CLARK'S JUNCTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2258, 10 June 1897, Page 25

CLARK'S JUNCTION.

1 June 7. — After a few days of thorough winter ! weather, with a good share of snow, we ara now i experiercing ft spell of beautiful mild weather. ■ So far as winter has gone we have not much i reason to complain. The roads are in fairly good order with the exception of the ditches, or what is bettor known as water-tables, but what I call a nuisance and a disgrace to any county. lam refetring to the part that lead* from Clark's Junction to Mr John Walsh's, Deep Stream, about seven ■ itiilee.in distance. The gold-mining industiy is in a thriving condition, and judging from tbe good tb.9 county is getting frona it 'more attention i should be paid to roads that lead to goldfields. It | is true wo have had the surfacemen on this road ' some considerable time this summer, but the question is what good have they done ? To throw ! soil in the middle of a track, or fill ruts with' soil [ is simply throwing water on a duck's kick, and : the sooner the county do somo pi aotical work on | this road the better. There is plenty cf stone , almost anywhere, and I fail to see why we should ; not get culverts. , Ecclesiastical. — Dissatisfaction exists here ia ; religious circles. Many who profens to be Prcsi byterians do not turn up, although a minister ' comes a long distance to preach. As service is only held once a fortnight, it in very difihearlening for a minister to get only half a dozen, and, this number is considered a. good congregation in this locality. The Catholics, on the other hand, are i.laced in a different position, as it is very seldom iha.t a priest is seen here ; but it cannot be said that he is treated badly when he does come. There are a' number of Catholics, with their , families, here who would be glad to have service i if it was only* once a month, and "I don't think ! the school committee would object to give tlv* U3e of the school for the purpose.

Mining — I hear that satisfactory progress ia being made in bringing in the water race from Dt'ep Creek. Rabbits.— Through the determined efforts of boine of the runholders, rabbits are about a thing of the past heie. There are not on ilet*w John and Allen Boyd's Rocklands station two rahbiters. A few years past there were 17 men, all rusking good wages. Instead of rabbits there is good tsed now on this run, and the stock is in splendid condition. Should wool be at a fair price during the approaching season theae gentlemen will b« repaid for their extra effort.