THE PROVINCES.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 174, 29 December 1874, Page 3

THE PROVINCES.

WESTLAND. The Grey River Argus publishes a summary of the report of the Westland Board of Education. Our contemporary says “The Board, after having considered the reports of the local school committees with regard to the number of children to be provided for, the cost of school buildings, teachers, &c., found that a total sum of £IO,OIB would be required to carry out the Education Ordinance successfully for the first year. The amounts estimated for school buildings and teachers’ salaries for the several districts are as follows :—Hokitika, £I4OO ; Greymouth, £2200 ; Arahura, £1643 ; Kanieri, £875 ; Paroa, £950 ; Totara (exclusive of cost of buildings), £900; Okarito,£soo—total, £8648, to which is to be added salary of inspector, cost of school books, and other incidental expenses, which bring up the whole to £IO,OIB. As the total estimated amount made by the Government of the receipts from rates to subsidy is only £6150, the Board points out that there will be a deficit of £3868 upon the first year’s transactions, which would be increased by £4OO in the event of school buildings having to be erected in the Totara district. The report then proceeds to say:—“Under these circumstances the Board solicits your Honor’s most serious attention to the urgent necessity of increasing the sum which it is at present proposed to place upon the estimates for educational purposes by at least five thousand pounds (£5000). The Board is unable to anticipate that it will be found possible to effect any material reduction upon the estimates of the local committees, if an efficient system is to be provided for the province.” His Honor replied at length to the report, and urges upon the Board the necessity of considerably reducing their estimates, which he thinks-might be brought down to £6170. The Okarito correspondent of the West Coast Times states that the following gentlemen were nominated as candidates for the vacant seat in the Provincial Council:—Mr Thomas M'Gloine, Mr Frank Bird, Mr W. H. Perkins, Mr O’Donovan, aod Mr Barff. The show of hands, he states, was in favor of Mr Barff.

Another lamentable case of child drowning occurred last evening, says the Grey River Argus of the 241 h inst. Two young boys, one about six and the other about seven, were fishing from the edge of the rock work under the wharf, opposite Boundary street, when one of them, the eldest, a son of Mrs Goard slipped off into the water. The first alarm was caused by his companion, a son of Mrs Southam, stating that the other boy had fallen into the river. At once a large number of persons assembled with the view of rescuing the child, and after some twenty minutes its body was found underneath the wharf. It was at once conveyed to the nearest hotel, and JDr Acbeson having ccme up at the time, he used every possible means of resuscitation, but it was soon made evident that the poor .lad was beyond all help. OTAGO. About fifty ladies of the Congregational Church presented a purse of sovereigns to Mrs Roieby, at the Dorcas meeting. Mrs Welbourne, in presenting the gift on behalf of the congregation, made an appropriate address. The Rev Dr Roseby, in replying on behalf of Mrs Roseby, referred to the three years they had been connected with the church here, and trusted that the same kindly feelings which had been experienced by the -congregation in the past would, in future, be one of their distinctive characteristics. The Acclimatisation Society has received, says the Times, further satisfactory evidence of the successful naturalisation of salmon trout in New Zealand waters, a fine specimen of that fish having been captured yesterday morning in the lower harbor, by Morrisey, one of the port fishermen. The fish, which was sent to town in the morning to Mr Melville, fishmonger, Princes street, and which was displayed in his shop window during the day, measured two feet in length, and seventeen inches in girth, and weighed seven pounds. Although several of these fish have from time to time been taken by fishermen in Tasmania, we have not heard of a salmon trout having been captured there of so great a size as the' one which we saw yesterday. Captain Hutton examined it, and at once gave it as his opinion that it was a sea or salmon trout. A site for the much talked of lighthouse on Cape Saunders has been at last definitely decided upon, says the Times. Mr Seed, Secretary of Customs; Mr Blackett, Assistant Engineer-in-Chief ; Captain Johnson, of the Marine Department, and Captain Thomson, the Provincial Harbour Master, proceeded overland to the Cape from Portobello, and after several hours’ close inspection, discovered a convenient little terrace about half-way down the face of the Capo, and at about an elevation of three hundred feet above sea level, that was admirably .suited for the purpose. The site commands a, splendid view of the offing, both north and south. We hope next to hear of the early commencement of the erection of the lighthouse, and also that it has been resolved to establish a signal station there, and connect it with Dunedin by telegraph. The adjourned meeting of gentlemen willing to act oft ft committee for the purpose of

raising a subscription to present Mr Reynolds with a testimonial was held last evening at the Provincial Hotel, says a Dunedin contemporary of the 24th, Mr J. Hyman in the chair. There was a good attendance, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. The town was divided into districts, and two gentlemen appointed to canvass each district. Mr Hyman was appointed treasurer, and, after transacting some other formal business, the meeting adjourned. The railway bridge over Lovell’s Creek, says the Bruce Herald, is now finished and an engine and load ran over it on Saturday to test it. Plate laying is rapidly going on at both the Tokomairiro and Balclutha ends of the line; and as the working parties are within five miles of each other, through communication should be established in some four weeks.

The Times says :—“Last week his Honor the Superintendent fired the first glost kiln at Mr W. M. White’s pottery, Milton, and yesterday we had the pleasure of seeing the final result of the ceremony in the shape of a cartload of finished pottery ware, sent down to Dunedin as samples. These samples are of first-class quality, and show conclusively that Mr White’s enterprise has been eminently successful in producing a good marketable article. The various jars, dishes, bottles, &c., show a fine smooth glaze, and are as sound as a bell, with a clear metallic ring in them. With a little experience, some improvement ‘in the color will doubtless he effected, and the goods will then be all that can be desired. Therelail dealers who inspected the samples yesterday expressed a high opinion of their quality, and showed the genuineness of their expressions by at once desiring to become purchasers from Mr White. In about a fortnight, we believe, a large supply will be placed in the market, and we have no doubt that Mr White will then reap the reward to which his efforts justly entitle him. In addition to the Provincial Government bonus of £250, which Mr White has now secured, he will be entitled to a further bonus of £SOO from the General Government, on producing £2OOO worth of pottery ware, Mr White has presented several specimens to the Museum, and as samples of the first glost ware burnt in New Zealand, if not in the Australian colonies, they will doubthss be regarded wiih interest.

The Guardian says :— Evidently the projectors of the Dunedin, Peninsula, and Ocean Beach Kailway are determined that those who attend the next race meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club, to be held in March next, shall have an opportunity of going and returning by rail. To-day it is announced in our advertising columns that the ceremony of cutting the first sod of the line will be performed by his Honor the Superintendent on Tuesday next, at noon. Tenders, also, are invited for the supply of 6900 sleepers, of black pine, totara, blue or red gum, or jarrah, The line is now being surveyed. The plans and specifications for the same will be ready immediately, and by Monday next the work will be in full swing, as it is the determination of the directors to commence at once, and thus obviate the delay which would arise consequent upon the calling for tenders. From 60 to 100 men will be employed on the first section surveyed—namely, between the Tollgate and that portion where the line will cross at Anderson’s Bay road. Indeed, we are now able to state on good authority that trains will be running between Dunedin and Forbury at the annual race meeting in March next. This determination testifies in in no small degree to the energy and busi-ness-like capacity of the directors. 1 here can be no doubt that the completion of the line will prove a great boon to the inhabitants of Dunedin, who will thus obtain speedy communication with the much-fre-quented, because much appreciated, Ocean Beach. The completion of this line, and also of the line to Portobello and the Heads, which will follow immediately, via Anderson’s Bay, will add still more to the convenience and means of enjoyment of the citizens and suburban residents ; and will, at the same time, tend to enhance very considerably the value of the properties situate on the east side of the harbor. As regards the paying capabilities of the line there can be no doubt. The works will be of a very substantial character. The cuttings will be 13ft wide, the embankments 12ft, and the formations 13ft. The ballast for the line will be of bluestone, 12in in depth ; the sleepers are to be of black pine, totara, or the best Australian timber—of blue or red gum or jarrah. It has been agreed by the Government that the line shall be worked by means of their jolling-stock, until the company have time to import their own from England,—it being the intention of the latter to bring here engines and carriages of the very latest improvements. The curves on the first section will be extremely easy. In fact the line will be almost a straight one. Along the section between Anderson’s Bay, Portobello, and the Heads, there will be a number of curves, but none will exceed eight chains radius. The over-crowde i state of Dunedin will necessarily cause people to look for some other place of residence within easy reach of the city, and certainly none more desirable than the sunny slopes of the Peninsula can be found. In fact there is little doubt that ere long the whole of that side of the harbour will be studded with handsome villas. We wish the promoters every success. Messrs Paterson and Sloan, of Pleasant Valley, have, says the Times, forwarded to the Museum grubs found in the cavities of a sheep’s he id, with the explanation that gruoa like these are the cause of a disease very prevalent at present among sheep. The specimens forwarded are the larvm of the sheep bot-fly (oestris ovis.') These larv;c are found from October to December in the nasal cavities of sheep, and the)/ work their way up the head. When they are ready to change they come out, fall to the ground, and go into the chrysalis state, the fully-developed fly appearing at the latter end of the summer. The sheep hot is of a dirty ash colour, with yellowish and white specks, and the tail is hairy at the end. Specimens of the same larva have also been received from the Taieri. At a late meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society, we read that “ Mr Travers exhibited a bottle containing worms, found by Mr Bidwell, of the Wairarapa, in the throat and nostrils of some sheep. Mr Waterhouse informed the meeting that these worms were very injurious to sheep, often crusing death, no doubt from suffocation.” The worms referred to are evidently the larvte of the sheep bot. This bot has been introduced into the colony from Europe, and appears to be spreading Yery widely. The only check upon it is its destruction by insectivorous birds. Sheepowners will see in a matter like this a reason for supporting the Acclimatisation Society.