Omahu District.

Hastings Standard, Issue 110, 2 September 1896, Page 2

Omahu District.

TFroji Our Own Cobkk,sponi>k'nt.l September 1. I begin to think with my everlasting croak of rain, rain, rain that the rending public will shortly come to the conclusion that there is surely a Jonah amongst- us in this high'ly-favored district. Nevertheless, facts are stubborn things, and we are having any amount of wet at present. I iim sorry to say that young lambs, through the inclemency of the weather, are having a very bad time of it. One has only to pass along the roads through the different runs out here and see the dead lambs lying about to have a little insight"of'the losses of the station-holders. It is a true saying that " it is not all gold that glitters." I see by other journals published in Hawke's Bay that the swagger difficulty has to be met in other localities as well as here. There is a. stern fact facing the present Government that there is no get out of, and that is to find employment for the numbers tramping through the country. No one can form any conception of the real number of poor fellows wearily trudging along with their swags tin their backs unless lie were to see them. A small runholder out this way had a few chains of drain to be cut. He gave no notice publicly that he wanted the work done, but any way it leaked out, and in less than one week over two hundred able-bodied men had applied to him for the job. Now we come to the .stern reality : Mostly all. if not the whole, of those swagging it are penniless, and if they do not get some food from the station-holders what are they going to do? They can't starve. The craving for food must overcome their better natures, and make thieves of them or lower themselves in the social scale. There is not a Native pah that we pass by that there are not Europeans living at, having worn their boots out looking for work and notable to tramp further, fairly broken down. I heard a- party remark the other day that if the Seddon Government were asked at the present time to make a road to the moon they would comply with the request at once. Well, let them find employment for the swaggers, and they will confer a boon on country residents.

I am sorry to have to chronicle a big loss sustained by Mr Taylor, head ploughman on the Okawa Estate. A few days ago, in the pursuit of his work, he fastened the horse that he was riding by the bridle to a spade that he stuck into the ground. Something must have startled the animal, as it pulled the spade out of the ground and ran away with it. In its mad career with fright, caused by the swinging about of the spade, it had its leg broken in four places, and its foot almost severed at the fetlock joint. The horse was a very valuable one, being by Patriarch out of Coquette; but as there was no hope for him he had to be destroyed.

The above brings forcibly to my mind an occurrence that happened in the sweet past to a then very little fellow—now a big fellow—and myself in the very near vicinity of where the accident happened to Mr Taylor's horse. The then little fellow and I were out in pursuit of ground game, lie being mounted on his first and favorite pony. 'The dogs started bunny in the manuka. The little fellow got excited and stuck the little spade that he was carrying into the, ground, and fastened his pony to it. I expect the pony must also have got excited, as he broke away, carrying the spade along with him ; but after lie sustained a clout or two from the spade he thought better of it and stood until we caught hint. There was not much damage done to the pony, only a few scratches ; hut when the boy saw the blood on his pony's leg I really thought he was going to break his heart, and I could not comfort him, so our day's sport was up a tree. The County Council arc going in for willowing 011 a large scale at T'eruhiil. It was very nearly a case of locking tiie stable door after the horse was gone, with the bridge, as the approach on the Hastings side was gradually washing away, leaving it only a matter of time for the bridge to be isolated from Hastings. The work is being carried out by Mr Peter Brady, the well-known dive contractor, which is a sufficient guarantee that it will be well performed. 1 understand that Mr Ijrady is also going to make large improvements to the bridge. He has a large staff of workmen camped the riverbank, waiting the arrival of workmen. Our neighbor Mr Moreland, who unfortunately had his house burnt down lately, is going to erect another handsome edifice on the site of the one consumed. He has already a large quantity of building material on the ground, and is only waiting for fine weather to make a start. ; He has great faith in the future of Fernhill, !

Saturday next, if the weather should be fine, will be a great day out tins way —in fact, a day to be remembered. The employees of Messrs Guy and Harold Russell of Tunanui are going to have races Slid sports— athletic —at Pnkeamnino, near Okawa. in celebration of their employer's weiidiijg, tu wl up with a jp-awl social and smoke concert at Feriihill, I have not had particulars as vet, but let us hope that the weather may be propitious. Sickness is still rampant out this way. Could not Mr Tyerman see his way clearto open the much-desired branch '? Our industrious neighbor, Mr l'erritt, will short!v flood your market with green peas ainl early potatoes, as he has souk ripening fi-t. He has a well ntnoVnl market garden out here which does him a lot of credit. As I finish my budget it is still raining hard ; rivers and creeks rising fast, with every indication of a Hood; shepherds all* busily engaged shifting their flocks qn Iq tile higher gwjußtU,