OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLI, Issue 1, 10 July 1914, Page 5

OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY.

The Clutha Leader celebrates its 40th birthday'with.'.this issue, having been first published on July 9, 1874. The paper was then a four-page journal pubJished once weekly, for which 6d a-copy was charged. It was published, 1 as the "imprint" shows, by- Messrs Robert Wilson and William Peter McGirr, and, according to such of the books as are now available to us, even at that early date hail a good circulation. Some of the original subscribers, we are glad to know, are still with us on our books, having been constant subscribers ever since the inception of the Leader. Looking up the original files we find a good deal of matter which will make interesting reading to old identities and their descendants, and from the columns published 40 years ago we intend to rcI gularly each week make excerpts for publication. We publish the following from our first issue:— i FORTY YEARS AGO. (From the Clutha Leader of July 9, 1574.) Information was laid against F. Bassett for sly grog-selling, and defendant was fined £5, with costs. At a special meeting of the school committee on June 30 a number of applications for position of mistress of Balclutha school were .received. After consultation Miss Harriet Dalton, at present teacher in the Grammar School at Lawrence, was elected by a large majority. I

The steamer Tuapeka has once more been raised from her unfortunate position at the bottom of the river, and is now being repaired at Port Molyncux. It is hoped there will be no delay in' having repairs effected, as much anxiety is caused to settlers who had their grain stacked at the river-bank when the accident occurred.

The railway station at Tokomairiro is just about completed, and is a substantial building. It is at present occupied as offices by Messrs Brogden's staff. Pheasants and partridges are very plentiful on the Popotunoa Gorge hills at the back of Mr Blackie's farm.

The surf boat employed recovering cargo from the wrecked Swat at Catlitis was swamped yesterday, and the men had to swim ashore. All the pumps, hose and gear were lost. Although the salvage operations have been going on for a month all that has been recovered has been two casks of porter. Messrs Roy and Company are erecting a large building in Clinton township, where they intend carrying on a bakery butchery and provision store. Mason v. Dunne (before Mr J. P. Maitland, R;M.), claim £47 against Balclutha Jockey Club for £2O in stakes in selling race and £2B, value of horse Colour Sergeant, which had been sold by the stewards. Judgment for £39 without costs, (it was explained that this amount had been offered to plaintiff and refused.) The following were present at the borough council meeting on Wednesday evening:—His Worship the Mayor (MiMcNeil), Councillors Bain, Dunne, Grigor, Low, Hope and Cramond. We understand that Mr Morton, of Waitapeka, has purchased the property of Mr Archibald Ord, which recently belonged 'to Mr D. P. Steel, at £5 per acre. The first meeting of the Matau Road Board was held on Wednesday, when the following officers were elected:— David Maitland, chairman; Peter Smith, treasurer; C. V. Brewer, clerk, A road is being extended from Awake Flat to Catlins River. The extension of the present road will be a great boon to settlers of Port Molyneux and Catlins River.

The Balclutha Mayoral election is of absorbing interest. Mr McNeil, the present Mayor, having indicated his intention of not offering himself for reelection, Messrs John Macdonald and Robert Grigor at once entered the field. The friends of both parties are confident of success, and the election will be a warm, as well as a close one. The members of the Balclutha Fife and Drum Band, which was inaugurated a few weeks ago, are making rapid progress. The band consists of 15 fifes, 1 bass and 1 kettle-drum.