COUNTRY NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1162, 7 March 1874, Page 15

COUNTRY NEWS.

FROM OUR OWN CORKKSPOIf DENTS. )

LAWRENCE.

The contractors for the building of our Town Hall are making preparations to commence their undertaking, and great consultations have taken place between the Mayor, Councillors, and contractors, as to the exact position of the section on which it is to be erected. In addition to this, preparations are being made for the new Court House. Tenders are asked for levelling the land, but as yet none have been accepted, as the time allowed for this work is thought to be rather too limited. The progress of the autumn •would indicate that it would have been better had some little advance been made in both of these undertakings, as the stormy weather and long nights are not now far distant. We had severe weather on Wednesday, Thursday, aud Friday, although to-day is more genial. On Wednesday Cobb's coach was detained for about an hour, in conse quence of one of the horses by somo accident falling on the pole and breaking it. The Lawrence Grammar School Committee seemed resolved to encourage prompt payment of school fees, and have determined to allow a discount of 10 per cent, on quarterly payments made in advance. There is a likelihood that St. Patrick's Eve will be well kept up here. The drama of "Fabiola" is to be played by the children at the Catholic school, and it is said a display of fireworks will come off. A picnic of Sunday school children takes place on the Race Course on Monday, and the yearly soiree of the Presbyterian Church here will be held on Wednesday next.

SVJTZEKS.

The chieE topic on the boards at present is the telegraph, -which I suppose will soon be in working order, as the po&ts are now being erected in the township; the only draw-back to our full enjoyment being the vexed question as to whether the terminus shali be placed high or low, on the hill or on the Hat. The new Waiakia township will doubtless be the metropolis at some future time ; but certainly, until the banks and Government Offices are removed to that locality, it would be most unwise to place the Telegraph Station there, as it would be a great inconvenience to all the principal inhabitants of riwitzers. The track to the Whitcombc is, I hear, drawing near its completion. It is well constructed, and will he a great boon to the residents up the Waikaia. The harvest, which is a plentiful one, is keeping every one busy, and as it is the sort of labour which rejoiceth a man's heart, we have plenty of smiling faces and cheerful ■words. The want of labour has not been felt so much with us since the Chinese have been utilised for following the reaping machines. Oar annual races come off next week, and Bhould the delightful weather continue which we have at present, we may expect a really good meeting, aud two or three days of enjoyment, as the handicaps have iilled well. The booth and gate were let by tender. Mill. N. Simson obtaining the fonnur at £-10, and M'Menuell and Co. the latter at £10. Our II. M. shewed his disapprobation of marital severity yesterday by sentencing a Hibernian gentlemen to two months' imprisonment, Mith hard labour, for merely beginning the Srmday duties by boating and kicking his wifo. Her ones were heard aj lon<' distance off, and after escaping twice, he 1 stilf pursued her, knocked her down, and trampled upon her, no doubt believing inhia innocent heart that a man has a righc to do as he likes with his own. The want of female labour is still much felt, but the ladies prefer doing their own washing and cooking, rather than by importing one of the Mongol's passengers, brmg upon us the scourge of scarlet fever, from which we suffered so severely some time ago, and which still leaves its tokens m the shape of many a little mound in the ceme tery aud many a "vacant chair" in the cottages. Whose fault is ib that ships arc allowed to leave England bearing the seeds of disease aud death, to our shores ? Tin sooner we rebel against it the better. CLYDE.

The Dunstan Mining Association held a meeting on Saturday, for the purpose of electing officers, and to make arrangements for the meeting of delegates, winch is to be , held at Clyde on the '2nd of March. Mr Thomas Sims was <?hoscu to be the delegate to represeut the Dunstan Associations at the conference. 1 told you in my last that there was not a j sindo applicant tor the Hawea block, this cannot bo said of the Teviob block mi deferred payments, as will be seen by the list herounilcr of the applicants, who have in found numbers applied for 1300 acres. Ap- ■ plicants for Block 111., Tevint :--hecbons 12, 14, 10, ISp, 200 a. 2r. 12p., William Ash-, more, Otakia, farmer; sections 19, 21, 22, 24, 109.1. 3r. Sp., Alexander M 'Donald, ; Te'viot, miner ; sections 15, 17. 18, "20, 199 a. 3r. Ba, Thomas M'lutosU, Teviot, miner; sections 11, 10, 20. 22, PJiU 3r. Bp., Adam M'Kenzie, Long Valley, settler ; sections 19,21 23, 149 a. Dr. lGp., Goorgo Courtier, teviot, labourer ; section 4, 49a. 3r. 2p.. Andrew Young, Teviot, minor ; sections lU, 8, 9tta. Or. 4p.> Francis Woodhonse, loviot, miner ; sections 14, 12, 100 a. 2r. Bp. , Thomas teliiu> Roxburgh, miner; sections 14, l-, ia, 11, 202 a 2r. 12p , James Woodhouse, Toviot, toiAer. There being more than oue applicant i'or many of the seefcione, a d ivy will bo appointed to decide who aro to bo tho fortunate v A pm» earned Wison, a m»w from tho

Gorge, was brought to the Dunstan Hospital with a broken leg, caused by a iall of earth. He was promptly attended by Dr Thomson, the resident surgeon. What makes the case more lamentable is that the unfortunate man's wife is in the Hospital, buffering from derangement. A week or so ago the complaint was — we are short of water. This has now changed, for on Wednesday we had. in the low country, a fair amount of rain, while in the ranges a heavy fall of snow took place, accompanied by a keen biting wind. The Obelisk, Carrick, and all the high ranges were covered. Ido not remember having seen so much at one fall at this season of the year. The sudden change from heat to cold was very severe, but it is an iIL wind that blows no one good ; it will be acceptable to the &luicers, and I do not think it will do any harm to the agriculturists, as moat of them have got all, or nearly so, of the crops housed in fine condition, and as far as results have gone, the yield is exceeding considerably what was anticipated. The rain will, no doubt, have a beneh'oial effect on the potato crop ; in fact in some instances, without it, the crop would not have been worth digging.

A monster red cabbage, oC the flat Dutch species, is being exhibited in the store of Mr Jeffrey. Tt was grown by Mr Dawson, of Couroy's Gully. It is a maguificent specimen. Divested of its outside leaves, it n-eighs 24 pounds. .Before it was trimmed, the weight was over 30. Thi3 shows what can be done by a little patience and industry by men who are following mining in these out-of-the-way places. Itls really a pleasure to see some of the pretty littlo gardens— l was going to say owned by the minors, but this is not the case- the only tenure they can get is un lcr the Miner's Eight. Home of thuse pardons arc well stocked with fruit trees and vines— all of w/iich are the most luxuriant in growth, and the fruit of excellent quality. Tho Government profess a desire to attach the people to the soil, and are willing to give land to parties who wi'l plant J-'ort&t trees— would it not bo good policy to sell thrso men who have nude the desert blossom like a rose their littlo patches nob exceeding an acre— for a nominal thing, such as a shilling a lot. Of course the consent of the run-holder would have to be obtained. Tdo not see why men who have paid their passages to the Colony, and many of them the pioneers of these gold-fields, should not receive something in return for their skill and perseverance. The Mining Conference meets tomorrow. The delegates from the Arrow, St. Bathau's, and Marcwhemta have arrived. That most obnoxious tax on labour will, no doubt, receive some consideration at their hands.

What with that, and taxation the milling community has to bear, has already driven the mining interest to the verge of ruin. Would a. Government in any other country allow its, residents 1o be taxed so onormously as this allows the mining community ? For instance, the money tolls on the rivers and main roads, and the price of coinage, all fall upon the minor. Is it not a disgrace that thoae ero-sings on the main road have not been bridg< J d~long before this? A thousand or so for a few moa bones, appears of much more importance to them. It is tnip they call for conditional tenders, but 1 am afraid this is like the spots Lady Macbeth speaks of. Well, well, they come if they do ; the tolls remain.

OREPCKI,

The weather continues as dry as overhand mining operations are vci y sluck indeed for want of water.

On Monday, 23rd, a public meeting took place for the purpose of electing a, iSchonl Committee for JS74. After tho retiiing Committee's report had been read, a blight discussion took place, but the lcport was at last adopted, when the folio wiuc; were elected :— Messrs Hunter, dime, lliddell, Devonshire, Jolly, M'Lean, CjJligh.au, Creasey, and Cupptcs.

A meeting took place before for the same put pose, but was suddenly terminated by a very sad piece of intelligence to the gentleman (Mr Ha-st) who was chairman on the occasion. H>s son, Charles T. Hirst, on the Itifcli inst. wis bout to look after sonic horse b'iloi.ging to a Maori ; beiim a long thno absent, ap.nty went, at lur mother's request, fcoseowhoTC he was. After a long search, the body of the poor boy was found, aud twisted round him by somemeai.tf or another wa'i tho ttther-mpe ol tho horse, the latter standing a littlo wa.y off. Tbt) body was convoyed to the house by the mother, but life was extinct. An impost, prebided over by T. Daniel, Esq.. M.I.C, w.is hold at Mr Hirst's house on the following day, when tho jarv, aftfr a long sitting, return* d a vordut, "That debased met with his death by getting untangled in tho tuther-vope of a horse, but how, or by whit means there is no evidence to show." Nobody was present to witness the accident. After tho imjnest the funeral took place. Tho school children assombled, and were conducted by Mr Andrews, the teacher, to the burial ground. Tho major part of the population suspended work and attended. Mr Hirst baa since thanked the public for the kind sympathy shown. Deceased was 12 years of age.

A boat loaded for hero from River ton met with an accident the other day, an' a great part of the cargo ia damaged. It will be a blessiug when this long-expected tramway is opon. I understand tenders aro called for.

WESTKKN DISTRICT.

All are hard at work harvesting heiv, but noo by any moans such an abundant harvest aa it Hoeinß to bo in other pai'fca of tho Province. The season has beou too dry i'or us Altogether. A greafe da»J oi tho crops we ro

light that the owners seem in doubt as to > whether or not it will pay to harvest them. I la mostly all the oats and barley nearly onethird has died out, or rather, it lias whitened and hardened before coining to maturity. !, The other two-thirds is well-lilled, good- j sized grain. The caterpillars have not done much damage hero this season yet, and it i 3 not likely they will do much this season now. They were to be seen I upon tho grain some time ago, aud in some j places they are to be seen yet, but all along they have been moving about upon the head rather than cutting the straw about an inch below it, as is their usual method. It seems that when they are to be seen on the head (that is of the barley), they are not doing much in the way of cutting. It is not the i grain that they eat at all — they commence about an inch below the head, and they eat at the straw till they eat it through, and the head drops off ; this they take no notice of, but remain eating at the stump, very likely until they have their fill. It may be that most of the crops are too late to suit their time — for they seem to have a time — which extends over some three weeks ; that is from the first to the last of their work of destruction. They are to be seen on the ground in hundreds and thousands after their time of doing mischief is over. Of course when once tho grain gets what is ! called dead ripe, that is, when there is no more sap in the straw, they will leave off cutting it, even although in the middle of their mischievous season. If they were to leave altogether and become bultorilios as some sjy they do, it would bo quite easy to aocountfortheir stoppingthcir operations, but thoyaroto lie seen in chousandsamongst grain that might be considered in the proper stage for to suit them, and still they do no harm ; and not ouly that, but they are quite thick in tho irrnund all tho year round. Wo have had some pretty sharp frosts of late ; it is just possible that may account for their doing so lit 1c damage ; in any case, we reckon j that we can get on quite wtJl without them, j Tcndera arc now invited for oar railways — j that is, the Hivorton to Urepuki, Paver ton j to Otautau, and the main line connecting us with the main trunk line. We sincerely j hope that suitable tenders will be scut in, for we are in preat need of them, and we doubt not but that the whole Province will benefit; by them in timber and coals. Those of the settler.-! in this district who are some two or three miles away from the bush reckon that it would be far cheaper for them to use coals, if once tho railway was opened to the Night Cape. This speaks well for traffic.