STRATH-TAIERI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 18

STRATH-TAIERI.

August 13.— During the whole of July the weather has been exceptionally rough, rougher than has ever been experienced before. The roads are in a fearful mess. The frost that followed both snowstorms (we had a light fall a few days ago) has played havoc with the best of our roads. The County Council are,paying more attention than usual to the roads in this district, but no roads can be maintained in good condition during weather such as we have had. School.— The attendance at the school has been very low during the spell of bad weather. Many of the children in the district are suffering from mumpb. Some of the grown-up people have also been laid up with them. The school is at present closed. M.I.S. — The bad weather has frustrated all attempts at doing any business at the three last meetings of the society. The subject fixed for discussion on these nighta was Prohibition. Jupiter Fluvius seems to be a prohibitionist, for he has caused three meetings to be futile. He has sent down plenty of water. Whether that is a proof that he favours or objects to prohibition is a moot point. Church.— The Rev. A. B. Todd, 8.A.. conducts service here Jevery alternate Sunaay in the school. His sermons are skilful, scholarly compositions, and are well delirered, but their effect is somewhat marred by the indifferent quality of the singing. Surely there is enough local talent to raise a choir on the Strath. There is nothing that makes religious services more popular than good singing. We can manage to get good singing at a concert, why not at church ? "Is the devil going to monopolise all the good tunes ?" as Wesley said. An Old Friend.— Mr George M'Donald, one of our two blacksmiths, who was seriously hurt by the explosion of a drum of tar some time ago, comes back in a few days. The accident has laid him up for about three months, and it was found necessary to take him from Maungatua, where he had gone before he began to feel the full effect of the accident, to Milton so that he might be handy to the doctor. His many friends will be glad to learn that he will soon be himself again.