Kakanui.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XX, Issue 6210, 20 March 1895, Page 1

Kakanui.

(from our own correspondent.) The harvest in this district is almost at an end ; the crops have been well secured. Green crop is fair, but the absence of rain has interfered much with what otherwise would have been a plentiful crop. The turnips are looking very well in some parts while in others they are " few and far between." Rain is much needed hero as elsewhere. Thomson and Finlayson's works are at present presenting a scene of much activity, although to a passing stranger the place might look quiet enough. Mr Thomson, whose go and grit are. too well known to be commented upon, has devised a means whereby the surplus sheep in the country might be v6ry speedily reduced. At present there are over 100 men employed and the slaughter of the innocents totals somewhere about 1400 or 1500 a day. The paddocks in the morning are literally alive with Bheep, which before evening melt away like snow before the sun. The country roads are at present possessed by moving masses of victims, marching to their doom. It ia said that there are at least 40,000 within easy distance and these in a few days will be subjected like those who have gone before to "the boiling down" process. Public benefactors Messrs Thornton and Finlayson may be called, for just now over 150 men are employed by them and are likely to be for aorae time to come. We wish them all success in their undertaking and hope to hear of them coming out at the right end. Perhaps the following litcle episode may be of interest also to your readers. An Alderney bull belonging to Mr William Macaulay who has occupied Charleston Farm for the past year, went amissing quite a fortnight ago. Search was mado far and near for it but without success. Its disappearance was enshrouded in mystery, and hope of its discovery died out. Strange to say one morning last week, it appeared very, emaciated and forlorn looking in the paddock where it was last seen, and naturally people wished to know where it had come from. The mystery was finally solved. Some people will no doubt say the explanation is merely a yarn but " truth is stranger than fiction." The simple truth is the poor beast had been enveloped in a straw stack which had partly toppled over. There it lay embedded for a whole fortnight, _ib must have employed itself working its way to the light of day. How ib existed will be known I fear only to the animai itself. At least it has not yet thought fit to divulge its " Tanner" .experience. Mr Matthew Morton, the proprietor of Charleston, who has along with his wife and family been paying a visit to the Home Country, is expected to reach Kakanui sometime this week. His many friends will welcome him back with much pleasure after his long absence. A nephew of the above-mentioned gentleman, from the Old Country, has been residing in the district for some weeks, and expresses himself as charmed with the country and the hospitality of its inhabitants. Mr W. Macaulay, who has occupied Charleston for the past year, and who ia about to leave it on Mr Morton's return, will carry with him the best wishes of the community, by whom he has been much respected. Our much respected teacher Mr Harrison, along with Mrs Harrison, has been enjoying a well-earned holiday in Sydney. They, .returned last week, greatly benefiired and highly delighted with their trip. The school has again opened, and the children all look bright and strong, and tit for another good spell of work. Mr Macdonald's vinery is a perfeob treat to look at, his vines having brought forth abundantly. He must feel amply repaid for the great amount of labor he has bestowed upon them.