WAREPA.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 29

WAREP A .

j November 9.— The weather at time of wilting I is high wind and hail storms, following on gales and dus*storms, making every day wretched for our farmers. For over thiee weeks we have had a more than usual EUpply of heavy rain, and. many farmers, have beeu caught with the getting in of their oats on turnip liud. Indeed, ruauy fields w.ere partially sown just- a month ago, and the grain is well through the ground where there was any degree of drainage. During last week the j balance of the fields were got in, but unless there is an exceptionally good growth the late sown j fields at harvest time will look fcomewhat j piebald. Potato-planting is Lite, but when the weather is good and condition of land favourable this crop is being hurried in, and turnip-sowing will have to be pushed on now, for j the working of the land is very much in arrears. j The wind and hail of Sunday must have terribly 1 damaged the good prospects (here were of a good ' fruit harvest. Fruit trees showed exceptional | good blossom until the advent of the gale of . Saturday and Sunday, but orchardists' hopes are | pretty well now at zero. Though we had a heavy downfall of rain during October and creeks and | streams were running pretty full; on the whole thp damage by flood was not tixcessive. The ' rainfall covering a long period, allowed the water 'to get away. Near the Clutha River, opposite" I Inch Clutha, the streams we c dimmed back owing to the river itxelf being high, and some -damage has taken place on the low-lying lands ' along the river bank. Many fields- of grain have been spoiled— in places ruined— by the back- , water. Many were in dread of a big flood on the ! Clutha, but that scare has now passed away. i Instructive Birds.— During the recent spell of wet weather the small bhds have been greatly | in evidence, an-i the destruction done by them to young crops is very considerable. For some inscrutable reason no bird poison was purchased for distribution in the Richardson Riding, and the • single-banded efforts of a few settlers have been frustrated by the absence of a general poisoning in the winter «nd early spring. On the other hand, rabbits have got a pleating out on river j banks, and are not so plentiful as the department . would make out, though, like the applicants for , charitable aid, they are always with us, and on ) the increase, too. School Exams. —Inspectors Goyen and Bossence have -been on the warpath lately, and teacherg are pleased or sorry over their visits in proportion to the nature of the report* given in. .At Warepa ' School, which is now an institution of some 70 j enrolled scholars, the report was very gratifying j to the teachers, and also to the committee, who I passed a resolution thanking the staff for the , highly creditable examination which the school , had come through. In the -standards there were 1 only two fdilres, and these scholars were those . who failed last year, but were put forward in an advanced class this year. The school is very fully equipped iv almost all respects, and the interest taken by the committee in their work mants praitie from the public and also the board. The school staff consists of Mr John Wilson (beadmaster) and Miss Hopcraft (mistress), while Mr G-. W. Wood is chairman of conxiuittee and ever active in his attention * * requireI ments. Bush School —A deputation .from the Board visited the Warepa Bush settlement to inquire into the necessity for the erection of a school there, but could not see their way to sanction it, and they recommended that the children should be driven over under arrangement with the Warepa School Committee ; but though some time has elapsed now, the Bush settlers do not geeni anxious to accept the board's recommendation, as nothing further transpired has on the subject. Tkchnical Classes. —With the exception oi the

violin and organ classes, which goon- for anothef term, the session of the technical classes bas borne to an end) and "the attendance was fairly' well maintained, aud in view of the possibility of an increased grant next year the classeswill no doubt be revived next winter. A sugges« tion to the Government to allow country associations to commece a three months' session in June and end on August 31 would be a good one. April is* too early to start ; the July, August, and September quarter throws us into the busy month. Only one lecture was given during the course, and that was an interesting ono by the Ray. Mr Dutton, whose hobby is astronomy.

Relay Cycle Ride —A Warepa youth, Mr Hany Lane, who touk the message from Clinton to Balclutha, made very fast time for his 22 miles section, and left his companion in the rear. Mi Lane promises to be a go id long-distance man, and should be heard of in cycling eveuts in the near future.

Wedding Bells.— l had hoped that some female correspondent would have sent you an account of the wedding of Miss Christina Munro, daughter of Mr William Munro, Annfield, Toiro, to Mr Fred M ggett, of Clinton. The ceremony took place at the residence of the bride's parents, and a v«ry large uunibsr of the neighbours and friends from a distance were present to witness it. Mr and Mrs Munro did the honours on tbe occasion with the true, old-fashioned Highland spirit, and from the arrival of the first guest to the departure of the last never wearied iv their attention to their friends. A dance was given to the young people in the evening. The floor was perfect, the music exceptionally good, and the refreshments abundant, so mortals could wish for nothing more. To describe the dresses or name the visitors would be a task beyond me. The former were distinct triumphs of the dressmaker's art, taste, and skill, and the latter came from far and near. Mr and Mrs Munro were assisted by their family very materially in seeing to the comfort of the guests and keeping up the true spirit ■ of the occasion. The presents were numerous, and some of a costly as well as useful character. •