The Ensign. GORE : TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1272, 29 December 1903, Page 2

The Ensign. GORE : TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29.

There will be no publication of this journal on Saturday. Reports of local church services on Christmas Day and Sunday will be found on page 6. The Waikaka Valley Christian Endeavor Society and Bible Class held their annual picnic at Croydon on Christmas Day. Starting from the Waikaka Valley school at 8 a.m. the picnic parjy, which numbered over 100, proceeded to Croydon in various vehicles. Arrived at the bush a very pleasant day was spent in games, collecting ferns, and climbing the hill, from which the magnificent views obtained were greatly admired. The Rev. Mr Blair, pastor of the Waikaka Valley Church, was present. The Ardlufsa school broke up for the Christmas holidays on Thursday last, when there was a fi:ir attendance of parents. Mr James Butler (chairman of committee) presided, and presented all the children with prizes, briefly referring to the welfare r.f the school and the good attendance of the children. The children, under the headmaster (Mr Smith), sang several songs, and Mr R. Butel contributed selections on his graphophone.. Lollies presented by the committee were distributed amongst the pupils, after which they dispersed to enj jy their vacation. Among the most, attractive features of the show this week will be tho display uf gents' ties in Mac Gibbon's mercery window, and every tie can be bought for one shilling. They are a beautiful assortment of the newest styles, colors and boat qualities in tbe market, and are unexcelled fur their exdusivoness.—(Advt.) Shearing has commenced at the Agiicultural Co.'s wnolshed at Balfour. There are upwards of 20,000 sheep, and about 40 men are employed. ;■> The ennver.-aziona given by the Ladies' Guild at Otama on Christmas night was an unqualified success. The hall was nicely decorated with tables of flowers, and was taxed fairly well to accommodate the audience. The Rev. Mr Paulin presided, and a very good programme of music was given. Tbe following are the names of the ladies and gentlemen who assisted :—Mrs Stewart and Misses Buchanan, Dunn, Archibald, Forbes, Grant and Stewart, and Messrs Blue, Millar, Prebble, Gerken, Robertson and Dunn. During tho evening tbe ladies handed round refreshments; and at the close Mrs Alex. Stewart thanked those who had assisted in any way that evening, and hoped they would enjoy many a happy Christmas night. The receipts amounted to £7. Eleven ties divided a £IOO pigeon ma'cb at Dunedin on Saturday. Among the ties were Messrs E. A. Pigeon and J. Graham. The danger attending the indiscriminate use of firearms, and more especially pea rifles, was illustrated at Croydon Bush on Christmas Day. There wero a very ]»rge number of people there, and among them were a few with pea rifles, who kept firing, much to the annoyance and alarm of others. An accident occurred, which narrowly missed being a fatal one. Two lads named Henderson and Smith were shooting with a pea rifle, and, on being joined by others, the riflo accidenlally went off, the bullet grazing HenderBon's head, making a skin wound. The lad was taken to Gore, and the wound attended to by Dr Copland. S On New Tear's Eve every purchaser of boots aud shoes to the value of 10s will be presented with an album of music containing 14 songs, marches, and dances, the names of which will appear in Thursday's issue—S. McDouald, City Boot Palace, Main Street, Gore.—Advt.

In a collision in Bass's strait between the s.s. Coogee, the ferry steamer, from Launceston and the four-masted ship Fortunato Figari, bound to Newcastle in ballast, Captain Carrington (of the Coogee) and a seaman were killed, and the second mate injured. The collision took place just before daybreak during a very heavy fog. The passengers escaped unhurt, and no damage was done to either vessel below the water-line. The Coogee's passengers were transferred to the ship, and the Coogee, despite her crippled condition, took the Figari in tow and proceeded to Port Phillip, minus her funnel and with a makeshift wheel. The death is announced of Mr Patrick Kenny McCaughan, formerly a very well known runholde:- in Southland. He was at one time a member of the House of Representatives for Riverton. He was for a number of years in Melbourne subsequently, having nude a large fortune by fortunate speculation. He built a large pile of buildings in Melbourne known as the Rialto. To-day the world looks with wonder and renewed interest at the selling organisation of McCormick machines. Notwithstanding the extraordinary record made by the McCormick in 1902. the opening season for 1903 forests dows even greater achievements in the sale fit their harvesting machines. Having in view the demand for a larger output of ivi; chines to meet, the requirements ';f the :>miculturists of she entire world, the work o: increasing the facilities of the great McCormick plant has been going on almost continually.—(Advt.). Fur necklet lost. Twelve hoggets lost from Mandeville. New Year cards at J. Duncan and Co.'s. Annual New Year bull at Otama on New Year's night. Otama public picnic is to be held on New Year's day. " Never Despair" is to be staged in the Town Hall on Tuesday, sth January. Programme of Gore Racing Club's summer meeting inserted. Get your binder sheets repaired at Turnbull and Nicolson's. E. Wbelan, baker, inserts notice to public of Gore. Meeting of ratepayers in Mandeville hall on Wednesday, 30th December. i Tenders invited for repairing and painiing j Uiversdale Presbyterian church. i