MILTON

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 28

MILTON

March 14. —Harvest has been Drogressintj without interruption during the last v/eik, ntid the grsater part of the crop i? bow cut. Two or thrpe of the nailis in tbe district have started their seuson'a n ork, and a number of farmers are threshing out of the stook &o as to get their gr..in into the Thmedin market before the prices recede, if they do .»o.

Jcbilee KxnißTTiox.— The public bodies in the district which have sppoin+ed delegates to manage the establishment of a Bruce ourt at the exliibitirn are ac'.ivclv preparing *or the event. The loci committee h.is secured 64ft of space, and expects to have it fully occupied long before all the exhibita are in. Already regrets are bpiug expressed that a larger space had not been applied for. but perhaps the bay will be the move interesting on account of tha varied exhibits being crowded into a small compare. Bruce Rifles.— Tho local volunteer corps held , its annual meeting after parade on Wednesday , eve niner. The balance shest was .const ; ered very > reassuring, considering the heavy expenses the company has had to b«"ar during the y.-av, and the next year -will be commenced with a credit balance cf some £6. Corporals Moyes and Boyle , were elected sergeants. 'J he company is now of ! a fairly good strength, and the meu seem deter- ' mined this year to give a good account of tham- ■ selves, for I notics that a resolution to fine absentees was carried on the motion of two men in the ranks.

Tdxnis ToußXAMEyr.—TheMiltoii Tennis OluVs annual tournament is finished so far as the ladies are concerned. The final was played one day last week, Mrs Hall, a new member o"f the club, winning from a fovmer champion, Miss E. M'Laren. The men's singles lies between Messrs Hall and M Gill.

Cricket —The final shield match between Lovell's Flat and Milton eventuated on Saturday. Tbe result H as yet no result at all, as an appeal from Lovell's FUt will have to be considered by the executive of the South Ot,i?o Association before the gamp can be awardt-d to either side. Milton made 47 and 50, Lovtll's Flat 45 and 52 for nine wickets when time was called ia the middle of an over. According to the rules, the match, decided on the first innings, falls to Milton ; but the propriety of calling time ia the middle of an over will have to be discussed. I quite appreciate tho editor's exnlaua,tion of the apparent indifference of tovyn clubs and papers to the association and will bring the matter to their notice. Sanitation —A step in the nsrht direction has been made by Cr M'Leod, of the borough council. On his motion a Sanitary Committee has been appointed, and two medical reports from the honorary officers of the borough were laid on the table on Wednesday List. Oae could hardly believe that this n-.ttr little town i* within the legitimate bounds of medical criticism ; but these reporf-s f-ho\v that in one way and another a few thousands might be piofltably spent heie in gilding refined gold. The leporis have not yet been discussed.

A Rovai, .Reception.— Oue panaot suppress a emile whoa posing down the town now at th°

energetic steps the council is taking to prepare for the Governor's; visit on Wednesday. A number of the stree\s— always clean— are being clean shaved, and look painfully bare of grass and weeds, while on others the unbeaten metal has been tickled into prominence to welc )ine M 3 Excellency. Not only that, but the council — which, by the way, has never in all its existence had a debt or an overdraft— is asphalting a lot of paths where a critical eye of the Vice-regal party may fall. Methinks if a shower of rain, should fall before Wednesday the very eelf. consciousness of the streets with their faces washed will arrest the Governor's attention. He may smile in his sleeve, but he cannot say that he is cot being accorded a proper reception. Bowling.— A campaign arranged by the energetic secretary of the Milton Bowling Club was carried out ia Dunedin last week. Three rinks went in on Tuesday and defeated the Caledonian and Port Club?, but succumbed to the Dunedin. The team returned next day after a most enjoyable trip. [Since the above was written it has been announced, to ths mortification of several and to the relief of just as many, that the Governor's visit has been postponed. "The best-laid schemes," etc. (Froji a Casual Correspondent ) The Jubilee Bridge The new bridge over the river at Clarkesville has just been completed, and is to be called the Jubiiee Bridge, as it was begun during the Queen's Jubilee last year. Ifc is made of well built stone piers, properly cemented, and these are su 1 mounted by strong beams of black pine, the Utter and totara forming, the railings and planks. . The previous bridge could not be compared with ths present one for strength, aod yet it ha? stood the. heavy traffic of the. Main South road for fully 30 years, so we may expect this ,oue to last much longer. This substantial structure was erected by Mr Carruther3 and his meu, under the direction of the council's experienced inspector. The present bridge coat £300 : the old one £520. DxtEDGiXG at Glenoue.— A few mile 3 above Ih.a bridge we come 10 Ulenore township. This Ls becoming a busy centre. Already thrse dredges are in active opeiati-nninht and day, and a fourth, one is in course of construction— a fact which, speaks for itself. Coal. — Another source of wealth to the district are tbe fi.ee coal deposits in the neighbjurbood, the best btiog ''Down the River, 1 ' as it is called. 'Jhe pits— theru are three of them- are within easy distance of Milton, two trips per day being easily accomplished. '1 he nearest and by far the best coalpit is owued and worked by Mr Anthony Young. All the farmers in the-distiict for mile 3 around draw their yearly supplies principally from this pit. 'Ihe gieat drawback to the prope's; development of tbe pits is the want of a 1 sht railway. Were this constru ted, and it is quire practicable, as the country is ve^y level all rlv way, a distance of four miles, the outpu l ; woul be largely increased, o=p- c Lilly dm ins wu.te. wheu the roads a r <-' i-> in* ! •■'>• ■.