ROUND HILL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 39

ROUND HILL.

* J-wruaxy B.— "Very little mining work is "being done just now, for two good and sufficient reasons — viz:, the scarcity <oi water and ihe -advent oi the holiday * season. The Sound Hill diggings btrve bsen in existence ,for 40 years, »hS -stijl psomise favourably — thut is, if wtciex csn be got. No doubt che jelling of so much timber by sawmilling companies in the immediate neignbomrhcod Sirs much, to answer for in this- respect, for tht rainfall is Hooded 1 away as soon as ut conies down. It is either v {east or a fast, and a' long, long fest does not always- counterbalance » big fat gluttonous tenust -of shcrrt duration. Another miner's trouble is his gum-boot 3. One can never tell how many -days or months! these will last, and it takes about -a month's wages to keeij going for the year in gum-boots alone. School. — Last year in the local school was most successful in every Tesnect. A good ■ pass was obtained. A fortnight after the annual examination by Inspector Wyllie th© school concert was held, a substantial balance "resulting. Every chiid "in the s-chool got a prize, and special prizes were Swarded ,4© James .Ceuling. - dux of the school, the donor of fhis handsome gilt being Mr Foreyih, -of Riverton; best sewing prize, won •by Miss Maggie M*Laushlan (Mt Joseph Thurgood was responsible for this prize, and le selected a lady's parasol valued ai Mb 6d>.Prizes for papex-f olding, presented by th© .."teachers, were won by Eubr "MtL»ueh]an May Couling, and Alfred Clode. After the presentation of prizes a Christmas tree wasleld. This function :was instituted nearly «iglrt years tigo by Mr' Fr-ed Earner, and fee School -Commitiee every year eees that this popular custom does not -drop out or ' iall through. Mr David 1 SmiCi, who battles . manfully for the BibLe-in-Echoo.'! and. road matters, has J&ept -the tree going for the past six years. May it coniinue-l Anything ■Si'at tends to break down "barriers erected between kindly people by -creed politics and greed,- helps "to raise us, makes'-Tis more sympathetic and courteous, and leaves its lasting "blessing .amo»ig the rising generation. .Prejudice -is the last enemy an-S the iuH brother to- Ulindness Death. — The hot. blinding weather has had , its usual harvest of sn3den deaths in South- | land. At Round Hill Mr "Lance Pitzmsurice I passed away _very suddenly after being a day | ,in the Bivertou Hospital, His death cast : quite a gloom over the camp. About a year I ago the body -of 3ns lute lamenied father was conveyed to^-ite last resting-pk.ee in a way characteristic of the_ Sound Hill neighbourhood. ' Stalwarf .miners carried the coffin op their shoulders down the creek side until {hey reached the iron lin© of Messrs M'Calluin. Two* "Jiggers" - -were joined together T>y nailing boards between, and tie coffin, after being placed, thereon, was slowly and sadly pulled down fhe "line as far as Colac Bay. A road is badly jieeded here, particularly in {hose - times of stress, a sudflen. call comes out -of 4B© darkening night, and lanterns twinkle Miner and -thiflier, and ' the' ieavy tread of tbe gum-booted miner, ■mingles with, the subdued sobbing of "his ymrnasnkind. li we tad a road' a jmotor car could oanry -» doctor up . from - Riverton in 80 jnaixrates or less. " '"'hrrertainiaent. — Citarles Thomas. the popular variety artist -and »-eniriloqriist, gave an idea of what lie -could do on the Sth -of January. Apparently lie oould do anything in tfh© trick line", and Ms doll? were very fozniy. iibeir remarks about the Round Hill trolly— "Wahfft, ho! -she bumps" — being very much ap"oreciated. IJik-e all other sane people, h© wonders vre didn't get -a mad jeais and' years ago-7" 40 years in"tb© wilderness, like Moses!"