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Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 48, 10 June 1875, Page 5

The projected railway communication to Kaitangata is reported as having had the effect of making property in that place increase steadily in value.

The buildiDg operations going on at present in and about the township of Jfaitangata, are something astonishing. No fewer than five new stores are in course of erection at the present time, Messrs Carson and Moore, builders, being for the most part the contractors. Both the Bridge Hotel and the lately constructed Granton Pier Hotel, are, we believe, about to be enlarged.

We have been requested to draw attention to the fact, that in accordance with the wish of the newly* appointed secretary, Mr J. M. Russell, the monthly meetings of tlie new Building Society have been altered from the second to the third Wednesday of each month. The first meeting for receiving subscriptions, etc., will take place at the Council Chambers, Balclutha, on Wednesday, the 16th inst., at '7 30 p.m., when the secretary will submit the Seciety's rules for approval of the shareholders.

On many of the farms in and around Inch Clutha, Kaitangata, etc, the yield of potatoes this year has been equal to fifteen tons per acre. Pheasants are reported to have become extremely numerous on the ranges in and around Coal Point, Kaitangata, and neighborhood. We beg to direct attention to the fact that the auction sale advertised by Messrs. Capstick, Duthie, and Co., to be held at Puerua, on the 18ch, has been postponed till the 25th instant. An extraordinary yield of long white Tartar oats oa Inch Clutha, has been reported to us. The yield was 125 bushels to the acre, the paddock in which they were grown being a four acre paddock belonging to Mr W. Ferguson. An advertisement in another column announces that a meeting of the subscribers to the Athenaeum will be held in the new building this (Thursday) evening, for the purpose of adopting bye- laws, and transactin other business preparatory to the formal opening of the building. Mr James Barclay, MP., gave notice that be would move, in the House of Commons, on the 20. h April, that it be an intimation to the Select Committee on Loans to Foreign States to inquire into the circumstances attending the issue in Great Britain of the New Zealand Loans. Tbe second section of the Mataura railway from Woodlands to Mataura was formally opened on Monday. A free train, consisting of fifteen carriages crammed full of people, left Invercargill at 11 a.m. A great many took advantage of the trip. I The day was observed as a holiday. We have much pleasure in directing the attention of our readers to the announcement'in our advertising columns that Mr Alexander Stewart has, at the request of a number of the ratepayers consented to allow himself to be put in nomination for the Mayoralty of Balclutha at the forthcoming election. Writing on the 31st ult., our Catlins River correspondent reports— The Jane Hannah, Isabella, Fanny, and Lloyd's Herald, are all lying in the pool waiting for a chance to get out, and the Dagmar in the bay waiting to get in. The sea on the : bar ia much too high for the light winds that have prevailed for some days past. The first sod of the Kaitangata Railway will be turned on Friday the 18th instant, by Sir John L. C. Kicbardson. The ceremony is announced to take place at or about the Kaitangata Creek Bridge at 1 p.m. Mr Murphy, of the Bridge Hotel, has, we are informed, received instructions to prepare a luncheon for forty guests, so that wv judge from that fact, that the. director (f ceremonies does not mean to neglect creature comforts on the occasion. Our Catlins River correspondent writes : — I understand both of the saw mills here have been restricted as to the quantity ot timber to be supplied. Thi9 has had the effect of a good many hands being paid off. That is rather a bad job, for at this season of the year work is not by any means too plentiful. I have not heard of any reason being assigned for this restriction, but I suppose it is consequent upon advices to the effect that, the market is at present well stocked with sawn timber. .

It is reported that Mr Vogel has sent out his resignation, to be used at the discretion of his colleagues, and in cse they wish to get anyone else to join them before the session. The Civil List Amendment Act, 1873, restricts the number of Ministers to seven. So no one could join the Ministry now unless some one else resigns Mr Vogel's resignation, however, as Premier, would involve that of the Ministry. Sir Donald M'Lean has not yet arrived. The date of meeting of Parliament will be determined immediately be arrives. It is certain to be about July 20th.

At the close of the English Church service on Sunday evening, the Rev. Mr Withey announced that the new church of St. Marks, Balclutha, would be formally opened on Thursday next, 17th inst., by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Dunedin/ the service to commence at 11 a.m. A tea meeting will be held in the evening at Barr's Hall, to celebrate the opening, at which Sir J. L. C. Richardson, the Bishop of Dunedin, and other clergymen will deliver addresses, interspersed with selections of sacred music.

The ordinary meeting of the Town Council was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. There were present the Mayor (in the chair), and Councillors Dunne, Kilgour, and Mason. After the formal business had been transacted, tenders were opened for supplying 100 yards of metal for the main road through East Ward, and that of John Nelson, for the sum of L 34 lis 8d was accepted. Teni ders were also opened for formation, cutting and metalling Hasboirrgh Road, to connect the old Corporation contract, and the Go- , vernment contract. That of Jas. Doberty, for the sum of L 36 Is was accepted. Councillor Dunne moved tbat the reserve below the high- water mark, at tbe end of Renfrew-street, as also the 80 acre paddock on the east side of the river, be let by public auction on conditional leases. A discussion ensued as to the right of the Council to let the two former reserves, and ultimately the motion was carried. We are happy to be able to state that the Edith Reid, whose perilous position, as she lay grounded on the bar of the Molyneux, was referred to in our last issue, was got safely afloat at high water on Saturday < afternoon. Under the charge of Captain Russell the cargo was discharged, and the. vessel is now safe at anchorage in the Molyneux harbor. Although from the first no serious doubts were entertained about getting her off, still, under certain conditions of the weather, her position might have been rendered one of considerable danger. Our Port Molyneux correspondent furnishes the following particulars respecting the re« launching of the craft : — " Notwithstanding the rough weather on Saturday, all the available hands in the township and neighborhood were mustered to assist in discharging cargo. They commenced at daylight in the morning, and wrought with a will. High water took place at 2 p.m., when she was hove-off, and brought safely round to the beacb near the place where the stern- wheel steamer was built. The remainder of her cargo has been discharged, and will be forwarded to Kaitangata per Balclutha. Although the Edith Reid has sustained but very little damage, it will nevertheless be necessary to proceed to Port Chalmers with the -first favorable opportunity to get ah overhaul.

We fire informed .• that Mr Charles Finlayson, of Wairuna, Clinton- has dis> posed, of hia property there, consisting of 125 acres, to' Mr Muir, of Clinton, at nearly L 5 per acre. This augurs well for Wairuna.

An application made by Mr R. B. Williams to occupy half of a acre of the village reserve in block 6, Waipahee district, made to the Waste Land Board was referred to the Government.

Messrs Stoddart Bros., of Kaitangata, state that they lately caught several dozen eels in the Molyneux opposite their store, some of them weighing as much as ninteen pounds; the . majority averaged about sixteen pounds.

An application made by Messrs Calder and Harvey {Invercargill) for 21 years lease of a mill site at Mataura Bridge township, for the purpose . of erecting a paper factory, was read at the lasfmeeting of the Waste Land Board. The decision of the Board was postponed for further consideration.

We learn that wheat and oats' in large quantities continue to arrive for shipment at Port Molyneux from Puerua, Warepa, and the Waitapeka districts. The Aliuriri settlers likewise continue to send down their grain. A good demand exists, at the Port for both wheat and rat*", prices beinga shade in advance of Balclutha quotations. Potatoes are in good demand.

On dit, coining half sovereigns has lately been a source of profitable amusement to a few not far from our municipality. We are reliably informed that by placing a sixpenny* piece in the mouth and then smoking a cigar that the coin will afterwards resemble that of a golden one in color. We wou'd therefore advise our readers to be cautious in receiving change, particularly at night-time.

The following have been passed by the Provincial Council as miscellaneous appropriations for the ensuing financial year : Prizes for draining ploughs, L 15 0; analytical chemist, L 250; immigration, L 1000; geological survey, L 1000; compensation for cancellation of leases of runs, Ll2 000 ; introduction of salmon, LIOOO ; compensation for roacls and deviation, L 100 0; immigrants* cottages, L7OOO. We extract the following from the report of the Waste Land Board meeting held last week : — Ranger Hungerford (Catlins) wrote concerning the let'er ot Messrs M'Phee and Phillips, of the 22nd ult., explaining the statements of those gentlemen, and adding that he supposed he had a right to carry a gun with him when in the bush so long as he knew how to manage it. Mr Hungerford also said that he was quite prepared and willing for the dispute to go Wore a Court a law. The. letter was simply read by the Board. •

At the quarterly meeting of the Presbytery held in Dunedin la9t wee"-, the&ev. Mr Will moved— "That this Presbytery having taken into consideration the overture of instrumental mus'c, resolves to approve generally of the overture, and to send it down to kirk sessions for their consideration." Mr W. D. Stewart seconded the motion. Mr King, Green Island, moved as an amendment — M That the overture be simply sent to kirk sessions to get an amendment." The motion was carried by 14 to 2

On Friday last the ketch Good Templar had a narrow escape from getting beached on the Molyneux Bar, not far from the spot where the Edith Reid went ashore. *•* he was coming in, in tow of the Lady of the Lake When both vessels had got fairly in amongst the breakers, the tow line snapprd, and but for the fact, that the master had . taken the precaution of keeping his sails set, she would have been left entirely at the mercy of the rollers. A« it was, she had barely sufficient time to put about-ship and make out into the bay. Subsequently she was picked up again by the steamer, and brought safely into the river. We have heard great praise awarded to the master of the ketch for the promptitude he displayed in handling the vessel in the emergency. We have tbe following report of the shipping trade done at Catlins River during the month ending 31st ultimo : Seven vessels, representing 268 tons register, were entered inwards ; and two, representing 214 tons, outwards. Two of the vessels dispatched sailed for Dunedin; two for Waikouiti, one fer Timaru, and one for Molyneux. The latter vessel was the Pioneer, which put into the river on the Bth instant, duting a heavy gale from the no th-east. Her master considered that the sea at tbe time was much too heavy to warrant him ' attempting the Molyneux Bar. Only one of these crafts loaded at the Owake, the others being freighted, with timber from the " big" mill. The weather during the month has been oroken and unsettled, causing a cons-derable amount of vexatious delay to vessels going in and getting out."

Matau District Road Board held us monthly meeting on Monday, the 31st ult., at 1 p.m. The members present, were — Metiers. Geo. Inglis (chairman), J. M Don» aid, J. Bell, and P. Smith. Three tender*were laid before the Board for ditching and boxing required on the Island, Inch Clutha subdivision. Ist. Geo. Neil, ditching, 13s per chain ; boxing : material, black pine, red birch, or totara, at L3l 10s. 2nd. James Muir, ditching, 18s per chain.; boxing : material, red birch, L 34 10s ; black pine, L 37 16* 6J.; totara, L 39 18a 61. 3rd. James M'Kinlay, ditching, 19s 3d per chain'; boxing,. constructed either of totara, black pine, or red birch, for L 25 103. Geo. Neil's tender was accepted ; boxes and ditching to be completed eight weeks from date of aoceptahce, according to the specifications issued by the Board. In reference to a letter received from Mr Dickson, the members present unanimously agreed to meet Mr Dickson at the School house Road, Inch Clutha, on Thursday, the 3rd inst, at 3 p.m., and examine the grounds of his complaint — in re drainage. Tne clerk was directed to write Mr Fynraore, stating the Board would like to have a map supplied according to the style represented m his letter. It was resolved to have the posi- | tion of the Hill-road lately metalled, { blinded, so as_ to enable traffic to pass thereon, as in its present state it was considered too rough. Mr Inglia was empowered to have the necessary quantity] laid on, and the ruts on each side filled up. The necessity of a bridge from the main road to the swamp— above Mr James King's— -was considered _ and discussed ; tenders to be called for the construction of a bridge at this point, in the mean time specifications are to be made but by the Board for those works* Accounts ; were, presented and passed, after which the meet--" ing adjourned.