The report of the meeting at Inch Clutha on Tuesday night is held over.

Threshing operations in the Wairuna are proceeding rapidly, and will be concluded in about a month.

We notice that good progress is being made with Mr Dunne's new Hall. The same has now been roofed in, and tho flooring is being laid.

We are informed that a meeting had beon arranged to be held at Mr Templeton's store, Otaria, on Saturday last, to take steps for the formation of a Road Board in the district. We have not yet heard the result.

We learn that upon the application of Mx W, A. Mtirray, member for Bruce, the Post-master-General has appoiated the Postmaster at Xaitangata as a depository of duty stamps Stamps of all kinds may therefore ia future be had at that office.

We understand that it has "been arranged to dispense the Communion of the Lord's Supper in Balclutha and the neighbouring parishes on the last Sabbath of April. The previous Thursday, the 26th instant., will be observed as the usual fast day.

Members of Road Boards within the Clutha County will please keep in mind the Conference to be held at Ware-pa-, at 1 p.m. to-mor-row. We believe such a Conference may be pro-ductive-of beneficial results to the County generally, and therefore hope as many as conveniently can, will attend.

A thrashing mill would do well in the Otaria district this year where there is a considerable quantity of grain to thresh. Arrangements should be made, for having the work over so long as the roads are good. In a few weeks, in all probability, it will be impossible to take a mill to the district.

We observe a slight typographical error has occurred in the advertisement of the Assessment Court for the South Molynoux Boad District. The date given is 1977 which of course should be 1877. We regret the page containing the advertisement was printed off before the error was pointed out.

Good Friday was celebrated in Port Molyneux by the anniversary concert and ball of the Alexandra Lodge of Oddfellows. The weather was splendid, and everything favourable. The hall was elaborately decorated, under the able care of Mr A. Patersoa. About 8 o'clack the company sat down to a plentiful repast, after which a couple of hours spent in listening to the strains of sweet music, vocal and instrumental, paved the way for the most anxiously longed for portion of such entertainments — dancing, — which was kept up with all spirit until daylight.

Although the Otaria district has only been settled for eighteen months, ib has already made rapid progress in fencing, bieaking up, &c. The crops tins year are a very good average, aud fortunately sustained lifcfcle or no damage by tLe recent floods. The oat crop is very good indeed, while the wheab is a very fair yield. Potatoes are unusually heavy, bub have been slightly touched by the late frosts. Turnips are very good all over. Altogether the district promises to be a very prosperous one, and only requires roadsi to enable the settlers to get their produce carried to market.

Mr George Renner informs us that it is his intention at once to resign all connection with the Balclntha Amateur Dramatic Club, and that such has been his intention for home time past. We were not surprised to hear it. He says his official duties are now 3iich as to require his undivided attention, but; apart from this, we believe there are quite sufficient reasons to justify him in withdrawing from the concern. Other prominent members have also informed us of their intended resignation. We trust that at no distant date they will be able to resume opera•■t/ions in more congenial and efficient company.

The Hon. Donald Reid, Minister for Lands, paid a visit to Balclutha on Friday last, accompanied by Mr Henry Clark, member of Waste Lands Board. As will be seen from a report elsewhere, Mr Reid had a meeting with the Town Council, and satisfactorily , arranged as to the future control of the bridge. In the after noon Messrs Reid and Clark, accompanied by the Mayor and some of the Councillors, and others, visited Kaifcangata. A thorough inspection of the Coal Coy.'s mines was made, and Mr Reid expressed himself as agreeably surprised at the extent of the workings, and superior quality of the coal.

A meeting of the Wairuna School Committee was held last Saturday evening, for the purpose of considering the applications for the office of teacher. After readiug over the various testimonials, Mr Harrison, at present deputyteacher at Clifton, Southland, was unanimously appointed. The treasurer, Mr Taylor, presented his annual balance-sheet, from which it appears that the receipts from local sources during the year amounted to £73 13b 3d, which has been expended as follows :~Master, £57 17a 6d ; repairs to buildings, £5 83; prizes, £3; fuel, cleaning, &c, £2 14s; leaving a balance in hand of £3 13s 9d.

Captain W. J. Barry lectured in Barr's I Hall, Balclutha, on Wednesday evening lash. There was a very fair attendance. The subject of the lecture was the Captain's experiences in a colonial career <of ;close upon 50 years, with xeniinescences of a trip to China about 1840, and of a visit to the Oalifornian rush in 1849. The scenes, incidents, and events an all this lengthy experience were exciting and interesting enough, :as may be imagined.; and in the telling they certainly lose nothing of their verve and piquancy at the hands of the lecturer, whose style, if unpolished and rough because he is a self-taught man te the extent he has been taught, is always original and often racy. He kept his audience highly interested and amused for about an hour and a half. During the last half -hour, when Mr Barry detailed his experiences since landing in Otago in 1861, he kept his hearers in a state of intense amusement throughout. Telling how he cured chilblains in Wethersfcones, os taught civility to his town councillors in Cromwell, he was equally happy ; and when he concluded his ■lecture, he received a very hearty round of applause. Mr Barry said he meant to publish his experiences, a great part of which he had already prepared for the press, and we feel satisfied his book will meet with a ready sale. -^ .

We regret to- learn that Mr James M'Bhersou Sen., Kaihiku, had a severe kick froai a horse on Saturday last. ' He was struck over he liver. X)v Smith was called aud attended to the sufferer, who is now doing well.

A cricket match was played at Mataura Bridge on Good Friday, by a- combined team from the Mataura and G-ore Clubs against an Tnvercargill team, and resulted in a victory for the former. A full report, which only reached us when going to press, will appear next week.

Edward Trustram was brought up on remat>d at the K.M. Court, Milton, on Tuesday, charged with embezzling the sum of £12 Is 6d, the property of Mr George M'Leod, Hillend. A'Lfter evidence, the accused was discharged, the relationship of master and servant not having' been established.

Harvest operations in the Waitepeka district are now nearly completed. The weather has been all that could bo desired., and on the whole the crops have been good. Threshing is the next order of the day; the shrill whistle of the steam threshing machine has been heard for some weeks in the district. This has been a fine season for green crops. Potatoes and turnips look well, and grass looks fresh and green.

The progress being made along the Gore- Waipahi section of the railway is very satisfactory, the plate-laying being completed for nine and Hihe ballasting for eight miles. As this is fully half the distance, we think it high time steps were taken to repair some of the worst places on the Clinton and Waipahi roads, in anticipation of the traffic it will require to cany upon the completion of the line to the Waipahi> in about two months.

At a meeting of the Bruce CountyCouncil, held on Saturday last, it was moved that a special meeting be held on Monday first for the purpose of adopting the whole Act. Before the motion was put, it was stated to bo understood that these who voted for the motion would also vote for the adoption of the Act. The following voted for— Messrs Wayne, Petrie, Macdonald, Rohertson, and Landells. Against— R, Murray. Mr Duff declined to vote.

We observe the Clinton Road Board call for tenders for work upon the main south road in the Waiwera district, and also upon, the road through the Clinton township and Waivuna. This is taking time by the forelock, and as nothing has been done upon th« main roads during the past summer, it is to lie hoped other Road Boards will follow the example, and have the money now to he placed fit their command expended as far as possible before the winter sets in

Captain Hay ward, harbour master, Cat-

lins River, reports under date April 2, 3877:: — The number of vessels arrived during the past month were 16, equal to 595 tons register, and 16 sailed, equal to 598 tons register. Twelve were sent to Duneditj, one to Wellington, one to Lyttelton, one to Oamaru, and one to Waikouaiti. Mine loaded at the Owake Mill, and seven at the Big Mill. The Jessie and Good Toinplar are loading at the Big Mill, and the Famvy at the Owake Mill. The Jane and Hut.n Belle sailed yesterday -for Dunedin,

On Thursday evening, the 29th ulo. , the Rev. Charles Connor delivered a very interesting and instructive leetui'« in the Clinton School"

house, on *' The Student and Conversion Life of John Calvin," at the close of which a vote of thanks, proposed hy J. W. Thomson, Esq., M.H.R., was heartily accorded to Mr Connor for his very interesting lecture. Afterwards, a congregational meeting duly called, agreed to the proposed change to have only one Session's, and one Deacons' Court for the whole district, and Messrs Garden, Clifford, M'Yey, Templeton, Clarke, and M'Allister, were nominated as suitable persons to be elected deacons.

We are informed that considerable disappointment and annoyance was occasioned in the Waiwera district by the recent sale having been announced by posters to be held on Monday, the 29th ult., and by an advertisement in the Leader for Tuesday, the 26th. We have simply to say that the posters were ordered by Mr Oreagh for the 25fch, and after they had boen distributed he telegraphed to us to advertise the «ale for Tuesday, the 26th. We still have both orders in our possession, and can produce them to anyone wishing to inspect them. The mistake, therefore, did not arise with us, and we are surprised to learn that parties were found ready to throw the blame upon us, and attribute unworthy molives in connection with the matter.

An elderly lady witliin fifty miles of the Kaxhiku bridges had for some time past suffered annoyance from a repetition of small losses of household articles, needful or ornamental, -which, disappeared mysteriously from her keeping, whether deposited inside or outside of her domicile. The thief evidently had cultivated a wide range of taste, for his mulpractices extended to knives, towels, forks, spoons, fish, cheese, fancy work, candles, soap, brushes, combs, &o. — in fact, anything not too hot or too heavy. Charity forbade her to think evil of any of her numerous juvenile friends who delight to visit her, and it was morally impossible that any one arrived at years of discretion, could be guilty of such baseness. Still the fact, wrapped an impeuetrable mist, seemed as hopeless of satisfactory explanation as the doctrines of Fate and Freewill, the law of chemical affinities, the performances of the Davenport Brothers, or the attrac- '• tive power of the magnet. Matters, however, really looked very serious when, after having de--1 posited a bran new set of teeth — the work of a finished Dunedin artist— in a glass of spring water on retiring to rest a few nights since, to her horror and consternation she found them missing in the morning, the glass, apparently, not otherwise disturbed. Her lawful spouse, a practical man, not given to believe .in hocus pocus, with a sagacity that would have done credit to James the First, at once smeiled a rat. tn short, to that mischievous rodent he unhesitatingly attributed the larceny. Finding no sign .in or around the house, he deliberately set to work to tear up the flooring; and probably would have only ended in pixlling down the four walls* but after having proceeded in the work of destruction to some extent, lo ! what treasures reward his energy and self-denial! There in a heap, as relics *of .bygone days, lay, in whole or in part, some of the non-edibles above enumerated, and among them, as a recent contribution, the missing .masticators. These, none the worse for their perilous adventure, again adorn the place intended by the dentist, much to the fair owner's -gratification, who now very prudently, before assigning to forgetfulness her passive faculties for the night, covers the water glass with a flat 41b butter weight.

We are glad to learn that two Schoolhouses are about to be erected in the Otaria district. The site will be — the one on the Government reserve, between tlie Waipahi bridge and Otaria township, and the other on the village reserve, block IX,, Wa.ika.ka. Two schools are rendered necessary by the settlers being so widely scattered. The schools will be a great boon to the district, and their ereefciou is anxiously looked for. Mr Thomas Bain is the contractor for both buildings. The residents agreed to cart all the timber free of charge, aud Mr .Robert Couperthwaile had the honour of delivering the first load. It ia to be hoped the others will at ouce follow his example, as it will be no easy matter carting timber after the wet weather sets in.

UrThe football season was commenced oh Good Friday by a match between the Kaitangata and Clufcba Football Clubs. The Clufcha team went by train to Kaitangata, and shortly after 12 o'clock the game commenced. The day was glorious for almost anything else but football, but for that it was most decidedly too hot, and by half time—when a quarter of aD hour's spell is allowed— there were very few but were willing to. cry, "Hold— enough!" The Kaitangata Club, who have only been in existence two months, played well, and proved too heavy for their opponents. Tne. first goal was kicked by the Clutha team about tsn minutes after play commenced, and with such a good start they thought they were bound to score a win ; but the fates decreed otherwise. The "Kaitangata team plucked up courage, and managed to obtain two goals, and had it pretty well their own way. About a quarter of an hour before " time" was called the Clutha-ites bustled \rp and tried to make a draw of it, and although they made a determined effort and nearly succeeded, it was not to be done, and the Kaitangata tram w ere declai-ed the victors. Before adiourning to lunch three cheers wev-e given for the visitors, wlio heartily returned the compliment. The lunch was provided in Hostess Murphy's best style, and •he must have been very fastidious who could have grumbled at anything. The usual toasts were proposed and responded to, which, with numerous songs, passed away a couple of very agreeable hours till the train started. A very enjoyable day was spent, and the visitors returned home very well pleased with the hospitable treatment they had received at the hands (if nob the feet) of the Kaitangata Club.