KAITANGATA.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 11, 17 September 1874, Page 5

KAITANGATA.

«Tt only requires the completion of the road from Balclutha to Kaitangata, and the maintenance of the same in a proper state of repair, to insure that locality being the favonte resort tor an afternoon's ride or drive by the pleasure seekers of Balclutha, or the many hundreds wbo will no doubt visit the rtivtrict during tbe ensuing summer months, or, at all events, a? soon as the railway shall have opened up a speedy communication with the metropolis. At last session of Provincial Council the necessary funds were voted for tbe formation of that portion of the road from Balclutha along the river bank to the railway, and those whose duty it is should urge upon the Government that the work be at once carried out. Were this done the whole road to Kaitangata would b«; almost a dead level. In consequence, however, of the heavy traffic it has had to Sustain during tbe past winter even that portion of the road which has been formed and gravelled, is now much cut up, and should receive a" heavy coat of gravel or metal during the summer months. For a considerate distance the r- ad passes through swampy ground, and although it has been gravelled the coat hag not >been sufficiently thick to bc-ar the weight of the heavy waggons which have been sent for coal, railway material, &c, and the' cons-quence is that in eo-ne places the road ha 9 been all but impassable. . Leaving the bridge at Balclutha the road. whm formed, will" follow the river baM till passing the railway bridge . (to be), thence in an even line to the Kaitangata juncriou, then aioDg tbe bend of the river for a short distance, and across the swamp to Kaitangata. Upon the left-hand a portion of the way the land is in. its natural state, and extensive drainage operations will be necessary before it can be brought under cultivation. On the right is the river,and on the opposite bank ' Inch Clutba,— "the Garden of , Otago," as it has appropriately been termed, —with the residences ot Messrs Pillans, Ferguson, and t .- n< stling pleasantly in the shelter of the maunifictnt bushes by which they are surrounded. Further still on the right, but on the mainland, i* the family residence, of the Messrs

;. Dr." Pollen will act as ihe head, of the. Government during Mr. Vogel's absence. It is noticed in the General -Government • Gazette ' that James Ark le, Esq,,. Mtyonof Palmerston, has been appointed a Justice of the Peace. ' , Last week, a purse of 7>l sovereigns was presented to the Rev JVJr. Ryley, of Otepopo,b}|the ladies' of his congregation; It has been suggested to us 'Southland News ' by a correspondent that it would be most advantageous tp the district to re- ship for home the unemployed portion of the Carrick Ca?tle*s passengers. He thinks a . subscription list J'qr the purpose would berapidly rolled up, and offers to head it witb I a guinea. The idea is well worth consideration, for the people referred to care ' not only undesirable additions to our population, but a disgrace to the country tbey came from. The Dunolly Express reports a recent singular and fatal accident at Moliagul :—• As several young lads were returning homewards from church, tbey commenced racing one another, when one of their number, named Little, finding himself hard pressed by a lad next following him, in his effort to keep ahead stumbled oyer a heap of mullock near an old shaft on the outside of the Derby line of reef, and rolling, over fell down the shaft, a depth of 65ft. and was killed— his pursuer narrowly escaping the sam e fate. The ' Arrow Observer ' is informed that while fn Dunedin, Mr. Pritchard met with much encouragement in the matter of the proposed Woollm-Factory at Hayes Creek, the general opinion beingthat the schem.e was one worthy of support. In the district itself^ many influential and wealthy men have promised to take large interests in the new industry, and there is no doubt when it is placed on the market it will be quickly and successfully floated. A sad story reaches us (Southern Cross) from Waiuku, exhibiting a most repugnant phase of maori life, that, may well call for the intervention of the philanthropist. It seems that amongst other habits and customs stiil retained hy the natives the desertion of their aged and infirm kinsfolk is still a commo.n and recognised praciice. We are informed by our correspondent at Waiuku that the dead body of a Maori woman of advanced age was discovered in a state of nudity, lying in a delapidated whare, by Mr Ernest King. The poor creature, had been callously left to her fate by her relatives. What thatfate was is recorded in the verdict of the coroner's jury who enquired into the cause — ■ VVanfc of the common necessaries of life," in other words, starvation.