WAIPAHI.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXVI, Issue 1376, 16 February 1900, Page 5

WAIPAHI.

[Fkom Our Own CoitßusroNDisNT.J The weather lately has been very changeable, rain falling almost every other day. Turnips and oat crops are looking well, but I fear the grass-seed, which has been standing in the stook through all the rough weather, must bo very much discoloured. The farmers in this district do not go in for grassseed growing, so they have had nothing to trouble their mind during the late wet weather.

I see a start has been made to have the approaches to the Waipahi bridge widened and metalled. (It's a terrible bridge ; you have heard so much about it, and its not such a large bridge either, not nearly so large as the Firth of Forth bridge.) Mr A. Kobertson is the contractor for this work, and by all appearance he means to have the work completed without delay should the weather permit.

The great topic of conversation at present is the equipment of the Fourth Contingent for service in South Africa. Waipahi is equiping one of those " absent-minded beggars," and the final meeting of the committee for that purpose takes place to-morrow. Wm. Macneil Brown is the young man who has volunteered to go and help those who have gone before him to "hammer Paul." We

hope he will see lots of fighting and come safely through it— the same luck to all the ethers. A good sum has already been raised for the Patriotic fund, so we people are not going to be behind as far as patriotism goe?. I would also like to see the Fourth Contingent tnke with them a number of trained coll c dogs ; they would be very useful for commandeering the enemy's .cattle and she.-p when these are put out as a trap to withdraw the scouts. I have no doubt but what the Second, Third, and Fourth Contingents will give as good account of themselves as the First has done, and show the rest of the world that there are good men in New Zealand.

A very old identity passed away last Saturday in the pprson of Mrs Taylor sen., at the age of 85. She had been Jiving in the neighbourhood of this district for nearly 30 yearj with her son, Mr James Taylor. The remains were followed to tbe Clinton cemetery by a large number of people, the Bey. J. U. Spence officiating at the grave. The deceased lady leaves four sons and one daughter in and around this district — namely, James and Thomas and Miss Taylor (Wairuna), William Taylor (Waipahi), and John Taylor (Gorge, Clinton). She had been ill for some time, and her death was not unexpected.

Mr Hull, of kinematograph fame, visit Waipahi to-morrow evenirlg, when be will show some scenes of interest belonging to "the land of Kruger." There has been such an amount of subscribing lately that Mr Hull must not be disheartened if he is not well patronised. Tuesday 13th, 1900.