TAIERI FERRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1899, 13 April 1888, Page 17

TAIERI FERRY.

April 9.— The monthly meeting of the Waihola School Committee was held on the 7th inst. Present—Messrs C. Hi Morgan (chairman), James Crane, James Borthwick, John Wilson, William Smith, and D. MGillivray. Owing to the reduction of income, the cost of cleaning the school, &c.) was reduced 158 per quarter. Tho clerk was instructed to reply to the Kaikorai School Committee's letter re assistance towards defraying the late law expenses. Accounts amounting to Hi 3s 7d were passed tor payment. The committee adjourned until Saturday, the 21st inst., to consider a report to be brought up at the'annual meeting. Clarendon Licensing Committee.— This committee met on the ith inst. and elected Mr Duff chairman.

Henley-Berwick Hoad.— Some small contracts have been retently let on this road, and as a natural result of road-making or repairing at this season of the year the effort is making bad worse. Why the authorities don't see the necessity of repairing the roid in spring instead of winter is to many a mystery. The road, early as it is in the year, is positively dangerous to drive on. Should wet weather continue, a horseman will not be able to ride from Henley to Berwick. Business often takes me to Berwick, but rather than risk buggy and horse I drive through Greytown, across to Outram, and thence back to Berwick, a distance of 24 miles against six miles were the road across the swamp passable. Duck Shooting.— Early in the small hours of the morning on the 30th ult. 1 was roused from sleep by the repeated dischargeof fireatms. At first I thought the Russians had arrived and were making a raid on Waihola. However, a little quiet reflection served to calm my fears and to call to mind the fact that it was the commencement of the shooting season .How the shootists managed to see the ducks I don't know, as the night was very dark. I havo been informed by an " old sport " that the birds this year are little better than flappers, aud in his opinion the season should not have opened for at least another month. Few good bags were got, ducks being by no means plentiful on the Waihola and Waipori lakes this year. Weather.— The least said about it perhaps the better. The glass, as I write, is high, but a bitterly cold gale is blowing from the south-west. The Taieri river has not been affected by the late rains .The Waipori has been slightly flooded, but has not overflowed its banks.

Agricultural Notes.— Waihola : The harveßt is a thing of the past iv this district, and most of the farmers have threshed. The yield has not been within «even bushels per acre of last year's crop. The few turnips that were sown look very well. Messrs Sinclair and Smith have very good crop*. Grass is very scarce, and the winter promises to be a hard one on stock. The potato crops are very poor. Henley : Very little crop is yet led in, nearly all being out in the stook, and a good many acresare not even cut yet. The yield will not, I fear, be satisfactory. The potato crop was completely ruined by a sharp frost a month ago. Grass is very scarce. Otakia : Harvest and threshing are pretty well over. The yield has been fair. Only a small area is under turnips, which look fairly promising. A new species of "fly" has been very destructive this year to turnips. Grass ia very bare. Kuri Bush s All grain is safe in stack in this district, and the farmers are waiting for the mill. The turnip crop is very good. As for frrass, I have never seen the Kuri so short ot that all-important food. Babbits have increased this summer a thousandfold, and the small birds by the million.