COUNTRY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3929, 19 September 1874, Page 5 (Supplement)

COUNTRY NEWS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

NA3EBY.

Some time has elapsed since my last communication, andthisowing to lack of anything which might interest your readers, not to forgetfulness on behalf of your correspondent. The principal items of news I can now send are-^The opening of 3000 acre 3on deferred payments on the Pastoral Association's property, Maniototo Plains. The District Land Officer, with the District Surveyor, and others interested in the matter, went'outafew days ago, and selected the reserve—most of which, I am informed, will be taken up, and is considered to-be most suitable fpr agriculture. If present; ideas as to farming thtreon are carried out, doubtless it will be a great boon;to the district, as agricultural produce, which has been always high, will be. obtainable at a reasonable rate

We have for some weeks past had a good supply of water, and ali parties left here with sluiping claims have been in full swing of work, which the succeeding escorts will no doubt testify. When the public works are completed, I think that the Mount Ida escort will recover its old prestige. By-the-way, I should state that we are receiving a large influx of Chinese, and that some three or four new Celestial stores have been and are in the course of opening. The head-race, so far as Mr Dillon is concerned, haa progressed very satisfactorily, and hia present contract will, it is expected, be completed shortly. Mr Abbott's contract progresses but slowly—the Government new ehutiis, not liking his terms, having left. I hope he will be successful- i;i obtaining better men. Doubtless the men sent up by the Government were not suitable for the work, but had the trouble been taken with them, as with those on the sludge channel (who were in the same position), they would doubtless shortly have been worth the current wage,

The Brothers Creighton have kit here for Dunedin, at the request-of the Superintendent, to confer as to the deepening of the sludge channel, and that work is at present; in abeyance.

Now for a chapter of accidents. On Wednesday noon last a man named John Marks, working on the head-race near here, was choked whilst eating his dinner by a large piece of beef sticking in his larynx, and death was instantaneous. A verdict was given by the jury on the inquest to that effect. On the same evening tile premises on the Home Station at Paterora, occupied by Captain Baldwin, were totally, burnt down, together with the furniture and other contents. . .The Captain and his wife were, I am informed, absent at the time, but the governess andthe family had a narrow escape. Then a Mrs Davis, on the following day, was thrown from her horse in riding to Kyeburn, causing a broken arm and three broken ribs. She is, I am informed, progressing favourably.

la whence. . Our town was quite lively on Thursday last, when the llonian Catholic Church bfclls gave forth their merry peals, which announced that the marriage ceremony between the schoolmaster and mistre&s of the school was about to take place. Large numbers attended on tho occasion, and the Rev. Father Larkin conducted the proceedings with great solemnity. The happy pair looked well, and after part-iking of a repast at the residence of the priest, they departed to the Beaumont to spend their honeymoon. The pupils gave expression to their feelings of regard, and the attention paid to impart education in this seminary is greatly praised by the Roman Catholic community here. _ The proceedings of the Supreme Court sitting have already been published by you. There are four lawyers in this locality ; but, on this occasion, the official Crown Prosecutor sent up a gentleman from Dunedin to appear on his behalf.

On Monday last a large quantity of the land advertised as being open for sale was applied for by Mr M'Lean j and, if his application is granted, there will be no chance for the numbers who are very desirous to have a bit of laud. It requires some little delay before they are aware of the chance, and by the time they get this information they have lost their opportunity and must wait till the next time. The recent statute in reference to the sale of the Hundreds grants a proper delay after advertisement, which will certainly answer better than the present arrangement.

We have-had-very changeable weather, but it has been good for farming operations.