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Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 24, 24 December 1874, Page 5

It will be observed by advertisement that the drum and fife band are requested to meet at Barr's Hall to-morrow morning, at 9 o'clock sharp. Our Inch Clutha correspondent writes: —A few cases ctf measles still hang about, and a great deal, of indisposition seems abroad just now. Within the week death has been making sudden inroads on our small community —in the one case Mrs T. M'Kinlay, a young woman in the bloom of life, and her infant babe were committed to the grave. Sincere sympathy is expressed for Mr M'Kinlay under his sad bereavement. The other case is that of Mr Barker, who died suddenly on Monday, at a matured age—being one of the oldest settlers of the Island. He was known to many and respected by all. None of his family are resident in this province. We observe our enterprising fellow, townsman, Mr John Jamie, watchmaker and jeweller, is decorating and improving bis shop, and re-arranging his choice selection of goods, of which he appears to have a suitable assortment for Christmas and New # Year's presents. Mr Jemie informs us it is an annual custom of his'to make his shop always about .this season, " a wee bit braw like," and that he adopted it before the flood. As the Clutha .Leader was not born at so early a date, we cannot vouch for the correctness of the statement.

We are requested to state that Divine Service will be held in the Court House, Balclutha, on Christmas day, at 11 a.m The Rev. Mr. Withey will officiate.

The Committee of the Balclutha school has postponed the examination, which was to have taken place on the 23rd instant, until after the holidays, on account of so many of the scholars having been absent from school through measles.

It will be seen in our advertising columns that Mr Wm. Viae, proprietor of A 1. Kaitangata Coal Pit, is now prepared to supply a superior quality of coal in unlimited quantity, at a moderate price.

Waggoners, travellers, and others will be pleased to learn that tbe Stoney Creek Hotel is again open. The old host, "Mr W. Rae, proprietor, will be a sufficient guarantee that the refreshments supplied will be of superior quality.

Mr. Alexander Bain, of Clyde- street Balclutha, has now got his extensive fur-* niture premises into lull working order, and in his front shop is to be seen furniture of every description— suitable either for the merchant's drawing-room or the humble cottage.

A correspondent writing from Ahuriri, Glenomaru, ef the 1 5th inst., says: — There is nothing stirring in the Flat. The grain crops are looking very well, and turnip sowing is being brought to a close. The warm moist weather we have had lately suits pasture land here, as well as it does other places, indeed better, for the land is apt to get very dry in summer. The measles are in the district, but they have not yet reached tbe Flat. There are, however, between thirty and forty children here, and it is not likely that they will be disappointed of a visit from' this malady of young people.

We have it on the authority of the Juvenile portion of the community that it is a very difficult thing to catch eels in the Molyneux this season. They are said to be getting very scarce and shy. It appears that,since 1858, when Government railways were commenced, Victoria has spent on their construction and maintenance the sum of Ll 1,439,429. The total length of Government lines at the end of 1873 was 360 miles, and the total cost of construction was 1.10,815,880, or at the rate of L 30,212 per mile. In addition to the above there were, seventeen miles of " private lines," which had been constructed at a cost of L 859 ,979, or L 50.587 per mile. At the end of 1873, therefore, Victoria had 377 miles of railway, the construction of which had cost 1.11,675,859. The receipts for goods and passenger traffic on Government and private lines amounted in all to L 1,005,059 for the year, and it is worthy of note tbat the proportion of receipts on private lines was far in advance of that on those owned by the Government.

It is telegraphed from Wellington' that Captain Sharp, at Nelson, an amateur astronomer, succeeded in taking a perfect observation of the egres3 in the . transit of Venus. By chronometer time, -compared by telegraph with Dr Hector, it was found that a difference of two minutes, existed, It is intended to compare the time of this chronometer for a few days, and, if found reliable, it is thought the observation will be of scientific value, and Major Palmer will proceed to Nelson in connection with the observation.

A Clinton correspondent writes — A waggon and team of horses belonging to Mr. Knox, had a narrow escape, which might have proved fatal under less very favorable circumstances. The waggon was loaded with lime and powder, and was left standing a short distance from the Royal Mail Hotel. One of the residents of the hotel, upon going out during the evening, observed smoke rising from the waggon, and immediately informed the landlord of the hotel. Upon ascertaining the cause it was found that the rain had penetrated to the lime, which had caused it to catch fire. On the top of this lime stood two barrels of gunpowder, which were just removed in time to avoid the catastrophy which must have been the consequence.

The shearing in the Waiwera district is nearly finished. Mr Gibson, Ashley Downs, commenced on Monday last, 21st instant, and the clip to all appearance will be exceedingly good. Mr Tolmie commenced shearing this week, with every prospect of a fine clip. The few showers which have taken place during the last week have proved highly beneficial to the growing crops, which are looking very healthy, and the farmers are anticipating a fruitful harvest.

Our correspondent at Kaihiku informs us that Messrs Arnot and Angus are busily at work making a line of road commencing at a point adjoining the Main South Road, and running direct across the district towards the Kaihiku ranges. This improvement will doubtless be a great boon to thesettlers on tbe other side of the flat, as it considerably shortens the distance to the main road. The crops are looking well in tbe district, and the yield is expected to exceed the average.

We resret to learn that about ten days ago, Mr Thomas Spence of Wairuna, got himself rather severely injured. It appears that Mr Spence was returning from Tapa* nui with a load of timber. In going to the head of the horse in the shafts, he was struck on the shoulder by the projecting timber and knocked down. Fortunately the dray did not go on him ; that if it had done so, it must have killed or very seriously maimed him, as there was about 1000 feet of timber on the dray at the time. The wheel grazed the side of his leg the whole of its length, and we hear it is very much bruised and discolored. Mr Spence is very seriously indisposed in the house of a neighbour. We trust he will soon recover from the effects of his accident.

A correspondent from Wairuna says— Your readers will recollect that the.weather during the late lambing season was very inclement. Indeed many of them will have only too good reason to remember it. Still the per centage of lambs is higher than was at one time expected. In the district of Waipahee we hear of flocks in which the per centage was 55, and of others in which it was nearly 80. True, we have heard of flocks in which the per centage was very much less than the first-men-tioned number, but in these cases the ewes were of an inferior description. This is the worst lambing season that has been during the last nine years.

It will be seen from our advertising

columns that at Clinton, on New Year's Day, there are to be races, athletic sports, &c The pleasure-seeking community of that district may rely on a good day's enjoyment.

The plans of the new English Church at Balclutha have been approved of by the Committee, tenders for which will be advertised in our neat issue. . An accident, attended with rather serious consequences, occurred on Tuesday last at Waitapeka. It appears that a coach belonging to Messrs Yeend and M'Neil was proceeding to Catlin's River, for the purpose of conveying hands employed at the

saw mill to Balclutha, en

route for

Dunedm, where they proposed spending the holidays. Upon reaching tbe vicinity of Mr D. Whytock's store, the pole of the vehicle broke, and the horses bolted. A spring cart, loaded with merchandise, was

standing at the door of the store, and in passing the coach came into violent contact with it, upsetting the cart, its contents being scattered about and damaged. In attempting to arrest the horses a man named Neil Moley was knocked down, the wheels passing over his chest and otherwise injuring him severely, if not dangerously. Captain Keenan, a passenger by the coach, was also injured in his endeavors to check the horses, and the driver, James Strachan, was thrown from his seat. When pulled up the coach wa9 found to be so much injured, that the further prosecution of the innrnfiv V»«f_ rr. lio alutiflnnpd