The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JAN. 4, 1978.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 182, 4 January 1878, Page 3

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA : FRIDAY, JAN . 4, 1978.

-, 7 7 .; Now; that -the holidays are over, the Leader will resume its u_ual dimensions next .- week. - Ottr reports of the T&panui Show, and Z.S. the concert at Clinton on Tuesday evening, have been received too late for appearing this week, y , A Captain's parade ra connection with 4he Clutha Yeomanry, will be held on Monday .- 'evening, when the officers of the troop will be .....elected. It will be observed that Mr W, A. Murray, M.H.TJ., will address the electors of liruce A in St. Geoige'tr Hall, Milton, on Wednesday evening. We have been requested to direct attention to Messrs Crigor, Stewart, and Co.'s sale . of household farnlture to-day, in Baiclutha, particulars of which will be found in our advertising columns. ... We omitted to mention in last week's issue that Mr Dairg has, kindly presented to the Clutha Caledonian Society the first priz«* of £:\ 3s, won by him for wrestling, the same to be a. special prize for youths' wrestling at next year's sports. We would suggest that the Inspector for the County of Bruce should examine the Matau bridge. We believe the spur piles have got a good shaking during the recent floods, and unless attended to at once, they may shortly be found wanting, and the bridge itself may be injured. The children attending the Lovells Flat eabbath school held their annual picnic at Mr Bowie's farm on Christmas day. The weather was fine, and there was a large attendance. Ample provision had been made for all by Mrs Bowie, and a very pleasant day -was spent. The children were all delighted with their treat. It is notified in the Gazette that His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint Messrs John Gibson, Ashley Downs, and John Smyth Eleming, of Baiclutha. to be Justices of the Peace for the Colony. A number of other gentlemen throughout the Colony have been placed upon the Commission of the P?ace. On Saturday, 29th December, one of the surfacemen on the railway at Waipahi met with a serious accident by fallinar down tho deep jock cutting at the sfi-mile. An express train came up for him on Sunday, and took him to the Invercargill Hospital, hut his injuries are so great there is little hope of his recovery. Hw name is Fisher, and he was a new hand on this portion of the line. On two evenings last week several gardens in Baiclutha were entered by thieves, and quantities of cabbages and other vegetables "taken, and others broken down and destroyed. Tho thieves were not youths. The -class to which they belong is well known, and it is to be hoped ' next time they make another raid their personal identity will be sufficiently discovered to admit of their being called to account. A little girl^ two and a half years old, daughter of Mr D. Corsan, Meadowbank, Tokomairiro, was accidentally drowned in the Glenore creek on Saturday last. While she and a number of other children were playing upon the bank Bhe was suddenly missed, and an alarm given. The body was soon recovered but life was extinct. An inquest was held by Mr Carew, when a verdict of accidentally drowned was returned. It will be seen from our Herriot correspondent's letter that the benefits of a Road Board are much desiderated in the district. Such being the case, it is fortunate the inhabitants have the matter in their own hands. They have -imply to help themselves. The Road Board Ordinance is all they could desire, aHd they have only to ask that a certain area be declared a district, and the same will be done as a matter of course. We give in this issue full particulars as to the steps necessary to be taken in the matter. The settlers in blocks TX. and X. , Glenkenich, complain bitterly of the state of the road over the Landslip Hill. What was the road once i* now a succession of deep ruts and large boulder stones, which the water has left exposed. The hill is very steep and covered with large rocks, so that it is almost impossible to steer a dray or waggon across it. No labour has been expended on this road for many years, but as ifc is the main road from Clutha to Chatton, Waikaka, and other large districts, we trust to see a vote for it passed at next sitting of the Clutlia County Council. Certainly no road in tho County is bo much in need of repair. We have to call attention to the second annual show in connection with the Clutha Horticultural Society, which will be held in Barr's Hall on Tuesday first. The exhibition this year well be kept open during the day, and also in the evening, when there will be combined with it a promenade concert, at whioh a good progr^mme" of both vocal and instrumental musio will be go through. The whole entertainment will at lei fe e t n«vel.onc*, so far as this distriot is conceu d aid we believe it will prove as worthy \ of support and as popular as others which have had their day amongst ns. As to the hortieul. \. tural show proper, that of last year was regarded as a very fair one for a start, but there can be no ; doubt that of Tuesday first will prove a g: eat im^ provement. We trust the public generally will combine to secure a thorough success. It must be borne in mind that it is an amateurs' show, and therefore anyone haying plants, fruit, or vegetables at all fit for exhibition, should bring them forward, so that the exhibits may not only A be of creditable quality hut also numerous. We A believe, the Dunedin Horticultural Sooiety has L/ _. collapsed, and there will bo no metropolitan f . show this year. Let us hope that the Clutha show will prove a creditable substitute. We _ .., would only aid that Dunedin gardeners have 7' heen appointed: judges this year, and indepen* a.- IJdently ; of the: Clutha: produce, it jinot. at all un. %-- y likely > they 3?ill bring with itjiem some plants, 7' y/etc,,^ot^i^ A S \ W ex^eS&Uit -s^p^HOTf^^tlie£ will, maTT <^ tato^ y therefore^there ywili? uela^fe^t^thering of | ivJsitora^from^ ike ij^t^dl^^aj the show .' %:' i -TTyiy-'TT'i 7-z

At a meeting of the Tapniini Schoc Committee on Wednesday last week, Mr Herriol of \Vetherstones, was unanimoHsly electe Readier, vice Mr South, resigned. It will be observed that a meeting o Committee of the Clu' ha Horticultural Soeiet has been called for this nvening. The prize lis of the Show will be found in our advertisin •cohunns. The petition praying for the constitu tion of a Board of Conservators for Inch Cluth having been duly sicned as required by law, ha bi*on forwarded to Wellington. No doubt thi Uoard will at once be proclaimed. We may mention for the information o our Otaria readers that from the lst Decembe: mails for that district will bo conveyed from thi Pukerau railway station every Monday and Fri day at 4 p.m., and will return same days, leaving Otaria at 8.30 a.m. Our parcel will therefore ii future he sent by same route. At the yearly -meeting of the LTndauntec Lodge, M.U.LO.F., Catlins River, the folio wins officers were elected for the ensuing term :— Bro. C. W. Flowers, N.f>. ; Bro. Thomas Bravyn. V.G. ; Bro. Fras. M'Lean, Secretary ; and Bro. John Rae, Treasurer. Seven new members were initiated same evening. On Boxing-night a number of gentlemen met in Simmond's Commercial TTotel, Tapanui, to present their late postmaster, Mr Brebner, with a handsome gold locket, and a purse containing thirty-four sovereigns. Tn making the presentation, the Mayor, Mr Ferguson, spoke in eulogistic terms of Mr Brebner's uniform courtesy in the discharge of his duty. The locket bore the following inscription : — "Prpsented as a mark of esteem to Mr William Brebner, prior to his leaving Tapanui; 20th December, 1877." We have to call attention of up-country rpaders to a notice of three horses impounded the other day by the poundkeeper here. Two ijf these are valuable young draught horses, apparently about throe years of ago, and a riding hack. The likelihood is tint the hack belonss to a shearer, -which has led th« other tw.i a war from some station, and in the bustle of the shearins: season they have not yet been missed. As ttipy aro really valuable animals, it would be a pity werft they soil f«r a trifio before Ihe owner was aware of their having strayed. Ilenoe we call special attention to the matter. There was a large gathering of the children attending the Presbyterian Church Sabbath schools, nt the Manse, Clinton, on New Year's Day. The children were treated to miny good things in the shape of tea, cake, and fruits. A Bib-e was eivm by Mr Connor to the one in each ofthe schools who showed most pioficienoy in the Shorter Catechism. Other prizes wer* awarded. At the close, ail were suitably addressed by tbe Rev. Mr Connor, and Mr J. W. Thomson, M.H.R. After cheers for the teachers, and Mr and Mrs Connor, the gathering separ ited greatly delighted with their di-y's enjoyment. Dr Smith has just made a lucky hit in connection with the turf. • The Victorian Champion Stakes were run for on New Year's Day, First King being the winner. Tn the sweep arranged by Mr Cameron, of Dunedin, Dr Smith rlrew the herso, and consequently pockets about £">OO. Most people here regret, tho sum was not £5000, but even that would have been far short of the- sums that are equally unexpectedly falling to the share of some people in Baiclutha. We hear of another gentleman here who ha=s Juab gob a windfall Of £7000. We hope this sort of thin« will extend. The iord at the Waipahi, notwithstanding the late fine weather, is nearly as bad as in winter, and tho coach and waggons with loads have great difficulty in getting up and down. Unless something i 3 done to ifc, or a bridge built, the traffic to the railway station will be completely stopped should heavy rain set in. Although the Clutha County Council some time ago passed a vote of or £9 for putting ib in good order, none of it has been expended, if we except a day and a half's work done by the surfaceman in filling up the ruts with soft sand, whicb ruts are now quite as bad as they we c before . they were filled in. Nothing but a bridge will rectify the evil. The annual picnic of the children attending the various Sabbath Schools in Baiclutha was held in Mr Watt's bush, Inch Clutha, on Monday last. The attendance was very large, apparently the whole juveniles of the township b^ing present. They met at the Presbyterian Church afc 9 o'clock, and ruarchod to the railway terminus, whence they were conveyed by train to Stirling, and then marched to the ground about half a mile off. Although the weathor was very warm, the bush afforded a delightful shade from the scorching rays of the sun, and the numerous games and pastimes incidental to picnios in general were indulged in with mUch z?sfc by both old and young. The Revs. M'Ara and Carr aud a number of teachers and parents we re present aud guided the fun. sn that the whole proceedings were most orderly and eujnyable. The provisions also were abundant, and nothing was wanting to make the day a pleasant and memorable one tor the young folks. The return Was made by the evening train, and all reached home in safety, and much pleased with the whole entertainment.