Glenavy Notes.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 276, 30 October 1902, Page 3

Glenavy Notes.

(FROM CUR OWN COTUIESPON'DKST.)

Major Steward -addressed a public meeting ia the schoolhouEe here on Tuesday night last. A good number of electors turned out, amongst whom I noticed a few ladies. Mr A. Pelvin was I voted to the chair. The Major, in the course of his address, touched upon all the topics of current intersst, and his speech was listened to with evident interest, and followed with clo3e attenj tion to the end. One elector was rather inclined to adopt obstructionist tactics during the address, but the unfailing courtesy of Major Steward, combined with the firm stand of his chairman who. insisted that the Major should have a fair hearing, and the Major's statement that he would be glad to answer any questions at the close of his address, had the desired effect. The speaker dwelt upon the great benefit we received from the Railways as a prims factor in the opening up of the country \id instanced the old state of affairs with its expensive upkeep of roads, cumbersome methods of transit of pro luce, etc., which was not to be compared with ihe p-e-K nt easy wiy. .H* w mid like to see u ligh' line to RddclifF an! other places .18 well as b-irij; of the opinion that they would pay. and they were no doubt required. The hon. gentleman touched upon ths various superannuation schema in vogu* n the colony, and pointed out ths ben-fit* to be derivwl from saiie. As regards Oid Age Pensions the of 1 commons some time ago set up a committee to consider the mutter, but nothing satisfactory was evolved from their deliberations ; New Zealand had taken the matter up and had adopted a, simple j'lan, wh'ch w*s being administered with results as known to a'l Touching upon the Government Land Policy, Major Steward said thai oh • honour belonged to the late Sir John McK-snzi-. He (the speakor) wished to prevent th< j re-agg egationof large"estate». loreh'rd to t hcj Bibo> in Schools question he h«. 1 a plan which he thought would answer, viz., Those parents wishing their children to be instructed in Biblical knowledge, could send them at 9 a m., and the others who did not .desire their children to participate in such instruction would simply send theirs at the usual hour, thus not interfering in the slightest with the school hours. Touching uuon the totalisator, Major Steward said whe 1 it was introduced the people thought that it would be a lesser evil than the systems of gambling then in vogue, but untortun- ' ately theev'l was on the increase, and if we found that it was not a desirable thing in our midst we should have it removed. He had done his best to get oxtra grain accommodation when required, and in the meantime thought, that a plentiful supply of tarpaulin should be available where the sheds were not sufficient for the local requirements. Major Steward then mentioned that a great iron industry would in all probability be developed shortly in the colony. He considered the prosperity of the colony undeniable. During his thirty sessions in the House he had never been marked absent once, and he had always done his utmost to further the interests of his district and the colony at largs. He impressed upon all the utility of recording their votes He did not ask them to vote for him, but they should exercise their privilege according to their lights. The Major then answered a number of questions put to him, after which Mr Pelvin moved a hearty vote of thanks io Major Steward for his address. He (Mr Pelvin) would not ask for a vote of confidence as he consideied that that would be demonstrated at the poll. Major Steward then asked for a vote of thanks to the chairman, which brought the meeting to a close. A fancy dress ball is to take pUce here on Friday night, 7th November. A strong ladies' committee htve the affairs in hand and are sparing no lime in th'eir endeavours to make ths evenr, a success. Quite a flutter of excitement already pervades the local dove cots, and the ourning question, " What shall I wear?" is one of microscopical interest. It will not be too much to assume, I hope, that we will there gaze upon ladies of a period long anterior to our own. The stately Elizabethan belle will be touching' skirts with a little Red Cross heroine presumably lately returned from the wars ; "Bon-de Prince Charlie" and "King Dick " will mingle on common ground ; " Mazarin" and "Ally Sloper " and the "Dook Snook" will exchange oonfidances with the "Flying Dutchman " and the " Ancient Mariner," who will no doubt- be justified in complaining that there is " not a drop to drink," as the " Vivandiore's " little keg will be empty. " Buttercup," who has just stepped out of "Pinafore," will be dancing the bolero with the characteristic dash of the " Irish Dragoon," who has just upiet—by accident, mind you—" Friar Tuck," whose bosom friend, "Ralph Rackstraw " has just been run in by the " Policeman." The "Three Musketeers of the Brush " will no doubt be there, unless "Sweet Alice" and "Ben Bolt" object, when probably " Trilby," " Svengali," "Gecko" and company will play their " Trump Card" till they rai?e the " Devil " and the " Alabama Coon," after which the "Flunkey" will cry, "esdames ot Messieurs, the supper waits !" The price ot the tickets being merely nominal should have the effect of making a large number turn out. The proceeds will ba devoted towards the local Lawn Tennis Club.

' The birthday of His Gracious Majesty King Edward VII. will be held here on Monday, November 10. A rifle match will be fired on the Glenavy contingent's North Otago Mounted Eifles' range, ranges 300 aud 500 yards.