MAEREWHENUA.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 315, 12 March 1875, Page 2

MAEREWHENUA.

W"e have favored with a visit from. -A~ the lie v. E. Williams, from Mouat Ida, who preached a sermon here on the even ; . - ! ing of the 23rd ult. There was a fair-at-tendance, wnich would have been better ' but- lor the damp night. The reverend gentleman selected tho parable of the prodigal son for his discourse, upon which he delivered an eloquent sermon, pictur- ■ iP£ in graphic terms how the prodigal "" went into a far country, and wasted bis -. substance with riotous living ; but after a*' while saw his folly, and bent his steps "■ towards-his father, who ran to meet him with great- welcome and rejoicing. He said God Almighty was a hard taskmaster, who required exact obedience. There wat no hope for them who turned their backs on good, and thought their own ways the best. Thay, like the prodigal, must turn their faces and minds towards their father. The reverend gentleman " said there was little comfort in this world - except from the rays of light which emanated from the Almighty. On the follow. : ing morning several children were baptised in the schoolhouse. One of the < children declares he will not go to scho'ol _ again because water was put on his face. On the evening of the last Court day, the 24th; a meeting was held to receive * the annual report o.f the.Mining Association. On the motion of Mr. E. C. Smith, the Secretary and Treasurer's report was " adopted with acclamation. [The Secre- - tary's report will be seen in another eo« , lumn.j:— .;

Report. ' Seoeipts. ** " 7 1 Collections'and Subscriptions ia - £. : a.- i : -aid of the; Association, Maerewhenua Goldtield - ' - - 101 0 0 Special Collection in aiid of Pollution Case, Oamara - -• .31 17 0 £132.17 0 , Expenditure. ~ £ s. - xL -- T. N. -Cooper,- prospecting Campbell's block •: . 312 0' M'Quade, ditto - - . 6-00: Postage - ■ - 16 Henry Howe, expenses to Town re Pollution Case : - .... 610 o', Delegated expenses to Clyde -. 12 . 0 0 ' F. Thomas, prospecting Campbell's block- -. ... - 2 8 0" Seivright and Stout, legal ex-. . penses - - - - '25 0 0 P. Thomas, expenses collecting in Oamaru. - - . . 1 12 . 0 Central Association, first annual subsidy . ... . 6 0 0 Balance in hand- - . - 69 13 6 £132 17 0 A hearty vote of thanks was proposed to the Committee for their untiring et- " forts on behalf of the Goldfield, tluTproposer speaking in high terni3 of the" plucky manner in which the Commit ee had taken up the Water Pollution Ca : <?. Pour members retired, in accordance with the rules of the Association. Messr-i. -- Andrew, Slorach, Cooper, and Webb were accordingly ballottcd out. The crops down the Waireka are magnificent. Prom forty to ninety bushels are spoken of as pretty general in oats. At Papakaio as much as ninety bushels are reported to the acre. The country is overrun with thistles. Ten thousand acres must be ronpletelv covered with this scourge to fa xnerV. The expense they cause is very great—two men required extra to attend the ' reaping machine where they are plentiful. If as much labor were to be expended in keeping them down as is spent in rem jving them from the crops, would it not pay the farmers handsomely ? But I forgot thistles manure and break up the soil. Lazy farmers' creed I call that talk. .

The Waireka railway is matin» slow progress, whether out of the contractor's sympathy with the farmers or not I cannot say. An engine had been placed on the mainline on the occasion of uiy visit, to lay the ballast on the M-ierewheaui branch. In six weeks a railway will be through to the Maerewhenua River. A large wool store is to be erected at the j unction by private enterprise. A flyur mill is also to be erected shortly on the Maerewhenua Kiver. I hear a well-known resident at Oraararna,. Mr. Grant. is spoken of as likely to move lower down the river.