NOTES FROM ST. BATHANS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 194, 15 November 1872, Page 6

NOTES FROM ST. BATHANS.

TheEace Committee has at last woke up, and is resolved apparently to make the meeting on the 26th and 27th December worthj the attention and patronage of horsey men and the public. A meeting of the Committee was held in the Ballarat Hotel last week, when the ' preliminary business was dispatched. Messrs. P. Hanrahan and P. Mallon are the collectors, and they report that, so far, tinir can.ass for subscriptions has been liberally; responded to.

Mr. Hislop, the Government Inspector of Schools, examined the school cu the 6th iust., in the presence of some of the 'parents and the Committee. The children acquitted themselves admirably, more especially in reading and arithmetic. One amusing example of juvenile precocity occurred at- the eiose of the examination : Mr. Hislop had finished his address to the children, and had complimented them highly on their attention and good conduct during the examination, when a little girl, about four years old, stepped from her place, and, addressing him with the gravity of an old woman, said, "If you please, sir, I would not have been so good, only my mother told me to." This little speech caused much laughter, in which. Mr. Hislop heartily joined. The Eureka Water Eace (Mr. G. H. Smith's) has been surveyed, and about half-a-dozen men are employed in cutting it. At the present rate of progress it should be finished in four months. Mr. Fahey has not yet made a start with his race. Mr. Keene, the surveyor, has made a- flying survey of the intended course of the race, and it is said that the difficulties to be overcome are almost insurmountable.

Water for mining purposes continues abundant, but the supply for domestic use is cut off now that the dry weather has set in. Like the Ancient Mariner,' we have "Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to • drink,

while, in case of fire, there is not a hole out of which twenty buckets could be taken. ' It says little for the enterprise of the place that people are content to put up with a short supply of water, most of which is utterly unfit for use, when a plentiful supply of good quality can be obtained by cutting a race round the back of the township. The water race companies have offered to furnish an ample supply at a nominal charge, and the cost of cutting the race would be trifling. I trust that Mr. G-. H. Smith will once more take the matter in hand.

' It is gratifying to know that the efforts made on behalf of John Ewing have at length been crowned with success. Ewing is now at liberty—having been released .on .the 9th instant—and will return to St. Bathans by coach on Saturday. A large number of the townspeople intend to meet at Hill's Creek and give him a hearty welcome on his return. It is the universal feeling that Mr. Ewing has been hardly dealt with, and this demonstration will prove at least that his character has not suffered the slightest stain in the estimation of the people amongst whom he has lived for many years past.

Now that Mr. Warden Carew has resumed his duties here, I trust he will inaugurate his return to the district by recommending the Government to extend the accommodation for the public at the Court House. It is really too bad that people having business to transact should have to stand on their legs for hours together, after having walked six or eight miles. An outlay of £lO would be sufficient to provide the accommodation required.