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Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 129, 29 December 1876, Page 3

• As has hitherto been our practice in Christmas week, our issue of to-day only contains six pages. The unusual pressure of reports of school examinations, holidny sports, etc., has necessitated a great deal of local and other matter to be held over for a week. We daresay, however, our readers will recognise the justic. of the members of a newspaper staff, in common with the rest of the community, being allowed a little relaxation at this season. Jt'is the practice with other newspapers, and for our own part we think the Leadee staff has well earned a holiday. As enquiries are sometimes made in the reference to the doings of the Council of tlie Otago Convention, we believe we are right in sayirg that the business committed to them has been 'prosecuted with all possible dispatch, and is likely shortly to be brought to a sati-facfcory termination. The matter st.inds thus : Mr Mac* •andrew has for some time past been ready to start on his home iniss.ou, but delay 'has arisen •through Sir George Grey being laid up by indisposition at Kawau. A telegram was received from him on Wednesday that he is quite propared to start,- and will be in Auckland in a few days to make final arrangements. The children attending the various Sunday schools in Balclutha will find something that will' interest them in our advertising columns. Crops at Inch Clutha are looking extremely well, and a good harvest : is expect 3. The settlers already feel the new bridge to be a great convenience. We have pleasure in calling attention to the sports to be held at Clinton on New Year's day, the programme of which will be found in another column. The Rev. Mr Edmonds, Church of England minister, intends holding a monthly sei - . vice in the Wairuna Schoolhouse. This will prove a great boon to the members of that denomination in tho Wairuna, who have hioherto been unable to attend services regularly, owing 1 to the church being so far distant. The election in the Waipahi Hiding has resulted in tho return of Captain Mackenzie. The election was hotly contested, though Mr Taylor was rather late in coming into the field. He, however, succeeded in obtaining a majority in the Wairuna, but the electors about Glen- | kenich all came 'forward and decided for the Captain. A cricket match will be played here tomorrow' afternoon between the Cricket Club and : our local volunteers. The challenge came from •the cricketers to play a game at cricket, the Titurn match being a rifle competition. Play will commence at 1.30 p m., sharp. The "team for the club will be : - lienner, Hawson, <T, Hence •- son. D. Het-d'erson, Hendry, Moore, Keasly, Spence, Mooney, Jenkinson, Hutchins ; extra man, Joyce. The team (of 15) for the volunteers Will be ' — Capt. M'Neil, Lieut. Henderson, Sergts. Cowie and Mason, Vols. Anderson, Hogg, ■. Barr, Frier, Forsyth, Legge, Stanbrook, Holland, Pink, Jas. M'Neil, and Thompson ; extra men, Ravnes, Evans, Dougherty. Lady Normanby has been suffering from a severe illness, and for a time her life was despairedof by her medical -attendants. She :'s how recovering. A concert aiid soiree on behalf of the school funds was held at Port Molyneux on the evening of 'Friday, the 22nd inst. The weather, as seems to have been lately the case at any such gatherings >in the Port, after being very 'fine for some days previously, managed to change for the worse just about the time 'for assembling, and having commenced, continued with a steady downpour until early -next morning; The wet, \ however, had little or 'no effect tipon 'the attend- j auce, as the hall was Completely filled with a numerous and "happy company. The ilev. Mr Morris occupied the chair. After an excellent tea, which was prepared under the 'superintendence of Mr A. Paterson, and to which 'full justice was done, the work of the eveuing -commenced. And here 'occurs a rather difficult matter in the report of any such meeting. Where all c_£d so Well, it seems sorrieWhat invidious to single out one or more names for particular com- , mendation, and yet to repeat a list of singers and so*Qg9 partakes more of the nature of a programme than a local. Yet we cannot but mention how 'much the Committee were indebted to the abl6 accompaniment 'of Mrs T. T. Ritchie, with the harmonium, and to the vocal powers of .-Cr Millar, the former teacher of Port Molyneux, who hap-bened most opportunely to'dropaaon a< visit that very day. After a vote of thanks to the chairman and singers, by Mr James Patersontlie first work of the company was ended, and the floor ; was cleared for dancing, yhich was kept up with great spirit until an early hour next morning) when al} separated after a most enjoyable meeting.

Dr Hulme, Dunedin, died suddenly about 10 o'clock on. Wednesday morning.

We (Daily Times) regret to learn by private telegrams from Napier that Sir Donald M'Lean is sinking fast, ■ The frame of the Inch Clutha newchurch was partly set up a few days ago. The contractor seems te be loosing no time with bis work. The Clinton- Waipahi Railway is fast approaching completion. Mr Coventry's subcontract, the deepest, and probably the longest, cutting on the section-, will be finished this week. What appeared very like a case of suicide by drowning occurred in Balclutha yesterday afternoon, but as many 'are of opinion that it is only a hoax, we forbear saying more till the mystery shall have been cleared up. On Sunday evening next, being tlie last evening of the year, there will be a special service at St. Mark's Church, Balclutha, commencing at 11 o'clock, and ending shortly after midnight. This will take the place of the usual evening service. In connection with To Houka singing (.lass, an entertainment will be given in the schoolhouse on Friday evening next, 29th December, commencing at 8 o'clock-. Admission, one shilling. Several ladies aud gentlemen from Balclutha have kindly promised their services. In consequence of one of the members of the Dramatic Olub (Mr W. M'Ewen) being very suddenly taken ill, the Club was Hot able to give its performance on Boxing Night, in our advertising columns will he found the programme for New Year's night. Mr W. Bringezu, Milton, lias some fine photographs of the natives of the Sandwich and Fiji Islands, and sundry other curiosities, including a conical mother-of-pearl shell, a beautiful bunch of co,nd, kc. The latter only wants the ai-tist's touch to convert it into a bed of pinks. A shearer at Mr Stewart's, Waitepeka, came across a curious freak ef nature the other day — a ewe with six. legs and eight feet. The two extra legs, which she partially uses for locomotion, are placed betsveen the two ordinary fore legs, and the two additional feet without legs are placed on the brisket between the two extra legs. She also seems to have double shoulders. She is in good health, had a good fl.--.ece, and had a lamb this season. There was nothing peculiar about her offspring. The crops are looking very well in the Waikaka district. The district was visited lately by some fine showers just at the right time, as the grass crops were beginning to be burnt up. The grass is now very good, and the farmers are in hopes of good returns this harvest. Mr M'Causjhan, of Wentwood, has 500 acres of wheat lookiug splendid. The land was sowu with turnips last year, and f«d off by sheep, so it is likely it will turn out well. The children attending the SundaySchool, Lovells Flat, had their annual picnic at Mr ("barles Bowie's on Christmas Day. After enjoying themselves in the numerous sports, singing, and last bat not least, the abundance of good things provided hy Mrs Bowie, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr and Mrs Bowie for thi.-ir kindness, and the company se pirated. The children were under the superintendence of Messrs Marshall and Bowie, and everything passed off most agreeably. It is pretty well known that, as a rule, the most profitable line of life in this country fer the amount of capital invested, is hotel-keeping, but it is not so generally understood that the cause ot this is not to be sought in 'the price of the 80".alled nobbier as in the quantities doled out. This abuse is in some instances becoming so notorious that Government supervision to necassita'te the use of standard measures is becoming absolutely requisite ; and 'we would recommend some of the publicans in the Clutha Coun^v (we won't particularise the Riding), if tliey wish to avoid such supervision, to invest in some standard measures, and accustom their eye*. to the quantities contained by ohem.