GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2323, 8 September 1898, Page 29

GENERAL.

Horticultural Society. — The annual meeting of the Vincent Horticultural Society was held at Clyde last Tuesday evening. The report and balance sheet, which showed the society to be in a prosperous condition, were read and adopted. A good working committee was elected, Mr William Laidlaw being -appointed president, and Mr Smart secretary. The idea of breaking free from the upper end of the county was mooted. This will no doubt take place in time, as there is little if any community of interest between the upper and lower parts of the county. The distance between the small towns interested, local jealousies, and mistrust of each other preclude their* working .towards the one great aim of improving all Horticultural products produced in the county. Debating Society. — The fortnightly meeting of the Alexandra Debating Society was held last Thursday evening, and was one of the poor meetings. The papers road, one by Mr Gilkison and one by Mr Lothian, were scholarly productions, and worthy of a larger attendance of members. Measles at Clyde. — Some few weeks ago " your own " from Clyde taunted the Alexandra folk with having the dirtiest little town in New Zealand, and that it was a breeding bed for all diseases — especially German measles, that hav{ taken hold of the Clyde folk. Now, as Clyde breeds no measles nor any other disease under the sun, they should soon die out of that paradise of cleanliness— not the people, but ths measles. Religious. — Tli6 Salvation Army has laid siege to -the Chinese camp, the plague spot of Alexandra, but it remains to be seen whether the sweet singing and earnest preaching will influence to good living the dwellers in this place or not. — The Anglicans are working strenuously to make their bazaar on race night a success, and donations are freely given or promised when asked for.

CI..YBE. - September 5. — Real spring weather prevails now, end the fruit trees, such as apricot, almondji and cherrj; - plum, are well blossomed.

This is a doubtful blessing, so to say, as late frosts "may destroy the young fruit in the forming stage. Should the frosts not be extremely sharp, there is every prospect of another season's fruit stipply similar to that of last season. Sighting Herr A^dree's Balloon.— On a recent evening, about 6 o'clock, a balloon of considerable size passed over here in a northerly direction. The contrivance was travelling at a great altitude, and was making considerable progress on the wings of a south-westerly gale All riorts of conjectures were afloat as to who tenanted tho air-ship, but that, as a matter oi of course, is not reliably known. My -own individual opinion is that Herr Andree has somehow got out of his latitude, and is now on ins ■way to Mount Cook for reasons only known to himself. I may also state that many alarmists are of opinion that the balloon was tenanted by a party of Russian spies, while some thorc were ■who positively maintained that it only contained a party of Nokomai diggers who were en route to Klondyke. The sight of the huge monster was something worth beholding as it swept onward far above one, and the gathering gloom of appioaching ni^ht but helped to intensify the awe which the presence of the visitor created in the minds of the few •who saw it pass by. Almost involuntarily one's mind turned upon the incidents so charmingly narrated in that most entertaining story, "The War of the Worlds." Warden's Reports. — Mr Warden M'Caithy's reports upon the goldfields within his charge sho.v a particulrrly XJiOfcj. erous year has been, experienced here by all branches of the golelmining industry. Beyond all manner of doubt, this report is one of the "best we h"vve hart during. very many years, and, not uanatuially, "we are proud of it. Mr M'Cartby has succeeded in giving a n-cst lucid repoit, 'vhieh .s loadable, and entirely free of that crimped ancl groovy wording so peculiar to of/. '.v.c.^ and elocuments generally. Mr 3.' ' .'..^iai Tjaan admirably full and explanatory v.thout feeing prolix. Idle Jargon. — There appears to be still people in this world who 'are capable of feeling more concern in their neighbours' affairs than in their own. A town not many thousand miles from Cromwell possesses many of this kind of creature, and it is simply nauseating to read some of the idle jargon that finds its way into the local prints, ostensibly for no "better reason than injuring a neighbour. And strange as it may appear, this kind of thing is served up to us occasionally in the guise of news! O temporal O' mores! The most recent display oi this kind of thing finds its "way into the- columns of the Dunstan Times, and is credited to " Oui Cromwell Correspondent," who seems much concerned regarding Mr Warburton's intention to occupy the dual position of local school teacher and editor of the Argus newspaper. I don't know what Mr Warburton's intentions are or may be, but it is manifest that " Our Cromwell Correspondent " desires it to be understood that the fact of Mr Warburton holding the dual position mentioned would serve as a subject upon which unscrupulous scribes might dilate at the expense of the public taste and all recognised journalistic etiquette. Poison. — Mr Ironside, stock inspector, has been very successful with the season's poisoning, the rabbits having taken the pollard-phos-phorus poison remarkably well. " ' The entiro Eamscleugh runs have had a thorough spread of poison, and -it is considered that the pest is reduced to -an appreciable extent. It is Mr Ironside's intention to diligently prosecute the •work of poisoning and trapping during the summer months with a view to securing a desirable control of the rabbits all the year round. Other lunholders in the county might profit by the example set <them by the Stock department. Coal. — Mr Pratt intends having a shaft put down upon the Dairy Creek coal-pit, the adit level affording but a difficult means of working the lignite deposit. The shaft will be fully 100 ft in depth, with a further depth of 20ft foi; well hole.