OPHIR NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20930, 21 January 1930, Page 13

OPHIR NOTES.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.) OPHIR, January 20. OBITUARY. The death occurred on Thursday of Mrs Charlotte Jones, widow of Mr J. C. Jones, who for 13 years owned and carried on the Ophir flourmill. She was the Hurd of a family of two sons and six daughters, of whom four daughters survive—viz., Mrs Ashton (Moa Creek), Mrs Macarthur and Mrs Moore (Dunedin), and Miss Lee (Wellington). The father was Francis Lee, who built and conducted the accommodation house near the mill, where the horses were changed in the coaches running from Clyde (Dunstan) to Dunedin in the early ’sixties of last century. In 1891 he deceased was left a widow with six children—the eldest only 10 years old. All six are living, namely Joshua (Matakanui). Mrs MTIonaM (Hastings), Mrs W. Watson (Ophir), Leslie (Ophir), Percy and Victor (Orange, New South Wales). Mrs Jones enjoyed very good health until recently, when heart weakness supervened on Pleurisy, and she died after six days in the Dunstan Hospital in her sixty.year. The funeral took place on Saturday last. The long procession of mourners, including a large number of aged friends, indicated the high esteem in which the deceased was held. The Rev A. B. Pywell conducted the Anglican burial service at the grave. With the death of Mrs. Jones, only two or three persons remain who were born here in the early ’sixties, and who still reside in Ophir. THE WEATHER. After a week of almost ideal summer weather, with the barometer very steady around 29.80 and the shade temperature ranging from 70 to 80' degrees, last Friday morning the temperature dropped sharply and the barometer rose suddenly, Then for two hours before noon a . rather violent southerly squall raged, with almost wintry temperature, wind of a velocity of from 35 to 40 miles per hour, and a fall of 40 points of rain. Since then the conditions have been unsettled. Saturday was warm and almost calm, but the barometer fell steadily all day, and rapidly during the night, until noon yesterday—a total drop of .75in in 30 hours. The squall on Friday deposited a light covering of snow on the ridges of Dunstan Range, but it thawed off during the afternoon. Yesterday was a day of very mixed weather, but only three point of rain tell. The barometer has dropped again, and is now at 29.25 in, CRICKET. The Omakau-Poolburn Cricket Chib was to have opened the second round of matches last Saturday by playing against Wedderburn, but owing to the death of Mrs Jones the match was postponed, and the chib had some practice play.