RIVERSIDALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 29

RIVERSIDALE.

,- March 5. — -We have had grand harvest weather here lately — very hot, and hardly any rain. A large portion of the crop has been cut now, and I hear that many farmers are going to . thresh from the stook. This may save a little ! expense, but I think it is alwayß rather risky in Southland. "Waikaia "Railway. — The final death stroke has "been given to this line. On Sunday, a week ago, a large gang of men came up, and jremoved the greater part oi the rails and sleepers, the bal- j ance having been taken away- since. All that xeoiain. now are the rotting fences on each side, j »nd the earthworks, now all grassigrown. We settlers up here have certainly not had fair play , irom the Government, no matter what colour it has "been. When people take up land, on the .• strength of maps prepared by the Government surveyors, such maps clearly showing -the rail- ; way, they deserve better treatment. Was the whole thing merely a trap, in order to induce hard-working men to take .up the land at an enhanced price ? Upon my word, it looks very like it now, .and nothing is more certain than that no private individual would have dared to do what our Government has done.. And this is Liberalism! The Government have not heard the last of this yet, or else I quite misunderstand the temper of our farmers' about here. They can generally take care of themselves. One thing is -quite certain, and -tkat i 3, that now the Government have shown their kand, and proved that they will not -go on -with the railway, we have a perfect right to ask "them to build us a new traffic bridge. The old one is completely done, and we have been put off again and again" by the statement that a new bridge would be built both for road and railway traffic. Well^ the railway has -vanished , in smoke, and uliless the Government wish the settlers in Wendon, Wendonside, and Waikaia j to -be left stranded, they will have to assist . in erecting a new bridge at once. The grain j traffic, from these districts is very ..large, and none of tis would be much surprised to see the old bridge broken down any day. And yet the settlers keep quite cool' and so far have held no indignation meetings. Can it be possible that they feel quits satisfied? - j. The "War and the School. — On Wednesday last ; the town was in great excitement over the cap- J ture of General Cronjc and his troops, and the chairman of the School Committee, Mr Smaill, j determined to give the children a holiday in honour of the victory. Accordingly, on Thurs- I day morning he proceeded to the school, ac- j companied by Messrs W. A. Donald,' J. Gee, D. M'Lennan, A. Wallace, G. Cameron, and Dr . Ward. The children were drawn up in a square ' in front of the school by the schoolmaster, and ' addressed by most of the gentlemen mentioned above, and were also granted a holiday { ' until Monday. Mr J". Gee also kindly pre- i sented a bag of lollies to each child, and these J seemed more acceptable than the speeches. About 90 children were present, and the National Anthem was lustily-sung twice by them. J Alter the dismissal, Mr Muuro put the boys through physical drill, and the visitors were much pleased by -the smart way in which the boys conducted ihemselves.