrangements for the holding of a united Friendly. Societies picnic was held in the O idfellows' Hall, Coquetstreet, last evening. Mr. R. Blair was again voted to the chair. The minutes of last meeting having been read and confirmed, a discussion was entered into re the engagement of the band, but as neither the Good Templars nor Sons of Temperance were officially represented, it was decided to adjourn until the evening of the 20th inst. so that those Orders may. be fairly represented. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings. The names of those members of the Union Cricket Club chosen to practise for the match to be played with the Timaru Mechanics and the Waimate Clubs on the 26th and 27th. of this month are as follow : A. Hartley, W. Grey, A. Slater, J. Steele, J. Madderh, J.' Marshall, W. Bidsdale, T. Hewat, D". Sinclair, J. Hook, T. Maw, J. Harris, R. Aimers, J. Ogilvie, W, Hendry, J. Aimers, J. Keith, and W. Thompson. The following members of the Oamaru Club have been selected to play on Saturday in the match Oamaru v. Excelsior : —Church, de Lautour, Denton, A. E. Hardy, G. Millington, J. Millington, Lintott, Nicolls, Sumpter, Walls, Wills ; emergencies—Balmer, jun., Coates, and Newton.

The poet says that " Man drest in a little brief authority plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven as makes the angels weep." The writer surely borrowed his in-, spiration from a person not unlike Miss Forbes, the matron of the Timaru High School. This lady, who has passed the interesting age of 16 summers, defies the authority of the Timaru School Committee with a persistpncy of savageness that is seldom characteristic of her sex, It appears that a pupil teacher waa temporarily installed by the Committee, as the lady who usually occupied that po ition was absent on leave. But this young lady was not according to Miss Forbes' fancy, and she treated her in a manner that left no doubt about the matter. The Rector and the Committee asserted their authority, but Miss Forbes virtually snapped her finger and thumb in their faces. Cqmiuittee meetings were held, which bore a stroug resemblance to councils of war, and measures -were concerted to briqg about the capitulation of the reoaloi* trant lady, On one side were arrayed five Committeemen, led by the doughty Chairman, and on the other a lady armed only with that weapon which, she knows so well how to use. The Committee were several times repulsed, aud, dead beatenj they referred the matter to the South Canterbury Education Board, the qnly tribunal that the lady would recognise. The Board discussed the matter yesterday. Unfortunately we have not a report of the discussion before us, for the Press were precluded from publishing it. But we have the resolution which arose out of the discussion, which runs as follows : —"That the Board have satisfied themselves that M ; ss Forbes' conduct in the case of Miss Ball, referred to them by the Timaru School Committee, amounted to a defiance of all authority, and was subversive of good order in the school; but, at the same time, in consideration of her past services, the Board decline to dismiss her without affording her an opportunity of altering hpr ppndnct and demeanor. That Miss Forbes be severely censured, and informed that unless she submits to the authority of the School Committee, the Board will he unable to retain her services," We think that the Board AviU generally be credited with wisdom for having come to such a decision. The proceedings at yesterday's meeting of the Waste Lands Board (says the New Zealand Herald) were of much interest and importance- The principal item of business was respecting the Grant and Foster gelecr tion of 17.000 acres of land in the valley of the Thames, in the Aroha district, Captain Steele, the local agent of these dele= gates, sent in a letter on their behalf,

proposing a deferred payment system of a somewhat easy character. In the case of Mr. V. Stewart's settlement at Katikati, a time condition was spoken of from the first, '. but even in that ca=e the payment was comple£sd in eighteen months from the first date of contract, The members of the Board are evidently anxious to forward the settler ment of the Lincolnshire farmers. But when Captain Steele's letter was read, proposing such a long term of Crown tenancy before the payment of the purchase money, it caused a smile of surprise to. pass oyer the face of every member of the Board. Several of them engaged in the work of computing interest, value, &c., and came to the conclusion that it would be no . difficult matter to earn in the Colony the offered purchase price of the land during the Crown tenancy. Considering the facilities which the land selected possesses in the conveyance of produce to the market, the nearness of a goldfiold, and the possibility, if not bability, of gold deposits being found on a portion of the selected block, tho nearness of a railway, kc, we think the price finally agrc/i.d upon—4os an acre—not too high. A large portion of fhe land included in the selection would readily bring in tho open market from L 3 to L 4 an acre, though some of it would have . to be. quitted at a less figure. ,This. is now the.- beginning of October, and the reservation agrged upon by,the Lands Board ends on the Ist of November, There 1S thus Pflty a month to finally decide upon -.taking up qr rejecting the lands. But in the presence of the fact that gold has been found in tho neighborhood of the blopk within tho last law weeks it is possible that the Government may rwjeryo # portion of it for goldfield purppses. Mr. Thomas B / pßßol} , s pjaim to a portion of the block oh the west side of the river has also to, bo settled, and until that is finally disposed o* it is not likely jthat thp (Jpvflrnmenfc will V9M<>Vt to 4 nv definite promiso respecting the alienation of the ground while a large, and.uncortain claim hangs over it. Tho Board, however, ultimately agreed to part'-with =fche* land at 40s an acre upon certain., conditions, as to residence, cultivation,'"icl, as it was evidently the terms of the letter of their local agent

that Messrs. Grant and Fosters wanted So. purchase upon the deferred payment system. Sincethis appeared in the Herald/the Lands Board has made a concession in regard to the price of this block of Mahout 'l2s per cent. -..-" ''■/■■.- -' .