OUR OWN CORESPONDENTS

Mataura Ensign, Volume 15, Issue 1295, 9 June 1893, Page 5

OUR OWN CORESPONDENTS

OTARA. We have been having glorious weathe here this long time, l'armers have no need to complain, I am sure, and only the gold diggers have besn wishing for rain that they may find the precious metal they love so well. Gold, goid, gold is what they want to find, and without the rain they cannot find the metal. We are having great changes here in Otara of late, in the way of purchasers of land. Mr K. G. McKenzie, of Green Bush, has bought Otara farm, 640 acres. It was owned, as many will know who know anything of the awful wreck of the Tararua, by the Messrs Brunton, and Mr Fred. Brunton at that, time was the owner, and showed great hospitality to everybody from far and near. Now Mr McKenaie owns it, and I am sure we all wish him good luck, for he will not let much of it go to waste. I expect he will have a good lot of cows milking there next summer, and the factory will be well supplied with milk between the two estates. Then there is Mr H. Templeton, our storekeeper, at Fortrose, who has bought the farm adjoining Mr W. H. Thomas, of Maple Farm. I suppose we shall see a fine country residence built there by-aud-bye, as the good wife and children will be taking a holiday trip there to make the jam and gather in the fruit for the shop. They will have happy times no doubt, and Dhey well deserve the change, but I don't think farming is such a good paying game as shopkeeping. Mrs Templeton, being of a delicate constitution, will not be able to milk cows for a factory. Then there is Mrs McELinnon, a lady well known in Otara and Fortrose, who has bought Mr Ormandy's farm near the lighthouse. This good lady was the first to introduce a nice new buggy into Otara. That will tell you about the dairy factory. I would not be surprised to hear that they are milking 70 cows another season. Some of us can look back as far as 1878 ; what was Otara then? Only a shepherd's hut and Mr Bruaton's farm, no roads to go to Fortrose, no nice fields of green grass. It was in 1878 the first bit of corn was cut in Otara; just look now how many settlers there are here. No one thought then of seeing a school here with so many children attending daily ; no one thought we should see a nicely built house with a post office attached to it. Yet so it is, and twice a week we get our mail fetched here from Fortrose. The only thing I am sorry to see is the way in which the dredges have turned out. One never commenct-d work, Lake vßrunton dredge went to the bad and never could be brought to the good, and what tlie Waipapa dredge is going to do I dVm't kuow. It's feeling very sick at present, but as Dv Burns has taken it on trial, being a doctor, he may either (>ive it a/dose of salts or a mustard plaster ana try to heal its wounds, but I question ifyfcvtr it health will 'be restored and bo strong again. It's a great pity, for there were many families dependent on it, and /& great deal of money found its way into our storekeepers pockets. We have had a nice drop of rain for which our cows and sheep feel grateful, for they seem quite peaceful and happy. Winter has commenced very mild as yet, and we ought to be very thankful. Another wedding took place at Mr Thorr.ley's, Pacific View, in this neighborhood. Miss Minnie Thornloy was married on the 23rd May to Mr Charles Pascoe of the Tokonui Gorge. The bride was given away by her brother-in-law, Me Albert Pascoe, and the Rev. Mr Johnston, of Fortrose, united them in holy matrimony, and wished the young couple joy and happiness. There were many present at the wedding, and of course the family is small, there being on each side of the happy couple only 10 sisters and brothers of the bridegroom and nine of the bride. The parents of the bride were anxious for the on'y absent one, who is married and living at Mataura. After the ceremony the father and mother of the bride, and a sister and brother-in-law of the bride, formed a nice choir and sang some lovely pieces. One was ' Happy Greeting to You.' It sounded very pretty and appropriate and suited to the occasion. Then we all were seated around the table where a good spread of good things awaited us, the bride and bridegroom being at the head of the table. There were only 16 of us sat down at a time. I was among the first 16, and Mr H. Templeton was also one of the number. He enjoys a good joke in general, but on this occasion he looked very solemn. This is the third time the Eev. Mr Johnston has viaited Pacific View for the same purpose within less than 18 months. There wag a great dance throogh the night; Master" W. H. Thomas, of Maple Farm, supplied the music with his violin, There were some nice songs sung by the ladies and gentlemen, bat space

will not allow me to speak of the ladies' dresses, as there were a great many there and all well dressed. We may well say, " Flourish Otara." . .