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Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 217, 6 September 1878, Page 5

Mr Clifford Christie, of Balclutha, has been appoiuted a certificated accountant in bankruptcy, under the Debtors and Creditors Act,

The Committee of the New South Wales Agricultural Society has abandoned its intention of holding an International Exhibition.

A man named J. Ritchie, in the employ of Messrs , Proudfoot and Mackay, met with a rather severe accident on Wednesday whilst loading.iron rails, at the Clinton railway station. One of them fell down from the truck, fracturing two of the boo es, and otherwise injuring "hist foot. Dr Agassiz can hardly tell the extent of the injuries he has received, as bis foot is very much swollen and inflamed.

Both Houses of Assembly have been adjourned till tbe lltb inst. A large, number of members, will, be present at "the* opening' of the railway- Dunedin to Christ-church— to-day. The Mayor of Dunedin gives a banquet in honour of the visitors to-morrow evening.. . Dunedm will be fully, illuminated this eyening, and no. doubt the festivitieis will be continued ia various quarters foraf-Bw.dayrJj, .

The railway north of Wagga, 304 miles from Sydney, was opened on Tuesday.

Messrs M'Kinlay & Muir, the successful tenderers for Mr Gray's new hotel at Kaitangata, have already started operations. The new hotel is to cost L 1260, and will prove au ornament to the district.' It is expected to be finished early in December.

A meeting of the Committee of the Clutha Horticultural Society was held in Lloyds hotel last evening. There was a full attendance. Tne prize list was prepared, and other avrangeloents made in connection with the next show. The prize list will appear in next issue.

It will be observed that Mr William Nicol, watchmaker, has entered into possession of his commodious premises at the corner of Douglas and Clyde-streets, nearly opposite the new Presbyterian Church. We wish him much success in hi 3 new sphere of labour.

An inquest was held at Outram on Wednesday on the body of George Christie, coach proprietor, who died suddenly on the previous day. The jury found that deceased died from the effects of an overdone of laudanum, while labouring under a fit of temporary insanity.

Captain Hayward, Harbour-master at Catling River, reports under date Sept. 2, 1878 : The number of vessels arrived here during the past month was 13, equal to 475 tons register, and 11 sailed, equal to 399 tons register. Seven we: c sent to Dunedin, two to Molyneux, one to Timavu, and one to Lyttelton. Six loaded at the now mill and five at the Owake mill. The Harriet is loading at the Owake mill, and the Isabella and Alpha are waiting a chance to, get out-*.

The Rev. R. L. Stanford has commenced an action in the Supreme Court against Robert Gillies and others, liquidators of the Otago Daily Times and Witness Company (limited), for the recover}' of the sum of LllOO, On Wednesday la3t Mr Smith obtained a rule nisi to compel the plairliff to state the circumstances uuder which Ihe money was deposited by bim in the hands of the liquidators. This, it is said, will in all probability lead to some interesting disclosures.

On Saturday evening, August 31, the Waip.ilu School Comioittee met at Hewitt's Hotel t'» examine the plans and specifications for a .school and schoolmaster's house just received from the Education Board. It was resolved to arfopt them, and to call for tenders at once, to close on Sept. 18, and the buildings to be completed by Nov. 30. The school will be a great boon to the district, and the Committee feel confident that the school will be onsned for education purposes at the end of the Christmas vacaliou.

An article in the Morning Herald of yesterday upon the opening of the railway between Dunedin and Christchurch concludes with the following gusb : — " In a few weeks the Southern live will be opened for traffic throughout its leogth, and then a large part of the South Island will be traversed by the iron road, quie'eoning the present industrial and social activity of this fruitful region into tenfold vigour." Hail the grand event! Why not fix the day ? But we must prick tbe bubble. For " a few weeks," read " sometime next year."

We regret to learn that Mr William Shore, the manager of Messrs Winter, Moore, and Co.'s coalmine at Kaitangata, met with a painful accident on Tuesday evening. It appears that Mr Shore and two miners went down the new shaft with the intention of starting work in the drive. As the shaft had been for some time fuU of water, fire damp had generated to a considerable extent, and in coming into contact with Mr Shore's naked light an explosion took place, which scorched bis face and hands rather severely. He is, however, progressing as favourably as can be expected.

We are glad to learn that in some quartets the inhabitants are putting their hauds into their own pockets and are taking steps to prevent damage by the anticipated spring floods. In Stirling and nei-jhbourhood action has been taken in this matter. A subscription list was recently sent round, and tbe liberal sums con. tribuf.ed enabled a committee at once to commence erecting a substantial bank along the river at, Mr Inglis' property. Nearly a mile of the bank has been contracted for, and is now in course of erection. When completed it will form an effectual protection to the town amd neighbourhood. We trust this quiet promnt action will be followed by others, where the danger is much greater.

A serious accident occurred .in the Waipahi river on the 3rd inst, Mr Proudfoob's horse driver attempted to cross at the ford on bis war to tbe railway station with fovit- horses in a dray. The liver was high and the current very swift, so aa soon aa the horses reached the current it carried them off their feet. The driver, who was riding the leading horse, escaped ashore by a miracle. The two front horses after straggling some time became unchained from the others, and the leader (apparently an old stager in water) tried hard to drag his comrade ashore, but no landing was found till he reached the old ford below, the dray-bridge, where he landed with his dead mate in tow. The other two attached to the dray were soon drowned.

In our advertising columns there is a notice from the Kaihiku School Committee, inviting applications for a teacher. In addition to the salary, we observe that the Committee offer tbe sum of L3O for the first year for a teacher competent to give instruction in the higher branches. This certainly, is creditable to ; the Committee ; it shows they take" an interest in educational matters ; but, oh the other hand, we may infer there is something wr.oug in onr Education Act .or in the administering of it when country School Committees consider it to be necessary to make a special bid. for a teacher com-, petent to give instruction in the higher branches. We commend the subject to the careful consideration of the Education Board. We think the schools sheuld be classified into district and side schools, and that*, schoolmasters ih district schools — like the parish schoolmasters in Scotland — be qualified to . fit, their pupils for martieulaLion at the University. . •

Commenting on the accident at Waipahi on Tuesday last, a Waipahi correspondent says : This is the second time this winter that human life has been nearly lost at this ford, and in consequence of the unusually- wet season the Waipahi has been in a chronic state of flood for the last six or seven months. The possibility of this was pointed out to tbe : Engineer and was frequently referred to in the.CLUTHA Leadeb at tbe time he determined to spend a lot of Government money in making the approaches to the ford instead of building a bridge, as was urgently requested by the. settlers, and who were willing to contribute" largely towards it*' This he did not do, but'threw a lot of money away in a worse than useless manner. I would ask if tbe Government choose to place a, railway station in a naturally inaccessible. ; position, are| they not bound .to provide the public with some safe means of reaching. that "'station?' This has not been done 7 at the Waipahi, and the settlers are anxiously waiting to isee a- Minister of Public Works or^ as Railway Engineer struggling in the flooded waters, of -the .Waipahi; y'■ -. :