Our Correspondents.

Otago Witness, Issue 1488, 22 May 1880, Page 13

Our Correspondents.

GORE.

(from our own correspondent.)

The weather during the past week has been execrable, frequent and chilly showers being the rule. In consequence, our district roads aro now boingmuch cut up by the heavy grain traffic.

It is very doubtful if the long-looked-for opening of the Waimea railway will take place, as was anticipated, on tho 21th instant. The township is revelling in a surfeit of various forms of amusement— concerts, amateur and professional, and a ball given by the bachelors of Gore, and which took place on tho 14 bh. The arrangements were carried out in a very creditable manner by the committee, and a most on joy able evening was spent by those present.numberingabout 80 couple*. Two concerts come olf next Wednesday and Thursday in aid of local objects— tho one in West and the other in East Gore. The objects are worthy of liberal support, which I trust will be afforded by the public. The goods shed is now nearly completed, and I believe that the contractor has carried out the agreonient in a highly satisfactory manner so far as he hasjr one. Mr W. A. Donald, late of the Waimea, was tho recipient of a beautiful gold watch, which was presented to him by his Gore friends on Friday evening last, prior to his departure for England. The presentation was made in Green's Hotel by Mr Shanks, M.11.R. for Mataura, who in an able speech passed a high encomium upon Mr Donald's worth and integrity. Other gentlemen present endorsed tho remarks of Mr Shanks ; and Mr Donald, in a neat speech, feelingly replied, thanking the donors for the handsome and valuable gift. Mr Donald took his final departure by the mid-day train on Saturday, to which he waa escorted by a large number of his friends, who cheered him heartily on tho train moving off. Mr Ross, jun., met with a rather severe accident a few days ago. It appears that he was riding a young horse through Gore, when the animal became restive, and threw his rider, who fell heavily on to the gravelled road, fracturing his collar-bone. Mr Ross is, lam glad to hear, doing very well, and will soon be able to resume work,