Peria.

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 7, 18 September 1906, Page 5

Peria.

(From our own Correspondent.) Really, sir, it seems remarkable that the end of the present year is so near, and the weather has not taken up. I sometimes feel envious of our neighbour’s ducks when I see them enjoying life so thoroughly. I did intend saying something practical about the balmy breath of Spring bringing in its train glass clothed hills, fruit tree blossoms and verdant willows, golden gorse, singing birds and bleating lambs, lowing cows, etc., etc., etc., bilt this weather is not calculated to inspire but rather we cuss generally, and wonder when we can dig the garden without having to scrapo the mud off the spade so frequently. Then our spirits rise, the sun shines, and wo say: “ Grand weather,” “ Lovely day,” This is better,” “ Kapai te ra,” etc., when 10, the wind gets round to the north, and—and—you know. Once more have we been compelled to postpone our debate on the “Sleepy (I nearly wrote sloppy) North.” However, we have not wholly given way to pessimism, and liavo fixed next Saturday evening, 22nd instant, as the date for the debate. I should like to say right here that, the weather of course being considered, we should like to see a good muster of members on that, evening, as arrangements are in hand concerning the conversazione, and there are some matters of importance to be brought at the conclusion of next meeting. Several of our members braved the elements on Saturday night last and put in an appearance at the Oruru School, but it was not thought wise to go on with the debate as a good deal of interest is centred in the subject and we are anxious to have a good meeting. It was decided on Saturday to abandon the last debate set down in the syllabus, viz.: “ That the influence of the Press is disproportionate to its intrinsic worth.” The date of the conversazione has been fixed for Friday evening, stli October. I heard of one of our farmers the other day paying 1/- per pound for some special brand of potatoes, each potato being carefully wrapped in paper. A little simple arithmetic soon brings us to the price per ton of this wonderful potato, and the successful raising of a few hundred tons of these tubers should simplify to the most ambitious the making of a rapid fortune, i.e,, providing the price kept up. A gold mine wouldn’t be in it. The Native Department has supplied a quantity of potatoes at half cost to the natives here, also several of the commoner kinds of kitchen garden seeds. These latter have been distributed free of cost. These distributions have been made to most of the natives of the colony.