PALMERSTON NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16591, 14 January 1916, Page 2

PALMERSTON NOTES.

The animal general meeting- of fbe Pat merston Athenaeum was held on Tuesday evening. Only a email number of the subscribers were present; the publio either have great faith in the committee, or else they show a lamentable laok of interest in thia worthy institution. The balance sheet for the year showed a credit balance of aver £20, which is very creditable in view of the fact that new out-buildinga had been erected during- the year. The offioere foe the present year are aa follow:—President, Mr R. W. Wheeler; vice-president, Mr W. Grimsdale; secretary and treasurer, Mr J. Smith; auditor, Mr W. M'Gregor. The following form the committee:—Messrs F. H. Becking-sale, A. Gilmonr, D. Teviotdale, W. J. Ross, J. (yConnell, R. Pollock, W. B. Galloway, J. Moodie, and W. M'Gregorj It is proposed to instal a system of lighting, either acetylene or some other gas, during the coming year. The turnip crops in this district ooem to •be doing well in spite of the dry season; they got a good start, and the few showers that have fallen during the Christmas and New Year holidays have kept them growing. Near the coast the grain crops have done fairly well, but farther inland there will be very little harvest, the majority having been Mien off by the stock, as there was no other feed available. At the monthly stock sale on Monday thero was not a great_ amount of_ stock offered for sale. Anything approaching fat oondition was in. fair demand, but otherwise., through the shortness of feed in the district, there woa very little competition - far the lota put up. During the Christmas holiday® there were one or two frosts, which played havoc with the vegetable gardens; most of the French beans and other vegetables liable to ba frosted were cut down. At present the water supply is very low, and hosing the gardens is not allowed. This, on the top of the dry summer, makes everything very backward in growing. On Monday evening a nice rain fell for a few hoars, and 19 points were registered in Pabnerston. Though welcome, the rain was not nearly enough to do any permanent good. Shearing, except on some of- the bads stations, is finished. Most of the stations have had a non-stop ran. The wool is of a fair quality, but inclined to be on the light side, ther? not having been enough hot weather to bring vsp the yolk. — A large portion of Montenegro is oncultivable, consisting of forest and mountain pasture and bare limestone.