LOWER SHOTOVER.

Lake County Press, Issue 1065, 21 May 1903, Page 4

LOWER SHOTOVER.

(lake county press correspqnju3n.t.) Fakmikg. The splendid weather of the last three weeks has allowed the farmers to almost bring their harvesting operations to a fitting end. In most places the threshing is fimshod and in a few cases the grain is away to the jetty. On the whole the yields were good and the grain in good condition. At present potato digging is the order of the day. Owing to the eßrly frosts experienced all over the country, tho crops are just ordinary. Fire. On Monday morning last one of our most respected residents had tho misfortune to lose by tire tho whole of his threshed grain. Between twelve and one o'clock on that morning, one of the hands belonging to the threshing mill, which was then at a neighboring farm, noticed a bright reflection, and going to investigate, found that a larg* straw stack on Mr Fred Evans' property was on fire. He quickly rousi-d several of the neighbors, but nothing could be done to the burning straw. Quite close to the scene of the disaster is the residence of Mr Wm. Birse, but fortunately, although lighted Rtraw way flying all over the place, it escaped. Nearly all Mr Evans' grain was lost; what was saved is fit only for fowl feed. The origin of the fire is shrouded in mystery The sincerasfe sympathies of the whole district are extended to the loser in his great lots. Telephone. For ytiars tlie district has been at a (..reat disadvantage in not having a telegraph station. For most of the residents the hospital, at which is the nearest telephone, is too far oil to be conveniens Some sh rt time one of our most popular residents in the person of Mr Peter Roid, set to work to see what could be done towards fretting a telephone for the district. Mr Fraser, our energetic member, was asked for assistance. He interviewed the head of ihe Postal Department, who promised on payment, of a guarantee, of £3l, a line would be erected. Mr Reid, after promising the handsome sum of £0 towards the guarantee, in a very short

time go* sufficient support to enable the required guarantee to be made. The County Council very generously promised to be responsible for halt So far everything points to ths faot that in a short time we shall be in line with other districts in having a telephone of our own Many thanks are due Mr Eeid for his energetic and untiring efforts in tha matter. Had it not been for him, the matter would probably be allowed to drop tor years School. We are to congratulate ourselves in being abb to gather such an excellent committee as we were at the annual meeting of householders. lb is nob often we are able to do so at *• first time of asking." School work is going on smoothly, although the attendance has dropped a little. It waa thought at one time that the average would keep to such a point that an extra teacher would be procured, but the interest has waned a bit, and it will mean a v.-ry good attendance for the next six weeks if our school is to get what it urgently requires. It would be a pity if it should miss the addition because the attendance in the last quarter required should fail a point or two below the required mark.