LILYDALE.A correspondent writes : -
No doubt you will think that the residents of Lilydale (Upper Piper) are going to sleep, as they do not seem to publish very many of their doings, but I will take the initiative and give a few items of our welfare.
We had a pretty severe thunderstorm last Friday, the lightning at times being very vivid, and accompanied by a deluge of rain. We have had large share of wet weather up to the present; some are of the opinion that we have had too much, but if we are going to have as dry a summer as we had last year we shall require a little more.
Farmers are busy finishing their oat crops, and commencing to plant their potatoes. No doubt the present high price of the " tuber" will induce them to plant considerably more than they would otherwise have done, without taking into consideration the immense advantage gained by having the railway station in the centre of our district.
A Petition is being numerously signed at pressent asking for a daily mail, which is wanted badly. It seems strange that Scottsdale should be getting a daily mail, whilst we who live at about half the distance from Launceston are compelled to put up with a tri-weekly service. What we require at present is a daily mail delivered at Lilydale per 7.30 a.m. train from town; we could then have an hour during the day for the delivery of the letters, etc., say from 12 noon to 1 p.m., and also from about six to eight in the evening.
There is also another item which I should like to impress upon the minds of the authorities, viz, the necessity of holding a court, say at the 1st of every month, or oftener if necessary, for the purpose of trying small cases which it is not necessary to take to Launceston.
Our roads at present are in pretty fair order, with the exceptlon of a portion of the main road from the Railway Hotel to Procter's blacksmith's shop, which is pretty rough. The piece of road mentioned has been tendered for and accepted, but owing to the state of the weather for some time past the contractors have not been able to make a start, and it is as well, perhaps, that they have not done so, as they would be certain of cutting up a considerable portion of the main road, which is now in good order.
It is rumoured that we are to have a Wesleyan Church here, also that the necessary ground has been selected and partly purchased, or at least secured to the Wesleyan society. I believe that a parsonage is also going to be built, which will be the residence of our present Wesleyan minister, Rev. Mr. Lloyd, for the time that he has charge of this circuit. There is also a rumour going about that the Church of England intend building a church here, hut I cannot vouch for the truth of the report. We have Captain Woods of the Salvation Army stationed here, but I am certain that the district is not in a position to keep all these denominations ; in fact, it is as much as we can do to keep one properly.
The residents of Launceston seem to be ignorant that a really splendid view is to be gained by taking a trip up Mount Arthur, the top of which can be easily reached from Lilydale; in fact, several ladies have already made the ascent, and surely what has been done once can be done again. I trust that during summer we shall have the pleasure of seeing many of the citizens of Launceston and other parts getting out at Lilydale for the purpose of taking a trip to the top of the mountain. If a guide is needed I am certain that one can be found who would, for a small remuneration, be only too happy to accommodate any party, provided timely notice be given.
Oct. 9.LILYDALE. (1889, October 12). Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899), p. 1 (Supplement to the Launceston Examiner.). Retrieved December 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38355931