OTEPOPO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 30

OTEPOPO.

May 29. — During the i>ast month the weather has been extremely wet and stormy, scarcely a day passing but what some rain fell. On Wednesday night last the heaviest rain that has fallen here for close on three years fell in a steady downpour, with the result that on Thursday morning everywhere was flooded. The land is now thoroughly saturated with water, and as a consequence ploughing, which has commenced on several faians, is at a complete standstill. Traction engines, also, get aboiit with great difficulty, andnn some cases the mill has to be drawn in the old-fashioned way, by horses. lam sure there are very few of us but what sincerely wish it may keep fine for two or three month 3. There is a considerable quantity of grain still to be threshed, and I am sorry to say that there is a great deal of wet grain, owing, no doubt, to faulty stacking. It will be some weeks ere the thieshing is completed, as the days are now ahnost at their shortest. Potato-lifting, too, has been greatly retarded by the excessive wet, a large area being still under ground. We are never content. Foxover two years y, c were complaining of the drought — now it is the reverse ; but of the two I believe the rain is the least evil, as there is an abundance of straw, green feed, and glass this season, while last year there was a great scarcity of feed of all sorts, chaff and turnips being imported from the Taieri.

Amusements. — Within the past few weeks we have had a surf eit 'of tiavelling companies, one following close on the heels of the other. The following have been performing or speaking in the Athenreum Hull. — Rev. Mr Isitt, on Temperance; O. E. Hxigo on Character Reading; Foley, Yentr'loqiusm and Slcight-of-hand Tricks; the Steele-Payne Family, giving a capital entertainment of music on the violins, bells, bleigh-bells, and harps, while the songs, rendered by the company in c :o!os and choruses wore excellent. To-morrow evening Mr Knott i? to give a lecture on " Ten Years in a Barroom," while on Friday evening the hall, which h':s been considerably enlarged (for which Mr Foweraker has largel) to be thanked, as 1 understand he was the prune mover to get it enlarged;, is to be re-opened by a concert and dance, which is sure to be well patronised. Harvest Festival.— The local Salvation Army held their annual festival on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd inst. The festival was well attended by members of the army and friends. The sale of work, produce, etc., also passed off well.

Removal. — I much regret to record the reAioval o[ our siatlonmaster to Hyde, to which station he has been piomoted. It is seldom a stationmaster i^, to be got who, while strictly impartial, is at the same lime obliging to everyone. Mr Foweraker has been in charge here for over five yeais, and during that time he has made many fuends. In fact, I think I may safely say that he has no enemies. Determined not to let him away without showing their appreciation of his services, both in his official ond public capacity, the residents of Otepopo met on Saturday evening for the puipose of piooentiug to him a handsome t^a and coffee =ci vice of =ilver. MK-Foversker will be severely misled in several committees, principally the Atheneeum Committee, of which he was the honorary seeretaiy, and the School Committee, of which body he was al=o secretary. The Athenteum Hall has been enlarged by the addition of two rooms at the back — one for the Draughts Club and the other for the libraiy (which is said. to be one of the best for a country library in Otago), while the foimer two rooms have been converted into an excellent stage. At the rear of the hall a commodious refreshment room has been erected that will supply a long-felt want. lam sure of this, that but for the push and energy of Mr Foweraker

these improvements would never have been carried out — certainly not for some time to come. Mr Foweraker is also an enthusiast in the game of draughts, contributing not a few paragraphs to your Draughts column. What is our loss will be Hyde's gain. Mr Foweraker and family left by express to-night for their new home. He is succeeded "by Mr Innes, from the North Island.

Presbyterian Jubilee Fund. — The agent (Rev. R. Fairmaid, of Kaitangata) for this fund has been visiting in the Otepopo, Maheno, and Kakanui districts, with the result that the fund has been augmented by contributions from these districts to the amount of £140.