MINTARO.
[From our own Correspondent.]
Mintaro, December 8.
The weather is exceedingly warm, and our farmers are actively engaged in their haymaking and stacking.
Several accidents occurred on Saturday last. The Catholic schoolmaster was thrown from his horse and sustained some slight injuries.— Mr. Smith, in driving his horse towards Mintaro from the Hill River, broke both the shafts of his spring-cart by the falling down of his horse. He escaped unhurt, but the horse sustained some slight injuries.— Immediately after a horse took fright and galloped towards Mintaro, where he was stopped; the tail-board of the spring-cart to which he was attached is, I believe, the only thing injured. No person was in the cart at the time the horse look fright.—Almost immediately after, Mr. Samuel Robinson, a resident of this township, was run over by his dray, the horse taking fright at something whilst he was in the act of getting on his dray. The wheel passed over his back from shoulder to shoulder. He escaped wonderfully well, no bones being broken. He is confined to his bed, but is progressing favourably.
Yesterday the Mintaro School examination took place. Mr. Decent, the schoolmaster, expressed his regret at the non-arrival of those he expected to assist in the examination, and proposed that Mr. Dale should take the chair. Mr. Dale, in reply, stated his willingness to supply a gap, and accordingly took the chair. The children were then examined by their teacher in reading, spelling, geography, and grammar. Some recitations were also given, and the examination was concluded. Several prizes were distributed to the most meritorious of the scholars. The children then sat down to an excellent repast provided by the parents of the pupils, after which a public tea meeting took place, which was followed by a lecture by Mr. Decent on the constitutional and political changes which have taken place in the history of the English nation, and their influence upon the language, manners, and social condition of the people.
