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Southland Times, Issue 1681, 27 December 1872, Page 2

The Eangitoto, which will arrive at the Bluff tliis morning, has been chartered by the Government to convey the New Zealand home mails to ' Melbourne, in time to catch the P. and O. Co.'a steamer, which Bails thence on the 31st inst. The mail for letters is announced to close to day at 1 p.m. It should be borne in mind, however, that only letters Bpecially marked " via Suez" are forwarded by that route. Our attention has been directed to a discrepancy between, our published telegram, dated London, Dec. 6, relative to last wool sales, and the telegram of the same date, referring to the same, published by the Otago Daily Times. We have compared the telegram published by U3 with the original telegram published by the Melbourne Argus of the 9th instant, and find the two to correspond, excepting that the number of • bales exported, and given as 1000, should hare been rendered 10,000. Whether to blame agents or operators for the discrepancies so frequently occurring in telegraphic communications, we know not. It is certain the fault does not rest with ourselves. We learn that Constable Barry proceeded on Tuesday from Kiverton with one of the boys who reported the finding of a human skeleton near the Waiinatuku river, to the place indicated, but was unable to discover it. The wind was, however, driving the sand to such a degree that it is most likely to have been covered up. No doubt is expressed »s to the boys' truthfulness. Chris' mas Eve was celebrated in the Roman Catho'ic Chapel by a full mass midnight service, performed most effectively by Mr J. JTingslarid and the other local musical celebrities bo frequently acting in concert with him, and j^tr South, of the Bluff, who presided at the installment, and to whom, it is said, a very large 6hare of the cvedit of the successful issue of the service is Hue. The service consisted of «"l<>ctiaiM *„— — Mozarrs £Z ana 1, with IVcbei's " BeneJH^o~- ana " Agnus Dei." The " Adeste fideles," «ung as solos, and the repetitions in full choru?, told remarkably well. The chapel was dene»y crowded, and the address of Father Carden characterised by a tone o( earnestness and efficiency. Mr Andrew MacdonaH, teacher of the Waikiwi district school, met with an accident on Tuesday last, 21th instant. Mr Macdonald resides on the Barwheys estato, and it is his custom to drive to school each day, picking up on bis way such of h s scholars as live along the Una of road. On Tuesday evening, leaving school at the usual hour with his express fully laden, the horse (hitherto a quiet animal) became from some cause unmanageable, and at a short distance from the school house backed the vehicle into the roadside ditch, capsizing, and breaking it, bruising some two ot three of the little ones, and Mr Macdonald himself getting severely cut about the head and face. It is singular that on the previous evening, on his return journey, the same gentleman had the' mishap to have a wheel of his express fall- to pieces, bringing the vehicle to the ground. Our local contemporary, having greedily •wallowed the " Summer field pill," and indulged in an effort of " Corsican revenge," appears to have become so thoroughly exhausted as not to be able to comprehend the possibility of "a dozen Maoris " having come from Ruapuke to Riverton on any other business than that which induced the visit of the Rev. Mr Wohlers. Poor fellow! sooner or later we skal^haye to p*eaorib»--for-hioa. Tuesday last was one of the most disagreeable days experienced in Invercargill for a long time past. During the greater part of the day the streets were filled with clouds of dust and granulated gravel, which made locomotion anything but pleasant. A bush fire in the neighborhood of Clinton, attained, under the influence of .the strong northerly wind, such alarming proportions that the fire-bell was rung in the course of the afternoon, but fortunately the fire gradually diminished without any serious damige being occasioned. At Seaward Bush, a fire occurred on the property of Mr B. Powell, destroying an outhouse, a but, and a number of valuable poultry. Mr Powell estimates his loss at £50. On Tuesday, 24th instant, a large bush fire was raging in the Waikiwi Bush, being principally confined to the west side of the North Road. The wind blowing strongly due north during the earlier part of the day and in the afternoon, it was thought that all the bush extending to the flat between it and the Waihopai river, xaust inevitably be burnt down. The wind changing to due west towards evening, prevented the spread of the fire, but it then seemed that nothing could save the three, cottages, known as " The Sisters," on the opposite side of the road. At one time the fence in the rear of the buildings was on fire but the danger passed over. Bush fires were burning around the town in different directions, and we understand that the house of Mr Jones, a. settler in the Makarewn Bush, was burnt down. I

At the Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 24th inst, the mate of the baTqne Celestift by « name Henry Dubbin, was brought up charged i with disobedience of orders, and using abusive J language.! As he agreed to return to his work, the charge.9 were withdrawn. On Thursday, a case White v.Frauer (master of s s.^fcorm Bird) beinga'claim for damage-to a piaao in transit, was called on, and adjourned until to-day at eleven, o'clock. ■'■:.; At the meeting. of the Waste Land Board on Tuesday, 2ith inst., Messrs Baker (ehiir), Bundas, and .M' Arthur were present. Messrs G Webster and R. Gibbs applied, by Mr H. J.Gibbs, for 320 acres in the Hokanui district, and 220 acres i-i the Forest Hill Hundred, both of which applications were granted. Under the amended timber regulations, Mess«s Buchanan & Co. were granted 50 acres addi ional in order to put up an eight-hovse power engine, on the ground that they could not enter their reserve of 400 acres with their large engine until they had laid down a tramway, for which they required rails. Mr Harvey applied relative to a grant made at a former sitting of the Board, under the " The Green and Spencer Acts," to have the occupation certificate of the W (470 acres) issued in the names of Messrs Webster and Gibbs, instead of Spencers, i the original applicants. The application was granted. §The District Surveyor was instructed to report on an application by Mr F. M Kay for a site for a sawmill on the Mataura township. A telegram received by |Mr M'Arthur from His Honor the. Superintendent, relative to the reserve along the Northern Railway, was read, intimating that the said reserve was a depth of two miles along each side of the railway. Our Flint's Bush correspondent, writing on the 25th inst., says :— The crops received a terrible stroke yesterday from the hot scorching wind that swept across the country. It has had a very damaging effect, loosening them at the roots, and drying them up in appearance as much as if they had been cut and lying under the drying of an ordinary day. The mild growth? weather which we have had of late made the blade tender, and at this time when it is just coming into. ear, it is more easily hurt than in most other stages: The wheat and the barley seem most hurt. Ti»e potato crop has suffered greatly as well as the grain crop. Before this terrible day, everything looked well, and a good yield of grain was anticipated. The Btraw will be short in m at cases. A Long Bush correspondent writes us that the female scholars attending the school there, presented to their teacher, Miss Mary Ann Smith, on Tuesday, 24th inst., a valuable and elegant gold locket and chain, with a silver brooch and earrings to match, as " a token of their love and respect." During the past year Miss Smith has had the j unior and industrial classes of the school under her charge, and this appreciation of her labors must be highly gratifying to herself as well as to Mr Smith. The jewellery was selected from the stock of Messrs Hyams in this town. On Christmas eve our spirited townsman, Mr L. Ttjdgers.in his catering, according to annuil custom, for the juvenile delectation, had well nigh been the means of causing a public calamity. - According to advertisement, Mr Ro^gers having engaged tht large hall of the Exchange Buildings for a Christmas exhibition, had prepared as an important and imposing part of his programme, a Christmas tree, which reached to the roof of the building. At about nine o'clo^ - x ~~ " m C7t «s rMi nra > anrl wltH " an Inconceivable rapidity the fire laid hold ol the woodwork of the ceiling. A.s the roof of a building such as the Exchange cannot be reached in an instant, the short time necessaril t elapsi-ig before it could be got at, w.is a perio i of the most painful anxioty. The i lea of ft building on fire in such a locality, is associated with the idea not merely of grave disaster, but of certain ruin to many. The roof was however reached, water was at hand, the brigade soon upon the spot, and the wind being light, the flames were quickly got under, the damage having been almost confined to the inner boarding of the roof. The stock of Mr Bodgers in the building was of course damaged by water, as was also that of Messrs Thomson, Strang and Co. in the shop on the ground floor, Mr Tulloch's shop likewise sustaining some injury. The water used being clean wat«r from tanks, although much drapery has been wetted, Messrs' Thomsjn, , Strang and Co. report that their losi is not material. In thankfulness at the providential termination of what threatened to be a public , calamity of great magnitude, we desire to point out that in all public exhibitions in the interior of buildings, at night, in which the feature of illumination is introduced, it becomes a sacred and imperative duty, on the part of their promoters, to take every possible precaution against the occurrence of accident. Great credit is due to Messra George JefFeries (who was the first to lend assistance), J. Kingsland, and Constable Pennefather, whose services in the interior and on the roof were_very Jughly-epoltonr of on the occasion ; and to them (and many others who gave valuable aid) the thanks of the community are due for the prevention of what might have been a very sore destruction. The New Zealand Gazette contains notifications to the effect that W. Steuart, Esq., of Blackmount, has resigned his appointment as a Justice of the Peace ; and that Mr George Milne has been appointed Deputy Harbor Master for the port of Waikawa. It is understood that Madame Carandini and her three talented daughters will pay New Zealand another visit early next year. A masonic ball takes placein Dunedin this evening, at whiah His Excellency the Governor and Lady Bowen. are to be present. Referring to the trip to the South of Dr Hector, who arrived in Dunediu by the Luna on Saturday, the Wellington Independent understands that he proceeds in her for the purpose of scientific observations, especially regarding our coal deposits. After leaving Dunedin, tlie Luna will proceed to Preservation Inlet, where Dr Hector will make as careful an examination of the coal deposits of that locality and neighborhood as may be possible under the circumstances. The steamer will then coast round to the Grey, where she will probably fill up with coal and 'return to Wellington. His Excellency the Governor arrived ia Dunedin on Saturday last, and was most : enthusiastically received. The Nelson Examiner says Mr Geo. Cotterell has bo far recovered from his serious illness as I to b enable to give an entertainment there.

A Government Gazette notifies that on and riter the Ist day of January, 1873, the postage on iew9papera posted within the Colony for delivery it places within ttfe Colony will be reduced to one-naif-penny eachi'.The department is desirous that bhe line of they^fp^ttbiyyp^stage label* shojiUi; For B^tistat^tp^fe**^-^**?*^? o*9^0 * 9^ *° thp u]W" xnont of postage" on ne^9g|P|Sjr?pc>Bted witUiri tbe Colony for\delivery witfcin^the Colony. Nevertheless, newspapers intended for places beyond the Colony, and ' whi^p;iiiay inadvertently or in ignorance have the'-poitage paid in halfpenny postage stamps, are not to be detained. The Oaraaru paper says :— Quite a colony of starlings has been hatched out under the roof of our office this season, four pairs of parent bir Is having now their second broods nearly ready to take wing. A Northern contemporary says that the matrimonial market at Wanganui is very briak at present, and that, in consequence, considerable" ex. citemeat exists at Taranaki, where there are over > 300 young ladies, all highly eligible, and anxious j to change tteir state.

A meeting of builders and contractors is to be held this evening at 8 o'clock, in the Clarendon Hotel. ■ .■."■ The Artillery Company of Volunteora wijl muster at the Drill-shed this evening, at 8 o'clock, for inspection of arms and accoutrements.