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Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 150, 25 May 1877, Page 5

PThe members of Committee of the Clua Horticultural Society will observe that a eetiDg is called . for Tuesday evening sit tbe rmors' Arms Hotel.

The Matau and Olutha Ploughing Watch Committee meet in Balclutha at 7.30 p.m. on Friday next.

We have to call a^e^ilfo.jhp the alteration of sale at Invertrf^l^^l^oSl^i'Si) from The tiniber for *"^^^^^^^^^^^^ has teen carted gratuitously by^n^p^^^^^ tiers, and the building will be commelicf?l^m||| In this issue -will be found a letter by Mr J". W. Thomson upon the Waitepeka devia-. tion question, and ita connection with the delay of the formation, of the railway between Balcluthft and Clinton. Tapanui ejects an early visit from its Parliamentary representative, Mr Horace JBasI tings, when utterances may be looked for as to hopes, wants, and wishes of that district. Mr Bastings, Mr John Howat, and Air Jas. Rodgers are spoken of as not unlikely candidates for the vacancy which -will soon •oocur in the Riding. It will be remembered that Mr Wayne, of Akatore, recently advertised in our columns farms varying in size from 150 to upwards of 1000 acres for sale on deferred payments to extend over a period of five years. We understand Mr Wayne has already placed seven of these farms, so that there is every likelihood of the Akatore district being shortly settled with a thriving community. We regret to learn that Mr Pollock's horse, Telemachus, met with an accident here on Tuesday. Ifc appears that while taking a canter on the racecourse he slipped and fell, receiving a pretty severe shock, and straining the muscles of a hind leg. Telemachus was entered for the Maiden Plate in ©unedin yesterday, but the untimely accident prevented him fulfilling his engagements. A Warepa correspondent writes : — f A number of sportsmen from Balclutha have lately visited our district, and in spite of the intense cold continued to spread a considerable quantity of lead among the pheasants. Happily the birds ■generally managed to fly Ibefc ween the particles of the shot, and only one of these sportsmen managed to make a bag.'.'

An accident which narrowly escaped serious results occurred at Clinton on Monday last to Dr Smith. He was driving a buggy and pair, and had occasion to call at Messrs Scope's store, whence, immediately upon his alighting, the horses bolted. He ab once gave chase, and had nearly overhauled them, when they swerved, causing the hind wheel to come In contact with him, by which he was thrown down and severely shaken, 'although, we are happy to say no bones were broken. Enquiries frequently reach us regarding the progress of the formation of the Clutha Yeomanry. We therefore explain that an application was at once forwarded to His Excellency the Governor, requesting him to accept the services of the corps. This application was returned last week for some formal information required by the Executive when considering the application. This information was at once supplied, and the result of the application is ©ow flatly expected. When this is received we shall give it due publicity. A meeting convened at the Town-hall, Tapanui, on Saturday last, by the Mayor (Mr A. Allan), to urge the Government to open up a road through the Waipahi Gorge from the Pomahaka Bridge to the railway, was adjourned, the attendance being scanty ewing to the fact that the District Committee was in session, at Noble's Hotel at the same time. We trust whea this adjourned meeting takes places that there will be a good muster, as the early opening up of such a road is a matter of much importance to the district.

In this issue we give a pretty full report of the proceedings of the Inch Clutha congregation in connection with the opening of their newchurch. The report embraces a historical sketch of the congregation from its formation ; a description of the new building ; the opening services on Sabbath last, including a verbatim report of the first sermon preached in the building, the preacher being Professor Salmond ; and a brief report of the soiree on Tuesday evening. As a considerable number of the members of the congregation have expressed their desire to procure extra copies of this issue, we will, in order to accommodate all -such, send a messenger round the Island to-morrow, who will supply them. Tlte f ortaightly sixpenny readings came off at Warepa on Friday evening. There was a large attendance, and the programme was gone through in a very creditable manner. Among the readers may be mentioned the names of Messrs Waddell, Strachan, Howie, Moore, and Mrs Cooper, who were each greeted with .loud applause. Among the singers were Miss Gregg, Misses Hogg and Stoddart (duet), and Mr L. Falconer. Each of these songs were well sung, and Miss Gregg responded to a loud encore with the " Braes o' Balquhidder." Mr Samuel Young recited " O, ha'e ye seen my Jamie ?" and in answer to an encore gave another about water drinking. After the usual votes of thanks had been passed, dancing was begun, when a goodly number of young people fully enjoyed themselres for & few hours. There seems to be a mistake in the minds of some as to the hour at which the readings begin. The Committee fixed the hour at 7 o'clock sharp, in order that the dancing might cease at a timely hour. The next meeting ta&es place on Friday week, when a. , good programme is promised. On tlie occasion of Mr Alex. Archbald, storekeeper, at Mataura Bridge, leaving for Sydney for the health of himself and family.^ a few of his friends and well-wishers met at Mr Cameron's Hotel to entertain him and bid him , good-by. Mr M'Gibbon senior wascalled to the chair, .and immediately proposed the health of the guest in characterise c style, and dwelt upon the social and genial qualities of Mr Archbald, whose integrity, probity, and straightfor- j wardness won for himself the esteem of the I people of the district, and so far as his name was . known in!the Colony. At the conclusion he pre- ' sented Mr Archbald, in the name of the people of the district; with a handsome purse well lined ; with soverigns as a parting gift of their good ' wishes. Mr Archbald made a feeling reply. , ; The evening was spent in toast, sentiment, and song,; : to the satisfaction of all present. Mr Archbald left on "Wednesday by way of Bluff, leaving many sorrowing friends, and taking with him the good wishes, of all.' , "We need scarcely add that the arrangements made by Mr Cameron, and all the good things accompanying the" same; fully sustains the good name he has already earned.

The second readings for the season took place at the Puerua Schoolhouse, on Wednesday evening, but a report has not yet reached us. On Sunday evening at dusk a large meteor was seen in the south-east In ths Warepa district. It was descending with great rapidity, j fjtos increased in brilliance as it fell. • j g^^^^iinfi.is now finished in the Puerua I P* i^^^^P'^^^^Sl^^Y^ have "been four mills at i *1 on the whole is sdifeto^^^^fefßMMifebJ9||^^fi^A>;«3 expected. A meeting of the local Rffl^fi^^^^^^ under the gresidency of Dt Smith, was*al»g|||»§ the Crown Hotel on Wednesday evening. Ip& was decided to accept Mr Dunne's offer of his new Hall for the purposes of the club, and the. first meeting to take place on the evening of Saturday, the 2nd pros.

The Minister of Justice has Trritten to a Dunedin Committee that the Government decline to continue the services of a chaplain for the Dunedin gaol. He expresses himself as confident that this duty would be best performed if the responsibility be left v-here it should rest — on the churches. - The Presbyterian Church at Mataura Bridge is now completed, and will be opened for divine worship on Sunday first by the Rev. Dr Stuart of Dunedin, who will preach forenoon and evening. The edifice is chaste and elegant, and the finish inside is such as would do honour to places of higher pretensions. Mr Main, the contractor, deserves the greatest praise for his really high-class workmanship, and the superior style in which the whole is finished. We have just seen a very handsome breach-loader, owned by Mr George Stanbrook, which has been converted from a muzzle-loader by Mr Sandilands of this town. This is the second weapon he has so transformed. In the present case, however, the gun has been fitted with a top lever action, and some late improvements. We believe Mr Sandilands is the only gunsmith in the Colony that has managed the operation above referred to, and the workmanship will bear the inspection of the most critical.

The Milton Amateur Minstrels gave their farewell performance in St. George's Hall, Milton, on Tuesday last, in aid of the Athenaeum funds. There was a very good attendance. "" The same performance was gone through as on the last occasion. The songs of Messrs J. Grant, Frank Grant, and C. King were very well rendered. Mr F. Bastings, as " Bones," kept the vliouse in roars of laughter. He is inimitable. The duet (piano and cornet) by Miss Marryatt and Mr J. Grant was one of the features of the evening. We notice in the shop of Messrs Walter Hislop and Co. here, a new description of kerosene lamp, by which the risk of accidents is greatly diminished. The special feature of the lamp is that the aperture through which the ' flame of the wick comes, instead of being in on piece, ismoveable. The aperture is kept open i by two springs, which are pressed down by two small weights. To }.ut out the lamp one has only to lift the weights. Should the lamp fall, the weights become released, and the burners closing tightly round the wick, is converted into an extinguisher. Messrs Hislop and Co. have also procured another new variety of lamps known as Waken eld's patent chimneyless burner, which gives an excellent light, «,nd is perfectly free from any smoke -or disagreeable odour.

A sad accident occurred near Clinton on Saturday last, to a little child, named Elizabeth Hall, aged 5 years. The father of the child, named Harry Hall, is a woodcutter, and" resides in Popotunoa bush. About four o'clock in the afternoon the motker .with the oldest boy, about seven years old, went out to gather some firewood, leaving the four younger children at home playing about the yard. After an absence of ten minutes she heard cries of the children in the direction of the hut. This made her run home, when she found the deceased missing, and one of the little ones saying something about " fire babby," which caused the mother to apprehend the danger- She rushed to a spot in the bush a few hundred yards from the hut, whence she saw some smoke rising, and on arriving saw what she at fii"st took to be a charred log of wood, but soon discovered it to be her child, completely burned black from the head down to the knees. The poor child was then alive and gave a fewmoans, and asked for her father, but expired about two hours afterwards. Dr Bogle was quickly on the spot and applied the usual remedies, but con Id 'do nothing to save the little sufferer. It would appear that the child had gone to the fireplace in the hut and overbalanced herself into the fire over some wires that were stretched across the front of the fireplace to keep the children from getting too near. An inquest was held by Dr Smith and a jury on the body on Monday last, when a verdict of accidental death was returned.

Mr J. W. Jago, G.W.G.T., Dunedin, delivered a lecture in the Athenaeum Hall on Wednesday evening. There was a good attendance of the members of the local Lodge, besides a sprinkling of the general public. Mr Cramond, ■chief of the Lodge here, occupied the chair, and i briefly introduced the lecturer, who delivered an -eloquent and most telling address upon the subject, " Does the Liquor Traffic Pay." We regret that space prevents us giving a resume of the lecture in this issue. Its delivery occupied an hour and three quarters, and at the close a hearty vote of thanks was, on the motion of Mr Robert Hogg, passed to the lecturer. Mr Jago then explained that he had been requested by the mem* r bers of th» Lodge Hope of Balclutha, to present one of their members, Miss C. Thomson, with a very handsome third degree collar, as a mark of the esteem in which she was held by the members, and in recognition of the zeal she had manifested on behalf of the Order. He explained that Miss Thomson had been a member since the institution of the Lodge ; had filled several offices, act' had been indefatigable in her exertions not only to promote the harmony and efficiency of the Lodge, but also to increase and keep ' up the membership. The handsome collar he regarded as a very - appropriate preseat— oise that did honour to Miss Thomson, and also to the members of the Lodge. Mr Jago handed Miss Thomson the collar amidst contimaed<arplause. One of the members present, as requested by Miss Thomson, acknowledged the compliment on her behalf. About twenty of the mem tiers, accom- : panied by Mr Jago, then retired to .Mr Grant's Temperance Hotel, where an excellent supper had been prepared, and where a very agreeable * hour was spent.

Yesterday being the Queen's Birthday, was generally observed as a holiday in Balclufcha, and a gco I many were distributed throughout the surrounding districts with, dog and gun.

We regret to have to record a severe accident to Mr Andrew Chapman, of this town. It appears; that Mr Chapman has for some time past been driving the mail cart to and from Port Molyneux for Mr Cunningham, the contractor hen at Puerua, pn the return trip on Tuesday, the horse commenced to kick and struck Chapman on the right leg, breaking it in two places below the knee. He was conveyed to Balclutha

jfcS&lierfl he was attended to by'Dr Smith, and we ||||Pa|||ij||ULW' progressing as favourably as could the serious nature of that the Sergeant of Police him to procure gravel from the police^M^cuplciji The Mayor and Councillor Olegg were appoinfteal to arrange the matter. — The following tenders were received for gravelling : — Ajax-street, J. C. Gordon, 17s 6d per chain j Donald Gordon, 18s 6d per chain. Spencer-street to Union-street, J. • 0. Gordon, lls 6d per chain. Cowper-street, J C. Gordon, 13s 6d per chain. Johnston -street J. O. Gordon, 19s 6d per chain. Formation, Ajax-street, J. C. Gordon, £11 lls ; D. Gordon, £14 5s. — Resolved that J. 0. Gordon's tenders be accepted. — A number of accounts were passed for payment. — The Council refused to take over the engine and appliances from the Fire Brigade. — It was decided to lay the channel in Eden-street with concrete, and that the footpaths be kerbed. — Councillor Gilbert was placed upon the Finance Committee, and Councillor M'Laren upon the "Works Committee. — It was resolved to resume lighting the town lamps, and the Clerk was instructed to procure tenders for the oil. — The Mayor suggested the necessity of building a. town hall, at a cost of about £600, and mentioned that ■the money could be got in debentures at 7 per , cent. Consideration of the matter was deferred.

John Allen, Clerk to the Greytown Road Board, Andrew Lees, Clerk to the Taieri Road Board, and William M'Leod, Clerk to ihe North Taieri Road Board, were severally brought \ip at the City Police Court, Dunedin, on Thursday last, charged, on the information of James Fulton, R.M., Registration Officer for the electoral district of the Taieri, within which the above Road Boards are situated,,. with having neglected to forward to him an alphabetical list of all males over 21 years of age who had been assessed and paid rates in respect to rateable property for the year ending 30th March, 1877. Mr Fulton said that he believed the Clerks of Road Boards of the Taieri districts were unacquainted with the provisions of the Act, and ho had elected to summon three of them for the purpose of causing the terms of the Act to be complied with. The highest penalty for the infringement of the Act was £100, bub he would only ask for a nominal one. The case of Jame3 Allan was dismissed, aa it appeared no rate had been struck for last year. The two otherg pleaded that they were not aware they had to perform the duty referred to— that they had not been supplied with the Act, and had received no instructions from their Boards upon the subject. The Magistrate held that to be no excuse, as they ought to know the law relating to' their duties. The Registration of Electors Act, 1875, laid the duty upon the Clerks, not upon the Boards, and therefore the Boards did not require to give instructions. Nominal fines of Is each and costs were inflicted.

A meeting of the Tapanui District Committee was held at Noble's Hotel, Tapanui, on the evening of Saturday, the 19th instant, to consider the position of affairs relative to the proposed now County. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, tbeOommittee addressed itself to the examination of the petition which Mr Creagh had' handed in, when it was found that there waa a goodly array of signatures from all the districts contemplated in the movement except the Beaumont and Teviot Ridiugs. After mature deliberation, and having regard to the public expressions of opinion which had come from these Ridings, it was proposed and carried that the boundaries of the new County should be altered by excluding these districts from -the petition. A new petition will therefore be prepared at once for a more circumscribed area for the County, which will substantially retain the originally proposed boundary lines, but so as to exclude the Beaumont and Teviot Ridings. As the time is short before the sitting of the Assembly, the Committee pledged itself to use the utmost expedition towards having everything in readiness for the presentation of the petition within the statutory time, and the Secretary was requested to ask Mr Creagh to be so good an to undertake the task of,procuring signatures to the new petition. Before- adjourning, the Committee had some conversation/ as to the eligibility of certain gentlemen wlioa^-RHimes were mentioned as probable aspirant^or^the vacancy which will soon be created in the County Council by the retirement of Mr Poynier from the Tapanui Riding.