COUNTRY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3917, 5 September 1874, Page 5 (Supplement)

COUNTRY NEWS.

(PROM OUU OWN COP.KESPONDENTS.)

TOIS TOIS.

I am sorry to report a sad accident that occurred on Tuesday 25th, at noon, to a little boy named Curran, about 12 years of age, eldest son of Mra Patterson by a former husband. It appears he was in company with another little boy named Wybrow, each being on horseback, and proceeding to Fortrose, and when within a half mile of this place, they were passing a mare and foal which were grazing on the track, and which belong to a settler named Vincent. When about to pass, the mare backed and kicked out at them, hitting poor little Curran on the leg twice, breaking it midway between the ankle and knee. Ho had the presence of mind to grasp the mane of the horse he was riding, and let himself down easily to the ground, where he lay until the other little boy came on for assistance, whicli was speedily rendered by Messrs Jones and Brown, who quickly constructed a stretcher and took the injured lad carefully home. Being so far from any surgical assistance, the poor little fellow had to pass all the afternoon and night without the leg being set, and then had to be taken this day"(Wodnesday), via the Bluff, over laud and water, to Invercargill, before medical assistance could ba got. Every care was taken to render his transit easy, he being boated up the Mataura to tlie Bend five miles, thence on stretcher two miles, then boated up the Big Lagoon ten miles, then again carried eight miles on stretcher, then again boated over the ferry to the Bluff township, thence to Invercargill by train 18 miles—where lie will arrive before noon tomorrow (Thursday). Great svmoathy is Salt for the little fellow, who is* a very intelligent, well-behaved lad.

A meeting of the Local Committee who have raised sufficient funds to erect a public building in the township of Fortrose, was held on Saturday evening, August 22nd, when it was unanimously resolved that the Chairman, Mr G. H. Attwood, do apply to the Waste Lands Board, Dunedin, for permission to pur' chase two acres of land in tlie township reserve for the purpose of erecting the building upon. The-members present were Messrs C. R, Brunton, J. Christie B. M'Kenzie, ■J. Smith, and G. H. AttTvood. LAWRENCE. We have been favoured with very fair weather for a littlo time, and the signs of winter have nearly disappeared. The snow has gone,_and the ploughs have been kept to werk in preparation for spring. The building of the. Court-house and Town Hall have made rapid progress during the past week. In the former the stone walls are nearly finished, and the concrete partitions have advanced considerably. A large portion of the timber, lining, and mouldings have already been cut, and it will not tako very long to give ' a finish to the whole building. Tlie bricklayers have shown a good amount of work with the Town Hall.

A great feeling of regret is felfc hero that we are net likely to have the usual judicial visits from Judge Giay for some time to come. We hope that his state of health will be very much improved by a recess from his duties, and that he may soon be enabled to let us set our eyes on him again. Mr Farrar (who has for a number of years held the position of Manager for the Bank of New South Wales here) left last week on a visit to the old country. He has leave of absence, for 12 months. A gentleman from the Clyde branch of the Bank has taken his place in the meantime. Before Mr Farrar leffc, some of his private friends invited him to a dinner, and there presented him with £200, as a token of esteem.

Our Hospital Committee have received a letter from two ladies at Havelock (who worked hard to collect funds for the institution), complaining that commission has been charged on the sums whicli they had gathered up. Jfc would seem that another complaint is made about the quantity of chlorodyne which has been used ; aud one does not know where these complaints will end.