RIVERTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1929, 9 November 1888, Page 17

RIVERTON.

November 5. — Some few weeks ago we were congratulating ourselves about the exceptionally fine weather we were enjoying here, but as usual Dame Nature has made things square by serving out an inordinate supply of wind, hail, and rain, especially for this season of the year. It must 'have proved very trying for the lambs, but I hear that the loss hns not been serious in this district. MiircsG.—The old adage that "What is food for one person is poison to another " is again proved to be correct ; for although there lias been a great deal more than enough rain for the farmers and the country generally, it has just met the wants of the miners, who ha?e had an ample supply of water for sluicing purposes, and will ia consequence hive 'arger returns at fche Chrisf/maa washing-up. Contracts are to be let this week ior cutting five and a-quarter miles of an extension of Bermiston's water race which will add three or four heads to the Round Hill supply, and Port's race is expected to be finished shortly after Christmas, and this will give six or eight heads, thus providing water to keep upwards of 60 more men at work as.^the wafcer is generally used two or three times ,'over, where there is sufficient fall. Consequently if fche sludge channel compaay, wfiieh it is proposed to float should be brought into existence there would be a giand future for the Round Hill diggings, there being many hundreds of aores of auriferous ground that only require water and fall to enable it to be worked in a profitable manner. Church Matters.— The Catholics in this district have just made a moat successful effort to raise sufficient funds to pay off the debt on the three churches in the parish by means of an art union, the drawing of which took phce on Saturday last. Upwards ot 5000 tickets at 2s each were sold, the net results being somewhere about £400— a large sum to raise in these dull times. I understand that there will be enough to clear off the whole of the debt. The Rev. Father Walsh, who has been indefatigable in his work, and the members of his church are to be congratulated on the success of their efforts. A large number of the prizes (135 in number) were given by members of the churches, so that the Co3t of providing the others was reduced to a minimum. Hence the large amount left to be devoted to the object in view. High School.— Our high school is suffering a good deal for want of a head teacher (or rather rector, which is, I believe, the proper term). The attendance has fallen off very much since Mr Adams left— so much so that we are threatenened with the loss of one of the assistant* if the attendance cannot be kept up to the mark. O f course the gentleman in temporary charge does not take the same interest in the school as a permanent teacher would do.