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Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 204, 7 June 1878, Page 5

Last Saturday was pay-day on the railway contract, Balclutha to Clinton. We hear that during that night and Sunday a great deal of rowdyism, fighting, &a, was the result at several of tho greg shanties along tho line. •;"■'••

An adjourned meeting of the Athemeum Committee will take place on Monday evening at eight o'clock. -^ In consequence of the indisposition of. Mr Henry Driver, the sale of cattle, sheep, &c. advortised for the 11th instant, has been postponed to Friday, the.l4fch. At the meeting of the Balclutha School Committee last evening, it was found that a considerable number of parents were still in arrears with their fees. The Secretary was instructed to hand a list of the amounts to the Solicitor for collection. A writer in the Morning Herald asks whether during Bishop Nevill's absence from the Colony the stipulated £800 a-year ia to go to him or his half-starved clergy ? The " livings " Queenstown and Tokomairiro will, he hears, soon be vacant for want of funds. A good many local sportsmen visited various parts of'the district on Saturday last, but the sport was very indifferent. The pheasants are reported as scarce. A number of the sportsmen returned with empty hags, and others were only successful to the extent of from ono to six birds. The Kingston train due at Invercargill at 6-48 on Wednesday evening run over a calf on the lino about two miles from InvercargillThree trucks and three goods waggons, one of the latter containing a horse, immediately behind tho engine, were thrown off the lino. The passenger carriages aro uninjured. Heavy rain has fallen throughout the district for the past few days, and last night it seemed as if only commencing. ' We have heard of no damage by floods or land-slips in the district. We observe from our exchanges that the j rain has been general all over the Colony, and j apparently heavier everywhere olse than here. We fear that in many places the newly-formed railway embankments will give way and traffic be interfered with. ' ' " At the Committee meeting of the Clutha Porperty, Investment and Building Society hold last Tuesday, a large number of applications for shares of the new issue were recei7ed. There being always some who put off until the last moment, it was agreed to delay closing the list for a few days longoi\ ,As another such favourable opportunity of joining this Society will not again be afforded for a considerable time, we would recommend parties not to allow tho present chance to slip past. The railway siding to the new jetty here is just about completed, but we regret to find a mistake has been made as to its length. Itjias only been taken to the jetty, whereas it should have extended fiO or SO feet beyond it, so as to allow of trucks being moved back as they ave loaded. As it is, only one truck can be taken upon tho siding at a time. When it is loaded it has to be shunted all the way to the main line, when another empty one .fc taken along to the jetty. Thus a great deal more than half of the time in discharging the steamer is wasted. The remedy is very simple and inexpensive, and we trust the railwaj' authorities will at onco have it applied. Saturday last was the day of tho Nomination of Candidates for the Clutha Road Board, when for two vacancies in the eastern subdivision, Mr William Dalglieshand Mr David Monfries were nominated and declared duly elected. For one vacancy in the western subdivision, Mr James M'N'eil and Mr George Henry Slawson were nominated, and a Poll is to take place, between these two gentlemen on Thursday first as appears in our advertising columns. It may be as well to mention that those only will be entitled to vote who are ratepayers in tho western subdivision who have paid their rates, and whose property is not less than LlO in annual value. In another column will be found a list of those in this district who have taken out licenses to shoot cock pheasants. We believe a few parties were out shooting on the Ist without being in possession of the necessary license. We bear in particular of a settler in the Puerua district, whoso name we have not yet learned, having killed .several pheasants, and if the police do their duty there should be no difficulty in obtaining a conviction against him and others. As this unlicensed shooting ought to be exposed and put down without respect of persons, we trust action will be taken and an example made. Every true sportsman should, without hesitation do everything in his power to put it down, and give the necessary information to obtain a conviction. The nomination of candidates to fill the vacancy in the Borough Council caused by Mr Cramond's resignation takes place at the Council Chambers at noon to-morrow. We have not heard the name of a candidate oven whispered. • Changed times for Balclutha these ! We hope some one will yet be got persuaded to walk the course, but in the meantime it. seems doubtful. In connection with this matter, and as another evidence of the present inanition, it may be mentioned that the fortnightly meeting of Council, which should have been held on Tuesday evening, lapsed for want of a quorum, ODly his Worship the Mayor having put in an appearance. [Since writing the above, and when just going to press, we notice that Mr P. Mason has announced himself a candidate for the vacant seat.] A meeting of the Clutha, Mataura, and Tapanui Building Society was held in the Athenseum Hall here, on Wednesday evening. There were twenty-four members present, Mr John Dunne presiding. The Secretary reported that he had not yet received the books of the Society from Mr Hawkins, Accountant, Dunedin, to whom they were sent for examination and report five months ago, neither had any report yet been received. Several members expressed their indignation at the delay and consequent stoppage of the business of tho Society, and particularly at the absurdity of calling the meeting when there was nothing to lay before them. After a discussion, the following, motion was carried unanimously :—" That a sub-committee be appointed to obtain the books from Mr Hawkins, and consider his report thereon ; and further, to take all necessary steps to ascertain the financial position of the Society, and with this view to have authority to call in all the pass-books in the hands of the shareholders and "compare the entries therein with those in the books of the Society, and generally to obtain such information as will enable a full and detailed report to be drawn up and submitted to the shareholders at the earliest possible moment, to enable a decision to be arrived at on the I question of winding up or amalgamating with [ some other Society." Tho . meeting th£n ' adadjourned. * '■■' '•" ..<'• •', '•-■■''

District Courts are to be established at . Napior, Christchurch, and Wellington. An important meeting of No. 2 Clutha Rifles is called for Monday evening in Barr's Hall. The Lyttelton Times gives particulars of a series of hot springs discovered on the Auhauriri estate, Banks' Peninsula,. A Liberal paper is to be started at Napior if possible before tho opening of next session of Assembly. The Inch Clutha Contingent Clutha Rifles will observe that a full attendance of members ia requested at a meeting in the Drillshed, Inch Clutha, to-morrow evening. We understand the Government have agreed to send Professor Ulrich to examine the ground and advise tho Committee regarding the operations now being carried on with a view to reach tho coal believed to exist in the Port Moly- ' nenx reserve. It will be observed that the Warepa concert, which was postponed from the 17th ult. in consequence of the inclement weather, is now fixed to be held on Friday evening next week. It is to be hoped tho present storm will have exhausted itself and the roads will have dried up before then. Capt. Hay ward, Harbourmaster, Catlins River, reports under date June 3 :— The number of' arrivals during the past month'.was lfi, equal to 533 tons register ; and 12 sailed, equal to 400 tons register. Six were sent to Dunedin, 1 to Molyneux, 1 to Waikouaiti, 1 to Oamaru, and 3 to Timaru. Eight loaded at the Owake Mill, and four at the New Mill. The Edith Reid, Janet Ramsay, Owake Belle, and Isabella, are up at the New Mill ; and the Fanny, Alpha, Jane, Catlin, and Harriet, at the Owake Mill loading. The s.s. Tno, for Molyneux. sailed yesterday, and the Isabella arrived at tho same time: On Tuesday evening a meeting was held in the Tapanui School of persons interested in the formation of a Mutual Improvement Society in that district. There was a good attendance. Seventeen members were enrolled, and Messrs Kelly and Ferguson were appointed President and Vice-President respectively. The first meeting of the Society will be held on Monday evening, 17th instant, when the President will deliver his inaugural address and a set of rules will be adopted. We wish the promoters every success in their undertaking, and would commend their action to the imitation of the young men of this district. As mentioned in last issue, Mr W. W. Holmes, of Caversham, delivered a lecture in Barr's hall here on Monday evening, subject — " The Kingdom of God relative to Human affairs Political." On Tuesday evening he delivered another lecture, the subject being " Peace or War." Mr 11. Hogg presided on Monday evening, and Mr D. Whytock, Puerua, on Tuesday ovening. The attendance was very limited, and the audience were evidently disappointed with [ the manner in which the lecturer . treated his subjects. It was felt that although these had been announced as above, the real object was to cast aspersions upou all religious teachers, and to inculcate a new interpretation of scripture. Of this the audience disapproved, and expressed their disapprobation in terms so forcible that on Tuesday evening the lecturer felt it necessary somewhat to curtail his remarks and beat a retreat. Mr Whytock having considered it prudent to follow a similar course, Mr D. Sutherland was voted to the chair, and a resolution was passed unanimously to the effect that the meeting having listened to Mr Holmes' lectures is satisfied that the docti-ines and principles advocated by him are contrary to the teaching of scripture and cannot be accepted. The meeting then broke up. Our Clinton correspondent writes : — A great deal more . activity has prevailed on the line, near and at Clinton, since the arrival of the ballast engine and hopes are now entertained of a completion of the Clinton-Balclutha line within a reasonable time. Messis Withers and Bowden, the contractors for the plate-laying, were not slack in pushing on their work as Ear as they were able to go, to about 2 miles from, Clinton, where they were brought to a standstill, owing to a heavy cutting not being finished. However, putting their shoulders to the wheel, they transferred their gang of men to this cutting, and by working night and day shifts, this -work is now about finished, and they will shortly be able to again proceed with the plate-laying. A few j miles further on, at the Waiwera stream, Mr Valance has a sub-contract where only about 13 { yards of a gullet is loft unfinished. Here also night and day work is being carried on, and he j will be ready in time for the platedayera. The whole line from Clinton to Kaihiku will, therefore, be finished in a very short time. Messrs Withers and Bowden think that they will leach I Waiwera, with the plate-layiug, by the end of this month and Kaihiku- about the middle of July. The ballast engine has been -fully employed ever since its arrival here, and according to the foregoing statement it would appear that it will not prove a white elephant on the hands of the contractors, as was at first nnHoipated. tmmmammmmmmmmemmmmamm