PUREKIREKI

Clutha Leader, Volume XXIII, Issue 1182, 5 March 1897, Page 5

PUREKIREKI

[From Our Own Correspondent.]

The busy season has come round again, when everybody is engaged in the harvesi;field. Harvest operations began a fortnight ago and quite a quantity of grain is now standing in stook. Though light, the crops here compare very favourably with other places, and if the the reports from outside, that reach us are true, the farmers of "Upper Owaka may congratulate themselves on good returns. The turnips and potatoes on the whole are looking well; indeed some turnip fields are as good as could be wished for. The season has been exceedingly dry, about the driest that has ever been experienced here. There is still a supply of grass left, but it needs a good night's soaking to keep it from drying up altogether.

Purekireki is about to add to its public buildings. For a considerable time the congregation of the Presbyterian Church have felt that the school was no longer a suitable building to worship in. The numbers who attended, especially in the summer months, could not be acornmodated with any degree of comfort. In the month of August of last year a congregational meeting wa.s held to consider ways and . means to erect a new church. This meeting decided to canvass the district and sea what support would be given to the project. The collectors met with a hearty response, so hearty indeed that the church committee ■ -resolved to go on, and took I the necessary steps required to get the matter placed before the next meeting of the the synod, with a view to securing the usual grant to assist the new building. The preparing of the plans and specifications was kindly undertaken by Mr J. Agnew of Balclutha, who executed the work to. the entire satisfaction of the committee and also of the Ciutha Presbytery. Tenders were called for in the month of December, the lowest tenderer being Mr M.. Morton of Owaka, who secured the erection of the building for the sum of L 136 10s: The people of the district have taken upon themselves the responsibility of driving the timber, which is being done just now, as fast as timber can be got from the mill. The church is to be built on a site near the school, donated by Mrs Brugh for the perpose. The ceremony in coiinrction with laying the foundation stone will take place on Saturday the 6th inst at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. It is to be hoped that the congregation will, ere long, have the satisfaction of worshipping in its own building.