Coal Creek.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 895, 6 April 1877, Page 6

Coal Creek.

♦ (From our Horseshoe Bend correspondent.) Since my last I have been on a rambling expedition into the adjoining district. There is, however, very little news to give you of any interest to your readers. The crops hereabout are for the greater part thrashed, and the yield has not been bad at all. As for the fruit, with which this district abounds, it has beeu very plentiful this season. I have seen specimens of apples grown in the garden of Mr Maxwell that would do credit to any Horticultural Society's Show. The people of this locality are talking of building a school for themselves, having too far to go to Roxburgh, and not having tbe number required for the Government subsidy. It is very strange, to say the least of it, how the Government apparently manages the affair of the school subsidies, as to my own knowledge there are several places in tbe Colony where the settlers are in a similar position to those of Coal Creek. Schools are wanted, and badly wanted, but the necessary number of children is not there, and thus those tbat are must either go without education at all or travel daily 12 to IS miles backwards and forwards, which in winter, with bad roads, almost becomes impracticable for children. The township of Roxburgh gives good Dromise of becoming quite a flourishing little place, if we are to judge by the numerous buildings going up in every direction. Mr Beigbton and Messrs McKay Brothers are building new stores of brick which, when finished, will have a very solid -and really imposing appearance The bridge over the Molyneux is as fine and noble a structure of tbat kind of architecture as you can see iv the country. There is rather a melancholy story attached to it though. The builder of it, a man of the name of David McDonald, after finishing it, went to Dunedin for his payment, and there, literally speaking, drank himself to death. Poor mun, be was highly respected by all who knew him, and tbe only failing he had was too great a love for the glass. Mining matters go on steadily here, all the claims being at work, though no extraordinary finds are made, still they appe&r to he doing well. The harmony meetings of the 1.0. G.T. I^odge in Roxburgh appear to be taking wsll, and are said to bave had good effect already It is to be hoped they will continue to be patronised as they deserve.