ST. BATHANS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 332, 16 July 1875, Page 3

ST. BATHANS.

(From a correspondent.) The "oldest inhabitant" does not remember to have seen such a fine winter as the present has been in these parts thus far. Scarcely a day's work has been lost by miners through stress of weather ; and, unless a sudden change takes place, they hope to see the advent of spring without much lost time.

Owing to the uncommon fine weather, Mr. C. Inder was (most unexpectedly) enabled to finish the building of the reservoir for supplying the township with water. The laying of the main pipes by Mr. Wheeler is almost completed, and residents have only to order the branches to be taken into their dwellings in order to do away with a want long and sorely felt by many of them; and those amongst them who desire to have their houses insured should get it done much cheaper than heretofore. The residents of Surface Hill, St.

Bathans, have asked the Government for £IOO for the construction of a draytrack between both places (St. Bathans and Surface Hill) —a very modest request for an accommodation which is admitted to be essential. Having before them the precedent of the erection of a bridge by Government across the Naseby Dead Level Channel, the Muddy Creek Main Channel Company at St. Bathans have asked the Government to bridge their Channel at the crossing of Muddy Creek. " "What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander," and it is not easy to see why the request of the Muddy Creek Channel Company should be refused if that of the Dead Level Company has been granted, especially when it can be shown that the Muddy Creek Channel will prove to be more of a public benefit than the Naseby. We do not grudge you your good luck at Naseby, but when there are whole loaves distributed there and elsewhere we cannot help thinking that we are entitled to, at least, a few crumbs. I understand the Progress Committee have asked the Postmaster-General for a change in the mail service between here and Blackstone Hill—viz., that a " wheeled vehicle " be substituted for the present mode of carrying the mail on horseback. If granted, it will certainly be a great improvement, as affording residents every facility for meeting the coach and conveying of parcels, &c. Talking of the St. Bathans mails, I must observe that their delivery at Hills Creek, and consequently here, has been irregular of late, owing, I believe, to the roads down country being more than usually heavy at this time of the year. The road St. Bathans to Becks is in a dreadfully dangerous state. lam sure it would take £3OO alone to drain the ponds with which it is covered. The road St. Bathans to Blackstone Hill will soon again be cut up, and the sooner the Progress Committee look to it the better.

The O'Connell Centenary will, it is rumored, be celebrated here on the 6th August, by a ball and refreshments, &c., &c., to be given in the schoolroom. If so, there is no reason why the affair should not be a success, for the name of the great Liberator is known and respected by men of all shades of opinion the world over.