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Western Star, Issue 426, 12 March 1881, Page 2

Work on the first section of the Orepuki railway is being pushed forward vigorously, and before w inter sets in the line will be ready for handing over to the Government completed. About 70 men are at present employed on the work. The whole of the earthwork is completed, and the rails are now r laid as far as the ballast pit on Colac Bay beach, leaving one mile and a-half still to do. Ballasting operations will be commenced about the beginning of next week, and provided a suitable engine is placed at the service of the contractor, should be completed in' two months. If the engine at present doing duty on the line is told off for the work, it will take double that time, as it is not sufficiently powerful to take a decent load of gravel up the steep grades on the line. The work so far appears to be of a most substantial nature. The delay in completing the cuttings may be attributed to a large quantity of rock being met with, which was not expected, and the earthwork ef the big cutting bad all to be taken out at one end to form a very deep and long bank at the approach to Colac beach. We understand that the member for Wallace has been endeavoring for some weeks pa 4 to get the Government to continue the first section one mile and a-balf, where it will inter'soct the road to Round Hill diggings. The unemployed, who were at work on that piece of the line, cleared the bush and did a portion of the earthwork, so that the additional mile and a-half can be completed at a small cost. The advantage to miners at Round Hill of having the line opened to within three miles of the workings would be very great, while to the residents of Orepuki such a convenience would also be a great boon. Wo trust Mr Hirst will npt only be successful in this direction, but that next session he will be able to impress upon Parliament the necessity of completing the line to Orepuki.

We were shown some very fair quartz specimens from the Pioneer reef, Longwood, yesterday. Fine gold was well distributed throughout, with here and there some coarse patches. The reef has now been proved from one end of the claim to the other, with moat euouraging results, and we hope soon to chronicle the erection of machinery for the claim, as is proposed by the shareholders. The programme of the Cricket Club concert, which takes place in the Oddfellows’ llaU this evening, has been issued, and from it the public may be able to Judge as to the nature of the entertainment. From thai stand-point, the impression gained cannot ho other than a favorable one, as the pieces are attiaclive and the names of the performers are a guarantee that they will be faithfully given. The unusual lai’ge number of matches held this year has been the means, through the endeavor of the club to maintain its repulation for hospitality, of placing it in the position of having a balance on the wrong side of the ledger, and it is to free themselves from that incubus that they have decided to give an entertainment.

The work of transform! jg the building known as tbe ol 1 brewery into a drillshed for our volunteers has now been completed by Messrs Reid Bros., and our defenders may be congratulated upon now possessing, at a very moderate cost, a bpildmg in every way suitable for their requirements. The hall measures 80ft x 35ft, and in addition there are two rooms that at a very trilling cost could be fitted up |as an armory and orderly room. The alterations have been effected at a cost of little more than £SO.

The prospectus of the Wakaputu Sludge Channel Co. is published in our advertising columns.

The match between an eleven from the Riverton Rifles and an eleven from the R.C.C., which was commenced on tbe 26th ult., and had to be postponed on account of the weather, will be resumed on the highlands at 2 p.m. to-day. It will be remembered that the volunteers, who were first to take the bat, lost four wickets for 9 runs.

Messrs Hirst and Daniel, J.P.’s., presided at a sit ting of the court on Wednesday, win n the following cases were disposed of • —Duffer Q-, M. Co., v. Wragge, claim, £3 Us lid, unpaid calls. Verdict for amount and costs. —H. Phillips was fined 10s and costs for using threatening and abusive language in a public place on Monday.—Patrick Wall was charged with being drunk and disorderly. The case was proved, and this being tbe sixth cohviction within twelve mouths, he was sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labor.

The San Francisco mail arrived at Auetland on Tuesday. The Hawea left tnree hours later with the Southern mails, which may be expected to be delivered in Riverton on Monday. The weather for some time past has been of the most favorable description for harvest work, and great progress has in consequence been made with ingathering of grain. With the exception of V-few late patches the oat crop may be said t® be in stock, and wheat cutting ii now general We had the pleasure yesterday of inspecting the cup won by Mr A. Calder, at the Southland A. and P. Association’* lata show. The cup was the gift of the President Mr J. 0.1 M‘i rdell, and was offered for the best Olydredale entire, not mors 1 ban three years old. The trophy is valuable one, and there is greater credit attached to the possessor inasmuch as it was won by that grand two year oId ; “ Wait-for-Me ” "

Whitmore’s “Southland Bradshaw and Commercial Directory ” for March is at hand. With such a pretentious name it was to be expected that it would contain information of one sort or another respecting .other parts of “ Southland ” besides Invercargill. We look in vain however for the bare mention (except in tho railway and postal time tables) of any other town in Southland except the capital. A tent belonging to Mr J. P. Young, contractor, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday, at PaihiFlat. It was occupied by the men engaged on a road contract there, who lost their blankets, clothes, and sundry other articles.

The County Council last year received over £6OO on account of gold duty. This shows that over 6000ozs gold have been disposed of locally during that period, the whole of which is the product of Orepuki riding. That amount by no means represents the total returns, as it is well known that a large quantity of gold was sold in Invercargill and Dunedin, not to mention the no small per centage that;is usually smuggled out of the country by Mongolians wibhoutpaying duty.

We direct the attention of ratepayers to a notice requesting payment' of rates by the Collector to Aparima Road Board. The Act under which the Board is constituted wisely provides that defaulters are excluded from being members of the Board. Mr Walter Johnston, member for Mana watu, and of the firm of Johnston and Co., of Wellington, has been offered a portfolio in the Government, and has accepted it. He was sworn in on Wednesday as PostmasterGeneral. , , Sections in South Riverton have a value apparently over and above their suitability lor building or residence, purposes. It is stated on very fair authority that a resident there recently took from a blind gully on his property a small bottle full of gold, and thought to prevent his good luck from becoming known by selling it iu Invercargill. The members ®f the Land Board deputed to go upon the voyage of. discovery to Orepuki, with respect to the area of the proposed township there, prepose starting on Monday next. They might tavo themselves the trouble and the country the expense of such a trip, as it is pretty certain the Government will adept the Chief Surveyor’s recommendation. The news from Australia concerning the new rushes is creating great excitement at Timaru, and large numbers are leaving by sailing vessels for Newcastle and Sydney. Seventeen passengers left by the Annie Bow on Tuesday, and Sully double that number left the following day by the George Noble. The steamer Taiaroa was crowded fore and aft the same evening with passengers for Dunedin en route for the .Australian diggings. The exodus is viewed with alarm and regret.

Before the erection of the new pier at Castle Bock, passengers from Dumbarton bad to be conveyed down the Devon to the Clyde steamers by a ferryboat, rowed by two sturdy and generally elderly fer ymen. On on© occasion an English commercial traveller had seated himself on the gunwale, at the stern. One of the old ferrymen, aware of the danger to anyone so placed, when the rope of the steamer should be attached to the bow of the boat, took oecasaion to warn the man of his danger; “ Noo ma mon, come douu off that, or ye’ll coupe ower” The bagman only replied by telling him to “mind his own business aud trust him to take care of himself.” “Weel,” said the ferryman, “mind I’ve telt ye; sure as ye’re sittin’ there, ye’ll coup ewer.” No sooner had the rope been attached aud the boat got the inevitable tug from the steamer, than the fellow w ent heels up over the stern. “ Growk, I telt him that!’ 1 However, being in the water, it behoved that every effort should be made to rescue him. So the ferryman maue a grab at what seemed the hair 01 his head when a big wig came away. Throwing this impatiently into the boat, he made a second grip at the collar, when a front came away. Casting this from him with still greater scorn, he shouted to his companion, “ Tummas, come here and help to save as muckle o’ tins man as ye can, for he’s commiug a’ awa’ in bits.”

We extract the following [rom the “ Hews” report of the proceedings at the Waste Lands Board on Thursday;—Before entering on the ordinary business. Mr Lumsden requested leave to make some explanations regarding some statements made by him concerning residence and township areas at Orepuki, in which ■ Mr Mitchell seemed to have misapprehended him. Mr Lumsden having quoted from the report of a meeting held there, and it being shown that there were two meetings on the subject, the explanation was considered satis-factory.---It was reported that the members who were deputed to visit the district had riot been able to do so, but would leave on Monday next. —Mr Boniface intimated that he had not taken advantage of his right to cut firewood over 40 acres in section 6, Jacob’s River Hundred, and he now wished to abandon it, and take an ordinary lieense.—-The Board declared the land abandoned, and the claim forfeited. —A claim for fencing round land at Wairio, surveyed into deferred payment sections, was made by Mr Martin, Waicola. Referred to the Ranger to inspect and report as to value.

A meeting of the Athenaeum Committee was held -on Wednesday evening, at which Messrs Ireland (Vice-President, in the chair), Pullarton, Galloway, Reid, Webber, McDonald, Burns, and Myers were present. The late Secretary, Mr GK Featherstoue, also attended by invitation. A letter was read from Mr Jas. Reid, tendering his resignation as President, on account of bis having left the district. Tho resignation was accepted, and it was resolved that a vote of thanks to Mr Reid for his exertions on behalf of the institution be recorded on the minutes. Mr Ireland was elected President, Mr Fullarton Vice-Presi-dent, and the vacancy on the Committee was filled up by the election of Mr W. GK Fox. Mr Featherstone suggested that with a view to rendering the institution more popular with residents in the country, members within a certain distance of Riverton should be allowed to keep books for a longer period than at present allowed by the rules. Some conversation ensued upon this proposal, which was favorably received, and a motion was ultimately passed to the effect that subscribers residing more than five miles from Riverton be . allowed to keep books for six weeks, and also have the privilege of taking out two of different works, or two sets of three volumes each. It was further resolved that a circular be sent to residents in the country, setting forth the advantages to be derived from membership. Accounts amounting to over £6O were tabled, which gave rise to a discussion on the financial position of the institution, from which it appeared that tho liabilities were heavier than the ordinary revenue was able to liquidate. Reference was made to the small amount of support accorded by the public. An entertainment was suggested as a means of raising funds, but the result of former performances was not considered sufficiently encouraging to warrant a fresh attempt in that direction. Considering that the reading room is free, and that many country residents availed themselves of its privileges, it was thought that the County Council might equitably be appealed to for a donation to the funds of the institution, and it was decided that a deputation wait upon the members at its next meeting and lay the matter before them.

A meeting of the Deacon’s Court of the Riverton Presbyterian Church was held on j Thursday afternoon to consider tenders for the erection of the new church. The following wei’e received: — Josiah Beer, £945 (accepted); F. Smith, £931 ; Little Bros., £1071; Robertson and Stewart, £lll7 ; David Stewart, £1133; Reid Bros., £1290 ; Kingsland and Smith, £1333. The Court congratulated itself on letting the contract on such advantageous terms, the price being considerably below the estimate on the original plan of the building, which was less in size by 4ft in breadth, Ift in length and 2ft in height than the edifice to be erected. The alteration was roughly calculated by the architect to increase the cost of the building by £IOO. The matter of the most desirable site for the church was again discussed. It was thought that the portion of the Glebe fronting Delhi street would be too far to the north end of the town to suit the majority of the members, seeing that a large number are resident in South Riverton and that the population in that direction is rapidly increasing. A committee was therefore appointed to ascertain whether a suitable site in a more central position could be obtained at a price within the reach of the Deacon’s Court; committee to report that day week. Owing to the meagre attendance, the Fisher and Hye company did not perform on Wednesday. The fortnightly drill of the C Troop of Hussars will take place on Monday. A full attendance of members is requested, especially those having uniforms, asjin anticipation of the visit of Sir Arthur Gordon to Invercargill, the troop will be instructed in escort drill. A regimental muster will take place at Invercargill on that occasion. Country members and their horses will be conveyed by railway free of cost, and arrangements for billeting have peen provided for.

The great prevalence of “ neuralgia” (says the Lancet)—or what commonly goes by that name —should be regardedas a warning indicative of a low condition of health, which must necessarily render those who are affected with this painful malady especially susceptible to the invasion of diseases of an aggressive typo. This is the season at which it is particularly desirable to be strong and well furnished with the sort of strength that affords a natural protection against disease. There will presently be need of the internal heat which the organism can command, and a good store of fat for use as fuel is not to be despised. It is no less essential that the vital forces should be vigorous, and the nerve-power especially in full development. Neuralgia indicates a low or depressed state of vitality, and nothing so rapidly exhausts the system as pain that prevents sleep and agonises both body and mind. It is, therefore, of the first moment that attacks of this affection incidental to and indicative of a poor and weak state, should be promptly placed under treatment, and as rapidly as may be controlled.

His Excellency the Governor left for the Sou'll in the steamer Hinemoa on Thursday. The Premier accompanies His Excellency on his Southern ton .