CLYDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 31

CLYDE.

August 1. — Throughout yesterd.iy ai;el l-Aft night a steady rain fell over the lowlands, but as the mist lifted occasionally it could be seen that tho foothills and higher tops were heaviiy coated with snow. It was feared that thfc warmth of the atmosphere would have_ the eFect of bringing about a general thaw of tho snows on the mounta.n ranges of the interior, and that the Molyr.eux 'vouUl become flooded as a result. TJ>e aspect of the ranges io-day is reassuring, since it appears that a heavy fall of spow occurred there while ram fell ■-teadily o'-pr the lowlands. Any «uddon rise of the Moiyneu- would ha»'.-» thf pfifret of compelling a number of the drtdges to stay operations for a tim» . and i-i t!i~ prrsent state oi the industry tho cessation of opciations for a day is not desired by those el'rectly interested in dredging pursuits. The rain suc(p dec! in increasing tho lo'iim" of the river slightly, but not to the cxtoi;t of interfering with dredging operations Stock Department —'Mr Taylo-, Into agent in thf Palmerston office, h.ts taker" up the duties of inspector here, vice Mr M'Leoii, transferred to Lawrence.

Desecrating Our Cemetery. -About a week back our cemetery was the scene of a pruescme and scandalous pracWe enacted by some Chinese boiio gatherer", v. ho, without protestation on the part of our fVnictciy Trust, proceeded to raise the remains of Ibeir unoffending dead for the purpose of transffrnng the bones 1o the land of pagoda*. Is it righi that M'ch a heathenish custom should be tolerated by our cvili^sation ? Is it not our bounden duty to protect the resting places of those who have died amongbl us, and to see to it that those graves arc not desecrated in the pursuance o£ a heathen rite which we loathe? The custom has its insanitary side, as ma\ be imagined. The remains arc raised to the surface, the bon^s, s?raped of all remaining muscular tissue, ate tied m separate bundles, labelled, and consigned to a box fitted for their reception. The* oiacarded fleshy and muscular parts are thrown! aside, and mingle with the earth, which i«i subsequently restored to its former place. Wherj the desecrated grave is refilled much of the decomposed flesh and muscular tissue remain?, upon the surface, and in the ordinary way .e-. blown about a3 it becomes dust under thr, sweltering heat of summer. The great dan^t ; to the health of the community is evident. And we tolerate the custom that would W>^**r ,«

ttlix homes with disease, and fill our atmosphere 4rith living organisms of filth, the inhalation of which might bring untold misery and suffering amongst our happy and contented people. Why was not our local Board of Health consulted before this gruesome rite was allowed to be enacted? lam told the Cemetery Trust lhad instructions from the Colonial Treasurer to permit the desecration ; but I- say here that £uch instructions did not warrant permission Ibeing given by the Cemetery Trust, the memJfeere of which might have been equal to exercising their powers to prevent the filthy rite taking £>laoe beside the sacred resting place of their friends and little ones. Small Birds Nuisance.— The Vincent County Council is taking active measures in combating the bird pest. Poisoned grain is being distributed amongst settlers, who are requested to krnt it down in places where the birds are seen %d congregate. Councils in the adjoining counties would do well to adopt like measures, bo (that unanimity of action might be attained, anu Kcoa results assured. The council is of opinion Ehat the purchasing of heads and egg 3 during fbhe breeding season in the most effective means tof coping with the pest; therefore »t niayna i*rpected that a sum will be voted for tnis i-purpose at .next meeting of the council. " Our Orchards.— Several acres are being planted with fruit trees thia season, the majority W>f the planters procuring their stock from the fcr.urseries in New South Wales. A wholesome thread of auction room stock has been instilled £nto planters by the Government experts, and *o numerous are tbo mistakes which have been pnade in the past through purchasing trees from firms that have no nursery, and therefoie cannot '^upeirise the selection of the stock ordered, fthat in some case 3 regret is most acute owing to Othe trees proving foreign to name. A local canning factory must soon be thought of, and line question of ways and means towards estabHishing a plant of the kind in our midst will aiaVe to be discussed before the railway reaches Alexandra or Clyde. Apricots appear to be gaining in favour here, and are being extensively /planted, apple trees being uprooted to be refplaced by stone fruits, for which our climate and soil "are suitable.