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Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 199, 3 May 1878, Page 5

The English mail via Suez will close at the office here on Sunday first at 5 o'clock.

A number of items of local news will be found on the sixth pags. This course we have found necessary to savo such news being crowded out by late advertisements.

The Balclutha branch of the Educational Institute of Otajjo will meet in the school here at noon to-morrow, when office-bearers for the ensuing year will be olected.

On Thursday, 25th ult. 7 an accident happened to one o? a party out for rabbit shooting at Tapanui. A man named Ramsay, a blacksmith, working for Mr N, Oolquhoune, received in his face the contents of a charge of shot, which Mr Mason, bootmaker, had intended for a rabbit. Providentially no serious injury was. inflicted, though some of the grains lodged very close to the wounded man's eyes.

A Tapanui correspondent writes : — The battle of the routes re the WaipuhrT.ipanui Railway is still being hotly waged in the district concerned. In consequence of the survey now being made, taking Kelso instead of Tapanui for its terminus,- the Tap.-uiuiies are vigorously bestirring themselves to bring the line to their township, in the first instance as apparently was originally intended. The qxiestion at issue lies between the interests of trade and settlement on the one hand and those of a few large landed pro" prietors on the other, as it i 3 conceded that there i 3 not much, to choose between engineering facilities either way. . A petition, praying for Kelso as the most desirable terminus pro tern, has been despatched to Ministers by representatives of some 200,000 acres of laud ; but . ifc appears that of these four individuals are reprepresentatives of 150,000 acre's. A counter petition, it i 3 understood, will immediately, be forwarded from Tapanui.

We recently called, attention 'to the ' desirability of the late train from Dunedin being brought into Bnlclutha instead of stopping at Stirling as it has hitherto done. We are glad to know, that the suggestion h*is been given effect to. In future, therefore, the tram leaving Dunedin at 11 p.m. will arrive at Balclutha at 2 45 a.m., also a train will leave Balclutha at 5. 1 5 a..ra. (excepting. Saturdays)' arriving at Dunedin at 9.50. This slight alteration which only involved the running of the night train. tb« additional distance between -Stirling will prove a great convenience. . "For example, hitherto, . a person going to Duneclro had to remain there all day, bofore he could return, although his business may not necessitate a 'stay of a : quarter of an hour. Nov/, ho can leave -here; by the early traihj spend -over an hour, in Dunedia aiid beback in : Balclntha by 3 o'clock in thß afternoon. ' In the' .case of lecture's, entertainrnehfcsi etc.,. of specia attraction in Dunedin^ parties can/ leave hero at ■4.25 p.m., arrive in Dunedin ab 7.45, .attend -the. ■entertainment^ and leave l)unedin at 11^ arriving, tvjv \Balclutha atf 2. 45' a. ra. "If J sufec^ent wrappei 8; 'are: provided, a epinfortatle sle^p >ban, be 'had on the return trip. VTho alterations' now effected will therefore, we belieye, prove of :f considerable corivenience ; to the ij public '■- in this

In another page ' tenders are invited by Mr William Nicol for the erection of a shop and dwelling-house. Tho date for receiving the tenders— the 4th inst— is a mistake, which was not, seen till after the page was printed off. Tho tenders will be received up to the 11th.

We learn that Mr James Petrie has just purchased from Mr J. C. Anderson the fine entire horse TnienLud. "We aresm-e.the settlers of thk) Clutlm will fesl glad that this horse is being kept in the district. It is {well-known his stock are turning out first-class animals and sell at very high prices.

We may mention that a new regulation has been made with reference to the issue of return tickets by the railway. These will now be available for distances of 25 miles and under on the day of issue only, for each additional 25 miles, or fraction thereof, one day's extension of time will be allowed for the return journey. All return tickets used for return later than the day of issue, must, however, be presented at, the ticket window and ve-dated before the passenger enters the return train.

We have to call special attention to two notices of the Acclimatisation Society iv auother column. Last year great complaints wore made as to the unlawful destruction of game. It is evident the Society is most anxious to put a stop to this, and were settlers and othors to co-operate by giving information and otherwise assisting the Society, guilty parties would he soon brought face to face with justice. "We trust no feeling of delicacy will prevent information being lodged whoever the delinquents may be. Tf they are '* respectable gentlemen" they should respect both fvhe law and. public property.

The first coursing match at Hillend this season took place on Wednesday last, when a considerable . number of gentlemen from Balclutha and district met at Mr Bishop's at 9 a.m. The sport shortly was commenced. There were only four dogs taken to the match. . Throughout the day six or eight hares were raised and duly coursed. It is believed all got a fright, and one or two had very narrow escapes. One being hardly pressed took refuge in a rabbit hole, from which by tho aid of a terrier it was unearthed and secured. Being unwilling to lose any sport that was left in the animal, the sportsmen conveyed it to a suitable spot, released it and slipped the dogs. That hare is still available for another day's coursing. On one occasion a small thing of a rabbit incautiously popped its head out of a holo fcp reconnoitre. It was bagged and proved the only fruit of the match. As the whole of the hares in ,the district are yet available some good sport is expected at next match:

We have this week to record with regret the departure from Ofca^o of a well-known enterprising grnzier and breeder. Mr John Anderson, junior, Wyndham, leaves Port Chalmors to-noorrow for Hawke's Bay, which .will be his future residence. Wa understand he has entered into partnership in a fine large property there— somo 21,000 acres freehold, wo believe— and has taken along with him .600 choice merino ewes from Wyndham ; also his favourite riding horse. As to the quality of Mr Anderson's stock, we may mention that when he used to exhibit at the Clutha and other shows some years ago he invariably secured first prizes in both the sheep and cattle classes. Mr Anderson, who has been a lesident at Wyndham for 21 years, is well known as a first- class judge of stock, and his services in this capacity has invariably been asked and freely given in connection with numerous stock shows. A general regret will be felt at Mr Anderson's departure, but there is this consolation that there are still Anderson's in Wyndham, who, like the gentleman now left, follow in the footsteps of their father, and who are fully able to maintain and extend tho position the family has already secured. Before going to press we have received another long letter upon the subject of the removal of the junction of the Lawrence line from Clarksvillo to Milton, . We would take this opportunity of saying that if correapondunts persist in keeping back there communications till the evening before publication they must not blame [us for boldiDg them over for a wef;k. In the present case we can only find room for the following extract ; -I presume the present indifference of tho people of the Clutha regarding the mattet«arises from a conviction that no pressure can possibly be brought; to bear upon the "powers that be, that would induce them to do so extraordinary an injustice as to make the alteration sought. But it musb be borne in mind that very extraordinary efforts are being put forih, and this too by men of some influence and usually considered honest and patriotic in their actions, It is also being represented to the Government by interested parties that the whole inhabitants of Tokomairiro, Tuapeka, " and the Clutha" are unanimous in their desire for the change. A petition in its favour was quietly taken round tbe Clutha and was got signed by a considerable number who had no interest in the matter arid who neither know nor cared what the effects of the change would be. Those signatures give some evideneo that the change is desired in the Clutha, and unless it be counteracted thejunction may bo changed. In addition to the large expenditure of public money this would entail, it would operate as a tax of 6d or 9d levied upon every passenger between Lawrence and Balclutha. It would entail a charge of frieght for four mileß extra, distance on all coals taken from Kaitangata to Lawrence. Besides, it is expected that in a few days, surveyors will be at work laying off the branch line to Catlins. Tuappka would receive its supplies of timber from Catlins, and upon all this the four miles extra freight would have to be p.aid. As the Junction h at present every passenger can go on. to Milton if they choose, but the "request of the i^iltGnions. involvea all such passengers and all goods to l^e taken ont o <\lilton solely for the benefit of the people of Milton. The extra four mile 3 freight on timber might have the effect of drawing the trade to Dunedin and materially diminishing the returns of the proposed line to. Catlins. When .the main lvne was being formed Milton got a deviation ; made to the township for which extra charges have now to be paid 'on every, passenger. •and ; parcel of- goods'- by the ■ line. ; This.is;,Wd- , en* ugh and ought to satisfy Milt6fi, r but ao; ; * emboldened by the success of that .injustice they , :now ask '-'for the.mpristrous' thing ;:that i the; junction !be also removed -to their; township. ;i - What i 1 want at present" to say is that even: this Voapn*" strosity will in all likelihood. bejearriedj out Jin- " less -;tbe : pepplefof MpJ .pJufch^ r fCitanteraß*-I-il»e^ f■, Ise . TOpi"esen^tiffni c 7^w^inn^tnMe!ori-rthVr : behalf. ; If jth'e Borough CpuncU, ; the;Kaitangaj.a ; Bail way;^p.'^p^}t^^tfXG^n<^.md :^K^fdo\

Messrs Hay of Tapamri have secured the contract for the erection of a church for tho Episcopalian Communion at Tapanui. The building will be erected on ih«» hill over again? t the Presbyterian Church. The work has already been started, and.when built it will no doubt provo mother important addition to the! rapidly improving architectural features of Tapanui.

Mr Dalgliesh's children at Waitepeka* have a very amusing domestic pet in the shape of a sea gull. It is much more tame than ordinary barn door fowls, and seems very intelligent. It frequently takes a sweep around the paddocks on the wing, but when called at once obeys and joins the children in their frolics. Wild gulls often gather around it and make persistent efforts to get it away, but as yefc these have proved abortive, ;t seeming to imagine that it might not fare so sumptuously every day as it now does if left to iU own unaided efforts.

Professor Stanich arrived here frpin Invercargill and Gore on Tuesday afternoon and left for Lawrence "on Thursday morning. On Monday evening he will return to Dunedin. Although his stny in each place has been brief a considerable number of patients waited, upon him and in many cases cures were affected. The certificates have nob yet all been received, but we publish in another column a specimen or two from Gore, etc. No one can meet Profes&or Stanich without feeling that he is a thoroughly honest, straightforward, kind-hearted gentleman, enthusiastic in his profession and earnest and persevering in his efforts to relieve sufferers. The thousands of certificates he has in" his possession, places his skill and success beyond doubt and we cannot but regard the jealous • efforts of .a few medical men in Dunedin to prejudice him in public estimation as coutemptible in the extreme. His character and abilitps, however, are established far beyond their influence and we doubt not that the longer he remains in ono place and the better he is known the more', will ho be esteemed and the higher will his skill ba estimated.