BALCLUTHA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 22

BAL CLUTHA.

June 12.—1n common with the rest of Otago wo have had a very heavy fall of snow-heavier, that veracious personage, the oldest inhabitant, says, than has been seen since the flood, but then ce 8t ii 1 b " cm l mber , ed * ha * th * Clutha flood of \XtZn* »l? ??^ en ot * £ tlea st an average of sin of snow has fallen and the result of the melting has been to raise the river considerably. If the present early fall of snow is a fair sample of what we are to expect through the winter, we have juut cause for apprehension when the warm winds of spring melt the piled-up mows. Up to the present time we have had a mild, open winter and grass is still fairly abundant for stock No , w >. how ever, we may look out for severe frosts, ond the rapid disappearance 6f the pasture from th c fields. Ploughing has been fairly commenced, but as the ground has been very hard and dry tio^omS?.^ 6 " 61^' tWs necessary °»™' Literary SocißTv.-The Baldutha Literary Society has resumed its winter session. A start A }L m \v% by VT* k te «*ting lecture by Mr Alex. Wilson, MA of the Otago Girls' High School the subject being, " Ruskin as a writer of Wt? w °- n h Mday mght uext Mr R- C. Jones, Al.Liii.Xj., gives a lecture on electricity, and later on m the session Professor Gilray gives a lecture on a literary subject, and Professor Black a. course of three lectures on agricultural chemis try. On the whole this season proves to be the most successful the society has had. In connection with the society Mr Joseph, of the Free Iress, is conducting a weekly chemistry class which is fan-]y well attended. As Mr Joseph is giving his time gratis, it is to be hoped a good number will avail themselves of the opportunity to learn something of this fascinating and useful science.

The Measles Epidemic— On account of the attendance suffering to an alarming extent through the appearance of measles, the school committee decided to close the school for a fortnight. It would be useful information to know to what extent the teachers' salaries have suffered by the measles, and how much in solid education the community has lost through the closing of. the schools. The present experience points to the wisdom of classifying: the schools, and paying the teachers and committees accordingly. Licensing Committee.— The Licensing Committee at its annual meeting granted all the renewals to the four hotels, notwithstanding their public declaration at the previous meeting of their intention to close another hotel this year. Outside the temperance party there is no fault to find with the decision of the committee, as all the houses are well conducted, and to close one only means passing on a greater amount of trade to the others. Moat likely an attempt will be made at next election to have some prohibitionists returned on the licensing committee, as the Good Templars, who are pretty strong, ara on the alert.