CLYDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2309, 2 June 1898, Page 25

CLYDE.

j .May 30 —The intensely .cold wind of Friday I morning last was evidence of th« -sear approach | of snow, anJ on Saturday .a heavy storm visited j the mountains, completely enveloping them in a robe of .pure white. The snow did not approach : the lowlands, but the bitterly cold wind made things unpleasantrfor a time. Fatal Accident.— A painfully fatal accident, oy which Mis George JTield, of Blackman's, met her death, occurred on Monday eveniqg last by the .upsetting of a sulky in which JHrs JField wag seated, driving from Eutnhoifs Gully to'her house; It would appear that Mrs Field had been .on a visit to.some'friesds at Butcher's Gully, andJeav-ing-there,at 'about 5.30 in the evening, when it was quite dark, ,she misled her way and allowed tho horse to go off the 1 road at a point where .several water races -are cut upon the adjoining embankment. The sulky was upset at one of these races, and when found on Tuesday morning it was discovered that Mrs Field was quite dead, death resulting from the injuries sustained by the accident. Deceased was a lady of sterling worth, sincere in her friendship, punctual in charity, was ever ready to help in time of need, and herawas a life of unostentatious effort to 'succeed in her undertskii gs and at the same time extend aiieln. ing hand to others .less successful. Much sympathy is expiessed .for her daughters .and her bereaved husband. •Obituary —I .regret to have to state that Mr John Lindsay, of Waikerikeri Valley, who ha"s been an inmate of the hospital for some -few weeks, died there on Sunday evening, 22nd inst. Deceased leaves <a -family of five young children wholly -unprovided for— orphans in every sense, their -mother .having predeceased their father ~by sevaral years. The hospitality of residents of Waikerikeri Valley is a household word, and I •have been much pleased to learn thatthe children .have been well attended to and provided for since the father's illness began. On Saturday evening last a public meeting was hrald "in Clyde to consider steps by which the onphans could be assisted, but as I was uzrable to be present at the meeting I cannot state what decision was .arrived at.

Self.— ln last week's issue of the Alexauclra Herald an 'anonymous wetter takes umbrage at some statements of .mine which -appeared in a recent 'issue of the >Otago Witness. These statements, he -contends, .are calculated lo cast reflections upon the borough council of Alexandra. The writer, bewever, does .not attempt to disgorove my statements, but .contents himself with a .strain of violent invective -against my inoffensive self. I regret exceedingly that the ■effusion .referred to can ■only be Accepted by me as an acute form of train trouble «n3 hysteria from which .the writer Js manifestly suffering. Regarding the 10 artioles ol the "vulture's schedule" the writer says: "The Kchedule only specifies five separate duties, and a .second application was called in for jduties of -a different nature." It so .happens that I have a printed copy of the specifications before me, also a published report of the meeting of t"he borough council at which fhey were considered and adopted. In explaining the object of that same meeting the mayor is reported as sayingthat "it was for the purpose >of considering specifications of work to be /performed by the dayman" (the italics are mine), and in publishing those specithey axe referred to as " specifications of the dayman's work." Of course it is just possible that the council intended <the 'work to be performed <by daymen, but .read the specifications bow I wiE I cannot find such an intentionconyeyed either directly or indirectly, or within the lines, or between the lines. With reference to my statement that Alexandra is well&nown to.be the filthiest borough in the colony, the .writer does not even attempt a refutation, though probably he imagines -he 'does, which is what may be •expected from a person of his mental calibre. H« says that the travelling public make Alexandra their .headquarters. Does the .writer not know that the travelling public .dp so sometimes .as a matter of ■commercial oonveiiience lather than ftem any desire to convey a sense of their appreciation of the sanitary conditions of the township, which are filthy in the extreme. Of couise the travelling public are aware that the risk of contagion, in their case, is minimised by their usually brief stay and their constant intercourse -with ot.her and more 'healthy localities. I would have very much liked had the writer attempted a refutation of this latter statement cf mine instead of betraying hjs mental aberration in the 'inane, scurrilous off asion to which he feared to attach his name, in conclusion, I may say that since my statements -appeared in the Otago Witness I have had communications from several estimable residents of Alexandra conveying expressions of appreciation of those statements and regret because -they "were -only too true — a fact which 'I am prepared to .prove to the entire satisfaction of the Alexandra ißorough Council, however den-'e their perception may be or "ba their dissimulation -ever so intense.