Riverton

Southland Times, Issue 11952, 25 January 1892, Page 3

Riverton

(from our own correspondent). There has been a very considerable flutter in our dovecot during the last three or four days. On Wednesday we were informed that H.M.S. Ringarooma would visit flowells' Roads on or about Saturday (today) in company with the Hinemoa and tbe folks of the Western District were called together to make due preparations for the reception of his Excellency the Governor and ft British man-o'-war. ' This waa good news, but a series of letters and telegrams from the member for the distriot came dropping in, each more vague than the preceding one, and now we are not to get the man-o'-war — that is, not just yet — out we are to be visited by bis Excellency, by special train. We are loyal people and intend to do our best to honour the Queen's representative and to entertain an English gentleman as well as we are able, lf we oan keep him long enough we will show him as nice a bit of country as he could wish to see, with good crops and plenty of grass and as good horses and sheep as he has seen in New Zealand. We fear, however, that the visit will be only a flying one and that we shall have no time to show him more than the beauties of the immediate surroundings of the town. Had he seen the estuary last night when the newly established sailing club. held their seoond race, he would have readily acknowledged that it was a beautiful sight. This sailing club, by the way, is likely to prove a great success, and thefortnightly matches are growing more and more interesting as fresh members are continually joining the club and new boats appear every fortnight. The members are just now. sailing for a silver oup, to be won three times dunng the season. The first match was won by Tarlton's Gladys, with Evan's Vixen second, and last night seven boats started for the second beat. Ihe weather was beautifully fine, and there was a capital tide with a good breeze from the east. Up to the Narrows — the turning pomt — the Vixen had the best of it, but with a head wind the Gladys and Clarice came away on the ebb and made a very close finish, the Clarence drifting, home a minute ahead of Tarlton's boat. Another new boat has been put on the Btooks to-day to beat the Clarice or sink. . The annual meeting of the Riverton Racing Club was held last night and was well attended. Mr Gardner of Birchwood was re-elected president, and a very strong and hard working lot of stewards was appointed. The added money was increased from L 125 to L 145, the programme remaining pretty much the same as .last year. The races will take place on Easter Monday. Our farmers are rejoicing in a plenitude of feed, but are having a little trouble with tbeir grass seed harvest. The weather is warm but moist, and the saving of grass seed under these circumstances is a somewhat ticklish affair. It— the weatherlooks a little more settled just now. We have most vague but satisfactory reports of tbe gold getting of the syndicate at Round Hill — I really cannot see any reason for mystery. We all know, that having got dear of tbe old workings df the Chinamen, the ground must be very good, and the plain truth could not do any harm. The progress of the channel to the bill is very slow, and many of the miners are grumbling. The special claim from which ihe gold is being obtained was granted as a sort of bonus, and the miners are anxious to obtain the fall before the claim is worked out ; in fact some of tbem think the fall should have been brought up before the claim was worked at all. 23rd January.