The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: TUESDAY, DEC. 1.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLI, Issue 40, 1 December 1914, Page 5

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: TUESDAY, DEC. 1.

Eutries for the Clutha Show on Friday are likely to constitute a record this year.

The Minister for Marine has informed Mr Malcolm that the money (£SO) granted for Pounawea landing will be mailable as soon as the County Council submits plans and agrees to erect the structure.

Despite the fact that rain all day Friday stopped work on the traffic bridge, Messrs Watson Rhodes and Son tarried out their operations on the bridge last week most expeditiously, with the result that by 9 p.m. on Saturday they were enabled to re-open the bridge for traffic. Their consideration for the public in keeping the bridge dosed for as short a period as possible is greatly appreciated by all who have occasion to ride or drive over it. We understand that the Waiwera Hall Committee are making a big effort to give a first class concert on Friday evening, December 18. A fine and varied programme will be presented, rendered chiefly by some of the best artists available from Dunedin. The major part of the proceeds will be devoted to the Belief Fund while a small pressing debt on the hall piano will also be dealt with. ""We trust our Waiwera friends jrill be fortunate in having a fine night ttd tenner hotUc, ' _ .

Mr Sundstrum, dentist, visits Owaka on Wednesday, December 16 (Show Day). Lovells Flat raised £lO3 for the Belgian Relief Fund at a concert on Friday evening. Two cases of keeping liquor for sale in Balclutha will be heard by the Magistrate at the Balclutha court sitting on December 16. Tokoinaru Bay (Gisborne) reports a fairly severe earthquake at 11.15 on Sunday night. There had been several minor shocks during the week. At the Dunedin Supreme Court yesterday John Gillies Paterson, of Balclutha, boarding-house keeper, a bankrupt, was granted an order for his discharge. Mr A. C. Smith appeared for bankrupt. We remind readers that Mr H. D. Bedford, M.A., LL.B., will speak in tha Oddfellows' Hall this evening on "The Economic Aspect of the Liquor Question," and also answer the address recently delivered by Mr H. M. Stewart. The Owaka A. and P. Show is advertised in this issue for December 16; there are one or two alterations in the schedule as printed and exhibitors should take a note of them. The show is on a Wednesday and should draw a large attendance from Balclutha. The compensation claim, Robert Waddingham, miner, Kaitangata, v. the New Zealand Coal and Oil Company, heard in the Supreme Court, Dunedin, was brought to a close on Saturday, when judgment was entered for plaintiff for £SOO (less payment made £65 3s (3d), with costs according to scale. Water is not far from the surface of the ground in many parts of the town. The borough workmen in excavating for the sheep dip now being made at the saleyards got down a depth of sft and found they had an inflow of 6 inches of water to contend with. The dip is being made between the sheep pens and the public pound. The Fire Brigade is to come into some of its own at last. The Borough Council has decided to subsidise the takings of the brigade's concert on Show Night, and is to have the bathing shed in the "gardens" shifted to the brigade station at the council chambers and rebuilt into sleeping appartments for the single men. Mr Malcolm is in receipt of the following letter from Hon. Mr Hemes: — '' Have your letter of 23rd forwarding petition requesting permission for Owaka doctor to use electric trolley on Catlins railway between Owaka and Tahakopa, and your representation in connection therewith will receive careful consideration."

The petition to have certain open telephone hours on Sundays in Balclutha is being largely signed. It was understood that after the extended hours came into operation Sunday hours would follow but the request has been turned down by the Chief I'ostmaster in Dunedin. No doubt the petition will help to get the concession.

The secretary desires us to call attention to the fact that the collections on behali of the Hospital Saturday Association are this year divided between the Dunedin Hospital and the Belgium Relief Fund, so all those giving here on bhow Day will be helping the poor stricken Belgians. Lady collectors please call for collection boxes, badges, etc., at the National Bank house as usual.

Now that everything —or nearly everything—has gone up in price owing to the war, Cr. Clark thinks the dues at the Balclutha Saleyards should be put up also, and he put forward a strong plea in this direction at the Borough Council meeting last week; the farmers were getting big prices and would never miss a small additional charge. There was, he said, a lot of money sunk in the yards and it took a good deal to keep them up, they were always getting something new. The other councillors wore not sympathetic and the idea dropped.

The Works Committee of the Borough Council are to make inquiries from people owning property on the low-lying land south of the Balclutha railway station as to whether they will consent to the closing up of the railway viaducts there, so as to prevent the river overflowing that locality. The railway authorities are agreeable to till up the viaducts, but in the event of surface water flooding these lands and the sluice at the main drain being inoperative owing to a high river the council would be liable. The Mayor said it would be better to have a little storm water on the land than the Molyneux river overflowing it, but if the council was to be held liable they would have to get an indemnity. The question of supply of water from the Borough reticulation to residents outside the Borough boundary came to again at Friday's council meeting, Mr Wilkins reporting that very few on the north side wanted the water, Messrs P. C. Hislop and D. Watt being the only ones to make a definite offer. They were prepared to do all the work of laying on and supply all the material, and he moved that the request be granted; This was seconded by Cr. Begg. Cr Wood strongly opposed the motion, he thought the borough boundary should be extended. The Mayor supported the motion in a vigorous speech, and on a vote being taken Cr. Wood was the only dissentient; he asked that his vote be recorded. It was further decided that the charge be by meter at the rate of 1/6 per 1000 gallons. It was remarked that the estimated cost of pumping was 4d per 1000 gallons, and that the works could pump 22,000 gallons per hour. Cr. Clark is one of many itf Balclutha who think the "Gardens" near the viaduct anything but a sport of beauty. There was a motion before the council on Friday night to appoint an old man caretaker at a remuneration of £l2 per annum and allow him to build a hut in the gardens j it was pointed out that he would prevent the destruction of trees and keep the grass down so as to give them a chance to grow. Cr. Clark declared that the whole thing was not worth £l2 let alone £l2 per annum, he thought the money spent on the place had simply been thrown away. The motion was carried, Cra. Clark, Ritchie, and Wood voting against the appointment. There can. be no doubt that the place has been badly neglected; we were against the expenditure in the first case, but those responsible for it should see that the place is not allowed to become a wilderness. This remark can be taken to apply also to the garden being laid out at the Bowling Green; it is an admirable idea, well out, but • unless properly to will be a worao cyfrggrg bef§£fe