The motorists of Balclutha, Stirling and Kaitangata met at Balclutha last week and agreed to subscribe a sum of money between them to assist in putting a protective fence on the Hasborough Road if the controlling local bodies (the Balclutha Borough Council and the Bruce County Council) agreed to open the road for motor traffic and carry out the work of fencing.
Hasborough Road runs from Balclutha to Stirling, and for some considerable distance the road is on the Molyneux River bank, and at a few points is dangerous to vehicular traffic owing to cliffs on the north side of the road causing sharp corners, while at these places there are sheer drops, sometimes to a depth of 20ft, down into the river.
On account of this, motor traffic is prohibited on this road. The motorists will give 30 towards the total costs (estimated at about 40) of putting a post and four-wire fence, with a cable on top, at the dangerous parts. A deputation approached the Balclutha Borough Council on Wednesday night, and the council, without committing itself to any agreement in the meantime, agreed to call for tenders for a fence in order to ascertain the cost. All the councillors agreed that the road should be fenced, and while some were inclined to be opposed to the opening of the road for motors, some were equally inclined to take advantage of the motorists' offer.
• The cigar-smoking competition held at the Albion Lodge M.U.I.O.O.F. meeting was responsible for a splendid muster of members and visitors, there being 40 starters for the event. The winner (P.G. Bro. Rosevear, Hand and Heart) kept his cigar alight for 1 hour 20 minutes, a half-guinea trophy rewarding his effort. Non-entrants and others who were disqualified early in the competition played cards and listened to the harmony provided. At the conclusion of the contest the promoters were heartily thanked, it being voted one of the best evenings spent in the lodge for some time. N.G.
Bro. Johnstone (Dunedin), N.G. Bro. Bishop (Caversham), G.M. Bro.Rosevear (Hand and Heart), and V.G. Bro. Bishop (Centenary). The executive officers were represented by P.D.G.M. Bro. Coughlan.
• The tramp steamer River Clyde, with phosphates from Christmas Island, arrived at Port Chalmers from Auckland on Saturday, and berthed at the George Street pier, where she will discharge about 1700 tons of phosphates. Christmas Island is situated near Java, and the phosphates are mined near the top of a hill, whence they are transferred to the ship by porters, and the work is carried out by about 1800 Chinamen, supervised by Europeans.
At a cable length from the wharf which the ship cannot lie close alongside of on account of the surf, the water is 1000ft deep. The ship is tied up by wire-rope hawsers underneath shoots run out on piles, and from these shoots the phosphates pour into the vessel's holds. This steamer loaded 6000 tons in four days. The River Clyde discharges about 1700 ton of phosphates here, and proceeds with the balance to the Bluff, thence proceeding to Newcastle to load for Java.
• There is at present being fitted up in the office of the Postmaster-general (Hon. H. G. Ell) an automatic telephone on the lines of those in use in most of the centres of the United States, where is it far from new (says the Dominion). - ODT, 26.6.1912.
