MOERAKI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1764, 12 September 1885, Page 13

MOERAKI.

SEFrEjißEit 8. — We have to-day been visited by a very heavy gale, accompanied in the evening by rain. The weather all day has been extremely wintry with wind, rain, and hail alternating. This is the reverse of what we have lately been experiencing, — viz., really fine weather, with springing grass, budding fruit? trees, in fact all nature snowing a tendency to awake from its winter sleep — as a consequence. Agricultural. — Like the rest of the districts of Otago, but little grain is being sown — so that, however, small the area of crop last year, there will be considerably less this. This will probably tend to raise the prices, and so give better returns for time and money expended by the producer. From what I have witnessed and had reported to me, it seems the lambing so far has been veen very successful, in many instances ewes may be seen with two lambs. As yet the grass is only just beginning to spring, but later on the young grass will, in many cases, perhaps prove fatal to the very young lambs, having the effect of scouring them too much.

Our School. — There is to be a change of teachers in our school on the Ist October. Our present teacher, Mr Walker, is leaving for Christchurch, and will be succeeded by Mr H. Randle, from Dunedin. Mr Walker's resignation was received with regret by the Committee.

Obituary. — Mr T. H. Watkins, a very old and respected settler, died recently after a long illness. The funeral was the largest seen in the Moeraki district. He was interred in the Church of England Cemetery, Hampden.