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Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 135, 9 February 1877, Page 4

We learned last night that the Chief Postmaster, Dunedin, had arranged with Mr W. Pine, of Balclutha, to carry the mails over those portionsof the road between Dunedin and Clutha where the railway is blocked, so that we may expect the mails more regul&rly.

We are unable to give any commercial report this week, through the non-arrival of the Dunedin mails.

A case of attempted murder and suicide, similar to that which recently occurred at Emeraid Hill, has been enacted in Collingwood. A married woman; named Dicker, cut the throat of her husband while he slept, and then cut her own. Neither are very seriously injured, and are likely to recover.

At a meeting held in Barr's Hall on Wednesday evening, it was resolved to establish a Young Men's Christian Association in Balclutha. About a dozen enrolled their names as members, and we observe the first meeting of the Association will be held in the vestry of the Presbyterian Church on Tuesday evening.

A meeting of the Wairuna Public Library Committee was held last Wednesday evening, when about £10 worth of books were selected, and ordered from the Education Board. It is to be hoped that when the new books arrive, the library, which contains a really good assortment of books, will be much better patronised than it has hitherto been.

A Lawrenco telegram says' the man named Murray, who was thrown out of a buggy on last Tuesday evening, died in the Hospital on Saturday morning. An inquest was held on Saturday evening, when the Jury returned the following verdic t:— "David Murray met his death accidentally, through being thrown out of a buggy carelessly driven by himself."

In consequence of the inclement state of the weather, the evangelistic services announced to be held in Barr's Hall here, on the evenings of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, were postponed on the two former nights. On Wednesday evening there was a good meeting, which was addressed by the Rev. Mr Kirkland, and Mr Wright, Secretary to the Young Men's Christian Association, Dunedin.

The following officers for the ensuing quarter of the Lodge Hope of Balclutha were - duly installed by Bro. Mathews, L.D., on Friday evening :- D. P. M'Kenzie, W.C.T. ; J. Mitchell, W.V.T. ; Geo. Raynes, W.S. ; P. Thomson, W.F.S. ; A. Kilgour, W.T. ; Sister Thomson, W.C. ; A. Stewart, W.M. ; J. Kirker, W.I.G. ; C. M'Kenzie, W.O.G ; A. Melrose, R.H.S. ; G. Thomson, L.H.S.

The Daily Times Oamaru correspondent telegraphs :— A melancholy case of sudden death occurred here on Friday evening. Some weeks since, a man named John Wildish met wth an accident at the Breakwater. A truck with blocks weighing 12 tons passed over his leg, severing it from his body. The news had a great effect on his wife, who is afflicted with heart disease. She has had sevend bad attacks since. On Friday evening, while milking a cow, she fell back and died in two minutes.

We learn that an accide nt occurred on the road between Mataura and Gore on Wednesday. It appears that while Messrs M 'Gibbon and Archibald were driving along the road in a buggy, both horse and trap got into a flooded creek. The horse was drowned. Mr Archibald had got out of the buggy before entering the creek, as he did not like its appearance, but Mr M'Gibbon, who had stuck to the reins, was confined in the buggy in the middle of the stream for over an hour, when he was rescued.

A social gathering was held in the Commercial Hotel, Milton, the other evening, of a few of Mr J. L. Soutter's friends, to wish him farewell before his departure for Europe. W. J. Dyer, Mayor, was in the chair, R. R. Jones, Esq., Vice. There were about sixteen present. The usual loyal toasts were proposed, after which the Chairman proposed the toast of the evening, J, L. Soutter, which was enthusiastically received, Several toasts followed, and were well responded to. Several songs were sung, and after a very pleasant evening, the meeting adjourned at midnight.

The district road through the Wairum is in a most deplorable condition. The recent rains have rendered it almost impassable. Tlie children in getting to the school were compelled for several days to wade through a foot of water in one place, to say nothing of the mud. To add to this n cutting has been made through the road on the railway line at the rear of the schoolhouse. This cutting was made nearly a fortnight ago, but as yet nothing has been done in the w.. of making the necessary approaches to it, but a bank has been left several feet liigh on either side, which not only stops the traffic but renders the road extremely dangerous for pedestrians.

Captain Haywood, Catlins River, reports under date February 1, as follows :-The number of arrivals during the past months were 10, equal to 376 tons register, and 19 sailed, equal to 783 tons register. Sixteen were sent to Dunedin, one to Lyttelton, one to Molyneux, and one to Kakanui. Twelve loaded at the B... Mill, and seven at the Owake Mill. The Alpha sailed for Dunedin to-day. The Isabella, Good Templar, Jessie, Huon Belle, Fanny, Catlin, and Jane Hannah, all from Dunedin, arrived this afternoon. The weather has been very bad here for some time past, nothing but gales of wind and plenty of rain with it, putting one very much in mind of winter.

At a meeting of the Bruce County Council, held in Milton on Thursday, there were present : Messrs Henry Clark (chairman), Dun M'Donald, Petrie, Wayne, Landels, Murray, and Robertson. A long discussion took place upon the advisability of adopting the whole Act or not. Ultimately Mr Duff moved that the portion of the Act referred to in the third schedule be not adopted. This was seconded by Mr Murray and carried, Mr Wayne being the only member voting against it. On the motion of Mr Dv? seconded by Mr Murray, Mr j. IS. Brown tf appointed interim Clerk, until the 31st Marci In intimating his acceptance of the office, J* Brown informed the Council they had dos wrong in not adopting the whole Act.

The Home correspondent of the Dai! • Times writes :— " In connection with Sir Jan* A Fergusson's recent unsuccessful candidature •- ** Froriie, you will be amused to hear that his sn" - A porters were so sure of victory that they W 7 printed mock invitations to tho funoral of $ J hopes of the Liberal candidate, Mr Samuels?' A These invitations had a deep black border, a** n were surmounted with a coffin, in the st^ which Fenian threatening letters have n»familiar. The Conservative party are exceeding ijtfjf chagrined at their defeat, and, after w lj£ deliberation on tho matter, have resolved to & "y pute Mr Samuelson'B. return on the ground' j? bribery and corruption. It. is stated, how"* || that any suph action, if undertaken, will •■ f* without Sir Janae* FergUßßon's approval." * .l | •-kilt'

ffi. The total valuation of the Tuapeka ' County is said to be about L 50,000. An immense number of ducksand black swans were upon the Tuakitoto nnd Kaitangata lakes in the end of last week. Two houses on the South ?own Belt, Christchurch, were destroyed by fi* oa Tuesday morning. The damage is nearly £000. Inspector Taylor examine-, the Owake ; School on Wednesday, January 3J On roll, 37 ; ] -present, 35. His report has nofcyot been made known. Mr George Divers, of tte Wairuna, recently lost a valuable younf draught horse, through tie animal falling iito a ditch on its Iback. TKs is tho third valiable horse lost in this district during the last few months. Harvesting in the Wiiruna is now in full swiig, the reapers beinj hard at work in all •directiois. The yield wil- be fully as good as «sual, though the late sfarms have damaged a •considerable quantity, mrro especially of' wheat. Mr M'Callum, of the Manuka Creek 13cho©, is appointed master of the Mataura Bridge School, and torn his experience as a teacler, his scholasto abilities, and success at Mawka Creek and elsewhere, we congratulate -the:ommittee of Mi taura Bridge School on their Che s.s. Ino seems tor have found the -mifceriai for a sieady trade in connection with i;b Molynenx. She made two trips during the -M week, with full cargoes to and fro on both rocasions. Hrr inward cargo each trip consisted Kiiefly of savn timber from Dunedin and Cains, consigned to Kaitangata. A gentleman from the Government ;>hotograpliic department, Wellington, is at present engaged taking a series of views in the Olanore district. He intends proceeding by Tuapeka to the Lakes, taking views along the -route. If he were to visit the Clutha he would snd a country worth photographing. As an instance of what can be done by agriculturists in this quarter of the Colony, when intelligence, energy, and enterprise are fully "brought to bear upon the climate and the soil, -we may mention that on lst January, Mr Walter "Miller, Roxburgh, reaped a fine crop of oats, tfully ripe, and yielding about 70 bushels to the -•acre. He then had the paddock ploughed at ■once, and sowed turnips manured with guano. "The turnips look well for being a good crop. 'Thus Mr Miller takes two first-class crops a year <off the same ground, which is in no way superior •to most of ihe soil in this quarter. The Mabel Jane and Good Templar arrived at Port Molyneux on the Jst instant. The iformer intends to load with wool for Dunedin. The other proceeds up the river to load coal for Oamaru. She carries about 120 tons, and means < •to return at once for another cargo. The Kai- ; tangata coal is evidently increasing in favour, if ■we can judge from the present demand coming so far north. It is to be hoped that its good •qualities will become still more widely known, as it only requires acquaintance with them to result in a greatly extended demand. We learn ■with regret that the p.s. Comerang, after some trial trips both north and south, has been forced < to yield. Trade in every quarter she attempted i ■was found to be so utterly depressed, that for ! Borne time at least there was no prospect of sue- < *cess. She has consequently been laid up, and Jthe crew paid off, to wait for better times. Our Herriot Hundred correspondent, ■writing on the 3rd instant, says that harvest in that district was then in full swing, the sound of j the reaper being everywhere heard. The crops are very good, many of them being quite as heavy as those of the Taieri or the Clutha. Such first fruits of their labours are felt to be • -very gratifying and encouraging by the new Bet- : tiers in the district. The only drawback they ' "feel is the want of a market for their produce, I •and the want of a railway from Waipahi to ] Tapanui, but ss the whole country from Wai- , pahito Moa Flat ia the best agricultural and - pastoral lands, they hopo to see tho want supplied very soon. The railway would be the means of opening up a magnificent country, •capable of supporting thousands of families. - The -weather had been strong, but had cleared 1 up. We hope no change has occurred since. We have to acknowledge receipt from Messrs H. Wise and Co., of the volume of Sunday at Home for 187 G. Thia work is now so well ■ known and so highly appreciated amongst all classes that te say the present volume fully sustains the merits of the former volumes, is, perhapa, the highest recommendation we can make. Affording as it does a large amount of fresh, varied, interesting, and appropriate Sunday reading, it will be appreciated by those who owing to distance, weather, or infirmity may sometimes be prevented from attending public worship on that day. Indeed, the work should have a place in every household library, especially throughout the country districts. The volume is fully and richly illustrated. It should prove Interesting to young people, and tend to give them a relish for a higher and more substantial class of literature than much that is produced and placed within their reach in these days. Altogether -we commend the volume as a valuable contribution to the best class of literature now emanating from the printing press t>f the Trorld. Some gentlemen in Port Molyneux, •considering fhe disastrous effects that were certain to result to an extensive district if the present action in discontinuing the use of the signal station were persisted in, are making a vigorous •effort f o induce the -ruling powers to re-consider their intention. It is true that, as it has already been announced in the Government Gazette that the stoppage should commence and continue on and after the lst instant, the present attempt may appear something like locking the stable door after the steed is stolen. But the action of the Government followed so closely on the announcement of its intention, only a few days intervening, that there was no possibility of moving sooner in the matter. A petition from Port Molynenx and the neighbourhood, praying for the continuance of the signal station, seems likely to be signed almest, if not altogether, by every one in the district. Other petitions, representing the interests of Kaitangata, Balclutha, and the merchants and others in Dunedin concerned in the Molyneux trade, have been prepared and transmitted to gentlemen in those places likely to interest themselves in procuring as many •signatures as possible. That for Port Molyneux, "whilst stating in detail the interests of the district certain to' be injuriously affected by the proposed change, also refers warmly to the high es-. "teem : m which Mr Burn is held both in his socia nd official capacity.

Curtain was executed at Auckland on Tuesday morning. He maintained a firm, cool attitude to the last, and appeared quite resigned, and died without a struggle. Tho dogs, which had been creating such havoc amongst the sheep in the Wairuna, liave been discovered, and have since been destroyed. They appear to have distributed their favours pretty evenly, as there is scarcely a settler but has had one or more visits from them. We give in this issue a report of Mr Murray's meeting at- Milton on Friday night, and we have to mention that for the report we are indebted to the Bruco Herald, as, through the irregularities in the beginning of the week, our own report was delayed. Upon examining the latter, wo find Mr Murray, in his reference to Wallace and Bruce, said : — The population of Scotland at the time was little greater than that of { New Zealand, or when they achieved their countries freedom and their own imperishable renown, and nobly dared to stem the tyrannic flood which would have swept over the British Isles, and prevented the growth of that glorious constitution — that heritage of freedom which has conferred such blessings on the world, and influenced so much the welfare of the human race— those priceless privileges which are at once our glory, our blessing, and our pride. May our public men not show " That to place and power all public spirit tends; In place and power all public spirit ends." May their maxim be — " That through all ages aud nil human story, The path of virtue is the only way to glory ;" That money, place, and power shall be valued for the benefits they may enable us to confer upon mankind ; that we may regard wealth and rank and noble blood as but the means of doing good.