In at least two respects, if in no others, our golfers are specially favoured.
It is doubtful, indeed, whether anywhere in the world golfers are as fortunate as those are here - in the accessibility of the course and in the great beauty of the surroundings at Balmacewen.
The distant background to the links provided by Flagstaff and Mount Cargill, and the undeniable beauty of the bush-clad lower portions of those hills, with the reservoir as the central gem, make the position of the links ideal, and the varied and vivid colouring which meets the eye on the hillsides and in the valleys is beyond description in its charm.
The most has been made of the available land from the players' point of view, as, in response to the invitation of the committee, some six or seven plans of the proposed course were submitted, and, with the assistance of Mr B. B. Wood, of Christchurch, who spent two days viewing the ground, these were examined, and the present new course decided upon.
The positions of the new greens have been well chosen, and there is no doubt that, when members of the club get used to their strange surroundings, they will recognise that they have a really splendid sporting course.
• A recent visitor to the Otago Central railway works informs the Cromwell Argus that, with the exception of one or two small contracts, the construction works are practically completed to ''Champagne Bill's'', and it is probable that construction work to Leaning Rock Creek will be completed about the end of January, when the cutting at ''Champagne Bill's'' will also be completed.
Last week a gang of men started north of Leaning Rock Creek.
Construction work should be finished as far as the Halfway House by March, and, as there are about seven miles of sleepers now in Clyde, with a sufficient quantity of rails to lay the line for a considerable distance, there appears no reasonable doubt that everything will be completed as far as the Halfway House by May or June.
Here the station was surveyed in the paddock usually occupied by the wagoners, near the hotel.
The platelayers' cottage, which is being built opposite the hotel, is expected to be completed early in January.
Tents for workmen are now erected close to Waenga Post Office, about five miles below Cromwell.
Considering all things, it appears quite likely that the line will be open to Cromwell well within the specified time.
• The municipal baths in Moray place, which have proved a great boon to the public, and perhaps more especially to the younger portion of the community, were utilised yesterday for the purposes of a juvenile swimming tournament.
During the past year State school pupils, more particularly those in Standard IV, have been receiving at the hands of Mr E. H. Olds, the caretaker of the municipal baths, lessons in swimming.
These have numbered 20, and very good evidences of the results were seen during the course of the tournament.
The competitions were confined to the primary schools in the city and suburbs, and hosts of youngsters came forward to do battle in their own behalf, and for the honour of their educational district.
Consequent on the tuition in swimming having been mainly devoted to pupils in Standard IV, the competitions did not extend very far outside that standard.
The contests were not numerous, but there was no lack of lads who aspired to the swimmers, and it took from 2.30 p.m. till close on 5 o'clock before the tournament reached finality. - ODT, 10.12.1914.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
