CLUTHA FERRY.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 65, 6 July 1865, Page 9

CLUTHA FERRY.

(Frdm our own. Corresppiideid^) ■ • : :'jufy4:, 1865. It is a matter of surprise to me.that in a large district like this no facilities are offered to persons who are willing to vote at elections. Whoever has the appointment of the polling-places has. made a great, mistake in not naming this as one ; there are a large number of electors here, but it often- happens that their business will not admit of timei;b enable them to ; g6 to- the- only places which are provided for recording their votes, . viz., Inch Clutha, Warepa, sind South Mblyiietix. The first' a distance of six miles, and have to cross Hie river Mblynetix twice ; the second eight miles, and the third a distance .of 18 miles. It is not likely that persons are going to put themselves to so much trouble and expense to record their votes. Every i facility should be afforded for people so to do,' but it seems to nic that, every obstacle is thrown in the way of so doing. At a recent election for the House of Representatives there Tv'as but one vote recordedin consequence of the distance of the polling-place from herej whereas, if there was one here, . I ; have no hesitation' in "saying that there would, have been at least fifty; Another election is now pending, and a most important. one, and that is the election of -"a : Superintendent, ar>d I sincerely hope that the proper authorities will see fit to appoint this as a place in which the residents can show who is to be the right man in the right place. . A most melancholy accident has happened at the Mataura. It seems that a man and Ilia son, with two horses and dray loaded with gooda fora storekeeper at the diggings, endeavoured to cross the river, but it was at the time so high and the current running so strong, they were washed away. Itfothing of either the man or tdiebpy has been seW, the only thing f bund are the two horses (dead of course), twojbags of flo.ur ,and one box. ,qf candles. x The Tiver has been thorough^ searched, but without success, and the prooabiHty is that/^lie bodies -may have been cirried oub to sea.

■ Some few weeks ago I mentioned to you that it -was Tery. dangerous to both man and beast there being no railing of any kind on the jetty leading in and out of the punt across the river Molyneux. A case happened the other day which fully bears out the necessity of such a work being done at once. As the coach was coming off the punt a few days ago the leading horse shied, and, in spite of all the exertions of the driver, he fell off; the jetty into the water, thereby causing a long delay for the mails and, it might have been, some more serious accident. It is high time that the Government should see about making some improvement for the benefit of her Majesty's subjects who have to cross the river Molyneux.