RATANUI.
Clutha Leader, Rōrahi XXVII, Putanga 1501, 13 Whiringa-ā-rangi 1900, Page 3
Mō tēnei niupepa
RATANUI.
[Fom Oub Own Correspondent.] The last spell of wet weather has caused Lakeside and the road between Eatanui and Owaka to become almost impassible. For teams to get stuck and having to be dug out is almost a daily occurrence. Surely this is a terrible state of affairs at this time of the year, and the cause of it all is simply the want of a capable surfaceman. The settlers pay rates to the Clutha County to mend and keep up the roads, and the very time they want looking .after the council " sacks " the surfaceman (the only man that ever did anything to the road) without any plausible excuse. The result is that the' roads aro now almost impassable, especially the Lakeside road over which most of the milk supply has to pass to reach the factory. Such a state of affairs is a disgrace to the council, who sue for rates and won't mend the roads. The Dairy factory opened on the Ist October, and the supply is now between four and five hundred gallons daily. The suppliers get 3d per gallon of lllbs for 3.6 test. This is not enough seeing that the present cheese market is high enough for other factories to be able to pay suppliers 4£d per gallon. The test too is low £>t this time of year, (3.5 and 3.6) seeing that at other factories not many miles away the test runs over 4 per cent. I heard it remarked that this was the poorest factory in the Island, and I think it was not far out. The school examination is to take place here on Thursday 15, when it is hoped there will be. a good percentage of passes. . I hear there is to be a concert and dance in the Eatanui school, some time about the next moon, in aid of the school prize fund. The weather during the last month has been very rough and unsettled, heavy rains and cold winds, which have greatly impeded tbe growth of the crops. November 10.
