Untitled

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 212, 2 August 1878, Page 5

The Canterbury land sales for July realised £157,665. A .new Act for the prevention of cruelty to animals is .to be introduced by Colonel Whitmore. The Government intend to introduce an amended Licensing Bill this session. The exact .nature'of the measure has not transpired. The members of the Clutha Horticultural Society will please keep in mind the annual meeting to be held in Lloyd's Hotel this evening. The Premier, who was indisposed and unable to be present at the opening of Parliament, took his seat in the House on Tuesday evening. It is probable that the Hon. J. N. "Wilson will be appointed a member of the Executive to assist Colonel Whitmore in the Legislative Conned. We understand the N. Z. and A. Land Co.'s Waitepeka Station will at once be advertised for sale. It is expected the same course will be followed in the Merry Creek estate. We referred in last issue to a report that Mr Pillans' Hillend run would shortly be exposed for sale "in lots to suit purchasers." The announcement of the sale appears in this issue. Mr C. JS. Maj-shaH, of Wangapona, Auckland, who was drowned by the upsetting of a boat during a storm last week, was a son of the late and brother to the present Lord Curriehill of the Court of Session, Edinburgh. Our Wyndham correspondent writes : — We have now got another snowstorm to contend with. It is snowing heavily, and looks as bad as ever. The snow that fell during the previous storms had scarcely disappeared, but it was melting rapidly on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday the streams were all flooded and unfordable, but another change has taken place, and the heavy fall of snow puts a stop to all agricultural operations.

In the Legislative Council on Wednes- | day 'She Ad-ire*?- i-a Ceply wa.9 moved by tho Hon. G. Buckley, which, alter a short debate, v- - s Cii-Tied. The bu.-inot-s in the House of iiepre-p^totive? was merely of a formal character. On Friday last a meeting of the ladies connected with the Tapanui Episcopalian Church was held iv the local Town Hall to take steps towards raising a bazaar in aid of the building fund of that church. There was a fair attendance of ladies, and it was arranged that the b.:--as)r should be held on the day of the Tapaaui Agricultural Show iv December next. This is the fiis't affair of the kind in that district, and judging from the amount of enthusiasm displayed there can be no doubt that it will prove an unI qualified. success. i We have to call the attention of the ror-rr.u^h Council if Ek-lcM-nlia and the B-.Hooiai. 01y« '.'-. n;le, Poniabi-k.-,. Clutfni.. SouMi Molynev; aud Alalia Eiwd Bo«rus to the elec'-iou of Membeis of -'.he Board of Con.-3rvai.ovs for the Clutli.*. Kir jj . Tlie Act: provides that during tbe month of A1151J...; i.) ei'cb year-Abe hodb:z n«mrd stall each elece a member of the Eo-.-d. Should they l':dl fo elect, then the M?.yor of Balclutha cad the Chairmen of the Eo«d Bo^idr -sviU bcco*?-<j members ex officio. "We may mention that it is not nsi-.3:'..aiy that the geiilleman to be elect- «.' bhould be a member of either of the boo'e* named. 1 It will be seen from onr report of {'< meeting of the Covoty Council that the C'ou-.>c't (3;in>-.n..d their rpsoluliou to levy a rate o? ono s.iV'.'.ig- m the pound within ihe Comity, lt h i ;*;ui; ' 0 explain that when ihis rate was asreWl «.-./ the Couucil were under the Jiroi .;sA..-a tb although that rate was levied they coyl 3 c:-v co'".eoi; ninepenco, c-v the proportion fov the v,tevur ed peiioii of the linaneial year efier thed* <c of m;. king the rate. We confess we have be<*n Uiubis to find any good grounds for the assertion i'ui v the Council is not empowered to collect the fr<; shill'ug — the l-ate for the whole year, but vAj a. c infovtiieu only ninepence will be collec'.ci. The tender of Messrs Proudfoot an* M'Say for the construction of the Tapanui it iway has been accepted. The contract amou.it is 1i6.1,000. The length of the railway is fifteen and a-half miles, aud the contract includes the formation and supply of permanent way, buildHie stations and platforms. The time for completion is 22 months. It is satisfactory to know that there is now a certainty of tbe line being c.artructcd some time, but the satisfaction is somewhat modified upon the reflection that according to Messrs Proudfoot and M 'Kay's Usual style of ci*.rryit.g out such contracts the line Lo Tapjnui will not be opened for four or u\e years. On Saturday last a meeting was held afc 'J.V.}ianui of persons interested in the formatiou of a Road Board in the Waipahi Biding of the Clutha County Council. There was a numerous altend-mce, and Mr Angus Ross occupied the chair. Captaiu Mackenzie addressed the Meeting p.t considerable length, urging the desirability of having a Boad Board formed in the district, so that they might be able to take advantage of the liberal subsidy given by Government towards the formation aDd maintenance of roads. It was unanimously agreed that a Road Board was required in the district, and we understand the petition to the Government to have one formed is being numerously signed. The question of the boundaries, mentioned in our columns last week, has been left in abeyance in the meantime. During the small scene that occurred at the meeting of the County Council on Friday last, Captain Mackenzie asserted that the Cha.-1-man had acted contrary to parliamentary usage in giving his casting vote for the confirnia* tion of the resolution altering boundaries of ridiugs. The Chairman retorted that he had done nothing of vhe kind j that he valued his own opiii'.on an to pailiameutary rules much before bhat cf Captain Mackenzie. He challenged the captain to submit the question for the decision of some ->eDile<i)an of authority. We hope the cajiliiin will be chivalrous enough to take up the Challenge and let us have the dispute settled. Mr J. L. Gillies, who for years held the office of speaker of the late Provincial Council, would say how the matter stands. Mr Gorman finished the work of bias-r---ing the rocks at Ecelefechan on Saturday last. A fine deep and broad channel has now been opened up with sufficient water for navigiufcio 1 .! at all states of the river. He has now gene to remove a rock above Clydevale which v/ill be e;*sily accomplished. We understand there are no more impediments from rocks until a point about 12 miles above Tuapeka Mouth is leached, but it if. aot intended to do anything iv that quarter this season. Captain M'Kinnon was engaged ail last week removing snags near the mouth of the Pomahaka, where he succeeded in making a complete clearance. In consequence of the rise of the river this work has been temporarily stopped and in the meantime Captain M'Kinnon will take round the steamer *' lona " to Duuedin foi alterations. It is expected the steamer will return to resume the tiaffic in about two months. At the Hillend weekly entertainment in the Stoney Creek schoolhouse on Friday last a very pleasant evening was spent. Though the first night of the course the room was well filled, and the entertainers, both musical and elocutionary, excelled on the occasion. Many of those who were kind enough to come forward are well known, and some of the names were held over as the programme was no' exhausted. The sweocly sung songs of Mrs and Miss Marshall received marked approbation, aud like success crowns.-" 1 the niuidou efforts of Misses M. Bishop and J. Christie. Last, but not least amusing, was ioe recitation " Meddlesome Matty," by . Jemima Kinder, whose first attempt v/as a successj and caused much laughter and applause. Mrs Houliston's reading, " A. Schoolmaster "Wanted.' was very good, and fully showu.l her power as an. elocutionist. The Chairman (.Mr Christie) also gave a short reading. Among the gentlemen who supported the musical departnisnt were Messrs Ramage, G. Houliston, Barker, Hugh Christie, and J. Bower. At different times during intervals after dancing commenced, which it did at 8 sharp, Messrs Ramage and Purvis displayed much histrionic ability, the former in a well-acted burlesque, and the latter in some very humorous recitations. After the literary and musical part was finished the dancing began. This popular amusement would have been enhanced had the ladies been more numerous, but counter-attractions in the shape of dancing prevented some from appearing. The next night will be clearer, and as "ilka laddie 1 ' was enjoined to bring " his lassie," it is to be hoped more will be tempted to enjoy the first-class entertainment prepared for Friday night.

I One hundred persons were confirmed by Bishop Redwood at Christchurch on Tuesday. The fall of snow in Dnnedin, en Wednesday, was the heaviest experienced this season. Mr Ross, the defeated candidate for , Itoslyn, has intimated his intention of . filing a j petition against Mr Driver's election on thj ground of bribery. The funeral of the late Mr Dickie, Kaihiku, yesterday, was very largely attended, thus testifying to the great respect in which deceas d was held by all in the district. The Hon. Wm. Fox has accepted the office of Grand Worthy Chief of the Good Templars for the North Island, which has been vacated by the Rev, Samuel Edgar. We understand the Government has secured from Mr Iteay a piece of ground beside Messrs Dabinett and Young's store as a site for the new post and telegraph office for Catling. The Eptl of Beaconsfield has v replied to fche address irom tbe colonists of New South Wales. He xuye. he was touched by their Kv.Yipathy, and honoured by their remembrance. Our Tuapeka contemporary of Wednesday last publishes notices of motion to come before the Clutha County Council to-day. Ouv contemporary will observe he was a little behindhand with hia notices, as the meeting was held !i«Sjt week. The severe snowstorm we have had fov tne past few days lieem* to have been genera' r over the cor<>'ry, and has been tbe aeavico fall nf snovr yjxpeiienced thin >;ei.son. Stock must iii-vc suffered severely, aad no doult many of the Cii'.y ipmbs have perished. Messrs Mason arid Canning, Balclutha, ak>ug wiih a few tiettiers of Hillend, had a day's coiu-sing in that district on Wednesday. They had two good courses, and secured two harey. Only three were seen dm'ng the day. The snow, especially in the gullies, was very deep, and much retarded the sport. As will be noticed by reference to our advertising columns, Mr Christie, who has severed his connection with this paper, has sto i ted | as Auctioneer, Accountant, Commission, Laud and Estate Agent, etc. We have no doubt Ids long experience in and intimate knowledge of the district will ensure the success which we wish him. ' In the Wyndham district ploughing is j in a very backward state. But few have more done than they used to have a week or two after h "vest. It is feared by many tbat they won't be able to how any wheat this season. Even those most advanced with their work will not be able to get in more than two thirds of what they | had intended. j After a few nights' trial it was found our new street lamps were scarcely up to the required standard of excellence. In consequence of faulty construction a puff of wind put them out or so blackened the glasses as to produce a total eclipse. They were neither wind nor watertight, and on Wednesday evenipg tbey could not be lighted. Mr Stewart, painter, was employed to give them an overhaal yesterday, and it is to be hoped they will now be serviceable. It is a pity the Council did not have them examined by some one having a knowledge of such matters before taking them off the contractor's hands. Wednesday was the last day of the shooting and coursing season for another year. Hares, pheasants, and other game will therefore now have a respite to recruit their shattered strength. The sport throughout the season has been very fair. The cour&e adopted by the AccJimitissation Society in refusing licenses to those who were known last year to have carried on wholesale destruction has had a very salutary effec... As a consequence we believe that not neavly the same number of pheasants have been killed. Theie is, therefore, every probability that there will be excellent sport next year. Referring to the endowments to municipalities, the Tuapeka Times of Wednesday si-ys :— " We were rather chagrined to find our gmnd Corporation eudowment of 2000 acres split | up in two, and one half of it given to the Balclutha Corporation, so that instead of a fine landed estate of 2000 acres, the Lawrence Municipal Council can on!y boast of 990 acres. The land is excellent, its situation is good. and. if leased even as it is, will yield a revenue of 3s or 4s an acre." We would console our contemporary by quoting the old proverb " Its not lost what a friend gets." We have to thank our Lawrence friends for selecting such a "grand Corporation endowment " for Balclutha,. and to assure them Balclutha will not soon forget their disinterested kindness aad liberality.