LUMSDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 39

LUMSDEN.

March- 2. — The westtiber conditions are most faTOuacable for harvest operations, which are now well forward; The yields and the quality are- in most instances up to expectations. The- sttewera and heavy dewa that we have had of late- have done a vast amount of good to- pssiHres, and- the- fear entertained some time- back of a- scarcity of winter feed is now- pretty well at an end". The district is putting- on a- green freshness that ia most pleasing to stock-owners: Hack Racing. — The' sraraa! Hack Race meeting waa. held: in Messrs Small and Thomas's paddocks on tha 4& of last month. The management «nd> stewards' vied with e»ch other to make the meeting a- aacceas, and ■the result was admitted to be highly satisfactosy. A f«atur«- of the- surroundings' waa * natural grand stand, combined with; an. ideal- rumting-track; Bvery/feing wife carried? through without ay bitefe, baning one or tm> trifling matters* mcidHiftttf to Such gatherings *fc a country haefe meeting; JL meetings of. ' the clvB 1 - waa ~ held: on. Saturday niga£ (2ftbh), MEr Jbfen M'Phenson*. president; in the- ohan>-to rfeecdVe the statement-- of accounts^ -which Banned, out about £12 on the wscmg- Bidet of th» ledger. This waa mainly dm to heavy expeßditure on. tlie- course and 4 increased stake, money. As the dub haa » gobdßy balance tq its credit at the bank, the deficiency will not he seriously felt. An. adverse report of the^jneetingr in the "Wanton Record was submitted' to Ohe. meeting. Xt was unanimously rfeolveo? "tirnt a satisfactory expl*ria4ion be demanded, failing which steps Bhould* be taJfen to hare the matter fully c.eared up without delay. Court D*y. —^The monthly court sifting waa held on Friday last, Mr S> Crmk»h*nk, the> newly appointed magistrats for Southlaid, on the bench. A large botch at caiileitr«spassing qfecs were erpe63tisußljr dealt with. A Moeaburn settler was cites for th» non-dteeiructjon: of rabbits: None of the esses were considered to be of a- serious" nature-, *nd they w«re dealt with" accordmgly. Busraesw Chanceft — Mr R. Yardley, who

has carried on a psofperous butchering business in Lumsden for over 20 years, has sold out to Mr John M*Cubbin, late of Mataura, who takes possession to-day (Monday, the 2nd). Mr Yardley, It might be said, is retiring from this business with a first-claes record as a shrewd business man, and it would be well for other young men to emulate* his energy, strict attention to business, and thoroughness in everything that he undertook. Mr Yardley, still a young man, will now he> able to rest on his oars on a competence acquired by hard work and perseverance. Deaths.— Mr John M'Phee, of Balfour, -who I mentioned in previous notes a-9 convalescent and expected to be about in a few days, very unexpectedly suffered an apopletic stroke, to which- the old gentleman succumbed on tbe 3rd inst. The remain were conveyed to the Balfour Cemetery, and interred' in the family burving-ground there. Tlfe Rev. Jas. Lymburn officia-ted. Much sympathy ia felt for Mrs M'Phee and family in their sorrow and sad bereavement. Public Officers. — Mr Boyce, the recentlyappointed station-master, is proving an acquisition to the community. We have been higii*/ favoured in the past with men of high qualities and affable manners as public servants in all capacities, a.nd as one of the -people. I can safely say, without fear of contradiction, that, the present staff is no exception.