Waimate North.

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 22, 8 January 1907, Page 7

Waimate North.

(From our own Correspondent.) We I are just now going through our busiest’imp of the year—for the paßt three weeks haymaking and harvesting have been going on apace. The clerk of the weather has been dealing very kindly with ns so far, and the delay caused by the showers of yesterday and to-day will not be attended by any serious loss to the much coveted winter fodder. There are now three of the MasseyHarris reapers and binders owned here and all fairly busy. * Some very fine crops of oats have been grown here this season, and if successfully harvested there should be no need to get chaff from Auckland this coming winter as is generally the case. Having chanced to meet a party who has had the pleasure of a look over the antimony mine, which is situated several miles beyond Russell, it will probably interest some of our readers to know that there are about a dozen men at woik and already something like £ISOO worth has been got out and that the claim is estimated to contain £300,000 worth of ore. “ Wake up, Russell !” So large a congregation attended service in St. John’s Church on Christmas day that there was barely standing room. What a change from the usual attendance. comes once a year and such congregations only comes once a year (at Waimate). By the way the above-mentioned church was the scene of a native wedding on the 24th at an early hour and the usual consumption of good things followed, while on Christmas Day a similar ceremony was performed, and seeing that the Maori’s love for a hui is only second to his partiality to a good square meal it is only natural that a day must be taken off for each event so as to secure the full benefit of the good things that follow. I am told that the contractor with a 8 of men has been unsuccessful in iring lately, several coveted contracts haying been granted to other parties, which parties, I presume, reckon they can do more for twenty shillings than the contractor. The picnic party on Boxing day I hear thoroughly enjoyed the trip, excepting those I who reached home about 3 a.m. next morning carrying their saddles. December 28, 1906.