BUSH NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11173, 15 March 1899, Page 4

BUSH NEWS.

d [from our ormondville corresPONDENT.] ■> (. March 13, 1899. r We have this week-end had quite a j plethora of entertainments in this part. t What between war exhibitions, tea ( meetings, Lutheran conference, and special meetings connected with the Sal- : vation Army, peoi)le have not been at a ( loss for attractions. The first-named j were particularly good, and at the special English Lutheran service, conducted last ( night by Pastor Kiea, the congregation j was treated to something out of the , ordinary. During the space of threequarters of an hour the audience was fairly olectrified by the vigorous onslaught of the preacher on the drink, hypocrisy, and adultery evils. Plainest of plain speaking was the order of the lay, and the amount of-the anecdote and lustration with which the speaker plied is hearers kept them insensible to the ight of time for the period mentioned, .t times the audience was convulsed with mghter — anon the pathetic*moved them, nd at every touch and turn the strong ioints of a most earnest sermon kept hem almost spell-bound. Exception night be taken to some portions of the iddress, but the speaker must be credited vith having the courage of his opinion. Chen after service the Grand Chief Templar of the New Zealand order of [.0.G.T., Mr E. H. Taylor, spoke in ;he Wesley an Chapel on the drink question. Apt illustrations, mirthful mecdotes, punctuated an' address delivered in an earnest style peculiarly the speaker's own. Free from personalities and abuse which so often estrange the public frcm the champions of the Prohibition cause, his address is so packed with a variety of interesting faots and figures which constrain respectful attention, and which cannot fail to convince. And where he does not convince, he does at any rate avoid making enemies both- to the cauße and to himself, which so many ardent Prohibitionists do as a result of their indiscreet zeal. The annual general meeting of the Norsewood, Ormondville, and Makotuku Rabbit Association is to be held in the Norsewood Lutheran Sunday-school hall on Saturday evening next. Of all the associations started at the time that this was instituted, it is about the only one now in existence. Its good work has more than justified its introduction, and there can be no two questions as to the thanks of the district being due to the gentlemen who have stood by the concern through all its trials and difficulties. Upon a good attendance at the meeting on Saturday depends the continued existence of this beneficial organisation. It is satisfactory, to learn that the petition for the creation of a special district for the purposes of rabbit detraction is being numerously signed in the Norsewood district. Only a few refusals have been received by the canvassers, and some of those refusing to sign are people who are pretty well infested, and who would benefit the least by any failure in the negotiations at present afoot. Anyone missed by the canvassers who is desirous of signing may do so at Mr W. M. Beckett's, where a copy is at present lying. Mr Mads Sattrup, of Makaretu, assistant Government valuer for this district, is at present in Norsewood, after having made a tour of the Woodville, Weber, and Danevirke districts. Among visitors to the Lutheran Conference, at present in session at Norsewood, is Mr H. Nielsen, the editor of the Kirhe Tidende, a ohurch periodical published at Melbourne. Miss Cumming, the new mistress at the Norsewood school, arrived from Invercargill by this afternoon's express. There i 3 just a possibility of the bicycle events being got off yet in connection with the Danevirke Caledonian Society's sports. The reason of their being omitted at the meeting was that the track was in such a slippery condition that the nominated cyclists declined to ride on it. If the weather takes up shortly an afternoon will be put in with a Sheffield, children's races, and the events missed. It is satisfactory to note that the society, even in the face of such adverse circumstances as those under which the sports were held, will come out on the right side. March 14, 1899. Wairoa 13 immensely agitated just now over a discovery of gold which has taken place near Waikaremoana. The first assay is reported to have yielded four ounces to the ton, and so confident are the prospectors of the value of their find that they have just got half a ton of ore for assay purposes, and this is now on the way down to Wairoa. This would reach Wairoa about the beginning of this week, and speculation is rife as to the results of this almost unlooked for 3troke of luck. Whether the assay will be conducted at Auckland or Wellington is not yet known. The attention of farmers in this district is being directed to the utility of rye as a crop suited to the capabilities of the place. For the purposes of winter fodder it cannot be excelled, and it has this advantage, that after being fed down two or three times it can be harvested for grain. Of course after it has been fed down three times it does not yield anything like the crop that it would under other circumstances, but those who have tried it maintain that feeding or cutting twice does it no harm at all. The suitability of this district for the crop is proved by the experience of Mr August Anderson, of Norsewood, who took 24 bushels off a quarter of an acre. To a number of our settlers the Piri Piri Block is very well known, it having formed the scene of hunting and shooting excursions innumerable. In the oourse of these trips it has been thoroughly traversed by them, and the glowing accounts they give of the land are of the most encouraging nature, and are sure to cause a phenomenal rush when the land is opened. Its quality is uniformly good, and it is just the place for an industrious man to carve out a home for himself. Roading, too, for the most part would present no difficulties, and settlers would speedily be able to gain access to their holdings. Moreover, it is most conveniently situated, being so close to Danevirke. As a small settlement district it has advantages far superior to those of any laud yet offered by the Government, and its future should be a grand one. A great amount of local interest is being taken in the forthcoming opening up for settlement of the Eakautatahi Block, and many are the anxious inquiries being made as to the time vrheu the ballot is likely to be held. The Danevirke public library is to be opened about the end of the present month. Mr Scott is to be congratulated on the speed in which he has fulfilled his contract. The building will be a distinct ornament to the town, and it is to be hoped that the institution will be visited with that measure of success which it deserves. The extent of its benefits deponds largely upon the management committee, and the manner in which their efforts are backed by the general public. A library stocked with a judicious selection of books is one of the greatest boons whioh any distrust can experience, and even the most indifferent can be made to take an interest in it if only the proper method is pursued to compass that much to the desired end. It is lamentable to consider what often passes for popular reading matter, but the cultivation of good taste in this direction is, as in anything else, only a matter of time and patience. Especially is this the case with our young men, and it is to be hoped that a vigorous effort will be made to interest them in the benefits to be derived from the presence of such an institution as our public library. Now that the days are beginning to draw in, those who have the welfare of our young men at heart should take systematic steps to provide beneficial entertainment for them during the winter months, which are now fast approaching. Whatever is devised should be as far removed from the monotonous as possible, and while of the brightest character imaginable, should have for its aim the direction of tho attention of our youth to mental development. The effects of such a movement are very far-reaching indeed, and those who will take the matter up as it deserves to be, will find that their time is not thrown away. At the Ormondville Magistrate's Court to-morrow the csbb of alleged Sunday trading against the licensee of the Norsewood Junction Hotel is to be heard by Mr Turnbull, S.M. Mr J. Hannes, of Norsewood, has been negotiating with the Makaretu people to erect a dairy factory and creamery at Blackburn as a private venture, for the purpose of dealing with the large amount of milk available in that district. The number of cows is the great difficulty at present, but it is anticipated that the thing once established on a satisfactory footing, the number of cows would bo soon worked up to a satisfactory standard. One point that needs to bo borne in mind by those settlors is this, until the number of cowa is worked up to something near what Mr Duncan said, their profits must necessarily bo curtailed. To some this may seem a peculiar statement, but when sne considers that with the increase in quantity handled the cost of production is proportionately increased, it is easily enough understood. A start has been made with the erection of the Norsowood Jubilee Public Library, and its early completion is quite a certainty. To augment the funds at the disposal of the committee a tea meeting and concert are being held in the Village Hull ou Saturday, April Ist,

The Webber road, as a consequence of the heavy rain which has fallen since Saturday evening in this district, is now 13. almost impassable. The Weber bridge ~ over the Mangatoro river is damaged by flood-water to such an extent as to be dangerous for traffic, and during yesterday afternoon heavy slips occurred in the vicinity of Mount "Woolf . Weber is said to be completely cut off from road com- J munication -with Danevirke, and some little time must elapse ere tho damage to road and bridges can be repaired. Mr a Gilmour, the county road overseer, was promptly on the scene of the trouble to make arrangemonta for obviating the inconvenience resulting from such a combination of disasters. The long-promised visit of the Hon. Mr Cadman, the Minister for Railways, to Danerirke is expected to take place this ■week. He went through by the express to-day. a