TAIERI FERRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 10 August 1888, Page 17

TAIERI FERRY.

August 6. — A concert in aid of the fund to pay off the balance owlDg on the harmonium belonging to the Church of England was held in the Waihola schoolrdom on the 30th ult.,- aild was fairly attended. The singing of Mesdamea Drutnmond and Allen, Messrs Drummond, Smith, and M'Duff, recitations by Mr Stewart, and pianoforte solos by Misses Morgan and Tomkiuson and Mr Hamann were the featares of the evening. Waihola School Committee. —The ordinary monthly meeting of the school committee was held on the 4th inst. Members present— Messrs J. Wilson (chairman), W. Smith, Crane, Borthwick, Robertson, and M'Gillivray. No business of any importance was transneted, though considerable time was spent over a discussion re voting a few shillings for trees, &c, to beautify the teacher'.s garden. Henley-Bkrwick Eoad.— Some small contracts for scrubbing the worst parts of the road are completed, and the road is somewhat improved thereby. The worst holes have beon attended to, and It is now possible to drive from Henley to Berwick. Miscellaneous.— One hns only to go away from home to learn that bad roads, like other things, are not confined to one particular spot or locality. Business necessited my visiting the CatlSn's River district' a few days ago, and though I have aluayß thought there was not such a wretched piece of rohd as the Henley one in Otago, I was disagreeably made aware on my trip to Catlins (.hat the roads for miles on a stretch in that district are not only as bad , but even worse. The road through the Oreti* Bush is so bad that I had to hire a plough horse to pull the buggy through the mud, by fixing the traces chains on to the axle, not daring to trust to the ordinary mode of draught for fear of pulling theshafts out of the trap. The road along the Owake is almost as bad, and the wonder is how the storekeepers' tans from Balclulha manage to get through at nil. I spoke to Mr F. Bradfield, who Is a member of the Clutha Connty Council, asking him why the councildid not do something to the road. Hereplled that there were no available funds for the purpose. Such roads must be a very serious drawback to all the settlers, more especially to those who hare lately settled there on the homestead and village systems. I havf very grave doubts of either system proving a success in a district that literally has no outlet for six months out of 12.

Agricultural Notes.— Waihola i A considerable area is ploughed, and farmers are still busy with the plough. No grain has been sown yet. Feed is very scarce.— Henley : Farming is at a standstill. There i» little or no grass. Otakla : A considerable area has been sown, principally in oats. The plough is busy on nil the farms. Feed is anything but plentiful. Kuri Bush : A paddock of autumnsown wheat belonging to Mr Palmer is looking very promising, and should the season prove favourable a large yield at harvest may fairly be expected. Grass is short. In conclusion I may say that the only locality where I have seen good grass this wintor is in the Catlin's River district. All the cattle there are in first-class condition, carrying coats as fine as those of the cattle here in the summer,