BALCLUTHA.

(From our own Correspondent.)

. A letter appeared in your issue of last week ihVliicli "a woman" draws a picture of this township, which is so well calculated to mislead capitaiists in search of a. desireable investment, as well as to increase the supposed evils wliich have called into use the feminine expletives *■ disg-raceful fact, more painful, more sickening, hideous, mirth, .keen- sorrow, pitiable degradation, soul's ruination " &c, &c, that lam constrained to place my anonymous cohte_ipor_ry under aii. obligation, to me for .preventing a /consummation | wliich might^supppsihg'ahyone were foohsh enough to accept, as facts, the" statements contained iii the letter— folldwlts publication. Such a letter as the one under notice might very easily be condensed into an ' attractive advertisement lieaded '\ To parties ih search ef a abod paying business." It could then be stated how well all the liotels at Balclutha are doing, and ; how comfortable the proprietors of the houses, already, established, iu*e working hand and glove with the police. Nothing more— hardly this, after il a woman's" letter— is needed to induce an increase in the number of the hotels which, we are told "aire evidently amply supported." Puting aside the superficial reasoning that open doors and kerosene are proofs, to the feminine eye; of well lined ; tills, - the truthfulness of the letter may 'be computed from the fact that; as two of ;pur hotels j out of the four, -"aire * built ; fronting the* ; south-west, kerosene will ••■not -burn in the bars, if the doora are left open,' pn four nights out of every six, and thus it : is that " one can always see their open doors and blazing lights far into the night. To the statement) that under the very eyes of the police ■ drinking and gambling' are carried on, I can only reply that the sex of the "writer only prevents me dealing ; with ths affirmation ih terms, which its purport would otherwise justify; What can have induced -"" <l a woman " to pen the letter I am at a loss to conceive, unless it is, the publicans have Constituted themselves sinners by persistently, unlike some people, washing theur dirty linen at home. After one of the finest 'seasons imaginable^ the weather fairly broke on Thursday last. Anyone who has experienced the change of the monsoons' in the Bay of Bengal could hardly fail to be reminded thereof by the meteorological phenomena of the past week. The barometer— ah excellent one — on board the "steamer Tuapeka stood at 28*75 on Friday morning, a reading which, off the Mauritius, would assuredly be followed by a violent hurricane. T* am given to understand that Mr John Thompson, of this township, has become the lessee of Mr Aitchesoh's Kaitangata coalmine." It has been known for a loner time that this coal is of a quality very little inferior to Newcastle, and its introduction as an article of consumption will be hailed as a blessing to the fireside during the long winter nights we are now on the eve of.. No steps have yet been taken to resume the Sixpenny Readings which were so well patronised last winter. I suggest this fact to the notice of those who are disposed to take an active part in furnishing rational amusement for the people. It would be my pleasure at any time to prefer listening to a song or a reading rather than stand at 17 in a Yankee-grab tournament. I have no doubt many others are similarly disposed. The rain during the' past few days has increased the volume of water in the Molyneux to a depth which will .enable the steamers to resume their trips above bridge. For some months pasts the low state of the river has almost entirely deprived settlers on its banks, between here and the Tuapeka Mouth, of the benefits of water communication, thus delaying a considerable quantity of grain which would otherwise have found its way into the market. A great improvement to the township, and a _reat convenience to the Island bushmen and settlers along the Finegand Road, will shortly be effected by the opening of Banstreet, wliich will lead-direct to deep water, thus enabling goods to be landed or shipped during the lowest state of the river. Our local industries are shortly to be added to by Mr W. Stewart, machinist, who purposes opening a fitting shop, where all necessary repairs to machinery of every description can be effected without going to the expense and suffering the delay of sending to Dnnedin. In these days of steam and laborsaving appliances, Mr Stewart ought to be well patronised. Tour Otakia correspondent deserves the thanks of all roadsiders for liis valuable and inexpensive practical suggestion. It is. as you say, a wonder it was never thought of before. I omitted to mention last week that Sergeant Stevens had been up to inspect our volunteers. If the object of the sergeant's visit was to note what improvement had been made in drill, I would designate my omission as charitable forgetfulness. The plough is now busily at work among the stubble. Mr Clark, of Hillend, has introduced a double-furrow implement on his farm, where the curious in such matters will have an opportunity of judging its merits. Mr John Barr is about to build himself a handsome town residence in Clyde street, in which I understand he intends to take up his permanent abode. Mr Alexander Stewart has just completed a convenient and comely looking residence in Renfrew street. Mr D. P. M'Kenzie has built himself a neat cottage on his newly acquired suburban land ; so. that, dull as times are, there is a little money being spent in adding to the general appearance of the city.

The opening of the Provincial Council is postponed to the 25th May. Cured mullet are being extensively sold in Auckland at Id per lb. The population of Invercargill is found by the recent Census to amount to 1960, being a decrease of 46 on the number as ascertained by the Census of 1867. A hi»h flood occurred at Hokitika on Friday last. Several portions of the town were under water. The powder magazine with its contents, and 30 _heep, were washed away. Mr James Kilgour has laid out a new township, named Rothesay, about two miles below Dnnedin, oh the line of the Port Chalmers Raiway. A contemporary says :— A bitch belonging to'Mr Ceorge Roger-, Beaumont, recently brought into the world a fine litter of pups, and notwithstanding that her domestic duties are augmented therebyV she has further increased them by adopting a young wild pig,- --" which she is suckling with motherly tenderness, and. to "the apparent satisfy the whble^f amiiy. A maii named Charles Bull,: a bookbinder, was found drowned -m. the Wellington harhor r on- Wednesday last. -It is supposed^ from expressions he used to the person^ who, last saw him ahve,- that t he .committed suicide, being uhable'fo find work of any-kind.