LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1931, 26 February 1891, Page 16

LAKE COUNTY.

February 21. — Harvesting operations, which were becoming pretty general, were interrupted yesterday by rain, whioh fell for the greater part of the day. The weather, however, keeps warm and the orops are coming on well. It is strange that there is so much devided opinion about tbe depredations of sparrows, linnets, and other small birds. In this district there is abundant evidence that the damage these pests do is very great. During a recent ramble through the district Mr George White, of Lake Hayes, called my attention to the havoc made among some oats. The ground seemed to be strewn with grain in quantity about three times that required for seed, and the whole loss from this cause may probably be estimated at one third of the total crop. I do not think this is an exceptional oase, as loud complaints about the pest are heard from many different parts of Lake County, so that there must be something in it. News about tbe orops continues good. In some parts of this district they are very far above the average. Death , — The terrible death of the unfortunate engineer of the Fmnkfcon Beach dredge has been the' subject of conversation for the last few days. The accident occurred in a very simple manner. The deceased, David B. M'Niddv, was tightening up a bolt in the machinery when he was dragged into it by the wheels and literally crushed to death, bringing up tbe engines standing. Nearly all his ribs on the left side were orushed in, and death was almost instantaneous. It is remarkable that the aooident should have occurred on the last day of his engagement, be having actually made preparations for leaving. The deceased was a young man, and had been a little over two years in the colony. He was a married man and had a family of three children living with his wife in Dundee, of whioh town he was a native.— Another death by acoldent was that of Lee Chung, Chinese storekeeper at Queenstown, who fell over a precipice at Deep creek, Shotover, losing his life by the fall. He was out collecting money, and was last seen aliye on the 26th of last month. On Tuesday last, 17th inst., a search was made for the missing man, his body being found at the foot of a precipice about 200 ft high. His hat ■was fouHd on a ledge, and upon another ledge, about 100 ft below from whore he had fallen over, his pigtail was discovered caught by some scrub, the hair being torn out at the roots. The body was very much decomposed, but was identified bylthe clothes. Watoh, chain, and papere were found upon the deceased. Something Like a Cow. — Mr L. Miller, of Miller's FJat, owns a cow which is desoribed as half shorthorn and half Ayrshire, which has given milk which has yielded 1571b of butter in 46 days, aad is going on at the same rate.