LAKE WANAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1906, 21 August 1890, Page 18

LAKE WANAKA.

Albbrtown, August 18.— Messrs Ward and Co., a Canterbury firm, are busily engaged in fitting up their flax mill at Makarora, and expect to make a start in about three or four weeks, at which time I shall have more particulars to give. Attempted Suicide.— About a week ago a man named William Lloyd, a fencer, cut his throat at his tent in the Oardrona Valley. It would appear that he came down to Wanaka, and hud only a couple of days of colonial recreation,' during which he was in some way mixed up in a souffle in which a Celestial was somewhat roughly handled. When Lloyd got baok this Celestial proved an apparition which haunted him, as he believed that he had killed and burled him, but that, despite his most frantic exertions, he oould »ot cover up his nose. Then, in his wild hallucinations, fearing the subsequent punishment, he committed the rath sot. The wound i» not serious, and he will be well in a short time. He it now in the Cromwell Hospital. Changes.— Mr William Canning, who has had charge of the post and telegraph office at Pembroke slnoe it opened, now nearly 12 months ago, has been transferred to the telegraph office, Dunedin. This change occurred solely on the soore of economy, the department stating that they Were well satisfied with the way in whioh Mr Canning had discharged his duties. To the public Mr Canning has always been very obliging. Miss M'Kellar, from Cromwell, takes Mr Cunning's place. The Luggate school is now in charge of Miss Donald, from Oamaru way, I understand. Miss M. J. Fraser, who was teaoher there during the past twojrears, has left the service, and in leaving takes away with her the esteem of the community for her courtesy and urbanity. A Dangerous Road.— Since thebig floodof 1878 the roadway in front of the hotel in this town has been in a very dangerous state. Immediately after the flood the county formed the road to the puat and nothing has been done to it since. At present there are some hollows about 3ft deep with sharp edges, and one or fiwo sharp banks a couple of feet high, and it is surprising that an acoident has not occurred. Recently the ratepayers of Albertown petitioned the member, Mr Stronaoh, to take what steps he thought best to remedy thlt undesirable state of affairs, aud accordingly the county engineer, Mr Maogeorge, is to report on the matter at an early date. It is to be hoped that this work will be done by the races time at latest, as at that time large numbers of strangers arrive who are not conversant with these pitfalls. Registrar — With the transferral of Mr Canning to Dunedin it is understood that the office of registrar of births, marriages, and deaths is temporarily vaoant, as Miss M'Kellar has not been given this appointment. Probably Mr Robert M'iJougall will be re-appointed. It frequently happens in other towns that the office of registrar obanges perhaps several times a year. This perhaps might be productive of evil results in future years, as for the disposal of property and other reasons, the validity of the marriages performed by these registrars might be questioned, and '..then the question might arise whether or not these ceremonies might have been performed by unauthorised persons. It will bo remembered that a few years back a special net uf Parliament was passed to legalise certain marriages which were performed by three clergymen who by some oversight were not registered as such for the district in which they resided. One of the clergymen was a former resident of this district and was then teaoher nt Pembroke, find he performed three or four mar riages while there. Thk Weather.— Since I last wrote we have bad fine spring weather, with tome heavy showers of rain at night time. The summer gulls have arrived, and the spiders have started out of their winter hybernations and begun web-building, whi'e the grass has begun to grow, and there is .every indication of an early spring.