RIVERTON.

Southland Times, Issue 2046, 4 January 1875, Page 3

RIVERTON.

(FEOM OUE OWN COEEESPONDENT). Boxing Day being as usual the day appointed for the annual sports to take place, they came off accordingly, and were largely patronised, ladies and children predominating. The weather, although at first threatening, cleared up, and turned out all that could be desired. Unfortunately your humble servant was unable to take the usual notes of distances leaped, &c, &c, owing to the (to use a mild term) discourteous behavior of the secretary, Mr Peter Grant, -who, with the kind assistance of a satellite, one George Sanders by name, politely ordered me outside the arena, in spite of my having presented to the said secretary my credentials, he remarking, in his usual gentlemanly manner, that the press might be and for what he cared. So, having no other recourse left but to vamoose, I vamoosed accordingly. It must, however, be distinctly understood that none of the other gentlemen comprising tbe committee acted otherwise than in a most polite and becoming manner, requesting me to return to the scene of my late ignominious expulsion, which, however, was thankfully declined on my part. The area enclosed within

- ■- ■ - - - - -■ £^. the ropes being of unusual size, it was a matter of impossibility for one standing outside the magic circle to even distin- j suish the competitors, let alone the distances cleared, these events taking place toward the centre of the ring. Whether measlt-s has bceu the cause of an enlargement of Mr Grant's spleen, or a sort of Jack in office feeling had caused a slight aberration of intellect for the nonce, it is difficult to determine. On Sunday last the remains of the late Mr J. D. Menzies were interred in the cemetery here. This gentleman was long a resident here, and was much esteemed by a large circle of friends. A well-attended funeral cortege showed the general estimation in which he was held. The Volunteers in uniform, with side arms, as also the Oddfellows in regaliaMr Menzies having been a member of both fraternities— turned out in strong ; muster. Add to this some six or seven \ \ carriages, twenty or thirty horsemen, accompanied by about 200 mourners on foot, and the spectacle may be realised. The burial service was performed by the Eev. Mr Eoss, who delivered a most appropriate and eloquent prayer, which, judging -from their tear-bedewed countenances, went to the hearts of the greater portion of his audience. The bazaar in aid of the Church of England here was an immense success, to judge from appearances, though I have not heard the exact amount realised. The ladies seemed to enter con amove, and, as it seemed to me, in a not altogether unpractised fashion, into their self-imposed avocation of lawfully gulling the spooney portion of the male population. At one time it seemed a question whether the three banks in town would really stand the unwonted pressure, but as they did, why, I suppose, it was so much the better for the Church, if not so much the worse for the spooaeys. A rifle match between six of the R.R.s aud a like number of the Queenstown Rifles took place at their respective butts on Monday last, the ranges being, 200, 300, and 400 yards, any position. The R.R.s proved victorious, winning by some 80 points. On New Year's Day a grand picnic took place. There being nothing else on the tapis for that day, and the weather being very fine, it was numerously patronised, the more especially as our brass band was in attendance, and greatly enhanced the enjoyment of the pleasureseekers by discoursing excellent music throughout the day.