TAIERI FERRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1798, 7 May 1886, Page 12

TAIERI FERRY.

May 2. — The work of erection of the new bridge across* the Taieii is progressing fairly, and if all goes well the job will be finished in the course of a few months' time. Election of School Committees. — The election of the Taieri Ferry School Committee passed off very quietly, little or no interest being taken in the event. There was not a quorum of the committee present on the night appointed by the board for first meetings of committees; consequently it is probable the board will have to appoint a commission to conduct the affairs of the school or have a fresh election, as the committee not holding its meeting according to the Education Act, it is virtually defunct. — Considerable interest was . manifested in the election of a committee for the Waihola school. Fifty-three householders attended the meeting. The Rev. Mr Hall was appointed chairman of the meeting. I append to this, for publication elsewhere, the names of the successful candidates. Henley Dairy Factoby. — Efforts, with considerable prospects of success, are being made to float a company in order to start the above industry next spring. Some 2000 shares have already been applied for, and the company is, I believe, registered. As soon as 2500 shares are taken up, tenders will be called for the erection of buildings, &c. Heni.ey-Berwjcic Road. — The road from Henley to Berwick is, with the exception of the few chains which are metalled, in a yery bad state just now. • The late heavy rains have penetrated to the bottom of the soft soil the contractor has been putting on the road for the last five months, and the result is slush and mud, mud and slush feet deep. Sale. — Messrs D. Reid and Co. held a sale of sheep at the Henley sheep yards to-day. The sale was a dull one, about 1400 sheep out of 3000 changing hands. Cattle Yabds. — 1 saw our member (Mr James Fulton) inspecting the Taieri bridge last week, with a view, I have no doubt, to the interests of his constituents. If he made inquiries as. to the wants of his district, he would find cattle yards at the Henley station a very great desideratum. Buggies near the Taieri bridge would not be capsized by cattle into ditches if yards were erected at Henley, as there would then be no necessity to drive cattle from Henley to Waihola in order to truck them to Burnside. Weather. — The Taieri has been in heavy flood, but thanks to the bank round Henley the land is dry and free from water. The weather is still, as I write, very unsettled and threatening, with a low glass. Waihola School Committee. — The first meeting of this committee was held in the schoolroom on Friday evening. Present: - Messrs Thos. Hughan, J. C. Bannatyne, Chas. Bdrthwick, Wm. Smith, D. M'Gillivary, and C. H.j Morgan. Mr Thos. Hughan was. elected chairman, and Mr J. C. Banuatyne hon. clerk and treasurer ; Messrs Bannatyne, Morgan, aud Borthwick were appointed a works committee. The committee' then adjourned until the first Saturday in .June. Agricultural. — Waihola: There is nothing of importance to chronicle of this district. The farmers had commenced to get up potatoes, when the late rains put a stop to the work for a time. Some farmers are manuring their land preparatory to ploughing. Grass is fair for this time of the year. The weather is very wet and cold. Henley : The threshing is all but finished. The farmers are not particularly busy. There are only a few acres of turnips at Henley this year. The grass is good. Otakia : The continual wet weather is keeping farmers from getting on with autumn ploughing. The potato crop •is ' not very good. Kuri Bush : This is a slack time with the farmers in this district, as well as in the other ones I have written about. The rabbits are getting very numerous. Grass is fair. The yield of grain is considerably below the average of former years.