WAYSIDE NOTES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 384, 26 March 1880, Page 2

WAYSIDE NOTES.

By a Waysider.

According to everybohy's cry, One Pound Notes are hard enough to pick op, but may I suddenly fall into luck, if a VVaysider's Notes, otherwise a Vagrant's, ain't harder to obtain tlmn a Ten Pound Note; in fact, were I writing at the old rate o£ a penny-a-line, and looking to enjoy myself these Easter holidays, I certainly think, without being more emphatic on the subject, that I should take to stone-breaking on the roads. But as it happens I only want to buy a small pair of boots for the youngest child, I will continue my old occupation. I rode the other day from your lovely Bay to Little River, and I might cay the first thing I found was, myself, being both hungry and thirsty, in front of Garwood's House, on the Hill Top. I was not long before I availed myself of the opportunity offered of satisfying both wants. I might here' also remark that I found most commendable alterations and improvements innde in the house since my last visit, some three months ago. Mr Jackson, the wortny boniface, having most advantageously altered the bar and the rest of the interior of the house ; whilst I might conscientously add that the brand of the liquors on hand was also on the rising scale. I suppose you will say that yon do not want to know anything about the latter, as you either do not approve of the subject, or if you do, opportunity will offer for to test the veracity of the fact for yonrself. However, to pass on, and where shall I stop ? Well, the first thing I noticed, as a man yearning for news, was what might be properly be termed "Coop's Township." This part of the Little River District, which is on the rise £.11 round the mill, is daily increasing, new buildings constantly springing up. Mr Coop, himself, has just had the whole of the machinery in connection with his mill overhauled, and now reckons to be able, when encouragement in the way o£ trade is offered, to turn oat i 30,000 feet of timber per week. To render it necessary to turn out that amount per week, it will be incumbent for Government orders for the intended railway to come in ; as, at present, the district itself cannot command anything like the trade. Besides the alterations to the mill, Mr Coop has had Ins private residence enlarged, the work being undertaken by Mr Noah Walters, an old resident in the district; and it is only doing justice to the building to say that it promises, when finished, to be the largest and best finished private residence in the district, at the present time. What is to come, I cannot foretell. All round the vicinity, which although in the Little River District can hardly be called the Little River Township, great improvements are being made, settlers fencing in their land, and new stores springing up, &c, I opine, all with the view of establishing a nice little business to meet the requirements to be entailed by the grand line of railway shortly expected. On proceeding I find I pull up short at mine Host Olphert's, where I make a firstclass tea, enjoy a quiet game of cards, and retire to my virtuous couch. In the morning, not forgetting my aim is to fill, or half fill a column, in order to buy the boots already alluded to, I set out in my quest for news. I know you will not pay to have it stretched out, so I muat condense it. I learn from the resident* that the Rev. B. Wyatt, of Governor's Bay, who has

been acting at Little River as Incumbent for some years past, is expected to preach, his last sermon in that district on Sunday next, as he has been either "called" or appointed to a living in the Lincoln district. He, being beloved and esteemed by all his congregation, will be much missed. Who is to fill his appointment has not yet been learned.

The district school is pro tern closed, the head master and his assistant being both away on a visit to Christchurch to test their abilities in the scholastic line.

According to information, my visit being too short to vouch for the fact, the unemployed are not failing representatives in this district, although, to do away with this evil, large contracts for fencing have been taken up at the low rate (a clear proof of the present hard times) of 4s per chain.

Mr Grant, I am informed, intends entering his horse Lochness for a hack race at the forthcoming Autumn Meeting, to be held week in Christchurch, dubbed by the Little River residents, entirely ignoring our pretences, as " town races."

Cheesemaking in the district is in full swing, being somewhat later than the other bays, and the farmers do not expect to close the season till the beginning of May.

The grass seed harvest is, so far as the labor is concerned, over; but the more important part, the selling of the same, is yet to come. I gather, however, from ray "bar gossip" that Mr W. H. Wood, a local storekeeper, has already bought a large quantity at prices ranging from 2£d to 3d per lb.

The whole district, from the youngest child to the chief magnate, is full of the contemplated railway. For some days past Mr Reynolds, the Government Surveyor for the works, has been employed making a detailed survey for the line from Lake Forsyth to the Little River Terminus, better known as Birdling's Beach, and it is confidently vouched for that the train may be running in six months, but will at the latest most assuredly be running in nine months. '

A race is in contemplation for Saturday next between Mr Price's horse and Mr John Archer's well-known " Creamy." The last thing I was shown on my quitting the district was a monstrosity, owned by a well known compounder of nauseous but surely beneficial mixtures, in the shape of a dog with I might say five legs; he belonged to the terrier breed, and had his two hind and left fore-legs perfect, and rather more than a full quantum, having six claws on each hind paw ; his right leg, however, had from birth been contracted, being »t least 7 inches off the ground, and resembling a flapper rather than a dog's paw. This little animal, I was assured both by hearsay and was fully able of taking his own part, not only against dogs of a much larger breed than himself, but likewise of exterminating all the rat tribe that might cross his path.