WAIKAKA VALLEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1994, 12 May 1892, Page 21

WAIKAKA VALLEY.

May 10 —The weather is favourable on the whole, though a good deal of rain has fallen lately. A few farmers are still engaged threshing, while others, having finished this work and carting away their oats, are getting chaff cut by steam power. The engines most in use for this purpose are those used for driving the threshing .machines. But there are one or two enterprising individuals who have obtained smaller engines, which can be pulled about the country by four horses, Such engines are a boon to farmers in the winter season,, when it is so difficult to drag the heavier op Fencing Wire.-A year or two since a paragraph appeared in the Witness columns stating that steel wire did not last so long as iron wire, especially where it came in contact with the earth or long grass, and that some had been reverting to the use of iron wire. My experience of the steel wire extends over a period of only seven years, but it has stood during that time, and I find it stands a heavy strain whenever it requires to be tightened after the first erection of the fence. B»t if steel wire does not last long, iron wire certainly does. A few days ago I had occasion to use lewt of iron wire which had been in use ia a fence for the last 14 years, and found it capable of sustaining the required tension applied to it by one of Reid's Titan wire strainers. This subject suggests one observation which may be made before concluding. It is this :In feuoing over small hillocks these should be graded for the double purpose of keeping the wire clear of the ground and of making the wire more serviceable in the fence. , The Government.— The farmers here were pleased at the result of the poll for Bruce, for, apart from the principal questions at issue, Mr Allen has the esteem of the country settlers. Feeling does.not run high here for or against the Government. There are not many, however, who are willing to concede that the members of the Government merit the confidence its members would claim for it. It is admitted that there are some good members in it, but that it requires more than any other to be kept in check by a powerful Opposition. A PLEASANT GATHERING. There was a large number of people present in the local church last Tuesday evening to bid Mr and Mrs Dickie good-bye on the eve of their de. parture for the Old Country, and to make tKem a presentation in token of their worth. Mr James Dickie was one of the earliest settlers here, having taken up land about 17 years ago. He has been a very successful farmer, and has leased his farm for a time. It was not, however, to mark their admiration of his success as a farmer that the people met, but to show the high estimation in which he is held as a Christian worker. During the last 11 years be has been the leading lay preacher in the dist* rict, and his discourses met with great acceptance. Mrs Dickie also laboured In the Christian field during that time. She was the head teacher in the Sunday school. „...._ The Presbyterian minister of the district (Key. P Ramsay) presided and spoke at considerable length. He said he did not think that the people of the district would have been pleased with themselves if they had not met to give expression of their regard to Mr Dickie. The minister of the district at least could never have forgiven himself if something had not oeen done. Mr Dickie was the most notable figure religiously in the whole district, and excelled any minister. He never knew anyone who was so devoted to the cause of Jesus as was Mr Dickie. He was not one who came to them reasoning about the doctrines he found in the Scriptures, but came to them as a seer who saw for himself. It wjs a fact that some people did not like the way Mr Dickie presented the truth. His one theme had been Ye must bo born again." But was Mr Dickie wrong in presenting the truth as it appeared to him? Let them look up their New Testaments and judge accordingly. They must not be satisfied with anything less than this experience, Mr Dickie was going away for a 12 month, and his fear wan, although he had no authority for saying it, that he would not come back to settle amongst them. The water was never missed till the well ran dry, and he was very much afraid they did not know whom they had living amongst them, and that they would only realise his influence when it was gone from them. He was one of bis best friends, and one who practised what he preached. If Mr Dickie had been going on a mere pleasure trip, perhaps he would not have been so enthusiastic. He was going, the speaker thought, that he might bo better equipped for Christian work. In this he was not consulting his own ends. There was One who was continually before his thoughts, and he had lost sight of himself. Mr Dickie would, he was quite sure, have been very comfortable amongst them if ho had only stayed in the district. The speaker, when concluding, presented Mr Dickie, on behalf of the congregation and friends, with a silver watch and chain, a travelling case, and a binocular telescope. Mr Dickie in reply, said he sincerely thanked them for their presents. He had not expected to receive anything when he had been asked by a friend if he could be present at the meeting, but he took them as tokens of their gratitude to the Lord, whose servant he had been. At an earlier stage in the Christian life the flattering remarks which bad been made might have had a bad effect upon him, but they had pretty well run off. He thanked them oo U cc more when concluding, and said that during the last year or two he had been conscious of yielding himself more and more to the God who had brought him from darkness unto light, but He who had guided him these 11 years and four months since his conversion would guide him to the end. He was not dissatisfied with his surroundings at Waikaka Valley, and was very comfortable so far as this world was concerned, but he believed the Lord wished him to go somewhere eke. He Tiad spoken long enough to the P<J Mr John Kirk said Mr Dickie's strong point in religious work was personal dealing. Mr A. J. Nicol spoke among other things of his hospitality. Mr W. D. Stewart on the difficulties in the way of a fanner engaging in religious work; Mr M'Kinna on Mr Dickie's deep .knowledge of the Bible, Mr John Mac Gibbon (mayor of Gore) on his sincerity, Mr Cruickshank on the help he had received from Mr Dickie in the divine life, and Mr D. Gilchrist on his kindness towards every'

Three of the Sunday school girls presented Mrs Dickie with a dressing case and a writing*folio,

The Rev. Mr Ramsay, on behalf of the other, teachers presented her with a copy of the revised version of the Bible, and Mr A. J. Nichbl, on behalf of the congregation, with a locket." " j ' Mrs Dickie suitably acknowledged the presents.. She would never forget her pupils, and preyedthat God's blessing might rest upon them when she was far away. Tea and eatables (the latter having been gratuitously supplied by the ladies) were handed round twice during the evening. The meeting concluded by the company joining in singing God be with you till we meet, again."