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Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 218, 13 September 1878, Page 5

While a boy named Stevenson was playing in a coal-truck, at the Benhar coal pits on Thursday last he fell and broke his leg above the knee. Dr Smith was sent for, and attended to the sufferer. We have to call special attention to the meeting to be held at Kaitangata at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow, when some fresh proposals will be submitted as tothe disposal cf the lakes and the 1 protection of the adjacent properties, from - damage by. floods. This vexed question has been before the public for years, and no satisfactory solution has yet been, arrived at. , "We trust tut; meeting to-morrow will manage to place the matter in train for final adjustment. All in . terested should be present. . .

The revenue of the city of Dunedm now amounts to the handsome sum of L 70,000 p*)r annum. On Thursday evening, sth. instant, the Tupanui Foresters celebrated the first anuiversaiy of the institution of their Lodge by a Ball, which passed off mosl sucossfully. We arc informed that Mr Daniel Wood, baker and grocer, Clyde-street, is vow selling the 41b loaf afc fivepence for cash. This is the second tune ho has reduced it since his arrival amongst us, and it is to bo hoped that the public will appreciate such efforts to supply the staff of life at such a reasonable rate. A digest of the Counties Act Amendment Bill now before Parliament will be found in another page. It will be seen that important amendments of the Act are to be made, some of which will beneficially affect the County of Clutha. We also give particulars of a few other Bills. Wo understand that six bags wheat, two of potatoes, and one parcel, wera sent to the Carnival Committee from Waugaloa. There was altogether about one truck-load from Kaitangata station on Saturday last. Mr Joseph Smith carried free of charge all these contributions to the railway station. Over L 25 in fche shape of goods ard money have been contributed iv Waihola Gorge, and sent to the Benevolent Institution 'Carnival. All the contributors seemed to give their several mites most heartily. The farmers in that quarter as in most other places are at their wits' end how the crops are to be got into the ground this season, for the flat land is exceedingly wet and very unfit for either plough or seed. It will be observed that Mr William. Waddell, M. A., will deliver a lecture on Robert Burns iv the schoolhouse, Warepa, on Tuesday evening. Mr Waddell'a ability and popularity as a lecturer are woll known, and we have no doubt there will be a crowded house on the occasion. In addition to the lecture, recitations and songs from Burns' works will be given by-, various ladies and gentlemen. Altogether we believe a rich treat is in store for Tuesday evening. Last Saturday evening the annual meeting of the Tapauui Cricket Club was held in the Commercial Hotel. The report adopted showed that the Club was in a heal thy condition, financially and otherwi.se. Vigorous efforts will be made during the coming season to have a portion of the commonage coav rtod into a firstclass oval, and it is to bo hoped that tho Town Council and the citizens generally will assist the Club iv the attainment of this object. We somo time ago conunuuicated with, with the railway authoiities pointing out the necessity for a change in ili<j name of the Otaria railway station. The General Manager could not then agref> to the change. The matter was recently taken up by the Wnipahi Progress Committee, and we are glad to say with success, they having received tho following reply : — " Invercaigill, Sept. 4, 1878. Tho .Secretary Waipahi Progress Committee. Sir,— ln reply to petition requesting that tho present nnme of Olaria siding bo changed and another substituted, I hnve to inform you that the petition was duly sent to this Cornmi*non,cr of Railways with si recommeuuntioi. thai. ' A'rthurton '' bo the substitute, and I am vow only awaiting the approval of same. A public notification of tho alteration will be made, and tho new name entered on time-tnbles. —I am, &c, Tiiohas -ArTHUK, Crcnfcial JM.magcr." hi another column wo copy from a Dunedin contemporary a report under the aenhiitional heading '' Alleged case of cruelty at Xait.-iigata." We copy the report simply that die tiuth may be known, as mysterious rumours have been spread of something dreadful having occui reel. Ko one ran rtssid the deposition without Mi-riving at the conclusion that it' Mis o*ven 'him erred it has boon in over-pampering fche girl. The (•ilicials in Duucdin may have been quite justified in adopting the course they have done, but all must regret the amount of pain that has thereby been caused Mr and Mrs Owen. We understand the girl did not leave secretly as re- ' ported, but that she loft according to previous arrangement. She is now progressing favourably towards recovery, and notwithstanding Dr Coughtrey's ability and medical experience, most people will agree that Mrs Owen was pretty nearly right when she believed the girl's illness simply to be "growing paius." The whole affair has resolved itself into a great ado about nothing. Another unfortunate fire took place at Kaitaugata on Sunday morning nt about 2.00, which resulted in the destruction of three most valuable horses, a stable, and a cottage, all belonging to the Kaitangata Hail way and Coal Co. The cottage was occupied by Mr Wm. Bain, who had charge of the horses. The fire started in Bain's house, he being unfortunately absent at the time. Being quite close to the stable, it also caiurht fire, and before the alarm was raised the stable was in a blaze. Even then the horses i might have been rescued, but as bad luck would have it the stable door opens inward and one of the horses had jammed himfelf against the door, which proved his destruction. Tho Station Master's house which is close at hand was saved by a plentiful supply of water. The loss of the company is very much increased, by the fact that the horses were trained to work in the mines and a considerable time must elapse before they can be replaced. Bain lost his furniture, clothes, &c., worth a considerable sum, and the company estimate their loss at £250, which is not covered by insurance. We regret to repoi't that housebreakers have commenced operations in Bnlclutha. When one of the men in Messrs Mackenzie, Thomson, and Co.'s establishment went to feed tho horses on Sabbath morning he observed "that the slidingdoor at the side of the building leading into the I grain store was open. He found it had been forced outwards off the rails, leaving a space sufficient to admit a man. He at once called Mr Thomson, who, on examination, found that the centre-door leading into the front shop had also been broken open by unscrewing the nails of the keeper of the lock. As the intruder had passed over some chaff lying upon the floor of the backroom his footsteps were easily traced, and it wa*. found he had made direct for the safe In the office, which lie had evidently tried to open with false keys, hut luckily without, effect. It is not definitely known whether or not any articles were stolen .put of the store. The cash, was evidently the main object of search, but for once the search was unsuccessful. The -matter- lya's at once placed: in the hands of 'th^ -poli.ee, "but "we i have not heard that any trace liaa been obtained. \of the intended thief, , , :

The Tokomairiro annual walking show of entires has been fixed f >r Frid iy. Oct. 4. The Land Tax Bill was read a second time, on tho voices, in the House of Representatives, on Wednesday night. The farmers everywhere throughout the Clutha district have taken advantage of the la*t few fine days to push on the ploughing and sowing which is now very late. The Olutha Game Protection Society offer in another column a reward for the destruction of hawks. We trust this will lead to a large number beiuij killed. We understand a concert in connection with the Wesleyan Congregation here, will he held about the middle of next month. Several new glees are being rehearsed, and other preparations are being made for the concert. The poll in the election of Councillors for the several wards of the Borough took place yesterday. Considerable interest in the election was felt throughout the township, and business was virtually suspended. The result will be found in our advertising columns. The banquet given by his Worship the Mayor of Dunedin to his Excellency the Governor and Ministers, the members of Parliament, and others, in commemoration of tho opening of the Dunedin and Christclmrch railway, wns held on Saturday evening in G'-uthrie and Larnach's new warehouse, and was quite successful. The Dunedin papers give full reports of the speeches. We have much pleasure in mentioning the following kind and generous act on the part of tho scholai'3 attending the Kaihiku school. They yesterday presented Mr and Mrs Moore, who have just left the district, with a handsome writing-desk and lady's workbox. Tho desk bears the following : — "Presented to Mr W. J. Moore by Ins pupils, as a token of their esteem. Kaihiku, September, 1878; " and the workbox, j "Pres nted to Mrs Moore, as a memorial from her young friends. Kaihiku, September, 1878." Mr Joseph Anderson, Clerk to tho School Committee, made the presentation on behalf of the pupils. In doing so he expressed hi =3 extreme regret at the departure of Mr and Mrs Moore from the disti ict, to which Mr Moore feelingly responded. We regret to have record a serious accident which occurred to Mr FTenry Almond, of Kaihiku, on Wodiif-sdav evening last week. On his return journey from Balcluthsi, where he had bopn that day, and whf>n within half a mile of ]\h own house, bin horse slipped over an embankment, rolling over his lider and completely stunning him. Upon recovering consciousness he found himself lying in a ditih a th« roadside, the horse being in t'iie same position near by, and both unalilo to move. Mr Almond lay there till next afternoon, when he was discovered by a passer-by and conveyed home. Dr Smith was sent for, and attended te the patient. Mr Almond was severely shaken, so much so that all sense of feeling had completely left his body. We understand ho is now recovering, and it is expected nothing serious will result. We may mention that tho horsn has since died from the injuries sustained by the fall. The Waste Lands Board has agreed to issue scrip to Mr K. Tlobson, "W Intel en, of tho value of LOO, for forest tree planting carried out by him. The scrip will be issued uuder the Forest Trees Planting Encouragement Acts of 1871 mid 1872. It is to be hoped that the attention thus drawn to the matter in this quarter will induce many Clutha settlers to follow Mr fvobroiA. example. Tho late severe winter must have convinced all of the absolute necessity of oxfc?nsiv3 planting for purposes of shelter for both stock and crops. Iv this view alone the expense would be .abundantly reproductive, but when, the scarcity of timber in the country is considered there cannot be a doubt that treeplanting would prove the most remunerative way . of occupying much of the broken ground throughoutpbe country. A part from this the improvement a judicious planting of trees would effect upon most properties would greatly enhance their present value. We know many now regret their apathy in this matter in the past. The only remedy now is to set to work and plant Ivory available portion of ground on every opportunity. Now is the season, and it is fast passing over for another year, We trust it will be largely improved before it be again too late. A meeting of the members of the Clutha Game Protection Society wis held here on Friday evening, Mr T. T. Rifchie in the chair. The Chairman mentioned that the Acclimatisation Society had opened all streams for fishing, a course the advantages of which were recently pointed out and urged in this journal. A long conversation ensued with reference to the destruction of game by hawks, more especially during the breeding season. It was asserted that more game was killed by hawks than by sportsmen or poachers. Tho following motion was ultimately carried : — " That a' fee of one shilling be paid for each hawk killed in the district extending from opposite the 'mouth of the Waiwera to the head of Lovells Creek, thence in a direct line to the sea, and in the whole of the Clutha from Wniwora to Catlins T ?ivcr, and that the Acclimatisation Society be asked to subsidise the efforts of the Clutha Society in the direction of the destruction of hawks." In reply to a question, Mr Mason said he had not as yet succeeded in getting haves for the district, the 'Vcclimfitisation Society having for good reasons of which ho WiiK not previously aware, objected to the party he had employed to secure them. He, however, was getting nets made, and had no doubt ho would get hares bi ought across the river. He believed that Te Houka would shortly be a good coursing district. Several other matters affecting the protection of game and the best means' of stopping poaching wore discussed and the meeting adjourned. "A contemporary announces the death of the eldest son of the late Gilbert Burns, the elder brother of our national poet. His early years were- ported at Grant's Braes, in the neighbourhood of Tladdington, where his much--1 respected father was long resident in the capacity of factor on the Lennoxlove estate." Tho above we have taken "from the Court Journal, of 29th June last. Tt contains the notice of the death of the .eldest brother of the late P»,ev. Dr Burns, of Dunedin, who, as old identities are aware, was. a son of Gilbert Burns, brother of the Scottish national poet. In early life the deceased, by came William Burns, left . Scotland for Dublin, where he entered into business, and was very successful. He was noted for a large- '• hearted generosity, and was instrumental by advice and pecuniaiy assistance in. giving to :nauy a youthful Scotchman and irishman a good start in life. He latterly resided in Portarlington, Queen's County, where his. son is engaged in ; business. "We understand there was a strong resemblance in appearance and manners between the deceased' aß.d' 'the* late ; first minister '- of . Dunedin. Of the family of Gilbert. th.ey&Siow. survives only a son and^ cjaughW. the.fofmor -, a member of the well-known "'jDjibliirSrfintt'of'; i ToJd, Burns, and Co. . •-■ r .