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Dunstan Times, Issue 822, 18 January 1878, Page 2

The Rev. A. G. Boyd, wo learn, returns to Alexandra to-morrow, and resumes his pastoral duties in the Dunstan District on Sunday next, when he conducts service at Clyde, at 11.30 a.m.; and at Alexandra at 7 p.m.

In this issue we, without apology, again clr&v/ attention to tiic prCgTOtnmc of ths concert to be given this evening in the Town Hall, Clyde, by the Philharmonic Society, •In aid of the Hospital-funds, and repeat our advice to one and all to put'in an appearance. So numerous or talented a party of ladies and gentlemen have not been previously gathered in the Town H?'i, there■fore no such atreat has ever-been given.-

The next Meeting of the County 'Council to be held on Wednesday next the 23rd instant, will he the last Mr W. Fraser, the Councillor for Earnscleugh Riding will attend, he, having, bo we understand intimated his intention to resigns - Mr Fraser, if not the oldest, is one of the earliest realdents in the district, haring some few years before the Dundtan Rush (1862) located himself on Earnscleugh Station, and during in advocating the interests of the district, and to that end sparing neither time or money. As the district representative in the old Provincial Parliament ho did good service, and few will gainsay but that he was the best Member the Dunstan district ever had, not even excepting Mr, now Sir Julius Vogel. Mr Fraser, we believe, purposes visiting the old country, and in w’shing him bon voyage we feel assured we shall he joined by his numerous friends and supporters.

On Monday morning last a carrier named R. Hood, whilst en route from Ardgour Station for Lawrence with a waggon load of wool (28 bales), aud when in close proximity to Felton’s Hotel, Cromwell and Clyde road, discovered that his load was on fire. He at cnce set to work cutting the ropes with the view of unloading—his plan was to cut the ropes and then get his horses into a trot and thus shake "the load off—in this, however, ho was frustrated, as whilst he was cutting the ropes Mr Felton strived on the scene and loosed the horses. We do not know but what this was the wiser course, as, had the horses but have become aware of the fire behind them they might have become uncontrollable and'committed no end of damage to themselves and other property, whereas now they are uninjured, though, with the exception of por tions of two or three bales the whole of weol is consumed ; as, also is the waggon, the fore wheels alone remaining. The fire is represented as having burned with tremendous rapidity from the time the first flames showed until the whole was consumed, but a few minutes having elapsed. There is no accounting for the fire other than assuming it to spontaneous combustion, the wool was scoured, and the manager of the Station (Mr Dewar) says confidently that when baled it was in good condition and dry, that theory, therefore, is somewhat unfounded ; but, then again, it has to bo fallen back upon after hearing Hood, who says that ho slept on the top of his load the night before, and experienced a most unusual warmth, but saw no sign of smoke till just after starting the following morning, when he found that his load, at its very heart, was on fire. He says he pushed on as fast as possible so as to get assistance and water, but eventually had to pull up when the flames appeared. We are unable to say if the wool is insured, but in all likelihood it is, Messrs Dalgetty and Nichols (the owners) not being men likely to neglect such a thing. The waggon, as a matter of course, is not, the loss of that consequently will fall directly on the carrier.