SHAG VALLEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1971, 14 November 1889, Page 17

SHAG VALLEY.

November 11.— During the last two weekß we have enjoyed moat beautiful weather. Though it has been rather dry we had a good night's rain last week. Froat is still makiug its appearance, and quite lately there was ico on the water in Palmerston.also in the Upper Shag Valley. Yesterday morning there was a very hard frost again, and I fear the early potatoes will suffer, as they are now well advanced. Hob.ticui.tube.— The gardens have not, for a long time back, presented such a show of blossom, more particularly the apple trees. The small fruit is also very abundant, bub.ib is not bo large a» formerly, owing to the drought. I am informed that the frosts have caused a good deal of damage to tho othSr fruits, suqh as apples, cherries, &c. Inspection.— The Dunback school was examined by Mr Inspector Goyen recently, and I hear that' the percentage waa about 85, which is very creditable to the teacher,- Mr Mills. The rabbits have caused irregular attendance, as during the season some of the larger boys were kept at home to do the rabbiting, otherwise the passes obtained would have been still better.

PALMEHSTOtf AND WAIHBJ£- \ A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.—A meeting of this bol ''-jm held ia Palmerston on the 2nd instant, 1J&- .;• theie was a iair attendance. Mr J. Ross (president) was in the chair. Arrangements wre made for the annual show on the 6th December, aud the president and J. M'Keuzie, M.H R., were appointed delegates to attend the proposed farmers' conference in Dunedin. Palmerston Farmers' 'Club. — Only about a dozen members put in an appearance on Tuesday afternoon, the sth inst., in response to the advertisement calling a meeting to discuss matters whioh principally relate to farmers. The business dealt with was the appointment of the president (Mr A. Gilmore) to represent the club at the conference of farmers during the Exhibition. The railway tariff, the rabbit and small bird pests, and the 2% per cent, discount for cash questions were all discussed, but no practical decieion was arrived at iv any case.