South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2482, 4 March 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1881. NEWS OF THE DAY.

An exceedingly fishy transaction has been brought to light concerning the South Canterbury Education Board election. The Geraldine Flat Committee resolved to plump for the Bcv. George Barclay. At the twelfth hour it was discovered that if they did so ouc of the old trinity— Mr Howell—would run the risk of giving waj to Mr E. B. Walcot, Chairman of the Tim am Committee. Accordingly on the last day allowed by the Act for sending in votes (February 28) the Committee hastily met and voted afresh, this time for Messrs Barclay and Howell. The duplicate voting paper was received by the Board two days after the statutory closing of the poll, but nevertheless was admitted, the result being that Mr Plowed had one vote over Mr Walcot and was declared elected. The irregularity which the Board, of course, considers to be quite legitimate—is ascribed to the prompting of the wily Geraldine divine, and it certainly looks like one of his strata]ie manoeuvres.

A telegram received in Dunedin from a member of the Ministry, states that the Governor leaves Wellington for Lyttelton on the 9th instant; leaves Christchurch, calling at Oamaru and Timaru, on the 14th ; leaves Dunedin for Invercargill on the 19th; leaves Dunedin for Christchurch on the 21st. If the Governor stays in Dunedin during the whole of the 17th, sports will be got up by the Caledonian Society.

The Kurow railway, in the Oamaru district, constructed by Messrs Allen and Stumbles, has been officially inspected and approved of, and it will immediately be declared open for traffic.. A tribunal, representing the professions that went courting “ Jessie at the railway bar,” the chief in command being a wellknown paperhanger, has passed a vote of censure on Pilot Moore, of the Otago Harbor department, for allowing the Jasper to rub noses with the mud that accumulates near Port Chalmers.

Through failure of negotiations re establishing a partnership, Mr E. W. Mills, iron merchant of Wellington has had to call a meeting of his creditors. The latter have full confidence in Mr Mills, and the difficulties that have led to the step taken will probably be arranged. With reference to the scratching of Sir Modred at the recent Dunedin meeting “ Victim” writes as follows in the “ Otago Daily Times” :—There is only one opinion regarding Sir Modrcd’s fitness —verified by his performance when allowed to run. Be this as it may, I would have staked all I have on Sir Modred in the D.J.C. had he started. Now, sir, what can be the moral difference between a jockey pulling a horse in a race, and an owner (to whom a few thousands of pounds loss or gain can make little difference) scratching a positive winner just before the start.' The difference is about equal to that between six and half-a-dozen. I venture to remark that were such an event to occur in England, the public would have something unpleasant to say. They are, I hear, something given to over-insurance in New Zealand. An agent the other day was negotiating with a cottager for an insurance against fire on his household goods. The proponent wanted what the other considered too much insurance on. his belongings, considering the modest dimensions of the dwelling which contained them. Upon this being hinted to him he explained that he had “ a fine natural history collection, accumulated during the last ten years, and for which he wouldn’t take £100.” Inquiries amongst the neighbors resulted in the agent ascertaining that it was ten years since the proposer married, and that the only natural history collection on the premises was a wife with six fine children.— fEgles.

The following reference to the Tararua gold robbery is made by the Wellington correspondent of the “ Lyttelton Times”:— Last night’s “Post” alludes in a paragraph, evidently communicated by the Government, to my statement to the effect that if one Government department had communicated to the police certain information which it had in its possession, the Tararua gold robbery would have been exp darned long ago. The “ Post ” practically at Emitted that this is correct. It says: “It ms 'y suffice to say that the Government department referred to is the telegraph, and the information merely such as would be derived from private telegrams by the opera tors who transmitted them. It may readily be judged whether it would be proper f<vr that sort of information to be communicated to the police on the chance of its convicting somebody or other.” 'The simple fact is that it demurs to allowing the police access to a telegram lying in one of the Nelson district offices, which, there is every reason to believe would give a clue to the robbery, and which can be obtained ■without any searching process.