OxFCKD-TEinTKA Railway.—A deputation (says the ' Ashburton Mail,') which waited on the Minister of Public Works at Christ-church recently, having represented that the Ashburton County Council desired to establish a bridge over the Rangitata, some miles higher up the river than the present railway bridge, with the object of diverting the railway in that direction, the Council took the opportunity of utterly denying having taken any action whatever in the matter. The misrepresentations made by the; deputation, and their exceedingly discourteous, if not reprehensible, action, was severely animadverted upon. The unqualified refutation of the County Council of the assertion of this deputation is calculated to make the gentlemen who formed it exceedingly ridiculouß in the estimation of the Minister of Public Works and the public.
South Canterbury Going Back.—lt is now nearly a week since the great flood put a stop to all communication with the north, and it may be also said with the south. True individual pedestrians have been going to and from Timaru ever since Monday morning, but bo far as mails are concerned they may be termed nil. Traps and horsemen have been able to go and come with freedom, but it seems our mail authorities do not consider it worth their while to send any mails. In the good old days, when Jack Meikle put in an appearance with his four-in-hand, it took a rather stiff Hood to keep him back a day ; a whole week would have raised a rebellion, if he could not ford the river with his team he would have taken the saddle and mounted one of the horses, and swim for it, rather than disappoint the anxious ones. Not so how j although people have been daily going to and from Temuka to Timaru not a mail was sent with them or anyone sent specially. Such negligence on the part of the post-office authoriftie's-demands enquiry. In the old coaphing days with Christchurch, after a little derangement, it took weeks before they could be brought up to time again. This seems to be something like what is now going on in South Canterbury. History ha 3 begun to repeat itself.
Cokeections. —" Rusticus" -writes to us, asking that the following corrections may be made in the poetry which -appeared in our issue of Saturday last : —ln line 6, instead of the words " and 'to let' " " and all 'to let.' " In line 34, instead of " decadence shown," read " sad decadence shown." In line 50, instead of " as it 'twas told to me," substitute "in which 'twas told to me."
The Floods. —A Timaru correspondent of the Wellington ' New Zealand Times' writes about Temuka as follows : —" Temuka and other places are flooded, and boats have been despatched to rescue the inhabitants. Four persons are reported to be drowned." Such an attempt to damage, fortunately is very unusual. The writer must have been thinking ofjthe death and destruction -at Timaru, or he must have meant Timaru, not Temuka. Never was any report circulated of four persons being drowned at Temuka, where the flood did very little damage indeed. To write thus on -Monday, two days aftor the flood, and where the worst was well known almost everywhere, is a mean way of getting up a sensational article. The damage done to Waitohi, Kakahu, Q-eraldine, and Pleasant Valley had been underrated in our report on Wednesday last, except in the case of Pleasant Valley, where, we are glad to learn, the schoolroom is not washed away, but only awaits next flood to bid good-bye to terra flrma. The damage to bridges, culverts, fences, and cropping, as well as to stock, is serious, and will tell heavily against the prosperity of the whole of South Canterbury next harvest. Between Ashburton and the Rakaia the floods have done more damage than was first thought. At Chertsey some farms will be ruined. In Otago the floods were also ruinous in many places, but did not extend far into Southland, and we hear little about Balcluthaand the Molyneux. That part of Otago had its share before, and much heavier than any other place has had. It is to be hoped we will have no more heavy floods this season. With good spring weather and a better market for stock, the farming interest may revive, but at present it is in a very unsatisfactory state. Stock at nominal prices, and their credit gone, if something does not turn about soon many more will have to succumb to the bad times. Parliament meets in a few days, and it is sincerely to be hoped that our rulers will not waste their time in wrangling with one another. Auction Sale.—Mr K. F. G-ray will hold his first auction sale in the Assembly Rooms of the Crown Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday next, particulars of which will be found in another column.
Presbyterian Church, —Mr M'Lennan will, iinlew prevented, by the inclemency of the weathor, preach at the above church tomorrow, at the usual hour.
vPabk Commissioners. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Temuka Park Commissioners wa3 held on Friday afternoon. Present—Messrs'Wilson (chairman), Meyers, and Paterson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Accounts to the amount of £57 18s 6d were passed for payment. The caretaker's report, re woi'k done during the past month, was read and approved. Resolved that £l4O be replaced on deposit for three months. Resolved that Mr Paterson be empowered to procure willow stakes for fencing portion of tho Park. Resolved that the Commissioners regret the continued illness of their chairman (Dr Rayner), and hope that he will soon be able to resume his duties on this Board. Resolved that the secretary be requested to forward a copy of the above resolution to Dr Rayner. Resolved that the quicks removed from the division fences in the Park be sold by auction, and that the chairman pro tern, see to this being done. Tho meeting then adjourned till the first Thursday in August.
Important Land Sale. —We would draw tho attention of our readers to an advertisement in to-day's issue of numerous sections of land to be sold by the Grovernment. The land lies between the Hinds river and the Orari, known as the railway reserves. There are lots of good land in these blocks, and part of it can be purchased upon the deferred payment system. This will enable working men to acquire a home of their own on easy payments —a system, in our opinion, that should have been adopted long ago, as it would have increased the number of settlers, and as. a consequence, tho number of taxpayers. The land will be sold at the Crown Hotel, Temuka, on Tuesday, August 5, in lots of from 10 to 50 acres.
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Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 159, 5 July 1879, Page 2
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1,125Untitled Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 159, 5 July 1879, Page 2
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