OPHIR NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20311, 20 January 1928, Page 3

OPHIR NOTES.

(From Cue Own Coerespondenx.) OPHIR, January 18. FAREWELL SOCIAL. A farewell social was tendered in the Peace Memorial Hall last night to Mr and Mrs Robert Winter. Mr Winter has heen one of the guards on the Central Otago goods train for over two years, and has received promotion to similar duties on the passenger-goods train between Invercargill and Tuatapere, with residence at the latter place. As a very obliging and most trustworthy railway official he has made many friends in Ophir and Omakau, and as a member of the first fifteen of the Matakanui Football Club, which was champion of the Vincent Subunion last season, his friendship made a wider sweep. Mrs Winter, who served as a trained nurse before marriage, is quite as popular as her husband, because of her unfailing cheeriness in all circumstances and her readiness to give her expert service freely in cases of emergency. During an interval on the social programme, Mr John Clare presented Mr and Mrs Winter with a packet of bank notes, which had been collected by Miss Bradley at very short notice. After Mr Clare’s appreciative speech, Mr Eric Naylor (Matakanui captain) added his tribute to Mr Winter’s willingness and ability as a footballer. Mr Winter briefly returned thanks. Mr and Airs Winter leave a distinct gap in the community and in the congregation of the local Presbyterian Church. With their young daughter they will go south to-morrow morning. NEW CHURCH. The first steps in an important stage of Hie history of the Roman Catholic Church in this Valley were taken a week ago, when two workmen began work on the terrace behind Omakau, in connection with the foundations of the new church, which will supersede the old stone church at Ophir that has served for so many years. It was the often-expressed wish of the Rev. P. O’Dea (now at Gore) that the new church, toward the establishment of which he worked very faithfully, would have at least its foundations laid during his pastorate, but this pleasure will fall to another, though his old friends expect to see him present when the foundation stone is laid. The new buildings, which will include a school, are to be very complete. THE WEATHER. The last seven days, as befitting the mid-week of midsummer, have been quite high in temperature, with the average maximum of just 79 degrees in the shade. The average for the portion of January that has passed is 76.3 deg, which is 2deg higher than January, 1927, and 3deg above 1926. In the sun the average was 118 deg. The gardener in this climate has to revise Dunedin methods. There he prunes edible berry bushes so as to admit air and sun freely; here he trios to keep the sun out, otherwise his bushes will he scorched before the fruit is half ripe. Vegetation, however, gets some relief at night, because, however hot and enervating the days may be, the nights are always cool and recuperative. Thus far, the rainfall this mouth measures only 24' points, and there are no signs of more. The earliest part of the year seems to be generally dry in Central Otago. In 1925 only 36 points of rain fell up to January 23. and in 1927 only 33 points up to the 21st.