t ' ■ ' I ..."I'M It will be observed that the annual ! soiree of the Presbyterian congregation, Warepa, i will be held on Tuesday evening firat. '• At a meeting of the Balclutha Presby--1 terian congregation last evening, it was resolved i to take steps for the erection of a new church. Mails for the United Kingdom, &c, via San Faancisco, will close at this office on Wednesday next, the 2nd May, at 10 p.m., instead of Tuesday aext, lat proximo. In a letter in our last week's issue, signed " John Mackay," the reference to the wheat yield which should have been 50 to 60 bushels per acre, was, through a typographical, error, made to read 80 to 90 bushels per acre. Mr James Adam, of . Bon Acord, late , Immigration Agent for Otago in the home country, will give a lecture in the Presbyterian Church here, on Monday evening. Subject — " Two Years' Experience in Great Britain." We believe Mr Adam will give a veiy interesting and popular lecture, and we expect to see the building crowded. We understand that arrangements have been made to hold thanksgiving services in connection with the Presbyterian Churches in,Balclutha, Inch Clutha and Kaitangata, on Monday first. The services at the respective places will begin as follows :— Kaitangata, 11 a.n*. ; Inch Clutha, 2.30 p.m. ; Balclutha, 3 p.m. The collection at Balclutha wili be in aid of the Benevolent Institution. The members of the Clinton brass band visited Balclutha on Friday evening, the second day of the races. For a brief time they enlivened the streets with excellent music. The members have evidently been assiduous in practice since the formation of the band, and have made rapid progress. We trust the day^is not far distant when Balclutha will be in a position to return Clinton the complimentary visit, Mr J. A. Algie, late assistant in Post and Telegraph Offices here, was bid good-by by a few friends in Canning's Balclutha Hotel, on Monday evening. He waa presented on the occasion with a parting gift ia the pleasant form of a purse well handselled. Mr Algie has been vory attentive to his duties, and obliging during the time he has been in the office here, aud as he has now gone to head quarters —Wellington— we hope he will have speedy promotion in the service. We learn that Mr J. A. Mackenzie has tendered his resignation of the office of manager of the National Bank of New Zealand here, and will leave so soon as the vacancy can be filled. He goes to Dunedin we believe, to conduct the business hitherto carried on by his father, who at present is laid aside by very serious illness. We are sure Mr Mackenzie has the hearty sympathy of the public here in the circumstances in which he is placed. Both his departure and its cause will be sincerely regretted. On Tuesday last, as the train from. Dunedin to Clutha was leaving* the. Milton station, the second engine on the train collided with the engine No. 8, and partly threw it off the line. The train bound to Clutha was detained about a quarter of an hour, and the Dunodin train for over half an hour. The rails at the switches were greatly bent. We learn that the accident was occasioned by the rails being slippery by the rain, and the breaks not having sufficient power to stop the train in time. The engine of the Dnnedin train had her guards dented a little. The annual congregational soiree in connection with the Presbyterian Church, Milton, was held on Tuesday evening last. There was a good attendance of both old and young. Tea was served up at half -past six, and the ladies of the congregation deserve all praise for the abundance of good things provided by them. After tea, the usual congregational meeting took place. The pastor of the congregation, the Rev. James Chisholm, presided. Addresses, excellent and appropriate, were delivered by the Revs. Allan, Inch Clutha ; M'Ewen, Waihola ; M'Ara, Baiclutha; and Ronaldson, Anglican clergyman, ! Milton ; and Messrs Nichol, congregational missionary, and Adam, Bon Accord. Lodge. The congregational choir, under the leadership of Mr John Adam, sang several pieces of music in a very admirable manner. At the close the usual votes of thanks were given, and this very successful soiree was concluded about half-past ten. About 7 a.m. yesterday Milton was all astir to meet His Excellency the Governor at the Station. The address was written. The railway station was crowded with loyal citizens. The officers of the Bruce Rifles attended in uniform, and the Mayor and Councillors, attended by the Town Clerk, stood in readiness to deliver the address. The railway station was gaily dressed with flags, borrowed from the Harbour Board, and evergreens. The train was heard in tho distance, and the greatest excitement prevailed. The station-master waved hia green flag and all were breathless. The train passed like a meteor. A few believed they saw the top of His Excellency's head, and all felt sold, from the Mayor to the bellman, who was engaged all the morning ringing up the loyal subjects of Milton. ! We understand the Governor promised to the Mayor to stop and receive an address at Milton, and ho doubt an explanation of the disappointment will be asked. The following items are from our Gore correspondent : Mr O'Hara. from Invercargill. has started a boot manufactory here. He has a splendid lot of machinery, and every necessary appliance for the business. With his long experience iv the trade, we feel sure of his success. His advent here will be a good thing for upcountry stores, for they can depend on getting a good article, and at the same time saving a good deal of expense in the shape of shipping and railway charges. We hope to see Mr O'Hara reap the benefit of his enterprise.— A well-known gentleman from Tokomairiro was up a few days ago, looking out a site for a flour mill on. the Waikaka Stream. If this old colonist should find a suitable site, we feel sure he will carry out the work, and he will be the right man in the right place for our district.— Mr Strachan is in this district with one of his steam threshing mills. So far as he has gone the yield is very good. Turnips are also looking very well. Mr G. M. Bell, of Waimea, has a very heavy .crop after the first furrow, and many of the settlers have fully provided for their ' sheep -during winter, having plenty turnips for 5. attwn % purposes.

We have to call attention to a large sale of deferred payment lands at Tapanui, on the May IV th next, Wednesday, May 2, being the latest day for receiving applications for tho same. We remind settlers in this district of the meeting to he held iv Mr Rae's Railway Hotel, Stirling, at half -past seven this evening, to arrange for the annual Matau and Clutha ploughing match. We understand the Rev. R. L. Stanford, of All Saints', Dunedin, will officiate on Sunday next, in the morning at St. Mary's, Inch Clutha^ in the afternoon at Kaitangata, and in the evening at St. Mark's, Balclutha. We understand the District Deputy will attend the meeting of tbe Lodge of Good Templars at Catlins River on Tuesday evening first. The officers elected for the ensuing term will then be installed, and the second and third degrees conferred upon all eligible candidates. A meeting of Chairmen of the several Road Boards within the Clutha County was held in Warepa Schoolhouse on Saturday last, to de. cide as to the distribution of the tools lately be. longing to the Provincial Government, now handed over to the Boards. It was resolved to leave the Engineer to" distribute them as he thought most equitable. Since the completion of the formation of the Waipahi-Clinton section of the railway, and the consequent discharge of the men employed, complaints from a considerable number who were employed under the former contractors, Messrs M'Minimin and Co., are growing both loud and deep, regarding the dilatoriness of Government in not paying the long-promised arrears of wages due them by these contractors. Mr Robert Neill, formerly teacher at Wangaloa, and Southbridge, Tokomairiro, and now at Upper Waipori, has been appointed h«ad master of the Queenstown District School. This is a very important and responsible appointment, but all who know Mr Neill and have watched the manner in which he haa conducted the schools in this district, of which he has had charge, will feel assured that the Queenstown school, will be most efficiently attended to by the newlyappointed teacher. The following rates were posted up at the railway station, Kaitangata, and came into force on Friday last, for grain and passengers between Kaitangata and Stirling :— Passengers, ls 6d each ; no return tickets. Grain, 2s 6d per ton minimum. Firewood, 10s per truck. Merchandise — not exceeding 5 cwt., and not exceeding 10 cwt., Is 6d minimum ; exceeding 10 cwt., and not exceeding 15 cwt., 2s Gd minimum ;'exceeding 15 cwt., and not exceeding 20 cwt., 3s minimum. Parcels — not exceeding 141 b, 6d ; exceeding 141 b., and not exceeding 561 b., 9d minimum ; exceeding 561 b., and not exceeding 1121 b., ls minimum. Mr John Graham, editor of the Independent Review, Dunedin, delivered a lecture in the Newmarket Hotel here, on Saturday evening, upon " The present position of affairs in the East of Europe." There was a good attendance. Mr Graham pointed out the harmony of the present position with, ancient prophecy, and indicated what would, in his opinion, founded upon that prophesy, be the ultimate result of the contemplated war- the overthrow of the Turkish Empire, and the partition of the territory amongst the surrounding nations ; then, in a few years hence, the attempt by Russia to possess itself of the Holy Land, the battle of Armageddon, and the millennium. We observe Mr H. L. Gilbert, of Tokomairiro, has been engaged by the Church Extension Committee of the Presbyterian Church to labour in the Riverton congregation, now vacant by the translation of Rev. D. Ross to Anderson's Bay. Mr Gilbert has had a missionary career of thirteen yeare in Otago, he having been for upwards of nine years Seamen's Missionary at Port Chalmers, eighteen months Missionary iv Knox's congregation, Dunedin, and the same length of time at Papakaio. Latterly he has been conducting service at Waihola Gorge, Tokomairiro. He has thus had ample experience, and we have no doubt his services will bo appreciated at Riverton. Having now been engaged by the Church Extension Committee, which apparently has so many vacant charges and outlying districts to look after, we presume Mr Gilbert's position as a labourer in the Church will be a permanent one. He delivered his farewell sermon at Wailiola Gorge on Sunday last to the largest congregation that has ever met in the locality. A correspondent writes from Owake :— A meeting was held on Friday evening last in Mr John Reay's house, Owake Flat, for the purpose of taking steps to build a hall in a central position, suitable for the requirements of the people at the various mills, as well as for the settlers. The reasons given for the erection of the hall were. In the first place, the school is not in a suitable place for the majority of the children, therefore it is intended to transfer the school to the hall. Secondly, the hall contemplated to be built at Owake Landing, the prospectus of which is published, will not meet the requirements of the majority, but only the few who are directly interested. The result of the meeting waa, that a site was fixed for the building, adjacent Messrs Dabinetand Young's store, and 109 shares taken up by those present. The district is now being canvassed, and it is expected, on Friday evening, when a meeting takes place, that the whole of the shares, namely 200, will be taken up. 1 may mentiou the capital is being raised in fil shares, and seeing the large amount taken up at the first meeting, there can he no doubt as to the hall being a complete success. The members of the juvenile Templar Lodge visited, by invitation, the Hope of Balclutha Lodge, ou Friday evening. Thera was a large attendance. After the Juvenile Lodge had been opened, the District Deputy took the chair, and an hour was Bpent in listening to songs, duets, recitations, &c, by the juveniles. The various pieces were given in a very creditable manner indeed, and manifested both aptitude and* practice. The Chairman then distributed the prizes, which had been awarded by Miss C. Thomson, . the Superintendent, as follows : — Recitation, Jessie Ross, Annie Ross, and Kate Fleming ; Singing, Christina Soutter, Flora Stewart, and Alfred Hogg ; Good behaviour and good attendance, Jessie Ross, Annie Soutter, William Bain, William Soutter, Alfred Geddes, Maggie Chapman, Cecilia Kilgour, and Maggie* Ross. An ample service of cakes and : sweets followed; and after a few remarks from the Chairman', tht Lodge was closed and the juveniles retired in order. We may mention that the prizes awarded were handsome books, whicb had been; subscribed for by the members of tl«j.adalt Lodge. Aftei the juveniles hid retired, the ordinary Lodge was opened, and after the routine business, the members proceeded to the nomination of officers for the ensuing term. The election takes place this evening, /and the instellatiorfthiß night week.

2 We observe Mr^ C. Y. Brewer has been b appointed agent- in Balclutha for the New Zbab land Clothing Company. • " Right Bower," the property of Mr "j George Coombe, of Milton, : who broke down , when running so well for the last Dunedin Cup, -. died on Wednesday morning. " .< Forty head of fat cattle passed through, Balclutha on Saturday oh their, way from the • Waitepeka Station' to the Dunedin market on i Wednesday. From their prime condition, we , have no doubt they will realise top prices.. • ■• Sportsmen are having a good time of it jusfc now around Tapanui; . Babbits are. on the L increase in that quarter, and pigeons arenum- . erous in the bush.. It is no difficult matter, either to get a shot at a wild pig. Juvenile l porkers are sometimes caught and domesticated, i and they are found to fatten themselves famously on the offal of civilisation for the knife and fork I of approaching fate. [ A meeting of the Waiwera Public Library Committee was held ih the Schoolhouse, on Friday evening last. There were present —Messrs r D. M'Kenzie (in the chair), D. Wallace, S. , Corbet, and W. Littlejohn (Secretary). . It was , decided to hold a series of Readings (see advertisement) duripg»the winter-months, for the twofold purpose of providing amusement for the residents in the district, and for relieving the Committee of the burden of a few pounds of debt. , The library contains upwards of 300 volumes, £65 worth, although it has only been in existence for about twelvemonths. This says a good deal for the diligence of the Committee, and the intelligence of the district. At 4 p.m. at the Council Chambers, Milton, on the 24th instant, hia Worship the Mayor, Returning Officer, declared the result of the poll for Councillor for the South Ward, in the room of Councillor Inglis, resigned : — Alexander M'Laren ... ... 27 William Murphy 14 Majority for M'Laren ... 13 About twenty-five ratepayers were present. Mr M'Laren in a few words thanked the ratepayers for the honour they had done him. He mentioned that he was Councillor two years ago, but had not so much time to devote to his duties as he had now. He concluded amidst much applause. 'Mr Murphy did not appear. His Excellency the Governor and suite left Duuedin at 7 o'clock yesterday morning per railway, and arrived at the terminus here at 9.10. One of Mr Williams' coaches was in waiting ; to it the Vice-regal party transferred themselves and their traps ; -Strachan took the ribbias; they were off, and drove through the township at a canter. It was well known that His Excellency wished to travel quietly without any demonstration, and ib says much for the prudence and thoughtf ulaess of the citizens, that no attempt was made on the part of any one to interfere with these wishes being carried out. It being the Fast Day, the places of business were closed and the streets deserted, and the Governor and his friends were not intruded upon, nor even recognised in any manner of way. There is not the slightest disappointment on the part of the people here. They cheerfully complied with what they knew to be the Governor's wish in the matter. The party were to travel by. coach to Waipahi, thence per railway to Invercargill, which was expected to be reached at half-past four o'clock. That fine tract of country which formed portion of M'lntyre's run, Block IX, Glenkenich, and recently sold on deferred payment, is beginning to assume a lively appearance. Where, until lately, the sheep had everything to themselves, comfortable dwellings with the cheery smoke bf settlement curling from their chimney tops are now seen to dot the landscape in every direction. Close to the junction of the Gore and . Switzers roads, Mr J. Smith, late of the Taieri, has just completed the erection of a very fine homestead. Among others, who have either done building or are engaged thereat, may be mentioned Messrs Scott, Whiteneld, Sheed, Crawford, and Henderson. Taken altogether the district may be pronounced a highly promising one. For agriculture, especially, the deep loamy soil of its low-lying lands should prove unsurpassed in the Colony, while its higher, table-laud has already been found eminently suited for pastoral purposes. We regret_ to hear that the new settlers do not manage to pull well with the neighbouring run-holder, Mr M'lntyre. Complaints, which we are bound to admit come almost entirely from Mr M'lntyre, are being made on account of trespass, broken bridges, and the many other sources of difference which are sure to arise between neighbours when they fail to preserve friendly relations with one another. This is not as it should be, and we trust to hear that the lion and the lamb will in this instance find it to their mutual interest to lie down in peace with one another. Our Mataura correspondent writes : — The elegant Presbyterian Church at Mataura Bridge is now nearly completed. It will be opened for Divine service very soon, and will no doubt be filled under the eloquent and earnest preaching bf the pastor— the Bey. Mr Davidson -^who spares neither time nor trouble to make his ministrations acceptable to the people. A handsome bell, the gift of Mr M 'Gibbon, was suspended in the belfry of the steeple last week- the chimes of which are a. new era in the township. The sound is very powerful and melodious, although the key note is on C natural, showing the quality of its composition;. lam almost inclined to send the Leader a copy of a poem ' from an eminent and humorous author, but per- ■ haps a quotation in a modified way may suffice t to amuse your readers : — L Hear the tolling of the bell — Iron bell ! . ' - , What a world of solemn thought its monody ' compels J J In the silence of the night, r How we shiver with affright. At the melancholy menace of its tone. For every Bound that floata > Fromthe rust within its throat . Is a groan. , And the people— ah ! the people 1 They that dwell up in the steeple . ' All alone, • And who tolling, tolling,' tolling, In that muffled monotone, Feel a glory in so rolling ' On that human heart of stone ! "' ' And their king it is who tolls : •'-• 1 And ho rolls, rollsi rolls, 1 .-■•-■ Bolls B A paean from the bell J And his merry bosom swells ' 1 With the psean of the bell ! i And he dances and he yells, i Keeping time, time,' time, r y In a sortof Runic rhyme B To the p&ah of the- bell,'-' 9". * To the throbbing of the bell, j* ■ '*' To the sobbing of the bell— - 9 ; y : y Of the belli bell, bell, bell— . .To the moaning and the groaning of the bell !

The special meeting of the Milton Town Council on Monday evening, re the reception of the Governor, lapsed for want of a quorum. His Worship the Mayor and' Councillors Capstick and Gilbert were the only ones present. A curious accident occurred to the telegraph line below Waihola the other day. A house was being removed to Milburn frpm Mos giel, for the Station-master at Milburn. When passing under the telegraph wires, which were rather slack, they caught the heuse, and about a mile of the lineywas knocked down.