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MURRURUNDI.

THE WEATHER.—We have had some fine weather at last. Monday (24th) was a day of piercing cold, showers of sleet fell at intervals, and on Tuesday morning the tops of the Liverpool Ranges were white with snow. That night there was a heavy frost, and since then we have had clear, bright days, with crisp air and bracing winds, with the exception of Sunday, when heavy showers fell throughout the forenoon.

WEDDING BELLS.—On Tuesday, the 25th, Mr. Robert Greer, teacher of the Public school at Box Tree, was married to a daughter of Mr. McNamara, of Haydonton. The marriage took place at an early hour, so that the young couple might catch   the 10.30 a.m. train running south. The ceremony was performed at St. Joseph's Church, Haydonton, by the Rev. Thos. English. Mr. Greer is a son of

the late Mr Thos. Greer, who was the first pro- prietor and landlord of the Plough Inn, Blandford. The bridegroom's mother (Mr. T. Greer's second wife) was a daughter of the late Mr. Hussy, one of the first butchers that ever established a business in Murrurundi, and who kept it on throughout his life, his shop being on the present site of the Com- mercial Hotel, which belongs to his only son, Mr. " Mick" Hussy, of Boggabri. Mrs. Holt, of Murrurundi, is another of Mr. Hussy's daughters.

As usual, an old established name makes me think of early history of this district, known to me as man and boy at frequent intervals for more than half a century. I have been a bird of passage, but very often return to rest the soles of my weary feet somewhere in the neighbourhood of this valley 'ere spreading my wings for a fresh flight.

A word or two more of the old Plough Inn. When Mr T. Greer retired, he took up selections on Scott's Creek, and let his inn to old " Ben Pethick," lately deceased. It was Mr. Pethick, who got up the first races ever held at Blandford and continued them as long as he lived there : he

had a famous, and almost invincible old black pony   of his own that I well remember. And I tell you

the pace was hot : I have heard folks avow that

some Randwick cracks would be nowhere in a

Blandford spurt. Such sportsmen as the late Mr. Willie Wightman and others, did not disdain to to take trained racers to Blandford. The prizes were small, and some of the spurts were only for whips and bridles, but the fun was fast and furious. Every Irishman was out : it was as good as Donny Brook fair to him. Sometimes there was a fight, when the crowd formed a ring and saw fair play ; sometimes there was a cracked head, but old Dr. Gordon soon patched that. All Murrurundi flocked out to see the day's sport. The young Haydons, and Abbotts, and Brodies were little lads then, and brought over their ponies, sometimes beating the town horses. Those were the great old days, and they continued till Mr. Pethick left the old Plough Inn. Then he rented the brick house by the crossing of the river Page, near Dr. Thompson's Pentland estate. This gentle, good old man seemed to stamp his identity wherever he lived, for the ford by his house was directly called "Pethick's Crossing," a name it retains till this day. Mr. Pethick after- wards purchased a brick house with the lands thereto attached, known as " The Priests' House " in Blandford, for here several of the Fathers of the Roman Church had resided many years ago. In this house Mr. Pethick died last year. After

the death of Mr. Thomas Greer, his widow married Mr. Morris Doherty, who kept the Plough Inn after Mr. Pethick left it. When he died, Mrs. Doherty kept on the old house till quite lately, when she handed it over to Mr. Thomas Selden, its present boniface. Genial Joe Greer, one of the crack whips in the days when Murrurundi was the railway ter- minus, and mail coaches for the north started from the Royal Hotel, was Mr. Thos. Greer's eldest son. I have not heard of Joe for many years, but he is probably still driving away in the neighbour-

hood of Glen Innes.

July 1st, 1889.

The old landslip on the Range is causing much uneasiness. The late constant rains are causing

the immense mass of loose earth to sink on to the

swollen chalk layers beneath, and threatening to force them from their place, and burst up the rail- way line itself. Gangs of men are kept constantly at work, and the slip is never left for a minute, and soon we trust the heavy pressure will be removed.

Mr. Frederick Poate has been appointed to suc- ceed the late Mr. Arthur Dewhurst as District Surveyor of Murrurundi, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Narrabri, and Coonabarabran. Mr. Poate is well known to Tamworth residents, having once been in Mr. Dewhurst's office there.

July 3rd, 1889.

On Friday, 28th June, a meeting was held with regard to signing a petition for incorporation. Mr. M. T. Robson, who called the meeting, sent a letter of excuse for absence. Mr. James Farrell, of Hay- donton, was chairman, and explained the object of the meeting in the clearest manner, making an excellent speech, and was followed by the Rev. W. Marshall, who graphically related from his own experience the marvellous rise in the value of land in certain New Zealand towns, such as Napier and Wellington, after they were incorporated. Some five years ago strenuous efforts to bring about this result for Murrurundi were made by Mr. Marshall, Dr. Bell, and Mr. M. T. Robson, but in vain. Sin- bad the Sailor's struggles to heave off his " old

man of the sea" were not more futile. Like lim- pets to a rock, the dwellers of Murrurundi stuck to their old ways of going on—their shaky bridges, dirty and undrained streets, unpaved ways, stray- ing goats, geese, and pigs, and general dilapidation. Surely now they will have more sense than to be tacked on to some other municipality. Let them look around and think. Scone, although the oldest town in the Upper Hunter, was an unheard of place till it was incorporated. Now it is flourishing and coming fast to the front. Twenty years ago Tamworth was a paltry hamlet, the centre of the streets overgrown with Bathurst burrs, whilst vehicles ran on a side track. No animation amongst its dwellers, and a prey to flood waters from the hills behind it. It became incorporated, and look at it now : it is a large, handsome, and well-drained town, its streets paved, its buildings extending in every direction but the one where it is barred by the vast freehold property of the Peel River Land and Mineral Company. It is full of life and go and energy, and so should we be under the same con-

ditions.

At the meeting of the P. and A. Society on Mon- day night, Mr. George Sterritt was elected for the vacany on the committee caused by the death of Mr. Phillip Hartmann. A long list of additional special prices were read by Mr. Brodie, the Hon. Sec. of the Society. A meeting is to be held at the Royal Hotel to-night (Friday, 5th). Business : Nomination of judges, etc.

July 5th, 1889.

A nasty accident happened this morning (Satur- day), to Master Harold Busby, of the Commercial Bank. As Dr. Bell came spanking down Mayne- street in his buggy the little fellow ran right across

the track of his fast-going brown horse and was   thrown down, getting some nasty bruises and a great shaking. An onlooker who told me of the acci- dent avers that the sagacious horse on seeing the boy approach lowered his head and threw him beyond the reach of hoofs and wheels, as a human being might have done. He certainly escaped both in a mirac- ulous fashion, but a quantity of gravel was im- bedded in his face. He may be congratulated on getting off so well.

July 6th, 1889.

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