TAPANUI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 13

TAPANUI.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) March Bth,

The past week has beea very adverse '■■o the harvost- | ling operation's and the stooked grain. On Saturday a (slight thunderstorm broko oyor.us, and the rain , poured steadily till Sunday night. Previous to this threshing was proceeding apaue, and the new oata 1 have already in somo cases procured a fair market at 1 2a per bushel. i The Meßßru Brownlie, of Clutha fame, have purchased 'a new mill, and aro apparently going to settle ' in the district.

Tbat rabbiting, is a paying spec, may be seen by the fact that a man has offered tho Borough Council a rental of £6 per annum for the privilege of rabbiting on their property. I have heard that in the northern parts of the county the rabbits are so thick that a man might kill them with nothing but a club, and that some of (he landowners in that direction are allowing them to accumulate for a payable slaughter. Captain Mackenzie has jußt received from M'Alliste'r and Turnbull a small water-wheel, about three or four men power, for driving a small poison-mixing machine which he has invented. From what I understand, the grain and phosphorus are placed in a cylinder, which is then made air-tight and caused to revolve by the water-wheel. The operation begins at night, and is automatically finished by morning. The dull times seem to be hard on some of our citizens, two of whom have filed. Mulville will most likely pay 20s in the pound, but I am afraid that Detert will not be able to do nearly so well.

The races, of course, is the general subjeot here Just here just now. Mr Koto has given £26 for the gate's, so he must expect 'an enormous crowd. ' M'Kinnon, of the Prince of Wales Hotel, has secured the booth for £38 10a. There are numerous entries, and the contests will no doubt be keen.

The return cricket match between Kelso and Tapanui ifl'to "be played there on Saturday, when the Kelsoniatls wilt have a good chance .to retrieve their ill-fortune of last month. ' There are' several good men ineich Club, and when, they combine against outsiders, *8 it is intended, a capital eleven should be the result, , At the Ta'panul match, a mostenjpyable ,d»y and Hoat Kett, (the Murdoch of T»pariui orlcketlciteredih flret-olasß style, "when the second enjoyable part (Same irii " l " .\ " Iwou'ld 'desire- to" i add 1 my testimony to that.of the i Witness and the Southland Times as to the' stupidity and,l would add*/ meanne-s ol small local "ngs interfering with school-teachers, and thereby injuring the discipline of the school. , The local journal here is running In direct iipposltioh to the opinion of every person whose opinion is' , worth haying, and has been dragging lip ' matters which happened more than 'a year-airo. .'I have made inquiry of the head master, and find that the discipline in the assistant's room is " kind and gentle, though strict and,orderly." „