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Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1348, 14 January 1884, Page 2

Vails for the Australian' Colonies only, via Sydney, per s.a. Australia, will close at Auckland immediately after her arrival from Honolulu. At the fire brigade practice on Friday evening last the Bounding capacity of the fire-bell purchased last year was tested in comparison with the ordinary dinner gong U3ed at Dawßon's Hotel. The bell and gong were first sounded alternately from the belfry, and the gong was then sounded at the lower end of Broadway. The comparison proved to be what Mrs Malaprop would. call "odorous." The " boom " of the gong, could be distinctly^ heard in the outskirts of fhe town, while the "noise" of the fire- bell was hardly audible in the vicinity, of lower Churchstreet. The sound -of the bell was about equal to what might be exected to be produced from a cracked camp-oven. That . the bell is utterly useless for the purpose is beyond any doubt whatever, and, as the last remaning memento of past mismanagement, the sooner it is got rid of the better. It is announced that Mr C. J. Culluro will visit the district shortly in the interest of the Government Insurance Department. We have received the programme of the autumn meeting of the Reefton [ Jockey Club, but, it did not reach us in time for insertion this morning. It will, however, appear on Wednesday* next. A narrow escape from a ratTier serious accident occurred in Shiel-street, on Saturday last. Mr Kidd'B express was returning, from Black's Point, and on reaching the bridge near McGuigan's stables, the horse shied at a wheel-barrow, and, there being no side rail to the bridge, the animal plunged over into the creek.. Th«s drop' is quite twelve feet, but for-

tanately the wheels of the trap locked, and this circumstance, aided by the side I log, prevented the conveyance from going over also. The length of the shafts and. the " give " of the harness, together, just enabled the horse to touch the ground underneath, and in this curious predica- , roent the animal remained perfectly quiet until released. A lady and two children, with the driver, were the only occupants of the express at the time of the occurrence, and they managed to scramble out at the back, but Mr Kidd, who was sitting in front, was in a rather awkward position. The conveyance was at the verge of thebridge, the fore part of tl>x- carrrage actually projecting over it, and the slightest struggle on the part ri iiie horse below would have borne it over. . But, as we have already snid, the animal remained perfectly* still, and, assistance arriving, the harness was unbuckled and the horse released. The only damage done to the conveyance was the springing of the footboard, the horse escaping apparently unhurt. Had the trap gone over with the horse, it would assuredly have been smashed to pieceß, and probably one or more lives been lost. The accident shows the necessity for the erection of side rails to this and all other bridges of the kind. Tenders are invited by the Fiery Cross Extended Company for the supply of mining imber for a period of twelve months. Specifications may be seen at the office of Mr G. W. Moss, Broadway, Reefton. The tenders wilL be received up to 8 o'clock p.m., on Saturday, the 10th instant. The Comedy and Burlesque Company left for Ahaura yesterday. The company will re-visit the West Coast in March. v ludicrous incident occurred at the Comedy and Burlesque Company's per formance on Friday evening last. As soon as the curtain rose Mr Fisher came forward and announced that it .was the intention of the brigade to ring the firebell violently, to test its sounding qualities. He said the event would take place at 9 o'clock sharp, and that he had been asked to make the announcement, so that the alarm should not create anything like a panic amongst the audience. The play then proceeded, but as 'he portentous hour approached everyone present who had a watch, watched it with the most consuming interest, as though an earthquake, instead of only a bogus fire alarm, were about to take place, and, as the minutes flew, all interest in the performance gradually expired. At five minutes to nine the audience was as, silent as an, amateur spiritualistic congregation when waiting , for an overdue spirit. At two minutes to nine the stillness was something solemn, and although several persons wished to cough they were quite afraid to do so. At one minute to nine a small boy at the rear allowed a muffled sneeze to escape through a hole in his hat, and for his carelessness was very nearly being thrown through the sky-light by several persons standing near. At one second to nine the audience took a deep breath, pricked their ears, and calmly awaited the calamity. In the course of a few minutes the graveyard s; illness of the occasion was broken by Mr Fisher's entry upon the stage, when he announced that the crisis was over. The audience, who had not heard the slightest sound of the bell, looked, of course, considera ly " had," and it was some little time iiefore people recovered from the effects of the hoax. We publish this morning the fullest obtainable particulars concerning the alluvial rush at Mokihinui, but it will be some days before any positive information will be forthcoming as to the nature and extent of the discovery, \umbers of men continue, however, to leave here for the rush, but it is hardly possible that they can be influenced by any better information than tha< which we give to the public to-day. We learn from Lyell that many, persons there have set out across the ranges for Mokihinui. The distance is only some eight or ten miles as the crow flies, but the journey is a moat hazardous and difficult one, leading over a range which is already heavily snow-laden. The different local insurance agents on Friday last paid a visit to the whole of the. insured buildings in Broadway, for the purpose of inspecting the fire-places and chimneys We have not heard the result of their visit, but gather that it is not improbable that they will agree not to renew risks on premises where ' iron chimneys are used. The bad weather of late has materially interfered with the prosecution of works by the Inkerman ' ompany, but the sawing of the timber for the battery house was to have commenced on Saturday last, and once the building is up the erection of the machinery will proceed with more despatch. It is not yet decided whether the mine and battery shall be connected by an aerial tramway, or by an ordinary flat and incline tramway. The matter is left to the decision of the Dunedin directory, and the verdict will probably be known during the week. A Wellington correspondent of the Dunedin Herald says : "I am given to understand that r Shaw, the member forlnangahua, and '> : r Fergus, Wakatipu, have signified to the Government their intention to support the Opposition, but I should think the statement needs confirmation." The same authority also says that the Premier has "resolved at the close of this Parliament o appoint himself as successor to Sir Francis'Dillon Bell, and enjoy for a season the gaieties of the English metropolis " Purify the blood, cleanse the stomach, and sweeten the breath with Hop Bitters. Bead.