The Southland Times. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1867.

Southland Times, Issue 681, 10 June 1867, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1867.

Id the Eesident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, Mr J. H. Smith, butcher, of Dee-street, was fined in the sum of £25, for a breach of. the " Slaughter House Ordinance." From the evidence, it appeared that Mr Smith, or one of his men to whom lihe duty was entrusted, ommitted to give the notice required, previous^ to slaughtering five head of cattle. So soon as the error wan discovered, the inspector of Slaughter Houses (Constable Hawkshaw), was at once lnformedT and the Hides reserved for the usual verification of brands. The .Act, we believe, ■leaves^ no discretionary power, and Mr Smith having pleaded guilty to the information, was mulcted as above Btated, for what, we think, can hardly be construed into an offence. No doubt tha Btringent clause under which the fine was imposed, would be well applied where an evident intention to conceal , could be shown, but in the case under notice there qannot be grounds for the slightest imputation of the kind.— On the same day a man named McLean, charged with stealing a cheque for £3, was remanded for the production of further evidence, It will be scan from our advertising columns, | that Professor Parker and Miss Annie Beaumont j hovo arrived in Invercargill, and will give two performances in the Theatre Eoyal (on Wednesday and Friday.) We understand that other engagements necessitate sb short a stay, and therefore we doubt not to see a full house on each occasion, as both the performers are well and favorably known all over the colonies, not less so in Invercargill than elaswhere. We trust that some local gentleman may 'fie found capable of meeting the Professor, on the boards, and thereby afford our townspeople an opportunity of seeing a little sword-play. We observe from home papers t&it trials of skill . with the broadsword are at present commanding much attention, being highly spoken of and largely patronised. A meeting was held on the 6th instant in \ the Weileyan Chapel to consider the propriety of i enlarging the present building. After singing and | prayer by the Eev. it. S. Bunn, Wm. Eussell, E«a-. was called to the chair, and opened the proceedings by statinj that an increase of accommodation was admitted to be necessary. Mr Per- 5 kin» thought that though there was a small debt on the property a most urgent, work was to enlarge the building. He had consulted with several momberg of the congregation, and felt convinced there would be no difficulty in raising the estimated sum, £160, and offered to give ten pounds towards it. . The Bey. E. S. Bunn •aid he had been connected with the erection or enlargement of 14 or 15 chapels, and, in -no instance was it so necessitous. The congregation during services was packed as close as possible, and it was winter— it would be impossible to endure it if it was summer. He could not now inrito penons to attend, became there was not a Beat for them. Then there was nol sufficient room for the proper or efficient working of the Sunday School, numbering 150 children. Mr Crouch moved a resolution affirming the desirability of providing increased accommodation, and said the trustees had called the congregation together to get their approval in what was to bo done, bo that it might be on the be«t possible plan. Mr George Trew seconded the resolution, and . said he thought the plan would be to widen the present chapel so as not to occupy the ground in front, as he believed the day nould come when they would have a brick •hurch thore. The Chairman invited those present to offer suggestions. Messrs Eeed.Todd, Wm. Hay, Eodger«, Alexander, Bonthron, Ludlam and others responded to the invitation. Before the close of the meeting, it was ascertained that upwardi of £140 had been promised. A com* mittee consisting of Messrs Todd, Eeed, J. H. Smith, Saunders, Bonthron, Eodgerf , W. Miller, Alexandtr, Honey will, «nd Fredric, was elected to co-oparate with the trustees in carrying out the work. The meeting closed with singing the Doxology and prayer. A committee meeting was then held, and it was resolved that an estimate should be obtained of several plans including the erection of a new building, to b# considered at a meeting to be held that evening week. . Ihe "TartaaM Herald" of May 18th says:— "The daily yield of oil from the Alpha well has remained much the same during the week — the quantify being at present about eight gallons per diem. We believe, however, this quantity will be almost certain to increase as soon as tho rein is cleared of all the matter which must have accumulated during the time the works were discontinued, and it must be remembered that this is the smallest of the veins which have been struck. We understand that Messrs Webster and Hulke have tried the oil as a lubricant for the machinery used in their steam mill, but it was not filtered previous . to. the experiment, and there is- consequently, a, sticky substance left on the machinery. This substance can probably be got rid of by simple Btraining, and without the application of the more costly process of distilling, We are told that an .experiment is al g0 about to be made in town for smelting'- the ironsand hy r means . of the. petroleum, an d that a small furnace, f oi". : that purpose ""is in course of construction*" ; r. : . : ' '■.-■■■ • The " Oamaru Times " reports : ike : departure of tlia brig Lady Emma, with a cargo of build ing stone for Melbourne. Tender 3 for supplying Oamaru stone for the Melbourne Town Hall are now being called for. * .

An attempt -was lately made to establish, a Com Exchange at Christchurch, but we notice by the "Lyttelton Times " that it has not proved successful. "We learn from the Otago country papers, that numbers of people refrained from taking part in the Plebiscite, all believing that no action on their part would alter the intentions of the General Government. Tho Melbourne correspondent of the Ballaraj. Star states :— A scheme is on foot for the purpose of doing for Melbourne what has already been done for tho important 1 towns of America, England, and the continent 6f Europe, that is, to provide hotel accommodation on a scale commensurate, with the requirements of our metropolis, £nd in a stylo that cannot at present be obtained by families staying at the existing hotels.; With greater luxury and comfort, a promise is also held out of a considerable decrease in the present charges made at first-class hotels. Kooms are to be fitted up en suite to suite families who desire t6 be quite private, ; whilst the singlo bedroom and the table d'lioie for bachelors are not to be overlooked. There is to be several classes of borders^ the accommodation, situation of rooms, and luxuries of course varying with tho price. The hotel is to be a grand and luxurious home to even the most modest and economical of its customers, pro riding him with every convenience, such as reading and writing rooms, library and everything deemed necessary for the satisfaction of the isolated individual or family biped. , The proposed company is to be called the Great Victoria Hotel Company, and the capital is set down at £50,000. A site has been chosen at St. Kilda, opposite the railway terminus, and customers are to be, I understand, provided with passes at the charge of the compaiiy. Tho block of land iB a corner 204 feet by 250 feet, and tho building and furniture are calculated to co3fc some £30,000. The number of persons the hotel is calculated to accommodate is between two and three hundred. Tho project appears to meet with favor amongst the well-to-do classes and business men, and already I hear that some of our most influential nionied men are taking an interest in the scheme. .