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Southland Times, Issue 1809, 21 October 1873, Page 2

By reference to our advertising columns, it will be Been that the General Government have acknowledged the justness of the claims of nominated immigrants for a refund of passage paid by them from Dunediu to Bluff. This result is due to the labors of the Railway Com* mittee, assisted by the member for Invercargill, Mr Cuthbertson. The proprietors of the Mosgiel Woollen Fac« tory have decided, in order to extend the capabilities of the establishment for manufacturing purposes, to transfer the concern to a publio company. The prospectus, which appears in our advertising columns, enters fully into the merits of the proposal, and we would commend it to the consideration of those who are looking out for investments. There can be no doubt that the Factory, so far, has been thoroughly successful, and with enlarged capacity it is only reasonable to suppose that its profitableness would be commensurately increased. From those who have recently visited the works, we learn that, as they Btand at present, they are a credit to the Province. Everything about them is of the latest and most improved manufacture, and such is the completeness of the machinery employed that the raw material ia turned out, after undergoing the different processes, in the shape of a fabric which no one need be ashamed to wear. The wonderful adaptability of the mechanism enables the whole process of converting the wool into the finished texture to be accomplished without the assistance of much manual labor — a very material matter in estimating the remunerative nature of the investment. The Rev. B. J. Westbrooke gave a lecture in aid of the Athenseum funds in the Exchange Hall on Saturday evening, 18th inst., to a very thin audience. The subject of the lecture was that of " Dreams," which the lecturer handled in a very interesting manner. It is, however, apparent that lectures as a rule are not by any means popular in Invercargill, and in this particular instance the members of the institution failed to turn out as was their duty to support a gentleman who had put himself to much trouble to serve them. At the meeting of the eommitteo of th« Invercargill Grammar School last evening, there was a full attendance. It was resolved to advertise for an Assistant Master in the place of Mr Edmund Webber, appointed to the school at Riverton, and also to make application to the Board of Education to sanction an addition to the teaching staff, in consequence of the large increase in the number of pupils. The s.s. Wanganui, which takes the place of the Storm Bird in the trade between Dunedin and Southland ports, will, on h<:r next trip, come up to the Invercargill Jetty in order that the townspeople may have an opportunity of inspecting her ; and we believe that next week, if the weather should be at all favorable, an invitation will be given to merchants and others to take a trip in the vessel to Stewart's Island, or elsewhere as may be arrange-i, so that they may have an opportunity of testing her sea-going qualities and accommodation. Capt. Fraser, the deservedly popular captain of the Storm Bird, is in command of the Wanganui, We are glad to observe that the municipal authorities hove caused the dilapidated building in Bee-street, next the Carrier's Arms Hotel, to be pulled down. There is a pool of stagnant water in the same locality which occasionally emits a very offensive smell, and which ought to be removed before warm weather sets in. The performance at the Theatre Royal on Friday night, for the benefit of the widow and orphans of the late Mr A. M. Cameron, did not attract so large an assemblage as might reasonably have been expected. The programme was gone through, however, with considerable success, the audienoo apparently enjoying the entertainment. The report of the Reserves Committee, which was read at the last meeting of the Municipal Council, recommends the survey of the park in 10 sections of about 20 acres each, provision being made for roadway and drainage, and that the said sections be leased lor 14 years, subject to conditions of fencing uniform with tbe fence of the belt, and to the planting of quick hedges along the external boundary — the said sections to be laid down in permanent English grasses, and all improvements and erections whatsoever to be subject to approval of the Town Surveyor. We have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the votes and proceedings of the Provincial Council during its last session. The Dunedin city reserves will bring in a rental of £7,055 this year. A new series of postage stamps, of a highly artistic design, will be issued by the Government on the Ist of January next. New potatoes are already being sold in Auckland. At the Christohurch sessions, the Grand Jury threw out the indictment against William Nelson, eight yearß* old, who waa charged with the manslaughter of a playmate named Rowley, it being alleged that the boy's death had resulted from a wound inflicted bf a stone thrown by Nelson. They had both b9en seen near to a horse, and it was asserted that the wound must have been the result of a kick from the horse, as it was unreasonable to suppose that a boy of such tender years could, by throwing a stone, inflict such a wound as that which caused Rowley's death. A penny free-and-easy is one of the institution! of Auckland. {

From a Hokitika paper we obtain the following particulars of tbe fire which- recently destroyed the premises of the Bank of New Zealand in that town . — The destruction of the Bank was com plete, but how the fire arose is at present inexplicable. Mr Roberts, the manager, went to bed rather late, having been engaged in business owing to the 4th of the month impending. He went through all the rooms before retiring, and everything appeared to be safe. The only spark left in the house was a very small remnant in the dining-room. About five o'clock in the morning, he was awakened by smoke in his room, and he immediately went down and aroused his sister-in-law, Mrs Reid, who was staying in the house, Miss Brady, the governess, and his children. The fire had obtained such an ascendancy that they had only just time to escape, without saving anything. Miss Brady most courageously went into the children's bed -room again, in order to get them some clothes, but when there, was cut off by the fire underneath, and could not return by the stairs, fortunately, her peril was quickly known. Some gallant fellows procured a ladder, and rescued her through the window. A more providential escape has seldom occurred. Mr Roberta's personal lobs caanot be lese than £1000, of which not one penny is insured. The Bank is insured to between £2000 and £3000, we understand. The Empire, damaged to the extent of £300, is not insured, tbe proprietor having allowed the policy to drop a few weeks since . The Bank of New South Wales was damaged, but not to a great degree, and a coat or two of paint will set it all right. The Harp of Erin Hotel was also scorched, and all the glass broken in it, besides other trivial damage being done around. The local paper says that oats are now selling in Cromwell at seven and sixpence per bushel. Report says they will be still higher. The Interprovincial regatta has been fixed to take place at Lyttelton in February or March next. The writer of " Notions " in the Grey River Argus, moralises aa follows on the passion for gambling : — " To poker and unlimited 100, £2000." This is an item from the diary ot the hapless homicide, R. W. Wardill, representing only a year's transactions. It points a moral, and might well adorn the tale of a Dumas or a Balzac. Gambling blighted many a bright and promising young life ere it destroyed Wardill, and yet there are few who will take warning in time. Once the thirst for gaming seizes a man properly it will hold him with a grasp more tenacious and terrible than the grip of the devil fish. On the voyage of a steamer from Melbourne to Sydney recently a party of bookmakers played poker and unlimited 100 upon a coffin containing a corpse. I have no doubt that they would have done similarly had the coffin held the remains of their fathers and mothers. Their feelings were dead. The Maories throughout the Bay of Plenty district ar© sail to be busily engaged planting large crops. The directors of the Tinaaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association have passed the following resolution : — " That the Society much regret that owing to there being scab in the Northern dis* trict of Canterbury and in the Oaraaru district, no sheep coming from these district*, or which Ua?o bmiu aepasturea in, or lv-ive passed inrougli those districts during the last three month", unless they are twice properly dipped before a Canterbury Inspector, can be admitted into the Society's yard." The show takes place on the 29th inst. It is said that Mr John White, M.H.R., intends offering himself as a candidate for the Superintendency of the Province of Westland. By a recent copy of the Hong Kong Times wo learn that Mr 0. R. Thatcher, " the Inimitable," is in Hong Kong, or at least was on the 24th June last. On that day he was brought up at the Summary Jurisdiction Court, before hi* Honor J. H. Ball, and sued by Mr W. Curtis for 7d01., the price of printing " 150 copies of poetical production?." Mr Thatcher w-.is described in the report of the Court as a collector of fossils, shells, and curio?, a recent arrival in Hong Kong, but well known in Australia and the Colonies. " The Inimitable" had paid 3 101. into Court, and disputed the remaining 4dol. When the case was likely to turn against him, he applied and judgment was given for the plaintiff. The jarrah forests of Western Australia have been estimated by a competent judge to be worth I £100,000,000. The Provincial Council of Canterbury will meet for the despatch of business on Nov. 15. The people of Nelson are determined to make their Exhibition, which comes off early next month, in every way a success. The Exhibition is to be divided into seven departments, as follows : — Horticultural, industrial, ladies' industrial, fine arts and photography, mineral and geological, natural history, and poultry. Special prizes are offered by upwards of 50 residents -for as many different exhibits, the catalogue comprising almost every industry down to the best darned sock or stocking by spinsters. An Oyster Bill, considered by the Parliament | of South Australia, provides that a person forming an oyster bed should be entitled to hold it for 21 years. The months of September, October, and November are appointed the close season ; and the discoverer of a natural oyster I bed is to have the exclusive right to it for two years. Want of space compels us to exclude Mr i Mackintosh's second letter from this issue. The annual meeting of the Invercargill Cricket Club will be held this evening at 8 o'clock, in Colyer's Princess Hotel.