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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 67, 2 November 1864, Page 2

At a meeting of the trustees of the Invercargill Savings' Bank,. held yesterday, at the office of His Honor the Superintendent, a communication was read from, the General G-overnnienfc, proposing certain alterations on Rules XII. and XIV., which were unanimously agreed to, and the rules and regulations as thus amended are returned by tho Northern mail to-day, for the final approval of the Governor. This may be expected back from. Auckland by the return mail, and within a few days thereafter the Bank -will be opened in their new premises, Tay-street, nexfc-to-tha Bank of New Zealand. The usual weekly meeting of the local committee in connection with, the New Zealand Exhibition, which was convened for Monday afternoon, at the Superintendent's office, lapsed for want of a quorum. This is the second time in succession in which this has been the case. A meeting of persons in favor of the formation of a Lodge of Foresters, will be held at the Southern Cross Hotel this evening, at eight o'clock. A special general meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be held at the secretary's (Mr. Nutter's) office, at three o'clock p.m., this day, •wnen business of an important nature .will be brought on fo* discussion. . Tho advisability of reducing the entrance fee and annual' subscription will at same time be considered. We beg" to call the attention of the authorities ; to the state of the side drain in that part of Eskstreet between Rout's corner and the Railway! station. The" men recently employed in reducing; the roadway to th« formation level have un-i avoidably obstructed the drain by the earth which: has from time to tune fallen' into it, and th« con-; sequence is the collection of stagnant- water; throughout its. entire length, the smell from which: is disgusting, and every day becoming worse. The chimney of the premises occupied by Mr. Cameron, tailor and clothier, Dee-street, took .fire. yesterday afternoon, and caused some alarm. : "jjy prompt and active exertions, however, 'all -danger was soon averted. . The opening of the newJStasonic Hall in Kelvinstreet, is to take place on the 9th instant, with the usual ceremonies. ..»._■ J A lecture on "Agricultural Chemistry" was delivered last night by Mr. Samuel Beaven, in the lecture hall of the. Mechanics' Institute. Mr. I S. M. South presided on the occasion, and intro; i duced the lecturer, at same time remarking that he regretted to see so few persons present. Mr. Bearen likewise was sorry to observe, so thin an ' ! attendance. He had chosen the subject of ' "Agricultural Chemistry" not so much on . account of farmers in the country— many of whom could not be expected to be present— but as the same principles of chemistry applied in the one case as the other, he had hoped all who cultivated gardens, or who took an interest in such pursuits, would „ have been . induced to attend. He then proceeded to deliver. .a most instructive essay, on the science of chemistry as. applied to agricviiture or horticulture, which wai» listened to by all present .with great attention and evident interest. At the conclusion, a vote, of thanks wjas warmly accorded to the lecturer, and to Mr. Soutll for preeiding. Xno proceedings then ( terminated. ] • A meeting of gentlemen in favor of the , formation of a Fire Brigade for Invercargill, •was convened in Messrs. .M'Pherson & Co.'s | ; offices, Dee-street, yesterday^ afternoon. The ' place not being commodious enough, however, the meeting adjourned to Colyer's Princess' Hotel ! opposite. "The following gentlemen were present, I viz. : — Messrs. Or. S. W. Dalrymple (chair), Buchanan, C. S. Button, Arbuckle, Callow, Eings--1 land, Henderson, Whitton, Nutter, Osborne, i 1 MTlierson, Wright,' Martin, Brodrick, L. Gilles, j Higgins, Beese, Mendoza, and Hatch, Hon. Sec. ' pro. tern. Mr. Dalrymple then opened the proceedings. He was sorry that a greater number of persons were not present, yet in one sense he was not disheartened at the small attendance. Such ' a movement as the formation of a Fire Brigade did not require to be got up by any great public demonstration. It required only those whose I j property was at stake, and he was glad to see those preßont who had a stake in the town, and who would really take a deop interest in tie ' establishment of a Fire Brigade. For tho valua of, and the necessity for one, he would only refer thcai to Monday Morning's fire. Mr. Dalrjmple then atated that when the'lasfc meeting for the formation of fire brigade wai called, he and Mr. Kingsland had been deputed to wait on his Honor the Superintendent, to ascertain what assistance could be expected from Government. They were informed that the Government was not in a position to do anything in the meantime, and aIBO that the grant, whichyhad been voted , for the purpose, haJ lapsed, in consequence «f the aioney not being claimed. The Superintendent was at same time spoken- to about ground as a site for an engine house, &c, and a spot opposite tho police barracks had been suggested. His Honor said ha had no doubt that if an application were sent in to that effect, that the site would be granted. It now only lay with the inhabitants to bring about so happy a result as the formation of a fire brigade. The Chairman then intimated that he would be glad to hear any suggestions which might be made as to the best means of carrying out tho views ef the meeting. - Mr, C. S. ' Button did not think there "was one mnn in Invercargill who would not (without fee or reward) do all he could to maintain th* em*- |

cieney of a fire brigade, buMie "did not think the inhabitants ougb>to' be called on to p^y forth^sppliancet. This the insurance companies v ihoj£ld be expected to do, and if ten insurance companie* in Invercargill could not Bee their way to equip a fire brigade, ho thought they didnot look to their true interest. He would protest* 'against money being raised to the'extent of £500, for this purpoie by the inhabitants. • Th« insurance companies ought to find the engines, &c," — the town'will find the men.- " Mr. Kingsland 'was atvariencewiththa previous, speaker. The insurance companies he said, only effe'ete'd " insurancen" in" accordance with the risk, and in a town which supported a brigade of course the risk was much emaller, and the inhabitants reaped the benefit.. He did not think it would.be of the »lightest use to start afire brigade without -money — and plenty of it.~ (He then ran over a list of .the .appliances .requisite, which at his estimate amounted to upwards of £600). As to the working of the brigade, he did not . anticir pate any difficulty - whatever,- and- was- confident that thirty or forty names would be enrolled at ne e. He would propose the appointment of a committee to" consider .fully , what the^cp^ o£ a fir* brigade would bo. On this, Mr. Button said he adhered to his former statement, that tho insurance companies ""should furnish, the appliances^ and he cited cases where individual companies maintained brigades of their'' 1 own. * A conversation ensued as to Jhe supply of water, when Mr. Bingsland said that* in "the" interview he* and the chairman had with His Honor the Superintendent, the temporary use "of tanks waß-spoken of. His Honor said, however, that the supply of water to Invercargill from the Oreti Eiver had been under the consideration of the Government. He (Mr. Mr. Elngsland) thought, however, that all idea of this had long been lost sight of, and he would only expect.to see such an enterprise carried out when Invercargill was something like Melbourne in size. This, he thought, would require a little time. Mr. Beese now made a proposal, but being in effect' almost similar to that of Mr. Kingsland, both finally were conjoined, and took the form of the following resolutions : — That a committee, comprising the names of the agents of the' Otago, the -Eoyal, and the London and Liverpool Insurance Companies, and those of Mr. Callow, Kmgsland^ Gilles, Beese, Binney, and Hatch— be formed, for the- purpose of ascertaining what sum of .money would be required to establish an efficient firo brigade, and of considering the ways ,and means for, carrying' out the same. The sub-committee agreed] to meet in the name, place this evening/ at half-past seven o'clock.