CLYDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 25

CLYDE.

-May 11.— The Bharp frosts already experienced tere are prophetic of the near approach of winter, which we earnestly hope may not be at all so - severe u-- the last ons. The days" are s 'liny and ■warm, towevor, and there is s'iUa vleas'irc in being " out and e-bout," as th? old saw says. Ltqnite — Mr Kyle, manager for the Dunstan coalpit party, informs jne that he has found it necessary to put down a shaft for the purpose of giving proper ventilation throughout the workings. It is intended to put the shaft down so that it will tap the inner end of "the tunnel which is now driven a distance of 750ffe. This will give a aplenflid circulation of air, and besides do away with • the co»tly method cf supplying air to the mine by tncana of fanners, as was usually the made lopted mt ibis mine. Ib cinking the shaft »

| portion of the old workings would have to be 1 gone througn, and to avoid contending with the ! water thorein Mr Kyle had a chamber driven from one tide of the shaft until he got clear of the old workings, when he proceeded to jput dowa a " monkey " shaft, by which he intends reaching the tunnel ia ths course of a week. Men are also employed at putting frn a "ike" from the tunnel to meet the Hue of the abaft. When this work is completed, Mr Kyle iufornu me a constant supply of fuel will be supplied tit a very reasonable cost lo'con?umers. ' Scholastic — Messrs B. Nsylor, George Fache Georga Strang, Dr Hyde, M. Holden, G. W. Spooner, and J. Wilson wore elected a committee for thu •ensuing year. The -headmasters report showed an 'average daily attendance of 97J, I and reiwarktf.l upon the negligence *of several famlles of children in uofc attending school regularly. The report went <to show that the accommodation .at thy tchool was inadfquate, and that the lighting was in-* sufficient. Complaints have 'been made to the board regarding the stuffy and ill-lighted condition of the schoolrooms, but no attention haa beea given to the subject of complaint. What I caa learn of the condition of the entire school building prompts me to assert that the architect was at fault in his original design of the buiiding, since he must have had some little knowledge of the average dailyatteu-iaoee at tho school while he was engaged at bis plans. The hygienic condition of the headmaster's room will be understood when it is stated that there is a daily attendance of about 60 pupils and only desk room for -40 The Education Board cannot honestly desire us to stuff our ohildien away in buildings of this kind. Better, much better, for them to otay at home and enjoy their Chance of continual health and vigour than 'risk that ohnnce by attending school within iihfi present building — or, to put it "in the -words expressed by a member of the present school committee, " Better keep our children at home than fcurve their <-yes 'permanently iujurcd in this schoolroom." It is to be hoped the Education Board -will authorise a repoTt up >n the present state of the buildings, and give immediate attention to the matter of required alterations and improvements. Entertainment.— A most enjoyable entertainment whs given in the Town Hall on Friday night last. It was quite a financial and musical bucccS3, and the school funds are much increased by ths addition of the proceeds, which amounted to — well, I haven't hoard the umount, but probably it runs well into two figures. MINING. Ths poutoinß of the Clyde Dredging Company's dredge are now completed, and the machinery is being fitted up with the view to having the dredge at work within the next mouth. Mr Jo=eph Sparrow, of Dunedin, supplies all the TOachiuery. The Ngapara dredge has made a start to work after undergoing some slight repairs recently. This dredge is on a splendid run of gold, and the party's claim adjoins that owned by the Enterprise (Jonipany, and v>hioh ia now bei^g -worked •with such satisfactory results. The Clyd'i dredge i 6 on gold again, and consequently the returns are satisfactoiy to the shareholders. . We hear very little of the Ofcago Central , Company's chance of being floated in Dunedin. ' The wonder is that it has not gone off at once, as the claim is undoubtedly a good one. The Manorbnra field is about deserted, and <iu'v fcorai* idxnien ivtnain working there now. Mi Sym** .bad a good ekaning up at his battery recently, and, if rcuoitv ba fauo, Whilfs'B reef is not fcbwrly workftd out yet — indeed, few thought it was; but Mr Symes^aa tapped the lodu at a, much deeper lev«l than .that hitherto vrorkod | upon, and the ore shows gold freely.