OUR COUNTRY CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 3251, 22 July 1873, Page 3

OUR COUNTRY CORRESPONDENCE.

Taiebi Ferry.— Although it is now the month of July, and therefore what might be termed mid-winter, there is little or no indication of anything approaching to the name of cold weather, which might be looked for at this season of the year ; and beyond tho fact of a rainy day now and then lately, there has been little to complain of in regard to the weather. The roads, of course, are not in the best condition for pedestrians; but where will they bo found in a better condition throughout the length and breadth of Otago at present ? Perhaps the best way of getting over this difficulty is to remember what the highways of Otago were some few years ago, when travelling on the roads required such an amount of navigation to steer clear of the holes and ruts as would puzzle a Dutchman.—Matters generally in this locality are in a flourishing condition at present, and the railway works are being pushed on as steadily as ever, though there is not the least doubt that it will be many, many months yet before the “iron horse” is seen wending its way through this picturesque district and by the placid waters of the Taieri River : and by that time, doubtless, both Cobb and Co. and Harry Yeend-if the public continue to patronise them as they are doing—will have something like a comfortable living to retire on.—The whole of the land in the immediate vicinity of the Ferry has now been bought up, and is in the hands of private parties. Two sections, one of 119 acres and the other of 40 acres, were lately disposed pf by public auction at Tokomairiro at from 10s to 14? per acre. It was hilly ground, and only gyailahlp fpr sheep. The Henley Estate Company continue to ipakp extensive improvements, and it would well repay a visit from any pne who had a desire to see how land can reclaimed from what would have been termed in tho mother country a useless bog. The drainage of the estate has been carried out on the most approved system, and is certainly excellent. At a future date I shall endeavor to furnish your readers with some details of this property, and the improvements that have been effected of late.—The late rise in the price of oats has put most of the settlers on a good footing here, and in good humcr with themselves and everybody else.—At piesent, I regret to say, this district is without a clergyman. Strange to add, this is the case with more than one of the Presbyterian Churches throughout Otago at the present juncture. What may be the causes of so many minsters leaving their congregations is perhaps dfficult to determine. Doubtless in many cases the fault lies both with ministers and people. Certainly whenever there is the absence of tha hearty unanimity of feeling and cordiality of heart betwixt a pastor and his conn-egation, his influence with them must be at an end, and the best thing he can do i to accept a call from some other congregation,or else resign. In the main, however, such a stite of matters is extremely to be deprecated and cannot be very conducive to the spiritua welfare of the district where the clergyman’s sene of labor lies. It reduces the preaching ofthe gospel top much to a roittpr of pounds, shflingtf ahd' pence, rendering it odftms in the yes of the world. Certainly no one will deiy that the laborer is worthy of his hire, and that it is right that ministers who preach to gospel should be adequately remunerated. While admitting this, however, it would be f ell if ministers would view their vocation fren a higher platform than mere worldly emolumot, and feel more remunerated in the converspn of souls than in the addition'qrperhapsXO "to their salary. " SonTHL*ND. —We uderstand that Mr Winutanley, who has been acting for some time as second clerk in the Dmedin Post Office, will succeed Mr Butts as Ihief Postmaster in this district, but we have ben unable to leam whether the appointment vill be permanent, or merely temporary.—Te contractor for the first section of the Wiron and Kingston railway, Mr J, M. Watsoncommenced operations at Winton on Tuesday ast Although only a few men are at presenfemployed, the contractor hopes in' the 'course f a short time to have fully a hundred at v*rk'.—The Chamber of Commerce met on Wcoesday, 16th iast., when a letter was submlttl from Messrs A, J. Spjyth and R. B. Willms, jointly offering to convey the mails befreen Invercargill and Balclutha from the li September next thrice weekly, instead of twe as at present, for the same subsidy as ow paid, provided the term of the contract bextended to the time of completion of the Ntaura Railway. This Ltter was' sent to the hamher tp induee that body to take action iphe matter, by way of an attempt to induce t) postal authorities to conclude the propose arrangement. It may be noted that the promt mail contract will not terminate until the en of the present year, and Messrs Smyth and Whams propose from Sep tember Ist to carry tl mail thrice, instead of twice weekly as now The Chamber resolved to communicate wit tho postal authorities, with the view of indiing the Government to accept the proposal oiMessrs Smyth and Williams. It was also reived to call the attention of the Dunedin (amber of Commerce to the mail contract recetly concluded to convey thfr Suez mail via Hotika, and to suggest that the Otago and Southnd mail should be conveyed from Melboun by a vessel direct to the Bluff and Port Chaim.

On Monday eveninlast the Tuapeka coach, on its up journey, hen between Teviot and Spear Grass Flat, csized and rolled over the embankment. Besid the coachman, there was but one passenger, Chinaman ; both miraculously escaped, furtr than receiving a good shaking. The coai was so smashed up that it had to be left bebd, the rest of the journey being performed onirseback. Some Chinamen e doing very well at the Upper Shotover. party at a creek called the Shieldburn (above ie branches) axe said to be getting L2O to L3owoek. Mr R. Howai, of Half-way Bay, the Lakes, is singularhnfortunate. Some years ago he lost the stoier Expert in the Lake—which of itself wabad enough. Some time after that his steair went over the Kawarau Falls, and was or brought to the bosom of Lake Wakatip agf at considerable trouble and expense. With R-et wo now have to record what in all probaVty will be the total loss of this handy little at. From what we have learnt, it seams tblast week the Victoria was employed in cross; sheep from Messrs Boyes Bros’, run. Bjvme means the sheep got frightened and pis a rush to one side of the bpat, causing bps hepl over, and although plpspto shore, shsank in deep water, from whiph there is lit chance pf recovery. Two deaths frjwhppping-cough occurred at Clyde Iftst weekAt a recent ming of the members of the Church of EngU residing in the Naseby district, a letter v read from the Right Rev. Bishop of Dunn, to the effect that he intended to ask t!Kev. E. Williams, now on his way from Hand, to take charge of the district, and res at Naseby. A resolution was passed thatwas desirable to have a resident clergyman,d a committee,was appointed to collect promii of support. As a proof ole increasing value of land in Milton, the BnHerald mentions that Mr R. R Jones has seto Messrs Pettit and Hollick the allotments in which their business premises are erected, at a foot frontage, which is at the rate of Ll3 per acre, for what cost Mr J. E, Brown Itn acre twenty years ago.