HYDE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 388, 18 August 1876, Page 3

HYDE.

(From our own. correspondent.)

Whether or not, that inexhaustible topic of conversation for all. Englishspeaking people the weather must form the starting point of my poor budget of odds and ends on this occasion. Saxby, of meteorological fame, would no doubt have rejoiced had he been here to note the elemental disturbance which last Friday ushered in in this neighborhood. Keen, boisterous -winds drove up from antarctic regions decse columns of snowladen clouds, making dark and dismal the valley of the Taieri, as they swept furiously along the broad expanse of its sinuous course, and anon careering with impetuous force against the stern buttresses and grizzled summits of the far ; stretching mountain range, soon wrapped, hill and dale, in a mantle of ?' beautiful snow. The storm continued intermittently through Saturday and' Sunday, when about eventide it gave place to fine weather once moro. Saturday was an especially rough day, in fact ono of the most wintry ones we have had this year; yet but little snow fell on the low-lying groupds. The Rock and Pillar, however, is thickly draped, in fleecy garment, and, as one or two hard frosts having set in siuce it was so covered, a water supply for mining purposes is conserved for al, least a few weeks ; not before it was urgently needed. The inclemency of the elements didnofc prevent his Reverence Father Royer from attending here- at the call of duty. Divine service was held—first and second Mass—on Sunday,- and the sacrament of baptism administered to the children of two parishioners, who lately have been adding to our numbers. The reverend gentleman also held an examination of the little ones of his flock in the Christian doctrine, but, owing to the miserable day. not many were in attendance, lie lift in the afternoon to carry' out necessary and important duties in a remote part ol his extensive district... - General news is n*t very plentiful. Imt I may intimate the Under-Secretary (Provincial Government) writes; informing ths

Progress Committee tliat the Engineer has b6en instructed to expend immediately £IOO in making a .portion' oi the Strathtaieri road. The amount, it appears, is all that has been 'appropriated for the work, a small sum certainly, and like the proverbial baby, so very, very little, that it ain't of much consequence. It may help, tliou'ifh, to make (lie deferred payment block accessible, and the Government, I believe, have been requested to. employ it in ahat mannef. The way by which the lately surveyed sections arc arrived at is not at all fitted for dray traffic, and it,will be only an.act of justice to the probable holders of land on the block to give them an opportunity of. approaching it by a safe, and passable road. I hear some talk of a public meeting being called, to consider,.ihe advisability of requesting the proper authorities. to.open the land of the'township" reserve to the general public. Most of .it is now enclosed in culiivftioii paildocks, and various parties complained that they are thereby unable' to iind a spot to yield a bit of grass to a cow, so as to get a drop , of milk for the "bairns." These-holdings though 'are now being prepared for crop for the in-coming season; so I suppose the occupants. either know not, or fear not, the impending storm of commonagesclamor.

A few months ago attention was drawn in your columns to the, neglected, condition of'the cemetery. The evil thou complained of is now about to be remedied,, the Secretary having invited tenders for the doing of necessary and much-needed la I'or in con n eetion tli ore with i ree- planting, digging, ditching, &c. And wo shall so.on, I daresay, !\avi> the pleasure of seeing that decent consideration for the resting place of the relics of poor humanity has not altogether departed from amongst us. • - ■ . ' '

The public library, too, it is tinderstood i 3 about to be set on foot again,- and in proper working order. A meeting was intended to have been held on Saturday night iasfc, for the purpose of electing a Committee. It fell though, owing to the roughness of the night. The matter, however, should not be let drop, as this public institution is in a most languishing and deplorable state.'. Like O Callaghan in-ilis..farce, its on its' "last legs, ' unless some proper and speedy steps are taken lor its reconstruction or resuscilation. It would be a pity if it were allowed to die out altogether, and I trust those interested will not suffer it to dc so.