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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2407, 3 December 1880, Page 2

There was a clean sheet,, at the R. M. Court, this morning. Another engineer, at a much lower salary will be sent to Auckland in lieu of Mr J. Stewart, District Engineer, whose services have been dispensed with on the score of retrenchment. Other similar reductions are probable shortly. Mr Gabites, of Gabites and Plante, having acquired the valuable and central site known as the old post office buildings, intends to lose no time in turning it to appropriate account. The present buildings are about to be removed, and in their place a fine new edifice, which will be at once a credit to the town,' is to be erected. The structure will he of elaborate Corinthian design, and will comprise two commodious shops with plate glass fronts, and an auction mart, 47ft by 24ft, with offices attached. The architect is Mr Upton, and judging from the plans the new building will be a most creditable addition to his achievements.

At the Telegraph office Dunedin, yesterday a trial was made of the Edison-Bell telephone apparatus, which has been fixed up for the benefit of the public. The experiment was perfectly successful, and from the results it is evident that by this system of sending messages a great boon will be conferred on business people. Telephones will be placed in offices or private residences within a reasonable distance of the Chief Telegraph Office, and they will be connected with the apparatus at the chief office, by which subscribers can cause themselves to be placed in telephonic communication with the office or the residence of any other subscriber, and be thus able to converse with persons at those places.

A fatal mining accident of an exceptionally painful character, happened at the Thames on Wednesday, Nov. 21. John McGregor, a miner, employed at the Monataiara mine, and the father of eight children had been taking an active' part in the Mayoral election. At the 3 p.m. shift he was a few minutes late and the cage containing his mates having gone down, ho proceeded to descend by the ladders. Taylor the boss of the shift gave him his candles, watched him take the light and proceed the length of the first ladder. Taylor then made off for the other workings at the tunnel level, but about half-past five returned and went down the same ladder as McGregor had descended. When he reached the lower landing, which is about 12 feet from the 150 feet level, he discovered McGregor’s food and “ billy” on the landing. This aroused his suspicion that all was not right, and on descending lower down he found the deceased on the well boards. He called assistance at once and the man was removed from the chamber, but was found to be quite dead, the bones of his skull being shattered. The sad intelligence was divulged to the poor wife by a personal friend and shipmate, who arrived here some eight years ago with McGregor from Scotland.

Speaking of the female immigrants by the Plcione, the _ Wellington Chronicle ’’ naively remarks : —“ They seem a bonny, healthy collection of lasses, and it is to be hoped will shortly secure respectable employment.”

The “ Lyttelton Times” concludes an article on political railway management as follows :—“ It is management by influential citizens and clamouring mobs, determined to work the railways in accordance with selfish local theories, and in defiance of natural “considerations. What can one do but despair of good results ?” The following circular has been issued by Mr R. B. Walcot, Chairman of the Timuru School Committee: —“lt having been usual in former years to give prizes to the children attending the Timaru Public School it is much to be desired that the customary distribution of prizes should take place prior to the breaking up of the school for the Christmas holidays. To carry out this object a sura of between thirty and forty pounds will be required. As no funds for this purpose are supplied by the Board of Education, or from any public source, it devolves on private subscription to find the necessary money. As children are now receiving free education at the hands of the Government, it is not too much to ask parents and guardians to subscribe for this purpose ; and the public at large are requested also to assist. Funds will be received by the teachers of the school, who will account for the same to the head master. Persons desirous of givingprivate prizes for any special purposes, are requested to notify the same to the head master.” We have been requested to add that the distribution of prizes will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 21, and will be followed by an entertainment by the children, in the Theatre Royal, the same evening. One Selby, a cook on board the barque Alcxa, which lately arrived at Wellington, from China, created some excitement by announcing that he had discovered how to make excellent bread without yeast or chemicals and that he meant to take out a patent. To assist him, we presume, Charles Love, the steward of the Alexa, publishes the following testimonial “ There has been no invention at all. The real fact is that Mr Selby did not know how to use malt and hops. He prepared an idea of his own, and spoilt good flour, as I know to my cost, having suffered from indigestion for seven months by the discovery. The bread was always sour, as can be testificdjby the crew and myself.”