Fortrose.

Southland Times, Issue 11462, 22 May 1890, Page 3

Fortrose.

[from our own correspondent.] Mr Smyth, the manager of the Lake Brunton dredging claim has arrived and has taken charge of the plant, &c, but as the machinery has not yet reached the colony it will be some tioiC'-yet before he will be able to gladden the hearts and increase the banking accounts of the shareholders by forwarding a good cake of gold. An accident having happened to the engine at the Waikawa sawmill it will be a few weeks yet before the contractors for the punt for the Six-Mile claim will be able to get on with the work. The Waipapa Co's dredge is still on poor ground. The high seas and flooded creeks have been a source of danger this last day or two, but with careful watching, danger will be averted. The Alpha, at work in the river, is still doing nothing to speak about. The business places of the town will be increased in the course of a week or two by the advent of Mr Low, saddler, of the firm of Low Brothers, of Outram. Another business could very well be got together by a good workman : I refer to bootmaking. At present there is no bootmaker nearer than Wyndham, so that a good man ought to have no difficulty in doing a profitable trade. The new hall (Beaton's) will be opened next Friday evening, when a dance for the benefit of the local public library will be given by the proprietor. The hall is certainly an acquisition to the township. Evening classes will be held in the schoolroom during the winter by the teacher. A matter that the public of Fortrose should take more interest in is the public library. At present not one individual troubles himself in the matter at all. There is a library committee, but they take no interest {in the institution. For over 12 months the committee have held no meetings and have never made any inquiries of the librarian as to whether any books ever went out or not. Nobody appears to know anything about the institution, and in fact it is just as dead as it is possible for it to be. A library is such a boon to a district that no efforts should be spared by the committee to reawaken the public to a sense of the importance of the subject. The Tararua's silver is still at the bottom of the sea. The weather has been too rough to allow the divers to go out. 19th May.