The Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1882.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1200, 27 November 1882, Page 2

The Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI- WEEKLY. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1882.

The next English and European mail via San Francisco, will close at Reefton on Wednesday, the 29th day of November, at 6 a.m. Some excitement was occasioned in Reefton on Thursday evening last, in consequence of a report that a whole family at Black's Point had been poisoned. Medical assistance was at once sent for, and upon Dr Thorpe's return to town it was ascertained that the rumor was pretty ' correct. It seems that the children of Mrs Burleigh, Black's Point, were suffering from a cold, and on the evening in question she, acting upon the advice of a neighbor, rather rashly administered to each a tea-spoonful of extract of eucalyptus. The consequence was, of course alarming, the children were at once seized with violent symptoms of internal poisoning, the eldest girl particularly being thrown into a . terrible paroxysm. Happily enough a neighbor was very soon prepared with a strong emetic, and this having been administered with immediate effect, by the time the doctor had arrived • the patients were greatly relieved, and subsequent treatment very soon brought them round. This ought to act as a caution to parents. Mr Binns, Inspector of Mines, left for Westport on Saturday morning, but will probably return here in the course of a week or two, to see to the due enforcement of the underground mining rules, recently framed by the associated mine managers. The man Webdale, recently sentenced to four months' imprisonment at Reefton, for larceny from the police camp, would seem to be a confirmed kleptomaniac, as it appears that while in the lock-up at Ahaura, when en route for Hokitika prison, he managed to steal a packet of tacks from the station there. The new brewery being erected on the Strand for Mr Frank Oxley is fast approaching completion, and will shortly be in working order. The premises and plant are of a very extensive and complete character. The lecture by Mr H. Clapcott on Friday evening last, on the subject of life insurance, in connection with the Government Insurance Department, proved a very pleasant and instructive re-union. Mr Clapcott presents the subject in a popular form, the great truths of life insurance, being so happily blended with ' anecdote and pleasantry as to make the audience, like Oliver Twist, wish for "more." There is no doubt that Mr Clapcott is the right man in tiie right place, and his happy facility of speech and j argument cannot fail wherever he goes to give a strong stimulus to the business of the Department. It has occurred to us that as the new rules for the conduct of working mines are now in course of adoption, some provision might possibly be incorporated in them, with the concurj rence of the mining managers, whereby ftvery miner in the district Bhould insure his life for a small sum. The payment of such a sum as lsd or 2d daily per man, whether borne by the miners themselves, or jointly with the company engaging them, would hardly be felt by either. There is no doubt that if such a provision wore made a condition precedent in obtaining work at any one of the mines, the rvractre would be soon followed all round, and the companies, as well as the !"-T!. j rn.l nijl-diY, would thereby be relieved from what in the past has been a by no m**ans inconsiderable burden. Mr G. 0. Bowman on Saturday last sold by public auction, at Wb mart, Broadway, on account of the Public Trustee, the effects in the estate of the late Herr Shmidt Wildt. The violin, which constituted the chief Item, was purchased by Mr M. R. Gissing, for £9. .A dairy on the south side of the river belonging toMrD. David, narrowly escaped being burnt down yesterday.. A inifih fire had been rajnT-vr in f h" vicinity for some hours •previous]*-', an -■ it about 4 p.m. it was noticed f\t,+ tV ro.-.f ,- f the j fcaflrling vm is flame* Jor^a^y a I

number of persons were promenading on the river bank, and saw the danger, and rendering a ready assistance, Hie fire was extinguished before very much damage was done.

Mr Hodgson, Chief Inspector under the Central Board of Education, Nelson, completed his examination of the scholars of the Reefton State School on Friday last, and although the official report of the examination will not be made known for some time, we are able to say that the examination has been the most successful and creditable ever held in the distriit, fully 92 per cent, of the scholars passing all the standards. This is really an excellent result, and speaks volumes for the efficiency of the staff, the more so as during MrChattock's absence the school has been without a male teacher, and it is no disparagement to the excellent discipline of Miss Morrison and her assistants to say, that during that period the eldest boys at all events must have rather, lout ground. The number of children present at the examination was, we believe, something like 180, and the fact of such an exceptionally high average having been reached is something of which both the Committee, and Mr Chattock, Miss Morrison and Miss Moeller may well be proud.

. We are glad to learn that Mr Clapcott's eloquence has prevailed, and that the inhabitants have been made to fully realise the advantages of life insurance. Moat people are prone to regard the matter of insuring their lives, as something like making their wills— a very desirable thing to do, but one which can be conveniently put off till some later date, forgetting, however, the important fact that one year* delay might possibly render their proposals for ever unacceptable, and that, even with a continuance of perfect health, each year allowed to pass over with the duty undischarged adds an additional burden to the premium to be paid. Of life insurance it may be said " There is no time like the present."

Two members of the great swill-vation army were brought before Messrs Bowman and Wise, J.P.s, on Friday last, and were ordered to contribute 20s. to the usual mission fund, or do penance in the barracks for 24 hours. They were penitent.

Our telegrams this morning show that in spite of the miserable eqi vocation which the Government have displayed in regard to the Railway Commission and the West Coast route, the agitation in Canterbury in favor of our line has not been by any means smothered, but that both the Press and the people there are determined to obtain a hearing. The Christchurch Chamber of Commerce has taken up the matter in a thorough spirit of " no surrender " and we much mistake the influence of that body, and the weak fide of the present Government, if its members do not have more of their own way in the matter than the Ministry are disposed to allow. It remains, however, for the inhabitants of the West Coast, to heartily support the Chamber in the firm position it has taken up on the question, and this cannot be better done than by inviting the people in pubiio meeting to endorse their action.

The improvements to the grand stand are in active progress, aud by the middle of next month will no doubt be well out of hand. The stewards will meet on the Ist instant, (Friday next), for the purpose of declaring the weights for the principal events of the meeting, and the canvassers will report to the meeting.

Mr G. Joice is about to add another to our fast growing list of local industries. He is preparing to manufacture fire bricks -upon an extensive scale, and hopes to be able to place them in the market here at a less price than that charged for ordinary building bricks. If he is able to do this we have no fear for the success of his

enterprise.

After a long and trying interval of dry weather, the much wished for, and thrice welcome rain, set in last night. The want of rain has not hitherto been numbered among the cardinal disadvantages of the climate of the West Coast, but up to last night we had risen to the stage of a brand new grievance in this respect, and the complaints from all quarters were loud and vehement.

The members of the Austrian Band gave an open air promenade concern in Broadway on Saturday afternoon last, and which proved a great treat. The public responded liberally to the call afterwards made on their behalf.

The share-market continues depressed, and business in stocks has been brought almost to a standstill. The approach of the holidays renders it unlikely that any return of activity will take place until the opening of the new year. The battery yields for the past week, however, show up remarkably well, and as they must, be taken as the surest test of the value of the field, there is every reason to he hopeful. The Golden Fleece Extendnd Company will have a general cleaning up to-day.

Mr Travers, the well known barrister, arrived in Reefton on Saturday !a~t, and is staying at Kater's Exchange Hotel.

Enormous quantities of whiter..**.!*, hivo been netted in the Tnangabna for -vi-Vi past, and the local market has Hrn fnirly glutted with them. Inthenrdrr nf tnb'e delicacies they now rank in Reefton iil'O'ir next to frogs.

A terrible railway accident is reported from Germany. It happened, as is but too common in this country, to an excursion train. Poor holiday people seem to run more risk than any kind of travellers. In the present instance 1?00 passengers, mostly Alsatians, had been to Colmar from Freibur? and were returning homewards, when at Hugstetten the train was suddenly thrown off the line. Thf* cause was either a heavy flood, which had washed away part of the 6mhvil:r>*<*-nt, or the blowing of a tolfcpraph v-h' aero?!-. the raite, which «^sc.t the ctd:'f TJ> ■•

consequences' of the accident were fright- ' ful, most of* the carriages, 26 in nuniber were shattered to .pieces, and their occupants mangled or killed. Fifty suicumbed on the spot, and as many more were desperately wounded, whih, several | were mutilated beyond recognition. A second and more terrible catastrophe was averted by the presence of mind of a brakesman. An express train was within au ace of running into the wreck when the man by promptly changing the points altered the direction of the express. This is not the first railway accident in the Duchy of Baden. Not long ago a serious accident happened to a train near Heidelburg. Nevertheless these are exceptions. Railway management in Germany is under the strictest Governmental control, the train service is slow and cautious and mishaps are fortunately rare.--