ECHOES FROM ELLESMERE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6870, 7 March 1883, Page 6

ECHOES FROM ELLESMERE.

[yscw ova owsr oobbbbpoitdbiit.j I Tubwut, March 6. 1 Out of tho 16 Bead Board Districts comprising the County of fielwyn, with one exceplion the Ellesmere Board hat the largest debit to its account from the last financial report that hot been this Board's liabilities amounted to £550, and its receipts in round numbers reaoheo close upon £IOOO, Unde; the heading of expenditure, it may be teen that no less than a sum of £4516 17s 8d has been got rid of, presumably on public works, less a very respectable item of £394 7s id set down as the cost of management. And very bad management it has been, if only half whet is aeid has » shadow of truth in it. Besides, the impenetrable mud in rainy weather, the blinding dust when the wind blew, and the dangerous ruts everywhere, the Board have allowed an unmitigated evil to crop up in the district—the Scotch thistle. Acre* and acre* of this pestilential weed hare been growtngand springing up all over the country side. Whole paddocks of cereals hate been choked end crowded out by thistles t miles upon miles of what should be macadamised roads are completely covered by them t their blooms have been allowed to ripen, and blown by the winds on to every stubble field and fallow paddock, and, when ploughing com* znences, the seed will bo turned in ana made comfortable for next season's growth. For the sake of saving a few pounds now, the Board, that is, the ratepayer, will have to spend hundreds later on in trying to eradicate these übiquitous Scotchmen. The late Sir Oracrcft Wilson, it is said, imported asses on to his estate for the sole purpose of getting bis thistles eaten off. But as it turned out these astes proved anything but donkeys, and left the thistles to (heir fste, and turned their attention to English glasses. If the Ellesmere Board do not desire to carry coals to Newcastle and import asses, they should at least find some way of overcoming this scourge. Why not revive the old Provincial Council Act ament thistles, and wsge a war against them os 1* being done with tho gorse P One of Cor oldest residents, Mr J, Osborne, . is about to fallow in Sir John Hall's wake.

Be intend* taking a trip with hie family to the Old Country, and till start for Homo toward* tli« end of this month. Ho will not, however, be allowed to depart from mt midet without the«»u*l " enjoyable evening’’ held by hi* many friend* to "epeed the pert* not yet he«n put on the Hoe, and everywhere o»# ®an hear onathet»a« hurled at the head# of Ihe railway department. It ie really too had that a district like out* ehould be »o negated by the department. The unfor* lunate etaUon-mMters all along the line have a policeman’* life of It, though, bf mure®, we know that it ie not their fault, lor they do not have the handling of the red tape and wax. Loud, too, are the growls by every JBnglishmaa who hae been accustomed to tits very efficient eyetem of Board manage* mont in the Old Country, at the appointment* of inefficient and inexperienced "head*" here. We want more trains in the day, a higher rate of epeed, heavier mo tale, and a reduction in rates.

The rumour that was current lait week, to the effect that a third candidate would (urn up, ie gaining In strength. In fact, from rumour, it u turning to a certainty, As toon ae the write are out and the day of nomination fixed, Mr John M’Laohlaa will appear in the field ac an Independent Whig, it ie laid, advocating Tory moaiuree.