SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 523, 20 July 1866, Page 6

SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC.

«. We learn with pleasure that it is the intention of somo of our citizens to inaugurate a series of drawing- room entertainments, of which the proceeds are to be devoted to charitable purposes — such as the La lies' Benevolent Institution — the Hospital, and Lunatic Asylum, &c. It is proposed to com-, prise within the entertainment a variety of readings, recitations, &c, from the most popularauthors and we understand that several gentlemen of well known ability have signified their intention of contributing to the success of the undertaking. It is proposed to throw open the entire of the upper portion of the Theatre, together with the numerous sitting-rooms, in order to afford opportunity for social intercourse between the different parts of the entertainments. In fact, the idea is to make it a 9 much as possible approaching a conversazione, and we trust that the project may receive hearty support, not only on account 01 the charitable objects it is intended to support, but also the encouragement likely to be afforded for periodical reunions, where all classes can mingle together, and participate in those social enjoyments eminently characteristic of " our friends at home." On Thursday, 28th June, the new Presbyterian Church at Kiverton was opened. The Eev L. Macgillivray, who was the first minister settled there, preached in the forenoon an able and appropriate discourse, from Isaiah, 28-16. The Eev A H. Stobo preached in the afternoon, and the Rev. Thos. Alexander, in the evening. The church, the interior arrangements of which are Wit quits completed, is a neat and comfortable building, c spible of accommodating fully 200 hearers. Though the present debt is very small, yet, as a very considerable sum will be needed to finish the interior, the liberality of the church is earnestly invited. , A sample of Provincial flour and oatmeal, and a loaf, was forwarded to us yesterday (27th June), by Hay Brothere, for inspection. 'The flour, though not silk-dressed, is fine and sound, and- the loaf, baked by Mr George Robertson, I lay-street, is equal ro anything we have ever seen placed upon a table ; it is light and void of the least sourness. The oatmeal is also of a hiiih class, and, as fitr as we can judge, has si superior freshness of fi.vor not obtainable from the imported article. We understand tiiat the wheat from which the Hour waa made was grown from Chilian and English seed mixed. It is strong evidence that there will soon be no necessity for .the large import of bread-stuffs that have hitherto been required,

I Wo aft> inform^ th&i Barnes Smith. Esti,, of Messrs Smith and Dcmpsey, Dunedin, has bean retained io defend Captain TJaynioiK'i, ufc the tjext sittmg of the Supreme Court here, in the fictions raised against him by John Howell and Williatft Stevens, and Messrs/ Morison, Law and Co< The following memorial has been nutneroußly signed by holders of property in Campbelltown \ —To His_Hono" the Superintendent of Southland — The Memorial of the undeisiansd landholderg and inhabitants of Campbelltown, humbly sheweth, — That your memorialists have been in« formed that the original plan accompanying this memorial is a plan of tho railway terminus as at present, contemplated. That the interests of your memorialists as owners, lessees and occupiers of land in the town of Campbelltown will, if the said plan shall be carried out, be thereby unnecessarily vitiated, and the public estate sacrificed. That your memorialist's believe that the Bluff when railway communication with the interior shall be completed, will become the emporium of Southland, instead of being, as at present, a subordinate port to the town of Invercargill. That so believing, tlaey are of opinion that the small area reserved for public purposes should be carefully appropriated, with a view to the erection of the necessary buildings thereon. That the present plan leaves no available site for such buildings, unless they Be placed upon the reclaimed land and beyond the town bounrlnrv, whilst at least .in acre of very valuable land reserved for such purposes is rendered useless by being cut off from the town by the line of railway. That by the present plan, the inhabitants of Campbelltown are as much as possible shut out from the benefit of the railway, and can only obtain their goods from the goods shed, as nt present contemplated, by making an unnecessary ihiau-r of about 250 yards. Tlmt your memorialists are informed by the Harbor-master that, when required, the extension of the wharf must \i& made to the westward, as shown on the tracing attached to the original plan accompanying this memorial ; and the pre. sent arrangements needlessly prolongs the distance to be travelled to get access to the shipping, as the wharf now stands, and will do so stiUmore should the wharf be extended. That your memorialists have prepared a sketch and attached it to the plan herewith, suggesting the removal of the engine shed to the reserve where the Custom House now stands, and the placing of the passengers, station about 300 feet within the lown boundary. That the benefits to be derived by the alteration are as follows : — A convenient site for public buildings is provided ; the goods shed is opened for the direct approach of drays; the direct approach to the wharf is maintained : and the value of the town land, and the equitable interests of your memorialists preserved as much as possible. Your memorialists regret that the Provincial Council is not now in session, that they mi^ht also memorialise it upon the subject. And Humbly p ra y — That your flonor will he pleased to cause the "whole question of the railway terminus to be reconsidered, with a view to conservation of the public estate and the protection of their equitable rights. It will appear from a telegraphic communication that Mr. and Mrs. Heine, owing to the change of the date of sailing of the Alhambra, will not be able to appear before Wednesday next, when they will give three concerts. Tt is to be regretted that these accomplished musicians and the public should have met with so great a disappointment. But as their non-ap pearance on the day fixe-: arise from circumstances over which they had no control, -we doubt not ths.t their welcome on Wednesday next, the 18th July, will be equally as hearty as it would have been had they appeared on Monday, the 16th July. From our advertising columns it will be seen that the Q-overnvnent has called for tenders for the construction of two water-wells, and the repairs ing of others. Tenders w r ill be received at the Public Works office until noon on the 31st July. In commenting upon the Bataria and Queensland mail service, experiment says : — " The Souchays is bick a-zain from Baiavia. She did not biing any later news from England, thus showing that ior mail purposes this route has at present no advantage over that which is established. It is rloubtfui -whether the Queensland Government will consider it worth while to go to the expense of another trip at. present, as there is no solid advantage to compensate for the outlay. But. tha Dutch are e.-ger to keep up the communication, they b ing vt-ry anxious to open, out an Australian market for their produce. A gentleman has come down from Batavia to negotiate on the subject with the various Governments. Next month the Dutch steamer, Jhe Konig "William 111., will be sent dewn, and the Government there is willing to contribute towards a subsidy. So that co-operation is possible, if the terms of it can be arrange. l." The change in the time table of the P. & Omail service, which we alluded to last month, will be brought into operation this month. The mail for Europe will not be closed until Friday, the 20th July, instead of on the ,18th of the month which has hitherto been the date for the despatch j of the overland mail for England. ' A petition having reference to the Government survey system has been prepared for presentation to the Provincial Council. It sets forth a statement to the effect that considerable inconvenience i is experienced by purchasers of land from the monopoly of the Waste Land Surveys by a few gentlemen who are the authorised surveyors of the Province, advances that others equally qualified to do the work are deprived of advantages which they are entitled to possess, and that much delay consequently arises to purchasers, which it is desirable to obviate. The following is the state of H. SI. gaol for the week ending, Tuesday, the 17th instant : — Sentenced to penal servitude, 6 males ; sentenced to hard labor, 6 males and 1 female ; lunatics, 2 males and 1 female ; debtors, 3 males ; total, 25 males and 2 females ; received during the week, 2 males ; discharged during the week, 3 males ; decrease for the week, 1 male. We understand that the prize essay of £50 for Southland as a field for immigration, has been decided in 'favor of Mr. Murray, late manager of the Otago Bank." An offer (the only one) and which lias been accepted by the Committee, was made by Hurnett and Co., to print 500 copies, demy Bvo. gratis, on condition that the copyright might be reserved to the printers for six months. • A reply to the memorial addrc-ssed by the inhabitants of Campbelltown to his Honor the Superintendent, has we are informed, been received by the petitioners. Our informant writes : — " I have not been able to see the reply as yet, but 1 am informed that the object of the memorialists (the alteration of the railway station,) cannot be concede J. I hear the matter is not to end there, but will be taken up in the Council, and thorouglily sifted." Our Bluff correspondent, under date 16th July, supplies us with the following information respecting the gold working at the Toi Tois. He says : — " A number of our townspeople paid a visit to the beach diggings on Sunday last, the 15th July, and one of the party, just returned from the West Coast, and experienced in beach workings, reports that there is fourteen men at work about ten miles from Te Waewae Point. The extent of payable ground is very small, and consists of a narrow strip of sand and gravel just above high water mark, about six feet broad an d a mile and :i half long ; there is only about two or three inches of washdirt in some pa es ; not above one inch in. others. The whole of the payable stuff yet found is on this narrow strip, mostof it has been collected into heap 3of nbout 20 loads each, and laid back from the beach. Some are just commencing to wash up, and are getting four to six ounces to the loa:l of very fine geld. The effect of this discovery is already beginning to operate, and the whole of the sea beach, for miles round, will now be le?ted, with what succcsb remains yt-t to be seen." The amount of !and sold during the week ending, 13th July, at the Land Office, was 1,330 acres ; being 190 .acres, Invercargill Hundred, taken up by Mr Trotter ; 840 acres in the run 176 by Poynter and Butler j 250 acres by Messrs M'Neil Brothers ; and 50 acres in Jacob* Hirer Eundreds, by R. Quinion.