The Inagahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1883.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1340, 24 December 1883, Page 2

The Inagahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1883.

There will be no issue of the Inanoahua." Times on Wednesday next A most dastardly-at empt at incendiarism was perpetrated on the premises of VI rF. M'Guigan, cordkl'<inattafa«ur.er, Sheil -street, some time during Friday night rast. It appears thtttrearty -4(hr "Saturday* morning, between 4 and 5 o'clock. Messrs M. Byrne, and others in charge of racohorses, were proceeding down .Sheil-street to the race-course, and when nearing V? 'Guigan's factory tlj«y noticed a dense mass of smoke issuing from under the building. Concluding at once that something was wrong, they knocked' tip 1 the owner, who sleeps in a cottage one section , away, and then ran to the factory, and entering the premises found that a hole about two feet in diameter had been burnt through the floor of the building, ' immediately under the bottling machine, and the fire was blazing up, vigorously. Fortunately there was plenty, of.water. available, and the timely appiicatiKtf 6f a buakeja quiokly .extinguished, the flames. An qqMHnination^as'then niade f when a large* mass, of inflammable material thoroughly saturated, with kerosene j was found- under the flooring. The house stands on piles,* aftotit lSin. biff i&e ground, so that a person oould easily crawl under, and the traces of foot-marks, and disturbance of the soil 1 of Someone having done so was plainly apparent. i\lrM 'Guigan's property was,, we believe,, wholly uninsured, and the- factory contained, besides the machinery and a large stock of raw material, between three and four hundred dozen of cordials and aerated waters, so that its destruction., would, have been a serious misfortune. The matter is now in the hands of the police, and for the credit of the community it is to be earnestly hoped that the sqoundrel or sooundrels .guilty of the diabolical act will be brought ; to justice. We refrain at * present from Saying anything more on the subject. Solemn Hisjh Mass will be celebrated in the ( "atholic Chapel at midnight to, night, on which occasion the., Choir will render selections From Mozart's and Haydon's Masses. ( Mr J. .Quigley since his purchase. of the Bainbow Hoiel,' ! from Mr Monaghan has made e^te.nsive additions to the premises, the establishment now offering the most ample accommodation to boarders and lodger-". The hotel has been refitted and refurnished throughout, and we have no doubt that Mr Quigley'a enterprise, coupled with the respeUin which he is held by the community generally; will meet with the fullest *recog|iitj[oh. JVIr Quigley has also erected temporary.jpremises on the scene of the late' fire, irherehe wiß<»ih7on i b%stneWte^n<i.^A., I ! The meeting of . the Hospital CArofvat Committee, called for Friday evening. Japse*!' through^ thft" n^^t^ofelMJe^^of membfenj. 'It fall he feeh f nat-the m&eting was adjourned till this evening, when a full attendance is particularly requested to make final arrangements for the fete. Mr J. Marshall, member of thY Grey County Council, reached Reefton yesterday afternoon, en route for Greymouth. j Mr Marshall, with Mr A. R. Guinness, Chairman of the Grey County, proceeded to Wellington, for the purpose of interviewing the ; Government ,on County matters, and we learn that the deputation was fairly- successful. They have suoceeded'iri obtaining from Ministers a diptinct gromise that the vote of,' £2 60Q for the Grey Cfo/in'ty will 'b# available), for immediate expenditure. They also qbjained a Satisfactory assurance relative 'to the erection of la new bridge' oVer the Arnold River. Upon the question, of <jhe^^ distribution of the vote for prospecting .tracks they were not quiet Successful in eleciting any definite promise tKe Government, although it is expected their representations on that head rwill not be without sonic practical good. Mr Marshall left for Grey Valley last evening. The influx of visitors for the Christmas races and holidays has already commenced, and on Saturday evening BroacU ' way was fairly alive with strollers. Most of the mines will cease work this afternoon, and the majority of them will not make a fresh start until New Year's Day. 1 A busy week for the business people may therefore be safely counted upon. Private telegrams ..received in Reefton from Iyell state that the -reef- in Potter's tunnel in' the United Italy Company's mine is "six feet wide, and gold plentifully seen right through to the foot-wall." Concerning the United Alpine (Lyell) it is also stated that the reef is not showing quite so thick, but the stone is of splendid quality. The United Italy Company will start crushing directly after the holidays are over. The whole of the horses engaged in the approaching Reefton races have now arrived in town, and what with owners, trainers, and jockeys the general 'opic of conversation is decidedly of 'the horse, horsey. " Navigator's " event on the Inangahua Cup Handicap will be drawn this evening, in the presence of a committee of che subscribers and representatives of the Press. Only a few programmes remain to l>p disposed of, so that those wishing to invest must do so quickly. The polling, by subscribers only, for a night-watchman took place at the Reading Room on Saturday, last. There were some fifteen or sixteen candidates, but the voting has now narrowed the competition down to two— Messrs. M' Arthur and Anderson—and the final, poll between these candidates will take place at Mr Coll ing's, between- 10 and 12 noon to-day. The annual tea meeting and social i*e-

union in connection with the United j i Methodist Free Church, Reefton, will ; take plioe on Thursday evening next, 27th instant, in the Churcii "building, S^" ,' street. Tea will be laid at 6 p.m., after which a concert will be held. ■ ;-' ' „., "Santa Claus," notice expected winner cif the last Melbourne Cup, but a personage of infinitely more importanoe just now in the minds of countless millions of be-petticoated, be-pinnafored, and betrousered humanity, will in a few horn* more make his nocturnal descent upon .the multitude of abysmal family atowkings, pillow-slips, and other capacious receptacles for the Chriatmaß gifts to good little girls and boys. The time is therefore opportune for calling the attention of "Santa Claus" to the magnifrcent dißplay of Christmas .rarieties now on view at Mr C. Cohen's, Broadway. Just primto Mr J. Stevenson's departure from Europe for New Zealand Mr Cohen got him to make a collection of the very lates novelti9S in he way of fancy goods, mechanical and other toys, and choice and elegant presentation works in the London and Paris markets. The result i s a consignment of aboui dixtgeil cases of bran new specialities in each line, all direct from the manufacturers. By thiß means Mr Cohen has anticipated the trade supply to the Qolony, through tl?e' ordinary Channels, besides , escapin|g*the additional charge imposed upon consignments by colonial warehousemen. This" latter concession he will extend to the public, and his matchless array of Christmas wares will be offered to customers at only a trifling advance upon manufacturers' cost. A visit to his es ablislitnent is the only recommendation he desires. — [Advt.] The West Coast Times says :— Mr G. B. Stewart, a gentleman who is makipg a tour of the colony, with the object of writing a Guide Book for travellers, is at present staying in Hokitika. He has been a mighty traveller, intends to "do" the North Island, after which he will leave for Calcutta, ..in order to reach there before, the closrhg the ' exhibition;'' 'Mr 1 Stewart's Eastern experiences are very wide and varied, indeed there 'are few parts of the world with which he is unacquainted. It may he mentioned that S'r Stewart is a brother of Sir Donald Stewart; the well known Indian general.