Untitled

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 235, 10 January 1879, Page 5

I The next mail for Europe via Brindisi [ and Southampton, will clo^e at the "Bal clv tha office, on Thursday, the Ififch inst., at 10 p.m. We have to call attention to Mr C. Christie _ sa'e at Stirling on 14Ui inst. A small omission occurred in the advertisement last week which is corrected in this issue. ! It was rumoured in Invercargill on Tne*day, that the convict Walsh had been cxc cuted that morning. The rumour wa-* baseless, nor is it known when he will be hanged. Workmen continue very scarce throughout tlie Glutha district. We hear from all quarters that contractors are unable to get. their works carried out in consequence of the want of men. The poll in the election of Borough Councillor for Wpst Ward. Miiton. wus tak°n on Monday. Messr* R. W. Capstick and FT. Whi re were Ihe candidates. The result of the poll was Capstick 53, White 27. During the course of his lecture here on Friday night the Rev. Mr Ine-lis inadvertently mentioned that Mr Kennedy, the Scottish vocalist, intended a<»nin visif.insr fhe colony in about two years from the present time. We are informed that a considerable number of men who have For some time been employed on Messrs Proudfoot and Mnekav's railway contracts have now secured deferred payment bind and are settling down. This is as wa=- intended and we trust many more will follow their exan-ple. To show the amount of passenger traffic thronjjh here just now, we may mention that on Monday last Mr Williams' coaches took seventy passengers from Balolutha to Clinton, and forty-sevpn returning in the afternoon. .All who know Mr Williams will feel gratified at the harvest he is thus nt present reaping. The road works being carried out by the Bruce County Council at Kaitamrafa are making very satisfactory progress. Already the road between Cranton and Kaitangata is open for light traffic. The earthwork will be finished in about ihree weeks, and as thp contractor for the metal has already the material on the ground the whole will he metalled and in good condition before winder sets in. The number of vessels arrived at Catlins River during the past month were 15, eqmi.l to 55« tons register, and 17 sailed equal to 632 tons register. Seven loaded at the " Big Mill," nine at the drake Mill, and one with produce. Eight were sent to Dunedin, three to Oamaru, one to Timaru. and fivo to Lyttelton. The " Harriet," for Dunedin, sailed on"Jarinafy Ist, leaving the Tiver empty of shipping, not a very usual thing here. During the recent flood the only available road to the Rorough pound was washed away, and the pound is not now available for the disposal of stray cattle and horses. None know this better than the owners of a number of these animals, who still persist in keeping them in the township, although it is well known they have : not feed for them. The cattle have to find it for themselves, and gardec fences having been .so much damaged, there is little obstruction to . their yrambliogs. We daresay a remedy will be found shortly, but in' the meantime matters are the reverse of satisfactory.

The gap caused in the main street here, by the recent fire vill Bpeedilybe filled up. Thi contractors for re-building Mr Bain's premise, are already well advanced with the work. Atnongst the bills to be considered by the Victorian Government during the recess ar*-* a Land Bill to deal with pastoral leases, a Civil Service "Reform Bill, and a bill to regulate the employment of Chinese. The election of Councillor for North Ward fin room of Mr Hogg) took place yesterday, the result of the poll being, Thomas Gawn, 41 ; William Nicol, 22. M r Gawn was therefore declared duly elected. Both candidates briefly retumpd thanks to their supporters. A robbery of L 265 in Bank notes was effected at the 'office of the Anchor Line of steamers. Wellington, on Monday night. The cash had henn Mt during the »ffcernoon by the purser of the St. Murray, nnd it was omitted to he placed in the safe. Next morning it was gone. We have to thank Mr James Philips, ?>fonnger. Kuriwao estate, for a few trout, each twelve inches long— heauti*"". H so happens they are the first we have seen in the Co! on v and the gift is therefore the more prized. We believe trout are now very plentiful in tho Kuriwao stream where they are caught without any great difficulty. Tenders have been accepted by the Bruce County Council for metalling Waferstreet. Kaitnucata. This work ha* been much required for years pa«t. A vote was passed for I it at the last session of the Provincial- Council and during last session of Assembly Mr Murray M.H.R. managed to get the same sum re- voted in Ihe Assembly. During the past week -we have had exceedingly fine warm weather, with occasional showers. Yesterday, however, a strong scorch . ing cab 1 continued throughout the day. nnd tbe dust and sand which covered the township, and penetrated everywhere, caused an almost total i cassation Af business. The fl->od was bad enough, hut the blinding dust nuisance it has left behind it is something intolerable. The new cattle yards at the railwaj'station here have just been coorpleted and are the best and most convenient we have seen in the countiy. Either quiet or wild, ctttle can now be trucked here with ease and despatch. There aro two trucking races which can be used simultaneously and a landing pen between, which can be used at the sanre time. There is now every convenience for trucking or landing stock of nil kinds here. Another trial of Heid and Gray's harvester was hell at Oamaru on Tuesday, and proved highly satisfactory, those present being well pleased with tbe manner in whicb it worked. The manufacturers claim for their machine lightness of draught, and its conspquent special suitability for up-]and country ; tliat its delivery. being much nearer tbe ground than in other machines, it is better suited for cutting ripe grain ; th.it the inside of the wire is more easily adjusted ; and that the driver has a better command over tbe horses. A slight accident occurred on the railway line at Invertiel, near Balelutha, on Monday last. About two o'clock in the afternoon. Mr Macmillan, Railway Inspector, had gone to Tnverfiel with an engine and some trucks for flax required for the viver bank protection works. When almost stopped, Mr Proud foot's ballast engine came down the line, and turnine the curve at Tnvertiel ran into Mr MacmiUan's engine. The buyers of both engines were damaged, and one man was slightly injured. Mr Prondfoot and some friends were travelling by the engine, but escaped unhurt. The accident occurred through some oversight in not giving intimation that the ballast engine was coming down. The line consequently was not clear. A public meeting was held at the Bal clutlia Hotel, on Monday evening, to consider a communication from the "Education Board with reference to the erection of a school in Enst Ward. There was a good attendance, and Mr Ralph Moir was called to the chair. The letter from the Education Board was read. In it the Secretary stated that rhe Board declined to grant the request cf the petitioners for a school in the meantime, as tbelocal Committee had tnnrta arrangement.* for conveying tbe children across :he river safely and free of charge. Mr Stewart, a member of the School Committee, was present, j and stated that no such arrangement had been made by the Committee. Others corroborated , this statement. A discussion ensued, and ultimately it W'-.s agreed to write to the Secretary of tbe School Committee, requesting a copy of tbe minutes, so that tbe exact position of the matter might be ascer*ained. A Committee,, consisting of Messrs Moir, R. Paterson, and E. L°gge, was appointed to obtain copy ot tbe minutes referred to, and to communicate further with the Education Board upon the subject. The Rev. J. W. Inglis delivered a lecture — subject " Songs and Music of Scotland,' —in Barr's Hall here on Friday evening. The lecture hiid only been announced same day and only a few of the setters throughout the surrounding districts could thus have been informed of it, while many of the inhabitants of the township had not returned after the Christmas and New Year holidays. There was therefore a small attendance. We give in another column a notice of Mr Inglis' lectures from a Dunedin contemporary and wbich we fully endorse. Indeed his lecture here on Friday night was the most enjoyable we tver listened to. We therefore felt extreme regret that through a combination of circumstances so many who would have liked to bo present and who would so much have appreciated the entertainment — for such in a high measure it was — were prevented from attending. We called upon Mr Inglis before he left Baiclutha the following morning and explained the matter to him. We found all his arrangements had been made and his evenings fully occupied. However, after a little scheming a re-arrangement was arrived at which included the Clutha for Friday -next week. We shall uot mention the district that had to be omitted — the, Clutha, we consider, has claims above all others. Now, on this occasion timely notice is given and we have indicated the exceptional treat that will be given here on Friday night. We therefore rely upon it that the inhabitants of Te Houka, Warepa, Kaihiku, Puerua, Inch Clutha, Kaitangata, llilllend, etc. will arrange for being present, as many as possibly can get and that the hall will be filled to overflowing. We assure them they will, not be disappointed. It may be a long time before they j bave an opportunity of enjoying another lecture entertainment of an equally high class character.

The annual meeting the 'Clutha Property Investment v rid Building Society was held in thi 3 thenjßiun Hall last evening. Thero wag a full - attendance Mr T. T. Ritchie, President, occupied the chair. The Committee's report and financial statement were adopted. The following office-bearers and Committee were elected for tlie ensuing year :— President, T. T. Ritchie ; VicePresident, A. Grigor. Committe— Geo. W. Hutchins, Henry S. Reunert, D. Sutherland, P. Mason, J. S. Fleming, and John Sinclair. Tlie members who remain in office from last year are R. Hogg, R. Bentham, and J. Low. Mr J. Gow was elected members' auditor. A special meeting was afterwards held, when it was agreed that application be made to the Registrar of Building Societies for a certificate of incorporation under the •'Building Societies /_, o fc, 1876.' A full report of the meetings will appear iv next The Waiwera Sunday School, which is under the superintendence of Mr Oihsoh- held a picnic on New Year's Day afc Ashley- Downs, where Mr Gibson entertained about 'sixty of the scholars, their parents and friends! ' There were refreshments and amusements in -plenty, and boil) old and young thoroughly fnjOyed themselves. The day's enjoyment commenced with a sumptuous luncheon, after which rounders, tirza, old bachelor, buzz, leap frog, and other 1 gan-es common to Sunday School picnics were I played, tlie stripping ropes find swing being kept J constantly going. Of the children present, those j who belong also to the Waiwera clay school went • tbrom-.il somo of their drill and extension I motions to the delight of their parents and friends. Tea was partaken of, after which a I number of valuable books, the gift of Mr • Gibson, were distributed to the Sunday scholars. \ The orthodox " lolly-scramble " took plact-. and after three ringing cheers had b^en given for Mr • Gibson, nnd for Mrs Gibson, the company disj persed, wishing each and all a happy New Year. j The work of repairing the extensive ; damage, caused by the flood, to the railway , works and station here, has been pushed forward by the. Works Department with very comI mendable dispatch. The material used for balj lasting and filling up in the yard has been I brought from Manuka Creek, and anyone frej quenting the station *an see the vast improvej ment that has been effected upon ihe works as j they were previously left. If wo were allowed j to judge of the relative merits of contract work, ! and that cariied out by day labour under the supervision of the Government officers, by the promptitude with which tbe work has been carried out. and tbe style of finish, we should at once say that the sooner the present system of contracting, or of carrying out contracts was , done away with, the better. In the present j case the work has been carried out promptly. j and finished in a very substantial and tidy ; manner. The station will now be very convenient nr.d comfortable, as compared with what ! it was formerly, and we believe tlie expense is [ much below what it could have heen got done for ,by contractors. Tlie Government will perhaps . consider the question of day labour as against i contracting, when they are ready to start with ' the Catlins River and other railways. j In another column we give the result of. ! the recent Scholarship examinations so far as these have been made known. The complete list will be published after next meeting of the Education Board. In the meantime it will be : observed the examiners recommend that Scholar- : ships be awarded to the six highest in merit in eacli class These Scholarships were open for , the pupils attending all schools, both public and i private, within tlie provincial district, including the Dunedin High School. It therefore says ; much for the efficiency of the Tokomairiro school j that, its scholars have secured half of tho Scholarships in the. senior class, i.e., pupils between the j ages of 13 and 15 years A Tokomairiro boy. j son of Mr Robert Murray, GlarWillp, heads tlie j list and. then fore, in education, takes the highest place amongst those of his age within the prorincial district of Otago. William A. Fieminsr. of Balelutha. taken fourth plac-*, while John Ferguson, son of the worthy postmaster, Tokomairiro. ranks sixth. We congratulate the Rector and teachers of the Tokomairiro school , upon thy distinguished honours they have j ! secured. Tho boys, too, deserve the notice we j hay.-- givi-n for their industry and perseverance, ! I Without dilligence and severe study they could j not have gained the laurels they have done in the testing examination through which they have . passed. i"»»" m unt— —»__