GERALDINE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7178, 1 March 1884, Page 6

GERALDINE.

[from our own correbpondent.l The residents of Woodbury, a village about six miles from here, are going to take advantage of the irrigation clauses of the County Council’s Amendment Act, and intend to construct a water-race, commencing at the Waihi Gorge and passing through.that part of tho district. For this purpose, a public mooting was hold in tho schoolroom, Woodbury, on Thursday evening last, Mr 0. Q. Tripp occupying tho chair. Mr J. Talbot, of Wftitohi, member of tho Geraldine County Council, addressed tho mooting, and, in tho course of his remarks, explained as to how they were to set to work in order to get tho race constructed. Ultimately it was resolved to got a memorial signed, to bo sent to the Geraldine County Council, asking that thoir Engineer might visit tho district, and report on the feasibility and expense of the project. Speculation is rife in tho district os to the proceedings now being taken in the Eesident Magistrate’s Court by Government, against one Joseph Mackay, Insurance agent, for alleged embezzlement. He will ho brought up.again before the Bench to-morrow, when ho will be defended by one of the ablest lawyers in New Zealand, Mr Stout.

I have already descanted on the weather and the crops on several occasions. The Clerk of the Weather is now behaving himself better, and the farmers are again rejoicing, although the heavy north-wester, experienced a few nights ago, threshed out a quantity of grain. Subscriptions are coming in pretty freely, considering the hard times, towards the athletic sports to he held on St Patrick’s Day. The programme is not yet issued, but if the subscriptions continue to flow in well, it will be a very liberal one. , The same may be said with regard to tho races appointed to take place on Easter Monday, at Woodbury, and, in all probability, they will become an annually recurring event. The following are the vital statistics, registered at the office at Geraldine, for the month ended Feb. 29, 1884;—Births, 5; marriages, 1; deaths, 3.