STRATH-TAIERI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1934, 19 March 1891, Page 17

STRATH-TAIERI.

March It. — During the past few weeks we have enjoyed a splendidly assorted lot of samples of weather Every dime, from that of the frozen pole to that of " burning sand," has visited us. The only sample mls>ing was that of rainy weather. Last Sunday was a very hot day. The thermometer registered over 80 in the shade, and a gale of wind was blowing at the time. Babbits.— A number of farmers and settlers in this district were lately summoned, and fined £2 aud costs, for failing to take buffialenily energetic Bteps to cope with the rabbit pest They had to attend court at Outram, a distance of 37 miles or to, and loat three days in ftttending, which was equivalent to another fine of £2, aud is a foic.blo argument in favour of having periodical sittings of the Keiident Magistrate's Court here. At a conse queue* of the fining of the ha'f-dczen settlers before mentioned considerable activity is now being shown in the operations againat the rabhite. One new idea is drowning the rabbits out of tho burrows near the river bank by pumpii.g water from the river iuto the burrows. This should rlaughter them by the dozen. The loose candy nature of the ground is the only thing likely to militate against the perf-cb operation of tnis plan. The rabbiters are giumbhng at the smallness of th>ir ptyaud the expenses of (hooting. However, bb rabbits are plentiful and winter approaching, they will soou be able to make good cheques. Poisoning with carrots doted with arienio has been tried by leveral settlors, and found very effective. i Harvest.— The hat vest Is now over, and threihI Ing will toon be in full swing. There will not ba to much threshing as usual owing to the lightness of the orops. The turnip crop is not up to much, although a few ihoweri (bat fell about a month ego

did it a lot of good. Any turnips that have been irrigated are looking well. Booming Alohg.— Since my last the township of Middlemarch has bad several arrivals of new inhv bi'antn. The post office has been removed from Mr Watkins' store to the railway station, where the distributing, receiving, and forwarding of the mails are attended to by Mr Cherry, whose oharge will last a few weeks longer, when the post office will be hr.nded over to the csre of the station master, who has already arrived, but has not yet taken charge. Mr Watkins. has been postmaster at Middlemaroh for as many years as Middlemarch has been provided with a mail. During all these years he has served the public to the beit of his ability, and f -ilfehfully. He was always ready to do anything in the way of giving out letters and selling stamp', doing both often at great Inconvenience to hinvelf, and quite out of office hours. It would be only becoming that the honest fu'filment of these ill-paid and thank'ess duties should receive some recognition from the public, who havo benefited by Mr Watkius' wi'llngness to do more for their convenience than the dutiei of his office demanded. It is rumoured that Mr Peters bat sold the Strath-Taieri Hotel to Mrs Brown, late of dreen Island. The truth of the rumour is, however, not veiified. Mr Swanson, of Nenthorn, has purchased the hotel at Nenthorn ! lately occupied by Messrs Molonoy and Bu man, and intends to have it removed to Middlemarch. MrS«anaon has also bonght the Nenthorn Public Hall, which will alto be removed to Middlemarch. The hotel is a largo and commodious building of over 20 rooms, and as the site chosen for it is a good one, It is to be h'>pcd that the venture will prove successful. Mr Jeffs, of Nenthorn, is about to build large livery stables at Middlemarch, for the accommodation of the horses used by the Naseby line ol coaches. Mr Jeffs is also going to start a coach between Nenthorn and Middlemarch. Tbe store i lately opened by Mr Falconer, of Mosgiel, is another addition to the township. Mr Hay, the local carpenter, is busy, and so also is his rival, Mr Oettli. It is currently reported that another of the local carpenters has gone rabbiting, but in view of the Inspiriting advancement of things in general this may be looked upon as a slander on the district. JP. Court.— At a sitting of tbo J.P. CourtMessrs Humphreys and Pogson being on the bench — on Menday, the 9th inst., a man was found guilty of cruelty to a dog, and was convicted and discharged. The cruelty consisted of tying the dog to a horse's tail, and riding along the road with it. The cruelty was the result of the dog stopping to ohase unregenerate fleas, and then getting pulled off his feet. The bench were determined to prevent suoh practices from obtaining in Middlemarch. Scholastic— The school was reopened on tbe 23rd ult. after a vacation of four weeks, to allow the children to assist at tbe harvest. Tbe number attending is about half the roll number. However, a better attendance may be looked for when the bid weather comes on, and children become a nuisance about the hou;e. Tbe appearance of the surroundings of the school is not very pleasing. The fence in front requires a little atteutlon, and a little less dust on tbe forms on church Sundays would meet the requirements of the ordinary run of Sunday clothes.