THE COUNTRY.

Evening Star, Issue 3671, 27 November 1874, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

(From our Exchanges. ) The Nelson Rifles have challenged the Brace Rifles to a friendly match on Monday. The conditions are—Ten men on each side ; ranges, 200, 400 and 500 yards; five shots at each range ; Wimbledon targets. Writing of the recent inclement season in Invercargill, a contemporary says that cattle have been dying off very rapidly. Captain Stevens reports his loss alone at over 300 head owing to their poverty and the spring grass coming so late ; the green feed has caused them to scour to death. From various quarters we learn that larks are spreading over the country. We presume they are the progeny of those some time ago liberated at Tokomairiro, and which are now abundant in that district. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Balclutha, on Wednesday, F. Barnett was fined L 25 for sly-grog selling. The committee of the Lawrence Atheneeum have passed the following resolution : “ That after perusal of the first copy of the * Maryborough and Dunuolly Advertiser,” received from Mr Logan, the committee deem it their duty to decline the receipt of the paper in future, considering it unfit for general perusal and circulation. The committee be;?, at the same time, to thank Mr Logan for bis courtesy in offering the paper, and regret they have to express such an unfavorable opinion of its merits.” Tuapeka boasts of a lusus natures in the shape of a kitten with eight legs and two tails.

The Immigration at Invercargill have been quite empty for the last two weeks. The barrack master states that the demand for labor is very great, that numerous applications have of late been made to l?i|n, particularly for female domestic servants and young single men qualified to perform general country work on farms and stations. But in the meantime the barracks are empty, and the demand for such servants remains unsatisfied, and the consequence is probably the retardment of much necessary work.

What may be called the first passenger train will pass over another section of the Glathaline this evening. Mr A. J. Smyth having undertaken to convey by rail from Tokomairo to Waihola the members of the Tokomairiro Dramatic Club, who are to play at Waihola in aid of the regatta funds. Mr R. Mason is now building a new steamer at Port Molyneux, to the order of Mr G. P. Reid, of Dunedin, to supply the much-felt want occasioned by the loss of the Tuapeka. She is much larger in her dimensions, and capable of carrying a much heavier harden. Her timbers are of broadleaf and birch, supplied by the Maoris of Port Molyneux, the planking being of Oregon. The old boiler belonging to the Tuapeka has to undergo a thorough repair, and will be fitted np in the new steamer to born coal instead of wood, as formerly. Her length over all is 140 f t; keel, 120 f t; beam, 21ft. •As an evidence of the inconvenience occasioned by the absence of a river steamer, the Clutha ‘Leader’ mentions that 2,000 tons of plant for the new railway bridge at Balclutha has to be sent round from Dunedin by coastal steamers. 1 hese only come up the river the length of- Kaitangata, and the whole of this plant will have to be conveyed by waggons thence to the Kaitangata Junction. Had a river steamer been plying it would have been landed by her at the site of the bridge. Th's will of course entail a considerable additional expense upon the contractor.