The Dismal Swamp Reservoir.

Mt Benger Mail, Volume 17, Issue 858, 2 October 1896, Page 2

The Dismal Swamp Reservoir.

I Before the dissolution of Parliament, I which is expected in a short time, it is i to be hoped the question brought up in I the House by the Hon. Mr Larnach, ! relative to the conservation of water in ' this district by the will be | brought :o a definite issue. A sum of j .£200,000, out of the million ioan, is to be expended on the mining industry, | and doubtless it is the intention of the ! Minister that the Central Otago gold- ! field should have a proportion of this j vote, commensurate with its importance. 1 The district is fortunately situated, in- ] asmuch as that it possesses a huge i natural reservoir at the Di.-mal Swamp, ■ which focuses the watershed of an ex- | tensive area, and which ,bv a comparaj tively moderate expenditure, c:m be i made tlie source of a permanent water j supply, lor either sluicing or irrigation ! purpose?, for the whole of the country i from Roxburgh to the Beaumont. The i r> j importance and. in fact, the necessity |of such a work is beyond question,wht n the thousands of acres of proved auriferous country which no in h t thus be utilised (if only the necessary water was snpplied) is taken into consideration: The water supply at present available throughout the country mentioned is nearly all taken up, and the fact that the groind thus utilised is of a payable nature is in i'selt a strong argument in favour of the Government proceeding with the enlargement of the Dismal Swamp reservoir. Then, again, a large tract of country would be rendered fit for fruit cultivation if fertilised by irrigation. It is not necessary to enlarge on the-important and valuable results, not only to the Otago gold-fields, but to the colony as a whole, consequent on such certain prospects of the development of these two important industries as are here indicated. They are patent to everybody, and no doubt the Ministry, with the fullest information at hand, are as much impressed with their importance as we, who know the district and its possibilities. Ministries, however, are fallible, like other human institutions, and should the session be allowed to close without the vote being earmarked for this special purpose, the chances are, with the pressure to which they are subject, especially j on the eve of an election, that the money j will be expended on works of quite a different character from the origin il intention We would impress on our member, therefore, the urgency of the matter, ani hope that he will bring the subject up again at the earliest favourable opportunity. Hi? efforts, so far, to get the woik prosecuted have been characteristically energetic, and it is to be hoped he will be able to carry those efforts to a successful termination ere Parliament closes, by getting the vote locked up so that it can be expended in no other way

The Alexandra races tak". plao to day. Loud Glasgow and his family return to England in February Mr H. S. Fish is a passenger by the Tongariro, expected to reach Dunedin the first week in November.

The schedule of the electoral districts, as set out by the Representation Ommis ion, is issued as a supplement to the last Gazette. Mr Watson Shennan, of Conical Hills estate' got the highest price for New Zealand crossbred wool in London this year. —IOJ 1, per lb.— Exchange. All interested in the formation (if a Good Tenplars' lodge in Roxburgh are invited to attend a meeting in the Athenaeum next Thursday evening. The appointment is gazetted of Alexander Millar Eyes to be registrar of marriages, births and deaths, am' also vaqcina'ion Imppctor for the district of Gabriels, vice H. J. A!>el (deceased 1 .

A NONiDFSCPiPT circus visited Roxburgh, and ! played here last Fiiday an J Saturday evening-, i Their performance is said lo hive been j meritorious, but as their visit was not notified in ! any way, the attendances were very small, j We are glad to hear that Mr J. Biggans, who | is in the Lawrence Hospital, is making ns satis--1 f.:c'oiy progress as could be expected. His leg, ! which was broken, was reset by Dr. Newall, and a deep wound on one of his hands is al.so mending, Mr Thomas Mackenzie, the member for Gluthn, who is retiring from the seat and goiDg to London shortly, was banqueted by the Opposition at Bellamy's last Friday. The Government was strongly represented cn the occasion. A monster bar.quet in liis constituency to " CluthaTom", before his departure, is j on the tapis. Miss Fjsji, who has been acting as relieving teacher at the loctl school sincj Miss Hayes' departure, left for Dunedin on Wedoesday mornin?. During her bri f stay in Roxburgh, j Miss Fish has made rcrtny friends amongst both i parents and children, and her return at any | time will be welcomed. Her successor is Miss j Sutherland, formerlj of West Taieri School, ! aid she arrived here last evening.

The fishing season opened yesterday, artfl though a few of our more enthusiastic anglers have been out, no phenomenal baskets are reported. The Teviofc creek, the Bengerbvr.i and Tallaburn, are in fine fishing order, and are expected to -yield f*ir sport as ths.saasou , advances. Mb James Graks's Coal pit, at Coal creak,; i still smouldering. He has turned a stream of water into the working whre the fire is, hat has not been able to extinguish it. Toe probabilities are however that when the fire has destroyed the »up)'oits the roof will fair in and so smother it out.

A cow, owned by Mr Michael M'Carthj, ( >f Millar's Flat, was drowned from the Millar's Flat punt on Wednesday, The animal was being crowed in the punt and lurched from side to side apparently unable to keep her foothold. Final lv she tumbled into therriver, and though sh"> swam for the bauk she was' Unable to get ashore She was afterwards drawn into the current and washed down the river.

A big case is pending with a'-view to on testing the Cyai.ide Company's patent righ's in New Zealand (wiites the "Daily Times" Wellington corre pondent). Mr Button has been busily engaged working uo the nse for • gome time pas'. Sir Kohert Stout has been retained to appear on behalf of the defendant company. The c*se will be watched with a great deal of interest by all who ,ire .imoreetej in mining.

Robeht Augustus Butterfirlo, an aged individual, who declared that he fought under Vod Teinpsltv in the Maori war, pleaded guilty to drunkenness at the Roxburgh court, on Tuesday. That he was posessed of a militant spirit there was prima facie evideno to «how. as his nasal organ was somewhat disfigured, evidently the result <rf a onfiicl; of mo re recent date. Mr Burton, £P., ipfiicted a nominal fine of 2s. 61.

We yesterday witnt sse-l a rtest crushing of * small parcel of stone taken from Elliott and Paikei's claim, which they have recently taken up on the ground known as Day's reef. The quartz isveiy likely looking stone of a rich colour, and a pound weight of it was tried for the prospect'. The result was exceedingly prcnoiring, as the pound weight of stone yield",! betwe< n a grs in and a half and two grains of good shotty gold. The owneis are the more trie congratulated as the stone was taken at random, and wa« not picked from any special place. They are confident, from previous tests, that the red will yield well right through.

Some members <?f the circus that «visile, 1 Roxburgh last we,'k had a narrow escape from >i serious accident at Miller's Flat, at the end of last week. They were driving a somewh it frisky horse in a light dog cart, when a traction.engine passed them near Eady's Hotel. The horse becoming frightened, bolted a? d came into collison with some posts near the hotel. JIo then continued his wild caieer, and after getting rid of the trap, he took a fence c'ose by in good style, landing in a private garden, where he was ultimately rounded up. The occupants of the trap, though severely shaken, were not much the worse for the accident, but the vehicle itself was in need of extensive repairs.