The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, Feb. 4, 1904 A Letter signed' Ratepayer' is unavoidably held over till next issue.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 404, 4 February 1904, Page 4

The Herald. Alexandra, Thursday, Feb. 4, 1904 A Letter signed' Ratepayer' is unavoidably held over till next issue.

At the Anglican. General Synod, held at Auckland, Bishop Neville was elected Primate. The court sits at Clyde on Saturday next, and at Alexandra on Monday and Tuesday, Bth and 9th inst. The Alexandra bakers have reduced the price of bread to 7d the 41b loaf, taking effect from Monday last. Mr George Fache holds. an extensive auction sale of furnitnre, &c M at Bald Hill Flat on Saturday next. See advt. At the last meeting of the Vincent County Council, Mr George Fache was granted a renewal of his auctioneer's license.

The usual meeting of the Otago Waste Land Board was not held last week, some of the members being on a visit to Central Otago. Dubing one of the thunderstorms last week, a valuable horse on Mr J S Dickie's farm at Waikerikeri was struck by lightning and killed, Mr E. R. Ussher, of the Public Works Department, accompanied by the chief engineer from Wellington, visited the Otago Central line last week. A public meeting will be held at Mr. Gustafson's hotel, Bald Hill Flat, on Saturday evening next, to consider the question of holding sports on St Paitriok's Day. Messrs Young, Buchanan and Co. hold an extensive auction sale this afternoon on behalf of Mr W A Thomson, particulars of which will be found in our advertising columns-

The "Publisher's Oircular' estimates that the book-buying public have invested over one million pounds sterling in the purchase of the ''Titoes" "Encyclopaedia Biitannica." The Vincent County Council has accepted the tender cf the Otago Central Foundry, Alexandra, for the construction of steel pontoons for the Maungawera punt, on the Upper Olutha. A numbee of sections in the Manuherikia township (Ophir railway station) are advertised to be sold on February 23rd. Particulars may be ascertained on reference to our advertising columns. "Maoris go the whole hog on sport," says a Gisborne journal. "At an up- country meeting the other day, when all the competitors were mounted, there were only three persons left as spectators," According to the •■ Manchester Guardian," Mr W J Bryan, of the United States, describes Lord Rosebery as the most dramatic and picturesque orator in England, and he places Mr Chamberlain in the second place. Mr F. M. Birnb has resigned his position as editor of the " Tuapeka Times," which he has held for a number of years, and takes editorial charge of " The People," a weekly journal which is being brought out in Dunedin.

We have received three letters to the editor referring to alleged irregularities and defects regarding the town water supply, but as the matter is now sub judioe we have deemed it desirable to withhold the publication of the letters referred to.

On Tuesday evening, Lieut-Colonel Robin inspected the Alexandra Rifles, when there were 39 of all ranks on parade. The Colonel expressed himself as well pleased with the work done, and was particularly compli. mentary in his remarks regarding the work of the sergeants. A slight sensation was caused in Carterton the other day, when a man mounted on a bicycle was seen in the shafts of a light gig. The shafts were tied to the cyclist's shoulders, and he was travelling at a rapid pace. An accident to the horse had necessitated the strange yoke. • Old Winter comes with chilly breath Bringing sickness, sometimes death; Yet every family, praise the saints May now be'free from chest complaints. At winter's cold and winter's rain,. We can laugh with might and main,

For we have the remedy pure W B Wood's Gbeat Peppermint Cube. Youths addicted to the cigarette habit should bear in mind that the Juvenile Smoking Suppression Act, 1903, is now in force Every youth— girls can do as they like apparently—under the age of 16, who in any public place smokes a cigarette, cigar, or any part thereof, or tobacco in any form, is liable on a second conviction to a penalty of five shillings.

The members of the Alexandra Fire Brigade meet for practice with commendable regularity, and the members are rapidly becoming highly proficient in their duties. It is gratifying to the residents of the town to know that should a fire unfortunately occur,- there are available the services of a band of volunteers who may be depended upon to give the fire fiend a " hot time." LAST Friday afternoon a blasting accident occurred at Otago Heads by which Mr F A Joseph, reporter on the staff of the « Otago Paily Times." lost his life. Mr B G Allen, M.H.R. for Fort Chalmers, was struck on the ankle by a flying piece of rock, but his injury was not serious, and a man named Ryan sustained a broken arm. Mr Joseph 'was shipping reporter and occasional leader writer for the " Times."

Cases of interest to Alexandra ratepayers, in connection with the water supply, will be heard before the Warden and Magistrate i next Monday. We may add that the information contained in the paragraphs appearing in Monday's " Star" and Tuesday's 'J Daily Times," anent this matter, is incorrectly stated, the informant of the journals referred to not being, apparently, conversant with the position between the parties to the case. ' «• It is expected that the Otago Central line will be opened to Ophir by the end of Tune. It would be well if the local branches tjf the Railway League would combine in assisting the main branpb to impress upon the Government the desirability' pf haying the line opened to Opnir before winter sets in,' so that there will not be a repetition of the blocking of traffic wbioh occurred last w inter, owing to the impassable state of the soad or the Ida Valley bill.

Thk roceitt, burning of a stack"VS? J. Hesson's faim: the subject of. ani&qhiry i , at the Alexandra courthouse on luiday'last, ' before , Mr * Jns.. Rivers, J.P., and a Joj# jslfe whom Mr RVStrong'was chosen,fbrtmajßfc After hearing' -the evidence, the turned a verdict to the effect that the st&ijl were burned, but by whom or by what milfafp there was no evidence to show. THr thunderstorm which burst over tUP district on Wednesday evening of last week • was one otthe heaviest yet experienced in this neighborhood. The race supplying thS v pressure pipes was-v broken away, and the water could not be turned on again untiV Saturday night. The Ohatto Oreek race was levelled in three or four places between the Brewery n»,d Brooe's Hill, owing to the immense bodies of water that came down the gullies. The work of repairing the damage was completed yesterday. < & FOR the purpose of providing for the education of children-of the workmen on the Otago Central Railway works between Poolburn and Chatto Creek, the Education Board has decided to establish a school in the vicinity of Chatto Creek, and the Government has made a grant for tho fitting-lip of a suitable building. The school will be opened shortly. The efforts of Constable White, of the Chatto Creek station, were largely instrumental in persuading the Board that such an institution was necessary.

A correspondent informs us that on Thursday evening last, the residents of Ophir entertained Dr and Mrs M'llroy at a social, which was held in Donnelly's hotel. Dr M'llroy was the recipient of a purse of sovereigns, as a token of the esteem in which he was held in the district; and Mr Will Laidlaw, in making the presentation, expressed the hope that Dr and Mrs M'llroy would long reside in their midst. Kulol'.stic speeches were made by several of the gentlemen present, and numerous songs, &c, were contributed, the evening being spent most enjoyably. The " Daily Times " says that in view of the approaching visit of M essrs G, lianren* son, T. Taylor, and G. Fowlds, M.H.R.'s, to speak on the land-tenure question, the Executive Committee of the Otago Central Railway League have decided to invjte those gentlemen to a tour through Central Otago with a view to acquainting them with the resources and possibilities of the country tapped by the Otago, Central railway, which line has met with some opposition from the gentlemen named.—The Herald is of opinion that the chances of any; good effects arising from the proposed tour are very remote, for it is already patent that, so far as Central Otago is concerned, the above-named hon. gentlemen though they have ear? hear not, and having eyes see not.