FERN FLAT.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 295, 16 October 1886, Page 2

FERN FLAT.

(from our own correspondent).

Things much as usual here : A few familiar faces have come and gone. It is not often that three inspectors exchange salutations in Fern Flat in one day, this, however, was the case last week. Constable Bowden was also through but as we have heard no complaints that reflect the slightest discredit on us we can

claim lo bo in pretty straight circumbtaiiccs, especially if throe inspectors and a Constable fail to detect anything wrong. In objection to this Mr Bowden could refer to the business which called him to Eern Flat. There is, however, no proof as yet that the disappearance of the man Smithers was not purely accidental. His disappearance seems peculiar in as much as it is difficult to digest the probability of a man venturing to swim the Buller under ordinary circumstances. If it were a matter of very great importance (life or death, or the honor of saving life at the expense of sacrificing life) we may look upon it as a deed worthy of admiration. The only other reason I can adduce as being feasible was "want of the free possession of the ordinary intellectual powers of human nature." It is to be hoped that either the corpse or the living man may be found so as to give satisfactory evidence concerning the affair. A hat was found on Sunday on the Buller beach opposite Smith's hotel, but it is known not to be the hat Smithers wore : Its presence in the river, however, may yet be called into question, but let us hope that it parted company with its owner on good terms and that the owner preferred losing his hat to risking his life in its recovery.

Mr Hodgson examined the Fern Flat School on Friday Bth October, and proceeded to Hampden in the eyening to examine that school on Saturday. Mr Pocock, the Insurance lecturer, did arrive in the coach on Saturday as your last week's issue stated but we did not luxuriate in his elocution on Insurance benefits. Perhaps he heard of a man trying to swim the Buller and failing, thought it best, in the interest of his society, not to remain as he might get some "bad lives." He need not fear, however, as there would be little danger of us swimming the Buller river with two or three thousand pounds of Pocock's Insurance money on our backs, and even if we did the first premiums would be a nice little bonus to swell the banking account of the society.