MILLTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 35

MILLTON.

Febiuary 14 -The inquest on the bodies c£ William Casserley and John Alexander Fyffe, who "were killed at the Mil burn quarries on Saturday la-t, was to-day further adjourned until Thursday, 28th inst. owing to the chief witnesses being unable to attend. Charles Tavlor and Harry Pierce, who were injured ah a result of the explosion, are recovering opeedi'v and wiM soon be about again. The MiJton Fire Brigade was called to an outbreak of fire in Mr G. W. Reilly's dwelling, Union street, next to the Coronation Hall, at 730 this mornmg. The chemical engine waa brought to play, and the fire extinguished before much damage had been done. Harvesting is in full swing just now. and farmers are hastily gathering in the grain for fear of the wet weather coming on. The oat crops are exceedingly poor, but the wheat is fairly good on some farms. The concert in connection with the Old Identities' picnic on Wednesday was very well attended, and a very pleasant evening waa spent with music and song: Another of our pioneers has gone to her lone rest in the person or Marg-aret Morrison Lindsay, wife of George Lindsay, of Birkenshftw, Milton. The deceased lady came to Tokomaixiro. in the ship Boyal Albert in 1853, having, then three children, one of whom, was bom on the voyage out. Mr and. Mrs Lind»ay celebrated their golden wedding in June, 1897. Mrs- Lindsay w«aß2 years of age, andMr Lindsay 81 years. The latter is still alive, and up to a fmr months ago he was a regular visitor to tie township, but lately b.e has not been

very well being confined to his house. The/ were amongst Tokomarriro's oldest pioneers, toad braved tie hardships together for nearly 60 years. February 18. — Scarcely a w«elc passes without the death of some of the fast-diminishing band of early settlers having to be recorded. The last ta pass away has been Mrs George Lindsay, of Birkensbaw Farm, who, with her husband, was one of the very e«rliest settlers on -the plain, her connection with the district dating back to 1853, when she came to TokonMuriro with her husband, having- landed at Port Chalmers off the ship Royal Albert * short time previously. During her long residence in the district she made many friends, who ever ««teem«d' her for her sterling, upright, and withal kindly character. Th« deceased lad-y is survived by her husband, who, with the exception of Mr John Martin, of Fairfax (who arrived in the colony as a boy in 1841), is now the oldest survivor of the early pioneer band. A Jubilee. — According to the " Early Settlement of the Tokomairiro Plain," contributed! by Mr Alexander Brown to the Bruce Herald 1 , and rust republished in pamphlet form, th« first Presbyterian Church in TokomairiiTi was erected at Fairfax, and was opened for publio worship on February 28, 1857. From th« foregoing it will bs seen that the jubilee of the opening of that first church is close *t hand, and it has been arranged that a meeting will be held on the 28th inst. to celebrate the occasion. It is expected that addresses reminiscent of the early days will be delivered by the Rev. Mr Chisholm (of Roslyn) and Mr James Adam (of isca Accord), while the Revs. Messrs Hewitson and Cnrrie will also take part in the meeting. As the occasion will bean historic one, a great gathering is anticipated. A Wreck. — It is so rarely that the great wave- that beats about the world, semis even ita tiniest ripple to this quiet 9pot, that it waa quite pardonable on our part to get mildly - excited when it became known on Sunday evening: that a large- French barque had run ashore on Akatore coast during the fog in th» early morning, and the officers and crew, -24 in all, had reached sTkire in safety, and were leing hospitably looked after by the settlers along the coast. Although the vessel ran ashore at 3 o'clock in the morning it was hslfpast 7 «t night when word reached Milton. Why we should have been denied the joys of the sensation for so long ha» not yet been' explained. After news did arrive, however, it was rot long before a large number of curio-sity-seekers had set out on bicycles and vehicles of all descriptions for the scene of* the mishap. It was then discovered that the ill-fated vessel was the French barque Marguerite Mirabaud, 22^3 tons erose, Captain Tatterin, bound from Nantea to Tahiti with supplies if-coal briquettes, etc., for the French warships in the South Seas. The vessel ia aground at a point almost opposite the mouth of Shag^ Crcen, »T*<i liea less th»n 100 yards from thw shore A large hole i 3 »id to h*v» be«n ripped in the stern, and as 1 the vessel ia making water fast it is questionable whether it will be possib'e to refloa' her ar not. The crew, with the eixception of the captain and twfl men who remained at the scene of thewreck, weie brought- into Milton this morning, and were the object of a gocd! deal of curiosity. After their material wanta hadr been supplied by Messrs Coombe, of the Comrmercial Hotel, they were photographed, and later on attended service at the Catholic Chapel, leaving for Dun«tin by the midday express.