RIVERSDALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 25

RIVERSDALE.

April 26 —The duck season has come at last, but the «iucks seem to have been loft out of the programme, as I have not head of any decent bags being made about here. Those birds that I have s j en have been very wild and flying high, as though they had been disturbed. Is it possible that some of o\ir sportsmen were having a sly crack at the birds before the 17th? But.no! Men who would not spear trout would not shoot ducks before the proper date ! F.NGLISH Church Social.— Yet another of jhese church socials was held here on the evening of Friday last. I have said before that I tho ght such entertainments were being held iar too often, and now lam sure of it. Iv spite of a fine night sincl a liberal programme only somewhere about 40 people turned up to e<>joy the perform■\nce. A duet was played by Miss Eirle (piano) nd Mr G Ccrmick (violin) and songs were given v Messrs Tanner, Tomlin, Kdwards, Hughes, and • hera. There was no stepriancing, no " Jarley's " axworks." nor did the celebrated dwarf turn x I would really recommend ths cbu-ch people to " give it a rest " for some time, as the people can have tr.o much even of a good thing.

"WEDDING.— On Wednesday, *he 2lst, a fashionable wedding was held in the; church here, between Mr J. Wright and Miss Janet Stevenson . Mr "Wright used to be a resident here, and is well known by all. He is at present manager for W. Gardiner and Co., uTore, and the bride is a daughter of Mr T. Stevenson. The church waa prettily decorated, and nverything passed off like the proverbial "wedding bells." Miss F. Stevenson, very becomingly dressed, was bridesmaid, and Mr M'Gruer acted as best mau. During the afternoon the happy couple left for Gore amidst the good wishes of all their friends. AthenjUUM. — A meeting of the committee of this institution was held on Wednesday evening last, Mr J. Smaill in the chair. The accounts showed that after paying oft all debts the i-mall credit balance of 6s 6a" would be left. Well, after all, that is better than a loss, and I wish the athensenm better luck. lam glad to say that the committee authorised the payment (or rather repayment) of a sum of £7 which had been incurred "by an old committee, which was foolish enough to advance that sxitn to defray the cost of a building debt. Many instances of this temporary lunacy have been known before, but as a rule the members stay there and never act repaid. So let it he mv proud boast that a Riversdale committee have been repaid. After their bread has been cast upon the water lor many days it has come back. The following office-bearers for the year were elected :— President, Mr W. A. "Donald ; vice-president, Mr J. Gee; committee— Messrs Clearwater, Gee, Unsworlh, Ourrie, Reid, Hollingworth, Smaill, M'Lennau, and Macdonald, five to form a quorum. A hearty vote of thanks was moved to Mr D. Munro, who has acted so well as librarian and secretary for a long time past. It was decided to hold a concert and dance in aid of ihe funds on the 24th May.

The "Weather — We have only had what the Yankees called " samples " lately, as the weather has been very variable. Frosty mornings point out the speedy approach of winter, and the air get* pretty nippy towards night. Grain carting is the order of the day, and luckily the roads are in grand order still. The Mataura has gone down at last and is easily fordable below the bridge.