The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, DEC. 18, 1885.

Clutha Leader, Volume XII, Issue 596, 18 December 1885, Page 5

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, DEC. 18, 1885.

The Clutha Presbytery met here on Wednesday, when a large amount of business was gonb through. We regret that our report of the proceedings, now in type, is crowded out till next week. • Unfortunately tlio Borough Council report has shared the same fate.

The San Francisco mail was delivered here yesterday forenoon.

Mr Strack, Lovells Flat, gives a silver medal for the best running long jump at the Balclutha sports.

Mr Thomson this week deals with the question of protection which, in view of the proposals recently disclosed by Sir Julius Vogol, should be peculiarly interesting to our readers.

The following amongst other resignations were accepted at the meeting of the Education Board yesterday : — John li. Hawse, first assistant, Kaitangata ; Helen Galloway, schoolmistress, Kaitangata ; Mare-iret M 'Queen, headteacher, Hillend.

A concert in aid of the funds of the local hand will he givon in K ufcangata on Christmas night. The members of the band are most painstaking and obliging, and fully deserve tlie most hearty public support. We bespeak for them a crammed hall On Friday evening.

The first section of the Catlins railway was opened on Tuesday, and the whole demonstration passed off with the greatest eclat. It is only giving honour to whom honour is due when we say Mr Dunne deserves much credit for the care with which the various arrangements had been made, and for the qniet, unostentatious way in which he carried them

out. Nothing was wanting ; nothing was overdone ; no hitch of any kind, or disagreeable incident occurred ; every part, as well as the whole, was a complete success.

Enquiries having been made with reference to the medal awarded by the Royal Humane Society of Australasia to William Potiki for gallant conduct in saving life at Wiltshire Bay about twelve months ago, we may mention that Mr Stout's attention having been called to the matter on Tuesday last he at once

wired to Wellington for information. He received a reply that the medal had been sent to Judge Williams for presentation. No doubt his Honor will take an early opportunity of making the presentation.

Notwithstanding the somewhat threatening aspect of the weather, there was a very fair attendance at the Warepa Hall on Wednesday evening, the occasion heing a music il entertainment given by the pupils of Mr Thomas' class. Mr Thomas has heen conducting music classes at Warepa for the last two quarters, and a very large number of the young people of the district have taken advantage of the opportunity for improving, and in many cases developing, their hitherto dormant musical talents. The result has been immensely beneficial to the community, from a musical point of view. The singing on Wednesday evening, though in many cases accompanied by the customary shyness and apparent nervousness well known to, and quite excusable in amateurs making their debut on a public platform, yet showed a precision and carefulness, as well as taste and musical ability, turned to proper account, which could only be attained by assiduous practise and attention under an experienced and painstaking teacher. Every item was executed in a manner reflecting credit on the pupils as well as their teacher, and both are to be congratulated on the very satis factory results which they have obtained. — At the conclusion of the programme, the Rev. G-. B. Inglis made a few remarks on the advantages of song and music in a community. He spoke of its stirring and inspiring influence on human nature, and concluded by returning thanks, on behalf of the class, to Mr Thomas for the careful and painstaking manner in which he had discharged his duties among them, and also for the kindly and courteous way in which he had always met them. He expressed the hope that although tho class was to be suspended for the present, yet they would pursue their musical' studies, so as* to secure the full benefit of the instruction they had received. — The proceedings were brought to a close by the company singing ** God save tho Queen."

The Rev. James Gibb, of Footscray, Victoria, has accepted the call from the First Church, Dunedin. ,

It is currently rumoured in Wellington that. Mr James Macandrew wiU shortly be called to the Legislative; Council. \, .-

We call attention to. the concert to be given on Tuesday evening in aid of Balelutha, School prize-fund. Almost the whole inhabitants are inteies'ed in this matter^ and it is to be hoped they will manifest .this interest by putting in an appearance on. Tuesday evening.

The soiree and concert given in aid of the Waiwera library on the 4th instant, was a thorough success. The attendance was large ; the provisions were abundant and excellent in quality, and those takiug part in the concert acquitted themselves in a way that evidently gave the greatest satisfaction to the audience.

It will be seen from our report of the meeting of the Borough Council that it has been decided to establish a weekly market in Balclutha, on Fridays, aud that Mr Mackenzie has given the use of Bain's Store for the purpose. We have no doubt Saturday return tickets will be conceded by the Railway Department for that day. We shall take another opportunity of referring to this subject. Canvassing is already being actively prosecuted in Wellington in view of next general election. Air Wakefield goes on the Temperance ticket, and it is said he already has received 200 pledged to vote for him . He stands for his present constituency— the Hntt.— MY Fraser, the Temperance leader, will contest the Te Aro seat, and it is said he has good prospects of success. The largest trout taken in the Clutha River up to present time was one weighing lS_lb, caught on Tuesday last by Mr James White, of KaitangMta, which was despatched to Waimate, Canterbury, as a specimen of the productions of this district. Up to the present this gentleman has basketed 36 fish, weighing 2431b — not so bad, considering the number of other piscatorial gentlemen who, we are informed, have also been very successful. In this issue will be found the conclusion of the report of the recent prize' firing in Dunedin. It will bo seen that the Clutha Rifleß still maintain their position as the premier marksmen of the district. No one corps in the Colony have ever distinguished themselves as the Clutha Rifles have done throughout this contest, and indeed we question if any one corps has done so anywhere else. Their shooting has heen the adimration of everyone, and certainly the Clutha lias reason to Vie proud of the repeated victories of our local Rifles.

Our advertising columns affords evidence that the Christmas and New Year holidays are at hand. The annual games of the Kaitangata Caledonian Society will he held on Friday next (Christmas Day) ; the sports of the Clutha Caledonian Society will ba h.dd here on Saturday ; the Jockey Club Races on the following Tuesday, and the Stirliug sports on the Friday following — New Year's day. Notwithstanding the dull times excellent programmes are submitted in each case and we have no doubt the various sources of attraction will be fully patronised. The Clinton Cricketers had an enjoyable day's outing List Saturday. They left Clinton for Tapanui by the 6 a.m traiu, and play commencing at 11. Menzies captained the home team and Conradi the visitors. Menzies won the toss and choose the field. The scores were — Clinton : Ist innings, 75 ; 2nd, 152. Tapanui : Ist innings, 60 ; 2nd, 75. Clinton thus won by 92 runs, J. M'K>nzia (Tapanui) and Garforth, Garden, and Malcolm (Clinton) were well on the wicket with the leather. In the 2ud innings of the Clinton team, Conradi, who went in first, and Malcolm, fourth man, kept up thoir wickets for over two hours, when Conradi was given out l.b.w. Malcolm's off hitting was much admired. The visiting team speak in high terms of the hospitable manner in which they were treated. After enjoying a good dinner at the Farmers' Club Hotel they drove to thetra'n and arrived at Clinton shortly after 8 p.m well pleased with their trip.

The usual monthly mseting of the Kaitangata Athenaeum Committee was held on Wednesday evening, the 9th inst. There were present, Messrs Nicholson (Chairman), Shore, Mackenzie and Meddletnas. A letter was received from the Insurance Agent suggesting some precautions against fire, and steps were taken to give effect to the suggestion. Mr W. H. Mackenzie was deputed to make inquiries in Dunedin as to the best method of lighting tho reading room, and to procure the necessary lamps, etc., if satisfied as to cost and suitability. It was remitted to the Chairman and Mr Mackenzie to select books to tbe value o£ about L7'\ and to submit the list theroof at next meeting of '.he Committee. The renovation of the reading room is in a forward state, and promises to look well, and to be creditable to the craftsmen who have executed the work. The Secretary was instructed to notify all subscribers in arrear that subscriptions must be paid within a month, otherwise that their names will be struck off the list.

A number of hoodlums were at work in the township on Sunday night, when they were guilty of acta of the most wanton and unprovoked mischief that ever have heen perpetrated here. About midnight numbers of stones were thrown upon the roof of the Wesleyan parsonage, and two large panes of glass of one of the windows were smashed, the glass being scattered throughout the room, where several stones were also found. Mr Smith and his family were roused from sleep hy the noise, and some of the members suffered considerably from the. shock they received. The inmates of other houses were also disturbed ; fences were broken down and removed and other property destroyed. Those guilty of such dastardly actions would give but. little heed to anything thai; riiiglit be said here, and in all likelihood it is their intention to continue occasional acts such as,thdsb mentioned. It therefore is the , duty of the inhabitants to take such steps as may be likely to lead to the detection of such mean, unfeeling vagabonds. With only one officer of police stationed here, and he having to do duty throughout a wide district, it is impossible for him to afford protection in such cases. Let the whole inhabitants make an effort to discover the identity of the midnight prowlers, so that they may receive the punishment they so richly deserve. We dare say, if a conviction could be obtained, the puni ishment that would follow would, teach a lesson that would be remembered for some time to come.

At the close of the meeting of the Borough Council on Wednesday evening, the Council, on the invitation of the newly installed Mayor, retired to the Crown Hotel, where, joined by a large number of friends, they were entertained to a sumptuous supper. A short time was spent most pleasantly in mild conviviality. The banquet, speeches of the previous evening were largely, supplemented, and mutual congratulations were indulged in over the success of the opening demonstration Comments were made upon the -manifestation of a spiiitof renewed hopefulness and cheerfulness on the part of the general public, and the opinion was confidently expressed that tho depression had about exhausted itself, and would shortly give place to a season of activity, progress, aud prosperity. So mote it be.