The Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI-WEAKLY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1883.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1307, 8 October 1883, Page 2

The Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED TRI- WEAKLY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1883.

The Boatman's Jockey Club have a sum of nearly £50 in hand, but it has not fret been decided whether to hold a day's racing this year, or apply it in the formation of a racecourse at Capleston. Feeling runs in the latter direction, in which case the first meeting will be held next season. Mr W K Redmond, M.P., was announced to deliver an address at ■■ haura on Saturday evening last, and it is underderstood he will reach Reefton in a private conveyance this afternoon. He is announced to lecture in the Oddfellows' Hall, Reefton, this evening. Boatman's was plunged in great excitement on Wednesday last by a report that the whole of the hands working in the Hopeful mine had been suffocated. The report created the wildest alarm, as it was not known whether one shift or the whole were involved in the accident. Num' ers of people started at once for the mine,

which is situate about a mile and a-half from the township. On the way they were, however, met by persons from the scene of the accident, from whom they learnt that, although serious enough, the mishap had been greatly exaggerated. It appears that when the relieving shift went to the mine on Wednesday after- ( oon they were not met as usual at the mouth of the tunnel by the men going off. But this circumstance did not excite alarm, as it waa thought the men might have been detained to complete some little job in the mine. After waiting a couple of minutes or so they entered the workings, but had not gone far before meeting $vith a strong smell of sulphur. The further they entered the worse the fumes grew, and they became instantly fearful of the fate of their comrades, and rushing to the face found the meu lying about perfectly insensible. An alarm was at once raised, and assistance came readily, when the whole of the men were gotout, and such restorativesadministeredaswereavailable. It was some time before the sufferers regained consciousness, and iv one case partial paralysis had supervened. It seems that the Welcome Company adjoining have a coal furnace underground to drive the air compressing machinery, the smoke from which had escaped into the Hopeful workings causing the accident, How long the men had lain overpowered with the sulphurous fumes is not known, but it is beyond any kind of doubt that had they remained there only a few minutes longer the whole of them would have been suffocated. The many friends of Mr G. 0 Bowman wili be glad to learn that he has completely recovered from his recent illness, and Ls oiice more back at his post, A "Service of Song," under the auspices of the choir of the Methodist Church, Reefton, was held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Saturday evening, and was a most successful affair The attendance, however, was not so large as was expected, or was due to the merit of the service, but all present spent a very instructive and enjoyable evening, Dr Campbell has decided, we believe, to settle iri practice at Brunnerton, for which place he left here on Saturday morning last, Very encouraging news reaches us from the Lyell as to the prospects of the United Alpine Company there. The fullest confidence is felt in the future of the undertaking, and the level upon which the reef is now being opened will give command of an immense range of stone One constantly hears of the large amount" of money which Dunedin has put in+o Reefton, r-ut very little is said of the large amount of money which this place, returns thence In the matter of machinery alone, we are now erecting four " batteries purchased in Dunedin, and chiefly with labour brought from the same "place, The Welcome and Keep-it-Park are both " largely held ihere. We drink their beer' largely and are not even above a line with them occasionally in "Cologne , vfnegar" " Kilts " are not suitable for a mountainous district like this, so we don't trade much in them, but we deal largely in Mosgiel clothes, socks, and what-not Our boots come chiefly from Dunedin ; in fact, there is hardly a business establishment in Reefton which is not either wholly or in great part supplied from that great grumbling Colonial head centre of Gaelicism. The rumor that Mr Justice Johnston was about to resign his Judgeship, and Mr Conolly to be elevated to the Judicial Bench, thus creating another vacancy in the Cabinet, is a complete canard, there not being a particle of truth in any one item of the, report. Civis says the navigators of the Ministerial ship have found it necessary to unship their mainmast, and shift nearly all their yards and rigging. Nobody can blame them for preferring to perform this delicate operation in dock rather than upon the open sea during the session. JYevertheless Her Majesty's Opposition will feel themselves defrauded. It is the business and pleasure of her Majesty's Opposition to make bad weather for the Ministerial ship. When could bad weather be made so opportunely as at the critical moment in which the sea-beat mariners are shifting spars ? With mainmast ' sprung,' and sheets and braces all let fly, the Ministerial ship ought to have been pretty well at the mercy of the elements. As it is, what a chance is lost to fierce Auster (Grey), and rude Bore-us (Fish)— (this hemisphere being upside down, Auster has his headquarters in the North, rude Bore-us, blustering railer, his in the South) — to Eurusque Notusque (Montgomery and Macandrew) — kindred spirits of the storm ! — all bottled helpless in their caves whilst the dismantled ship refits at her ease. But my metaphor is running away with me. What I mean to say is that it is a lucky thing for his colleagues that Mr Whitaker was able to hold on till the session ended. Not that results could have come out very differently. In any case the 'Continuous Ministry ' would have contrived to continue, but there would have been trouble, and the continuation might not have taken the precise form now announced. The Ministry is a good Minis' ry, with a strong following, but neither the House nor the Country is enthusiastic in its cause. It goes On existing through a series of kaleidoscopic changes, not because anybody i 3 particularly in love with it, bit because there is nobody strong enough to degtroy it. There are (says the Otago Daily Times) four periods in our history which constantly recur— peace, progress, prosperity, and adversity. The Hall Government piloted us safely through the time of adversity, and gave us the peace which we are now enjoying. But the time has

come for progress, and there is no progress We fear we are not likely to get it from the Atkinson Government ; and unless we want to revert into adversity, it is useless to look for it from any Government that could be formed, from the ranks of the Opposition in the present House. Our hopes lie in the next general election. Until then we must " jog along " as beat we can. Don't use stimulants, but nature's brain and nerve food— Hop Bitten.. See.