LUMSDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2529, 3 September 1902, Page 31

LUMSDEN.

September 1 — Durirg- the past few weeks, with tlie exception of a few lainy ds'ys. and one or two nights' hard fro«t, the weather bus been exceptionally fine, a-nd most favourable to those ongaged m outdoor and a-gr cultral pursuits; and, as a natural consequence, farm work of all kinds is well aavanced, and the present week will Fee seea-sowing in full swing. It is expected that a much larger aTea will be under grain crops this season than has been the case for many years past. The favourable winter and spnng weather and good prices ruling no doubt may account for this. Amusements. — On the ISth ult. a very pleasing and enjoyable concert was carried through by the promoters of the Lumsdeu Public Reading Boom. Music, songs, recitations, readings, and short speeches were the vanoua items, all of which were well received and attentively listened to, and the charge to nonmembers for all this was only the humble sixpence; yet the total amount collected from so large an attendance must have considerably augmented tho building fund. L.M.I. Society. — The ordinary meeting of this body took place on the evening of Tuesday, 26th ult., when there was a large attendance to hear ex-president Ciaik's paper on the Elizabathan Period. Mr Clark was at the conclusion complimented V>y Mr Lyinburn mid several other members of the society, a\A ul1 hough very few present could soy much on so large and well thought-out and most instructive an address, yet one and all listened to the reading of the paper with great attentioii. Soi'gs and readings took up the remainder cf the e\enirg. The society meets again on September 9, when a capital pngrammeis looked foiward to.

Concert and Ball. — The Luinsdcn footba'li r->' annual entertainment took place on Wednesdjy evening, 27th ult., when a capital programme was gone through, the perform e rs being the Mi&ses Aich bald (Otaina), Misses Sinail (Riversdale), Mrs Kirkland, and Miss Thomson. Dt Todd, the president, opened the proceedings in a few well-choaen remarks suitable for the occasion. A pleasing item of the evening was a presentation of a bciu'i-fully-got-up flag by the Misses Vercoe to the Lumsden Football Club. Mr Wilkie, in a neat speech, handed the flag to the president, who, in accepting the gift on behalf of (no club, spoke in kindly terms of the don6rs. Mr Kirkland then called for three cheers for the Mifeses Veicoe for their liandfomc present. 'J his was loudly and hcartiiy re=ponded to. The next ceremony was the presentation ol a handsome watch chain and pendant lo tlie recently returned Farner-scrge.ini. W. Fraser, of thp Ninth Kew Zealand Contji g6:il. Dr Toad, in making the prceiitniioii on bcha f of the members of tho club, ppckn in a kindly vein, pointing out Unit fhe forvarclii'g to South Africa i. f a hfe-u>c-m'>rr'«s ticket to Sf-rgea-nt Fraser and the i w-cnt ' Hie ccren'criV he was then assi&tiug in cloai y demonstrated the great e^Uuu in vh.cii iiie lecipiciit was he'd by h.s c<-niiudes both on flnd off the fotbal! field.

La>-.d for C!o=ei Se'i'enirnt It :<; cU'T^ntly reported that Castle Rock Estate has been sold to an Australian syndicate, wh eh, it is said, intends to cut up tlie estate into su tab.ysized farms. I sincerely hope this may be tho case, as it would be a great boon to our .town and district.

Bank. — A matter for surprise is that none of the banking institutions has ronsidered it worth while to open a branch in Lumsdeu, a convenience that we wou'd all appreciate. If, however, rumour be true, we mny in the n-ear iutuTe have a branch opened here, and if so I feel convinced it would do ■well.

Town Improvements. — All me hotels here are now supplied with me prescribed fireescapes. Messrs Crosbie Bros, have given special attention to combining convenience and comfort with safety, they having had a handsome aud substantial staaca.se built from outside, which no doubt will b& much apprecmted by tourists and other patrons who may be ocupying the private apartments of the hou«e Mr A. M'Bean, of Dipton, was the contractor and architect for the improvement, a-nd it goes without saying that it is a well-finished piece of work.

Death. — Mr A. Cockrofi'a second son, aged 12, died rather suddenly on Friday last. Although the young fellow was not the most tobust, his parents had no apprehension of the end being so near. Ihe coffin was carried from the parents' house to the grave by the school children, and was followed by a large concourse of Borrowing friends and relations. The seivice at the grave was performed by Mr DunLai.