TUAPEKA NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 14520, 21 March 1911, Page 8

TUAPEKA NEWS

[From Our Own Correspondent.] A great deal is heard just now about tho readjustment of electoral boundaries and of the absolute certainty of one of the Otago seats passing out. Some of our political seers are inclined to think that the days of tho Taieri electorate are numbered, while others are satisfied that Bruco will bo largely substituted for Taieri. The die, of course, has not yet been cast, but I am of opinion that there is a greater probability of Tuapeka passing away than either Bruce or Taieri. It will not surprise me if Tuapeka, in the readjustment process, is not absorbed by Taieri, Bruce, L’lutha, and Wakatipu. It is generally admitted that so far as population is concerned Southland has made greater headway than Otago. Nearly all—if not all—the* goldfields districts of Otago within the last four or five years have suffered heavy losses of population. 'The mining industry is not what it once was, giving employ-, ment only to one man where four or five men were formerly employed. Then the impetus to settlement in the goldfields districts of late years has not been of the progressive order. True, a few runs hero and there have been cut up, but in their train no appreciable additions to population have followed. A different order of things, from all accounts, has prevailed in recent years in Southland. This will mean that in carving out another seat in that quarter, encroachments will have to bo made on the neighboring electoral districts of Wakatipu and Clutha, which in turn will have to cut into Bruce and Tuapeka, forcing Bruce to annex slices of Tuapeka and Taieri, and the latter in turn annexing a very large area of Tuapeka in the direction of Waihemo, Maniototo, and Vincent Counties. Time will eventually show tho accuracy of this forecast. Tuapeka’s band ot early pioneers are fast passing away. Another, in the person of Sir Thomas Fahey, at the age of seventyone years, lias just joined the groat majority. In the early days of Otago Air Fahey followed tho occupation of a miner and then of a waggoner, driving a loam on tho road between Dunedin and the Dunstan via Palmerston. At a later period ho look up land at Evans Flat and Tuapeka West, making his home for many a Jong year at the former place. Two or three years ago he retired from active work, handing over his farm to three of his sons, and in the meantime took up his residence in Lawrence, where he acquired a property. For some time heart trouble gave him a good deal of concern, and latterly, as tho outcome, he was obliged to take to his bod, passing away peacefully on Sunday afternoon. Air Fahey was an Irishman by birth, hailing from Galway. He was a map of good parts and of sound judgment, and a very worthy type of settler. With him his word was his bond, and “ live and lot live” his guiding principle. He loaves a wife and grown-up family of four sons and four daughters to mourn their loss. The need of a swimming bath is greatly felt in our midst. There aro two or three suitable- sites which would not involve much expenditure to put in order if the initiative were taken to raise funds and tlie work carried out. One gentleman has promised to contribute £lO towards the object, and the hope is expressed that the Borough Council will give a helping hand, bometning should be done, and advantage taken of the Government subsidy in commemoration of tho Coronation of King George. I lie absence of dressing rooms in conjunction with the stage of the local Town Hall often gives a good deal of annoyance to theatrical folk when they visit us and make use of the hall. The leading man of the last company that came along waxed indignantly eloquent because ot this, and said theatrical companies would cut Lawrence out of their itinerary altogether unless those conveniences wore added to tho hall, borne of the City Fathers have taken alarm at this pronouncement, and it is on the cards that a sum of money will be set aside, on which the Government's Coronation subsidy will be claimed, to supply the want. At'the present time the Council ate spending over £IOO on touching up the front of the hall and in effecting other necossaiy improvements. Li a previous paragraph I mentioned that a local dealer was moving round gathering up light draught homes lor the V ictorian market. There are other dealers now astir, and the price of horseflesh suitable for export is an improving quantity. It has transpired that all the steamer space between Hlnlf and Melbourne for horse accommodation has been booked tdl the end of May. Evidently there is big money just no v in horse-trading with Victoria. 'Use rainfall in tiie :nid'(!e of last week was very helpful to the turnip crops end pasture "lands. But we are again crying out ns loudly as ever for rain. On many tarms grout trouble is experienced in watering stock. Fortunately, the rainfall helped materially to refill household tanks, which wore greatly in need of replenishing. Working miners engaged in hydraulicking feci the pinch of non-employment occasioned by water supplies practically giving out. The Tuapeka Miners’ Association are in receipt of a letter from the Alinifter of Mines intimating that as soon as the necessity arrangements can be made an officer from the department will make a geological survey of the Tuapeka district. We are in hopes a mining revival will follow the officer’s visit and labors. The Territorial Force is being strengthened locally by a largo number of recruits joining the Tuapeka Mounted Rifles, [’here will be no difficulty in enrolling up to 120 men. Strong contingents are being raised in the immediate district outside ot Lawrence, which has always given a full quota to the Alounted Rifles. The entertainment held in tee Town Hail on tho night of St. Patrick’s Day in aid of the funds of St. Patrick's School was largely patronised, and most successful. The vocal items were good, and the farco which followed was provocative of a great deal of laughter. There has been an outbreak of scarlet fever of a mild typo at Beaui-i >nr. Th© local school lias been closed in consequence. Lawrence, March 20.