MATAKITAKI NOTES.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 274, 22 May 1886, Page 2

MATAKITAKI NOTES.

(from our own correspondent.) Murchison, 18th May, 1886.

The attempt of the marine to make a pair of unmentionables from a patch of blue sky, was a more rational proceeding than my faying to compose a letter about nothing; so the readers of this must hold their peace if I sometimes descend to rot, or resort to fiction, to fill up, as there is "nothing new, nothing true, and it don't signify," as a matter fact Yankee said.

Of course most of your readers have received invitations to Mr Bowe's Ball, and intend to put in their appearance, together with the elite of Three. Biver Plain, as there is to be an imported musician, and, more to the purpose, an imported supper; so I am informed, regardless of expense, and if the weather is anything like what we are at present getting, a large muster should take place to do justice to the good things provided by the " Grand Old Man;" and I promise all your readers, who are not there, a full description of the diesses and doings. Our County Council, on economy bent, have discontinued the subsidy of the footbridge, after the contractor had gone to a lot of expense on repairs; but I do not see any movement towards making the approaches to the Horse Bridge. I passed a clearing on the road to Longford the other day, and saw a solitary sweetbriar growing contentedly by the side of the road. Now I make a prophesy that if he is left alone to pursue his sweet course, that in ten years, aye five years, there will be no clearing but there will be just a few sweetbriars. If any one doubts this I refer him to any settler about Nelson. There are very strict byelaws with reference to gorse, which can be cured, but briars, when once they obtain a proper footing in a place, are uneradicable.

The unheard of parsimony of the Council, in not making a road from the brewery to the Metropolis, has resulted in the importation of large quantities of ginger ale from Belfast, which is quite supplanting the local produce from pure hops and malt, the means of transit being so much better and expeditious; this is not encouraging local industry. This season is quite remarkable from the entire absence of frost up to the present time ; fine crops of rock and watermelons, maize, tobacco, and grapes, were successfully grown last season, which goes far to prove to any railway syndicate, that this is a very fertile district with quite a salubrious climate. (I wish these deuced chilblains would clear out though.) Quid Nunc.