THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4,1882.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1031, 4 January 1882, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1882.

We present the Times to our readers to-day in a new and enlarged form. The great increase which has taken place of late in the importance of the mining industry here renders it necessary 'that we should endeavour to keep pace with the growth of the community. This we trust we shall be better able to do in our present form, and as newspapers generally receive as much support as they deserve, we are quite willing to leave our account with the public, The New Year celebrations in Reefton this year fell very far short of previous occasions, and this is no doubt accounted for by the first day of the new year falling on Sunday. The annual procession of the fire-brigade was conspicuous by its absence, but the brass band turned out as usual, and paraded the town amidst a very good display of fireworks and ili luminations, but the festivities were not kept up with the old ardour, and shortly after midnight the town was ushed in repose. . We have been requested by Mr D. O. Preshaw, acting secretary of the Hospital Committee to acknowledge receipt of the following contributions to the funds of the institution with the thanks of the committee :— Recipts at gates for third day's racing, nett cash, £10. Parasol fund, per Mr George Edwards, £8 Is 6d, and £12 9s 6d, nett cash, receipts of entertainment given at Boatman's some time ago by Reefton amateurs. We learn that these {subscriptions have come to hand very opportunely, and with the subsidies accruing thereupon, for the time being place the committee on a very healthy footing. All things being favorable the Children's Pic-nic will take place to-morrow. It has been arranged that the children shall assemble at Eater's Hall at 10-30 a.m., and will be there joined by the band, and march to Smith's paddock. The bill of fare provided for the youngatere includes luncheon at noon and tea at 4 p.m. On the ground liberal arrangements will be made for all kinds of juvenile sports and games, including footraces for money prizes. The monthly meeting of the Hospital Committee will be held at Kater's Hall this evening. We learn from a private source that the Hon. Mr Rolleston, Minister of Mines, had arranged to leave Wellington on Thursday last for Nekon en route for Westport, Reefton, and Greymouth, but our telegrams have since been Bilent aa to his movements, and it is therefore to be concluded that the journey has been further postponed. Mr Rolle3ton . will, we learn, receive deputations at the differ- ' ent centres upon matters chieflying effecting the mining interest and the administration of lands. It is to be hoped that d»a representations will be made to the Minister while here to secure a share of the $10,000 voted for tlie encouragement of works on goldfields. We obscivo that the Government have granted a mbsidy towards ihe purchase of a rock-borer (not diamond drill) fur Otago. At tho ordinary half-yearly meeting of shareiiolAer."? in the Speejjueu Hill Company, t'.io lollov.iiiL,' djvertors were elected for tli-y ensuing «i>: months: — Messrs T, M'LiiugliJii], J. (^ilh-hev, M. Fitzd'uriilt 1 , D. H. Alexander, 'and M. Byrne, Tlio Cimioii of Unbuild ii;u;uiv iva!'..;c.l .>y.>j.'^-»'. : ±'.'j'.c a-i.-oyfc .'Jj.J.'i, '. h J o.'Wj HiTvLiy.)

amalj^ss of the receipts is accounted for i in great part, by the fact that the Rev. Mr Segwick and the committee forbid all raffles and art-unions, the result being [that nearly all the more valuable articles remain upon the Jiands of the committee buf whether they will be disposed off by bazaar at Eaater or submitted to auction has not yet been decided. There was one feature iSfcut the bazaar which especially deserves mention. We refer to the beautiful <6?play of flowers. The collection fjpr Variety and excellence, could hardly *be < excelled anywherl/ and the whole of which Were the gift *of Mi Thomas Hall, whose nursery, supplied as it is with all the choicest horticultural rarities^ has^probably no superior in New Zealand. > - Mr James Stevenson announces that he -has commenced business a^ auctioneer, cattle^salesman, and general commission %ent. Frpm 1 Mr Stevenson's wide bustness connection, added to his active business habits, we gladly ■ him to the ranks of the " Knights of the Hammer." Bent and Batchelder's Christy Minstrels opened to a crowded audience in the QddieUows' Hall, Jasi nigM. The com- ■ and well worthy of public patronage. The company will re-appear this evening with fresh novelties. We learn that the Ahaura races were very successful, the attendance- being large, the weather glorious, and the racing closely contested. The number of Reeftonites who showed up atthe'meeting rather surprised our bucolic neighbors, who certainly succeeded in sending the visitors away thoroughly well : plßased with the trip. Monday last being celebrated as New Year's day, there was no publication on that date of this paper. A public meeting, convened by the Mayor of Wellington, was held to discuss the, question regarding the recent fine imposed on Chinamen for playing fan tan. 600 persons were present, and the Mayor presided. The following resolution was carried : — • That the circumstances connected with the first conviction under the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1881, which took place on the 22nd November, are of that peculiar character that in the opinion of this meeting they should be brought under the notice of the Government.' It was also decided to petition his Excellency, praying for the remission of the fine inflicted by the Bench, and a deputation was appointed to wait upon the Minister for Justice to furnish any further information that may be required. The balloon which drifted across the English Channel on Saturday last has' been seen off Alderney, one of the most northely of the Channel Islands. H. M. S. Dasher has been despatched in the direction in which the balloon seemed drifting for the purpose of picking up the occupants of the car, should they be able to descend. It has been carried across the Bay of Biscay, and has been seen at Santander, a port in North Spain. It was then proceeding in an easterly direction.. A Wellington journal saysi — "The sign of growing prosperity is again in our midst. In many quarters of the city building operations are being | actively carried on, and the demand for both skilled and unskilled labor is increasing to such, an extent that we have no doubt many of the artizan and labouring classes that left us for Australia will be found returning to the temperate climate, and the work ready for them. Another proof of the good times is the resumption of land sales of building allotments both in town and country, and the fact that a steady demand at fair prices is found for anything really good and "bona fide'" in the market." We extract the following from the Melbourne Leader : — "Those mysterious horses, Sir Modred, Somnus, Hilarious, and Idalium left for their old home (New Zealand) on Saturday last by the steamer Te Anau. Before leaving 1000 guineas had been offered for each of the two first, and I believe a larger sum might have been obtained for Somnus, probably as much as 1500 guineas, but those in charge did not care to part with them. Now it is said that Mr John Craig purchased Sir Modred and Somnus, giving £1000 cash. They have, however, left our shores, and let us hope that the next lot visiting us from New Zealand may be owned by some of those who may be termed the representative men of that colony." Mr C. H. Spurgeon, minister of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington Butts, in presiding at a weekly lecture a few days ago, observed in opening the proceedings that never, perhaps, was it more necessary for those living in London to pray earnestly than at the present time. He had heard it said that there were now 4,700,000 living souls within the metropolitan district. Such a city never before existed on the face of the earth. Ancient Rome was immensely large and magnificent, while it was difficult to accurately make out what was its population, but, c f a certainty, in the days of its highest glory and splendor, it never even approximated the size of London of to-day. Nor could China with its teeming millions, and its great cities, sucli aa Pekin, boast of any city to bo compared to London, to make up which it would take the two largest cities in the world, while it would require five of the other foremost cities. Perhaps many of his hearers had not even an idea of what a million meant. If there were any tmch present he would recommend them to count a thousand, and observe the time ocrapied in so doing, though they had only ;j;ot one-thousandth the way to the mil'aciis. Then to think that this enormous multitude making up modern Lwlcai r.-$s coiitjuunlly increasing, ac t

only by births, but by those daily flocking into tfrlfom various parts of the country. Well they cry out to God that ,the ■ peopl&feiglft be blessed. There were many AbraMrns to-day required to pray for such a cityflis thiß, He (MrSpurgeon)had often heard a great deal about plans that were to' convert the whole of London in a shott tyne"j*bu* he candidly confessed that Keßfelioved in none- of these • plans ' whatever. Almost as great a shock as the Bloomer costume, invented for ladies some 20 years ago, isfthffl new lawn tennis dress suggested for.bdllea of the' period who play the fasiikraata) game. This startling 'reform' ,is" one* more sign that the end of the !jso*ld is near* The lady who doesn't 4mt to be handicapped in a game against |he men, is advised to abandon the tlglS fitting dress that limits her agility in lawtt tennis, «nd to try a tunic of white flaiffiel, with roll collar and 'colored kerclnef tied in sailor fashion, a skirt eigWseiUnches long (or short), with tololed belt, or band round the waist, and a pair of-^-those other things— the what d'ye call %tos — the continuations, worn loose like the bagg^JkjMusers of - t Turkish Jfc a Utti^Jbttng lady doesn't^ things, f^m^^gSS^*^

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