RIVERTON.

Southland Times, Issue 2056, 22 January 1875, Page 3

RIVERTON.

(from oub owjt correspondent.) The Registrar has had rather a rosy time of late, judging from the mania now prevailing in the district for impromptu marriages. This frantic rußh for connubial bliss is not confined alone to the youthful portion of the community. An ancient juvenile, having seen some 75 summers, has suddenly felt the rejuvenating influence of the atmosphere, attributable, no doubt, in some way or other, to Venus, or some other beloved star, and taken unto himself a better half, and turned Benedict, thereby bringiag to my mind one of Landseer's splendid pictures, entitled, if my memory serves me right, " There's life in the old dog yet." Rather apropos, eh ? So seriously has this run upon the Registrar's (Matrimonial Alliance) department, been viewed by some of the cloth here, that a certain minister from the pulpit denounced it as not being the marriage a la mode, and decidedly a most unchristianlike manner of getting spliced. Of course, these remarks were made quite disinterestedly, no reference to the exchequer being elicited. In the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, Mrs Sullivan (the grass widow of the gentleman of that name about whoiL so much was reported last week) was again introduced at Court. As this is her sixth or seventh presentation, in as many weeks, for drunkenness, &c, &c, the bench allowed her a three months' interval in Fraser's Temperance Hotel, in order to recruit her health. Au unfortunate little girl of 7 years of age, who has been dragged about both night and day by this dipsomaniac, was very properly sent to the Industrial School, Dunedin, for 7 years. Rip Van Winkle's long repose was nothing in comparison to the lethargic state of our Harbor Trust Board, who, having assembled once since their formation (upon which occasion they nearly came to appointing a clerk to the Board, but somehow or other it didn't come off), consider no doubt all necessary improve- j ment concluded, and their work finished ; i so let them R.I.P. | The G.T.s turned out in strong j muster, banners flying, ifcc, &c, on Tuesday last, and proceeded by Horr and Millar's coaches to Wallacetown, where a grand reunion took place. After passing several pleasant hours, a start was nude for home, which was reached about 3 a.m. on Wednesday. The roads and railways, and other public works are all forging ahead, with one exception only, that being the line to Orepuki. By the bye, how is it that the Town Council don't move in the matter of this railway ? A large sum of money was voted for the further surveying of both this and the one to the Nightcap coalfields ? Should the Council' meet previous to steps being taken with regard to commencing operations, the grant will lapse, and the money will be lost, never to be regained to the District. Why not convene a public meeting, and take the vox populi upon the subject.