KAITANGATA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 22

KAITANGATA.

February 6.— The weather during the past week has been exceptionally stormy and rough, and the gale on Friday night and Saturday caused a great deal of damage, nearly stripping all the fruit trees, and laying all the heavy crops in the district, which will result in a heavy loss to the farmers. Tho crops that are not laid have the best of the grain threshed out of tho straw by the force of the gale. The weather now seems to have taken a turn for the better. Licensing Meetings.— So far as we have gone yet little or no interest has been taken in the licensing election in our end of the county. The prohibitionists intend apparently to let well alone, though, perhaps, on the other hand, they hope to spring a mine on the other party at the last moment by their apparent quietness just now. Of course having no election here the roll remains the same, there being no alteration in it, and therefore the electors are pretty well all enrolled. Bowling.— The tournament on the bowling green for the cane presented by Mr Allen was concluded last week, Mr W. M'Lareu being the victor. Lake Drainage.— l understand that the Bruce County Council are considering the advisability of straightening and widening Morrison's creek (the channel between the two lakes), with a view to lowering the level of the upper lake. This work may be right enough, but they will also require to direct their operations to the box at the river, and try if possible to make it watertight, for at present when the river rises the water from it flows up the canal at a tremendous rate, and greatly assists to cause the floods with which we have been troubled of late. Coal Mining.— The Castle Hill Company are making great improvements at their work* with a view to soon getting the coal in their new drive. They have at present a large number of hands at work removing part of the hill to make sidings for the trucks above the screens, and this week they commenced to enlarge their air shaft, making it a circular shaft of 9ft diameter inside the brickwork. Ajiuskments. — We have for some time past had a full share of travelling shows, including Hayeh'u Circus, patent medicine men, lightning calculators, &c, all of whom have apparently done fairly well. *