DIPTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1847, 15 April 1887, Page 17

DIPTON.

April 11. — We are now rapidly approaching the end of the 1887 harvest, and though we are Htill inclined to grumble, our mutterings are neither so loud or so deep as they were in former seasons. The yield of grain (cb.ie.fly oats in this district) has been fairiy satisfactory, and the greater part being well saved before the receut gales took place, its general quality is above the average. The prices, however, are not 6uch as will bring joy to the heart of the [araer, since something like " Is Id" per bushel f.0.b., with the bags thrown in, can scarcely be cailed a highly remunerative return. The weather as usual has been of a highly varied character such as your other country correspondents have described, and their labours in this direction greatly lighten mine, since this topic is now so very much exhausted that it would require the genius of another Shakspeare or the erudition of a second Newton to render attractive or instructive the lucubrations of upcountry scribblers on this subject. The River. — Our sweet Oreti has not during the past two months given much evidence of its latent power of evil, and our hearty wish is that it may long remain so. The attempt of the council to divert the current has proved futile, but the three groins constructed in front of the township seem to promise better results. The creek has several times been high, but at no time have its banks overflowed. On these occasions the destruction of the banks has proceeded at a very slow rate, and the probability is that the resistance offered by the protecting groins will result hi the raising of a bank of gravel, which will still further resist the encroachments of our interesting stream. Ecclesiastical. — Church affairs are quiet just now, and there is but little to chronicle on that subject;. The Rev. Mr Blackie has now settled down in our midst, and his services are attended by an increasing number of the residents of the district. The general wish of the Presbyterians of this portion of the parish seems to be that his stay will be more lengthy than that of his predecessor. The Rev. Archdeacon Stock er recently visited our Episcopal residents, and his address in the schoolroom was attentively listened to by a crowded audience. Since that occasion the general consensus of opinion has been that it is a matter for general regrst that thu rev. gentlemen's duties will not permit of his visiting the district at frequent intervals. Obituary.— It is with feelings of deep regret that I record the death of one whose departure is a serious loss to our district. I refer to the late Mr Daniel, who died on February 21. For many years he was the most prominent personage in our little district, and in all things pertaining to its advancement he was indefatigable in his] exertion?. He had but a lew mouths before retired from active work in his ■ long-known Dipton . Hotel, nut till tho last his efforts to promote the weltare of the younger portion of our community co £tmued most zealously, and the esteem in vtacb he was held by the children was amply taown by the large number of little ones who l olio wed his remains to their last resting place. bCRooL Inspection— The red-letter day of pur school calendar fell on Tuesday last, sth just i., when our new inspector (Mr Hendry) Paw bis first inspectorial visit. It is gratifying to hf wV° record the facfc thab his re P° rfc is of a u'gaiyfavourablecharacter,thepercentagegained )eiug SJ.aud under the new method the percentage ot failures being under 5. On the various subjects of instruction, particularly writing, the flnT+L- - is highl y laud atory in his remarks, «pa this is all the more gratifying since much "me has been lost by the school during recent months. About the end of January ° U . r . l , ate . teacher left for Wyndham school, to w men he had been appointed, and it was ""y after a delay of six weeks that the school *« reopened under the charge of our present '««*«, Mr John Gray, The fact that the

school has maintained this year under these trying circumstances the high position first gained under Mr Clark's mastership are conclusive proofs of that gentleman's abilities and attention to his duties ; and his friends here wish him as great success in his new charge as has attended his efforts here. The Open Season. — Our sportsmen are now devoting their energies to reducing the number of our " feathered friends," and so far their efforts have been attended with much success. One or two local men have made pretty good bags— one, I am told, securing eight and a-half brace of ducks in an afternoon's excursion. Pre-sessional Address. — Our M.H.R. visited this small corner of his constituency on Saturday evening, and in Brown's Hall addressed a fairly large assemblage of the "free and enlightened." Mr John Thompson was unanimously called to the chair, and briefly introduced Mr Cowan, who in a lengthy address reviewed the work of last session, and, so far as a private member can 6afely trust himself in the quagmire of New Zealand politics, foreshadowed the work of the coming session. The address, which lasted one hour and 40 minutes, was frequently applauded, and at the close, after a few questions had been satisfactorily answered, a vote of thanks and continued confidence was carried with acclamation. I understand that a gentleman who has long wooed the favour of the constituents intends to seek election after the forthcoming dissolution. ' While acknowledging that gentleman's abilities, I sincerely hope that this Bection of the electorate will vote en masse for their local man, who during the present Parliament has shown himself to be indefatigable, and, what is more to his credit, highly honourable in his every action.