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MARIA ISLAND JOTTINGS.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
Things on the move here. The kilns for
burning the lime are going up fast, and
stripping of the stone and the embankment
to the kilns Is also going on well, and that
part of the industry will soon show what it ia
capable of doing. Signor Bernacchi's collection
for the Melbourne Exhibition is a
grand one, comprising marble, granite, and
freestone, worked and in the rough state, and
lime, cement, timber, bark, wine, and brickwork
that has been under water in the
reservoir for over 50 year«, and is as «olid as
the day it went in, which will show the
durability of the hydraulic lime, which there
is no end of here, and will prove so to the
satisfaction of the company.
The agricultural department here is under
Mr. Sommerville, who is the right man in
the right place, for wherever you go you will
see land being cleared, trees being ringed,
fencing going up, double and single furrow
ploughs hard at work ; but the ground is
very hard for want of rain. He is having a
dairy farm and poultry yard put up at the
Long Point part of the island, which I hope
will prove a success, which no doubt it will,
as there are plenty here to consume the produce.
Buildings are going np everywhere.
There will soon be 12 double cottages ready
for use, and Dr. Doyle's cottage and Mr.
Pirie's, the engineer, and Mr. Sommerville,
the manager's, new cottages are also
nearly ready, and a new restaurant,
containing 13 rooms, besides two large
dining-rooms, which will be a grand place
when finished. The vineyards are all being
subsoiled, and they look very well indeed.
I hope our worthy schoolmaster, Mr. Sims,
succeeds in getting a new schoolhouse put
up, for his school is increasing every day.
Football is all the rage here just now, and
the players have been put on their mettle,
especially since Southern Tasmania played
so well against Carlton. Our boya went on
Saturday to Spring Bay to play a team
there, and proved too good for them, the
marking of our boys being greatly admired.
R. Quin, W. Skeggs, W. Press, J. Detmold,
Hugh Williams, and the captain, Luttrell,
as also Harry Beswick, are good enough for
any team in Tasmania, bar Railway or City
club. No doubt they fancy themselves,
which all clubs ought to do. They play the
return match with Spring Bay on Saturday
week. I will let you know the result.
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